Superstars of Tomorrow
Author: Lazy Cliche
Date: 2022-09-26T16:06:05.487000+00:00

Chapter 1: The New World after the End of the Old

After a devastating meteor shower, the apocalypse beckoned as foreign elements sparked deadly mutations in animals, and micro-organisms invisible to the naked eye unleashed countless epidemics.

On top of their own diseases, mankind had to deal with mutated beasts. Threats loomed everywhere and a torrent of microbiological mutations lurked as illness and disaster halted progress and curbed productivity.

Bustling cities were reduced to ruins and vast plots of fertile land turned to hellish wastelands.

__________

Fang Zhao couldn’t remember how long he lingered in that apocalyptic world, how long he fought.

Ninety-odd years? Or perhaps 100 years?

He could no longer remember.

Before the apocalypse, he was a somewhat well-known composer whose career was on the rise. Just as he was about to release what he considered his best work, the mother of all wars arrived. He fled for survival and led troops into battle.

When conquered lands were recovered one after another, people thought the war would end soon and prosperous times would emerge. Yet this was when he collapsed, in the darkness before the dawn.

__________

"If you don’t have the determination to fight to the death, then this war will certainly be lost."

"That’s why earth’s population has dwindled from 8 billion to 80 million."

"Old Zhao, say, do you think we will win?"

"We will."

"I’m not afraid of death, but I am afraid of a Pyrrhic victory."

"We will win."

"That’s good. When we win, I’m going to find a place and start herding again. Boy, how I loved the ranch where we lived when I was a kid—the blue skies and the green pastures. What about you, Old Zhao? Are you going to relaunch your career as a composer?"

"Relaunch? I never stopped in the first place."

__________

In Fang Zhao’s head, a conversation he once had with his comrade Su Mu suddenly popped up.

The cries of his men facing imminent death and the howls of the mutated animals began to fade. The extreme pain from decades of illnesses and deadly wounds had been wiped from his memory as his body began to recover its senses.

The vitality of a withered tree that meets the spring was confusing to Fang Zhao. After all, he was more than 100 years old, an emaciated old man with damaged fingers. Even though his body had mutated and strengthened as a function of his immune system, he was still bogged down by injury and illness. He was also an old man. He felt like an overheated engine all the time and could no longer relax at will.

Just when Fang Zhao was about to carefully feel out his body, his brain was assaulted by a pain resembling pricking needles and barraged with images he couldn’t recognize, crowding his head to its breaking point.

As he gradually gained control of his body, Fang Zhao’s eyelids spasmed and he sat up to take deep breaths. The overloading of his brain blurred his vision, but as his headache faded, his vision resumed too, and Fang Zhao took in his unusual surroundings acutely.

With instincts and sensitivity honed from countless battles, Fang Zhao could tell without looking that he was in a foreign location.

No.

It wasn’t an unknown location.

A scene appeared in his mind, a seemingly very familiar scene.

This is where he used to live.

He was Fang Zhao and not Fang Zhao at the same time.

He died in that end-of-days war, but now he was reborn into the body of another person also called Fang Zhao. He survived.

Fang Zhao raised his hands and examined his 10 young, intact fingers. He dangled his legs, which were weak but felt no pain.

This was a young and healthy body.

Fang Zhao’s brain contained his own memories—the battles that led to his death were crystal clear, as were his nearly 100 years of fighting and being on the run. But at the same time, he was also equipped with the memories of his new host body.

This young man also named Fang Zhao was merely 23 years old and was about to complete his tertiary studies.

He was a young composer.

Unfortunately…

He was dumped after graduation and cheated just when he started his new job. A friend he considered a blood brother betrayed him and stole three months’ worth of his work. Succumbing to the blows, this man chose the final resolution—suicide.

Fang Zhao was puzzled. Apocalypse had been avoided. Why would anyone give up on life in such a beautiful world?

After all, it was merely a case of heartbreak, piracy, and betrayal.

So what?

Did the world fall apart?

People who lived during the end of days tried so hard to survive, and this boy took his life over such petty matters. People from the end of days wouldn’t get it.

But after all, these were peaceful times after what was thought to be the end of days. People thought differently in times of peace. Fang Zhao also lived during peacetime, but it was too long ago and such good memories had already blurred by a giant sea of bloodshed.

How did people from peacetime think?

Never mind. What has happened has happened.

As Fang Zhao canvassed the memories of his host body, exasperation mixed with pity. Someone who chose to resolve things like this was too cowardly. It was a form of avoidance. The host was dead, and yet the person who poached his work was living happily and enjoying greater status. Was his death worth it?

In any case, Fang Zhao felt it wasn’t. Current grievances were best avenged in the present—who knew if there was an afterlife.

The original owner of his body was afraid to confront his circumstances, but Fang Zhao was different.

Someone who had endured the end of days naturally had a different temperament than people from peacetime.

The more memories he uncovered, the more amazed Fang Zhao was.

There really was a new world.

All those years of battle and all those of years of hellish living were worth it. While searching the memories of his new body, Fang Zhao remained vigilant toward his surroundings as well. Even when he was in a safe environment, Fang Zhao couldn’t relax. It was an old habit cultivated during the end of days, which was also why he was able to survive for so many years.

As a whining sound from nearby grew, Fang Zhao stopped searching his new memory and looked over.

He had already sensed another life form in this narrow room, but it posed no threat and didn’t signal the intent to attack. Drawing from his experience from the end of days, beasts like this weren’t of the violent, mutated variety, so he didn’t pay much attention. Fang Zhao only shifted his focus as the noise grew.

It was only a small dog with tangled, finger-long fur. Its coat was stained with an unknown substance. It was very skinny. Remove its fur and all that was left was a veiled skeleton.

The stray dog the original owner of his body had adopted before committing suicide.

After adopting the dog last night, he fed it a spiked dinner. He ate half and fed the remaining half to the dog – both portions were mixed with poison he bought from a drug store.

An empty bowl lay on a table nearby. Its drugged contents were gone, but the plate next to the dog was left untouched.

Fang Zhao knew from his new memories that the dog was in poor health last night. He could barely stand. A day later it seemed in better shape, but it still had trouble getting up. It lay there with its head titled slightly, his neck twisted in Fang Zhao’s direction. Tail wagging, its black eyes started at Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao dangled his legs. Even though they were weak, he could walk.

He planted his feet on the ground. The wholesome feeling that traveled from the soles of his feet to his brain made his heart race.

Fang Zhao walked carefully and deliberately, as if verifying the reality before him.

One step, two steps...

Soon the probing steps became confident moves, as every cell in his body came alive with his heightened mood.

How lucky he was to return from the dead.

Fang Zhao walked toward the dog, knelt, picked up the plate of unknown material carrying the muck that was the poisoned food and tossed it into the garbage can.

As he bore witness to Fang Zhao’s actions, the dog’s spirits appeared to be lifted and his eyes became more expressive.

There was no more food in the apartment. Drawing from his new memory, Fang Zhao took a bowl from the cupboard. He felt the surface of the bowl and determined it wasn’t a material he knew. It looked ceramic, but it felt like some sort of plastic composite. It was very light.

His brain contained vague memories about the new material, but Fang Zhao could only gather from these fragments that it was a material that dissolves quickly in certain conditions without releasing any pollutants.

Fang Zhao dropped the matter and fetched half a bowl from the pool, which he knew about his new memory, and placed it in front of the dog.

The dog got up with a swagger, looking like it would collapse at any moment. But it stood stiffly and lapped up the bowl of water, its tail wagging slightly.

Even though it was a stray dog, it was still doing its best to survive.

Fang Zhao looked at that dog, then focused his attention on the small apartment.

It was about 20 square meters, crowded and messy. One corner was a total disaster. But his new memory told Fang Zhao that the same corner was the tidiest part of the room before yesterday.

That small corner taking up about four square meters was where the previous owner of his body worked. All the songs he composed in the past two months were completed in that cramped corner.

Many of the tools and appliances in the apartment were alien to Fang Zhou. He had never seen home appliances before. But he could decipher everything with his new memory. As long as his new memory was fully integrated, he could navigate his new world easily.

Fang Zhou walked toward a spot and pressed a small button on the wall. A waist-high cabinet thrust forward. A mirror was placed on top of the cabinet.

Ignoring the mirror itself and the material of the cabinet, Fang Zhao carefully examined the man in the mirror.

The original owner of his new body looked somewhat like Fang Zhao, even though Fang Zhao couldn’t remember what he looked like when he was a young man. Still, the face in the mirror looked a bit familiar, based on Fang Zhao’s own memories instead of his new ones.

The two Fang Zhao were cosmically linked after all.

Even though he didn’t know how he obtained a healthy new body, Fang Zhao disagreed with what its original owner did. But now that he inherited his body and memories, Fang Zhao had to take stock.

Staring at the eyes in the mirror, he said in a serious tone,

"I’m taking over the life you abandoned."

"I will exact revenge for you."

"I will repay your debts."

"So your dream is to become a world-famous composer? It just so happens I used to be one."

Fang Zhao was actually quite ambitious, but he had landed in a new world that he didn’t know, after all. As grand as his ambitions were, they had to be grounded in reality and competence. Maybe he could fulfill the dreams that he couldn’t during the end of days.

Anyone can talk big, but before adapting to his new surroundings and figuring out his skillset, talk was just talk.

Fang Zhao shoved the cabinet back into the wall, walked toward the window and opened it.

It was nearly noon and the weather was great. The curtains had been drawn already, but the apartment was still dim, because this was a "black" street, a slum-like neighborhood.

Chapter 2: Black Stree

What was a "black street"? As buildings increased in height with the advancement of technology, areas with a high concentration of skyscrapers blocked sunlight from narrow alleys at the bottom of these clusters. These streets were dark most of the day, so people called them "black streets."

The area where Fang Zhao now lived was surrounded by mass housing blocks more than 100 stories tall. There were gaps between these towers, and beneath these gaps lay the "black streets." People who lived on black streets were also called "those who lived in the gaps," a euphemism for the poor.

Conditions were rough on black streets. In addition to the lack of sunshine, it was a dangerous setting.

After the original owner of Fang Zhao’s body signed with a record label, he moved off-campus. Living alone was more conducive to creative work and was more private, but he had limited funds, so he could only afford to rent a container-style room on a black street. The original owner wanted to move out after he was paid for his work, but before he could submit his work, it was stolen by a trusted friend.

The original owner had four childhood friends: Fang Sheng, his ex-girlfriend Xi Hong, Zeng Huang, and Zeng Huang’s fiancée, Wan Yue.

The five of them grew up together. They lived in the same building as kids. Unfortunately, when they were in secondary school, an explosion occurred in the building and only a tenth of the residents survived. Only children who were boarders survived.

The government paid out a substantial amount in compensation and a strong welfare system was in place, so the five of them could afford to finish university with cash to spare. They attended the same primary school and secondary school and went on to attend college in Qi’an City. They attended different universities, but they stayed in touch. However, they weren’t as close as when they were children.

After the apocalypse, a global alliance was formed. The entire planet was a unified whole. There were no countries.

The alliance comprised of 12 continents—eight major continents and four special continents.

Fang Zhao lived in the political and financial hub of one of the eight major continents, Yanzhou, the capital city of Qi’an.

The original owner of the body was the best student among the five. The university he was admitted to was the best music school in Yanzhou: the Qi’an Academy of Music.

Since the beginning of the New Era, the composition department at the Qi’an Academy of Music accounted for nearly half of Yanzhou’s 100 most influential composers. Among them were composers who had global influence. The academy was a dream school for many.

Final-year students of the composition department were mostly signed by record companies before graduation. The original owner of the body was one such student. Half a year before graduation, he signed a six-month trainee contract with Silver Wing Media, one of Yanzhou’s three major entertainment conglomerates.

During the first three months, the original owner of the body ran errands for senior musicians and attended classes scheduled by the company. The second half of the internship was devoted to preparing for the annual new talent competition. How the trainees performed in the last three months determined if they would stay on at Silver Wing as full-time employees and shaped their futures. Silver Wing would allocate resources based on their performance in the new talent competition.

But the pieces the original owner had toiled on for the new talent competition were stolen by his childhood friend Fang Sheng.

Fang Sheng shared the same family name with the original owner – they were distant relatives. He was a good brother and partner, but he stabbed the original owner of the body in the back at a critical juncture. Caving to the painful blow and the pressure, the original owner committed suicide.

Fang Zhao stopped searching his new memory and noticed that it was getting lively outside. The movement of people could be heard everywhere. The apartment was located on the second floor. Right beneath it was a large shop where people could be heard opening shop and moving things. Residents of the building across the street had also opened their windows and were staring outside.

Even though it was quite dark, Fang Zhao still examined the street like taking in a rare piece of art.

Things had changed so much since the apocalypse, which was both alien and intriguing to Fang Zhao at the same time.

This was the new world.

A golden age had emerged after the near-apocalypse, also known as the Period of Destruction.

Those old friends who survived the end of the war must have been delighted. The 100-year war, which cost billions of lives, resulted in the prosperous times everyone had hoped for.

The noise and the dark should have gotten on his nerves, but Fang Zhao was an untapped bundle of energy. The world he had longed for was afoot again.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Fang Zhao greedily took in the fresh air of the new world.

Inspiration rumbled in his head, ready to burst out. His blood had risen to near-boiling temperatures. Every single one of his hairs was trembling in excitement.

But that wasn’t enough.

To create a masterpiece, that bit of inspiration wasn’t enough.

The noise grew louder, and it was bright outside. It was getting louder and brighter at an increasing pace.

Fang Zhao stopped searching his memory and locked the window. Based on the memory he inherited along with his new body, Fang Zhao knew that the busiest and also most valuable period of the day on a black street—daytime—was about to arrive.

He scanned the house and his gaze landed on the bracelet on top of his nightstand for two seconds. Fang Zhao darted over and fastened it to his left wrist. This was an item that 90 percent of people in the new world owned, something like a personal computer terminal.

Virtual currency was the norm, so Fang Zhao needed the bracelet to buy things. It also served as the key to his apartment.

After he fastened his bracelet, Fang Zhao paused before the door and turned back to scoop up the stray dog, who was staring at him, and brought him along.

As he left, Fang Zhao noticed that many others were headed to the first floor, just like him. His building was like a beehive, housing a massive number of residents. Most, like Fang Zhao, also struggled to make ends meet and could afford no more than a tiny, cramped room devoid of sunlight for most of the time.

Where tall buildings were clustered, even though it was daytime, the streets below were dark most of the time. People who could afford to moved to higher floors. People are always drawn to the light.

As for those who couldn’t afford an apartment on a higher floor or were handicapped, they set their sights on noon every day, the only time when black streets were briefly graced by sunlight.

The people who were rushing downstairs glanced at Fang Zhao quickly and walked past him. They only had a vague impression of him. They didn’t know him well, so they didn’t bother to say hello.

Several of them gave Fang Zhao a curious glance when they noticed he was carrying a dog. Fang Zhao didn’t mind and smiled at them in return.

The fellow residents were obviously taken aback. They were probably surprised that this usually depressed young man was smiling.

The people who went outside around that time to get a tan were mostly elderly. The crowd that emerged from the elevator was mostly made up of stumbling, grey-haired old men and women.

As he emerged from the lobby of his building, Fang Zhao noticed that the street was already quite crowded. Major forms of transportation were diverted elsewhere, so black streets were usually free of car traffic. During the day, they were very empty, except for now.

As the sun rose, it shined on the lower levels of the mass housing blocks. People who didn’t go outside also opened their windows to take in the precious sunshine.

Fang Zhao wasn’t in a hurry to stake out his spot. Instead, he walked into the shop on the first floor. He was starving. Everything else could wait.

Because of the apocalypse, the planetary government of the New Era did not impose gun controls initially, lest another major war break out again. In the unfortunate scenario where events unfolded that way, at least people could fight right away. But eventually, the situation grew out of control. Arms became prolific and riots rampant. Several continents went through leadership changes and the planetary government was nearly toppled. That was when gun controls were implemented. Gun controls were especially strict in the past century. It was impossible for the average citizen to own a gun.

But Yue Qing, the owner of the shop, was a veteran and one of the few people on this black street that owned arms legally. The punks of black streets didn’t dare mess with people with arms, which was the main reason why this shop could operate in peace.

When Fang Zhao entered the shop, a yawning Yue Qing gave him a quick glance. He remembered Fang Zhao from yesterday, when the kid was hellbent on killing himself and oblivious to feedback. He'd thought another black street suicide was in the works, but low and behold, Fang Zhao showed up again.

Yue Qing’s line of sight shifted to the dog Fang Zhao was holding. That’s right—it was the kid from the yesterday. He saw him take the stray dog home. Several punks who were shopping at his stores started a bet on what Fang Zhao would do with the dog—whether it would become a burial item or if he would kill it and eat it. It looked like they were all wrong.

Fang Zhao sensed Yue Qing’s probing eyes, but his stare suggested curiosity and no ill will, so Fang Zhao didn’t react. Drawing from his memory, he bought the cheapest items: three thumb-length sealed strips. Their size was misleading—the strips felt like metal in hand. Low-end compressed food.

Yue Qing stopped staring and eyed the item Fang Zhao had picked. "That’s 9 dollars. You want them decompressed?"

Decompression referred to the decompression of compressed food, which restored these compressed blocks into an edible form.

"Yes. And a cup of tea please," Fang Zhao said.

"Decompression is fifty cents, the tea is another fifty cents—the total is 10 dollars." As he spoke, Yue Qing opened the three strips and stuck them into a decompressor. Ten seconds later, he removed the tray from inside, on which sat three items that resembled dim sum. They were each about 20 centimeters by 8 centimeters in size and steaming hot.

"Takeaway?" Yue Qing asked.

"No, I’ll eat here." Fang Zhao took the plate and asked, "Boss Yue, can I move a chair outside?"

"Not too far out," Yue Qing answered without lifting his head. He wasn’t afraid the kid would steal his chair. Very few people had the guts to steal from him on this street.

Fang Zhao put down the dog near the store entrance and returned inside for a chair.

Fang Zhao gave the dog one of the three compressed cakes and kept the other two for himself. If this were the apocalypse, he would not have generously shared his food with a dog he just met, but Fang Zhao was in a good mood, having been reborn into the New Era. He was willing to share. Since the original owner of his body adopted it and it did not die, he would keep it for now.

The compressed cakes tasted horrible, and the tea was cheap powder-based stuff—otherwise they wouldn’t be so cheap. But for someone who had survived the apocalypse, Fang Zhao thought the food was a delicacy. During the end of days, he had to endure famine. Later on, he didn’t have to worry about food, but he wasn’t picky.

Compared to simple and crude food items and the stress of war, compressed cakes were exquisite. Now he could actually sit and enjoy lunch in peace. That already meant the world to Fang Zhao.

Chapter 3: Your Friend Has Made I

The noonday sun was already shining, dispersing the gloom and cold of the black street.

Store owner Yue Qing also moved a chair to his storefront to catch a tan and doze off. He didn’t get much business during the day. Black streets were the liveliest by night, so he didn’t sleep much at night and caught up during the day. This was also when most store owners on black streets rested.

After downing two compressed cakes in large mouthfuls, Fang Zhao eyed the dog sitting by his feet. He had finished its compressed cake and was licking crumbs off the ground. These veteran strays were experts on what was and was not edible. They couldn’t have lived this long on a black street without some basic survival skills.

His appetite satisfied, Fang Zhao relished every second as he sat on the curb and looked to the sky. The sky resembled a bright blue strip, the bright sun unabashedly overlooking the landscape from above. Not a trace of the murkiness and bloodiness of the near-apocalypse.

"This is great."

The apocalypse hadn't panned out after all.

What they called the apocalypse became what people in the New Era dubbed the Period of Destruction. After an extended period of massacres and extinctions, new life sprouted from all things on earth. It was a rebirth of sorts. Human beings were still in charge of the planet.

The world had finally ushered in prosperous times again.

It hadn’t been this peaceful in a very long time. His creative wheels couldn’t help spinning again.

Fang Zhao started to lightly tap the fingers he casually placed on his lap. Very few people noticed, and even if they did, they wouldn’t know what it was all about.

Yue Qing stared for some time but couldn’t make anything out of it. As a veteran, he had been part of quite a few military operations and learned many types of code, but what Fang Zhao tapped wasn’t among the codes he knew.

After staring cluelessly for a while, Yue Qing gave up and continued to nurture his tan.

Some people tapped their fingers unconsciously when they were thinking, but people who knew Fang Zhao could tell that his finger tapping was his way of composing. When he was inspired, he would start composing, but during the apocalypse, he never had the time or space to compose in peace. Pen and paper were out of the question, so Fang Zhao came up with his own method, creating a system of musical notation that took advantage of his impeccable memory. Come to think of it, it was a code of sorts, a code that only Fang Zhao could decipher.

The sun lingered on the black street only very briefly, for about an hour or so, before gradually fading in retreat.

Without the sunshine, the temperature at street level dropped several degrees. But it was already late May and the weather in Yanzhou was quite mild, so some of the elderly residents didn’t head back after getting their tan, chatting with old friends instead. This was their liveliest time of day.

Fang Zhao didn’t want to stay any longer. He returned his plate, his cup, and his chair to the shop.

At that moment, the street chatter suddenly grew louder. The sound of an approaching aircraft could be heard.

Yue Qing raised his head, let out a sardonic laugh, and pointed to the sky. "Your friend has made it big time."

Fang Zhao could see.

A flying car descended.

Flying cars were a luxury item for people who lived near black streets at the bottom of the mass housing blocks. Not everyone could afford one. The fuel it used was more expensive than regular fuel.

Every time a flying car arrived, it was either a mafia boss or someone who had made it.

The elderly people of black streets were very curious about events like this, so when they heard the hovering, they stopped their conversations and watched the arriving car in unison. They wanted to know who had made it and whether they knew the person. If they did, it would confer bragging rights for another 10 days or so.

The people who were sitting on their stools at the flying car’s landing spot had already scattered, creating a clearing for its arrival.

The flying car was emblazoned with a flashy, gaudy wind graphic with seven colors. It was a symbol widely known in Qi’an and even the entire Yanzhou.

"It’s a Neon Culture official car."

"Was someone signed by Neon Culture?"

"Wow, such great fortune, such great fortune. Neon Culture is loaded."

"Someone else from our street was signed by one of the Big Three and became a big star. What was his name? I can’t remember. Anyway, he is rich now."

The three leading entertainment conglomerates in Qi’an were Silver Wing Media, Neon Culture, and Tongshan True Entertainment. Even though it was clear at first glance that the car was an official company car and not a private vehicle, they were talking about the famed Neon Culture here, one of the Big Three. Who would worry about money after joining Neon Culture?

The entertainment industry was a gold mine. That was what the masses thought.

Signing with Neon Culture equaled a change in fortunes, which equaled rolling in cash. That was what most people living on black streets thought.

The original owner of the body had signed with Silver Wing Media as an intern six months before graduation. As for this childhood friend of his, he wasn’t much of a student and his school wasn’t as prestigious as Qi’an Academy of Music, so he wasn’t signed with graduation right around the corner. But now, things were different. People changed.

As Fang Zhao watched the person who emerged from the flying car, his new memory gave him the lowdown on the passenger. Fang Sheng was a childhood friend of his body’s original owner. They were friends who kept no secrets. The original owner was even contemplating using his connections to get his friend hired at Silver Wing after the new talent competition, if not as an artist then as an assistant. In any case, he wouldn’t be unemployed. Yet he was stabbed in the back by his friend in the end.

Now Fang Sheng had replaced his cheap wardrobe and came and went in a flying car. It wasn’t a high-end flying car, but it was still a flying car, and a Neon Culture company car at that. That was enough to draw attention on a black street.

Fang Sheng stole the fruit of his friend’s hard work and leveraged it into a contract with Neon Culture. It looked like Neon Culture was happy with the songs Fang Sheng submitted; otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent a car. Fang Zhao had seen plenty of folks like that—people who had no talent but who knew how to scheme.

As Fang Sheng emerged from the flying car, he reveled in the jealous gazes thrown his way. Being the center of attention made him feel like a star, so when Fang Sheng got out, he was giddy with delight—until he saw Fang Zhao standing at the store entrance. His mood instantly soured.

When Fang Sheng saw Fang Zhao standing there, he was awfully surprised. Based on his understanding of his friend’s personality, coupled with the gossip he had gleaned from a few punks on the black street, Fang Zhao should have committed suicide today. Even if he hadn't, he’d be holed up in his apartment brainstorming a solution, or mired in an endless bout of bitching and self-pity. Who would have thought he’d be in the mood to get a tan?

Had this dumbass composer lost it?

What was even more surprising was Fang Zhao’s state of mind. There wasn’t any despair, self-pity, or any sign of madness from the pressure. Instead, he looked like nothing had happened, as if his work hadn’t been stolen and he wasn’t dealing with a predicament. That sent Fang Sheng into a panic.

What exactly had happened to Fang Zhao?

Fang Sheng’s probing gaze didn’t linger and he didn’t dare look Fang Zhao in the eye. Fang Zhao’s eyes projected an eerie look of calm. They looked like a bottomless ocean that would sprout a monster at any given moment. It gave him the chills.

But Fang Sheng didn’t think he had done anything wrong. Who didn’t look out for their own interests? Why wouldn’t he capitalize on a golden opportunity? It wasn't that he didn’t have a history with Fang Zhao, but compared to the huge benefits he had reaped, their relationship wasn’t worth a mention. At least, that was what he thought.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and pack your things so we can head back to the office. Don’t waste your time here," the driver who emerged from the car urged as he scanned the bystanders on the black street in disdain.

"Oh… OK." Fang Sheng stopped procrastinating and rushed to the elevator, his silhouette cutting an awkward figure, as if he were avoiding something.

After Fang Sheng stole the three songs from Fang Zhao, he had applied to Neon Culture. Their recruiters liked what they saw and signed him. Neon Culture was indeed happy with the scores that Fang Sheng had submitted, paying him an advance and even arranging for new living quarters. Fang Sheng was there to move. He lived on the fifth floor. Even though the conditions were slightly better than Fang Zhao’s surroundings on the second floor, the fifth floor was still considered a lower floor at the mass housing block. It was still dirty, messy and crappy. When he found out he could move out, Fang Sheng wasted no time in asking for a chauffeured company car.

His mind preoccupied, Fang Sheng appeared out of sorts. When he emerged from the building after collecting his things, Fang eyed the shop again and didn’t see Fang Zhao, much to his relief. He immediately thought he was too timid and didn’t need to be afraid of Fang Zhao.

He was worried that Fang Zhao would report the theft of his songs, but when he was packing, he pondered the matter again and concluded he had nothing to fear. He had uploaded the three songs first and they were registered under his name. Legally speaking, he was their rightful composer and owner.

Even if Fang Zhao wanted to sue, he still had nothing to fear. When Fang Zhao was busy composing, he had already covered his tracks. How could Fang Zhao sue without evidence?

Moreover, Fang Zhao didn’t have money to sue. He had enough trouble paying for food and clothing—maybe he didn’t even have next month’s rent. How could Fang Zhao sue him? Would he borrow money from Zeng Huang and Wan Yue?

Ha!

Fang Sheng despised those two indigents—they were no threat. All he had to do was stick to his claim that he wrote those three songs.

Before he got into his car, Fang Sheng glanced at the black street again, his line of sight focusing on the windows of Fang Zhao’s second-floor apartment. The windows were shut tight and darkened. He couldn’t tell if anyone was in.

Fang Sheng took a deep breath and ducked into his car. From now on, he had nothing to do with shitty neighborhoods like this black street. Bye bye poverty and hello riches! Onto the pinnacle of his life!

Be it Fang Zhao or black streets, he didn’t have to deal with them anymore. He had qualified for the new talent competition. His future lay in the glittering song chart of the new talent contest.

Chapter 4: Virtual Idols

On one hand, Fang Sheng departed brimming with ambition, leaving behind the endless chatter on the black street, while Fang Zhao didn’t bog himself down with thoughts about Fang Sheng either.

Perhaps everyone encountered loyalty and betrayal in their lives. In the apocalypse, such events were even more common. Familial love could turn into deep-seated hatred in an instant.

Revenge had to be exacted for the body’s original owner, but the most pressing task of the moment was to compose a new song for Silver Wing Media. If he missed his deadline, not only would he lose the great job he was on the cusp of landing, he would also miss out on this season’s new talent contest. Life would be more difficult as a result.

It was the end of May. Each season of the new talent contest lasted three months, and the contest was rebooted every three months. The New Pioneers Chart reserved for newcomers would also only be compiled for another month. This time of year was when the competition among newcomers was the fiercest. It was also when the major record labels pushed their trainees the hardest.

Fame and riches were guaranteed for those who made it. The road ahead would become smoother. Their record labels would promote them with maximum effort without prompting. But if they didn’t shine in the new talent contest, then industry insiders would cast them aside as poor prospects. Their careers would stall.

The original owner of the body took the contest very seriously. With two days left until June, Fang Zhao didn’t have much time left. It wouldn’t be worth the effort to challenge Fang Sheng over the copyright of those three songs—he had no evidence whatsoever. Fang Sheng was also prepared for the battle. The legal maneuvers could take up to two seasons and he might not walk away with anything. Meanwhile, he was missing out on the opportunity to shine.

After Fang Zhao returned the items to the store, he walked his dog another 100 meters or so to a drug store. The poison that the original owner of this body bought to kill himself wasn’t available at your usual drug store. Heavy medication usually required a prescription, but black streets operated by a different set of rules. If there was a will, there was a way.

The drug store wasn’t big. It was typically quite empty at this time of day. A man half-haphazardly wearing a lab coat was sleeping on the counter. When Fang Zhao walked in, the motion detector by the entrance sounded a ding.

The man raised his head with effort and glanced at the entrance with a yawn, wearing the expression of someone half-asleep. He froze when he saw Fang Zhao.

The owner of the drug store was quite surprised. He still remembered how the same young man showed up with a death wish yesterday. He had tried to talk the young man out of it to no avail. He'd thought that yet another person was about to vanish from the black street. Things like that happened on black streets way too often—someone would commit suicide after losing the will to live. Like the bugs that festered in the street corners of black streets, their death hardly caused a ripple.

Fang Zhao’s reappearance caught him off-guard. He prided himself in having seen it all, but he never would have guessed that the same person would show up again in a completely different state of mind.

Unless the drug purchase wasn’t for suicide? The shop owner started to wonder.

That couldn't be right either. He trusted his judgment as a practicing doctor. Odds were that the person bought the medication to commit suicide but for some reason changed his mind.

The surprise only lasted briefly and he recovered quickly.

On any given black street, there were people who abused themselves to death, and there were people who found a purpose overnight.

"Looking for medication?" the shop owner asked.

"No. Can I trouble you to check out the dog?" Fang Zhao handed the dog to the store owner.

The owner retreated in disdain. "I’m not a vet."

Fang Zhao pressed on, saying, "Can’t you just take a look?" There were no vets nearby. Vet clinics were expensive and hard to come by. Fang Zhao knew from his new memory that this shop owner had once treated a bird.

"I’ll give it a shot," the owner responded. He was free anyway. There was no point in turning down business. It was OK if the job didn’t pay well as long as he turned a profit.

He had the necessary devices and equipment. He might not have been able to handle a complex diagnosis, but he could conduct a basic checkup.

Fang Zhao surveyed the equipment the owner fiddled with. That, coupled with fragments of his new memory, made him realize that there had been significant technological advancements since his time. Bulky equipment had become portable and each piece of equipment could serve multiple functions. The steps for operation had been dumbed down. Even an ordinary person without medical training could use these devices to conduct a minor checkup on himself or herself, let alone a professional doctor.

About two minutes later, the owner had a diagnosis. "It’s nothing major. It’s malnourished from hunger. It’ll get better on a full stomach."

People in the New Era preferred large dogs. During the apocalypse, a batch of dogs went mad and became the enemy. Another group was trained as guard dogs and fought alongside human beings. When all electronic devices failed, they became a huge help. Some of the monuments marking the Period of Destruction included dog sculptures to honor their sacrifice during the end-of-days war. The unit Fang Zhao served in also had a dog.

Another batch of dogs neither went crazy nor were drafted into service. They kept a low profile during the near-apocalypse. Few of them survived.

He didn’t know whether the dog before him was descended from those honored army dogs or the few strays who survived the war, but judging from the face of the dog and the color of its fur, even if it was the offspring of those storied dogs, it was an undistinguished descendant. It wasn’t worth keeping. The shop owner had labeled the dog a failure.

The shop owner gauged Fang Zhao again. The way he looked yesterday, he could barely keep himself alive. What would he do with a worthless dog?

"You’re gonna… raise this dog?" the owner asked.

Fang Zhao looked at the dog. Maybe it understood the question. It looked back and wagged its tail.

"I’m going to keep it for now," Fang Zhao said. It was serendipitous that it was the first living thing he saw when he woke up. Even though his finances were tight, Fang Zhao was confident that things would improve quickly. He couldn’t continue to live off the little cash that the original owner of the body left behind.

The owner didn’t say anything more. It was someone else’s call. All he had to care about was getting paid and doing his job. He pointed to the dog and said, "Its fur is all tied up in knots. Who knows how long it’s been out on the streets for. You won’t be able to wash it thoroughly. It would be a waste of time and money. Why don’t you have it shaved instead."

"Then let’s give it a shave. How much would it cost?"

"The checkup is 50 and the shave 100. But you look like you don’t have much cash. I’ll charge 50 for the shave for a total of 100," the owner said. He wasn’t price gouging; that was indeed the market rate. And why was he willing to offer a discount? It was impossible to say what the future held for someone who clawed his way back from dire straits. Examples like that were hard to find on a black street, but he had come across a few. He was just going with the flow in extending a kindness. For him, it was still a good deal. Even if the man decided to commit suicide again, he wouldn’t suffer a loss at that price.

His own meal only cost 10 dollars and yet he splurged 100 on the dog. Why bother? Fang Zhao did an imaginary shake of his head. Still, he was reborn today, so he was happy and impulsive. Whether he would keep the dog or proceed alone, that was up to the dog.

After Fang Zhao paid with his bracelet and learned from the owner that the shave would take an hour, he left the dog at the shop and went for a stroll. He wanted to get to know his new world better. He could only take care of business once he had a basic understanding.

He left the drug store and took the elevator to the 50th floor, then walked along the corridor to a dead end where there was a platform. It was a train station. People were already lining up.

The sight of freeways sprouting from the side of buildings like a spider web and extending to higher ground like veins was a huge visual shock. The images from his new memory weren’t as powerful as the real thing.

It had been 500 years.

Five hundred years since the apocalypse.

The alarm signaling the arrival of a train sounded and the 100-meter-long train that was part of public transportation slowed down as it approached. Drawing from his new memory, Fang Zhao flashed his bracelet against a touch pad on the train door. He found a seat by the window when he entered the compartment.

It was 2 in the afternoon. There weren’t that many passengers at this hour. The students and commuters were already gone, so the train was quite empty.

The skyscrapers became a blur as the train sped along.

The area was filled with mass housing blocks. They were built flush against each other, not leaving much space in between. Otherwise there wouldn’t be so many black streets. But once the train left the neighborhood, the horizon opened up instantly. Sunshine refracted through the train windows sporadically. On distant buildings, silhouettes shimmered on huge screens.

Celebrities, ads, marketing campaigns…

While technology advanced in leaps and bounds, so did the entertainment industry. After the apocalypse, everything moved forward at an increasing speed. Fang Zhao couldn’t find any trace of the near-apocalypse and the times leading up to it.

"Look, it’s Mi Yu!"

"Gorgeous!"

"My idol. The bracelet she endorsed has sold out. I couldn’t place an order online."

"I hear Mi Yu is about to stage a concert. Have you bought tickets yet? The online scalping is insane!"

Fang Zhao took in the giant screen hanging to a distant skyscraper as he listened to the discussion between several young women sitting in front of him. On the screen, a young woman with a nearly perfect body was dazzling viewers with her beauty. Every smile and every wink suggested an irresistible charm. Not a single flaw could be found on her pretty face. Her full figure exuded infinite sexual energy. Staring into those kind, sparkly eyes, anyone would easily miss a heartbeat.

She was indeed a beauty. Fang Zhao agreed on that much. During the near-apocalypse, survival was the top priority. Man or woman, no one had the time to tend to their appearances. A stunning sight like that was unheard of.

The only thing was, Fang Zhao got a weird vibe as soon as he laid eyes on the woman with the charming smile on the screen. Soon his new memory told him why.

This wasn’t a real person.

Fang Zhao kept staring at the screen until it was out of sight.

"Virtual idols."

The perfect marriage of technology and art.

The so-called virtual idol wasn’t someone who existed in flesh and blood. It was an artificial creation that stemmed from advanced technology.

Virtual idols were born into virtual worlds. They looked no different than actual human beings. They were the fad for some time, crowding out many of the superstars who were their contemporaries. They had boxed real idols and celebrities into a corner, even forcing some of them to retire. Even though real idols and celebrities were now dominant again, virtual idols were still a force to be reckoned with. They were a product with global recognition.

A media mogul who backed real celebrities once commented that virtual idols were monsters born into the virtual world. If they weren’t stamped out, as long as they could find some reprieve, they would stage a comeback that would spell doom for real idols.

Chapter 5: New Talent Competition

What disappointed many businessmen who invested in real idols and celebrities was the fact that the virtual idols didn’t disappear completely over the years, even if their influence had waned since their peak years. Even though virtual idols lasted for a briefer period than real celebrities, they still carried significant weight in the entertainment industry.

An up-tempo melody started playing in the train, grabbing Fang Zhao’s attention once more. It was a classic piece by a superstar from many, many years ago. It was a solo instrumental performance without lyrics.

Fang Zhao closed his eyes and let the melody sink in.

The piece was often used as an upper by public transportation drivers. It wasn’t just the drivers; the passengers were also stimulated. Some joked that the melody had become an office anthem—a few listens and you would be motivated to work.

The music transmitted a fiery passion and buzz. Passengers sitting on their seats began shaking their crossed legs to the beat. The sleepy heads of the afternoon ride saw their spirits soar as their leg shakes increased in frequency.

Listening to the same song, the fellow commuters felt a sense of camaraderie.

How long had it been since he felt that way?

Fang Zhao felt the blood in his veins start to boil. He was so excited he wanted to roar.

This world -- he approved.

The train was on a circular route that looped around the city. Even though it only looped a small part of the city—and a suburban part at that, not downtown—Fang Zhao got a good sense of the geography. His new memory had almost fully integrated.

When he returned to the station where he boarded and disembarked, he was in a different mood. He was keen on blending into this world as quickly as possible—and then enjoying it.

Train fares were determined by the length of the journey. Fang Zhao started incurring a fare the moment he swiped his bracelet. Still, public transportation was relatively cheap. The trip cost Fang Zhao 50 dollars, slightly cheaper than other forms of transportation. That was a bit of a luxury considering Fang Zhao’s limited cash on hand, but he thought it was worth it.

Back at the black street, Fang Zhao picked up his dog from the drug store first. The filthy dog with knotted fur whose original color eluded him looked skinny after being shaved. His bones protruded in sharp relief beneath his skin.

The dog looked unsettled after its shave. Likewise, the owner of the drug store was also pale.

"Your dog almost jammed my clippers," the owner complained to Fang Zhao. "But since I said 50 dollars, I won’t renege."

Dog fur could be that stiff? Fang Zhao was skeptical. Because the dog’s fur was badly tied up in knots and stains, he couldn’t get a feel of its texture. Now that the owner of the drug store was complaining, he wondered if dog fur had stiffened since the apocalypse.

But the owner might not be telling the truth. He might have exaggerated a bit.

"Anyway, take your dog. I need to catch up on sleep." The owner waved his hand. On any black street, business was the best at night, so he had to sleep during the day.

Fang Zhao left in silence, carrying the shaven dog in his arms.

When the drug store owner cleaned his clippers after Fang Zhao left, he realized they didn’t work anymore. He swore he wasn’t just embellishing.

"They really broke down after shaving a dog?" The bemused owner checked the clippers again and confirmed they indeed had gone bust.

"Good thing they were cheap. I’m not shaving dog fur again," the drug store owner mumbled.

On his way home, Fang Zhao passed Yue Qing’s store and picked up some more food.

He returned to his second-floor rental. Residents of his building living on the 80th floor or higher were lucky enough to enjoy a bit sunshine, but people living in lower floors could forget about it, not to mention that Fang Zhao lived on the second floor, which was even darker. His room was even darker than when he woke up before he turned on the lights.

After tidying up the apartment, Fang Zhao scanned the display on his bracelet, which indicated 17 blocked calls.

Out of the 17 calls, three were from the Silver Media agent in charge of interns, four were from Wan Yue, and 10 were from Zeng Huang.

Wan Yue and Zeng Huang were the other two childhood friends of his body’s original owner. But unlike Fang Sheng, even though the couple didn’t spend as much time with the original owner as Fang Sheng, they were sincere. They had only drifted apart from him during their university days at the instigation of Fang Sheng. They had even less contact after he started his internship at Silver Wing Media.

No more than two minutes after he disabled his call blocking, Zeng Huang called again.

Fang Zhao tapped the connect button on his bracelet and out popped the hologram of a nervous Zeng Huang.

"You doing OK, Big Zhao?" Zeng Huang breathed a huge sigh of relief after seeing Fang Zhao. He wanted to comment on Fang Zhao’s peaceful demeanor but refrained so as to gauge his mood some more. "I was worried you were stuck in your head and would do something silly."

The silly deed has been done, Fang Zhao thought to himself.

Noticing the genuine emotion on Zeng Huang face, Fang Zhao responded, "I’m OK."

"That's great. As long as you’ve thought things through. Xiao Hong…" Zeng Huang stopped when he realized it’d be cruel to mention his ex-girlfriend so soon after the breakup. He shifted gears and said, "That scumbag Fang Sheng must be pleased with himself. Big Zhao, are you going to sue him? He could fool an outsider but not us. Those are clearly your songs. Someone of Fang Sheng’s talent couldn’t have possibly composed them."

"No need, for now," Fang Zhao said.

"If you’re worried about money, Wan Yue and I still have some savings left."

"Really, there’s no need. I don’t have time to wrangle with him now," Fang Zhao said. "The new talent contest has begun. I need to catch up."

Zeng Huang was dumfounded. He never would have thought that Fang Zhao would still make a run for it this late in the game. Two months had passed in the current season of the new talent competition. Only one more was left. Entering in June was doable, but Fang Zhao didn't have any presentable material to submit.

Zeng Huang was skeptical, but since Fang Zhao had found his mojo again, Zeng Huang didn’t want to rain on his parade. As long as Fang Zhao could survive this rough patch...

"In that case, go get ‘em! Let us know if you need anything. Do you have enough money?" After blurting out the question, Zeng Huang worried he would hurt Fang Zhao’s pride. After all, Fang Zhao hated it when people mentioned his tight finances.

Before Zeng Huang could explain himself, Fang Zhao said, "I still have a bit of cash. It’ll last me for another month or so."

"Oh… That’s great. But you have to let us know if you end up in a tight spot."

"Got it. I’m going into lockdown mode starting today."

"Lockdown" was slang favored by creative types. It meant they had to immerse in their work and tune everyone and everything out.

Zeng Huang knew that meant Fang Zhao was getting ready to compose again and that he shouldn’t intrude unless it was urgent. Fang Zhao had been in that headspace before, but when Fang Zhao gave them the heads up in the past, he sounded resentful. Now he didn’t. He just spoke matter-of-factly.

Zeng Huang was glad to see that Fang Zhao didn’t resent him and Wan Yue after Fang Sheng’s betrayal, actually seeming friendlier instead. The five of them had grown up together through thick and thin. Zeng Huang was the oldest of the group. After they were orphaned, he felt responsible for the rest of the group, like an older brother. Still, as they grew up, the five of them drifted apart.

Yet Zeng Huang had still been worried after what happened. Fang Zhao didn’t live on campus and hadn't told them where he lived. They hadn't known where to look. Fang Zhao hadn't answered his phone either, so Zeng Huang and Wan Yue had been at a loss. Now that he had confirmed Fang Zhao was stable, Zeng Huang could finally relax.

After hanging up on Zeng Huang, Fang Zhao looked up his agent Du Ang’s number and placed a call.

As soon as the call went through, a furious-looking Du Ang lashed out. "Fang Zhao, what the hell is going on? You still want to become a permanent employee? Are you giving up on the new talent contest? What’s the date, huh? It’s nearly June. June! Do you know what that means? It’s cutthroat time for this season’s new talent competition. Out of our 10 interns, six have entered the contest. Of the four who haven’t, three have already submitted their songs. They’ve finished recording and will launch their singles tomorrow. You’re the only one left. Where’s yours, Fang Zhao?"

"I’m not finished yet," Fang Zhao responded. At this juncture, any other comment was bullshit to the volcanic Du Ang. What Du Ang wanted were results. Other circumstances like whether your work was stolen or not—those didn’t fall within his purview.

Du Ang glared in disbelief and took a deep breath. In the hologram, his bulging eyes stared at Fang Zhao as if they were about to erupt.

In the end, Du Ang maintained his temper. It wasn't that he didn’t want to chew Fang Zhao out; he didn’t want to waste time.

Du Ang said emphatically, "Ten days. If you can give me something in 10 days, I’ll sign you up for the contest. I’ll save a spot for you. If not, you’re gone." He hung up before Fang Zhao could respond.

Fang Zhao wasn’t upset by Du Ang’s temper. Du Ang was furious that Fang Zhao hadn’t turned in his songs after all this time and he couldn’t get through to him by phone. He had to do his job and couldn’t pretend nothing was going on. He had finally reached Fang Zhao, but still came away empty-handed. Naturally, he couldn’t be in a good mood.

Even though Du Ang sounded harsh on the phone, Fang Zhao knew from his new memory that his agent was on his side. He had lobbied for the 10-day extension. If it were any other agent, he wouldn’t have gotten five days, let alone 10. He might have even been fired by now.

The new talent contest Du Ang referred to, its centerpiece was the New Pioneers Chart, a listing coveted by all newcomers.

Not everyone qualified for the chart. Candidates had to be signed by a record company and vetted. Most were imminent music school graduates or fresh graduates. There were also a few standouts who were signed when they were still in school.

Many companies who hadn’t signed newcomers also followed the chart closely, hoping to scavenge among the leftovers. They were hoping to bag a promising newcomer or poach one from another company.

Speaking of the New Pioneers Chart, you had to mention one more thing. The birth of virtual idols was great for composers.

Who cared about the singer? The companies that created virtual idols could engineer a voice. Any technician could turn a toad’s croak into a heavenly cry. So in contrast, record labels that focused on virtual idols placed a greater premium on their technical and creative expertise. Any virtual idol release on the New Pioneers Chart shined the spotlight on the composer.

It was a huge opportunity for aspiring composers new to the music industry.

It was a battle between newcomers as well as a battle of company resources.

Fang Zhao got online on his bracelet. Just as Du Ang had said, among the interns who signed with Silver Wing Media at the same time he did, six had qualified for the new talent contest and five had already made the top 50. As long as the company kept promoting them, their songs would become even more popular. They would end the competition ranked even higher.

Chapter 6: Brainstorming

Silver Wing Media signed 10 interns this year, three of whom were classmates of the body’s original owner. They were all very competent. Competition was fierce.

Fang Zhao didn’t bother studying the chart further, contemplating his next move instead.

He had fewer than 10 days left. What could he do?

Reeling from consecutive blows, at his wit’s end with the new talent contest around the corner, and his record company on his case, the original owner was out of moves.

Should he scrape together a rough cut and turn it in? He would be rejected for sure.

But if that was what he did, not only would it be beneath the pride of the body’s original owner, Silver Wing Media would show no mercy and kick him out. His internship would be over.

Being kicked out by Silver Wing Media early on would tarnish his résumé forever. It would make his career all the more difficult.

"The new talent competition…"

Fang Zhao searched his new memory for information about the new talent competition. Record labels from before the near-apocalypse operated very differently. He had to adjust. Before putting pen to paper, he had to figure out what people listened to.

Pop culture shifted from generation to generation. Having endured the apocalypse and then evolved for another hundreds of years to this point, popular tastes had changed vastly. The sheer variety of new instruments and synthetic sounds was dizzying. The masses thought differently. The styles they preferred were a far cry from what passed as hip in Fang Zhao’s old world.

Even though Fang Zhao wanted to say screw it and compose by instinct and prior habit, he was not in a position to fail, or he would become homeless.

Artists were also practical human beings. They had to fulfill their basic needs first.

"A sharpened blade is no impediment to chopping wood," so the saying went. Fang Zhao sat in the corner where he worked, closed his eyes, and started meditating.

He had an idea. He pulled opened the drawer next to him and took out a notebook.

In an age when people preferred to take notes with their bracelets, the original owner of his body liked to jot down important thoughts on paper.

These were the original owner’s notes from the past six months. The first half were notes from his internship at Silver Wing. The second half contained his songs for the new talent contest. The dates indicated that he started preparing for the new talent contest early.

The three completed songs were crossed out with heavy strokes. Several pages were perforated, a sign of the tremendous force he applied. That was him venting his extreme disappointment, anger, and desperation when he realized the three songs had been stolen. But the original owner didn’t tear up the entire notebook. He kept it in his drawer, because he couldn’t bear destroying the fruits of his labor.

Fang Zhao studied the three songs. Only one of them had lyrics; the remaining two did not. He was probably planning on asking lyricists at the record label to help out.

The notes also contained an unfinished song written when the original owner broke up with his girlfriend. There was also a diary entry. He probably wanted to use it as the lyrics for the song.

The melody had been finalized. The original owner of the body probably planned on leveraging company resources to complete a proper recording after performing well in the new talent contest. After all, the song had special significance. Little did he know his songs would be stolen and that his breakup song would never see the light of day, something the original owner mourned before committing suicide.

Fang Zhao studied the incomplete song carefully and circled it with his finger. "This is it."

A fixture resembling a folding fan was attached to the shelf in the corner. Tugging it revealed a piano keyboard. It felt functional. This was what the original owner used to compose. It wasn’t top-notch, but it wasn’t shabby either.

It was Fang Zhao’s first time using a keyboard after his rebirth. He was a bit rusty at first, but the more his memory kicked in, the smoother his performance became.

Fang Zhao played a few of his old pieces, but they were fragments of incomplete songs. Fang Zhao memorized them, hoping to polish them after the new talent contest. These were treasures tucked away in his memory, gems that pulled Fang Zhao through countless rough days during the apocalypse. One day, Fang Zhao would present them to the world.

After acquainting himself with the keyboard and integrating his memory, Fang Zhao started channeling his emotions.

He wanted to experience what the original owner of his body was feeling when he composed the song. He could only finish the song when he was in the same headspace.

Over the next few days, Fang Zhao didn’t leave his apartment except for his noon tan and getting food from Yue Qing’s shop. The windows couldn’t block out the bustling nights of any black street, but the noise didn’t interfere with Fang Zhao’s process.

The noise bothered Fang Zhao the first two nights. His excessive vigilance affected the quality of his sleep. But on the third night, Fang Zhao figured out how to lower his guard. Adapting quickly was a skill he developed during the apocalypse, a quality found in many survivors.

One day, Yue Qing was dragging his chair back into the shop after his noon tan. Even though the weather was getting hotter—some sunbathers had started putting on sunblock—the black street residents still treasured this brief window. Before he entered the store, he scanned the lobby of the building and spotted Fang Zhao walking his furless dog.

"That kid’s been busy," Yue Qing mumbled to himself.

By June, the battle for the top spots on the New Pioneers Chart had reached its climax. The music industry was abuzz with discussion over who would make the top 10 and which companies they were signed to.

The higher ups at Silver Wing were also paying close attention. Du Ang was under a lot of stress. On the one hand, he had to field questions from his superiors. On the other, he had to keep an eye on his interns. He couldn’t afford to relax even with three assistants at his beck and call.

Du Ang could very well follow the standard procedure from years past: getting on the case of composers, lining up producers, recording the songs, releasing them, and then promoting them. All he had to do was give the order and his team would execute it. But this year, the bosses had a different agenda—you could tell from the fact that they recruited 10 interns. They usually only took three or four, but this year, they had expanded the program to 10 interns out of the blue.

Du Ang had also heard through the grapevine that the bosses had decided that, if all 10 did well, if they could all make the top 50, every one of them would be signed as full-time employees. No one could dissuade him from the impression that the company was betting big.

That was why the pressure from up top was greater. Du Ang was exhausted from attending to every detail. But agents like him in charge of newcomers had it easy by comparison—the agents assigned to veteran singers were worried sick.

But to think of his 10 interns and to remember the only one who hadn’t turned in a song was Fang Zhao pained Du Ang.

Du Ang sighed. "It’s tough leading a platoon."

Despite the pressure from above, he had lobbied for 10 more days for the kid. And that was because the higher ups had pinned huge hopes on this year’s interns. However, only time could tell if the kid would come through. If he couldn’t turn in something presentable in 10 days, Du Ang would have no choice but to fire him.

Du Ang refreshed the New Pioneers Chart and glared at the top two. His eyes were about to spit fire.

He was genuinely pissed.

The first place where newcomers could showcase of their talent was the New Pioneers Chart. The top two hadn’t changed hands in a week. They held on and even increased their lead on the others. If the opposition wasn’t too stiff, Du Ang would consider making another push for one of his newcomers. But once these two showed up, Du Ang gave up.

On the New Pioneers Chart,

In first place:

"Believe in Me," performed by Xue Huai, composer Xue Huai, a Tongshan True Entertainment release.

In second place:

"Rainbow Candy," performed by Fei Lisi, composer Fei Lisi, a Neon Culture release.

Both songs were both composed and performed by the same person. They had to be quite talented, no?

No.

The musicians behind the two songs were indeed very talented, but the songs were fronted by virtual idols.

When they debuted, real idols had to overcome countless hurdles. The newcomers left no stone unturned in their chart campaigns. They were worried all the time, terrified their debut single would tank, which would reflect poorly on their record company.

But virtual idols were different, especially the tailor-made ones. They were launched only after internal vetting, after elaborate planning and a major mobilization of resources. Their record labels also lavished huge budgets on them. It was the kind of treatment that real newcomers would never receive.

Behind every virtual idol was a crack team and unlimited capital.

Was it f*cking fair to even consider them newcomers?

The kind of manpower and financing big record labels threw at virtual idols—other newcomers could only dream of. Plus there wasn’t a real newcomer who could rival the two top virtual idols, and Silver Wing couldn’t possibly focus all its ammunition on taking them down. The record label wanted to save resources for their established stars, so the higher ups had already given up on the top two spots.

The virtual idols on the New Pioneers Chart were like computer bugs that grew more permanent with every passing year. Every time a virtual idol showed up in the new talent contest, the other newcomers were left biting dust.

A senior executive at Silver Wing once lobbied the global trade association for record companies to ban virtual idols from new talent contests, but he was turned down. Reminded of the rebuffed proposal, Silver Wing staff always wanted to spit blood.

Of course, the uninformed masses would wonder: "If the top two of the Big Three record companies launched virtual newcomers this year, what’s stopping Silver Wing?"

But anyone with a basic understanding of the music industry would know that virtual idols were the Achilles heel of Silver Wing. Whoever they promoted failed, one after another. None had made it. They were all flops.

The company dedicated a team to virtual idols last year. The producer in charge was mocked mercilessly by the staff at Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture after his virtual idol failed to make an impression. He was still hospitalized. He was also too ashamed to face senior management and the rank-and-file staff. After all, he had promised a triumph, but now he wished he hadn’t.

The senior executives at Silver Wing also wished they had acted differently. If they knew such a dismal failure was in the works, they wouldn’t have bothered with virtual idols. Now they were the laughing stock of the industry. The money they splurged on their virtual idol project was enough to launch several real newcomers.

The project generated nearly zero returns. The senior executives at Silver Wing thought that Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture launched virtual idols this year deliberately to rub salt in their wounds as they made a major push for their real newcomers.

Now that the company had banished any thought of launching virtual idols and focused their attention on real idols, the pressure shifted to the newcomers. Taking down the top two was unrealistic, but the higher ups were hoping to land a few songs in the top 10. If they could land three top 10 hits, Du Ang’s salary would double. If he could manage four, he could get promoted.

Be it a raise or a promotion, Du Ang had major incentive to do well.

How many top 10 spots could they claim?

Just as he was pondering the matter, a reminder sounded on Du Ang’s bracelet. He tapped the message.

It was a demo from Fang Zhao.

"Wow, that was quick." Du Ang felt reinvigorated.

Regardless of quality, whether Fang Zhao composed the song himself or had outside help, receiving the demo meant that all 10 of his newcomers had submitted songs. Du Ang’s work was almost done.

Chapter 7: Qualification

To prevent theft, every demo sample submitted was encrypted using internal software. Du Ang had to decrypt them before he could listen to them.

As he was listening, Du Ang also read the document that Fang Zhao had submitted along with his demo. His furrowed brows relaxed, surprise shone in his eyes, and he flashed a rare smile. "He’s quite crafty."

After mentoring so many newcomers, even though Du Ang didn’t have much talent in the way of composition, he could still determine the potential of a song. Even though demos were often incomplete and crudely made, he could extrapolate much from such a short sample.

When this song is completed, it should do OK. At the very least, it won’t fail miserably.

Du Ang was happy with the song Fang Zhao had submitted. It vindicated his decision to lobby for 10 extra days for the kid, despite the pressure from above.

After listening to the sample, Du Ang sent Fang Zhao a text message. "Stop by the office this afternoon and get cranking on recording the full song."

Even though advancements in technology cut down on production time dramatically, Du Ang would feel more secure if the song was completed early. Not to mention that this season’s new talent competition was almost over. If they didn’t get cranking, they’d be left eating dust somewhere.

After sending the text message, Du Ang contacted operations. "I’m releasing a new single in three days. Appreciate if you can save me a spot."

After touching base with the producer, operations, and so on, Du Ang asked his assistant, "How many of our newly signed singers are free?"

"Singer-wise, we’ve signed four fresh graduates. We’ve already lined up work for three of them. There’s still one left, but he doesn’t seem to be in good shape of late," the assistant responded, neck hunched.

"Not in good shape?" Du Ang furrowed his brows once again. He hated hearing that phrase. "Not in good shape" was too general a term.

"I think… he may have broken… broken up with his girlfriend." The assistant’s voice faded as he noticed Du Ang’s mood swing.

Of course Du Ang was in a foul mood.Who the hell did they sign this year? They’re too young to know the ups and downs in life. He was hired to mentor industry newcomers, not babysit. Who had time for heart-to-hearts?

"They’re all so much hassle!"

This industry was so competitive, and the new talent competition was utterly cutthroat this season. Who had time to monitor your mood? You think you’re a superstar? You want someone to comfort you? Go to mommy and daddy!

As a nobody newcomer, you had to suck it up. Who didn’t come up the ranks that way? No matter what was going on, when presented a golden opportunity, you had to claw through even if it meant tasting blood. If you couldn't deal with that kind of pressure then get lost!

"Drag his ass over here!" Du Ang said in a fiery tone.

"Yes sir!" The assistant scampered. He sure as hell didn’t want to stay and face an upset Du Ang.

Du Ang’s mouth was a flamethrower these days, lighting up one after another. His underlings were on high alert, attentive to the smallest detail, lest they catch fire themselves.

Once Fang Zhao got Du Ang’s message, he rushed over by car. It was a half-hour ride from the mass housing district to downtown, thanks to a massive improvement in transportation infrastructure. Before the end of days, you couldn’t even imagine getting close to downtown in less than an hour. If there was traffic, it was a different story—a two- or three-hour journey was nothing.

Silver Wing Media had built a 150-story building downtown. It was tower-shaped, nearly 800 meters tall. The top was graced with a giant pair of silver wings. Height-wise, the building wasn’t a standout in the neighborhood. There were plenty of buildings taller than Silver Wing Tower, but as one of Yanzhou’s three top entertainment giants, Silver Wing was no bit player.

People came and went. No one noticed a nobody like Fang Zhao. The VIPs enjoyed private passage. Fang Zhao could only ride the regular elevator along with the rank-and-file employees.

Du Ang’s office was on the 20th floor. When Fang Zhao arrived, he was tearing someone apart, spitting saliva and all.

Before Du Ang sat a young man of about 20, taking his beating submissively. He didn’t even dare wipe the saliva off his face, repeatedly assuring Du Ang, "There won’t be a next time. Definitely not! I’ve been meditating for three days now. I can perform right away. Really! Let me show you."

"Shut up!"

Du Ang halted the singer’s overeager apology and shifted his attention to Fang Zhao, who had just entered his office. Fang Zhao looked like he was in good spirits, not as disheveled as he expected, which improved Du’s mood.

"Alright, stop bullshitting me. Get ready for your recording session soon. The chart rankings for the new talent competition are pretty much settled. If you don’t enter now, don't think about making the top 100, let alone the top 50."

As a matter of protocol, Fang Zhao had to submit his song to Silver Wing Media, which then picked a singer. He was signed to Silver Wing as a composer. His contract dictated that, unless otherwise specified, his songs had to be performed by singers signed to Silver Wing.

"Fang Zhao, all you’ve got is one song?" Du Ang asked.

"Yeah, just one for now." Fang Zhao responded.

"For the same amount of time, other composers produce two or three. Never mind, just finish this one. Are you going to arrange it yourself?"

"Yes."

"OK, it’s up to you. Even if you need one of our arrangers, you’re not gonna be able to find a good one right now," Du Ang mumbled.

All the best arrangers had been assigned to the top stars. Newcomers weren’t so lucky. Instead of prying a few mediocre arrangers from the demons that ran the arrangement department, he might as well let Fang Zhao do the job. He couldn’t stand the sight of those demons. Every visit left a bitter taste in his mouth.

After tearing into the newcomer, Du Ang couldn't rest just yet. After a quick glass of water, he led Fang Zhao and the newcomer, Bei Zhi, who was also on probation, to the recording studio. He had no expectations now—all he wanted was to get this last person out there. That was mission accomplished. As for how well he placed, whether he could seize the day, that was up to the trainee himself. All he could do as an agent was to lay the groundwork.

Fang Zhao took in the production process with eager eyes and finally understood the saying that it was easier to catch a shade beneath a giant tree.

That was why so many people wanted to sign with a big company at a time when the industry was blooming. More often than not, talent alone wasn’t enough. There were so many composers out there and thousands of songs were being submitted every day. What the public fixated on and what the major companies got behind were seasoned veterans.

As for the nobodies who weren’t connected or didn't hail from prominent families, the only hope was the new talent competition, maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If they missed out, getting the record label to promote them was a tall order.

That was why the original owner of Fang Zhao’s body took the new talent competition so seriously, why he was so desperate as to commit suicide when his work was stolen. He felt that his dreams had died along with those three stolen songs.

After the three-day process of recording a song, the final product was subject to an internal audit, to see if the piece closely resembled any previous releases. If there was a high-percentage match, then it was flagged. If there was too much of a resemblance, or piracy, or any other problems, the company wouldn’t release the song.

The entertainment industry had evolved rapidly. The rules were different from those during Fang Zhao’s times before the end of days, but you could say it was more orderly. And even though a completely level playing field was impossible, relatively speaking, under the new rules, more aspiring talents had a shot at stardom.

"The official launch is tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.!"

The moment when Du Ang confirmed the launch date was when Fang Zhao officially qualified for the new talent competition chart. Even though the season was almost over, at least he had entered in the nick of time.

It was June 10. Ten days had passed since the last month featuring the new talent charts started. Although the rankings were still changing, there wasn’t a major reshuffle. All eyes were on the battle for top 10. The top two finishers were all but confirmed—the two virtual idols were a shoo-in for first and second. As for third to tenth place, let the games begin.

The artists and staff of Silver Wing Media were glued to the charts. After all, placing well in the new talent competition meant happy bosses, which made life easier for the small potatoes. Maybe a raise was in the horizon.

"We have three artists in the top 10 this season so far."

"Not bad at all. We only used to place one or two. Our newcomers worked their hearts out this year."

What a rare occurrence—three artists from the same company placing in the top 10. The staff of Silver Wing were quite happy with this result. No wonder Silver Wing was one of the Big Three, even though it was on the decline in recent years and failed to place well in the new talent competition. At least they broke through this year.

Companies smaller in scale than Silver Wing were also gossiping.

"The Big Three account for the entire top 10 in this season’s new talent competition."

The so-called Big Three referred to Yanzhou’s three biggest entertainment companies: Silver Wing Media, Neon Culture, and Tongshan True Entertainment.

"Silver Wing did well this year. They’ve got three in the top 10. I heard they’re making some major moves."

"That’s what I heard too. I heard Silver Wing signed 10 new composers this year alone. They went all out."

"Wow! Ten newcomers at once! That’s a huge investment."

"Ten? How come I only see nine?"

"There are nine Silver Wing artists in the top 50. Maybe the 10th wasn’t that good and placed lower."

"No, I checked the top 200."

"Then the 10th artist must not have entered the competition. Even though Silver Wing has been in decline, they’re still a force to be reckoned with. They’re not so weak as to not even be able to make the top 100. The Big Three can’t afford to lose face."

__________

"Boss, the top 10 are gaining distance from the rest. Should we make a push?" the employee of one entertainment company asked. Their outfit had also entered a few newcomers, one of whom placed in the top 20.

With the top 10 pulling ahead by greater margins, after canvassing the charts, the boss set his sights on the final spot in the top 10 and pointed to the entry, commanding. "He’s our target. Let’s make a push and take his spot!"

At No. 10 was "Flight," performed by Kong Xie, composed by Fang Sheng, a Neon Culture release, with a total of 1,502,461 downloads.

There was no other way. The rest of the top 10 had already surpassed 2 million downloads, only No. 10 had just hit 1.5 million. Even though No. 11 and lower were drawing 1.3 million or fewer downloads, a considerable gap from No. 10, competitive juices were stirred. Everyone had their eyes on the plumb spot.

Even though there was only one place’s difference between No. 10 and No. 11, the gap in prestige was huge. There were 20 days left in the competition. With the right push, it wasn’t impossible to overtake the current No. 10.

The bosses of other smaller companies shared similar sentiments. Seeing that the chart rankings had more or less settled and a bigger cushion developed between the top 10 and the rest, some had already thrown in the towel, but a few companies with deep talent set their sights on No. 10.

Like a group of cats greedily eyeing a fat mouse darting about.

Chapter 8: Awoken by Coolness

Music students were also paying attention to the chart movements.

At Qi’an Academy of Music in particular.

In the post-apocalypse era, university education had been expanded to six years. Rising Year Six students, whether they majored in composition or performance, were paying close attention to the chart. They also determined the strength of each entertainment company based on the chart.

Out of the Big Three, Silver Wing Media was considered the weakest. Its glory days were in the past. The top students preferred Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment, especially the latter, which had made a major push in recent years. Their virtual idols were flourishing and generated a huge demand for composers and arrangers, a perfect fit for the students.

"Silver Wing did OK this year. They account for three of the top 10," one student said.

"The top 10 are all from the Big Three."

"That’s the kind of dominance the Big Three should project!" As far as the students were concerned, given they were the three biggest entertainment companies in Yanzhou, the Big Three should rightfully rule the charts.

"Hey, out of the top 10, five of the composers are graduates of our school. Three are signed to Silver Wing, one to Tongshan True Entertainment, and one to Neon Culture," one student said excitedly.

"Oh, there are three at Silver Wing? What happened to the fourth? I heard that Silver Wing signed four of our final-year composition majors. Three of them are in the top 10. Where did the fourth go? He’s not in the top 10. I checked the entire top 100 and couldn’t find him."

"Really? Let me see who the last person is. The composition majors they signed are Rong Zheng, Chu Guang and Sha Andu—no, Sha Andu signed with Tongshan True Entertainment. Is it Prius?"

"Prius signed with Neon Culture. He’s in the top 10."

"Oh, then it’s not him. Who else is there? That’s right – Fang Zhao. We haven’t spotted Fang Zhao yet."

"Yeah, he hasn’t shown up yet."

"Wasn’t Fang Zhao the first one to sign? Our adviser was quite bullish about Fang Zhao, saying that Fang Zhao had the potential to make the top 10 in this season’s new talent contest."

The students sifted through the chart again but still couldn’t find Fang’s name.

What had happened?

It was nearly the end of the season. How come he hadn't entered the contest yet?

It wasn’t only the students at his alma mater—his childhood buddies, Zeng Huang and company, were also freaking out and pissed off. They felt so repressed seeing Fang Sheng sitting triumphantly in the top 10. What they would have given to announce to the world that Fang Sheng’s song was stolen, stolen from Fang Zhao.

They had no proof, so if they rabble-roused, they would be sued for defamation. The punishment for defamation was heavy and Neon Culture would no doubt defend Fang Sheng. Getting on the wrong side of Neon Culture would do no good for these nobodies.

"What is Big Zhao thinking? Is he really going to enter the competition now? It’s already the 10th. " Zeng Huang’s fiancée Fang Yue, also Fang Zhao’s childhood friend, was also keeping tabs on Fang Zhao, but there still wasn't any news, even after days of waiting.

As they were talking, Zeng Huang heard a "ding"—the crisp sound of a reminder on her bracelet.

They saw the sender of the text message and their eyes brightened. "There he is!"

__________

Even though Fang Zhao was riding a high tide, he hadn’t slept well since entering the new talent competition. Initially it was nerves and anxiety about his ranking, and then it was excitement.

As he monitored the number of downloads on his wristband screen, he could picture his coffers filling with cash.

Every download cost a dollar. Unless specified, revenue was split three ways: the composer earned 30 percent, the singer 20 percent, and the record label 50 percent. The rise of virtual idols boosted the value of composers and devalued singers. Status-wise, B-list singers weren’t as important as composers, so naturally, they received a smaller cut.

For the current season, Fang Sheng entered all three songs that he stole from Fang Zhao as insurance. He bet everything on the current season, a strategy his company signed off on. If revenue was split according to his contract, given that the three songs had already combined for 3 million downloads, Fang Sheng’s cut was 1 million. If his career took off even more and he signed a better contract, his cut would increase and he would earn even more.

He had risen from poverty because of these three songs. It’d been only how long?

Seeing how the three songs charted, not only was Fang Sheng free of guilt and remorse, he was glad he had gone down this path. What a great f*cking deal it was, stealing these three songs!

When he first joined the company, the staff members who dealt with newcomers were quite cold. Now they smiled every time they saw him. The shift in attitude meant he was growing in stature. From now on, he'd be entitled to more resources at Neon Light and would work with better singers. The two words "infinite wealth" flashed in his head.

As for Fang Zhao?

Fang Sheng chuckled in a low voice, unlocked the screen to his bracelet, and skimmed the chart rankings again. There hadn't been much movement.

"Fang Zhao has no hope."

At that very moment…

"Ding!"

A reminder sounded.

Fang Sheng had set up many reminders. The "ding" may have indicated a text message or an update in a newsfeed he followed, but somehow, Fang Sheng’s chest tightened when he heard the sound.

He looked at the clock on his wristband. It was 8 a.m. sharp.

Eight in the morning was when new songs were uploaded and released after being vetted.

Suddenly, Fang Sheng had second thoughts about tapping the reminder.

Still, he took a few deep breaths and tapped. Maybe it was something else, Fang Sheng thought.

After he tapped the reminder and read the message, his face turned pale.

His screen showed a reminder announcing the new release of a composer he followed. "Hehe, My Dear," performed by Bei Zhi and composed by Fang Zhao, a Silver Wing Media release.

Composer, Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao.

He glossed over the title of the song. The two words "Fang Zhao" were the eyesore. Yet he masochistically stared at the name for a minute before moving his stiff fingers, tapping the play button. When he was done, Fang Sheng stayed in his room. It was dead silent.

When he was summoned to Neon Light in the afternoon, people wanted to approach and say hi but noticed that he was pale as a ghost and wearing a terrifying look.

"What got to him?" the staffers wondered in private.

"I don’t know. He’s doing well in the new talent contest. All three of his songs are in the top 100, one is in the top 10."

"I was afraid he had dropped out of the top 10. So isn’t he in good shape?" a Neon Light staffer said after reading the latest chart.

No one could imagine how Fang Sheng felt at the time. Even though he wasn’t a talented composer, he could tell a good song from a bad one. He could figure out which songs would succeed and which couldn’t—his tastes were in synch with the masses. That’s how he knew what repercussions Fang Zhao’s song would bring. Now, if Fang Zhao had released his song independently, it wouldn't have been a problem. He posed no threat that way. But Fang Zhao had the backing of Silver Wing Media, one of the Big Three.

As long as Silver Wing applied the full weight of their promotional machine for newcomers, Fang Zhao was bound to soar in the rankings.

Twenty days was neither a short time nor an extended period.

How was it possible?

How on earth was it possible?

How did Fang Zhao produce a new song in a matter of days?

He must have composed it ahead of time. That was definitely it.

So Fang Zhao was on guard.

Fang Sheng recalled the look that Fang Zhao gave him when he returned to his black street to move. The look harbored a deeply buried sense of hatred. Now revenge had emerged, dangled in front of him.

By June, the weather in Yanzhou was quite warm, but Fang Sheng felt a coldness travel through his body, as if he had just been dragged out of a freezer.

Even though Silver Wing Media had been in decline in recent years, as one of the Big Three, its marketing prowess was still no match for many of the smaller companies. Any new release would be promoted within channels dedicated to newcomers.

The intranet at Qi’an Academy of Music, for example.

"There it is. Silver Wing has uploaded a new song. The composer is Fang Zhao!"

"Let’s download it right now. He’s an old boy. We gotta support him."

"Brothers and sisters from the composition department, let’s support our alumnus Fang Zhao!"

"Already downloaded."

"Downloaded +1."

"Even though I’m an instrumental major, I’m going to help out too."

Many of the students didn’t listen to the song but joined the outpouring of support for these fresh graduates. It wasn’t a privilege that only Fang Zhao was entitled to. All the top graduates received this kind of treatment.

Thankfully, none of these students were intent on supporting Fang Zhao. They didn’t know Fang Zhao and might be fans of other newcomers, but they were still curious about Fang Zhao. What kind of product would this latecomer who showed up at the end of the season deliver?

For Silver Wing to have the gumption to enter Fang Zhao now, it wouldn’t be a crappy piece of work. Even if Fang Zhao wanted to enter a shit song, Silver Wing couldn’t afford to lose face.

Inside the dorm of a certain higher education institute in Qi’an, a Year Three student had the morning off. He woke up late and got online with a yawn, planning to catch up on the news.

In line with habit, he launched a music app called Intimately You Music that he used frequently and played the recommended playlist for the day.

These recommendations were all drawn and whittled down from his past preferences. If he heard something he liked, he would bookmark it, only splurging on a download when it was a song he really liked.

He wore his headsets and browsed the day’s flurry of entertainment headlines as he listened to music.

Nothing interesting was going on and the music traveling to his ears didn’t impress him much. It wasn’t bad, but there were no surprises. Maybe there were one or two songs that were OK, but he wouldn’t think much of them after a first listen. If you asked him what he thought after he went through his playlist, he wouldn’t be able to say much.

This was a common routine. Music industry outsiders like himself often just played songs they had already downloaded on a whim, maybe occasionally listening to recommended new or previous releases.

Just as he was yawning and reading the news distractedly, a spooky laughter sounded in his years, turning his partial yawn into a sneeze. His body woke up, cleared of any lingering sleepiness, and he sat up in shock.

After maintaining that posture for about 20 seconds, the student finally moved his fingers, scrolling through his screen as he switched from the news to his music app to find out the name of the song he was listening to.

When he saw the title, the student blanked for a second.

"‘Hehe, My Dear’—what kind of title is that?"

The student stared at the title that stood out from the others on the chart as he complained out loud. Yet his fingers kept moving, hitting play once again after the first listen.

And again.

And again.

And again.

"Ding!"

"You have hit your sampling quota for the day," said the reminder that popped up on the screen.

I’ve hit my quota already?

I’ve listened to the song five times already?

Wow, that was fast.

It suddenly dawned on him that he had devoted his complete attention to listening to the song five times. He had actually focused on one song and listened to it five times.

Gotta download it!

It was only 1 dollar. He was thinking he could loop the song the entire afternoon, a perfect fit for those two particularly boring classes. Maybe he would be awoken by the sound of "hehe" in his headsets when he about to fall asleep.

After the download, he posted the song on his school’s intranet.

Handsome’s Cool Song: "I was blown away by a song today. Below’s the link to the sample."

Chapter 9: So That’s the Kind of Little Secretary You Are

By that time of day, even the lazy bones were getting up. There were still plenty of students without morning classes online. When they saw the post, they clicked away.

There were also those who couldn’t bother to click and joined the chitchat instead.

Guitar’s Flight: What kind of song can wake you up with coolness?

Handsome’s Cool Song: "Hehe, My Dear."

Swimming Fish: What?

Handsome’s Cool Song: Go search for it yourself. I’m out, gotta grab a bite. Got a date with the God of Dreams this afternoon.

Mi Yu My Love: Wait! Are you talking about that "God of Dreams," one of the three hypnotist extraordinaires at our school?

Handsome’s Cool Song: Precisely.

Guitar’s Flight: I’m gonna check out the song.

Swimming Fish: Me too!

Mi Yu My Love: Same here!

Others monitoring the conversation also clicked on the song as a result. They also wanted to know what song could withstand the hypnosis treatment of the God of Dreams.

"God of Dreams" was the nickname for an old professor at the school who still hadn’t retired. He used to teach philosophy, but now he had crossed over to music arrangement. The old geezer suffered from low energy in recent years, so he switched to teaching electives. There were only a handful of electives, which also demanded less of teachers than the required courses.

The problem was this particular professor was an agonizingly slow speaker. To paraphrase the students, Professor Zhou spoke like a sloth, putting everyone to sleep. Students had repeatedly petitioned Prof. Zhou to lecture by webcast instead, but he refused.

Though the class was sheer hypnosis, attendance was still mandatory. It would make sense for students to steer clear of his class, but the thing was that the course was credit-rich, so quite a few students signed up. Thus there were tons of people being hypnotized. Upon hearing the student gossip, a young lecturer wasn’t convinced and decided to see for himself. He never showed up again. No one saw the lecturer sitting in on Prof. Zhou’s class again.

Prof. Zhou had seniority and he had contributed to the school’s success, so no one dared confront him. Those who did didn’t want to deal with him, so Prof. Zhou’s class kept being offered. Over the years, Prof. Zhou got addicted to the class. He was strict in class. Students could ignore his lecture but they were absolutely banned from doing anything else, including sleeping. Serious infractions led to docked credit.

That day, Prof. Zhou strolled into the classroom casually and scanned his audience. He had poor vision—it seemed like a big crowd, so he thought attendance was good.

In keeping with routine, he checked his surveillance footage, examining every corner of the massive classroom that fit nearly 1,000 students. Good, no one was playing with their bracelets. The same case with other angles.

This pleased Prof. Zhou immensely. The only weird thing was that the students in class looked like zombies, staring upward as if their spirits had left their bodies, a group of thinkers in communion with the stars and planets. In other words, collective daydreaming.

Prof. Zhou would have ignored one or two isolated daydreamers, but the longer he lectured, the weirder the vibe. It wasn’t just a select few, not even a minority—most of the class was daydreaming.

How odd!

Prof. Zhou slowed down and eventually came to a halt. There was something off in the atmosphere. He couldn’t continue.

Prof. Zhou pressed a button. "XXX, please repeat what I just said."

The student who was called upon was awoken by the flashing light on his desk, which indicated that he had been summoned. He wanted to get up and say that he hadn't caught what the professor had just said, but instead he mumbled mysteriously, "Hehe."

Prof. Zhou: "…..."

The other students yelled, "Damn, that was bold!"

Old Prof. Zhou dismissed his class with a sullen look on his face. He also exited at a much brisker pace, unlike his sloth-like movement of the past. The students were spooked, wary of a brewing storm.

In no mood to pay heed to the student reaction, Old Prof. Zhou got online as soon as he returned to his office. He had learned from his students what the problem was. As soon as he logged on he headed for the sample.

Donning his headset, Old Prof. Zhou wanted to give it a good listen. What kind of song would wreak such havoc on his class?

When he heard the human voice at the beginning of the song, Old Prof. Zhou’s furrowed brows sunk more deeply. "What kind of crap are the kids singing these days…"

Prof. Zhou picked up a pen and was about to write a critique, but his movement and train of thought were halted abruptly by the prelude.

He took a deep breath when the song ended. He tapped the blank piece of paper with the tip of his pen and put the pen down, instead browsing the song’s credits, shifting his attention to the name of the composer on a secondary page.

"Fang Zhao?"

After scanning the credits, Old Prof. Zhou posted: "I discovered a new song that I want to recommend today. The arrangement is quite interesting and defies convention. The fresh grads over at Qi’an Academy of Music this year are quite something!"

"Haha, there are scarcely any songs that elicit this kind of praise from you. And to think it’s the work of a newcomer. Gotta check it out." Old friends expressed curiosity. Even friends who didn’t know a lick about music arrangement joined the fray.

Two days later.

It was time for Prof. Zhou’s elective again.

The students were extra attentive. They didn’t get online or wear headsets. Even if they did, they didn’t turn on the music. They wanted to see how the "God of Dreams" would behave today. He was in such a foul mood when class ended last time, which had left them wondering for two days. They were worried that the God of Dreams would flunk the entire class.

Yet they were surprised to find Old Prof. Zhou in a decent mood when he entered the classroom.

Old Prof. Zhou scanned the classroom and turned on the projector. "We’re going to analyze a new song today. This is important material. It’ll be on the final."

At the back of the room, three words appeared, flashing on the 10-meter tall screen: "Hehe, My Dear."

Before the screen stood Prof. Zhou’s smiling face.

The audience: "…..."

__________

That evening, a group of upcoming graduates held a gathering to mark the end of their student days.

The karaoke bar was a splendid place to vent. A waiter smiled professionally as he emerged from a private box carrying a tray. His smile was impeccable, but he was sighing inside.

Pre-graduation breakups were very common. Every year around this time, they saw quite a few imminent graduates who were especially emotional.

In the private box on the left, a young man about 1.9 meters tall was tearfully mourning his university-era relationship. In the box on the right, a petite young woman was singing a heartbreaking ballad with her bellowing voice.

Sigh… these kids.

The waiter let out a long, imaginary sigh, but he gave no further thought to the matter. All they had to do was keep smiling. Remembering that business was up and they were due a bonus this month, his smile widened.

Inside the private box on the left the waiter had just passed.

Seven students were sharing a meal. They had stopped after a round of singing, shutting the projector and stereo system. Six of the students consoled the tall, bulky young man sitting in the middle. The music was gone and the mood somber.

"Say, I haven’t checked my little secretary’s recommendations today." A tall and slender young man sitting on the side tried to change topics, seeing as the consoling was going nowhere.

The "little secretary" he spoke of was a special function part of the hit music app Intimately You Music. It recommended songs and tailored playlists based on your listening history, just like similar functions, except that, for a surcharge, you could pick an avatar for it.

As he launched his app, the tall, skinny young man was ecstatic. "My little secretary is Mi Yu, yo."

As he spoke, Mi Yu’s slender body appeared on top of his bracelet as if she had sauntered in from afar. At the same time, a passionate voice announced, "Welcome back to Intimately You Music."

"F*ck, you set Mi Yu as your little secretary! It must have cost a fortune!" The other students were jealous.

A pop idol’s images generated royalties. The hotter the star, the higher the royalty. Mi Yu was the talk of the town, so she commanded high royalties. Most fans weren’t willing to splurge on a tailored "little secretary."

The tall, skinny student was reveling in the attention and about to show off, but considering the presence of a heartbroken brother, he held back, saying instead, "Let’s see what my little secretary recommended today." He’d been listening to a lot of upbeat music, so today’s recommendations should be able to lift spirits.

"I listen to whatever Mi Yu recommends." This was a diehard Mi Yu fan, even though what he was referring to was actually just a music app that used Mi Yu’s likeness.

"Yeah, let’s check it out! Let’s build up the mood again!"

Rowdiness was the best antidote for negative emotion. They were going all out to comfort their sensitive, heartbroken dormmate.

The app was connected to the stereo system in the private room.

"Hehe, hehehe…"

A laughter that exuded part self-pity, part sadness erupted.

The entire room went silent, including the heartbroken student still mired in depression, and shifted their gaze to the tall, skinny student, as if complaining, "This is your style? This is your way of building the mood? This is what you mean by upbeat?"

The tall, skinny student started sulking too. He wanted to lash out at his "little secretary," but seeing Mi Yu’s perfect face, he couldn’t do it. Instead he mumbled, "So that’s the kind of little secretary you are."

"It’s OK. Let’s generate another song." The tall, skinny student had raised his hand, but he froze when the laughter ended and the prelude began.

A slightly retro chorus, a jumpy beat, and a jumble of instruments appeared like a gathering sandstorm.

"It’s been a long time

Since we last spoke.

…

In the same city

Too many pictures bring us to a halt.

Time flies.

I’m a bit nervous."

The lead vocals, the chorus, and the instrumental performance blended perfectly to paint a certain setting, where the protagonist was an abandoned traveler soldiering alone, trudging along as he remembered past events and encounters.

Electronic music was common, familiar to listeners of the day, but the electronic music in this song defied categories. Refined listeners could tell what school the composer hailed from, but in the case of this song, they were clueless.

The front half of the song was sad and repressed. The high notes were tearjerkers. But gradually, the melody shifted. After a beautiful, spirited base performance, the song rose to another level and became more epic.

The torrid emotions that were gushing like a raging flood were suddenly plugged by a sturdy dam. The listener was transported to a roller coaster about to soar into the horizon.

Sometimes a song was worth a thousand words.

In the private room, the student sitting in the middle wiped his tears and snot. "What’s this song called? I want to sing it."

The tall, skinny student came to his senses, frowning when he heard the question but eventually eking out a smile. "It’s a new song. It’s not in the system yet."

"Then I’ll sing without the music."

"…..."

The others opened their mouths but refrained from speaking. "Sure! "Whatever makes you happy."

What a horrible feeling it was listening to an off-pitch singer belt out a passionate solo.

When the tall fellow sang the first "he," the other students grimaced and pulled out their headsets.

Forget it, they were better off listening to the original.

Chapter 10: Crowded Ou

The number of sample playbacks revealed the promotional prowess of the record company behind the singer and the composer. But whether the audience could be turned captive, whether they would splurge on a download, that depended the song itself. Undoubtedly, this song had legs.

It was close to the end of the season, and though the extended delay put the song at a disadvantage, its meteoric rise drew a lot of attention, especially people who paid close attention to the music industry.

No one would notice a leap from the bottom of the charts to the top 200.

Nor a leap from the top 200 to the top 100.

But you couldn’t ignore a song that made the top 50 in three days.

For a newcomer’s single, the rapid rise of "Hehe, My Dear" dropped jaws among those who followed the new talent chart.

Most of the people who listened to the song were students, but among them were also veteran musicians who studied composition and arrangement, such as Prof. Zhou, who had his students analyze the arrangement in a test. That made the students both love and hate the song.

However you looked at it, the song was a success.

Just as Du Ang had predicted, the stars had aligned for that song. Even though it was a late entry, it wasn’t that late, and it had enough momentum.

Since Fang Zhao’s song was launched, Du Ang was glued to the new talent chart from dusk to dawn. His other newcomers weren’t raking in that many more downloads and had started to taper off, stagnating on the chart. The key was Fang Zhao’s release. It would determine whether Du Ang would get a raise or a promotion.

At Du Ang’s office at Silver Wing Media, things had quieted down as the new talent competition drew to a close. He didn’t have any more songs produced. The heavy lifting was left to marketing and sales.

So all Du Ang did was monitor the chart. He watched as Fang Zhao’s number of downloads went from zero to three digits, then to four and five, and then to six.

It hit 1 million on the ninth day after its release.Even if they hit 1 million downloads, many new releases would taper off, but not Fang Zhao’s. It saw J-shaped exponential growth as it crossed the 1 million download threshold and kept surging.

Glued to the data on his tablet, Du Ang’s eyes, covered in bloodied veins, barely blinked. From the moment he arrived at the office at 8 a.m., apart from meals and toilet breaks, he was obsessed, constantly staring at the download tally on his screen. Every muscle in his body was taut and his brain remained in an orgasmic state.

None of his nine other interns had had Du Ang this on edge. Fang Zhao was an exception. He was quite surprised and eager with anticipation.

Even though demos differed from the final product, differences were minimal. But Fang Zhao’s arrangement in the final cut had even the demons over in the arrangement department impressed."Maybe I will get promoted this time," Du Ang mumbled. Between a raise and a promotion, Du Ang naturally preferred the latter.

Du Ang’s three assistants could hear him mumbling whenever they entered his office. Initially, they weren't able to make out what he was saying, but after a few trips they realized Du Ang was chanting as he stared at the download counter, "Promotion! Promotion! Promotion!"

It wasn’t just Du Ang. The staffers who worked with newcomers were also glued to the chart; they also wanted Fang Zhao’s release in the top 10. The only thing was that No. 10 had already hit 1.8 million downloads.

Eight hundred thousand downloads was too big a gap.Fang Zhao had to close a gap of 800,000 in 10 days. No, he had to chalk up at least another million. After all, the 10th-placed song would garner more downloads, so probably 1 million more downloads were needed to crack the top 10.

Was 1 million more downloads possible for a newcomer, considering what promotional channels were in play?

He thought it was impossible, and yet he hung on to a sliver of hope. That sense of hope grew and expanded as the days passed.

What a rapid ascent.

It had just cracked the top 50 the day before yesterday. Now it was in the top 30.The song at No. 30 was released by a small company. Their goal was to crack the top 50. Low and behold the newcomer they signed went all out and clinched the 30th spot. What a pleasant surprise!

The composer was likewise delighted. Considering the season was coming to a close and the chart rankings had more or less settled—he had a considerable lead on No. 31—he was quite relaxed and had been celebrating with friends the past few days.

He was hungover and fast asleep at 2 in the morning when he was awoken by repeated reminders. His bracelet was set to "Do not disturb" mode and most calls were blocked, but calls were put through after a third try.

Three calls from the same number meant an urgent matter.

Frowning, he rolled on his bed and announced in a foul mood, "Put it through."His bracelet put through the call after confirming his command. Before he could say anything, the caller started shouting.

"You’ve been crowded out!"

"You’re the one who’s been crowded out!"

The composer was still groggy but the caller had touched a nerve, which prompted the sharp response. After he rubbed his forehead, he froze and exclaimed, "What did you just say?"

A crisp voice emerged from his wristband. "You’re really being crowded out. I’m not kidding. Hurry, take a look! Check out the newcomer chart. You’re going to drop out of the top 30."

The composer got up instantly, turned on the screen on his wristband and scanned the chart. Indeed, he had dropped to No. 31.

"F*ck! Who did this?"

He hadn’t been paying attention to the chart the past few days and didn’t pay much heed to the other songs on the list. Every day he would check his own ranking and the five songs above and below him. How did he drop out of the top 30 in the blink of an eye?

No. 32 to No. 36 were the same, and the gap between them hadn’t changed much. He shifted his attention to the songs ahead of his. He recognized No. 30, No. 29 and No. 28 – it was the same three songs that had edged ahead for some time. But No. 27 was a fresh face."‘Hehe, My Dear?’ From Silver Wing Media?"He was curious and puzzled by the last-minute challenger, so he clicked for more details.

It was released on June 11. So late."What’s wrong with Silver Wing Media, waiting until June 11?"As he was complaining, the composer’s fingers shuffled, scrolling through other details about the song. The more he read, the more he freaked out. After tracking the song’s movement over the past few days, he took a deep breath. It resembled a hormone injection, the way it jumped from 500,000 downloads to 1 million in a few days. And counting.In two days, the song had risen from around No. 50 to the top 30. An increase of 400,000 downloads. Now it was eyeing the top 20.

The gap between No. 25 and No. 30 wasn’t that big. No. 30 had 1,403,952 downloads, while No. 25 accounted for 1,437,756. If it were early in the season, a gap of 30,000 was nothing, but it was near the end of the season and most of the songs had peaked. Even a hike of 10,000 downloads was difficult. Low and behold, this song broke into the top 30 and upended the existing order in a few days.

What kind of song could manage such an amazing feat?

Curious, he clicked play.

A long silence followed.

He studied the details of the song with a confused look on his face. This wasn’t just a matter of marketing muscle, it was also a function of the quality of the song.

"I’m a lesser composer," he admitted to himself.

It had been more than two hours since he got word that he had been crowded out and started studying the song and everything about it. Daylight began to seep in.

It suddenly dawned on him that he knew the composer who wrote No. 25. Yesterday his friend was still praying that the chart stay unchanged. He was quite happy with 25th place.

Now a dark horse had emerged, he reached out to his friend.

His friend was also sleeping. He figured he had been partying the past few days as well. The friend answered with a sleepy voice, not bothering with a videoconference. All he heard was a slurred voice saying, "Who is it?"

"You’re being crowded out!"

"What? Don’t joke about something like this." The voice on the other end sounded panicked.

"I swear, I’m not lying."

Bam! Smack!

A series of jumbled noises followed. After a while, his friend’s voice re-emerged. He sounded distracted.

"I’ve been… crowded out already."

"What? That’s impossible." When he got word of his decline, Fang Zhao’s song was only at 27. How could he have cracked the top 25 in two hours?

He refreshed the newcomer chart in disbelief. Indeed, there was new entry at No. 25.

A bit of research revealed that a famed late-night radio host that gave relationship advice had recommended "Hehe, My Dear" around midnight. A flurry of downloads ensued.

"This isn’t the end of it. It can’t be." The composer shut the screen on his bracelet and checked the time."

There are seven more days left in the competition. Many other composers are going to start losing sleep." Framing the problem that way, he felt a bit better about being squeezed out of the top 30.

He couldn’t sleep anymore. He washed his face and contacted his agent, who was still asleep. He couldn’t afford to take it easy these last few days. If he persuaded his company to launch one last marketing campaign, he might be able to reclaim the No. 30 spot. If he did nothing, he might not even hang on to No. 31.

The storm that this dark horse had brought would impact the entire chart.

Chapter 11: Overtaken

"Hehe, My Dear," the dark horse that had, near the end of the season, burst through the gates from nowhere, continued its impressive run like a hot knife slashing through butter.

On June 25, "Hehe, My Dear" hit 1.7 million downloads and broke into the top 20.

On June 26, it reached 1.9 million downloads. Ranked 18th.

The song’s ability to maintain its ascent this late into the season sent shockwaves through the industry. It even forced other record companies to dip into their contingency plans, tapping promotional platforms previously off-limits for newcomers.

For example, seeing the tides had turned, the company behind No. 17 diverted marketing resources from other singers, pushing the song to No. 14 overnight.

Singers who were crowded out were freaking out too. They scrambled to lobby their own labels for more exposure.

Some labels were willing to divert their resources, but others did the math and decided it wasn’t worth it. They concentrated their marketing efforts on newcomers they considered promising.

The huge stone Fang Zhao had cast caused major ripples.

On June 27, "Hehe, My Dear" hit 2.2 million downloads and climbed to No. 12 in the rankings. It was less than 1,000 downloads away from the No. 11 spot. At that point, No. 10 had 2.4 million downloads.

A gap of 200,000 downloads.

With three days left in the season.

Following the chart movements, Zeng Huang was even more excited than Fang Zhao. He called Fang Zhao and said, "Big Zhao, you’re about to overtake Fang Sheng!"

"Uh-huh." Fang Zhao was combing his dog in his black street apartment. After his last shave, the dog had grown about two centimeters of fur again. The fur was also slightly curly. He had asked the owner of the drug store about it, but he too was dumbfounded, only saying that some dogs were different. After the apocalypse, some animals developed certain quirks. That maybe explained the fast fur growth.

Fang Zhao’s lack of emotion didn’t dampen Zeng Huang’s excitement. He was still ecstatic. "Big Zhao, at this rate, you’ll overtake him by tomorrow or the day after that. Many people say that ‘Flight’ is actually quite flawed."

"Indeed."

Zeng Huang wanted to criticize Fang Sheng’s song some more, but then he remembered that Fang Zhao was the real composer. Criticizing the song would be slapping Fang Zhao in the face. That would be f*cking awkward.

Sensing the awkward silence, Fang Zhao responded, "He can’t win because of the arrangement. He only stole the score and a fraction of the demo, but he got stuck arranging the song."

"Ah, so that’s what happened. I see. Fang Sheng isn’t much of an arranger. I’m sure Neon Culture assigned him one, but I bet they weren’t able to communicate with each other, ha ha." Even though Zeng Huang was neither a composer nor an arranger, he knew the business.

Arrangers usually communicated with the composer to better understand the creative process and matters of craft, style, and so on, but Fang Sheng had stolen just the score and part of the demo. He knew nothing about the emotions behind or origins of the song. Even if he forced the original Fang Zhao to tell, he couldn’t match the actual composer’s passion for the song.

And clearly, the arranger Neon Culture assigned to newcomer Fang Sheng wasn’t the best, which prevented the song from reaching its full potential. Otherwise, "Flight" wouldn’t have stalled at No. 10. It would have gained at least a few spots.

What a shame.

Zeng Huang also felt that it was a pity. He also had mixed feelings about watching as Fang Zhao was about to overtake Fang Sheng. The few of them grew up together but still ended up enemies.

June 28, 1 a.m.

Fang Sheng’s frozen face and wooden eyes stared at the numbers shuffling on his screen. The New Pioneers Chart was in a state of constant flux. Fang Zhao had long claimed the No. 11 spot and was about to overtake him.

Ever since Fang Zhao joined the contest, Fang Sheng hadn’t had a good night’s sleep, plagued by nightmares every night. He often dreamed he was standing on the surface of the sea. Beneath his feet lay a deep, blue ocean. A huge sea monster broke the surface, flashing its sharp fangs, and charged straight at him.

Wasn’t his situation similar in real life?

1:32 a.m.

No. 10: "Flight," 2,430,561 downloads.

No. 11: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,402,796 downloads.

2:15 a.m.

No. 10: "Flight," 2,434,129 downloads.

No. 11: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,419,582 downloads.

3:55 a.m.

No. 10: "Flight," 2,437,643 downloads.

No. 11: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,437,596 downloads.

4:00 a.m.

No. 10, "Hehe, My Dear," 2,437,710 downloads.

No. 11: "Flight," 2,437,709 downloads.

Fang Sheng turned pale. His lips started twitching and the hand on which he wore his bracelet trembled violently.

"I lost. Hehe, I still lost…"

Bang!

He hurled the shiny bracelet he bought after signing with Neon Culture to the ground, shattering it into pieces.

Neon Culture wouldn’t allocate more marketing platforms to Fang Sheng because he had already asked once when he sensed Fang Zhao becoming a threat. If he asked again, the label wouldn’t agree.

A big company like Neon Culture was loaded with talent and established stars. It could only concentrate so much in the way of resources on a single newcomer. If you were overtaken, you couldn't blame the record label.

Speaking of priorities, Neon Culture did invest in Fang Sheng. After all, he had climbed to the top ranks of the chart. But special attention was impossible. The company’s muscle was still lined up behind the virtual idol it had launched this year. Everyone else had to take a number.

No. 10 and No. 11 might have been separated by just one spot, but for Fang Sheng, it was the difference between heaven and hell.

As the sun rose, people started another busy day.

Insider Silver Wing Tower.

Fang Zhao was summoned by Du Ang first thing in the morning to discuss his full-time contract. Fang Zhao was already in the top 10 and gaining on No. 9. No matter what, a top 10 finish was guaranteed. A promotion was guaranteed.

Du Ang was in a particularly good mood. He wasn’t yelling at anyone for a change, and he wore a beaming smile when he was discussing the terms of the contract with Fang Zhao. He even lobbied for additional benefits, so the discussion went smoothly.

"Oh, have you checked the company’s message board yet?" Du Ang asked.

"No, I haven’t." Fang Zhao found some information about the message board in his new memory, but not much. The original owner of his body didn’t browse the message board much.

"Go take a look. There are quite a few messages for you."

Guided by Du Ang, Fang Zhao logged into the company’s official website and visited the message board.

The top threads revolved around the label’s biggest stars. Fang Zhao searched for his name. There were indeed quite a few messages. Nothing compared to the major stars, but some 1,000 messages was a lot for a newcomer.

Fang Zhao left Silver Wing Tower and boarded a train back to the suburbs. He clicked on the messages after he boarded.

Because Fang Zhao was only an intern and not a full-time employee, fans could only leave a message but not gifts. Some left written messages, while others recorded them. He could, however, listen to all of them using the broadcast mode on his bracelet.

Fifth comment: "Why does there have to be ‘hehe’ at the beginning of the song? Without the ‘hehe,’ the song would rise to another level. Why didn’t Silver Wing release an altered version of the song?"

Sixth comment: "What a joke. Why release an altered version? Someone at our school muted the human laughter at the beginning of the song when they played it in public and was booed until he played the original version. And you’re nitpicking about the laughter. You are testimony to the saying that those who missed out on treasures are always restless and those in possession of them treat them like a pair of shabby shoes.

…

Twelfth comment: "I don’t care. I like the original. Ever since I discovered it, I’ve stopped falling asleep in class. I just daydream."

Fang Zhao had read some of the online discussion before, but he could see how strategic intervention by the marketing team at Silver Media promoted the song.

The laughter track wasn’t in the diary entry the original owner of his body left behind, but he did chuckle before he wrote the entry. Speaking of which, Fang Zhao had to admit that Silver Wing vetted its singers properly. Even though he had gone off the rails, Bei Zhi was very talented and his experience with heartbreak could help him perform the song better than someone else.

After reviewing the comments, Fang Zhao felt assured that his arrangement still struck a chord with the public. Did that mean he could release his old pieces too?

He kept listening.

…

Fifty-first comment: "I almost missed out on this song. Now downloaded and added to my library."

Fifty-second comment: "Ha, I almost missed it too. On my first listen I was thrown off by the laughter too, thinking what kind of gimmick was that? But after 10 seconds, the intro sounded OK. I replayed the song. After I was done, I couldn’t stop singing ‘hehe, my dear,’‘hehe, my dear.’"

…

Who knew who had leaked the information that Fang Zhao’s song was inspired by being dumped. In any case, it helped many people understand the song.

One hundred and twenty-ninth comment: "Word has it that Fang Zhao wrote the song after he was dumped by his girlfriend. If I could write a song like this, I’d be willing to be dumped by my girlfriend."

One hundred and thirtieth comment: "Dude upstairs, first…"

One hundred and thirty-first comment: "You need…"

One hundred and thirty-second comment: "…a…"

One hundred and thirty-third comment: "girlfriend…"

…

Two hundred and seventy-second comment: "The worst thing for a man is meeting a girl you want take care of for the rest of her life when you’re least capable. I don’t know Fang Zhao, but I can empathize with his feelings."

…

Three hundred and sixteenth comment: "You go, bro! I spent all my pocket money on you on the 15th, betting that you’d crack the top 10. My last impulse buy before graduation. I’m counting my cash now."

…

Four hundred and twenty-ninth comment: "Don’t be afraid. Even if the world has given up on you, you still have your music, Fang Zhao."

…

Five hundredth comment: "Go get ‘em, alum Fang Zhao—from Year Five arrangement majors at the Qi’an Academy of Music."

…

Admiring the bustling cityscape beneath the sunlight, Fang Zhao smiled. "Rest assured, this is just the beginning."

Chapter 12: The Shelved Virtual Projec

June 28, 3:21 p.m.

No. 9: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,512,576 downloads.

June 28, 7:08 p.m.

No. 8: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,578,394 downloads.

June 29, 12:03 p.m.

No. 7: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,710,962 downloads.

June 30, 2:33 a.m.

No. 6: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,800,357 downloads.

June 30, 12:45 p.m.

No. 6: "Hehe, My Dear," 2,908,728 downloads.

June 30, 11:56 p.m.

No. 5: "Hehe, My Dear," 3,000,923 downloads.

That night, nearly every pop music newcomer in Yanzhou stayed up all night monitoring the New Pioneers Chart.

They watched the dark horse that had entered the new talent contest the latest maintain its momentum. After crowding out No. 10, it overtook the next four songs ahead of it in three days and began to threaten the top four.

If Fang Zhao had another day, he would have taken down No. 3 and No. 4. If he had another month, who knows what would have happened.

When the clock jumped to midnight, when the New Pioneers Chart finally flashed a symbol indicating the chart had been finalized, the throngs monitoring the chart could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was finally all over.

Especially Chu Guang in fourth place and Rong Zheng in third. They were signed to Silver Wing Media as well. They were also fellow graduates of the same department at Qi’an Academy of Music. They entered the contest early on and were given priority by Silver Wing, but Fang Zhao’s appearance gave them a real scare.

They were almost overtaken.

Even though they still held onto third and fourth place, they both just hit 3 million downloads, not much of a lead on Fang Zhao. Just as people suspected, if the chart was live for another day, they might have been replaced in half a day.

Luckily, as far as Silver Wing was concerned, all three were newly signed composers. But the composers themselves were quite conscious of their ranking.

Thankfully, the season was over.

Over.

Or was it really over?

The beginning of a new month brought the kickoff of a new season of the new talent contest. Even though this season wasn’t as closely followed as the previous, it still marked a new round of battle.

The previous season was over and the winners and losers determined. Newcomers who performed well would gain access to better resources and better music, while those who didn’t do so well had their existing resources pulled.

Fang Zhao, the last-minute dark horse, also drew attention and generated plenty of discussion within the industry.

"Prairie Fire" was a Qi’an-based webcast popular among industry insiders. Their main focus was Yanzhou’s celebrities of all levels. This season’s new talent contest naturally fell on their radar. They even started a betting pool on the final ranking of the New Pioneers Chart.

A new edition of the show aired on July 1.

Sharing hosting duties were the regular male and female presenters.

As soon as the show started, the lavishly dressed female host joked, "June has just passed. So many people struggled to sleep in the intense heat toward the end of the month."

Industry insiders bitched in their heads, "It’s just a show for the voyeuristic masses, but we, the actual competitors, have been losing sleep for a long time. No wonder people say the second season of the year is the year’s most brutal. It’s the real deal—cutthroat, grounded in reality, no room for fakery. No matter how good of a bullshitter you are, the market will deliver a rude awakening."

The host continued, "This season’s new talent contest was quite the draw."

The male host: "Indeed, thanks to a hit song that drains all sleepiness out of you, hehe."

The male host’s pun had music newcomers watching the show hurling their bracelets. "Hehe your ass. I get a headache from just hearing ‘hehe.’"

The female host: "The past season of the new talent contest didn’t exactly go according to script, though it was expected that the two virtual newcomers would take the top two spots."

The male host: "After a quiet period for Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture, the two conglomerates relaunched their virtual idol projects."

A video appeared alongside the host’s voice.

A slim silhouette wearing a white hoodie bearing a cone pattern flashed an insidious smile. A slight shift of his head could capture the hearts of thousands of teenage girls. The song "Believe in Me" started playing.

The performer was the winner of the new talent contest, virtual singer Xun Huai. He had held the No. 1 spot on the New Pioneers Chart for more than two months now. His single recorded more than 5 million downloads. Xun was created by Tongshan True Entertainment.

After Xun Huai, a shapely figure emerged. Even though she looked young, her face was impeccable. Her mischievous smile and soulful eyes were downright charming.

Following "Believe in Me" was the No. 2 song, virtual singer Fei Lisi’s "Rainbow Candy," which was downloaded 4.8 million times this past season. Fei was created by Neon Culture.

"Wow, two virtual idols in a single season. Xun Huai’s star power is beyond dispute. All of my cousins are keeping tabs on him. Fei Lisi isn’t bad either. Word has it that a candy maker Neon Culture partnered with made a killing on rainbow candy this year," the female host said in a joking tone.

"The two virtual idols were indeed strong contenders, but I was paying attention to someone else on the chart," the male host said. "Today we received an animation created by a viewer. It’s about this year’s new talent contest."

The viewers were intrigued. What animation?

A video soon followed.

A slick, fat mouse marked with the number 10 darted forward, huffing and puffing, trailed by a group of cats. Each cat had a different fur pattern. It you looked closely, you could see that both the mouse and the cats were emblazoned with company logos.

People who had followed the new talent contest understood immediately and flashed a knowing smile.

Isn’t this a depiction of the chart movements toward the end of the season?

In the animation, a group of cats were chasing a fat mouse.

"Mine."

"It’s mine."

"F*ck off, y’all. The mouse is mine."

"Y’all make way. I’m about to make a major move to take down the fat mouse."

As the cats quarreled, a cheetah whisked by like the wind, passing the cats and laying claim to the fat mouse with an emphatic stomp. It kept on running, fading into a speedy silhouette.

The reaction of Neon Culture staffers in the newcomer department who saw the cartoon: "…..."

Fang Sheng’s agent: "…..."

As people around him heaped looks of scorn, pity, and cynicism, a ghastly pale Fang Sheng trashed his second bracelet.

In contrast, Silver Wing staffers were chuckling. They were used to being ridiculed by Neon Culture. Now the tables had turned.

Even though they missed out on the top two spots, Silver Wing releases finished in third, fourth and fifth place. Add to that No. 8 and they accounted for four of the top 10. Four.

It was an outcome they never would have imagined.

Du Ang was ecstatic after tracking the New Pioneers Chart until midnight. He wore a silly smile until the next morning, despite being whacked by his wife with a pillow. He was going to be promoted, promoted.

Singer Bei Zhi was also too excited to fall asleep after seeing the final ranking.

"I’m a star now!" Bei Zhi stared at the chart without blinking. "He, hehe, hahahaha!"

A change of fortunes often follows the depths of despair. A mishap might be a blessing in disguise.

Bei’s three roommates were amazed by the reversal.

The four newly signed singers were housed in a company dorm. Unlike the composers, the singers had nothing to hide from each other. They took the same classes and vocal lessons.

Bei Zhi’s three roommates knew he'd gone through a rough patch after signing. He was in no shape to sing. They'd thought that Bei Zhi would be cut loose before his contract ended, but who would have guessed that Fang Zhao would come to the rescue. By June, Bei Zhi had recovered and gotten the call from Du Ang. He'd lucked out.

"I’m a star, hahaha!" Bei Zhi burst into a frantic dance in his room.

"That's right. I need to thank Fang Zhao." Bei Zhi raised his arm to call Fang Zhao. If now wasn’t the time to kiss up to such an auspicious patron, then when? He was a rookie singer. Cultivating ties with composers was standard procedure. That way he would keep getting good songs. Good songs sent his stock rising.

It wasn’t all celebration. Sometimes woe followed triumph.

Du Ang was miserable after getting promoted the next day.

Du Ang used to be in charge of rookie composers. Now he was in charge of all of Silver Wing’s composers. His predecessor had quit after leading the failed virtual idol campaign last year. Now, Du Ang took over his portfolio.

The promotion was a good thing. But Du Ang stopped smiling after seeing his to-do list.

Silver Wing launched virtual projects every year, but they rarely received much support. As far as the Silver Wing bosses were concerned, they could prioritize other singers, their virtual idols could be second-rate, but they had to have them. A conglomerate like Silver Wing couldn’t be dissed for not being able to create virtual idols. Whether or not they became huge stars was a different matter.

But after last year’s failed full-court press, the virtual idols team was in shambles. Staff either transferred to other projects or jumped ship. The department was a ghost town.

The higher ups were at wit’s end. However hopeless the mission, they charged the team leaders with figuring things out. They had to have at least one virtual idol project a year. If no actual work had been done, they still had to pull something out of their asses. As long as they came up with something. Quality was not an issue.

Still, to fail miserably was a major loss of face.

After being passed around, the hot potato had landed on Du Ang’s desk. His new position had been left unfilled for some time, so everyone had pretended the problem didn’t exist. Now that Du Ang had taken over, the other managers could rest easy.

"Old Du." Ya Erlin, the head of the arrangement department, gestured toward his colleague with his fingers.

"Don’t ‘old’ me. I’m only 40, at a time when the average life span is 180. I’ve only lived less than a quarter of my life. I’m still young," Du Ang said without lifting his head.

Ya Erlin ignored the comment. "Old Du, what’s the point? You’ve risen up the ranks, only to suffer."

Could he afford to take on the virtual idol project?

Du Ang tried telling his superiors—virtual idols weren't his specialty. But no one wanted to take the project. His bosses told him that, since he was filling the open post, he had to suck it up.

Du Ang wanted to spit blood. If he had known, he would have passed on the promotion. He would have applied for a transfer after someone took over the virtual idol project.

Hindsight was always 20/20.

The manager lying in the hospital was a harbinger of things to come.

A disgruntled Du Ang could only pass the buck to the composers he supervised. He wasted no time in offering incentives.

"Whoever is willing to take this on will be fast-tracked for promotion."

Chapter 13: I'll Leave This Mission to You

The entire composition department got online punctually after receiving word that Du Ang had called a videoconference, as did Fang Zhao. He was going to go for a stroll, but stayed home after learning about the meeting.

As soon as everyone got online, Du Ang threw a time bomb in their face.

Indeed, every single Silver Wing staffer knew that the label's virtual projects were a death pit that chewed up money and people. Anyone who landed there was doomed.

Plus this fell outside of their expertise. They only knew how to compose, not how to produce virtual idols. They were clueless outsiders who had no idea how to respond to Du Ang.

So after Du Ang dropped the bomb, everyone went silent. They drooped their heads, even breathing lightly lest a deep breath draw attention, just like students who avoided eye contact with their teacher. Once contact was made, they might be called on.

Fang Zhao also remained silent. He didn't know much about virtual technology, so it wasn't an assignment he would jump on.

The other three newcomers who were signed along with Fang Zhao were enticed by the promise of promotion, but once they saw how everyone else reacted, they knew what was going on. This project was kryptonite. There was no way they would jeopardize the great momentum they had built from the new talent contest, so they shut up and pretended they were rocks.

Du Ang was awfully frustrated when he saw his staff playing dumb. See, he had told the higher ups that they couldn't complete the project—even the promise of promotion didn't do the trick. But Du Ang couldn't refuse a command from above either.

The higher ups just wanted to muddle through. They didn't have high expectations, they just wanted the job done, so Du Ang pondered briefly and broke the silence.

"OK. We all know what's going on here. I'm not going to bullshit you. We're stuck with this project. We just need to put something together that's presentable—that's it. Our budget is only 2 million…"

"Two million?" someone exclaimed. It wasn't too generous a budget—it was peanuts.

Officially, the company spent 50 million on last year's virtual project, but insiders knew the real amount was probably no less than 100 million, and it was all for nothing. Otherwise, the company wouldn't have gutted the project team with firings and demotions. The department was practically unstaffed. The people who remained behaved like retirees.

Two million was nothing compared to 100 million. The amount of investment also reflected the label's level of confidence in the project. Getting involved was a career-killer.

Du Ang glared at the person who interjected. He was in charge. "I'm not done yet. What are you butting in for?"

After a brief pause, Du Ang continued. "Initially the budget was 2 million. However, I successfully lobbied for another 3 million, for a total of 5 million."

Five million was still a paltry amount, the group thought.

Take Xun Huai and Fei Lisi, for example; the initial investment those two virtual idols received was in the tens of millions. If they did well, another few hundred million was in the pipeline. The difference was that Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture knew how to make money with their virtual idols. Even if they poured in hundreds of millions, the could recoup their investment. Fei Lisi's candy deal was a case in point.

But as for Silver Wing, so far none of their virtual idols had generated much revenue. Every single one had fallen flat on their face after their launch.

Seeing as no one spoke up, Du Ang cleared his throat. "Since no one is willing, let's draw lots."

Drawing lots.

Everyone started panicking, praying that they wouldn't be the one drawn.

Du Ang didn't care how his people prayed for luck. To preempt any talk of cheating, he didn't draw lots by computer. Instead, he made paper strips with everyone's names on them in full view of the entire group, and then he crumpled them and put them in a box. The old-fashioned way.

"As you can all see, it's a fair process. I didn't rig the lots. Just pray that you're not so unlucky." As he spoke, Du Ang stuck his hand into the box and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper. He flattened it in front of his computer screen.

Du Ang flattened the paper strip with it facing his camera, so everyone else could see the name on it, but not him.

The moment he flattened the piece of paper, he heard heavy sighs of relief. They sounded like the breathing of a drowning person taking gulps of fresh air after being rescued.

Du Ang flipped the paper strip over and saw the words "Fang Zhao."

His eyelids jolted. Du Ang was surprised. He didn't want to put Fang Zhao on the project. Given his performance in the new talent contest, he was bound to produce even better songs. There were 50-odd people in the composition department. Considering the odds of one in 50, Du Ang didn't think Fang Zhao would get drawn. Lo and behold, he was.

There was nothing he could do. He had drawn lots in front of everyone. If he reneged, his staff would go ballistic.

Du Ang tried to gauge Fang Zhao's response. All Fang Zhao did was furrow his brows slightly. He didn't respond dramatically. Du lamented that the newcomer had no idea what he was getting himself into.

Even though the outcome wasn't ideal, the decision had been made.

"Fang Zhao," Du Ang spoke toward his camera. "I'll leave this mission to you, then. Alright, everyone else can leave. Fang Zhao, stop by the office this afternoon. I'll take you to the virtual projects department for a quick look."

Not long after Du ended the videoconference, Ya Erlin, the head of the arrangement department, dropped by. "Old Du, I heard you outsourced that terrible burden."

As soon as the meeting was over, Ya Erlin had gotten the lowdown from several composers who attended, using his cunning ways.

"None of your bloody business." Du Ang found the demon an eyesore. He used to be Ya Erlin's junior and had to restrain himself. Now that they were the same rank, he could speak with more authority.

Not long after he saw off Ya Erlin, Julian from operations stopped to gossip as well. "Du Ang, I heard a composer under you took the project."

Julian was much more senior than Du Ang. Position-wise, both were department heads, but Du Ang didn't want to get on Julian's bad side, so he was more diplomatic.

After disposing of Julian, Bu Lai, the head of back office operations, showed up. He was 30 years older than Du.

"Du boy, I heard one of your composers took the project.

Du Ang: "…..." He was tired of explaining.

Within an hour, the entire company knew that the much-delayed virtual idol project had found a home, assigned to a newcomer in the composition department.

So when Fang Zhao arrived at Silver Wing in the afternoon, he was the center of attention.

"That's him."

"That's right, that's him, the newcomer the composition department signed this year, the guy who finished fifth in the new talent contest.

"No. 5 in the new talent competition, you know, the 'hehe' song?"

"Right, right.

"It's him. Poor guy."

"What a stroke of bad luck."

"What can he do? A newcomer can't turn down an assignment. I feel sorry for him."

"Aren't newcomers meant to be used as scapegoats? You watch, he's gonna get torn into."

Everyone considered Fang Zhao unlucky. He had finished fifth in the new talent contest, and people in the know were clear on how much real talent backed up his ranking. As long as he did what his agent told him to, riches lay ahead. What a pity that he was stuck with a dead-end virtual idol project.

Fang Zhao didn't go to Du Ang's office, heading straight to the 50th floor instead, as his boss had requested.

The 50th floor was where the virtual idol project was based. They took up the entire floor. In the early days after the label was founded, the virtual projects department occupied the 45th to 50th floors, but with the passage of time, the department deteriorated and its floors were reallocated one by one. Now they were left with the 50th floor.

When Silver Wing splurged on the department last year, the entire floor was packed. But when Fang Zhao emerged from the elevator, all he could sense was emptiness.

A vast emptiness created by the diversion of hardware and personnel. A shout could generate a clear echo.

"This way." Du Ang was already waiting. He led Fang Zhao to an empty office. "This is where you'll work until the project is complete.

Fang Zhao looked it over. It was a tastefully furnished 200-odd square meter office, for him alone. Only a cash-rich company like Silver Wing could pull this off.

Since Du Ang took over the virtual idol department, he was the head of the department. Fang Zhao was his designated producer.

But Du Ang's focus going forward would still be the composition department. He would leave the virtual idol department to Fang Zhao.

"From now on, you're the producer for the virtual idol project. You're the most senior employee apart from me. You'll make all the key decisions. This has been signed off by the bosses. It's been logged in your personnel file. You've been cleared for access to this floor. All you need to do is flash your bracelet."

Fang Zhao nodded. "Where's everyone else?"

"Make a left and head to the end of the corridor, the office in the corner—I spotted someone sleeping in there. Probably pulled an all-nighter gaming," Du Ang responded.

Fang Zhao was baffled as to why, given Du Ang's temper, he didn't lash out at someone sleeping at work.

"How many people are there in the department?" Fang Zhao asked.

"One."

Fang Zhao: "…..."

He raised two fingers to confirm. "That's to say... the entire department comprises two people."

"Uhm, that's right." As thick-skinned as Du Ang could be, he felt ashamed. This was hazing, hazing a newcomer.

Fang Zhao didn't know what to say next. He had heard about the virtual projects department. He knew last year's failed project had ended in a bloodbath. He just hadn't realized the company had cleaned house so thoroughly. If Du Ang hadn't taken over, the label would probably have kept procrastinating.

"You can make new hires or loan from other departments." Du Ang couldn't bullshit any more. "You take your time to settle in. I'm off. I still have a lot of things to attend to in the composition department." Du Ang got ready to bolt.

"Wait." Fang Zhao put the brakes on Du Ang's escape.

"More questions?"

"I need to attend my graduation ceremony tomorrow and take care of some paperwork. I can't start immediately."

"Take your time," Du Ang responded. Of course he wasn't in a hurry. He had outsourced his problem. He had nothing to worry about. As for what kind of virtual idol Fang Zhao came up with, he didn't care. As long as he completed the assignment.

He slapped Fang Zhao on the shoulder. "Work hard and do a good job."

Chapter 14: Don’t Set the Bar Too High, Young Man

After Du Ang left, Fang Zhao examined his office carefully.

Apart from his office desk and mini-computer, the most glaring items were a row of bookcases.

Very few people read physical books these days, but there were still a few. Some folks liked to go retro, others liked the look and feel of paper.

The bookshelves in the office held up to some 10,000 volumes. Some of them looked new, some were dog-eared from repeated use. Perhaps it was the improvement of paper quality, but Fang Zhao didn’t see any damaged pages. Or maybe the damaged books had already been replaced with new ones.

Who knew how many department heads the bookshelves had survived.

Fang Zhao scanned the collection. Most of the books were about virtual idols, including volumes covering the history of virtual idols, technological advancements in the field, and aesthetic design.

"Virtual Idols and Their Cultural Characteristics," "The Aesthetics of the Virtual Idol Body," "Emotional Expression in the Virtual Idol," "An Introduction to the Reg Dimension," and so on.

Fang Zhao picked a book about the cultural development of virtual idols and began reading in his office chair.

The office was much nicer than his surroundings on the black street. There were no distractions. He had enough light with the window open; he didn’t need to turn on a light.

Browsing the book, Fang Zhao could sense how far along the entertainment industry had come. The virtual revolution began in the 206th year of the New Era, when the so-called "father of virtual idols" invented the "Reg Dimension," which launched virtual idols onto the big stage. The open competition between real celebrities and virtual idols marked the pinnacle of the virtual age.

"After the apocalypse, the world economy recovered rapidly. Technological advancements proliferated, among them the advent of digital technology, which converted all available data into a digital format and created a new sensory experience that encompassed sight, smell, and other human senses. Through certain algorithms and procedures, the digital revolution also paved the way for images, texts, sounds, and physical shapes that didn’t exist in the real world."

"Virtual forms derived from digital technology are a by-product of mankind’s visual era. They crossed over from the virtual world to appear life-like in front of regular people, dazzling audiences on screen and injecting life into convention centers. The Reg Dimension is undoubtedly a ground-breaking invention.

Fang Zhao was fascinated by the book’s overview of the Reg Dimension.

The Reg Dimension was a virtual world, an application blending physics and computer science, invented by the New Era’s so-called "father of virtual idols," Reg Smith, 300 years ago. Virtual idols were created with this program.

Three hundred years ago, Reg Smith revolutionized virtual technology with the invention of the Reg Dimension, which enabled future digital artists to craft better and more realistic virtual forms.

The Reg Dimension encompassed billions of colors, overcoming the limitations of digital projection, making the movement of virtual idols smoother and more natural. Regardless of vantage point, they looked like real humans when beamed into life.

To quote the book: "The creation of a virtual idol is the process of creating an image in the virtual world and breathing life into it."

Virtual idols born into the Reg Dimension were refreshed by new ideas digital artists brought to the table and advancements in digital technology.

In the past 300 years, virtual technology has gone through countless upgrades that have perfected the virtual idol, but all these breakthroughs were built on the foundation of the Reg Dimension. You could say the Reg Dimension was the cornerstone of virtual technology.

Reg Smith created the Reg Dimension, laying the groundwork for the golden age of virtual idols, but 300 years later, Reg Smith and the golden age were long gone. That wasn't the program’s fault. The key was human talent.

Human expertise was the driving force behind the Reg Dimension, the "hand of god" that shaped virtual idols.

If he had the choice, Fang Zhao would've loved to time travel to 300 years ago and see the golden age of virtual idols for himself, the period so well-documented in books and film. Footage wouldn’t leave as deep of an impression as the real thing.

Back in the real world, Fang Zhao had a problem on his hands. He could find the technical expertise, but first he had to decide what his virtual idol would look like.

The book said, "In the Reg Dimension, you’re an artist with a pencil or a sculptor with a chisel, ready to bring your dreams to life."

Fang Zhao’s dilemma: what would he draw or sculpt if he had a pen or chisel?

Just as Fang Zhao was deep in thought, he had visitors—three of them, no less.

The head of the arrangement department, Ya Erlin, operations head Julian, and the head of back office operations, Bu Lai, showed up together.

"Geez, what a rare sight it is to see someone on this floor again." Ya Erlin raised his seemingly boneless finger and pointed at the corners of the office. "It’s still too empty."

"No worries. It’s Fang Zhao, right?" The head of back office operations, Bu Lai, assumed a paternal tone. "I’ll have a sofa shipped over tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything else. As long as it’s not too much trouble, I’ll take care of it."

"Don’t be a stranger with Bu Lai. He’s got tons of funding. Siphon off a little and you can take care of things," Julian joked.

The trio were curious about the project. They also felt that it was poor form to assign such a dead-end project to a newcomer, not to mention the newcomer who performed the best in the new talent contest. Wasn’t this hazing?

Even though they felt bad, they would never take on the project themselves. All Bu Lai was offering was to throw some resources his way. They didn’t want to touch the project itself.

"Fang Zhao, I know your expertise is composition. How much do you know about virtual idols?" Julian asked.

When it came to their age, Fang Zhao was much older than even Bu Lai, the oldest of the group, but he was trapped in a young body. Sensing their patronizing attitude, Fang Zhao didn’t take the conversation seriously. As for Julian’s question, Fang Zhao pondered and said, "Virtual idols are like Xun Huai and Fei Lisi."

The three department heads went silent for several seconds. That was a tough comment to follow up on.

After a while, Julian joked, "Don’t set your bar too high, young man. Otherwise you’ll be disappointed.

Everyone knew the other two Big Three companies excelled at producing virtual idols, especially Tongshan True Entertainment. Anyone they launched drew tens of millions of fans. Xun Huai was another success. They had even started putting him in movies, which meant he would become even more popular. The two-bit virtual idols of Silver Wing were no match.

"There’s no need to set your sights on Xun Huai and Fei Lisi. Ai, just do your best. If you fail, we won’t blame you," Bu Lai said with a sigh.

Hovering in the horizon, Ya Erlin rolled his eyes. Sure, they wouldn’t blame Fang Zhao, but the higher ups were a different story.

"Do the three of you have favorite virtual idols?"

"Of course." Ya Erlin was about to say something but pretended to laugh instead. "That was so long ago. It’s not worth mentioning."

Fang Zhao shifted his gaze to Julian and Bu Lai. The two of them weren’t in a sharing mood either.

"We were just concerned. Fang Zhao, we gotta get back to work." Bu Lai waved and headed out.

"I should get going too."

"Me too."

Julian and Ya Erlin followed suit. Barely out the door, Ya Erlin was glad he had stopped his train of thought. If he said too much and Fang Zhao created a virtual idol based on his ideas, he would be blamed for the failed project too.

"Thank God I caught myself. Thank God."

After the three department heads left, Fang Zhao was just a few more pages into his book when another person showed up.

The new arrival was about 30. His beard was a mess and his palm-length hair resembled a mop. There was a mark on his face, probably made when he fell asleep on his desk. This was the lone staffer Du Ang had mentioned.

"How are you? I’m Zu Wen, a technician in the virtual idol department."

"I’m Fang Zhao, the new producer." Fang Zhao signaled Zu Wen to find himself a chair.

Zu Wen pulled up a chair casually and sat down, legs spread. "I know about you. The whole department has heard."

Fang Zhao knew his new reputation didn’t stem from the new talent contest. Even though the competition was important to newcomers, it wasn't not so important to other staffers. He had an idea where his newfound renown derived from.

The whole company knew that the virtual idol project had been dumped onto a newcomer from the composition department. It was a hot topic on internal message boards. A techie like Zu Wen had to be up to date.

"So we’re the only two people left on the project?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yep, it’s just us two," Zu Wen responded lackadaisically. "There used to be three more people. They applied for transfers this morning when they heard you were assigned to the project."

So before Fang Zhao’s arrival, the virtual idol department hadn’t been gutted entirely. There were four staffers this morning. The department hadn’t had a manager since last year’s project failed. The last department head/producer was still hospitalized. Word has it he took the failure hard and was mired in deep depression. He’d been resting in the hospital since. No one knew exactly how he was doing.

Since they didn’t have a boss, the staffers behaved like carefree shepherds, signing in and then napping and gaming until the workday was over. Their pay wasn’t great, but it didn’t require much effort.

After word spread that the department was being revived, the three staffers fled.

"Why did you decide to stay?" Fang Zhao asked. "How come everyone else left and you decided to stay?"

"I didn’t transfer in time," Zu Wen said with a yawn. "I fell asleep writing my transfer application. I just woke up."

Fang Zhao: "…..."

No wonder Du Ang didn’t lash out at Zu Wen when he caught him napping. He was probably afraid that he would scare off the final employee.

Zu Wen kept yawning. Fang Zhao suddenly asked, "You follow any pop stars?"

"You mean the virtual idols that are active on the internet these days?"

"Yes, but older ones count too."

"If that’s the case, no." Zu Wen flashed his white teeth. "Because I’m a Reg Dimension technician.

Fang Zhao remembered reading in his book that most Reg Dimension technicians shared the same mindset: I only worship the idols I create. The existing pop idols on the market were created by others. My idol has to be the product of my own imagination.

Chapter 15: Do You Follow Pop Stars?

"Then what do you think our virtual idol should look like?" Fang Zhao asked. He was a newcomer when it came to virtual idols. Even though there were virtual idols before the apocalypse, that was a different story. Now virtual idols were a mature product. It was hard to choose between them.

"Don't ask me." Zu Wen sprang from his chair, as if he'd sat on a nail. "You don't wanna ask me. I'm just a technician who executes. The look of the virtual idol is decided by the producer. I'm just responsible for building the image the producer decides on. In simple terms, I just do what you tell me to do. You, the producer, decide what we make."

Zu Wen had no intention of becoming the scapegoat. That had always been the prevailing mood on Silver Wing's virtual idol projects. If any of his ideas contributed to the failure of the project, he was dead meat.

Seeing that everyone was avoiding volunteering ideas like the plague, Fang Zhao realized that he would have to design the look of the virtual idol. No one else was going to touch that one.

"If that's all, I'm going to head back." Zu Wen just wanted to report for duty and scope out the new producer.

"No problem. Why don't you head back?"

Released by his boss, Zu Wen bolted in huge strides, leaving Fang Zhao alone in his massive office where he became engrossed in the book on his desk.

What should the virtual idol look like?

A call came through on his bracelet.

It was about his black street apartment. He had hired contractors to renovate his studio.

Silver Wing had wired him a payment. Per his contract, Fang Zhao got a 100,000-dollar cut because his entry for the new talent contest recorded 1.9 million downloads. It was a token of thanks for finishing fifth.

Fang Zhao could have used the money to rent a better place or even buy a smaller studio in the suburbs. The label asked him if he wanted company housing, which full-time employees were entitled to.

Fang Zhao had planned to buy a studio in the suburbs, but he dropped the idea after taking on the virtual idol project. He would be spending more time in his office for an extended period. Composers could set their own schedules, but as producer for the virtual idol project, he had to look up a lot of information that he could only access for free at the office. He would have to pay a significant extra amount to access the company's intranet from a remote location.

He could do his research at his office—he could even sleep there. In that case, finding a new apartment wasn't a pressing matter anymore. He had lived in worse places during the apocalypse; he was in no hurry to upgrade his digs. That better wait until the project was over. So Fang Zhao decided to renovate his current apartment instead.

After giving Du Ang a heads up, Fang Zhao left Silver Wing and returned to his black street apartment.

After deciding not to buy a new place, Fang Zhao upgraded his headset, his glasses, and his stereo system. The contractors were about to install sound-proof windows and a ventilation system.

The installations were completed in less than an hour.

He checked the time. It was already 5 in the afternoon. Fang Zhao headed downstairs and his dog with curly hair followed.

He bought some food at the store. Now that he had some cash, he didn't have to mistreat himself anymore. He ordered food of better quality.

Yue Qing handed Fang Zhao the decompressed food. This meal was more refined and more tender and naturally fragrant than the decompressed dim sum he'd had before.

"How much?" Fang Zhao asked.

"It's on the house. Congrats on doing well in the new talent contest." Yue Qing didn't follow the music industry. He'd only found out because he overheard a few youngsters chatting in his shop yesterday.

Fang Zhao didn't put up any pretenses. "Thanks!"

"That's right, Boss Yue, what kind of pop idols do you like? Virtual or real?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Pop idols?" Yue Qing froze and then shook his head. "I don't follow pop idols. The current pop stars don't really strike my fancy. When I listen to a pop song, I don't bother figuring out who the performer and composer are. The only reason I knew about the new talent contest is because I overheard someone else talking about it. I wasn't following the competition. But…"

Yue Qing turned his head to scan his store carefully. After making sure his wife was still at work, he said, "But I remember one celebrity who had quite the body." Yue Qing traced her curves in a dreamy state. "What was her name again? I can't remember her name."

"Was she a virtual idol or a real one?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I'm not sure. Does it make a difference? These idols are all beyond our grasp," Yue Qing said.

"Boss Yue, is there someone you admire?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Someone I admire… Yeah, my former commander. Before he retired from the army…" Yue Qing got carried away reminiscing about his army days, but he quickly came to his senses. "What are you asking all these questions for?"

"I took on a virtual idol project," Fang Zhao responded. It was no secret, so there was no need for him to lie.

"Then I won't be of any help. Those celebrities and idols really don't do much for me. Even if I remember what they look like, I can't remember the names of their songs, let alone know how to critique them. I just save songs when I hear something I like. But very few songs strike my fancy these days—they're either too mellow or they rock my eardrums. Not my cup of tea." Yue Qing was no music aficionado. He didn't listen to much music.

Someone called for Fang Zhao.

"Hey, Fang Zhao, over here."

Fang Zhao followed the voice and saw the owner of the drug store waving at him.

"Ai Wan wanted to see you," Yue Qing said.

Ai Wan was the owner of the drug store.

Fang Zhao stuffed down what was left of his food, returned his plate, and darted from the shop to the drug store.

"What's up?" Fang Zhao asked.

Ai Wan eyed Fang Zhao's dog, which was following closely. "It's about the dog with the curly fur."

After inviting Fang Zhao inside, Ai Wan handed over a batch of test results from the past few days. After he shaved the dog, he was curious what was so special about it that it could jam his clippers. But the tests revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

"I found traces of five rare metals. They didn't show up before because their levels weren't excessive. But it's no big deal, probably from the dog's years of scavenging. There's a lot of toxic waste in garbage dumps. Don't worry about it," Ai Wan said.

Fang Zhao scanned the test reports and asked, "This is what you wanted to tell me?"

"Of course not." Ai Wan brought out another batch of test results. "When I analyzed the dog fur, I cross-checked its DNA sequencing against a database. Weren't you asking what breed it was? Turns out it might be descended from a Curly-Coated Retriever or a water spaniel from before the near-apocalypse. But your dog's fur is extra curly and many species mutated during the end of days, so the results aren't completely reliable. That's the best I could do—the database is limited because too many animals went extinct during the apocalypse. But I also checked a database of New Era dogs."

Ai Wan brought out another chart. "You probably don't know that a distinguishing marker gene was found in the service dogs that survived the apocalypse. The wild dogs that survived have a different marker gene. That's how dog researchers can tell whether a dog is descended from a service dog or a wild dog."

Ai Wan pointed at the chart and pointed at the dog with curly hair sitting next to Fang Zhao. "I found both marker genes on this one."

"And your conclusion is?" Fang Zhao asked.

"One of its ancestors is definitely the offspring of a service dog and a wild dog, but perhaps, by its generation, its wild-dog genes are stronger. It's a small dog, after all. Service dogs are usually quite large. Of course, I can't rule out the possibility that it's the descendant of one of those rare, smaller service dogs, but I'm inclined to believe in my hypothesis."

Wild dogs from the New Era were known for their small build and top-notch survival skills. The larger wild dogs have long gone extinct.

"Think back to what it looked like when you first adopted it and consider the heavy metal levels in its system. It would have died if it were any other species. Its wild dog genes kept it alive."

As Ai Wan spoke, he reached out to fondle the dog, but it shied away.

"Hey, you were such a steady boy when I was shaving you," Ai Wan complained.

"Many thanks," Fang Zhao said. He didn't request the tests, so he was grateful that Ai Wan took the time to conduct them and had shared the results.

Ai Wan waved off his thanks. "My pleasure. I was curious. I just hope you don't mind."

Fang Zhao paused, then asked, "Boss Ai, are you a fan of any pop idols or celebrities?"

"Idols or celebrities? Yeah, what's her name. She played a nurse in a movie last year. She was really cute, haha."

"Do you remember her name?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I can't remember off the top of my head."

"Is she a virtual or real idol?"

"A virtual one. How great it would be if she were a real one; I might run into her one day. She was a better actor than the real actors. She really delivered as the nurse. She reminded me of an actual ER nurse. The other actors couldn't pull their parts off. They wouldn't be able to fool someone with a medical background."

After leaving the drug store, Fang Zhao returned to his second-floor apartment and watched a few movies and concerts that featured some of the more popular virtual idols in recent times on his new projector. He wanted to see what a hit virtual idol looked like.

Chapter 16: Graduation

Quality situational glasses and headsets allowed Fang Zhao to better experience the mood at the scene. They resurrected the event in question.

Situational technology was the same as simulation technology, or what people often call virtual reality technology.

Virtual idols staged two types of concerts—live shows and virtual concerts.

Live shows refer to actual, real-life performances that fans buy tickets to attend. Virtual concerts were staged online with the help of situational equipment.

The advancement of virtual technology allowed people to experience the volcanic energy that radiated from the stage in a different space and time.

Regardless of whether the glittering scenes on stage were real or simulated, as far as the fans were concerned, their sole focus was the people on stage the moment they arrived at the arena.

The epic scale of the event and the shuddering sound effects were recreated with utmost authenticity. But what Fang Zhao dwelled on was which performers could set the tone on stage, regardless of the quality of the songs they were singing.

There were all types of hit virtual idols, just like real celebrities staked out different styles. Virtual idols were launched by their production teams with a specific personality in mind, be it the happy-go-lucky type, slightly depressed, mature, or utterly adorable.

But unlike real people, virtual idols were ageless. A 16-year-old virtual idol would always be 16, unlike a real idol who needed to cover up the passage of time.

Fang Zhao couldn’t possibly watch the performances of every hit virtual idol, so he just browsed. The current crop of virtual idols seemed to be tailored to younger fans. That made sense—young men and women were a demographic willing to follow pop stars closely and spend on them. Older people like Yue Qing didn’t bother.

Fang Zhao was still clueless after watching all that footage.

There were many types of virtual idols who made it big, especially in the age of Reg Smith, the father of virtual idols. Humans, animals, crossbreeds, fairies and demons—you name it. You could say that the abundance of talent made the golden age of virtual idols. Otherwise, virtual idols wouldn’t have all but relegated real idols to a historical footnote.

The golden age of virtual idols was also known as the Reg Era. Many of the idols might not have been created by Reg Smith himself, but they were all products of Reg Dimension technology.

The virtual idols who are popular now had traces of their predecessors from that era. You could find similarities between the virtual idols from the two periods.

How about basing his design on a hit idol during the Reg Era?

Fang Zhao couldn’t make up his mind, and he didn’t want to do a half-assed job as Du Ang had suggested. For him, it was all or nothing.

He decided to consult a professor specializing in virtual technology when he attended graduation the next day.

The next day was the last day the imminent graduates appeared in school as students. When the day was over, they would shed their identities as students and join their respective professions.

The talk of the school was naturally the outstanding graduates. The composition department accounted for six of the composers behind the New Pioneers Chart’s top 10. Setting aside the two virtual idols, six of the eight remaining composers were Qi’an Academy of Music graduates.

The composition department was in a great mood, and the school leadership in an even better mood. They ordered everyone to brag about their illustrious alums, no holds barred.

The graduation of one batch of students meant it was time to recruit a new freshman class. The more people knew about how well their alums performed in the new talent contest, the stronger their applicant pool.

So the entire campus had been reveling in a celebratory mood the past few days. The head of the composition department was especially boisterous, striding around in a confident gait—until he heard that Silver Wing Media had stuck Fang Zhao with the virtual idol project.

"I don’t care. You’re hazing a newcomer, wasting talent. It’s a travesty."

When Fang Zhao arrived, the department head was videoconferencing. The other party was Du Ang, the head of Silver Wing’s composition department.

Du Ang wore a look of resignation. He kept his temper and offered an explanation—Fang Zhao was indeed being mistreated, after all. He could also tell where the department head was coming from.

He had to do something when a star student from his department was being treated this way. So what if Silver Wing was one of the Big Three, Qi’an Academy of Music was a top school too. A big-name school had to project the aura of a big-name school—it should speak up when it was called for. He would have done the same thing for any other student.

He knew his call wouldn’t change things, but changing the outcome was one thing and speaking up was another. He had to at least posture.

Du Ang thought the sly fox showed a great knack for timing, calling just as Fang Zhao was visiting. Who knows—the timing might have been intentional.

After hanging up angrily, the department head shifted to a gentler mood when he turned to face Fang Zhao. He looked like he felt for Fang and uttered a few words of consolation.

"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Their top professionals couldn’t put together a decent virtual idol, so don’t be too hard on yourself."

"Thanks, Professor, I know. So Rong Zheng said you wanted to see me?" When Fang Zhao had arrived on campus, fellow composition major Rong Zheng told him that the department head was looking for him.

"Oh, it’s no big deal. I just wanted to help you put things in perspective. Silver Wing doesn’t care about the project, and you can keep composing on the side."

After more consolatory remarks, the department head let Fang Zhao go, but not before making sure that he wasn’t as depressed as people had imagined.

"Sigh, bad luck for such a budding talent, and a year down the drain." The department head sighed as he watched Fang Zhao leave, but his mood improved when he thought of his other graduates.

The virtual idol project would definitely take up a good chunk of a year, or even more than a year. Even though he told Fang Zhao that he could still compose on the side, when things got busy, who had the mood and inspiration to compose? So wasting a year was certain. Still, there were other composition department graduates who could make their presence felt in the industry in the coming year. Discounting Fang Zhao, didn’t they have five other graduates among the composers who made the top 10 of the New Pioneers Chart? The "QiMu Posse" still reigned supreme. No other music school could compare.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao also had an inkling of the old geezer’s thinking. He wasn’t born yesterday, after all, so he didn’t take the lecture too seriously.

What bothered Fang Zhao more was the way his most fervent supporters during the new talent contest avoided him.

Out of the six composition majors who placed in the top 10 of the New Pioneers Chart, the reception given Fang Zhao was markedly different. People weren’t cold or distant, they just didn’t know what to say. The ones that approached him offered consolation. The students knew from alums how important the year following the new talent contest was. To waste a year or even longer on a dead-end project added an element of uncertainty. His future hung in the balance.

Fang Zhao didn’t mind the consolation, though. He just smiled and said thanks.

As one of the outstanding graduates, Fang Zhao got to go on stage during the graduation ceremony and receive an award, along with the other honored students. That was why everyone fought so hard to make the top 10 during the new talent contest. The top 10 offered plenty of exposure and name recognition.

Fang Zhao could also hear the whispers in the audience and see the mournful looks thrown his way. People were probably expecting him to disappear from the composer contingent of the music industry in the next year.

Fang Zhao didn’t leave with his classmates after the graduation ceremony. The original host of his body didn’t have close friends at school. There wasn’t much to say.

He applied for an auditor’s pass for a class on virtual idols instead. Now that he had graduated, he no longer enjoyed student perks. He had to pay for an auditing pass.

The class was held in a large, terraced auditorium. Compared to web lectures, live classes were more interactive. The main attraction was that this particular classroom was well-equipped, outfitted with the latest audiovisual equipment, which enhanced the lecture experience. It was worth the long trip for Fang Zhao.

He ran into Chu Guang when he was applying for his auditor pass. Chu Guang was also a composition major. He placed fourth in the New Pioneers Chart and was also signed to Silver Wing.

"An auditor pass? You’re sitting in on a lecture?" Chu Guang was surprised initially, but it made sense after he remembered Fang Zhao had been stuck with the virtual idol project. "Not too many students sign up for this class, but the professor is my uncle. His name is Chu Hong. I’ll give him a heads up so you can ask him questions. He’s just been called away by a few other professors."

"Thanks," Fang Zhao said.

"Spare the pleasantries. We’re classmates and now we’re signed to the same company. No need to thank me." If Fang Zhao hadn’t been assigned the virtual idol project, Chu Guang may have been more guarded. After all, they were competitors. Now that the situation was different, he was willing to lend Fang Zhao a helping hand.

"So your uncle teaches a class on virtual idols. How much do you know about virtual idols?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Not much. But I do know one thing—my uncle said this, not me." Chu Guang was quick to claim anonymity.

"No worries. I won’t tell anyone." Fang Zhao understood Chu Guang’s concerns.

Chu Guang relaxed after Fang Zhao offered his reassurances. After scanning their surroundings to make sure no one was eavesdropping, he said in a low voice, "Once, I heard my uncle b*tch when he got drunk with my dad, ‘War and chaos breed real men, and prosperous times produce sissies. That’s the direction virtual idols are headed in.’"

Fang Zhao frowned. "Why’s that?"

"Because the market no longer needs a warrior to maintain order."

Chapter 17: Creativity

Fang Zhao was still frowning, so Chu Guang turned on his bracelet screen and switched to draw mode.

"To put it in simple terms…"

Chu Guang drew two circles on his screen and connected them with a straight line. He pointed to the circle on the left. "Let’s say this is the tough guy type." Then he gestured to the circle on the right. "This is the pansy type."

Fang Zhao nodded.

Chu Guang drew a third circle in the middle of the line. "This is the hybrid. During the Reg Era, most virtual idols were centrists or center-left. Even if right-leaning idols existed, they were a minority. But after the Reg Era, virtual idols veered to the right. That’s why my uncle made that comment. Even though he was exaggerating and things aren’t that bad, the overall data supports this trend."

Fang Zhao understood. He had read about the transformation of virtual idols in his research as well. To compete with real idols, virtual idols had to reinvent themselves—and their evolution did indeed lean toward the right of the spectrum as Chu Guang had said.

Chu Guang turned off his bracelet screen. "This is a visual era. Standards of beauty shift from generation to generation. The top idols during the Reg Era may not be successful if they were transplanted to today. You can see traces of the classic idols from the Reg Era in today’s virtual idols, but they have been tailored to current aesthetic standards so they can better fit prevailing visual preferences. Just like our styles as composers will evolve over our lifetimes."

"A businessman once said, ‘The market is always right. If you can’t fit in, then the problem lies with you. You must change with the times and not fight the market.’"

Fang Zhao still looked puzzled, so Chu Guang offered up more consolation. "But you don’t have to take these things too seriously. You’re a composer, not a professional virtual idol producer. Plus, Silver Wing doesn’t really care about the virtual idol project. Just base your design on the company’s previous virtual idols and wrap up the project soon. Composing is your priority. We’ll be waiting for you on the charts."

There were many more charts beyond the New Pioneers Chart. The New Pioneers Chart was only a starter chart. They had many other charts to climb.

After leaving campus, Chu Guang drove away in his flying car. Fang Zhao boarded his train too. He had to switch trains once to get to his black street.

When Fang Zhao got home, it was already 4 p.m. The black street was still dark.

Curly Hair sensed Fang Zhao’s arrival and was waiting by the door. When Fang Zhao entered, it whimpered and wagged its tail vigorously.

Fang Zhao scanned his apartment. Nothing was broken. He fondled the dog on the head and poured food onto its plate.

He had just set down his briefcase and barely finished a glass of water when his bracelet indicated a call.

Fang Zhao raised his eyebrows when he saw the caller ID.

When he answered, Fang Sheng’s face appeared.

After being crowded out by Fang Zhao on the New Pioneers Chart, Fang Sheng’s stock at Neon Culture had no doubt suffered, even though it hadn’t completely tanked.

It was their first contact in some time. Fang Sheng looked less obnoxious. His horrible pallor, puffy eyes. and the dark green circles surrounding them suggested he was in bad shape. It had been a while since he'd last slept well.

"You cunning bastard." Fang Sheng gritted his teeth.

"Why, thank you." Fang Zhao was oblivious to the anger in his tone. Did thieves have the right to be angry?

"You must be delighted to have pulled a fast one on me, eh?" Fang Sheng was convinced that Fang Zhao had held back a song from him as a precaution. Otherwise, where did the "hehe" song come from? He never knew about it when they were close.

You couldn’t blame Fang Sheng for his suspicions. Yet a diary entry written during heartbreak was very private. Unless Fang Zhao completed the piece, he would have never shown it to anyone, even Fang Sheng, whom he considered a close friend back then.

Fang Zhao ignored the question. He put down his glass and stared at Fang Sheng. "You think this is over?"

Fang Sheng was going to make fun of Fang Zhao for being stuck with the virtual idol project at Silver Wing. Instead, he was caught off guard by Fang Zhao’s response. "What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see."

Wait for what?

What did Fang Zhao have up his sleeve?

Could Fang Zhao have held back other songs?

"What do you mean, Fang Zhao? Be straight with me."

Fang Zhao hung up, shunning the panicked Fang Sheng.

He walked to the corner where he composed and pulled open the drawer where the original owner of his body kept his diary. He added the medal he'd received today at graduation from Yanzhou Music Association for his fifth-place finish in the new talent contest.

Even though Fang Zhao arranged the song, his body’s original owner was the composer. He deserved the credit.

"I’ll take care of the rest."

Now that he had graduated, Fang Zhao didn’t need to go to campus anymore. It was also summer break, and the next virtual idol course didn’t start until September. It was only early July. That was more than a month away.

Fang Zhao had to draft a project proposal in the next month; otherwise, he would be too busy to sit in on the virtual idol class come the new semester.

Recruiting a team could wait. First, Fang Zhao had to decide on the look of his virtual idol.

Fang Zhao understood everything Chu Guang had said, but he was an old relic parachuted into the present time, after all. He was still absorbing.

Why not retain the core of past virtual idols and repackage it?

Virtual idols had an edge in that they didn’t have to be human. There was a huge market for the fairies and demons that ruled the Reg Era and furry, cute pet animals. Some of the classics lasted several generations. Different styles catered to different demographics.

The market.

How do you cater to the market?

But the market was a mystery. No one had an absolute answer.

Fang Zhao was still struggling the next day.

When he was having breakfast in the morning, Fang Zhao noticed the paper notebook sticking out of his briefcase. He used it to take notes when he was doing research in his office. Eventually, there had been too much information to jot down, so he'd started scanning pages with his bracelet instead.

But among the few lines in the notebook was a quote that stuck with him. Something the father of virtual idols, Reg Smith, had said: "I worship only what I create."

Composing was a form of creativity.

Even an artist trapped in a cage was free at heart.

"I worship only what I create."

Fang Zhao repeated the quote again in a low voice and laughed. He opened the notebook and started drawing with a pen.

No one knew that the core of this body had endured the end of days. Fang Zhao couldn’t shed his experiences from his soul.

Instead of second-guessing all the time, why not give yourself free rein?

Time passed and light started seeping through the windows. The noon sun was about to arrive.

Dressed in a wife-beater and baggy boxers, Yue Qing dragged a chair to his storefront for his daily tan. He was surprised that Fang Zhao hadn’t showed up yet.

"Did the kid head out?" Ai Wan stopped by to ask.

"I dunno. Didn’t see him this morning." Yue Qing scanned Fang Zhao’s window, which was open.

"He hasn’t left. The kid’s still in," Yue Qing confirmed.

"That’s odd. Very unusual." Ai Wan shook his head. Out of occupational habit, he had studied Fang Zhao for days. There was something off about him. He was a bit guarded. Maybe all artists were like that.

Inside the apartment, Curly Hair had just finished his breakfast and was resting quietly. Its droopy ears occasionally shifted in sync with the hustle and bustle outside.

The noon sunlight and the noise didn’t affect Fang Zhao’s concentration at all.

Chapter 18: Longxiang Tianluo

War heroes from the Period of Destruction couldn't be casually appropriated as virtual idols. When virtual idols were first introduced, a few companies modeled their idols after war heroes, but they often distorted the real person, which infuriated the descendants of the heroes. They banded together to clamp down on the trend.

Virtual idol companies were banned from basing their designs on real-life war heroes from the Period of Destruction or even using their names. When exceptions were made, they required extensive vetting. Violators faced legal action.

There was no way he would use a fellow veteran’s likeness, and Fang Zhao never considered drawing himself. He was right there in the flesh. If he wanted to do anything, he could do it himself. There was no need for a virtual version of himself.

But Fang Zhao still preferred to draw from people and events that had left a deep impression on him. If real people from the end of days were off-limits, then he would find inspiration elsewhere.

Fang Zhao worked for two days straight, taking breaks only to eat and sleep. He labored in his corner, drafting and redrafting before completing a prototype. He wasn’t a visual artist—his sketching skills were limited. He would leave it to the professionals to polish his design. He just needed to come up with a rough draft.

Another noon arrived. It grew brighter and brighter outside.

A draft sketch appeared on the piece of paper sprawled on the desk in front of Fang Zhao. Even though it wasn’t very detailed and refined—no more than a rough outline—anyone could tell it was the image of a tree.

Fang Zhao took a deep breath. He didn’t know if it was the right decision, but this was what came to mind.

"Longxiang Tianluo."

The Longxiang Tianluo was a common plant during the apocalypse. No one knew what it looked like before the end of days, but judging from its size, it was probably descended from a regular, widespread species found across the world. Many species died during the end of days, which saw a massive round of extinctions, but some plants survived after undergoing mutations. The Longxiang Tianluo, for example.

The name Longxiang Tianluo, which roughly meant powerful and sprawling, was coined by a botanist. Unfortunately, the botanist died in the early days of the apocalypse. No one remembered his name, but the name Longxiang Tianluo survived.

At a time when most plants withered, this species of tree survived the end of days. It was one of the rare plants during the apocalypse that wasn’t poisonous and actually had medicinal value. During the apocalypse, many types of medication were derived from the Longxiang Tianluo.

When designing his prototype, Fang Zhao recalled a conversation he'd had with a few old friends.

"Old Zhao, don’t you think the three of us kind of take after the Longxiang Tianluo? We were just ordinary folks before the end of days—I was a prison guard and Su Mu tended to his cattle…"

"Old Xi, you got it wrong. I was a shepherd," Su Mu corrected.

"Same thing. See, Old Zhao—a shepherd, a teacher, a prison guard, and a composer. All regular people. The apocalypse changed everything. It’s not just us. No one who has survived looks like they used to. It wasn’t for the fame—it was all in the name of survival, no matter what we became."

During the end of days, he used quite a few wooden tools made from Longxiang Tianluo. Vaccines were also extracted from the tree. You could say that the Longxiang Tianluo and mankind had survived the apocalypse hand-in-hand.

Someone once joked that the Longxiang Tianluo was another comrade.

Fang Zhao tucked away his drawing, washed his face, and headed downstairs.

After seeing Fang Zhao for the first time in three days, Yue Qing and Ai Wan both approached to chitchat.

"You’ve been holed up working the past few days?"

"Yeah." Fang Zhao bought some more food from Yue Qing’s shop. He ate while getting a tan.

"It’s not easy being a creative type. Takes up a lot of brain power," Ai Wan said.

Fang Zhao chatted briefly with Yue Qing and Ai Wan. When the sun faded, he returned to his apartment to tidy up, then picked up his briefcase and headed to Silver Wing headquarters. He went straight to the 50th floor.

He wondered if Zu Wen had pulled another all-nighter gaming in his office. His sole staffer only responded after several shouts.

"Who are you? Oh, right, the new producer." Zu Wen was still in a daze. He'd almost forgotten that Fang Zhao had been assigned to the virtual idol department. Thankfully, he caught himself in time.

"You’ve decided on a prototype?" Zu Wen asked with a yawn.

"I’ve finished a draft." Fang Zhao opened the notebook and laid it before Zu Wen.

Zu Wen stared at the page and went blank for two seconds. He rubbed his eyes and took another careful look. After a long silence, he blurted out, "Either I’m not entirely awake or you’ve gone nuts."

Zu Wen’s first reaction was disbelief. Are you f*cking kidding me?

"Uhm, if I’m not mistaken, you drew a… tree."

Zu Wen had been wondering for the past two days what Fang Zhao would come up with. He'd even wondered whether Fang Zhao would cherry pick features from various virtual idols like previous virtual idol designers had done—this nose, those eyes, this face, and that body. It'd never occurred to him that Fang Zhao would hand over a tree.

There had been all types of virtual idols—humans, animals, fairies, and demons. But as a veteran virtual idol designer, Zu Wen had never seen a plant.

If it was going to be a plant, so be it. But it had to be a unique plant, no? Cuter than usual, more attractive than the average plant, or more colorful. Otherwise, how were you going to attract a following? But Fang Zhao was a renegade.

Brother, are you shooting to become the basket case of the modern virtual idol industry?

Zu Wen stared at Fang Zhao, who nodded firmly. His world collapsed.

"What kind of tree it?" Zu Wen asked, pointing at the drawing. He wanted to rip it to shreds.

"Longxiang Tianluo."

"What?"

"Basically what you know as the Tianluo tree."

"Since when were Tianluo trees called ‘Longxiang Tianluo'?" A skeptical Zu Wen started typing on his computer.

"Also known as the Longxiang, the Tianluo is a product of the Period of Destruction. It was a giant among plants from the end of days." Zu Wen read verbatim from the research he'd looked up without an iota of embarrassment. "Sorry, I flunked botany. It’s the first time I’ve heard the name."

"You really want to do this? I mean, have you run it by Boss Du?" Zu Wen asked.

"Boss Du is busy," Fang Zhao responded.

"Understood." Regardless of whether Du Ang was actually busy, he didn’t want to have anything to do with the virtual idol project for sure, so Fang Zhao was calling the shots.

"How long do you need to create a detailed virtual image?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Based on your prototype, probably a week. Don’t think I’m a slow worker—it’s just me, after all. A week is pretty quick."

The prototype was like a draft sketch, the first step in deciding the look of a virtual idol. Revisions and fleshing out the design were still to come.

Virtual idols had the upper hand over real idols in that imagination was the only limit when it came to their aesthetic potential.

But how pretty could a tree look? Even an anthropomorphic tree wasn’t that attractive.

A cartoonish design could make it cuter.

Zu Wen was brainstorming how to improve the prototype when he heard Fang Zhao say, "We’ll have to prepare a music video to go with the launch."

"That’s the standard procedure. Oh, speaking of which, you need to get ready for soul casting," Zu Wen said.

Finalizing the look of the virtual idol was only the first step. Next came the more important process of soul casting.

Soul casting referred to the process of injecting life into the virtual idol, coming up with a back story, adding a voice and personality and so on.

Deciding the virtual idol’s personal history, where it came from, and how it behaved.

The point was to allow fans to better understand it.

That’s what soul casting was all about.

The launch of a virtual idol was usually associated with a music video. For example, Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment released music videos when they entered Xun Huai and Fei Lisi in the new talent contest.

Typically speaking, the first music video of a virtual idol in the New Era gave a personal history and introduced its personality.

Launching a virtual idol also involved storytelling. Maybe nobody paid attention at the beginning, but if the idol became a star, you’d have to extend the story line.

Virtual idol teams planned well in advance before taking their first step.

If you only wanted to pass muster, you could fool around and keep things simple, but if you wanted to do a good job, that involved a lot of preparation.

That’s why virtual idol projects were so costly. There were too many details to consider.

"I can take care of the look of the virtual idol. You need to start looking for a voice and start recruiting other technicians. It will take an expert to engineer a professional voice. That’s not my expertise. Hiring more technicians is a must. I’m not going to be able to manage on my own much longer. Whether you make new hires or loan staffers from other departments, the sooner you decide the better. As for a starter voice, we have so many singers signed to our label. Just pick one," Zu Wen added.

Chapter 19: Professional Extra

Fang Zhao was beginning to understand why an entire team made a virtual idol. He and Zu Wen were working themselves to death but were still making little progress.

Recruitment.

Everyone avoided the 50th floor like the plague. No one wanted to get sucked in.

Their budget was limited, so new hires were unrealistic. Fang Zhao could only loan staffers from other departments.

After deciding on the initial look of the virtual idol, Fang Zhao had to source a starter voice and land a technician who could engineer the voice.

Technicians on loan would simply charge by the hour. They were not hard to find. It could wait until after he decided on a starter voice.

Zu Wen had suggested Fang Zhao land one of the singers signed to the label. The company also had dubbing talent, but it wasn’t a large pool and they were already busy with existing assignments. Even if they could be transferred, they wouldn’t be cheap. Many of the staffers had dubbed for big stars and might not bother with a virtual idol project. It might be easier to hire an unassigned singer. A second-tier singer would be cheaper. Even though they all worked for the same company, the pricing was fixed.

Fang Zhao first tried the newcomers. Du Ang was his boss, so he was Fang Zhao's first stop.

Du Ang’s eyelids had been twitching non-stop since he got up. Somehow, he had a hunch that something bad was going to happen, so he reviewed his pending and completed workload to make sure he didn’t miss anything—items he had taken care of, projects that were ongoing, and upcoming tasks.

Fresh assignments for his newcomer singers had been issued. The project proposals submitted by agents he had just been put in charge of looked OK.

The new composers were doing OK. No problem there.

Arrangements for his newcomers’ upcoming releases—he had delegated to that demon Ya Erlin. That wasn’t part of his portfolio.

He had completed the minutes for yesterday’s meeting.

What else?

There seemed to be one department that he had skipped…

Ding!

A reminder for an internal message. It was his assistant.

"Boss Du, Fang Zhao is here to see you."

F*ck.

Du Ang felt his eyelids twitching even more violently.

It was the first time Du Ang felt more nervous meeting an underling than a superior.

He drank a glass of water to calm himself down.

After taking a deep breath and soothing himself, Du Ang cleared his voice and said with the authoritative tone of a boss, "Send him in."

As soon as Fang Zhao entered Du Ang’s office, he could sense that something was wrong. Even though he looked serious and calm, Fang Zhao’s well-honed instincts told him that Du Ang was tightly wound, as if Fang Zhao were a time bomb.

Fang Zhao pretended he hadn't noticed and cut to the chase. "Boss Du, do you want an update on the virtual idol project?"

"I’ve been busy. Didn’t I tell you to use your own discretion on the virtual idol project?" Du Ang made the point of gesturing at his full screen.

Fang Zhao nodded, pretending that he hadn’t seen the "completed" label at the bottom of the screen.

"I’ve decided on the look of the virtual idol. Zu Wen is refining the prototype. We’re quite short-staffed. I need to pick a starter voice. I also need actors, judging from the project proposals from previous years. I can poach a few technicians after other key personnel are in place, but the starter voice can’t wait. Can you check if any of the newcomer singers are available?"

When he heard Fang Zhao say he had decided on the look of the virtual idol, Du Ang was about to say, "Let me see." But when he heard Fang Zhao’s request, he swallowed the comment. He cared more about his newcomers than the look of a virtual idol that was going nowhere. He had already lost Fang Zhao. He couldn’t afford to lose more people to the death pit.

"They’re all busy. I’m not bullshitting you. Bei Zhi and company were sent to training camp the day before yesterday. I can’t say for sure when they’ll be back."

There was some truth to Du Ang’s response. It was true that the newcomer singers were dispatched for specialized training. Even though they performed OK in the new talent contest, their vocal skills could use improvement. To better prepare them for their careers, Du’s agents had tailored training sessions to their weaknesses. Du Ang had signed off and the singers were off-site. They couldn’t be tracked down.

But Du Ang had lied about the timing of their return. How could he not know, considering he had signed off on the training sessions?

Fang Zhao stared at Du Ang when he responded. He noticed the twitching in his eyelids pick up a notch.

Du Ang scrambled to switch topics. "None of the newcomers are available. You can try the rehearsal studios on the 51st floor. Our singers like to train there when they’re free. It’s only one floor above your office, a stone’s throw away."

The virtual idol department used to also take up the few floors above and beneath the 50th, but as the department’s fortunes declined, every floor except the 50th was reallocated.

For example, the 51st floor was turned into a public rehearsal area.

After leaving Du Ang’s office, Fang Zhao headed straight to the 51st floor. All full-time employees were allowed without exception, but not interns or contractors. They had to get special approval.

Fang Zhao was now a permanent employee and the producer for the virtual idol project, so naturally, he had clearance.

After scanning his ID, Fang Zhao crossed the threshold. A buffer zone was located just inside the entrance, where employees could relax and store their personal items.

When Fang Zhao showed up, there were seven or eight people engaged in conversation. When they saw Fang Zhao, they eyed him curiously. The regulars on the floor all knew that Fang Zhao was a stranger.

Looks-wise, Fang Zhao was OK, but pretty and handsome faces were the norm in a company stacked with idols, so even his above-average face didn’t stand out.

But the virtual idol project was a hot topic on internal message boards as of late, so people remembered what Fang Zhao looked like.

Someone who hadn’t recognized Fang Zhao was getting ready to say hello before a neighboring friend whispered in his ear and shut him up. Some of the folks pretended they hadn't seen Fang Zhao, others nodded and smiled, their smiles apologetic and awkward. Fang Zhao didn’t mind and smiled politely in return before stepping into the official rehearsal zone.

He walked through a door. When he opened the second, a cacophony of sounds gushed toward him, which sent him briefly into a dizzy spell.

But Fang Zhao had endured worse noises during the apocalypse, so all he did was frown slightly before finding a seat on the side of the rehearsal zone.

The singers who rehearsed here weren’t big shots. Singers who were either talented or connected would train on other floors that had individual booths. This was a public area.

Everyone wore headsets and minded their own business.

Fang Zhao scanned the crowd. There were about 80 people or so. Not all of them were singers. Some were regular employees who wanted to vent. The building was equipped with karaoke rooms, but they were off-limits to the rank-and-file, so singing in the pubic rehearsal studio was a good alternative. And it was free.

Some of the singers recognized Fang Zhao. They pointed him out to friends in their vicinity and started gossiping, giving Fang Zhao the occasional glance. They probably figured out why Fang Zhao was there.

For many, serving as producer of the virtual idol department was a toothless position that promised neither riches or power, so even if they recognized Fang Zhao, they didn’t bother to approach him.

Fang Zhao paid no heed to what people were saying or the way they looked at him. He had been focusing on the voices since he entered the room. In scouting a starter voice, all that mattered was the voice—looks, age and experience were irrelevant.

Even though he could tinker with the starter voice, Fang Zhao was hoping to find one that met his requirements right off the bat.

His eyes wandered and his ears started filtering the different voices in the room. Suddenly, he focused his gaze on a spot in the room.

The room was too crowded and cluttered furnishings blocked his line of sight, so Fang Zhao couldn’t immediately identify the source of the voice. He got up and headed toward the voice.

The people who were gossiping about Fang Zhao were intrigued and moved toward him.

Fang Zhao followed the voice to a corner where he found a young man who looked like a fresh graduate. He was shorter than the people around him. That’s why Fang Zhao couldn’t see him.

His looks were so-so, the type that wouldn’t stand out in a crowd. If you had to choose an identifying feature, his neck was a bit short. Good thing he wasn’t fat. If he were fat, you wouldn’t have been able to see his neck.

The other singers stayed away from the young man. The singer closest to him was at least 10 meters away, headsets on and ears covered.

Fang Zhao noticed the young man was wearing a contractor tag on his chest. People like him usually served as background vocalists or sang in choruses in a pinch. They weren’t official Silver Wing employees. They enjoyed no benefits and were considered even lowlier than interns.

Folks like him were also known as professional extras. They were marginalized and lacked job security, not knowing what two-bit gig lay ahead.

Chapter 20: One Freak Dubbing for Another

Judging from the warmup exercises he was performing, the young man was preparing for a chorus.

When he noticed Fang Zhao approaching, the young man began to interrupt his practice. When he stopped and realized Fang Zhao was seeking him out, he panicked.

"So-so-so-sorry. Am I bo-bo-bo-bothering you?" the young man stuttered.

"No, not at all. Carry on. I’m just listening." Fang Zhao sat in a chair in the corner. The corner was empty. The other singers were avoiding the area and the chairs were all unoccupied.

The young man scratched his head hesitantly. He glanced at Fang Zhao and the onlookers. He opened his mouth but couldn’t continue. It just felt like he was surrounded by a crowd that was focused on him. What if he was so afraid and nervous that his voice scared people away? Would they kick him out?

After pondering the matter, the young man stopped altogether and walked to the corner. He decided to take a break and resume after folks shifted their attention elsewhere.

"What’s your name?" Fang Zhao asked. "Preparing for a chorus?"

"A Silver Wing choir is recruiting. I’m here to try my luck." The young man clutched a glass of water nervously. "My name is Pang Pusong. Doesn’t it sound like the name of a song, haha?"

He had wanted to crack a joke to ease his nerves, but Pang Pusong became even more nervous after laughing. He wondered if Fang Zhao was about to kick him out.

"My name is Fang Zhao," Pang Pusong heard the other man say. "I’m the producer for a virtual idol project here at Silver Wing."

A producer? A big shot.

Pang Pusong was immediately impressed. The man looked like he was about Pang Pusong's age and he was already a producer—no wonder he projected such a powerful aura.

"I’m looking for a starter voice and I heard your warmup exercises. I think you might be a good match, but I want to listen some more. Can you repeat the section you just sang? Don’t hold back. Don’t sing it like a chorus. Sing it like you would normally sing it," Fang Zhao said.

Pang Pusong felt like he'd been struck by a huge stone. He was a little dizzy. He wondered if he'd misheard Fang Zhao. "S-s-si-sing it again?"

"Yes. The section you were practicing. Don’t hold back. Don't worry about anything else," Fang Zhao explained patiently.

"O-O-O-OK." Pang Pusong put down his glass and got up. He didn’t set the glass down properly and it nearly toppled and rolled over, but he didn’t look back. He was as serious as a soldier preparing for battle.

The surrounding gazes still gave Pu pause. He cleared his throat but didn’t start singing.

"Go ahead. What are you looking at them for?" Fang Zhao asked.

"OK." Pang Pusong collected his thoughts. He was at Silver Wing to audition for a choir spot. The audition was scheduled for just after 4 p.m. His uncle had had a friend secure him a pass for the public rehearsal area. This was where he usually practiced before an audition. He never would have thought he’d have such good luck. Providing vocals for a virtual idol was naturally a better gig than singing in a choir. It was the difference between a leading and supporting role.

Trying his best to ignore the attention and let go of his worries, Pang Pusong started repeating the section he was practicing.

He had trouble relaxing at first, but after a few verses, he didn’t hold back any more.

A few of the singers donning headsets nearby were singing to the melodies playing in their headsets, but they started to have trouble continuing. They frowned, turned off their recordings, and started bitching to Pang Pusong. "If you wanna sing, go outside. You’re not welcome here."

"That’s right. You’re not welcome here."

"Why not ask Fang Zhao take you downstairs and sing there?"

"If you have the guts, go downstairs with Fang Zhao. You can sing freely there." The onlookers pitched in.

This time, Pang Pusong freaked out. He stared at Fang Zhao blankly.

Fang Zhao wasn’t affected by the heckling, flashing a smile instead. He seemed to be in a good mood.

"This is a public rehearsal area, meaning everyone can sing freely here. You’re not able to concentrate and you blame others. If you’ve got the guts, why don’t you practice in an individual booth?" Fang Zhao glared at the haters. He didn’t press on. There was no point in wasting words on people he despised. Bullies were a dime a dozen.

He pointed at Pang Pusong. "You come with me."

Pang Pusong looked like a lost child. He shrank his already short neck and followed Fang Zhao out of the public rehearsal area.

"Wow, he really thinks he’s a big shot." Someone chuckled behind Fang Zhao’s back.

"Fang Zhao’s probably here looking for a starter voice."

"Definitely. I wouldn’t sign up even if he begged."

"All he can do is impress clueless outsiders. Look at how happy that fool was when he was leaving."

After leaving the public rehearsal area, Fang Zhao led Pang Pusong to his office on the 50th floor. He asked him if he was otherwise engaged. If not, he wanted Pang Pusong to start recording as soon as possible.

"No, I don’t have anything else going on." Pang Pusong couldn’t help but shift to the edge of his chair. He waited anxiously for what followed.

"This is your contract. Please take a look." Fang Zhao opened a file on the microcomputer on his desk. It was a template. He could use it for Pang Pusong, with a few modifications.

Pang Pusong studied the contract carefully and found everything in order. He nodded.

Even though it was still contract work and he wasn’t about to become a full-time employee at Silver Wing, Pang Pusong was so excited he wanted to dance. After he signed the contract, he felt like he was on cloud nine.

He wasn’t good looking enough to be on stage – he could only work behind-the scenes. But there were different kinds of backstage work. On previous gigs, he had always shared the workload with others. This was the first time he landed a solo contract, meaning he was the leading man.

"I’ll submit your personal information. I’ll let you know when your pass is ready." Fang Zhao said.

"Gr-gr-gr-great. Thank you. Thank you." Pang Pusong wanted to bow. He was so excited when he left that he ran into the door.

Fang Zhao shook his head. "Actually, never mind. I’ll head out with you. I need to see someone downstairs."

Fang Zhao wanted to see Du Ang, but first, he escorted Pang Pusong to the lobby. Pang Pusong was still in a daze. Fang Zhao was worried about his state of mind. What if something went wrong? Where was he going to find another singer on such short notice?

As they stepped out of Silver Wing Tower, a fleet of flying cars hovered above.

Unlike rank-and-file employees like Fang Zhao, the big stars at the label were typically allocated higher floors, which had separate parking spots, so it was rare for Fang Zhao to see them in person, because they headed straight to their respective floors in their flying cars.

The flying cars were headed for floors beyond the 100th. It was probably a few big shots.

"If I could reach their heights, I would die with no regrets." Pang Pusong looked up with admiration, extending his short neck.

Fang Zhao chuckled. "Who knows what the future will bring."

Fang Zhao headed back inside as Pang Pusong queued for the train. He could hear his new recruit calling his mother with the good news.

"Hello? Mom? Yes, yes, I went to practice at Silver Wing. Yes, I used the pass uncle got me. No, I didn’t cause any trouble. Really. I lowered my voice. I didn’t bother anyone. But… Wait, calm down, let me finish. Don't think it’s bad news just because I shifted gears. I landed a project today. Yes, I signed a contract. It’s an internal project, not a chorus part, but a solo gig. One of Silver Wing’s virtual idol producers wants to use my voice."

An extra had become the leading man. Even though it was a small production, it was still a leading role. For a veteran extra, it was a milestone.

After heading inside, Fang Zhao asked Du Ang to issue Pang Pusong a pass, then returned to the 50th floor to get an update from Zu Wen.

When Pang Pusong visited, Zu Wen was holed up in his office. When Fang Zhao told him he had signed a singer, he reflexively responded, "What an idiot!"

When Fang Zhao glared back, Zu Wen rephrased. "No, I mean, what a good man." The contract didn’t state the length of the project. If it ended up taking an extended period, weren’t they holding the singer hostage? Zu Wen thought Pang Pusong was too naive, too easily swayed.

But Zu Wen was also curious. "How come you picked him out of all the people in the public rehearsal area?"

Fang Zhao pondered the question. He didn’t respond with a direct answer, asking instead, "Do you know what ‘radiance’ is?’"

Zu Wen shook his head. He had never heard the term despite working on previous virtual idol projects.

"Radiance is invisible. It can exist in silence and create tension, but it can also exist in a voice, teasing out emotions like fear, sadness, happiness, or excitement. For a singer, it’s not just a matter of delivering the melody. You also have to adjust various aspects of your voice to enhance the listening experience and move hearts. That’s the power of radiance," Fang Zhao explained.

"Just like the same song can be handled differently by two singers. One could sing with feeling and the other version could be instantly forgettable," Zu Wen said.

"That’s right. It’s a specialized skill. You can unleash hidden radiance by manipulating your voice, tugging senses, heartstrings, and souls in the process. But there are some singers who are naturally better at unleashing their radiance than others."

"You mean the kid you just signed?"

"Right. The only thing is that radiance is hard to harness. That’s why he had to restrain his radiance when he was practicing to stay in line, to blend in with the crowd. He thinks his voice is a monster. The monster sets him apart. It gets to other people in a chorus. He’s heckled when he sings. His voice throws up roadblocks everywhere. That’s why he keeps suppressing it. Little does he know, it’s a force that is a game changer. It’s not a monster. It’s talent."

Zu Wen scratched the goosebumps that had started forming on his arms. He still felt that radiance was a monster.

But then he thought, "one is a vocal freak, the other is a virtual tree—what a great combination."

One freak dubbing for another. A trace of anticipation set in.

Chapter 21: Step Aside

After securing a starter voice, Fang Zhao went about renting professional equipment to engineer the voice. Naturally, the label had the best equipment of this kind. It also had other types of top-notch devices and tools. But everyone—regardless of rank or department—had to pay to rent the equipment.

Some of the more popular devices had to be booked in advance. The good thing was that there was no competition for the type of equipment required for a virtual idol project, so advance bookings weren’t necessary. Fang Zhao talked to Bu Lai and requested the necessary gear from the property department.

Fang Zhao also loaned a technician from another department to work on the voice. She was a young woman, a fresh graduate who studied music post-production, voice engineering, and so on. She had just been hired by Silver Wing. Because she was a newbie, she had been chosen as the sacrificial lamb when Fang Zhao came beckoning.

"He-hello, my... my name is Song Miao. I’m a voice engineer. This is my... my proof of graduation and diploma." Song Miao presented her credentials. She was an anxious fresh arrival who stuttered.

Fang Zhao gave his loaner a look-over. Her slightly lengthy hair was tied in a ponytail; she donned a track suit and trainers—the typical look of a technician. She carried a toolbox and looked tense, probably nervous about her new workplace.

After asking a few questions about voice production, Fang Zhao summoned Pang Pusong. "Take Song Miao to our studio."

"Yes, sir!" It was time to record. Pang Pusong was geared up.

Creating a complete vocal database required a professional system. Now that the equipment was in place, Song Miao would take care of the rest. She would record and process vocal samples and build a vocal database.

The latest sound engineering equipment was highly automated, requiring less manpower than before. Otherwise, Song Miao would have her hands full. With the starter voice taken care of, Fang Zhao paid Zu Wen a visit to see how the look of the virtual idol was coming along.

"That’s right, do we need an eye model?" Zu Wen asked. The virtual idol was an anthropomorphic tree, so they couldn’t count on that many facial expressions. Thus its gaze was all the more important.

Eye models were models who provided eye shots for virtual idols. Actors who weren’t good-looking, lacked influence, or didn’t receive much backing because of bad luck suffered from a lowly status in the industry. It was hard for them to get exposure, movie parts were hard to come by, and the ones that were offered were unsubstantial, so they often took on other assignments, like providing eye shots for virtual idols.

Project teams that weren’t exacting would use existing eye shots form a database, such as eye shots from previous films, and incorporate that acting prowess into their virtual idol. But project teams that were more demanding would shoot fresh eye shots in a variety of settings.

Even award-winning actors and actresses delivered performances within a plot context and drew from their character’s psychology. If the virtual idol were set up in a different context and had a different personality, then those eye shots wouldn’t apply. They would even turn people off.

People who resisted virtual idols often accused them of being blatant acting copycats, but the project teams behind those virtual idols didn’t mind. That was how virtual idols were designed. Everyone did the same thing. As long as they could draw an audience.

Zu Wen asked about eye models because he noticed how serious Fang Zhao was about their project.

"I discussed this with Boss Du yesterday. He said he would try to line someone up for us."

Just as Fang Zhao was speaking, Du Ang arrived on the 50th floor with another person.

Even though Du Ang didn’t want to micromanage the virtual idol project, he was the manager in charge, after all, so he couldn’t be completely oblivious. After asking Fang Zhao about the look of his virtual idol out of curiosity, Du Ang fell into deep thought in his office the rest of the day. He even wondered if he should overturn Fang Zhao’s previous decisions and take over the reins himself.

But Du Ang eventually thought things through. He knew he wasn’t that creative. No matter what Fang Zhao decided, now that the project was under way, he would give Fang Zhao total control. Even if he failed and became the subject of ridicule, he could chalk it up as a learning experience. He was a young man, after all. Adversity was a good thing, and no matter how poorly the dead-end project failed, the label wouldn’t completely put it on a newcomer like Fang Zhao.

So after Fang Zhao showed up yesterday, Du Ang hit up a few friends who managed actors.

Regardless of whether you were a singer or an actor, everyone was ranked internally. They were classified in their contracts from grade D to A, with A being the highest. The top talents were ranked S, which was a different category altogether.

Grade D talents were typically newcomers or marginal players. Du Ang set his sights higher, so when he asked his friends for loaners, he approached agents who managed B- and C-grade actors.

"I can’t give you any B actors. They’re all A actors in waiting. They can’t afford to stumble. But I could pick from my C actors." That was how an old friend had responded yesterday. He brought over the actor today.

A C actor showing up and doing his thing would suffice, Du Ang thought. Even though a C actor wasn’t as competent, he would still be better than many others. If he didn’t work out, then they could use eye shots from the database. That would save a lot of trouble.

"This is Ji Polun. He starred in a movie about the Period of Destruction. He should be able to help you." Du Ang left after briefing Fang Zhao quickly.

Fang Zhao gauged the loaner. He knew Ji Polun was a C actor. He wasn’t entirely clear on the distinction between the different grades and he couldn’t find much relevant information in his new memory, so he was polite. Ji Polun was doing them a favor, after all.

In contrast to Song Miao’s nerves and uptight demeanor, this actor carried himself like a star. Naturally, he was rather good-looking. In this day and age, people who could become stars wouldn’t look too bad. His hair was meticulously combed and he stood straight as a rod. His gestures were sleek and refined. But it was all contrived.

Ji Polun scanned the furnishings of the 50th floor with discerning eyes and glanced at Fang Zhao and company, his gaze brimming with a sense of superiority and arrogance.

"Let’s get started. What kind of shots are you looking for? I’m on a tight schedule." After dusting his sleeves for non-existent dust, Ji Polun started walking.

Zu Wen looked at Fang Zhao, who nodded, so he led Ji Polun to the filming studio. "This way."

Fang Zhao explained the scene to him. He was interrupted by Ji Polun just two sentences in. "OK, I got it. I’ve done this before. Give me some space." He shifted his gaze to Zu Wen. "Get ready. I’m about to start."

Fang Zhao didn’t respond. He retreated and sat in the chair next to Zu Wen. He wasn’t offended by Ji’s attitude, as long as they could get the right shots.

On his end, Ji Polun started acting hard after building his mood.

Lo and behold, even though Ji Polun was an obnoxious prick who looked down on everyone, he was serious about his craft. The only thing was…

"I’m thinking, why don’t we just find some suitable shots in the database?" Zu Wen typed in his bracelet. Ji Polun was still acting, so he couldn’t speak his mind.

Ji Polun was acting with purpose. You could tell he wasn’t holding back, but he still fell considerably short compared to a top actor. It was even more obvious in close-up. Zu Wen had seen quite a few movies set in the Period of Destruction recently. In comparison, Ji Polun’s acting was a bit awkward. They were better off just searching in the database.

Fang Zhao’s frown grew. After reading Zu Wen’s message, he got up, walked toward Ji Polun and tapped him on the shoulder.

"What are you doing? Can’t you see I’m acting?" Ji Polun fumed. "Do you know what being in character means? You’ve interrupted my train of thought."

Ji Polun was furious that he was tapped on the shoulder just when he was getting into character. He turned his head and watched Fang Zhao lift his hand and point to the side. "Step aside."

Chapter 22: What Do You Think About When You're Acting?

A puzzled Ji Polun pointed at himself. "You were talking to me?"

Fang Zhao nodded and repeated, "Please step aside."

Ji Polun stared at Fang Zhao in disbelief, as if he had gone mad. Having confirmed that Fang Zhao wasn’t kidding, he distorted his face, got up abruptly, and stepped away in exaggerated strides. "Fine. Don’t accuse me of being a prima donna." He had showed up as a favor to his agent. Not only are these clowns ungrateful, they don’t think I’m good enough?

Shedding the posture with which he had arrived, Ji Polun bolted toward the door, but he stopped just as he was about to cross the threshold. He turned back and plunked down on the chair next to Zu Wen. He dropped his act, folding his arms and crossing his legs. He wanted to see what these clowns would do now. It looked like they were going to act out the scene themselves.

What a joke. He'd heard this fella was a new composer—and now he thought he could act. Did he think acting was the same as gaming? How naive. Who did he think he was? As a newcomer, he was only on a grade D contract, one notch below Ji Polun.

Ji Polun started brainstorming for a snide comment he could make to avenge his dismissal if the producer turned out to be a shitty actor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be pacified. How could they treat him this way?

Fang Zhao didn’t care what Ji Polun thought, let alone pay attention to his furious gaze. He signaled to Zu Wen that he wanted to reshoot the scene.

Fang Zhao didn't understand the craft of acting, but what Ji Polun had just said about getting into character—it was just a form of imagination, placing yourself in the scene conjured in your brain.

But be it Ji Polun or any other actor, their acting was just a function of their imagination, because none of them had actually experienced those desperate times. What they knew about the period came from watching documentary footage. But Fang Zhao was an exception.

Some events during the Period of Destruction were digitally recorded, and quite a few films about the period were shot during the New Era. The advancement of virtual technology also enhanced the viewing experience, leaving a deeper impression than regular footage.

But no amount of simulation could rival the memories of Fang Zhao, someone who had actually survived those times.

Taking a page from Ji’s playbook, Fang Zhao closed his eyes for a few seconds to build the mood.

Ji Polun was blown away. He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. The condescension on his face faded, replaced by a serious look.

Fang Zhao’s eyes were red and tearful, as if he were listening to a song that mourned the loss of the world, projecting a deep sadness and resignation, although he didn’t cry.

All hell breaking loose, lives sacrificed and families destroyed. How puny and helpless everyone and everything became when the world fell apart.

The pain and suffering projected in that moment engulfed the entire studio.

Ji Polun took a deep breath.

Fang Zhao managed to stir those emotions all by himself in this closed space without a set. He didn’t have an acting partner. He had no lines. All he did was sit there. He barely moved his body, conveying his character’s emotions with the subtlest of facial expressions and his gaze.

His timing was impeccable, down to the wink of his eyes. Had he winked a second earlier or later, the effect would have been completely different.

Ji Polun reflected on his own performance just now. By comparison, his delivery was slightly exaggerated and contrived, lacking genuine emotion.

A professor once said in acting class that sadness wasn’t conveyed by screaming or crying. Sometimes a subtle look would do.

Was this guy really an amateur actor?

Ji Polun quickly scanned in his head all the classic scenes from the countless movies about the Period of Destruction. He couldn’t find any matches. Fang Zhao wasn’t aping a previous performance.

Ji Polun even got the feeling that he wasn’t acting, that he had actually survived the horrible disaster and had lived in those times.

Come again, what was the character they came up with?

What was its personality?

He had acted based on his imagination without learning about his character first—bad move.

That was a major no-no.

Maybe it was the casual tone of his agent. He didn’t care for the job, didn’t take it seriously.

Ji Polun continued to observe in silence. Fang Zhao continued acting based on his script. He needed no pointers. He knew the character he designed the best.

This was a scene without dialogue. For eye shots, the focus was the eyes.

Everyone in the studio breathed lightly. The only sound was the noise of Zu Wen setting up equipment. But both Zu Wen and Ji Polun, who was sitting beside him, could feel the mood evolving in the small studio.

Repressed sorrow, smothering desperation, disappointment, indecision. How did one survive? He was a bee frantically looking for a light source in a shuttered house.

The minutes went by.

Fang Zhao ended the session only when Song Miao had a question about the starter voice.

"Let’s take a break." Fang Zhao told Zu Wen to catch a breather, while he got up to leave and headed to the sound mixing panel. When he got up, he instantly dropped out of character and became his normal self.

He was out of character already? Mind-boggling.

When Fang Zhao left, Ji Polun approached Zu Wen. "That Fang Zhao character—he’s really just a composer? He never studied acting?"

"I’m not sure if he ever studied acting, but he is a professional composer. He soared to No. 5 in the new talent competition in 20 days. You must have heard," Zu Wen said.

Of course he had, but Fang Zhao’s performance still left him perplexed.

"Hey, aren’t you going to leave?" Zu Wen thought Fang Zhao had spited Ji Polun into leaving, but now it seemed he had no intention of doing so.

"Leave? Why would I leave? That’s right, did you shoot a music video? Do you have more details about your character? Let me take a look," Ji Polun asked.

Zu Wen gave Ji Polun a surprised look and handed him a few pages from his drawer. Ji Polun had signed a confidentiality agreement and Zu Wen was going to show him the information anyway. Ji Polun just didn’t bother.

The next day.

Zu Wen had counted Ji Polun out. Fang Zhao could do the job himself. But Ji Polun still showed up on the 50th floor.

"Don’t look at me. Just pretend I’m not here and do your thing. Which scene are you on? Has the character transformed yet? Ignoring the gazes of Fang Zhao and Zu Wen, Ji Polun dragged over a chair, sat down, and began watching intently from the periphery.

It wasn’t only the second day. Ji Polun showed up the next few days. He didn’t do much, just sat in the studio and watched. His body language suggested he was there to stay.

Even though Ji Polun had his flaws, he was an actor keen on improving his craft. And Fang Zhao didn’t kick him out.

When shooting finally wrapped, Ji Polun couldn’t help pestering Fang Zhao with questions.

"Can I impose on you to reveal what you think about the most when you’re acting?" He wanted to know how Fang Zhao got into character and delivered genuine emotion.

When Fang Zhao heard the question, he stopped drinking from his glass and responded in a serious tone, "BGM (background music)."

Ji Polun: "…..."

Ji Polun suddenly remembered what a professor once said during his university days. "Don’t bother trying to figure out what goes on in the head of a professional composer. BGM is always playing no matter what they’re doing."

Chapter 23: My Version, My Rules

As far as Fang Zhao was concerned, drawing out a certain mood depended on a passage of music, not a certain visual.

Just like how a programmer turned everything into code, Fang Zhao could turn everything into music.

He already had a song in mind for the music video. It was a song he'd written during the end of days. It wasn’t complete—he'd only gotten around to finishing it recently. He'd also rearranged it and modified parts to better fit Pang Pusong’s voice.

When he was shooting, he did recall certain scenes, but his memories of the first few years of the apocalypse were blurry. However, the music he composed during that period remained fresh in his head.

Every time he recalled those broken melodies, Fang Zhao could remember how he'd felt at the beginning of the apocalypse.

After projecting the eye shots onto the virtual character, Zu Wen showed Fang Zhao a draft.

He had juxtaposed on his computer screen shots of Fang Zhao’s eyes and a pair of brown, wood-colored eyes surrounded by rough, cracked bark.

"Don’t they look the same? Happy?" Zu Wen asked.

Fang Zhao nodded.

They were clearly two different sets of eyes but they conveyed the same gaze and mood. It was as if two people were injected with the same soul.

Reg Dimension—such amazing technology!

Perhaps that was why virtual idols created with the Reg Dimension drew so many fans. Even though they often looked very different from humans, it was easy to forget that they were virtual images and instead believe that they possessed real souls.

"As long as you’re happy." Zu Wen stretched his arms. "The basic look is also complete. The only thing is that I could use more help on the music video, even one extra person would be great. If it’s just me, Lord knows when I’ll finish the CD. If you want to see a completed product by the end of the year, then get me a loaner." Zu Wen was so busy these days he didn’t have time to game.

"I’ve asked around. The people you mentioned who know how to use Reg Dimension don’t want to transfer. The company hasn’t made any new hires this year and they fired a bunch of people last year. We can forget about an internal loaner," Fang Zhao explained.

"Then poach someone from one of the smaller or independent record labels, or outsource to a contractor, although the company usually frowns on outsourcing on a project like this. The bosses prefer that you take care of things internally. But see if you can poach some people from other companies. There are so many fresh graduates out there. There must be quite a few who haven’t landed jobs, no? Let’s con a few into working here first." Zu Wen started brainstorming as he organized the eye shots.

Zu Wen’s suggestion reminded Fang Zhao of someone. "How many years of experience would you be looking for in a Reg Dimension technician?"

"Let’s not set the bar too high. The most important thing is to con some people into helping me out. I’ve been so tired."

Zu Wen returned to his office to work. Fang Zhao headed back to his office and sent Zeng Huang a message.

Zeng Huang responded quickly.

"What’s up Big Zhao? Your project isn’t going well?" Zeng Huang knew Fang Zhao was stuck with the virtual idol project and had even offered to help, but Fang Zhao refused at the time, saying he needed to learn more about the project first.

"How busy is your current project? Do you have time to take on another gig?" Fang Zhao asked.

"You hiring?"

"Yes, we’re short on Reg Dimension technicians. If you aren’t available, do you know anyone who hasn’t landed a job yet or wants to switch jobs? I don’t need someone super-experienced, someone who knows the basics will do."

"A Reg Dimension technician who doesn’t have to be that experienced, someone who hasn’t landed a job or wants to switch jobs…"

"Indeed. Any recommendations?"

"Me."

"…..."

"I want to switch jobs. You know I’m a fresh grad—and not from a very prestigious school. I won’t be able to command a very good salary. Plus, I’m looking for a new job. It’s a perfect fit now that you’re hiring."

Zu Wen’s idea was to con people into joining the project, but Fang Zhao was completely honest about the state of his project. Zeng Huang was offering to help out when Fang Zhao was in a tough spot. It would be shitty of him to take advantage of a friend now.

After being briefed by Fang Zhao, Zeng Huang said he needed to think it over. But he ended up calling back in less than 10 minutes.

"Big Zhao, you still hiring? Why don’t both Wan Yue and I help out? She knows a thing or two about the Reg Dimension, but her expertise is post-production. I wonder if she would come in handy too."

"Yes." Fang Zhao smiled. "Thanks!"

"Hey, who’s the boss here? Big Zhao, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. We’re still young. Even if we fail, we can chalk it up as a learning experience. It’s good for us to take risks."

"Got it."

"As long as you’ve put things in perspective. So it’s a done deal—Wan Yue and I will defect tomorrow!"

Just like Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang and Wan Yue would be signed as contractors, not full-time employees. Fang Zhao had explained the temporary and transient nature of the work, but Zeng Huang still insisted on joining. Considering the status of the virtual idol project, Zeng Huang and his girlfriend had no ulterior motives—they just wanted to lend Fang Zhao a hand.

Zeng Huang was actually thinking Lady Luck wasn’t on Fang Zhao’s side this year. Setting aside the theft of his songs, Fang Zhao had worked hard to make a name for himself in the new talent contest—only to be tossed into this death pit. Zeng Huang didn’t want to see a brother begging for help, so he and Wan Yue quit their jobs to help out. They were still young and had plenty of other jobs ahead of them. Now it was time to help Fang Zhao.

The next day, Zeng Huang and Wan Yue tracked down Fang Zhao at Silver Wing. After signing their contracts, Fang Zhao got them company passes.

Besides Zeng Huang and Wan Yue, Bei Zhi, who had just finished training camp, also chipped in. He knew that he owed his success in the new talent contest to Fang Zhao. He'd heard that they were setting up on the 50th floor, so he decided to help out.

"Wow, they actually let you come? They’re not afraid of jeopardizing your career?" Zu Wen asked when he saw Bei Zhi.

Bei Zhi didn’t care. "It’s OK. Training is over and my next assignment hasn’t started. I have three days off, so here I am."

Pang Pusong, Song Miao, and Bei Zhi set up outside as Fang Zhao discussed the music video with Zu Wen and Zeng Huang in his office.

Since the music video was set in the end of days, they would have to feature mutated animals from the period. Zu Wen showed Fang Zhao a batch of images he had compiled.

"Get rid of this," Fang Zhao said, pointing to one of the pictures.

"Why?" Zu Wen asked.

"I’ve never seen it before." Because he had never seen it before, he couldn’t be sure that it existed. Fang Zhao decided to drop all the animals he'd never laid eyes on.

"Wow, you sound like you’ve seen the actual thing," Zu Wen responded. But he didn’t resist, deleting the animal from his screen.

Fang Zhao pointed to another image. "Shrink the head of this one a bit."

"Like this?"

"Smaller."

"How about this?"

"You overdid it. Allow me."

Fang Zhao pondered the projected hologram, his fingers playing with the head of the animal.

He couldn’t feel the actual object, but the smart design software allowed even a non-technician to tweak the image. It was like altering a clay figurine.

"That looks weird," Zu Wen said.

"Not at all. That’s how they look. Get rid of their mustaches."

"They don’t have mustaches? Are you sure? I remember seeing them with mustaches in many films about the Period of Destruction." A skeptical Zu Wen checked his research. He had downloaded a database from a leading scientific journal that was compiled by scholars who studied mutated animals from the Period of Destruction. The researchers were considered the world’s leading authorities on the subject. The download was quite expensive, but he'd billed the project.

"They have mustaches in the film I starred in." Ji Polun, who had been watching them work, offered his two cents.

"That was fiction to begin with." Fang Zhao had seen the movie Ji Polun starred in. There were way too many inaccuracies, but you couldn’t expect much from a commercial film. It was just entertainment.

"But your virtual idol isn’t real either." Ji Polun remembered that the look of the virtual idol was also made up.

"My version, my rules," Fang Zhao responded curtly.

"Got it. You’re the boss. You have the final word."

At that point, Zu Wen had found a photo of the mutated animal in question in his database. "No mustache indeed."

They went through the other animals. Every modification Fang Zhao asked for was consistent with the database. This time it was Ji Polun, not Zu Wen, who checked. "You’re the man," he thought to himself.

Everyone in the room wondered: how good of a history student was this guy to remember so many details?

Chapter 24: You're F*cking Messing with Me

As things were picking up on the 50th floor, Du Ang was taking a videoconference call from an old friend.

Ji Polun was heading to the 50th floor every day, so his agent was worried. When he asked Ji Polun to help out, the kid was reluctant. How come he was so keen now? There had to be something shady going on behind the scenes.

"I heard your producer is from a black street. Did he somehow blackmail my guy into helping out?" Ji Polun’s agent was full of speculation.

"They’re not done shooting? I heard two days ago they were done with their eye shots." Du Ang was puzzled too.

"That’s why I think it’s odd. I’m not in Qi’an right now. Old Du, go take a look yourself. Maybe your guy pulled something on my guy. I hear folks from black streets are ruthless." Ji’s agent was being diplomatic—what he suspected was that Fang Zhao had threatened force against his client.

"Wait—Fang Zhao is just renting a room on a black street. He didn’t grow up on a black street. Also, just because you’re from a black street doesn’t mean you’re the mafia. Don’t be a bigot. I lived on a black street when I was young."

Ji’s agent was about to say something else, but Du Ang preempted him. "OK, OK. I understand your concerns. I’ll head up for a look in a bit. But rest assured—everything is fine. Fang Zhao isn’t that kind of character."

After hanging up, Du Ang realized he hadn’t dropped in on the 50th floor in a while. Even if Ji Polun was OK, as the manager in charge, he should put up pretenses.

He rode the elevator to the 50th floor. When the elevator doors opened, he saw Ji Polun huffing and puffing and moving equipment.

Du Ang: "…..." He suddenly questioned his judgment. An idol that relied on his looks like him couldn’t risk getting injured. If he did, he had to pay the company damages that would consume way more than a month’s wages.

"Uhm, Ji boy, come over here."

When Ji Polun saw it was Du Ang, he put down the equipment.

Du Ang took a close look at his face and didn’t see any signs of physical abuse. "Aren’t you done with the eye shots? How come you’re still here?" he asked.

"I don’t have anything else going on, so I decided to help out," Ji Polun responded.

Du Ang surveyed the floor. The 50th floor looked quite different—maybe it was the additional staff. He spotted Du Zhi also lugging equipment around nearby. "Where’s Fang Zhao?" he asked.

"He just stepped into his office." Ji Polun pointed to Fang Zhao’s office.

As Du Ang approached Fang Zhao’s office, Fang Zhao was getting ready to head out.

"Boss Du! Great timing. I was about to go to you," Fang Zhao said. "I’m about to start recording my first single. Can you book a recording studio for me?"

"The song is ready?" Du Ang took the paper score Fang Zhao handed over and uploaded the encrypted demo file. He pulled out his headsets and gave it a listen. He was also curious how Fang Zhao’s song was coming along.

He was a bit baffled by the score, but once he heard the demo, it came together.

No wonder the score looked weird. So Fang Zhao had decided on this style.

Du Ang lifted his head abruptly and gazed at Fang Zhao. "Did you… Did you compose this yourself?"

"Yes."

"This… this is the song you’re making a music video for?" Du Ang raised his voice, prompting the movers nearby to look his way.

"Yes." Fang Zhao wasn’t too alarmed by Du Ang’s response.

"Hold on. Put everything on hold. Wait until you hear from me." Du Ang dashed out. As for the original purpose of his visit, who gave a damn? Du Ang had only one mission now—to talk this over with someone. He needed to decide if he would actually release the single.

The head of the arrangement department, Ya Erlin, and the operations head, Julian, were quickly summoned.

"I say, Old Du, what’s the hurry? What’s wrong? Have things gone south on the virtual idol project? Let me put this out there—I’m not going to get involved with the virtual idol project," Ya Erlin said as he stepped into Du Ang’s office with Julian.

Du Ang didn’t speak, instead handing over two pairs of headsets he had prepared for the two.

"What’s going on? So secretive…" Ya Erlin wore the headsets reluctantly, but soon enough, he was hooked.

Julian's expression also indicated her surprise. "Where... where did you get this? Is this a new Pegasus release?"

"No, no," Ya Erlin blurted before Du Ang could answer. "At first glance, it’s a similar style, but there’s still a big discrepancy. This is not a Pegasus song. Not to mention that a Pegasus demo wouldn’t be this crude."

The "Pegasus" that Ya Erlin and Julian referred to was Flying Pegasus, a leading cooperative under Silver Wing. Ya Erlin had tried to join several times, to no avail. Flying Pegasus was home to Silver Wing’s top composers and arrangers, the cream of the crop.

"But if this isn’t a Pegasus song, who composed it?" Julian wasn’t an expert in composition or arrangement, but she knew this song would make waves if released. Besides a Pegasus member, who else could compose a song like this? If such a talent existed, he or she would have been recruited by Pegasus already.

"That’s right, Old Du, who wrote this? Who?" Ya Erlin demanded. Julian was a music outsider, but as a veteran arranger, he was already blown away by many aspects of the incomplete demo.

Du Ang wore a look of mixed feelings—proud, a bit sad, among other emotions.

He paused before saying, "Fang Zhao."

"Who?"

Du Ang rubbed his ears, which had just been pierced by two sharp cries, and sighed. "The composer is Fang Zhao."

Ya Erlin and Julian were speechless but glared at Du Ang with the same expression: you’re f*cking messing with me.

"Sigh, I’m not lying. I got this from the kid. As soon as I got it, I called you guys."

Ya Erlin took a deep breath. He was still in disbelief. "Fang Zhao can produce something like this, at his age?"

"What about his age? Don’t forget how well he did in the new talent contest." Du Ang hated when others dissed his composers.

"But this song is completely different from his entry in the new talent contest. This is…" Ya Erlin was agitated. He didn’t finish his sentence. He wouldn’t jump to conclusions until hearing the full song.

"Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. I’ve invited you here to help me decide. So what do you say, do I release this song or not? Will something go wrong if I do?" Du Ang asked.

"Of course! Why not?" Ya Erlin was more excited than Du Ang.

Du Ang shifted his gaze to Julian, waiting for her response. If Julian disagreed, even if they recorded the song, it wouldn’t see the light of day.

Julian returned the stare and smiled gently. "I agree with Ya Erlin. It’d be a such a shame not to release a song like this. I, for one, want to hear the complete version."

Julian was a big fan of Flying Pegasus’ work, yet the cooperative rarely released complete songs, even if you were willing to pay for a download. Lowly managers like her weren’t qualified to commission Pegasus members either.

"Alright, we’ll release it, then. Fang Zhao said he can start recording right away. As for the recording studio…" Du Ang gave Ya Erlin a glance.

"I’ll book a studio for him." Ya Erlin was close with the folks who ran the recording studios. It was easier for him to pull strings.

Ya Erlin had trouble breathing. He couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces when the Pegasus members heard this song.

Chapter 25: Yanzhou Derby

Before anyone knew it, it was mid-September.

Newcomer status only lasted for a year. After the new season of the new talent contest that kicked off in June, Fang Zhao had disappeared from the newcomers’ chart for nearly a season. The chart was filled with new songs. Last season’s entries were replaced by new singles.

Nonetheless, leading the charts were still the two virtual idols, Xun Huai and Fei Lisi. They just swapped their previous songs for new ones.

Fang Zhao had long been forgotten. Perhaps some still remembered that hit song from last season, the dark horse that emerged toward the end of the season, but the internet suffered from amnesia. In an era of a rapid change, memories were shortened, and the masses were at the mercy of the constant influx of new things.

Fang Zhao sat in the huge terraced auditorium listening to the lecturer outline the evolution of virtual idols and offer insight into the charisma of hit virtual idols.

"Virtual reality is an art. By expanding reality with virtual imagination, the real and the virtual feed off each other…"

The classroom with a capacity of several thousand was sparsely filled, only about a tenth full.

Fang Zhao jotted notes by hand on his notebook. He stayed away from electronic gadgets.

A few of the students in the classroom recognized Fang Zhao. As a distinguished alum, he was a regular topic on internal message boards. Some of the students who didn’t know the full story were wondering why he was auditing the class. When they were told the reason by fellow classmates, they felt bad for him and threw him sympathetic glances.

To imagine what other outstanding alums from his class were up to and contrast that to Fang Zhao auditing an unpopular class by his lonesome self—what could they say? However talented he was, he couldn’t stave off a formidable streak of bad luck. It really was such a pity.

After the class ended, the students departed in groups of two or three. Fang Zhao also collected his belongings and was planning to head back to the office.

"Fang Zhao." Chu Hong approached from the lectern and interrupted Fang Zhao.

"Are you able to follow my lectures?" Chu Hong asked. He wasn’t being patronizing. It was just that he knew that his class was quite off-beat, plus Fang Zhao had never completed coursework on virtual idols before. He wasn’t sure if he was going too fast for Fang Zhao. Chu Guang had briefed him on Fang Zhao. He had to at least make a gesture.

"I’m OK," Fang Zhao responded. In fact, he had already covered the bulk of Chu Hong’s lectures in online classes. He was auditing to get more insight.

"Feel free to ask me any questions. I heard from Chu Guang that you’ve been busy with your virtual idol project. How is it coming along?" Chu Hong asked.

"Not bad. We’re almost done."

"Good to hear."

Chu Hong held back. In any case, he wouldn’t get too many answers if he probed. Projects like this were confidential and couldn’t be shared with outsiders, so Chu Hong didn’t ask specific questions about his progress. He just asked Fang Zhao if he wanted general pointers from a scholar who specialized on the topic and shared thoughts on what stood out about the hit virtual idols of the day.

"Virtual idols these days, first and foremost, they have to be good-looking. That’s basic. You’re aware of this, right?"

"Yes, of course." Fang Zhao nodded.

"Then what does your virtual idol look like?" Chu Hong was quite curious what a virtual idol designed by an outsider, a composition major, would look like.

"Can’t say it’s good-looking," Fang Zhao responded.

If he was being so diplomatic, that meant it was ugly. Chu Hong was troubled. If even its looks were in question, what could he do to help?

When Fang Zhao left, Chu Hong sent Chu Guang a text message. "That classmate of yours, Fang Zhao. How’s his virtual project idol coming along? Have you seen what it looks like?"

Chu Guang happened to be free, so he initiated a videoconference when he saw the message.

"I heard the project is almost done and the virtual idol may be launched soon. As for what it looks like, I haven’t seen it. Boss Du has been quite vigilant about keeping it under wraps and won’t entertain questions about it," Chu Guang said.

"Then it probably won’t end well." Recalling that Fang Zhao had said the virtual idol wasn’t good-looking and considering he was a producer new to virtual idols, Chu Hong wasn’t optimistic.

"People within the company aren’t bullish either, but Boss Du has been acting weird. He’s often holed up in his office with two other department heads. Their discussions can last two or three hours."

"Regardless of what they’re up to, you should be preparing your song for the last season, no? I heard from your mother that she hired her old teacher to tutor you. This one should take the No. 3 spot, no? Just yesterday, your mother was complaining that, if not for the two virtual idols, you’d be shooting for the top spot." Chu Hong smiled.

Chu Guang responded in a relaxed tone, "No. 3 shouldn’t be a problem."

It wasn’t just Chu Guang. Everyone else in the industry was paying close attention to the final season of the year.

The final season of the year was about to kick off. Singers that had done well in the three previous seasons were eyeing a good finish to the year. A strong finish on the New Pioneers Chart in the final season could translate to a higher end-of-year bonus.

A rough pecking order had been determined by the preceding seasons and the major labels had reallocated their budgets accordingly. The top performers saw their marketing budgets beefed up and the underperformers received less backing.

Both Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment were planning on giving their virtual idols an extra push in the final season. Their first movies were coming out and promotional campaigns were already under way. All eyes were on the final battle.

Even the popular webcast "Prairie Fire" had proclaimed that the final season was a duel between Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture. Which of the two virtual idol newcomers—Xun Huai or Fei Lisi—would claim final victory?

The program had coined the phrase "Yanzhou Derby," suggesting a clash of titans between Yanzhou’s two strongest entertainment companies.

But Silver Wing supporters went "hehe" when they saw the phrase.

Yanzhou Derby?

What about us?

So the so-called "Big Three" of Yanzhou was just bullshit? Had Silver Wing disappeared?

Under fierce attack from Silver Wing supporters, the pundits explained that "Yanzhou Derby" referred to the two Yanzhou labels that produced the best virtual idols, nothing more.

But anyone with a brain would realize that it was an intentional slight. The phrase would suggest to the ordinary masses who didn’t know the industry well that the only major record labels in Yanzhou were Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment.

But there wasn’t much Silver Wing could do. Virtual idols were indeed their Achilles’ heel—and it was a brutal wound that bled badly.

Some media outlets even started a bet called "Eye on Yanzhou Derby," encouraging punters to submit their picks for the top spot on the year-end new talent chart.

As the buzz around the contest heated up, the two major virtual idol newcomers, Xun Huai and Fei Lisi, saw their stock rise even further, just as their companies had expected.

Amid a sea of speculation from industry insiders and outsiders, September passed and October loomed. The final season of the year was about to begin.

Oct. 1.

Without any warning or advance advertising, Julian launched a full-court press when the clock struck 8.

The newcomers were ranked according to marketing budget. At the outset, they all received the same backing and were launched in no specific order—whoever was ready first debuted first. After taking part in the new talent contest, budgets were allocated based on performance and by company discretion. The better your prospects, the more exposure you got.

The priority list for the final season of the new talent contest:

No. 1: "Divine Punishment," performed by Polar Light, composer Polar Light.

No. 2: "The Lavish Dance," performed by Enoch, composer Chu Guang.

Chu Guang was dumbfounded when he saw the list. This was not what had been discussed. How come he was ranked second? His main competitor, Rong Zheng, was pushed to No. 3.

Where did No. 1 come from?

How did it merit the top spot?

Who was Polar Light? At first glance, he thought there was a typo in the top spot.

Chu Guang was even more pissed off when he saw the "music video" label after "Divine Punishment." He thought only he and Rong Zheng were given the music video treatment, because they did well in the previous season. How come this newbie who parachuted in got a music video?

Then he noticed the singer and composer were the same, and factored in the music video…

It was a f*cking virtual idol launch.

Chapter 26: First in History

Chu Guang was puzzled, but he wouldn't question the decision before getting to the bottom of things.

He wanted to listen to the song first. Did Julian place the song first because of quality or because virtual idols were given special preference?

There were many screening rooms at Silver Wing. Some of the offices also had the audiovisual equipment to play music videos. After signing with the label, Chu Guang was given his own office, A fully equipped screening room was located near where the newcomers were housed, so Chu Guang planned on heading to that screening room and playing the song on the audiovisual system there, to see what kind of song merited the top spot.

But before he arrived, he noticed that Rong Zheng and a group of other newcomers had already shown up. Rong Zheng's expression was one of bafflement, surprise and disbelief—but not the look of someone who felt robbed.

"Oh, you're here too. Let's listen to it together." Rong Zheng pointed to a seat on the side.

Chu Guang sat in his seat and took in the holographic image projected by the audiovisual system. The top-of-the-line stereo system delivered every note clearly.

Was it techno, rock, or another genre?

When the music started, Chu Guang was shocked to discover it was none of the above.

The music video.

A vast, lush forest that projected vitality. The flowers, plants, and trees were all anthropomorphic. The branches had eyes, noses, and mouths.

They had peaceful faces.

The blue skies were abruptly tainted with a coat of red.

A horn sounded an unsettling melody on a low register. The seemingly inchoate notes suggested a growing anxiety. The symphonic arrangement resembled a whimper, suggesting imminent disaster.

"A symphonic structure?" Chu Guang was so shocked he almost stood up.

In the music video, fiery meteors hurled toward earth. Panicked human beings fell into deep despair before the unexpected crevices.

The heavy drumming resembled the sound of rolling thunder. It grew in volume and pace, delivering an unsettling shudder.

Bang bang! Bang bang!

It could have been the landing of the meteors, the collapse of the landscape, or the heavy beating of someone's heart.

Panic and fear spread.

After the deafening clash of percussion and strings, a low voice sang.

Unlike the ebullient, wholesome opera technique that Chu Guang was familiar with, this voice was wild and unkempt, a mournful sigh emerging from the tree silhouette the camera had focused on. The voice had an amazing energy that radiated from the sound system and imprinted itself on every nerve of the brain.

A tense string score re-emerged and the drums found a measured, upbeat rhythm. The various tones created by the electronic synthesizer suggested a darkening mood. An invisible thunder invaded the universe.

Planet Earth was sick.

The combination of heavy percussion and wailing woodwind foreshadowed the ruthless, violent character of mutated animals.

The savage beasts lurked everywhere.

A trail of destruction engulfed the landscape. One after another, towering trees that had been around forever toppled one after another. Some were struck by meteors, others overturned by the massive tremor that broke the surface of the planet. There were also some torn to bits by the silhouettes darting about. Trampled by unrelenting catastrophe, every form of life inevitably marched toward death.

In the face of total destruction, everyone and everything was reduced to specks. The sun was blocked by thick smog and the lingering warmth trapped in the atmosphere dwindled amid the tragedy popping up everywhere.

A piano and woodwind combination made for the "end of days" theme, ushering in stark images of bodies scattered across the land.

The intricately layered string score and the tastefully structured arrangement, coupled with a top-notch sound system, delivered the melody to the human brain with the utmost authenticity. If felt like a supernatural power was tugging at your soul, easily parachuting you into those war-torn times.

The symphonic bass foundation conveyed a weighty sense of history. Even if you closed your eyes, images of jadedness, turbulence, suffering, and the dilapidated earth surfaced. It was a period everyone in the New Era knew about.

The 100-year Period of Destruction.

A refined, low-register piano melody resembling a painful sob accompanied scenes of wasteland. Electronic music transcended the limited range of traditional instruments, creating a chilling atmosphere with a conventional arrangement, like a mysterious music whisperer.

The tone shifted again, this time reinforcing the sense of restlessness and the anxious, panicked mood.

Scenes of chaos and gore inundated this sick planet. There were countless casualties. Once lush forests were depleted to a pathetic state. Mutated beasts ravaged the bodies of innocent souls. Seas of fire erupted everywhere.

The silhouette the camera focused on examining its surroundings, it eyes revealing a deep sorrow and helplessness. Was this the end of days? Were the days of earthly life numbered as a result?

The figure started humming in a deep voice. The hum seemed to stem from the bottom of his heart—it mourned the death of souls and the uncertain future that lay ahead.

The melody picked up. A melancholic woodwind score mixed with a steady percussion beat that resembled rolling stones. The heavy beat and extended notes seemed to suggest the silhouette's indecision, but a blaring horn broke through, rekindling the hope of survival.

Danger was approaching. This land was no longer fit for living.

Should he curl up in a dark corner and pray for Lady Luck to save his scalp? Or should he forge a way out?

Straddling the threshold between light and darkness, mired in blood and fire, he had a decision to make.

The tempo of the melody shifted, as if a turning point had been reached. A quirky flute solo combined with the synthesizer picked up the pace. After a brief pause, the tone became spirited.

The silence of percolating thoughts, pierced by the determination of a charging bull.

A modulating piano melody and firm strikes of the timpani shattered the lingering doubt, signaling the muted triumph of rebirth after surviving dire straits and capturing a volcanic eruption of unfettered masculine pride.

Once deeply buried in the ground, his roots freed themselves from the encumbering earth and burst to the surface, transforming into leg-like limbs. His verdant green leaves receded and his thick branches shrank.

Finally, he took his first step.

An excited human voice emerged, projecting a powerful aura that sent every hair on your body standing. It felt like a storm was afoot.

"Can't let it go,

And can't call it quits.

Hope still exists.

March forward,

Despite the thorny path ahead.

..."

It was the first time in his life that he had stood erect on this land. He didn't know how long it would take to find a destination, but now that he had planted his first step, he could take the next 1,000, the next 10,000.

The laws of nature prevailed, but uncertainty and patterns existed side-by-side.

One decision could bring about a change of fate.

He turned back to look at his compatriots.

The weak light of dawn seeped through as a horn sounded a wake-up call.

The piercing siren was followed by a spirited chorus of indeterminable size, which augured the determination and gall to take the world by storm. One tree, two trees, 10, 100...

A flurry of shadows flapped like butterflies.

Thousands of survivors broke free of the earth, taking a cue from their leader and transforming into ambling figures.

They were about to leave the land that nourished them and hit the road once and for all.

But from that moment on, they need no longer cower.

No one was born with endurance, but for survival's sake, why not take a first step?

There was no room for retreat.

To survive, they could only move forward.

Maybe there was some place on earth where they could keep living?

The screen showed a dense, packed cluster of countless departing survivors on one side, and the fluttering shadows of demons amid a bloodied, dusty atmosphere on another.

Fade to black.

The credits rolled.

"Leading man: Polar Light

Species: Longxiang Tianluo

Song title: "100 Years of Destruction, First Movement: Divine Punishment," producer Fang Zhao

Production team: Polar Light project team, Fang Zhao, Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Ji Polun, Bei Zhi

A Silver Wing Media production"

The music and footage ended at the same time.

The audience in the screening room let out deep breaths, as if they had just been suffocated for a long time, recovering from the chills sent down their spines.

"This is... This is..." Chu Guang didn't have the guts to mutter the word he had in mind. He questioned his judgment, yet his sense of injustice had vanished. He was a lesser composer.

...

The arrangement department.

Ya Erlin has just hosted a screening for his staff.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if taking in a lingering fragrance in the air.

"Do you smell it?" Ya Erlin whispered to the arrangers sitting beside him.

"What?" They were still in a trance.

"The smell of an epic."

There was a genre in the New Era distinct from pop music and the repeatedly covered classic songs. Maybe it didn't have many fans, but no one could dispute its status.

It evoked life-and-death situations, rebirth in extreme circumstances, the vastness of the universe and the enormity of the galaxy. It captured boundless dreams and hope, the beauty of human life, and miracles in dire times, its awesome power derived straight from the soul.

People called it the epic.

Epic.

That was the word Ya Erlin refrained from using when he'd heard the demo, the same word Chu Guang had hesitated to utter.

When he listened to the demo, Ya Erlin wasn't sure how the final product would turn out, so he didn't want to jump to conclusions. Symphonic songs weren't easy to pin down. It was hard to craft a satisfactory track without sufficient experience and sensitivity and the ability to steer the overall piece. Even Ya Erlin wasn't confident he could execute a song to such perfection.

That's why, when he'd first heard the demo, Ya Erlin had questioned Fang Zhao's ability. He seemed too young, hardly someone who could compose and harness a song like that.

But when he heard the final cut, Ya Erlin realized Fang Zhao handled details like intensity and tempo perfectly. He blended a symphonic score and electronic music from the New Era seamlessly, carefully crafting a layered texture and engaging plot. The powerful yet subtle melody beautifully conveyed the mood of the music video.

Accustomed to cute, lively ballads, the passion and vigor of dance tracks and other musical styles, this was the first time Rong Zheng, Chu Guang, and company were exposed to the grand narrative of an epic.

Captivated by the magnificent melody, every listener was transported to those dangerous times, traveling through the layers of bloodied smog to witness the evolution of a race, tracing their footsteps one by one.

'Twas the end of days, the cry of survival.

A melody and voice so powerful they penetrated your bones.

Now that was an epic in Ya Erlin's book.

That perfect blend of score and singer lent itself to an incredible, awesome effect and impact. That was beyond doubt.

"Yes or no? Perhaps we'll find out this afternoon."

Yet Ya Erlin had underestimated the industry response.

It didn't take the whole day. Oct. 1, 9 a.m., an hour after "Divine Punishment" was released.

The most respected music publication in Yanzhou, "Voice of Yanzhou," founded by the Yanzhou Music Association, posted this review:

"Polar Light is the first virtual idol to debut with an epic in the New Era."

Chapter 27: Gold Brick Road

An epic debut.

A definitive review.

By the most authoritative industry publication. No one could dispute that.

The "epic" label also meant that the upcoming season of the new talent contest was destined to be a bloody battle.

No, maybe it went beyond the New Pioneers Chart. Maybe it would develop into a storm that sucked in the entire Yanzhou music industry. Calling it subversion wouldn't be an overstatement. It had disrupted the planning of so many others.

There was a reason why Ya Erlin and Chu Guang didn't classify the song as an "epic" lightly. Setting aside the quality of the piece itself, this was still an unprecedented feat.

There had been epic pieces before. The Big Three—Silver Wing Media, Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment—all boasted their own elite cooperatives. Silver Wing had Flying Pegasus, Neon Culture had Metal Torrent, and Tongshan True Entertainment was home to Fourth Dimension. They were all capable of producing epic works.

The same went for the other top music cooperatives in other parts of the world, not just Yanzhou. The music they produced was copyrighted. It was never positioned as pop music and their target audience was never the average consumer.

These cooperatives usually only composed for projects with hundreds of millions in profit at stake, like blockbusters, hit TV shows, ads, and online games. Or the biggest of superstars. They always enjoyed a heavenly existence.

And every project was kept tightly under wraps. There were no leaks. That was why these elite cooperatives had special status within their respective record labels. Even a department head like Julian carried no weight with them. She wasn't kidding when she'd said she had trouble obtaining a full song from Flying Pegasus.

When outside companies or entities wanted to use the work of these elite co-operatives, they had to pay up, and it was beyond what the average consumer could afford. Four figures was a minimum, and that only bought you a limited license that lasted a few days or a few months. It depended.

If you wanted to own a song outright, the pricing was even higher. Word was a piece composed by Flying Pegasus was sold for seven figures to a video game studio last year. No one knew the exact amount. No one could vouch for the quality of the song because no one had heard it. The rumor was it wasn't an "epic" piece. If it were, it would have cost even more.

That was why, when Silver Wing launched a virtual idol with an epic song, it sent jaws dropping everywhere.

"Are they nuts?"

That was the response of the Fei Lisi project team at Neon Culture.

Had the folks at Silver Wing lost it?

An epic song for a virtual idol with uncertain prospects? This was no ordinary song. It was golden.

If the Metal Torrent cooperative at Neon Culture produced such a song, they would never waste it on a new virtual idol.

Silver Wing's behavior was downright crazy, wasteful, and incomprehensible. It was like using a dragon-slaying sword to chop garlic. Even if Silver Wing could stomach it, other bystanders felt the pain.

The community of composers was also blown away by this costly investment. So Flying Pegasus had quietly, secretly crafted a virtual idol. And everyone thought they were working on the score for a year-end blockbuster. They never would have guessed.

Insiders at that level maintained a certain level of contact. So when "Divine Punishment" was released, Flying Pegasus members kept being pestered, but no one found out anything.

"It's OK. I understand if you can't say anything. No need to explain. You have your considerations." The folks calling Flying Pegasus started answering their own questions.

But the composers at Flying Pegasus were equally dumbfounded.

Wait, what do you understand? Please explain.

What considerations? How come we were kept in the dark? Who wrote that song? How come Silver Wing had signed such a great talent and we didn't know about it?

The head of Flying Pegasus clutched his chest with a shivering hand after hanging up the phone again.

Heartbreaking.

An epic.

Used to launch a virtual idol.

He wanted to find out who had made such a wasteful decision.

After swallowing a pill handed to him by an assistant, the head of Flying Pegasus couldn't sit still. He got up and punched his intercom.

He was going to complain to the head of the label.

The music industry was abuzz with heated discussion, and outsiders were equally excited.

A song deemed hefty enough to back an epic film by an authoritative publication was used to launch a virtual idol. It was the equivalent of rolling out a red carpet made with gold bricks.

"What do I hear? Money! Tons of money!"

"No, what you're hearing is the sound of gold bricks."

Gold bricks.

A gold brick you could purchase for a dollar.

Even music fans uninterested in epic scores couldn't help downloading the song. Only the song was available for download. The music video could only be added to a playlist.

Everyone who watched the music video shared the same thought.

"How come it feels like this is just the beginning?"

"You're spot on. It is just the beginning. Didn't you see the words 'First Movement' at the end of the video? It's the end of the year. I think Silver Wing is up to something."

"I think Silver Wing is up to something too."

"Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment created such a frenzy with their virtual idols, while Silver Wing kept a low profile. Turns out they were holding back a secret weapon."

"They've made their first move. A second move is coming, no?"

"Am I the only person who noticed the name Fang Zhao?"

...

No matter what, "Divine Punishment" being deemed an epic by industry authorities caused countless ripples. Everyone at Silver Wing was shocked except for Du Ang, Julian, and Ya Erlin.

After reading the review, Du Ang and company rushed to the 50th floor. Today marked the official launch of Polar Light, so the entire virtual idol project team was there. They were celebrating when the trio arrived.

Zu Wen and Zeng Huang weren't music fans, but they knew what the review meant for Polar Light's debut.

When Du Ang and company arrived, they locked the elevator doors so no curious outsiders could bother them.

Du Ang was so excited he forgot what he wanted to say when he opened his mouth.

Ya Erlin and Julian shoved him aside when they saw he couldn't manage a syllable after several false starts.

"Fang Zhao, are you really the composer?" Julian asked. Even though she had asked the question many times, she was still skeptical when the review came out.

"Yes, I wrote the song." Fang Zhao nodded.

"If I'm not mistaken, there are still other movements in the works?" Ya Erlin followed up.

"Indeed." Fang Zhao had nothing to hide. "There are still three more movements to go."

The trio of department heads took a deep breath.

Three more movements.

"Have you started recording them? Let us take a look." Du Ang was anxious to get a head start.

"I haven't started recording," Fang Zhao responded.

"Why?" Du Ang asked in a surprised tone.

But Fang Zhao was the one who was surprised by the stupid question.

"I've used up all my funding."

Chapter 28: Upstairs for a Meeting

Much of their top-notch equipment had a limited shelf life and their rental payments accounted for a good chunk of their 5-million-dollar budget, let alone other costly expenditures. Plus the project staff hadn't been paid yet.

It was a cliche, but artists had to eat too. Fang Zhao didn't want to mistreat his own people, so when he used up all his funding, he put the project on hold. They would continue whenever they received additional funding. The success of the first movement convinced Fang Zhao that Silver Wing wouldn't pass on such a promising project.

"Hiss—that's a loaded question." It finally dawned on Du Ang and company that the project was only budgeted for 5 million—and that was the result of Du's lobbying. It would have been even less had the original appropriation gone through.

Indeed, 5 million was too little considering the success of the project thus far. Fang Zhao and company had done an amazing job just launching Polar Light.

"Rest assured, I'll lobby the bosses for more funding. It will be more than last time. Plus you'll get decent bonuses," Du Ang said.

Even an idiot knew that Silver Wing finally had a proper virtual idol on its hands. How could it not back the hell out of it? Not to mention a second epic was in the works.

This kid was going to become rich. He might even be recruited by Flying Pegasus. That was a goal Ya Erlin had failed to achieve up to this point.

Having been dealt a reality check, Du Ang calmed down somewhat. "Speaking of which..."

Du Ang scanned the group, his gaze pausing briefly on Zu Wen and company. "Mum's the word. Try to run a tight ship."

Zu Wen struggled not to break into laughter. "Understood."

Outside observers all thought that Polar Light's epic debut was a secret bomb Silver Wing had held back for the end of the year. When a Silver Wing spokesman was asked about the project in a clip they just watched online, all he could do was maintain his composure and smile, projecting an aura of mystery. But the project team figured the spokesman's back was drenched in sweat.

What else could he do but smile and act coy? Say he didn't know about Polar Light? That would be the equivalent of slapping himself in the face.

If that was how he answered, Silver Wing would've become the biggest joke in the industry and even gone down in history as such.

Silver Wing couldn't afford to lose that much face.

After Du Ang and company left, Fang Zhao was thanked by Bei Zhi and Ji Polun. Fang Zhao had listed their names in the credits, which gave them exposure. It was an important boost for any singer or actor.

Bei Zhi probably didn't expect Fang Zhao to list him in the credits, considering he had only helped out on the 50th floor for three days during his break. All he did was haul equipment around for three days. Even though he was listed last, he was still excited. His agent had just told him the number of online searches for him would spike considerably. However you looked at it, that was a form of fame as well. He had an edge over other newcomers.

So excited. So excited.

"Hehe, hehehehe, hahahaha!"

Bei Zhi scampered about ecstatically in the newcomer dorm, behaving like a convulsing lamb.

His three roommates were jealous. What could they say? You can't control luck.

After he was thanked and congratulated by Bei Zhi and Ji Polun, Fang Zhao skimmed the comments on the song posted online, getting a sense of the overall response before moving on to the more respected media outlets. They were the opinion leaders on the matter.

The hosts of the popular webcast "Prairie Fire" had all forgotten about the "Yanzhou Derby" they had coined earlier. Now all the talk revolved around Silver Wing's underlying strategy and speculation about its next move. They were convinced that Silver Wing had been working on the virtual idol for some time and all previous rumors were simply a smokescreen.

To back up their speculation, "Prairie Fire" invited experts onto the show. Experts wouldn't lie, no?

Two guests appeared on the live webcast. The first was Prof. Bradley, a scholar from the history faculty at Yanzhou University who specialized in the Period of Destruction. The other was researcher Kou Da, who studied animal mutations during the Period of Destruction at the Yanzhou Academy of Science. Both were bona fide experts.

Both were genuine leaders in the field. What they said was authoritative. No one questioned the veracity of their research.

Bradley analyzed the authenticity of the "Divine Punishment" music video—the sequence of events and the location and scale of the meteor showers and subsequent earthquakes. His conclusion: the music video was spot on. Although the virtual idol was fiction, the historical backdrop was accurate. He couldn't find any flaws. The music video was better made than many movies about the Period of Destruction.

Professor Kou Da of the Yanzhou Academy of Science focused on the mutated animals that appeared in the music video. His conclusion: there were no inaccuracies. So many mutated animals appeared during the Period of Destruction, but the music video got all the minute details right. The production design was so exacting that he wanted to meet the expert consulted for the project.

The two hosts acted as if they had landed a major scoop, concluding, "Therefore, our suspicion is that Silver Wing was backed by a formidable team of consultants comprising the top names in the business. They stayed out of sight because they signed confidentiality agreements. You can tell that Silver Wing put considerable thought into the project. It must have been in the pipeline for some time."

On the 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower, Zu Wen and company shifted their gaze to Fang Zhao.

A formidable team of consultants?

Hehe.

Among outsiders, all eyes were on Silver Wing's next move. In fact, many Silver Wing staffers were wondering too. They were waiting for the company's top brass to respond. This was no ordinary debut. There was too much attention. The higher ups were also cautious. Didn't you notice the label's chief spokesman could only smile and remain silent?

Du Ang had decided to ask for more funding after conferring with Ya Erlin and Julian in his office. They had heard nothing from senior management so far. Du Ang wanted to use funding as an excuse to probe. But before he could make his move, he received a text message from his superior. He was so shocked he turned ghastly pale and nearly dropped his cup.

"What's up, Old Du?" Ya Erlin and Julian asked when they saw Du Ang react the same way a rat did when it ran into a cat.

"Manager Shi asked us to round up Fang Zhao for a meeting upstairs." Du Ang responded as he tightened his grip on his cup.

"You mean us three?" Julian pointed at herself.

"That's right. That's what Manager Shi said—us three and Fang Zhao. The four of us. Not one less."

"What floor?" Ya Erlin asked. The location of the meeting reflected the rank of the executive who called and led the meeting. The rule of thumb at Silver Wing was the higher the floor, the higher the rank. The meeting was most definitely about the virtual idol project and its epic song. If they found out where the meeting was being held, they could try to figure out the agenda through their connections.

Du Ang took a gulp and pointed upward. "Top floor," he said in a shaky voice.

Only one person could convene a meeting in the top-floor conference room—the big boss.

Chapter 29: The Label Prizes Its Best Talen

No wonder none of the higher-ups had said anything. They were waiting for the big boss.

"You mean... Boss Du-Duan?" Ya Erlin's voice was even shakier. "Didn't she go to Huangzhou?"

"How would I know?" Du Ang didn't know what to do. They had expected the label not to handle the matter with kid gloves, but things had evolved beyond their expectations.

"Someone at Flying Pegasus must have complained to her," Ya Erlin voiced his speculation.

"Regardless of what went down, let's get ready. I'll get in touch with Fang Zhao. We'll head up to the top floor together."

On the 50th floor, Fang Zhao was monitoring the feedback to his release online. He was a bit surprised when he got word from Du Ang. He didn't expect the big boss to get involved.

He got up, sorted out his wrinkled outfit, and then told the others, "You guys take a break. I have to head upstairs for a meeting."

"Where's the meeting?" Zu Wen asked.

"The top-floor conference room."

"The top floor?" Zu Wen sprang from his seat. "Brother, a bit of advice. When you see the big boss, remember these five words: "no bullshit, tell the truth.'"

The head of Silver Wing was Duan Qianji, the granddaughter of founder and megastar Duan Yizhi. She was in her 70s. Word was that, when Duan Yizhi was still alive, a young Duan Qianji enjoyed an active on-screen career under the tutelage of her grandfather. When Duan Yizhi passed, Duan Qianji took over Silver Wing.

Fang Zhao recalled the research he had done before. There was a limited amount of information online and there were signs it had been doctored. As for the real Duan Qianji, Fang Zhao had never met her and knew little about her. He could only surmise from the reaction of Zu Wen, Du Ang, and company that the boss didn't have the best of tempers and wasn't the type of person who smiled all the time.

The elevator for rank-and-file employees couldn't reach the top floor. Fang Zhao followed Du Ang and company into a different elevator. The higher the elevator rose, the more nervous Du Ang and the two others became, Fang Zhao sensed.

Initially, Du Ang still managed to give Fang Zhao a few pointers, but eventually he turned silent. His whole body stiffened. It seemed as if the air pressure had dipped.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a 5-meter long hallway flanked by cold, metallic walls. Even the sunlight couldn't disperse the invisible chill.

After confirming their identities, an expressionless young man waved at them, signaling them to go ahead. Fang Zhao noticed that the man's gaze lingered on him for a few extra seconds.

When they entered the conference room, the chitchat stopped and some 20-odd pairs of eyes shifted their way. Every single person at the table was a senior executive above manager grade. Lowly department heads like Du Ang normally had no business being there.

The discerning and probing gazes were suffocating. Du Ang and company smiled stiffly. It seemed as though they could hear the heavy beating of their own hearts.

Taking a cue from his direct boss, Du Ang and party walked to the four spots at the end of the table. They were the lowest ranked employees and were seated accordingly.

The conference table was an inverted V. The seat at the joint was reserved for the big boss. It was still empty. There was another empty seat by her chair. It was unclear who it was reserved for.

Fang Zhao wasn't that nervous. He was checking out the conference room and wondering how the big boss would react. If she wasn't happy with his work, he wasn't going to grovel. In the worst-case scenario, he could leave and take his entire team with him. There were plenty of other record companies who would happily hire them.

Less than a minute after they sat down, before other curious senior execs could question them, the doors to the conference room opened again. The buzz that had greeted the arrival of Fang Zhao and company disappeared. It became so quiet every breath could be heard. This wasn't a curious silence. It was driven by fear and pressure.

Fang Zhao saw a stern-faced woman walk in with huge strides. Because life expectancy had increased in the New Era, even though Duan Qianji was nearly 80, she looked like someone in her 40s from before the apocalypse. There were some wrinkles in the corners of her eyes, but she looked quite sharp. She projected the strong aura of someone in charge.

Duan Qianji was trailed by four underlings—two secretaries and two assistants. They didn't show much emotion but seemed more relaxed and less serious than their boss.

Another elderly man entered along with Duan Qianji. After she sat down at the head of the table, he took the seat next to her.

Fang Zhao scanned the old man and noticed he was wearing a lapel pin with a Pegasus logo. He was from Flying Pegasus.

"Which one of you is Fang Zhao?" Duan Qianji cut to the chase right after she sat down.

His head drooped, Du Ang tapped Fang Zhao beneath the table, signaling him to stand up. His other hand wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He took an imaginary deep breath. If she was going to question Fang Zhao first, did that mean she wasn't upset that they'd taken matters into their own hands?

"I am." Fang Zhao got up.

Zip.

Fang Zhao's seat left its original spot and shifted to the empty space in the middle of the conference table, toward the head of the table.

Duan Qianji observed Fang Zhao's response. If he were a newcomer attending his first meeting on the top floor, the slightest movement would affect him. But Fang Zhao was unfazed. He wasn't nervous. Instead, he eyed his moving chair curiously. The surrounding gazes didn't get to him one bit.

This was no ordinary newcomer. He was too calm for his age.

"You wrote 'Divine Punishment?'" Duan Qianji glared at Fang Zhao when she posed the question.

"Yes, I wrote it," Fang Zhao said without avoiding Du Qianji's gaze.

Sensing no sign of deception, Duan Qianji's expression relaxed somewhat. "How many more movements are you planning for your Period of Destruction series?"

"Three more."

Gasps emerged from around the table. It was the same reaction Du Ang had had when he heard the news. The old man from Flying Pegasus was about to speak, but Duan Qianji raised her hand to interrupt. His eyes flashed panic.

"Have you recorded the remaining movements?" Duan Qianji asked.

"No, I'm out of funding."

Another round of gasps.

Du Ang and company became even more sheepish.

You've got guts, kid, asking the big boss for more funding.

Duan Qianji paused for two seconds, a trace of a smile appearing on her face.

"Fifty million for the second movement and the music video. I want to see a final product before November."

"No problem."

Duan Qianji remembered something and asked, "Who was the eye model for the music video?"

"Me."

"And your team of consultants?"

"It was just me."

The others at the table glared at Fang Zhao like he was a monster. The manager in charge of film production rolled his eyes and shut his eyelids in contemplation.

This time, Duan Qianji paused a little longer. "From now on, you're the manager of the virtual projects department and the producer for the Polar Light project. You'll be in charge of staffing. As for the bonuses for your team, Zhu Zhen will be in touch after the meeting."

One of the assistants standing behind Duan Qianji stepped forward and smiled at Fang Zhao.

"The label prizes its best talent." It sounded like a consolatory remark. Noticing that Fang Zhao was still deep in thought, she asked, "Anything else?"

"One more thing."

"Go ahead."

"Can I bring a dog to work?"

"..."

Chapter 30: We're Rich Now

Du Ang's head dropped even lower. The mood in the room froze. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The pressure mounted again, reducing Du Ang and company to labored breathing.

Can I bring a dog to work?

This was the first time they'd heard someone pose that question to the big boss in the top-floor conference room.

Kid, do you have a death wish?

You wanna bring a dog to work? How about becoming a dog's bitch instead?

Why not capitalize on the opportunity to lobby for more perks instead? What are you thinking?

He was indeed too young, or maybe an artist's brain functioned differently. So this was the kind of brain that could produce an epic.

After a nearly 30-second silence, Duan Qianji slowly responded, "No problem. Like I said, the label prizes its best talent."

Of course the special treatment didn't mean that Fang Zhao could roam around the company with his dog. That was restricted to the 50th floor. The virtual projects department was now Fang Zhao's turf. He could do whatever he wanted. Duan Qianji had one demand—that he deliver a satisfactory product. As long as Fang Zhao met that demand, as far as she was concerned, he could bring a zoo to work.

"So that's the agenda for the virtual idol project. I want to see the second movement released before November. Alright, the four of you can leave first," Duan Qianji said.

Du Ang raised his head and glanced at his boss. Gleaning from Manager Shi's gaze, he confirmed that Duan Qianji was talking about the four of them, meaning their business had been attended to and they could leave. The rest of the meeting was beyond their pay grade.

After tapping Fang Zhao, whose chair had returned to its original spot, Fang Zhao led the four out of the conference room. Whatever happened behind closed doors after they left was none of their business.

Du Ang and the two department heads only dared to breathe when they entered the elevator. It looked like they'd been reborn. Ya Erlin was still clutching his chest. "I was scared shitless. Shitless. Hey, Fang Zhao, weren't you scared?"

"Why would I be scared?" Fang Zhao asked.

Julian looked at the peaceful Fang Zhao and recalled his bold question in the conference room, then took in the Ya Erlin still drenched in cold sweat and shook her head. Both were creative types. How come they were so different?

"No matter what, congrats on the promotion, Fang Zhao," Julian said with a laugh. They used to be able to pull rank on him, but from the moment they left the conference room, Fang Zhao was no longer junior to them. Judging from his new title, he was actually more senior, except he didn't wield much real authority. But if his second movement also became a hit...

"Fang Zhao!"

Du Ang grabbed Fang Zhao's arm tightly and stared at him with a strange gaze. The nerves that paralyzed him during the meeting were gone, replaced with excitement and disbelief.

"Fang Zhao, the second movement must be a success."

Du Ang wasn't mad that he'd lost oversight of the project. He could tell from his boss's gaze that he would be receiving a decent bonus too. Plus, he'd never wanted to manage the virtual projects department. He wasn't upset. He was thinking about something else.

In the New Era, commercial entertainment was never limited to one medium, be it real idols or virtual idols. They were never confined to the music industry only. Pop music was only the tip of the iceberg.

It was always part of a broader strategic plan.

Take the virtual idols Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment launched, for example. After their songs charted well, they began to plot their movie careers. Silver Wing's real idols followed a similar path.

The difference was that, since Silver Wing's founding, none of its virtual idols had received this kind of backing from the label. But Du Ang had sensed a shifting landscape when he'd left the conference room today.

Why had Duan Qianji lavished so many perks on Fang Zhao? Even someone from Flying Pegasus might not have received that kind of treatment. Something had to be lined up for him, pending the launch of the second movement.

"Now it's up to you to record the second movement."

Duan Qianji's assistant, Zhu Zhen, had already sent Fang Zhao a bonus breakdown. The people who actually worked on the project—Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Song Miao and Pang Pusong—were each awarded 100,000 dollars. Zu Wen, the chief technician, got 300,000. Fang Zhao, the producer, received 1 million. That was strictly a bonus. He would also get a cut of his song's profits next month.

After consulting Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, and Pang Pusong, Fang Zhao changed their status to full-time employees.

After becoming a full-time staffer, Pang Pusong felt he could carry himself with more gusto. After signing his new contract, he notified his mother and told her he wanted to buy her a gift.

Song Miao was planning on using her bonus to buy the dress she'd spotted last time.

Zeng Huang and Wan Yue were wondering if they should buy the flat they were considering.

"Zu Wen, what are you going to buy?" Zeng Huang asked after noticing the technician remaining silent.

"Me? I've already bought something." He turned on the screen of his bracelet and showed the group a settings page. "I've upgraded my gaming gear. What's the point of having money and not enhancing the gaming experience?"

Zeng Huang: "...Whatever makes you happy."

"Boss, what are you going to get?" Zu Wen asked Fang Zhao, now addressing him differently.

Fang Zhao was reading a text message he'd just received. "Zhu Zhen, the chairwoman's assistant, says she's sending us two flying cars. She wants us to check our garage to make sure they aren't cluttered."

"Flying cars?" Zu Wen forgot about his gaming upgrade and jogged to the garage.

Every floor above the 20th was equipped with a garage. So was the 50th, but the department had been gutted and nothing was left. Only a few staffers had remained, and they had been dirt poor. Things had only improved when Fang Zhao arrived, but they had still been on a tight budget. They'd rented their equipment by the hour; otherwise, they would've gone over budget.

Now they were rich.

"I checked. The garage is empty." Zu Wen opened the garage door.

Soon, someone delivered two flying cars, each emblazoned with a pair of silver wings.

They were also company cars, but these two were much better than the one Fang Zhao saw Fang Sheng arrive in on his black street. That wasn't to say that Silver Wing's cars were better than Neon Culture's. The make of the car was a function of one's status within the company. The higher your position, the more the label valued you and the better your car.

The two cars were department property, not for personal use. They were there for emergencies, so the department didn't have to beg other departments for transportation.

Zu Wen fondled the two cars lovingly top to bottom, even their wheels.

"I decided not to game today. I'm going to go for a spin instead. Boss, didn't you want to head home for a bit? I'll drive you," Zu Wen said.

Fang Zhao gave his staff the day off. They would start piling on the overtime again tomorrow. They would be living at the office for some time, although with only the few of them occupying the whole floor, everyone would get their own office. Plus there was a lounge. It wasn't a hardship. It was easier living at the office.

Food-wise, Fang Zhao also treated them well. Meals from the company cafeteria weren't great, but they weren't bad.

By the time Zu Wen drove Fang Zhao to his black street, it was already dark. Fang Zhao didn't have Zu Wen drop him off at his building entrance. There was more traffic at night. Various forms of transportation were out and about, zigzagging in the airspace, and Zu Wen was an average driver. So for safety's sake, Fang Zhao got off at a train station. He took the elevator to ground level and walked toward his building.

Black streets were noisier at night. Many of the street lamps were broken and left unrepaired. The streets were illuminated by shop signs on both sides.

Fang Zhao kept walking, pondering how to go about the second movement of his series at the same time. He stopped suddenly.

He had reached a street corner. There were no shops on either side and the street lamps were busted. He was about 100 meters from the busy stretch of the street. What stopped Fang Zhao was the four people standing in front of him. One held a gun that was pointed at Fang Zhao. The four men were wearing black masks and had scrambled their voices.

"Be smart and transfer 1,000 dollars to this account." One of the young men, wearing a biker jacket, flashed a card with an account number written on it with fluorescent ink.

He knew instantly that this was a repeat offender who specialized in extorting bank transfers.

After he got over the shock, Fang Zhao couldn't help laughing. Even when he'd learned about his promotion, that he could requisition resources from other departments to produce his second movement, when people were flattering him, he hadn't laughed.

How long had it been since he'd had a gun pointed at him? Fang Zhao couldn't remember.

The gunman didn't know what Fang Zhao was laughing about. He was wondering why Fang Zhao's response was so odd. Wouldn't a normal person tremble and make the transfer?

Is he nuts or crazy? The four robbers gauged Fang Zhao again.

Whatever, the robbery was the pressing matter at hand.

"Transfer the money, hurry!" the gunman urged.

"You just got the gun today, didn't you?" Fang Zhao walked toward the gunman.

"What? Stop, or I'll shoot."

"Is this your first time using a gun?" Fang Zhao pressed forward.

"None of your business. Stop, you hear me?"

"Your hands are shaking."

"I told you, I'm going to shoot if you keep walking."

"Do you know what they called someone like you in my times?"

The quartet stared at Fang Zhao, puzzled by what this fellow who looked no older than them meant.

Fang Zhao smiled at the four robbers. "A little bastard."

Chapter 31: It Can't Be Him

Bang!

It was a dark corner and the gunshot wasn't that loud, so it didn't draw much attention on a busy black street at night. Some shops were playing music at deafening volumes—their employees were completely clueless.

Yue Qing was taking payment at his counter. He raised his head abruptly and looked in the direction of the gunshot. It might have eluded others but it stood out to him amid the clutter of other noises. He couldn't hear it clearly, but he instinctively knew it was a gunshot.

His shop was quite crowded, so Yue Qing didn't head outside. He sat at his counter, adjusted the surveillance camera installed at his entrance, and watched his monitor. The street corner was a short distance away and his camera had limited coverage.

A few secondary school students riding their skateboards passed by, joking among themselves.

Not them.

A few drunken men mumbling as they leaned on each other.

Not them either.

Huh?

Yue Qing spotted someone on his monitor.

Fang Zhao?

He was carrying something in his hands. Yue Qing zoomed in and realized it was only a takeout box from a neighboring barbecue restaurant.

Fang Zhao showed up in Yue Qing's shop soon.

"Overtime?" Yue Qing asked with a smile and probing eyes.

"It's a busy time at work, but it'll start getting even busier from now on. I might be gone for a few days straight starting tomorrow. I'm just going to crash at the office." Fang Zhao opened his takeout box.

He handed Yue Qing a piece of barbecued meat. "Have some?"

"Thanks. The barbecued meat at that joint is decent. They get their meat from Muzhou. It isn't hybrid meat." Offered food, Yue Qing flashed a wide grin. He pulled a bottle of liquor from a shelf and offered Fang Zhao a glass.

"Bonus?" Yue Qing asked. He knew the barbecued meat wasn't cheap. People in the neighborhood typically dined on compressed synthetic food. Real barbecued meat was a luxury on a black street. A palm-sized piece cost 200 or 300 dollars. Yue Qing indulged himself only once or twice a month.

"Yep. That's why I splurged." Fang Zhao handed Yue Qing another piece.

"That's right—your new song sounds great. I downloaded it. The music video looks good too. I recommended it to my old comrades. They enjoyed it too. I heard in the news today that you're about to release your second single?" Yue Qing asked.

"Hence the overtime."

"I'm rooting for you. We'll be waiting for your new release, haha!"

Fang Zhao bought 10 pieces of barbecued meat. He and Yue Qing each had three pieces and he saved another three for Ai Wan. Ai Wan had said he was too busy to drop by and asked Fang Zhao to leave the pieces with Yue Qing. He would pick them up when things died down at his shop.

Fang Zhao brought the remaining piece in the takeout box upstairs.

Inside his shop, Yue Qing slapped his forehead. He was so busy eating and drinking he'd forgotten to ask Fang Zhao if he'd seen anything unusual at the street corner, but it probably had nothing to with that kid. Then who was it?

Yue Qing pulled up his surveillance monitor and started watching the people who passed by.

Around dusk something went down on the street behind his shop. It was a violent dispute but no one was killed. Yue Qing also learned that a gun was lost. But a lost firearm wasn't something people discussed publicly. After all, it wasn't a legal gun. Most of the guns in circulation on black streets were made in underground workshops. They were never registered and no one advertised when they went missing.

But he didn't nail down who had taken the gun. The gunshot from the street corner must have had something to do with the lost gun.

Who had taken the gun?

Yue Qing stared at his monitor for some time but didn't spot anyone suspicious. He eventually gave up. Who cared—as long as trouble didn't come his way.

As for Fang Zhao, he had already arrived on the second floor. As soon as he opened his door, Curly Hair approached, wagging his tail violently. The smell of barbecued meat excited it even more. It couldn't stop whining.

Fang Zhao scanned the room and didn't see any damage. He fondled the dog on its head. "Good job."

He placed the piece of barbecued meat on the dog's plate, closed his windows, and drew the curtains. He took off his coat, from which he plucked a gun.

The gun was a rather old model, but it was still quite advanced for Fang Zhao's time. There were many improvements.

Fang Zhao also removed a mangled bullet from his pocket.

So when Yue Qing was glued to his monitor searching for suspicious characters who might have picked up the lost gun, Fang Zhao was upstairs studying the gun he'd confiscated. He was a long way from home. He didn't know how to use the current generation of guns, so he had to study up.

The next day, Fang Zhao took Curly Hair downstairs to Yue Qing's shop. He would be crashing at his office for some time. He would need Yue Qing's help keeping an eye on his second-floor apartment.

Ai Wan was there too. He was telling Yue Qing about the four young men he'd treated at his pharmacy last night.

The four kids were petty thieves in school and eventually graduated to robbery. Now they had dropped out and continued their life of crime. Their previous marks were outsiders, they robbed small amounts and no one was killed, so black street residents turned a blind eye. But their job last night seemed to have gone awry. The four of them were badly beaten.

Ai Wan had asked them what had happened. Initially, the four were tight-lipped, but eventually, Ai Wan got a few words out of them.

"I'm guessing the four kids are the ones who picked up the gun. As for who beat them up, they wouldn't say. They only suffered from flesh wounds. They'll be hurting for a while, but they'll be OK in the long run. The person who attacked them just wanted to teach them a lesson."

"So the gunshot at the street corner was those four kids?" Yue Qing asked.

"No way. Those four kids had never handled a gun before. Even if they had a gun, they wouldn't have the guts to fire it. Even if they had the guts, they never had the chance to follow through. They were knocked down before they could see their opponent. The shot was fired by their attacker, probably to scare them. One of the four kids was so scared he peed. I could smell the piss on him when they arrived at my shop," Yue Qing explained animatedly.

When he spotted Fang Zhao, Ai Wan greeted him with a smile. "The barbecued meat yesterday was great. I hear you'll be stuck at the office for a while? Rest assured, Old Yue and I will keep an eye on your apartment. No one will dare touch your windows. Just treat us to barbecued meat again next time you get a bonus."

"Sure thing. No problem," Fang Zhao responded succinctly. He was in a hurry.

"Go, go. Don't worry about your apartment." Yue Qing tossed Fang Zhao a bag of compressed biscuits. "For your commute."

"Thanks!" Fang Zhao stuck the bag in his pocket and headed out in a hurry, Curly Hair in tow.

As Fang Zhao faded into the background, Ai Wan picked up where he'd left off with Yue Qing. "Say, which outsider is capable of delivering such a good lashing in this neighborhood?"

"You think it might be that kid?" Yue Qing pointed at Fang Zhao's silhouette.

Ai Wan shook his head firmly. "Him? He's a musician. How could he? The four kids told me their attacker clearly knew how to handle a gun. But aren't you the only veteran on this street, Old Yue?"

Yue Qing didn't think it was Fang Zhao either. "Let me look up the new tenants."

After leaving his black street, Fang Zhao called a cab because pets were banned from public trains. The first order of business was applying for a permit for his dog. He listed "Curly Hair" as its name.

The dog was only officially adopted when it had a chip implanted. The chip served as its ID. Fang Zhao could locate it wherever it went. And a quick scan would reveal the pet's identity and owner.

After registering his pet, Fang Zhao brought it to the company.

Staffers on the ground floor were puzzled to see Fang Zhao bringing a dog to work. Then they noticed that he wasn't stopped. The security guards took a quick glance at him and moved on. They had no intention of interfering.

"I'm not mistaken, right? The person who just passed by was Fang Zhao, no?"

"Yep, and he brought a dog."

"The things newcomers can get away with these days..."

"He's even younger than you are and he produced an epic, haha."

"Your information is out of date. My sources tell me that he's been promoted."

Fang Zhao ignored the discussion and ducked into the elevator. He was on the phone with Bu Lai. The body he inherited was weak. He needed to work out.

"Why, isn't it Manager Fang? Congratulations on the promotion." Bu Lai's jaded face beamed a warm smile.

"Thank you."

"You need more equipment? I can ask the property staff to hold your equipment."

"No, I was actually wondering if you had any exercise equipment."

"I don't think so, but I could order some, although the company already has a gym. You wanna set one up in your department?"

"That's what I was thinking."

"No problem. Your floor is quite spacious anyway."

"Anything else? I'll put them in the same order."

"Gaming consoles?"

"...Manager Fang, you're here to work."

"I also want the gear for shooting games. I prefer realistic guns."

"Fang Zhao, you're here to work."

"Let's go with games that aren't too old. The newer the better."

"Fang Zhao, you're here to work!"

Chapter 32: Killing by Flattery

Bu Lai could authorize the gym equipment, but he didn't want to take any flak for the gaming equipment. In his mind, Fang Zhao was still young, and young men lacked sufficient willpower. If Fang Zhao got addicted to gaming and didn't complete his project, or if the quality of his work declined, Bu Lai would have to be held accountable. So when it came to gaming equipment, he deferred to his bosses. He couldn't decide himself.

The people Bu Lai delegated to were efficient and well-equipped. And since an existing space was available, the same with the equipment, tools, and manpower, it was a quick setup.

The same afternoon, the virtual idol department on the 50th floor added a 100 square-meter gym.

"Our own gym?"

Zu Wen was especially excited. Sometimes he wanted to work out when he got tired from gaming—no, he meant working. All he could do was jump up and down in his office. The company gym was too crowded. You had to book a time slot in advance. He was also a homebody and weak physically. His parents often urged him to work out, to not alternate between working and gaming. The key to life was exercise, they told him.

Now that their department had its own gym, he didn't have to fight for gym time.

"I actually applied for gaming equipment too," Fang Zhao said.

Zu Wen's ears bolted up immediately. "And?" he asked eagerly.

"The request was rejected."

Zu Wen shrank to his original state.

"What the bosses are thinking is if our second movement is a success, they might sign off," Fang Zhao continued.

"Then let's bust our asses!" Zu Wen threw hard punches into the air. He felt as if his life had renewed purpose. He was brimming with energy. For him, gaming equipment was a stronger incentive than a cash bonus.

Fang Zhao had sent out the timetable for the Polar Light project and the division of labor a long time ago. He didn't want to set individual schedules. Staffers could decide their hours as long as they didn't mess up and stuck to the schedule. The project team met once every three days to take stock and deal with issues.

One morning, Fang Zhao was running on his treadmill. It was an artificially intelligent treadmill that adjusted to Fang Zhao's pace.

Curly Hair ran alongside its owner. If Fang Zhao picked up pace, so did Curly Hair. If Fang Zhao slowed down, it slowed down too. He never tripped on the treadmill.

Fang Zhao browsed industry news as he ran.

The hit show "Prairie Fire" had turned its sights to Silver Media's Polar Light project again. It had advertised yesterday that it would invite another expert to weigh in on the project.

This time it wasn't a science or history academic, but a master from the music industry. Indeed, Padley was an especially verbose master who had an acid tongue. He had the talent to back it up, but he was quite talkative.

Professionals naturally offered a professional perspective, and Padley specialized in symphonies. Fang Zhao's "Divine Punishment" happened to employ a symphonic structure. That was also why "Prairie Fire" invited Padley onto the show. He was an expert in the field and had a foul mouth. The ideal guest to generate controversy.

Padley didn't trash "Divine Punishment." To the contrary, he was full of praise throughout the interview. He zoomed in on every section of the song and expressed the utmost admiration. Of course, he sprinkled in some trash talk as well. As with his previous media appearances, it just didn't feel right unless he started a feud. He was only satisfied when he dissed a few folks.

That sort of commentary wasn't the exception. You could hear that kind of talk online every day just in Qi'an alone. When the buzz faded, people would add fuel to the fire. There appeared to be a driving force behind the scenes.

Du Ang was also worried about the situation. He was thinking it was the doing of Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture.

Among the top cooperatives at the Big Three, each unit would study the other two when they had down time—their musical style, patterns in their songs, and so on. Metal Torrent and Fourth Dimension, the leading cooperatives at Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment, had to have noticed that "Divine Punishment" was quite different from Flying Pegasus' past releases and suspected the composer was an outsider, hence the underhanded tactics to ferret details. They might have identified Fang Zhao already. Silver Wing wasn't a seamless ship. You could always pry out some information.

The higher you ascended, the harder the fall.

"Killing by flattery."

Even though virtual idol projects normally didn't credit their composers initially, they would be unveiled later on through certain channels. The creators would not go unsung.

Pieces produced by Flying Pegasus might have involved some individual work at some point, but at the outset, they were all composed as a cooperative, with the emphasis on Flying Pegasus as a collective. They would only reveal later if a certain person or several people wrote certain songs. Only by promoting the overall brand of Flying Pegasus could they boost the individual worth of its members.

By the same token, Fang Zhao's current priority was to promote the virtual idol Polar Light. Everything revolved around Polar Light. They would reveal the creative talent after Polar Light gained a profile. If Fang Zhao was credited when "Divine Punishment" was released, then he would detract from the popularity of and divert attention away from Polar Light.

Duan Qianji had given Fang Zhao a choice, and Fang Zhao had chosen to go solo. She had agreed and kept Flying Pegasus on the sidelines.

Now, all eyes were on Fang Zhao—not just outside observers, but within Silver Media, Duan Qianji and other senior executives were also paying close attention—to see whether he could shoulder the challenge of continuing the epic series.

Of course, if Fang Zhao felt he was stretched and needed additional support, Duan Qianji would send help from Flying Pegasus, but that meant that, when the credits were announced, it wouldn't be Fang Zhao's name but the Flying Pegasus cooperative.

The other staffers working on the Polar Light project also noticed the commentary.

"Should we hire a consultant?" Zeng Huang asked. He was worried that Fang Zhao was under too much pressure. From top to bottom, the entire label had huge expectations, and killing by flattery was being committed in the media every day. A less steely person would have gone crazy. If Fang Zhao could hole up and focus on composing, maybe he could steer clear of some of the distractions. That would require hiring a consultant.

"That's right, boss. Why don't you hole up and focus on composing. We can hire a consultant or an additional team," Zu Wen also proposed.

If Fang Zhao were actually a kid in his early 20s, he would definitely be affected by the widespread adulation. He would become too proud or crumble under the pressure. But not Fang Zhao.

He didn't live 100-plus years in his previous life for nothing. He had weathered countless close calls in the past. A little bit of pressure wasn't enough to rattle him.

"It's OK. I can handle everything on my own."

Chapter 33: Expansion

Fang Zhao could handle the overall artistic vision and manage his staff, but the other members of the team weren't as mentally strong as he was. They were still affected by the pressure, both internally and externally. Even Zu Wen was making careless mistakes.

"We're short-staffed."

Thus Fang Zhao pronounced at their meeting every three days after surveying everyone's progress.

"I agree. It's best that we recruit a few more Reg Dimension technicians, ones that excel at staging scenes with many characters." Zeng Huang agreed with Zu Wen. Even though they had a few loaned technicians from other departments, they weren't on the same page, leading to occasional disputes. They didn't follow instructions.

"Let's recruit a few more people," Song Miao suggested. She wasn't assigned to the virtual idol department initially. She applied for a formal transfer after the first movement was released and became an official member of the team. Only their own staffers would go all out and dedicate themselves to the project.

Fang Zhao shifted his gaze to Zu Wen. "Zu Wen, any recommendations?"

"Internal candidates or external?" Zu Wen asked.

"Internal." The Polar Light project had received a lot of attention. Outsiders might not be trustworthy. It was best to hire internally.

"Got it. Let me ask around." Technicians like Zu Wen had their own chat groups. He was friendly with a few of his colleagues. The department ended up being overstaffed during last year's expansion and a few technicians were crowded out. Now the department had been revamped and was recruiting. He could ask if they wanted back in.

Fang Zhao also posted a notice on the label's internal chat forum: "Virtual Idol Department on the 50th Floor Seeking Reg Dimension Technicians."

The notice didn't generate many responses. Quite a few staffers saw the notice but adopted a wait-and-see attitude. There was too much press coverage of the project. The praise was over the top. If the second movement failed, the backlash would be just as intense. They were reluctant to make a move when the project's fate was still unclear.

"Can I switch fields?" Bei Zhi asked his manager after seeing the notice.

His agent vetoed the idea without hesitation. "Considering your IQ, you better keep singing."

"There are quite a few smart singers."

"And you think you're one of them?"

"..." Bei Zhi went silent.

"Don't think too much. Go practice the new song you got yesterday. I won't say anything if you want to help out on the 50th floor when you're free, but don't think about switching careers. Reg Dimension technology is too difficult." Bei Zhi's agent recalled his greenhorn days when he also aspired to become a Reg Dimension technician. Unfortunately, he didn't have the talent. Just seeing the lines of code gave him a headache.

Ji Polun wasn't contemplating a career change, but he had cleared his schedule for the next 10 days. He left a message for his agent saying he was going to hang out at the virtual idol department on the 50th floor.

His agent didn't disagree this time. The "epic" release boosted Ji Polun's popularity somewhat. More importantly, Ji Polun's acting improved slightly. He didn't know whether it was the acting courses he'd signed Ji Polun up for or if Ji Polun had actually learned a thing or two on the 50th floor. In any case, Ji Polun said he learned a lot over there, so his agent signed off.

The next day, three of Zu Wen's candidates showed up—two men and a woman. They had all spent time in the virtual projects department but were let go. They never thought about coming back. Even though Polar Light was a success so far, they were unclear about the dynamics within the new project team, so they didn't act even when they saw Fang Zhao's notice. They only turned up after being approached by Zu Wen.

Apart from the trio, a fourth candidate responded to Fang Zhao's ad.

"I'm Rodney. I graduated from the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology and joined Silver Wing last year. This is my diploma and my transcript for all six years. I've also included the certificates for awards I've won."

Rodney lined up his certificates in front of Fang Zhao. He wanted to join Silver Wing's virtual projects department after graduating last year, but the department was undergoing a massive expansion then and competition was fierce. A fresh graduate without any connections like him was no match for veteran technicians. So he bided his time in the film production department. He was tempted when he'd heard that the virtual idol department was recruiting a while ago, but he hadn't acted because he hadn't seen an official recruitment notice. When he saw Fang Zhao's notice yesterday, he decided to try his luck.

Frankly speaking, Rodney was a strong candidate. The Yanzhou University of Science and Technology was one of Yanzhou's top schools. Its Reg Dimension department ranked well in the continent. The transcripts and certificates Rodney brandished were impressive. Without a doubt, he was a stellar graduate, maybe even a nerd.

But in a company like Silver Wing, nerds were everywhere. Every department had a few geniuses. Even the unimpressive Zu Wen had an impeccable resume. That was why he was kept on while others were crowded out during the virtual projects department's expansion last year. The reason was simple—his technical skills were superior.

Speaking of which, Zu Wen had also graduated from the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology. He was only a few years ahead of Rodney.

Fang Zhao sent Zu Wen a text message. "Have you heard of Rodney?"

Zu Wen, who was working on something with Zeng Huang and company, responded immediately. "No."

Fang Zhao didn't follow up, turning his attention instead to Rodney's graduation project, a video he had made. It was a video of army ants attacking their prey during the Period of Destruction.

Army ants mutated during the Period of Destruction. They became quicker and larger and proliferated in numbers. They were awfully deadly.

Rodney's video probably drew from documentary footage and films about army ants. There were quite a few flaws in the details, but overall, he had successfully conveyed the invincible aura of the species. Otherwise the video would not have been deemed prize-worthy.

Fang Zhao didn't speak and Rodney couldn't read his face. He kept rubbing his palms on his knees. For some reason, even though the project head before him was younger than he was, he felt like he was dealing with a professor at school. He was too scared to take a deep breath and his palms were sweaty.

"Do you game?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Huh?" Rodney was caught off guard by the abrupt question.

How many Reg Dimension technicians could resist the temptation of computer games?

But given the circumstances, Rodney had to consider his answer. What if he came off as a slacker? Being caught lying was worse.

Rodney hemmed and hawed before whispering, "I do, but actually, I—"

"You're hired."

"Actually, I'm a decent gamer." He was going to say he didn't game often but switched gears. Thank God he had a quick wit and quick reflexes.

"Fill out your transfer application before 10 a.m. I'll pull your file."

"Got it. I'll get on it right away." Rodney answered gingerly.

"I'll give you a day to rest. Start tomorrow."

"Sounds good. I'll head back and get ready."

"Speak up. Can you live at the office?"

"No problem."

"Pack your things and live out of the office."

"Yes, sir!"

"Get ready for some major overtime."

"Yes, sir!"

"Any more questions?"

"No, sir!"

"Dismissed."

Rodney turned around and ducked into the elevator. He wiped the sweat on his forehead. He was suddenly at a loss.

Something didn't feel right.

Chapter 34: He's Panicking

Rodney was still at a loss when he arrived on the 50th floor the next day. He wasn't sure if he'd made the right call in deciding to transfer. He'd had many questions he wanted to ask when he visited the 50th floor yesterday, but for some reason, none of them had come out. He'd signed his contract in a daze and left in the elevator.

After tidying up in the office Fang Zhao had assigned to him, Rodney entered Zu Wen's studio.

"How are you, senior colleague? I'm Rodney, the new hire." Rodney wanted to introduce himself first.

"Cut the bullshit and start helping out." Zu Wen didn't bother to lift his head and pointed to an empty work space beside him. A desktop and other equipment were already in place.

Besides Zu Wen and Zeng Huang, the studio also housed the three other new recruits and Rodney, for a total of six people. The technicians loaned from other departments had left. From now on, the project was an in-house job.

Even though the department had expanded, the workload was still very heavy. They hadn't completed the day's tasks yet, so there was no time to welcome the newbies.

Rodney stopped talking, headed to his work space, and turned on his equipment. He scanned the list of tasks assigned to him. He was surprised. No wonder the department had to expand. Large scenes involved so many elements. Fang Zhao was also a demanding producer who paid close attention to detail. There was no room for fudging. It was time to get serious.

Fang Zhao was recording the second song with Pang Pusong. He still wasn't happy after two straight days of recording, so they had to continue today. Around noon, Zu Wen's staff had completed their assignments for the morning and Rodney still saw no sign of Fang Zhao.

"We've finally finished before lunch for once." Zu Wen rubbed his eyes.

"I'll buy lunch," Zeng Huang said. It was his turn to buy lunch. He left for the cafeteria after asking Rodney if he had any dietary restrictions.

Only then did Zu Wen turn his attention to Rodney.

"You're a new hire? I heard you also graduated from the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology," Zu Wen said.

"Yes. I've heard about you, senior alum. Your graduation project is still on display in the exhibition hall for outstanding student projects," Rodney responded.

"Work hard. The future of our department is bright. You've bet on the right boss." Zu Wen shifted to morale-boosting mode.

"Our boss being?"

"Fang Zhao, of course. He's the head of our department."

"Oh." Rodney nodded and pondered briefly. He followed up with another question. "Say, senior alum, don't you think that Manager Fang looks like Old Shen?"

The "Old Shen" Rodney referred to was a veteran Reg Dimension instructor at the Yanzhou University of Science and Technology. He was well-regarded within the industry. The only thing was that he was too serious and spooked people wherever he went.

One particular scene stayed with every single class of Shen's students: the sight of the entire class paying him their undivided attention. Even if their minds were wandering, they would pretend to be listening to put the old man in a better mood, because if he was in a bad mood he could easily flunk a higher percentage of students.

When the class ahead of Rodney's had gotten on Old Shen's bad side, he dropped the pass rate for the final exam to 50 percent, flunking half of the class. He also refused to give a make-up exam, so the students who flunked ended up having to retake the course with Rodney's class. This time they learned their lesson and managed a bare pass.

Zu Wen graduated three years ago, so he did remember Old Shen, but he misinterpreted Rodney's comment.

"How dare you say that boss looks like an old man?"

"Hush, hush—I'm referring to his aura, not his appearance." Rodney gesticulated wildly.

"You said what you said. I'll remember this transgression."

"No, I just think Manager Fang is a bit... different?" Rodney explained frantically. He just felt that even though Fang Zhao was younger than they were, he had the nerve-inducing presence of a senior professor.

Zu Wen didn't think it mattered. "Artistic types are different from us technical types. There's usually something different about them. As long as he treats us well and lets us game during office hours, I don't care if he's a monster."

"True." Rodney forgot about the weird vibe Fang Zhao had given him yesterday. Zu Wen was right. As long as they were well-paid and could game during office hours, who cared about anything else? They just had to do a good job on their assignments. Whatever else was going on, there was a producer to cover for them.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something. Senior alum, why is there a lower urinal in the bathroom? Does someone in our department bring their kid to work?"

Zu Wen glared at Rodney like he was an idiot. "It isn't for you and it isn't for a kid. It's for a dog."

"Oh."

This was something Duan Qianji had demanded of Fang Zhao. Once the demo was ready, he had to send her a copy for vetting.

Listening to the demo ended up taking half a day.

Duan Qianji ended up looping the crude, incomplete demo all afternoon.

She took a long sigh and pressed a few buttons on her desk, commanding her assistant: "Send He Hao and Wayne up. We can move on to the next step already."

Zhu Zhen flashed a look of surprise. "Got it."

'It's about time we let the world know that Silver Wing can produce a decent virtual idol, a real idol!" Duan Qianji said, looking into the distant sunset.

Zhu Zhen relayed the latest gossip. "Boss, it seems that Master Glifetz has been asking around about the Polar Light project."

Glifetz was the former head of the virtual idol department at Silver Wing, the producer in charge, the master virtual idol producer that Silver Wing wooed with a hefty salary. He had produced a few relatively successful virtual idols in his day. He later retired from producing and, as a master of his craft, became a visiting professor at various universities. He taught the occasional class, accepted the rare apprentice, and invested in some projects.

Silver Wing's lucrative offer had lured this long-retired master producer. Before the project kicked off, he confidently vowed that he would jump-start Silver Wing's long-struggling virtual projects. But reality delivered a slap in the face instead.

Glifetz had fallen ill after last year's virtual idol project had fizzled. The official word was that he was still recovering in the hospital, still remaining there after more than a year.

When Duan Qianji had purged last year's project team, Glifetz was naturally upset. Quite a few staffers were students he had handpicked. They were all forced out by Duan Qianji.

When she heard her assistant mention Glifetz, Duan Qianji laughed sarcastically. "That old geezer. I'm sure he's panicking."

Of course Glifetz was panicking—the virtual idol department he had failed to reform was making waves this year. And it had generated heated discussion right off the bat. That was good news for Silver Wing, but not for Glifetz. If the Polar Light project took off, the reputation he had worked for years to build would be in jeopardy.

"Ignore him. Let him keep playing ill at the hospital." Duan Qianji couldn't help another snicker. "I wonder if his condition will 'deteriorate' again."

Chapter 35: Comeback?

The coastal Yanzhou city of Jinggang is home to several large sanatoriums. Jinggang was a scenic city constantly bathed in sunshine with warmer winters. Many people liked to recover in Jinggang.

Inside a sanatorium in Jinggang.

Famed musician and virtual idol producer Glifetz was sitting by his room's French windows. Typically, this was the time of day he was in his best spirits. He could take in the sunshine of Jinggang peacefully. But today, he was in no mood to enjoy the warm sunbath that so many envied.

Glifetz frowned deeply as he read a news item passed to him by an assistant.

Standing next to Glifetz was one of his former students, one of the staffers forced out by Duan Qianji when last year's virtual idol project had failed.

"Teacher, any new moves from Silver Wing?" the young man asked.

"Yes." Glifetz closed his eyes. He wanted to think hard about what Silver Wing was up to.

Glifetz had run the virtual idol project last year. While he didn't have a total grasp on the thinking of Silver Wing's senior management, he was usually half there. Silver Wing had never paid much attention to virtual idol projects. That had been the culture since Silver Wing's founding. The label had never produced a presentable virtual idol ever. Even if it decided to get in the game now to boost its profits, it would take time. At least, that was what Glifetz thought.

Glifetz thought the failure of his virtual idol project was a function of Silver Wing's internal problems, not his fault. Yet industry insiders and clueless observers were influenced by the media to think that the downfall of last year's virtual idol project was on him. How ridiculous.

Glifetz insisted he was not to blame. He even told close friends: "Silver Wing's virtual idol project was beyond salvation." Just two days after he'd made that comment, it somehow made its way to Duan Qianji and the entire virtual idol department was purged. The few students he had handpicked were kicked out. Glifetz lost a lot of face and became the subject of his colleagues' ridicule.

Because Silver Wing had never produced any substantial virtual idol projects, many news outlets did not draw a firm conclusion—whether the project had failed because of Glifetz or as the result of internal corruption at Silver Wing. Only when Polar Light had debuted at the end of the year did many observers think back to Glifetz's fall from grace after the failure of last year's virtual idol.

Unfortunately, journalists who wanted to interview Glifetz found that he was heavily secluded. He refused interviews by videoconference as well. Since the man in question was nowhere to be found, the journalists could only speculate in their daily reports.

Jinggang was a considerable distance from Qi'an, Yanzhou's political and financial hub, and people in Jinggang didn't pay much attention to the entertainment industry, so the heated discussion in Qi'an never spread to Jinggang. That was also why Glifetz picked Jinggang to recover.

The failure of last year's virtual idol project had dealt Glifetz a blow, but he'd never thought it was his fault. The news of his ongoing illness was indeed fake. He had recovered a long time ago.

So why did he stay in the hospital?

The first reason was to give the impression that he'd given his all to the virtual idol project and left no stone unturned, that he was sick from exhaustion and quite ill at that, to project professionalism and dedication. A restrained show of vulnerability would tilt news coverage in his favor.

Second, he was embarrassed to appear in public. The failure of last year's virtual idol project did indeed taint his reputation, so he wanted to wait until Silver Wing launched its virtual idol this year. If the project was still lackluster, then people would conclude that Silver Wing's virtual idol projects were beyond saving.

That way, the criticism would ease. Everyone would think that it was Silver Wing that had tarnished his reputation, even landing him in the hospital.

Glifetz had been waiting since the beginning of the year, but there had been no sign of movement at Silver Wing. He'd finally breathed a sigh of relief when someone heard that Silver Wing offloaded the virtual idol project to a newcomer. Even Silver Wing itself had given up, ceasing to lavish funds on virtual idol projects, so no one would be willing to stir the pot again. It wasn't a matter of producer talent. The problem was Silver Wing itself.

But now, Silver Wing's true intentions were being unveiled.

But a big chunk of the year gone, three seasons later, the story still wasn't over. Silver Wing had to have saved the best for last, Glifetz suspected, so he ordered his people to keep digging. He'd never believed Silver Wing would put a newcomer in charge of a virtual idol project.

"Ha—Silver Wing can fool others, but not me. Duan Qianji must have been planning this."

Ding!

Glifetz received a text message.

A glimmer flashed in Glifetz' eyes after he read the message. He became absorbed in deep thought.

"Teacher, is there news?" the young man beside him asked.

Was it a continuation of the "epic"? Or a publicity stunt?

__________

Inside Silver Wing headquarters in Qi'an, Fang Zhao grabbed a copy of the new music video and shouted in the direction of the studio, "Zu Wen, head upstairs with me."

"Upstairs where?" Zu Wen yawned. He badly needed a gaming session to rest his overworked brain.

"The top floor," Fang Zhao responded.

Zu Wen nearly fainted at the sound of the two words "top floor."

"The top floor?"

"Hurry up and get ready. We'll head up in five minutes. Chairwoman Duan is waiting for us." Fang Zhao glanced at the time.

Fang Zhao needed to bring a technician. Zu Wen was the senior technician in the studio, so naturally, Fang Zhao brought him along. If the projection equipment needed to be fine-tuned and levels needed to be adjusted, Zu Wen would have to do it on the spot.

When he heard the big boss was already waiting upstairs, Zu Wen felt his legs give in even more. He scrambled. When he washed his face, his hands were shaking. All he could remember was the stern look on the faces of Duan Qianji and other senior execs at the debriefing for last year's virtual idol project. The staffers had become pinatas. All they'd wanted to do was curl up in a corner.

After tidying up, Zu Wen followed Fang Zhao into a special access elevator.

"Boss, I'm nervous." Even taking deep breaths couldn't calm his nerves. Zu Wen felt as if the temperature inside the elevator was plunging.

"Think of it this way—after the second movement, we get our gaming console."

"No, that makes me more nervous. What if we fail?"

Zu Wen was so nervous his teeth were clattering. He turned to see Fang Zhao as calm as always. He was baffled. It was genuine calm, not faked.

"Boss, I have a question I'm not sure if I should ask," Zu Wen said.

"If you're not sure, then don't ask it."

"But I can't help myself." Zu Wen stared at Fang Zhao. "How come you're not nervous? What if the second movement fails? Of course I'm not doubting the quality. I quite like it myself. But will other people like it? Will the Yanzhou Music Association give a positive review? Will the Polar Light project really end up a success? Every time I think about these things, I get nervous, lose sleep, and become unsettled. How come you don't feel anything?"

Fang Zhao pointed at his head. "That's because I feel fearless every time background music plays in my head." That's what calmed him on the battlefield, and it served the same purpose now.

"..." Zu Wen looked at Fang Zhao to make sure he wasn't kidding. "It's mind-boggling to me. What do you carry around in your head?"

"Probably a large symphony orchestra."

Chapter 36: Bringing Out the Big Guns

Zu Wen felt that the concept of nerves or butterflies was inherently alien to someone like Fang Zhao. At least, he'd never seen Fang Zhao panic.

The fact of the matter was, if Fang Zhao were an ordinary person, or if it were the Fang Zhao from before the end of days, he would have reacted just like Zu Wen. But people who had endured an apocalypse were definitely different.

Fang Zhao would get nervous and afraid too. But during the apocalypse, everyone had to find a center so they could carry on; otherwise they would break down. Some fought for the people they loved, others for religion or another surrogate.

At the beginning of the apocalypse, Fang Zhao still had some family, but by the middle of the period, all he had left were his comrades. Some people looked for company, but more often than not, lovey-dovey was quickly replaced by permanent separation. What the apocalypse had in abundance were hysterical cries. After witnessing their share of painful separations, people became less attached. Fang Zhao led his troops from battle to battle. He had no time for distractions.

Maybe it was the prevailing mood of the apocalypse, but Fang Zhao developed a rare talent. His brain was separated into two halves. One half was used for thinking and managing his body. As for the other half... just like Fang Zhao told Zu Wen, the other half probably housed an orchestra. It started as a small orchestra that played musical fragments but later grew into a full-scale orchestra that played with alternating passion and heaviness.

Eventually, music would play in his background regardless of what he was doing. It was a form of hypnosis. He forgot about his other emotions, his nerves, his fear. He was prepared to die at any given moment. That gradually became the norm. He became numb.

Compared to what he'd endured during the end of days, this was nothing.

Fang Zhao wasn't nervous. On the contrary, he was excited.

When they stepped out of the elevator, they were greeted by the same wide and chilly passage that led to the conference room. Zu Wen trailed Fang Zhao. He refrained his eyes from wandering and mentally propped up his legs so he wouldn't collapse right there and then.

This time, there was an extra guard at the checkpoint. Even though it was a simple ID check, the two guards didn't waste a single syllable. Fang Zhao detected a familiar quality.

The two guards were veterans.

Actually, Fang Zhao had noticed when he'd first joined Silver Wing that many of the label's security guards were veterans. Word had it that Duan Qianji's husband served in the Yanzhou military. No one knew his exact rank and title. In any case, due to her military ties, Silver Wing's security force was largely made up of veterans.

When they entered the conference room, he noticed there were fewer people than last time. Including Fang Zhao and Zu Wen, there were a total of 10 people.

After Fang Zhao and Zu Wen entered, the doors to the conference room shut and isolated the space. No one knew what was discussed except for the 10 people in the room. Hardly a ripple was sparked.

Until that afternoon. The marketing department received a last-minute directive. The original marketing campaign was scrapped, replaced by a new plan. The allocation of promotional channels was shuffled too. Someone had butt in.

Usually, the scheduled order of the marketing plan wouldn't be tampered with unless it was urgent. After all, too many factors were in play, and a change in order usually meant special intervention, like someone enjoying preferential treatment.

Previous protocol suggested that special treatment was reserved for Grade A stars. Yet the marketing staff was dumbfounded when they got the new promotional plan.

"What..."

"Not a Grade A star? It's actually a virtual idol."

"Are the bosses sure? Starting blanket coverage now?"

"This is too much. Aren't they worried about history repeating itself?"

Yet no matter what the underlings thought, they still had to follow orders. Switching marketing strategies, adjusting ad launch dates, and so on—everything went ahead.

The next day, a series of unique ads popped up in Yanzhou's public transportation system, public squares, construction sites, and so on. They were bound to stand out because they were too eye-catching. Posters with a distinct style showing up amid a cluster of pretty or handsome faces would naturally draw more attention.

Amid the passionate melody of "Divine Punishment" emerged a still picture.

The picture was separated by a lightning bolt. On one side was an army of anthropomorphic trees, and clusters of mutated animals took up the other.

At the bottom in bold: "'100-Year Period of Destruction,' Second Movement, out Nov. 1."

The journalists that had been waiting for Silver Wing's next move were blown away. They had expected an early promotional campaign from Silver Wing, but they'd never thought the label would launch such a huge and aggressive campaign. The intensity rivaled the campaign for a Grade A star. Stars Grade B or below definitely wouldn't enjoy such treatment.

Besides locations with heavy foot traffic, the campaign also had deep penetration on the internet.

Were they bringing out the big guns?

No one would have thought that Silver Wing would one day bet so heavily on a virtual idol. Even their expanded virtual idol project that year wasn't promoted this vigorously.

Even though Silver Wing had launched a marketing campaign for last year's virtual idol, it struck people as lacking confidence. But this year, Silver Wing was strutting its stuff.

Several students riding a public train were admiring the huge screen hanging on a tall building they passed.

"Is that an upcoming film?" one student asked. They were some distance away and couldn't read the text on the ad clearly.

"No, it's a virtual idol launched by Silver Wing. But this virtual idol is special. Have you checked out the song 'Divine Punishment'?"

"I have. It was playing non-stop at school a while back, but I'm not into that type of musical style. I haven't seen the music video either."

"I quite like it. And the second single is about to come out?" Another student searched online. "Oct. 1? Haha, that's soon! I hope the second song is an epic too. I'm telling you, you have to listen to these epics with quality headsets or a good stereo system; otherwise, you won't be able to fully appreciate the genre."

Apart from fans that were into epic songs, the most active internet commentators were fad-seekers.

"The second song is an epic too, no?"

"I hope so. You guys probably don't know that every time I listened to 'Divine Punishment,' I heard the sound of clashing gold bricks."

"I'll read the Music Association review when it comes out. If it's an epic, I'm going to download it."

"Is the second song only available for download within Yanzhou? If that's the case, I'm going to laugh my ass off. Right now, outside of Yanzhou, the other continents don't allow legal downloads of copyrighted music. The full soundtracks for many blockbusters aren't available online."

__________

Song Shihua, Tongshan True Entertainment's big boss, sat in his office silently pondering the meaning of Silver Wing's next move. He didn't believe that Duan Qianji had laid down an epic just to prove that Silver Wing could produce a hit virtual idol.

He was a businessman. Duan Qianji was a businesswoman. From a business perspective, Song Shihua believed that Silver Wing had made such a massive investment with huge returns in mind.

But what was it all for?

Suddenly, Song Shihua snapped his fingers, his pupils shrank, and his cheeks twitched. He was skeptical, in disbelief. He had to squeeze every syllable out of his mouth.

"Is it for next year's release of 'Battle of the Century?'"

He couldn't think of another reason.

"Battle of the Century" was the most anticipated game in the world, period. It was a title gamers around the world had been looking forward to for nearly 10 years. And it was set against the 100-year Period of Destruction.

The studio behind "Battle of the Century" had announced ahead of time that the game would be endorsed by a single celebrity in each continent. And only virtual idols were being considered.

The endorsement fee was secondary. The most important thing was the exposure the deal came with. It was global.

Silver Wing wanted to join the contest for "Battle of the Century" endorsers with that tree? What a joke. To count on that tree?

Chapter 37: Fiery Bird

Lo and behold, Song Shihua had indeed figured out Duan Qianji's thinking.

Why else had Silver Wing splurged on and built such a massive team for its virtual idol project last year?

On one hand, it wanted to prove itself by producing a quality virtual idol. On the other, from a business perspective, the label also had its eye on the "Battle of the Century" endorsement deal.

The production studio behind "Battle of the Century," Fiery Bird, released just one game every 10 years. Each game lasted for 10 years. It was a snobbish company, but at the same time, it was a force to be reckoned with.

Fiery Bird had been founded 100 years ago. Word was that the founder was a plane maker. Its first game revolved around spaceships. It was a huge global hit. It had never dropped out of the industry's annual poll of top three games in the 10 years since its release. Ten years later, Fiery Bird released its second game, which became as big of a hit as its predecessor.

Duan Qianji didn't care about anything else. She wasn't a gamer. What she did know was that Fiery Bird's previous release nine years ago, "Myth," earned a profit in the tens of billions.

No one knew the exact number, but it couldn't have been less than 100 billion. And that covered profits from the game alone and didn't include earnings from related merchandise. Still, the main chunk of income alone had many competitors jealous. Everyone wanted a piece of the action. Not to mention every single celebrity affiliated with Fiery Bird in the past century had become a big star on a global scale.

Among the Big Three, why did people think that Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment were stronger companies than Silver Wing? Virtual idols were the main reason. In terms of real idols, Silver Wing didn't fall short, but when it came to virtual idols, Silver Wing did indeed pale in comparison. Both Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment had landed Fiery Bird endorsement deals in the past. That was why, in terms of global influence, Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment were superior to Silver Wing.

Virtual idols were a critical line of business that Duan Qianji always wanted to improve. Silver Wing had to produce a successful enough virtual idol to resolve its predicament.

But Duan Qianji had never revealed her thinking to Glifetz, or to anyone else for that matter. Maybe some of her colleagues had guessed what she was up to, but they'd stayed mum because they lacked confidence. Silver Wing had never produced a virtual idol popular enough to be a contender for the endorsement deal.

It just so happened that Fiery Bird was at the end of a 10-year cycle. They had announced the name and setting of their new title last year—"Battle of the Century," set against the backdrop of the Period of Destruction. Duan Qianji had learned through her sources that the budget for "Battle of the Century" was even larger than the one for "Myth." From a businessman's perspective, the more you invested, the great the returns you expected.

It was obvious that Tongshan True Entertainment was positioning Mi Yu—a virtual idol adored by youngsters—as a candidate for the endorsement deal. The virtual idol produced by the Silver Media team led by Glifetz last year, like Mi Yu, was also a female virtual idol with pretty looks and a seductive body. Unfortunately, it hadn't been embraced by the market. Of course, this also had to do with interference by Tongshan True Entertainment, but the failure of the project couldn't be attributed to underhanded maneuvers by their competitors alone. The inherent problems of the project were the key.

Mi Yu was already a big hit and her popularity had no sign of fading. The market didn't need a similar virtual idol. That was why Neon Culture's new virtual idol, in contrast to Mi Yu, sported a playful, lively, and adorable look.

The failure of last year's project had put an end to Duan Qianji's aspirations. Naturally, she wasn't happy about it. Why else was Zu Wen so afraid of Duan Qianji? Because the tantrum she'd thrown last year was so scary. No one forgot what went down.

And just when Duan Qianji had given up on virtual idol production and the race for the Fiery Bird endorsement deal, she stumbled upon Fang Zhao's Polar Light. That rekindled her competitive spirit. She even gave Fang Zhao free rein to launch an epic series over the strong objections of Flying Pegasus.

As long as Polar Light became a hit, money was not an issue. If the 50 million she budgeted wasn't enough, she would divert funds from other departments.

Special perks were OK too. Bringing a dog to work? That was nothing. A private gym? No problem.

Gaming equipment? As long as the second movement was a hit, she would build a gaming room right away.

The timing of Fang Zhao's appearance was so serendipitous, so terrific.

Now that they had a shot, she was counting on Fang Zhao's performance.

The media was all over the milestone, but industry insiders thought it was a bad strategic move.

Having chosen to release the song publicly, Silver Wing could no longer command high royalties for placing it in movies or video games. Plus, a public release seemed to cheapen the song's status. Still, these insiders had to admit that they were surprised to see "Divine Punishment" surpass 10 million downloads.

There had been epic songs that received wide releases before, but their numbers hovered around 1 million downloads. In an impatient, fast-paced world, not many people were willing to slow down and truly appreciate a sophisticated piece of music.

But pieces like this typically found a more suitable home.

Quality scores were critical to certain video games, ads, and movies with large-scale scenes that couldn't be carried by more earthly tunes. Hence, epic or quasi-epic pieces filled the void. Composers often earned millions or tens of millions through these commissions. Over time, this genre carved a rarefied niche.

Epic music had never been associated with a single virtual idol, not even in the golden era of virtual idols, the Reg Era. That was why Polar Light's debut had sparked plenty of discussion and drawn attention.

The right timing, the right company, and the right combination of people—the stars had aligned for Fang Zhao. If he were missing any of these factors, he never would have achieved such success.

Regardless of whose side you were on, whether you were a fan or critic of Silver Wing's strategy, everyone was glued to the calendar, waiting for Nov. 1 to arrive.

Oct. 31.

After skimming the label's marketing plan for November, Chu Guang, who had dropped to No. 4 on the New Pioneers Chart, was dumbfounded. Again?

Hey, wasn't Fang Zhao's debut a series?

Chu Guang had a hunch he was about to fall out of the top five.

Chapter 38: Second Movement: "Cocoon Breach"

Nov. 1.

This was a day marked by many in the Yanzhou music industry and also a date some in the entertainment industry paid attention to.

Could Silver Wing maintain the quality of its first movement?

Eight a.m.

It was time for the morning commute, and also breakfast time for many schools before early classes went into session.

In the New Era, compulsory education was divided into introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels. Every period lasted six years. The introductory level was equivalent to primary schools before the apocalypse. Intermediate schools were a combination of junior and senior high schools. Advanced education referred to post-secondary studies, the rough equivalent of university, but students were also taught more difficult material.

Many intermediate students in Qi'an were riding their bikes or taking public trains to their schools, where they headed for their school cafeterias.

Schools in the New Era were well-funded. The food was decent and quite cheap. Rushing to school for breakfast before dashing to the classroom was a common routine.

At that time of day, both day students and boarders were trickling toward their cafeterias.

Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School, inside the northern cafeteria.

The big TV screens on the cafeteria walls typically played loud, fast-tempo songs to wake up the students. Secondary school cafeterias were noisy to begin with. Slow and mellow songs wouldn't be able to rise above the din. They'd be long buried under the noise, save a few faint notes.

November was mid-term time for most intermediate schools in Yanzhou. Schools weighed exams during this period quite heavily.

The small clusters of students having breakfast were bitching about grades, homework, life, and their budding romances.

Students drank soup and chatted with classmates at the same time while eyeing the big screens to see if any footage caught their fancy.

"It's the same stuff every day. I can guess what they play next with my eyes closed."

People who grew up during the era of fast internet connections were exposed to so much information when they were kids. The older they grew, the less novelty they detected. The footage and songs that played on the big screens might have stirred something at the outset, but they wore on them quickly. They were already sick of the current playlist.

Students who were planning on ignoring the big screens suddenly heard a fellow student exclaim.

"Look, it's Polar Light!"

"Where?" Students scanned their surroundings.

"On the big screen."

"That's right, I almost forgot, today is Nov. 1. Polar Light's second song is coming out."

Journalists had revealed in their reporting that, among the student fans of "Divine Punishment," most were secondary school students, not higher education students.

Even though students at the intermediate level were at a restless age, they weren't as restless as advanced students on the cusp of entering society. It was also a sensitive age, which was why it was easier to sway the emotions of teenagers.

Nov. 1, 8 a.m. The second movement of "100-Year Period of Destruction" was released online.

The overall color tone of the first scenes was darkish, but the resolution was crystal clear. The TV screens in the cafeteria were large enough. The quality of the projection equipment and related hardware was key to attracting students, so naturally, the gear wasn't that shabby.

Emerging at the same time as the initial scenes was a deeply unsettling foundation melody.

A prolonged bass score and a repeated beat combined with an electronic score that sounded out of place and wasn't pleasing to the ear. A gradual sense of suffocation.

A traditionalist would argue that the electronic melody detracted from the song's musicality, blurring the lines between the music and sound effects, but it also made the score more stimulating, provoking a sense of curiosity and unease in the listener. It was as if human souls were in conversation with the landscapes of the apocalypse.

The 100-year Period of Destruction—the real yet surreal time the video drew inspiration from.

Fang Zhao incorporated more electronic elements in the second movement.

Considering the level of human development by the Information Age, standards of living and spiritual fulfillment had taken huge leaps. Technology was highly sophisticated. Automation and artificial intelligence were commonplace. And with these advancements came the sound of robotic machinery and electronic gadgets. People had long been accustomed to these sounds that inundated daily life in the New Era.

And composers in the New Era incorporated these sounds into music. Aesthetic standards were evolving, personal tastes were evolving, and so was pop culture.

Electronic music produced new tones and sound effects. In contrast to traditional instruments, electronic elements were more representative of this era and more easily embraced by audiences.

That was why composers in the New Era either strictly used electronic sounds or mixed traditional instruments and electronic music. When in Rome, do what the Romans do. Fang Zhao injected these new elements into his work, adding a metallic and electronic flavor to his music. After all, musical styles from a long time ago might not be readily appreciated.

Inside the northern cafeteria at Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School, the din scaled back. More and more students were paying attention to the big screens.

Cafeterias were always noisy, which was why the stereo system was typically turned up. As the chitchat faded, the music gradually stood out.

The footage showed overcast skies and a trickling of rain. The barren landscape was accompanied by a mellow cello solo. Next came a melancholic and winding horn that projected a deep sense of resignation, mixed in with tragedy and bleakness.

The tree men who had chosen to leave their homeland in search of a new beginning saw their expectations crushed again and again. Danger was everywhere. They didn't know where they would be safe and wondered if there was still a peaceful land left for them.

Their companions who had left home with them had either died of illness or were ripped apart by mutated beasts. The remaining tree men were heavily wounded. Disappointment, exhaustion, and a downtrodden quality permeated their faces and hearts.

For them, life had hit a low point. Their faith in finding a new home had crumbled under the cruel reality. A prolonged sense of fear and resignation was about to swallow their consciousnesses.

A classical melody conveying disappointment and muted notes projected desperation and terror. Deep background vocals gradually emerged against the backdrop of a dark symphonic arrangement.

It was as if a voice had whispered, "Do you see?"

The low hum of the background choir encompassed the latent tension of hidden dangers, reflected the cold, cruel conditions of the end of days, and recreated the survivors' tepid moans of agony.

The silhouette at the forefront of the group carried many wounds. Its branches had obvious scratches, and some were truncated. Flapping on the branches was a sparse smattering of green leaves. It was the picture of struggle.

Ahead lay a slope populated with a flurry of bloody and evil beasts.

Behind the leader lay a tribe emaciated by the cruel circumstances.

The vivid imagery was backed by a low-register, meandering string melody that resembled a sigh, as if suggesting an imminent end.

'Look, this is what's left of the world. There's no hope. Let's give up. We'll stop marching forward, find a place to hide, and pray that our luck will carry us on, a day at a time.'

The surreal imagery, coupled with the symphonic and electronic score, made for an overarching feeling of helplessness. Dragging their weak limbs, it was as if the tree men were looking up from a dark pit, resigned to the cold, cruel fate God had doomed them to.

Just sheer determination wasn't enough to fuel their battle against fate.

There was no room for hesitation in times like this.

A cocktail of spooky sound effects and a percussion score of varying beats repeated themselves. A fleeting, trembling piano solo interjected, along with a male bass vocal performance that spoke of utter sadness. Propelled by the thick sound texture, the leader of the pack ambled forward.

He looked back after taking two steps. No one had followed. When he looked ahead again, a shadow making menacing gestures pounced.

__________

Inside the northern cafeteria at Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School, there was hardly a whisper. Students who were about to down their spoonfuls of soup stopped halfway, eyes glued to the big screens.

The servers in the cafeteria also slowed down.

The atmosphere inside the cafeteria turned tense, as if a single string was being plucked repeatedly.

__________

In the video, the lonely silhouette that walked toward the slope was flanked by converging branches that then twisted and tightened into solid arms while its roots assembled into sturdy and powerful legs.

A string melody played that suggested resistance and evasion. Such feelings prevailed like the weather, which was intangible but enveloped the atmosphere.

Two contrasting registers in the melody resembled conflicting forces and emotions. It was as if a heavy cocoon encased the tree man. Every step took tremendous effort.

"Everything is gone.

Where is the light?

..."

Should they obey fate?

What was fate anyway?

Past companions were lost and their homeland abandoned.

The remaining life forms during the end of days mourned and agonized, but they could also fight back and resist.

Lighting flashed through the dark clouds. The wind picked up and the rain grew heavier.

The woodwind score resembled howling winds picking up pace, and the heavier drumbeat mirrored the sound of thunder, suggesting an even stronger storm.

The drums, woodwinds, cello, and electronic elements made for a textured melody. A sliding male vocal played, signaling bold and sacrificial intentions, as if a deeper force was about to be unleashed.

The brown pupils of the lone shadow shrank as it examined the approaching red-brown beast that resembled coagulated blood. The tree man knelt, picked up a rock, and clenched his fist.

A broken, plucked string melody played.

With one giant step, the tree man leaned forward and raised high his arm of bunched branches. The hand that held the rock painted an impressive trajectory that looked like a wildly swung hammer and hurled itself toward the attacker.

Bang!

A series of heavy drumbeats burst out. A blur appeared. It looked like the shadow attacking with menacing gestures was struck down, but it also looked like something else was smashed.

The tree man panted and watched the neutralized threat.

The pounding of a keyboard seemed to suggest a mental confirmation of sorts. The triumphant melody that emerged lightened the heavy mood.

The tree man finally realized that many problems weren't as scary as he imagined them to be once he had confronted them with bravery. The world would not easily shake.

That was all these threats amounted to.

The sun will set today and rise as usual tomorrow. Even though the skies were smothered with thick smoke, he knew that the sun still existed.

The tree man lifted his foot and stomped on the collapsed beast heavily, thoroughly dashing its chances of a comeback once and for all. He wanted to punish all those sharp claws and gnarly teeth that struck fear in them.

After taking a glance at his fellow tribesmen, he proceeded again, tossing away the rock in his hand, replacing it with a larger stone baton, and lunging toward a second beast. Large strides turned into a quick gait. His sluggish frame became nimble, as if it had shed the heavy cocoon that once encumbered him.

"In a tumultuous world,

You still remain.

..."

The deep male vocal was emboldened by the rhythm of battle. Set against a grand, sweeping symphonic score, this crudest, most natural form of expression touched the heart.

Fight.

There was no other alternative.

In times like this, someone had to rise to the occasion.

Not cower, not muddle through.

Fight to the death against this absurd and cruel fate.

The remaining life forms in the end of days stood in the abyss, roamed the darkness, and chased the light, always climbing upward.

This quality called belief could be as still as stagnant water and frighteningly kinetic at the same time. It was both mind-blowing and gory.

Against the epic symphonic arrangement blended with electronic music, a fierce, dogged evilness abruptly arose alongside the extreme tension and overwhelming atmosphere.

Music and film were temptations that no one could resist, regardless of the era.

Electronic elements seamlessly folded into the grand symphonic structure and the footage matched the melody. Every viewer and listener felt as if an ice cube had been slipped under their clothing, prompting an impromptu shiver. Yet their hearts were on fire, sizzling like a mean barbecue. It felt as if they had been disintegrated and reassembled.

The silhouette in the video that resembled a person, a convergence of twisted branches, looked like it was bulging with beefy lumps of muscle. Every step he took was accompanied by a heavy drumbeat, making for a pronounced battle cry.

The tree man lost his heavy, cumbersome shadow and turned into a nimble and speedy leopard. He planted one foot emphatically, leaped from the ground, and greeted the approaching silhouette with a swinging whack, delivering a blow even more powerful than his previous.

The passage of time seemed to slow. Blood-tainted fragments from the stone baton sprayed in the rain, creating an explosion of muddy splashes that enveloped the sharp tooth that was dislodged.

The music approximated an explosive force in the winter light. The cheesy melody was replaced by a mixing of electronic music and brass performance that tugged at the heartstrings like a sword removed from its sheath—cold and heavy.

It was the coldness that remained after layers of warmth had been stripped away.

A seemingly out-of-sync choir backed up the spirited male vocals, the unconventional combination bringing greater stimulation to the senses and audio shock. A rich tapestry of instruments was weaved in, the exquisite layering bringing the score to its climax. Every single note was bursting with an unyielding passion for survival.

An escalating piano solo twirled like a tornado and telegraphed howls into the stratosphere, sending the human body shuddering, as if an electric current had zapped through the spine and blown open every pore.

The shadow wielding the stone baton didn't look back because it didn't need to. He had heard the trailing footsteps press forward, stomping all over the bodies of the fallen beasts.

Following his lead, a second pair and then a third pair of feet walked over the two beasts.

__________

The end of days, the 100-year Period of Destruction, was an era that produced an abundance of heroes.

Many people thought that Fang Zhao had randomly picked a species that appeared during the Period of Destruction and built a virtual idol around it with a crafty, epic score.

But Fang Zhao's choice of the Longxiang Tianluo tree man Polar Light actually was a metaphor for people like him who were born during peaceful times but spent most of their lives fighting for survival.

The cruelty of the end of the days lay not in the butchering of lives but in the toll and torture it exacted on people's spirits, the double-whammy of physical and mental pain, in addition to the utter mockery and callous treatment human life received.

Consider the characters from the Period of Destruction widely glorified into heroes in the New Era. If you took away the deification and over-the-top emotions, these were ordinary people on a plain quest to live.

Was it for fame and glory?

Hell no. Back then, they were simply staving off death.

It was the brutal battle for survival that turned them into hardened heroes.

It was heroism necessitated by the times.

That was why Fang Zhao created Polar Light.

In the video, the camera panned wide. The heavy rain continued to pelt. Behind the leader, several silhouettes emerged from the stagnant cluster of trees that trailed him, their branches transforming into fierce fighting poses. They trudged through the mud and followed, treading on the corpses of the slain beasts.

A woodwind score played at a frenzied tempo as the strings section repeated the same note frantically. A gushing melody accompanied the wide shot. The stormy weather harbored a renewed, earth-shattering spirit that was about to erupt.

The footage and music came to a sudden halt, and the end credits appeared:

Lead character: Polar Light

Species: Longxiang Tianluo

Song title: "100-year Period of Destruction," Second Movement: "Cocoon Breach," producer Fang Zhao

Production team: Polar Light project team, Fang Zhao, Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Fu Yingtian, Stiller, Zhang Yu.

A Silver Wing Media release.

__________

The silent cafeteria resumed its buzz only when the big screens started playing other songs.

"I feel like I can blow up the cafeteria right now."

"I don't know why, but for some reason, I suddenly feel a weird sense of purpose."

"Server, two more bows of rice please. I'm going to battle after I have a square meal." There were three more exams left that day.

"Coming right up!" The servers doling out rice in the cafeteria worked their serving spoons with what seemed like energized strokes. Students who were just arriving at the cafeteria did a double take on the students who were leaving in a hurry.

"What's up with them?" a new arrival asked his companion. There was a killer vibe going around.

"Maybe they just took part in a mass pledge for their midterms."

"A mass pledge in the cafeteria?"

"It's probably just second-year students They're always neurotic like that. Just ignore them."

"That's not right. I just saw a fifth-year."

The strange atmosphere puzzled the late arrivals. What had happened in the cafeteria before they arrived?

Chapter 39: Haven't Heard of a Single One

After the second movement, "Cocoon Breach," was released, it racked up nearly 100,000 downloads within a minute. This was mostly industry insiders or people from related fields. They had been on standby. Online news outlets were geared up for the release so they could do their write-ups and immediately post. Everyone wanted to get the first word out.

But the pundits were at a loss after listening to the second movement. There was so much they wanted to say, but they didn't know where to start.

Chu Guang and company were also camped out in a projection room. They downloaded the music video at 8 a.m. sharp and turned on their projector.

The same scene as last time replayed itself. No one said a word when the video played, and no one spoke for the longest time after it ended.

Sitting in his chair, Chu Guang took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He knew he would soon lose the No. 4 spot.

He felt some sadness and a sense of failure, but then he quickly remembered the virtual idols launched by Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment. That made him feel vindicated.

Those two virtual idols wouldn't be able to hang on to their No. 2 and No. 3 spots for long.

Knowing they would suffer too, much of Chu Guang's depression dissipated. He admitted he was outperformed, but he was also delighted to see the two virtual idol teams from their rival companies, who always had the upper hand, finally take a beating.

Things were playing out just as Chu Guang imagined. The project teams behind Xun Huai and Fei Lisi were agonizing over their next moves. Did they need to revise their strategy?

Song Shihua, the big boss of Tongshan True Entertainment, smashed his cup in his office.

"This is indeed what Silver Wing is up to."

Even though, considering Tongshan True Entertainment's prowess when it came to virtual idols, they shouldn't be afraid of Silver Wing, Song Shihua was starting to get worried.

Judging from the two movements that had been released, "100-Year Period of Destruction" couldn't be underestimated. Either song was epic enough to carry a blockbuster. What was more, it was a series set against the Period of Destruction.

"Battle of the Century," the game being launched next year, was also set during the Period of Destruction.

Would Fiery Bird pick the more popular virtual idol or the one that fit the theme of its game better? Song Shihua could neither decide nor speculate.

"You wanna fight us for the endorsement deal? Let's see what you've got." Song Shihua summoned the senior execs from the virtual idol department for an emergency meeting in his office. It took up half the day.

On the 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower, besides Fang Zhao, everyone else on the Polar Light project team was glued to the website of "Voice of Yanzhou."

"How come the review still isn't out?"

"It's almost 9. Last time, the review came out around now. It doesn't stand to reason that they would post later this time."

"I'm nervous." Zu Wen was glued to his screen, hands raised and thumbs twiddling.

He no longer cared about the number of downloads. All he cared about was the judgment of the music association. If they got a negative review, even if the download numbers went up, they wouldn't be considered a total success.

He glanced at Fang Zhao beside him, who was calmly browsing on his computer. Zu Wen wanted to ask Fang Zhao something but closed his mouth as soon as he opened it. 'Forget it—who knows what kind of background music is playing in Fang Zhao's head.'

After 9 a.m., the eagerly anticipated review from Ming Cang didn't appear, but another deputy head of the music association, Dina, posted instead.

"Deputy chairman Ming is a bit emotional right now, so I've showed up instead." Dina's old smiley face appeared on the official website of "Voice of Yanzhou."

Many were confused by Dina's comment. Why was Ming Cang so emotional? It was just one song. What an overreaction.

But Dina carried no less weight than Ming Cang. In fact, in terms of seniority, Dina was senior to Ming Cang. He belonged to an even older generation of musicians. It was even better to hear from him.

Normally, Dina refrained from commenting on the work of newcomers. Usually, what elicited comment from this seasoned veteran was an A-list star or an extremely popular song. But Polar Light was a special case. Ming Cang had classified the first movement an "epic," after all, which piqued Dina's curiosity. He was waiting around for the second movement today as well and was willing to offer his two cents.

Music journalists perked their ears, not wanting to miss out on the words of wisdom from this music veteran who was more than 100 years old.

"Many people have asked me if 'Cocoon Breach,' the second movement of '100-Year Period of Destruction,' qualifies as an epic. As for this question..."

Ears perked up even more.

"Let's set that question aside. Let's first discuss the concept of an epic," Dina said in a relaxed pace.

Journalists who were getting ready to copy, paste, and send: "..."

People who knew Dina had already rolled their eyes. That old geezer was still the same, switching gears halfway through a thought. Who knew when he would get back on topic. A downright tease.

Dina didn't care what other people thought. He spoke at his own pace. Restraining his smile somewhat, he launched into a solemn commentary.

"The genre of epics has to be traced to the Period of Destruction or an even earlier time. Be it the ancient tradition of chanting, or the folk songs that circulated in the imperial court, in army barracks, or among ordinary people and were passed on for generations—they can all be considered epic forms. Many epics extolling heroics during the 100 years of war also appeared after the Period of Destruction, in the beginning of the New Era. But as peaceful times prevailed and the war became a distant memory, no one bothered to listen to these songs any more. Nowadays, any grand pieces that can stir emotions are easily labeled 'epic.' But many people forget that epics were intended to honor heroes."

The seasoned veteran continued to expound on the history and development of epics and how more contemporary styles evolved.

The journalists looked like they were constipated. They quietly urged, "Can you get to the point, old man? Just state your conclusion and explain later so we can file."

Music professionals knew that the most minor slip-ups in mixing and arrangement would stifle the ear. For example, too many modulations or out-of-sync or overwhelming background vocals could be easily magnified and deemed glaring inconsistencies.

Judging from these comments, the mixer and arranger were stellar. Only, it wasn't known who these two seasoned musicians were.

After much waiting, Dina finally pronounced, "This is indeed worthy of the 'epic' label," which sent the press corps scrambling to file.

But industry insiders, including Dina himself, were still curious who had composed the two movements. Was it really the newcomer Fang Zhao, as was rumored? Who were the symphony mixer and electronic music arranger?

Senior musicians who didn't pay close attention to newcomers took the time to read the credits at the end of the music video. They were still clueless, because they had never heard of a single member of the Polar Light project team.

Chapter 40: Pushing Back

The technical analysis of the second movement was valued by the professionals, but for most people, the "epic" label was sufficient.

A second epic.

This shocked many industry insiders, not just because of the nature of the song, but more so because many of them realized that Silver Wing was clearly determined to launch a virtual idol with an epic series.

Was it worth it?

That was what many people wondered, and also the question posed by many journalists after Yanzhou Music Association deputy head Dina deemed the second movement an "epic."

Silver Wing's chief spokesman, Lin Dun, had a simple eight-word answer for the media: "We remember history and honor our lost martyrs."

Song Shihua: "...Hehe."

Go bullshit someone else.

Such noble intentions you tout, but isn't the real objective the race for the endorsement deal?

Even people who didn't understand how spin worked were skeptical, let alone folks who had figured out Silver Wing's true intentions like Song Shihua.

How implausible was it that Silver Wing had invested so much money and produced two epics—and more epics were probably in the pipeline—because of those eight words?

That was the explanation Lin Dun offered, regardless what people believed.

"Boss, can we get approval for the gaming equipment now?" Zu Wen asked at the top of his voice. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He was downright giddy and wanted to take a celebratory dash, but first things first.

"It's done," Fang Zhao replied as he browsed the reviews online.

"What did the top floor say?" The other members of the project team shifted their gaze to Fang Zhao.

"It's approved. Someone will stop by tomorrow to set things up."

"Oh, hahahaha!" Zu Wen let out a weird, piercing laugh. Nothing beat sanctioned gaming during office hours.

"What type of games?" Rodney asked.

"Shooting," Fang Zhao responded.

Shooting games weren't Rodney's favorite, but like Zu Wen, he was happy to be able to game in the open at all.

It was indeed the right decision to jump ship.

The three technicians who were recommended by Zu Wen—Fu Yingtian, Zhang Yu, and Stiller—were sharing the good news with family and friends. A bonus was a shoo-in—Silver Wing had always been generous with bonuses. They wanted to share their joy.

Their decision to switch jobs had met a lot of resistance. Even their family members had been worried. Plus, they couldn't share too many details while they were working on the second movement because of confidentiality rules. All three of them were tightly wound. Now, they had finally survived.

This was a f*cking gold mine!

Didn't y'all think that the virtual projects department was a death pit?

All the not-so-subtle sour grapes.

You're regretting your words now, aren't you?

Too late.

Seeing Zu Wen and company share their good news and brag in their social media feeds made some of their colleagues jealous. If only they'd known, they would have applied for transfers to the virtual projects department too. Unfortunately, the department wasn't recruiting any more. Even if it were, the competition would be fierce.

Still, there were naysayers among media outlets. The reason the first movement of "100-Year Period of Destruction" had logged so many downloads was because Polar Light's debut was quite unique and novelty drove playbacks and downloads, they argued. But with the release of the second song, the novelty had faded.

As high profile as "epics" were, it was a genre reserved for a niche audience and was out of touch with the masses, they said. Not many people in modern society could appreciate an epic. The most they would want would be to listen to one as part of the soundtrack to a blockbuster movie.

Other commentaries argued that, while the first epic song released to a mass audience definitely drew a lot of bargain-seekers, the second release would strike some as a worse deal. Sales for the second single might suffer as a result.

More than one news outlet touted this line of thinking. Simple supply and demand—an abundance of supply led to a drop in value.

The music co-operatives within some labels outright demanded that Silver Wing "quit while it was ahead," meaning if download numbers dropped for the second song, the music industry would lose face and the "epic" label would be cheapened.

However, while some talked trash about the second song, another demographic was gaining attention.

People who paid attention to intermediate-level education noticed that a weird fad was going around. Many people were listening to "Cocoon Breach." Others listened to "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach" together. They played the songs when they got up, when they ate breakfast, before they worked on problem sets, and even during breaks. The prevailing mood was also extremely upbeat.

Initially, people thought it was just those sensitive and escapist second-year students again. But they later realized that the trend wasn't confined to second years. Students from other grades were also taking part. The fad was in full force, especially in the lead-up to midterms.

Quite a few teachers thought to themselves that the inner worlds of secondary students were a mystery to them.

The trend drew some media coverage and Silver Wing was there to fan the flames. Soon enough, Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment started to fight back.

"Mi Yu and Andy Leo Cast in 'Wasteland Rebirth.'"

"Scarred Soul Andy Leo Plays Tough Guy, Fights for Justice."

"Rumor has it Mi Yu will play a disfigured character..."

The headlines kept popping up. Soon, all the buzz about Silver Wing was overshadowed by Yanzhou's two main virtual idols.

In the New Era, virtual idols could act in movies just like real idols, the difference being one performance was generated by software programming and the other delivered by a real person.

"What? Mi Yu is going to disfigure herself?"

"Why will my unparalleled beauty Mi Yu disfigure herself? Project team, please explain yourself."

"Seeking tough guy pictures of Andy Leo."

__________

The combination of a handsome leading man and a pretty leading lady was always worth looking forward to. But what took Duan Qianji by surprise was the fact that Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment had decided to work together.

Mi Yu and Andy Leo were Tongshan True Entertainment's and Neon Culture's two top virtual idols respectively.

In terms of star power, Silver Wing simply couldn't rival Mi Yu's and Andy Leo's popularity and fan bases. Everyone had to concede that point.

Still, Duan Qianji wasn't too panicked. She didn't respond by cranking up their marketing campaign. She decided to wait.

Song Shihua was delighted to see that online discussion of Polar Light and "Cocoon Breach" had fizzled somewhat. He celebrated by nursing a glass of wine in his office.

Even though Tongshan True Entertainment and Neon Culture were competitors, the race for the endorsement deal should have been restricted to the two of them. Silver Wing wanted to butt in? That was up to them.

See—as soon as they promoted their top idols, everyone else was sidelined, be it Polar Light or "Cocoon Breach" or epics.

He wanted to show the folks at Silver Wing what a real hit virtual idol looked like. This was what was called a talent gap.

The movie "Wasteland Rebirth" was a project he had been working on for some time. It was a tailor-made production for Mi Yu set against the Period of Destruction. Their intentions were clear—they wanted Fiery Bird to take notice. But when Neon Culture had approached them two days ago about a collaboration, Song Shihua quickly agreed.

No matter what, they had to crowd out Silver Wing first. He had a hunch that if Polar Light took off, they would face an unprecedented threat. The folks at Neon Culture had to have seen the same signs. That was why they proposed an alliance, so they could push back against Polar Light's momentum.

As he was contemplating his next move, Song Shihua's intercom beeped. He scanned it and saw a text message labeled urgent.

The sender was a vice president. It was someone who was solid and dependable, but for some reason he was panicking.

Had something gone wrong?

Song Shihua tapped on the message immediately.

"Old Song, check out 'Voice of Yanzhou.' Ming Cang has spoken."

Ming Cang, the deputy head of Yanzhou Music Association, the first person to dub "Divine Punishment" an epic, had finally, belatedly posted his review, five days after "Cocoon Breach" had been released.

Chapter 41: The Assigned Topic Is Over Our Heads

Even though Dina, an industry veteran with even more seniority, had already spoken, many people were still looking forward to Ming Cang's comments.

Epics varied in quality. In Ming Cang's opinion, was there a discrepancy in quality between the first and second movements?

Also, Dina had said that Ming Cang was too emotional to comment when he'd offered his own thoughts the other day. What had prompted the other deputy head of the music association to get so worked up?

That was why people were glued to Voice of Yanzhou, the publication run by Yanzhou Music Association, during the five days Ming Cang was missing. When Ming Cang showed up, everyone took notice.

In his webcast, Ming Cang looked like he was in good spirits, his gaze bursting with joy and lingering passion. That vouched for Dina's remarks five days ago.

"My apologies. These were probably the most exciting five days of my 60-plus years of existence!" Ming Cang's voice started to quiver toward the end of the sentence.

A hand carrying a teacup entered the frame.

Even though the hand was the identifying feature, people who knew about Ming Cang's family situation recognized it belonged to his wife.

Ming Cang was probably trying to break the ice. Wasn't his wedding the happiest few days of his life? But judging from the gesture that had just occurred, Ming Cang's wife agreed with the sentiment.

What exactly had happened to create such emotional upheaval in the couple?

The keen news sense of the "Prairie Fire" producer prompted him to message a staffer immediately, asking him to look into Ming Cang's latest movements.

Back at the live webcast, Ming Cang accepted the cup of tea and calmed himself down. He continued speaking with a steady voice.

"Many people know that I was preoccupied with my music career the first 50 years of my life. When I was 51, I married Prof. Su Tong from the arrangement department at the Qi'an Academy of Music. The year I turned 52, we had a child. But God added a twist—our son was different from other kids."

At that point in the monologue, many viewers remembered that Ming Cang was once a rising star. He was named president of the Qi'an Academy of Music at 49. That was young, considering life expectancy had doubled in the New Era. Ming Cang was the type deemed a genius since he was a kid.

Ming Cang's wife Su Tong was also well-known back then. Hailing from a musical family, she was supremely talented, a standout at the Qi'an Academy of Music.

But soon after their son was born, he was diagnosed as a carrier of the Hull virus.

The New Era was marked by rapid technological advancements. Medical care also improved leaps and bounds. Some 95 percent of diseases that had existed during the Period of Destruction had been cured, but 5 percent remained unsolved. Even though those illnesses were treatable, existing protocols provided limited relief.

The Hull virus was part of the 5 percent—and even basic treatment and alleviation were unavailable. The virus emerged during the Period of Destruction. Infected patients were trapped in a frozen state, zapped of all emotion. Even though their bodies were perfectly healthy, they needed help performing basic bodily functions. They were rendered speechless, their listless eyes blinking non-stop. They were shells devoid of their souls. Their brains were state-of-the-art machines that simply refused to function.

A Dr. Edward Hull had contracted the virus during the end of days. He had spent the nearly six-month period of his illness studying the virus and promised his corpse to researchers following his death. The virus was later named the Hull virus.

Perhaps for many people, having a deadly virus named after them might be a curse, but for researchers studying viruses, it was an honor, just like it was for Hull, whom future generations considered a madman.

The Hull virus was transmissible by air, although it didn't survive long in the atmosphere. However, it could be picked up by many carriers, including plants, animals, and many microorganisms. It was tough to guard against.

Initially, people had used sophisticated filtration systems as a precaution, but research later showed that the infection rate was less than one in 10 million.

Gradually, people became complacent. Given the odds of one in 10 million, it can't possibly be me. So eventually, people gave up on the strict and complicated filtration protocols.

Nonetheless, the odds of less than one in 10 million had struck Ming Cang and his wife. They would have done anything to trade places with their newborn son.

When they were informed of the diagnosis, the couple nearly broke down. Ming Cang resigned from his hard-earned university presidency and Su Tong quit as well. They traveled the world with their son in search of treatment, but time and again, they were greeted with the same response. No cure. Untreatable. There's nothing we can do.

Close friends and family remember that the couple was deeply fragile. The young—by life expectancy standards in the New Era—and promising couple started accumulating gray hairs.

Many lamented the fact that these two genius types met such a cruel fate. If not, Ming Cang might have still been the president of the Qi'an Academy of Music, enjoying tremendous status and prestige. Presidencies at the academy usually lasted five years, but it wasn't uncommon for presidents to serve two, three, or even more terms. Ming Cang had that potential.

But some cynics teased that tragedy struck because the couple used up all their good luck in their first 50 years. How unlikely was it that the couple became that one case in 10 million?

It was an emotional wound that no one dared touch, because the slightest breach would lead to a massive rupture. But now, Ming Cang was actually bringing up the matter himself in a live webcast.

Watching the live feed, Song Shihua had a bad feeling.

Recalling the events after his son's birth, Ming Cang was overcome with emotion. His eyes turned red.

"From total despair and breakdown to gradual acceptance, 12 years have passed. There's nothing you can't recover from. Our child is growing up. As parents, we are aging too. We thought the rest of our lives would continue this way."

At this point, Ming Cang got emotional again. "A month ago, I listened to a song. To be specific, I listened to a movement."

Song Shihua started gripping his cup hard, nearly breaking it.

Ears pricked and eyes stared among the many viewers. Here it comes.

"My close friends know that I rarely listen to the songs on the newcomers' chart. But every time I do, I share them with my son Ming Ye."

Even though patients infected with the Hull virus were non-responsive, Ming Cang still liked to share his music with Ming Ye and offer his comments as if his son was a normal kid. He had kept up the practice for 12 years.

"By chance, I stumbled upon the song recommended by Silver Wing, 'Divine Punishment.' The first thing I saw was a tree. I was a bit surprised at the time. It was the first time I had a seen a virtual idol that was a tree man, so I watched the music video. Quality-wise, 'Divine Punishment' is undoubtedly a great song. Even though I'm not an expert on symphonic structures, I could notice many details worth studying. My common practice is to share my thoughts with my son first and then write a review. But this time, when I turned my head and locked eyes with my son, I noticed a slight movement."

It was as if someone's finger had smudged a small opening on a window covered in a thick layer of dust.

Before Ming Cang's brain could formulate a response, tears started streaming down his face without warning. He'd been afraid it was an illusion. After all, his son's eyes showed such little emotion. He and his wife were so familiar with their son's body from spending every day with him. Others would have missed such a subtle expression.

So Ming Cang played the song again, downloaded it, and started looping it.

When he was certain, Ming Cang was ecstatic. He immediately invited a medical professor in Qi'an who specialized in viruses from the Period of Destruction to check on his son.

That was also why Ming Cang gave his take on "Divine Punishment" so quickly and why it was a brief phrase without elaboration. He was busy tracking someone down to examine his son.

Ming Ye's brain clearly responded slightly, but it was a subtle response. It was hard to draw a conclusion.

Ming Cang switched to other songs, but none of them prompted a response from Ming Ye's brain. That piqued the professor's curiosity.

"If the second song provokes the same response, maybe we'll have more data to work with," the old professor said.

Sensing a sliver of hope, Ming Cang got in touch with Duan Qianji. He wanted to know who composed "Divine Punishment" and whether she could set up a meeting.

Duan Qianji refused, but she told Ming Cang that the second movement was being recorded and scheduled to be completed by October. It would be released in November.

After waiting for 12 years, one more month was nothing.

Ming Cang could understand where Duan Qianji was coming from. From a businesswoman's perspective, to unveil the composer behind the virtual idol then would hurt their interests and throw a wrench in their marketing plan. As a fellow composer, he knew that the composer had to have been busy composing and brainstorming at the time. He didn't want to intrude. He knew well from personal experience the frustration of being interrupted. An unintentional interruption could stem the flow of creativity. He'd be damned if impatience smothered the long-awaited sliver of hope.

After a painful month-long wait, the release of the second movement was finally imminent.

Ming Cang's home was crowded with people filled with anticipation. Besides the couple themselves, there were also two professors who specialized in the Hull virus and their study group.

The second movement was obviously an escalation of the burst of emotions in the first movement. During the month-long wait, Ming Cang had studied quite a few songs with symphonic structures, but none of them provoked the slightest response. But when the second movement, "Cocoon Breach," played, Ming Ye's eyes showed an even stronger response.

If the first movement had smudged a small opening on the dusty window, then the second movement left a large and clear hand print.

For anyone else, the level of response was merely a flash of emotion, but for Ming Ye, it carried as much weight as a meteor crash.

Sixty-year-old Ming Cang resembled a weary traveler who could finally shed his burden. He collapsed to his knees in a free fall and covered his mouth. He was scared a scream would scare off the smidgen of emotion in Ming Ye's eyes. Meanwhile, Ming Cang's wife, Su Tong, was crying hysterically in a soundproof room next door, venting years of repressed feelings.

When Ming Cang's forehead hit the floor, he wore a silly smile, but his face was covered in tears.

Twelve years.

The pressure of outside gossip and inner turmoil had nearly crushed the couple on several occasions.

They had searched and hoped for 12 years and were prepared for a lifetime of waiting and searching. Low and behold, their prayers were finally answered.

"I'm sorry. I got emotional again." Ming Cang had stopped reminiscing and wiped the tears on his face with a trembling hand. He took a deep breath to calm himself then said to the camera: "I know many people are curious about my thoughts on the second movement, but my sincere apologies—I can't offer an objective review because, for me, it's an act of God."

First-year classes at the Qi'an Academy of Music.

Five days after Dina had reviewed the second movement, "Cocoon Breach," instructors from the composition, arrangement, and mixing departments handed out a new assignment to first years asking them to submit a paper analyzing "Cocoon Breach" from the vantage point of their respective specialties. The paper served as their midterm and was due in 10 days.

When they heard that former president Ming Cang was about to break his silence, the students scrambled to get online to gather material.

But now they were dumbfounded.

We were expecting musical analysis, and you start spewing medical diagnoses?

After conferring among themselves, the first years from the composition, arrangement and mixing departments wrote a joint letter petitioning their instructors to switch topics for the mid-term essay, the reason being:

The assigned topic was over their heads.

Chapter 42: It's Actually a Real Photo

No one would have thought the debut of a virtual idol would gradually spin out of control like this.

Even though they switched the mid-term paper topic for first years in three departments at the last minute, none of the instructors at the Qi'an Academy of Music themselves dared to offer original comment on "Cocoon Breach." In terms of qualifications and stature, they were still inferior to Dina and Ming Cang. Even when someone wrote a review, it merely built on Dina's and Ming Cang's comments and sprinkled in a few of original thoughts. Are you kidding me? To contradict prevailing opinion at that time would be asking for a beating. That wasn't something they would sign up for.

You could frown on the epic style. You could even choose not to listen to the two movements. But you couldn't deny that they indeed caused unexpected, surprising ripples. Its influence wasn't limited to the music industry. The medical community was probably blown away by now as well.

After Ming Cang's speech in the Voice of Yanzhou broadcast, he held up a still photo to the camera. It was a picture Ming Cang had taken of his son Ming Ye when he had showed that flash of emotion while listening to "Cocoon Breach." Compared to the response of a healthy person, it wasn't that obvious. It resembled a slight shimmer in the gaze of someone with a cool personality. But considering Ming Ye had been suffering from the Hull virus for 12 years, it was a remarkable reaction.

The photo convinced people who thought Ming Cang was exaggerating. Ming Cang and wife and the two professors were also in the picture. It couldn't have been faked.

So it was a real photo.

Before he ended the webcast, Ming Cang wore a broad smile as he admired the picture. "Go get 'em, my little sapling. You must stay strong," he said.

There was nothing wrong with describing your son as a little sapling.

Just as Ming Cang had himself said, because of his son, he could no longer evaluate this virtual idol's debut and the creative team behind it, so he would no longer publish his reviews in Voice of Yanzhou. Commentaries published in the Voice of Yanzhou couldn't be driven by personal feelings. When the next movement was released, he would review it in a personal capacity. Maybe that would lead to more unexpected commentary.

"My thanks to Polar Light, the Polar Light project team, and the composer behind Polar Light. Even though I don't know who you are, I hope I can thank you in person after the entire series of songs is released." This was a sore point for Ming Cang—the fact that Duan Qianji still refused to identify the composer. But she had told him that there were two movements left. After the two remaining movements were released, Silver Wing would unveil the identity of the composer.

The fact that two movements remained was great news to Ming Cang. He couldn't wait. He'd also promised Duan Qianji that he would not pester her about the identity of the composer before the two movements were released. At the same time, he had made a veiled suggestion that Duan Qianji not front the project with another composer, which was common in the artistic community. Ming Cang didn't want to thank an imposter.

The public wasn't privy to the private communications between Ming Cang and Duan Qianji, but Ming Cang's final sentence during his live webcast got many people wondering.

Who was the composer he was referring to?

Did a single producer pen the two movements, "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach"? Not a team of composers?

This threw off people who had speculated that the songs were the handiwork of Silver Wing's Flying Pegasus cooperative.

If it was a single composer, then who was it? Such a talented composer couldn't be an unknown. Which Flying Pegasus master was it?

Yet industry insiders who were familiar with Silver Wing also speculated the musical style of the two movements suggested someone that didn't belong to Flying Pegasus, or at least not one of its best-known members.

Who exactly was it?

That was the natural focal point of the music industry, but outside of the industry, the medical community was obsessing over how the two movements stimulated Ming Ye's brain waves.

Word was that the Yanzhou government was assembling a research team to develop a cure to the Hull virus.

That afternoon, the hit entertainment show "Prairie Fire" interviewed a medical expert in its live webcast to provide context.

The producer of "Prairie Fire" had a keen sense for news. Ming Cang had just been a few sentences into his webcast when he'd sensed an opportunity. He had dispatched a staffer to investigate and splurged on an expert from the Yanzhou Academy of Science who could unravel the secrets behind the medical mystery for the viewing public.

Many people who were interested in Ming Ye's unexpected response—and skeptics as well—were glued to their screens.

"Many people know that sound waves serve as a stimulus to animals, and to some plants as well, for that matter. Some types of sound waves can advance plant growth. Others stunt growth or kill the plant altogether. Whether they can stimulate a plant hinges on their impact on its musically sensitive spots.

"Music is transmitted through rhythmic and flexible mechanical waves. When it travels through a medium, it also generates chemical and heat reactions. When music stimulates plant cells, the metabolic processes within the cells are also affected.

The Academy of Science professor even broke down the exact impact a piece of music had on a specific part of a plant. "In other words, every note in a piece, or a specific verse, will correspond with a specific amino acid in the plant. Protein is made up of amino acids. So from a biological perspective, a song is like a group of amino acids sequenced into a complete protein. When a plant is exposed to this protein—no, I mean a specific song—certain enzymes in the plant are activated and create certain biochemical reactions.

__________

The professor spoke at length. Some of viewers could follow him. Others understood about half, which gave them a basic grasp.

Basically, he was saying Ming Ye's response wasn't embellished.

It was for real.

If plants and primitive animals could be stimulated, then humans were naturally even more responsive.

The Hull virus emerged during the Period of Destruction, while the two movements, "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach," were part of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series. Was that the crucial link? Yet previous songs about the Period of Destruction didn't have the same effect. So it was still something inherent in the two movements.

Others had also tried to use sound waves to stimulate the brains of patients infected with the Hull virus, to see if these stalled machines could produce some feedback, to no avail. Now, researchers knew that music did make a difference—but it had to be the right music.

Just like substrates need to be matched with the right enzymes for conversions to take place.

"I'd really like to meet this musician who's threatening our livelihoods." The professor's tone was vindictive, but he wore a smile that was joyful and expectant.

Music and medicine were separate disciplines that minded their own business. But now that this composer had cracked an opening for researchers and pointed them in the right direction, the rest was up to the scientists. The development meant that there was a general strategy for treating a virus that posed a serious threat to mankind. Even though it wasn't clear when a cure could be devised, coming up with a strategy was a good thing. Now that the first step had been taken, the rest of the process was a matter of time.

Big news.

This drew the attention of journalists across different beats, regardless of whether they took an interest in medicine and entertainment. This pertained to a human disease that hadn't been cured. Naturally, the reverberations were huge.

Reporters started scrambling.

"What about the story about Mi Yu and Andy Leo?" The cub reporter who had just filed a story about the creative teams behind the two hit virtual idols was in an awkward position.

"Who cares about that now? Let's hold the story. Hurry up and do as much reporting as you can about the two movements and the Hull virus, then file a story."

Thus, all the carefully engineered buzz about the two virtual idols was overshadowed by talk of Polar Light, "Divine Punishment," "Cocoon Breach," and the Hull virus after a few short days.

Inside the chairman's office at Tongshan True Entertainment, Song Shihua smashed the teacup that was a recent replacement.

Song Shihua was furious with himself. He should have delivered a knockout blow when the first movement was released.

Now it was too late.

They could try foul play within the Yanzhou entertainment industry, but the situation had evolved beyond the reach of his influence. The rise of Polar Light was now unstoppable.

What could he do?

Poach?

Wait, wait—that was actually not a bad idea.

Chapter 43: Serendipitous Indeed

The person Song Shihua wanted to poach the most was the actual composer behind the two movements. Initially, he had suspected it was the newcomer Silver Wing listed in the credits, but after figuring out Silver Wing's true intentions, he reversed himself. Silver Wing couldn't possibly have assigned such an important project to a newcomer.

Song Shihua studied the credits at the end of the two music videos again and again. He also ordered his underlings to research everyone listed. His conclusion: the list of project team members was incomplete. Silver Wing had left out the most important name.

More than a few people shared Song Shihua's thinking.

Industry practice was to only identify the producer of the virtual idol project at the outset. The producer was the equivalent of the director of a TV show or movie. As for the composer, the arranger, the mixer, and the actual performer, they were never named. Any other names that would draw attention away from the virtual idol were held back. Only when the virtual idol became a bona fide star, when the timing was right, would the label provide a detailed division of labor.

Even though everyone wanted to know who had composed the two movements and who had mixed and arranged them, you couldn't tell from the list of credits at the end of the music videos. Most people believed that the names listed were merely technicians and that Silver Wing had held back the names of the composer, arranger, and mixer. They were probably afraid these folks would get poached.

Inside a sanatorium in Yanzhou's coastal city of Jinggang.

Famed musician and virtual idol producer Glifetz was sitting by the window in his room as usual, except he hadn't been in the mood to enjoy the bright sunshine for days now. All he did was stare at his tablet. He looked pale and frowned increasingly harder.

He wasn't faking it this time. He was really sick. On the day the second movement, "Cocoon Breach," was released, Gliftez was nearly transferred to intensive care.

His humble hopes for a comeback were dashed with the release of the second movement. Ming Cang's comments put him in an even tougher spot. The more attention Polar Light got, the worse his situation, and the dimmer the prospects of his comeback. Quite a few colleagues were already poking fun at him, saying he didn't even measure up to a newcomer.

"Still no luck?" Glifetz asked the three people standing next to him. They were all disciples of his. Two of them had been purged from Silver Wing's virtual projects department last year.

Glifetz's voice was hoarse and muffled, but his tone was pointed. He spoke slowly, making for a creepy delivery. It sounded like a set of rusty gears struggling to rotate, giving his three students the goosebumps.

"Not yet," one of the students said, his head drooped.

The other two students shriveled, wishing they were somewhere else.

Glifetz had asked them to identify the composer who wrote the two movements. The composer was the key to Polar Light's success. The three students tried on their own and worked some of Glifetz's connections, but they still came up empty-handed.

It wasn't just them. Most of the folks at Silver Wing only knew that the project was assigned to Fang Zhao, but they didn't know who the actual composer was.

"No?" Glifetz sounded like he was responding and talking to himself at the same time. He had a desperate look in his eyes.

Glifetz paused briefly, then waved his hand, signaling his students to leave.

A tremendous weight lifted from their shoulders, and the trio bolted, not bothering to ask any follow-up questions.

Glifetz was the only person left in the quiet room. The afternoon sun was quite strong, flooding the entire room with light. The flowers in the vase were still lush, adding a touch of brightness to the room. But the room was so quiet you could hear Glifetz breathe, and a sense of chill prevailed.

Glifetz switched his tablet to encrypted mode and dialed a number. The person on the other end answered after about 15 seconds.

"What is it?" The person sounded cautious. He lowered his voice and, before Glifetz could speak, blurted out, "If you're calling about the Polar Light project, I can't tell you anything. Duan Qianji is watching everyone like a hawk. I don't want to get kicked out."

The person on the other end was a senior executive at Silver Wing who had a history with Glifetz. He benefited quite a bit from Glifetz's help in the past.

"It's OK. I know I'm putting you in a difficult bind. All I want to know is who the actual composer behind the first two movements of the Polar Light project is."

"..." The senior executive went silent for a few seconds. "Duan Qianji issued strict orders not to tell."

"I just want to know for myself. I won't tell anyone else." Glifetz knew his source had to be careful, so he added, "I swear I won't tell anyone else."

A longer silence on the other end. Hesitation.

Glifetz didn't dial up the pressure. He just waited patiently.

After a minute's silence, the person said in a muffled voice, "It's Fang Zhao."

"Come again?" Glifetz was so shocked he got up abruptly and almost fell before struggling to regain his balance.

"You know, the newcomer."

"Impossible!"

"Believe it or not."

"How come... That doesn't make sense. Why would Silver Wing trust a newcomer with such an expensive project? A newcomer couldn't possibly have composed..." Glifetz was in disbelief.

"I'm warning you, just keep this to yourself. Don't tell anyone, otherwise we are both finished. You know what Duan Qianji is capable of," the source said before hanging up.

In the warm and bright room, Glifetz collapsed onto his deck chair, limbs sprawled, and dropped his tablet. He lay paralyzed, a corpse waiting to be fossilized.

A sudden shiver. Glifetz felt the chills.

Fang Zhao?

The newcomer he'd researched, the one who had joined Silver Wing just this year?

He remembered that fellow. A fresh graduate in his 20s. Fang Zhao wasn't even a third his age.

A little punk had all but hammered the final nail into his coffin.

If only Fang Zhao knew what Glifetz was thinking. He would have responded, "I'm your daddy, not the other way around."

__________

Regardless of what other people thought, regardless of the fact that some industry publications were clamoring for the name of the composer behind Polar Light, Fang Zhao was in no mood to deal with the media. He stuck to Silver Wing's new protocol of not leaving the building unless it was necessary. He wanted to game.

The gaming equipment he'd requested from Duan Qianji had finally been set up.

There were about a dozen prop guns that were nearly identical to the real thing. These were hard to come by. They looked so realistic that they were more tightly regulated than the prop guns used by the label's film division. Duan Qianji's husband was a military official and she had her own connections. If they wanted to, they could probably procure a sizable batch of real firearms, let alone prop guns.

Some of Silver Wing's security staff were licensed to carry.

Duan Qianji gave the virtual projects department 20 days off. Fang Zhao planned to devote the bulk of this period to gaming.

Fang Zhao's bracelet rang as he watched technicians install the gaming consoles in a dedicated room.

It was a number he didn't recognize.

He walked into his office and selected voice transmission.

"Hello? Is it Fang Zhao?" It was the voice of a male stranger.

"Speaking." Fang Zhao walked to his window and examined the flying car traffic below the 50th floor.

"My name is Beavis. I'm a B-level agent at Neon Culture. Are you interested in working at Neon Culture? Don't worry about the fine for breaking your Silver Wing contract. We can take care of that. As long as you're willing to jump ship, we'll sign you right away. You'll be treated as a level B star. Your work will be given priority release during your first year. We'll also assign a master composer to mentor you. And if you want anything else, we're all ears."

Beavis was quite confident. His offer was better than what most newcomers could manage. He was thinking that Fang Zhao was just a figurehead at Silver Wing's virtual projects department. He was better off jumping ship to Neon Culture, where he would enjoy real perks. He had other enticements up his sleeve, but he wanted to gauge Fang Zhao's reaction first. He would continue with his sales pitch if Fang Zhao was interested.

Neon Culture? Fang Zhao had thought Tongshan True Entertainment would approach him first. He hadn't expected Neon Culture to beat them to the punch.

Fang Zhao knew what Neon Culture was up to.

Since they couldn't find out who had composed the first two movements, then they would poach a few known staffers from the project team. As the project's producer, Fang Zhao was naturally first on the list. While Song Shihua was still debating whether or not to make an offer, Neon Culture reached out first.

"Beavis from Neon Culture? How did you get my number?" Fang Zhao asked. The original owner of his body had gotten a new number when he'd moved to his black street after graduation. It was different from the number in the school directory. Only a few people had the number.

"Now that you mention it, it's quite serendipitous. One of our newcomers is from the same hometown as you are. I think you know him."

"You mean Fang Sheng?"

"Exactly! What a coincidence, right? Haha!"

When he was digging into Fang Zhao's background, he had noticed that Fang Zhao shared a hometown with one of Neon Culture's new composers. They went to the same primary school and high school. He asked around—it turned out they did know each other.

Fang Sheng turned pale when Beavis asked him for Fang Zhao's number, but Beavis didn't think much of it. He thought Fang Sheng was just jealous and didn't dwell on the matter.

"Serendipitous indeed." Fang Zhao chuckled as he stared into the glint from a passing flying car. "Why don't you ask who the real composer of his first three songs was first?"

He hung up before Beavis could respond.

Chapter 44: Such a Bully

Even though Beavis was mad that Fang Zhao had hung up on him, he was more intrigued by Fang Zhao's comment before he hung up.

"Why don't you ask him who the actual composer of his first three songs was?"

Which three songs? The actual composer? So Fang Sheng hadn't written them after all?

Beavis wasn't in charge of newcomers. He wasn't on top of the inner workings of the newcomers department. He merely scanned the list of newcomers Neon Culture had recruited this year. If his bosses didn't want to poach people from Silver Wing, he wouldn't have bothered studying the list.

But even though he wasn't familiar with the workings of the newcomers department, he could deduce from Fang Zhao's parting comment.

A gloomy Beavis sat in his office pondering the matter for some time. Then he got in touch with newcomers department and requested Fang Sheng's personnel records. He gave them a careful look. The more he read, the angrier he got.

If he was 70 percent skeptical of Fang Zhao's allegations, then after reading the personnel files, that figure dropped by 20 or 30 percentage points.

Fang Zhao had graduated from the Qi'an Academy of Music, probably the best music school in Yanzhou, while Fang Sheng had graduated from a so-so school. That didn't necessarily make a difference. During the recruitment process, graduating from a top school wasn't a prerequisite. Even if you attended a low-ranked university and flunked all your classes, as long as you had musical talent of some kind, if you shined in some way, you would be considered.

In other words, setting aside your educational background and connections, the key was real skill and talent.

The reason Fang Sheng had caught the eye of Neon Culture's newcomers department and was signed was because of the three songs he'd submitted.

Nothing stood out in Fang Sheng's files. He wasn't a stellar student and he'd never won any prizes. But the three songs still won over the newcomers department. The songs weren't top-notch, but they were slightly better than what the average newcomer produced. One of the three also placed well on the newcomers' chart. The label actually wanted to promote Fang Sheng, but he hadn't submitted any new songs since.

Beavis summoned Fang Sheng and his agent. He scanned both of them with a vicious gaze. Beavis usually smiled, but he looked scary when he got serious.

Fang Sheng's agent was still a bit pissed and disgruntled about being summoned by Beavis. Even though he managed newcomers, he had managed B-level stars before. He had also spent more time at Neon Culture than Beavis. Beavis's tone was downright rude, hardly befitting the respect he deserved as a senior employee. But now that he saw Beavis's expression, he could tell something was wrong.

"Is something wrong?" Fang Shang's agent asked. He knew Beavis had looked over Fang Sheng's files, but he still didn't know why Beavis had asked to see them.

Beavis ignored Fang Sheng's agent and stared at Fang Sheng hard, as if launching a flurry of daggers. "What I want to know is: who actually wrote the three songs you submitted when you joined the label?"

Already a bit fidgety at the outset, Fang Sheng's heart leaped when he heard the question, and he broke into a cold sweat. The muscles by his mouth twitched, but he didn't know what to say. He remained silent but clasped his hands nervously. When his agent cast him a questioning look as well, he knew there was nowhere to hide. He tried hard to mask his guilt, somehow managing to eke out a smile. "Did someone say something? Don't believe them. I wrote those three songs myself."

"Oh?" Beavis didn't press on, looking at Fang Sheng's agent instead. His gaze seemed to say: "You signed the guy. It's your move."

The agent stared at Fang Sheng with piercing eyes. He had managed dozens of artists. Even though he might not be as competent as Beavis, he could still spot a liar. The subtle changes in expression on Fang Sheng's face hadn't escaped his notice.

Panic. Guilt. Fear. Lack of confidence.

Once Fang Sheng's agent became suspicious, everything made sense. The arranger of the three songs had told him in private that Fang Sheng had a poor grasp on the three pieces. His understanding was hazy and incomplete. Initially, the arranger had chalked it up to the usual inexperience of a newcomer and thought a bit of training and guidance would do. But Fang Sheng hadn't produced any new songs since the three he'd entered in the new talent competition. Again, he'd thought Fang Sheng had simply been running low on inspiration. But it had been so long that it was becoming a problem.

The three songs may very well have been stolen.

He didn't want to believe that he'd signed someone like this. He had heard of similar cases of theft or plagiarism. Some were exposed and some were kept secret. The final outcome depended on company policy and individual finesse. Of course, the safest practice was to avoid folks like this. The bigger the label, the more it cared about its reputation. So he had the manpower and resources necessary at his disposal for a cover-up. But he'd never thought something like this would happen to him.

Even if he had made the mistake of signing the man, the mistake couldn't be made public. To do so would be slapping himself in the face. It might also create unnecessary hassle for the label at this critical juncture.

He had to get rid of Fang Sheng as soon as possible.

Even if Fang Sheng's theft was exposed, they could prepare in advance and take the backlash in stride.

Fang Sheng was signed to a three-year contract. His contract stipulated that if he was fired without cause, he was entitled to severance totaling three times his income during his employment.

This wasn't an unjustified firing, but the label couldn't reveal the real reason behind the dismissal. They also had no proof that Fang Sheng had stolen the three songs. Fang Sheng would never admit to it.

Based on the number of downloads the three songs had generated, Fang Sheng's severance would amount to more than 10 million dollars. That was an expense the label didn't want to incur. Even though the amount was nothing to Neon Culture, they didn't want it spent that way.

So after "amicable" negotiations that were stick-and-carrot in reality, Neon Culture agreed to a severance pay of 1.5 million. Fang Sheng was terminated effective immediately.

Fang Sheng's agent conducted the negotiations on his behalf. Beavis stayed mum, giving his tacit approval to the deal. So Fang Sheng stole someone else's songs, most likely Fang Zhao's. Even if they confirmed the theft, if Fang Zhao was a nobody and Fang Sheng had potential, they wouldn't have fired Fang Sheng. They might even have helped cover up the theft. They were businessmen, after all. Their financial interests came first.

But Fang Zhao was a rising star with the full backing of his label, while Fang Sheng wasn't an asset worth protecting. His firing was a no-brainer, and it had to be done fast. They had to get rid of him before the scandal broke and the finger-pointing began.

If people asked, they would just say that Fang Sheng had poor character.

"Poor character" was a catch-all term in the industry. It could refer to personality issues—an inability to get along with colleagues or a foul temper that affected morale. It could also refer to specific behavior, like theft or plagiarism. The former wasn't a big deal. As long as the person in question was talented, personality wasn't an issue. But the latter was a problem.

There were no secrets in the industry. If they pried enough, prospective employers would find out about the "poor character" assessment in Fang Sheng's personnel files at Neon Culture even if he tried to hide it. That was enough to make him off-limits for most record labels in the industry.

Fang Sheng was kicked out of Neon Culture's headquarters half an hour later.

He struggled to maintain his composure as he got all sorts of looks from the people around him. He didn't linger.

He ran to an empty corner and quietly cursed to himself. His eyes were bloodshot. Lord knew how long it had been since he had rested properly. His face was paler than Zu Wen's after two straight days of gaming.

As for the 1.5 million in severance pay, the old Fang Sheng would have counted his blessings. But after enjoying the adoration and the easy money the three songs had generated, the 1.5 million was a pittance. But he didn't want to lock horns with Neon Culture.

If he'd stayed at Neon Culture, he would have earned much more.

He was entitled to much more.

After taking a few deliberate breaths, Fang Sheng turned his attention to his bracelet and looked up Fang Zhao's number.

It was just a matter of time before he could buy another song from a music student desperate for cash. But Beavis had to tear into him now and interrupt his plans.

How had Beavis found out he stole the three songs?

Fang Zhao.

The raw hatred gushed like a raging current when the call went through. "Fang Zhao, you son of a b*tch! You said you considered me a brother, but you had your bases covered all along, right? You've got quite a few songs up your sleeve besides those three songs, right? Nicely done. Slick move." He was so agitated the veins on his neck were bulging.

He rambled on for nearly three minutes until his voice went hoarse. But no response came from Fang Zhao.

"You're mute now?" Fang Sheng screamed at the top of his voice.

Two second later.

"Woof! Woof!"

The other end answered with a series of barks. They were real barks, not simulated ones. The barks were followed by clear sound of panting.

Fang Sheng: "..."

He had just delivered a three-minute tirade to a dog.

Fang Sheng was so pissed his body shook. He felt like spitting blood.

Such... such a bully!

Chapter 45: Don't Be Afraid

Fang Zhao had actually used a dog on him.

Fang Sheng was so mad he wanted to smash his bracelet, but luckily, he held back. He had just been fired. He wouldn't be receiving any income for some time. His severance pay was still being processed—it hadn't been wired to him yet. There wasn't much left of his cut from the revenue from song downloads during the new talent contest after he had bought his new apartment. The bracelet had cost him tens of thousands of dollars. He couldn't afford to trash it now.

Fang Sheng wanted to vent his anger from losing his job. He didn't dare take aim at the folks at Neon Culture. All he could settle for now was Fang Zhao, the person who had "set him up." Little did he expect Fang Zhao to not answer altogether and put his dog on instead. Was Fang Zhao mocking him?

Knowing full well that his tirade would only be answered with dog barks, Fang Sheng took a few deep breaths and hung up. He was going to bottle up his frustration and take off, but after taking two steps, he stopped suddenly to look at his bracelet.

He was so angry he had let his guard down. He reviewed what he had just said. He didn't think he had confessed to stealing the songs outright, so even if Fang Zhao had recorded the conversation, it wouldn't amount to much proof. He wouldn't lose in a court of law.

Good thing he had restrained himself. If he was thrown off by a few dog barks and confessed to stealing the songs, then it would all be over.

So that was what Fang Zhao was up to?

"You wanted to set me up again!"

Fang Sheng stared at the end of the road, eyes burning.

Fang Sheng was being paranoid. Fang Zhao knew that he wouldn't fess up to stealing the songs that easily. Here was someone savvy enough to steal the three songs without the original host of his body noticing and without leaving a trace of evidence. He wouldn't be easily duped into a confession.

There were always people who felt that they were entitled to your generosity. Even if there was a falling out and they were clearly in the wrong, they wouldn't own up to their mistakes. They would even play the victim.

Personal interest and temptation distorted the human heart.

Fang Zhao had seen so many examples and heard of so many during the end of days. Fang Sheng acted purely out of self-interest. If it were the end of days, Fang Zhao would have delivered a bullet to his head, but the rule of law prevailed in the New Era. Fang Zhao didn't want to run afoul of the law on account of Fang Sheng and squander the rare opportunity of a rebirth.

"Good job." Fang Zhao picked up his bracelet and fondled Curly Hair's head. He grabbed a handful of dog food and placed it on the dog's plate.

Fang Zhao returned to the lobby of the 50th floor after making sure the technicians had installed the gaming equipment properly.

The department was on vacation, so no one else was in the lobby. Zeng Huang and Wan Yue were spending time as a couple. They wouldn't be showing up during the vacation. Pang Pusong was traveling with his family. Song Miao was gone too. The only people left were Zu Wen and company. They gathered in their studio to game every day. If all you were doing is gaming, then you might as well live out of the office. You wouldn't have to worry about the utilities bill, and the cafeteria food wasn't that bad. It was also quite cheap.

When Fang Zhao approached, Zu Wen's group had just wrapped up a gaming session and they were deep in discussion.

Neon Culture had reached out to Zu Wen and company as well, but not through an agent. A few of their technicians knew Zu Wen and his team and put out feelers, but the Silver Wing crew rejected the overtures.

Their reasoning?

Setting aside the tremendous potential of the Polar Light project, they had landed the unlikely boss who was addicted to gaming. It didn't make sense to give that up. For folks like them, as long as they weren't in a pinch, bonus size was secondary. The key issue was whether they could partake in their preferred form of entertainment during office hours.

Why had Zu Wen stayed when the entire virtual projects department was purged last year? It wasn't that he was lazy. He was lured by the prospect of gaming all day if the department no longer received any assignments.

The group stopped talking when Fang Zhao entered the room.

"I'm going to head home for a bit. Are you guys going to stick around?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yup. But we're going to head out later in the day to check out a gaming trade show. Will you be using the flying car, boss?" Zu Wen asked.

The department had two flying cars. Zeng Huang and Wan Yue had taken one of them and one was left.

Zu Wen and company leered at him, which gave Fang Zhao a kick. "No. I'll take public transportation. Knock yourselves out."

"Thanks, Boss!" Zu Wen hooted.

"We'll bring back some samples for you," the others said.

Fang Zhao left the office after reminding Zu Wen and company to lock the door to the 50th floor before heading out for the trade show. He didn't bring Curly Hair. All he had to do was pick up a few things from his black street apartment. He would be back first thing in the morning.

He could already afford a place in downtown Qi'an. Barring massive, extravagant properties, he could pay in cash.

But it was hard to find quality real estate in Qi'an these days. And folks who owned prime properties were reluctant to part with them. Fang Zhao hadn't been looking online because Duan Qianji had promised to introduce him to a homeowner looking to sell, a veteran composer. The composer rarely lived in his home but didn't want to sell it to a stranger either. Duan Qianji knew that Fang Zhao was in the market, so she had approached the elderly composer. But the owner wasn't in Yanzhou. He would return in a few days to handle the paperwork and meet Fang Zhao at the same time. It was only a matter of days. Fang Zhao could wait.

Evenings on black streets were still the same. Loud dance music mixed with laid-back tunes. Drunks shot the breeze in clusters. Young punks new to the life were plying their trade.

Fang Zhao bought two boxes of barbecued meat for Yue Qing, who ran the shop downstairs from his apartment, and the drug store owner, Ai Wan.

"Thanks. Not much to report. A few days ago a drunk wanted to toss a bottle at your window. I got rid of him," Yue Qing said as he took the boxes. He grabbed a piece of meat and started chewing away. "Are you moving?" he asked.

Yue Qing didn't know how the entertainment industry operated, but he had watched the music videos for the two movements. And he knew from news reports that the two songs were a big hit. Regardless of whether or not Fang Zhao was the actual composer of the two movements, judging from his official credit, he stood to benefit in a major way. It was time for him leave.

"Soon, but I'm not going to give up my apartment in the coming weeks," Fang Zhao said.

"Please make sure you give me a heads up when you move out so I can buy your apartment," Yue Qing blurted. He had been eyeing the flat above his shop for some time. Tenant records were kept electronically. Once Fang Zhao gave up his flat, it would be up for grabs. If another tenant moved in, Yue Qing wouldn't be able to buy it.

"Planning an expansion?" Fang Zhao asked.

"It's about time. I've also been in touch with the tenants on the two floors above yours. I should be able to buy those flats next year. I've been laying the groundwork for some time, haha." Now that he had saved enough, Yue Qing could proceed with his shop expansion. Naturally, he was in a good mood. Of course, folks like him couldn't compare to Fang Zhao, who could earn more than 1 million on one song alone. But average folks had their own way of life. Yue Qing was quite happy with his life right now.

"Got it. I'll give you a heads up before I give up the flat."

Yue Qing's shop was swarmed with customers, so Fang Zhao got out of the way. He left the shop and headed up the staircase.

But once he got to his apartment, Fang Zhao could tell that something was wrong.

When he lifted his head, he saw someone standing in front of his flat. Another approached from behind on the staircase. The sandwich approach signaled premeditation and professionals.

The staircase was dimly lit. To cut costs, public areas like this either had faulty lighting or were dimly lit.

Fang Zhao didn't look back and continued walking until he was two steps away from the man standing in front of his apartment.

He looked perhaps a few years older than Fang Zhao. He had a crew cut except for a crown-shaped hairdo in the middle, which was dyed half red and half blue. His right cheek sported a tattoo of a snarling beast.

Fang Zhao remembered Yue Qing mentioning once that black street thugs with a beast tattoo on their right cheek were typically hired guns and not young punks who engaged in random petty crime.

In other words, someone had paid them to show up.

When the man scanned Fang Zhao's bracelet, Fang Zhao had a hunch who their employer was.

"Fang Zhao?" The man standing in front of the door gauged Fang Zhao like a quality control inspector. His teeth were dyed neon green. The beast tattoo on his cheek became even snarlier.

A fellow resident on the second floor was about to head downstairs. He turned around immediately after noticing the impending conflict, too terrified to even fart.

Zap.

The man standing in front of Fang Zhao's door was holding an electric rod that emitted a live current. The sound echoed clearly in the corridor. He took a step toward Fang Zhao and said, "Don't be afraid. Just hand over your bracelet and we'll be outta here in no time. There's no point in blocking traffic."

But before he could finish, Fang Zhao had pulled a gun and trained it on him.

Fang Zhao could hear the trailing footsteps cease. He flashed a warm smile and told the man in front of him:

"Don't be afraid. You've made a long trip, so why don't you step inside for a chat. There's no point in blocking traffic."

Chapter 46: Coffee

Fang Zhao's move caught them both by surprise. This wasn't part of the plan.

The man blocking the apartment door secretly cursed their employer. Didn't you say this kid was an artist type?

An assassin, no question. A composer? Hell no!

His temple pressed against the barrel of a gun, he swallowed the comment he was about to make and lowered his hand carrying the electric rod.

The two of them had been working black streets for some time. They had completed quite a few jobs, so they knew who was faking it, who was a paper tiger. They could deduce from a single move or look.

The way Fang Zhao handled his gun and the look in his eyes scared the man blocking the door shitless. He could tell Fang Zhao's composure and proficiency weren't faked. He knew that if they made the wrong move, Fang Zhao would pull the trigger.

So the man trailing Fang Zhao also halted. He couldn't risk making a move before gauging the situation. Otherwise, he'd be returning with a body bag.

But the good thing about professionals like themselves was that they were flexible.

"Big brother, this is all a misunderstanding. No need to get worked up." The man blocking the entrance to the apartment mustered a smile and turned off his electric rod. The sound of the current disappeared. He raised his hands up high. He had no qualms about addressing a man younger than him as older brother.

"I'm not worked up. Let's go inside and have a proper chat," Fang Zhao said.

"No, no, no. We better not intrude. We'll leave right away. Right away." As soon as he lifted one leg, he noticed Fang Zhao's finger on the trigger tighten. He stayed put, wearing a pained expression on his face. The snarling beast tattoo looked like a joke.

"It's OK. Head on in. I just want to ask you a few questions. Unlock door." On Fang Zhao's command, the apartment door opened automatically.

Fang Zhao had upgraded the security settings on his door to a dual ID check—detection of his bracelet and voice recognition.

Staring down the barrel of the gun, the first man walked into the apartment with a gloomy look on his face.

The other man was about 2 meters tall. His neck was exposed, despite the cold weather, revealing a blanket of tattoos. His muscles were firm and chiseled. Fang Zhao could also tell from the sound of his approaching footsteps that he wasn't as slow as he looked.

"Stand over there." Fang Zhao gestured to the big guy.

"Make yourself at home. Find a place to sit down. I'll let you go after asking you a few questions." Fang Zhao pulled up the only intact chair in the room and sat down.

The two men scanned the tiny room top to bottom with one quick look. The only places to sit were two stools.

Even though the stools were a bit low, they were better than sitting on the floor.

The two 20-centimeter tall stools were used to reach higher shelves. Curly Hair also liked to sunbathe on them. Now they looked completely undersized as they held two grown men, one of them a big fellow.

"Forget about the knife behind you," Fang Zhao interjected.

The man with the red crown hairdo had felt the knife behind him when he sat down. Fang Zhao's comment caught him by surprise, almost prompting him to jump up.

Damn, we've met our match.

Crown Head lowered his head and cursed quietly as he withdrew his hand.

"Fire away. It's our own fault that we got caught red-handed. We took the job without doing our research," Crown Head said. "But we're not sure who our employer is."

"You're not clear but you have a good idea." Fang Zhao was in no mood for fudging. "Tell me, what has Fang Sheng asked you to do?"

Crown Head raised his eyebrows when Fang Zhao uttered the words "Fang Sheng." Now that all the cards were on the table, there was no point in bullshitting.

"You should know we are hired guns. We do what we're paid to do. Someone offered us 30,000 to steal your bracelet. The client only sent us a text message, and the number he left is a burner number. But I'm guessing he is probably the Fang Sheng you speak of. He hired a friend of mine to monitor your movements." Crowd Head stared at Fang Zhao and tried to glean a response. Nothing.

Crown Head had revealed what he knew of Fang Sheng's recent moves, but the two of them didn't know that Fang Sheng had stolen three songs from Fang Zhao. Fang Sheng was very cautious. He didn't tell a soul.

"Anything else besides the bracelet?" Fang Zhao asked.

Crown Head was going to say no, but he cast a glance at Fang Zhao and decided to tell the truth. "He said if we taught you a lesson he would pay us an additional 10,000."

"He didn't ask you to kill me?"

"No, no, no. We don't do murder." Crowd Head was quick to explain. He raised his now-silent electric rod slightly. "This is just for show. Really, we never take kill assignments. There are only a handful of assassins working the black streets. And they are extremely selective. You can't contact them directly. Their pricing is also through the roof. They earn on one job what takes us dozens of years to make." Electric rods were strictly regulated, but these types of things were easier to come by on a black street.

The big fellow sitting next to Crown Head kept nodding. They most definitely stayed away from kill jobs. They didn't want to die. All they wanted to do was make a living. Why risk their lives?

As long as they stayed within bounds, no one would waste time hunting them down. But taking a human life was different. That wasn't something you could hide from.

Fang Zhao watched as the two thugs justified their actions profusely and shifted all the blame to Fang Sheng. But he wasn't fooled by their cowering act. If he lost focus for one second or showed any sign of weakness, they would take advantage and turn the tables on him. These two weren't greenhorns. They were too experienced to intimidate with mere violence. That's why Fang Zhao went straight for his gun. It was easier to talk once he seized control of the situation. And it would dash any ideas of a comeback.

"Our typical job is collecting debt. We've done no wrong!" Crown Head wailed.

"Then what are you doing here?" Fang Zhao asked.

Crown Head noticed Fang Zhao glaring at him, so he stopped wailing and rubbed his hands. "The new year... the new year is around the corner. We just wanted to earn a few extra bucks." Thirty thousand was indeed decent pay for black street thugs. They were tempted. Plus, Fang Sheng had hired someone to watch Fang Zhao. They'd thought it would be a straightforward gig. Once they had gotten word that Fang Zhao was back, they had scrambled to set up in front of his apartment. Little had they known they would end up in this predicament.

As Crown Head spoke, the doorbell rang.

It was Yue Qing.

A customer had told Yue Qing that he saw a man with a beast tattoo on his cheek head up to the second floor, so he had rushed upstairs to make sure Fang Zhao was OK.

"I heard a man with a beast tattoo on his cheek showed up..." Yue Qing hadn't finished his sentence when he noticed the two men with beasts inked onto their faces kneeling—or sitting, rather—inside Fang Zhao's apartment."

"These two are?" Yue Qing pointed to the two men with a look of surprise.

"Guests, here for a cup of coffee," Fang Zhao said.

The two men sitting on the stools played along, lifting their plastic cups filled with room-temperature tap water.

The two thugs grew up on the black street, so of course they knew of Yue Qing. They had bypassed Yue Qing's shop on purpose, but here he was anyway.

Were Fang Zhao and Yue Qing close friends?

Crown Head closed his eyes to conceal his sense of doom. Fang Zhao alone was enough trouble. Even if they snatched Fang Zhao's bracelet, would Yue Qing seek revenge for his friend?

They hadn't researched their target properly. If they had known, they would have turned down the job. Fang Sheng screwed them over.

But when he lifted his head, Crowd Head was already flashing what he thought was an honest smile and his rows of neon-green–tinted teeth.

Yue Qing gave both men a careful look-over. They sat obediently on the two stools like primary school students listening to a lecture. If you ignored their build and beast tattoos, Yue Qing would have thought they were victims.

He was baffled.

Did Fang Zhao really know them?

These two were familiar faces on the black street. They weren't from this building but the one two blocks away. They had shopped at Yue Qing's store before. Yue Qing remembered them.

He took another glance at Fang Zhao, who did not seem threatened. Someone had to mind his shop—his wife hadn't left work yet—so he couldn't be gone for too long. His customers would start getting antsy after a five-minute absence or so.

"Then... just holler if something goes wrong. I can hear you downstairs," Yue Qing said.

"Got it. Thanks."

"Great. Then... enjoy your coffee." Yue Qing was still confused when he headed downstairs and shook his head. He could no longer read youngsters these days.

Crown Head kept defending himself after Yue Qing left, all but calling Fang Zhao their daddy. Anything so that Fang Zhao would let them leave.

Fang Zhao listened quietly as Crown Head wrapped up his spiel. He responded, "There's a saying from the black streets, 'Live in the present. Let bygones be bygones.'"

In a black street context, that didn't mean you left grievances unanswered. What it meant was that you had to exact revenge right away.

Crown Head understood right away, saying, "We'd love to look up Fang Sheng for a chat, but we don't have his address."

"I do," Fang Zhao responded.

Chapter 47: Home Purchase

When Fang Zhao had received his first paycheck, he had hired someone to follow Fang Sheng. He knew that once Fang Sheng had money, he would move out of the company dorm. Fang Sheng also liked to party at night.

He told the two thugs Fang Sheng's address and let them go. It was going to be an exciting night at Fang Sheng's place that night.

Fang Zhao stayed in the chair after the two men left. He sat quietly for some time, fondling his gun with his fingers and taking deep breaths. He was trying to suppress his instinct to kill.

He had nearly pulled the trigger just then. He knew his opponents weren't out to kill—they just wanted to send a message—but he'd had the urge to shoot.

Even though he was reborn into the New Era, Fang Zhao had spent most of his previous life in the apocalypse. He was still adjusting to his new surroundings. Even though he looked no different than anyone else and blended into the New Era well, he himself knew that he was suppressing a mean streak that was born during the end of days and had snowballed for nearly 100 years.

The two thugs had noticed his inner turmoil. That was why they'd been so obedient.

Fang Zhao didn't know how much longer he could control the mean streak. He didn't know if it would dissipate over time or accumulate like it had during the end of days. All he could do was keep repressing it and try not to act violently.

When he'd been mugged on the street corner, he had nearly killed the little punk after snatching his gun. He had fired the shot that Yue Qing had heard. He'd fired against the ground right by the kid's skull.

After that, Fang Zhao could sense his mean streak swell.

The New Era was a world regulated by laws. Even black streets had their codes of conduct. Fang Zhao didn't want to break the rules. All he could do was vent his anger over time when he had the chance.

That was why Fang Zhao was looking forward to having gaming equipment installed in his office. New Era games allowed players to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Whatever mean streak he couldn't vent in the real world, he would do so by gaming.

Just when Fang Zhao was wondering when he could game and vent his frustrations properly, Fang Sheng, who was waiting for an update at home, was paid a visit and badly beaten. He was also forced to fork over 500,000 as compensation.

He was robbed of 500,000 just when he'd received his severance pay of 1.5 million from Neon Culture. Luckily, he was cautious and deposited the 1.5 million into three accounts. Otherwise, he might have lost it all.

Fang Sheng didn't report the robbery or the beating. Investigating the matter would do him no good. He also wondered how the two men had found out his address. Weren't they supposed to steal Fang Zhao's bracelet? Why the hell did they beat him up instead?

Fang Sheng also remembered one of the men flashing his neon-green teeth and accusing him of setting them up. How had he set them up?

Fang Sheng was hospitalized for five days, and that was thanks to the fact that medical technology in the New Era was far superior to what it was before the end of days. If he were being treated before the apocalypse, he would have been hospitalized for at least a month.

Indeed, the two thugs had given Fang Sheng a rather heavy beating. They'd cowered before Fang Zhao because their well-honed instincts told them that he wasn't a pushover. It would have been a tough battle. They would have had to go all out. But they were just in it to earn a living—they had no intention of risking their lives. So they chose to play terrified. But matched up against Fang Sheng, they showed their true colors. They wanted to let him know what a black-street thug was really like.

Fang Zhao read the new messages on his bracelet. Fang Sheng had moved into a new place after leaving the hospital. He'd probably realized his old flat wasn't safe any more. He also wanted to avoid the two thugs.

After sending a message to his hired guns, Fang Zhao headed to an apartment block near Qi'an's Third Ring Road. The black streets were located beyond the Sixth Ring Road. The Third Ring Road was considered the outer limits of downtown Qi'an, although it was populated with mostly residential buildings, not commercial ones.

Fang Zhao had gotten word from Duan Qianji that the elderly composer looking to sell his home was back in town. He wanted to meet Fang Zhao and discuss the possible sale.

Fang Zhao located the building based on the address he was given. It was a 120-story, pyramid-shaped building about 600 meters tall. The lower floors were thousands of square meters in size, but by the top floor, the floor area was only around 200 square meters.

The apartment number Fang Zhao was given was the top-floor penthouse.

The owner of the penthouse was an old man some 160 years old. He was older than Fang Zhao's previous incarnation had been. He was a composer who edited and co-wrote quite a few composition textbooks used by local music schools. Fang Zhao could instantly recall a few.

Xue Jing was a well-known name in the music industry.

Xue Jing's assistant was waiting when Fang Zhao arrived.

"Please. Teacher Xue is inside." The assistant brought Fang Zhao to a room but didn't enter with him. Without Xue Jing's permission, the room was off-limits.

When Fang Zhao entered, Xue Jing was sitting on a sofa with a wooden frame. Few sofas were made of natural wood these days. The bookshelves, tables, and other pieces of furniture were also made of wood. The room had a distinctly antique feel to it.

The sofa and the chairs in the room were covered with cushions with a wood-grain pattern. The room temperature was moderate.

"How do you do, Teacher Xue?" Xue Jing was much older and a veteran teacher. The "teacher" honorific was appropriate.

Xue Jing put down the score he was reading and pointed to the single sofa chair across from him. "Sit."

Xue Jing was some 160 years old, which was equivalent to 60 or 70 years old before the end of days.

He had quite a few grey hairs but seemed quite energetic.

"What do you think of the decor in this room?" Xue Jing's scrutinizing gaze swept across Fang Zhao and met his eyes.

"You definitely don't have any pets," Fang Zhao responded.

The assistant who had Xue Jing's permission to enter the room to serve tea heard the response and glared at Fang Zhao. The aspiring musicians who had sat in the same chair typically lavished praise on the interior design, gushed at the painting on the wall comprising musical notes, which Xue Jing himself couldn't quite decipher, and kissed ass.

It seemed that Fang Zhao's brain was wired differently.

Pets?

The assistant reviewed his entire tenure with Xue. The elderly musician indeed had never had a pet. The sofa and bookshelves would have never survived.

The response also caught Xue Jing by surprise. He laughed, responding, "Indeed. You have a pet?"

"I have a dog. I found it on a black street," Fang Zhao said.

Most people would have avoided associating themselves with potentially self-demeaning references like "black street," but Fang Zhao didn't think it was a big deal. It was a fact that he lived on a black street. There was no need to lie. There was no point in lying, either. Xue Jing had most likely gotten a detailed lowdown from Duan Qianji.

"That's a shame. I was going to leave you the furniture," Xue Jing said with a sigh. The furniture was handcrafted by a master carpenter, not machine-made.

"The same score in the hands of different arrangers will turn out differently. It's not a big deal," Fang Zhao said.

"Indeed." Xue Jing laughed gently, a few deep creases forming on his face. "Nowadays, few young musicians can find the inner peace to compose. If Duan Qianji didn't assure me that you'd written the two movements, judging from the two pieces themselves, it would have been hard to believe the composer was so young. But now that I have met you, I have no doubt."

Xue Jing couldn't explain why, but when he laid eyes on Fang Zhao, he felt that this was someone who could produce those two movements.

"Age is not a good predictor of musical quality," Fang Zhao said.

"Indeed." Xue Jing gazed out the window quietly, exuding a sense of peace honed from an abundance of life experience. He could see quite a few taller buildings. There used to be a 100-plus-year-old building nearby, but it had been torn down recently. A new building was taking its place. It was going to be taller, prettier, and attract more eyeballs.

Chapter 48: An Order from Another Continen

Xue Jing only wanted to sell to someone that gave him good vibes. Good vibes were hard to define, but somehow, he felt that he wouldn't be upset if he sold his flat to Fang Zhao and the apartment was completely renovated.

Just as Fang Zhao put it, different arrangers would handle the same song differently. Different styles would come out. Everyone was equally entitled to leave their mark. Any buyer was simply a temporary custodian of the property.

Property prices in Qi'an were quite high, especially in this neighborhood. Flats that were located on the 100th floor or higher usually cost at least 10,000 dollars per square meter. There was only one penthouse apartment in the building. The entire property took up some 200 square meters, but the flat only accounted for half of it. A garden and a parking space took up the other half.

The price tag was 10 million, which was cheap compared to similar properties in the area. The market value was no less than 20 million.

One of the reasons why real estate in that neighborhood was expensive was the presence of security guards and regular patrols. Quite a few Yanzhou celebrities bought homes in the area to avoid media attention. Xue Jing had bought this place back then because he'd wanted the peace and quiet. He was no celebrity, but he was quite influential in the music industry. Many people sought him out for favors, hoping a word from Xue Jing would translate into shortcuts. Xue Jing got so fed up he moved here. "There's another reason I invited you here, besides selling you my apartment. It's entirely up to you. No pressure," Xue Jing said.

Fang Zhao had thought a favor might be attached when Xue Jing had announced his asking price. Given Xue Jing was so generous with his pricing, Fang Zhao would comply as long as it wasn't too big of a favor.

"Please continue," Fang Zhao said.

"As you know, I'm not teaching these days, focusing instead on editing and writing textbooks." Xue Jing looked at Fang Zhao. "I'm working on a book about symphonic works. I'd like to use your songs as an example."

Xue Jing was writing a textbook that analyzed symphonies and served as a how-to primer. Symphonies were an offbeat genre. Music students tended to avoid the specialty. Even though symphonies enjoyed greater prestige within the industry, they weren't too popular.

Xue Jing wasn't only concerned with turning a profit. The elders in the industry didn't bother with symphonies, but the genre had to be preserved. Xue Jing didn't want to cut and paste like previous authors. He wanted to present contemporary examples. This would require Fang Zhao to discuss his creative vision, his sources of inspiration, and some memorable moments from the creative process. In short, Xue Jing wanted Fang Zhao to pass on his knowledge and expose more students to the genre of symphonies. It would be the equivalent of a master class in written form. Of course, it was up to Fang Zhao to decide how much to reveal.

"As you know, this isn't a hit single. There won't be much money in it." Xue Jing was frank.

Fang Zhao's emergence gave Xue Jing hope. The "100-Year Period of Destruction" series probably made for the most memorable symphonic pop songs in the past century. More importantly, the series was not condescending. It took the accessible form of pop music and reached a broad audience.

Many young composers were reluctant to share their creative insight, so Xue Jing thought Fang Zhao would take his time to consider the request. Little did he expect Fang Zhao to agree immediately.

"No problem."

But Fang Zhao wasn't actually that young. He was happy to share his knowledge and pass on the lessons he'd learned from the end of days. Human life was finite, but there were no bounds to shared experience and knowledge.

"My assistant will brief you on the mechanics of contributing to the book. You could also organize your thoughts ahead of time. As for the apartment, I'll send for packers right away. I'll have all the paperwork completed and the flat vacated in three days. There's no rush in paying me. If you can't pay the full amount in one go, you can pay in installments over a few years. No hurry."

"It's OK. I can pay in full now," Fang Zhao said.

Fang Zhao left the apartment after the conversation ended. Xue Jing had him chauffeured back to Silver Wing. Fang Zhao got a call from Zhu Zhen, Duan Qianji's assistant, while en route.

"Fang Zhao, someone from Leizhou wants to use the third movement in a movie soundtrack. They don't want to buy the song outright—just license it for 30 days." In other words, there would be a moratorium on the song's release in other formats for 30 days after the film began screening in theaters.

Orders like this from another continent were rare and often translated into new opportunities.

"We haven't discussed the price yet. Chairman Duan wants to get your OK first," Zhu Zhen said.

"To use on a soundtrack? It's a production company from Leizhou?"

"Yes. The deal will help promote the song, but the production company doesn't have a great reputation."

Every continent had protectionist measures in place to shore up their own music and film industries. "Cocoon Breach" was a good example that illustrated this trend. After the song was proven to have an impact on Hull virus patients, the publicity on other continents glossed over the title of the song or made brief mention of it. The focus was on its effect on Hull virus carriers and related topics. The medical discussion took precedence, obscuring any talk of Polar Light or details about the first and second movements.

It was one thing if the two songs were merely released as songs. But the two movements were inextricably linked to a virtual idol, so they were heavily censored in Leizhou.

Media coverage of the songs in Leizhou not only buried the title of the songs and the names of the composer and production company—Polar Light wasn't mentioned at all. Few people who read the news reports searched for the songs. The first two movements also weren't available for download outside of Yanzhou.

So what Duan Qianji had in mind was using the Leizhou film as an alternative platform, even though it might be a crappy production. Given the fact that the two songs were not available for download outside of Yanzhou, they could license them for placement in films. This didn't affect their marketing plan in Yanzhou.

But Duan Qianji was worried that Fang Zhao would find the placement degrading if the film was a mediocre production just judging from appearances. He might be turned off. That was why she had asked Zhu Zhen to run the plan by Fang Zhao first before entering into negotiations.

After being briefed by Zhu Zhen, Fang Zhao thought for about two seconds. "I'd like to get a sense of the plot of the film and where exactly the song will be placed."

"I'm not entirely clear on either. Let me get back to you."

Half an hour later, Zhu Zhen sent Fang Zhao an encrypted file that outlined the plot and where the third movement would be placed.

The document also listed the names of the production company and key investors as well as the main actors.

The credits would have meant nothing to someone outside the entertainment industry in Yanzhou. But anyone from Leizhou could tell from the names of the production company and investors that the film was a shameless ploy to promote a certain star. What wass funny was that, despite their corny story lines and shitty acting, films like this did OK at the box office. People usually bitched as they watched these movies online. They knew they were crap but they couldn't resist watching. Maybe it was a form of venting.

Fang Zhao spent an afternoon watching previous releases backed by the same production company and investors. He had his answer by sundown.

"I'll sign off on this. My only request is that the third movement only be used for the scene specified. There is no leeway on this. It can only be played then."

Chapter 49: From Whence the Gumption

The continent of Renault, or Leizhou, was named after the New Era general Harmon Renault. In Renault, the last name of Renault was a status symbol.

Renaults frequently popped up among the top names in politics, military, and finance, but what captured the public imagination the most wasn't these men in positions of power, but young Zaro Renault, a regular in the paparazzi pages.

Zaro Renault was the youngest grandson of the current governor of Renault. Even though the governor already had great-grandchildren, his favorite was still Zaro, who was rather spoiled.

Zaro Renault was the prototypical impulsive rich kid. Born into royalty and wealth, he'd never worked a day in his life and spent most of his time partying and chasing skirts. After graduating from university, he had launched the movie company Wireless Media. But even people who paid scant attention to the entertainment industry knew that the company was a joke. Every movie project it backed was a vehicle for his current girlfriend. So far, Wireless Media had seven films to its credit, and Zaro had cycled through seven girlfriends in the past two years.

People jokingly dubbed Zaro "Senior Master," and not because of seniority. He was the youngest Renault in his generation. "Senior Master" was a reference to his excess, indulgence, and incompetence.

Anyone who lived in Renault knew that any Wireless Media production was crap plot-wise. Every film had a simplistic story. You could figure out the ending by reading the synopsis.

Utterly unoriginal. Sometimes the movies barely made sense.

Given the level of technological advancement in the New Era, film production was quite straightforward. The number of films made had grown exponentially. Still, some of the major online portals screened their offerings. Yet any such restrictions were amenable to political and financial influence.

Take Zaro's Wireless Media, for example. Its releases were nearly universally panned, yet they were promoted vigorously on the most prominent platforms. They drew a significant viewership and did OK at the box office. Their revenues could never rival hit blockbusters, but they still managed to break even.

Viewers also loved to trash the films online because Zaro didn't seem to mind. Gradually, moviegoers became emboldened. Every time a Wireless Media film was released, they would watch it right away and generate tons of reviews. The reviews were still mostly critical. But despite the overwhelmingly negative commentary, the movies still drew a considerable audience.

Part of the reason was Zaro's reputation. Everyone wanted to see what kind of crap the notorious rich kid had produced. They got a kick out of it.

There was another reason. Wireless Media releases usually boasted huge budgets and realistic sets.

The Renaults were loaded, and while Master Zaro set low standards for story development, he was exacting when it came to production design and visual effects. He loved films with epic scenes, so the movies he made were filled with them.

Movie technology was in full bloom in the New Era. A single digital artist could easily create grand and realistic space shots. But sophisticated viewers could always spot flaws.

The proliferation of special effects created a niche audience that preferred big-budget blockbusters that used actual sets and props.

And the reason such viewers enjoyed Wireless Media releases was because they often used the real thing instead of props, be they firearms, flying cars, or spaceships.

For his last production, Zaro had rented a spaceship and 10 fighter jets from the military. Several scenes were also shot in space.

Zaro himself was no expert when it came to production design, but as a Renault, he felt he had to distinguish himself. When everyone used special effects, he would use the real thing. Only lavish budgets and splashy moves would live up to the Renault name.

And now Master Renault was on his eighth girlfriend and Wireless Media was gearing up for their eighth production. It was an old-fashioned damsel in distress movie.

Usually, Zaro would hire a famous actor to star alongside his girlfriend. When he was in the mood, he would make a cameo appearance himself. But this time, Senior Master didn't want to guest star. He wanted to be the leading man proper. So Wireless Media's eighth production had an even larger budget than usual. Zaro ordered the filmmakers to rent three battleships and nearly 50 fighter jets.

Of course, the battleships and fighter jets were steered and piloted by actual soldiers. As impulsive as Zaro was, he wasn't stupid enough to let non-professionals man the battleships and fighter jets. If any of them were damaged during shooting, his father would skin him alive.

Zaro had the perfect excuse cooked up when he approached his father for his military connections—the film would promote the military, boost recruitment, and help clamp down on draft dodgers.

In the New Era, a mandatory two-year period of military service was required for both men and women. The length of service was scaled back to one year after 200 years. Still, people went to extraordinary lengths to avoid serving.

Leizhou had been plagued by a series of high-profile desertions not too long ago involving several rather prominent celebrities, which generated considerable public discussion.

Zaro's father didn't buy his son's story for one second, but alas, his father—Zaro's grandfather, the governor himself—was already on board. Dad had no choice but to comply grudgingly. As a result, he was ostracized within the military and treated like a leper. The insults made in private were even worse.

Someone once joked that Zaro was born to screw over his father.

The latest production generated buzz within Renault's entertainment industry because of the huge budget and the large number of military rentals. Others saw a golden opportunity.

No matter how crappy the film turned out to be, people would still flock to see it. It would probably draw a larger audience than Wireless Media's previous seven movies. Any role in the film offered great exposure. Agents were dying to place their clients.

Apart from actors, composers also wanted in. They scrambled to offer their best songs. Many even offered discounts.

But Zaro didn't like any of the demos he received. Yet his appearance in the film called for the most epic song, so he decided to hire the best composer in town.

Just as he was about to shop for composers, word broke of the magical songs that had a healing effect on a Hull virus patient. The story piqued Zaro's curiosity. He ordered his underlings to obtain copies of "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach." The songs weren't available for download in Leizhou, but Zaro had his connections.

After listening to the two songs, he made contact with Silver Wing immediately. He loved the first two movements. Judging from the evolution of the songs, Zaro figured the third movement would strike his fancy even more.

He never used pieces that had been previously released on his movie soundtracks. They were too familiar and wouldn't add to the class of the film. He was starring in this eighth production, after all. His entrance had to be accompanied by a brand new, epic song. Only that kind of background music befitted his status.

Most blockbusters hired professional composers to write songs tailored to their plot and different scenes, also known as made-to-order songs.

So Zaro had people reach out to Silver Wing to see if the composer of the first two movements was willing to write a song for his movie. But Silver Wing refused immediately. The reason they gave was that the composer was too busy working on the third movement.

That pissed Zaro off, but Silver Wing was adamant in their refusal. There was nothing he could do. Zaro could make mountains move simply by flaunting his family name in Renault, but people in Yanzhou were less likely to extend a similar courtesy.

After pondering the matter, Zaro asked Silver Wing roughly when the third movement was coming out. The answer was January, which was when Wireless Media's eighth movie was being released. So Zaro decided to buy the rights to the third movement.

Zaro wanted to the buy the third movement outright, which meant it would not be released online in Yanzhou. He was willing to pay extra.

But Silver Wing responded with an equally definite no.

Zaro was so furious he cursed in his office the entire day.

Even paying a premium couldn't get them the third movement. Zaro's assistants and his agent told him to give up.

"There are quite a few composers in Leizhou who write symphonic pieces. If you haven't found one you like, just sift through some more," Zaro's agent pleaded. The movie was already over budget. It was just a matter of commissioning a song. There were so many movie composers in Leizhou. All they had to do was find a reputable one. It was going to be a crappy movie anyway. The most important thing was for Zaro to get his fix from the starring role. What was the point of being so exacting?

The agent was already in a tough spot. Other members of the Renault family were already upset that Zaro had made so many trashy, soulless, and critically panned movies. He already been summoned by a few of them, who had asked him to restrain Zaro and stop tarnishing the family name. Alas, his words carried little weight. Senior Master Zaro didn't care what he said.

At Zaro's insistence, his people kept negotiating with Silver Wing. They finally reached an agreement. Silver Wing would agree to the placement, but it would only license the song for exclusive use for one month. The third movement would still be launched in Yanzhou as scheduled, while in Leizhou, the release would be delayed by a month, until Wireless Media's eighth film ended its theatrical run. Silver Wing's price: 10 million.

Zaro signed off on the deal.

His agent wanted to cry.

In the first half of the year, the filmmakers behind an expensive Renault space war flick had commissioned a famed music cooperative to write a song. That only cost some 3 million. The filmmakers owned the rights to the song outright, which meant they could keep recycling the song in other movies without paying additional royalties. But now Wireless Media had spent 10 million licensing a song from Silver Wing for a mere month.

Where did Silver Wing find such gumption?

And yet Zaro had agreed to the deal. What was he thinking? Did money grow on trees? He really was clueless about his finances.

"Senior Master, should we maybe reconsider?" the agent pleaded again.

"There's no need. Let's do it. Let's speed up the shoot. The day the third movement is released in Yanzhou will be the day our movie is released!" He didn't want the background music that introduced his character showing up elsewhere first.

"But the price and the terms..." Zaro's agent made a last-ditch effort.

"They're fine." Zaro was already fed up. He wanted to get on set and figure out when his first scenes were. His stunt double had been filming until now.

Zaro's agent was the picture of doom. He wiped his forehead.

You had to be nuts to spend so much to license a song. They were bound to become the laughing stock of the industry.

He knew there was no room for savings on production design, given how demanding Senior Master was, but not being able to cut costs on music rights and going over budget instead—how very indulgent.

"I almost forgot—did Silver Wing mention any other conditions?" Zaro asked.

"The composer has requested that the third movement only be used for the scene he specified and no where else," an assistant standing next to him said.

Zaro looked at his assistant and smiled. "That's what we were thinking all along! That's where I make my grand entrance."

"Indeed. That's why Wireless Media agreed to the deal," the assistant said.

It was just one scene and they couldn't even play the entire song. For that, Silver Wing had demanded 10 million. Only a dumb*ss so loose with his cash like Zaro would agree , his agent thought.

Ten million! Were they paying for golden bricks?

Taking note of his agent's sour mood, Zaro chuckled and said, "Look how stingy you are."

"It's not that I'm stingy, Senior Master. It's 10 million dollars, for crying out loud. What if the song doesn't work?"

"Then we'll buy another song, the song you picked earlier. We'll use that as backup."

So they would splurge on another song? What about the 10 million?

"Then we'd have to write off that 10 million," his agent said.

"Then write it off. I can afford it," Zaro responded casually.

Yeah, you're a Renault, 10 million is like 1000 dollars to you, but for mortals like us, it's like treading ice , the agent cursed silently.

Given the cumulative profits from Wireless Media's first seven movies, they could break even despite taking a 10 million dollar loss this time.

That was also why Zaro was so carefree. They were breaking even, even making the occasional profit. He could keep fooling around in the entertainment industry.

"Is it worth it?" Zaro's agent was still in pain.

"Are you suggesting it's not worth it spending this much on music for a crappy film?" Zaro looked at his agent askance.

The agent flashed an embarrassed smile, thinking to himself, So you realize this is a shit production too?

"Wanna hear a saying?" Zaro asked.

"Yeah?" The agent and assistant were all ears.

"Since the beginning of time, crappy films have generated hit songs."

Chapter 50: This Mofo Ain't Backing Down

Zaro was rather indifferent to the online commentary that all his movies were crap. He knew the movies he produced were shallow and lacked depth, but that was the kind of film he liked—simple, straightforward, epic scenes, and visually exciting. Most importantly, they pleased his girlfriends. He felt good about them too.

When he had launched a production company after graduation, he had been in it only for the experience. He hadn't thought that far ahead and was prepared to incur a loss. And yet he was able to break even.

So eventually, Zaro had become addicted. He did things his way, regardless of how the media and general public trashed him. Who cared what other people said? As his uncle once put it: "How are you going to get through life without a bit of thick skin?"

But now, he no longer wanted to be a spectator. He wanted to act himself, to star in an epic love story and play an invincible hero who saved the world.

Everyone aspired to be a hero. Zaro actually quite envied the men and women of his generation who joined the military. He wasn't cut out for it and he didn't want to suffer, so he would fulfill his dream through a movie. That was much easier.

He was ready to go all out. Ten million for a song, even if it was all for nothing—no problem. It was a movie built with cash. If he didn't like the song, so be it.

He had thought about poaching the composer behind "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach" to tailor a song for him, but Silver Wing had done a good job of keeping the musician under wraps. All he could do was wait. If he liked the third movement, then he would make a move on the composer. If not, he would blacklist Silver Wing and the composer and not work with them again.

Zaro was a big spender, but he wasn't stupid. If the song wasn't to his liking, he wasn't paying a cent.

As for the plot of the movie?

He didn't care. It was just a movie, after all. It just had to be entertaining. The story didn't matter. This year, it was an ordinary person who saved the world by defeating monsters, next year it'd be a mutant, and the year after the next it'd be a superman. And then a monster battling other monsters the following year. It was all the same.

For his eighth production, he was going to battle beasts in robot armor. How cool was that? His stunt double was doing all the fighting. All he had to do was show his handsome face at some point. Piece of cake.

Zaro had even named the film himself: "God of War."

People teased after hearing the title: such hubris. Does his great-grandfather know?

Zaro's great-grandfather, the father of Leizhou's current governor, had belonged to the famed "God of War" unit when he was a young soldier. He had gone on to a highly decorated career and served as the deputy commander of the Leizhou military.

Now he was an old man, more than 190 years old. He had stopped wading into family affairs a long time ago, ever since his son became governor of Leizhou. Still, the old man wielded considerable influence. Every year, some of his former troops would pay him a visit.

While Zaro's father was ostracized every time his son loaned military vehicles and equipment for his movies, he was never purged. That wasn't entirely on account of Zaro's grandfather, the governor. The top brass also felt they had to show respect for Zaro's great-grandfather. As long as Zaro's demands weren't too outlandish and he was willing to pay, they were willing to turn a blind eye.

But Zaro didn't think there was anything wrong with the title. He was starring this time. It wouldn't be worth the effort unless he crafted a heroic image for himself.

As he was pondering the title, his agent ducked out to take a call, then scrambled back.

The agent looked miffed. "Senior Master, we have a problem."

"What now?" Zaro asked.

"'King of Snipers' has bumped up its release date to Jan. 1."

No wonder his agent was so alarmed. The reason they had scheduled their movie for a January release was because there was little competition, only a few low-budget productions. Considering Zaro's ability to generate buzz, they were confident about their box office returns. They weren't aiming high anyway. All they wanted was to break even.

Zaro himself was a walking advertisement. So many people followed his every move. He was a frequent topic of discussion even on other continents.

"Leizhou Senior Master's New Girlfriend Revealed." "Eligible Bachelors on Each Continent You Don't Want to Piss Off." "Senior Master Zaro Named Leizhou Male Celebrity of the Year." The headlines never ended. Even though Zaro didn't sing or act and had no other talents, the constant attention made him a bona fide celebrity in Leizhou.

News of Zaro's starring role had dominated entertainment headlines for days. Interest was huge, so Zaro's agent wasn't worried about the box office. This was the first time Senior Master had starred in a movie, so many people were curious. The movie didn't have to be a big hit. They just wanted to break even.

But now, a genuine blockbuster that was scheduled for release in February had bumped up its release date to January. Somehow, this move seemed aimed at Zaro.

"King of Snipers" was a coproduction by Leizhou's two leading film studios. It featured an all-star lineup. Rumor was that it was awards bait. Movie fans were looking forward to it keenly, and films that catered to mass tastes and critics alike tended to have more depth and cultural significance.

A great plot, top actors, and a big budget to boot—even outsiders could tell a movie like this was a box office guarantee that would also likely meet critical approval. So when news that "King of Snipers" was being released in February broke, Zaro and company had breathed a sigh of relief. It was such good news that they didn't have to go up against such a Goliath.

But now, "King of Snipers" was being bumped up. What could they do?

The good thing was that they had never nailed down their release date. They had announced a January release, but they could still push it back to February. All they had to do was come up with an excuse to feed the press.

Zaro also started getting calls from members of his family.

"Yes, Uncle. What is it?"

"Zaro, have you heard that 'King of Snipers' is bumping up its release date? Why don't you push back your release date by a month."

Zaro hung up before his uncle finished. He sat on his chair pouting.

Less than a minute later, another call came through. Zaro took a quick glance at the caller ID and put the call through.

"What's so urgent, Auntie? If it's about my movie, stop now."

"Zaro, don't be impulsive."

Zaro hung up again and threw his tablet to the floor.

His terrified assistant tip-toed to the tablet and picked it up in case Senior Master wanted to keep using it.

Zaro was fuming. Everyone wanted him to back down, but he was no fool.

The filmmakers behind "King of Snipers" wouldn't have bumped up their release date so publicly without the tacit approval of the Renault family.

Zaro was right. The move did in fact have the blessing of the Renault family. The point was to give Zaro a reality check, to make him realize that his success was due to respect for the Renault family. The time had come to burst his bubble, to restrain his personality through hardship.

Zaro had too many enemies. He had publicly trashed several leading actors. In revenge, their agencies had banded together and coordinated with the Renault family. The release date for "King of Snipers" was advanced after the Renaults gave the go-ahead.

Members of the Renault family, including Zaro's father, had spoken privately of wanting to teach Zaro a lesson, within reason. Just a bit of real competition would do. They didn't want to overdo it. If the Renault family ended up losing face, other family members wouldn't sign off on the move.

The Renault family didn't own the continent outright, but it was an indisputable fact that it was still the most powerful family in Leizhou. And they were still a prominent force 500 years into the New Era. That showed how united they were on key issues.

The shrewd operators in business and entertainment knew how far to push things.

In the Leizhou capital, several investors that backed "King of Snipers" were kidding around in an office.

"It's time to let Zaro know that the only reason his movies made money and broke even in the past is because we gave way on account of his family name."

"We never complained. We even cracked down on the naysayers. But he should be more mature and not just mouth off without regard to our reputations."

"Let's let him find out what real competition feels like."

What else was there to Zaro's movies except for buzz and military hardware?

They were total crap.

Zaro was the target of their sniping.

"The gap in quality is obvious when there's a contrast to Zaro's films. People like Zaro are a nuisance who poison the industry. It's time we industry elders come out and restore order."

News of the earlier release date for "King of Snipers" generated a massive response in the Leizhou entertainment industry.

"God of War" had also announced a January release, so these two hotly discussed films were going up against each other.

Except the quality of the former was guaranteed. You could tell from the names of the director, the screenwriter, the actors, and the production companies. As for the latter... Everyone knew what to expect.

After "King of Snipers" announced its release date, Wireless Media kept putting off a formal announcement on the release date for "God of War," leading to speculation that Zaro was going to cave and push back his movie.

"It's the right move to back down. This is no time to cling on, even if he's a Renault. I'm sure other members of the family have long taken issue with him."

"Yeah, you need to pick your battles. Being too aggressive and egotistical does you no good. He's in his 20s now. It's time to grow up. Zaro has caused too much trouble already. Even other members of the Renault family can't stand him."

"And it's quite the lesson. Zaro is going to get his ass kicked, isn't he?"

"Let's hope that Senior Master can learn his lesson."

"But given Senior Master's personality, will he back down?" others speculated.

Zaro acted like he was king of Leizhou. He was used to having his way. Was he going to back down over a slight hiccup like this?

Wireless Media headquarters.

"Senior Master, should we have someone rework the script?" Zaro's agent asked.

"No. We're almost done with the shoot. How can we change the script now?" Zaro let out an eerie laugh. "You wanna mess with me? This mofo isn't going anywhere. Let's check with Silver Wing and see when the third movement will be completed."

Sensing Zaro's determination, his agent gave up and called one of Duan Qianji's assistants.

After being briefed by her assistant, Duan Qianji asked Fang Zhao, "You're positive you'll be done before January?"

"Yes."

"That's great."

After getting off the phone with Fang Zhao, Duan Qianji issued her orders: "We're sticking to our plan. The third movement will be released on Jan. 1. Get word to Wireless Media that we'll deliver the third movement in late December."

Zaro's agent looked ashen when he heard back. His wistful thinking that Silver Wing might not meet its January deadline was dashed. He didn't want to lie, so he relayed Duan Qianji's message to Zaro unfiltered.

"That's great. Then let's set our release date for Jan. 1. I'm not backing down an inch." Zaro kicked his feet up and started fidgeting hard. "Have the production team hurry up. Let's wrap things up by the end of December. We'll announce the release date now. I'm going head-to-head with them."

The result of the matchup didn't matter. He didn't care about the box office. He just wanted to stick to his guns.

This. Mofo. Ain't. Backing. Down.

Chapter 51: Exam Time for Secondary Students Again

The movie Zaro was starring in was on a tight production schedule. In contrast to the film itself and the buzz it generated, the score was hardly mentioned. No one cared who wrote the score apart from a select few members of the music industry. When the token few music publications did discuss the score, all that appeared was a passing reference that the composer was a non-local and speculation over where the composer was from.

No one bothered to delve further. Wireless Media simply said they had signed a composer without identifying the person.

While the entire Leizhou entertainment industry was following the production closely, so was the entertainment press corps in Yanzhou.

Silver Wing had issued a statement saying that the third movement of "The 100-Year Period of Destruction" series was scheduled to be released at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Yet there was a two-month gap between the release of the second and third movements. The long production cycle suggested Silver Media had gone all out and had high expectations for the single.

Every member of the Yanzhou entertainment industry was waiting to see how explosive the combination of a virtual idol and an epic pop series would be.

Many fans left messages on the message boards on Silver Wing's official website. Some were fans of epics, others simply curious. Another group was Polar Light's fans. The latter group was more interested in the music video than the music. What they cared about most was whether Polar Light would star in the video and if Polar Light merchandise would be released.

Silver Wing assigned dedicated staffers to monitoring the message boards. They even put two staffers on the message board for Polar Light. Their job was to identify the most common questions and post responses.

Recently, the message board monitors started noticing a fourth demographic.

"When is the third movement coming out? It's almost exam time."

"Hurry up! Hurry, hurry!"

"We have to wait until Jan. 1? So late!"

"Thank God, it'll be released just in time. Our exams won't have happened yet."

"I hope the third movement is even better. That way I'll have more motivation."

__________

Messages of this kind suggested the authors were students. And if you listened to the voice messages, you would notice that many of the voices sounded quite young. Some were clearly prepubescent, others going through puberty.

Secondary school students?

How come they were all secondary students?

"Did you guys hire fake fans?" the message board monitors asked their marketing and PR colleagues.

"No. Even if we did, we wouldn't hire that many secondary students." Their colleagues were clueless too.

"Speaking of secondary students, I think they have final exams in January," a message board monitor said.

Speaking of exams, they were reminded of the news coverage back in November about the popularity of the second movement among secondary students.

When the second movement, "Cocoon Breach," was released, it was midterm time at most Yanzhou secondary schools. Students were looking for inspiration, so they preferred songs that were up-tempo or loud. "Cocoon Breach" was the most popular choice.

The students were still young and lacked professional music training, so they couldn't appreciate the subtle and painful evolution of emotions in "Cocoon Breach," but that didn't prevent them from being moved by the explosive parts of the song. This was a psychological process—to put it more bluntly, it was a stimulant of sorts. The climaxes in the song had an awakening effect, dispelling any trace of laziness or weariness.

During their midterms, the students used the second movement to stimulate themselves. But they forgot all about the song when they finished their exams. There were too many others things that captured their attention. Other than music, they had video games and other forms of entertainment.

Now the term was nearing its end, and the academic calendar showed that finals were imminent. Finals were even more important than midterms. If the students didn't do well, they would be scolded for starters. Winter break and Chinese New Year would be torture. No red packets stuffed with cash, no gifts—they would also be forced to do more problem sets and have their Internet access restricted. What a bummer.

So how about sucking it up and cramming for a few days?

There was little incentive.

As exam dates approached, some students tried to seek inspiration in song. They searched for songs that resembled "Cocoon Breach." Unfortunately, repeated searches yielded few matches.

The third movement became the focus of their attention. Whenever they were free, they would flood the Silver Wing message boards with messages demanding the third movement be released. When Silver Wing finally announced the release date, they still showed up every day in the message boards to count down.

So every time the message board monitors spotted a countdown message, they knew it was the secondary students again.

The two Polar Light monitors thought they were just secondary students, adorable in their own way. As former secondary students, they could empathize. Plus, finals were around the corner and the pressure was immense. Finding a way to vent was totally understandable. Let them be.

But as the day passed, the two monitors realized they were being naive.

The number of secondary students grew, and they showed up at the same time every day, as if by appointment.

Leaving a countdown message had become part of their daily routine.

Initially, it was only a few people, but as the group grew, it became a nuisance. The message board monitors had to select representative questions and post answers. But now, the questions had been overwhelmed by countdown messages, which had to be filtered. It was too much trouble.

The monitors decided to take action to stamp out the nonsense.

The students who showed up to leave countdown messages the next day noticed a new announcement: the number of countdown messages would be capped to maintain order.

So many countdown messages ended up being deleted.

The monitors were relieved to find their message boards less cluttered. Now it was easier to browse fan questions.

But in a few days, the two monitors noticed the secondary students had started leaving countdown messages on behalf of entire classes.

"Second Year Class No. 7 of Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School reporting for duty! Nine days until the release of the third movement."

"Third Year Class No. 1 of Qi'an No. 12 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Second Year Class No. 4 of Yanxi No. 5 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Fourth Year Class No. 2 of Gong Xu No. 3 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Wait, I'm from Yanxi too. Fellow students from Yanxi No. 5 Secondary School, any sign of our friends from No. 6 Secondary School?"

"Second Year Class No. 8 of Yanxi No. 6 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Anyone from Third Year Class No. 2 of Yanxi No. 6 Secondary School? Please sign in on my behalf too."

"Friends from Second Year Class No. 7 of Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School, we're from Class No. 8."

__________

Some of the older fans were amused. They asked in a patronizing tone, "Aren't you afraid of being banned again?"

The students thought, they have a point . There were so many secondary schools in Yanzhou. Every school had six grades and every grade about a dozen classes, even more in certain areas. The numbers added up. The message board monitors didn't say what the cap was. If the students pressed on, they could very well be banned.

So, two days later, they tweaked the wording in their messages.

"Second Years at Yanxi No. 6 Secondary School reporting for duty. Seven days until the release of the third movement."

"Third Years at Qi'an No. 12 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Second Years at Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School reporting for duty!"

"Wait, when were you chosen to speak on behalf of second years at Qi'an No. 1 Secondary School? Which class do you belong to?"

"Class No. 1. What, you got a problem?"

"This m*fo is from Class No. 8. Yeah, I gotta problem."

"See you at the gym after class."

"See you there! Don't chicken out!"

__________

Reading the deluge of new messages, the monitors went from surprised to dumbfounded.

What's up with these secondary students?

Do they have too much free time on their hands?

M*fo this, mo*fo that—how old do they think they are?

Have you done your homework? Have you finished memorizing your passages? Done with your problem sets? Do you know what you want to do with your lives?

The two message board monitors were baffled by the influx of group countdown messages. They couldn't delete one and not the other without pissing off one side. These secondary students didn't have the best of tempers. If they weren't careful, they could spark a war of words. If complaints of unfair treatment were lodged, their pay could be docked.

But curious bystanders were mighty amused.

An epic lover who was more than 100 years old commented, "It's good to be young!"

Initially, only students from Qi'an, Yanxi, Gonguxu, and a few other larger cities left messages. But soon the trend spread.

Yandong, Yannan, Yanbei, Jinggang, and even the remote Magu—their secondary students started showing up too.

Some students just wanted to join the fray out of mob mentality. And when one grade at a school left a message, other grades followed suit.

Rival schools in the same city couldn't leave their voices unheard.

Secondary school students from other cities also joined in to prove their existence.

Six days until the release.

Five days.

Four days.

Three days.

______

Faced with all the fun the students were having at their expense, the two message monitors wanted time to speed up. Once the third movement was released, the craziness would stop.

A day before the release, the two monitors each took a deep breath, looked at each other, and smiled.

"It's finally time."

Chapter 52: Third Movement: "Mission"

532nd year of the New Era. Jan. 1. First day of a brand new year

Silver Wing Tower, 50th floor.

Pang Pusong was feeling nervous. He was not even able to gauge how he had performed. When recording was underway for the third movement, Fang Zhao’s demands were even greater than before. Over the past month or so, Pang Pusong had been practicing everyday, sometimes even taking a week or two just to perfect a single verse. He had not even heard the final product and could only wait for the music video to be released.

The nervousness was not limited to Pang Pusong. The entire Virtual Idol Department was jittery.

Returning from their vacation after the second movement was released, the team had worked overtime for more than a month. The second movement decided whether they would succeed. The third movement was to see how far they could go.

Having experienced the sweet taste of success, even without Fang Zhao’s instructions, the motivated team pushed themselves harder. When tired, they would head to the gaming room to relax a little before sleeping, continuing to work the moment they woke.

Silver Wing media had assembled a backup technical team to lend their support should the Virtual Idol department require additional resources. Therefore, the team needed not worry about being shorthanded, lacking funds, or welfare. All they needed to do was complete the tasks that Fang Zhao assigned. As for how the final product would turn out, all they could do was believe in their project head.

Zeng Huang was woken up by an alarm. As he emerged from his room, he did not see Fang Zhao anywhere, so he turned and asked Zu Wen, "Where is Big Zhao?"

"In his office," Zu Wen replied.

Glancing around the department and seeing everyone, Zeng Huang asked, "Nobody went home yesterday?"

"Of course not. Nobody would even be able to sleep," Zu Wen replied with a yawn. Zu Wen went to wash his face before taking a seat in the office along with the rest of the team, waiting for the clock to hit eight.

Everyone left Fang Zhao alone. It was evident that, during the composition and arrangement of the third movement, Fang Zhao’s temperament had not been great. Just as actors needed time to get out of character after a movie, a composer who poured his emotions and soul into his work needed some time to get the emotions out of his system.

Thus, all Zeng Huang and Zu Wen could do was complete the tasks at hand, leaving Fang Zhao with less to worry about.

In the newcomer department, Chu Guang was rather unperturbed seeing Polar Light taking the No. 1 spot of the label’s marketing plan for the month.

In the final season of the previous year, he had already been crowded out to No. 5 on the New Pioneers Chart. Still, it was a cause for celebration that the third movement had not been released in December. Otherwise, the No. 5 spot might not have even been his.

After "Divine Punishment" and "Cocoon Breach," the third movement, "Mission," was also about to be released on public channels. The quantity of downloads would not be lacking either. Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment no longer seemed like they wanted to compete against Polar Light, focusing instead on promoting their two biggest stars, the virtual idols Mi Yu and Andy Leo.

Are they giving up on the newcomer scene?

Whatever the reason, for Chu Guang, two less virtual idols to compete against was a good thing.

At the top floor of Silver Wing Tower, Duan Quanji and the other senior executives were gathered in the conference room to watch the official release of the third movement's music video on the projection system upon its release. Amongst them, only Duan Quanji had heard the final cut and watched the completed music video. The rest were seeing it themselves for the first time.

All the staff from Silver Wing Media already at the office or on the way to work, regardless of whether they were singers, actors, technical staff, or from operations, were eagerly monitoring the development to come at 8 a.m.

Alone in his office, Fang Zhao pulled down the blinds to block out the sunlight. Turning on the projection system, at 8 a.m. sharp, it played the broadcast of the music video for the third movement.

The third movement diverged from the modulating style of the previous two installments. Right from the start, a combination of string and woodwind discharged the distinct, surging grandeur of an epic.

The music video picked up where the second movement had left off. The desolate blue sky full of haze seemed to be mourning. Lightning streaked across the skies amidst the thick clouds.

Many silhouettes on the surface were running. Hurried and brief drumbeats perfectly reflected the tense atmosphere. In between the brief drumbeats, a familiar male voice began to sing as symphonic music and and opera combined in the background. Some New Era musical styles were blended in as well, giving off a wild and primitive vibe, as if ready to strike. In the music video, the scene of a prelude to battle unfolded with the two sides at a standoff.

With the horrific crises everywhere, the building tension was surging and billowing, threatening to overflow.

A figure leapt into the sky, like an eagle soaring through the clouds. At a glance, its branches, seemingly knotted with what seemed distinctly like muscles, gave off the impression of raw and explosive power contained deep inside.

With one foot, the falling figure trampled on the mutated beast at the front of the pack before brutally raining blows from his boulder-like fist onto the throat of the beast.

Explosive drum beats, combined with the crackling electronic music, sounded like the crisp shattering of bone.

It was not the sound produced from the instruments but rather the image and temperament that resonated with the viewers who, in turn, produced that bone-crushing sound in their own hearts.

Soil and blood splattered in all directions. Some splashed onto the tree man’s face in between his eyes. This diverted the attention of the viewers to his eyes.

That pair of eyes radiated an immense murderous aura. Akin to the violent fury of a ferocious beast shaken awake from its slumber.

A bone-chilling sensation crept down the spines of the viewers witnessing this scene, insinuating doubts in their minds. Who were the mad ones? Was it the savage and violent mutated beasts, or was it the previously peace-loving and gentle tree man that wouldn’t hurt a fly?

This extreme change was not only limited to the figure of the tree man at the front. Around him, the other figures were emanating this murderous aura too.

The shrill blare of a brass instrument signalled a variation as the string melody increased its vigour. The intense and frantic beats of the timpani portrayed an unyielding spirit.

Compared to the first movement, the appearance and the temperament of the tree men had undergone a massive transformation.

This was how they adapted to the battlefield and this dark age.

Becoming what they were most adverse to was their way of resisting the cruel fate that befell them.

In line with the expectations of all the people who followed the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, the third movement had a theme of struggle and combat.

Frantic alternating of the brass rhythm and woodwind variations set a fierce and intense tone of confrontations and close quarter combat. The immense and visually stunning images, coupled with the perfectly synced accompaniment, continuously battered the hearts and souls of the viewers. The third movement was in no way weaker than its predecessors.

The transformed trees and mutated beasts collided violently against the dark and gloomy sky.

Despite it being a virtual image, it brought about a realistic and overwhelming sense of bitterness that transcended time.

The timid and gentle tree men were long gone, drowned out by the continuous battle to determine their survival. In order to seek a peaceful land to call home, the tree men were willing to release their inhibitions and fight!

From the highest mountains to the lowest valleys, a peaceful land was nowhere to be found, and danger was lurking in every corner.

Only this time, in the third movement, they no longer held on to the depressed notion of resigning to their fate.

The tree men started off timid and cowardly. Making a stand, they fought against their fate, and after countless battles, they grew numb to war and death. Throughout the journey, they lost some comrades but gained some new companions too. Finally, they found a relatively peaceful place—Polar Land.

Blanketed by snow, Polar Land was a frigid and unforgiving place. Most viruses and mutated creatures were incompatible with the climate here. Ironically, this was the last pure land in the diseased world.

Devoid of the reddish-brown smog and air pollutants, the sky here was clear. Sunlight shone freely in the day, and at night, the stars that were hidden for quite some time came out to play. On certain nights, the illusive colors of an aurora would flash across the sky.

Like the calm after a storm, the intensity of the music receded. Ethereal sounds of a zither interweaving with the soothing flute gave the flustered spirits of listeners a moment to relax. This was a time for peace.

Polar Land was a sanctuary for the tree men. A place where they could stay without worrying about dangers and mutated beasts lurking around every corner. This place might have been cold, but it was certainly safe.

With slight smiles on their faces, a few young saplings were running stiffly on the snow-covered ground. When they were about to slip, a sturdy branch reached out and fished them up before setting the saplings down on its broad shoulders.

The image and score induced a feeling of warmth in people’s hearts.

With this sort of backdrop, it seemed as if a scene of peace and stability was about to unfold.

But for those watching the projection, they understood that Polar Land was just but a brief period in the true history of the Period of Destruction.

Toward the later stages of the Period of Destruction, a summit meeting was held at Polar land. Back then, the world had not been divided into the twelve continents, only warzones. Leaders from nearly a hundred warzones had congregated for a comprehensive discussion on the war.

This temporary period of peace was not the conclusion but a foretelling of the explosive finale that was to come.

The music switched to a melancholy cello solo.

While not absolutely safe, Polar Land was still a place of peace and tranquility compared to the the various regions they had passed through. However, at the same time, this place was not suitable from them to have a normal livelihood.

Most importantly, they no longer had to live like wandering nomads and could settle down.

In the New Era, most books regarding the history of the Period of Destruction had records and excerpts of the words spoken at that Polar Land summit meeting. Even though the original speakers were long forgotten, their words were passed down.

"We can end it all in our current generation. There is no need to leave it to the next. Since we are already at this point, what harm is there in staking it all on one last push?

"We have already become battle-hardened warriors and martyrs, but most importantly, we have also experienced a momentary period of peace. Whereas those born in the this era, amidst fire and blood, have never known what peace is."

The historical recording of the Period of Destruction might have been glossed over, but they were not fabricated randomly. Fang Zhao remembered that, back then, similar words were spoken. He himself might have spoken out too.

"Why are we not able to go back to living in our beloved homeland?

Why do we have to give the world up?

We are already strong, aren’t we?"

In the projection, a group of tree men in the vast land of snow and ice gazed longingly at the heavens. Under the night sky adorned with stars, the magnificent aurora was like a bright and flickering flame lighting up the dark.

The beating of a drum seemed to increase its intensity in layers, as if to emphasize a steadfast conviction.

At the head of the group stood a familiar figure. His eyes were no longer clouded by madness and killing. Rather, in that moment of serenity, his eyes were filled with a slight reluctance and longing, as if parting ways with an old photograph.

The flickering aurora gradually dissipated as night turned to day.

Without any hint of reluctance, the lead tree man turned around to leave. The back of his wide trunk was full of scars. Nobody but himself knew that there was not a lot left in him. The next injury might be the last he could take before collapsing. Such was the burden he had to bear.

Many of the other tree men were in the same situation. As long as their injuries did not hinder their movement, they joined in the ranks of the leaving.

Some of the tree men were playing with the young saplings. Upon seeing the procession, they lifted the saplings from themselves, carefully placing them on the ground before heading to join the ranks.

A tree man lightly pressed his finger against a sapling’s forehead, as if to prevent the young one from following. Soon after, he turned to leave, exchanging fistbumps with a fellow treeman heading in the same direction. With a slight smile, he headed out without glancing back. He was afraid that he would lose the courage to leave if he looked behind.

The young sapling was puzzled observing the leaving figures. This was a safe place. The world outside was fraught with dangers. Why was everyone still leaving?

The departing figures increased, joining the ranks of the leaving. All that was left were those old and weak tree men who were incapable of combat. Polar Land was harsh and unforgiving, but at the same time, it was still the safest place to be.

A quick-paced string medley played, and paired with a unique sequence of electronic music, it set a tense atmosphere foreboding combat. In that dark period, against their chaotic and unreasonable destiny, they were forced to make a cruel choice.

The aerial view of the numerous figures against the background of the snow-covered land formed a long, snaking line. The numbers were so great that it was not possible to see where the line began.

A loud horn sounded along with the vigourous beats of the timpani. The increasing tempo and intensity washed away any downcast feelings. Alongside the dampening from the double bass and the woodwind score, the accompanying singing grew in stature. Just like the scene of the leaving procession, it was a display of extreme determination.

Contained within was an immeasurable strength and hope.

The volume of the chorus gradually increased as the footage left Polar Land, crossing over mountains and hills.

The rustling and flapping sounds made listeners imagine a harsh and chilly wind. In the projection, a greyish figure was rushing across the land in leaps and bounds. In a flash, coming face to face with a mutated beast. He raised his branch arm, as if swinging an axe. Throwing caution to the wind, with an unrestrained fury, he pierced the beast’s chest.

The combination of explosive sounds and music was a constant barrage to the ears.

Freed of any apprehension, the tree men gave into their unbridled and frantic madness and clashed against the beasts as broken twigs, bits of wood, and blood scattered everywhere.

A fierce wind swept through the silhouettes of trees and beasts in the fight for survival. Viewers could apparently even smell the fresh blood and chipped wood.

The thundering timpani was followed by a frantic clash of acoustics. The arrangement that ensued was complicated. An amalgamation of classical symphonies, New Era music, church music, electronic music, even a military march amongst many other contrasting musical styles. It was as if a volcano that had been dormant for millions of years had suddenly erupted, triggering a tidal wave that could blanket the entire world.

The principal color of the footage had gradually changed from a stifling blue to a brilliant yellow glow, the color of the sun shining through a layer of clouds, the brilliance of an intense blaze. The brightness of the projection had doubled since the beginning of the projection and was getting stronger.

"When are trees able to shine so brightly?

When one has a burning desire."

The projection faded as the deeply moving symphony came to an end.

Lead character: Polar Light

Species: Longxiang Tianluo

Song Title: "100-Year Period of Destruction" Third Movement, "Mission," producer: Fang Zhao

Production team: Polar Light project team, Fang Zhao, Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zheng Huang, Wan Yue, Fu Yingtian, Stiller, Zhang Yu, Rodney.

A Silver Wing Media release

...

__________

Fang Zhao turned off the projection and audio equipment before raising the blinds. He did not check the web for opinions, nor did he observe the number of downloads. Rather, he gazed out the window on the 50th floor of the tower, taking in the view.

Reminiscing a conversation he'd once had with an old friend.

"What exactly is a mission?"

"Who knows? When we are fighting here and there and we suddenly feel like we ought to do something."

Without going through hardships, one would possibly never know how much one could change.

People could transform into something they absolutely loathed, yet they could also become something worthy.

In the beginning of that period of endless struggle, people fought in order to survive. Yet toward the end, accepting that they might not get to see the flourishing world they were fighting for, many still voluntarily participated in the fight, trading their lives so the future would burn much brighter,

During that dark age, people were the real miracle.

Fang Zhao had attended the summit at Polar land in person. Ultimately, toward the later stage of the all-out war, he had died during a military campaign. During the period depicted at the end of the third movement, he had lost his life at the Qi’an warzone, which would come to be known in the New Era as Qi’an city, the center of Yanzhou, one of the twelve continents.

"Farewell, my old friends."

___________

At the same time, in the continent of Leizhou, with a three-hour time difference.

8 a.m. in Yanzhou was roughly 11 a.m. in Leizhou.

The first day of a new year was also the highly anticipated showdown of the two blockbusters the entire Leizhou entertainment community had been waiting for. However, Wireless Media had announced that "God of War" would be screened at 11 a.m. sharp on the Jan 1.

This piqued the curiosity of many. Rarely were there premiere screenings in the afternoon. Some believed that this was a disguised form of backing down.

However, "King of Snipers" responded in the same way, pushing back the screening to 11 a.m. as well.

Zaro’s agent had been very busy the past few days marketing "God of War." Even though he did not have high hopes for the movie, in order to break even, he and his team had been generating as much buzz as they could. As long as there was enough buzz, lots of people would watch the movie, and when that happened, only then would they be able to recoup the expenditure.

As the clock struck eleven, all that he could possibly do was done. Whether the expenses could be recouped or not, he left that all up to the heavens.

Chapter 53: Great Grandfather

After postproduction for the third movement had been completed, Silver Wing media had sent a copy to Zaro.

Zaro was pleased with the music and was very satisfied with himself for making that decision. However, the score was just an accompaniment for a part of "God of War." The movie’s plot differed from that of the music video. Under normal circumstances, Zaro would have just used it right away. This time, he was under heavy pressure and was taking his work seriously. Therefore, after discussing with Silver Wing Media, he forked up another sum for the composer to make some changes in the arrangement to better fit the movie.

Wireless Media had no shortage of arrangers, However, Zaro felt that the original composer would do the job better.

On Silver Wing’s side, the adjustments were done personally by Fang Zhao after Duan Qianji had passed on a clip from "God of War."

In a movie scene, there would be an abundance of sounds. Should the musical score’s arrangement be inappropriate, the sound effects of the movie and the score might affect or conceal the other.

Therefore, when Fang Zhao was producing the revised version, he watched similar movie clips in order to blend it with the music. He made adjustments to the tone, pitch, and tempo, as well as the harmonizing and acoustics. Some of the electronic tones were removed and instead made use of the movies sound effects for a seamless blend.

On Wireless Media’s side, the soundtrack did not garner much attention. Zaro felt that the soundtrack was very suitable for his grand entrance. Zaro’s agent considered the soundtrack to be decent, but he didn't think it would impact the film much.

As the clock approached 11 a.m., the staff of Wireless Media kept their eyes glued to the digital chart, paying attention to the sales for the premiere.

Due to advancements in technology, projection equipment and sound systems had improved tremendously. Besides the major movie theatres in the commerce center of every city, most people could catch movies upon their release directly through the internet.

Actual cinemas were a thing of the past, with the entire industry moving toward an online and virtual direction.

People in every city of Leizhou had readied their projection equipment and prepared themselves. Most just wanted to see what sort of production the famous Zaro Renault showcased this time. Some genuinely just wanted to view the film before writing reviews.

Zaro has specially invited a few of his close friends of the same ilk to watch the premiere in his own luxurious projection room.

"Its starting! Ha ha, let's see how Senior Master saves the world!"

Zaro did not bother checking the amount of online marketing done. Although he was hedonistic, he certainly was not stupid. He knew that the movie could not compare to "King of Snipers," but he had already made a stand and there was no backing down. Having achieved what he had set out to do, box office numbers and reviews were just secondary.

Most people did not have high expectations for "God of War." Just watching the trailer would give one the gist of the plot. In the end, it would just be the age-old plotline of the hero saving the damsel in distress and saving the world. According to people online, watching one of Zaro’s movies was the same as watching all of them.

"God of War" had a simple plot. The male lead was an outstanding soldier in the army. The female lead was a reporter. When a certain metropolis encountered an attack by a monster, the female lead headed to the disaster zone to report. In the time of crisis, the male lead led his team to the rescue, beating the monster and saving the beauty in a happy ending.

Movies should be enjoyable. Logic goes flying out the window when the movie is taken too seriously. Perhaps due to Zaro himself starring in the movie, compared to the previous seven, every single actor and actress, the female lead, and even the extras acted seriously. Every effort was made for the casting as well. Even Zaro, whose acting was not that great, put in a lot of hard work. Unlike the seven movies before, the eighth move was not just an extravagant and pompous affair.

On this note, it was a great improvement.

However, some sharp-sighted members of the audience could immediately tell the similarly sized Zaro from his body double.

These naysayers were quick to point out the parts where the body double stood in. Other than the times where Zaro’s face could be seen, the rest, including his back profile and silhouettes, were done by the body double.

‘Not professional at all, bad review!’

Halfway through the story, the film focused on the disaster-stricken area under attack from the monster. Billowing clouds of black smoke and large scale explosions contrasted with the tiny human figures. The flames threatened to consume as the heavy smoke and dust set a suffocating tone.

The whole scene looked so realistic.

At this moment, those watching this scene had two words popping up in their minds—crappy film.

Commercial films laden with special effects and a cliche plot were a dime a dozen. One glance was more than enough to know how it would turn out. Especially in the New Era where film and television were thriving, a typical film without much logic would be termed by the public as a "crappy film."

Having watched how the film played out, most people already had a gist of the plot; it was similar to what they had expected.

Great. It was about time for Senior Master Zaro’s lead character to lead his troops to save the day. Most people treated this movie as a joke, and now it was time for the highly anticipated climax that the masses had been waiting all along to laugh at.

This movie that Zaro had invested in was melodramatic and lacking in logic, but at least it had a stunning atmosphere and special effects. This redeeming factor made the movie easier to endure.

"Almost there! In a moment you guys can marvel at how the great master steals the thunder!" Zaro exclaimed as he lay on the sofa, excitedly shaking his legs.

At that moment, outside Zaro’s mansion, a flying transport was descending slowly.

For this kind of detached residence, the large garden out front was the landing spot for flying cars and transportation.

Zaro’s housekeeper was busy preparing food and drinks to be brought to the theater. As he saw the descending vehicle, he immediately dropped what he was doing and called out to the rest of the servants in the house to hurry over and welcome the guests. Even though his hair was in a mess, the housekeeper did not raise a finger to fix it. Instead, he stood rooted to the spot as if he were a statue.

When the hum of engines died down, the cabin door opened. The housekeeper and servants dropped their heads lower, afraid to make eye contact. Peeking from the corner of their eyes, all they saw was the boots of a few security personnel.

An elderly man with a head full of white hair stepped out from the transport. The personal doctor beside him raised a hand to offer his support but was waved away.

The elderly man scrutinized the house in front of him with a faint smile. With a slight smile, he sighed. "Seems like it has been more than a decade since I last came." Turning to the respectfully waiting housekeeper, he asked, "Is the young punk Zaro in?"

"The young master is currently in the theater screening the premiere with seven of his friends," the housekeeper replied politely, his voice wavering softly from the nervousness

"Great," the elderly man said as he walked forward.

The housekeeper took a few large strides and opened the doors. Only after the elderly man had entered the room did he raise his head and worriedly glanced across the room. The housekeeper was not worried that Zaro might receive a scolding. Rather, he was concerned that Zaro might get annoyed at this old man. He was no ordinary man; he was the head of the Renault family. Even up to today, many of Leizhou’s top officials paid their respects to the man considered the founding father of Leizhou.

This was the man Zaro addressed as great-grandfather.

Chapter 54: Anguished Tears

This old man still held the most seniority in the Renault family. Despite having stepped down from power quite some time ago, all his glory and titles still remained, and people treated him as such. Nowadays, he was no longer involved with the government, but people still respectfully acknowledge him as "Old General Renault."

As one aged, one's bodily functions deteriorated. Ever since Old General Renault had stepped down, the amount of idle time made it easy to ponder. He thought about his family, wistfully remembered his late wife, and reminisced about his old comrades-in-arms.

That was not a beneficial situation, and thus his doctor had recommended that he should head out more for some fresh air. Staying at home made it easy for him to overthink, which was not necessarily a good thing for someone his age.

As for where to go, after some thought, Old General Renault decided to pay a visit to the great-grandson who was always causing trouble for the other members of the Renault family. In front of Old General Renault, the other members of the family only mentioned tactfully that the little brat was "lively." The truth, though, was not hard to find out. Although Zaro might have been slightly pampered and prone to trouble, as long as his behaviour was not out of line, Old General Renault would turn a blind eye.

Awhile back, when Old General Renault went online, he had found that the internet was abuzz with news regarding Zaro. Thus, when he went out for some fresh air, he decided to pay his great-grandson a visit.

The personal doctor tagging along was a little concerned. He just hoped that Zaro would not upset his great-grandfather too much. Originally, the doctor had only planned for five members from the dedicated medical team to come along, but after a little consideration, he had decided to increase it to seven for some added insurance. Of all the relatives he could visit, the old master just had to pick the Zaro that could not go a day without stirring up the media.

The old master rejected the housekeeper’s suggestion to call Zaro over. Instead, he walked in the direction pointed out by the housekeeper. He wanted to personally see for himself what his troublemaker great-grandson got up to normally. He also wanted to see the younger generation in their true form.

The door to the projection room was slightly ajar. Someone had not closed the door properly after a visit to the washroom. The sounds of rowdy heckling and jeering mixed with the jarring sound effects were seeping out into the doorway.

The housekeeper followed behind closely, keeping his head down. His hands were grasped tightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. In his heart, he was praying, Young master, you must absolutely keep your mouth shut, do not say anything out of line. Even if you have to talk big, please do not do so now!

The old master stood in the doorway, leaning on his crane. Even though his aged figure made him appear hunched, standing there, he seemed like a huge boulder that could not be shaken.

His personal doctor was paying close attention to his every expression. He knew what that bunch were like every other day and was worried it would affect the old master.

More than ten people stood outside the doorway, not making a single sound. The tension in the entire house was stifling. The staff in charge of cleaning were shaking with fear and every single action was done cautiously. Thus, the sound of activity coming from the projection room was clear and distinct.

Inside, the oblivious Zaro was bragging about his own acting experience.

"I don’t mean to show off, but when I was acting, I think I displayed the same demeanour as my great-grandfather back in those days! Aren’t they alike? Not everyone can act out the vigour!"

The others hooted in agreement as Zaro continued his bragging. Yet they clearly knew what they had seen; the figure that just leapt into the flying vehicle was obviously the body double!

In the movie, numerous troops were heading for the disaster zone. The other movies that Zaro had worked on might have lacked logic, but for this movie, with all the real military equipment and weapons, they could not afford to be careless. Of course, the real equipment only accounted for a small portion, as computer generated special effects made up the rest. Having actual military equipment according to the scale of the movie would have been considered a military operation rather than shooting a movie.

The scene now showed all sorts of aircraft and flying vehicles dispatched by the Air Force. As the grand spectacle unfolded, a timpani started beating in the background, gradually rising in volume. A shrill whistle from some sort of horn abruptly rang out, jolting the senses of audiences everywhere. As if an electrical current had just run through them, the languid audience was now alert and excited.

The roars of the aircraft, together with an orchestra in the background, created a vast, majestic atmosphere. A brass march frantically alternated with a woodwind score to the clash between humans and monsters. The realism was stunning and, when combined perfectly with the accompanying music, was a nonstop auditory and visual barrage for the viewers.

"Haha! How is it? Can you feel the ‘God of War’ vibes? Ah, here it is! I'm exiting the plane!"

Everyone in the project room straightened up and watched the scene attentively. The door of a transport aircraft opened, revealing the soldiers inside who were armed to the teeth. A close up of Zaro’s character followed before he donned a pair of goggles and led his squad to rappel out of the aircraft.

And after that? There was no after.

Only half of Zaro’s face had been shown when he was exiting the aircraft. The following stunts of rappelling out of the aircraft had been done by the body double.

No matter how badly the others in the projection room wanted to ridicule Zaro, all that came out from their mouths was praise.

Outside, the doctor could guess what all the flattering was about. Oh, right. The young master’s movie was called "God of War"? How thick-skinned can he get? How could the soldiers in the movie measure up to the real "God of War" division? Hmph. The real "God of War" is right here.

The housekeeper dropped his head even lower, hoping the ground would open up and swallow him.

The personal doctor glanced quickly at the old master’s face. Any traces of a smile had all but disappeared off his face. However, he did not look angry. Rather, he seemed deep in thought. He was not paying heed to the young master. Instead, the old master was deeply engrossed in the sounds that were coming out.

He might have been old, but he certainly was not deaf. Even without watching the movie, he could differentiate the models of aircraft, fighters, and bombers just from the roars of the engines. From the explosions, he could tell the cannon model and the armour plating of the tanks as well as the type of munitions that were being used.

Even after leaving the battlefield for a long time, he still kept an eye on the happenings in the military. Expecting to have forgotten all these, the memories that came back were clear as day.

Beside him, the equipment for monitoring the health of the old master started beeping out warnings.

"General?" The doctor realized something was amiss.

Veins were appearing on the hands tightly gripping the cane. That wrinkled face was trembling slightly as if he was enduring an immense pain.

"General? How are you feeling?" The doctor was worried. The old master’s recent mental state had not been great, and at his age, even the doctor did not know how such a change might affect him.

Old General Renault just stood there, not making a sound. It seemed like he could not hear the doctor’s words. He stood gazing into the distance, as if attentively listening to something, as if reminiscing. His eyes were red and watery. As the background music and sound effects reached a climax, he closed his eyes as the tears freely flowed. His entire body started trembling uncontrollably.

The doctor was at a loss. Ever since he'd taken over the job from his own father, he had never seen the old master in this state before.

F*ck! This is bad!

"Medical team! Hurry!"

Only the personal doctor had followed the old master. The rest of the medical team were on the transport standing by.

Upon receiving the call, the medical team rushed into the house.

As the door of the projection room was not closed, the sudden commotion could be heard by those inside. Zaro had a bad feeling about this. Stepping out into the doorway and witnessing the scene, he felt an icy-cold wind running through him. His legs turned weak as he knelt down in the doorway.

It’s over. I’m finished , Zaro thought to himself. He had made the most senior Renault shed anguished tears.

Chapter 55: What Is the Title?

In Wireless Media’s headquarters, after the premiere of "God of War," Zaro’s manager and a few other senior executives were checking the ratings of the movie online.

"Five… five points!?"

Seeing this, a few of them double checked to make sure their eyes were not playing tricks on them. Upon further inspection, there were already more than three hundred reviews for the movie. After a quick check of their IDs, they found that amongst them were the reviews of some reputable film critics as well.

Glancing once more at the rating, they slowly counted each and every star. Their eyes had not deceived them. Five stars! A full five stars!

It was inconceivable. How could a movie with a crappy plot receive such rave reviews!?

A rating of five was only half of a perfect rating of ten. Whether the film was good or bad, the rating was only given after watching the movie. Movies similar to "God of War" termed by the masses as a crappy film would normally receive a rating of about three stars. That was the average rating Zaro’s previous seven films had received. The five star rating was still not comparable to the 8.6 rating of "King of Snipers," yet when compared to Wireless Media’s previous productions, this was an unprecedentedly high rating indeed.

In the eyes of Zaro’s team, five stars was very high. This was the highest rating ever received for one of Zaro’s productions.

Screenshot it! Take a photo!

This was solid proof!

Zaro’s agent was worried that the system had experienced some errors, hence the high ratings. He trusted the reviews of the critics, but this high rating was just beyond his expectations!

Every username was tied to the user's terminal. A large influx of fake fans was also impossible. If there were too many obvious fake fans, in investigation would take place.

What called for the high ratings?

"Are you f*cking kidding me? 'God of War' has a rating of five! There is something suspicious going on!"

"Already 5.1 stars and still rising!"

"Where are the ones who caught the movie immediately after it was released? Shed some light on the truth!"

"I just watched the premiere. How do i put it in words... rather straightforward with a crappy plot. Yet it was really cool. Especially the stunning spectacle of the final battle. I give it five and a half stars."

"The visuals of Senior Master Zaro’s movies are always more or less satisfactory. Just that this time it left a profound impression on me, perhaps due to the soundtrack. I originally wanted to give it three stars, but on account of the amazing soundtrack, I made it five."

Amongst those voicing their opinions, there were also professional critics who were rather famous.

"My rating is five and a half stars. The plot deserves only one star, as everyone should be able to tell. Production deserves two and a half stars. Compared to the previous works, there has been an improvement, especially the acting. Although not great, it is evident that they were serious about their craft. I gave two stars for the previous seven movies. This time, based on the same criteria, the movie would have received three and a half stars on the account of their improvement. Alas, what prompted me to give an extra two stars was that short but exquisite soundtrack. I am sure others in the industry have given an extra two stars as well just for the music."

"Indeed." Another reputable film critic chipped in. "The soundtrack of a film is an important component when it comes to making a film. Without a soundtrack, a movie is just like an empty shell. Music can accentuate a story, draw out emotions, and shape perceptions. Great soundtracks can enhance a film. Just try remembering all the classical greats. Most people might have forgotten how the plot goes, but the the epic soundtracks will remain everlasting.

"The soundtrack in the climax of 'God of War' was indeed breathtaking. During my university days, I minored in movie soundtracks. Thus, from a professional view, I was unable to detect any flaws. That piece brought out the essence of the joys and sorrows of the battle. The bloodshed and glory were all nicely depicted. I just wish to know which great composer produced this masterpiece. To anyone in the industry who has such information, I will be waiting online for any news."

Due to protectionist measures, in Leizhou, music from other continents was not distributed freely. Most people in Leizhou were not familiar with the "Period of Destruction" series. Even with the big hoo-ha of the second movement, the news here was censored. Therefore, some people did not even know of the existence of the virtual idol Polar Light.

As the release of the third movement and the premiere of "God of War" had happened simultaneously, even though there might have been a minority that followed the music industry in Yanzhou, those that had listened to the song had not watched the movie. At the moment, nobody had deduced the source or the composer of the soundtrack yet.

Some people thought that the soundtrack would be under the film’s copyright and would not appear anywhere else. Therefore, in order to hear it, they had no choice but to watch "God of War."

There were also soundtrack enthusiasts who went to watch "God of War" a second time. A large number who saw the reviews online decided to catch it too.

Thus, during the second screening of the movie, Zaro’s agent and production team realized that the second screening had even more viewers than the premiere!

This had never happened before with the seven previous movies.

This was a happy occasion!

It called for a celebration!

Zaro’s agent tried calling Zaro to pass on the good news. However, Zaro was totally uncontactable.

Finding Zaro uncontactable, he moved on to contacting the members in Zaro’s social circle. Alas, not a single one could be contacted.

Had some sort of accident occurred?

Thoughts of kidnapping, blackmail, and hostage situations flashed across the mind of Zaro’s agent, and he nearly wanted to make a police report, but after remembering that Zaro was a member of the Renault family, the agent made a call to an uncle of Zaro’s. From that uncle, he received the news that Zaro and his friends were at home and was told not to worry. Refusing to comment further, the uncle hung up.

Zaro’s agent could tell that something was amiss.

Could it be that something had happened?

At the same time, in Zaro’s residence.

Zaro’s friends were seated quietly in the projection room. All communication devices on hand had been confiscated and they were not allowed to leave. Even a trip to the bathroom required someone to follow them. Two armed security personnel were standing in the doorway, giving off icy stares. No matter which family they belonged to, there would be no such preferential treatment given. The bunch of them sat in fear, afraid to even make a single sound.

None of them even knew what had happened. At that moment, nobody had even dared to go out. All they saw was Zaro kneeling down moments after opening the door, all hints of his normally insolent attitude gone. Before they even had time to look out, security personnel had already entered the room with their guns raised.

In the Renault family, quite a few members were able to boast of having armed security personnel tag along. Yet given Zaro’s reaction and the tense atmosphere in the house, it was highly likely that the rarely seen Old General Renault was here.

But why would the Old General even be here? To visit Zaro?

Given the current situation and seeing the gun-wielding security personnel, one of them came to a conclusion—something had happened to Old General Renault.

The health and well-being of this very important person was an important affair. Before the Renault family had done any preparations, it was important that no information was to be leaked. Therefore, even if Zaro’s friends had not seen anything, their communication devices had to be confiscated and they had to be confined to the room.

Why had Old General Renault suddenly encountered a health problem? Seeing Zaro’s kneeling figure, perhaps Zaro had angered the old man and triggered a reaction?

At the thought, the friend shivered. All he could do was offer Zaro his condolences. If Zaro had indeed offended the old general, even if he was the beloved grandson of Leizhou’s current governor, Zaro would not be spared.

At the moment, Zaro was very pale. He was still kneeling, but at the doorway of another room. He did not know what was happening inside right now, but seeing the situation with his great-grandfather just now, he did not have high hopes.

Five other members of the Renault family were already in the house. They were his uncles and aunts. The Renaults of his grandfather’s generation held important positions and were unable to set aside everything and rush over.

Zaro’s father had also rushed over. After confirming that the old master’s life was no longer in danger, he proceeded to rip into Zaro.

In the past, whenever Zaro’s father had scolded him, there would always be others to intercede. This time, nobody even bothered. Zaro’s mother sat to one side, her face fraught with worry. When she tried to interject, she was stopped by one of Zaro’s aunts. The members of the family did not know the entire story, but considering Zaro’s past actions, they came to the conclusion that Zaro was at fault for the Old General’s current condition.

Sporting a bruised face, Zaro sobbed silently while still kneeling. Any trace of his arrogant manner was gone.

Zaro might have been pampered, but he had a conscience. He had not wished for such a situation. Even he did not know what had caused his great-grandfather so much anguish. Could it have been the bragging he had done in the projection room? If he had know that the old man had been standing outside, he would not have dared to say anything.

As he knelt there sobbing, the door opened. His father gave him a cold stare and said, "Old master wishes to speak to you."

Zaro blew his nose, grabbing onto the doorframe to support himself as he got up. After contemplating, he decided to go back to kneeling and, in that position, shuffled into the room.

The old master had his back to the door, so Zaro could not see his expression. All he could do under the icy cold stares of his elders was tremble.

"Gr-great-grandfather," Zaro mumbled softly.

Having prepared himself for whatever punishment might come, Zaro instead heard something totally unexpected.

"That song. What is its title?" the old master asked.

"Eh?!" Zaro grimaced.

The others in the room were bewildered as well.

"What eh? Hurry up and answer!" Zaro’s father said as he rasped his knuckles down onto the top of Zaro’s head.

"Oh!"

Zaro relaxed a little and tried to think. At that moment, it should have been the part where he was acting. The soundtrack was titled…

"Mi-Mission. That piece was called 'Mission,'" Zaro hurriedly said.

"Mission," the old master repeated the word with a longing gaze and a light sigh.

Chapter 56: Battle for the Composition

When some people heard the third movement, they felt that the music was cool and pleasing to the ear. Just as when Zaro heard it for the first time, he felt the music could heighten the scene's atmosphere, complimenting him in the process.

However, when Old General Renault listened to it, the music did not lift him; rather, it stirred a sense of sorrow.

There was a saying: "Music only furnishes the ambience. Every listener only hears his own story."

This saying was exactly what Old General Renault was going through.

Regardless of what the composer was thinking about when he'd created this music, when Old General Renault listened to the music, all his past experiences came flowing back to him.

A long time ago, when Old General Renault was still young, he'd taken part in many military campaigns. These military campaigns were not known to the masses because they had taken place on another planet. The 100-Year Period of Destruction had left Earth bare and lacking resources. At the rate the New Era was developing, lots of resources were needed. The resources on Earth would have been exhausted before long, and that would have led to the real end of the world. Hence, there had been a need to look for resources and materials outside of the planet.

It was no easy task, but somebody had to do it. Few people knew the terrible price that was paid for all the glory of the thriving New Era.

How many lives had been lost in the unbounded universe, on foreign planets where the remains were never claimed?

Recently, he kept remembering his comrades who had traveled to a distant planet together with him. If they had not perished, they would certainly have a standing equal to his. Hearing the familiar sounds of guns and machinery unconsciously brought him back that period. The soundtrack directed his thoughts toward the desperate scenario he had wished to forget.

People loved exalted heroes. Movies and films had no shortage of sparkling superheros, but he rarely watched those. No matter what righteous mission they were given, no matter how valiant or great they were, in reality, heroes would bleed and heroes would die.

He had watched and read enough films and books regarding heroes and heard many songs praising heroes. But all of them were flawed. They might have depicted war, but they shied away from the true image of war. The cruelty and irrationality of war, the cost of lives, was all but neglected. Regardless of the glory or destruction, heroes were glorified while the normal man was swept aside. Heroes, whether in reel-life or real life, were just but a small part of humanity. The other end of the spectrum was overlooked. For every victory, there were always those that went through the sorrow of losing a family member. Because of these reasons, Old General Renault could not appreciate real art. Perhaps he was old and was unable to keep up with the times. Maybe the younger generation reveled in the beautiful world without sorrow and anxiety.

Perhaps only those who had been on an actual battlefield would understand the implications of war and the cost of lives.

With a deep breath and another long sigh, the old master spoke. "You did well finding this soundtrack."

The kneeling Zaro widened his eyes, doubting his own hearing. Was the old master actually praising him?!

Zaro was astonished that the old master was interested in this piece of music. It was at this moment that he realised that it was upon hearing the soundtrack that the old master was so moved it triggered something.

That meant…

The old master's tears were not from anger but rather because of the music?

He had gotten beat up for nothing?!

Still kneeling, Zaro glared at his father.

Upon making contact with Zaro's barely recognizable and bruised face, Zaro's father let out a light sigh and turned his head away.

The other elders in the room were also slightly awkward. Who would have thought that the old master's condition was a result of him listening to a song? They had nearly hit Zaro themselves, but hearing that the old master's condition was stable, they had controlled themselves. Luckily, they had saved themselves from an even more awkward situation.

"Who is the composer for 'Mission'?" the old master asked.

"Ah. I don't know." Zaro felt the piercing stares of the few elders in the room after his reply. He winced and continued on. "R-really, I don't know. The composer is someone in Yanzhou. Yanzhou's Silver Wing Media. They didn't tell me who the composer was. But that composer has two other works before 'Mission.' Great-grandfather, let me source them out for you to listen... Sss." At the end, he let out a little sound like a hiss.

Zaro's father clenched his fist. He could tell right away what that little punk was trying to pull off!

As expected, hearing the "sss," the old master turned his chair around and saw the bruised face of Zaro. Startled, he asked, "What happened to you? Stand up. What are you kneeling down for." He had been deeply immersed in his memories and had not noticed his surroundings. Only now was he fully awake.

Zaro got up, massaging his knee and wincing as if in pain. "Father hit me. It hurts."

At his age, Old General Renault could have guessed. He laughingly said, "You deserve it! What similar to God of War, far from it!" He could tell from the look of it that Zaro was only suffering some bruises. A little discipline would be all right as a deterrent for the young punk.

Zaro gave a cheeky laugh. Acting coy and cheeky was what made him so endearing to his grandfather, the current governor of Leizhou.

Zaro's father rolled his eyes. Of all the things to learn, this little brat had learned to act like this!

Zaro was an expert at currying favors with the elder generation, yet he knew when to draw the line. Too much flattery would make him annoying. Thus, he showed some restrain. "Great-grandfather, do you want to listen to them? I can get the other two pieces and the complete 'Mission' for you." With that, he glanced at the personal doctor beside the old master. He did not want the old master to lose himself and cause an incident again.

The personal doctor chuckled. "No objections."

For humans, releasing pent-up emotions was beneficial. The old master tended to bottle up his feelings and regrets, storing them in the deep recesses of his heart. After many long years, the scars and pains deep in his heart were a lot for him to bear. Crying it all out was as if letting his spirit finally relax.

Just that this had been a big scare for him. Anyone who had seen the old master in that state would have panicked.

Having received approval, the bruised and batter Zaro happily ran out of the room. Watching the scene, his mother thought that her child had suffered brain damage from the beatings.

"Its alright to be a little lively." The old master chuckled as Zaro went out. He meant the words for everyone in the room, and specifically for Zaro's father, to hear.

What could Zaro's father say? He could only flash a smile and nod. That child had already grown up this way, how much could he change? As long as Zaro refrained from outrageous activities, they also did not need to keep him on a tight leash.

In a short time, Zaro brought the full copies of "Divine Punishment," "Cocoon Breach," and the original "Mission" to the old master.

"It is even better when watching the music video. Let me help you set it up."

Although Zaro said he was helping to set up, he was actually directing the security personnel and the servants to do the work.

After all three music videos had been played, even though the old master was not as shaken as before, his eyes were all red and misty.

"An excellent piece of art!"

A few of those in the room gave their surprisingly good reviews.

Zaro's father muttered, "How does this not belong to Leizhou?"

"Whichever continent's composer, being able to produce this sort of music deserves respect," the old master said. Music like this that was capable of evoking emotions could transcend politics and time.

Having finished watching the music video, Zaro was chased out of the room by his father. The door was closed as the Renaults inside discussed important matters.

After Zaro exited the room, he did not bother to check on his friends who were still under the watchful eyes of the security personnel. Instead, he called his agent.

Receiving the call, Zaro's agent immediately relayed the good news regarding the showing of "God of War" at the box office and its rave reviews. Before he could ask about what had caused Zaro to be uncontactable, he was interrupted by Zaro.

"I don't give a f*ck about any of that! Contact Silver Wing Media right away. No matter how much it costs, purchase the copyright for 'Mission.' Remember, I want the full copyright."

Zaro's agent was shocked. Although the soundtrack was great and gave the movie extra points, was it worth it to spend another large sum of money to buy it?

He wanted to ask what had happened within the Renault family, but before he could speak, Zaro had already hung up.

At the moment when Zaro's agent contacted Silver Wing Media with the intent to purchase the copyrights, Duan Qianji received a call inside the headquarters of Silver Wing.

A rough voice came through the line. "Dear Wife!"

Hearing this, Duan Qianji wanted to sever the call. She knew that every time she heard this tone, there would be a troublesome request.

"The new song 'Mission' that your company just released, leave it for me! Don't ever sell it!"

"What? Didn't you have no interest in music?" Duan Qianji asked.

"Ah, I don't have interest in other music. But I really like this series. Especially the third movement. Make sure to leave it. Yanzhou's military is planning on expanding. We have shot a publicity film and are hoping to use the music alongside it."

Chapter 57: Battle Date

The theme song for a recruitment drive had to project a commanding presence. It couldn't be soft. It also had to be hefty. Naturally, Duan Qianji's husband, Major General Hong Lou, was clueless about music and couldn't tell the difference. But others who belonged to the Yanzhou military command could. They had spotted a gem, and when they noticed it was a Silver Wing release, they sought out Hong Lou.

You had to save the good stuff for your own. Even though she stood to suffer a loss, given that Hong Lou had asked for the song specifically, Duan Qianji decided to keep the rights of the song within her home continent.

The song was noticed by the Yanzhou military command and slated to anchor a recruitment drive, which meant the series was quite popular. Even if the masses didn't like the song, as long as the military did, that was a good thing. Silver Wing had to borrow equipment and locations from the military for its film productions every year. Now the military wanted something from them. It was good to do this favor. There would be less backlash the next time they wanted to borrow equipment from the military.

After hanging up with her husband, Duan Qianji asked her assistant, "Any word on the Fiery Bird poll?"

"Voting has started in Huangzhou. Voting in Yanzhou might be held off until Memorial Day."

The online poll of virtual idols for the Fiery Bird endorsement deal was actually organized by Rising Dragon, a world-renowned gaming publication. It had nothing to do with Fiery Bird, but it received quite a bit of attention globally.

Given that Rising Dragon was a media outlet from Huangzhou, voting naturally kicked off in Huangzhou. The voting order of the other continents was determined randomly by computer. By custom, voting in all 12 continents took three months. Fiery Bird was scheduled to finalize its virtual idol endorsers for all continents by May.

Typically, Fiery Bird consulted Rising Dragon's online poll before making their decisions. Most of the time, the top vote-getter in each continent was awarded the endorsement deal.

Rising Dragon typically completed voting for four continents in a month. Yanzhou was the sixth continent on this year's list, scheduled for early February.

"Send word to Fang Zhao to try to complete the last movement before New Era Memorial Day and aim for a Feb. 8 release," Duan Qianji ordered.

Jan. 28 was New Era Memorial Day. The Period of Destruction ended and the New Era began on that day 500-plus years ago. It was a day celebrated worldwide, the most important festival in all 12 continents. The occasion was typically marked by a holiday of at least seven days. The exact length of the vacation was determined by individual companies in each continent.

Silver Wing gave its employees a week off, although entertainment industry types could never really take a vacation. They were typically busy hitting the road and attending various celebratory events in different cities. It was the busiest time of the year and the most profitable. Even if you ordered them to take time off, they wouldn't be willing. Celebrities who rested during this period were either ill or out of favor and couldn't swing a single invitation.

Duan Qianji wanted to ask Fang Zhao to attend a few events with the Polar Light project team to boost their profile, but she eventually decided against it because she was concerned about the progress of the fourth movement. The most important thing now was to focus and complete the fourth movement with a flourish. Memorial Day celebrations were secondary. An even more crucial endorsement deal was up for grabs after Memorial Day. That was of greater importance to Silver Wing.

As for Ming Cang, the deputy head of the Yanzhou Music Association, Duan Qianji had given him a heads up.

After the third movement was released, Ming Cang had posted an emotional video on Yanzhou's largest social media website. It was impossible for him to be unbiased because of his son's illness, so he couldn't post comment on the official website of the Yanzhou Music Association. He could only speak in a personal capacity.

Ming Cang was still quite moved, but compared to his response to the second movement, he seemed in better spirits. His cheeks were flush. The jaded look brought on by his son's condition had disappeared. He wore a bright smile.

"Ming Ye's condition has improved. His medical team is following up. His attending doctor says that the series clearly has an impact on the Hull virus, but only the entire series, the four movements altogether, qualifies as a full course of treatment. A breakthrough probably can't be expected until the full treatment is completed. I'm looking forward to the fourth movement. Thanks again to Polar Light and the Polar Light project team."

Duan Qianji's concerns had vanished after she watched Ming Cang's video. Quite a few hospitals in Yanzhou had already dubbed the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series the "Hull Virus Treatment Tune." From a business perspective, once research had proven the series' efficacy in treating the virus, the sky was the limit.

"Tell Fang Zhao the priority is quality. Now that he has completed three movements, the fourth movement will be easier. As long as the quality is there, everything else will fall in place. All he has to do is focus on completing the series. As for marketing and other matters, tell him not to worry about it," Duan Qianji ordered her assistant.

"Then... what about our client in Leizhou?" the assistant asked.

"Tell them that the rights to the third movement have been sold."

Leizhou.

Zaro's agent relayed Silver Wing's message to his client.

"What? The rights have been sold? They don't want more money?" Zaro was furious.

The agent nodded vigorously. Ten million for a song could be written off as Senior Master's one-off indulgence, but as for sweetening the offer, he would be cautious. Zaro had ordered him to spare no expense in buying the full rights to the song, but as the Senior Master's bookkeeper, he would never spend more than 50 million on a song. In his mind, it wasn't worth it. It was uneconomical and irrational. So he could finally rest easy when he got word from Silver Wing.

"Silver Wing are adamant about not selling us the rights," the agent said.

"Then let's poach the composer."

"We can't. Silver Wing has done a good of keeping him under wraps. Even folks in Yanzhou have no idea who he is."

The agent was in a tough spot. Poaching talent was harder than buying a song. Silver Wing was no fool. You could tell by the way they guarded the composer's identity. Businesses acted out of self interest. Every move was calculated. Silver Wing had to have bigger plans in mind. But that was the purview of the music industry. They were just making movies for fun. They wouldn't be affected. They were also from a different continent. In the worst-case scenario, they could buy another song from Silver Wing next time.

"Then let's poach him when he unmasks himself. Aren't there four movements in total? Three are already out. The fourth will be released soon." Another thought struck Zaro and he started laughing. "It won't be long. Silver Wing wants Polar Light in the running for the Fiery Bird endorsement deal."

Online polling had started in Huangzhou already. Leveraging his status as a Renault and the favored grandson of the Leizhou governor, Zaro had learned from a Rising Dragon source that Polar Light was Silver Wing's candidate for the endorsement deal in Yanzhou.

"We can afford to wait." Zaro kicked up his feet. "What's the latest score for 'God of War?'"

"It's 5.3 now."

"What about 'King of Snipers?'"

"8.2"

"Hahahaha!" Zaro started laughing with no regard for decorum.

His agent flashed a cynical smile too.

Why were they so happy?

Because the rating for "God of War" was rising while the score for "King of Snipers" was slipping. In three days, the second film had lost 0.4 points. It was an alarming rate of decline for the critically acclaimed movie.

The following comment had appeared online: "I don't know why, but when I was watching 'King of Snipers,' all I could think of was the song that played during the final battle scene in 'God of War.'"

"Actually, the score for 'King of Snipers' isn't bad, but in contrast, after watching 'God of War,' it lacks oomph."

It was like having a heavy dish and then trying one that was lighter, of the gourmet variety. There was bound to be a difference.

Many fans searched online for the soundtrack for "God of War." There were calls for Wireless Media to release the song played during the final battle as a single, but the studio never responded. Eventually, someone discovered that the memorable song was part of a series performed by a virtual idol over in Yanzhou.

"Yanzhou?"

"They actually used someone from Yanzhou?"

"What's the name of the virtual idol? What's the name of the song? Let me check."

"Polar Light, from Yanzhou, and the song is called 'Mission.' It's the third movement of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' series. Oh, the first three movements are available for download in Yanzhou for one dollar a pop."

"Wow, copyrighted music is actually available for download in Yanzhou? Us music fans in Leizhou can forget about it."

There were many jealous fans in Leizhou. Copyrighted music in Leizhou was usually made-to-order and appeared only in ads and videos. They were not available for download. If you wanted to listen to a copyrighted song, you had to watch the ad or the original video—unless the record label released a single.

The quandary made many think about Zaro, the Senior Master with little restraint but plenty of cash to splurge.

"Have Senior Master Zaro buy the rights to the song. Actually, have him buy all the rights to the song. That way we can listen to it."

Zaro read comments along these lines, thinking, I want to buy the rights too, but Silver Wing ain't selling.

While the song generated quite a bit of interest online, not everyone was willing to watch "God of War" just to hear it. "Mission" could not be sampled in Leizhou. Even if the Leizhou fans managed to log in to a streaming website in Yanzhou, they could only play the first two movements. Silver Wing had blocked sampling of the third movement outside of Yanzhou.

Just when Leizhou fans thought they would never hear "Mission" in a context other than the movie, a video started circulating online. It was titled "A Mission Calling—the Earth-Shattering Army of Yanzhou."

The Yanzhou military command released rare footage of its three divisions taking part in drills and engaging in combat. The cinematography was slick and explosive, especially the Air Force footage, which projected power and elegance. And the score was a magical touch. Anyone who watched the video would be burning with passion and inspired to fight.

The video generated heated discussion online. Many folks compared it to the recruitment videos in their own continents. They realized that their videos were visually OK, but somehow, they paled in comparison to the Yanzhou video.

Folks in Rongzhou were genuinely pissed off.

"Earth-shattering? Have you forgotten about Rongzhou?"

The planet's 12 continents were split into eight main continents and four special continents. Yanzhou was one of the eight major continents, populated mostly by civilians. Rongzhou was one of the four special continents, home to the world's largest military base and the headquarters of the global military alliance. The entire continent was under military-style management. Most of its residents were descendants of soldiers. All local schools—from the primary level to university—were structured in the manner of military academies. Rongzhou was widely considered the most powerful continent in terms of military might.

That was why people in Rongzhou were miffed after the Yanzhou recruitment video went viral.

"Mission calling my ass! It's a f*cking propaganda video, pure and simple."

"Just cut to the chase. If you want to brainwash folks, get straight to the point."

"How can a tiny, crappy military district like Yanzhou shatter the world?"

Folks from Yanzhou and Rongzhou started quarreling online, while people from other continents took in the spectacle.

But everyone knew that online talk meant nothing. Who was willing to actually fly over and fight?

That was implausible, so they would battle in a different way.

"See you in 'Battle of the Century' in October!"

The world-renowned gaming studio Fiery Bird was launching their new game, "Battle of the Century," in October.

Chapter 58: Ten Military Postings

Yanzhou's military turned a deaf ear to all the questions and debates online. They did not concern themselves with the buzz. All they wanted to do was show off their military might to spur on more citizens of Yanzhou to enlist, instead of coming up with other methods.

When the recruitment video was released on the internet and went viral, it brought about a sense of patriotism. Duan Qianji's husband, Hong Lou, also received a commendation during one of the meetings.

Just as people needed clothes, a video required accompanying music. Yanzhou's publicity film could not match up with Rongzhou's military recruitment video might in terms of the equipment and scale shown, but the other continent's recruitment videos were not as memorable, and this was largely due to their inferior soundtrack.

This was the reason companies spent large sums of money to produce custom-made music for their movies, games, and advertisements. The returns were way greater, far more than the average person could imagine.

Yanzhou's military had shown itself in a different light, and Silver Wing Media had benefited from it too.

On the other continents, protectionist measures and censorship were put in place with regard to film, music and other entertainment. Stringent measures were in place to protect the interests of their own continent's entertainment industry. However, the measures only affected commercial items. Yanzhou's recruitment video did not fall under this category. There were no obstacles preventing it from being viewed by anyone.

Silver Wing Media also took the opportunity announce themselves globally. If not for that short four-minute soundtrack in the recruitment video, the series by the virtual idol Polar Light would not have spread so quickly.

The soundtrack spurred on many people from other continents to search for information regarding Polar Light and the "Period of Destruction" series.

Gaining publicity for his work, and at the same time advertising for his wife, Hong Lou was very pleased. This was a win-win situation.

Even Leizhou's own 'God of War' had an increased amount of discussions and attention. Zaro's agent and the rest of Wireless Media grabbed the opportunity and promoted the film with added effort. They even managed to deny "King of Snipers" the award for "Best Movie Soundtrack," and they watched as "King of Snipers" kept dropping points down to a measly eight.

Before the premieres of the two movies, most people were certain that "King of Snipers" would run away with quite a number of awards at Leizhou's biggest movie awards event. However, when "King of Snipers" and "God of War" were simultaneously screened, many people feared that "King of Snipers" would lose the "Best Movie Soundtrack" award.

Everyone knew that a "crappy film" like "God of War" had no way of winning any awards. It was unlikely that Leizhou's Film Association would give the movie any awards, as they felt it was beneath them. However, if they were to award "Best Movie Soundtrack" to "King of Snipers," it would certainly cause an uproar. Many people could tell that Leizhou's Film Association would instead hand over the award to a different movie, hence avoiding the head-to-head clash of soundtracks.

The investors behind "King of Snipers" were raging. After all, the soundtrack was one of the top priorities. They had put in a considerable sum to hire a celebrated band to produce their soundtrack. Yet it had all gone to waste, as their plans for the award were wrecked by that imbecile Zaro.

Some investors had also hired a bunch of professionals to stir and discredit Zaro and his team in the media. However, Zaro hit back with a public interview.

"Yes. We may be smelly dogshit. But even a pile of dogshit has its merits. Putting in so much effort on a comprehensive effort to discredit Wireless Media is a despicable means. Rather, that effort could have been put to a self-reflection of your flaws and faults and finding out where you went wrong. Just being arrogant everyday and you expect to be the undisputed best?"

For all those that criticized "God of War" and said that the ones who enjoyed "God of War" were handicapped, Zaro shredded them. "Just watching and criticizing a movie makes you feel all superior? If you're that capable, why not join the military and embark on a trip to search for new resources?"

Zaro was not afraid of any criticism. No matter how vicious the comments were, he paid no heed. This "crappy film" he had starred in had a soundtrack that had denied the other side an award. Although not being able to compete in terms of box office sales, ratings, or awards, denying them the "Best Movie Soundtrack" award was satisfactory and made him happy. It was a heroic deed. He deserved a raise!

Zaro's agent was equally ecstatic. Not just because they had managed to deny the award but because the film had broken even and made a profit of more than 60 million! Purely profits!

The revenue might be a small matter in other companies in the film industry, but given Zaro's tendency to splash out cash to make a crappy movie, the target every time was to break even. This time around, after deducting the expenses, promotion fees, and salaries, they had profited more than 60 million! This was a tremendous improvement. Once in awhile, Zaro's agent wondered if it would have been even better had they managed to secure the rights to "Mission." Although he would quickly forget about it and shift it to the back of his mind.

In Yanzhou.

Fang Zhao paid no mind to the happenings in the global entertainment circle, instead leading his team to work. Even if Duan Qianji had not said anything, he had already decided to complete production for the fourth movement before Memorial Day so the entire team could have a long and relaxing Memorial holiday.

Since the rights to the third movement already belonged to Yanzhou's recruitment video, for the masses, they could only listen to the third movement by viewing the video online. Television stations, studios, advertising companies, etc. were not authorized to play it. Doing so would be an infringement and the offending party would have to go to court.

The rights of the third movement had been sold to the Yanzhou military for its use in their recruitment video. Yet Silver Wing Media did not receive a single cent, because Duan Qianji knew that, no matter how much the military offered, it would not even come close to what Zaro was willing to pay. Instead, she used the rights of the song to exchange for other benefits. Some were for the benefit of the entire Silver Wing Media and some were specifically just for Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao was giving Pang Pusong some vocal coaching when he was summoned by Duan Qianji to the top floor office.

"I have two issues I wish to speak to you about." Instead of having her assistants inform Fang Zhao, she chose to speak with Fang Zhao personally, as it was important.

"The first matter. Yanzhou Millitary's recruitment video's global circulation brought a lot of attention to the third movement." Duan Qianji opened a projection and showed Fang Zhao a screenshot of an online discussion.

Now that the third movement had garnered much reputation, more people realized that they did not understand the lyrics of a portion of the song.

"Does anyone know what it is? What language is it?"

"Preliminary investigations have shown that it is some sort of ancient language. Possibly from an era before the end of days. We need someone to shed light on the matter."

"Anyone online who has studied linguistics? Please explain!"

…

What Duan Qianji showed Fang Zhao was an online discussion where people from every continent discussed the lyrics, and it was even picked up by the media.

Many people who studied music knew that songs were mostly expressed in a few globally fashionable languages. Just that, when the languages mixed and got complicated, it was harder to understand the meaning of the song. Thus, not many people would actually try to decipher the meanings behind the many languages.

Still, no matter how many languages were used, there still existed music that was beyond the control of languages—using an unknown language to convey the song. To put it bluntly, it was self-created musical language.

This sort of language on its own had no significance. Normally, it would just be for the sake of complementing the melody. Alternatively, it could be some sort of ancient language that had died out. No matter the reason, it would not be able to clearly express much. But it could convey the feelings that the artist had in mind.

Whatever the reason, when nobody could figure it out, the remaining option was to ask the composer himself. This was the question on the minds of internet users of every continent.

Previously, Duan Qianji had not paid much attention. She had felt that with regards to Fang Zhao's composition, lyrics were secondary. The composition was what attracted people. Therefore, she did not find any issue with the lyrics and hence paid no heed. It was only after the lyrics generated much buzz on the internet that it caught her attention.

"The company plans to keep this matter under tight wraps to deal with the matter. Therefore, whatever the meaning of the third movement, please do not divulge any information. For the time being, do not give an explanation online regarding the lyrics of the third movement," Duan Quanji emphasized in a serious tone.

"Don't worry about it." Fang Zhao laughed as he continued, "Even I do not know what it means."

'...' Duan Qianji thought to herself, Is he messing with me?!

"I heard it before and felt that it suited this part, so I decided to use it. As for the meaning, I can't help you there," Fang Zhao said.

After the end of days, many dialects and languages went extinct. When Fang Zhao had been composing the score, he remembered the words and sounds he'd heard during the all-out war. Some were farewells to family and friends, and others were the roars of battle cries. The people they came from no longer existed. Fang Zhao did not know what they meant, but when he was composing, the words came to him as he was writing the score. Thus, during recording, he then instructed Pang Pusong on how to sing them.

Duan Qianji just stared at Fang Zhao, seemingly finding it hard to speak.

She had no way of understanding what went through the mind of a talented and eccentric artist.

Perhaps only such a person could produce such astonishing music.

"Cough… That's settled, then. Now for the second matter." Duan Qianji scrutinized the expressions on Fang Zhao's face as she said, "'Mission' belonged to Silver Wing Media and the rights were given to Yanzhou Military's publicity division; we did not charge them a single cent."

Although the matter of entrusting the rights of the third movement to the military had already been discussed with Fang Zhao and he had given his approval, Duan Qianji still felt the need to explain the situation clearly to Fang Zhao. From the looks of it, Fang Zhao was still young and might not have thought things through and instead held back his misgivings. Duan Qianji did not want such a promising talent to the company harboring any doubts.

"Of course, it was not entirely free, in a sense. We managed to obtained quite a bit of privileges, some that cannot be bought." Duan Qianji watched Fang Zhao's expression and behavior closely as she spoke. Yet from the start, Fang Zhao had projected an image of cool and calm, as if the two were just engaged in idle gossip.

Duan Quanji had been overthinking things. Fang Zhao was not really fazed by this matter. He had already given his approval. All he had wanted was for the few compositions of his to see the light of day. Profit-wise, it was just not as great as the previous installments.

Also, Fang Zhao believed that, as a business person, Duan Quanji knew best how to receive the most profit. Thus, he was not worried about losing out. Duan Quanji would also not have any shortage of cash, and receiving privileges, as she'd mentioned, could not be bought easily.

"There are some things that I am not liable to tell you, but I can tell you this." Duan Quanji chuckled. "Other than privileges, I took the opportunity to obtain ten positions for you. Military positions."

In the New Era, there were some things that were unavoidable. Military conscription was one. There were different types of soldiers, different divisions, and different vocations. Some would be assigned to a certain squadron and sent to a remote planet to mine for resources, whereas other positions might require doing simple administrative work in a city without the need for active duty.

Duan Qianji saw that this had piqued Fang Zhao's interest and continued, "I have checked up on the Polar Light production team. The others completed their military service during their time at university. Fang Zhao, only you have not completed the mandatory service. When you decide to enlist, you can select a posting they have given—pick one that has rather light duties and even lets you stay in Qi'an. During that one year of military service, you can continue to compose your music without many disturbances. Of these types of postings, I have obtained ten!"

This was her preferential treatment toward Fang Zhao and a chance to do him a favour.

Chapter 59: Arrested

There were many ways to complete military service. Those enlisting would be divided according to their physical condition. Those with physically weak bodies would be assigned to less taxing places and, as Duan Qianji had mentioned, did not need to leave the planet. For those with poor health, they might be assigned to a city office to help with easier jobs, such as administration. However, these jobs were also restricted by the postings. The majority of people were thus assigned accordingly, and more than 70% of postings required the person to leave the planet.

Every year, many military personnel were sent to foreign planets. Not for holidays, they were required to undergo rigorous training and would need to toil hard there. Therefore, most people were unwilling to get sent there, and families with pressing or dire circumstances would try various methods to get a more relaxed posting.

This resulted in many underhanded transactions happening on the black market every year, especially so in remote areas. By manipulating the assignments, one could even use this as a means of revenge.

It had already been 500 years since the New Era had started and many laws and policies had lost the significance they'd had when they were first introduced. Yanzhou’s military was no exception. Officials in the military would sometimes turn a blind eye. After all, the end of days were over, and in order to go on living happily, sometimes corners had to be cut.

This situation was not just limited to Yanzhou. It existed in every single continent as well.

Fang Zhao had not yet enlisted, yet he already had these postings. He did not need to worry about being assigned to an arduous foreign planet. Duan Qianji also hoped that Fang Zhao would remain in Qi’an City and be of use to Silver Wing Media. After all, the nucleus of the Polar Light team was Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao left the rooftop office and headed for the 50th floor, taking advantage of the afternoon’s free time to summon his team over.

"Wasn’t the project meeting scheduled for tomorrow?" Zu Wen yawned. He had been about to take his afternoon nap.

"This is not a project meeting. I have received a number of military postings," Fang Zhao said.

Zu Wen was snapped out of his daze. "Is it what I’m thinking it is?"

"Is it the type… that grants preferential treatment?" Rodney rubbed his palms gleefully.

Everyone else stared at Fang Zhao, awaiting his reply

Fang Zhao nodded. "Thats right"

"Ah Hah—" Zu Wen let out a strange sound. "Why did I clear my military service so early?! I could have been living the life and enjoying special treatment! I wouldn’t even have to travel to foreign planets to mine for minerals!"

"Zu Wen, were you also assigned to mining?" Zeng Huang asked.

"Yeah. Where else?" Zu Wen felt his stomach clenching when he remembered his time in the military. "Luckily, my family pulled some strings and spent a million dollars so that the person in charge would assign me to a planet with a well-developed base."

"You had it good. The planet I was assigned to had horrible conditions. The weather was bad, too, and it snowed all year long." Zeng Huang shuddered as he spoke.

"Zeng Huang and I completed our military service during year three of university. During year one and two, we completed the curriculum for year three as well, so when we returned, we could directly continue with year four and have it not affect our graduation," Wan Yue said. "But it seems like Fang Zhao has not served in the military yet."

Generally, students would try to complete their military service together with close friends or family. Waiting till after graduation would only serve as a hindrance to their work.

During university, the original owner of Fang Zhao’s body had been kept busy by composing, dating, and striving for good results and awards. Therefore, he had not completed his military service.

"I have also completed my service. But, Boss…" Fu Yingtian paused. He had joined the team through Zu Wen’s recommendation and followed Zu Wen’s way of calling Fang Zhao "Boss." However, he was still not used to speaking to Fang Zhao in the same easy manner as Zu Wen.

Seeing Fang Zhao glance over, Fu Yingtian got a little nervous. "My little brother is in his third year of university. He spends most of his days coding and severely lacks exercise. This year, he and his classmates decided to defer their studies and serve in the military. He… he is really talented in science and technology… It's just that he loses track of time when he gets busy. He frequently stays up all night and his health condition isn’t that good. Last year, he also contracted an illness… Boss, the postings that you have… could you sell me one?"

Hearing Fu Yingtian’s words, Fang Zhao nodded.

Fu Yingtian felt relieved as Fang Zhao consented. Having joined the Polar Light project team, he had saved quite a bit of money. It would be worth it if he could purchase a credible posting. He had asked around on the black market, but there were no guarantees and there was a risk of being conned.

He knew his own brother best. If his brother was posted to mine at a planet with poor weather and working conditions like the one Zeng Huang had mentioned, chances were, he would be sent back halfway through due to illness or health issues. Military service was not that bad to the extent that people died, but according to his experiences, he knew how tough it could be.

If it was absolutely fair and people were assigned their positions according to the rules, he would have accepted it with no questions asked. However, now that everyone was using their own means and methods, why should he abide by the rules? He had not done so previously, but this time, given the circumstances, he could let the people he cared about suffer less.

Struggling hard, was it ultimately to give his family and himself a better life?

"How… much?"

Fu Yingtian had only intended to ask how much a posting cost, yet he heard Fang Zhao say, "Mhmm, you can have one. Anyone else?"

Fu Yingtian was flabbergasted. The few people around froze like statues as they watched Fang Zhao.

A few seconds later, Zu wen took a deep breath. "You mean you are giving them to us?!" Still finding it incomprehensible he added, "Really, you giving them to us for free?"

Fang Zhao nodded.

"Wait, Boss. Do you know the market rate on the black market?" Zu Wen rubbed his eyes, struggling to control himself. "10 million!" Without giving Fang Zhao a chance to reply, Zu Wen continued, "On the black market, it is 10 million! The lowest it has ever gone was also 5 million! Those are the ones you have where you can choose your own posting. Back then, I would have gotten one for myself but I just didn’t have the money."

Fang Zhao replied to Zu Wen’s incessant chatter with two words: "I know."

I know…

That was all?!

Zu Wen’s eyes widened.

Fang Zhao glanced at the people in front of him. "Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Fu Yingtian, Stiller, Zhang Yu—the eight of you can have one each. Use it on whoever you see fit. Let me know when you've made the choice."

"Ha!" Zu Wen roared with laughter. "I love you, Boss!"

As he shouted, Zu Wen went in for a hug. Fang Zhao sidestepped and shoved him into a room. "You have all received benefits, make sure you give me good work."

"Yes! I guarantee all the work will be done to perfection!" Zu Wen was no longer sleepy. He was really excited. If not for the fact that this could not be publicly announced, Zu Wen would have shown it off in front of his friends.

Other departments distributed red packets; here they distributed postings!

Military postings that were worth millions!

Even if there was no urgent need to use them within the family, it would still not be sold. The postings given by Fang Zhao still had value even if there was no immediate use for them.

Pang Pusong wasted no time and made a call to his mother. "Hello, Mom, I obtained a posting. Let Uncle and Cousin know that they no longer need to worry!" Pang Pusong’s cousin was his maternal uncle’s daughter who was going to be of age soon. Her body was frail and she was frequently sick. His uncle had recently been borrowing money and asked for favours just so that his daughter could get sent to an easier place where she did not have to suffer.

Back when Pang Pusong had been a freelancer looking for jobs, his uncle had been of great help. Previously, having the chance to audition at Silver Wing Media was due to his uncle pulling some strings. If not for his uncle, Pang Pusong would not have met Fang Zhao. Pang Pusong was very grateful to him and hence had no qualms about giving the posting to his cousin.

Two days later, Fang Zhao received Pang Pusong and Fu Yingtian’s requests and passed them on to Duan Qianji.

Duan Qianji was astonished at Fang Zhao’s decision to give the postings to his subordinates, but she respected his decision.

"I will ensure that this matter is handled properly. Fang Zhao, what about your choice? Have you decided when to enlist? Which position do you want?" Duan Qianji paid no heed to others. She was only interested in Fang Zhao’s decision.

"I wish to complete the Polar Light project first," Fang Zhao replied.

"That’s true. If Polar Light wins the endorsement deal, you will be busy. You will probably be unable to serve your duty this year. You are still young, you will still be eligible to serve in the next couple of years. As long as you still have the posting and it is within the time period, you can enlist in the military as and when you want to."

Duan Qianji hoped that, when the time came, Fang Zhao would be assigned somewhere within Qi’an City, in the vicinity of the company. She had not known that Fang Zhao had spent the last two days reading up on mining on foreign planets and had taken a special interest in the most far-off ones. If Duan Qianji had known, she would surely have recalled the postings.

After returning to the office and informing Pang Pusong and Fu Yingtian, Fang Zhao filled up the self-feeding machine with food for ‘Curly Hair’ before deciding to retreat to his office to rest. That was when he received an incoming message.

"Big Zhao, what's up?" Zeng Huang asked as he emerged from the washroom and saw the weird expression of Fang Zhao's.

"I’m going to drop by Qi’an Police Station."

"What happened?" Zeng Huang was worried. Why would he be called to the police station for no reason?

"Don’t worry. It’s not a big deal. I will be back in no time."

Hearing Fang Zhao’s words, Zeng Huang relaxed a little. "All right. As long as it’s nothing."

"Fang Sheng has been arrested, thats all," Fang Zhao replied.

Chapter 60: Sideshow

Fang Sheng was arrested on account of his song theft and alleged assault.

He had been struggling since he'd been kicked out of Neon Culture. He wasn't a talented composer, so he set his sights on music school students.

Qi'an was home to some of the continent's best music schools. Other than the Qi'an Academy of Music, there were two other decent music academies. Quite a few students attending these schools lived on a shoestring budget. Some worked part-time jobs, but competition for music-related part-time gigs was fierce, so some students chose to cover their tuition and expenses by other means. They would not take credit for their work, instead posting excerpts of their songs online to draw buyers and then selling the songs to the highest bidder. That was how certain pop starlets came by their original compositions. It was an open secret in the industry.

Fang Sheng was planning on buying a few decent songs from these poor yet talented students. He was more or less blacklisted in Qi'an, so he would move to a city far from Qi'an and sell the songs there to turn a profit.

He targeted students who were consumed in the creative process yet clueless about the business side of things, cheating them out of the fruits of their labor with extremely low prices. When he had built up a collection, he would flee to another city.

His marks were often students whose personalities resembled that of the original owner of Fang Zhao's body.

He really got addicted to stealing.

The real reason was that this was such a killer shortcut. When he'd stolen the initial three songs, next thing he knew he had a new apartment and a company car. The temptation of overnight riches was too seductive. If Fang Zhao hadn't intervened, Fang Sheng would have done just fine.

Yet Fang Sheng's latest ploy had failed. A prospective seller had balked at his offer, but he went ahead and tried to steal the student's song anyway and was caught red-handed. The victim petitioned police to use a lie detector on Fang Sheng.

Fang Sheng crumbled under the dual pressure of the lie detector test and interrogation and confessed to stealing Fang Zhao's three songs.

After arriving at the police station, Fang Zhao had his ID checked and was brought to a conference room. This wasn't an interrogation room, so it wasn't as intimidating. The walls were transparent. You could see the movement in a neighboring hallway. The room was also furnished with snacks and refreshments.

A man in his 40s with a square face, sitting in the room, raised his head and asked, "Fang Zhao?"

"That's me." Fang Zhao sat down at the same desk to face the man.

"Did you bring the items we requested?" the man asked.

"I did." Fang Zhao removed a notebook from his bag and handed it over.

The notebook was what the original owner of his body had used to compose. In it, he had jotted down all his scores. When Fang Zhao got the call from the police at the office, he was asked to bring proof that he was the actual composer of the three songs.

A second officer took the notebook for verification. Current-day technology could determine the rough date the notebook was written in and establish the timing of the compositions. Even though Fang Sheng had confessed to stealing the three songs from Fang Zhao, the laws of evidence required further proof. Having the actual compositions was even better.

The man who stayed in the conference room, the notetaker, noticed Fang Zhao turning his head and looking outside. He asked with a laugh, "Do you recognize the man in the blue-checkered shirt and the two folks next to him?"

"Who?" Fang Zhao responded as he gazed at the surface of the desk.

"The girl who is crying is called Wei Qian. She's a student at one of the local music academies. Fang Sheng almost stole a song from her. If she hadn't buried a signature code in her score, it might very well have been registered under Fang Sheng's name."

"The man standing in the middle, wearing the blue-checkered shirt, is her older brother, Wei Chi. He's a student at the Qi'an University of Science and Technology. When he found out his sister had been robbed, he started asking around about Fang Sheng's whereabouts. When he got a tip, he tracked Fang Sheng down. He caught Fang Sheng taking pictures of another person's score, so he detained him and called the police. He also borrowed money to hire a kick-ass lawyer. Multiple thefts and assault—I'm guessing Fang Sheng will be locked up for at least 10 years. You should thank them. If they hadn't requested a lie detector test, we might not have found out about the theft of your songs."

Since Fang Sheng's hired guns had failed to steal Fang Zhao bracelet and the attempt backfired on him instead, this time, Fang Sheng hadn't dared outsource the job again. He'd done the deed himself, but he was caught in the act.

"Hey, how come you didn't sue him when your songs were stolen?" the officer asked Fang Zhao.

"I had no proof. I had no case," Fang Zhao responded.

"True. This kid's a sly bastard. He never left any concrete proof. Typically, the lie detector isn't used before a conviction." The man gave Fang Zhao a sympathetic look. Knowing your work had been stolen but not being able to do anything about it, seeing someone profit from the fruits of your labor—that had to have been a horrible feeling.

There were strict rules governing the use of the lie detector. They could only be used in certain types of cases and the scope of questioning was limited.

The officer who processed evidence returned to the room and returned the notebook to Fang Zhao.

After the notebook was deemed legitimate evidence, Fang Zhao proceeded to fill out a bunch of paperwork that reverted ownership of the three songs from Fang Sheng to himself.

Neon Culture had immediately recalled the three songs that Fang Sheng had stolen when they got word from the police, transferring their rights to Fang Zhao.

"Can I see Fang Sheng?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Certainly."

Fang Zhao was led to a temporary detention center.

"There are headsets on the wall." The officer who'd brought Fang Zhao to the detention center showed him where the headsets were located and left. The Qi'an police were quite careful about privacy issues.

Fang Sheng looked skinny and downcast. He didn't know what had gone wrong. He didn't get it. Was it simply bad luck? Everything was supposed to go according to plan. How come things always went south at critical moments?

Fang Sheng had intended to buy Wei Qian's song for 50,000. Fifty thousand was a bonanza for someone like her who didn't know the market and wasn't calculating. It was enough to cover her tuition for six years and obtain certain luxuries. But just when she'd been about to sign the contract, a call from her older brother sowed doubt in her mind.

But Fang Sheng hadn't wanted to wait, so he'd stolen Wei Qian's score instead. Who knew that it was planted with her own signature code?

What was worse was that, after he stole Wei Qian's score, he'd moved on to another school where he got a student drunk and was about to steal his score. He had wanted to buy it for a bargain, but this student was more business savvy and asked for at least 150,000. Fang Sheng had no intention of shelling out that much money, so he decided to steal again. He had even planned on fleeing Qi'an that very night, yet Wei Chi had caught him red-handed.

If he'd had a choice, Fang Sheng wouldn't have confessed to stealing Fang Zhao's songs, but he'd known he couldn't beat the lie detector test. And if he'd stonewalled, he would've face an even heavier sentence. After weighing his options, he'd decided to come clean.

There was no escaping jail time now. But in the worst-case scenario, he would be locked up for 10 years—no big deal. He might be released earlier on good behavior. In the end, he would have served six or seven years. He would be only 30 then. There was plenty of time left. Even though he had depleted his savings, he could still mount a comeback.

Fang Sheng plotted his next move. He wasn't feeling great—his face was still swollen and he was missing a few teeth.

As he pondered, he saw an officer bring in Fang Zhao.

"Fang Zhao! Big Zhao! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stolen your songs. Please forgive me on account of the fact that we grew up together."

If Fang Zhao forgave him and spoke on his behalf, he could apply for parole. Even if he couldn't shave a few years off his sentence, a few weeks or a few months was still something.

After shouting for about a minute, Fang Sheng realized they were separated by a transparent barrier and Fang Zhao couldn't hear him. He scrambled to grab his headset and indicated Fang Zhao to do the same. He thought Fang Zhao didn't know he had to use them.

But Fang Zhao stood there motionlessly and stared at him coldly, as if observing a stranger.

That reminded Fang Sheng of the look on Fang Zhao's face when he'd returned to his black street in a company car to move after signing with Neon Culture.

A lightning bolt flashed through his head. Fang Sheng raised his head and stared at Fang Zhao blankly.

"It was you?"

Fang Sheng looked like he'd seen a ghost.

When he'd hired thugs to grab Fang Zhao's bracelet and was robbed instead, he'd thought that was on account of Yue Qing. He thought the thugs had been afraid of Yue Qing, so they'd turned around and robbed him instead. Now, he realized...

It was Fang Zhao.

It was Fang Zhao all along.

He was the one who had turned the two black street thugs against him. He was the one who had played saboteur every time he was on the cusp of success.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at Fang Zhao, mumbling the words:

"It was you!"

He finally got it. He'd never suspected because he had always based his thinking on Fang Zhao's old personality, but the Fang Zhao standing before him struck him as a completely different person.

Coincidence or luck—that was all irrelevant.

Fang Sheng turned pale, his eyes became bloodshot, and he gripped his fingers tightly, as if he was getting ready to rip his headset to shreds. But soon, his gaze went from projecting hatred to fear, because he noticed Fang Zhao laughing at him.

It was a casual laugh, but it sent through Fang Sheng a deep chill. He felt frozen all over.

If Fang Zhao had set everything up, what awaited him in prison? The more he thought, the more panicked Fang Sheng became.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Fang Sheng yelled at the top of his voice. On the other side of the divider, Fang Zhao had stopped looking at him and left.

After leaving the detention center, Fang Zhao picked up his documents and left the police station. He walked along the street and made a right turn, where he met up with Wei Chi, who had already been waiting.

"I've received your last installment. I've taken care of the legal fees," Wei Chi said.

Fang Zhao'd had eyes on Fang Sheng all this time. When he had found out that Fang Sheng was targeting Wei Qian, he reached out to Wei Chi and struck up a partnership. Fang Zhao funded the operation while Wei Chi was in charge of entrapping Fang Sheng.

"You're not going to tell your sister?" Fang Zhao asked.

Wei Qian didn't not know that Wei Chi had set a trap for Fang Sheng so he could steal her song easily. Later on, Wei Chi had seized the moment and caught Fang Sheng while he was stealing another person's score.

"I'll definitely tell her at some point, but not now. The whole point of this plan was to make her more guarded. As the saying goes, never set out to screw people, but also never let down your guard. She was too gullible, all set to pounce at the bait. Creative types like her don't know how to watch out for schemers. She's only going to be taken advantage of when she enters the real world. I won't always be around to protect her. Thanks for your help; otherwise, I wouldn't have come out of this unscathed."

Fang Zhao always carried a knife with him and he'd had someone protect Wei Chi in secret. Otherwise, Wei Chi wouldn't have emerged unharmed after detaining Fang Sheng.

Fang Zhao looked at the time. "I gotta run. They're still waiting for me. Next time you wanna scam—no, I mean deliver justice—remember to count me in."

Fang Zhao watched Wei Chi leave and kept walking. For him, Fang Sheng was only a sideshow. He had simply wanted to reclaim the three stolen songs as a gesture for the original owner of his body.

Zap.

A flying car appeared in front of him. Fang Zhao checked the license plate. It was the cab he had ordered. He boarded the car in a hurry.

"Headed to Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs?" the driver asked.

"Yup."

"It's almost Memorial Day. The cemetery is getting a lot of visitors. I've made two runs already."

"Is it always crowded this time of year?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Of course. You've never been? The Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs in suburban Qi'an is the biggest such cemetery in the continent. It's also one of the world's 12 major cemeteries for martyrs. Word has it that everyone who died in Qi'an during the Period of Destruction is buried there."

Chapter 61: His Own Grave

Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs mainly housed the bodies of martyrs who'd died in the Qi’an warzone during the Period of Destruction. After the New Era was established, many graves were shifted over from other areas of Yanzhou. According to official estimates, there were tens of thousands of graves here, and most of the corpses had been cremated and compressed, taking up very little space. There were some without even a corpse, just leaving behind personal belongings or a personal record with their names.

The people of the New Era had a custom where, every Memorial Day, they would head to the Cemetery for Martyrs to pay their respects. Some people felt that paying their respects to the large congregation of martyrs would bless and protect them and make their wishes come true. Others just felt obliged to follow tradition and just came for a walk about.

As it was approaching Memorial Day, there were quite a lot of people visiting the Cemetery for Martyrs. During the journey there, Fang Zhao took the advice of the driver and got a queue number online.

The Cemetery for Martyrs had a place set up specifically for people to pay their respects. However, the space was limited. Thus, it was always full during the few days around Memorial Day, hence the need for a number.

There were too many people here to pay their respects. Fang Zhao’s number was quite far back and he had to wait approximately two or three hours before it was his turn. However, before it was his turn, Fang Zhao had decided to take a stroll through the Cemetery for Martyrs.

As he was approaching the cemetery, from a distance, Fang Zhao spotted the landmark of this area. A huge tombstone exceeding 500 meters in height.

The cab driver drove Fang Zhao somewhere close to the cemetery. There were too many people and the parking lots were full. Occasionally, gun-toting police officers could be seen patrolling. At this time every year, there would be large numbers of police officers situated here to maintain peace and order.

Seeing this, Fang Zhao alighted and made his way in by foot.

No fees were needed to enter the premises. All visitors were subjected to an identity check. As long as there was no issues with the identity and the number of people inside was still within the limits, the person was allowed to enter.

The path toward the cemetery was congested, but after entering, it was wide and spacious. This cemetery was huge and there were many different areas. The core cemetery, the Period of Destruction memorial hall, the plaza, loose graves, public worship area, etc.

That huge tombstone belonged to the core cemetery area and it had restricted access. Most people would head to the public worship area to pay their respects before heading to the cafes beside the plaza for some tea and chitchat. Descendants of martyrs would head to the loose graves or the core cemetery to pay their respects.

On both sides of the main street were two sidewalks sheltered by trees. The variety of the tree was Longxiang Tianluo, a tree that stayed green all year round. Even if a frigid winter season arrived at Qi’an City, the trees would still maintain a green glow full of vigor.

Ahead of the main street was the cemetery’s plaza. It was teeming with people, and the shops beside the plaza had a steady stream of visitors.

Only when they were paying their respects did people have solemn expressions. Everywhere else, be it walking through the plaza or taking a rest in a cafe, most people were in high spirits.

This was by no means disrespect for the martyrs. At the beginning of the New Era, a solemn and respectful attitude was the norm when visiting a cemetery. However, it all changed sometime later. There was a high-ranking veteran from the Period of Destruction who had been approaching the end of his life. Before he'd died, he had instructed his children and grandchildren to smile and laugh more when they came to pay respects to him in the future. The New Era that he and his comrades had fought so hard for was one where he did not want to see his descendants sullen and crying.

Little by little, people became less solemn when it came to paying their respects.

Memorial Day was, after all, a celebration. Since people came to pay their respects, they brought the same jubilant and festive spirit to thank the martyrs from the Period of Destruction who had fought for and secured a peaceful New Era for them.

Having experienced the end of the Period of Destruction, people of the New Era firmly believed that those lying here were their saviors.

When paying their respects, the elderly would pray for blessings for the younger generation. The younger generation would hope their wishes came true, hope for peace, hope for fortune, and hope for love.

It was still too early for Fang Zhao to head to the public worship area, so he headed in the direction of the huge and tall tombstone toward the core cemetery.

"Are you a descendant of a martyr? Can I verify your identity, please?" the receptionist at the core cemetery asked Fang Zhao.

"Nope. I’m not."

"Sorry, sir. Since you are not a descendant of a martyr buried inside, we require a thorough screening of your identity as well as a 1,000 dollar deposit. May I know whether you still wish to enter?" the receptionist asked politely.

The deposit would not be returned. This restricted most people. The core cemetery held a greater importance and it was not a place where anyone could enter. Thus, this rule was carefully drawn up by the managing board of the cemetery after much consideration. The deposit money collected would not be channeled to anyone’s personal pockets but would be used for the maintenance of the cemetery.

"Yes."

Fang Zhao handed over his identification information, and after the screening of his identity, paid the 1,000. The receptionist helped Fang Zhao put on a blue bracelet that would track his position at all times to ensure he did not enter any restricted areas.

Most of the people entering the core cemetery area were wearing bracelets of different colors. Blue was for normal people paying their respects. Red bracelets were for descendants of martyrs. White ones were government officials, and black indicated that person was special.

Although normal visitors were required to pay a rather large sum, Fang Zhao observed that there were quite a number of people sporting blue bracelets walking about inside. However, under the watchful eyes of police officers and monitoring devices, the people had to think twice even if they wanted to do anything.

The huge tombstone was the most prominent landmark in the core cemetery. The people standing next to it appeared tiny in comparison. The gigantic ash-colored tombstone seemed like a pillar supporting the earth. Steadfast and silent, it had braved the weather for more than five hundred years, a figure of pride and sorrow.

Fang Zhao spent quite some time standing before the huge tombstone. After he had his fill, he went around and headed to the back.

Behind the huge tombstone, hiding in the shadows, were a bunch of neatly arranged smaller gravestones. With the huge tombstone as the apex, the smaller gravestones extended behind in a circular manner.

Each of these gravestones represented a deceased person.

The first row, which was closest to the huge tombstone, had ten gravestones. These gravestones were larger than the ones behind. The closer they were to the front, the larger they were. The larger ones had more words carved on them and held a greater significance.

From the left, the first gravestone belonged to a man known by everyone. General Wu Yan, who helped create the New Era. The Yan in Yanzhou was obtained from his name.

Other than Huangzhou, where the alliance headquarters was located, the eleven other continents got their names or dubbed them from the eleven generals who had founded the era. For example, the continent of Leizhou got its name from General Harmon Renault. Since then, the alliance had abolished the rank of "Great General" as a mark of respect.

"Wu Yan (17th year of the Period of Destruction—56th year of the New Era). A founding era General, 2nd in command of the 5th Corps. Recaptured Yanzhou…"

Wu Yan’s gravestone had a brief writeup on his lifetime achievements, mostly on how he ended a period of disaster and helped found the New Era in an awe-inspiring and domineering manner.

Reading the words that the government had carefully sculpted, Fang Zhao broke into a little grin.

Probably no one knew that little brat Wu Yan was actually a scaredy cat. All he was really good at was hiding himself.

Continuing forward, the smile on Fang Zhao’s face was extinguished.

The words on the second gravestone were: "Fang Zhao (?—99th year of the Period of Destruction), Commanding Officer of the 5th Corps…"

The 5th Corps was the predecessor to the Yanzhou Military. Created toward the later stage of the Period of Destruction, the 5th Corps had become the Yanzhou Military in the New Era.

Using the system for tracking time in the New Era, from the year the Period of Destruction had started to the founding of the New Era, in total, it had lasted for 102 years.

99th year of the Period of Destruction…

In the historical records of the New Era, after the difficult first 99 years of the Period of Destruction, by the 100th year of the New Era, the fighting had more or less ceased. Most of the two years that followed was disposing of the remnants and, at the same time, rebuilding their homeland.

Literally just a step away.

Fang Zhao’s gaze fell from the gravestone to what was underneath.

Was he was really buried under this gravestone?

Fang Zhao was in a complicated frame of mind. He did not even know what background music to play inside his head.

Chapter 62: Where Have They Seen This Name Before

Paying respects at his own grave left Fang Zhao with mixed feelings. A sense of sorrow as well as a bit of rejoice.

He might not have survived to see the founding of the New Era, nor had he become one of the eleven legendary generals. Yet, he got to live all over again!

Even though he never got to see the founding of the New Era, he got to see the rewards of what they were fighting for. The glorious New Era over 500 years into the future. If not for his retained memories from his past life and seeing the records on the gravestones, he might not have believed he was still on the same planet.

The changes had been absolutely revolutionary.

As for the meritorious deeds and eulogies of his past life on his gravestone, Fang Zhao did not give more than a passing glance. He was sure that whoever wrote it down had not been familiar. That was because "composer" had not been written there. That had been his original job, and anyone close to him would never have forgotten that.

Fang Zhao spent a long time deep in thought by his own grave. He thought about the end of days and he thought about the records that were written in books about that period. He thought about the world in the New Era and wondered what belongings he would find if he dug up his own grave.

As Fang Zhao bent down to gaze at his grave, a man walked by.

"Sorry to bother you, I have to see your ID."

Fang Zhao raised his head. A youthful police officer had come over. The police officer showed Fang Zhao his badge and at the same time his white bracelet which meant that he was on official government business.

In the distance, a few other police officers were also watching. They had been assigned to situation response teams. Every year during this period, a number of these teams would be assigned to various locations throughout the cemetery to keep an eye out for suspicious persons. The officers assigned here were all experienced and were experts when it came to catching criminals and maintaining order.

Although there had already been a screening at the entrance of the core cemetery, if the officers noticed any suspicious behavior, they had the right to do a second investigation.

There were some people in the core cemetery area who were walking over to pay their respects. Seeing the situation, they immediately turned back and walked away, and when they were far enough away, they glanced back and discussed something in hushed voices.

Fang Zhao raised his eyebrows. Had spending too much time in front of his own grave made him look suspicious?

Acceding to the the officer’s request, Fang Zhao used his bracelet to transmit his identity information over.

The officer studied the information on his display and checked whether his appearance tallied and he was not an imposter.

"Fang Zhao? Sounds familiar. I think there is someone here called…" the police officer caught the name on the gravestone "...Fang Zhao".

Glancing from the name of the tombstone to the name on the display, the officer was a little surprised but quickly broke into a smile. "That's a great name."

Among the billions of humans, there were many people who had the same names as heroes and martyrs of the Period of Destruction. Every year during this time, it was not a rare sight to see people paying their respects to their namesakes.

"Thank you for your cooperation, please continue." The police officer replied politely after checking Fang Zhao’s identity. With that, he turned around and walk away, signalling to his colleagues in the distance that everything was in order.

After the inspection, Fang Zhao no longer lingered on his own gravestone. Instead, he moved to the others. Names both familiar and unfamiliar showed up, evoking a number of memories.

Fang Zhao could still feel the gaze of someone on him. It was those police officers. He paid them no heed.

Every year, these people guarded the cemetery and ensured the safety and order. Unless there were people with malignant intentions, they normally did not need to worry about the gravestones being damaged.

In the 500 over years, the gravestones and garden had not suffered much damage. On normal days, the cemetery workers guarded the place, while during crucial times, these people were called in to stand guard.

The younger generation is pretty impressive , Fang Zhao thought.

The group of officers watching Fang Zhao did not know what Fang Zhao thought of them.

"Lian Jie, are you sure that person is all right?" a young police officer asked.

Lian Jie was the officer that had previously gone to investigate Fang Zhao.

"Yeah. No issues," Lian Jie replied, eyeing Fang Zhao who was strolling amongst the gravestones.

"Then why did you go over and check his identity?" another officer asked.

"I don’t know, I just had a strange feeling that he seemed like he wanted to dig that grave up." Lian Jie continued, "Another one with the same name as a martyr."

Hearing this, the rest of them came to a sudden understanding.

"So what was his identity?" one of them asked Lian Jie.

"A composer," Lian Jie said. "There are three types of people I don’t understand. One kind are philosophers. Another kind are artists. The thoughts and ideologies of philosophers are too profound for someone with my IQ to understand. As for artists, they are a fusion of crazy and calm. Unlike politicians who are able to have a firm grasp on the mundane world, an artist is like a narcissistic person living in their own world. I have no idea what goes on in their brains either."

"What about the third type?" the officer beside Lian Jie asked.

"The last type are perverts."

"...So do we still have to keep an eye on that fellow?"

"Let’s just watch him. Although I doubt he is going to do anything that would pose a threat to public security at the moment, who knows what would happen later. Keeping an eye on him would be better," Lan Jie replied.

Fang Zhao paid no mind to the gazes of the officers and continued walking by the gravestones of the first row one by one. After he was done, he looked up at the densely packed gravestones arranged on the uneven earth. There was no end in sight.

The area was too wide. Fang Zhao could not hope to cover the entire area within such a short time. His turn at the public worship area was coming up. Thus, Fang Zhao followed a trail and headed out of the core cemetery area. Raising his head, he realized he was in another cemetery area with a boundary that was indiscernible.

Behind the core cemetery area was the loose graves area. Some were moved over after the cemetery was completed. Others were slowly added on later and were all martyrs of the New Century.

Although this was called the loose graves area, they were not dishevelled or in a bad condition.

There were more people paying their respects at the loose graves area. The security here was not as high as the core cemetery area. Here, there were parents bringing their children about, respectfully bowing, placing flowers, and then giving a long-winded talk about who knows what. They were most likely family or descendants of martyrs.

The cemetery was really big and it would take quite a while to travel the area on foot. Running was not permitted in the park, so those in a rush had to ride on the train within the cemetery. Train tickets were not expensive, only costing a dollar.

Fang Zhao boarded the train and found himself a window seat. He watched as the train departed from the loose graves areas and the train passed by the core cemetery area. However, as the train passed by, the buzz and chatter of the passengers aboard got louder all of a sudden.

Fang Zhao saw a lot of people gathering at the core cemetery area. However something was blocking their way, so they could only stand at one side tiptoeing to see what was going on.

Five black flying cars descended from the skies into the vicinity of the core cemetery area, followed the pathway, and drove in.

Vehicles were not permitted inside the cemetery. The airspace above the cemetery was restricted to private cars. Private vehicles seen in the cemetery were special enough. Vehicles that could be driven straight into the core cemetery area were special even amongst the privileged.

"Looking at the number plate, it belongs to the Wu family," a male student holding a pair of binoculars at the front said.

A bunch of girls who were beside promptly came over and asked, "Was Wu Yun there? Fellow student, could we borrow your binoculars?"

"There is nothing to see, the car has already gone in," the male student replied.

Wu Yun was a famous film star in Yanzhou. He did not belong to any the three big media conglomerates. He had the wealth to engage his own business team because he was a member of the Wu family.

Yanzhou got its name from the great general Wu Yan. But unlike the Renaults of Leizhou, the Wu family had experienced civil war after Wu Yan passed away. This nearly lead to the extinguishing of the Wu family. This was the reason why, in the history of Yanzhou governors, there were very few that had the Wu family name.

However, even though they had not become the ruling family like the Renaults of Leizhou, they were not to be taken lightly. Especially in recent centuries, the Wu family’s businesses had been thriving. Even if they were not Yanzhou’s number one, they were easily amongst the most influential families.

What about the younger generations of the Wu family?

Looking at the crowded gathered outside the core cemetery area, he remembered that, when he had received his new life, he had read up on the Wu family’s history. He had wondered, back then, if Wu Yan was still alive, would he have shot his unworthy children who had thrown Yanzhou back into a period of internal strife?

Wu Yun, who was mentioned by those students, could only be considered among the younger generation of the Wu family. In those five cars, other than Wu Yun, there should be a few other members of the Wu family. Fang Zhao felt it was unfortunate that he did not get a chance to meet the younger generation of Wus. However, he still had a long time to live, so he was bound to run into them in the times to come.

The train had already left the core cemetery and was headed in the direction of the public worship area.

At the same time, the five lengthened black cars of the Wu family had entered the core cemetery. The most senior person was at the front, with the young generations following behind.

Every year before Memorial Day, the Wu family would visit the cemetery once to pay their respects. This was their own custom. On the actual Memorial Day, they would join the Yanzhou governor as well as other officials of importance to take part in some memorial activities.

Whatever the younger generation was thinking, at this time, they had to put on the same expressions as their elders. Facing the gravestones, they put on an expression that was thirty percent respectful and seventy percent solemn.

It had been so long since then. There were not many sentiments. After all, the people they were paying their respects to had already been gone for over 500 years. However, there was still a little sense of respect. Afterall, without Wu Yan, there would not be the Wu family of today.

According to Wu family customs, after they had paid their respects in front of Wu Yan’s grave, the Wu elders paid their respects to the grave beside it and place a bunch of fresh flowers down.

Every generation of Wus would feel an unbounded sorrow upon seeing the grave that was after Wu Yan’s.

If this person had not left first, Yanzhou would not have been named Yanzhou.

However, today, upon seeing the name on the grave, a few members of the Wu family felt a little puzzled.

Fang Zhao?

Where had there seen this name before?

Chapter 63: Immortality

Fang Zhao did not get to see anyone from the Wu family, nor did he return to the core cemetery area. It was almost his turn at the public worship area, and if he missed his number, he would not have the time to queue again. Paying his respects was more important.

Compared to the core cemetery area and the loose graves area, the public worship area was much more lively. There were a number of large and grand halls. The color theme was a solemn and ashen grey. Sculpted on the outside of the walls were murals depicting battles during the Period of Destruction.

The main hall was obviously more grand compared to the side halls. At the entrance were two thirty-meter-tall statues. The first being Yanzhou’s most famous character, Wu Yan, and the second… was Fang Zhao.

The words carved on the base of the statue were the same as the ones carved on the gravestones.

Back when Fang Zhao had been looking up the Cemetery for Martyr’s online, he had already found out that he was a door guardian of the place. However, seeing the statue personally gave him a complex mood.

The statue was molded after his image during the latter stages of the Period of Destruction. Just that, during the sculpting process, it was beautified. His facial features were made sharper and his muscles more defined. His cheekbones were raised and his eyes were enlarged. Although there were wrinkles and scars on the statue, it made him look like he was from the middle ages. Clad in his uniform, he looked bold and imposing. His head was raised, as if gazing at some far off battlefield, and he seemed as if he was watching over the land.

The expression on Wu Yan’s statue seemed milder and had more warmth. That image was quite similar to the Wu Yan of stories that were passed down from people that had actually seen him in person. During the period of the founding of the New Era, Wu Yan was smiling most of the time and gave off a friendly and amiable vibe. Even though the statue was not as sharp, it did not lose to its neighbor in terms of being imposing. This was the great person who had brought Yanzhou toward the New Era and had rebuilt their homeland.

The two statues silently watched over the people visiting the memorial halls everyday.

Qi’an city had many statues. Some were a means of signifying something, whereas others were meant for fun. Here, people respected these two statues that were a tribute.

Unlike music, sculptures had a sort of ability to inspire and impact people, and also they had the power to immortalize something.

Nothing was truly immortal. Immortality was just a relative concept.

Every era would give rise to a few immortal characters. Through events that were worth remembering, commemorating those times would immortalize those characters.

Never in his wildest dreams had Fang Zhao dreamt that he would become one.

Gazing at the statues for a while, Fang Zhao then headed over to the open-air waiting area.

Paying of respects was done at the main hall. The side halls were meant to serve as a place to rest. If there were many people, those who had obtained a number and were waiting for their turn could have a room to rest as they waited.

At the waiting area, seated next to Fang Zhao was a middle-aged couple. They were discussing which methods to use for paying their respects this year. From their conversation, Fang Zhao found out that they were mainly praying for their children, especially their eldest son who was in the midst of his military service.

"Hai.. I wonder if they are still digging now. Do you think they get a holiday on Memorial Day?" the lady kept repeating in a low voice. "It has been a while since we last heard from him. Has he been eating well? How is his health? Hopefully he gets a break on Memorial Day?"

The man patted his wife’s hand and comforted her. "It has only been five days since we received his video call. There are still five more days till we get his next video message. They will get a break on Memorial Day. Just that it is not going to be as extravagant. Most likely, they just take it as a day of rest."

During the period of military service, service personnel could not communicate with their family freely. They were limited to sending a video message to their families every ten days. Even if it was Memorial Day or any other holiday, they were not allowed to go home. All they could do was wait till their service came to an end.

On his way here, Fang Zhao had encountered many families in the same situation who were praying for the blessings of members in the military. Every year, there were lots of enlistees and thus lots of families who came to pray.

At the back was a group of youthful looking students discussing which posture they should pay their respects in so as to not fail in school.

For people in the New Era, all sorts of patterns had emerged from the simple custom of paying respects to the martyrs. There were even some people who believed that, even though the previous year’s wishes were unanswered, by changing the method, posture, materials, or even circumstances, their wishes might come true this year.

As he was watching his surroundings, Fang Zhao’s bracelet reminded him that his turn was up.

Following his reminder, Fang Zhao collected his ticket and entered the main hall.

The hustle and bustle from outside died off all of a sudden. The atmosphere inside the main hall was more tense and solemn. In the same area were many sculptures and projected images pertaining to the Period of Destruction. Some were photos of people, and others were scenes of events. These provided a brief introduction to the martyrs.

Fang Zhao spotted his own image. The photo was taken toward the end of the Period of Destruction. Fang Zhao appeared quite aged and sported many scars. He looked a little scary even though the photo had undergone some embellishment.

Fang Zhou doubted that he would be recognized even if his body from his previous life was standing right beside. He was different from the people who had survived till the founding of the New Era. He had not left many images, and those that he had left were not meticulously taken. During the Period of Destruction, there was no time to pick out clothes or choose suitable lighting or backdrops or even to pick a pose. Photographs back then were taken when they were in a situation where they could head out to battle at any time.

Looking at the ticket in his hand, Fang Zhao headed to area A in the main hall.

In the public worship area, area A contained smaller rooms. As Fang Zhao was alone, he was allocated to area A.

Following the number shown on the ticket, Fang Zhao found his assigned room and slotted his ticket into the machine at the door.

This was the first time Fang Zhao was paying his respects according to the customs of the New Era, and the experience was rather fresh for him. To ensure privacy, there were no monitoring devices or other people. The only thing in the room was a screen. Displayed on it were a few popular methods and recommended packages to pay one’s respects. Also on the screen was a guide on how to do so. Fang Zhao overlooked all of these and just selected an altar, a 500ml bottle of wine, and a retro wine bowl.

Although people had different practices and methods for paying their respects, they could purchase different items here at a cost. The screen was just like a self-service shopping machine. Whatever items were to be used as offerings or donations, all proceeds went to the yearly maintenance of the cemetery.

Fang Zhao did not change anything in the room. He had not even requested a cushion for kneeling. He held the wine in one hand and the wine bowl in the other. In the room was a holographic projection of a smaller core cemetery area. The giant tombstone only appeared two meters tall here, and the rows of tiny gravestones behind were glowing like stars.

Standing in front of the holographic projection, Fang Zhao knew that he was facing the huge tombstone of the core cemetery area. He stood there gazing at the projection of the giant tombstone followed by the rows of glowing gravestones behind it for two minutes before pouring the wine.

Fang Zhao poured the first bowl of wine straight onto the altar.

A toast to all who had lost their lives during that period.

Fang Zhao drank half of the second bowl and poured the other half onto the altar.

A toast to all the old comrades he would never get to see again.

Fang Zhao downed the entire third bowl in a single mouthful.

A toast to himself!

After the three toasts, Fang Zhao put down the wine and bowl. Taking a last look at the projection of the tombstone, he turned and left. Before leaving, he donated a million dollars. He did not need to purchase any of the virtual items to use as offerings. Directly choosing to donate was easier and more straightforward.

Other than the room, Fang Zhao did not take a look at any of the other furnishings in the main hall, instead just leaving and passing by the plaza on his way out.

Many people were walking about in the plaza. Children were playing under the sun with bright smiles on their faces. In the plaza, a shopping area had been specially set up. A few small shops were lined up and people who were passing through would stop to browse through their wares and purchase a few souvenirs.

"It has already been more than 500 years!"

Fang Zhao once again was clearly reminded of this fact.

He was no longer the Fang Zhao of that apocalyptic period. Now that he was a person from the New Era, he should no longer cling on to the past. No matter how hard others wished, they would not get a second chance like him. He should look forward and appreciate the new and prosperous world.

Looking at the atmosphere in the plaza, Fang Zhao uncontrollably let out a smile. He might not have gotten to see the day the New Era was founded, but he got to experience and live in the glorious new world 500 years later.

"Hey brother, two commemorative paintings for you?"

A shout from a nearby vendor woke Fang Zhao from his daze and he glanced over.

This temporary stall had many paintings of all sizes on display. This small stall specially sold paintings. These vendors were the staff in charge of cleaning and maintaining the cemetery on normal days. Every year during this period, they would double up as vendors and peddle items in a designated area of the cemetery.

There was only one main religion in the New Era, and that was believing in the martyrs who founded the New Era.

The people did not believe in gods, and yet, whether it was due to common folk coming up with the practice or merchants finding the opportunity to push their sales, the people adopted the practice of pasting two paintings beside their doors. It was to commemorate and also to pray for blessings at the same time.

What was there to paste?

Of course it was the portraits of the heroes from the Cemetery for Martyrs.

Noticing Fang Zhao’s interest in the commemorative paintings, the vendor's smile widened. "Come take a look. This year’s latest, drawn by a famous designer. Waterproof and dirt-resistant. We are the only place in the entire world selling this new design. You can buy one to stick in your office or home. Even if you don’t use it, it makes a good gift for relatives and friends!"

The vendor rattled on trying to market his goods. Fang Zhao was a little distracted. Pointing to the two paintings in the vendor’s hands, he asked, "Who are they?"

"You don’t recognize them?" The vendor exaggeratingly dropped his jaw before breaking out into an earnest smile. He thought that Fang Zhao had bad eyesight. Pointing to the two paintings, he exclaimed, "The two heroes guarding the doors of the Main hall, The great general Wu Yan and Commander Fang Zhao."

"..." Fang Zhao felt as though he was choking on a glutinous rice ball.

Unlike ordinary people, the staff of the cemetery had to be familiar with information pertaining to the martyrs. Closing their eyes, they could recite at least a hundred names, and not just the more famous characters. This was a test the staff of the cemetery had to go through every year. Who would even work in the cemetery if the staff could not even recognize the martyrs?

Once the vendor’s lips started moving, they would not stop. Other then introducing the "main hall heroes," he went on to talk about other heroes and elaborated on their glorious feats that were recorded in history books. He went on and on passionately as if buying a painting was like bringing back a god of war.

Fang Zhao looked through the vendor’s other paintings without a hint of expression. The art that was made into commemorative paintings, although slightly exaggerated, still brought out the features of the person—for example, a large moustache, a clean-shaven head, or a mole—as long as it suited them.

As for Fang Zhao’s portrait, the scars on his face were still there. But under the watchful hands of the artist, he looked less menacing. Fang Zhao admired the artist’s ability to be able to accomplish that.

Just that….

What the heck was that red cape? Since when had he worn it?!

Watching Fang Zhao eye that painting, the vendor went on. "This year, there are a few new painting styles for the main hall heroes. Lots of people have bought them. Even if you don’t intend to paste them somewhere, they can be kept as a means of commemoration as well. Oh, there are others too, all famous heroes from our very own continent. Both from the Period of Destruction and the New Era. All these are also the year’s latest designs. Take a pick if you have any family members who are descendants of martyrs."

Using his fingers, Fang Zhao browsed through the stalls entire collection. "These paintings of heroes, regardless of the styles, I would like to have one set each. As for Fang Zhao… give me ten each."

"Sure thing!" The vendor grinned and diligently proceeded to pack his order.

Chapter 64: Custom-Made Invitation

Fang Zhao brought his pile of commemorative portraits and left the cemetery, heading to his new home—the top floor penthouse he had bought from the elderly musician Xue Jing.

After moving in, the renovations had been completed quickly. Fang Zhao had only added a few newly bought pieces of furniture and did not change much else. After all, most of his time was spent in the office.

He left all the other commemorative portraits at home and only brought the "Martyr Fang Zhao" series back to the office, distributing a set to each member of his staff. One set contained six styles.

"Boss, what is this?" Ying Futian was a little dumbstruck when he received the portraits. He did not really have any interest regarding commemorative portraits. Contrary to him, his parents liked them a lot, and every year, they would buy a few martyr portraits from the Period of Destruction to stick outside their doors. Sometimes they would even stick them outside the individual rooms in their house. He did not know whether they did so because of custom or if they believed in the blessings of the martyrs.

"I know who this is!" Wan Yue exclaimed. She immediately recognized the person upon seeing the scarred face.

"Who is it?" Zu Wen and the others looked over.

Glancing at Fang Zhao, Wan Yue said, "Big Zhao, what made you buy portraits of your namesake now?" In the past, Fang Zhao had showed no interest toward commemorative portraits.

"Namesake?" Zu Wen exclaimed. "Don’t tell me this set belongs to the person mentioned in historical records?" They all knew the famous characters of the Period of Destruction and had discussed them in history classes. If this person had not passed away so early, Yanzhou would have had a different name.

However, people named after martyrs were very common. From primary school all the way to graduating from university and the start of a working life, one would meet many such people. On this subject, most people would find it surprising, but as it went on, people became indifferent toward it. Even if they had heard that the Virtual Idol project would be handed over to a new guy named Fang Zhao, it would not have rang many bells.

"Oh, so it is him." Zu Wen glanced at the portraits in his hands. "Back in secondary school, we had a test with him as the exam question."

"Yeah. I remember seeing students complaining on the message boards about the question of who the two statues standing guard outside the main hall of the Cemetery for Martyrs were. Most people could not even answer. Some only managed to guess Wu Yan—after all, we are in Yanzhou, so General Wu Yan is pretty familiar to us. As for the other one, many were left dumbstruck," Pang Pusong said as he examined the portraits he'd received.

"We never ever got this question wrong." Zeng Huang laughed as he snuck a glance at Wan Yue. Wan Yue was smiling too. This sort of question was like free marks for them. Ever since they'd learnt about a martyr by the name of Fang Zhao, it'd stuck to their memory forever.

The rest of the staff were thinking that their boss was really great. Just before the memorial holidays, he'd given out military postings, and now he was handing out commemorative portraits of his namesake martyr. Was the mind of an artist really that special?

Remembering something, Zu Wen said, " Hey, Boss, let’s say you become popular and famous. Do you reckon that you will be invited to act as Fang Zhao during the Period of Destruction? Hehe, you could start practicing your acting first!"

Fang Zhao did not reply, he just gave Zu Wen a dazed look.

Zu Wen caught the look Fang Zhao shot him and felt that what he'd said was absurd. How could a situation like that happen?

The others thought this to be laughable too. Fang Zhao was a composer. When the composer behind the "Period of Destruction" series was revealed, he would become a famed composer, highly reputed within the music industry. This was certain. After all, the previous three movements were the best proof. Yet Fang Zhao was not an actor.

Besides, shooting a film based on an actual person during the Period of Destruction required the approval of the global film association, as well as the martyr’s descendants. The entertainment industry during the early years of the New Era was a mess. Many accounts of the history of the Period of Destruction were distorted, be it through film, music, or virtual idols. These capitalized on the martyrs to attract the attention of viewers. After some vehement opposition by descendants of martyrs, the entire world set up a restriction to stop this madness. Any films related to actual persons during that period would require a thorough audit as well as approval from the descendants of the concerning martyr.

As the restrictions were widespread, whenever each continent did a film based on actual characters, they would only select one or a few important people who'd had a great impact from that period. This was due to the fact that, if too many characters were lined up, the approval process would be much more troublesome and complicated. Hence, since the restriction set by the global film association up until this moment, there had not been a film made about commander Fang Zhao of the Period of Destruction.

Little did Zu Wen know, Fang Zhao’s expression did not mean that it was impossible. Rather, he was thinking, I am still me. Do I even need to act?

"Eh? Come to think of it, didn’t the global film association intend to shoot a film regarding many important characters from the Period of Destruction? Has it been done yet?" Rodney asked, remembering a piece of news he had read during his university days.

"It has been shelved. Apparently for quite some time. They tried to reboot it a few times, but it was never successful. I have no idea why," Song Miao replied, as she generally paid more attention to the entertainment industry. "However, in recent years, it has been brought up much more frequently. I reckon there is hope for this program yet."

"If they do start it, it is going to be a revolutionary, groundbreaking blockbuster," said Zu Wen.

The other nodded their heads in agreement. If such a program was really announced, the big investors would surely be the influential families of every continent, such as the Renaults of Leizhou and the Wu Family of Yanzhou. After all, it was their ancestors that would be portrayed in the film, and they were all famous founding characters of the New Era. The casting would, of course, be way more stringent, the main characters would definitely be played by global mega stars. Even the A-listers in Silver Wing media could only hope to achieve a bit-part role in this sort of film.

That would be a really impressive film program. They was no way they had the capability to participate, so they could only stay here and discuss it like losers.

"Anyway, no matter how big the program, it still can’t do without accompanying music." Song Miao turned to Fang Zhao. "Boss, work hard. Who knows, when the time comes, you might contest for the rights to the soundtrack. There won’t be only just one soundtrack for such a big program, and it will not only be from just one company. On that note, when the time comes, we will fight with you."

Even though she said all that, Song Miao was not too optimistic for Fang Zhao. From what she understood, for such a production, the soundtrack would normally be sourced from experienced and established studios or from reputable master composers in the music scene. Given Fang Zhao’s age and influence, the odds of him being picked were not high. Maybe in another hundred years he would stand a good chance, but by then, the production would have already been completed.

Fang Zhao seemed deep in thought, as if he had taken Song Miao's words seriously. Zu Wen was thinking of changing the topic to something more realistic to raise their spirits when Fang Zhao’s bracelet rang. Someone was calling.

"Director Duan?" Fang Zhao answered.

"Come up for a while," Duan Quanji said. "Alone." With that, she ended the call.

"Director Duan wants to enquire about the progress of the fourth movement again?"

"Most likely, given the importance Director Duan places on this series. Or she might just have questions pertaining to the project." Zu Wen and the others continued to discuss.

However, Fang Zhao felt that it was not related to the fourth movement. He had submitted a progress report to Duan Quanji yesterday. It was unlikely that she would ask again so soon.

"I shall head up first."

The others went back to their individual stations to continue working while Fang Zhao rode the escalator to Duan Quanji’s top floor office. Entering, he noticed that, aside from Duan Quanji and her four assistants and secretaries, there were two other strangers. As Fang Zhao walked in, the two strangers watched him. The one of a similar age eyed him with obvious apprehension, whereas the more senior of the two seemed to be sizing him up. His expression showed neither suspicion nor contempt. He was purely examining Fang Zhao,

The two men were neither extravagantly dressed nor wearing any luxurious ornaments. At first glance, they just seemed like any normal technicians. However, emblazoned on their chests was an emblem of a fiery red bird in the shape of an ‘S.’

That tiny emblem was more than enough to make anyone take notice. It was the best proof of their identities.

They were from Fiery Bird.

"Fiery Bird." The undisputed number one gaming company in the world.

"Sit." Duan Qianji pointed to a seat. Following that, she faced the two men and said, "This here is the creator of the first three movements of the 'Period of Destruction,' Fang Zhao." She then turned to face Fang Zhao and introduced the two men. "These are the department heads of Fiery Bird’s sound effects department, You Chuan and Mr. Bi Fu."

"Deputy department head. Deputy." You Chuan waved his hands, not thinking that there was anything awkward about adding the word "deputy".

After which, he turned to Fang Zhao and smiled. "The members of our department enjoyed the three movements of the 'Period of Destruction' series very much. We are all eagerly anticipating the release of the fourth movement. As for the purpose of our visit, it has nothing to do with the endorsement. We are just in charge of sound effects and related stuff. This time, we came with an invitation for Mr. Fang."

"Invitation?" Fang Zhao repeated.

"Yes. We wish to request Mr. Fang compose a piece."

"A custom-made one?"

"Thats right. Accompanying soundtrack for a portion of a two-minute animation in 'Battle of the Century.' To be honest, we had already prepared four pieces of music and were going to choose one out of the four. However…" At this point, You Chuan examined Fang Zhao once more. "After hearing the three movements of 'The Period of Destruction,' our department head found three of the previously prepared pieces to be unsatisfactory. It wasn’t that they were no good, just that, in line with the game itself, they did not seem to blend well, as if they were lacking a little something. Therefore, we have already approached 18 soundtrack composers and studios across the 12 continents to request a custom-made composition. As for Mr. Zhao, this is our last stop, and we were tasked to personally hand over the request by our department head."

"I am number 19?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes."

Fang Zhao remained silent.

Fiery Bird had requested 19 compositions and promised to purchase the rights to all 19. However, for the game, Fiery Bird would only pick the one they were most satisfied with.

It was really… inhumane.

Chapter 65: Going Back

"Mr. Fang is the 19th and also our last invitee." You Chuan smiled at Fang Zhao. There was still a slight air of seriousness about him as he continued, "However, if Mr. Fang has his own commitments or he finds the time frame too short, he can choose to reject the offer. I forgot to mention, but the first draft of the piece has to be submitted before March."

As You Chuan spoke, he observed Fang Zhao’s expressions. Ever since Fang Zhao had entered the room, he'd felt that this youngster was not like his peers. His calm demeanor was not faked. Even upon seeing the Fiery Bird Insignia, he'd only been a little surprised. He had not made any effort to conceal or suppress his emotions either.

Even now, upon being informed that he had been invited to create an accompaniment for a game by the reputable Fiery Bird company and compete with great composers across every continent, Fang Zhao did not have much of a reaction. He just sat there, listening attentively, as if… he was listening to a report.

Listening to a report?

You Chuan’s figure of speech flashed across his mind, startling himself. After that, he found it quite funny. Perhaps he had been traveling a lot recently and had been too busy handing out invites, so his mind was playing tricks on him. Brushing aside the thoughts in his mind, You Chuan turned back to Fang Zhao, but he just saw Fang Zhao drumming his fingers without rhythm on his thigh. As for Fang Zhao, he looked… like his mind was wandering elsewhere.

"Cough!" Duan Qianij could not stand by and watch idly, so she coughed to catch the attention of Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao’s fingers stopped and, tilting his head toward You Chuan, he said, "I would need to see the opening animation."

In his heart, You Chuan was thinking, He was still listening while his mind was wandering?

"Sure. But Mr. Fang has to first sign a confidentiality agreement," You Chuan answered. Fang Zhao’s request was reasonable. If Fang Zhao had agreed without first watching the animation, You Chuan would have been disappointed.

"I understand the rules."

After the confidentiality agreement had been signed, You Chuan passed over a miniature projector with a palm-sized Fiery Bird insignia on it.

As the image was projected into the air, Fang Zhao watched the short two-minute opening animation attentively. "Animation" was what they called it in the industry. But in reality, as Fang Zhao watched, he felt that it was very real, as if an actual scene had been shot. This animation was comparable with the movies that Silver Wing Media invested in every year.

As Fang Zhao was watching the two-minute-long clip, You Chuan was still examining him. In his heart, he wondered whether this person really had to ability to create such quality music and whether there was a possibility of them working together in the future.

Fang Zhao was seriously watching it. At the same time, his fingers starting drumming once again. The extent was not large, and You Chuan could not see the rhythm this time either.

After the two-minute clip ended, Fang Zhao turned his head to You Chuan and said, "No problem. One month. That’s more than enough time."

Everyone in the room stared at Fang Zhao. Duan Qianji had wanted to stop Fang Zhao, but he'd spoken too fast. Beside You Chuan, the other Fiery Bird staffer, Bi Fu, widened his eyes in disbelief at Fang Zhao’s show of self-confidence. Having self-confidence was a good thing, but having too much was just downright stupid.

Bi Fu had gone with You Chuan and invited 18 parties to compose a soundtrack. Of the 18, when some heard the limit of "Before March," they found it a little difficult. After watching the animation, some had said that they would "try their best," meaning that they would only strive to do it but had no guarantee it could be completed by March. The higher one flew, the more they cherished their wings. These people would only submit if they themselves found it satisfactory. If it was unsatisfactory, they would rather give up the opportunity than harm their reputation.

Yet Fang Zhao was number 19 and the last among the list, also possessing the lowest status. He was simply a composer with no reputation at all. To think that after watching the animation, he had the cheek to be that self-confident!

Bi Fu could not bear it and wanted to say something, but You Chuan stopped him with a glance. Bi Fu then could only swallow his words.

"In that case, we look forward to some good music."

You Chuan did not stay long. Taking his leave, he and Bi Fu headed straight to the rooftop garage and left in their flying car. The car the two of them had come in did not bear the distinctive Fiery Bird insignia and was inconspicuous. They did not want to let the outside world know that, even though they were approaching the publishing date, the opening sequence animation was still lacking a soundtrack.

Inside the car, Bi Fu puzzledly asked You Chuan, "Why didn’t you probe more? Test him a little to find out if he was really the creator of the three movements and if he is really capable enough of producing work with sufficient quality within a month or so?"

It was already nearing the end of January. A deadline before March meant that, essentially, there was only the month of February to come up with a composition. A month’s time to produce a compatible soundtrack to such a large-scale gaming project was really difficult. Even a newcomer in the industry would know that.

You Chuan laughed and shook his head. "There would be no meaning to that. We do not understand Fang Zhao, nor do we understand Silver Wing Media. This is all our own assumption. The answers will be made known to us when their work is submitted."

After the two left, Duan Qianji no longer had any misgivings. She told Fang Zhao, "You don’t have to force yourself. If you are uncertain, it is still not too late to retract your previous words." As long as You Chuan and Bi Fu had not left Yanzhou, Duan Qianji could still stop them.

"I’m not forcing myself. I agreed to their invitation because I could guarantee that, within a month, I can create a piece that is satisfactory to me. As for whether they like it or not… that I cannot guarantee."

"Other than the four movements of the 'Period of Destruction' series, do you still have the inspiration to create something of a similar quality?" Duan Qianji was astounded. Although she did not know much about composing, she also knew that inspiration was very important to creative personnel. For the deputy department head to personally rush around every continent to hand out requests, the difficulty for this task would certainly be high.

"Previously, no, but now I do."

Duan Qianji watched Fang Zhao silently for two seconds. "OK. Got it."

Fang Zhao went back downstairs to keep an eye on the production of the fourth movement. In Duan Qianji’s office, an assistant with a concerned and puzzled look asked, "Director Duan, are you sure handing it to Fang Zhao is all right? When the time comes, if Fang Zhao’s finished work does not match up to the expectations of Fiery Bird, will Fiery Bird take it up against our company?"

"Do you all reckon the specialized staff members of Fiery Bird’s sound effects department would understand music and know how to differentiate quality?" Duan Qianji asked.

The assistant did not reply because the question was too simple. Would an unreliable person be able to stay at Fiery Bird? Previously, You Chuan had mentioned the one who requested a personal invitation for Fang Zhao was the sound department’s own department head. To be able to make it all the way to the top of the sound effects department of Fiery Bird, the undisputed best game company in the world, there was no way the department head was a knucklehead.

Duan Qianji was not testing them. She continued on by saying, "From what I know, of the 19 parties that You Chuan handed the invitation to, there is only one from Yanzhou."

In Yanzhou, there was Silver Wing Media’s "Flying Pegasus," Neon Culture’s "Metal Torrent," and Tongshan True Entertainment’s "Fourth Dimension." These three elite cooperatives of the respective media conglomerates had each worked with Fiery Bird before. Silver Wing Media had not had success with virtual idols in the past, but as You Chuan had said, Fiery Bird had many different departments, each with their own duties, and they would not interfere with each other. Virtual Idols were just virtual idols, and music was just music. You Chuan’s side was in charge of music.

Downstairs, after Fang Zhao returned to his department, he made no mention of Fiery Bird’s request. The others did not probe Fang Zhao. Their expectations were not high. They would be happy just by working hard and making more money.

Fang Zhao sat down in his own office, brought out a notebook, and starting jotting down some scores. He wrote down all the inspiration in his mind that he'd gotten from watching that two-minute animation.

The first three movements of the "Period of Destruction" series were something Fang Zhao had come up with in his previous life. After getting a second life, Fang Zhao only made minor adjustments to the arrangement of the scores. The fourth movement was a collection of his inspiration after he had been reborn. As for the little characters and scribbles appearing on the paper, this was his inspiration gathered after his visit to the Cemetery for Martyrs today and after viewing the two-minute animation provided by You Chuan.

After the first draft was completed, Fang Zhao continued thinking about the day’s experiences, especially the Cemetery for Martyrs and the two-minute opening sequence. The first draft needed amendments, so Fang Zhao continued to look for places that could be improved to make it more outstanding.

At this moment, Zeng Huang came over to find him.

"Big Zhao, the fourth movement is progressing smoothly. We can probably complete it before the 25th. You mentioned that, after the fourth movement is complete, the entire department will be given a vacation. Just like previous years, Wan Yue and I are not going back."

What Zeng Huang meant by "going back" was going to the city where they were all born, Yanbei City. Back then, after the accident with their housing block, the government had given them quite a bit of compensation. There were a few relatives who'd lusted after the compensation, but Zeng Huang was unwavering and held on to it. Wan Yue was in a similar situation, just that it was not as severe as Zeng Huang’s. However, Wan Yue did not want to go back either. After graduating from university, the two of them had never gone back to Yanbei City.

"Will you be joining us to celebrate Memorial Day? After all, it’s only me and Wan Yue; one more person would would make it more lively. This year, we got a new house that's even bigger, and the guest room has already been prepared," Zeng Huang said.

Following Fang Sheng’s betrayal, he was now behind bars in some prison. After breaking up with Fang Zhao, Xi Hong had yet to reappear. This year’s Memorial Day, Fang Zhao would celebrate it alone—no, there was still a dog.

"I won’t be going over to your place." Seeing Zeng Huang about to say something, Fang Zhao opened his mouth first. "I’m going back this year."

"Going back?" Zeng Huang clearly had not expected that Fang Zhao would make that choice. Back when they were all in university, they never wanted to go back. At the start of university, he still heard Fang Zhao saying that he never wanted to go back, and at that time, he was at loggerheads with his second uncle.

Not understanding the family situation of Fang Zhao’s original body, all Zeng Huang heard was Fang Zhao’s complaints. Thus, hearing that Fang Zhao wanted to go back, Zeng Huang was flabbergasted and skeptical.

Fang Zhao did not say a word, he just selected an electronic mail from his bracelet and showed it to Zeng Huang.

[Second Uncle: Are you coming back for Memorial Day this year? (Jan 20, 10:23 p.m.)]

[Fang Zhao: Going back. (Jan 21, 7:02 a.m.)]

[Second Uncle: What happened?! (Jan 21, 7:36 a.m.)]

[Second Uncle: What did you change your contact number to? (Jan 21, 7:36 a.m.)]

[Second Uncle: My number is ******, give me a call! (Jan 21, 7:37 a.m.)]

…

Zeng Huang realized that of the full page of electronic mails, there was only one reply from Fang Zhao, The others were all sent by his second uncle. Most likely, he had been shocked by Fang Zhao’s reply. In the past six years, he had never received a reply. Every year, he only received a "Not coming back" answer. This year, Fang Zhao’s second uncle was probably prepared to receive the same reply.

This, this, this... this was confirmation that something had happened!

This was the first thought that came to Fang Zhao’s uncle’s mind, thus his urgent questioning.

"You haven’t returned a call to your second uncle?" Zeng Huang was guessing that Fang Zhao deliberately did not want to return the call.

However, Fang Zhao had really forgotten. He had settled the matter regarding Pang Pusong’s and Fu Yingtian’s military posting in the morning before being called upstairs by Duan Qianji. After coming down and checking on a few notifications, he was informed of Fang Sheng’s situation. After heading down to the Police Station, he then went to the Cemetery for Martyrs and was called back for the meeting with the Fiery Bird staff when he returned to the office. Only after Zeng Huang had mentioned it did Fang Zhao realized he had received a number of notifications but had not yet replied.

He had no choice. In his previous life, toward the latter stages, Fang Zhao simply did not have any relatives. Unconsciously, he still did not realize that he had relatives.

"I forgot," Fang Zhao said.

Zeng Huang did not believe him one bit. Leaving the office, he advised Fang Zhao, "Have a good talk with your second uncle. I feel that he is really sincere. It is getting late, hurry up and return the call. If your second uncle believes that something happened to you, what if he makes a police report?"

Fang Zhao glanced outside the window. Indeed, it was getting late. The sky had turned dark.

Chapter 66: Candy

When Fang Zhao returned the call, that second uncle of his was apparently shaken and could not speak properly. But from his gasps and grunts, it was obvious that he was delighted. He even sent a photograph.

From the original owner’s memory, Fang Zhao remembered that there were four members in his second uncle’s family. His second uncle and aunt and two younger male cousins. In the photograph that was sent, there was one more little girl. During the original owner’s university days, the aunt had given birth to a girl. Now, she was already six.

In the following days, the entire department worked around the clock. Finally, on the 24th, production for the fourth movement was completed. This signified that the virtual projects department’s Memorial Day holiday had begun. On the 25th, Fang Zhao took the entire team out for a big feast, and after that, the members respectively left.

Fang Zhao would not be bringing Curly Hair. Instead, he left the dog in the care of Zeng Huang and Wan Yue.

On Jan 26, Fang Zhao rode in the car of a technical staff who was on friendly terms with Zu Wen as they departed from Qi’an City for Yanbei City. This technical staff was from Yanbei and only went to Qi’an to work. When he heard from Zu Wen that Fang Zhao was also heading back to Yanbei, he suggested he give a lift to Fang Zhao.

However, this staff member’s final destination was different from Fang Zhao’s. The two of them were heading to opposite ends of the city. Fang Zhao politely refused the staff member’s offer of sending him straight to his doorstep and instead called a cab upon arrival in Yanbei City.

"To Kerria Street?"

"Yes."

"It will be a little crowded there. Recently, there have been lots of people, so I will have to drive slower. The charges will be slightly higher," the cab driver explained.

"Understood."

Fang Zhao glanced out the window. Passing by the throes of people strolling through the streets and the plaza, Fang Zhao felt a sense of deja vu. If the world had not gone through an apocalypse, during a large scale holiday, the world would pretty much still be the same. Crowded yet bustling, everywhere filled with festive spirit.

However, that feeling quickly faded away. The 100-Year Period of Destruction had been real, and the New Era had since taken over.

Trains sped along the railways and the sky was filled with flying cars coming and going. There was no returning back to that time, because the world was continuing to progress.

"We have reached Kerria Street!"

Outside, skyscrapers towered on either side. Residential housing was all concentrated together. At least here, the distance between the buildings was larger and the streets below did not appear dusky in broad daylight.

The housing blocks had approximately 100 floors. For every five floors, there would be a passageway that extended outward that had enough space for two cars to fit through. However, cars were not allowed to travel at high speeds along these passageways. Above the passageways, there was a more protruding semi-circular platform that served as a drop-off point. Numbers were written on top, representing the pick-up bay’s number on the building.

"Twenty-fifth floor, stop at the next drop-off point," Fang Zhao told the cab driver.

Fang Zhao’s memory of the address of his second uncle had long since gone fuzzy. However, when he had called a few days back, his second uncle had foreseen the situation and had sent him the address. Fang Zhao just needed to follow according to the written address to find his uncle’s house.

Fang Zhao paid the driver and got out of the cab. He noticed a group of kids running over. Some of the slower ones were red in the face and panting. The lift had a limited capacity, and missing out meant they had to run.

Turning around to look behind him, Fang Zhao noticed a festive car slowly pulling in, landing on the drop-off point that he had arrived at.

Whether it was in Qi’an or Yanbei, it was common to see a bunch of cutely decorated festive cars about everywhere. These festive cars sold candy, which little kids loved.

The festive car wound down its windows to reveal candy of all shapes and sizes. With dazzling multi-colored candy, the waft of sweet fragrance and signature music of the candy-selling festive car, it was little wonder that, wherever such a car was found, it was surrounded by kids.

As the festive car stopped, the kid running at the front rushed over and skillfully ordered his favorite kinds of candy like a pro. The slower kids still running over called out anxiously, worried that their favorites would be sold out.

A smile broke out on Fang Zhao’s face as he saw the kids heading to the festive car.

His own memory of his childhood was fuzzy. However, seeing the kids vigorously chasing the car, a few vague memories came back to him. Even though the memories were not that distinct, they were fond memories.

Fang Zhao was about to withdraw from the place and leave it to the kids who only had eyes for the candy. Just as he was about to leave, Fang Zhao spotted a familiar face among the group of kids.

The six-year-old little girl nimbly bypassed two larger kids in front of her and arrived at the window of the car, tiptoeing and making her order. Beaming, the brightly dressed salesperson picked out a few types of candy and handed them over to the little girl.

After receiving the candy, the little girl raised her hand wearing a bracelet adorned with little bears and tapped it at the payment scanner at the window. She turned to leave, but not before raising her head with a reluctant gaze at the little bear-shaped candy that was displayed right at the top.

Festive cars arranged their candy according to the district’s level of affluence. The more expensive candy had less sales here and was displayed higher up.

The surrounding kids would look through the window enviously at the sweets right at the top but could only covet them. They knew that they could not afford it as their families were not that well off.

"I would like one of those."

Used to facing kids, the friendly salesperson looked up when he heard that. Seeing a young man, he stared for a second before a smile returned to his face and he proceeded to pick out the candy that the man had selected.

The little girl who had just bought candy raised her head and immediately exclaimed, "Brother Zhao?"

"Little Bell Fang?" Fang Zhao asked in a low voice.

This little girl was his second uncle’s six-year-old daughter, Fang Ling. When she'd been born, his second uncle and aunt had heard the sound of bells, thus giving her the name Fang Ling. Her nickname was Little Bell.

"That's me!" Fang Ling nodded her head enthusiastically. Her dad had kept showing her a photo of Fang Zhao over the past few days. The photo was taken before Fang Zhao had gone to university. In the past six years, there had been changes, yet Fang Ling guessed who he was at one glance. Maybe she really recognized him, or perhaps it was just the subconscious mind of a child associating a candy-buying person to someone she knew.

The surrounding kids glanced at Fang Ling enviously. So it was Fang Ling’s brother. Fang Ling was so lucky to have someone buy candy for her.

"Hello, here’s your candy." The salesperson handed over the candy sealed in a wrapper over to Fang Zhao.

Fang Ling’s eyes widened. Her eyes seemed to be shining like stars. Then she watched as the stick of candy that she had longed for for such a long time disappear into the the mouth of the cousin she was meeting for the first time in six years.

Seeing the now headless bear candy on the stick and then glancing at Fang Zhao, Fang Ling was dumbstruck.

The salesman in the festive car and the surrounding kids were all stunned as well. Had he actually bought the candy for himself!?

Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding bunch, Fang Zhao calmly proceeded to finish the entire candy.

During the end of days, they'd also had candy. Just... that sort of candy was created as combat supplies. It did not taste good and was as hard as a rock. However as long as it provided enough energy, they liked it. The aim was all about replenishing sufficient energy, and thus they would not complain about how it tasted. As for this sort of candy that was purely meant as a snack, Fang Zhao had not enjoyed one in a long time.

Soft candy wrapped in icing slowly dissolved in his mouth. The lingering sweetness brought about a certain warmth, as if dispersing a cold winter chill.

Actually, Fang Zhao had just wanted a taste and to tease the little kids at the same time. He did not especially like these kinds of things. He cast a glance at the still-dumbfounded Fang Ling before scanning the interior of the festive car and asking the salesperson, "Is that for sale?"

The salesperson turned his head to where Fang Zhao was pointing. A transparent box in the shape of a bear was sitting there, the inside filled with more of the bear candy that everyone had just seen.

"Y-Yes."

"Then I would like that."

"Ah? Oh. Sure!" The salesperson shifted over the box that was nearly half a meter tall. "There are 50 pieces of ‘Little White Bears’ inside. Here, you can count them." On a normal day, the salesperson would have found it hard to sell even one stick of this candy. He had never expected to sell an entire box when he came out today.

Fang Zhao opened the box and eyed the surrounding kids that had not yet dispersed. "If you kids can line up from the shortest to the tallest within ten seconds, I will give everyone one piece."

The gaggle of kids had not grasped the concept of ten seconds, but as soon as they heard the word ‘seconds,’ they starting moving about haphazardly.

"Ten, nine, eight…"

There were kids of similar heights disputing their positions in the line, but upon hearing Fang Zhao’s countdown, put aside their petty squabbles and promptly got into line.

Fang Ling watched the forming procession then glanced at Fang Zhao before shuffling to find her spot in the line and slotting herself in.

The salesperson in the car gaped in astonishment. The rowdy bunch of kids that had been crowding around the window had formed a line in the blink of an eye. The line stretched to the end of the drop-off area before winding back, forming a line in the shape of an "S."

Passerbys in the airspace passage on the 25th floor looked over in curiosity. Some people within the building also opened their windows to take a good look.

"...Three, two, one, times up! It’s time for my inspection."

A grave looking Fang Zhao inspected the line, making the kids nervous. They were afraid that standing in the wrong spot might have destroyed their chance of having the candy.

"Seems fine. Okay, now, starting from the first in line, come and get your candy from me."

After all the 32 kids present had received one piece each, the box still contained 18 pieces. Fang Zhao handed the remainder, including the box, over to Fang Ling.

"For... for me?" Fang Ling was so startled that she nearly dropped all the candy she was holding. "Is it really for me?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "You don’t want it?"

"I do! Thank you, Brother!"

The dumbstruck look on Fang Ling’s face turned to foolish laughter as she hugged the box tightly.

Thus, when Fang Zhao’s second aunt opened the door, she saw two people, one large and one small, with traces of sugar on their lips.

Chapter 67: You Are Also Children

From Fang Zhao’s memory, the original owner of the body had only stayed within his second uncle’s house for only a short period of time. That was after the incident with their original homes. After a short while with his second uncle’s family, Fang Zhao had then stayed in school. In addition, the government had allocated a compensation home for him as well as compensation money. Thus, having grown up together with Zeng Huang and the rest, they all decided to live in the same housing block, and they rarely met anyone else. For this reason, he'd never needed the assistance of his relatives.

The original owner of Fang Zhao’s body had had a rather estranged situation with his other relatives. Perhaps it was due to seeing the situation that Zeng Huang and Wan Yue had with their relatives, or perhaps it was due to Fang Sheng’s influence. The original would rarely visit his relatives. However, in university, his second uncle, who had doubled as his legal guardian, had still helped him quite a bit. Just that, communication between the two of them was not always good, so before university, Fang Zhao started to isolate himself from his uncle.

Before the original had killed himself, he had remembered what his uncle had said. Early on, his uncle had warned him to be wary of Fang Sheng. Because of this, the relationship between Fang Zhao and his uncle worsened. It was also because of this that Fang Zhao became much closer with Fang Sheng. When he changed his number, he also did not inform his uncle. Every year, the only form of communication was through electronic mails. There were some things the original owner would reply to, while other times, he would ignore them.

People always make mistakes. However, some mistakes can be deadly, and regret cannot make things right.

His second uncle had a squarish face with two rough eyebrows sticking high up his head. His face was slightly flush, probably from drinking some wine. It was obvious from his eyes that he was really excited to see Fang Zhao, yet his face had on the solemn expression of a senior. A few times, he opened his mouth as if to say something, but he quickly swallowed the words, as if he was afraid to say the wrong thing.

Rather, it was Fang Zhao’s second aunt who pulled him over to do some questioning. She asked about his experiences over the past six years and what he was working as.

Fang Zhao went through his memories and selected a few stories to share. Watching the warm smile on his aunt’s face, he felt a sense of regret. If they knew that the original Fang Zhao had committed suicide, what would they be thinking?

"That means you signed a contract with Silver Wing Media and are producing songs for them?" His second aunt thought for awhile before continuing, "Xiao Zhao, don’t mind Second Aunt being long-winded. When composing, make sure you guard your completed works properly. Don’t let yourself be swindled. Be wary of others. A while back, I heard there was an incident with a large company regarding the stealing of songs. Whatever it is, once you complete a song, make sure you make a production record; don't just write it down on a piece of paper. If… I’m saying if by any chance it really gets stolen, even in a lawsuit, at least there will still be your earliest record. If the piece of paper is lost, there is no hope."

Fang Zhao nodded his head. "I know."

Second Uncle could no longer hold back his words any longer and interrupted. "Be especially wary of that Fang Sheng who is always sticking with you guys!" After saying that, both Second Uncle and Second Aunt looked at Fang Zhao, wondering if those words would cause an argument yet again.

"There is no longer any need," Fang Zhao replied.

"What do you mean 'no longer any need'?! One look at that fellow and you can see the bad intentions all over him…"

Second Uncle was still thinking what else to say when Fang Zhao continued, "Fang Sheng is already in jail."

The words that Second Uncle had not yet said remained stuck in his throat.

"Jail?" Second Aunt was surprised.

Fang Zhao gave a simple explanation of Fang Zhao’s song stealing, but he did not mention creating the movements of his series yet. He was still under a strict confidentiality agreement with Silver Wing Media and could not yet reveal it.

Second Aunt sighed. "So the news I heard was about him, huh."

The news reports on the case regarding Fang Sheng’s thefts were not comprehensive. The reports had excluded his full name, and the main point of the report was to remind other artists to be wary.

Neon Culture had some part in the hushed reports. Fang Sheng was just a lowly employee. If the reports were too extensive, they could hurt the company's reputation. Most people who did not follow the creative industry, after hearing about the matter, did not really care where it happened or who was involved.

"I told you back then to be careful of that fellow. He was a little schemer!" Second Uncle was still mad. His already sharp eyebrows were like knives as they rose up. "If only you had been wary of Fang Sheng, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s a pity you didn’t listen back then."

He had good intentions, he just didn't know how to express himself well to the younger generation. The words that came out of his mouth seemed like a reprimand. Realizing his words were too much, Second Uncle stiffened up and changed the topic. Pointing at the fruit juice on the table, he said, "Have some juice. Yesterday, someone brought it all the way from Muzhou. Don’t you kids love to drink this type…" Second Uncle suddenly remembered that Fang Zhao had already graduated from university and started working. He was no longer the little kid from his memory.

"Don’t mind him. He always has that bad temper. Actually, your second uncle is concerned about you. Although you are no longer a student and have started working, in our eyes, you are still a child," Second Aunt said, smiling at Fang Zhao. It was not looking down on him; rather, it was the kind of concern that elders couldn't help but show. Furthermore, Fang Zhao was the only son left behind by Second Uncle's own brother.

Hearing this Fang Zhao thought, In my heart, you are also children .

Can 45 years be considered old?

Oh, I’m over a hundred years old.

At the same time, his second auntie, who was oblivious to what Fang Zhao was thinking, felt moved. In the six years they had not seen Fang Zhao, he had matured and was much more settled. When she had opened the door and seen Fang Zhao, for a second she had been stunned. Fang Zhao had seemed a little different.

The Fang Zhao six years back had seemed as though he had drawn himself a circle. He would always distance himself from people and wear a guarded and alienated look. Now, the Fang Zhao in front of them… The feeling couldn't be described, but he was no longer the same as his past self from six years ago. Although still not that that warm, he no longer had that guarded behavior.

At that moment, the door opened. Second Uncle’s eldest son, Fang Yu, and his second son, Fang Qi, came in carrying quite a number of items. Fang Yu was 20 this year and Fang Qi was 12.

Seeing Fang Zhao sitting on the sofa, Fang Yu’s originally smiling disposition faded somewhat.

Second Uncle’s eyebrows spiked up once more. "Why are you only back now? Did you have too much fun playing?!" He was displeased with the behavior of his two sons. He had told them early in the morning to come straight home after buying the stuff, but the two of them only came back at this time.

Twelve-year-old Fang Qi looked at the floor as his dad got angry. Fang Yu, on the other hand, seemed indifferent. Afterall, he was used to his dad’s temperament already.

Probably because Fang Zhao was here, Second Uncle only said a little before stopping. Glaring at the two of them, he said, "Come over, this is your brother Zhao."

"Brother Zhao."

"Brother Zhao."

Compared to Fang Qi’s, there was an obvious dissatisfaction in Fang Yu’s tone.

Second Uncle’s eyebrows shot up again, and he wanted to say something, but he was stopped by a tug from Second Aunt.

Fang Zhao did not mind Fang Yu’s attitude. From his memory, Fang Yu’s attitude was not without reason.

"Oh, right," Fang Zhao took out two boxes from his backpack and handed them over to the two brothers. "Here is your Memorial Day gift. I wasn’t too sure what you guys would like now, so I asked my entire department before picking these out. I tried out my fellow colleague’s version, the sound quality is quite good."

What seemed like a simple transparent case held two bean-sized items. They were shaped like the beak of a bird, part red, part black. The intense clashing combination of fiery red and jet black was eye-catching. For anyone familiar with earpieces, the color scheme would only bring to mind one company.

Fang Yu’s and Fang Qi’s eyes were fixated on the jet-black portion of the earphones. On them was a fiery red "S" shape.

"F-F-F-Fiery Bird earpieces?! F-f-f-for us?" The younger Fang Qi was so excited he'd started to stutter. If he had a tail, it would have started wagging non-stop.

Fang Yu tapped his younger brother on his head. In his heart, he felt disgusted at his brother for his turncoat behavior. However, his own eyes unconsciously kept looking at the earpiece.

Regardless of whether it was music, films, or games, earpieces were indispensable. In the New Era, whether one was young or old, everyone grew up using earpieces for the internet or various electronic appliances. Even if one was not proficient with earpieces, they would at least have a basic understanding.

Second Uncle also knew the name of "Fiery Bird" and told Fang Zhao, "Don’t spend money recklessly!"

Second Aunt clapped Second Uncle on the back, giving him a look that said Keep your mouth shut if you do not know how to speak!

What reckless spending?! His nephew only did this out of kindness, and his own children were on the receiving end. What sort of tone was he using! It was no wonder that, back then, uncle and nephew quarreled often.

"Okay, enjoy your gifts. Fang Yu, go and tidy up your room." Second Uncle waved his two sons off.

"No need, I bought a place in Yanbei," Fang Zhao said.

"When did you buy it? Are you coming back to Yanbei to work?" a surprised Second Uncle asked.

"I just bought it. I won’t be coming back to Yanbei to work, I just bought a place here, that's all,"

Second Aunt could immediately tell what his purpose was. Fang Zhao had bought the place as an occasional lodging for when he returned to Yanbei from time to time.

"Just stay here tonight. We haven’t seen you in six years and we are all very happy to see you. Your second uncle woke up early just to buy groceries to prepare his speciality dishes—"

"Cough!" Second Uncle’s face became redder and he decided to change the topic. After some thought, Second Uncle’s smile faded and he firmly asked, "Little Zhao, have you done your military service?"

If Fang Zhao had enlisted for the military, there was no doubt someone would've informed his friends and relatives to prevent having uncontactable family events in the event of an accident. According the the information in the government records, Second Uncle would've received a notification, as he used to be Fang Zhao's legal guardian. He used to wonder if Fang Zhao had replaced his contactable personnel with someone else. He'd asked Fang Zhao about it a few times back when Fang Zhao had been in university but was ignored. Today, finally seeing Fang Zhao, he could not help but ask.

At the mention of this matter, Second Aunt also became serious.

"I haven’t, but I will not be serving this year. My schedule is still a little tight," Fang Zhao replied.

"If it is like this, then it’s okay. When the time comes, let Second Uncle know if you need any help. I have two classmates that I am close to who are working in the military. Every year, they will need those clearing their military service. Xiao Yu decided in spring that he was going to serve his military service too. He is in year three of university and is more than 20 years old. As his contact personnel, I hope to arrange for Xiao Yu to be sent to my friend’s division." Second Uncle shared his own plan.

The place he hoped to arrange for Fang Yu to go was not an easy or comfortable place. It was a relatively newly opened planet and mineral resources were not the main priority. They were still busy with construction, so military service personnel would likely be sent to help with the construction there.

"Military service is to toughen him up, so a little hardship is fine. It's just that we would worry about other stuff." Having cleared their military service before, Second Uncle and aunt were both very clear what it was like. With someone to assist, a little suffering was manageable, and when training, it would polish one’s temperament, which went a long way and helped even after the service was completed. What they were most afraid of was that the atmosphere among that batch would be bad and the place he got posted to would have little security, making it easy to be bullied. Fang Yu was not a very smooth person, and it gave them conflicting thoughts. Considering the impulsiveness of young people that age, there was no telling what sort of unpleasant events could occur.

Although Second Uncle knew people who were in the military and his old classmates were willing to help, when it came to arranging for a person to be transferred to their division, they were totally helpless.

When it came to military service, people in the New Era always had two responses. Find people or find money. Money had already been collected, and Second Uncle’s family had spent recent times finding someone who could mediate and hopefully help get Fang Yu a posting at Second Uncle’s old classmate’s division.

Fang Zhao sighed in his heart. The way people in the New Era saved up money to obtain favorable postings was like how people before the apocalypse saved up money to buy a house. Some families started having a target and saving up even before their children were born.

"Have you decided on the place to go?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes. The place I told you about just now. It would be best if he could go there," Second Uncle said.

"You don’t have to continue finding anybody for the time being. Let me see if I can settle the matter with Fang Yu." Fang Zhao sent a text to Duan Quanji. As he did not know if Duan Quanji was busy, he only sent a short text. Fang Zhao asked, "What is Fang Yu’s student ID, Personal ID, and the place you want him to be sent to? Which divisions are your classmates assigned to?"

Second Uncle was a little too stunned to react, but his Second Aunt’s reaction was quick; she replied immediately.

Beside them, Fang Yu, who had originally decided to head back to tidy up his room, stood rooted to the ground and looked in Fang Zhao’s direction. He did not understand whether Fang Zhao was just talking big or if he really had the means, but as the matter concerned him, Fang Yu also listened in.

Duan Qianji could not have been very busy, as she returned Fang Zhao a text a few moments later.

"Xiao Zhao, Second Uncle understands that you wish to help, but with regards to this matter, a lot of things are not as simple as you think they are…"

Second Uncle had not yet finished speaking before Fang Zhao handed over a serial number.

"This serial number is Fang Yu’s military assignment number. Check it out and see if it matches."

Chapter 68: Winging I

Handed the serial number, Second Uncle didn't know how to respond. Second Aunt got busy. Folks from their generation had all served, so they knew where to look up an assignment.

After she found the official website, Second Aunt entered the numbers and letters in the serial number. When she was done, she triple-checked her input before hitting enter. Then she gazed at the computer screen waiting for the result.

When Second Uncle saw the result, he questioned his eyesight. He checked the website. It was the right one. It was where they had checked their assignments when they served.

"This... This..." Second Uncle looked at the result then looked at Fang Zhao. He couldn't manage a complete sentence. Fang Zhao had changed so much in six years. He could understand the change in personality—that wasn't uncommon. Six years was enough to transform someone's personality, but not anyone could swing a preferential military posting with a phone call.

Fang Yu joined the scramble to check the search result. The length his jaw dropped revealed how surprised he was.

"Company perk for Memorial Day," Fang Zhao said.

"Your company hands these out as perks?" It was the first time Fang Yu had heard of such a thing. Even though past events had soured his impression of Fang Zhao, his cousin was now helping him out, and he couldn't give him simple, perfunctory attention any more. He was in an awkward position. He was also curious how Fang Zhao had secured the posting. People usually kept preferential postings for themselves. No one handed them out so casually like Fang Zhao.

Second Uncle and Second Aunt were wondering the same thing.

"Little Zhao, aren't you due to serve too? Why don't you keep the posting for yourself?" Second Uncle asked in a worried tone. "You may not understand the importance of a plumb posting, but let me tell you..."

"I still have one for myself."

Fang Zhao's comment left Second Uncle speechless. He paused before saying, with a confused expression, "That's... that's great." The hand with which he was carrying his glass was trembling. He wasn't as calm as he seemed.

One preferential posting was enough to blow them away. To think Fang Zhao had one more.

"Little Zhao, Second Aunt thanks you from the bottom of her heart," Second Aunt said while looking at Fang Zhao in earnest. "What a difference six years makes. You're your own man now. And to think that Second Uncle and I were worried that you would struggle at work. You must be much tougher than we'd thought. But even so, if there's anything you need, Second Uncle and I will do our best."

"Of course, of course. Little Zhao, if you need help with anything, don't be a stranger," Second Uncle added.

The huge favor that Fang Zhao had done for them left Second Uncle and Second Aunt at a loss. It finally dawned on them that the Fang Zhao of today wasn't the kid they used to know. He was someone in charge.

"Little Zhao, Fang Yu will take you to your room. If you don't have anything else planned, do spend the night." Second Uncle wasn't particularly articulate. After mumbling a few orders, he joined Second Aunt in the kitchen. They ate takeout or instant food most of the year. There was a dazzling selection of instant food products in the New Era. When the couple was busy at work, they would order from the company cafeteria or have takeout or instant food. The kids ate at school. Only when the family reunited on holidays did the couple cook for themselves.

Second Uncle was in a great mood. First, the issue of Fang Yu's military assignment had been resolved. Second, Fang Zhao had turned out to be quite competent. He was delighted. After all, Fang Zhao was his nephew. As for how Fang Zhao had obtained the two preferential postings, if Fang Zhao wouldn't volunteer, they wouldn't press the matter either.

As Second Uncle and Second Aunt took in Fang Zhao's changes, Fang Yu took Fang Zhao to his room. His father had asked him to vacate his room for Fang Zhao the day before. He would bunk with his younger brother for the time being. Since leaving for university, Fang Yu hadn't spent much time at home. He didn't want to tidy up his room. He only put up appearances with his father breathing down his neck, so his room was still a bit messy.

"Uhm... let me clean up a bit." Fang Yu felt embarrassed. After Fang Zhao took care of his military assignment with two text messages, he had put his cousin on a pedestal.

Fang Zhao had only brought a small suitcase. Apart from the gifts for his uncle's family, he only brought two changes of clothes. He scanned Fang Yu's room. Much of the 20-odd square-meter space was cluttered, but his bookshelves were in neat order.

"Do you mind if I read your books?" Fang Zhao asked, pointing at the bookshelves.

"Feel free. I haven't read them anyway," Fang Yu responded.

The shelves were lined with mostly Fang Yu's secondary school textbooks. There were two types of secondary textbooks: paperbacks and the electronic versions.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that electronic communications were jammed and telecom equipment occasionally malfunctioned during the end of days, but despite the rapid advancement of technology in the New Era, paperbacks were never completely retired.

Students used electronic textbooks for the most part. They were convenient, and physical books took up space. By graduation, their paperbacks were often intact. It was the same case with Fang Yu's textbooks. They were arranged on the top shelf as decoration.

Fang Zhao pulled out a Secondary Two math textbook. The Secondary One and Secondary Two textbooks had been thumbed through somewhat, but the books for years three and onward were all brand new.

When he opened the textbook, he saw the first page inscribed with the large characters: "Fang Zhao is a major idiot."

Fang Zhao: "..."

He flipped some more and discovered scribbles and drawings. Scanning his memory, Fang Zhao realized that, when Fang Yu was a second year, the original owner of his body had just graduated from secondary school. That was also when his relationship with Second Uncle and family was at its worst.

Fang Yu was under his father's tight supervision at the time. One ill-advised remark and he'd be confined to his room reading, so he vented by scribbling in his textbook.

When Fang Yu turned his head after tidying up, he noticed Fang Zhao holding his Secondary Two math textbook and caught a glimpse of the page he had turned to. Images of the insults he had scribbled as a second year came rushing back. He snatched the textbook and shoved it into a drawer. "Oh, I was a clueless brat back then."

Fang Yu was so embarrassed he wanted to hide under a rock. Just half an hour ago Fang Zhao had secured him a preferential military posting, and now he was staring at an insult directed at him scribbled in Fang Yu's Secondary Two math textbook.

Fang Zhao actually wasn't upset. "Decent drawing," he said.

From his point of view, considering what went down between the original owner of his body and the Fang family, Fang Yu wasn't off the mark. But the original owner was no longer around, so Fang Zhao refrained from passing judgment on past events.

Fang Yu didn't want to discuss the past and his previous grievances anymore. He pondered briefly and said, "Oh, Big Brother, are you going to visit Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother on Memorial Day?" He remembered that Fang Zhao would tag along with their family on their previous visits after his own parents passed. But after quarreling with his second uncle a few times, Fang Zhao had stopped going. He hadn't visited his great-grandparents since.

Fang Zhao canvassed his memory and found a bit of relevant information, but not much. He only had vague memories of the great-grandfather and great-grandmother that Fang Yu had mentioned. He only remembered the couple were the most senior members of the Fang family. They lived in a retirement home for former government officials in Yanbei. They should have been in their 150s, even older than Fang Zhao was in his previous life.

"Yeah, let's go," Fang Zhao said.

"Every time we visit, Great-Grandfather hands out red packets. You haven't been in 10 years, no? If you're on your best behavior, maybe Great-Grandfather will be impressed and give you all the red packets you were due for the past 10 years."

Great-Grandfather Fang had retired with merit. Even though he no longer retained his military title, he enjoyed a comfortable retirement package. He didn't have to worry about daily expenses and was entitled to a considerable pension.

At the Yanbei retirement home for former officials.

Elderly residents were starting to get busy. Their daily chores were taken care of—what occupied their time was brainstorming how much cash to stuff in their red packets.

"Old Fang, you're skipping your grandkids again?" a neighbor yelled from his window.

In a room equipped with quasi-antique decor, the spirited old man who sat in his chair leafing through a ledger responded, "Yes. They're so old. Even if I give them red packets, are they thick-skinned enough to accept them?"

"Then it's down to your great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids, then," the voice next door said.

"I'm thinking of skipping my great-grandkids as well. A bunch of little brats. None of them have amounted to anything," Great-Grandfather Fang fumed.

The old woman sitting next to him laughed.

"What are you laughing about? That's exactly what they are," Great-Grandfather Fang grumbled.

Great-Grandmother Fang went silent. Even though her old companion complained that none of his great-grandkids amounted to much, he always included every single one of them on his list, including Fang Zhao, who was alive and well but hadn't shown up in 10 years.

The old lady's laughter subsided when her thoughts drifted to her grandson and his wife who had died young and the great-grandson they hadn't seen in 10 years. Word was that the great-grandson had been accepted to a decent school and moved to Qi'an, but he hadn't bothered visiting before leaving for university. Little did Fang Zhao know how much his great-grandparents had intervened and staved off trouble behind-the-scenes.

So be it. If he doesn't show, he doesn't show. Family members easily became distant to each other in the New Era. If the two of them weren't receiving such a huge pension, few of their kids and their kids' kids would visit on Memorial Day.

Great-Grandfather Fang couldn't keep quiet while doing his math. "That kid Fang Yu is due to serve soon, no?"

The old lady put down her book, removed her glasses, and responded slowly, "I heard a while back about our third son's kids, not Fang Yu, though."

"Tsk." Great-Grandfather Fang shook his head. He was about to speak again but held back. "Whatever. There's no point. Same routine again—if I like what I see, I'll give them a bit more cash. If not, I'll wing it."

Chapter 69: The Odd Great-Grandson

Fang Zhao spent the night at his second uncle's home. In the morning, he visited the apartment he'd bought in Yanbei and tidied it up a bit. It was just a place to crash—80-odd square meters, a bedroom, and a study. After he was done, he went to the cemetery to pay his respect to the parents of his body's previous owner.

In the New Era, cemeteries for the masses weren't typical cemeteries. They were run by individual companies. The parents of his body's original owner had died in an explosion. The entire building was reduced to ashes, so the cemetery held not their remains but some of their personal items.

The original owner of his body never visited his parents' gravesite in Yanbei. Instead, he would pay his respects remotely by logging into the website of the company that ran the cemetery where his parents were enshrined. You needed to make an appointment in advance to pay your respects in person. You were assigned a waiting area, and the remains of the deceased or their personal items were pulled from central storage. In contrast to the martyrs' cemetery, these centralized corporate cemeteries were more compact. When Fang Zhao arrived, he was told he owed a year in back fees. After paying the overdue bill, Fang Zhao went ahead and paid for 10 years of storage in advance.

In the New Era, rank-and-file citizens weren't allowed to be buried. Their remains were housed in cemeteries like this one. You chose from the various private cemetery companies according to preference and affordability. Some were backed by the government. Others were completely private. The cemetery where the parents of the original owner of Fang Zhao's body were enshrined was funded by the government. Even though it wasn't something to write home about, it was managed with more discretion. Despite incurring a year's worth of back fees, the Fang parents' storage box hadn't been cleared. All the cemetery company had done was send a reminder via text message. Fang Zhao had not been pestered endlessly.

Second Uncle wanted the whole family to visit Great-Grandfather Fang at his retirement home on Memorial Day. He also wanted Fang Zhao to meet other elders in the family, so he kept Fang Zhao for the night. As a result, Fang Zhao had yet to spend a single night in his new apartment in Yanbei.

Fang Yu's military assignment had been settled and Fang Zhao was back, so Second Uncle couldn't stop smiling. This gave Fang Qi, who'd almost flunked his exams, some breathing room. But what Second Uncle and family felt awkward about was the fact they were still guarded in front of Fang Zhao. It wasn't entirely due to the favor Fang Zhao had extended, although that was part of it. Second Uncle couldn't quite explain himself. He just followed his gut feeling.

Fang Yu also felt that the way Fang Zhao looked at him reminded him of the old man who lived upstairs. Fang Zhao's gaze was somewhat paternalistic, to the extent that Fang Yu felt inferior in front of his cousin. He even spoke with caution.

Fang Yu tried to figure out why he acted this way. Maybe it was like his father had said—people who are competent command a sense of respect.

Fang Zhao also noticed that Second Uncle and family were wary of him, but he couldn't change overnight. He didn't know how to act young, or rather, he didn't know how to pretend to be a young man. The reason for his visit was simple—he wanted to see what Yanbei looked like in the New Era. It had been six years since his last visit. Even if his personality had undergone massive changes, friends and family wouldn't make a big deal of it.

On Memorial Day, Fang Zhao, Second Uncle, and his family took a public train to a retirement home for former officials in the suburbs of Yanbei.

It was a bustling day at the retirement home.

Rapid advancements in technology and improved human health after the Period of Destruction had increased life expectancy. The retirement age for most industries was now around 150. At that age, it was common for five generations of the same family to be alive. As a result, families were quite large. Some families had six or seven kids. The numbers added up.

But in the New Era, what counted was personal ability, not the size of your family. Jobs in the New Era were demanding, which put a strain on family relationships. Even siblings could easily grow apart.

The various branches of Great-Grandfather Fang's family decided whether or not to visit the head of the family on their own. They never coordinated their visits.

When Fang Zhao and Second Uncle's family arrived at the retirement home, their first stop wasn't Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother's living quarters but rather the neighboring woods.

"The two elders get many visitors on Memorial Day. If everyone visits at the same time, it's way too crowded in their residence, so the retirement home allocates a small house for the family reunion." Second Uncle was worried that Fang Zhao wasn't familiar with the protocol.

When Fang Zhao and party arrived, there was already a crowd of 20-odd people. They sat at adjoining tables. The family members on good terms chatted in groups, while relatives at odds with each other ignored their enemies.

"The two elders will also chat with the younger Fangs, but the time they spend with each person varies. The more they like you, the longer they'll spend with you. Last year, they spent a lot of time with a female cousin, and the year before that, it was a male cousin. But I don't know either cousin well. We've never spoken." Fang Yu filled Fang Zhao in on scenes from previous Memorial Days as he walked. Second Uncle's family typically dropped by to pay their respects. They were never the center of attention.

"I don't see Grandad. Maybe he's come and left. Grandad doesn't like our family. He typically shows up every year with Third Uncle and Third Auntie," Fang Yu continued in a whisper.

Not only did Second Uncle struggle to communicate with his nephew's generation, he got into arguments with his own dad easily because they had similar temperaments.

"Oh, you're here, Fang Lang," said a man sitting at a table beneath a tree.

Fang Lang was Second Uncle's name. The man who noticed Second Uncle was his cousin—their fathers were siblings—although they weren't close. They got to know each other better recently after working on a project together.

"Who's that over there?" the man asked, gesturing to Fang Zhao.

"That's Fang Zhao, my late older brother's only son," Second Uncle responded.

The man pondered briefly before making the connection. "Oh, him." He had too many relatives to keep track of. He didn't want to bother with minor characters.

Second Uncle's cousin was more interested in the box Fang Zhao was carrying than in Fang Zhao himself, but it was their turn to meet Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother; otherwise he would've pried.

Fang Zhao watched Second Uncle's cousin and his family enter a neighboring house. The houses located in the woods were all rather retro, resembling the homes with tiled roofs from before the apocalypse. This was the only house in the vicinity. It was winter already. Although it had been sunny the past two days, temperatures were quite low. The two elders were holed up inside.

"Why don't you take a seat. My cousin's family will be at least half an hour," Second Uncle said.

Fang Zhao was about to sit down when he heard someone inside the house yell his name.

"Fang Zhao! Hey, Fang Zhao! Yes, you. Hurry up. Your great-grandfather and great-grandmother want to see you."

It was Second Uncle's cousin. He must have mentioned Fang Zhao to the two elders, so they let him cut in line.

"Oh, they didn't ask for you, Fang Lang. You and your family wait here." Second Uncle's cousin gestured at him to stay put, letting only Fang Zhao through.

"Little Zhao, you be careful." Second Uncle was worried. He himself was super nervous every time he met with the two elders. They projected a dominating aura. He was worried Fang Zhao was too young and would cave under the pressure.

Fang Zhao picked up the gift he had prepared for his great-grandparents and walked in confidently.

The house was quite warm. About a dozen people were sitting in the living room. They spoke in whispers. They whispered to each other when they noticed Fang Zhao entering. Their gaze also landed on the box Fang Zhao was carrying, as if gauging its contents.

"In here." Second Uncle's cousin pointed to a room. "I'll take you."

Second Uncle's cousin led Fang Zhao into the room and left. But when he left he made a sly move. He didn't shut the door completely, leaving a small gap, so he could eavesdrop from the living room.

Inside the room.

Fang Zhao saw the two gray-haired elders sitting inside. The old lady looked friendly, wearing a gentle smile. She gauged Fang Zhao, as if comparing his stature now to the small child from 10 years ago. However, the old man sitting next to her was in a foul mood. His gaze was hawk-like and he projected an intimidating aura. An untested young man would have felt nervous.

"You two look like you're in good spirits," Fang Zhao said with a laugh. He placed the box he'd brought onto the table and opened it to remove its contents.

Great-Grandfather Fang was going to throw a tantrum. The kid hadn't shown up in 10 years, after all. He needed a dressing down. But when he saw what Fang Zhao removed from the box, he couldn't maintain his composure.

"The Sirius?" Great-Grandfather Fang exclaimed.

What Fang Zhao removed was a silver-gray spaceship model about 30 centimeters long. It was emblazoned with a logo and lettering.

The Sirius was a battleship built by mankind for space exploration during the New Era. One of the pioneering spaceships, the Sirius had already been retired. But even though it was retired, it was still a popular design among model manufacturers, not because of its historical significance but for its economic value.

And the reason Fang Zhao had picked the Sirius was that Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang had served on the spaceship.

When Fang Zhao handed over the model, Great-Grandfather Fang played cool and didn't lift a finger. It was the old lady who accepted it.

She was stunned the moment she felt the model.

"This material..." She also examined the detail before looking at Fang Zhao and saying, "How thoughtful of you."

Their children and other grandkids had bought them models of the Sirius before, but Great-Grandfather Fang had tossed all of them. His descendants were under the impression that they didn't like models, but the fact was that those models were poorly made and got many details wrong. Only model makers who understood the history of the spaceship would notice the finer features.

But the model Fang Zhao presented got all the small details right and was made with the exact same material as the real spaceship. The model had to have cost a fortune.

Great-Grandfather Fang's mood improved somewhat. At least Fang Zhao had put some thought into the gift. He and his wife loved it.

Now that Fang Zhao had extended an olive branch, Great-Grandfather Fang stopped pouting.

"It's been 10 years since we last saw you. Looks like you're doing well. Where are you working?" Great-grandfather Fang asked.

"An entertainment company." Fang Zhao sat down on a chair next to the elderly couple.

"Oh, the entertainment business." Great-Grandfather Fang was intrigued. Another thought struck him and he asked, "Where did you complete your military service?"

"I haven't yet. I've been too busy. My schedule for this year is full," Fang Zhao responded.

"Oh, you haven't served yet?" Great-Grandfather Fang straightened his back. "You're that busy? What are you busy with?"

"Gaming."

"..." Great-Grandfather Fang withdrew the hand with which he was about to offer a red packet.

Chapter 70: Wait till You Are Well-Known

Hearing Fang Zhao's reply, those eavesdropping in the living room nearly broke out laughing.

They all knew that Great-Grandfather Fang hated hearing the younger generation mention gaming. Occasional gaming was fine, but addiction to gaming, that was a total waste of life.

Great-Grandfather Fang felt a little depressed. On account of the fact that this youngster had finally came to visit them after all these years, he had intended to give Fang Zhao the 10 years worth of red packets that he had missed out on, but after hearing his reply, he no longer felt in the mood to do so.

Seeing the eyebrows of her husband rising, Great-Grandmother Fang patted his back then looked toward Fang Zhao. She was not at all angry; instead, she amiably told Fang Zhao, "We feel relieved that you are doing well. Starting work shortly after graduating is not always smooth sailing, did you encounter any difficulties?"

"Yes."

"Ah?"

"I am not too familiar with military service. Could you tell me about both your experiences serving on board the Sirius all those years back?" Fang Zhao asked.

Great-Grandmother Fang had thought Fang Zhao was going to take this opportunity to seek their help. Amongst all their descendants, many who rarely came to visit in ordinary times would come running over seeking assistance and help when they encountered a problem they could not resolve themselves. Great-Grandmother Fang had seen too many of such descendants, so when Fang Zhao said "Yes," her heart felt a little disappointed, but Fang Zhao’s following words surprised her.

"Experiences aboard the Sirius?" The old lady scrutinized her great-grandson sitting before her, wondering if Fang Zhao really wanted to know about the two elder’s experiences or if he was going to use this topic to ask for help regarding military postings?

"When we were on the topic of military service, Second Uncle had mentioned that the two of you served on board the Sirius, and I was a little curious." Fang Zhao looked straight into the eyes of Great-Grandmother Fang, his eyes full of seriousness, and he continued, "I’m guessing that the confidentiality period has already passed."

Great-Grandmother Fang retracted her scrutinizing gaze and thought back to those days. Although it had been a long time ago, when she thought back, her recollections were surprisingly clear and distinct. When the Sirius had been retired from service, all those who had served on board also received some recordings and photographs.

After retirement, whenever Great-Grandmother Fang had nothing to do, she would take out those old videos and photos to browse. Thus, even if she were to choose to forget about it, she could not do so. The existence of videos and photos were to remind people of their past experiences. Even if 100 years had passed, because of the existence of videos and photos, memories became way more vivid.

"On the Sirius all those years ago—"

"You should ask me about this matter. I spent more time on the Sirius than her. Back then, during my days in the military on board the Sirius, I was around your age. Back then…"

Great-Grandmother Fang had only just started when Great-Grandfather Fang could not bear it any longer and interrupted his wife. He rambled on and on to Fang Zhao about his military experiences on board the Sirius all those years back. The eyebrows that were about to shoot up a while back now flew upward.

Outer space was unlike the army or the navy. The unpredictability was much higher, and unexpected crises could occur at any time. That was the reason lots of people would think up any method possible for their children to stay on the planet for their military service.

But Fang Zhao was different. His former battlefield had been on land; he had never experienced space travel. Before their military service, many people would gain some experiences from their own parents. What was available online was limited, and it was mostly only government-issued information. There was very little private information, as outer-space service personnel were required to sign confidentiality agreements, and even after the expiry of the agreement, what they spoke of was what everyone knew. Only their closest relatives or trustworthy friends would get to hear the truth and their true thoughts.

From Second Uncle, Fang Zhao had heard a little. However, Second Uncle’s military service experience had been more ordinary. On the other hand, his great-grandparent’s experiences were full of ups and downs. During their military service days, they'd received meritorious service awards, and when the service was completed, they had decided to stay with the military. Great-Grandfather had served and achieved regimental rank before he was unable to climb any higher. At that time, he was getting old and regrettably had to transfer to civilian work, working in Yanbei City’s Governmental Office till he retired. However, for Great-Grandfather Fang, his life while working in Yanbei City’s Government Office was no different from his lifestyle after he retired, as he reminisced often. After retirement, he would often take out his collection of military medals and tell his wife about "those days."

Great-Grandfather Fang especially loved talking to people about his military experiences "back then." It was a pity that most of his descendants did not like hearing these stories. A few members of the younger generations would be slightly more curious, but once they started listening, their minds would wander, and thus, Great-Grandfather Fang would not continue.

Great-Grandfather enthused till his spit splattered all over. Beside him, Great-Grandmother Fang held on to the model of the Sirius, showing and telling Fang Zhao on which parts of the spacecraft the incidents her husband was explaining happened.

Great-Grandmother Fang observed Fang Zhao at the same time. She found out that Fang Zhao had not deliberately raised the topic to attract their attention but was actually listening attentively!

Great-Grandmother Fang felt that this great-grandson was a little odd. Seeing the two elders, he had not felt uncomfortable or been nervous. Hearing his great-grandfather's military experiences, he would continue with a few words of his own, each time emphasizing the important points. This made Great-Grandfather Fang elated, and he did not stop talking even when his mouth was dry. With this, Great-Grandmother Fang felt that they were not talking to a great-grandson but rather as if they were chit-chatting with an old friend of a similar age.

Fang Zhao filled up the cups beside them with warm water before handing them over to the two elders.

Great-Grandfather Fang took a sip from the cup and then picked out a few photographs that he had stashed away. "Have you ever seen this gun? And this, back then when we were on a foreign planet mining, when we encountered an attack by an organism from that planet... It ate two members of our squad, and I used this gun to kill it in the end. Oh. And there is still…" A number of photographs were of Great-Grandfather Fang holding a gun when he was young. Some were solo shots, while others were group photos.

"However, all those inside, only this gun followed me throughout my career and into retirement."

Fang Zhao looked over. It was a black so dark that seemed like it was radiating coldness. Not large, it seemed slightly low profile.

Watching Fang Zhao's gaze that was fixed onto the gun, a proud expression appeared on Great-Grandfather Fang’s face. "Envious? An average person will not have this gun." He became even more excited and continued, "When you become well-known throughout Yanzhou, I will give this gun for you to play with..

The moment he said this, a slap from Great-Grandmother Fang landed on the arm of her husband. "What nonsense!" Could this sort of gun even be given to anyone for them to play with? By violating the law, the gun might be confiscated, and even at their age, punishment was still unavoidable.

"I am not speaking nonsense. If Fang Zhao really becomes well-known all over Yanzhou, what is wrong with giving him a little extra protection. We could also sneakily give…" Seeing the room door not fully closed, Great-Grandfather Fang was jolted awake. Some words could not be revealed casually; even if they thought that way, it still should not be revealed.

"Cough, what I said was just a joke, teasing the younger generation. Right, Little Zhao?" Great-Grandfather Fang looked at Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao returned a smile.

But that smile made Great-Grandfather Fang shake slightly, as if he felt there was something amiss.

"Enough of that, let us continue with the story. Where was I just now?"

In the room, Great-Grandfather continued and did not look like he would be stopping. Outside, those in the living room were not in very good condition.

"Never did I expect that little Fang Zhao, who was absent for 10 years, would show up and give such a precise boot-licking," someone mumbled.

Another’s lips twitched. "No one has ever kept Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang occupied for so long, right? With the momentum he has, he does not appear to be stopping."

The people outside grew impatient from the waiting and came over to scout the situation.

The one setting nearest the door said, "I never even got the chance to enter before my turn was cut by that little fellow. Now Great-Grandfather is talking talking to him enthusiastically and is not willing to see anyone else who comes. Just wait to one side for your turn."

Great-Grandfather Fang continued for an hour, until he had no voice. He never talked this much on normal days, so today, his throat could could not take speaking so much.

"All right, then the two of you, please take a rest. I will make a move. Today I came with Second Uncle’s family to pay a visit to you two. Although you did not bring it up, I know how much effort the two elders have put in."

This was what Fang Zhao surmised from his memories. Back then, when the original owner’s parents met with that accident where the entire block exploded, the original owner was still a young child. He could not have received all the compensation on his own. That he smoothly managed to get his the compensation paid out as well as a compensation lodging was no doubt due to the assistance of someone. Second Uncle’s family did not have that sort of power. With some thinking, it could only be the two elders.

"As long as you understand, all is well. Don’t play games everyday and let it affect proper work! What is your terminal number? Here is a red packet for you," Great-Grandfather Fang said.

After Fang Zhao told him, he received a notification on his bracelet that a gift had been sent to him. Clicking on it, a red envelope appeared. The sum of money displayed on top made Fang Zhao arc his brows.

Twenty thousand dollars.

According to Fang Yu, the average amounts in red packets that the younger generation received from the Fang great-grandparents was 1,000 dollars. The amounts might differ slightly depending on Great-Grandfather’s mood. Given the averages, ten years worth of red packets was only 10,000 dollars. Now that Great-Grandfather Fang had given him 20,000 dollars, did it mean that he was in a very good mood?

"Oh, right, for your military service situation, what are your opinions?’ Great-Grandfather Fang asked."

Those eavesdropping outside the door were flabbergasted. Amongst them, some had insinuated the subject before for their own families or children, but Great-Grandfather Fang only had one approach when it came to this. "Settle your own problems yourself. This old man does not care."

But now…

The old man wanted to help Fang Zhao? Were his previous words all bullshit?!

Inside, Fang Zhao replied, "I do have some opinions."

"Oh? Let’s hear it." Great-Grandfather Fang had decided to listen to it.

"I haven’t contemplated fully yet. When I’m done thinking, I will consult the two elders."

"Hey, are you putting on airs?!" Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to be difficult, but it did not work. He was still in a good mood. "All right, when you have finished thinking, come tell us about it. We will advise you properly."

Fang Zhao stood up and walked toward the door. He did not leave immediately, instead shutting the door tightly so the people outside could not hear the conversation clearly.

"The words you said just now, do they still count?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Which words?" Great-Grandfather Fang had slight misgivings.

"When I’m well-known all over Yanzhou, you will give me the gun to play... to protect myself with."

Great-Grandfather Fang did not take it seriously. "It counts. Make yourself well-known first. Don’t let me wait too long. I’m already so old, and I don’t have that long to wait."

Fang Zhao laughed. "You aren’t old, only a hundred and fifty years old."

Fang Zhao opened the door and was preparing to go out when he heard Great-Grandfather Fang speak once more. "Wait, don’t you do something stupid like commit a crime! What I mean by well-known isn’t the same as being infamous!"

"You think too much. Goodbye, I will come back to visit when I have time." Fang Zhao walked out and closed the door at the same time.

In the room, Great-Grandfather Fang pondered for a bit before telling his wife, "Hearing what the young fellow said before leaving makes me feel like he is up to something, eh?"

"You are thinking too much… I guess?" Great-Grandmother Fang glanced at the Sirius model that was placed on the table, seemingly entranced by it.

Chapter 71: Is That You?

When Fang Zhao emerged from his great-grandparents' private room, he was greeted with a host of curious stares that scanned him from head to toe. They wanted to know who the hell had commanded the attention of Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother for more than an hour.

"He doesn't look that impressive," someone whispered.

"I've never seen him before. Never heard of him before."

"He looks quite plain. What's so special about him that the two elders chatted with him for such a long time?"

When Second Uncle saw Fang Zhao emerge, he rushed forward and asked, "How come you were in there for so long? Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother weren't angry, were they?"

Second Aunt glared at him. Second Uncle made it sound like Fang Zhao was bound to upset the two elders.

"What kind of mood were they in?" Second Aunt asked.

"A pretty good mood. They were in good spirits," Fang Zhao responded.

"You had such a long chat. Seems like Great-Grandfather has taken a liking to you," Fang Yu said.

Fang Zhao smiled but didn't speak.

Noticing the probing looks that surrounded them, Second Aunt dragged Fang Zhao to a corner and whispered, "Fang Zhao, did Great-Grandfather give you a red packet?"

"Yes, he gave me 10 years' worth."

When she heard the answer, Second Aunt got a sense of where Fang Zhao stood. She didn't press him for the exact amount. She had just been wondering if her nephew left a good impression. The fact that he remembered Fang Zhao, gave him 10 years' worth of red packets, and chatted with him for such a long time meant Great-Grandfather was in a good mood.

"The two elders were reminiscing about their military service. That's why it took longer than usual," Fang Zhao said.

Fang Zhao didn't raise his voice much, but it was just loud enough for curious bystanders to hear.

Once they heard that Great-Grandfather had been rambling on about this military service, the onlookers exchanged knowing looks. No wonder it had taken so long. Great-Grandfather had gone down memory lane again. That explained everything and dashed their curiosity.

Great-Grandfather didn't have much to say to the relatives that followed Fang Zhao, probably because he had talked too much with Fang Zhao. His wife did all the talking, although she didn't say much either.

Seeing a series of younger Fangs who stuttered through their sentences put Great-Grandfather Fang in a bad mood again. As an elder, he wanted to be generous, but he couldn't fake laughter. All he could do was keep a stern face, which terrified the young ones even more.

Great-Grandfather Fang signaled his wife to keep her comments brief and send them packing with their gift money. It was all about the red packets, wasn't it? Or they needed a favor from the two elders. Just listening to the requests was painful. The couple were happy to lend a helping hand to younger Fangs who were regular visitors. As for those who never showed and stuck their hands out for red packets and favors, not slapping them in the face was courtesy enough. What else could they expect?

Faced with his descendants that fell into the second category, Great-Grandfather Fang regretted not keeping Fang Zhao longer.

Great-Grandfather Fang was a bit more inquisitive when granting Second Uncle and his family their audience. He asked about Fang Yu's upcoming military service. He was surprised to find out the issue had been resolved.

Fang Zhao didn't bring up his role in the matter. Second Uncle was worried about causing Fang Zhao trouble, so he hadn't told anyone about it, but he still brought it up in passing while meeting with Great-Grandfather Fang.

"Fang Zhao took care of it? Who was his connection?" Great-Grandfather was curious now.

Great-Grandfather Fang waited until Second Uncle and his family had left before turning to his wife to ask, "Say, what is that kid Fang Zhao up to? If he can land a preferential posting on his own, why did he ask about our military service? Did he genuinely want some advice?"

"How would I know?" Great-Grandmother Fang was surprised too. She had never expected Fang Zhao to wield such influence at a young age. She had underestimated him.

"Hmm... I still think the kid is up to something." Great-Grandfather Fang started getting suspicious.

"If you're still not convinced, just keep an eye on the news," Great-Grandmother Fang said.

By then, Second Uncle and his family had left the house. They had no idea what Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother were thinking. They headed straight home after the meeting.

During the train ride, Fang Zhao noticed many big-screen displays showing news reports about "Battle of the Century" and the latest trailers.

Gamers were bound to be ecstatic this year. It was just the beginning of the year and "Battle of the Century" had yet to be released, but the buzz had already started simmering.

The online poll for the game's virtual idol endorsers for each continent organized by Rising Dragon was about to kick off. It would start in Huangzhou and continue in other continents. Yanzhou would be up soon.

Fang Yu was browsing headlines on his bracelet. Various news outlets were speculating who Fiery Bird would pick as the game's public face in Yanzhou. Would is be Tongshan True Entertainment's top idol Mi Yu? Or Neon Culture's Andy Leo? Or Silver Wing's Polar Light, the bombshell that debuted at the end of last year?

"Say, Big Brother Zhao, who do you think will win the endorsement deal?" Fang Yu asked.

"I don't know. That's Fiery Bird's decision," Fang Zhao responded.

"Speaking of Polar Light, Big Brother Zhao, is this you?" Fang Yu showed Fang Zhao a screen capture.

It was a screen capture combining the credits at the end of the three music videos from the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series. The name of the producer had been circled.

Fang Zhao glanced at the image and nodded. "Yes, that's me."

Fang Yu took a deep breath. "Big Brother Zhao!"

"What?"

"Big Brother Zhao, think you could get me a signed photo of Maqiyaduo?" Fang Yu was in his face.

Fang Zhao knew about Maqiyaduo. She was one of Silver Wing's top actresses. She had a sweet face, although Fang Zhao had never worked with her and didn't know how the film department operated.

"I'll look into it. If I can get one, I'll send it over," Fang Zhao said.

"I want one too. I want one too." Fang Qi wanted a piece of the action as well. "Big Brother Zhao! Big Brother Zhao, I want Vicky's signed photo. You gotta hold onto it if you can swing one."

Vicky was another actress signed to Silver Wing. She was a grade A star. Fang Zhao would have never thought a young kid like Fang Qi would be a Vicky fan.

"No problem. I'll hang onto them if I get them." Fang Zhao then smiled at Fang Ling. "Little Bell, are you a fan of any celebrities? If they're signed to Silver Wing, I'll try to get a signed photo for you."

Fang Ling pondered the question briefly and shook her head. Then she took out a card she'd gotten from a young female staffer at the retirement home. Upon inserting it into a card reader, it displayed an animation of song and poetry. It was an early education product.

Fang Ling handed the card to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao was confused. "This is for me?"

Fang Ling blinked her eyes and said, "Big Brother Zhao, will you sign it for me?"

Fang Zhao froze then said with a laugh, "I don't have a pen. I'll sign it for you when we get home."

When they got home, Little Bell brought out some 20 similar cards she had collected and had Fang Zhao sign all of them. She was still young and didn't have an idol, but she had heard someone say that if you meet your idol, you should get his or her signature. In Little Bell's eyes, Fang Zhao, who had bought her tons of candy, was her idol.

Fang Yu and Fang Yi joined the party. They found cards of their own and had Fang Zhao sign them.

"Big Brother Zhao, did you compose the first three movements of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' series?" Fang Yu asked.

"What do you think?" Fang Zhao said.

"Haha, I have no idea. But you don't have to explain, Big Brother Zhao. I read online about the confidentiality rules for virtual idol staffers."

Fang Yu thought the mainstream press speculation was right—the credits Silver Wing had revealed were a front. The real composer had yet to be unveiled.

Who was it?

Ming Cang had suggested it was just one person and not an entire team. The answer had to wait until the release of the fourth movement.

Still, not everyone could be a front man. From the perspective of Fang Yu and his siblings, Fang Zhao was already a stud for being able to take credit as a producer, even if he was being used as cover.

After Memorial Day, Fang Zhao spent another three days in Yanbei before returning to Qi'an.

As the launch of the Rising Dragon online poll neared, Yanzhou's Big Three entertainment companies started jockeying for position. They rolled out their respective online ad campaigns. The entertainment media was caught up in a frenzy, as if journalists had been injected with amphetamine.

Huangzhou.

Rising Dragon headquarters.

"Online voting in the fifth continent has begun. Next up is Yanzhou. They have three candidates this year?"

"Yanzhou is typically a two-way race. That's because the third member of the Big Three, Silver Wing, never produces virtual idols, but they did this year. I think the idol was tailor-made for the race for the endorsement deal."

"Regardless of Silver Wing's actual intentions, in terms of voting, an extra competitor means more news. This is good for us."

Feb. 8 was also the release date for the last movement in the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series.

Chapter 72: Fourth Movement: "Eternal"

On Feb 8, in the early hours of the morning, the internet was abuzz.

The three big entertainment companies had mobilized all their stars to campaign for votes. Polar Light, being the only successful virtual idol that Silver Wing Media had produced, received the full backing of the entire company.

Regardless of whether they were fresh newcomers or A-listers who had finally made it to the top, they all chipped in to campaign for votes. In all the years of Yanzhou’s history, this was the first time on the virtual idol stage that all three big entertainment companies were having a public competition.

However, there was a different group of people who were paying close attention to the new song releases at 8 a.m.

At over 160 years old, Xue Jing did not follow his usual routine of heading to the garden downstairs for his morning stroll. Instead, he sat in his study and turned on his audio and projection systems as he waited for 8 a.m to arrive.

On his table was a paper notebook and a pen. He wanted to jot down his thoughts and analysis moments after he finished listening to the fourth movement. Compared to electronic recording methods, Xue Jing was more inclined toward manual records, as they had more feeling.

Beside the table was a pile of books. Some were a compilation of Xue Jing’s teaching materials, and some were books written by other people that he used as reference. Many people of the same profession felt that Xue Jing's mission to compile analysis and production guides for symphonic musical compositions was an unwise decision. This genre was too arrogant and unpopular. Talented people in this field tended to conceal themselves. Publicly writing them out would not amount to much, as they were viewed as specious nonsense. From past textbooks of symphonic music, some people who purchased the books would give a poor review after flipping through and whoever compiled it would get a scolding. It was simply an arduous and unrewarding task.

Yet every time Xue Jing heard this sort of talk, he would only smile. When people asked for names of other contributing composers, Xue Jing would only smile but not reply.

As Xue Jing analyzed the three movements of the "Period of Destruction" series, the deeper he delved, the more apprehension and admiration he felt. He admired Fang Zhao’s drive and ability and was astonished at his audacity and progress. In the three movements, many times there were unfashionable methods that had been neglected for years, but in those three movements, they perfectly fit in the movement and expressed the artistic concept.

"Just one more left," Xue Jing muttered.

Actually, after hearing the first two movements, one could understand the intention and purpose of the creator. The third movement’s theme was war and the fourth movement should be a conclusion.

At the stroke of eight, Xue Jing turned on his audio visual platform and adjusted his equipment, and the music video appeared clearly before him.

The image displayed a somber scene at the crack of dawn. Continuing at the end of the third movement, the comprehensive fighting continued. However, the scene was not as bleak and gloomy. The essence of the music was not as urgent and restrictive as before.

At the beginning of the fourth movement, an alternating rhythm appeared. Differing by a semitone, the two tones were the opposite: one dark and gloomy, one bright and upbeat. The sounds of a treble violin and double bass as different as heaven and earth created a vastness and made the imagery of the music distinct. The short brief notes portrayed the fierce wind at daybreak that chilled one to the bone. Every strand of hair on the body felt as it was feeling the flow of air. The tremor of a cello added to the emphasis as the killer intent emitted from this battle to survive made one shiver.

The bodies of tree men who were on an all-out attack were splattered with mud. Every branch seemed to be oozing thick blood and killing intent as they carried their valiant selves forward in a reckless fashion, attacking every savage beast within their sights. These beasts that plundered their place in the world!

A trombone and a woodwind score combined together alongside some muted whistles from a trumpet. The originally stiff tone became rough and bleak as the savage beasts became timid, cowering under the relentless counter attacks of the tree men. The brutal beasts that were unparalleled in slaughter became weak and exhausted as the cold wind of the morning screamed through and they trembled in fear.

Unlike before, the strength of the woodwind tones was gradually accumulating.

In the image, the tree men were pushing on as the sinister-looking beasts were put on the back foot and forced to retreat. In the midst of a rough-sounding brass whistle, the eerie and vicious beasts reached their final struggle, snarling and snapping, appearing fierce while they were actually cowardly at heart.

A fist enveloped by a biting-cold killing intent locked on to the front beast’s heart area. Like a pike that had been grinded sharp, it pierced through without the slightest hesitation.

The savage beast that had just been attacked flew through the air in an arc and landed in a nearby lake. The surface of the lake split apart as the beast landed in it, struggling for two seconds before sinking.

On the surface of the lake, there were also some broken tree branches, scattered about messily.

The figure took a look at the lake.

A powerful string symphony started, carrying a sorrow that had been held for so long. Yet at the same time, the unceasing string symphony also brought a sense of tenacity and unyielding spirit.

Compared to brass and percussion, string had a sort of gentleness, but it was not invariably gentle. Amidst the gentleness, it could be firm. The sorrow was no longer derived from them being weak but had transformed into a firm and explosive form.

The figure in the image turned around and began running toward the hilltop facing him. As the figure ran up the hill, sparse wild grass swayed in the wind brought about by the figure’s footsteps.

Beast after beast was beaten and stomped on.

The coordination between the tree men was seamless. This was the result of an understanding borne by countless fights to the death.

Step by step, they moved forward. Step by step, they climbed higher.

When the figure finally reached the summit, in the midst of the combination between trombone and woodwind scores, the woodwind tones that had been gradually accumulating eventually exploded.

The woodwind score separated by three octaves played, assembling a vast tone, describing the view from the summit of the hill: wide and extensive.

The battlefield at the bottom was littered with corpses of both beasts and trees. Compared to the start, most of the silhouettes moving about on the ground were not the plundering beasts but the tree man’s fellow comrades.

Everywhere, in all directions, were the brave figures of comrades in combat.

A bugle call signaled the harmony in full swing. The reverberating sounds signified that this war was finally reaching its epilogue. The drumbeats were no longer that urgent, now raising one’s spirit. The beating of the timpani that people of the New Era were familiar with was the foundation. A more primitive drumbeat combined. This was music from a different time and space fusing magically and perfectly.

It seemed as if they had survived through an endless winter without any sunshine. When the figure on the summit raised his head, he watched as the clouds slowly parted and the golden beam of sunlight shone down from the heavens. The pair of bloodied fists that had just slayed countless beasts began to tremble nonstop. In his eyes, it was clear that he was moved after enduring silently for so long. His eyes were brimming with tears.

The sunlight seemingly brought about a scorching warmness as it melted away all the coldness in them brought about by the war and touched the most gentle parts of their hearts.

They had last seen this sort of sunlight a long time ago. It represented warmth and hope.

They had been a group of ordinary creatures who had endured suffering on the land they stood on. They had experienced unimaginable hardships and despair.

In their most dire of straits, they had made a stand in the frigid land and won themselves freedom and a new life, but what they wanted to win... was a world!

The turbulent feelings erupted as a rallying cry came from the summit of the hill. The majestic music matched up with a resounding male voice seemingly bringing about immeasurable strength, as if rallying the entire world.

In the middle of the brass and string ensemble, an impassioned harmony signified the merriment of seeing the sunlight once again, celebrating this hard fought victory.

The drawing of the bow on a violin. As if the time had come for the world to recover and be reborn.

The once muddy water of the lake became clear as the dithering clouds in the sky reflected off it. Broken branches and remains that were floating on the lake had all but sunk in. The previously sparse ground beside the lake was now covered with an exuberant underbrush.

The tempo was vigorous and free from inhibitions as the drumbeats blended. Tree men both big and small ran around, stepping in the now lush grassland. There was no hint of urgency or tension, only joyous excitement.

"From today onward, those savage and bloodthirsty figures will never be seen again.

From today onward, they need not worry about being homeless and running for their lives.

From today onward, the world will become a new world!

So, is it possible to rest yet?

It is."

In the vigorous harmony, the woodwind impetus was powerful and expansive. The string score was continuously rising. The forceful drum beats beat down. Combined together, it seemed like it was foretelling the scene that was about to unfold.

The figure right at the front of the tree men stood up on a high slope, watching his idle and free comrades all around. Treading on the soft soil below, he let out a bright and relieved smile.

Under the warm sunlight, he relaxed and extended both arms, his fists finally spread apart. His arms became branches stretching out in all directions. His legs became roots, penetrating deep into the soil and taking root.

Seemingly reborn.

The tree men all around after finding a suitable place, spread out the fists and arms and took root. Under the sunlight, the bare branches sprouted out tender green leaves filled with the iridescence of life.

Some exotic humming of a man was accompanied by electronic music as a brand new, rich, and diverse world unfolded.

Sounds produced by different instruments of the string family played different roles. Like the departed spirits of those who had sacrificed themselves in the war were looking down from above on the new world. It also seemed like the quiet muttering of those who had never experienced this new life before and the complicated and excited voices of the tree men who had once again taken root.

The corpses from the war were covered by dust and newly grown vegetation. That catastrophic war had destroyed many lives, but at the same time, it fostered a newly awakened life.

The earth, full of opportunities, had freshness, yet it also had decay, but at least it was expanding in a proper direction.

From above, looking down on the boundless land, the whole world had once more become tranquil and peaceful, as if the catastrophic calamity had never befallen.

But beneath the peaceful appearance of this world were the tenacious souls who had survived this difficult time.

"What is eternal?

How long is an eternity?

No one knows.

If another calamity happens, they will rise up once anew.

Life goes on without stopping. War does not stop it."

In the image, the scene zoomed through the land that already had flourishing forests. In the places where sunlight did not reach, there was no haze nor gloom. Only a bright and mystical sky full of stars.

The harmony gradually quieted down. An elegant yet slightly rueful and distressed string score slowly became lighter. The deep and low male voice gradually dissipated in the midst of the strings.

Words appeared on the screen.

Lead character: Polar Light

Species: Longxiang Tianluo

Song Title: "100-Year Period of Destruction", Fourth Movement: "Eternal"

Producer: Fang Zhao

Production Team: Polar Light project team: Fang Zhao, Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Fu Yingtian, Stiller, Zhang Yu, Rodney.

A Silver Wing Media release.

…

Xue Jing stared at the list of names on the screen, sighing and shaking his head. Partly in disbelief and partly glad that he had found a gem.

"Fang Zhao, that little fellow!"

Rocking his head, Xue Jing picked up a pen and wrote this in his notebook:

"Polar Light, from an ordinary peaceful creature all the way till he led the colony to counter attack, was an epic journey. Every melody in the movement brought about an intense realism and was stunning. As if the creator had actually experienced it for himself."

Chapter 73: Unexpected Foreign Aid

When all four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had finally been completed and released, those specializing in music turned their focus to analysing it.

Yanzhou Music Association, widely regarded as the industry’s most authoritative organization, had a post on their production, "Voice of Yanzhou." On their home page, Dina, a deputy head of the music association, had written an evaluation.

"Is it the pursuit of life or the pondering of the spirit? In the '100-Year Period of Destruction,' the techniques included in the four epic movements have given rise to a new round of investigative probing..."

Shortly after, other professionals followed with their own analysis.

"Explaining the golden points of the fourth movement in the '100-Year Period of Destruction'..."

"Today, where music is so commercialized, symphonic music welcomes yet another peak…"

Other than professionals involved with the industry, yet another group of people were also paying close attention to the music releases.

The medical team setup to observe Ming Ye’s condition had been waiting. From their point of view, the four movements constituted to an entire course of treatment. As soon as the fourth movement was released, they entered a busy stage. The Hull virus was researched by the whole world and seemed to be a difficult problem. It had always seemed as if there was a door blocking the way of research. Now it was as if they had their hands on a set of complete keys to open the door. How much further they could step inside was all up to them.

However, only music industry professionals and medical professionals were following this piece of news. The attention of the rest of the populace was online, following the highly discussed voting battle and other entertainment related topics.

Rising Dragon’s branch in Yanzhou had set up the voting platform. Silver Wing’s Polar Light, Tongshan’s Mi Yu, and Neon Culture’s Andy Leo, these three popular idols were up for votes.

"Who is going to win the endorsement deal for 'Battle of the Century'?"

Previously, some people had said that even if Silver Wing Media produced a virtual idol this time, the competition would still be a two-way battle between the virtual idol powerhouses Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment. But looking at the numbers on the voting board, the distance between them was not that large.

"The gap might seem close, but just wait and see. In two days, there will be an obvious gap. Right now, all three big companies have mobilized their personalities to campaign for votes. In two days, when the buzz dies down, we will then be able to see the influence of each individual virtual idol. Polar light relied on the four movements to get popular, but in terms of influence, he definitely is not as strong as the other two," a reviewer from the media deduced.

Whether it was Mi Yu or Andy Leo, both had been developing for two years already. Two years accumulated to give rise to where they were now. As for Polar Light, whether it was his appearance or the debut appearance, it was somewhat a novelty and not in line with mainstream tastes.

"Polar Light’s fan base is mainly made up of older people or those with enriching military experiences who would know how to appreciate this sort of music. Younger people will not like it."

However, these remarks received a slap in their faces shortly after.

At the voting platform, each candidate had a message board.

Silver Wing Media’s operations team watched, dumbfounded, as the message board on the voting platform for "Polar Light" was continuously flooded with comments.

"Did you employed fake fans?" one operation staff member asked another.

"Nope. Weren’t we supposed to gauge the situation first?"

The operation staff member seated in front turned his head and said, "Secondary school students have a long memorial holiday. They are on vacation. It is just them having too much free time."

At this moment, those watching the voting for the endorsement deal realized that from Silver Wing Media’s Polar Light’s column came a flood of comments in a different style.

"For the New World!"

"For the tree men’s glory!"

"Tree men have nothing to fear!"

"The enemy is crafty, to actually call for backup!"

"Stand firm, brothers! Second year of Qi’an No. 1 Secondary School leading troops to provide assistance!"

"Qi’an No. 12 Secondary School contingent reporting!"

"Yanxi No. 6 Secondary School contingent reporting!"

"Eh, fancy meeting a schoolmate here."

"Those behind, brothers from Yandong, Yannan, Yanbei, hurry and catch up!"

"Oh! I have enrolled, my imaginary branch fell off!"

"Pick it up! Comrades, catch your imaginary branches."

…

The masses observing the continuous rolling comments: "..."

"Every word is a drama," someone moaned.

"Getting too engrossed in shows. To really think they are tree men covered in branches from head to toe? Why don’t they say that their heads have started blooming?"

Nevertheless, the bizarre style of comments continued.

"Magu city, follow me!"

"Where is Jinggang city’s squadron?!"

"Soldier on, reinforcements will arrive at any time!"

"Leizhou reinforcements reporting in!"

"..."

"..."

This comment that had just appeared not only made those who had been playing about happily stop, it also caught the attention of the observing masses, as well as the companies.

"Leizhou? Renault’s Leizhou?"

"How did people from Leizhou end up here?"

Originally, only a small number came from Leizhou to join the fun, but following that, more and more people from Leizhou appeared at the message boards.

"Which superstar celebrity of Silver Wing Media managed to do this?" some tried to guess.

But quickly, these thoughts were easily denied after thinking it through.

An intercontinentally developed superstar celebrity would not enter the fray that easily. Participating in such an event would bring about much more influence, even to the point of completely controlling votes. An internationally recognized superstar would have taken a lot of time and effort to reach the top, and their company would not rashly play their card. Besides, the company’s control over such superstars would not be strong. Whether the company said it was for employment relations or for collaborations, the company could not forcefully make such a request.

Therefore, this kind of voting was normally limited to within the continent, and participating in campaigning were only the companies' A-listers and those below. In terms of influence, there were limitations, and there was the blockade of foreign media too. Generally, people from other continents would not take part.

But what was happening now?

"Why are there people from Leizhou?"

Neon culture’s staff thus enquired with Rising Dragon’s branch about such large scale intercontinental campaigning. How was it not against the rules?

Rising Dragon’s Yanzhou branch said that the rules and regulations had never been restricted to the region. This round’s Yanzhou voting platform also had no restrictions regarding voters from other continents.

If one had the capability to garner votes across the world, Rising Dragon would approve with two thumbs up. This was a testament to one’s popularity.

In no time, everyone found out that, on Leizhou’s side, it was Wireless Media that was campaigning for votes.

The industry’s media began to guess that Silver Wing Media and Wireless Media surely had some secret transactions!

At the same time, Leizhou’s Wireless Media had contacted Silver Wing, and they were discussing collaboration matters.

It did not involve music. Wireless Media was a film company. They still had no plans to disrupt Leizhou’s music industry. The collaboration they had in mind was regarding a film arrangement.

Zaro’s Wireless Media had started preparations for the next movie. However, Zaro was not trying to flatter anyone. Rather, he wanted to curry favor for his great-grandfather.

The third movement had gotten him an influential shortcut. Thus, Zaro was serious now, spending a considerable sum to engage a well-known scriptwriter and director. He had decided to film a movie depicting exalted heroes of the war. Zaro himself was going to be acting, and he was brushing up on his acting skills. At the same time, he instructed the company to contact Silver Wing Media regarding a collaboration. Silver Wing’s Polar Light had only started a while back, right? Movies and films will surely come about, so why not collaborate with Wireless Media?

Generally, Leizhou’s film companies would use their local actors. Regardless whether they were real people or virtual idols, using actors from their own continent made it easier to receive the support of the viewing masses. After all, actors had their fan bases within their own continent, making it easier to garner box office sales. However, Zaro’s aim now was not to earn money but rather to win the favor of his great-grandfather. When the fourth movement came out, Zaro used certain means to get the final movement of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series and send it straight to his great-grandfather. To appear frequently before his great-grandfather would bring about many benefits.

Nowadays, whatever pleased his great-grandfather, Zaro would do. His great-grandfather did not mind people from foreign continents, so he would not either. It did not matter if he earned less or paid more as long as he was able to be in the good books of his great-grandfather, he would have achieved his purpose.

Helping to campaign for votes was a show of Wireless Media’s sincerity.

Even when it got noisy outside, Fang Zhao paid no heed. He sat in his office writing down his composing thoughts as well as some techniques and feelings he used when composing.

He had written some before, and today he would write down the remainder. As for others, he would decide when the time came.

After finishing, he sent the electronic file to Xue Jing.

Somewhere in Qi’an, Xue Jing was writing down his analysis of the fourth movement when he heard a notification and saw that he had received a file from Fang Zhao. After reading through it, Xue Jing just stood blankly on the spot.

For the textbook he was compiling, Xue Jing wanted to discuss with Fang Zhao about his composing philosophy and sources of inspiration. He hoped that Fang Zhao could impart a little of his experience, allowing more people to come in contact with music of this style and learn a few techniques. How much Fang Zhao wanted to impart was all up to him. Xuejing had never expected Fang Zhao to write so much.

A textbook like this normally contained over 100,000 words, at most 200,000. The book would also contain various musical scores and analytical diagrams. Xue jing had only planned to write about 100,000 words, touching more on newer topics that were never raised and briefly mentioning older topics.

The file sent over by Fang Zhao contained 30,000 words! That was already a third of Xue Jing’s estimated word limit. Moreover, it all contained Fang Zhao’s production experiences as well as composing techniques. All that was written was not at all vague. Even though he had included ancient techniques, all his ancient and modern musical techniques were explained very thoroughly.

When Xue Jing finished reading, he immediately contacted Fang Zhao.

"Fang Zhao, do you know the implication of what you have written?!"

One could start a paid training class or accept a few disciples as a means of extra income. Lots of people in the industry did so. However, Fang Zhao had actually written all of his methods down! When this was all placed into a publicly available textbook, it would not bring Fang Zhao as much income.

"I know," Fang Zhao replied. "Are there any problems with the content?"

"There are no issues. I just wanted to ensure that you are really all right with compiling all this?" Xue Jing asked once again.

"Whether to compile or not, the decision lies solely in your hands."

Fang Zhao knew what Xue Jing meant. It was just that he had chosen to share his own experiences and techniques publicly.

He did not know how long he would get to stay in this world. He was grateful for having the chance to once again open his eyes and see the world.

During the end of days, he had thought that, if he had the chance, he wished to pass on every single one of his skills and techniques, if at all possible. Who would not want to live longer?

This life was an unlikely accident. Not everyone would get a chance like this.

He would use whatever experiences and techniques he had learned in his lifetime and leave them in a book that would be passed on to future generations. He hoped that this time, on his gravestone, the words "A composer" would be on it.

Xue Jing sighed deeply upon receiving Fang Zhao’s confirmation.

"...I got it."

On the other end, after the call with Xue Jing ended, Fang Zhao received yet another call from Duan Qianji.

"Come to the top floor office. Ming Cang wishes to thank you in person."

Chapter 74: The Real Composer

After the fourth movement was released, Ming Cang spent some time with his son alongside the medical team checking on the progress of the treatment. As soon as his son had shown signs of a reaction, he came over to Silver Wing media looking for Duan Qianji.

Ever since the first movement had been released, he had wanted to meet the composer of the piece. Just as he had previously said, the composer behind the four movements was like a god to him and his family. The composer had pulled them out from their despair that had lasted for a long time, giving them hope. Therefore, Ming Cang wanted to thank that composer in person.

But previously, Silver Wing Media had continuously prevented him from doing so. Furthermore, they did not want any disturbances for the composer before all the movements were completed. Thus, Ming Cang had waited and waited until this day, when the four movements had all been released, and he hurriedly rushed over. Besides, Silver Wing Media were going to publicly announce the name list of the real project team, so why not let him thank the composer first?

After Duan Qianji had informed that composer to come up, Ming Cang felt somewhat nervous. Perhaps it was the excitement that he was going to meet his benefactor, or perhaps it was the expectation that he was going to meet some great master.

Drinking another cup of water, Ming Cang heard Duan Qianji’s office door open. Raising his head to look, he saw a young man walking in. Behind him, there was no one else.

Ming Cang knew who Fang Zhao was. He had checked up on all the names listed on the end credits of the music video and thus knew the youngster who had been placed as the front. However, this was their company policy, so he did not say anything. He guessed that, from what he knew about Duan Qianji, this youngster that had been chosen to act as a shield would have received lots of benefits as well. Ming Cang was just here to see his benefactor and did not intend to involve himself with any of Silver Wing’s internal affairs.

Ming Cang gave Fang Zhao a kindly glance, like that of an elder. His look was partially encouraging, partially sympathizing, and the remainder was courtesy. Nodding his head slightly, Ming Cang retracted his gaze and continued to wait. In his heart he wondered which great master from the industry would show up. However, the techniques and methods used in the four movements were unfamiliar. Within the industry, he had asked at least half but had had no luck. Could they have been under a confidentiality agreement and thus did not dare to tell the truth? But seriously, there was not even a little bit of information.

Who could it be? Ming Cang pondered hard.

Fang Zhao was puzzled by the look Ming Cang had given him. He walked over to a chair and sat down.

Duan Qianji coughed lightly. "President Ming."

Ming Cang looked over, not understanding the situation.

Duan Qianji pointed at Fang Zhao. "This is the person you are looking for. The composer of the four movements in the '100-Year Period of Destruction.'"

Ming Cang: "..."

He glanced at the seated Fang Zhao then twisted his neck over to look at Duan Qianji. Seeing Duan Qianji nodding once again, Ming Cang’s jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

So the shield that was placed in front of the masses by Silver Wing was actually an armored tank capable of besieging a city?!

Before coming, Ming Cang had thought about all the possibilities. Whether it was someone he knew, whether it was someone he had good ties with, whether local or foreign, whether famous or unknown. He had spent a lot of time thinking this through, but when he really heard Duan Quanji confirming it, Ming Cang was momentarily shocked into silence.

After around a minute of silence...

"Fang Zhao?"

Ming Cang still found it slightly difficult to imagine. This was totally unexpected. Just listening to the four movements, the thought had never crossed his mind that the young person who was not even half his age would actually be the one he was looking for.

"Thats me," Fang Zhao replied.

"The composer of all four movements of the '100-Year Period of Destruction?'"

"That's right."

"...That is unexpected." After saying that, he felt that his words might have been a little inappropriate. It sounded as if he was looking down on Fang Zhao. Ming Cang hurriedly said, "Sorry, what i meant to say is that it is rare to see someone so young produce that sort of work. It just feels so astonishing…"

As he went on, Ming Cang lowered his head and laughed, took a deep breath, got up and bowed toward Fang Zhao. "Thank you! And I apologize for my lack of manners just now."

Ming Cang meant the look he had given Fang Zhao when he entered. Thinking back about his gaze that was filled with sympathy, Ming Cang felt a bit embarrassed.

"You are welcome, President Ming. I’m just a composer of music. Being able to contribute to the treatment of the Hull virus was an unexpected blessing. I am glad too." Fang Zhao indicated for Ming Cang to sit down and talk. Now, he was still just a twenty plus year old nobody, it would not be right for him to let the deputy president of the highly esteemed Yanzhou Music Association remain standing.

"It’s not just you. Back then, when Professor Xue first met me, he was very surprised too," Fang Zhao told him.

"Professor Xue? Is Xue Jing Professor Xue?" Ming Cang asked.

"Yes."

Ming Cang knew that Duan Qianji would not lie to him. And with Xue Jing’s name, it verified the authenticity of this matter.

The four movements of "100-Year Period of Destruction" were really composed by a recently graduated youngster in his 20s!

After confirming, Ming Cang dragged Fang Zhao away and he talked for quite a bit. Not as an elder or as a deputy head, rather he conversed with Fang Zhao as a fellow music professional and as a father. He told Fang Zhao about the research into Fang Zhao's works and about his son’s treatment progress.

They chatted for an hour and only stopped when Ming Cang received a call. A friend from abroad had arrived in Yanzhou and was looking for Ming Cang, so he had to leave. Before leaving, Ming Chang thanked Fang Zhao once more, and they exchanged contact details. Ming Cang also said that he would drop by whenever he was free to look for Fang Zhao for some discussions.

As Ming Cang left Silver Wing Tower, he made a call to Xue Jing.

"Teacher Xue! You know that Fang Zhao?!" Although Ming Cang might have been a deputy head of Yanzhou Music Association, when facing the elder generation like Xue Jing, he was still very respectful. When Ming Cang was still schooling, Xue Jing had taught him. In a more formal setting, he would address Xue Jing as Great Master.

Receiving the call from Ming Cang, Xue Jing was caught by surprise at first. But after remembering the situation with Ming Cang’s son, he understood.

"I know him. You got the truth from Duan Qianji?" Xue Jing laughingly said.

"I’m just leaving there. What a big shock." Ming Cang was also smiling. "It was really unimaginable."

On his way, Ming Cang thought back to his discussion with Fang Zhao. He realized when Fang Zhao was face to face with him that it did not feel like he was talking with a deputy head of Yanzhou Music Association. There was no nervousness or restraint coming from Fang Zhao as they conversed. It was really just a talk between two ordinary people who shared a common industry.

"You do know that I received an assignment to compile a textbook," Xue Jing said.

"Yes, I heard some mention of it within the community. Many said that you were getting foolish with age." Ming Cang was in good spirits and joked with his old teacher. "But at your age, it seems like you no longer care about reputation or benefits."

Xue Jing sighed ruefully. "Oh, I am foolish indeed, but there is someone even more foolish."

Ming Cang could hear gratification and admiration from those words. "Who are you talking about?"

"Just Fang Zhao."

"Oh. Is he one of your contributors?" Xue Jing was compiling a textbook on symphonic structures. Ming Cang understood the logic of wanting to use the four movements as an actual example.

Xue Jing briefly went over with Ming Cang the contents of the file that Fang Zhao had sent him. He trusted Ming Cang’s character and was not afraid that he would divulge anything.

Hearing Xue Jing’s unconcealable delight and appreciation through the communication device, the originally smiling face of his became serious.

"Ming Cang, I hope to pass on something genuinely meaningful and valuable. And not some elaborate assembling of shoddy work." This was what Xue Jing said to Ming Cang before he ended to call.

An hour later.

On the homepage of Ming Cang’s personal social platform, a piece of information was posted.

"Today I got to meet the composer of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' series. A surprising yet admirable person."

Ming Cang’s post triggered a buzz within the industry. But whoever asked, Ming Cang only replied with this: "Everyone will get to know the mysterious composer in two days. Silver Wing Media will publicly announce it."

Ming Cang’s words were quoted by many media reports. Silver Wing also had intentions to push forth with it.

They wanted to guarantee Polar Light’s popularity and continuous topics for the voting during the next few days. Other than these few bits of news, they also wanted to guarantee as much media coverage as possible.

Thus, there was going to be Polar Light’s first interview. This sort of interview was to let people understand this virtual idol and bridge the distance, so he would not just be limited to an image in a music video. This was a channel to attract more fans and boost popularity and was advantageous for future development.

Polar Light’s interview had been arranged by Silver Wing Media beforehand. Whether they could attract audiences or boost his popularity, it was in the hands of a Silver Wing team that was more experienced than Fang Zhao. The person in charge was more experienced as well. The other members of the project team only needed to work according to the arrangements and did not need Fang Zhao to keep an eye on things.

As for Fang Zhao, he was called up by Xue Jing to help compile materials for the textbook. Fang Zhao’s thoughts and techniques written in the file could not be pasted straight into the book. They still needed some amendments. As Fang Zhao was purely a composer, he had no experience with compiling and writing books.

Xue Jing found communicating online to be too much of a hassle. Hence, when he asked Fang Zhao about his working schedule and found out that Fang Zhao had no pressing matters to attend to personally, Xue Jing pulled Fang Zhao over making it easy for them to discuss and work together.

On the second day after Polar Light’s first interview was announced, the fourth day of online voting, A Silver Wing Media representative officially dropped a "bombshell."

A beaming presenter appeared on screen and said, "Everyone has been paying attention to the production team behind this virtual idol, trying to guess the number of great masters that were behind the '100-Year Period of Destruction.' The following name list contains the real members behind the scenes of the 'Polar Light' project team, including the composer of the four movements."

On the screen, the two presenters faded, and a big and bright credits list appeared.

"Polar Light Project Producer: Fang Zhao

The '100-Year Period of Destruction' four movements composer: Fang Zhao

The '100-Year Period of Destruction' four movements songwriter: Fang Zhao

Vocals: Pang Pusong

Main production team members: Fang Zhao, Zu Wen, Song Miao, Pang Pusong, Zeng Huang, Wan Yue, Fu Yingtian, Stiller, Zhang Yu, Rodney."

All the audiences online: "..." Are you f*cking with me?!

Chapter 75: How Scary

Let us compare the ending subtitles of the four movements of the Music Video "100-Year period of destruction" with Silver Wing's latest news.

Was there a difference?

Was there?

Had they just added songwriter and composer to the four movements of "100-Year Period of Destruction"?!

"What treachery. After I heard the gossip, I had been waiting here since early morning, only to be made a fool!"

"This is merely a scheme to make a fool out of others, as there isn't any change in the music video's subtitles."

This was not the end, though, as one scrolled up the subtitles, it revealed the undisplayed detailed name list. For example, remixers, classification songwriters, recorders, background singers, consultants, or whoever and whatever department that contributed to the whole spectrum of the project, in order of importance.

"Why does symphony remixer and electronic music songwriters only show Fang Zhao's name?"

"And there is only one consultant?! Fang Zhao?"

Do you think we will believe that?

Hehe…

We. Will. Not. Reply!

"Is there a problem with the producers, composers, or consultants?"

"What about the consultant team that was mentioned? Why is there only one person?"

"I am guessing Silver Wing purposefully found a few people with the same names. Yes, this must it. Haha, I am so quick witted, which is why I can identify all the similar names!"

The media who were initially enthusiastic about the headline grabbing news were also stunned. Now, how were they going to write the news with this?

Was Silver Wing trying to make a fool out of others early in the morning?

"Boss, what do we do? Should we issue an article? I noticed that others have already published," said a staff member beside him.

Qian Cheng looked at the sent message from his employee. Written on it were different categories of news from Yanzhou, all ready to trend, no matter if they was real or fake, ramblings, gossip, or even conspiracy theories.

"Wait a while," Qian Cheng said while setting the messages aside. Prairie Fire was not some shortsighted media company. Though they might publish rubbish at times, they still needed the rubbish to attract readers. He understood that there were a significant number of readers who would read his news. Hence, they should not do anything rash just because of Silver Wing's ridiculous issue.

"We can publish now!"

Though many people might have received a rude awakening from Silver Wing's news, at this point of time, they still tended to believe Prairie Fire more.

In these turbulent times when other small and medium media companies were issuing uncredible news, Prairie Fire chose to survey the situation as usual. Their patience was thus rewarded with the issuing of a statement citing a new direction from Yanzhou Music Association's deputy head, Dina.

Only two minutes had passed since Silver Wing's "bombshell" when Dina had announced her views on the issue.

"During the issuance of the second movement, I once said that, behind the scenes, there was an excellent symphony remixer and electronic music composer. Moreover, I have tried to derive an explanation for this by asking many others on the noble style that is unheard of in the industry, but I was left without an answer. Only through Ming Cang yesterday was I able to understand the truth.

"I always thought that the background symphony remixer and electronic music composer had to be pioneers of the industry. However, it now seems that not only are they the same person, but he is also a fresh graduate that graduated from university less than a year ago! The youngster will indeed be a force to be reckoned with in the future!"

A momentary confusion spread across the people who read this news.

"What should we make of the situation?"

"Is Dina trying to mislead others just like Silver Wing?"

During the heated discussion, Prairie Fire again published another piece of cited news, but this time, it was from not Dina but Ming Cang.

Ming Cang had posted a photo he'd taken with Fang Zhao before he left Silver Wing. Underneath, he'd written, "As mentioned, I met my benefactor two days ago. A surprising yet admirable person indeed."

"So the person beside Ming Cang in the photo is Fang Zhao? The same Fang Zhao mentioned in the subtitles?"

"There is no doubt that it is him! I graduated with him! I can provide proof!"

The two public issuances from Prairie Fire caused much hesitation among the public.

Since both Yanzhou Music Association's deputy heads Ming Cang and Dina had already given their assurances, it couldn't be a scam, right?

Did this mean it had to be true? Silver Wing had not just lumped people of the same name together?

Was Silver Wing's fictitious producer really the same Fang Zhao as shown in the music video's credits? Composing, songwriting, remixing, and consultancy were all done by the same person?

"Sigh, how scary is that!"

After the assurances from these two high-ranking music industry officials, the layman could only marvel at the brilliance of this young musical talent. However, those in similar professions felt shocked, as they found it hard to believe that someone could achieve such an impossible task.

It seemed like Prairie Fire's previous prediction of a famous consultant backing Silver Wing's production was entirely wrong.

Two professors who'd given their comments regarding the first movement—Professor Bradley from the Yanzhou University's history faculty, who specialized in the Period of Destruction, and Professor Kou Da from Yanzhou Academy University of Science and Technology, who specialized in animal mutation during the Period of Destruction—both fervently expressed their interest to interview this young consultant, who held simultaneous roles, on academia and also his life story.

Musical professionals who were in the same industry also expressed their disbelief at this news.

"The strong influence of the song, which brings to life the era of the 'Period of Destruction,' can only be produced by someone with extraordinary skills. How can a fresh graduate produce a song that has such strong influence? "

Apart from readers who found it hard to accept this news, even the manager of Silver Wing's Music Composing Department thought that Fang Zhao was an extraordinary musical freak!

Before the recording, Fang Zhao was researching interesting sounds and melodies of the new century and also artistic works from the preceding era. As the computer skills of the 21st century were not that proficient, Fang Zhao had provided guidance to the electronic composers to produce the tune that he expected. In every single movement, with the hundreds of electric instruments and sounds, Fang Zhao simultaneously had taken on the roles of symphony remixer and electronic music composer to produce this brilliant musical piece.

Meanwhile, the former head of Silver Wing's virtual project, Master Glifetz, who was currently resting in Jinggan city, was sick again.

Overshadowed and unable to compete, reality was the best medicine. After hearing the news from the employees back there, he finally gave up all thoughts of going back to Silver Wing. All this while, he had been trying to come to terms with his situation. However, after hearing the news, he once again suffered a huge emotional setback.

Of course, unavoidably, he still gave his opposing views.

"I have analyzed Fang Zhao's previous works, and they do not match up to this style. For the identities of the producers of the '100-Year Period of Destruction,' I still maintain my previous stance."

"There could even be more big news incoming."

"Has anyone checked on the identity of Fang Zhao? We can't just let Dina and Ming Cang guard it without us knowing, right?"

Though some people might have fancied "Hehe, my dear" when it had first appeared on the New Pioneers Chart, in the expert's eyes, there were many more inadequacies than the four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction." The difference was merely too vast to compare.

"Though I have heard that Fang Zhao's results have been excellent, we must note that Qi'an Music Academy has many remarkable students. I was also unable to observe anything spectacular about his previous works."

To such suspicions, Qi'an Music Academy quickly issued a reply.

"Some people are just unable to listen to the explanations of others and have a stance of 'As long as I am unable to do it, nobody else can. Hence, you must be the one with the problem, and I am definitely right.' What fools these naysayers are."

At present, the fashionable style of music was different from symphony structures. However, composing was just like cooking. Though one dish might not be your forte, you might be able to produce another dish that is of a high standard. Perhaps Fang Zhao was merely able to find his own forte and was able to grow into it. In the world of art, these things were fairly common. It would be unusual if such a thing did not happen!

Composing, creativity, and epiphanies were very mysterious things. You might be helplessly lost at one moment and bursting with inspiration in the next. One should not look down on others, as there were many talents in the world, though some might take longer than others to shine.

The topic of whether or not Fang Zhao was the true creator of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" was still undergoing a heated debate online. Silver Wing welcomed such discussion. As long as it remained a hot topic, they would naturally find a way to allow observers to vote.

However, Fang Zhao was not in the office over the last two days, as the company did not currently require him to do anything. Moreover, there were lots of media personnel lying in wait near the office. Some were awaiting other celebrities, but some were awaiting him, the latest hot topic.

In the past, when he'd had no reputation, even if his name was included in the credits, no one would come looking for him. Even if he stepped out, he was not afraid of being recognized. Now, even on a public train, he would be approached by others. News on the internet spread too quickly.

Thus, Silver Wing had arranged a private car with a personal driver to fetch him every day from his residency to Xue Jing's house.

He had set off earlier today. Before embarking on the journey to Xue Jing's house, Fang Zhao had told the driver to take him to a bookshop. His notebook was full, and he preferred drafting on a hard copy notebook when composing. He had no fear of it being stolen, as his scores were written in codes that nobody else except himself was able to decipher.

Xue Jing had introduced to him a shop that specialized in selling such hard copy notebooks. Many other producers with similar habits liked to use their notebooks, as it gave them a sense of comfort.

In the antique shop, the shop owner who was beyond his middle-age years hummed a tune while looking at the latest entertainment news. When Fang Zhao stepped into the shop, it so happened that the news simultaneously featured his graduation picture from Qi'an Music Academy.

The shop owner looked at Fang Zhao before turning back to the screen. Recognising him, he turned back to Fang Zhao and greeted him with a warm smile, "Welcome."

As there were many people who frequented his shop to buy notebooks, including great masters, although he might have been momentarily stunned, he was able to regain his composure fairly quickly.

"Whichever notebooks you like, feel free to browse around. There are samples at the top and pens at the sides for you to test out."

As Fang Zhao did not have any strict criterias on the type of notebooks that he preferred, he merely tested a few samples that Xue Jing introduced him to before making his purchase.

Only when he was leaving the shop did he find out that he was unable to proceed.

Fang Zhao silently watched the people approaching him. His first instinct would have been to draw his gun. Luckily, he did not manage to feel any murderous intent and he remembered that this was not the end of days; thus, he was able to control himself.

"Good day, I am an intern from Prairie Fire's music department. Could you please provide us with your views on the doubts that have been raised against you these past two days? Do you have any other evidence to prove that you are indeed the original pr-producer of the '100-Year Period of Destruction'?" the interviewer stuttered as he looked at Fang Zhao's emotionless eyes.

Although he was unable to notice any obvious anger in Fang Zhao, he suddenly felt a lack of confidence. Even his voice started to break apart, as though someone had pointed a gun to his head. He quickly retracted his hand that was clinging on to Fang Zhao's car upon his gaze.

As Fang Zhao stood by his car door, his eyes swept the surroundings and realized three people surrounding him. Two guys and a girl, all in their 20s. Probably all interns who had not yet graduated either.

As it was the start of February, Qi'an city's weather was not too fine. It was colder than usual and there were strong winds. All three of them were not well protected, with their noses and faces turning red from the cold.

Fang Zhao thought for a moment before passing them a card.

"Photograph it when you are back. And don't forget to send it back to Silver Wing when you are done," Fang Zhao said, stepping back into his car.

The driver quickly sped off, though he had never expected Fang Zhao to be approached by the media here. Why was he getting so much attention when he was not even a famous singer or movie star?

The three personnel who had approached Fang Zhao waited for him to leave before moving their somewhat rigid legs while looking at his card.

"What the f*ck!"

After taking a good look at the design of the card, the person's hand trembled and almost dropped the card before quickly grabbing tightly to it.

"Is...is...is... Is this really true?!"

"Fier... fiery…"

On the small card was an image of a bird in the form of an S-shaped flame, looking as though it was about to ignite and burn others.

Chapter 76: Evidence

Previously, Fiery Bird’s sound effects deputy department head You Chuan had left a miniprojector regarding the opening scene of "Battle of the Century" for Fang Zhao. Besides that, he had also given Fang Zhao a storage card that was meant for Fang Zhao to store his completed composition on. It was a very secure means of storage and had been jokingly coined by people within the industry as an ‘invitation card.’ Only people that had been ‘invited’ by Fiery Bird could receive such a card.

Duan Qianji had left a message for Fang Zhao the previous day saying that, should anyone approach him, he could just produce the outstanding card with the Fiery Bird insignia emblazoned on it. Duan Qianji had discussed with You Chuan and had obtained his clearance. As long as Fang Zhao did not divulge information regarding the composing of a piece for the opening scene, it was all right. On the other hand, the miniprojector containing the opening scene was not suitable to be handed out.

Duan Qianji had asked You Chuan, "If the card were to fall into anyone else’s hands, would there be any consequences?"

You Chuan had confidently replied, "As long as the music piece has not been stored inside, falling into other’s hands doesn’t matter. Losing it is of no concern either. We have our methods to retrieve it."

When he saw the three interns a while back, Fang Zhao had examined their attire and equipment. The Prairie Fire internship was also real. Besides, the three of them exuded the air of newbies. It did not matter who he handed the card to. Since he had run into them, so be it. After they had taken enough photos and reviewed the authenticity, he would get it back.

Handing it over to Prairie Fire was in line with Duan Qianji’s interests.

Fang Zhao was not worried that those people from Prairie Fire would hide the card. Even though the people there really loved finding nonsense topics to attract the attention of the masses, they were still a rather reputable and popular media organization in Yanzhou’s entertainment circle. They would not dare to do such a thing. Besides, Fiery Bird’s representative had said that they had means of retrieving it, so there was nothing to worry about.

Fang Zhao had done up a part of the composition for the opening scene of "Battle of the Century." However, he felt that it was not enough and required amendments. Once he was done with Xue Jing’s side, he would make the adjustments. Anyway, the matters with Xue Jing were almost done, at most another two days.

Fang Zhao had headed to Xue Jing’s place with a laidback attitude. The three interns that had been left behind shivered in the chilly wind. They looked around and hurriedly kept the card, afraid that if they were any slower someone might see them. Luckily, it was still early, and the shop was not that eye-catching, so nobody’s attention was here.

The three of them hurried back to Prairie Fire’s headquarters and looked for a senior that had graduated from the same school as them.

"Boss! My juniors stopped Fang Zhao today!"

"Oh?" Qian Cheng’s gaze never left the screen. He just asked, "So what are the results?" He did not place much hope on the interns. Even if they managed to stop the target at the location they were stationed at, there was no guarantee of getting the desired information.

The intern fished out a pouch from his pocket with slight reluctance. Opening the pouch, he took out the card. During the journey back, the three of them had touched the card a number of times. This was Fiery Bird’s storage card! A storage card only granted to certain collaborators! The average person had no chance of touching it!

Qian Cheng, whose eyes were still glued to the screen, shot a little glance to at the side. He paused for a second and stood up with a "whoosh."

"Fiery Bird’s storage card! Where did you obtain it?!"

There were no pirated copies of it. Those who tried were already in jail.

"It was given by Fang Zhao," the intern muttered.

"Fang Zhao? Why does Fang Zhao have this?"

Holding the card, Qian Chen circled the spot twice and pointed at the three interns. "Come to my office and give me a detailed breakdown of the entire encounter."

In the afternoon, Prairie Fire released yet another piece of news in the middle of a live broadcast.

"Recently, there has been nonstop discussions regarding the original composer of the four movements in the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series. I believe that many people just like us are waiting for the next compelling testimony. Today, we were fortunate enough to encounter Teacher Fang Zhao and asked for his thoughts regarding the doubts posted online. After that, Teacher Fang Zhao gave us this—"

Four photographs appeared, taken from every angle. On each of the photos was a card. The "S" shaped insignia on the card was very distinct.

Whether it was really a "coincidental encounter," nobody even cared. Everyone’s attention was on the four photographs.

A "Teacher Fang Zhao" had meant this for all the detractors familiar with Prairie Fire. Prairie Fire, which was neutral, had taken a stance. Now that they saw the four photographs, they would understand Prairie Fire's opinion.

"What did I just see?!"

"The fabled ‘invitation card’?!"

"This is Fang Zhao’s? From whom did he get it?!"

"Impressive. Where are the people who yesterday said that Fang Zhao has a powerful hidden backer? In your faces. Fiery Bird never hides in the shadows!"

Fiery Bird was the number one game company worldwide. Every single game produced by them had very high standards. Production requirements were stringent. For sound effects, from interlude music for loading screens, to accompaniment music, all the way to subtle sound effects that would not raise an eyebrow, attention was given to the finest detail. As for background music, that was really high-end and custom made. Fiery Bird would absolutely purchase the exclusive copyright. Other than in the game, it would not appear anywhere else. Certainly "exclusive" and closed off.

The music used in the production of their games alone might not necessarily have good reviews, but Fiery Bird was essentially a game company. They picked music based on the suitability. However, in the past, those that had received invitations were relatively reputable and capable great masters. Therefore, in the eyes of the masses, people capable of receiving an "invitation" were esteemed masters.

First-rate games and top-notch custom-made music, this was the impression the masses had all along.

Regardless of whether or not a composition would be used, receiving an invitation card was a testament to one’s capabilities. Going through the list of parties who had received the invitation, which one of them was not at the rank of a great master? Which one of them was not from a rather reputable studio? Even if one had not attained that rank, they would have made people take notice. Never before had there been a fresh graduate in his twenties that had received an invitation.

Especially among Fiery Bird’s faithful fans, gamers of every age group, they did not believe that Fiery Bird would make an exception. If Fiery Bird had given Fang Zhao an invitation, there could only be one possibility—Fang Zhao was capable enough to deserve it!

Soon after, Prairie Fire release some statistics and a list of all known invitees in the past 100 years. This year, Fiery Bird had issued quite a number, but the reason was still undisclosed. Qian Cheng had tried to inquire about the information of the other invitees but had had no luck. However, he believed, even if their identities were publically announced, there still would not be anyone younger than Fang Zhao.

"The youngest invitee in 100 years!"

Fiery bird only had a history of a hundred years, and Fang Zhao, among all the people ever invited, was the youngest!

If he did not have the capability, would Fiery Bird’s 100 years of reputation be put on the line?

Although it was not know what sort of sounds Fang Zhao would be making for the game, the number of people doubting that he was the real composer was shrinking.

The evidence displayed in front of their eyes was just too dazzling.

Yanzhou Music Association’s deputy head Ming Cang and Dina had already stepped out to verify it. Do you believe it now?

Still not believing?

Good. What about Fiery Bird, then?

Nothing to say now, right?!

However, just when everyone had accepted the fact with great difficulty and discussing Fang Zhao being the youngest ever invitee, yet another piece of news caused a sensation. If it was solely watching this piece of news, the scope of influence would only have been limited to the music industry and the academic world. However, being released now, it caught the attention of all parties.

Xue Jing had posted an article on his social platform mentioning that he was compiling a textbook "New Voices in Symphonic Compilation." The article mentioned the process of his compilation, the contents of his book, as well as people he would like to thank. Included inside were two photographs that caught everyone’s attention.

The first was a photograph of Xue Jing in the process of compiling in his study at home. The long-retired Professor Xue Jing was sitting there, leaning over slightly to discuss something with the person at his side, and the person beside Xue Jing was the Fang Zhao that had been dominating all the topics over these few days.

Inside, the list of contributors contained many familiar names. For example, Ming Cang, Dina, and a few other celebrated foreign persons in the music scene. However, they were only contributors. Whatever contents were contributed by them in the book were not major.

The tail end of Xue Jing’s article cleared up any doubts that people had.

"At least a third of the contents in this book were written and compiled by Fang Zhao. Inside, he has written about his experiences and techniques used when producing and composing. It also includes any difficulties he faced when producing the four movements of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' and how he tackled it. Everything was written and nothing was hidden. Anyone with an interest in symphonic structures should take a look. I’m sure everyone learnt a little back in secondary school. 'New Voices in Symphonic Compilation' will be launched in two weeks time in both electronic and paperback forms. Please look forward to it."

Following Ming Cang, Dina, and Fiery Bird, yet another hammer had been dropped.

How much ability and potential a virtual idol had depended on the team’s decisive function. This was something that the masses followed closely. As for Fang Zhao, he was the core of this team. Now, this core was starting to glow.

Yanbei city, retirement facility.

The nurse at the facility had come to promptly deliver dinner for the elderly living here. However, after pressing the doorbell without any response, and just as she thought that the house was empty, the door opened.

It had been opened using the central command system by someone inside. The nurse entered the house and saw no one. The voices of two elders drifted out from one of the rooms. Walking in, she found two elders huddled together, watching the news on the screen.

Chapter 77: The Decision

"Dinner is served, retired leaders," the nurse whispered.

No response.

The nurse raised her voice and repeated her message.

She heard back this time.

The old lady turned her head and smiled apologetically. "Just leave it there. We'll eat later." Her gaze returned to the computer screen.

The nurse was curious what kind of program had so captivated the two elders, but professional ethics prevented her from peeking. She could only hide her curiosity.

The two elders remained glued to their computer screen after the nurse left.

"I'm not done yet. What the hell are you doing?" The old lady scrolled the page back up.

"You're too slow!" the old man grumbled. But he didn't stay idle while he was waiting—he saved a screen capture of the page so he could send it to a few old friends later.

Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother read the news occasionally, but they never followed the entertainment headlines. But after Fang Zhao's visit on Memorial Day, the two elders had started scanning the entertainment items when reading the news every day. Their great-grandson had left a deep impression. They were free all day anyway; reading an extra section of news took minimal effort, so they were on top of the controversy in Yanzhou.

The two elders had watched the Yanzhou military recruitment video too. They loved the theme song, so they searched for it online to download. They ended up watching the music video and the credits at the end of the video. Initially, they'd thought their great-grandson had a namesake—until Silver Wing revealed the truth.

The old man and the old lady were naturally worried about all the skepticism online. This was family, after all. They were upset by the insults and condemnation. They had no jurisdiction outside of Yanzhou, but the least they could do was stick up for their own on their home turf. Even though they were retired, they still wielded some influence. Their former colleagues, veterans formerly under their command, and other young ones could respond to the allegations online.

But before the two elders could act, a mountain of evidence in favor of their great-grandson started piling in.

The two deputy heads of the Yanzhou Music Association, the world-famous computer game studio Fiery Bird, and the renowned master composer Xue Jing—they all vouched for Fang Zhao.

"Ha! Now they have nothing to say, right?"

Great-Grandfather Fang slapped his leg in jubilation. He didn't know the deputy heads of the Music Association, but he had heard of Fiery Bird and had come across some of their products. As for Xue Jing, they knew the name well. Xue Jing had already made a name for himself when the two elders were still in school. The name Xue Jing might have been alien to today's youngsters, but Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother had followed his career trajectory closely. Journalists had closely documented his evolution from "genius" to "promising young talent" to "famed teacher" to "master." He had a profound influence on several generations.

So the two elders were especially excited to see Xue Jing's fulsome appraisal of Fang Zhao. They also pre-ordered the electronic and paper versions of Xue Jing's new textbook, "New Voices in Symphonic Composition." They would receive it once it launched.

Soon, the two elders also started noticing new categories of results when they searched for Fang Zhao's name.

Medical journals.

"Silver Wing Genius Composer Fang Zhao Cracks the Code, Yanzhou Hull Virus Researchers Announce Breakthrough."

The Yanzhou research team had published their latest round of research results. "Breakthrough" wasn't an embellishment or exaggeration. They had genuinely achieved great progress. Researchers from related fields were now flocking from other continents to join the team. Even if they couldn't join, they wanted to observe. Yanzhou was on on the cutting edge of Hull virus research.

History journals.

"Respecting History: A Discussion of the Chaotic Entertainment Industry under Capitalism."

The article lashed out at the trashy productions that emerged in a capitalist context. The movies that took historical liberties aside, historical films had to stick to history. It was understandable if you had to fudge for artistic purposes, but you should be meticulous when it came to the core elements of the movie, no? Otherwise, the billions of lives sacrificed during the Period of Destruction would come off as a joke.

The music video for the fourth movement of the "Period of Destruction" series was held up as a counterexample.

But most folks in the entertainment industry laughed off articles like that. As long as we rake it in, who gives a damn what you have to say? If you're so smart, why don't you get into film production? As for the kid who composed the series, you just watch—he's not going to last long. Silver Wing is trying to milk its profits now; that's why they're tooting his horn so aggressively. When the buzz dies down, no one will remember him. How many shooting stars emerge every year and die an anonymous death?

"When a tree is burnt down, all that's left is ashes," a Yanzhou producer commented.

But Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother didn't know about the industry gossip. All they noticed was that Fang Zhao's name kept popping up in music, entertainment and current affairs headlines and on TV shows. In some cases, his name was mentioned in passing. In others, he was the centerpiece.

"Did I save the photo just now?"

"Yup."

"Did I save the picture of him with Xue Jing?"

"Yup."

After saving yet another screen capture, the two elders realized it was late.

They heated their dinner and had some of it, but Great-Grandfather was in a hurry to find a conversation companion.

When Great-Grandmother was taking out the trash, she could hear her husband's loud voice projected from their neighbor's room.

"Hey, Old Yang, let's not discuss matters of state today. Let's talk about our descendants. Do you know the kid who's been in the news? That's my great-grandson. He's in the entertainment industry. It's a tough industry. Unlike the other celebrities, he's just a composer, but he's already composed an epic series of four songs at such a young age." Great-Grandfather Fang tried to sound humble, but in reality, he was bragging hard. At this point in his monologue, he lifted four fingers, then retracted three. "One of the songs was used in a military recruitment ad for Yanzhou."

Neighbor Old Yang: "..."

Old Yang: "..."

"Have you been browsing the web?" Have you read the news? No? Let me show you my news clippings."

Old Yang: "Get lost!"

When Great-Grandfather Fang returned, swaying his head and whistling an off-tune melody, he noticed his wife wearing a knowing smile.

"What are you smiling about?" Great-Grandfather was puzzled.

"Did you forget something?" Great-Grandmother asked.

Great-Grandfather pondered the question. "I watered the plants on the balcony already."

"Who cares about that?"

"Then what are you talking about?" Great-Grandfather was still confused.

Great-Grandmother had no illusions about her husband's memory. "Don't you remember what you said when Little Zhao left on Memorial Day? You remember what you promised?"

It finally dawned on Great-Grandfather. "Did I promise him?"

He was in no mood to chitchat any more. Great-Grandfather paced in circles in his room then called Fang Zhao via videoconference.

Fang Zhao had just returned to his office after having dinner with Xue Jing.

"Something the matter?"

"Of course! Why else would I call? Am I bored out of my mind?" Great-Grandfather glared at his great-grandson.

Great-Grandmother laughed. They were retired. They had all the time in the world.

"You're in your office?" Great-Grandfather asked after examining Fang Zhao's backdrop.

"I just got back from Professor Xue's."

Great-Grandfather wanted to smile, but a thought struck him and he turned serious. "I was going to bring that up. I've been following the news these past few days. You've done a good job, but at times like this, don't let all the fanfare get to your head. Don't get carried away. Keep a level head."

Great-Grandmother glared at her husband. Weren't you bragging about him just now? And now you want him to stay grounded? Such a reversal.

But Great-Grandmother agreed with Great-Grandfather.

Even though they were in quasi-retirement after quitting the military, they had gone through quite a bit and witnessed others' ups and downs. They understood that the brightest stars always made for the biggest targets. Fang Zhao was one of their rare descendants who had made a name for himself. They didn't want his success to be fleeting. Fang Zhao's parents were gone, so as elders, it was their duty to offer a few words of caution.

Both Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother had much to say. Fang Zhao had already heard similar advice from Ming Cang, Xue Jing, and Duan Qianji. When you became famous, controversy naturally followed. You were going to face heat whether you were doing the right thing or not. People would seize on you to advance their own causes. Some of the noise would be helpful, some harmful, but this was a necessary rite of passage on the road to success.

In reality, Fang Zhao was not bothered much by all the feedback and pontification. He was someone who had been through a lot. In his previous incarnation, he was older than Ming Cang and Duan Qianji. He wasn't that much younger than Great-Grandfather, Great-Grandmother, and Xue Jing. The apocalypse was a different period than the New Era, but Fang Zhao had been exposed to the vagaries of life.

Great-Grandfather was still rambling on. "If you can't settle down, you could take a trip. Do you need bodyguards? One of my old army buddies owns a security company. Do you want me to send you a few guards?"

"There's no need. The label has taken care of it. The bodyguards should arrive tomorrow," Fang Zhao responded.

"The bodyguards your label has hired may not be up to par. What is their training?"

"I hear they're former special forces."

"Oh." That gave Great-Grandfather pause. "In any case, keep your composure. Let your colleagues deal with all the other crap. You just focus on writing your music and editing your textbook. Got it?"

"Got it."

"OK. That's it."

Great-grandfather ended the call, went to his bedroom, and removed a box from his nightstand.

"So you've decided?" Great-Grandmother asked.

Great-Grandfather sighed. "You know, sometimes you might as well rely on yourself. I have no use for the gun anyway. Don't you still have yours? If we need one, we'll use yours. I'll lend mine to the kid. He might not need it, but it's just for peace of mind."

Chapter 78: Heading Out to Gather Materials

The second day after Fang Zhao spoke with Great-Grandfather was a Saturday. Second Uncle did not have to work, so he borrowed a car from his colleague and made a four-hour drive from Yanbei City to Qi'an City.

The previous night after dinner, Second Uncle had decided to head out and chitchat with a bunch of friends from the same housing block. He had seen all the news and information regarding Fang Zhao and, in the past two days, had chatted with people in the vicinity. Previously, Fang Zhao had bought candy for the kids within the vicinity. Fang Zhao had also come to stay with Second Uncle on Memorial Day. Lots of people had met Fang Zhao here; thus, when the news erupted, many people recognized him and dragged Second Uncle out to chat everyday.

As he was preparing to leave last night, he had received a call from Great-Grandfather Fang. Having always been the one to make the call, there had never been a situation where Great-Grandfather Fang had taken the initiative to contact him. Seeing the terminal displaying the word "Grandpa" gave Second Uncle a scare and made him think that something had happened to Great-Grandfather Fang

However, Great-Grandfather Fang only asked about the situation with Fang Yu and then enquired as to whether Second Uncle had any plans on Saturday. Upon finding out that Second Uncle did not have to work and had no other arrangements, he asked if Second Uncle could make a trip to Qi'an City.

It was rare to be be assigned a task by Great-Grandfather Fang, and Second Uncle was feeling excited. He immediately went to borrow the flying car from his colleague, and early on Saturday morning, he went to the retirement facility, received an item from Great-Grandfather Fang, and pledged to complete the task successfully before driving straight for Qi'an City.

Fang Zhao had received a message from Great-Grandfather Fang on the second day. Great-grandfather had something to give him and Second Uncle would deliver it over, thus, on Saturday morning, Fang Zhao was up early and waiting at home.

Second Uncle followed Fang Zhao's given address. As he neared this district, the car's in-built computer beeped a speed limit warning, and the security personnel requested identification, a verification number, and other information. Only after all that was he able to drive to Fang Zhao's block.

Fang Zhao was already waiting in his top floor penthouse.

"Seems like this area's security measures are rather stringent. You probably don't have to worry about being disturbed."

Before coming, Second Uncle had been worried that, with all the attention Fang Zhao was getting, his lifestyle would surely be disrupted. But seeing the tight and secure environment, he felt at ease.

"Indeed, there are not many disturbances." Fang Zhao guessed that Xue Jing had purchased the place all those years back to avoid trouble too. If he was still living in the black street, reporters would have already been camping outside his door. Maybe some journalists even knew the black street rules better than the tenants themselves.

"Great-Grandfather Fang wanted me to pass this to you."

Second Uncle did not know what Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to give to Fang Zhao, nor did he check what it was. He did not even touch the tea upon entering the house, choosing to hand over the wrapped box to Fang Zhao straightaway.

After delivering the item, Second Uncle did not stay long. Knowing that Fang Zhao's situation was safe and well, he did not worry anymore. Since he seldom came to Qi'an City, he took this chance to find a couple of old friends for a chat.

After Second Uncle left, Fang Zhao tore off the wrappers on the box and input in the passcode Great-Grandfather Fang had given him to unlock it. Opening the box, he saw the black gun that was lying inside.

The black gun in the box did not have a casing. The body of the gun emanated an icy-cold glare. From the gun's structure, it was different from the one he had picked up from the black street. He had seen this sort of gun in games before.

There was also a note inside the box which read: "If you want something done well, do it yourself."

Below it was another line: "Only for self-defense."

Looking at the gun and the note, Fang Zhao laughed. He burned the note, kept the gun, and sent his great-grandfather a return text: "Received."

Fang Zhao had still thought that he would need to raise his reputation even higher before asking Great-Grandfather Fang for the gun. Little had he expected that Great-Grandfather Fang would send it over that quickly.

Great-Grandfather Fang had sent the gun over mainly because he had made the deal with Fang Zhao. Other than that, he felt that being a celebrity was dangerous, as attention would always be on Fang Zhao when he went out. What would he do if he ran into a crazed person? He might also run into unscrupulous people with bad intentions. Fang Zhao did not have any reliable friends in Qi'an and could not completely trust Silver Wing. Even if they arranged a bodyguard for him, how much assurance was there that he could be completely at ease? The world would always have crazy people who would do crazy things over small matters. What would he do if he encountered such a situation?

Great-Grandfather Fang felt that his great-grandson was an artistic youth who would not be able to raise his arms in a fight. With a gun for protection, the two elders would be more at ease.

Upon receiving Fang Zhao's reply, Great-Grandfather Fang had more words for Fang Zhao. "Don't think that having a gun makes you invulnerable; be wary whenever you head out!" A long winded speech from Great-Grandfather Fang who at this moment treated Fang Zhao like an ignorant doll.

"You think too much. I know how to handle a gun. I won't use it anyhow."

"You know my ass! Sigh, whatever. Youngsters nowadays just will not listen!"

"You are really overthinking. Right now I'm only slightly famous; I still cannot compare with all those big celebrities. There won't be much trouble at all," Fang Zhao replied.

Great-Grandfather Fang nagged on a little longer before ending the call.

Having obtained the item, there was no longer any need for Fang Zhao to stay home, so he headed to the company. He submitted an application with Duan Qianji, an application to head out and gather materials.

Great-Grandfather had said something right. He had suggested Fang Zhao head outside more often. Even though he was not affected by all the discussions in the outside world he had decided to take a walk to somewhere a little far.

The accompaniment piece for Fiery Bird's game was not yet complete. Fang Zhao wanted to head out to look for inspiration. When he did his worshipping at the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs, he got quite a bit of inspiration, but it was still not enough. Fang Zhao decided to visit other Cemetery for Martyrs in other continents. He had long wanted to visit the graves of his old friends.

Silver Wing Media's top floor office.

Duan Qianji was listening to reports. There were still two days till the end of online voting for the Rising Dragon poll. The standings for the three candidates were all very close, with each candidate having over 20,000,000 votes. Yet the gap between them was less than a thousand. At present, Polar Light's votes were the lowest, but looking at the total quantity, one thousand votes was in fact an insignificant gap. One could say that all three candidates were evenly matched.

Seeing the application that Fang Zhao had sent, Duan Qianji frowned.

Head out to gather materials?

And to other continents to gather them?

Was there a need to visit every continent's Cemetery for Martyrs to look for inspiration?

However, Fang Zhao had no pressing assignments to handle even if he stayed within Yanzhou. Regarding Polar Light's development plans, Fang Zhao had already seen and given his approval. Furthermore, since many media organizations were keeping an eye on Fang Zhao, Duan Qianji thought that letting Fang Zhao out to avoid the limelight was not a bad idea.

After some consideration, Duan Qianji agreed. Even if Polar light was not chosen for the endorsement deal, if Fang Zhao's completed piece was selected by Fiery bird, it would not be that bad.

Duan Qianji thus approved his request and even arranged for an intercontinental flying transport for Fang Zhao.

"The assistant I arranged for you can only reach Silver Wing at night. He has a flying license and will accompany you to gather materials. He will double up as a bodyguard too."

An hour later.

Silver Wing Tower 50th floor. Virtual Projects department.

Zu Wen had finished a game and came out to stretch his legs. A young man around his age had walked in, his eyes throwing curious glances all around.

"May I know who you are looking for?" Zu Wen asked.

The young man walked over, smiling. "Hi, I'm the new assistant assigned to Fang Zhao."

"That's you?"

Zu Wen had heard Fang Zhao mention that the superiors had arranged for an assistant cum bodyguard for him. He had never expected it so quickly, though. However, the person in front of him did not look special. This person was of a similar height to Zu Wen, and his body was not well-built, unlike the large chunks of muscles seen in movies.

However, since it was arranged by the top, Zu Wen kept whatever doubts he had to himself, smiled, and introduced himself. "Nice to meet you. I'm Zu Wen, the Virtual Project Department's top technician."

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Zuo Yu. May I ask if Fang Zhao is in?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Boss is in his office, that way." Zu Wen pointed Zuo Yu in the direction.

"Okay. Thanks."

When Zuo Yu arrived at Fang Zhao's office, Fang Zhao was just arranging the last piece of a manuscript that he was going to send over to Xue Jing tonight.

"Hi, Boss Duan arranged for me to come over. Starting today, I am your assistant. Is there anything you require me to do?" Zuo Yu asked with a smiling face.

Fang Zhao raised his head and looked up at him. After thinking seriously, he said, "Yes. Could you feed the dog? The self-feeding machine broke. It has not yet returned since it was sent for repairs."

Zuo Yu: "...Sure."

Although it was not what he had expected to be doing, Zuo Yu went about it seriously. Just... the dog seemed to dislike him. Whenever he got close, the dog would run.

After Fang Zhao completed the manuscript, Zuo Yu drove him over to Xue Jing's place. During the trip there, he had thought that Fang Zhou would ask him some stuff about his duties in the special forces and had already prepared what to brag about. Unfortunately, other than stating the address, Fang Zhao did not say anything much.

When they reached Xue Jing's place, Fang Zhao instructed Zuo Yu to head back first. He was going to stay at Xue Jing's place and finish the last bit of proofreading.

"You have one day to pack your stuff and prepare the flying transport. We leave at 7 a.m. the day after tomorrow." Fang Zhao told him.

"Where is the destination?" Zuo Yu asked.

"I will let you know when the time comes." As soon as he finished, Fang Zhao headed inside.

Zuo yu watched as Fang Zhao's back view disappeared. Shaking his head and pursing his lips, he said to himself, "Tsk. An artist."

…

On Monday, Du Ang headed upstairs to look for Fang Zhao.

Du Ang was very pleased recently. As the head of the newcomer's department and Fang Zhao's manager back when he was a newcomer, Du Ang had received lots of compliments and congratulations when Fang Zhao's popularity was on the rise. In the elevator, whenever he ran into other managers he knew, they would all come chat Du Ang up.

"Old Du, when you were the manager of the newcomer composers, what means did you to use to excavate a fine gem like Fang Zhao? Composing, songwriting, remixing, what an all-rounded talent!"

Du Ang was especially pleased. "I don't even know myself. I just kept digging and digging and I found myself a gem."

Today, the head of operations, Julian, had wanted to throw a celebration and had invited everyone to have fun. Thus Du Ang personally headed to the 50th floor to ask if Fang Zhao wanted to go with him.

But when the jubilant Du Ang reached the 50th floor, there was no sign of Fang Zhao.

"Where is your boss?" Du Ang asked Zu Wen.

"He headed out to gather materials," Zu Wen replied.

"Headed out to gather materials? Isn't that like a company-sponsored trip?" Du Ang felt extremely envious. "When will he be back?"

"We don't have a clue either. A minimum estimate would be between ten days and half a month, I guess."

Chapter 79: Landowners Are Very Much Like Dogs

The world was made up of twelve continents—eight normal continents and four special continents.

The eight normal continents were ordinary residential continents. The other seven normal continents besides Yanzhou did not have many differences. The four special continents, however, were relatively unconventional.

Zuo Yu had expected Fang Zhao to pick the closest continents to Yanzhou: Lazhou and Leizhou. However, he had not expected that, on Monday, Fang Zhao would tell him that their destination was Muzhou, one of the four special continents.

Muzhou was a huge agricultural continent. In the twelve continents, it played the role of a granary. Eighty percent of the world’s natural foodstuff was produced in Muzhou. In this age where synthetic food was the norm, the prices of natural foods had increased. Muzhou’s produce would have been even higher, especially those produced at Muzhou’s Su Family Farm. These could be considered a luxury good, but many people bought them. Many families with conditions would purchase natural foodstuffs straight from Muzhou, and affluent families would purchase agricultural produce directly from the Su Family Farm every month.

Other than that, Muzhou also had many tourist attractions. When people from other continents were sick of life in the city, surrounded by skyscrapers and a concrete jungle, they loved to relax in Muzhou, to see the vast and expansive earth and the clouds in the clear blue sky.

Muzhou was vast but sparsely populated. It was said that, many years ago, when the great general Su Mu had lead his people and reclaimed Muzhou, he had aired his views. He had wanted to build a few more farms at the land they had reclaimed. After that, when the New Era was established, Su Mu had really gone ahead with his plan. However, some people chose to leave Muzhou and headed to other continents that were developing. They felt that, compared to other continents that were rapidly building skyscrapers and cities, Muzhou was simply full of peasants. Less than one tenth of the original inhabitants had chosen to stay behind in Muzhou, and after that, there were still people that left gradually. Thus, the people remaining were not many. Even today, among all the twelve continents, Muzhou still had the lowest population.

Zuo Yu had been to Muzhou once. Back then, he was on an exchange exercise with the forces and thus did not have much time for sightseeing. However, what left a deep and unforgettable impression were the boundless farmlands and pastures.

The flying transport they were on had an optimal flight height. The transport was transoceanic but could not handle flying out of the atmosphere and into outer space. Upon entering Muzhou, Zuo Yu flew the craft lower so that Fang Zhao could view the vast fields and winding rivers from the window.

Zuo Yu was a rather talkative person. Since he got an all-expenses-paid trip so soon after becoming an assistant, he was in high spirits. As Fang Zhao did not seem to say much, Zuo Yu tried to find a topic to talk about.

"Can I call you Boss? Director Duan said that you would be paying my wages. Since I’m your subordinate, I should be calling you Boss, right?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Sure." Fang Zhao had no expectations when it came to how people addressed him.

"Boss, what made you pick Muzhou first? Could it be that you had wanted to travel here all along? I think you already know this, but Muzhou is really not too bad. Here the people lead a carefree and leisurely lifestyle. Have you heard this saying? Muzhou’s landlords are very much like dogs!"

This was people from other continents teasing Muzhou. Of course, the saying carried some envy and jealousy as well.

Muzhou had many landowners, and the family of Su Mu, a great general of the founding era, were the largest landlords and the richest amongst all the landowners.

"If only I was a Muzhou citizen. I could have received a large farm or pasture from my parents and been a leisurely landlord. Then I would hire some cheap labor from foreign continents and get them to work the land or herd animals. I wouldn’t need to keep an eye on them much—as long as they could use machines, it'd be fine. Then I would fly my transport and travel the world. Perhaps I could even be like the Su family and own my own spaceship. Every month I could head to a foreign planet for an extended holiday. Oh, those days!"

Compared to other continents, the pace of life in Muzhou was much more relaxed. The thoughts that Zuo Yu had were not just limited to him. Many people who came to Muzhou also had the same daydreams.

"However, that is only wishful thinking on my part. There are restrictions in Muzhou! Even money won't necessarily allow one to purchase land here. In Muzhou, only those who had stayed behind with great general Su Mu during the Founding Era were given land. This was the rule set down by Su Mu. Even if people from other continents migrated over, they could only purchase a small piece of land for a farm. Only if there were special circumstances where the Su family would treat one specially, only then could someone obtain a sizeable piece of land."

Zuo Yu’s face was green with envy as he spoke. "In short, I really admire this Su Mu person; he had vision. The descendants of those that followed him to take back Muzhou are all big landlords. As long as they own a piece of land, they can enjoy all they want. What a bunch of nouveau riche! I heard that before the end of days, Su Mu was a cow herder—"

"Shepherd," Fang Zhao interrupted.

"What?"

"Before the end of days, Su Mu was a shepherd, not a cow herder," Fang Zhao replied.

"...Oh. The meaning is similar. My history isn’t that good, I can never get my facts right."

Zuo Yu remember that Duan Qianji had let him see Fang Zhao’s information. It had stated that Fang Zhao’s history was very good, especially the history of the Period of Destruction. Compared to many reputable historians, his knowledge was not inferior.

Looking at the color of the sky and checking the weather forecast, Zuo Yu asked, "It is going to rain soon. Seems like it will be a heavy downpour. Should we continue on our way to Qingcheng, or should we find a place to wait it out?"

The Qingcheng that Zuo Yu mentioned was not a town but a city. It was the capital of Muzhou as well as the political and financial hub. Muzhou’s government was located there as well as the Muzhou Cemetery for Martyrs.

Fang Zhao also browsed through the weather news for this area of Muzhou. After a short consideration, he said, "Let’s stop first."

"Got it!" Zuo Yu searched for a place nearby where he could land. "There is a farm ahead where we can land the transport. I shall send them a request."

Many of the larger farms in Muzhou were equipped with garages meant specially for flying cars, vehicles, and other transports, as there were always many tourists who come to Muzhou, be they free and easy or following tours. Sometimes, should they encounter special situations which required them to take temporary shelter, they would have to stop at the nearest farm.

Stopping was not free, though. There was a fee to be paid. The amount depended on how much the owner’s family decided. If the farm owner wanted to collect more, he would. If he was in good spirits, he might even let them stop over for free.

"The farm owner has agreed. Ten dollars per hour." Zuo Yu laughed as he saw the offer. "Seems like this farm owner is in good spirits today. That is a cheap price. I knew a guy that came to tour Muzhou—when he stopped, the fee was a few hundred!"

Fang Zhao paid for an hour first as he did not know the situation at the farm. If it was bad, they could leave straight away. If the condition was fine, topping up more to rest a while longer was no issue.

The traffic light at the farm had already lit up. Zuo Yu steered the vehicle to make a descent.

Two people dressed in the working attire of the farm ran over. They should be workers that the farm owner employed.

Fang Zhao had only just stepped out from the transport when he saw a young employee hurry over to him and ask, "Do you require food and lodging? We provide guest rooms for tourists at a cheap price. Today the owner is in a good mood, so prices will be very cheap. Do your energy cells require changing? We have most mainstream energy cells here; we charge according to market rate."

Fang Zhao had not replied when he heard "woof woof woof." It sounded like a large dog.

The sound became louder and closer. In no time, Fang Zhao saw the figure of a large black dog that was over a meter tall. Perhaps it had seen an unfamiliar flying vehicle and caught the scent of strangers and came bounding over to stand guard. It did not get too close, standing about 20 meters away, howling at Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu. The fur on its body seem like it was going to explode.

This was a descendant of a meritorious service dog that had been in Muzhou.

After the end of days, service dogs were no longer needed on battlefields anymore. Every continent had some service dogs. Other than those that remained with the military, many were kept as pet dogs and bred from generation to generation. Now, the majority of descendants of such service dogs living in the city only kept the appearance of their ancestors but not their temperament. They still grew big, but as people in the New Era no longer required them to do much, most had become docile and meek.

However, Muzhou was a special exception. After the founding of the new era, Muzhou’s service dogs were split into two portions. One portion remained in the military as combat dogs and continued training. The other portion were trained as shepherd dogs and became the farm owners’ helpers.

In Muzhou, killing dogs was prohibited. Many farm owners held greater regard for their shepherd dog’s lives than those of tourists.

As Zuo Yu faced the black dog baring its teeth and howling at them, he thought to himself, This is a real dog. How could Fang Zhao’s Curly Hair back in the 50th floor of Silver Wing be considered a dog. It can only be considered a toy!

Chapter 80: Play a Little?

Although the black dog looked huge, its juvenile nature could still be seen. This was not a fully grown dog; its primary function on the farm was probably not to herd the animals but rather to stand guard.

The black dog was quickly led away from the garage by a worker. Fang Zhao scanned the rest of the garage. Other than their flying transport, there were five flying cars and one other large transport.

"There is a tour group here," Zuo Yu told Fang Zhao. "Approximately twenty-odd."

When the weather did not look good, tour groups were the first to look for a place to land. Certain places in Muzhou had weather that was extremely unpredictable. The weather forecast would issue a more detailed announcement one hour before any changes. Other than Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu, the others had found this place as soon as they'd heard the announcement. After all, this was the only place in the vicinity that seemed big enough for flying vehicles to land.

After arranging the accommodations, the farm employee told Fang Zhao, "Today is the competition day. The owner as well as owners of smaller neighboring farms are viewing the competition here. There is a tour group from Jizhou as well who have gone ahead to the viewing hall. A relative of the owner is taking part in today's competition, so the owner is in a good mood and has invited everyone to watch. The competition is going to start at any moment. Do you guys want to go? Refreshments in the viewing hall are all free."

Besides being famous for agriculture and tourism, Muzhou was famous for one other thing: Muzhou's sheep herding culture.

Muzhou's sheep herding competition had existed since the founding of the continent. In the beginning, it was Great General Su Mu who had organized it to add some entertainment and bring the people closer. He had believed that, in life, work and entertainment went hand in hand. However, back then, the competitions had been on a much smaller scale. Today, the sheep herding competition already had 500 years of experience and had a proper system and rules. The feelings that Muzhou citizens had toward this sheep herding competition was something the people from other continents were incapable of understanding. This was an entertainment activity that had followed generation after generation of Muzhou citizens.

If one spoke to a Muzhou citizen about a celebrity, even if it was an international superstar, a Muzhou citizen might not necessarily find him familiar. At most, he would remember the name or the face and maybe have an impression of roles the superstar might have played, but if one were to speak about a famous Muzhou shepherd dog, they would be able to recite the color of the shepherd dog's fur, its height, age, affiliation, competition years, awards, etc. They could even trace its lineage back three generations and spend an entire hour just talking about it. As for which farms the shepherd dogs belonged to, this was everyone's favorite leisure topic.

Therefore, it was not that Muzhou had no entertainment industry, just that their entertainment industry was different from that of other continents. Shepherd dogs having a higher standing than tourists was not without reason.

Fang Zhao was a hot topic back in Yanzhou but was not necessarily that well-known in other continents, let alone Muzhou. Until now, Zuo Yu had only seen a few lines regarding Fang Zhao in an electronic medical journal. There were no mentions in other magazines and news. However, this was beneficial, in a sense. Zuo Yu's job would be much easier, as he would only have to double up as an assistant and driver.

When Fang Zhao had been looking up information on Muzhou, he'd come across an introduction to Muzhou's sheep herding culture and a few videos of the competition. He had not yet had the chance to experience a live broadcast of the competition.

Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu unpacked lightly in the guest room before following the farm employee to the viewing hall.

There were still 40 minutes left until the start of the competition. When Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu reached the viewing hall, it was already packed and very lively.

The 400-square-meter viewing hall was like a small theater. The best positions for viewing were occupied by the farm owner and his neighboring farm owners. The invited tourists were all situated at the sides and allowed free seating.

When the two of them reached the hall, only the table right at the side of the hall and a few seats in the corner were empty.

According to the arrangement of chairs, one table could seat around four to six people. However, since the members of the tour group were all not that familiar with each other, some tables only had two or three members.

Fang Zhao did not mind where he sat as long as he could see the large screen.

"Here." The employee had brought them in through a side door. Fang Zhao then sat down at a table to the side.

After Zuo Yu entered, he shot a glance at the people situated near the main and side doors of the viewing hall. The corners of his mouth curled slightly before he straightened them out. When entering, there was a security check, and weapons were not allowed inside. However, when Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu had entered, the guys standing guard did not hear any warnings from the scanning apparatus.

Fang Zhao noted that in the middle of the viewing hall, it was very obvious who the owner's family were. Their seats were the best and biggest. Their area took up about 10 square meters, and two dogs guarded the area they were in.

When the flying transport was landing, they could check the farm as well as the owner's information.

This farm was the Shanmu Farm, The owner was Wu Yi, an 80-plus-year-old man. In the New Era, 80-odd was considered middle-aged. Wu Yi looked robust. He was a tall and burly man with a fierce face, who spoke in a low and muffled voice. When Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu entered, he shot a glance at them and paid them no more attention after, choosing to discuss with the other farm owners his predictions for today's competition.

Nowadays, people did not take part in the sheep herding competition. Instead, teams of shepherd dogs from individual farms would take part. The teams had minimum of six and maximum of ten dogs. Every competition would have 100 sheep released on a field. When the shepherd dogs were released, the timer would start and only cease when all 100 sheep were inside a fenced area. The team that took the least time would be that day's winner. The seven teams here would be placed according to their times.

Every competition day, there would be guessing activities with attractive prizes to be won.

Fang Zhao took a look at the prizes for today's activity.

Guessing the first place correctly, one would be able to win a cash prize with a twofold bonus.

Guessing first and second place, one would be able to get a fivefold bonus.

Guessing first, second, and third would grant a 12 times bonus.

Guessing the first four places would grant a 35 times bonus.

Guessing the first five places would grant a 100 times bonus.

Getting all standings correct would grant a 200 times bonus.

Every competition day, the number of participants varied, as did the prizes of the interactive activities.

According to the Muzhou's Shepherding Competition rules, one entry was five dollars. Purchasing one entry and getting the day's standings all correct would let one win a thousand dollars.

For Muzhou tourists, five dollars was an insignificant amount. Many people would try their luck and take part, Of course, those that could guess correctly were few and far between.

In the tour group, there were quite a number that were visiting Muzhou for the first time. They did not understand the farms at all and were even more puzzled by the participants taking part in today's competition. Reading an expert's online analysis? It just made them more confused.

Thus, many people strained their ears to listen to the conversations between the farm owners in the center of the viewing hall. After all, these farm owners were speaking loudly, so there was nothing wrong with openly listening. In a while, they would follow suit and submit their entries.

The large screen was showing the situation at the competition grounds. Currently, they were having precompetition interviews with some of the participating farms.

The farm Fang Zhao was resting at was near the eastern border. The competition was on the other end of Muzhou's eastern district, close to Muzhou's central district. The weather there was bright and sunny, unlike the dark clouds that were gathering here.

"The weather at the competition is not bad. Who knows, Big Sis Carla might take home first place easily," one of the smaller farm owners said to Wu Yi.

Team No. 3 in today's competition was Wu Yi's cousin's farm's team. His cousin's farm was called Carla Farm and had a carrot as its symbol. Therefore, people who were familiar with it liked to call it Carrot Farm.

"I have high hopes for them too." Wu Yi's face was full of smiles. He was in a cheerful mood. He then submitted his entry for the activity, with his cousin's farm as his pick for first place.

"Ho! One million?! Thats a lot of faith, man!" Another small farm owner spoke in an exaggerated tone after glancing at Wu Yi's entry wager.

"Then I shall buy some too, for Big Sis Carla, 500,000. To show my support for her."

"Me too. However, I only have a small farm, not as lavish as you guys, 100,000 to show my support."

As Wu Yi and his fellow farm owners happily chatted, the tourists sitting to the sides had complex looks on their faces. They had heard that the people of Muzhou were nouveau riche, but they had no idea of the wealth a normal-looking little farm had. Today, they could consider themselves as having experienced it. This group of people did not have to go to work, did not have to slog their lives away. Just by watching their own lands, they could play around freely.

Envious? Jealous! Almost dying from jealousy!

"Hey, you guys from overseas, are you interested in playing a little? When you are in Muzhou, how can you not take part in these activities? Who knows, you might even win yourself some money," one farm owner told the people in the tour group.

The tour leader only smiled and replied, "I also bought one entry. A small gamble only."

However, many members of the tour group were interested now and chatted with some of the farm owners there. The farm owners shared with them a bit of their own experiences and explained to the tour members the rules of the competition and things to take note of, such as how to know which was the team's lead dog, how to see them finding the lead sheep, their running positions, coordination, and other things.

"Boss, do we follow?" Zuo Yu asked Fang Zhao. Zuo Yu did not have much money to play with, just enough for a small gamble or two. There was no way he could match up with the rich landowners who dumped in thousands in the blink of an eye. However, Fang Zhao was different. How much Fang Zhao would earn from the four movements, Zuo Yu was very clear on that.

"Mhm," Fang Zhao replied with a groan but did not say anything, instead continuing to browse through information and videos online on the participating shepherd dog teams taking part in today's competition.

As Wu Yi was chatting, he swept a glance across the room and realized that all the tourists were gathered together and discussing. Only the two latecomers to the side were still sitting down seriously watching past videos of teams' performances in past competitions. One of them was even writing stuff down on a notebook.

"Tsk, acting like they know alot," Wu Yi muttered. He had seen many foreigners who came to Muzhou and took part in these activities. They went through all sorts of analysis and calculations, but at the end, they achieved not a damn thing.

Muzhou's shepherd dogs were not something that foreigners could easily understand. Even when a few experts on dog species and behavior came here, out of ten competitions, if they could guess five correctly, that was already not too bad. There were also foreign livestock owners who thought that they knew a lot coming to take part, but in the end, they left in silence.

Therefore, Wu Yi's advice to foreigners was to place less trust in online analysis and instead follow their gut feeling. Who knows they might even win. All the analysis online was just a smoke screen meant to make people muddled. There were no professionals who could pass on their experience in Muzhou, nor was there anybody who could have consistent winnings!

The submission for entries ended ten minutes before the competition started. Fang Zhao submitted his entry two minutes before the deadline.

Beside Fang Zhao, Zuo Yu stretched his neck over and copied Fang Zhao's entries. He did not know what he was doing, so he just blindly followed the artist. Originally, he had only wanted to purchase one entry, but after some consideration, he added another two zeros behind it and submitted 100 entries. One entry cost five dollars, so his total wager was 500 dollars. After all, he had already started work. The wages that Fang Zhao paid were not less than 500 dollars; losing it all did not really matter. He just took at as it as a contribution to Muzhou since he had come all the way over. Great General Su Mu was the person he admired most, after all.

Chapter 81: Winning

Several generations of mechanical dogs had been developed for shepherding purposes, which enabled farm owners to better monitor their flocks, but good ol' shepherd dogs were still preserved. When the weather was bad or other forces of nature affected the electricity supply or the broadband grid, those silhouettes that breezed through the pastures like wind came in handy.

The people of Muzhou wanted to preserve their shepherd culture, even though it had been questioned by natives of other continents many times. The shepherding contest had lost its purpose from General Su Mu's days and turned into a profit-making business, they alleged. Still, the contest continued until present day because the people of Muzhou kept benefiting from it.

Each season of competition lasted a year, from the beginning of the calendar year till the end.

The competition format at the beginning of the year was straightforward. Teams that placed well in the first round of competition would advance to the next round. Each round was progressively more difficult. Fang Zhao and company were taking in early-round action, so the tasks weren't that challenging.

Fang Zhao had never been a shepherd before, but he had heard about the profession quite a bit from his pal Su Mu during the end of days. When his friends had gatherings, Su Mu loved to talk about his shepherd days. Toward the end of the apocalypse, when he no longer remembered what normal life was like, Su Mu'd had a crystal clear memory of his days as a shepherd. His management skills as a general had derived from his tenure as a shepherd.

Fang Zhao had also learned about shepherd dogs from Su Mu. Su Mu's squadron had the most battle canines. It also included several canine auxiliary units.

After the devastation of the end of days, sheep had evolved from their original form before the apocalypse, but after careful breeding by agricultural scientists, sheep of the shepherding variety had reverted back to their original state quite a bit. However, they were still larger in size than before and less meek in personality.

The broadcast of the competition began on the big screen.

"Team No. 1 has set off!" the commentator announced.

The first challenge evaluated the shepherd dogs' ability to round up sheep. For Muzhou's old hands, this was a telling skill that revealed the team's competence.

The respective farm owners coached their own shepherd dogs. In the early days of Muzhou's shepherding competition tradition, human contestants were allowed to direct their shepherd dogs, but eventually this proved to be too easy, so people were barred. The shepherd dogs had to act independently. Their trainers could only watch from afar. They had only three opportunities to intervene. When their dogs were struggling, the farm owners could ask for their images to be projected onto a designated area of the grassland. They would use hand signals and a conducting baton to instruct their dogs.

The first team ran into trouble soon.

"Dog C of Team No. 1 is out of position. It's veered off path, off course. It still hasn't corrected itself," the commentator announced loudly. "Oh, Team No. 1's farm owner has asked to instruct by projection. He has no choice. If the dog isn't corrected, they'll jeopardize their chances when they lose sheep."

It was easy to miss sheep if the dog attacked a single flank. The task was only complete when the dogs shepherded all 100 sheep into the pen. Thus, single-flank shepherd dogs didn't make for great competitors. Even the single-flank dogs that had been retrained would relapse. That was what was happening in Team No. 1. The farm owner wasn't mad. He just asked for instruction via projection with a resigned laugh. Using hand gestures and a baton, he redirected the out-of-position dog to the correct location.

Thanks to his owner's intervention, the shepherd dog that had veered off course corrected itself, but that resulted in a delay. Their final time was 8 minutes and 5 seconds—not a great result. At competitions of this level, finishing under 7 minutes was considered a good time.

When Team No. 1 wrapped up, Team No. 2 took off. One of its dogs was too aggressive and bit a sheep, causing it to bleed, which resulted in a penalty of 15 seconds. The second team finished in 8 minutes and 1 second, slightly better than Team No. 1.

The third team was the most hotly discussed team among farm owners before the contest. Many of the tourists had bet on it placing first.

"Oh, Team No. 3 has adopted a circular approach. Moving into position... a blockade formation... Beautiful!" the commentator yelled.

The farm owners in front of Fang Zhao started getting excited.

"My little babies, fall into position! Pay attention. Don't mess up now!" Wu Yi climbed onto his reclining chair and screamed at the top of his voice, which crowded out all other noises.

"Keep up! You're a bit off. Come back. That's a good boy!"

The farm owner was so agitated, it seemed like he wanted to run onto the pasture and give the dog that had veered off course a little kick.

"Head dog, follow the head dog! Good! Very good! Yes, that's the one. Stay in control!"

Fang Zhao watched on the big screen TV as the scampering shadows barked loudly as they herded the dispersed sheep into a single cluster. As for the farm owners, whether they were ringside or watching on the big screen, they looked like they had been injected with amphetamine. Even the dog next to Wu Yi was glaring at the screen.

Meanwhile, the tourists that were sitting nearby were a bit spooked by the show of emotion. They had probably never thought anyone could get this excited watching dogs herd sheep, but a few of the younger tourists were also quite engaged because they had placed money on the third team. Even though they were clueless about positioning and blockades, they could figure out the gist of the action and read the timer in the upper right corner of the big screen.

When the dogs of Team No. 3 had successfully rounded up the sheep and steered them into the designated pen and the commentator announced "mission complete," the farm owners howled.

"Five minutes and 32 seconds! Team No. 3 from Carrot Farm is in first place. They have a 2-minute lead on the second and third teams. Looks like our champion has been decided," the commentator said.

The winning result for the round was outstanding. After the teams finished, the big screen played expert commentary of Team No. 3's performance. The analysts broke down the limb movement and change in direction of every single dog using slow-motion replays, lavishing praise on their physical qualities.

"Big Sister Carla's farm is going to be famous again," the owner of a smaller farm said enviously.

"Haha, I'll have to ask big sister to lend me a helping hand, then." Wu Yi was happy for his cousin's team. "Do you know who the lead dog was from the team that competed just now? King Kong! He's the father of our dog Chubby Black. Hey, where's Chubby Black? Chubby Black!"

Wu Yi kept yelling for his dog. Soon, the black dog that had barked at Fang Zhao and company in the parking lot surged forward, wagging its tail vigorously and whining for attention. Come to think of it, the dog was indeed a bit chubbier than the shepherd dogs that had just taken part in the competition.

Wu Yi dragged Chubby Black to his side and kept talking. "Many of you may not be familiar with the name King Kong, but I'm sure you've heard of its great-grandmother Tornado."

"Oh, you mean the dog named Most Valuable Dog about a dozen years ago? Word is it was worth tens of millions."

"That's it. That's it. That's the one. So, strictly speaking, Chubby Black comes from quite the royal lineage."

As talk began of former MVDs and royal bloodlines, the tourists went blank. Amazing. A shepherd dog was actually worth more than all of them combined.

After bragging about his dog's lineage, Wu Yi nursed a glass of wine and glanced at the opening formation of Team No. 4 on the big screen before turning toward the tour group. "So you're blown away by how much Muzhou shepherd dogs are worth? You know, most humans from other continents don't live as well as our dogs."

It was a stinging comment, but coming from a Muzhou native, it wasn't mean-spirited or derogatory, just a factual description.

Muzhou natives treasured their shepherd dogs. Some of their famous dogs enjoyed greater stature than people from other continents. That was why many shepherd dogs in Muzhou were more obnoxious than people, totally milking their edge over the human race.

"Lots of folks from other continents want to move to Muzhou, but unfortunately, Muzhou land is not open to foreign ownership," Wu Yi said as he kicked up his feet.

Some of the lessons Wu Yi had learned were passed on generation to generation from his ancestors who were the original settlers. He had heard some of these stories since he was a young boy. The most important story was the tale of the folks who left for other continents when the plot was first being cultivated. To each their own. There was no need to pass judgment. But if you wanted back in when the farmland was bearing fruit? Sorry, why don't you stay where you are?

From an emotional standpoint, those folks who left and regretted it were viewed as traitors. Thinking purely from self-interest, no one wanted newcomers to stake claims on their land or future plots waiting to be cultivated. A protectionist stance was necessary. If you decided to leave in the first place, don't bother coming back.

That was why Muzhou residents presented a united front. Few outsiders had been able to land a major piece of farmland in Muzhou since the continent's founding.

But there were other ways of obtaining land in Muzhou. Among the prizes for punters who placed bets on the shepherding competition was land. Many foreigners dreamed about winning a piece of land from the competition venue of Muzhou's shepherding contest. The problem was that few outsiders realized that dream.

Wu Yi laughed as he watched, on the big screen, the fourth and fifth teams post poorer times than the third team. The competition was evolving as the commentator had predicted, with Team No. 3 taking the title early on. But he wasn't as ecstatic as the tourists expected. They thought to themselves, He's living up to his reputation as a member of the Muzhou nouveau riche. All this prize money is nothing to him.

Meanwhile, members of the tour group who'd bet big money on Team No. 3 taking first place were now quite excited.

Zuo Yu looked at his betting slip and smacked his lips. I was right—can't count on this artist-type too much.

But the farm owners turned serious again when the final team in the competition, Team No. 7, set off.

When the third team emerged, the farm owners had been delighted. They'd chatted loudly and gesticulated wildly as they cheered the team on. But they looked less emotional when Team No. 7 appeared. Their eyes were burning with anticipation and hidden angst.

The seasoned tour guides thought to themselves that their intuition was that the seventh team was what the farm owners were truly looking forward to. Who said you could only place bets on one team? Some of the farm owners might have bet on teams entered by their friends out of loyalty but also placed other bets in secret.

Team No. 7 burst out of the gates in fine form. The commentator got emotional again.

"The eight dogs of Team No. 7 have adopted a pear-shaped formation. Good, very good—they've set up a blockade. They've rounded up the flock in no time. They're dissolving the blockade now. Beautiful! Perfect coordination. Now they're attacking the sheep. Pay attention to their eyes. Check out the gaze of the head dog."

"Keep your eyes on the head dog, Team No. 7's A dog. This is a dog with a kamikaze aura. It's tracked down the head sheep now. They had a brief stare down. The dog has the upper hand. Impressive! This is its first shepherding competition, but that was the best performance of the day. I sense a future star in the making!" The commentator oozed passion. Viewers could hear him pounding his table. Judging from the force of the pounding, they knew his hands had to hurt.

The best shepherd dogs could control the head sheep and contain its emotions with a stare. The stare was more effective than barking or biting.

"The sheep are arriving in the pen. They're all accounted for. Four minutes... 4 minutes and 6 seconds! Team No. 7 has taken a commanding lead and clinched first place with their time of 4 minutes and 6 seconds!"

The tourists who were thinking they had just won big were now dumbfounded.

Team No. 7 is first? Team No. 3 has been bumped to second place? How is that possible?

Zuo Yu also froze.

He glanced at the final ranking on the big screen then looked at his betting slip. He coughed lightly, picked up his mug, and wolfed down a glass of water to calm down.

Zuo Yu had followed Fang Zhao's lead in placing bets. Unlike folk who had only picked the champion or predicted the entire ranking, Fang Zhao bet on the order of the top five finishers and placed a 20,000-entry buy.

And Fang Zhao's prediction had been spot on.

Chapter 82: Really Don't Have One

When the standings came out, some people were delighted, while some were anxious. Now only sighs came from the previously high-spirited tour group. However, most people wanted to try their hand, and losing some money did not make them regret. They were more curious regarding the farm owners who had placed their bets on Team No. 3.

The farm owners there were not disheartened. Their faces were still smiling as they discussed the possibility of Team No. 7 breaking into the top four of the eastern region and how the lead dog of Team No. 7 was so incisive.

"Shoubei Farm seems to have great ambitions this year. In the previous two years, they were just a mid-tier team. I heard that this year they have a trump card they've been hiding."

"Shoubei don't even need to buy any ads this year. That dog is the best advertisement. Who knows how many investors they will pull in this year. I'm so jealous, man!"

On the screen, the onsite commentator seemed to really like the lead dog of Team No. 7. "Shoubei Farm's Team No. 7 has achieved first place today. The lead dog, Dog A is today's most valuable participant. Let's take a look at its information. Today it is celebrating its first birthday as well as being a debut participant, the golden-colored shepherd dog, Gold Colt! Lots of people here are rushing over to get a photo with Gold Colt. Lots of tourists from other continents are here as well..."

After watching the introduction on screen, Zuo Yu whispered to Fang Zhao, "Boss, how did you know that dog would win?"

"Feeling," Fang Zhao replied.

That dog really looked more menacing than the rest and had a penetrative stare. Perhaps many people had felt that, when it lead the herding, it would be very impulsive. However, in reality, it did not attack that incisively. It was restrained and very smart. Just like a well-trained soldier, it knew how to execute its tasks at the right moments. Indeed, it led the other dogs in its team well and carried out the instructions that it had honed on normal days to perfection.

When Fang Zhao was checking up on the information of the participating teams, he'd felt a sense of familiarity when he came across that dog. It reminded him of combat canines during the end of days. Although Gold Colt was still some way from a combat canine in the New Era, as a shepherd dog, it had done very well. Coupled with some of the experience that his old friend Su Mu had imparted to Fang Zhao back them, he had chosen Team No. 7 for first place.

As for the rest of the teams, Fang Zhao had used information from analyses of past results to make his decision. As some luck would be involved, and for positions six and seven, the variables were way too high, Fang Zhao had only bought an entry for the first five positions.

"Oh, seems like Muzhou farm owners are used to these activities already. They don't even feel anything after lumping that much money for nothing," someone muttered.

Wu Yi heard that and snickered in his heart.

Feel nothing?

How could that be? Did he really think that all that money fell from the sky?

It was just that this time his older cousin was taking part, so he had to give some face. When the time came, other than all the literal support, he still had to place his bets and show them to the others. This was proof of his support. Who knew, maybe if his old cousin was happy, she might send him a puppy.

Why was he not dejected? That was because, when he had placed his bets, at the same time, his wife had placed a million dollars on Team No. 7's Shoubei Farm. Although he really had hoped his older cousin's farm would win, her farm's strength was limited. Comparing the teams, Shoubei farm had been making waves in the scene this year. Thus, he had let his wife place a side bet. They did not make any money from the two bets combined and instead paid out some transaction fees, but those additional fees were insignificant. As long as they did not make a large loss, he was still satisfied.

The other small farm owners would have placed bets on Team No. 7 secretly as well. They just would not openly declare it, especially not to people from other continents. They actually looked forward to the foreigners following their bets. Despite losing, they were still able to make a contribution to their own continent. Muzhou spent a large amount of funds on improving the land, crops, and livestock, as well as technological advancements and construction. Every year, the sheep herding competition would bring in alot of funds from the hands of foreign tourists. This made the farm owners very happy. They found joy in swindling others.

Wu Yi was very happy to see the foreign tourists losing money. As he glimpsed the hanging heads and dejected spirits of those people, he was secretly delighted. But when his gaze fell on Fang Zhao's table, he paused.

"Hey, the two youngsters over there, you placed bets too, right? How did it go?" Wu Yi loudly asked. "Looking at your expressions, you must have hit your predictions, right?" The farm owners were not good-for-nothings. If they had not even had half a brain, how would they have steadily managed medium-sized farms? Judging body and facial expressions was not that hard. The two men there had smiles on their faces. Even if they had not made a windfall, they had certainly hit a few bets.

"Eh, someone managed to hit the prediction for first place?" The people from the tour group looked toward Fang Zhao's table with curious gazes.

Fang Zhao was not smiling because of his winnings; he was smiling as he remembered how Su Mu had talked about training his shepherd dogs. Hearing Wu Yi's question, he replied, "Our luck wasn't too bad."

"Really picked Team No. 7?" A smaller farm owner asked in astonishment. He knew that before the competition, even many people in Muzhou had tipped Team No. 3 as a favorite. It was only that the owners here had received some secret tips, only then did their intentions change. If even their own people would not have picked Team No. 7, why would foreigners even consider that? Besides, in previous competitions, Team No. 7's results were not impressive. It was only because they had changed a dog that they rose to prominence. Foreigners placing bets on Shoubei Farm was indeed unlikely.

"Looking at that dog, I felt that it was not too bad." Fang Zhao raised his chin toward the screen. On the screen was a recap on the performance of Team No. 7 and an analysis of the lead dog, Gold Colt.

"Not just that," Wu Yi said abruptly. "Since you could see Team No. 7 having a chance at victory, you surely would not have just placed a bet on first place. How many places did you buy? You bought second and third, right? Friend, share some knowledge with us. How many positions did you buy?"

With that, Wu Yi stood up, walked over, and stood facing the table where Fang Zhao was seated, a warm smile on his face.

"Top five," Fang Zhao replied.

"What?" Wu Yi thought that he had not heard correctly and asked again.

"I bought the top five positions."

"All... hit?"

"Our luck wasn't too bad."

Wu Yi was stunned for a moment, and then a wide smile appeared on his face. "Haha, awesome. Let's be friends. You guys are first time visitors? If you need any advice, feel free to ask me. I haven't seen anyone hit the top five in a really long time. To think that it would be on my farm, too. Haha, that's great. Come, order more, order more!"

Wu Yi instructed the employees to bring more food out. He had to have a good chat with this person.

"Top five?" Did he mean placing a bet on the placings of the top five positions? The other tourists that were listening to the conversation were flabbergasted. After all, one wrong entry would mean failure. Unless all five of his picks were in that exact order, only then would it be considered a win.

"Wait a minute, let me see the odds for predicting the top five positions—a hundredfold?! How much did that little fellow wager?"

"No idea, shall we ask him?"

"Haish, people would not say how much they wagered. Asking him would be a waste of breath!" an elder said in an experienced tone. As soon as he said that, they heard Wu Yi asking the same question.

"How many entries did you submit?" Wu Yi asked.

"Twenty Thousand," Fang Zhao replied.

Wu Yi: "..."

The smaller-farm owners who had gathered around: "..."

The people in the tour group: "..."

A small child aged around eight or nine who had followed his parents on the tour asked his father in a hushed voice, "That older brother said that he submitted 20,000 entries, and one entry is five dollars. That means that older brother waged 100,000 dollars. If he hit the prediction for the top five placings, that is a hundredfold pay out. That means it is 10 million dollars?"

The child's father laughed and said, "That's right!" He had wagered 10,000 dollars on Team No. 3 to win behind his wife's back. He had hoped to bask in glory after winning and telling his wife and child to buy more stuff, but now… he would just keep his mouth shut.

"If I remember correctly, I heard that you are friends from Yanzhou?" A few of the smaller farm owners had warm smiles on their faces too.

In certain places, people forged friendships over literature. In certain places, they bonded over alcohol. As for Muzhou, they possibly bonded over sheep herding.

When talking about other stuff, such as farming or businesses, they tended to be more reserved. For all the things said, nobody would know whether one spoke the truth or if it was all cr*p. It was not possible to check whether whatever the tourists said was true or not. Unless it was seen personally with one's eyes, there was little credibility. But sheep herding was different. Watching a competition was interaction. As for those that were able to wager and make the right picks, the farm owners were always willing to talk to such people. They treated them as decent people who were capable.

Therefore, after knowing that Fang Zhao had made a wager and correctly predicted the top five places, their attitudes toward him changed immediately. They saw him as a fellow enthusiast.

Originally, there was only Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu at the table. Now, the table had become crowded. There were some farm owners who could not find a chair and hence pulled some over from the neighboring tables to squeeze in with them. The core of the viewing hall had shifted from the central area over to the table at the corner.

"Guessing the top five is not easy at all. The strength of the third and fourth placers are about the same. I believe you when you said you got lucky. However, if it was all luck, that would be a joke. Friend, you have owned a shepherd dog before, haven't you?" Wen Yi asked.

"Never had one," Fang Zhao replied.

The farm owners put on a show of disbelief. If one did not understand shepherd dogs, how could they make such accurate predictions. Luck? Even if luck was a component, it only accounted for a small portion.

"You definitely have a shepherd dog, and not just one!" a farm owner at the side exclaimed.

"I really don't. I do have a dog, just one. I picked it up from the streets. It's rather small, not a shepherd dog," Fang Zhao replied seriously.

Zuo Yu imagined that little curly-haired dog running into the pastures and barking at the flock of sheep. However, the flock of sheep would pay it no mind and continue grazing on the grass. That scene made Zuo Yu want to laugh.

After that, Wu Yi invited Fang Zhao to join his family for dinner. In Muzhou, when a farm owner invited someone to have dinner together with their family, it meant that the farm owner regarded the person as important—it was a show of approval.

As for the rest of the people in the tour group, Wu Yi did not care about them. Regarding them, they did not have a common interest, so they could stay wherever was pleasant to them.

Fang Zhao asked Wu Yi about Muzhou's history. The information he'd seen online would still be different from hearing the words of a local.

Wu Yi spoke of a lot, of the stuff that could be found online and that which could not. When he heard Fang Zhao mention the Su family, Wu Yi felt that perhaps Fang Zhao wanted to form relations with the Su family.

"Till today, Muzhou is still the Su family's Muzhou. Sheep herding competitions are also organized by them. If you want to find someone from the Su family to discuss business, that might be quite hard. If you want to gamble on the competitions... listen to a word of advice. Don't show off. Earning more or less is enough. With your foresight, splitting up to earn over a few rounds is fine too. But if you keep winning large amounts, I fear it may get you noticed. I'm not saying that the Su family will take action or do anything, but there could be trouble."

It was because Wu Yi had seen Fang Zhao wager so much money and be so accurate. He felt that Fang Zhao's character was good—that was why he told Fang Zhao all this.

"In Muzhou, among those that can accurately predict the top five, as well as all the other positions, the Su family makes up 70%. If you had not told me that you had no relations whatsoever with the Su family, I would have thought you to be an illegitimate child of theirs. Rich families have their own problems too. If you are looking to build relations with people of the Su family, make sure you think carefully and pick the right person. Otherwise it could be troublesome." Wu Yi only dared to say this much in front of Fang Zhao. Anything more, he was unwilling to say.

Wu Yi was overthinking. Fang Zhao had no interest in the matters concerning the younglings of the Su Family. The one he was familiar with was Muzhou's Su family's "Grand Master."

Chapter 83: It's from Kowtowing

The weather was decent the next day, so Fang Zhao didn't linger in Shanmu Farm. He set off for Qingcheng.

Wu Yi was sad to see him leave. He had enjoyed discussing shepherding with Fang Zhao the day before. The more they had talked, the more he had realized how knowledgeable Fang Zhao was. He had offered advice that could be applied to raising shepherd dogs in Muzhou, which made him more enthusiastic about his guest. He had pleaded with Fang Zhao to stay longer to no avail. When Fang Zhao left, Wu Yi saw him off in person.

"Do drop by if you have time. You can bring Curly Hair. He can have a friendly matchup against my dogs. My farm pales in comparison to the big farms that can host formal competitions, but there's enough land to run around. You know, dogs are fast learners. Even if he doesn't know how to shepherd, he'll pick it up after hanging out with my dogs for a bit. When you visit in the future, don't worry about the lodging fee, just give me a heads up. Let me know if you need any fresh produce and the like. I'll save some for you ahead of time." Wu Yi rambled on as he directed workers carrying bags of produce onto Fang Zhao's flying transport.

Wu Yi felt he'd learned a lot from his conversation with Fang Zhao yesterday and should make it up to him. Wu Yi thought it impolite to take advantage of a younger friend that way, so he'd prepared quite a few gifts for Fang Zhao. Even though, as a general rule, he didn't like foreigners, he welcomed folks like Fang Zhao. That was how he operated—if he connected with someone, he would treat that person extra well. If not, he wouldn't bother with a single look.

Weather conditions were stable during the flight from Shanmu Farm to Qingcheng. The journey was smooth.

Although Muzhou was made up predominantly of fields, every continent had its major cities. Just like in other continents, you could find high rises in Muzhou. It was just that the buildings were spaced out, so black streets were unheard of, and every city was equipped with a shepherding competition venue, which served as an entertainment center and a site of cultural preservation.

As Muzhou's capital, Qingcheng was home to many large farms, and it boasted a lavish central business district populated with skyscrapers with unique designs. It was also equipped with the world's largest shepherding competition venue. Traveling from Qingcheng's suburbs to its central business district was like moving from one extreme to another—one was the natural abode of farms and ranches, the other a high-tech hub of the New Era.

Qingcheng had dedicated parking spaces for flying transports, but the movement of foreign aircraft like Fang Zhao's was limited. They were barred from the martyrs' cemetery. To get to the cemetery, Fang Zhao's party had to find an alternative.

After parking his flying transport, Fang Zhao called a cab.

The makeup of the martyrs' cemetery in Muzhou was similar to the one in Yanzhou. It consisted of a square, a grand monument, an area for scattered graves, a public worship area, and a memorial hall. But the martyrs' cemetery in Muzhou had a unique feature, which was widely known—a burial site for service dogs.

The martyrs' cemeteries in other continents also housed decorated service dogs, but not as many as the one in Muzhou. The Muzhou cemetery was also the only one to dedicate an entire area to service dogs.

Fang Zhao also knew that Su Mu's squadron had been the one with the most dogs. During the war, many of the dogs had been sacrificed. Their purpose had been to fight side-by-side with mankind and take their place in deadly missions, so it made sense that Su Mu had built a dedicated burial site for service dogs during the New Era.

The reason shepherd dogs in Muzhou enjoyed a rarefied status also had to do with the burial site for service dogs. The area was marked by a sculpture of Su Mu and a dog. Fang Zhao knew the dog well. Out of all the dogs Su Mu had raised, this one held a special place in his heart. When Fang Zhao's previous incarnation had passed, the dog had still been in combat with Su Mu in Muzhou. After being reborn into the New Era, Fang Zhao had learned from history books that the dog had saved Su Mu's life. Otherwise, Su Mu would have been missing among the founding generals of the New Era. But the dog didn't live to see the New Era.

Fang Zhao underwent an ID check when he reached the core area of the cemetery. It took some time because Fang Zhao was a foreigner and therefore scrutinized carefully. Zuo Yu's ID check took even longer.

"Here's the deal: outside of Yanzhou, many special venues will require thorough vetting. It's a pain in the ass," Zuo Yu told Fang Zhao. "Even if you're cleared at the entrance, you might get vetted again when you reach the cemetery's core area."

"Cemetery guards?"

"Right. The guards assigned to the cemetery have especially strong instincts. They're usually loaned from the police. The cemetery is a fixed rotation in the force. Their sense of smell is even better than a dog's. One of our instructor's army buddies was certified as a cemetery guard. He was assigned to the cemetery's core area every Memorial Day."

Just as Zuo Yu finished his sentence, they were approached by a guard. They had just set foot in the core area.

"He must have noticed something about me," Zuo Yu whispered to Fang Zhao. Zuo Yu was former special forces. It was understandable if he set off alarms.

Zuo Yu volunteered his ID when the guard approached.

After checking Zuo Yu's ID, the man turned to Fang Zhao. "Excuse me, your ID please."

While he was checking Fang Zhao's ID, the guard glanced at him a few times, especially when he noticed that Fang Zhao listed "composer" as his profession. He gauged Fang Zhao carefully, as if in disbelief.

When the officer left, a curious Zuo Yu asked Fang Zhao, "Why did it take him longer to check your ID?" Zuo Yu was puzzled.

"Probably because he thought I am a bigger threat than you are," Fang Zhao responded.

"Hehe." Zuo Yu didn't buy the explanation.

Fang Zhao paid no attention to Zuo Yu. He approached a tall tombstone and examined its carvings.

The carvings depicted a battle in Muzhou. It featured a few service dogs and a few humans joking around. They were less serious than soldiers in battle, even casual.

This was a group of old friends. One of them was Fang Zhao's previous incarnation.

Fang Zhao smiled at the carving, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

Fang Zhao left the big tombstone to examine the rows of smaller tombstones behind it. When he approached, he noticed someone sitting by the first tombstone in the first row. He looked around 13 or 14, a bit chubby. He was hugging his knees, so his face was obscured. Judging from the pool of water on the ground and the ongoing drool, you could tell the chubby kid was sleeping.

Sleeping in a cemetery? And by the first tombstone in the first row of graves in the core area of Muzhou's largest martyrs' cemetery at that. And he had drooled profusely without reprimand.

Considering how vigilant the guards were and the cemetery's strict security protocols, this was a far-fetched scene. Unless the kid was someone special, like a member of the Su family.

Only a Su could get away with sleeping in the cemetery without being kicked out by security guards.

"Hey, kid!" Fang Zhao gave the teenaged boy a gentle push.

"Huh? What's up?" The boy lifted his head, still drowsy, and wiped the drool by his mouth with his right hand, then repeated the motion with the back of his hand. He shivered and shrank his hand abruptly just as it was was about to touch the tombstone. He then wiped the hand on his clothes and turned to examine the tombstone, breathing a sigh of relief when he made sure it was untainted by his saliva.

Fang Zhao knew who the boy was the instant he saw the boy's face.

It was Su Hou, a member of the Su family. His immediate family had been in the news. Fang Zhao had come across his picture when he'd searched for news reports about the Sus.

Su Hou had an older brother and two younger sisters. They were named Wang, Hou, Jiang, and Xiang respectively. Su Hou's father had quite a few lovers and produced children out of wedlock as well, so there was plenty of competition among his offspring. Su Hou's brother Su Wang was a nerd studying at the Academy of Agricultural Science. His two younger sisters were still young. As for Su Hou himself, well, he just liked to eat.

Folks in Muzhou were waiting to see which of his children Su Hou's father would gift a farm. There was even a bet going on.

The Su family was a big family. Su Hou's father was one of its more accomplished members. Su Hou's family had been in the news recently. It had been reported that Su Hou's father said at a recent reception that he planned on giving one of his farms to one of his children. He did not specify the recipient.

The people of Muzhou loved their gossip, especially when it came to Muzhou's storied Su family. They paid attention every time Su Hou's family was in the headlines.

Su Hou might have been one of the reasons behind the tight security in the core area. Even though it had been some time since Memorial Day and the number of visitors had dwindled, it wasn't normal for the core area to be this empty.

When he found his bearings, the chubby kid wiped his mouth again and stared at Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu with alarm. "Who are you?" He then scanned his surroundings, relaxing once he realized there weren't any uniformed guards around.

"We're here to pay our respects." Fang Zhao examined the wound on the chubby kid's forehand. "This is from kowtowing, no? Shouldn't you get it looked at at the hospital?"

The wound was a piece of cake, considering the level of medical treatment in the New Era. It would heal in two days.

"No!" The chubby kid was furious when he heard the wound being mentioned. "I'm not getting it treated."

Fang Zhao didn't press the kid. He examined the wound more closely and asked, "This is from kowtowing? Seems like you kowtowed more than a few times."

"No kidding. I kowtowed 49 times." Su Hou touched his wound.

"Were you kowtowing before General Su Mu?" Fang Zhao asked with a laugh. The wound wasn't fresh—it looked a day old. It looked worse than it was because the kid had refused treatment. Children his age were hard to figure out.

Su Hou fumed. "No. I just need to kowtow three times for General Su Mu. I was sent to kowtow in Yanzhou."

"Yanzhou? Which relative in Yanzhou would require so many kowtows?" Fang Zhao asked.

"He's not a relative. He's the late friend of a family elder. We send someone to pay our respects every year. My older siblings misled me into believing that, the more I kowtowed, the more the spirit of the deceased would watch over me. But when I got back, they said it was the gesture that mattered and called me a fool."

Zuo Yu wondered. Your older siblings probably didn't expect you to be stupid enough to believe them. This level of intelligence—is he really a member of the Su family?

"We're from Yanzhou. Let's see if we know the person you kowtowed for?" Zuo Yu asked.

"You're from Yanzhou? Have you heard of Fang Zhao?"

Zuo Yu: "Yeah..."

Chapter 84: My Boss Is a Crazy Fellow

Zuo Yu knew that the chubby kid was not talking about his own boss. Given his boss's age and status, how could he have a member of the Su family paying him respects every year?

The chubby kid was still trying to cover up what he had just said. But anyone who had half a brain could guess what he was talking about. A "Fang Zhao" that would make a member of the Su family travel to pay their respects every year would most probably be the one lying in the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs.

"You mean the one in the Cemetery for Martyrs?" Zuo Yu glanced at Fang Zhao as he was asking Su Hou. He really wanted to know what it felt like when people with a martyr's namesake were discussing that particular martyr.

Fang Zhao's face was smiling but he did not say anything. He just listened to the conversation between Zuo Yu and Su Hou.

"That's him! Do you know what sort of person he was?" Su Hou asked curiously. Before being sent to Yanzhou, he had done some research online on "Fang Zhao." There were too many Fang Zhaos, as it was a common name, but there was only one who was an important martyr. Unfortunately, the internet had too little information on him and much of it was incomplete. Therefore, he had gotten to know a little from his brothers and sisters who'd told him that Fang Zhao had been a good friend of the Su family's Su Mu. His gravestone in Yanzhou was second only to Yanzhou's great general Wu Yan.

"Oh, him. I know. Back in history classes, they talked about him."

Zuo Yu scanned his surroundings, and there was no immediate danger. The cemetery guard was still watching them. This made Zuo Yu feel more at ease to tell his story. As the guards were watching the area here, should there be any danger, the guards would surely detect it first. As long as they moved out, Zuo Yu would have time to promptly react and protect Fang Zhao.

Actually, Zuo Yu knew little regarding the Yanzhou martyr "Fang Zhao." Most of his knowledge was from his secondary school classes, and after that, through other's hearsay. However, he could still manage bragging a little in front of Su Hou.

All the stories that people knew were apparently good stories that sang the praises of the martyrs and their glorious achievements. As Zuo Yu narrated the stories in Yanzhou's history books, Su Hou sat in front of the gravestone.

Fang Zhao stood aside and listened quietly. The stories were somewhat unfamiliar and exaggerated. However, this was not the first time he had experienced such stories. Back when he had visited the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs before Memorial Day, there were people in the memorial hall telling stories that mentioned him. Those stories had been way more exaggerated.

He silently laughed and shook his head as his eyes looked up toward Su Mu's gravestone.

Su Mu's gravestone was similar to Wu Yan's. Two lines of a brief biography, followed by his contributions toward Muzhou.

Compared to Wu Yan, who was a generation younger, Fang Zhao had been closer to Su Mu and the others of the same generation who had experienced the peaceful era and struggled together during the end of days.

Visiting the tombs of his old friends left Fang Zhao feeling complicated. This was a feeling that he did not know how to describe. When he was reborn and saw the New Era that his old friends had helped found, Fang Zhao had felt a little envy. But if those own friends of his knew that he had been reborn 500 years later, they would probably be jealous, right?

Zuo Yu talked nonstop for half an hour. The face of the cemetery guard who was watching had begun to twitch, probably thinking of a plan to remove him from the place.

When Zuo Yu finally stopped, Su Hou still could not get enough of it.

"What's next? Could you tell me how Fang Zhao, Great General Su Mu, Great General Lu Xi, Great General Wu Yan, and the other martyrs met during the apocalypse?" Su Hou asked, anticipating the story that was to come.

"There is too much to finish in a day," Zuo Yu replied. In reality, he himself did not know. The knowledge he had stored on this matter was nearly all used up. Fabricate a story? That would be disrespectful to the martyrs, so he did not say any more. "Anyway, all you need to remember is that all the martyrs buried in cemeteries on every continent, whether they were well known or nameless, each and every one deserves our respect and admiration. Especially those who have gravestones near the front, they are all great people," Zuo Yu concluded.

Su Hou felt a little disappointed that there would be no more stories. Rubbing the wound on his forehead, he smiled and said, "I guess."

He had heard plenty of stories of how his ancestor Su Mu had reclaimed Muzhou. He had also watched many films and shows of that period. Every youth in their secondary school days would have a superhero dream, and his idol had been Su Mu. When he had been given the task of going to Yanzhou to pay respects, he had been more than happy to do so. After all, he had grown up hearing stories of Muzhou and other related stories. As for the other leaders during the end of days, he had not known much at all. If things were as Zuo Yu had said, Su Hou felt that all his kowtowing was worth it. Originally, he had been misled by his elder siblings, but after listening to Zuo Yu, he was no longer as pissed.

Once his anger had subsided, Su Hou realized his forehead was hurting quite a bit. He also knew that continuing to stay here was not a good idea. If he happened to run into a media company looking for news, it would be troublesome.

As Su Hou got up to leave, he turned to Zuo Yu and told him, "Your stories were not bad, let's be friends. When I'm free, I'll pay a visit to Yanzhou and hang out with you guys."

Su Hou felt that the two he had just met were decent people. Although he was not smart, he could still feel the kindness or malice coming from people. As for these two, they did not ask about the matters of his family or seem to have any purpose of wanting benefits. By making friends with them, it would be easy to find them when he got bored and wanted to listen to more stories.

"This is my contact number, I am... Su Hou." After he gave out his own name, he watched for Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu's reaction.

"I know. Your photographs appear periodically in entertainment news. Try not to wander around recklessly, it would be better if you bring along a bodyguard. I have seen many of you rich kids from rich families get kidnapped because they run around without a care," Zuo Yu advised while adding him as a friend.

Su Hou glanced at the person beside Zuo Yu. "What about you? Let's be friends too!"

"My name is Fang Zhao."

Su Hou: "..."

Su Hou walked a few steps toward the exit with a blank face before he turned back and faced Fang Zhao. "Fang Zhao?!"

Zuo Yu explained, "This is my boss, Fang Zhao. He shares the same name as the 'Fang Zhao' that you kowtowed to."

"Oh." Su Hou scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. He knew that there were many people who shared the same name as the martyrs. It was just that, meeting under these sort of circumstances, there was bound to be a little awkwardness.

"What you just mentioned, about other continents, do they send someone over to pay respects every year?" Fang Zhao asked.

A while back, when Zuo Yu had been telling his story, Su Hou had mentioned that. Just that he had not elaborated and Zuo Yu had not taken note of anything special. Every year, when people from other continents traveled to Yanzhou's Cemetery for Martyrs, they would pay respects to the martyrs. This was very normal.

"Did I mention it?" Su Hou scratched his head and thought for a moment. "Oh, right. Actually, I am not too sure myself. I only heard about it before. Just like our Su family assigns someone to pay respects, other continents have families who do the same. The timing might not necessarily be the same, but they usually visit within a month before or after Memorial Day. As for which families, I'm not too sure. Yesterday, when I was there, I ran into someone from Xizhou."

Fang Zhao laughed and did not ask anything further. He told Su Hou, "Hurry up and go home, those people seem to be looking for you. Get the wound on your forehead treated as soon as possible. Even if you are angry, don't take it out on yourself. Head injuries that don't get treated in time make one stupid."

Zuo Yu thought to himself, Boss, you know that you are lying to a kid, right?

However, Su Hou believed it. He already did not consider himself to be smart. If he became more stupid...

"Save me!" Su Hou shouted as he ran toward a squad that had just entered the core cemetery area, making the squad members assume that Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu were trying to kidnap Su Hou. Some even drew their guns.

However, the leader of the team was frowning, probably from hearing Su Hou's account and realizing that it was totally different from what that had assumed was happening. Thus, he instructed his team members to put away their guns and then flashed Fang Zhao a courteous smile. With that, the entire team surrounded Su Hou as they left.

A faint sound of someone being berated came from outside the cemetery's core area. The scoldings were not meant for Su Hou. It was probably some paparazzi or some nosy bystanders who were being reprimanded by the cemetery staff.

"The young masters of rich and powerful families." Zuo Yu sighed, although he did feel a little glad. "Our luck this time round isn't too bad. We got to meet a young master. Speaking of all these families of great generals who founded the New Era, they are all publically known as aristocratic families. Boss, imagine how awesome it would be to be descendants of such great people."

Fang Zhao only smiled but did not say much.

He stood silently before Su Mu's gravestone before moving on to the next gravestone as he had done before at Yanzhou's Cemetery of Martyrs.

This was not Fang Zhou's main battlefield, but some names were very familiar to him. Even if they were not that familiar, he still had some impression of the names.

There might not have been a grave for "Fang Zhao" here, but there were still people here that remembered him.

To still assign someone to pay respects after 500 years, even if it was a formality and the people went with the mentality of completing a task, Fang Zhao had nothing bad to say. Even for people related by blood, feelings would fade over time, more so after many generations and without any blood relation. For someone like Su Hou to really kowtow, and kowtow over ten times at that, was a rare sight indeed.

After leaving the cemetery, they arrived at the plaza in front of the giant tombstone. Standing in the plaza, they could see the front of the core area's magnificent monument.

As Memorial Day had already passed some time ago, there were not many people here. After Memorial Day, the working class had gone back to work and students had gone back to school. The paparazzi that were following Su Hou had left as well.

People in the cemetery were quietly walking through the plaza, probably having paid their respects to somebody. There was no longer any Memorial Day buzz and the plaza seemed spacious and empty, occasionally with other sounds. A gust of wind blew through, causing the falling leaves to creating a light scraping sound as they hit the stone floor.

This was really the most common scene in the cemetery.

Fang Zhao's footsteps slowed and he inclined his head slightly, as if to resolve something.

"What's wrong?" Zuo Yu thought that Fang Zhao had discovered something abnormal and immediately became alert. However, looking all around him, he found nothing amiss.

"Listen," Fang Zhao said.

"What?" Zuo Yu still did not understand.

"Listen to the sounds."

Zuo Yu listened carefully but still did not find anything worth his attention. "Boss, what did you hear?"

"The sound of gravestones."

Zuo Yu: "..."

Zuo Yu scratched the goosebumps that appeared on his arm and asked, "Do gravestones have sounds?"

"Yes. Every single gravestone, whether big or small, near or far, will have their own sound. So do the trees, people, and even the stone floor of the plaza. The entire cemetery has its own voice." Fang Zhao stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, and let his arms hang down, not moving at all.

Zuo Yu: "..." My boss is a crazy fellow!

A gust of wind blew across. Even though the wind brought about a gentle warmth, Zuo Yu shivered, cold sweat dripping down his back as all the hairs on his body stood up.

"Boss, we have to respect science!"

Chapter 85: This Is I

Fang Zhao had not meant to scare Zuo Yu, but neither was he talking nonsense. He was seriously listening. It was just different from what Zuo Yu imagined. The sounds that Fang Zhao heard were converted into a sort of language deep within his brain—music.

Emotions, scenery, and sounds were sources of inspiration. Although back in Yanzhou, Fang Zhao's walk in the cemetery had provided him with a rough draft, he had still felt that there was something lacking. Now he was looking for it slowly.

Muzhou's cemetery gave Fang Zhao a different feel. The emotions, scenery, and sounds were all different. The melodies playing in his mind were different too. As Fang Zhao listened, he adjusted the melodies in his mind until they suited his ideal result.

However, as Fang Zhao was in the process of soaking in all the inspiration, Zuo Yu was different. He would subconsciously examine his surroundings for anomalies then turn back in the direction of the tombstone to see if there were any changes. He had doubts about having accepted the job of "assistant." Perhaps he felt that he did not suit this profession, or perhaps, after having spent some time beside Fang Zhao, he had become crazy too?

Each time Fang Zhao walked a little, he would stop to listen. Sometimes he would listen for an extended period, other times he would only listen for a short while.

When the time came for them to leave Muzhou, Zuo Yu let out a sigh of relief in his head. He was relieved to finally leave this place. However, when he thought about having to visit the cemeteries in other continents, he felt a little disheartened.

If it was as Zuo Yu expected, for the following continents, they would head straight for the Cemetery for Martyrs in each continent. Unless it was late or there were sudden weather changes, only then would they stop to rest. As the destinations were rather clear-cut, even if there were any delays, it would only be for a short while.

Xizhou, Tongzhou, Jizhou, Lazhou, Azhou, Rongzhou, Mazhou, Jinzhou, Leizhou and Huangzhou, every continent they went to was the same circumstances. Zuo Yu had the same experience in every continent, repeating it ten times up till the point where he could remain calm and enjoy the scenery whenever he saw Fang Zhao "appreciate" the mysterious sounds of the cemeteries.

On Feb 25, Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu returned to Yanzhou.

As Fang Zhao walked into the virtual projects department on the 50th floor, Zu Wen and the others were all there. They carefully observed Fang Zhao's facial expressions. They were worried that Fang Zhao would get angry over the results of the online voting for the endorsement deal.

For the endorsement deal for "Battle of the Century," according to the votes of the public, Polar Light remained in third place, losing to first-placed Mi Yu by only 300 votes. With the huge number of voters, this was a tiny disparity. But still, even losing out by one vote was a loss. Losing was just losing, there was no doubt. Now, the results of the voting were still on the internet.

They might have received assistance from Leizhou voters, but the other two companies were not going to sit idly by. They had also campaigned intercontinentally for votes. Thus, Zu Wen and the rest were worried that Fang Zhao might be moody from losing the vote. If the superiors were in a bad frame of mind, the underlings would be out of luck.

Fang Zhao knew the results of the vote, but he did not express anything. First, this was just an online vote organized by the media and not one officially organized by Fiery Bird. It was only a disguised inquiry to see public opinion and would not yet decide who the spokesperson was. Second, operations and publicity had been in charge of this matter. Fang Zhao had only completed the tasks he was required to. He had left the other matters in the hands of Silver Wing staff.

"If there is nothing else important, do not disturb me," Fang Zhao said, going into his office.

Watching the door close, Zeng Huang said, "Is Big Zhao going into isolation again? Seems like this time he gained quite a lot."

"Indeed, he gained quite a bit." Zuo Yu pointed at the Muzhou specialty products that were placed to one side. "This is all that we gained. Free of charge."

Zuo Yu briefly recounted their experiences on this trip, placing added emphasis on Fang Zhao's unusual behavior when he was at the cemetery.

Zu Wen sympathized and patted him on the shoulder. "Get used to it. You just have to know that the mind of an artist is not something normal people can understand. Anyway, up till now, I still don't understand him."

Fang Zhao did not know that the people outside were discussing him. He did not have the time or mood to take notice of them anyway. He organized all that he had gained from this trip and turned on the miniprojector given to him by Fiery Bird's sound effects deputy head You Chuan. He started making amendments to his scoresheet, which he had adjusted many times before.

The next day, after a night without sleep, the musical piece was finally completed. Fang Zhao made a call to Duan Qianji. "We can arrange for the recording."

The storage card that he had given out for photographs had already been returned. Now, all that Fang Zhao needed to do was record the completed piece, fit it with the animation, and store it onto the card.

Feb 28.

Huangzhou, Fiery Bird Headquarters.

Sound effects department head Hua Li knocked his forehead with his fist and took a few deep breaths. After that, he plucked out his earpiece and asked You Chuan beside him, "What do you feel about this?"

What they had just been listening to was the eleventh demo piece. It was not yet completed, just a portion. The final draft had not yet been submitted. Given Hua Li's and You Chuan's capabilities, they could naturally deduce how the completed piece would sound just from the demo piece and the first draft.

You Chuan also pulled out his earpiece and shook his head. "If the final draft does not have many changes, then it is just like that. If you hear the tune on its own, it seems quite good. However, if you add it to the animation, just like the previous few, there is just something lacking."

Hua Li sighed deeply. Pondering awhile, he asked, "Is there still no news on the other eight invitees?"

"Seven masters have replied. Two of them will submit their demo piece and first draft by tonight. Five others have said they tried their best but were unable to come up with anything. They will return the card and projector to us."

"Isn't there one more?" Hua Li asked. He had sent You Chuan to deliver 19 invites and they only had 18 replies now. Where had the last one gone?

"There is still one more, Fang Zhao. Until now, there has been no news from him," You Chuan replied.

"Fang Zhao? That freshly graduated twenty-something fellow?" Hua Li knew who Fang Zhao was, because amongst all the great masters, a youngster like him had appeared and that left a lasting impression. There were still the four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction," something that Hua Li listened to everyday.

"When we went to invite him, he personally agreed to it. It's just that there has been no news at all," You Chuan answered.

"Let's wait a little while more." When Hua Li finished speaking, he heard a new message notification from You Chuan's side.

"Eh?" You Chuan was surprised. "Fang Zhao replied saying the recording went somewhat smoothly. The completed piece together with the final draft have been stored inside the card. He has already contacted our Yanzhou division, and they will send it over to Huangzhou very soon."

"Completed piece?!" That was what Hua Li paid attention to. After pondering for a while, he said, "Ask who is in charge of the storage card at Yanzhou's side. Get them to send the contents over through an encrypted channel."

You Chuan was also curious. He contacted the Yanzhou person and requested they send the card's contents right away.

"Listen, listen!" Hua Li put on his earpieces once again.

You Chuan put on his earpiece and broadcasted the music file that he had just received.

At the start, both of them did not have any expressions, but as the tune hit the twenty second mark, excitement could be seen on their faces, and their expressions became rather serious.

After one minute, both let out a deep breath.

When the broadcast reached the one-and-a-half-minute mark, Hua Li pressed the pause button and yanked his earpieces out. "To the sound effects studio!"

You Chuan had the same intention. The both of them hurried to the sound effects studio and turned on the opening scene animation before broadcasting the received file at the same time.

Outside the studio, the rest of the people from the sound effects department were guessing what had happened after both the head and deputy head had hurriedly rushed in. Thinking back to how they had been recently discussing the accompaniment music for the opening scene, they wondered which great master had sent a new piece that satisfied the two.

Thus, the entire sound effects department began discussing why the two heads were rushing and which great master had just sent in their work.

Inside the sound effects studio. The best audio and projection equipment in the entire Fiery Bird company was installed right here.

Both the head and deputy head watched the opening animation and listened to the musical composition over and over.

After completing their fifth time, Hua Li clapped his hands on the table and exclaimed, "This is it!"

"Just like that? Are you not even going to consider the other pieces?" You Chuan asked. He had the same opinion as Hua Li. It was just that some of the others had not yet sent in their final drafts. Were they really going to come to a decision now? Wasn't it too early?

"No need. Just this!" Hua Li knew that there were others that had not yet sent in their final drafts, and there were even two that had not yet sent in a demo piece or a first draft, but Hua Li had dealt with these people for many years already. He knew the styles of these people; there were no big surprises.

"I have no idea how those from the music industry would evaluate this. I'm just looking at this as a game from a sound effects department head's point of view. It is just 'perfect,' it is the most suitable accompaniment for the opening animation. It fits perfectly!" Hua Li said. "Composing, arranging, remixing, directing... producer of Polar Light virtual projects team."

Hua Li looked at the information on Fang Zhao. Back when he had first seen it, he had been shocked and not been able to believe it. But now he had no doubts. He had heard this phrase before. "In this world, there will always be an omnipotent crazy fellow."

Sighing ruefully, Hua Li got up and left the studio. "Contact Fang Zhao, we can begin discussions."

Chapter 86: Cash or Console?

Duan Qianji had not been in a great mood originally. Polar Light had lost the online poll and a whole host of sarcastic comments had followed. Even though she had gone through the same routine countless times before and was mentally prepared, she was still disappointed. After all, it was the first time Silver Wing had successfully launched a virtual idol. Maybe she had set her expectations too high because they had gotten off to such a great start.

Then again, even though they lost, they didn't lose by a big margin. And it was still far from clear who Fiery Bird would pick in the end.

As her train of thought made this twist, Duan Qianji started looking forward to Fang Zhao's progress on the Fiery Bird score. Just as she was pondering the matter, she got a call. It was her assistant.

"What? We've been picked? So soon?" Duan Qianji listened to her assistant's briefing in disbelief. Fang Zhao had just submitted his data card yesterday and now Fiery Bird had made up their mind?

This was the score for the new game's opening animation. Eighteen other masters had been invited to submit scores.

How come they had decided so soon?

If she hadn't vetted Fang Zhao, Duan Qianji would have wondered if Fang Zhao was in cahoots with Fiery Bird. Otherwise, how come they had decided on the score so quickly?

Duan Qianji was thinking Fiery Bird's sound effects team would have to convene a meeting to sift through the submissions and take a vote. The whole process would take two or three days at least.

But the fact of the matter was that Fiery Bird had decided yesterday. The reason they had waited until today to make contact was because they were still debating how to compensate Fang Zhao.

Fiery Bird's custom was to invite submissions from composers and then offer a price based on the final submissions. Even pieces that ultimately weren't placed would be evaluated and paid for. This was a practice that industry insiders were familiar with and didn't take issue with.

"What are they offering?" As a businesswoman, this was Duan Qianji's foremost concern.

Fang Zhao was signed to Silver Wing, but after the completion of the four movements of the "Period of Destruction" series, he had signed a new contract. The deal gave Fang Zhao a certain degree of freedom. It was a quasi-partnership. He could take jobs on his own other than his assignments from Silver Wing, but he had to notify the company. He was also banned from defecting to another label before the end of his contract.

Compared to other composers, these were already exceptional terms. This was an act of generosity on Duan Qianji's part. She cherished the fact that she had landed someone who could carry a virtual project, someone talented enough to rival the entire Flying Pegasus cooperative. Duan Qianji had moved on the new contract quickly after consulting Fang Zhao, but it was never made public, listed only as an A-grade contract in the label's internal database.

As for Fiery Bird's assignment, this was a collaboration between the game studio and Fang Zhao, not between the studio and Silver Wing. In this case, Silver Wing was riding on Fang Zhao's coattails, so regardless of how much Fiery Bird offered, the sum would be pocketed by Fang Zhao entirely. But now, Silver Wing's fate was intertwined with Fang Zhao's. The better his work, the higher his pricing, the better prospects for Silver Wing.

But Duan Qianji wore a puzzled expression after hearing her assistant's response. "That's what they said? OK, got it."

After ending the call, she instructed her driver, "When we reach the office, head to the 50th floor, not the top floor."

When she arrived, the entire virtual projects department stood in attention.

The big boss was dropping by. Of course they had to be on hand to welcome her.

Zu Wen was a little nervous. He was afraid of Duan Qianji. Even though he had been to the top floor with Fang Zhao quite a few times and was less nervous now, he was still tense.

The others didn't fare much better. Thinking back to the Polar Light interview they had completed a while back, they didn't remember any big hiccups. The technical aspects and director had been confirmed well in advance. Pang Pusong's dubbing had gone smoothly. He had delivered his lines according to the script. There shouldn't be any issues. Why was the big boss visiting now? Surprise inspection?

Even though Duan Qianji wore a faint smile, she still projected a serious aura. The 50th floor went silent and everyone became extra cautious.

The only calm person was Fang Zhao, who arrived even later than the big boss.

Fang Zhao had rushed back from home after getting word from Duan Qianji. He ended up being slower than his boss.

"You're here." Duan Qianji's smile deepened. "I have some news. Your score has been picked by the Fiery Bird sound effects department."

The only people present were the core members of the Polar Light project team. Their discretion could be counted on and they could use the morale boost. That was why Duan Qianji didn't bother keeping the news a secret, although she didn't specify where Fang Zhao's score would be used. She didn't have to elaborate. Fang Zhao knew what she was talking about.

Fang Zhao was happy to find out that his work had been chosen by Fiery Bird, but he wasn't overemotional. He merely smiled and waited for Duan Qianji to continue. She wouldn't have come to the 50th floor in person just to share that piece of news.

Duan Qianji observed Fang Zhao's facial expression. She was impressed that he could maintain his composure.

"The head of Fiery Bird's sound effects team, Hua Li, has approached us with an offer. As you would probably expect, they will definitely pay more for the chosen piece than the other submissions, but they haven't offered an exact price yet. They want to give you a choice." Duan Qianji paused before continuing, "Do you want to get paid in cash or receive Fiery Bird's once-in-a-decade limited edition gaming console instead?"

For most of the people present, this was a no-brainer.

Who would go for the gaming console?

Most people would choose the former without hesitation. If the pay was meager, that would be cause for consideration, but the amount was no doubt generous. That Leizhou film studio had spent 10 million to license one movement exclusively for a month. Fiery Bird wouldn't be cheap. After all, everyone knew that Fiery Bird was loaded.

But after Duan Qianji asked the question, Zu Wen and the other tech geeks, whose ears were perked, looked conflicted. Even though this had nothing to do with them, they still wondered how they would choose.

Such a tough call.

Cash?

Of course, regular joes like them liked cash even though they were already getting paid handsomely with the success of the Polar Light project and the rise of the virtual projects department. Who would turn down more cash? But the other choice was a Fiery Bird console. It was the latest once-in-a-decade release, a limited edition console. Who knows how many of them Fiery Bird would make. It couldn't be more than a handful.

Word had already traveled in tech geek circles that Fiery Bird's new console would be significantly more advanced than their last console. It was rumored the console was developed in conjunction with army technicians. Tons of folks had been dying to get their hands on one. Zu Wen had never thought something like this would happen to someone he knew.

A real tough one. Such a tough call.

How would I choose?

But before Zu Wen and company became consumed in mock indecision, Fang Zhao had already given his answer.

"I want the console."

Duan Qianji's expression was one of resignation when she heard the answer. She felt she had fallen behind the times. It was hard for her to figure out what was going on in the minds of these youngsters.

While he had still been working on the "Period of Destruction" series, Fang Zhao had applied for gaming equipment. During quite a few of Duan Qianji's previous visits, Fang Zhao had been gaming in the department's dedicated gaming room when she arrived. When she had heard Fiery Bird's offer from her assistant, she had a hunch that Fang Zhao would make the unconventional choice.

"You're positive?" Duan Qianji asked.

"Positive."

"Then send a message to You Chuan. They're waiting to hear from you."

The person who had reached out to Duan Qianji had been Hua Li, the head of Fiery Bird's sound effects team. Why hadn't Fiery Bird contacted Fang Zhao directly? Because Fang Zhao was napping at home and had set his bracelet to alert him to calls from VIPs only. You Chuan was not listed as a VIP, so his call went unannounced and unanswered.

Duan Qianji left after chatting with Fang Zhao a bit more.

"Boss, a Fiery Bird console!" Zu Wen's eyes burned with envy. "When is it arriving? Can I touch it? Can I take a picture with it? I want to show off."

"The limited edition consoles are the most advanced consoles. It's hard to put a price tag on them. Boss, I think you made the right call. Even if you suffer financially, you'll be rewarded spiritually," said an equally jealous Rodney.

Fang Zhao sent You Chuan a message. You Chuan immediately responded, "The console will arrive between late August and early September. The exact timing still has to be confirmed. The console is still being tested. We'll give you a heads up before we send it out. You've made the right choice. You'll make a decent profit if you resell it."

In reality, Fang Zhao wasn't as conflicted as others thought he might be. For someone who had survived the apocalypse like him, money wasn't a big deal as long as he had enough to cover his expenses. Of course, no one would mind making more money, but in contrast, Fang Zhao was more curious about a gaming console from the New Era. He liked to try out new things in the New Era. Plus, he was also looking forward to "Battle of the Century." The right hardware was a must. He could only enjoy the game if he had the proper console.

That afternoon, Silver Wing announced that Fang Zhao's score had been picked by Fiery Bird, but again, the statement didn't mention where the score would be placed. Still, the news itself was enough to dispel some skeptics.

"He was really chosen?"

"Who knows? We only have Silver Wing's word for it. No one can back up their story."

"Are we sure this isn't a charade staged by Silver Wing?"

"I don't think they would stoop so low as to lie, but there will be so many scores in the game. Fang Zhao may have written some token sound effect that doesn't feature prominently in the game."

"Who cares? It's just another composer, not an A-list celebrity."

To respond to the noise, Silver Wing released an additional video. It was an excerpt from an interview with a few key members of Fiery Bird's production team. Silver Wing had isolated a comment from Hua Li, the head of Fiery Bird's sound effects team.

Hua Li said the sound effects for the game had been more or less completed. He also thanked the composers that worked on the scores and mentioned Fang Zhao by name.

"Fang Zhao is composer full of surprises. We look forward to working with him again."

The fact that Hua Li identified Fang Zhao as a composer suggested Hua Li held him in high esteem. It was confirmation of Fang Zhao's talent.

Chapter 87: On Account of Your Forehead

The interview of the few key members of Fiery Bird's production team was broadcasted to the entire world. Everyone who paid attention could see it, and Fang Zhao's name became known by more people. However not everyone cared about it; mostly only those within the industry paid attention.

"Not bad, Fang Zhao!"

Ming Cang was the first to contact Fang Zhao after seeing the interview. A lot of people had said that Ming Cang had totally become a Fang Zhao fanatic. Nowadays, the information posted on Ming Cang's social feed was mostly concerning his son Ming Ye. At the same time, he would mention Fang Zhao. Therefore, people close to Ming Cang, whether they were in the industry or not, had also become familiar with Fang Zhao's name.

"Actually, I know of a few invitees who received the invitation from Fiery Bird. I didn't expect that you would land it in the end."

When Ming Cang had gone down to Silver Wing to personally thank Fang Zhao after the fourth movement was released, a foreign friend of his from the music industry had come to visit, stating that he had urgent matters and wanted to meet. Hence, Ming Cang had to leave Silver Wing and head home early. And that friend was one of the other invitees of Fiery Bird this year.

As he had signed a confidentiality agreement, he had only told Ming Cang what could be revealed and listed a few difficulties he had encountered. Even if Ming Cang did not know what the animation was or the scenery, he knew about the difficulty of creating an accompaniment piece. He had even invited a few friends who specialized in soundtracks for games and films to come over for a discussion. In the end, even a bunch of influential people in the industry still could not compete with that youngster.

This year's invitees were to make a piece for a portion of the game. Since the final piece had been selected, the other submissions would not be used anymore.

Knowing this bit of information, Ming Cang felt a little rueful, yet at the same time he felt a sense of pride. Look, a person of Yanzhou, and still a youngster. Just as Xue Jing, who was compiling teaching materials, had said before, the new waves of the Yanzhou music industry would most likely to rise on the backs of Fang Zhao and other youngsters.

"By the way, Fang Zhao, do you know 'Qi'an Department'? I can rope you in."

In the global context, creators would very often unite and join forces to cooperate and fight over more resources and opportunities.

Some of these organizations were formed with the alma mater of an academic institution as the core, while others were spontaneously formed by private organisations. The globally renowned organization, "Qi'an Department," was one of many.

The group that Ming Cang wanted to pull Fang Zhao into the core of was "Qi'an Department." The group currently had 99 members. With Fang Zhao, it would be an even 100.

All of them were from the music industry. A third of them were similar to Ming Cang's grade and were rather reputable within the Yanzhou music industry. Even if Fang Zhao did not pay attention to news regarding the industry, he would still find those names rather familiar. Of the remaining two-thirds, half of them were older members who had not yet achieved a status similar to that of Ming Cang and the remaining half were youngsters who had started to make a name for themselves.

Of course, these youngsters only had a reputation within the music circles. If in the context of the entire entertainment industry or the whole of Yanzhou, not many would have heard of them.

"Ho! Fang Zhao! Should have roped you in a long time ago!" exclaimed a professor who was still teaching at Qi'an Academy of Music.

"The younger ones will surpass us in times to come!"

"From what I understand, Fiery Bird sent out over ten invites this year, right? This time, only inviting Fang Zhao from Yanzhou and, in the end, picking his piece, I'm really curious to find out what sort of piece it is," said a retired professor who had established his own orchestra and performed across the globe.

...

Mostly it was the bunch of big shots in the industry that said anything. Occasionally, some middle-tier members would add in a line or two. As for the youngsters who were at the lowest point, they still did not dare to hastily interrupt.

Fang Zhao was probably the only exception.

"Greetings seniors." In terms of seniority, Fang Zhao was still considered a "junior." However, in terms of influence, Fang Zhao indeed had the qualifications to compare with the "seniors."

Refuse to accept it?

If you refuse to accept, produce an invitation card from fiery bird, or for those in pop music, show your sales volume!

Cannot produce it?

If you cannot produce it, then shut up!

Letting one's strength do the talking was a rule that many industries had. Even if one had the experience but not the capability, their rank would be at the back, just like the people in the "middle-tier" of the organization.

"I wonder what the price Fiery Bird quoted was. Fang Zhao, are you at liberty to share?" someone asked.

"I am curious too. Sigh, I have come into contact with various games company and even recommended a few of my students; however, none of the companies can become like Fiery Bird...

Should there be any good assignments, many teachers would give opportunities to their favor pupils. For example, if a film or gaming company approached those masters to request a soundtrack or composition for their film or game, these masters would come up with various reasons why they were unable to do it personally or alone and hence rope in their own students, slowly giving them a chance to take the stage.

This was something many graduates in the New Era would experience.

However, this sort of situation was not required by Fang Zhao at all.

Teacher?

He did not need the help of a teacher to get a recommendation. He had already made a name for himself with the four 'epic' movements as well as personal recognition from Fiery Bird's sound effects department head. Would he still need referrals? There would probably be people who would look him up, right?

What everyone was curious about though was definitely the fee that Fiery Bird would pay to Fang Zhao.

"You don't have to give a concrete number. Just an estimate would be fine; it is rather secure here," Ming Cang said, at the same time letting Fang Zhao know that the people here were rather tight. This sort of thing could be partially mentioned here, as it proved one's ability, and they were not just comparing achievements over here. Ming Cang continued, "Of course, there is no need to force yourself if you are unable to reveal it. Everyone here understands it well."

"Yes, everyone here is just curious, but we are not forcing you. If you are under a confidentiality agreement, we totally understand. Everyone here has experienced it before," a professor from the Qi'an Academy of Music said.

"Right, right, right, I collaborated with Fiery Bird before, on the game that was released ten years ago. My composition was used as background music for a 30-second interlude. Back then, they paid me over 10 million dollars. I heard that there were people who received even more—for example, those longer opening animations or those more pivotal interludes. Pieces that by them would garner a rather high fee. Your situation should be similar to mine. I just want to know, after 10 years, whether the fees are any different," said a musician who had already founded his own studio.

"Hey, maybe Fang Zhao did a composition for their feature-length film? Even if he is not able to hit that standard, who knows, maybe he could do so in future?" someone jokingly said. They all, of course, did not think that Fang Zhao would be picked to create the background music for the feature-length film in the game, but some fun and laughter within the group was normal.

"It's all right, say only if you want to do so. No one will blame you if you choose not to reveal," said the current headmaster of the Qi'an Academy of Music. But his thoughts were different from his words. Fang Zhao's situation could be considered an accomplishment for me too. I could brag about this for a year. If I know Fiery Bird's quoted fee, I could bring it out to brag even more when I go abroad to take part in exchange programs. Look, our school's alumni, less than a year after graduating, Fiery Bird offered him X millions! Awesome, right? Shocking? Frightened now?

Thinking of that situation made the headmaster feel excited as he anticipated Fang Zhao's figures.

"Gaming console," Fang Zhao replied.

"What?" Ming Cang was puzzled.

"Fiery Bird gave me two choices: cash or a gaming console. I chose the console," Fang Zhao replied.

Then, the group suddenly went cold.

Including Ming Cang, who had continuously helped to liven up the atmosphere, everyone seemed to lose their voices.

No one had the chance to break the sudden silence of the group, because Fang Zhao received an international call.

"Su Hou?" Fang Zhao was surprised.

"That, I just saw that Fiery Bird interview." Su Hou's tone was a little unnatural, slightly stiff. "Impressive."

"And then?" Fang Zhao could not believe that the chubby kid had called him just for this.

"Then, are... you... interested... in investing in a farm?" Su Hou stammered out.

"Are you having trouble?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Cough, a little."

What Su Hou encountered was not a slight problem but rather quite a large and troublesome one.

In order to compete with his half-brothers and half-sisters who shared different mothers, Su Hou had decided to work hard. He had set himself a faraway target—to win the sheep herding championship.

Even though 500 years had passed, the impact of the Period of Destruction still lingered. Every continent had many lands that were not suitable for planting crops. Other continents would construct buildings on such land. In Muzhou, this was under the jurisdiction of the land resources department. Every year, they would give out a few such lands that had been treated and were now suitable for growing stuff. And every year, the prize for the grand champion of the sheep herding competition was a newly released piece of land!

Everyone who had given their opinions to Su Hou regarded his goal as very "far" indeed.

The sheep herding competition was already underway, and it would be too late to take part now. However, Su Hou received the news that the owner of a participating farm wanted to sell off their land; hence, Su Hou had frantically borrowed money and bought the farm.

He had been scammed.

He did not know who had set him up, but Su Hou had fallen headfirst into it. Not only was the purchased farm devoid of anything, even the competing dogs on the farm had already been transferred out!

Su Hou did not have the guts to continue asking his elder brother and mother for help. More importantly, he could not let the other members of the Su family know. Needless to say, if this matter was made public, many people would laugh at his stupidity.

Just at that moment, he saw the web broadcast of Fiery Bird's interview. Hearing Fang Zhao's name and checking up on it, he realized it was the same person he had met at the cemetery. This excited him, and he made a call to Fang Zhao straight away.

Hearing Su Hou's simple explanation, Fang Zhao did not say anything

Fang Zhao's silence made Su Hou feel apprehensive. He was worried that Fang Zhao would not be willing to help. However, shortly, he heard, "Sure, I will help you."

On account of your forehead, I will help even if it means losing money, Fang Zhao thought to himself.

Chapter 88: Master Zhao

"R-really?! Thank you very much! Do you know anyone who owns shepherd dogs? Eh? I hear a dog barking; do you own a dog?"

At that moment, Zuo Yu was teasing Curly Hair, provoking a series of barks from him that Su Hou heard.

"I own one, but it's not a shepherd dog."

"No worries, bring it along the next time you come to Muzhou. We can let it try out some sheep herding training."

Su Hou had not hidden the fact that he had bought the farm from Fang Zhao. He had only mentioned that, although the farm's land was huge, the soil was no longer suitable for planting anything.

Muzhou's farm owners were not as carefree as people thought they were. They paid attention to the weather, agriculture, farming soil improvements, and crops. All of that was knowledge they needed to know, and it was stuff that they personally paid attention to. However, there would always be lazy farmer owners who were ignorant and let their arable soil go to waste after a time.

The plot of land that Su Hou had bought was just like that. The images and information he had received were totally different from what he'd seen personally. The land had already wasted and he had been tricked. If he wanted to plant new stuff, he would need to hire a professional to make amendments.

As for the ones who had tricked Su Hou, they had played on the urgency of Su Hou's need to find a farm. All he needed was a little push to fall for it.

It was rather evident that the ones who had tricked Su Hou knew him very well. Just by using one's brains a little, it was easy to guess who they actually were. However, Fang Zhao had no interest in the trivial matters of the Su family. Once he attended to the matters at hand, Fang Zhao was going to submit another application to go overseas again.

"Collecting materials again?" Duan Qianji felt her head aching.

"Nope. This time it is to expand my professional service," Fang Zhao said.

Duan Qianji felt it was funny. Expand his professional service. Are you able to garner support or get an advertisement? Muzhou advertisements were still a tough ask even if one was famous.

Polar Light's development plans within the continent had already been arranged. There were two paths that could be taken. One was if Polar Light was selected for the endorsement deal, the other was if he did not get selected. Whichever path it followed, Polar Light was Silver Wing's most promising virtual idol. Duan Qianji had no plans to let it go to waste. Fang Zhao had given Polar Light such a gorgeous debut; if they let this trump card get ruined, Silver Wing Media did not deserve to be among the three big entertainment companies of Yanzhou.

Fiery Bird's eventual spokesperson would be publicly announced in May. During this period, Silver Wing Media would release a war movie in which Polar Light would have a role. Therefore, the entire virtual projects department except the producer, Fang Zhao, was busy as usual.

Although his original job was a composer, Silver Wing did not need him to be in charge of every film that they made. Otherwise, why did Silver Wing have so many other composers on their payroll? Was Flying Pegasus a bunch of useless good-for-nothings?

Thus, now that Fang Zhao had accomplished all his work at hand and was idle, and since Su Hou had a situation over there, Fang Zhao decided to go over for a bit.

This time around it was different. Other than Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu, the flying transport had one more dog.

Perhaps it was his first time on board a flying transport, as Curly Hair did not seem at ease and was pacing around impatiently, finally deciding to lie beside Fang Zhao's legs.

Looking at the dog beside Fang Zhao's legs, Zuo Yu said, "Boss, is it appropriate to bring this dog over? The dogs at Muzhou are generally larger, just like that black dog we saw at Shanmu farm, wasn't it big? Actually, that was still a puppy. As for this dog, compared with the professional shepherd dogs at the farms, it is little more than a toy. Wouldn't it get bullied over there? And if you consider the builds of the sheep, and looking at this dog, it might even be scared of the sheep."

Fang Zhao, who was reading a history book said, "Curly Hair has a high IQ. He learns fast too. When the time comes for him to learn herding with those professional sheep dogs, even if he can't herd, learning more is always beneficial."

Following the coordinates the Su Hou had given, Zuo Yu flew the transport to a farm situated in the eastern part of Muzhou. It was different from all the other farms that were full of vitality as they flew past. This farm seemed desolate and nothing was going on. Even the grass on the pastures was sparse. A few lifeless dogs were lying at the side yawning, too lazy to even react as they saw a flying transport approaching.

Su Hou was already waiting there with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Brother Zhao, you have arrived!" Su Hou rushed forward.

"Call me Master Zhao," Fang Zhao told him.

"Yes, Master Zhao!" Su Hou did not care what Fang Zhao wanted himself to be called. Now, Fang Zhao was a rich man, and it was hard to find a person who could help. Furthermore, when Su Hou had looked up information on Fang Zhao, Su Hou had come to admire him. He had heard that, in the past, they would call rich men "something master." There were people who still used the term in Muzhou, so Su Hou did not find anything wrong with addressing him that way.

"First, tell me the current situation. The honest truth, do not conceal anything. You have only one chance." Fang Zhao looked at Su Hou. He would not ask how Su Hou had gotten tricked first. The kid had pride, and harping on that matter would be met with a little resistance. One would learn from his own mistakes. As long as he was not an idiot, he would gain something.

Facing Fang Zhao's unreadable expression and stare, Su Hou felt all the skin on his body tightening up. As if it was his grandfather staring at him before he received a scolding.

Su Hou shrunk back and lost all trace of his normal arrogant self, yet he also let out a sigh of relief. He had thought that Fang Zhao would deride him for getting conned, but he had not expected that Fang Zhao would not mention it at all after arriving. Looking around at the predicament he was in, Su Hou recounted the entire matter honestly.

"Oh, it was like this..."

Among Su Hou's attendants were some that knew how to manage a farm. Su Hou then recounted what had been told to him to Fang Zhao.

After the farm was bought, they were unable to find the sellers to return it. A lawsuit was also impossible. Since he had already bought it, rather than spending more time to trace down the con men, why not settle the situation before them and come up with a solution to bring the "dead" farm back to "life." Bringing it back to "life" was not that hard, the only difficulty was the funding.

Was cash required to fix the soil? Was cash required to purchase seeds and livestock? Was cash required to build large sheds and pens? Was money required to hire workers and experts?

If the soil was not good, how about fixing up the irrigation system first? An irrigation system would cost quite a bit too!

Su Hou's voice became softer and softer. Even he felt embarrassed to continue talking about the matter. He was not familiar with managing a farm and had not studied much agriculture and farming. The amount of help he needed was by no means small. Most importantly, he needed to assemble a sheep herding team.

His motive for purchasing the farm was to buy out a shepherd dog team as well as their accumulated points and take part in the eastern region's sheep herding competition. Now, if he were to shift his attention to the farm, wouldn't the order be reversed?

"So your most pressing issue is to find dogs and a trainer?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Tha-that's right! The next round of competition is in a week's time. If we miss it, our ranking will drop even more," Su Hou replied.

"What plans do you have?"

"I was thinking of getting a few dogs that can herd—borrowing is fine too. A lot of participating dogs in the sheep herding competition are borrowed too. As long as they can coordinate, it will be fine. Oh, and a training field. I'm afraid that th-this place is current unusable."

Su Hou felt an aching in his heart when he thought about the farm that was totally empty. All that money in exchange for a lifeless farm, that were firstly without sheep, secondly without dogs, and thirdly without a pasture. Totally nothing at all!

Su Hou had originally wanted to find people he knew for help, but after some thinking, he was afraid of getting conned once more.

"Brother Zhao... Master Zhao, do you know any farm owners who own dogs, sheep, and a pasture?" Su Hou asked cautiously.

Dogs, sheep, and a pasture?

Fang Zhao had just thought of a person.

"Wait a moment, let me contact someone," Fang Zhao replied.

"Sure!" Hearing things turning for the better, So Hou was suddenly full of vigour.

Nobody else came to Fang Zhao's mind but Wu Yi, the owner of Shanmu farm, who they had encountered on their first visit to Muzhou.

Chapter 89: The Styles of Most Dogs

Fang Zhao contacted Wu Yi and asked him whether he was interested in taking part in a sheep-herding competition and working together.

Fang Zhao selectively mentioned the matter regarding Su Hou to Wu Yi. Even if Fang Zhao had not said anything, news traveled fast, and Wu Yi had some idea of what had happened. Choosing what to make of it was up to Wu Yi himself.

This really lifted Wu Yi's spirits. The competition between the younger generation of the Su family such as Su Hou did not threaten him here, so a partnership of mutual interest was enticing.

Wu Yi's farm in the eastern region was not considered large, but he was not a man without ambition. It was just that there was a limit to his funding and he had not assembled a sheep-herding team before and could only support his relatives who were capable enough and hope that it would bring him some benefits. However, now, he felt that these benefits were not able to satisfy him.

Fang Zhao's proposal excited Wu Yi. Even if he was not able to gain much benefits, his own farm's shepherd dogs would gain a chance at free training. The procedures and expenses would also be handled by others. This was the best possible scenario he could have.

Wu Yi gave his affirmation. He was thinking, if his own dogs from his farm performed well at the sheep-herding competition, he would sign up for next year's competition. Even if he did not get a good position, appearing would also raise up his farm's name in the eastern region, which was still a good thing.

Wu Yi's decision came as no surprise to Fang Zhao. Most Muzhou farm owners were not stupid, especially those from bigger or medium-sized farms. They were not farm owners but businessmen. They were not the happy-go-lucky good-for-nothing people that the external world perceived them to be.

Although Wu Yi was a person who had no lack of ambition, he was still considered an upright person. Under the current circumstances, cooperating with him was the choice that was the fastest and most beneficial for both.

After confirming the time, Fang Zhao brought Su Hou to Shanmu Farm. Su Hou did not look at anything else but the land. The farm that he had bought was bigger than Shanmu Farm but totally did not have the liveliness of Shanmu Farm.

"Hahahaha, we meet again!"

Wu Yi had been waiting at the garage. When he saw the transport land, he went over to exchange greetings, and he introduced himself warmly. He might not have thought highly of Su Hou, but he did think highly of Fang Zhao.

"I heard that Xishan Farm was bought by someone, but I didn't expect it to be you," Wu Yi said.

Xishan Farm was located at the the western side of the east district. There were not many reputable farms there and the facilities were not very good. On normal days, there was not much sense of belonging. It was only because a sheep-herding team from that area had caught the attention of everyone. But the information on the internet was very different from the truth. Only those that had personally been there knew the actual situation. Wu Yi had also only heard about it in private from a friend who liked to investigate.

However, the information online was inconsistent with reality. This sort of situation was rarely seen, so even if they knew about it, no one would mention it. They only paid attention to the sheep-herding competition. Never had they expected that it was Su Hou who had bought the farm.

Given Wu Yi's decades of experience, even without asking, he could tell that there had been a trap involved and Su Hou had fallen into it. As for why Fang Zhao had entered the mix, Wu Yi was not sure. However, as long as he was able to benefit from it, Wu Yi was willing to play dumb.

"The grass on this field grows really well! Totally unlike the farm that I bought. It hasn't even revegetated yet." Even though Su Hou did not know much about farming, comparing the farm he had just bought to the one before him, the difference was clear as day. If he could not even see that, he would be blind.

"Over here, our field revegetated early!" Wu Yi did not ask why the grass on Su Hou's farm had not regrown yet, he just led Fang Zhao and Su Hou's party to the field where the sheep were at.

"Eh? Fang Zhao, is this the little fellow that you own?" Wu Yi eyed the curly-haired dog that was following Fang Zhao's legs closely.

"Yeah."

"This dog looks quite smart. In a bit, my farm's Bingo will do some demonstrations. Let's see how much it can learn." When Wu Yi spoke, he seemed rather pleased. The Bingo he spoke of was the shepherd dog on his farm with the best temperament to be a lead dog.

Taking Wu Yi's car, in no time, the party arrived at where the flock of sheep were at. Wu Yi's farm had over 300 sheep and only seven shepherd dogs, but not every shepherd dog was capable of carrying out instructions precisely. There were workers to tend to the livestock as well as mechanical dogs.

The mechanical dogs that farm owners used were not at all like dogs; the shape was totally different. They were invented to provide assistance for herding livestock, so people coined them "mechanical dogs." Wu Yi and the other farm owners could control these mechanical dogs from their homes and observe the situations at the pastures.

The car stopped on a plot of higher ground as they stood there watching the sheep being herded.

"At this current period, pastures have to be changed frequently, so we cannot just leave them in one field. Today, we might let the sheep graze here; tomorrow, we will bring them somewhere else," Wu Yi told Fang Zhao and Su Hou. From what he saw, one was an amateur from a foreign continent and the other one was an ignorant young master of the Su family. As an experienced party, he had to show off a bit of his professional knowledge.

"In this season, we cannot let the herd walk too quickly. There is a need to control their speed, to obstruct the stronger sheep and wait for the weaker ones. Sometimes I will use this sort of job to train the shepherd dogs to complete it." As he said this Wu Yi, shouted in that direction, "Bingo!"

Among the few dogs that were herding the sheep, a large dog with brown spots sprinted over. It had a rugged body, its fur was glistening brightly, and it was extremely quick-witted. Seeing Fang Zhao and the rest of the party, it did not bark or show any intention to attack. It just looked at Wu Yi, and only after Wu Yi made a hand sign did it run over to his side.

"Fang Zhao, what does your dog normally do? Can it understand simple oral commands?" Wu Yi asked.

"Simple oral commands are fine."

Fang Zhao had not deliberately trained Curly Hair, but probably because it had interacted with the people in the department for quite some time, it could understand simple words.

"It should probably know fetch and follow. What about directions? 'Left,' 'Right.' Never mind, how about we see whether it can herd sheep first."

Wu Yi brought Fang Zhao and the rest close to the flock. Su Hou watched the dogs surrounding the flock curiously. Some of them let out low warning growls and showed an intention to attack. It was only when Wu Yi made a hand sign that they stood down, wagging their tails as they headed to Wu Yi.

Giving each a reward, he instructed them to continue standing guard. Wu Yi then pointed at some stray sheep a short distance away from the flock. "Go herd those sheep that have wandered too far away from the flock, Bingo!"

In the next moment, Bingo rushed out. The sheep that had strayed off were driven and ran back toward the herd. As for Bingo, he slowed to a walk upon nearing the flock and turned back.

"See, it is just like that. Although it might look simple, training takes time, and most of my shepherd dogs have been trained since they were young. Matured dogs whose qualities have been determined already are not suitable. Fang Zhao, your dog is not suitable for herding sheep, but a little training might be beneficial, and it might learn a thing or two. Look, there is still another sheep in front. Why don't you let small Curly Hair try it out," Wu Yi said.

"Curly Hair, go try it out."

"...This is not how you train a dog." Wu Yi saw Fang Zhao standing there not moving and looked a little helpless. He thought to himself. A foreigner is just a foreigner. If training dogs was really that easy and they did exactly as you said, I would already have brought my farm's dogs to take part in a competition.

Of course, Fang Zhao knew that really training a dog was not like this, but he had found out early on that Curly Hair's capacity for leaning was very impressive. Furthermore, he had gradually started to understand a lot of words. Thus, he was just trying it out by saying this.

Just as Fang Zhao finished his sentence, Curly Hair left and scampered over to the lone sheep.

Curly Hair was not as big as Bingo. When compared to the sheep, it was even smaller. The hooves of a sheep could crush him easily.

As Zuo Yu had expected, the sheep was not bothered as Curly Hair walked toward it, unhurriedly chewing on the grass. At most, it lazily raised an eye to look as Curly hair neared it but showed no sign of a reaction.

The curly-haired dog was at a loss and turned back, not knowing what to do.

"Still no good. This dog has no killing intent." Wu Yi sighed. "When most shepherd dogs cannot make a sheep move, they bark or threaten to bite. Your dog is too small. It probably does not dare to do so. However, it is normal for an untrained dog to do this. How about I get somebody to bring a small sheep over and let it build up a little courage? Carnivores have an innate knack for hunting. Deep down, it definitely has the instinct to do so. With a little training it, will learn."

Looking over at Curly Hair, he realized that it was observing the few shepherd dogs, probably trying to imitate them. "There is no rush, wait a moment."

A minute passed, then two minutes...

Wu Yi tore off a bit of straw and placed it in his mouth while chewing the end. This was his habit when he was bored.

"I wonder whether we should..." Wu Yi had not finished what he was saying when he saw the curly-haired dog lower its head and face the sheep in an attacking position. The originally unbothered sheep that was chewing on the grass stopped in its tracks. Suddenly, with a 'thud,' the sheep took off as if it had stepped on a spring. Behind it, the curly-haired dog chased after it closely.

Su Hou's gaping mouth could swallow an egg whole. "So sheep can run that fast?!"

The straw in Wu Yi's mouth fell. "This is my first time seeing it too."

The sheep seemed like it was running for its life and rushed straight into the flock of sheep. The originally peaceful flock that had been grazing became restless. As for the curly-haired dog, it stopped as it neared the flock.

The restless flock took a while before calming down.

Wu Yi turned towards Fang Zhao. "That dog... That dog, i-i-is-is it part wolf?" Otherwise, why had that sheep run as if its life was in danger?

Zuo Yu asked, "What do you think?"

"I think that it is rather suitable to herd sheep." He then told Zuo Yu, "Head to the transport and bring over my equipment case."

Fang Zhao had prepared an equipment case before leaving for Muzhou this time. Zuo Yu had seen it and heard that in it were tools for gathering materials.

Chapter 90: Collecting Materials

At least a minimum of six shepherd dogs were required to participate in the competition. Therefore, according to Wu Yi, they were going to pick six and add Curly Hair in for a total team strength of seven. As an old, experienced farm owner, he personally took charge of training. Although there was less than a week till the next round, with additional practice, they should be able to get it together.

Fang Zhao let Curly Hair go over before turning to Su Hou beside him. "What are you standing around for? Go over and learn!" Fang Zhao told Su Hou who seemed like he was watching an interesting scene.

"Ah?" Su Hou was at a loss. "I have to learn herding too?"

"When the time comes, is it you or Wu Yi who is going to be standing at the instructor's position?" Fang Zhao asked.

Su Hou was silent.

Most of the time, the instructor's position at the sheep-herding competition was where the respective farm owner or their successor stood. There would be recording and broadcasting of the instructor's positions during the competition. Standing there was a mark. Fang Zhao's question was to ask if Su Hou was going to stand there proudly and publicize himself when the time came or if was he going to give the chance up to Wu Yi?

Su Hou was temporarily at a loss. Looking at the flock of sheep, he stammered, " B-but there are no more extra cars."

"If there are no cars, you still have your legs."

Running?

Su Hou wanted to object, but under the stern gaze of Fang Zhao, he shuffled over in that direction. In fact, Su Hou wanted to enjoy standing on the instructor's position at the sheep-herding competition, just that standing there required too much investment. He was not familiar with any of Shanmu Farm's dogs—would they listen to his commands?

If the Shepherd dog team was capable of acting independently herding sheep, Su Hou would not mind just standing there as a decoration. But now, this was a newly formed team, and it was impossible for them to reach that standard.

Sigh. Just try it out.

Su Hou ran over to where the flock of sheep were and observed Wu Yi's hand gestures and commands when training the dogs.

Wu Yi also understood Su Hou's intentions and explained to Su Hou as he was training the dogs as well as allowing the dogs to have more interactions with him.

Su Hou had brought along three people. His attendants saw to his dietary and personal needs and doubled up as bodyguards. However, Fang Zhao did not let the three bodyguards help Su Hou. All he allowed them to do was ensure Su Hou's safety and not worry about the rest. Su Hou also agreed; therefore, the three bodyguards stood some way off, watching the little fatty Su running around with the dogs and sheep.

Fang Zhao noticed that, at the start, Curly Hair did not blend in well with the team and was not familiar with many commands. However, after an hour, his mistakes were much fewer, and he could correctly carry out Wu Yi's instructions to herd the sheep. Although it was not a very good blend, they managed to herd the sheep with some difficulty.

Fang Zhao felt that sheep herding opened a new world for Curly Hair. This dog was very strange; it could learn very quickly, but up to now, it had never shown any signs of menace or intention of attacking the people around it. Although it would have its own thoughts, it never hid them. It was just a dog that was as straightforward as one could get.

After the apocalypse, many new things appeared. Was this dog one of them? Fang Zhao thought to himself.

"Boss, I brought your equipment case." Zuo Yu placed the case he'd taken from the flying transport at Fang Zhao's side and looked over at the field. "Oh. Little Curly Hair seems to be doing quite well. However, he looks like he still doesn't fit in."

Zuo Yu had no experience at sheep herding, but he could still see that Curly Hair was not fitting in well. The dogs of Shanmu Farm were excluding Curly Hair. Many times, when they were running according to Wu Yi's instructions, they would steal Curly Hair's spot.

"Soon," Fang Zhao replied.

Zuo Yu did not understand what Fang Zhao meant by that, but in no time at all, he realized that the shepherd dogs were having a conflict.

When Curly Hair was running, he was obstructed by Bingo and his position was stolen. This time, Curly Hair was angry, and his low growls were like a declaration of war. Bingo also did not continue to run forward. He turned around and faced off with Curly Hair. The two dogs were barking at each other. A distance of about one meter separated them. Both their bodies were taut, baring teeth and claws, making low threatening growls.

Su Hou wanted to go over but was stopped by Wu Yi.

"A pasture only has one lead dog. That is the rule,"

From what Wu Yi saw, this pasture was Bingo's domain. Now that the small Curly Hair had joined, if it had taken up a subservient stance, all would have been well. However, that little fellow was rather passionate and had no intention to back down, instead provoking the original lead dog.

Wu Yi did not stop them. A real battle between two dogs might result in accidental injury to people. He controlled the mechanical dogs to fly over and stand by to prevent any bloodshed.

However, what surprised Wu Yi was that, where the two dogs were facing off, Bingo's growls were gradually getting softer. His erect ears had also drooped, Wu Yi knew then that Bingo was terrified!

Terrified?!

It was actually terrified of a dog half its size?

Even if body sizes were not compared, if another dog threatened its position on its own turf, how could he get terrified that fast!

Wu Yi glanced over at Fang Zhao and received a hand gesture of "continue" from him. For the time being, they were not going to look into what caused the incident to happen. They just continued training as per usual. However, Bingo no longer tried to snatch positions this time, which made Wu Yi feel depressed.

The original plan to let Bingo be the lead dog had been shattered, and adjustments would have to be made.

"Control the area! Good, very good! Maintain distance! Positions, pay attention to the positions... Bingo! Faster, what are you afraid of! Run forward faster!"

Wu Yi directed them awhile before letting Su Hou try, no hand gestures, just oral commands.

Letting his employee's in charge of herding watch over, Wu Yi walked over to Fang Zhao and downed half a glass of water. His face was still gloomy. "Fang Zhao, that dog, did you really pick him up from some street in the city? Are you sure you did not pick it up from some laboratory or some alien planet?"

"You watch too much television," Fang Zhao replied.

As shepherd dogs were very smart and well known in Muzhou, there were many dog-related films. The virtual idols that were most popular in Muzhou were not humans but dogs.

However, other than the scenarios he saw on film, Wu Yi could not think of any other explanation. According to logic, Fang Zhao's Curly Hair was not a purebred descendant of a service dog, and the whole world knew that the IQ of Muzhou dogs were the highest in all the twelve continents. Dogs that could herd were not stupid, but now, Bingo was losing out to a small curly-haired dog whose origins and lineage were not even known.

Comparing IQ and vigor, it had lost!

Wu Yi could not understand at all. Sitting on the grass and chewing on a strand of straw, he felt a little heartache. His outlook on life had been changed.

If it really continues like this, the lead dog... would it be that little curly-haired dog?

When the time comes for the competition, the audience wouldn't mock them, would they?

Eh? No way!

Wu Yi's shrewd mind had begun working.

If they do not think highly, that would be less people betting, and the payout odds would be very high.

As the sheep-herding competition progressed, the rules for the rewards would change too.

As Wu Yi watched his six dogs nearby herding sheep alongside that curly-haired dog, his eyes started to shine with glee.

Midway through a break, Su Hou came over to discuss something with Fang Zhao. He wanted the dogs to listen to his instructions at the next competition. For that, he would need the selected dogs to approve of him. Curly Hair was not an issue, but the other six dogs saw Wu Yi as their master. Unless Wu Yi renounced them, they would not take anyone else for a second master.

"Wu Yi said to make them approve of me in the shortest time, other than interacting with them when herding, I would need to eat and sleep with them to increase my time spent together. From what I understand, I have to treat myself as a dog," Su Hou said.

"What about your own decision?" Fang Zhao asked.

Su Hou scratched his head. "I think that if that can help us win, it is not that big of a deal."

Fang Zhao laughed and did not continue the topic. Instead he said, "I heard that if you get in the top eight of the eastern region, there is a five-minute dedicated advertisement segment."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

When Fang Zhao mentioned this, Su Hou then remembered, for normal sheep-herding competitions, although there was an introduction for each farm, the time frame for each was not much, just a few brief lines on each farm before they introduced the dog's accomplishments. But at the Eastern region finals, where the top eight were cut down to the top four, when they decided the qualifications, there would be an opportunity to exhibit themselves. And that period was when everyone in Muzhou would be paying attention.

"If we do get that chance, I will make sure to make myself even more handsome for the shoot!" Su Hou had started thinking of how cool and dazzling his image would be at the finals.

Thinking of this, he felt inspired. "Master Zhao, for the publicity film, would you personally craft the background music?"

"Of course."

"Hahahaha!"

Su Hou laughed excitedly and ran toward the flock of sheep. He felt that, in a while, he would be able to ride dogs into battle.

Wu Yi walked over and suspiciously asked,"What's up with that little fellow?" Previously, he had seen the little master looking listless, but now it seemed he was all perked up. "And what are you doing over here again?"

Seeing what Fang Zhao was doing, Wu Yi forgot about his previous question. He saw Fang Zhao attaching a fingernail-sized object to the curly-haired dog's head.

"A sound recorder, for collecting material." After attaching the equipment, he patted Curly Hair. "Go on."

"Is straw nice to eat?" Fang Zhao asked upon seeing Wu Yi chewing on yet another stalk.

Wu Yi had a profound looked on his face. "You wouldn't understand. The four seasons are contained inside a stalk of straw."

Walking over to Fang Zhao's side, Wu Yi listened to the sounds of the earpiece. It was all the sound of wind. This should be the sounds from the curly-haired dog's recorder. However, this was a very common sound. Why would Fang Zhao need it? Did he need to collect this sort of material?

Totally not understanding, Wu Yi curiously asked, "So composers like you have an interest in common sounds like this?"

Fang Zhao laughed and shook his head. "You wouldn't understand. The world is contained within sounds."

Wu Yi: "..." First time meeting some who can pretend better than me.

Chapter 91: Dongshan

Shepherd dogs did not have easy jobs. Every day, they would run at least 30 kilometers. If they needed to consistently change pastures, the distance was even greater. For arduous tasks, sometimes times they might even cover 100 kilometers in a single day. However, there was no way Su Hou could compare with the professional shepherd dogs. Without a car, and given his weaker constitution, using just his two legs would be an impossible ask.

Luckily he was only playing the role of an instructor. There was no need to frequently run with the dogs. However, just slowly following them and shouting commands nonstop was enough to tire Su Hou till he was on the verge of collapsing.

When they were heading back from the pasture, Su Hou rode the car back. He was too tired to run anymore.

At dinner, Su Hou ate with the dogs. That did not mean that he ate dog food, but rather, after feeding the dogs, Su Hou would have his own food beside them. When it came to sleeping, Su Hou slept in the kennel. However, the place where the dogs slept on the farm had rather decent living conditions. Not as good as Su Hou's own home, but it was better than some of the living quarters of normal employees.

People from Muzhou said that the shepherd dogs lived better than the average working-class person from another continent, and that was not without reason. This also caused a lot of jealousy and hate among others. Their lives could not even be compared to a dog's.

With Su Hou sleeping in the kennel, his three bodyguards could not wander off too far. They had to stay nearby and monitor the area where Young Master Su was.

During the day, Su Hou was dog-tired. At night, he could just lie down in the kennel and fall asleep straight away. However, there was a strange laughter coming from the kennel.

"Hehe... Heiheihei... HAHAHAHA..."

The three bodyguards cautiously headed over to check it out. They realized it was their young master having a dream. It was probably a good dream, as he kept laughing. The dogs in the kennel had looks of irritation. Bingo let out a dissatisfied whimper before changing positions and continuing to sleep. The shepherd dogs were tired out and left the guarding of the farm at night to Chubby Black and a few other specially trained guard dogs.

The Su Hou was pushed by the paw of a nearby dog. He smacked his lips a few times, turned his body the other way, and continued sleeping. In no time at all, the intermittent laughter came back.

Seeing the situation, the three bodyguard felt a little helpless. They cared for their young master dearly, but seeing this situation, they had no idea what to feel. Their young master seemed rather comfortable just sleeping in the kennel.

Unlike Su Hou and the rest who slept early, Fang Zhao still went running at night. As his bodyguard, Zuo Yu also followed, although he had no idea why his artist boss was running in the pitch-black farm at night.

Curly Hair had joined them and was running beside Fang Zhao's feet.

The farm was huge. Fang Zhao ran two rounds from the cultivated farmlands to the pastures before heading back.

"It's really quiet," Fang Zhao said.

Zuo Yu thought to himself, What nonsense is he saying? "Muzhou is like this. There are few people and the farms are big. Everywhere is just fields and pastures," Zuo Yu said.

Fang Zhao laughed but did not bother explaining.

Back during the end of days, nights had not been like this.

As they were running back to the residence Wu Yi had prepared for them, Fang Zhao realized that, although the farm was very quiet, there were many "eyes" behind them. The whole farm was being monitored. Every night, there were people in the monitor room, prepared to investigate any unusual happenings. The dogs of the farm also doubled as their "early warning system." Even if their eyes were closed, their ears were always listening for any suspicious sounds.

This farm was run well. Fang Zhao knew that, even if they had not collaborated this time, Wu Yi would still have been able to expand his farm. All he needed was more time.

When they returned back, Fang Zhao did not head out anymore. Zuo Yu also went into his own room. If his boss did not head out, he could also rest a little. Midway through a yawn, Zuo Yu suddenly halted as he remembered something. No wonder he kept feeling something was amiss. After they had returned back from running, Fang Zhao surprisingly had not been panting as he had expected. How was that possible?

According to the information on Fang Zhao's file, he was supposed to be the sort that lacked physical training and was an artist that only knew how to use his brains to make money. But after running such a distance, why had he still seemed so relaxed? Could it be that it was as the people in the virtual projects department had said, that Fang Zhao spent a lot of time training himself every day?

But even if it was normal training, it was still not possible to reach this sort of level. Unless Fang Zhao's training had increasing intensity. But what would an artistic worker need such a high degree of training for?

Zuo Yu realized that he understood Fang Zhao less and less. Shaking his head, he took two steps then stopped. He remember that the curly-haired dog at Fang Zhao's feet had not panted either. During the day, it had sheep-herding training, and at night, it still kept up with Fang Zhao for the run. To think that it was not even panting. If it were another dog, it would probably have laid down and gasped for air after returning.

Zuo Yu was even more depressed. Even that dog made no sense!

The next day, Su Hou emerged from the kennel in high spirits and ran over to find Fang Zhao. Yesterday, he had run the entire day, but at night, after spraying medicine, it was as if his muscles were not sore at all. Instead, after his nice dream last night, he'd woken up smiling.

"I heard that Young Master Su had a good dream last night? What did you dream about?" Wu Yi asked when he saw Su Hou.

"I dreamed that... dreamed that... sigh, I already can't remember, but it was a good dream. Hehe, Master Zhao!" Su Hou shouted when he saw Fang Zhao coming. "The application for the farm's name was successful. We will have a new name for the next competition!"

Su Hou wanted to change the name after he had bought Xishan Farm. After all, with a new owner, there was no need to use the previous name. Even if the farm had nothing, it still was his own property. A name change would make him feel more at ease.

However, after thinking of quite a number of names, Su Hou could not decide on one. After that, Fang Zhao had said, "If you don't like Xishan, how about Dongshan; it means to make a comeback."

Hence, Su Hou had gone and applied for the change of name and received news that it had been approved early this morning. From today onward, their farm was no longer Xishan Farm but Dongshan Farm.

Although he was unclear of what he had dreamt about last night, Su Hou remembered it having something to do with the sheep-herding competition. As Fang Zhao had said, he was eagerly anticipating entering the Eastern finals. When that happened, everyone watching the competition would know Su Hou's name! With the success of the name application, Su Hou was in a good mood, and he begun putting in added effort to learning herding.

For the following few days, Su Hou followed the flock of sheep every day, giving instructions to the seven shepherd dogs on his team.

Wu Yi picked out a hundred sheep for training from his own livestock. The sheep were selected by their breed and characteristics to be similar to the sheep used in the sheep-herding competition. These sheep were the most commonly seen sheep in Muzhou.

Su Hou's three bodyguards lamented every day. At the start, Su Hou had been at a loss all the time, but now, he had both form and shape. At the start, he'd taken half a day to think of commands to issue, but now, when he saw the changes in the flock, he could immediately come up with hand gestures. In just a week, the young master had lost weight.

Wu Yi imparted some sheep-herding tactics every day, but he no longer concealed anything. After all, they had chosen to cooperate, and he had chosen to bet on Dongshan farm. He considered it an all-in gamble, so if he kept anything to himself, it would not benefit anyone at all.

But what made the three bodyguards puzzled was the composer from Yanzhou, Fang Zhao. What was he up to every day?

In the day, Fang Zhao just sat there with his earpiece, fiddling with some music software. At night, he took his dog out for runs. When Su Hou was herding sheep, Fang Zhao would even place some sort of recording equipment on the sheep, dogs, and even on Su Hou's body.

Any instrument to be placed by Fang Zhao had to go through a stringent inspection by the three bodyguards. The inspection found that the equipment was indeed a sound recorder and, furthermore, it was to be placed closest to the ear. The sounds it recorded were sounds that the ear tended to not hear. This made them even more bewildered.

Eavesdropping? What was there to eavesdrop on? And so much effort just to do so.

Collecting materials? What sorry of materials did this collect?

They had all heard the sounds from the recordings. It was just a bunch of sounds all mashed together; there was nothing much to hear. Sometimes they could hear the wind, but the sound of wind was not that special either.

As for the symbols Fang Zhao wrote down in his notebook, it was rumored to be a musical score, but no one could understand it.

Indeed, the world of an artist was different from that of a normal human.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the competition arrived. In this round, other then their Dongshan Farm, there were seven other teams from the Eastern region. In total, there were eight teams.

"Boss, what are you betting on this time? Top five again?" Zuo Yu asked.

"No."

Wu Yi had said that, in Muzhou, most of the people that could correctly guess the top five were from the Su Family. Fang Zhao guessing all correctly once could be down to pure luck. But out of ten times, hitting predictions correctly three times would attract unwanted attention. If the frequency of correct predictions increased, it would attract more attention. Fang Zhao currently did not want any trouble. Furthermore, he was not short of cash, so there was no need to take such a risk.

After all, making less guesses did not mean not being able to win big.

Fang Zhao looked at the odds for the payouts. Perhaps there were a number of teams of a similar standard, so the payouts were slightly higher.

Guessing first place correctly would give a threefold bonus.

The places that followed were the same, higher than the previous time.

"This time, there are no slight favorites or underdogs. Guessing the top five is hard," Fang Zhao said.

Zuo Yu looked at Fang Zhao. He did not know if Fang Zhao really could not guess or if he did not want to. Pausing awhile, he asked, "So how do you intend to buy?"

"You don't have to overthink. As long as we are taking part in the competition, wagering on ourselves will be good enough," Fang Zhao replied.

Zuo Yu understood and nodded his head. Just as Wu Yi had done so to support his cousin, whether it looked good or not, he could always wager some and have a side bet in the shadows.

Zuo Yu wanted to know if Fang Zhao had any secret side bets but could not ask him so publicly. so he walked over and whispered, "Boss, how much did you place on us this time around?"

"All the winnings from our previous trip to Muzhou," Fang Zhao replied.

Zuo Yu was startled. "Are you serious?!"

"When am I ever not serious?"

Chapter 92: Little Pet Dog

Inside the viewing gallery, staffers from Shanmu Farm were massaging their dogs.

Fang Zhao and Wu Yi hung out in the official viewing gallery. The competition venue was too big. They could never take in the entirety of the grounds. Some viewers used binoculars, whereas others who were lazier were ensconced in their chairs, watching the live broadcast.

"We're third up today. It's a decent position. Relax, Master Su. Don't worry. We'll keep you updated through your earpiece," Wu Yi said. "Master Su, you can warm up with the dogs right now. Even roaming around or jumping up and down will do. It will help calm nerves and prevent your muscles from stiffening. Just follow your routine in practice. We should be able to post a time of under 7 minutes."

Zuo Yu glanced at Wu Yi then at Fang Zhao before dropping his head. Even if they managed a sub-7 minute performance, a first-place finish would likely require a time 5 minutes or less. If they didn't place first, then Fang Zhao's 10 million dollar bet was gone.

The order of appearance for the eight teams from the eight farms had been determined in the morning by a draw of lots. The results of the betting would be announced after the competition. After Fang Zhao placed his bet, he started monitoring betting activity on this eastern regional contest online.

There was some discussion of the third team to appear, Dongshan Farm.

"Dongshan Farm? How come I haven't heard of it before? It's got 30-odd points already."

"Dongshan Farm is what was known as Xishan Farm. There was a change of ownership, so the name changed."

"Let me check who the owner is. Oh, it's a member of the Su family. And it's one of the Su kids. Who is this kid?"

"Isn't it Su Hou, the kid who was caught on camera by paparazzi a while back? Now he's buying farms?"

"I'm not worried about the farm being renamed or a change in ownership. All I care about is the dogs it's entered in the competition. I checked. Dongshan's lineup won't do. Apart from its A dog, the others don't look promising. And there's actually a tiny puppy. Ha—were they that short on talent that they had to draft a pet dog to beef up their numbers?"

Many folks noticed the list of dogs that Dongshan had entered. The last one was a curly-haired dog that stood out. These experienced dog watchers could tell right away that this was not a professional shepherd dog. They scrutinized its listed weight. Wow, it's that small?

"There's actually a team that fielded a pet dog to boost its numbers."

From a Muzhou native's perspective, a pet dog was different from a work dog. In their eyes, a pet dog was a house plant pampered in a greenhouse. It was sissy, fragile, and served no practical purpose whatsoever, so when they spotted a small curly-haired dog on Dongshan Farm's roster, some folks completely lost interest.

"To be fair, Dongshan Farm's A dog isn't bad. It's a shame that..."

More often than not, the A dog was the lead dog. That was why it was the first dog that fans paid attention to. They evaluated the entire team, its herding patterns and so on based on the strength of the A dog. But Dongshan Farm's unprofessional lineup on paper disappointed many.

Apart from the official betting pool, other private companies organized their own pools, but their bets were capped at 1 million. After Wu Yi placed an official bet, he bet through a private platform as well.

Unlike the official pool, the private platform offered only one type of bet—first place.

Different odds were listed for the eight teams. Dongshan Farm was the least favored with the lowest odds.

"5.4? That iss to say, if we place first, I'll receive 5.4 times the amount I bet?" Zuo Yu was going to enter the official pool like Fang Zhao, but when he noticed Wu Yi betting on a private platform, he switched over as well. They were only betting on themselves—might as well pick the platform with the bigger payout.

Zuo Yu bought 10,000 entries in the private pool for a total sum of 50,000 dollars.

"Boss, you're not going to place a heavier bet?" Zuo Yu asked casually. Lo and behold, Fang Zhao placed another 1 million.

By the time betting had ended on all platforms, final preparations were underway at the competition venue. Workers inspected the pasture, a scene that was shown in the live broadcast to highlight the fact that organizers conducted a meticulous sweep. There would be no cheating.

When the first team performed, Su Hou started jogging in circles, but the warm-up didn't alleviate his nerves, instead aggravating his anxiety. Every time he stopped, he would get antsy and check the timer obsessively.

"Six minutes and 51 seconds! The first team finished with a final result of 6 minutes and 51 seconds. That's a decent time." The commentator evaluated the performance of the first team of dogs.

The first team of shepherd dogs wasn't fast, but they didn't make any big mistakes. Posting a sub-7 minute time was a decent showing. At least they wouldn't finish last.

By the time the second team was competing, Su Hou had to lead his dogs out into the field. Wu Yi followed and returned soon. He kept wiping the sweat on his forehead. He was a picture of calm just now, but this was his first competition as a contestant. While the team was named after Dongshan Farm, six of the dogs were from his farm. No wonder he was so nervous.

By the time Wu Yi returned, the second team had completed its routine. He checked the time on the big screen: 6 minutes and 43 seconds.

Two consecutive teams posting times under 7 minutes put quite a bit of pressure on the third team. A time of 6 minutes or so wasn't stellar, but it wasn't bad either. Wu Yi was getting more and more nervous. He didn't expect his dogs to be spectacular—just as long as they could herd all the sheep into the pen. After all, it was their first contest. Who knew what could go wrong?

Wu Yi rummaged through his pockets impatiently. He couldn't find anything. He was so tense when he left the farm he forgot to stuff straw in his pockets. Now he couldn't fight his jitters by chewing on a piece of straw. He glanced to his side instead. "Fang Zhao, aren't you worried?"

"I am."

"I couldn't tell. You seem quite calm. What are you jotting down? Tactical notes?" Wu Yi approached and craned his neck, then went silent.

The piece of paper was covered with scribblings that Wu Yi couldn't decipher—Fang-style musical notations.

Wu Yi was about to say something when he heard Zuo Yu comment: "We're up."

On the big screen, the camera paused on the instructor's podium. Su Hou was very tight. He kept on mumbling.

"Little Mr. Su is probably memorizing his gestures, hehe." The commentator followed with a knowing laugh. "As many people know, Little Mr. Su bought was used to be Xishan Farm and renamed it Dongshan Farm. The shepherd dogs he entered aren't the ones from Xishan Farm that people know so well. These are all new faces. Oh, and there's a small pet dog on their team. Little Mr. Su doesn't seem that confident either, but that's understandable. Debutant's jitters. OK, let's get back to the competition. The countdown has started. Let's see what kind of result this new team of dogs led by Little Mr. Su can manage."

Tick, tick, tick.

The sound of the countdown clock reverberated through the field.

"Off we go!"

One hundred sheep rushed into the field, and the seven dogs emerged from passageways on their two flanks.

"Off we go! As we can see, the dogs from the third team, Dongshan Farm, have adopted a circular approach. Pay attention to how they cluster the sheep. This positioning... That's not right. Dog A doesn't seem to be in the right position." The passionate commentator became confused. "Is Dongshan Farm switching tactics?"

Inside the closed viewing gallery, Wu Yi was watching in a pseudo-praying position. He kept repeating in his head—stay in position, stay in position!

But Wu Yi was rudely interrupted by the menacing voice of the commentator.

"It's Dog B. Dog B is in the wrong position. It's gone down the wrong flank. It seems a bit nervous. It's probably realized its mistake and is now slowing down. Let's see how Little Mr. Su adjusts."

Wu Yi slapped himself in the face. He couldn't watch any more. Dog B? Little Lucky? Little Lucky was typically such a steady performer.

It was the dogs' first shepherding competition. The new surroundings were bound to take some getting used to and would lead to discomfort. But if even Little Lucky was making mistakes, the others were probably faring worse.

Wu Yi might have been quite talkative under normal circumstances, but at a time like this, he was at a loss. His head was spinning. He couldn't verbalize his thoughts. He turned his head toward Fang Zhao, who had already picked up his walkie-talkie.

The commentator continued, "Su Hou has asked to intervene. But it's a bit too late. The sheep are dispersing again. One group of sheep is peeling away from the main group. This is what happens when a dog attacks the wrong flank."

The commentator was delighted by the rare sight of a sheep cluster gone astray. He sounded like he wanted to jump. "We're losing sheep! Let's see what Little Mr. Su signals to Dog B and if Dog B can return to the right position. Wait..." Halfway through his spiel, Su Hou's projection appeared not in front of Dog B but rather Dog G.

Dog G?

The curly-haired one?

Su Hou made a hand gesture. He was so nervous he got it wrong initially but quickly corrected himself. Following Fang Zhao's instructions, he signaled Curly Hair to round up the sheep.

When he was done, Su Hou didn't look very confident.

"Little Mr. Su's signal is to round up the sheep. Unbelievable. He actually signaled a little pet dog to lead the roundup. I think he made the wrong hand gesture." The commentator was about to elaborate when he saw Curly Hair dash like the wind.

"Such amazing speed! Great coverage! But it's too far from the sheep. It can't accomplish the task. Woah, the sheep are converging. The lost sheep are returning to the fold."

The commentator wiped away his sweat. It felt like he had not been able to utter a complete sentence since the third team had taken off. He had to switch gears mid-sentence every time.

On the field, the small cluster of sheep that had left the main group like a wayward branch veered back toward the core group on a parabolic trajectory.

"Setting up a blockade. The sheep have converged. Impressive—a tiny dog actually set up the blockade for the third team."

The commentator stopped using the word "pet."

Chapter 93: New Voices in Symphonic Composition

First, to gather a flock of sheep, the sheep at the front had to be obstructed and their speed restricted. Next, the loose sheep at the sides and back had to be harried into the flock. And this process of gathering was part of herding. During that process, whether sheep or dog, all of them would be running.

"The flock has been gathered, remove the blockade! They are beginning to drive the flock! Running positions! Lead dog! Where is the lead dog!" The commentators began searching amongst the seven dogs.

Dog A?

Probably not. Dog A's running position at the start did not have the imposing manner of a lead dog.

What about Dog G, who had worked hard during the crisis? Nope, Dog G's current position was at the back.

Observing the few dogs on the field, the commentators then realized the Dog B that had previously run to the wrong position had returned to the correct one,

Generally speaking, after the flock had gathered and it was time to herd the flock, the lead dog would seek out and suppress the lead sheep. Then it would force the lead sheep to run toward the desired destination. When the lead sheep ran, the entire flock would run after it.

Today was somewhat special. There was no lead dog that went to seek out the lead sheep. However...

"Today, the flock seems to be running a little fast." Obvious suspicion could be heard in the commentator's voice.

In the field, the flock was picking up speed, and the few shepherd dogs that eventually understood the situation also increased their speed. Once the gathering was complete and the running positions were correct, what followed was the herding process. As long as no unfortunate accidents happened, the sheep would be smoothly herded into the pen.

"The speed of the flock is still increasing!" The commentator's glance at his colleague was questioning what was happening, but the look the colleague returned was one of equal bewilderment.

They did not manage to catch which dog had exerted a "suppressing glare." Barking? There were indeed a few dogs barking, but all of them were excited barks as they ran; they did not seem aimed at the head sheep.

Scaring the sheep by biting?

No one saw any dog biting. But why was the flock of sheep acting like there was something frightening chasing after them?

The audiences watching the broadcast were equally puzzled. However, for those not participating, they were paying more attention to the timer.

At this moment, Wu Yi's eyes locked onto the numbers at the top right corner of the screen.

Four minutes and 10 seconds...

Four minutes and 13 seconds...

Four minutes and 50 seconds...

Five minutes...

"Almost there! Persevere, my dears!" Wu Yi shouted. He could feel his adrenaline pumping.

Five minutes and 10 seconds...

Twelve seconds...

Thirteen seconds...

"They are in! They are all in the pen! Five minutes and 16 seconds! Team No. 3, the shepherd dogs of Dongshan farm, five minutes and 16 seconds! That was totally unexpected!"

The commentators were deeply moved. Wu Yi, who was in the viewing hall, was so stirred up that he roared with joy. He had never expected the results of his first competition would be better than his cousin's results. He had enough to brag about for an entire year already.

Wu Yi wanted to share the joy with Fang Zhao but realized that Fang Zhao had retracted his gaze from the screen and continued writing and drawing in his notebook.

What a wet blanket! Wu Yi thought.

Turning around, he ordered a few employees who were standing beside. "Faster, faster, faster, follow me over to retrieve my little babies!"

On the screen, Su Hou had run from the instructor's platform to the pen's entrance. The instructor's platform was near the final destination, making it easy for farm owners to control their own dogs immediately.

The overly excited Su Hou, smiling nonstop, had rushed inside and was rolling around with the seven dogs, getting bits of grass all over his body. "Looks like Young Master Su is very satisfied with the results of his debut performance, hehe." The commentators laugh was no longer the sardonic laughter from before the start of the competition but rather a merry laugh.

Su Hou could not wipe away the smiles on his face as he brought the dogs back to the viewing hall. His original target was to only use hand gestures when necessary and let the shepherd dogs complete the herding. As for the timing, he had not even thought about it and had never expected it to be within six minutes. To think that it would be just a little over five minutes!

Seven days was too short. He had only forced himself to memorize the commands and gestures. The time he spent with the seven dogs was not nearly enough. When he had been standing on the instructor's platform, he'd still felt a little dumb. Never had he expected to get this sort of result.

"After you are done being happy, continue watching the competition. Is five minutes very little? Think about Shoubei Farm's four minutes and six seconds. If you want to enter the eastern region finals, you still have to cut down your time to below four minutes and thirty seconds. There is still much more training to do when you get back," Fang Zhao uttered.

This was meant for not just Su Hou but Wu Yi as well. If Su Hou had been able to come up with a quick reaction when the situation occured at the start, probably a few seconds could have been shaved off the time. This time, it was thanks to Fang Zhao's direct instructions. Otherwise, Su Hou really would not have known what gestures to show to Dog - Little Lucky, or the other dogs.

As for Wu Yi, he needed to increase the intensity of training for some of the dogs. They could herd on their own fields however they liked. As long as the job was completed, it was fine. However, the previous standard was not good enough for the competition. They could not afford to have another error next time.

"Right, right, right, more training when we get back. Little Lucky, come over!" Wu Yi had originally decided to slap the dog that had made a mistake. However as his hand descended, it became a heavy pat on the head. He was in too good a mood, and as it seemed like Little Lucky had realized its own mistake already, Wu Yi could not bring himself to do so.

With their team's part in today's competition done for, the excitement from the group gradually died down and they started to watch the following teams' performances.

The teams that followed mostly finished around the six to seven minute mark. There was one other team that gave an extraordinary performance and managed to finish within six minutes, but they were slower than Dongshan Farm by 29 seconds.

Once all eight teams had finished, many people looking at the standings today were left dumbfounded.

No one had expected that Dongshan would actually obtain such a result. During their run, Dongshan Farm's tactics were too hard to understand. Till now, there was still no analysis of it.

After the competition, there will still people that complained, saying that there was a problem with the dogs of Dongshan Farm, especially the small curly-haired dog. There were some that said the dogs were surely doped.

Toward these, Wu Yi was extremely angry. "These people losing their money by betting on the wrong team are none of our godd*mn business! The dogs have already undergone anti-doping tests. I am going to sue them for slander!"

However, as there were too many people complaining, the competition organizers dispatched a professional team over to test the dogs once more. In the end, the results were still the same.

This time, no matter how many people vented their frustrations and made noise, the organizers had this to say. "You may suspect others, but you cannot call into question the competitions justness and impartiality. Any complaints require evidence. Otherwise, see you in court."

Having won first place for today's competition, Wu Yi was excitedly waving his hands around. "Let's head back to celebrate!"

He was happy today. One reason was that his own farm dogs' had won first place in their first ever competition. The other reason was that he had won money! He had wagered a million on Dongshan Farm in private. He had never expected to win it back; he had only done so to boost his own morale. Losing it was fine, he would've just taken it as a wager for memories of the first time taking part. Never had he expected that he would actually win!

At 5.4 times, deducting the original one million, he had earned an additional 4.4 million.

While Zuo Yu excitedly counted the money, he used the corner of his eyes to watch Fang Zhao. This time around, Fang Zhao had also earned quite a large sum, but till now, his attention was not on the money but on his notebook.

"Boss, are you not going to share your thoughts?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Thoughts?" Fang Zhao raised his head. "We are heading to Qingcheng tomorrow."

"What are we going there for?" Wu Yi and Su Hou were curious as well.

"Have you heard of Qingcheng's Odd Music Company?"

"Odd Music Company? Nope." Wu Yi shook his head repeatedly.

"I might have heard of it somewhere but I don't remember what they do." Having grown up in Qingcheng, Su Hou only felt that this company's name sounded a little familiar, but he was unclear about anything else.

"Odd Music Company is a company that provides recording studios. Other than a few big entertainment companies and music academies, their company's recording studios are highly rated. I made a reservation just now. I will check it out tomorrow," Fang Zhao said.

"Music recording? Are there a lot of people?" Su Hou did not understand.

"There will be a queue. Seems like Muzhou's musical ambience is not too bad." Ever since coming to Muzhou, he had listened to quite a number of the native Muzhou songs. At Shanmu Farm, he had also heard Wu Yi playing his bamboo flute.

Not just native Muzhou music, when Fang Zhao had made a reservation for a symphony recording studio, he had realized that this style of music was also rather popular and he would be required to queue. Tomorrow, when he went down, he did not even know if he could start recording.

"Then what about Curly Hair?" Now, Su Hou felt that among the seven dogs, Curly Hair was the most reliable. If Fang Zhao went to Qingcheng, would he bring Curly Hair along?

"Curly Hair will stay and train with you. Stop thinking about relying on him all the time. I heard that the difficulty will be increased for the finals. Just relying on one dog will not do," Fang Zhao replied.

"Hehe, got it, got it." Su Hou felt that the dreams he had every day about the finals now had a chance of becoming reality.

The party brought the dogs back to Shanmu Farm. Currently, they were still living on Shanmu Farm. Fang Zhao used a long range video projection to check on the situation at Dongshan Farm. He found out that the renovation work he had requested was already complete and new grass had already been grown. Crops for the current season would be sowed on the fields and would germinate in a bit.

After arranging everything, the next day, Fang Zhao headed for Qingcheng with Zuo Yu in tow.

Odd Music Company's building was shaped like an erected flute, tall and cylindrical, and had many windows that were made circular.

Fang Zhao had made a reservation for their symphony recording studio. When they arrived, there was a private studio that were doing their recording, The forecasted time was in a short while, so Fang Zhao waited in the building's waiting hall.

There were a few others who were waiting just like him. Fang Zhao saw a few youngsters holding onto a book engaged in discussion. Fang Zhao was very familiar with the cover. It was the book he had written with Xue Jing, "New Voices in Symphonic Composition."

The paperback and electronic versions of "New Voices in Symphonic Composition" had been published worldwide. Xue Jing had mentioned to Fang Zhao that sales of the electronic book were great and that the paperbacks required additional reprints, as the reviews were good.

At a table behind Fang Zhao, a student raised his head to look at the people in his surroundings and whispered to his companion, "Nowadays, the people doing symphonic styles have increased. In the past, the symphonic recording studio was always empty, and at times, they would lend it out to other styles of music. Never did I expect that we would have to queue despite booking a day in advance."

"Seems like it started when 'New Voices in Symphonic Composition' came out. A classmate in an orchestra told me that, every day, he is busy from morning till night. Previously, the amount of idle time made him consider changing professions and he felt that there were no prospects for him. Now he is crazy busy, but he laughs when he dreams. You know, now that their orchestra is gaining popularity and their charges have doubled, surprisingly, they are still that busy."

Chapter 94: See Fang Zhao

Xue Jing had once told Fang Zhao that, in the music world of the New Era, symphonic structures had a rather refined flavor and were different from the more common musical styles in the New Era. The public did not have a high acceptance toward it, and there were not many who would study this, instead choosing to play with electronic music.

Fang Zhao's emergence had let symphonies and electronic music blend perfectly. Even though it was still not truly fashionable, at least more people were more accepting of it.

In the world, the number of people who could perfectly blend symphonies with electronic music was not just limited to only Fang Zhao. However, to build a reputation for oneself and be willing to selflessly share all his techniques, there was only Fang Zhao.

This was also why there had been so much hype within the community for "New Voices in Symphonic Composition" before it had even been released. This sort of situation was rarely seen, and just by spending a little money, one would gain the knowledge that he wanted. This sort of chance was hard to let go.

In the past, even if people wanted to learn, they would be put off by the "high entry requirements" and "hard to understand," and use these excuses to cower. Now, people who were interested could first read up on the explanations in the book and the shared experiences while getting a feel of things. Interest was all the foundation that one needed.

Although music software could synthesize many sounds, many people would still rather use traditional methods of recording, such as hiring a band or an orchestra to play at a professional studio. This way, they could listen to and feel the details, find places that needed improvement, and make changes on the spot. Apparently, in these sorts of circumstances, it was easier to gain inspiration. This was probably the "human" factor. Because when an orchestra played according to the score, their own feelings would be assimilated inside. This was something that could stir up the emotions of a composer.

It could be said that Muzhou was the continent that had the least symphonic music. Just as that student had said, in the past, the symphony recording studios were often empty and used for other styles. However, now, despite having an advanced booking, there was still a queue.

If even Muzhou was like this, what about the other continents?

While Fang Zhao was pondering that question, a few more people came in from outside.

One of them scanned the hall and grumbled, "There are too many people. I think the CEO of Odd Music Company has plans to increase the number of symphony recording studios, but I have no idea when it will be ready."

The person beside him, with eyes full of anticipation, plucked out his earpiece and said, "I think this piece of mine will be very successful. I used the music software at home to produce a demo piece, and it sounds very good. Who knows, I might become popular soon! Or maybe I can be like Fang Zhao and be regarded by Fiery Bird?"

Everyone wanted to be the second Fang Zhao. Youngsters in the music industry paid attention to Fang Zhao. One reason was his talent and achievements; the other reason was also the main factor: his earnings.

Artists were human too. Other than certain madmen, the majority of them were common people who would have desires. Upon seeing Fang Zhao making so much earnings from his few symphonic movements and even receiving an invitation from Fiery Bird, who would not be tempted by that fame and fortune?

They were all of a similar age group, they all enjoyed music, and they were all from various schools from all continents. If Fang Zhao could do it, why not them too?

Therefore, more people attempted to take up the challenge, resulting in better recording companies in Qingcheng being fully booked almost every day. Good orchestras needed to work overtime every day, and the ones with better reputations had to be booked several days in advance.

Fang Zhao glanced at the newly arrived youngsters before looking at the time. The ones ahead of him in the queue, "Wheat Dish Studio," had given 1 p.m as the forecasted time that they would be done. They had already overshot by ten minutes and had not given an explanation.

Upstairs, the people from Wheat Dish were also in a bad mood. Their recording had not gone smoothly. The problem did not lie with the orchestra's performance; instead, it was that the finished recording was different from what they had expected.

Wheat Dish Studio was set up by three year-four students from Muzhou Music Academy and had only been recently established. Other than those three, the other people in the studio that were helping them temporarily were their juniors from school.

"Something is wrong!" A youngster dressed fashionably scrutinized the scores he had written himself, his face full of distress. "Ding Xiaotao, how do you think we should correct this?"

The short haired girl beside him leaned against the back of her chair, both legs on the control panel and facing the ceiling. Hearing her companion, she took a deep breath and sighed. "Let's properly correct it when we get back."

"No! I feel that it's just lacking a little something for me to find out where the problem lies. Let the orchestra play once more. Maybe I will be able to figure out the answer." That youngster was unwilling to give up.

In the past, they had tried out electronic music and not Muzhou's traditional music styles because they'd thought that the people who did electronic music were cool. After watching many blockbusters, they had felt that the stunning background music was also pretty cool, so they had switched over to try it out, but they hadn't had much success. Originally, they had made plans to return to working purely on electronic music, but the release of "New Voices in Symphonic Composition" had given them renewed hope. The three of them had sealed themselves off for a period of time and then came here to produce the results of their seclusion. However, reality was a harsh slap in the face. It was as if their fiery and passionate hearts had been doused with cold water.

"Obviously, this portion should harmonize really well. Why does it sound wrong?" The last youngster was also at a loss as he fidgeted and studied the patterns on his sleeve tattoo.

"Shi Duo, go and see who is queueing up behind us. If it is no one important, tell them something to continue waiting or to queue up for another recording studio. We are going to extend our stay here for another two hours. I can feel some inspiration coming my way. In a moment I will start all over. You go outside and check it out first while I amend the scores.

"Jiang Hang, you are saying this for the third time today." The tattooed youth unwillingly got up to head out. His uncle was a senior executive at Odd Music Company, so he could directly take a shortcut for some small matters.

Normal clients were not able to check the background or detailed information of the people queueing up after them. The information online only stated what the client who made the booking left behind. The people from Wheat Dish could only find out that the person behind them had made a individual application and nothing more.

The tattooed youth had gotten used to this and went to find someone who could check the information of the party behind.

"Oh, little Duo came?" The person in charge of Odd Music's technical department did not even need to raise his head. Just glancing at the tattooed sleeve, he knew who had come.

Shi Duo's nickname was Duo Duo. As he'd gotten older, Shi Duo had felt that every time someone called him it sounded like they were calling a dog, so he did not let people call him that. Now, only people who were close to him used that name.

Shi Duo cackled as he walked in. "Uncle Wylie, are you busy?"

"Say it, what do you want to check this time? Your studio has exceeded the time limit." There was no rebuke in Wylie's voice. Exceeding the time was a small mater. A little compensation fee to the party behind them would resolve it.

"I want to see who is queuing up after me, maybe tell him to wait a while more or perhaps queue for another studio," Shi Duo said.

Wylie understood. Shi Duo wanted to find out the other party's identity and detailed information.

"Let me see, behind you is... a booking by a foreigner from Yanzhou," Wylie said. "If he isn't from Muzhou, that's even better. We don't have to bother about foreigners. We have priority for locals. I guess we will ask him to queue for another studio. However, this name seems a little familiar, as if I have heard it somewhere."

"Is he famous? What's his name?" Shi Duo asked.

"He's called Fang Zhao."

"Fang... Fang Zhao?!"

Shi Duo did not bother about the rules any longer. He rushed over and pushed Wylie aside and squeezed in front of the screen, carefully examining the information and photograph of the person who made the booking.

"You know this person?" Wylie asked.

Shi Duo took a deep breath then took another look to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. "Can I check the surveillance footage of the waiting hall?"

"No way!" Wylie shook his head. Company policy. Other than the technical staff in the monitor room, no one else was allowed to view the surveillance footage. Doing so was a breach of privacy, and the company had strict rules regarding it. If it were not for the backing of his uncle who was a senior executive in the company, Wylie would not even have considered helping him.

"Hey. You haven't told me, who is this Fang Zhao?"

Shi Dou did not bother to reply and instead rushed straight out. When he ran into the waiting hall, his sudden braking caused the soles of his shoes to create a sharp squeaking sound.

The ear-piercing sound made everyone, including Fang Zhao, look over.

Shi Dou scanned the waiting hall and his line of sight stopped at Fang Zhao. After that, he turned and rushed straight up and into the recording studio.

"You guys, you won't believe who is queueing behind us! Guess who I just saw!" Shi Duo was so excited he was practically shouting.

Jiang Hang and Ding Xiaotao were discussing where the music score had gone wrong, but their train of thought had been scared away by Shi Duo's abrupt shouting. The two of them stared at Shi Duo as if they wanted to peel him alive.

Shi Duo did not care one bit, excitedly continuing, "Fang Zhao! That Fang Zhao!"

"Tha-that Fang Zhao?" Jiang Hang and Ding Xiaotao were both stuttering.

Jiang Hang and Ding Xiaotao looked at each other and ran out at the same time.

Shi Duo also followed and did not forget to show off to a bunch of his good friends in a group chat. "Today I ran into Fang Zhao!"

Somewhere else in Qingcheng, in a dormitory at Muzhou Music Academy.

"The F*ck! Fang Zhao is in Muzhou!"

"Who did you say?!"

"Is Fang Zhao really in Muzhou?"

"Shi Duo said it in a group chat. They met him when recording over at Odd Music."

"Let's go to Odd Music!"

"You all are going? I still have two more periods of optional lessons."

"Skip classes!"

In a classroom at the teaching block.

A teacher stepped into his classroom for his lesson on arrangement and realized that there were only a third of the students in class, and he was left puzzled. This round, there were not many students from far away, and he had not received any absence-from-class requests.

"Where is everyone? There are supposed to be many more people, where did they go?" the arrangement teacher asked.

"Teacher, they all skipped classes to go see Fang Zhao," a student answered.

"Outrageous! Even if they were chasing a star, they can't... Who?! Who did they go see?!" The arrangement teacher was stunned.

"...Fang Zhao came? Where?" the arrangement teacher asked.

"Odd Music Company's building. I heard a fellow student was recording over there when they ran into him."

The student had just finished his sentence when the arrangement teacher said, "This class will be self-revision." With that he hurriedly left.

Chapter 95: Live Broadcast Lesson

The fastest to react were students of the Music Academy who were interested in the symphonic genre. Many skipped classes and rushed over to Odd Music Company.

Thus, on an afternoon where there was no sheep-herding competition, many cars appeared at the entrance of Odd Music Company.

Odd Music's security guards did not think much of it. Recently, there had been a lot more people coming to the recording studio. Today was just a little more than normal. However, they quickly realized more and more people were coming and they were asking the same question: "Where is Fang Zhao?"

Fang Zhao?

Who is Fang Zhao?

They were just in charge of the company's security and knew nothing about the music scene. They might have known some popular singers or superstars, but not much of others in the industry.

Only when a supervisor in the company told them did they know that a rather impressive person had come.

In the large waiting hall, the three members of Wheat Dish Studio had ran in front of Fang Zhao.

Earlier, when Shi Duo had rushed in and glanced over, Zuo Yu's professional instincts had been placed on alert. He was ready to obstruct the three of them when Fang Zhao waved his hands, signaling not to.

"Greetings, Teacher Fang, we are year four student from Muzhou Music Academy."

The three of them handed Fang Zhao their student IDs. Ding Xiaotao and Jiang Hang passed over the books in their hands, flipped open the cover, and bashfully asked, "T-teacher Fang, could we have your autograph?"

After thinking for quite a bit, Ding Xiaotao had settled on addressing him as "teacher." Since he had imparted knowledge to them, they would call him "teacher."

Fang Zhao smiled at the three of them, took the pen and books, and proceeded to sign them.

"We are working on our composition right now, blending symphonies with electronic music, but we have encountered some problems; could we consult you?" Jiang Hang asked.

"Go ahead," replied Fang Zhao.

Jiang Hang spoke about the process and some of his thoughts about blending the sounds for their composition

"Did you have a general plan?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes, yes! Just that, when we listen to it, something does not sound right, as if it was not blended properly."

"Can I take a look at the scoresheet?"

"Sure! Sure!" Jiang Hang handed over the scoresheet that was full of amendments. He was not worried that Fang Zhao would copy their score. This was the Fang Zhao—would he even need to copy their messy and half-completed song scores?

However, looking at the piece of paper full of corrections, the three of them felt a little embarrassed.

"How about letting me tidy it up first and show you a brand new copy after all the amendments? This copy does not look good," Jiang Hang asked.

"No need." Fang Zhao studied the scoresheet in his hands seriously. Although this scoresheet was messy and the paper was full of markings and corrections, it showed the number of times they had tried to improve their draft. Fang Zhao could see what the three of them were thinking from it.

"Lend me the pen," Fang Zhao said.

"Sure, free free to use it!" Ding Xiaotao hurriedly fished out from her bag and handed it over to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao used the pen and circled out a few places. He proceeded to analyze it and tell them his opinions.

Jiang Hang and the other two listened attentively. They realized that Fang Zhao not only talked about the scoresheet, he could also speculate as to their thought processes through the amendments. He also accurately pointed out the points in their general plan where they had felt something was wrong and gave them a few reasons. This way, they could finish the rest by themselves.

As Fang Zhao was explaining to them, others in the waiting room also curiously watched. Upon hearing "Teacher Fang," some guessed whether it was the Fang Zhao that they knew. When they saw him signing on the copy of "New Voices in Symphonic Composition," their suspicions were confirmed.

"Is it really Fang Zhao?!" someone cried out.

Someone else from another genre had a blank look on his face. "Who is Fang Zhao? Is he famous?"

"Probably some rich master from an aristocratic family. He even has a bodyguard."

"Not necessarily. Who knows, he might be a celebrity."

"I have never seen him among any Muzhou stars."

"A foreign celebrity?"

"All this for a foreign star?" They looked down on the behavior of the bunch of young people trying to chase a celebrity.

Those who did symphonic genres could not put up with it any longer.

A slightly older person asked, "Are you talking about Yanzhou Silver Wing Media's Fang Zhao? The one that composed the '100-Year Period of Destruction,' received an invite from Fiery Bird, and helped great master Xue Jing compile 'New Voices of Symphonic Composition,' that Fang Zhao?!" Even if they did not have interest in the symphony genre, a while back, the book had been all the rage within the community, so they would still know of it.

"No wonder I felt that he looked familiar! I also want his autograph!"

"Me too!"

"Wait for me, let me inform everyone in the chat group."

Therefore, Zuo Yu watched as a bunch of people came over. There were still others that rushed over upon receiving the news. In a moment, the waiting hall became crowded.

"Hello, I'm from Qingcheng University's arts group. Recently, I have been studying the style of symphonic structures..."

"I'm a student from Muzhou Music Academy too..."

"I'm from XX company..."

Zuo Yu observed everyone that came close. He could use his arms to block off the nearest people, but as there were too many, even if Zuo Yu had more limbs, there was no way he could block off everyone in the surrounding area.

"Boss, I feel that we should..."

Zuo Yu wanted to leave the place when he saw a middle-aged man in a suit head over. The people he brought along cleared a path. "Teacher Fang! Teacher Fang, I am Si Wai, deputy CEO of Odd Music. The company has prepared a room for you to rest." Afterward he addressed the crowd, "Everyone, please do not worry. Later on, Odd Music Company will provide a chance for interaction."

Recently, the company's symphony studio was overbooked every day. The higher-ups had naturally paid attention and understood the reason. Of course they knew what the name "Fang Zhao" implied.

This was a chance to raise the company's reputation!

All of Odd Music Company's departments had started to move. They had also increased the number of security guards at the entrance and spent money to engage temporary workers from a protective services company. Even their deputy CEO, Si Wai, had personally come out to invite Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao also knew that staying here was not a good idea. After signing a few more books from people beside him, he returned the pen to Ding Xiaotao.

"Pardon me, I have to leave for a bit."

Fang Zhao had never thought that something like this would happen. However, he was not intimidated by the scene that unfolded as he followed the deputy CEO and left the waiting hall. They arrived at a lounge for distinguished guests, and he realized there were people waiting inside.

There were five people in total. Three were top executives from Odd Music, and the other two were the Principal of Muzhou Music Academy and his granddaughter, who coincidentally happened to be recording a song today.

The principal had brought his granddaughter to his good friend's company to do a recording and had never expected to have such a great opportunity. But having met quite a few great masters in the industry, he was not like the bunch of rowdy youngsters who were so stirred up.

After the customary introductions, the principal finally stated his true objective. "Young Teacher Fang, are you interested to come to Muzhou Music Academy to give a lecture?"

...

Half an hour later, Odd Music Company opened a large hall capable of fitting more than a thousand people. In the past, this place had been used to demonstrate their newest models of sound recording equipment and installations. The hall was a place for promotion and publicity, and now it being used to house a temporary meet and greet session.

Fang Zhao would answer questions for one hour, and after that, there would be an autograph session.

Before leaving for the meet and greet session, Fang Zhao made a call to Duan Qianji and told her about the situation here and how he would be cooperating with the Muzhou Music Academy's principal, who would arrange a place for Fang Zhao to lecture. As there were way more interested parties for his lecture then seats, they had come to a decision that the class would be broadcast online as well. At Muzhou's side, it would be an exclusive broadcast by Muzhou Music Academy. As for Yanzhou, Fang Zhao decided to leave it to Silver Wing to arrange the broadcast. Other continents were having discussions to stream the broadcast at the moment.

Duan Qianji was very happy when she received the news and immediately got her staff to set up the frequency for the broadcast as well as announce the news of Fang Zhao's lecture and post the details online.

After a series of orders had been handed out, Duan Qianji sat down in her own office and browsed through the discussions online as she chuckled to herself. "He really went out to expand his profession indeed."

Xue Jing had been invited all over the world to lecture due to the release of "New Voices in Symphonic Composition." As Fang Zhao was contracted to Silver Wing, he did not have complete freedom, and due to matters that he had to attend to, he had not gone along with Xue Jing. This time, Fang Zhao had been caught in Muzhou. Having received the news, Xue Jing was rather supportive of Fang Zhao personally lecturing and contacted him right away.

"When the time comes for your lecture, there will surely be a lot of industry seniors, but you don't have to be nervous. Just take it like how you were discussing with me and say whatever you wish to say. I have spoken to a few old friends in Muzhou. They will not post any tricky questions and will help you when there is a need to..."

In a tone of a old senior looking after the younger generation, Xue Jing exhorted again and again.

When Xue Jing finally finished, Fang Zhao said, "Thank you. I don't get nervous."

"Hey, when you are standing there with a thousand pair of eyes glued to you, can you still be so sure? When is your lecture?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

"So fast? Don't you need to prepare?"

"There is no need. I have something to attend to now."

"You little—never mind, don't put too much pressure on yourself for your first class."

"I don't feel pressure."

The next day, when Fang Zhao left the residence the school had arranged for him, there was already somebody waiting for him to escort him to his lecture.

The place where the lecture would be held was a communication center. On most days, professors and masters with high reputations would give reports or lectures there. It was rare that the speaker today was a young person who was of a similar age to students of the school.

Muzhou Music Academy's principal picked out ten questions from the students suggestions and went backstage to see Fang Zhao sitting there watching a sheep-herding competition.

Was he watching the video to relieve stress or was he born senseless? the principal thought to himself.

When it was about time, Fang Zhao stepped into the hall and walked up the stage. He calmly scanned the hall that was filled to the brim, briefly gave an introduction, and went straight to the main topic.

Fang Zhao's was not the plain and simple kind of teaching method, yet he was able to use simple words to make the questions more penetrating. He also used a few famous Muzhou songs as examples. Even people who had never come into contact with the symphony genre could mostly understand what he was saying. Fang Zhao's examples were not just limited to Muzhou songs; he used songs from other continents as well, which made viewers of the live broadcast feel involved.

Oh? To think it could be used like that?

Wow, you can blend this sort of sound? Who knows, I might be able to use it in my own compositions!

How did I never think of this?

How does he know so much?!

...

Those present at the lecture or watching the broadcast felt as if their hearts were deeply stirred.

The formless manner of Fang Zhao's words and actions carried some pressure. The student leaders sitting in the first few rows fidgeted in unease.

The arrangement teacher also straightened his back. He kept feeling a little nervous and wondered what was up? When he was giving lectures, he would not feel anything. Now, he was all tensed up just listening to a lecture, weird!

In the hall that could fit more than a thousand, the front ten rows were filled with student leaders, teachers, and other interested Muzhou citizens of reputable fame. The students were seated behind, and many more that were unable to grab a spot were watching the live broadcast online.

The academy's forums were also having heated discussions.

"I finally know why Fang Zhao rose so high despite being just two years older than us. Take a look, everyone, wherever he stands, that aura... Tsk tsk, reminds me of my form teacher back then."

"To actually reveal everything, isn't he even the least bit afraid that, once others learn his methods and techniques, they will trample down on him?"

"Do you know what some industry insiders call Fang Zhao? 'Big Fool Fang!' It came about when Fang Zhao would not keep his experiences and techniques to himself and was willing to share it with everyone. However, today, after watching Fang Zhao's lecture, I feel that Fang Zhao is not one who doesn't know how to maximize benefits. It is more like he doesn't care and isn't afraid. Impressive!"

Those that had previously doubted Fang Zhao's ability and those that had previously questioned him had one thing on their minds as they watched the broadcast: The style of a master.

Xue Jing was in Huangzhou after being invited to lecture, but that did not stop him from watching the live broadcast. A few of his friends beside him were surprised. "Tsk, Old Xue, this fellow speaks even better than you!"

Xue Jing was not the least bit angry—rather, he sounded gratified. Beaming, he said, "Yesterday, when he told me he didn't get nervous, I did not believe him. Now I understand. I feel this little fellow is meant for this profession!"

At Shanmu farm, Su Hou was taking a break from the training and scrolling through his news feed. He realized the top news story mentioned Fang Zhao.

"To think that he would become popular before me!"

Hearing Su Hou, Wu Yi walked over. He was amazed as well. "To think that Fang Zhao was so famous? He seems really impressive. Many well-known Muzhou great masters went to his lecture? That means that Fang Zhao is considered a great master too?"

Chapter 96: Global Lecture Tour

Fang Zhao's lecture at Muzhou Music Academy was a huge success. You could judge from the number of web hits.

The president of the academy was smiling so broadly his creases deepened. He was cocky about his wise decision. After the lecture, at least 10 percent if not half of the global music-student community was now interested in symphonic genres. People who tuned in were also exposed to the name "Muzhou Music Academy." That was the biggest achievement.

Still, time was limited. There was only so much Fang Zhao could cover in one lecture. Many viewers hadn't gotten their fix when the lecture ended.

The president started brainstorming about how he could work with Fang Zhao again. Didn't he need a recording studio? "The academy has a recording studio. That would spare you the queue at Odd Music. We'll prepare the best recording studio for you."

But others had the same idea. The chief executive of Odd Music had already extended an invitation in person.

The Odd Music CEO responded to the president's offer with a casual laugh. "Old friend, why don't you save that outdated equipment for your students. For a professional recording, you'll need to come to Odd Music. Let's put it this way: the best recording equipment in all of Muzhou is at Odd Music. Didn't you bring your own granddaughter to record here on account of our new equipment? Don't fight me on this one."

The Odd Music CEO said that, as long as Fang Zhao was willing, he could offer him a recording studio for free right away. While the official word was that their studios were fully booked, the company reserved two studios for internal use in case of emergencies. They were equipped with the best gear.

The Odd Music CEO was quite enthusiastic and very polite. He also offered many perks. Fang Zhao had no reason to refuse.

"Have you contacted Teacher Fang from the symphony? If not, we can recommend a few alternatives," the smiling chief executive said.

Among the attendees of Fang Zhao's lecture were several key members of Muzhou's major symphonies. They had been waiting to approach Fang Zhao since the end of the lecture. When the Odd Music CEO made his comment, the small group, whose ears were already perked, pounced to pitch their own symphonies.

Musical tastes were not as sophisticated in Muzhou compared to Leizhou. There were few symphony orchestras and none of them had a global reputation. That was why every one of their collaborations with world-renowned master musicians was hard earned. With Fang Zhao's visit, the few major orchestras went at it again. Given that symphonies were gaining popularity among youngsters again and that Fang Zhao was a key figure behind this renaissance, this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

The Odd Music boss stood silently nearby and ignored the imploring looks from the folks that crowded over. He just stood and smiled, waiting for Fang Zhao to respond. Saying too much would come off as sycophantic and backfire. He had secured his deal. Everything else could wait.

Fang Zhao scanned the folks who had rushed forward to tout their services. Some of them were leaders of their orchestras. Others were first chairs of their respective sections.

"What's the name of your orchestra? How big is the orchestra? What's the latest?" Fang Zhao zoomed in on of the people in the crowd.

"I'm Daller, the leader of Soundcloud Philharmonic. I'm also first violin. Our orchestra is 10 years old. We have 80 musicians."

Daller passionately gave Fang Zhao the lowdown on his orchestra. Soundcloud was one of the larger orchestras in Qingcheng. Now that symphonic music was more popular, he wanted to recruit more musicians. All these years, they had never worked with a master. It wasn't a matter of quality. The few large orchestras in Muzhou were comparable in skill, but things just never came together for Soundcloud. Lo and behold, he had been called on by Fang Zhao this time. Of course he would make a hard sell.

An orchestra comprising 80-odd musicians was a large one for Muzhou, where symphonic music wasn't the rage, but it still paled in comparison to the orchestras in Yanzhou.

Even Silver Wing had a company orchestra made up of 100-odd musicians, and there were many outstanding instrumentalists on the waiting list. Even if they were short a few musicians, they could find replacements easily. They could also expand on short notice. It was a well-endowed department.

But things were different over here. Even though Muzhou boasted many orchestras, most were smaller ones. There were no more than five large orchestras in the continent. Even though they advertised themselves as professional orchestras, they weren't up to par by global standards. A regular performance calendar was the first step toward professionalization. All top professional orchestras had fixed seasons, but not in Muzhou.

Muzhou's orchestras weren't treated with respect. They were invited for the occasional performance, such as at a major farm owner's banquet or the opening or closing ceremony of a shepherd-dog contest. Their sole purpose was entertainment.

It wasn't fair for Fang Zhao to evaluate orchestras in Muzhou based on Yanzhou standards. The reason he had called on Daller was because Daller had listened attentively during the lecture and showed a dogged passion. The enthusiasm brimming from his eyes suggested a purity of purpose lacking in the others. Of course, Daller was also angling for his own personal interests, but genuine music lovers were hard to find—one in a million. To spot someone in this crowd who was relatively pure was a decent find.

To prove his orchestra's worth, Daller summoned his fellow musicians to perform a few pieces at the recording studio Odd Music had arranged. Even though they couldn't rival Silver Wing's highly paid orchestra, Fang Zhao couldn't spot too many mistakes.

"These were all original compositions?" Fang Zhao asked Daller after the set.

"Yes. It's nothing compared to what you find in Yanzhou, but we learned a lot from your lecture and will improve from here on out." The middle-aged Daller was quite uptight before Fang Zhao, who was dozens of years his junior. His tone conveyed a mix of caution and expectation, like a student showing off in front of a teacher.

Since Daller himself acknowledged there was room for improvement, Fang Zhao didn't offer any feedback. He instead asked, "You plan on going professional?"

"Yes, that's the plan, but we still have a lot of work to do." Daller didn't hide his ambition. When he had founded the orchestra, he'd wanted it to become Muzhou's first professional orchestra in the New Era.

Fang Zhao slapped Daller on the back and said, "Pretty good."

Daller instantly felt more confident and couldn't refrain from smiling. But when he turned around to manage the orchestra, his serious face returned.

Many of Soundcloud's musicians were puzzled. He's so authoritative when he speaks to us. How come he acts like a primary student in front of that kid Fang Zhao?

Fang Zhao started recording soon after. Sometimes composers would double as conductors. Such was the case with Fang Zhao. Because of his high standards, the session didn't start smoothly, but things eventually improved.

Zuo Yu was a bit baffled. It was only a matter of days before they returned to Yanzhou. Why not wait and record with the orchestra at Silver Wing? They might even finish earlier.

Was Fang Zhao worried about fuel costs for the flying transport? Considering his winnings from the shepherd-dog contest, there was no point in being stingy.

But Fang Zhao had decided to stay put in Muzhou and work with a local orchestra at a local studio.

The recording ended up taking up 10 days. After completing a rough cut in seven days, Fang Zhao recorded additional segments in the final three days. And these were all preliminary recordings. Postproduction would be necessary for a finished product, but that would wait until Fang Zhao returned to Yanzhou.

All parties had signed a confidentiality agreement, including Soundcloud and Odd Music. They would be barred from divulging the contents of the recording session before their official release.

"Done yet?" It was the third time Xue Jing had called Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had been busy recording the past few days, so he was in sparse contact. Xue Jing had waited until he felt the timing was right before reaching out to Fang Zhao again.

"We just finished," Fang Zhao said.

"Then hurry on over to Huangzhou. We're waiting for you."

Xue Jing wanted to go on a global lecture tour with Fang Zhao. He'd made up his mind after watching Fang Zhao's live webcast. He had sorted out the details with the Music Association and more or less confirmed their itinerary. All they were missing was Fang Zhao.

After finishing recording in Muzhou, Fang Zhao packed up his things and headed to Huangzhou with Zuo Yu in tow. Curly Hair stayed at Shanmu Farm to continue training and entering competitions with Su Hou. Before he left, Fang Zhao gave Wu Yi 10 million dollars to bet on Dongshan Farm every time they competed.

__________

The point of the global tour was to promote his own book, but Xue Jing also wanted to give Fang Zhao the exposure. How many musicians of Fang Zhao's age could stage a global lecture tour? It would help pad Fang Zhao's resume.

Many people thought Fang Zhao had practically become Xue Jing's final disciple. Why else would Xue Jing spend so much effort helping this young man?

Xue Jing's close friends in the industry also brought up the matter with him in private.

"Final disciple? You mean Fang Zhao?" Xue Jing got a kick out of the question. "Perhaps you have overestimated me and underestimated the kid?"

Xue Jing's answer was also made public, but no one bought it. Everyone thought Xue Jing was simply promoting Fang Zhao. Even though he gave a decent lecture, it didn't mean that Fang Zhao had achieved the same stature as Xue Jing.

Out of the world's 12 continents, the most frequent stops on any global lecture tour were the eight regular continents. Because of their unique histories, musical tastes were less sophisticated in the four special continents. Even though Fang Zhao's appearance in Muzhou caused a stir in the local music industry, for the masses, it was still less important news than other local happenings.

But the eight regular continents were a different story. Xue Jing and Fang Zhao drew more attention. Many folks marked their calendars well in advance.

Rare was the fool who was willing to reveal his trade secrets. Who didn't want to tune in? Admission wasn't that expensive and it would spare you the agony of figuring things out yourself. What a great deal. Why not attend?

Fang Zhao had no time to play tourist after arriving in Huangzhou. The next day, he kicked off his lecture tour with Xue Jing. Their stops were mainly higher education institutions. In continents with a greater passion for music, they scheduled extra sessions to include stops at other schools. Even though these stops were less popular than stops at music academies, attendance was still decent.

Fang Zhao's name was gaining more and more currency in the music industry by the day.

Chapter 97: Complete

No matter how high one flew, there would always be detractors. Furthermore, Fang Zhao was so young and only had a few compositions. Even if his global lecture could raise his status in the music world, compared to many other figures with power and prestige, he was still quite far off.

It was not that Fang Zhao did not speak well, rather that the rules were set this way. Although Fang Zhao did compose a few decent movements and received an invitation from Fiery Bird, that did not mean he was of the same standing as many famous great masters across the world. One's works and experience were considered too.

Fang Zhao did not have enough works, and his experience was not as rich as other great masters. Therefore, for the global lecture tour, Xue Jing would speak for three quarters of the allocated time and Fang Zhao would speak for the remainder. Even if Xue Jing wanted to allocate a larger portion to Fang Zhao, it was not possible.

Everyone conceded that Fang Zhao had talent and outstanding works. However, he was still young. Who knew if he'd use up all his talent quickly?

Talent was something hard to define. It could accompany a person throughout his life, or it could diminish in the next moment. Elders in the music circles had seen many such examples. Thus, how far Fang Zhao could climb and whether or not he would reach the expectations that Xue Jing had, many of them still had reservations.

However, they approved of Fang Zhao's willingness to share his knowledge with everyone. Whether they had any thoughts behind the facade of approval, they would still publicly praise Fang Zhao's selfless sharing.

Of course, there were people who felt that Fang Zhao's musical style was lacking in experience. He might have been an expert in the heavy and thick styles for large scale events or battle scenes in big productions, but in the eyes of those experienced people in the music circles, it was still inadequate.

Not to say that he had to be an all-rounder. He had to touch upon other aspects or produce more works. Otherwise, there was not enough proof that he deserved the title of a great master.

People who had seen Fang Zhao's background felt that his foundations were not solid enough and he had risen thanks to Xue Jing as well as the music association's publicity.

According to an age-old saying, with only a few compositions, it was not enough to prove he was a great master. Every great master could only prove their worth with time and works.

"Fang Zhao? He still isn't qualified enough!"

This was the evaluation given by a certain great master when interviewed during the lecture tour.

Xue Jing was worried that Fang Zhao would be affected by the assessments of people both within and outside of the music circles. After every lecture, the media would always raise that certain great master's evaluations and want to know Fang Zhao's response.

But Fang Zhao's reactions to this was always the same: "Oh."

"Oh?!"

"That's all?!"

The person in charge of interviewing was helpless. Why doesn't this little fellow give more of a reaction!

The evaluations and judgements within the music circles were all different. Fang Zhao himself paid no heed. He was very busy; how could he find the time to browse through every single evaluation from the music circles? Fang Zhao was not interested in seeing all these either.

Outside of the lectures, Fang Zhao was always busy. Xue Jing realized that, although Fang Zhao had less speaking time and fewer conferences to attend, Fang Zhao was still busier than himself.

"What are you preparing this time?" Xue Jing asked.

"Settling matters for Muzhou's side," Fang Zhao replied.

Xue Jing knew that Fang Zhao had jointly purchased a farm with a friend from Muzhou. He was not particularly interested in farms. Every year, many people would send him some Muzhou agricultural products as gifts. He did not really cherish these goods, so he did not ask much.

Fang Zhao was speaking the truth—he really was very busy. He was editing a video from the footage that both Dongshan Farm and Shanmu Farm had sent over. He watched both once before editing a portion and then playing the edited version together with the accompaniment music. After that, he made adjustments to it.

Silver Wing's virtual projects department was roped in to help Fang Zhao with editing the video and compiling the music. Combining video and music required a lot of adjustments and amendments to improve on it till the artistic result was satisfactory.

Other than that, Fang Zhao would receive a report every day from Wu Yi regarding information from their side and the situation over there.

Today, Wu Yi made a call to Fang Zhao.

"Your dog..." Wu Yi wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What happened?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I told you before, his capacity for learning sheep herding is very strong," Wu Yi said.

"Yeah."

"...I used to think that your dog did not know anything about herding sheep, and that after coming, he would surely learn a thing or two from the dogs on my farm."

"Mmmhm." Fang Zhao indicated that he was listening attentively.

"But I realized that I was wrong, very wrong! The dogs on my farm have been lead astray by your Curly Hair!"

When Fang Zhao had still been in Muzhou, he would bring Curly Hair out running every night. After Fang Zhao had left for his global lecture tour, Curly Hair would still retain that habit and head out to run while the other dogs slept. Fang Zhao had mentioned this to Wu Yi and told him not to mind as long as it did not leave the farm compound. After all, this was also training.

At the start, Wu Yi had personally monitored Curly Hair. After becoming used to it, he'd only instructed his workers to pay a little attention every night. Until, one night, Bingo and a few other farm dogs followed Curly Hair out of curiosity. The one dog out running every night had become an entire pack.

During the first few days, Wu Yi had not found it to be a big problem and just thought that maybe it was helpful for his own dogs. Running more would strengthen their bodies and could be useful for the last Eastern region finals. After that, the employees told Wu Yi that the dogs had actually gone hunting for field mice! Furthermore, it was Bingo who'd taken the lead. As the farm's ex-boss, Bingo was familiar with the farm and naturally was familiar with the field mice too.

The situation rapidly developed, and the pack of dogs would run out to hunt field mice every night.

Wu Yi was distressed. That was the job of mousetrap robots. Why had this bunch of shepherd dogs joined in!

Wu Yi specially hired a veterinary team to look after them and prevent parasites, bacteria, or other harmful organisms that might affect their competition performance.

The news he'd received from Su Hou was like this,

"Master Zhao, we have won! Today was intense, and there were no wrong commands. Hopefully, they will maintain today's condition."

...

"We have won! There is no doubt!"

...

"Won again and again!"

...

"Today we lost, only fourth place. We only got one point to add to our accumulated score. Bingo ate a field mouse and ended up with diarrhea and did not perform. Wu Yi said that the 10 million he wagered on Master Zhao's behalf was lost. However, we have earned quite a bit from the previous few rounds. Still earning despite losing this time. As long as we win it back next time, all will be fine."

...

"As long as we can get a first place finish we will squeeze into the top 10!"

...

"Top 10 achieved! Next target, top eight!"

...

"One more win! The competition is tough, the other teams frequently score well too."

...

"Top eight! Top eight! We achieved top eight!"

...

"We have secured our place in the finals! The finals! Hahahaha!"

In two months, Dongshan Farm's accumulated points had risen rapidly, and the farm's reputation kept increasing. Everyone knew that Dongshan farm's lead dog was a little curly-haired dog that was particularly impressive. As their strength and reputation rose, the odds became lower and lower, to the point that Wu Yi did not even have the intention to wager but did so anyway to support their own team.

With the rise of their reputation, many people in the Eastern region knew that it was Su Hou that had purchased Xishan Farm and changed the name to Dongshan and collaborated with Shanmu Farm to take part in the competition. Of course, there were people who joked about Su Hou buying a desolate farm and having no choice but to request assistance from another farm, disgracing the Su family name.

Regarding all those words, Su Hou paid them no mind. Now, what he wanted most was to be victorious every round. Every victory was a boost to his confidence.

Due to the running together, herding together, catching field mice together, and getting scolded together, the camaraderie between the seven dogs had gradually grown deeper. The most obvious show of this was that they no longer needed Su Hou to issue commands. Even if there were mistakes during a competition, a bark from Curly Hair would get a quick reaction from all the other dogs.

Only the top eight teams that acquired the most points during the preliminaries could enter the Eastern region finals, where the top four teams would qualify for the continental sheep-herding competition. However, this time around, the eighth, ninth and 10th teams had the same number of points and all entered the Eastern region finals. Out of the 10 participating teams, the top four would be chosen to continue competing with the top four teams of the western region.

Having entered the Eastern region finals in seventh place, Su Hou was so excited that he ran circles around the field.

"Master Zhao, can you make it back in time for the Eastern region finals?" Su Hou asked Fang Zhao during one of their long distance calls.

"I can."

"Hey, Master Zhao, actually, what I wanted to ask is... you mentioned that when the time came and if we qualified for the Eastern finals, you would compose a piece of background music to use for a publicity film? Hehe, I have filmed a decent film over the last two days. Master Zhao, is your music ready?" Su Hou knew that Fang Zhao had done the recording at Qingcheng previously, but before Fang Zhao had fully completed it, he'd had to leave for his global lecture tour. Now, he still did not know if it was complete.

"Send over your footage and let me take a look," Fang Zhao said.

Su Hou sent the best footage he had shot over the past two days to Fang Zhao.

Viewing the video, Fang Zhao felt a dense, childish style assaulting his senses. Su Hou, who thought himself rather dashing in the footage, was doing parkour. But people who were watching would get the impression that "this child resembles a spasming sheep."

"We had better use mine," Fang Zhao told him.

"Eh? Master Zhao also made one? When did you shoot it?"

"Times when you do not know."

Given Fang Zhao's reply, Su Hou suddenly had an ominous premonition.

"...Can I see it first?" Was he handsome and cool? Would it be able to make the crowd shriek? That was what Su Hou wanted to know the most.

"Sure, but do not send it out first."

Fang Zhao encrypted the completed video and sent it to Su Hou through a secure channel. He did not wait for Su Hou's reply; Xue Jing had called him over. Fang Zhao shut off his communications device and entered the conference hall. Today was the last session of the global lecture tour. After this was done, there was still an exchange session with all the "old seniors." He would only be able to leave the following day, but he would still be able to make it for Muzhou's Eastern region finals.

Chapter 98: Publicity Film "Chasing Wind"

Fang Zhao managed to rush back to Muzhou and reach Shanmu Farm one day before the competition. Wu Yi and Su Hou were waiting for him, the two of them unable to suppress their grins.

"Fang Zhao, what is that dog made of? You know, when Bingo ate a field mice and had the runs, I was so scared I nearly had to visit the hospital and lie down myself." Wu Yi had not expected that his one decision would have such returns, and he had placed the hopes of the farm on this competition. Back then, when he had found out that Bingo's stomach was upset, his soul had nearly left his body. Throughout the night, he had spent quite a bit to hire a few famous veterinarians from the Eastern region. Luckily, there were no complications and it only affected the next day's performance in the competition. However, all this was secondary. As long as it could recover, the competitions that followed would be no issue.

After that, Wu Yi had gotten the vets to check up on every single dog. Probably because they only ate dog food in the past, this time when they ate indiscriminately, there were some reactions. Other than Bingo, the other dogs had some ailments—they just were not so obvious. Only Curly Hair, who had eaten the field mice and nibbled on wild grass, was not affected. The vets checked a few times and their assessment was: "Perfectly healthy! Not a single parasite!"

However, Fang Zhao could not answer that question either. Back then, on the black street, the boss of the drug store, Ai Wan, had raised this matter and even done a genetics test. That also had not yielded any precise results. Hence, Fang Zhao did not know either.

Wu Yi only asked out of curiosity and had not really expected an answer. As he continued, Wu Yi laughed happily again and told Fang Zhao about his cousin bringing her dogs over to the farm two days ago.

Wu Yi's cousin was the owner of the Carrot Farm that had been very popular early on in the season. Unfortunately, they had not made it into the finals, whereas the little fellow who had collaborated with Wu Yi had qualified for it. Hence, Wu Yi's cousin had brought her dogs over for an exchange session and to share their thoughts.

No one had expected that the two teams of dogs would have a fight. Even the farm's guard dog Chubby Black had joined the fracas and was bitten a few times. It was Curly Hair that helped it take revenge by biting back and removing a few bunches of fur from the other side. Because of this incident, Wu Yi and his cousin had almost had a falling out.

Remembering the circumstances then, the sides of Wu Yi's mouth curled slightly. Winning a fight was a good thing!

And through this incident, Wu Yi's cousin deeply understood that the small curly-haired dog being the lead of this sheep herding team was not without reason. That fighting spirit that it possessed was just too strong!

However, compared to before, Su Hou was more silent. When Fang Zhao and Wu Yi were talking, Su Hou did not utter a single word.

"I have no idea what's wrong with that little fellow. Two days ago, he cooped himself up in his room for another day, and when he came out, he had become all silent. Could it be that he had an argument with his family?" Wu Yi was puzzled. He had asked Su Hou a few times, but every time, he realized that Su Hou seemed embarrassed to reply him and mumbled about not replying. As his attitude toward training was still all right, Wu Yi had not pursued the matter. Young kids were probably like this—as they were maturing, it was normal for their moods to be unstable.

Early the next morning, everyone took the flying transport and headed for the competition grounds of the Eastern region finals.

Compared to the previous rounds of competition, the competition grounds for the finals were much bigger. Many celebrities would be there to spectate and a number of old farm owners who had past glories would be there to commentate. Not only that, the live broadcast would have an explosion in viewer numbers.

During the normal competitions, generally, people from the Eastern region would watch the Eastern competitions and those from the Western region would pay attention to the Western competitions. But when it came to the region finals, the entire Muzhou would tune in. People from the Western region also wanted to know which four teams would pit themselves against their own superstar teams.

Su Hou had received messages from his classmates back in Qingcheng. Qingcheng was situated an area located right in the middle of the Eastern and Western regions. In the past, it was considered part of the Eastern region, then considered part of the Western region after that. Thus, before this, people from Qingcheng observing the Eastern region competitions were lesser. Most people there only knew that Su Hou had bought a farm and stormed into the finals only through media reports.

"Come on, Brother Hou! We will all be watching!"

"Young Su, I will wager on your team to win! You must put in extra effort!"

"Young Su, yesterday, I eavesdropped on our form teacher saying that if you stormed into the continental finals, she wouldn't hassle you about your absences for class as long as you do not fail your exams."

The sheep-herding scene was so big in Muzhou that, during crucial competition periods, a lot of those working and schooling could watch the live broadcast and most companies and student leaders would approve. This sort of situation would never happen in other continents.

Seeing all this, the calm and collected mentality that Su Hou had trained up with great difficulty during the normal rounds of competition unraveled and he begun to get nervous.

Watching the competition were not just his classmates and teachers but other members of the Su family as well. Members of the Su family might not have paid attention to the normal rounds of competition, but for this sort of important day in the competition, they would surely be there.

He felt some excitement and some apprehension, and thinking about the publicity video that Fang Zhao had created for him made him feel even more complicated. He had handed the video over to the organizers yesterday. He had watched that video a number of times, and every time he saw it, he felt a different feeling.

However, compared to Su Hou's complicated feelings and Wu Yi's nervousness and anticipation, the shepherd dogs were still their old selves. To them, the Eastern region finals were not too different from the other rounds of the competition. The competition grounds were just a little larger, the terrain more undulating, and the herding a little more difficult. What was nervousness? They did not know anymore—in any case, as long as they followed Curly Hair, it would be fine.

Curly Hair was lying beside Fang Zhao's feet, licking his front paw. Occasionally, when someone mentioned him, he would raise his head and cast a glance before continuing to lie down.

Su Hou had also received a few messages. It was from one of his older female cousins. What she meant was that many members of the Su family were watching the live broadcast. She had already wagered a sum on Dongshan Farm to win—as for how much, she refused to say.

An elder male cousin of his sent: "Come on! Little Fatty Su!"

Su Hou wanted to cry. He was still young and could not bear that much pressure. He thought for a bit, found an excuse to retire to the lone restroom, and watched the video Fang Zhao had given him twice more.

Much better.

Wu Yi realized that Su Hou seemed too stressed out today and had originally wanted to find him for a pep talk. Although he was nervous too, as an elder, he needed to act calm in front of the younger ones. He had not expected that, when Su Hou came out, he was full of fighting spirit and vigor. This made Wu Yi swallow the words he had prepared.

Every single team's viewing gallery, as well as the other viewing halls for spectators at the competition grounds, each had their own holographic projections and sound systems.

Muzhou people were nouveau riche. Even if they did not understand hardware equipment, they still used very high quality ones. This was because, when they could not tell when the equipment was spoiled, they would just purchase a more expensive one.

Before the competition, there would be a segment where every team got to have an introduction and publicize themselves. This was a good time for an advertisement and it was free of charge. Almost the entirety of Muzhou would watch it.

Su Hou had drawn number eight for his entering sequence, which would be toward the back. The publicity film would also be shown in the order of the entering sequence.

The previous seven teams' brief introductions were more or less the same. They were all reputable farms and were just promoting their brand name. Therefore, in their publicity films, the ones that occupied the most screen time were the farm owners, followed by the star dog of each team, and then all sorts of that farm's products.

"Almost there!" Wu Yi was a little excited. He had not seen the video yet. Su Hou had been too embarrassed to show it to him. However, Su Hou had told him that, other than the participating dogs, the video would also feature Shanmu Farm's name and Wu Yi would make an appearance. That was enough for him.

"Next up is the team that rose abruptly in this year's Eastern region sheep-herding competitions. I'm sure everyone is already familiar with them. Moreover, the owner of this farm is extremely young. The rapid rise was a surprise to many, but now they have achieved the qualifications to enter the Eastern finals using their own strength!" The commentator's voice echoed all around and was followed by a broadcast of the video submitted by Dongshan Farm.

Those watching the competition perked themselves up, especially those from the Western region of Muzhou. They did not know much of the Eastern terms, but they were curious about Su Hou! What sort of publicity film would Little Fatty Su put out? Would he publicly declare war on his half siblings? Woah, even thinking of that made all these people excited!

...

At the start of the film came Su Hou's voice.

"I wish to take part in a sheep-herding competition! I want to take part in the finals!" This was something Su Hou had said many times.

A youngster with a child-like face appeared on the screens to go along with those innocent, stubborn words. His eyes held a crazed self-belief, as if he had grasped tomorrow in the palm of his hands.

Even if people did not recognize Su Hou by name or background, just by looking at the image, most people could see that he was a pampered fatty from a rich family. And his straightforward talk of "wanting to take part in the finals" was in fact "an exaggerated opinion of his own abilities" and a display of "the ignorant have nothing to fear."

The background music bellowed and brought with it incredible thickset emotion. It was not intense but slow, and the flimsy string tones seemed to foretell something.

A string of words appeared on the display:

[I borrowed money to purchase a farm, but it was not as I had expected.]

Su Hou had only appeared a month after the sheep-herding season had started through buying a participating farm and obtaining their qualifications. This sort of thing happened every year and it was not a rare sight.

Before Dongshan Farm had risen to prominence, the information that everyone could obtain online was only a few images of how Xishan Farm used to look like. The small majority who were well informed knew only limited information through word of mouth. Later, when Dongshan Farm became more well known and more people wanted to get to the bottom of the matter, the farm was no longer like that.

What was Xishan Farm like when Su Hou had purchased it?

After the words on the display appeared and faded, the image changed.

An exquisitely clothed rich young master brought his bodyguards and rode a superior flying transport, traveling a great distance to the western part of Muzhou's Eastern region, to a remote and vast farm.

The sound of a flute joined in the melody. It was a flute the Muzhou people were familiar with, a flute that was manufactured in a furnace using clay. It was an ancient method. This sort of flute was rarely used in other continents, at most brought back to keep as a souvenir.

In the middle of the bleak and lonely flute melody, the image depicted rotting, worn-out wooden fences surrounding a vast and desolate patch of earth that only had a few weeds growing on it. The rundown courtyard seemed like it had been left alone for who knows how long, braving the winds, sun, and rain. The door was swaying off its frame in the wind. A few dispirited dogs were lying there sleeping, completely uninterested. In the dusky twilight, the tall and faded signboard of "Xishan Farm" looked insignificant and laughable against the mountain ranges in the background.

Two images appeared on the display. One was of the images that were publicly available online, and the other was an image of the farm the first time Su Hou had seen it after purchasing it. At the same time, an image of the certificate of ownership that Su Hou owned, which showed the large sum of money used as well as the name of the original owner of Xishan Farm. However, everyone understood that this person would have long escaped.

They did not hide anything. This had been added in to Su Hou's accord, just like a failure displaying his scars for all the curious people to see.

Some people would play it down, but it let people understand what had actually happened with one look.

"This is the rumored incident where Young Master Su got cheated?"

"Su Hou was too anxious."

"Kids are like this, too impulsive."

People who saw this began to discuss.

During that time, lots of people online viewed this incident with a "look at the fool" attitude.

There was a woodwind solo as the piano and string accompaniment gradually dissolved. The low sound of a violin played a frail harmony that seemed like slow sighs.

In the display, Su Hou's eyes, which were full of eager anticipation, turned murly, like a fish that had leaped out of the water expecting to transform into a dragon. However, as it was falling, it realized that it would land itself in an even worse problem: dry land.

A harmony of high- and low-pitched strings played, and a feeling of experiencing a drop in elevation, as if an icy cold wind blew across on top of a summit, chilled listeners to the bone.

The display faded to black. A square window appeared, glimmering with a little light. Under the window and lit up by the glow was a figure sitting down with his head in his knees. From the plump figure, one could tell that he was probably Su Hou. The dusky image of Su Hou sitting alone in the cold and gloomy room was like a young animal caught in a trap, helpless and at a loss.

The soft flute tune that carried an air of sorrow diluted. With the blare of a trumpet, the music's sorrowful mood gradually weakened. Drumbeats set a measured rhythm, with each beat sounding closer to the ear.

In the display, through the square window, the rays of light gradually became brighter. The surroundings of the figure were covered by a sheen of golden light.

It was a new day, the sun had come up.

Not just from the window, the sunlight entered through the holes in the wall and the doorway. The dark became brighter, dispelling the gloom.

The figure that had been quietly sitting there raised his head and slowly moved. He turned to face the window and squinted as the light shined on his face. Looking out the window, the glass had a spiderweb-like crack on it, creating a psychedelic tint as light passed through it. The cracked glass did not block out the entire scenery. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he looked through the window as though he saw something.

Getting up, he walked to the dilapidated door and pulled it open.

As the sunlight shone on Su Hou's body, the scene warmed up. His disheveled hair was blown by the wind, and the fresh buds of grass beside his feet swirled up as if they were dancing.

A woodwind score brought about a bright and cheery tune full of warmth, as if the lush grassland had faced a gentle and fresh wind that dispersed all the gloomy coldness. The low pitched sounds of brass, wood, and string carried a firm and mighty tone, giving it a forceful theme.

At this moment, the music had a little variation. The accompaniment of brass and string, through a detuning method, became even more intense. Within the persistent beating of the drums, the flute carried a rising strength. The strings were like an explosion of life. Just like the passing of winter, flowers would bloom once more, and the grasslands would return to their former green glory.

Two lines of words appeared on the display:

[I do not know anything.]

[But... I will learn.]

Previously, the stifling and sorrowful sounds had become more and more feeble. With the base of a piano, bright and expansive sounds joined in. Every note seemed to be kneaded into the deepest recesses of one's soul.

In the display, Dongshan Farm had a few more employees. Su Hou followed this people as they worked. One of the workers pointed at the soil and was talking; afterward, he pinch a little soil and placed it in his mouth to try. Su Hou followed suit and his entire face contorted in disgust. The old man laughed and continued speaking, and Su Hou squated at his side, listening attentively.

A few old farm owners would not just look at but would try out the soil to understand their farms. Many elders watching this live broadcast flashed knowing smiles.

Wu Yi had once said that straw contained the four seasons within, and he'd meant it. From the taste of the straw, they could tell its growing process, speculate the changes in the condition of soil, and understand whether changes in climate had affected the harvest. For the same reasons, those that tried soil were just like this too. And in the eyes of many old farm owners, people who did this were responsible farm owners who treated their plot of lands seriously, totally different from a foreigner's impressions that they were "merchant landowners."

What followed immediately after in the display was Su Hou talking on his communications device and, after that, running toward the flying transport. He did not even have time to change out of his suit. His legs were full of mud, and bits of grass were matted in his hair.

After that, the flying transport took off and flew high up. The gust created from the transport blew away all the dried grass on the parking ground. The roar of the engines blended in with the accompaniment, creating an uplifting tempo, and brought about a feeling of flying, heading upward and forward into an empty sky.

[To know nothing about the world, to be ridiculed, to be treated with contempt. All these are insignificant, as long as we keep moving forward.]

The melody carried on from the first part and unfolded. The main theme was a string score with a flute accompaniment. The layer tones became thicker and more distinct as the accompaniment expanded. The trumpet's blare continuously uplifted the spirits of the listeners. The tense music became lively and vibrant.

The display was now showing an overhead view. Large grasslands full of life could be seen.

A flock of sheep was walking about slowly, and a few shepherd dogs were running about vigorously.

Beside Shanmu Farm's signboard, a cap-wearing Wu Yi stood there smiling. He extended both his arms and gave the youth a hug.

"To a pleasant partnership!"

[I want to stand on the instructor's platform for a sheep-herding competition.]

In the display, there were eyebags under Su Hou's eyes. His hair was made even messier by the wind, as if he had not taken care of it in a long time. Paired together with that pale, chubby face of his, it seemed a little comical, yet those two youthful eyes were burning with a steadfast desire.

From being ignorant to clear-headed, from being at a loss to having an unwavering determination, step by step, they pressed on against this predicament. How it would all end—success or failure? That was not important.

The brass leading the tune became high spirited, and the sonorous beating of the drums became more forceful with each beat, as if following the choice his heart had made.

Wu Yi's voice sounded. "You need to get them to acknowledge you quickly and let them accept you."

After this was a scenario where Su Hou ate and slept with the shepherd dogs.

In the display, after Su Hou fed the dogs, he would carry his own bowl and sit randomly beside the dogs at the doorstep. He gulped down food that did not look very good. The people of Muzhou could tell right away that was not some exquisite food; it was even worse than what they normally ate daily.

At night, he slept with the dogs in the kennel.

At the start, when the dogs lazed around, they kept a distance from Su Hou. The display returned to Dongshan Farm's dog A, Bingo, and a close-up shot of the apparent dislike in his eyes.

However, the image changed. Every day, Su Hou would close the gap with these shepherd dogs, to the point where some dogs would rest next to Su Hou.

No longer with any self-pity, the string music became more vigorous, like a sword drawn and ready to attack. The melody became heavier once again and the rhythm and tempo increased, gradually intensifying, as if power was flowing in bit by bit. The tone of the harmony changed, symbolizing him constantly working hard.

Su Hou ran through the lush green fields with the shepherd dogs.

Over the music, Wu Yi's coarse voice echoed across the grassland. "Very good! Continue giving them instructions. Keep up, you have to keep up! Don't be left behind! Run after them!"

Why not use the field car?

Because many shepherd dogs would remain guarded against the field car, and it was not beneficial for getting closer to the shepherd dogs. Competition instructors basically would run together with the dogs at the start of training till the dogs had good enough judgement and were capable of reacting on their own. Only then would the distance gradually increase, as the instructor would not need to be close by, feeding instructions.

With running came falling. After falling, he would climb back up and continue running. The three bodyguards did not stay beside him—they just watched from nearby. Every day, they helped spray medicine and treat all the wounds and cuts on Su Hou's body.

Su Hou's fair and chubby face lost its fat, and he became tanned.

Su Hou was a newbie, and he did not have adequate time to slowly adapt. Therefore, he needed to spend even more time together with the shepherd dogs, running together, herding together, shouting out commands non-stop, shouting the names of every single dog and letting them remember his voice. He had no time to worry about shouting till he became hoarse; he needed to remember all his commands.

The display switched to Su Hou's first competition. He had been so nervous he'd turned pale, his body had froze, and his frantic mistakes had told everyone that he was a newbie,

Seeing this, lots of people thought, With that poor skill, don't even bother appearing and losing face!

However, many people watching the broadcast, especially those from the Eastern region, fell silent. Because they knew what would happen next.

Dongshan Farm's success, as well as their continuous accumulation of points.

"Su Hou requests to issue commands!"

...

"Su Hou requests to issue commands!'

...

"Su Hou requests to issue commands!"

...

At different competition venues, different commentators all said the same line. From the display, everyone could see Su Hou's transformation from his first time giving out commands. From being hesitant and nervous, he became firm and steadily issued the correct commands.

In the cheery melody, there would occasionally be a few cumbersome chords. However, these were only momentarily there. It was as if the melody had been entrusted with a sort of intense and unwavering disposition. The rustling of the wind moved forward as the sound of flute and piano seemed a hopeful smile.

The display split into two. On on side appeared Su Hou requesting to issue commands. On the other side was an everyday situation of Su Hou training together with the dogs.

The tune's turnaround, with the shrill of brass and the flowing piano, was akin to a seedling that had struggled to emerge from the earth and, through much hardship, had grown up into a tall tree capable of withstanding the harshest winds.

Even if the later competitions no longer required Su hou to step in, everyone knew at that moment that he was not simply standing up there as a decoration.

The brass and string medley rapidly ascended, and ascended, and ascended, all the way till it hit a splendid instant!

"Dongshan Farm have taken first place again and have gotten themselves ten points. With this, they have secured qualifications into the Eastern region finals. Congratulations, Dongshan Farm!" the commentator's voice rang out from the display.

Su Hou, who looked like a normal farm employee now, rushed down from his spot on the instructor's platform and hugged the seven shepherd dogs emotionally as carefree laughter floated from the area.

Now at the conclusion of the competition, the screen displayed Dongshan's placing. Su Hou stood up from the grass, not bothering to wipe away the fragments of grass, sheep wool, and dog fur. Panting, he looked up at the screen and brought a fist to his chest. His heart was throbbing intensely from all the joy, his eyes shimmering with tears.

That was the jubilation of victory, and a triumph that his heart had earned.

Amidst the cheery melody, each musical note was robust but not conceited. The music was not overpowering nor romantic but intimate yet unyielding—akin to the firm belief that the people of Muzhou held toward their motherland and this competition.

In the display, the newly constructed "Dongshan Farm" signage was set up on the grass. The once sparse and empty spaces had been partitioned out, and new shoots were growing in the fields. Amidst the drizzling rain, a new lease of life had been breathed into the farm.

Back at Dongshan farm, Su Hou was standing in the middle of two fields. He took off running against the wind then suddenly stopped. Turning back in the direction of the muddy road he'd taken, a grin appeared on his muddied face.

[I might have wept bitter tears after encountering problems, but as I kept moving forward, I realized how far I had come by gritting my teeth and moving forward.]

The piano played out a beckoning pitch as woodwinds, brass, and strings joined the fray as the entire orchestra converged for the epilogue. The majestic blend of sounds brought about a victorious and proud vibe as warmth flooded the entire body and raised the spirits up. It was as if a young eagle was spreading its wings, waiting for the wind to pick up before flying off in search of new glories. Surging forward with a clear heart and unafraid of the future, this was the spirit of youth.

The ending of the video was a group photo. Su Hou and the seven shepherd dogs were at the forefront, and at the background stood two people. One was Wu Yi, and the other was Fang Zhao.

End credits:

Videography: Wu Yi, Su Hou, Fang Zhao

Editing: Fang Zhao, Su Hou

Soundtrack: "Chasing Wind"

Composer: Fang Zhao

However, very few people paid attention to the end credits. Even more people were thinking about the Su Hou depicted in the video. This short publicity film had made people view Su Hou in a different light.

After the video ended, the commentator was silent for close to five seconds before he lightened the mood with a joke, "Do you know the sort of person that I dislike the most?"

An invited esteemed guest sitting beside the commentator asked, "What sort?"

The commentator replied, "Those that are born well off but are still especially hardworking."

The esteemed guest laughed, "It can't be helped. We might not be able to see it, but Su Hou has put in a lot of effort. He is a real role model."

Those that were familiar with Su Hou were bewildered.

Huh?!

Role model?!

Su Hou, that retard?!

Of course, people watching the live broadcast online thought differently.

"I took a screenshot of the last photo at the end of the video. Everyone take a look at the person standing at the back; doesn't he look familiar?"

"You were not paying attention when watching. It was obviously mentioned that the person was Wu Yi, the owner of Shanmu Farm."

"Rubbish. Obviously I know that is Wu Yi. I was talking about the other person beside him!"

"Who is that? I don't think he appeared in the publicity video."

There were people who quickly recognized him right away.

"What the f*ck, Fang Zhao!"

Chapter 99: Takeoff

Interest in music was indeed lacking in Muzhou. Locals were clueless about many genres and they didn't follow any pop stars, let alone symphonic composers. They didn't bother with musicians except for reading the occasional news item about them.

But now, people were interested in the unfamiliar name that appeared in the promotional film for one of the teams competing in the Eastern regional finals of the local shepherding competition.

"Who is Fang Zhao?"

The curiosity of people who normally only followed agriculture, the weather, and shepherding contests was piqued.

They learned from music students that Fang Zhao was a rising star in the world of pop composition. He was widely praised by senior composers and admired by younger fan. This is how some Muzhou natives responded when they got the lowdown: "Sounds impressive, but how was Su Hou able to commission a piece from him?"

Right, how had Su Hou managed to get Fang Zhao to compose the background music for his promotional film for the Eastern regional finals?

But even if they were curious, they had no way of finding out the truth.

Of course, what the masses of Muzhou cared about most was Su Hou and the seven dogs of Dongshan Farm.

The focus of the promotional clip wasn't Dongshan Farm itself but rather the evolution of the farm's young owner. The combination of video and music was quite memorable. The film made people regret teasing Su Hou in the past. After all, this was a kid still in secondary school, and a hardworking and tough kid at that.

Older folks were always drawn to youngsters who worked hard.

Some of the parents watching the live broadcast started nagging their children. "Look at how hardworking Su Hou is, blah, blah, blah."

Su Hou probably never would have imagined in his wildest dreams that he'd become a role model, but he had no time to bask in the glory. He was preparing for battle.

Maybe it was the promotional film, but Su Hou felt a lot more relaxed. In its place emerged an indescribable fighting spirit and a sense that a long-awaited occasion had arrived.

When Su Hou described the feeling to Fang Zhao, Fang Zhao smiled and responded, "That's called confidence."

After the promotional films for all the teams had played, the folks watching the live broadcast realized that the one that left the deepest impression was Su Hou's. It painted a vivid picture of the young farm owner's personal growth.

"OK. The promotional films were a showdown of marketing prowess. Now it's down to business." The spectators settled down and started looking forward to the competition.

The Eastern regional finals determined which four teams would qualify for the grand finals. The size of the venue was bigger than regular-season venues, the courses were longer, and the pasture was more uneven. It was easy to veer off course, and instructor intervention was much more common than during the regular season. Completion times were also longer. Generally speaking, a decent time was under 10 minutes. Teams that had made the grand finals in previous years typically posted times of under six minutes, while contenders for the overall first and second places usually finished in about five minutes.

The goal Wu Yi set for his team was eight minutes. Under 10 minutes was a bare pass, and a lowly ranked one at that.

"As long as you exercise good judgment, ask to intervene in a timely manner, and signal correctly, you'll be OK."

As an instructor, Su Hou could only monitor the competition venue and master the correct route from a few screens near his pedestal. The route for every final was different. Sometimes the dogs needed to make an unexpected turn. That was when the instructor stepped in.

The theme music for the shepherding competition began to play, which meant the finals were about to kick off. Competitors and the viewers scattered all over Muzhou set aside what they were working on to focus on the contest. Discussions were left unfinished. Not only were the viewers passionate about this traditional sport in Muzhou, but many of them had bet on their favorite teams to win.

The first team to compete was a veteran competitor. Six of their eight dogs had appeared in the regional finals last year. Their preparation was probably precise and methodical, since their dogs didn't betray any signs of nervousness or discomfort. The farm owner also stepped in at the right moments. You could say that the first team completed its routine smoothly.

"Seven minutes and 16 seconds!"

That was a decent time, but the farm owner didn't seem to be pleased. His dogs had taken 10 more seconds than they had the previous year. Ten seconds might not be a major gap during the regular season, but in the regional finals, it was enough to make the difference between a top four finish or not. Even though he wasn't happy, the farm owner didn't show his temper. He just shook his head, saying during his interview, "The sheep are different this year. They're hard to herd."

Hard to herd? The viewers were confused.

The commentator didn't elaborate. The second team took nearly half a minute longer than the first, the reason being that the dogs took too long with their turns.

"The sheep this year are slow," the farm owner who fielded the second team said.

Comments like that initially struck viewers as excuse-making, but after the third and fourth farm owners started voicing similar sentiments, people started wondering.

"I paid special attention during the second team's routine," Wu Yi said in the viewing gallery. "The sheep used in the regional finals this year are different from the ones used in the regular season. I should say they look the same but their temperaments are different. They're bolder and grumpier. That's the problem the fourth team ran into. Halfway through their routine, their flock of sheep nearly dispersed. Several of the sheep even stomped their hooves at the dogs, even snarling at the head dog and almost bumping into it. They're not easy to handle at all." Wu Yi was worried, but he couldn't afford a drop in morale now. He turned and patted Su Hou on the shoulder. "No worries. It's the same challenge for everyone. Everyone will be taking longer than last year. Don't put too much pressure on yourself.

"The fifth team to compete is Shoubei Farm. Let's take a close look. Word is their top dog is angling for MVD in the grand finals." Wu Yi and company turned serious. Their stiffest competition was no doubt Shoubei Farm. They were first in the regular season and a top contender for first place in the East finals, even the overall final.

Shoubei Farm's head dog Gold Colt sparked squeals of excitement the moment it entered the venue. The squeals naturally couldn't be heard on the pasture, but there was no doubt Gold Colt was the center of attention among viewers both attending in person in the viewing gallery and watching via live broadcast. This was truly a champion dog that could shepherd by stare.

Other continents had their celebrities, while Muzhou had their star dogs. The amount of emotion Muzhou natives poured into their shepherd dogs wasn't something foreigners could comprehend. For them, the dogs competing in shepherding contests were as captivating as star actors or singers. The discussion board of the official website for the shepherding competition had long been flooded with messages. If you watched the contest via virtual reality webcast, the cries were literally shuddering.

As the previous few farm owners had said, the sheep used in this year's competition were especially hard to round up. But it was a different story when the dogs of Shoubei Farm took charge. The sheep trotted much more quickly than in the previous four rounds.

"We're coming up on a curve. Shoubei Farm has had good luck so far. Their top dog, Gold Colt, is speeding up. It's attacking the head sheep."

...

"Change in direction. The sheep have changed direction."

...

Compared to previous teams, Shoubei Farm mastered the same turn with incredible speed. The whole process was seamless.

"How about Shoubei Farm's head dog, Gold Colt? Spectacular! Now that's herding by staring."

...

"All in. All sheep are in the pen. Perfect! Four minutes and 32 seconds. Four minutes and 32 seconds! That would have been good enough to place first last year, let alone this year with the new sheep." The commentator was so emotional his voice went off pitch, a flaw that was broadcast loud and clear through the excellent sound equipment. He didn't hide the fact that a new species of sheep was used this year. "That's the best time of this contest so far. And Gold Colt is a likely candidate for most valuable dog in the grand finals."

The commentator turned to his guest, an elderly farm owner. "Someone once said that a heavenly dog like this comes only once every 10 years, or even every 20 years. Take Lightning, for example, which won you five championships, or King Kong from about a decade ago. And now we have Gold Colt from Shoubei."

The elderly man's farm had won five straight championships 20-odd years ago, until his champion dog had passed in an accident. The farm was able to train a new top dog and clinch the overall title again, but they never repeated their legendary run of five straight championships.

This old farm owner was a top expert when it came to breeding, training, and judging shepherd dogs. That was why the commentator wanted him to offer his input.

The old farm owner recalled his beloved champion dog. "Gold Colt has definitely cut a dashing figure this year, reminiscent of the heavenly flair of our own Lightning."

The atmosphere was tense in the viewing gallery where Fang Zhao and company sat. Everyone was quiet. The only sounds were the speakers relaying the passionate voice of the commentator and his guest's lavish praise.

"Heavenly dog?" Fang Zhao said in a puzzled tone.

As soon as Fang Zhao uttered the phrase, he heard an "achoo" from near his feet. He followed the sound. It seemed that Curly Hair had sneezed.

"Does he have a cold?" Wu Yi shifted his attention immediately. He looked like the sky was about to collapse.

The folks in the viewing gallery got even tenser. Wu Yi and his family, as well as their vet team, rushed forward to check on Curly Hair.

"How does he look?" Wu Yi felt like his innards were shuddering. He was worried that Curly Hair might have eaten something outside of his regular diet. Even though the dogs had undergone thorough body checks yesterday and today and were cleared, who knew if they would catch some weird disease at the venue or suffer from stomach trouble?

The vet team inspected Curly Hair meticulously. The experts shook their heads. "Nothing unusual."

"Really?"

The vets were upset their medical judgment was being taken to task. "Are you questioning our competence? Or do you want it to be sick?"

Wu Yi shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no, of course not."

Fang Zhao watched Curly Hair scratch his head with one of his hind legs. He said to Wu Yi, "Don't worry. He's fine. Let's keep watching."

Shoubei Farm's stellar performance had indeed blown many folks away and put a lot of pressure on the two teams that competed next. Even though the sixth and seventh farms posted decent times, neither came under seven minutes. If the commentator hadn't revealed the fact that organizers used a new breed of sheep, perhaps some doubters would still have written that off as an excuse. Not everyone could tell the difference between different species of sheep.

When the seventh team appeared, Wu Yi and company escorted Su Hou and the dogs to the competition venue.

After the seventh team was done, Dongshan Farm was up next.

"OK, the eighth team appearing this year has been closely watched. Dongshan Farm also boasts a very special dog..."

Wu Yi had rushed back by the time the commentator began his spiel. He sat on his chair and his eyes were glued to the screen, as if he didn't want to miss a single frame.

"And we're off!" The commentator raised his voice, putting everyone on notice.

"The flock has gathered quickly. The herding is going smoothly too. So far, Dongshan Farm's dogs are doing well. Their times are quick. They're the quickest besides Shoubei Farm," the commentator observed while examining data from his statistician.

Wu Yi couldn't sit still. He got up and walked closer to the screen. He clenched his fists and started biting them. His lips were quivering, as if he were praying.

Fang Zhao also glared at the screen. He knew a crucial juncture was coming up.

The final destination of the flock—either the pen on the left or the right—was decided at the last minute and randomly. It was impossible to predict, often coming down to luck. It was a test of the dogs' and instructor's ability to adjust.

About halfway through rounding up the sheep, the destination appeared on the big screen.

It was the pen on the left. This wasn't good news for Dongshan Farm, because their head dog, Curly Hair, was situated on the left flank. By custom, the head dog on the right flank would be responsible for ushering the sheep into the left pen. If your head dog was on the left flank and you wanted to steer your flock left, you had three options. The first was for the lead dog to shift to the right flank and force the sheep left. The second involved the instructor directing the No. 2 dog on the right flank to steer the flock left. The most conservative option was to stop the flock altogether, then change direction, but that was too time-consuming.

Dongshan Farm's No. 2 dog was Bingo. The team had rehearsed such a scenario before the contest. They had decided to go for the first option, as Fang Zhao had suggested.

"The flock is making a turn. They're about to shift direction. Watch the positioning of the dogs. This is the time when the head dog shows what he's made of. Let's see if it can force the sheep to shift direction based on the instructor's guidance, or if they'll stop the flock altogether and then change direction." The commentator pressed on, saliva flying from his mouth. "Su Hou has asked to intervene. Oh! Has Su Hou decided to order Curly Hair to switch flanks?"

Su Hou was shown on screen asking for an intervention. He gave Curly Hair a direct order to switch flanks and steer the flock into the left pen.

"Pay attention. It's speeding up. Looks like it's going to take a detour. Oh! It's flown straight to the right flank."

Not only did the commentator go off pitch, he started stuttering. His guest, the elderly farm owner, also exclaimed, as if he had seen something earth-shattering.

The TV screen showed Curly Hair making the cross by speeding up toward the flock, leaping, and then treading on the backs of the sheep, like crossing a pond by stepping on stones. "Flying" was an exaggeration, but it was indeed a jaw-dropping move.

This was a very rare move. Not only was it a test of the dog's leaping ability, the most important thing was not to miss a step or lose footing and plunge amidst the stampeding flock. The dog could get killed either way.

Wu Yi's heart was thumping so hard it felt like he was about to vomit it. He barely felt the biting wounds on his fists. His eyes were peeled open. He had seen Curly Hair make a similar move during practice, but he would never order him to try it in competition. It was too dangerous. The slightest slipup and the dog was gone.

The commentator responded quickly and passionately. "MVD! MVD! No doubt, if Dongshan makes the grand finals, Curly Hair will be a top contender for this year's MVD award."

Viewers tuning into the broadcast were miffed by that comment. Hadn't homeboy just said that Gold Colt was shoo-in for East MVD? And that it was a leading contender for MVD in the grand finals? What a quick reversal. Where was his integrity?

The commentator kept on as if he had forgotten what he'd just said—and his integrity at that. He had thrown himself to the wolves on the first day. He was still lost in revelry. "I can see his market value growing exponentially."

The MVD label could be taken literally or figuratively.

Every dog competing in the final would see their market value rise, especially the head dog, and the market price for the MVD in the grand finals would go through the roof.

"The flock hasn't stopped. It's shifted direction. Su Hou has asked to intervene again. Very good. His timing is great. Dog A on the other flank needs to stay on course. The dogs in the back need to hurry up too. This is too sudden of a turn. The flock is speeding up. I have a hunch..."

The commentator took a deep breath as he examined the latest data. "They might..." He hemmed and hawed.

Inside the viewing gallery, Wu Yi was so nervous he could bite his fingers off. His eyes kept darting between the timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen and the action in the center of the screen. He was so stiff he felt like a fossil.

Fang Zhao took in the action on the big screen and laughed. He spit out the four words the commentator had held back, "set a new record."

Wu Yi's ears twitched. He clearly heard what Fang Zhao had said, but his brain didn't seem to process the information. His teeth, which were still biting his fists, started clattering.

"The flock is heading into the pen. Into the pen!"

"They're all in!"

"Four minutes and 20 seconds! Four minutes and 20 seconds!" The commentator screamed at the top of his voice and howled hysterically. "Since the format of the competition was reformed 80 years ago, the best time posted in the east has been four minutes and 21 seconds. That record was set by the team led by the so-called 'heavenly dog' Lightning, which won five straight national championships. Now Dongshan Farm has broken the record by one second. If we didn't swap sheep, the record would have been slashed by at least 10 seconds."

Wu Yi felt like he had taken everything in and his brain went blank at the same time. His lips were quivering and he could barely put a sentence together. "N-new... record?"

"Yup," Fang Zhao responded.

Fang Zhao thought to himself, if these were battle dogs from the end of days, the sheep would be in the pen within a minute, at most two minutes, without instructor intervention.

But considering this was the New Era and that Muzhou had enjoyed a peacetime of some 500 years, this was a decent showing by ordinary farm dogs.

Fang Zhao started to understand why Muzhou's founders decided to make shepherding a tradition.

It was just like mandatory military service in the New Era. Even though vested interests were at play, the competition and the training leading up to the contest kept the service dog or wild dog DNA in these dogs alive. If the geopolitical landscape changed, these dogs could be quickly drafted as battle dogs, just like during the apocalypse.

The melody of "Chasing Wind" at its climax was played and Fang Zhao turned to look at the big screen. Su Hou had left the instructor's podium and dashed toward the seven dogs resting by the finish line. His face was covered in tears. He cried and laughed at the same time. Organizers used "Chasing Wind" as the background music for this scene. It was the BGM of the moment, of Su Hou's moment.

Chapter 100: The Dog with a Value of 50 Million

Su Hou was hot stuff.

The entire Muzhou internet was in disarray from all the buzz.

The team that had broken the record in the Eastern region finals sheep-herding competition. Su Hou was the farm owner and instructor. Furthermore, given that he was a younger generation Su family member and had been labeled a model youth, how could the media give up such an opportunity for a topic that would generate and capture a lot of attention.

It was not just limited to Muzhou's entertainment media. The political news segment, education news segment, sheep-herding segment, agriculture segment, and even the weather forecast also mentioned the matter. Especially the education segment. Now that they had found an exemplary model, naturally, they had to proclaim it.

The influence sheep-herding competitions had in Muzhou was something that foreigners would not understand. From being an aristocratic retard, with one leap, Su Hou had become a young star.

The shock of the three words "broke the record" covered the entirety of Muzhou. Whenever anyone from Muzhou talked about this year's sheep-herding competition, they would surely mention Dongshan Farm and thus naturally mention Su Hou. With the precompetition's publicity film to lay the foundations, no one could say that Su Hou did not deserve it.

Of course, when people praised, there would be those that criticized as well.

"Even if Su Hou is a younger member of the Su family, given his age, there is no way he had that much money to hire workers to totally sort out the farm after he bought it. What about the shepherd dog's competition training and food. Furthermore, they still had a veterinarian team. All of those do not come cheap."

"Are you all blind?! An 'exemplary model?' A 'miracle production'? Can you all take a look at the end credits of the publicity film?! Fang Zhao! The main person for composing and editing was Fang Zhao! He who single-handedly propped up Silver Wing's virtual projects department and just completed a global lecture tour. That Fang Zhao! Surely he has done something. To be able to revive Silver Wing's virtual projects department back from the dead, surely this is a scheme of his. Who knows, maybe the entire thing from start to end was a conspiracy!"

"Yeah, who knows, there might be someone behind the scenes supporting. How else would a Su Hou who knew nothing hire Fang Zhao to compose a piece so easily, and how he could collaborate with Shanmu farm that smoothly. And how coincidental that he would get those few shepherd dogs, especially that 'flying' dog."

...

However, Su Hou paid no heed to all the doubters online. In the past, he would have cared about how the media judged him, but now, he never even bothered to check them. Furthermore, he did not have the time to do so. After the end of competition, he kept receiving calls nonstop.

He received congratulations from his classmates and other members of the Su family. His older brother had found time despite being in the middle of an experiment to give him a call. This was a very rare occurrence. After he ended the call with his brother, he received a call from two of his younger sisters who said they wanted to visit Dongshan Farm and take a photograph with Curly Hair, but the maid looking after them had disapproved, saying it was too dangerous and to wait after the buzz to die down before looking for a chance.

Muzhou central district, Qingcheng, Qingtai Mountain.

Qingtai Mountain was not the highest mountain in Muzhou—it could not even be considered high, as it looked like a mountain that had its top two-thirds shaved off. At the summit, there were a few courtyards and traditional buildings. No skyscrapers could be found there. But in Muzhou, this mountain held a special significance. The earliest Muzhou government had been located here, and Great General Su Mu of the founding era and other important leaders had stayed there. After the number of descendants had increased, the government had made new plans to shift elsewhere. Now, those living on Qingtai Mountain were the earliest descendants of those leaders. Most of them were already retired elderly. The young were not willing to coop themselves in that sort of restrictive place and be observed.

On top of Qingtai Mountain, inside an old residence.

A few white-haired seniors were sitting in the center. Surrounding them were a few middle-aged men and women, sitting reservedly. The room was very quiet. The younger generations that were sitting at the sides and corners wished they could find a place to sneak off to.

Originally, those few elders had arranged to watch the competition together, but never had they expected to see a youngster of the Su family. To those elders with over 100 years of age, that generation of Su Hou's age did not leave much of a lasting impression on them. They could not even count the number of great-grandchildren they had with the fingers on both hands, let alone their great-great-grandchildren. Unless they were outstanding or good at making themselves stand out, these elders could not even match their names to their faces.

However, just one round of the Eastern region sheep-herding finals was enough to make them remember Su Hou's name.

An elder sighed. "I never expected that among the youngsters of the Su family there would still be such a fellow!"

"To be able to achieve this sort of result, he has indeed done well!" another elder exclaimed.

This bunch of oldies had experienced a lot. Whether Su Hou had any support behind the scenes, they could guess as much without investigating. However, whether his luck was good, or whether he found anyone to help him, it was all down to Su Hou's own ability. Of all the people he could help, why had Fang Zhao specifically chosen to help him? The Su family had many promising youngsters; why would Fang Zhao, who had a reputation in the music industry, choose to help Su Hou, who was often looked down upon and even called a retard?

In the end, luck was but a part of one's ability.

"That Fang Zhao person, I heard he is a composer from Yanzhou?"

"Mhmm, I heard as well. This year, when Su Hou went to Yanzhou to pay his respects, he probably met this Fang Zhao there. The exact same name. What a coincidence."

In this world, there were many people who shared the same names, and many who shared the same names as martyrs. They guessed that, during Su Hou's time paying his respects in Yanzhou, he coincidentally met a person called Fang Zhao and hence got to know each other.

"We can investigate it when the time comes. However, that is all secondary. What I wish to know is who set up that scam!"

Originally, the elder was speaking in a warm tone, but when he reached the last part of his sentence, his tone abruptly intensified and his eyes flashed with anger, like a sword that had been unsheathed.

They ignored the younger generation of Su's internal squabbles and competition. With competition came motivation. The more outstanding ones would achieve better resources. Small squabbles and fights would pass. However, they absolutely could not allow the act of defrauding a fellow family member for one's own benefit! If they wanted to compete, they had to go about it fair and square!

To hurt another family member was absolutely forbidden. These were the words Great General Su Mu had left for the Su family descendants. Anyone who broke this sacred rule would be made to leave the Su family. If it was not a Su family member that had defrauded another, then all the more reason why they had to investigate. Who dared to cheat the Su family? Even if he was a retard, who were you to bully him as you please?!

"Investigate!"

The resounding "investigate" word made the youngsters in the room shiver. It looked like certain people were going to be out of luck.

...

Su hou had just ended the call with his younger sisters when he received a video call from an older female cousin in Qingcheng.

"Su Hou, you are gonna have it good!"

"Ah?" Su Hou had a blank look.

"Hehe, a few people are gonna get unlucky real soon." The girl in the projection smiled as if she took delight in the misfortune of others and proceeded to tell Su Hou what had happened in the room on Qingtai. This was followed by another round of getting to know Su Hou all over again. "Su Hou, you changed so much, skinnier and tanned. Hey, previously in the publicity film, did you intentionally act, or was it really just an edit of your normal everyday routine?"

"Of course it was the editing! Everything inside is completely real!" Su Hou asserted. All the footage from the film was taken by his three bodyguards, Shanmu Farm's security cameras, and Fang Zhao's own objective recordings, as well as his own video recordings. The footage had been collated and edited into a short film, with some slight artistic touches added in. Back then, he had not even known that his three bodyguards were monitoring him. After he found out, he was a little pissed, but thinking it through, he was accident-prone and had a past record. The three bodyguards were only doing their job ensuring his safety, so Su Hou did not blame them but instead assigned new tasks for them.

"I was just asking. Don't get so worked up. Was the film edited by Fang Zhao or was it completed by you?"

At the mention of this, Su Hou felt a little embarrassed. "Master Zhao edited it. Two days before the submission, I passed a portion of a video to Master Zhao, who did the rest. I only did a little bit. Actually, I had edited a version of the publicity film, but when I saw Master Zhao's video, I couldn't bring myself to take it out."

"Master Zhao? Sounds like this person is rather good at putting on airs. Wait a minute, did you say you made your own video? Send it to me. Don't be shy, we are family; if it sucks, I won't say a word to anyone." Even if she intended to spread it, after seeing the fury of the elders on Qingtai Mountain, she would not even dare do so.

Su Hou thought for a bit and felt that letting his own Su family members see it was no big deal, so he sent that video over to her. In a short moment, his elder female cousin had sent a reply.

"In the future... it would be better to leave these sort of artistic matters to a proper artist. Oh, i almost forgot. How did you get to know Fang Zhao?" This was what Su Hou's cousin really wanted to know.

Su Hou spoke about the circumstances at the cemetery and how he had approached Fang Zhao for help.

Su Hou's cousin remained silent for quite a bit this time before, finally, faintly saying, "Seems like your 49 kowtows were not for nothing."

After ending the call, Su Hou's cousin related the story to a few other Su family members of the same generation. Some of them were wondering whether they should head over during the next memorial day for some kowtows? Su Hou had gone to Yanzhou and, after some kowtows, had met a prosperous helping hand. They wondered if they would maybe become popular next year if they kowtowed before Su Mu's grave!

Su Hou also felt that the kowtows had totally been worth it. He might have been gloomy over his siblings fooling him back then, but now he realized it had been worth it. If he had not knocked his head that many times, he would not have run over to Su Mu's grave in a bout of fury to complain and would not have met Fang Zhao, and things would not have turned out this way.

Over at Muzhou, Dongshan Farm had become all the rage because of the Eastern region finals. Su Hou and Shanmu Farm had all become popular. Needless to say, the competition dogs had all featured on this year's ranking charts, especially the lead dog, Curly Hair. In human competitions, there was always a most valuable player, and sheep-herding competitions similarly had such an award. After the competition, there was a vote, and Curly Hair unanimously won the most valuable dog award. At the same time, the sheep-herding competition organizers posted the value rankings of the eastern region competition dogs on their homepage.

Curly Hair had a value of 50 million and was worthy of its title of most valuable dog.

Wu Yi was even happier than Fang Zhao. Six out of the seven dogs in the team were from his farm. Although Bingo was worth a few million, still far off from Curly Hair, Wu Yi was already very satisfied. The added value of his six dogs also amounted to at least a hundred million. Furthermore, this was only temporary. When the finals started, their value would continue to rise, perhaps by a few times.

The creases from Wu Yi's face had become deeper from all that smiling. He sighed ruefully and said, "Fang Zhao said back then that this dog had wandered for who knows how long in the black street. When he picked it up, it was all skin and bones and could not even stand."

For the people of Muzhou who loved dogs, the circumstances that Fang Zhao had mentioned were unimaginable.

Muzhou's laws safeguarded the interest of the people of Muzhou. Every law-abiding citizen of Muzhou would have their own plot of land other than those inherited from their parents or elders. There were charities that would give those with special circumstances plots of land or perhaps work. As long as they were not lazy and did not abandon themselves, they would be able to have a life. Dogs were different. They did not have land or jobs. However, there were no strays in Muzhou. Even if they were abandoned by their old farm owners, the new farm owners would also take care of them. Otherwise, those farm owners would be viewed by others as wicked and heartless. In other continents, people would term this as emotional blackmail, but in Muzhou, they felt that this was the right thing to do. After all, deciding to raise them, it was their responsibility. Even if they were not raised well, it was up to the farm owners' own decision.

"Fang Zhao has some good luck!" Who would know that a stray that was picked up could achieve the unexpected status it had today?! If everyone had known, what would have happened all those years in the black street?

And since Curly Hair occupied the top ranking in the Eastern region, its life story also came into the light.

"What?! It is not a Muzhou dog?!"

"To actually be from another continent?"

"Screw everything else, let's not waste time and buy it over!"

Chapter 101: Ambassador, an Even More Natural Image

After finding out Curly Hair was not from Muzhou, many people began to voice their thoughts.

"Such a good dog that was born for sheep herding. It is a pity it is from a foreign continent. Are there such great pastures in other continents? Are dogs loved as much in other continents compared to Muzhou?! Therefore, this sort of dog should be taken care of by the people of Muzhou!"

"Someone else's dog? Buy it! It is merely 50 million dollars. To many farm owners of large farms, this is just an insignificant amount."

But very quickly, they realized Curly Hair's owner was also very rich.

"Tsk, Fang Zhao's dog? This sucks; I heard that little fellow is loaded? He was the one that meddled with Su Hou's farm."

"Someone asked already. He is not selling."

"I just heard from a friend who does music. One of Fang Zhao's compositions went for a fee of 10 million, and that was some time back. After his global lecture tour, his fees will be even higher. What now?"

"What's an artist like him doing keeping a dog?"

The people who had originally intended to purchase the dog were dejected. What they were most unhappy about was that the owner refused to sell and had no lack of cash!

"Let's wait a bit more. There is reasoning behind not selling now. After the finals, who knows how high his value will soar. When the time comes, let's discuss terms with that little fellow. Who knows, it might work."

"But after the finals, the price will not be what we normal people can afford. You large farm owners go ahead and compete. Us medium-sized farms will temporarily back off."

"But returning to the main topic, don't we have other methods to depress its value? Wager on another dog—who knows which dog might outshine this little Curly Hair at that time, and its value will not rise much."

"Makes sense. However, in the Eastern region, which dog can beat Curly Hair? Gold Colt?"

"Gold Colt won't do; its sheep-herding performance is still lacking. We can't find any suitable in the Eastern region. Let's see if there are any in the Western region we can wager on. Otherwise, the throne of most valuable dog in the finals might be stolen by a foreign dog!"

Those farm owners discussed in private how to suppress Curly Hair. However, the ignorant audiences online really liked this dog. There were no rules that prohibited foreign dogs from joining any farm's team. This was because the Muzhou people had always believed only dogs from their homeland could herd sheep and that foreign dogs were all idiots. In this sort of competition that tested their IQ, other dogs would not keep up.

Until now, Curly Hair was the most well-liked dog among Muzhou audiences. Especially the scene of its horizontal leap where it flew. In the days that followed the competition, it was still trending on the internet. That scene fully explained what was meant by "I scare even myself when I go wild."

Therefore, on Muzhou's internet, many people liked to used "flying dog" to describe Curly Hair. They felt that the name Curly Hair was not formal enough and did not illustrate this lead dog's special characteristics. Thus, a lot of the time, they called him "Flying Dog." The best case scenario for the people of Muzhou was if someone could buy him, but even if this was not possible, everyone was eagerly anticipating Curly Hair's performance in the finals.

Over at Muzhou's side, this topic was stirred up , and even people of Yanzhou were contacted to see if they could provide a little more information. And the Yanzhou media was like a cat that had caught the scent of a fishy smell and reacted quickly.

"What? The most valuable dog of Muzhou's sheep-herding Eastern finals is a dog from our Yanzhou? A value of 50 million?! Are dogs that expensive? Oh, right, it's Muzhou. The people of Muzhou are a bunch of dog crazy fanatics."

Whatever the situation, it was time to put it on the news!

Therefore, very quickly, many people in Yanzhou caught on to what was happening.

Qi'an City district, the black street where Fang Zhao used to stay.

Yue Qing was going through his normal routine, having lunch and a cup of tea, watching the news while reclining on his chair beside the door, and being bathed by the warm sunlight.

"Muzhou sheep-herding competition? What is so strange about... 50 million? Muzhou people are really crazy. Tsk tsk, a $50 million dog... Ack! Cough cough... cough cough cough..."

Yue Qing had choked and coughed violently till his entire body curled up. The cup had been tossed aside. With great difficulty, he slowly got up and heard Ai Wan rushing over from his drug store.

"Old Yue! Old Yue! We have a big situation!"

"What?"

"Have you seen today's news?"

"Are you talking about Fang Zhao's little Curly Hair?"

"Yes!" Ai Wan shuddered as he extended the five fingers on his hand. Shaken, he stammered, "Fif-fifty million! That stray that wandered into our black street for who knows how long and nearly died, that little Curly Hair has a value of 50 million! And this is only temporary. I heard that after Muzhou's whatever competition is over it will rise even more. Old Yue, 50 million dollars! Poor old me opened a drug store and doubled as a doctor. Yesterday at night, I was still treating people and only made a small 10,000, and that excited me till I couldn't sleep. But compared to this dog... I suddenly feel like owning a dog. Where in our street can I find myself a stray? I shall go and pick one up; maybe I won't need to open my store anymore!"

With thick bags under his eyes, Ai Wan shook his head vigorously, as if imagining something wonderful, and mumbled something to himself.

Yue Qing went into his shop and got an iced beverage for him. "Drink some."

Ai Wan guzzled two mouthfuls down and shivered from the ice.

"Awake now?" Yue Qing asked.

"Awake." Ai Wan dragged a chair over and sat beside Yue Qing. Sighing, he said, "Some people have luck that we can only dream about. Furthermore, Fang Zhao, that little fellow, is really capable. How long has it been? And he is so prosperous now. Fifty million and that little fellow probably does not think much of it? Sigh, back when I shaved the fur of that little dog and it spoiled my shaver. Giving a shave to a dog worth 50 million, and I shaved it all off. I could brag about this for a year! If only I had kept the dog fur from back then. Who knows, I might even have been able to sell it for quite a decent sum!" Ai Wan raised his head to look at the afternoon sun shining down on the black street and was blinded momentarily. Raising his hand to shield his eyes, he said, "That little fellow and us have different paths. He is still so young and can go much further in the future. After 10 years, who knows, we might still be staying here in this black street."

Yue Qing rarely heard Ai Wan that rueful. It seemed like the 50 million value of little Curly Hair had upset him. However, why did he not continue talking?

"Old Yue."

"Mmhm, I'm listening."

Ai Wan pointed at the sky. "Drone."

Yue Qing looked up. Indeed there was a drone from high up descending. An express delivery model. Whose house upstairs was expecting an express delivery?

"That's not right. Why do I feel that it is going to descend all the way to the bottom?" Ai Wan used his hands to block out the sun and watched the falling drone.

Yue Qing also felt the same way. At this spot, right at the bottom, was his shop.

"Old Yue, did you buy something? Or perhaps it was your wife?"

"Nope, my stock came in a few days back. Also, if I had purchased something, I would not use this sort of delivery method." Yue Qing watched it descend. This drone model had a faster speed and was steady when it transported. It was just that its freight fee was many times more than a normal drone.

"Yue Qing, express delivery." An electronic voice blurted out from the drone.

"It really is mine!"

After verifying the identity, the drone set down a case that was two meters wide and one meter tall.

When they saw the name of the sender, Yue Qing and Ai Wan made eye contact, and together, they shifted the case in and closed the door of the shop. Ai Wan urged Yue Qing to open it.

"Faster, faster, faster. Let's see what Fang Zhao has sent over!"

Yue Qing opened it and realized there were a few packages of vacuum-sealed meat products and some grains wrapped up. There were also some processed food stuffs manufactured in Muzhou. Even if it was processed food, they were made from natural crops. When sold out of Muzhou, these did not come cheap either.

Inside was a message from Fang Zhao, saying that he was in Muzhou now and had conveniently sent Yue Qing and Ai Wan some Muzhou specialty products.

"Hahaha, that little fellow has not forgotten about us! Old Yue, Fang Zhao said a portion here belongs to me. Temporarily keep them at your store. I have no storage facilities at my place. That's all for now. I'm heading back to attend to my store, I will be back later to have barbecued meat!"

Yue Qing laughed and shook his head as he watched the jubilant Ai Wan run out. They were just like this, without any big ambitions. Although they would grumble, they were easily satisfied.

Fang Zhao had not sent these to only Yue Qing and Ai Wan, who had helped him in the past. He'd also sent some to the people in the company, Second Uncle Fang's family in Yanzhou, and also to his great-grandparents.

Great-grandfather Fang happily went out to show off again. They were not lacking any of these. It was just that Fang Zhao's heartfelt intentions made them happy. Moreover, they had been paying attention to information online, and knowing that Fang Zhao was doing well made them glad.

Previously, when Fang Zhao had gone with Xue Jing for the global lecture tour, Great-grandfather Fang had flaunted to all the others at the retirement center, "My great-grandson Fang Zhao will be a great artist in the future!"

In the past, Great-grandfather Fang had hoped his descendants would all enter the military and develop, repeatedly urging them to proactively serve, and how it would be best if they would head to more arduous places to train. After all, hardship increased stature! Now, he was a little worried. Those that were sent to far off planets to mine for resources were too tough, and the people of the same batch might be impulsive or violent. All the more so for his great-grandson who could not raise a hand to defend himself. That little fellow was a man of art; if he really went to such a place for his military service, would he be able to survive?!

Thus, on the night where they received the delivery, the old couple went without sleep the entire night and discussed the best place to arrange to send their little great-grandson to serve in the military.

If Fang Zhao knew what these two elders were thinking, he would have told them: you two are overthinking things.

...

Muzhou's Eastern and Western region's normal competitions had all concluded. Before the finals, there would be a one-month period to give each farm a chance to recover and train.

Shanmu Farm.

Curly Hair and the other dogs were in the field hunting field mice. Wu Yi let someone watch over them. After the competition, they were more relaxed, and he did not restrict the dogs playing. There was a veterinarian team on standby, so nothing should happen.

Today, a slightly special person had come to the farm.

The person was an older male cousin of Su Hou's. He was around twenty years old, and after graduating from university, he had used his cash on hand to start a company, naming it "Four Elephants Foodstuff Company." Su Feng's own farm had a mountain to one side and a river on the other, and there were four rocks that were the shape of an elephant, hence the name. As for why Su Feng had come, it was to discuss business, not with Su Hou but with Fang Zhao.

Compared to the owner of Shanmu Farm, Wu Yi, Su Feng looked more like a businessman.

"Ambassador?" Fang Zhao looked at Su Feng. "Dog food?"

Su Feng wanted Curly Hair to endorse his company's new range of superior-quality dog food. In Muzhou, the market for this was quite big. People of Muzhou were willing to spend money on dogs. The fee Su Feng offered was not low either. He gave Fang Zhao a first draft of the contract, and if Fang Zhao did not agree, it could be modified.

Fang Zhao took a look. There were no issues with the contract. "I need to first take a look at your products before coming to a decision."

"That goes without saying." Su Feng took out several cans that had already been prepared and even handed over two sets of appraising notes. One was from the supervising department, and the other was from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, where Su Hou's own brother had had a private assessment.

"I know you have your own considerations to make and I believe that a number of companies will have approached you. However, I hope you will take the time to consider our company," Su Feng said. "Actually, I have one other matter, which also concerns an ambassadorial role and is our company's main issue."

"Also for Curly Hair?"

"No," Su Feng smiled and said, "I'm looking for Polar Light."

Su Feng had come up with a plan for Polar Light. He had spent the past two years gradually pushing his company's brand out of Muzhou. The company's main business was not dog food. Dog food was just one of the many developments that the company had, and it was only focused within Muzhou. The company's main emphasis was to sell its agricultural products to other continents. However, competition was tough, and even though he was from the Su family, there was still a limit to what he could do. Su Feng kept trying to find a way, and during this sheep-herding competition, he'd taken notice of Fang Zhao, a composer from Yanzhou, and he hoped to garner the help of one of Yanzhou's three big entertainment companies, Silver Wing Media's virtual projects department.

"Virtual idol Polar Light's image is a tree, just right! Even more fitting for our concept of 'natural'."

Chapter 102: The Person Behind

After the end of days, development had been the first priority. With the technological levels back then, development of the industry needed unavoidable sacrifices of certain things, such as the environment. Other than Muzhou, the other eleven continents all experienced a severe stifling period, so much so that the people then wondered whether they had made the right choice and if the world would just go to ruin. Should they halt the development at hand and create spaceships to visit other planets in search of a new place to survive?

After all this had boiled over, new energy sources had already surpassed the original sources. Construction was faster and technology invalidated a lot of toxic emissions. The twelve continents in the New Era had really stabilized. But aside from Muzhou, the other continents did not have much suitable land for growing crops, so a lot of the materials for producing food stuff were cultivated without soil and other different methods.

After 500 years passed, Muzhou's status as one of the four special continents continued to exist peacefully. This was also a rule set by everybody, not to interfere with Muzhou's development. Even if there were people who wanted to transform Muzhou and the people there did not oppose, the other continents would not allow it.

There were people that once said, Muzhou was the last clean soil. Hence, in this world, when it came to food, Muzhou had a special place. Families with good conditions would choose to get their food from Muzhou and were more inclined toward the so-called "natural" foodstuffs.

Generally speaking, Muzhou's well-known companies did not need an ambassador to boost their popularity. Among the public, their influence was very hard to displace. As Su Feng's Four Elephants company was a very young brand, when given the choice of a product of a similar type and price between two companies, people would definitely choose the more familiar brand. Su Feng had sought out celebrities in other continents to endorse his products, and there had been results. They just were not as good as he had expected. Many other companies also looked for celebrities to endorse their products as well.

Su Feng had decided to try it out at Yanzhou, but this time, instead of finding a real-life celebrity, he chose to find a virtual idol whose image was close to "natural," Polar Light. And it just so happened that Polar Light was popular at the moment.

"Polar Light?" Hearing Su Feng, Fang Zhao understood what he meant. "It is indeed a good opinion, however..."

Fang Zhao looked Su Feng in the eye and said seriously, "The endorsement fees for Polar Light won't be cheap."

Su Feng laughed as if he had just heard a joke. "Don't worry, even though our company just started out, when it comes funding, paying for an endorsement ambassador is not a problem."

Su Feng thought to himself that Fang Zhao did not understand the market for endorsements. Polar Light was indeed on the uprise in Yanzhou and was quite popular, but he still could not really compare with those really big name superstars whose endorsement fees could be considered to be sky high. Polar Light's would only cost a few millions.

As he was about to explain to Fang Zhao, Fang Zhao received a notification on his communications device.

"Sorry, I need a moment." Fang Zhao walked out of the room to answer the call.

Su Feng indicated he understood and sat in the room, thinking about whether or not he should explain to Fang Zhao about the market for endorsements.

Outside, Fang Zhao had received a voice call from Duan Qianji.

"Fang Zhao, are you still in Muzhou?" Duan Qianji's tone sounded like she was in a good mood. Something good must have happened.

"I still have some matters over here," Fang Zhao replied.

"If the matters are not important, leave it first and return to the company for a bit to sign a contract with Fiery Bird. They have selected Polar Light to be the spokesperson for 'Battle of the Century'!" Duan Qianji could not help laughing as she spoke. After waiting for so long, they'd finally gotten the result they wanted.

"Apparently it seems like you are not surprised?" Duan Qianji's acute senses could guess as much. Although there was no video projection, she could sense that Fang Zhao did not have much of a reaction. This was one of the reasons many employees in Silver Wing feared Duan Qianji; even without using her eyes, she could tell what one was up to and whether they were lying.

"Early in the morning, Hua Li had sent me a message that just said 'congratulations.' Looking at the timing, I guessed that it probably had to do with the endorsement deal," Fang Zhao replied.

As Hua Li was the head of Fiery Bird's sound effects department, he would have received the news earlier. Duan Qianji understood this and did not ask any more, instead urging once more, "So you need to hurry back. As the person in charge of the virtual projects department, the contract has to be signed personally by you."

"Wait a bit, I still have a matter here." Fang Zhao then told her the situation regarding Su Feng and Polar Light's endorsement.

"Got it. Go and pack your stuff and prepare to leave. I will arrange for someone to discuss terms with Su Feng."

Curly Hair's endorsement deal could be decided by Fang Zhao, as Curly Hair was his personal property. However, for Polar Light's deal, it had to go through Silver Wing's personnel, as Polar Light was a company asset.

Su Feng had never expected to be able to discuss with Duan Qianji directly. At first, he was calmly discussing, but once Duan Qianji informed him of the price, Su Feng nearly dropped his communications device.

Su Feng was shocked by the figure. "One hundred million? And only for one year? Boss Duan, since when did Yanzhou's endorsement fee get raised that much?"

Many A-lister celebrities' fees for this sort of endorsement deal could be signed for less than 50 million for two years, and there were many choices. At present, Mi Yu, who was termed as Yanzhou's number one virtual idol, had an endorsement fee of about 150 million, but that was for two years. Andy Leo, who had a similar reputation, garnered a fee of 120 million for two years as well. To think that Silver Wing's virtual idol—who'd only risen to prominence less than a year ago and was not as popular as Mi Yu and Andy Leo—would demand a fear of 100 million for one year?! Did they think that Muzhou people had no brains?!

Duan Qianji took no offense to Su Feng's tone and just told him the matter of Fiery Bird coming to the decision of having Polar Light endorse "Battle of the Century."

Su Feng was fuming. He obviously knew what this meant. Stifling back his words for a bit, he then said, "Even if he was chosen by Fiery Bird, your price is too high!"

...

Su Hou had gone out for a run, and when he returned, he saw his cousin standing there, his face distorting nonstop as if he was discussing something of great importance.

When Su Feng looked up and saw that Su Hou had returned, he took a deep breath, got up, and left.

The next day, Four Elephants and Silver Wing's Polar Light came to an official decision for cooperation.

Su Feng had not only taken into account Polar Light's appearance and his influence in Yanzhou, he'd also taken into consideration Fang Zhao, who was the person standing behind Polar Light. Su Feng believed that, as long as Fang Zhao was there, Polar Light would only continue to rise.

When he thought about what he understood from Fang Zhao's information, all Su Feng could think about was how frightening Fang Zhao was. In just a little more than a year, he had risen from being an obscure intern to a reputable hotshot in the music circles. He had completed a global lecture tour, supported Silver Wing's entire virtual projects department, and even attracted the colossal Fiery Bird's attention. He had even made his dog's value soar to 50 million.

Could this be a flash in the pan?

Su Feng was not one to concede or listen to what others said. Instead, he believed that, in the near future, this young person would become even hotter. Although he could not guess how, that was what his intuition told him.

Su Feng knew he was taking a risk. If the market proved that he was wrong, he would be ridiculed by those in the industry. This he did not mind, but what he cared about was the few Su elders living on Qingtai Mountain. He had wanted to earn more benefits and resources from the elders after producing results and showing them. However, if he failed, he did not even need to think about it.

As Su Feng and the person Duan Qianji had sent were discussing the concrete details of the contract, Fang Zhao had already boarded the flying transport headed back to Yanzhou. Curly Hair stayed behind in Muzhou once more, continuing to train with the other shepherd dogs as they prepared for the finals.

...

Once more returning to Yanzhou, the moment Fang Zhao stepped into the department, all eyes were on him.

"Boss! You're back!" After Zu Wen and the others had finished shouting, they looked behind Fang Zhao then beside his leg, finding nothing. "Curly Hair did not come back?"

"He is staying in Muzhou to train. He still has to train for the finals," Fang Zhao said.

Zu Wen and the others gathered around Fang Zhao and asked him about the happenings over in Muzhou and inquired as to Fang Zhao's thoughts on having a dog with a $50 million value that would continue to rise.

When they had seen the news, the entire virtual projects department had been full of shrieks and had scared Du Ang, who, when he'd to visit the 50th floor, had thought an accident had happened.

Back then, before he left, Fang Zhao had said that he was heading out to expand his professional services, but who knew that it would really happen. The department members had already received news of the endorsement collaboration with Muzhou's side. As for the concrete details, it would be arranged before they were informed.

As they thought about Polar Light's endorsement fee, and then Curly Hair's value, Zu Wen and the others could not help but think that this department was becoming rich and powerful.

"Tsk, boss when you were abroad, you could still stir up the news." Zu Wen shook his head and sighed ruefully. "Muzhou is really a crazy place. Oh, right, can we go over and watch Curly Hair's final live?"

"We shall see the situation when the time comes. If there are no assignments at the company, we can organize a trip to Muzhou," Fang Zhao replied.

"On company expenses?" Zu Wen asked.

"If the company does not approve, I will sponsor it myself."

Fang Zhao's answer drew cheers from everyone in the department.

"But for now, we have to prepare for the signing ceremony with Fiery Bird."

"Yes!"

The next day, Fang Zhao brought a few key members of the virtual projects team over to Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch. There, a signing ceremony would be held.

Many people had not expected that, in the end, Fiery Bird would pick Polar Light, who had only appeared less than a year ago, as Yanzhou's spokesperson. Even though Polar Light had only come in third place in the online popularity poll, it had not affected Fiery Bird's final decision.

Photos and videos of the signing ceremony were spread quickly. Fiery Bird's choice of Polar Light as the spokesperson of "Battle of the Century" spread widely across Yanzhou's gaming circles.

Five days later, Fiery Bird had a public post on its website. It was a picture of twelve warriors. On it were the virtual idols that were the twelve representatives of the respective twelve continents. Polar Light was the only non-human virtual idol, and his image on that picture was from his "100-Year Period of Destruction" music video, where his branches were muscled and he took on a human-like form for battle.

"On October 1, 'Battle of the Century' will be officially released."

Chapter 103: The Only Non-Human

For any virtual idol, receiving Fiery Bird's endorsement deal was like winning the lottery, with the prize being a rising popularity.

Fiery Bird were not lacking customers. Finding a spokesperson was equivalent to finding a cooperative partner in Yanzhou. Promotion was a cooperative effort by Silver Wing and Fiery Bird. Once Fiery Bird's massive campaign started, it would be everywhere.

Throwing money!

Ruthlessly throwing money!

In Qi'an City's center, on many high rise buildings, screens in public squares, huge entertainment centers, and public transportation, "Battle of the Century" advertisements could be seen.

It was still some way off from October. However, for a company that only produced a game every ten years, many people felt that their advertisements had started late.

Although what attracted the interests of gaming fans was the publicly released short film, all the people that normally did not follow the film and entertainment industry more or less remembered the virtual idol Polar Light.

The frenzy was in full swing the whole of May. Ten years after ten years. The money that gaming fans had saved up for a long time was used to make preorders of the latest models of gaming hardware to upgrade their rigs. Those that were richer would just get themselves a brand new gaming setup and were only waiting for Oct 1 for the game's release.

In a highrise apartment complex in Qi'an city, Big Dipper, a gaming team well-known within Qi'an City were very busy.

"Captain, we are running out of water, meat too. Everything is running out!"

"Got it, I will get someone to go get more. Just eat whatever there is or order some takeout."

"Hey, Captain. Let's change brands this time. Buy Four Elephants this time."

"All the stuff from Muzhou is the same; was the previous brand no good? An old brand is always reassuring."

"But I heard from my younger cousin, they tried Four Elephants today and it was not bad. Furthermore, it's endorsed by Polar Light."

"Endorsed by Polar Light? Let me see... All right, let's try this brand."

...

At a public squad, a teenager stood in front of a vending machine, thirsty from playing. As he scanned through all the different types of mineral water inside and decided on a brand he'd drank once before, he caught sight of a "Battle of the Century" advertisement on a billboard in the distance.

The teenager looked at the image then looked at the printed tree man on a certain bottle and made his choice.

...

Although online shopping was very efficient and popular nowadays, in large cities, there would still be shopping centers. These sorts of ancient shopping centers still existed to provide those sentimentalists with a place to feel nostalgia and antiquity.

Gaming sections were always packed recently. Youngsters could always be seen coming and going. At the same time, Four Elephant's products were all the rage too. Endorsing a game and endorsing foodstuff, Polar Light was the only one doing it!

In schools, many secondary school students were more inclined to pick the Four Elephant drinks that had Polar Light on them. Other products might be too expensive for their allowance to afford, but drinks were still fine.

...

In Muzhou, Su Feng listened to a report from his subordinate regarding the sales volume of every continent in the last seven days.

Huangzhou, slowdown in sales.

Leizhou, sales remain largely unchanged.

Lazhou, sales remain largely unchanged.

Yanzhou, 500% increase in sales volume...

Hearing this, Su Feng was so surprised he nearly fell out of his chair.

"The result is that obvious?!" Su Fang got someone to hand over the detailed information, and he proceed to carefully investigate it, checking whether there was any manipulation or if the market had really started to incline toward them.

After he had done so, Su Feng had only one thought. That 100 million was well spent! This gamble really paid out!

Su Feng felt himself shaking from excitement when he spoke. "Is there enough stock over at Yanzhou?"

"As there was a surplus previously, there aren't many places that are lacking. We have already hastened our deliveries over there."

"Boss, Huangzhou's side has suddenly increased their order," another person abruptly said.

"What? Why did this happen?"

Su Feng had not gotten a new spokesperson for Huangzhou. His farm's products were wrapped in the same packaging that had Polar Light's image. He did not have much hope that many people in Huangzhou would recognize Polar Light. All he wanted was to imply the products were natural. As Fiery Bird was based in Huangzhou and their company had used Polar Light for advertising, there would be some effects, but it would not be that effective.

Now that Huangzhou had requested to increase their order, Su Feng was puzzled. He contacted his people in Huangzhou to get to the bottom of the matter.

It turned out that, in Huangzhou, the boss of a large shopping center was a gaming enthusiast and had pasted 12 advertisements on the exterior of the building. Every advertisement was of a product. Normally, such an advertisement would require that the brands pay additional fees, and sometimes, if there were others competing for the spot, the prices would be high. This time, the gaming enthusiast boss had willfully placed twelve advertisements on the exterior, each one being endorsed by a celebrity. There was endorsed foodstuff, endorsed clothing, endorsed kitchen equipment, and others including exercise equipment. And these twelve celebrities endorsing these twelve products were none other than the virtual idols in Fiery Bird's promotional image!

And what was different from the hot-blooded styles of the promotional image of "Battle of the Century" were the styles of these advertisements. Some of them were elegant, some charming, some witty, and Polar Light had a fresh and clean style.

Compared with the promotional image of "Battle of the Century," many people thought it was rather meaningful. Compared to their intense looks, the boss of the shopping center took delight in it.

Occasionally there would be utterances of "Woah, isn't this the tree man endorsing 'Battle of the Century'?" heard from the people visiting the shopping center.

Among the twelve virtual idols, the tree was the one that left the deepest impression for gamers.

Four Elephants left an impression among customers who visited the shopping center. Even if they had not known of this brand before, since the others were all big brands that could be trusted, Four Elephants would not be any shoddy brand either, and it was from Muzhou.

As for Polar Light being the only nonhuman spokesperson endorsing "Battle of the Century," in addition to Yanzhou and Huangzhou, the other continents gradually showed signs of its influence.

At the same time, many people also inquired with Fiery Bird's relevant department on why they had chosen Polar Light to be Yanzhou's representative when it was not even a human virtual idol and had so few works and insufficient popularity. Fiery Bird's reply was just this: "He is worth it."

At Fiery Bird's headquarters, the engineers in the technical department were yawning. They had continuously worked overtime for quite a number of days in a row.

"People outside are discussing why we chose Polar Light as Yanzhou's game representative."

"Who we choose is none of their g*ddamn business!"

Why choose Polar Light?

Probably, it was because they had poured so many deep sentiments into producing "Battle of the Century." When they saw the "100-Year Period of Destruction" music video, they'd felt that the world in which this tree existed was the same world they had created in the game and that it was no longer a game but reality.

Therefore, during the discussions for the spokespersons, there were disputes for the other continents, but when it came to Yanzhou, it was an almost unanimous vote in favor of Polar Light. From their point of view, he was the most suitable candidate and most worthy of the chance.

"Who is the head of the Polar Light team? I thought someone mentioned it before."

"Fang Zhao, he is a composer. '100-Year Period of Destruction' was created by him. Previously, the sound effects head Hua Li mentioned they had used Fang Zhao's composition. However, for the fee, he was given two choices: cash or a gaming console. Fang Zhao chose the console."

"Woah, that fellow has good taste. There are only a hundred sets that'll be released in the entire world. However, for someone that dabbles in the arts, he probably will not get used to it and will probably resell it. What a pity."

"Yeah, a pity. However, whatever his choice, once it is sent out, we don't have to bother about their decision. Speaking of which, I rather like that little fellow's works. Oh, right, the opening scene's background music was composed by that fellow."

"The one we listened to that time? Where you get goosebumps just listening to it?"

"Yep."

"Ha! That was really impressive. What was the title of that background music?"

"Hua Li said that the piece is called 'Immortal'."

Chapter 104: You Have Too Few Expressions

Fang Zhao did not know that he was being talked about by the few engineers of Fiery Bird. At that moment, he was standing in the 50th floor office, gazing out the window.

In the distance, an image of Polar Light appeared every five minutes in the middle of a bunch of skyscrapers. Recently, Polar Light’s figure was everywhere in Yanzhou. Billboards, holographic projections above buildings, posters, etc. Other than Silver Wing and Fiery Bird’s cooperative marketing campaign, there was Su Feng’s Four Elephants’s advertisements as well. It seemed that Polar Light’s popularity had exploded spectacularly overnight.

At one of the press conferences for the movie that Silver Wing had invested in, which starred Polar Light, when the media were inquiring about Polar Light’s endorsements, an announcer "accidentally" revealed that Polar Light’s Four Elephants's endorsement fee was 100 million for a year. Toward this, many people’s first reaction was disbelief.

Sensationalization!

Definitely sensationalization!

If the fee was from Fiery Bird, it would still have been believable, but that another company, especially one that was not considered famous, would actually pay out such a high fee? How could anyone be convinced? Merely considering endorsement fees, that would make Polar Light the number one virtual idol in Yanzhou. Even if he did not have sufficient works or enough detailed information, his fans also could not compare to the other two popular virtual idols. But who let Polar Light have such good luck? Who had let the people behind Polar Light be so capable? When the word got out, it was a topic that was discussed furiously.

Four Elephants had really spent so much just for Polar Light to endorse them? Dumb*ss?

Four Elephants’s Yanzhou-in-charge immediately shot back: "Sorry to be a bother, but I am that dumb*ss you were speaking about."

There were also many people that admired the way Four Elephants had grabbed the chance at the opportune moment. Freeloading on the hype over "Battle of the Century" was surely pleasant. And counting the number of eyes across the world that would be on "Battle of the Century" despite it being some ways off, people were starting to understand.

Because of Silver Wing’s and Fiery Bird’s joint promotional campaign, now, anybody from Yanzhou who went online or headed out would get to see Polar Light’s image. This was also the reason for Four Elephants’s steep increase in sales volume. Also, Four Elephants had also gone from being "a certain Muzhou brand" to a "well-known brand."

Fang Zhao did not understand much about the market and sales, but just from everyday sights and sounds, he could understand that sort of change.

Recently, the members of the virtual projects department walked more proudly. When they went out, they would receive looks of envy or congratulatory words.

"One hundred million for an endorsement deal, 10 of these would be a billion! Twenty of these would be 2 billion!"

Zu Wen counted and counted but felt himself getting even more confused. "Are we… Are we going to be rich?" They would not get that much, but overtime fees and bonuses would increase, right?

"We have been rich for some time already." Song Miao rolled her eyes. "Haven’t you checked your bank account?"

"Nope." Zu Wen changed his position on the department’s couch and checked the funds in his account.

"Ssss!" After the violent sucking in of air, Zu Wen held his head with his two hands as if he could not believe what he was seeing.

"I, I, I… This, this…"

Their wages were considered quite high within the company already. There was still the overtime pay and, more importantly, the bonuses. Seeing the zeros at the back, Zu Wen once again felt that his decision back then to be lazy and stay at the virtual projects departments was the right choice!

"This, this, this… This is all thanks to boss's great leadership!" There could be no expense spared when it came to bootlicking! Without Fang Zhao’s approval, how would they be able to get so much overtime pay and such great bonuses? If it were somebody else, one who liked to deduct staff wages, as their superior, they would not receive such good treatment.

To this, the other members in the department nodded their heads in agreement.

Ever since Fang Zhao had come to Silver Wing’s virtual projects department, it had only been on the uprise. Whatever would happen in the future, nobody knew yet. However, they all knew that, as long as they followed Fang Zhao, their prospects would be boundless. Just a trip to Muzhou for a bit and he'd pulled a 100 million endorsement deal? Even the dog could become so valuable.

Speaking of Muzhou...

"Boss, when can we go to Muzhou to watch the finals?" Zu Wen asked. This was his second time mentioning it since Fang Zhao had returned.

The other department members looked at Fang Zhao with anticipation,

When the marketing was its peak, they had all worked overtime to clear the tasks assigned. Now that the workload was not that heavy, the workload could be shared by other departments and they could afford to relax a little.

"I will speak to the boss. Today, some new tasks have been assigned, You guys can settle the matters at hand first." Fang Zhao tidied up some of his things. "After work, I leave it up to you guys to arrange."

"Got it!"

Although that was the reply they gave, no one left. Working hours and after work had little difference to them. Now all they wanted was to clear all the work so that they could enjoy without any worries.

After leaving the company, Fang Zhao paid a visit to Xue Jing at his residence. Xue Jing was already back in Yanzhou for a rest. Previously, as Fang Zhao'd had matters at Muzhou and Xue Jing still had a number of meetings to attend, they had parted rather hurriedly. This time, when he came back, Fang Zhao still ought to thank this old man. After all, it was Xue Jing that had given him such a chance and spared no effort to help him.

As Fang Zhao’s driver-cum-bodyguard, Zuo Yu naturally accompanied him.

Xue Jing was very happy to see Fang Zhao. "I was just talking about you and now you are here. Have you eaten dinner?"

"I ate already."

"Youngsters have great appetites. Come, accompany this old man for some food." Xue Jing called him over.

Fang Zhao was astonished when he realized that Xue Jing had another guest. It was the Fiery Bird sound effects department head Hua Li, who had previously contacted him.

"Xue Jing can also be considered my teacher, and we have always kept in touch. Today, I visited Yanzhou to meet a few old friends and, at the same time, visit Old Xue. Never did I expect to run into you," Hua Li said.

Xue Jing was very happy today and was especially talkative, probably from drinking some wine. His assistant had stopped Xue Jing from drinking too much, but this amount was enough to raise his spirits.

"...I never expected that, at my age, to accept the heavy task of writing a textbook that no one wanted to touch would instigate a new wave of studying frenzy. I heard that many academies have added related courses to their curriculum. Yesterday, I also received a message from a few of my former students saying that their chance had come again…"

Xue Jing spoke enthusiastically and Fang Zhao and Hua Li listened from the side, occasionally nodding in agreement. However, as Xue Jing was rather old, even if was especially spirited, after talking for some time, he got quickly tired and fell asleep.

Fang Zhao and Hua Li helped the assistant shift Xue Jing into his room and then helped tidy up the house before leaving. As Hua Li had come from Huangzhou and did not drive his own flying transport or bring anyone along, Fang Zhao got Zuo Yu to drive the car and send Hua Li to the hotel he was residing at.

When they were close to the hotel, Hua Li asked, "Are you busy? How about a drink?"

Guessing that Hua Li probably had other matters to discuss that were not convenient in Xue Jing’s presence, Fang Zhao agreed.

Hua Li chose a restaurant close by the hotel where he knew the owner.

Zuo Yu took the initiative and found a chair outside to sit in. He did not go inside to listen.

"Back at Old Xue’s place, there was something I did not say." Hua Li looked serious. "Fang Zhao, have you thought about your own future?"

Hua Li’s sudden question surprised Fang Zhao a little. "What do you mean by that?

"Do you intend to keep staying at Silver Wing? To speak the truth, back at Old Xue’s place, that old man told me he wishes that you could focus all your efforts on music and not have to manage the trivial matters of Silver Wing’s virtual projects department. However…" Hua Li’s tone changed. "I, on the other hand, hope that you get yourself in more stuff and experience more. That way you would have inspiration and create even better works."

Fang Zhao twirled the cup in his hands but did not say anything, waiting for what was to follow.

Hua Li swept his gaze across Fang Zhao. This young fellow was still the same as before. He could not see if his words had received any reaction from him. Hua Li paused for a bit before continuing. "If you feel your limitations are too high, when you have idle time, you can visit Huangzhou Music Academy. The advance courses there are better than at Qi’an Academy of Music. There is a lot that can be learned there, and many symphonic enthusiasts all over the world are there. You can overcome any weakness and get to know others. It would be beneficial for your future, too."

Advanced studies?

From Fang Zhao’s memory, he knew that Huangzhou Music Academy did have an advanced course for the global music association. Many great masters in the music world had previously gone there for advanced studies. That was a gold-plated process and he would get to know many people from the industry and widen his network. The people who could go there were top talents from all around the world.

"Given your current works, plus Ming Cang and Old Xue’s combined recommendations, you can surely get into the youth advance course," Hua Li told him.

"Have you been there too?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes, I have. The company recommended me. I am not the creator type—my strength lies in my hearing capabilities. I was recruited into Fiery Bird early on and arranged to attend advanced studies. After returning, I took less than two years to become a deputy department head, and after that, I got promoted to where I am now." Hua Li had not composed in a long time. "During my advanced studies, I was in the same batch as Ming Cang, but because of the situation with his son, he put his career on hold for more than 10 years.

"Of course, this is only a suggestion I am giving you as an industry senior. If you don’t wish to, there is no problem. Even if you want to change professions later on, that is fine too. I know a lot of people from the music industry who switched over to film and television because it is easier to become popular in film and there's more money there.

"The memory of the internet can be very long—long enough that it will remember us when we die—or it can be very short. A person popular throughout the world can find himself tucked away at the back of people’s memories in the next moment. Especially so for you creator types who work behind the scenes are more forgettable. I had a classmate who followed the path his company set out for him. He single-mindedly devoted himself to composing, and after making a name for himself, left the company and went solo. Later on, as he was not satisfied with his fame but found his body conditioning to be good, he switched over to the film industry and became a film star. Surprisingly, he did very well, acting and singing, but not everyone can take the same path he did. His talent for acting was not inferior to his composing skills." As he spoke, Hua Li looked at Fang Zhao and shook his head. "But you won’t do. You and me are similar. You don’t look too bad, but you just don’t have enough of that X factor."

Fang Zhao: "..."

"Besides, you are not suitable for the film industry. Looking at how you are normally; you are too cold and your mood rarely changes. Your expressions are not intense enough. If you were to compete with others in the industry, you would be crushed. In terms of acting talent, you might not even be able to beat me."

Fang Zhao: "..."

Hua Li laughed and continued, "Actually, I said so much because somebody asked me to help pass a message." As Hua Li said that, he took out a stack of about ten name cards and spread them out in a circle in front of Fang Zhao. "Helping a few friends and classmates bring these over. They say that, if you ever feel like leaving Silver Wing or Yanzhou, you can consider them. All these are their own companies or private studios, which are rather reputable. Music, especially for movies and large-scale game productions. With more money, there will be more freedom too."

Thus, today, the reason why Hua Li had sought out Fang Zhao alone was to help others lay down their cards.

Before leaving, on his part as an industry senior, Hua Li told Fang Zhao seriously, "You might not know this, but in Huangzhou, there are a number of 10-plus-year-olds who are also preparing for their own global lecture tours. They were born into influential families of musicians and have been attending the best music schools. Their talent is astonishing, and they have achieved a number of industry awards. Those old folks up there seem to think highly of them. There is a seven-year-old fellow in Yazhou who is conducting an orchestra. Just yesterday, they had a public performance.

"In the New Era, the paths in the music industry are not that many. Competition is tough, and every year, many talents appear. Although all these companies might be treating you well because of Polar Light and many others are scrambling to rope you in, if a day comes when your inspiration dries up and your works are no longer breathtaking or you find yourself in a situation where your talent is restricted, you will be surpassed by the younger generations and will no longer be treated the same way. They are many cases of young talents who have miserable ends.

"From my point of view, I really hope that you will do more things that interest you. The world is huge. Experience it more, enjoy some fresh adventures. Although I no long compose, I do know a little. This thing called inspiration often pays a visit when one’s spirits are lively. Do not be restricted by music and do not loathe it." After finishing his talk, Hua Li looked at Fang Zhao, noticed him seriously thinking about something, and asked, "So, do you have anything you want to ask?"

"When will the gaming console be delivered?"

Hua Li: "..." Talking to this sort of junior made his heart weary. Did this fellow not worry at all that those little kids would surpass him?

Chapter 105: Strictest Lockdown Day

"This year's ninth generation 'Challenger' and tenth generation 'Rhapsody' will be released simultaneously. However, the 10th generation is a limited edition. There are only 100 sets in the entire world, and yours is one of them. When the time comes when you no longer use it, you can sell it. Wait for the price to rise before selling. The 10th generation 'Rhapsody' is slightly special. Your type might not get used to it. Keeping it could be a waste."

Hua Li left after leaving this message. He still seemed a little gloomy, probably because he had never expected Fang Zhao to be different from the other younger generations in the industry.

Fang Zhao was grateful for everything Hua Li had said, and he knew Hua Li's intentions.

Hua Li had spoken so much to tell him that, firstly, he should not get too caught up with all the false reputation. Now, most of the fame lay with Polar Light, which was the result of Silver Wing and Fiery Bird's collaboration that made Polar Light's popularity explode. Thus, the main reason was not Fang Zhao, and Hua Li wanted Fang Zhao to remain calm and not let it all get to his head. Secondly, when considering his future path, he could not forget his true intentions.

However, Hua Li was thinking too much. Fang Zhao was very much clear headed. After all, he was not really only in his twenties. His mental age was much older than both Hua Li and Ming Cang.

Leaving the restaurant, Fang Zhao paused for a moment and looked in a certain direction.

"Boss, there seems to be somebody watching this area, but not that close." Zuo Yu had discovered this earlier, but the other person was some distance away and Zuo Yu had to stay here, since Fang Zhao's safety was his number one priority.

"Doesn't matter; it's not important. Let's head back."

"Yes."

However, as for Fang Zhao actually realizing he was being photographed and even finding the direction of the perpetrator, how was he able to sense it? Unless public figures had outstanding intuition and acute senses? Zuo Yu had heard from a few friends who'd become bodyguards after leaving the military that some big celebrities were just like this. When they could sense the direction they were being photographed from, they would pretend not to know and would display their best poses.

At night, a few articles appeared online.

"Polar Light project producer Fang Zhao on a date with a mysterious person."

"Mysterious person's identity found: shocking!"

Recently, virtual idol Polar Light had a strong presence, and when the public paid attention to this virtual idol, they would also have an interest in the team behind it. Therefore, when people saw the words "Polar Light project producer," they became curious. This was the lead character of the project. It could even be said that Polar Light had been created by him. Thus, people naturally paid attention.

The group of people that did not sleep and stayed up all night rushed in with a raging passion to check out all the gossip but, after seeing the details, could only cough blood from anger.

"Your father was still wondering which female he would be dating, but instead I realized I got tricked when I went in!"

But very quickly, others started to discuss why Fang Zhao would be having a meal with Fiery Bird's Hua Li? Could it be that Fiery Bird wanted to poach Fang Zhao?

Recently, there had been a lot of rumors that some music studios and entertainment companies had shown an interest in Fang Zhao and wanted to poach him, but there had been no concrete developments. But now, having suddenly gotten a photograph of Fang Zhao together with a Fiery Bird staffer and remembering Hua Li's raving evaluations of Fang Zhao, this was surely an attempt to entice him over!

Soon, a number of "Fang Zhao on the verge of defecting" news articles started to circulate.

The next day, when Duan Qianji saw the news on "Fang Zhao on the verge of defecting," her face turned green and she was so angry she nearly broke her communications device.

"Riiip!"

Duan Qianji's assistant consoled her. "Boss, all these small media groups love to make blind guesses out of these sorts of things and attract the attention of the public. Do not mind them."

Duan Qianji did not utter a single word.

Although Fang Zhao was contracted to Silver Wing for quite a number of years, if Fang Zhao really wanted to break the contract, it was not like he could not pay the compensation fee. And if Fiery Bird really wanted to poach Fang Zhao, that little amount of compensation fee was nothing for them.

Duan Qianji could not be blamed for doubting. Now that Silver Wing finally had a virtual idol that was successful, all the more it could not afford to have a setback. Right now, Fang Zhao was the pillar that was holding up the entire virtual projects department. If the pillar was removed, Duan Qianji believed that the virtual projects department would return back to its old form. Even if she recruited a few professional great masters, she had no confidence that they could create a second Polar Light. The conditions had been right at that time to create a Polar Light that was ever present in the whole of Yanzhou. Who knew if they would have the same luck and capabilities the next time?

Furthermore, the workers in the virtual projects department only submitted to Fang Zhao. If Fang Zhao left, they would leave too. The moment Fang Zhao was poached, the other key members of the team would probably be poached too, as if the heart of the virtual projects department had been dug out. The staff were secondary; the main issue was Fang Zhao. Unless a replacement of a sufficient standard could be found to replace Fang Zhao, Duan Qianji could not see herself letting him go.

Other companies did not cause her much worry, but Fiery Bird? This was a company that many would try anything to get into. Fang Zhao would surely have that sort of thinking. Furthermore, after joining Fiery Bird, as long as one was not lazy and one had the ability, one would not have to worry for the rest of one's life.

Furthermore, Fang Zhao indeed frequently communicated with the people of Fiery Bird. Could it that their suspicions were correct and Fang Zhao did have thoughts about defecting?

Duan Qianji felt like she could easily see through youngsters of that age, but Fang Zhao was a special exception. Up till now, she could not understand the type of person he was.

Duan Qianji had a solemn expression on her face as she drummed her fingers on the table.

At this moment, her secretary received a message. With a hesitant expression, she said, "Boss, Fang Zhao asked if you are in. He has some matters to discuss."

Duan Qianji's fingers trembled. She remained silent for two seconds before saying, "Let him in."

As Fang Zhao walked in, he realized the atmosphere in Duan Qianji's office was abnormal. Not just Duan Qianji, even her assistants and secretary were examining him, as if they were guessing what was up.

Upon seeing Fang Zhao, a faint smile appeared on her face and she warmly asked, "What is it again?"

"Application to have a vacation abroad."

"Another trip?! How long have you been back for? Recently, your department does not have that many assignments. Mostly everything is handled by the Public Relations and Marketing teams. If you really are unable to concentrate on your work, you can do so at home. If you lack the inspiration, going out for a bit is not out of the question." Duan Qianji could be considered to be talking slowly already.

"I am not applying for a personal vacation. I am applying for the entire department."

"...Vacation for how long? What are you all going to do?"

"A week. I have checked the arrangements with the other departments already. Our department has no pressing tasks. I would like to bring them over to Muzhou to watch the sheep-herding competition."

The lump in her throat seemingly dissipated. Checking on the most recent arrangements, she said, "Let me check first before getting back to you."

"Sure, I will send you a detailed electronic application in a bit."

Duan Qianji nodded her head and watched Fang Zhao. Trying to spot if there would be any changes in his expression, she asked. "Yesterday, you met with Fiery Bird's sound effects department head Hua Li? A lot of people are suggesting that you are going to get poached by them." She did not beat around the bush.

"Last night, when I went to meet Old Xue, Hua Li was there, and after that, he asked me out for a few drinks." Fang Zhao knew what Duan Qianji was worrying about. "Don't worry, as long as I am under contract to Silver Wing, I won't leave."

Having received Fang Zhao's resolute reply, Duan Qianji let out a thorough sigh of relief in her heart. When she received the application from Fang Zhao, she delightedly approved it and even asked Fang Zhao whether he needed an additional flying transport. Just as Duan Qianji had said before, for her prized talent, she was willing to give him what he wanted.

One flying transport was more than enough. The department's core members were not that many. They could fit in one transport, so Fang Zhao did not request the additional transport.

In the afternoon, before knocking off, Fang Zhao arranged a meeting with the members of the department. He inquired about the progress on their work and whether the assigned tasks had been completed. After confirming that everything was done, he told them the matter about heading to Muzhou for the competition.

The members of the virtual projects department went crazy. After Fang Zhao had left, it was rare for the entire department to leave the office. Without even playing their games, they all returned home to pack their luggage.

The technicians within the company had a group chat. Recently, Zu Wen and the others had been in the limelight. Who knew that the virtual projects department would have a reversal in fortunes. Back then, many would have rather died then be transferred there. Now, even if they wanted to enter, it was impossible, and that all had happened within a year.

Zu Wen sent a message in the technician's group chat. "Our department's boss is going to bring us to fly. Goodbye, everyone, don't miss me too much! Here I come, Muzhou's blue sky and huge fields!"

The originally quiet and peaceful group chat exploded to life.

"Scram! Your father is still working overtime!"

"How cheap! Your father is still working overtime, and my overtime is not even a third of what you guys in the virtual projects department get!"

"Not seeing you off! Zu Wen, are you all going to Muzhou to watch the sheep-herding competition?!"

"I am not going to scold you, Zu Wen, as long as your bring back some specialty goodies from Muzhou~"

"Zu Wen, your department had better take care of that 'Golden Dog.' Don't let it be stolen! I haven't seen it for myself yet, so make sure you bring it back safely so I can go over and touch it."

The news of Curly Hair's 50 million value had already been spread across most departments, so many Silver Wing employees had coined Curly Hair "Golden Dog." Although its hair was not gold in color, that nickname was to show its value.

Zu Wen teased the rest of the group a little and felt more spirited. Having grown up, he had only ever been to Muzhou once, during a trip organized by his secondary school. However, back then, there had been too many restrictions, and he'd never been able to see a sheep-herding competition. All he'd done was breathe a little of the Muzhou air before having to return.

After another two days, the core members of the virtual projects department gathered and headed for Muzhou.

...

Muzhou's sheep-herding finals was a grand occasion that occurred once a year and would attract many people from other continents to come over and watch.

Fang Zhao first brought the entire department over to Shanmu Farm. Then, on the day of the competition, together with Wu Yi and Su Hou, they arrived at the competition venue situated at Qingcheng City.

The parking area was still a distance away from the competition grounds. By the time they arrived, they realized many others had already arrived before them and half the flying transports packed there had foreign serial numbers.

"Today, there are many foreigners. Stay vigilant," Wu Yi said.

As there were a lot more people today, the place was much more confusing. Security had also been raised by several levels.

As they left the parking area. Fang Zhao noticed a number of police officers with similarly attired police dogs on a leash guarding the entrance of the parking grounds. These people were probably meticulously selected, and their hawk-like eyes scanned every person that came to the parking grounds, searching for anything suspicious. The police dogs that were beside them had their tongues out and were panting from the heat. They did not look like much, but their pair of dog eyes were observing the surroundings, and their ears were erect to catch any sounds that were not easily heard by the human ear.

"This time every year is when Qingcheng's sheep-herding competition grounds have the most stringent security checks," Wu Yi explained to Fang Zhao in case it made him tense seeing this sort of situation for the first time. "Actually, not just the competition grounds, the entire Muzhou has stricter security checks. Therefore, we have termed the day of the finals as the 'Strictest Lockdown Day.' If you notice the police officers or dogs have found something suspicious, make sure to avoid them immediately to prevent yourself from getting hurt."

Wu Yi had just finished when Fang Zhao said, "I have the feeling that we are being watched."

"Cough, how is that poss—" Wu Yi's sentence ended with a grunt, because he realized that a police officer was watching them. The police dog beside him had already retracted its tongue and was staring in their direction. As someone who owned a dog, Wu Yi was very clear what the dog's manner was displaying. That was a look of suspicion and alarm, and in the next moment, it would bark.

"Woof woof woof woof woof!"

Chapter 106: Possession of Dangerous Materials

Originally, many people leaving the parking area who saw Fang Zhao and his group wanted to go over to say hello. Those who knew them wanted to have a little small talk, and those who did not know who they were wanted to satisfy their curiosity. There were also a bunch of paparazzi from the media lying in wait, fighting for the chance to get the first bit of news from Dongshan Farm.

But once the police dog started barking, the people that were walking over immediately stopped, glanced at Fang Zhao's party, and then glanced at the barking police dog before turning and walking away, as if avoiding a plague. The other people that were walking behind Fang Zhao's party also backtracked toward the parking area.

The previously crowded exit cleared up in just a short while. Now, all around Fang Zhao's party were empty spaces. However, these people did not go very far but were keeping a distance and observing. People would always be curious. They were trying to see what exactly was going on. Could it be that someone was carrying a bomb? Or something else? Especially those youths who were visiting Muzhou for the first time; they were even more tense and excited.

As if the media had smelled blood, they all became alert and closely watched the situation unfold.

"Woof woof woof!"

The barking police dog was straining against the leash. If not for the police officer holding onto it tightly, the dog would have rushed over. As the police officer held his dog in line, he was saying something, probably using his miniature communications device to explain the situation over here.

And at the moment that police dog had started barking, over ten police officers had rushed over. At the back, a team of special forces were also heading over.

"What's... What's going on?" This was Zu Wen's first time encountering such a situation, and he was frightened by the sudden activity. He was just a normal citizen on his first trip to Muzhou to watch a sheep-herding competition, but now he was scared sh*tless and was at a loss.

Just now, they had still been thinking that the security checks were strict and the place was securely guarded and they could be at ease as their safety was guaranteed, but who knew that the situation would turn out like this?!

Pang Pusong gulped nervously. "I... I have no idea..." In the past, his most challenging period was going for interviews, and he had not even felt nervous doing so. Now, though, he was so afraid he could not even speak properly.

Fang Zhao did not understand either. After his few experiences at the cemeteries and being watched, he had learned how to act so as to not arouse the attention of these people and their watchful gazes. The background music in his head was still lively. His manner was different from the way he had been at the cemeteries and should not have resulted in these people being alarmed.

Although Zuo Yu who was beside Fang Zhao looked calm, he was a little skeptical deep down. Could it be that the gun I have hidden has been found? That shouldn't be the case.

Not just Fang Zhao and the rest, Wu Yi and Su Hou were dumbstruck too. Having taken part in numerous competitions, they had experienced many security checks. Even though this time around was more stringent, nothing like this should have happened.

"What... What is happening?" As the oldest here, Wu Yi trembled as he spoke.

The police officer that walked over examined all of them with a hawk-like gaze, making Wu Yi shiver once more.

"Everyone has to go through another round of security checks. Please cooperate," the police officer said coldly.

As he finished, he did not wait for anyone to reply. Waving his hand, he brought the people handling the security screening equipment. The special forces team also moved closer.

After the second round of checks, nothing was found. Their identities were also examined once more. They had gone through a first round of security checks when they had exited to ensure they were not carrying prohibited firearms and ammunition or other dangerous materials. Further checks found nothing of the sort.

The person in charge of screening looked through Zuo Yu's identity and examined him quite a bit. Zuo Yu returned a smile.

"Captain, everything is normal," one of the screeners reported to the police officer with the dog.

The police officer looked at the person in charge of screening and saw him nodding his head, meaning that no anomalies had been found.

That police officer frowned. The leash was being strained in his hands. His dog, as well as two other police dogs that had come over, were extremely fidgety, their line of sight continuously sweeping the group, as if searching for something. Struck by a thought, the police dog circled once around Fang Zhao's group.

"Woof woof woof woof!" The police dog began barking once again, this time more ferocious than the last.

The other dogs that had come later starting barking as well.

Seeing the ferocious barking of the police dogs, Zu Wen's gaze went to the leashes attached to them, he was really worried that the leashes would break.

The police officer's body suddenly shook, his penetrating glare chilling as he pointed to the car beside them and told the group, "Open it!"

"You want to inspect the car?!" Wu Yi could not help it and rushed forward to obstruct them. "Inside are just our competing shepherd dogs and the veterinary team!"

After alighting from the flying transport at the competition venue, a specially prepared car would be sent over. This car was not for everyone. It was only for the competing participants. This was to prevent the competing shepherd dogs from being harassed by the spectators that had arrived early and to prevent them from being subject to underhanded means of sabotage. Therefore, the organizers would send a special car to fetch the teams of competing shepherd dogs. Besides the dogs, the veterinary team was inside to look after them. The car was soundproof so as to protect the dogs from being affected when inside. Even if it was very noisy outside, nothing could be heard. However, the people inside could see the situation outside through the car's windows, but as Wu Yi had not approved, they did not get off.

"They were just examined a while back and there are people from the organizing committee inside taking care of things. There are absolutely no dangerous materials inside!"

Wu Yi did not want to let the police inspect them. The few dogs had adjusted to their peak condition. If they were scared by the police officers and their dogs, it could potentially affect their competition. Police dogs and shepherd dogs were like well-trained soldiers and normal athletes, respectively; how would they be the same?! He had waited so long, as his luck overflowed and they reached the finals, how could he be willing to let a situation like this happen at such a crucial moment?

Staring right back at the police officers pressurizing gaze, Wu Yi refused to back down.

Seeing the police officers about to take action, Fang Zhao said, "There is no need to examine." Then he told Wu Yi, "Go and bring Curly Hair out. Remember to leash him."

"Ah? Fang Zhao, Curly Hair is the core of our team!" Wu Yi was unwilling. What happened if he got scared after coming out? He might not be able to run during the competition.

"Don't worry, it'll be all right. Go and bring him out, make sure to leash him," Fang Zhao stressed.

"Oh." Wu Yi grudgingly walked to the car and prepared to open the door. But under of the watchful gaze of more than ten pairs of security personnel eyes and the grave atmosphere and pressure, Wu Yi's legs turned soft and he stumbled. If not for Su Hou, who saw what was happening and supported him, Wu Yi would have fallen.

"It's okay, Wu Yi, just stand and wait with the rest. I will go," Fang Zhao said as he opened the car door and went in, quickly closing it.

The car door was at the tail end and there were two doors, one inner and the other outer. There was a little space between the two doors. When only the outer door was open, those in the interior of the car could still hear nothing.

After a while, the outer door opened, and this time, when a tiny crack appeared, the three police dogs went into a frenzied barking, straining against their leashes and trying to rush over. One officer could not hold them down and they needed an additional two to three men to keep the dogs in check.

Wu Yi saw a few of the special forces touching their guns, probably making sure they were standing by and ready to fire at any time. Farm owners had gun permits as well but rarely used them, and the guns these people were using were different. Of course, what was important was still their imposing manner. Seeing them this way, Wu Yi was very worried that the special forces would fire in their direction should the police officers give the signal.

The atmosphere now was particularly tense. Zu Wen felt that if this was a scene in a movie, the next moment was when a shoot-out would happen. But what did they have over here that was making the police so guarded?

Zu Wen and the others racked their brains trying to guess and were so nervous they forgot to breathe.

The outer door opened wider and wider. Over ten guns were pointed there as they watched Fang Zhao heading out with a leash in one hand. At Fang Zhao's feet was the curly-haired dog, decked out in Dongshan Farm's competition attire.

However, the tense atmosphere did not cease. As Fang Zhao lead the dog down from the car, the special forces team were all ready to fire. They did not care if you were a competing person or a dog, as long as the lives of people were threatened or the safety of the competition venue was compromised, you would be shot dead. That had always been the rule.

Fang Zhao lead the dog forward a few steps. One hand held the leash and his other hand was held up, showing that he did not have any weapons. Fang Zhao left the dog's car and walked about ten meters. The three police dogs followed as well, their incessant barking still continuing. Their throats produced some deep snarls as well.

Everyone there could see now that what the three police dogs found threatening was not in the car but rather in Fang Zhao's direction. Where he stood, there was only one person and a competition dog that could not be considered big. That curly-haired dog seemed to be rather gutsy, as it bared its teeth and started barking as it faced off with the three police dogs.

"Woof woof! Woof woof!"

"Woof woof woof! Woof!"

"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"

In a low voice, Zu Wen asked Wu Yi, who had the most experience, "Are they communicating in dog language? How come there is even punctuation between their barks?"

Wu Yi looked at Zu Wen as if he were an idiot. "Every dog has their own way of barking." He then fell silent and contemplated for a bit. "From my experience, I believe they are having a quarrel."

"Even a blind man can see that! If they were not leashed, they would be fighting already. Curly Hair wants to take on three at once? Not bad, eh, totally not weak at all!" Zu Wen had already forgotten about being scared. He found the sight before him too comical. On one side, Fang Zhao was holding on to Curly Hair, while on the other side, there were seven to eight policemen struggling to hold their three police dogs down.

Just observing a little and it was easy to see that the three police dogs were not focused on any other people or the car. What they saw as a threat was the dog Fang Zhao had on a leash, Curly Hair.

The people in charge of security checks brought their equipment over and scanned Curly Hair from head to toe.

After that, other than the barks of the four dogs, everyone else fell into a weird silence, including the special forces team that was standing by.

In the distance, other dogs heard the commotion and starting barking too. Some were police dogs, but others were competition dogs that had arrived earlier.

This odd situation continued for close to two minutes. The special forces team could not take it any longer. It turned out to be that sort of thing between dogs. That was quite awkward!

Fang Zhao pointed at the three police dogs barking at Curly Hair and asked the police officers standing behind those dogs, "So does this count as being in possession of dangerous materials?"

"Cough... Probably not... I guess?" The police officer glanced at the rigid looking captain, awaiting further instructions.

"Doesn't count." The captain forced out a smile and apologized to Fang Zhao's group. "Sorry for the misunderstanding."

As he finished, he signaled the team with his hand, indicating for them to stand down.

Chapter 107: Star-Studded Gathering

Zu Wen and others breathed a heavy sigh of relief after the air was cleared. They were genuinely worried that they had been dragged into a life-threatening conspiracy at their first live sheep-herding contest.

"I was scared shitless just now. Did you notice how the armed officers over there almost opened fire? How scary!" Wan Yue looped her arm around Zeng Huang's, still recovering from the tense standoff.

Zu Wen said, "Believe it or not, I actually felt no fear. I even wanted to laugh."

Song Miao was deeply skeptical. "I don't believe you. You were ghastly pale and your legs were shaking."

"Anyway, all's good as long as nothing bad happened. I really don't understand how those folks got in their heads that we were carrying dangerous items. All we have is a small curly-haired dog." Wu Yi was very upset. The policemen were this close to entering their transport with guns, which would have terrified his beloved competition dogs. If Curly Hair had been spooked, they could've kissed today's contest goodbye.

Fang Zhao had returned Curly Hair to their dog transport, but the group still drew many curious gazes when they left the parking lot for the competition venue.

"I'm still confused, though, as to why the police dogs zeroed in on Curly Hair." Zu Wen was puzzled. "Also, none of those sophisticated detectors sounded any alarms. Why did all the officers swing into action when the police dogs barked? Are police dogs more reliable than detectors in Muzhou?"

Wu Yi shook his head. "All the police dogs deployed here have undergone the most rigorous training. The ones that show up here are the select elite. Actually, there are ways to beat the detectors and smuggle in dangerous items, but the dogs can identify dangerous individuals based on their superb instincts. You've heard of cemetery guards, right? The folks assigned to guard martyrs' cemeteries? They all have very strong instincts. The police dogs here are similar. As for why they singled out Curly Hair, I have no idea. Maybe it's because Curly Hair has a keen fighting spirit?"

"Hahahaha!" Zu Wen couldn't contain his laughter.

Wu Yi and Su Hou turned their heads and glared at him. They didn't find anything funny about Wu Yi's hypothesis. "His fighting spirit is strong. He hasn't lost in a fight since he arrived in Muzhou."

But shepherd dogs and police dogs were different. If it were one of the shepherd dogs that had caused such a stir, so be it. And why were the police dogs so alarmed even when the shepherd dogs were confined to their transport? It was as if they had sensed some form of extreme danger.

A light bulb flashed in Wu Yi's head when his train of thought reached this point. He was no longer worried—he was excited instead. "Champions always stand out!" He felt even better about their chances in the grand finals.

Zu Wen: "..." He really wanted to burst out laughing.

The police officers guarding the exit to the parking lot were confused too after Fang Zhao and company left, although they didn't blame or discipline the three police dogs.

"That's the dog from Muzhou who's here to stir things up?" one officer asked a colleague.

"That's him."

"Now I realize why the sheep dash like they're running for their lives when they're herded by Dongshan Farm's dogs."

"Yeah, I think I get it too."

The man who was addressed as Captain watched Fang Zhao and company make their way to the stadium. "Be careful if you run into that dog again. If you're caught unawares, you'll get ripped to shreds," he said.

There were some dogs you simply couldn't judge by appearance. They were also exceptionally gifted. Despite their small size, they were endowed with the DNA that allowed them to survive the apocalypse. Any dog that endured the end of days shouldn't be underestimated. Among service dogs, few were small in size, but every one of them was extremely competent. The officers had come across many special breeds of military dogs in their line of work, so they would never underestimate a seemingly innocent puppy.

"That curly-haired dog is probably descended from a service dog, right?"

"He's definitely military dog material. Pity he's being used as a shepherd dog." Military dogs and shepherd dogs were subject to different kinds of training. Neither would be able to adapt to the other's line of work after being trained.

"It's a shame such a good dog has been trained as a shepherd dog, notwithstanding the fact that he's being raised by a foreigner," one officer lamented.

After a brief silence, someone asked, "Have you placed your bets yet?"

The others raised their heads, eyes burning. Police officers in Muzhou weren't banned from betting. They just couldn't watch the contest, having to guard it instead.

"Who are you going to bet on?"

"What a stupid question. It's a no-brainer." Of course they would put their money on the dog they considered most dangerous.

__________

Curious bystanders who had gathered near the parking lot were held back by grounds staff, so they couldn't figure out what was going on. All they heard was barking. They thought something big had gone down, but things quieted down after a while, as if nothing had ever happened.

One staffer told the folks still lingering, "Stop peeking. It's just a misunderstanding."

"Hey, you're blocking the way!" an obnoxious voice complained.

The staffers turned their heads. The person who spoke was a young man emerging from the parking lot. He wore green shades that resembled a fly's eyes. The lower part of his face wore an expression of unabashed cockiness. For a young kid like him to roll with assistants and bodyguards, he had to be a rich kid, but there were tons of people like that milling around today. That didn't strike anyone as unusual. What drew attention was the fat dog he was leading on a leash.

It was big enough to swallow two dogs of the same height.

The young man basked in the attention his beloved dog was receiving. He cocked his chin and said, "So what do you think? Well fed, huh? This dog is descended from the most valuable dog of last year's championship team. It shares the bloodline of a champion dog!"

The Muzhou locals who had gathered around the dog twitched their faces. What the f*ck are you so cocky about? Do you know anything about raising a dog? You've wasted such precious genes. Travesty, a total travesty.

The Muzhou natives were heartbroken. That was why they rarely sold the offspring of quality shepherd dogs to foreigners—so they wouldn't fall into the hands of self-indulgent owners like him. Even the best dogs would be sabotaged.

Such a well-endowed dog had been turned into a pig. What could it accomplish?

It looked like it was just good for cuddles.

The young man responded to the angry glares with a broader smile. He thought folks were jealous about how much he pampered his dog, so he went on his way. "Come on, my little angel. I'm going to pick you the perfect companion this year. How about this year's MVD?"

When the cocky young man left with a group of bodyguards, one of the bystanders asked, "Who was that obnoxious kid? He actually had the gumption to consider poaching our MVD."

"I have no idea. Anyone? Any foreigners here?"

"He's not from Tongzhou."

"Not from Jinzhou."

"There aren't idiots like that from Jizhou."

A journalist from Leizhou pursed his lips, retreated, and then sent a message to his colleagues: "Big Master Zaro just started a feud."

__________

As for Fang Zhao and company, they split up once they arrived at the stadium. Wu Yi took the team for precompetition medical tests while Fang Zhao led Zu Wen and the others to the viewing gallery.

The team arrived early because, after arriving at the venue, the dogs had to undergo several rounds of testing, which required everything from blood to fur samples. Both biological and physical screening was conducted. To prevent cheating, no stone was left unturned.

Naturally, Wu Yi and Su Hou had to be present for the tests. Especially Su Hou, who was banned from doping. That was why they arrived early, so they could rest after the testing and appear and compete in tip-top shape.

After Fang Zhao and company entered the viewing gallery, they looked for the balconies. The balconies were open air and would be sealed only when the contest began.

"Wow! So this is the legendary VIP viewing gallery!" Zu Wen carefully examined all the trappings and scrutinized the audiovisual equipment with his professional judgment. His conclusion: "This place is f*cking loaded."

"This isn't the VIP viewing gallery. This is the viewing gallery for competing teams. The VIP viewing gallery is over there." Fang Zhao pointed from the balcony.

"F*ck, I think I see a major celebrity. I think it's that really famous star from Huangzhou," Rodney exclaimed.

"Where? Where?"

"Woah! Good thing I brought my binoculars. Wait... there are other celebrities standing next to the Huangzhou one. I think they're from Lazhou or Jinzhou. Wait, there are so many! I see a few more now. They're all standing on the balconies of the VIP viewing gallery."

"The grand finals of Muzhou's sheep-herding contest draw a sizable batch of celebrities every year, as well as prominent figures from different fields, but they don't necessarily show up on the balconies," Song Miao said calmly as she craned her neck, binoculars in hand.

The viewing gallery for competing teams had the best view. From here, you could see most of the balconies jutting out from the VIP viewing gallery.

"Wow!" Pang Pusong shouted from another balcony.

"What is it? What is it? Did you spot another big star?" Zu Wen rushed over from his balcony.

Pang Pusong pointed to his right. Deep inhalations followed.

The balcony Zu Wen had staked out had a view of the interior of the stadium, while the one Pang Pusong had picked faced outward.

It had been nearly an hour since they'd landed. Traffic was picking up. From the balcony, they had a clear view of the parking lot. Scores of flying transports and flying cars were hovering above it. Police aircrafts were scattered nearby. Air traffic lights blinked nonstop, keeping flying transports in queue and directing them to designated parking spots.

Zu Wen felt goosebumps. "Such a spectacle. If you didn't know better, you might think war was imminent." He was nervous and emotional. The blood coursing through his veins felt like it was heating up.

The faces of VIPs kept showing up on the big screen in the viewing gallery, such as a world-renowned actor, an infamous rich kid, and his contemporaries from various continents. There were also political figures from other continents invited by the Muzhou government. And so on. The press corps was having a field day. They didn't have to worry about filling their pages.

"This is why today is known as 'Lockdown Day'." Zu Wen felt the trip was totally worth it. The security fiasco was nothing.

"Who knew so many people were interested in a sheep-herding contest," Pang Pusong said.

Song Miao, who was standing next to him, snickered. "You think they're actually interested in a sheep-herding competition? They're not here to watch the contest. They're here to show their status and further their personal interests."

That rang true, especially for all the celebrities present, big shots or not. They were here to get exposure, and Muzhou journalists wouldn't let them down. Who would not milk this golden occasion to draw global attention, to let the whole world know that the grand finals of Muzhou's sheep-herding contest were taking place today?

"Ah, I almost forgot the contest is being televised live globally." Zu Wen smacked himself on the head, tidied up in front of a mirror, then struck what he thought was the slickest pose on the balcony that overlooked the stadium.

Chapter 108: Really, What Sort of Dog Is This?

The core of Muzhou's entertainment industry was the sheep-herding competition. There were not many actors, and there were even fewer singers. However, the people of Muzhou were rich. Every time there was an opening ceremony of a large-scale competition, they would invite world-renowned superstars to perform and liven up the atmosphere so as to increase the reputation of Muzhou's sheep-herding competitions throughout the world. These stars had fans, and the fans would watch the live broadcasts and would naturally learn of Muzhou's yearly grand competition.

The normal rounds of sheep-herding competitions would not be broadcast to other continents, but the finals were different. Every year, many popular online broadcasting companies would collaborate with Muzhou's side to stream the competition. The entertainment circles of each continent did not prevent it, as it was a win-win situation for everyone.

And all the people that caught the broadcast would see the image from how the organizers chose to film it.

The main focus would surely be on prominent figures such as celebrities and the descendants of those aristocratic families. After the recording went through one round, it would then feature the viewing halls of each participating team. When the introduction came to Dongshan Farm's viewing hall, staff in Silver Wing's internal departments that were secretly watching the broadcast all started to curse at the same moment.

"F*ck! It's Zu Wen, that slut!"

"That position is very good, heh. They can probably see many stars, right?

"So envious!"

"Envy +1"

"Regret not joining the virtual projects department back when it was still easy to get in!"

Even though the footage lasted only two seconds, they all saw the pretentious Zu Wen posing up on the viewing platform. Other than Zu Wen, there were other members of the virtual projects department, but the others were not as conspicuous as Zu Wen. Some of the others could not be seen clearly, but the Silver Wing people, especially those from the technician group, knew that the entire virtual projects department was there at the best viewing hall, with the best positions, being broadcast to the world. And this was all a part of their department vacation. It simply made the other members jealous!

Seeing the virtual projects department riding waves in Muzhou, whereas they themselves were working overtime everyday, this sort of taste... Why did so many people rant about wanting to beat up Zu Wen? This question was not that hard to understand.

Su Hou's group had not finished the inspection yet when Su Feng came over, bearing many gifts for Fang Zhao and the gang.

Four Elephants had made huge profits in Yanzhou. Although their advertisements came out at the opportune moment, the sales volume's rapid growth was a fact. When Su Feng had found out that Fang Zhou would be bringing his department members over to watch the competition, he got his workers to specially wrap gifts as a form of thanks and to improve relations. After all, everyone would be continuing to collaborate in the future, so it was better to get closer.

Getting to watch the competition for free and now receiving benefits, although Zu Wen and the rest did not really care about the cost of these items, the treatment made them really happy.

Su Feng spoke to Fang Zhao regarding Four Elephant's marketing campaign and its achievements in Yanzhou. A moment later, Su Hou and Wu Yi brought the veterinarian team and the shepherd dogs over.

"Faster, faster, faster! Let's take a group photo with all the participating contestants!" Zu Wen went over and took quite a few photographs and videos. These were for showing off when he got back.

Curly Hair was wagging his tail nonstop and seemed very happy. The other dogs were the same without any hint of prematch jitters. On the other hand, the pressure on Su Hou as the instructor was crushing.

"I heard that many are coming over to watch the competition live, although they were afraid to affect your condition and hence did not come here. After you have finished, you will probably get to see a number of familiar faces," Su Feng said.

"I know." Su Hou had been informed about all this earlier, and that was the reason he was feeling even more nervous. This feeling he was having was similar to when he'd first stood on position for his first competition, a mixture of anxiety, fear, and self-doubt. Su Hou knew this was not right, and after chatting a little with Su Feng, he retired to the resting room to recharge.

Su Hou had formed the habit of watching the Eastern region's publicity film a few times and listening to the BGM. It helped boost his fighting spirit. He was still young and still had a long way to go. There was no way he could compete with all the other experienced competitors, so he could only use this method to adjust his state of mind.

Wu Yi was used to this and did not ask anything. Instead, he went over to Fang Zhao's side and handed over the Curly Hair's test reports. This was what Fang Zhao had asked for previously. Including the normal rounds of competition and the Eastern region finals, Fang Zhao had stockpiled all of them.

Wu Yi did not think much about the matter. Curly Hair belonged to Fang Zhao. As an owner, keeping copies of test reports was normal.

Today as well, Fang Zhao kept a copy of the test report. Similar to his previous test reports during the normal rounds of competition, other than Curly Hair having higher concentrations of certain metals in his body, everything else was normal. The concentration of those metals in his body was also at an acceptable level. Otherwise, he would have been barred from competing. This sort of situation was not that uncommon when it came to dogs with wild-dog ancestry in them.

Wu Yi stopped talking after a while. He had gotten jittery too. The viewing hall was a distance away from the outside, but the pressure and nervousness one felt there was different from the normal rounds of competition, and it was enough to make even the experienced Wu Yi unable to keep calm.

The finals were not limited to just one day. They took place over a period of a few competition days, and each time, the rounds would be different. Every team would get points for each round, and at the end, the team that accumulated the most points would be the champions.

Today's first round was not much different from the normal rounds of competition, but the obstacles in the pasture were slightly different. For this round, the sheep could still disperse after being gathered when they encountered the imitation hills or ditches. The difficulty compared to the normal rounds was much higher. However, this first round was still the easiest in the finals, and each of the following rounds would get progressively harder. Thus, every team wanted to score high points for the first round, as it would give them some guarantee.

For the finals, Muzhou officials wanted to attract a global audience, so the prematch introductions of the farms were made much simpler. After the brief introduction was the opening ceremony and performances. This was the segment that viewers from other continents were anticipating the most.

However, the Muzhou masses only saw this as noise and excitement. They were more interested in the competition that followed.

After an hour of the opening ceremony and warm-up, it was time to draw lots for the appearing order of the teams.

The person in charge of drawing for the team was still Su Hou. This time, among the eight teams, Dongshan would be the third team to appear.

As this pastures were bigger, the times would increase as well. The teams that were taking part in the competition were all highly capable. As long as the shepherd dogs did not make serious mistakes on an unfamiliar ground, just by following their instructor's commands, they should be able to complete it.

The two teams in front did not make any serious mistakes, and their minor errors were very quickly corrected. This made Zu Wen and the rest tense as they followed the competition. Seeing the first two teams' performances, they had a totally new outlook toward the IQ of shepherd dogs. These dogs were way more intelligent than they had expected. Due to the performance of the two teams, they were a little worried for their own.

The two teams had times around the five and a half minute mark. One was 5 minutes 28 seconds and the other was 5 minutes 33 seconds. Both of these teams were from the Western region and this result was quite decent.

Next up was Su Hou's team. Su Hou and the shepherd dogs had gone down earlier to prepare.

"So nervous. I never had any interest in sheep herding competitions before, but now my heart feels like it is going to fly out of my chest!" Rodney exclaimed.

"Watching live and catching the broadcast are totally different. Of course, what's most important is that the competition has your dogs and you have wagered on them. Being nervous is normal, everyone feels the same way," Su Feng told them.

He had felt like this back when he was ten years old. That time, his aunt's family dog was competing. He had wagered all of his allowance on them. Although, eventually, they had not won, he still remembered clearly the nervous anticipation he had felt then. As a Muzhou citizen, seeing all these foreigners being captivated, one could not help but feel proud.

Ta—Ta—Ta—

The sound of the timer machine counted down. With a "Boom," the flock of sheep entered the pasture, as did the shepherd dogs. There were a few loose sheep that were originally scattered within the pasture. Their job was to gather up these loose sheep together with the flock and drive them toward the goal.

"Come on, my babies! Pay attention and follow closely. Don't run in the wrong positions!"

"Very good, follow the commands! Good form, Curly Hair! Oh, my little cuties!"

In a moment, all sorts of "babies," "little cuties," "darlings," and other corny terms came out. Zu Wen and the others, who would normally not be caught doing this, joined in the madness alongside Wu Yi.

Seeing Fang Zhao still sitting on his chair, staring at the screen as if he was solving a problem, Zu Wen shouted over, "Hey, Boss, stop being so serious! Come over and show your support!"

"They can't hear your shouting over at the field."

"What's important are the feelings. You understand feelings, right? The one participating is Curly Hair, our department's Golden Dog. His value will rise even more after winning!" Zu Wen was no longer looking at Fang Zhao; his eyes were on the screen, following the dogs who were rounding up the sheep.

"This is the first time I clearly realized how intelligent Curly Hair really is," Rodney said ruefully.

Shepherd dogs were very intelligent. This they could tell from watching past videos and seeing the previous two teams' performances. However, Curly Hair's performance let them know that this dog was even smarter than others. More importantly, it had a knack for sheep herding.

Fang Zhao stared fixedly at the screen. Every ounce of his concentration was focused on the little curly-haired dog that appeared on screen.

Intelligent?

Of course.

Moreover, it was not even normal intelligence. Curly Hair's IQ seemed less and less like that of a normal dog.

Fang Zhao knew all along that Curly Hair had a very impressive learning capability. When he had first picked it up, if it only had the perceptiveness of a stray, its intelligence then would not have been so surprising. It probably knew that staying by Fang Zhao's side would be safer and there would be no need to worry about food and water, so it had stayed and followed Fang Zhao every day. After Fang Zhao had brought it to the office, it had unknowingly learned a lot. It knew how to use its own personal urinal, learned how to listen to instructions, and understood more and more words. Although Fang Zhao had taught him a few things, it had picked up even more from its daily life. What it saw and heard, it absorbed even more quickly.

When Curly Hair had started sheep herding, it had started off as a complete newbie too. However, very quickly, it'd learned to make use of its imposing manner and mastered many tactics.

Really, what sort of dog was this?

Was it like this at the start, or had it started to change later on?

If it had such a strong learning capability and attacking strength at the start, how could it have gotten itself into such a bad state in the black street and nearly starved to death? Yue Qing and Ai Wen, who had lived in the black street for decades, had said that this stray had lived in the black street for a few years already.

If he had only started to change after that, when did it started?

Fang Zhao thoroughly tried to recall back to the time when he'd just woken up in this body. As for this dog, inside its body, could something else have woken up inside?

Without a doubt, this was indeed a dog. But could this dog's body be hiding something inside?

From a normal stray in the black street to a "dangerous material" discovered by the police dogs while in the car. It was still changing, its learning capabilities and strength still increasing. So much so that... it had started learning how to conceal its own strength.

How much more would it change in the future?

Fang Zhao pondered as he watch the little figure running on the screen.

Chapter 109: Not for Sale

In the pasture, the shepherd dogs were in the midst of the flock and starting to drive it forward. Similar to the Eastern region finals, the flock of sheep were gradually picking up speed. Even if they had taken slightly longer than the previous two teams to gather up the flock so far, given the speed of the flock, they would definitely make up ground.

Wu Yi and the others in the viewing hall got more and more excited. Zu Wen and the others were red in the face from all the shouting.

The intersection ahead was narrow and there was an obstacle in the middle. To cross it, they had to let the flock become thin, or split them up to go around it.

Su Hou requested to issue commands and made gestures to Curly Hair and Bingo, instructing them to lead the dogs on both sides to split up and go around the obstacle.

Fang Zhao was watching the screen intently. On the screen, as Curly Hair was running, it barked a few times. It was issuing commands!

The lead dog barking out commands to other shepherd dogs was not uncommon, so no one found it surprising. However, Fang Zhao, who had been watching Curly Hair closely, had realized that, before Su Hou had even gestured with his hands, Curly Hair had already started to increase his speed. This meant to say that Curly Hair's understanding of the course had been even quicker than Su Hou's! If Su Hou had not requested to issue commands, what would Curly Hair have instructed the other dogs to do? Fang Zhao could not guess.

The shape of the flock as it encountered the obstacle split into two, forming a "Y" then becoming a "Λ" and after the obstacle had been passed, the flock congregated back together. During the entire process, the running speed of the flock did not change much. Although the flock on Bingo's side was slightly slower in gathering up, generally, the entire process was very smooth.

Everyone in the viewing hall had their eyes on the timer at the top right hand corner, and they were going crazy.

The only calm person in the hall was Fang Zhao, who was still analyzing Curly Hair.

Curly Hair had learned how to lead the other dogs on the field to coordinate and herd the sheep. He had already adapted to become a leader on the field for the competition. Other than strength, he had brains.

The harder the challenges, the quicker it grew.

His outward experience did not change much, yet inside, every day, he was evolving rapidly. Perhaps very soon, his IQ would be similar to that of an average adult?

Fang Zhao did not know whether bringing Curly Hair was the right decision, but from what he saw now, Curly Hair did not show any signs of menace.

...

As the competition went on inside, the police guarding the parking area were no longer as busy as they had been before, but they still had to continue watching the area to stop any accidents from happening.

The arena had already been closed off and sealed. The sounds from the audience were isolated. They could only hear the sounds of the commentators coming over from the arena. Occasionally, in between the pauses in the commentating, they could hear some barking come from the pasture.

During the previous two rounds, everything had been normal, but after Dongshan's run had started, something started to feel wrong.

Low growls were coming from a police dog. This time there was no barking, firstly because the distance was rather far, so the threat they felt was not as intense, and secondly because they had instructions not to bark too loudly when the competition was underway so as to not affect the competing dogs.

This was not just limited to one dog. All around the arena, the scattered dogs were all exhibiting the same sort of behavior.

The police dogs bared their teeth, their eyes showing an ominous glint as they kept growling nonstop.

"Captain, what do we do?" someone asked.

The police captain had already received multiple reports from all his men scattered around the arena. After getting the concrete details, he found out they were all the same. This behavior only started when Dongshan Farm's turn was up. There had been no complications during the previous two teams' turns.

Taking a while to think, the police captain then instructed his men through the communications device. "If the police dogs are only facing the arena and growling, do not do anything. Wait till Dongshan Farm has completed their run before giving me another situation report."

The competition was underway. The men standing guard here were unable to see the live broadcast, but from the bits and pieces of the commentator's words, they could tell that Dongshan Farm's round was ending soon and they had successfully crossed obstacles one after the other, and their results seemed to be looking good.

"They are in!"

"They are all in the pen! Every single one! Four minutes and 49 seconds!" The commentator howled, "Four minutes and 49 seconds! It's better than the previous year, as well as the year before that! It is the best time in the last five years! Just shy of the record by five seconds!"

Outside, the police officers made eye contact with each other. There was delight in their eyes as they flashed each other victory signs.

They had all wagered on Dongshan being first. This was an outstanding result. Barring any accidents, first place should be assured.

The police captain watched his leashed dog. It's growling and snarling slowly ceased. The fierce and violent demeanor vanished as well. Reports were coming in from all the other police officers that things were back to normal.

"Alright, everything is normal. Don't get distracted, continue to watch the surroundings," the police captain said through the comms.

Just five seconds short of breaking the record in the first round of the finals. What a pity. However for Fang Zhao and the others in the viewing hall, this was more than enough to be happy about. This result was sufficient to beat the majority of other teams in the first round!

There were still five more teams after them, but the atmosphere in the viewing hall had become more relaxed. When Su Hou and the seven shepherd dogs returned, Wu Yi knelt down and kissed each dog.

After the vets had inspected their bodies, they were fed and given water as well as massages to alleviate fatigue. The way the seven dogs were treated was better than humans.

Fang Zhao's gaze turned toward Curly Hair. Curly Hair had just finished drinking and was lying there enjoying the massage. When he caught Fang Zhao's gaze, he wagged his tail vigorously, as if taking credit for the hard work.

Laughing, Fang Zhao gave him a thumbs up and looked elsewhere. He had some doubt in his heart. Did Curly Hair's changes have anything to do with him being reborn? After the competition ended, he would need to find some time to head back to the black street and ask around.

"There are five more teams to go. Let's watch!" Wu Yi regained his composure and sat down to observe the remaining teams.

After every team had completed their runs, Wu Yi heaved a huge sigh of relief, as the times of those teams were slower than their own. Shoubei Farm of the Eastern region also posted a decent time—5 minutes 13 seconds—and were in the top four.

Among the five teams that went after them, the best time belonged to a farm from the Western region. They had gone under five minutes as well, but their time of 4 minutes 58 seconds was nine seconds slower.

Teams that could qualify for the finals were all outstanding. The results of the first round were all very close, but without a doubt, Dongshan Farm's results were really an eye-opener.

Once all eight teams had competed, the sealed arena was opened once again as sounds and laughter came drifting out. The previously quiet competition grounds were full of noise. They were still discussing the competition. There was delight and sorrow. Some people were laughing happily while others stormed out full of rage. These people had spent money on the wagers. Some people were returning with a few times their wager, whereas others could only look on as their money became another's.

When the competition ended, Wu Yi and Su Hou brought the dogs through the official passageway for their post-match inspection. After that, they still needed to allocate the car for the dogs and to attend an interview. The dogs would be looked after by specialists from the organizing side. Su Hou and Wu Yi had additionally hired people to protect them as well, so there was no need to worry about their safety.

Fang Zhao led Zu Wen and the others through another passage as they exited the arena.

While exiting the arena, Fang Zhao's mind was still pondering Curly Hair when he heard someone shout his name.

"The person in front, Fang... Fang... What was it... Oh yeah, Fang Zhao! Hey, Fang Zhao!"

Fang Zhao turned around, looking for the source. The others also turned back curiously. When Su Feng had a clear look at the person who came running over, his eyelids could not stop twitching.

"Zaro Renault?" Fang Zhao watched as the sloppy-looking youngster came running over. Thinking about Great General Renault's temper, he wondered, if Renault were still alive and he saw this descendant's conduct, he probably would raise a hand in anger, right?

Zaro's assistant followed closely, holding a cup in each hand. One was filled with wine, the other with a cold drink. Another bodyguard held a fan and faced it toward Zaro.

After Zaro ran over, he took off his spectacles and tilted his head. His assistant rushed over and handed over the cold drink. After letting Zaro suck a few mouthfuls through a straw, he kept it and stood aside.

Smacking his lips, Zaro examined Fang Zhao. "The one who created Polar Light was you, right? Forget it, let's talk about the other stuff next time." As he spoke, he tilted his head right and left and looked around, but he could not find the dog he was looking for.

"Where is your dog?" Zaro asked with a hint of arrogance.

Zu Wen and the others started to take precautions. What was this stupid idiot trying to do with their dog?!

"Went another way for an inspection," Fang Zhao replied.

"When can he come out?" Zaro asked.

"No idea."

"Never mind, I heard the curly-haired dog belongs to you?"

"That's right."

"Are you selling? Just name a price!"

"Not for sale."

Chapter 110: What Happened That Day

Hearing Fang Zhao decline without even considering made Zaro very discontented. Many years ago, when he'd come to Muzhou to buy a puppy, the people of Muzhou had done the same, using all sorts of excuses to avoid selling him a puppy. In the end, it was through throwing his money at them that they finally accepted. The puppy that he bought was the one he held on a leash beside him, named "Little Angel," and was a descendant of the most valuable dog all those years back.

Zaro wished to pick an MVD to keep his beloved pet dog company. After the first round of the competition, he had set his eyes on Curly Hair. Unfortunately, Curly Hair's breed was not a native shepherd dog of Muzhou, so Zaro had decided to purchase this dog and be done with it. Fang Zhao was not from Muzhou, so he probably would not be that attached to the competition dogs. But now Fang Zhao had declined—could it be that his offer had been too little?

Zaro examined Fang Zhao once more and said, "I know that Curly Hair still has the potential to rise in value. How about this; let me reserve it. When the Muzhou whatever finals are over, I will pay you double its reported value."

As Zaro finished talking, the face of his assistant beside him was twitching. He had been personally picked for the job by Zaro's manager. Starting this job recently, he had promised Zaro's manager that he would watch Zaro at all times and not let him throw his money around purchasing things that he had no need for. That dog was worth 50 million. After the finals, even if it did not reach 100 million, it would still be close. But what was behind doubling the price? If Zaro really spent that amount, the manager would surely fire him when they got back to Leizhou.

At this moment, the new assistant was full of regret. Why had he not stopped Zaro's foolish actions?!

Luckily for him, Fang Zhao promptly replied, "I said I'm not selling."

Zaro's face flashed with anger. "Are you a fool..."

Observing Zaro about to create a commotion, the assistant went to his ear and whispered something. The anger on Zaro's face rapidly vanished and he approvingly said, "Makes sense!"

"Okay, I don't want your dog. When your dog has puppies... Right, your curly-haired dog is a male, it can't give birth. Whenever it has puppies with a female dog, I would like to reserve one. Just name your price then! You should know who I am, right? Just send someone to Leizhou and tell me, or if you can't find me, just mention my name."

Fang Zhao remained silent and Zaro took it as agreement. He was about to say something when his assistant reminded him, "Young Master, time is almost up, we have to rush over."

"Oh right, still have to go fishing!" Zaro looked at the time and got anxious. He had arranged for a fishing competition with others and it would start on time. He turned his head to Fang Zhao and shouted, "Remember, tell me if there are puppies. Daddy has money!"

Watching Zaro hurriedly leave with his assistant and bodyguard, Zu Wen asked Fang Zhao, "Does he have a screw loose?"

"Don't bother with him," Fang Zhao said. This little fellow was lacking a proper upbringing. If Old Renault was still alive, Zaro would have been slapped a long time ago.

Su Hou still needed to go through a series of interviews and participate in some activities by the organizers for publicity. There would be other Su family members there, and Fang Zhao was not worried that anything might happen. Su Feng had told him that the heads had already made their stand, so no one would dare touch Su Hou.

Since they had finished the first round of competition, Zu Wen and the others had time for sightseeing. They were not going to follow Wu Yi and Su Hou all the way. Hence, after leaving the competition grounds, they went with Fang Zhao to take a look at Dongshan Farm, which their boss had invested in.

"It's soooo big! Does all this land belong to Dongshan Farm?"

Being used to the cramped city life, for Pang Pusang, Zeng Huang and the others, their first time in Muzhou was nothing short of amazing.

The newly refurbished Dongshan Farm was very different from when Su Hou had first bought it. Now the farm was full of life. The few lazy dogs had also been trained and were running around the farm. The fields were now full of crops. Although the pastures will still relatively empty, the grass had already grown quite a bit.

Getting to see the scenic landscape, Zu Wen and the others felt refreshed.

Su Feng invited the virtual projects department for a visit to Four Elephants farm when he saw them really enjoying this sort of environment.

Four Elephants Farm had good business all along and was different from the originally empty Dongshan Farm. Four Elephants farm had a vibrant bustle to it. The environment was a combination of primitive and advanced technology. On the farm, there were many modern machines that aided the processes. Some helped with planting, some tending to livestock, some forecasting the weather, and some monitoring the soil. There were many workers, and there were even fish ponds.

Su Feng arranged for his men to show Zu Wen and gang around the farm to explore and enjoy. One week passed by quickly and the vacation time that Fang Zhao had applied for from Duan Qianji came to an end. He could use his status as a composer to stay out in Muzhou and "seek inspiration," but the others could not.

The day Zu Wen and the others left Muzhou was also the second round of the sheep-herding finals. Fang Zhao let Zuo Yu send them back. He would stay in Muzhou for another day.

When it was time for them to board the the flying transport, Zu Wen and the few others kept looking back longingly, feeling as if they had not had their fill of fun yet.

"Stop looking, there will be more chances in the future," Fang Zhao said.

"Thats right!" Zu Wen's brain started to calculate. As long as they could clear all their assignments, perhaps they could go for yet another vacation within the next two months, possibly coming back to watch another round of the competition. However, it would not be as long as this round. Anyway, as long as Fang Zhao was here, all they needed to do was follow him, and everything would be well.

After coming around, Zu Wen's reluctant feelings had somewhat dissipated. They loaded up the gifts Su Feng had given onto the flying transport and left.

Fang Zhao walked into the viewing hall and spectated round two of the finals.

The second round's opening ceremony was not as extravagant as the first, as the level of interest from foreigners was not high as the opening round. But for the masses of Muzhou, it was still an important day. Almost every family would have someone watching the live broadcast.

Compared to the first round, round two was more challenging. The flock of sheep were split up into ten smaller flocks and scattered. The shepherd dogs had to first gather up all of the sheep and then drive them to the goal.

Throughout the entire round, Fang Zhao only paid attention to Curly Hair's performance. He watched as Curly Hair followed Su Hou's instructions as he led the other shepherd dogs to gather up the loosely scattered sheep and form up the flock. Whenever another dog ran to the wrong position, he would bark to remind them to return to the correct position.

As before, Dongshan Farm finished in first place during the second round of competition. This time, though, the second- and third-place teams finished three and five seconds behind, respectively. It could be said that, among the top three finishers, there was not much of a gap in skills after all. And as time went by, the gaps would continue to get closer. This was because, besides Curly Hair, the other dogs on Dongshan's team were not as strong as the dogs on other teams. Therefore, despite winning the first two rounds, no one was certain that Dongshan Farm would be the eventual champions.

After the conclusion of the second round, Fang Zhao left Muzhou and headed back to Yanzhou. Curly Hair continued to stay at Shanmu Farm for training.

For a dog, Muzhou was indeed better than Yanzhou. Dogs could run as much as they wanted to on the vast grasslands there.

Fang Zhao did not let Zuo Yu come pick him up. When he returned to Yanzhou, he did not head to the office, nor did he go home. Instead, he paid the black street a visit.

Yue Qing was lying at his counter dozing off. When he heard the buzzer implying that someone had entered, he jolted awake immediately.

"Fang Zhao?! Why are you here?!" Yue Qing hurriedly pulled Fang Zhao over to the table, and from his innermost cupboard, he took out wine that he had kept hidden for a long time.

Fang Zhao was empty handed. "Brought the team over to Muzhou for a vacation and bought quite a few things that'll be sent to you. You will probably receive it in the afternoon." Taking a look at the time, he continued, "Within two hours."

"Hey, it's fine if you just come. What's the need to buy so much stuff?" Yue Qing felt embarrassed. He had not helped Fang Zhao that much, and the stuff that Fang Zhao sent over was not cheap.

Fang Zhao laughed and took a look at the front of Yue Qing's shop. It seemed even wider than when he had left the black street.

"I brought over your old unit to store goods and I connected all the floors. The shop below also looks more spacious, and it's no longer as cramped as before," Yue Qing said.

"That's good," Fang Zhao said. "Getting the unit next door as well?"

"Hehe, you saw through me." Yue Qing did not hide that fact, as he believed that telling Fang Zhao would not disrupt his property plans.

"The shop next door has been closed for a long time. The shop owner owes a lot of money and is being chased by debt collectors. Recently, he secretly came back and decided to sell the shop to pay off his debts. I have already discussed with him, and if all goes well, it will be finalized within the next month."

"Congratulations."

"I should be the one doing the congratulating. You are famous now." Yue Qing poured Fang Zhao a glass of wine. "Congratulations."

"It's unwarranted fame. It'll probably cool in a bit." Fang Zhao clinked his glass against Yue Qing's and the two proceeded to drain the alcohol.

"Coming back at this time, is there something you need?" Yue Qing asked as he filled up Fang Zhao's glass once more.

"Yes, a little." Back when Fang Zhao had just woken up in this body, he had asked a few people on the black street, but those people had not noticed anything strange on that afternoon. This time, Fang Zhao decided to thoroughly search for answers.

"The night when I first picked up Curly Hair and brought him home, did anything unusual happen?" Fang Zhao asked.

Yue Qing looked at Fang Zhao suspiciously then asked in a low voice, "Is someone trying to harm you?" Yue Qing could not think of any other reasons. He knew that Fang Zhao's childhood friend had done stuff in secret that hurt him and thought that Fang Zhao was tracing the matter.

"I just wish to clarify some stuff."

Yue Qing was certain that it was as he had suspected and did not ask for the reason. He recalled back and then shook his head. "Nothing really unusual happened that night. All I saw was you buying medicine and going back to your apartment, and I thought you were going to commit suicide and have Curly Hair accompany you. These types of suicide are rather popular in the black streets. Some youths in my shop at the time even made bets on that. My impression is rather deep on that matter, but other than that, there was nothing abnormal. I don't think there were any strangers either."

Fang Zhao mused and then asked, "Were there any blackouts or any communications malfunctioning?"

"Nope, everything was good. Did such malfunctions happen in your apartment that day?" Yue Qing paused as he thought. "Wait a minute, let me check."

Yue Qing went to his surveillance records. "Here is a copy of the surveillance footage of those two days. Take a look for yourself and see if you can find anything wrong."

Chapter 111: Coincidence?

"Thanks. Are there any other houses around here that have surveillance footage? I don't need those inside, just the outside footage will do."

"I do know a few, but to get their footage, you will probably have to spend some money." Yue Qing was very clear on the characters of people around these parts, especially a certain few that would not agree to help unless they benefited. Even if the surveillance footage had no value to them, they still would not give it out for free.

"This is no problem at all. It will be great as long as I can get it."

"Sure, since you are not short of cash. Don't come with me; if those people find out you are the one asking for it, the amount they ask for will surely skyrocket."

Yue Qing temporary closed his shop, since he did not have much business in the daytime anyway. He let Fang Zhao rest in the shop as he went to look for a few familiar faces in the neighborhood for their surveillance footage. None of them were willing to give it up, but with a reasonable price, there was no issue at all.

An hour later, Yue Qing handed over seven copies of surveillance footage from last May over to Fang Zhao.

"There were a few that used cloud storage rather than local storage. As they did not pay for it, the records are only up to 6 months ago and they no longer have last year's footage. One copy is 500. 3500 will do, there is no need to pay me any extra." These prices had still gone through Yue Qing's bargaining. These people were just too much. Outdated footage that had nothing to do with them, yet they still asked for such a high price.

Fang Zhao had just transferred the money over to Yue Qing when Yue Qing received a call from from an old acquaintance from the black street.

"Hey, Old Yue, I heard you are looking for last year's recordings? Why didn't you find me? I have quite a number of copies here!"

The person who contacted Yue Qing was a teenager. Recently, he had been doing decently in the black street and had a lot of information. He received news from the people that Yue Qing had looked for and knew about this, so he hurriedly contacted Yue Qing at the same time and enticed Yue Qing with low prices and a number of copies.

Yue Qing glanced at Fang Zhao and saw him nodding his head, so he replied, "How many copies do you have? I want to inspect the goods first."

"You don't trust me? Could my goods be fake?!"

"It's unlikely to be fake; you don't have the guts. But all the recordings you have might not necessarily be of my vicinity."

"...It's not considered too far, so how about this: I shall send it to you to view first. As you go through them, you can pay me, all right? I believe in Old Yue's character, haha."

Very quickly, the teenager sent Yue Qing a few copies of videos. They were all footage of the whole of last May. When Yue Qing was collecting the footage, he had gotten the entirety of May. Therefore, when the other party collected this footage from others, he'd taken the entirety of May as well.

"Pfft, of the eight copies, only three are in my vicinity. The other five, three of them are 100 meters away from my shop, and the other two are of another street," Yue Qing told the other guy.

"That's why I told you to pay as you watched!" The teenager did not even feel sorry. After all, he had already sent the videos over. If he could earn a little extra, then why not. "The neighboring street isn't considered that far away, I don't know what you are looking for. Did you lose something? Maybe these few can give you some clues? Boss Yue, you have already received them. At most, I will accept a little less for the footage that is further away. That's okay, right?

Yue Qing glanced at Fang Zhao, obtained his approval, and thus said, "The three nearby ones are the same as everyone else, 500 for a copy. The other three from the same street will be 100 each. I will give you 50 for the two copies combined from the neighboring street."

The other party went silent for two seconds, probably calculating the amount. "So little? Give me 2000 to make it a round figure."

Yue Qing looked at Fang Zhao once again. He knew that Fang Zhao did not care about these miniscule amounts. However, he could not let that brat think that he was easy to fool. He scolded and swore for a bit before agreeing.

The teenager was happy to receive the money. Not even the least bit bothered by Yue Qing's tirade, he happily ended the call.

Yue Qing took all the videos he got and marked them in case Fang Zhao was not familiar with the positions the footage had been taken from. After all, Fang Zhao had not lived here for long and he'd seldom come out.

Having gotten the videos, and after the express deliveries from Muzhou arrived, Fang Zhao called over Ai Wan, who was having a nap in his drug store, and the three of them had a meal together. Ai Wan also gave a copy of the surveillance footage from his store to Fang Zhao.

After leaving the black street, Fang Zhao went back to his own apartment. He had bought fifteen copies of footage and received two free copies from Yue Qing and Ai Wan. Fang Zhao loaded all the videos onto one screen and adjusted till it was the night before his rebirth. Following that, he simultaneously fast-forwarded them all.

Every recording was very clear, and the sounds were distinct. However, Fang Zhao chose to mute them, instead staring at the screen, observing any possible changes.

Fang Zhao paid extra attention to the footage of Yue Qing's shop and the other ten copies that were close by. Fang Zhao saw a dejected silhouette walking over. Just from the video, he could see the despair and lifelessness exuding from his body.

That was the night before Fang Zhao was reborn. The scene was after the original owner of the body had bought medicine from Ai Wan's drug store. Indeed there had been a number of people advising him against it, including Ai Wan and Yue Qing and a few other old people. However the body's original owner did not seem to be listening, his eyeballs not even moving, as if he was a wooden puppet. He only saw the curly-haired dog caked from head to toe in mud and dirt. He stopped there for a while and lifted up the curly-haired dog and brought it home. Once he entered the building, he was out of view. Luckily, there was a copy taken from the opposite block, which showed the shops below as well as the windows of the apartments on top.

Fang Zhao watched as the lights in the window above Yue Qing's shop were extinguished. After that, nothing unusual happened. At night, the black street was lively; many people came and went. Other than the few teenagers who made a wager inside Yue Qing's shop, it seemed that no one else paid attention to a man that did not have much presence.

Fang Zhao continued waiting, watching the images from the surveillance footage.

From 1 a.m. to 2 a.m.... 3 a.m.... 4 a.m....

The bustle of the black street at night gradually died down. There were less people on the street and some of the shops closed.

Close to 7 a.m., the screen flashed.

The flash was fast, lasting just a second, but this appeared in all 17 copies of the surveillance footage!

After that, until daybreak, and until he was reborn and opened the windows to look outside, nothing else unusual happened.

Was it an electrical malfunction? Or was it something else?

Fang Zhao rewinded all the copies back to around seven, and this time, he paid close attention to the time. At 6:55:32 a.m., the images on the screen flashed.

The flash was strongest in the footage from Yue Qing's shop. In that one second, nothing could be seen in the image, it was as if the system had malfunctioned for that second. As for the footage furthest away, although there was still a flash, and it was still possible to see a little. It seemed that the further away the footage was, the less obvious the situation was.

In the images from further away, from another block, and from the other street, it was little more than a flicker in the footage.

Comparing this, Fang Zhao started to ponder.

Fang Zhao searched for that day's morning news broadcast and for anyone who livestreamed near the black street. Those even a little outside the black street did not seem to have experienced the flash.

This circumstances only appeared in the black street. The closer the place was to his, the more obvious that point.

Fang Zhao enlarged the video and focused on the copy that could see his apartment window. Luckily the distance was not that far, and Fang Zhao could still see a little. He set the it to slow motion and watched attentively.

At 6:55:32 a.m., the screen lit up. At the same time, in the distorted image of the video, Fang Zhao saw a bright flash in the apartment through the window.

The quietest period in the black street was 7 a.m. The people who worked in the day had not gotten up yet, and those that worked the night shift had just gone to bed. Not a single person was in the black street, and nobody would have understood the not-so-obvious anomaly that had just occurred. Even if someone had the surveillance footage and saw the flash, they would have probably thought it was an electrical malfunction or someone playing with a flashlight.

Fang Zhao played the video in slow motion 10 more times before lying back in his chair, trying to make sense of it all.

It was evident that the anomaly in the surveillance footage had something to do with what had happened inside the apartment. What was that flash? Did it have something to do with his rebirth?

And Curly Hair, who was also in the room—had something happened to his body too?

Extending his hand and clenching his fist, Fang Zhao felt power coursing through every cell in his body.

At the start, when he'd been training in the company, he had realized that this body seemed to contain even more strength. He had originally thought that it was just the body, but now he had doubts.

Having experienced the end of days, man's physicality had increased. However, due to technological advancements, on many occasions, labor and physical strength were no longer needed. Other than a few professions that required physical strength, most people no longer relied on their physical bodies, so there was a phenomenon of physical degeneration.

The advancements in technology, alongside breakthroughs and genetic technology, resulted in many diseases that were hidden in genes being removed when a person was still an infant. The lifespans of humans kept increasing, and the number of life-threatening illnesses decreased. Exercise and physical training also become a pastime. The tempo of city life made less people bother about their physical strength. As long as one could use their brains to solve problems, they did not need muscles.

Fang Zhao knew that in this body, other than the core being replaced by his own, the body had also been strengthened. As for Curly Hair, Fang Zhao did not know what had happened within his body, but the dog had definitely become stronger too. On the pastures, he would run much more than the other dogs, but he wouldn't seem tired at all.

Oh, right. Now, Curly Hair had learnt to conceal his strength. He would now act like the other dogs, lying on the ground, panting with his tongue out, as if he was all tired out from running.

Although it seemed like a lot of clues, in actual fact, there were very little. Fang Zhao still could not find the source that had caused his change. Was it his mysterious rebirth that had caused the anomaly, or had that anomaly caused his rebirth? Had Curly Hair been dragged into this, or had he been the source?

Fang Zhao drummed his fingers on his forehead. Since he could not determine the source he, would set it aside temporarily. When he had more clues, then he would decide. After all, these changes had all been beneficial, both for him and Curly Hair.

Chapter 112: We Are in the Same Boa

Luckily, so many things happened every day in the black street that even if anyone realized this phenomenon, they would not think about rebirth and would probably guess that someone was up to something.

Fang Zhao stored all the videos securely and then took out all of Curly Hair's pre-match and post-match inspection reports.

The post-match reports were not a good reference, as they'd had a rest-period after the competition. Fang Zhao was unable to see what changes went on in Curly Hair's body during the period of high activity and whether they were different from other dogs, but he could tell a little; Curly Hair was very healthy. When the other dogs ate random things, they would have stomachaches or other problems, but Curly Hair was totally fine.

Wu Yi had laughed and told Fang Zhao that, when Curly Hair had learned how to herd sheep in Muzhou, his constitution had improved and he had become much more robust. Despite his smaller size, when the dogs were all running, it was very obvious that this dog was different.

"He is a natural-born sheep-herding champion!" Wu Yi had said after the Eastern region finals.

But now, Fang Zhao was certain that, other than sheep herding, if Curly Hair were to learn anything else, he would master it quickly. His physical capabilities had already surpassed other dogs. Whether Curly Hair would continue to get stronger, Fang Zhao could not be sure.

As for the anomalies that had happened simultaneously for the both of them, Fang Zhao had curbed his abilities well and had not been discovered by others.

In the period that followed, most of the time, Fang Zhao was busy in the company. As the head of a department, he had many things to attend to. Fang Zhao had mentioned to Duan Qianji before, he could not go on like this forever. Back then, he had accepted the virtual projects department as there was nobody in charge and the entire matter had been forced into his hands. Now that the department had risen up, there were many people more professional than Fang Zhao to handle matters better. Therefore, there was no need for Fang Zhao to continue doing this. After he was reborn, all he wanted was to enjoy life in the New Era as he liked, not to be buried under all sorts of forms, reports, and contracts.

But Duan Qianji was worried that if Fang Zhao no longer took charge of the virtual idol department, the department would return to its original form and therefore did not agree. However, as September drew closer, Fang Zhao decided not to drag it any further.

He went to find Duan Qianji once more, this time with a resolute attitude.

This gave Duan Qianji a headache. The previous failures after failures had made her afraid. It had been so hard for Silver Wing's virtual projects department to finally succeed, and she wished for Fang Zhao to continue remaining there. However, Fang Zhao's specialty was indeed composing, not to handle all sorts of contracts, files, and the communications within a department.

Fang Zhao's reasons for transferring also left Duan Qianji very helpless: "Require heading abroad from time to time to collect materials. During September, Fiery Bird will send the gaming console over, and September is for adapting to the console. In October, he would start to play the new game. Schedule will still be fully packed."

This was the first time Duan Qianji had someone confidently declaring "playing games" as a reason for a transfer request. If it was any other person saying "I don't want to do this anymore, I want to play games," she would have sent the person packing right away.

But of all people, this had to be Fang Zhao, who had the power to fight for his freedom to compose songs at his own pace. After signing a contract with the company, Fang Zhao had indeed produced a few high-quality compositions. His deeds were all there and the company had certainly benefited. This Duan Qianji could not refute. As for gaming, tactfully put, it was just a request for leisure time or longer vacations. These were all perfectly reasonable requests given Fang Zhao's profession.

Threaten him with wages?

This would be of no use against Fang Zhao. Right now, he simply did not need money. Although Duan Qianji had not been to Muzhou, she had heard from Zuo Yu that Fang Zhao had won considerably from betting on sheep-herding competitions. Even if Zuo Yu had not said the amount, Duan Qianji could tell from his expression that, even if Fang Zhao did not work and played games for a few years, he could still enjoy an extravagant life.

"How troublesome!" Duan Qianji felt her head hurting even more.

"How about this. You will temporary be assigned as manager of the department. I will arrange for an assistant manager to handle the daily affairs in the department and you can just compose peacefully," Duan Qianji said. She had not yet thought of what position to assign Fang Zhao, but she certainly was not letting Fang Zhao leave the virtual projects department!

Fang Zhao considered for a bit. "I guess that would do."

The person assigned to be temporary assistant manager of the virtual idol department was Duan Qianji's secretary, Zhu Zhen. Zhu Zhen had always been in charge of communicating with Fang Zhao, so she somewhat had a decent understanding of the situation in the department. Now, the important matters of the virtual projects department went through Duan Qianji and the foundations had been set by Fang Zhao. Therefore, Zhu Zhen only needed to execute the instructions given and did not have too much pressure.

Regarding a new temporary leader, Zu Wen and the others did not feel much of a change. The department's boss was still Fang Zhao and they could still be at ease as before. If they really did get treated unfairly, they could still grab onto Fang Zhao. They just took this situation as if Polar Light had gained one more manager.

Once the department's tasks had all been assigned, other than a few big or important matters, Fang Zhao would no longer be bothered by trivial matters.

Fang Zhao had gone back to Muzhou to watch Curly Hair's daily training and the remaining rounds of competition.

As they got to the later rounds of the competition, the challenges became more demanding for the shepherd dogs. But for Dongshan Farm, other than Curly Hair, the other dogs were lacking, and there was a disparity between them and other teams' dogs. Hence, after the two consecutive first place finishes, Dongshan Farm only finished second in round three and third in round four.

Solely relying on Curly Hair? Whether the future Curly Hair would have that sort of capability, Fang Zhao did not know, but at the moment, there was still no way for Curly Hair to completely dominate the whole competition. He needed the coordination of the other dogs. If they did not coordinate well and could not keep up to the tempo, the teams behind could make a comeback.

On the score table, after the fourth round, Dongshan Farm's points were still the highest and they still held first place, but Wu Yi and Su Hou began to worry. The later rounds of competition were even more complicated, and their confidence had started to waver.

Luckily, in the fifth round of competition, due to an exceptional performance by Curly Hair, Dongshan Farm managed to narrowly edge into a first-place finish. It was as if one dog had spurred on the team. His speed was even quicker and had helped the other dogs share some of their burdens. The performance was very dazzling, and even people who knew just a little about sheep-herding competitions could see that the nucleus and driving force behind this team was still that little curly-haired dog. And during the fifth round of competition, Curly Hair's value had risen to 75 million.

In the rounds that followed, they did not achieve first in every round but always remained within the top three. The total accumulated points continued to lead over 2nd and 3rd.

The days of the ten rounds of competition were not fixed. Generally, there would be a round every five to seven days. In the event of bad weather, the round would be brought forward or postponed. Muzhou advocated being natural, and forecasting weather was a test to them, to adapt to natural weather and make changes.

After the last of the ten rounds of competition ended, it was already August. Dongshan still occupied first place on the score table. Although there were times when another team had the same number of points as Dongshan, and there were times when they were nearly overtaken, Dongshan Farm had managed to persevere till the end.

That day, the focus of the entirety of Muzhou was on Curly Hair, the lead dog of the champion team. Fully deserving of the most valuable dog title, his value was published on the sheep-herding competition's homepage—a new record of one hundred million!

This year, a dog that was foreign to Muzhou that looked like a pet had achieved the MVD of the finals!

In Muzhou there emerged people who vowed to buy the curly-haired dog. Even if the price now had made many people back off, the number of rich and powerful willing to pay that amount was still plentiful.

Other than the aristocrats of Muzhou, In Leizhou, Zaro's agent was shaking. Pointing at Zaro who was talking on the phone, he clenched his teeth and instructed the others. "Watch him closely! Don't let him buy that dog!"

The news of a non-native dog of Muzhou having a value of 100 million spread to all continents, especially Yanzhou. Silver Wing were trending, because under their control, when people talked about the dog, it was always "Yanzhou Silver Wing's virtual projects department manager's dog." The label, "Yanzhou Silver Wing" was used as a search term by many internet users across the world.

Wu Yi was over the moon. Su Hou, as the farm owner, was bombarded with all sorts of interviews. As for Curly Hair, after the competition ended, he received a medal followed by an official interview before being brought back to Yanzhou by Fang Zhao.

Even though it was mentioned a lot in Yanzhou's news, the Yanzhou masses purely saw it as entertainment and were not as crazy over it as the Muzhou masses.

Having just arrived in Yanzhou, Fang Zhao received a call from Duan Qianji.

"Back yet?" Duan Qianji asked.

"Back."

"Did you bring Curly Hair back? Do you need me to send a few more people over?" Duan Qianji asked again.

"No need, he is back home."

"That's good." She let out a sigh of relief. She was really worried that the dog-crazy fanatics of Muzhou would have forced Curly Hair to stay behind.

"Today, a number of directors personally came looking for me, asking to let your dog that is worth one hundred million to appear in films. All of them are rather famous directors, the quality production would be higher and is worth considering. Other than that, there are also advertising companies..."

Duan Qianji had never expected that her own company would produce a dog worth one hundred million! Many celebrities had strived but never reached these heights, yet this dog that had been brought over to Muzhou by Fang Zhao half a year ago had achieved these heights.

"The information has all been sent to you. Take a look yourself; the dog is yours and it's considered your personal property. The deciding rights all belong to you," Duan Qianji said. With regards to Curly Hair's situation, the company could not decide, but if Fang Zhao was willing, everyone could work together.

"I will consider it," Fang Zhao replied.

He actually hoped that the matter would cool off as fast as possible, but completely rejecting advertisements and hiding Curly Hair would not do. This would just heighten people's curiosity and make them suspect all sorts of reasons. He would accept the films and advertisement, but not too many.

After Duan Qianji ended the call, Fang Zhao received a message from Zu Wen.

"Boss, when will you be bringing Curly Hair back to the office? We all have renovated a grand residence for him!"

Under that, there were messages from the others in the department, implying he should look after Curly Hair well and not let him be stolen—one hundred million!

Fang Zhao switched off the communications device, sent Zuo Yu out on an errand, and closed all the doors and windows.

"Come here," Fang Zhao said to Curly Hair, who was running about the house.

Having been away for so long. Curly Hair was still very excited, as if he were patrolling his territory, and ran a few rounds. Hearing Fang Zhao call him, he hurried over and crouched down. However, Fang Zhao's gaze unsettled Curly Hair, so he wagged his tail to curry favor.

"You don't have to act in front of me. I know you can understand. Perhaps in the past, you only understood a little, but now..." Fang Zhao placed his hand in front of Curly Hair, watching the dog as he continued, "I believe you can understand everything."

The crouching Curly Hair became even more restless, as if he had done something wrong. He drooped his head and wagged its tail less, looking up gingerly at Fang Zhao.

"You are probably aware that you are different from other dogs. No matter what changes happened in your body, for our own safety, in the future, do not make yourself stand out when we are outside. Of course, don't act too stupid. Keeping at the current level will do. We are in the same boat, understand?"

"Woof!"

Chapter 113: Tools from the Old Era

Fang Zhao observed Curly Hair for some time to make sure he understood the lecture before taking him back to the office.

It was true what Zu Wen had said—the label had set up a new hangout for Curly Hair. As soon as he stepped onto the 50th floor, Fang Zhao saw several pictures on the wall. Some were taken by Zu Wen and company during their recent trip to the Muzhou grand finals; others were official pictures from the prize presentation ceremony. The walls had originally been dominated by posters of Polar Light, but now Polar Light and Curly Hair each accounted for half the area. As Zu Wen put it, both of these characters were products of the virtual projects department, even if Curly Hair was Fang Zhao's personal pet. Fang Zhao was the head of the department, so Curly Hair was part of the department too.

Curly Hair's new digs took up an entire room. It was custom-made, complete with a turf carpet.

"Curly Hair is here? Oh, my little munchkin!" Zu Wen smiled so hard when he saw Curly Hair by Fang Zhao's feet he was wincing. A cheesy term like "munchkin" carried over from the competition to the office.

There were reasons why they allocated and renovated an entire room for a dog. First, Curly Hair's market value had gone through the roof and he was now world-famous. Second, everyone had bet on Dongshan Farm winning and Curly Hair taking MVD honors when they were in Muzhou. They had raked it in big time. Folks who had wagered smaller amounts were now regretting their decision. Zu Wen was one of the major punters, earning at least 2 million. That's also why he was so excited to see Curly Hair that he called him "little munchkin."

"Boss, I hear the label wants to cast Curly Hair in a movie?" Zu Wen asked.

"That's why I'm here."

After dropping off Curly Hair on the 50th floor, Fang Zhao headed to the penthouse suite to see Duan Qianji.

He had read through the details on the offers that Duan Qianji had sent over. He'd picked a few commercials and a hit online TV series. It was a guest-star role for one episode, not heavy lifting. He'd also agreed to a few public interest announcements, which were also recommended by the label.

The public interest ad was about stray dogs. The main purpose was to urge people to take the responsibility of buying a pet seriously. Sure, you would be free if you tossed your pet after a few days, but not every abandoned dog ended up in a centralized pound. Stray dogs were common in the suburbs and beyond. Not only were they a potential means of disease transmission, but they occasionally attacked humans too.

Many people knew that Curly Hair had been a stray dog before being adopted by Fang Zhao, but few had expected this stray dog would end up an MVD with a market value of more than 100 million dollars. It made sense for the label to consider it for public interest ads. The ad was financed by Silver Wing. A few stars would appear in it and Fang Zhao had a cameo, but the centerpiece was Curly Hair.

After deciding on the offers, as the owner, Fang Zhao tagged along on the shoots.

Likely as a result of Fang Zhao's reminders, Curly Hair appeared more normal on his shoots. He was still smart, but "normal" smart. There were lots of smart dogs in the world. Muzhou was home to many shepherd dogs with high IQ, so the production crews on the shoots didn't think Curly Hair stood out.

The ads were quite straightforward, be they the commercial shot by a regular Silver Wing partner or the public interest ad shot by Silver Wing itself. Shooting went smoothly. Given technological advancements in the New Era, both shoots were completed back-to-back in a day.

The online TV series took longer, with the shoot lasting a few days. "City Hunter" was a detective thriller. Quite a few major stars were involved. Ads featuring Curly Hair were rolled out once his role had been confirmed. Some folks joked, "Even the dogs used in 'City Hunter' are big shots."

While Fang Zhao was tagging along on the shoot, he noticed that quite a few folks were following news about "Battle of the Century." Fiery Bird had released a new ad, which was more revealing.

During a break, some folks projected the ad so everyone could see.

The ad featured a dilapidated city resembling a wasteland. Several helicopters were charging forward.

As they watched the scene, someone shouted, "I know what that is! That's what was known in the Old Era as a tractor!"

Fang Zhao waited for one of the others in the audience to correct the speaker, but after a few seconds, all he got was silence. He turned his head and realized that everyone else wore an expression that suggested "mystery solved."

After letting out an imaginary sigh, Fang Zhao said, "It's called a helicopter. This one's for freight."

"Helicopter? I could have sworn it was called a tractor!" The speaker was skeptical, but a quick search yielded the correct information on Fiery Bird's official website. The words "mid-sized double-propellor freight helicopter" were highlighted.

"Oh, it's really called a helicopter. I remembered wrong, haha." The speaker laughed in Fang Zhao's direction. "Brother, you're good at history. Are you a gamer? They're quite meticulous when it comes to historical details, no?"

Before Fang Zhao could answer, the speaker's attention was drawn by something else in the video and he started a discussion with the person next to him.

Fang Zhao was sitting far from the speaker, so he could see the projection clearly too. The images were realistic, as if transporting him back to his previous life.

Even though footage from the Old Era existed, Fiery Bird splurged on a 100-person team of consultants to recreate those times perfectly. The team comprised world-famous researchers on the Period of Destruction. There were historians, scholars who studied the history of science, biomedical experts, weapons experts, and so on. The point was to recreate the era comprehensively and realistically.

Apart from the promotional video, Fiery Bird also launched an online feature that introduced daily items from the Old Era, from food to daily necessities to modes of transportation. If you had a gaming console, you could start practicing using the items.

There was a big distinction between the two eras when it came to guns and forms of transportation. It helped to familiarize oneself with them ahead of time.

After Curly Hair shot his scenes, Fang Zhao returned to the office. He was caught up on all his outstanding tasks. The shoots for the ads and the TV series had been completed. There wasn't anything else left.

It was noon when he arrived in the virtual projects department. His staff had gathered for lunch. When Fang Zhao walked in, they were discussing items from the Old Era.

He had already heard his share of complaints from members of the production crews for Curly Hair's shoots.

"How come automatic transmission isn't the same as automatic driving? Why is the steering wheel round? Why are the gas pedal and the brake pedal so close to each other? Why was it so hard to drive in the Old Era? I need to switch to a luxury car that places the gas pedal on the steering wheel."

"What the hell is a bicycle? Why doesn't it run on its own when you get on it? Why is it so hard to maintain your balance? Wait, there are also electric scooters, motorbikes, and experiential vehicles. Forget it, I'll pass on the bike."

"What the hell can you do with so few bullets in a clip?"

People in the New Era were used to easily operated and smart technology. Relics from the Old Era struck them as clumsy and a hassle. They even wondered why these things existed in the first place.

Zu Wen and company were also discussing the practice tools launched by Fiery Bird. Obviously, they were still getting used to them.

"Boss, we were discussing Fiery Bird consoles in our tech discussion group yesterday again. I steeled myself this year and ordered a cabin-style console from Fiery Bird. It's an upgrade from the ninth-generation console. They say the cabin-style console is more realistic than the helmet-style one, but word has it they're coming out with a new design for their 10th-generation console, but they haven't announced any details. Boss, the one you're getting is a 10th generation, right?"

"Yes."

"So it's the 10th-generation console 'Rhapsody'?' The one announced on the official website? The one coming out along with the ninth-generation upgrade?"

"Yup."

"Is it being delivered to the office?"

"To my house."

Zu Wen and company were instantly disappointed when they heard Fang Zhao's response. They were thinking that, if the console were delivered to the office, they could pose for pictures with it.

In fact, Fang Zhao had originally planned on having the console delivered to the office, but after rethinking it, he'd had Fiery Bird send it to his house. He could play freely at home, but being too reckless at the office would cause a bad influence. Even though Fang Zhao was given free rein, others were working. He didn't want to sow the seeds of jealousy or prevent other departments from going about their business.

After noticing that his body had mutated, Fang Zhao had also set up a gym at his home. That would free up the company gym for others. He could also exercise more freely at home and keep his secret under wraps.

"Boss, do you know how to drive a regular car? Or ride a bike? Or use a gun?" Zu Wen was firing on all cylinders. "Tools from the Old Era are too difficult to use. I've already summoned the level of determination I had for my college entrance exams."

"I do," Fang Zhao responded.

"You've figured it out already? But I did too, hahaha. Among our group, only Wan Yue is still learning," Zu Wen said with a laugh.

Wan Yue wore a massive frown. She found the tools a handful. "We'll be fine as long as you guys know how to use them. We're going to play together anyway, right?"

"No worries. You have me," Zeng Huang said.

"Right. Right. If you can't figure out the tools, we'll help out," Zu Wen said with a nod.

Fang Zhao restrained himself from raining on the parade. He hadn't played the game yet, but he was skeptical as to how accurately it could recreate the Old Era.

Chapter 114: Your Express Delivery Is Arriving

Electronic competition had become among the top sporting events, and with advancements in technology, the internet was omnipresent and electronic competition had permeated into everyone's lives. This new form of electronic competition had overtaken many older sports, and throughout the world, it was known as the most widely accepted sporting entertainment program.

For entertainment, other than film, music, and livestreams, there was one other major player, and that was gaming. Its place in the New Era was much higher than that of football, basketball, or other sports.

Electronic competition also had no lack of stars. The main team members of the five e-sports clubs of Yanzhou had influence comparable to the A-listers of Silver Wing, and every time they participated in large-scale competitions, these main team members would take the stage at the same time, so the influence they had was naturally even bigger.

Song Miao lamented, "The drama series that I was watching is going to have a break after today. I have to wait till February or March next year to catch the next episode."

"No choice, if it continues on like this, it will die out," Zu Wen said.

"Battle of the Century," which was about to be released, had captured most of the attention and popularity. Movies and online television had seen a decline since the start of the year. During July and August, there had been a sharp drop in viewership. If it continued on till September, many investors would be disappointed with the results. Hence, other than a few highly popular drama series, many other programs went into a rest period, giving way to "Battle of the Century."

"Yesterday in the chat group, I heard those from the film department mentioning that the gamer-actors, those dual profession celebrities, have been recalled by their clubs. Probably to prepare for the publicity that's to come," Rodney added in.

"Gamer-actors, dual profession celebrities?" Fang Zhao totally did not understand this.

"It means that they are actors and, at the same time, they are professional gamers too," Zu Wen explained.

Some gaming stars some would enter into showbiz as they played. For some, they would sign contracts after their prime and hold both professions. And there were some that were discovered when they were still schooling. After signing on with a company, the company would arrange for them to enter professional gaming competitions.

"All of them can be considered a form of investment by the company and have been lying in wait for the past couple of years just for this time. However, I feel that, even if the company manages to recall all these people back, it will not have much of an impact. Just recalling what happened ten years ago... Oh, right, Boss, ten years ago, you were still in secondary school, right? You probably didn't pay much attention to this," Zu Wen said.

Fang Zhao understood what Zu Wen said by "not much of an impact" on the second day.

The previous day, there had still been a number of movie and film stars appearing on the headlines of each major entertainment media's news, but today, all the trending news by the big media firms was dominated by news related to e-sports clubs.

With this widespread news coverage, movies and music both took a backseat.

The big e-sports clubs had all started preparations a year ago. They had declined invitations to all sorts of competitions, and even when they did participate, they only sent out their second-string or third-string players. They had handpicked gamers from all sort of genres and had focused on "Battle of the Century," training intensely for it. Some clubs were even rumored to have engaged a military school for a few months of military training. All the clubs had been in confined training, all for today, where they would remove the secrecy surrounding them.

When Fang Zhao was watching the entertainment news, he realized that of all the trending stars that appeared, 90 percent were from Yanzhou's big five e-sports clubs. A certain gaming superstar riding an automated car could also start trending.

And this was just the start.

Aug 26, Qi'an City's People's Stadium, the largest stadium in Yanzhou. One of Yanzhou's big five, Big Dipper e-Sports Club held a pre-battle pledging ceremony. A million fans went in person, and those unable to enter just stood directly outside the stadium.

Aug 27, At Qi'an's business center's highest building complex, at the "Jungle of Light" public square, Transcendental e-Sports Club held a pre-battle pledging ceremony, and vast crowds were present.

Aug 29, 2S e-Sports Club rented out Yanzhou's largest garden on a lake to hold its pre-battle pledging ceremony. The live broadcast nearly jammed from viewership.

Aug 30, BOOM e-Sports Club held their pre-battle pledging ceremony on the summit of Yanzhou's highest mountain. Photographers nearly froze.

Aug 31, HWR e-Sports Club held their pre-battle pledging ceremony on a virtual stage. Team captain Jess said, "We have the lowest profile," then proceeded to display a video of the team driving cars and motorbikes from the Old Era, causing fans to scream nonstop. A digital fan fainted from excitement and was sent to the hospital.

Although the game was to be officially released in October, during the entirety of September, the teams would all undergo adaptive training. To the business minded e-sports clubs, the battle had already started early.

September 1, 8 a.m., Fiery Bird released an official announcement. The "Battle of the Century" age restriction would be altered. From the original 16 years and above, it was raised to 18 and above. A clear-cut rule: People below 18 were prohibited from playing.

An hour after the announcement was released, several hundred seventeen year olds staged a sit-in outside the entrance of Fiery Bird's office, pressing Fiery Bird to lower the age restriction from 18 to 17. After that, their parents were called.

Fiery Bird's official spokesperson explained that protesting at the entrance would do no good. The limit had been set by the Electronic Competition Union in conjunction with other relevant departments for the good of everyone's physical and mental well-being.

Because of the internet, kids in the New Era matured faster. Smarter kids knew a lot. However, this did not mean that their mentalities were mature. One's outlook on the world, life, and values could be seriously influenced by small matters. Previously, Fiery Bird had set the age restriction as 16, but now, after some prudent consideration, they had determined it necessary to be raised. The game was too dangerous for minors.

Fang Zhao received a call from Su Hou early in the morning.

As he had not reached the age restriction, Su Hou could not play "Battle of the Century." Thus, he had called Fang Zhao to relieve some of his misery, and his motive was to borrow Curly Hair from Fang Zhao.

Su Hou had bought a few decent shepherd dogs and had hired a professional to specially train them. However, the results were not so good, so he wished to loan Curly Hair for a bit. Who knows, maybe with Curly Hair to spur them on, those dogs would learn faster. The same had happened back at Shanmu Farm.

Fang Zhao did not agree right away; he needed to consider first.

After ending the call with Su Hou, Fang Zhao called Curly Hair over.

"Do you want to head to a Muzhou farm to play? Su Hou called and wants to borrow you."

"Woof!" Curly Hair's tail wagging was extra jubilant, seeming like he was very excited.

He prefered carefree running on real grasslands. The house was a little too small; he had gotten used to running in fields. After returning to Qi'an, he had felt that there was too little space.

"Remember what I told you before. Make sure you guard the farm properly when you are over there."

"Woof!"

"I'll get Su Hou to come fetch you."

"Woof!"

Curly Hair frisked about happily in the house.

When Fang Zhao told Su Hou the news, Su Hou was very happy. He had been waiting for these words. "I will leave Muzhou and pick him up right away."

Ding!

Suddenly, there was a new notification.

Fang Zhao gave Su Hou his address and said a little more before ending the call and checking the notification.

"Your express delivery is arriving. Please be ready to receive it."

Chapter 115: Astonishing Adaptability

Fang Zhao's unit was on the top floor of the building. When he'd bought over the apartment, half of the top floor had been a garden. Since buying it over from Xue Jing, Fang Zhao had not made many changes, only expanding the parking space slightly.

After receiving the notification, Fang Zhao stepped outside. He did not have to wait long before he saw a black dot approaching from the distance. The black dot increased its speed. It was a transport drone. When it arrived at on top of the parking space, it slowly descended.

A black metal case was lowered onto the space.

Fang Zhao verified receiving the goods and the express delivery drone left.

The case was encrypted. When Fang Zhao scanned in the details of his identity, the case automatically opened.

Inside the metal case was another transparent case made from some unknown material. Within it was a humanoid-shaped machine that looked like a robot.

Fang Zhao was puzzled—when had he ordered a robot?

But after reading the description on the transparent case, Fang Zhao understood. This was not a robot; it was the 10th generation game console that Fiery Bird's headquarters had sent over. The machine was mainly white in color with black veins running across it and the red Fiery Bird insignia.

So this is their new gaming console? The thought had never crossed his mind.

At this moment, Fang Zhao's bracelet notified him of an incoming call. It was from an unknown number.

Fang Zhao considered for a bit before answering the call.

"Hello, is this Mr. Fang Zhao?" a somewhat boorish voice asked.

"Yes. That's me."

"Hi, I am Zachary, an engineer from Fiery Bird's Yanzhou department, in charge of installation of the machine and servicing. We have received notification that you have accepted the console. May I ask if you have time today? If you are free, we can be at your place in 20 minutes to help you install the console and to guide you on its usage. If you are busy, we can reschedule for another time."

"I don't have anything else going on. I will be at home."

"All right, we will have to trouble you to wait for another 20 minutes. My assistants and I will leave for your place right away."

Since there were engineers coming over to install the console, Fang Zhao temporary left the case lying there.

"Boss, what is this? A robot for the chores?" Zuo Yu had come over to deliver a set of files that required Fang Zhao to sign. As there was a case in the parking space, Zuo Yu'd had to park the car at the public garage below before coming up. When he saw the case there, he became suspicious. What had Fang Zhao bought a robot for? Chores? On closer inspection of the robot, he saw the insignia on its chest and doubted even more. Since when did Fiery Bird create robots for housework?

"It's not for housework; it's Fiery Bird's 10th generation game console," Fang Zhao told him.

"That fabled 10th generation? Game console?!" Zuo Yu was still full of doubt. "This is a game console?"

Only after reading the description on the clear case did Zuo Yu believe that Fang Zhao was not pulling his leg.

"It really is. The fabled 10th generation looks like this? What were the designers thinking?"

Although his words about Fiery Bird's designers seemed full of disdain, Zuo Yu was still very curious and kept circling the case. Knowing that the engineers were about to arrive, he was not in a rush to leave. He had planned to return immediately to the company after getting Fang Zhao to sign the files, but these files were not especially urgent—as long as they were returned by today, it would be fine. He wanted to stay longer and take a look. If it had been a helmet or a cabin-style gaming console, Zuo Yu would not have been that curious or interested, even if it was a new model from Fiery Bird. However, this gaming console's shape aroused the curiosity in him.

"It's probably an exoskeleton type. I never thought I would live to see the day there would be an exoskeleton-type design of a game console. It's a pity the appearance doesn't look impressive enough." As Zuo Yu examined it, he clicked his tongue in wonder and could not help but open the case and touch it.

Fang Zhao understood what Zuo Yu meant by "exoskeleton." The hard shell on the surface of the body protecting the soft interior of prawns, crabs, and bugs was known as an exoskeletons. Humans also had related projects as a means to protect the relatively weak and fragile human body.

Actually utilizing machinery as an exoskeleton had been used during the end of days. During that period, there were scientists that had started an exoskeleton project, but the technology had not advanced enough and Fang Zhao hadn't gotten to wear an exoskeleton combat suit in his past life.

In the New Era, during the period when mankind had started exploring other planets, these technologies had advanced rapidly, but the majority of their use was in the military and for medical treatment. The general public's deepest impression of exoskeletons were their use as armor by the outer space corps. It's use in entertainment was not much, due to the high manufacturing costs, and there were no companies willing to try. No one would have expected that Fiery Bird's 10th generation would choose to use an exoskeleton type!

It seemed like, when Fiery Bird had announced that the 10th generation would have revolutionary changes, they'd meant that they had started on an exoskeleton project and it had become reality.

"It's a pity that it is just a game console. How great would it be if it were a real power exoskeleton." There was a hint of envy in Zuo Yu's eyes.

"Have you worn that sort of power suit?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Nope, I enlisted in the military very early. My studies were all completed in military school. When I was assigned my posting, I was sent to the anti-terrorism unit and could not get out." Zuo Yu was full of regret.

"Could not get out" meant that he could not leave the planet. This had been a regret of Zuo Yu's. He had originally wanted to continue making a living in the military and one day finally get out, but because of a few mistakes, he had been discharged from the military.

However, Fiery Bird's 10th generation console made him anticipate again. "Fiery Bird's goal is probably to let more people get a kick, those 'power exoskeletons' sold online are made from a different material, and the technology and feeling cannot compare to the real ones. Since Fiery Bird has made the 10th generation as an exoskeleton, given their reputation... The feeling after wearing it might not be same as the real ones, but it should be close.

As Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu were talking, a flying car came.

There was no space to park the car, so a middle-aged person in working attire hopped off. He showed Fang Zhao his working ID and said, "Hi, I am the engineer that spoke to you just now, Zachary."

Zachary looked like a worker from a Muzhou farm. He was tanned, full of vigor, and his rough hands were full of calluses.

After the self introductions, Zachary pressed somewhere on the transparent case and four wheels appeared. Zachary pushed the case aside and let his helper land the car.

"Mr. Fang, where do you want the machine to be placed?" Zachary asked.

"This room." Fang Zhao opened a room he had prepared beforehand. There was nothing else inside the room.

Zachary pushed the case into the room and he and his helper got down to work. While assembling the machine, he explained to Fang Zhao the superiority the 10th generation machine had over the 9th generation one.

"This is the power exoskeleton model, or mobile clothing. It is very convenient and doesn't burden you when being worn. For example, if you are tired, you can just eat drink or sleep in the suit. Other than bathing, you can basically wear this for everything. This also fulfills the desires towards the outer space corps that some gamers have. If you can adapt to this, even if you wear the outer space corps power suit in future, you will not find much of a difference. Of course, this exoskeleton does not have the same functions as the power suits of the outer space corps. After all, the power suits of the outer space corps are weapons, and this is just a game console, it can only imitate that sort of feeling. Other than that, it will let you have a more realistic experience of gaming."

As Zachary was explaining, Zuo Yu was eager to give it a try. "Boss, later, after you have tried it, could I try it out too?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Sure."

After the installations and inspection were completed, Zachary instructed Fang Zhao on how to put it on. Actually, it was not really complicated, as it was all automated as long as he confirmed his identity and usage rights.

Fang Zhao could feel himself wearing an outer shell, but he did not feel it stifling or restrictive. Waving his hands, swinging his shoulders, walking, jumping, all these actions felt very unhindered. What Zachary had said about wearing it to eat, drink, and sleep was all true.

"Okay, now we can enter the adapting phase. I recommend lying down. If you remain standing, once you enter the game for a long period of time, your nerves and muscles will not feel exhausted, as the suit bears the strain, but once you leave the game, you will experience the side effects. Sitting is fine too, but I still recommend lying down," Zachary instructed.

Fang Zhao did not proceed to find a bed, instead just lying down on the floor. Following Zachary's instructions, he entered the adapting phase.

It was as if his soul had been removed from his body. Fang Zhao felt himself standing at an unfamiliar place. He could no longer feel the original feeling of lying on the floor.

In front of him was a basketball, and his surroundings were transformed into a basketball court. The ground below him was a wooden floor board, and the clothes he was wearing were basketball attire and shoes.

"Mr. Fang, you have now entered the adapting sequence. You can freely exercise. We will monitor your degree of adaptation." Zachary's voice seemed to be just beside his ear.

Fang Zhao did not waste any time. He walked over and picked up the basketball. He could clearly feel the lines of the basketball in his hands.

Indeed... very real!

Fang Zhao started trying to bounce the ball.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of the basketball smashing against the ground, combined with the sound of the basketball whizzing through the air, stimulated his excited senses.

Fang Zhao bounced the ball and moved forward. His bouncing became faster and faster as he got more proficient with the dribbling movement.

...

In the room, Zachary watched the charts displayed by the measurement apparatus and then looked at the comprehensive numbers at the side. On it was displayed a "60." The maximum value was 100. Normally there would be no issues upon reaching 60.

Glancing at these numbers, a relaxed smile appeared on Zachary's face. "Not too bad, hitting 60 means that you can use it often, you adaptability is good. With another month of adapting, you might even hit 70..."

Zachary had not finished speaking when he lost his voice. He stared blankly at the screen displaying the adaptability value. Originally stabilizing at 60, it had begun to move again.

61... 64... 68... 72...

What had he just said?

With another month of adapting?

In less than 30mins, the adapting value had jumped from 60 to 75!

"Tsk, this adaptability is indeed strong!" Zachary's assistant exclaimed in astonishment.

The value stabilized at "75."

Zachary laughed and shook his head. "Never expected that Mr. Fang's adaptability to the new machine would reach 75. I'm afraid some people in the company are going to be disappointed. If Mr. Fang hadn't adapted to the machine well, the moment he put it up for sale, quite a number of people in the company would have bought it immediately, but now it seems like these people won't even get a chance."

"Master!" Zachary's helper, Boken, shouted out.

"What?" Zachary asked. He was sending messages and thus did not look up.

"The value changed again."

Zachary was displeased. "Nonsense, the value is always changing constantly. It is fine as long as it modulates around a certain range. Have you forgotten all that I taught you?"

"No, take a look!"

Zachary lifted his head up to look at the value of the screen, and his eyes slowly widened.

The value that had originally stabilized around the 75 mark had began to rise upward again.

78, 79, 80, 81...

Although it was not rising that quickly, it was indeed increasing. This could not be explained rationally anymore.

"This... this... this adaptability is way too strong, right?!" Thinking of something, Zachary turned his head and asked Zuo Yu. "Is your boss really an artist? Does he meddle with anything else?"

Zuo Yu was equally baffled. "He really is only a composer."

Chapter 116: Your Boss... Is Still Your Boss

For adapting training, other than basketball, Fang Zhao played football and badminton, rode a bicycle, drove a car, practiced archery, and many other events. The realism he felt got more and more intense, as if he was really standing in an empty room and playing with all this equipment, not inside a game.

When Fang Zhao exited from the adaptive training mode, he was sweating profusely. As he separated from the game console, only then did he realize the casual attire he was wearing was entirely soaked and his entire body felt as if he had really done all those sports.

How mysterious.

Fang Zhao looked at the taut muscles on his arm before using the sleeves of this shirt to wipe sweat off his face. He turned to face Zachary and Boken who were standing there in a daze.

"Are they any problems?" Fang Zhao asked.

"No... No problems." Zachary glanced at the display showing a bright red "91" then looked at Fang Zhao who was still standing there and asked, "Do you feel anything abnormal? For example, headaches or no sense of balance?"

Fang Zhao walked a few steps, then jumped on the spot. "Everything seems to be fine. Only... at the moment when I was leaving the training mode, I felt a little dizzy, but I was all right after a few seconds."

Zachary checked all the results displayed on the screen that showed readings of his bodily functions. All these had been taken when Fang Zhao was in the training mode. These readings showed that Fang Zhao was not lying and he was perfectly fine.

"When using the 10th generation for the first time, separating from the console for the first time will indeed cause a little dizziness. In the future, after using it a few times, it will not occur anymore." Taking a look at the final figures, Zachary lamented. "Mr. Fang, how was the experience of using it?"

"Very good," Fang Zhao replied. "It's very easy to get addicted."

A proud smile appeared on Zachary's face. "To be able to let players become addicted is our greatest accomplishment. Seems like Mr. Fang also knows how to find joy in games." It seemed like this gaming console would not be sold after all.

"Boss, can I try it?" Zuo Yu asked in eager anticipation.

Fang Zhao looked toward Zachary. "Can he use it?"

Zachary nodded his head. "This machine's owner is you, Mr. Fang. As long as you authorize it, he will be able to use it."

Zachary taught Fang Zhao how to set up the authorized users.

"All done. This gentleman can enter and try it out," Zachary said.

Once Zuo Yu entered the training mode, Fang Zhao saw that the last screen in front of Zachary displayed a "76." Zachary then explained to Fang Zhao the meaning of that number.

"This gentleman is also adapting very well." Zachary watched the numbers jumping up, turned his head, to Fang Zhao and asked, "He is your bodyguard, right?"

"Yes." Fang Zhao saw the misgiving in Zachary's eyes, so he asked, "Are there any problems?"

Zachary thought about what to say before shaking his head. "Nothing." He just thought that this bodyguard's adaptability would probably not be higher than this young man who said he was a composer. Although the value rose up, this was probably because Zuo Yu had used a lot of similar machinery. Just now, when Fang Zhao had been using the machine, Zachary had talked to Zuo Yu and knew that Zuo Yu was an old hand.

Zachary's eyes were on the charts and numbers on the screen, and Fang Zhao was watching the machine lying on the floor in wonder.

Just now, he had been the one wearing the gaming suit and lying there. Being totally immersed in the adaptive training mode, he had not known what the situation outside was like. Now he knew that, when he had been vigorously exercising in the adaptive training mode, outside of the mode, his body had seemed sedated, only slight trembles being seen.

The machine that covered the surface of the body was full of sensors. These sensors would gather all sorts of data and would transmit it to a processor. Finally, it would appear as charts and numbers in front of Zachary.

The adaptability value that was at 76 rose to 87 before coming to a complete stop.

Zuo Yu separated from the machine with a satisfied grin and was soaking wet. "Indeed, the experience compared to all the older game consoles is way more intense. It is worthy of being called the 10th generation. Most likely, compared to the real power suits, there won't be much difference... 87?!"

The grin on Zuo Yu's face turned into shock when he saw the value. "I only got 87?" He still remembered that Fang Zhao had achieved a value of 91 a short while back.

Zachary grudgingly said, "Exceeding 85 is considered first rate; this is already very high."

"My boss got a 91 just now!" Zuo Yu felt that his own ability had been looked down upon.

"Your boss has an impressive adaptability," Zachary said.

"I was from the special forces!"

"Your boss... is still your boss." Zachary could only think of this reason.

Confirming that usage would not be hindered and having gotten an adaptability of 90+. Zachary was not the least bit worried that Fang Zhao would encounter any problems. He sent a copy of a detailed guide to Fang Zhao and left a means of contact. "If there are any issues with the machine, just call this number. Even if I am not free, my colleagues will rush over and help you service it."

As they had other tasks, Zachary did not stay for too long. After exhorting a few important points to Fang Zhao, he left along with his assistant. The casing that had originally been used to store the 10th generation machine was also taken away by them.

After showering and changing into a set of clean and dry clothes, Fang Zhao called out to Zuo Yu, who was still sitting there bewildered. They would be heading back to the company together. Although he was now a manager that did not need to handle matters personally, he still had to return occasionally to keep an eye on things.

The game console had already been delivered and installed. In the next few days, he would probably spend a lot of time playing. Today, he wanted to head down to the company and ask if there were any more documents that required his signature or approval.

After a round in the virtual projects department, Fang Zhao held on to a set of documents that Zhu Zhen had handed him and took the elevator to the film department to check on some of the programs that Polar Light and the film departments were collaborating on.

Entering the elevator, Fang Zhao noticed five others inside: an older manager and four youngsters who seemed like university students—three guys and a girl. Most likely, the parking garage above was full, so they needed to come up from the lower garages.

The manager recognized Fang Zhao and laughed as he exchange greetings. "Manager Fang, heading to the top floor to give your report?"

"Nope, I'm heading to the film department. You brought newcomers again?" Fang Zhao remembered him bringing another group of youngsters a while back.

"Yeah, these four are here to receive priority development," the manager said, not hiding anything.

Fang Zhao understood. These were probably part of the company's reserve strategy. With the entertainment market being dominated by gaming, the company would transfer over these dual profession gamer-actors and give them prioritized development.

The five of them were also headed for the film department. When the elevator doors opened, that older manager did not step out first, instead making an "after you" gesture to Fang Zhao. Originally, two of the youngsters had lifted their legs to step out, but seeing their manager do that, they retracted their step.

After Fang Zhao was some distance away from the elevator, a few of the youngsters then asked their new manager, "Who is that?"

"The number one in the virtual projects department. You guys are new here, so you wouldn't be familiar," the manager told them.

"Also a manager?" A youngster wearing a baseball cap pointed in the direction he'd left. Finding it hard to imagine, he continued, "That guy is a department manager? He looks to be around the same age as me. Is he famous?"

"Yes, he is the manager of the virtual projects department. A while back, Fiery Bird's sound effects department head even mentioned him. Back then, you guys were having sealed training and did not pay attention to entertainment news. That man is really impressive. The virtual projects department rose up under his watch, and he is the new star of music composition circles. He is so great he can even discuss terms with Director Duan. Back then, everyone shunned the virtual projects departments, but now they're finding ways to try and squeeze themselves into the the department. The benefits are great, wages are high, and the prospects are plentiful."

"Sounds really impressive, but we do not have much of a relationship with him. He is not part of the gaming circle," a short-haired girl playing with a gaming device in her hands said indifferently.

"That's true, but in the future, if you meet him around the company, do take notice," the manager exhorted.

"Got it~." The four youngsters agreed but did not really think much of the matter. Music and composition seemed too far away for them, and they would not be joining the virtual projects department. No matter how impressive the other person was, it did not really affect them much. At most, just giving way to him in the company would do.

When Fang Zhao found the film department's manager He Hao, he was watching a live broadcast of an interview.

He Hao knew that Fang Zhao did not know much about the gaming circles and thus explained, "2S e-Sports Club's ace Ke Zimo's popularity is on the uprise." Thinking of something. He Hao laughed. "This brat even slighted your department today."

He Hao told Fang Zhao about this morning's news. At that time, Fang Zhao had been at home for the installation of the game console, and had not paid attention to the news."

"This brat was not satisfied with Fiery Bird's choice of a virtual idol to be the spokesperson. He felt that they were the most professional and wrote a few letters to Fiery Bird's headquarters requesting a change in spokesperson. He felt that endorsement of a game should be done by the most professional and outstanding people. Seems like Fiery Bird's side gave him some slack, so Ke Zimo seemed particularly happy today. He thinks that the virtual projects department have gotten all they can for the last time and won't be so lucky in the future."

These few reputable e-sports clubs were no longer having sealed training. The reason for sealed training was to keep their training methods and tactics secret. Sealed training was for the teams to get used to the game and come up with methods to tackle things they did not understand. When they started their practice, the image would not have been beautiful, and if videos were released, they might even lost fans. Now, though, after becoming proficient through lots of training, videos released now would be able to stir up lots of fans.

In the New Era, there were too many e-sports clubs. As they were still mainly business driven, they need to guarantee their own strength and capture the hearts of fans.

Especially at this juncture that only happened once every ten years. From a business point of view, these e-sports clubs no longer needed to maintain their cold and indifferent attitudes. From time to time, they would release a few videos or accept interviews.

For example, videos of Big Dipper e-Sports Club's captain taking his team out to drive cars from the Old Era, or videos of BOOM's team riding motorcycles around the city as training.

And this time, 2S e-Sports Club and BOOM e-Sports Club had organized a practice match, and the event was motorbike racing. They had already spoken with Fiery Bird's branch, and when the time came, Fiery Bird would released a map on the public web for them to compete on.

And Ke Zimo was the main talking point of this practice match.

In the interview, Ke Zimo seemed very flamboyant. "It's just a common Old Era vehicle, more difficult to operate than modern vehicles, but I have had no trouble learning, and have mastered it rather easily. Actually, my house has a bike that is a replica of an Old Era model, which I have been riding for the last few years. I haven't encountered much difficulty in games."

The host of the program asked, "Why did you choose BOOM e-Sports Club as your opponents for the practice match? This is your first practice match after the pledging ceremony, right?"

Ke Zimo waved it off with his hands. "It can't be helped. Only BOOM e-Sports Club has professional racing gamers. The others are too weak." There was an added emphasis on his last three words.

There was no need to say what sort of reaction the other three clubs had when they saw the news. They were all termed as Yanzhou's five strongest, yet this brat actually publicly belittled them during an interview.

"You all also know that my other profession was a racer, and I won many youth racing championships. However, after I switched to electronic competition, I haven't taken part in these sort of competitions anymore, and I also didn't take part in this year's championships. Still, I feel that, on this level, I don't have any worthy adversaries. Even though I have not taken part in these championships, I have not stopped training for games. The vehicles during the Old Era were much harder to maneuver, but I am the best driver in my team." As he spoke, Ke Mozi lamented, "I really wish I could pit myself against the generation from before the apocalypse."

"If you had the chance to compete against the older generations from before the apocalypse, who do you think would win?" the host asked while laughing.

"Me, of course!" Ke Zimo flashed a victory sign toward the camera. The smile on his face was not the joking sort but a rather haughty one. He really felt this way.

"That little fellow is really full of himself," Fang Zhao suddenly said.

He Hao nodded his head in agreement when he heard Fang Zhao. "That little fellow is a little crazy, but he does have a frightening talent. He came from a line of racers and he has a dual profession. He really has the ability to back up his words, though. But mentioning the older generation before the apocalypse is a little lacking in manners. Obviously he knows that it is impossible for these older generations to still be living, so who can prove that he is better than them? Only his words?"

Fang Zhao laughed but did not say more.

The interview continued on. Ke Zimo did not feel like he had said anything wrong. He still continued emphasizing, "Actually, I feel that everyone should just face up to history. The older generations during the Period of Destruction have all been overglorified. All those mentioned in textbooks are too perfect and exaggerated. Just one look and you can tell they are all fake. Of all the videos that have survived from those periods, none of them have been able to prove the situations written in those textbooks. I am a professional racer, that's why I know best. Some of those things that are mentioned are really impossible. For example, the celebrated leader from the Period of Destruction Fang Zhao could ride a motorbike and shoot accurately. Even when he his bike was knocked down, he could still flip a few times, free fall 20 meters, and still land properly and continue riding. Isn't this all nonsense? Did they think it was a sideshow? It's simply an insult to my IQ!"

Fang Zhao: "..." little brat!

The host of the broadcast gave a forced smile. Many viewers watching the broadcast online also approved of what he'd said and left comments requesting that portion be removed from history books.

As the interview was ending, Ke Zimo faced the screen. "The model we are using for the competition is a motorcycle that Fiery Bird specially designed. The level of difficulty is really high. For all the newbies, I have a word of advice: don't bite off more than you can chew. Newbies should not court disaster and try it. When the time comes, just watching us will do."

Fang Zhao exhaled sharply.

Chapter 117: Black T-Rex

He Hao did not pay much attention to Fang Zhao's reaction. He knew that many of these people who shared the same name as martyrs were more respectful and worshipped them more; they did not like hearing others badmouth their namesake. Thus, being unhappy with Ke Zimo's words was normal.

"Those are the sort of people they are; don't lower yourself to that level," He Hao consoled.

"Yeah." Fang Zhao smiled a little, but what he was thinking about... he could not mention to He Hao.

Fang Zhao returned home from the office and checked the news. On the entertainment side, almost every entertainment media was reporting about the upcoming practice match between 2S and BOOM e-Sports Club. This was an exhibition match before the official release, and it captured the attention of other players.

Previously, Fiery Bird had released a small map for players to adapt to. Players who entered this map could watch from a bystanders point of view. They could experience the city and view the lifestyle of people from that period and various items that they used. And now Fiery Bird had released a portion of the map similar to the previous one, but the characters inside had all been removed. This map had been specially released for 2S and BOOM e-Sports Club's practice match. After this practice match was over, it would be opened to all players.

In short, 2S and BOOM, two of the strongest clubs, had collaborated with Fiery Bird's Yanzhou division to organize this practice match that benefited all parties.

The news also mentioned the racing motorbike that Fiery Bird had designed, "T-Rex." It was rumored that, in the game, T-Rex would be considered an "uncommon item." Every continent had a set limit of 200 units, and all twelve continents combined would not have more than 2400 units. Although it might seem like a lot, but compared to other items, this was considered scarce. Otherwise they would not have been considered uncommon. When the time came, obtaining one would depend on the person's capabilities, but before that, Fiery Bird would be borrowing 2S and BOOM gaming club's practice match to advertise their T-Rex and excite players.

The practice match was set at 10 a.m. on September 3. Su Hou had come over on the 2nd to borrow the dog and satisfy his craving knowing that Fang Zhao had a 10th generation Fiery Bird game console. Unfortunately, he was still young and had limited access to a lot of games, so he could only watch with envy. Every day, he could only watch videos or highlight clips of games.

When Su Hou left with Curly Hair, Fang Zhao logged onto Fiery Bird's public platform and entered the training mode. Here there were a few choices of heavy-duty motorbikes, but not the T-Rex model that was seen on the news. These motorbikes were surely less powerful, but for training purposes, they were more than enough.

Fang Zhao had not ridden heavy-duty motorbikes in a long time. Normal motorbikes were easy to obtain, but this was his first time using one since he'd been reborn. In the latter stages of his past life, due to the decline of his body functions due to injuries and illnesses, the research team had come up with a new model of vehicles, but Fang Zhao had rarely used them. Waking up in the New Era, these vehicles from the past had already been phased out and could no longer be accessed. Fang Zhao expected himself to be quite unaccustomed to it, but hearing the roar of the engine, a familiar feeling entered his mind and his senses started tingling. It seemed as if his memory had already coordinated with his body to the most suitable level.

Four hours later, Fang Zhao separated from the console, returning back to reality. His stimulated mind gradually became tranquil. Fang Zhao took a drink and walked to the window, admiring the beautiful glow of the city.

He had entered the game in the afternoon; now it was already dark outside, but the city center would never become quiet just because the sun had set. The winds on the top floor were strong and cold. Fang Zhao finished his glass of water, shut the window, and smiled as observed the excited entertainment news.

September 3, 8 a.m.

Lots of people had already opened up Fiery Bird's Yanzhou division's live broadcast in anticipation. Although it was just a practice match, viewership was high. 2S and BOOM e-Sport Club's fans were fervently stirring up the atmosphere, and some people were even betting on the outcome of the match. Fang Zhao noticed that there were slightly more people supporting a 2S win; they probably placed faith in Ke Zimo's many racing trophies.

Fang Zhao realized that, in the virtual projects department's group chat, Zu Wen and the others had still been discussing who would win at 11 p.m. last night. It seemed like they would surely be catching the live broadcast.

As Fang Zhao ate his breakfast, he briefly browsed through the news before he would enter the game and familiarize himself even more.

Today's entertainment headlines were mostly dominated by 2S and BOOM e-Sport Club's practice match. The other three teams of Yanzhou's big five were not going to miss this opportunity to evaluate their rival's skills and ability either. Even if it was only a single practice match, they could still gauge their rivals skill level by observing their proficiency with the equipment. A person who was able to use all sorts of equipment had the ability to survive in a world of chaos. This sentence applied in the real world, and it applied in games as well.

At Big Dipper e-Sport Club headquarters, the main team was all present. This was their internal viewing area, and it was easy for them to hold discussions here, as there were no other people from other gaming events.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Probably 2S. Although that Ke Zimo fellow needs to be taught a lesson, we can't deny that he has skills and is very talented. If not for the fact that he was underage ten years ago, we would probably have crossed swords with him. To become well known in the gaming circles so early, he should be worthy of the high salary 2S are paying him."

"I really hope BOOM wins. If that Ke Zimo brat really wins, he won't even need to wait till tomorrow to start belittling us again."

"It's just riding a bike and he is acting all high and mighty. Even if he can ride well, it doesn't mean that he will have the last laugh. None of the great generals of the founding era were race car drivers."

"... Seems like there was one who was a truck driver, the one from Jizhou."

"Wasn't the Jizhou one a discharged soldier before he became a truck driver?"

"He is still a driver and can be considered as having a driving background, I guess."

"Speaking of that, the Ke Zimo brat even doubted the martyr Fang Zhao. Luckily, at this time, people are more tolerant of this discussion, and the martyr Fang Zhao does not have any direct descendants. I reckon that if he had any surviving descendants, the brat would have been invited over for tea immediately after the interview."

"If he really had the guts, why did he not talk about Great General Wu Yan, who was even more overexaggerated in history textbooks? He knew that the martyr Fang Zhao did not have any descendants that would come looking for him. He might be arrogant, but he is not stupid. He knows which parties he cannot afford to offend."

Team captain Yi Yuan sighed. "What a pity."

Yi Yuan thought back to the words Ke Zimo had said during the interview. Many people online even joked that Fang Zhao's coffin would not be able to rest underground. Yi Yuan's history was decent, and he deeply worshipped the Yanzhou leaders who had left a deep mark. There was only that unfortunate one who did not have the luck to survive one more year. How would the Wu family have developed then? It was a pity, given the great circumstances that the Wu family descendants had, that they had not been able to grab hold of the chance and instead had internal strife after the founding era. Even if they were now slowly recovering their influence, Yanzhou had no way of hiding the truth. Many Yanzhou governors did not have the Wu family name. This was something that people from other continents would always use to poke fun at Yanzhou, but most of Yanzhou's masses did not mind.

Yi Yuan could only sigh. If he were good enough at racing, he would surely have participated in that practice match, but in reality, he was not good enough, and participating at this juncture would only make himself a laughing stock. It was better for him to honestly analyse the other party's capabilities.

At 9.30 a.m., the live broadcast started, showing the two teams that had already logged in, fans from both sides, and other players that had qualified for the practice match.

That's right, other than the two gaming clubs, 2S and BOOM, Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch had also released 100 spots. These spots were first released to high-level VIP guests, and the remaining spots were then released one by one to other players.

Yanzhou's five big gaming clubs all had high-level VIP invites, but this time, the other three teams were not taking part. Taking part despite not being good enough was asking for a beating.

In the broadcast, the backdrop was the map that Fiery Bird had released earlier. The starting point was a village outside the city. At that moment, it was already bustling with excitement.

There were a number of black heavy-duty motorbikes on site. Like violent beasts, they were seemingly full of restrained power. Half of the coarse back tire was exposed, and it was like a tyrannosaurus rex that was prepared to start on its hunt. To the people of the New Era, it seemed to harness a primitive and intense power beneath its exterior.

Electronic dance music was playing in the background as the tones of the commentators got more and more animated. They knew how to drum up the interest of fans and players alike. At the side, some VIP players were controlling their throttles and revving their engines. The roaring of the engine and hysterical shrieks from the fans created a noisy atmosphere.

The fans were seemingly in a frenzy, but there was still order. After all, they had also been selected with utmost care.

Due the map being specially designed for the practice match, the road at the start was especially wide. Right at the front were the teams from 2S and BOOM. However, it was not their entire main force. Each club had sent five members to be their representatives. They were clad in their e-sports club's uniform. Behind them were the other players who had decided to take part and had managed to obtain a spot and the usage of T-Rex. The players were in all sorts of their own attire. Some had on their insignias while others were armed to the teeth with all sorts of in-game equipment.

The dynamic electronic dance music came to an abrupt end and the entire site was silent, but it was soon filled by hysterical shrieks and shouts. This signified that the race was about to start.

With a loud explosive sound, the front ten raced off the blocks. The seemingly large and cumbersome heavy-duty motorbikes finally set of without any restraint. The rumbling of the engines unleashed a brutal energy. With a heavy discharge of smoke and large power outputs, the machines were telling people that, although the exterior might seem cumbersome, it was a two-wheeled racing monster!

Behind the ten, the other players followed behind in succession, but their competitive spirits were not as intense. They were just following behind to get a kick. Due to some of them not having enough practice or being too excited to properly control the bikes, they crashed their bikes not long after starting and immediately disconnected. This meant to say that, if this was reality, they would have already lost their lives.

For every crash, the players nearby were all affected and crashed out together. Although those players did not immediately disconnect, the impact of the crash was too brutal and both man and machine suffered damage. In the game, the pain induced was lowered and hence did not have such an intense feeling. Those few people no longer had any desire to continue following and so voluntarily disconnected and went to watch the live broadcast.

This practice match had a spectator view from all angles. Therefore, those watching the live broadcast could watch from the front, sides, and even top down. The cameras for the broadcast were mainly following the ten people at the front.

The people at the starting line were prepared to go offline to watch the broadcast when they saw a figure suddenly appearing. He was riding a T-Rex, and they immediately knew that he was one of the hundred players that had managed to obtain a spot for the race.

"Hey brother, you are late. They already set off. I'm afraid you have no way of catching up, but just follow behind and enjoy yourself," someone at the starting line said.

The figure riding the black motorbike nodded his head and set off.

The earsplitting roar of the engines echoed all around.

"Who is that?" another player at the starting line asked.

"Looking at his attire, he is neither from 2S or BOOM. I don't see any emblem either, so I have no idea."

"Who cares about him. He's definitely a player who came to join in on the fun. Hurry and disconnect to watch the live broadcast; there is nothing for us to watch here."

"Right right right! The live broadcast is more important. Who cares about the others."

Chapter 118: Who Is That Lunatic

Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, live broadcast studio.

"The practice match started?"

"Just started. Other than the ten people from 2S and BOOM, of the other 100 players that obtained a spot, 99 are already online... Eh, the last one just came online! Just now he wasn't even on."

"Don't mind it. After all, these people are just here to have a bit of fun. Just take it as giving VIP guests the benefit of having an up-close interaction with the clubs. When they come online or how they want to play is all up to them. All you people need to do is follow the action between those few people from 2S and BOOM closely."

"Understood, of the 110 people, eight of them have disconnected one minute in. All from the back."

"In a bit, the gap between the front and back will increase. Pay attention to where the cameras are pointing at."

"Got it... two more have disconnected. Only a hundred left. No idea how many will remain after five minutes."

"There will be more crashes once we enter the city. Got to let them suffer a little and not let them think this is a walk in the park."

"Eh?" Someone at the side was staring at the screen, flabbergasted. "That one at the back, so fast!"

"Which?" The few others stretched their necks over to take a look.

"This dot. It was in last place, but now it's already in the middle of the pack." The person in front of the screen pointed out a little dot. The map had been minimized and all participants appeared as bright dots on this screen.

"It's easier to crash when you are going too fast," someone else said. Everyone knew what he meant: the faster one went, the narrower the field of vision and the harder the vehicle became to maneuver. Racing along a straight path without anybody was fine, but when it came to speeding along turns and bends, it was easy to lose control.

"Another one at the front crashed, 99 left. I shall see when this fellow crashes and disconnects."

The start of the race course was flat and smooth ground, and the road was a straight path with not many turns. After a while, the number of bends would gradually increase, and the number of mishaps would increase alongside it.

Just as Fiery Bird's staff had predicted, 5 minutes later, from the 99 players, there was a sudden drop to 67. Those at the back were getting further and further away. They also probably felt no reason to continue racing and had voluntarily disconnected. As this continued, the number of players dropped to 51.

A few entertainment workshops saw this as a chance to increase their popularity too. Fiery Bird's public broadcast prohibited others from taking videos, so they could only take screenshots. Every time there was a crash, they would excitedly snap away and post it up, letting everyone know what the crashes looked like and adding commentary, making the crashes even more interesting.

When speeding along bends, even a professional race driver was faced with the dangers of crashing at any time. The screenshots kept getting uploaded, and they were taken from all angles. Included were the players who'd crashed out of the server, other players that had been affected by the crash, and which players had withdrawn due to injuries.

Even for those that wore professional racing gear or were armed to the teeth with all sorts of in-game equipment, once they were riding at high speeds, the crashes were too brutal and they would disconnect immediately.

To them, this was merely a game and the accidents were virtual; they took it as all fun and games.

Although this was just a source of laughter for the people watching the live broadcast, for people who had been professional drivers, when riding the bike, they already did not differentiate between game and reality. These people treated it seriously even though it was just a game.

At the front, 2S e-Sports Club's Ke Zimo and BOOM e-Sports Club's Olaf had gradually pulled ahead of the others.

2S and BOOM e-Sports Club's had a total of ten people participating, and they had pulled away from the other players after starting. Furthermore, as they were the focal point of this competition and were coined the "front ten," the cameras focused mainly on them. The rest of the players were filmed by a different camera, but as the race went on, of the front ten, the distance between the two professional race drivers, Ke Zimo and Olaf, and the other eight kept increasing. The cameras following the front ten were split once more, with a portion following Ke Zimo and Olaf's head-to-head race while the remaining members of the front ten had one other camera following them.

Ke Zimo was a braggart, but as a professional e-sports athlete and professional race driver, he adjusted rather well to this race.

At that moment, the race had been underway for 20 minutes.

One of the participants from 2S e-Sports Club who was last among the front ten had not heard any sounds from behind him for some time. He thought to himself, See, amateurs are just amateurs. You just can't compete with us professional gamers. Even if we are not professional racers, as e-sports athletes, there is still a gulf between us and amateur players, and we will crush you! Since the start, not a single one of you outsiders could do anything!

When they'd first gotten their hands on the bikes, they had still ridden carefully, but later on, as they got more familiar with the technique, they had been able to push themselves even more and truly harness the power of the machines as their intense competitive spirit showed. They were enjoying themselves and showing off at the same time, attracting even more fans.

But still, the one languishing at 10th spot was not contented. Ahead of him at 9th spot was a BOOM member. He had to overtake that BOOM member! In two more turns, they would be entering the city. The difficulty would increase then, so it would be best to pass before the city.

Eh?!

Why was there noise from behind?

And it sounded like it was getting closer?

Someone had caught up?!

Doubting someone could actually catch up, he grew distracted. Getting flustered, he made an error and went off a bend and smashed into a hillside.

The 9th place BOOM member heard the sound of the crash behind him and felt pleased.

"Haha, crashed!"

Regarding a member of the opposition camp who had been following him tightly and finally crashed, in his heart he was secretly delighted. Until now, the front ten only had one crash, what a disgrace! Later on, they could gloat over 2S!

But very quickly, the 9th place gamer's delight disappeared as he heard the sound of an approaching engine behind him.

How could it be?! Didn't he crash into a hill?! Even if he did not disconnect upon crashing, but even continuing to race, there's no way he could catch up that fast!

But if it was not the other party, who could it be?

Thinking of a possibility, the gamer in 9th place was unable to contain his curiosity and turned his head behind to take a peek. Just one peek and it was too late for regret.

From time to time, rocks would appear on the highway, they were rather large, and as long as one was alert, they were simple enough to avoid. Turning back for a look, he realized that the person behind was in default system attire and wasn't the adversary that had been following him tightly. He was surprised, and that rider was gaining on him at high speed. His heart panicked, and in those few moments of carelessness, when he faced the front once more, he realized that there was a rock in his path. He tried evading, but the bike brushed against the rock and skidded forward as the rider was thrown off.

Tumbling on the ground, the corner of his eyes caught sight of the onrushing bike. At its speed, even if the person could evade the rock, he could only continue speeding forward into his path.

Screech——

Tires revolving against the ground created an earsplitting screeching as the engine produced a roar that sounded strained. The sounds were more than enough to make anyone nearby disorientated.

The 9th place racer was still hurtling forward; his field of vision was all over the place. All he could see was a black shape brush past him. As if a spectre had ghosted past him, in a flash it was gone. All that was left was the rippling wind created by him.

The sound of friction produced by the tires disappeared, and the roaring of the engine gradually grew farther away. He struggled to get up and look at the surrounding ground. Beside him were only strange tire marks and the smell of burnt rubber.

Even though it was only a game, he could feel cold sweat dripping down his back. He felt as if he had just survived a narrow miss by the foot of a colossal monster and had somehow lived to tell the tale. His heart was beating rapidly as he stood there in a daze, his mind still not recovering from that scene. When he sobered up, he looked down the highway; the other person's figure could still be seen!

As for the people operating the camera for the live broadcast following this area, they forgot their original motive in that moment; their eyes had been captured by that thrilling scene.

Those online watching this feed were also stunned.

"The f*ck, who was the lunatic who just went past?"

"No... no idea, that that scene was just too thrilling. Just a little more and it would have hit... It did not hit just now, right?"

"Evading like this is possible? The bike did not flip over!"

"Did anyone see clearly how he dodged it? When I try to recall what happened, my head is blank. Professional screen capturers? Did you all manage to snap anything?!"

"Perhaps an e-sports club's main member went into battle without their attire?"

"Probably not. If it was from another gaming club, with his skill, there would be a lot of fanfare and he would definitely be wearing his uniform. What that guy was wearing was just the default system attire.

"Could it be a professional race driver who decided to play around?"

"Perhaps."

"That can't be right. At yesterday's public announcement, other than 2S's Ke Zimo and BOOM's Olaf, there were no other professional race drivers taking part."

"Then who was the person who passed by just now? Someone who came over specially to sweep the competition?"

"Hahaha, two out of the front ten crashed after being spooked! Looking at the situation, who is going to get the last laugh is anybody's guess. Now that there is one more mystery person, who knows how many more he can overtake."

Those watching the second camera's feed hurriedly called their good friends to stop watching the main camera feed of the duel between Ke Zimo and Olaf. There was a monster rushing from the back!

Chapter 119: What's His Background?

The practice match was supposed to be a showdown between the top players from 2S and BOOM, but lo and behold, a mysterious player had showed up out of the blue. The audience was ecstatic. Chatter popped up on different online discussion groups.

"Judging from the way he drifted during his turns, he must be a professional racer."

"Looks like Fiery Bird might not have been completely forthcoming on the entry list."

"That might not be the case. It might be a really skilled amateur. Doesn't the saying go: 'The masters hide among the masses'?"

There was all sorts of speculation online—and the folks at the Yanzhou branch of Fiery Bird were also at a loss.

They had a crystal-clear picture of the race. They had been tracking the mystery player since he'd surged forward, but they hadn't expected him to sideline two professional gamers as soon as he caught up with the top 10.

"We screened the premium VIP customers who won entry passes. There was no one with professional racing credentials. If there was, we wouldn't have missed him or her," said a Fiery Bird staffer stationed in the live broadcast hall.

"Then it must be an amateur professional." A so-called "amateur professional" was a highly-skilled amateur who was as competent as a professional racer or gamer but not properly credentialed.

"Is it possible it's a bench player from one of the clubs? Not all of their reserve players are credentialed."

"That's a possibility. In any case, let's keep watching closely. This is an unexpected surprise."

For Fiery Bird, the outcome of the practice match wasn't that important. What they cared about most were the viewership figures and whether they could use the appearance of the mystery player to advertise their spin-off brands. The company's technicians would also use the opportunity to test the game. The unexpected development happened to meet everyone's needs, much to their delight.

Meanwhile, the virtual projects department at Silver Wing was also abuzz with excitement. Zu Wen and company were tuned into the game but had missed the latest development. They had been focused on the duel between Ke Zimo and Olaf among the front runners. They switched views when they read about the mystery player in a discussion group. They switched just in time to catch the mystery player who caught up with the top 10 pass two more bikers.

"I wonder if Boss saw this. Let me give him a heads up. He better not miss an exciting development like this."

Zu Wen dialed Fang Zhao's bracelet, but no one answered. He kept getting a busy tone.

"Maybe Boss is busy. Forget it, I'll leave him a message."

__________

The number of viewers tuning in to the second camera grew significantly because of the mystery player who'd broken into the top 10, even dwarfing the viewership of the first camera, which was focused on Ke Zimo and Olaf.

"He's No. 7 now! Looks like he can still pass a few more racers."

"Remember the screen capture! Don't freeze this time."

The folks at Entertainment Workshop and other journalists monitoring the match started zooming in on the mystery player.

The loud rumbling of the mystery player's high-frequency motor kept viewers stimulated. The two marquee racers dueling on behalf of their two clubs also noticed the unfamiliar shadow catching up. They didn't know how to lose him. He kept on creeping closer and closer. After entering the city, the roads were clear of pedestrians and other vehicles, but they were narrower than in the suburbs and varied in width.

To make way for the practice match, many elements had been removed from this particular layout. Even though the road was dotted with the occasional parked vehicle, which made it slightly crowded, there were no other speeding cars or pedestrians. The players kept zipping along. All a bystander could see was a flurry of shadows dash by.

After another turn, the mystery player advanced to fifth place.

"He's so calm. He's barely made any mistakes," Yi Yun, captain of Big Dipper Club's first team, said while glued to the monitor.

"This one's a force to be reckoned with. The two players ahead may not be able to stop him," one of his teammates said.

Yi Yun thought of something and let out a knowing laugh. "We'll see. Let's see which two players are ahead of him."

"Judging from the lettering on their uniforms, in third place should be Ewski, the vice captain of BOOM e-Sports Club, and in fourth is Jabbar from 2S. Hey, those two sly bastards are setting up an ambush. Was this planned? So they could stave off surprises like this?"

"Looks like that's the case. This practice match was never a duel between two teams, but rather a performance by the two professional racers Ke Zimo and Olaf. The others are there to cheer them on and to prevent accidents. And now we have a situation."

While 2S and BOOM feuded fiercely in public—they were trash talking ahead of the practice match—if a third party threatened them, they would present a united front. The same rule applied to all of Yanzhou's top five e-sports clubs. Regardless of which of the Big Five were competing, if someone other than the Big Five showed up, then they would join hands and deal with the outsider first.

At this point, Big Dipper's team leader cut in. He was completely serious. "Stay on Jabbar and Ewski. The two of them are about to make their move."

The big screen showed the mystery player approaching, on the verge of taking fourth place, but he slowed down suddenly and veered off-path. At the same time, Jabbar seemed to make a mistake and flipped. If the mystery rider had stayed where he had been, he would have smashed right into Jabbar or his bike, even if he made a last-minute correction, but the mystery man looked like he had anticipated the move and avoided the obstacle.

Watching the scene unfold, Jess, the captain of HWR e-Sports Club, winced.

"A real pro! Great anticipation. No wonder Jabbar couldn't stop him. Jabbar will be able to say he did his job when he gets offline. He did his best."

Jean, the vice captain of HWR e-Sports Club, nodded in agreement. "We've lost another player. Let's see if Ewski can take him down. If not, it's going to be a race between the top three."

Just as Jean finished his sentence, the screen showed Ewski appearing to lose his concentration during a turn and crashing, ramming into a lamppost by the road. The crash sent the lamp post tumbling. A car was parked on the other side of the road. The top of the lamp post landed on the car, which created a low trapezoid-shaped barricade on the less-than-wide road.

Even though the lamppost didn't collapse onto the road entirely, the resulting barricade was enough to halt any forthcoming vehicles.

"What a dirty move by Ewski. Who knows how many times he practiced that ahead of time?"

"That's the kind of boldness a vice captain should display. He was much more decisive than Jabbar, crashing himself out of the game. Looks like he should accomplish his mission and stop the threat. Wait... he's not going to stop?"

The screen showed the silhouette charging forward.

The gap between the fallen lamp post and the ground wasn't big enough to fit a person or a car. A car would definitely hit the lamp post. The mystery person would have to stop and figure out a way through or take a detour or different route. Either way would mean a delay. In a high-speed race like this, a delay of one second would translate into a bigger cushion for the two professional racers in the lead.

"He's gonna hit the lamp post if it doesn't stop now."

"He's going to crash. F*ck!" Jess, the captain of HWR Club, who was glued to the screen, blurted out an expletive.

The silhouette on the screen flew off his motorbike, which turned sideways as he approached the lamp post. The motorbike threaded the gap beneath the lamp post, the sound of screeching tires creating a piercing noise that suggested burning.

Just when everyone thought the motorbike was about to collapse, it bolted upright again after clearing the gap between the road and the lamp post. The engine of the erect vehicle roared as it pressed forward.

"How is that possible? How did he do that?"

"If the motorbike had a little less clearance, he would have been knocked out of the race. But he... actually cleared the gap?"

"How did it not collapse at that angle?"

"I feel like he gave gravity the finger."

"No, I feel like I've been given the finger. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."

"This was not a lucky coincidence."

Viewers watching the live webcast were equally blown away. What they considered impossible happened before their own eyes. The game was a simulation of reality, which meant the player could manage the same move in real life.

Ewski, who was forced offline when his avatar died after knocking down the lamp post, scrambled out of the gaming cabin.

"Did I shut him down?" he blurted at his teammates.

His teammates wore a weird expression on their faces and stayed silent. When the sound of the mystery rider's engine from the live broadcast drew Ewski's attention, he knew he had failed.

Ewski went pale, as if something horrible had happened.

"What's the lowdown on that fellow?" Ewski asked his teammates.

"We asked around. He's not from the Big Five. We don't know anything about his background. All we know is that he's scary. He may pose a major threat to us."

"A professional racer? No, if it were a professional racer, he'd be credentialed. Fiery Bird wouldn't miss that piece of information."

"Too bad the guy has remained anonymous. All his personal information is blocked. We tried asking Fiery Bird, but they won't look up his profile just because we're curious."

Staffers watching the live broadcast at the Yanzhou branch of Fiery Bird were also curious about the identity of the mystery player, but the player's premium VIP status made them think twice. Even if he were a regular customer, unmasking his profile would be a violation of professional ethics. Fiery Bird had strict internal protocols in place.

"If we can't look up his profile, then let's check when he registered," one staffer suggested.

Out of respect for client privacy, they couldn't dig deeper just because they were company staff, especially if the client had chosen to hide his profile, but they could look up his date of registration.

"He registered from his console on Sept. 1. He only has one account, no others. It's his first time playing one of our games. A newcomer? Or someone who just met the age requirement?"

All Fiery Bird games could be accessed through a single user ID. Even though "Battle of the Century" had released a few practice platforms this year, Fiery Bird counted many other titles among its library. Folks who met the age requirement would definitely practice with other games before the official release of "Battle of the Century."

"Not necessarily. Maybe it's the first time he's playing one of our games and he registered with us for the first time on Sept. 1."

A premium VIP customer who'd registered on Sept. 1 and could deliver blows to two of the Big Five.

"Who on earth is this guy?"

The player might not have been physically healthy—he could have been disabled or infirm. As long as you had a nimble mind and superior hand motor skills, the world was your oyster if you had a gaming console. One of Fiery Bird's former CEOs once said, "Gaming is a window into a person's soul."

The mystery man was a shadowy monster lurking in the dark, preparing to bare its sharp claws.

"I have a hunch something is about to go down."

Chapter 120: Overtaking

"We are left with three."

"Never expected that we would have a three-way fight to the finish for a normal practice match."

The other e-Sports clubs were all watching the final struggles of this match. A few members that were training were called over by their captains to come watch.

Participating in this practice match were the 10 members from 2S and BOOM and another 100 who'd received entry passes—a total of 110. Now, there were three left. The others had already crashed out or were left far behind and had no mood to continue racing, instead going offline to watch. Especially for those among the front ten that had not crashed but been overtaken, catching up was too difficult, so they figured they might as well disconnect earlier and watch the battle in front. Therefore it ended up with only three players left online.

Ke Zimo and Olaf had set the pace in the race. The distance between them did not widen. At times, Ke Zimo was in the lead, and sometimes Olaf managed to successfully overtake him. However, the times Ke Zimo was ahead were more numerous, and he was now in a good spot to consolidate his lead.

Olaf felt a little anxious, but not to the point that it affected his rationality. He was older than Ke Zimo and had more race experience. Perhaps he didn't have as much talent as Ke Zimo, but he was hardworking and more steady. He gritted his teeth and pressed on, maintaining the 20–50 meter distance between them.

At the front, Ke Zimo felt rather proud of himself, but not to the point where he would forget himself. He knew that he could not afford to be distracted and had to continue maintaining his dominance all the way to the end. According to the map before him, he would be able to leave the city in approximately ten minutes. After exiting the city, the end point would be near.

At this moment, Olaf's heart started beating violently. He could sense someone catching up.

They were on a Y-shaped bridge. Ke Zimo and Olaf were on one road, and on the other road, a figure appeared.

At the junction where the two roads intersected, like a flash of lightning, the figure emerged between Ke Zimo and Olaf!

The main camera following Ke Zimo and Olaf and the secondary camera following the mystery figure coincided!

To think he actually caught up! This was the thought of all the viewers watching the broadcast.

Olaf was shaken by the sudden overtaking and nearly lost his balance.

Looking forward, the figure was wearing the default black racing attire, and Ke Zimo could not see anything special. Who the hell was this?

Not just Olaf, the still-leading Ke Zimo's heart starting pounding from the shock.

There is still a third person?!

Other than him and Olaf, there was actually a third professional race driver that had taken part in this practice match?!

Not possible. Fiery Bird had publicly announced that there were no other professional race drivers taking part. Then who could the person behind have been? If it wasn't a professional driver, could it have been someone from another e-sports team that had come to wreak havoc?

As a professional race driver, Ke Zimo did not make the same mistakes his teammates had made by turning back. Even if he could hear the roaring behind him and his heart was full of curiosity, he still kept his eyes on the road before him. Race drivers only had a forward; they had no backward! All he had to do was keep looking forward! No matter who was catching up to him, no matter where the party was from, he could only continue maintaining his superiority till the end!

However, the person that had abruptly appeared made Ke Zimo feel a little pressure. Although Olaf's strength was comparable to his own, as an old adversary, they had competed against each other many times and understood each other's patterns, but this fellow that had suddenly appeared was different. Ke Zimo was totally unable to determine his origin or motives.

Due to the sudden appearance of that bike, Ke Zimo increased his speed again. The opponent had been able to chase all the way till this point. If he continued at that speed, Ke Zimo would surely be overtaken. In order to maintain his lead, Ke Zimo had no choice but to continue increasing his speed as well. Even though, by increasing the speed, the maneuverability of his bike would drop and he would be more prone to accidents, Ke Zimo still chose to do this!

Because of this appearance by a third party, not only Ke Zimo increased his speed. Olaf, who was still busy chasing, stepped up his speed as well. Having already been left in the dust by the third party, if he was left further behind, he would be losing face.

The three shapes on the road sped along, chasing the one ahead tightly. The two professional race drivers and the one suspected professional driver made this race even more intense. At every bend, they seemed to float through at a slanted angle, giving viewers the impression that they were going to skid off the track at any moment.

Even those watching the broadcast began to feel anxious and excited.

"With that sort of vehicle in front of me, I would even have trouble lifting it up. Yet those three can operate it in such a manner. Even if it is only in a game, it is very hard to come by."

"Just like an artistic performance, impressive! Every time they head into a bend, I always feel that they are going to crash out, slanting so much and not falling over. If it was me, I would have crashed long ago."

"Those people, probably... mastered exceptional driving skills, like the folklore of car and man as one? It's as if they have achieved a boundary that normal people can never hope to surpass." Some fans revered as they kept their eyes fixated on the screens.

However, compared to the viewing masses, as people from the entertainment circles watched, more problems arose.

Big Dipper's captain Yi Yuan said, "Don't you guys feel that... that mystery rider seems to be playing around with them?"

Yi Yuan's sentence made the others momentarily silent. They did feel it a little, but their hearts were not willing to admit it. Who would operate the bike in such a manner just to play around? Isn't he afraid? With one lapse of concentration, his showboating could fail and he would crash.

But they had seen the mystery rider steadily overtaking bike after bike throughout the race, but after catching up, he had seemed to slow down and not overtake. Even though Ke Zimo had already increased his speed, they still had the feeling that the mystery rider could still overtake him. Now, though, it seemed as if he'd decided to follow Ke Zimo and Olaf and play around with them.

"Anytime now," Big Dipper's captain said. "The city's exit is coming up. This race is coming to an end. Now that he has caught up... surely he doesn't intend to remain in second place?"

Ke Zimo was feeling very vexed. He realized that he could not shake off the person behind him! Even Olaf had not been so troublesome!

Not just the viewers watching, even Ke Zimo had a slight feeling that he was going to be overtaken, and that made him even more anxious. Even if he lost to Olaf, he would not feel this way, but losing to someone whose origin was unknown, that was not going to be pleasant.

He did not bother to guess where this opponent had come from, but Ke Zimo's intuition told him that this opponent's aim was probably himself!

As if a penetrating pair of eyes were fixed on him from inside the darkness, ready to pounce at any moment. Ke Zimo felt sweat dripping down his back. He kept telling himself, stay calm, stay calm!

But as time passed, Ke Zimo was unable to calm down. Rarely was there anyone able to press him this hard. The only one able to exert similar pressure was his own racing instructor, but even the pressure his instructor exerted was incomparable to this situation.

As they got closer and closer to the city exit, the feeling of unease in Ke Zimo's heart became even more intense, until his sharp sense of hearing heard the change in the sound of screeching tires and the roar of the engine.

The opponent wanted to overtake!

Ke Zimo instinctively shifted his vehicle to the side to obstruct, sealing off the opponent's path for overtaking. He was not willing to give up the pole position and so chose to block off the person behind.

But in the next moment, Ke Zimo knew that things were going to take a turn for the worse.

The opponent had done a feint, and at the moment Ke Zimo shifted to the side, that person rushed past him from the other side.

In past races, Ke Zimo had used this method numerous times to overtake others, but he had never expected that today, at this race, he would be the one falling for it.

At that moment, time slowed down for Ke Zimo. He could only stare blankly as a black motorbike with no designs or insignias went past him.

No insignias whatsoever?!

Who the hell was he?!

The lead he had protected all the way... had actually been lost... just like that?!

At this sort of speed, one had to be absolutely focused at all times. Until now, Ke Zimo had done very well, but now, after being overtaken by that figure, Ke Zimo was feeling disheartened and beaten. So much so that he felt a sense of hatred.

Creak—Crash!

Ke Zimo smashed into a fence at the roadside. He was flung off his bike and tumbled across the road, but as a race driver, his reflexes were better than others, and he knew how to protect himself in the event of an accident. Even though it had been a brutal crash, he was still able to prevent himself from disconnecting straight from the crash.

Behind, Olaf had also made an emergency brake, as after Ke Zimo had been flung from his bike, he had landed in Olaf's path. Olaf knew that this was not intentional and it was only an accident, but regardless, with one crashing and the other braking, both of them had no way of catching up.

But contrary to what Olaf had expected, the bike right at the front did something. It's rear tire lifted off from the ground as the front tire stayed stuck to the ground and continued rolling forward, as though it was doing a handstand. Hanging in the air, it did a 180 degree turn as it rotated to face Ke Zimo and Olaf.

At the moment where the rear tire fell to the ground, it was as if a galloping colossal beast had come to a halt. The screeching of the tires and roar of the engines had stopped. This motorcycle coined "T-Rex" had finally ceased its engines, but the smell of burning rubber still remained.

The opponent just sat silently on his bike in the distance, watching them. The default helmet he wore blocked out his image, and there were no designs or insignia on his attire or bike to determine his identity. But the way that the opponent had toyed with them, this person was not to be taken lightly.

Olaf, who was still seated on his bike, and Ke Zimo, who had not disconnected after crashing but could not get up right away, were feeling nervous. Olaf had a feeling that he ought to lower his head slightly.

At this moment when Olaf and Ke Zimo thought that this mysterious rider was going to mock them or show a few rude hand signs, the mystery rider chose to disconnect straight away.

Chapter 121: Bullying Kids

"He actually went offline!"

"Then why did this master take part in the first place?"

"Aren't racers supposed to give it their all until the finish line? How come he went offline before he crossed the finish line?"

Folks watching the live broadcast were a bit disappointed. They were thinking the three leaders would get into a discussion or, better yet, start trash talking. That would have made for more exciting viewing. Even an extra word would do.

"But that 180-degree turn at the end was so cool! This guy is truly a master. Who knows who he is? I'm offering 100 dollars for the answer. Please repost."

"One thousand for the answer. Anyone who knows what this dude is all about, contact me in private. I'm going to become his disciple."

"So no one is curious what the folks at 2S and BOOM are thinking?"

___________

Regardless of what the folks tuning into the online discussion were thinking, the members of 2S and BOOM weren't in good moods. Anyone in the same position wouldn't feel great. The two clubs were hoping to build their exposure with a practice match before the official launch of the game, maybe act cool and interact with fans a bit, but lo and behold, someone had crashed their party.

Ke Zimo couldn't keep competing. All he could do was go offline. Meanwhile, it was impossible for Olaf, who was blocked, to continue as well, so he went offline soon as well.

After the end of the broadcast, journalists filed in a frenzy, as if they were high on crack. The fact that someone had crashed 2S and BOOM's party was big entertainment news. Someone had messed with Yanzhou's Big Five of gaming. This was bound to draw a lot of attention.

Some speculated the mystery rider was an amateur professional racer, while others said he was a professional gamer. Some wondered if he was someone who couldn't become a racer because of a physical disability and thus lived vicariously through racing games.

Several well-known racing teams in Yanzhou even took out ads offering top dollar to the mystery man who'd passed Ke Zimo and Olaf. Physical disability wasn't an issue. The mystery rider could join as a driving coach. His salary would be negotiable.

Folks in the racing industry kept probing each other to no avail. There was also all sorts of speculation in e-sports circles, which also led nowhere. The mystery rider wouldn't be identified unless FIery Bird decided to unmask him publicly.

Meanwhile, Ke Zimo was being grilled by his teammates.

"That fellow is definitely a professional. Either a professional driver, a professional gamer, or both," Ke Zimo said, wearing a sullen expression.

Anyone could tell that Ke Zimo was in a terrible mood. This was a direct slap in the face, not to mention on a live broadcast before an audience of tens of millions. Such a major face-losing event was a deadly blow to Ke Zimo, who had been confident he would win the race.

"I feel like he was targeting me," Ke Zimo said.

"Did you piss someone off?" Jabbar regretted the question as soon as it came out of his mouth. They all knew what kind of personality Ke Zimo had. There were plenty of people who took issue with Ke Zimo. Emboldened by his quick wit and gaming skills, this kid was way too obnoxious for his own good. He had sowed plenty of hatred. This time, he'd probably pissed off some big shot.

"If they had something against Ke Zimo, they could've just spoken out. There was no need to be so ruthless," another teammate mumbled.

Other teammates kept their mouths shut. They knew that words alone wouldn't ground Ke Zimo. Only concrete action was enough to deliver a rude awakening.

Regardless of what the club thought of the incident in private, they had to defend Ke Zimo in public. They were a team. Captain Xie He noticed that Ke Zimo was in bad emotional shape, so he signaled to the others to stop the line of questioning and then looked toward his deputy, Abu, who had just joined the group. "Have we figured out anything about his background yet?"

Abu shook his head. "Fiery Bird said he's a premium VIP customer who masked his profile. Out of respect for client privacy, they can't tell us anything."

Bang!

Ke Zimo slammed his fist on the table in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot and he was panting. He was absolutely furious.

"It's OK. Next time I see him, I'll definitely be able to identify him," Ke Zimo said while grinding his teeth.

Xie He glared at him. "Ke Zimo, you're losing it."

"My apologies." Ke Zimo was on his best behavior in front of the captain. As obnoxious as he was, he didn't dare throw a tantrum in front of the captain and his deputy.

"This is a good thing for you," Xie He said. "Don't think that you're invincible just because you perform well in training. There are so many masters out there. This was a single-event contest for warm-up and publicity purposes. It has no impact on the official contest when the game is launched. Just treat this as a lesson. OK, let's meet in the conference room for a post-mortem."

The players who'd crashed in the race because they'd been distracted started getting jitters. They knew they would be singled out in the meeting.

All the leading e-sports clubs held meetings to analyze the practice race, and folks in the racing community seized the opportunity to gain exposure, offering expert advice on how to negotiate turns skillfully. Stuntmen kept repeating the seemingly impossible moves made by the mystery driver.

Stunt drivers could pull it off, although it was more difficult using vehicles from the Old Era. The captain of a stunt driving team posted footage showing off the moves of him and his teammates on Fiery Bird's practice platform. Even though they weren't riding the T-Rex model featured in the practice race, their footage still drew plenty of viewers.

Hands off handle bars, backward flips, stationary spinning off the backwheel, drifting—all these tricks were replicated, as was the mystery rider's now-famous move of sliding his motorbike through the gap between the fallen lamp post and the ground. Viewers got a great fix.

The captain of the stunt driving team, at the end of the video, said, "What you're seeing is edited footage. More often than not, these stunts took 10 or even 100 attempts to complete. Take this stunt, for example, and this one." He pointed at two screen caps. Threading the gap under the lamppost and the front-wheel slide plus 180-degree spin had both taken many attempts to stage successfully. "Completing those moves on that motorbike at that speed is no small feat. You've gotta be a professional stunt driver. To be perfectly frank, for professional drivers like us, we either focus on our stunts and technique or we strive for speed in competitive racing. People who can balance both aren't unheard of, but someone who can push the envelope on both fronts has got to be a gamer. No one is that crazy in real life. Otherwise they would have ended up in the hospital already. Repeated injuries take a severe toll on your body. So my take is that the mystery rider is a master gamer."

As a professional stunt driver, the captain had great credibility. Other professional stunt drivers and race drivers soon posted messages seconding his opinion. In no time, journalists had picked up on the consensus of the racing and stunt driving community—mystery man was a master gamer who excelled at racing games.

Only in a computer game could you walk away unscathed regardless of how many times you fell. No bones would be broken. Your life wouldn't be on the line.

But it was still unknown exactly which master gamer the mystery man was. This became one of the biggest puzzles ahead of the release of "Battle of the Century."

After the practice race, Fiery Bird released a highlight reel. Viewers who had picked the wrong camera view during the live broadcast and missed out could finally see how mystery man had clawed his way to the leading pack.

Watching the live broadcast was one thing. Taking in the highlights was a different story.

During the live broadcast, viewers were most concerned with ranking, crashes, and overtaking, but watching the edited highlights, admiring the shadows zipping by against an Old Era backdrop transported them back to that period in history, filling them with an excitement bred by the mixing of Old Era culture and the passion of race driving.

Race tracks, old forms of transportation from the Old Era—today's viewers couldn't fathom life in the Old Era, but watching the race helped them relate. Back then, there were people who shared our passion.

The Period of Destruction lasted 100 years, and it had been 500 years since the founding of the New Era. Some 600 years had gone by.

Had there also been a group of youngsters riding Old Era motorbikes, zipping down the same urban track 600 years ago?

No one stayed young forever, but there were always young people milling around.

__________

After logging out of the game, Fang Zhao sat by a window to enjoy the breeze so he could calm down.

He saw the missed call on his bracelet and dialed back.

"Hey, Boss! Did you see the match between 2S and BOOM?" Zu Wen sounded excited. He was probably fresh from a discussion about the race.

"I did," Fang Zhao responded. Competing in the race counts, right?

"Hehehe, it felt really good seeing 2S and BOOM stumble. But we don't know who the mystery man who took down Ke Zimo and Olaf is. He must be pleased with himself right now, no?"

"What pleasure is there in bullying a few kids?" Fang Zhao said. He just wanted to teach them a lesson. He didn't feel cocky. Ke Zimo had a big mouth and needed a spanking. That's all that had been. Fang Zhao had already held back on account of Ke Zimo's young age. If he'd really wanted to go all out, he could've made Ke Zimo feel 10 times or even 100 times the pain.

"Bullying kids? That is to say the mystery man is a seasoned racing game player. Anyway, it felt good to watch Ke Zimo crash. Didn't he just mouth off in an interview two days ago? Now he has to eat his words. Right, I almost forgot to tell you. We just got word that Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch has invited us to a press conference. I asked around. They're having a few press conferences before the official launch to launch new ads and related merchandise. In any case, we'll definitely be receiving gifts."

"When is it?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Two p.m. the day after tomorrow, dinner included."

"Who else will be attending besides us?"

"We are attending as members of the Polar Light project team. Apart from us, there will be folks from e-sports clubs and the media. Oh, 2S and BOOM will be attending."

"Got it. I'll be in the office in the morning that day and head over with you guys in the afternoon."

Chapter 122: Who Do You Think You Are

Fiery Bird's press conference was the focus of the entire Yanzhou entertainment industry. All the invited media were large firms. Smaller and medium firms that were not qualified enough to be invited could only wait outside. Even if they could not be first to publish news from inside, news from the sidelines was good enough.

Unfortunately, they could only photograph the shapes of a few flying cars.

Fiery Bird's Yanzhou Branch was located in Qi'an's city center, a short distance away from Silver Wing Tower. But as a mark of respect for Fiery Bird, and to display their own status, the company had specially arranged for a longer and more luxurious flying car that had an image of Polar Light and the Silver Wing logo. On the day of the press conference, after Fang Zhao reached the office, he set off together with the other members of the department in the car the company had specially provided.

"So many people!"

Surveillance cameras were installed on the outside of the car. Those in the interior could see the images being recorded of the situation outside.

Outside Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, other than the media that were unable to enter, there were also fans. Those fans wore clothing that had the emblems and insignias of the e-sports clubs they supported, and some had certain team members' aliases printed on them. For example, letterings and numbers, or some used their full name. Ke Zimo might have suffered a defeat in yesterday's practice match, but that had not affected his popularity.

Every time they saw a car from an e-sports club approach, the fans below screamed and shouted maniacally. When Fang Zhao and the others arrived, the people from Transcendental e-Sports Club arrived as well. Down below, howls and shrieks were coming from the Transcendental fans. When they saw a car window open and a head pop out and waved toward them, the shrieks became even more intense.

And regardless of which e-sports club they were fans of, they were all Fiery Bird fans.

Fiery Bird was really the biggest winner.

Fang Zhao caught sight of the constantly changing images on Fiery Bird's Yanzhou Branch building. There were images of Polar Light as well as group photos of the other e-sports clubs and a few promotional videos.

Fang Zhao brought his members and entered the building. The staff there told them the press conference would be held upstairs but that it had not yet started, so they could freely wander about.

A number of people were walking about in the first floor hall. The interior was a dazzling combination of science and games. There were holographic projections as well as material exhibitions. The 1st to 10th generation game consoles were all on display, as were their past games and the motorbike that had been all the rage these two days, T-Rex.

This time around, Fiery Bird had indeed been the biggest winner. They had garnered a lot of attention, viewership had been great, and their peripherals had been publicized.

The previous day's practice match had let everyone see the debut of the T-Rex, and now Fiery Bird had even made a physical model. For this press conference, a physical model of the T-Rex would serve as good publicity.

The models of T-Rex were divided into two categories, the type used in 2S and BOOM's practice match, the racing version, and the entry level model, the street version. The two versions would be available for purchase at the same time.

The racing version used in the practice match was slightly different from the street version. The bottom was entirely sealed up, and its lights and reflectors had been removed. The tires were different, and its exhaust pipes, handlebars, and gearbox had all been modified.

This had been carefully made by Fiery Bird. The racing version had been specially made with the purpose of yesterday's practice match in mind and had been made using references to Old Era technology and then modified.

Looking at these models, yesterday's race had not just been to publicize the game but also to publicize the peripherals as well. The map released for the practice match did not have many interfering factors, such as people or objects, as they had all been removed all for the purpose of speed and spectating. That was why, other than a few obstacles on the roads, there had been no other loose items, pedestrians, or cars.

But outside of these sorts of professional race settings—on normal roads, for example—or when the game was officially released, the one used by players would be the entry-level street version.

The racing version and street version might have seemed alike but, upon closer inspection, the differences were rather obvious. The racing version was like a wild beast full of killing intent ready to pounce at any moment. As for the street version, it had a more personalized touch to it.

What about gamers who were too young to enter "Battle of the Century"? They were even too young to enter the training platform.

No worries, there was the model.

Fiery Bird never ever gave up on young gaming enthusiasts.

This models came in scales of 1:18, 1:12, 1:4, and all sorts of standards, and they cost between 1,000-20,000, according to the size or where they could be deployed. Made from an alloy, they could be controlled through a person's terminal. The biggest difference with those in the game were probably their power size. These models did not use petrol but ran on rechargeable electricity.

With even more convenient and clean energy sources, why use methods from the Old Era.

Fang Zhao let his department members roam freely. He would head to the exhibition platform and see what other peripherals Fiery Bird had made in the past.

Ahead was a quarrel between members of e-sports clubs. It was not really a quarrel of sorts, just a butting of heads and exchanging of words, poking fun at the other party's pain.

"Wait till the official game is released; it won't be that simple then. Don't tell me you think that you can ride like that once it is officially released? Everything you see on TV is special effects, and in games, they are all imitating reality. When the time comes, there will be lots of obstacles on the ground. If anyone can do those impossible moves we saw from the practice match in the game once it is officially released, I won't hesitate to call him daddy!"

Fang Zhao's footsteps faltered slightly, and he looked over in that direction.

The insignia's on the people gathered there showed that they were members from 2S and Big Dipper e-Sports Clubs. Ke Zimo was also there, but he was not looking too good, probably from something a Big Dipper club member had said. And the words that had just been said were from a 2S member.

Seeing Fang Zhao glancing at them, Ke Zimo, who was holding in his pent-up frustrations ,vented it out on Fang Zhao. "What are you looking at?!"

The others also looked toward the direction of Fang Zhao.

"Mr. Fang." Big Dipper's captain Yi Yuan recognized Fang Zhao, introducing him to the others. "Silver Wing's Polar Light project producer, composer, and a new star in the entertainment circles."

"I know him. We even bought quite a lot of products that Polar Light endorses. You know the one from Muzhou?"

"Four Elephants."

"Yes, yes, yes. That brand really is not bad. We are still using it now."

"Mr. Fang, where is your one-hundred-million-dollar curly-haired dog?" a member of Big Dipper asked.

The whole team had talked about this Fang Zhao person before, so they knew a little about him.

Hearing the words from the Big Dipper members, 2S side also pieced things together.

"Oh! That dog worth one-hundred-million belongs to him?!" exclaimed 2S's vice-captain, Abu.

However, as Fang Zhao was not part of the e-sports circles, their everyday knowledge of news outside of e-sports was limited.

Big Dipper's captain Yi Yuan thought of something. Looking at Ke Zimo he laughed. "Mr. Fang shares the same name as Yanzhou's leader during the Period of Destruction. Martyr Fang Zhao was my idol, so I have a deeper impression of Mr. Fang."

The matter with Ke Zimo talking about the Period of Destruction leader Fang Zhao and using his deeds as an example was known by everyone.

Fang Zhao looked at Ke Zimo over on the 2S side. "Not seeing does not mean it doesn't exist. What you can't do doesn't mean that nobody else can. Even if you doubt, when it comes to the martyrs, there should at least be some form of respect. Do take note in the future."

Ke Zimo sneered. "Who do you think you are?! Having the same name as a martyr and you really think you are a leader?" After all, the only people here were them, and there was no media around. Fang Zhao was also from a different circle, so Ke Zimo did not care much about him.

"Ke Zimo!" Captain Xie He reprimanded him. Turning to Fang Zhao, he flashed an apologetic smile. "Of course we have utmost respect for the martyrs." They could not afford being burdened with the accusation of not respecting martyrs. But they only respected the martyrs, as for other people... they did not have the right!

"I heard that Fiery Bird might cancel Polar Light's endorsement deal in the near future. I hope when that time comes we still have the chance to meet you here, Mr. Fang." Xie He smiled politely.

"No problem, I just have to swipe my card." Fang Zhao fished out a golden VIP card. It had been sent over together with the invitation yesterday. Generally, unless Fiery Bird actively recalled the card, it would always remain valid. The cardholder could enter the Yanzhou Branch building anytime. Even if he no longer had his status as a producer, Fang Zhao could still enter this building.

Xie He's face became rigid, but he quickly recovered. He then probed, "Mr. Fang also plays Fiery Bird games?"

"Yes, although I haven't played them for long."

All the members from 2S and Big Dipper present simultaneously had slight grins. In their hearts, one word appeared—newbie.

Hadn't played for long; if not a newbie, what could he be?

"May I know what sort of console Mr. Fang is using?" Xie He asked.

"10th generation 'Rhapsody'," Fang Zhao replied.

Ke Zimo: "..." I, your father, only use a 9th generation version!

No one bothered hiding their looks of envy and jealousy.

"You actually use a 10th generation?!"

"Can you handle it?"

All the 2S and Big Dipper members felt heartache. Because there was a limit on the 10th generation, in all these e-sports clubs, generally only the team captain would use a 10th generation. All the other members would use 9th generation consoles.

What a waste! Too wasteful!

To actually let such an amateur use a 10th generation!

"This is no wonder, then. All users of the 10th generation are given the golden VIP card by Fiery Bird," Xie He said. However his main point was not this. "Has Mr. Fang thought of selling the 10th generation? Actually, Mr. Fang, you just started on games; there is no need to use the 10th generation. For the new game 'Battle of the Century,' the sixth generation and above can be used. After all, using the 10th generation will cause a great deal of discomfort if you can't use it well."

The Big Dipper members also looked toward Fang Zhao. If Fang Zhao had the intention of selling, they would all fight for it. As professional e-sports athletes, they would always be inclined to using the newest equipment.

"Not for sale. I seem to use it rather well," Fang Zhao told them.

"Price can be negotiated."

"I'm not lacking money."

Remembering that the other person had a dog worth one hundred million, Xie He really had no way of using money to change Fang Zhao's opinion. As for Fang Zhao saying that he "seemed to use it rather well," that Xie he did not believe.

Looking at the time, Fang Zhao did not continue on. He went to round up the rest of his team, as the press conference was starting soon.

After Fang Zhao left, Ke Zimo had a sinister smile on his face. "What do you guys think, if we kill him in game till he doesn't dare to log on, will he stop playing?"

The others there looked pensive.

It seemed like... it made a little sense.

Chapter 123: Bring It On

Fang Zhao could not hear what Ke Zimo was saying, but he could at least guess as much. Having survived so many years during the end of days, Fang Zhao could at least guess what Ke Zimo was thinking from his few words and expressions. Back when he'd mentioned about the 10th generation console, the look on Ke Zimo's face had let him know that little brat had been planning something.

Fang Zhao did not mind the manner Ke Zimo had used when talking—he just took it as Ke Zimo being young and ignorant—but if Ke Zimo decided to continue being ignorant during the game, he would not mind personally teaching this kid how to respect his elders.

Once Zu Wen and the others gathered, they headed up and prepared to enter the venue.

"Mr. Fang! Please wait!"

Just as he was about to enter the conference hall, Fang Zhao turned his head over. It was Zachary—the engineer who had helped him install his game console—and another unknown person. This person seemed slightly younger than Zachary and seemed more warm. However, he had the aura of a leader. Taking a look at the his chest area where the insignia was at, Fang Zhao could see his rank and position. He belonged to Fiery Bird Yanzhou Branch's senior management.

"This is our Yanzhou branch's head engineer, Xavier. He wanted to talk to Mr. Fang about a matter," Zachary introduced.

Seeing the members of the Polar Light project team behind Fang Zhao, Zachary got someone to lead them into the hall and then invited Fang Zhao to a small lounge next door.

"Mr. Fang should probably find it easy to use the 10th generation console," Xavier said.

"It's not bad. Don't beat around the bush." Fang Zhao was sure the two had not brought him over just to inquire about how the console was.

Xavier laughed and asked, "Yesterday at the practice match... that person was you?"

Fang Zhao looked up at Xavier and Zachary. "Didn't you already investigate?"

"Cough, just a guess." Facing Fang Zhao's gaze, Zachary swallowed the excuse that he had prepared early and helplessly said, "We investigated, but we don't divulge our customers' private information. It will be kept top secret and nobody will say anything."

Xavier also gave his guarantee. "Confidentiality is something we at Fiery Bird have always been doing well. The five big e-sports clubs have all asked us whether we know the person in this matter, and not a single word has been leaked. Mr. Fang, you should probably know that the 10th generation has data transmission over to us here; it is written on the contract."

Fang Zhao nodded his head. This he knew. During the installation of the console, Zachary had also told him, and he had agreed. As the 10th generation console was a new model, it was a project that Fiery Bird saw great importance in. There was a limited number of 10th generations in the market, so to make improvements to it, they needed the data from these machines. This data was divided into many different parts, and every part had a specific list. One of these was the adaptability value with the machine. Back when Zachary had helped Fang Zhao install the machine, he had explained it. Not just Fang Zhao, all other users of the 10th generation in Yanzhou also had the same data transmissions. Of course, this was all handled by the user, but in the event of something abnormal happening, before the user even realized anything, at the Yanzhou branch, they would receive warnings and come up with countermeasures.

"On the day of the practice match, when Fang Zhao used the 10th generation, the adaptability value exceeded 95, finally stopping at 96." Xavier glanced at Fang Zhao from head to toe. "In the whole of Yanzhou, the only person who has crossed 95 as of now is Mr. Fang."

This data had given Zachary a shock when he'd seen it. He did not know whether there was an error with the data or he had really achieved such an adaptability value, so he followed the data and checked on Fang Zhao's log-in situation and found that Fang Zhao's log-in and log-off times were at the same time as the mystery person from the practice match.

A new user that signed up on Sept 1 and had a premium VIP status immediately on registering, and with the data concurring, there was only Fang Zhao. Realizing this, Zachary spoke with his immediate superior, Xavier. Xavier authorized an ID check, and the result was as they had expected.

Zachary felt that this was simply unimaginable. In Yanzhou, there were only eight players who used the 10th generation console. Of the eight, five were from the five big e-sports clubs. Five players who were at least at the level of team captain. The five captains were indeed outstanding, achieving over 90 during their first usage. However, until now, they had stayed within the 91–95 range. But during the practice match, Fang Zhao'd had an adaptability value that rose all the way to 96.

This was also the reason they had to check Fang Zhao's ID. Fang Zhao nodded his head, signifying that he understood.

"Thank you for your kind understanding. We will keep it confidential and they won't know." Zachary knew very well that if news about the matter got out, he would only be harming Fang Zhao. Those e-sports clubs always banded together. Yesterday, Fang Zhao had stepped on 2S and BOOM. If 2S and BOOM wanted revenge, when the game was officially released, Fang Zhao might possibly find himself surrounded by those crafty e-sports clubs and end up on the receiving end of some unsavory methods. They might even do something in the shadows. Which of the Big Five in e-sports did not have some methods?

"It doesn't matter if they know," Fang Zhao replied.

Xavier and Zachary laughed when they heard this. They just treated it as angry words from Fang Zhao, as he was still young.

Fang Zhao had not said it in a fit of anger. The reason why he'd chosen to hide his ID back then was not because he had been afraid of being surrounded but that if he had revealed himself, there would have been some trouble. The people finding him would not be little, from companies to media to e-sports clubs and more. With that, he might not even have had time to play his games. Before the game was officially released, he did not want to be disturbed and spoil his mood for games.

"Actually, for inviting Mr. Fang over, there is one more matter. After the practice match, Mr. Fang had submitted a user feedback form, which we have received and forwarded to headquarters. Half an hour ago, headquarters just got back to me, and we hope that Mr. Fang can join our 'Battle of the Century' game advisory team and participate in evaluating the game."

Zachary was impressed. The feedback and opinion form that Fang Zhao had submitted could actually make headquarters take notice and invite him to the advisory team and evaluation panel; this showed how much value his feedback had. Many areas mentioned in the form had gone unnoticed by the advisory team.

Inside Fang Zhao's feedback and opinions, he had attached cited material. Some information was more obscure, which not many people had seen. There were even a few hand-copied excerpts taken from resources during the Period of Destruction that had been preserved in the memorial hall. This was not a feedback form full of nitpicking. It had really hit the nail on the head.

Headquarters thought this little fellow was a talent, and he knew a lot about history during the Period of Destruction. After verifying what Fang Zhao had cited, he had been invited to the advisory team. In the "Battle of the Century" project's advisory team, he was the only person younger than 30.

...

Press Conference hall.

The invited e-sports clubs and media had all arrived. Fiery Bird's other cooperative parners had also arrived one after the other. Among these partners, other than Silver Wing's Polar Light project team, there was also a reputable toy factory that had helped manufacture the T-Rex models.

On the left of 2S e-Sports Club was HWR e-Sports Club, while on the right was BOOM e-Sports Club. Members from all three clubs were engaged in a disagreement.

HWR taunted that 2S and BOOM had humiliated themselves at yesterday's practice match. 2S and BOOM criticized HWR, saying they did not even have anyone qualified for such a race.

HWR's deputy captain Jean sat cross-legged, not looking over at 2S. She casually mouthed off, "That's right, at least we admit we are not good enough for that race. You guys gave your all and boasted. Where did that get you? Didn't you get stomped? Disgraceful! Speaking of that, the postures when you guys crashed were so cool. Our team saved screenshots of your crashes. Just a pity that you all were wearing helmets that hid your expressions. If we could have seeen your expressions, they would probably have been like this..." Retracting her legs, Jean's look changed. Her pair of eyes widened with a shocked expression, inciting hooting laughter from her team members.

The Big Dipper and Transcendental members joined in the excitement, seeing that it was not serious. 2S and BOOM's ridiculing of HWR also targeted the other two clubs now.

As they bickered, the lighting changed. The e-sports club members did not bother continuing their quarrels. People that were originally slouching sat up. Members of the media that were discussing stuff put away all their other stuff and prepared to grab the news.

The important guests were always last to arrive. Previously, the first two rows in the conference hall were empty. Now that the press conference was about to begin, these people came in.

Entering were some of Fiery Bird's Yanzhou Branch's important personnel, senior management, chief engineers, and advisory team. These people had seats set up for them at the front.

However, among the personnel walking in, there was a figure that was rather unimaginable.

Ke Zimo pointed at Fang Zhao, who had emerged with the group of people. "Why is that fellow sitting in the first row?"

The others also took notice.

Among the people who had entered late was Fang Zhao.

But as the press conference had started, they could not discuss it loudly; they could only talk about it over messages.

"How is that fellow able to sit at the front? Could it be that he has other backing?"

"Probably not. I remember, back then, when this fellow became famous, someone mentioned his background. He was just a normal graduate. I didn't hear about any considerable parties backing him."

"Lets observe a little while more. If that fellow goes on stage to talk, we will know what's up."

"Him? How can he even go on stage to present at this sort of press conference?"

"He is the person in charge of the Polar Light project team. Don't forget that Polar Light is still endorsing the game."

"That is why they should just dispose of the rule of virtual idols endorsing it. It's just tasteless!"

No matter what those who attended the press conference were thinking in private, the press conference went according to the scheduled arrangement: the new trailer of the game, explaining the background, announcing the release of peripherals, etc.

The captains of the five big e-sports clubs also represented their clubs and went up to say a few words.

Amongst the Big Five, the last to go on stage was 2S's captain, Xie He. During his speech, he mentioned that some media were rather mindful of the previous day's practice match. "We might not be experts in the single-event competition, and there were a number of issues that arose after that matter, but we are very grateful to the mystery rider. He showed us a few of our weaknesses early on. However, when the game is officially released, we will remain the kings of Yanzhou!"

Members of the other four—Big Dipper, Transcendental, BOOM, and HWR—all simultaneously said, "B*llshit!"

When Xie He returned to his seat, the Big Five started to declare war, arguing over who were the real kings of Yanzhou.

"Hey, that fellow is really going on stage!" a member from 2S exclaimed.

The others also looked over to the front.

A while back, when the host had introduced Fang Zhao, he'd said that Fang Zhao was "One of the eight users of the 10th generation machine in Yanzhou, composer of one of the background music pieces in the game, a member of the advisory team and evaluation panel, and head of the Polar Light project team that Fiery Bird was collaborating with."

"Also a member of the advisory team and evaluation panel? Didn't that fellow compose music? Why is he involved with this?"

"Now that it's like this, should we still do it?" Ke Zimo frowned.

On stage, Fang Zhao touched on a few points regarding the Old Era. Before leaving the stage, he said, "There are some people that are probably thinking about attacking me in-game till I become afraid of logging in. To such people, I have these words for them."

Fang Zhao looked up and scanned the hall. Although it seemed like a casual glance, it made the people over at the 2S area feel uneasy. How did that guy know they wanted to target him? Could he read minds?

"Bring it on," Fang Zhao said flatly. "As long as you all don't regret it."

Chapter 124: Boss, Don't Be Scared; We'll Cover You

"Whoa! This fella is real crazy!"

"Not even a professional e-sports athlete and yet he is so insane?"

"I thought that Ke Zimo from 2S was crazy enough. I never expected that there was someone even crazier."

Fang Zhao's words made a number of e-sports athletes present twitch their lips.

A middle-aged member of the media sighed. "That's just how youngsters are. I understand."

Outside the conference hall.

Zuo Yu was chatting with his old comrades.

When Zuo Yu had accompanied the Polar Light project team over to the Fiery Bird Yanzhou Branch's building, he'd run into an old comrade who was working as security here. After a while at the press conference, he had came out. After all, inside, Fang Zhao was with Fiery Bird staff. Safety was not compromised, so he did not need to follow. Thus, he had come out to catch up with his old comrade and reminisce and talk about their work experience in Qi'an City.

"Work here gets very busy. The game is about to be released and there are many crazy fans. A lack of concentration and someone will sneak in. Not to mention all the items on display, if any machine gets spoiled, I will feel heartache!"

As Zuo Yu's old comrade spoke, his hands went to his chest. He was remembering the incident that had happened a while back, when a fervent fan had broken in to steal a 10th generation console. The fan had been caught but had damaged a few displays, and the damages were worth several million. This sort of money was not a lot to Fiery Bird, but they would feel heartache! Although the fan had paid a compensation fee, all those displayed items that were considered works of art were destroyed, and they could not help but feel sorry. They were also Fiery Bird fans and treated every item that Fiery Bird produced as a treasure. Especially the limited editions from 40 to 50 years ago that were on display. These were all commemorative items and had special significance. Ruining one was the same as losing one.

"Especially during the period close to the press conference, other than Fiery Bird fans, there are also fans from the other e-sports clubs. We have to watch them and increase security. Luckily, Fiery bird pays out rather readily. What about you? Following a composer around, don't you feel bored?" Zuo Yu's comrade asked.

"It's okay. My boss also pays out readily, and it's not boring. This year I still got to visit Muzhou to watch the sheep-herding competition, the benefits and salary are good too." Zuo Yu replied.

"That's true, your boss does not lack money. I heard he even has a dog worth $100 million. Doesn't your boss have any unusual hobbies? I heard that people with such high levels of artistic sense are weird."

"You know, those that dabble with the arts are..." Zuo Yu paused, pointed at his own head, "different from most people. You have no idea what goes on in their heads. Nowadays, he spends most of his time at home and I'm not needed. However, my wages are never short."

Zuo Yu's old comrade sighed. "Then you have it easy, getting your salary without staying beside and protecting him, unlike us who are always tired."

"I am his personal bodyguard; of course I needed an opportunity to show off and protect the boss well. When he is protected well, only then I can take the money. When the boss is happy, he pays out even more. On account of the money, I would even protect him in-game," Zuo Yu said.

"You still get to play games and get bonuses, how great. Who knows, if your boss is happy when he plays, he might even give you a pay raise. I'm really envious, we still have to do shift work. You found a really good job. If you retire or get sacked, recommend me."

"Hey, are you trying to steal my job?"

The two laughed. Suddenly, the conference hall door opened, and the bustling noise wafted out.

Zuo Yu saw the message that Fang Zhao had sent to his communications device. "Alright, till next time. The press conference has ended, I need to send them back."

"My break is ending soon, so I have to get back to my post. Let's talk more when we have time."

This time, Fang Zhao was together with Zu Wen and the others and had left through an exit at the back of the conference hall. He had left a message for Zuo Yu, asking him to drive the car over and wait for them.

Because when Fang Zhao had went up on stage, a few media groups had wanted to interview him but were not successful. In the blink of an eye, he was gone and had brought the entire Polar Light project team and disappeared. Since they could not stop Fang Zhao, they did not waste time and turned around to interview others.

Xavier and Zachary let the interview be handled by the spokesperson and returned to the office.

Xavier still felt that Fang Zhao had chosen the wrong profession. "What a pity. If he had honed his skills as a professional e-sports athlete from a young age, all of the big five would now be fighting for him. Why did he study composing?"

"Such great talent. It is indeed a pity," Zachary agreed.

They had just understood from headquarters that, of the 100 10th generation machines that had been released to the public, only Fang Zhao had exceeded the value of 95. Even in all the other continents, the highest value stayed at 95. Perhaps the adaptability value might rise as the console was used more, but as of now, only Fang Zhao had achieved an adaptability value of 96, which was the highest.

That was why Xavier felt rueful. A young seedling with the potential to be an e-sports athlete had actually chosen composing!

Fang Zhao did not know the Fiery Bird staffers' assessments of him. He got Zuo Yu to head directly to his place, because Zu Wen and the others wanted to see the 10th generation up close and, at the same time, hold a department meal at his place.

Fang Zhao's words at the press conference were also circulated by the media, giving rise to resentment from a number of players.

"This amateur actually dares to talk nonsense in front of the Big Five?"

"Isn't he afraid of getting thrashed? Does he feel like the time he can hold on to the 10th generation is too long?"

"Who knows, maybe there really are people who would use these sorts of methods to make him sell the 10th generation."

"There is an old saying, 'The ordinary people are innocent, but a person's cherished possessions will get him into trouble.' If he is willing to sell the 10th gen, not only will he be more relaxed, he would also earn a large sum. But if he is not willing to sell, even if the Big Five don't bring themselves so low as to attack him, other people will also kill him till he doesn't dare log on. If he doesn't log on and doesn't play games, would he let the console rot away at home? When the time comes, he will surely sell it, perhaps at an even lower price."

"Now the whole world is hyping up the 10th generation console. Currently, its price has been hyped up to $60 million, and yesterday, someone predicted it will rise up to $80 million in the next 10 days."

"When the game is officially released, it might even cross the 100 million mark. Tsk, is the 10th gen really that great?"

"You don't understand, this is called style. Many people wish to purchase it. Yesterday, there were people mentioning that, of all the models that Fiery Bird has produced, this is the first exoskeleton-type. It is worth keeping it; in a few decades, the price might increase a few times over. In any case, there is no way you lose by keeping it."

"Anyone has the means? Sell your house or take a loan and get one!"

It was not possible to conceal him being the owner of a 10th gen console. That's why, from the start, Fang Zhao never intended to hide that fact. Recently, more and more people wished to purchase the 10th gen from him. Of Yanzhou's eight 10th gens, five belonged to the Big Five, and it was impossible for them to let go of it. The other two owners were influential bigwigs in Yanzhou. As such, if anyone wished to buy it, it would only be through Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had recently installed a blocker on his communications device, and that brought a little peace and quiet.

Luckily, users online had very short attention spans. In September, there were many more practice matches between the five big e-sports clubs, which stole the headlines. This time, Fang Zhao did not interfere. Just like people had mentioned, gaming was the main strength of the entertainment industry. The gaming circles that had been restrained for 10 years almost took up all the hot news topics daily. Even if it was not everything, they still accounted for half of the top 10 hottest news and crushed all other film, TV, and music celebrities.

Silver Wing had also launched their reserve dual profession gamers. Although they could not compete with the Big Five, competing with a few old rivals was fine too.

Very quickly, October 1 arrived. It was a weekend, and there were many people.

Fiery Bird's official release time was October 1 at exactly 12 p.m. in Huangzhou. Huangzhou's time zone was ahead of Yanzhou by six hours, so at the time of the official release, it was 6 a.m. in Yanzhou.

At 5 in the morning, the virtual project team's group chat started to buzz with excitement. Zu Wen and the few others had probably been too excited to catch any sleep the night before, but they were still very energetic.

Zu Wen, Rodney, and the technical staff were a bunch of sly and experienced gamers. Ten years ago, they had not met the age requirements and had not had the chance, but now, they could finally take part in this global feast.

"Everyone is rather early," Fang Zhao said in the chat.

"Oh! Morning boss!"

"Boss, were you so excited you couldn't get any sleep?" Rodney asked.

"I slept for seven hours," Fang Zhao replied.

"Boss, when you enter the game, be careful. There might be people trying to ambush you," the department's technical staffer Fu Yingtian said.

They knew that, after Fang Zhao had gradually built up the virtual projects department, only then had he spent more time playing games. Previously, he had only played a few shooting games, and this was the first time he would be playing this sort of large-scale game by Fiery Bird. When first coming into contact with this, it might be more difficult to control and might cause some apprehension. Furthermore, in the morning, there were people who had talked about attacking Fang Zhao, so they were worried that Fang Zhao's mood might be affected.

"Don't be afraid, Boss."

"Yeah, Boss, don't be scared; we'll cover you!"

"If they want to kill you, they would need to do it over my dead body!" Zu Wen exclaimed. In this sort of situation, of course he had to pledge his allegiance.

"I am here as well," Zuo Yu said. When it came to giving a favorable impression, there was no way he could be left behind. Pay raise!

"I'm not afraid," Fang Zhao replied.

"Boss, then what are your thoughts now?" Zu Wen asked.

"I thought of a tune."

All members of the virtual projects department: "..."

"Boss's brain is blasting BGM once again."

Chapter 125: Immortal! Let's Drink, Old Friends

To enter the game, one first had to set up an avatar and game ID. When Fang Zhao had registered a Fiery Bird account after receiving the 10th gen, he had thought of a lot of IDs, but all were in use by others. The username "Fang Zhao" had also been taken, probably by a player who shared the same name.

At last, Fang Zhao entered "AliveAfter500Years". The system showed that this username was unused, and so he confirmed it. In his past life, Fang Zhao had wished to continue living on. He still remembered the regret of not completing all 100 steps but instead stopping at the 99th. He just had not expected that, when he opened his eyes, he would have jumped 500 years into the future. The vacant 500 years that he'd skipped could only be understood through images. Although he still had regrets, at least he got to see the developments after 500 years. If all his old friends knew this, they would surely have struggled to survive 500 more years. If any of them were really still alive, Fang Zhao could still meet them. Unfortunately, this was only an impossible dream of his.

As for his avatar, Fang Zhao chose his current image and made a few modifications. Fang Zhao could not remember what his body had looked like in his past life. He just based it on his vague memory and made some changes. Then he added two scars to his face. This was now similar to his image during the later part of his past life. His height and weight should be similar to his current body, so no changes were made to that.

When Zu Wen and the others saw the added scars on Fang Zhao's avatar in game, they laughed. "We know that Boss worships the martyr, even imitating his two scars."

Fang Zhao also joined in the laughter but did not explain.

Zu Wen and the others' in-game avatars were not entirely similar to themselves. In real life, Pang Pusong was shorter and more plump, but his avatar was tall and imposing like a bodybuilder. Zu Wen's avatar was 80% similar to himself. Only, he had added on a flamboyant and explosive hairstyle and two weird curving whiskers on his face. The others were mostly like Zu Wen, using their base avatars and adding a few minor changes.

The members of the virtual projects department formed a team and entered together. Other players did the same; the members of e-sports clubs also formed teams and entered together.

After they successfully entered, everything before their eyes changed. A mild scene of the Old Era emerged.

Crisp piano notes fluctuated to the opening scene as it changed. Before their eyes were a few materials that resembled what had been introduced in films, so many people did not feel any wonder and just anticipated the scene quickly passing. They had a pressing need to enter the game and flex their muscles.

"I heard the opening sequence is two minutes long?" someone said.

"That's too long, why can't we skip it?"

"Let's just wait, it is only two minutes."

The members in the team chatted with one another.

Very quickly, the sound of the piano faded and became hazy. A drawn-out note surged, slow and stifling. Along with it, the low sound of a string instrument rang out, making peoples nerves fray. It was as if some inharmonious noises descended from a distant place, similar to people yelling and also to the sound of activity produced by other objects.

The field of view started to shake violently, as if a huge creature was rampaging below the surface. The ground below made slight movements that rapidly became violent. Deep fissures appeared as a large portion of land in the distance sank in. A flyover with many cars on it fractured as large buildings collapsed. The bustling city turned to ruin in the blink of an eye. In the distance, coastal cities were swallowed by tsunamis, and huge ships capsized. Meteors rained down as volcanoes erupted and dust filled the entire sky.

The vibrato of a string instrument being strummed seemed like the cold shivers a person got. The rumbling of drumbeats was like the large boulders crashing into the earth or a hidden sledgehammer, pounding away at people's hearts. The blaze of explosions emerged all around as the ground opened up. It seemed like a scene straight from hell; the entire world was finished!

A whimpering trumpet call carried a hint of darkness, and an emotional and gloomy string score played, showing the unceasing despair of a city that had fallen. The lifelike images coupled with the tense music battered the senses and produced a stifling atmosphere.

A segment of remixed electronic sound effects brushed across the ear, as if someone was running hastily beside, rousing the sensitive nerves of players.

The group of players that were originally talking had unknowingly ceased their conversations.

Faint piano notes slowly entered, as if it was an old man recalling all his fading memories. The combination of sounds and images showed the tragic world after it had been battered by that devastating power.

The field of vision started to broaden, cities shrunk, and tall buildings vanished. Displayed in front of all players' eyes was a reduced map of the world. The ground seemed withered and full of fissures. Below these fissures were flowing lava and blazes that threatened to burn everything down.

Its changes told everyone that, as of that moment, the Old Era ceased and the Period of Destruction began.

Still, the heavy string score continued; a few clear notes of the piano permeated in. The music also started reflecting two types of forces battling, one being the devastation of the disaster and the other a sort of unyielding tenacity in the face of such adversity. The tempo continuously increased as the pounding drumbeats and the music of both piano and string became more forceful. These two themes interwove as though locked in battle.

Small glowing dots like stars gradually appeared on the shrunken map. Every moment, new dots appeared, and some dots were extinguished. Some dots were bigger than others. In any case, the glowing dots were increasing on the map.

Every glowing dot represented a group fighting for survival. That was mankind's hope.

The acoustics augmented the entire image, and an oboe and a french horn alternated, like souls standing up from the ruins. The rumbling of percussion signified the graveness after the horrors, like the hell during that period. The process of refugees experiencing mortal danger and uniting together shook one to the core!

A momentary silence occured, and afterward, brass, string and electronic music simultaneously rang out, seemingly from the ends of the Earth. The harmony was extremely aesthetic, with a steady rhythm. It hinted at something magnificent.

At the same time, on the world map, starting from the two poles, in the manner of a sweeping tide, the scorching earth and wastelands subsided.

Players watching this understood. This was the period of change in history. Starting from the two poles toward the equator, mankind set out to reclaim their world.

Just as everyone thought that it had ended, from the remote boundaries, a faint harmony reverberated. A string medley split into a number of different parts. Other than the obvious high-pitch melody, the middle part, which was harder to discern, combined with the reverberating high-pitch sounds and became impossible to differentiate. The tones that were as different as heaven and Earth had seemingly closed the large gap between them.

It was like being struck by an ice-cold lightning bolt that spread throughout one's core, and one could not help but shiver.

The ground below moved once again, but it was not the violent shaking of disaster. This time, things were emerging from the ground!

Twelve ash-colored stone objects rose from the ground. When only the tips were visible, players who were familiar already knew what they were.

Huangzhou's Cemetery for Martyrs's monument!

Yanzhou's Cemetery for Martyrs's monument!

Jizhou...

Tongzhou...

Azhou...

Jinzhou...

Lazhou...

Leizhou...

Mazhou...

Xizhou...

Muzhou...

Rongzhou...

Twelve monuments!

The twelve largest monuments from the world's twelve cemeteries for martyrs rose steeply!

The murals and sculptures on them depicted a hail of bullets whistling past, crossing of swords, and slaughter, recreating the period of bloodshed that had lasted a century. The lingering fog was like a white blaze, as if they were the souls of the dead. With the epic backdrop of music, their determination never stopped burning.

This was not the hot-blooded fighting but the origins of the heroics during those times!

The music faded and the images stop changing. In the field of vision were only the twelve towering gravestones and the smaller gravestones behind them that were as plentiful as a sky full of stars.

All the players that entered the game had originally had their minds sets on explosions, guns, and killing, but at this moment, it was as if they had been doused with cold water as they all calmed down.

Facing the twelve solemn monuments and the numerous graves behind them, it was as if one had taken an icy-cold cup of alcohol—cold to the touch, but it warmed the body.

This was the message that Fiery Bird wanted to pass to all the first time players. It did not project just one form, but a whole entity! It was a period of history, a group of people.

In the 100-year Period of Destruction, the death toll was in billions. Great sacrifices were traded for the start of the New Era. The war that lasted a century, the degree of tragedy and bitterness was not something that people in the living in the New Era 500 years into the future could experience.

A lot of people were under the impression that the opening sequence for "Battle of the Century" would be a segment to stir up the surging passion of the gamers or a frightful scene reeking of blood. But in reality, the message Fiery Bird wanted to give its players was this: There were many sacrifices during the end of days, many outstanding and capable people died in battle. These gravestones served as a warning. So many capable people could not even survive. Can you?

The most powerful way to convince them was to let them experience it for themselves.

Survival was an attitude. Now, all the players standing there, have they prepared themselves to enter hell?

Someone recovered. Sighing deeply, he said, "I felt as if the opening sequence left me dumbstruck. Anyway, who called me just now?"

"Nobody, I didn't hear anyone. In any case, it wasn't me," his team member said.

Other members also voiced out in succession.

"I didn't call you either."

"Was it your imagination?"

"I... I think I also... also heard someone calling me..." a timid voice said.

"When?" someone asked.

"At the time when the gravestones were rising up."

"You?" The question was directed at the last person to voice out.

"...Me too."

A chorus of air exhaling could be heard. "Ssssssss."

"Recalling back, when the gravestones were rising, it did feel like there were human voices from behind," a member of the team hesitantly said.

"Now that you mentioned it, I think I felt the same way just now."

"Seen a ghost?"

"D*mnit! Stop talking about this, I'm starting to get goosebumps!"

A bolder member poked fun at the others. "HAHA, do you have that little guts? Are you guys afraid?"

"I'm not scared, it just... just feels strange. There are some shivers, yet there is some excitement. I don't know how to describe this feeling."

Actually, similar dialogues happened in many teams.

Some teams had members who were music students that had studied symphonic structures before. They had joined their friends and entered the game. One reason was to kill time, and the other reason was to listen to this year's Fiery Bird's game's background music for the opening sequence. Yesterday, his classmates that studied music were already discussing which great master had composed the background music for the opening sequence. Teachers had also mentioned before that the opening tune from Fiery Bird's previous game ten years ago had been taken and used as an examination topic. Who knew whether it would happen for this year's opening sequence's background music. Thus, they were listening to it even more seriously.

Music was a component of a game's soul. Only those companies that did not take manufacturing seriously would skimp on this. Companies that were completely devoted to manufacturing games, such as Fiery Bird, would be willing to put a lot of effort in the music.

Many composers were anxious to prove themselves but, in the end, had been refused to be seen by Fiery Bird. Those that were invited were reputable people within the circle, and the piece that was finally chosen would have to beat at least ten other pieces by famed masters. The background music of the opening sequence was of utmost importance. These music students would naturally not let it slip by. Because of the simultaneous release worldwide, time zones were different. In some places it was in the wee hours, so some had set alarms to get up in the middle of the night to log on. Others had simply stayed up because they had to experience it for themselves immediately.

Those in the industry had reflexively begun to analyze it after hearing it. Many people who had studied music knew that, when depicting disasters in movies or documentaries, music was used to achieve a larger and more shocking impact, often using incompatible harmonies and combinations that would provoke the sense of hearing. But mainstream studios used electronic remixes as their main form, and even if it was orchestral music, many used electronics to imitate the sounds, thus using these sorts of techniques to manufacture music that can batter the audio-visual senses.

But the opening tune was classical yet modern, a fusion of musical instruments and electronic music. The musical style was different from the music of those disaster movies, but it still built up the same shock and effect of provoking the senses!

To be able to perfectly make it work, this was no easy skill. Definitely not a youngster...

That was not right; to be able to mix classical and modern and blend electronic music with traditional musical instruments so perfectly, the manner and the shocking intensity it had was not weak at all.

They all remembered a person. The one who had started a new wave of people being interested in symphonic structures.

Professionals in this field with interest in symphonies had all heard Fang Zhao's four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction," and the music from the opening sequence made them remember the third movement in the series, "Mission." But these two pieces were entirely different. The core of the former was "movement," like the dazzling flames from the dynamic explosions, whereas the latter's theme was "calm," like the spirit fires within the gravestones, quiet yet brave.

"Fang Zhao? Is it him?"

This was what many music professionals were thinking.

However, the pure game players would not take notice of this. Although they might have calmed down after the opening sequence and music, they were still eagerly anticipating the game. However, this time, their vigilance had been raised. Especially the experienced members of the e-sports clubs. They might not have been reliable elsewhere, but when it came to games, they had keen perception.

"Following this might be an arduous journey."

Over at the virtual projects department's side, Zu Wen and a few others who had been excitedly hooting a moment ago had become quiet too. They were also aware of the message that Fiery Bird were trying to transmit.

Zuo Yu shivered a little. When he saw the opening sequence and heard the background music, he felt uneasy. He knew that the background music had been composed by Fang Zhao, and as Fang Zhao's bodyguard, he had been with Fang Zhao through the entire journey of gathering materials. Now he finally understood why Fang Zhao had gone to the cemeteries to gather materials, because for Fiery Bird's opening sequence, the finishing touches were the gravestones!

How many hot-headed people could be subdued?

However, whatever Fiery Bird did, there was always a motive. Zuo Yu had also detected the message. The going was going to get tough.

"Boss, ready to go in?"

The others all looked at Fang Zhao.

The entrance into the game was at the bottom of the twelve gravestones.

"Wait a moment," Fang Zhao said.

Before entering, there was actually a choice. Whether to enter straight away or choose to pay one's respects before entering.

Impatient people would choose to enter straight away. As for others that wished for the martyrs to bless them with good fortune, they would choose to pay their respects. In their group, some wished to enter straight away, and some wished to pay their respects, but ultimately they all looked toward Fang Zhao. They had chosen to enter as a group. If they were to enter, they would do it together.

Hearing Fang Zhao say "Wait a moment," they all knew which choice he had made.

"Makes sense. Boss respects the martyrs very much," Rodney said.

Fang Zhao did not speak, glancing at the twelve gravestones ahead. He had visited each of their originals. Compared to other people, he felt differently when it came to these gravestones.

After the opening sequence had ended, only the area they were at was lit up. Elsewhere in the distance had become dark. And just like in the worship district back then, behind the giant gravestones were countless smaller tombstones that seemed like the reflection of stars on the surface of water.

With wine, there is no difference between heaven and Earth. Let's drink, old friends!

As per the previous time, Fang Zhao chose alcohol as an offering.

Long time no see, the world I once had.

Zuo Yu eyed Fang Zhao, not knowing whether he was imagining things, but he always felt that the expression in Fang Zhao's eyes when he was paying his respects was a little frightening.

The others were also very curious about Fang Zhao's worship method. They wanted to follow that method and pay their respects, but they were stopped by Fang Zhao. In the end, they all used their own accustomed methods to pay their respects.

Zu Wen even threw in a few bows. As he paid his respects, he said, "May every martyr bless me. Don't let me be too unlucky, don't let me die of hunger..."

After a few long-winded sentences, the team formally entered the game.

As a team, they were all randomly assigned to a place.

Zuo Yu looked at his surroundings. "Warehouse?"

This was a warehouse for junk items. It was quite empty, and it seemed like someone had rummaged through it. A few cases for storing junk items had been flipped over.

"We get guns right at the start?" Checking his equipment on hand, Zu Wen realized he now had a gun. "This should be Fiery Bird's so-called welcome present, right?"

Yesterday, Fiery Bird headquarters had announced online that "There will be a small present for everyone at the launch of the game. We hope everyone will like it."

"It will be good if we get a gun, hehe."

"How do I only have a knife and no gun."

"Mine is a gun."

"This gun is too old."

"With these little bullets, what can we even kill?"

A standard police issue handgun from the Old Era—according to its model, one magazine held about 15 to 20 bullets. That was not a lot; this would be troublesome.

"Don't tell me there might be items hidden in other places?"

Zu Wen, Rodney and a few others discussed searching the other areas of this warehouse.

"Lower your voices," Fang Zhao said.

Zu Wen laughed and replied, "Got it, got it. Boss, your nerves are getting the better of you. It's just a game; what matters is that we have fun. Don't be so solemn. After all, we have three lives." He listened cautiously and did not hear any suspicious sounds in their surroundings. The few technicians had played games together for a long time and knew how to coordinate and warn each other. Furthermore, when they played shooting games, their roars and cries were even louder. Since it was their first time playing a Fiery Bird game, they were too excited. They wanted to enjoy it first.

After all, it was a game, and things did not happen according to reality here. Upon entering the game, players had three lives, but after those three lives had been used up, their next death would cause them to be barred for a week before they could re-enter. Of course, lives could be bought with money, but only after the second day would players be able to log in once more. This was the strictest Fiery Bird had ever been regarding the value of lives in their games.

In short, the three lives let Zu Wen and the others feel relaxed. They could continue playing even after dying once.

Fang Zhao wanted to check the surroundings but was stopped by Zu Wen and the others. "Boss, just take a seat here. Let us handle the scavenging." They had to look after their leader well.

Zuo Yu stood guard besides Fang Zhao and nodded. "Yeah, Boss, you just sit over here. Let them go search for food, don't worry. If any bandits or savage beasts or whatever come along, I will take care of them."

"There's a small kitchen over here!" At the back, someone had entered a room.

"Eh? Is this a decompressor from the Old Era?"

"No, I remember from the information given, this is the Old Era's microwave."

Fang Zhao listened to the other's discussion and reminded them, "I advise you guys make as little noise as possible."

The few over there were probably too excited and did not make much of it.

Fang Zhao did not continue nagging. He quietly sat on a box nailed to the floor.

Zuo Yu wanted to say, "Boss, don't be too nervous," but Fang Zhao was facing the steel door in front of them, seemingly deep in thought, so Zuo Yu did not say it out loud. He kept thinking that, after the boss had entered the game, there was something slightly wrong with his state of mind. The expressions in his eyes seemed very penetrating, but maybe it was just the two scars on his face.

Chapter 126: If You Don't Listen to Your Elders, Log Off and Wai

In the small kitchen behind them, Zu Wen and the others were very interested in all the Old Era cooking utensils. At this age, most of them had played a Fiery Bird game before, but this was the first time they had entered a game on its release date.

After they'd come of age, they had been able to formally log into the game, but by then, there had been lots of strategy guides, and basically all they'd done was play according to others' past experiences. It was not particularly stimulating, but now they could only fumble around themselves. This sort of experience was a novelty for people who liked games. Even if they had previously played other games based on the Period of Destruction, none of those could compare with this Fiery Bird version with its attention to detail.

Zu Wen found an egg after rummaging through the kitchen. Because the Old Era's microwave was very intriguing, he placed the egg in to play around with it.

"Is there electricity?"

"Yeah."

"What else do you have to set up? Why isn't it automated? How troublesome."

"Hmm, I should just randomly pick one."

"This one... Whoa! the machine is starting to revolve!"

Zu Wen and the others surrounded the front of the microwave, their heads all gathered together as they watched the egg spinning around inside, as if it was a rare sight.

Zhang Yu and Fu Yingtian, who were in charge of standing guard could not contain their curiosity and looked over.

"Doesn't seem like there are any changes."

The words had just left the lips when there was a "BANG," scaring the few of them into taking a step back.

"Ex-ex-exploded?

"Why did this egg explode when placed inside? Was it from incorrect usage? Song Miao, don't tell me I used it wrongly?"

Song Miao did not understand either. "Perhaps. I have never used such an appliance either."

Zu Wen had even gotten addicted to playing with it. "Let's look for other stuff to test it out!"

"Look around and see if there is anything else."

"Eh, there are fish here!"

Outside, Fang Zhao, who was sitting on a box in the warehouse, let out a deep sigh. He felt like hitting someone.

Zuo Yu who was guarding Fang Zhao diligently, also could not help but cast a few curious glances over. He was also very curious toward the things from the Old Era. Other than the game letting everyone experience the background of the Period of Destruction, it also satiated the curiosity everyone had of the Old Era.

Therefore, now that Zuo Yu heard the activity over that side, there was a slight itch in his heart.

"Arghh!" A loud shout broke the cheerful atmosphere in the kitchen.

"F*ck me! Your father got bitten by a fish!" Zu Wen shouted.

A series of banging sounds were heard from the back of the kitchen.

"Enough, Pang Pusong, it's no longer moving."

"It's dead?"

"Did you get any experience points?"

"I gained 0.5 points."

The others felt a little sorry when they heard this. "Only 0.5 points?"

"I'm finished," Zu Wen wailed.

The few of them once again came in front of Fang Zhao. The one making the decisions in the team was still Fang Zhao. If anything happened, they made sure to inform him first.

Rodney briefly explained what had happened to Fang Zhao.

It turned out that, as Zu Wen had been searching for something else to play with, he'd seen a bucket in the corner that was covered. Expecting something inside, he had warily removed the lid and found the bucket filled with water, with two palm-sized fish inside. One was floating upside down, not moving at all—evidently, it was dead. The other was swimming about feebly. Just at the moment when Zu Wen let his guard down, the fish that originally looked weak suddenly leaped out of the bucket and bit Zu Wen. It happened so quickly that Zu Wen couldn't avoid it and got a little cut on his hand.

The fish that had leapt out was flopping around on the floor. Pang Pusong had taken an iron rod behind the kitchen door and bludgeoned that fish to death, receiving 0.5 experience points. As for Zu Wen, who had received the cut, he realized that on his status was displayed "infected." He wanted to cry immediately but was unable to do so.

As time passed, his "infected" value would keep increasing. When it reached a certain critical point, he would lose control of himself and, just like those infected organisms, would attack his own teammates.

"You guys don't have to worry. I will settle this myself!" Zu Wen expertly tooked out his gun and pointed it at his own head. "Comrades! Wait for me. In half an hour's time, I will surely bring back some strategies, believe me!"

Zu Wen was regretful. He had been too careless just now. He had never expected this to be more treacherous and cunning than all the games he had ever played. A bite from an unremarkable fish could actually force him to disconnect, that was so humiliating!

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

Zu Wen disappeared from his spot.

Fang Zhao closed his eyes and did not say anything. Seeing Fang Zhao not looking so good, the others did not utter a single word.

"You guys..." Fang Zhao opened his eyes.

"Boss, what are your orders?" The few of them were more well-behaved now. They realized that the few of them had been too foolish a while ago and had probably made their boss unhappy.

"Log off and wait," Fang Zhao said.

"..." The few of them looked over at Fang Zhao, trying to determine whether he was joking.

"Log off and cool your heads for half an hour before coming back."

"...Oh."

This was to let them go offline and reflect, just like facing the wall after doing something wrong.

As a few members exchanged glances, Rodney hesitantly asked Fang Zhao, "Boss, when we are gone, what will happen to you?"

"Zuo Yu is here."

Since Fang Zhao had already given them instructions, it was best to obediently head offline and not anger their boss any further, in case he deducted their wages. After all, Fang Zhao only wanted them to disconnect and reflect on their actions. In half an hour, they could log back in with Zu Wen, perhaps even with the latest strategies to share with everyone.

"Pang Pusong," Fang Zhao called out, "pass me the iron rod."

"... Oh, sure!" Pang Pusong respectfully handed over the iron rod and compliantly disconnected. He had always listened to Fang Zhao.

After the others had also disconnected, only Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu were left in the warehouse.

Zuo Yu thought for a bit and felt he needed to say something. "We are not a professional team, after all, and are just having fun. The others are just too curious; you don't have to be frustrated over such small matters."

"I know."

As Fang Zhao did not seem to want to chat, Zuo Yu did not continue. He just did not understand why Fang Zhao still continued sitting there, not going off to look for food or other stuff?

Suddenly, Zuo Yu's expression changed and he faced a certain direction. He could hear the sounds of gunshots, and there were continuously firing. The sounds did not seem close, but they did not seem especially far either. Most likely, some players in the vicinity had run into a situation.

Had something come along?

He tilted his head, intending to advise Fang Zhao to find a place to hide, but he saw that Fang Zhao's hand that was gripping the iron rod was trembling.

Is this fear? Zuo Yu snickered mentally. Fang Zhao was only 20-plus, and his gaming history was also lesser than most. He had acted so impressively a while ago, but now he exposed his true nature? Actually admitting he was afraid was no big deal; it would not displace his position as the department's boss. Such determination to save his own face!

Could it be that Fang Zhao had known he would be frightened and thus took advantage of Zu Wen's situation to get rid of the others and try and adapt by himself?

The more Zuo Yu pondered, the more he felt this was the case.

But some words just had to be said.

"Boss, I hear footsteps approaching and some roaring. It's not just one, and it's not human. It might be a savage beast. Do you want to head to the kitchen and hide?

"No need."

"Don't worry boss, I'm here. Later on, you just have to stay behind my back. If the situation doesn't look too good, you disconnect first."

Zuo Yu did not hear Fang Zhao's answer, but he did not continue asking. He attentively watched the warehouse's steel door.

With his back to Fang Zhao, Zuo Yu didn't see that, as the footsteps and roars got closer, Fang Zhao's hand that was gripping the iron rod trembled less and less. At the moment when the footsteps stopped outside the steel door, his trembling ceased.

Fang Zhao could hear own heartbeats as though they were drumbeats, and he could hear his blood flowing as if it was a surging river. He was not afraid. Rather, he was fired up.

Perhaps the functions of the 10th gen console were really too good. Even the imitated smells were 70% real.

Everytime he took a breath, he could smell the foul air reeking of blood. It was as if that period from long ago in his memory had all lumped together. All the feelings and sentiments he had suppressed since his rebirth seemed like they had found an exit and were about to erupt.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The figures that had appeared in front of the steel door roared and smashed into the door forcefully. The iron chain that kept the steel door locked kept creaking.

Figures glistening with fresh blood on their bodies could be seen through the slit in the door. Their deep-red eyeballs peeked through the gap at the two men in the warehouse as putrid and thick saliva dripped from the tip of their teeth.

During the beginning of the Period of Destruction, due to the sudden disaster, many species, including humans, had experienced mutations. Regardless of whether they were flying or lived in the water, not a single one had been spared.

The mutations had caused them to lose rationality and had warped their temperaments. Some had gradually died out from the mutations, while others had transformed or evolved from their base state, becoming destructive and stronger savage beasts. These beasts only lived for blood and slaughter and had an intense desire to attack humans or other organisms.

Many organisms that had not mutated experienced massacres. The number of species that became extinct during the Period of Destruction was uncountable. Bones or a hard-to-come-back specimen of an Old Era creature that had managed to survive would be treated as a valuable artifact and be hoarded. Although many species had been resurrected due to genetics technology, specimens from the Old Era had a very high value that would never drop. This was how people in the New Era felt about the Old Era.

Aside from this, specimens from the Period of Destruction were also considered valuable pieces of art. Fang Zhao remembered seeing an auction at the start of the year where a specimen of a creature that had arisen from the initial stages of the Period of Destruction had been sold to the highest bidder, a collector from Muzhou, for $20 million.

That specimen had been from the initial stages of the Period of Destruction. It had mutated from a dog species and had a bright colored coat. Back then, in order to study the parasitic disease that mutated creatures, they had created a specimen. Following the chaos of war, it had been moved from placed to place until the Period of Destruction ended and the New Era was founded. The specimen that was lucky to survive a hundred years preserved in liquid was specially made into a dried-out sample, and shortly after, it was sold off at the auction.

Many people in Yanzhou knew about this. These sorts of specimens always created a buzz on the internet for a period of time. Nobody was interested in the scientific name given by historians but instead remembered the nickname given by netizens—Twenty Million.

Unfortunately, the present that Fiery Bird was going to give everyone was just this.

At this moment, on the first day they logged in, all players would experience being hunted by a colony of Twenty Millions.

Chapter 127: Sorry, Too Immersed in

Unlike the gleaming specimens that folks in the New Era were familiar with, the ones in the game restored the beasts' original look and personality. These monsters mutated by canine diseases had blood-colored skin covered with brownish blobs. They flashed their fangs, their teeth buried in bloody gums. Their bloodshot eyes oozed the vicious aura of a killer.

Perhaps someone who saw them for their first time would freeze. Most folks had only come across these beasts in biology textbooks or in less sophisticated games. But for Fang Zhao, it was a case of reactivating dormant memories.

Other than rescue missions and scavenging for food, one of their routines in the Old Era was to proactively hunt down these aggressive beasts that had badly mutated during the apocalypse. Each kill meant one fewer beast to deal with.

The chain wrapped around the metal door hadn't snapped, but the shoddy door itself was about to collapse. Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu could catch a glimpse of the shadows releasing killer vibes through the door gap. All these beasts wanted to do was shred the people in the warehouse to pieces.

Zuo Yu took a deep breath. As an experienced former special forces fighter, he was a bit spooked by the game, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. His body was ready to fight. Now that his boss had decided to stay, all he could do was stand there and brace himself. This was his chance to demonstrate his loyalty.

Bang!

The metal door burst open, falling inward into the warehouse and causing a huge thud that sent the ground shaking. The echo of the crash was equally earth-shattering.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A rapid succession of seven shots.

The moment the door collapsed, Zuo Yu's gun was wielded to maximum effect.

The three beasts leading the pack were down.

Killing three beasts with seven bullets was a decent performance, but Zuo Yu wasn't happy with his accuracy. By his estimation, taking down three beasts should have required five bullets or less.

Was he rusty from lack of practice? He was a regular at the shooting range and he never stopped gaming. After pondering the matter, Zuo Yu concluded the problem lay in his gun. After all, it was a dated model from the Old Era. It was understandable if it functioned poorly. Right, this antique gun must have affected my accuracy.

But the mutated beasts swarming outside didn't give Zuo Yu much time to think. The group that gathered by the door included six, not just three monsters. And others were catching up after hearing the commotion.

The remaining three beasts rushed in and swerved, hoping to bypass Zuo Yu and attack Fang Zhao directly. That was how the beasts had behaved in real life during the apocalpyse as well. Even though they had become crazed and unpredictable as a result of their mutation, the instinct to prey on the weak remained etched in their brains. Had Zuo Yu been alone, they would have focused their attacks on him, but Zuo Yu was accompanied by Fang Zhao, and Zuo Yu just took out three of their own in one go, so they elected to attack the other person in the warehouse first.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Another rapid series of three shots, but this time only one beast was killed. Another wasn't lethally shot, merely taking a tumble before getting up again, as if it didn't feel any pain.

"Boss, be careful!" Zuo Yu started keeping track of his bullet count. He took down one beast with two shots. The other was around the corner, about to bypass him and pounce on Fang Zhao, who was standing behind him. Zuo Yu did not hesitate to pull out a knife Zu Wen had found in the kitchen and had passed on to him when Zu Wen had gone offline. Just as he was about to attack, he could feel the strong current brought about by a passing body, which zipped by like a speeding train.

Fang Zhao lifted the wooden crate he was sitting on and hammered the approaching beast with it.

Crack!

The crate disintegrated from the force of the impact, its wooden planks snapping into pieces. The mutated beast was knocked backward into another beast that had just entered the warehouse.

Fang Zhao took two steps forward, walking past Zuo Yu, and started covering him. A flurry of metal batons resembling an abrupt rainstorm followed, delivering densely packed blows. It was as if Fang Zhao had unleashed a one-man tornado.

Zuo Yu froze as he held up his knife. "..."

Bam! Bam! Slash! Slash!

Echoes from the disintegrated crate still lingered when the sound of thumping flesh traveled to Zuo Yu's ears, followed by the noise of cracking bones and the painful yelps of the mutated beasts.

Zuo Yu's eyes peeled open, as if he had seen something incredible, his eyeballs protruding as if they were about to fall out.

One down, two down...

The approaching beasts were slain by the hurricane-like onslaught of metal rods.

The beasts kept coming, but Fang Zhao was unperturbed. He slashed every approaching monster decisively. His moves seemed instinctual, but every blow was purposeful.

Zuo Yu could hear the sound of the metal rod landing on the beasts's bones and muscles. It resembled rolling thunder, the noise so piercing he didn't know how to respond.

One mutated beast collapsed after being struck, but it didn't die immediately, instead climbing up again after regrouping on the ground. But this time, its bloodthirsty eyes skipped Fang Zhao and zoomed in on Zuo Yu. As it growled and got ready to pounce, someone yanked one of its hind legs. The forceful pull sent the beast flying backward on a trajectory, landing on a silhouette that emerged behind it.

Fang Zhao didn't want to give them time to recover, surging forward to launch another sustained round of vigorous blows.

Slash! Bam!

The blood-tainted metal rod in Fang Zhao's hand was slightly bent.

In no time, armed with his metal baton, Fang Zhao had taken down five beasts. Still holding his knife, Zuo Yu was dumbfounded, wearing a dazed expression.

Was... was... this his young, artsy boss, who couldn't endure any physical hardship?

Zuo Yu was bellowing inside. Has he f*cking gone beserk? Is he so violent because he's been infected as well?

After taking out five mutated beasts with a single metal rod, Fang Zhao dropped the badly crooked baton and calmly removed his gloves without throwing Zuo Yu so much as a glance. The gloves were cotton gloves he'd found in the crate. Now they were soaked in blood.

After tossing the bloody gloves onto the ground, Fang Zhao pulled out his gun and marched toward the entrance to the warehouse. He lifted his gun, smoke emerging from its barrel.

Bang! Bang!

One bullet hit the neck of a mutated beast, the other piercing one of its bloodshot eyes and landing in its brain. The beast collapsed without a whimper.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Apart from the first beast, which consumed two of his bullets, Fang Zhao took out the four beasts that showed up in front of the warehouse with a bullet each.

Zuo Yu observed Fang Zhao trudging through the cluster of corpses. The peace and calm he exuded was definitely genuine. Even though they were in a game, Zuo Yu could feel the frost-like killer aura that Fang Zhao projected constantly. That, coupled with his accurate shooting, made Zuo Yu wonder: between the two of them, who was the one with special forces training?

Just as Zuo Yu's head was filled with self-doubt, Fang Zhao abruptly turned and looked at him before taking a quick shot. Fang Zhao's cold stare gave him major chills. It felt as if the hair on his skin had bolted upright. His scalp went numb. The authenticity of the moment made Zuo Yu feel like he was no longer just gaming.

Has he gone so nuts as to kill a teammate?

Just as the thought flashed through Zuo Yu's head, he heard the commotion behind him.

He turned and realized that Fang Zhao wasn't aiming at him but rather at a small mutated beast about half an armlength long that had snuck into the warehouse, unbeknowst to him. The bullet struck its head and it instantly died.

What blew Zuo Yu away wasn't just Fang Zhao's accuracy but also the decisiveness with which he pulled the trigger, giving no warning whatsoever. The tremendous confidence that backed up such a level of calm—that wasn't something a newbie who had never held a real gun could muster.

Even though advancements in gaming technology meant more realistic simulations, that type of mental strength and aura couldn't have been a function of the game.

Shooting range practice?

No, it had to be more than that.

To call him an athlete was an understatement. Fang Zhao resembled a seasoned assassin.

No other threats popped up for the time being, and no suspicious noises could be heard in the vicinity. The warehouse was quiet again. The mood took a turn for the spooky. Zuo Yu felt like he had been exposed to a bitterly cold winter breeze.

"You..." Zuo Yu realized his lips were quivering. His voice stuttered.

Zuo Yu had so many questions, but when he met Fang Zhao's gaze, he held them in.

He understood that, perhaps, the less information he knew, the better off he was.

Fang Zhao had used Zu Wen's actions as an excuse to get rid of everyone else, not so his staff could calm down, but to avoid scaring the living daylights out of them. But Zuo Yu had been asked to stay, meaning Fang Zhao didn't want to hide the truth from him. Discretion was a major job requirement for any professional bodyguard. He was also the one who had shadowed his boss the closest and for the longest period of time.

Zuo Yu realized that, from now on, this boss wasn't going to hide anything from him.

"Boss, you were so... courageous and assertive just now." Zuo Yu swapped out "ruthlessly violent" at the last minute.

Fang Zhao glanced at him and said, "Oh, sorry, I was too immersed in character."

"Immersed in character" my ass! Who are you trying to kid?

Zuo Yu managed to spit out a disjointed question with quivering lips. "Boss... I... I... need to piss like a racehorse. Can I go offline to hit the loo?"

"Sure," Fang Zhao paused and added, "When you get offline, tell them to wait another half hour."

"Yes, sir."

This was the most deferential Zuo Yu had been since he'd become Fang Zhao's bodyguard.

The 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower, the virtual projects department.

After Zuo Yu went offline, he emerged from the gaming cabin. The room also housed the gaming cabins of his other colleagues. It was cleared out and dedicated to gaming purposes. Now it was home to everyone's consoles—every single one of them a Fiery Bird ninth generation upgrade, including Zuo Yu's. This was what so many of their Silver Wing colleagues envied about the virtual projects department—unlimited funds and freedom.

Zuo Yu had been practically living at the office, just like everyone else.

No one else was in the room. Zuo Yu took a deep breath, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and left the room wearing a befuddled expression. He shook his head and sighed.

It was the weekend, but Zu Wen, Rodney, and others were hanging out at the office to save on home electricity and broadband bills. When Zuo Yu showed up, Zu Wen and company were in the middle of a discussion.

"Oh, Zuo Yu, you're dead too? Where's boss?" Zu Wen asked with a confused look.

"Bullshit. I'm still alive. I just needed to piss. As for boss... boss is doing just fine." Zuo Yu put special emphasis on the last two words.

The others didn't make much of his tone of voice. Rodney was curious about his sweating. "How come you're sweating so much? Is it really hot?"

"None of your bloody business." Zuo Yu didn't want to reveal the true source of his panic—Fang Zhao. He remembered Fang Zhao's instructions and added, "Boss wants you to cool down for another half an hour."

Few of his colleagues were around, so Zuo Yu also sent a message to their chat group asking them to go back online half an hour later.

"Why? Did you piss boss off again and we're collateral damage?" Zu Wen asked.

"Screw you. Are we in a position to question boss's intentions? Just follow orders. If you really want to know, you can ask him yourself when you get back online."

"I'm no idiot." Zu Wen was still ruminating over the fact that he'd lost a life over a small fish and incurred Fang Zhao's wrath once already. He wasn't stupid enough to confront his boss. "I better do some more research. There aren't too many tips online today."

Gaming teams known for posting helpful strategies had only offered crumbs so far. All they did was remind gamers to keep quiet so as not to spur the already sickly beasts into an even more crazed state. Zu Wen had gotten bit probably because he'd been too talkative in the kitchen, sending the sickly fish into action. Other players who'd died after being bitten had similar stories. Zu Wen had been bitten by a fish. Others had been bitten by mice, unknown insects, and so on. The price of carelessness was a quick death.

"If only I had followed boss's instructions in earnest," Zu Wen sighed. "Being sidelined for an hour is pure torture."

Zuo Yu's mouth kept twitching. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start. He couldn't tell them the real reason Fang Zhao had sent them away.

Shaking his head, Zuo Yu headed to the pantry, where he calmed himself with a glass of water. He sat down and fell into deep thought.

People always said that virtual worlds are a window into a person's soul. Was Fang Zhao's behavior in the game his true character?

Up until now, Zuo Yu had pigeonholed Fang Zhao as an artsy young man, but after today, he knew there was much more to his boss than met the eye.

He thought back to the time he'd been traveling with Fang Zhao to gather material for his new piece, when the two of them had been zeroed in on by security guards at every cemetery they'd visited. Who had they been singling out?

Was it him?

No.

It was Fang Zhao.

Back then, Zuo Yu had thought the artist Fang Zhao was giving off a neurotic vibe that drew the attention of the guards. Now it seemed like the guards who had the best nose for dangerous individuals had been spot on.

He also remembered all the posturing and bragging he'd done in front of Fang Zhao and wanted to slap himself on the face.

How stupid he was!

When Zu Wen entered the pantry to pour himself a cup of tea, he saw Zuo Yu curled up on the sofa, mumbling, "I was wrong. I was so wrong..."

"Hey, brother! What's wrong?" Zu Wen asked.

"You don't get it. As a professional bodyguard, I'm under a lot of pressure."

Chapter 128: God Knows What We Just Experienced

After Zuo Yu went offline, Fang Zhao dragged a wooden crate over and sat quietly for a minute, at the same time exchanging his credits for a number of bullets.

What made it better than reality was that everyone in the game had a "bag," and a few small items could be placed inside, including ammunition and food.

Fang Zhao gave a silent laugh.

If only reality was similar to the game. Back then, there would not have been so many casualties.

The game was but a game, not the actual period.

Fang Zhao knew that this was not the world he'd once had, it was just a virtual and incomplete replica. Even though the context was just a game, it was too realistic. The surroundings, even the scents in the air, all of it stirred up Fang Zhao's pent-up emotions that he had suppressed for so long. It was as if, in the depths of his soul, a storm had started to rage.

Not being able to go back to that period, and not wanting to go back—normal people do not want to suffer. He had spent nearly a century fighting for this. Other people did not even get such a chance; of course he had to enjoy it well. This was the world that he and countless others had spent a century's worth of time and lives to trade for.

Fang Zhao did not miss that period, but he cherished the people during that period.

Deep breaths, as if expelling out all the melancholy in his heart.

"That's right, I have to enjoy it well."

But before that, he had to find a way to vent all his long-suppressed tendencies and emotions. Even if he acted similarly to others in the New Era, his soul was mainly filled with memories of those 100 years of hell. Even though he had used all sorts of methods to suppress them, it was impossible to keep doing so. Now he had found a way to vent his feelings; wasn't this what he'd been waiting for all along?

Perhaps other people might use this game as a form of escape or play it for entertainment, but Fang Zhao was different.

What had happened previously was just a warm-up. The restlessness and agitation had awoken, and Fang Zhao could not just stop now. By chance, Zuo Yu was no longer here.

His eyes were radiating with excitement from all the restlessness within his soul. However, in the blink of an eye, it was restrained; Fang Zhao seemed to entirely blend into the warehouse—even his odor fit in his surroundings.

Other than the warehouse and the kitchen at the back, there were many other rooms on top, probably the dormitories of workers. Fang Zhao never ever let even the tiniest of sounds slip by. He could distinguish every single note in a song, and similarly, he could distinguish the different noises from the sound of activity.

There were people in the room upstairs, yet they also could not be considered people, because they had since deviated from the category of normal human beings. During the Period of Destruction, these "people" were the same as those mutated beasts. They had lost all rationality they'd once had and were now bloodthirsty and violent. They would maintain this sort of temperament till their bodies were incapacitated and they died; there was no way to cure them.

Since there were infected people, there would naturally be people who were fortunate enough to survive. And these people who were lucky enough to survive developed antibodies and became resistant to being infected by that sort of rabid virus. This antibodies were also found in people of the New Era. With these antibodies and methods in the medical field to defend against it, such mortal threats could no longer make a comeback.

But during the Period of Destruction, these sorts of infected people had changed so much that it was necessary to kill them.

A metallic light flashed, and the infected person with sinister red eyes fell to the floor as a wound appeared on its neck. Another lightning quick stab severed its brain stem, interrupting all communication between the brain and the rest of the body. If this had been a normal person, he would have died immediately from this. These infected humans did not die straight away, but they were no longer able to make any movements or attack and could only lie there waiting to die. It was this way in the game, just as it had been back during the Period of Destruction.

Fang Zhao cleared each room upstairs one by one, and then he exited the warehouse. He had cleared it to give Zu Wen and the others a safer place. When they returned, they would not need to continue clearing the rooms on top.

As to what came after that—it was time for Fang Zhao's own entertainment.

Infected human, kill!

Mutated beast, kill!

Fang Zhao was like a leopard in a grassland, lying in ambush for his prey. Regardless of whether it was the way his body moved, the way he concealed himself, or the way he shot his targets accurately and rapidly, if what he did was placed in textbooks, people would surely think it was exaggerated. Not just Zuo Yu, who'd come from the special forces, even many other soldiers with vast experience might not even have been capable of doing the same.

The bullets that he had exchanged for were used up at an astonishing rate, but although Fang Zhao had exchanged credits for a lot of bullets, his credits kept a large margin and kept increasing more than the amount he exchanged them for. Fang Zhao maintained a high efficiency as he swept through, mostly taking one shot to kill a target. With Fang Zhao in this sort of condition, other than his credits, his experience points rose at an alarming rate.

+10

+10

+20

+1

+5

+10

+1

+30

...

Killing different targets gave a different amount of experience points. However, Fang Zhao did not take notice of his own experience points increasing. All he wanted to do now was some carefree killing, to release some of his long-suppressed emotions. And compared to experience points, he cared more about credits, because in this game, credits could be used to exchange for items.

"Battle of the Century" map, Yanzhou District 79 South, in a seven-floor housing block.

Two players were taking refuge in a room on the second floor. From the window, they could see two nearby mutated beasts.

A person urged his companion, "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Shoot it!"

"Wait a while more, it's out of my firing range. It's still too far, I'm not wasting bullets."

"It's getting nearer, it has discovered us!"

"Don't be so anxious!"

"How can I not be anxious? It's already so close! We will get bitten to death!"

"Don't rush me, I know!"

"They are going to jump! Quick, fire!"

"I know! Anytime now..."

Bang! Bang!

Two mutated beasts that were rushing toward the second floor fell according to the ringing of gunshots, and they did not get back up.

"..."

After a few seconds of silence.

"The two shots were not taken by you?"

"Obviously, you can tell by listening!"

One of them carefully stuck his head out and scanned one round in all directions. Not seeing anyone, he angrily punched the wall.

"We have been KS-ed!"

"I told you to hurry and fire. Look, just a step slower and we got KS-ed."

"Shut up!"

District 79 South, inside a certain office building.

A silhouette noiselessly arrived at his own sniping spot and took out his sniper rifle, which he had used credits to exchanged for. Supporting the rifle on his shoulder, his icy cold stare looked through the scope at the figures that were frantically running about on the street below, his finger resting on the trigger.

In the opposite building, there had been a group who were probably university students. Although they'd had numbers, they'd lacked individual ability and experience. When they'd come up and found themselves being surrounded by so many 20 Millions, they'd panicked and fired in a flurry. They had managed to kill a few, but their party numbers dwindled even faster, probably getting killed or disconnecting after running out of ammo. Now, there were no longer many gunshots.

He had taken advantage of the chaos just now and gotten a few kills, and after that, he'd exchanged his credits for a sniper rifle. He loved the feeling of hunting prey. Every time blood exploded from the body of the prey, it would get his own blood racing. However, as a sniper who liked shooting games, he still had the basic essentials: adjusting his temperament, calming down as he prepared to lock on to his target. Imagining blood spurting out from his prey brought a vicious smile to his face, but his face became rigid in the next moment.

A gun shot rang out, and the prey he was locked onto fell, no longer moving.

He had not fired; someone had stolen his prey from under his nose.

Cursing under his breath, he did not dawdle and continued to take aim at his next target. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, his prey fell again.

"F*ck!"

The third, fourth, fifth...

Through his scope, he watched as each 20 Million fell as gunshots rang out—one shot one kill!

The anger of his prey being stolen gradually subsided and was replaced by an icy chill. Even the hairs on his body were standing.

This was a one-sided massacre!

Who was it?

Definitely not the bunch of stupid students opposite him.

Judging from the sounds of the gunshots, the other party's position was constantly changing, but he simply could not find the person responsible. Only once through his scope did he catch a flicker of a human shadow, but only just that once. After that, even when looking in the direction of the gunshot, there were no traces of anyone. This continued until the gunshots ceased. Now, in his field of vision, not a single mutated beast was left standing.

G*ddamn it!

South District 79, in the hall of a certain hotel.

"Faster, faster, faster! Pay attention to the sides!"

"Leave it to me."

"Watch the southwest!"

"I'm guarding!

After a series of concentrated gunshots, there was no longer any threat from outside.

The few of them heaved a sigh of relief and, soon after, flashed happy grins. They impatiently checked their own experience points and credits.

"No idea how many we shot dead."

"I think I killed at least a minimum of two!"

"I definitely hit one, quite a number of them fell just now."

"Me too!"

The few of them happily went to check their statuses.

Experience points: 0

"..."

"How am I also a 0? I shot over ten times and didn't hit anything?" Puzzled, he continued, "Then who killed those outside?"

Going one round and checking, of the over 10 people here, only two of them had gotten a pathetic 10–20 credits. The others of the group all had 0 experience points and credits from that battle.

"The f*ck! What actually happened?!"

Fiery Bird's "Battle of the Century" official website, in the individual districts forum.

"Any friends here from District 79? I logged off for a bit to use the toilet, and when I logged back own, my surroundings were full of mutated beast corpses! Can anyone tell me what happened?!"

"From District 79 too, I am equally clueless, the number of mutated beast we encountered have drastically declined. In the last half an hour, we have only run into a few. Did Fiery Bird make any changes? This sucks!"

"I'm from District 79, everything is normal here."

"District 79 here, normal. It is rumored that, under normal circumstances, the rate of encountering mutated beast is according to the size of your team. The larger your team, the more beasts you encounter. After all, we are also encountering quite a number. You probably have less people over there, that's why."

"No! District 79 South Street, it seems like someone had swept through. There is a significant drop in the larger mutated beasts. What is most frightening is that the majority have been shot dead with one bullet! Is there an expert in District 79?"

"Also from District 79 South. Your father saved up many credits to exchange for a large rifle. After lying in wait for half an hour, one finally came, but before I could pull the trigger, it was KS-ed!"

"District 79 South too, same situation! Is there an e-sports club member in our district? Anyone knows?

"Also District 79..."

"Same..."

The people from district 79 that had disconnected realized that many others had experienced similar situations. Furthermore, they were all from District 79's south area. They had saved up their credits and energy to go all out but suddenly realizing that there were a lack of chances for them to use their weapons. In less than an hour, a large portion had been swept away!

Nobody knew who had shot them all; there was not even a trace of his shadow!

People who'd disconnected due to various reasons discussed it on the forums. In Yanzhou's main forum, the popular posts were dominated by the well-known e-sports clubs. Those professional clubs had a formidable lineup and their own tactics. Their activity was not subtle, and whichever district they were at, everyone would know. However, there were no e-sports clubs in District 79.

Although there were people discussing the affairs of District 79, compared to the districts that the e-sports clubs occupied, there was less popularity. But as more and more people took part in the discussion, its popularity would rise. Although it still not gain more hype than those clubs, the post would not be crowded out that quickly.

As more people joined the discussion, it even attracted many people from other districts who were curious about the hype.

"What's happening in District 79?"

"God knows what we just experienced!"Kill stolen

Chapter 129: SilverWing50PolarLigh

"Battle of the Century" had been officially been released for 50 minutes.

In the Yanzhou region, the entire District 79 South's mutated beast count kept decreasing at an alarming rate. And people on the streets of District 79 South only heard gunshots and mutated beasts that collapsed following these gunshots. Not just the beast getting shot, what was even more intriguing was that no one was able to find the person responsible. Nobody was clear on how many members were in that mysterious party!

Even if someone saw something, it was only a flickering shadow. There was just no time to catch his appearance or any special characteristics, and it was just impossible to guess who this person was.

It was simply an extermination!

However, throughout the whole Yanzhou region, although the situation at District 79 South attracted attention, compared to other happenings, it was but a small ripple.

All the big media firms were fighting to report on the activities of the e-sports clubs of Yanzhou and trying to guess which names from which e-sports clubs would appear on the leaderboards.

The globally acclaimed online gaming community, Rising Dragon, had long started a vote to guess which e-sports athletes would place themselves at the top of the leaderboards after the first hour for this grand occasion that happened once every 10 years. The fans of each and every e-sports club were making a lot of noise over this.

Fiery Bird's public website had an experience points ranking, and each continent's warzone had its own charts. There were team leaderboards as well as individual leaderboards, and they were refreshed every hour. These leaderboards were what the e-sports clubs of every continent specifically paid attention too. That ranking was the most accepted way of showing their power and strength. The closer to the top they were, the more attention they would receive. In a business aspect, their value would rise even higher.

Yanzhou's popular entertainment program "Prairie Fire" had already invited a few retired e-sports stars to their broadcasting studio and were waiting for the leaderboards to display the results before talking about it.

Countless more people were keeping their eyes peeled on Fiery Bird's public website.

Yanzhou's Big Five e-sports clubs had dominated the top five spots for leaderboards for years on end. Other e-sports clubs had been gearing themselves up for this, hoping to squeeze into the front.

It was nearing an hour since the start of the game. Many eyes were on the leaderboards that were going to be refreshed for the first time.

Silver Wing gaming department.

Department manager Wayne looked at the five members in the gaming room and stepped outside to pour himself a glass of water. As the department's person-in-charge, Wayne had not been sleeping well the past few days. He had bags under his eyes and a slight stubble.

This time he had signed five members. Three held dual professions, being actors as well as e-sports athletes. As for the other two, one was a university student who had just signed a contract, and the other had been poached over from another studio at a high price. Besides that, to make it look better, he had collaborated with another private studio and let the five members he'd signed form a team with members of that studio and enter the game together. The team's name was "Lurkers," and for the time being, they had not publicly announced themselves. Previously, news on them had adopted a mysterious stance.

The harder one bragged before a competition, the harder the face smacking after. Therefore, other than the people in the department, other people did not know what Silver Wing's team was called this time around, their prowess, or who their members were.

Silver Wing also invested in games, but compared to Fiery Bird, what they did could only be considered small-scale. And most of the time, they chose to collaborate with other game companies rather than develop their own. Silver Wing was very much like other entertainment companies in the New Era that had the same way of thinking. As long as it was connected to entertainment and money could be made, they would dabble in it.

Wayne's gaming department's position could not be compared to the film and music departments, but it was more important compared to other small projects. In the past, the virtual projects department had also been below them, but now, as they watched the virtual projects department rise in stature, their gaming department could not help but feel like they were being crowded out. This time around, Wayne intended to use "Battle of the Century" as the wind in their sails and see if he could propel his department up the popularity ladder.

Forget the individual leaderboards—they were amateurs, after all, and had no way of competing with the professional e-sports athletes of business-minded e-sports clubs. When it came to building a star, they would not be able to match up. However, for the team ranking, Wayne believed that, if they could squeeze into the top 50, at least he could be held accountable to his superiors. That would at least give the company some prestige. They might not be a professional e-sports club, but they were still a very reputable entertainment company. Since they had chosen to have a hand in this, the result couldn't be too unsightly.

Competition in gaming was too intense, even more intense than the competition that film and music had. Silver Wing's core was still on film and the performing arts; as long as their gaming side could get by, that was good enough. Top 50 was the target set by the superiors. If they could squeeze into the top 30, Wayne could sleep and wake up smiling.

However, in the first hour, Wayne did not have any hopes of obtaining a good result, all professionals in these industries knew that the first hour was the best for sweeping up points when a lot of newbies were still adapting. At the point where everything was still hazy was the best time to rack up points! When all these people got the hang of things and all sorts of tactics emerged and when all the private studios started purchasing equipment, at that time, it would not be so easy to sweep up points.

Therefore, the professional e-sports clubs would spend the first hour accumulating points. They would kill whatever was there to be killed and get as much experience as they possibly could. After all, these were all business-minded clubs, not amateur teams that played for fun. Every step they took was in the direction of receiving the most benefits. So many companies waited just to use this wave to manufacture a star.

Experience points could show the strength of an individual or a team. Currently, one team could only have a maximum of 20 members. To expand, the total experience points of the team had to increase. But even if there was a limit for members, there was still coordination. Many e-sports clubs' 2nd teams, 3rd teams, and even reserve players would assist the main team and collect even more points to rise up the leaderboards.

Just like Silver Wing's side, other than the five that had signed contracts, there was still a private studio with the purpose of giving points and helping raise the total points of the team. As long as these five rised up, Wayne would have accomplished his goal of producing stars and could use this to hype them up.

However, at the same time, Wayne would not let the chance of admitting newcomers slip by.

Wayne rubbed his tired eyes and urged his subordinates, "Watch carefully, see if there are any potential talents that do not have contracts. Hurry up and sign them up!"

This was not just limited to Silver Wing's side. Silver Wing's old rivals, Neon Culture and Tongshan True Entertainment, had the same thoughts. Many e-sports clubs and professional people in the industry were paying attention. There could never be too much talent. Whether they could be controlled or used, that would only be decided after they were first signed. Even wild mushrooms growing outside one's home could not be given up to their competitors.

There were also players that had their own dreams of stardom and planned to amaze the world with a single feat and soar into the sky in one leap. Even if they lived in some remote area and were without wealth or a good family background, it did not matter. As long as one's name appeared on the leaderboards, there was no need to worry about being found—becoming an overnight celebrity was not just a dream, the path to success was right in front of their eyes!

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 55 minutes.

Transcendental, Big Dipper, HWR, BOOM, 2S, and other e-sports clubs were already waiting.

At 2S e-sports club.

"Are the drafts ready?"

"All prepared and ready to go."

Their e-sports club had prepared drafts to post on their websites after the leaderboards were refreshed after the first hour. Written drafts for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place had all be prepared so they could react to any position.

As for places after 5th?

Was it possible?!

"I heard the team's total points have crossed the 10,000 mark. Xie He alone has broken 2,000!"

Hearing this, everyone looked relaxed for a moment but quickly calmed down, nervously anticipating as they counted the minutes and seconds as they passed, their eyes on the blank leaderboard. Whether they could have a good beginning for both leaderboards, they would have to wait and see when it refreshed.

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 59:30.

Many people who had gone offline stopped whatever they were doing. Fans that had previously been quarreling in full swing also had a temporary ceasefire as they stared at their screens, counting down the seconds.

0:59:58

0:59:59

1:00:00!

Fiery Bird's website automatically refreshed.

Yanzhou region leaderboard, individual experience ranking. The names on it were ranked in sequence, and behind every ID was the amount of experience points followed by the team the player belonged to.

1. AliveAfter500Years—5267.3—Silver Wing50PolarLight

2. Xie He—2683.1—2S

3. Bai Jiang—2592.4—BOOM

4. Yi Yuan—2546.7—Big Dipper

5. Jess—2458.5—HWR

6. Kong Tianhan—2306.2—Transcendental

...

When they saw the leaderboard for the first time, many e-sports club offices fell silent.

Staring at the screens, the muscles on their faces seemed to spasm as their lips twitched, but they were unable to make any sounds. It was as if someone was forcefully choking them.

"This is impossible!" A 2S analyst's face had become pale, the finger pointing at the screen trembling violently.

As an analyst, he knew the process of how the team members collected experience points, and whether it was Xie He or the other first-rate members he was familiar with, the points had mostly started racking up toward the last half hour. At that time, there had been assistance from the other supporting teams. They had exchanged their credits for equipment to be given to the members of the main team and had people in charge of drawing the beasts over. Especially the last 10 minutes of the first hour, which consisted of wielding the equipment and spraying bullets! That was the real sweeping operation that had cost a lot of capital!

The other e-sports clubs also had similar tactics, so everyone's points were rather close, at most having a 200–300 point gap. But what the h*ll was with 1st place?!

Five thousand points?!

Who the f*ck was this person?

Had the system made an error?!

Checking the global leaderboard, amongst the top ten, there were only eight that surpassed 3000 points—two from Huangzhou, two from Rongzhou, and one each from Xizhou, Tongzhou and Mazhou. Aside from these seven was the one who occupied the throne of first place, Yanzhou's AliveAfter500Years. This unfamiliar ID had appeared in the public view for the first time and had left the 2nd-place player from Mazhou in the dust; a world champion and gold medalist in shooting was 1700 points behind!

Taking a look at the team he originated from, SilverWing50PolarLight? Where had it popped up from? It had never been heard of before!

But as they checked out the team rankings, SilverWing50PolarLight could not be found in the top 100 of the global team leaderboard. On Yanzhou's team leaderboard, it was only placed at 28. The total accumulated points were actually only 5350.4!

That meant to say, this prodigy had accounted for 98% of his team's points!

Was it possible?

Definitely not!

"Shady activities! One look and you can tell it has a business organization written over over it! Surely they threw money to hire a pro!"

"SilverWing50PolarLight? A Silver Wing team? The f*ck, Silver Wing actually kept silent and made such a bold move!"

"Treacherous! No joke, this is extremely crafty!"

"That's why, money is shameless!"

"Any experts around? Please explain what methods they used to achieve such high points."

"I'm not listening! In any case, they definitely used some underhanded methods."

At the same time, Silver Wing's gaming department was equally at a loss.

Wayne stared at the refreshed leaderboard dumbfounded.

A worker beside him carefully approached and asked Wayne with a stutter, "Boss, is this... our company?"

"It... is?"

Chapter 130: You Guys Are Up To Something Again

Fans of all the various e-sports clubs were not happy when they saw the Yanzhou leaderboards. Where had this "AliveAfter500Years" come from? To think he had actually trampled over the Big Five?!

On the team ID, the two words "Silver Wing" were too big to ignore. Nobody would believe that Silver Wing had nothing to do with this.

Many people criticized Silver Wing for using tricks, but some felt that Silver Wing had done nothing wrong. So what if they'd used tricks? It was a business-oriented company, after all. Just being interested was unreasonable. Whatever tricks or methods they'd used were for their own benefit. Everyone pulled out their own tricks; it was just a matter of which tricks were better than the rest.

Silver Wing's old rival, Tongshan True Entertainment, was also part of the big three entertainment companies of Yanzhou. The boss of Tongshan, Song Shihua, was ashen faced as he smashed his Old Century porcelain cup, which he had gone through great lengths to get.

"I just knew that they were not so simple!"

Song Shihua paced back and forth in his office, cursing as he walked.

Previously, Silver Wing had made the news, concerning the signing of a few gaming stars, but there had not been any hype and it was shortly squeezed out by news of the professional e-sports clubs. Song Shihua had taken it lightly too and thought that Silver Wing only had this much ability. Silver Wing just had a hand in it, but it nothing too serious. But now, Song Shihua felt like he had been cheated!

Was AliveAfter500Years from the SilverWing50PolarLight team the true strategy employed by Silver Wing?

Using other news before the competition as a smoke screen and not divulging the real and important information before creating a big hoo-ha afterward!

Did this move seem familiar?

Too familiar!

This was the g*damn same move they had pulled out with Polar Light!

Speaking of this, Song Shihua had invested more in the gaming department this time. They had signed with three studios in secret and had poached a few e-sports athletes from e-sports clubs that were not that famous but were not inferior either. Previously, they had also not divulged any information on these, and everything had been conducted in secret. The intention had been to place on the leaderboards and hype it up with some news, create a few stars and earning a considerable sum from the game.

These people also did not disappoint. The highest place member ranked 27th on the Yanzhou individual leaderboard, and the entire team was even high, ranked at 21st place, missing on narrowly on the top 20 by only a few points. This ranking was considered pretty good. At least compared to before, it could crush Silver Wing and Neon Culture.

But now... what f*cking use did it have!?

Compared to the 5,000 points that 1st place had, it was totally insignificant. Speaking about their own achievements would be treated by others as a joke!

Song Shihua was shaking with anger. He called the staffers in charge of the gaming department and proceeded to rip into them.

"You are all the same gaming department. Why is Silver Wing's Wayne's gaming department able to unearth such an impressive person; why can they use methods and silently sweep up such high scores. What about you guys? A bunch of trash! Did I invest so much for you all to eat, drink, and be merry? Thank your whole family for me!!"

Not just Song Shihua, many other people felt the same way. The news that SilverWing50PolarLight hogged was just too great to compete against.

"Eh? Polar Light? Could it be linked to Silver Wing's Polar Light project team?"

"Maybe to increase the popularity of Silver Wing's virtual identity, they used a professional team and some unknown methods to create the ID "AliveAfter500Years." Silver Wing made another star this time! They have come up with a super ID!"

"It makes sense if you think about it. Even the team name was not wasted. Certainly, as a business-minded company, the hand that Silver Wing just played was beautiful. Everyone imagined that the few kids Silver Wing pushed out a while back were the main force. Why did I so naively fall of it?

"SilverWing50PolarLight, this team name is so obvious, it refers to Polar Light of Silver Wing's virtual project's department, who was born on the 50th floor."

"Indeed, I heard a rumor last month that Fiery Bird would cancel endorsement deals being just limited to virtual idols. Many people still thought that Silver Wing's Polar Light would lose out big time. Once Fiery Bird revoked the restrictions for virtual idols only, there would be no guarantees that Polar Light would retain its status as a spokesperson. Never did I expect that Silver Wing would play their own hand! That team name is shining and telling everyone they will not let go of the endorsement deal. Impressive! I just have no either where on earth they got this god who can accumulate 5,000 points in an hour."

"To think they could actually find a way to protect their endorsement condition and create such a super ID and create a star, much respect!"

The multitude of online audiences who felt that they had uncovered the truth fell over one another to air their views.

The Polar Light project team that was under scrutiny: "..."

"What happened?" Zu Wen was puzzled.

"Am I dreaming?" Rodney had a dazed look in his eyes.

"What they say makes a lot of sense, but why don't I understand anything?" Fu Yingtian's two eyes were fixed on the screen.

"Does that mean us? Does our company have any other virtual projects department?" Zhang Yu flipped through information of all the company's various departments.

As they spoke, Zu Wen and the others' communication devices started ringing frantically.

Some were from their own friends and family, and others were from staff of other departments within Silver Win. But none of them dared to answer the calls.

Inside the virtual project department's group chat, Zhu Zhen, who was the deputy but had not participated in the game, passed on Duan Qianji's orders: from now on, all staff of the virtual projects department were to enter an information embargo and not divulge any information pertaining to the game! As for when the embargo would be lifted, wait for further instructions.

Silver Wing gaming department.

Wayne looked at the name "SilverWing50PolarLight" that seemed like coordinates as his expression kept fluctuating, following which he abruptly stood up with such force that the chair being dragged along the floor created a shrill screech.

Wayne had decided to personally head to the 50th floor to ask around and had gotten up to leave. As he reached the door, he turned around and scanned the entire gaming department's staff, sternly warning them, "All of you keep your mouths shut! If I found out anybody leaked information, they will be severely dealt with!"

When Wayne reached the 50th floor, the doors of the 50th floor were sealed shut. Many people were gathered outside, probably wanting to find out more. Although it was a weekend, working overtime in an entertainment company was very common, and many people were still here. However, after being berated by the various department heads, they left.

Wayne had just stepped out from the elevator when he received a call from Duan Qianji.

"Director Duan, yes, yes, I am now outside the virtual project department... Okay, I understand, got it..."

When Wayne entered the virtual project's department, he saw the deputy manager assigned by Duan Qianji, Zhu Zhen, as well as Zu Wen and the others, all sitting in the hall.

Zu Wen was an older staffer, and Wayne was more familiar with him. He also reckoned that Zhu Zhen did not understand the matter, so he directly asked Zu Wen.

"Is SilverWing50PolarLight your department's team?"

Zu Wen spoke softly. "Yeah, I was the one who came up with the team name. Back when we wanted a team name, Boss did not say anything, so I took up the responsibility. Since we were operating together as an entire virtual projects department, I figured we might as well use a name that was like coordinates, Silver Wing (Company) 50 (Floor) Polar Light (The project team's core members)."

Wayne watched Zu Wen, his face constantly changing shapes. His mouth kept opening and shutting, but he could not bring himself to say anything. Taking a deep breath, he urgently asked, "You guys... you guys are up to something again! Who is "AliveAfter500Years?"

"That's our boss."

"Fang Zhao?!" Wayne's expression was very obvious; it meant "Are you kidding me?!"

Zu Wen had the same complicated expression on his face. "It's true! It's even more real than the 5,000 points!"

Wayne glanced at the others. Rodney and the rest were all nodding their heads.

"Considering Fang Zhao's type..."

Considering Fang Zhao's type?

He could not continue saying the rest, Wayne really could not see that Fang Zhao had this sort of capability. Wasn't he a composer? Oh, he also held the concurrent post of producer of the virtual project team. But if he could play games this well, why would he even be a producer?!

Zuo Yu, who was sitting at the side, shot a glance at Wayne who was still in shock before lowering his gaze and not speaking.

"Where is your boss?" Wayne asked.

"Boss is at home. It's the weekend, he didn't come today."

"I called him but there was no answer."

"Boss might not have logged off yet."

"Why did you all log off?" Wayne wanted to clear the doubts in his heart.

Zu Wen pursed his lips. "Brother Wayne, you might not believe it, but barely two minutes since we entered, I got bitten by a fish worth 0.5 experience points and was forced to disconnect."

"Then why did you not log back on?"

"Boss didn't allow it. I had to face the wall and reflect on my actions."

"What about the others?" Wayne was unwilling to give up.

"The others also had to face the wall and reflect."

Wayne: "..."

"That means to say, you people have absolutely no idea how Fang Zhao managed to gather 5,000 points?" When Wayne got worked up, his sentences always ended up being high pitched.

Pang Pusong thought to himself, Such a pity he is not a singer.

Faced with Wayne's question, Zu Wen and the other's replies were a series of synchronized nods.

At 2S e-sports club, inside the gaming studio.

Xie He stepped out from the cabin completely drenched in sweat. The energy he had used in the game had been too much. As the captain, he also had to bear a lot of pressure, especially in the last ten minutes, where combat was at a really high standard. He had undoubtedly consumed a lot of physical and mental energy then, and after he came out, his clothes were thoroughly soaked.

After exiting the cabin, Xie He did not bother wiping off his sweat. Waving away the glass of water that an assistant had brought over, he asked, "How did we place?"

The previously clamorous gaming studio quieted down in an instant. The assistant and team doctor that had hurried over did not know what to say at this moment. Everyone had a complicated look on their face.

Noticing everyone's reaction, Xie He felt a lump rise in his throat. Picking up his bracelet that lay beside him, he opened the web page that he had bookmarked.

Before disconnecting, Xie He had felt that his performance in the last hour had been pretty good, a little more outstanding than usual, so perhaps he might even have clinched 1st place. Even if it was not 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th or 5th were not that hard to accept. But everyone's expressions made him apprehensive; could it be that he had not even made it into the top five? As he clearly saw the placings and point's on the leaderboard, Xie He's hand's trembled. The personal bracelet that was worth a few million fell to the ground.

"How could this be... That's not possible!"

Xie He's chief assistant shook his head helplessly. "It is rumored that Silver Wing's gaming department and virtual projects department collaborated to operate this team. We have no idea who that ID belongs to yet. Silver Wing's side is not leaking much information. Boss reckons that this time around, Silver Wing wants to create a star."

Xie He still could not accept it. "That is impossible!"

2nd place, and he did not feel anything. But the point gap was too big! If the opponent had only had 3,000 points, Xie He would have admitted defeat. But 5,000?

How had he done it?!

Chapter 131: Crazy Killstealing Demon

Whatever other people thought, the game never stopped. The leaderboard had only just refreshed for the first time, and this battle had just started.

Xie He rested for a little while as he recovered some energy and let the team doctor examine him before entering the game cabin once more. He just did not believe that, in the next hour, the opponent would score that high once again! Even if it was a team formed by a cooperative and created under that super ID, there would still be time constraints and limitations, right? Even if it was just playing a game, people would become tired, and energy was limited. Did other teams have the resources, information and allocations that the Big Five had?

On Silver Wing 50th floor, Wayne had not left; he was still waiting there.

Why had he said that the virtual projects department was up to something?

The emergence of an expert had made Wayne very happy. So much so that, every time he looked at the rankings and saw the words "Silver Wing," he felt excited. But for a business-oriented entertainment company, any important matters had to go through the planning team's arrangements before anything could begin. In the past year, Silver Wing had only had two instances that had called for this. The first was the sudden success of Polar Light. Back then, the manner in which Polar Light had appeared had caught many department teams unprepared, and even their spokesperson had only been able to smile; he'd had no answers for the public.

The second instance was this.

When the leaderboard on Fiery Bird's website had been refreshed for the first time, numerous media from the world had focused on the team "SilverWing50PolarLight" and the mysterious player "AliveAfter500Years." Thus, the questioning had started. Silver Wing's chief spokesperson, Lin Dun, once again had no answers for the public and could only smile.

As the manager of the gaming department, Wayne was feeling both scared and delighted, but he had to consider the company's reputation. The truth could not be publicly announced. If it were leaked, it would be treated as a joke; money invested in the few celebrities of Silver Wing's gaming department could not accomplish anything, but the virtual project department suddenly managed to produce such a hotshot. Now, Silver Wing's public relation team was busy trying to solve this problem.

As for Wayne, he wanted to continue waiting here. He wished to get the latest news firsthand from Zu Wen and the others. Now, the only ones who could contact Fang Zhao were Zu Wen and the others.

Zu Wen and the others had once again entered the game. The one hour that Fang Zhao had instructed them to reflect for had passed, and they had been itching to log on once again.

After logging on, they were once again at that warehouse. The corpses of the few beasts that Zuo Yu had killed before he'd disconnected had already disappeared.

In the game, corpses lasted for a short period before vanishing. As a game, entertainment was still the main point. Players did not play the game to suffer abuse. Games were the point where reality and virtual reality met at the most appropriate point, and that most appropriate point was when players could feel the realistic background and find the joy in games. The piling up of corpses and the rotting smell would definitely be too extreme. Therefore, after a while, corpses of both beasts and humans would disappear.

That was why the game had felt even more empty. During that part of history, there had been too many organisms dying in the initial stages of the Period of Destruction. Entire cities had been enveloped with the smell of rotting flesh; the game had done well to avoid those elements.

"Boss isn't here." Zu Wen looked left and right, not daring to be careless this time. He kept his voice low and carefully scanned his surroundings.

"Boss left a message for us," Rodney said.

In the game, communication was also more convenient. Members of the same team had their own communications platform.

"Go explore freely and adapt."

"He also didn't mention where he is."

Zuo Yu asked in the team chat, "Boss, where are you? Do you need assistance?"

There was no instant reply from Fang Zhao.

"Perhaps he is busy right now," Zuo Yu said.

"Oh, right. Zuo Yu, I didn't ask you back then because Zhu Zhen and Wayne were there, but back when we all disconnected, do you know what happened with Boss?" Zu Wen asked.

Zu Wen felt that, whether it was Zhu Zhen who had been assigned by the top brass or the gaming department's Wayne, they were all considered outsiders. They would only talk about any secrets in private, not mentioning anything in front of these outsiders.

The others also looked toward Zuo Yu suspiciously. Fang Zhao placing first on the leaderboards had shocked them as much as anybody else.

Zuo Yu had no idea how to explain and could only say, "His shooting is very accurate."

Zuo Yu did not mention the part about Fang Zhao brandishing the iron rod and going all out. He was worried it would scare Zu Wen and the others.

"So what do we do now?" Zu Wen was puzzled. "Should we go hunting for beasts?"

"There is probably nothing big here left to kill. We can only pick off a few small ones," Zuo Yu replied.

The place they had been sent to was the city district. Currently, the number of mutated beasts that they could encounter was limited.

Zu Wen was a little gloomy. "Don't tell me there isn't even a rat?"

"There will probably be rats, just much less. History lessons in secondary school mentioned that the rats that lived in the sewers during the Period of Destruction had a greater resistance to the virus, and their immunity toward it was higher. The vaccines were developed through them. On the contrary, it was those pets that were pampered that had a higher rate of infection."

"Then let's go look for some. Let's see what else we can find. Oh, Boss cleared upstairs once. Let's check it out and see if we can find any usable tools."

Zuo Yu was indifferent. Before Fang Zhao replied, he would bring these people to adapt first.

"I can't help but feel like we are holding him back," Zu Wen muttered.

Rodney also agreed. "There is a lot of pressure."

This was the first time they had encountered such a situation.

They had originally decided to cover Fang Zhao in the game, but they had never expected that they would end up being the ones dragging the team down.

Zuo Yu stood at the side expressionless. He thought to himself, You guys have a lot of pressure? Is it more than mine? You only have this pressure in-game, whereas I feel pressured both in-game and in reality!

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 2:00:00.

The leaderboards refreshed for the second time.

Wayne had already situated himself in front of the screen.

After the leaderboards refreshed for the second time, Yanzhou districts two leaderboards did not have much changes in the rankings. The group leaderboard was still occupied by the Big Five e-sports clubs, and the individual leaderboards also had no changes. However, the gap in points between 1st and 2nd place widened even more.

AliveAfter500Years, who had placed first, had a total of 15,377.6 experience points. Xie He, in 2nd place, only had 6,018.3. The professional marksman from Mazhou, Ma Xier, had 8,195.5.

The difference was hard to believe!

When he saw the leaderboards, Wayne could not help but violently suck in a breath of air. Ecstasy, excitement, and a sense of loss were his main lines of thought. All the while he maintained his gaze on the screen, only his two fists that were clenched on the table were trembling. He knew that the gaming department's opportunity had come!

The forums started to boil. After the second refresh, many people were terrified.

Previously, they had doubted how he could garner 5,000 points within an hour. In the second hour, the person had straight up racked up 10,000!

Even if the competitor from Mazhou had managed to improve and achieve more than 4,000 points, compared to AliveAfter500Years, he could not keep up at all.

"Is... is... is this really something a human can do?"

"15,000 points! 10,000 in an hour! How did he do that?! Did he go crazy from all the killing?"

"Exactly which district in Yanzhou? I want to go spectate."

There were even people who spent cash to purchase an announcer tool in the Yanzhou Region. Everyone in the districts could hear and see the message he broadcasted: "Anyone knows which district AliveAfter500Years is at? A $1,000 reward! PM me!"

There was more than one such announcement. It could have been some rich kids, some entertainment media, or a certain e-sports club's personnel using a decoy to obtain information.

But no matter how much these people hollered, no one was able to determine where AliveAfter500Years was for certain. The SilverWing50PolarLight team had restrictions on their public information. Other than the team name, nothing else could be seen.

For players logging into the game, the places they appeared at were randomly allocated by the game.

Zu Wen and the others also never communicated with other people. After being forced offline by a bite, he'd felt too ashamed to mention it to his friends. Besides, the majority of people he knew were online and enthusiastically playing the game. People that were like him, who found themselves in a situation like when he'd been bitten by a fish, were few and far between. The other members of the team were also in similar situations and had not communicated much with their classmates or good friends. This also gave rise to a situation where nobody knew who was in "SilverWing50PolarLight" or which district they were at.

Analysts had made a list of their guesses. A single player being able to get that many points would have quite some activity, which would not go unnoticed. However, Yanzhou region had 100 little district maps, and there were a number of places with activity. Removing the districts that had the least possibility because they were occupied by the few big e-sports clubs, there were still quite a number of districts that seemed possible. Narrowing it down further, they picked out 7 districts, Some of these districts might also have had professional e-sports clubs there, but who could confirm whether Silver Wing had collaborated to form a team with those smaller e-sports clubs or private teams?

District 79 was among those in the reckoning.

The people of district 79 were depressed. A crazy KSing demon had appeared, or maybe a KSing team. Nobody knew who was responsible, as they could not even catch a glimpse of an ID. It was unclear how many people were involved, as most of the time, they did not even see anyone.

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 4:00:00.

District 79 was swept clean.

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 8:00:00.

District 79 was swept clean.

"Battle of the Century" runtime: 12:00:00.

District 79 was swept clean.

Many people had already somewhat adapted to the game, and their equipment had also improved. Some richer players had purchased equipment from teams that specifically sold in-game equipment. Due to this, the number of people who could KS had decreased, because the standards of everyone had improved.

But nevertheless,AliveAfter500Years continously placed first on the global leaderboards for 12 hours straight. Every time the leaderboards refreshed, his points would increase by 7,000–10,000 points. Not only were those behind unable to catch up—on the contrary, the point difference kept becoming larger.

The game's players from all regions were unhappy.

"I don't believe this! There has to be a problem somewhere!"

"Hacker!"

"Report him!"

"I strongly request an investigation!"

Fiery Bird had received too many complains today. In the past, no one had dared to question Fiery Bird's games. If there was any hacking software, it would be considered a humiliation to Fiery Bird's technical team, but this time it was different. Not only did Fiery Bird's technical team not get angry, they even released a public statement: "We have investigated thoroughly, and everything is normal."

Chapter 132: Please Let Us Off

Fiery Bird's three words, "Everything is normal," informed everyone that there were no external cheating software or botting. All those points had been obtained legitimately by one person.

But at District 79, the core concerns were different. Over at District 79, the players felt like crying. It was not as if all the mutated organisms had been completely cleared. However, as long as there were places with the sound of gunfire, on the streets and other open areas, it seemed as if a sieve had passed through. Anything big or obvious had been cleared, and even lone infected persons were rare.

On the streets, the number of bigger mutated beasts was pathetic, as though cleaners had came and tidied the street. A few snipers lying in wait for prey had waited half an hour, but not a single one had come.

Players who had financial resources but lacked skills knew that there was a limit to their own capabilities. When the game started, they had entered and familiarized themselves with the game and honed their skills. When the time was right, they headed offline to search for equipment sold by those merchant studios and teams. They did not have the strength to fight off these beasts to obtain their credits and experience points to exchange for their own equipment, so they had to resort to these methods.

In 12 hours—half a day—many things had happened.

People selling equipment—teams exchanging credits for equipment or players that picked up the occasional firearm after killing monsters—could quote a price and sell it off to other players. Just fixing a place to make the trade or the buyer could provide coordinates to make the trade.

Special reconnaissance teams had also created their own guidebooks with strategies within that half a day.

When all those players had bought better equipment and read the walkthroughs, they came online and equipped themselves fully but realized that their surroundings were much emptier.

Not a single monster could be seen. Am I supposed to shoot hairs?! Who knows when the next batch of monsters will appear?

Small monsters? Small monsters are not worth the effort!

Having gone through all that preparation just for this yet being unable to make use of the equipment and tactics, this sullen feeling was rather unbearable!

Qian Cheng looked at his subordinate's reports and pondered for a long time. "Is it District 79?"

The staffer who had come to hand in his investigative report replied, "I'm not sure. There is still no confirmation, and the other districts also do not have a definite situation."

Qian Cheng sat in his office chair. Although he did not have any obvious changes in his expression, the drumming of his fingers on the desk became stronger.

A Prairie Fire staffer angrily said, "They beat around the bush when I ask for their team name, so secretive! Taking advantage of the hype!'

They were pissed. After the possible districts were narrowed down, staff had been assigned to investigate. They had even found a few clubs there and asked, but of the clubs or teams there, some would reply "No," while others would give ambiguous replies but not give a clear position. And immediately after, they would sensationalize the news to attract more attention to themselves. They could not stand these sorts of methods, but they still could not remove the possibility of their identities.

Prior to this, Qian Cheng had thought that, as long as they spotted a team with a player in a killing frenzy while the others assisted and lured monsters in, that would surely be the target they were looking for. But very quickly, SilverWing50PolarLight's other team members' points had started to rise, so now this method could not be used.

After 12 hours had passed, the first position on the "Battle of the Century" global leaderboards remained unchanged. The top ten also did not see many changes. However, the points gap continued to widen.

As for Fang Zhao, who was being passionately discussed by everyone, he did not bother with the reactions of others. He had blocked the region-wide announcers and was not checking his team chat.

He continuously shot, reloaded, shot, exchanged credits for ammo, shot...

He let go of everything else, just wanting to vent out all his pent-up feelings properly in the game.

When he felt more or less done, only then did Fang Zhao stop. Checking the team chat and seeing nothing important, he left a message that he was safe and sound before logging off.

Fang Zhao dripped with sweat as he separated from the console. His clothes were already soaked, and even without twisting the cloth, sweat was already dripping from it.

His mind and body appeared to be quite exhausted. Unlike other people who considered a rest after each hour of gaming or after a few hours, Fang Zhao had continuously killed for 12 hours straight and had not stopped in-between to rest at all!

This was a thorough venting session!

He was obviously tired, yet a peculiar glint radiated in his eyes.

Pleased!

Relaxed!

That sort of feeling was like heavy rain after a prolonged dust storm—completely refreshing!

Fang Zhao took deep breaths; this was the most relaxed moment he had felt since being reborn! There was no need for BGM in his head to regulate himself, and he did not need to painstakingly suppress it. Those heavily restrained emotions had dissipated somewhat. He was genuinely relaxed, inside and out!

Of course, other than being exhausted, there was hunger.

If not for this body's constitution being strengthened, if it were anyone else, the person would have fainted from exhaustion or hunger already.

In Yanzhou's timezone, it was already 6 p.m. in the evening.

Fang Zhao realized he had received over a hundred calls on his communications device, giving him a scare, as he thought something big had happened, but after checking the messages, he found out the reason. However, he had not paid attention to the leaderboards. Frankly speaking, he did not see it as a big deal and had never wanted to place on the rankings.

All he had wanted to do was vent out his emotions and tendencies that he had kept suppressed for so long. He had never expected it would result in the present situation. Ranked first worldwide?

As he was browsing through, a notification for an incoming call beeped. It was not Duan Qianji but the gaming department manager, Wayne.

Wayne had waited from morning all the way till Fang Zhao had went offline.

Because Fang Zhao had not gone offline all this while, Silver Wing's side was not sure of the situation, had no communication with Fang Zhao, and thus did not dare to release any information. From an outsider's point of view, it apparently seemed like Silver Wing was probably having discussions on how best to deal with the major event, so much so that even some veterans in the entertainment circles could only shake their heads helplessly. "Don't understand and can't guess what Silver Wing is up to."

"Fang Zhao, you finally disconnected!"Wayne's voice was rather excited. When he was excited, his voice became very high pitched.

Fang Zhao shifted the communications further away before replying, "Mhmm, what's up?"

"You do know that you are ranked first on the global leaderboards, right?!"

"I just found out."

Wayne's hearing ability was good. He could hear from Fang Zhao's tone that Fang Zhao was relaxed and probably feeling happy. He thought that Fang Zhao was feeling this way because he had achieved the top ranking on the global leaderboards.

"Then... what are you plans after this?" Wayne probed carefully.

"Nothing much." Fang Zhao's intention for logging in had been to vent his suppressed emotions. Now that he had achieved his objective, anything else did not mater. How he intended to play in the future depended on his mood.

Wayne clenched his fist tightly, steadied his face, and asked, "Are you interested in working together?"

Wayne explained his intentions. He wanted to use the company's resources, rope Fang Zhao in, and create a superstar in the gaming world. As long as Fang Zhao agreed, the gaming department would rise up. He could already see the glorious future ahead!

"Not interested," was Fang Zhao's reply.

"... Don't reject it right away. Collaboration would benefit everyone. How about this, you are tired after playing for such a long time. Why don't you take a rest first and think about my suggestion."

After ending the call, Wayne immediately contacted Duan Qianji and told her he had been unable to convince Fang Zhao and needed Duan Qianji, the big boss of Silver Wing, to persuade him. If other companies found out that AliveAfter500Years was Fang Zhao, they would surely spend lots of money to poach him!

Just today, a number of companies had expressed interest in buying over the player and were willing to pay the compensation fee! Not just Yanzhou companies, there were interested parties from other continents too!

But what other people did not know was that the contract Silver Wing had signed with Fang Zhao did not involve gaming. If Fang Zhao were to sign with another company as an e-sports athlete, it would not be a violation of the contract.

Thus, a minute after Fang Zhao had spoken to Wayne, he received a call from Duan Qianji.

Frankly speaking, the treatment that Duan Qianji gave Fang Zhao was very good. Regarding the boss of the company, Fang Zhao was willing to give a little face.

As expected, Duan Qianji once again persuaded him to work together with the gaming department. If he had any conditions, he could raise them. She invited Fang Zhao over to the company tomorrow to have a discussion with everyone. Not just Wayne, Duan Qianji also did not want to let such a big opportunity slip by.

After the call, Fang Zhao did not immediately log back in. Instead, he went to check out the "Battle of the Century" forums on Fiery Bird's website. Sure enough, many people were talking about today's placings.

Next, Fang Zhao checked out the Yanzhou region forums. The announcements by all the e-sports clubs were already out, and the ones that were trending the most were related to the Big Five.

Fang Zhao entered the District 79 discussions to see if there was anything big next. Back when he had been playing, Fang Zhao had blocked off all communications, so he did not know a lot of stuff that was happening.

Indeed, all the discussions were about District 79 South, West, and East being completely cleared.

Those people seemed to be talking about him. Browsing a few more post, he was sure they were talking about him.

At this moment, a stickied post appeared.

"To that unknown expert that cleared the district's south, west, and east! Please show us some mercy! Please let District 79 North off! We are only students!"

If it was the real Period of Destruction, someone would have to clear an area. But since this was a game, after reflecting on his own actions, Fang Zhao felt it was not appropriate, like he was bullying kids. After he had cleared an area, others could not play.

Having made up his mind, Fang Zhao logged in with the ID he had created when he'd registered with the game and left a one word reply on that student's post—

[AliveAfter500Years] "Sure."

In the next moment, the replies on the post exploded exponentially.

"..."

"This ID..."

"What the f*ck?!"

"What did I just see?!'

"The top ranked worldwide is in our district?!"

"So he is the crazy KSing demon that cleared District 79 South, East, and West?!

The original poster was a university student. He and a few fellow students had just bought some equipment from others, stocked up on lots of ammunition, and decided to have a proper round of gaming. After seeing the situations at District 79 South, East, and West, he'd then posted on the forums, but little had he expected his post would make that expert reveal himself.

He has appeared, District 79!

The media was quick to catch on like a cat that had caught the scent of a fish, and they headed for District 79. Those that had not been randomly allocated to District 79 bought accounts to enter. Teams that specifically sold District 79 accounts had not expected that their business on the first day would be so good!

However, these people heading to District 79 with the motive of interviewing the player did not achieve their goals that night. Instead, at District 78 East, which bordered on District 79 West, the sound of condensed gunfire rang out.

The players in District 78: "..." A profanity had appeared in their minds.automated gameplay, using programmes to play on behalf of the user.

Chapter 133: Morning, Boss

Those reporters ordered to District 79 shivered. Gaming was not their forte; glib talk, secretly taking photos, and ambushing celebrities were their true life's calling!

Therefore, those that had obtained accounts for District 79 looked for places to hide after logging in. They had not come to slay monsters but to spot someone!

A member of a media forum contacted his colleague.

"Anything happening on your end?"

"Nope, just a bunch of players fighting off a group of beasts that appeared from nowhere... I'm considering whether to pick off some scraps. Who knows, I might gain some points."

"Forget about it. Considering the standard of your marksmanship, it's better not to take that risk. At my side, someone took the opportunity to play a little. In less than five minutes, he lost three lives and got a scolding when he disconnected. I reckon his wages are going to be deducted."

"...I guess I should just wait instead."

"This game is a little too scary," a reporter who rarely played games added in. He had been temporarily dragged over to assist. He used to report on culinary and culture, and his field of expertise was literature and art. Today, the company's gaming entertainment section lacked manpower, and since he was free, he had been transferred over to help out and lay in wait for that mysterious AliveAfter500Years to appear. It was rumored that, if luck was good and one managed to catch him, there would be a pay raise. The assignment sounded easy enough, so he had accepted. What he had not expected was that, upon entering the game and seeing those sickening beasts, he would nearly scream; his legs were still jelly.

"You are just a scaredy-cat. You will get used to it after playing these games more."

"The sky... The sky is already dark! That AliveAfter500Years might have gone to bed, right?"

"Have you ever seen a gamer that sleeps so early? Just wait, he wouldn't go offline so early. At most for a little rest, and then he will log back in. Don't bother about anything else, just listen for gunfire."

"Nothing will be coming out at night, right? I have never used a gun before. I didn't even handle a gun during my military service."

"Don't worry, just take shelter in a safe place and wait. Close the doors and windows and don't make any unnecessary sounds and you will be fine."

After AliveAfter500Years had revealed himself, District 79 was now filled with the eyes of the media. Some were reporters hoping to catch some news, while others were players that had been paid to shadow him.

Other sorts of mutated beasts came out at night. Due to the lack of light, players with night vision would fare better, but for those without night vision, many times they would not even catch sight of anything before dying.

Reporters from many media groups holed themselves in places they felt safe, not daring to step out, just listening out for the gunfire that was mentioned in the information. However, they did not hear gunfire but, rather, strange roars and blood-curdling screams that frayed their nerves and made them feel chills down their spines.

It was more difficult at night; a moment of carelessness could result in the loss of life. Therefore, many players just disconnected straightaway. Compared to during the day, there were fewer players. But there were still players that liked this sort of even more intense environment.

The time zones across the world were all different. If it was daytime in a continent, that region would also experience daytime in-game. This resulted in gamers that were placed further behind taking advantage of daytime and going on a rampage, sweeping up points and rising up the rankings.

However, the global leaderboard's top ten still did not see drastic changes.

When a region entered night time, players that were not suited for a night environment and disconnected did not go to sleep. Instead, they paid attention to information related to the game. Some people were busy buying equipment, whereas others were busy memorizing strategies in preparation for resuming the fight the next day. There were also some that watched gossip news.

"The f*ck! How is he still sweeping up points!"

"AliveAfter500Years is online again?"

"I asked my cousin's classmate's relative's neighbor in Yanzhou a while back. It was all quiet in District 79."

"You don't say, of course District 79 is quiet! He has gone over to District 78!"

Indeed, very quickly, a piece of news appeared. It was a screenshot of an announcer. Someone at District 78 had sent that message.

"District 78 has been swept clean! Listen to the sound of gunfire, AliveAfter500Years has appeared!"

"Why has he come over to our district? Bullying us at District 78 because we don't have an expert?! Why doesn't he go over to District 80?!

Someone from District 80 immediately replied, "Over at District 80, the monsters are few and the roads are bad. Big god, please don't come over."

The expanded map of the Yanzhou region only displayed 100 districts, and the lines were drawn out well. As the names of many places during the Period of Destruction had already become hazy, in the game, the places were just straightforwardly labeled as districts and given a number each. As for District 79, on the map, its position was between District 78 and District 80.

After a short while, those stationed at District 79 received instructions from their own bosses: "Withdraw first."

"We are no longer keeping watch tonight?" a reported squatting in District 79 asked his colleague.

"Nope, he's already gone to 78. There is nothing left to watch."

"Have we just wasted an hour waiting for nothing?"

"Anyone have District 78 accounts? I want to head over for a look."

Reporters in District 79 left in succession after receiving their instructions. Some went to purchase District 78's accounts. They definitely did not dare to run alone from District 78 to 79. There were dangers en route that could make them die a hundred times over. They were reporters, not gamers.

District 78's players that sold accounts and equipment had originally logged off, intending to rest. When they heard that AliveAfter500Years had come over to District 78, they were immediately awakened, not because of panic but because of excitement. They could smell the influx of people coming over to District 78, and they could raise the prices of their equipment. Profit!

As before, the number of reporters hiding in District 78 increased. Some were temporarily hired by media from other continents. Noticing that player being so active on the leaderboards even at night drew a lot of interest. They were all thinking that maybe they might get some big news tonight.

However, as these people arrived at District 78, Fang Zhao logged off.

The environment at night used up much more mental and physical strength than daytime. A moment of carelessness could easily result in injury of death. In addition, he had already played for a long time during the day. In the evening, he only had a little rest while eating and had played five hours straight after that. He was too tired now.

After a bath, some food, and browsing the news, Fang Zhao laid on his bed and slept. This was probably the first time he'd had proper sleep since being reborn, a peaceful rest.

Still, reporters in District 78 continued hiding in their spots, pricking their ears up and shaking from the beastly roars outside, all the way till they received instructions from their superiors to withdraw.

The night was in no way tranquil. Players excitedly discussed their harvests from the first day, sharing their own experiences and interesting stories. Fans's were busy keeping tabs on the stars of various gaming clubs. The media was especially lively. Today, a real expert had emerged in Yanzhou, not from the Big Five, but from Silver Wing, an entertainment company. Everyone had their own guesses on who AliveAfter500Years was, but no matter what, no matter who he was, it was sensationalized.

The next day, Zuo Yu came over early in the morning to pick up Fang Zhao. As Fang Zhao's driver cum bodyguard, he needed to fulfill his obligations. He felt that he might only be a "driver," and if he did not perform well, who knew when he would be dismissed. Zuo Yu really liked this job; there was not much to do and the salary was high. The only drawback was that the mental pressure was rather high. His boss was even more capable than him, and he felt a little guilty to be getting paid so much.

Meeting Fang Zhao once more, Zuo Yu was feeling complicated. That little bit of superiority he had once felt had completely vanished. He could no longer face Fang Zhao in the same casual and playful manner. He instead had to be respectful just like the majority of other bodyguards. He was also curious as to how Fang Zhao had managed to get so many points, but if Fang Zhao did not say, he also could not demand answers. Besides, there would be chances to find out in the future.

Zuo Yu spoke about the incident with Wayne coming over to the virtual project department.

"Boss, are you going to collaborate with the gaming department?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Depends on the situation." Fang Zhao had come over today because of this matter. He had to see what plans Silver Wing had and discuss the terms and conditions. If the conditions were satisfactory, he did not mind collaborating and gaming with Silver Wing. After all, being idle was still being idle.

"Oh, right, I have a question for you," Fang Zhao said.

"Go ahead." Zuo Yu unconsciously sat up straight. His boss's question needed to be taken seriously.

"Do personnel from the military and police play a lot of these sort of games?" Fang Zhao asked.

"This sort, uh, actually, military and police forces rarely play this. If they do play, they also treat it as training. There isn't much time for games, and they rarely go all-out when playing. Those that go all-out, other than professional e-sports athletes, are sportsmen. The guy from Mazhou who is ranked second after you is a professional shooter."

Noticing Fang Zhao taking an interest in this topic, Zuo Yu continued to explain, "Actually, it is not that hard to comprehend. Let's use this analogy: over at Muzhou, there are shepherd dogs and police dogs. They do not train a police dog using methods for training shepherd dogs and do not let them take part in sheep-herding competitions. The same goes for shepherd dogs. The two kinds are trained differently. However, if one day, a police dog is suitable for a sheep-herding competition, the people of Muzhou would not treat it as a police dog anymore, because it is no longer suitable."

Zuo Yu did not know whether he was explaining it to Fang Zhao or telling himself. Zuo Yu's voice sounded downcast. "If they get used to the mentality of games, when it comes to executing a real mission, that could result in losing one's life."

When he finished, Zuo Yu glanced at the rear-view mirror to see Fang Zhao's reaction. Fang Zhao was only looking out of the car window, as if thinking of something. Zuo Yu was unable to discern his state of mind from his face and did not know whether Fang Zhao had understood his words.

When they were approaching Silver Wing tower, Zuo Yu said, "Today there are a lot more people camping outside Silver Wing. We will enter another way."

With the matter of the emergence of AliveAfter500Years and SilverWing50PolarLight, the number of reporters loitering outside Silver Wing tower was a lot more. Today, the car that Zuo Yu drove was not the usual one but a less conspicuous one, and they entered the tower through another entrance that was rarely used. Silver Wing's 50th floor was already sealed shut, and they were afraid that, if it was opened, someone might slip in if they were careless.

Fang Zhao rode the elevator up to the 50th floor. When the elevator doors opened, he realized five people were standing just outside. From the staff badges on their chests, he could tell they were from Silver Wing's gaming department. Out of the five, Fang Zhao recognized three. Back when he'd headed to the film department, he had run into them in the elevator. The other two were unfamiliar. Fang Zhao guessed that they were probably signed by the gaming department separately.

Just as he was about to ask what they were doing here, the five simultaneously looked over, their eyes looking as if they had just seen a gold bar, and they bowed toward Fang Zhao as though they had practiced it. "Morning, Boss!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

He checked his surroundings; he was at the right place. This was the 50th floor.

Chapter 134: Pry Away the Foundations

"Hey, hey, stop shouting. Who are you calling your boss, take a look at the place!" Zu Wen had been about to head to the company's cafeteria to grab a bite. When he'd stepped out and saw the scene at the door, he'd suddenly raged.

How dare you do this at our virtual projects department's main entrance, trying to pry away our department's foundation?! If you poach him, are our department members supposed to go hungry?

"Shoo, shoo, shoo. Run back to your gaming department!" Zu Wen used his hands and waved them away. Toward them, his face was black as hell. After that, he turned around and ran over toward Fang Zhao for some bootlicking. "Boss, don't bother them, let's go in and talk."

The five of them seemed as if they were stuck behind, following Fang Zhao tightly as they entered the virtual projects department. Zu Wen tried to squeeze them out, but it was to no avail.

"Wayne said that we would be working with you in the future," a youngster with explosive hair said.

When they had first been recalled to the company and encountered Fang Zhao in the elevator, they hadn't thought much about it, since Fang Zhao had a different occupation, but who would have expected this sort of situation to occur?

On the first day of the game, Wayne had set them a target. After giving their all, they were dog-tired when exiting their cabins. Seeing their results, they were partly proud and partly apprehensive. They were proud, as they felt their results were better than expected and they might not even have achieved better if they went another round. They were apprehensive because their placing was not what they'd expected. They were all in their twenties, and the oldest among the five was 28. This was also the first time they had experienced the competitiveness of the leaderboard. Even giving their all every day, the ranking would not rise up, and a moment of carelessness would leave them biting the dust.

After disconnecting, they had originally been wondering whether it would be praise or criticism from Wayne, but when they'd come out, only the assistant assigned to them had been there; Wayne had been nowhere to be seen. The other people in the gaming department had strange expressions, seemingly excited and worked up yet at the same time regretful. The five were also unable to obtain answers from the others, and the only reply they got was to do their best.

On the leaderboards, SilverWing50PolarLight and the number-one-ranked AliveAfter500Years, who'd maintained his position since the first refresh, had really aroused their curiosity. They'd wondered if the rumors were true, and other than the five of them, Silver Wing's gaming department had collaborated with the virtual projects department to sign others. Or perhaps formed another team?

Only after night had fallen had they gotten to meet Wayne. When they'd found out the truth through Wayne, their minds went blank as their jaws dropped. They'd had no idea how to react.

Fang Zhao?

The composer, head of the virtual projects department?

Totally unexpected!

Wayne had spent the night explaining stuff to them and giving new instructions.

Having been in control of the gaming department all these years, Wayne also had his own methods. He was not an indecisive person, so when it came to making a decision, Wayne just gave up on the original plan and did not let the five log in to continue gaming. Rather, he got them to register a new username to join SilverWing50PolarLight team and enter district 79. To just dump all the hard work of the first day and bank on someone else, the decision was firm.

But no matter what opinions Wayne had, he still had to first get Fang Zhao to agree.

Therefore, early in the morning, the five of them had run over to the virtuals projects department and stood guard, armed with a nervous urgency. Especially when they saw Fang Zhao, it was as if they had seen a dazzling light of hope.

Fang Zhao had stopped the five. "Don't bother shouting first; nothing has been decided yet."

Receiving a message from Duan Qianji, Fang Zhao stepped into the elevator and headed for the top floor.

In Duan Qianji's top-floor office, Duan Qianji, Wayne, and another deputy manager from the gaming department were already seated there.

A large smile appeared on Wayne's face when he caught sight of Fang Zhao, the sort one got when meeting a lover again after a long time.

Duan Qianji's assistants and secretary retreated, leaving the four alone. There was no need to worry about any strategic information leaking.

Duan Qianji did not beat around the bush and instead went straight to the two proposals that she and Wayne had come up with.

The first proposal was in line with the opinions of the outside world. They would go all-out to create a new superstar and let the AliveAfter500Years ID become a super ID, utilizing all the resources of the gaming department to assist Fang Zhao. Once that happened, Fang Zhao would become the first ever globally popular superstar produced by Silver Wing in the gaming circles.

However, Fang Zhao did not have much interest in this. Yesterday he had already turned it down once when speaking to Wayne. If that really happened, it would imply that he could only follow in the path and accomplish the goals the company designated for him, and he would have much less power to make his own decisions. Creating a superstar and whatever did not matter much to him, he did not need to rely on that to eke out a living.

Facing Fang Zhao's rejection once more, Duan Qianji and Wayne could not help but feel a little regret. After all, this solution was the safest and simplest at this point in time, and the benefits were great. However, as Fang Zhao did not have a contract with the company as a gamer, they had no way of forcing him.

Wayne shared his thoughts, "I knew you would reject it, so that brings us the the second proposal we discussed."

What they meant to say was that, since Fang Zhao had not agreed to the first proposal, they could all try collaborating. Silver Wing would request Fang Zhao lead the few members of the gaming department. This was their motive behind signing those five. The original plan had been to build them up and create five gaming stars.

After listening to their views, Fang Zhao fell silent for a bit before asking, "So you mean to build up five average gaming stars?"

Hearing Fang Zhao's words, Duan Qianji and Wayne, who were rather impressive themselves, knew right away that Fang Zhao definitely had other ideas.

"What do you propose?"

"I don't have one. I have received the information on the five members that you sent, including their in-game performance yesterday. To promote them individually would not be easy," Fang Zhao replied.

"We can collaborate with professional assisting studios," Wayne said. He meant those that helped to provide equipment, draw monsters, and provide suppressing fire and leave the kill for the employer, letting the employer gain as many points as possible. Certain studios and teams provided these one-stop services. Previously, Wayne had engaged a studio to do so, to provide assistance for the five members to rack up points. It was a pity that even with that assistance they had been unable to even compete with Fang Zhao, who had done it alone. Even the scores of all five added up could not compare.

Fang Zhao ruthlessly rejected the notion. "My team would have no such service from these studios."

"Even if we do not use any studios, just relying on the few of you would not be enough. If we wanted to score high points... only relying on your own team—I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but even though I am not to well-versed on this matter, five members are still too little. Even if we count you in, forget about the Big Five gaming clubs, we would not even be able to compete with those second-tier gaming clubs. Zu Wen and the others are all amateurs, and we can't count them in since they still have to work on normal days," Wayne analyzed.

"Then recruit more." Fang Zhao did not seem anxious when Wayne questioned his suggestion. Continuing on, he said, "You mentioned previously that you would keep an eye out for talented young players. If they seem decent, just sign them."

"You make it sound easy. I don't mean to strike you down, but those with excellent qualities didn't even give us a second look. We had a name list and sent out invites, but not a single one replied. If you don't believe me, you can try it out..."

Wayne had not finished when he abruptly paused and his eyes widened, as if he had remembered something important. He clenched his fists that were resting on the armrest tightly and even his breathing stopped for an instant.

It was not that they were unable to sign anyone despite offering a high fee, it was just that Wayne was unable to sign anyone that met his criteria, because he was not capable enough to poach those outstanding gamers.

No matter how much he could offer, Wayne still knew that, in the gaming circles and in the eyes of many professional gamers, he was not considered a big deal.

Wayne? Who the hell was he?

This was the first thought that came to the minds of gamers who saw that name.

This was the reason why Wayne had received such pathetic replies after sending out countless invites. Many people did not even bother sending a simple reply of rejection.

Total disregard!

However, Wayne could understand. Silver Wing was an entertainment company, and it touched on less aspects in e-sports, as its core was still film and music. Therefore, in the eyes of many, Silver Wing and other entertainment companies were all the same, dabbling a little in the gaming industry because it was profitable. Gamers with a professional ambition generally would not consider these sorts of entertainment companies. In the past there had been no lack of examples. There were some who had been lured over to an entertainment company and had a brief period in the limelight, but after that, they had fallen from grace and were never mentioned by anyone in the gaming circles.

Therefore, as the manager of the gaming department in a mixed-entertainment company, there was great difficulty involved when Wayne tried to poach his targets.

But it was different with Fang Zhao!

AliveAfter500Years still held the top spot in the global rankings and had wide acclaim! Which professional gamer would not recognize this ID? Furthermore, Fang Zhao apparently seemed to be able to continue holding onto the top spot.

No one spoke in the office; the only sound was Wayne's increasingly heavy breathing.

"Wait a minute!" Wayne hurriedly opened his briefcase, took out a file, and solemnly said, "Please take a look at this list of names!"

Wayne's hands were trembling as he handed over the list to Fang Zhao. This list of names was the result of three years of work. Three years ago, he had approached these people, but unfortunately, he had been unable to poach a single one. The names on the list, especially those on the top, would create big news if they could be poached! Poaching three would let them occupy the recent headlines of the e-sports scene! Poaching five... Poaching five over, their gaming department would soar!

After handing the list of names over to Fang Zhao, Wayne watched Fang Zhao's expression. He had originally expected a gasp of surprise from Fang Zhao, but he had never expected that Fang Zhao would just scan through it once and ask, "Only from Yanzhou?"

"You... you still want to... poach from other continents?!"

"Are there any?" Fang Zhao asked.

"No, but I can start taking notes immediately!" Wayne hurriedly declared.

"Let me first take a look at these names. Let me make this clear: my team, my decisions."

"This... is a project the company is investing in, after all..." Wayne was a little awkward. He felt a little uneasy if he was unable to control it himself.

Fang Zhao put down the file and prepared to leave. "All right, find someone else instead."

"Hey, youngster, don't be so hasty. I haven't said no!" Wayne quickly pulled Fang Zhao back to his seat and stuffed the list of names back into his hands.

Chapter 135: Downright Masterful!

Wayne felt like he was walking on water when he returned from the penthouse suite to the gaming department..

"Boss, do we have a deal?" his staff asked anxiously.

The dreamy look on Wayne's face subdued somewhat, replaced by a manager's grim authority. He cleared his throat and said, "Yeah." But thinking back to the visions of a grand future that popped into his head, he couldn't help smiling again. "Ehem. Everyone hunker down a bit. Tight lips. Understand? Maybe our day has finally come," Wayne instructed.

"Got! It!" his staff responded in unison.

Wayne didn't reveal too many details. He had wanted to spill the beans to boost morale, but he was also worried that Fang Zhao's poaching attempts would fail, in which case he would lose face, so Wayne decided to hold back, at least until Fang Zhao had secured a few defectors.

In the end, Wayne and Duan Qianji had agreed to Fang Zhao's terms. Since Fang Zhao would be leading the team, he would call the shots, as long as he managed to poach the top gamers. Wayne was also a businessman. All his decisions were based on personal interest. Even though things had evolved beyond his control, as long as he could profit, he would not hesitate to agree to Fang Zhao's terms. This was a one-in-a-million opportunity.

Inside the office of the executive producer for "Prairie Fire."

Qian Cheng had been in a bad mood the past few days because he had failed to land the scoop he'd so desperately wanted. He'd sent an army to District 79, but AliveAfter500Years had headed to District 78 instead. He'd reassigned his reporters to District 78, but there had been no sign of the crack gamer then.

"Any movement on Silver Wing's front?" Qian Cheng asked his staff.

"No," one of his staffers responded.

"This doesn't feel right. They haven't so much as put up a smokescreen. That's not Silver Wing's style. If they were thinking straight, shouldn't they have been bragging like crazy about their gamer sitting on top of the global leaderboard? Silver Wing has always enjoyed blowing the smallest triumph out of proportion, and yet they are silent now. Unless there are some shady shenanigans going on behind the scenes?"

Qian Cheng shook his head in silence. He didn't get it. Why was Silver Wing so composed this time?

"I have a bad feeling about this," Qian Cheng continued. "It feels like Silver Wing is up to something major again."

After pondering a bit, Qian Cheng issued his marching orders. "Don't let up on Silver Wing. Keep a tight watch."

"Then should we still assign folks to District 78 and 79?" someone asked. "There's big news in other districts as well, and we're quite short-staffed."

Qian Cheng thought it over. "Let's stay put in District 78. Reassign most of the reporters in District 79 to other districts. Just keep a few to keep an eye on things."

Amid the flurry of activity, inside a building in District 79 West, a silhouette moved cautiously along the wall, careful not to make the slightest sound. After tiptoeing a bit, the person stopped to thoroughly take in his surroundings.

After remaining still and making sure he was alone, the man whispered, "Hi everyone, this is your old friend Strong Bubbles. Welcome to my live broadcast. I am now situated in a furniture mall in the Old Era."

He was a webcast host. Live broadcasts were allowed in "Battle of the Century," but journalists had to apply. Only applicants vetted and cleared by Fiery Bird could report live from the game. Not everyone could qualify.

This particular host had a good reputation and was accredited, but this was his first gaming gig. He used to host lifestyle and travel shows, but there were too many personalities covering the same beat and thus too much competition. There was never a shortage of hosts willing to put their lives on the line, such as folks who attempted dangerous climbs, ventured deep into the forest, or scuba dived into great depths to uncover natural beauty. He wasn't that adventurous, which was why his viewership numbers dwindled.

"Battle of the Century" had a huge budget, and its production values were superb. The game was extremely realistic. Gaming hosts focused on strategy in their live broadcasts, but he was different. He was using the game to chart a new career path.

The Old Era was undoubtedly a novelty for folks from the New Era, so after switching beats, this host saw his viewership figures climb again. He maintained his fan base, while new viewers were gamers who were curious about the Old Era. Quite a few of them were underaged. Children were not allowed to play "Battle of the Century." All they could do was tune in to live webcasts every day. Some of these kids were interested in watching monster slaying. Others were not but were rather drawn to Strong Bubbles's levelheaded but stimulating reporting style. It was a nice change of pace and made for pleasant viewing. The latter demographic included both gamers and non-gamers. The gamers tuned in to the live broadcast to get their fix when they themselves couldn't play because of work or other engagements.

As an experienced host, Strong Bubbles knew how to pick a location. His staff had opened several accounts for him. He picked the one that gave him access to District 79 for the sole reason that the furniture mall was there. It was a strategic location and easy to hide in, and next to the furniture mall was a major intersection. Even though he was on the first floor, the windows were covered with a wire mesh, so he could observe developments at the crossroads from a safe sanctuary. He could also see other players kill monsters. Strong Bubbles had no intention of switching locations any time soon.

The footage seen by viewers was decided by the host. The host could choose from various vantage points, including his own. Strong Bubbles had chosen his own. He liked sharing what he saw with his own eyes.

Just as he was about to share an amusing anecdote from the Old Era, he was interrupted.

"Sounds like gunshots. They're getting louder. Also, is that the sound of a motorbike? Even though there aren't that many beasts in the city, there's still a sizable population. The sound of a motorbike might draw the attention of the beasts and overshadow other sounds. It would be hard to detect threats by sound. I wonder if the rider factored this into consideration. Wait..."

"The gunshots are quite regular. It seems there might be a team of shooters. Let's wait and see." Strong Bubbles held his breath and peeked through the window to locate the source of the gunshots.

The sound of the motorbike and gunshots kept getting louder. Soon, he saw a speeding shadow pop up some distance away. There was only one silhouette.

A huge black motorbike with a clear outline and a chiseled body charged at the crossroads, rumbling at a high frequency, as if milking its engine for all it was worth. It was a wild beast heaving and panting frantically.

"Is that the heavy-duty motorbike T-Rex?" To prepare for his broadcast, the host had crammed on Old Era trivia. When Fiery Bird had released its game-related merchandise, he'd also bought a T-Rex model, but the model he'd bought was the racing version. What appeared now was a street version with lights and mirrors.

He didn't have a clear view because of the metal mesh covering the window, so he took a chance and opened the window, pressing his face toward the mesh to get a better look. His personal safety was secondary now. He had to go all out for the live broadcast.

Looking through the metal mesh, he still couldn't identify the rider of the motorbike, because the rider was wearing a helmet. All he saw was his right hand on a handle and his left pulling out a short pistol and firing all over the place. The proximity of the shots was spooky. Almost every shot killed a beast.

The closer he approached the intersection, the more dangerous it was. The sound of beasts crying traveled from all four directions. The gunshots became even more frequent. Some of the beasts were still hiding in buildings. Once they poked their heads out, they were shot.

Bang!

Another shot, which threaded the gap of a window on the building to the right, hit another beast.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

One beast fell after another.

By now, the rider had reached the crossroads. Beasts were approaching from all four directions, the sudden surge of bodies and flesh resembling a tsunami. If it were someone else, four guns wouldn't have done the trick. There was no time.

Yet the man on the bike betrayed no signs of fear.

Screech!

The sound of the motorbike's wheels revolving against the ground made for a long piercing noise. The rider swerved and sped forward.

Man and machine combined for a menacing T-Rex, lethal shots spraying from the barrel of the rider's gun nonstop. During the turn, the gun was reduced to a blob. He was moving so quickly you couldn't see the gun clearly. All you could see were mini explosions emerging from T-Rex Central.

The smell of gunpowder was everywhere, as if auguring an imminent detonation.

The beasts weren't slow either, but...

Down!

Down!

Downed with a shot!

This was a meeting of two powerful currents. Yet the end result was utterly one-sided.

One person facing beasts attacking from all four directions—and yet his firepower had the upper hand. Those beasts couldn't get anywhere near him.

Every shot and every move seemed to be carefully plotted. The level of anticipation and mental fortitude was mind blowing.

Every single viewer watching the live broadcast stopped what they were doing and stared without so much as a single blink. They held their breath and clenched their fists, as if they themselves were in the midst of battle. Some viewers let out the occasional scream.

The rider even managed to shoot some beasts in the head during his turn.

If it were them, they could never have managed to hit the bodies of the beasts so easily while sitting still on the bike. Let alone their heads, the motorbike was swerving.

What kind of skill level was this?

After a rainstorm of shots, the black motorbike waded through the corpses on the ground and sped off. The gunshots kept coming. For the rider, the battle wasn't over. It was just that the sound of gunshots had moved on to the next intersection, leaving behind the angry, disgruntled howls of beasts who had arrived too late.

The host took a swallow, carefully maneuvered back into the room, and shut the window. His hands were still shaking when he closed the window, still rattled from the scene he had just witnessed.

No more than 30 seconds had elapsed between the time the rider had emerged in his line of sight and the rider's departure. Many viewers watching the live broadcast were left in a cold sweat, their muscles stiff from the tension of the moment, taking forever to recover.

Viewers that were logged onto Strong Bubbles' chat forum finally came to their senses and went berserk.

"F*ck!"

"That kind of driving..."

"A 360-degree swerve while shooting at the same time. Oh. My. God."

"That was a street version of the T-Rex, no doubt about it. It's the third T-Rex that has shown up in Yanzhou since the game was launched. But this is the first person who took the T-Rex into a fight! Bad*ss!"

"Yesterday I took an ordinary motorbike from the basement garage for a spin. I lost control and broke my bones. Thank God it was in a game. I was alive and kicking again after an afternoon of rest. Watching this dude take off on his bike has given me the goosebumps again. I think I might crash again."

"Our friend upstairs missed something. The rider swerved 360 degrees, switched weapons, and fired. He switched weapons when he turned and fired. I'm just not sure how many times. But judging from the sound of the gunshots, there were definitely two types of guns in action. Several beasts were shot when they leaped forward. Those shots were definitely inflicted by a different gun, maybe a shotgun of some sort. Everything went down so quickly I couldn't see clearly."

"Did you guys see the way he switched guns?"

"Not at all."

"Bubbles: Did you tape the broadcast just now? I want to watch the rerun in slow motion. I want to know how many times he switched weapons during the short period he was swerving his bike."

"He actually switched guns at a time like that? Even a delay of 0.1 seconds could mean losing your life, not to mention the consequences of switching to the wrong gun."

"My dad just asked why I was watching the live broadcast on my knees."

"Downright masterful!"

"Forget about accuracy—isn't it easy to screw up with such a fast weapon switch? Last time I ran into a beast, I was going to switch to a shotgun, but I was so emotional that I didn't realize until I was about to the pull the trigger that the thing I switched to was a chicken leg. I was so freaked out I tossed it. The price you pay for not organizing your toolkit."

"Brother upstairs who switched to a chicken leg: did the beast eat the chicken leg?"

"I don't know. I was in a hurry to bolt. I didn't dare look back."

"Hey, let's not go off-topic. Stay on message. Didn't the rider just now seem familiar?"

"I couldn't get a clear view because he was wearing a helmet, but now that you mention it, yeah, I've seen the face somewhere."

"Even though the helmet wasn't a biker's helmet and his outfit wasn't a biker's kit, don't you think the dude looks a bit like the mystery man from the race between 2S and BOOM a month ago? Especially the way he swerved at the intersection. The difference is that he swerved a full 360 degrees this time, not 180 degrees, and he didn't lift his front wheel, but he switched weapons and fired."

"His accuracy reminds me of the District 79 legend AliveAfter500Years! Only he could manage such a massacre in this neighborhood. Wow, I finally witnessed the way the top player in the world racks up points. So you're saying this guy is the mystery rider who passed Ke Zimo and Olaf during the practice match between 2S and BOOM last month?"

"It's the same person?"

Chapter 136: What Is He Playing A

If the mystery rider during the previous month's practice match was the same person as the global ranked number one player from District 79, AliveAfter500Years, that meant that...

"They faced off against each other right from the start!"

To go up against the Big Five e-sports clubs, not only was courage needed but also the strength to back it up. All these years in Yanzhou, there had been people who had challenged the top and had threatened the positions of the Big Five, but ultimately, the Big Five still held firm. Now there was a competitor who possessed the strength and courage, or rather, an unknown person that had the backing of Silver Wing who had declared war on the Big Five early on!

A lot of people guessed as much.

Whether reality was the same as the guesses of others, today was no ordinary day at District 79. There was a flurry of activity, and many players watched as the figure riding the heavy-duty motorbike swept through the streets, accumulating points like a furious roar of thunder.

"He is coming back again!"

"That point-sweeping machine is back to kill once again!"

"That method of sweeping is just way too berserk!"

"First time seeing for myself the point-sweeping prowess of the globally ranked first position, mad respect! Coming online was totally worth it!"

When many of the players in District 79 heard the sound of concentrated gunfire, they knew that this big god had once again returned from District 78. He appeared riding Yanzhou's third street version T-Rex, and his point sweeping was even more intense!

Reporters in District 79 managed to get a few photos, but as they did not have ample preparations, they were not as vividly detailed as the video that the host Strong Bubbles had managed to snap.

The staff at the studio of Strong Bubbles's live broadcast hurriedly edited a video of that point in time, making a few segments of the video in slow motion and analyzing it before releasing it in the afternoon.

"I was in a kneeling position as I watched him disappear into the distance. That was too impressive!" The host's, Strong Bubbles's, exclamation was in no way exaggerated. Even now, as he recalled that scene, his thoughts were surging. He might not have been a game enthusiast, but as a spectator, he'd felt his blood racing for the first time.

Players that had received the news went to search for the video from Strong Bubbles's webcast, especially those that were from elsewhere and had only seen various news from other media that were rushing to get the news of what had happened in District 79. However, the material in those reports were no good. Some only had photographs, while others had videos where only the roaring sound of the machine and gunfire could be heard, as the image was too blurry. When they saw the information that Strong Bubbles's webcast released, they rushed over to watch. Many players who were playing the game temporarily went offline to watch the video and see for themselves what the media described as "Downright masterful!"

As the video had been edited, at crucial parts, the video was put in slow motion, letting everyone have a clearer understanding of what had happened during that brief moment.

"How frightening! Is this b*stard even human?!"

"If I did not watch this video, no matter how many people said that they saw him personally, I still wouldn't believe them."

"If it was not in slow motion, you totally wouldn't be able to see his hand movements, and you wouldn't actually see him switching guns. The way he switches is too fast!"

"Switching three times? He can actually switch his gun three times at that moment? And every switch has a purpose. Just take a look at his marksmanship and you can tell how impressive his control is!"

"I was watching his actions in slow motion as he loaded the gun with one hand, too cool! It's a pity a monster was obstructing and the gun cannot be fully seen. Does anyone know what model of shotgun he uses? I once picked up a similar model but couldn't use it and chucked it somewhere. I'm trying to remember where I left it at."

"I picked up a similar one, but it was a different model. Old Era guns are more or less the same. This sort that is strenuous to use, I threw it away, but I have changed my opinion now!"

"So this is the rumored Big God that is number one on the global rankings, AliveAfter500Years?"

"It's definitely him. Watch the leaderboards when it refreshes, his points always have a steep jump. Every time it refreshes, I feel shaken. On the first day, I thought his points were already ridiculous, but never did I expect that it would get even more ridiculous later on!"

"This is the strength of the global number one! Where are those that were making a ruckus about hacking?! Where are those that have studios and teams using hidden methods to help them rise up the rankings?! If you have the guts, repeat what you guys said!"

"Just watching the way he operates, is there even anyone who can do the same? The way he thoroughly sweeps up points, there is no equal, right? I dare to say, as long as he logs on to sweep points, he will always be the champion on the leaderboards! If some day he gets dislodged from his position, it will be because he no longer plays."

On the website, everyone who saw that video could not remain calm. Even those e-sports club members that were resting were dumbfounded.

How could a studio produce such a person. This was completely his own prowess, based on rigid killing!

Viewers watching the webcast of Strong Bubbles kept increasing and increasing. The number of clicks in half an hour increased from six figures to eight figures, and it was about to hit nine figures soon. And this was all within 30 minutes!

"Viral!" someone in the studio excitedly said.

Another staff told the host who had just disconnected, "Bubbles, you made the right choice! Using this game to do a webcast indeed has much greater prospects than before! Look, just a few days of playing and we got our chance!"

"An advertising company wants to collaborate with us... Oh, and a media firm wants to buy our information... Money, money! This time we are going to be rich!"

"Rising Dragon? The world's greatest online gaming community?"

"Yes, that's them. The message is verified; it's authentic. They wish to purchase the exclusive usage rights for the original video, and the price they offered... is very high..." The Bubbles's broadcast studio staffer's voice trembled as he saw the quoted price. If he had the rights to decide, he would have long agreed to it.

Ultimately, Rising Dragon had offered a price that nobody in Bubbles's broadcast studio could say no to, and they bought the exclusive usage rights for that video. Hence, other than Bubbles's broadcast studio, in the rest of the world, only Rising Dragon could use that video footage.

Therefore, on the second day, in Rising Dragon's news section, hanging on the headlines was the portion of the video at the intersection, where the bike did a 360 swerve turn as the rider switched guns and fired with rapid precision in a killing frenzy. And it was probably the best news of the week!

What followed this short video were the frantic shrieks of players who saw the news. They were unable to do anything but kneel down on the spot!

People who did stunts were excited and continuously tried to copy that 360 spin. There were even some that saw this as a business opportunity and started their own training classes to specifically teach people who were interested how to do so, but all these were done in game. Trying it out of the game could result in the loss of life. Even if there were people willing to try, professional stuntmen did not dare to teach.

Players who were fans of shooting games were also worked up and gave rise to a fad where players would have contests to see who could kill the most targets within three gun switches.

Gun enthusiasts also saw a rise in interest and gave players an analysis on how that gun model could be loaded with one hand and how to effectively use every type of gun.

But whether they were stuntmen, professional shooters, or gun enthusiasts, nobody was able to do all three at once. They either crashed the bike or broke their fingers when switching guns, and forget about shooting accurately. The more they understood the actions and the difficulty of it, the more they felt that person was not mortal.

All the voices of doubt gradually died down with the emergence of the video and analyses from all sorts of industry experts.

On the global leaderboard of "Battle of the Century," AliveAfter500Years's total experience points had increased by a huge chunk within half a day. The global number two had actually closed down the gap previously, but when it was refreshed, the gap had widened again. When it refreshed once more, number two was already left in the dust.

In Mazhou, when Ma Xier, the world-renowned gold medalist shooting superstar, saw the video, he was totally at a loss.

In an actual shooting competition, Ma Xier was confident he could win, but in the game, he no longer believed so. Forget about shooting, just that short period where the rider had swerved a complete round on his bike, switched out his guns, and fired accurately, that was just perfect. Every single movement was just on point. Even after he watched the video for an hour in slow motion, he could not find a single fault.

That sort of self confidence and gun sense could not have been produced by a studio. That was true strength, a powerhouse!

Regarding a powerhouse, Ma Xier had respect for him. The depressing feeling he got from being trampled on dissipated somewhat. However, he would not give up on climbing up the leaderboards.

District 79 was bustling again. There were people from Yanzhou as well as from other continents had used all sorts of methods to get to the district.

And when many people wished to catch a glimpse of that god up close and reporters from the media had already camped at the best spots for taking photos and videos, they once again drew a blank.

"West side, any movement?"

"Nope, what about you guys at the north side?"

"Nothing here."

"All clear to the east."

"Nothing in the south other than a few others from the industry looking to steal the news."

On that day, in the aftermath of that sweeping session, District 79 once more fell into a strange lull. Although there were still other players hunting monsters, compared to the roaring thunder of that day, it was considered peaceful, but hidden in the shadows of that peaceful quiet were countless frantic reporters and webcast hosts.

For two days in a row, it had been the same! Nobody even caught a glimpse of him! On the contrary, there were a number of players courting disaster by trying some gimmicky imitations of riding and gun switching. Not only did they waste people's time, they were killed and became examples for any other pretentious wannabes. Up to three or four could be photographed daily.

These were just treated as jokes and did not have much impact. This was not what the entertainment reporters were looking for!

Taking a look at the leaderboard, first place was still ahead by a wide margin. It was just that his score had not changed in two days.

Had he disappeared from the game?!

After going crazy for a day, he had not appeared online for two straight days. What was playing at?!

Qian Cheng even mobilized his subordinates. "Bring out the paparazzi in you! Be more patient than a sniper and continue lying in wait! According to my professional sense of smell, there will be big news soon!"

Chapter 137: The King Summons

Yanzhou's Western region, a small town close to the mountains, in a certain household in a normal housing block.

Former 2S e-sports club's mainforce captain Jinro had just picked up his wife and son after work and from the kindergarten respectively. When he arrived home, he rushed into his study immediately without removing his shoes or changing his clothes. He opened this week's edition of Rising Dragon's news, which he automatically subscribed to, and watched that short video clip once more.

Receiving the news on that day, he had went to watch Strong Bubbles's webcast, but as Strong Bubbles was not from the industry, the video handling and commentary were not suitable for professional gamers like himself. Since Rising Dragon had bought the usage rights, the commentary and analysis were now much more detailed. Two days had passed since then, but the popularity of that video still had not dropped. Every day there were professional game analysts from every continent giving their opinions and comments.

Indeed, every time the video was refreshed, new comments would appear. The video followed the comments and appeared everywhere.

"That control is just too strong!"

No matter how many times he watched it, Jinro would just sigh.

Being proficient in the use of guns in real life did not mean it would be the same in-game. To be good at virtual reality games, one relied not on one's body's qualities but rather the brain!

Just watching the speed of his switches and shooting reaction, one could see that his control was amazing, definitely godlike! Number one on the global leaderboards definitely had the ability to back it up and indeed deserved his reputation. Whether or not he had any strong backup supporting him, this person was without a doubt an expert!

But Jinro still had some doubts. Looking at his movements, this person did not seem like a newcomer, but nobody within the gaming circle had heard of this god before. There had been absolutely no foreshadowing of him emerging. Jinro had even asked a few friends who specialized in shooting games, but nobody knew of this person! Nobody could guess who he really was!

Two days had already passed and there was still no news on who AliveAfter500Years was.

As he was thinking, Jinro's communication device rang.

"Hey pal, what's up?"

"What else, the matter with the number one big god on the global rankings. Any new info?"

"Nope, I asked everyone I know, but no one has anything for me," Jinro replied.

"Oh." The voice on the other end sounded regretful. "I had hoped to meet him."

"You could also go to Qi'an City to look for him. Maybe you will find him there?" Jinro suggested.

"I'm too busy and can't leave. Recently, business has been rather good. The equipment you helped me obtain was sold for quite a sum. When the time comes, I will send the money to your account. Hey, I almost forgot, there must be quite a number of e-sports clubs that contacted you recently, right? Were none of them acceptable?"

"Nope. They are willing to pay the penalty fee, but those few e-sports clubs have internal problems and are not willing to relinquish authority, yet they still expect me to change their predicament immediately. How is that even possible?"

The silence on the other end lasted quite a while before there was a reply. "You have been retired for eight years already. Do you really intend to wait another two more years?"

At that time, due to a problem with strategic decision-making within the team, Jinro had fallen out with the management of 2S e-sports club and been placed in cold storage until the end of his contract. With the situation back then, if Jinro had wanted to leave, he would have had to fork out a large penalty fee. 2S was willing to release him without complicating matters as long as Jinro signed a 10-year agreement that had the following terms: Jinro would not sign a contract with any professional e-sports clubs in Yanzhou. If not for these conditions, 2S would not have let him leave so easily. Even if they wanted good relations, they were still a business-minded club, after all, and when taking into account benefits, good relations did not mean much.

Therefore, if Jinro signed with any other e-sports clubs, it was necessary for his new employers to pay that large penalty fee. Given Jinro's status and influence within the gaming circles, excluding 2S, two out of the remaining four were willing to sign him and pay the penalty fee, but Jinro had turned them all down.

In the last few years, other clubs and companies had approached him, and some private studios had contacted him, but Jinro had not agreed to sign with any party. Now he only collaborated with a few small teams, providing training services and selling equipment. These few studios were opened by old friends, who had helped him during the toughest part of his contract termination. After it had settled, Jinro had returned the favor, obtaining good equipment for the studios to sell, earning a share of money for himself and helping his friend's studio gain reputation.

As a person with a professional e-sports athlete background, before his skills deteriorated, Jinro did not want to go on like this. Especially for the release of "Battle of the Century," Jinro indeed had thought to sign with a club. This time he had carefully considered a few, but none of them were suitable. When he looked at a club now, he did not completely base it on their reputation, but rather, he considered their potential and internal management. Due to various reasons and restrictions, Jinro had not logged into "Battle of the Century" using the official account he had registered with Fiery Bird a long time ago. When training or collecting equipment, he used other dummy accounts.

"Try to decide as soon as possible. This time, 'Battle of the Century' is an imitation of the course of history. History never repeats itself. Any moments you miss are gone for good and will never return. Don't tell me you intend to continue using dummy accounts to exist in the game?" the other party advised.

Jinro gave a helpless smile. "This I know..."

There was a beeping notification of a new message. Jinro checked and saw that he had received a new private message. Opening it, the contents were a District 79 account, a login password, a set of coordinates, and a time. At the end of the message was the sender's name—AliveAfter500Years.

"!!"Jinro stared at that ID, trying to determine its authenticity.

On the other end of the communication device, the other person was still talking, but after a long time without any reply from Jinro, he was dissatisfied. "Hello, Jinro, are you still listening?! Hello hello!"

"Sorry, something urgent came up, I'm hanging up!" Jinro ended the call and went into his gaming cabin, entering the account and password. After logging in, he realized he was indeed in District 79! Bringing up the account's friend's list, he saw there was only one—AliveAfter500Years.

And this account's avatar settings were set to the height and weight that Jinro was accustomed to.

It was actually real!

The person who had contacted him was indeed the global number one, AliveAfter500Years!

The accounts inventory had a number of guns and melee weapons. Other than these, the other party had provided all sorts of equipment.

What was the meaning of this?

A declaration of war?

Unlikely. The other party was ranked first in the global leaderboards and did not have any reason to declare war. Even if he wanted to do so, he would not go as far as to find a person who had maintained a low profile in the gaming circles for a number of years.

Then what was the other party up to?

Could it be...

Thinking of that possibility, Jinro's breathing quickened.

Within gaming circles, there were rules that everyone knew. For example, if a newcomer wanted to join a team, the captain and other core members would have to evaluate the newcomer. A recommendation alone was not enough to bring someone in, the newcomer still had to go through an assessment and gain approval from the team before being accepted. Most of the time, they used this sort of method, setting a place and time they would do battle.

In this case, could the other party have had this idea?

...

In a city in the southern region of Yanzhou, inside a popular plant store.

A man wearing work clothes was holding a potted ball cactus bigger than a human head in one hand as he was tidying up the store. This man was muscular and built like a tank.

There was the notification sound of a new message. After he placed the cactus on the shelf, he checked the message and froze on the spot. After a while, he twisted his rigid neck to look at the plants on the shelf before turning back to view the newly received message. The muscles on his face were completely taut and trembling slightly. His expression did not give anything away, but as a whole, he looked very weird.

Immediately after, he hurriedly rushed to the back and put on a gaming helmet that he occasionally used while tending to the store.

...

In a certain university dormitory in Yanzhou's north.

In the four-men dormitory, everyone had their own room. At that moment, the room doors were open. Three guys were in the living room watching a movie, and the remaining one was in his room sleeping.

The guy sleeping had been gaming throughout the night. The others in the dormitory were used to it and had even heard that their roommate, who was especially good at games, was going to sign with a certain e-sports club. They were going to get him to give a celebratory treat after he signed.

The three in the living room were engrossed in the movie when they heard a "thud" from the room, like the sound of someone falling off their bed.

"What happened, Schwarzer?"

The voice from inside sounded distracted. "N-nothing, Could... have been a dream..."

The other three did not bother, still thinking, Has that kid become stupid from playing all those games? He can't even tell if he was dreaming.

As for the guy who had just fallen of his bed, he took a look at the message he'd just received and muttered, "What the f*ck!"

...

At a certain coastal city in Yanzhou.

Inside a restaurant, a father and son sat facing each other at a corner table.

"2S, Transcendental, Big Dipper, BOOM and HWR have all sent their invites. Which one are you going to choose?" As his father cum manager, he could not help but feel anxious for his son. "Such good opportunities and so much competition, if you do not hurry up and decide, the spots will be stolen!"

"There is no rush," said a youngster with a pair of huge earphones hanging around his neck. Leaning forward unhurriedly, he bit on the straw of his drink as he played around with it, as though not taking his dad's words to heart. He slowly explained his thoughts to his dad. "I don't wish to join any of the Big Five at the moment. The competition there is too intense. If I were to join, I would have to start from their second- or third-string teams. If that is the case, wouldn't it be better if I joined a slightly weaker club? This way I might be able to enter their main team straightaway."

"I still think that you should pick one of the Big Five. With your ability, you can definitely jump from their second or third string to the main team in a short time. After all, they are the Big Five! Still, it's fine if you really want to join the main team of another club, but you should make the choice fast!"

The youngster continued sucking on the straw. "What's the hurry. Let me check this message first."

The father could not stand his son's behavior and was really itching to give him a smack. Just as the father was about to reprimand him, his son suddenly sprayed a mouthful of drink over, stood up with an urgent look on his face, and started running toward the exit.

"Let's go, go, go!"

"What happened?"

"I need to find a console to log in!"

"There is still so much food left; what's the rush?"

"Hurry! This is urgent! Let me check whether there are any game cafes nearby and log in for a little. No, that won't do. Gaming cafes might not be safe. We should head back!"

...

...

Eight people in different parts of Yanzhou had received a message from AliveAfter500Years at practically the same time. As if a king had summoned his subjects—no matter the intention, the people that received the message were willing to give it a try.

Chapter 138: Just Fight Again

The coordinates provided by AliveAfter500Years were near the border of District 79, quite far from downtown. Jinro couldn't see another soul. A factory-type structure stood by the suburban highway. Most players wouldn't spend much time here because there wasn't any food. You needed food to survive in the game.

After logging in, Jinro headed to the coordinates. The location his account had entered the game at wasn't far from the coordinates, about 2 kilometers. Although for newbies or players who were relatively unskilled, even covering 1 kilometer unscathed was quite difficult.

This must be a preliminary test, Jinro thought.

Judging from the footage of AliveAfter500Years mowing down monsters on his heavy-duty bike, if he wanted to, he could totally set the entry point of Jinro's account to the exact coordinates, but he'd chosen not to. The purpose of setting the entry location 2 kilometers from the final destination was to test Jinro's abilities. If he couldn't gain safe passage through these 2 kilometers, AliveAfter500Years would most likely drop him.

The time of the meet was 10 a.m. the day after tomorrow, but Jinro headed straight to his destination right after logging into the game using the account number in the message from AliveAfter500Years. It took him some time to avoid and get rid of all sorts of mutated beasts, but no one was around when he arrived at the location.

There weren't that many threats inside the building where the coordinates were located. At least when Jinro arrived, he didn't see any mutated humans or beasts. The space looked like it had been cleared out. As for who was responsible, wasn't it a no-brainer? Perhaps no one other than AliveAfter500Years was capable of the job. Only that supergod could execute a clean sweep at will.

The building was five stories tall. Every floor had been swept, including every single room and every warehouse. Jinro took a quick tour. Apart from a few small beasts, he didn't locate any other threats. The sweep had probably taken place not long ago. Few new beasts had shown up.

Just as he wrapped up his walkabout, Jinro noticed an approaching figure.

Jinro scanned the person quickly. His clothes were tainted with some blood, but not much. He was a fast mover, taking no time to climb over the 3-meter-tall wall surrounding the factory without so much as a whisper, but he wasn't AliveAfter500Years. He lacked that kind of aura.

Maybe it was another person who'd gotten the same message from AliveAfter500Years?

When the thought struck him, Jinro didn't hide. He waited for the person to climb the stairs, but he didn't let down his guard either. If the new visitor wasn't who he thought it was and instead made an aggressive move, he would be able to fend off the attack.

The other player paused when he saw Jinro. Clearly he hadn't expected any company, but soon, surprise shifted to excitement and he dashed toward Jinro. "Would you happen to be AliveAfter500Years? How do you do, Supergod? I am..."

"I'm not him."

Schwarzer was all geared up to introduce himself when he heard the denial and was plunged into disappointment. "You're not him? Then why are you here?"

"I got a message from him." Jinro still hadn't let down his guard.

When he heard Jinro's answer, Schwarzer cast aside his disappointment and enthusiastically said, "Me too! I rushed over as soon I got the message. My entry point was about 2 kilometers away. It took me a while to get here."

"Same here." Schwarzer's response took Jinro by surprise. He had expected the visitor to be a fellow invitee, but this man spoke like a newcomer. Yet clearly this person couldn't be underestimated. Covering 2 kilometers wasn't easy for a rookie gamer, and his new friend appeared unharmed. He also seemed quite relaxed.

"I thought I was the only invitee." Schwarzer looked around. "Any others?"

"Yes." Jinro looked out the window.

Schwarzer followed his line of sight. Someone stood on the wall surrounding the building, twirling a short pistol with his fingers. He met their gaze. The man didn't look out of sorts, or perhaps the character settings for the accounts included in the invitations didn't include any defining features. Schwarzer couldn't identify the person, but his gut told him this was also a tough customer.

Crack!

It was the sound of boots stepping on shards of glass.

Schwarzer shifted his attention to the entrance of the room he and Jinro were located in. Standing there was a tall, bulky man, as built as a metal tower. He gave off killer vibes, whether because it was an inborn quality or he was fresh from a killing spree. He was clearly a big fellow, but before he stepped on the glass fragments, Schwarzer had not detected his presence whatsoever.

And who's that? Schwarzer glared at the big fellow, who was entering the room.

"BlackWizard?" Jinro was even more surprised this time.

"BlackWizard" Milo, another master who was exceptionally fast at switching weapons; he was fairly well-known in e-sports circles. He'd risen to fame around the same time as Jinro. BlackWizard was his regular ID. Most gamers knew each other by IDs. Quite a few folks knew of BlackWizard, but few knew his real name.

The big fellow's gaze lingered on Jinro and Schwarzer for two seconds before landing on Jinro. "Former 2S stalwart and captain Jinro?"

"You actually recognize me." In fact, Jinro wasn't too surprised that Milo could identify him. Milo had great instincts. Even in a game, he could dig beneath the surface.

"How come you're not retired?" Milo said in a confused tone. "There's been no word of you for such a long time. I didn't expect you to be invited as well." He turned his attention to Schwarzer. "Who's this kid? And the kid behind me?"

The person twirling his pistol on the wall had arrived as well.

"He probably got the same message too," Jinro said while looking out the window.

Zip!

A nimble figure glided in from outside. Her short hair was dyed like camouflage. It was a woman, someone both Jinro and Milo knew.

"Jasmine?" Jinro was caught off guard once again. Milo and Jasmine were both freelancers. They had never joined any teams or factions. They were both good enough to rank within the top 50 in Yanzhou on most of the major games.

Making the top 50 as a freelancer was not easy at all. Jinro had speculated that AliveAfter500Years had invited them to audition for a team, but the appearance of Milo and Jasmine led him to have second thoughts.

What exactly was AliveAfter500Years planning?

Schwarzer looked out the window, then at Jasmine. This is the third floor. How did she get up here?

After climbing in from the window, Jasmine eyed the gathered crowd and frowned, oblivious to the gazes thrown her way, before standing in a corner.

The big fellow Milo asked, "You got a message too? AliveAfter500Years actually invited you?"

The woman addressed as Jasmine finally spoke. "You were invited, so why wouldn't I be? I'm ahead of you in the rankings."

"I don't have much time because I need to keep an eye on my shop."

"Sure, you're busy. Just find another excuse next time."

Milo and Jasmine were on friendlier terms because they were both freelancers.

Realizing he was in the presence of well-known figures in the gaming community—all more senior than he was—Schwarzer started to get nervous. His professional e-sports career hadn't even kicked off—he wasn't even considered a newcomer, at most ranking on the level of an intern. He didn't dare butt in when these senior gamers spoke, so he focused his attention on the bloke standing at the entrance to the room, the one "BlackWizard" Milo had also called a kid.

"Hey, I'm Schwarzer. I got the invitation too. And you are..." Schwarzer said enthusiastically.

The man gave him a sideways glance. "SillyBloke from Yanbei University of Finance?"

Schwarzer's smile disappeared instantly. He looked like he was staring at a heap of trash. "SmellyBug from Ocean University of Yanzhou?"

When he heard their conversation, Jinro knew what was going on. Yanbei University of Finance and Ocean University of Yanzhou had long been among the top four universities for e-sports. Even in their less glorious days, they had ranked among the top eight. They were longtime rivals and had quite a few run-ins. No wonder the two of them spoke to each other in that tone.

Schwarzer had shined in gaming competitions in the first half of the year. Word was that quite a few clubs had already put out feelers. And the other kid was from Ocean University. Even though Jinro didn't know his name, he was certain the other kid was also a talented newcomer.

After the five of them showed up, another three appeared. One was from HWR Club's first team. His contract was about to expire and he was still negotiating his extension. Everyone wanted a piece of him. Lo and behold, he was here too.

Jinro couldn't identify the other two folks and they didn't introduce themselves. Milo figured they were from the amateur gaming community.

Be they pros or amateurs, veterans or newbies, every person had thought at the outset they were the only invitee. They hadn't expected that players other than themselves had been invited.

Schwarzer was about to suggest that they take a stroll on the other floors when a ninth person appeared.

He wore battle fatigues that were popular during the Period of Destruction. He didn't wear a helmet and had two scars on his face. He didn't look out of the ordinary, and his gaze was quite peaceful, but anyone who was eyed felt as if they were shoved up against the wall.

Jinro hadn't felt this way in a long time. The last time was in front of his mentor, but that had been a long time ago. He had been a team leader since then, and former newbies were now more senior than he was. Standing in front of this person, he felt a genuine sense of fear.

Milo's pupils shrank. He was sure he had never seen this guy, but he was absolutely certain this was...

"AliveAfter500Years?" the eight of them said, nearly in unison.

Before he'd showed up, they had all wondered what kind of person the man who held the coveted top spot in the global rankings was. How would they recognize him? Now they knew they hadn't needed to worry about identifying characteristics at all. When they saw him, they knew instinctively: this is him!

Schwarzer was so emotional his voice started shaking. He wobbled over and said, "How do you do, Su-su-supergod?"

Schwarzer had prepared a whole list of questions for AliveAfter500Years before logging into the game, but now he was stuck after a simple greeting.

The eight of them fell into an extended silence. It wasn't they didn't want to speak; their heads were all filled with questions, but all of sudden, they were afraid to talk. Especially when they were stared at.

"Pretty fast." Fang Zhao was happy to see all eight. He'd gotten online again about an hour after he'd sent out his message. He'd wondered if anyone would wait until the scheduled time the day after tomorrow; he hadn't expected all eight to show up right away.

The group was still silent, but a strange feeling crept up in them. Praise? They were just a teeny bit excited.

As the eight wrestled with the feeling, the next sentence shook them to their senses.

"I'm going to give you a chance to kill me," Fang Zhao said. "Right here, 10 a.m., the day after tomorrow. No restrictions."

For many professional gamers, the greatest accomplishment wasn't their points total but taking out a worthy opponent.

Even Schwarzer, who grew up worshipping the big stars in e-sports, wanted to take down his idols.

Back when he'd been in Secondary Two, Schwarzer had issued a challenge to a few of the gaming stars he'd idolized, but it had just been a drop in the ocean of fanmail the stars received. No one paid any attention to a kid in Secondary Two.

Now he was in university. He was a grown man and had been exposed to greater variety of hit games. His list of idols was changing. He had just started worshipping AliveAfter500Years and he'd actually been offered the opportunity of a duel.

He was ecstatic. Moved.

"Anyone wanna back out?" Fang Zhao asked.

None of the eight uttered so much as a grunt. Their eyes were oozing anticipation. It was impossible to stay calm when you had the chance to cross swords with the gamer sitting securely at the top of the global rankings. They were all wondering whether they had what it took to take out this supergod that took the gaming world by storm out of the blue.

No one would choose to back out now.

"Great," Fang Zhao continued. "If anyone isn't happy with their account settings, I'm happy to switch you to a smoother account."

Still no one spoke up. Their account settings were all set according to their preferences. There was no need to switch accounts.

"If you don't have any other questions, you're dismissed. You can familiarize yourselves with the location. This is my first time as well." What he meant was that he was no more familiar with the location than his eight invitees. The difference was that he'd swept the building that morning.

Schwarzer had a case of shivers. He had noticed on his way here that there were no mutated humans or beasts. Had they all been killed? No wonder AliveAfter500Years's points total had risen again today.

Noticing that Fang Zhao was about to go offline, Jinro seized the opportunity to speak up.

"Please wait." Jinro summoned the courage to return Fang Zhao's gaze and ask, "Your eminence, Is this your test for us? If we pass, will we be invited to join your excellency's team?" Jinro had started addressing Fang Zhao with honorifics unconsciously.

This was the same question on the minds of the other invitees,

Fang Zhao had no reason to be coy. "Yes." His objective was recruitment.

Jinro relaxed instantly. This was the answer he'd wanted to hear.

"What if I want to pass your test but not join your team?" Milo AKA BlackWizard asked.

Fang Zhao glanced at him and responded, "That's OK. Just take part in a second fight."

The eight gamers: "..."

What was that supposed to mean? Were there dire consequences?

Chapter 139: Report at Silver Wing Tower 50th Floor Tomorrow

In his professional e-sports career of close to 20 years, this was the first time Jinro had heard someone speak to him this way, just like the way he would frighten his son with "If you don't listen, you will get a beating!"

Once the scarred-faced AliveAfter500Years left, the atmosphere among those eight returned to the silence from before.

"You want to beat me?" The heavy-set Milo scoffed as if someone had told him a joke. Before that, in his heart, he'd kind of revered AliveAfter500Years, but now he was angry. "Is he threatening me? I shall see whether he teaches me a lesson the following day or I finish him off!!" Milo's eyes were burning with anger, not just because of the arrogant words from the other party but because, as a veteran gamer, he also wished to kill the globally ranked number one!

The same intentions could be seen from the other's expressions as well. However, AliveAfter500Years was just one person, while they had eight on their side. There would only be one chance, and it depended on who was quicker or more capable.

"Are the scars on his face intentional?" Schwarzer was curious.

"It feels kinda familiar, like I have seen it somewhere before." HWR's Dorrian seemed to ponder. Seeing everyone's gaze on him, he put up his hands and said, "I only said the scars seem familiar, but as for who he is, I'm still clueless."

"He doesn't seem very young," Milo said. The other party gave off an aura like that of someone senior. Especially his manner and his pressuring gaze, they did not seem like something someone too young was capable of.

Jinro nodded his head in agreement. "Mhmm." Now he had even more doubts. Even if he was considered retired, he still kept up with news of the gaming circles, and he'd never heard of such a person.

"Whatever, I shall go explore a little." Jinro was itching to start planning his counter attack.

"Tsk—" Jake from Ocean University sneered but did not say anything. He left to familiarize himself with the area as well. He could not let Jinro kill AliveAfter500Years before he did.

This building could not be considered very big, and not a lot of time was needed to familiarize oneself with the place. However, it was not exactly small either. There were many spots to set traps and a number of hiding places as well.

As the eight busied themselves in the designated building, after Fang Zhao disconnected, he did not log in for another two days straight. Midway through, he received a number of messages from the gaming department's manager, Wayne.

Wayne paid close attention to the developments at Fang Zhao's end. But after a few days, not a single person from the name list had been recruited, and every day, he heard news of some of the players on the list being signed up by clubs or companys. Waking up every day and browsing the entertainment news was torture for him.

He was anxious!

How could he not be?

He had envisioned a bright future, but now, the anticipation had turned into apprehension. He was worried that the bright and beautiful vision he had would end up with nothing. The more hopes he had, the greater the disappointment, and he had not been sleeping well these few days.

Unfortunately, Fang Zhao still kept him waiting.

At 9 a.m. on the day.

Wayne called Fang Zhao once again and received the same reply.

"Still waiting?! How much longer do we have to wait?! Fang Zhao, I don't mean to criticize you, but I just want to say, if we can't go down this path, wouldn't it be better to change our strategy earlier than later?" Wayne scrunched up his tired eyebrows. "Actually, many of these people who want to join a team would have found somewhere to go even before 'Battle of the Century' was released. The remaining few would all be snapped up within a month after the start date, and after a month has passed, there won't be any more big movements, because everyone will already have a stable roster and proper plans. Therefore, we don't really have much time."

"Wait till tomorrow," Fang Zhao replied.

"Tomorrow?" Wayne's heart skipped a beat as his raised brows trembled. He then probed further. "That means to say, you have already gotten one?"

Fang Zhao only had one sentence. "We will find out tomorrow."

Wayne was so anxious he nearly dropped his communications device. "Can't you give me some reliable info?!"

"Nope."

After ending the call, Fang Zhao did not immediately enter the game. Instead, he went on to Fiery Bird's public training platform to warm-up and waited till 9:59 a.m. before he exited the training platform and logged into game.

There was a three second invulnerable period when logging in. Logging in at this time, Fang Zhao chose the same spot where he had disconnected, and right at the moment the three seconds were up, Fang Zhao abruptly sidestepped to the left and raised his gun.

Three seconds were up.

Bang!

A bullet hit the ground behind him. If Fang Zhao had not sidestepped, the bullet would have nestled in his head.

At the same time, a figure collapsed from a corner ahead. The person quickly vanished, leaving behind only a gun.

One.

Fang Zhao counted in his heart. Raising his head, he looked out of the window and toward the building opposite. After that, he retracted his gaze and continued moving forward.

They had not appeared with their full firepower and tried to suppress him right then and there. Fang Zhao had expected as much. He had handpicked the eight of them from Wayne's name list, and not on a whim.

After that, there was the sound of gunfire or objects smashing in the building, breaking up the tense silence.

Outside, on the road. A heat wave was rising, scattering dust all over the place.

A few mutated beast pricked their ears and faced the direction of the building where activity was coming from before scampering over toward the sounds.

Crash!

With the sound of something being struck, they looked over toward a rusted steel door on the second floor. There was a high dent on the steel door, as if something had rammed hard into it from the inside and it had protruded out. The rust on the exterior of the door flaked off and floated down as the door shook violently. After a few more groans, the entire door fell down too.

A mutated beast used an abandoned car as a springboard and leapt to where the steel door on the second floor used to be. Only a gun was lying there.

Bang!

A bullet hole appeared in the brains of that mutated beast that was just about to enter the building.

Bang Bang Bang!

Successive shots rang out, and the mutated beasts that were approaching were all killed. Only some had been shot by Fang Zhao, while others had been shot by people hiding within the building. Fang Zhao did not conceal his movements, but the others that had killed the beasts were using guns equipped with silencers.

The gunfire within the building continued on. There was a momentary pause, and then suddenly, concentrated gunfire erupted. The glass windows shattered into a million pieces and bullet holes appeared in the walls. Inside the fourth floor, fragments of wood, porcelain, and other stuff flew everywhere as light bulbs exploded and pieces of the walls and ceiling rained down. Then the sound of all gunfire ceased. The sound of a person falling amidst all the activity of things smashing would not be obvious at all.

The short moment of peace was broken by continuous gunfire once again.

The silence after every bout of gunfire took on a formless pressure that kept expanding.

Outside the building, on a road that was shaded, a gust of wind carried dust off into the distance. From time to time, a few mutated beasts would head in the direction of the noise, but not a single one could enter the building. Every single one was killed before it could even come near.

Half an hour later.

All the sounds of gunfire ceased. This time it was not momentary and lasted for a long while.

Jasmine with her camouflaged hair steadily walked over from the opposite block and paused outside the entrance, using a jittery hand to brush aside her fringe as she took a deep breath before entering.

At the spot on the third floor where they had last seen AliveAfter500Years.

"Oh, everyone's here?" Jasmine's tone was seldom so relaxed, and she no longer felt so jittery.

Milo was crouched on the ground, biting on a piece of wood he had picked up. He did not look well. Seeing Jasmine entering, he bit down and spat out a bunch of wood fillings. "Are you very happy?"

Jasmine raised her eyebrows but did not reply, instead glancing around. All eight of them were present.

"Where is AliveAfter500Years?" Jasmine asked.

"No idea, probably disconnected already." Jinro stretched his arms and gazed at the ceiling, as if pondering a profound question.

Schwarzer spoke. "Does this mean we failed? I was immediately kicked offline. Just one kick, I'm not exaggerating."

When Schwarzer thought back to that moment, he could not help but feel his insides churning. He had set a trap to attract AliveAfter500Years while he had hidden himself. He wanted to take advantage of the moment when the opponent's attention was drawn to the trap and use his nimble skills to do a surprise attack. In the end, he had been kicked offline by the opponent. The dent in the steel door had been all thanks to him.

"I hid myself in the other building but was found out immediately."

Unlike the others who had hidden within the same building, Jasmine had not done so. AliveAfter500Years had said where he would appear but had not said that everyone had to be there. Therefore, she had hidden herself in the opposite building. Unfortunately, at the moment she'd thought she was about to succeed, she had been shot offline by the opponent before she could pull the trigger. The hunter had become the hunted.

Noticing Milo not uttering a single word, Jasmine kicked him. "What about you?"

Milo's face became dark; he clearly did not wish to talk about it. "It's already over, what's the use of talking about it?"

Indeed, Milo did not want talk about it. He had been given special treatment by AliveAfter500Years.

Regardless of whether it was close-quarters combat or whichever gun he switched to, he had been completely suppressed! He had been given a taste of what despair felt like!

Originally, Milo had thought that the opponent hadn't been able to find a way to deal with him and had been stuck in a deadlock for a long time. Now, after hearing the others, he became aware that the opponent hadn't necessarily had no idea how to deal with him. As for why he would accompany Milo and dilly-dally...

Milo could not help but slap himself. "You and your stupid mouth!"

Even his favorite automatic rifle had been taken by the opponent!

When he'd logged back in later and asked everyone, they'd still had their guns; only his had been taken! That was simply revenge! Special treatment!

Milo wondered in his heart: if only he had not shot his mouth off, would he still have received special treatment?

He'd suffered a beating and suffered bullets and still compensated with his favorite gun. It was so demoralizing. How could he even have the face to speak about it?!

"So what do we do?" Schwarzer asked. He had suffered quite a big beatdown today and actually felt the disparity between them. Yet he still seemed to be in good spirits. He had lost at the hands of his idol. Although he had been kicked offline without any mercy, his aspirations did not change. His idol was still his idol!

"Wait a minute, I just received a message." Jinro received the notification of a new message on this account and stopped talking to check. He was a little nervous, but very quickly, his eyes glowed.

"I have one too." The huge Milo hastened.

Beside him, Jasmine did not make a sound, but from her manner, she was checking a message too.

"I received it too."

"Me too."

"Same here..."

Schwarzer looked at everyone starting to check their messages. He was the only one who had not received a notification.

"You guys, what message did you all get?" Schwarzer asked.

"Report at Silver Wing Tower's 50th floor tomorrow," the seven of them said in unison. They had all received the same message, but the moods of each were all different.

"Why... Why don't I have it?" Schwarzer's face had turned pale, and he felt his whole body turning cold.

Out of the eight, only he had not received a message. That meant to say, only he had been rejected?

Schwarzer really wanted to join AliveAfter500Years's team. Not because of the team's prospects but because he could get closer to his idol. Although "Battle of the Century" had only started recently, the ID AliveAfter500Years would always be number one in his heart.

Jinro opened his mouth, intending to console this newcomer who had not yet officially stepped into the professional gaming circle when he heard Schwarzer say, "Ah! I forgot to remove my communications block!"

Jinro: "..."

"Hahahaha, I also received it!" Schwarzer left behind his gloomy outlook in an instant and could not help but run around happily.

"Are you going to sign with Silver Wing?" Jinro asked.

"Of course!" Schwarzer nodded his head without any hesitation. He asked, "Are you guys not signing?"

Milo stood up calmly and dusted himself off. "Boy, you shouldn't rush it. This sort of thing needs a lot of consideration. Be careful you don't regret after signing."

Jasmine coldly nodded her head in agreement.

HWR's Dorrian, who was returning to being a free agent, said, "That's right, you need to think carefully about this."

"But he said 'Report at Silver Wing Tower's 50th floor tomorrow.' After tomorrow, will he still be accepting people?" Schwarzer asked.

A moment of silence.

After a while, Milo said, "If he no longer accepts, then so be it. After all, we are freelancers and free agents who don't wish to sign with any gaming club, let alone an entertainment company."

The other two amateurs replied, "We are just amateurs, there is no rush to change our professions."

HWR Dorrian said, "There are many clubs that want to sign me. Now my employers also wish to renew my contract.

Yanzhou Ocean University's Jake added, "My dad has received close to twenty invites."

"Oh, you guys continue to think it over. I shall log off first to buy tickets! I'm going to Qi'an City's Silver Wing to see AliveAfter500Years in person!" With that, Schwarzer impatiently disappeared offline.

The remaining seven fell into a strange silence once more and went offline one after another. After logging out, those living outside of Qi'an City all did the same thing—check on tickets and airfare.

Although they might have said there was no rush, their actions betrayed their words.

Chapter 140: That's Me

The next day.

Fang Zhao had been called over last minute by Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch for a meeting. As a member of the advisory team and evaluation panel, other than playing the game and sending electronic files over to Fiery Bird, every once in a while they would be gathered for a meeting. Of course, it was not necessary to attend in person—an online conference would be enough—but Fang Zhao headed over not just for this. Zachary, the engineer from Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch who had helped Fang Zhao install the 10th-generation console, wanted to show him the latest data from his machine's usage.

Before he went over, Fang Zhao made a call to Wayne and informed him to wait at the 50th floor today.

Even if Fang Zhao did not say so, Wayne would still run to the 50th floor and sit down. Yesterday Fang Zhao had told him there would definitely be a result today. Wayne had not been able to sleep at all last night, as he'd spent the whole night thinking. Today he was even more mentally exhausted and his eyes were bloodshot. When he reached the office, he did not get any rest, only using some apparatus to give himself a little relief.

Wayne tried fishing for more information from Zu Wen and the others. "Zu Wen, did your manager tell you anything?"

"Yeah, Boss said there might be a few newcomers today." Zu Wen and the others were also curious. They had no idea who the newcomers that Fang Zhao had mentioned were.

Wayne asked a few more questions and realized that Zu Wen and the others really did not know much, so all he could do was wait in the virtual project's lounge.

Today Fang Zhao had not let Zuo Yu drive and handed him an assignment. In the message that Fang Zhao had left for the eight, other than the message asking them to report at Silver Wing's 50th floor, he had also left a contact number, Zuo Yu's work number, which was different from his own personal number. On normal days, they would use this number for certain things.

At 9 a.m., when many companies had just started work, the ground floor of Silver Wing tower was filled with people hurriedly coming and going.

Zuo Yu received a call, went down, and saw Schwarzer, who was toting a large travel backpack and curiously examining his surroundings.

"Schwarzer?"

"Yes, that's me!" Schwarzer's eyes were full of excitement. "And you are?"

"I spoke to you just now. My boss's instructions are to bring you up."

Zuo Yu did not dither for long at the entrance. There were many reporters there and it was not good to loiter for too long.

"Do you need help with your bag?"

"It's fine, thanks." Schwarzer sized up Zuo Yu. After they entered the lift, he asked. "Is your boss AliveAfter500Years?"

Zuo Yu looked him in the eye. "My boss is the manager of Silver Wing's virtual projects department."

"Oh." Schwarzer felt a little disappointed, but he still spiritedly asked, "That virtual projects department on the 50th floor? The place where the SilverWing50PolarLight team is at? Is AliveAfter500Years there too?"

"...Sometimes."

"Will he come today?"

"Yes, but he has other matters to attend to; he will come in a little later."

"Hahaha, it's all good as long as he comes!"

The moment Schwarzer followed Zuo Yu and stepped inside the 50th floor's virtual project's department, Wayne's eyes followed him.

"Schwarzer?!" Wayne remembered every single person on the list of names given to Fang Zhao. Schwarzer was still a university student. Wayne had originally wanted to sign Schwarzer on as a reserve, but because his performance in a university e-sports competition had been too outstanding, a whole bunch of other clubs had wanted him and Wayne hadn't had a way to beat them. Wayne had never expected to see Schwarzer here!

This is the newcomer Fang Zhao spoke about?!

"Hi, I am Wayne, manager of Silver Wing's gaming department." Wayne was so excited, his face turned red and his eyes brimmed with tears of excitement. After worrying so much for these few days, they finally had one! And a seedling full off potential at that!

"Oh, hi." Schwarzer put down his bag and looked all around, examining the fabled and mysterious 50th floor of Silver Wing. He had really entered and was sitting on Silver Wing's 50th floor sofa! At the thought of meeting his idol in a bit, Schwarzer got even more excited, thoroughly surveying the layout of this place. There was a thick "Battle of the Century" atmosphere all around, probably because the virtual idol Polar Light was endorsing the game. There was also a photograph of a curly-haired dog in a golden frame.

At the side was a display cabinet filled with models of Old Era stuff such as bicycles, motorcycles guns etc. There was also a model of Polar Light and a "100-Year Period of Destruction" series Divine Punishment storage card.

Schwarzer shot up from the sofa and rushed over. "Is that... is that the 'T-Rex' model that beat 2S and BOOM in the match back than? This material, it is the limited edition one!"

Zu Wen and the others came over to look at the new guy. They no longer kept up with university e-sports scene, but when they'd spoken to their juniors, they had heard of the name Schwarzer and knew that this little fellow had skill.

"You can touch it if you like. This was sent straight from Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch. However, you have to be careful. If you break it, our boss will get angry. And the consequences for making him angry are very severe," Zu Wen said.

Beside him, Wayne had been thoroughly disregarded.

Wayne had sent Schwarzer an invitation message before, but unfortunately, he hadn't gotten a reply. It had probably been deleted a long time ago. Wayne was also not foolish enough to bring up the matter. The atmosphere now was so good, why would he make things awkward? After all, it was not something to be ashamed of, and besides, Schwarzer seemed to have totally forgotten about it.

"About that, Schwarzer, are you willing to sign with Silver Wing? Do you want to sit down and discuss the contract?" Wayne asked.

"Contract? Lets not rush into things, I want to wait till supergod AliveAfter500Years returns before discussing." Schwarzer might be a fanboy and a little impulsive when it came decision-making, but he was no idiot. Signing the contract depended on whether AliveAfter500Years would come. If he did not get to see him in person, there was no way he would sign a contract that easily.

Wayne still wanted to say something when Zuo Yu's communications device rang again.

"I'm heading down again to pick another one."

"An-another one?" Wayne was no longer in a rush to discuss a contract with Schwarzer, nor could he sit still. He just stood there, staring straight at the door.

After a while, the door opened and Zuo Yu walked in together with a guy wearing a cap and shades.

When the guy took off his cap and shades, Wayne astonishedly exclaimed, "Dorrian?!"

Dorrian, a member of HWR's main team who had reached the end of his contract. Previously, there had been a lot of speculation from the media regarding the choice he would make, whether renewing his contract with HWR or signing with another club. No one had expected that he would actually be here!

A big smile appeared on Wayne's face. Silver Wing intends to snatch players from under those e-sports club's noses!

Dorrian laughed as he saw Schwarzer, who had his hands all over a model. "You are rather early, huh. Even earlier than me even though I stay in Qi'an City."

Schwarzer was reluctant to put the model back in its place. "Hehe, I'm just anxious to meet my idol. I wonder how many will come today."

Wayne's ears pricked up when he heard Schwarzer say those words. Does that mean there are still others?

Dorrian was the same as Schwarzer; he would not be discussing anything related to contracts until he met AliveAfter500Years in person.

Half an hour later, Zuo Yu's communication device rang.

This time, Wayne could not even stand still. He followed Zuo Yu down to pick the person up. When he saw Jinro, he suddenly felt a rising esctacy in his heart and had to take few deep breaths to force himself to calm down.

Jinro, this was Jinro! The former captain of 2S's main team!

Due to a dispute years ago, Jinro had retired and no longer livened up the professional circles, but he had not completely disappeared from the gaming world. People just rarely mentioned him much. It was not that e-sports clubs did not want him; rather, it was rumored that Jinro had no desire to return to the professional circle and there was not much activity from him. What methods had Fang Zhao actually used to be able to entice such a person over?!

No matter how many could be signed in the end, these parties coming down was already amazing.

Schwarzer, Dorrian, and Jinro played board and card games as they waited. After that, the fourth and fifth people arrived in quick succession. They were the two from the amateur circles, August and Yu Zhongqing. These two had quite a reputation in Yanzhou's gaming circles and were on Wayne's list. Back when Wayne had sent out the invite, Yu Zhongqing had replied with a rejection message, saying he did not want to change his profession at the moment. Looking at things now, Wayne had been rejected for not being qualified enough!

Milo and Jasmine arrived around 2 p.m., and the last to arrive was Jake, as his father had purposely wasted time, but at Jake's insistence, they'd still arrived before 3 p.m.

"We are here just to check things out and have not decided whether or not to sign," Jake's father said quickly after entering. He still hoped that his son would sign with one of Yanzhou's Big Five e-sports clubs. After all, the Big Five's reputation was everywhere. Even if he did not sign with the Big Five, being a main team member of a decent e-sports club was fine too. But why were they at an entertainment company? Didn't this sort of company put profits over everything else? Rumor was that these sorts of entertainment companies were only suitable for retirees, and professional e-sports athletes would only consider it after they were past their prime. Jake's career had not yet officially started, so what prospects would joining such a company bring? It didn't make sense! Had his son been brainwashed?

Regarding their respective manager's or assistant's limited understanding, the eight did not bother to explain. They just chilled and played board and card games on Silver Wing's 50th floor.

Zu Wen, Rodney, and the others did not show much expression on their faces, but in their own department group chat, they could not help but excitedly talk about it.

Among this group, Jinro and Milo had risen to prominence during the period when Zu Wen and the others were still in secondary school. Especially Jinro, who had been extremely popular during their secondary school days. Back then, Zu Wen had even become a 2S fan and had bought a set of 2S clothes with their sword and stars insignia. When Jinro had retired, he'd no longer paid as much attention to 2S.

Time passed slowly till it was 4 p.m. The eight playing games seemed a little distracted, raising their heads to look at the door once in awhile.

Zuo Yu's communications device rang again.

Wayne looked over anxiously and was about to ask whether a ninth person was coming when Zuo Yu said, "It's Boss."

Everyone around, including the eight playing games, stopped what they were doing and looked over.

"...They are all here... OK... yes... yes... I understand." Once the call ended, Zuo Yu said, "Boss is coming over, prepare a conference room."

Schwarzer had put down his cards and was sitting down and eagerly awaiting his idol's arrival. "That means supergod will also be coming over?!"

Five minutes later.

The doors of the 50th floor virtual projects department opened and Fang Zhao strode in. Scanning everyone in the lounge, he told Wayne, "To the conference room first."

All eight had done preliminary research on Silver Wing's 50th floor virtual projects department and knew Fang Zhao was the young composer and also the manager of the department. After Fang Zhao had walked in, they had all glanced behind his back, but there was only the door closing.

"Where is the supergod?" Schwarzer asked, still staring at the door.

"Where is AliveAfter500Years?" Milo also asked.

Fang Zhao faced them. "That's me."

The eight: "..."

Dead silence.

Even though his voice was not loud, the two words kept repeating in the heads of those eight. Each word rang like the sound of thunder, frying their minds blank as they remained stunned and dumbfounded.

Half a minute later, Jinro then took a deep breath and broke the silence in the room. "Are you... being serious?"

"This joke is too cold. I can't even bring myself to laugh." Jake's face was rigid. He could not imagine the globally ranked number one, an expert who had so tyrannically oppressed them like he had been chopping vegetables, would actually be around the same age as himself!?

Schwarzer pointed a trembling finger at Fang Zhao, his face full of shock. "Who did you say you were?"

Jasmine, who always looked cold and expressionless, had widened her eyes as though she had seen a ghost.

Milo stood up and his eyes scanned Fang Zhao from head to toe, but he found no trace of similarity with the expert in-game. "Impossible! I don't believe this!" The Fang Zhao before them was a youngster who dabbled in art, totally different from what he had imagined.

Fang Zhao welcomed their looks of doubt and measure and did not get angry. "It's all right, let's have another round."

Milo: "..." He suddenly had the urge to slap himself.

Fang Zhao glanced at Zu Wen. "Let's use the game consoles for a bit."

"No problem!" Zu Wen inquired with the others and eagerly went to open their gaming room. He did a simple tidying up of all the junk they left after gaming on normal days.

Inside the gaming room, other than Zu Wen and the other's consoles. there were also the five machines brought over previously from the gaming department that belonged to the other five, enough for 9 people to use.

Walking into the gaming room and seeing those consoles, the eight of them simultaneously felt a nervous apprehension, but that did not quell the doubt within their hearts. They still chose to unravel the truth in-game! Whether he was the real deal or an imposter, they would find out once they tried!

Five minutes later.

Wayne and the others waiting outside had not yet touched their tea when the doors to the gaming room opened. Fang Zhao walked out first, seemingly no different from before. Behind him, the others came out one after the other, but...

Schwarzer's head was full of sweat, Jake's face was pale, the veins on Milo's head seemed like they were going to rupture, and even the usually steady Jinro seemed dazed. The eight all had different expressions, but the outcome was all but written on their faces—a complete thrashing.

Two hours later.

A radiant Wayne stepped out of the conference room taking big strides, beaming as though he had won the lottery grand prize of a few hundred million. When he stepped into the elevator, he was still on a call with someone. "Tell publicity's side that the virtual projects department and gaming department want to hold a joint press conference. We are going to sign some new members!"

Chapter 141: Eight Successive Bombshells

Yet another seemingly peaceful morning.

Every day, there was countless news to attract the public. Numerous promoters talked about their assigned topics and entertainment reporters busily tracked down online and offline activity, trying to unearth news not known by many.

Whoever's placing rose once more, which celebrity had a sex scandal, XX e-sports club signing a promising talent, XX's transfer saga... this sort of news occupied the headlines of the entertainment circle's news and was mostly about e-sports celebrities. However, seeing these every day, this sort of information would no longer be considered big news and would be a hot topic for that day only. Generally speaking, it could be considered peaceful.

In "Battle of the Century," at District 79, reporters camping every day to catch AliveAfter500Years followed the same routine everyday: log in, wait, nothing, log off. After doing this for so many days, they were starting to lose hope.

However, on this morning that seemed relatively peaceful, Silver Wing, which had been continuously followed by the media, released a piece of news.

"Silver Wing's virtual projects department collaborated with the gaming department to form the 'SilverWing50PolarLight' project team, specializing in "Battle of the Century," and have signed Yanbei University of Finance's rising star, Schwarzer."

The matter of Silver Wing's virtual projects and gaming departments combining to form the SilverWing50PolarLight team was not really considered news. Even before, when Silver Wing had remained silent, everyone could have guessed as much. Today was just their official announcement.

And the news of them signing Yanzhou's talented rising star was not such a big deal. Schwarzer's name was only associated with university e-sports, and only those medias that covered such areas would understand better. Other people, including professional e-sports athletes, might not have necessarily heard of this name.

"Schwarzer? The student who just started year two of university? Was he signed up to be kept in reserve? Or will he be thrown straight into the main team? None of this was mentioned."

"This time, Silver Wing's actions disgust me. The kid is only in year two of university. He's full of ignorance and was just tricked to go over."

"Using AliveAfter500Years as bait, probably?"

"University kids are just so gullible. A seedling with potential, wasted just like that."

In the mainstream line of thinking, most people thought that only AliveAfter500Years was strong, not Silver Wing. Who knew what shady business they were up to? Therefore, even if the gaming industry was frequently being flooded by this ID that had abruptly risen up, people that were serious about going down the path of e-sports would not consider an entertainment company like Silver Wing.

Regarding this piece of news, the people who were following Silver Wing closely let the news pass and did not place any importance on it. Instead, they felt a little disappointed. They had kept silent for so long, as if preparing a big move, but it turned out that instead of a wave, it was just a small ripple. Disappointing, a complete letdown!

Ocean University of Yanzhou.

When students of Ocean University saw the news, they broke into hysterical laughter. They had always been at odds with the students of Yanbei University of Finance.

"Hahaha, is that fool that short of money? Instead of joining a proper e-sports club, he actually went and signed with an entertainment company!"

"Does he mean to go into singing or acting? Do you reckon he wants to be like those has-been e-sports celebrities and have a dual profession?"

"Signing a contract shows he wants to walk down that path. Did he not consider it carefully and plan it properly?"

"Idiots just love doing stupid things!"

"Do the people at Yanbei University of Finance only think about money?"

"He will surely regret it. Anyway, us at Ocean University would never do something so foolish!"

Many at Ocean University scoffed at Schwarzer's decision. However, an hour later, they were given a smack in the face, a full-forced smack.

An hour after the news of Schwarzer signing, Silver Wing released yet another piece of news.

"Silver Wing has signed Yanzhou Ocean University's recent graduate, a champion in many continental university e-sports competitions, Jake."

Schwarzer had only suddenly risen in prominence in the first half of the year. Although his performances were outstanding, the time he had been well-known was short, and it was only within the university e-sports scene. Jake was different. Although Jake had not officially stepped into the professional circle, he had made a name for himself a few years ago and he'd won numerous awards during his university days. His reputation was bigger than Schwarzer's, and Yanzhou's best clubs were also keeping an eye on him.

Compared to the previous news, this piece attracted even more attention.

"Yet another one has been fooled."

"That is why I said university students are all naive. A recent graduate is the same. Wait till he has experienced society for two years—no, one year is enough. At that time, he will surely be regretting."

People in the industry only took it as a small laughing matter, feeling sorry for two newcomers that were about to be ruined by Silver Wing. But at Ocean University, it was as if the news had instigated a raging tsunami.

"It hurts!"

"What the f*ck! Did I see wrongly?!"

"What is going on? Why did J-god sign with Silver Wing?!"

"Fake news! I don't care, this is surely fake news! Where is the school's rumor-refuting association? Quickly come and clarify!"

Although Jake did not have that great a reputation within professional circles, and he was still a far cry from those really famous, within the university circles, especially within Yanzhou Ocean University's e-sports circles, he was considered a godlike figure, and almost everyone believed that, as long as Jake marched into the professional circles, he would surely soar! Previously, it had been speculated that he would enter a professional e-sports club, not an entertainment company.

Yesterday, on the school's forums, there had been people discussing which e-sports club would sign Jake in the end. After all, the game had been out for nearly a month already. Generally, all transfers and contract renewals would be completed within the first month. Never had they expected to get a rude awakening today!

"Could it be that J-god has some unspoken difficulties?"

"Was he forced into it? I heard that these sorts of big entertainment companies that stick a foot in everything have some hidden tricks up their sleeves!"

On social platforms, Ocean University's student union condemned the news at Silver Wing's site and demanded to know what underhand methods they'd use to compel Jake to sign a contract. There were others who went to Jake's social profile to inquire, but regardless of whether it was Jake or Silver Wing's public site, there were no replies.

An hour after the news with Jake, Silver Wing once more released another piece of news. "God-tier player August from the amateur e-sports circles has signed with Silver Wing."

Many people in the amateur circles knew that August's family owned a company. His parents and brother managed the company, and he had a stake in the company but was idle. On normal days, he stayed in the company playing games. Last year, August had said that he wished to change from being an amateur to a professional, but there had been no news of him signing a contract. Nobody expected that news to come out now.

People in the amateur circles were stunned.

It was reasonable to say that August did not lack money, and he had always placed top ten within the amateur circles, so why would he not think things through and instead sign with Silver Wing?

But after the third piece of news was released, Silver Wing once again kept their silence. August did not appear either, instead allowing everyone to make all sorts of guesses.

And as this third piece of news was published, many people realized that the news had been released in one-hour intervals! And the degree of shock was greater each time! In an hours time, would there be even more earth-shattering news?

With the outside world making all sorts of guesses, Wayne, who was sitting in his office, smirked. He just wanted to let everyone experience his mood yesterday, how he had felt his insides churn everytime Zuo Yu answered a call. Everyone was probably experiencing the same, right?

Only three so far! It was still early!

Indeed, many people had begun waiting for the hour to pass. An hour was actually not a long time. A round of games was enough for an hour to pass by.

One hour later, as many people expected, Silver Wing released another piece of news once again.

"Yu Zhongqing, who has a higher ranking than August in the amateur circles, has signed with Silver Wing."

Yu Zhongqing kept a lower profile in the amateur circles and rarely interacted with others, but his control was good and he had great battle sense, and he had a higher ranking. Many e-sports clubs wished to rope him in, but unexpectedly, Silver Wing had beaten them to the punch!

These two famed players in the amateur circles, August and Yu Zhongqing, had actually been signed by Silver Wing. The previous news of Schwarzer and Jake could not even be considered important now.

Look, two more seniors from the amateur circles have been conned. When the students of Ocean University thought this way, they felt a little better.

At this moment, many people could not even continue gaming and were now waiting for more news from Silver Wing's side. They felt even more anxious. The media no longer treated it without any importance. People within the industry with a keen nose knew that Silver Wing had not completed their move. They were waiting for bigger developments to come.

It was noon, and many people who were having their lunch breaks. Some ate from lunch boxes in front of their screens while others gathered in cafeterias and discussed as they ate.

An hour later, Silver Wing released their fifth piece of news, which made many who were eating spew out their food.

"Freelancer Milo?! That renowned freelancer 'BlackWizard' Milo?!"

"So he is the BlackWizard. No wonder I found the name familiar."

"To actually pull this freelancer over, how did Silver Wing actually convince him? Did they throw money at him? Milo isn't poor either."

"Maybe BlackWizard wants to say goodbye to his life as a freelancer?"

Although "BlackWizard" Milo had his own store, his heart was bent on gaming and he taken part in many professional competitions. He had risen to prominence a long time ago, and his reputation compared to August and Yu Zhongqing was even greater.

However, at this time, although everyone was curious about the reason BlackWizard had signed with Silver Wing, they were even more curious as to who else would would follow.

"What I really want to know now is, other than BlackWizard, who else has been poached!" This was what many internet users and media wanted to know. Now paying close attention to Silver Wing were not only similar entertainment companies but every e-sports club as well.

An hour later, Silver Wing announced that freelancer "Jasmine," who had been given the nickname "Little White Flower" by the masses, had signed with Silver Wing.

"What the hell!"

"Why did Little White Flower also sign?"

"This Little White Flower is not pure and white at all. Calling her a man-eating flower is more appropriate. She ranks even higher than BlackWizard!"

"I'm not interested in BlackWizard or Little White Flower. Now I really want to know who else they have lined up."

"Can't they release all the news in one go? Why do they have to announce one every hour! This sucks!"

"So anxious!"

Many people went to the social platforms where Silver Wing had announced their news and posted "Who else?"

Silver Wing had not done a conclusion, so there would still be more!

They felt that an hour was so g*ddamn long. Why couldn't time hurry up?

Another 60 minutes finally passed. As before, Silver Wing continued dropping bombshells, and this time an even bigger one.

"Silver Wing has signed e-sports athlete Dorrian, previously from HWR's first team and a core member."

This piece of news stunned a lot of people.

What? Dorrian? A core member of HWR's first-string team?

Wouldn't renewing his contract with HWR be good? Even if he didn't wish to sign with HWR, weren't other e-sports clubs good enough? This was a true powerhouse produced by one of the Big Five! Didn't he have a number of clubs in contact with him already?

In the eyes of the many who paid attention to the Big Five, Dorrian was most definitely a pure-blooded e-sports athlete of the highest quality. How could he sign for an entertainment company like Silver Wing?

After their initial doubts, the online masses became delighted.

"Impressive, to think Silver Wing actually poached from the core of HWR!"

"No, this can be considered poaching from the Big Five! A core member of their first-string team! This is an exception!"

"Hahaha, you never get to see an entertainment company poach from the Big Five and actually be successful. Dorrian is in his prime, his skills and body capabilities are in peak condition."

"Dorrian surely didn't sign with Silver Wing to retire. There is surely some reason that we don't know."

"Seven already! I've waited since noon and even skipped my afternoon nap just to wait for this moment. Finally a piece of shocking news; looks like I didn't wait for nothing!"

"Speaking of which, there are already seven and Silver Wing hasn't released a concluding message? Are there still... more to come?"

"Given the increasing magnitude of shock the seven pieces of news have brought, the following people after Dorrian are going to be even more unexpected."

"Could it be that Silver Wing poached not just once from the Big Five but twice?"

"I am already shivering."

If bystanders could guess that much, the media could too, which scared the Big Five into hurriedly checking on which of their talents wanted to jump ship. Whether their contracts were up or not, they also needed confirmation, but they could not find a single one. The situation of Dorrian signing with Silver Wing had been beyond expectation, but since his contract had already expired, HWR could not control it. But after Dorrian, who else was there?

At this time, even without Silver Wing promoting, the entire Yanzhou e-sports scene, whether students, media, or other players, had their eyes peeled on this matter.

This round, everyone felt that time was crawling especially slowly. The audience felt like they were holding their breath up until the appointed moment and collectively breathed out once it was time. But before they even had time to take a second breath, Silver Wing announced this:

"Jinro has signed with Silver Wing."

There was no need for introductions. Just this name was more than enough.

Anyone who saw the news thought their eyes were playing tricks on them and slowly reread this piece of news a couple of times, as if they were deciphering an ancient language scroll.

A minute after the news was released, Prairie Fire published a screenshot of an ID search within the game. On it was an ID many senior players were familiar with, "Jin9ro," a name that had accompanied students during their primary, secondary, or university days. Perhaps a few newer players weren't that familiar with the ID, but eight years ago, there hadn't been anyone in the circle who wouldn't have recognized this ID! That was none other than the captain of 2S, one of the Big Five!

The ID that had vanished eight years ago had reappeared and returned to the professional circle.

Although the points this account had accumulated were still zero, fans who had once supported him did not doubt his ability. They believed that this ID would once again rush to the very top of the leaderboards.

Inside 2S e-sports club, the atmosphere was strange.

There were still a number of active players from the same period as Jinro who had once served under him. There were still a few in their first-string team, while some had already been demoted to their second- or third-string teams, or even switched clubs. Other people might have had no idea of Jinro's ability now, but they used other means to find out.

This eight years for Jinro had been a settling period for him as he got rid of his hot temper and impatience. He was now more matured and harder to deal with.

Back then, Jinro's agreement with 2S was to not sign with any professional e-sports club for the next 10 years. However, entertainment companies did not count as e-sports clubs. 2S had never felt the need to bother about these sorts of entertainment companies and had even hoped that Jinro would sign for them, waste his talent, and go on the decline, but Silver Wing was different!

This was a Silver Wing that had produced the number one on the global leaderboards! No one knew what they had installed, but since they could already produce the number one AliveAfter500Years, could a second or third or more be in the cards?

In the eyes of many reputable e-sports clubs, Silver Wing was like a monster that had revealed its sinister intentions, and they had to guard against it! They might not have suffered any serious setbacks, but they had all received a huge shock.

After the eight pieces of news had been announced, Silver Wing finally posted a concluding message that said they were happy to be able to sign the eight, and signing with Silver Wing would not disappoint them.

Seeing the concluding message, many e-sports clubs and entertainment companies heaved a sigh of relief. However, for the general public, when they sighed, they felt a little regret. They were still anticipating even more explosive news to come out, but still, they had seen enough excitement for the day.

Some reviewers posted their comments on Silver Wing's news today. "Silver Wing could become Yanzhou's Big Six."

Ranked sixth in terms of skill in Yanzhou's e-sports world was by no means a disparaging remark.

An entertainment company that had previously only had film and music as its core—a company that had only followed the crowd to dabble in gaming to earn more money—would actually be assessed as being capable of squeezing ahead of all other e-sports clubs and placing right behind Yanzhou's Big Five as the number six? This was considered to be a really high evaluation in entertainment circles!

"What lofty ambitions!"

These three words summed up the evaluations by critics and reviewers in entertainment circles after the conclusion of Silver Wing's eight pieces of news.

The internet was also abuzz.

"Eight successive bombshells! Silver Wing wants to fly high!"

"Hooking one could be considered a trick. Landing two could be considered as having high deception skills. But three, four, five... eight! These eight are still old hands within the circle and at their prime, how could these people be so easy to deceive?!"

One braindead, two braindead, all eight brain dead?

No way!

This time, nobody said anything about AliveAfter500Years fishing again.

"Indeed, the low-profile kept by Silver Wing previously was to prepare for such a big move!

As for the press conference that was going to happen, before Silver Wing had sent out the invites, many medias outlets had taken the initiative and applied to participate in this press conference. Even the big and popular media firms that would be invited even if they did not apply had also done so just to be safe.

Over at Silver Wing, the staff in charge of handling the invitations was about to cry from staring at the screen full of emails. The venue had a limited capacity and they had received too many applications. They were not too familiar with the gaming circles, and Silver Wing had never experienced such a situation before. Some of the names and companies on some of these emails had never been heard of before. Even though their reputation did not seem high, he did not dare to reject them. This matter was very important, and any mistakes would not just be met with a paycut. Therefore, he could only request that management provide more manpower and send over a few more people who were better versed in the gaming circles to make the decisions.

At the same time, the eight players that starred in Silver Wing's news today had also updated their statuses on their own social platforms. They all had the same reply to all the interrogating from the online audiences:

"Our boss is AliveAfter500Years."

Many online users started to understand.

"Does this mean that AliveAfter500Years is going to personally lead a team?"

"Definitely, Jinro was even willing to give up his captain position to sign with Silver Wing. Surely he acknowledges that person's strength and recognizes the team's strength and future prospects."

"Are the eight that signed with Silver Wing... really foolish? Why do I feel that they have made a very wise choice?"

"Following the global number one, I wonder how that feels like?"

"I suddenly feel a little envious of them."

"They have surely seen god AliveAfter500Years already. I'm so jealous, I also wish to see that god in person.

"The more we talk about it, the more I wish to enter Silver Wing."

Many people had seen the video of AliveAfter500Years's godly maneuvers. With the general public's opinion being swayed, a number of other professional gamers had a thought. Maybe signing with Silver Wing is not a bad choice?

However, while the online audiences were discussing this, the eight who had just updated their statuses had a raging fire in their hearts. This is not what I wanted to say! You guys don't know that the truth lies behind this line! You people have spent so much time and effort to find the truth, entertainment reporters have spent so much time trying to dig out the truth, but it is right there within that one line! This was today's ninth and biggest bombshell! These statuses transmitted the most important information, and it was literally put in front of everyone!

Chapter 142: The Distance Between Virtual and Reality

Having signed with Silver Wing, the eight of them could not update their statuses on social platforms as and when they liked. However, for the eight simultaneous statuses, they had obtained approval.

Silver Wing's side did not reveal who AliveAfter500Years was right away. According to suggestions from the publicity department, by keeping the media in suspense, they would continue to pay attention. Thus, Silver Wing had decided to only release news of the signing of the eight players, hiding the biggest boss's ID for the time being. Yet they did not intend to completely hide it. The statuses of the eight actually laid the truth in plain sight, but no one would think in that direction.

For the SilverWing50PolarLight project, although it was a collaboration between the virtual projects department and gaming department, the virtual projects department held all the authority to decide. The gaming department only assisted them. After all, Fang Zhao was leading the SilverWing50PolarLight team as he did with the Polar Light project team, both of which were under the virtual projects department.

The "boss" mentioned by the eight actually pointed to the boss of the virtual projects department, who held all the authority and was also AliveAfter500Years.

Therefore, in the future, even if anyone asked why Silver Wing had kept hiding the fact, Silver Wing could reply: "We did not conceal it. In fact, it was revealed way earlier, but you people did not understand it."

According to common sense, there was really nobody that thought in that direction. When it came to managing a e-sports club, the manger was a manager, an e-sports manager was still a manager, and the captain of the main team was still an e-sport athlete. Never was a captain the manager of a company project. Thus, the general public only had one thought on the eight statuses: AliveAfter500Years was their boss, the captain.

Even if anyone made a guess in that direction, it was with the intention of a joke and not for real.

The press conference was held at the convention hall in Silver Wing Tower. Fang Zhao would be attending and wearing company attire that showed his rank as a manager-level staff. He did not have the sinister scars he had in-game, and since he had long released his suppressed emotions, he looked a lot more mild and refined.

Backstage, the eight of them twitched their lips simultaneously when they saw Fang Zhao.

The heavyset Milo grunted. "A beast in human attire!"

"Don't talk nonsense. That's not how you use it," Jinro said. However, he understood what Milo meant. What Milo wanted to say was that Fang Zhao was like a violent beast beneath that human skin. Jinro agreed with Milo's thoughts; Fang Zhao in person was totally different from his in-game persona. They could not be blamed for doubting him. Even they had not considered the age factor. With such a large contrast, it would be surprising if anyone even suspected, let alone believed it.

"There are so many people in the hall!" Schwarzer nervously said. He had stuck his head out to take a peek previously.

Among the eight, other than Schwarzer, the others had already gotten used to these sorts of setting and were more calm than him.

Jinro's feelings were more complicated. He had left the professional scene eight years ago and had since kept a low profile. He had not used his normal ID during these eight years, using only other temporary or smurf accounts. During this duration, he had not appeared in such a situation where he had been the focus of the public eye, and returning to what he had experienced in the past, he could not help but recall things that had happened a long time ago.

"Prepare yourselves. You are up soon," a staffer reminded them

Many media groups from all over had gathered in the convention hall to observe the words and actions of everyone on stage, thinking how to go about grabbing the news.

After the press conference started, Qian Chen would speak to him in a low voice from time to time. When it was not convenient to talk, they would use messages to communicate.

This man was not from Prairie Fire, but today, Qian Cheng had brought him along under the identity of a Prairie Fire employee. This was not how the man looked like normally—he was wearing a disguise.

This was the man many reputable people in the industry termed "Yanzhou's best paparazzi," Wang Tie. Nobody knew what he looked liked, but people in the industry knew one thing: there was no news he could not unearth, only a price you could not afford to pay. It was rumored that his keen sense of "smell" would not lose to the guards at the Cemetery of Martyrs.

This time, Qian Cheng had spent a rather large sum to engage Wang Tie's services to help him find the real AliveAfter500Years.

Qian Cheng moved closer and asked in a low voice, "Found anything?"

Wang Tie stared and pointed his finger at the person currently speaking. "What is his background? Virtual projects department manager Fang Zhao? How much do you know about him?"

"You are talking about Fang Zhao? That young fellow is really capable. Silver Wing's virtual projects department rose from the ashes under him. Recently, what astonished people most was that, as a composer, he had some reputation and was good at symphonic styles. He collaborated with great master Xue Jing on a textbook that has had great sales volume and they did a global lecture tour. Why, is there a problem?" Qian Cheng asked suspiciously.

Wang Tie shook his head. "A composer? An artist? Then it's no wonder."

Fang Zhao give him a strange feeling, but he had been overthinking. The other party was a composer, so Wang Tie felt relieved. People who dabbled in arts were different from normal people. Having a weird feeling about him was nothing too surprising.

Seeing Wang Tie shake his head, Qian Cheng sighed. He had said it before, how could Fang Zhao be AliveAfter500Years?

After Fang Zhao had spoken and returned backstage, Jinro and the others went up to stage to take a seat.

"Until now, of all those that have gone on stage, does not a single one seem suspicious?" Qian Cheng was unresigned, watching the going-ons on stage.

Wang Tie frowned, focusing his eyes at the people being grilled by reporters. Including the eight in the limelight, Silver Wing members and other staff, none were spared. Every time he looked toward the stage, he had a strange feeling, as if he when he stretched out his hand, he could touch the truth, but a thick fog clouded his eyes, distorting the truth. He rarely encountered this sort of contradictory feeling.

So odd! There was surely something weird!

But what had he overlooked?

Seeing Wang Tie creasing his brows, Qian Cheng knew that Wang Tie had encountered some difficult problem. He did not chase for a reply, but he paid close attention to Wang Tie's reaction, observing the minute changes in his expression.

On stage, the normally lively Schwarzer was feeling uneasy with the hundreds of eyes on him. Luckily, they had arranged for him to speak less, and there were not as many questions thrown at him. With Jinro and Dorrian around, the others could relax more. Today, among the eight people, the reporters were mostly focused on Jinro and Dorrian, who were were from the Big Five. Schwarzer had the least to do among the eight and only had to be responsible for smiling.

The reporters posed a number of penetrating questions, but they were all deflected by the experienced Jinro. But when a reporter asked who AliveAfter500Years was and whether he was present, this time Jinro did not immediately reply. Together with the seven others, he faced the reporter who'd asked, showing off a profound smile.

The reaction of Jinro and the others made the reporter feel as if he had asked a really stupid question. When he sat back down, he replayed the question in his heart a few times but found nothing strange. Had he been too direct?

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked a colleague.

The colleague was not sure either, as the reaction of Jinro and the others was puzzling. "I don't think... so?"

Wayne stepped out to answer. His reply was simple. "The identity of AliveAfter500Years will remain a secret for the time being."

Do you wish to know? If you do, find out for yourselves. In any case, I'm not telling you! Curse me? Even if you curse, there is no way I'm telling you!

Wayne just loved watching reporters being helpless and getting pissed.

The reporters present asked Jinro about his experiences over the past eight years, Dorrian about his reason for choosing Silver Wing, and posed all sorts of questions to the others. There were lots of questions answered, but Qian Cheng couldn't bring himself to be delighted. He simply had no interest toward these questions. As he watched time slowly ticking by, the answer he was dying to know most had not yet been found by Wang Tie.

"Still no progress?" Qian Cheng asked again.

Wang Tie paused for a bit and shook his head. Even though he felt that he was one step away from the truth, he just could not catch the bluff. Therefore, he had no choice but to give Qian Cheng a definite answer.

Qian Cheng was disappointed. "Maybe AliveAfter500Years did not come."

"No, I feel that there is a high probability that AliveAfter500Years is present. Did you notice that, when they answered a few questions concerning AliveAfter500Years, they seemed a little nervous? Especially 'BlackWizard' Milo, compared to Schwarzer who is purely fanboying. He does not have the same composure as Jinro either, so his reactions are the most honest to observe and think over."

"Is he afraid?" Qian Cheng asked.

"To be precise, he is afraid of the consequences. He is worried about saying the wrong things. Not because of the nervous atmosphere here, but rather, the consequences from someone present! Therefore, my guess is that the person you are look for is right here!" Suddenly Wang Tie paused for a bit and looked upward.

"What's wrong?" Qian Cheng asked upon seeing his reaction.

"I'm getting the feeling someone is watching me through the surveillance cameras."

"Did they recognize you?"

"I don't know."

At the lounge backstage, Fang Zhao's eye were fixed on Wang Tie through the surveillance monitors.

"How sharp," Fang Zhao said.

"Boss, this person seems like a problem. Shall I go check it out?" Zuo Yu asked.

"No need."

Toward the end of the press conference, Fang Zhao once more took to the stage to take a photo with the eight signings, Wayne, and a few other Silver Wing leaders and staff. Once the conference ended and the reporters had left, Jinro and the others could finally relax back at the 50th floor. Recalling the reporter who'd asked whether AliveAfter500Years was present, all eight of them found it funny.

The distance between virtual and reality could be very far yet very close. Some people might be separated by a very large distance, but through the use of the internet for face to face communication, one could feel as if the other party was right beside. However, there were times when the actual person was standing right in front of them, yet people would rack their brains to try and find the truth elsewhere.

SilverWing50PolarLight was placed under the virtual projects departments. In the future, their "work area" would also be on the 50th floor. Wayne also had no other option. Fang Zhao was the one who had roped the recruits in. Besides, the area was large and good for planning, and there was enough space to open another gaming studio.

The company provided the eight of them with Fiery Bird's 9th generation console, which they could use if they wanted to log in at the company. Although this sort of entertainment company was not as professional as a e-sports club, entertainment company's had lots of funding, so equipment was not an issue.

The eight players' contracts were different from other celebrities in the company. Every single one had differences in their own contracts, but generally speaking, they had considerably more freedom compared to the contracts of e-sports club players. This was what they had discussed before signing. Everyone had their own custom-made contracts.

As the game had already started, there was not a lot of time left. Fang Zhao gave them three days to prepare. Schwarzer, who was still a student, had to bring along his Silver Wing contract and return to school to sort out some administrative issues and apply for a long-distance curriculum. The others also needed to settle some personal matters, but three days was more than enough.

Three days later, in the gaming studio on Silver Wing's 50th floor, Jinro and the others, plus the five previously from the gaming department, logged in. The team had been expanded by Fang Zhao and the maximum capacity had increased from 20 to 25. However, Zu Wen and the others had to work and generally would not be able to participate in some activities. Zu Wen and the rest had actually wanted to withdraw and form their own team, but that had been rejected by Fang Zhao. Instead, Fang Zhao drew up the "Virtual projects and e-sports staff combined" daily training regime.

Jinro was using his own old account. Logging in for the first time, he was bound to a team and appeared at the spot where Fang Zhao was, the building that Fang Zhao had first met them at.

As Milo's account was in another district too far away from District 79, he had applied for a brand new account. Milo's old ID was BlackWizard, so his new ID was BlackWizardMilo. Dorrian had also applied for a new account.

The previous five members of the gaming department had not stayed idle during this period. Fang Zhao had assigned a task as well, to head from the city and arrive at the coordinates Fang Zhao had given to them. They did not have Fang Zhao's skill and ability to ride a bike and travel across the city, so the time they spent was much greater, but they still managed to accomplish the task, albeit with great difficulty.

Adding the eight with Jinro, the five from the gaming department, Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu, a total of 15 people gathered at the coordinates.

After logging into his new account and seeing the points value of 0, Schwarzer asked Fang Zhao, "Boss, what is our mission for today?"

Fang Zhao looked at the highway right in front of the building and said, "First let's clear out this road."

"Oh yeah!" Schwarzer used the system's screenshot function to capture a video of him speaking a few words. After he logged off, he went to his social platforms and posted: "The glorious path of an e-sports career starts from cleaning the roads! For today, everyone please call me Mr. Road Sweeper!"an alternate or fake account

Chapter 143: A Reporter That Separated Himself from the Inferior Ones

Fang Zhao's reason for them to clear the roads was firstly to let them practice and adapt to the operations of the team. The second reason was so he could observe each individual's style and ability up close. Although he had investigated each of them, studying through videos and observing up close was different. Through their impromptu performances and emergency responses, Fang Zhao would be better able to understand them, and through this understanding, Fang Zhao could then assign them roles and adjust the team's formation.

Although Schwarzer from Yanbei University of Finance and Jake from Ocean University of Yanzhou might have had some conflicting disputes due to their school's bad blood, in-game, all private matters had to be set aside. Fang Zhao had dragged them aside to talk about this. If there were any actions that dragged the team down, the offending party would be kicked out right away. This was something that had been clearly stated in the contract.

The activity of 15 people's movements was not small. It was still fine when out of the city, but as they got closer, more and more people noticed them.

Fang Zhao had not let them used silencers, and because of AliveAfter500Years and Jinro and gang's signing with Silver Wing, if the reporters at District 79 did not notice, they should give up being reporters.

Recently, SilverWing50PolarLight as a search term had seen a rapid rise. Previously, when the eight had signed, the popularity of this topic had exploded. Now that the entire team was no longer being secretive, it was a good opportunity for news!

Players in District 79 felt like crying. Previously, there had only been AliveAfter500Years who "swept the streets." Now they had an entire "street sweeping" team to deal with; how were they going to steal experience points now? Especially wherever SilverWing50PolarLight was, as all the monsters nearby would be attracted over. Some players tried to imitate their way of luring monsters, but it did not turn out well. Their own strength was lacking, and they were wiped out.

The art of luring monsters was not something everyone could do. Therefore, many District 79 players were mulling over whether to switch to another district, such as District 78 or 80. Almost every district with a big e-sports club was experiencing this sort of situation. Of course, there were also people who wanted to followed the SilverWing50PolarLight team and pick up their scraps too.

Thus, recently, the forums for District 79 had many similar posts:

"The amount of monsters in the city are limited. Have you considered switching over to District 78? Team migration!"

"District 79 has changed. It has become Silver Light's District 79, heartbroken." "Silver Light" was what players called SilverWing50PolarLight in short.

"There are just too few creatures in the city. And lately they don't even seem to be increasing. Maybe after Silver Light wipes them out, the replenishing rate can't keep up? The system has not even announced any big quests. Are we supposed to find them ourselves?

"Let's form a hunting party and head out from the city. It is rumored that there are a lot more monsters outside of the city area. We don't have to head too far. If we set off in the morning, we will still be able to return to a city and find a safe place to disconnect by night. Those interested, number off!"

However, unlike the complex feelings of players, reporters in District 79 were going crazy just trying to grab any piece of news. Dying a hundred or so times did not even embody the amount of work they put in. Given their lousy skills, these reporters were easily killed by monsters after they stepped outside. As lives were limited, a death would stop them from logging back into the game until the next day even if they had money to spend. Thus, these reporters would have a few accounts, and every day, after dying, they would switch to the next account, and the next. After all, the motive was to obtain news, not to collect points and rise up the leaderboards.

District 79's account peddlers were raking in the big bucks everyday. They used to envy their fellow peddlers who were assigned to the same districts as the big e-sports clubs. Most of them were from studios, and their locations had already been assigned. Everyone had their own tasks. The experienced and accomplished persons were assigned the better districts, while others were randomly assigned. Back when they'd logged into a district without a single small e-sports club, they had made plans to either switch districts or waste away and die. Never had they expected that AliveAfter500Years would appear and let them live again!

Due to the high profile appearance of SilverWing50PolarLight, District 79 was once again all the rage. Even if they could not match up to districts that contained the Big Five, given the online searches, they had already surpassed the popularity of a few mid-tier e-sports clubs.

So much so that even some retired e-sports players were recruited by news media outlets to be bodyguards for their reporters.

Although this virtual supply chain was often criticized, but it continued thriving as it was so profitable.

Previously, an account for District 79 had cost around $200–$500, but now, prices had jumped by anywhere from five to ten times! The price of equipment had risen even more!

Especially a few larger peddler studios that had joined hands to dominate District 79's account market and jack up prices. Every day, studios could be seen displaying these kinds of advertisements for accounts: "District 79 account, XXXX studios, while stocks last."

There were so many reporters out to grab the news it caused quite a bit of a disturbance for team Silver Light. A few times, when the team was vigorously killing within the city, some reporters rushed over to try and get an interview. As a result, they were surrounded by monsters and killed. Afterward, these reporters criticized Silver Light's members for just standing aside and not helping. Originally wanting to discredit the members of Silver Light, it backfired, as online players were not foolish.

"With such a low IQ, he still wants to be a reporter? Go back home and drink milk instead!"

"Courting death and still wanna drag people along! All gamers know that, at these times, any external distractions can cause injury or death. Just by obstructing them, you were in the wrong, and you actually have the face to criticize Silver Light's members?"

"If it were in the Period of Destruction, this kind would have long been beaten to death, right?"

"No, there were no people so stupid during the period. They were all running for their lives."

Milo and the others heaved sighs of relief when they saw the discussions online.

"But those reporters are indeed troublesome. We aren't like those big e-sports clubs with people to specifically block off reporters. We only have 15 over here. Unless we kill off those reporters too? I really don't dare; these reporters can twist a story so well, and it makes me waste a bunch of time." Every time Milo saw these reporters appearing in the thick of killing, he felt like killing them all the same, but he was already past his impulsive age, and having signed a contract with the company, he was part of a team and could no longer do as he liked like when he'd been a freelancer.

"Those reporters are so irritating!" Schwarzer had actually enjoyed the feeling of being chased by reporters and experiencing the treatment of a celebrity, but after two days, he'd gotten sick of it. He would rather not have this sort of treatment. He just wanted to play a proper game, was that so hard?

Former HWR core member Dorrian shared some knowledge with his younger teammate. "That's what you have to go through as a celebrity. Don't think that they will let you off just because we are in the virtual world. Rather, they can be even more sticky in this world. Of course, you mustn't be too naive and try to talk sense into them. These people won't stop, especially entertainment reporters. If you ever get stopped by them, try not to say much. Even if something happens, leave it to the public relations team to handle it. Don't do anything on the spot, as that will cause more complications. These people love to stir things up. Even if there is nothing, they can still make something happen. You can ask Vice Captain Jinro; even if he has been away from the scene for eight years, he won't have forgotten his past experiences."

Jinro nodded his head silently, agreeing with Dorrian's words, but he couldn't think of a good reply.

Everyone glanced at Fang Zhao, waiting for him to speak. Should they disregard these troublesome people and continue clearing the city, or should they do something else?

Fang Zhao drummed his fingers on the table. "Since you find them troublesome, then let's make it so they can't keep up."

On that day, the members of Silver Light all did a little self-reflection. Indeed, if they were just like Fang Zhao, they would not have to worry about that problem. Taking a look at Fang Zhao, when he'd first exploded on the global leaderboards, District 79 had been full of reporters lying in wait, but very few had been able to grab any news; they had all been just trying their luck.

External disturbances were one thing, but lacking the ability to handle it was an irrefutable reality.

After the meeting ended, Schwarzer grumbled to Zu Wen and the others, "So much pressure!" He had always thought himself to be number one, but after entering the team, he had realized there was always someone stronger.

Schwarzer felt like Fang Zhao treated them as soldiers and trained them as such. Their minds and bodies were exhausted, but aside from the grumbling, Schwarzer enjoyed that pressing and intense feeling he got. His skills had improved tremendously under pressure, and he understood better about creatures from the Period of Destruction. He had also learned a lot about firearm usage, troop formations, and other military skills. He had shed all the unorganized behavior he'd had when he'd played on his own. This was a professional team!

And the thing that gave Schwarzer the most pressure was not the harassment from reporters or the skill gap between him and his teammates. Instead, it was the captain, Fang Zhao, that made him feel the most pressured. During their "street cleanings," Fang Zhao would cover the back, but the feeling he gave was like a slave driver with a whip, urging them from behind. Anyone who made a mistake would be whipped.

Today, Fang Zhao had accepted an invitation to give a lecture at Qi'an Academy of Music and left Jinro in charge. This had happened a few times, and the team members had already polished up their team work. Besides, Jinro was experienced and used to leading a team, so Fang Zhao was not too worried.

Without Fang Zhao around, the Silver Light team was clearly much more lively.

And on this day, they met a reporter.

The team had decided to increase their speed and leave the reporters behind. Even though they were not as refined as Fang Zhao and could not make the reporters totally disappear, they were still able to get rid of a few. However, this reporter was not like those unskilled and troublesome entertainment reporters. Huo Li was a war journalist, and from what he said, he had entered the game to better understand the Old Era and the Period of Destruction and hoped to take some photos that could move people.

When he encountered the Silver Light team, he requested to tag along and guaranteed not to interfere with the team's plans. He also promised to not released any photos of the Silver Light team without permission and showed all the photos he had previously taken to Jinro and the others.

He was indeed different from those entertainment reporters. The photos Huo Li took were taken from angles that could shock and move people. His photography skills were extremely professional, and his photos were of cities after experiencing a disaster. He had decent skill, and just as he'd said, he did not provide any trouble for the team, just taking photos from the side and generously letting Jinro and the others view the photos he had taken.

After clearing a wave of monsters, the team had left behind other reporters, and when they found a place to rest, Huo Li told them of his own experiences at battlefields.

And among the team members, other than Fang Zhao, Schwarzer was the only one who had not completed his military service and was still curious about this.

When Huo Li was recounting his stories, he did seem rather like a teacher preaching to his students, and those listening could not help but respect him, yet he could discuss with them like a fellow student.

"You know, there are some things that I cannot say due to confidentiality issues, so I have to be a little vague," Huo Li said.

Schwarzer enthusiastically nodded his head. "I understand, I understand!"

As Huo Li raised his head and looked up at the the Period of Destruction's sky filled with dust, his tone full of melancholy. "In places where you can't see, there are still many wars. There are wars on other planets and wars within our own planet."

"Eh? Within our own planet?" Schwarzer curiously asked. He frequently browsed the internet, but he'd never seen such news.

The others also pricked up their ears.

Huo Li laughed faintly. "As a reporter, one needs to have the bravery to expose the truth, and we war journalists are part reporter, part soldier. For every war, we use our lives as a wager. Work comes first, and life is secondary. To get a vivid report, we need to enter deep into war zones and not hold back. A proper constitution and a well cultivated sense of professionalism is needed. When people talk about war journalists, they use words like 'unafraid of hardship,' or 'brave dedication,' but these are too one-dimensional and vague. A real war zone is nothing like a game. Once a person dies, he really is gone for good."

Huo Li reminisced, "I shall not talk about those within our planet. Those on other planets, I have experienced more. Once, when I followed a team into a war zone, weather caused the operation to encounter some problems, and under those nasty weather conditions, our communications equipment malfunctioned. We were unable to find our bearings and did not have control of the situation. Encountering danger, all we could do was buckle down and fight. That sort of desperate situation united us, perhaps similar to the way people during the Period of Destruction did. That memory is still deeply moving, yet it is full of pain and sorrow. That is not something that can be described unless you have felt it for yourself."

Huo Li spoke about battlefields and how he had followed troops into war zones. There was quite a lot of stuff that he made vague due to his confidentiality agreements, but that did not stop him from explaining the situations clearly. Whether it was his life following the military or the circumstances in the war zone, despite the details being fuzzy, it did not seem fabricated at all.

Jinro and Milo made eye contact. The doubt in their hearts had lessened. They had not dropped their vigilance, but this person really did not seem like a liar. Furthermore, Huo Li had displayed some skills in the skirmish earlier, and his photos were different from others, supporting his claim of being a battlefield reporter. When Huo Li was narrating his story, his eyes seemed to exude honesty as well.

Huo Li did not just talk about his war zone experiences, he also showed them photographs he had taken in-game. His photos had the ability to influence. If Huo Li had not revealed that they were taken in-game, Jinro and the others would have believed that these were photographs that had been left behind from the Old Era. A building that they had passed by so many times could be so different in a photograph. This was the skill of an expert.

Huo Li also told them some little-known history of the Period of Destruction. Although his tone was gentle, every word seemed to carry an interested feeling, and even the always rational Vice Captain Jinro was entranced.

This was a reporter that separated himself from the inferior ones. In their hearts, their impression of Huo Li was very favorable after a short while.

"Reality is way more cruel than a game. What happens in games are just minor matters that cannot be compared to reality. However, games are for entertainment, so it is not necessary to compare them. I was just expressing the cruelty of reality; just listen, but don't mind it. Do you want to know the origins of my name?"

At this moment, Fang Zhao came online and came over from his log-in spot.

As everyone on the team wore a helmet during combat, when Fang Zhao came, Huo Li was unable to see his face.

The team that had been lazing around listening to stories immediately changed their behavior. Even if they were sitting, they now sat upright and tense. Schwarzer also no longer giggled.

The footsteps of his boots were not loud, but it provided a solemn atmosphere and Huo Li's entire mental state unknowingly tensed up.

When Fang Zhao looked toward Huo Li, Huo Li could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand. Even though he could not see Fang Zhao's eyes hidden behind the helmet, he could feel that extremely suffocating glare on him, as though it was piercing through his body.

Jinro had already left a message telling Fang Zhao about the matter with Huo Li.

"Don't stop. Continue with what you were saying." Fang Zhao found a place to sit down.

Schwarzer coughed lightly. "Huo Li was just about to tell us the origins of his name."

"Yeah, Huo Li, what special meaning does your name have?" Milo asked. He did not like leaving a story unfinished.

The solemn atmosphere became slightly warmer.

Huo Li laughed. "All right, continuing on. Huo Li (Fire Chestnut), it means that every single thing that we do is like obtaining a chestnut from the fire. Chestnuts are placed into the fire to be roasted, and if we wish to eat the chestnuts, we have to brave the dangers of being burnt by fire. This is similar to us battlefield reporters. Every time we want to get a chestnut, we suffer scars. However, this is our choice. We will bear whatever consequences. Isn't there an old saying, 'the path we choose for ourselves has to be completed even if we have to crawl? Who cares if there are thorns and brambles along the way'."

Schwarzer and the others had a momentary flash of admiration for Huo Li. Only Fang Zhao did not have any reaction.

"Exactly! War journalism is so challenging! Like a real hero! Don't you agree, Boss?" Schwarzer looked toward Fang Zhao, waiting for a reply.

However, Fang Zhao did not reply to Schwarzer and instead said, "In the old era, there was a phrase called 'obtaining the chestnut from the fire' and a story behind it. The story goes like this: A monkey deceived a cat to obtain a roasted chestnut from the flame. The cat did it and managed to obtain the chestnut, but its paws suffered burns. In the end, the chestnut was eaten by the monkey, and the cat paid for being swindled and received nothing. I actually feel that the name Huo Li is to remind yourself not to be used by others but to be the party receiving benefits. Don't you agree, future king of war journalism and current Yanzhou king of paparazzi, Mr. Wang Tie?"

Dead silence.

Wang Tie/Huo Li: "..." That is so g*ddamn right! How do I answer?

Schwarzer and the others now shot daggers out from their eyes. Now they were not just on their guard but had a strong attacking intent.

Wang Tie was a name they had recently heard a lot in private. During meetings, Wayne had mentioned this paparazzi king's experience. Apparently he had followed a certain famous celebrity and offended certain high-ranking people; he was a god at causing trouble! Of course, he had not escaped unscathed and had been sentenced to prison. Considering his splendid history, the people in charge specially jailed him in a foreign prison and restricted his access to the internet. Originally, everyone had expected to go three to five years without seeing him, but unexpectedly, he had been released early, apparently due to him rendering meritorious service that reduced his sentence.

Upon receiving news of this individuals return, Silver Wing A-listers and above all increased their vigilance and were afraid of this paparazzi catching their scent, especially their newly formed gaming team. Never had they expected that he would actually chase them into the game! Was what he'd previously said all a fabrication? Pretending it was that real, was... was the entire thing a show!? Forget being a reporter, he should just be an actor!

Wang Tie's calm and collected manner finally became forced.

The favorable atmosphere he had spent so long to build up had undergone a 180 degree change and now seemed frigid. In front of him were 15 pairs of eyes and 15 gun barrels pointed straight at his brains, ready to take his life! They simply did not have any intention to hear his explanation.

The current paparazzi king who'd accepted his first assignment after being released from prison had been caught on the spot as he had neared his target.

Having been called out, Wang Tie grimaced. "Brothers, could there be some sort of misunderstanding? Let us talk instead of using force."An Aesop fable titled the Monkey and the Cat

Chapter 144: I Know Who You Are

Given the circumstances, escaping was not an option. Wang Tie didn't think he could evade the watchful eye of the world's No. 1. All he could do was go offline.

But that didn't turn the tide in his favor, so Wang Tie wouldn't just bail like that. Leaving would just leave too many questions unanswered and aggravate the standoff. He had indeed gone undercover to unravel the mystery behind the world's No. 1, but he hadn't done anything to harm the team. He would do all he could to ease the tension. Who knows—he might end up making some progress. He was in a game, after all; the worst-case scenario was getting shot dead. He could always get online another time or even log in with a new account.

But for someone who prided himself on his skills of disguise, it was a major blow to have his cover blown. Otherwise he would have been able to take things in stride when he'd been identified.

Schwarzer already had his gun trained on Wang Tie. He had learned a valuable lesson today. He was too naive. He actually believed all the bullshit this piece of crap had spewed. He had been warned about the importance of being on guard for journalists since he'd joined the team. Even though he hadn't yet risen to fame and wasn't that popular, he would have to learn to keep his guard up now.

But this fellow had managed such a convincing disguise. Except for Fang Zhao, everyone on the team had thought him to be a war journalist. Boss had earned his chops indeed. He could actually identify Wang Tie despite his ingenious disguise.

As Jinro was guarding Wang Tie, he thought back to the sequence of events, reviewing if he or any of his teammates had revealed any secrets. Thankfully, due to Fang Zhao's cautioning of late, they had become much more tight lipped. They had never let down their guard completely.

The others did the same, reviewing their comments over the preceding period. They only relaxed when they made sure they hadn't let any secrets slip. They would be punished if they'd made any mistakes.

"Hear me out," Wang Tie probed. But he soon realized that his audience had no interest in an explanation. They were simply waiting for their captain's command to beat the crap out of him.

Maybe it was better to go offline after all?

Wang Tie was pondering his options when he saw AliveAfter500Years raise his hand and make a subtle hand gesture.

The 14 folks who were glaring at Wang Tie with menacing looks turned and left. Milo and Jinro wanted to say something, but they ended up holding back, retreating in silence to a spot about 20 meters away.

Wang Tie blinked his eyes quickly.

This team's MO seemed different from the other Yanzhou e-sports teams he knew well. They appeared to be the product of military-style training in Rongzhou. What stood out to him was that there were no dissenters. Their levels of obedience and execution were superb.

Wang Tie had started wondering if this world No. 1 was from Rongzhou when he heard the man standing in front of him say, "I could ID you just like that even if you switched faces."

Wang Tie cast aside his thoughts immediately. After recovering from the shock of the comment, he started frowning hard, weighing the veracity of what had just been uttered. Self-doubt was creeping into his mind.

He had initially thought that his formidable opponent had just been bluffing. What had given him away was that fleeting moment of raw reaction just now. But now he was wondering if that wasn't the case, if this fellow could truly identify him immediately.

Wang Tie's gut told him that AliveAfter500Years wasn't bluffing.

Had his skills deteriorated since he'd left prison? Wang Tie started reflecting.

No, the problem couldn't possibly lie with him.

Wang Tie shook his head gently. No one had managed to recognize him since his return unless he identified himself, and that included Qian Cheng.

If the problem didn't lie with him, then the reason was his opponent. How on earth had AliveAfter500Years recognized him? The reason Wang Tie was so feared, the reason he was so obnoxious, was his incredible flair for disguise, down to the look of an eye. If he had lost his touch, he could no longer move freely.

That gave him a bad feeling.

As a seasoned journalist, Wang Tie was used to putting up an act in front of people and toying with them. No one could recognize him. But now, the tables had turned. He was the one on the defensive.

He had already lost this round of battle.

But did his opponent have something to say, given that he had asked the others to step aside?

Wang Tie heard his opponent say, "Do you mind if I check out the photos you took inside the game?"

Even though AliveAfter500Years was polite, he still projected an imposing figure, so Wang Tie didn't dare relax either. "Not at all," Wang Tie responded. He showed AliveAfter500Years the photos he had played for Jinro and company, all the while trying to figure out what his opponent was up to.

"These are decent shots. Are you interested in taking an assignment?" Fang Zhao asked.

The question caught Wang Tie unaware. "Who do you want to shoot?"

"Us," Fang Zhao pointed at himself and then the 14 others standing at a distance.

Wang Tie froze. Usually, people hired him to invade the privacy of others, to record all those dirty secrets. No one had ever made this request before.

If these were normal circumstances, Wang Tie would have demanded an exorbitant salary, but he didn't this time after weighing the pros and cons carefully and factoring into consideration the questions he wanted answered the most.

"What you're saying is that I take photos of you and sell them to the media?" Wang Tie asked in a cautious tone.

"No, I mean I want to hire you to shoot a publicity video for us from the perspective of a war journalist."

"A publicity video? You want a well-known Yanzhou entertainment journalist to shoot a publicity video for you? Like you said, I'm the king of Yanzhou paparazzi," Wang Tie said in a tone that mixed self-mockery and pride. I'm not just any entertainment reporter, nor the average paparazzi reporter. This mofo is the bloody king when it comes to my trade in Yanzhou. But he had never shot a publicity video for a gaming team.

"You said yourself that you're a war journalist," Fang Zhao said calmly.

"Oh, everything I said before was bullshit, how I'm a war journalist and what not. I just wanted to string them along. I'm not the king of war journalists. I know my limits," Wang Tie said with a wave of his hand.

As he uttered his response, Wang Tie observed Fang Zhao's facial expression to see if he was infuriated by the rejection. If Fang Zhao threw a tantrum, he would get offline quickly.

Fang Zhao stared at Wang Tie and, in a deeper, coarser voice than his appearance suggested, said, "No, more than 80 percent of what you said about your wartime experience was true."

Wang Tie wanted to respond with a laughing "How would you know? You weren't around," but he held back at the last minute, and the smile on his face vanished.

Jinro!

Jinro had recorded everything he'd said and passed it on to Fang Zhao. What a sneaky bastard.

Jinro had alerted Fang Zhao by message as soon as Wang Tie had appeared. In fact, Fang Zhao had logged in briefly at one point, but he hadn't entered the game. He'd gone offline after reading and responding to his messages. He'd responded to Jinro, instructing him to record his conversation with Wang Tie and sending it to him.

So even if Fang Zhao hadn't been around, he had heard all of Wang Tie's comments about his wartime exploits.

Fang Zhao continued to speak in a measured tone, "I have the ability to separate fact from fiction." And it was precisely his even temper that suggested to Wang Tie that he wasn't kidding or exaggerating; he was making a factual statement.

Wang Tie had better instincts than most, and it was precisely because of his stronger instincts that he felt all the more acutely the suffocating feeling of facing down the relentless stare of a giant beast.

Still, Wang Tie was mentally quite tough. Even if he was unsettled and in discomfort, he could still maintain a calm appearance. He continued negotiating. "Shooting a video for you isn't out of the question, but can I see what you look like? I have never seen a world No. 1 in person."

Wang Tie thought Fang Zhao would refuse or make a counteroffer. He hadn't expected him to agree readily. "Sure."

Fang Zhao's avatar was revealed when he took off his helmet.

Wang Tie studied this mysterious world No. 1 supergod carefully. He didn't look too old, but his avatar had no bearing on reality. Old geezers could pretend to be handsome young men in a game. His skills of disguise allowed him to pose as a university student even if he was more than 100 years old in reality.

The scars didn't mean anything either. Lots of folks used avatars with tattoos or scars, whatever distinguished them.

The only thing was that this face looked a bit familiar.

As far as pro-gamer avatars were concerned, their choice of build might be completely reckless, but their faces bore at least some resemblance to their actual appearance so they could be easily recognized. The face before Wang Tie seemed very familiar—he had seen it not long ago.

Who was it?

Where had he seen it?

Was it at the press conference at Silver Wing the other day?

After canvassing his outstanding memory, Wang Tie's eyes burst wide open. He looked like he had removed a rock and discovered treasure underneath.

"I know who you are!" Wang Tie said in an emotional voice.

Jinro, Schwarzer and company looked over when they heard Wang Tie yell. Milo switched to a gun with a silencer to kill a monster that had been drawn by Wang Tie's voice. He scanned his surroundings, shifting his gaze to Wang Tie along with the others after confirming that there were no other approaching threats. They all wanted to see the look on the face of the No. 1 paparazzi journalist after figuring out their boss's identity.

And yet...

"You're Fang Zhao's father?" Wang Tie asked.

Fang Zhao: "..."

Jinro and company: "..."

As soon as he uttered the question, Wang Tie noticed the 14 disciples who had retreated 20 meters staring at him like he was an idiot.

Jinro and company secretly cursed. Are you f*cking blind?

You managed to recognize Fang Zhao's face and yet you mistook him for his father?

Wang Tie realized his mistake. He recalled the personal details of every staffer in Silver Wing's virtual projects department and started shaking his head. "No, Fang Zhao's parents are dead. He doesn't have any siblings either. Are you... his uncle? Or cousin?"

"Why don't you figure out yourself." Fang Zhao got up and walked toward Jinro and company. He was no longer looking at Wang Tie. "As for my offer, let me know when you've made up your mind."

When he finished speaking, Fang Zhao led his team away to proceed with their mission. This time, Wang Tie stayed behind. He planned on never following them again. He went offline instead.

Inside a high-end apartment near downtown Qi'an, Wang Tie removed his gaming helmet. He wore a confused expression.

His mission going awry was one thing, but what bothered him was failing to achieve the objective of his mission.

Wang Tie looked at his bracelet and noticed about a dozen missed calls. They were all from Qian Cheng. He had probably called for updates but hadn't wanted to intrude. Qian Cheng had hung up after a single ring every time.

Wang Tie called back.

"You offline? Anything?" Qian Cheng asked anxiously.

"I found out quite a bit."

"You saw him? Did you figure out his true identity?"

Wang Tie paused and responded, "No."

Qian Cheng was a bit disappointed, but he pressed on. "Even if he was difficult to identify, what did your superb instincts tell you when you saw him?"

This time, Wang Tie didn't answer. He let Qian Cheng wait before hanging up altogether.

What did my instincts tell me?

That I have met my match.

Chapter 145: It's Really the Same Person

The 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower. Jinro and his 12 teammates emerged from the gaming room. Everyone was so tired they could collapse. Ten of the 13 would have dropped dead if they hadn't had assistants or the specially assigned medical staff to hang onto.

Dorrian sat down with help from his assistant. "It's OK if Boss Fang isn't around, but what about Zuo Yu?" he asked.

"He's got an assignment. He logged on from home. He has to go out with boss after logging out. It's easy for him pick up a tail if he stays at the office." Dorrian downed a glass of water and rested while he received a medical checkup.

This was the level of treatment that well-endowed companies could afford. Pro gamers were different from amateurs in that their workloads were much heavier. Their physical conditions had to be closely monitored. They were tracked by dedicated staffers every day. All the pro gamers had to worry about was gaming. The rest was taken care of by their backups. This was the difference in treatment between pros and amateurs.

Dorrian accepted the towel his assistant passed to him and wiped the sweat from his face. He was famished and exhausted. "I never felt this tired at HWR. Even I feel the pressure, let alone Schwarzer and the others," he said with a laugh of resignation as he shook his head.

Dorrian's assistant had been with his boss at Silver Wing for some time now. He knew the pressure Dorrian spoke of wasn't pressure to climb the individual or team rankings or career advancement. Fang Zhao never spoke of rankings or point totals. He all but ignored the team ranking, but he scheduled tasks for his team on every workday. There were tests, including written ones, and assignments to be completed inside the game. Those who didn't pass faced heavy punishments. What Fang Zhao repeatedly stressed was this: the bottom line during the Period of Destruction was survival. Regardless of what you wanted to do, you had to figure out how to survive first.

It seemed as if Fang Zhao wanted to squeeze every ounce of potential out of them. When they were gaming, not only were they stretched physically, their brains never saw any rest. When they were on break, they were thinking about all sorts of background knowledge about the Period of Destruction that Fang Zhao had passed on, especially tips on weather prediction and picking up small details in your physical surroundings. Fang Zhao was adamant that they would come in handy later.

Many pieces of information could be found in history books or writings from the Period of Destruction, but not everyone could finish reading all these books, and even if you memorized the key points on paper, you might not be able to flexibly put them into practice in reality. Meanwhile, Fang Zhao excelled at using real situations in the game to illustrate his points.

What impressed Dorrian the most was their encounter with the destructive forces of nature two days ago. Fang Zhao had warned them about situations like that and had taken advantage of the scenario to teach them how to observe changes in their physical environment.

That day, a massive storm with wide coverage had hit the entire southern part of Yanzhou in the game. Districts 50 to 100 had been affected to varying degrees. District 79, where the team was located, wasn't the hardest hit; that fate had fallen on folks in districts 60 to 70. Only about 10 percent of the players online at the time had survived.

Before the storm, many players had thought they could escape unscathed by just going offline when they came across a natural disaster they couldn't weather, but when such a moment arrived, they realized they were too naive.

They couldn't go offline.

All they could do was watch the horrendous disaster unfold. Some players even had the privilege of being blown into the atmosphere for a truly first-hand experience of the destructive power of Mother Nature.

Just as folks were thinking they would get offline earlier in the future when things didn't feel right, the players who survived realized their experience levels had skyrocketed.

Not from killing monsters.

Nor completing missions.

But as a reward for surviving a terrible natural disaster.

The system awarded experience points by gauging the players' coping skills, their location, and their ability to avoid the storm. For example, players who survived a previous storm in Yanzhou, especially survivors in sectors 60 to 70, saw their experience levels hit five digits and received bonus points in the five-digit range.

That kind of point bump usually required days of non-stop monster killing for the average player. For most players who were decently armed, hitting 10,000 points would take a week of killing or even longer.

So many players who weren't online or had gone offline early on regretted their decisions. Why did I leave early? Maybe I would've had a stroke of good luck and survived a natural disaster, which would have raised my experience level significantly. That would be like getting paid for doing nothing.

But this was also a tough call for players. If they died during a natural disaster, they would be docked major points. Only if they survived would they see a major bonus. Going offline was the safest move. Players who were more conservative usually chose to go offline.

Even though the Silver Light team wasn't located at the center of the storm, they weren't far away. After barely scraping by under the leadership of Fang Zhao, every team member saw their experience level and points total increase by the thousands.

"This is just the beginning. A natural disaster of this severity was considered peanuts during the Period of Destruction," Fang Zhao told his team afterward.

But the reason Fang Zhao put so much pressure on them wasn't because he was carrying out orders from Silver Wing senior management. For some reason he was intent on passing on all his knowledge quickly, especially to vice captain Jinro, conducting special training sessions for him after the team went offline.

Dorrian once asked Jinro in private if Fang Zhao planned on leaving the team soon. If Fang Zhao left, then he would change his plans. The reason he and his teammates stayed was because of Fang Zhao. His presence shielded them from a lot of hassle, so they could focus exclusively on gaming and not have to worry about miscellaneous matters.

Dorrian's priority was to enhance his skills while having a good time. That was also why he never complained despite being worked to death every day; he knew this training was good for him. The knowledge Fang Zhao passed on would enable him to do well even if he jumped ship.

But if Fang Zhao left Silver Wing or if he stayed at Silver Wing but was reassigned to other projects, Dorrian had no reason to stay. Jinro told him not to worry. He said Fang Zhao indeed was grooming Jinro to take over the team because he was about to take an extended leave—not because of a transfer but because he had to fulfill his military service requirement.

Dorrian was dumbfounded for some time when he got his answer. After pondering the matter more carefully, he realized that yes, their boss was only around 23 or 24 years old. Fang Zhao was more than 10 years younger than him, a fresh university graduate of a year or so. It was just that Fang Zhao's behavior made Dorrian completely ignore his actual age. No wonder Wang Tie hadn't been able to acknowledge his mistake. Fang Zhao could pass for an older man in anyone's eyes.

No one could avoid military service, and the longer the delay, the more factors came into play, especially after one started working. Work would likely get busier as the years went by, and the work assignments more pressing. That was also why so many people chose to serve when they were enrolled in university. The saying "procrastination is deadly" was absolutely on the mark.

Quite a few celebrities had been exposed as not having served at the peak of their fame, when their careers were in full bloom. There was not much room for maneuver under intense media criticism. When they would return from military service a year later, they could no longer re-establish themselves in the entertainment industry.

It was best to serve in the military early. From a gaming perspective, if you took the long view, "Battle of the Century" had just been launched. Going out of action for a year wasn't a big deal. Considering Fang Zhao's abilities, even if his ranking dropped, reclaiming the No. 1 spot wasn't out of the question.

Not to mention that Dorrian often got the impression that Fang Zhao didn't take the game that seriously. He had been quite engaged at the outset, but as the days passed, he'd spent less and less time gaming. But every time Fang Zhao got online, he underwent a total transformation. He was a completely different person, as if he had gone crazy.

Two months after the launch of "Battle of the Century," Fang Zhao was still the world No. 1. The other top players would only have a shot at overtaking him once he started his military service.

Meanwhile, the subject of Dorrian discussion was headed to his favorite paper shop.

Zuo Yu was his driver as usual. He had just gotten offline not too long ago, but he was in better shape than Jinro and the others, so he wasn't so weak as to not be able to drive.

Fang Zhao got a call from Wayne en route.

"I wanted to discuss the publicity video again. Have you found a cameraman? I looked into a few of the better cameramen on our payroll. They're all engaged right now, but it shouldn't be too difficult to reassign them." Wayne was in a hurry.

Since their discussion in Duan Qianji's office, Wayne had been reflecting. Was he losing vision? Was he getting more and more narrow-minded, so much so that he wasn't as charismatic as someone who had graduated from university a year ago? That feeling became even more acute after Jinro and the seven others signed with Silver Wing, so Wayne had decided to regroup. He couldn't only focus on short-term gain.

Wayne now had a new goal. He was going to build a truly professional e-sports team, not the type to simply kick ass and cash out. His model was the business-minded e-sports clubs. He wanted to build a sustainable e-sports team within Silver Wing.

The only thing was that gaming teams were typically launched with much fanfare. He had his team, but other teams held mass pledges and released publicity videos before the launch of the game. These were all moves that raised the stakes and boosted branding. Silver Wing would no doubt sign more gamers, so they had an image to maintain. If they skipped the mass pledge, at least they could manage a video, no?

The only thing was that Fang Zhao wasn't happy with the work of the few Silver Wing cameramen that Wayne had shortlisted. He'd wanted to look elsewhere. Wayne had to wait for word from Fang Zhao. He had called today for an update.

"I've found the right guy, but he hasn't agreed to the shoot yet," Fang Zhao said.

"Who? Who is it? As long as he strikes your fancy, we can offer more money. Is he fully booked?" Wayne was curious now.

"I don't want to scare you," Fang Zhao said with a laugh. "He's not a professional cameraman, but he's the right person for this shoot. I should be hearing back today. I'll let you know his answer tonight after I head home."

"Oh, which big shot is this? You can't rattle me. Kid, you're always so mysterious. Professionals aren't good enough for you—and yet here you approach an amateur. But as long as he's the right fit for this shoot, I'm open to it."

Wayne felt reassured after hearing Fang Zhao's response, but he couldn't help wonder who Fang Zhao had lined up after hanging up.

In the meantime, Fang Zhao's car had arrived at the paper shop.

This wasn't Fang Zhao's first visit. He picked a design among the new additions and grabbed one of his regulars. He was going to write the score for the team's publicity video himself.

Fang Zhao paid for the scoresheets and was about to leave when a young man entered the shop carrying an instrument case. When he saw Fang Zhao, surprise and emotion consumed his pubescent face. He smiled shyly and bowed politely. "Teacher Fang."

Fang Zhao glanced at the young man, signaled Zuo Yu to wait in the car, and then turned his attention to the student. He pointed to a lounge area in the shop and said, "Mr. Huo Li, shall we have a seat?"

The student who had just been reserved and shy suddenly froze. He gave Fang Zhao an incredulous look, as if he had lost it.

Fang Zhao ignored him and proceeded to the lounge area. "Like I said, no amount of disguise works on me."

Wang Tie, who had disguised himself as the student, wore an expression of utter shock, as if he had met an alien. He scanned Fang Zhao from head to toe. He was still in disbelief—the aura Fang Zhao projected now was completely different from his aura in the game.

Were they really the same person? Multiple-personality disorder?

Wang Tie was absolutely baffled. "How on earth did you recognize me?"

Fang Zhao didn't answer, responding instead with a laugh. Wang Tie felt like he had been attacked by a frosty breeze. He was so p*ssed he kept shivering, and he wanted to move his chair back.

People were difficult to read, and people from the Period of Destruction were especially complicated. Fang Zhao had been able to survive the apocalypse for nearly 100 years and climb to a leadership role. Of course he had a sharp eye.

Back then, Fang Zhao had come across quite a few folks with even better disguises than Wang Tie. His ability to see through disguises was honed from years of experience and superb judgment, as well as instincts that were much stronger than Wang Tie's.

But Fang Zhao didn't say any of this out loud.

Wang Tie had come here today to verify something. He didn't want to admit that he hadn't been able to unravel Fang Zhao's fundamental character the first time they'd met. Wang Tie was so confident that he wasn't willing to admit that he had misread Fang Zhao, so much so that he'd ignored his instincts when the name "Fang Zhao" flashed in his head when he'd seen Fang Zhao's face in the game. He'd refused to believe the answer, so he'd figured AliveAfter500Years to be one of Fang Zhao's relatives.

Wang Tie was avaricious, full of himself, and a bit arrogant. He felt he had lost this round of battle. He'd even started doubting his own ability. On the matter of Fang Zhao, he'd branded his investigation a failed mission.

Fang Zhao chatted with Wang Tie in a box seat inside the lounge area of the paper shop for about an hour. An hour later, still in disguise, Wang Tie left, wearing the emotional expression of someone who had just had a heart-to-heart with his idol, and drove away, but after leaving the shop, Wang Tie's excitement vanished, replaced by mixed feelings and a sense of failure.

When he got home, Wang Tie got another call from Qian Cheng asking for an update.

This time, Wang Tie didn't fudge, saying upfront, "I'm passing on this assignment. Per our agreement, I'll refund you twice my fee."

Qian Cheng was too stunned to react. "What?"

Wang Tie's response was too shocking. Qian Cheng took a few seconds to recover. "You really have no way of nailing down his true identity?" he asked.

"Oh, I know who he is, but I can't tell you right now. But I can tell you one thing."

Qian Cheng's ears pricked up. "What?" He wasn't going to miss a word.

"People can transform themselves," Wang Tie said in a resigned tone.

Qian Cheng: "..."

Chapter 146: Young Man, Stop Being So Solemn

Qian Cheng's mind kept repeating Wang Tie's words after he ended the call.

Transformation?

What transformation?

Could it be like in the movies, transforming into a werewolf when there is a full moon?

"Tsk—"

Qian Cheng chuckled. He did not believe the bullshit Wang Tie had spouted. However, there was not a lot that would make Wang Tie give up an assignment and firmly refund the money. Could it be that, after serving a jail term, this paparazzi king had lost his nerve?

No way.

Qian Cheng drummed his fingers on the table, recalling every word that Wang Tie had said. Mulling through, he picked up a few things. Wang Tie so readily refunding him, could the paparazzi king be afraid of the other party's status?

Someone who could make Wang Tie be afraid, could it be one of Yanzhou's high levels? Generally, these high-level people were not enough to make him behave this way, unless it was the bigwigs right at the top of Yanzhou?

Qian Cheng's mind was filled with unlimited possibilities. In his heart, a hint of fear arose. Although he reported a lot of entertainment news, matters regarding bigwigs had to be dealt with differently. There were things that he could not reveal even if he knew. If he were Wang Tie and met with this sort of situation, he would do the same and keep his mouth shut. As for Wang Tie making an error in judgment, Qian Cheng simply did not consider it.

An oversight by Wang Tie? Ha, is that possible?! Qian Cheng scoffed.

At the other end, Wang Tie did not know that his few words had removed the reigns on Qian Cheng's line of thought. Even if he knew, Wang Tie would not have minded. Others were free to do as they wished. He was just feeling puzzled; how had Fang Zhao recognized him?

Also, the last sentence he'd said to Qian Cheng was not nonsense. He really felt that Fang Zhao's online and offline persona were two different persons. More importantly, what made Wang Tie unable to accept the most was Fang Zhao's age.

No one would believe that the game's top killing machine, who could create a raging storm of bullets in a few seconds, could actually be a refined composer who had graduated a little over a year ago. Although there were cases of cultured people being cruel in games, in Fang Zhao's case, this was the first time Wang Tie had ever seen something like that.

Why had he been unable to investigate? Because it was so hard to imagine the two together!

Wang Tie's face distorted as he recalled how he had been recognized. Today, he had not only changed his appearance, even his stature had been modified, and his traits were totally different from when he had been at the press conference. Having such a complete difference and being found out made him uneasy.

Accepting Fang Zhao's request to shoot a film of the Silver Light team was firstly to use this process to resolve the bewilderment in his own heart and better understand this Fang Zhao person. This was the first time in his life he had ever encountered such a situation, and if he did not clarify things, he would not be able to rest in peace!

Secondly, many people in the entertainment circle had learnt of his early release and were more vigilant. Now it would be much harder to unearth secret news of big name celebrities. Instead of spending a lot of time trying to break their defenses, why not accept Fang Zhao's assignment first? Besides, the payment was quite large, and Fang Zhao had already given him the down payment upon accepting the job. From the information on Fang Zhao, he understood that Fang Zhao was rich, so he did not have to worry about not being paid.

As Yanzhou's king of paparazzi, Wang Tie had never shot a professional publicity film. However, Fang Zhao wanted him to shoot it from the angle of a war journalist, and he could only try. He had been a war journalist, and it was this service that had gotten him released early. Regarding this, Wang Tie was not lying, just as Fang Zhao had deduced.

"Huo Li" was an alter ego he'd created after being released, to remind himself not to ever get incriminated by others again. Having experienced it once was enough. His ID in-game was also that, and Fang Zhao had temporarily added him to the team, making it more convenient to communicate and share the development of the film.

Although Wang Tie was extremely loathed by people in the industry, every time someone wanted to investigate a certain celebrity and the difficulty was high, they would still find Wang Tie. Why? One part was his capability, the other his reputation. He knew a lot, and the reason why nothing much happened to him was that people turned a blind eye and did not upset the equilibrium, as Wang Tie had tight lips!

But if he were to really run away, both sides would suffer. Back then, before Wang Tie had been sent to prison, he had made a vicious move, causing the other party to be toppled and lose all backing from his family, cutting off a path of retreat for the other party. This was how vicious he could be. After all, he was already down and was not afraid of falling further. That incident had made many people hate him. Now that he had been released early, would he still be afraid?

But no one knew that, every time Wang Tie was speaking to Fang Zhao, he was keeping his words brief. He had no choice; he could not pretend or lie, as he felt that he would be caught on the spot.

Compete in strength? Wang Tie really felt that he would definitely lose out. Cheating the other party and running away and hiding? Wang Tie would not consider that. He felt that this was way too cowardly. A person could not live in hiding all his life, and he still had a long way more to live, so he could only face it head on.

What could he do? He was also in despair!

When Fang Zhao had mentioned the matter to Wayne, as per Wang Tie's request, Fang Zhao only mentioned "Huo Li," the war journalist, instead of the infamous "Wang Tie." Wayne knew that Fang Zhao did not reveal the entire matter, but since it was a request from Fang Zhao, Wayne did not probe further. He only had one request—shoot a good video. When it was done, Wayne would inspect it, and if it was not up to standard, he would use a company videographer.

"Oh right, Fang Zhao, for the publicity film's accompaniment music, will you be composing, or do you want to let Flying Pegasus handle it? Recently, Flying Pegasus have completed two film accompaniment music projects. They are idle now," Wayne told him.

Fang Zhao knew that Wayne had more he wanted to say, so he asked, "What do you think?"

"I was thinking maybe we should let Flying Pegasus handle it this time? Aren't you very busy?" Wayne suggested.

"What are the other reasons? Say them all," Fang Zhao replied.

"Err, actually, I feel that your musical style does not suit the majority of gamers. I'm not saying that your compositions aren't good—everyone can see the results for themselves and you have the recognition of figures in the music industry—but Fang Zhao, although I'm not so well versed in e-sports, I know what sort of music gamers like. Your works includes too many things, and you perfectly combine classical music with modern elements, but my suggestion is that you do not need that much meaningful music. What is needed is enough 'boom,' that sort of explosiveness! What gamers like is less classical elements and more electronic music."

At this point, Wayne paused, considering carefully how to express his opinions fully and not cause a bad reaction from Fang Zhao. He really did not want to offend Fang Zhao, who was the man the Silver Light team approved as their boss. Wayne was not considered a big deal in their eyes, so to achieve his own lofty ambitions, Wayne know that he needed to placate Fang Zhao, but there were things that still needed to be said. After all, he was a businessman. All his opinions were in the direction where the most benefits could be obtained. Therefore, when it came to choosing musical styles, he was more inclined to choosing the company's elite cooperative, Flying Pegasus, to create the accompaniment music, as the results would surely be even better.

"Continue," Fang Zhao said.

After considering, Wayne felt that Fang Zhao did not seem angry, and he gradually became at ease. Continuing, he said, "I'm really not saying that your works are no good, but our publicity film is mainly for gamers, not music lovers, to watch. However, these groups of people come into contact with electronic equipment the most, especially some veteran gamers. What they appreciate and enjoy are those more mechanized and electronic styles. Although they don't necessarily dislike your '100-Year Period of Destruction' series, if the music style was changed, the results would be better."

Fang Zhao was not a man without reason. He was indeed attentively listening to the opinions and suggestions. What Wayne was saying was not entirely correct, but at least half of it made sense.

"So this time, how about just letting Flying Pegasus complete it? All you have to do is lead the team. According to your plans, you want to serve your military term next year. November is ending, and it will be December soon. You also have to attend classes at Qi'an Academy of Music, so time might be a little tight, and you surely have a lot of matters to attend to. There is no need to waste time on this matter," Wayne advised.

"Do you have a few tunes to recommend of the style you mentioned?" Fang Zhao asked.

Wayne knew that Fang Zhao had not given it up. Pausing, he finally said, "The kind full of vigor and explosiveness. Eh, I did not study music, so I don't know how to express it. How about this." Wayne's mind though of a bunch of ideas in those few seconds, and he suddenly said, "Visit some nightclubs. I can recommend you a few."

The names of three nightclubs came out from his mouth. Wayne explained when it was suitable to enter and the times to enter so Fang Zhao would surely manage to hear the music. This reaction was that of an old hand.

"The music frequently played there is the sort I am talking about. Just take it as you gathering materials and listen a little. When the time comes, we can see whether you are able to do it. Young man, stop being so solemn all the time. Take a look at yourself; that lifestyle is just like that of an old man. Look at all the people in the company of the same age. Which one is like you?

"Be more lively and enthusiastic. If you are unable to find anything stimulating online, why not take this chance to visit nightclubs and have fun and open your eyes. The ones that I recommend are places where the music is what I really like, explosive! These places are top grade, and professionals like you who have high requirements for sound equipment will definitely not regret it. After all, the expenses of gathering materials will be paid by the company, so don't worry, just keep a copy of the electronic bill. When the time comes for you to submit a claim report, I can be your witness. Even if Director Duan knows, she won't say anything."

Wayne had said a lot, but his main idea was: All expenses will be handled by the company, so hurry up and gather materials at the nightclub!

After ending the call, Fang Zhao looked at his communications device, pondering over the words Wayne had said.

Like that of an old man?

Was the difference with "others of the same age" that obvious?

Chapter 147: Such a Great Generation Gap

Fang Zhao was still mulling over Wayne's words the next day on his way to the Qi'an Academy of Music.

As a composer, Fang Zhao touched on styles that were rarely used. Whenever people in the music industry talked about Fang Zhao, they would mention his four-piece series, "100-Year Period of Destruction," which had become his trademark style—classical combined with modern. This had given rise to a wave of popularity for symphonic epics due to the perfect blending of traditional and electronic music.

But whether it was his global lecture tour or his symphonic epics, after a few months had passed, he'd gradually been forgotten by people. The pace of life in the New Era was very quick. Other than those in the industry who were meticulously studying this, other people found new things to pay attention to.

Fang Zhao's works had been considered academic and received a lot of praise from professionals in the industry, but they were not "in touch" with people. Xue Jing had told Fang Zhao this before.

"Academic stuff can last a long time or a brief moment. It lasts a long time because of its impact due to what it encompasses: the numerous feelings pertaining to life and the significance of history make it worthy of being investigated. Pulling it apart bit by bit and analyzing it, it deserves to be passed on to future generations to study, but in the academic music circle, it can be considered purely fashionable, and the wave of popularity will only last momentarily, and that is why it can be considered brief."

And what Wayne had told Fang Zhao yesterday, about reducing the proportion of traditional instrumental music and increasing electronic sound effects, that was what the masses in the New Era could more readily accept.

Adopt a more direct method to express?

When Fang Zhao had been producing the "Period of Destruction" series, he had studied some popular and trendy New Era music. Only after that had he blended electronic music together with traditional instrumental music.

All that Wayne had said, Fang Zhao knew, but his understanding was not good enough. And as for such things, Fang Zhao knew that he would not be able to find the answer in schools. Xue Jing had mentioned the difference between academic and popular music. Pop musicians were under the category of non-academically inclined, and people within the industry liked to term them "laymen." This was more random and miscellaneous yet, at the same time, more in tune and easier to accept by the normal masses.

Fang Zhao had accepted the Qi'an Academy of Music's request to give three classes for their students every week. Today, when the lecture ended, as per normal, he stayed behind for a while to dispel the doubts of his students and help them with any difficulties they encountered.

The reason behind not giving an internet lecture was to make it convenient for teacher and student to communicate and resolve problems.

Although Fang Zhao lacked teaching experience compared to the other teachers, he was popular and the take-up rate for his classes was always high. Why?

One reason was indeed his capability, and not just limited to music composition. Besides being a composer, he was also a manager of a certain department in Silver Wing. In Silver Wing, this position was already considered high. Many people with ten years of working experience might not necessarily climb to such heights. But everyone knew that Fang Zhao's success could not be duplicated. It only existed due to luck and ability coinciding at the same time.

And the other reason for the popularity of this class was that Fang Zhao had only graduated a bit over a year ago and was not much older than the students. He felt approachable and not too distant, and students felt at ease discussing their problems with him. Some wanted to worm their way closer to him. Who knows, if they could maintain good relations, Fang Zhao might be able to help them out.

Therefore, if it was impossible to replicate Fang Zhao's success, they could just cling on to him.

Many students did not address him as "teacher." Instead, they use the term "senior" and felt this term was an easier way to get closer.

Wang Tie had disguised himself as a student and enquired about other students' impressions of Fang Zhao.

"Nice guy, pretty amiable. Although he doesn't say much or laugh, he has a lot of patience. A caring senior indeed."

These were the remarks he got about Fang Zhao from those students. But when he found out, Wang Tie really wanted to tell those students, Amiable my ass! You would be scared shitless if you knew about his other side!

Today, after Fang Zhao's class, a few students did not immediately leave, instead gathering around Fang Zhao to ask questions.

A year four university student asked, "Senior, could you take a look at this score? I keep thinking it ought to be correct, but no matter what adjustments I make, it doesn't seem right. Look, these are the few edited versions, and it sounds wrong. Senior, what do you think should be changed in this part?"

Fang Zhao glanced at the score and said, "Try it one octave lower at this part... lower—that's too much... Right, just like that."

"Eh, its really different now."

When he was done with this, the other at the back promptly squeezed over. Fang Zhao recognized him. This was a year-six student, who would be graduating next year. Recently, he and two other students had formed a band, and they were moonlighting at a certain nightclub. Recently, he had encountered problems during the composition of his graduation piece.

"Senior, listen to this bit. In order to not repeat the front portion, so as to prevent it from becoming stale, I should add an instrumental tune. I have decided not to use electronic music and instead try some forms of traditional instrumental music. However, I am not that versed in traditional instruments and have tried quite a few and asked some people, but I am unable to achieve the result I want." That student pulled a long face and scratched his head. Over the past two days, he had been struggling with this problem and had lost quite a few hairs over it.

"What have you tried yourself?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I tried a lot. Oh, right, these are the ones I have tried, over twenty different traditional instrumental tones," that student said. Actually, he had not tried all the instrumental tones. When he had been recording the sound effects, he had bought all of them straight away.

Fang Zhao noticed the twinkling in his eyes and knew he was not speaking the truth, but he did not point it out. Instead he said, "Play the instrumental tones and listen to them one by one."

The student did as he was told. "Ah? Oh."

"Change to the next. Change again. Change again. Change again... Right, this is it."

"This? I feel it obviously doesn't fit," the student hurriedly said. When he had first bought the instrument source material, he had listened to this, a trumpet note, but had immediately eliminated it after listening once. The tone felt rustic and too acute and totally did not fit the musical style of the piece, which evoked thoughts of a degenerate addict.

"Don't use 'I feel.' Try blending it into your composition. After you have listened to it, come tell me your thoughts," Fang Zhao replied.

"Yes, yes... Uhhh, senior, are we not listening to the other instruments? I can play them for you too. It won't take long. A minute will do!" The student hurriedly played out the other few instrument tones he had saved. He was really not optimistic of Fang Zhao's choice. A trumpet tone was his least liked type.

After playing, the student eagerly asked, "How is it?"

"No chance," Fang Zhao replied.

"...All right, I will go back first and try it out." The student thanked Fang Zhao and helplessly left.

By the time Fang Zhao left the classroom, it was already 6 p.m. Today he had not let Zuo Yu pick him up. Zuo Yu's assignment had been to keep an eye on Wang Tie in the game.

After a simple dinner in the school's cafeteria, Fang Zhao called for a taxi and headed for a nightclub that Wayne had recommended: Space.

"Space" was the name of the nightclub, opened by a great master of electronic music. Here, the primary genre was electronic.

When Fang Zhao arrived, it was only a bit after 7. For people with an enriching nightlife, this was considered very early.

"Is this your first time here, sir? Are you alone? Do you have any requests?" a server asked as he showed Fang Zhao in.

"Just me. I need a suitable place to listen to songs," Fang Zhao replied.

The server stopped in his tracks and eyed Fang Zhao suspiciously. Visiting a nightclub just to listen to songs?

Fang Zhao noticed the server's reaction, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, sorry. It's just that... if you are only listening to songs, this way, please." The server turned toward another direction and led Fang Zhao over.

From Fang Zhao's age, the server had thought that Fang Zhao would be similar to other youngsters his age. Coming to a place with bustle with excitement, who knew that Fang Zhao would actually just wish to listen to music. Generally, these sorts were those that had fallen out of love, failed in their business, or encountered setbacks, but the person in front of him did not seem to be disappointed or frustrated. Spending so much money at this location just to listen to a few songs, what was he up to?

Fang Zhao did not care about the server's peculiar gaze. His ears caught a song, electronic with a slightly slower tempo than the fast paced electronic music that was fashionable nowadays. The beat was still as strong and there was a portion with singing in the middle. The style was more random, and the singer's low bass-like voice seemed like idle chatter.

Over at the dance hall, under the murky lights, young men and women were moving about, swaying their bodies to the beat. As they brushed past each other, their eyes intertwined and tacit smiles were flashed. The wantonness and flamboyance of youth, brought about an unrestrained extravagance.

Only at this moment did Fang Zhao realize: Such a great generation gap!

However, Fang Zhao was a person who dared to do things. For the sake of producing a musical style that would be accepted by youngsters in the New Era, he was willing to change.

Why not listen to Wayne's suggestions, learn to be more lively, enthusiastic, and flamboyant?

How about some dancing?

Chapter 148: Sketchy at First Glance

Fang Zhao planned on observing the behavior of his "peers" before acting. If he waltzed in right now, he would probably end up being one of the weirdos.

So Fang Zhao decided to set up post there and carefully observe people's responses to the mood of the music and their physical reactions.

Once he decided, Fang Zhao removed a small notebook and pen from his pocket. His ears captured every note that was played, and his eyes were glued to the action in the main performance hall.

The night was still young. The songs being played weren't huge hits, and the performers were no big shots, but the quality was good enough to generate a decent atmosphere and avoid an empty house.

According to Wayne, this club started off with slower songs that were still forceful and explosive before picking up the pace as the evening progressed and the time got late.

Fang Zhao planned on carefully observing this transition. He was approaching the matter with the scientific rigor of academic inquiry.

Perhaps on account of the early hour, the spot the waiter had recommended had great acoustics. As Fang Zhao made his way to his seat, he could tell the acoustics kept getting better and better until he reached his destination.

This was a semi-enclosed box seat without a top. The 3-meter-tall wall behind him was solid, dressed with a few decorations and an electric guitar that had not undergone the types of simplification characteristic of the New Era. It was an exact replica of the electric guitar Fang Zhao was familiar with from the Old Era, although it definitely wasn't from the Old Era. Items from the Old Era were antiques and therefore valuable. As much as the club owner wanted to flaunt, he wasn't silly enough to display real antiques on the wall.

The semi-enclosed box seat was separated from other boxes with glass walls. The transparency of the walls could be adjusted, and different colors and patterns could be added. The side of the box facing the main performance hall was a curtain made of a special material. The curtains could be lifted or draped. There were also different forms of draping. In their default mode, a light curtain descended, the type that could be disrupted by a gentle breeze, but in "total lockdown" mode, the curtains stiffened into opaque boards that couldn't be breached without major force.

Fang Zhao kept the curtains up so he could take in the action in the main performance hall.

As a waiter brought plates of fruit and snacks, he stumbled on Fang Zhao fetching his notebook and pen.

For folks in the New Era, their bracelet doubled as a phone, computer, and credit card. Everyone took notes electronically. People who used physical paper notebooks were a minority. People like Fang Zhao who carried a notebook with them in their pockets were even rarer. A look of surprise flashed through the waiter's eyes when he saw Fang Zhao taking careful notes on the sofa, but the server quickly regained his composure. It wasn't their place to pass judgment on the fetishes of their guests.

Fang Zhao noticed the curious gaze of the waiter, but he didn't mind. He was busy identifying every single note emitted by the stereo equipment. The New Era was an information age defined by new technology. Musical tastes were different from those of the times Fang Zhao was familiar with. Even though he had been adjusting for a year now, he still hadn't fully absorbed and integrated musical preferences from the New Era. He had absorbed and internalized only to a certain extent. Critics hailed his work as the perfect blend of classical and modern styles, but Fang Zhao knew that his compositions had major shortcomings. This time, he wanted to try something new and overcome those limitations.

The electronic music of the New Era used various contemporary musical tools and advanced post-production software to constantly push the boundaries. This was extremely appealing to Fang Zhao. Even though he still wasn't used to this style, he was willing to learn, to absorb these new elements that had evolved over hundreds of years.

Naturally, watching videos or concert footage through virtual platforms was no rival to visiting an actual concert. The particles of scent floating in the air, the vibrating sound waves, and the scattered ambient noise all constituted elements that could stimulate. Sitting there, watching the scene unfold and listening to the music, Fang Zhao's brain was flooded with ideas.

He recorded his feelings, his observations, and all his discoveries into his notebook. His ears never stopped capturing the melodies playing, even during the process of taking notes. He lifted his head from time to time to watch the people hanging out in the main performance hall.

In the box seats to Fang Zhao's left, a group of young professionals who had just gotten off work were joking around, venting their pent-up emotions from the workday. When they finished chitchatting, they would hit the dance floor and start getting jiggy with it.

A heartbroken young man was drinking in the box to his right. "Don't hold me back. I want another drink! Why did she have to break up with me?" His friends couldn't do anything about it.

Only Fang Zhao's box was eerily quiet.

People who passed by Fang Zhao's box all cast him curious glances. They had probably never seen such an odd scene before.

Just as Fang Zhao was writing furiously, three young men stepped into his box. They were dressed more or less the same, probably colleagues from the same company who had just left the office. The sleeves of their white dress shirts were rolled up to their elbows. Their unbuttoned collars revealed firm chest muscles. Their hair looked messy but had, in fact, been meticulously done. The trio projected a youthful, unkempt flair, the type that was popular with the ladies in the club.

A square-faced man approached and knocked on the table in front of Fang Zhao. "Kiddo, can you do us a favor? Can you switch boxes with us? We've paid our bill already."

Fang Zhao looked in the direction he was pointing. He had passed the box the man was pointing to en route to his box. The acoustics were much worse, and the box didn't have a view of the main performance hall.

Fang Zhao calmly said, "I'm sorry, but why don't you try someone else? I'd like to stay put."

The man's facial muscles twitched, and he shifted his attention to Fang Zhao's notebook. "Hey, are you a primary student? You came here to do your homework after school?"

He suddenly reached out for Fang Zhao's notebook, only to discover a hand carrying a fountain pen pressed on top of the notebook once he touched it. He pulled to no avail, his muscular arm twitching a few times. The notebook wouldn't come out.

The man's two companions also approached. They laughed when they saw Fang Zhao's notebook and fountain pen. "You're actually using a paper notebook and an antique fountain pen. Even primary students don't use this stuff anymore. Perhaps only kindergarten students in diapers do."

The other man also poked fun at Fang Zhao. "You're wrong. Even kindergarteners don't use this stuff anymore. Stuff like paper has long been passé, but it seems people like cultivating an image by using paper notebooks to pose as artsy and intellectual. It's easier for artsy types to score chicks."

Fang Zhao shook his head and ignored his visitors. These kids weren't worth his time.

"Hey, I said..." The tallest of the three rolled up his sleeves and was about to get in Fang Zhao's face when one of the other men held him back.

"What are you holding me back for? People like this deserve a beating. What this mofo can't stand the most is these pretty boys who act all artsy." The man who was restrained fumed. The smell of alcohol sprouted from his mouth.

Fang Zhao got a real kick out of that comment. Pretty boy? He qualified as a pretty boy? There were so many celebrities at Silver Wing. Someone like Fang Zhao was considered a pedestrian. Perhaps when placed among the masses, his looks could pass muster.

Fang Zhao wasn't upset by the insults. He wasn't a hot-headed kid who was easy to provoke. For him, it was like a few kindergarten students telling an adult "don't leave after school." He would just let it pass. An elder like him wouldn't stoop to the level of arguing with these kids.

Wayne had said the good thing about this club was that people didn't dare start any trouble. Folks that did never ended up pretty. So Fang Zhao knew these three kids wouldn't take things too far. Probably all the well-situated boxes had been taken or reserved, so they wanted to swap boxes. Naturally, they'd targeted someone who struck them as a softie. After surveying their options, they'd zeroed in on Fang Zhao. He was alone and looked like he would be easy to bully. They were thinking they could force him out with a few threats, but lo and behold, Fang Zhao wasn't easily intimidated.

The tall fellow wanted to make a move but had been stopped by his companions. They didn't dare behave recklessly here. You had to choose the right venue to start a fight. They didn't have the guts to go all out here, but they could still deliver a covert blow.

After the three men left, they went straight to the club's security chief, telling him that one of their guests looked out of sorts and was perhaps dangerous.

The trio were old customers and knew the security detail well. It just so happened that the head of the detail was on patrol, so they rushed forward to pass on the tip. They coyly used vague language, throwing around words like "maybe" or "possibly."

The most honest-looking of the three described Fang Zhao's behavior. "We're just three concerned customers. We're not trying to settle personal scores or disrupt the atmosphere in the club. We just happened to see the guy when we went to the bathroom just now. That fellow looks quite odd." He was completely earnest and didn't embellish, but he stressed points that he knew would touch a nerve, like the way Fang Zhao observed the main performance hall and how he took notes and drew in his palm-sized notebook at the same time.

"You could never tell from the way he looked at the main performance hall that he was here to have fun. That's the type he is... Anyway, I can't be more precise. The bottom line is that there is definitely something wrong with that man. I think you'd better investigate. Even if it turns out to be nothing, you've ensured the peace of mind of your customers, right? You know, everyone who passed that box found him odd," his companion said as if he was still spooked.

The security chief got anxious right away. People in their line of work assumed the worst when they noticed something out of the ordinary. They then proceeded to eliminate any potential threats to the club one by one. So once he heard the description, his first reaction was that someone was plotting something at the club and had even zoomed in on the main performance hall, which was the busiest and most crowded location in the club. If this was an attempted terrorist attack, such as an explosion of some sort, the club's reputation would end up in tatters. Even though he trusted his security screening equipment, he had to make sure.

So after being briefed, the security chief led a few colleagues to Fang Zhao's box seat.

He checked the number of the box seat, then turned his attention to the serious-looking man who was sitting inside taking notes, doodling and in deep thought. The security chief knew instantly that he had the right box. The scene did seem a bit off.

The security detail in the club donned outfits not unlike the uniforms of any major corporation. The security guards wouldn't come across as threatening or menacing.

The security chief walked into the box with four of his staffers. He remained courteous.

"Sorry to bother you, sir. We're part of the security detail at Space. This is just a routine sweep to ensure the safety of our club. I hope you will cooperate. May I ask what you are doing?" the security chief asked.

"Listening to the music and taking notes. Is there a problem?" Fang Zhao asked.

A problem? Hells yeah! Who the f*ck comes to a club to listen to the music and take notes? Are you nuts?

The security chief scaled back his smile somewhat, but regardless of what he was thinking, he still had to be polite on the surface before he had ascertained that the subject was dangerous. This was a high-class club; even the security staff had to pay attention to their demeanor. They had to be on their best behavior. That was what made for class, not thugs who bared their necks and sported tattoos. If they threw their weight around at the outset and offended a customer, it was their boss who would lose face.

"Do you mind if I take a look at your notes? If they're private, then never mind. Could I also see some ID please? A company ID would be ideal."

Fang Zhao examined the visiting party then nodded. "Sure."

He handed over his notebook.

The security chief was caught by surprise. He had never expected the subject to hand over his notebook without putting up a fight. He still had to examine the notebook carefully.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Even though he was just a security guard, he was exposed to a wide range of people at Space. When he felt the paper as he took Fang Zhao's notebook, he knew it was very high quality, typically favored by professionals. He had noticed a professional author use the same type of notebook in the club. Several of the club's senior executives also liked to carry high-end mini-notebooks in their pockets and tuck custom-made antique fountain pens in their breast pockets. They never had any use for them; it was all for show.

But the person before him was hard to read. He might really be an artist who behaved differently from a normal person.

So when he received the notebook, the security chief turned up his charm. His smile became more beaming, but after flipping through the notebook and reading its contents, his smile turned stiff and tenuous and his cheeks kept twitching.

One of his underlings peeked over this shoulder then shot Fang Zhao a befuddled glance.

What the hell is "acoustic design through non-linear thinking?"

And what the hell is "the complex fission of New Era sound"? Sound can actually fission?

What kind of space is the space in the "irregular virtual simulation, flooding and stereo treatment of sonic space"?

"The expressive artistic potential of electronic music after simulation, a change in quality, reassembly and rebirth..." Oh, this seems a bit more accessible. I understand the first seven words. But what the hell is "expressive artistic potential"? What kind of potential is that?

The security chief felt put on the spot, even though he was the graduate of a top university, let alone his staffer. He felt like he was illiterate.

I... I... I... can't understand any of this!

But even though he couldn't understand the notes, he could tell it was a professional analysis.

He kept flipping.

It was a fairly new notebook. Quite a few pages in the middle were left empty. The last few pages were filled not with words but undecipherable symbols. They appeared in spurts—a few lines would be followed by a gap of two lines, then another few lines. The lines were of varying length. They resembled some sort of code.

The security chief pointed to the scribblings on the last few pages of the notebook. "And these are?"

"Music scores," Fang Zhao responded.

"M-music scores?" That put the security chief in a bind. It was difficult to probe further when it came to scores because privacy and intellectual property were involved, but no one could verify that this was indeed a score. What if it was some type of code, and the club's security hang in the balance? He had a professional tendency to assume the worst, but when personal privacy and intellectual property were on the line, he would stop pressing.

He returned the notebook to Fang Zhao. Just as he was about to ask for identification, Fang Zhao tapped on his bracelet to bring up his professional credentials.

After scanning the information, the security chief's facial expression softened multiple times. He gave Fang Zhao a polite bow. "So sorry to interrupt your listening session. Please accept a small gift as a token of our apologies. Please continue. This is a great spot for listening. There are fewer disturbances. Have a good time."

Fang Zhao nodded and didn't raise his voice when he said, "This is indeed a great spot. Those three folks wanted to swap boxes with me. I refused."

The security chief froze, turned, and signaled his men to leave.

After leaving the box, his men asked out of curiosity, "Boss, who was that?"

"Manager of the Silver Wing virtual projects department, member of the Yanzhou Music Association, honorary lecturer at the Qi'an Academy of Music, and special adviser to Fiery Bird..." The security chief gritted his teeth as he finished his sentence. Even though he maintained a smile, the fear that flashed through his eyes gave his men chills.

"Track down the three men from just now, take them outside, and give them a refresher on our house rules. How dare they play me?" The security chief actually didn't mind being used as long as the tip was accurate. Being used wasn't a big deal if the security of the club was at stake, but who were they reporting as suspicious? An honorary lecturer at Qi'an Academy of Music. A special adviser to Fiery Bird. The words "special adviser" blew him away. More impressively, the man was so young.

Geniuses always behaved differently than normal people. It was understandable for them to be a bit neurotic and act unconventionally.

Fiery Bird was a household name, and any average person knew the weight the title "special adviser" carried.

And Qi'an Academy of Music? Their boss graduated from the Qi'an Academy of Music.

Their big boss was quite sentimental about his alma mater. Who knew if Fang Zhao knew their big boss. If he uttered one word to their big boss, who knows, he could be fired. He had to report the matter to his superiors so he could cover his ass if there was an investigation.

Fang Zhao's train of thought hadn't been interrupted by the sudden inspection. After the security guards left, he kept taking notes. It was already past 8 p.m. The beats in the club started to pick up. More people started hitting the dance floor in the main performance hall.

"Senior alum? Senior alum Fang Zhao?"

"That can't be. What would senior alum Fang Zhao be doing at a place like this? It is him!"

The two shocked students stood in front of Fang Zhao's box to take a closer look. It was indeed the Fang Zhao who had just delivered a lecture to them earlier in the day.

The two students had approached Fang Zhao with questions after the lecture. Fang Zhao remembered them. They were year-six students, students in their final year under the new six-year curriculum. They would be graduating soon and were thus under a lot of pressure. It made sense for them to kick back a bit by partying in the evening.

"Senior alum, is it just you? What are you writing?" one of the students asked.

"I'm listening to the music and jotting down my thoughts and analysis."

"You're such a great role model for our generation."

This wasn't a music appreciation class, it was a noisy club. What kind of person would do something like that?

This was a completely different level of enlightenment. From another planet.

Chapter 149: Reference Book Taking Human Form

The two were year-six students from Qi'an Academy of Music. The guy was Thomas and had asked Fang Zhao for help after class. The girl was Cheng Lan; with a short bob and a straight fringe, she seemed the more lively of the two.

According to them, the coming Tuesday was Cheng Lan's birthday, but since they had a full day of lessons and all sorts of assignments then, they could not make time. Thus, the celebration had been brought forth to today, when their friends were all free, and they had come over after school to celebrate.

They had booked a private room a short distance away. The others had not arrived yet, and Thomas and Cheng Lan had just gotten here. As they had been about to go to their private room, they had seen Fang Zhao as they were passing and came over to greet him.

Seeing Fang Zhao so conscientiously taking down notes, the two on the verge of graduating felt a little guilty. Compared to Fang Zhao, they were just squandering their time!

"So much pressure!" Thomas sighed. "It's rare to find the time to come out and enjoy."

For year-six university students, the better the university, the stricter the requirements for graduating. As Qi'an Academy of Music was Yanzhou's best music academy, the graduating requirements were even more stringent.

Students that had consistently outstanding grades and a solid foundation would be starting to find internships at companies instead of worrying about all sorts of graduation evaluations. However, those like Thomas who did not normally work hard would have to put in a lot more time and effort in a bid to save their grades, at least to beautify their results for this crucial year, which would make it easier to get a job after graduating.

Thomas's eyes were on the electric guitar hanging on the wall. As he thought of something, he paused and asked Fang Zhao, "Senior, how much do you know about ancient instruments? Aren't you good at creating music of the symphonic style? Although the instruments used by the band are not ancient instruments, they were developed from them. I heard that you are well-versed in that; have you come into contact with a few of these ancient instruments?"

"Ancient instruments?" Fang Zhao nodded. "I do know some."

The "ancient instruments" he mentioned were what people of the New Era called instruments that were from before the Period of Destruction. They were also called "old-fashioned instruments" or "old-style instruments." However, for academic people, "old-fashioned" and "old-style" were not terms that they wished to hear or see, as they seemed degrading toward art. Thus, the term "ancient instruments" was used.

"What do you wish to know?" Fang Zhao asked.

Thomas gave a mischievous giggle and sat down on the sofa, rubbing his hands together before raising one and pointing at the electric guitar hanging on the wall. "That one. I have it from a reliable source that, in the final exams, among the questions tested will be one on an electric guitar. However, throughout our six years of university life, we simply have not had a single lesson concerning the ancient electric guitar."

"Right, right, right!" Cheng Lan also joined in the laughter and politely poured a cup of tea for Fang Zhao. "Actually, Senior, we picked this place so that we could see the electric guitar up close. Everyone knows that ancient instruments, even if they are replicas, are more expensive, especially those in the electric guitar category. It is almost impossible to get one for less than $10,000. As for good imitations or those made from better materials, they cost much more. It's totally something that us poor students can never afford. The one here at Space is an imitation of an electric guitar, and not New Era versions that have evolved. As a pure ancient instrument, it is a high-grade manufactured one. That's why we wished to come over and... study it."

Fang Zhao could understand Thomas and Cheng Lan's point of view. The 100 years of the Period of Destruction were like a break in history. No matter how many videos and electronic records and various other methods preserved information from that time, there was a limit to how much ancient instruments could be preserved. In the New Era, archaeology teams were continuously making new discoveries, but ancient instruments were rare. During that extraordinary time, instruments were not considered important, and not much effort had been made to conserve them. That was why there were very few instructional videos regarding instruments and why the prices of instruments from the Old Era could be jacked up. It was only during times of peace that such things were of use.

Instructional videos from the Old Era were not as high quality as those of the New Era, and there were not a lot. They weren't perfect either. People from the music industry that had survived the Period of Destruction were even fewer. Even if they had survived, after 100 years of struggle, they might not necessarily have still remembered their knowledge and techniques. Not everyone was like Fang Zhao, who could simulate an orchestra playing in his head.

For other stuff, Fang Zhao might be less knowledgeable, but regarding ancient instruments, the two had asked the right person.

"What aspects of the electric guitar do you guys want to know about?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Not much, we just want to clarify how it's supposed to be used." Thomas was scared Fang Zhao would find him troublesome, so he hurriedly said, "The testing criteria will probably not be so detailed regarding ancient instruments. After all, how it works will definitely not be tested, so Senior can just explain a little on its usage."

Instruments used by New Era symphonic orchestras might produce the same tones as ancient instruments, but the shapes differed greatly. After hundreds of years of development and technological advancements as well as changing materials, the shapes of instruments had changed. Ultimately, instruments had to be easier to operate and convenient to carry; otherwise they would be replaced by the increasingly perfect electronic instruments and would truly become "antiques."

Nowadays, many students from music academies only needed to use a music keyboard to produce music. Along with some downloaded source material, they could simulate all the sounds they wished to produce. This was cheap and practical, and there was no need to learn various instrumental techniques.

In comparison, the Old Era's electric guitar was just too hard for these students! Luckily, all they needed to understand to pass the exam was some theory and how it operated. If they were required to learn ancient electric guitar techniques, these students would not be willing.

Cheng Lan also echoed Thomas. "It's true. We bought a few instructional videos and watched people using it, but it feels too difficult. There were a lot of points that were hard to understand. Senior, could you explain a little to us?"

"I remember there being a lot of instructional videos online," Fang Zhao said.

From Fang Zhao's memory, he knew that the original owner of his body had tackled the exams by using free videos and materials from the school's library and had banked on his good memory and a little luck to score highly.

Thomas grimaced. "Those are actually not reliable at all. We can only view a lot, but after that, we need to summarize them ourselves." This was the reason they felt so pressured. It was a lot of work!

Those free videos were difficult to understand, and the person explaining probably did not understand it well. As for those genuine authoritative instructional videos, those cost a large sum. Even after spending so much money, one would not necessarily obtain the information they wished to, and the videos might not be completely accurate. A few years ago, someone had verified with a few reputable musicians and ancient instrument researchers and found out that there were two grave errors in the instructional videos.

Although the musician had refunded the money back to buyers, many students had already answered wrongly during the examinations and lost marks. It was too late for regrets. Therefore, generally speaking, examination topics on ancient instruments were extremely easy to lose marks on.

In the past centuries, there had been people who'd managed to figure out ancient instruments such as the electric guitar, but afterward, they had not publicly released the knowledge that they had spent a hard time researching. The only ones that could get such information were their disciples or the later generations that took over. Other students had no way of understanding it. This was the norm in the industry and the reason why Xue Jing so appreciated Fang Zhao's sharing of his various techniques and knowledge when he had helped compile "New Voices in Symphonic Composition."

Fang Zhao nodded. He understood where the two were coming from. "You might not necessarily remember if I only use words. How about this, take the the electric guitar off the wall and I will give you a little demonstration."

"Demo... Demonstration?" Thomas stared blankly then happily got up to retrieve it.

As he took it down from the wall, Thomas was very cautious. He was afraid to knock it against anything. Even if it was just an ornament here, if there was any damage, it would be recorded and they would have to pay before leaving.

The cost of the electric guitar in his hands was estimated to be in at least the six digits. The owner of the place had money and loved these sorts of instruments. Even if it was an ornament, he would not use one of shoddy quality.

As he handed over the electric guitar, Thomas's hands were shaking. He confirmed Fang Zhao was holding it before slowly releasing his grip.

"Senior, please be careful. This thing is really expensive." Thomas then remembered, Fang Zhao doesn't lack money! Even if it was not publicly announced, they could still estimate how much Fang Zhao had earned from the copyrights of his previous works.

Since Fang Zhao was rich, Thomas and Cheng Lan's confidence increased, and they were no longer as hesitant as before. They curiously felt the electric guitar. In the past, whenever they came here, they would be afraid of touching the electric guitar in case they damaged it. What little money they had was enough for them to enjoy a little, but if they were to compensate, they would really vomit blood.

"Senior, we will pay for your expenses here!" Cheng Lan was very happy today. Regardless of whether Fang Zhao could teach them what they wanted, they wanted to pay for him, since he was willing to help them.

"You don't have pay for me." After Fang Zhao had received the electric guitar from Thomas, he went on. "Bring the others out as well."

Thomas was puzzled. "Others? What others are there? Isn't there only one guitar?"

Cheng Lan elbowed him. "Blockhead, what was the point of watching the instructional videos? There is still the amplifier, audio cable, effects pedal, and the other equipment!"

"Oh! Right, right! There is other equipment. Oh, my stupid brain! Senior, you just wait here. I'll go find them."

Thomas and Cheng Lan found a cabinet on the wall that seemed to have some ornaments. Pressing a button on it, the cabinet automatically opened.

Thomas looked at Cheng Lan. "This big one is an amplifier... right?"

"If I remember correctly." Cheng Lan looked at Fang Zhao, and seeing his nod of approval, she smiled. She had not remembered wrong.

"I know that's an audio cable, but what about this? What are these for?" Thomas looked at a lump of objects and flipped them over to take a look, but he remained stunned. "There isn't even a manual here."

This time, Cheng Lan had no idea either. Had this been mentioned in the materials she had memorized before? The video she had watched two days ago had not mentioned this.

"Those are effects pedals," Fang Zhao told them.

"Effects pedal? All of... these? This is different from what we saw in the videos. The video we watched only had one effects pedal, and it did not look like this. I think it was called something like a composite effects pedal."

"Mmhm, that's for beginners. These here are individual effects pedals," Fang Zhao explained.

"Oh. Understood." Thomas brought everything over and prepared to assemble the equipment.

"Wait!" Cheng Lan stopped Thomas and asked Fang Zhao, "Senior, can I record the whole process? I won't remember it just observing once."

Fang Zhao did not mind. "Sure."

"Thank you, Senior!" Cheng Lan shot a glance at Thomas. "Be more serious, I'm about to start recording."

"Remember to get my face in the video." Thomas took the audio cable, paused, and turned toward Fang Zhao. "Senior, how do you connect this? Don't get up. Just sit there and give me the instructions. I will handle it."

Fang Zhao did not decline. Letting Thomas personally assemble it would make him remember better, so he sat on the sofa and instructed, "Place the amplifier between the guitar and audio cable. Attach the guitar's cable to the input of the effects pedal. After that, attach the effects pedal's output to the input of the amplifier..."

Thomas followed Fang Zhao instructions and connected them step by step. He used to feel that ancient instruments were troublesome, the equipment was complicated, and using one was complex, but now, after having a hands-on lesson, he felt somewhat accomplished. Actually, it was not that difficult after all! Just connecting them together, how simple!

Something so simple was made complicated by people online!

Cheng Lan stood at the side, recording the entire scene down, including Fang Zhao's explanations of every effects pedal: "distortion pedal," "compression pedal," "tuner pedal," "looper pedal..."

As Thomas was connecting the effects pedals, he picked up one part and saw the words printed on it, "Wah-wah? What is this?"

"Wah pedal," Fang Zhao replied.

"Wah sounds? You mean the 'waahohhwaooahh' sounds?" Thomas's face was full of surprise. "That is an electronic tone!? I actually did not know!"

They normally used the downloaded "wah" sounds on the musical keyboard. he had never known it was the tone of an ancient electric guitar! If this was a multiple choice question, he would have just made a wild guess.

After setting up, Fang Zhao explained while he demonstrated. Thomas sat obediently at the side, listened attentively, and changed the effects pedals when Fang Zhao requested.

In the middle, Fang Zhao also let Thomas and Cheng Lan voice their views and raise questions.

"Senior, the part you just mentioned is different from the reference video we watched," Cheng Lan said.

"Listen to mine."

"...Yes," Cheng Lan answered.

Thomas was more inclined to believe Fang Zhao. "That's why I said the reference video we bought surely had errors. If we had really memorized from the video, we would have lost marks when the time came! Not only was his explanation bad, how did that lazy-ass teacher obtain his professional qualifications? Surely there must be something shady going on!"

Cheng Lan interrupted Thomas's grumbling. "Doesn't matter whether its shady or not, just hurry up and listen to Senior. I am still recording." She was still waiting for more of Fang Zhao's explanations and demonstrations. A while ago, she had only had the mentality of having a try and seeing what little knowledge they could gain from Fang Zhao. Little had they known that Fang Zhao would give them too big of a surprise! A comprehensive explanation! It included all the basics regarding an electric guitar. In any case, it was more than sufficient for them to tackle the examinations!

This was just a reference book taking human form!

If this was shared in the class chat group, the class—no, all the students in Qi'an Academy of Music that needed knowledge on the ancient electric guitar—would be ecstatic!how an electric guitar sounds like, kind of like a higher-pitched lightsaber

Chapter 150: Follow the Rhythm, Move About!

When the server was pushing a cart of beverages and refreshments, he realized that this private room had actually drawn the curtains.

A while back, there had been only one person, and he had said he wanted to listen to music, but now, the private room had drawn the curtains and the room was now in "sealed mode." That meant that the private room's roof was also sealed, so people outside couldn't hear what was happening inside, and the people inside would not be disturbed by any activity outside.

What is one person doing in the private room with sealed mode? Listening to music? With the curtains drawn and the room sealed, what music is he listening to?

The server looked at the side. There was no "Do Not Disturb" sign and the curtains were not drawn all the way, meaning that there was nothing secretive going on, so the purpose was to block off the noise from outside.

The server reached out and lightly pulled the curtains apart. He had only opened a narrow slit when he heard the distinct sound of a rapid and concentrated music chord that made him pause as an astonished looked appeared on his face.

Servers in Space without a little hearing ability would not get far. As the boss was once a famous electric guitar performer, the staff here, from the manager to the waiters, would at least understand the basics of an electric guitar, and the more they understood, the more they could obtain the favor of the boss and climb higher. Therefore, the staff here spent their free time learning about electric guitars and how to differentiate performing techniques. This was the ability of all employees at Space. They might not know how to perform, but they needed to know how to listen.

Their high salary was not just from serving drinks, guiding customers, or an excellent service attitude. For that sort of requirement, just Qi'an City alone would have a hundred thousand people who could do it, so why had these people ultimately gotten this job?

Hearing ability! Differentiating ability! Comprehending ability!

Thus, before he even saw the situation in the room, just listening, he could make a preliminary judgement.

Someone was performing, and the instrument was an electric guitar. From the clarity and accuracy of the notes, the performer's control in both hands was very strong.

An expert!

Opening the curtains, the server saw the situation inside.

Fang Zhao was demonstrating to Thomas and Cheng Lan the plucking technique. The sounds the server had heard just now were from him using both hands to pluck the electronic guitar.

Seeing the server enter, Fang Zhao stopped and looked over suspiciously.

The server apologized. "Sorry to bother you, take this as a form of compensation for the security team disturbing you."

The server brought out the items on the cart, laid them all on the table, and left quickly.

Fang Zhao glanced at the time; it was already past 10. During this period, Cheng Lan and Thomas had received many calls but had rejected them all. Their friends who they had arranged to meet had been hurrying them. However, Thomas and Cheng Lan had said they had an urgent matter and would head over later.

"It is getting late, and I have said a lot. Although it is not complete, I have covered some of the basics. This is it for today," Fang Zhao said.

Thomas still wished to continue. "Ah? You are stopping? It's actually past 10! Time passes too quickly."

Cheng Lan spoke. "Senior you must be tired. Have a rest. You probably won't accept any gifts, so how about we find a time when you are free to give you a treat." Fang Zhao had said a lot, starting from the basics and slowly delving deeper. They could handle the examinations without any problems now.

Thomas and Cheng Lan actually felt that, if they were to take the test now, they could get at least 80 if not 90 out of 100 marks. In any case, they would not fail. To prevent themselves from forgetting, the two intended to watch the video a few more times to refresh their memory when they got back.

Cheng Lan asked, "Oh right, Senior, can we share the video we took with the rest of our class? Only people from our class."

"Sure."

"Senior, you can upload the video to your profile under the school's teaching and administrative web page. Then you can set up privileges—for example, a fee for viewing your materials. Many teachers in the school do it," Thomas suggested.

"No need," Fang Zhao replied.

Eyeing the table in front of the sofa filled with drinks and snacks, Fang Zhao told the two, "Leave this pot of tea, this bottle of wine, and this plate of refreshments. As for the rest, bring them with you."

"This..."

Fang Zhao had explained so much today, and not only were the two unable to help Fang Zhao settle his tab, even food and drinks were being given by him. They could not help but feel a little embarrassed. They would come once or twice a month, and although they did not consider themselves to know the place well, they knew that the drinks and snacks served here were more expensive. They would seldom order these.

However, upon Fang Zhao's insistence, they could not decline.

"Then... thank you, Senior!"

The two of them returned the electric guitar to its original state on the wall before thanking Fang Zhao sincerely once more, grabbing the food, and leaving.

The private room's sealed status was lifted. The roof opened and the curtains were drawn back as the upbeat tempo from the music outside drifted back in. Quicker and more explosive, it made it easy to drive up the atmosphere. All the various restless and agitated energy in the air rose up with the music.

Fang Zhao sipped on tea to moisten his throat, then opened the wine on the table. For this sort of atmosphere, wine was better suited. Following that, he took out his notebook and continued to observe the going-ons in the dance hall.

Elsewhere, Cheng Lan shared the video she had just taken with the class chat group.

At this time, there were still people who were discussing the impending final exams. The things they grumbled about most were regarding ancient instruments.

"We are composing students. Why do we need to learn about those obsolete instruments when we can complete it all using software? Leave those to ancient people!

"Aren't the electric guitar and the classical guitar all guitars? Why are all their points completely different? It's less than a month to the exams and there are still so many points to remember?! I don't have enough brain cells."

"Just from trying to memorize all the material, my hairline seems to be receding."

Just as these people were grumbling, they suddenly received a notification: "Your classmate Cheng Lan has shared a video in the class chat. 'Ancient electric guitar secret manual for examination, do not leak to outsiders'."

Every day, there were people sharing some resources within the group chat. Some were useful, while others were not, but this could only be decided after seeing them. For the sake of their exams, they would not let any shared videos slip by!

Those online viewed it, as they had nothing to lose. After all, they had been watching lots of reference videos prior to this, and the results had been insignificant and had made them even more confused.

"Eh? Isn't that Senior Fang Zhao? I even attended his lecture today."

"Where is this place? Thomas? Where did you and Cheng Lan run into Senior Fang Zhao?

"One look at the electric guitar on the wall and I know where you guys went. You guys went clubbing! Why didn't you call me along?!"

"I couldn't tell that Senior Fang Zhao can also play the ancient electric guitar?"

"I didn't know that Senior Fang Zhao would actually go to that sort of place."

...

Half an hour later.

...

"Seems decent, but is what he is saying correct? Why does it seem different from the reference videos I watched?"

"Didn't you hear what Senior said? 'Listen to mine'!"

"Seems like a bluff, but if we memorize incorrect points, we will be out of luck for the exams."

...

An hour later.

"I got my uncle to take a look. He said that everything Senior Fang Zhao has said till now is correct. My uncle was the previous chairman of the Yanzhou ancient electric guitar association."

"I don't care. Cheng Lan, Thomas, private message, send me a copy of the video!"

"I want it too!"

"Thomas, are you my brother? If you are my brother, stop ignoring my private messages."

Files shared within the group chat could only be viewed but not downloaded. Therefore, they had to get the original video from the sender.

...

Two hours later.

"F*ck, I saw someone from the other class sharing this video! We have a traitor in our group!"

"Which *sshole leaked the information?"

"What's important is who it leaked from. Didn't we say that, regardless of whether it was your first love, crush, or current partner who asked, we still would not budge?!"

"I have bad news for everyone. Our neighboring school is also circulating the video."

"F*ck! There is definitely more than one traitor!"

"Retarded c*nts! If it spreads too much, the teacher setting the exams might change the questions at the last minute! Isn't this hurting ourselves?"

Cheng Lan was enjoying her own birthday celebration when she suddenly received over ten calls. It was the same with Thomas. Seeing that they seemed urgent, he put one through and found out that, within two hours, the video had been circulated among every music academy in Yanzhou. It was even rumored that there were people from other continents that had gotten a copy through certain means.

If it were other entertainment videos, of course more circulation was better. However, this was an educational and instructional video on a rare ancient instrument. According to Thomas, this sort of video could garner a high price if sold online, and there would be no shortage of buyers. After sharing the video among the class, the two had enjoyed the limelight and been elated after receiving compliments, but now, when they heard the news, they immediately sobered up despite being tipsy from the drinks.

What if Fang Zhao got angry over this? What if Fang Zhao changed his mind and wanted to upload the video to sell? Now that the video had already been circulated, even if it was uploaded, nobody would purchase it. There were already many people who had this video, and it was still increasing by the minute.

Thinking about the consequences, the two could not care about the birthday celebration or whatnot. Immediately rushing over to Fang Zhao's private room and seeing Fang Zhao still there, they explained everything while full of guilt.

"Senior, your video has been circulated. How about uploading a copy onto the school's website? At least it will show that the copyright belongs to you so nobody else can pass themselves off as you.

Fang Zhao was rather suspicious of the news. In two hours, how had it spread so wide?

Rather than regretting not uploading it for sale on the internet, Fang Zhao was astonished that there would be that many people paying attention to ancient electric guitars. However, he still listened to Thomas's suggestions and uploaded the video to the Qi'an Academy of Music's webpage. At the same time, he also uploaded a copy onto social platforms, where it was for the public and free to use.

"Senior, you... are not angry?" Cheng Lan asked hesitantly.

"Why would I be angry? More people understanding is a good thing. The video being circulated that widely means a contribution to the spread of the culture of ancient instruments. It also means that the amount of people interested in ancient instruments is greater than what we imagined."

Seeing that Fang Zhao was not getting angry over this matter, the two who were panicking gradually calmed down. At the same time, their admiration of Fang Zhao grew. At their age, there were not many people in the world who had the same sort of mentality as Fang Zhao. It might only be Fang Zhao alone. No wonder Great Master Xue Jing had so energetically recommended Fang Zhao and brought him along for the global lecture tour. Fang Zhao was worth it! Any other person would have been trying get benefits a long time ago.

"Senior, you aren't going back yet?" Cheng Lan asked.

"No, it is lively now." Fang Zhao noticed that, at this time, the atmosphere at the nightclub was at its apex. Surely he would not miss this chance to observe.

"Since you don't intend to leave yet, how about entering the dance floor and enjoying with us?" Cheng Lan suggested.

Thomas nodded his head and echoed her. "Yes, yes, you can feel the atmosphere better on the dance floor. The experience is totally different from sitting in the private room!"

Fang Zhao thought about it. He had already been a spectator for so long; he could try entering the dance floor and experiencing for himself that sort of atmosphere.

Thomas and Cheng Lan told their friends that they would be entering the dance floor and proceeded to clear the way in for Fang Zhao, both preventing people who were bouncing around from knocking into Fang Zhao and blocking off a few that were clearly not sober.

"Here, here, the sound effects here are especially good. I just love to dance at this spot," Thomas shouted over the blaring music.

Under the blurry lights, intoxicated people had begun to make their way to the dance floor. Like water that had reached its boiling point, the people starting dancing and swaying crazily.

"Don't worry about whether you can dance well or not, just follow the music and your brain, just like how we compose music. Just follow your instincts," Thomas explained from the side.

"If you really don't know how, I can teach you, Senior," Cheng Lan added in.

"Better not. Senior, don't listen to her. Us men need to be manly. Just follow me. Make sure your muscles are not too tense. Watch my shoulders, arms..." Thomas demonstrated a simple motion.

"Just like that. Take one step, remember how each step feels, pay attention to your joints, follow the rhythm, and move! about!"

Thomas had just finished when he saw, from the corner of his eye, a person beside Fang Zhao got sent flying by Fang Zhao's fist.

Thomas: "..."

Cheng Lan: "..."

Brother, I didn't ask you to move like this!

Chapter 151: Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands

The life drained out of Thomas and Cheng Lan's faces.

"Assault!" someone on the dancefloor shouted, but with the deafening music in the background, only those nearby could hear it.

And the first reaction of people who heard this was disbelief. Assault? Here? Who dares? Don't they know the consequences of creating trouble in Space? Or perhaps the assailant is drunk?

No matter whether a person was sober or drunk, as long as they created trouble here, they would not be able to leave peacefully.

People who were alcohol intolerant would not come here, and if they came, they did not dare to drink much, as they were afraid of the cruel retaliation at "Space." The staff here, from servers to security, might seem polite and well mannered, but if anyone broke the rules, knives would be drawn.

Whenever there were fights, the people closest would be the first to suffer. Therefore, the moment those people nearby heard it, they immediately dispersed and left the danger zone. There were some inebriated people who saw everyone around leaving and became puzzled while still swaying their arms. They were probably lost in their own world and had to be forcibly pulled away by their friends as they mumbled to themselves.

After that, there were more shouts as more and more people realized what had gone on here.

"Let me out, let me out!" People nearby tried to get out and leave this possibly dangerous spot.

"Let me in, let me in!" Certain people from other parts of the dancefloor wanted to squeeze in and had turned on their video recording mode. I heard there is a fight! It's rare for a fight to happen at Space. How could I miss it?

"That's him, the one who beat someone up! Everyone catch him!"

There were people in the crowd trying to personify justice and urging the crowd to catch him.

One person trying to mount a sneak attack from the side had just gotten close when he was sent flying with a lightning-quick kick. It felt as if a thick iron rod had swept him aside, and the contents of his dinner nearly spewed out.

Thomas and Cheng Lan's friends also noticed the commotion, and they squeezed over and asked Thomas, "That is your senior? Why does he have such a fiery temper? Just some dancing and he can send people flying?"

"No, no, no, it's definitely a mistake. Senior isn't that sort of impulsive person," Cheng Lan hurriedly explained.

Crash! Yet another person was sent flying.

Under the flashing lights, the person sent flying was like a fish that had leapt out from the waves, flying through the dance floor in an arc before finally smashing into the ground, struggling a few times but unable to get up.

Cheng Lan was speechless.

A chair came swinging toward Fang Zhao, but he caught it and smashed it into the nearest person, and the retro wooden chair fell to pieces.

A few hot-blooded people in the crowd want to step over to subdue Fang Zhao, but seeing the scene, they stopped in their tracks. The security team would be arriving shortly, so they just stayed there watching the commotion.

Thomas and Cheng Lan's friend said, "I'm not saying anything bad about your senior, but the way he fights is... so skillful. One look and I know he is an old hand. Did he come from a black street?"

The music in the dance floor abruptly stopped and a voice blared out through the sound system. "Everyone stop right there."

"The security team is here!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"What do we do?" Cheng Lan was on the verge of tears. They were regulars at Space and knew that nobody who had caused a disturbance could walk away safely. Even if they had a background, there was no telling whether an accident might befall them in the following days where not a trace of evidence could be found.

And the reason why so many people liked visiting Space was the lack of troublemakers, which created a safe and enjoyable environment. Fang Zhao's actions now were undoubtedly destroying Space's image. Under the flashing lights, the ashen faces of the security team could be seen. If not for the light effects, the expressions on their faces would surely scare everyone.

When he saw the security chief leading his team, Thomas hurriedly went over to try and explain.

"Senior did did did did not do it on purpose..."

Thomas had not finished speaking when there was a cracking sound and another person was sent flying, his arm twisted in a weird angle. When he landed, there was no movement—he had probably fainted.

Thomas: "..."

Thomas felt like crying too. Brother! I had just established a mutual understanding with the security team!!

Fang Zhao finally stopped—not because he had seen the security team arrive but because there was no longer anyone around other than Thomas, Cheng Lan, their group of friends, and the security team.

The security chief counted the people lying on the ground: six. They had already reacted promptly. The moment the commotion had been spotted on the surveillance cam, they had immediately rushed over. Had it even been a minute? And in such a short time, Fang Zhao had downed six people. Six people had been immobilized. Their injuries were not life-threatening, but they were not light either.

He raised his hand and signaled his team to first send the people lying on the floor for treatment.

When the security team had found out that it was Fang Zhao that was creating trouble, it had given them a headache. Why is it him?

Since when did artists have such fiery tempers?

But even if the governor's own children were creating trouble, they still had to catch the perpetrator!

All the sound equipment had been completely shut off, and the lights were no longer flashing. The entire dance floor was silent.

"This is your first time here, Mr. Fang, so perhaps you do not know the rules here? Nobody told you what to take note of?" The words were the same, but the tone was different from when they had addressed him back in the private room, with not a hint of respect inside.

The surrounding security team were flexing their arms and cracking their knuckles, and their faces displayed killing intent.

Towards people who smashed up their place, they did not have the normally friendly look. This was them showing off their truly dangerous side.

"I hope the few of you can give a proper explanation." There was no longer a smile on the security chief's face as he glared daggers at Fang Zhao, Thomas, and the few of them.

"They attacked first." There was not a trace of panic on Fang Zhao face as he shifted to the side and stood in front of Thomas and Cheng Lan, blocking them from the security chief's gaze. He continued, "They attacked me first, all six of them. You can check their possessions and you should be able to find something surprising. I also wish to know who ordered them to attack me."

"We will investigate, but first, please head to a quieter spot with us and explain the situation that happened just now—"

As he was about to say something else, a member of the security team ran over and whispered something in the chief's ear. His expression changed. The anger on his face dissipated and was replaced with fear and respect, but that was not toward anyone here. He looked up at Fang Zhao's group, his eyes filled with sympathy.

"Our boss said to invite his junior over for some tea," the security chief said.

"Is it... Mr. Natiwuzi?" Thomas stammered.

"Yes." The security chief moved sideways and raised his hand. "Please."

At the same time, members of the security team surrounded Fang Zhao from both sides. This position meant that, if Fang Zhao did not go, they would use force to make him comply.

As Thomas and Cheng Lan had not participated, the boss had not called for them. Hence, the security chief did not ask them to come along.

Before Fang Zhao left, he told Thomas and Cheng Lan. "Don't worry. I am going over to have a chat with Mr. Natiwuzi. You guys head back first."

With that Fang Zhao headed in the direction the security chief had pointed out.

Thomas and Cheng Lan did not listen to Fang Zhao's words and instead chose to wait here, letting their other friends leave. They waited in the private room Fang Zhao had booked.

The two felt like their blood had frozen and were reproaching themselves for asking Fang Zhao to head to the dance floor.

As they were mulling, Thomas received a call from a dormmate.

"Thomas, our faculty's beauty, the one you have been crushing on, just posted on the school forums thanking you! Thanking you on behalf of the faculty and for contributing to our fellow schoolmates who need knowledge on ancient instruments. She even asked if there was any way she could contact you. Are you suprised? Unexpected? Are you happy?"

If this was under normal circumstances, Thomas would have been over the moon, but now, Thomas was in no mood for anything. He even felt like crying.

"Brother, help me do something." Thomas briefly recounted what had happened.

On the other end of the call, sharp exhaling could be heard.

"Are you sure you are talking about Senior Fang Zhao? He didn't drink, right?" The other party was finding it hard to imagine.

"He did, but not a lot. He still seemed quite sober and said that the other people raised their hands first."

"That... you have to know, some people get drunk after just a sip of alcohol but still seem sober, but that is just an image! Maybe Senior Fang Zhao was so drunk he could not think straight! But you said he beat six people?"

"That's not the point. The problem is he fought in Space! And was taken away! Brother, hurry up and think of some ideas. See if there is anyone who can help!"

Cheng Lan was also busy contacting people. However it was already in the wee hours of the morning, and many people were already in bed. School teachers, the deans of their faculty, or others might have been able to talk to Natiwuzi, but they were all asleep.

At the other side, Fang Zhao had followed the security chief and left the dance hall through another exit and was taking the elevator upstairs.

On the way up, Fang Zhao tried recalling any information he had regarding Natiwuzi.

Natiwuzi was also known as "Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands." He'd gotten this name because of his strumming speed when played the guitar, which made people think it was beyond the limits of a normal human. He was also among the three fastest guitar players in the world and was a genuine ancient-guitar master.

Natiwuzi was probably around 80 years old, which was considered middle-aged in the New Era. Although he no longer publicly performed and had been maintaining a low profile, stories about him still circulated.

When Thomas and his friends had mentioned Natiwuzi, their deepest impression about him other than his impressive guitar skills was only one other thing: Natiwuzi spoke very little, and he spoke slowly, the complete opposite of the intense feeling he gave off when he strummed the guitar. At least, that was the impression he'd given when attending an anniversary of the school's founding.

After they exited the elevator, the security chief led Fang Zhao through a long corridor and stopped in front of a room. There were quite a number of security personnel stationed outside.

"Is the boss inside?" the chief asked one of them.

"He's waiting." The person who replied swept his gaze across Fang Zhao and gave a groan, as if he had seen a person tired of living.

Fang Zhao did not notice; his attention was elsewhere. There seemed to be music in the air.

The door was opened, and the sound of a guitar being strummed wafted out. An astonished look appeared in Fang Zhao's eyes, and he stepped in to take a look.

Other than a few bodyguards, there was only one other person present, sitting on a 1.5-meter-wide sofa.

This person was none other than "Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands," Nayiwuzi. His hair was streaked with grey and it looked like he was 20 years older than he was, totally different from his image in videos online. Fang Zhao had no idea whether it was his original look or he had styled his image this way.

Natiwuzi was dressed casually, and his wavy shoulder-length hair seemed messy. He was sitting in a relaxed position, holding onto a guitar, his fingers strumming it as his eyes stared somewhere into the distance, as if he had not noticed the people entering. His every gesture seemed so random, as if he had separated himself from his surroundings and was in a world of his own.

The security chief and the bodyguards inside were already used to Natiwuzi's manner. No matter the time, as long as it was not urgent, they would have to wait for him to finish strumming a tune before he spoke. Every tune was an improvised composition and was never repeated. The length varied; nobody knew how long he was going to strum this time.

At the start, the chords were slow and unhurried, as if they had left the bustle of a city and arrived at a peaceful little garden. The warm glow of the sun carried a pleasurable sense of freedom and content, capable of soothing even the most jittery hearts.

But gradually, the tune started becoming hurried, as if the sun had been blocked out by a thick layer of clouds. The clouds were gathering as they covered the sky, and the wind picked up as the faint rumble of thunder could be heard.

The security chief was standing there quietly like a statue when he heard Fang Zhao ask, "Is there another guitar?"

What? The security chief thought he had heard wrongly as he stared at Fang Zhao as if the man were a freak. Guitar? Instead of trying to salvage the situation or thinking about how to explain himself, he actually wants to strum a guitar? Did he soak his brains in alcohol?

"Is there?" Fang Zhao asked again.

The security chief did not reply. He did not talk to lunatics. He felt that this youngster was surely drunk and was not thinking straight.

Fang Zhao continued, "Your boss is interrogating me right now. I have to answer him."

The security chief looked up, and the look he gave seemed to ask, "Do you take me for a fool?" When did the boss do any interrogating? Since they entered, he has not said a word! Your father is not deaf!

"I need a guitar to explain my actions just now," Fang Zhao continued.

The security chief continued acting like a statue. Explain with a guitar? Making stuff up, continue making stuff up!

Seeing the security chief still rooted to the spot, Fang Zhao urged, "Hurry, if he gets excited in a bit, I won't be able to interrupt."

Tsk, interrupt indeed. The security chief wanted to say, "Continue making up more stuff," but hesitated as he remembered Fang Zhao's profession. Wasn't it rumored that people that dabbled in the arts could hear or see things that others could not?

Could it be that their boss had used some sort of secret method to produce a sound they could not hear? Thinking of this possibility, the chief shivered and wanted to rub away the goosebumps that had appeared on his neck.

He mulled it over for two seconds then muttered, "Wait here."

After that, the chief made a gesture at someone else and, getting a reaction, turned and exited the room.

The people outside asked their chief as they saw him coming out, "Chief, was that young fellow scared shitless?"

The security chief looked as though he had encountered a trick question. Casting a glance at the asker, he replied, "The boss hasn't finished his tune yet."

"Oh, then I reckon we still have to wait awhile. However, after the boss is done, that kid is going to get it. To think he dared to make a ruckus in our territory!" the guy said.

"But Chief, what are you doing outside at this time?" someone else asked.

"Finding a guitar," the chief replied.

"Finding a... guitar?"

"Yeah. The troublemaking fellow said he needs a guitar to explain to the boss." The security chief did not continue, instead hastily leaving to search for a guitar.

As their chief left, those standing outside the room all had the same puzzled look on their faces.

Explaining and guitars, what did they even have to do with each other?

Chapter 152: Improvised Quarrel

The security chief headed to his own office. He had a guitar inside, which had been given personally by the boss when he had been promoted. He had gotten a display cabinet installed and kept his treasured guitar inside.

Was he really going to lend this guitar to that youngster? He was unwilling to give it up. What if it got damaged? But when he thought about it, the youngster was rich. If it was really damaged, he could get Fang Zhao to compensate more.

It was only because he had seen Fang Zhao's information that he was willing to lend it out. If it was anyone else, would he have been so kind as to give it up?!

He quickly brought the guitar back into the room and handed it over to Fang Zhao. "Be careful, this guitar is expensive."

"What about the amplifier and the rest?" Fang Zhao asked.

"There isn't any," the chief answered. Back then, the boss had only gifted the guitar. Ever since he had received it, it had been kept in the display cabinet. Today was the first time it had been taken out. The security chief warned him once again, "If you damage it, you have to pay."

"I know."

"Wait a minute, you are just going to play it like this? Don't you need the amplifiers, effects pedals, and whatnot?"

Fang Zhao pointed at a not-too-distant corner. "Over there."

"That is... Boss's stuff."

"Isn't that meant for receiving guests?"

"I don't know." The security chief tried his hardest to recall. He did not come here that often, but he would surely come here a few times a month, sometimes to give reports, other times when matters occured in a certain area of the nightclub. However, all the times he had visited this room, he had never seen anyone using the equipment in that corner, including the boss himself.

But hearing what Fang Zhao had said, the chief felt a little skeptical. Could it really be for guests to use?

After all, where the boss was sitting was slightly further away from that corner, whereas every time there were guests or anyone giving their reports, the person would always sit where Fang Zhao was, which was closer to the corner.

As the chief was pondering, Fang Zhao had already connected the cables, tested the sound, adjusted the amplifier, and played out a single chord.

And when Fang Zhao played the chord, Natiwuzi's tune paused slightly. When Fang Zhao finished, only then did he continue.

Fang Zhao listened to it and turned his head over to the statue-like security chief. "I just asked; your boss has approved of me using this equipment."

Security chief: "..." I don't really understand these people who dabble in music.

Carefully observing his boss's expression, there was really no anger, and the dazed look he'd had was no longer there. The chief also realized that, when Fang Zhao had played, the boss had even turned his head over, and there was a strange look in his eyes. It was somewhat complex, but clearly there was no disapproval in his eyes.

"I'm going to explain the matter that happened in the dance hall to your boss. Wait to the side first." Fang Zhao sat down after speaking.

Every time the security chief saw Natiwuzi playing the guitar, he would praise it to the high heavens. Although he did not know many musical cells and could not understand the meaning expressed in the song, he knew how to watch. There were frequent ancient-guitar performances at Space, and he had seen many, but he had never seen anyone who could compare with the boss. But now, the security chief felt that they had encountered an impressive one this time.

Both Fang Zhao and Natiwuzi were not using the effects pedals. The guitar tones could be comparable to Natiwuzi's performances back then, though not as delicate, but they harnessed an intense destructive power. This meant to say that the two of them had firm control over their equipment.

The guitars in the hands of Natiwuzi and Fang Zhao were both made from the same sort of wood, and they were of similar design and shape. The two guitars were probably from the same series, manufactured by the same person or team. The wood that had been used provided a fuller bass and resonance.

The bass tune that came from Natiwuzi's side was like the impending thunder from an approaching tempest, seemingly restraining the fury that was about to burst out in his interrogation.

And when Natiwuzi stopped, Fang Zhao paused for two seconds before resuming. Unlike Natiwuzi's tune, this one was peaceful yet intense.

At this moment, Natiwuzi stared at Fang Zhao. His eyes were full of gloom, like dark clouds gathering. The tune he played was gloomy and getting more stifling by the minute.

Fang Zhao's reply was instant, without time for a breather. His response was strong and unyielding.

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object!

This was what the others in the room thought.

The two men holding onto guitars, taking turns to play a tune, really seemed like they were engaged in a dialogue. Gradually, the tempo became quicker and the melody more impassioned.

The two appeared as if they had entered another realm and were completely immersed in it. The other people and objects in their surroundings had just become ornaments in the background.

Actually, the moment Fang Zhao had picked up the guitar to play a tune, the atmosphere of the room had changed, as if everyone in the room had been shifted to another world.

Puzzled looks were on the faces of everyone else in the room.

Makes no sense!

Can't understand!

They just felt that the skills of the two guitarists were very good and the strumming was getting more and more intense. They had never heard these chords before, but it did not sound random. Hearing it placed a large strain on their nerves, but it was not jarring. It was more like their hearing ability could not keep up to the speed and caliber. As if using shoddy earpieces and sound equipment to listen to a high-quality masterpiece, the most essential parts would be hampered and they could not get the clear picture.

They finally understood why people thought that great masters seemed to be from a different dimension. In their absent-minded state, they felt as if this scene was not from the world they were familiar with.

Are these two really having a conversation? Just using guitars?

How mysterious. It made them feel as if these two had not grown up on this planet, or perhaps the two were aliens? Could it be that these two did not live in normal human society?

The security chief had once heard from someone, probably a certain band that had come to perform at Space, that during their performance, it was actually the instruments communicating. Whatever sort of melody was produced by a band member's instrument, the others could reply with the most appropriate answer.

Looking at Fang Zhao, other than the few pauses during the first few chords, he would pick up as soon as Natiwuzi stopped, as though they had practiced together before!

This fellow had not come here before, right? He had never met Natiwuzi? Never had the two practiced before today, so how could they flow so smoothly? Even to the point where they knew when the other party was going to stop and continue on so seamlessly?

Other than that, there was still that skill with the guitar. Where had Fang Zhao, that young fellow, learned it from? By himself, or under the guidance of a master?

There was no need to doubt Natiwuzi, Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands, who had the rank of a great master. Whenever ancient electric guitars were mentioned, everyone would know who he was. In the past, many popular singers had personally invited him to collaborate.

But Fang Zhao? His skill with the guitar was actually as adept!

Had anyone heard of this person before in the ancient-instruments circle? What was more astonishing was how old he was!

The surrounding bodyguards viewed Fang Zhao in a different light, especially those bodyguards that had been with Natiwuzi for a longer time. Even if they could not understand what they were hearing, that did not prevent them from coming to a conclusion: this young fellow was impressive! To think he could actually face Natiwuzi head on!

Natiwuzi's expression was no longer as gloomy. His gaze was more incisive and his face was becoming increasingly flushed from the playing of the guitar as his cheeks trembled.

Upon seeing this, the security chief and the other bodyguards thought to themselves, the boss's condition doesn't seem too stable. Is he going to flip?

Just as they were thinking this, they saw Natiwuzi sway and suddenly stand up, seemingly like a bird of prey that had been provoked. With overflowing energy and a fire burning in his eyes, he strummed the guitar rapidly!

Under Natiwuzi's hawk-like gaze, Fang Zhao calmly stood up, not showing any signs of weakness. He rapidly played an even more intense tune.

The air seemed to be filled with countless invisible knives, the music like a raging storm that was not letting up! In the small room, it seemed as if there was a formless hurricane!

The security chief felt as if he could hear the wrath of the ocean and the sound of surging waves crashing into a cliff and breaking apart.

Everyone else in the room stood there dumbstruck as they watched the two musicians caught up in their own crazy performance.

The whirlwind tempo kept increasing, and the two were like powerful machines that were out of control as the powerful strumming became more urgent and explosive and the room's temperature rose.

Natiwuzi's grimacing face was completely red, and he seemed to be in a crazed state.

In comparison, other than Fang Zhao's fingers that were strumming like the wind, he seemed a lot more tranquil, but of course, that was only on the surface.

Strumming faster than the naked eye could catch was not a feat that could be replicated by any youngster in one go just by watching videos on the internet. To actually be able to differentiate the rhythm through hearing and keep up with the speed, his skill was indeed high!

That skill!

In the room, other than the two playing the guitar, everyone else stood rooted to the spot like statues, afraid to even move in case they were scalded by the high temperatures, even forgetting to breath.

Luckily, this stifling atmosphere did not last for too long. After another round of a stormy tune from Fang Zhao, Natiwuzi did not continue, instead hugging his guitar as he stood there panting, the crazed look on his face completely dissipating. His eyes were glowing as he looked at Fang Zhao. There was no gloom or anger; it was purely a look of delight and excitement.

Natiwuzi wiped away the sweat on his face and laughed heartily, like a warrior who just experienced a good fight that left him content. "Hahahahaha!"

And with Natiwuzi's laughter, the explosive atmosphere from a while back no longer existed. The feeling of being dragged to another world also finally become normal, like the calm after a storm.

The security chief lifted a trembling finger to his forehead and discovered a fine layer of sweat had formed. He took a long and deep breath. How was this a conversation? This was simply an improvised quarrel! However, their boss seemed be quite happy despite the quarrel.

After laughing, Natiwuzi said, "You are very good!"

Fang Zhao laughed and replied, "You are really great yourself."

They were not sure which words had triggered Natiwuzi's funny bits, but he once again roared with laughter.

Natiwuzi took out a pen as thick as a thumb from his pocket and signed a bold and cursive name on the guitar: NaZi.

People familiar with Natiwuzi would know that he would only sign this name when facing close friends and family or when he really regarded someone as important and approved of them. At other times, he would only sign "Natiwuzi."

And this guitar was not one that Natiwuzi would use in public performances. He had used this guitar the longest, and it was different from the guitars he used in performances. This guitar was different from the ones used in performances that were custom-made for Natiwuzi.

Natiwuzi had invested in his old ancient-guitar manufacturing company. This guitar was from a series for the masses and was the best model in the series. Natiwuzi had advertised this for his company.

Natiwuzi handed over the guitar he had signed. "This guitar is for you." After that, he pointed at the other guitar, the one Fang Zhao had used, which belonged to the security chief. "You sign too." Natiwuzi spoke slowly, but every syllable seemed like his own bass, every word seemed so deep. Anyone hearing Natiwuzi speak for the first time would feel uneasy.

Fang Zhao had watched videos of some of Natiwuzi's performances and interviews and knew he talked like this. He was not surprised, but it was Natiwuzi's words that made him flabbergasted.

"This isn't mine." Fang Zhao pointed at the security chief who was wiping off his sweat.

"It is now," Natiwuzi continued slowly, word by word. "A waste."

The security chief: "..." Did this mean that leaving it in the office was considered a waste?

Fang Zhao took the pen and signed two words, "Fang Zhao," on the security chief's guitar. Unlike Natiwuzi's cursive signature, Fang Zhao's was distinct and straight.

Natiwuzi's face, which looked over a hundred years old, was smiling so much that all his creases were appearing. This boss was very happy today.

After receiving the guitar, Natiwuzi still took a photograph with Fang Zhao before carefully placing the guitar at the side. Still smiling, he told Fang Zhao, "It is very late already. I will get someone to send you back. As for this, I will get to the bottom of the matter and inform you." Natiwuzi might have spoken slowly, but every word was distinct and full of sincerity. He truly meant that he would investigate the incident tonight, and if there was any inside story, he would definitely give Fang Zhao an account.

"Many thanks," Fang Zhao replied.

Natiwuzi waved his hands and did not say anything else. He got his men to escort Fang Zhao out. Only the security chief and a few trusted aides were left in the room.

The smile on Natiwuzi's face completely vanished. With a cold flicker in his eyes, he asked slowly, "Where are the ones that got beaten?"

The security chief took a step forward and respectfully answered. "In the medical treatment room, but they are currently restrained by our men."

Natiwuzi leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes, as if he was resting. He slowly spat out three words. "Drag them over!"

The security chief's eyebrows jumped. "Drag" was an understatement.

Chapter 153: Boss, You Made The Headlines

Natiwuzi let his men lead Fang Zhao to another exit that was less noticeable.

From the time he had entered Natiwuzi's room all the way till he left, all communications on his bracelet had been blocked, and they only returned back to normal after he got out.

Notification sounds rang out as his bracelet vibrated. Fang Zhao took a look. He had missed over 10 calls and had notifications of over 100 messages.

The messages' contents were all inquiring about whether the "nightclub fight incident" was real and whether he was all right. There were people from Silver Wing, the virtual projects department, Wayne, Duan Qianji... A number of student leaders and teachers from Qi'an Academy of Music had also sent messages.

Fang Zhao mass sent a message informing everyone that he was safe, and he quickly received a new incoming call. The sender was the teacher in charge of his university class back when the original owner of this body had still been alive. When Fang Zhao went over to the school to give lectures, he would chat with his former teacher-in-charge. He was a plump middle-aged man who was always smiling. He seemed friendly, but students who were under him knew how fierce he could be.

This teacher had coincidentally called as Fang Zhao was mass sending the message, so he picked up the call after he was done. Other people who called him after receiving the message had to temporarily be put on hold.

His former teacher in charge sounded very worried. "Fang Zhao, what's your situation over there?"

"It's nothing, I'm about to head home," Fang Zhao replied.

His former teacher's tone had a hint of doubt. "It's really nothing?"

Fang Zhao switched to a video call. "I'm really fine."

When he saw Fang Zhao's image and nothing seemed wrong, only then did the former teacher-in-charge feel at ease. He had been woken up by urgent calls from some of his students, informing him that Fang Zhao had fought in Space and been detained by the security team. The news had scared him awake, and since he had not been able to contact Fang Zhao, he had contacted a few of his good friends. Only after that, when he'd tried calling Fang Zhao again, had the call gotten through.

However, since when were those students so close with Fang Zhao? To actually help Fang Zhao find help in the middle of the night?

Whatever the case, when he'd heard what had happened, Fang Zhao's former teacher-in-charge had become anxious too. Fang Zhao was his student and a junior he looked highly upon. Them teachers had discussed in private before and felt that this youngster Fang Zhao had the most potential for development and could best expand the influence of the Qi'an music faculty on the global scene.

And hearing the news of Fang Zhao hitting someone in a nightclub was totally unimaginable!

After that, Fang Zhao recorded a short video message and sent it out, informing everyone that he was safe and all right.

"There are reporters around. It's not advisable to leave from the main exit or other exits known to our customers. Mr. Fang, please head this way." The security personnel led Fang Zhao to another path. "Right, your bodyguard came as well. We let him wait over there."

Zuo Yu saw the message Fang Zhao had just sent. Because he had heard that Fang Zhao had had a situation here, Zuo Yu had gotten up in the middle of the night and driven over fully armed, and he'd even contacted a number of friends in Qi'an City. They had been ready to start a rescue mission. In the end, when he'd just arrived, he'd received Fang Zhao's message proclaiming he was safe, not giving Zuo Yu the chance to perform. When the security personnel outside the nightclub had heard Fang Zhao's name, their attitudes had seemed especially good, which puzzled Zuo Yu, and he'd even suspected that the security personnel were dropping smoke bombs to confuse him. When he received Fang Zhao's reply, it confirmed that the situation was not what he had imagined. It was instead totally different.

"Entertainment news is nothing but trouble!" Zuo Yu lamented as he sat in the car waiting in Space's underground car park for staff. He had received news of Fang Zhao having a situation, and when Fang Zhao had been uncontactable, he'd went online and seen a few entertainment tabloid headlines:

"Silver Wing Virtual Project Department Member Fights Six People Barehanded."

"Showing His True Colors after Drinking! He Actually Dares to Create Trouble at Space!"

"Exposed Video of Silver Wing Boss Assaulting Others."

...

The more Zuo Yu saw, the more speechless he became. Zuo Yu could believe Fang Zhao had taken on six people; his boss possibly had that much ability. Watching Fang Zhao kick someone straight offline in-game, he knew that Fang Zhao was definitely not as harmless as he looked. But after that, the news became "Silver Wing Boss"? The overexaggeration here was too strong.

There were a few dark, fuzzy, and noisy videos circulating. These videos were shaky, and nobody in the video could be clearly seen. The sounds of shouting, music, and commentary were all jumbled up in a mess. There was not a single clear video, but for sure, the place in the video was Space's dance hall, and in one of the videos, a person was seen hurtling through the air after a kick.

As Fang Zhao came over together with the security personnel, Zuo Yu examined him carefully and realized that Fang Zhao was fine. Wasn't it said that, whether there were reasons or not, any troublemaker at Space would suffer? Why did it seem like that was not completely true?

One security personnel led the way in front of Fang Zhao, and behind him was another personnel carrying a large case and following behind diligently. When he saw that attentive behavior, Zuo Yu even imagined that the guy was trying to steal his job.

"Mr. Fang, your stuff has been placed in the car." The security personnel had been ordered by Natiwuzi to pack the guitar in a case and escort Fang Zhao out.

Fang Zhao heard that Thomas and Cheng Lan were still inside, so he got someone to bring the two out and get the nightclub's driver to send them home.

"Senior, are you really all right?" Thomas and Cheng Lan asked in disbelief once more before they left.

"I'm fine. It's late, you guys hurry up and go home."

Fang Zhao watched them leave with the driver before entering his own car.

The car exited from an underground driveway and took an elevator up and emerged at a flyover.

"Boss, you gave me a big scare today," Zuo Yu said.

"Where did you get the news from?" Fang Zhao asked.

"The paparazzi king that you pulled into the team said you got into a fight at Space. No idea where he got the news from, but he might be waiting outside Space to grab some news. I came the moment I heard the news and even called a few helpers. In the end, since you were all right, I let the others leave."

"A pretty good reaction. You get a pay raise this month," Fang Zhao replied.

"Yeah, just nice for me to treat them to a meal. Even though they were not needed, they reacted quickly and came out in the middle of the night without any questions asked."

"You can submit an expense claim for the food."

"Hahaha, Boss, you are wise indeed!" Zuo Yu's tension finally settled down, and he asked, "Boss, where did those six come from? What did they do?"

"I don't know where they came from, but their target was me, and they seemed quite sinister. Natiwuzi said they had on them a drug that enhances creativity and stimulates the brain."

Zuo Yu shuddered. "You mean the kind of drug that is not prohibited but is loathed by all the older artists?"

Zuo Yu had heard of this even though he was not in production circles. When creating stuff, certain artists would use some medication to stimulate themselves when they were low on inspiration. It was rumored that, after using these drugs, the brain would be very active and their inspiration would be overflowing. It was a shortcut method used by many young artists these days and involved many industries, such as composing, photography, design, and others. However, older and more prestigious artists detested it bitterly.

Taking medical substances to gain inspiration was not necessarily the most appropriate thing for a creator to do. Even if they could produce a work, it would not be ripe enough or perfect enough, and the creator might miss out on some of their own potential, which could have resulted in them creating a masterpiece. And once they were dependent on substances, their creativity might be restricted.

Sometimes, inspiration needed a longer time to mature and required an accumulation of time and experience, but there were always impetuous people within the circle who thirsted for success and could not wait, hence choosing this path.

There was an old artist that had once accepted an interview and given his views on this matter. He did not approve of using such substances to gain inspiration. There were even examples: once, there were two directors from Yanzhou competing for the position of president of Yanzhou's Director Association. It was revealed that one of the directors had used substances in the process of filming many of his works, and ultimately, for the final vote, many old directors voted against him and he lost the election.

These people probably had not had the chance to make their move in the private room and so had decided to make their move when Fang Zhao headed to the dance floor. Therefore, this had resulted in Fang Zhao's first ever dancing experience ending with assault

In Yanzhou's composing circles, for virtuous and reputable old artists, Fang Zhao only knew Xue Jing. If news was exposed of Fang Zhao using substances to compose, the person hurt the most would probably be Xue Jing. Qi'an Academy of Music might also terminate his employment, and he might even be alienated from the Qi'an music circles.

Zuo Yu's expression became solemn. "Old Master Xue Jing is an academic representative, I heard that Old Master Xue is currently arranging a global lecture tour and will bring you along when the time comes. Could it be that some people are jealous and are trying to make Old Master Xue give up on his recommendation of you? But given Space's stringent security checks, how could these people have smuggled the drugs in? Unless they had people on the inside?"

"That is why Natiwuzi said he would give me a full explanation."

"Boss, bring me along the next time you visit such places. It's safer to have a bodyguard by your side. In the future, there will surely be more such situations." Given Fang Zhao's ability, Zuo Yu reckoned that his boss would keep climbing higher. Whether Fang Zhao walked down the path of a star or an academic, whether publicly or in the shadows, he would surely encounter many such situations. It had only been mind-stimulating drugs this time, but what if there were guns next time?

Fang Zhao knew what Zuo Yu meant. As long as he kept moving forward, there would be people pushed downward and people getting obstructed.

But!

Regardless of the party, whoever was capable moved upward!

Since I am capable and better than you, unless I let you pass on my own accord, you better obediently get lost behind me!

Given Fang Zhao's character, he would not be scared off by such a matter. After all, he had a hundred years worth of experience from a darker time, and his temperament was different from his "peers." If the ones that ordered this had already been surpassed by Fang Zhao, he would leave them further in the dust, but if this had been planned by those temporarily ahead of himself, when Fang Zhao surpassed them, he would stomp on them even more viciously!

Zuo Yu noticed his boss was not the least bit intimidated and asked, "Boss, have you seen the entertainment news?"

"Nope. Why?"

"You made the headlines."

"When?"

"Just... the headlines of various tabloids are about this matter, saying that you smashed a nightclub and have an inflated ego. They even say the prospects of Jinro and the others following you are bleak. Media outlets keep stirring this up." Zuo Yu seemed happy. When he'd found out that the truth was totally different from his reports, he had breathed easy.

Given Fang Zhao's reputation, this matter making the headlines in such a short time was unlikely. Some strings were definitely being pulled in the background. Parties that saw Silver Wing unfavorably could have made the move. Though they might not have had any connection with those people in the nightclubs, they would have pushed for the news of Silver Wing being a joke and been delighted in Fang Zhao suffering misfortune.

Wayne was relieved as well when he found out the truth. He was figuring out their next move together with the public relations department. It just so happened that they could wait for this fire to burn bigger before borrowing the flame.

News of Fang Zhao's fight at the nightclub was published in the wee hours of the morning. Many were still asleep, and there was a limit to the night owls that were still online. On the morning of the second day, when people were heading to school and work, the viewership was a lot greater.

"The f*ck! Fang Zhao? Creating trouble and assaulting others at a nightclub? Did I read wrongly?"

"Visiting a nightclub in the middle of the night and assaulting others? Whoa, I couldn't tell that Fang Zhao had such a fiery temper!"

"I heard he was drunk?"

"Sometimes, a bottle of wine is more effective than a magic mirror."

"I'm rather new to this. May I know who Fang Zhao is?"

"The brother who posted on top, are you new to the gaming circle? You should at least know Jinro-god, right? Let me tell you, Fang Zhao is the immediate superior of Jinro and the others. Early on, I just could not stomach it. They say he is a composer who does not do any proper duties and doesn't understand games, so what qualifications does he have to be the boss?! It is rumored that Fang Zhao makes things difficult for Jinro and the others, only caring about results and making them work overtime everyday!"

Jinro was having breakfast while browsing the news. When he saw the discussion, he nearly spewed out all his food. "Stop talking nonsense! I still wish to live longer in-game!"

The masses online could not know what Jinro and the others were thinking and were enthusiastically discussing this matter.

"Not a single one of these management-level personnel are good. Enjoying themselves in an office, only using their mouths to get things done and visiting a club at night while the people under them work like dogs!"

"Yeah, with Fang Zhao having such a bad temper, I wonder how Jinro and the others survive under him. I hope they aren't being abused."

The online masses had succumbed to influence and now pictured a scene of a rich, evil man bullying his pitiful workers.

There were a number who spoke up for Fang Zhao, including teachers and students of Qi'an Academy of Music, but their numbers were limited, and without a good understanding of the situation, their voices were quickly drowned out.

There were others that knew about Space's background and took delight in other's misfortune. They thought that Fang Zhao had surely suffered some serious injury.

Fang Zhao also received many consoling text messages and calls. Even he could not tell which were genuinely sincere and which ones were making discreet inquiries.

At 10 a.m., renowned ancient guitar master and one of the three fastest guitarists in the world, nicknamed "Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands," Natiwuzi, updated his status on the world's largest entertainment social platform. There were no words, only a short tune of a guitar being played and a photograph. Natiwuzi liked to use audio to express his own feelings.

The photograph was the one taken in Space alongside Fang Zhao. In the picture, Natiwuzi was all smiles.

Those closer to Natiwuzi posted joking replies below.

"The old man is so happy, perhaps he found another long lost son?"

"Or perhaps he discovered another long lost grandson?"

Ignorant strangers inquired, "Why 'another'?"

However, these old friend's would not mention Natiwuzi's private affairs in public.

Quickly, Natiwuzi's old friends added on to the commentary.

"After listening to the audio, all I can say is that the youngster in the photograph with that old fellow is not ordinary! This time, the old fellow was stirred up. Perhaps he has really found another son or grandson?"

Fang Zhao frowned as he read the comments. Son? Even grandson? The other way around would be more accurate.

Afterward, Fang Zhao replied to Natiwuzi's status. Similarly, his reply was without words, just audio of a guitar tune.

Backstage at a theater in Huangzhou, Li Kasi was getting his hair fixed by a stylist when he stretched out his hand and told his assistant, "Bring me my double-neck electric guitar." Li Kasi was just like Natiwuzi, one of the three speed-strumming maestros in the world.

Thus, under Fang Zhao's reply to Natiwuzi's status, Li Kasi uploaded a reply that was also a wordless audio clip of a guitar tune.

On a certain sea far away from Yanzhou, the last of the three great guitar masters, Jiminy, was enjoying the seascape on board a yacht. He chuckled faintly and said, "Makes sense," as he picked up a 10-string guitar.

Jiminy uploaded a wordless guitar tune to Li Kasi's reply.

Therefore, the many media outlets and online masses that were glued to Natiwuzi and Fang Zhao's situation were dumbfounded.

These people... can they even use human language?

Chapter 154: God's Domain

In the eyes of the masses, ancient instruments were a so-called high-end art and were not easily understood. Normally, it was something that could not be used except by professionals.

Among ancient-instrument performers, these three speed-strumming maestros were not the most accomplished, but they were the most well-known.

Why?

Because the masses loved seeing these great masters show off!

This time, all three globally renowned speed-strumming maestros had appeared, and this made Fang Zhao especially conspicuous.

"Who is that young fellow? A new talent in the industry?""

"No idea. Don't tell me these great masters are using music to communicate?"

"Unless... this is the rumored "God's domain"? No wonder us normal humans can't understand it."

"Anyone able to decipher the audio?"

"Does 'God's domain' mean 'nutcase's domain' by any chance?" someone joked.

"The so-called 'God's domain' is the stuff used by the gods at the apexes of their own circles. For example, the world's three speed-strumming maestros making use of audio to communicate: only those of the same grade would be able to understand."

"That Fang Zhao person, does it mean he is on a similar level to those three?"

"This... doesn't count, in my opinion; Fang Zhao has only coincidentally touched 'God's domain'."

People outside of Yanzhou all followed Jiminy and Li Kasi's new statuses and traced it to Fang Zhao's profile on the social platform.

Jiminy and Li Kasi's fans were mostly non-academic and did not follow the trends, so when Xue Jing had brought Fang Zhao along for his global lecture tour, few among these people had taken notice, but now, with the appearance of the three speed-strumming maestros, Fang Zhao's new image was especially eye-catching.

There was no need to bother about what people on other continents were thinking. Over at Yanzhou, reporters from every single big news firms were cracking their heads trying to think about what to write. Regarding music, they would only listen, and if it was pleasing, it would be downloaded. If it wasn't, it was chucked aside, and everything was based on their own preferences. These reporters would not analyze a song or try to decipher the meaning in a tune, but now, they felt as if they were facing a trick question in their career.

What were they supposed to write if they could not understand it at all?

Reporters of smaller news firms did not have many worries. Whether or not they interpreted it correctly did not concern them. What they cared about was how to write in such a way that would attract the most viewers and to get the masses to discuss it passionately.

At this time, all the news firms were racking their heads trying to plot out the contents of news to be published.

At least the bigger news firms still published proper news, and the contents were somewhat conservative, using the matter with the three speed-strumming maestros to praise Fang Zhao and making guesses about whether Fang Zhao had any blood relation with Natiwuzi.

The smaller news firms were totally different, fabricating news as if they had seen it for themselves. Some mentioned that Fang Zhao and Natiwuzi were father and son, while others said they were grandfather and grandson. Of course, there were a number that concluded the two were up to some shady business in private.

Whatever the case, Fang Zhao smashing up Natiwuzi's territory, getting out in one piece, and even receiving a guitar would have made anyone believe they had some sort of relationship.

However, very quickly, Space released a statement saying that there were customers creating trouble in the wee hours of the morning and disrupting the business of the nightclub. Fang Zhao had acted heroically to help maintain the peace and was a junior that boss Natiwuzi thought highly of.

"So that means the few who were beaten up deserved it?"

"It has already been reported to the police. Seems true."

"True or false, no one knows."

"I don't care who was right or wrong. What I want to know is whether Fang Zhao is Natiwuzi's long lost grandson?"

Certain small news firms were quick to change their tune. Their criticism of Fang Zhao's ruthless temperament turned into praise for his heroic actions.

Some people sneered at them receiving a slap in the face, but these small tabloids paid no head. They just had to continue fabricating when it came to grabbing people's attention.

What? A smack in the face after the whole affair?

So be it. Who cares whether it's praise or criticism? As long there is traffic and it's popular, if a smack on the left side of the face is not enough, the right side can be presented on a plate for everyone to bash!

Traffic and popularity were the fundamental needs of these small tabloids. When it came to the truth and morality, how important were they?

This was the approach many small media outlets took and was one of the reasons Silver Wing staff found them extremely troublesome. A lawsuit? These people were all experienced hands. Whether big or small, when it came to public opinion, these small media outlets never took the frontline, nor were they cannon fodder. They would just follow behind the biggest company's *sses and pick up the scraps. There were not entirely able to dodge all lawsuits, but more than half the time, they would be unscathed.

Over at Wayne's side, he had enlisted the help of people from public relations to handle this matter and take advantage of it to give Fang Zhao a boost in popularity and presence in the media. In this sort of superficial society, those who were not outstanding in the looks department had to reveal their faces more often to ensure people remembered them.

As for the main character in this whole affair, Fang Zhao returned home and had a good sleep. After waking up, he first took a look at the progress of the various projects in the department. Following that, he left Wang Tie a message then went into lockdown mode.

He had found some inspiration at Space. Although it was not considered enough to complete a piece instantly, he could first throw all this inspiration into a composition and follow up by modifying it later.

In the afternoon, Fang Zhao received a text message from Natiwuzi inviting him over for a chat. Natiwuzi would share the developments of his investigation into the matter as well as play a little music.

"Remember to bring along the guitar," Natiwuzi had stressed twice.

This time, Zuo Yu had not logged into the game. As Fang Zhao's bodyguard, Fang Zhao was his main priority.

On the way to Space, Zuo Yu could not help but ask, "Boss, did you really come across 'God's domain'?"

Fang Zhao was even more skeptical than Zuo Yu. "'God's domain'? What is that?"

"Don't you know? It's the summit that gods in certain circles can reach, where they can see or hear things that others have no way of understanding. Didn't that occur to you with Natiwuzi's status? The other two speed-strumming maestros also followed after you and replied with an ancient guitar tune. Everyone says that you all were using 'God's domain' techniques to communicate, and people online are saying you have chanced upon 'God's domain'." Nobody else was in the car, and Zuo Yu really wanted to know. "Boss, are you really able to communicate using music?"

Fang Zhao shook his head. "Actually, that is a form of communication using conscious thinking. Through music, one can understand the other party's emotions, but they will not be as detailed as written or spoken communication. It is actually a sort of perception ability when it comes to music and has nothing to do with gods or whatnot. Some people acquire this ability after time, while others are born with that innate talent. These people might not have any musical knowledge or stepped into any circles, but when they listen to a piece of music, they are able to accurately feel the performer's emotions. Therefore, 'God's domain' is actually not appropriate at all."

"Huh, it really isn't incredible? Discussions online even said that a certain music academy did an early release of test questions to let students analyze the communications in those four audio clips from 'God's domain.' Some of those students are going to cry soon."

"Is there?" Fang Zhao pondered for a beat and laughed. "The teachers setting the exams should be clear on the situation. They are probably just teasing the students."

Zuo Yu also felt a little sympathetic towards them. "Those students are so pitiful."

What were those teachers thinking? After all, it was an open book examination. They could use the current matter the public was discussing and give the students an examination that would leave a deep impression.

Zuo Yu drove the car through the same underground driveway back into Space. Inside the interior carpark, the security chief was waiting.

"Welcome Mr. Fang, the boss is upstairs. I'm here to escort you." The chief was rather polite on the way up. "My name is Qu Wei. Qu as in a tune, Wei as in proud. You can call me Little Wei. I'm the current security chief of the nightclub, and this is my contact number. If you encounter any problems in the future, feel free to contact me. I will personally help you settle it!"

Zuo Yu, who was following beside Fang Zhao, raised an eyebrow. How their attitudes have changed once again after one day! Even "Little Wei"? He is obviously around 20 years older than Fang Zhao and he has the cheek to be called that! What a character!

Qu Wei led Fang Zhao to a larger room on the top floor. This room was used by Natiwuzi for receiving friends.

After Fang Zhao entered, Qu Wei did not leave but stood waiting outside. Zuo Yu also did not enter but found a seat at a nearby coffee table as he took note of the surroundings.

"Hey, brother, a quick question." Qu Wei walked over without the same politeness he'd showed Fang Zhao, but he was still rather cordial. He poured a cup of tea for Zuo Yu before helping himself to one. Qu Wei curiously asked, "Has your boss trained before? Maybe in the military, or he took up classes? There is basically no second hit in his fighting style. Among the six, only one of them took two blows, while the other five were all knocked out in one move."

A number of things had come to light after this round of internal investigations. Someone had accepted a bribe and created a loophole for the perpetrators to go through, but they had not expected it to blow up such that even the boss would get involved.

To investigate the six people, Qu Wei had watched the surveillance footage over 10 times. Especially the portion where Fang Zhao hit the other guys, Qu Wei had watched it at least 30 times.

"Actually, when I was watching the video, there was something I just did not understand." Qu Wei activated the playback of that portion of the video for Zuo Yu.

Zuo Yu was Fang Zhao's trusted bodyguard, and since Qu Wei was investigating this matter, showing the video to Fang Zhao's attendant was the same. He had already obtained approval from his boss.

"Look at this part, and here too. Doesn't it seem as if he pauses for a brief moment and... How do I say it, I just feel that when he is fighting, he is so nimble, yet he seems a little out of sorts. This situation starts when the third person jumps in. Did your boss discover anything at that time?"

Qu Wei had originally wanted to ask Fang Zhao straight, but the boss wanted to strum a few tunes. The matter was not that urgent and Qu Wei could ask after they were done, but now that he was with Fang Zhao's bodyguard, he could just ask randomly.

Zuo Yu watched the video curiously. Due to the actions of Space's staff, not a single clear video of Fang Zhao fighting in the dance hall had been uploaded online. Those videos online were quite blurry and shook violently. Proper videos had been confiscated not just because of Fang Zhao but because of Space's image as well.

Therefore, this was the first time Zuo Yu had seen a clear video of Fang Zhao fighting off those people from all angles. He also noticed Fang Zhao pausing momentarily at the parts Qu Wei had pointed out. Although brief, these out-of-sorts feeling could only be seen by experienced and attentive persons. Qu Wei was not the security chief for nothing.

"You realize it too, right? I was very curious; did Mr. Fang notice any suspicious persons or things?" Qu Wei asked.

Zuo Yu paused, took a deep breath, and exhaled while remaining silent for a few seconds. He then said, "According to my experience, and given my understanding of him..."

"Mmhm, what?" Qu Wei leaned closer, wanting to listen to every single word of Zuo Yu's.

"It might be totally different from what you are imagining," Zuo Yu replied.

"Go on."

"His mind might have been wandering."

"?" Qu Wei thought he had just heard a joke, but when he saw Zuo Yu's manner, it did not seem like a bluff.

His mind was wandering?

Letting his mind wander while fighting? And he could actually win?

Plain disbelief was all over Qu Wei's face. If it was true, he had no way of expressing how shocked he really was.

Noticing Qu Wei all wide-eyed as though he had seen a freak, Zuo Yu patted him on the shoulder and, in the manner of an experienced person, told him, "Don't make a fuss over nothing. The boss might have come to realize the stuff in 'God's domain'."

Seeing Qu Wei still staring blankly, Zuo Yu explained, "In layman terms, it means that he found some inspiration for composing during the fight."

Qu Wei: "..." Thinking about composing in a fight?!

Zuo Yu smiled knowingly. "My boss is actually a really gifted artist. Mmhm, you should probably understand."

Qu Wei thought about his boss Natiwuzi's everyday eccentricities, as well as his habit of disregarding everything in his surroundings and picking up a guitar. Suddenly seeing the light, he exclaimed, "I understand!"

Chapter 155: Show Me Your Fastest Strumming Speed

Zuo Yu had noticed this happening with Fang Zhao a number of times in the game. When watching Fang Zhao slaying monsters in-game, there were times where his mind seemed to have left his body. When asked about it once, Fang Zhao's reply was that he had realized something at that point in time.

As for what he realized, Zuo Yu knew as well—song inspirations!

Zuo Yu had even joked that Fang Zhao was lucky not to have lived during the actual Period of Destruction. If such an out-of-body experience had occurred during the actual period, he would have long been dead.

Fang Zhao had only laughed; he had not replied.

Watching the surveillance footage of the dance hall once more, Zuo Yu tried to guess whether his boss had had a realization. However, regardless of the truth, Zuo Yu would not tell Qu Wei.

If Fang Zhao had really found anything suspicious, he would have said it himself. As the bodyguard, it was better for Zuo Yu to keep his lips tight.

Zuo Yu had gone with the reply of "gaining inspiration." At least on the surface, he had given a reply. Whether Qu Wei believed him was another matter.

Inside the room.

Natiwuzi handed over the preliminary findings of the investigation to Fang Zhao. The six men had been paid for this. Their employer was still unknown at this point, and more time was needed to continue investigating.

"The other party is probably experienced, given how he knew which people to employ and how to hide his own identity, but my guess is that the other party isn't one of those big companies. Given my many years of experience, the possibility of a big company using these means is extremely small. At the most, they would give it a push on the back if they caught wind of it. After all, it is because of you that Silver Wing has a virtual projects department and the currently emerging gaming department."

There was something else that Natiwuzi refrained from saying. If these big companies really wanted to do something, they would target Duan Qianji or other senior management executives, not someone of Fang Zhao's status. Also, their methods would not be so simple.

It was rare for Natiwuzi to speak so much, but this was a sign of his sincerity. In the first place, it was his nightclub that'd had the lapse that had allowed these people a chance to make their move. Furthermore, Natiwuzi wished to invest in Fang Zhao.

"Many times, some small characters without presence will bite you over trivial matters. The moment you are not alert, they might bite off a big chunk of flesh. Luckily, you were guarded this time," Natiwuzi said. Back then, he had been a glittering celebrity too and had his own fair share of troubles.

If Fang Zhao had not been aware of the perpetrators' intentions this time around, the drugs could have been injected or slipped into his pockets. From there, arranging for a journalist to report about Fang Zhao "using stimulant drugs and visiting a nightclub for inspiration" would have been really troublesome for Fang Zhao.

"Once you get famous, these things become more common. Prepare yourself; these things can't be guarded against, and you can only be careful." Noticing Fang Zhao looking pensive, Natiwuzi continued on, "Most likely, it's some personnel from a small- or medium-sized company. They are probably afraid to do anything to Silver Wing's senior executives, so they targeted you."

"Understood." Fang Zhao had some doubt in his heart, but Wang Tie was also helping him investigate. He would get the findings soon.

After all that, Natiwuzi told Fang Zhao the reason he had been called over.

"Fang Zhao, your speed-strumming skill is quite good. Self-taught?" Natiwuzi asked.

"I learned from someone a long time ago. After that, I practiced for quite some time." Playing it in my mind counts, right? Fang Zhao thought to himself.

However, Natiwuzi had guessed wrongly. He had thought that Fang Zhao was mostly self-taught and had been learning for a long time.

"No wonder you play so well despite not having a reputation in the ancient-instrument circles. In the future, you can come and stretch your legs with the others in the ancient-instruments circle, take part in some performances, or even come to my club to strum a few tunes. Why don't you play a tune now. I know that you did not give your all last time. Show me your fastest strumming speed."

Natiwuzi switched on a camera at the side and prepared to record. He told Fang Zhao, "After this recording, I will upload the video of your speed strumming online. That will dispel people's doubts of you. Don't worry, this guitar of mine is high quality. There will be no issue when strumming. I have used it for so many years already and maintained it well. The quality of the strings could be said to be the best in the world. Just be at ease and strum to your heart's content." Natiwuzi was in a good mood and was speaking a lot more today, although he was still speaking slowly, unlike his lightning quick strumming.

"All-out strumming?" Fang Zhao asked.

"That's right, you don't have to hold back. Let me see how fast you can go!"

Generally speaking, a period was needed for someone to adapt to a guitar that did not belong to them, but Fang Zhao did not need it! During their previous "communication" in the wee hours of the morning, Natiwuzi had seen it for himself. This time, he hoped that Fang Zhao would give him a surprise.

The strumming started with a tune like a silk cloth sliding across the floor, quick and flowing. The density of the notes were concentrated raindrops pounding on the body.

Fang Zhao's wrist was swiveling rapidly on the guitar neck as the fingers of his left hand looked as though they were on a piano keyboard. The speed was still rising, the notes becoming more and more urgent.

Most people could only hear the starting and ending notes. As for the middle portion, unless they used equipment, there would not be able to differentiate it!

However, Natiwuzi had an outstanding hearing ability that an ordinary person's could not compare to. He was praised as one of the world's three speed-strumming maestros, and before Jiminy and Li Kasi had emerged, he had occupied the throne of speed strumming for close to twenty years.

At the start, Natiwuzi had a gratified and excited smile. From the view of one from an older generation, as he was listening, he could appreciate it in his heart. But gradually, the smile on Natiwuzi's face disappeared, and he no longer pondered, instead focusing his attention on listening. Even so, he found it strenuous, and this sort of feeling was getting stronger.

Fang Zhao's fingers were flying around so quickly they appeared to have vanished. It seemed like a fireball was jumping around on the strings and the guitar was like a reactor undergoing nuclear fission, releasing an immense amount of energy.

The torrential downpour of notes pounded away, and even Natawuzi who had a superb hearing ability capable of slowing music down could not keep up!

Is this Fang Zhao's speed?

Natiwuzi stared at Fang Zhao in shock, not believing his own eyes and ears.

For people without a strong sense of musical perception, it might have only seemed like a dazzling display of skill, but for people like him who had good musical perception, this was simply a colossal blow to him!

And this blow had been brought about by Natiwuzi himself.

His mind was on the verge of shutting down from the concentrated bombardment of notes! His whole body was shocked to the core by that immense energy.

However, at this moment, when the atmosphere had been built up and was on the verge of exploding, it abruptly disappeared. Fang Zhao had stopped.

Natiwuzi regained his composure and waited a full eight seconds before looking at Fang Zhao blankly. Only sounds of exhaling came from his throat, as he could not bring himself to speak. He looked at Fang Zhao with an imploring gaze that asked, Why didn't you continue?

"It's out of tune," Fang Zhao replied helplessly. He had not wished to stop midway either. His mind had been overflowing with inspiration just now, and he had nearly forgotten all about Natiwuzi's motive for getting him to play. However, since the strings had become out of tune and it would become more severe if it was not retuned, he could only break his train of thought and stop.

When Natiwuzi heard these words, the muscles on his face nearly cramped up. Was Fang Zhao actually able to hear the notes going off-key at that speed?! He had been totally unable to catch up already and had not noticed any off-key notes, yet this young fellow had actually caught it the first time? That meant this little fellow's hearing ability far surpassed his own!

Natiwuzi stared silently for a while at Fang Zhao, as if he was observing a new species, before stumbling over to the coffee table at the side.

Fang Zhao hurriedly put down the guitar and prepared to go over and lend an arm for support. Natiwuzi's appearance seemed as if he had suffered a big blow. His face was pale and his steps were unsteady, as though he might faint at any time.

Natiwuzi forced a smile and raise his hands to wave Fang Zhao off, meaning he did not need Fang Zhao's help. He pressed a button on the coffee table that made a drawer pop out. Retrieving a small bottle of medicine, he sprayed himself a few times, and after some deep breaths, color returned to his face.

Resting on the sofa, Natiwuzi recuperated for a while before speaking. "I am relieved, and I am also glad."

The look Natiwuzi gave Fang Zhao was complicated. It was the sum of all sorts of feelings in his heart.

"I am very relieved that you did not appear back in my day."

If a Fang Zhao had appeared during Natiwuzi's glorious days, Natiwuzi might not have had the cumulative fame and popularity he had now and would not have had that strong self-confidence and haughtiness when playing the guitar.

"I am also glad because, if Yanzhou doesn't have me, there is still you!"

Natiwuzi might be known as one of the three speed-strumming maestros in the world, but due to age, his health was no longer as it once had been during his peak. He was unable to compete with Jiminy who was 20 years younger or Li Kasi who was only 40+ years old.

In New Era terms, 45 was the prime of one's life. Furthermore, both Jiminy and Li Kasi had lots of experience being at the summit, whereas Natiwuzi would slowly decline.

Natiwuzi was not one to concede defeat or admit old age and was still holding back anger in his heart! Although he no longer gave public performances, he still practiced loads in private. He always felt that he could stake it all and pit himself against Jiminy and Li Kasi for a round. However, reality was cruel, and the changes in his body restricted him.

But now, Natiwuzi felt as if a great weight on his heart had been lifted. He no longer felt regret!

When a disparity was small, people tended to brood and not admit defeat, but if the disparity was large and there was simply no way of closing the gap, even if the person was not as good, he would be at less of a loss.

Natiwuzi clearly recognized that, even if he was still at his peak, there was no way he could compete with the skill that Fang Zhao had just displayed.

When he was younger, Natiwuzi had always heard people say that, when he was strumming the guitar, he was like a robot in human form, achieving feats that were not possible for normal humans. But now he felt that the one in front of him was the real robot in human form! Was that even possible for a human?

Previously, people who had watched Natiwuzi's performance would say that, after watching him, there was nothing much interesting to watch among other's performances, but now, Natiwuzi felt that, after seeing Fang Zhao play the guitar, rewatching videos of his past performance had no meaning anymore.

Taking a deep breath, Natiwuzi felt his strength returning. He grabbed a piece of tuning equipment and surveyed the guitar. Indeed, the guitar strings were out of tune; Fang Zhao was right.

Not in a rush to tune it, Natiwuzi sat down and proceeded to pour Fang Zhao and himself a cup of tea.

"Interested in working together?" Natiwuzi asked. "I own a few businesses besides this nightclub, and there is one that everyone knows of: 'NaZ.' An ancient-instruments brand that specializes in all sorts of ancient musical instruments. The ancient guitar is the main product, and I would like to invite you to be the brand ambassador of 'NaZ'."

Chapter 156: Most Valuable Grave

Perhaps in an attempt to bring the two closer, or maybe as a way of briefing Fang Zhao on the story behind his brand NaZ, Natiwuzi began speaking in a gentle voice. "One of my ancestors fought for General Wu Yan when he recovered Yanzhou, achieving quite a few feats. When the New Era was founded, this ancestor was conferred the title of major general. He also became one of the first antique collectors of the New Era. He helped found both Yanzhou's Collectors' Association and the Yanzhou Museum."

Natiwuzi gave an overview of his family history first. The point was to convey that he was from a reputable family. Even though the brand NaZ was relatively new, it was backed by a powerful foundation.

Fang Zhao thought carefully. He actually did remember the elder who had recovered Yanzhou with Wu Yan, the one Natiwuzi mentioned. He had met Natiwuzi's ancestor when he'd led his troops in the recovery of a particular battle zone. The reason he remembered this person was because the kid liked collecting stuff and hoarded a lot, regardless of whether the items were useful or not, especially items from the Old Era. At that time, the war hadn't been over yet. No one could predict the future. Apart from their daily supplies and equipment, people didn't pay much attention to other items. But this kid was different. He'd had an addiction of sorts.

The first time Fang Zhao had met the elder that Natiwuzi had mentioned, the elder had still been young, only in his early 20s. In Fang Zhao's eyes, he had just been a kid, someone who had been born and raised during the Period of Destruction.

Natiwuzi, of course, had no idea what was going on inside Fang Zhao's head. He continued, "Come to think of it, after the founding of the New Era, the government moved all the scattered martyrs' remains to the newly built martyrs' cemetery. When Fang Zhao was buried, the old man attended the funeral."

Natiwuzi was typically a man of few words. He was a slow talker during his previous conversations with Fang Zhao, but once he started talking antiques and related gossip, he got quite excited. His sentences accelerated quite a bit, unlike his usual tempo.

Realizing that his comment might cause a misunderstanding, Natiwuzi followed up with an explanation. "Don't get me wrong. I didn't mean you. I meant the leader from the Period of Destruction, the martyr Fang Zhao."

Fang Zhao said, "I know. Keep going." He knew Natiwuzi had brought up the grave relocation for a reason. He also wanted to know why Natiwuzi had mentioned the martyr Fang Zhao's grave in particular.

"The collector's gene has been passed from generation to generation in our family. That old man loved to collect and treasured all his items. When Martyr Fang Zhao was buried, he had picked a few beloved pieces as burial items, precious stones of some sort. Word has it they were excavated some 2,000 or 3,000 years ago. They could fetch a decent price based on prevailing prices. Any of them could start a bidding war in the black market. It wasn't just the old man. There were plenty of folks who did the same thing, in Yanzhou and elsewhere."

Probably because he was usually reticent, the brief spiel already made Natiwuzi thirsty, requiring him to down two cups of tea. He was still excited, though, not betraying the slightest sign of impatience. He lowered his voice and kept feeding Fang Zhao gossip. This involved the personal affairs of political leaders from the Period of Destruction, after all. Even though only he and Fang Zhao were present, out of respect, he couldn't raise his voice.

"Martyr Fang Zhao sacrificed himself before the founding of the New Era. Because of limited funds, his remains were kept in storage until the end of the war, when the martyrs' cemetery was built. He was buried in the first row of the core area. Even though his was the second tombstone in the first row, he was buried with many more items than the others. This may sound disrespectful to the martyrs, but from a collector's perspective, judging from the value of the burial items, Martyr Fang Zhao's grave is the most valuable. Naturally, it's coveted by grave robbers."

As the descendant of a major collector, even though Natiwuzi was less interested in other antiques compared to guitars, they were still antiques, after all. They still tickled his appetite.

Natiwuzi slapped himself in the face and lamented, "No one knows how many valuable pieces are in Martyr Fang Zhao's grave or what, exactly, the items are. The people who knew are long gone. There is no mention in footage from the time. All we have are a few vague references in the notes of people who were involved with the burial. That's why we have more cemetery guards in Yanzhou than in other continents. Even the martyrs' cemetery in Huangzhou can't compare.

Fang Zhao: "..." Should he cry or should he laugh?

"Even though Martyr Fang Zhao's grave is ranked second in the core area, extremists and grave robbers love to target his plot. Even General Wu Yan's plot isn't as attractive, and in recent years, people with ulterior motives have spread word that many of the precious artifacts that were seen in archive photos or footage from the era but never found actually ended up in Martyr Fang Zhao's grave as burial items. Anyone with a brain wouldn't believe this claim—the grave is only so big, after all. There are so many artifacts that meet the criteria. A good portion have been confirmed as destroyed during the Period of Destruction by archeologists; how could they be in the plot? Still, many folks robbed Fang Zhao's grave out of greed. Serves them right to have been shot by the cemetery guards. But they also tested the waters for other grave robbers."

Noticing that Fang Zhao seemed preoccupied, Natiwuzi nervously said, "Don't get any ideas. The cemetery guards aren't window dressing. They are authorized to shoot to kill anyone suspicious. Not to mention that convicted grave robbers face stiff sentences. No fewer than 100 people are sentenced to death each year for attempted grave robbing."

Fang Zhao said, "Relax, I don't plan on robbing any graves." He was just curious about what was buried in his grave. Was it filled with antiques?

Natiwuzi glanced at Fang Zhao skeptically. "That's good to know."

The reason he'd brought up the martyr Fang Zhao was to impress the Fang Zhao before him. People always worshipped heroes, especially young people, let alone a young man who was a namesake. Youngsters from the New Era typically worshipped the martyrs who shared their exact name. He also knew that Fang Zhao was not an easy sell, but Fang Zhao was still young, after all. Natiwuzi had just flooded him with stories of Martyr Fang Zhao's heroics and stories of his ancestors, and Fang Zhao seemed receptive, so he thought to himself, He's in play!

After yapping on about his ancestors, Natiwuzi switched gears and started telling Fang Zhao about his parents' generation and himself.

Hailing from a wealthy family, Natiwuzi's mother had been a businesswoman who ran a chain of hotels. His father had been an archeology professor at Yanzhou University who was a hardcore academic and held key posts at Yanzhou's top government ministry in charge of cultural affairs.

So Natiwuzi had lived a blessed life since his childhood. Coming of age under the wings of his parents hadn't been completely smooth sailing, but it had been much easier than folks without a similar background.

When Natiwuzi was six, he had seen his first antique guitar, a relic that his father and his archeology team had recovered from a dump. He had been instantly captivated. It had truly been love at first sight. Natiwuzi was also blessed talent-wise. Otherwise he would not have risen to become one of the three leading masters of the world out of all these fast guitar players.

He'd made his name in a guitar competition he entered at 22 and from there launched his storied career. Back then, Natiwuzi had been unrivaled among antique instrumentalists, the true world No. 1 of speed strumming. Jiminy had not achieved fame until 20 years later, which had forced Natiwuzi to share world champion honors. A few years later, Li Kasi had come onto the scene, the final link in what eventually became known as the world's three speed-strumming maestros, who have reigned supreme until present day.

Even though there were other talented speed strummers, they were still a notch below the top three.

But Natiwuzi lamented that he had never been as talented a composer as he was a player. He never won any of the most respected awards in the industry. In terms of artistic achievement, he still paled in comparison to those award winners. It was a sore point that even his father had broached with him a few times.

Now, Natiwuzi was an old man. He had been through a lot and gained perspective. So what if he didn't measure up in terms of artistic achievement? At least he was still one of the world's three speed-strumming maestros. He had left his name in the history books.

Speed players like Natiwuzi were considered technical virtuosos. Even though speed wasn't musical in itself, playing fast drew folks who were otherwise uninterested in antique instruments, so popularity-wise, Natiwuzi measured up with those award-winning musicians just fine. In fact, he had many, many more fans. That was what his father meant when he told Natiwuzi that any career choice meant "winning some and losing some."

As he became older, Natiwuzi hadn't been able to keep up physically, so he had stopped performing in public. Instead, he had parlayed his career background and his connections into a business career. He'd started his own business selling antique instruments under the "NaZ" label.

"'NaZ' was brief for Natiwuzi's name. The logo of the brand was a big capital "Z," the slant in the design comprising six guitar strings.

The six-string electric guitar was Natiwuzi's favorite, but NaZ produced four-string, eight-string and 12-string models as well. They also made custom-painted pianos. Other than electric guitars, their lineup included folk, classical, and bass guitars.

A high-end custom-made business was a must for any successful guitar brand. Li Kasi's guitar had 18 strings, and Jiminy's had even more. Fad-seeking nouveau riche fans would order copycat models, but Natiwuzi insisted on using six strings in the company logo. The first time he had seen an antique electric guitar, it had been a six-string. Even though his father's archeology team later unearthed seven-string and eight-string guitars, they couldn't replace the sentimental value of the first guitar he had laid ever eyes on. He himself used a six-string guitar, and six strings made up the slant in his brand logo's "Z."

A light bulb had lit up in Natiwuzi's head when he'd jammed with Fang Zhao for the first time. Later on, he'd researched Fang Zhao and realized Fang Zhao's stature and potential among pop composers. More importantly, he had watched the guitar instruction video that had gone viral. It was quickly deemed the "most orthodox" guitar instructional video by seasoned instrumentalists. The backdrop of the video was the club Space, which was decorated exclusively with NaZ guitars. You couldn't miss the "Z" logo on the guitars. As a result, he had seen a surge in online orders today. Natiwuzi smelled a business opportunity.

"To be perfectly honest, before you arrived, I was going to film you speed strumming and post the video online to let everyone know that there were no backroom shenanigans, that it was all you, but I've changed my mind. I can't post the video right now. I also hope that you refrain from playing at this speed in public in the next year." Natiwuzi gave Fang Zhao an apologetic look, his eyes oozing sincerity. "I'll make it up to you. We can make a deal."

"The reason being?" Fang Zhao asked.

Natiwuzi's voice was already quite hoarse from speaking so much, but he had no intention of stopping. He let out a long sigh and said, "Before I saw you play, I thought a fourth speed-strumming maestro would appear. The Big Three would become the Big Four. But after seeing you go all out, I now know I was dead wrong."

Players who broke strings were a dime a dozen, but rarely could someone stop playing because they noticed an inconsistency in the strings at that speed. Up until now, Fang Zhao was the only person Natiwuzi knew of.

"If you make your debut, then it won't be the Big Three or the Big Four. There will be only one master. Jiminy, Li Kasi, and I will become history. I don't perform any more, so it doesn't matter to me whether it's still the Big Three or not. In fact, I'm more than happy to see you replace me and the others. I know Jiminy well. He rarely performs these days. He likes to spend most of his time traveling. He won't make a big fuss either. But Li Kasi's world tour, which has been in the works for 10 years, is about to kick off. If you appear now, his tour will become a joke. Li Kasi is quite connected, and he's petty. There's no reason to make an enemy out of him. If you launch your career after his world tour, it won't be as awkward. Of course, the most important reason is that I owe Li Kasi a favor. When I announced my retirement and went on my farewell tour, both Li Kasi and Jiminy made some sacrifices so my tour would end on a perfect note."

Natiwuzi was willing to strike a deal with Fang Zhao to return the favor he owed. He had no complaints.

"To be perfectly honest," Fang Zhao said, "I never planned on focusing on speed strumming or posting the video of myself playing."

Natiwuzi: "..." So I overthought things?

But upon hearing that Fang Zhao didn't plan on showcasing his talent, Natiwuzi didn't approve either.

"No, no, no. With that kind of talent, you can't remain unknown. Fang Zhao, I'm just asking for a year. After that kid Li Kasi finishes his world tour, after a transition, I'll do everything in my power to make you the undisputed king of speed strumming. Let's let the world know that, even without me, Natiwuzi, Yanzhou can still produce another global No. 1. It's No. 1 in the world we're talking about here! Can you imagine how much attention you will receive, how much the spotlight will focus on you? At that point you and NaZ will be household names."

Natiwuzi got so worked up, he stood up as he conjured up his grand vision of the future. He didn't believe anyone could resist the temptation of being the world's No. 1. Even he was overcome with emotion thinking about the global No. 1 title and recalling his glory days, let alone Fang Zhao, who was in his early 20s and had graduated from university less than two years ago.

Little did Natiwuzi expect that, after talking his heart out and getting so emotional that his face was twitching, he turned his head to find Fang Zhao calmly pouring him a cup of tea and pushing it toward him. "Hydrate a bit."

Natiwuzi: "...." Can you throw me a bone here?

Fang Zhao gave him a confused look.

Natiwuzi ground his teeth. "We're talking about the world's No. 1!"

"I know."

Natiwuzi: "..."

After glaring at Fang Zhao for a few seconds, Natiwuzi composed himself and plunked back down onto his sofa chair. He probingly looked at Fang Zhao again. "You're not willing to work with me? Don't wanna work with me? I can sponsor your concerts. We can start preparing in less than a year. I will leverage all my connections to set things up for you. Once Li Kasi's world tour ends, you'll be the world's No. 1! Don't count on Silver Wing."

Fang Zhao remained unfazed despite Natiwuzi's intimidating stare. He calmly responded, "I know working with you in this field is the best option."

Natiwuzi relaxed somewhat, but he was also waiting for the impending "but."

"But," Fang Zhao said while staring at Natiwuzi, "I'm performing my military service next year."

Natiwuzi: "..."

Once again, Natiwuzi's jaded face was on the verge of melting. He said in a quasi-grunt, "Military service? You graduated more than a year ago and you still haven't served?"

It was impossible to bypass something like military service. Fudging your military service was a no-no if you didn't want it to come back to haunt you. The most you could do was leverage your connections into an easier posting.

When Natiwuzi had researched Fang Zhao, he hadn't paid attention to service status. When he had been planning their future, the words "military service" had never crossed his mind.

But a service term could delay his plans by a year or more. That was the minimum. If there were unforeseen developments, the delay could be longer. In the worst-case scenario, his vision might never be executed.

Natiwuzi started brainstorming which strings to pull. "I can set things up for you."

"Thanks, but I've been taken care of."

"Right, Silver Wing must have stepped in on something like this." Natiwuzi relaxed a bit. If Silver Wing had set things up, there shouldn't be any complications, but he still didn't feel reassured. If even one of Fang Zhao's fingers were injured, his plans would be toast.

"Remember to protect your hands!"

Natiwusi nagged Fang Zhao repeatedly, urging him to keep an eye on his hands. Not a single finger could be harmed.

"I'll do my best." That's all Fang Zhao could say.

Natiwuzi was mad, but there was nothing he could do. Military service was a major complicating factor. For anyone else, given existing medical technology, a broken finger could be fixed, but Natiwuzi knew that for a speed strummer, even if his broken fingers were repaired, he might not be able to play at the same level. Even if he could, it would be a long wait.

What a headache!

Natiwuzi wanted to post the video of Fang Zhao playing right now, but all he could do was let out a resigned sigh when he remembered the favor Li Kasi had done for him back then.

Forget it, let's put our plans for the world's No. 1 speed strummer on hold. But that didn't mean he was going to change his plans about asking Fang Zhao to endorse his brand.

"Setting aside speed strumming for a second, we can work together on other fronts. How's your folk guitar technique?" Natiwuzi asked.

"It's OK," Fang Zhao responded.

Natiwuzi raised his eyebrows. "That's great." He didn't like playing folk. If Fang Zhao could, that would be a perfect fit.

He'd had a Plan B all along.

Even though Natiwuzi was one of the three speed-strumming maestros, not everyone dug his style. His influence was also waning quickly. In addition, genuine antique-instrument enthusiasts might not be into electric instruments. To broaden his appeal, especially among students, Natiwuzi had planned on expanding production of folk guitars.

Introductory classes were common at the primary and secondary level. Things were even more flexible in university—there was an abundance of student clubs. Natiwuzi didn't want to cede this market. Even though he preferred the electric guitar, he was a businessman; he couldn't expect everyone to follow his preferences.

"I saw your electric guitar instructional video that was posted online. I've been planning on launching online guitar lessons. I've already hired a few instructors, but if you could join them, that would be even better. I can give you a 70 percent cut of the subscription fees and user bonuses. How does that sound? Right, I've also invested in a campus romance that Silver Wing is shooting. The male lead is someone who acts cool by carrying a folk guitar with him all the time. If the movie turns out well, it will spark a wave of nostalgia for folk guitars on campuses."

Chapter 157: Letting Go

Fang Zhao knew the film Natiwuzi mentioned. The film was called "A Guitar Romance," and Fang Zhao also knew the lead actor in the film, Ji Polun.

When Fang Zhao had first taken over the virtual projects department, Ji Polun had been asked to be the virtual idol Polar Light's eye model. Ultimately, he had ended up as a spectating student and helped out with odd jobs in the virtual projects department. Ji Polun was also in the production team's credits for Polar Light's first song.

Back then, Ji Polun had been on a C-grade contract. After that, he had probably gotten a knack for how things worked and improved his acting skills by leaps and bounds. His credentials had to have been decent. If not, Silver Wing would not have signed him back then. Now that his acting skills had improved and the way he treated others was better than before, his contract was now B grade.

Now that the virtual projects department was in a state of high secrecy, Ji Polun could no longer head to the department to chat whenever he wanted. However, he still frequently kept in touch with Zu Wen and the rest. A short while back, when Zu Wen and the others had been talking about company gossip, Fang Zhao had heard that Ji Polun had accepted a film and was the male lead. For his character, it was rumored that Ji Polun trained very hard with the guitar and had professionals tutoring him. He wanted to be better than other actors of the same grade, not just learn a few chords.

Before accepting the role, all Ji Polun had known about ancient instruments was that many were made from wood. He had not even heard of string instruments and did not know how many types there were. He knew that he could use a body double when the time came and pass through it that way, but if he somehow had some slight knowledge on the basics, the probability of him landing the role would be higher. Thus, he'd started his training three months ago.

The company did not place much importance on this sort of low-cost production. Every month, there were film targets for every genre, and the basic scripts were always like placing old wine in a new bottle, with the aim of swaying other investors to dump money in. "A Guitar Romance" was a joint production with other investors.

When he had heard the name for the first time, Fang Zhao had thought it was a film concerning music, instruments, and youthful encouragement, but it was actually a youth campus-idol flick. Now that Natiwuzi had mentioned it, he recalled that, other than Silver Wing, the other investor was NaZ.

Ji Polun's tutor was from NaZ, and the NaZ brand was all over the film. The guitars used by the male lead were also from the NaZ brand.

"I even came up with the film title." Natiwuzi seem a little proud, but he followed with a frown. "However, the shooting progress is a little too slow."

Fang Zhao nodded his head. "Slow work yields fine products. It is important that the final product satisfies you. I am familiar with the male lead, a really hard working young chap. I even heard that he trained hard over three months just for a particular scene."

Natiwuzi had wanted to chase the other side and exert some pressure, but hearing Fang Zhao's word's, he laughed and said, "Those are rather fine words!"

Natiwuzi no longer wanted to chase them. This was just a part of his plans to expand his brand. The actor for the role had been chosen carefully. Back then, he had only picked Ji Polun because of the calluses on his hands as a result of all the hard practice. Natiwuzi's request had been to use as little editing and special effects as possible for the scenes where instruments were being played. Now that Fang Zhao had mentioned that he was indeed hardworking, Natiwuzi felt at ease. Indeed, as long as the final product was up to his standards, there was no need to nitpick other areas. Anyway, filming was set to complete soon, possibly within the next two days. He could could chase them a little more when it came to postproduction.

Given the advancements in technology, the production cycle of a film was not as long as it had once been. This sort of low-cost production took even less time.

Natiwuzi wanted Fang Zhao to give lessons through a a webcast. Fang Zhao did not have a lot of time, but forking out one or two hours was still doable.

When Fang Zhao agreed, Natiwuzi was delighted. He had heard that Fang Zhao had came to Space to find inspiration for composing, so with a wave of his hand, he presented Fang Zhao with a privilege card, which had more prestigious perks than a VIP card.

Natiwuzi also gave Fang Zhao access to videos of performances in the dance hall. From time to time, Natiwuzi would invite well-known bands or instrumental musicians to perform. The club stored a copy of all the performances, and it was not only limited to ancient musical instruments; there were many different styles, including popular styles that could drive up the atmosphere, and electronic music was the main theme. It was what Fang Zhao wanted.

As someone who did not speak much normally, saying so much in one shot was tiring for Natiwuzi. Thus, Fang Zhao did not continue staying here. After he arranged the preliminary matters of their collaboration, he left with Zuo Yu,

On the trip back, Fang Zhao received an incoming call from Wang Tie.

"I have information." Wang Tie's tone carried an air of proudness for uncovering the truth. "I said that you wouldn't have wasted money. As long as you are willing to spend, I will surely dig the truth out."

Fang Zhao had let Wang Tie investigate the mastermind behind the incident at Space. Given Wang Tie's knowledge of the entertainment circles and his keen paparazzi sense of smell, even if he was unable to discover the entire truth, any bit of information would be fine too. However, Fang Zhao had not expected that Wang Tie would have information after just one day.

"Speak," Fang Zhao said.

"The person who employed these men to act against you is a manager from Zebra e-Sports Club. You should have heard of this club. They are considered among the top 10 e-sports clubs in Yanzhou but are positioned at the tail end, in 10th place. There are over 30 clubs in the whole of Yanzhou, so they do have a reputation, but it's not that great and they can be considered a mid-tier club. However, they have some ambition. The club is currently occupying 10th place in the Yanzhou team leaderboards.

An e-sports club?

When Fang Zhao heard this, he could guess their motive.

"Because of Fiery Bird's annual gala?" Fang Zhao had heard from Wayne, Jinro, and the others about Fiery Bird's annual gala. Fiery Bird would always invite strong teams and capable individuals across all continents to participate, and all the world's media outlets would focus their coverage during the event. The criteria for this year's conference was the top ten teams and individuals in each continent on the "Battle of the Century Leaderboards."

If a person in the top 10 individual leaderboards belonged to a team within the top 10 team leaderboards, the choices of invites would be pushed back.

As most of the top 50 of Yanzhou's leaderboards was occupied by members of the top 10 teams, even if someone was placed around 20- or 30-plus, there was still a high possibility of them being invited. This was also the reason why many smaller e-sports clubs and gaming studios were exerting all their strength and resources to push certain members forward.

From the start, Zebra e-Sports Club's ambitions had been very lofty. There were rumored to have spent large sums of money and managed to squeeze into the top 10 of the Yanzhou team leaderboards for "Battle of the Century," albeit only being 10th place.

Of Jinro, Dorrian, and the other eight, six of them had been approached by Zebra e-Sports Club, especially HWR's Dorrian, who had been contacted at least 10 times. Ultimately, though, all their targets had been poached over by Silver Wing. How could they not be mad?

Besides stealing their targets multiple times, the main issue was that this SilverLight team from Silver Wing had a strong drive.

Although the SilverLight team was ranked 12th on the team leaderboards, there was no telling when they would rush upward. To the outside world, with a team comprised of such distinguished members, as long as the points-sweeping-machine AliveAfter500Years was still there, rising up the leaderboards was no issue. It was only a matter of when.

"Actually, Zebra did not just target you. They have probably employed methods against others as well. Besides the Big Five, they might have targeted those teams ranked 6th to 9th and 11th to 15th as well. As for why they focused on you on Silver Wing's side, it is probably because you are an easier target. Using dirty tricks and targeting e-sports athletes is condemned in the professional circles. Poaching is fine, but threatening the safety of an e-sports athlete is a big no. They probably targeted you, the young managing executive of the gaming team, as they did not know your identity in-game."

Any changes to the team's managing level would also affect the team and might even cause them to destabilize. Fang Zhao being the boss of SilverWing50PolarLight's project team had been announced at the press conference, and it was no wonder why he had been locked onto.

When sharing his guesses, Wang Tie seemed to take joy in others misfortune. "They had been eyeing you for a few days, but they hadn't been able to find a suitable opportunity to do something. When the video of you teaching your juniors the guitar in Space circulated online, they then went to Space. As for the rest, you know it for yourself. They most likely wanted to make the music composition circles resent you, but they never expected that you would catch them and even send them to the hospital. The six are still lying in hospital under police custody."

If the six men had not been beaten to the ground by Fang Zhao, Natiwuzi's internal investigation would not have been so quick and Wang Tie might not have gotten his information so smoothly.

"Oh, by the way," Want Tie paused, "besides me, there are also a bunch of people investigating your incident and putting in quite a bit of effort. They aren't Natiwuzi's men—his men's investigation was mainly internal, and they did not look outward. However, this bunch are different. Although they have spent a longer time, it won't take too long for them to find the information that I uncovered."

Fang Zhao pondered for a bit and replied, "You can stop your investigation."

"Are they from Silver Wing?"

"Most likely."

Wang Tie pursed his lips. "I must say, the people from Zebra surely did not expect that Silver Wing would mobilized so much manpower to investigate."

Only a few people in Silver Wing knew how important Fang Zhao was to the gaming and virtual projects departments. The boss, Duan Qianji, was extremely afraid that Fang Zhao would be poached away and had specifically found Zuo Yu, a former special forces member, to serve as his bodyguard. Zebra might have ambitions, but so did Silver Wing. Wayne's lofty dreams had only just begun. His soul had nearly left his body when he'd heard about Fang Zhao's incident at Space.

"So you want me to pull back? I will arrange all the information I found in a file and send it over." Once more, Wang Tie asked, "You really don't want me to continue investigating? There are surely others pulling the strings from behind. Otherwise, the people from Zebra wouldn't have been so impulsive."

"You won't be able to find much incriminating evidence for those few anyway," Fang Zhao replied.

"That is true. They are all demons; let's burn these people at the stake and see whether the rest get frightened," Wang Tie replied indifferently. He had seen this a lot of times and did not find it strange. Competition existed all the time, but fair competition was rare, especially in entertainment circles.

During the journey back from Space, Fang Zhao watched some of the dance-hall performances that Natiwuzi had given him, and he gained quite a bit. At night, Natiwuzi also created two compilations of performances and sent them to Fang Zhao. Besides Yanzhou artists, there were performers from other continents as well. These were video clips that could not be found even on the internet.

Since Natiwuzi had provided so much help, there was no way Fang Zhao could let him down. After watching, Fang Zhao also made plans for his online web lessons.

The next day, when Fang Zhao went to the company, Wayne wanted to talk to him alone.

"I'm not giving you such bad ideas in the future anymore! Director Duan called me up yesterday and spent an hour scolding me." Wayne still had some lingering fears, not because of the scolding he had received from Duan Qianji but because if Fang Zhao had really been accused of "using stimulants to compose," it would have caused a lot of trouble in the short term and might have affected Fang Zhao's condition.

"If you still want to find more inspiration, why not just let other company personnel handle the accompaniment music for the publicity film," Wayne suggested once more.

"I have made some progress. When it's done, I will show it to you first. If you still feel it's not suitable, then we can change it." Fang Zhao was not an opinionated person, and if his work was not suitable, he did not mind using somebody else's. He knew that Wayne had found others to compose and had made preparations on two fronts. He did not mind.

"All right. After all, this has to be completed within this month." At this point, Wayne could not help but say the real reason he had wanted to speak with Fang Zhao. "Are you all able to break into the top 10?" Wayne rubbed his hands together. "It's not that I doubt your ability, just that you haven't been logging in much and you have been letting Jinro lead the team. The members in the team have improved tremendously, but... but the competition is just so great."

As the other person in charge of SilverWing50PolarLight, Wayne felt anxious. When Fang Zhao was not in the office, Wayne had led Jinro and the others in a meeting and had inquired with them, but Jinro and the others had said that Fang Zhao had other instructions. They were to build up their basics and not advance prematurely. For example, driving, shooting, detection and identification of dangerous organisms, concealment, and other skills needed to survive. That was why the team had not gone all out to kill monsters, and making the top 15 at their rate was not easy.

Knowing that the bunch only listened to Fang Zhao, Wayne had known he couldn't dig anything else from them and could only rely on Fang Zhao to do the work.

As Wayne spoke, he watched for Fang Zhao's reaction. When Fang Zhao did not speak, he thought for a bit and said, "The people who plotted against you were from Zebra e-Sports Club..."

Wayne explained the findings of Silver Wing's investigation of the incident. "Luckily for them, we don't eat without paying. Don't worry about it. Leave the matters in the real world to me. I will get people to handle them. As for the game, we can't let ourselves be stomped on, can we? They are just two places above us; we just have to charge forward a little and crush them."

Fang Zhao nodded. "It's about time."

Wayne was all smiles, thinking that Fang Zhao had listened to his advice and finally changed his mind, but he quickly straightened his face and said seriously, "Everyone will be waiting for your good news, then. Oh, I nearly forgot to ask. What relationship do you have with Natiwuzi? Why does the internet think you are Natiwuzi's illegitimate son or a runaway grandson?"

"We are ancient-musical-instrument lovers. We just had an exchange on ancient instrumental skills, and he wishes to work with me."

"It won't affect anything on our side, right?"

"Nope."

"That's good."

On that day, Fang Zhao went to the 50th floor to hold a meeting. Both the Polar Light and SilverLight project teams were present.

On the same night, the SilverLight team that had been crawling slowly up the leaderboards suddenly burst to life, as if the brakes on their car had been removed.

Fang Zhao had taught them all the skills that could be taught. How much they could grasp was entirely up to them.

Fang Zhao would gradually withdraw from the team operations and hand the role of authority over to Jinro. During the operations in-game, Fang Zhao also slowly started to keep his distance or spectate from the sides. After all, Fang Zhao intended to serve in the military next year, and he needed to let them adapt to this new method of combat. Even if they recruited more members in the future, Jinro would be able to handle it well.

On December 9, the SilverLight team rose to the 10th position on the Yanzhou "Battle of the Century" team leaderboards. Zebra e-Sports Club, who had previously been at 10th place, were pushed down to 11th.

On December 10, the system announced the release of a new area away from the original warzones. Gamers escaped toward the newly-released areas nearest their city districts.

The SilverLight team, which had been making preparations beforehand, formed a motorcade and led other original players of District 79 toward the new district.

On December 12, another round of natural disasters occured. Populations of mutated beast species saw a sharp spike in their numbers as all 100 districts of Yanzhou fell to the enemy.

On December 15, SilverLight team's experience points total was now 9th place on the leaderboards.

As long as they maintained this state, before the month ended, they could charge to 8th.

Chapter 158: Nostalgic Trend

"Battle of the Century," in a certain southern district of Yanzhou.

A large motorcade was traveling toward the destination announced by the game's system.

Milo looked at the map, surveyed the surrounding terrain, and asked the others, "The new district is in this direction, right?" He cast a glance at Fang Zhao, who was sitting on the roof of the car beside them. Seeing that Fang Zhao did not look over, he looked toward Jinro and Dorrian, who nodded. Only then did Milo give a sigh of relief. He had not given the wrong directions this time.

Now Milo only had one word for Fang Zhao: respect!

Prior to this, he just had not understood why Fang Zhao had kept forcing them to learn those skills. When it came for them to start fleeing, only then did he realize the importance of these skills. Others might spend more time trying to adapt midway through the fleeing process, and the odds of losing lives would thus be greater. In addition, once someone lost their life, they might not be able to keep up with the speed of their team. This was due to the time restriction the system placed on logging back in after a death.

And these other people, who felt they were unable to kill any monsters or pick up any points following the SilverLight team, were now falling over each other to ride on their coattails, and could not be chased away. These people were not foolish; they knew the best chance of survival was following the team. The penalties for dying just once were very severe! By following the SilverLight team, they could hide inside the vehicles and avoid greater danger. They also finally realized that experience points did not increase just by killing monsters nonstop. Tiring oneself and dying would lead to the entire week's experience points being wiped, and many times, just by surviving longer, the experience points would automatically be higher.

This was also the reason many people called "Battle of the Century" a survival game, not a monster-slaying game. Survival was of the utmost importance. Whatever one wished to do, they would have to guarantee their own life first. It was only to live that killing monsters became necessary.

The motorcade following the SilverLight team were not all members of SilverLight. A majority were other players from District 79 that had convened together, and the ranks were made up of many teams, with SilverLight at the head.

Without reporters chasing after them, the SilverLight members were more spirited as they played. However, even though there were no reporters trying to stop them, at all times, the SilverLight team was still the focal point of attention in the motorcade.

Two people were discussing in hush tones. "Hey, have you seen what 500Years-god looks like?" AliveAfter500Years's ID was too long, so people referred to him in private as 500Years.

"Nope, I only saw him killing monsters, and he was so f*cking cool. My eyes could not keep up with the speed he switched guns at!"

"Are you guys new here? What's so great about switching guns? Back when they brought us along when fleeing District 79, the way he drove the car was more like flying. Many times during those drifts, I thought that he would fly straight out! He could even kill monsters while driving, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand wielding a gun!" someone else exclaimed, and he clicked his tongue in approval.

"Seems like nobody even knows the real identity of 500Years-god yet. So many paparazzi, but they were unable to dig out any info?"

"Who knows? However, according to past practices, Fiery Bird's annual gala is coming soon. SilverLight seems to have settled in the top 10 and will be invited. At that time, we will all find out for ourselves."

"Oh, that's right. I really hope Fiery Bird's annual gala comes quickly. When is it going to be?"

"I heard it is set 100 days after the release date of 'Battle of the Century,' so soon, I guess. Probably around the 8th or 9th January."

"Isn't that a wait of over 20 days?"

"Just wait. In any case, no one has been able to dig out any information regarding his true identity."

"What about the paparazzi king? Wasn't there a rumor that the paparazzi king who was jailed on another planet was released? Why hasn't there been any activity?"

At that moment, the paparazzi king who was being talked about in private was telling their revered 500Years-god a story.

Wang Tie was at Fang Zhao's side, recounting his own experiences from when he had been a war journalist. Besides being in charge of shooting the team's publicity film, he held a concurrent post of telling Fang Zhao stories. At the start, he had wished to brag about himself, but later on, he had felt like he was in a film during ancient times where those nobles would hire storytellers for entertainment at taverns.

But when he thought about Fang Zhao paying him from his own pocket, Wang Tie changed his attitude and continued telling Fang Zhao about the sights and sounds he had experienced while serving his jail term. Being dragged to be a war journalist was just one of the many experiences from his time as a prisoner.

At the start, Wang Tie had only wished to recount some of his dreadful past experiences to frighten Fang Zhao, since he was enlisting to clear his military service next year. His stories were bound to scare that little brat. However, after finishing his story, Wang Tie realized that Fang Zhao only sighed and exclaimed "There are no easy times." He simply did not look the least bit frightened.

Wang Tie did not understand what Fang Zhao meant by "There are no easy times," but he knew he wouldn't get an answer by asking Fang Zhao. He had already been beaten numerous times by Fang Zhao, and he secretly hoped that Fang Zhao would hurry up and enlist. Without Fang Zhao around, he would be free to do as he wished in Yanzhou. Otherwise, as long as that person existed, he would always feel a pair of eyes on him, making him uneasy.

After talking for a bit, Wang Tie shot a quick glance at Fang Zhao and thought, This brat's mind has wandered again.

As Wang Zhao was thinking, Fang Zhao suddenly faced a certain direction, as if carefully identifying the issue.

"Something's coming, and not just a few."

Fang Zhao's one sentence made all members of the team spring to high alert immediately.

"Prepare for battle!" Jinro roared, getting up and assigning tasks to others. Besides their team, he needed to assign the other people within the motorcade. This group of survivors needed to cooperate and work together as a team if they wanted to head forth to the new district.

"The warning device hasn't even sounded, where is the dang—" before he could even finish, the warning device on his hand sounded.

People beside him rolled their eyes. "A new member? Get used to it. You can't go wrong following SilverLight members."

On this journey, everyone had gotten used to it. From doubts at the start to being fully convinced by now. Most people would not be so foolish as to provoke Silver Light members. Their battle strength was there for all to see, and their survival skills were top notch. In any case, all these people needed to do was follow after the SilverLight members.

But there was some doubt in many people's hearts. Why was it Jinro who was in charge of assigning tasks and not AliveAfter500Years? Had Jinro surpassed AliveAfter500Years and squeezed him out? But normally, Jinro and the others still called AliveAfter500Years "Boss." Could it be that AliveAfter500Years himself did not wish to be captain or vice captain and had passed the roles to Jinro and Dorrian? Or were there some secret circumstances?

The outside was full of gossip, and many tabloids even speculated that SilverLight was having an internal power struggle and that other people had join forces to crowd AliveAfter500Years out.

Some members of the motorcade had asked Schwarzer in private, as they felt that a university student would break easily. In the end, Schwarzer had not revealed any important information. When asked whether he had joined forces with the others to overthrow AliveAfter500Years, Schwarzer was so scared he jumped up. "Overthrow? I don't have that sort of guts!"

Schwarzer would never forget when Fang Zhao had come to recruit him. Back then, he had learned a little martial arts and had wanted to show off in front of Fang Zhao. In the end, he had been kicked straight offline. It was still painful even now. Ever since then, he had been training diligently, both online and offline.

"Heh, Mr Huo Li, make sure you take good-looking shots of me later!" Schwarzer did not forget to remind Wang Tie before the battle started.

"Idiot, nobody can see what you look like with a helmet on!" Jake chided disdainfully. "Handsome, definitely handsome. Don't worry, everyone, have trust in my skills. When the publicity film is released, you shall all know." Wang Tie laughed.

Jinro pointed out an area in their ranks. "Boss, there are some people in a dormant state there, and they are unable to battle over on that side. They are lacking in manpower, so we have to leave it to you."

"Got it." Fang Zhao walked over.

When everyone was at their assigned spots, the warning devices were all flashing red, but they did not have concrete numbers.

First-generation warning devices that could be exchanged using credits had many functions that were not complete. When the beast hordes were smaller, they still worked fine, but when there were too many beasts, they became inaccurate. According to records in history books, the warning devices had further upgraded versions, but for now they could only use the first generation.

The SilverLight team members thought in their hearts, The first gen warning devices are not as easy to use as our boss. As long as Fang Zhao is around, encountering any situation is a breeze.

"Fire!"

With that command, the previously tranquil surface exploded to life. Gunshots from many different types of guns filled the air. Showers of dust rose into the air as bullets peppered the ground. The howls and wails of the horde of mutated beasts, together with the cursing from the human side, all mashed together, forming a strange and fantastic symphony.

Wind picked up dust along the way and carried it off to somewhere far off in the distance.

It was another battle that lasted close to an hour. After the last beast was exterminated, there was only jubilant laughter within the motorcade.

Dorrian looked toward Jinro. "Shall we call it a day?" Generally speaking, after an hour of high-intensity battle, they would all disconnect to rest. While in-game, even if the warning devices were not sounding, they still needed to remain vigilant, which was too tiring. As this was still a game, for the sake of making it enjoyable, the difficulty was also slightly lowered. If it were really during the Period of Destruction, surely some would have collapsed from exhaustion and fallen into despair.

Jinro glanced at Fang Zhao and saw him nod his head. "Let's call it a day. Head offline to rest up. Remember to put away the vehicles. Who was it that forgot to keep them the last time..."

At Silver Wing's 50th floor gaming studio.

When Jinro and the others exited from the gaming cabins, drenched in sweat, the assistants and medical team rushed forward to surround them.

Milo gulped down a glass of water and sat down, panting, allowing the medical team to do a checkup.

"What do you think the boss is doing now?" Milo said, panting.

Jinro glanced at the time. "Probably preparing for his webcast lesson."

Having just logged out of the game and he could immediately prepare for his webcast lesson without being affected...

Schwarzer and a few others eyed each other and sighed. "Simply not human."

"I really want to see the reactions when everyone finds out the true identity of AliveAfter500Years." Dorrian chuckled. "Another 20-odd days."

The other members in the team all laughed as well. Indeed, everyone would be dumbfounded.

At the other end, after logging off, Fang Zhao took a shower before heading into his study to read a little. There was a lot of knowledge he still needed to study about the New Era. Whenever he was free, Fang Zhao would absorb this information.

When the time came, Fang Zhao turned on his webcast and began teaching.

The channel for his webcast was "Silver Wing Education." Fang Zhao would record himself, and the projection would be sent to the "Silver Wing Education" broadcasting studio, which would then stream it to the audiences.

When Silver Wing Education's anchor received Fang Zhao's cue, the image cut away.

Fang Zhao was holding a guitar with the prominent NaZ logo. Behind him, the wall was adorned with NaZ guitars of different types and designs.

"Today, I will not be teaching everyone the strumming technique. Due to the number of viewers and subscribers increasing and asking questions, today I will focus on explaining various guitar types for beginner students and how to choose them. Everyone knows folk guitars, classical guitars, and electric guitars and their special characteristics. Guitars can also be divided into hollow wood guitars, hollow electric guitars, semi-hollow electric guitars, and solid-body electric guitars. Take a look behind me..."

Fang Zhao briefly talked about the different types of guitars, how people of different ages should choose guitars of an appropriate size, how the guitar felt, the grades of guitars, and other fundamental knowledge for choosing one.

Why Fang Zhao had chosen to talk about this was because of the latest fad of a type of pretentious magical instrument—guitar.

The campus romance flick that Natiwuzi had invested in—"A Guitar Romance," starring Ji Polun—had been released, and the advertisements were good. The photograph of the male lead's posture with a guitar strapped to his back captivated the hearts of many. Ancient guitars had seen a sharp spike in popularity, especially among students.

During Fang Zhao's previous webcast lessons, he had not talked about this fundamental knowledge at the start. The viewers of his webcast were mostly industry professionals, and even those who were not in the industry still had experience with some ancient musical instruments, so Fang Zhao had not needed to tell them much and had instead been able to focus on strumming techniques. Now that the webcast viewers were rising exponentially, though, many beginner students had asked questions, so Fang Zhao needed to first use some time to focus on the basics. Even just picking a guitar to use it as a display ornament, these people also needed to know how to choose a guitar, how to hold a guitar, and how to not get scammed by unorthodox sellers.

...

Inside a certain residential building in Qi'an City.

In the New Era, there were six years of secondary school. A boy who was still in secondary year five carried the present he had pestered his parents so long for, a hollow-center wooden guitar. Adjusting the straps, he copied the main lead's manner before he went on stage to perform in "A Guitar's Love." He adjusted the guitar till it was below his waist level, stretching his face as he looked in the mirror and did a cool pose.

"Handsome! But it doesn't seem like the original."

The boy then adjusted the strap and posture once more, this time following the manner of certain band members he had watched videos of. He adjusted the guitar below his chin and put on a bowtie.

"Even more handsome! But it doesn't harmonize well."

Pondering for a bit, the boy then went online and saw how a guitar should look like when strapped on the back. He adjusted the strap once more, faced the head down, and strapped it to his back.

"Something still feels lacking." As he was saying this, he ran over to his father's drawer and took out an ancient-looking cowboy hat. He plucked a strand of grass from the balcony where his mother's plants were and stuck it in his mouth. Facing the mirror once more, he struck a few laid-back poses.

"F*cking handsome!"

Nailing down his look for today, the boy whistled a tune as he left for school.

He had just left his neighborhood when he saw another fellow male student from his school who was carrying a guitar on his shoulder as if it were an ancient shovel seen in those Old Era movies. Looking at him, it seemed... rather cool.

Whatever, he could change to that appearance tomorrow.

Secondary school and university teachers watched helplessly as they found their own students acting pretentious, changing their guitar poses daily. But to the students, they felt that carrying their own guitars on their backs was showing off their own personality and style!

As nostalgic styles returned this year, the pretentious style of carrying a guitar became a sort of "politically correct" fad in schools.probably afk

Chapter 159: Fiery Bird Annual Gala Invite

The more digital the product, the quicker it evolved, as did its look. Thus, folks sometimes preferred to collect antiques instead.

The guitar renaissance generated by Natiwuzi and his company had been very successful. Just look at the different ways young students were carrying or hugging their guitars on school campuses.

Natiwuzi even nudged journalists toward news stories of the more sensational variety, such as a male student confessing his love for a female schoolmate by playing a ballad outside her dorm. Storylines like that happened in the movie "A Guitar Romance." The students were simply imitating the actors in the film.

Fashion and trends were determined by proactive leaders. Natiwuzi had prepared thoroughly for this day.

Amid the wave of promotional activities, not only did Natiwuzi's NaZ brand become a hit, so did Ji Polun, the male lead of "A Guitar Romance."

This point came up during conversations between Zu Wen and company—when Ji Polun made promotional appearances with the press team, he focused on college and secondary school campuses. He carried a guitar every single time but struck different poses, and students scrambled to mimic him. He had generated the buzz befitting a hot young actor.

At the same time, more and more folks tuned into Fang Zhao's webcasts. Every day, Fang Zhao spent an hour lecturing and another hour answering questions online. He also posted altered guitar scores online, mostly simpler pieces suited for beginners.

Many musical pieces had been preserved from the Old Era, but most were ill-suited for New Era tastes. Slight alterations would make them more palatable. The same song would require different scores for the electronic guitar and acoustic guitar. The technique was different too. Fang Zhao would break it down for his viewers. For example, for a piece he altered for the lecture the day before yesterday, the acoustic version required sliding, while the electric guitar version saw more plucking.

Today, as in previous sessions, after answering viewer questions, Fang Zhao played a song with a new guitar model provided by Natiwuzi.

The student response had been overwhelming, so Natiwuzi's brand had launched a new series called "Rising Sun," targeted at student buyers.

Today, Fang Zhao played with an acoustic guitar from the Rising Sun series. He strummed the strings gently in a seemingly casual manner as a soft but grounded melody drifted from the high-quality wood craftsmanship alongside the live footage.

The song he played today was an updated Old Era piece requested by a viewer. All things retro were the fad of late, with many folks digging out songs preserved from the Old Era.

The song he had played yesterday was an updated happy birthday song dedicated to a viewer who had been celebrating his birthday. The viewer had been so moved that he had awarded Fang Zhao 10,000 dollars online.

Fang Zhao wrapped up his show every day by playing one of the songs requested by his viewers.

"Oh, I wasn't picked again. Is it because there are too many people online and too many requests?"

"Today's show is over?"

"Watching today's live broadcast made me realize that my pretentious guitar pose yesterday was wrong."

"The guitar is so difficult to master. I've made no progress in three days. My fingers are numb from practicing all afternoon yesterday, but now I think these Old Era instruments sound quite nice."

"Hire a private instructor and learn one-on-one."

"Fang Zhao is too good. He's even more skilled than the instructor my mother hired for me."

"I heard that the instructor my father hired for me is also following Fang Zhao's webcasts. He's a younger graduate of Fang Zhao's alma mater."

"The more I look at Fang Zhao, the more handsome he seems, especially when he plays the guitar. He projects a completely different aura. Who knows when Fang Zhao is lecturing at Qi'an Academy of Music next? I'm going to get his autograph."

"Count me in if folks are organizing a trip to Qi'an Academy of Music!"

"I feel like Fang Zhao is a very gentle person."

__________

The Silver Wing gaming team that had just gotten offline from battle: "Hehe." Gentle, my ass!

Indeed, Fang Zhao looked gentler on average these days. He also lacked the fiery temper of his contemporaries. Even Silver Wing staffers had observed that Fang Zhao was much more even-tempered than when he had first joined the company. His temper had improved, and he was no longer wearing an ultra-aloof look all the time.

Every time they heard comments like that, members of the Silver Wing team felt misunderstood. Only they saw the other side of Fang Zhao.

"The deadline is coming up, no?" Dorrian asked Jinro. "Still no news?"

"Three more days." Jinro clicked the rankings page on the Fiery Bird official website and browsed the top 10 teams in each continent. Teams hovering near the top 10 were still locked in a fierce battle.

"We're ranked No. 7 now. If we make a push, we can definitely clinch the No. 6 spot. If boss is willing to play again, we could even make the top five," Milo said.

But they all knew that Fang Zhao didn't spend much time online these days, and even if he went online, he operated separately. It was clear that he was gradually phasing out of the team. The entertainment media was speculating every day about possible internal strife, practically begging for some development that would allow them to put out a 3-million-word feature on the team's internal bickering. Many folks were also hoping AliveAfter500Years would lose his No. 1 ranking, but he clung onto the position, and quite firmly at that.

"Didn't Wayne say he would release our promotional video once we got the invite from Fiery Bird?" Schwarzer was looking forward to seeing the video immensely. Even though he had not seen the final product, he had seen some of the footage Wang Tie had shot, and he had enjoyed it. The final cut was definitely going to be very slick.

"The deadline is the fifth. We should be receiving an invite on the sixth. The sixth is the earliest we'll see it," Jinro said.

Jinro never would have guessed when he had signed with Silver Wing that he would make it to Fiery Bird's annual gala. He had been retired from gaming for several years now. He wondered if folks from other continents still remembered him.

The team's promotional video was ready. For the score, Wayne used the piece Fang Zhao had submitted. Wayne never would have guessed that Fang Zhao could produce a piece that met his expectations.

Wang Tie was no longer tracking them online. He had gone back to plying his old trade, but he refused any assignments that involved investigating AliveAfter500Years. Are you kidding me? He had just escaped the fire pit and Fang Zhao had promised him no trouble. If he waded back into the waters now—did he have a death wish?

After news of Wang Tie turning down assignments broke, more and more folks became curious about AliveAfter500Years. What kind of person could force the undisputed king of Yanzhou paparazzi to turn down jobs? Was he a relative of the governor? Or was he a member of one of Yanzhou's major aristocratic families?

The closer the date got to the Jan. 5 deadline, the more the local media focused on gaming. Even if Yanzhou's Big Three entertainment companies were releasing a blockbuster film, it would be hard to compete with Fiery Bird's annual gala.

Fiery Bird's annual gala was an event gamers from around the world paid close attention to. Teams from Yanzhou that were invited were representing the continent, so naturally, they valued the invitation tremendously, especially given that Yanzhou was home to the world's top player of "Battle of the Century," even though his real identity was still unknown. Folks from other continents were glued to the event, let alone gamers in Yanzhou.

Jan. 5 finally arrived, the cutoff date for Fiery Bird's final rankings.

The Silver Wing team qualified for the gala with a sixth place finish in Yanzhou.

But what pissed off the Silver Wing team members was that the team they had surpassed, Zebra Club, had also managed to squeeze into the top 10. They finished 10th by making their move the day before the deadline, crowding out White Rhino Club, the team originally ranked 10th.

Word was that Zebra Club had played dirty. White Rhino fans and Zebra fans had been tearing into each other online nonstop the past two days.

White Rhino fans derided Zebra fans as despicable, underhanded, and having no shame.

Zebra fans retorted, "Shut up or put up. Playing dirty requires ability too. If you were capable, you could respond in kind."

The two clubs were both named after animals that had gone extinct. This was a popular naming method in the New Era. Fiery Bird, for example, was named the same way. Extinct animals, plants, and so on often offered ideas for company, street, and shop names.

Historical data indicated that rhinos were stronger than zebras, but this time, many folks joked that the rhino got its butt kicked by the zebra. News outlets that had nothing better to do even published comics of rhinos and zebras in battle.

Fang Zhao was scheduled to lecture at the Qi'an Academy of Music on the fifth. Attendance for his lectures had grown on account of the retro fad of late. Fang Zhao's webcast had also helped boost his profile. If the Qi'an Academy of Music hadn't implemented crowd-control measures, Fang Zhao would have been mobbed by even more fans.

Now that Qi'an Academy students and graduates were in such high demand, many current students took part-time gigs. Instrumental majors would moonlight at restaurants that needed live performers or post ads on private tutor platforms, offering their services. In the past, their ads would have gone unanswered for as long as a week. There were too few people interested in learning musical instruments, after all. Secondary students simply didn't have the patience. Now, though, things were different. Qi'an Academy students typically saw their ads answered within an hour.

With the advent of the internet, the "distance" in distance learning was no longer an issue, so the students ads were closely monitored not just by Qi'an residents but also by parents from other parts of Yanzhou. The hourly rate for Qi'an students serving as private tutors tripled within a month. With the retro trend still on the rise, there was still room for more salary growth. Non-instrumental majors got mighty jealous and started contemplating switching majors.

However, folks who could afford to splurge on a private tutor wanted to hire Fang Zhao, but Fang Zhao was probably unavailable and beyond their payscale. Fang Zhao didn't have time to tutor, not to mention that even if he were willing to tutor, he was just one person. There were too many people who wanted to hire him and not enough of him to go around. Thus, the vacuum was filled by current Qi'an Academy students or Qi'an Academy graduates who wanted to tutor.

But the part-time tutors might not actually know how to teach, so they had to cram as well. Not only did they tune into Fang Zhao's webcasts, they also flocked to his lectures so they could pick his brains in person.

And Fang Zhao didn't hold back either, generously sharing his techniques and insight. When old man Xue Jing found out, he was very pleased. He even wanted to launch a new global lecture tour with Fang Zhao in the new year, but unfortunately, Fang Zhao had to serve in the military.

After the end of today's lecture, Fang Zhao got a call from Hua Li, the head of Fiery Bird's sound effects department.

"Did you see the final ranking? Your new team did pretty well, climbing to sixth place in Yanzhou in their debut," Hua Li said in a jovial tone. "The invitations to the annual gala have been dispatched from headquarters. Folks from our Yanzhou branch will deliver yours to your office. You'll be attending the annual gala, no?"

"Of course."

"Then let's catch up properly then. Kid, you're... full of surprises."

Hua Li had long known the true identity of AliveAfter500Years. Quite a few core members of Fiery Bird's senior management did, but the company had done a tremendous job with its confidentiality measures. It was impossible for outsiders to pry any insider information from their end.

"The banquet is on the eighth and there are other activities scheduled for the ninth and 10th. It's best to arrive a day ahead of time. You should start making preparations. When you arrive, let's grab a drink. I'll introduce you to a few friends. They're all composers, and they've been longing to meet this rising star for some time. I just don't know how they will react when they find out about your other identity, haha!"

Wayne had already briefed Fang Zhao on the schedule. The Silver Wing team was scheduled to leave for their hotel in Huangzhou on the seventh, ahead of the the banquet on the eighth. They had a busy schedule.

Fang Zhao had to put his webcast and lectures on hold for the next few days.

Jan. 6, 9 a.m. Staffers from the Yanzhou branch of Fiery Bird hand-delivered an invitation bearing the company logo to the 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower.

Chapter 160: "Kings of the Battlefield"

January 6 was the day where every big e-sports club could make their presence felt the most.

Even if any of Yanzhou's famous entertainment companies had New Year's films or promotional activities, they would avoid this day. In the past, Silver Wing had only been able to cast coveting glances at these e-sports clubs, unable to do anything about it. But this year, Silver Wing's gaming department was soaking up all the excitement.

After Silver Wing's gaming department was reformed, Wayne had realized his ambitions. The publicity channels had all been arranged, and the promotional events were on standby, not yet started just in case something unforeseen really happened. After all, this was the first time they had encountered such a situation. Even if they were in the top 10 of the team leaderboards, there were still what ifs. What If Fiery Bird decided on only the top 5? Then wouldn't they have celebrated for nothing?

Until the invitation letter with the bright-red Fiery Bird insignia was in his hands, Wayne was in an apprehensive mood. This was the first time he had been so excited in his few decades in the Silver Wing gaming department.

His fingers were still shaking when he reached out and pressed a button to release the news that had been prepared beforehand.

"Let's begin!"

The SilverLight team would have a huge role in today's hot entertainment topics!

The Big Five getting invited was not even considered news. In the eyes of the masses, it would only be considered news if they had not received an invite. On the other hand, the SilverWing50PolarLight team, better known as SilverLight, that had only been established this year and had rushed into the top 10 was the focus of attention for a lot of people.

Other teams that had squeezed into the top 10 had done quite a lot of publicity, and the masses felt that it was no longer fresh. However, SilverLight was different. Today was the release of their first ever publicity film for the team.

Everyone knew that a publicity film was a chance to do a short self-introduction to the masses and to give the masses a profound impression of the team. However, until now, the Silver Light team had released too little information. The impression the masses had was still limited to the news conference where Silver Wing had revealed the members of the team as well as the leaderboard details.

At 12 p.m., on Silver Wing's broadcasting platform, official website, video streaming sites, and over 10 large screens in city districts, a short, three-minute publicity film played both online and offline.

In the New Era, this sort of publicity film could not be too long, as audiences did not have the patience to watch it, yet it could not be too short either, as time was needed to express the things they wanted to express. Therefore, two to three minutes was the norm.

When Silver Wing's wing emblem and the SilverLight team's tree insignia appeared simultaneously, Many hurriedly rushing people stopped what they were doing and looked at the large screens in the plazas.

A familiar electronic music tune played—the brief default music that played when logging onto "Battle of the Century." Familiar images showing the grave conditions of the Period of Destruction continuously appeared.

Mournful cries, loud gunfire, and the sound of a large building collapsing accompanied the buzzing that sounded like an electric current, which continued rising, building the atmosphere up.

Explosions in line with the sound effects filled the screen, drummed up by the increasingly frantic electronic music as the succinct rhythm repeated itself, carrying about a thick Period of Destruction flavor. Then the effects faded, and an expansive horizon appeared.

The video showed a certain office building. The people inside were watching the screen in front of them displaying scenes from "Battle of the Century" with eager anticipation, as if the little seeds in their hearts had sprouted.

A slightly pump middle-aged man who was watching turned around and walked out, his footsteps coinciding with the drumbeats, and the music's tempo and his movements were one!

Following the person's movements, the scene continued to zoomed out. As he was walking out, words "Gaming Department" appeared suspended on the wall behind him.

The audiences understood what it meant. Oh, so this is the fabled Silver Wing gaming department.

The music heard by the audiences was a not-so-gentle, formulated electronic tone that carried with it a mystical feeling, modulating with extremely detailed changes. The rich tones alternated with a high pitch, bringing about a lively intensity that built upon layers of electronic sound effects, creating a terse and magnificent melody.

As the pulsating music connected, some rapidly edited cutscenes from different angles were shown.

When the plump middle-aged man arrived in front of the elevator, at that moment, an elevator had descended from the upper floors. The doors opened, and there was a young man inside. The two men nodded at each other, the expressions on their faces slightly serious.

People who paid attention to the SilverLight team found them familiar. Weren't they Silver Wing gaming department manager Wayne and the young manager Fang Zhao of the virtual projects department?

On the screen, inside the elevator, the displayed number changed from 51 to 50. The elevator doors opened and Silver Wing's 50th floor's virtual projects department appeared in front of their eyes.

The two men stepped inside the department, and the camera closed up as the sliding doors closed behind them, showing a simple tree-shaped image, the team's emblem.

The imaged faded to black and a line of words appeared—

"Something that we are slowly unable to control..."

During the intermission, after a momentary pause, the music resumed, this time without so much of a rousing melody. It was different from Fang Zhao's previous works. Beneath the electronic sound effects, the melody seemed grave, sketchy but not losing any of its density. The tempo was both thrilling and powerful.

After the caption faded, in the dark background, someone opened a door.

Sunlight poured in from through the doorway. Against the dark backdrop, the doorway was extremely bright in contrast. The scene seemed both cold and warm, the darkness and light combining to form a divine image.

And the man who had opened the door stood in the only bright spot in the dark background, his back facing the screen. However, the guy standing there gave viewers an uneasy feeling, like a sharp, rigid, and silent knife.

The scene faded once again.

"Been waiting for so long..."

After the caption, in the video, a person in the midst of strength training raised his head and looked straight at the camera with a purposeful gaze, beads of sweat dripping off his face.

Veteran gamers watching this scene could recognize him right away.

The former 2S team captain Jinro, who had disappeared from the scene for eight years.

Eight years was long enough.

Behind Jinro, Dorrian was undergoing stamina training.

Jasmine was doing reaction training.

Milo was doing balancing training.

August, Yu Zhongqing, Jake, Schwarzer, Qi Zi, Ferrerya, Nibali, Mamun, Oz...

Every team member appeared in succession, either running, jumping, working out, or training with others. The video focused on their flexed and protruding muscles and the sweat glistening on their skin.

The music's tempo gradually increased in intensity, drumbeats similar to the heartbeats of viewers as they gradually beat faster. Those watching were unclear whether it was the background music or the video itself that was affecting them this way.

Another transition.

"We have long been itching to get on with it."

As the words appeared, new electronic tones entered the fray, the rhythm gradually strengthened, and the atmosphere became more and more ferocious.

In the video, analysts clad in work clothes were watching a screen full of data and discussing something. People wearing white robes with a simple Polar Light icon on their sleeves and chests were giving the team members checkups. Beside the team members, there was also another group of people, moving about hurriedly but orderly and serving the team members drinks and handing over towels.

Engineers in charge of maintaining the game consoles were scrutinizing complex holographic illustrations.

This was the first time that SilverLight team's assistants, medical team, and behind-the-scenes personnel had been shown in public!

As the music gradually built up the atmosphere, the engineers did an "OK" hand sign, the head of the medical team nodded his head, and assistants helped the members put on their "combat attire." Once equipped, the team members walked briskly toward another room.

Doors bearing the tree-shaped emblem opened, revealing ninth-generation Fiery Bird consoles arced in a semicircle that filled up the entire screen.

Under the lights, the exterior of these machines reflected with a terrifying luster. The Fiery Bird insignias on the machines seemed as if they were about to burst into flames!

Team members entered the cabin-style game consoles one by one and closed the doors. As the camera panned backward, a white-colored humanoid robot was already standing in the front.

10th-generation console!

A lot of eyes widened as they saw this scene. Silver Wing still had a second 10th generation console? Or had they brought out the same one for somebody to use?

However, at this moment, viewers could not be bothered to do any deep thinking.

The pounding of drums continued to push on, as if foreboding a pandemonium that could not be controlled.

The person wearing the 10th generation console raised a hand then put it down, as though giving a signal.

Almost at the same time, all the "in operation" lights of the 9th-generation cabin consoles flickered on.

In the video, everything seemed to turn into neurons, transcending space and matter. The whole world seemed to turn into data and computer code as the virtual world spun rapidly.

Gradually, it got darker. The fast-paced music abruptly stopped at that moment.

Silence carried an irrational tension, and even the air seemed to stiffen.

Crash!

The sound of a glass object smashing and shattering jolted people's hearts!

The explosiveness breaking the silence with such force seemed to assault the ears and mental states of viewers!

Everything thoroughly exploded to life.

A group of people entered into a building through the broken window, toting firearms. Their actions were well-coordinated, as though they were a team of elite paratroopers.

Close-ups of the firearms flashed by and the camera switched from the wielders point of view until it was face to face with the sinister visage of a mutated beast.

Bang!

Straight between the eyebrows.

Bang, bang, bang!

Blood-splattered bullet holes in the wall, shattered glass, corpses on the ground, a chandelier swaying and on the verge of crashing down, a messed-up corridor...

Music and special sound effects perfectly assimilated and extremely incisive, as though they had deeply penetrated the listener's nerves.

"There is nothing that can stop us."

The scenes rapidly changed, from indoors to outdoors, from the cities to outskirts.

Flashes as bullets sprayed, blood dripping, flying limbs...

Sounds of a sharp knife tearing through flesh, the thuds of a blunt weapon hitting flesh, beastly howls and wails of anguish, the sound of bodies hitting the ground...

The camera fully displayed the violence of these bloody close-combat life and death struggles. The overwhelming and shocking scenes told the audiences everything that happened.

Blood, violence.

A combination of those two tended to make people shudder. However, behind the images were music and sound effects with a strong and unyielding tempo. From the start, it had been the video's keynote and had set the atmosphere.

These were the circumstances of the Period of Destruction. This was mankind's fight for survival!

Violence and blood, but behind it all was overflowing hope!

Quick cutscenes accelerated the violent images. The audiences were unable to fully comprehend all the scenes that flashed through, but they could feel each and every cutscene provoking their senses.

The music and acoustics perfectly complemented each cutscene and increased the acceptance levels of the scenes reeking of blood, completely permeating and battering the audiovisual senses and relaying the message of the video.

Extraordinary camera work coupled with the intricately weaved music made these violent and bloody scenes much more aesthetically exquisite and terrifying! They gave audiences the impression that they were not that grim but brought about a bizarre infectiousness.

These were typical entertainment manufacturing techniques and were more suited to mainstream tastes.

Changing to a final cutscene, a speeding truck charged straight at an enormous mutated beast. Under the overcast sky, incendiary rounds like rays of light flew straight at the oil tanks of the truck.

An ear-splitting boom resounded as the blaze of an explosion filled the sky and the music reached its climax.

"We are the kings of the battlefield!"

The concluding scene showed all the main members of the SilverLight team in-game, gathered together, clad in their combat attire and walking towards the camera. Some wore helmets, while others didn't.

With the static image of the final scene, the music also ceased.

At the bottom right of the screen, the Silver Wing insignia and the SilverLight tree emblem appeared once again.

Of the three-minute film, the first minute and a half was an introduction of the team as well as the support staff, and the latter minute and a half was all edits of in-game footage.

The accompaniment music had been composed by Fang Zhao. During the arrangement, he had used the same style that built up the majestic atmosphere. This was the skill he was most proficient at. Even when trying out new elements, he did not give it up one bit. In order to better compliment the scenes and their sound effects, compared to his previous works, Fang Zhao had lowered the rhythm but maintain the strong tempo. This was his first try at this new method, in line with what Wayne had told him before of more direct explosiveness, yet he had still kept some fine traces of the academic essence.

For people not used to electronic tones and sound effects, they might find it raucous, but people in the New Era had long gotten used to this sort of lively static and knew how to appreciate the aesthetics of this era's electronic styles.

And in the latter minute and a half of the video, the sounds of gunfire, impacts, explosions, and the footage of bullets flying and blood splattering were all real footage. They hadn't used any special effects to touch it up. It was extremely life-like and infectious, and combined together with the sound, the impact with which it battered the senses of audiences was powerful.

The video did not hard sell the cruelness or the mood and did not overly emphasize the e-sports athletes' considerable efforts behind the scenes. Too much and it would have seemed pretentious.

This video was not like the encouraging styles that other e-sports clubs liked to use. Rather, it portrayed a group of bold and valiant individuals with extraordinary skills, "superhuman" heroes.

This, was also the fastest manner for Silver Wing to break into this market!

And the results of showing this to the public was in line with what Silver Wing had anticipated.

On the internet:

"Oh my! Do these Silverlight people want the sky? Are these even e-sports athletes? More like saviors of the world."

"Sick!"

"I thought I was watching a blockbuster!"

"Suddenly feel that gaming at Silver Wing is awesome!"

At the Qi'an City center plaza.

A middle-aged man in a suit carrying a briefcase retracted his gaze from the screen. Looking around, he asked the nearest youngster close to him, "Sorry to bother you, but I would like to ask something. That movie trailer that just played, do you know which Silver Wing New Year's blockbuster it is? When is it going to be released?"

The youngster was stunned for a moment. "Ah?" When he finally understood what the middle-aged man was talking about, he laughed. "That was no movie trailer. It was the publicity film for a gaming team."

Disbelief was written all over the middle-aged man's face. "You mean that all those people just now are actually e-sports athletes... playing a game?"

"Uh, yeah, that's right. Did you see the tree emblem? That's the emblem of the gaming team formed by the collaboration of Silver Wing's virtual project and gaming departments."

"...A game's publicity film can even be more amazing than a blockbuster trailer," gasped the middle-aged man. He did not play games, but he loved watching movies. However, after watching that publicity film, he now had some interest in that team.

There were many people who felt the same way as that middle-aged man. The SilverLight team's first publicity film had not only attracted the views of gaming fans, it had attracted the attention of a lot of people outside the gaming circles.

Chapter 161: Arriving at Imperial City

Wayne had two goals for this publicity film. The first was to publicize the SilverWing50PolarLight team, and the second was to be an advertisement that let even more people know that Silver Wing were not in it just for a quick buck but had built a genuine and professional e-sports team.

The purpose was to attract even more talent!

To make this project bigger and to ensure a sustained development, recruiting fresh talent was a must. Especially so as to prevent the team's decline after Fang Zhao enlisted in the military, they definitely needed more talent and strength to replenish it.

It just so happened that this was a chance to increase their popularity as well.

Wayne just wanted to tell all the e-sports athletes that desired to jump ship or hadn't found a new employer to come over to his side. There was no need to worry about what to have for all three meals of the day, no need to worry about one's physical state, no need to botter about any material troubles, because there would be a professional team to worry on your behalf!

All you needed to do when you came over was game to your heart's content!

The SilverLight team might have been newly established, but its ability to meet various criteria was sufficient to sway some.

First, they had the strength. There was no need to mention AliveAfter500Years; their young team had successfully achieved Fiery Bird's annual conference invites. The team had capability and potential!

Second, they had money! With the entertainment juggernaut Silver Wing behind them, they did not lack capital. Whether it was equipment or logistics, the team would definitely not lose out to any of those well-known professional e-sports clubs!

Also, after the release of this publicity film, Silver Wing's publicity department would also be giving it a push behind the scenes.

And just as Wayne had hoped to see, with the release of the team's first publicity film, the attention of the masses was placed on them.

On the internet, gamers of all sorts, whether professional or amateur, discussed the trending topic.

"The blinding ninth- and 10th-generation machines are enough to rival the Big Five."

"Dig up the monthly salaries of the SilverLight team members!"

"I want to join the SilverLight team. Is it too late?"

"Does Silver Wing want to be Yanzhou's No. 6?"

"I really want to know, among all the people shown, which one is AliveAfter500Years!"

"He is surely the one using the 10th gen, but his face wasn't shown. The silhouette shown before Jinro appeared might have been him, but the appearance wasn't clear. I have no idea whether that was in-game footage or real life footage."

"Silver Wing has two 10th-generation consoles? I only know that Jinro's superior Fang Zhao owns one."

"Maybe AliveAfter500Years is Fang Zhao? After all, Fang Zhao also has the 10th gen. A short while back, he got into a fight. I heard he beat down quite a few people. With that impressive fighting strength, maybe it really is him."

When that online user had just posted, someone below replied, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"I'm breathless from all that laughing. Given Fang Zhao's appearance?"

"One look and you can tell it's obviously not him!"

"As a born and bred District 79er, when I followed the SilverLight team and fled, I specifically observed them. Their personalities are different, so we can eliminate Fang Zhao from the reckoning."

"Without any video evidence of him beating up a bunch of people at a nightclub, that can only be considered hearsay! How can you believe all the rubbish spouted by rumor mongers? Besides, even if it were real, how could fighting and gaming be the same? In any case, I don't have a favorable impression of Fang Zhao. I heard he oppresses Jinro and gang. How sinister!"

"To the brother on top, you said that rumors cannot be taken seriously, yet no SilverLight member has ever said that Fang Zhao oppresses them. It is just a bunch of people blindly spreading a rumor, and given Fang Zhao style, he doesn't seem like the sinister or crafty sort."

"You might know a person but not his true nature!"

"Wind from an empty cave might not necessarily be baseless. Besides being a composer, there is nothing much else that we know about that person."

"Fang Zhao is just a composer. Silver Wing must have taken into account how he brought up the virtual projects department and let him be the leader of the SilverLight team. Actually, he is just an amateur. We have never heard that he plays games."

"He has a behind-the-scenes supporter, and it's nothing uncommon."

"An adept amateur leader, is it a grievance within the industry or shameless capitalism?"

"That means to say, Fang Zhao probably lent out his 10th-generation console for someone else to use. Fiery Bird set up only eight 10th-generation consoles in Yanzhou. It is impossible for Silver Wing to have two. This comes back to the question: who exactly is AliveAfter500Years?"

"Didn't anyone else notice somebody else who kept his face hidden in the film?"

...

Jinro and the others all saw the discussions online.

As the youngest member of the team, Schwarzer's experience was limited, and he sat there giggling when the first comments appeared online. When he had been watching the publicity film, he had felt like an actor watching his first ever film for the first time—a little shy yet also proud—but as the discussions went on and more people guessed at the identity of AliveAfter500Years, he could not even bring himself to smile.

Just guessing would do; why had people started bashing Fang Zhao?

Schwarzer carefully peeked at Fang Zhao, and only upon not noticing any rage did he rest easy. If he was the one being doubted and faced with baseless claims, he would definitely be unhappy.

Dorrian, who was sending a text message on his bracelet, noticed and laughed before advising Schwarzer, "Don't pay too much attention to online discussions. When you encounter this more often in the future, you will get used to it."

"I was just thinking, what sort of reaction will they have when they finally know the truth?"

Besides the discussions on characters appearing in the publicity film and people making guesses on AliveAfter500Years's identity, there were many gamers focusing on the short scenes that had been shown in the publicity film, and they were engaged in a thorough analysis.

"After sorting out the publicity film and taking notes of the gun models that appeared, SilverLight has pretty good equipment, but nobody knows if they got it themselves or purchased it from other studios."

"After watching the ending scene with the exploding truck, I even went to try it out, hoping to record a scene of myself walking away from the truck as it exploded behind me. In the end, after shooting holes through the entire truck, it still did not explode. Has anyone succeeded? Please share your experiences."

Very quickly, skilled gamers started to study the film and aim for the oil tanks, trying to create the anticipated explosion effect.

There were others who tried the scene where the team members smashed through glass windows, but they only got themselves hurt instead.

Many people suffered painful consequences trying to imitate drifting with motorbikes or shooting while driving.

Players finally understood those cool scenes and movements could not be replicated by just anyone, and as they now understood the difficulty involved, more and more players started to pay attention to the SilverLight team.

Various factors and influences created a very strange scene. This year's 6th place, the SilverLight team, had a higher viewership than the other nine teams altogether!

On globally renowned gaming magazine Rising Dragon's page, the SilverLight team kept staying within the top three most viewed topics and had surpassed many well-known e-sports clubs. This had also been a part of Wayne's plan. Concealing Fang Zhao's identity had been to whet the audience's appetites. This would help them gain more viewership, and with viewership came popularity.

January 6, the entire SilverLight team, including the support staff, were given a day off to return home and pack their things.

January 7, a flying transport carrying over 100 personnel and bearing the Silver Wing emblem left Qi'an City.

Zu Wen and the others from the Polar Light team had also been permitted to follow the team. Not just them, other staff from the gaming department's side had been given spots on this trip as well.

Fiery Bird's invitation was for over 100 persons, so besides the medical team, assistants, agents, and other internal staff, there were staff from other departments in the entourage as well. Some were in charge of publicity and some were in charge of diplomatic exchanges, and there was a security team as well.

On the flying transport, Wayne was explaining to Fang Zhao.

Due to the promotion of the first publicity film, the masses had gotten to listen to the accompaniment music. This time, the electronic style was especially suited to mainstream tastes, and a few enterprises fancied it after listening and had contacted Silver Wing's side to purchase the rights.

The price offered was reasonable, and they were willing to postpone using it for a month. After all, a publicity film's effect had time limitations. In an age where online information was flourishing, the enthusiasm for the publicity film would decline after a week. After a month, there might not be any people talking about it anymore. Using the accompaniment music for other things after the publicity film died down was perfectly reasonable.

However, at Silver Wing, there were varying opinions, especially Wayne, who had vehemently objected when he found out about it.

"I was having a chat in the morning with the copyright department staffers. They wanted to sell, but I didn't let them. If they are unresigned, they will probably contact you and advise you to agree. Fang Zhao, I'm not cutting off your source of income, but I just have to tell you why it is not optimal for us."

Inside the cabin, people closest to Wayne and Fang Zhao were the main team members. They also knew that Fang Zhao's works could be sold for money, and when they heard Wayne mention that some parties wanted to buy the copyrights to the publicity film's accompaniment music, in their hearts they were thinking that Fang Zhao could earn another considerable sum this time. However, when they heard Wayne advising Fang Zhao not to sell, they pricked their ears up in curiosity.

Wayne was not deliberately avoiding anybody, and he continued explaining. "If this were the government or other game or film companies that wanted to purchase the rights, I would have no qualms. For example, the Yanzhou military using the third movement of your "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had a good result and everyone benefited. There was no need to prevent that sale, but this time, it's the boss of a supermarket chain that wants to buy the rights. From my experience and understanding, given the character of those kinds, they will choose to use it at the peak of their promotional campaigns. Human flow is also high there, and if everyone gets used to it and becomes conditioned, every time they hear the tune, they will no longer think about SilverLight's might but, rather, discounts. Slashing prices! Clearance sales! Bargains! Are you guys willing for that to happen?"

The audience: "..." Of course not!

Staffers at the copyright department might not think too much about it. Besides, after a month, the publicity film's impact would die down, so why not sell it for some money? But Wayne felt that this would make the team a laughingstock.

Now that his ambitions were racing toward becoming reality, he would never do something that would put the brakes on it, and he would not agree no matter how much the other party offered, hence the advice he was giving Fang Zhao.

As a composer contracted to the company, the copyrights did not solely belong to Fang Zhao, but for the company to sell it, they needed Fang Zhao's approval. Since Wayne had been unable to convince the copyright department staffers, he had decided to directly convince Fang Zhao.

"It's not just this time, Fang Zhao. Although I am just a manager of the gaming department, I have seen many things and experienced a lot. Every year, many good songs get misused by buyers. In the future, if you encounter this sort of situation, be sure to be prudent. Once a mistake is made, the impression it gives audiences can be ruined in the wrong hands," Wayne asserted.

Fang Zhao listened attentively to Wayne's advice and nodded his head. "I understand."

Even if Wayne had not said anything, Fang Zhao would not have allowed his works to be sold indiscriminately. Back then, when he had allowed the rights of the third movement of his "100-Year Period of Destruction" series to be sold to a Leizhou film company, he had given recommendations for which portion of the film to use it for and made certain requests.

Having gotten a reply from Fang Zhao, Wayne could rest easy.

Jinro and the others let out a sigh of relief within their hearts. They were not going to be associated with bargain sales and promotions.

"Oh, right, I forgot to ask you." Wayne remembered something and asked Fang Zhao, "Have you gotten your driver's license?"

"Yes."

"For both flying cars and flying transports?"

"Mmhm."

"That's good. As a celebrity, it's good to have your own license. After all, your bodyguard will not be beside you at all times. If you get surrounded by fans and want to escape, you can find the closest shared flying car to slip away. Huangzhou's entertainment industry is even more intense than Yanzhou, and there will be more people watching your every move. Therefore, after your identity is revealed, you should either head out less or be more careful when you do."

...

When they arrived at Huangzhou's Imperial City, it was already noon.

Given the speed of New Era flying transports, flying from Qi'an City to Imperial City didn't take too long, but once in Huangzhou, there were more inspections, especially within Imperial City, where the checks were even more stringent. Continuously stopping and moving delayed their arrival time till noon.

Huangzhou's Imperial City was the continent's political, financial, and cultural hub. It was also where the alliance's government headquarters were located.

Fiery Bird's headquarters were set up in the northern part of Imperial City. The allocated hotel was located in the vicinity of Fiery Bird's headquarters tower and belonged to Fiery Bird.

The flying transport descended in the allocated parking lot. After landing, they were required to walk to the hotel, just about 100 meters away, which was a short distance.

However, once they disembarked from the transport, everyone could feel the difference in atmosphere.

From the parking space to the hotel, the 100-meter road was full of media personnel armed with film equipment.

Since they had seen the flying transport bearing Silver Wing's emblem approaching, media from all the different continents got excited.

Unlike the reporters in the game's virtual world that tried to stop or interrupt them, here it was only the attentive gazes and bright flashes of lights. The irritating and loathsome attention from the media in-game was also completely different here.

On the ground, there were many broadcasting vehicles adorned with their respective channel's logo. The sky was full of small drones, each staying in their allocated airspace and franticly recording the scenes.

There were no clicking sounds of Old Era cameras. These cameras gave off a unique humming sound, as though it was a buzzing electrical current.

A lone machine was not loud, but what about a few hundred?

The sky was spread with such agitated particles.

Being focused on by all these cameras that would be broadcasting to the world brought about a formless pressurizing environment.

Even if they had been informed of what to expect on the way here.

Even if they had seen images of past conferences.

When actually standing here, there were a number of people who were so nervous they did not even know where to place their hands.

Jinro and Dorrian had experienced this before and could still remain somewhat collected, and Fang Zhao was completely unable to get nervous, but the rest of the members of the team were different.

Even Schwarzer, who had still been laughing and joking in the transport, was at a loss now. He could only flinch even though, deep down, he was excited beyond measure. If he had a tail, it would already be wagging nonstop. This was the first time he was really aware that he had become a celebrity, even if just a small and not that outstanding one amidst the group.

Everyone's reactions were captured by the filming equipment and transmitted to every continent.

And among the SilverLight team, the majority of members seemed to be grimacing. Online users at Yanzhou watching the broadcast could not help but harbor suspicions that perhaps these people had just been scolded by their superiors.

Chapter 162: You Are AliveAfter500Years?

Only after stepping into the hotel did Schwarzer and the others relax their facial muscles. They immediately massaged their now-tight muscles and thought about whether their expressions just now had been all right. Those were media personnel from all the different continents!

There were already people waiting for them in the hall. Upon seeing the tree emblem of the SilverLight team, they recognized the team straightaway. After an identification check, the leader of the group got to select the floor to occupy.

Wayne suddenly went forward and pressed a button.

"Sixty-second floor."

Each team had 100+ personnel, and every team had been allocated a floor. Every floor was equipped with game consoles, sound and projection equipment, and a small conference room.

Fortunately, there were also many elevators for so many large groups. However, in the elevator, every time someone spotted clothes adorned with the tree emblem, regardless of which floor these people were from, they would examine the wearer as if he or she were some rare creature. The questions they asked were mainly two. The first was "Are you people from the SilverWing50PolarLight team?" and the second question was "Has AliveAfter500Years arrived yet? Which one is he?"

Regarding these curious looks and enquiries, the members of the SilverLight group always answered "yes" and "arrived" with a knowing smile.

After arriving on the 62nd floor in batches, Wayne began to assign rooms.

After being assigned to two people per room, lunch was ordered. After eating, everyone gathered for a small meeting about re-emphasizing the rules here. All of them were participating for the first time. Not just Schwarzer and the other young members, even Wayne himself was feeling nervous.

Wayne wiped off the sweat on his forehead. "All right, that's all I have. If anybody has any doubts or inquiries, please approach Jinro or Dorrian; those two are experienced."

Following that was free time. Many other teams had already arrived at the hotel, and those who knew people could go and interact with them or head to the places of entertainment within the hotel to unwind.

As the bodyguard, Zuo Yu naturally roomed with Fang Zhao. His duty this round was very important. The moment Fang Zhao's identity was exposed, his workload would increase. He would have to prevent fans and reporters from getting too close.

Fang Zhao had just placed his luggage down when he received an incoming call from Fiery Bird's sound effects department head, Hua Li.

"I just received word that your team has arrived. Have you sorted out your things? If you are done, come over for a chat. Just head straight to the fifth floor. I have a few people to introduce you to." Fang Zhao had no idea who Hua Li was chatting with, but the man sounded like he was in good spirits.

"Sure. I'll make my way over."

"Head to the northernmost corner and use that elevator. I will give you temporary access so you don't have to squeeze in with others. There are too many people today," Hua Li told him.

After ending the call, Fang Zhao checked the messages in the internal group chat. Jinro and the others were preparing to head to the sixth floor. The sixth floor was also a leisure district, but what was different was that it was more suited for e-sports athletes.

When he saw the message, Fang Zhao instructed Zuo Yu. "Go with them. You don't have to worry about me. Let me know if there is anything; I will head straight up."

Zuo Yu also knew that Fang Zhao had been invited over by Fiery Bird headquarters staff and there was unlikely to be any trouble on their own turf. He nodded his head and replied, "Got it, Boss. I will keep you informed."

Following Hua Li's instructions, Fang Zhao found the elevator in the corner and took it straight down to the fifth floor. It was probably an elevator for internal staff use only, as Fang Zhao did not encounter anyone else on the ride down.

The fifth floor was a well-furnished restaurant that seemed refined and cultured. The walls were adorned with paintings that were replicas of antiques left behind from the Old Era. The real art pieces were kept safe in Fiery Bird's own vault and would not be displayed at this kind of place.

The people on this floor seldom discussed game techniques. They were parties who collaborated with Fiery Bird, not e-sports athletes. Some were artists, designers, or composers. For example, people who worked on the background music for "Battle of the Century."

Fang Zhao looked around and spotted Hua Li speaking with a scrawny-looking guy. His face was quite flushed, probably from drinking wine or getting too excited from chatting.

"Hey Fang Zhao, over here!" Hua Li stood up and waved Fang Zhao over. "Come, come, let me introduce you. This here is Gao Se. He is a Qi'an Academy of Music alumnus, just like you. Currently, he is an associate professor for composition at the Huangzhou Academy of Art. We accepted two of his works this round to use as in-game music. We have used many of his previous works for gaming events and are practically old comrades. Thinking back to when we first collaborated, I think old Gao was still only an assistant professor?"

"Yeah, I was only into my fourth year at Huangzhou Academy of Art then." Gao Se did not seem to take any offence about Hua Li's mention of him being an assistant professor, and his tone still seemed slightly proud.

Fang Zhao knew that, although an assistant professor was not considered a high position, over at Huangzhou, an assistant professor's salary and benefits were extremely high, and they even had doctors attending their lessons. Huangzhou was an extremely competitive place, and their assistant professors were not ordinary. Hua Li's words had no intention of belittling Gao Se. Besides, Gao Se had already risen to up to become an associate professor. In Huangzhou, rising up to an associate professorship at Gao Se's age was a rare sight. Without sufficient successes, there was no way to get promoted.

As Hua Li was about to introduce Fang Zhao to Hua Li, Gao Se chuckled. "Fang Zhao, I know who you are. Ming Cang and the others frequently talk about you. I caught a glimpse of you from afar the last time Old Xue came over to Huangzhou, but we didn't get the chance to talk. This time, we ought to have a good chat!"

Originating from the same "QiMu" posse, both of them naturally had mutual connections, so Gao Se knew quite a bit about Fang Zhao.

Gao Se studied Fang Zhao, his expression somewhat satisfied. Given the amount of achievements Fang Zhao had at his age, he was neither arrogant nor hot tempered, and he had an unflustered disposition. It was no wonder Ming Cang and Hua Li praised him to the high heavens when they mentioned him.

No matter how much talent one had, there would always be some arrogance, but in certain situations, arrogance had to be curbed.

Fang Zhao had visited Huangzhou before, during the global lecture tour with Xue Jing. Back then, Fang Zhao had only been supplementary. He had not been the main character and couldn't even have been considered to have had a supporting role. In the eyes of many people during the global lecture tour, Fang Zhao had just been Xue Jing's little attendant and had just been going through the motions, letting people familiarize with his face.

Fang Zhao might have obtained a lot of profit from his few works, received affirmation from other professionals, and become popular among students, but in the global circles, he still could not be considered famous.

Just picking any random person here that collaborated with Fiery Bird and was invited, their files would be full of achievements and awards, and even after 10 pages, the list of achievements might not necessarily have ended.

"I was just talking with Old Gao about persuading you to come to Huangzhou." Hua Li brought out a bottle of alcohol from his bag behind him. "This is from my personal collection. Try some."

One reason Hua Li had called Fang Zhao over was to introduce Fang Zhao to a few seniors within the industry that had collaborated with and been invited by Fiery Bird. These people might not be known by the masses, but within the composition circles, their names were well known. Getting to know a few would be beneficial for Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao sat down and listened to Gao Se talk about his own accomplishments, awards he had won, and high-level performances he had taken part in. He also flaunted the white metal piece hanging around his neck to Fang Zhao. It was a small medal.

"A Galaxy medal?" Fang Zhao asked.

Fang Zhao knew about this. The Galaxy Awards were the highest accomplishments anyone in the arts scenes could hope to achieve. Regardless of whether one was a composer, actor, singer, painter, or other artistic profession, every single artist wished to achieve a Galaxy Award.

"Haha, that's right! But it's not a Galaxy World medal, just the Galaxy Supernova medal." Even though it was subaward, when Gao Se mentioned it, he seemed rather proud of himself.

Hua Li eyed the medal on Gao Se's neck enviously before helplessly retracting his gaze. The path he had chosen had destined that he would have no fate with the Galaxy Awards. In terms of earnings, Hua Li could beat 90% of the people on this floor, but in terms of artistic skill, 99% of the people here were better than him.

Hua Li was willing to help Fang Zhao because he thought highly of the young man and wanted to accumulate some good karma when Fang Zhao had not yet risen up.

The Galaxy Supernova Award was conferred to a young artist who had sufficient accomplishments in his field. In the New Era, 50 or 60 was still considered young.

"When Old Gao received the award, he was probably around 40?" Hua Li asked.

"No no no, 50, I was almost 50. Forty-nine and a half. Hehe, I still remember it very clearly. After I received the award, Huangzhou Academy of Art awarded me with the lifelong teaching award. That was when I considered myself to have made a mark in Huangzhou. Half a year later, on my birthday, I was promoted to associate professor." Gao Se's face was fully red. As he reminisced proudly with some fond nostalgia, his fingers carefully stroked the medal he was wearing.

"Old Xue also has the Supernova Award, and the Nebula Award too. I reckon Old Xue could possibly achieve the World Award as well," Gao Se said in a revering tone.

The Supernova Award was given to young artists, whereas the Nebula Award, also a subcategory of the Galaxy Awards, was a celebration of the lifetime accomplishments of an artist. Even now, Xue Jing was still so hardworking. He wanted to achieve and contribute more to receive the Galaxy World Award, an award given to artists at the peak of the industry.

Gao Se rarely saw younger generations due to the pressures of intense competition in the industry, so seeing Fang Zhao, Gao Se was in good spirits and was in the mood to give pointers.

Although Gao Se liked to show off and gave off a hint of the arrogance of a senior, the pointers he gave Fang Zhao were valuable, and he was willing to share some of the realities he had experienced. He hoped that Fang Zhao would take the academic path and not be swayed by money and the overly commercialized market.

"Do not be blinded by small gains, and don't rush. Take it one step at a time and move steadily and surely. Also, do not be taken in by people who spout rubbish all day long. Those people have dreams beyond the heavens and are unable to keep up with their ambitions. They won't go far. In our industry, we need to simmer. In our industry, many try to find the equilibrium between art and commerce and lose themselves. Fang Zhao, you must absolutely not learn from them. If you are in doubt, you can look for Xue Jing to chat. After all, Old Xue is an old hand, and he has high hopes for you. If you are willing to ask, that old man would be more than happy to answer. If Xue Jing isn't around, you can look for Ming Cang. That fellow is in really high spirits now. I heard his son's treatment is going well..."

Probably from the drinks and his high spirits, Gao Se talked a lot, but it could all be summarized in one sentence: Young man, I think highly of you, so work hard, and when you have accumulated enough experience, us uncles will bring you out to pretend and help you fly!

Beside them, Hua Li did not interrupt. From the start, he had planned to pull Fang Zhao into the company, or maybe into companies belonging to a few of his friends, but after seeing Xue Jing bring Fang Zhao on his global lecture tour, he had given up. He knew that academics like Xue Jing and Ming Cang hoped that Fang Zhao would follow the academic path and not be too involved in the commercial market. Young people in this era were too easily influenced by money.

The Galaxy World Award was just a beautiful dream in Hua Li's heart. When he woke up, he was very clear that there was no way he could obtain it, but could Fang Zhao achieve it in the future?

As long as he kept up his standards, the Supernova Award should not be too hard, but the World Award?

Hua Li was not too optimistic. However, even if Fang Zhao really managed to get the World Award, it would surely be over 100 years from now. By then, if Hua Li was still alive, he would probably be older than the current age of Xue Jing and would have long retired.

Gao Se went on and on for half an hour before leaving when he received a call. An old friend who had also received an invite was looking for him.

After Gao Se left, Hua Li intended to introduce Fang Zhao to a few other people, but Fang Zhao's bracelet had a notification of an urgent message.

He took a look. The sender was Zuo Yu.

Hua Li he knitted his eyebrows and asked, "What's wrong?"

Fang Zhao pointed at the ceiling. "Some trouble upstairs."

The sixth floor above them was a place for e-sports athletes to gather and interact. Hua Li came to a realization.

"All right, go on and head up first. I will find some others to chat with. I have many old friends here. When you have the time, come back and look for me. I will probably stay here till night."

Upstairs.

A place that ought to be boisterous was relatively quiet.

There were many e-sports athletes from every continent, but at that moment, regardless of whether they were chatting or holed up in a corner playing games or watching films, currently, all eyes were focused on a certain area.

At this area was the SilverLight team's group of about 10 people.

Zuo Yu was at a loss. His hands were itching to give someone a beating.

Standing in front of Zuo Yu, Jinro, and the others was an e-sports team from Leizhou.

At the head of this team was a young man acting all high and mighty. Arrogance was written all over his face. He was wearing a leather biker jacket and leather boots and was dressed in a retro style. On his shirt, a bright yellow and elegantly cursive font spelled out the words "Zaro Renault." Inside Zuo Yu's head, the words automatically translated in his head to four shining words—"not a good person!"

A totally pretentious appearance that deserved a spanking!

From his first glance of this senior master, Zuo Yu sent Fang Zhao a text message. The other party definitely had no good intentions, and Zuo Yu had no control over this situation. He wished to strike but could not afford to offend a descendant of a Founding Era's great general.

Zuo Yu's eyelids started twitching as the other party walked over.

Senior Master Zaro, who had been labeled "not a good person," directly walked in front of Zuo Yu and eyeballed him as though he was inspecting a shipment of goods. "You are the one that has forcefully occupied the top position on the leaderboards, AliveAfter500Years?" Not waiting for Zuo Yu's reply, the other party shot out another line. "One hundred million annual salary. Leave Silver Wing and join our Wireless e-Sports Club. How about that?"

Zuo Yu: "..." Boss, hurry up! I'm afraid I might not be able to control my own mouth!

Smashing this salary in his face, Zuo Yu almost agreed immediately!

Chapter 163: Resplendent Night of Stars

In Leizhou, when many people mentioned Zaro Renault, the self-indulgent son of the Renault family, their teeth would ache at the same time as their heads. They viewed his style of operation disdainfully yet were unable to do anything about it.

Take this time as an example: When "Battle of the Century" was released, Zaro was captivated once again. He had been unable to take part in the gaming feast ten years ago, as he had been underage and had had limited capital. He might have had ambitions, but he had been unable to execute them. This time around, though, it was different. He did not own a gaming company or an e-sport club, so he bought one straight away! Flexing his financial muscle to the fullest!

But the big e-sports clubs in Leizhou had been wary of him and simply had not allowed him to interfere. Therefore, Zaro had gotten angry and brought out his most consistent methods, throwing huge sums of money to poach. Not only had he poached from within Leizhou, he had poached from other continents as well.

Although what Zaro had done was unreasonable, the high-salaried people under him were capable and simply helped him poach over many gamers with genuine talent.

Of all the teams invited to the annual conference this year, other than SilverLight, another team that had only been established this year was Zaro's Wireless e-Sports Club.

In Leizhou, the Renault family name was a gold-plated signboard. Outside of Leizhou, it also had influence. Even people who did not pay attention would reconsider a few times when they saw this family name.

Now, Zaro wished to poach someone once again, and his target was the global leaderboard's first position, AliveAfter500Years. Other e-sports clubs might desire to poach this person as well, but when they saw Zaro's position, they hesitated. In terms of using their financial muscle to poach, they had no way of beating this person.

Zaro also had his confidence to back him up. He could poach people openly and candidly. After all, daddy has the money!

Everyone's eyes were on Zuo Yu. No matter how strong he was mentally, Zuo Yu also felt pressured.

Taking a deep breath, Zuo Yu was prepared to tell this pretentious bastard who was in need of a spanking "You got the wrong person," but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Jinro elbowed him and whispered, "Boss is here."

Hearing that Fang Zhao had arrived, Zuo Yu let out a sigh of relief in his heart, as did the others on the team. Being watched by so many people was nothing to get happy about.

Fang Zhao pushed his way through the crowd. "What's going on?"

"It's like this..." Zuo Yu explained the situation in a low voice.

Zuo Yu had originally followed Jinro and the others to the sixth floor to relax and unwind. Jinro and Dorrian knew many old adversaries who were also old friends. They had brought the team's new members to get to know other seniors within the circle. Zuo Yu did not have much interest in this, though; he was not a professional gamer and only followed Fang Zhao and joined in the fun when Fang Zhao gamed.

He might have been a bodyguard, but he was not beneath anybody else. Only in front of Fang Zhao would he act a little more like a bodyguard. When he was not by Fang Zhao's side, he still had the air of a former special forces soldier.

The members of the team did not treat him as an attendant. Zuo Yu was also considered a member of the team. Although he, like Fang Zhao, did not spend too much time in-game, he had proven his strength, and when Fang Zhao was not online, if Zuo Yu was not at his side, he would be teaching the others a few things in-game. If Fang Zhao was considered their military instructor, then Zuo Yu was their deputy military instructor. Therefore, his treatment was also different from the other members.

Zuo Yu had been sitting down idly but realized that quite a number of people had their attention focused on him.

Schwarzer had gone one round with Jinro and returned to chat with Zuo Yu about gossip he had heard from e-sports athletes from other continents, such as which gaming superstars were going to come over and blow their own horns and such.

As he was speaking excitedly, Zuo Yu's hand stretched out in a flash and steadily caught an orange that had been thrown over.

After that, it was Zaro and his entourage that came over.

Noticing something wrong over here, Jinro and the other members came rushing back. Everyone in the area now had their attention placed on this group of people. They were watching the show and waiting for answers.

The group from Silver Wing contained a board member and a deputy director, but these senior executives were interacting with other executives and were not on this floor. Wayne was building friendly relations with a few senior management executives of a few of Huangzhou's entertainment companies. The only one who could rush here promptly was Fang Zhao.

Anyone who had done their homework on the SilverLight team knew who Fang Zhao was.

"They threw the orange, probably to probe," Zuo Yu said.

What was there to probe?

Without a doubt, they were probing to see whether Zuo Yu was AliveAfter500Years! Unable to get a verbal answer, they could only probe. Eliminating the other SilverLight members, the only other suspicious person who had an unknown identity was Zuo Yu.

When Zuo Yu was speaking to Fang Zhao, Zaro sized Fang Zhao up and asked his agent beside him, "Who is this? He seems a little familiar."

Zaro's manager had long anticipated this happening. "SilverLight's person-in-charge, the Silver Wing virtual projects department manager and also a contracted Silver Wing composer. The '100-Year Period of Destruction' series is his work. We used the third movement in the series for 'God of War,' the one you spent 10 million to purchase the rights for."

With the manager's reminder, Zaro had a little impression and remembered it. Not because the manager had mentioned the film and series name but because he had received an unfair beating back when his great-grandfather had shed anguished tears because his emotions had overflowed when listening to the piece. Because of that, Zaro had nearly been disfigured from the beating, so how could he not remember that?

However, after that incident, Zaro had seen his fortunes change. He had specifically obtained all four music videos of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" to curry favor with his great-grandfather and had received many benefits. He had originally wanted to poach Fang Zhao, but unfortunately, Silver Wing were not willing to release him.

"Oh, so it's you!" Zaro started having poaching intentions once again. "Have you considered changing jobs?"

"No," Fang Zhao replied stiffly. "Where did you learn that he was AliveAfter500Years?"

Zaro lifted his hand and pointed over in a certain direction. "They said so."

Everyone's gaze followed the direction Zaro's finger was pointed in. Over there were a few people clad in black and white striped jerseys, members from Zebra e-Sports Club.

The members of Zebra e-sports club looked as though they were about to puke blood. "It wasn't us! We never talked about it in front of him!"

"They said it behind my back," Zaro replied firmly. He was also not dumb. He knew what they were trying to do. Wasn't it just using his hands to confirm whether Zuo Yu was AliveAfter500Years? It just so happened that Zaro was curious himself, so he'd thrown an orange at Schwarzer, who had been beside Zuo Yu. When he'd seen Zuo Yu catch the orange, in his heart, he had come to believe that Zuo Yu was indeed AliveAfter500Years.

With such agility, quick reflexes, and an aura different from the others here, if he was not AliveAfter500Years, who could he be?

Actually, everyone around who had seen the orange-catching scene felt the same way as Zaro. Thus, the atmosphere quieted down, as everyone wanted to listen and confirm their hunch.

Fang Zhao swept a look at Zebra e-Sports Club's members and then faced Zaro. "You got the wrong person."

Zaro felt his own judgement was correct and Fang Zhao was just refusing to admit it. "Wrong person? It's not him? I certainly think it's him."

"Suit yourself." If Wayne had not violently opposed keeping Fang Zhao's identity under tight wraps, Fang Zhao would not have concealed it. To him, there was no need to make things so complicated, but Wayne's way of thinking was different. Wayne, as well as people from the publicity and public relations department, always considered the options that granted the most benefits. How to attract the most attention? By tempting everyone's curiosity! That was how Silver Wing managed to achieve their high viewership. When media organizations from different continents mentioned Fiery Bird's annual conference, Silver Wing's SilverLight team would also be brought up.

Fang Zhao did not bother explaining more to Zaro. He just told Zaro that poaching was impossible. Following that, he instructed the rest of the team members on what to do next.

Zuo Yu raised the orange that he'd caught and asked Fang Zhao, "What about the orange..."

"Slice it."

Jinro and gang shuddered. They felt that the two words Fang Zhao had just spat out were laden with killing intent.

A slight grin appeared on Zuo Yu's face as he took out the foldable knife he always kept on him. He tossed the orange into the air, made two lightning quick slashes, and caught the falling orange with his free hand. He placed the orange on a plate on top of the table and made another two deft cuts. Releasing his fingers, the orange split into eight juicy pieces, and the sweet aroma wafted out.

He was steady when he brandished the knife, and his cuts had been decisive. The eight pieces seemed as though they had been measured by a robot. Every piece was evenly distributed.

Zaro's eyes glowed, and he exclaimed, "Impressive knife skills!"

Zuo Yu: "..." Are you f*cking brainless? Your father imagined that you were the orange before slicing it up. Don't you even have the ability to see that?!

Finally, Zaro's agent could not put up with it any longer and found an excuse to drag Zaro away. The sixth floor returned to its previous noisy atmosphere. There were still quite a few glances coming their way, but after hearing the news of what had happened, they no longer continued to inquire. After all, everyone would know the answer tomorrow.

At night, after the free time ended, everyone returned back to the 62nd floor to rest.

Wayne had heard about the incident in the day and so told Jinro and the others, "I know what happened. Don't think too much about it. Have a good rest and be in your best condition for tomorrow."

They could not do anything to Zaro, so they had to just place the blame on Zebra e-Sports Club's personnel.

"Some people just love to use these kinds of tricks, tsk." Wayne shook his head and returned to his room, after which he contacted people to cause some trouble for Zebra e-Sports Club.

At the same time, on the internet, a piece of news attracted the attention of many gaming fans.

"According to information leaked from certain parties in the hotel, AliveAfter500Years's identity is suspected to be Fang Zhao's bodyguard."

No one knew the culprit that leaked the information, but there were no photos.

Although there were no concrete rules, there was an unwritten rule that the people within the industry acknowledged. Here, you could take photos of yourself as you pleased, but releasing photos of others without their prior permission or posting them on social platforms was frowned upon. Anyone who violated this rule would be despised and excluded by others in the industry.

Therefore, even if anyone had sold the information, they would not dare to sell the photos taken on the sixth floor.

However, even without any photos, it was enough to excite the gaming fans paying attention to Fiery Bird's annual conference.

"I was wondering why AliveAfter500Years-god had such skills. Turns out he is a bodyguard."

"From an anonymous source, I heard that Fang Zhao's bodyguard was special forces."

"Special forces? That's so cool!"

"No wonder his shooting is so accurate!"

"The global first position would actually serve as Fang Zhao's bodyguard? Does Fang Zhao have such thick skin?!"

"A bodyguard originating from special forces. How did he end up gaming?"

"Maybe they discovered his skills. Recalling back, there were many times where Fang Zhao did not have his bodyguard with him. Most likely, he was letting his bodyguard game and rack up points."

"'Suspected' means it is just a guess and has not been confirmed. Look at you all talking as though you have seen it for yourselves."

"The more I think about it, the more plausible it seems. There has to be a reason for all these baseless rumors."

"Then who is 'LittleFlyingFish' from SilverLight team?

"Stop all this useless chatter. After all, the truth will be revealed tomorrow. In previous conferences, the global first position would go on stage and speak.

...

Next day, 62nd floor hall.

The SilverLight team members were in a frenzy.

"Where's the hair gel? My hair is messy again."

"Hey, who took the wrong clothes?"

"The f*ck, Dorrian is even spraying cologne! How come you don't show off your flashiness normally!"

"Bag? Where is my bag?"

Wayne instructed the makeup artists that had tagged along to tidy up the appearances of the team members. Relying on themselves was no good. Jinro and Dorrian were still passable, but he could not bear to look at Schwarzer or the other new guys. Better that the professional makeup team repair the damage.

Today they were not facing the attention of a small circle but rather the camera lenses of media organizations throughout the world.

"Later, when we pass by the signature wall in the conference hall, do we sign our real name or in-game ID?" Schwarzer asked.

Jake scoffed. "Are you an idiot, Schwarzer? Your game ID is the same as your real name! What are you acting all confused for!"

"For those that have an ID different from your name, signing any is fine," Dorrian instructed.

"Zuo Yu, will you be signing LittleFlyingFish or your real name?" Schwarzer asked.

"LittleFlyingFish." Zuo Yu was not comfortable with leaving his real name around.

The entering sequence was in order of ranking. The SilverLight team was placed 50+ globally, and only the main members and team executives could use the main doors to the conference hall. Other members had to enter through another door.

After waiting till 5 p.m., it finally became their turn.

Leaving the hotel, they stepped onto a carpet with a Fiery Bird design and walked toward the large conference hall as many camera lens pointed in their direction. Midway, the team stopped to leave their names on the signature wall.

Although the SilverLight team was ranked toward the back and appeared later as well, when the team showed up, all the reporters were clearly even more excited. The incessant humming of the film drones increased by several decibels, especially at the point where the team was signing their names. Camera lenses focused on every team member writing on the wall.

Fang Zhao signed his own name. Zuo Yu signed his ID name, LittleFlyingFish, which was also telling the reporters that their groundless accusations yesterday had all been wrong.

This was the first time Zuo Yu had experienced this type of celebrity treatment. No wonder many people wished to be stars. It felt great, but he knew that the reason they could demand so much attention was all because of Fang Zhao.

Once they entered the hall, Fang Zhao separated from the group. Fang Zhao's seat was different from Jinro and the rest, much closer to the front. Being situated nearer to the front was more convenient for when Fang Zhao had to go on stage.

Chapter 164: How Can This Be?!

Fang Zhao found his assigned seat number in the middle of the third row. When he got there, the seats beside his were already occupied.

One was Phoenix e-Sports Club main captain, Bruce from Huangzhou. Bruce was ranked 3rd on the global individual leaderboards, and his team occupied 1st place worldwide. The other person was Mazhou's Ma Xier, who was ranked 2nd on the individual leaderboards.

Bruce noticed Fang Zhao taking a seat beside him and was momentarily stunned before he broke into a smile, "I am Phoenix's Bruce, from Huangzhou, nice to meet you."

Fang Zhao returned a polite smile. "My pleasure. I am Fang Zhao, from Yanzhou. Silver Wing's SilverLight team."

"I know you." Bruce watched Fang Zhao, who did not seem to have any intention of moving, and his mind went blank for a bit, as if cracking his head to solve a hard question. "You... are seated here?" Bruce asked.

"If the seat number in my invitation letter is not wrong, then my seat is right here." As he said this, Fang Zhao touched the exquisite invitation letter on a hemisphere-shaped knob on the seat that seemed like it was for decoration.

Bright white rays flashed then extinguished.

There was no mistake in the seating.

Bruce lifted a finger and pointed at Fang Zhao. His mouth kept opening and closing like a goldfish gasping for air before he managed to force out two words: "It's you?!"

His question might have sounded vague, but Fang Zhao understood the meaning and so nodded his head.

Bruce scanned Fang Zhao as if he was studying an alien.

Ma Xier, who was sitting on the other side, had just finished a phone call and turned his head over, glancing at Fang Zhao and nodding his head politely. After all, they were not familiar with each other, so Ma Xier did not intend to talk too much. Suddenly, Ma Xier jerked his head back and looked at Fang Zhao, then at his seat, and then back at Fang Zhao once more, his face full of disbelief.

"You are..." Ma Xier looked as if he had choked on a fishbone, and his breathing was ragged. When he saw Bruce's confused face nodding, he exclaimed, "That's impossible!"

Ma Xier was a gold medal athlete who had made his name a long time ago. He had always thought that AliveAfter500Years, who had always been on top of him, would be an even more experienced shooter or, as the external rumors suggested, an elite special forces soldier. But now, he was at a complete loss.

For so long, this person had been above him. The person Ma Xier had given up hope of ever overtaking was actually some youngster twenty years younger than him? And a f*cking composer at that!?

Suppressing the shock, Ma Xier took a few deep breaths then gravely asked, "Are you really AliveAfter500Years?"

He had already gotten confirmation from Bruce, but he could not help but ask once more.

"Yes," said Fang Zhao.

Ma Xier's cheeks twitched when he heard the answer. "How did you choose the name?"

This was not an inquiry but a lament. Not waiting for an answer, Ma Xier went to his own social platforms and posted two statuses:

"What the flying f*ck!"

"I suddenly feel like great changes are going to come."

Just before Fiery Bird's annual conference was about to start, many e-sports stars in attendance posted photos of themselves on their own social platforms. After entering the hall, Schwarzer uploaded the selfie that he felt was the best looking.

Fans and other gaming enthusiasts could view the live broadcast of the event and get a glimpse of the social-platform statuses of their idols. They might not be able to head to Huangzhou's Fiery Bird headquarters to spectate, but from the internet, they were able to keep up with the event's proceedings enough to satisfy their cravings.

Prior to this, Ma Xier had not updated any statuses. He was not active like those young athletes. This annual conference was not considered novelty, and there was no need to make his presence felt.

However, Ma Xier's fans were waiting. Previously, they had seen other's e-sports idols sharing photos and statuses, but there had not been a single word from Ma Xier. They had still been thinking that Ma Xier had decided not to share anything on his social platform when they received a system notification.

Not only had Ma Xier updated his status, he had updated it twice!

This was a rare sight, not to mention the information contained within the two statuses.

Some fans were puzzled. "What has caused our Warhorse to be upset?"

Mazhou was also known as "MaErsizhou," after great general Ma Ersi of the founding era. According to some legends of the Old Era, Ma Ersi had also been known as a god of war. As a competitive MaErsizhou, the people tended to give the term "God of War" to certain talents that reached the apex of their industry. Ma Xier, as a gold medal shooter, was called "God of War Ma Xier," or "Warhorse" for short.

Many people took notice of Ma Xier posting his two statuses. Fang Zhao also saw it from a screenshot Zu Wen sent over.

Ma Xier had a complicated look in his eyes. "I feel old just looking at you." As a naturally gifted shooting champion, all he ever heard were lavish praises from everyone. He had never received such a shock before.

Fang Zhao really wished to tell him: "You are not old; in my eyes, you are just a kid."

But these words would definitely make Ma Xier feel like Fang Zhao was taking the mickey out of him.

Ma Xier wanted to chat with Fang Zhao more and find out why his shooting ability was so good, but the conference hall abruptly quieted down, indicating Fiery Bird's annual conference was about to start. He could only suppress the doubts he had for the time being.

At the reporter zone, an old and experienced journalist scanned the conference hall and focused his gaze over at the front.

The experienced journalist asked the person beside him, "Take a look at the person between Bruce and Ma Xier. I'm afraid my eyesight might be so bad that I'm seeing things."

"You, old fella, have bad eyesight? You are nicknamed Eagle Eyes and have eyesight that would not lose to youngsters! Forget it, let me see... Ma Xier? Bruce and Ma Xier should be in the second or third seat. Oh, third. I see them. In the middle... the f*ck! Isn't that Fang Zhao?"

"I thought I'd recognized him wrongly," the old journalist said, his eyes still fixated over there.

"That's not right. According to past seating arrangements, the person seated there should be the top ranked player on the global leaderboards and will have to go on stage to receive a prize and talk in a bit. Could it be that AliveAfter500Years did not come, so Fang Zhao is receiving the award on his behalf?"

This sort of situation was not uncommon. Among gaming gods, there were a number of eccentric characters that did not like appearing in this sort of place. On the other hand, there were also those with disabilities and medical conditions. For example, within the top 10 of the individual leaderboards was one whose body was lying in the hospital due to illness. As the brain was unaffected, this person gamed very well, but being unable to leave, somebody was collecting the award on behalf of that person.

As AliveAfter500Years was too mysterious, many people were guessing whether he was one of those with serious illnesses or who was disabled and hence could not appear in public.

The journalist nodded his head. "That might be the case, but... there might be another possibility."

As for the other possibility, everyone had considered it before, but every time people thought about it, they brushed it aside. It was just too preposterous.

"It's not just us that have these doubts. We shall see in a bit—it's starting."

Like in previous years, Fiery Bird's president reminisced about the company's past, analyzed the present, and shared plans for the future. Following that, the host introduced a few distinguished guests, all who had been gaming gods in the gaming scene for over 10 years, but due to illness or age, they had not taken part this round. They were still involved in industries related to gaming, though, or had switched professions and become actors.

Whatever the case, they were former sparkling stars who still had their own fans. They were also considered the elder generation of e-sports athletes from every continent, and their standing in the gaming circles was rather high.

These people had been invited for two reasons. One was to share a little of their own experiences, and the second and most important was to confer the awards to this year's award winners.

For the awards presentation, the individual awards were first, followed by the team awards. The sequence for the leaderboard's top 10 was 7th to 10th place, followed by 4th, 5th, and 6th, and lastly 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

"Next, we would like to invite the players who placed in the top three on the individual leaderboards, Phoenix's Bruce, Ma Xier, and SilverWing50PolarLight's AliveAfter500Years!"

The spotlights shined on Bruce and Ma Xier as they got up with beaming smiles. Regardless of what their inner thoughts were, they concealed it well and turned around to wave at the audiences and reporters before heading toward the stage.

Fang Zhao had been called last, so he stood up after Bruce and Ma Xier.

Under the spotlights and the attentive gazes of over 10,000 people, generally, a young person at this sort of occasion for the first time would feel uneasy. Even if he could mask his emotions well, such uneasiness would still be unable to escape the experienced eyes within the members of the audience, yet the calm and unperturbed demeanor was too natural. It did not seem to be an act.

Compared to when he had first arrived in this world, Fang Zhao no longer had those cold and antisocial tendencies. When he got up from his seat, there was a faint smile on his face. Although not that obvious, he seemed warm and manly, and he portrayed the air of a cultured person.

Many gamers watching the live broadcast online stared at Fang Zhao heading to the stage on their screens, thinking, Bruce, Ma Xier, and AliveAfter500Years were called. Why are you getting up?

"Did the host say anything about having a representative collect the award?"

"...Nope."

"I suddenly have a dreadful feeling."

"Me too..."

"...Same."

On stage, the large screen displayed Bruce, Ma Xier, and AliveAfter500Years's information.

Nobody needed to see the former two's information—everyone was already familiar with them. Now, not only the people present, but those watching the live broadcast as well had their eyes on the area displaying AliveAfter500Years's information:

ID: AliveAfter500Years

Registered Identity: Fang Zhao (Authenticated)

Game Console: 10th-generation 'Rhapsody'...

There was a whole bunch of detailed data in a list below that—for example, monsters killed, natural disasters survived, completed quests, and the like.

No one really cared about the data, though. Everyone was staring at the three lines on top.

The word "Authenticated" was a confirmation. If Fiery Bird acknowledged it, it had to be true.

At this moment, gamers watching online were temporarily stunned.

"WHAT?!"

"So, that means Fang Zhao is actually AliveAfter500Years?"

"I! Don't! Believe! It! I must still be dreaming! Somebody hit me!"

"My mighty and awe-inspiring 500Years-god! How can this be?!"

"Probably... looks... can be deceiving?"

There was a professional artist from Huangzhou who had drawn his own version of AliveAfter500Years's real appearance—tall and ripped like a boulder, clad in high-cut military boots and special combat gear, and armed with special gatling guns. With his iron body and majestic aura, his might was not ordinary.

Previously, that image had been widely circulated in gaming circles, so much so that in many people's hearts they had begun to visualize AliveAfter500Years this way. They felt that even if the real person was not the same, the difference would not be much.

However, now, they all felt a deep sense of spite.The Ma in Ma Xier means horse

Chapter 165: Give Everyone a Chance

Online, the comments sections of many live broadcasting platforms were exploding.

"Why! AHHHHHHH—"

"My image of 500Years-god!"

"Why is it Fang Zhao, AHH—"

The number of "AHH"s in the comments section showed the audience's current frame of mind.

Others shrieked excitedly when they saw the real image of their idols, but here, when faced with the truth, there was only confusion and rage.

Nobody could blame them. Why had everyone kept guessing that AliveAfter500Years was from the special forces or some extraordinary division?

Although the real world and virtual world were different, nobody could say for certain how a person would fare in-game. In the real world, one might not be able to even catch a chick, yet they might turn into a crazy killing machine in the virtual world. There were also people in the real world built like freight trains, yet in-game, they were wimps.

When industry professionals analyzed AliveAfter500Years's in-game actions, they found his actions simply breathtaking and unexpected. If he was not an experienced gamer, then he had outstanding ability. As this individual had never been heard of in the gaming circle, it had to be the latter.

If it had been Zuo Yu standing there instead, everyone's reactions would not have been so acute, but it just had to be Fang Zhao, a composition graduate. Having never shown up in gaming circles previously, he looked refined and did not look at all tough. One look and anyone could tell he was a man of art and literature and had no resemblance at all to the crazy point-sweeping demon AliveAfter500Years! Moreover, according to common sense, it was rare for a management-level executive to lead his troops into battle from the frontlines.

How could anyone even f*cking guess that?!

Especially those people who had been flaming Fang Zhao in the past two days. At this moment, their brains had turned to mush. The person they had flamed and the one they had used all their efforts to support were one and the same—what the hell?!

"I flamed Fang Zhao before. Do you think he will sign something if I ask for his autograph in future?"

"I scolded him too..."

"This is just so d*mn awkward."

"That b*stard was just leading us on! The innocent and pure me fell for it!"

They did not approve of Fang Zhao, as they viewed him as an outsider in the gaming industry, an amateur of a different industry brought in to manage the team and instruct experts. Whatever was going on internally within the SilverLight team, in any case, all these spectators could not stomach it. In the past, there were many promising e-sports clubs that had been ruined by having outsiders meddle with them, hence why many online audiences found these actions to be revolting.

Secondly, there used to be rumors of Fang Zhao oppressing the team members, so audiences online did not have favorable impressions of him. Furthermore, when there had been news that Fang Zhao's bodyguard might be AliveAfter500Years and everyone had thought that their idol was actually being the bodyguard of an outsider, they hadn't been able to help but feel disgusted, and the tirades against Fang Zhao had become even more furious.

But now, the more one had furiously blasted, the more they were at a loss.

"Why didn't Silver Wing announce it earlier? What was the point in hiding it?!"

"Business-minded companies are all like this, taking the path with the most benefits. By not announcing, they could keep everyone focused on them. Fang Zhao can't be blamed."

"Maddening! I feel so bothered right now!

"That... Actually, Silver Wing announced it before, right?"

"My ass! When? How could I not know of this?!"

"Back when Jinro and the other seven were signed by Silver Wing."

"..."

Now that one person mentioned it, Yanzhou's gaming fans all suddenly recalled. Back then, it seemed like that had really happened.

Someone went to browse Jinro and the other's social platform statuses, took screenshots, and compiled them together before posting.

On the day Jinro and the other seven had signed with Silver Wing, they had indeed all updated with the same status:

"Our boss is AliveAfter500Years."

Back then, everyone had thought that Jinro and the others were saying that their team captain was AliveAfter500Years. In many e-sports clubs, captains were called boss, so everyone had gone along with this line of thinking. AliveAfter500Years had indeed been leading the team, and only after that had he slowly handed the leadership over to Jinro and Dorrian.

Now that the truth was displayed in front of their eyes, the audiences now knew. Jinro and the others had actually been telling everyone that SilverWing50PolarLight's boss—the most authoritative figure on the team, Fang Zhao—was AliveAfter500Years.

"How! Treacherous!"

"I feel like my IQ has taken a beating."

"Who could have even thought about it then!"

A series of frantic "ahhh"s once more filled up the comments section.

However, no amount of yelling could placate the swelling outroar in everyone's hearts. All they could do was find an outlet to vent. If not, this would drive them crazy.

They didn't want to blame themselves, and they were unable to condemn Silver Wing, as there was no use putting the blame on a business-minded entertainment company! How about holding Fang Zhao accountable? Oh, that was too shameless.

At this moment, someone suddenly posted, "Wang Tie, you piece of trash!"

The comments section went quiet for a moment.

Eh?

All of Yanzhou's gamers' eyes collectively twinkled. They had suddenly found their venting outlet.

Thus, the audiences' gun barrels turned to Wang Tie and began firing away once again in the comments section.

"Simply trash!"

"Such big news and he didn't catch one bit! So much useful information and he is nowhere to be seen! Wang Tie, are you in hibernation?!"

"The real person was right in front of our eyes! Why wasn't he able to sniff out the truth? To think that Wang Tie is praised as Yanzhou's best paparazzi!"

"Did Wang Tie lose his balls after getting locked up?"

"Wang Tie is no longer strong. We have to change his title of Yanzhou's best paparazzi!"

Wang Tie, who had recently infiltrated Huangzhou and was tracking certain celebrities there: "..." Why am I getting scolded?!

Normally, these people criticized him from meddling in other's businesses, finding fault with him for peeking into the private lives of superstars. Now, they were criticizing him for not providing fast and efficient news.

Wang Tie felt miserable reading through the scoldings online.

He wanted to explain his side of the story to the lively audiences on the internet: You might not believe me if I tell you this. Actually, I found out the truth early on, but I was too afraid to speak out. You were right about me losing my balls, but it was not because of jail. Rather, I was scared sh*tless by Fang Zhao.

Taking a deep breath and wiping the sweat from his face, Wang Tie decided he would make two big moves tonight to redeem his title of "best paparazzi." He did not dare to reveal news about Fang Zhao, but he had caught news of other stars, and not just a little. He would prove that his skills had not deteriorated and his nickname was as strong as ever.

In Yanzhou.

At the same time, watching the live broadcast and holding his electric guitar, Natiwuzi nearly threw it away in shock.

Recalling how he had used "world's No. 1" to try and persuade Fang Zhao, Natiwuzi felt his face hurting.

No wonder Fang Zhao had seemed so unperturbed when Natiwuzi had been painting the glorious picture of what being a "world's No. 1" felt like. It turned out that Fang Zhao had already experienced the treatment of being a "world's No. 1"! The gaming circles had even more attention from the public than the ancient-musical-instrument circles! They were way more popular too!

"Heh, that young fella!"

Natiwuzi felt that he needed to strum his guitar for the entire night to calm himself down.

Intense reactions were not just limited to the online audiences in Yanzhou and the rest of the world. At the conference hall, when Fang Zhao stood up, there was a roar from the crowd.

Although everyone would not make a huge ruckus, they would discuss it with their teammates or anyone beside them. If only a handful were whispering softly, nothing much could be heard, but if 99% of the audience starting discussing?

At this moment, all 2S e-Sport Club members had the same complicated feeling. They were all from Yanzhou, and their placing had been higher than Silver Wings, but this time around, Silver Wing had simply received much more attention, even more than any of the Big Five e-sports clubs. But this was expected, after all. Silver Wing had produced the world's No. 1 in the global leaderboards, and they could understand why everyone would pay attention. They themselves had also been curious.

However, when the truth was placed in front of their faces, they found it even harder to accept it.

"Do you still remember? At the press conference before the release of 'Battle of the Century' at Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, that fellow said 'Bring it on'?"

"I previously thought he'd said that as the team's person-in-charge and that he was being arrogant because of the special treatment Silver Wing gave him and the experts in his team. Looking at it now, it turns out he was not relying on others but only on himself!" exclaimed 2S's team captain, Xie He.

Ke Zimo's face was convoluted. "That means that the one who overtook us in the heavy-duty motorcycle practice match was him?"

On stage.

Fang Zhao stood together with Bruce and Ma Xier to receive their awards.

The host and distinguished guests conferring the awards did not appear to be very surprised. Perhaps they had gotten the news beforehand from old friends in Fiery Bird. As they were going to confer awards, they had the right to know the recipient's information before deciding whether to be the one conferring awards.

Thus, if their expressions had been ones of excessive shock, it would have been fake. Audiences online were not so easy to fool.

The one conferring the award was once a gaming god but no longer actively took part in online games anymore due to age. After he had stopped participating in e-sports competitions, he had started investing in gaming peripherals and nurturing talents, contributing lots to the e-sports industry.

"You are pretty good!" said the man who was once a gaming god as he handed the award over to Fang Zhao. He could not say much else. If Fang Zhao was really AliveAfter500Years, even if these people were in their prime, there was no way they could beat him, so there was no point in adopting the stance of an elder giving out pointers.

Fang Zhao accepted the trophy. "Thank you."

After the prize presentation, just like in past years, as the world's No. 1 player, Fang Zhao could not leave the stage immediately after collecting the trophy. He had to speak for a bit.

Formerly, those award recipients would share some of their thoughts, thank the heavens and the Earth, thank their family and their company, and express how excited and honored they were. Alternatively, they could give an account of how difficult the journey had been. Fang Zhao was not like them; he could not bring himself to pretend and speak such things, but he had other things to say.

Standing on stage, Fang Zhao appeared to calmly use his eyes to sweep the crowd. All the video cameras captured the entire situation and transmitted to the screens in front of gamers across the world.

"I have seen some of the comments online, and I know that everyone finds my identity as AliveAfter500Years really surprising." Fang Zhao had a faint smile on his face as he spoke, and his tone was mild, as if he was about to begin a normal chat with someone.

On the internet, in comments sections.

"Big god! Please don't say it!"

"I'm finished! He has surely seen all my criticism of him!"

"I'm regretting it. I should have used a smurf account when I flamed him!"

"I was originally thinking of heading to Silver Wing Tower to get some autographs a few days after Fiery Bird's annual conference. Feeling apprehensive now. Do you reckon I might get kicked out?"

Those that had previously flamed or cursed Fang Zhao felt as if their faces were burning up.

On stage, Fang Zhao did not speak much about all this, instead continuing. "I also know that a lot of people are unable to accept it. When I received the invitation, Mr. Tang Can contacted me to discuss this matter."

Tang Can, Fiery Bird's deputy director of operations, could always be seen at important Fiery Bird events. People who knew Fiery Bird well would not find him unfamiliar.

When Fang Zhao mentioned Tang Can, journalists with an acute sense sat up straighter. They knew that what Fang Zhao was going to say next was the important part!

Fang Zhao stared straight into the camera lenses ahead of him. What he was going to say next was for all the gaming fans watching this live broadcast.

"I shall give everyone a chance. Fiery Bird will open up a temporary practice area. Starting now, for three hours, there will be an extra 'challenge application' option on the top right of 'Battle of the Century's' login page. The relevant authorities will select ten challengers from the list of applications. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., I will be waiting there."

Jinro, Dorrian, Milo, and the others: "..." How familiar.

Schwarzer covered his chest—his ribs seemed to hurt. "Sounds like something I have heard before." The memory of getting kicked offline remained etched in his head as clear as day.

All of them remembered memories that weren't too pleasant.

After those words, Fang Zhao gave the audience a polite bow and went off the stage. However, Fang Zhao's words were like a bomb, and they triggered a huge shockwave.

All gaming fans watching the live broadcast rubbed their palms in delight and forgot all about scolding Wang Tie as they rushed to submit their applications. Killing their own idol just once in-game was every gaming enthusiast's dream!

"Bring out the Barrett your father received for completing the mission last time!"

"Don't try and stop me! I want to fight Fang Zhao to the death!"

"The only one able to snipe AliveAfter500Years is me!"

"Out of the way. I will help everyone verify whether it is really him!"

Studios that specialized in selling accounts and equipment also got busy.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, take down all the accounts that are for sale and use them to apply."

"Boss, are you sure about taking down all our accounts that are for sale?"

"All! Immediately! Right now!"

Every studio operated around 100 accounts. These were all resources! They knew that Fiery Bird would not just pick from those professional e-sports athletes and would probably pick a few players from the amateur circles. They wouldn't pick according to the leaderboards. Therefore, they could use all the accounts to apply for it. What if one of them was selected?

If an account got selected, that account's value would skyrocket! They could sell it for a large sum; they might not have to work for even the next few decades! Rich gamers were plentiful, and there were many willing to pay a premium for that chance!

Many players who were scrambling to apply found that the application window actually... lagged for a second!

One second was not long. This frequently occurred in other applications and procedures, but this lag occurring in a Fiery Bird game was just unimaginable!

Exactly how many people had to apply in that moment for such a situation to occur?

Not only were there gamers watching the live broadcast that signed up, but many people present at the conference hall were tempted as well. The stuff that Fang Zhao had said a while back did not restrict professional e-sports athletes from applying. So they could also give it a try?

Many present at the conference hall thought the same and activated their bracelets. They entered the relevant web page to look for the application option.

Ma Xier and Bruce also wriggled their fingers. Their hands were feeling itchy, but unfortunately, they would not be able to get the chance. Fiery Bird's staff were in charge of the screening process and would not pick them. It seemed like they could only request a duel with Fang Zhao in private.

Schwarzer looked around at the people busily trying to apply. Everyone seemed to no longer care about the prize presentations anymore.

"Everyone seems so energetic."

"You can apply too," Jake said.

"No, no, no." Schwarzer shook his head vigorously. "This chance would be better off with those who really need it!"

As for the members of SilverLight team, not a single one wanted to challenge Fang Zhao again. Having been taught a lesson once was enough. They were also not being oppressed. Until they had achieved the necessary ability, there were not willing to suffer that sort of treatment again!

Dorrian also received private messages from some of his old teammates from HWR e-Sports Club who were sniping masters.

The other party asked, "Dorrian, could you help me gauge? Given my skills, what's the probability of me successfully sniping him?"

Dorrian replied with one word: "Tsk!"

Chapter 166: Please Do Not Show Mercy

Because of Fang Zhao words, many people were no longer in the mood to continue watching the awards presentation. After all, the teams following him were always the usual ones. Every year, it was always the same few names, the same few familiar faces. There was no longer a sense of novelty. Other than fans of those teams, everyone else was already discussing the next day's exchange matches.

Fiery Bird's annual conference did not solely consist of the conference. On the second day, there were exchange matches where e-sports athletes and fans got to interact. There were also matches between e-sports athletes and teams. The ones that would be officially broadcasted were those that had been arranged earlier, such as the opening match where Fang Zhao would take on ten challengers.

For team exchange matches, SilverLight did not have an arranged opponent, but they could arrange for a battle in private.

At 7 p.m., after the prize presentation ended, the audience moved to the adjacent building where a sumptuous dinner awaited.

Due to his identity being revealed, Fang Zhao's social status within the gaming circles had increased. He had only just sat down and not yet finished a bun when he was approached by three investment firms regarding endorsement deals. These investment firms collaborated with Fiery Bird and belonged to the gaming peripherals industry, and now they had set their eyes on Fang Zhao. After all, he was the year's No. 1 individual player and had attracted lots of attention. Just taking a look at today's entertainment headlines was more than enough—every single one was occupied by news regarding Fang Zhao, AKA AliveAfter500Years.

Wayne was worried about Fang Zhao's mental state. He still had an exchange match that would be broadcast to the world tomorrow morning and needed to rest well. Huangzhou and Yanzhou had a time difference, and not everyone was able to adapt to it well. Wayne advised Fang Zhao to return to the hotel and rest first. Parties that wanted to collaborate with Fang Zhao would continue to keep in touch after the annual conference had ended.

Fang Zhao did not think anything special needed to be done, but if he continued to stay here, more people would approach him and he would not be able to eat in peace. Thus he agreed to Wayne's suggestion and picked out some food to be delivered to him as he headed back to the hotel.

When he had been in the conference hall, Fang Zhao had received lots of text messages from relatives, friends, and classmates. Even Xue Jing had sent him a few, astonished at how a composer like him played games and could become so famous from playing.

It had not been convenient for Fang Zhao to answer calls in the conference hall, so Fang Zhao had only been able to send text replies. When he got back to his hotel room, he returned a few calls to some important people.

When everything was done, it was already 9 p.m.

Fang Zhao had given his speech in the conference hall around 5 p.m. The three hours for applications was up, so Fiery Bird might have already filtered out the 10 challengers.

Browsing online, the 10 selected game IDs were already published on Fiery Bird's public website. Four were professional e-sports players and four were amateur players. These were filtered out by Fiery Bird staff and randomly selected. These eight were placed near the front of their respective continent's leaderboards but lacked the qualifications to take part in this year's annual conference. The remaining two spots had been picked by a completely random draw by the system and gone to two ordinary players.

The accounts of the two ordinary players had already been bought for large sums of money. There was no concrete amount, but figures online were estimated at no less than 2 million dollars.

The first reaction people in the gaming circles had when seeing this figure for the first time was disbelief.

"It's just a game. Is it worth it? Surely the prices were jacked up!"

"This isn't even considered buying an account, just borrowing the account to play for a bit, and they threw so much money at it? Are those buyers fools?

There were also people indifferent to it. They had seen this often and gotten used to it. "It's normal, gaming circles have always been crazy. Extravagant spending is common. The figures spent by nouveau riche gamers on equipment is something you cannot imagine. We can't just use rational thinking to compare."

Nobody knew who had purchased those two accounts, but for the other eight, they had already begun to make their presence felt on the internet. These challengers were slightly famous within their own continents and would not sell away this chance for a measly one or two million. They really wanted to do battle with the legendary AliveAfter500Years and, at the same time, use the chance to publicize themselves.

So what if they lost? At least they get to show their faces to gaming fans all over the world.

The ones that had already been selected posted recorded videos on their own social platforms, with the general idea being: "Delighted to be selected, eagerly anticipating the chance to do battle with AliveAfter500Years-god."

And in the comments section of their latest status updates, there were online users from every continent. Some were just spectating, some left congratulatory messages, and others offered money to purchase the accounts, making the section lively.

Fang Zhao searched for and watched some of the past videos of the eight challengers and did a simple analysis. Even if he trusted his own ability, he wouldn't be so arrogant to think that he was omnipotent. His past experiences had taught him to not think lightly of any opponent. Watching some of their in-game footage, he could understand his opponents' habits and combat styles and make a list in his heart.

After watching, Fang Zhao browsed some Yanzhou entertainment news.

As expected, Yanzhou's entertainment media outlets were all fired up. Today's breaking news had caught many people unprepared, but for Yanzhou's entertainment media, after the unexpected news came delight, and all of them livened up. Previously, they had not known where to start, but once the news was made known, they dug up all information regarding Fang Zhao. Even his old address on the black street was unearthed.

Yue Qing had sent a text message informing Fang Zhao that entertainment reporters had come over. They wanted to take a look at Fang Zhao's old residence and had offered cash rather easily. Although the place had already been bought by Yue Qing and converted into a storehouse, Yue Qing still informed him.

Fang Zhao expressed indifference. After all, the place now belonged to Yue Qing, and he could make the decision for himself. Fang Zhao did not think his own history in the black street was anything to hide, and nobody but himself knew the real stuff that could not be made public.

This time around, Yue Qing rode on the coattails of Fang Zhao's fame and earned a small fortune, much to the envy of many black street residents.

After that, Fang Zhao did not continue browsing information online. A few of Fiery Bird's staff contacted Fang Zhao and informed him of the next day's arrangements with his exchange match as the opening fixture. They were worried too much pressure had been placed on Fang Zhao, but after speaking with Fang Zhao, they knew they had been worried for nothing.

The next morning.

Tang Can brought a Fiery Bird team and a 10th-generation console over to the hotel's 62nd floor. A video camera recorded the process to prove that there was no substitution of the player.

Actually, when Tang Can had found out the amount of challenge applications yesterday, for a time, he had actually wanted to increase the number of challengers from 10 to 20. He had also asked Fang Zhao, who had not opposed.

Tang Can had also seen the trending video of Fang Zhao riding a motorcycle and going on a monster-killing frenzy. Perhaps whether it was 10 or 20 challengers would not make much of a difference to Fang Zhao.

However, Tang Can had finally dismissed the idea of increasing the number of challengers. This was not a serious competition, it was just an annual opportunity for e-sports athletes and fans to interact, with the focus on entertainment. If they were to suddenly change the plan and increase the challengers, it might result in some trouble arising, and those that had already bought or sold accounts might get furious.

At the moment, on the large screen, the conditions of the other challengers were displayed.

All of them were ready, and some had even gone ahead to lie in ambush.

One of the challengers had specifically sent a voice message to Fang Zhao before entering: "Please do not show us mercy! Everyone wishes to see your true strength, so please do not play around as if it were a normal game."

When experts sparred, they hoped the other party would take it seriously. Only this could be considered showing respect to one's opponents. Regardless of whether the users behind these challenger's ID's were the real owners, at this moment, all they wanted was to see how strong Fang Zhao was. Only then could they determine whether Fang Zhao was really AliveAfter500Years.

Furthermore, they thought of themselves as experts. There was no need to show mercy on experts!

Fang Zhao replied, "All right."

"Ha..." Schwarzer was about to laugh heartily when he realized a camera was pointed in his direction. Realizing the negative impression that would result from laughing, he stifled his laugh into a sneeze.

Back when the eight of them had challenged Fang Zhao, the kick Schwarzer suffered had left a deep impression. He had felt that, for this sort of exchange match, Fang Zhao would go easy, but who knew that the challengers themselves would ask Fang Zhao to not show any mercy.

The SilverLight team members exchanged knowing looks at each other before watching the large screen.

"Mr. Fang, are you ready?" inquired Fiery Bird's headquarter's engineers. They were not worried about the game console malfunctioning, but they were actually using this chance to conduct a study, using the collected information to add to their database, which would help facilitate designing new console models.

Tang Can had approached Fang Zhao for the first exchange match not just to attract viewership and satisfy fans. At the same time, the match was also for Fiery Bird matters.

As of now, among the 100 users of the 10th-generation console, Fang Zhao was the one with the highest adaptability value. The latest figures showed that his adaptability value had already stabilized at 98 and had reached 99 a number of times.

After the 10th-generation console had been released, there were some people who continuously questioned this sort of new console model. They felt that it was impossible for players to completely adapt to this model. Generally speaking, if the adaptability value exceeded 98, it could be considered fully adapted. Fang Zhao's adaptability value had never been publicized. Using this exchange match as an excuse, Fiery Bird could let the doubters of the 10th-generation console know that there were people who could fully adapt, proving that Fiery Bird's decision had been right.

Fang Zhao had already put on the console. "I'm ready."

"Start!"

The group of engineers stared at the screen displaying the data. They totally did not bother about the in-game battle situation; only the data and charts made them excited.

"Having a different machine, different geographic location, and different surroundings could result in not achieving the normal adaptability value. At the start, it's estimated to be 96, possibly 95. For it to rise, the time needed might be slightly longer—" Before that engineer could finish his sentence, the adaptability value had already shot up to 96, then risen to 97, and was continuing to rise to 98. He stared blankly at the screen for a second then put on a serious face. "Pretend I didn't say anything."

Chapter 167: Evaluation Without Question

Nobody else cared about the reactions of the engineers. Everyone else's eyes were fixated on the screen displaying what was happening inside the game.

For this exchange match, Fiery Bird had opened up a district approximately 500 meters in diameter. It resembled an ordinary residential area in a small town from the Old Era. The highest building in the area was only six or seven floors up.

There were online bookmakers offering bets on how long the exchange match would take. SilverLight team members rushed to place the bets after hearing one challenger request Fang Zhao not to show mercy. Given Fang Zhao's style of blitzkrieg, they picked the bet with the least time.

Online, the bet with the quickest time frame offered by bookmakers was "zero to 10 minutes."

All 10 challengers had logged on. As Fang Zhao was the one being challenged, he could only enter after the rest were in. Furthermore, the moment he appeared online, the other 10 challengers would receive his starting coordinates.

Starting coordinates were only visible for a moment. After three seconds, they would disappear. Radar and warning devices were forbidden for this exchange match, but players could bring their own firearms.

Fang Zhao's equipped gun was the same one given to him by the system when he'd started, an Old Era police-issue revolver. From detailed information on Fiery Bird's official website, this sort of gun only had an effective firing range of 50 meters.

This time around, Fang Zhao did not equip a helmet when he got online. Through the system's monitors, fans got to clearly see AliveAfter500Years's in-game appearance.

"It really looks 70% similar to the real Fang Zhao."

"The few scars add quite a touch of personality. I've decided to add a few scars to my avatar too."

"Scars on the face, seems kinda familiar, hmm."

Nobody wasted time mulling over it. They were fully devoted to their screens. The game's monitoring systems were showing the movements of Fang Zhao and the other 10 challengers.

The first thing Fang Zhao did after logging in was find a place close by to take cover. Many experienced players watching could tell that Fang Zhao had not picked a spot at random. His choice had been a shrewd one, enabling him to avoid sniper fire.

"Why has he stopped moving?" some gaming fans watching the broadcast posted in the comments section.

"Is he waiting for the challengers to make the first move? After all, in this match, he doesn't know the positions of the challengers."

"Someone is heading over!"

The scene cut away. Indeed, one challenger was inching closer to where Fang Zhao was.

Of the three challengers closest to Fang Zhao's starting spot, two of them had started advancing closer.

As for the others, they were probably lying in ambush.

Fang Zhao was still motionless. He seemed to have fused with the wall behind his back, making people suspect whether he had set his account settings to dormant mode.

As for the audience, they watched as the system-displayed minimap showed the distance between both sides as they got closer.

One hundred meters... 50 meters, 40 meters, 30 meters...

When the first challenger was 20 meters away from where Fang Zhao was, he suddenly saw Fang Zhao appear around a corner and raise his gun without any hesitation.

BANG!

There were portraits of the 10 challengers displayed at the top of the live broadcast, and one faded to black.

Killed with one shot! Immediate disconnection!

Time taken: 35 seconds.

The first person to have been killed and disconnected got out of his gaming cabin. He was feeling dejected. Being the first out of 10 people to get kicked out, he wasn't pleased, but he did not blame Fang Zhao.

He had always felt good about himself and was confident in his own ability. His ID could not be seen on the overall leaderboards, but he could place within the top 100 of the subleaderboards for his own continent. For an amateur gamer, this was already considered really good, but now, after less than a minute, he had been killed and forced to disconnect. Up until the moment he'd been shot, he had not even gotten a glimpse of the other's shadow and had had no time to react as his vision turned to black and he was disconnected.

It was as if a bucket of iced water had been splashed over his head, waking him up from his conceited idea.

"Don't tell me the difference is so great?"

The first challenger to fall kept replaying the scenario in his head, recalling whether he had show any openings that the opponent had taken advantage of. He clearly had not made a single sound when getting close, and there was no way the opponent could have seen him.

But soon, he had no time to feel remorseful. The topmost display had changed once again. The second challenger to disconnect after being shot came only three seconds after him. Most likely, when Fang Zhao was handling the first, the second challenger had tried to sneak up behind him but had unfortunately been killed as well.

In less than 40 seconds, two out of 10 were out.

Everyone hoped to be the one to take down the legendary AliveAfter500Years. When Fang Zhao's starting coordinates had been displayed, those who were unwilling to let the glory be stolen first were also the first to be kicked out of the battlefield.

A silhouette tiptoed carefully to where he reckoned was the best sniping spot. He quietly raised his gun up, calmly waiting for the target to appear.

However, outside the game, the audiences were getting anxious.

"Brother! Don't just check your front! Your side—no, now he's behind you!"

"You are gonna get shut down! Hurry and withdraw!"

"I can already foresee the ending for this brother."

Gaming fans spectating the match all wished they could rush into the game and warn this challenger to evacuate and shout at him: "You have already been exposed!"

BANG!

Another gunshot, and another portrait faded to black.

At 1 minute 27 seconds, 3 out of 10 were out.

"Ha, the sniper had someone knocking on his door! Were his concealment skills too clumsy? He was rather slow to react; is his experience on the leaderboards fake? Or perhaps he had a substitute? Maybe this account was handed to someone else for this match?" someone said in the chatroom.

"Let's watch some more. There are still seven more. Maybe not everyone will be like this."

However, when snipers who thought they had laid an ambush were found by Fang Zhao and shot one after the other, the audience that had been laughing and making jokes about the challengers fell silent. The chatroom and comments section on the live broadcasting platforms became much quieter.

One might be clumsy, two might be clumsy, but could all the challengers all botch their hiding techniques?

The audiences were all watching the live broadcast closely. They all had eyes to see for themselves the standards of these challengers. Although these challengers could not be considered top notch, they were worthy of their rankings within their own continents. The standard could be considered mid-to-high tier in e-sports circles, and they were way better than the majority of gamers.

Yet they had still been eliminated one after another in quick succession.

When Fang Zhao was motionless, he was like a statue, but when he moved, he could not be stopped. Even the system's monitoring cameras could not necessarily catch up with his silhouette. Many times, it only caught a flickering shadow, just like an apparition.

"I'm starting to believe that Fang Zhao is AliveAfter500Years. If not for the monitoring cameras following Fang Zhao, if I were there, I might not even notice him beside me."

That was also one reason why everyone believed that, in real life, AliveAfter500Years's identity originated from the special forces or was a veteran that had seen actual combat. From the videos of him that had circulated, it proved that he was different from a normal gamer.

Whether it was his concealment techniques, rapid movements, accurate shooting, or even his radar-like awareness, if this was in the real world, it would totally be at the standard of special forces! Even exponents of the military-renowned continent Rongzhou could not compare!

Even e-sports athletes from Rongzhou that bragged about how hard and tough their training was could not perform the movements they saw on the screen in front of them.

"BANG!"

Another gunshot. The ninth challenger had been eliminated.

The match timer showed 8 minutes 30 seconds.

"Really... merciless," someone lamented.

The SilverLight members, upon seeing the rueful atmosphere, could not help but grin slightly.

Is this "showing no mercy"? This is already being too lenient!

Do you know what sort of treatment he gave us back then?

What's so bad about being shot? Why not have a taste of being beaten up before getting shot?!

A sniper being found out does not count for much. At least he's letting you save some face, killing you from around 10 meters away. Have you felt the sullen taste of having a gun pressed to your forehead before being killed?!

Have you felt the pain and suffering of getting disconnected straightaway from a kick?!

That short history of blood and tears would never be told to anyone. Just remembering it left them with heavy hearts. The disparity in strength was just too great, so much so that after joining the SilverLight team, no one had the courage to rebel.

But watching these challengers suffering a similar fate, their hearts felt a little better. Furthermore, thinking about their wagers, the SilverLight members felt much more relaxed.

When these challengers disconnected and left their game cabins, their faces wore blank expressions, totally not comprehending why they had suddenly disconnected. Only after heading online to watch the replay did they understand. Their loss was not unwarranted!

In past exchange matches, with this sort of map and these sorts of players, the matches lasted at least 20 to 30 minutes. But now, was it going to be concluded before 10 minutes?

"Is Fang Zhao really not using 'radar' or any other assistance equipment?"

"Probably not. Didn't Fiery Bird's staff mention it is forbidden? Besides, even if you do use those, what can you even do to him?"

"Nothing."

"As a born and bred District 79er, this brother shall tell you all. All those who escaped following the SilverLight team know that 500Years-god is even more reliable than those warning devices!"

A science student asked, "And why is that?"

"Perhaps... the same principle as a cemetery guard? Born with an in-built hack."

Cemetery guards were widely known to have sharper intuition than sensor equipment, as well as an outstanding perception for detecting danger.

"That kinda makes sense."

"Stop harping on all that! Hurry up and watch. There's just one left."

At this moment, the sole surviving challenger felt like he was bearing a huge burden. In his hands was a high-caliber sniper rifle. Given the 500-meter-wide map this time, even if the map area was doubled, there was no issue. This sniper rifle could still shoot accurately at over 1000 meters!

As long as a tiny bit of the opponent showed up in his crosshairs, he had the confidence to get rid of him!

Whether the opponent was hiding behind a window, a car, or even a wall, he would kill AliveAfter500Years all the same!

However, he had not even caught a glimpse of Fang Zhao. All he heard were some gunshots from time to time. Every time, there were only one or two shots, and every time they rang out, the system gave a notification: one more player had disconnected.

The position he was at was an extremely favorable sniping spot, but since he had camped here, he had only heard gunshots and seen silhouettes of other challengers. Fang Zhao was still nowhere to be seen!

He usually had an accurate grasp of where a target was, but right now, he felt a little foggy.

Undetectable! Unable to determine! Totally no idea!

Where?

Where the hell is he?

Suddenly, he felt a chill across his back, provoking his keen senses. His body became rigid as he moved his line of sight away from the scope of his rifle. A stunned expression was written all over his face. He wanted to turn around and look behind him, but he didn't have the chance.

BANG!

The 10th challenger had disconnected!

On the display screen, 10 portraits were completely black and the timer had stopped.

Nine minutes 17 seconds.

"It's really within 10 minutes!"

"That... that quick?" A gamer watching the broadcast had not even finished his bowl of rice yet the exchange match had already concluded.

"If it wasn't that quick, there is no way he could have dominated the global No. 1 spot till now."

"Respect!"

"Evaluation complete. Fang Zhao is AliveAfter500Years without question!"

"Now I really believe that he is AliveAfter500Years."

"Say, isn't tomorrow the auction? According to past arrangements, the third day is always the auction."

"Yes. The official website did mention it, but we have no idea what is going to be auctioned. As the No. 1 player on the global leaderboards, Fang Zhao will definitely bring out something to auction. I wonder what it will be."

At every year's Fiery Bird annual conference, they would hold an auction. Social welfare in the New Era was better. As long as one was willing to work hard, contribute, and continue living, regardless of whether they were orphans or teenagers, these beneficiaries would receive relevant aid from various institutions.

People from the Founding Era had emerged from those desperate times. As descendants of those Founding Era pioneers, people of the New Era did not consider themselves useless unless their brains were totally incapable of normal processes. Even if one's body was not robust, if their mind was sound, they could still earn a living.

Thus, the scale of charity in the New Era was lesser.

The proceeds of Fiery Bird's auction were not for their own use but were totally invested into military constructions.

Having gone through that hundred years of damage, the planet had not yet fully recovered, and excessive mining was still impossible, but development required resources, so there were exploratory missions to foreign planets to search for resources and mining locations. Manpower, material resources, R & D for machines, and many other aspects required lots of military expenditure.

Many who had completed their military services knew that mining on a foreign planet was a real hardship and extremely tiring! Therefore, whenever there were special occasions or donation drives, these people would make a choice of donating to "military expenditures."

Some big companies, famous celebrities, and rich and powerful people would also donate this way. Whether they were flaunting their wealth of if they truly wanted to contribute, all had to go through this process.

Every sum of money accepted during Fiery Bird's auction would be made public with detailed information. This was also under the supervision of relevant departments so nobody had doubts.

Thus, every year, during Fiery Bird's auction, famous e-sports athletes would put forward some of their own items, and fans would bid for them. Supporting their own idols and contributing to military constructions, they were willing to spend this sort of money!

Some gamers already had their own thoughts on the next day's auction.

"Will Fang Zhao take off the clothes he is wearing and auction them? There are this sort every year, right? Shirt, pants, and whatever to be auctioned," someone surmised.

"That's great! Has it been washed? I don't want it if it's been washed. I want those that he wore! No washing!"

"What about your obsession with cleanliness?"

"To hell with that!"

A gaming fan from Huangzhou said, "I criticized Fang Zhao too terribly before. Whatever he produces tomorrow, I will bid on it to atone for my sins. Everyone, please don't fight me for it."

"I think my sins are even greater. Let me have this chance for atonement instead," a Muzhou gamer expressed.

Chapter 168: Pure Slander

For many people who liked to watch videos as they ate, the opening exchange match lasting under 10 minutes was really too short. Normally, when watching a battle, food that could be finished in 3 minutes would be dragged out for half an hour, just right to finish watching a match. Eating while watching competition videos was something lots of game players liked to do, but today, the opening match had unexpectedly ended so quickly!

After the match ended, online discussion became very intense. Some were going through a detailed analysis of the exchange match, while others were making guesses as to how many among the 10 challengers had someone else substituting for them. Yesterday, after the selection of challengers had been annouced, a few of the challengers had posted videos, but as long as there was no live broadcast of them logging in, someone else could have substituted for them at the last moment.

Regardless, whether the players had substituted out or not, this exchange match had achieved its goal: nobody doubted Fang Zhao's identity as AliveAfter500Years anymore. Even if there were any remaining skeptics, it was just an extremely small number of people; the majority of gamers had already accepted this fact.

A certain floor in the hotel where Leizhou's team "Wireless" was at.

A youth emerged from his gaming cabin, wearing an expression that was 70% shock and 30% blank. He had been the last challenger to be eliminated.

But when he saw the person sitting in front of him, the youth curbed his facial expressions. Ashamed, he muttered, "Sorry, Senior Master, I was unable to snipe him."

Seated on the chair was Zaro Renault, who seemed to be deep in thought. Hearing what the youth said, he replied, "I feel that you should have used a 10th-generation console. Fang Zhao was using a 10th generation, and the 10th generation sounds superior to the ninth generation. Its a pity I left my 10th generation back in Leizhou."

"... Senior Master, this has nothing to do with the machine. Besides, my performance in the ninth gen is better than when I use the 10th gen."

"Just a little bit more!" Zaro slammed the armrest in a fit of anger. The other person looked helpless and wanted to say "Senior Master, that wasn't 'just a little bit more'," but he heard Zaro continue, "Just a little bit more and you could have shot him. Whether you hit or miss wouldn't have mattered. I purchased that account and obtained such a mighty sniper rifle and yet you actually didn't manage to get a shot off! I have lost face!"

The youth drooped his head. "...My apologies, Senior Master." He could only say this much. It was not that he hadn't wanted to shoot, but he hadn't even seen a single strand of hair from the opponent! He suspected that Fang Zhao had already perceived his location and had intentionally kept away from there.

Zaro's face was dark and convulsing. Suddenly, he cried out. "How much money does it cost to poach Fang Zhao from Silver Wing?"

His agent mercilessly rejected him. "Just give up on that idea!"

As Zaro's agent, he knew all too well the sort of temperament Zaro had. Unlike Silver Wing, who were prepared to go all out, Wireless e-Sports was just for a round of fun. He also believed that this senior master's passion for e-sports would not persist for long. Since it was only for a time, why was there a need to spend such large sums to poach a single person?

Poaching others was fine. Some others might seem costly, but to them, that was not necessarily the case. However, if they really wished to poach Fang Zhao, that would indeed be forking out a premium! After poaching him over, they would have to operate for longer, and nobody knew how long would it take to recoup the investment. This matter was something he was unwilling to do.

——

On a different floor in the hotel, where 2S e-Sports Club were.

Instead of the boisterous atmosphere of discussion and analysis after watching the exchange match, the area was deathly quiet.

Both were Yanzhou e-sports teams, but till now, they had not come into contact with anyone from SilverLight. The two teams did not have good relations, so they would not normally hold any practice matches or scrimmages. Thus, 2S's higher management had wanted to use this exchange match as a pretext to test out the renowned AliveAfter500Years's ability. Originally, they had tried to purchase one of the spots for this match, but they had unfortunately been unable to do so.

Given the game's progress and newly released areas, it would be quite some time before they encountered any SilverLight members. Previously, they had felt regret at missing the chance to fight against AliveAfter500Years earlier, but now, this had become joy!

Even if they had managed to obtain a spot for this exchange match, the 2S challenger would probably have ended up like the other 10, and once the information leaked, it would be very disgraceful. Now, the entire internet was discussing the true identities of the 10 challengers.

A gaming pundit from Yanzhou said, "With such a person, Yanzhou is going to be lively in the future."

This brought about considerable pressure to Yanzhou's Big Five e-sports clubs, because as long as Fang Zhao was around, maybe the original equilibrium would be broken.

At the same time, Yanzhou's 10th ranked team, Zebra e-Sports Club, was currently in a terrible mood. On the first day after arriving, they had tried to use Zaro Renault to sound out the SilverLight team on the sixth floor, but they had not expected Zaro to turn around and sell them out. Not to mention that there was still the nightclub incident where Fang Zhao was attacked at their instruction.

A deathly pallor had appeared on the faces of those involved. Given Silver Wing's nature of holding a grudge, these incidents would not be swept under the rug. There were not yet any signs of activity, as Fiery Bird's annual conference was still underway, but the moment the conference ended, Silver Wing's retaliation would come forth.

Touching other people was all right, but having made a move on an important member of the team, Silver Wing would retaliate for real. No wonder Silver Wing's retaliation methods after the nightclub incident had been so vicious.

Silver Wing had always been like this. If you swayed public opinion, Silver Wing would do the same. If you caused trouble, Silver Wing would do it too. Previously, the nightclub incident had been ordered by two senior management executives. After the incident, those two Zebra e-Sports Club executives had gotten their just desserts. One had been hospitalized and the other had left his job.

The Zebra executive still lying in hospital was full of regret. If he had known Fang Zhao was AliveAfter500Years, even if he'd had 10 balls, he still wouldn't have had the balls to do anything to Fang Zhao!

On the 62nd floor, Wayne was delighted, chatting animatedly with the people around him, probably discussing future plans.

As for Fang Zhao, he wasn't really stirred up. Being mentally over 100 years of age, he was different from other people. Beating those few challengers was nothing to be proud of.

After watching the opening exchange match, among the e-sports athletes from all continents, some turned tail, but there were still others who wanted to pit themselves against Fang Zhao. However, after the opening match, Fang Zhao was nowhere to be found.

Fang Zhao had been invited over to Fiery Bird's headquarters. Engineers were preparing to conduct a study once more. They needed sufficient data to prove the success of the 10th-generation console.

After Tang Can brought Fang Zhao over, he left. There was still too much for him to do, so he could not stay.

Fang Zhao cooperated with the engineers as they ran a few tests. After that, he rested to one side, watching the engineers analyze the data.

A hearty-looking old man with hair the color of snow came and sat beside Fang Zhao. He was Cao Kan, the chief engineer here. Most of the people here had received guidance from Cao Kan, and everyone was used to calling him Chief Cao.

Cao Kan expressed a strong interest toward Fang Zhao. "According to my expectations, of the 100 users of the 10th gen console, I had not expected anyone to achieve an adaptability value of 98 within two years. Never did I expect that in just over three months you would actually hit 99." Cao Ken flashed a kindly smile at Fang Zhao. "Young friend, do you have any interest in working at Fiery Bird's headquarters?"

Fang Zhao looked at Cao Ken but did not speak. Young friend? Adding up your age and your predecessor's age, only then would it be comparable to the person in front of you.

Not getting a reply from Fang Zhao, Cao Ken sighed. "Never mind, you still have your own path to take. I heard that you are an artist? A composer? Heh, that's meaningful. Perhaps we can do some research on this topic, whether the brain of you composers is more active than normal humans?"

"Maybe," Fang Zhao replied.

While Cao Ken spoke with Fang Zhao, his hands did not stop moving. His fingers were flying all over, searching for Fang Zhao's personal information on the internet.

"Eh?" Cao Ken abruptly eyed Fang Zhao suspiciously. "You haven't completed your military service?"

"Nope."

"Then you are in some trouble." Cao Ken brought up a few hot entertainment news articles on the screen and showed them to Fang Zhao. "You are being focused on."

Fang Zhao scanned the articles briefly. Those entertainment reporters had finally found out that Fang Zhao had not done his military service yet.

Why was Fang Zhao's shooting so accurate, why was he so agile? Many entertainment reporters had started their research according to these lines of thought. Since he was not from the special forces, then it might have something to do with his military service. Indeed, there were people who had interactions with firearms or improved their physical abilities during their military service.

Little had they expected that, as they dug, they would find Fang Zhao's university history and that he had not yet enlisted with the military!

This was not hard to find. Just heading to the Qi'an Academy of Music and asking around would do. From Year 1 of university till graduation, there was a record of Fang Zhao's examinations. His school reports were not a secret.

Since there were examination records of every year and there was no gap year in the middle, that meant that, during his university days, he had not done any military service!

Entertainment reporters that discovered this bit of news were thrilled. What they loved the most were currently popular celebrities trying to escape military service.

Fang Zhao was one of the most searched terms on the internet. Although he had not reached the age limit for military service, this topic attracted a lot of viewership.

Furthermore, one who had not done his military service yet had this much skill in-game. Either he was a veteran gamer or he had experience that others did not.

If nobody in the gaming circle had heard of such a godly person previously, then it had to be the latter. As for Fang Zhao's experiences that were different from others... everyone unknowingly thought of the black street.

Thus, when the news was refreshed once more, news articles with these sorts of headlines appeared:

"Shocking! World No.1 Actually Originates from the Black Streets!"

"Unveiling the Little-Known Details of the Black Streets!"

"Exposing Fang Zhao's Life in the Black Streets!"

...

Many people's impressions of the black streets were like this: slum housing, appalling and dirty conditions, fighting and killing everyday, and lots of shady activity going on that never saw the light of day, just like the organized crime syndicates they saw in movies set during the Old Era!

Therefore, online audiences understood.

"So he came from a black street, no wonder he is so impressive!"

"When I saw Fang Zhao had some experience from the black streets, I originally thought it was for a short duration. Seems like Fang Zhao must have lived there for a long time."

"It's rumored that Fang Zhao participated in a black-street gang fight before. Is that true?"

"I heard that people from black streets own guns, and there are gunfights everyday. Fang Zhao didn't just handle a real gun, he even participated in a real battle!"

"I also heard that he is the illegitimate son of a triad boss from the black streets?"

There were also a number of internet users that refuted those claims, saying the black streets were not as bad as imagined. Where had all these gangs even come from?

But these sentiments were quickly crowded out, because a popular web series last year portrayed the black streets this way!

In the minds of these gamers, they had already labeled Fang Zhao as one from the triads.

Artists were already overflowing with inspiration and could not help themselves. With the swishing of brushes, they painted the image in their minds of Fang Zhao's black-street persona: clad in all black, his skin adorned with tattoos, and his eyes hidden behind shades as he smoked a cigarette. One hand held onto a machete as a whole group of people stood behind him. The image displayed a formidable power and haughtiness yet was awe inspiring and cool at the same time!

"Although Fang Zhao looks like a cultured person now, who knows what he looked like back in the black streets? Wasn't it said that Fang Zhao used to look very cool? Maybe he looked just like this!"

"Right, and there are the scars in-game. Perhaps he used to have them on his face. He could have gotten those scars from gang fights and only later use medical techniques to remove them!"

The more audiences thought about it, the more they believed it was actually this way!

In no time, this new image began circulated among gamers.

Fang Zhao, upon seeing his new image illustration: "..."

Yanzhou, Yanbei city's retirement center.

Smash! A watering can was violently smashed onto the ground.

"Utter rubbish!" Great-Grandfather Fang's beard twitched with rage. "Black street doesn't mean gang activity! These people are just making up a bunch of nonsense! What, what, what... what is this hideous illustration!"

Great-Grandmother Fang sighed beside him. "All these youngsters are watching too many poor-quality shows! What do they think about all day?!"

"What illegitimate child of a triad boss... that is totally slander! Creating rumors and causing trouble! This won't do. I have to speak with little Zhao and clear things up! If these people continue talking, what will the end result be?!"

Although Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang did not exactly know what Fang Zhao's life in the black street had been like, they believed their own great-grandson was not what the rumors perceived him as, taking part in gang fights and whatnot.

Fang Zhao was browsing through the news when he received a call from his great-grandparents, originating from Yanbei city.

"...Got it. Tomorrow, I will clarify... Mmhm, the company's staff have started preparing. Things will be made clear tomorrow... No need... There is really no need for you to step in..."

Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to help Fang Zhao resolve it personally. Although his influence when put on the global scale could not be considered much, if it could help Fang Zhao clarify these rumors, this old man was more than willing to step out.

The chat went on for half an hour. It was rare for Great-Grandfather Fang to talk so much.

After ending the call, Fang Zhao received another call from Wayne. He was informed that Silver Wing would try to contain those online rumors, but it could not entirely prevent them. After all, as long as there was discussion, there would be attention.

"Everything is all prepared. At the auction tomorrow, you can use the chance to explain and, at the same time, announce your decision to withdraw from the team and prepare for your military service." Wayne was afraid that Fang Zhao might be affected by all the slander and rumors online. "Those rumors might not all be from gamers. Some rival companies probably have a hand in them as well. They are just looking forward to squeezing you out. You just have to wait for the best chance. Stay calm, don't worry."

"I'm not worried, and I'm pretty calm," Fang Zhao replied.

Chapter 169: Temporary Withdrawal

It was already late when Fang Zhao left Fiery Bird's R&D department. Fang Zhao headed straight back to his hotel to rest, the online buzz not affecting him one bit. Only, on his way back, the people he encountered gave him inquisitive looks, and some even came up to ask if he had a triad family background.

Rumors online ranged from him being in a gang from the black street to being the illegitimate son of a triad boss to having a triad family background, and now they were guessing whether or not Fang Zhao had ever killed someone. The world would always have people making guesses with evil intentions. Furthermore, the driving forces behind these would love to tarnish Fang Zhao's reputation even more. It would be best if they could drive Fang Zhao out of this circle. Even if getting rid of him was impossible, it would still damage his reputation and popularity. After all, Fang Zhao's name had been trending too much in the gaming circles the past two days.

For this iteration of the annual conference, the limelight had all been stolen by him. Just taking a look at any famous, reputable gaming forum would do. Topics regarding Fang Zhao, regardless of whether they were gossip or posts on his techniques, would occupy at least half the page!

This was the definite result of extreme popularity. Rational fans anxiously awaited more information. Hot-tempered fans took their quarrels online. Fans that supported Fang Zhao and those that tried to defame him argued nonstop. Silver Wing's official announcement was not clear-cut; all it said was to have patience, that Fang Zhao would give an explanation to everyone the next day.

Generally, when it came to the third day of Fiery Bird's annual conference, gaming fans through the world, regardless of time zones, would stay in front of their screens, especially fans that intended to take part in the auction and bid on their own idol's belongings and had long prepared their funds.

And today, the most eyes were naturally on Fang Zhao, the trending topic. Silver Wing had announced that Fang Zhao would be giving an explanation today. Members of the media were rubbing their hands in glee, waiting for Fang Zhao to release his juicy information.

The auction was held in the same conference hall as the prize presentation.

Just like past years, the first item up for bidding was Fiery Bird's own. Fiery Bird fans across the world held their breath. Even if they could not afford it, just seeing it for themselves was an additional topic to talk about.

Many people speculated that, for this year, Fiery Bird would auction off a 10th-generation console. Many gaming fans not in the first batch of 100 users and who had the assets were all waiting to fight for it.

However, the item Fiery Bird brought out was an old machine, Fiery Bird's first-generation console, Venus.

"One hundred years ago, we, Fiery Bird, first set foot in the gaming industry. Ninety years ago, our first-generation Fiery Bird console was born. It was named 'Venus'..."

On stage, Tang Can vivaciously painted the history of Fiery Bird's games and the development of their consoles.

For gamers, the value of collecting a game console depended on the person that used it previously.

A fifth-generation console used by an e-sports god 50 years ago had been auctioned off for a high price two years back, the value more than doubling.

Something else that could attract gaming fans to make high bids were feelings.

Clearly there were no 10th-generation machines, but the original first-generation console was extremely nostalgic. Especially for gamers over 100 years old, the original console brought back many sentiments.

During the auction of the original first-generation console, Fiery Bird's chairman, shareholders, and other senior executives in the company cheered. There were inscriptions engraved on that first-generation console by the previous chairman:

"Never forget our original aspirations; encourage progress."

Watching the enlarged words on the screen, Fang Zhao asked Jinro beside him, "What were Fiery Bird's 'original aspirations'?"

Despite being a veteran gamer that had been in the gaming circle for quite some time, Jinro was stumped by this question. Mulling it over for a bit, he replied, "Maybe it's to make the company bigger and better? After that, to manufacture the best games and game consoles?"

Finally, the first-generation console was sold to a 130+ year old entrepreneur for a winning bid of 60 million.

Before "Battle of the Century" had been released, the value of a 10th-generation console had already been hyped up to 60 million. Three days after the game's release, the price had been estimated at around 80 million. Now, it was already more than 100 million.

The original game console naturally could not compare with the 10th generation. Given the production costs and technology of the first generation, getting such a high price was not so easy.

Many of the first generation's microchips and various components had since halted production. Gamers that had used this machine had long chucked it aside, and many of these original consoles had long been recycled.

Even if these machines had been preserved, not every first-generation machine would be able to obtain such a high price. Preserving this sort of machine required meticulous maintenance, which was time consuming. The costs were not cheap either, so generally, not many people were willing to make such an effort.

Furthermore, this first-generation console had an engraved inscription from the late Fiery Bird chairman. This was something that no other first-generation console could compete with. Perhaps, after a few decades, as long as this machine was maintained well, reselling it might fetch an even higher price.

After the auction of the first-generation console, the chatter slowly died down. Everyone was waiting for today's other extremely anticipated person to go on stage.

Fang Zhao was not wearing a SilverLight team uniform but a formal suit Silver Wing had prepared for him. Many people had some sort of idea upon seeing the situation. Indeed, Fang Zhao would be auctioning his team jersey.

It was nothing astonishing and was expected.

Once the set of clothes were taken out, there wouldn't be any surprised looks in the crowd.

Actually, auctioning off the team jersey was something that Silver Wing had contemplated for a long time before deciding on. At the start, Wayne had wanted to advise Fang Zhao to bring out something that would attract more people, such as score sheets, manuscripts, or other such stuff, but later, they had decided it was not appropriate.

Fang Zhao might be really popular right now, but whether it was in the gaming circles or composing circles, he was still a newcomer. The gaming circles might have no qualms, but the main issue was the composing circles. Doing so might give rise to the discontent of many senior composers.

The line of thought was that academics might find these actions disrespectful to his works. Auctioning off score sheets in the gaming circle? Which gamers could understand them?

Nope. Gamers with a professional foundation were too few. A score sheet in the hands of the majority of gamers would be like an ancient scripture. In any case, placing it in front of them was the same: incomprehensible.

If faced with some sensitive composers, they would think, Does auctioning off your score sheet for a high price prove that you are more capable than others? Can artistic works be purely measured by value?

Since it was not just one circle, and as a newcomer without enough qualifications, Wayne advised Fang Zhao to do the same as others and auction off his clothes. That would be the most practical and least offending.

On the chest area of the jacket Fang Zhao had brought out, some people noticed a badge. That was the captain's badge. Furthermore, watching the close-up on the screen, other than the tree-shaped team emblem, Fang Zhao's name was also engraved on it.

Fang Zhao had worn this badge for the first time at yesterday's exchange match; the cameras just had not featured a close-up of it.

"Auctioning off his team jersey with a badge thrown in?" someone commented online.

"This has never happened before, right?"

"In the past, only team jerseys were auctioned, not the badges."

As everyone was busy discussing, Fang Zhao voiced his thoughts. "I received a call from my great-grandfather yesterday. Seeing those rumors circulating online, this old man was very angry."

Hearing Fang Zhao mention his "great-grandfather," everyone pricked their ears up. Where had this great-grandfather originated from? Was he from the rumored black-street gangs?

As if he could tell what everyone was thinking, Fang Zhao displayed a photograph on the screen behind him. It was a box filled with neatly arranged military medals.

The buzzing of discussion in the conference died down.

"The old man would definitely allow me to show this. These were military medals received by my great-grandfather and great-grandmother. Both of them served on the spaceship Sirius during their military service."

Sirius was among the space exploration pioneers of the New Era. Although the spaceship had since been decommissioned, it had never vanished from movies and TV and remained well remembered. It represented the significance of that era.

On the internet forums, gaming fans who saw this were flabbergasted.

"Military service aboard a spaceship? Sounds really cool!"

"Cool my *ss! Military service aboard a spaceship is even more tiring than mining! And the risk and dangers are way higher! Furthermore, among the people that served aboard the pioneer battlespaceships, not many are still alive."

"Looking at these medals, Fang Zhao's great-grandfather is at least of a regimental rank and should be qualified to own guns. Furthermore, the guns he has are probably rare models."

"So envious. Fang Zhao has surely played with those guns before."

"Whatever the case, this at least proves that Fang Zhao's family background is not a triad."

This time, no one associated Fang Zhao or his family with gangs. Regardless of whatever they thought deep down or whether they had any doubts, they would not voice it out. This box of military medals and the military service aboard the Sirius were two important points. They had to at least show some respect for these two old folks. As for whether Fang Zhao was really related to a gang and whether he had killed, these were merely rumors. Without proper evidence, they did not dare to blather. A little carelessness could result in trouble. If Fang Zhao's great-grandparents were no longer living, it would be fine, but both his old folks were living well. If they were to get serious about seeking out these rumormongers, that would be tragic.

Fang Zhao did not take notice of the audience's reactions. He continued, "When I visited my great-grandparents during last year's memorial holiday, I spoke about my military service plans with them. However, due to work commitments, I was unable to apply for enlistment last year. This year, though, I have decided to enlist in the April cycle."

There were two enlistment cycles for military service in a year: April and October.

Did Fang Zhao mean to enlist for military service in April? Then what of the game? Was he quitting? What about the team? Was he finally going to relinquish his throne of the first position?

The quiet conference hall once again buzzed with the noise of discussion. Some people were so delighted they wanted to set off firecrackers. They had racked their heads thinking of a solution to force Fang Zhao out, but never had they expected that Fang Zhao would actually be enlisting for military service! Hahahahaha!

There were others who felt regrettable that they would not have a chance to encounter Fang Zhao in-game and who wanted to spar with him before he enlisted.

Fang Zhao paused momentarily before announcing, "From today onward, I will be temporarily withdrawing from 'Battle of the Century.' I will return after my military service has been completed."

Gaming fans were dumbfounded. That fast?!

Everyone had too many questions, but Fang Zhao did not continue. There was no need for him to speak too much. After all, this was Fiery Bird's auction, not his own personal fan meet. Time was limited, and he had briefly mentioned the important points. Everything else would be handled by Silver Wing's relevant departments.

With Fang Zhao temporarily withdrawing, even if he returned after his military service, the captain position might not necessarily be returned to him. That meant to say that the captain's badge on this team jersey might be the only one of its kind!

Thus, when the auction started, the figure shot up in a straight line.

On the large screen, from the starting bid of 10,000, it jumped to 100,000, 200,000, 500,000, 800,000...

As it went on, the number of people bidding became fewer, but as before, the figure continued to rise.

Chapter 170: Diehard Fan

As this was the first time Silver Wing's e-sports department was taking part in the auction segment, Wayne viewed it with utmost importance. Since there was lots of funding, manufacturing of the team jerseys had been done with the finest materials. Yesterday, when they had been preparing this set of Fang Zhao's clothes, Wayne had personally watched as his staff cleaned and tidied the clothes then wiping the captain's badge till it was sparkling before putting it on.

It could be said that, even if this set of clothing was placed in a store, it would not be sold at a low price. The production cost for these clothes was at least 2,000 to 3,000. With a starting bid of 10,000, three times the cost, it was not considered very high. Wayne had estimated the clothes to be auctioned off for around 35,000, which was considered really high. This was when comparing with past examples of popular e-sport athletes.

If no one bid for it, Wayne would let some internal Silver Wing staffers bid for it in the shadows and jack up the price.

Supporting one's own interests from the shadows was a method that every e-sports club employed. On the surface, it would look better, and Wayne had felt that if the price were not jacked up to at least 1.8 million, he would be letting down Silver Wing's brand.

However, Wayne was now staring with his mouth agape at the figures that were still rapidly shooting up.

Eight hundred thousand... 1 million.... 1.5 million... 2.3 million...

Looking at the bidders, there were some displayed IDs and some anonymous IDs. When it came to online bidding, some people were unwilling to reveal their personal information and would set up an anonymous profile. Confidentiality was something that Fiery Bird permitted.

Passing the 1 million mark, the number of bidders fell drastically, and when it reached 2 million, there were basically only five or six bidders left.

Even if Fang Zhao was a hot topic and his popularity was on the rise, he was still a newcomer to the gaming circles. As it was only a set of team jerseys, 35,000 was already considered a premium and even entertainment media outlets would exaggerate it, but now, the price had been jacked up so high...

In the conference hall, some people watched the SilverLight team with a profound look. To jack up the price, Silver Wing were really going all out.

Wayne's face was rigid. Drooping his head, he sent a message to his staff in the shadows. "That's enough! Stop jacking it up!"

Only appropriate price jacking was considered good work. Overdoing it was not beneficial! This bunch was so unprofessional.

The looks of people in the surroundings made the self-declared thick-skinned Wayne feel like he was on fire.

However, the person in charge of the shadow operations pleaded innocence. "We didn't. It really isn't us jacking up the price. There has simply been no chance for us to step forward!"

Eh?

It's not our own people jacking up the price?

Wayne was really flabbergasted. Was it really Fang Zhao's diehard fans bidding?

Watching the figures on the screen, the current bid had already passed 2.7 million and was still climbing towards 3 million.

Currently, there were only three active bidders left.

Wayne leaned toward Fang Zhao and muttered, "That 'Little Leaf' currently bidding, do you know him?"

"Yes."

"Oh? Who is he?" Wayne was curious.

"Ming Cang."

Wayne: "...That former headmaster of the Qi'an Academy of Music?"

"I just received a message from him. He says his son, Ming Ye, is recovering well, so he decided to win this set of team jerseys as a memorial day gift for Ming Ye," Fang Zhao explained.

Wayne nodded his head. "So that's it." If it was Ming Cang, he could understand.

Fang Zhao's "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had provided a treatment direction for Ming Cang's sick son. There was hearsay that the treatment effects were going well and Ming Cang was very grateful toward Fang Zhao. Whether he really wanted to get it as a gift for Ming Ye or he was simply using this situation as an excuse to help out, either way, that pleased Wayne.

Wayne asked Fang Zhao about another ID that was still in the bidding war. "What about 'ATreasuredKnifeDoesNotAge'?"

"My great-grandfather," Fang Zhao replied. The old master had said he wanted to root for his great-grandson.

Wayne's facial muscles trembled. "...The old master is really awesome."

The three remaining ID's were "Little Leaf", "ATreasuredKnifeDoesNotAge" and "Anonymous." Two IDs were known; only the anonymous one was left.

"Do you know who the anonymous ID is?" Wayne quizzed.

"No idea." Fang Zhao was puzzled too. He really did not know.

As they were talking, the figures on the screen changed once more, and many people in the conference hall could not help but exhale sharply.

Looking up at the current bids, after "Little Leaf" had bid 3 million, the bid had suddenly risen to 5 million. The caller was Anonymous.

It was just a set of team jerseys, not some limited edition item or a treasured belonging of a certain great master that had passed on. It was just the clothing of a newcomer that had risen to prominence. Although there was a captain's badge and Fang Zhao's reason for temporarily withdrawing, there was no need to be so excessive! This was utterly excessive!

Silver Wing's self promotion? Otherwise, who else would fork out 5 million just to buy a set of clothing?

Zaro sneered as he told his manager, "I have no idea which idiot would actually spend 5 million to purchase such an ordinary set of clothing." Raising his head, he realized many pairs of eyes were on him, and although it didn't happen a lot, he was enlightened and knew what the stares of these people actually meant.

Zaro raised his voice slightly. "What are you staring it? That wasn't my bid!"

Nobody could be blamed for looking at him this way. In the hearts of many, throwing money around had always been Zaro's style. Just yesterday in the leisure district, he had still been talking about wanting to poach Fang Zhao over to Wireless e-Sports Club, and the latest bid being a massive jump from 3 million to 5 million was totally in the style of what Zaro's sort would do.

Following Zaro's outburst, nobody suspected him any more. Although Zaro had all sorts of shortcomings, he wouldn't go so far as to lie about this. People that were familiar with Zaro's style knew that if this Senior Master really wanted to bid, he would not use an anonymous ID. He would want to let the whole world know he had money and then bid excessively. This remarkably foolish person had too much money.

Ultimately, Fang Zhao's set of team clothing was sold to the highest bid of 5 million. This left many people shocked, and the internet started to boil once more. Chat rooms and forums were all discussing this.

And everyone's conclusion after discussing was that such a high bid could only be a diehard fan of Fang Zhao or a self-promotion scheme by Silver Wing!

More people were inclined to believe the second possibility and felt that it was surely a means of self-promotion by Silver Wing! Their internal staff had purposely raised the price!

Whether it was those present in the conference or the online viewers watching the live broadcast, they all felt the same way. Even if Silver Wing had officially announced that their internal staff had not taken part in the auction, nobody believed them.

"Isn't this the highest ever bid in any year?"

"For team clothing, that is indeed the highest ever."

Although there were bids of over 5 million in the auctions of the following items, those items were game consoles, and the manufacturing costs and starting bids were already very high.

After the auction, everyone was still discussing the high price of Fang Zhao's set of team attire. Many people thought, if it really was all a charade by Silver Wing, would it infuriate Fiery Bird? Or perhaps attract more disgust from even more people? After all, most gaming clubs had secret operations behind the scenes, but jacking up the price to such ridiculous extremes had never been seen before. Even if it had happened, the offending parties would be placed on Fiery Bird's unwanted list.

There always had to be a limit when it came to hyping up in a business. If it was overdone, it would not be that popular and would instead result in an adverse reaction.

Wayne was also worried, so once the auction ended, he wanted to look for the highest-ranking board member in Silver Wing's entourage and get him to explain to the relevant Fiery Bird officials. However, before Wayne even moved out, Fiery Bird announced that the anonymous buyer had no relations whatsoever to Silver Wing, that he was just a fan of Fang Zhao.

Someone found it inconceivable. "How fanatical must he be to throw that much money just to get Fang Zhao's team attire?"

"Maybe that person has no lack of cash?"

"Or perhaps he just wants to use it as an excuse to contribute to military expenditures?"

"It's a pity it was anonymous. We won't know who it is."

Fang Zhao was also curious himself and inquired with Fiery Bird staff after the auction concluded, but he did not get an answer either. Fiery Bird placed great importance on customer confidentiality.

Wayne had a positive perspective. "Forget it. Since they actually said it is a fan of yours, that person will appear in future, maybe at a fan meet or some related event." Besides, it was not their behind-the-scenes methods that had resulted in big news, so he had the confidence to say all this.

As for who had bought it and what intentions they had, Wayne no longer cared. Having been with Silver Wing for so long, he had seen this sort of situation many times and did not find it strange. It was tiring if they had to get to the bottom of everything.

Back at the hotel, Fang Zhao ran into Mazhou's Ma Xier, the gold-medalist shooter ranked No. 2 on the individual leaderboards.

"Are you really going to enlist in April?" Ma Xi'er asked Fang Zhao.

"Yeah. I will hand in my application after Memorial Day," Fang Zhao replied. The time period for enlistment had not arrived yet, but all his company matters had already been arranged. All he needed was for Memorial Day to pass before sending in his application.

Ma Xier watched Fang Zhao with a complicated gaze. Suddenly, he laughed. "Just as well. I am preparing to temporarily withdraw too. There is no meaning in climbing up to first on the leaderboards if you aren't there. Besides, compared to games, I still prefer playing with real guns. Have you played with real ones before?" Ma Xier asked.

"I have," Fang Zhao replied. "I have a member card over at Yanzhou's shooting club."

Fang Zhao had indeed applied for a member card at Yanzhou's shooting club and had gone there to handle some New Era firearms.

"That's great. When you have the time, visit Mazhou, and I will bring you to a shooting range. Shooting athletes all around the world love Mazhou shooting ranges the best. They have the most specialized ranges and large areas. Even Huangzhou's most famous shooting range cannot compare to the one in Mazhou." As Ma Xier talked about Mazhou's shooting ranges, his face subconsciously displayed some pride.

The competition continent, Mazhou, was a heaven for athletes of all sports.

"Sure."

After exchanging contact details with Ma Xier, Fang Zhao headed upstairs.

An hour after the auction, Ma Xier posted a new update on his social platform, announcing his decision to temporarily withdraw from "Battle of the Century." When Fang Zhao returned, only then would he continue. It just so happened that he had competitions in real life and considered them a priority.

Three hours after the auction ended, Fiery Bird officially released some data from the 10th-generation console that Fang Zhao had assisted in obtaining as well as a short video of Fang Zhao on the day of the exchange match. In the video, viewers could see the adaptability video soaring to 98 and even hitting 99 on a number of occasions.

Fiery Bird used this as a pretext to refute the many cynics from within the industry who had spoken up after the 10th-generation console had been released.

When the 10th-generation console had just been released, a professional from the industry had estimated that, in three years, there would not be a single gamer that could successfully adapt to the 10th generation and that it was impossible for the 10th generation to become mainstream in the short term!

After that, he had even said that some e-sports club members did not really use the 10th-generation console and chose to switch back to the 9th generation while shelving the 10th generation, only using it to adapt once in a while at leisure. The expensive 10th generation that gamers could not adapt to was a big mistake by Fiery Bird!

But now, four months after the release of the 10th-generation console and three months since "Battle of the Century" had been released, someone had genuinely adapted fully.

As the user was Fang Zhao, all gamers had the same line of thought: If they could raise their adaptability value to 98, would they be as impressive as Fang Zhao?

With an adaptability value of 98, what would the experience be like? Would judgement and perception be raised? Would movements be more relaxed? Would shooting be more accurate?

Global ranked No. 3 and mainforce captain of Huangzhou's Phoenix e-Sports Club Bruce also used the 10th-generation machine. When faced with his teammates' and fans' inquiries, he replied, "I also do not know. I'm only 95, but I feel like I'm going to break through soon. In a months time, it might be 96. I will let everyone know what the experience is like when I hit 98."

As for gamers without the 10th-generation console but who were well off, they all wondered if they could obtain one to try it out for themselves. Who knew if they had the innate talent to adapt quickly?

Of course, there were others who did not feel so strongly about games and felt that this way of thinking was too crazy. Spending so much money to purchase a game console that they might not adapt to might be a waste! Wasn't it just a game console? There were high maintenance fees just to keep it as an ornament. Were they just going to chuck aside the 9th-generation console that was easier to adapt to and purchase a 10th-generation console? Even if the 10th-generation console had a second batch of sales, there wouldn't be many buyers! Forget about it even becoming mainstream.

As the internet was abuzz with discussion, on the SilverLight team's side, the members were already packing up their stuff. Fiery Bird's annual conference had come to an end, and they would be returning back to Yanzhou the next morning.

"Wayne, bring the others back to Yanzhou tomorrow. I will be visiting Muzhou before returning," Fang Zhao told Wayne who had just ended a call.

Wayne's smiling face suddenly tightened. "What are you heading to Muzhou for?" He was worried that a team in Muzhou wanted to poach Fang Zhao away. This time around, many teams had expressed an interest to poach.

"To fetch my dog," Fang Zhao replied.

Wayne let out a huge sigh of relief in his heart. "Oh, right, your champion dog is still in Muzhou, herding sheep."

The memorial holiday was approaching soon and the people in Muzhou needed to celebrate too. Furthermore, people of Muzhou treated Memorial Day with great importance, and all members of the Su family had to return to Qingcheng. Su Hou would not be staying at the farm, so Fang Zhao had decided to bring Curly Hair back to Yanzhou.

"How will you be heading over? Do you need me to request another flying transport?" Wayne asked.

"No need. The boss of Muzhou's Four Elephants Foodstuff, Su Feng, is here in Huangzhou. I just talked to him, and he will be leaving for Muzhou tomorrow. I will join him and fly straight to Muzhou's Dongshan Farm."

"How long will you be gone for?"

"Three or four days, depending on the situation."

"Then you better bring Zuo Yu with you. Make sure to be careful!" Wayne exhorted. "You are now a famous celebrity and lots of people will recognize you. Put on some disguises when you head out. Also, don't spend too long in Muzhou. The company has planned an interview program for the SilverLight team before Memorial Day. Now that you are especially popular, return a little earlier to record. Otherwise, if you wait too long, everyone will have shoved you to the back of their minds. Online audiences have very short memories."

After exhorting repeatedly, Wayne started to think of topics that could continue hyping up Fang Zhao on the days he was in Muzhou to ensure the audiences didn't forget him.

With Memorial Day approaching, many entertainment companies would be releasing new-year blockbusters, and many celebrities would be in the news. Now that Fiery Bird's annual conference had come to an end, e-sports clubs would postpone climbing the leaderboards and would prepare for some rest and reorganization. Entertainment companies would take over the bombardment of the entertainment news. Perhaps many people would place Fang Zhao at the back of their minds the following day.Leaf in chinese

Chapter 171: Not Worth I

The next day, Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu boarded Su Feng's flying transport and headed for Muzhou together.

Four Elephants Foodstuff's growth had been relatively good. The influence of Polar Light's image was on the rise because of the SilverLight team and the world's No. 1, Fang Zhao. This had enabled Four Elephant's products to do better than other Muzhou brands and thus be more popular among youngsters. After all, younger people tended to play games or know more about the gaming circles.

"This year's Memorial Day gifts have already been sent out. You guys at Silver Wing have a share too and should receive them tomorrow. How nice that your department will be back to receive them." The Memorial Day gifts Su Feng had sent out this year were more abundant. As profits were great, he naturally wouldn't be stingy.

As they talked about Fang Zhao being AliveAfter500Years and the high price of the team attire, Su Feng mentioned the happenings at Dongshan Farm.

Su Feng laughed. "Oh, that fella Su Hou was recently given a beating by his dad."

Su Hou had been keeping Fang Zhao updated on the goings-on at his side as well as the farm's progress, but lately, Su Hou had only been sending text messages, not video ones, and whenever Su Hou called, he did not enable video mode either.

"An argument?" Fang Zhao asked. What went on in the Su family was no secret. Muzhou's entertainment journalists loved to report on the conflicts within the Su family.

Su Feng's grin was especially wide. "Mmhm. Su Hou got into a fight with his half-brothers. Can you guess what happened?" Not waiting for Fang Zhao to reply, he continued, "I heard that neither side brought their bodyguards, but the other side had two people: one around the same age as Su Hou, and one older than him. Su Hou received some small wounds, but the other people were more severely injured. Because Su Hou had brought a dog! Hahahaha!" Su Feng convulsed with laughter and nearly fell out of his chair.

"The one he brought along was that little Curly Hair. He really deserves to be called a champion dog. It's fighting strength is quite impressive."

During their conversation, the flying transport had already arrived at Dongshan Farm and was descending to the parking space. Su Hou, who had received the news, was already waiting.

There were no longer any marks on Su Hou's face from his father's beating.

Curly Hair ran over like the wind, encircling Fang Zhao and wagging its tail vigorously, showing that he was excited to see Fang Zhao.

"You seem to be in high spirits." Fang Zhao picked Curly Hair up and examined him. There were bits of grass on Curly Hair's body, but closer to the skin, it was still relatively clean, and he had been well taken care of. Curly Hair had probably just been playing in the grass and so had bits of grass and soil sticking to him.

"Master Zhao! Long time to see!" Su Hou's tone was excited. Previously, Fang Zhao had just been a cooperative partner and someone who had helped him escape a dire predicament. Su Hou had been very grateful for that, but now he totally worshipped Fang Zhao.

Su Hou had been underage for "Battle of the Century," but he had been following the game's news closely. When Fang Zhao had unveiled himself as AliveAfter500Years, Su Hou had been equally shocked, but after the shock had come delight and excitement. Other people would find it hard to even see AliveAfter500Years, but he could speak with Fang Zhao over the comms every week, even though it was only about farm matters.

Before, Fang Zhao had only seen the changes of the farm through video. Now that he was here, Su Hou led the way, telling Fang Zhao what each piece of land was for.

"The soil has already improved, the seeds we planted there have already sprouted and should be able to survive winter, so there is no need to apply antifreeze. Over there is still empty. When spring comes round, we will plant some new seeds my brother has given me. The crop was cultivated in a space laboratory. Actually, it has been cultivated for quite some time already, but they held it back to ensure the fruit was entirely safe. Now, it has been confirmed to be safe, and what I have is the first batch..."

Su Hou professionally introduced Fang Zhao to every place on the farm. Now there were cultivated fields, pastures, and an extended building for the workers to stay in.

Su Hou was also no longer that ignorant little fatty he had once been. He had indeed worked hard at farming.

As they strolled along, a pack of dogs started barking and ran over.

The few large dogs at the head of the pack seemed familiar. There were not from Wu Yi's farm. Those few competition dogs from the previous year had all been returned to Wu Yi. Only Curly Hair remained here.

"Are these the dogs left behind by the previous owner?" Fang Zhao asked as he looked at the lively and well-built dogs at the head of the pack.

"That's right, it's them."

When the dogs neared and saw the unfamiliar faces of Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu, they started barking. However, Curly Hair gave a low growl and they all stopped.

"A while back, they were too lazy and had no vigilance at all. The professional dog trainers I hired were not effective. The trainers even said that these dogs had already been raised to waste away and no amount of training would improve them. However, ever since Curly Hair came, all of them have changed..." Su Hou was in high spirits and rambled on and on about the dogs to Fang Zhao.

Normally, when Su Hou called Fang Zhao, they mostly talked about the farm. He had also mentioned the situation with the dogs before, but he had not gone into much detail. Now, though, Su Hou finally had to chance to go into extensive detail with Fang Zhao about all this. This was also the place he was most proud of; he had flaunted it many times. Take a look! Even the dogs that the trainers gave up on are gradually improving on my farm!

These dogs had been really useless in the past. Why else had Su Hou needed to borrow Wu Yi's dogs? But now they were no longer as dispirited as before and were more vigilant. At the start, they had all followed after and learned from Curly Hair. When Curly Hair barked at strangers, they did the same. If they didn't do so, or they barked wrongly, Curly Hair reprimanded them. Slowly, as time went by, these dogs had begun to understand a few simple things. They now knew how to bark at strangers—when familiar people were with strangers, they should selectively growl. When they didn't understand, they should bark first. Besides, if it was wrong, the owner would stop them.

"Although they were still far from Curly Hair's standard and still could not compare with the dogs on Wu Yi's farm, compared to the way they were before, it is already a big improvement. Now, they can do basic guard duty and are learning how to herd sheep. I don't have any hope of them taking part in competitions, but they are at least capable of simple guarding and are halfway there to being proper working dogs." Su Hou did not set very high bars for his dogs, so he was very satisfied with their current standard.

Actually, these dogs were all being trained by Curly Hair. Sleeping when it was time to run? Bite! Roaming around when you were supposed to be standing guard? Bite! Not following the rules during feeding time and messing up the bowls? Bite! Excitedly running over to suspicious characters? Vicious bite!

Hearing Su Hou say all this, Fang Zhao felt that Curly Hair was just treating these few dogs as younger brothers and teaching them, or maybe it was finding some fun.

"These few puppies are the ones I told you about. I went to buy them from other people and I'm intending to train them for competition use. There is championship blood running through their veins. I spent lots of hard-earned money to purchase them." Muzhou dogs were expensive, especially the descendants of champion dogs!

In other continents, youngsters from aristocratic families liked to buy cars with the money they had in hand and changed them often. Here in Muzhou, the aristocratic youngsters loved buying dogs. Even Su Feng, who did not take part in sheep-herding competitions, also bought dogs that he had good feelings toward.

The few pups on the farm, as well as other pups that Fang Zhao had placed orders for but had not arrived yet, had cost almost all of the money that Su Hou had put together. Money from advertisements, prize money from competitions, and red packets from other Su family members and others had all been used to exchanged for dogs. Luckily, he had Fang Zhao as an investor and the farm's constructions had never ceased.

"This year, there is no need for rat extermination. There are totally no rats or mice in the farm's area. I heard that there were some rabbits and other small wild animals in the surrounding area, but I have never seen any..." Su Hou had just thought about this and was airing his thoughts.

Fang Zhao shot a glance at Curly Hair, who was following beside his feet. Curly Hair raised his head, made eye contact, then drooped his ears and retracted his gaze.

Back when they were on Wu Yi's farm, Curly Hair had gone with Bingo and the other dogs to hunt field mice and had even eaten them. Fang Zhao suspected that all the field mice on that farm had all been eaten up. Perhaps the wild rabbits in the farm's vicinity might have had such a calamity befall them as well.

Su Hou led Fang Zhao to a newly constructed courtyard. This was the courtyard of the owner's house.

"This house has been specially prepared for Master Zhao. You don't have to worry about not having a place to stay whenever you come," Su Hou introduced.

Fang Zhao pointed at a room in the corner where a "No trespassing or unauthorized personnel" sign was hanging. "And what is that over there?"

"Oh, that is my own gaming room. Oh, right, my dad said he would send me a 10th-generation console. I should be receiving it some time today, if not tomorrow." Su Hou seemed pleased.

Su Hou's father had given a piece of farmland to one of his illegitimate sons. Su Hou had not just argued with his dad for wrongly accusing him of releasing a dog to bite his half-brothers but also because of this matter. Although it was a small farm and could not be compared to Dongshan Farm and the land he'd received for winning the championship, Su Hou still felt displeased.

After Su Hou had received the beating, with his face full of bruises, he had run to the cemetery and sat in front of Su Mu's grave, complaining. The next day, Muzhou's entertainment news had all been about the internal conflicts in Su Hou's family and how they expected to see a brilliant and excited aristocratic family feud.

But in no time, whether Su Hou's dad had clarified the truth of the dog-biting matter or if his conscience had acted up or if it was pressure from the family heads, he had given Su Hou a 10th-generation console, something Su Hou had been longing for. After that, Su Hou had went to get treatment for his bruises on his face and temporarily stopped butting heads with his dad.

In the eyes of Muzhou audiences, Su Hou was just an idiot—young, ignorant, and childish. His dad was of a higher level and settled the internal feud easily with just a gaming console.

The majority of Muzhou people did not really pay much attention to video game consoles. Instead of buying the expensive-as-hell 10th-generation console, why not purchase the ninth generation, which was sufficient to play the latest games, and the money saved could be used to buy new breeds of seeds or dogs.

Among the 12 continents, Muzhou had the lowest standards of e-sports competition. It was not that the people were not capable of playing or had no time, but that instead, when compared to crops, soil, and dogs, gaming was not that important. It was just a pleasurable activity. Choosing between watching a gaming competition or a sheep-herding competition, most people from Muzhou would choose the latter.

The reason why everyone said that Su Hou was foolish was because, comparing a video game console to a farm, which of the two was more important? Giving up the feud over a farm for a video game console was totally not worth it!

Chapter 172: No Way of Explaining

Whether others saw it as worthwhile or not, at least Su Hou felt that his rage had simmered. After all, he did not count on his dad to follow his wishes. His argument with his dad had just been to make known his dissatisfied feelings and give his father a piece of his mind.

Su Hou now owned two plots of land. One was Dongshan Farm, which he currently co-invested in with Fang Zhao and was in the midst of becoming operable. Of course, in such a short time, profits were not yet in the pipeline, but because of the sheep-herding championships, the farm had at least some degree of reputation. Perhaps in a few years it would be profitable.

The other plot of land had been awarded for winning the sheep-herding championship. Su Hou had plans to construct a farm there, but currently, the plot of land was being held by an uncle of Su Hou's, Su Feng's father. He would hold the land till Su Hou had matured. It was not that his uncle coveted Su Hou's land—he was just worried about Su Hou's IQ and easily susceptible nature, it would be best to safeguard the land for a few years. After Su Hou matured and gained experience, he would then hand it back.

Su Hou approved of this. He also knew that he wasn't very bright. If not for the stroke of fortune he'd had running into Fang Zhao, he would have fallen flat on his face regarding the matter with Dongshan Farm.

The Su family as a whole was not as extremely chaotic as outsiders liked to think. Just like the Renaults of Leizhou, although there were occasionally trifling matters that tabloids loved to report on for days, when it came to important matters, there would be unity. Otherwise, they would not have endured for 500 years.

There were members of the Su family that disapproved of Su Hou, but there were also members that supported him. For example, Su Feng, Su Feng's dad, and his siblings, who would regularly poke fun of him but would stand firmly behind him when it came to crucial matters.

Fang Zhao noticed Curly Hair continuously glancing at the gaming room and so asked Su Hou, "Can I enter and take a look?"

"Err... Su-sure," Su Hou stammered.

Su Hou was a little embarrassed and afraid that Fang Zhao would laugh at him.

Inside the gaming studio, naturally, there were gaming consoles. As Su Hou was still underage, there were many popular titles that he was unable to access. He could only play games intended to relieve boredom for young children. The console he used most was a beginner's console meant for children. It could not match up to specialized game consoles, but it had accompanied Su Hou from kindergarten all the way through primary school and then secondary school. Even though his older siblings had given him other specialized models of gaming consoles, Su Hou still had the deepest sentiments with it. When he had moved to Dongshan Farm, he had brought it along.

Originally, Su Hou had intended to give everyone a tour of the room after the 10th-generation console had arrived, but Fang Zhao had asked first. Su Hou had hesitated a little before agreeing. There was nothing shameful, it was just a console that children used. Who had never used it before?

Su Hou fished out a set of keys to unlock the door. The room was not equipped with an electric lock. However, when the 10th-generation console arrived, Su Hou intended to change the locks.

Fang Zhao scanned the interior of the room after entering. All sorts of gaming equipment was inside. Minors used more helmet-type game consoles, and there were five gaming helmets in the room. Four of them had been left on a shelf and seemed like they had not been touched for quite some time. Only one of the helmets was placed on a chair in the centre. The helmet was adorned with a few cartoon pictures and was simpler and lighter compared to specialized gaming helmets.

The beginner's console was a supplementary gaming console used by kindergarten and primary school kids. It was said to aid in the development of the brain.

Generally, after primary five, very few people still used the beginner's console.

Su Hou noticed Fang Zhao studying the beginner console's helmet and was a little embarrassed. "They said I was too stupid and could continue using the beginner's console to develop my brain. Who knows, I might be able to increase my IQ."

Zuo Yu, who was standing guard outside: "..." You even believed that? Seems like your IQ hasn't improved at all.

Generally speaking, beginner's consoles were only suitable for kids aged 10 and below. Anyone older would be ill-suited to use them. Su Hou was already in secondary school, and the use of the beginner's console would not have any results. He believed whatever others said, so it was little wonder he'd been defrauded.

Su Hou did not notice Zuo Yu's expression and relaxed when he did not see Fang Zhao laughing at him. "Actually, I no longer use it that often, only when I'm feeling bored."

"Can I try it out?" Fang Zhao asked.

"...Ah?" Su Hou stared blankly. He totally did not expect Fang Zhao, the 10th-generation-using world's No. 1, to say this. "Sure. But the beginner's console cannot compare to specialized game consoles, and it is even worse when compared to the 10th generation. Master Zhao, you might not be able to get used to it."

At this moment, Su Hou received an incoming call. It was from his younger sister. She said she would be arriving at the farm soon. Primary school holidays had started, and when she had heard someone would be sending over the 10th-generation console to Dongshan, she had decided to come along.

Su Hou grinned knowingly and told Fang Zhao, "Master Fang you stay here and have a look. I shall go fetch the machine."

"Go on."

After Su Hou left hurriedly, Zuo Yu wanted to enter and see how Fang Zhao would use the beginner's console. Turning his head, Fang Zhao had already closed the door and locked it.

Zuo Yu: "..." Alright, Boss doesn't want anyone to see him using the beginner's console. Zuo Yu could understand that. He really couldn't tell that a grown man would actually be a child on the inside. Just like Su Hou, he had a beginner's console complex.

Inside the room.

Fang Zhao held on to the beginner's console's gaming helmet and turned on the monitor beside him. On it were many games suited for kids. Some trained the brain's control, some trained the brain's reaction speed.

This was different from the virtual world effect that specialized game consoles created. The gaming helmet of the beginner's console only acted as a receiver for brainwaves and was used to remotely control the games, which were displayed on the monitor.

As Fang Zhao studied the beginner's console and the pre-installed games on it, Curly Hair crouched beside Fang Zhao and kept whining. When he whined, he would look at Fang Zhao then at the gaming helmet in Fang Zhao's hands.

Fang Zhao's gaze shifted away from the display screen to Curly Hair on the floor beside him. "You wanna play?"

"Woof!" Curly Hair wagged his tail vigorously.

"Try it." Fang Zhao placed the gaming helmet back on the chair, and Curly Hair leapt up and squeezed his head into the helmet. He even used the armrests to adjust the position of the helmet on his head.

At the side, Fang Zhao crouched there and silently watched the dog put on the gaming helmet. On the display screen, the cursor moved and selected a game to enter.

Such proficiency. This definitely wasn't his first time!

The game Curly Hair had chosen was whack-a-mole, a game that kids loved.

Middle difficulty, timer mode.

Fang Zhao watched as the points displayed on the right of the screen rose steadily. On the screen, Curly Hair did not make any mistakes or miss any!

After the one-minute time limit, the system gave an evaluation of 5 stars.

This was the best possible result.

Finishing the game, Curly Hair speedily deleted the record, exited the game, removed the helmet, and leapt down from the chair.

Fang Zhao could guess that this was Curly Hair's customary course of action. He reckoned this fellow had taken advantage of Su Hou simple-minded nature and snuck in to play many times and even knew how to delete his records. Fang Zhao did not know whether to curse his audacity or praise him for being prudent.

Fang Zhao was silent, so Curly Hair's tail-wagging gradually slowed down, as if he was afraid that Fang Zhao was angry.

"One more time. There is no one around now, so you don't have to hold back."

Hearing this, Curly Hair's lackluster tail-wagging went up a notch. With a whoosh, he got on the chair, skillfully got the helmet on, and selected the same game. This time, he chose the highest difficulty.

In that minute, the image on screen seemed to be in fast forward. Every time a mole was hit, the dazzling effects that appeared when adding points were like a continuous stream of fireworks. If it was someone else with poorer eyesight, they would probably have been unable to catch the changes on the screen, but Fang Zhao saw it clearly. Just as before, there were no mistakes or leaks!

The displayed score at the side kept rising at an increased tempo.

After one minute, Curly Hair did not immediately quit the game. He just removed the helmet and looked at the displayed score on the screen before glancing at Fang Zhao while wagging his tail lightly, nervously waiting for Fang Zhao's evaluation.

However, before Fang Zhao said anything, Curly Hair's ears pricked up and he hastily jumped off the chair and crouched at Fang Zhao's feet, glancing at the doorway.

A few hurried knocks on the door.

Su Hou's elated voice rang out, "Master Zhao, my 10th-generation console is here!"

Fang Zhao gazed at the screen but still did not delete the record.

The door opened and Su Hou entered, beaming and ready to tell Fang Zhao all about his new game console. As his gaze fell on the display on the screen and saw the difficulty level, points, and evaluation stars, his eyes widened.

"I have never achieved more than 2 stars playing this game at the highest difficulty! Master Zhao is awesome! As expected of the world's No. 1 crazy point-sweeping demon!

Fang Zhao: "..." There is no way to explain this.

Chapter 173: Live Broadcas

Su Hou did not spend too much time staring at the score displayed on the screen. This score could only have been achieved by Fang Zhao. Furthermore, he had been the only person in the room. If it was not Fang Zhao, who else could it have been?

However, Su Hou's attention was only on the displayed score for around half a minute before he remembered the reason he had rushed over.

"Master Zhao, the 10th-generation console is here. Can I let them move it over?" Su Hou was itching to get on with it. He had long wanted to play on the 10th-generation console. Even if he could only play games for minors or some games for stimulating the brain, it was still the 10th generation! This was like a sudden level up!

The 10th-generation console was a limited edition. Only 100 machines had been released in the first batch and they were in the hands of big e-sports clubs and influential persons. As Muzhou's e-sports atmosphere could not be compared to other continents, and with the special status of the Su family, whether they used it or not, the Su family kept two or three consoles. The one that Su Hou's father had sent over had been bought from within the clan for nearly 100 million.

In ordinary circumstances, Su Hou's dad would definitely not spend so much money to purchase a video game console; it wasn't as if he had limitless funds, and for that amount of money, Su Hou's dad would rather buy an expensive car than a video game console. However, to placate Su Hou, who was going through a rebellious phase, and with pressure from within the family clan and from external media, Su Hou's dad had only been able to clench his teeth and buy it.

The price of the machine had been comparable to a small-sized farm in Muzhou. In the eyes of Muzhou people, the two could not be compared. A farm guaranteed a livelihood, but what about a game console? Who knew when a software bug might emerge, or maybe a new model would appear after a few years and completely replace it. Then it wouldn't be worth it.

But Su Hou was very happy. After all he already had a farm. Whatever outsiders said about him being a willful child did not matter. Anyway, he felt that this transaction with his dad had been worth it.

Su Hou watched a few bodyguards bring a square-shaped metal case. As the pathway and door were not wide enough, bringing it in was a strenuous process.

"It hasn't been used before?" Fang Zhao inquired.

"I heard that a Su family elder had used his connections with Fiery Bird to purchase it but it has not been used. My dad sent it straight after purchasing it. The case has not been opened before, so it is definitely unused," Su Hou replied.

As he spoke, Su Hou scanned his identity details. The console had already been transferred to his name, so by verifying his identity, the case could be opened. Inside the metal case was another transparent case made of an unknown material. Within it was a white humanoid-shaped machine with black veins and a red Fiery Bird insignia, just like the one Fang Zhao owned.

"You still need a professional engineer. There should be someone from the nearest Fiery Bird branch to help you install and adjust it," Fang Zhao told Su Hou. Back when he had received his own console, he had received a call from an engineer to set a time for the installation.

"An engineer is needed? Can't I use it straight away?" Heading online to check, there was only one branch in Muzhou that had engineers for the 10th-generation console, and it was in Qingcheng. After contacting that side, the Qingcheng branch's reply was that all their engineers had been dispatched today and could only make it tomorrow.

Su Hou was dumbfounded. He had wanted to use it on the spot. That meant to say that he would be unable to use it today?

"Is it completely unusable without an engineer?" The smile on Su Hou's face had dissipated. Soon after, as if he'd thought of something, Su Hou looked toward Fang Zhao, full of anticipation. "Master Zhao, didn't you use the 10th generation? Could you help with the adjustments?"

"I only know some simple stuff, but I can try," Fang Zhao replied.

"Please try, Master Zhao! It doesn't matter if it's not successful," Su Hou replied.

"There should be no problems for simple usage, but for adjustments and calibration, it's better to get a professional engineer."

"No problem, Master Zhao. You try it first. I just want to use it as soon as possible and won't be playing any complicated games. I have scheduled an engineer, but he will be here tomorrow. The adjustments and calibrations can be all done tomorrow." Su Hou just wanted to experience the 10th-generation console as soon as possible.

When Fang Zhao's own 10th-generation console was being installed, he had been present and had witnessed the whole installation and calibration process. When Fang Zhao had helped take part in the tests during Fiery Bird's annual conference, he had understood a little. The chief engineer from the R&D department had even given him a detailed explanation of the 10th-generation console's functions. Fang Zhao might not be able to compare with a professional engineer, but he could at least let the machine run a few simple games without issue.

Fang Zhao opened up the internal case and took the machine out. He attached a few missing parts to the machine according to his memory and started the preliminary adjustments.

Fang Zhao did not need any help and could settle it alone. Su Hou sat aside watching, while Curly Hair crouched to the side and watched Fang Zhao and then looked at Su Hou, who was curiously studying the machine. After that, he leapt up to the sofa, shifting the beginner's console's helmet out of the way and lying down.

Midway through, Su Hou received a call from his two sisters. They said they were watching the lambs on the farm and would head to the hill behind the farm in a bit to enjoy the view.

Su Hou himself frequently went up the hill, so he agreed and instructed some bodyguards. "You guys follow them and get a farm employee to show the way, but don't wander off too far. Come back after a while."

In a bit, Fang Zhao had set up the console and tested it out. The console was usable, but compared to his own precisely calibrated 10th-generation console, there was still a big difference.

"It's done?" Su Hou drew closer.

"It's just lacking a little. Get the engineer to calibrate it accurately tomorrow and it will be fine."

"That means there are no problems using it? Let me try!"

The console would automatically adjust to the user's body shape, but after Su Hou put on the 10th generation, he felt that... operating it was especially gruelling! It was much harder to use compared to the beginner's console!

Without professional equipment and procedures, Fang Zhao had no way of knowing Su Hou's adaptability when using the 10th generation, but watching Su Hou's strenuous manner, Fang Zhao knew the adaptability would not be very high.

"You can play some of the simple games inside to slowly adapt. When you familiarize yourself, it will be more relaxing," Fang Zhao told him. The situation with Su Hou was something that had been mentioned by Fiery Bird's R&D department's staff and wasn't a serious problem. After he used it more often, the adaptability value would naturally increase.

Su Hou had only played some of the simple adapting games that came pre-installed on the machine, and he was fully drenched with sweat.

"No good, it's too tiring!" Su Hou felt that after removing the 10th generation, not only was his body tired but his mind was exhausted as well. This was the result of jumping straight from the beginner machine to the latest model.

"You probably haven't gotten the knack for it yet. The 10th generation is different from the beginner's console. Your mind and body need to self-adjust..."

"Wait a minute!" Su Hou interjected. "Master Zhao, are you sharing your own experience?"

"Mmhm."

"Then, Master Zhao, can I do a live broadcast?" Su Hou asked.

After Su Hou had gained fame after the sheep-herding competition, he had picked up the hobby of live broadcasting once again, but what he broadcast were not adolescent rebellious events. Instead, he broadcast the reformation of the farm to tell others that he was really working hard and not goofing off. He did many things on the farm himself and at the same time let more people know the Dongshan Farm name and his own transformation. He had made this decision after consulting his cousin Su Feng to maintain his image as an exemplary youth after the sheep-herding competition.

When Su Hou had started broadcasting, he had gained lots of viewership because he was a member of the Su family that the Muzhou media so loved to report on and also due to winning the sheep-herding competition.

However, Su Hou had just finished speaking when he realized his words might have been inappropriate. He was no longer that ignorant wimpy kid, and he knew that the reason Fang Zhao was willing to share with him was because of their friendly relationship as co-investors. But many professional athletes did not publicly share their own experiences. Furthermore, it was not like Fang Zhao had accepted him as a disciple or received any tuition fees. Why would Fang Zhao broadcast for free? Lots of people wished to know how the 10th generation operated and had never experienced it before. To think that he would ask Fang Zhao whether it was all right to broadcast. He had not even thought it through before asking the previous question.

"Cough, my bad, I shouldn't have asked this..."

"Sure."

Su Hou stared at Fang Zhao in shock. "What?"

"You can do a live broadcast," Fang Zhao replied.

"But Master Zhao, aren't you afraid others will learn from your experiences?"

Fang Zhao walked over to the 10th-generation console. "Not afraid. Go on and start it, I'm preparing to speak."

"Oh yeah! Right away!"

The moment Su Hou started the broadcast, his fans flooded in.

"Oh, Fatty Su is finally broadcasting! I heard you were beat up by your dad?"

"There are no marks on Fatty Su's face, so he probably received treatment."

"Fatty Su has a few rebellious days each month and will reject treatment. We are used to it.

Trivial matters within the Su family had become a table topic for the people of Muzhou. At the start, people had been too apprehensive to say anything given Su Hou's status, but gradually, after they had become clear on Su Hou's temperament, their words had become more brazen.

In the past, Su Hou's old fans who viewed his broadcasts called him Little Fatty Su. After he had taken part in the sheep-herding competition and exercised a lot while training, he had slimmed down. Once the sheep-herding competition ended, despite following experts and running around all the crop fields, the intensity of exercise was not as much as the sheep-herding training had been. When the amount of exercise had decreased, his weight had bounced back up.

During puberty, one would grow taller. Su Hou was growing, but he was also gaining weight. Now everyone no longer called him Little Fatty Su but had changed it to Fatty Su.

Some viewers had watched Su Hou grow up. At the start, Su Hou's penchants had been unbearable, but after some time, they had felt that this child was actually interesting. He lacked IQ and did not have much EQ either. Previously, he was always being duped, and he had also offended many people. Never had they expected that Su Hou would have a lucky break and things would change for the better. Although he still did foolish things, everyone would take it lightheartedly and wanted to see him improve. Not like when he had first started where they would call him names like "idiot" or "retard."

Two days ago, a photo of Su Hou after he had received a beating from his father had been revealed. Although everyone seemed to seek pleasure in it, they had inevitably been concerned. Furthermore, when Su Hou had not broadcast for a few days in a row, everyone had begun to worry. Now Su Hou had broadcast once more, and upon seeing that he was fine, everyone started to laugh and joke.

But very quickly, Su Hou's words caught the attention of everyone.

Su Hou had set up an automatic camera lens, which would follow and film Fang Zhao. Su Hou's voice said, "For everyone's benefit, Master Zhao is willing to share his 10th-generation console experience and impart some of his operation techniques for those that have never used a 10th generation before."

In the entire world, everyone knew that there were only 100 sets of 10th-generation consoles. The majority of gamers had no way of accessing the 10th generation, and users of the 10th generation were unwilling to share their experiences and feelings. Now, upon hearing that Fang Zhao was going to share his experiences, gamers immediately informed all their friends in various chat groups. Gamers from other continents that did not pay attention to Su Hou or Dongshan Farm also rapidly joined the livestream.

"Master Zhao? Is Fatty Su talking about the world's No. 1 in 'Battle of the Century,' AliveAfter500Years, Fang Zhao?"

"What? My Zhao-god would actually broadcast his experience using the 10th generation? Finally, someone has answered our prayers and is willing to share!"

"It really is Fang Zhao! And a 10th-generation console!"

Over there, Fang Zhao had started to explain. As much as possible, he made it clear and easy to comprehend so Su Hou could remember and understand it.

Fang Zhao did not have the notion of concealing anything. He could even share his experience and feelings when composing, the same could be said about his thoughts on the game console.

And with Fang Zhao being the first 10th-generation user to reach an adaptability value of 99, even professional gamers from big e-sports clubs tuned in when they received the news. Whether or not it was beneficial, there was nothing to be lost by listening. Who knows, they might even be pleasantly surprised?

In no time, every entertainment media outlet also reported on this. Wayne, who had just returned back to Yanzhou and was at the company, also received the news and obtained Su Hou's live broadcast channel. When he saw the number of viewers in the stream, he broke into a victorious smile.

Hahaha. With Fang Zhao going to Muzhou, he had thought that there would surely not be many topics and he had been about to stir up some, but looking it at now, there was simply no need for him to step in. The viewership had come!

Wayne immediately contacted the company's staff in charge of live broadcasts. "What is the company's gaming channel broadcasting now? Just finished a gaming match and it's now airing commercials? Stop it right away!"

Wayne had the company's gaming channel alter their original program and apply for a live relay.

After arranging this, Wayne contacted the operations department and discussed how to make use of this situation and stir it up further.

Over at Muzhou's Dongshan Farm, Fang Zhao did not care about how many people were watching the live broadcast and just continued with his explanations. After he had said quite a bit, he asked whether there was anything Su Hou did not understand or if he had doubts. Fang Zhao could use another method to explain it once more to Su Hou.

Because Fang Zhao had explained it very clearly, some people who did not play games were also listening with great interest.

As was Su Hou listening intently, a supervisor on the farm called, saying that a flying transport had requested to land and rest and would not be staying the night. They would rest for two hours before leaving.

When it got closer to Memorial Day, the number of flying transports and cars coming and going also increased. Medium- and large-scale farm's parking space would also have these sorts of requests to park and rest. Su Hou was in good spirits, so he did not take it seriously.

With his status of the farm's owner, Su Hou agreed to the other party's request to descend. "Permit them to stop. It's free of charge, since I'm in a good mood today."

Su Hou turned back to Fang Zhao and said, "Please continue, Master Zhao."

But Fang Zhao did not continue. He remained silent for two seconds. Suddenly, he yelled, "Get out of here!"

Curly Hair, who was lying on the chair, also started to bark.

Fang Zhao pulled Su Hou and ran toward the door. They had not made two steps when the earth below them shook violently, as if something had struck the ground forcefully.

An immense striking sound drew nearer, and the walls of the gaming room collapsed. The room, which had been constructed less than half a year ago, was reduced to ruins in a flash. There were no traces of Fang Zhao or Su Hou.

Online audiences: "..."

Wayne, who was currently formulating a plan with operations staff: "..."

Chapter 174: It Still Has This Sort of Function?

The camera managed to avoid the impact and was continuing to run, but the image was no longer clear. Everyone could still see the scene being captured by the camera even though there was a scratch on the lens and a layer of dust.

The gaming room that had only recently been fixed up had been completely demolished, and only ruins remained as dust scattered everywhere and the half of the room had caved in beneath the floorboards.

And to the side of the wreckage, the main culprit was there. The camera's image was limited, but viewers could see a part of it. Viewers with abundant experience could distinguish that it was the wing of a flying transport, but it had been deformed during the impact.

Dut to the intense vibrations and airflow, the camera was not steady and shook violently. If not for the fact that the camera Su Hou had bought was sturdy, it would probably have been destroyed by the falling debris.

Although it wasn't clear in the short two seconds that the accident had occurred and nobody could deduce what the two people in the image were up to, upon seeing the scene, what everyone could confirm was that both Fang Zhao and Su Hou were in the room and had been buried.

Everything had happened too fast. Viewers that had been full of jest had become stunned. There was a moment of deathly silence in the live broadcast's comments section before it burst to life with activity.

"What... happened?"

"Don't tell me they were shooting a movie? That must be it!"

"Shooting a movie my *ss! How does this even look like one?"

"What the f*ck! We just witnessed an accident!"

"Are Zhao-god and Fatty Su alright? Holler if you are alive!"

"Holler my *ss! They can't hear your comments from there! Hurry up and call for emergency services! Call the police!"

"Which city and district is Dongshan Farm in? Hurry up and get someone over to rescue them!"

"Fatty Su received a landing request from a flying transport a while back. That's definitely the one that came crashing!"

"Murder! I guarantee you that this is surely a case of premeditated murder!"

"Does this mean that we witnessed a murder case?"

"It's probably fake, right? This whole situation is definitely fake! Wait for the truth!"

"It's not fake! Our farm is within the same district as Dongshan, and the police station is nearby. A police craft just rushed overhead!"

"Such a big mobilization? Not sending police cars but sending a police craft straightaway?

"Look who has been involved in the accident!" One was a member of the Su family, whose online reputation was quite high. The other was someone who had created waves in the gaming circles recently and had a global reputation even higher than Su Hou's. All this had happened during a live broadcast, and the police station's hotlines were nearly jammed. Whether it was a false alarm or not, they would rush over before deciding.

Even Su Feng, who had left Dongshan Farm a while back and headed toward Four Elephants's farm, had hurriedly turned back without delay.

In Yanzhou. Wayne was pale, and his lips trembled. After giving a report to Duan Qianji, he had requested a flying transport, intending to rush over to Muzhou. The members of the virtual projects department had also wanted to follow but had been rejected by Wayne. The flying transport he had requested was a small one. As Memorial Day was approaching, the company's celebrities were busy rushing to all sorts of activities, and all the flying transports had already been dispatched. If not for the special circumstances, Wayne would not have even been able to get one. Duan Qianji had used special means to get this flying transport promptly.

Dongshan Farm.

The sun was shining brightly on this cloudless and seemingly warm and peaceful day. However, the bodyguards and employees on Dongshan Farm were could feel an icy-cold chill running through them. The bodyguards had no time to be in a daze. They headed to the flying transport's energy core first, removing or shutting down anything that had the potential to explode. However, what had happened could not be undone. They could only carry out the rescue operation with haste.

Dongshan Farm had not been established for long. Previously, Su Hou had been busy with improving the quality of the soil and cultivating crops, so he had not improved the equipment or facilities in other aspects. Presently, the farm simply did not have the equipment to deal with this predicament, and the bodyguards could only head to nearby farms to borrow the needed equipment.

Some flying transports stopped nearby. The image wasn't sharp, but the camera was still operating normally and viewers could still see the situation through it.

"There are life signals inside!" One of Su Hou's bodyguards was reading the display on a piece of detection equipment. Some color returned to his pale face. "There are two life signals! One of them is the young master's!"

Viewers watching the broadcast could hear it as well. When they heard this line, everyone collectively let out a sigh of relief.

However, when they had just exhaled, they heard the bodyguard say. "And the other life signal is... a dog."

Viewers: "..."

Wayne's legs turned to jelly as he was boarding the flying transport and nearly fell.

Only two life signals had been detected. One was Su Hou's and the other was a dog's. What about Fang Zhao?

When Su Hou had first constructed the house, the material he had used was slightly special and prevented external signals from penetrating. Especially so for the game room, where the walls, floor, and ceiling all used that. Some sensor apparatuses that were capable of scanning through walls could not be used normally, and only specialized equipment used by rescue teams were effective.

Dongshan Farm was a little far away, and the quickest rescue teams would also need 3 minutes to arrive. However, knowing that Su Hou was alive, the bodyguard's felt a little relieved. As Su Hou's bodyguards, Su Hou was naturally of utmost importance—everything else was secondary. They had also replayed the live broadcast and watched the scene. Managing to stay alive, their young master was really fortunate.

However, the rescue teams still needed to get here as soon as possible. Who knew exactly what the situation was like below all the debris, how bad Su Hou's injuries were, or whether there was enough oxygen?

A bodyguard shouted, "Young Master! Young Master, are you all right?"

There was no reply.

If not for the wreckage, the bodyguards would have rushed in immediately, but there was a limit to human strength. The bits of shattered walls, floorboards, and the ceiling were too heavy for them to move. If they were careless, it could result in more severe consequences. Even if they borrowed proper excavating equipment from nearby farms, they would still have to dig with their bare hands till a professional rescue team arrived, in order to ensure the buried Su Hou's safety.

Only a minute had passed since the incident. The circulation rate of the live broadcast was astonishing. News regarding the situation had already been spread, and the viewers joining the stream rose sharply. Whether these viewers played games or not, or whether they knew who Fang Zhao or Su Hou were, audiences around the world were glued to the video of this live broadcast. In the past minute, the number of viewers had jumped from eight figures to nine figures, and it was about to break the 10-figure mark.

A bodyguard who was in the midst of moving a piece of debris stopped in his tracks and pricked his ears up, listening attentively. "What is that sound?"

The viewers could hear the same sound through the camera's microphone.

"It sounds like a machine in operation."

"Flying transport? Are Fatty Su's bodyguards eating sh*t?! They didn't shut off or remove the explosive materials in the flying transport that crashed?"

A viewer who maintained flying transports retorted, "No, I don't think it sounds like a flying transport. It sounds a little unfamiliar."

"Look! There is light!"

Beneath the ruins, something seemed to be flickering.

Crack crack—crack—

More sounds could be heard. At the same time, there was movement somewhere in the wreckage.

Rumble rumble—

Bits and pieces of small debris tumbled out of the way. A collapsed floorboard measuring about 6 square meters and 30 centimeters thick was slowly being moved out of the way.

Shifting a floorboard that big was something that was very difficult for an individual to accomplish. However, that scene was exactly what was happening right now!

That shattered floorboard that had collapsed was pushed out of the way and much of the junk that was on it tumbled to the side.

Following that floorboard being pushed away, a white arm appeared in front of everyone. More precisely, it was an arm that was wrapped in some sort of mechanical contraption.

10th-generation console arm section!

But it differed from the 10th-generation console that everyone was so familiar with. This time, the black veins on the 10th-generation console were giving off a bright white glow, as if the veins were a channel for transmitting energy.

Both online audiences and the bodyguards at the site of the wreckage were dumbfounded.

As the organism slowly rose from the wreckage, their lifeless expressions gradually became looks of surprise and astonishment, as though they were seeing an alien.

The white organism had some dents on it from debris striking it. Although the organism did not seem that bright with all the marks and dust on it, in the eyes of everyone, it seemed to radiate a holy glow.

Seeing the organism dragging a person out, the bodyguards snapped out of their daze. Disbelief turned to delight as they strode forward.

Fang Zhao was operating the machine, one arm holding off the obstacles on top and in front of him, his other arm supporting Su Hou.

Su Hou had lost consciousness, but he did not seem to have any serious injuries. His life signals were also very strong, and there was no danger.

Behind Fang Zhao, Curly Hair followed behind, dragging what seemed to be the deformed helmet of the beginner's console in his mouth.

The bodyguard holding onto the vitality detection sensor looked at the two life signals displayed on the screen, looked at the white organism dragging Su Hou and the dog following behind them, and understood.

The vitality detection sensor was not faulty, it had just been unable to detect the interior of that white organism. That was why the screen only displayed two life signals.

Compared to Su Hou's bodyguards, who had just recovered from their daze, a huge wave had started to swirl on the internet.

An online viewer posted a comment equivalent to a shriek: "Someone tell me what! is! that! thing!"

"Zhao-god, this time, I really have to kneel!!"

New viewers that had been attracted over by the news were stupefied. "Is that a new model exoskeleton power mecha? Isn't it too weak, to actually have so many dents and scratches! Is it made from paper?!"

"Damn you and your mecha! Does the brother above me not play any games? Do you know Fiery Bird? This is Fiery Bird's 10th-generation console!"

"No, perhaps we should say that it is a mecha within a game console, or a game console cum fighting suit!" someone added on.

The eyeballs of all other users of the 10th-generation console from big e-sports clubs across the world were nearly popping out at that moment. The 10th-generation console... has such a function too?

At the same time, Fiery Bird's R&D department's chief engineer Cao Kan exclaimed, "Protection mode! I only briefly mentioned it to him once. Never did I expect that he would really use it! This little fellow has decent wits! It's him! Let's make preparations for him to be a spokesperson!" Wasn't it only a year of military service? They could wait! Negotiate the endorsement deal first!

Chapter 175: Rise in Value

The 10th-generation console came prebuilt with a protection mode, but it was still in an experimental phrase and not everyone could use it. At most, it could protect the user's body, but controlling the machine was more difficult. It was not as easy as it was in-game. If one was to forcibly try to control it, there was a possibility of suffering brain damage.

Therefore, when the first batch of 10th-generation consoles had been released, engineers had only given users a brief explanation of the protection mode. Users had been told that in the event of emergency or danger, this mode could be activated and the machine would safeguard the user as much as possible. Also, upon activation, the machine would automatically cover the user's body in a flash.

Cao Kan kept replaying the video. During the split second when the accident had occurred, the camera had shaken too violently as dust and debris fell all around, affecting its line of sight. But from that short and blurry image and his understanding of the 10th generation, Cao Kan could deduce what had happened.

During that brief instant, Fang Zhao, who had originally been pulling Su Hou toward the door, had stopped abruptly, retraced his steps, and activated the 10th-generation console. Although the 10th generation was not equipped on either Fang Zhao or Su Hou, the one who activated it was Fang Zhao, as he was also closest to it. The 10th-generation console activated in protection mode and automatically wrapped itself around Fang Zhao who then shielded Su Hou from the impact as the ceilings and walls came crashing down.

As for that dog... Maybe it was just very lucky, crouching beside the beginner's console, which took the brunt of the impact.

Curly Hair caught Cao Kan's attention for a while before he rewound the video and analyzed it once more. Once Dongshan Farm had settled down, he decided that he would ask Fang Zhao for a detailed breakdown of his experience using it. This would help promote the 10th-generation console's system. The effectiveness of the 10th generation's protection mode left him very satisfied. From a manufacturing point of view, this incident was a pretty good advertisement and had proven the feasibility of the 10th generation's protection mode. The company's publicity staff would definitely not let this opportunity slip by.

If only we could pull Fang Zhao into a laboratory to aid in our research and development, Cao Kan thought to himself regretfully. He could only feel sorry—given Fang Zhao's commercial value now, Silver Wing absolutely would not let him go.

Previously, there had been 10th-generation console users who wished to use it as an exoskeleton mecha to act cool, but they had found the machine too difficult to operate. Therefore, when the 10th-generation console had hit the market, some people had ridiculed it as being "just a toy."

This was also the reason everyone had only seen it as just a gaming console. But now, owners of the 10th-generation console felt like they were exam candidates and saw Fang Zhao as someone who had gotten hold of the examination answers. They all wanted to know what Fang Zhao had learned from using it, but right now, Fang Zhao had no time to bother with all this.

Once Su Hou was handed over to his bodyguards, Fang Zhao immediately headed back to the wreckage. Besides them, there were others still buried underneath.

Zuo Yu had been standing outside the gaming room when the accident had happened. The extent of the damage to that area was slightly better than the gaming room. When Fang Zhao had discovered Zuo Yu, Zuo Yi's body had not had any mortal injuries, he had just been knocked out cold. There were fractures in his arms and lower leg, but with current medical standards, these could be considered minor injuries.

After Zuo Yu, Fang Zhao pulled out from the wreckage two other bodyguards of Su Hou and a farm employee who had been cleaning the room. Other than one bodyguard who was seriously hurt, the other two had only received minor injuries and would be out of danger after some medical treatment. The flying transport had crashed into the gaming room; the other areas had not been that badly affected.

As Fang Zhao moved across the wreckage, he was also thinking about what had happened. Su Hou had used high-quality materials when constructing the house. If they were more normal materials, the entire house might have been flattened immediately when the flying transport had come crashing down.

When the rescue team arrived, Fang Zhao had just rescued the last person.

After the rescue team landed with all the excavating equipment, the rescue team captain pointed at the white organism that seemed to have electrical circuits running through it and was walking through the wreckage. The captain asked one of Su Hou's bodyguards, "What is that?"

They had watched the live broadcast on their own flying transport, but when seeing the situation for themselves, it still seemed inconceivable.

That bodyguard of Su Hou had a relaxed smile and replied, "That is Fang Zhao using the 10th-generation console. Oh, you guys might not know about the 10th generation..."

The bodyguard passionately explained to the rescue team.

The rescue team captain had a complicated expression on his face. It really is a game console?

"Since when were game consoles able to do this?"

Su Hou's bodyguard shrugged. He had no idea either. Watching Fang Zhao move away the large floorboard a while ago, it seemed like the 10th-generation console had some special characteristics of a power exoskeleton suit other than just being looking similar.

As Fang Zhao walked over from the wreckage, Su Hou's bodyguards hurriedly handed him some water and helped Fang Zhao peel off the 10th-generation console that was full of scratches and dents.

"The energy has been depleted, and the body frame has suffered more than 40% damage. It needs repairing," Fang Zhao said.

Su Hou's bodyguard immediately replied, "That's not a problem!" To him, Su Hou's safety was the first priority. As for sending the console in for repairs, even if it meant spending a lot of money, it would be no issue.

Over at the other side, Su Hou had woken up, and he heard a bodyguard recount the situation.

His game console that had been just delivered and had not been used for more than an hour had been damaged to that extent. Su Hou felt a little heartache, but he also felt that it was especially worth it!

Comparing a machine to human life, the latter was definitely more important. Furthermore, this machine had not only saved one person. If it had not been delivered today, the consequences could have been disastrous, and even his own life may have been forfeit.

As a Su family member and a minor who had an especially high exposure in the limelight, since he was young, Su Hou had encountered many kidnapping and assassination attempts. Luckily for him, there had always been a timely intervention. Later on, perhaps because Su Hou was rather useless and did not have much influence in the Su family, the rate of such incidents had decreased. But after the sheep-herding competition, with his status in the Su family on the rise and his even more frequent appearances in the public eye, all these troublesome matters had started returning.

If he hid away in a remote region and kept a low profile, no one would think about Su Hou, but Su Hou was someone who could not do so. Just watching the news for the past few days, anyone would know Su Hou was not someone to stay out of sight.

This matter was out of hand and had a wide impact. Su Hou did not need to request for help, for the Su family would step in with full force with regard to this matter. This affair did not just target Su Hou, it was a public provocation of the Su family's status in Muzhou!

Fang Zhao looked at Su Hou, who was sitting down with a blank look, and asked, "You all right?" This kid would have suffered a concussion and become even more dumb, wouldn't he? He was already quite foolish; if Su Hou became any more dumb, he might really become retarded.

Suu Hou snapped out of it and flashed a smile. "I'm all right. I really have to thank Master Zhao this time around!"

"Credit goes to your 10th-generation console. When this is over, I will give you a detailed explanation on how to use the 10th generation's protection mode. I didn't get the chance to teach you just now." Fang Zhao then continued, "Does this happen a lot?"

"I'm used to it." Su Hou might have said this, but this time had really been a huge scare for him.

Although Fang Zhao had used the 10th generation to protect Su Hou and he had only received minor injuries, before he had lost consciousness, buried beneath the rubble, the fear of being unable to breath in the darkness had been etched into his mind. At this point, Su Hou suddenly felt some regret. Had he been wrong to purchase such a remote farm? He had not thought too much when purchasing the farm. If only he had been a person who considered carefully, he wouldn't have been cheated.

He used to think that the place was remote, so no one would find him and give him trouble. The farmland was cheap at that price, too. Never had he expected that these disturbances would follow him despite him being out of the way.

As they were speaking, Curly Hair dragged the deformed helmet of the beginner's console over. When Su Hou saw it, his gloomy outlook somewhat dissipated. He was touched.

"Curly Hair, thanks! Thank you for bringing it out! Master Zhao, look, Curly Hair is deserving of being a champion dog. He is too considerate. He knew how important the beginner's console was to me; that's why he brought it out." Su Hou took a few steps forward and squatted down to receive the the beginner's console that had accompanied him for so many years from Curly Hair's mouth.

He pulled once, but it didn't budge.

He pulled once more, but the dog still bit onto it tightly.

Fang Zhao gave a low cough. "Cough!"

The dog loosened it's jaw.

Su Hou's slight doubts returned to being moved as he took the deformed console and hugged Curly Hair as his eyes became clouded with tears. He only let go when he received a call from Su Feng.

Watching Su Hou's back as he walked away, Curly Hair stood in the same spot. His tail drooped, his nostrils flared, and he let out some whimpers.

"I'll get one for you when we return," Fang Zhao muttered.

Curly Head immediately stopped whimpering, and his tail shot up and started wagging vigorously. He even enthusiastically went to the wreckage to see if anything else required his help and conveniently led the dogs to patrol the farm.

Su Feng's flying transport arrived shortly after. When he saw that the state of Su Hou and the farm were not as bad as he expected, only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

"Su Hou, you didn't go online?" Su Feng asked.

"No." Su Hou was still hugging the beginner's console. When had he even had the time to go online to read the news?

Su Feng's eyes widened slightly. "Your console's price has risen—no, it has straight up doubled in value!" On his way to Dongshan Farm, the price of a 10th-generation console had already been stirred up to 160 million. Right now, it was already 200 million!

For many people, 200 million was indeed extremely expensive. This sort of money could buy a decent farm in Muzhou or allow someone to live comfortably. However, now, a game console with some special features would cost that much.

These people were downright crazy!

When Fiery Bird had previously publicly showcased Fang Zhao's adaptability of 99 when using the 10th-generation console, its impact had not had the same intensity and scope compared to now. This unexpected accident had caused an uproar in the market for the 10th-generation consoles, and many people were in a frenzy to try and snap one of them up. There were only 100 such consoles in the world, though; how could the prices not be jacked up so much?

An exoskeleton power suit was something the masses had no way of coming into contact with. Even with all the money in the world, one might not necessarily get to use an exoskeleton power suit. Since that was the case, why not use a game console to satisfy their cravings? This was more exciting than speeding in an expensive car! This was a new generation of pretentious items! Furthermore, it could even save lives!

"Su Hou, someone within the family wants to buy that 10th-generation console," Su Feng said. "But given the friendship between us, if you do decide to resell it, why not pass it to me."

"Resell?" Su Hou stared at the bruised and battered 10th-generation console and told Su Feng, "Master Zhao says it can no longer be used normally and requires repairs."

"No problem. If you sell it to me, I will take care of such matters. You won't have to fork out a single cent for repairs," Su Feng replied promptly.

Su Hou's father had read the latest reports online, and he felt a sense of regret. From a businessman's point of view, if the price continued going up, the value of the machine would continue rising. Who wouldn't want that?

Su Hou felt that the 10th-generation console had saved him and the others. In the future, should any such incidents happen when Fang Zhao were not around, he could still use the method Fang Zhao would teach him and use the 10th generation for protection.

While Su Hou and Su Feng were talking, Fang Zhao received a text message from Cao Kan.

"Fiery Bird's chief R&D engineer, Cao Kan, says your 10th-generation console will be repaired for free," Fang Zhao told Su Hou.

"Really? Can it be returned to its original state?" Su Hou asked.

"According to Cao Kan, yes."

"That's great. I'm not selling the 10th-generation console!" As he said that, Su Hou logged on to his social platform and posted a new status—

"So thankful for it saving my life, I'm not selling!"

The accompanying picture was of the battered and dusty 10th-generation console placed in front of the wreckage.

After that, the rescue team took over. There was no longer anyone that needed saving, but buried beneath the wreckage were seeds and fertilizer that were being stored. To the people of Muzhou, these were all important items.

The Su family had already dispatched someone over to investigate the matter. The statement he released was that the flying transport that had requested clearance to land had suffered a system malfunction, but how many people actually believed that was another matter.

By the time Wayne arrived, the accident scene had already been cleared and the wreckage no longer remained. The specialized equipment the rescue team brought was indeed efficient.

Confirming that Fang Zhao was fine and Zuo Yu was no longer in any danger, Wayne urged Fang Zhao to return to Yanzhou.

"I feel that it's best if you return with me. You have seen the farm and fetched your dog; it's time for us to go. I have brought along a medical team. They say that after Zuo Yu's wound is treated, he can be transferred back without any issues. Besides, whether this matter was a terrorist act or a personal grudge, the Su family will handle it, so there is no need for you to stay here. Let's head back to discuss how to handle the news conference. Now that this has happened, the media are sure to ask."

Fang Zhao mulled it over for a bit and agreed to Wayne's suggestion.

Su Hou and Su Feng wanted to thank Fang Zhao with at least a meal, but Wayne could not wait to get Fang Zhao out of this place where inconveniences were rife. As long as they left this place, Fang Zhao would not encounter these sorts of situations.

He had hoped that Fang Zhao would make his presence felt, but if it was this sort, Wayne did not want it. His heart could not bear the stress.

Thus, even without getting dinner, Wayne led Fang Zhao along into the flying transport and headed back for Yanzhou.

On the journey back to Yanzhou, Fiery Bird's deputy director Tang Can personally contacted Fang Zhao and requested Fang Zhao endorse the 10th-generation console. Not right now, of course. After all, it had not yet started mass production, but their plan was to book him in advance.

Wayne was listening intently beside Fang Zhao, and he felt all sorts of complicated feelings in his heart. The company's professional teams had not even started their publicity campaigns before Memorial Day and had spent over 10 hours in a meeting coming up with a programs that took up 10 pages worth of files, yet before anything had started, Fang Zhao had already received the endorsement role that every single big e-sports club was eyeing?

Chapter 176: Sir, Could I Trouble You for an Autograph?

The first thing Fang Zhao did after returning to Yanzhou was buy a beginner's console online. It was as if Curly Hair had discovered a brand new world. He became addicted to the world of gaming. There was no end in sight. When he had been in Muzhou, he'd had to restrain himself, only sneaking into the gaming room to get his fix whenever he had the chance, but now that he was back in Yanzhou and he was all alone, Curly Hair could go all out.

But Fang Zhao only let him play single-console games. He wasn't allowed to go online.

Even though the internet was a simulated version of the real world, more often than not, you never knew whether an actual person or not was on the other end. Since using a 10th-generation console and becoming aware of the data collection Fiery Bird was conducting, Fang Zhao knew that there were no secrets in this virtual world, especially when it came to machines controlled by your brain. Folks of average ability could get by—no one would notice you—but if you stood out, people would investigate, and there were no secrets. Brain waves could be identified by certain markers. Fang Zhao didn't want to risk Curly Hair being singled out. Thankfully, for now Curly Hair was simply addicted to single-console games and knew he couldn't get online and go all out.

Fang Zhao had learned of some of the conclusions from the investigation into the Dongshan Farm flying transport crash while chatting with Su Hou after returning to Yanzhou. The pilot of the transport had committed suicide. The other passengers were students from other continents holidaying in Muzhou. The pilot was a local Muzhou resident who had been recommended to them. Who could have known something like this would go down? The students had been heavily injured and even more traumatized than Su Hou, probably with lingering effects.

"There are two possibilities—either it's a sociopath or an enemy of the Su family." Su Hou had calmed down. In any case, threats like this had become routine.

Su Hou's father's other bastard sons wouldn't be so stupid as to target him like that. Typically, the elders didn't get involved in feuds between youngsters in the family; they tended to turn a blind eye. Adversity was the breeding ground for true leaders, after all, but the flying transport attack was the equivalent of throwing down the gauntlet to the Su family.

There was a limit to what Su Hou could say. He also wasn't privy to too many details. He was just a kid who wasn't particularly smart, so the elders wouldn't let him in on core matters before he raised his IQ.

"Seems that our community isn't entirely crime-free," Fang Zhao said.

"Indeed. There are many things that go down in the dark that are kept secret from the public, but most of these potential disasters are pre-empted. Today, they arrested two attempted bombers in the martyrs' cemetery. Events like these are never reported. Even folks who paid their respects today won't have noticed."

Memorial Day was when the martyrs' cemeteries saw their traffic peak. Apart from the cemetery guards assigned to the core area, the government typically deployed additional guards to ensure that worship activities could proceed uninterrupted.

Fang Zhao wasn't planning on joining the ruckus this year. His status was different compared to last year. He was a public figure with quite a few fans, so he planned on visiting the martyrs' cemeteries in various continents after Memorial Day, when there were fewer visitors.

With the Su family stepping in to contain the fallout over the Dongshan Farm plane crash, online discussion of the incident had tapered off significantly over the past three days. Regardless of how folks spun the event, whether it was a brilliantly executed marketing ploy or some earth-shattering conspiracy, the level of attention was declining with the approach of Memorial Day.

On Jan. 20, Silver Wing's virtual projects and gaming departments held a joint press conference. The company officially announced that Jinro was taking over as captain of their gaming team and that Dorrian would serve as his deputy. Fang Zhao was scheduled to start his military service in April and would go on temporary leave. The departure of Fang Zhao didn't necessarily deal a blow to the team's prospects, though. Jinro had been personally trained by Fang Zhao. On paper, Fang Zhao was much younger than Jinro, but between Jinro himself or Silver Wing fans, no one considered it a problem. Fang Zhao's gaming prowess was a well-established fact.

Wayne also announced that the team would be adding new members in the near future, but their identities would be kept secret for now.

Silver Wing's performance the past few months had prompted quite a few pro gamers to consider jumping ship. This time, it was Wayne's turn to play hard to get. In the past, he'd had to make the rounds, begging people to join. Now he was the one being sought out. It was sweet vindication.

As the focus of the press attention, Fang Zhao was inundated with questions. Some journalists also asked him about the Dongshan Farm crash. Fang Zhao just waved it off as an accident without elaborating. Silver Wing's PR staff would follow up with journalists.

In other news, Fang Zhao also revealed during the press conference that Fiery Bird would soon be making an announcement about their 10th-generation console's protection mode, but that it recommended customers not try it out before then.

In fact, Fang Zhao hadn't been able to control the console on demand right away. He'd only went out on a limb because Su Hou had been in a bad spot, buried in rubble and struggling to breathe.

The other focus of the entertainment journalists was Fang Zhao's imminent military service. Celebrities entering the military always got the media excited. Reporters were always trying to find a point of controversy, like a certain star parlaying connections into an easy assignment, a star lying about working as a miner on a faraway planet while in actuality vacationing on a newly colonized planet, or someone faking their service records.

Many people wanted to use their connections to secure an easy posting. The thing was, only a few could manage to do so. Others could only watch with envy and vent their frustrations online, posting spiels about special treatment. Public figures like celebrities were a regular target.

If Fang Zhao received a relaxed posting, the pundits would show no mercy.

But Fang Zhao didn't announce any details about his assignment. Even Wayne didn't know. Duan Qianji asked Fang Zhao several times, but all he said was that he would decide after visiting his great-grandfather in Yanbei on Memorial Day.

On Jan. 26, Fang Zhao rented a flying car and drove from Qi'an to Yanbei himself with Curly Hair in tow.

Security was especially tight during the Memorial Day period, and the amount of vehicle traffic increased the closer to Memorial Day one got. Fang Zhao had to clear a security checkpoint before entering Yanbei's city limits.

There was tons of traffic and a long queue leading to the checkpoint. The good thing was that the security checks were quite swift. What seemed to be a long queue could in fact be processed quite quickly.

After lining up for about 10 minutes, Fang Zhao drove his car into the security checkpoint. Besides his car undergoing a scan for dangerous items, the driver's personal information also came up automatically on the screen of the inspector.

When he noticed Fang Zhao's personal details on the screen, the inspector's expression went from serious to surprised, but he regained his composure quickly. He walked out of his booth, approached Fang Zhao's car, and signaled Fang Zhao to lower his car window.

It was common for inspectors to randomly screen drivers and passengers in person, so the inspector's appearance didn't strike the drivers lined up behind Fang Zhao as odd.

The stern-faced inspector walked up to Fang Zhao's car. After Fang Zhao lowered his window, the inspector pulled out a paper notebook and pen from his pocket and handed them to Fang Zhao. "Sir, could I trouble you for an autograph?"

Fang Zhao eyed the inspector's tense expression and smiled. "Sure thing."

He took the pen and notebook, flipped to a blank page, signed his name, and then handed the pen and notebook back.

"Thank you." The inspector struggled to suppress his smile as he held off on taking his pen and notebook. Resuming his solemn expression as if he were conducting official business, he handed over a stamp pad. "Could I trouble your passenger in the back to sign as well?"

Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair, who was kneeling on the back seat. He waved him over, grabbed one of his paws, placed it on the stamp pad, and then pressed it onto the inspector's notebook.

The inspector took his pen and notebook and tucked them away carefully. His face was still tense as he took a step back and bowed slightly. "Thank you! Happy Memorial Day! Welcome back to Yanbei. I wish you and your family good health and I wish you swift sailing."

"Happy Memorial Day!"

Fang Zhao closed his car window and drove away.

Chapter 177: Selecting the Most Difficult Applications

Although the security personnel was delighted, he did not brag to his friends about receiving the signatures right away. After all, Fang Zhao had chosen to use a plain car, which meant that Fang Zhao did not want to be recognized, so he decided to only share it after Memorial Day.

Fang Zhao headed straight to his destination after entering Yanbei City. He had bought a place in Yanbei last year. It was still winter, and many people wore scarves. Fang Zhao had a scarf and cap on, so it was not easy for him to be recognized.

As for Curly Hair, Fang Zhao placed the dog in his bag and carried him.

Fang Zhao spent the night in his apartment, and on the 27th, he brought Curly Hair along to his second uncle's place to visit his two elders. Last November, his second uncle and aunt had asked Fang Zhao whether he would be returning for Memorial Day.

Second Uncle's oldest son, Fang Yu, had gone to serve the military and would not be back to celebrate Memorial Day. This time, only Fang Qi and their daughter Fang Ling would be home.

Fang Zhao drove the inconspicuous rental car over to Second Uncle Fang's place for a meal with the four members of that family and agreed to their warm invitation to stay the night.

Upon seeing Fang Zhao once more, Second Uncle and Second Aunt Fang were slightly more uncomfortable. They behaved like they were guest rather than hosts. Last year, Fang Zhao was only "promising," but this year was too alarming. Every day, they would find out more about Fang Zhao in the entertainment news. Sometimes Fang Zhao even appeared in the headlines. Of course, they felt gratified. After all, Fang Zhao was their nephew.

The next morning, which was also Memorial Day, Fang Zhao drove the rental car and brought the other four to the retirement center.

On the journey to the retirement home, Second Uncle and Second Aunt Fang filled Fang Zhao in on the happenings of the past year. Fang Yu's military service was going smoothly, and every once in a while, he reported that he was fine. He would be completing his service this year and returning home. Both Second Uncle and Second Aunt Fang were extremely glad and were counting down the days.

Besides Fang Yu, they also talked about Great-Grandfather Fang. In the past year, Second Uncle and Second Aunt Fang had visited Great-Grandfather Fang on some small occasions, as always, but unlike past years, Great-Grandfather Fang had contacted them more often and had voluntarily showed an interest in their family. For example, Fang Yu's military service developments and others. This had made Second Uncle and Second Aunt Fang overwhelmed by favor. Great-Grandfather Fang had also asked about Fang Zhao, but when he'd talked about Fang Zhao, his facial expressions had been way more obvious.

While Second Uncle Fang recounted all of this to Fang Zhao, Second Aunt Fang, Fang Qi, and Fang Ling were all seated in the back row of the car along with a not-too-large curly-haired dog.

Fang Qi and Fang Ling were using a comb to brush Curly Hair's fur as Second Aunt Fang sat beside them, watching and worrying that her two children would pull on its fur too hard.

When she had seen the dog yesterday, she'd had no idea what to feed it and had been afraid that the food she prepared might not be suitable for it. Luckily, Fang Zhao had brought along dog food.

Watching for a while, Second Aunt Fang had not been able to help but reach out and pet it. They all knew the value of this dog, and her hands had trembled as she'd touched the fur.

Memorial Day was the liveliest part of the year at the retirement center, and there were lots of people coming and going, just like previous years.

Today, Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang had woken up early, changed into a brand new set of festive clothes, and sat at the door waiting for the younger generations to come.

One hour, two hours...

The visitors kept streaming in nonstop. There were also favorable younger generations that came to visit, and the two elders counseled them and gave out red packets. It seemed just the same as previous years. However. today, the two elders kept looking out the window and kept checking for incoming messages, more than 10 times within an hour.

Everyone who noticed the two elders doing this gave a pained expression.

Who were they waiting for?

Who else could it be!

The two elders were basically only pleasant to the youngest generations. In the past, they had treated their grandkids' generation well, but now that they had a generation of great-grandchildren, they treated this batch better. And among their great-grandchildren, Fang Zhao was the one with the best achievements.

Ding!

A notification of a text message.

Great-Grandfather Fang's eyebrows rose and he rapidly checked it and replied.

Fang Zhao had arrived at the retirement center and parted ways with Second Uncle Fang's family. After parking the car, he entered through another way.

Fang Zhao had sent the two elders a text message when he'd arrived, as this arrangement had been requested by the two elders. Fang Zhao was no longer the same as before—he was a rather famous celebrity now. There were many youngsters visiting the retirement center today, and if he were recognized, it could have an undesirable effect on the retirement center. Great-Grandfather Fang had told him to head straight to their residence first and rest if there were no pressing matters. After the two elders were done here, they would head back to have a chat with Fang Zhao.

After parking the car and walking over to the two elders' residence, he passed by a family that were also here to visit their elders. The father was teaching his secondary school son how to win the favor of their elders. He noticed his son's mind wandering and was a little angry. "What are you looking at? Did you hear what I just said?!"

The teenager pointed at the figure that was passing by them. "That man seems kinda familiar..."

"There are so many people every year, there are bound to be some familiar faces."

"He looks like my idol!"

The father heard what was said and slapped his son across the back of his head. "Of all the things to learn, you learned how to chase after celebrities!"

Fang Zhao headed to the house number Great-Grandfather Fang had given him and found the two elders' residence. The door had already been remotely unlocked. Fang Zhao sat in the living room and waited. He did not check out the other rooms.

Around four in the afternoon, the two elders returned, and they even brought Fang Zhao a big portion of dinner.

"Have you decided on where to go for your military service?" said Great-Grandfather Fang when he entered and sat down.

The two elders had found out from Second Uncle Fang that Fang Zhao had a military posting that he could use to go wherever he wanted to go, but now, Fang Zhao had a wide reputation and the media was all over him. Great-Grandfather Fang was afraid that Fang Zhao was too young and not clear-headed enough. A wrong choice at this juncture could be his downfall. If Fang Zhao brazenly went and received special treatment, he would surely be condemned by the media.

"I wish to serve on a warship." Fang Zhao replied.

"Warship?" Great-Grandfather Fang's brows scrunched up and his smiling expression vanished. "Above or below?"

Above meant a space warship; below meant a battleship within the planet. The difficulty levels for serving on these two ships were very far apart. One was arduous and dangerous, the other relatively relaxed.

"Above," Fang Zhao said firmly.

Great-Grandfather Fang went blank. He had never expected Fang Zhao to actually make such a choice. "Why?"

"I just wish to."

This time, Great-Grandfather Fang knitted his eyebrows and was deep in thought for quite a while.

If Fang Zhao had chosen a military service program that was too easy, Great-Grandfather Fang had originally intended to recommend a military service program that he had spent months picking for Fang Zhao. The place was not considered too far away from Earth—the further away one was from the home planet, the harder the military service was—but it was also not so near as to draw the ire of cynics.

In terms of ranking, the most demanding military service vocations were on exploratory spaceships. The tasks were arduous and filled with uncertainty. The unknown was almost the scariest.

"Don't be impulsive," Great-Grandfather Fang reminded him. He thought that Fang Zhao had been swayed by public opinion.

"I'm not impulsive. I have been planning this since last year."

Fang Zhao's choice came as a surprise to Great-Grandfather Fang, yet he also felt gratified. Finally, there was a younger generation who took the initiative to select a spaceship for their military service.

"If I remember correctly, there are currently two explorer-class spaceships in active service: Acturus and Formalhaut. I heard that the original plan was for four spaceships to undergo exploratory missions, but at the end-of-year conference, it was decided that the pace of outer space explorations should be tightened and focus more on understanding the areas that have already been explored. The military funding saved would also be used for development and construction on known planets. However these policies might be changed at any time. You can check out their latest developments first. On the military service application homepage, you can choose to view the positions according to difficulty. The two most difficult positions are probably the vocations on spaceships, and there will be some introductions and explanations there."

That meant to say that when Fang Zhao was applying for military service, all he needed to do was select the most difficult applications.

Generally speaking, these difficult military positions could be voluntarily applied for, but every year, there were very little people who did so.

Great-Grandmother Fang shot a disapproving look at her husband. "Eat first! Little Zhao hasn't touched his food since he came!"

Great-Grandfather Fang returned a recalcitrant look. This old lady had clearly been even more anxious than him yesterday, but now that they had gotten their answer, she wanted to act like the good guy!

Fang Zhao's choice pleased the two elders, but at the same time, it worried them. The degree of difficulty and danger was higher than most. In their eyes, Fang Zhao was a talent in the entertainment scene, a man of art and literature. They were afraid that Fang Zhao was still an inexperienced and young man. After all, reality was different from a game, and people who were different from their in-game persona were commonly seen.

Fang Zhao wanted to leave at night but was stopped by the two elders.

"Just stay here and go back after you have sorted out your military service. We can give you counsel, and whatever reply you get, I am able to help you ask around," Great-Grandfather Fang said.

The sky was gradually getting dark and visitors to the retirement centire had slowed. Many elderly were sitting together and chatting about the younger generations in their own family.

Great-Grandfather Fang brought the dog out, looking especially pretentious.

"Hey, this dog looks familiar," a retired elder said.

"Isn't this the Muzhou championship-winning dog that trended in the news a while back?"

"It's that dog that is worth 100 million?"

Great-Grandfather Fang was pleased. "Yes, yes, yes, it's that dog! But your memories aren't so good. This dog isn't from Muzhou. It was brought over to Muzhou by my great-grandson to compete, and now he has brought it back. Come, Curly Hair, say hello to this bunch of old fellows."

Curly Hair showed due respect and barked, "Woof!"

Great-Grandfather Fang often bragged about Fang Zhao. Among his great-grandchildren, the most famous was Fang Zhao. Furthermore, Fang Zhao's exposure rate in the news had indeed been very high the past couple of weeks, so many people in the retirement center knew that Fang Zhao was Old Man Fang's great-grandson.

"Your great-grandson is here?"

"Why, Old Fang, are you trying to get some preferential treatment for your great-grandson?" someone joked.

"Tsk! Do I look like that sort of person?! He is voluntarily applying for his military service position. Tomorrow, when the application system opens, I will let him submit his application," said Great-Grandfather Fang with a righteous look on his face.

There were only a few positions that could be applied for voluntarily. These were the ones that the majority did not wish to get posted to.

A few old folks at the retirement center stared at Old Man Fang in astonishment. "Are you talking big? Can you bear to see your celebrity great-grandson head to that sort of places?"

"Who says I can't bear to? Youngsters can always use some training and build character. I don't hope that he fights for military accomplishments—after all, that's not the path he is taking. I'm just letting him head to the most arduous places to gain experience and improve himself. This way, he can go much farther in the future."

"...Hehe." The old folks at the retirement center who know Old Man Fang's temperament well only chuckled but did not say anything. If they really believed his words, the hundred-plus years they had lived would have been in vain!

But regardless of what anybody else thought, the next morning, Fang Zhao accessed the military service application system and followed Great-Grandfather Fang's suggestion, arranging the vocations from difficult to easy.

Just as Great-Grandfather Fang had said, the vocations of the highest difficulty were on the Arcturus and Formalhaut. Great-Grandfather Fang had recommended he apply to serve on the Arcturus. The spaceship Arcturus had been in active service for a longer time, and most of the crew onboard were experienced and would not panic when they came across situations.

Fang Zhao filled in his personal information and submitted the application.

As not many people applied for these military service programs with high difficulty, the audit was quick, and Fang Zhao received a reply in the afternoon:

"Rejected!"

On the next page, the reason: Background check failed. Not suitable for military service on a spaceship.

Fang Zhao stared at the three words "Background check failed" and could not understand why this reason had caused him to be rejected. His files had no criminal records and his life on the black street was unlikely to result in this. Many people had history in the black streets, and even some military officials also came from the black streets

Mulling it over for abit, Fang Zhao then submitted an application for the Formalhaut.

Early the next morning, Fang Zhao received a reply:

"Rejected!"

Reason: Background check failed. Not suitable for military service on a spaceship.

Fang Zhao: "..."

Chapter 178: Choice

Not just Fang Zhao, even the two old Fangs, with their wealth of experience, were puzzled at this reply.

Background check failed?

He had never broken the law, been a danger to society, or even received demerits while schooling. Why had he failed the background check?

Great-Grandfather Fang was seething with anger. He sought out an old comrade to ask around. His old comrade sent someone to check it out before replying to Great-Grandfather Fang.

The other party said, "I don't know whether or not it is true, but I heard that they don't accept celebrities."

"Don't accept celebrities? There is a new policy now?" Great-Grandfather Fang just could not understand this. Voluntarily applying for the most difficult place would actually be met with a merciless rejection on the grounds of a background check? What did being a celebrity have to do with being suitable for military service on a spaceship? Besides, he had paid attention to the relevant decrees and had not seen any clear-cut rules that stated celebrities were unable to serve onboard.

The audit personnel would indeed get to see information not displayed in the files—for example, for certain reasons, they might feel that a particular applicant was not suitable for work on a spaceship. Right now, celebrities were what they did not want.

Great-Grandfather Fang used a few means to ask around. A lot of information on space ships was highly classified and could not be released to the public, and the people were bound by confidentiality agreements that had not expired. However, Great-Grandfather Fang asked many old comrades and still managed to get a little information.

Compiling the information, the general idea was this: celebrities and the like only showed off on spaceships. They couldn't do anything properly and had lots of trifling matters. Just a bunch of trouble! We don't want them! Whoever wants them can have them!

Ending the call, Great-Grandfather Fang fell silent. He had been retired for too long and had already forgotten that celebrities were discriminated against in many places.

Fang Zhao's records were indeed clean, but he was still considered a celebrity, and the two spaceships were unwilling to accept his application.

Great-Grandfather Fang sat in silence for awhile then suggested to Fang Zhao, "How about applying one more time?"

Fang Zhao felt a sense of regret that he was unable to get on the Arcturus or Formalhaut, but since their internal department had such unwritten rules, he would also not try and force his way in. Thus, Fang Zhao decided to select somewhere else. "No need, I will just apply for the third most difficult military service program."

The two old Fangs gathered around the screen. "You have decided to pick the third-ranked one? What is it?"

"Mining," Fang Zhao replied.

"Mining? That's no good. It's too remote, and the environment and climate are both horrendous. If you pick mining, why not let the military automatically assign you? Odds are you will be assigned to a planet for mining or to construction for a planet's base. That is more likely." Great-Grandfather Fang felt that this was not suitable. According to him, since Fang Zhao could not enter the two military service programs he had hoped for, all other programs were not very different. In any case, if it was not mining, it would be expanding and constructing bases for the future of humanity. Whether it was near or far from Earth was no different, so rather than heading to a far and remote place to mine, settling for the automatic assignment would be better.

But Fang Zhao's thinking was different. He had chosen that program not because it was ranked third for difficulty but because, among all the planets that had started development, this was the furthest one from Earth.

Fang Zhao wanted to see for himself how far humanity had progressed in these 500 years. Not counting space travel, only places where they had genuinely taken root, began construction, and stepped foot on.

Without hesitation, Fang Zhao submitted an application for this military service program. Unlike the previous two, this application received a reply very quickly, and the reply this time was not "rejected," but "approved."

However, "approved" did not mean that Fang Zhao had gotten in. He still needed to submit the results of a physical examination. Fang Zhao would need to head to an appointed hospital for a medical.

This medical was not the commonly seen kind. Rather, it was an examination to check whether the applicant's constitution could withstand long-haul space travel. The appointed hospital was in Qi'an City's military district.

Over at the hospital, those in charge of the medicals were gathered together and gossiping about the latest entertainment news.

Normally, the place was quite empty, so those on duty were not old doctors. Experienced old doctors were always very busy. Those that remained here were some interns from medical college or a few youngsters that had just started the job. In any case, most people that came here for a medical were applicants for military service programs or were about to serve. All they needed to do here was operate the machines and run tests on the applications.

As these few people were talking animatedly, they received a notification.

"Someone actually voluntarily applied. The preliminary application has gone through, and the person should be coming for a medical during these next two days. Oh, it is planet Baiji. He probably did not think things through!"

"I reckon it's another idiot who applied in the spur of the moment."

The youngster closest to the door stared ahead blankly and lifted his arm to tap at his colleagues who were still talking. "...The idiot you guys were talking about has arrived."

Fang Zhao walked in wearing a cap that was pushed low. When he got here, there were no other idle people around, so he took off his cap.

Fang Zhao looked at the door number while asking, "Is this the medical center for military service personnel?"

"Yes... yes, yes! This is the place!"

"Are you Fang... Fang... Fang Zhao?"

"You are the one who applied for planet Baiji?"

Fang Zhao nodded his head. "That's me."

"...This way, please."

The few youngsters led Fang Zhao in and began operating the machines and examining Fang Zhao. At the same time, their hearts were screaming violently: Why is it Fang Zhao?! Baiji Planet! So far away and the conditions are bad, why go all the way there to suffer? Has your brain gone stupid from playing all those games?

Five minutes later, he received an evaluation of "excellent" for his physical examination. Once the medical results were released, they were uploaded to the military service application web page. In no time, Fang Zhao's application status changed from "application received" to "application approved." Fang Zhao was to report for duty on March 1st in Yanzhou's military district. When the time came, he would undergo a month of military training, and in April, he would be sent to planet Baiji.

Wayne's jaw dropped when he found out that Fang Zhao had applied for Baiji.

"Why didn't you think things through? Why did you choose this?" Wayne just could not comprehend why Fang Zhao had prepared for so long and yet picked this option!

Helpless, Wayne contacted Duan Qianji, hoping that she could persuade Fang Zhao. Even though Fang Zhao had already submitted his application, before he officially started his military service, this could still be manipulated.

However, Wayne did not hear the answer he wanted from Duan Qianji. Duan Qianji told Wayne to stay calm and not be impatient. A new policy might be officially launched this year, and Fang Zhao's choice might not necessarily be a bad one.

The next day, Silver Wing announced Fang Zhao's choice—Military Service at planet Baiji.

This choice surprised many. Lot's of people thought that Fang Zhao had gone mad and guessed that he probably had an ulterior motive. However, the approval letter had already been screenshotted. It could not have been faked.

Compared to Fang Zhao's fans, those from other e-sports clubs and entertainment companies collectively relaxed their weary hearts. Once Fang Zhao was gone, at least within the next year, there would not be any hot topics regarding him. Silver Wing's influence in the gaming circles would definitely drop as well.

Chapter 179

Fang Zhao voluntarily applying for military service on planet Baiji and getting approved caused a huge stir in Yanzhou's entertainment circles.

This was the first time a celebrity had voluntarily applied for a military service program with a high difficulty. Even though Fang Zhao's status in the industry was not very high yet, his popularity over the last two weeks had soared.

This was not just because of Fiery Bird's annual gala. Experienced members within the entertainment circles could tell right away that there was a team behind them hyping it up, but all they thought was that Silver Wing was stirring up the news to make Fang Zhao's presence felt one last time before he left.

They just had to wait and watch. After one month's time, after Fang Zhao started his training in the military district, all news of him would be sealed off; nobody would remember him. Silver Wing was just trying to squeeze out every last bit of Fang Zhao's value before he enlisted for military service.

Regardless of what outsiders thought, after Fang Zhao's application was approved, he bade his goodbyes to the two Fang elders, left Yanbei City, and returned to Qi'an City. After that, he requested a flying transport from the company and brought Curly Hair to Muzhou.

Fang Zhao was on the verge of enlisting and would only be able to return after a year. In that year, leaving Curly Hair in Muzhou was the most appropriate. Although it would be slightly inconvenient, at least he would have lots of freedom in Muzhou and sufficient fields to run around in. The attitude of the people of Muzhou toward dogs was the best among the 12 continents. Furthermore, Su Hou's batch of puppies had not grown up yet, and he planned for Curly Hair to lead his team in the next cycle of sheep-herding competitions. The new kennel had already been constructed and Su Hou was just waiting for Fang Zhao to deliver the dog.

Any traces of the "accident" that had destroyed the house at Dongshan Farm could no longer be seen. A new residence had already been constructed in the same area, and it was double the size of the previous one. Also, the parking area had been shifted away from the residence by 200 meters.

Su Hou had shared with Fang Zhao all his plans for the year. After all, Fang Zhao was also an investor in Dongshan Farm. Even if Fang Zhao would be away the entire year, he should still know the plan.

After Fang Zhao left Muzhou, he visited each continent's Cemetery of Martyrs in succession. When he was done, it was mid-February, about two weeks before he was to report for training in Yanzhou's military district.

Nowadays, Fang Zhao rarely went to the company. On this day, he dropped by Xue Jing's place and went to the hospital to visit Ming Cang's son, Ming Ye, who was still receiving treatment. On his way home at night, a piece of news popped up.

"According to the latest news from Huangzhou, "Project Starlight," which has been shelved for 50 years, might be rebooted!"

Every year, after Memorial Day, military leaders from all 12 continents would convene in Huangzhou to discuss some crucial development issues or determine some significant policies.

Many youngsters might not know what "Project Starlight" was, nor would some older people that did not pay attention to entertainment news.

The "Star" in Project Starlight referred to celebrities. Whether they were sports stars, e-sports stars, actors, or singers, they all belonged to the same category.

"Project Starlight" had first been proposed by the Ministry of Education with the aim of letting celebrities set a good example and guide even more youths to realize their value and potential in human society. However, in the end, this plan had not been successfully implemented. The reason why this project hadn't truly been able to take off was because there had been too many pretentious stars in the trial stages. Not only had they plotted against one another, they had competed with each other for resources, which had caused the market to be really chaotic, hence there having been no other choice but to halt it. With that, many people had started pondering: just how many years would it take for the Ministry of Education to reboot this project?

Unexpectedly, before the Ministries of Education decided, the project was proposed by military district leaders!

Due to the proposal to reboot the project, there would still have to be a trial stage. The only concern was that the trial representatives had to be selected carefully. Thus, the 12 military district leaders would select candidates. Yanzhou's side had recommended three people, and one of them was Fang Zhao.

Before the news of Project Starlight had been released, Duan Qianji had inquired with Fang Zhao about his opinion and asked whether he was willing to continue shining and burning brightly in a different place. If Fang Zhao had not approved, then he would have been eliminated as a candidate early on.

Fang Zhao had agreed. If he were really selected, he would be part of the project, but he would not be allowed to change his military service application and would still be sent to Baiji.

Two days later, the results of the military district leaders came out. From the list of 30 over names, the final five had been selected. Fang Zhao was among the five and was the only one not to have undergone military service.

Among the five stars, Fang Zhao's status in the entertainment circles was the lowest. He was also the youngest.

Fang Zhao had been selected for Project Starlight's first batch. As for why he had been selected? Not just because he had been popular recently, but also because Fang Zhao had voluntarily applied.

It was rumored that when the leaders of each continent's military districts had been coming to a decision on the final name list, an old general had seen that Fang Zhao had voluntarily applied for military service on Baiji and had praised him: "This young fellow is really sensible! He deserves to be commended!"

There was still a very huge difference between people voluntarily applying and being automatically assigned their vocations.

This was what Duan Qianji had meant by "staying calm and not being impatient!" This policy was assistance from the heavens!

When Project Starlight's five chosen representative were announced, the news dominated the headlines for three days straight. Silver Wing once again started to stir up the news, and the companies behind the others did the same as well.

Some of Silver Wing's competitors had relaxed, thinking that once Fang Zhao left for a year, he would vanish really quickly. Never had they expected that he would reappear with Project Starlight!

However, people not from the industry had different views.

Some felt that Fang Zhao was going to be pretentious, just like those stars in the past.

There were also some who felt that his spirit was laudable and other people who had not yet done their military service should learn from him.

But there were some people who focused their attention on something different.

Dancers and actors could perform, singers could sing, but Fang Zhao? Was he going over to lead the people on planet Baiji in playing games? Or was he going to compose songs for them to listen to?

"Fang Zhao, you must set a good example. Whether the project can be successfully implemented all depends on your performance," Wayne said.

The government hoped that this popular star could shine and burn brightly on another remote and frigid place. But Fang Zhao wasn't really too sure how to shine.

"What do I have to do?" Fang Zhao asked.

"You are in charge of delivering warmth."

Chapter 180: Service with Funding

Wayne told Fang Zhao that the company would take care of everything. Fang Zhao didn't have to worry.

The next day, Silver Wing put out an official statement saying that Fang Zhao was about to perform his military service and that, in line with government policy, the company was launching a donation drive to fund development of Baiji Planet, the emphasis being that Baiji was where Fang Zhao would be serving.

The day after the project launched, it received online donations from all over Yanzhou—among the donors were gamers and music academy students. They all donated in accordance with their personal wealth. Jinro, Zu Wen, and company also donated a good chunk under their own names.

Now that Jinro was back in the gaming world, a battleground he was so familiar with, his name recognition was on the rise, even rivaling his level of fame when he'd retired. The other members of the Silver Wing team also made substantial donations. Zu Wen and company had achieved their success under Fang Zhao's leadership. You could say that they wouldn't be where they were without Fang Zhao, so they didn't skimp on their donations.

Silver Wing staffers, from gophers to senior management, also chipped in. They weren't close with Fang Zhao, but the project was clearly a company priority, so they would naturally show their support.

Of the five celebrities that were picked, Fang Zhao was the only one from Yanzhou. Silver Wing milked the attention for all it was worth, much to the envy of the other entertainment companies.

"Fang Zhao is a bit too lucky, no?"

"Indeed! Why can't he share the wealth? I had to take wild guesses on all the multiple-choice questions in my recent exam that I couldn't answer, and I got them all wrong."

"Who would have thought that they would relaunch Project Starlight now? With this laurel under his belt, Fang Zhao's career will probably progress even more smoothly."

"Fang Zhao probably never thought things would develop this way when he applied for military service, no?"

Silver Wing kept detailed records of the comings and goings of every cent that cleared its donation drive. They were taking after Fiery Bird, which was channeling all its donations to the venue of Fang Zhao's military service.

Many folks marveled at Fang Zhao's streak of good luck. Even Wayne said he had lucked out big time.

Fang Zhao simply laughed off comments like that.

Good luck?

It was probably making up for all the bad luck he had suffered in his previous life.

Soon, donations were no longer confined to Yanzhou—folks from other continents started to chip in. Besides making cash contributions, people also donated supplies that Fang Zhao could take to Baiji. Both types of donations were on the rise.

It wasn't just Silver Wing. The entertainment companies that managed the four other stars also launched similar donation drives.

What the military cared about wasn't their skill set but rather their popularity. Just take a look at how much a single donation drive raised. By that measure, the relaunch of Project Starlight was a success, but genuine success would need to survive the test of time.

But the main objective of the program was to generate sufficient public attention and funding.

On one of the spacecraft responsible for transporting servicemen and servicewomen to Baiji, the captain was near tears. He was in charge of shipping newbies to their service locations every April and October. In the past, supplies had been tight. They'd had to be frugal during the journeys to the service locations. Apart from the family members of the newbies, no one had cared about their well being.

But this year was different. Military HQ had relaunched Project Starlight, bringing major perks to folks like him who were in charge of developing faraway planets under tough conditions yet were inept at securing funding.

Fang Zhao's application had been personally vetted by Lieutenant General Shanta, the highest-ranked officer on the Baiji military base. When he had reviewed the application list, he'd noticed there was only one applicant who had volunteered. Even though he didn't like celebrities on his base, volunteers were rare. Under normal circumstances, service applications didn't involve officers as senior as him, but Shanta had personally requested the applications be passed on to him.

Rarely did they come by a volunteer for Baiji. So be it if he was a celebrity. After some hesitation, Shanta had still signed off on the application. Little had he known that he would be the one who benefited from the assignment.

But while the officers on Baiji rejoiced, the soldiers who staffed the spaceships Arcturus and Formalhaut were in mourning.

Why had the top brass decided to scale down exploratory missions?

Because manpower, supplies, and funding were limited.

In addition, these years, there were too many colonizable planets that had been discovered. Every military base had to fight for their funding. As a result, the speed of development and construction on each planet varied. Planets that had sufficient funding and manpower naturally developed much more rapidly than planets that hadn't secured any funding or subsidies, even though some of these were planets that had been discovered earlier and started construction earlier.

In fact, the top brass had planned on reducing its exploratory fleet to one ship, but they had ultimately decided on two. And yet, even though two ships had been kept, funding hadn't been beefed up that much, so finances were tight, and exploratory spaceships didn't receive as much attention as they had in the days of the Sirius. Conditions on the two exploratory vessels were also tough.

It's just a matter of tolerating a celebrity. As long as he brings sufficient funding, investments, and public attention, and as long as Fang Zhao doesn't do anything outrageous during his service period after arriving on Baiji, we can put up with him, thought Baiji's top military official to himself.

In late February, Fang Zhao boarded the flying transport arranged by Duan Qianji. Apart from the pilot, there was another passenger who was a stranger. He wore a First Frontline insignia.

First Frontline was a longstanding electronic publication founded during the early days of the New Era. With the discovery of new energy sources and mineral deposits as mankind had relaunched space missions in the beginning of the New Era, First Frontline had become the most popular electronic magazine in the world.

But these days, First Frontline registered few bells, even among elderly folks more than 150 years old. They might not recall the name without doing some research.

This time, First Frontline had assigned five reporters to cover Project Starlight. Every celebrity had been assigned a reporter. The stranger Fang Zhao met in his flying transport was the First Frontline journalist assigned to shadow him. He would follow Fang Zhao to training camp and then to his service location.

The reporter gave him the cold shoulder. Perhaps he was from a prominent family or was unhappy with his job, but all he did when he saw Fang Zhao was give a cursory glance. He didn't utter a single word.

Meanwhile, Baiji's senior officer was having a discussion with a few of his deputies.

"We can't expect these artsy celebrity types to do too much. Even though conditions on our planet are tough, I'm still willing to give minor celebrities who bring in funding a bit of special treatment," said Shanta.

"What can these minor celebrities do with their scrawny limbs? Let's just make sure we spoil them," said one of Shanta's deputies as he shook his head, as if recalling some of the less popular celebrity soldiers from the past.

For them, Fang Zhao, who brought with him extra funding, was a shimmering gold mine. All they had to do was pamper him like a mascot.

Chapter 181: Worst Luck

Yanzhou military district.

A civilian flying transport gradually drew closer. After identity verification, the transport landed on the parking ground.

People in the military district took one look at the flying transport and knew who it was. Generally, other than military flying transports and those with special labels, ordinary civilian flying transports were not permitted in the area. But with the buzz all over the news about Project Starlight, everyone in Yanzhou's military district knew, even those that did not pay attention to entertainment news.

However, the military district was different from Yanzhou's other cities. Even if the people there were curious about the youngest star in Project Starlight, they wouldn't be like people outside the district and engage in random discussion. Neither would they stare endlessly at the flying transport. The people here went about their jobs and posts as per usual.

Disembarking from the flying transport, right away, Fang Zhao could feel the contrasting atmosphere here compared to outside. It was way more solemn. If it were any other youngster that had not experienced this sort of setting, they would probably feel unease.

In the military district, Duan Qianji's husband, Hong Lou, had been making arrangements. A quick-witted junior officer had been assigned to fetch Fang Zhao.

As Fang Zhao would be undergoing his military service this time around, Zuo Yu would not be following. However, nobody here made things difficult for Fang Zhao. Naturally, they wouldn't, given Duan Qianji and Hong Lou's backing, as well as the influence of Project Starlight.

It was reasonable to say that many people in the military district, especially high ranking officers, did not think highly of celebrities from the entertainment industry. However, due to the amount of funding coming in thanks to Fang Zhao, these people were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The military district was still lacking funding, let alone those far-off and remote planets that were still developing.

There were donation drives in society from time to time, and the amounts were huge, but military constructions had high even higher expenditures. Furthermore, as the distribution of funds was uneven, this resulted in a number of planets not having enough investments to keep up with the development plans. Poorer places stayed poor as the military expenditures were unable to be distributed there.

This was also the reason why there were many hidden details and monetary transactions in the military. Everyone wished to find more funding via all sorts of method. Securing funding for accelerating construction would count as a merit and help toward speedy promotions.

One example was having an instantaneous communication network between planets. Having a formidable communications network and safeguarding it required a lot of expenditure. Each communications installation for accessing this network was also extremely expensive, and the ordinary population absolutely had no chance to use it. Currently, only important military branches and an extremely small number of large-scale enterprises could use it.

Some remote planets in the preliminary stages of development only had one such communications installation on the planet.

This time, planet Baiji's high-ranking officers were delighted. Given that Fang Zhao was one of the five stars for Project Starlight, as long as he had the ability, he could garner support and donations from fans and Baiji would have a second communications installation. This was no longer a pipe dream!

With an upgraded communications network, problem-solving would get more efficient and construction could be sped up!

In line with this thinking, how could they not accomodate this person that was bringing in funding while undergoing military service? Furthermore, this was a plan pushed forward by the top brass. How could they not support it!

Therefore, Baiji's highest ranked officer, Shanta, had specifically contact a few old friends at Yanzhou's military district to help look after Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao was an artistic youth who dabbled in music and games and was not very tough. If they did not know how best to treat him, then just pamper him like a mascot. After all, after a month, he would leave for Baiji.

Those over at Yanzhou's side thought in their hearts: That goes without saying.

After all, Fang Zhao was a Yanzhou citizen. Although his military service would not be in Yanzhou, as long as Project Starlight obtained results, Yanzhou's military district would also reap the benefits.

Instructions from the top brass were for Fang Zhao to be assigned to the specialized group for military training.

The so-called specialized group were people who had technical expertise in certain areas, such as medicine or engineering, and who were headed to the same location.

These people with technical expertise had all completed their military service, but at their current jobs, to get promoted, they required more experience and contributions. Following the military service group to a remote planet to participate in construction was a way to gain experience. Though arduous and rather dangerous, the rewards were great, and it was worth the risk.

Among the batch about to head for Baiji, of all these technical experts, the youngest was also over 40, while the oldest had just passed 100. However, human lives in the New Era were longer, and 100 years old was still considered middle-aged.

First Frontline's assigned reporter, Kevin Lin, needed to report Fang Zhao's daily life to his superiors. He would also be required to take part in military training, but this sort of training for military service was not a problem for him.

"The people of the military district are clearly looking out for you. That is why you were assigned to the 'specialized group'." Kevin Lin rarely took the initiative to speak to Fang Zhao. He even placed emphasis on the words "specialized group" in a bid to provoke Fang Zhao's ego. "If you wish to participate in normal military training, I can..."

Before Kevin Lin even finished, Fang Zhao had started walking over to the specialized group.

Kevin Lin stood there with his mouth agape. He had originally planned to advise Fang Zhao to participate in normal military training. This way, he would be able to write a draft praising Fang Zhao's commendable spirit to his superiors, but who had expected that Fang Zhao would actually decide to train with the specialized group! How would he have the nerve to praise Fang Zhao?! Wasn't it said nowadays that youths in their teens to 20s were unable to bear hardship? Totally useless!

Kevin Lin went online to check on his other four colleagues who were also following celebrities. They had begun to write at a tremendous pace. In Project Starlight's first batch of five stars, besides Fang Zhao, the other four had applied for normal military training!

Kelvin Lin did not even need to go online to guess how the internet would evaluate Fang Zhao.

For Project Starlight's first batch of five stars, the other four were: Mazhou's Andre, a film star famous for his thrilling and hot-blooded action films; Fritz from Huangzhou, a reputed singer; Woo Tianhao, a professional race driver who was one of the younger generations of Woos, the aristocratic family in Tongzhou, and lastly, Lee Xiaoxiao from AJiNazhou (Azhou) a celebrated show host known for his lively and comical expressions that could draw laughter.

As a specially dispatched reporter, Kelvin Lin hoped that Fang Zhao would do something more compelling during the military training's free time, but when military training started, Kelvin Lin was disappointed once more.

The group had just finished running. Fang Zhao was not even sweating as he sat over on the side, chatting amiably with some older technical staff.

Kelvin Lin retracted his gaze and let out a long sigh.

His colleagues' stars were either singing or dancing, sparring with military district soldiers or amusing others with jokes and stories. When those actions were filmed, they could attract the views of many more fans.

Looking over at Fang Zhao's side, oh, today he is discussing construction theories with an engineer.

Kelvin Lin was some distance behind Fang Zhao and looked as if his soul had left his body, like he wasn't himself. How he wanted for something interesting to write about, but over here, it was only "construction theories," "species evolution," "communications network," and other boring topics.

He just knew that he'd had the worst luck getting assigned here.

Chapter 182: The Middle-Aged/Senior Demographic

First Fronline had set up a dedicated segment for Project Starlight, codenamed S. There were a total of five channels. ranging from S1 to S5, with each celebrity assigned a codename based on age.

Channel S1 was assigned to the oldest among the five celebrities—the 67-year-old Li Xiaoxiao. A professional host of light variety shows, Li Xiaoxiao could draw viewers based on his comical expressions alone, but this fella was also a great storyteller. He could draw laughs by spinning tales at will.

S2 was the 61-year-old bona fide singer and actor Fritz. Sixty-one was considered one's prime in the New Era. Fritz's good looks and polite, eloquent speech evoked gentlemen from the Old Era, drawing quite a few female fans.

S3 was Andre, who enjoyed mass appeal because of the movies he starred in. He had quite a few fans, especially after having applied to undergo training with the other fresh recruits after arriving at his military base. His excellent training results also won praise from many fans.

S4 needed no introduction. Woo Tianhao was already on a pedestal because he hailed from Tongzhou aristocracy. He was also quite competent on his own merits, having made a name for himself in the racing world, but what struck fans was his ability to act pretentious. He spared no moment in proving that he was a style icon. Even when he was taking a sip of water, he acted as if he was starring in a blockbuster, with the precise angle of every single hair factored into consideration. He left no stone unturned in trying to project the maximum aura of a star.

As for S5...

The gaming supergod...

In a setting like this, you could neither game nor commentate on gaming. How would you stir interest? Compared to the other four celebrities, Fang Zhao was at a disadvantage.

Kevin Lin blotted his pen on his paper notebook. He had been at the military base for two weeks, and his viewership numbers were dropping gradually. Kevin Lin was panicked, and he was further depressed by the fact that Fang Zhao didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong.

It wasn't that he hadn't discussed the issue with Fang Zhao. As early as his third day at the base, he had approached Fang Zhao during a break. He had even showed Fang Zhao the data he had on hand. Viewership statistics showed that, out of the five Project Starlight channels, their numbers were the worst, and their online audience size was declining with every episode.

Kevin Lin had made his case to Fang Zhao. "Look at what the others are doing and look at yourself. Yes, you can't game in a military base, but the other celebrities sing. You could give it a try too. They tell stories. If you can't, you could try to crack a few jokes. Don't spend all your time talking shop with all these technical types. We are going for mass appeal here. We have to be lowbrow."

Yet in response to Kevin Lin's outburst, Fang Zhao had neither acted on his suggestions nor been angry.

Kevin Lin had to broadcast live at least five hours a day. After looking at the time, he sent Fang Zhao a message. The day's broadcast was about to begin.

On the track, Fang Zhao was carrying an engineer more than 100 years old on his back. As one of the highly-valued personnel sent to Baiji, the technical experts didn't have to endure the same amount of training as those performing their military service, but they had to meet certain minimum requirements. One of the regular tasks was completing 10 laps around the track. Each lap was 500 meters long. Ten laps made for 5,000 meters. The good thing was that there was no time limit. They would pass as long as they completed the full distance.

One of the older engineers had a chronic leg problem. His jog would slow down to a walk after two laps, and then he would get tired after walking two more laps. Fang Zhao had carried this fellow on his back to the finish during previous training sessions. Today was no exception.

The camera focused on Fang Zhao while the engineer's crisp voice was picked up by the microphone. "Different geological environments require different architectural approaches. Take Baiji, for example..."

Kevin Lin wore a facial expression that suggested he was having an out-of-body experience. He gazed at the sky aimlessly as he brainstormed a solution.

S5 had actually started out with a sizable audience, but their webcast had lost its novelty quickly, and their viewers had soon defected to the other four channels.

Tuning into the live webcasts were mostly youngsters. They had no time for an old geezer reminiscing about the good ol' days.

Because S5 was dominated by footage of technical experts telling stories from the past, it was nicknamed "story time" on the web, and viewership data revealed that folks who stuck with S5 were mostly the elderly, especially retired government officials, who loved the nostalgic tone of the webcast. Thus, S5 had also been dubbed "the retired officials' channel."

Kevin Lin had no insight into Fang Zhao's interests. He longed to grab Fang Zhao by the collar and ask, "You're a young man in your 20s, not a middle-aged man in his 120s! Why are you interested in this arcane sh*t?"

But regardless of how tormented Kevin Lin was, the technical experts who spent time with Fang Zhao loved the young fella. It was a rare for a kid like him to express interest in infrastructure milestones ranging back to the beginning of the New Era.

The experts had gotten approval from their superiors to ignore certain confidentiality requirements, so they could let viewers understand the challenge of colonizing foreign planets and all that had been achieved over the years.

"Never rest on your laurels and always prepare for the worst" had been the instructions of the New Era's founding fathers when they had decided to launch their exploratory missions.

Like on previous days, the elderly technician Fang Zhao was carrying got the conversation started, and then other nearby experts joined in, sharing their personal experiences or some stories they had heard.

Kevin Lee opened his viewership analysis app and gloomily checked in on today's numbers. He had low expectations these days. He just wanted their figures to stop falling and stabilize.

But Kevin Lin raised his eyebrows when he saw today's numbers, as if in disbelief. He refreshed his app and took a closer look.

Indeed, there were more viewers online today than yesterday.

Was this the plateau they had been waiting for?

Kevin Lin's mood improved, but it would take another few days to see if their numbers had truly stabilized.

Five days later, Kevin Lin compiled the viewership data from the past week and read the detailed breakdowns. The number of viewers under 80 were still dropping, but they were making major gains in the over-100 demographic.

So was the key catering to the middle-aged and seniors market?

Kevin Lin stared at the numbers briefly and had a eureka moment. So that was it! And he had been thinking that that kid Fang Zhao had no moves whatsoever. Fang Zhao had been plotting all along!

Slick!

Old folks didn't enjoy the songs youngsters liked, nor did they get the punchlines in the humorous monologues, but they loved to hear those experienced technicians tell their stories. Not only did it expand their knowledge, it satisfied their deep curiosity—and it helped them fall asleep.

The retired government officials were especially big fans. Word was that they were avid listeners. Even though they had retired, they still wielded considerable influence.

Kevin Lin rubbed his chin and wondered if Fang Zhao was kissing up to the retired officials. How cunning. He knows that he can't compete in other areas, so he targets the middle-aged and senior demographic instead.

Chapter 183: Flying to the Heavens

Yanzhou. Yanbei Retirement Facility.

The moment Great-Grandfather Fang heard the broadcast notification, he hurriedly contacted his old comrades. "Today's broadcast has started!"

Some old folk asked, "Is it? What is today's broadcast about?"

Another old fellow replied, "I think it's about some projects at a certain base a couple of decades ago."

Generally, most old folks in the retirement facility would drop whatever they were doing, head online to the saved channel, and watch the broadcast they anticipated daily.

At first, they had indeed watched it to give face to Great-Grandfather Fang. After all, many people in the retirement facility knew that Old Fang's great-grandson Fang Zhao was a member of Project Starlight's first batch. But as they had watched on, they'd felt that this live broadcast program was rather meaningful. Some of the stuff the engineers and scientists spoke about in the program were things they had personally experienced back when they had still been in the military.

For example, during the previous day's S5 broadcast, a biological research institute talked about invasive species and experimental breeds leaking and how they affected the environment. This really struck a chord with the people of Muzhou. In the past, Muzhou had experienced this when foreigners had brought in experimental breeds, and it had nearly resulted an area's ecology being damaged.

During the live broadcast, a Muzhou farm owner posted in the comments section, saying, "In the past, I used to wonder why seeds of modified crops had to be held for so long before being released. So it turns out there was a reason for doing so!"

After that, other Muzhou farm owners also chimed in. "Yes! Those people who steal experimental seeds deserve to be punished severely!"

Seeds still in the experimental phase had to be held to confirm their volatility and whether they had any long-term effects on the body or posed any threats to the ecology. Space laboratories absolutely prohibited such seeds being released until they were cleared. Stealing these seeds illegally and peddling them was a very serious offence.

The previous day's broadcast resonated with many people from Muzhou.

As for today, once the broadcast started, quick-witted people thought of a certain unspeakable project from a few decades ago. Back then, active personnel had not dared to mention this topic at all and had felt that no one would mention it in the next few decades. Never had they expected that it would actually appear on a live broadcast! It was clear that the top brass no longer intended to hide it and were using this broadcast as an opportunity to reveal more information.

This was the reason why these old veterans were especially fond of this live broadcast. They may have already retired, but they still kept up with events and had keen senses when it came to politics. They had children and grandchildren that held jobs with power, so these old folks with keen senses could use the information divulged by the live broadcast to advise and talk to the younger generations in their family.

"I said it all those years ago, that the project should not have been carried out! There was just too much malpractice, but nobody believed me! Now the truth has been revealed, and I was right all along! All that manpower and money invested into this project, what a waste!" A bearded old man with winter white hair lamented bitterly, but he felt pleased inside. See, wasn't what I said right? Too bad the bunch of idiots just wouldn't listen!

"I heard channel one mentioning this matter yesterday, although it was just a passing remark and nothing much," another old person added in.

"Hey, stop watching channel 1, switch to channel 5! Channels 1 through 4 are for youngsters. We aren't used to watching those. Channel 5 has the most information!"

"Really? Let me change the channel."

In other continents, there were similar occurrences like the one at Yanbei Retirement Facility. For these older folks, what they wanted to watch most was all this previously classified information that had not been released as news. Then, they would speculate the intentions of the authorities regarding these matters.

If the live broadcast suddenly broke into song or gossip topics, for these old folks, it was like a long and annoying advertisement that came on as they were engrossed in the program. As for channel S5, Fang Zhao would neither sing nor raise other topics, and most of the time on the program was given to these technical experts to talk about their issues. Fang Zhao would occassionally make a few comments or guide the topic along to achieve the knowledge he himself wanted to know.

Youngsters might find the contents of S5 too boring, but for these old folks that used to hold key appointments or had had roles with some authoritative power, this channel's live broadcast seemed tailor-made just for them.

Forget about politics, just treating it as a leisure topic was good enough. These old folks who spent every day idling at home no longer needed to think of discussion topics every day. Channel S5 provided them with unlimited inspiration.

In the third week after Fang Zhao arrived in the military district, a leader in the top brass specifically mentioned channel S5, as his father was watching the broadcasts every day.

Kevin Lin had assumed that Fang Zhao had planned it all along, and he had decided to go along with the angle that favored old veterans, but Fang Zhao's reason for following the specialized group and getting them to speak up on some of their past experiences was because he truly wanted to know more.

In the third week, when military training was about to be completed, the enlistees had to undergo an outdoor training activity.

However...

Only active, full-time soldiers had standard training. Those military enlistees' training was of a lower intensity. As for the specialized group, that was not called training; it was just games.

Some people saw Fang Zhao following the specialized group as usual and were dissatisfied.

Nobody would say anything about those engineers and technicians, as they had completed their military service more than 20 years ago and their statuses were different. They were not here as military enlistees, so nobody had any qualms about them being more relaxed.

But what about you, Fang Zhao? Why are you follow the specialized group every day and goofing off?

You might be carrying people on your back everyday, but seeing how easy it appears to be for you, who knows whether or not it is faked. If you don't increase your training intensity, and improve your constitution, when you get to the location, you will get it! Even if you are a star with preferential treatment, when you reach the destination, you will also suffer nonetheless!

But regardless of how online viewers of the broadcast evaluated Fang Zhao, channel S5's viewer count continued to increase at a slow but steady rate. Audiences over 100 years of age nearly accounted for half of the channel's viewers.

In the fourth week, military training finally ended, and there was some rest and reorganization. Everyone was preparing to ride a special shuttle headed to a space station.

Anyone who had completed their military service would know that these special shuttles were every newcomer's nightmare. These enlistees would feel as though they were getting clobbered by a rod. What the ride meant for these newcomers was that, from now on, their life of military hardship was starting.

Deep down, Kevin Lin was in a slightly jubilant mood. Luckily, Fang Zhao had followed the specialized group once more. These engineers and scientists would be seated at the most stable part of the cabin, where they would not experience as much g-force and shaking.

Among the specially dispatched reporters from Frontline First, the other four that were following stars were discussing when to take the medicine or accept an injection. They really did not wish to experience the painful feeling of "flying to the heavens." Therefore, they had decided to take some medical aid to help numb the pain.

Kevin Lin, who was currently taking delight in his colleagues' misfortune, watched as Fang Zhao headed towards the enlistees' cabin.

Kevin Lin hurriedly called out, "Wait a minute, Fang Zhao. Aren't you heading the wrong way?"

Fang Zhao retorted, "No. Didn't you want me to follow the enlistees?"

Kevin Lin: "...I didn't bring any medicine." Kevin Lin had thought that Fang Zhao would continue following those technical experts, so he simply had not made any preparations. Whether oral medicine or injections, he had none!

As a specially dispatched reporter, Kevin Lin had no margin for choice. All he could do was follow Fang Zhao wherever he went. Now that Fang Zhao had chosen the normal cabins, even if Kevin Lin did not want to and was complaining in his heart, all he could do was force himself to follow.

Fang Zhao followed the pre-installed instructions on his seat. He adjusted his back rest and put on the safety belt and was still in the mood to take a look at some of the supplementary technical manuals on the seat.

Beside him, Kevin Lin was in bad shape. His face was deathly pale. Although his memory of the frightful experience 20 years ago was fuzzy, that terrible gut-wrenching feeling that made him feel like dying remained etched in his mind. Even now when he thought about it, he could not help but feel afraid.

The officer in charge of sending staff up announced something over the intercom, but Kevin Lin was in no mood to listen. When he calmed down, the announcement was already over. He inclined his head toward Fang Zhao and asked. "What....did he just say?"

Fang Zhao calmly replied, "He said that we would be flying to the heavens soon and told us to enjoy the out-of-body experience."

Kevin Lin: "..."

Chapter 184: Unique Treasure

When the shuttle first lifted off, the apprehensive enlistees collectively breathed a sigh of relief and thought to themselves, It's just like the taking off and descending in a flying car.

But in no time, the enlistees knew that they had been too naive!

As the shuttle rapidly shot up into the sky, Kevin Lin's face became paler by the minute.

Rumble rumble—

An immense rumbling could be heard from the outside as the view from the windows grew tinged with red. The cabin they were in trembled violently as though the shuttle had encountered a malfunction. A compelling resonance could be felt by their insides, and it gradually got stronger, making everyone feel extremely uncomfortable. Some cried out in pain, cursing and swearing. Others did not howl that violently, but they were definitely in no better shape than the former.

At this moment, all these young enlistees were feeling the out-of-body experience that had been mentioned by the officer prior to take off. The feeling of internal organs being smashed up made one feel as if he were dying, and no amount of useless struggling could alleviate the battering the brain suffered. Everyone who experienced this felt despair as if their lives were ending right here.

Nearby, in the other cabin where the scientists and engineers of the specialized group were, everything was smooth, and the scene inside was like a world apart.

The cabin's soundproofing was great, but they could guess what was happening on the other side. This was something every one of them had experienced, and some looked toward the other side, their eyes brimming with past memories. They were a little glad and felt lucky that they did not need to experience that dreadful process again.

A scientist sighed. "Poor things!" No one knew whether he was feeling sorry for the young enlistees who were suffering a physical and mental battering or lamenting his own past experience.

"Kevin Lin is even more pitiful," said a mining engineer.

Among this batch heading toward planet Baiji, only Kevin Lin had to suffer a second round of torture.

A 100-plus-year-old engineer said, "Speaking of which, this is young Fang's first experience. I wonder how is he now."

These bunch of people had all received help from Fang Zhao, especially those older scientists and engineers. Their expressions were full of worry, and they hoped that Fang Zhao would not be mentally scarred from this.

What was happening in the enlistees' cabin was just a simulation. It simulated the early days when humanity had started their space exploration and the suffering brought about due to technology not being advanced enough.

This was not aimed at Fang Zhao or anybody else. It was an unwritten rule in the military service system. The first reason was to let newbies experience a little of what their former generations had gone through and allow them to understand the pain and suffering of the pioneers that had contributed so much to humanity. This was a mark of respect to those pioneers.

The second reason was to temper the mentalities of these youths who had just reached adulthood. First, toss them all around and shake them up. Regardless of how wild they behave back home, they better be well behaved and retract their claws, or they will be in for a world of pain!

This was the first hurdle that military service enlistees faced. An unavoidable and life-changing hurdle.

Even if some enlistees had some form of understanding through online information or perhaps their friends' and relatives' recountings, when they experienced it for themselves, the feeling of pain and suffering was beyond words.

Luckily, this experience would only last half a minute. After 30 seconds were up, the cabin would slowly settle down.

Just half a minute, only 30 seconds, but within that extremely painful situation, every single second was pure torture!

The young military enlistees enduring these 30 seconds felt as if they had died and been reborn. When the cabin finally became calm, these enlistees' brains were so fuzzy they could not even determine the date.

This sort of situation reflected the difference in constitutions. Those with a stronger constitution appeared way better than those with a weaker one. Some enlistees had already fainted. The stronger ones might not have fainted, but blood was dripping from their nostrils and mouth, and their eyes were bloodshot as they sat stiffly.

A month of military training would not result in wholesale changes among the enlistees, but their constitutions would undoubtedly get a little stronger. If the enlistees had not undergone the training, the number of them collapsing would have been even greater.

The paramedic team calmly strode into the cabin and applied medical treatment to the enlistees. Through the monitoring equipment on the chairs, they could view the status of the enlistees and thus knew that there were no life-threatening situations. The paramedics were used to this scene that happened every April and October.

Kevin Lin was ashen faced, as if he had just witnessed a life-changing ordeal, but at least he was in a better shape than those with weaker constitutions.

Fang Zhao handed a bottle of water over. "Drink some?"

Kevin Lin's head was still spinning from shock when he heard Fang Zhao. "Thanks." Accepting the bottle from Fang Zhao, he rapidly gulped down a few mouthfuls and then suddenly froze. Turning his head violently toward Fang Zhao, he started scanning Fang Zhao from head to toe, as if this person was an alien.

Fang Zhao's face was not flushed or pale, no different from how he normally was. He was totally unlike somebody who had just gone through a horrible ordeal.

Kevin Lin stuttered, "You... were sitting there the whole time?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Mhm."

Kevin Lin's jaw dropped as a lot of doubt appeared in his heart. Finally, he asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Fang Zhao pondered seriously and replied, "A novel experience."

Kevin Lin: "..." He had never heard anyone describe this painful experience as something refreshing.

As Fang Zhao did not seem to be pretending, Kevin Lin muttered, "Your constitution is that strong?" However, when he thought about Fang Zhao carrying all those aged technicians on his back so easily, Kevin Lin felt relieved. It seemed like Fang Zhao's physical condition was decent.

Kevin Lin once again lamented his wise decision. Luckily, he had made plans beforehand not to document the process of "flying to the heavens" as a live broadcast. Otherwise, he would have lost face! Even without watching the cabin's surveillance video, he knew what he looked like. Even before taking off, he had been scared sh*tless beyond words.

In the shuttle's control module, two officers in charge of sending enlistees were standing in front of a screen. They had watched the situation in the enlistees' cabin through the monitoring system.

A lieutanant colonel was satisfied. "This batch isn't too bad." He was the one who had told the enlistees to "enjoy the out-of-body experience while flying to the heavens."

Among these batch of enlistees, although there were some whose bodies had been unable to bear the 30 seconds and some who were not mentally strong enough and had fainted, the majority had still been able to endure it and could be considered decent. Of course, the instructor at Yanzhou's military district would credit that as a result of his own "teaching methods."

Beside him was a colonel who remained quite expressionless. "Not bad." He was staring with raised eyebrows at Fang Zhao on the screen. Pointing at the screen, he said, "Is this fellow really one of the five stars in Project Starlight?"

"There's no doubt. It is him. I thought he was just a lucky celebrity, but I never expected that he would have some ability."

They all knew that Fang Zhao's prior month of military training had been with the scientists and engineers. The intensity of that training could not compare with the other enlistees. It was reasonable to say that the results of his one month's training were definitely not enough to improve his constitution compared to the training of the other enlistees. But now, to be able to endure those 30 seconds of torture, his physical condition was way better than the rest.

"Actually, it is understandable. After all, the results of his physical examination were excellent."

"That's true. I just hope that he performs well later on and doesn't disgrace Yanzhou."

The two officers did not spend too long discussing this matter. They were only responsible for sending this batch from Yanzhou to the space station. After the assignment was complete, they could return back to Earth straightaway.

As for Fang Zhao's future performances, they did have high demands. Among the five stars of Project Starlight, Fang Zhao was the most disadvantaged. Although he might have attracted a wave of middle-aged and senior audiences, who knew what further developments there would be?

Generally speaking, getting the more rational middle-aged and senior audiences to part with their money was more difficult than coaxing easily excitable youngsters to donate.

So what if you had a large audience? If the donations were not sufficient, military expenditure could not be raised. Wasn't that still incomparable to others?

However, for their expectations, as long as Fang Zhao was not left too far behind by the other four, that would be good enough. After all, comparing Fang Zhao's age, status, and his lack of ability to coax fans, it was best not have high expectations.

In the enlistees' cabin.

Those pale-faced enlistees had received treatment from the paramedic team and were now feeling better.

A youngster asked, "Are we out yet?"

"Yes."

Someone in the cabin weakly said, "We can see Earth from the windows."

These people had seen the planet so many times, whether it was from interspace travel or other modes of transportation, it no longer had the novelty factor. Even people seeing this sight for the first time only found it a fresh experience momentarily; they would not be in the mood for long. Nowadays, this sight was very common.

They were starting to miss home, and not just their own homes or their homeland. The planet they had grown up on, regardless of whether it was their own continent or a foreign one, would always be their home planet. The soil they had stepped on was truly theirs. Any time they wished to go home, home was but a flight ticket away.

But starting now, they were going to be far away from the planet that everyone was so familiar with. There was a feeling of suspense. After all, these enlistees were still young, and this was the first time they would be so far away from home. When thinking about the arduous life awaiting them in the next year, anyone would feel a sense of sentimentalism, and the entire cabin became silent and slightly stifling.

During this period of silence, Fang Zhao walked over to the window and gazed out.

Kevin Lin had been about to say something when he noticed Fang Zhao looking out of the window with a sense of gentleness, as if he was watching a unique treasure.

Fang Zhao stood there, staring out the transparent window, feeling strongly attached yet shocked.

This azure blue planet was just an insignificant speck in the boundless cosmos, yet it carried so many sentiments and memories.

With his own two eyes, Fang Zhao gazed intently at the clear image separated by just a thin window. The planet he had been born on, had grown up, and had fought, struggled, and resisted on. The planet occupied his field of vision, seemingly close enough for him to reach out and touch it.

This was the planet 500 years after his death, familiar yet strange.

It had recovered, although slightly different from the Old Era, but at least it now had a healthy color.

The sudden outburst of complex emotions made Fang Zhao misty-eyed.

Below him was the azure blue planet; above him were the endless heavens.

Countless notes started bouncing around in his mind, like dazzling fireworks exploding in the night sky, seemingly like countless stars twinkling in the boundless universe.

Chapter 185: Healthy Appetite

Kevin Lin watched as Fang Zhao gazed out the window and drummed his fingers. He couldn't figure out a pattern.

"Homesick?" Kevin Lin asked. From his perspective, Fang Zhao was in his 20s. He was too young, probably unnerved by the experience of leaving home for the first time like the others.

Fang Zhao didn't answer directly. His gaze shifted toward Kevin Lin. "How long until we reach Baiji?"

"We have to meet up with the folks from the other continents assigned to Baiji at the space station first, then we'll head out together. It shouldn't take long. Just head to bed when we board the spacecraft and we'll be there when you get up," Kevin Lin said.

Fang Zhao nodded and pulled out a small paper notebook from his pocket. The notebook had been screened twice when he boarded the flying transport. He had just bought it before leaving for the military base, so it was empty.

Kevin Lin peeked over Fang Zhao's shoulder upon seeing that he was scribbling and didn't seem to mind an audience.

It was indecipherable.

"What are you jotting down?" Kevin Lin asked in a probing tone. "Whatever you put down will have to be vetted by security."

"It's just a musical score. Nothing to hide," Fang Zhao responded.

"A score?" It was an answer that Kevin Lin hadn't expected. He had thought Fang Zhao was writing a diary entry.

All written communications during military service were heavily screened. Diaries were allowed, but they had to be vetted by security, the same with musical compositions. But as long as the content didn't involve any confidential information, there wouldn't be an issue.

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot you're a composer." Kevin Lin's curiosity was piqued yet again. "That is to say you've found inspiration for a new piece? Are you going to compose the whole thing? You can play it for me."

"I don't have the equipment. I'm just going to jot it down for now and record it after the end of my military service," Fang Zhao responded.

There were no professional musicians or recording equipment on hand. All Fang Zhao could do was record his ideas in his notebook.

"I see." Kevin Lin was very disappointed. He had hoped that Fang Zhao's composing could serve as a gimmick that would attract more viewers. Now that Fang Zhao had vetoed the idea, he could only give up on it too.

Others in the cabin had recovered as well. Now that they were feeling better physically and mentally, they approached Fang Zhao for autographs. Quite a few of them were avid gamers, so of course they knew of Fang Zhao.

One young conscript said he and his cohorts had been very depressed when they'd found out they had been assigned to Baiji, but after Project Starlight had been announced and they'd found out they would be serving in the same location as Fang Zhao, the band of youngsters' spirits had lifted again.

Regardless of whether or not they were fans of Fang Zhao, just the notion that Fang Zhao would be with them made them think that serving on Baiji wouldn't be so bad.

But they didn't have much time to shoot the breeze with Fang Zhao. Their flying transport arrived at the space station shortly after. The captain of their ride to Baiji was already waiting. This batch of soldiers would board the spacecraft soon, along with conscripts from other continents, after a short break.

Fang Zhao was grouped with the highly valued personnel for more comfortable group dynamics. Lab technicians and engineers had no time to follow gaming news. They only had a vague sense of who Fang Zhao was—or thought that he was a total stranger. They wouldn't be as fangirly as the fresh conscripts.

Just as Kevin Lin had said, to save energy, passengers of the spaceship rested in sleeping pods that put them in an unconscious state. By the time they woke up, the ship had arrived at Baiji base.

Fang Zhao had long been awake. The sleeping pod hadn't had much effect on him, but he'd feigned sleep to avoid sticking out. He'd passed time by thinking through some things and composing.

Kevin Lin climbed out of his pod with a yawn. "We're finally there!" He shook his head hard and paused to think. He finally remembered what he had wanted to say to Fang Zhao. "After we settle down, we'll be summoned for mealtime in the cafeteria. This will be broadcast live. It will be quite the scene. I've already gotten approval from the senior officer in Baiji. He said he would make the necessary arrangements, so we don't have worry about their end. What I want to discuss is our end."

Kevin Lin turned serious and continued, "Since this will be a documentary-style show, naturally, we want to cover the raw side of you. Put on a good show in the cafeteria. Conditions are rough on Baiji. The food will definitely pale in comparison to what you have had in Qi'an, but no matter how disgusting the food is, you cannot show any sign of disgust. It's normal to take time to get used to the new diet, so you don't have to finish your entire meal. Just eat one-third. But do whatever it takes to finish that one-third, then you can stop. I'll shift the camera to somewhere else."

Kevin Lin was thinking that he himself couldn't get used to the food on Baiji right away, let alone Fang Zhao. It would be impossible for Fang Zhao to finish his entire portion. He just had to pretend to eat.

This wasn't a big deal for Kevin Lin, but he was worried that Fang Zhao was too young and would have a lower tolerance than the professional actors among the five celebrities. It would turn viewers off if he showed resentment toward the diet here.

Even though Kevin Lin didn't like Fang Zhao and was a bit p*ssed off and was even looking down on him a bit because he was the least famous of the five celebrities taking part in Project Starlight, Kevin Lin wouldn't go so far as screwing Fang Zhao over. What would he gain from it? They were in the same boat.

The conscripts headed to their assigned rooms, tidied up, and then were summoned for food in the cafeteria.

Punctuality was a major requirement of military life. Even the lazy bones among the conscripts knew they couldn't screw up this one. Regardless of whether or not they were done unpacking, the new arrivals dropped what they were doing, got dressed, and headed to the cafeteria.

Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin also headed over.

In this instance, Fang Zhao wasn't grouped with the highly valued personnel. He resumed his role as a regular conscript, heading to the section in the base cafeteria allocated for conscripts' use.

Kevin Lin followed the crowd as he gave Fang Zhao the quick lowdown on the Baiji base.

"You don't have to worry about anything else here. The base is very secure. As a regular conscript, what you need to remember is that there are two types of digestive tolerance you must develop." Kevin Lin had done quite a bit of homework to earn his assignment. He shared this background information with Fang Zhao as well. "The first is cultivating a strong stomach. You need to be able to process whatever the base feeds you without developing allergic reactions or puking it up. The second type of tolerance is being able to eat anything. You must be able to ingest all edible organisms on the planet, regardless of what they look like, what kind of texture they have, or what they taste like. In other words, not only do you need a strong stomach, you must develop a wide-ranging appetite."

Most undeveloped planets suffered from a rough geological landscape. The variety of plant species was limited, and yet the bases grew larger despite being allocated limited resources. It made sense to go exploring for new food sources to meet daily needs. Anything that wasn't poisonous and could be digested by humans could be turned into food. Anything could appear on the dining table.

After entering the cafeteria, Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin found their seats under many watchful gazes.

Mealtimes weren't tied to people, but to specific times. When it was time for a meal, regardless of what you were doing, regardless of whether your delay was justified, latecomers wouldn't be allowed to set foot in the cafeteria.

Kevin Lin launched into a detailed analysis. "The base won't treat us too poorly. So many people are tuning in to the live webcast, and there are many former government officials watching. Folks at the Baiji base will probably want to save face. I'm sure the food will be horrible, but it won't be as bad as the standard fare here. It's gotta be a little better."

But not long after Kevin Lin uttered these words, he was immediately contradicted.

After setting up the camera angle, Kevin Lin was about to duck out of sight to enjoy his last few moments of freedom when the bell in the cafeteria rang. The bustling cafeteria died down, and the robot servers delivered plates of weird-looking meals to their places.

"Are those... plates of bugs?"

The discussion forum for S5 had already lit up.

"F*ck! What is that?"

"Bugs! They're actually having bugs!"

"They... they don't seem well-cooked."

"So disgusting. Couldn't they process the bugs first?"

"You're so ignorant. It was the same deal when I served. The species was different, but we had bugs all right. As for whether they should be processed, nonsense. Who has the manpower and energy to process food? You might as well save the energy to do some more mining and research."

Kevin Lin remembered he was on camera, so he suppressed his disgust and tried hard to appear calm. When he'd served in the military, his assigned location hadn't been that far flung. He came from a well-to-do family. His parents had worked their connections and greased the wheels. Even though conditions had been tough, he'd had it easy compared to his fellow conscripts. Little had he expected that he would be punished this time around, but as a journalist with professional ethics, Kevin Lin still kept his disgust tightly under wraps.

He remembered that Fang Zhao was next to him, and he glanced over worriedly.

There was no sign or disgust, rejection, or anger on Fang Zhao's face. Instead, he was oozing curiosity.

When he saw Fang Zhao's reaction, Kevin Lin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a mental thumbs up. Impressive, kid! Such great acting! Impeccable. The curiosity is a nice touch.

Fang Zhao didn't know what was going on inside Kevin Lin's head. He calmed down after his curiosity and surprise at this novel course—a plate of roasted bugs—tapered off.

Fang Zhao was someone who had endured genuine hardship in his past life. Something trifling like this wouldn't bother him. He raised his fork unceremoniously, poked at one of the bugs, and studied it carefully. He recalled the biology knowledge a lab technician had passed on when he'd served in the Yanzhou military district: "Invertebrate, arthropod, diploboda."

Kevin Lin: "..."

The online audience: "..."

You're actually composed enough to classify the f*cker!

Chapter 186: Adapting Well

Fang Zhao did not understand too much about the classifications of these bugs. He only had the knowledge he'd obtained from previously discussing such matters with those scientists. Making a rough judgement was still fine, but determining its exact classification and type was out of the question. It was only when he'd seen the food on the plates that he was reminded about the assignment one of the scientist's had had, which was classifying the species on the planet, and thus he'd said that line. After speaking, he noticed Kevin Lin staring at him weirdly.

"What?" Fang Zhao asked.

Kevin Lin shook his head. He remembered they were still broadcasting live and time was limited. Due to having limited funds and resources on the base, the top brass had stipulated that the daily broadcast limit of at least five hours a day be cut down to at most one hour a day. Kevin Lin did not want to waste precious time on classifying insects.

Not slowing down, Kevin Lin forced on his most natural smile and spoke. "These are all organisms from planet Baiji. It is best to let an expert explain how to eat them.

Kevin Lin was different from Fang Zhao. Before he understood how to consume the food, he would not make a move, so as to avoid becoming a laughing stock. Thus, he would let someone demonstrate first to get an idea. If the method of consuming it was too offensive, he would not let the camera lens face himself.

The eyes of a youngster standing beside them lit up as a grin stretched across his face from ear to ear.

Every year, there were two batches of conscripts, one batch in April and the other in October. The previous April batch had already left before Fang Zhao and the current batch had arrived. As for the October batch, they would need to wait till October before returning. This youngster had already been on Baiji for half a year and was the leader of a small mining team. His name was Tan Ge, and he was 21 years old and had deferred his third year of university for his year of military service. He was quick-witted and performed decently. After numerous applications, base command had given the opportunity to appear on stream to him.

During military service, chances for conscripts to call home were not a lot. In places with better conditions, conscripts could contact family members once per week, but in worse conditions, it was probably once a month and there would be time constraints each time. Most of the time, it followed the government's guideline: one minute. That time was just to report that all was well, as there was no time to say anything else. It could not be helped, as they were poor.

But now, a chance was here. Planet Baiji was having a change in fortune!

As part of the experimental phase for Project Starlight, there would be real-time broadcasts every day. The extravagant costs were not being shouldered by Baiji planet's base, so people here could test their luck. Perhaps they could appear on-screen for a bit. As long as they had family members watching the broadcast, their families could catch them!

Given the chance to appear on-screen, Tan Ge was visibly excited. When he heard what Kevin Lin had said, he hurried over, cleared his throat, and took the spotlight. "These bugs are a species more commonly seen on Baiji. These are high in calories and are what we normally have the most of. Actually, if these things were cooked with care, they would surely taste good, but as you know, there is a limited amount of power that we can use in order to operate the base normally. Whatever ores we mine, besides for our own usage, there is a need to transport them to other planets. We also have insufficient manpower, so the dedication we can spend on food is not much..."

Fang Zhao looked up at Tan Ge speaking animatedly. This fellow had spoken a lot, but he had actually been emphasizing one point—the base was very poor!

Tan Ge was conveying the Baiji's base command's opinion, and this was totally different from what Kevin Lin had expected. Kevin Lin had expected base command to save some face and bring out a more presentable dinner. He had not foreseen base command choosing to use this "dirt poor" strategy.

Kevin Lin's line of thought was still stuck back on earth, but here, the environment was different, if there were leaders of similar posts here, their choices would also be different.

This was also the reason why, on the first day that Fang Zhao's party arrived, this sort of dinner was served.

Base command's reasoning was this: Since we are already poor, let even more people know that the conditions here are tough and poor. Earn more sympathy so that we can get even more benefits from the government, receive a larger share of military expenditures, and garner more donations from the common folk.

Tan Ge glanced at the neighboring table while speaking. Obtaining nods of approval from that side, his heart felt more steadfast knowing he had not spoken wrongly. Raising his spirits, he continued, "Generally we use the most energy-efficient method of disinfecting, and when processed in the sterilizing stove till it's medium rare, it is just enough to kill off hard-to-see parasites, bacteria, and viruses. By saving energy and disinfecting it properly, we don't have to worry about feeling unwell when eating." Given Baiji planet's poor conditions, quality was secondary; if the food did not kill you, it was good enough.

The group of newcomers that were listening attentively: "..." P-Parasites?

Online audiences: "..." We are already starting to feel unwell.

The "feeling unwell" that Tan Ge spoke about was when parasites, bacteria, or other harmful organisms made one fall ill, but the words he'd spoken produced a psychological bashing to online viewers. Sometimes, a psychological assault was even more unbearable than a physical one.

Tan Ge noticed Kevin Lin's rigid face as he spoke, and he snickered internally. One look and I can tell you have never experienced hardship! I wonder which comfortable environment these people completed their military service in. Everyone is indeed different!

As he gazed swept over to Fang Zhao's side, Tan Ge paused.

Tan Ge was not from Yanzhou, and he had already served for half a year. Although he used to play games, when he had enlisted, it was October, and he had begun training in the military district during September and had totally had no access to entertainment news. He did not understand anything to do with "Battle of the Century." Normally, when he called home, there was also not enough time, so he wouldn't ask about matters in the entertainment circles. It was only because of Project Starlight this time around, where the base introduced this small celebrity Fang Zhao, that they knew that he was a rookie from the gaming circle.

Before they arrived, base command had exhorted repeatedly to look after the little celebrity's mood. The moment this little celebrity displayed any signs that he was unable to bear with it, they would use a more subdued approach to express themselves.

Tan Ge had originally thought that this little celebrity Fang Zhao would normally lead an extravagant lifestyle, and as it was his first time undergoing military service, he would definitely have a lot that he would find hard to get used to, but Tan Ge had not expect that this little celebrity would be even more calm than the specially assigned reporter Kevin Lin who had already completed his military service.

Fang Zhao listened to Tan Ge's explanation. From base command's point of view, he could understand their choice. This was not putting on an act, nor was it scaring newcomers. Just observing the reactions of the people who had already served for half a year was enough to know this was their normal lifestyle. These sorts of living conditions did not make Fang Zhao feel indisposed at all.

As for psychological impact? Absolutely not. Anybody who had survived the Period of Destruction would not be affected by these small matters.

Tan Ge's gaze only lingered on Fang Zhao for a moment before he looked elsewhere and continued speaking. He still remembered his task and purpose for today.

Tan Ge turned his head back to face the floating camera and smiled before proceeding to pick a bug from his plate. "It has many legs, which are really hard to bite through and there isn't much meat inside. However, we can use their legs as utensils, just like this..."

Being extremely busy normally, Tan Ge had no time to keep his fingernails tidy. In the base, regardless of whether or not one started off being bothered about cleanliness, after a while, everyone no longer bothered. Personal cleanliness? How could that insignificant notion exist in this sort of place?

However, since Tan Ge would appear on the live broadcast, he had specifically washed his hands a few times and was much cleaner than he normally was.

Fang Zhao watched Tan Ge's demonstration. He also noticed that only those newcomers to the base had forks. The majority of those that had been here for half a year did not have forks, and even if there were forks in front of them, those people did not use them.

The conditions on the base were not so bad that they could not bear to distribute forks. These people who had served for half a year did not seem discontented, and the reason forks were not used was because they were not required at all. Just like Tan Ge was demonstrating, the parts on their food could be disassembled and used as utensils.

On earth, there were also delicacies from foreign planets. Well-to-do families would also select some of these extraterrestrial foodstuffs at restaurants for a novel experience, but those foodstuffs were meticulously prepared and went through the skills of an excellent chef. When decorated nicely on a plate, it would naturally whet people's appetites and taste good. But now, what was in front of them was totally different, plus what Tan Ge had said beforehand...

Those watching the broadcast no longer had any appetites. Well-to-do families even felt that it would be a long time before they visited those restaurants that served extraterrestrial delicacies!

"The side glands contain poison, but they have all been removed. As long as the glands are cleanly removed, although it is might not be that appetizing, at least it settles our nutrition problem. However, if you eat anything outside the base that has not been treated, remember to rush back right away for detoxification and a vaccination shot, or else your life might be in danger."

As Tan Ge spoke, he was mindful of Kevin Lin and Fang Zhao's reactions. The special dispatched reporter's face was twitching already, but the little celebrity seemed rather calm and was learning quite...

Tan Ge paused and watched. Fang Zhao's hands were following his motions to prepare the food and left him flabbergasted. Not only did this little celebrity adapt well, his practical skill was impressive too.

A few high-ranking officers of Baiji were in the command post, watching through the monitoring system and nodding their heads repeatedly.

The base's highest ranking officer, Shanta, was very satisfied with this little celebrity that had come to planet Baiji for his military service. Turning to his deputy, he said, "This fellow fits in really well! He doesn't seem like he will give us any trouble."

The deputy approved as well. "Indeed."

As long as this little celebrity did not cause any problems, they were willing to use whatever base resources to support him as long as he appealed to fans to assist and support planet Baiji's cause and donate freely.

Over at Baiji, they were in urgent need of assistance! Another planet that had developed even later than Baiji had already begun preparations for a second base, as they had sufficient funding and manpower. At Baiji, maintaining one base was hard enough, and who knew how many months or years it would take for a second base on Baiji.

All they could do was pin their hopes on Fang Zhao.

Chapter 187: Only He Can Eat I

After Tan Ge demonstrated the method of deshelling the bugs to the newcomers, Kevin Lin had no more plans to continue broadcasting. Although this was in line with the original plan, the live dinner broadcast should have lasted 15 to 20 minutes, but since the broadcast had started, only 10 minutes had passed, and it was shorter than predicted.

Kevin Lin was helpless; if the broadcast continued, there might be detrimental scenes, so he decided to pause it.

"All right, many thanks to our young comrade for his explanation." Kevin Lin acknowledged Tan Ge as he once again put on a forced smile and faced the camera lens. "Following this, we will be having our meal. As time is precious, we will pause the broadcast here. We will see everyone later."

Kevin Lin waved at the camera lens and ended the broadcast. The weak smile on his face disappeared, and when he looked at the few half-cooked bugs on the plates, his complexion became even worse.

Around him, the new batch of conscripts that were all tensed up finally relaxed after the broadcast ended. They did not want to lose face in the middle of the broadcast and so had endured their urge to throw up.

A new conscript muttered to his comrade beside him, "Has the live broadcast ended?"

"It got cut already. Didn't you see that reporters face turning green? I reckon he feels horrible."

"Huuu. No longer broadcasting is good, it was so stifling. When that guy was explaining, I could feel my gut twisting."

"I wonder whether the camera filmed us just now. From where we are sitting, we should have been captured, right?"

While the newcomers discussed in muted voices, there were some who curiously studied the food on their plates. Not everyone was unable to accept this. There were people that had outstanding adaptability, but they were a very small minority.

Kevin Lin watched as Fang Zhao placed the edible portion of the deshelled bug into his mouth and could not help but exclaim, "The broadcast has been cut, we are no longer filming." There was no longer any need to continue pretending.

Kevin Lin did not finish speaking as he noticed that Fang Zhao did not seem to have an adverse reaction. Fang Zhao only knitted his brows slightly as he chewed on it but did not spit it out.

Kevin Lin could not help but ask, "How is it?"

"Not too bad. It has a rather strong, earthy flavor," Fang Zhao replied as he proceeded to work on a second bug on his plate.

This time, Kevin Lin carefully observed Fang Zhao's reaction, and he noticed that this young fellow was neither lying nor pretending.

A while ago, Kevin Lin, the last to reach his respective destination, had sent news from planet Baiji. Now in his hands were real-time situation reports about the five stars.

After First Frontline had announced a collaboration with Project Starlight, they had done a survey online, and online audiences' first desire had been to see the types of meals at each military service venue.

Clothing, food, housing, and transportation were the focal points of everyone's attention. Food had ranked first, so Bacary had given his five subordinates an assignment to get information on the food situation at each location as soon as possible, as well as how the celebrities were adapting to the new environment.

The five incorporated planets for Project Starlight's experimental phase had all chosen to portray themselves as being really poor. This was what Bacary had expected. The five planet's conditions were all somewhat similar. But upon reading his subordinate's reports, Bacary's eyebrows flew upwards in surprise.

Bacary had watched all five channels' live broadcasts and was aware of the situations, but what was shown on-screen was not necessarily the truth. These celebrities might keep their expressions in check and show that they were adapting fine and not appear high and mighty or in any way that might cause audiences to react, but based on his own experiences, Bacary could guess whether these people were acting or not. He did not believe the image shown on-screen. He only believed his own subordinates' reports.

Bacary believed that whatever he saw on-screen was fake, so as he read through his subordinate's reports, he was astonished.

The summarized reports in his hands were as follows:

Channel S1's Lee Xiaoxiao, slightly uncomfortable

Channel S2's Fritz, not adapting well.

Channel S3's Andre, slightly uncomfortable.

Channel S4's Woo Tianhao, slightly uncomfortable.

Channel S5's Fang Zhao, adapting well.

Bacary stared at the words "adapting well" for over 10 seconds. He had been in this line for many years and knew that these results were surely embellished. "Slightly uncomfortable" was obviously excluding some stuff, whereas "not adapting well" meant that the person was suffering and felt extremely uncomfortable.

But what about "adapting well"? How much of that was an overstatement?

Thinking about the the tasks that the top brass had arranged, Bacary did not hesitate to use up precious time for instantaneous communication. He contacted Kevin Lin on planet Baiji.

Bacary did not waste any time talking nonsense. He got straight to the point. "Kevin, this 'adapting well,' was it exaggerated?"

Over on the other side, Kevin Lin was already in a single lounge outside the dining hall and did not have to worry about others listening in. Bacary having his suspicions was within Kevin Lin's expectations.

Kevin Lin sighed and replied, "My description is indeed slightly off. In truth, he is adapting too f*cking well! Do you know how many plates he had? Plates the size of..."

Kevin Lin brought his hands in front of him to simulate plates that could fit at least two of his own heads. "Five plates! He has already had five plates! Those medium-rare bugs that are coarse and disgusting, he had five plates of! Among all those here on their first day, he ate the most! I only ate one piece and could not bring myself to go on. The rest were all settled by him. Right now, he is still over there consuming more!"

Upon hearing this, Bacary fell silent for a bit. Squinting and rubbing his beard, he asked, "How are his table manners?"

"They cannot be considered graceful, but they are not coarse either. He just eats a little too quickly. I had not finished my first piece yet he had already gone through a whole plate." Kevin Lin felt that it was still unimaginable. He had been assigned to follow Fang Zhao for quite some time already, but it seemed like this was the first time he had gotten to know Fang Zhao.

"That doesn't matter. Do a live broadcast in the dining hall the next time you are there for a meal," Bacary said.

Kevin Lin was apprehensive. "You r-really want to broadcast this? Will it lead to a negative reaction from the audience?"

"No choice, these are instructions from the top. The other four still haven't adapted enough yet; only the one you are following is able to stomach their cuisine. If we don't have anything to broadcast, people will question this project and compare it to low-end entertainment programs of the past, where what you saw was not what you got."

Now the top brass had a clear idea. Shooting many films and movies could not be compared to an instantaneous live broadcast where everyone could see for themselves the hardship in such a place, raising awareness and letting them feel grateful for what they had.

At this point, the stars of the other four channels had not adapted yet. Only S5 was a special case. Surely this opportunity to show a fine example could not be wasted!

Kevin Lin was still unwilling. "But won't we lose fans if we broadcast this? Our S5 channel already has the lowest viewership. If we broadcast such disturbing scenes, we will lose more viewers."

"Of course we have considered what you are worrying about. How about this, if you do a live broadcast of your mealtime, I ask the higher-ups to increase your broadcast time by 5 minutes!"

Five minutes alone was short, but in terms of a real-time live broadcast from so far away, even a minute was hard to come by. Five minutes was also the most Bacary could fight for.

"Kevin." Bacary lowered his voice as if he was about to reveal a big secret. "Project Starlight is progressing smoothly, and the top brass is very satisfied. Nowadays, there are people from all walks of life donating quite a bit. The Ministry of Education even publicly announced that Project Starlight has a groundbreaking educational value, and one such program has a greater impact than 10 movies. Since Project Starlight implemented it's five channels, four channels are reaping in profits, and only one channel is only breaking even."

"Our channel." Kevin Lin sounded dejected. He had been following the amount of money donated—how could he not know? This was something that he kept worrying about. The viewers on channel S5 were not people who would just fork out large sums of money for donations. Even if those old and retired servicemen wished to donate large sums, would they dare to do it openly? Wouldn't they be worried about online audiences accusing them of corruption?

Kevin Lin had to admit that Fang Zhao had already done well getting their channel to break even. Before the project had started, people had already said that if the losses were not too great, Fang Zhao just needed to continue to serve as encouragement for younger people.

But the other four channels just had to make a profits. As the only channel breaking even, comparing it to the other four, channel S5 seemed especially useless.

Worrying.

Unresigned.

Bacary could tell what Kevin Lin was thinking. He waved his hands dismissively and laughed. "It's different from what you are thinking. Although your channel is only breaking even among the five, but you know the type of audiences that your channel attracts. There isn't any need for me to go into details, right? Don't worry about it just breaking even. Even if it were making a loss, it might even continue as per normal! This is also an important program!"

Bacary's last sentence was significant. He was telling Kevin Lin that the audience of S5 might not take out money, but what they had was power! News firms had already decided on the characteristics of the five channels. The other four channels were in charge of profits, while S5 was to cater to the top officials and leaders. In any case, this program was a collaborative effort by the military and commercial sectors. Other than profits, the program had to satisfy certain parties. Originally, satisfying both parties would have been thought to be difficult, but progress was decent, and for the time being, Project Starlight seemed to be developing smoothly. Nothing troublesome had occured yet.

"Fine, I will try it tomorrow."

Every second of instantaneous communications was money burnt. Having received Kevin Lin's guarantee, Bacary was satisfied and ended the call.

After ending the call, Kevin Lin suddenly recalled something. Previously, the person in charge had mentioned that he would be showing them around other places near the dining hall after dinner and allow some logistics personnel to appear in the live broadcast. Kevin Lin had forgotten to ask Bacary for instructions. If there were any disputable scenes that might affect audiences, was he going to censor it?

Forget it, they could do without the censors.

Chapter 188: The More You Eat, the Less Scary They Become

Fang Zhao ate till he was full. Under the astonished gazes of those around him, he finished plate after plate.

The people surrounding him, including Kevin Lin, had no appetite. Some of them threw up after one bite. There was too much remaining on the plates, and Fang Zhao helped those around him clear theirs.

"You... don't have to force yourself," someone beside him advised.

"I'm not," Fang Zhao replied.

Fang Zhao himself knew how much he could eat. Earlier on, he had asked for advice on military service matters and so knew that he would be using up a lot of energy even on normal days. All along, he'd eaten more than others, so letting himself eat freely on the first day was to remind others that "I consume more food," so in the future, even if he ate more after a hard day's work, other people would not be overly shocked.

As for why he could eat so much today...

He had no choice; he was hungry. On the spacecraft to Baiji, others had been in hibernation, but Fang Zhao had played many symphonies in his head till he'd lost track. Using one's brain's also consumed energy.

The other newcomers in this batch viewed him in a respectful light. He is worthy of being an idol. He can eat so much of these half-cooked and unclean bugs, what an extraordinary person.

As for the previous batch that had arrived in October, they were all dumbstruck. How could it be that this little celebrity could eat so much more than them who had already been on this base for half a year?

After Kevin Lin had ended the long distance communications with headquarters, he contemplated in the lounge for a bit before returning to the dining hall. Fang Zhao had already finished eating and was sitting there chatting with some of the base's military service personnel.

Kevin Lin's face twitched as he scanned the pile of empty plates in front of Fang Zhao.

Kevin Lin called Fang Zhao to the side. "Fang Zhao, let's discuss the live broadcast later. From today onward, we will not censor anything during the live broadcasts in the base. Instructions from the top. There will be less margin for error, so during live broadcasts, we need to be even more cautious."

Fang Zhao understood and nodded his head.

"Later on, we will be visiting the base's kitchen. There will be even more unappealing sights. Although it seems like you are adapting just fine, we still have to be prudent and remember that your words and actions at all times will be captured by the camera and transmitted to more people. Sometimes, even if you are afraid, you still have to act calm and not make a big fuss. Actions like that might turn off viewers."

Kevin Lin told Fang Zhao a lot. There were many past incidents on live broadcasts of variety programs where celebrities had not portrayed themselves well. Kevin Lin remembered a male celebrity who had portrayed himself to be brave. In the end, when he had appeared on a variety show, he had been frightened by a snake and screamed. The image that his managing company had so painstakingly crafted for him had been demolished in an instant. Since then, Kevin Lin had rarely seen that celebrity on-screen anymore.

Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin were led to the kitchen. The moment the doors opened, a noxious odor assaulted their nostrils. Kevin Lin nearly fainted from the smell.

Before coming over, they had watched a recording of the kitchen and had an approximate understanding of the situation inside. If they were to enter without knowing anything beforehand, even base command would feel uneasy. If this really scared them, it would be a problem. How were they going to appeal to the masses and gain support then?

Without even getting to see the kitchen yet, Fang Zhao stood outside, differentiating the different smells as he thought back to the recording of the kitchen.

The kitchen's supervisor handed over masks that he had prepared earlier. "You guys will definitely not get used to the smell on your first time here. This is a mask that can filter out some odors and make it more bearable."

Kevin Lin hurriedly put on the mask. Afterward, he felt he could breathe normally. He glanced at Fang Zhao beside him who did not seem to have much reaction. Is this fellow's sense of smell impaired?

Fang Zhao did not feel that this stench necessitated wearing a mask, but on the surface, he did not want to seem too special, so he accepted the mask from the supervisor and put it on.

"Are you ready?" Kevin Lin looked towards Fang Zhao. Getting a nod from Fang Zhao, he proceeded to adjust the camera and switched on live-broadcasting mode.

Kevin Lin's expression changed as he faced the camera. "Greetings, everyone, we have already finished dinner and are about to enter the base's kitchen, which is what many of our online viewers requested to know more about in the comments. However, entering for the first time, we haven't gotten used to the smell, so we are using masks..."

The internet was so well developed, and many online users had high IQs. They knew that the food displayed on the tables in the dining hall had not necessarily been what these people in the military had for meals. Thus, they wished to see the dining hall's kitchen and head inside to understand the kind of food served at the base. This was the assignment all five channels had received.

As they walked through, the supervisor explained more. The base's kitchen was different from most general restaurants. Here there were stringent tests, and every container loaded with food was made from special materials.

Fang Zhao observed his surroundings along the way. It was still considered clean, probably because the base had specially tidied it up for the live broadcast. Even if they were depicting a poor and bleak picture, they still could not disgust the audiences. Traces of cleaning were not that obvious—the base's higher ups were still rather meticulous in their planning.

Although it was already after dinner, there were still people in the kitchen who were busy. They were not acting; this was normal.

"Those deployed outside will return later. Our base also provides a supper time slot to cater to those soldiers that are out for assignments and return later. This batch of kitchen staff who work in the afternoon still have to continue working at night," explained the kitchen supervisor, transmitting a message: Our job ain't easy. Overtime every day!

There were some large transparent vats nearby that were close to two stories tall. Some were empty, while others were still full.

The supervisor pointed at one of the empty vats as he explained, "That was what you had for dinner."

One of the vats in the middle still had many bugs. Inside, bugs as thick as an adult's arm were biting and gnawing on each other.

The supervisor continued, "These bugs are greedy, violent, and carnivorous. Generally, we don't keep them for too long. We will finish these tonight."

The camera moved closer to better film the bugs biting each other behind the transparent wall. One bug that was gnawing on its fellow bugs seemed to have noticed the camera nearing, and it violently opened its jaws and tried to bite the camera, smashing into the transparent wall with a loud "bang." Rows of razor sharp teeth could be seen in the close-up of its ferocious jaws.

The camera would not be scared by the sudden charge, but the same could not be said for the online audience.

"The f*ck! That was so scary I dropped my cigarette!"

"It's late at night over at our continent! I just screamed and woke my dormmates."

"Was... was that the thing they ate just now?"

"Ssss—watching it up close, I feel all squeamish. I've got goose bumps."

The camera backed off of the vat walls and the bugs inside immediately lost interest and continued chewing on each other.

The camera continued on and filmed the vat beside the previous one, filled to the brim with another sort of organism that had been delivered this afternoon. It was an organism that was abundant on this planet. This nonthreatening invertebrate lived in the ocean and liked to attached itself to reefs. Today, the team that had gone out to survey the ocean had brought these back.

These disk-shaped creatures the size of a palm had a dazzling shimmer on their edges. When stuck to the transparent vat wall, they seemed like numerous densely packed large round eyes.

In the other surrounding vats, the contents were not as aesthetically pleasing, and some audiences could not stand it.

"Aarghh—I have trypophobia! Change the channel! Hurry and change it!

"What are those things in the box in the back, so disgusting. I'm not watching any longer!"

"Imagine these things not being washed properly then cut up and served. A hygiene freak like me cannot stand it."

"What a troublesome scene! There are many minors among the online audience. Minors could be mentally scarred by all this!"

"Channel S5, are you not afraid of losing fans by broadcasting this?! As least censor it!"

However, there were also audiences that expressed that they could accept it.

"Ahh, those comments above me are surely young friends who have not yet undergone military service or who were lucky enough to be posted to a well-off planet. To be honest, for people like us who were posted to a planet with bad conditions, this isn't something we have never experienced before."

"It is said that the earlier days of military service were just like this. Since when was it ever comfortable like some people claim?"

"That's right! You can't say that you have done your military service if you have never eaten raw alien bugs!"

But no matter how much the online audiences argued, over at this side, filming went on as planned.

In the kitchen, there were workers currently handling the food. These were also mainly conscripts.

A robust and tall youngster came over when the supervisor indicated. He pulled down his mask and explained to Fang Zhao and the rest about how the foodstuff here was handled and treated. He also talked about response measures to take when encountering these bugs outside the base. His words were no-nonsense, clear, and concise, and he did not deliberately drag out his screen time. If he did so, would he ever get another chance to show his face again?

"Our leaders say that those out hunting or transporting food might not be attentive enough and not have enough energy to filter the organisms out. Our kitchen needs to spend some effort to sort out the smaller ones before processing. When the time comes, those food transporters bring them out and release them. That's because, in the document sent by the top, developments on foreign planets have to adopt a sustainable strategy. We are tested on this every month."

This youngster was dark skinned, but whether it was tanned or natural, no one knew. He looked especially simple and honest, and when he spoke, he seemed very sincere. The youngster pointed at an ecology balance chart displayed on the screen in the kitchen.

"Look, our planet's ecosystem is currently very stable, and its development is considered healthy. A while back, our base received a complaint saying that we had damaged the ecology balance and our data was fake. The Ministry of Supervision even sent someone over to carry out an inspection. The hunting team, the delivery squad, and us in the kitchen, every division was thoroughly inspected, and there were no problems. Our data was all reliable. On that day, to facilitate the inspection, nobody ate and we nearly fainted from hunger."

The youngster closed his fingers on his two hands and waved vigorously at the camera. "If we get another complaint without evidence, I will cry for you guys! This is no joking matter. It concerns our military service evaluation!"

There were grades for military service. The entire year's comprehensive evaluation would ultimately be recorded in a file that would follow a person for the rest of their life.

As for the ecology balance chart and sustainable strategy, these had not been mentioned randomly by the youngster.

After the Founding Era, when humanity first discovered a hospitable planet and proposed an immigration or colonization plan, ecologists would mention one word: acclimatization.

They did not want to mercilessly eradicate every last one of the newly discovered planet's life forms, nor did they want to destroy the ecosystem. Hence, they could only employ acclimatization tactics.

They did not want to forcefully change the original ecology of the planet, but rather, by using acclimitization tactics, humans could slowly permeate into an ecosystem devoid of humans and slowly allow the ecosystem to adapt and let humans become part of it.

All of these base constructions on foreign planets had met with quite a lot of opposing views. The military wished to take the opportunity of these live broadcast program to tell the masses: We do not forcefully conquer. Rather, we have plans for gentle development.

"The soil on this plot of land has already undergone treatment, and our leaders have already said that crops can be grown here. There are scientists among the batch of people that came with you guys. They will be in charge of introducing a new variety of crops and monitoring the ecology balance. Our leaders mentioned that the process of introducing a new variety of crops is very important. We can't just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them and then expect abundant harvests and full stomachs. If this damages the planet's ecology and causes the ecosystem to change, we might possibly spend even more time trying to fix it. A place without a healthy ecosystem is not suitable for immigration or colonization."

He mentioned "our leaders said" many times. There were too many important names of leaders, and missing out any would not be good. If he got nervous and left out any important people and caused a grudge, there would be trouble. Thus, he simply did not mention any names.

Although this youngster looked honest and simple, he had a really strong spirit. Otherwise, he would not have managed to land this opportunity to show his face on the live broadcast.

As for people with a keen nose for politics, they could learn lots of things just from this broadcast. There were a number of social factors behind this political agenda.

For Fang Zhao, who used to be a leader himself, he could naturally catch the hidden agendas behind all these words. However, now that he was only a little celebrity, he would act ignorant on certain issues.

Having said what he had been instructed to say, as well as a fair share of bootlicking, the youngster grabbed from the box beside him a bug that had already been slaughtered. He proficiently removed its head and its poisonous side glands before slicing it up into portions and placing it on a conveyor belt. These would be sent into the stove ahead to be sterilized.

Fang Zhao and his group also went to the other areas in the kitchen and filmed the sterilizing equipment. Kevin Lin had expressed that this was an important part. Other basic machinery or equipment in the kitchen could be sloppily filmed, but the sterilizing equipment had to be filmed with care.

After the kitchen, equipment, and foodstuffs had all been filmed, all the kitchen staff had already gathered and were eating. Their dinner time was slightly later than the others, and when they were done with dinner, they still had to continue working overtime.

The tanned youngster who had been explaining held a plate of roasted bugs and raised it over to Fang Zhao and the others. "Want some more? These are fresh from the oven, still hot."

Kevin Lin looked at the pieces of bug meat that were not fully cooked and felt his gut flipping.

"It's all right, I had a lot back in the dining hall just now," Fang Zhao replied.

The other party laughed and lowered the plate, thinking that Fang Zhao was still not used to these. Trying to console the newcomers, he said, "These type of bugs with many segments and many legs live in the ground. You will see a lot of them at the constructions sites. At the start, we were all really scared of them, but as we ate and ate more, we were no longer scared. When I first got here, a senior told me that these things might look scary, but the more you eat, the less scary they become. You can try it. After all, you guys still have to survive another year here."

Survive another year here...

A full year...

Kevin Lin felt his heart aching.Trypophobia is a proposed phobia (intense, irrational fear, or anxiety) of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes or bumps

Chapter 189: S5 Is Real Special

There was still quite a bit of time left after Fang Zhao and company filmed in the kitchen. Kevin Lin saved it for filming folks returning from trips beyond the base.

The soldiers returning in the evening were mostly career soldiers stationed on Baiji, not regular conscripts. Most of the more challenging tasks like hunting, scouting, and so on, were left for career soldiers.

It wasn't just the conscripts who wanted to get on camera, the career soldiers did too. They were often away for years at a time and missed their families.

But only soldiers who weren't assigned to classified missions could be shown on air.

The group that returned in the evening also brought back food supplies, including both plants and dead animals. There were quite a few things that turned Kevin Lin off. He remained at a distance during filming, simply zooming in on Fang Zhao, who had to help the career soldiers unload their cargo. He would also be having a late-night snack with the soldiers.

Unlike the afternoon broadcast from the cafeteria, the late-night meal was aired live in high definition, uncensored.

After setting up the camera, Kevin Lin found an excuse to bolt. He didn't bother appearing on camera.

The first-day live broadcasts for the other channels were a completely different story.

On the first day of his arrival, famed TV host Li Xiaoxiao, the subject of S1, visited career soldiers and young conscripts already serving on the foreign planet he was assigned to, with gifts in tow. The gifts had been donated by himself, fans, and his sponsors.

Many of the career soldiers and many of the youngsters who had been serving there for half a year had grown up watching Li Xiaoxiao's shows. They were quite familiar with the star, so they were quite emotional when they came into close contact with him and shook his hand.

Li Xiaoxiao's humorous comments and moves livened up the base, which enjoyed a rare respite from its typically dour atmosphere.

The decor in the cafeteria wasn't exactly appealing, and many scenes in the kitchen were likewise off-putting, but these eyesores were alleviated by avoiding the most grotesque items and with subtle camera angles and blurring effects. Coupled with Li Xiaoxiao's sense of humor and ability to lighten the mood, quite a few touching scenes emerged, conveying to viewers that, despite the hardships the soldiers and conscripts endured, there were funny moments too.

You had to admit that talent was talent. As the oldest of the five celebrities and the most experienced, Li Xiaoxiao was great at taking charge of the situation.

Li Xiaoxiao's fans and online viewers were also moved by the jovial mood. Donations of cash and supplies poured in. Financiers also expressed interest in investing in the base.

S1's live broadcast was an indisputable success.

On S2, the handsome, elegant Old-Era aristocrat Fritz charted an artsier course. He used soulful expressions and controlled embellishment to turn every moment into a tearjerker.

Fritz even played host. Apart from having heart-to-hearts with some of the conscripts, he also interviewed career soldiers with interesting backgrounds.

A veteran singer and actor, Fritz knew how to draw out emotion and even put himself in the shoes of his interview subjects, displaying genuine emotion. Every time those haunting eyes faced the camera, countless fans were shaken.

Fans: It's just cash. We're shelling it out.

Judging from the audience response and viewership data, S2 was likewise a great success.

On S3, as an actor in mainstream commercial films, Andre likewise enjoyed a huge fan base, but while he had sparred with some of the young instructors during training camp, on account of his limited martial arts training, he held back.

The career soldiers stationed here were different from the young instructors back in training camp. The former were battle-hardened, even projecting a different aura. Andre had no intention of getting a beatdown on live television.

Instead, he shared life stories with the young conscripts and sang military songs with the career soldiers.

You never would have guessed that this A-list actor had a decent voice. He made for a decent singer, which served as a pleasant surprise to his fans.

Even though S3's viewership data lagged the numbers posted by S1 and S2, it still turned a profit. By that measure, it was also a success.

On S4, Tianhao, who hailed from the Woo family of Tongzhou aristocracy, had been born on a pedestal, and his ability to act pretentious was unscathed. After his arrival, he challenged several of the standout soldiers to kung-fu duels.

Anyone who lived in the New Era knew that founding father General Woo Tong had been an accomplished martial artist. His descendants were all competent fighters, not simply posers. The well-trained core family members in particular were combat-tested. Even though Tianhao was a poser, he backed it up with real skill.

Tianhao challenged three of the top soldiers in a row. The young conscripts rooted for Tianhao, while the career soldiers backed their brethren. The online audience was thoroughly electrified, hooting and applauding without pause and bestowing round after round of cash rewards.

The face-offs spiced up the atmosphere and were embraced by the conscripts and career soldiers alike and drew a big audience. Tianhao had achieved his goal of coolness.

After the duels, senior officers at the base staged a welcome banquet for Tianhao. Soldiers who weren't assigned to missions the next day were granted special exemption to drink a bit. Tianhao had brought the alcohol from home. Quite a few heavy drinkers got their fix.

One officer even slapped Tianhao on the back, saying he would show Tianhao how to drive the base jeeps reserved for career soldiers.

S4's numbers rivaled the performance of S1 and S2. Not to mention that Tianhao had the full backing of the Woo family back in Tongzhou.

By contrast, the S5 production team stood out by adopting an unvarnished documentary style. The footage was more befitting an actual documentary film than entertainment programming. The other four channels all used subtle camera angles or blurred out graphic content. Only S5 was in high definition and completely uncensored.

Viewers who were looking for light entertainment would not stick with S5, but apart from members of the establishment, a group of parents also started tuning in.

Indeed, S5 was far less entertaining than the other four channels, but it was the real thing.

What was of more pressing concern to the parents whose children were serving was what their kids' actual routines were like. Even though they had served as well, those had been different times. Who knew how much these military outposts had changed over the years?

Even parents with kids serving on other planets couldn't help tuning in to S5, because you could see what the bases on planets with tough conditions were really like. There was no fudging or fakery. It was as if you were standing on the planet yourself.

On the first four channels, regardless of the topic at hand, regardless of who was being interviewed, the center of attention was the four celebrities. The celebrities anchored the live webcasts. But on S5, Fang Zhao was less of a presence. Instead, the camera focused on the conscripts and the career soldiers.

The only thing was that the uncensored footage was too much for some viewers.

S5 got plenty of rave reviews, but it also drew many complaints.

Many viewers complained that some of S5's footage was ill-suited for teenagers and was detrimental to their development.

Indeed, footage of raw materials being prepared in the kitchen and of mealtime turned quite a few adults off, let alone teenagers. If similar scenes were in the pipeline and were broadcast uncensored, there would be no end to the complaints.

To get ahead of the issue, the senior management of Project Starlight held a conference call. Shutting down S5 was not an option. They also wouldn't censor it. They wanted Kevin Lin and Fang Zhao to shoot more raw footage in the same vein, even record some violent or bloody incidents. As long they could show the true nature of the work in the Baiji base, as long as some folks could get an actual sense of the base's growth, Project Starlight would have fulfilled its mission.

The conservatives who had slashed funding for exploratory missions and diverted funds to building up existing bases didn't do so to provide entertainment. They wanted to deliver a clear message to the people. Look at how tough it is to develop the existing bases. Why the hell should we keep exploring? So what if we discover more planets with livable conditions. Can we build bases on them and immigrate right away? Folks who keep dreaming about discovering new minerals that can be used as new energy sources should wake up and get back in touch with reality. Are new minerals that easy to find?

The conservatives wanted to shore up popular support—and Project Starlight was the means to their end.

To protect S5, the senior management of Project Starlight decided after their conference call to implement a ratings system on the five channels.

But curious viewers didn't care what the senior executives were thinking. Eager fans who followed Project Starlight's five channels summarized the tone of each channel with these quips after the five channels completed their first day of live programming.

S1: How are you, comrades? Well done! Good job!

S2: Blood, sweat, and tears.

S3: There's nothing a little love and tenderness can't conquer.

S4: Drinking games.

S5: Danger ahead! Noncombat personnel evacuate!

Chapter 190: Ratings System

Three hours after S5 ended its first day's live broadcast, the senior managers at Project Starlight announced they were going to implement a ratings system.

Many viewers supported the move, thinking it was right thing to do. So be it if they missed out on all the gory stuff on S5. Watching S5's live broadcast made you realize that a ratings system was the best solution.

But some viewers thought the move was unnecessary. A debate quickly sprung up online.

"You will have to serve sooner or later. It's best you know the ugly side and be psychologically ready. At least it's better than finding out when you actually serve."

"That isn't a fair argument. Many kids are tuning in to the live webcasts. They've had limited exposure to this kind of material. They will be scarred if they see stuff like this too early. A ratings system is necessary. Not to mention that not everyone will be assigned to serve in places like that."

"That's true."

Families who were well off could always manage to land their kids easier assignments. This was an open secret. Such was the state of the conscription system. For now, that was the way things were. Folks who were upset with the system could only b*tch about it.

Folks without connections could only hope that service locations currently suffering from tough conditions would get more funding and investments so infrastructure could be improved. That way, the experience wouldn't be so rough by the time they served.

By that line of thinking, live broadcasts like this were really worth supporting. If average citizens like themselves couldn't change things, then they would leave it to the celebrities.

Five hours after S5 ended its first broadcast, Project Starlight's senior management announced the provisional age restrictions for its five channels:

S1 through S4: 7+

S5: 15+

In other words, the four channels S1 to S4 were suitable for viewers 7 and above, while S5 would be limited to viewers 15 or older.

"Was the age limit for S5 set too high?" Some parents were upset, arguing that even though the content was a bit disturbing, a teenager was quite mature and could handle the fallout.

Folks who grew up in the New Era had access to the internet at a young age. They matured earlier compared to children in the Old Era. Many 14- or 15-year-old kids in the New Era were spouting similar views to adults'.

"The Project Starlight managers have their reasons for restricting the channel to 15-plus." Even if a young teenager knows about a lot of stuff, he or she isn't quite an adult yet. Be it mental strength or problem-solving, they still lag behind grown adults slightly.

"15-plus is OK. For viewers who are 15 years old, they have another five years before they need to serve. If they want to find out about this kind of stuff, five years is a sufficient buffer. In any case, their parents are watching the footage anyway."

Parents who were opposed to the 15-plus limit changed their minds after hearing the argument online and pondering the matter. True, the senior managers at Project Starlight must have had their reasons for setting the age limit so high. Even though our kids are too young to watch the show, it's all the same when we as parents get the lowdown and relay the information to them.

At this point, some of the Muzhou viewers got a bit cocky.

"Not to brag, but we Muzhouers are more adaptable than you guys. I don't know if you noticed, but regardless of the planet, eight out of the 10 folks working in the kitchen are from Muzhou. Only us Muzhouers can handle coming into close contact with foreign planet food sources every day. Folks from other planets are too chickenshit to do the job. They're also not meticulous enough."

This comment won a lot of praise from fellow Muzhouers.

"That's spot on. Just take a look at the live broadcast on S5—out of all the people who appeared on camera in the kitchen, half were Muzhouers. The heavily tanned kid who spoke the most during the broadcast is the son of the owner of a small ranch in Muzhou. During the broadcast, the ranch owner was handing out red packets stuffed with cash left and right in honor of his son."

Folks who had served in Muzhou also confirmed this was the case. In terms of getting used to the new diet during military service, Muzhouers were the best. But what they didn't say was how they'd puked their guts out when they'd entered the kitchen for the first time after arriving on base. All they talked about was how they were the most adaptable. None of them had been able to adjust right away.

Soon, the "us Muzhouers" spiels in the discussion forum started to piss off folks from other continents.

"Hey, brother upstairs, this is discrimination against folks from other continents!"

"It's just being able to down a bug. Big deal!"

"Speaking of which, don't you Muzhouers have the tradition of insect banquets?"

"Right, right. I heard about Muzhouers eating insects a long time ago. Word has it that it's a festival that was started when the New Era was founded."

When the Period of Destruction had ended, at the beginning of the New Era, Muzhou had been the world's leading food producer, with the largest plots of arable land. Yet Muzhou's first farmers had encountered many natural disasters. Back then, the level of technological development had been quite crude, and anti-pest measures hadn't been very effective. To produce large yields, the farmers had paid a heavy price.

The farmers hadn't gotten to enjoy life until farm equipment had been upgraded and the Academy of Agricultural Science had come up with effective pest controls. To remember the forefathers who had cultivated Muzhou's first plots, to honor their efforts in defeating the different types of insects that had infested their crops, certain regions of Muzhou held commemorative festivals. That was when the insect banquets were held.

Visitors to Muzhou had long tried to avoid these festivals. If they encountered one, they would steer clear of it or approach for a quick selfie they could show off on their social media feeds and then bolt immediately.

Now that the topic had been broached, people started wondering why Muzhouers could adjust so quickly when they saw such disgusting food.

"Is it because they started eating insects very early on?"

"I'm reminded of the comment during the S5 broadcast: 'The more you eat, the less afraid you are'."

"The more I think about it, the more plausible this theory is. In this regard, Muzhouers have an innate advantage."

"My kid is only 14. I wanted him to tune into S5, but now I can only let him watch the other channels. Still, I want to order insect meals online. Are they still available in Muzhou? Are they available in easy packaging, like a small box or a small pouch?"

"They are, but at this time of the year, the selection is limited and the insects aren't that fresh. If you're interested, I'll suggest a few brands."

Once the subject of insect banquets came up, Muzhouers who practiced the tradition started firing off recommendations, suggesting brands for variety, taste, and food safety standards. They also pointed out companies whose sourcing was questionable.

Folks from other continents set aside their differences and scrambled to jot down all these details.

The many parents who were worried sick about their kids and following the discussion forum on S5 felt it was divine intervention. Here was a way to prepare their kids for the hardship!

The few small factories that supplied insect-related food products in Muzhou saw their online orders grow exponentially, so much so that their owners thought it was a computer glitch.

Meanwhile, existing inventory had long been snatched up.

The bosses checked the date. It was still well before their peak season of July. Why the sudden deluge of orders?

The owners of Muzhou farms, both small and large, smelled a business opportunity and acted swiftly as well.

Meanwhile, kids from the 11 continents other than Muzhou had no idea what was awaiting them. Some of them were filled with anticipation when they heard their parents had ordered them presents, but when the gifts arrived, they were so shocked they wanted to cry. Even years later, they would remember the fear of being force-fed insect meals.

Fang Zhao had no idea what was going on on his home planet. His first day on base was very busy. After helping unload the cargo from the off-base missions and having a late-night snack, he retired to his assigned dorm room.

Many new arrivals at the Baiji base struggled to fall asleep their first night because of their conflicting emotions or because they had slept so much on their inbound journeys, but Fang Zhao had no such problems. He slept well his first night.

When they woke up, Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin got word of their 15-plus rating.

"15-plus?" Kevin Lin wondered if the age limit had been set too high, but he realized it made sense after pondering the matter.

Their bosses wanted to send them a message: Bring it on! Give us everything raw. No need to worry about scaring kids anymore.

Kevin Lin had a knack for unraveling the thinking of senior management.

Indeed, he soon received a message from headquarters that confirmed his suspicions. It instructed him to not hold back and to not worry about any potential complaints.

Now that he had his marching orders, all Kevin Lin had to do was execute them.

The breakfast selection at the cafeteria was limited. Kevin Lin ordered some porridge-like mess whose ingredients he couldn't identify. He didn't bother asking in case the answer would spook him away from eating the meal.

After glancing at Fang Zhao, who was sitting across from him and seemed to have a healthy appetite, Kevin Lin pursed his lips, pinched his nose, and had a few sips of the porridge. It didn't taste great. Luckily, he'd snuck a few bites of his private food stash before heading to breakfast.

Everyone's personal items had been searched after they had arrived at the base. There were strict rules about personal belongings, but Kevin Lin wasn't a conscript and he had a job to do, so base personnel had turned a blind eye.

"You're going to officially start your service today. According to your assignment, you'll be part of a mining team," Kevin Lin said to Fang Zhao. "As you know, as the first five celebrities of Project Starlight, you won't be treated like the regular conscripts. The senior leadership at the base made special arrangements a while back. We'll just play it by ear."

Fang Zhao nodded. He knew how things were evolving. He wouldn't fight the flow.

After breakfast, the regular conscripts who had arrived with them were divided into teams and led to different work locations to start their transition. Their team leaders would lecture them on the necessary know-how.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao was escorted to his work location by a colonel-level officer.

He had long been informed of his assignment, mining, which was one of the most common jobs during military service.

Chapter 191: Mining Is a Technical Job

The person in charge of bringing Fang Zhao to the service grounds was Colonel Edmund. He was a solemn-looking middle-aged man who did not talk or laugh much. Edmund was the direct deputy of the highest-ranking officer in the Baiji base, Lieutenant General Shanta.

Edmund was over 80 years of age, but that was only considered middle age in the New Era. However, in his heart, Edmund knew that it would be hard for him to get promoted any further. Even if the base was extended and developed well, he might not necessarily make a push for promotion.

There was an internal saying: After passing 80 years of age, there are basically no more chances to get promoted. Furthermore, Edmund did not have much of a strong family background. If not because he had followed Shanta closely, he might not have even been where he was today.

Knowing that he had reached the age where he could no longer climb, Edmund had been considering. After this year was over, he would transfer to civilian work. Like many of his comrades, he would return home, spending the later half of his life in a governmental institution. Maybe there would even be a chance for him to climb there.

Shanta knew about Edmund's plans. With such a competent subordinate leaving, Shanta had given him this chance to appear on-screen more. Perhaps this would benefit him later on when he changed his profession.

Therefore, Edmund regarded this opportunity with high importance. Even if he used to despise celebrities, in front of Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin, there were rare smiles on his usually grave face, and the pressure people felt in his presence was much fainter.

A motorcade left the base. Inside a car in the middle of the motorcade, Edmund was explaining the mining area to Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin.

"Currently, we have three mining sites: two basic mines and one power-source mine. The materials from the basic mines are used mainly for construction. The ores from the power-source mines provide energy. For the basic mining site, we can adopt an automated system that doesn't require much manpower. As for the power-source mining site, automated systems are of no use. Apparatuses might suffer interference, and excavating machinery might result in some large damages. Therefore, in mining sites where we are unable to use machinery or equipment, we have to make use of manpower. That is where conscripts come in. Now, we are heading to the power-source mine."

On-screen, Edmund did not show any signs of nervousness, but Fang Zhao could feel that Edmund was tensed—he just wasn't showing it. Fang Zhao could also guess Edmund's thoughts. Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang had talked a lot about the military, and given Fang Zhao's own previous history, it was not hard for him to guess.

This was also the reason Fang Zhao was willing to coordinate and act, giving Edmund more chances to show off and help Baiji's mining value become more well known and attract more investors to help shoulder the pressure. Baiji's leaders were happy to shower these people bearing responsibilities with even more benefits.

Edmund told them that over at the basic mines, each time the truck team made a trip, they would transport several kilotons of ore and raw materials. These were used for the base's construction.

Transporting several kilotons per trip might have sounded like a lot, but when compared to bases with abundant manpower and resources, this was totally pitiful and unsightly. In those bases, the volume of freight transported by those trucks was in the tens of kilotons per trip.

With low freight volumes and a lack of manpower, the base and the outposts developed at a much slower rate.

The motorcade traveled on the most commonly used road and did not encounter any aggressive life-forms. The journey was smooth, and after 40 minutes, they arrived at the power-source mine.

At the mining site, there was a garrison stationed to maintain the safety of the place.

Kevin Lin once again turned on the camera, and he intended to fly it over the mining site for an overhead view, but that was rejected. The deployment of the mining site was classified military information, so Kevin Lin could only film the surroundings.

Edmund brought them to a mine entrance. Excavation had been underway for a few days already. Fang Zhao could hear the humming of machinery coming from inside. There were two mechanical conveyor belts transporting rocks and stones out. One belt transported waste rock, while the other transported power ore.

Edmund's hand randomly went to the conveyor belt and picked up a piece of power ore and handed it over to Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin. Within the dark brown piece of rock, there was a piece of near transparent stone.

"Grade A high quality ore. To be exact, this is grade A−." For classification of ores, grade A was divided into three ranks: A+, A, and A−. Comparing a piece of similarly sized power ore, grade A+ would provide much more energy than grade A− one.

However, these pieces of power ore being grade A was not too bad. The reason why planet Baiji had been able to construct a base was not just because there were life-forms and it was habitable, it was also due to the rich mineral resources available. Solely relying on solar energy was not enough to meet the high energy demands of maintaining the base's development rate—power ore was the most important. After preliminary surveys, planet Baiji contained quite a lot of grade A power ore, which was sufficient to maintain the base's development and future extensions.

Edmund sighed. "A pity. They were careless when excavating and broke it. For an ore this size, the quality will definitely drop. However, these kids have only been mining for half a year. Hitting this sort of standard is already not too bad."

Edmund spoke a few praises of the current batch of youngsters undergoing military service on Baiji. There were many online audiences, so too much criticism in the face of these audiences would lead to them having poor opinions.

A whole piece of power ore would surely be better than a few smaller pieces of power ore. Its commercial value would also be even higher. But these miners did not have sufficient experience, or perhaps they were distracted. In a moment of carelessness or during a loss of concentration, the large whole piece of power ore would be chipped and broken down into pieces. This resulted in a drop in grade and quality and was what many people knew as "ore dilution."

If the military service duration was two years, perhaps these situations would be slightly better. It took a year of mining experience to become proficient, but by then it was time to be decommissioned and the next batch of new conscripts would arrived. Thus, ore dilution would always be a problem.

"Ore dilution cannot be prevented. Even if we were to use machinery to mine, it would still occur." Edmund was speaking the truth, but he was speaking to exonerate those young conscripts that did not have much experience. He knew that many parents were watching the broadcast, and they did not wish to hear base officers speaking poorly of their kids.

For Edmund to make it to the level he was at, he had decent EQ. Even if he could not make the audiences adore him, he could at least make himself less deplorable.

"Mining is a technical job. Other than old miners with many years of experience, everyone else will find it hard to avoid such situations." As Edmund was speaking, a person clad in full work attire ran out from the mining tunnel. Removing his helmet, his youthful face flashed a grin.

"You guys are here!" Excitement was written on his face as he turned to look at Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin beside Edmund. Scanning further at the camera floating in the air, his smile's intensity doubled. He showed some restraint and raised his hand to adjust his helmet hair, trying to make it look better.

Edmund could understand where he was coming from and did not say anything. Edmund turned toward Fang Zhao to make introductions. "Hayden arrived last October and is the leader of this mining team." After that, he turned to Hayden and pointed at Fang Zhao. "This here is..."

"I know, I know, Fang Zhao! It's an honor to meet you at last! I really love the style of your tunes!" Hayden wanted to say more, but he caught a glimpse of Edmund's expression and immediately swallowed the remainder of his words. He reluctantly put on his helmet once again and said, "Shall I lead the way into the mine?"

Two soldiers brought over two sets of special work clothes that conscripts wore and helped Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin put them on.

"Let's enter." Edmund nodded, indicating for Hayden to lead the way.

"Yeah, all right!" Hayden happily exclaimed. Through his clear visor, he flashed a "Don't worry" expression toward Edmund. Everything had already been planned, and there would be absolutely no embarrassing situations.

Edmund felt a little at ease. Hayden was capable. In this team of miners, Hayden's evaluation was the best, and he had some experience with mining. Otherwise, he would not have become the leader of this team.

There were lights in the mining tunnel so it wasn't very dusky. As they walked in, some conscripts were using equipment to mine.

Noticing the indicator lights of the live broadcast, the conscripts hurriedly struck a pose, falling over each other trying to give a greeting and, as best as they could, let their voices appear on the live broadcast or show their faces. Although the masks covered half their faces, perhaps friends or families might recognize their eyes or their voices?

Hayden indicated for Fang Zhao and the group to stop. There was a case filled with tools, with a number of them seemingly like pickaxes.

Hayden fished one out from inside and handed it over to Fang Zhao. "Wanna try?"

Fang Zhao accepted the tool. Holding it, he realized these excavating tools were not as simple as they looked. Inside was some precise propulsion device, and it was made of special materials. These tools were not specially prepared for Fang Zhao; all military service personnel used these. With these tools, they did not need to use a lot of strength to chisel bits off the hard rock wall.

However, to excavate better quality ores and minimize ore damage still required accumulated experience.

"Our mining site has lots of ore. You don't have to pick a place, here will do." Hayden randomly pointed to a certain spot on the cave wall.

Kevin Lin felt this was funny. What lousy tricks. Even I won't fall for it, let alone those shrewd merchants.

To attract more investors, Baiji's base command wanted to spoon-feed Fang Zhao like a child.

Then tell the audience, "Look, this little celebrity's first time mining, and at a randomly picked spot at that, and he excavated ore on his first try. Our mineral resources are plentiful. Although the ore quality is not especially high, we have quantity! Interested investors, hurry and join the party!"

Kevin Lin stifled a laugh and asked Fang Zhao, who was staring at the cave wall, "What are your thoughts?"

"Thoughts? I think there is something behind this spot," Fang Zhao replied.

Edmund raised his eyebrows as his smile widened. That's right! Hurry and dig, let the online audiences know how concentrated planet Baiji's mineral deposits are!

Kevin Lin gestured at Fang Zhao with his hands, indicating that the camera was in place and he could begin to dig.

Fang Zhao brandished the propulsion pickaxe in his hand and heaved it over to strike the wall.

Thud—

A piece of rock on the cave wall became loose. Fang Zhao adjusted the handle and the loose piece fell. He had used quite a bit of power, so the piece that fell was rather large.

Hayden looked at the piece of rock that fell, and the smile on his face became somewhat forced. This was undoubtedly a high-grade ore-rich site, and he had gotten many experienced old miners to take a look, so why was it that inside the rock that was pried off were only scattered fragments of power ore?

But what attracted the most attention was not the piece of rock that had fallen but rather the life-form that appeared in the hole in the cave wall where the rock used to be.

A sinister-looking bug about the size of two palms appeared. These kind of bugs were commonly found inside mineral veins and looked especially devilish, but people familiar with this mining site knew that these sorts of bug only looked scary. They had high defensive capabilities, but they were actually very stupid.

Colonel Edmund stiffly instructed a soldier to the side. "Drag it out and roast it."

Hayden trembled. He felt like those words were meant for him. After all, he was the one handling matters here and had met with unfavorable circumstances. Hayden hurriedly flashed Edmund a "Don't be impatient" look. This time, they had been really unlucky. Fang Zhao would surely excavate one the next time. Hayden had picked out a few reserves.

Chapter 192: It's Really Not Deliberate!

When Kevin Lin had seen Edmund and Hayden's confident manner, he had thought that it was a surefire plan and had specifically adjusted the camera to focus on the spot on the cave wall where Fang Zhao would chip away. In his heart, he had been slightly excited to "witness it for the first time in history," and his head had been spinning with anticipation that it would "make the headlines."

Kevin Lin had never done mining during his military service, as his family had managed to pull some strings. Therefore, mining was fresh for him, but he had never expected to encounter such an awkward situation.

It wasn't just Kevin Lin who had been eagerly anticipating it. Online audiences watching channel S5 also stared blankly at the situation that unfolded. Many people had all been waiting to see what sort of ore Fang Zhao would mine on his first try. Although people with a good eye could tell that the spot had already been planned beforehand by planet Baiji, it was a common occurrence for entertainment programs, so they didn't mind.

People had fixated on their screens so attentively, and some hadn't even blinked. In the end, what had appeared on-screen was a sinister-looking bug, and a close-up of it at that. Timid people were scared out of their seats.

"So scary!"

"I was too engrossed staring at the screen! What sort of bug is that? It looks really savage."

"It should be edible? I heard that colonel say to roast it?"

"That means to say that Fang Zhao's first time mining, he excavated a bug?"

"Hahahaha, seems like it!"

Although many people had been scared by the close-up shot, when they regained their senses, they felt this was funny. They would have a topic to laugh about for the next few days.

The people inside Baiji's mining cave could not see the reactions of the online audience, but they could guess.

Hayden coughed lightly and explained to Fang Zhao. "Generally speaking, in areas with high power-ore deposits, this species of bugs is rarely seen. The more bugs there are, the less ore. That's why we don't have to continue digging here. Surely there won't be too much high-quality ore behind this rock wall. Normally, when we excavate till bugs appear, we change locations."

As he spoke, Hayden still unresignedly looked at the piece of stone that Fang Zhao had dug out. There was very little power ore, and it was fragmented. It indeed did not have much value.

"Let's change to another spot and try again. This spot has probably been excavated dry." Hayden took a marker and drew an indicator on the cave wall, telling other miners that there were bugs and there was probably a bug's nest behind. There was no need to waste effort by continuing to excavate here.

The group continued inward, and Hayden brought Fang Zhao to another spot. "Let's try over here." There were more high-grade ores here.

A large piece of ore had just been mined yesterday from the spot Hayden was pointing at, and looking at the rock wall, there were probably even more large pieces of ore that had yet to be mined. Hayden had specially exhorted the team not to touch this area and to leave it for Fang Zhao to shine on Project Starlight.

Edmund also felt that this time would surely be a success. Although he was not in charge of mining, over the years, he had seen a lot of mining and at least had some experience in this area. This rock wall indeed looked like it contained an abundance of ore.

Edmund sighed in his heart. We should have started digging here first. If they had not been worried that audiences would find it too staged, they would have arranged for Fang Zhao to mine for large pieces of ore here.

"Go ahead," Edmund said.

Fang Zhao stared at where Hayden was pointing, thinking. He had a hunch that what laid behind the wall was probably not what Hayden and Edmund were expecting...

However, seeing Hayden and Edmund's self-confident manner, Fang Zhao did not say much as he gripped the pickaxe and knocked it against the rock wall. Having gained some experience from the previous time, this time around, Fang Zhao controlled the propulsion rather well. The piece of rock he pried off was appropriate.

The camera once again was focused on the cave wall, and online audiences leaned forward as they stared at their screens.

Everyone watched as the piece of rock fell from the cave wall. Inside, two or three peanut-sized power ores could be seen.

These peanut-sized ores were slightly better than the previous round. At least it wasn't bugs.

Edmund: "..."

Kevin Lin, who had been wholeheartedly anticipating: "..."

Behind Hayden's helmet, his face had turned red. He no longer dared to look at Edmund. He wished to find a place to hide.

No bugs had been excavated from this area, and there were no bug holes nearby. The characteristics of the stone wall also looked as though it had an abundance of high-grade ore. How could it be that Fang Zhao had only managed to mine just a bit?! Hayden was utterly confused.

Edmund's facial muscles were twitching, as though he was enduring some pain. The original plan had been a step-by-step arrangement for Fang Zhao to slowly mine a large ore, as that would have appeared even more natural. But now, two times! Let alone a large ore, he had not even managed to mine an acceptable one!

"How about... we... go further inside." After all, Hayden was a young guy and had just encountered two successive setbacks. Faced with a lot of mental pressure, he could not remain calm and started to stammer. He did not dare to look Edmund in the face, but he could feel the pressurizing aura emanating from Edmund. He shivered from fear as his mind constantly replayed the way Edmund had ordered the soldier to "drag the bug outside and roast it" a while back.

Continuing in, at the furthest point in the cave, Hayden pointed at a spot where he and other old miners were absolutely sure there were power-ore deposits. Not just them, anyone slightly experienced could see the rock wall's characteristics through the live broadcast. Those with sharp eyes could see a portion of power ore jutting out.

Potential ore investors watching this scene online pursed their lips. Power ore could be mined out from this spot even when blindfolded. It seemed like the people of planet Baiji had no other option. They would have nothing to show if they did not do this.

Sure enough, this time, when the pickaxe was swung, a piece of power ore fell, but this power ore was not as big as everyone had expected. It was just around the size of an average human's fist.

Edmund looked at the other ores mined by the conscripts on the conveyor belt beside them, then looked at the piece Fang Zhao had taken three attempts to mine. It seemed a little irksome.

This time, Hayden really wished he could hide himself under a rock. He had really tried his best!

Kevin Lin switched from live broadcast mode to filming mode. There were time constraints when it came to live broadcasting. When they did not manage to mine anything satisfactory, it would be better to switch the live broadcast mode to a film mode and turn it back when they successfully mined something. He had been too trusting of Baiji's people's capabilities. If this was the best result after arranging for a month, planet Baiji could forget about attracting investors. When he thought about the other four channel's mining results, Kevin Lin felt his own prospects seem rather bleak.

The instantaneous live broadcasts were arranged to be as close together as possible, but due to them being on different planets, it was impossible for the broadcasts to all be simultaneous. Before Fang Zhao's side had starting mining, the other four had already completed their first day of live broadcasting. Channel S5 had been the last to start.

Online, those users that had just watched S5's live broadcast had started to discuss.

"Hahahaha, it's a pity their expressions could not be seen because they were all wearing helmets. Why didn't the camera turn around. I wish I could have seen the look on that Colonel Edmure's face."

"It's Edmund."

"Hey, whatever man, I just want to see his expression now!"

"From my statistics, among the five celebrities, Fang Zhao failed the most."

All five channels had arranged for live broadcasts in their respective mining areas. Although the other four celebrities had not needed to mine like the conscripts, for a fruitful live broadcast, they had all gone into the mines and dug at the spots that the respective bases had arranged for them.

S2's Fritz had excavated a palm-sized power ore on his first try. S1's Li Xiaoxiao had fared well too, excavating one slightly smaller than Fritz on his first try. On his second try, though, he'd gotten a larger one.

S3's Andre might have seemed slightly boorish in the eyes of the viewers, but he was careful. On his first try, he had used too much strength and fragmented the ore. On his second try, when there had been a possibility of ore, under the guidance of an old miner, he had patiently chipped away at the sides till he had excavated the power ore. With a little luck on his side, the ore he'd excavated was the size of an adult's forearm. He had even hugged it and taken a photo, and now it was pinned on Project Starlight's news section headlines.

In short, during the first day of live broadcasts at the mining site, although no one had excavated anything larger than Andre's, they had all managed to reap some gains, so it was not too unsightly.

S4's Tianhao had had the worst results among the first four channels. When he had originally mined the least ore, he had only pulled a long face but had not been stupid enough to blame the base personnel. Only after he had returned to the base had he thrown a tantrum.

Now that he knew S5's Fang Zhao's luck was worse than his, Tianhao suddenly felt much better.

Tianhao stroked his chin and pondered. "As long as someone is below, it doesn't look as ugly. I heard that on Fang Zhao's mining broadcast, he got a bug on his first try, a few 'peanuts' on his second try, and only on his third try did he excavate a small piece of power ore. Say, do you reckon that Baiji's personnel intentionally duped him?"

The special reporter for S4 who was following Tianhao shook his head. "Probably not. Baiji's personnel would not be that foolish."

"Then that just means that Fang Zhao himself is just plain unlucky and could not mine anything," Tianhao concluded.

S4's special reporter nodded his head in approval, at the same time delighting in another's misfortune. He reckoned Kevin Lin would be dying of anger.

An for investors watching the five channels, after the live broadcasts, their impression of planet Baiji was the worst.

A few investors and surveyors of relevant companies smirked. They expected a staged performance of mining large ores in succession, but in the end, the special arrangements only ended up this way. It just shows how low planet Baiji's mineral density is! This sort of place even wishes to attract investors? Not a chance!

Considering the transportation time and extravagant fees for setting up a communications network, as well as paying taxes, only fools would consider investing in Baiji! If there were any future advertisements from planet Baiji's base, they would not believe the advertisements!

Also watching the live broadcast was planet Baiji's highest-ranking officer, Shanta. At this moment, he was not looking too well. None of the other high-ranking officers at the base were smiling. This beginning was no good. Their perfect plan had only just begun and yet they had encountered setbacks. What were they going to do in future!? Did they have to show that they were an extremely destitute place and beg for donations? Which large base had risen to prominence through development from donations? They all relied on pulling in large investments from enterprises!

Over at the mining site, the people here could sense the abnormal atmosphere. They were especially well behaved and did not goof off, as they were afraid of incurring the wrath of Edmund.

Hayden was on the verge of tears. "It... was... was... was really not deliberate!"

He really had not meant any of this and had not wished to have Fang Zhao embarrass himself on the live broadcast. He also did not dare to do anything that would have harmed themselves even more than Fang Zhao!

At the same time, Hayden wanted to explain to Colonel Edmund. Edmund was the highest-ranked person in charge of the power-source mining area. Hayden's military service only concluded in October. He still had to be under Edmund for another half a year.

Edmund silently looked at Hayden before turning around and leaving the cave. He had decided to write his application to transfer to civilian work.

Hayden stood rooted to the ground at a loss.

Fang Zhao sighed and patted Hayden's shoulder. "I know you didn't mean for this to happen."

Hayden felt that Fang Zhao was a really nice person. Despite being embarrassed live, Fang Zhao could still calmly console him.

"Don't worry about all the other stuff. Tell me more about the rocks' characteristics. How do you judge whether there would be ores here?" Fang Zhao asked Hayden.

Hayden was woken from his daze when asked about his expertise. He explained all he knew in detail, and as he talked, he demonstrated. Holding up the pickaxe, he chipped away at the rock, combining theory and practice, he chipped off a piece of ore around 20 centimeters in length. He continued digging and excavated another large piece of ore the size of half an arm. He was actually just randomly mining yielded large ones.

Hayden: "..." It's really not deliberate!!

Afraid that Fang Zhao would get the wrong idea, Hayden immediately tried to explain.

Fang Zhao did not get angry over this matter. He knew that Hayden had not deceived him. He could only blame his own luck for not mining a decent-sized ore. Everyone would have reckoned this was the case.

Fang Zhao laughed as he thought about it. All along people had said that his luck was good. This time, it was rare for him to be so unlucky.

"It's all right, go on," Fang Zhao replied.

Hayden breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Fang Zhao was not angry. He told Fang Zhao about all his experiences and everything he had learned in his half a year here, hoping that Fang Zhao would mine a larger ore next time. This way, Edmund and the other high-ranking officers would not hold him responsible.

And as he was explaining, he pried off another power ore the size of an arm. This was the largest ore mined over the past 10 days!

According to customary practice, rewards were given for mining a large piece of power ore. At any other time, Hayden would have been shouting in delight and showing off inside the mine, but today, he couldn't even bring himself to be happy.

This piece of rock had appeared at the wrong time.

Hayden was exhausted. He leaned against the rock wall and squatted down. If during the live broadcast Fang Zhao had mined such a large piece of power ore, everyone would surely have cheered and they would have received some rewards, but during the live broadcast, Fang Zhao had mined thrice, but it had all been unsatisfactory.

"We don't have to send back this part, right?" Kevin Lin asked Fang Zhao in a low voice.

After switching to film mode, the video captured saw Hayden randomly mine such a large ore. If it was sent back for audiences to see, it would further prove that Fang Zhao was useless.

Fang Zhao would not be affected by such a trivial matter. "Send it. Send it back and let everyone know that planet Baiji has plenty of power ores, and that it's worth investing in."

A dejected Hayden, who was squatting down, heard this and looked toward Fang Zhao gratefully.

Baiji's top brass's biggest desire was to attract investors. Fang Zhao was willing to bear the negative image and let the video be released. He was willing to let planet Baiji shed the tag of "barren place," and Hayden was really thankful for that.

Hayden sincerely exclaimed, "Thank you! You can surely mine a large ore too!"

Fang Zhao laughed. "Right, I think so too."

Chapter 193: Grade A Power

To prove that he wasn't lying, Hayden went out of his way to invite a few veteran miners to join them. When they instructed Fang Zhao on how to determine mineral quality, they were able to dig out large ores at will, but the spots they pointed out to Fang Zhao never yielded big pieces.

The miners turned beet red. They wanted to explain themselves, but they didn't know how. They finally knew how Hayden had felt.

Standing to his side, Hayden couldn't help but tell Fang Zhao, "Your luck is... truly terrible."

Even Kevin Lin, who had been observing the process all along, shook his head in resignation. He was angry and amused at the same time. Fang Zhao's luck was so bad that he didn't know what to say.

Now Hayden and the veteran miners didn't dare suggest spots for Fang Zhao any more. After passing on their knowledge, they shut up and stood to one side.

"Really, as long as you remember what we taught you, you'll definitely be able to dig out a bigger piece of ore than Andre on S3," Hayden reassured Fang Zhao.

But Fang Zhao wasn't as devastated as the others thought he was. All he did was study the wall in front of him carefully. He was surrounded by other miners who were digging. The ore they dug out and rock debris kept being shipped out via conveyor belt.

Fang Zhao kept inspecting the wall and replaying the excavation strategies Hayden and the old miners had taught him in his head. He also had a very special feeling.

Mines generated strange energy fields. Ordinary people who spent significant amounts of time in mines typically suffered physically. That was why miners wore protective clothing. After all, they spent most of their days inside the mine.

Many types of excavation machinery didn't function properly in the mines, likely due to these invisible energy fields. This phenomenon occured in 90 percent of mines. There were excavation devices resistant to the energy fields, but they were too expensive. Maintenance was also costly. Places that were ranked on the bottom end of the development order drafted by the global alliance, like Baiji, would never deploy those types of machines. Also, the conscription system provided plenty of manual labor. They didn't need the machines.

Fang Zhao had read a few books about power ores. The discovery of power ores had marked a quantum leap in technological development. It had ushered in the era of immigration to foreign planets and the beginning of space exploration.

Every power ore released an energy field. The strength of the energy field depended on the quality and size of the ore.

Despite wearing protective clothing, Fang Zhao could still feel the invisible energy fields that surrounded him. This was something the others couldn't detect.

A normal person shouldn't have been able to feel the energy field so acutely while wearing protective clothing under regular circumstances. That was what the professional manuals said. But a select few were able to feel instinctively what regular people couldn't, even if they were sealed in a room insulated from all energy fields.

Fang Zhao analyzed his own circumstances. He was a bit different from those "select few" as well. Those folks had a vague sense of the presence of energy fields, but Fang Zhao could feel them clearly—and the more he tuned into them, the more he could distinguish the individual fields and their respective size and strength. The energy fields indicated the size of the power ores and their distance.

Hayden and company watched Fang Zhao pause at a spot, examine the mineral quality, and nod to himself. This minor celebrity seemed a quick learner. The spot he had picked looked like a likely source of large power ores, but given his track record, they decided to shut up until Fang Zhao actually dug out something.

Fang Zhao started chiseling, Hayden and company craned their necks.

As pieces of rock debris dislodged, the wall revealed an edge whose texture stood out.

"Wait!"

"Hang on!"

Hayden and the others cautioned Fang Zhao, worried that he might chisel too hard.

Hayden rushed over to take a closer look. He excitedly declared, "Indeed, it's an ore! Check out its edge. It's definitely not a small rock. It's gotta be a big one!"

"Really? Let me take a look." The veteran miners rushed over as well.

The miners were even more excited than Fang Zhao.

"Indeed!"

The miners surrounded Fang Zhao and offered up instructions. "It's probably a big piece. Dig it out quickly. Use some finesse and take your time. One bit at a time. It's OK if you take more time, but you have to make sure it's intact. If it's broken up, that will affect its pricing."

Five minutes later, a power ore nearly 20 centimeters long and about as thick as the size of a human wrist was dislodged. It came with useless gangue that obscured the actual ore, but all the excavated ore would be sent to a central location and processed together. The miners didn't have to clean it up.

One of the veteran miners inspected the ore and nodded his head in approval. "Indeed, it's intact."

"Hey, we finally dug out a big one!"

Hayden and company finally breathed a sigh of relief now that this minor celebrity had finally landed a big piece of ore.

"Let me take a look." A curious Kevin Lin picked up the ore and started playing around with it. It was a bit heavy. It took some effort to hold it with one hand. "Not bad, not bad. It's just a bit smaller than the one Andre dug out. Let's press forward. Who knows, maybe we'll dig out a bigger one that will break his record," Kevin Lin said as he returned the rock to Fang Zhao.

"Hurry up and mark it. This will count as part of your service record," Hayden urged.

Every miner marked every ore they excavated with a custom-made spray-paint gun. The number would be automatically scanned when it was stored so a tally could be kept for each miner.

Fang Zhao pulled out a small spray-paint gun from his pocket and branded the rock he had just dislodged. The imprint he left was his army serial number.

Fang Zhao was just about to place the rock on the conveyer belt after marking it when he heard Kevin Lin blurt out, "Wait! What's the hurry? Let's take a picture. This is the first big piece you have dug out so far. Come on, strike a pose. Don't be serious all the time. Smile."

After taking the picture, Kevin Lin instructed Fang Zhao to set the rock aside first. He wanted to accumulate a few more rocks so they could take another photo.

Fang Zhao was a different person after digging out the first rock. He followed up with three large ores, each larger than the other. The fourth piece stood out in particular. It was clearly larger than the one featured on S3.

"That's a shame. If only you had excavated such a big piece on your first try during the live broadcast." Kevin Lin knew that even if Fang Zhao dug out a bigger rock now, it wouldn't make a big splash unless it was a superbig piece.

But if they could shed Fang Zhao's image as the worst miner of the five, another live broadcast was worth a shot.

Seeing that Fang Zhao was on a roll, Kevin Lin and Fang Zhao decided to go live again.

"We'll be fine as long as you keep up your momentum. Hold on. Hayden, can you gather the four pieces that Fang Zhao dug out already? I'll do a close-up."

Fans scrambled to tune in when they saw that S5 had gone live again.

"Fang Zhao's going live again?"

"Did he finally dig out a big ore?"

"That must be the case. Otherwise they wouldn't go live."

The first shot after the live broadcast resumed was the four rocks that Fang Zhao had dug out.

"Wow, those are mighty big pieces!"

"They're bigger than the one Andre dug out."

"So they staged four pieces and said he dug them out, but who knows? Maybe someone else did the work and is letting him take credit."

"The ores are marked."

"Just because they are marked doesn't mean that he dug them out."

As far as the viewers were concerned, ores that weren't dug out live didn't count.

"Look, he's about to dig again."

"Ha—he actually had the gumption to go live. It must be because someone scouted a prime location for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he digs out a giant rock."

Meanwhile, Kevin Lin was manning the camera in the mine. He was quite nervous. Finishing with such a meager pile wouldn't fly on the first day of their mining broadcast. Having seen Fang Zhao dig out four ores in a row, he didn't want to give up just yet.

Hayden and the veteran miners were also watching nervously. Their gazes were glued to Fang Zhao as they gauged the mineral quality of the wall where Fang Zhao was digging.

Fang Zhao paced for a bit and stopped.

The veteran miners frowned. They thought Fang Zhao had picked a spot five meters ahead. Judging from the mineral quality, it was a likely source of big ores, but Fang Zhao checked out the spot and came back.

"The mineral quality there... doesn't look like it will yield big ores."

"It's not too bad. Maybe there will be a few small pieces, definitely not a big piece," one of the miners mumbled.

Kevin Lin hesitated before deciding not to speak. He heard what the veteran miner had said and knew the comment was intended for him, but considering that the miners were a poorer judge of mineral quality than Fang Zhao, he decided to believe Fang Zhao for now. He didn't end the live broadcast or interrupt Fang Zhao.

The miners exchanged glances and let out an imaginary sigh. Forget it. If they won't accept the favor, there is no point in saying any more. They had said what they could. If Fang Zhao came up empty during the live broadcast again, they had an excuse when they briefed their superiors.

Ding!

It was the sound of striking gold. An experienced miner could tell from the sound alone whether any ore was present.

The miners wore an expression of disbelief.

The camera zoomed in as Fang Zhao dislodged a large rock from the wall.

There was no sign of power ore, not even an inkling. The mineral quality in the spot was different from what the regular miners preferred. When experienced miners came across a similar spot, it was as if they had dodged a landmine. They would mark the location and steer clear of it.

Embarrassment all around again.

Kevin Lin didn't know what to think. Does this kid have bad live TV karma? Lord knows how many viewers are cracking up right now.

But standing before the camera, Fang Zhao didn't avoid the spot because of the apparently poor mineral quality. Instead, he wiped the opening a few times.

A few small pieces of debris fell off, and Fang Zhao saw a small corner exposed.

Fang Zhao decided to stick with that spot, as he felt the energy field increase in strength. The energy field was the strongest there and the closest, even though the mineral quality seemed suspect.

The veteran miners approached to take a closer look. They thought it was gangue again but didn't speak up. Gangue was useless. If Fang Zhao dug out gangue again during a live broadcast, it would be a bit embarrassing to bring it up.

Fang Zhao picked up his pickaxe and chiseled away again, digging out the small piece and chipping away the clutter around it before examining it up close with a flashlight.

The irregularly shaped rock was about the size of half a pinky finger. It had a bright metallic texture but it looked a bit different from ordinary metal.

"What kind of mineral is this?" Fang Zhao asked.

One of the veteran miners shook his head. "Metallic mineral? But it doesn't look like it." He had never seen this type of mineral before.

"Use the device in your waist pocket to find out. It can analyze mineral quality," Hayden reminded Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao removed a palm-sized device from his pocket. He opened the lid of the device to reveal a small cavity.

The size of the hole was big enough to contain the small rock that Fang Zhao had dug out, so he didn't chip at it again.

When he saw Fang Zhao press the "test" button, Hayden blurted out, "No, you haven't switched modes yet. The default mode is energy detection, not mineral content analysis."

Before Hayden finished his sentence, he could hear the device beep. This was the sound the device made when it was analyzing the quality of an energy ore. The beeping was accompanied by a bar on the tiny screen on top of the device.

The surrounding crowd went silent as their eyes became fixated on the small display.

The beeping increased in frequency, as did the surrounding heartbeats.

Power ores of the same size were classified into several grades based on the amount of the energy they could supply, in accordance to a classification system devised by the Academy of Science. Most power ores excavated on Baiji in the past had been ranked grade A− or below. Samples collected from various locations had never been rated higher than A−, but now, with Hayden and the veteran miners watching on, the barometer on the screen exceeded the A− mark and kept going.

As the onlookers held their breath, the beeping of the device became even crisper.

As the barometer finally stopped at "A," the beeping halted as well, signaling the end of the test.

The miners working nearby had long dropped their tasks on hand. They were quite familiar with the beeping sound of the mineral analysis device and its rhythm. They could tell from the pace of its beeping what kind of rock the device was examining. The beeping they had just heard was much faster than what they were accustomed to.

What did this mean?

__________

Edmund sat on top of a hill near the mine, frowning and absorbed in deep thought.

Hayden, the "temp," wasn't experienced enough. That was why the base leadership had assigned scouting duties to several experienced veteran miners as well. That was also why everyone had been so confident. A whole team of veteran miners had all thought the spot would yield big pieces of power ore, so he had believed it too.

But could you blame Fang Zhao for failing to land any big rocks?

Edmund knew that even if that was what he thought, even if he believed that Fang Zhao's luck was the problem, the base leadership would only accuse lowly staffers like Hayden and company of lack of effort, inexperience, incompetence, and poor judgment. It would not be PC to accuse Fang Zhao just yet. Otherwise he would quit or stop his fundraising efforts. The base would be in an even tougher spot.

"Sigh!"

Edmund sat on a piece of rock and gazed at the sky. I really wanna transfer into a civilian post. I can't stay here any longer.

Apart from that…

His head drooped. Edmund glanced at the document he was writing. Two hours had only yielded 27 words. There was an unspoken rule that officers of his rank had to churn out at least 10,000 words in their applications for a civilian post.

He excelled at leading a platoon and wiping out the enemy, and he was a competent miner, but when it came to paperwork... that was a major headache.

After building the mood for an hour, recalling countless battles big and small and his achievements since arriving on Baiji base, Edmund was about to pour his heart into some 800 or 1,000 words when he heard a strange piercing yell.

It sounded like the painful, frantic yelp of someone under threat after enduring a major shock. "Boss!"

The sudden yelp interrupted Edmund's mood and sent his hand shaking. He accidentally deleted the 27 words he had eked out after two hours of labored brainstorming.

So be it if he had deleted his work. It was only 27 words, and his lost work could be restored, but the mood he had worked so hard to cultivate had been eviscerated by the strange yell.

Edmund sat there, his demeanor resembling a furious beast. His eyes were bloodshot, and every hair on his body perked up.

But even an Edmund in that kind of state didn't scare off an emotional Hayden, who only calmed down slightly when Edmund grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

Hayden glanced at the ballistic Edmund, his teeth clattering. "B-b-b-boss?"

Edmund's facial muscles twitched as he struggled to contain his anger. However, he knew Hayden wouldn't have abruptly interrupted him if it wasn't something urgent.

"Something go down with our little celebrity?" That was the only reason Edmund could think of. Celebrities were a major hassle.

"Yes, something went down." Hayden nodded with a blank look before recovering his senses. "No, no. Boss, the minor celebrity dug out a grade A power ore."

Edmund released Hayden from his grip. "Oh, heaven's sake. It's just a…"

Hayden had just landed on his feet and had barely recovered his breath when Edmund grabbed his collar and lifted him up again.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" The question came out in bits and pieces, like squeezing a nearly empty tube of toothpaste.

"I said that… that minor celebrity… He dug out a piece of… grade A…"

"Grade A? Are you sure it's grade A?" Edmund's high-pitched voice was shaking toward the end of the question. "Not A−? It's a full-on A?"

"That's what the testing device said," Hayden responded.

Bang!

Hayden finally landed on his feet again and was desperately catching his breath.

Nearby, Edmund took deep breaths, his nostrils looking like they were spewing fire.

Taking in Edmund's reaction, Hayden could empathize with how his boss was feeling.

The development order of the various foreign planets devised by the global alliance was based on the grade of the energy ores they produced. The higher quality its power ore, the higher a planet's military base was ranked and the more resources it would be allocated.

Baiji had quite a low ranking. At their current pace of development, Baiji might not meet the requirements for mass human migration some 100 years later. Edmund wouldn't gain much from staying on Baiji. That was why he wanted to switch to a civilian gig.

But if Baiji produced grade A power ores, and a significant number of them at that, then Baiji's ranking within the global alliance's development order would take a major leap.

Edmund took a deep breath and charged toward the mine where Fang Zhao was working. There were two things he needed to ascertain immediately: first, that the power ore was definitely grade A, and second, how many similar rocks could be excavated.

As for his transfer application? Tsk, who cared?

Chapter 194: I Have Good Hearing

Edmund frantically ran into the mining tunnel. Watching the senior officer behave this way, soldiers stationed at the mining site thought that something big had happened inside the mining tunnel, perhaps a dangerous organism being unearthed, but when they had time to think it through, that did not seem possible. If a dangerous organism had been dug out, the warning alarms would have sounded, but right now, there were no sirens at all.

But if that was not the case, what else could it be?

The mining site's soldiers considered numerous possibilities, but since the senior officer had given them new instructions, they could not make any unnecessary movements and had to continue standing guard at their posts.

Edmund had never felt his heart beat so quickly in his whole life. His blood was pumping so quickly he felt like he was losing control of his body.

Inside the mining tunnel, after he had seen the displayed readings on the instrument, Kevin Lin had filmed the readings from a distance and then decisively cut the live broadcast signal!

Finding a grade A power ore on such a remote planet far back on the development sequence, Kevin Lin very clearly knew what that forebode, but until it was officially confirmed, he did not intend to broadcast it live. At this sort of time, it was best to stay calm. Otherwise, a little carelessness and they could end up with egg on their face.

Switching over to film mode, Kevin Lin could not help but carefully picked up the ore that Fang Zhao had just excavated. After that, he struck a few poses and took a few photos from angles he felt were best.

"Hey, Fang Zhao. There is still something missing on it," Kevin Lin exclaimed. "You haven't made a mark on this piece of ore."

Kevin Lin was only satisfied after Fang Zhao had used a spray gun and marked out the serial number. Picking it up, he continued to take selfies and let the camera take clear photos of the serial number.

Edmund strode over. "Where is it!" He scanned around as if he was using radar before fixing his gaze on the small ore that Kevin Lin was holding.

Edmund took the ore from Kevin Lin's hands. "This is it?"

This piece of ore was indeed too small. It seemed especially delicate in Kevin Lin's palm. But all those lower grade power ores had no chance of comparing with it.

Edmund trembled slightly, as if afraid that his coarse hands would tarnish it. He carefully tilted his hand to let the small piece of ore roll around in his palms as he fervently stared at the tiny rock.

Edmund looked toward the few old miners beside him. "Has it been confirmed?"

An old miner understood and replied, "We have all used our own instruments to appraise it. The machines should not have been faulty. We even readjusted the instruments once more and even cross-referenced it to other ores. The result is... undeniable."

Undeniable!

The word echoed nonstop in Edmund's head like the roaring of thunder.

Being prudent, or perhaps unwilling to believe this extraordinary occurrence unless he saw it with his own two eyes, Edmund got everyone to take out their instruments, and he personally appraised it.

Watching the reading on the instrument rise to grade "A," Edmund relaxed a little. Following that, he used his comms device to contact the base's commanding officer, Shanta. After he had briefly explained the matter, he turned to the soldiers stationed at the mine and issued new commands. "From now on, the entire planet is on high alert! Outposts scattered everywhere have raised their vigilance, and more people will be immediately dispatched to the mining area!"

Planet Baiji base.

A few conscripts that were staying in base due to injuries or for other reasons watched as many soldiers who were supposedly off-duty fully suited up and boarded a flying transport.

Not just that, the laboratory also dispatched a flying transport and a cargo transport. Inside were the base laboratory's engineers and scientists.

The entire base's atmosphere seemed a little strangled. This made those conscripts staying back feel curious.

"What happened?"

"Given the direction, they are probably headed toward the mining area."

"Something happened in the mines?"

"Today is Fang Zhao's first official day of military service, right? I heard he was posted to the mining site."

"Then it's highly likely that something happened there. Otherwise, the base would not have so much activity."

Online.

Many people had witnessed for themselves how Fang Zhao had excavated that tiny piece of rock, watched as he had placed the rock in the appraisal instrument, and seen the reading rise to a grade "A." And at that point, the live broadcast signal had been cut!

After that, the internet had gone abuzz.

"The f*ck, grade A? Is it real or fake?"

"Probably real? Would they dare to fake this?"

"Forget about others, for power ore, they probably wouldn't dare to falsify it."

"Hard to say. No one knows for sure what happened. These days, all these variety programs love to deliberately mystify things to attract more viewers. They might do anything just to obtain viewers."

"But this isn't an ordinary variety program. Don't forget who proposed Project Starlight. Wouldn't they be afraid of the consequences if they tried to make a joke out of this?"

"Wait a while more. Whether it's the truth or not, there will surely be a follow up report."

At the same time, "First Frontline's" Press headquarters had become busy on all fronts. This was not just Project Starlight's program, it had already become a major event! They were frantically trying to contact Kevin Lin to verify the truth, but the communications could not get through.

"What lousy internet! Planet Baiji needs to upgrade its communications network!"

Not just the media, other parties had started move as well, especially those mining companies. At this time, they were even more anxious than others about verifying the authenticity. If it was true, they would seize the investment spots!

Planet Baiji!

Shanta had already rushed over to the mining area. En route, he had already received three communications from headquarters, but he had not received all the details yet, so he could not give a proper answer. Now he was also anxious to know the truth. If these people dared to have staged obtaining a grade A power ore, he would rather not have investments or donations. He would personally send these people to prison! Ever since the base's prison had been built, it had not yet received an inmate.

Kevin Lin was already standing outside the mining tunnel's entrance, controlling the camera to film the situation in the air.

A number of military flying transports and a cargo transport descended. Machinery and instruments were carried out. Anybody who was not in the know would think that these were preparations for a war.

The soldiers station at the mine saluted Shanta. "Commanding officer!" Although their faces were serious, they were all dying of curiosity inside. These people stationed at the mining site still did not know what was going on, but they knew it was something big.

Shanta and a few of the base's other high-ranking officers headed straight for the mining tunnel Fang Zhao was in. At the moment, Edmund and Fang Zhao were already waiting at the tunnel entrance.

As Shanta took large strides over, Edmund handed the ore and the instruments over to him.

Shanta held the tiny piece of ore for a bit before beckoning for the scientist to bring the equipment over. These machines brought from the lab were definitely more accurate than the instruments the military conscripts used.

Noticing the large "A" displayed on the equipment, Shanta's lips curled upward. he wanted to laugh heartily but managed to control his mood. It was not yet time to laugh his heart out. He did not want it all to be in vain.

Shanta sharply glanced at Fang Zhao. "You excavated it?" Although he had not seen the situation during the live broadcast, he had seen the video, but that segment had too many doubts.

Fang Zhao did not feel nervous under Shanta's gaze. "Yes. I initialed it."

Shanta stared at Fang Zhao for two more seconds, then turned toward an engineer. "Can we measure the amount?" What he really wanted to know now was how much grade A power ore there was here!

However, the engineers only gave a worried smile.

"It's a new element. The surveying equipment has not been upgraded in a long time. We will have to make adjustments; otherwise it will be very difficult to get an accurate reading. This type of ore is probably found deeper underground, and it is harder to make proper measurements. Just using the detectors at the base, even if we went one round around the planet, we might not necessarily get a proper reading."

Without any means to get a proper reading and with the ore being found deep underground, it was no wonder they had not been able to discover this. Only now that the mining tunnel was even deeper had they finally excavated one piece.

An Engineer asked, "Your base's equipment is lacking too much. How long has it been since it was upgraded?"

Shanta shrugged helplessly. "No choice. We are poor. Upgrading costs a lot too. Everyone knows Baiji's ranking on the development sequencing."

The engineers also knew Baiji's previous circumstances. Without saying anything else, they gathered together to first discuss how to upgrade the detector machine.

As they thought back to how Fang Zhao had excavated that piece of ore on the live broadcast...

Shanta asked Fang Zhao, "How did you know there was that sort of ore there?

Kevin Lin also looked toward Fang Zhao. He also wanted to know the answer. During the live broadcast, Fang Zhao's actions had seemed like he was certain there was something there. On what grounds had he been so sure?

Faced with so many pairs of eyes, Fang Zhao answered, "I am a composer. I can distinguish sounds slightly better than others. Many things have their own sounds, and I can hear them when using the tools to chisel at the wall. In simple terms, I have good hearing. I heard an unusual sound over there, so I decided to try digging."

He was not lying. Other than the energy field, it did indeed sound different, but normal people were not able to hear anything special. He could not reveal the matter with the energy field, but as for his hearing ability, this was all right to reveal. Previously, he had not known that this was a grade A power ore, so he had not taken it to heart, but after that, when he listened attentively in the mining tunnel, he could here a slightly special sound.

Shanta felt as if he had just heard a joke. "Are you saying that your hearing ability is even better than detecting equipment?"

So it was not sight that mattered for mining but rather hearing?

Who do you think you are?! The Diting 1 from mythical stories from the Old Era?

Nonsense!!

In any case, it doesn't feel reliable. Is this young fellow trying to dupe us?

Watching Fang Zhao coolly standing there with nary a look of guilt, Shanta hesitated.

Could it be that he could really hear the difference?

Shanta scanned Fang Zhao with a bizarre expression. "Since you can hear that piece, then can you listen some more and tell us where there is more of this sort of grade A power ore in the tunnel? This sort of genuine grade A ore, not like those we normally dig up."

The group of engineers that were discussing how to upgrade Baiji planet's outdated detector equipment all fell silent and looked toward Fang Zhao.

Under the gazes of everyone, Fang Zhao nodded his head. "Sure."

Kevin Lin had to interrupt. "Pardon me. May I ask whether I can turn on the live broadcast?" from Journey to the west

The Diting is an animal that served

Bodhisattva and, by pressing his ear to the earth, instantly perceived all
confidential details of all beings of all continents and thereby distinguished aurally the false from the
true.

Chapter 195: Entire Planet's Most Precious Ears

To live broadcast or not?

Shanta did not immediately give an answer. Instead, he pondered for two minutes before laughing. "I feel that this question would be better directed at Mr. Fang Zhao, don't you agree?"

Despite smiling, Shanta's penetrating gaze did not let up. He was not afraid to lose face on the live broadcast as long as they were able to excavate a grade A power ore. Face was not an issue, but if they were unable to excavate it...

Fang Zhao met Shanta's gaze straight on, then tilted his head toward Kevin Lin and said, "Turn it on."

"Really?" His question had just left his mouth, but Kevin Lin felt that his own question had been unnecessary. He then coughed out quietly, "When should we start?"

Shanta, Edmund, and the other high-ranking officers all looked to Fang Zhao. They also wished to know the answer.

"Do you need to make preparations? Feel free to let us know," Shanta said. For the sake of excavating grade A power ores, he was willing to offer assistance to Fang Zhao. Even if this young fellow took the opportunity to fish for benefits, he was willing to give them.

"No need. We can start right now. After digging, it'll be just in time for lunch." Fang Zhao turned around, picked up the pickaxe beside him, and walked into the tunnel. This time around, he no longer wore a helmet.

Fang Zhao's reaction caught Shanta unprepared. Shanta then asked, "Do you need us to do anything?"

"Maintain silence," Fang Zhao replied.

Shanta nodded his head and instructed a soldier beside him, "The others stay outside."

Hayden had decided to follow on inside but was obstructed. Not just him, even the other old miners were stuck outside. All of them were considered as "others."

Including Kevin Lin, two soldiers, two engineers, and the three high-ranking base officers, including Shanta, formed a party of eight and entered the tunnel.

Conscripts originally mining in the tunnel had already been cleared out. The conveyor belts transporting ore and waste material had also been stopped.

Work inside the other tunnels of the mining site had already ceased. All the other conscripts were already taking a break in their assigned areas. They did not know what had happened and could only gather and have muted discussions. They also did not dare to wander off. Soldiers standing guard in the area were all wielding guns. Half a year of military service life had told them that, in this place, it was best to follow the rules.

In their hearts, everyone was thinking the same thing: Something big definitely happened!

Online, god knew how many people were monitoring S5's latest news. The moment Kevin Lin had turned on his live broadcast mode, many people had switched over to watch. Whether they were bragging or chatting idly in whichever forum, the moment a live broadcast notification was received, they all flooded to channel S5's comments section.

"Finally the live broadcast has started again!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, tell me whether the situation where Fang Zhao excavated a grade A power ore is true or not."

"No media outlet has a definite answer... Channel S5, what are they doing?"

"Is this inside the tunnel? Is the person in front Fang Zhao? Why is he alone? Where are the rest?

"What is Fang Zhao going to do? Where is the grade A power ore? Is it real or fake?"

The camera followed behind Fang Zhao, and the lens focused on him. In the shot, only Fang Zhao was there. There was nobody or any activity around him.

Clang—

Clang—

Bang—

The sounds of successive pounding rang out.

Fang Zhao held the pickaxe and walked deeper into the tunnel. As he walked, he used the side edge of the pickaxe to knock against the uneven surface of the rock wall, creating a clanging and banging sound.

Online audiences were a little stunned.

"This pounding beat makes me feel like doing a little rap."

"No wonder he has a composing background. Even knocking against the rock wall can produce such feeling!"

"But why is he knocking against the wall?"

"I just want to know if he is alone over there?"

"The scene looks kinda suspicious. If this were in a movie, this would be the part full of suspense in a horror flick."

"Has channel 5 gone with a supernatural style?"

As though the discussions of the online audiences could be heard, the camera made a 180 degree turn, and the people following Fang Zhao appeared within the image.

Right at the front was Shanta. The general's star on his military uniform told the online viewers of his status.

"Dang! There are so many following behind him?"

"Look at the star. That is probably planet Baiji's commanding officer, Lieutenant General Shanta."

"So many people following behind Fang Zhao. What are they up to?"

"The ranks of those behind Shanta are also not low. The few highest-ranking officers of Baiji are all here."

"With the serious expressions on their faces, perhaps the grade A power ore is real?"

"Even if it is real, shouldn't they be digging? What are they following behind Fang Zhao for? Listening to his musical performance of knocking on a stone wall?"

None of the people shown on the live broadcast made a sound.

Kevin Lin could guess the doubts online viewers were having, but he did not explain. He was afraid Fang Zhao would not excavate a grade A power ore, and if he had explained to everyone beforehand, it would not turn out well.

As for the highest-ranking officer, Shanta, he was feeling a little absurd. Never had he expected that he would one day encounter such a situation. If Fang Zhao could not excavate a grade A power ore, many people would probably treat them as jokes, but for the sake of getting a quick answer, Shanta was willing to take this risk!

Is this little fellow really able to hear it? Shanta gazed at the figure walking slowly before him, trying to distinguish any sounds. He was unable to hear any difference.

Inside the tunnel.

With every knock on the rock wall, there were vibrations. Soundwaves dispersed outward, in the air, through the rock wall, and spread further out.

There was an echo within the tunnel, but under the special rhythm, it did not sound at all clamorous.

Fang Zhao continued on deeper into the tunnel. As there were no longer any other conscripts inside, the tunnel's lighting was much worse and it became dusky. In an environment where his sight was not as effective, his hearing was stimulated by the environment and became even more active.

Whatever noise there had been in the tunnel seemed to have settled. Only the sound of striking remained, one after another, as if it was an undulating rhythm, bringing about a hard-to-describe air of mystery.

For Edmund, this mining area was something he should have been very familiar with. However, at the moment, he felt as if this was his first time entering the tunnel. Everything had started to seem strange. There was a feeling of novelty, and his mood and thoughts seemed to be being pulled along to the sounds.

The striking frequency was changing. The tempo was no longer as it had been when entering the tunnel. The sounds that drifted into the ear seemed to have an elegant crispness and were deep and resounding. The resounding echoes as the sound bounced of the tunnel walls created a strange harmony.

It was obviously just a mining pickaxe striking against the rock wall, yet it felt like there was a percussion team putting on a performance behind the scenes.

As they continued deeper into the tunnel, the tempo of the striking increased. The sounds were not the slightest bit chaotic, and they maintained their original harmony, yet the pressure they produced gradually built up to seem stifling.

An air circulation system was installed in the tunnel, and there would not be a situation where there was a lack of oxygen, but now, everyone felt a little suffocated.

This form of listening seemed to put mental stress on their nerves.

With everyone in silence, only the sounds produced by the continuous striking added on to the building harmony, as if building up for an unseen battle, from the gentle probing at the start till the confrontation.

The striking rhythm was still picking up pace, and the tension seemed about to erupt. Behind him, Shanta was spirited and tensed up.

Kicking up a cloud of dust? Or was it the honest truth?

As he thought about it, Fang Zhao, who had always been in Shanta's sight, stopped in his tracks. Turning slightly to the side, his wrist flicked, bringing the sharp edge of the pickaxe to the front, and he faced the rock wall. Raising his arms, he brought the pickaxe down in a simple and agile downward arc.

Bang!

Chiseling without any hesitation, large and small pieces of rocks fell down in succession.

Shanta's whole body shook with excitement. Has it been dug out?

A few people strode forward and simultaneously took out flashlights.

In a split second, it seemed like a spotlight had been shined at the spot on the rock wall that had been chiseled, as if welcoming the debut of a dazzling superstar.

At the spot was something reflecting all the lights.

As the commanding officer of the base, Shanta's mood was in a jumble, and he could not speak very coherently. "...Is this it?"

"Should I dig it out?" Edmund asked.

"No, let me!" Shanta took a pickaxe that was handed over by one of the soldiers. Carefully, he starting chipping away at the spot, delicately chipping away at the rock supporting the little piece of mineral that was similar to what Fang Zhao had excavated a while back. However, after this piece was excavated, it was slightly bigger than the one Fang Zhao had excavated earlier.

Shanta gently picked up the newly mined ore and used the specialized instrument brought in by the engineers for appraising power ore.

The camera focused on the display screen of the instrument as the meter rose upward. As expected, only after it had risen above grade A did it stop.

Edmund looked at the instrument and then looked at Fang Zhao before muttering, "He really... really can hear it!"

Even though it felt outlandish, everything that had just happened in front of them clearly proved that what Fang Zhao had said was true!

Exactly what kind of ear was this, with the ability to precisely distinguish the sound of ores?

Could his hearing really be like the Diting from ancient myths?

Shanta's voice shook a little as he said, "How much of these sorts of ores are in this tunnel?" His gaze on Fang Zhao was no long as incisive as before. Now his expression was restrained ecstasy and gratefulness.

"There are still many. As the tunnel gets dug deeper, there will be more, but as for a concrete amount, that would require using the adjusted instruments to probe," Fang Zhao replied.

"Good! Hahahaha!" Shanta was no longer able to hold back any longer. Laughing heartily, he flashed Fang Zhao a thumbs up. "Fang Zhao, these two ears that can listen to the position of ores are absolutely... the entire planet's most precious ears!"

Chapter 196: Fang "Diting" Zhao

All viewers of channel S5 found it incredulous and hard to believe.

Being able to detect ore by hearing?

When even the majority of detection instruments could come into contact with magnetic and energy fields but not be able to accurately determine their position, how could this pair of ears locate the position of ore?

Was this even possible?!

If they had not seen this live broadcast for themselves, if not for the speaker being the planet Baiji's commanding officer, who held the rank of lieutenant general, the online audiences would have dismissed it and laughed sarcastically.

However, now, there was no reason not to believe it!

A moment after Shanta had just finished his sentence, many people received multiple push notifications one after another.

The notifications of news from subscribed e-magazines, informing subscribers that grade A power ore had really been found on planet Baiji!

It seemed like every news outlet was in a race, competing to see who could release the news fastest and attract more viewers.

Being Project Starlight's only official news outlet, First Frontline was really reaping in the benefits at the moment.

The first piece of news they released pertaining to planet Baiji's grade A power ore included many photos and video that had been captured by Kevin Lin inside the tunnel. A large portion of these had not been shown on the live broadcast. One of the photos had been taken after Fang Zhao had excavated the first piece of grade A power ore. In the photo, beside Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin were Hayden and a few old miners.

This piece of news gave a more detailed report on the finding of the ore. After it was released, almost immediately, other large media outlets cited it, just removing the headline and sending it out.

When Hayden found out about it, he was happy beyond measure. He had never imagined that a nobody like him would actually appear in news headlines in his lifetime. Although he'd only had a minor role, that was enough for him to brag for decades!

An hour after the live broadcast ended, the military deployed additional personnel to planet Baiji. The Academy of Science's HQ had also deployed a team to follow the military. According to a Frontline First leak, among those were seven veteran mining engineers.

Seven!

And engineers from the headquarters!

In the past, every year, the headquarters had only dispatched a young engineer to Baiji and other such planets that were near the back end of the development sequence. This was only so the personnel could gain experience and train at a basic level. Now they were sending seven veteran mining engineers right away. As for their purpose, even without saying anything, everyone knew.

And this was just a small portion that was leaked. Perhaps there were even more important personnel headed there.

Three hours after the live broadcast ended, channel S5's live broadcast turned on once again. This round, the broadcast time was much shorter, as it was mainly Shanta speaking. He told the audience that after the old detection instruments had undergone a series of adjustments and limited upgrading, they had been able to detect large amounts of grade A power ore. However, it might not necessarily be accurate, so they were required to wait for the specialized team dispatched from Academy of Science HQ as well as the latest models of detection equipment.

Upgrading planet Baiji's old equipment in those three hours had been really hard work. The figures were still not too precise. Luckily, there had already been two pieces of mined grade A power ore to provide data. This had let the engineers save quite some time in setting up the parameters. Otherwise, even if Shanta had pointed a gun at them, they would not necessarily have been able to complete it in such a short time.

During the live broadcast, Shanta seemed pleased, bewailing their poverty in an extravagant fashion.

"We are poor. Our detection instruments are old models that haven't been updated in a long time and are difficult to upgrade. We still don't have an instrument that can disregard the energy field and accurately detect the position of ores. As such, for now, we can only trouble Fang Zhao." Shanta also would not forget the outstanding service that Fang Zhao had offered. Beaming at the camera lens, he said, "Speaking of which, if Fang Zhao had not come over to planet Baiji for military service, we would not have discovered this new power ore so quickly."

Given the extent of the mining area, if they continued digging deeper, it was possible that, one day, the ore would be discovered by a random military conscript, but nobody could say for certain how long that would take.

Edmund, who had originally planned to transfer to civilian work, was rejoicing even more. Fortunately, Fang Zhao had arrived at planet Baiji for his military service this year. If there had been no Fang Zhao, he might have transferred straightaway. That cushy job would be better left for someone else.

Shanta had shown off rather excessively, but inside, he was deeply moved. Guarding this harsh land for all these years had not been easy at all!

The development sequence of planets were classified according to their power sources. Previous data had ranked them at the back of the development sequence.

Planet Baiji's position on the development sequence was too far behind. All these years, their facilities had not been able to keep up. Since planet Baiji had been first discovered by an exploratory spaceship, the detection instruments had been unable to discover the grade A power ore buried deep in the ground. After that, they had continued using these old instruments and so had not discover anything new, as before.

All these years, it was not that Shanta had had no plans to survey the planet again but that the equipment had been outdated and they had lacked the funding for upgrades. Numerous equipment requests submitted to the higher-ups had always been overruled. In addition, given that there had indeed been no big discoveries on planet Baiji all these years, he had no longer daydreamed and ran the place as simply and straightforwardly as possible.

Till now, there was only one planet that had grade A+ power ore. Furthermore, it was a planet still not suitable for habitation. On that planet was a sealed military base and an advanced laboratory, both of which were highly classified. Ordinary folks would simply not have any means of getting involved.

For grade A, there had already been three planets in the development sequence. One was unsuitable for human habitation, and the plan was to establish a military base and laboratory branch there. The other two planets were the focus of the immigration plan. Tourist districts had already been constructed on one of them. People from families with better conditions had already toured there.

There were seven planets with grade A− ore.

It might seem like a small number, but basically, almost all resources were allocated to the four planets right at the front of the development sequence. As for planets down the pecking order, it was up to their own capabilities to solicit military funds and resources. Those without much capability could only wait and hope till the day when planets at the forefront were almost fully developed and started accepting immigrants. Only then would the resources be allocated to the next in line. Planet Baiji had belonged to the tail end of the spectrum.

But now, everything was going to change.

Planet Baiji is going to be developed!

Planet Baiji's position in the development sequence is going to really shoot up!

These were the thoughts of everyone in the know.

Activity had already begun in mining companies and numerous investment firms.

Feeling regret?

Regret!

Regretting that they had not made a move first.

For instance, this was just like a poor and backward little hamlet going through a gorgeous transformation and turning into a nationally developed new district!

In the past, investment firms and mining companies had had an unwilling and uncharitable attitude even when others had begged on their doorstep. Now, even offering money bags might not even get them a taste of this.

A certain reviewer gave his thoughts: "A minor celebrity has triggered a violent storm."

However, online audiences did not agree with that statement.

"Minor celebrity? If you consider the amount of hot topics, Fang Zhao can no longer be considered a minor celebrity, right?"

"Indeed. Shanta said that Fang Zhao has the entire planet's most precious pair of ears. 'Entire planet' probably means Baiji? From what I see, how can it even be considered Baiji's most precious pair of ears? They are simply national treasures!"

In some notes left behind from people during the end of days, it was said that future generations shouldn't depend too much on machines. When a day came when machines no longer worked, and when the time came when the assumed omnipotent advanced technologies couldn't lift a finger against the miracles of nature, a person's own capabilities could be the difference between life and death.

Now, planet Baiji's situation had proven this point. Without Fang Zhao, planet Baiji's grade A power ore would not have seen the light of day so early!

"How much do you people reckon Fang Zhao's pair of ears is worth?"

"A while ago, there were people comparing Fang Zhao to the mythical 'diting' in ancient stories."

"Although it's not as exaggerated as those fables, it is indeed exceptional."

"Hahaha! I just saw a picture of Fang Zhao fused with a beast. I will send it to you guys so you can take a look."

Someone with itchy hands had painted a drawing of Fang Zhao. However, this time, he was no longer muscular. Now he did not even look human!

The curious online audiences clicked to view it. A tiger's head, a lion's tail, a dragon's body, a qilin's legs... ha! Wasn't this the mythical diting from ancient legends!

Below the drawing, the creator had left a remark: "Fang 'Diting' Zhao!"

Fang Zhao's "Diting" moniker, along with that drawing, was circulated in many forums.

This time, Silver Wing had not even acted yet when news of "Silver Wing Celebrity Fang Zhao Excavates a Grade A Power Ore" had spread all around the world.

As Zu Wen was browsing news online, he asked the others in the office, "Why is the commotion when Boss undergoes his military service even bigger than when he wasn't serving?"

Jinro and the others had just come out of their gaming studio. In their hearts, they thought, only Fang Zhao is able to create such a big commotion.

"This is only his first official day of military service. He still has a year to go. Do you think there will be anything else big happening in the future?" Schwarzer asked.

Jinro wanted to reply with "How could there be so many big occurrences," but as he was about to speak, he stopped.

The entire virtual projects department suddenly quieted down as everyone fell into a strange silence.

When everyone outside was making a big fuss, Fang Zhao received a real-time communication from Duan Qianji.

As of now, planet Baiji had relaxed the restrictions on real-time communications. As Fang Zhao had provided outstanding service this time, he had priority to use real-time communications.

Duan Qianji was clearly in a good mood in the video.

"A few old friends have contacted me. After you complete your military service, they wish to invite you to appear on their programs. Oh, there is also an invitation from Fiery Bird. Next year, they wish to invite you to shoot a commercial for their new model of earpieces."

People who were able to contact Duan Qianji directly were definitely not nobodies.

"Whether it is variety shows or invitations from large manufacturing firms, we can talk about it when you return. They have taken a fancy to your ears. Now, your ears are worth a lot. They promised that if you are willing, they will help you insure your ears for a considerable sum. They only hope that when the time comes, after your military service, you will consider them first." Duan Qianji spoke briefly about the matters of commercials. Following that, her smile faded and became slightly serious. "There is still one more thing."

Fang Zhao indicated that he was listening attentively. "Go on."

"In First Frontline's report, it said that there was a new element found in the grade A ore?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Mmhm."

"My main point is this. New elements need to be named. The Academy of Science HQ has a rule. The first person to discover an element has the naming rights. The HQ has already dispatched people over. I also do not know who they are or their character. When the time comes, you have to be vigilant and not be cheated. Make sure to keep the naming rights in your own grasp. If it is really impossible to do so, at least trade it for some benefits for yourself."

Chapter 197: Naming

Duan Qianji had just ended the video conference with Fang Zhao when she received a video call from her husband Hong Lou.

There was a trace of anxiousness in Hong Lou's voice. "How was it?"

"I have said all that had to be said," Duan Qianji replied.

"That means to say that you have not raised the matter with him?"

Duan Qianji sighed. "Now is not a suitable time to raise matters on your side. I know what sort of person Fang Zhao is. He actually understands a lot. This time, when I spoke to him, besides the stuff that I talked about, there were some hidden meanings that I'm sure he understood."

Hong Lou did not believe it. "Are you absolutely sure he understood? How old is he? There is a limit to what he can understand. If you don't raise it, how would he know? Can he understand the twists and turns here? Wife, how about you give him another call?"

Duan Qianji did not say anything. She just looked helplessly at Hong Lou.

Hong Lou sighed. "All right." He also knew that it was impossible. Duan Qianji surely had her own misgivings too. Although the whole world knew that Fang Zhao was signed to Silver Wing, they did not know that Fang Zhao's contract was different from other artists. At first, his contract as a composer had been more restrictive, but after he had developed, Duan Qianji had had no choice but to change the terms in his new contract.

Now, to her fullest extent, Duan Qianji was trying to keep him at Silver Wing. Duan Qianji had told Hong Lou before that Fang Zhao did not care much about wealth, but if you showed him sincerity, he would also return the good faith.

"Just wait, and we will know the answer," Duan Qianji said.

"Sigh, so anxious. Everyone has started to make their moves. Many of us at Yanzhou's military district wish to join the mix. The allure of planet Baiji is just too great now. You also know that bloke Shanta is refusing to acknowledge anyone. He even ignores higher-ranking personnel, let alone me who is ranked lower than him. He isn't even replying when I use my family connections."

Currently, Shanta had the entire planet under his control. Forcibly stepping in was difficult. Those people that had just been dispatched were connected to him. Shanta had kept himself hidden away well and had only appeared when this big fuss had started. He had endured so many years on planet Baiji and had reckoned there were no prospects for development. Now that a chance had come, Shanta would surely hold on to Baiji till death. No matter what benefits were thrown his way, he would not be removed.

There was a rumor in the military that Shanta would pick a few cooperative partners in each continent's military districts. That's why many parties were in an uproar. Hong Lou believed the saying that the pavilion closest to the water enjoyed moonlight first. Since Fang Zhao was an artist signed to his own wife's company, in times where Shanta was uncontactable, he could get information from Fang Zhao's side. However, Duan Qianji had preached patience, so all he could do was wait. He could only blame himself for not being close to Fang Zhao.

——

Shanta was pleased with himself. He was grateful to all the people who had neglected planet Baiji for so many years. The troops garrisoned at planet Baiji were all his people. Those that were coming later might not be considered trusted aides but were also on the same side. Now, all authority of speech in planet Baiji was his. If those old heads in the top brass wanted to forcibly remove him, he would never yield.

He had indeed decided to pick a few cooperative partners from each continent. In theory, it was picking out cooperative partners, but in reality, it was just pacifying all parties and stopping them from voicing dissent. The choices would not be made right away. He needed to arrange his own personnel first and maintain control over Baiji. Nobody else but him should even think about prying open the planet he defended!

And when Shanta bragged, he had the tendency to make others dislike him. In the next live broadcast, Shanta even said, "Really thankful that the two exploratory spaceships Arcturus and Formalhaut did not accept Fang Zhao's kindness."

Shanta had learned from Fang Zhao that when Fang Zhao had been submitting his applications, he had started by applying to the most difficult vocations. If Arcturus and Formalhaut had not rejected Fang Zhao's request, he would never have come to planet Baiji.

Conveniently, Shanta also flaunted about how he had rejoiced when he had received Fang Zhao's application. Otherwise, he would be included among the people that were regretting today.

As Shanta expected, after the Arcturus and Formalhaut received news about planet Baiji, they were incessantly regretful. Furthermore, watching Shanta's smug manner, the commanders aboard those two spaceships felt like throwing up blood.

Regrettable. Truly regrettable.

First was Project Starlight, followed by grade A power ore. How were they to have known that Fang Zhao, that little celebrity, could do so much?

Regret was not just limited to the commanders of those two spaceships. Other planets toward the tail end of the development sequence were also contemplating.

In the past, planet Baiji had been just like them, part of the "impoverished family," and planets that were even more "impoverished" than Baiji or were placed further behind on the development scale had witnessed planet Baiji's overnight change in fortunes. Now, all these bases had the same line of thought: Should we get Fang Zhao to come over and take a walk around?

After what had happened at Baiji, the Alliance government gave instructions. Professional teams would bring along the latest models of equipment to a few planets to see whether there were others in a similar situation as Baiji.

People unable to get a chance to invest in planet Baiji had their own plans. Even if the military did not have plans to assess, these people would create their own teams and rent apparatuses to make a gamble.

But nobody could know for sure. Power ores were a peculiar thing. Instruments and machinery might not necessarily detect them and could be deceived. Previously, detection instruments that made use of soundwaves had been unable to detect these ores, so nobody knew how Fang Zhao had managed to hear the position of the ore. Perhaps back then, those instruments had been outdated, or maybe there were other reasons.

However, in principle, Fang Zhao was under the care of planet Baiji during his military service. If Shanta did not approve of it, nobody else could have Fang Zhao.

On that day, when Fang Zhao returned to base, Shanta spoke to him in private and wanted to let his own medical team run a medical examination of Fang Zhao.

Shanta had received news that, among the research team on the verge of arriving, there were some whose objective was Fang Zhao's ears. Shanta had decided that, should his own medical team discover any peculiar features in Fang Zhao's ears, Shanta would help him cover them up. If the situation became complicated, Shanta could make Fang Zhao stay on planet Baiji on the grounds of protecting him.

Fang Zhao agreed to Shanta's suggestion of a medical examination.

However, Shanta found the medical results very unexpected. Other than his eighth cranial nerve being better developed than other people's, it seemed like there was nothing else strange or special.

First, smell. Second, vision. Third, eye movement. Fourth, eye muscle. Fifth, facial sensations. Sixth, outward gaze. Seventh, facial expressions. Eighth, hearing. Ninth, taste. The eighth cranial nerve was also the hearing nerve.

A doctor discovered that, at specific times—for example, when listening to particular sounds or music—Fang Zhao's nerves had a distinctly heightened awareness.

The doctor said that this might be related to Fang Zhao's profession.

Having obtained this result, Shanta could not tell whether to feel relaxed or sorry.

On the contrary, Fang Zhao did not find this unexpected. Back when he had realized he might be different from other people, he had examined himself. There had been a number of examination equipment back at home. He had not discovered anything too peculiar. In addition, he had gone for another medical examination before his military service had started. Other than having a slightly higher rating, there was nothing extraordinary.

"Fang Zhao, since this is the case, why don't you return to the base and rest first. Those people would be arriving soon. Do you know the matter about the naming rights of the new element?" Shanta asked.

"Yes."

"All right then. Go and think of a name."

Once the detectors were upgraded, there would not be a need to trouble Fang Zhao.

In the last 100 years, Fiery Bird's game consoles had already been developed to the 10th generation. For these sort of detectors, they had gone through close to a hundred iterations, almost one upgrade per year.

Anyone could see how much manpower and resources were put in given the fast-paced upgrades of these detector instruments.

——

When the dispatched troops and research team arrived at Baiji base, Fang Zhao was in his room writing song scores.

An old man with snow-white hair and kind eyes came looking for Fang Zhao. His name was Xike, a vice-president of the Academy of Science HQ. He came personally to invite Fang Zhao over to the laboratory to discuss the new ore.

There were more instruments and machinery in the experimental area. When Fang Zhao stepped into the ore analysis lab, he saw a few people wearing lab coats he had never seen before. Not all of them were mining engineers.

One person's gaze was fixated on the display screen of an instrument, and he was mumbling to himself.

He was watching it fanatically, as if it were his secret lover. "Beautiful, so fascinating!"

"Don't mind him. He is always like this when it comes to ore," Xike told Fang Zhao. On the display screen was a chart of the power ore's chemical breakdown. In it, a new element was shown, a metallic element previously thought to be impossible.

"Have there been a lot of new elements discovered since the New Era began?" Fang Zhao asked.

Xike laughed. "How could that be!"

As Fang Zhao did not understand this area, Xike patiently explained it to Fang Zhao. "Every time a new element is discovered, it brings about an enormous number of possible technological changes. But new elements are not so easy to discover. Ever since the Academy of Science was founded, some new elements have been synthetically created, though these new elements only have a code but no name." Xike pointed at the diagram displayed on the screen and told Fang Zhao, "Actually, this sort of element was synthesized in our institution in the past. However, it could only exist for a short time, and the difficulty of duplicating it was high. The experiment results were not recognized, so till now, it only has a code and has yet to get an official name."

In the New Era, humankind had discovered some new elements. Some had been discovered on other planets while exploring the cosmos, while others were man-made. And of new elements that were acknowledged, there were only two found on other planets. One was an element that existed in grade A+ power ores, and the other was the newly discovered element found in grade A ores. This was also the reason the Academy of Science had mobilized such a task force.

"It's appearance here could be due to a certain period in this planet's history. Perhaps, during that period, certain exceptional conditions that are beyond human technology caused it to be created, leading to the stable condition of this sort of chemical compound."

When Xike looked at the screen, his eyes seemed fanatical yet restrained, unlike those young scientists that were so caught up in their obsession.

Noticing Fang Zhao seemingly pondering something, Xike asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"Just had some inspiration, that's all," Fang Zhao replied.

Remembering Fang Zhao's profession, Xike chuckled. Smiling, he asked, "According to customary practice, the first discoverer gets the naming rights. Have you thought about what to name it?"

Xike thought to himself, If this young fellow suddenly decides to be immature and give a particular name full of "individuality," we will go all out to not permit it.

"I have already thought of it," Fang Zhao replied.

"Oh? That's good. Let's have a meeting to discuss."

Xike notified his team, and together with Fang Zhao, they had a two-hour-long meeting. Kevin Lin was not permitted to join the meeting and could only wait outside. After everything inside was settled, only then could he report the outcome.

Two hours later, Kevin Lin received the meeting's outcome.

The newly discovered ore would be called Baiji ore. As of now, it was only found on planet Baiji.

The new element was named Zhaoium and had the chemical symbol "Zh."

Chapter 198: Why Don't You Come Farming with Me

The discovery of a new chemical element that had something to with energy ore was bound to spark heated discussion in many fields.

Articles and pieces in the mainstream press on the naming of the new element listed about a dozen people with naming rights.

As the person who discovered the power ore, Fang Zhao had first naming rights and was ranked first. Members of the Academy of Science team that had just arrived on Baiji had made an offer to buy his naming rights, which Fang Zhao had rejected, but he had agreed to adding a list of advisors to the naming document. In accordance with Academy of Science guidelines, their personnel files would be marked with the honor of having contributed to the naming of the element "Zh."

Of course, given the amount of public scrutiny, it was hard to get away with landing naming contributor honors based on connections alone. In an age where information flowed freely and rapidly on the internet, even if that was what you wanted to attempt, you had to lay the proper groundwork. As such, the listed contributing namers mostly comprised genuine scientists, including the several lab technicians addicted to studying new elements Fang Zhao had met.

That was why Fang Zhao hadn't rejected the idea of contributing namers off-hand. He had already secured his interests as the first namer, not to mention that his discovery of a new power ore and a new element had been a stroke of luck. He'd had nothing to do with scientific research and hadn't produced any concrete results, so when it came to issues other than naming the new element, Fang Zhao decided to step aside and make way for the professionals.

Little was known about the new element. There was scarcely any information about Zh in existing literature. As researchers made more progress, the science textbooks would fill with more details, but that would come later. What the general public cared about more for now was Fang Zhao and the new power ore.

"If only I were as lucky as Fang Zhao, maybe I could become famous overnight."

"What you're lacking isn't luck but Fang Zhao's hearing."

"That is to say that the following line will be added to Fang Zhao's personnel file: discoverer of the Baiji power ore and namer of the 'Zh' element. Sounds pretty kick-ass."

"This is the first time I've seen a celebrity cause such an uproar while performing military service."

"If serving in the military generates this much buzz, then celebrities won't dodge the draft anymore. Typically, when they serve, they leverage their connections into a cushy assignment and disappear for a year. This is the first time a celebrity's service period has been so high profile from the very outset."

"That's because Fang Zhao was very lucky that his service period coincided with 'Project Starlight'."

"He was the first celebrity to broadcast live during his military service, the first celebrity to discover a new power ore on a live broadcast, and the first celebrity to discover a new element and name it."

"Speaking of which, will Fang Zhao keep broadcasting live from the mine?"

"Probably. He is still completing his military service, after all. He won't enjoy as much leeway as the other four celebrities."

People had to bust *ss during their service period. As a public figure, it was even harder to slack off. In any case, even if he played hooky in private, it was impossible for Fang Zhao to take things easy during his live broadcast every day.

Meanwhile, while everyone was busy discussing the new power ore, the new element, and related topics, Fang Zhao was holed up in his room, composing.

Every conscript on the base had been given three days off, although they had to remain on base. It was a rare extended vacation for the conscripts. Typically, the conscripts worked every day, unless there was harsh weather. Now, not only did they have a three-day vacation, the cafeteria was also serving better food.

Now that Baiji base was more bustling, losing some of its doom and gloom of the past, the conscripts felt quite proud. They felt they had bragging rights for when they went home after completing their military service. We served on Baiji, all right. Have you heard of Baiji? The one designated as a high-priority planet for development?

If they were assigned to the Baiji mining team after vacation, then they would have bragging rights for the rest of their lives.

Teams of career soldiers and professional experts had already been assigned to the mine. No one else would be included before the higher-ups decided on a mining plan. The conscripts were the least likely additions, as they hailed from a wide range of backgrounds; base command would definitely not let them butt in. They'd rather give all the conscripts time off. The base wasn't short on funds anymore. One word from Shanta and folks would be scrambling to wire money over. Such a prime investment opportunity might even set off quite a bit of feuding and bickering.

Fang Zhao was required to stay on base as well for the time being, even though he was the one who had discovered the Baiji power ore. Shanta had banned them from broadcasting live from the mine, which was now under curfew.

Still, Shanta had extended many privileges to this key figure. Fang Zhao was allowed to roam around in many parts of the base, but he didn't wander much, instead spending most of his time composing in his dorm room. The process of discovering the Baiji power ore had given him a great deal of inspiration.

Old habits die hard. This was how Fang Zhao had survived the Period of Destruction. Back then, it hadn't been realistic to carry a notebook on him at all times, so he had simply remembered all his ideas.

Not far away, Kevin Lin was listening to music while fidgeting with his feet. He was feeling cocky. His boss had already promised that he would be rewarded handsomely when he returned to Yanzhou. Besides a cash bonus, he would also enjoy many other perks.

But Kevin Lin's mood soured when he thought of the several reporters for the military publication that had arrived on Baiji with the new batch of soldiers. They enjoyed better access than he did. Journalists like him were part military, part paparazzi, while the new arrivals were full-fledged soldiers and were trusted by Shanta and his staff. He could predict now that any scoops about the Baiji power ore and the new element from now on would definitely come from them. Meanwhile, Kevin Lin would be left with scraps that the military reporters intentionally passed on.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't upset. Kevin Lin felt that he was at a major disadvantage. He had tried persuading Fang Zhao to lobby Shanta for more access, but unfortunately, Fang Zhao had ignored him.

Kevin Lin snickered when he saw Fang Zhao sitting in front of his desk in a daze. Kevin Lin couldn't figure out what was going on in that kid's head all day.

Not that he was a snob, but Kevin Lin had indeed looked down on Fang Zhao in the past, dismissing him as a young starlet who was mildly popular. He was nothing in the eyes of a seasoned journalist who had interviewed many big stars and government and military officials. Even Fang Zhao's looks irked Kevin Lin.

If you weren't good-looking enough, you could make it up with a cool haircut, yet Fang Zhao was a conscript, and conscripts were forced to get the standard crew cut. His hair had been trimmed down to the required length by a designated barber after he had arrived on base. Even though he had nice features and was far from ugly, his looks weren't as refined compared to the other four celebrities, and in addition to being good-looking, the other four had dedicated hairstylists who changed their hairdos every day. Thus, their ability to attract fans was formidable. Not to mention that the other celebs all had considerable track records built up over the years on top of their good looks. Their popularity was established. By contrast, it was understandable why folks didn't see much promise in Fang Zhao.

Kevin Lin had never thought much of Fang Zhao either. Lo and behold, Fang Zhao had become a major sensation on the first day of his military service.

But after spending some time with Fang Zhao, Kevin Lin could tell he was different from other mainstream celebrities.

This was probably what folks called an artist's aura? Fang Zhao did look like an artist, somewhat.

Yet as far as the live broadcasts were concerned, Kevin Lin couldn't count on Fang Zhao. There was a big story all right, but how would he cover it from here on out? He had to brainstorm.

Should he try the lab on the base? If he couldn't get any updates from the mine, a few strands from the lab would do, but Kevin Lin shook his head and dismissed the idea quickly. Word had it that the labs studying the new power ore and the new element had already been upgraded to classified. It was unlikely he would get any access there.

Fang Zhao seemed to enjoy great renown as the person who had discovered and named the new element, but in reality, he had little say on Baiji, or perhaps none at all. These were all empty laurels.

"Oi, what can we do?" Kevin Lin sighed and glanced at Fang Zhao, who remained catatonic. He let out another sigh. Doesn't this kid understand the urgency of the situation?

A visitor interrupted Kevin Lin's moping.

"Prof. Fan?" Kevin Lin was caught off guard.

The visitor was a middle-aged man, someone from the Academy of Science headquarters who had arrived along with the fresh batch of soldiers. Kevin Lin had heard that Fan Lin was a botanist.

Fan Lin was in his 90s, only middle-aged by New Era standards, but he looked older than his contemporaries. He seemed to be aging prematurely.

Fan Lin was from Muzhou. He had been a key figure behind the improvement of Muzhou crops. Now he worked at the Huangzhou Academy of Science.

Fang Zhao had already put down his pen and gotten up. "Prof. Fan."

"Am I interrupting? So you're composing? Not bad, not bad!" Fan Lin had small eyes, so he winced whenever he smiled.

Some folks gave the impression that they were up to something when they winced, but when Fan Lin smiled, he gave a very friendly vibe.

Of course, the friendly act was just a facade. There were plenty of friendly people among the senior ranks of the Academy of Science HQ. All of them knew how to schmooze, but there was always a purpose behind their friendly demeanor, even if no harm was intended.

Fang Zhao poured a glass of water and handed it to Fan Lin. "You have something you want to discuss, esteemed guest?"

Even though Fang Zhao was older than Fan Lin in reality, his host body was in its early 20s. He had to extend the necessary niceties, not to mention that this was a scientist who had made major contributions to his field. Fang Zhao always held accomplished scientists like him in high regard.

Fan Lin sat down, accepted the glass of water, and took a long slip before asking, "You two have anything scheduled the next few days?"

Kevin Lin's heart leapt. He had been about to bail and give Fang Zhao and Fan Lin their privacy, but he halted when he heard this comment. Fan Lin had said "you two" and glanced at him. Fan Lin had no intention of kicking him out, so Kevin Lin reversed course and said, "No. We're banned from the mine. We were just brainstorming what to do for our next live broadcast."

"So I heard," Fan Lin responded with a nod.

Fang Zhao came in handy when the base didn't have the necessary equipment. Now, the most cutting-edge probes had been shipped over, and three upgraded versions at that. There was no use for Fang Zhao any more. Even if he was hailed as "Diting" or "godly ear," humans couldn't rival the efficiency of machines.

"They no longer need you to 'listen' in the mines anymore. You also won't be allowed to keep mining any time soon." A beaming Fan Lin looked at Fang Zhao. "Mining is very boring. I suggest you not waste your time there. Why don't you come farming with me?"

Kevin Lin: "..." As if farming is not boring.

Kevin Lin hesitated. Compared to exploring a new mine, farming wasn't exactly a crowd-pleaser.

Chapter 199: Purely Natural Energy-Saving Lamp

Fan Lin asked Fang Zhao, "Word is that you can hear sounds that normal people can't. Can you hear the sound of plants? The sound of flowers blooming, for example?"

Kevin Lin secretly cursed. So this old geezer is here to toy with us. The sound of flowers blooming? What bloody sound? What's wrong with his ears?

"I'm not that sensitive," Fang Zhao responded. "My hearing is just slightly better than the average person. Locating the power ore was just pure luck."

Fan Lin chuckled. "Luck is a form of competence." He didn't press further, instead switching gears. "You've never ventured beyond the base except for the mines, right?"

"Right." Security was tight. The miners were bused out together every day. They couldn't come and go as they pleased.

Fan Lin got up and waved at Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin. "Let's go. Let me show you some of the experimental fields."

Kevin Lin glanced at Fang Zhao and responded with a smile only when he saw his roommate nod. "We just happen to be free. Let's expand our horizons under your wise guidance. Can I start a live broadcast?"

"Of course. Shoot as much as you want. You can shoot freely when we get to the experimental fields too. I'll do my best to cooperate," Fan Lin said as he led the way.

Kevin Lin arched his eyebrows. Is this old geezer looking for free advertising? As far as he knew, most farming projects on foreign planets were related to food or medicine. Projects that were still in the experimental phase were normally kept secret. The fact that Fan Lin was letting them cover his project meant a product launch was imminent, or at least in the pipeline.

The thought of a new food or medical product launching on his home planet got Kevin Lin excited. This was no grade A power ore or a new element, but at least it was news.

"Prof. Fan, you have an ongoing experimental project here?" Kevin Lin was so excited that he asked a stupid question. Why else would this senior academic travel all the way to Baiji if he didn't have a project going on? He doesn't specialize in power ores.

"Yup. One of the lab technicians who arrived with you is attached to my project. Come to think of it, the project has been ongoing on Baiji for more than 30 years," Fan Lin responded.

Thirty years was long enough for an experiment to reach fruition, to reap the necessary technical know-how and complete risk assessment. A market launch was around the corner if there weren't any safety concerns to address. Kevin Lin got even more excited.

"Is it a food project? Or medical?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Both. It's a fruit with high medicinal value."

It wouldn't make sense to spend so much money, time, and manpower on an experimental plant on a foreign planet if it didn't have high medicinal value.

"We started with an experimental plot, but in the meantime, the plots on the base have been improved, so we'll start planting the fruit at scale here. If we're successful, maybe you'll see the first batch on store shelves by the time you go home next year." Fan Lin was beaming, his smile widening as he spoke.

"That's great timing. We can advertise the fruit for you first."

Fan Lin wasn't shy about his intentions. "Haha, I approached you guys exactly because of your exposure."

Muzhou was the major food producer on their home planet, but many of their crops were not local species—more than half had been mixed with DNA from foreign plants, through cross-breeding or genetic engineering. There were also species that didn't thrive on their home planet and were cultivated on foreign planets.

The crops that Fan Lin was growing on Baiji were genetically mixed—half of their DNA was from the home planet and half was from Baiji. It did not grow well on the home planet, only on Baiji.

Fan Lin led Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin to his lab to pack. Fan Lin's team had already started packing.

"Teacher, we're ready. We can give them a heads up," one of the lab technicians told Fan Lin.

Fan Lin inspected the gathered equipment and nodded. "Good. Contact the flying transport and get ready to head to the experimental plot."

"Oh, I almost forgot this." Fan Lin walked to a corner. "I almost forgot to bring you."

Fang Zhao glanced over and saw Fan Lin pick up a small water tank. In it was a white blob that resembled a rabbit, except it didn't have eyes, a nose, or any other facial features.

"Oh, is that a 'choppy hair'? Is it one of the bigger ones?" Kevin Lin was intrigued. The "choppy hair" he referred to was a type of pet sea slug. It looked like a white rabbit curled up together, its two "ears" floating about. The most common type of pet "choppy hair" was only about a finger's length long. The one in Fan Lin's water tank was the size of a human palm. If your hands were small, you wouldn't be able to cover it with one hand.

Sea slugs weren't well known in the Old Era, but they were quite common in the New Era.

Many organisms had gone extinct during the 100-year Period of Destruction, sea animals included, but lo and behold, this tiny organism that hadn't been on anyone's radar had proliferated in a major way during those 100 years. They had grown in size as well as numbers. Scientists who studied the Period of Destruction had hypothesized that the extinction of certain sea organisms had something to do with the rise of these small creatures.

They were a major force behind the curing of many major diseases left over from the Period of Destruction.

Sea slugs were the default lab animal for New Era scientists when it came to studying mutation and disease because they were abundant in number and could reproduce quickly. They were also a hot commodity. Many researchers bred pet sea slugs of all sizes, shapes, and colors on the side when they conducted their experiments.

Sea slugs were one of the most popular pets in the New Era. Kevin Lin had a few pet sea slugs at home. They were even better looking than the one before him.

New breeds that were quite big in size had also showed up on the market. They were no longer a rarity, but as far as choppy hairs were concerned, the blob before him was a bit large.

"Haha, this is not a purebred choppy hair." Fan Lin chuckled. "It has half Baiji DNA."

Fan Lin lifted his hand and tapped the water tank. "Don't fall asleep."

The sea slug's "ears" shivered, and its body started to glow.

"It's even brighter than a flashlight," Kevin Lin said.

"This is a purely natural energy-saving lamp," Fan Lin responded as he tossed a food capsule into the tank.

Fang Zhao watched the blob lying in the tank extend its body slowly, open its mouth, ingest the capsule, and curl up again.

"I get antsy watching it. It's so slow," Kevin Lin said. Compared to his pet sea slugs, this one was turtle-speed. But the advantage of the one before him was that it was a steady light source and was more practical.

"It's not very sensitive, because the little fella is resting. The water temperature is quite low, so it's not very active," Fan Lin said.

Kevin Lin was puzzled. "Why not warm it up?" The pet sea slugs he kept at home were a bundle of energy. He loved watching those beautiful sea creatures swimming in his large water tank.

Fan Lin pursed his lips. "It's a big eater."

This was a reason Kevin Lin couldn't argue against.

"We'll bring it so we have a light source in case the electricity supply at the experimental plot runs low."

When electric grids went down or were unable to power lighting equipment, or when someone was venturing into an area where electric lighting was impractical, these natural light sources that glowed but didn't heat up were a good alternative. As Fan Lin had put it, it was 100 percent natural, energy-saving, and easy to breed.

"Sounds like a great species. Why don't you guys breed some more? I'm sure they would sell well too," Kevin Lin said.

"I'm not an expert. From what the researchers who bred this one told me, they wanted to breed more too, but they ended up with only one in 30 years." Fan Lin turned to Fang Zhao and smiled. "It's even older than you are."

"It actually lived this long? I heard that pet sea slugs live for at most a few years, 10 years max. Their life expectancy was supposedly even shorter in the Old Era," Kevin Lin said. "Still, I'm a bit scared of animals with foreign planet DNA."

"You've watched too many sci-fi movies, haven't you?" Fan Lin gave Kevin Lin a sideways glance, paused, then handed the water tank to Fang Zhao instead. "Can you give me hand? Don't be scared. It's harmless."

Fang Zhao took the water tank and observed the "rabbit" as it seemed to go back to sleep.

Harmless?

Sea slugs had been able to multiply exponentially during the Period of Destruction. Even though they made for the most popular marine pets these days, you couldn't erase their track record of wanton killing in the ocean. Fang Zhao had once seen a group of sea slugs swallow a poisonous Portuguese man-of-war.

Whether the sea slug DNA descended from the Period of Destruction inside the blob before him was harmless—well, that depended on how it had been raised.

But for now, it was still harmless. The food it was fed by the lab technicians wasn't too substantial.

The experimental plot Fan Lin used was quite far from base, near Outpost No. 23. The research team set out for Outpost No. 23 with a military escort.

After everyone boarded and all the lab equipment was loaded, the flying transport took off for Outpost No. 23.

Kevin Lin wondered if Prof. Fan had been thinking of using them all along.

He wanted to discuss the upcoming live broadcast with Fang Zhao, but when he turned his head, he saw the composer teasing the blob in the water tank with feed.

Forget it. When it comes to the live broadcast, I have to count on myself, the professional journalist. I can't rely on Fang Zhao.

Chapter 200: Unpresentable

Planet Baiji's many outposts that were scattered across the planet formed an extensive monitoring system, capable of observing the entire planet's situation.

Although it was not perfect yet, once planet Baiji's position in the development sequence changed, Shanta would surely upgrade this monitoring system, perhaps by increasing the number of outposts or strengthening the construction of some outposts.

Yesterday, Fang Zhao had also heard that planet Baiji would start constructing a secondary base. In the past, they had been poor and did not have the means to construct one. Now, Shanta no longer needed to worry. The secondary base would definitely be on the agenda.

Among all these outposts, there were some that were used purely as sentries and nothing else, but there were also some outposts that incorporated research projects and experimental areas due to the geography and environment of their area. Outpost 23 was one such example. According to Fan Lin, there was an experimental plot, but this experimental plot was not known to the public. Therefore, other than Baiji's base personnel, the general public had absolutely no idea that these experimental plots existed.

Kevin Lin also knew that all this had been considered highly classified in the past. This time, the stuff in the experimental had borne results. According to Fan Lin, they were preparing to publicly announce it. Kevin Lin could count himself lucky for getting the chance to receive the news first.

Fang Zhao looked at Outpost 23 from the flying transport. In the past, Outpost 23 had probably been a thick jungle, but the area had been cleared to set up the outpost and the surroundings were all plots of land and defensive constructs.

As a whole, Outpost 23 looked like a miniature base. It was surrounded by tall fences and a defensive network at the top, separating the base from the dangers outside.

From the air, plots of land that were fenced in could clearly be seen. En route, although Fan Lin had talked about the experimental plot, Fang Zhao had assumed it was just a single small plot. After all, it was only an outpost, not a base. But from what he saw, Fan Lin had been modest.

Noticing Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin looking at the experimental plots below, a proud smile appeared on Fan Lin's face. He explained to them, "These experimental plots were created by clearing and cultivating the area in the last 30 years. The military expenses used for this were around a few hundred million."

Hearing this, they were speechless.

From what Kevin Lin knew, a few hundred million was already an extremely big investment. That much in the last 30 years meant that tens of millions had been invested every year. Given that planet Baiji used to be at the tail end of the development sequence, it was indeed a huge investment that was hard to come by. No wonder Baiji base personnel treated Fan Lin so well. Given that he had his own specialized team and flying transport, one look and they could tell it was not the first time.

But could there be any returns from throwing such large amounts of money here? Kevin Lin was doubtful.

On the contrary, Fan Lin was not at all worried about this. He had thrown all the research funding here and even coughed up quite a bit from his own pocket. Baiji base had only provided manpower, not money. He had also given the soldiers at the outpost who helped keep watch on the experimental plots some extra allowance. Of course, he was doing what he should. The outpost's soldiers were happy to earn some extra income, and this was all approved.

But as long as his items successfully hit the market, within three years, the investments could be recouped.

The flying transport arrived at Outpost 23 and began descending to the parking space.

When the cabin doors opened, Fang Zhao noticed a few people clad in full combat attire running over.

The leading person of the group got on the flying transport and enthusiastically instructed the other outpost soldiers to help shift the things. "Prof. Fan, you have arrived! This time around, lots of things have been brought over. Seems like you will be in for a long stay on planet Baiji this time." His eyes quickly scanned Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin.

"Not going out hunting today, Little Yan?" Fan Lin jested.

"Cough, according to what you said, we have stringent restrictions for when to head out hunting. Instructions from above say that we aren't allowed to hunt wantonly. Above three times and it is considered poaching. Also, we have a limit each time we hunt. Today we will just drink our nutritional dose."

Yan Biao felt a little gloomy. Why did professor Fan always pay attention to their hunts? Could it be he that he wanted to catch their shortcomings? Only once had they accidentally stepped on a few experimental sprouts, and he remembered it even now. Back then, it had been a younger scientist stationed here. In the end, that scientist had turned around and complained to Fan Lin who deducted some of their allowance. However, because Fan Lin's experimental program had brought about some benefits to their outpost, they had not bickered over it.

Fan Lin did not care about what Yan Biao was thinking. He introduced Yan Biao to Fang Zhao. "Little Fang, this is the outpost team leader, Captain Yan Biao. Little Yan, this is Fang Zhao, Project Starlight's representative and the one who discovered Baiji ore."

The words had just left Fan Lin's mouth when all the other outpost team members who had come on board stopped what they were doing and looked toward Fang Zhao, as if they were taking the measure of a rare creature.

Over at the outpost, their information was somewhat restricted. Other than orders from base, they were not able to hear any sounds from outside, let alone the situation online. Even when it came to Project Starlight, they only knew a little from the reports sent by their superiors. Every day, they could only view military news sent over by the base. They knew little about entertainment news and could only hear such things through word of mouth from the scientists here. However, a large portion of scientists did not pay attention to the entertainment circle. Even if a few certain popular stars stood in front of them, they would not recognize said stars.

Actually, Project Starlight did not affect the outpost's people much. Everyone knew that conscripts would surely be deployed at the base. Here, they just had to go about their daily routine. However, all this had changed with the discovery of Baiji ore.

Equipment at the outpost had been upgraded when the new batch of troops had arrived. Allocated supplies had also increased, and living conditions had improved a notch. How could they not know who this Fang Zhao person was?

Yan Biao became even more passionate and much more cordial than he treated Fan Lin. "Haha, it's an honor!"

"Hi, sorry bother you," Fang Zhao replied.

"No, no, you aren't a bother at all! Come to the outpost and take a rest first. Dezi, make some of... what's that fruit tea!?"

Although he viewed Fang Zhao even more highly, Yan Biao also did not forget about Fan Lin. "Prof. Fan, you head inside for a rest first as well. I will help you move all the stuff to the laboratory."

Fan Lin only shook his head, but he was not angry. "All right, you guys continue moving the stuff. Be careful not to knock it over. I will take a look at the laboratory first."

"Heh! Just relax!" Yan Biao cheerfully directed his underlings to move the stuff.

Kevin Lin drew close beside Fang Zhao and mumbled, "Do the people at the outpost seem a little different?"

Fang Zhao looked at the members of the outpost team and replied, "They seem fine."

Kevin Lin thought to himself: Fine, my *ss. Comparing them, the soldiers of the base were more proper. But thinking about it more, it made sense. Normally, there was no one managing the outpost. Here, Yan Biao was the highest ranked. From his boot-licking manner, it was obvious he wasn't a good person.

However, Kevin Lin kept all these thoughts to himself. He would not say anything. Speaking out would bring down his own moral character. He was only a reporter. If he had any opinions, he needed to bring out the facts first. Without any truth or evidence, he could only think it.

As they walked by the experimental plots, Kevin Lin glanced over at the side. "Prof. Fan, where do you grow the 'arrow sunflowers' that are about to hit the market? The two plots closest to the edge?" Besides the two plots closest to the edge that were filled with flowers of diverse colors, the other eight plots were all empty.

"Nope, it's the opposite actually. Rather than those two plots, the other eight are the ones," Fan Lin replied.

Kevin Lin looked at the experimental plots, then turned back in disbelief. "Didn't you say that they have already been planted for two months and you are just waiting for them to germinate? Those plots have nothing."

"That's right. Nothing on top doesn't mean that it hasn't developed below ground. Now we are just waiting for it to sprout. According to our underground monitor's figures, they should start sprouting tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I would not have brought you here," Fan Lin replied.

Kevin Lin stopped in his tracks. "What does that mean? Are we to stay here till tomorrow?"

Fan Lin had "How can you be so slow to realize that?" written all over his face. "That's right."

"You didn't say we would be spending the night here!"

"You did not ask either."

Kevin Lin: "..." This professor was even better at being a scoundrel than himself.

Fan Lin did not have plans to explain a great deal to Kevin Lin, and he took large strides toward the laboratory. Inside, there were other seeds that were being cultivated in culture media.

Fan Lin reacted as though he was meeting them after a long period of separation. "Heya, my little sproutlings~." His pitch became higher at the end of his sentence.

Kevin Lin rubbed away the goose pimples on his arms, inclined his head, and said to Fang Zhao, "Is there something wrong with this guy? A 100-plus-year-old person, yet his pitch sounds like a kid's, and even 'my little sproutlings'..."

However, Fan Lin's students were apparently used to Fan Lin's kiddish style and calmly installed equipment in the laboratory and gave reports on the figures.

Kevin Lin fell silent. What was up with this bunch of people? Weren't they prim and proper at the base? Could it be because they were not on their home planet and were far away from the base and without any supervision that the soldiers did not seem like soldiers and the professor did not seem like a professor?

Fang Zhao looked around the inside of the laboratory and then at Fan Lin, who was speaking to the small sprouts in the culture media. Laughing, he told Kevin Lin, "He might be old, but he is young at heart."

It sounded like Fang Zhao rather admired Fan Lin. It seemed like the 100-plus-year-old Fan Lin acted even younger than a 20-plus-year-old person.

As for Fan Lin duping them into staying overnight at the outpost, Fang Zhao had actually guessed it already. Looking at the water tank he was holding and noticing the "rabbit" starting to glow, Fang Zhao threw in another piece of food.

"Fang Zhao, you two, come over quick! Look, isn't this adorable?!" Fan Lin waved them over and impatiently picked up a small vial. Inside the culture medium was a green sprout with two leaves about a finger tall.

Kevin Lin: "...Hehe." I don't understand the tastes of you botanists.

Fan Lin carefully placed the vial back into the cultivation case, then turned to faced Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin. "Do you know when a plant is the most beautiful?"

"When it is most beautiful? Naturally, that is when it blooms," Kevin Lin replied.

Fan Lin laughed amiably, secretly feeling pleased at knowing the answer to this question. He had already prepared a bowl of "chicken soup" for the soul and loved to give youngsters this dose of "chicken soup."

Fan Lin glanced at Fang Zhao. "What about you, Little Fang?"

"When it germinates," Fang Zhao replied.

Fan Lin: "..."

This bowl of chicken soup for the soul could not be used any longer.

Chapter 201: Our Muzhou Blood

Fang Zhao had already said aloud the answer in Fan Lin's heart. Now, Fan Lin was no longer able to preach about it. However, he reacted quickly and did not show any awkwardness, instead just laughing heartily. "That's right! You think exactly the same as me. I most love watching them germinate. It is really vivacious, especially those arrow sunflowers. Tomorrow morning, you guys will be able to see it. However, before that..." Fan Lin made Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin follow them over to the experimental plots. "Don't you people want to livestream? We can start. Fang Zhao, there is some equipment for hammering the ground over on that side. We have to do some work on the land."

Kevin Lin stamped on the ground. The ground had been hammered before, and it was especially hard. It was difficult for Kevin Lin to imagine planting anything here. He found it hard to believe. "Is there really stuff planted underneath?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why would I have called you guys over? They have been planted for two months already. If it were other crops, the seeds might have rotted in the earth, but arrow sunflowers are different. Just wait and see, the monitored data underground is normal, and they will be able to germinate tomorrow. These two months, the seeds underground have already swelled up to many times their original size."

What was the best way to ensure a plant's growth? They had accumulated 30 years worth of experience growing arrow sunflowers. Till now, at this experimental plot, they had gone through over 20 generations of arrow sunflowers.

As Fan Lin explained to Kevin Lin about this hybrid species, Fang Zhao had already dragged a sledgehammer out from the case beside the experimental plot. It felt heavy in his hands, but just like the pickaxe in the mining tunnel, it had propulsion appliances installed on it. It might be slightly heavy, but once the appliances were enabled and the hammer was being used, it would get much easier.

Kevin Lin coordinated with Fang Zhao and turned on the live broadcast.

Kevin Lin had originally looked a little gloomy, but he put on a warm smile in a flash. "Greetings, everyone. The place I am at is the Academy of Science HQ's Professor Fan Lin's experimental plot on planet Baiji."

He gave a brief introduction of the surrounding terrain but did not mention which outpost it was, nor did he film anything else. All he filmed was the experimental plot's piece of land. Therefore, audiences did not know the location of this experimental plot on planet Baiji.

But online audiences' main focus was not on the outpost. As they watched the scene displayed, they felt puzzled.

"What is going to be broadcast today?"

"Why is it that all I see is a plot of flat land?"

"Don't tell me they are going to broadcast people eating soil?" someone joked.

"What can even grow in such hard ground? Do you think I have never planted flowers?"

"Fan Lin? That name sounds familiar."

"You don't say! Of course he is familiar. Every one of us in Muzhou knows him!"

Upon hearing the name "Fan Lin," audiences in Muzhou could not help but sit up straight and pay attention. Quick-witted people had already guessed that maybe some important new product was going to hit the markets.

In the live broadcast, Fan Lin introduced a new species that had been cultivated in his laboratory: the arrow sunflower.

"...This sort of herb has an annual life cycle. Thirty years ago, my laboratory had already bred it. Half of its genes are from our home planet and the other half from Baiji. In These 30 years, we have been experimenting and improving it."

Fan Lin also spoke about the benefits of this new species. It provided lots of multivitamins and could help in resisting illnesses. This species could be used as food in cooking, medicine, and even military affairs.

Many online audiences were skeptical.

"Is that true?"

"So many benefits?"

"He's bragging, right? Don't they just love to brag about their own stuff and, after that, suck money from consumers?"

"Nonsense. Take a look at who is talking! That is Fan Lin! Perhaps he might not be so reputable in other continents, but everybody in Muzhou knows him!"

In Muzhou, the name "Fan Lin" was a gold-plated signboard. The overwhelming majority of crops used by Muzhou farm owners all came from Fan Lin's laboratory. For example, a couple of years ago, there was a type of fruit that had become popular. When farm owners went to purchase seeds, they always looked at the laboratory that bred the seeds. There were certain names that nobody would doubt regarding safety issues, and Fan Lin's laboratory was one such name.

Someone made a list of various fruits, vegetables, grains, and food products that had been produced by Fan Lin's laboratory. Even without this list, just doing a search online would show how awesome Fan Lin's laboratory was.

However, although Fan Lin did not say much, those that understood could guess that once this product hit the markets, it would probably be a high-end one.

When others in the same industry as Fan Lin received the news, they immediately switched over to channel S5.

"Without saying anything, Fan Lin has actually gone to planet Baiji! Seems like it is indeed hallowed ground. The soil is definitely good, otherwise Fan Lin would not have even given it a glance."

"That means that Fan Lin had already invested in planet Baiji early on."

"30 years ago, planet Baiji's land was dirt cheap. I think a 100-year lease contract cost about 100,000?"

"Maybe 50,000 was enough. Renting the land then was just a steal. Now, if you don't have millions, you can forget about the idea. And even if you do, there are thorough investigations, and planet Baiji's side might not even approve of it."

In the past, getting a piece of land on Baiji to build a laboratory had been very easy. Baiji base would surely have given a lot of leeway as long as it was not overboard, as they had wanted to attract more people.

But now, applying for even a small plot of land was especially hard, and there was still the stingy Shanta there.

"Makes me green with envy!"

"His luck is really good. Straightaway applying for 100 years of usage rights. Now, only 30 years have passed. If we compare to the past, we would definitely be losing out, but if we want to apply for an experimental plot on planet Baiji, we still have to do it fast. If we wait till Baiji slowly becomes even more developed, at that time, even if we wish for it, it will be really hard to get land."

"Is that fella Fan Lin flaunting? With that much land, even if his research on Baiji concludes and he no longer cultivate crops there, when he leaves the place, he can also earn a huge sum."

Fan Lin's live broadcast this time around indeed gave rise to much envy, admiration, and hatred from others within the same industry. It also made many people think about staking a claim on planet Baiji.

To the contrary, Muzhou's other farm owners had started thinking how great it would be if they could grow this crop in Muzhou. Even if it could not be grown in Muzhou, the Muzhou people could take charge of exporting it. When it came to the processing of fruits, vegetables, and fresh produce, Muzhou was the best in the world, and they had many advantages.

As the agricultural continent, for all Muzhou farm owners, this had an even bigger appeal than the discovery of grade A power ore. After all, they relied on the land for agricultural produce to make a living.

Everyone could see that Fan Lin had borrowed channel S5 to make an early announcement of the new product his own laboratory had created.

In comparison, channel S5's resident celebrity Fang Zhao had even less presence than Kevin Lin. At least Kevin Lin was beside Fan Lin, controlling the filming, and he could ask Fan Lin some questions. Fang Zhao just silently stood to the side, hammering away and not interrupting.

Fan Lin walked around the plot and stopped. Stamping on the ground twice, he said, "Fang Zhao, here, this spot requires another two knocks."

Fang Zhao did not say much, just lifting the sledgehammer and hammering twice on the spot Fan Lin had pointed out.

"Here, here, gently! Hey, that's too gentle!"

Fan Lin directed Fang Zhao to hammer at different spots. Noticing his enthusiasm in directing Fang Zhao, Kevin Lin could not help but ask, "Aren't there machines to do this job?"

Although Kevin Lin wished to tell the audience during this broadcast that even if Fang Zhao was not mining in the tunnels, he was hammering the ground in the experimental plots and was not slacking off, he still raised questions that answered the doubts of the audience.

The reason why machines could not be used when mining was that many instruments would not be precise enough and were unusable. Therefore, manpower was needed. But why did the job of hammering the ground at the experimental plot require manpower to complete?

As for this question, Fan Lin did not avoid it. "Why use machines when there is manpower available?"

Kevin Lin: "..." Why do you sound so self-confident?!

Those not in the know would even think that Fan Lin was deliberately making things difficult for Fang Zhao.

"Do you know how much force seeds exert when they germinate?" Fan Lin suddenly asked.

Kevin Lin's mind stopped wandering and replied, "I read something related to this before. It said that when a seed germinates, it has the strength to split rocks."

"That saying is indeed correct. However, although it sounds strong, it is not something that can be done momentarily. It is a slow process. Arrow sunflowers are different, though. The process of their germination is compressed to within a very short period. During that brief moment, it produces an explosive force that is rather astonishing. Tomorrow at daybreak, you will get to see them germinate."

When he talked about results that he himself had so painstakingly cultivated, Fan Lin's eyes were glowing. At the same time, he was telling online audiences that what he wanted to show everyone would happen tomorrow morning.

Fang Zhao spent half the day busy at work in the experimental plot. Kevin Lin felt tired just watching him. The dull thuds that rang out were real as could be and were not just for show. Although the hammering equipment had propulsion applications on it, Fang Zhao still needed to use his own strength. And from the start of the live broadcast till after the broadcast ended, Fang Zhao's attitude was always the same. He did not just skive off just because the broadcast was turned off.

Although Fan Lin kept instructing Fang Zhao on where to hammer, he knew that as long as the little fellow asked for a break, he would not object to it. He was very satisfied with Fang Zhao's performance, unlike certain little celebrities that had a completely different attitude on-screen and offscreen. Thus, Fan Lin did not say much. He just wanted to see how long Fang Zhao could persevere.

On the contrary, as Fang Zhao continued hammering away at each experimental plot and was about to reaching the eighth plot, not only Kevin Lin, even Fan Lin was feeling tired. However, Fang Zhao still seemed to be rather relaxed. He was only covered in a layer of thin sweat, but he was not panting as he continued hammering away at the eighth plot effortlessly.

Fan Lin looked at Fang Zhao, who was helping him hammer the land, and was pleased. "It feels like this little fella has our Muzhou blood in him."

Muzhou people's farm work was very impressive. On average, their constitutions were also stronger. Even many large farm owners that seemed to live like kings were stronger than people of other continents when it came to standing in their fields.

"There is no need for wishful thinking. I have seen Fang Zhao's file; his previous three generations are all Yanzhou people," Kevin Lin said.

Fan Lin did not care about what Kevin Lin said. He was just lameting and thinking to himself how he could go about talking to Shanta to get Fang Zhao to transfer over here for his military service.

Although he had only wished to borrow Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin's live broadcast to publicize his own laboratory results, today he had witnessed Fang Zhao's character. If Fang Zhao had changed his attitude and slacked off after the live broadcast, Fan Lin would not have had any other thoughts and would have sent him back to base after the next day's objectives were met. But now, he had changed his mind. He wished to keep Fang Zhao at Outpost 23 and help this old man with his farm work.

Chapter 202: Breaking through the Soil

Although they all had their nutritional dose and some compressed food, the people of Outpost 23 treated Fan Lin, Fang Zhao, and Kevin Lin well. They brought out some of their stockpiled food from their hunts to receive their guests.

The outpost was not as big as the base, and conditions were limited. Each room in the outpost was 10 square meters, and there were two people to a room.

At night, Kevin Lin laid down in his bed, tired out from an entire day. He had covered a lot of ground today. When looking down at the experimental plots from the flying transport, they did not look very big. Only when walking around inside had he known how exhausting it was. Walking up and down and dealing with all sorts of questions from Fan Lin had been tiring indeed.

The outpost's rooms had a sort of cold metallic feel, just like a prison cell. Bases everywhere had similar conditions, but at least the rooms in the base were slightly larger and had more furnishings.

Kevin Lin thought to himself, At least we are returning to base the next day. Enduring a night is not so hard.

"Writing in your diary again, Fang Zhao?" Kevin Lin asked as he noticed Fang Zhao jotting down stuff in that familiar notebook. He had gotten the hang of Fang Zhao's habits. Every day, Fang Zhao wrote down some stuff in that notebook. Fang Zhao had said they were song scores, but as Kevin Lin did not understand them, he just treated it as Fang Zhao writing in his diary.

"Mmhm. You head to sleep first; I still have some stuff to write down." Fang Zhao was writing down the inspiration he had gotten today from the scenery of this planet's mountains and forests en route to the base and the inspiration he had gotten when hammering the ground.

These were just enough for a small portion, not an entire song, but as time passed, maybe on a certain day or at a certain juncture, he might create a completed song.

Before Fang Zhao had enlisted for his military service, he had been called over by Old Xue Jing for a chat. This year, the old artist would embark on another global lecture tour, but as Fang Zhao was undergoing military service, he wouldn't be able to participate this time around.

Xue Jing had advised Fang Zhao not to waste the bits and scraps of inspiration he got during his military service. Although Fang Zhao was only 20-plus, he was considered rather young in the New Era. In composition circles, he was also considered relatively young, but there people in other continents that were even younger and had done their own concerts. Xue Jing hoped that Fang Zhao would not take it easy.

"To gain more recognition in the industry, you still have to go through some traditional methods and raise your artistic value. For example, according to old customs, do a concert. You can disagree with these old customs and feel that they are too rigid, but only those standing at the apex have the right to challenge these customs. For now, it's best to follow these old customs."

Xue Jing had then advised Fang Zhao that it was best if Fang Zhao could organize his own concert within the next 10 years. This sort of concert could not be comparable to all those other commercial concerts, and he would need to provide his own quality works. Thus, Xue Jing hoped that even if Fang Zhao was undergoing his military service, he would not forget his own profession. Inspiration was a strange phenomenon. When one let inspiration slip by, it would be difficult to get another chance to grab it again.

Fang Zhao took Xue Jing's advice to heart. Even if Xue Jing had not said so, Fang Zhao would have kept his old habits and recorded down any inspiration he got in his daily life. The conditions were tough during the Period of Destruction, but now that he had such great opportunities, he needed to grasp every single bit that passed by.

Fang Zhao also wished to organize a concert, but he would need to painstakingly search for so-called art techniques, and he could only follow where his own inspiration took him.

Kevin Lin had no way of knowing what Fang Zhao was thinking, but he was already tired. "All right, you continue writing, I'll sleep first. Wake me up tomorrow. Fan Lin says we have to get up early to watch the seeds germinate. If we miss it, we will have to wait another year and would have come for nothing."

"All right. Head to sleep first." Fang Zhao turned off the lights to the room and then picked up a piece of food, threw it into the water tank, and tapped the glass lightly.

The light produced by the "rabbit" inside the tank was like a flashlight; it lit up the small room.

Fang Zhao had specially gotten this "rabbit" from Fan Lin. This little creature might seem sluggish, but it was actually full of vitality. If he threw a piece of food in, it would glow for a few minutes. The more food thrown in, the longer it glowed. Fan Lin had said the duration it glowed for was dependent on it's mood. The more food thrown in when it was in a good mood, the longer it would glow for, but if it was in a bad mood, it would not glow no matter how much food was thrown in.

Fang Zhao took a shirt and wrapped it around one side of the tank to prevent the light from shining on Kevin Lin. Watching the "rabbit" in the tank slowly chomp on its food, he arranged his thoughts and continued writing the uncompleted tune. After that, he ammended the front portion.

By the time Fang Zhao closed his notebook, Kevin Lin was already snoring.

It seemed like the "rabbit" within the water tank was in quite a good mood. Fang Zhao did not know whether it was because he had been fed a lot or because it found its new environment exciting, as it had not extinguished at all.

Fang Zhao gently knocked against the tank wall, and the light slowly faded till it was all black.

Early the next morning, Fang Zhao received Fan Lin's call.

"Get up and head to the experimental plot. Don't laze in bed! Remember to bring the camera and make sure there is sufficient battery!" Fan Lin urged.

Kevin Lin was slightly dazed when he was woken up by Fang Zhao, as if he did not know where he was. After a while, he got up and followed behind Fang Zhao while yawning as they walked toward the experimental plot.

Kevin yawned again as he spoke. "It's still dark. What are we going to do so early in the morning? Squat and wait for it to germinate?"

"You wouldn't get to see anything if we waited till daylight. I'm not kidding." Fan Lin did not pay much attention to Kevin Lin. He was directing a few scientists that were running around both inside and outside, who were busy measuring something.

All the soldiers at the outpost were also up, even if they were not on duty.

"How is my hairstyle today?"

"You, wipe away your eye wax!"

"Sh*t, I forgot to shave! Should I head back to shave first? Forget it, what would I do if I missed it?"

"I'm so nervous. I just shaved my head a few days ago; I wonder if my family can recognize me."

The people at the outpost had all woken up early just to show their faces in the live broadcast. They had been unable to appear in the previous day's live broadcast. Today, Fan Lin had said they would be given a chance to appear in the background.

However, the outpost's team leader, Yan Biao, had decided not to appear on-screen. Given the restrictions of his rank and official position, to be safe, he could only stand outside the filming area.

Fang Zhao glanced at the few outpost members. Their tough-as-nails manner was full of vigor. Even those that seemed smaller or skinny hid an extremely explosive strength. These were the troops garrisoned on bases on foreign planets. They were different from soldiers at the military districts of every continent who had never experienced battles.

Fan Lin took a look at the underground readings, then looked at the weather before telling Kevin Lin, "We can start the live broadcast... Wait a minute! I nearly forgot about the masks."

Two scientists carried a box over and distributed the masks inside to everyone.

Outpost members standing behind: "..." Can we be recognized if we wear a mask?

"Do we have to put it on?" an outpost member asked.

"You can choose not to wear it, but I'm not responsible if anything happens to you," Fan Lin replied.

Everyone in the outpost was at a momentary loss, but they still put on the masks.

At the side, Yan Biao, who could not appear on-screen, had been feeling a little gloomy, but now he felt slightly better.

Fang Zhao put on the mask and breathed in some of the filtered air. His eyes were also separated from the external air by a transparent shield.

"This offers too much protection. We aren't even in the mines, just filtering the air would do. Do we really need to cover our eyes?" Kevin Lin grumbled.

"It burns the eyes," Fan Lin replied. "Furthermore, the mask prevents allergies. Everyone's constitution is different. You might be affected even if others aren't. This is just an added precaution. Given your small physique... Tsk." Fan Lin's tone was only missing the word "loser."

Kevin Lin was unconvinced. "What about me? You aren't much better than me with your old body!" He could not compare with Fang Zhao, sure, but he couldn't compare with Fan Lin, who was approaching old age?

Fan Lin did not say anything and only laughed. After that, he lifted up his shirt, revealing his chiseled eight-pack abs.

Kevin Lin: "..." He went numb.

"I also do farm work." Fan Lin's manner was like educating the younger generation. "Young man, train yourself more. Do not waste the genes your ancestors passed down to you."

There were all descendants of people from the Founding Era. It was reasonable to say that there were none with especially weak physiques, but even the best genes were unable to withstand generation by generation of wastage. Kevin Lin's type was the result of those that seldom trained physically and were reliant on machinery. Summarized in a sentence, they were just lazy.

Kevin Lin showed that he did not wish to continue talking to Fan Lin. He turned on the live broadcast and communicated with the audience.

Some streaks of daylight had started to appear. Even if lighting was not used, the surroundings of the experimental plot could be seen.

Online audiences were puzzled. "What sort of battle array is this? Why do they need to wear masks to watch seeds germinate?"

"Wasn't it said they would be watching seeds germinate? This looks more like they are preparing for a gas attack."

Kevin Lin explained to audiences the reason they were wearing masks that Fan Lin had told him earlier. Glancing at Fan Lin, he realized that Fan Lin was not coming over to take over, so Kevin Lin cheerfully continued talking to the audiences online.

One minute passed.

Ten minutes passed.

Fifteen minutes...

Kevin Lin could not go on talking.

Online audiences had started to get impatient. Some said they were going to play a game first, others said they would visit the washroom.

Kevin Lin looked to Fan Lin, trying to get an explanation. Hadn't he said that they would be germinating shortly? Fifteen minutes had already passed, but nothing had happened. Are you teasing us? We are wasting live broadcast time!

On the contrary, Fan Lin was not anxious. Keeping his eye on readings displayed on a circular device in his hand, he calmly said, "Almost there."

Fan Lin's tone had just dropped when Fang Zhao raised his eyes to look at the experimental plot and said, "It's here!"

"What's here? What did Fang Zhao hear again..."

Boom Crack—

Cracking sounds suddenly rang out, as if a blunt tool was being used to split open a wall.

Boom Crack! Boom Crack! Boom Crack! Boom Crack!

Loud sounds echoed out from every experimental plot in succession.

A split appeared in the ground that had been hammered flat.

White arrow shapes emerged from the cracks. It was as if time was running at extra speed. It was as if the sprouts were self-aware, forming two leaves in the blink of an eye and inching their way toward the rays of lights from the horizon.

The originally bald ground, in a few breaths, had transformed and was now covered by a layer of young and tender sprouts.

Fang Zhao watched the entire scene of the the plants splitting the earth and sprouting without blinking. It was as if he had watched musical notes being illuminated one after another. It had gone from dull to dazzling, spinning and connecting to form an electric arc and reaching into every nook and cranny of his body.

Many times, one might endure a dull and ordinary beginning, but all one needed was a little patience, to wait for the moment where it impetuously explodes and blossoms. Such was the power of life.

Chapter 203: Transfer Over

The sky gradually became brighter. The field of view had already became very clear.

Online audiences watching the large green area of young sprouts displayed on the screen could not help but feel like they had witnessed an unbelievable miracle.

"Were there really no special effects used?"

"I just looked at the time. It really has only been five minutes. Otherwise, I would have thought that a few days had passed."

"The f*ck! I just went to the washroom, how did it become like this!"

"Me too. I went to order some takeout, and when I returned to the broadcast, everything had changed!"

"Brothers who have missed it can watch the video replay."

"How is that the same? The purpose of watching the live broadcast is to see those images at the first possible time. Replaying the video can no longer be considered a live broadcast; one will always feel a sense of lagging behind."

But even if they were regretting, they could only watch the replay. There was no way time could be turned back. A missed opportunity could never be gotten back.

In front of the experimental plot.

Kevin Lin was at a momentary loss for words. He curiously looked at the little sprouts that had broken through the soil in a flash, trying to see if there was anything special about them. He really did not understand it, and so he did not speak much.

Kevin Lin turned to Fan Lin. "Professor Fan, could you present a little?"

Fan Lin looked at the readings on the circular device and removed his mask. "We don't have to wear the masks now."

The group of over 10 soldiers in the background hurriedly took of their masks and put on serious faces that they thought were the most cool. Their faces were calm, but their hearts were screaming with joy. Finally, we can appear on-screen!

"One of the reasons I gave them the name 'arrow sunflower' is because the process of germination is compressed into a very short period of time, like an arrow being shot out. You all saw it for yourselves. The process happens very quickly. Blink and you will notice a sprout has appeared. However, during it's germination process, a few gases are released. Some have a scent, while others are odorless. But some of these gases can irritate the human body. If we do not put on masks, in serious cases, it can lead to shock..."

As Fan Lin was speaking, a short distance away from the experimental plot, an outpost member came out from inside the outpost and scanned the area before running over to Yan Biao.

The outpost soldier who had been about to give a report was given a scare when he noticed Yan Biao wiping away tears. "Captain... Captain, are you okay?"

Who was Yan Biao? He was Outpost 23's team leader and captain and had experienced much fighting, but this iron-blooded man actually had tears streaming down his face. What exactly had he gone through? Was he moved or was he heartbroken?

Yan Biao drew back the corner of his mouth. "My eyes are burning. It stings."

He also had not expected to be affected while standing so far away. A while ago, his eyes had suddenly felt a stinging pain, then his tears had started flowing uncontrollably. It was as if someone had thrown a tear-gas grenade over.

Now, he was feeling much better. Yan Biao rubbed his eyes and asked the outpost soldier, "What is it?"

"Message from the base telling every outpost to maintain the recent high alert and not goof off. Report to superiors should there be any unusual situations."

"Didn't they mention this yesterday?"

"It's being emphasized again today."

Yan Biao knit his brows. "Got it." It seemed like the discovery of planet Baiji's grade A ore had attracted a lot of attention.

That outpost soldier did not leave immediately after delivering his report, instead stretching his neck to look over at the experimental plot.

"Is that the little celebrity that came to our base for his military service? He looks rather average, not as good looking as me." He had not gotten to see Fang Zhao yesterday, but after seeing Fang Zhao now, he felt a little disappointed.

"There are many people who are good looking, but that fellow is popular. I hear he is very good at games," Yan Biao replied.

"I'm very good at gaming too! When I was younger, I took part in primary level e-sports competitions, and I received awards!" that outpost soldier jested.

"I heard he can detect the position of ore just through listening. Oh, just now, when the seeds were germinating, he also heard that too. I feel that his ears are even more effective than the device Fan Lin has in his hands."

Yan Biao recalled the moment when Fang Zhao had called out just before the arrow sunflowers had sprouted and felt that it was really mystical. To think a person's hearing ability could achieve that sort of level! When he had been young, he had watched a variety program that had talked about people with supernatural powers, but they had been denounced afterward, as the news had exposed some dirty tricks. Only then had he known they had all been swindlers. Thus, when he had heard about Fang Zhao's situation, he had still maintained a skeptical attitude until just now.

"That awesome?" the outpost soldier asked.

"I only believe what I see." Yan Biao noticed that outpost soldier's gaze kept stopping at the experimental plot area and knew what the soldier was thinking. "You want to appear in the background?"

"Hehe, I did have that idea. It's almost been two years since I last went home." The outpost soldier scratched his head, embarrassed. If he had not had that idea, he could have relayed the base order's through the comms device. Personally running out was to see whether he would have a chance to show his face. He was just a little soldier without any presence. Unlike Yan Biao, it was all right for him to appear on-screen.

Yan Biao chided that soldier and gave him a little kick. "Still playing mind games with me. I just knew you had that sort of idea. Go on, then. Whether you can steal a spot in front of the camera is all up to your own ability."

"Heh! Got it!" The outpost soldier stealthily ran over to that side.

Yan Biao glanced at Fang Zhao over at the experimental plot and couldn't help but click his tongue. "Tsk." He really did not know how that fellow Fang Zhao had become famous. Fang Zhao did not look particularly eye-catching and did not seem to have much original presence. At this time, it was entirely Fan Lin and Kevin Lin standing in front of the camera and conversing. That little fellow totally did not know how to steal the spotlight and was actually holding on to his paperback notebook and squatting over at the side while scribbling something. Could that be an unconventional way of acting cool?

Yan Biao shook his head. He had no idea what went through the minds of these sorts of celebrities.

Yan Biao gave a muted sigh. "However, we really do have to thank him."

Planet Baiji's position in the development sequence had started to move forward. In the future, there would definitely be more troops. Yan Biao had been guarding Outpost 23 for so long, it was probably time for him to get promoted too.

When he thought about this, Yan Biao could not help but laugh. He knew that he would be able to get promoted soon. He was really grateful to Fang Zhao. If not for Fang Zhao discovering Baiji ore so quickly, their facilities would not have been upgraded and manpower at the base would not have been increased so quickly. His rank now was captain, and if everything went smoothly, within the year, he could surely rise to the rank of major. Even if he was discharged from the military in the future, his discharge fee would not be little.

Over at the experimental plot, Kevin Lin and Fan Lin were taking turns asking and answering questions. The two coordinated very well. After continuously going through a few questions, Kevin Lin remembered Fang Zhao. Looking over, he saw Fang Zhao holding onto that familiar notebook.

"Seems like Fang Zhao realized something and is busy composing again." This was considered an explanation by Kevin Lin, telling the online audiences that Fang Zhao was not skiving off but rather was finding the time to compose new tunes.

If Kevin Lin had not mentioned it, many people would have forgotten about Fang Zhao's composition background.

However, some online audiences had some doubts: Why did he say 'again'? Is inspiration that easy to get?

Some people lamented Fang Zhao's spirit in persevering with composing during his military service, but there were also some who said Fang Zhao was showing off.

Whatever others said, Fang Zhao could not see or hear it. Even if he could hear it, he did not care at all. He was just jotting down all the inspiration that had flashed through his mind as he witnessed the scene of arrow sunflowers germinating. After he was done, he closed the notebook and kept it before once again working the land. He listened to Fan Lin's instructions and moderately sprayed the ground with water.

"Oh right, Fang Zhao, I wish to transfer you over from the base. In the future, you can stay at Outpost 23 and undergo your military service here. What do you think?" Fan Lin asked.

At this time, Kevin Lin had already shut off the live broadcast. Hearing Fan Lin's words, he nearly jumped.

"Transfer over here?!" Kevin Lin was unwilling. The conditions at the outpost were much worse than the base.

Fan Lin unhurriedly explained his analysis. "Do you guys still wish to return to the mines and film? It is better over here. You can film the flowers and grass. What can you film over at the base? You guys can't enter the mines right now, and even if you get allocated there, the base will not allow you to do a live broadcast in the mines."

Could grade A power ore and grade A− ones be the same? There would be even higher confidentiality when it came to extracting and mining. For example, the quantity excavated every day, the quality, and so on. At this moment, this information could not be public knowledge, so even if they went over, they would not be able to get information from that side. Not only them, even those newly dispatched military reporters had no way of knowing.

Kevin Lin understood Fan Lin's opinion. Transferring over would make it easier to operate compared to the base, but the living conditions were slightly worse.

Fan Lin looked over. "If Fang Zhao agrees, I can speak with Shanta and change your military service allocation over from mining to here."

"I guess I will just have to trouble you for that," Fang Zhao replied.

"Hahaha, no trouble, no trouble at all! Don't worry, you will find working here more meaningful than mining. Planting flowers and growing grass, and you can also follow the outpost team on their hunts and try some wild flavors. How great is that? It's much tastier than that compressed food." Fan Lin laughed heartily. In his heart, he pondered. Later, when he got back, he would discuss this matter with Shanta. After all, Fang Zhao was a member of Project Starlight and was different than other conscripts. The procedures would certainly be more inconvenient, and he needed to give prior notice.

Kevin Lin saw Fang Zhao agreeing. Furthermore, what Fan Lin had said had aroused him. Although the accomodations at the base were slightly better, there were more restrictions. The outpost was different. There would be more freedom, and the things that could be filmed were more abundant. Looking at the benefits, this place was indeed better than the base.

But since they would be moving over, he needed to return back to the base to pack his belongings.

During the noon break, after they returned to the room, Kevin Lin gave a call to the base, wishing to request a flying transport come over and fetch them. The team and flying transport that had brought them over had already returned to base.

Unfortunately, the request was not successful.

"They are temporarily unable to dispatch any unnecessary flying transports over. We have to wait who knows how long! So many flying transports and they can't dispatch one to come and fetch us? Surely Fan Lin had a hand in that!" Kevin Lin angrily exclaimed. "People with the Fan family name are all too sinister!"

Fang Zhao spoke as he threw food into the water tank. "Perhaps there are real missions on their side. I heard from the outpost captain that they are on high alert everywhere. The flying transports might be dispatched on missions. Actually, since Baiji ore was discovered, it has been very hard to request flying transports. That time when Prof. Fan got one was because he had collaborated with the base for a long time and has special privileges."

"That is why I just said Fan Lin is sinister! He had the idea of bringing us over here to advertise for him all along!"

Chapter 204: Showing Off Gunplay?

Kevin Lin still couldn't secure a flying transport from the main base the next two days. He didn't want to beg Fan Lin for help either. In any event, he did enjoy much more freedom at the outpost, and he was fed adequate food and drink. It felt nice to be pampered by the soldiers at the outpost. Even though Kevin Lin still b*tched in front of Fang Zhao, he had grown more and more attached to the outpost. The reason he kept applying for a flying transport was that he wanted to collect his things from base.

Fang Zhao's assignment had been officially switched to the outpost. His daily workload was recorded on his personnel file and the person responsible for evaluating him was Fan Lin.

Digging up soil, dispensing fertilizer, setting up protective fencing, and so on—these tasks were handled by Fang Zhao and two other lab technicians. Fan Lin sometimes worked in the fields too even though there were already three or four people working the plot. Breaking down their productivity, Fang Zhao accounted for 75 percent of the total work output.

As for his downtime, Fang Zhao was always scribbling away in his notebook. It was a scene folks at the outpost had gotten used to.

"That kid is hardcore. He doesn't play around when he works," one of the sentries told Yan Biao.

The soldiers were indeed biased against celebrities and the like. They had always thought that all celebrities only knew how to put on a show, that everything was fake, but their impression had changed drastically over the last two days.

"Kevin Lin behaves more like a celebrity."

Even though they didn't go online, all the sentries knew that Kevin Lin got more screen time in the live broadcasts than Fang Zhao did.

In reality, Kevin Lin was quite conflicted.

In plain terms, Project Starlight was a poverty-alleviation program that leveraged the popularity of celebrities. But now that Baiji was no longer poor, it had no use for Fang Zhao's name recognition. In that sense, Fang Zhao was dispensable, because Baiji no longer lacked a killer resource. It had no shortage of investors and business partners. Now it was the Baiji base's turn to be picky. Every drib and drab that was announced about the latest research on the new energy ore was enough to draw massive mainstream media attention and investor interest.

The bottom line was that Fang Zhao was still performing his military service, so he enjoyed far less latitude than the other four celebrities. Balancing the pros and cons, First Frontline wanted Kevin Lin to find other more interesting things to broadcast instead of focusing on Fang Zhao's routine. What was so interesting about performing military service? It was the same boring job every day.

But Kevin Lin was too embarrassed to tell Fang Zhao the truth. After all, S5's current viewership, whether they were intrigued by the power ore or something else, was all thanks to Fang Zhao. So in spite of his new marching orders, Kevin Lin always mentioned Fang Zhao in his broadcasts.

If it were anyone else, any mention of their name by Kevin Lin would have prompted them to show up in the broadcast, but Kevin Lin realized that Fang Zhao genuinely didn't care about exposure, or to put it in different terms, Fang Zhao held himself to be a different kind of celebrity.

Not to mention that, at the end of the day, Fang Zhao was there to perform his military service. His evaluation depended entirely on Fan Lin. These researcher types were so stubborn sometimes that it drove Kevin Lin mad. You couldn't count on them to stage a show. Fang Zhao had to carry out his daily duties in earnest.

So Kevin Lin had been brainstorming how to freshen up the next broadcast. Viewers were probably already bored from three straight days of footage from the experimental plot.

Kevin Lin glanced at Fang Zhao, who was toiling away in the experimental plot, before turning around and walked to the edge of the field. "Captain Yan, when are you guys going hunting again?"

Alarm bells went off in Yan Biao's head immediately. He still flashed a friendly smile, but he responded, "We are only allowed to hunt a certain number of times every month. I don't wanna break any rules. You want to do a live hunting broadcast?"

Back when the sentry post had had no visitors, when living conditions had been tough, Yan Biao would sneak his team out for a few additional hunting trips on the side so they would have better food. Every sentry post had done the same thing. They hadn't been an exception.

But they would never let these reporters or scientists in on these secret expeditions. He was afraid they would make a big deal out of it. In that case, their superiors could no longer turn a blind eye.

But Kevin Lin was no fool. There was no way he was buying Yan Biao's explanation, but he didn't want to call him out on the lie either. Instead, he negotiated. "I asked Prof. Fan Lin. He said there isn't much work left to do at the experimental plot this afternoon. The weather is decent. It's not too hot and it's not raining. Why don't we go for a stroll? Even if we don't hunt, I can shoot something else. You guys have been stationed here for some time and know the area quite well. Is there any interesting stuff I can shoot?"

"There's plenty, but it's rather dangerous out there. If you guys head out alone, you're bound to run into trouble. If you really want to go, I'll personally escort you with a team to guarantee your safety." Yan Biao sounded so chivalrous, but what was really going on was that he was itching to hunt and wanted to get some airtime as well. He wanted to give other members of his team some exposure too.

"Then apologies in advance for imposing on Captain Yan."

After sorting out the details with Yan Biao, Kevin Lin went over to give Fang Zhao a heads up. Fang Zhao also wanted to check out the woods beyond the sentry post. It was his first time living on a foreign planet. He wanted to take in its unique features as much as possible.

Yan Biao approached the two with a traditional hunting rifle. "Do you guys hunt?"

"I do!" Kevin Lin wanted to try hunting here. Restrictions were too tight on their home planet. You could never find a place like this. If you wanted to hunt freely, you had to do it on an undeveloped foreign planet like this.

"Fang Zhao, wanna give it a try, then?" Kevin Lin asked.

Fang Zhao nodded. "Sure."

The group headed out in the afternoon.

Yan Biao brought a team of about a dozen people to guard Kevin Lin and Fang Zhao.

After leaving the outpost, they were removed from the safety of the protective fence. A raw, dangerous vibe emanated from their surroundings. The natural fragrance of the forest was mixed with a warm, bloody smell.

"There are a bunch of big carnivores feasting over there. Let's take a detour," Yan Biao whispered.

As if to echo Lin Biao's warning, a huge roar erupted about 200 meters away. Kevin Lin felt as if every hair on his body was standing up. He had spent too much time in the city. It took his first foray into a virgin forest to realize that he had grossly underestimated the level of danger. He was too stiff to move, as if the slightest shiver would result in his immediate demise.

"It's OK." Yan Biao pointed to the shadows hovering in the sky. "They're just scaring off the carrion-feeding birds. They won't attack us. Keep going."

Kevin Lin's teeth were chattering. "K-k-keep going? Haven't we ventured too far?"

"Not at all. Normally we don't hunt so close to the outpost." Yan Biao was speaking with a normal tone, but he was secretly snickering. Ha—you're terrified, aren't you? I knew these folks are too chickenshit. Yan Biao continued, "We've got guns. There's nothing to fear even if the beasts attack us."

The guns the sentry team had been allocated were different from the hunting rifles issued by the main base. The guns the sentries carried with them were more lethal—just in case.

Taking into account the fact that this was Kevin Lin's and Fang Zhao's first trip into the forest, Yan Biao didn't go too deep into the woods. After finding a suitable spot, he turned around and told Kevin Lin, "This is a safe area. There won't be any major threats, so you can start your live broadcast."

"Am I going to get a signal this far from the outpost?" Kevin Lin grumbled.

Yan Biao looked at Kevin Lin like he was an idiot.

The whole point of the outpost was to build a global defense network, which counted a global communications grid as a major component. Apart from areas where signal strength was affected by a peculiar landscape or soil quality, coverage was universal within the network. Kevin Lin was a veteran journalist, but his question made him sound like an amateur.

Not to mention that Yan Biao and team rarely ventured into areas where there was no coverage. Otherwise, even if they died, no one would know to fetch their corpses. They were brave, but they weren't death-seekers.

Kevin Lin calmed down. He realized the mistake he had just made and coughed in embarrassment. He was still stiff from his nerves, so he passed his rifle to Fang Zhao. "Why don't you go ahead first?"

Fang Zhao accepted the rifle. "Sure." The old-school hunting rifle from the New Era was very similar to the hunting rifles Fang Zhao was familiar with. It was not foreign at all.

"Can we go live?" Kevin Lin asked.

"Sure."

"Do you need to warm up?" Kevin Lin was worried.

"No, I'm good."

It wasn't that Fang Zhao was overconfident, it was just that he had noticed that Yan Biao was antsy and eager to start barking instructions. If they warmed up and he finished his spiel, then there would be nothing left to say on air.

Of course, Fang Zhao was also confident in his abilities. Even if he missed his first few shots, he'd get the hang of it after a few tries. He wasn't worried about losing face.

"Then here I go." Kevin Lin switched his camera to "live" mode and gave a brief rundown of their location.

Yan Biao also gave a briefing and offered tips on how to use the traditional hunting rifle—how to aim, how to seize the moment, and so on.

I can't show my face, but I can sure as hell make sure my voice is heard! This time, Yan Biao got his fix.

His family should be able to recognize his voice, no? He hadn't been home in years, so he wasn't sure. In any case, this was his way of getting on air at least once.

The online viewers were also intrigued.

"Wow, so this is one of those storied virgin forests on foreign planets?"

"I hear they're crawling with wild animals."

"Jealous."

"Who's the hunting instructor? How come he isn't showing his face?"

"The camera panned past him a few times but missed his face. Still, I'm certain it's one of the sentries from the outpost."

"Duh. Who else would it be? A lab technician?"

"Is Fang Zhao going to hunt on live broadcast?"

"Will he be able to hit anything?"

Fang Zhao's meteoric rise to the top of the "Battle of the Century" rankings and the black street scuffle had people wondering whether he had gang connections. There were all sorts of wild stories. Now, folks could finally see Fang Zhao use a hunting rifle for real.

This time, the live broadcast drew gamers who typically weren't interested in the show.

Gaming was just gaming, after all. As good as you were in-game and as much time as you put in on the practice range, it was no substitute for the real thing.

Hunting was the real thing.

So many online viewers were eagerly anticipating this moment. Many so-called professional marksmen were glued to Fang Zhao's every move and every gesture so they could analyze them like a precision instrument.

Holding a rifle was one thing, but shooting it was another. Was he an accurate shooter? How would he compare to his avatar?

The 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower. The virtual projects department.

"Wow, boss is going to fire a real gun on live TV!"

Zu Wen quickly spread the word within the department.

"This is for real. I'm so nervous."

"What's so nerve-racking about hunting? Over in Muzhou, they have private hunting grounds. Word is quite a few professional marksmen go hunting over there."

"No, it's not that. You don't know the entertainment industry. Some of these folks are brutal critics. Boss did so well in 'Battle of the Century.' If he falls short just a bit in reality, they're going to butcher him. Not to mention that Boss has been in the headlines for discovering the Baiji power ore. What do you think they will do if they see an opening?"

Of course, they would show no mercy.

"But Fang Zhao doesn't look like someone who would take on something he isn't sure about," Jinro said.

"That's true. If he weren't confident, he wouldn't have agreed to the live broadcast so quickly."

Considering the matter from a different perspective, perhaps this was an opportunity for Fang Zhao to show off his gunplay?

The thought made Zu Wen and company more relaxed. They started looking forward to the broadcast as well.

"I've never seen boss use a real gun in real life."

"Me neither."

"Zuo Yu, have you?"

"It's illegal for people without gun permits to shoot in public except for firing ranges," Zuo Yu responded. He had never seen Fang Zhao shoot a real gun, but even if he had, confessing to it would be the equivalent of announcing that his boss had broken the law.

Meanwhile, in the live broadcast, Fang Zhao raised his old-school rifle and started aiming at a chubby bird that was resting on a tree branch under Yan Biao's guidance.

"Wait. Be patient. Calm down." Yan Biao was worried Fang Zhao couldn't maintain his composure, so kept whispering reminders. But when he turned his head, he noticed that Fang Zhao was surprisingly calm. He didn't look like a young man of his age raising a rifle for the first time.

Wouldn't a normal person be excited and a bit nervous and uncertain at the same time?

But Yan Biao cast aside his doubts when the felt the timing was right. "Go for it!" he urged in a whisper.

The online viewers wouldn't risk so much as a blink lest they miss the scene.

Right at that moment, the screen went dark and the following line appeared: "Signal lost. Reconnecting."

The online viewers: "..."

Chapter 205: Attack

Channel S5's comments section had exploded.

There was so much anticipation. Many people had stopped what they were doing and were waiting for Fang Zhao to pull the trigger. Online bystanders, gaming fans, reviewers, entertainment media outlets, and many other sorts of people with different purposes were all waiting. In the end, at the most crucial moment everyone was waiting for, they got a "Signal lost, attempting to reconnect"?!

During the black screen, vulgarities and abuse exploded from many people.

Others that had slower reactions were dazed for a while when facing the black screen. Following that, just like everyone else, they went to the comments sections and forums to vent their dissatisfaction.

"F*ck! Your father thought he had not paid his network fees and the signal was cut, but when I switched to other channels, everything was normal. Only channel S5 is black!!"

"Same over here. Only channel S5 has no signal, all others are normal."

"Seems like S5's live broadcast signal was cut. The problem does not lie with our internet."

"Wasn't it reported yesterday that Baiji's communications network has been upgraded? How could something like this still happen?"

In channel S5's comments section, comments that had a large proportion of unrefined language had been censored to "***." For voice comments, someone could select any of them and be able to hear a stream of censored "beeps."

As channel S5 belonged to Project Starlight's First Frontline segment, at the moment, they were under heavy fire. Customer service was totally unable to cope. Call after call of complaints came in succession.

"We request channel S5's live broadcast signal be reinstated! Right now! Immediately!"

"Don't come pretending to be poor to your father. Don't say that you don't have the funds to upgrade communications facilities! Was Baiji ore mined for nothing?! Was the ore eaten by you guys?!"

"Let me tell you this. You guys are all corrupt! Embezzlers! You better put back every single cent to be used for upgrading the communications facilities right now!"

A customer service staff wiped off the sweat on his forehead as he listened to a customer's complaints. In his heart, he was thinking, You can sue us, but it's no use; we aren't the ones in charge of constructing planet Baiji's facilities.

The segment's official platform had many messages full of grievances, catching them unprepared.

"It is indeed the other side's live broadcast signal that has been cut, and we can't reconnect. We aren't able to contact Kevin Lin. Should we try contacting planet Baiji's base first?"

If they were live broadcasting in the forest, so be it. Why had he had to pick a place with such an unstable signal? Furthermore, the signal just had to break at that sort of moment. Lots of people online had criticized them for using this method to purposely tease the audiences with the motive of attracting more viewers.

What a load of hogwash!

"Boss, Baiji base cannot be contacted!"

"...How can that be! Didn't they just upgrade the communications network's receivers and transmitters?

At that moment, in the forest close to planet Baiji's Outpost 23.

After Yan Biao had indicated that Fang Zhao could pull the trigger, he waited for a few seconds, but Fang Zhao did not do anything. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Fang Zhao putting the gun down and looking up at the sky.

"What happened?" Yan Biao remembered that Fang Zhao's hearing was better than that of normal people. "What do you hear?"

"It doesn't feel good. Something is going to happen," Fang Zhao replied.

Yan Biao was skeptical. "You heard it?"

Fang Zhao looked straight at Yan Biao, "Intuition." There was no hint of a joke in his eyes.

Yan Biao stopped smiling and decided to contact someone in the outpost, but he realized that there was no connection.

"No signal."

"No signal?" Kevin Lin was also astonished. "Eh? There isn't any live broadcast signal either. Is the problem with the base or with the outpost?"

Yan Biao did not reply. He switched his comms device's mode to the outpost's internal network. This time, it connected.

"Outpost, are there any anomalies?"

"Nope, everything is normal," replied the outpost soldier in charge of alerts at the moment. "However, we are unable to get in touch with the base."

"Are we able to contact the other outpost?" Yan Biao asked.

"Unable to do that either. Only Outpost 23's internal network is working."

"Then it's probably an issue with the base mainframe." Yan Biao pondered for a bit, then instructed the people in the outpost. "Be alert. Look out for any suspicious things in the surroundings. Set the defense system to the highest level, and keep it running. I will be back within 30 minutes."

After ending the communication, Yan Biao told Kevin Lin and Fang Zhao, "Let's head back to the outpost first."

Kevin Lin was eager to head back immediately. "Okay, okay! Let's return!" He did not feel safe in the forest. Although he was not too sure what had happened, he could feel the tense atmosphere of their surroundings and read the expressions of the others. Whether they were being overly sensitive or not, returning to the outpost to hide would always be safer.

When leaving the outpost, they had not been rushing for time, so they had walked slower, but now that there were special circumstances, Yan Biao wished to hurry back. The outpost soldiers were no issue, and Fang Zhao was not a problem, but Kevin Lin was not in good shape.

Yan Biao glanced at Kevin Lin, who was panting heavily after just a short while, and got the fittest soldier in his team, Riode, to carry Kevin Lin on his shoulder and run.

Leaving, they had taken over an hour. Their return journey only took 20 minutes.

After entering the outpost, Yan Biao immediately rushed to the monitor room and checked whether there were any other unusual situations.

Fang Zhao supported Kevin Lin into their room. Kevin Lin's complexion looked poor; getting carried by someone running was not exactly pleasant.

Once he sat down, Kevin Lin started to think. "Fang Zhao, what do you think happened? A malfunction with the transmitters and receivers at the base? Or is it an attack?" With his profession, he tended to think about the worst that could happen.

"Definitely nothing good," Fang Zhao replied.

Kevin Lin looked toward Fang Zhao, astonished. "To actually hear you say such words is really rare. Why are you so sure? Did you really hear something?"

"Intuition." Fang Zhao did not want to say any more. He had no way of knowing the situation over at the base, so he sat on his bed and pondered silently. His eyebrows furrowed tighter. The uneasy feeling was getting stronger.

Fang Zhao caught a gleam of light from the corner of his eyes.

It had not been fed, yet the normally sluggish "rabbit" in the water tank had actually started glowing at this moment. Its movements inside the water had also become more intense.

Fang Zhao turn on the comms device, switched to the outpost's internal mode, and contacted Yan Biao.

Yan Biao's voice sounded tense. "What's wrong?" As if he had already sensed something and was not as carefree as he normally was.

"Something is coming, probably from the air. It's not safe here," Fang Zhao said.

Yan Biao did not make a sound, probably deciding whether to listen to Fang Zhao's recommendation.

He did not let Fang Zhao wait long. After five seconds, Yan Biao said, "I will have someone bring you to the underground shelter. You will be safe from air raids there."

Very quickly, a few outpost soldiers brought Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin to the underground shelter. In a short while, Fan Lin and those scientists were also led down.

One of the outpost soldiers pointed to a floor plan on the wall. The floor plan showed all the details of the entire shelter. "If the shelter isn't going to hold, head out through that side's emergency exit."

As the oldest here, Fan Lin displayed an image of calm. He had to be calm. "Understood. You all have to stay safe too."

After the outpost team left, the underground shelter quieted down and the atmosphere became somewhat stifling.

To ease everyone's nervous mood, Fan Lin laughed and asked Fang Zhao, "Why did you bring it down as well?"

When Fang Zhao came down, he had brought along the water tank. At the moment, the little chap in the water tank was glowing.

"It seems to be in an... excited mood?"

"No, it could be that it is afraid. It probably sensed danger." When Fan Lin said this sentence, the mood in the underground shelter became even more stifling.

"This place is too old. I wonder how strong it is," Kevin Lin worriedly said as he eyed the surroundings.

The outpost's defense system and communication facilities had been upgraded, but its underground facilities had not. It looked really old, simple, and crude.

Fang Zhao suddenly exclaimed, "Everyone, be careful!"

BOOM.

The entire underground shelter shook.

"What is going on—"

BOOM.

Kevin Lin had not finished speaking when another loud boom rang out, and the underground shelter started swaying. Those that had not been standing firmly were nearly thrown to the ground.

Fragments of the ceiling came loose and fell, and a few items placed on the table also tumbled down.

Fan Lin reassured the others. "The outpost has been attacked. However those two explosions were not direct hits. The outpost probably intercepted it in the air. Don't be so pessimistic, everyone, the outpost's defence system has been upgraded—"

Fan Lin had only spoken halfway when an intense explosion sounded. It was as if the entire outpost had been shoved into a box and violently shaken. The few scientists that had been standing or sitting were all thrown to the ground. If not for Fang Zhao supporting him, Fan Lin would also have fallen.

Kevin Lin fell flat on the ground, and blood starting flowing from his nose. If Fang Zhao had not pulled him back a step, he would have been smashed on the head by falling bits of the ceiling.

The lights in the shelter flickered for two seconds and then extinguished. Light from the water tank's "rabbit" lit up the room.

Fang Zhao scanned the place. "How is everyone?"

"Someone's hurt, but it shouldn't be life-threatening," a scientist replied.

Fang Zhao eyed the floor plan on the wall and headed to the corner where a toppled cabinet was. He pried open the cabinet and took out the first aid kit inside. "Medical supplies are limited. Let's treat those that are injured first. The ones with more serious injuries take priority."

"Fang Zhao, what category... does mine belong to?" a bloodied-faced Kevin Lin asked.

Fang Zhao glanced over. "Minor injury, wait for now."

"Oh."

After Kevin Lin's nervous mood passed, his occupational habit kicked in and he turned on his camera. Although it could not connect to the network for live broadcasts, it was still able to film.

Kevin Lin switched to film mode and first filmed one round of the surroundings. Following that, he directed it to face himself. Raising a hand to wipe away the blood from his nose, he said, "Greetings everyone, it is your old friend Kevin Lin. My work ID number is LKW7986, from Huangzhou. Now, I am currently hiding in the underground shelter of planet Baiji's Outpost 23. The outpost is under attack. We have no idea what the situation is like above us..."

After facing the camera and saying a bit, Kevin Lin set the video he had just recorded to auto-transmit. The moment network was restored, it would automatically be transmitted to the news team.

"Fang Zhao, do you want to record one?" Kevin Lin asked.

"Record what?"

"Last words."

Fang Zhao: "..."

Chapter 206: Raging Fury

Fang Zhao silently watched Kevin Lin for two seconds, then brushed away the camera Kevin Lin had pushed over. "No need."

Following that, Fang Zhao continued using the bottle of medicine and helped apply it to the wounds of the injured.

The situation they had encountered today had happened practically every day during the Period of Destruction—suddenly suffering an attack and feeling that their lives were threatened.

Back then, it had simply been a normal occurrence, and nobody had known what would happen to them in the next moment. But now, for people used to a peaceful life in the New Era, this sort of attack was just like judgment day, and they had to bear an enormous mental pressure.

Actually, according to Period of Destruction customs, Fang Zhao had written a will shortly after he had been reborn, and it was saved to his personal terminal, but he had made amendments every once in a while as his assets had changed. If he suddenly met with an unexpected accident and lost his life, once he was determined as deceased, the will saved in his personal terminal would automatically be made public.

However, given the situation at hand, it was not actually so bad. According to Fang Zhao's own judgment, it was not like there was totally no chance of living. At least now they were taking refuge in the underground shelter. Listening to the sound of activity, it did not seem like there were a lot of attackers.

But for Kevin Lin, it was totally different. This was the first time he had personally experienced this sort of situation. Although he had encountered some dangerous situations before, the stress he felt this time round was incomparable. During the explosion, he had even thought that he would really kick the bucket this time.

However, as a reporter, Kevin Lin knew how to weigh the pros and cons. After considering, he became determined. Although he did not know whether they could safely survive through this crisis, this was also an opportunity. Since they were stuck in this predicament, he had to grasp this chance tightly. He needed to record the true events of this situation, just like those outstanding older generations of First Frontline that had reported on the real events at battlefields. However, unlike them, he was not "utterly fearless." His mental state was somewhere around the level of "extremely scared but without any choice."

If he did not survive, perhaps all that he filmed could let him become a famous person in reporting circles. His portrait would also be revered, and his recorded videos could become real excerpts for educational videos.

And if he could safely survive this crisis, he would... prosper!

Although it was not formally stipulated, in the circles, there were those that reported on entertainment programs and those that reported on war situations; the latter was generally regarded better! Even political news reporters could not compete against the gold mine that was battlefield reporting! But many professional war journalists never revealed their faces. No normal reporter would be willing to experience a real warzone, where it was easy to lose one's life. But when they encountered one, no reporter was willing to let such a chance slip by.

Taking deep breaths, Kevin Lin tried his best to allay the fear in his heart. With a wobbly hand, he once again controlled the camera and continued to record. "I can still hear many loud and soft sounds. There is shooting going on above. We suffered a total of three bombardments. The previous two were shielded by the defense system, but the third one was unable to be completely blocked off, and we suffered some injuries..."

Kevin Lin had originally wanted to film Fang Zhao first, but when he scanned the room, he realized that Fang Zhao was the only one who could be considered "completely unharmed." Not wishing to make himself seem weak, Kevin Lin controlled the camera and turned and filmed Fan Lin and the other scientists. With some skill, he only filmed the back of Fang Zhao.

Although this was the first time he had filmed under these sorts of circumstances, as a reporter with many years of work experience, Kevin Lin was really skilled at controlling the images captured by the camera. The images captured could embellish the atmosphere and show the disorder within the shelter as well as the dreadful state of the wounded. He was not overly concerned with detail and form, just using the images to show the situation. His words were only supplementary. Simple words that would make the scene captured by the camera easier to understand.

"I am guessing that there is a high possibility the aggressors are terrorists, and they have probably been planning this scheme for some time..."

When his brain started working, Kevin Lin's thought processes were much clearer, unlike the start when he had been totally shell shocked.

Kevin Lin analyzed this matter, from the signal being cut off, to them losing all contact with the base, all the way to this current situation.

Fang Zhao listened to Kevin Lin's analysis of the aggressor's identity as he helped tend to the wounded.

Having been reborn for so long, Fang Zhao had not experienced any wars. Life in New Era cities were very tranquil. Even the incident with Su Hou in Muzhou could still have been considered rather peaceful. After all, the entire world had been unified, and every continent had cooperated with each other. But in unseen places, there were still disputes. There were internal struggles within the alliance hierarchy, but outside, it was not so harmonious. It just did not affect the lives of normal people.

Fang Zhao did not feel that it was strange. During the Period of Destruction, everyone had united to face the enemy, but after the Founding Era, benefits had been distributed unevenly. When rapacious people were not controlled properly, there would be lots of internal strife. Yanzhou was the best example.

All those years ago, when great general Wu Yan of the Founding Era had passed away, the Wu family's internal wars had caused Yanzhou to undergo a wide-scale change of leadership. For a long period after that, the Wu family had had a rather awkward position. Even though they had since flourished, they were unable to go back to being the absolute political authority.

As for these extreme terrorists, Fang Zhao had heard a few people mention them before. Before he had enlisted, when Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang had talked about their experiences, they had also mentioned these people who were at odds with the alliance.

Great-Grandfather Fang's assessment had been this: "Those people are lunatics. Regardless of what they say, it's all excuses. Everything they do is just to satisfy their own desires."

There were many groups that the alliance of governments was unable to control. Actually, there were such groups in every period, regardless of whether it was in the New Era or the Old era, but not every group endangered society. Only those that caused a high degree of harm were classified as terrorists.

At this moment, planet Baiji base.

Shanta was in a furious state. He had just raged angrily at his subordinates in the command post. Now, he had calmed down a little, but he had a fiery look in his eyes that made a few military reporters swallow the questions they wished to asked about the situation at hand.

Shanta did not even care about those few reporters. He slammed the door to the command post, preventing others from seeing or hearing anything inside.

Forty minutes ago, the base's communications network had been crippled, which had caught Shanta unprepared.

"How many times have I emphasized the need to be cautious and alert when upgrading the communications network—they just can't f*cking remember! So what if they are engineers from the Academy of Science HQ? They are careless and complacent; everyone holds them in such high regard that they forget their own worth!" Shanta's suppressed rage returned once more.

Another high-ranking base officer said, "Nevertheless, they are still capable. This time, though, they did not do a proper job, and they allowed people to find a loophole. This time, it is clear that somebody had this well planned out for a long time, possibly even before the discovery of Baiji ore. They even have an understanding of our military deployments. This wasn't an impromptu decision."

When Shanta thought about what had happened in these 40 minutes, he could not contain his anger. "Those engineers deserve to be scolded! If they had been more prudent, would this sort of situation have occurred? Even if the communications network were crippled, it wouldn't result in such a big problem, and they would be able to restore it. But now? Forty minutes! You don't need me to tell you what can happen in 40 minutes!"

The room quieted down in an instant. Everyone in the room was an experienced hand. The base had no way of knowing or controlling what was happening elsewhere on planet Baiji. In these 40 minutes, nobody knew how many losses they would incur.

Now, they could only communicate within the base's range via the internal comms network.

Shanta slammed the table. "Who do you think it is this time?"

The people within the room all had the same answer. "Who else but 'T'?" The "T" organization was the abbreviation given to the extremist group known as "Tomorrow's Empire."

A new communication came in and Shanta hurriedly answered.

"The teams dispatched to nearby outposts for scouting have returned. Nothing is out of the ordinary."

"Men from the mining area reporting, the mines were attacked, but the situation has been controlled. Seven terrorists shot dead and 31 conscripts injured. At the moment, there are no casualties."

This information let those in the command post breathe a little more easily.

Shanta had personally seen to the defensive deployments of the mining area. Shanta had also constantly reminded the team guarding the mines not to let anything suspicious slip by. Now it seemed like that had been effective.

These few pieces of good news were hard to come by, but Shanta still felt uneasy. Picking up his comms device, he contacted the engineers who were restoring the communications network. "Is it done?"

Just three words, yet each word carried a fearsome intent.

The tone of the engineer replying was somewhat timid as he stiffly replied, "Not yet."

"Twenty minutes. If it is not restored in 20 minutes, the whole lot of you can scram back to wherever you came crawling out from!" Without waiting for a reply from the engineers, Shanta ended the communication. He would wait for an hour at most. Forty minutes had already passed, and after they waited for another 20 minutes, if the communication network were not restored, he would execute another plan.

The engineers that faced the wrath of Shanta were red in the face, but they had no choice but to bear with it. They had painstakingly managed to grab a spot to come over and upgrade planet Baiji's communications network, yet problems had arisen shortly after they had arrived. Indeed, it had been their negligence that had resulted in the chance to be attacked. If the communications were not restored within 20 minutes and they were chased back by Shanta, they would have no face to continue staying with the Academy of Sciences HQ. Most importantly, being forced to return would be considered a black mark in their profession, and there might be no more chances for promotion in the future.

Luckily, under heavy pressure, they were finally able to restore the network in the 19th minute. Although it was still unstable, at least they had salvaged some face. In another 15 minutes at most, it would definitely be completely stable.

At practically the same moment the communications network was restored, Shanta received information from every outpost. Other outposts were fine, but outposts 8, 23, 61, 85, and 97 had suffered attacks.

The communications network had not been completely restored and the signal was still unstable. Shanta wanted to contact these five outposts, but the connection kept breaking. At least he was able to get a rough report of the situations at those outposts.

Fortunately, every outpost's defensive systems had been upgraded after the discovery of Baiji ore, or they would surely have lost all contact with those five outposts, or perhaps those outposts would have been obliterated off the face of planet Baiji.

This also let Shanta confirm the fact that this attack had been planned for quite some time. It seemed that planet Baiji had been targeted even before the discovery of Baiji ore, and now these people had initiated an attack because they were worried that Baiji's forces stationed on the planet in the future would be even greater and so it would not be as favorable to attack when their defenses were tighter. Not wishing to miss the chance to attack, they had hurriedly gone ahead with this surprise attack.

Suddenly remembering something, Shanta violently turned his head and asked the others in the command post. "Which outpost did Fan Lin transfer Fang Zhao to?"

Shanta's assistant brought up Fang Zhao's military service files. At the column for his military position "active duty" were the words "Outpost 23."

Silence befell the room and the atmosphere became grave.

Fan Lin, a veteran professor at the Academy of Science HQ who had brought along large projects and was a famous person from Muzhou.

The eight scientists under Fan Lin were all his research elites. If anything had really happened to them, Fan Lin's laboratory would have been destroyed all at once.

And there was still Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin, who were part of Project Starlight and garnered a lot of viewership. The matter could not be covered up if something had happened to them, not to mention that they had been doing a live broadcast before the signal had been lost.

Fang Zhao, Baiji ore's discoverer, could be considered the person who had changed the fortunes of planet Baiji. Shanta was also grateful to him, especially his ears. If something had really happened to Fang Zhao this time, it would be really unfortunate.

"Fang Zhao's vocation transfer was never publicized. Even when they were broadcasting, no information was revealed that Fang Zhao was at Outpost 23," someone said.

"Fan Lin's decision to come over here was made before the discovery of Baiji ore, so they would not have been the target."

A colonel spoke up. "These T people only wanted to create a diversion and attack. The base defenses are too strong. They would be asking for trouble if they attacked the base. Rather then sounding us out and attracting our attention, they were simply better off picking outposts to attack. As for why Outpost 23 was selected, all I can say is that Fan Lin and Fang Zhao are unlucky."

Shanta also did not waste any more time and immediately dispatched men to provide backup for the five outposts that were under attack.

Online, people a long way from the fighting could not know the present situation on planet Baiji. All they had now were complaints.

"People from Frontline First, stop playing dead!"

"Where is the live broadcast? Why hasn't it been fixed yet!?"

"Complaint, we want to make a complaint!!"

At the start, many other media firms had taken this opportunity to attack First Frontline, especially companies that had similar natures as First Frontline. Previously, they had only been able to covet the overflowing popularity First Frontline got from Project Starlight, but then they'd had an opportunity to call them out.

Other than these people, there were others that had seized the opportunity to defame Fang Zhao. After all, Fang Zhao had risen too quickly and had hindered the paths of quite a few people.

As for those entertainment magazines, at the moment, they were beyond excited. These magazines loved to take advantage of the situation and dish out dirt. Anyway, if they joined in with the abuse, they would not get caught and could still use this opportunity to attract site traffic. Perhaps if the tempo was raised, there would be people who would give them money to shut up. How could they face themselves if this chance to line their own pockets was missed?

Therefore, in the short half an hour where the live broadcast was offline, the internet was filled with curses and abuse, but as time went by and the broadcast wasn't restored, First Frontline continued to play dead and did not give an official reply. Also, quick-witted people realized that the original criticism from popular and mainstream media outlets was slowly dying down. The ones still making a fuss were those fools still blinded by benefits.

A certain Huangzhou news company's social platform operations department received instructions from the top to delete the article denouncing First Frontline that they had posted on social platforms.

An operations staff was puzzled. "Why is it being deleted? Many people are sharing it. All this counts as traffic, and traffic means money!"

Another person made a guess. "Could it be someone threw money for it to be deleted?"

"Whatever the reason, since the top asked us to delete it, then we just have to do so."

Yanzhou, Silver Wing tower.

After Duan Qianji received a call from her husband Hong Lou, she instructed the public relations department to temporarily not issue any statements.

As before, there were sill lots of people who were spurred on to abuse Fang Zhao online. Whether they were purely picking a quarrel or they were really filled with grievances, after scolding, they still arrogantly copied what others said. "Silver Wing, come out and clean the floor 1 !" After all, doing this was not against the law.

Silver Wing 50th floor, virtual projects department.

Zu Wen and a few other technical staff were using dummy accounts online to refute others.

Pang Pusong was suspicious. "It's almost been an hour already, and the company's public relations department doesn't seem to be responding."

"First Frontline has yet to give an explanation as well."

"Not just them. Did you all realize that all the news medias that attacked First Frontline have deleted their remarks?" Jinro mentioned.

"It's true. Not only were the posts deleted, they are all maintaining silence. Even those Yanzhou-based ones that are always at odds with us have shut up! Does that mean that the company and First Frontline have done something about it?" Zu Wen asked.

"No." Jinro's voice became deeper. "I have a feeling that something may have happened."

Silver Wing did not have the patience to make all its rivals maintain silence all at once. Unless a certain situation had occured that could make so many large media firms in both Yanzhou and abroad keep their silence and not dare to post anything.

Zu Wen was prepared to investigate when he heard the sound of a push notification. Opening it, his eyeballs nearly popped out of his sockets.

"F*ck me! Terrorist attack?!"

Jinro opened the link. It was Huangzhou's military news channel that was broadcasting the news right now.

"...Planet Baiji has suffered a terrorist attack. The communications network is currently crippled and there are no means of contact..."

This news was like a large-scale frost magic spell being cast on the war of words online, as everyone stopped in their tracks.

A foreign planet's base suffering a terrorist attack was not considered news. This sort of situation occured once or twice every year, especially for remote planets with inadequate equipment. The poorer the conditions of a place, the easier it was to be targeted.

But also because these incidents were so far removed, it would remain a talking point for a short time before passing. It was a matter that did not concern oneself, and only those people about to enlist for military service paid attention to them. Following that, they would try their best to be assigned to places as far away as possible. As for people who did not follow political news, they simply did not know about terrorist attacks.

But this time around, planet Baiji was highly trending, and there were too many people paying attention to it. Even though it was seperated by the internet, everyone felt as if this had incident had happened right in front of their eyes, so much so that many people were shocked senseless by the news.

"Terr-Terrorist attack?"

"Looking at the time, it was when the live broadcast was interrupted!"

"Are they really not acting?"

Five minutes later.

A piece of information appeared online. On it was a picture, a screenshot of planet Baiji's publicity video, but on it was an extra large "T."

In no time, every large media outlet reported on this matter and explained the meaning of that picture: terrorist group "Tomorrow's Empire," aka the "T" organization, had claimed responsibility for the attack on planet Baiji.

Yanbei city retirement facility. Great-Grandfather Fang was watering the plants when he saw the news. His hands trembled and the watering can fell to the ground.

Great-Grandmother Fang hurriedly picked up her communications device and contacted former comrades, hoping to get news on the latest developments on planet Baiji.

The two elders' faces were extremely pale. They were full of regret right now. They should not have agreed with Fang Zhao's decision to undergo military service on planet Baiji. Although Great-Grandfather Fang always said that the younger generations should head to more arduous places for military service, there were times when he would close an eye, meaning that he actually doted on his descendants. When Fang Zhao had made his decision then, the two elders had been delighted, but at the same time, they had worried that Fang Zhao would meet with some problematic situations.

The discovery of Baiji ore had let Great-Grandfather Fang feel very proud in the retirement facility for a period. Never had he expected that after being proud for a few days, this sort of incident would occur.

"Little Zhao is the discoverer of Baiji ore and is also a celebrity. They probably assigned many people to protect him. He should be fine. Mmhm, definitely fine," Great-Grandfather Fang muttered. He did not know whether he was reassuring his wife or convincing himself. After that, he rushed to pick up the communications device and continued to contact people to help him get information.

Over at planet Baiji, Kevin Lin received a notification of a successful transmission and a wave of ecstasy swept across him.

Successful transmission signified that the communications network had been restored and meant that the base surely knew what was happening here and would dispatch people over to provide assistance. Even if the base was too occupied with the situation, at least over here he could send his report back and make a call to people he was close to!

However, when he saw the transmitting status, he felt as if he had been doused with ice-cold water.

He had recorded so many videos, but only the first one had been successfully transmitted, and he did not know how long it had taken for it to be transmitted successfully. The second video was stuck at 19%, and progress was slow. Live broadcasting was even more out of the question. They could not contact the base either for some unknown reason.

"Is the signal underground too weak?" Kevin Lin asked. "Professor Fan, have you managed to get in touch?"

Fan Lin shook his head. He felt that he had let down Fang Zhao and Kevin Lin. After all, he had pulled some tricks to transfer Fang Zhao over. Who could have known that this sort of situation would happen.

Fan Lin sighed. "Fang Zhao, this time it's my fault. I should not have transferred you two over."

He paused for a moment, but Fang Zhao did not reply. Fan Lin looked over and saw that Fang Zhao, who had been tending to the wounded, had stood up at that moment and was looking at the door of the underground shelter.

The shelter suddenly became slightly brighter.

The "rabbit" inside the water tank was now glowing even more brightly than before. It's original soft-looking fur had straightened out and swelled up, and each strand had its own bright spot. It looked very beautiful, but Fan Lin had a sort of dangerous feeling—whoever touched it at this moment would be very unlucky.

Many animals could sense danger much better than humans. The people in the underground right now were not idiots, and because of this, they all tensed up.

"What is ou-ou-outside?" Kevin Lin's previous excitement had totally vanished, and when it quieted down, he listened carefully to all the sounds of activity outside and could hear an indistinct and strange howl that made the hairs on his body stand up.

Fang Zhao did not reply, instead walking over to the doorway and pressing a button on the wall beside it. A screen appeared displaying the scene outside this underground shelter. Because it hadn't been used in a long time or maintained, the equipment was rather old, and the image twitched from time to time.

There were no lights outside. The surveillance camera was in night vision mode so the colors were not very distinct, but it could still be considered rather clear as it transmitted the situation behind the door.

A slender four-limbed beast walked past the underground shelter's door. It had hook-like claws and was covered with lumpy fur. As for the portions that were exposed skin, ripped muscles were bulging. Its face appeared malevolent, and some form of liquid dripped from its canines, perhaps its saliva or blood.

One look at this abomination and it one would know that this was not a native wild animal of Baiji.

Bang!

The sound of something breaking rang out suddenly in the quiet underground shelter, shocking everyone.

Everyone looked at the source of the sound, but they only saw that the metal piece Fang Zhao held in his hand, which had been removed from one of the wounded, had been forcibly snapped.

Fang Zhao's back was facing them. His normally gentle and calm eyes had an ominous glint at the moment, like a sharpened knife.

It appeared that Fang Zhao was standing there calmly, but at the moment, a raging fire had started burning inside him.

Those beasts from the Period of Destruction were no longer considered a big threat to the people of the New Era, so much so that some rich folks had voiced out about wanting to keep a Period of Destruction beast as a pet, though it was against the law. Experiments regarding Period of Destruction beasts had stringent regulations and needed to be declared and go through many rounds of investigation and auditing. If anyone were caught breaking these laws, the punishment was death.

There were some who did these illegal experiments for the sake of money, such as hoarding specimens and bones of beasts from the Period of Destruction, and there some who had other motives, such as using these beasts as biological weapons.

There surely wouldn't be just one inside the outpost. The aggressors had intentionally let these beasts out to attack the people of the outpost.

People in the new era might only just be disgusted with this sort of actions by the terrorist, but what Fang Zhao felt was fury!

Struggling through almost 100 years of war and chaos and having suffered so many sacrifices, was it to watch you let these things loose?

Revolt?!

A bunch of absolutely disgraceful things! A chinese internet slang meaning to deal with the aftermath of their people's action

Chapter 207: How Can It Be Him

The temperature of the entire underground shelter seemed to drop suddenly, and some uncontrollably shivered. As if there was a faint hint of a murderous aura here.

Kevin Lin thought to himself that perhaps it was his body subconsciously creating a shocked and afraid reaction after watching the images on the screen. But then again, that didn't seem right. Following that, Kevin Lin turned his gaze toward Fang Zhao.

Kevin Lin looked at the metal piece in Fang Zhao's hand. Although the things in the underground shelter were quite old, it was still unknown what this metal piece was made of—probably some cheaply priced material used when the place had first been built. Although it could not compete with newer materials, it really wasn't something that could be easily snapped. However, when considering Fang Zhao's manner while doing farm work, it was not that surprising.

"Fang Zhao? What's wrong with you?" Kevin Lin asked.

Fang Zhao retracted his gaze from the screen and threw away the few pieces of metal in his hand. He replied, "I'll be heading out for a bit."

The way Fang Zhao spoke was different from before. When he spoke, Kevin Lin nearly jumped.

"No way!" Kevin Lin vehemently rejected. "Are you trying to court death by going out?! Didn't you see those things outside? Even if you had a few lives, it wouldn't be enough!"

Originally, Fang Zhao had not had any intention of going out. Even if he had wished to head out to help those outpost soldiers, there were also people here that needed protecting. Although the underground shelter had protected them from a few rounds of bombardment, what if something happened? The people here did not have much fighting strength.

Therefore, Fang Zhao's original intention had been to stay here with Kevin Lin, Fan Lin, and the small team of scientists. If anything happened, he would be able to help. But now, having seen those things roaming outside, Fang Zhao could not suppress the raging fire burning in his heart.

Fang Zhao was certain he could handle these things, but he still had to take into consideration the others. He knew that now was not the best time to leave, that he needed to wait for the things to move further away before heading out.

Probably because it had caught the scent of humans, the thing outside the door raised its head and sniffed, then turn and came closer to the door. Kevin didn't dare speak despite there being many things he wanted to say, as he was afraid the thing outside would hear him. He did not know how effective the soundproofing here was, so to play it safe, he could only shut up.

CRASH! CRASH!

The banging on the doors made the people inside even more nervous. Kevin Lin was sweating profusely as he kept his eyes peeled on the door. He felt as if the nerves in his entire body were trembling in sync with the sound of the beast crashing against the door. All he could now do was pray that the door was sturdy enough to withstand the battering and had not been damaged during the aerial bombardment.

The scientists were equally nervous, their bodies tensed up like stone. Luckily for them, the underground shelter had been constructed meticulously. The beast outside smashed against the door a few more times and then let out a loud, unresigned howl. Following that, it sniffed the air and, probably picking up other scents, followed the passageway and left.

The shelter was filled with the sounds of deep breathing. They knew that they would be fine for the time being.

Only now did Kevin Lin realize his legs had gone soft. He checked the camera—good, the scene had been recorded.

Kevin Lin, who at the moment was looking at the camera and lamenting, heard Fang Zhao say once again, "I am heading out to take a look."

"Are you crazy?!" Kevin Lin could not understand why Fang Zhao still wanted to go out after witnessing such a nerve-wracking scene.

Fan Lin also tried to persuade Fang Zhao. "Fang Zhao, don't be impulsive. I know you wish to help out, but it would be best to leave those things outside to the outpost team; they are professionals."

"That's right, leave it to the outpost team. Furthermore, restoration of the communication network seems to be in progress. The base has found out about the situation here. We just have to stay here and wait for the base to send people over. Besides, what can you do if you go outside? You don't even have... a... gun..." Midway through his words, Kevin Lin saw Fang Zhao produce a gun from some unknown place. "Where did you get that gun from?!" Originally Kevin Lin had been leaning against the wall, but at the moment, he had leapt forward, his eyeballs bulging, unable to believe the shocking scene in front of him.

Kevin Lin bombarded Fang Zhao with questions. "Whose... whose whose gun is this? How did you bring it in? Or did you find it in the underground shelter?"

Fang Zhao did not explain. "I will head out for a bit, and"—Fang Zhao pointed at the camera—"remember to cut out the portion you just filmed."

There were indeed no longer any suspicious figures in the passageway outside. Fang Zhao listened attentively, then picked up a pole from the table before opening the door and speedily heading out after instructing Kevin Lin to hurry up and close the door and lock it. From the incident where the beast had smashed itself against the door, it could be seen that this place was still secure, so he could head out without worrying.

Kevin Lin was both angry and worried, but Fang Zhao simply had not listened to him. Fang Zhao had already gone out, and all he could do now was shut the door and observe the surveillance footage on the screen.

The passageway was murky; the majority of lights had been destroyed by the earlier bombardments. Sight was limited here, but hearing was even more acute in this darkness.

Fang Zhao listened attentively for the sound of activity and then took quick steps and ran forward in the passageway.

——

At the end of the passageway, the area that had originally been sealed off had collapsed.

A person wearing the uniform of the outpost team was half-buried under the rubble.

Walker felt that today was probably his last day alive. One of his arms was basically crippled, and both his legs were buried. When he tried to move, acute pain flashed through his body. He totally could not exert any strength. Just now, his team members had wanted to come over and help, but he had rejected them. Currently, they simply had no time to waste on him.

Only one of his arms could still move, albeit weakly. Shooting a gun required a great deal of effort, let alone aiming accurately for heads. Walker sighed softly and looked at the round black object in his hand. This was his last grenade. Even if he died, he would at least take one along with him.

He could hear the frenzied breathing in-between piercing howls coming from the passageway. This was the excitement of bloodlust.

Walker moved his fingers and flipped the switch, releasing the safety on the grenade. His finger positioned itself over the button in the middle as he looked toward the passageway. From the bright area into the darkness, he could not see anything and could only use his hearing to determined the distance to the target.

A piercing pain coursed through his arm every time it moved.

What if his throw was not accurate and it did not blow the beast to bits?

Then just wait for it to get a little closer.

Just a little closer...

After all, he was going to die anyway.

Walker counted in his heart.

He could already see the blurry outline of the monstrous beast rushing over. The shape of the beast gradually became clearer, and he could see its malevolent face and its sharp fangs.

However...

Walker pricked his ears. Why did it sound like someone was behind the beast?

Was it friend or foe?

As he thought about this, Walker heard a bang.

The monstrous beast that had been running at high speed fell to the ground and slid forward a short distance. Walker could see the bullet hole in its head. He tilted his head to see the bullet hole in the wall. That high-speed bullet had gone straight through that monstrous beast's skull.

A strange sound of gunfire and an unfamiliar bullet hole—it was not a gun model that the outpost or the base used. Who the heck was it?

Walker, who was still clutching the grenade, had intended to rain curses before going out with a bang and dying as a martyr, but now he was dumbstruck. He widened his eyes to try and see who it was, but the other party was not in a rush to come over.

Dong—

Dong—

The sound of a metal rod knocking against the wall reverberated within the long passageway

Grrrrrr—

The sound of low growling came from above.

Walker carefully raised his head. Above, at the edge of the area that had sunk in, there was another one of those beasts standing there. However, that beast had been attracted to the knocking sound and wasn't looking at him.

Dong, Dong, Dong—

The knocking sounds became more urgent, and the beast let out a series of low growls. After that, it leapt down from the top.

Walker had started to think of as many ways to escape the predicament before his eyes, but he had only begun using his head when he heard a bang.

Blood splattered on Walker's face, carrying with it an unfamiliar pungent smell that made one nauseous.

However, Walker simply paid no heed to that. He was staring blankly at the beast that had just landed and had not yet steadied itself before its brains had been blown out. He stiffly rotated his neck to look down the passageway.

The knocking on the wall had stopped after the shot had rung out. The sound of footsteps neared. Walker glanced over as the other person came closer, and an unexpected figure appeared in his field of vision.

"Fang... Fang Zhao!?" Walker looked as though his neck was trapped in a headlock. Worried that his eyes were playing tricks on him, he shut them tightly before violently opening them.

No mistake!

It was Fang Zhao!

How could it be Fang Zhao?

At this moment, all sorts of guesses, both positive and negative, flooded Walker's mind.

In the few days since Fan Lin had brought Fang Zhao over, the soldiers in the outpost had all met this person who had changed the fortunes of planet Baiji. Walker had also discussed Fang Zhao with his comrades in private. He knew that this person was a gaming and composing celebrity. However, in the few days Fang Zhao had been here, many people had gained favorable impressions of Fang Zhao. He did not put on airs, and he treated others warmly. Sometimes he would even help out the outpost team and give them more opportunities to appear on the live broadcast.

This was just an upright and grounded youth! Remove his celebrity tag and Fang Zhao would not be any different. The reporter named Kevin Lin, on the other hand, was even more of a diva than Fang Zhao. This was what they had thought of Fang Zhao.

However, now, Walker felt as if this was his first time getting to know Fang Zhao.

He only met Fang Zhao's gaze for a brief moment, yet Walker could feel a chill going down his spine.

There was not a speck of blood on Fang Zhao now, yet Walker felt as if there was a dense smell of blood permeating the surroundings.

"Walker." Fang Zhao had only been at the outpost for a short time, yet he remembered the names of the outpost team members.

"It's... It's me." Walker was filled with doubt. For example, where had Fang Zhao gotten the gun in his hand from? Why was his shooting so accurate? Why had he appeared here? These and many other questions filled Walker's head, yet he did not know where to start.

Fang Zhao walked over and, with one glance, was able to roughly determine Walker's current state. Pushing aside Walker's fingers, Fang Zhao took the grenade from Walker's hands and flicked the safety back on for the grenade, which could have blown at any moment.

Fang Zhao helped extract Walker from underneath the rubble and brought him back to the underground shelter.

Having gone out for a round and having brought back a wounded person, the people in the shelter saw Fang Zhao in a strange light, as though it was the first time they were seeing this person.

The items in the shelter were limited, so they could only give Walker some simple treatment. For further treatment, he could only wait till the situation was resolved and he was sent to the base.

After inquiring a little about the situation above, Fang Zhao took Walker's gun and handed it over to Kevin Lin. "I'm heading up for a look."

Chapter 208: I Disagree

As soon as Kevin Lin heard Fang Zhao's decision, he objected. "No way! Didn't you just get back? You were lucky enough to come back alive; let's just stay put. I'm sure the soldiers from the main base will be here soon."

"I agree, Fang Zhao. Let's just stay here. Don't go out," Fan Lin seconded.

Walker looked at Fang Zhao and said, "If you head up to ground level, you might be mistaken for the enemy."

On the battlefield, even if you were a friendly, you might be shot by mistake. If Fang Zhao headed out in his current state, he could easily be mistaken for a terrorist and killed in combat.

Naturally Fang Zhao was aware of these risks, but he still decided to leave.

Fang Zhao left the bunker again. All Kevin Lin could do was glare at him. Kevin Lin then turned to Fan Lin's lab technicians and asked, "Which one of you is the better marksman?"

The lab technicians all shook their heads.

"Then I better carry this. I have done shooting practice before, after all." Kevin Lin had never seen combat, but at least he had practiced on a firing range.

After glancing at a resting Walker, Kevin Lin couldn't help putting on his reporter's hat again. He started interviewing the wounded soldier.

At an unknown location on the first floor of the sentry post.

The sirens kept sounding following a series of explosions.

A silhouette emerged. It was a terrorist who had been part of the attack on the outpost.

The terrorist was in a good mood and was wearing a cocky and crazed smile. Unlike his two incompetent comrades who had been killed by snipers as soon as they had entered the sentry post, he had managed to infiltrate the complex and locate the storage room where the food, medicine, and other supplies were stored. Judging from their expiration dates, the inventory had just arrived. They were still in very good condition. Daily necessities like that were extremely hard to come by on a foreign planet. He had just blown up a few of the interconnected storage rooms. He felt like a bona fide hero, admiring his handiwork.

He still wasn't satisfied. Noticing locations that were left unscathed, he set another fire.

The security system started malfunctioning after the attack. It could only sound the alarm but not extinguish the fire. The repeated bursts of fire alarm sirens were unnerving, but to this terrorist, they sounded like celebratory bells extolling his achievement.

It was such a shame they couldn't go blow up the main base.

If the Baiji ore hadn't been discovered, if the military presence on the planet hadn't been reinforced, and if its defenses hadn't been beefed up, they probably would have blown the Baiji base to pieces. That would have made for huge news.

But once he thought of the fact that the outpost they had bombed was where that minor celebrity was broadcasting live from, the terrorist was ecstatic again.

They had only realized that Fang Zhao was around when they had arrived and scouted the experimental plot. The attack on Baiji had been in the works for some time. They were aware of everything that was happening on Baiji. They watched the live broadcasts every day. Naturally, they recognized Fang Zhao's face.

If he could track down that minor celebrity and broadcast his beheading live, then he would be the top story of the day. This was big news. Everyone would know who he was.

After gloating, he would commit suicide.

Sounds like a plan. Then... it's decided.

He licked his dry lips and tasted blood. The more he thought about his plan, the more excited he became. He was going to track down the minor celebrity stashed away by the sentries.

Where in the world had the sentries hidden the celebrity?

As he was pondering the matter, the flash of an arm showed up in his pupils and grew bigger rapidly. Before he knew it, his whole body plunged backward and landed on a wall. The subtle sound of his bones cracking could be heard, as if they had been crushed.

"Ahhh!"

The lone wail was quickly drowned out by the ongoing sirens.

His two arms flopped to the ground and his gun dropped to the ground. His comms unit was removed and stomped to pieces. Someone grabbed his collar and dragged him forward away from the storage units, a bit like he was a garbage bag.

"You're from Tomorrow's Empire?" a cold voice asked.

The terrorist lifted his head toward the voice for the first time since his whole body had been picked up. The first thing he saw was the dark barrel of a gun.

The temperature was hot because of the bombing and the fire he had started. He felt a warm breeze mixed with the smell of burnt toast. If someone stuck around long enough, they would be covered in sweat, but staring at the dark barrel and the cold glimmer of the gun, all he did was shiver.

The terrorist took a gulp. He had noticed his captor wasn't wearing the sentry uniform. He didn't know off-hand who his captor was, but now he took in the face behind the gun and froze. "Fang Zhao? You're Fang Zhao?"

Ecstasy replaced fear. He even ignored the metallic sensation of the gun barrel pressed against his face.

He had just been about to track down that minor celebrity. Lo and behold, the celebrity had showed up in front of him. It was divine intervention.

But he never would have guessed the minor celebrity had a few moves of his own. Several thoughts flashed through his head. A light bulb lit up when he recalled Fang Zhao's question. He had a brilliant idea.

"That's right. I'm a member of Tomorrow's Empire. I would do anything for the Empire."

"The Empire?" Fang Zhao asked.

"That's right. We want to build an empire of our own. A brand new world. Why do the descendants of the martyrs that founded the New Era have a monopoly on the best resources while we are discriminated against?" the man said in a righteous tone.

"You're a descendant of the founding fathers?" Fang Zhao pressed.

The man was about to answer in the affirmative, but he paused. "No, I'm not a descendant of the founding fathers. I'm a descendant of a Period of Destruction martyr."

The founding martyrs and the Period of Destruction martyrs were two distinct groups. The former referred to those who had made major contributions to mankind during the founding of the New Era, while the latter referred to heroes who had sacrificed themselves during the Period of Destruction. Any mention of Period of Destruction martyrs inspires a sense of awe and mixed emotions.

Fang Zhao frowned. "A descendant of a Period of Destruction martyr?"

The man was delighted by Fang Zhao's shift in tone. "That's correct," he blurted out.

In reality, he had no idea if any of his ancestors were martyrs. Regardless of the facts, it was his word against Fang Zhao's. This was his lifeline, or perhaps at some point he had brainwashed himself into believing that he was indeed the descendant of a martyr wholeheartedly, that everything he had done had been in the name of correcting injustices committed against his ancestors, that his work would bring him the utmost glory. It had all been for Tomorrow's Empire. Freedom fighters like him shared the spirit of the founding fathers who had battled for a new future.

Yes, that's right. All that killing had been for a better tomorrow. Bring on another Period of Destruction war!

"Let's set aside the issue of the martyrs' descendants who were forced to go down my path first. Do you remember the martyr Fang Zhao? You know, your namesake, the really famous one, the great man ranked only second to Wu Yan in the core area of the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs? You're from Yanzhou. You must know about him, no? It's a shame that he died in the 99th year of the Period of Destruction and Wu Yan stole the limelight. Look at how much prestige the Wu family enjoys these days? What about Fang Zhao's descendants? They've long been shoved into the gutter."

Fang Zhao watched as the man blabbered on passionately and self-righteously, seemingly emboldened by the noble cause of exposing the indignities suffered by a giant of history. Little did he know that the man standing before him was the real Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao had seen pitiful performances like this during the Period of Destruction a countless number of times. He could tell his prisoner was lying.

His claim of being a descendant of a martyr was bullshit. All this talk of correcting injustices committed against martyrs was simply a pretty excuse to advance his own interests and satisfy his greed.

Taking a step back, even if this person was telling the truth, even if this extremist organization counted the descendants of martyrs among its members, just look at what they had done. Fang Zhao thought to himself: if his fallen comrades who hadn't lived to see the New Era knew their descendants had stooped this low, they'd be furious enough to crawl out from their plots in the martyrs' cemeteries. They wouldn't be able to rest in peace.

The terrorist kept observing Fang Zhao's facial expressions as he talked. He swelled with delight when he noticed a subtle change in Fang Zhao's gaze. If he could convert Fang Zhao, that would be a major accomplishment.

If he couldn't...

The man bent his limp fingers, his fingernails piercing the center of his palms. He couldn't raise his arms anymore, but he could move his fingers.

"Think about the luxurious lifestyle that the Wu family enjoys now, then think about poor martyr Fang Zhao, resting alone underground, unable to protect the livelihoods of his descendants. If he were still alive, he'd be upset too. He'd definitely approve of our..."

Bang!

A bullet penetrated the man's head between his eyebrows, ejecting into the wall behind him.

Fang Zhao glanced at the slumped body and mumbled, "I disagree."

Fang Zhao didn't like extremist organizations like Tomorrow's Empire. The death of the parents of the original owner of his body had the fingerprints of an extremist organization all over it. Accidents like that were not unheard of, but many of them were covered up to prevent mass panic. The government had been heavy-handed in its recent antiterrorism campaign, dealing the extremists some major blows. Otherwise they wouldn't have been so desperate as to target Baiji. Not too long ago, Baiji had been an impoverished planet, which had made it a vulnerable target. If they had truly had the guts, why hadn't they targeted the planets at the top of the development order?

If they were genuinely so ambitious, if they actually harbored such lofty aspirations, why had been they so fixated on blowing up Baiji, endangering innocent civilians in the process? If they wanted to build their own empire, why not colonize a planet that hadn't been discovered by the global alliance and truly break new ground?

To expend all this energy to come up with evil plots instead of channeling it toward righteous causes, calling for the overthrow of the existing order, even recreating the beasts from the Period of Destruction—such bastards! They deserved to be crushed.

On the verge of his death back in the day, Fang Zhao had had his grievances all right. He had witnessed the emergence of all sorts of "royalty" on the different continents and read an online commentary that he was the one with the worst luck among the Period of Destruction leadership. He'd be lying if he said none of it had gotten to him.

But as he had admired the beautiful blue home planet from space, he had felt that all his sacrifices had been worth it. He had put all those injustices behind him.

Then Fang Zhao had wondered if, one day, some b*stard posing as his descendant would pop up and stir up trouble.

If the occasion actually arrived, he would deliver a bullet to the imposter's head, Fang Zhao had thought to himself.

Chapter 209: Blind

There was still continuous gunfire all over the outpost.

Yan Biao's face was pale and covered with beads of sweat. He took a look at his blood-soaked pants and winced at the pain. The protruding veins on his face twitched with every movement he made, but his two eyes were still scanning the surroundings like radar for any sign of activity.

Yan Biao used his comms device to ask those who had stayed behind in the command post, "Command post, how did the base reply?" His chest was heaving violently, and his words had some urgency to them.

"Base says that reinforcements are on the way. Captain, you should get some treatment first. With your current condition..."

A few other voices came through the comms device.

"Captain, you are hurt?!"

"Captain, don't delay treatment. Base reinforcements are en route, we just have to hold them off a little longer."

The comms channel they were using was in multi-user mode.

"Hold your own positions! Do not get distracted! I know my own condition best!" Yan Biao wiped away the droplets of sweat that had almost reached his eye. His sharp gaze was focused on the ruins in front, trying to detect where the two terrorists had concealed themselves.

These two were just too crafty. Yan Biao did not dare to get careless. Although his perception was not as strong as a cemetery guard's, he could rely on his own experiences and intuition to deduce a few things. The two hiding themselves were surely the leading members in this attack. Even if they were not leading the operation, they were still crucial personnel and could not be allowed to get any closer to the outpost!

But those two had really sharp senses, and every time, they managed to slip away just as the snipers were about to fire. Because of this, Yan Biao was even more determined to shoot these two terrorists dead.

If he were to be brought to a safe place for treatment, surely manpower would be needed to transport him over, and there would be others required to cover him. That would make it more difficult to kill these two. If he were to receive medical treatment, he had to get rid of these two terrorist first! He could not rest easy till they were dead!

At this moment, through his earpiece, he heard a message from the command post.

"Captain, the surveillance system shows some beasts headed your way!"

Yan Biao's heart dropped. He suspected that the two hidden terrorists ahead had used some sort of method to attract over more of these beasts to increase their fire power. This way, it would be more difficult to kill off the two terrorists.

"How many?" Yan Biao asked.

"Coming from your right. There are seven... six... five... four..."

Hearing the voice on the comms channel, Yan Biao's face stiffened. The veins on his face were protruding even more than before. Yan Biao bellowed, "Are you f*cking counting down!?" This wasn't the time!

"I'm... I'm not, captain. I'm really giving a serious report. There were really seven on your right headed over, but the numbers are dropping, there are still two... one... no more. The right side is clear."

Yan Biao violently exhaled.

How long had it been since this exchange of words? Seven beasts, completely wiped out!

When had their outpost team had such a godly marksman?

"Who did it?" Yan Biao asked.

"No idea."

"You didn't see it? Are none of the surveillance cameras working?"

"They are working, but all I saw in the footage was the beasts falling one after another. I couldn't tell who shot them. However, it doesn't seem like it's someone from our outpost team. The sound of the gunfire was different—not the gun model we use at the outpost. The sounds it made seemed like they were from an even older model."

Hearing this, Yan Biao was even more skeptical.

Could the person be in cahoots with the attackers? But if he were from that side, why had he shot those beasts?

Had reinforcements arrived?

That seemed unlikely.

If people from the base were here, it wouldn't only be one.

Who the h*ll was it?

"Get to the bottom of this!" Yan Biao ordered.

Even without Yan Biao's instructions, people in the command post were searching seriously. The sharp sensors of the detection system could capture the activity of any living beasts. The people in the command post stiffened up as they watched the bright spots displayed by the surveillance system change. Hurriedly, they exclaimed, "Riode! The person is headed over to you! It's unclear whether he is friend or foe!"

The line "unclear whether he is friend or foe" astonished Riode. Generally, they would always assume worst-case scenario. But now, "whether friend or foe" meant that in the current circumstances, the other party's actions were beneficial to him.

At the moment, Riode was leading men to clear out terrorists and those beasts that had entered the outpost. Hearing this message, he replied, "Which side... Never mind, I already hear gunfire."

The passageway's surveillance camera was damaged, and those in the command post had no way of watching the situation, but through the detection system, they were able to see the bright spots of life forms on the map. Blue dots were humans, and red ones were beasts.

Riode's team consisted of five people—five blue dots. In the middle of this long passageway, there were six red dots, and they were moving quickly in Riode's direction. There was another blue dot at the other end of the passageway who was moving at an even higher speed and was catching up to those red dots. And during this process, the red dots were decreasing.

As an eyewitness to this scene, Riode's thoughts overwhelmed him.

Flapping sounds as the six beasts ran at high speeds were accompanied by low growls and howls that flooded the passageway. However, every time a shot rang out, a beast fell.

Riode did not let his men fire. They were only to be on alert as they watched the person heading over eliminate the beasts.

Whenever they encountered these beasts, they would open fire from a distance. They would absolutely avoid engaging them in close combat, as they did not understand these beasts and could only be passive. Aim at the head? That was easier said than done. When it came to reality, the difficulty was much higher. In the last hour, they had experienced it for themselves.

But now, apparently every beast was being killed in one shot. Not considering marksmanship, Riode swore he had never ever seen such a crazy person before.

That's right, from what Riode saw, this was a crazy person!

Not only was it one shot one kill, after the person had caught up to the beasts with his extremely quick speed, he did not slow down at all, instead fearlessly continuing to rush forward.

Riode scrunched his eyebrows together. Close-quarters combat?

When the steel rod struck the beast's taut, rock-like muscles, it created a thumping sound. The thumping sound had not yet dissipated when the second strike accurately struck the beast in its neck like a violent gale. A torrential barrage of attacks created an accompaniment of bones cracking and flesh being slapped.

Riode's furrowed expression turned to one of astonishment.

Beast after beast fell to the ground and did not budge.

Bang!

Gunfire.

The last beast collapsed to the ground heavily. The inertia from its rushing caused it to slide some distance after it fell, leaving a trail of brown blood from the bullet hole in its head.

The whirlwind-like attack had only lasted a few blinks. Before Riode had even regained his train of thought, the entire thing was over. Those aggressive howls a few moments ago had been silenced for the rest of eternity.

Riode was still standing in his original spot. The muscles around his eyes were twitching. Even more so when he saw the other party's face; his eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets.

Those in the command post saw the six blue dots on the screen and anxiously asked, "Riode, what's the situation over there? Who is the other party? Is he friend or foe?"

Others who were in the same comms channel pricked their ears up.

Riode heard the questions through his ear piece and opened his mouth. With great difficulty, he spat out two words: "Fang Zhao."

When everyone in the comms channel heard this name, they spoke almost simultaneously.

"Who!?"

"What!?"

Riode swallowed his saliva. When he saw Fang Zhao look over, he was a little startled and nervous for no reason. A layer of sweat had actually formed on his back.

At this moment, Fang Zhao's entire body seemed to be oozing a viciousness that was entirely different from how he normally was!

Riode recalled the scene he had just witnessed. The kind that went all out to beat the enemy to death without even giving them the tiniest bit of time to take a breath. In the past, how had he reckoned that Fang Zhao was a gentle and harmless person?

I must have been f*cking blind!

"Why are you even here?" Riode asked.

Fang Zhao flung the blood off his steel rod. "I came out to take a look. What's the situation like right now?"

"It's already under control. People from the base should be arriving shortly." Riode briefly spoke a little about the current situation. There was nothing confidential, and he did not need to hide any information.

"From where you came from, besides these beasts, did you encounter any terrorists? Previously, two holes were blasted in the outpost and some infiltrators entered, sabotaging a portion of our surveillance system. The command center had no way of finding them."

"I encountered one when I came over from the storehouse." Riode had also mentioned Yan Biao's situation, and Fang Zhao decided to go over and see if he could help out. "Does Yan's squad require help? I'll go over."

The conversation between the two was also transmitted to others through Riode's ear piece and receiver.

When Yan Biao heard the conversation, he was still unconvinced. Two minutes later, he had a complicated expression as he saw Fang Zhao appearing in front of him. This old soldier had made an oversight, let alone the others.

Glancing at the gun in Fang Zhao's hands, it was indeed an old model that had already halted production. This was a gun model that garrisoned troops had used a few decades ago. The question was: where had this little fellow gotten a hold of it, and how had he even brought it here? Even bringing a gun for military service?

"You need medical treatment ASAP," Fang Zhao said as he took a look at Yan Biao's wound.

"We don't have to worry about it right now. Fang Zhao, the command post said that many of the beasts inside the outpost were killed by you?"

"19. Until now, I have killed a total of 19," Fang Zhao replied.

Yan Biao's face twitched when he heard this figure. According to rough estimates, during this round of attacks, the terrorists had released eight cages here. Each cage had held approximately 15, thus totaling 100-plus such beasts. If what Fang Zhao had said was true, then he alone had gotten rid of a sixth of them!

If anyone had told Yan Biao this before, he definitely would not have believed it.

There was the sound of concentrated gunfire in the surroundings, and a number of beasts approached. This was the reason they were defending this area and were unable to move forward to the ruins ahead.

These beasts did not know pain. As long as they were not dead, they would engage in slaughter till the very end.

"You have good marksmanship? Do you see that area in front? Within those ruins are two terrorists, We cannot let them get any closer to the outpost. You can cooperate with Bie Liao. Do you know Bie Liao? He is our sniper. Those two terrorists are really crafty, so it is very difficult..."

Bang!

The gunshot rang out beside his ear. The sound of gunfire from the old gun model was too loud, and Yan Biao was deafened for a moment. He stared blankly for two seconds before recovering. It was also because he was weak from his injury; otherwise, his reaction would not have been like this.

The dazed Yan Biao heard sniper Bie Liao's voice crackling through his ear piece.

"Captain, one of the terrorists has been hit. Judging from the bullet wound and the spurt of blood, he should already be dead."

Yan Biao looked slightly more at ease. "Good job!"

"It wasn't me," the sniper mumbled. He had been just about to fire when he had seen the target's head tilt back and blood spurt out.

The terrorist that had been shot dead probably had not known whether he had been hit by a stray bullet or targeted and eliminated, as the bullet had not been shot from the sniper's position. The terrorist might have been guarded against the outpost team's sniper, but he was not guarded against shots from other positions.

"It wasn't you?" Yan Biao was suspicious. Inclining his head toward Fang Zhao, he opened his mouth to ask.

Bang!

Another shot rang out beside his ear.

Sniper Bie Liao's voice came through the ear piece. "Captain, the other terrorist has also been shot dead."

"Was it you this time?" Yan Biao asked.

"It wasn't me this round either," Bie Liao said grudgingly. He was the outpost's best sniper, and he normally called himself the ace marksman, but this time around, he had really suffered a blow. He had totally been unable to lock the two crafty terrorists in place, and after, he had not gotten a single one after guarding for so long. In the end, they had been killed by somebody else.

"But in any case, those two have finally been settled." Bie Liao sighed. "The remaining beasts are not a threat. Captain, you should hurry and get treated, or you will die from blood loss."

"Tell everyone at your side that nobody is allowed to go any closer. They might have bombs on their bodies."

"I know."

Ending the comms, Yan Biao looked at Fang Zhao, who had already put away his gun. "Were those two shot by you?"

"Mmhm."

The calm tone Fang Zhao used was as though he had just slaughtered some chickens.

Chapter 210: No Interes

Yan Biao could not clearly see the situation ahead of him, but since Bie Liao had seen it through his sniper scope and confirmed that the two terrorists had already been killed, Yan Biao could rest easy and receive treatment. However, if what Fang Zhao had said was true, examining the wounds on the bodies would verify his words. The gun used by Fang Zhao was different from the ones used by the outpost team. The gunshot wounds would be different, so it would be easy to distinguish.

Yan Biao was a little puzzled when he saw Fang Zhao keeping his gun away. "Aren't you going to continue? There are a few more beasts over there."

"The others can handle it. Besides, I'm out of ammo," Fang Zhao replied. The situation was already under control. There weren't many threats remaining, and he had no need to snatch military glory away from the outpost team.

Yan Biao did not question how Fang Zhao had managed to smuggle the gun into planet Baiji. Instead he asked, "These types of old gun models have very little ammo. How many bullets are there? You ran out of ammo so quickly."

"There were only 20 bullets when I brought it over." Fang Zhao did not hide this bit. Yan Biao and the others did not think highly of these sorts of decades-old guns. If a gun from the Old Era were placed in front of them, they would surely treat at as an antique.

Bie Liao had just arrived and had a shocked look on his face. "You dared to head to the battlefield with only 20 bullets? Was it enough?"

Yan Biao too was used to high-capacity magazines and also found it utterly unimaginable. "What can you do with so little ammo?" But when he remembered how Fang Zhao had shot the terrorists and the reports of how Fang Zhao had killed those beasts with one shot, he swallowed his words.

"That's why I brought a steel rod." Fang Zhao brandished his already-deformed steel rod, which was now full of brown bloodstains. Not every beast had been shot dead; some had been bludgeoned to death.

Yan Biao silently watch Fang Zhao for a few seconds, then handed his own gun over to Fang Zhao. "You use it first. I no longer have the strength to use it."

Fang Zhao did not accept it. He looked up at the sky in a certain direction. "Should be reinforcements from the base arriving."

Yan Biao felt delighted inside and looked over... but he did not see anything.

But when he remembered Fang Zhao's " Diting 1 ears," he largely believed it. He still pushed the gun toward Fang Zhao. "Even if personnel from the base have arrived, you hold onto it just in case."

Indeed, after a short while, a black speck appeared in the distance. Yan Biao switched the modes on his comms device and received a new signal accessing the outpost's communications network. It was the personnel dispatched from the base.

After reporting the situation over here, Yan Biao checked his comms device again. There were two missed comms from Kevin Lin.

Yan Biao had set up a few communication channels in the network. Channel 1 was for personnel with a squadron leader position or above, including the command post. Channel 2 was for team leaders and above. Channel 3 was solely for communications with the command post and to understand the current situation. Channel 4 was for personnel not part of the outpost team, like Kevin Lin and the rest.

Previously, he had been in the outpost internal comms channel and been set to combat command mode, so those in other channels could not interfere.

Yan Biao switched over and immediately heard Kevin Lin's anxious voice asking. "Fang Zhao went up! Have you seen him?"

"He's here beside me. He's all right. Base personnel have also arrived, but we still need time to make sure the danger has passed. You people stay where you are first and don't come out. When it's safe, I will send men to fetch you."

Yan Biao's words were undoubtedly good news to those in the underground shelter. They signified that the situation was roughly under control.

Yan Biao did not say much else. Two soldiers came over and prepared to carry him off for medical treatment. He no longer needed to maintain his position. As he relaxed, he felt his vision blurring as he faded in and out of consciousness.

Of the two terrorists, one of them was indeed armed with explosives. Furthermore, the explosives were embedded within his body and were difficult to remove. After the personnel dispatched by the base determined the identity of the two terrorists, they moved the bomb-laden corpse far away for detonation.

The explosion in the distance shook the earth, vindicating Yan Biao's judgement. If those terrorists had infiltrated the outpost's interior, the consequences would have been even more dire..

Now that there were reinforcements, Bie Liao held his gun and sat at the side. He was really tired, yet he could not control his curiosity. He asked Fang Zhao. "Were those two terrorists really shot by you?"

Bie Liao had seen the gunshot wounds on the two terrorist's bodies. Both had been killed with a single shot, and the wounds had not been made by the gun model issued by the base. On the contrary, the gunshot wounds seemed similar to those found on the bodies of the beasts Fang Zhao had shot dead. Because of this, Bie Liao found it unimaginable.

If it was an old experienced soldier around 70 or 80, Bie Liao would only have had admiration for him, but Fang Zhao? How old was Fang Zhao?

Those two terrorists were experienced hands with sharp perceptions. Bie Liao had kept an eye on them for so long, yet he had been unable to succeed. Every time he had caught sight of their shadow, the other side seemed to have sensed it and had evaded so Bie Liao could not get a lock on them.

Not just himself, Bie Liao reckoned that if it had been any of the few ace marksmen from the base, they would not have been able to do it either.

Timing, speed, decision-making, mental state, external factors, and other factors affected the final outcome. Bie Liao was not finding excuses—it was indeed very difficult.

However, today, the scene that had unfolded in front of Bie Liao's eyes was like a lesson for him.

Even if Bie Liao was unwilling to admit it, he had to accept this fact. In less than a minute, Fang Zhao had used a gun that was no longer in production and two bullets to shoot dead the targets that Bie Liao had been unable to hit for 20 minutes.

This skill was really extraordinary!

Furthermore, from what Riode and the others had said, given Fang Zhao's skill, marksmanship, and temperament, if he joined the military, anywhere he went, he would be the absolute trump card!

"If I had your ability, maybe even just half, I would have become a senior officer long ago. I wouldn't still be stuck as a lieutenant like now!" Bie Liao lamented to Fang Zhao. This little fellow, why did he not think things through? Why did he decide to be a celebrity!? Bie Liao was especially curious about one thing. "How long have you been practicing with a gun?"

Fang Zhao thought for a bit before replying, "Very long."

"Definitely not as long as me." From what Bie Liao saw, he was older than Fang Zhao by a few decades. He'd had access to firearms from a young age. Bie Liao had certainly held guns longer than Fang Zhao, but his skill could not be compared. This Bie Liao acknowledged.

Bie Liao had an envious look in his eyes. "Your talent is really good." This sort of thing known as talent was not something anyone could have. Some people could just use a shorter time to achieve more dazzling results.

When Fang Zhao heard this, he gave a faint smile.

Talent?

These technical abilities and skills were gained from experiencing living hell for close to 100 years and from the accumulation of many wounds and injuries. Technical abilities did not drop from the sky. How much had his body and mind gone through to achieve the level of skill he had today?

In his previous life, the reason Fang Zhao had not survived was largely due to his accumulated injuries and illnesses coupled together with the immense pressure on him from the war. As the leader of a large warzone, he had been unable to avoid many affairs. Before his death, his body had already reached its limits, and even if the battle where he had died had not occured, he might not have made it to the Founding Era.

Fang Zhao's rebirth had let him feel pleasantly suprised, but ultimately, his soul was still the same one that had gone through close to a hundred years of the apocalypse.

During that period where they'd had to make sure every bullet counted and where danger had lurked around every corner, where they'd had to stay alert both day and night and a person's life could have been lost at any moment, he had lived for close to 100 years.

This was something Bie Liao would never be able to imagine.

When Fang Zhao faced those beasts, his soul and body combined to create an instinctive reaction.

But Fang Zhao could not say any of this.

Noticing Fang Zhao not speaking, Bie Liao did not mind. He continued, "The magazine for that gun of yours is way too little. But speaking of that, for Old Era guns, their bullets were big, and the magazine capacity was really little. I heard that some of the gun magazines could only load 10 shells? I have no idea how those people from the Period of Destruction could get by. If it was me, I would have fallen into despair."

Fang Zhao nodded. "Yeah, they probably wished they could have broken a single bullet into many more."

"Oh right, I forgot that you were a godlike player in 'Battle of the Century.' I heard that 'Battle of the Century' is set during the Period of Destruction, and things during that period were recreated. I will try it if I get the chance."

"Godlike player" and so on were the words entertainment media used to describe Fang Zhao. When Bie Liao had first seen it, he had felt that it was rather exaggerated, but looking at things now, even if it was exaggerated, it was not beyond reason.

Bie Liao decided that, when he got the chance, he would go online and search for Fang Zhao's dazzling game videos.

"I heard that some units have already been allocated the latest gun model, the sort that shoots beams. That sort of gun doesn't require bullets at all, and the firepower is even greater. There is even a vertigo mode and a heat mode." A look of yearning crossed Bie Liao's face. "It sounds so cool. I wonder when would our side will get to use it."

"Equipment will get better and better in future," Fang Zhao said.

"That's for sure. If we were the planet Baiji of old, all we would be able to do is dream. But now, it's different! We can look forward to it! If we'd had equipment of that sort of grade, we would have beaten these attackers to a pulp!"

At this point, Bie Liao once again thanked Fang Zhao. "It was all thanks to you discovering Baiji ore that our systems and equipment were upgraded. Otherwise, during this attack, maybe half of us wouldn't have survived. But what can we do? Resources are limited, and there are positions in the development sequence. You see, we, planet Baiji, were poor and had lousy equipment and so were placed at the back. It's little wonder we got targeted by terrorists." Bie Liao lameted for a little bit before asking Fang Zhao, "Oh, do you have any interest in developing in the military?"

"Nope," Fang Zhao replied. "I'm in the art industry."

He just wanted to enjoy this new life that was hard to come by.

The attacks all over planet Baiji were already under control. Reinforcements from the base had reached all the other outposts in succession. The communications network had not yet been fully restored. Although the network was still unable to support a live broadcast, information transmission was no longer obstructed.

However, people online were unaware.

The matter of planet Baiji being attacked by a terrorist organization had become something that everyone was following closely.

The military would not publicly reveal all information, so for those that wanted to know the latest developments at planet Baiji, they needed to find relevant parties. If not, all they could do was worry.

The large majority of netizens were like this. They were worried, and all they could do was vent in all the large forums until channel S5 released a video.

It had been sent to the company by Kevin Lin on planet Baiji. In the video, Kevin Lin was in a dusky room, his face bloodied. He cut a sorry figure. Ever since the live broadcasts had started, this was the first time he had appeared this way in front of the audience, but nobody mocked him.

"Greetings, everyone, it is your old friend Kevin Lin. My work ID number is LKW7986..."

Kevin Lin's voice was heavy and trembling slightly, as if he was saying his last words.

In no time, every continent's various internet or television channels synchronized to this broadcast.

Channel S5's viewership hit an unprecedented height. A mythical creature that can hear anything by putting it's ear to the earth

Chapter 211: Virtual vs. Reality

"Did you hear that planet Baiji has come under attack?"

"You mean the planet that was the center of attention a while back after discovering the new power ore?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I heard it's a terrorist attack."

"So be it. It's no big deal."

For many folks, Baiji was a faraway planet, and what happened there didn't affect their daily lives. In addition, this was not the first terrorist attack in the history of mankind. They didn't pay much attention. As for the handful of folks who followed political and military news, even they went about life as usual when they learned about the attack from their friends. At most it was a fallback conversation topic during social gatherings, and they would make a perfunctory donation to the military on Memorial Day. That was it.

But this time, things were different.

"You've heard of Fang Zhao, right? The dude who was the top-ranked player in 'Battle of the Century'? He is performing his military service on Baiji at the exact sentry post that was attacked. I heard that he was broadcasting live at the time and his signal was cut off. He might have been hit. They still don't know whether he's alive or dead."

"What?"

For many gamers, both professionals and amateurs alike, Fang Zhao's departure from gaming was a sad development. The void at the top was a frequent subject of discussion in online gaming forums. Now the global rankings for "Battle of the Century" were a full-on slugfest day in day out, with the former No. 1 and No. 2 both out of action. Fang Zhao had to serve in the military, and Marshall had decided to focus on his professional shooting career instead. Now that the two strongest players were out of the picture, everyone else naturally went all out trying to advance their rankings.

Given the prevailing dynamics, gamers would bring up Fang Zhao from time to time and reminisce about his stranglehold on the No. 1 spot in the first six months after the game had launched.

When Fang Zhao had announced he was quitting gaming to serve in the military, some had cheered and others had mourned the news. Likewise, news that the location where Fang Zhao was serving had been attacked by terrorists sparked mixed reactions. Some folks wished for Fang Zhao's death so that their competition would be eliminated for good, while others prayed for Fang Zhao's survival. A third group just followed the latest developments for the heck of it.

Regardless of their motivations, none of the gamers were in the mood to play anymore.

Fiery Bird noticed that the number of gamers online playing "Battle of the Century" was much lower than usual, and the figure was continuing to dwindle over time, especially after channel S5 played the footage it had received from Baiji. Everyone had gone offline to watch the video.

After watching the first video Kevin Lin sent, they knew this was a prime opportunity for their publication.

Indeed, for any profit-making organization, their business interests came first. Naturally, they were concerned about the situation on Baiji and whether there were any survivors, but they cared more about how the incident could benefit the publication.

"The second video has been edited. We've received 98 percent of the third video."

"Boss! Another internet TV channel from Muzhou wants to buy our footage."

"The third video has been downloaded in full. I'll start editing."

"Kevin Lin's gonna become a star," one of Kevin Lin's colleagues said as he observed S5's viewership numbers skyrocketing.

"He's already a star," another colleague said while pointing at his computer screen and wearing an astonished expression.

On his screen was Kevin Lin's social media account. His last status update had been posted before he had taken off for Baiji: "About to take off!"

The post included a photo that also showed Fang Zhao and other fellow passengers.

The number of comments on the post had already exceeded 1 million. Concerned viewers noticed Kevin Lin's account displayed in the S5 videos.

Kevin Lin had interviewed celebrities and politicians in the past, but no matter how much he had self-promoted and embellished, he had never gotten anywhere. Now, a disaster had turned into a blessing in disguise. His follower numbers had reached a level that made many fellow journalists jealous. Even if it was a temporary bump, people were still jealous.

The military chose not to disclose the latest updates it had received. All they said was that the situation on Baiji was under control and that the military base was secure. That was all. So if viewers wanted to find out more details, they had to tune in to S5 or regional internet TV channels that took the S5 feed.

The first video S5 aired explained what had happened. Not just Kevin Lin, but Fang Zhao, Fan Lin, and the other researchers also appeared in the video. The second video showed the appearance of a monster.

The beast was no stranger to gamers who were playing "Battle of the Century," even if it belonged to a species they weren't familiar with. The monster's savage face bore a striking resemblance to the beasts in the game.

The banging on the door not only unnerved the people in the bunker, it also spooked the viewers watching the video. This wasn't a movie. It was cinema verité, real footage from the planet of Baiji. They didn't know what they would see next, which gave their nerves a roller-coaster ride.

Good thing the door was firm enough. The beast was also distracted by other noise, so the online viewers could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

So the third video started with a close-up of Kevin Lin's bloody and dusty face. He sat in a corner, sighing repeatedly and rubbing his face before going on camera. His eyes were bloodshot, weary with concern and fear.

"Fang Zhao..." Perhaps it was dehydration and the pressure, but Kevin Lin's voice was a bit hoarse. He paused shortly after starting his sentence.

The online viewers became even more anxious.

Yeah, where is Fang Zhao?

The viewers could see the lab technicians behind Kevin Lin, but there was no sign of Fang Zhao. They thought he was simply off-camera, but Kevin Lin's tone of voice seemed to suggest otherwise.

Countless viewers stopped what they were doing in anticipation of the rest of Kevin Lin's sentence.

Kevin Lin cleared his throat before continuing. "Fang Zhao headed out. He said he wanted to take a look."

The viewers froze. Some bitched that Kevin Lin was a tease. What the hell are you doing gasping for breath before he finished his sentence? The pause made us think that Fang Zhao had sacrificed himself in combat.

Wait.

Something doesn't sound right.

He headed out?

Fang Zhao left the underground bunker?

What for? To kill a few monsters? Does he think this is a f*cking game?

Also watching the footage was Great-Grandfather Fang, who was so startled he got out of his chair. "Nonsense! What can a young conscript who's never seen real combat do? Does he have a death wish?"

Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother were angry and anxious. None of their old comrades had any concrete word on Fang Zhao's status. All they could offer were updates on the base. But all the two elders cared about was the latest status of Outpost 23. The only source of news about Fang Zhao was S5's video footage. All they could do was wait.

They actually tried contacting First Frontline directly for their full footage, but they couldn't get through. First Frontline wasn't based in Yanzhou, after all. While Great-Grandfather Fang had connections in Yanzhou, his influence didn't extend to Huangzhou. They didn't have a direct line to First Frontline on short notice, and the publication's customer service hotline was overwhelmed with calls. Grand-Grandfather Fang wanted to take a number but gave up after he saw that the queue was in the tens of thousands. Lord knew how long that would take.

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long. Fang Zhao appeared in the next video. Not only did he return to the bunker safely, he brought with him a wounded comrade.

Many folks breathed a sigh of relief, but before they could relax, Fang Zhao headed out again.

Great-Grandfather Fang gasped for breath. "Why, why, why is he going out again?"

During the period Fang Zhao was gone, the video showed Kevin Lin and a few others who were only lightly injured treat the wounds of the rescued soldier. They did the basics. His wounds were too severe and there was only so much they could handle.

But the wounded soldier, Walker, didn't stay silent. He didn't know if he was going to make it, so Kevin Lin filmed him giving a blow-by-blow of Fang Zhao's rescue attempt.

A gamer watching the video beamed. "That is to say that Zhao-god killed two monsters?"

"Fang Zhao was such a badass in the game. He couldn't fare too poorly in reality, right?"

There were dissenters. "Did you forget about the earlier news reports? The virtual world is different from the real world."

Some people were only cocksure online, whereas in reality they were pussies. Entertainment news items casting gamers in an unfavorable light had surfaced in the past. For example, an entertainment magazine broke the story of a superstar fighting-game player who was hospitalized after getting the crap beaten out of him by a small-time black street thug. There was also the shooting gamer who tried to play hero in real life only to be killed instead.

Regardless of the controversy, everyone wanted to know how Fang Zhao fared. Did he come across any monsters or terrorists during his second outing? Was he injured? Was he still alive?

When Kevin Lin finally got through to Yan Biao and learned that Fang Zhao was safe and that backup had arrived, the online viewers couldn't help but cheer as well.

But S5's live broadcast broke off abruptly again at that moment of rejoice. Just as viewers started bitching and threatened to file complaints, they saw the following line appear on their screen: "Live signal connecting."

The previous footage had all been delayed. What they had witnessed had happened earlier. Now that there was a live signal, who cared about taped footage?

The viewers stopped whining and stared at their screens.

Their screens flashed "successful connection" and then Kevin Lin's bloody face appeared, but this time, his grim, unsettled look was gone. Now he was emotional, ecstatic.

"Someone is here to pick us up, finally!"

The camera swung toward the entrance to the bunker. A small team of soldiers filed in. They carried out the heavily wounded while Kevin Lin and the others followed on foot.

Kevin Lin kept filming, capturing on camera the charred interior of the outpost and the bodies of several monsters. Some of the footage was too graphic, so Kevin Lin reminded viewers: "Our channel is only suitable for viewers 15 and older. Please switch channels if you're under 15. Parents, please check if any children in your household under 15 are sneaking online."

"I'm gonna track down Fang Zhao now. I wonder if he's injured," Kevin Lin said as he followed the soldiers.

He was flooded by daylight when he left the sentry post. He took a deep breath and scanned his surroundings when he saw the flying transports dispatched from the main base and the other reinforcements, then approached a soldier who looked familiar.

"Excuse me, have you seen Fang Zhao? Where is he?"

"Fang Zhao? He's over there. Someone took him to get a change of clothes," the soldier responded.

"New clothes? What for?"

Kevin Lin was about to press the soldier for details when he saw Fang Zhao disembark from a freight transport.

Fang Zhao had changed into a uniform similar to the outfit worn by the sentries and held a gun. Kevin Lin had seen Yan Biao with the same gun.

"Fang Zhao, what's this all about?" Kevin Lin asked.

"I'm heading back into the woods for cleanup. A few monsters escaped into the forest."

Before Kevin Lin could respond, he heard Bie Liao shout, "Hey, Fang Zhao! Time to go!"

Fang Zhao cut the conversation short, signaled to Kevin Lin that he was heading out, and dashed toward Bie Liao and his team.

Fresh from a hard-fought battle, the sentries still gave out a subtle killer's vibe. They met onlookers with icy stares. There were only about a dozen of them, but they projected a formidable presence.

Kevin Lin found himself stopping to admire the soldiers unconsciously. These soldiers are the real deal .

Fang Zhao didn't stand out in Bie Liao's team at all. Instead, he blended in perfectly, as if he had always been one of them.

The camera kept following Fang Zhao. Viewers could see him in uniform, boarding a flying transport with the other soldiers. The flying transport took off toward the forest. Kevin Lin stayed focused on the aircraft until it was reduced to a blip.

Shortly after that scene appeared on S5, the world-famous gaming publication Rising Dragon put out a news item about the elusive Fang Zhao.

The headline was "Virtual vs. Reality." The accompanying graphic was a combination of two pictures. To the left was Fang Zhao's avatar in "Battle of the Century," AliveAfter500Years. To the right was a screen capture of Fang Zhao standing with a few other soldiers during the live broadcast. Fang Zhao was wearing combat fatigues and carrying a firearm in both pictures, but these were two different contexts. The outfits and gun models were also different, but the subject was the same.

The backdrop on the left was the Period of Destruction some 500 years ago. The backdrop on the right was present day. One was a made-up world, the other real.

The contrast of the two contexts gave readers a big kick. It also sparked inexplicable feelings of worship among many gamers.

The brilliant juxtaposition was soon reposted by many other gaming publications.

Quite a few professional gaming clubs bemoaned the fact that Fang Zhao was in the headlines yet again. Didn't this guy retire? How come he's an overnight sensation in gaming circles again?

Chapter 212: Meritorious Deeds?

This incident gave rise to a round of passionate discussions in gaming circles.

The photo of Fang Zhao's "Virtual vs. Reality" was bookmarked by a lot of people.

"I suddenly feel like I can stand taller. In the future, if anyone tells me that playing games can only allow you to go savage in the virtual world, I will take this photo and wave it in front of their faces!" some gamers said excitedly.

Of course, there were voices of disapproval.

"Don't praise it to the high heavens. We don't even know the full truth. It might not even be as you are imagining it."

"Maybe it's just the outpost team helping him show off."

"All of these fans of Fang Zhao are blind and praise him so much. Be careful reality doesn't smack you in the face."

After this sentence was posted, a heated discussion started.

"Bullsh*t, wasn't the terrorist attack real? The military even announced it, as did many authoritative television channels. These are not lies. Fang Zhao already did well. Do you think anyone can stand out under these sorts of circumstances?"

"After all, Fang Zhao is just a gamer. Making such a rash decision to come out, it's a miracle that he managed to stay alive."

"That is why surviving is already really not too bad. If he'd had a little less luck, he could have taken a stray bullet and lost his life. It's best to stop while you are ahead. Since the situation is already under control, it's best to wait at one side. Why follow them into the woods? Don't get yourself killed in the end."

"Cough, certain people's own abilities are unable to match up to their ambitions, so they can only hope for others to fail as well. How sour!"

"I feel that he is not showing off. Also, the soldier that was saved by Fang Zhao when he previously went out mentioned that, if not for Fang Zhao's timely arrival, he would have long been dead. Seems like Fang Zhao has done some meritorious deeds this time and will surely receive a medal."

"It will probably be an outstanding service medal or a memorial badge."

"I also have a memorial badge. Isn't it something that every conscript gets?"

"There are also different grades for badges! Your kind is probably the normal one. Nobody would even want it if you put it up for sale!"

"There might be some under-the-table manipulations for this," someone said.

"There might be, but how much can they falsify? Fang Zhao is a celebrity with lots of presence, and so many people are watching him. How can they fake it!"

"That's right, planet Baiji does not have the final say on a lot of things. Baiji is only in charge of evaluations and reporting. There are many things that require their superiors to audit. Given Fang Zhao's high presence in the media, the top brass will surely audit it very strictly."

The forums discussed topics ranging from how many shots Fang Zhao had fired to how he had managed to survive. They talk about whether he had accomplished any meritorious deeds and what sort of military medals Fang Zhao would be awarded.

Now, many gamers idolized Fang Zhao. In the past, they had only idolized his gaming skills, but now, they idolized him as a person.

Currently, Fang Zhao had no idea of the discussions about him online. He had followed Bie Liao and the others as they had ridden the flying transport to do a cleanup of the woods.

Some of the beasts had slipped into the woods. These dangerous beasts could not be ignored and had to be cleared.

Riode tried to restrain himself, but he could not help it and said to Fang Zhao, "Brother, just asking. Later, if we discover any beasts, could you not make your move first?"

When they had entered the woods, the moment a beast had been spotted, Fang Zhao had immediately fired three consecutive shots before anyone else had even been able to place the beast in their sights. He had been firm and decisive, without even a tiny hint of hesitation. This had completely been Fang Zhao's subconscious reaction.

Three shots, and all had buried themselves within the beast's skull. Although it was not so godly that the three bullets wounds had been in the same spot, it had been enough to amaze Bie Liao and the others.

The beast had been running and the transport flying. For all three shots to have accurately hit the head was really no easy feat.

If it had been any other old soldier from the base or outposts that had achieved this sort of result, everyone would have been full of praise and not have been so astonished. However, the person that had shot was Fang Zhao, a conscript. Furthermore, he had just gotten this gun from Yan Biao. No matter what, there should have been a period of getting used to it. To think that he would actually have achieved this sort of result his first time using this gun, was his gun sense that strong?

But when recalling how Fang Zhao had shot dead the two terrorists, Bie Liao was no longer that surprised. Riode could not help but speak out when he remembered how Fang Zhao had settled that beast.

Actually, Riode had not wanted to bring Fang Zhao on this operation, as Fang Zhao would fight with them for meritorious deeds, but Fang Zhao's hearing was good, and he was just a contingency. If any equipment failed, they could rely on Fang Zhao.

But now, Riode and the others were feeling some regret. If the whole process of "cleaning up" was like this, would they even get the chance to act? They had decided that, after cleaning up, they would report to their superiors and take credit, but if everything was stolen by Fang Zhao, what credit could they even get?

Fang Zhao understood where Riode and the others were coming from, so he nodded. "All right."

He also had not intended to snatch glory from them. What had happened previously had been a subconscious reaction.

After that, when any beasts were found in the woods, Fang Zhao would only stand aside and watch.

Given Fang Zhao's result of shooting dead a target with three shots, Riode and the others took over 10 shots before downing one and were too embarrassed to find an excuse.

Luckily, this was Fang Zhao's first time using this sort of gun. If he were given the time to practice with it, would one shot have been enough?

"Fang Zhao, how did you get so accurate? Is this really your first time using this sort of gun model?" Bie Liao asked curiously.

"Not really. I came across it before when I played 'Ultimate King of Guns'."

"'Ultimate King of Guns'?" Everyone in the flying transport looked toward Fang Zhao, puzzled.

"A shooting game that was really popular last year," Fang Zhao explained.

The interior of the flying transport fell into a weird silence.

...

They searched in the wooded area outside the outpost for a day, followed by another two days of joint searching with people from other outposts. Only when they did not find any more escaped beasts did they return back to the outpost. Even if they did not discover any beasts, during routine patrols, they would still be able to notice any that slipped their grasp.

The outpost had suffered severe damage. Half of the stockpiled resources in the storehouse had been destroyed, but for the outpost and the troops stationed on Baiji, these were no longer that important.

Baiji's rise was imminent. In the future there would be no shortage of resources.

After returning to the outpost, Fang Zhao, together with Kevin Lin, Fan Lin, and the others, were sent to the base. Troops with serious injuries were transported to the base for treatment as well.

Arriving at the base, Fang Zhao went to pay a visit to Yan Biao. Yan Biao had just completed an operation on his legs, and a portion of his lower legs had been amputated.

Fang Zhao asked around. Yan Biao had gotten injured while saving two brash outpost soldiers. Even the medical procedures of the New Era had been unable to save Yan Biao's legs. His legs had been seriously injured, and there had been complications. Because Yan Biao had endured for so long during the attack, when he had been transported from the outpost to base, he had been fading in and out of consciousness.

During this terrorist attack, the five outposts had lost a total of 29 people. Of the 29, three were from Outpost 23. Although this was the least compared to the other four outposts, comrades from the same outpost had still lost their lives. Those close to them had already hidden themselves away to cry.

If the security systems and equipment had not been upgraded, the number of sacrifices would have been greater for this premeditated bombing and suicide attack.

It was not the first time that this sort of thing had happened, and sacrifices were inevitable.

Baiji base conducted a memorial service for the 29 soldiers who had lost their lives in this attack. Yan Biao, who had just undergone an operation and was in bad shape, also participated.

Returning to his room, Yan Biao had mixed feelings. With a heavy heart, he felt sorry for the comrades that had lost their lives and bemoaned his own injury. Yan Biao knew that he could no longer continue serving here and would need to be discharged early.

Yan biao had only returned to his room for a short while when Bie Liao, Riode, and the others came to visit.

Watching Yan Biao lying there, Bie Liao and the others did not know what to say.

Yan Biao spoke first. "I heard that you guys appeared on the live broadcast?"

When this was mentioned, Bie Liao and the others' gloomy moods were somewhat lifted.

"Don't bring it up. We just had a talk with the political instructor." Bie Liao looked remorseful, but looking closer, his eyes had a trace of happiness.

Not just Bie Liao, Riode and the others had the same sort of reaction.

Yan Biao frowned. "I heard that you guys didn't put on helmets and your faces were revealed? A full-body shot in high definition, too. Did you all forget your own ranks and the rules?"

Bie Liao defended himself. "We didn't voluntarily reveal our faces. That reporter was too excited and forgot to either keep away or censor it."

"Yeah, that's right. It wasn't our fault. We are all victims," Riode hurriedly added.

Yan Biao absolutely did not believe them. "What nonsense! If you guys really had the intention, wouldn't you guys have avoided it? Especially you, Bie Liao. You called out to Fang Zhao on purpose, and rather loudly too. Don't tell me you didn't notice Kevin Lin holding the camera? And when you realized it, you didn't evade?"

After all, these soldiers all served under him. Having worked together for all these years, how could Yan Biao not know what they were thinking. He could tell what sort of tricks they were trying to pull with one look.

"You guys are thinking about the immigration policy," Yan Biao said slowly.

Planet Baiji was going to construct a large military district. Although no concrete news had been leaked, given their political sense of smell, which had been trained for many years, they could guess it.

Following in the footsteps of the few planets at the front of the development sequence, when constructing a large military district, housing, schools, hospitals, and other basic facilities would surely be constructed. When family members moved in, these soldiers would not pine for their home planet that much. This was the place where they would achieve their aspirations and ambitions.

Garrisoned soldiers like them were considered the first batch of immigrants. However, family members moving over would surely begin from the high-ranked officers, at least around Yan Biao's rank. Bie Liao and the other's ranks were not high enough yet.

They had been in the military for a long time already and had engaged terrorists numerous times. This time, they had been exposed due to "negligence" and "unexpectedness." To protect their families, the base would surely prioritize looking after them.

If Yan Biao could see these little intentions of theirs, would Shanta and the other high-ranking officials not be able to realize this?

Actually, everyone was clear on this, and what words were said and actions done were nothing more than formalities.

Bie Liao and the others did not quibble and just laughed. They knew they could not have hidden it and decided not to. When they thought about their families moving over after the military district was constructed, they could not help but be excited, and their eyes glowed.

Watching their expressions full of anticipation, Yan Biao felt a little envious and helpless, but he had no regrets. All he could do was sigh and feel sorry for himself.

He would not get to see the day where planet Baiji's military district was ready. After this round of treatment, he would have to be discharged from the forces.

His comrades would have bright prospects, while Yan Biao would still need to talk about the future. Getting discharged under these sorts of circumstances, Yan Biao would surely be taken care of and would be allocated a job. He might not necessarily like the job, but at least his situation would not be miserable and he would at least have a large pension.

After Bie Liao and the others calmed down from the excitement, the mood became a little awkward. Wiping the smiles off their faces, they told Yan Biao, "Captain, you will always be our captain. When planet Baiji opens up, you can come over and visit us."

These were just words, but Yan Biao knew that planet Baiji would not be opened up to the public and currently did not have any tourist districts planned. After leaving, it would be very difficult to return. Furthermore, the costs of traveling to and from Baiji were not cheap. Leaving the place, even after many years, it was still uncertain if he would ever have the means to return.

When Bie Liao and the others left, Yan Biao stared at the ceiling. He had just gone through an operation, and his body was weak. He actually felt quite weary, like he could fall asleep if he closed his eyes. He seemed like he was trying to find fault with himself and was exerting all his strength to keep his eyes open as his mind thought about a lot of things, in both the past and the future.

Actually, he still felt a little regret. He had thrown away his glorious prospects to save others. Although it sounded like he had lost a lot, if he got the chance, he would gladly do it all over again.

"That's life!" Yan Biao sighed softly toward the ceiling.

After sighing, Yan Biao decided to rest. At this moment, someone else came to visit him.

"Fang Zhao?" Yan Biao was surprised.

"I'm just visiting." Fang Zhao sat himself down on the stool beside the bed. "What are your future plans?"

"I'm going to be discharged for sure. With my condition, there is no way for me to continue with the forces. In a few days, the base is going to send us especially wounded back to Earth to continue with follow-up treatments arranged for us. After that, I will get prosthetics and a job will be arranged for me." Yan Biao had a sanguine outlook. "Therefore, you don't have to pity me, really." He did not need others' sympathy. It was not as if he had no way of living on, and compared to his comrades who had lost their lives, he was considered lucky.

"I'm still lacking a bodyguard," Fang Zhao said. Duan Qianji and Zu Wen had both said that having one bodyguard beside him was too little. Zuo Yu was also having to juggle being a driver and assistant as well. Once Fang Zhao's military service was over, there would be many more things to do. When the time came, Zuo Yu would not be able to cope.

Yan Biao was silent for a few seconds. "Actually, I'm really pathetic. Honest!"

Chapter 213: New Bodyguard

Yan Biao was no fool. After reacting to Fang Zhao's comment with a momentary freeze, he quickly broke down the pros and cons in his head and concluded that this was an excellent job.

It wasn't that he had never considered his prospects after quitting the military. His initial plan if he retired before 50 had been to become an Indiana Jones–style explorer or something exciting like that. Who knows, he might even discover some treasure and become an overnight billionaire, but considering the severity of his injuries, this was not a realistic goal anymore.

He had considered working as a bodyguard before. Bodyguards for celebrities were paid well. Yan Biao had gotten the lowdown from former comrades who had already retired from the military, but doing bodyguard work for celebrities wasn't a walk in the park either, especially if your employer had a foul temper. They were a major hassle, and celebrities who behaved differently in public and in private were major headaches.

Yan Biao wasn't even 40 yet. By New Era standards, he was just beginning his golden years. He was also restless. The government would naturally find more relaxing work for him. The pay wouldn't be great, but it wouldn't be too low either. He would be able to cover his basic expenses, and the benefits would be great. Still, Yan Biao wasn't content to become a retiree so soon.

From what he had observed so far, Fang Zhao seemed like a reliable fellow. He wouldn't fare too poorly under Fang Zhao's wing.

Having been through the outpost attack, Yan Biao knew Fang Zhao was a competent fighter himself, but at the end of the day, celebrities were constrained in what they could do, especially in public. That was where their bodyguards came in.

Yan Biao switched gears quickly and started tooting his own horn. "As far as bodyguard work is concerned, you can't go wrong with me. In terms of solo fighting skills and professional ethics, I'm definitely one of the elite if not one of the very best. I know when to turn a blind eye and when to shut up. Where else are you going to find such a great bodyguard? Don't judge me by my condition now. Not to brag, but when I recover and get fitted for better prosthetics, taking on five guys alone will be a piece of cake."

After finishing his spiel, Yan Biao stared at Fang Zhao, who was sitting next to him silently. He couldn't read his potential employer's expression and started wondering, Was that a bit over-the-top?

"When can you start?" Fang Zhao asked.

Yan Biao knew he was in play. He continued, "In most cases like mine, after returning to the home planet, I'll need to receive treatment at the military hospital. I'll get fitted for prosthetics and undergo rehab. A conservative time frame would be half a year, but I haven't been on the home planet for a long time. I won't need to spend that much time with family, but I do need time to catch up on the latest developments on the home planet. I'll need a transition period. But Boss, I'm thinking by the time you complete your military service, I'll be in tip-top shape and ready to go."

The term "Boss" had come out naturally. Yan Biao was quick on his feet. He didn't feel embarrassed at all.

Fang Zhao nodded. Yan Biao's response was pretty much what he had expected. He had thought the matter through before making the offer. Someone who had served as a checkpoint leader was a rigorous thinker. Even though Yan Biao was a bit too smooth, he had his moral standards.

"Get some rest first. I'll send over your contract later. It will list all the job requirements." Fang Zhao didn't want to say too much. He got up and prepared to leave. Yan Biao wasn't in the best shape, after all; his energy level was low after surgery and he needed rest.

"Wait. Boss, has the base command reached out to you?" Yan Biao asked.

"Not yet." Fang Zhao could tell that Yan Biao had something to say. He retracted his step so Yan Biao could finish his thought.

"Then they should be reaching out to you soon." Considering Fang Zhao was likely to become his future boss, Yan Biao seized the moment to make a good impression. "The identities of the two terrorists who were killed have been confirmed. They are ranked very high on the most wanted list, very dangerous folks. You killed those two terrorists. Add to that the beasts you killed before that, Boss, and you should expect a promotion. You might even get a third-class merit logged on your records. Don't downplay a third-class merit, Boss. They're not easy to come by."

Fang Zhao didn't seem especially excited. He waited for what came next.

"But..." Yan Biao gave Fang Zhao a glance. "Odds are they're going to investigate your gun. If the base command reaches out to you, that's what they're going to ask you about."

This was a reminder to Fang Zhao. Whether Fang Zhao would be promoted, whether he would be awarded a merit—it all rode on the gun. If he didn't handle the matter properly, nothing would come to fruition.

"Got it." Fang Zhao didn't seem worried, nor did he press Yan Biao for more detail. Instead, he asked, "What about you? Should I mention you?"

"Me?" Yan Biao gave out a relaxed laugh. The sense of doom in his gaze seemed to dissipate as well. "In cases like mine, I'll probably end up getting bumped one rank and become a retired major. I'll get a bigger pension."

Yan Biao had performed well as well. Out of the five sentry posts that had been attacked, Outpost No. 23 had been the best protected. It had also sustained the fewest casualties. Of course, Fang Zhao was a big part of the equation, but under Yan Biao's command, his men had fended off two attackers. The storage rooms that had been bombed weren't that important. So be it if they were blown up. The command post and the engine room were the key locations, and these two sites had been defended well. Fan Lin and company had also survived the attack. This in itself was a job well done as far as the base leadership was concerned, not to mention that Yan Biao had suffered serious injuries while rescuing a comrade. A one-rank promotion was a given.

Having said what needed to be said, Fang Zhao left Yan Biao's hospital room. Even though he was quite tired, Yan Biao was on a bit of a high. He turned and tossed in bed, trying to think of which former comrades had gone into bodyguard work. He could ask them for advice.

Not long after Fang Zhao left, a clinical psychologist showed up.

The psychologists looked up experienced soldiers like Yan Biao from time to time. Retiring soldiers were also subject to exit interviews. Their job was to assess if the soldier's psychological state was appropriate for their new civilian post and whether they showed any sociopathic tendencies.

After reading Yan Biao's work and patient history, the psychologist had been brainstorming for ways to console Yan Biao, but the conversation took a completely different turn than what he had expected.

Yan Biao had his regrets, but he was clearly not depressed. Yan Biao's mental state was probably the best out of all the wounded soldiers.

The psychologist was a bit baffled when he left Yan Biao's hospital room, even doubting his own professional judgment, so he asked a colleague to drop in on Yan Biao as well. The prognosis was the same.

"He seems... quite upbeat," the colleague marveled as he jotted down notes from the interview.

Yan Biao hadn't disclosed his conversation with Fang Zhao. He hadn't signed a contract yet, after all, and he hadn't officially retired from the military, so he had decided not to tell anyone about his next move. Still, he was in a totally different mindset now, especially when he got the contract Fang Zhao sent him. His smile then was as wide as a Cheshire cat's.

The contract listed various requirements. Yan Biao studied them carefully in typical fashion and couldn't find anything he took issue with. The pay was especially generous. His pay level during probation was already higher than what he had expected his permanent salary to be. Still, Yan Biao didn't think being a bodyguard was straightforward, that it was easy money, but at least it was better than early retirement. All he hoped for now was a quick recovery so he could start his new job in the best shape possible. Fang Zhao's other bodyguard was former special forces, after all. As a retired major once stationed on a foreign planet, he had to measure up as well.

That's right—in a year, Baiji might become a full-fledged military installation. As a retired major from the Baiji military district, he couldn't afford to lose face.

Just as Yan Biao was looking forward to the next stage in his life, Fang Zhao was summoned to a conference room on base.

As soon as he entered, Fang Zhao saw five members of the base senior command, including Shanta.

The farewell ceremony for the fallen soldiers had concluded. Security protocols for the base and the various outposts had been upgraded. Everything was returning to normal. It was time to tally merits. But some of the candidates for merits who were still on active duty had to be interviewed.

Fang Zhao was the first one.

Under normal circumstances, meetings between the base's senior command and rank-and-file soldiers took on a serious tone. The top brass would posture as well, but somehow, they couldn't play their parts in front of Fang Zhao.

After all, Baiji's advancement in the global development order was all due to Fang Zhao.

When Fang Zhao entered the room, everyone couldn't help but burst into smiles, regardless of the expressions they had intended. It was a lost cause. Every time they saw Fang Zhao, they were reminded of the Baiji power ore, after all. Thoughts of the Baiji ore led to rosy predictions for the planet's future.

Fang Zhao performed a standard New Era-style military salute in accordance with his service manual.

"Sit down first, Fang Zhao. Relax. We just want to have a chat," Shanta said.

Once Shanta set the tone, the others gave up all pretenses and stopped suppressing their smiles.

Fang Zhao sat down in the chair reserved for him. He wasn't nervous, but he didn't ignore decorum either.

Shanta was secretly impressed. The way Fang Zhao carried himself—it definitely grew on him. Still, procedure had to be followed.

Shanta's gaze shifted to the box on the conference table. "Let's talk about your gun." The box contained the firearm that Fang Zhao had voluntarily surrendered after the terrorist attack. A quick run of the model and the serial number had already revealed its owner.

"The gun is my great-grandfather's. It's for personal protection. Prior to the attack, it had only been fired on a shooting range. It has never been used publicly on the home planet."

Fang Zhao said he had taken the gun from his great-grandfather, but he didn't volunteer that it was a gift from Great-Grandfather Fang. The interview was recorded and would be considered along with written material Fang Zhao submitted.

Shanta and company knew very well that even their own kids and grandkids played with their guns before they were licensed to carry. They turned a blind eye as long as nothing serious went down. If they went by the book, the barracks of every military district on every continent would be filled with offenders.

Once they ascertained the identity of the gun's owner, the senior command had a sense of how to proceed. They wouldn't press Fang Zhao for details. The severity of the offense was up to them. It all depended on the attitude of these senior commanders. If they treaded lightly, then it wasn't a big deal. Not to mention that Fang Zhao had offered a full explanation. Every bullet the gun had ever fired had been accounted for. The logs of the firing range where it had been used could be easily traced. The other bullets had been retrieved from the bodies of the beasts and terrorists that Fang Zhao had shot. The evidence backed up Fang Zhao's story.

But a minor refraction was still a refraction. It was impossible to cover up. However, the senior commanders could play it down when applying for a merit on his behalf.

Shanta released Fang Zhao after a brief conversation of about 10 minutes. He then took out the paperwork he had prepared ahead of time and ticked the box next to the item "third-class merit."

Chapter 214: Promotion

Someone beside Shanta spoke out. "Third-class merits... They won't be approved even if we recommend it to the top."

"If it was someone else, it would probably be approved and the audit would not be too stringent. In the past, as long as we decided and recommend it, it would be approved, but Fang Zhao has too many people watching him," another person in the conference room said. "If it was a soldier stationed at the base, there would definitely be no issue. Being stationed at the outpost falls a little short. Of course, the most important thing is Fang Zhao's military service duration. He only just started, so it may be an obstacle."

"Third-class merits would probably be approved, but promotion? The possibility of this being approved is not high."

"Didn't he discover Baiji ore as well? That's a really huge service."

"That cannot be considered a meritorious deed."

Shanta, who had been silently listening to everyone discussing, knocked on the table and said, "I feel that if we recommend it, the possibility of it being approved is very high."

The others all kept quiet and waited for Shanta's analysis.

Shanta drummed his fingers on the table and said three words: "Exemplary model soldier."

Exemplary model soldier!

The others all understood when they heard this.

Indeed, the attitudes of the top were changing. In the past, they had never thought highly of the entertainment circle, but hadn't they rolled out Project Starlight this year for the purpose of letting idols and celebrities garner more attention?

Furthermore, the benefits arising from Project Starlight were very obvious. This time, there was a chance for an exemplary model soldier, from what Shanta saw, so the chances of approval were extremely high.

"Indeed, they need to find a benchmark. An example is something that words cannot compare with. In the past, so many publicity films were created, and everyone can see the result they achieved. Why else would the top-brass have launched Project Starlight?"

"If you think this way, it makes sense."

"This little fellow Fang Zhao has such good luck! This promotion is an exceptional case."

"But back to the topic, ever since the military service reform where they decreased the duration from two years to one, the only one who would have gotten promoted so quickly is Fang Zhao."

...

Fang Zhao did not know he was being discussed after having left the conference room, nor did he particularly care about meritorious deeds. Killing those beasts and shooting those terrorists had not been for the purpose of garnering meritorious deeds—it had just been instinct that had been carved into him during the Period of Destruction.

Returning to his dormitory, Fang Zhao once again picked up his little notebook and started composing. Matters had temporarily come to an end and he could feel at ease and arrange his thoughts and inspirations.

However, Fang Zhao could not compose for long. In the afternoon, Shanta came looking for him for a chat. Not on official affairs, but a private talk.

Shanta had looked for Fang Zhao to speak about two matters. The first was to inform Fang Zhao that the third-class meritorious deeds had been reported to the top and a promotion application had been submitted. The other matter was to inquire if Fang Zhao was familiar with anybody in Yanzhou's military district.

After this surprise attack, more troops would surely be sent to reinforce planet Baiji. This time, Shanta could not put it off. Every continent's military district would dispatch some people over. Since reinforcements were inevitable, Shanta definitely wanted to find parties he could collaborate with. There were no especially satisfying collaborating parties over in Yanzhou. As long as the other parties could satisfy certain conditions, anyone was fine, so Shanta use this pretext to ask Fang Zhao for a favor. As long as he did not have any adverse reactions to the person put forward by Fang Zhao, Shanta would just approve of it.

"I only know Major General Hong Lou over in Yanzhou's military district. We have collaborated in the past..." Fang Zhao told Shanta about Hong Lou, about how Hong Lou had given him some welfare during military training and had purchased one of Fang Zhao's movements for the military district's publicity film's BGM. Fang Zhao felt that Hong Lou was competent and was rather upright. Moreover there was Hong Lou's relationship with Duan Qianji. For an officer-ranked military personnel, Fang Zhao could only think of him.

"Hong Lou?" Shanta racked his brains for information about this person. He did not know much regarding Hong Lou, but there was no animosity, so he would check it out later. "Oh, right, other planets have asked for you a number of times already. They want to ask you to go over to their mining districts and take a look around. If you don't have any other plans, how about taking some time to go and visit," Shanta said.

When other planets of a similar grade to the planet Baiji of the past saw Baiji's development rate, they were also envious. Even if they had impetus from Project Starlight, how could it be compared to grade A power ore and their position on the development sequence?

Now, many places wanted Fang Zhao, but during his military service, if his base's highest-ranking officer did not agree, nobody could even dream about it. Borrowing was fine, but transferring over was absolutely out of the question. Shanta still felt that he should leave Fang Zhao here as insurance.

"Actually, they have already used the latest models of detection equipment to probe but did not discover anything. However, they aren't willing to give up and want to borrow your 'Diting ears'." When Shanta spoke about this, he seemed very pleased with himself for choosing to defend Baiji and not some other planet.

Fang Zhao nodded. "Sure." Going over was not necessarily a bad thing. He would surely be unable to avoid this. Even if he did not go now, in the future, those people would think up all sorts of methods to make him go over. Fang Zhao did not think his own ears were better than the newest models of detection equipment, but it would save a lot of trouble if he could make them admit defeat.

Shanta's actions were quick. After finishing his chat with Fang Zhao, he went to check on the Yanzhou military district's Hong Lou and got a few trusted aides to analyze this person. He felt that it was feasible, so he contacted the Yanzhou military district.

Hong Lou felt as if a weight had been taken off his mind when he found out that the Yanzhou military district would dispatch him to planet Baiji. Although his wife had told him that Fang Zhao would surely lend a hand, nobody had known if Shanta would actually believe that.

Now it seemed that that little fellow Fang Zhao was rather reliable!

Over at the Yanzhou military district, besides Hong Lou, there were many other people of the same rank and who were just as capable and had similar backings and connections. Planet Baiji's reply became the deciding factor.

When he received the notification from the top, Hong Lou excitedly called Duan Qianji. "Wifey, you were right, That little fella did good!"

Duan Qianji went blank for a bit but quickly responded when Hong Lou told her what had happened with a laugh. "Have the personnel been confirmed?"

"It's fixed, it's fixed! Let me make preparations and bring troops to planet Baiji!" Hong Lou's voice was filled with excitement that could not be suppressed.

After people from all twelve continents were sent over, there would be news of planet Baiji establishing a military district. The home planet's structure was already fixed, and these people with ambitions did not have much room for growth if they stayed here. However, heading out would grant them a wide area for development.

"Don't forget to assign a few more people to protect Fang Zhao," Duan Qianji reminded.

"Say no more! I will surely do so! I will definitely assign the elite!" Hong Lou guaranteed.

Every continent's military district was beginning to stir, but this did not affect Fang Zhao too much. He would only serve on Baiji for a year, as he would leave after that. However, he felt happy for planet Baiji. Shanta had shown him a set of development blueprints for Baiji. Once it was established, the housing district would be enlarged and there would be many more choices. Even if situations occurred, they would not be trapped on the planet and stuck in a desperate fight for survival. The living hell of the Period of Destruction would never happen again, and this made Fang Zhao feel gratified.

A week later, Fang Zhao, who was participating in the reconstruction of Outpost 23, was summoned to Shanta's office.

"There are too many things to handle, and special times call for special measures, so everything is being simplified. We won't be holding a commendation ceremony, so this is yours." Shanta handed over a case with the alliance's emblem on it.

Recently, Shanta had been busy dealing with parties from all the twelve continent's military districts. Fang Zhao could see that Shanta attached great importance to this and had specially taken the time to hand it over to him personally.

Fang Zhao opened the case. Lying inside was a golden third-class merits medal as well as an epaulet with the rank of second lieutenant. There was also a gun of the same model that Yan Biao and the others used.

"From now on, you have the lawful authority to possess a gun, but your previous one cannot remain in the base." Shanta personally helped Fang Zhao put on the epaulet. "Strive hard. Perhaps your rank might rise by the time you are discharged."

Shanta's words did not carry the tone of a leader but rather one of a senior. This way, their relationship seemed closer. Originally, Shanta had decided to urge Fang Zhao on with a few meaningful and heartfelt words. He raised his hand and wanted to pat Fang Zhao on the shoulder to show some encouragement, but when his eyes met Fang Zhao's calm eyes, he could not bring himself to go on. His raised hands paused in the air before returning to his side. Finally, he choked out a sentence. "Young man, have more vigor. Don't be too gloomy."

"Understood." Fang Zhao saluted and left Shanta's office.

Shanta watched the door as it closed and thought about that weird feeling he'd had. Why had it seemed like there had been a little something missing. What exactly was it?

Could it be that he had been so busy with official duties that it had affected his body's condition?

But Shanta did not have long to ponder, as he received a call.

"I heard that another inspection team is heading over?" the person at the other end asked with a laugh.

Shanta groaned coldly. "Inspection team? I didn't agree to it and yet they still can force their way?"

In the past, they had inspected others, but now they were the ones being inspected.

With too many matters to handle, Shanta did not think any further about that uncomfortable feeling a while back.

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao returned to his dormitory in the base after leaving Shanta's office and opened a different case.

The other case was similar to the one he had received. Inside was the gun he had received from Great-Grandfather Fang. Shanta had returned it to him.

Fang Zhao wrapped up the case for the military medal and the gun case, wrote down an address, and attached Shanta's clearance before handing it over to the specialized people in charge of the base's postage system.

Any packages to and from the base required stringent checks. Without clearance, firearms could not be sent out.

The address written on it was Yanzhou's Yanbei City Retirement Facility. That gun could no longer be used here, so he was mailing it back to Great-Grandfather Fang. The merit medal was mailed as well. The two old folks would really love this.

When Fang Zhao returned to Outpost 23, Kevin Lin was in the middle of a live broadcast.

Fan Lin and the others were repairing the experimental plots. During this surprise attack, many of the arrow sunflowers that had sprouted had died, but there were still some that had survived by luck. Recently, Fan Lin had led people to try and save the experimental sprouts that had not yet "stopped breathing."

Without Fang Zhao around, Kevin Lin had to personally work the fields. Given his constitution, he was panting and gasping for air after a little while. Spotting Fang Zhao returning was like catching sight of his savior. "Fang Zhao you have returned... Ha!"

Kevin Lin had good eyes and had noticed the rank on Fang Zhao shoulders. When Fang Zhao came closer and Kevin Lin could see it clearly, he did not say more and simply adjusted the camera to face Fang Zhao so even more people could clearly see the epaulet.

Many online audiences did not understand military ranks, but among them, there were still some who recognized it. After that, the comments section exploded.

"What the f*ck! Are my eyes playing tricks on me!"

"The rank on Fang Zhao's shoulder, someone tell me I'm not seeing things!"

"I just double checked, and it is indeed a second lieutenant rank, without a doubt!"

"Second lieutenant is quite low, but it is considered an officer rank, right?"

"The question is how long has he been in service. Has it even been a month? And he has risen through the ranks!?"

"There is this sort of thing... for military service?"

Chapter 215: Power of an Idol

Many people never thought about promotion during military service, as it only lasted one year. If this was the period right after the New Era had been founded and military service was still two years, this sort of thing would be more common. However, most promotions nowadays happened in the second year of military service, and normal people required second- or third-class merits to rise up the ranks quickly. People like Fang Zhao, who had not graduated from military school and yet received third-class merits a short while after enlisting, were extremely few. That was why Shanta and the others had said that this was an exceptional case, because he was an exemplary model soldier and set a benchmark.

This sort of opportunity had not been seen for many years and had to be grasped. Of course, the reactions online were indeed very huge.

"Forget about his rank for a second. I'm not sure if you noticed the gun Fang Zhao was holding; it was different from the one he held in the morning. The serial number is different. I didn't get to see the serial clearly, but the first letter is different."

"Speaking of that, according to regulations, if he got promoted directly, he would be able to wield a gun, yeah, a gun of his own. After he is discharged, he can also apply for lawful gun ownership."

"Lawful gun ownership!?" This attracted many people's attention.

"That means to say that even after Fang Zhao completes his military service, he will be able to carry a gun everywhere he goes?"

"Wicked!"

"Now I feel like heading over there for my military service. I used to attend special martial arts classes and have basic training in that area. Perhaps I can garner a few meritorious deeds so I can lawfully own a gun after I complete my service!"

People who had some genuine ability started to dream about this. Fang Zhao had managed to achieve some meritorious deeds, so they likely would not be worse off than him.

"I'm already in year two of university. I had already prepared to enlist in October and made plans, but now I have changed my mind!"

"Me too, I'm changing mine as well. Luckily, enrollment hasn't started. When the time comes, I want to apply for planet Baiji! And become comrades with Fang Zhao!"

"Stop thinking from your asses. Young people are just too impulsive! Do you know how tough military service is? If you have the means, it's better to find a more relaxing place to serve," those who had served in difficult places advised.

"Can this be called being impulsive? No! This is called a sense of responsibility! It's called being honorable! I want to do my part for the construction of planet Baiji and contribute to the great cause of the immigration plan! I'm not afraid of terrorist attacks and I want to go. I might not have ice-cold blood running through my veins, but my heart is fiery and I live and breathe for the mission!"

"The person above, you are too f*cking dramatic! Actors aren't even as engrossed as you!"

"Actually, how could there be so many terrorist attacks? As long as there is some contribution and excellent behavior, after one year of military service, you could probably gain some substantial benefits. Planet Baiji is about to enter a construction phrase and is short of people; this is a rare opportunity."

"That's right. Furthermore, one doesn't need to be strong in terms of military might—technical skills will do. Now that planet Baiji will be undergoing construction, when it comes to fighting for merits, people with technical talents can also go over and try their hand. I specialize in communications technology and come from a famous school in Huangzhou. I feel that I can go over and fight for some merit."

Regardless of how frequently recruitment videos were shown or how many outstanding examples were brought up, there was not enough attention and viewership. Nowadays, young people of the New Era did not care much about such things. When they mentioned military service, very little were willing to take risks or suffer. but after news of Fang Zhao was released, they felt as if it had happened right beside them. It had a profound impact.

Many people did not necessarily have a military complex or want to serve for the good of humankind. Suddenly being fired up was partly due to adoration for the strong and partly a yearning for power. Fang Zhao's example only ignited the fires in their hearts.

This had a profound impact, especially on people in the gaming circles. They could now stand a little taller and rebut when facing people from outside the gaming circles. There was a sense of pride and, at the same time, a sort of yearning.

The virtual world and the real world were always at odds. A lot of people thought that the virtual world and real world were completely separate—gaming gods of the virtual world and kings of the real world had nothing in common—but now, Fang Zhao was like a miraculous point and was blurring the lines separating the virtual world and the real world.

Very quickly, Fang Zhao's new photograph was published and circulated by many large and popular media outlets.

This was not the action of an entertainment company or netizens gossiping. Rather, it was the government's promotion!

The thought process of the top brass was this: Don't you all love to chase stars? We won't obstruct you this time, so chase to your heart's content! If you are able to chase all the way, you will be rewarded!

Regional television channels, internet television channels, major entertainment news channels, and even non-entertainment news channels were reporting on this.

A reviewer used Fang Zhao as an example in his newly posted article analyzing the power of idols. In the article, he jokingly wrote a line: "I'm afraid that the October applications for military service on planet Baiji are going to explode."

As for people within the entertainment industry that disliked Fang Zhao, they did not feel so good. They had discovered that, just a week after the terrorist attack, Fang Zhao had made the headlines again! And this time, it was a g*ddamn government-approved headline! Even hiring the internet water army 1 wouldn't be able to suppress it.

At the Silver Wing Tower, 50th floor.

As the others were having a passionate discussion, Zuo Yu received a new message. He was informed that he would have a new colleague.

Zuo Yu sighed. "There will be a newcomer."

Zu Wen was puzzled when he heard Zuo Yu. "Our department is hiring? How did I not know about this?"

The department had developed and was bigger now. Zu Wen's position had also risen. Generally, when new personnel were hired, he should receive the news first, but this time around, he had not been informed.

Zuo Yu looked up and explained, "Not yours. Strictly speaking, I don't belong to the virtual idol department. I only have one boss who pays my wages: Fang Zhao."

Zu Wen and the others were curious. "Boss hired someone new? Isn't he undergoing military service?"

"Mmhm. He hasn't even been serving for long and he has already accepted a new bodyguard." Zuo Yu felt a sudden pressure. He decided to chat up a few old comrades later. When the time came, what would happen if he could not beat his new colleague? Wouldn't that be a disgrace to the special forces?

A few days later, at the Yanbei City Retirement Facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang received a package. The sender's address was planet Baiji. When Great-Grandfather Fang saw it, he did not brag to his old companions. He hurriedly called his wife and the two impatiently returned to their apartment to unwrap it.

They unwrapped the case with the military medal first. When they saw the golden third-class merit medal, the two old Fangs beamed.

"Third-class merits!"

Actually, when they had received news from Fang Zhao, the two old Fangs had guessed that he would have gotten such a medal, but they had never expected Fang Zhao to send it over immediately.

The two old Fangs had a number of third-class merits between them. Compared to second-class and first-class awards, it wasn't that conspicuous, but the significance wasn't the same. Never in their wildest dreams had they thought that a descendant of theirs would receive a third-class merit medal or that it would actually be their celebrity great-grandson.

Great-Grandmother Fang urged her husband on from the side. "What about the other one? What could it be?"

"What's the rush, am I not unwrapping it now?" Great-Grandfather Fang might have been grumbling, but his hands did not slow down. When the second case was opened, the familiar jet black gun left them with blank looks.

After a short while, Great-Grandfather Fang reached down and picked up the black gun.

There were some hints of smoke and blood on the gun. For these two elders, it was the same old smell of a battlefield that they had been so familiar with a long time ago.

"The bullets have all been used up," Great-Grandfather Fang said hoarsely as his voice trembled slightly.

The two elders knew very well what sort of circumstances would have resulted in all the ammo being used up. Because they knew this, they felt proud, yet their hearts ached a little when they saw the military medal. Having experienced it personally, they knew that third-class merits were achieved by staking one's own life.

When they thought about their artistic great-grandson, the two old Fang's had mixed feelings. They laughed, yet they felt like crying. Oh, how they loved their little great-grandson!

After finally calming down, Great-Grandfather Fang could not help but want to look for people to share the news with, but when he noticed the time, he realized it had gotten dark. It was not appropriate to disturb others at this time. He was really excited and had originally wanted to brag to others but was forcefully dragged back by his wife.

Great-Grandfather Fang paced a few times in the apartment. This feeling of being unable to go out and share the news was unbearable.

"How about you post it online?" Great-Grandmother Fang suggested.

"Oh right, there is still the internet!"

Great-Grandfather Fang logged into his social platform that he rarely used and posted an elaborate photograph of the third-class medal.

The two old Fangs had spent an hour trying to get the perfect shot. Accompanying the photograph was a coolly written line: "Just received a package mailed by my great-grandson from planet Baiji."

Not long after it was posted, people began to circulate it.

The first to share the post was Silver Wing's gaming department manager Wayne. When Wayne had sat with Fang Zhao during Fiery Bird's annual gala, he had found out that "ATreasuredKnifeDoesNotAge," who had been bidding, was actually Fang Zhao's great-grandfather, so he had searched the social platforms and found Great-Grandfather Fang's account and followed it. However, Great-Grandfather Fang never updated his status, so Wayne had forgotten about it.

Wayne was browsing the entertainment news at night when he noticed a sudden notification from the user "ATreasuredKnifeDoesNotAge" and tried to recall who this was. When he saw the contents of the post, he came to the realization that this medal was probably Fang Zhao's third-class merits medal. A while ago, he had seen some netizens discussing Fang Zhao's promotion. Some had been saying that since they had not seen a military medal, they were wondering whether the news was fake, but now Wayne saw this post. Immediate Share!

There were not a lot of people following Great-Grandfather Fang, but as Silver Wing's gaming department's manager, many people followed Wayne, and there were popular characters in Silver Wing's gaming department.

Jinro, Dorrian, Milo, Schwarzer, and the others also shared the post in succession. As always, Schwarzer did not forget to bootlick and also added a line: "Boss is mighty!"

When they shared the post, a lot of people saw it. Every entertainment media outlet was quick to catch on, and with the recent discussions, it was shared more and became trending.

In less than 30 minutes, the number of shares broke the five-digit mark. A shocked Great-Grandfather Fang got up to get a glass of water. When he returned and clicked open the web page with a trembling finger, he was stunned. Six figures! And it's picking up speed!

Great-Grandfather Fang had not expected this. All he had wanted to do was share some of his own joy. He had not expected that, at his age, his post could actually become a trending topic. A chinese internet term. Companies hire people to comment or like their post or stuff, in short to get publicity. So these spammers are known as the water army

Chapter 216: Fang Zhao Style

Great-Grandfather Fang's post, which had reached trending in only a short while, was circulated by a number of media outlets. Some people managed to get Great-Grandfather Fang's contact details using some unknown method, and they immediately contacted him to request an interview, but they were all rejected.

After rejecting yet another interview, Great-Grandfather Fang grumbled, "How irritating! Nonstop calls the entire day!"

But paying closer attention to Great-Grandfather Fang's expression, although this old man's tone did not sound pleased, there was an uncontrollable smile on his face, and his creases had deepened.

Today he had not even needed to head out and brag. A number of old companions in the retirement center had run over upon seeing the news.

Great-Grandfather Fang had not left the military medal case inside today. He brought it outside to flaunt to others.

When people were young, they compared their careers, military deeds, military ranks, and positions. When they retired, they compared their children, then younger generations. It was not that the Fang family had not produced any outstanding descendents but that their achievements had not been in the military. Fang Zhao was a rare case. Great-Grandfather Fang's many years of desire had been accomplished, and if he did not brag with all his strength, he would be letting down his hopes and aspirations of so many years.

After ending the call and just as he was about to head out, Great-Grandfather Fang saw another old fellow from the retirement center carrying a case in. He knew that the other party had a descendant currently in the military who was doing rather well. The descendant had also rendered some meritorious services and had more than one third-class merit. This was a challenge, heh!

However, Great-Grandfather Fang did not feel embarrassed at all. Rather, he was all smiles and praise. "This guy from your family is not too bad. In the future, his achievements will surely be even greater than yours. My great-grandson cannot compare with the one from your family. Your descendant trained in military school, while mine dabbles in the arts. Striving for a third-class merit and getting promoted during his military service is more than enough to satisfy me!"

Behind every military award was a price paid that normal people were unable to imagine. Great-Grandfather Fang would not vilify these awardees or think lightly of their contributions, but he would not forget to show off his own great-grandson.

He had not said anything wrong. For a youth who dabbled in the arts and was without any military school background to achieve such results not long after enlisting was very rare indeed. The news had mentioned that this was the first case in close to a hundred years. Therefore, Great-Grandfather Fang bragged very confidently.

Great-Grandmother Fang was listening to the discussion in the room and smiling as she watered the plants on the balcony. This was enough already. The two old Fangs were already satisfied with third-class merits. Now all they wished for was Fang Zhao safely getting through his military service.

However, when they thought about the discussions online, Great-Grandmother Fang furrowed her eyebrows. She was worried that all the flattering would go to Fang Zhao's head. Fang Zhao was too young and did not have a stable enough mentality. It would be easy for him to stray off his path. Too much flattery would also cause others to be disgusted. Some of the discussions under her husband's status might seem like honeyed words, but they were actually hypocritical and sarcastic.

Great-Grandmother Fang decided to remind Fang Zhao to stay grounded the next time he called back.

Yet the person everyone expected to have his head in the clouds from all the praise was actually more calm than anyone else.

Far away, on planet Baiji, Fang Zhao had heard from Kevin Lin about his current popularity and had seen some of the adulation he was receiving from reports, but he did not really have much of an opinion about this.

Fang Zhao understood clearly that this situation was just based on the power of a celebrity and chance. It just happened to be the case that the top brass had needed to set a benchmark, which had given rise to the current state of affairs. Fang Zhao did not think his own actions had been that outstanding. This wasn't being modest—compared to the efforts of older generations, this couldn't be considered a big deal. However, gaining lawful gun ownership was very convenient. This bit pleased Fang Zhao.

Now, he just did whatever needed to be done. After helping Fan Lin tidy up the fields, Fang Zhao participated in the expansion of the outpost.

In the formulated design plans for planet Baiji's development, the five outposts that had been attacked were part of the first batch of outposts due for expansion. During the day, Fang Zhao took part in the construction of the outpost. At night, after returning, Fang Zhao found the time to record his daily inspirations and make amendments to what he had written down previously.

Kevin Lin had already gotten used to this sight. Some nights, before he slept, Kevin Lin would record and send a short 30-second clip to let everyone know how hardworking Fang Zhao was offscreen.

Kevin Lin was hot stuff now. He had never dreamed of this much popularity when he managed to snag the special reporter assignment. Plus, given that Fang Zhao was not someone who acted and showed off in front of the camera, during every live broadcast, Kevin Lin actually had more screen time than Fang Zhao. However, Fang Zhao did not nitpick this. From time to time, Kelvin Lin also filmed things that could help Fang Zhao raise his popularity.

Project Starlight's column released the received videos on the same day, and they immediately led to passionate discussions by netizens that happened to see them.

"Still composing at night? Is Fang Zhao going to release new works?"

"I nearly forgot about Fang Zhao's composing background until I saw this."

"What, composing background? Wasn't Fang Zhao a gamer?"

"New fans should check up on how Fang Zhao became famous early on. Fang Zhao has a composing background indeed, and he has some reputation in Yanzhou music production circles. It was only later on that he made a name for himself in gaming."

"Am I the only one that is more interested in the light beside Fang Zhao?"

"I see it too. Previously, when the outpost was attacked, it appeared in the video Kevin Lin took while in the underground bunker!"

"That isn't a light! That's a sea slug! It's a choppy-haired variety, but we prefer to call them sea rabbits. Sea slug owners should all know this."

"A living light!? Anybody know where I can get something similar? I wish to buy one!"

"The pen and notebook Fang Zhao is using, does anyone know where I can get them?"

...

At the start, the online discussion about Fang Zhao's profession changed to discussions about "Fang Zhao–style merchandise."

Everyone knew that celebrity merchandise was the hottest marketing term. Previously, in the five Project Starlight channels, besides Fang Zhao, the clothes and products they wore and used had similar models in the market. Many people even copied their hairstyles. This was the effect of celebrities.

As the four celebrities of S1–S4 were not undergoing military service, they had a greater degree of freedom in their clothing and appearance. Thus, they paid better attention to their hairstyles, clothes, and the products they used daily. All these were brands that they endorsed or collaborated with. From their shirts, outdoor sportswear, bags, and others, everything had been meticulously planned early on.

Fans just loved to use the same products as their idols. Even if they could not use the exact same product, fans would try their best to find similar-looking ones. This let them feel like they were lessening the distance between themselves and their idols.

Businesses helped fan the flames and, at the same time, borrowed celebrities' popularity to market their goods. This sort of situation was common—basically, the moment a live broadcast appeared, merchants would start promoting similar merchandise. Exact same clothes, bags, sunglasses, accessories, and so on.

Comparing this, Fang Zhao was at a disadvantage. As he needed to undergo military service, everything he used was military standard issue. Even his hairstyle was required to keep in line with military demands: no long hair, no fringe, no beard, no wigs, and no dyed hair. In the military, there were only a few monotonous hairstyles, and anyone who deviated from the norm would be criticized.

Right at the start, when Project Starlight had been announced, from a commercial viewpoint, there had been a really drastic difference in value between Fang Zhao and the others. Therefore, not many people had been optimistic about Fang Zhao, and very few businesses had approached Fang Zhao for collaboration.

Now it was different. Previously, there had only been a few big names like Fiery Bird that had approached Fang Zhao over his "Diting ears." Now, with the explosion in channel S5's viewership, the number of brands wishing to collaborate with Fang Zhao kept increasing.

Isn't it just military service? It's just one year. Given the publicity now, even if Fang Zhao's popularity is no longer that high after he completes his service, it will still be profitable. This was what many businesses were thinking.

As for the fans, Fang Zhao was not on Earth and the distance was too great. They were helpless even if they wanted to chase him. Thus, many people could only pin their hopes on the items Fang Zhao often used or came into contact with.

Business was booming at a website of a certain shop selling military items.

"Shopkeeper, are there Fang Zhao–style military uniforms?"

"Peddling military uniforms is illegal. However, there are imitation uniforms. They look similar, just without the planet Baiji insignia. There are strict rules regarding the sale of military items."

"What about Fang Zhao–style epaulets?"

"...Second-lieutanant epaulets? It is illegal to sell those too. You wouldn't be able to wear it even if you got your hands on one. There are harsh punishments if you get caught. However, our shop sells a few epaulet substitutes..."

"How about guns? Real ones are illegal, but you should have models, right?"

"Oh, we do have those, but the models with a 1-to-1 ratio are sold out. We still have 1-to-6, 1-to-12, and 1-to-18 models; do you want one?"

"No, thanks, when will there be stock for the 1-to-1 size? I would like to make a reservation!"

Similar conversations appeared in many places. Internet personalities also rode the coattails of this trend and imitated Fang Zhao's look. Decked out in imitation uniforms, epaulets, and knee-high military boots while toting a 1-to-1 exact replica. These personalities would then strike a pose they reckoned was the coolest and upload it to their accounts on major social platforms so they could share their own look-alike photos. Regardless of whether they were praised or abused, it didn't matter. After all, as long as there was internet traffic, their goals had been achieved.

As for the sea slug that served as a night light, it quickly became a best seller in the pet market. Every shop put up "Fang Zhao–style white choppy-hair sea rabbits" signs. Online shops also displayed pictures and videos of a white blob that lived in the water and resembled a rabbit. At first glance, it looked really similar to the one Fang Zhao kept.

In the past, choppy hair variants had been considered hot sellers and had always ranked in the top 10, but during this period, it straightaway rose to the number one spot, and when "Fang Zhao–style" slogans were put up, they sold like hotcakes.

But shortly after purchasing, many people gave poor evaluations immediately after receiving the goods.

A buyer inquired, "Shop owner, why does your shop's choppy-hair sea rabbit not shine?!"

The shop owner was helpless. "It's not just my shop, no shop's 'rabbits' can shine. There's nothing that can be done. They cannot compare to Fang Zhao's. His choppy-hair sea rabbit has 50% extraterrestrial genes."

"Never mind that, why is it so small!?" the buyer asked again.

"...Because it doesn't have extraterrestrial genes."

It was indeed impossible to find a similiar product in the entire ornamental seawater pet market. There was no choice, so everyone could only settle for second best. It would do as long as its outer appearance was similar.

Lighting manufacturers were delighted when they saw this situation and immediately hatched a plan to custom-make lights in the shape of a choppy-hair sea rabbit, the sort that would light up with the tap of a finger. Now, doing homework at night would let people feel a sense of purpose.

Chapter 217: Military District Established

"Fang Zhao style" had exploded to prominence on the internet. Silver Wing's operations team had played a part, as had merchants who had seized the opportunity to make more profits, and there had also been assistance from the government. When many brands saw this, they were envious and also wished to collaborate with Fang Zhao, but they could not get ahold of him.

Planet Baiji had restored its communications network, but there were emergency measures in place, so contacting Baiji was rather difficult. Nobody outside knew what was going on. There were rumors online that the twelve continents had sent a fleet over to establish a military district, but there had been no official announcement yet and these rumors could only be considered guesses.

However, the common folk did not really care much about a large military district or military affairs, as those were too far away to impact their lives. So what if Baiji became a large military district? Their wages wouldn't rise and their taxes wouldn't be cut. Everyone would just go about their daily lives as normal. Thus, they preferred watching meaningful entertainment gossip. In the case of planet Baiji, their attention was on Fang Zhao.

Anyone browsing online was very clear on the level of Fang Zhao's popularity right now. Because of this, Shanta once again came looking for Fang Zhao.

"We will be collaborating with the the Inter-planetary Fund to organize an online auction and will bring out a few items to be auctioned off. You can contribute an item too. I heard that the item you celebrities bring out will be highly coveted. You don't have to spend too long thinking about it, just something simple like clothes or daily necessities will do just fine."

Although planet Baiji had emergency measures, as the highest-ranking officer on Baiji, Shanta had special privileges. He had seen the popularity of "Fang Zhao Style" online.

Shanta told Fang Zhao that, for this sort of auction, all the money earned would be used for planet Baiji's construction. Therefore, Fang Zhao did not need to provide something of value; a token item would be enough.

"Don't worry. Even if you auction of a piece of paper, it won't fetch a low price."

Shanta did not elaborate much, but Fang Zhao could still guess the reasons.

As of now, planet Baiji's position in the development sequence was fifth, and the spot was near the front.

Were they lacking investors?

No.

Lacking money?

Not anymore.

As for the auction Shanta had spoken about, simply put, it was actually another chance for companies or investors that had not been able to squeeze into planet Baiji's construction efforts. This auction would provide a means for them to spend money to purchase a spot, and it was being publicly announced by planet Baiji, meaning it was highly reliable.

For those lacking connections or who did not have enough status or ability to get a spot investing in planet Baiji, this was indeed a really good opportunity, perhaps even their only chance in the near future.

Shanta had approved this sort of method to attract even more teams. Whether it was for balance or external power, to canvass more funds, or for a whole range of other reasons, Shanta would not disclose these reasons and Fang Zhao would not ask.

Shanta had looked for Fang Zhao to bank on his popularity and get the ordinary audiences to place their attention on and understand planet Baiji's development. The views of the masses could not be ignored.

Although Shanta had told Fang Zhao that any item was fine, Fang Zhao would not just randomly produce an item. He did not pay much attention to the happenings online, but he had learned quite a bit from Kevin Lin. Nowadays, news about him was under the scrutiny of the public. Putting forward a random item might seem half-hearted and lacking in sincerity. This could easily turn into fodder for gossip. The auction would not be soon, so Fang Zhao still had time to make preparations.

Soon, teams from every continent's military district arrived in succession. Hong Lou had brought men from Yanzhou and had arrived on Baiji base.

If not for the continuous construction on planet Baiji over this period, there would not have been enough space for so many people arriving all at once.

Hong Lou was 70 years old. In the New Era, this was considered the prime of one's life. His rank was major general, and he already held considerable authority. He had a lot of room for growth in the future.

When Fang Zhao saw Hong Lou, Hong Lou looked tired, probably from all the bustling, but he was in a good mood.

When he noticed Fang Zhao, a smile appeared on Hong Lou's face. His originally imposing manner of a leader dissipated somewhat.

"Haha, Fang Zhao, I really have to thank you this time. However, recently there have just been too many matters. After this busy period is over, let's have a good chat. Are you serving at Outpost 23's district?" As he spoke, he pointed to the other three people in the room. "These three will be following you temporarily."

Fang Zhao glanced over. To the side were three men standing silently. From their epaulets, there was one major and two captains. They had probably been lectured by Hong Lou, but whatever was going through their minds was not displayed on their faces. One of them even grinned when Fang Zhao looked over.

Fang Zhao looked at Hong Lou suspiciously. "They are?"

"My wife... Your director Duan feels that it is not safe enough for you here. In the future, there will surely be more people coming to planet Baiji, and with so many personnel, things can get complicated. There is also no telling what else might happen. You have a special status, and it's better to have a few extra men protecting you. Don't worry, I have instructed them not to appear in the live broadcasts; nobody will know about it," Hong Lou replied.

In short, he meant that he was assigning men to protect Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao wanted to say it was not needed, but from Hong Lou's manner, it looked like it had been arranged for some time already and he had discussed with Duan Qianji before making this decision. Fang Zhao remained silent and did not reject it.

Hong Lou had a lot of stuff to attend to. Every day, he would be summoned by Shanta to discuss important matters, so he did not say much to Fang Zhao. He just told Fang Zhao to look for him if he encountered any troubles. After that, he hastily rushed off toward the base's conference room.

Fang Zhao then brought along his three new bodyguards and headed toward Outpost 23.

Seven days after the teams from all twelve continents' military districts arrived, the alliance announced the establishment of planet Baiji's military district, which was also the fourth large off-world military district.

Planet Baiji was ranked fifth on the development sequence. Of the first four planets, three already had established military districts set up and were what everyone knew as the three large off-world military district. But now, the big three had become the big four. At the same time, planet Baiji was officially included in the immigration plan and became the key area of development for the immigration plan.

A large military district and a key area of development. These two labels proclaimed the splendid future of planet Baiji.

Since Baiji Military District was being established, the duties and ranks of many people originally at Baiji base would change as well. Shanta was promoted from a lieutenant general to a general and so remained the highest-ranking commander in this military district.

Establishing a military district and getting promoted to general was double happiness for Shanta. It could even be said that Shanta was recently flushed with success. When he was pleased, he could not help but recall all the past grievances he had suffered and he could not help but contact some old acquaintances to share his sentiments. Whether he was on good terms or bad with them, he contacted them all the same.

Connected to exploratory spaceship Arcturus, commander Luo Sha.

"Old Luo, what are you so busy with nowadays. If you have the time, come over to my planet Baiji for a gathering, ha!"

Arcturus commander Luo Sha remained expressionless and gave an ice-cold reply, "Get lost! No time for you!"

Connected to exploratory spaceship Formalhault, Commander Ma Jika.

"Old Ma Ji, when will you have time to come over to Baiji~ Military District. We can all catch up..."

Ma Jika's temperament was not as straightforward as Luo Sha's. When he heard Shanta's words, he paused momentarily and laughingly replied, "Okay, but we have to discuss something first. Transfer Fang Zhao's military service record over here—"

"Scram!" Before the other party had finished talking, Shanta had already severed the comms.

After ending the call, Shanta thought back to when he had first received Fang Zhao's military service application. It was funny, but at the same time, Shanta was glad. Back then, if any of those two had decided to accept Fang Zhao's application, planet Baiji would never have gotten to see this day.

A single person could really change the fate of an entire planet.

Chapter 218: Broken Teeth

After the Baiji military district was established, various collaborative partners started entering the planet. Large-scale projects were smoothly launched in succession. There were people, equipment, power supplies, technical talents, and armed forces. Planet Baiji was changing every day.

At the core of Baiji base were the large shining words: "If you lag behind, you will come under attack!"

These words had been personally inscribed by Shanta with the aim of reminding everyone in the Baiji military district of the recent terrorist attack.

When the terrorists had been formulating a plan, why had they picked Baiji instead of some other planet?

Because when the terrorists had been picking a target, grade A power ore had not yet been discovered on Baiji and they had still been placed far back in the development sequence. Back then, Baiji had been a poor and barren place, and even their detector probes had all been outdated.

In simple words, the enemy's line of thought had been this: Because you are weak, we shall attack you!

What could be done to not be bullied?

To strike back better, planet Baiji needed to become stronger! Even if the planet suffered terrorist attacks once more, they would not be caught in the predicament of a one-hour communications blackout anymore! Their outposts would not be bombarded so badly, and they would not be oblivious to when the enemies entered the planet!

Should they encounter future terrorist attacks, Shanta hoped that the enemies would all be blasted to shreds even before they entered the atmosphere!

After the general assembly mobilization meeting, Shanta would gather the high-level officers for a meeting from time to time. This was to understand the progress of the developments and to solve problems.

Conference room.

First, Shanta listened attentively to the various reports. His face was solemn and he put on the dignified air of Baiji military district's highest-ranked commander. Only his brows and eyes would flicker from time to time, showing that he was satisfied and pleased.

After the important matters were discussed, Shanta raised the topic of the auction.

"The auction will be in another 15 days time. Has everyone prepared their items? From the charts, only three or four have submitted? We have to pay attention to it!"

When this topic was raised, Shanta remembered Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao had yet to report on the item he would be submitting for the auction, and Shanta had no idea what the little fellow would put forth.

At the same time, in the woods on the outskirts of Outpost 23.

A squad of troops was pushing forward in the woods.

For the expansion of the outpost, the surroundings needed to be surveyed. A few specialists had been dispatched from the military district to survey and plan. Every day, people from the outpost would operate a flying transport and make a few rounds in the air to protect them, as they needed to enter the woods to take samples.

Fan Lin had wanted to go into the woods and have a look too. He wished to do a study on the species in this area and take some samples for research. He wanted to do it personally, as he did not feel comfortable leaving too many tasks in the hands of others.

Yan Biao and the other wounded had already been sent back to Earth, where they would undergo medical treatment at a designated military district hospital and receive prosthetics and rehabilitation. Bie Liao and 10 others had represented Outpost 23 to see Yan Biao off.

Bie Liao and the others had wanted to cheer Yan Biao up, but they had never expected to see Yan Biao in rather high spirits. He hadn't been depressed at all, and there had been no visible scars on him. His mood had been what it had seemed, so much so that the others had not needed to cheer him up.

However, Yan Biao had not mentioned the reason for his change and had only exhorted again and again that they perform well. Especially the new outpost team leader, Bie Liao, who had been pulled aside and talked to for 10 minutes. At the end, Yan Biao had specifically emphasized making sure to take care of Fang Zhao.

Even if Yan Biao had not said anything, Bie Liao and the others would still have done so. However, in the few days after that, Bie Liao realized that Fang Zhao did not really need any looking after. As long as the outpost team coordinated well, there would be no troubles. On the contrary, Kevin Lin was the troublesome one.

Kevin Lin expressed an extreme interest when he knew about the assignment to survey the woods, but as he had the fighting strength of a weak chicken, he lagged behind when he followed them in. After all, the outpost team needed to protect the priorities: the surveying specialists, Prof. Fan, and the scientists. Now the outpost team would need to spend extra effort to protect Kevin Lin, and with every added person that tagged along, the safety level of the entire team decreased.

Kevin Lin spent a whole night carefully considering and felt that the distance between his imagination and reality was too great, so he decided to undergo a second round of military training. In the meantime, he would let Fang Zhao bring along the camera to record as he followed the team. After Fang Zhao returned to the outpost, Kevin Lin would edit the footage before sending it to the program column.

Kevin Lin did not have the ability to protect himself, but Fang Zhao's ability was clear for everyone to see. Moreover, Fang Zhao had three bodyguards with him.

When Bie Liao had first seen the major and two captains, his eyeballs had nearly popped out of their sockets. Now that he had assumed the role as outpost team leader, his rank had risen to captain, which was the same rank that Yan Biao had had when he was in charge. But when Bie Liao saw the major and two captains, he felt really awkward. The pressure of being the outpost team leader was considerable. Fortunately, those three had only been tasked with protecting Fang Zhao and would not interfere in matters of the outpost team. Bie Liao would still remain the authority figure here.

Over the past few days, interactions had been pretty good. When Bie Liao chatted with them, he no longer felt the initial awkwardness. Instead, he now pitied those three. Not because their talents were being wasted in an insignificant position but rather...

Bie Liao eyed Fang Zhao, who was controlling the camera and filming Fan Lin, and he gave a silent laugh.

As the survey team moved through the woods, Fan Lin would stop from time to time to take a look at certain plants and instruct a scientist to collect samples.

Fan Lin knew how to use simple words to get his message across and get the audiences excited. In between, he would inadvertently advertise his own company's seeds and divulge some information on the hybrid crops he had created with half-extraterrestrial genes. Audiences really loved this style, and when it was aired after Kevin Lin's editing, the segments received good reviews.

Fang Zhao held a gun in one hand, his other hand controlling the camera that was floating in midair, but he did not lower his guard.

As he filmed, Fang Zhao's felt a nip in the air. His acute senses had detected something watching them, seemingly like a snake that had its eyes on its prey.

The air was warm and humid. There was a river somewhere off in the distance, but for safety reasons, they had maintained a distance from it.

A black shadow rushed out from the muddy bog over 10 meters away.

Almost at the same instant the black shadow leapt out from the bog, a number of bullets buried themselves in it

The beast that had just leapt out from the mud fell to the ground, twitching twice before all movement ceased.

A fishy smell drifted over but was quickly carried away by the wind.

After the momentary silence, Bie Liao got some men to drag the beast over.

"This thing, it is a little frightening," Bie Liao said as he inspected the corpse of the beast, which was close to a meter long.

The skin of the beast had luster to it similar to steel, but it was not real steel and it was unable to stop bullets. The bullets had torn straight through it.

Fang Zhao did not know much about the species in this place and had not known if a single bullet was enough to settle the danger. Thus, he had shot a few more times. Nowadays, he had sufficient ammo, and guaranteeing everyone's safety took priority.

Bie Liao had said it was frightening because this seemingly flat beast opened its mouth sideways. Inside, it was full of sharp teeth in a disc, and the whole thing looked like a sawmill blade and had an extremely strong cutting power.

"Its teeth seem similar to the helicoprion shark that were in ancient archaeology reports found back home. However, this one has a horizontal mouth opening and limb-like fins. It probably spends most of its time in the water, lying in ambush in bogs or the river bank to hunt unsuspecting prey," one of the scientists said.

Once bitten by these sort of teeth, a whole chunk of flesh would be sliced off. If the beast was slightly larger, a person bitten by it might be sawed in half.

Although the attire they wore provided some protection, who knew what sort of injuries one would suffer should they get cut by these electric saw-like teeth.

Bie Liao was puzzled. "It was so close to us. Why were we unable to discover it just now?"

They now had newly issued equipment. Goggles on their helmets displayed nearby life-forms. Generally speaking, even if it was hiding itself in the mud, it should still have been detected.

"It's probably due to the skin," Fan Lin said rather excitably. "Its skin is rather interesting. Bring it back to the base and let the crew study it. Perhaps equipment can be improved according to the principle behind it."

Although this beast they had just encountered was very dangerous, a new discovery of course got the outpost team excited. If it was as Fan Lin said, their outpost had done a meritorious service.

"Its teeth are broken." Bie Liao pointed at a portion of broken teeth in the beast's mouth. They had been hit by bullets.

Fang Zhao picked up a single broken tooth. It was flat and triangular. Around one-tenth the size of a human palm, it had a white porcelain sheen to it.

"Fang Zhao, what are you picking it up for? Spoils of war?" Bie Liao asked when he noticed that Fang Zhao did not toss the broken tooth aside.

"It's a suitable item to be auctioned."

Bie Liao was curious. "Are you going it submit it just like that?"

"No, I will engrave something on it." Fang Zhao wiped away the bloodstains and placed the tooth into his pocket.

While Fang Zhao and Bie Liao were conversing, the three people assigned to Fang Zhao did not utter a single word. The three of them glanced at each other and could only hang their heads and give a bitter laugh.

How many times had it been?

It was commonly said that the third time was the charm, but they had already experienced this sort of situation three times today!

Ever since they had been assigned to Fang Zhao's side, over the past few days, similar situations had happened every day.

When they had first entered the woods and encountered a native beast attack for the first time, the three had only just shouted "be careful" and had not yet drawn their guns when the beast had been disposed of by Fang Zhao.

The second time, they had not even managed to say anything before the situation had been settled.

The third time, it had been settled before they had even felt the danger.

Fourth time...

Fifth time...

All the way to the recent incident, time and time again, Fang Zhao had gotten rid of the danger before they had even been able to act.

From shock it had turned to curiosity before they had gotten used to it. Countless times in their hearts, they asked the same question: Who is the new soldier and who are the veterans? Who exactly is protecting whom?

Fang Zhou was not intentionally provoking them. This was not a matter of killstealing. A step slower and someone might get hurt or lose their lives. This was entirely an unconscious reaction and reflex shooting by Fang Zhao.

But the three of them did not know this and thought that Fang Zhao was just proving his strength to them.

In the days that followed, the three of them could feel sympathetic gazes from members of the outpost team.

What could they do?

They were also despairing!

The person they were supposed to protect was so much stronger than them. These few days, there had simply been no chances for them to do anything.

The three felt like they were pieces of trash.

Chapter 219: Auction Item

When the team returned to the outpost, Bie Liao immediately called a few men to send over that unidentified creature to the base and let the specialists there study how it had managed to avoid detection.

This time, Fang Zhao did not follow them and return to base, nor did he want to fight and claim meritorious deeds. Instead, he straightaway went to ask the outpost's quartermaster, "Do you have an engraving machine?"

"Engraving machine? What sort?" The outpost's quartermaster was considerably older and had gotten hurt during the attack, but it had not been too serious. He had returned to the outpost shortly after receiving some treatment at the base. Perhaps because he had experienced the attack, he was a lot more sincere toward Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao fished out the broken tooth and told the quartermaster, "I wish to inscribe some words on it. There might be a lot of words, so it has to be a little smaller."

As an experienced quartermaster who knew every machine's capabilities by heart, he shook his head when he heard what Fang Zhao said. "The outpost doesn't have something like that. You will need to borrow it from the base. I can help you check first. Normally, nobody uses this sort of machine. However, there are no guarantees. After all, the base has many large projects running concurrently, as planet Baiji is expanding, Perhaps someone has already borrowed it? Oh, there is still one machine. I'll help you make a reservation."

Fang Zhao thanked the old quartermaster and contacted Bie Liao to collect the engraving machine from the base. Fang Zhao had already made a reservation through the intranet, so Bie Liao could retrieve it straightaway.

Fang Zhao left the equipment room and returned back to his own room. He saw Kevin Lin lying stiff like a corpse. Kevin Lin had been like this for the past few days.

To improve his professional ability and be able to follow the outpost team in future, Kevin Lin was undergoing military training that was even more rigorous than what Fang Zhao had gone through in the Yanzhou military district. Kevin Lin's training was more oriented toward combat capabilities.

The two in charge of training Kevin Lin were veteran soldiers who knew what methods were most appropriate for him. They did not hope that Kevin Lin's combat capabilities would see a sudden change, but what they wanted Kevin Lin to grasp was how to flee in dangerous situations and how to improve his physical constitution.

According to Kevin Lin's own formulated plan, he'd felt that he could become a superhuman, but now he just didn't feel like doing anything. Just a tiny bit of high-intensity training was already enough to make him lie down.

Hearing the sound of Fang Zhao entering, Kevin Lin remained lying there and feebly asked, "How was it today?"

"Not too bad. I gained quite a bit," Fang Zhao replied.

Kevin Lin only raised his head at this and asked curiously, "What sort of gains?" Having collaborated with Fang Zhao for so long, Kevin Lin somewhat understood Fang Zhao. What Fang Zhao meant was that, besides the normal happenings, something unexpected had happened today.

Fang Zhao recounted the incident with that creature and fished out the broken tooth. "This is its tooth."

Kevin Lin's lackluster attitude dissipated and his spirits raised. He brought the camera over to him and forwarded to the part Fang Zhao had spoken about.

"It's not bad, but we still do not know the base's verdict. If it can really improve our equipment, that would be a talking point, but if it the results are out, we have to edit away that conversation in the video. What do you intend to inscribe on it?" Kevin Lin asked curiously. He had learned of Fang Zhao's purpose for picking up the broken tooth.

Fang Zhao simply said two words: "Song score."

Just these two words were enough to make Kevin Lin pause his video editing. "Song score!?"

Although Fang Zhao had not produced many songs, every one of them had sold for a high price. Recently, Kevin Lin had been thinking about what sort of news to release to attract attention. Now Fang Zhao had just given him a topic on a silver platter.

"Has it already been composed?" Kevin Lin no longer bothered with editing the video as he glanced at the notebook Fang Zhao had taken out

"Not yet. I still need to make adjustments," Fang Zhao replied.

Kevin Lin expressed his concern. "Will you be able to make it in time for the auction?"

"Yeah, I'll be able to."

Kevin laughed and walked over to the other side. "That's good. Go on then, I shall not disturb you." He also did not continue with the editing and went to browse online instead.

Along with construction on planet Baiji, the networking and communications were being improved daily. With the improved facilities, certain people had also received benefits—for example, military reporters and people like Kevin Lin. They were able to use planet Baiji's communications to connect to Earth's internet, but with a time constraint. Every day, usage was limited to an hour. Anyone that exceeded the time would have to pay for the expensive internet fees they exceeded.

Due to technological advancements, internet and communications had developed and internet fees were much cheaper. However, now, they were not on Earth but the distant and remote planet Baiji. The internet here had not been made available for public use and these people were receiving a special privilege and would need to pay extravagant fees for overuse.

Kevin Lin was willing to pay the high internet fees. After all, he would not be the one forking out the money. If what he browsed was within the scope, he could set an expense report. The only issue was the lag time as he browsed, and everything he wanted to upload had to be audited, but on the whole, it was even more convenient than before.

The first thing Kevin Lin did was to update a new status on his on social platforms. If one didn't make ripples for three days, all that would remain on the river was folklore. 1 The entertainment circles had a short memory. Although Fang Zhao had been all the rage online a while back, after a few days, all sorts of news had squeezed him out. To maintain popularity, there was a need to constantly refresh one's presence all over the internet.

Kevin Lin had enjoyed a brief period of celebrity treatment and had already gotten addicted to that feeling. Thus, he would not let such a good opportunity slip by.

The other four channels trying to stir up news had squeezed out his popularity. Two days ago, there had been news about S2's Fritz having an allergic reaction and being disfigured. Yesterday, news had been stirred up about S4's Tianhao and a female nurse. Today, S1's Li Xiaoxiao had announced a collaboration with the Animal Protection Society to appeal for the protection of native species, which had created considerable activity. These d*mn four channels had conspired to take turns generating hot topics!

With his many years of experience in this field, Kevin Lin could tell that Fritz's allergic reaction and disfiguration had been exaggerated. The allergic reaction was definitely true, but definitely not to that extent that it had been hyped up.

The sex scandal that S4 had stirred up was also fake. Woo Tianhao would be asking for trouble if he were to brazenly approach women on the base. Whether he'd really had the intention or not, at most, this matter was only to generate more discussions. After two days, they would pull the same method and clarify the situation. The operations team had chosen to stir this news after observing Woo Tianhao's fans.

As for channel S1's animal protection society calling for conservation of the ecology and the protection of native species, it didn't amount too much. However, when Kevin Lin browsed the comments, somebody mentioned that "certain celebrities were too cruel and merciless when killing animals" and other such comments. The person leaving the comments was also an internet personality. Even though names were not mentioned, Kevin Lin knew that the person being spoken about was Fang Zhao.

In the videos Kevin Lin had sent back over the past few days, there had been a number of scenes where Fang Zhao had shot creatures, which might have upset some sensitive parties.

That was not to say that protecting indigenous species was wrong. Kevin Lin himself had also donated lots of money to these sorts of associations. He used to have a dream of buying an apartment in a scenic area in Muzhou to be close to nature. Many people that had grown up in a concrete jungle since they were young had this sort of desire.

There was an ecology-monitoring system on planet Baiji. Previously, when planet Baiji was not being developed, every year, people would be dispatched for an inspection. Outpost teams had also had strict restrictions when it came to hunting. People in the New Era regarded these sorts of conservation as important.

But during those dangerous situations in the videos, were they supposed to just stand there and wait to die? Even if Fang Zhao had not shot those beasts, the others would have done so.

Moreover, did they break the rules normally? Did they kill indiscriminately? Was there overhunting?

No!

But Kevin Lin could not clarify it straightaway. If he made any sounds, people would talk about a guilty conscience.

In the past, Kevin Lin would have surely made known his thoughts and started scolding, but now, Kevin Lin's temperament was different. When one's status was on the rise and they were becoming more popular, their lines of thought would change. He would not lower himself to the level of those fools by replying them. Instead, that effort would be better spent thinking about how to stir up more stuff in future.

Ever since planet Baiji had been moved into the top five in the development sequence, lots of topics had inevitably been generated. For example, the upcoming auction would surely continue to bring a lot of internet activity. This was also the reason the other celebrity teams were rushing to raise their popularity and presence—so that their popularity would not take much of a beating when the time for planet Baiji's auction came.

After the terrorist attack, people who were concerned with political news watched the military affairs channel. The reports there were more comprehensive and professional. Kevin Lin knew that his own political reporting could not be compared to those more senior reporters on the military affairs channel. If channel S5 were to continue on with the angle of military affairs, it would appear incongruous and would not be favorable to either side. Previously, the high viewership had been due to the terrorist attack. Now that it was over, people were no longer as interested.

Since he already knew Fang Zhao's intention, Kevin Lin posted this status on his social platform:

[La La La~ Just saw Fang Zhao preparing his auction item. I can't say what it is yet, but I can only let everyone know this: prepare your money! You will not make a loss if you can get that item! XD XD XD]

Whetting everyone's appetite was enough, but the three successive XD emoticons at the end made many people gnash their teeth in disgust.

After posting, Kevin Lin did not bother checking on the rapidly increasing messages that were left under his status. He disconnected and started editing today's video. He still needed to send the video back to the column; this was his everyday job.

At the same time, Fang Zhao's three bodyguards assigned by Hong Lou had a discussion when they returned to base. They plucked up their courage to leave a message for Hong Liao requesting a transfer back.

By chance, Hong Lou had just ended a meeting and seen the message. His two sharp eyebrows twitched grotesquely as he contacted the three right away and inquired after the reason.

The three of them had pained expressions on the video display as they recounted the situation of the previous few days. To get where they were now, the three had experienced their fair share of real combat. They had also had lofty ambitions when they had followed Hong Lou over to planet Baiji. Originally, when Hong Lou had assigned them to protect Fang Zhao, they had been a little unwilling but had only been able to grudgingly obey orders. However, they had never expected to receive such a blow from Fang Zhao.

The major among the three told Hong Lou about what had happened today. When he recalled how Fang Zhao's reactions and marksmanship were a step quicker than theirs, he could not help but ask. "General, didn't you say he was an artist?"

Hong Lou had no way of replying to this question.

He also had no idea either and would have to ask his wife. His wife had told him that Fang Zhao was a celebrity with a composing background in the company. Wasn't that just an artist? Pretty much saying that if one did not make his presence felt ever so often, he would easily be forgotten.

Chapter 220: High Valuation

The date for the auction was inching closer, and every day, Kevin Lin was even more anxious than Fang Zhao. Kevin Lin was worried that rushing Fang Zhao would just add pressure, which would affect the quality of the item. Thus, he could only worry helplessly from the side.

Bie Liao joked about Kevin Lin in private: the emperor was not worried but the eunuch was anxious. However, they were all eagerly anticipating the auction. They had been disconnected from the internet for too long and did not have means like Kevin Lin's to connect back to Earth's internet. The base's intranet could not be considered internet. Every day, they could only view military and political news, and in this sort of restricted environment, the information they could receive had its limits.

"I heard that Fang Zhao prepared a broken tooth with song scores inscribed on it. Do you reckon it will sell?" Riode asked Bie Liao.

Bie Liao gave an unsure reply: "Probably? Didn't Kevin Lin say that Fang Zhao's song scores cost a lot? Surely people will buy it."

It was not that they didn't think much of Fang Zhao's item but that they did not understand this aspect. If it was up to them, they would definitely not spend a large sum to purchase a broken tooth. Even if the sounds of nature were engraved on it, they still would not buy it.

But whatever they said, Fang Zhao was a member of Outpost 23. If Fang Zhao's item could really fetch a high price, they would also benefit too. Should there be any gathering with comrades from other outposts in the future, they would be able to brag a whole bunch about it.

"Let's say Fang Zhao's auctioned item fetches a high price. Would our outpost be able to receive one-tenth?" Riode.

Since Riode had mentioned it, Bie Liao also had this thought now. "If so, I will send in an application request." After all, money made from the auction would be diverted to planet Baiji's construction fund. The base would not lack any money, so it would be up to each outpost team to fish for funds.

Noticing Bie Liao having ideas, Riode continued to give advice. Lowering his volume, he said, "I heard from Kevin Lin that none of Fang Zhao's past works were worth less than this figure."

"Ten million? The rumors were true? That means that even if we receive one-tenth, one million, we can upgrade a lot of equipment." Now that Bie Liao had assumed the leadership role, his shoulders felt burdened with a heavy responsibility. Especially after the terrorist attack, he fully approved the words "If you lag behind, you will come under attack!" displayed at the base. With upgraded equipment and facilities, even if development teams wanted to come over to the outpost's area, they would have power.

Equipment issued from the top was fixed, but there could never be enough of these kinds of things, and occasionally, additional equipment and tools were requested rather then hoping for others to hand them over.

One's own territory had to be safeguarded securely.

Whether it would be approved or rejected was a different matter, but if they did not even try, how would they know it was not possible?

Therefore, after the talk with Riode, Bie Liao immediately wrote an application request and sent it in. His words were sincere and staggering. Bie Liao's letter to the leaders bemoaned the poor and destitute conditions of the outpost. Before the auction started, it was best to take advantage and fight for some benefits.

——

Over at the outpost, outside the security fencing of the experimental plots, on a large tree that had been growing for who knows how many years, Fang Zhao sat leaning against a tree branch. In his hands were a pen and a notebook, and he was writing and drawing in it.

The area survey had already concluded. The engineers had already returned to base to give their reports. Fan Lin and his team had also disappeared back into the laboratory. Now that the outpost team no longer needed to protect these people when they headed into the woods, other than making their daily patrols around the area, their only other duties were standing guard and extending the outpost.

A new batch of soldiers had arrived at the outpost and their numbers had doubled. Everyone was getting along just fine.

A few off-duty outpost soldiers were playing cards a short distance away from Fang Zhao. This place had much less electronic entertainment equipment, so they could only use some ancient entertainment items to enrich their lives here.

Among the new batch of people, there were some that came looking for Fang Zhao's autograph after arriving at the outpost. They might not necessarily have been the ones chasing celebrities, but they at least had relatives who were fans of Fang Zhao.

After completing a round of cards, someone from the group playing cards in the shade of a tree glanced at Fang Zhao and softly said, "What is he writing?"

"No idea. Perhaps a diary?"

"There are really people who keep a diary while undergoing military service? I persevered for a few days but could not continue writing on."

"Someone said he was composing?"

"Shut up, everyone. Don't you know his "Diting ears" nickname? Don't think he can't hear you even if you are whispering."

The few of them stopped gossiping and continued playing cards.

Regardless of whether the sky was clear or overcast, whether the winds from afar were strong or weak, they carried with them moisture and sweat blended with the smell of mud, grass, and leaves.

In the surroundings, every single sound originating from nature, from the rustling of branches to the chirping of insects to the beating of a bird's wings and the cries of creatures, brimmed with the vigor of life.

With his superior hearing, Fang Zhao could hear the distant river that was blocked by the woods. In his mind, he could imagine the splashes created by aquatic creatures leaping in and out.

There was a lack of the apprehension and restlessness of the Period of Destruction. Although there was danger in this world, its nature had a peacefulness here that people during the Period of Destruction could never have hoped to imagine.

Every single sound seemed to carry musical notes that embedded themselves in Fang Zhao's mind and came out in scribbles when the pen nib touched the notebook.

This time, Fang Zhao had chosen a more gentle style that did not have the thickset flavor of an epic. This was something he had composed after arriving on planet Baiji and after coming over to Outpost 23. From filtering the sounds of the mountains and forests, the sounds of all living things, he had a tranquil tune.

After amendments, Fang Zhao transcribed the score sheet. However, this time, his annotations were using musical symbols of the New Era and not his own symbols that only he could read.

Without the need for any musical instruments, Fang Zhao performed this piece in his mind countless times.

By the time he got off the tree, it was already noon. Kevin Lin had already begun his afternoon training. Fang Zhao glanced over for a bit before entering the outpost and heading for the equipment store. There he took out the engraving machine.

Fang Zhao had spent six days amending his composed score. Today was the seventh day of amendment. The score was finally complete, and he started the engraving.

During the Period of Destruction, many people had liked to use the teeth and bones of creature they killed as a form of significant ornamental jewelry. Children born during that period had also loved these sort of decorations, as they portrayed ferociousness and bravery.

Fang Zhao would only know whether the creature's tooth was suitable for engraving when he tried it. That creature's tooth that had been broken off by a bullet belonged to the sort that was suitable for engraving.

First, a cleaning fluid had to be used to remove the bloodstains. After that, the shattered corners had to be ground till they were smooth and then polished till they shone. Only after all this came the engraving.

The tooth did not have the hatred and blood a mutated beast had, but it still had a primitive flavor to it.

The engraving machine was not large, and it could inscribe delicately. All Fang Zhao needed to do was set the stipulated area for engraving, then write down the song scores for engraving on the writing board.

Fang Zhao wrote every single stroke earnestly. The blade of the engraving machine carved each note on each part of the tooth according to how Fang Zhao wanted it. Every stroke was exactly the same as Fang Zhao had handwritten it, just much smaller. The strength that Fang Zhao used for each stroke on the writing board would affect how the the engraving blade cut.

With the aid of the machine, this song score was inscribed very quickly.

When Fang Zhao returned to his room, it was one of the rare occasions where Kevin Lin was not like a corpse. Kevin Lin was holding on to his camera, and when he noticed Fang Zhao, he asked eagerly, "Is it done?"

When Kevin Lin had returned after his military training today and heard that Fang Zhao was in the equipment store, he knew right away that Fang Zhao was over there engraving. He had wanted to go over and film it but had been afraid of disturbing Fang Zhao and interrupting the engraving. Thus, he had waited back in the room.

Fang Zhao handed over the creature's tooth with the inscribed song score. "It is finished."

Kevin Lin carefully accepted the case with the creature's tooth in it and gently placed it on the table and starting taking photographs.

However, he changed his method of photo taking. He changed the focus so that the song score on the creature's tooth would be blurry, but he also revealed a clear portion of some musical notes.

Kevin Lin showed the photographs he had taken to Fang Zhao. "Do you think these shots are all right?"

Fang Zhao did not find anything inappropriate. He could guess what Kevin Lin wanted to do. "They are fine."

The next morning, Fang Zhao submitted that broken tooth with song scores engraved on it to the base. Kevin Lin logged into his social platform and posted a few photos of the creature's tooth taken from different angles.

"Fang Zhao spent seven days making this. On it is his latest work, which was personally engraved by him~. It has already been sent to the base."

Fang Zhao had used a machine to aid him, but the notes had been handwritten by Fang Zhao, so it could be considered to have been personally engraved.

When Kevin Lin updated his status, he did not add anything else. The videos taken from the woods would have explanations. Fang Zhao had picked up that broken tooth to make an item for the auction. It was already finished, and the song score engraved on it was new and had never appeared before!

That meant to say that whoever won this broken tooth would own this song score.

So what if it was a new song? How was the quality? Other than Fang Zhao, perhaps only the person who had the winning bid would know.

However, not many people thought well of it.

After all, Fang Zhao was still considered a newbie. Although he had works in the entertainment circles, they were not many and were not concrete enough.

"How much can that piece of tooth even be auctioned for?" someone asked. This was the question the normal internet audience was dying to know the answer to.

"Wait for a professional to appraise it."

There were experts in this area. Some old masters who had many years of experience working at auctions finally had a chance to show off their skills.

For the value of an auction item, they would evaluate it from many different aspects. Not only would the material, manufactured place, manufacturer's status, and commercial value be considered, there were also a number of other factors from different aspects to take into account.

Finally, a few old master appraisers' joint comprehensive evaluation had this outcome: the item put forward to planet Baiji's auction activity was valued at 30 million to 50 million. It would not be lower than 30 million.

When this valuation was reported, it was met with doubt from many people.

"Isn't this too high?"

"It's just a creature's tooth with some song scores engraved on it and it's worth 30 to 50 million? Nonsense!"

"Last year, there was this really famous film star who auctioned off a jade pendant, and the winning bid was only slightly more than 50 million. Fang Zhao can't be considered on his level."

"That's right, overhype! It's definitely overhyped!"

"Was the appraising master bribed?"

"Sit tight and wait for some face-smacking."

Chapter 221: I Want That Tooth

The valuation of this tooth gave rise to a lot of online disputes. To back their evaluation, those appraising masters quickly gave their e xplanations and analysis to justify their opinion.

Planet Baiji's online auction had a significant meaning and a political agenda. Anyone could see planet Baiji's situation just from browsing the news a little. In a commercial sense, planet Baiji was now a treasured ground, and that was not an exaggeration. Lots of parties wished to get a piece of this pie, but even if they used all their effort, they would not necessarily be successful.

In fact, this auction was just a subtly disguised donation drive for planet Baiji's military district. It was also a chance for people to spend money to get a spot on planet Baiji. Nobody felt this wrong, as it had always been this way.

Therefore, for Baiji's auction, there would be exorbitant bids.

There was a prerequisite—the items had to be from Baiji military district. For example, the items put forward by certain high-ranking officers within planet Baiji's leadership. How could such a good chance for bootlicking and fostering better relations be missed? Businesses and merchants would all fight for the chance to throw money in.

Fang Zhao was far from that status and was not considered core personnel of Baiji, so businesses would not target him for bootlicking.

But any money garnered through the auction went to Baiji's construction fund. With such a large backing, the value would be jacked up, thus the appraisers giving such a high valuation. The range was reasonable and not excessively high.

A song score might be valuable, but without listening, who could know the quality? Fang Zhao might be really popular in the eyes of netizens, but his status in composing circles was not yet at the level where his name alone would be approved by everyone.

Listening to the appraising masters explain their reasoning, everyone was convinced.

Although Fang Zhao would not receive any money his item made from the auction, his social status would invariably be raised and he would be mentioned in a wave of news. It was worth it!

For a moment, there were people envious of Fang Zhao's good luck, and there were also people who were jealous and had sour words.

When Kevin Lin saw the quoted valuation online, he spent the whole night laughing heartily.

"Fang Zhao, if your auctioned item can fetch 50 million, your social status will swell!" Using his many years of professional experience, Kevin Lin gave Fang Zhao a lowdown on the pros and cons and imparted a number of appropriate responses.

Fang Zhao appreciated Kevin Lin's kind intentions and listened attentively to his suggestions. Fang Zhao had seen the valuations and analysis online and thought the same as well. Given the factors from all angles and parties, it was indeed within that range.

"However, we still have to see how the auction plays out on the actual day itself. How about this, I can help you jack up the bids." Kevin Lin did a mental calculation of his savings. Although he couldn't raise the bid by much, even if it did not hit 50 million, it wouldn't be unsightly.

"There is no need," Fang Zhao replied.

Kevin Lin thought about it. "Makes sense. Your company will surely do something. Silver Wing is a large and rich company in Yanzhou. Even if those investment firms do not throw money in, your company can also raise the price up. They won't let such a good opportunity slip by."

Fang Zhao smiled but did not elaborate. He was actually thinking that even if Silver Wing did not do anything, there were others who would surely help jack up the bids.

Kevin Lin posted new information on this topic, and in no time, people starting sharing his social platform's status. They were gaming celebrities from Silver Wing—Jinro and the others shared the status one after another. Schwarzer continued with his ass-kissing: "Boss is really, really mighty!"

Silver Wing's virtual projects department had also held an internal meeting and prepared to jointly raise money to take part in the bidding. After all, the valuation had been hyped up already. When the time came, if it did not hit those heights, wouldn't that be losing face? That would make Fang Zhao's situation awkward.

Because of this auction, these underlings of his worried for Fang Zhao.

Besides the internal members of Silver Wing's virtual projects department, there were a number of gaming stars that showed their support for Fang Zhao. Even Ma Xier, who had just finished a shooting competition, posted a rare status update: "See you at the auction."

This meant that the former runner-up on the global individual leaderboards, Ma Xier, would be participating in this auction.

When Kevin Lin saw this news, the worry in his heart lessened. It was already night in the outpost. Normally, at this time, Kevin Lin would already be preparing for bed, but today, he got more and more excited as he browsed.

While browsing, Kevin Lin suddenly exclaimed, "The f*ck, this idiot is making trouble again!"

Fang Zhao was feeding the "rabbit" in the water tank. Hearing Kevin Lin's exclamation, he asked, "What happened?"

"That senior master from Leizhou is criticizing others again. He even gets unsettled from eating a watermelon!" Kevin Lin did not have a favorable impression of this senior master from Leizhou's aristocratic Renault family. In front of outsiders, he would rarely express his disdain, but having been with Fang Zhao for so long, he knew that Fang Zhao was not a person to talk irresponsibly, so Kevin Lin let his remarks fly.

"Senior Master Renault posted a status on his social platform earlier ridiculing the watermelon he flew over from Muzhou today because it was seedless."

That's right. Over this matter, after Zaro's outburst, he received joint abuse from netizens.

"You even want to criticize seedless watermelons. Isn't having a watermelon without having to spit out the seeds a good thing? Doesn't it save you the trouble? So g*ddamn hard to please!"

"Isn't the main point him transporting the watermelon from Muzhou?"

"Having fresh watermelons is already not bad. You are being picky! Why don't you fly to the heavens and stay there!?"

Despite being the agricultural continent, there were not many places suitable for growing watermelons in Muzhou. Every year, the land used for growing watermelons was limited. Furthermore, with weather conditions or other factors that affected it, there were not a lot of watermelons produced every year.

There were people that had employed methods to grow watermelons indoors but had afterward discovered that the costs were too high and the taste of the watermelons varied greatly. Unable to control the risk, they had quickly given up on this idea.

The rarer something was, the greater its value. In the New Era, only those with extravagant lifestyles were able to eat watermelons from Muzhou.

Thus, from the viewpoint of many people, Zaro had too much time on his hands and was asking for trouble.

However, Zaro's reply was full of conviction. "How can it be considered eating a watermelon without spitting seeds? I might as well just have some watermelon juice! Having a watermelon and spitting seeds go hand in hand. That is the sentiment of having a watermelon!"

This reply gave rise to netizen's discontent.

"Ostentatious dog!"

"Go on pretending! If you weren't a Renault, you would be nothing more than a fart!"

For his reply, Zaro took a screenshot of his own ID with a close-up of the name Zaro Renault. "Sorry, but that's just the name my mum and dad gave me. I'm stuck with it."

His surname was all the backing he needed.

Kevin Lin did not know what to say after watching the matter.

Watching so many online users get hopping mad, Kevin Lin turned to Fang Zhao and sighed. "How is this guy such a piece of work? Can't he live properly? Can't he be content with what he has? Hey, Fang Zhao, what do you think?"

Fang Zhao chuckled, as if he had thought of something. "He's tolerable. At times, that little fellow seems like he needs some sorting out and deserves a spanking, but he isn't all that loathsome."

Back then, old Renault had loved these sorts of lively children. Fang Zhao still remembered that old Renault's grandchildren had been especially naughty. Although old Renault had normally been fuming with anger, he had always had a soft spot for his mischievous grandchildren and had pampered them. The current Leizhou governor was the same. The reason why Zaro dared to be so arrogant in Leizhou correlated to the Leizhou governor's bias. If Zaro caused any trouble, he just had to act pitiful in front of his governor grandfather and all would be well.

What many others saw as a big deal would only be a trivial matter in the eyes of the Leizhou governor and similarly ranked persons. Nothing more than some kids being noisy.

This was also another reason people disliked Zaro. Did having a grandfather as the governor make you a big deal?!

"If his surname wasn't Renault and he didn't have a governor grandfather and that family background..." Although Kevin Lin was older than both Zaro and Fang Zhao, every time he saw Zaro's online shenanigans, he could not remain calm and would get pissed.

"Actually, you can think of it this way," Fang Zhao suggested. "If it were you who had such a family background, what would you be like?"

Kevin Lin followed Fang Zhao's words and mused. If his ancestor had been a great general of the founding era, if his family had great power and influence in Leizhou, if his own great-grandfather was the former governor, his grandfather the current one, and his own dad possibly the next in line, if his mum was from a rich and powerful Leizhou family, and if he had an extremely large allowance every month...

Kevin Lin's expression was dreamy. When he recovered, he took a deep breath and sighed. "If I was in his position with such a background, I would surely... be even more troublesome!"

So much for being content with what one had or being honest and upright. Kevin Lin clearly knew his own character.

However, putting himself in Zaro's shoes, Kevin Lin now felt that the little fellow was not that bad. After all, these things did not cross a line. How many people who did not have a status comparable to Zaro did immoral deeds such as murder and arson every day?

Zaro did not know that there were people looking upon him at this moment. Right now, he was p*ssed. In a fit of fury, he decided that he would rent a plot of land in Muzhou to specifically plant sweet watermelons with large black seeds like he liked.

Zaro's assistant rolled his eyes. So d*mn picky!

Glancing at Zaro's agent, the little assistant felt a little better. The agent's face seemed drab and on the verge of tears, as if he was mulling over a crisis.

In Muzhou, it was very difficult for foreigners to purchase a farm. However, there were some farm owners who had no interest in working the land or had no time and would rent out their own farm's fields for exorbitant rates.

His agent's tone was ice-cold. "Senior Master, we don't have enough funds at hand."

Zaro did not give a d*mn about his agent, who seemed to be in a bad mood. "Don't treat me for a fool. I just checked the bank account yesterday. Stop pretending. Hurry up and ask around for a suitable piece of land in Muzhou to plant melons!"

Zaro's agent took deep breaths and tried to make his tone as gentle as possible. "Senior Master, you should learn from the other Renaults of your generation. From what I know, they are already preparing to invest in planet Baiji."

Zaro shook his legs. "Didn't you say that Baiji was closed already?"

Zaro's agent tried to divert this senior master's attention so he would not waste money. "There was surely no way of squeezing into the first batch—that was the business of the Renault elders. However, for you younger generations, you can use your own means and participate in the auction to obtain a project."

Zaro's interest was piqued. "Auction, what auction?"

Zaro's agent had anticipated that Zaro would be interested in this. Thus, after analyzing the political and commercial importance, he explained it as simply as he could to Zaro. Zaro would not understand overly complicated matters.

Zaro nodded his head in approval. "Ssssso there is this sort of method. Participate! I will surely participate in it!"

"This is the name of a lieutenant general who holds considerable power on Baiji. I have already arranged for it already. During the auction, when you see these few names, you can bid..."

Zaro's agent had not finished speaking when Zaro, who was browsing the news excitedly, slammed his hands down on the table. "Bid for this! It is being hyped up all over the internet!"

Zaro's agent stretched his neck over to take a look and nearly puked out blood.

"Fang Zhao's auction item is not within our plan! There is no use bidding for it!"

Zaro did not listen. He felt that, with all the online hype, if he won the bid, it would be glorious. "This is it. Prepare the cash; I want that tooth."

Chapter 222: First Lo

In Muzhou, Su Hou was conferring with Su Feng on whether to place a bid at the auction.

"I can probably chip in 10 million," Su Hou said as he scratched his head. Ten million was the total sum of his savings. He had gotten quite a few red packets this year, which had beefed up his savings. He had planned on using the money to buy seeds but then Fang Zhao's tooth had come up for auction, and he felt obliged to help out. Compared to his contemporaries, 10 million was already a huge sum, but it was still peanuts by auction standards.

Su Feng felt conflicted too. It was not that he wanted to help, but he had to bid for Fan Lin's item. However, he could still help drive the price up for Fang Zhao's lot. Even if he bought it by mistake, so be it. They owed Fang Zhao. He had saved Su Hou's life, after all. Lending a helping hand was the right thing to do.

Yanbei, Yanzhou. Retirement home for former government officials.

Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang were at a loss too. The hype was getting out of control. They could tell that some folks were trying to drive prices up. If the feeding frenzy kept up and Fang Zhao's lot didn't fetch a handsome price, it would be a major blow to him.

The elderly couple took stock of their savings. "It's not enough," they lamented.

"Let's at least be prepared. If the price is too low, we can put in a bid. Actually, in the best-case scenario, if prices are through the roof at the outset, if there's a bidding war, then there's nothing left for us to do either."

"True."

Qi'an, top floor of Silver Wing Tower.

"Chairwoman Duan. As far as the auction is concerned, for Fang Zhao's lot, should we get involved?" the head of Silver Wing's operations department asked.

"You stay out of this," Duan Qianji responded.

The operations chief got the cue. "You stay out of this" meant that someone would take care of things. Who knows—Duan Qianji might even place a bid herself.

Duan Qianji felt that she owed Fang Zhao a favor because he had done her husband Hong Lou a good turn. Hong Lou had had so much competition from his contemporaries. In the end, it had been the intervention of Shanta, the most senior commander, that had sealed the deal. Tens of millions was nothing compared to the opportunity Hong Lou had secured. Opportunities like that couldn't be bought with money, so Duan Qianji decided that not only was she going to prop up prices for Fang Zhao's lot, she was going to buy the tooth outright. She was taking the tooth home.

Elsewhere in Qi'an.

Ming Ye, the Hull virus patient, could finally say "Mom" and "Dad" articulately after nearly two years of treatment.

Ming Cang and his wife were so emotional they felt they were about to explode. They both went completely blank and froze, recovering their senses only after an extended period of time.

Ming Cang's voice started quivering. Ming Ye's medical team started checking his various vitals. Ming Cang's wife left the hospital room.

Ming Cang's wife quickly ducked into another room, closed the door, and burst into tears. After all these years, her son could finally address her. She couldn't control her emotions.

Ming Cang paced frantically in the corridor, panting and heaving. His bloodshot eyes had become tearful. He wanted to distract himself, but he didn't know what to do. He was so emotional he felt confused.

He calmed down after a long walk. When he stopped, he noticed his face was covered in tears.

After wiping his face, Ming Cang forced himself to settle down, but to no avail. He kept pacing neurotically and mumbling to himself. "He's finally recovered, finally! I should tell everyone. Who should I call? I also need to thank... Who do I need to thank? That's right—Fang Zhao. It was Fang Zhao who pointed us in the right direction. It was Fang Zhao."

He dug out Fang Zhao's number and was about to call when he suddenly realized Fang Zhao was still performing his military service and was thus incommunicado.

After taking a few more deep breaths, Ming Cang felt a bit more composed. He couldn't reach Fang Zhao, so he was going to share the good news with others.

Ming Cang was just about to send out a status update on his social media platform when he saw a pop-up box that contained several news items. He was just about to dismiss the box when the top headline, "Fang Zhao Auction Lot Estimated at 50 Million," caught his eye.

What actually first caught Ming Cang's attention were the two words "Fang Zhao." Only then had he read the rest of the headline. He clicked on the link and got the full story.

Ming Cang stared at the picture of the animal tooth engraved with the musical score.

"I'm taking that tooth home!"

He decided to join the bidding not only to thank Fang Zhao but also to mark the occasion of Ming Ye's first words since falling ill.

Folks following the auction online wondered who else was getting ready to place bids. As people with different motives got involved, the hype kept on heating up.

People who viewed Fang Zhao as a formidable opponent were peeved. Why are we seeing his name among the top search items again?

Regardless of the hype and controversy online, the Baiji military district proceeded with its preparations for the auction.

Organizers unveiled the official list of auction items on their official website the day before the auction.

The range of items that the military could chip in was limited. Other than belts, wristbands, and bullets donated by general-level military officials in positions of real power, what was left was commemorative coins.

In the age of virtual currency, only two types of people bought commemorative coins: collectors and the wealthy that treated antique coins as a fad. The former group comprised mainly genuine collectors. They bought coins for their personal collections or to make the occasional profit. Meanwhile, the rich bought coins to flaunt their wealth.

The official auction website published large pictures of the Baiji commemorative coin. One side of the round coin was engraved with the logo of the global alliance—standard practice for all commemorative coins—and the other side was engraved with the picture of a white-flag dolphin, which was Baiji's official animal.

The act of naming streets, buildings, residential districts, and even organizations after extinct animals or using them as logos was common practice in the New Era. Baiji had been named thus because, observed from space, it looked paler than Earth 1 . So the planet's logo took after the white-flag dolphin, which had been picked from the list of extinct animals.

The official website also published the rundown of the auction, which was based on the stature of the person who donated the item. The more important the donor, the later his or her item would be auctioned. The first lot was Fang Zhao's tooth.

There was no way around it. Among all the donors who had contributed items, Fang Zhao was the lowliest in terms of status and influence. Fan Lin and others ranked higher than he did. The list ended with the various items donated by Baiji's senior military command. The set of commemorative coins was the final lot.

Online observers got a kick out of the rundown.

"First lot, huh?"

"That's great. We don't have to wait. We get our headline at the beginning of the auction."

"It's hard to say how much the tooth will fetch."

"We'll find out tomorrow."

"The time of the auction is midnight in my time zone."

"It's noon on our continent."

"Our timing is the best. It's around dinner time on our continent."

...

Meanwhile, on Baiji, Kevin Lin was even more nervous than Fang Zhao. He stayed up all night browsing headlines and struggling to sleep. He had spent the past few days quarreling with Fang Zhao's online critics. He and Fang Zhao were brothers from the trenches, so naturally, he had to stand up for his brother. His diatribes grew more and more passionate—plus he had been in a "I don't give a flying f*ck" mood. Whenever he saw a comment he didn't like, he went after the author.

The next morning, Kevin Lin got up with bleary eyes. He looked around and realized the entire squadron was in the same condition.

"What happened? Did someone attack the base last night?" Kevin Lin asked.

Bie Liao and the others chuckled without answering.

They had been even more nervous than Kevin Lin. They couldn't go online, so they had peeked over Kevin Lin's shoulders. Kevin Lin had given them an update on the pre-auction analysis.

Once they had heard that Fang Zhao's broken tooth had been valued at 50 million, the soldiers had been ecstatic. Bie Liao had felt vindicated in his decision to accept Riode's suggestion to apply for 10 percent of the proceeds from Fang Zhao's lot to beef up their outpost.

Indeed, the bosses had approved Bie Liao's proposal, which was why the squadron was so hung up on the auction.

Ten percent of 50 million was 5 million. They could use it to buy new supplies and other projects.

But some folks online had said that was only an estimate and that the actual auction price might be much lower, so Bie Liao and company were also worried. The more invested they were, the more they were affected. The squadron had gotten together and chatted through the night. They had overthought the situation, tossing and turning in a case of collective insomnia.

Anyone who wasn't on duty had gathered in the main lounge. Kevin Lin was going to project the live feed from the auction. Bie Liao had put him up to the task after his proposal had been approved.

Soon, Fan Lin and his research team joined. They had also donated auction items, but they weren't worried about their donations fetching low prices. They had already received word that quite a few major farm owners in Muzhou were going to bid for their lots. The scientists were there to enjoy the show.

Fan Lin was worried that Fang Zhao would crumble under the stress of the situation, yet one quick scan of the room and he was taken by surprise. Clearly, the person who had slept the soundest in the entire room was Fang Zhao. The others seemed exhausted from an all-nighter.

Geez, whose items were being auctioned after all? The people who should worry were perfectly calm, while the people who shouldn't worry were stressed out.

The countdown clock on the official auction website approached zero. The discussion in the lounge died down gradually, replaced by a solemn silence.

"Battling terrorists is less stressful," Bie Liao said. As he watched the counter hit zero and the website refresh to indicate the start of the auction, he couldn't help clutching his chest.

After Baiji's white-flag dolphin logo and the organizers' logos appeared, the auction rules scrolled by. In an online auction like this that was open to the public, the top bid would be displayed next to the auction item. In line with the rundown the organizers had released earlier, the first lot to appear was Fang Zhao's engraved animal tooth.

The starting price was 10 million.

Bie Liao and the other soldiers clenched their fists, their palms sweaty, as they glared at the screen.

Another countdown appeared in the center of the screen: 3, 2, 1.

Kickoff!

The counter displaying the highest bid started shifting immediately, jumping from 10 million to 30 million. Before Bie Liao and the others could catch their breath, it had hiked to 40 million, then 50 million, then 55 million, then 61 million, and finally 80 million.

Bie Liao was dumbfounded.

What... what was going on?

Was there a system glitch? Hadn't the tooth been valued at 50 million at most? Now the bids had hit 80 million and were still going strong. "Bai" means white in Chinese.

Chapter 223: Crazy

Everyone on the internet could see the bidding situation online. After the item had been put up, in less than a minute, it had broken the 80 million mark.

This was significantly higher than the previous valuation, but from the viewpoint of those auction-appraising masters, if the final figure stayed at 80 million, it was still within a reasonable range. He was a celebrity, after all; there would always be fans with lots of money to spare, or perhaps a team was behind this and was jacking up the price.

But in this circumstance, the bids were still rising upward.

Great-Grandmother and Great-Grandfather Fang had intended to help drive up the bids, but they had never expected that, when the auction started, they would not even get a chance to do anything and would have to watch from the side.

Silver Wing virtual projects department.

At this time, the gaming team had not entered the game, and they were all gathered in the lounge to watch the "battle situation."

Jinro rubbed his chin as the figure displayed on the screen kept increasing. Laughing, he said, "We don't have a chance to show off."

Regardless, the bids had already exceeded the initial valuation. That was more than enough, and everyone's mood while watching the auction became lighter.

The figure on screen was still changing. Eighty million, 85 million, 88 million, 90 million...

——

Ming Cang's finger was constantly tapping his screen.

He was currently in an overly excited state of mind and had lost a little of his rationality. So much so that he simply did not check the highest bid. As long as someone was vying for it, he would increase his bid.

Increase bid!

Increase bid!

There are still people bidding? Increase once more!

Then he realized... bid failed. He had insufficient savings.

Only now did Ming Cang calm down. Thinking back over the years, he and his wife had practically spent the majority of their savings seeking medical treatment for their son. Now that they'd had a treatment direction for the last two years and expenses were being covered by all sorts of medical research collaboratives, he had been able to bring together some money. Still, it was a far cry from the past, and even if he wished to place the winning bid for the tooth, now he could only watch on.

In distant Mazhou, Ma Xier, who was currently participating in a competition, stopped increasing his bids. He viewed the auction from an investment angle. He thought highly of Fang Zhao and felt that if the valuation was in the 30 million to 50 million range, he would bid for it. But now, it had already exceeded his budget, so he rationally stopped.

Online, people who had been watching the auction attentively started to get excited at this moment.

"It's 90 million already!"

"This is double the estimated value given by those appraising masters! Can anyone explain what's going on?"

"Ninety million for just a tooth? Are they crazy?"

"Perhaps it's the company that manages Fang Zhao promoting!"

"Spending so much to promote it? This is hard-earned capital!"

"It's probably going to settle at this range. 90 million is sky high! Fang Zhao is going to be even more popular, his status will increase by a few times!"

"Oh shoot! There's a new update! One hundred million!"

When people in the discussion section heard the news, they rushed to check the web page. Indeed, the current bid had changed. In bright red, the figure was 100,000,000. One hundred million, without a doubt!

In the outpost, everyone in the outpost roared as they started to discuss.

"It... it... it... it just crossed 100 million?"

It was unknown who said this, but every single word seemed to float, as if it the words were being blown by a hurricane as they left his mouth.

Bie Liao's palms were clammy, and beads of sweat continuously appeared on his forehead.

Was this a dream?

Was it real?

One hundred million. The base had approved them keeping one-tenth for the outpost. This sort of planetary military construction and immigration plan auction was not taxed. That was to say that the outpost would receive a full 10 million!

Beside him, Riode was muttering something incomprehensible. His entire body was soaked with sweat, perhaps from nervousness or excitement, but he was no calmer than Bie Liao.

Bie Liao turned and asked Kevin Lin, "Wasn't it said that this tooth would not exceed 50 million?"

"That was just a valuation. Ultimately, the bidding decides the final price." Kevin Lin's face was flushed with happiness. Crossing the 100 million mark, that was worth bragging about. How should I write this news?

Leizhou.

Zaro watched the screen proudly. "Wanna challenge me?!"

Indeed, the 100 million bid was his. He totally disregarded the unsightly expression of his agent and the depressing atmosphere in the room. Right now, he even wished to break out in song.

His assistant trembled uncontrollably at the side.

However, Zaro was pleased for less than three seconds, as the figure shown changed once more—

One hundred ten million!

Zaro glanced at the figure on the screen and sneered. "Trash, you only have this much ability!"

As he spoke, his finger reached out to the tap the increase bid option so quickly his agent was could not stop him in time.

One hundred fifty million!

Zaro had directly increased the bid by 40 million!

When this bid appeared, the internet once more started buzzing.

Although it was a public online auction, at the moment, the identities of the bidders were still unknown. Even so, watching a straight increase of 40 million, for a bid of 150 million, also crushed the hopes of quite a number of people.

Yanzhou Qi'an city, Silver Wing tower.

Duan Qianji frowned as she stared at the screen. The 110 million bid had been hers, but she had not expected that some other party would directly raise the bid to 150 million. Who could it be that had made such a big move?

Whoever it was, this move told everyone still in the bidding not to compete; this person was determined to win this tooth.

The current bid was already so high; should she continue bidding?

Duan Qianji hesitated.

As there were currently no new bids, the webpage displayed a 30-second countdown.

At the moment, the office was deathly silent except for the "di, di, di" sound of the timer countdown.

When the countdown timer was at 15 seconds, Duan Qianji set her resolve. Opening her eyes wide, she reached out and prepared to increase the bid by 10 million and sound out the other party's intentions.

Just that before Duan Qianji could increase her bid, the countdown timer suddenly disappeared. The highest bid had jumped from 150 million to 200 million.

Two hundred million!

Duan Qianji stared blankly and unknowingly sat straighter and pulled herself closer to the screen, as if she wished to see who was behind this figure.

There was still another person?

Besides the person who had raised it to 150 million, there was actually another who would increase the bid by 50 million to 200 million.

The assistant standing behind Duan Qianji covered her gaping mouth in shock. As a staffer in an entertainment company, she knew that every celebrity with their status and position would have a valuation. As for Fang Zhao's current status within the circles, in theory, it shouldn't have been so high. Two hundred million, this transaction would be making a loss.

At this moment, online audiences were also stunned.

"Two... Two hundred million!"

"Crazy! This bunch of people are mad!"

"Who said that he would eat a hot pepper live on stream if the figure crossed 100 million? Come out now!"

The appraising masters were at a loss. Below 100 million was within a rational range, but anything above 100 million was not worth it.

Could it be that the people participating in the auction had not seen the appraising masters' analysis article?

That was not likely. Even if they had not seen it, people who could put forward such high bids would have advisors beside them, right?

Baffling, totally unfathomable.

Meanwhile, Zaro stood up abruptly when he saw this, his chair creating an ear-splitting screech as it scratched against the ground.

What the f*ck, there was actually someone even more pretentious than him!

This made him... unable to restrain himself!

Zaro was triggered.

Noticing Zaro's manner, his agent quickly went forward to block him. "Senior Master, calm down!!" his agent exclaimed, and his agent held on to the hand that Zaro had raised toward the screen. However, it was a pity, but he could only hold on to one hand. He unable to stop Zaro's other hand.

The sound of an increase bid rang out. Zaro's agent glanced over at the screen, and at that moment, everything he saw lost its color.

Wastrel!

On the screen, the highest bid had changed to 250 million. Zaro had just increased the bid by another 50 million.

Zaro even grinned evilly at the screen. "Let's see how you compete now! Bring it on!"

Zaro's agent felt the urge to hit someone when he heard those words.

A few assistants had distanced themselves when they had noticed the situation going south.

The agent's face was contorted beyond recognition. His cheeks were twitching nonstop, his chest was heaving, and his nostrils were flared.

He had raised funds all over the place, and for what?!

He had painstakingly amassed several hundred million to bid on something useable and get a plot of land on planet Baiji. But now, Zaro had actually wasted 250 million on a tooth?

What would happen if they could not win the later auction items?!

Who did I go through so much trouble to raise funds and prepare data for? Ah? Who was it f*cking for! Zaro's agent bellowed in his heart.

But his rage turned to joy and relief in a flash when he saw the figures on the screen change once more.

Zaro's bid of 250 million had only been up long enough to take a screenshot when it quickly became 300 million.

Zaro: "!!!"

Realizing Zaro's provoked stance, Zaro's agent did not let him make a move this time round. He shouted to the assistants that had all backed away, "Every one of you better come over right now!"

Combining their strength, they stopped Zaro from making a stepping forward and making a stupid decision.

With no new bids, the figure showed 300 million and the countdown timer began.

Many people watching the countdown had mix feelings as they watched the seconds tick by, and they collectively exhaled when it concluded.

At last, there were no more increasing bids!

Finally, the first item of the auction, the creature's tooth with a song score engraved on it that had been put forward by Fang Zhao, had been won with a bid of 300 million.

Kevin Lin once again threw his head back and brayed with laughter.

Fang Zhao also felt that this was inconceivable. This price had vastly exceeded his expectations. Who was it that had won the bid?

According to Interplanetary Fund guidelines, after all the items had been auctioned off, only then would the identities of the winning bidders be revealed. There was still no way of knowing who had bid, and the internet was abuzz with discussions and guesses, but they had no useful information yet.

Looking at the priced that had been reached, Bie Liao gulped a few mouthfuls of air and choked on his own saliva. Hurriedly, he grabbed a glass and downed some tea.

What the f*ck!

What the f*ckity f*ck!

Three hundred million!

One-tenth of that was 30 million!

How much equipment could they buy!?

At this moment, Bie Liao clearly understood. Their outpost was rich!

He wondered whether the senior officer that had handled the application request was regretting now.

Who cared anyway. Bie Liao rubbed his palms together in glee. After all, this money—30 million and not a single cent less—every bit would be transferred to the outpost's military expenditure!

People in the outpost were all very happy, but there were some people whose faces turned green as they saw the price that had been reached.

Certain merchants and businessmen were prepared to cling onto generals on planet Baiji, but when they saw the price reached for the first item, they knew that they would have to cough up a lot of hard-earned capital this time around.

Their objectives were the few generals later on, and they did not think highly of a little celebrity's item.

But! The first item had achieved such a high price. How much would they have to bid to obtain the later items?

Surely it couldn't be any less than this little celebrity's price. If they wished to get into those generals' good books, would they dare show their faces to the generals if the bids were not at least 10 times greater? Generals had their own temperaments too.

Chapter 224: Hundred-Billion-Dollar Auction

After Fang Zhao's animal tooth sold for the astronomical price of 300 million, Kevin Lin sent out this status update: Ha! Ha! Ha!

When he had posted the picture of the tooth a few days ago, some folks had commented that cr*p like that would never fetch a high price. Now Kevin Lin felt totally vindicated, even though he had only posted three words.

Facts were the best revenge.

Browsing the headlines again, Kevin Lin noticed that news of Fang Zhao's engraved animal tooth fetching a jaw-dropping price was all over the place. Regardless of what people's motivations were in posting the news item, Fang Zhao was the beneficiary of a new round of hype.

"This fella Fang Zhao is scary."

That was what many members of the entertainment industry thought.

When Fang Zhao had made a name for himself as a composer in Yanzhou, many folks hadn't taken it seriously. For one, Fang Zhao had been too young. He had still enjoyed limited status and influence. Secondly, composers worked behind the scenes. They were hard to promote and thus didn't pose a big threat.

Lo and behold, Fang Zhao had soon taken over gaming headlines, even earning the "god" moniker from gamers when the few clips showcasing his gaming prowess had emerged.

Not to mention that Fang Zhao had been backed by a huge corporation in Silver Wing Media, e-sports was itself a big industry. Folks had suspected the rise of a new gaming superstar, so many people had started feeling wary of Fang Zhao, be they entertainment conglomerates or gaming clubs. Everyone had brought their A game.

Yet while his enemies had geared up for battle, Fang Zhao had thrown a curveball by announcing he would be performing his military service, blowing so many minds in the process.

Many folks had secretly mocked Fang Zhao for being an idiot. Performing military service at the peak of your popularity? What, you're worried you're too famous?

But many entertainment companies in Yanzhou had breathed a sigh of release when they had heard the news. Great, military service it is, then. Get out of sight. We won't have to deal with him for a year.

Just as everyone had been kicking back, lo and behold, Project Starlight had launched, and in an amazing stroke of luck, Fang Zhao had been included, the reason being that the military wanted to encourage celebrities to serve in tough locations. Fang Zhao's actions were being lauded.

The folks who had just started to relax had been dumbfounded.

If you could broadcast live from your service location, fewer celebrities would become draft dodgers. What a great chance to boost your popularity, and now it had been stolen by Fang Zhao.

If only they had known that Project Starlight had been in the pipeline, every entertainment company would have forced their celebrities to perform their military service—the tougher the service location the better.

But of course, hindsight is 20/20.

So be it, let Fang Zhao have his live broadcasts. After all, Fang Zhao had the fewest advantages out of the five celebrities picked for the first stage of Project Starlight. He was also boring and had no idea how to entertain audiences. There was no way he was going to be a hit. Entertainment industry executives felt they could rest easy again.

But it had only been a brief respite. The day Fang Zhao had started his military service on Baiji, he had made a major discovery.

The discovery of a grade A power ore had had global repercussions. Fang Zhao's "Diting" reputation had thus been born. Word had it that Fiery Bird had already signed an endorsement deal with him a year in advance to tout their new headset design for next year. So many folks were dying of envy.

The Baiji ore had been the lead story for local and internet TV stations and had inundated personal news feeds. As the discoverer of the power ore, Fang Zhao had naturally seen his profile rise as well.

Under those circumstances, even a smear campaign wouldn't have gotten anywhere. Fang Zhao's enemies could only wait for the hype to die down.

Finally, the hype had receded and the focus had shifted to development plans for Baiji and not Fang Zhao the individual. Lo and behold, a terrorist attack had shifted global attention back to channel S5.

At some point, some folks had hoped that Fang Zhao had been killed in the terrorist attack. Fang Zhao's competitors within the entertainment industry couldn't stand the sight of this "freak" who defied convention and yet managed to grab headlines anyway. Lo and behold, the freak had survived, earned a service merit, and been promoted. Local governments had even started promoting him as a model soldier.

The twist and turns of Fang Zhao's fortunes were so unbelievable that some folks wanted to write a screenplay out of it.

And now his auction item valued at 30 to 50 million had been sold for 300 million.

Fang Zhao's fellow celebrities who viewed him as a formidable opponent were refusing to watch the news. They ignored the headlines popping up on their phones. Those headlines were bound to be about Fang Zhao again.

Main hospital of the Yanzhou military district.

After being shipped back to Earth, Yan Biao had been fitted for prosthetics here and put through rehab.

His prosthetics had been attached. He went for training walks at this time of day every day, but he had skipped his session today to watch the auction online.

"Who would have thought that something donated by a two-bit celebrity would fetch such a high price," a nurse delivering medicine to Yan Biao marveled as she checked out the auction footage.

The nurses at the hospital were used to seeing senior military officials. Generals were a dime a dozen, so for them, Fang Zhao only qualified as a minor celebrity.

Yan Biao tried hard to suppress his smile. He was dying to tell people this was his future boss.

As an employee, his fortunes were naturally tied to those of his boss. Seeing Fang Zhao's item fetch such a handsome price gave Yan Biao extra motivation to tackle rehab.

In Leizhou, Zaro was moping around. He felt he had lost face—big time. As a scion of Leizhou's most powerful family and an internet sensation, he had never seen any competition when it came to auction bidding.

Suffering such a major setback when always used to getting his way—Zaro hadn't felt this stifled in a long time.

"P*ssed!" Zaro was vocal about his feelings. He scanned the room, glancing at several of his assistants before fixing his gaze on his agent.

The agent played dumb, secretly cursing his client. You sit there on your fat ass and don't have to worry about a thing. All you have to do is click to increase your bid. Sure, it makes you feel good, but you have to think about the overall interests of our company too. What, you think money grows on trees? Why can't you be like your peers in the Renault family? All of them are standouts. I'd be accomplishing big things if I were working for any of them, but such is my luck that I have to be assigned to Zaro. Why must my life suck? I can never stop worrying.

"Our profits are slim. We're short of cash," the agent responded emotionlessly.

Zaro was in no mood for dissent. "Try another excuse."

"The new 100-episode TV series that just aired—we suffered a significant loss," the agent said coldly.

This time, Zaro went silent and felt awkward. "It was just 20, 30 million."

"Ninety million," his agent corrected.

In the new TV series they had invested in, the female lead was Senior Master Zaro's new girlfriend yet again. The plot was bizarre and didn't make sense at all. The acting was OK, but it was completely outweighed by the crappy story, and they had made 100 f*cking episodes. Lord knows where Zaro had gotten the idea that the more bizarre the story, the more popular the TV series. He had insisted on greenlighting the series, and now look how "popular" it was.

I f*cking fell for your bullsh*t. We're losing our shirts here!

Every episode was a major production. If the show had only lasted 10 or 20 episodes, maybe they could have broken even on account of Zaro's internet popularity, but Zaro had insisted on dragging out a story that could have been told in 10 episodes over 100 episodes. Boy did that series tank.

This was the result of Zaro's stubborn streak.

Zaro didn't deny the failure of the TV series.

"What do you think we should buy?" Zaro was a pragmatist, after all. He had missed out on the first lot and his manager had just pointed out a recent flop. There was no point in continuing to argue.

"The first lot got so expensive, the items that follow won't be cheap either. Given our budget, I'd say all we can bid for is Fan Lin's seeds," Zaro's agent said. Investing in Fan Lin was better than investing in Fang Zhao.

Zaro was re-energized.

"Let's do it. Let's bid for some watermelon seeds. I want 'em watermelon seeds!"

Zaro's agent automatically filtered the expletive coming out of his mouth before speaking. "Then it's decided."

The auction continued. As expected, the bids went even higher. Just some 10 seconds after the second lot went up for bidding, the bids had exceeded 300 million.

Fang Zhao's animal tooth was followed by some power ore and a machine part donated by two noted engineers. They fetched 450 million and 500 million respectively. Fan Lin's seeds were next.

This time, Zaro got his fix. He placed a successful bid of 1 billion for Fan Lin's seeds, beating out the major farm owners from Muzhou.

As the countdown clock wound down and the screen flashed "sold," Zaro was instantly in a better place.

Zaro's agent stayed silent during the auction. The offer was higher than he had expected. He had other considerations as well. It was impossible to buy land on Baiji now, but thinking outside the box, he could rent Fan Lin's experimental plot. If Fan Lin's experiments were going well, they should be winding down. It was hard to say if he would keep planting. They could leverage their successful bid for the seeds into early negotiations with Fan Lin about leasing his plots. If they could take over the plots right away, that would be even better. The plots were quite big.

He had gotten a glimpse of Baiji's development plan through connections. Outpost 23 was a priority area for development. It was a good location. That was also why he hadn't stopped Zaro from upping his bid.

The people who placed bids each had their own considerations. Some probably felt they were getting a bargain, and others felt they were getting ripped off, but the general public didn't care about their reasons. They were simply stunned by the astronomical sums being tossed around.

They thought that the 300 million Fang Zhao had gotten was a high price. Little had they known the winning bids would get even higher. Even if higher bids were expected, the huge gap between bids was baffling. What were people thinking jumping from 400 or 500 million to 1 billion?

"It must be those major farm owners from Muzhou," Kevin Lin told Fang Zhao, as if he were an expert on the matter.

"The major farm owners from our Muzhou are quite brash," a soldier from Muzhou bragged.

After Fan Lin and the others, it was finally the turn of Baiji's generals.

The final few lots truly hammered home to the general public what crazy rich people and big capital were all about. After the starting price was displayed, the bids escalated at a rapid pace. The capitalists were going all out.

The bid counter comprised a digital counter followed by the unit of 10,000. Here, 10,000 was the default unit.

This lot went for 5 billion, the next 8 billion, then 10 billion. By contrast, the 300 million for Fang Zhao's animal tooth was nothing.

Folks watching online were bewildered by the huge sums.

"Have... have... have they all gone mad?"

"I have no idea. I'm too busy counting the zeros. This is my first time watching an auction like this."

"You think they're actually after the auction items? What they're eyeing is the land. This is an investment in Baiji real estate."

"If you think of it that way, then these seem to be bargains."

The auction finally ended after the set of commemorative coins was sold for 20 billion. Someone did the math. The total sales came out to just over 100 billion.

One mere auction had earned the Baiji military district 100 billion. There were so many jealous people out there.

"This is the first time I have felt concretely that Baiji's prospects are going to be great," Bie Liao marveled.

Chapter 225: Auction Outcome

An auction that clocked up a hundred billion worth of investments, and these were only the transactions shown to the public.

This was the driving force of the development sequence!

Everyone just loved throwing money at planets at the front of the development sequence, and investors were all frantically trying to get in.

For those at the tail end of the development sequence, nobody even bothered to give them a second look. People there had to rely on themselves.

Just comparing Baiji's past and present circumstances would do. Baiji base leadership felt the difference the most. Compared to the past, the difference was as vast as heaven and Earth.

Not just audiences and viewers, even Shanta and the other leaders had not expected this. One hundred billion was three times their original estimation.

"Was it ever so crazy before?" a senior Baiji officer asked.

Shanta shook his head. "Before? It has never been this crazy in the past." During the previous planet's auction, he had still been young and had not even been an officer yet. This round's auction forecast and estimations had been made with references to the previous examples, and that was why the results were so shocking.

Of the five planets at the front of the development sequence, there were only three habitable planets, including Baiji. Businessmen had probably seen the huge commercial benefits from the development of the previous planets but had been to slow to get a slice of the pie. Thus, this time, they had paid close attention to planet Baiji.

Of course, there was the matter of Fang Zhao's first lot obtaining a high price, which had had the effect of raising up the prices of the other lots and affecting investors' mentalities.

Shanta had had two reasons for letting Fang Zhao be part of the auction. The first had been to attract the attention of the masses, and the second one had been to help Fang Zhao raise his reputation, as Fang Zhao's discovery of Baiji ore had been the catalyst. This had been meant to mutually benefit both parties.

Shanta's estimation of the first lot had also been 35 million. He had never expected...

Shanta raised his head, and his hawk-like gaze swept across everyone present in the room. "However, who was it that jacked up the bid?"

Currently, every officer here was a trusted aide of his. Even if they had made a move, he should still have been informed.

But every single person in Shanta's field of vision shook their heads. It really hadn't been them.

There were regulations that prohibited the military district from interfering with the auction. Of course, when there was a policy, there would be countermeasures. Even if they did not do it personally, naturally, they would get others to help them do it. But even if they had raised the bids, the plan had been at most 100 million. They would not have jacked the bids this high. They had no prior experience and had been worried that problems would arise if the price was too high. Therefore, a bid of 300 million could not have been from their side.

"Could it be those newcomers?"

"Those newcomers" referred to people dispatched from the various continents' military districts after the terrorist attack.

When this was said, many people nodded their heads in approval.

"That's possible. Doesn't that Hong Lou know Fang Zhao? I heard that Fang Zhao is signed to his wife's entertainment company."

The person with the highest probability of jacking up the bid was Hong Lou's wife, Duan Qianji. However, jacking it up that high, wasn't she afraid of being investigated?

The symbolic boosting of a price could be attributed to a variety of reasons and pushed to a company's operations teams. Everyone knew this and would close their eyes to it. But jacking the price up to 300 million, did Hong Lou not want to stay on planet Baiji?

Now, planet Baiji was under intense scrutiny. If the investigation proved this, the authority Hong Lou had painstakingly sought to achieve would be gone. Was he that foolish? Or perhaps... was his wife, head of an entertainment company, that stupid?

At this moment, Hong Lou was also anxiously making a call to Duan Qianji.

"Wife, did you bid for the first lot?"

"I participated in it."

"The 300 million bid wasn't you, right?"

"Nope."

Hong Lou let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear." As their social status was rather high, personally jacking up the price was not a good thing. Whether for themselves or Fang Zhao, the disadvantages outweighed the benefits.

"But if it was not you, then who else could it have been?"

"I am clueless as well. Wait for the announcement to come out in awhile."

This was something that many people wanted to know. People online had been discussing why the items in this auction had fetched such high prices. One of the reasons was that the first lot of the auction had been too high.

There were some people who thought they had deduced the truth.

"That's it! It's a f*cking Baiji military district scheme! They purposely jacked up the bids. This is just unsightly."

"It's a little too early to come to that conclusion. Let's wait for the announcement."

"I don't think it was people from Baiji's military district. If they had jacked up the bids, it would be found out in the audit. They wouldn't do such things that could be held against them."

"Who knows if that bunch of military officers used their brains. Rationality is forgotten when there is greed."

"That senior master Zaro from Leizhou just posted a status. The item that Fan Lin put up was won by him. The one who bid 1 billion was him!"

Netizens flocked over to view his social platform. Indeed, Zaro could not wait and had posted a screenshot of the transaction.

"The f*ck, why did a Leizhou person like him bid for Fan Lin's item? Shouldn't that be done by people from Muzhou?"

"Could it be that senior master Zaro no longer wants to invest in entertainment and film and instead has switched to investing in farming?"

Concurrently, numerous large Muzhou farm owners were pissed and rather regretful.

As the bidding had been anonymous during the auction, they had assumed that other Muzhou farm owners had made that bid. Never in their wildest dreams had they thought it would be from Leizhou!

To make it worse, it was that idiot!

"If I had known that it was that fellow from Leizhou, I would have surely increased the bid!"

"Regretting now. How regrettable!"

"Who knew that a Leizhou person like him who dabbled in the entertainment circles would actually come over and compete with us!"

"How disgraceful! To actually let a Leizhou person snatch it from us!"

All large news organizations and entertainment media outlets also reported on this news. Everyone was guessing whether Zaro was really going to be switching professions this time.

Inside Outpost 23's conference room, Fan Lin had felt secretly pleased with himself when the item he had put up had achieved such a high bid of 1 billion. It was much higher than the initial valuations and past auctions. He even thought to himself, Could it be that Muzhou had abundant harvests this year?

Unexpectedly, reality was like a little stab to his heart.

Watching the displayed news on the screen, Fan Lin's expression was extremely complex, and he did not talk to anyone for a large part of the day. He had to ponder carefully. What exactly was that senior master plotting? What would his reaction be if Zaro came looking for him?

The outpost soldier from Muzhou that had spoken a while back looked dumbstruck.

It was rare for Kevin Lin not to be posting a status update at this time. Noticing Fan Lin's unsightly expression, Kevin Lin instead focused on the interplanetary fund's official auction web page. The auction results would be released anytime now.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, the screen refreshed automatically and displayed the information of all the winning bidders.

Taking a quick look, the winning bidders of the Baiji officers' items were globally renowned companies and investors. The winning bidders of the first few items were also announced. The winning bidder of Fan Lin's lot was indeed Zaro Renault. Other engineers and professors from the Academy of Science had probably had some secret dealings, and the ones who had placed the winning bids were large companies from the same industries. If Zaro had not stepped in, Fan Lin's item should have been won by certain reputable Muzhou farm owners.

It was only natural that the focus of netizens was not on this. Almost immediately after the results were announced, everyone straightaway scrolled to the first lot and wanted to see what sort of person had placed the winning bid for Fang Zhao's creature's tooth inscribed with a song score.

"Anonymous?"

"What sort of outcome is this?"

"This means to say the other party doesn't wish to reveal his identity."

"It's highly probable that it's Baiji military district jacking up the bidding. Since it's anonymous, it is surely them. Hiding the name, anyone can tell they have a guilty conscience!"

"Maybe it is Silver Wing Media, the company that manages Fang Zhao?"

"Cough, spending 300 million to do this, are the people at Silver Wing imbeciles?"

"No, there is still another possibility."

"I have thought about one as well."

"During Fiery Bird's annual gala at the start of the year, someone won the bid for Fang Zhao's team uniform for 50 million. The person's ID was 'Anonymous' too."

"There was such a thing? Let me check."

Some people who did not pay attention to the gaming circles hurriedly went to search for the related information.

"It really is true!"

"Don't tell me it is a fanatical fan of Fang Zhao's?"

"Three hundred million is no small amount."

"With such a high bid, it is possible to get a plot of land or foster a good relationship with Baiji military district leaders? What is this person scheming?"

"Since the interplanetary fund has had such a conclusion, surely they have examined the other party's identity. There shouldn't be any other issues."

"What's the point of being so secretive. Can't he just be straightforward?"

"Perhaps his identity is a sensitive issue? If he can fork out such a large bid, his status can't be low."

"Don't tell me it's an important government figure? Do government employees also chase stars? And to this extent?"

"Are there any regulations stipulating that government employees are not allowed to chase stars? There are so many government employees that chase after celebrities!"

"A government employee throwing 300 million to chase a celebrity? Does he feel that his life is too comfortable? Now anticorruption is an important issue!"

"That person's position is surely very high up. Perhaps he might be a figure that everyone recognizes."

"I guess we can only ask Fang Zhao himself."

"Speaking of which, during the bidding, there were two parties. One was anonymous, but who was the other one?"

"That method of boldly increasing bids... I recall a certain person who gets really lively when it comes to this sort of event."

"I guessed that too."

"I know who you all are talking about. A certain Za..."

Zaro would not be stupid enough to pop out and say something. To him, losing a bid was like a stain in his lifetime. He would never be foolish enough to reveal such a thing.

Kevin Lin was also extremely puzzled when he saw the outcome. He turned to Fang Zhao and asked, "You still have such a fanatical fan? Have you ever seen the real person?"

Fang Zhao shook his head. "Nope."

Fang Zhao had no idea who the other party might be, and he had never been contacted by such a person before, but he felt that the person who had won the creature's tooth this time around and the person who had won his team uniform during Fiery Bird's annual gala were one and the same. He decided that when he saw Shanta next, he would try to sound the general out for some information regarding this.

The Baiji military district leadership let out a collective sigh of relief when they saw this outcome.

"It wasn't our people that raised the bids."

The auction results had been announced after some time, as the interplanetary fund had needed to investigate the identity of the auction winners. That it had already been announced meant that there had been no problems.

The auction was a complete success!

"All right, following this we will be building up our domain!"

Shanta felt that the two most correct things he had done in his lifetime were assuming command of planet Baiji and approving Fang Zhao's military service application.

On the same day, not long after the auction had ended, the Baiji military district publicly released an announcement to account for where the money would be going.

The message of this was: Our practices are also for the benefit of the people. This is the curtain raiser for construction on planet Baiji. In the future, the pace of the work schedule will pick up. After a few years, you people can visit and tour Baiji! We hope that the general public will continue showing support to the Baiji military district in certain voting activities.

Whether or not planet Baiji would really be ready for tourism in a few years, they would paint a beautiful picture first.

For many youngsters that were witnessing such an affair for the first time, the craziness of this auction was unbelievable. They could feel the magic of planet Baiji and the impact power ore could have on a planet's development. Thus, the announcement by the Baiji military district was a focal point for the masses.

Following that, the Baiji military district also released a video that captured the current situation of areas undergoing construction. Information touching on certain military matters and classified information was omitted or censored out, but it told everyone that the residential district for family members of troops had begun construction.

With the level of technology now, building houses was very fast. The most time-consuming process was the planning beforehand. After it was fixed, and funding was allocated, with sufficient manpower, machinery, and energy, they could construct practically one building a day.

A few days before Fang Zhao had gone over to submit the creature's tooth, the construction blueprints for the family residential district had been finalized. Now, in the released video, it showed an already constructed block. Soon, the first batch of family members would be able to move over, allowing the officers and soldiers in the Baiji military district feel a genuine sense of belonging.

Schools, hospitals, and other amenities would appear shortly as well.

Troops and their family members were considered the earliest immigrants. In the future, any children they bore would count toward planet Baiji's population and would received lots of preferential treatment. There was no need to worry about their livelihood and schooling, as everything would be arranged by the military district.

This was to give a message to people who had never really paid attention or understood planet Baiji's people: It is really great to be a soldier! Everyone, come over to Baiji military district. Come to Baiji to undergo your military service! This is a land of dreams! Although there is some risk, opportunity coexist with risk. It is not much different from youngsters chasing their dreams!

Anyone that saw this knew that the number of applicants in this October's military service batch was going to explode.

Just when everyone was discussing planet Baiji's immigration undertaking, Zaro was seeking his father's approval. He had won the bid for Fan Lin's item and had decided to head to planet Baiji to learn to work the land together with Fan Lin.

Chapter 226: Zaro Is Coming

Fang Zhao only returned back to the base a month after the auction ended. There had been many activities going on over at the outpost. After the 30 million had been received, Bie Liao had organized an exuberant celebration and then started upgrading the outpost and obtaining better equipment for the outpost team.

Outpost 23's region was a key development area in the base's plans. Already, a development team had been dispatched to the outpost, and surface and subterranean constructions had been started. According to the plans, a city was to be built in the region of Outpost 23.

As a key development area, the outpost team's strength of 200 was not enough. Bie Liao had applied for an expansion and requested the base transfer another 100 men over.

The one hundred troops during Yan Biao's time had expanded to 300 now. In the aftermath of the terrorist attack, there had been changes to his military duty. He had also been promoted to the rank of captain. If everything went well, at the end of the year, his rank might rise by one more grade.

There were other outposts, but Outpost 23's strength was being increased to 300, whereas other outpost teams that were not in key development areas were remaining at 100. In the near future, Outpost 23 would undergo a name change to the 23rd Battalion, and Bie Liao's rank would naturally rise following that.

As long as Bie Liao did not court disaster or make any critical errors, he would steadily rise following the development of the outpost region.

This was the reason many people pitied Yan Biao. If nothing had happened to Yan Biao, given his background, he would surely have risen faster than Bie Liao.

Channel S5's live broadcasts captured the everyday changes of Outpost 23's region. This also verified Baiji's military district's words. It was indeed a land of dreams. Youngsters who had been unable to join the previous two immigration planet constructions were welcome to join this team and make a large contribution to the immigration cause.

Fang Zhao was here for military service and naturally did not idle. He was not someone to have different personas on-screen and offscreen; he worked industriously all the time.

This dragged on, and only after a month did Fang Zhao return to the base, since Shanta had requested for him.

Originally, Shanta had decided to let his secretary explain matters to Fang Zhao, as he was busy with official duties every day and did not even have lunch breaks. Thinking it through, though, Shanta decided to personally meet Fang Zhao face to face.

When he met Fang Zhao, Shanta asked right away, "Do you know who it was that bought your creature's tooth?"

"No idea." Fang Zhao surveyed Shanta and waited for what would follow. Given Shanta's expression, he probably knew some information about the other party's identity.

Shanta asked again, "Do you really not know?"

"I really don't."

Shanta peered at Fang Zhao with his incisive gaze for a few seconds before nodding. "I also found out after the auction was over. The person who bought your song-inscribed creature's tooth is someone from the Interplanetary Fund."

When Shanta had first found out about the other party's identity, he had spoken to that side after the auction. The reason the other party had forked out such a high bid for the creature's tooth was this: there were not many youngsters who were calm and not fickle in their circles like Fang Zhao was, and this was something that should be encouraged.

Shanta also did not really know whether the other party's words were genuine or not. He had thought to himself, You can say it however you like. In any case, it is still Baiji military district receiving the benefits.

Shanta did not tell Fang Zhao which high-ranking official in the Interplanetary Fund had bought his item, but he gave Fang Zhao two important pieces of information. First, the other party's family clan had set up the interplanetary fund. The Interplanetary Fund involved itself in three main areas: scientific research, military constructions, and nurturing talents. When Fiery Bird had first been founded, the company had received helped from the Interplanetary Fund. Therefore, forking out 300 million to win that creature's tooth was not that strange. After all, that person had serious financial muscle. No matter how headstrong Shanta was, he also would not say anything more.

The second reason, as the other party had mentioned, was just to encourage youngsters. There was no other special significance. Therefore, Fang Zhao should not think about borrowing this connection with the Interplanetary Fund to seek even more benefits.

Shanta was frank and explained it simply so that Fang Zhao's thoughts about this matter would not go askew.

Fang Zhao only displayed slight astonishment and, following that, nothing else. The responses that Shanta were worried about did not appear.

When he saw Fang Zhao's reaction, Shanta praised Fang Zhao silently in his heart. This little fella is relatively upright, unlike certain little celebrities in the entertainment circles who jump at the chance to cling onto someone influential.

Since this was the case, Shanta also did not need to worry anymore. He took out a communications device and handed it over to Fang Zhao. "The other party wishes to say some words to you. But I don't know when you will receive the call. Take this first.

"This isn't anything major and was just one of the matters I wished to speak to you about. As for the second matter, you should have seen it on your way here. The family residential district's construction is nearly complete. The first batch of family members of military personnel on the immigration name list will be divided into three trips. The first round has already arrived."

Shanta's wife and parents had already came over. His children were still working back on Earth and would transfer over in the future. When they had all really settled down in future, this would be their home. When they traveled to earth for meetings or other matters next time, it would now be considered going on a trip instead of returning home.

It was little wonder that Shanta had always had a smile on his face despite being dog-tired lately. When a person had something to strive for and had a clear-cut direction to follow, his entire state would be totally different from before.

Fang Zhao was also very satisfied with planet Baiji's current condition. "Congratulations."

Although it was only family members of military personnel immigrating, the immigration cause had already taken its first step. Fang Zhao was really gratified. He had not seen the dawn of the Founding Era, but he was getting to witness the process of a foreign planet's immigration.

Shanta no longer showed the air of a commander. "Hahaha, same to you!" After all, Fang Zhao was different from other people. Although he would no longer let Fang Zhao get involved with troop deployment and personnel transfers, he would give Fang Zhao some benefits in other areas.

"In the family district, I have reserved a room for you in block 5. During your military service duration, you can stay alone there or you can let your family members join you. When you have decided, you can submit their names, and if the audit has no issues, we can bring them on the third round of transportation."

Fang Zhao's identity information had already been input. As long as he went over to scan his ID, he would be able to enter.

"Besides this, there is still the third matter. I spoke to you about this before. Other planets wish that you head over for a visit. You can choose when to go, and it will count as military service duties. What do you think?"

Fang Zhao had no objections. "All right."

"Then you can make arrangements for that when you return. After all, you guys still have to do live broadcasts. Speaking of this, there is still a fourth matter that I wish to speak to you about. I just received news that Leizhou's Zaro Renault will be coming."

When he spoke of Zaro, the smile on Shanta's face dimmed slightly. At the position he was at, if the person coming over was anybody else, he would not have had to fret about it and would naturally have gotten his subordinates to handle it. However, Leizhou's governor had personally made a call asking Shanta to look after Zaro. As a form of respect for Leizhou's governor, Shanta could not disregard it.

"You also know that, during the auction, Zaro bought Professor Fan Lin's item. When he comes, he will surely look for Prof. Fan, and he will probably arrive within two days. When you return to the outpost, do inform the people there and make preparations."

Fang Zhao was still thinking about what Shanta had said when he left. The four matters were all worth pondering. He did not return immediately to the outpost and instead went to the family district. There were already people that had moved into the newly constructed flats.

When he found block 5, Fang Zhao took the elevator to the 10th floor and went to the house number Shanta had told him of. Scanning his ID, he went in to take a look.

There were two rooms and two sitting areas in this nearly 100-square-meters apartment. Furniture and appliances had already been set up and installed. Concise and practical, they carried a slight military style.

As for the family members that Shanta had talked about, Fang Zhao decided to make a call to Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang and ask them if they were willing to come over and stay for a period of time. They could treat it as a vacation.

While Fang Zhao was musing it over, the communications device Shanta had given him rang. When Fang Zhao answered, he could hear a tune playing in the background. Fang Zhao could tell that the tune was not generated by music software but was rather a performance by a live orchestra.

The tune being played was the one had had inscribed on the creature's tooth.

After the call was put through, the other side did not seem in any rush to speak and waited over 10 seconds, as if letting Fang Zhao identify the tune currently being performed.

When the performance ended, a voice broke the the silence. "Fang Zhao?"

The other party had a voice that sounded gentle and delicate, probably belonging to a very young lady.

"Yes," Fang Zhao replied.

"It was an exceptional piece; the mood was fitting. Keep it up."

At that, the call ended.

Fang Zhao looked at the notification on the communications device and was puzzled. The other party had made a call from somewhere far away and only said one line? However, this simple sentence gave Fang Zhao a strange feeling.

Were these words meant to commend and encourage, or was there some hidden meaning?

Fang Zhao shook his head. Young ladies nowadays were getting even more difficult to understand.

Fang Zhao left his apartment and took a walk through the family district. A primary school as well as a kindergarten had already been constructed in the neighborhood. The teachers there were all family members of military personnel.

When Fang Zhao passed by, a kindergarten teacher was praising a little kid. "You did well on this test. Keep it up, continue working hard. Here, teacher will reward you with a big red flower~."

Fang Zhao: "..."

He finally remembered. Why had the other party's attitude during the call given him a strange feeling that felt a little familiar? It had resembled the scene that was unfolding before him.

Coming to that realization, Fang Zhao also felt rather glad.

After he left the family district, Fang Zhao returned to Outpost 23 and looked for Kevin Lin.

"I have two pieces of news," Fang Zhao said to Kevin Lin.

Kevin Lin, who was editing videos, became alert and stopped what he was doing and asked. "One good and one bad?"

"You could say so."

Kevin Lin prepared himself mentally. "Then let me listen to the bad news first."

"I will be leaving Baiji for a while. I have an assignment," Fang Zhao said.

"Leaving Baiji? Aren't you still undergoing your military service? What will you be doing when you leave? Can I come along?" Kevin Lin was unresigned. Tagging along and filming was all right too.

"You can't."

Kevin Lin vehemently objected to this piece of news. "Then what will happen to channel S5? What about our daily broadcast every day? I'm just a specially dispatch reporter; I'm just in charge of interviewing, explaining, and filming. I can't do a live broadcast alone. You need to find me a person to coordinate with! How can we not have a star for Project Starlight?"

"That is where the other piece of news comes in," Fang Zhao replied.

"Go on."

"Zaro is coming."

"...WHAT?!"

Chapter 227: Please Call Me Smiling Angel

Kevin Lin stood up from his chair in shock. "Coming here? To the outpost?!"

"From what I reckon, he will surely be coming. He should arrive on planet Baiji within 2 days," Fang Zhao said.

Kevin Lin's eyebrows twitched. He had been thoroughly battered by this piece of news. In his mind, he was already speedily analyzing the pros and cons.

The room fell silent. Fang Zhao also did not disturb him, letting Kevin Lin ponder in peace.

In a short time period, Kevin Lin thought a lot.

"So what you mean is that you intend for him to take your place and continue the live broadcast?" Kevin Lin asked.

A popular internet personality, also known as the great internet celebrity of Leizhou, Zaro was also a celebrity. Although Zaro's acting skills had not impressed many people, he could still be considered a star… and a rather strong one at that.

The title of "great internet celebrity of Leizhou" was not bragging. If Zaro really came over, viewership would surely increase. However... "Doesn't it seem like this would be in line with the concept of S5?"

Given that sort of arrogant attitude of Zaro's and his way of doing things that had a tendency to cause trouble, Kevin Lin felt that coordinating with Zaro would be tough.

Kevin Lin had a solemn look on his face as he seriously pondered this. "Zaro does indeed have some presence. Although most of the time he makes people feel like whacking him, it does raise his popularity." Viewing his internet traffic and viewership, Zaro's inclusion would surely let channel S5 maintain its popularity and generate discussion, but was it worth it?

"Fang Zhao, you also know that a lot of channel S5's audiences are of an older demographic. Will they enjoy Zaro's style of live broadcasts?" Kevin Lin knew that Zaro's audience, be they fans or antifans, were normally young, and there were rarely any that were a few decades old or above 100. If Zaro took over the live broadcast, would the previous audiences give up on the channel? Kevin Lin wasn't really that willing—after all, there were viewers who were working in related departments, and the evaluations of those older audiences were important too.

"Actually, you can view it from a different angle," Fang Zhao said. "Think about it, why do you think Zaro was able to become the most loved by the Leizhou governor in his current generation?"

The Renault family had expanded till this day and was already an extremely large family clan. Among the Renaults of Zaro's generation, there were also many elites and many who, like Zaro, were not that proper. So why did the Leizhou governor have a bias toward Zaro?

Kevin Lin agreed with what Fang Zhao had just said. "Oh, right, thinking about it this way, it makes sense."

"Furthermore, Zaro's status can help you gain even more explosive information," Fang Zhao continued.

Kevin Lin nodded his head once more. He had not thought about this. No matter what, Zaro was still a Renault. Zaro's mother's engineering company had investments on this planet. There were also trusted aides of the Renault family here who had come over from Leizhou's military district. With Zaro here, he would surely receive even more convenience.

Fang Zhao's words made Kevin Lin fall silent. Indeed, he had some prejudice, but if he continued with this attitude, he felt that he was just being petty.

Just like Fang Zhao had said before, Zaro's attitude tended to rub people the wrong way.

Kevin Lin finally made up his mind. "Makes sense. We won't know if we don't give it a try." Afterward, he sent a message to Zaro through the Baiji military district's communications network to negotiate cooperating.

The selected celebrity of Project Starlight was not supposed to be changed no matter what, but Fang Zhao's circumstances were different. Shanta had already arranged matters. All Fang Zhao needed to do was arrange a substitute for himself.

While Zaro's manager and Kevin Lin were negotiating the terms of cooperation, Fang Zhao also contacted his two elders in far-off Yanzhou.

"What?! To planet Baiji? Allocated family residential apartment? But is your rank sufficient… Oh, so that's how is it… We will definitely go! It's no issue! Recently we have been idle. We don't have any matters…" Great-Grandfather Fang simply did not bother to hide his excitement. His aged eyes were glowing with emotion.

Great-Grandmother Fang looked up at her husband. This old head had just made plans with other old folks in the retirement facility just yesterday. He had said that they should take the opportunity while they were able-bodied to travel and go on a global tour to see other continents. They had never expected to receive this sort of news today. However, even if the choice were up to Great-Grandmother Fang, she would still travel to planet Baiji all the same. As for other matters, they could just leave them behind.

In their lives, the most glorious times they'd had were the times when they had been in the military. After so many years, they had expected to spend the remainder of their lives in the retirement facility, being idle and waiting to die. Never had they expected to receive a chance to take a long-distance voyage, and to the Baiji military district that was all the rage recently at that.

For the two elder Fangs, this was a rare opportunity.

After ending the call, Great-Grandfather Fang excitedly told his wife. "Hurry, hurry, hurry, pack our things. We are heading to Yanzhou military district. Little Zhao says that we will be sent to the space station. Following that, together with other military family members, we will embark on the third transport ship to planet Baiji."

Actually the two elders did not have many things. After all, they were ex-soldiers and were familiar with the procedures. Bringing along too many things might get them delayed at the security check. Certain electronic equipment was also prohibited. Many things in the military district would be distributed when they arrived.

Therefore, they only took half an hour to pack their luggage. In the remaining time, Great-Grandfather Fang went out to flaunt. "Old comrades, that global tour, you guys have to go without me. I will be personally heading over to planet Baiji to see my great-grandson!"

On the day of departure, Great-Grandfather Fang dragged his luggage along and took a photo with Great-Grandmother Fang before posting it on his social platform. Together with the photo, he posted a status:

"Setting off to planet Baiji!"

After this status was updated, the comments on it increased at a rapid rate. However, Great-Grandfather Fang did not check them. He had just been showing off a little before moving on. He still had to hurry.

Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang were the envy of everyone in the retirement facility as they set off for Yanzhou military district in a flying car.

Over at planet Baiji, on the day before Fang Zhao left Baiji, at the end of the day's live broadcast, he spoke to the camera lens. "As I have some temporary assignments that require me to leave the planet for a short duration, someone will be standing in for me and continuing channel S5's live broadcasts. During this short time, I believe everyone will receive a nice surprise."

The information Fang Zhao had just revealed gave rise to passionate discussions from online viewers.

"Fang Zhao is heading out on an assignment? Isn't he just a conscript? Why does he have other assignments? What sort of secret assignment is it that he can't reveal the details?"

"I'm more concerned with who is taking over for Fang Zhao in the live broadcasts."

"Given how popular planet Baiji is, the person standing in for Fang Zhao is probably some big-name celebrity. Otherwise, the person would not be able to handle it."

"It could be a military officer from the military district. After all, channel S5's style is different from the other channels."

"Maybe there is some secret transaction going on that we don't know about."

Regardless of how it was being discussed online, First Frontline did not reveal any information regarding the person who would be taking over.

There were also people that guessed Zaro, but the notion was rejected immediately whenever it was mentioned. Given how Zaro was, could he handle channel S5's style? If they really wanted to use Zaro, channel S5's accumulated reputation and praise would all be ruined!

Thus, everyone's conjecture was focused on celebrities that were really popular nowadays and hadn't been seen in the past few days.

To give his fans a surprise, this time around, Zaro did not divulge his whereabouts. Ever since he had decided to head to planet Baiji, he had started on a series of preparations. There also had not been any activity on his public social platform for many days.

For netizens, this was simply unusual!

The last piece of news about Zaro was that he had gone to the Leizhou governor's official residence. As this involved the governor, although Leizhou's large media organizations had captured images, they had only discreetly release news, and they didn't dare to make any irresponsible claims. After all, Zaro visiting the governor's official residence was not an uncommon occurrence. Perhaps the reason there was no news about him was because he had done something wrong and had been locked in a room by the governor and forced to face the wall?

By the time Zaro arrived on planet Baiji, Fang Zhao had already left the planet.

Shortly after, a flying transport left Baiji base and headed for Outpost 23.

The flying transport was different from the one the Baiji military district base used. It was another model bearing four words: "Luo Bu Construction Corporation."

Luo Bu Construction was a leading enterprise in Leizhou's construction industry and was also a firm belonging to Zaro's mother's family clan. At the moment, Luo Bu Construction had signed a large contract with planet Baiji. Zaro's mom was a senior management executive in Luo Bu Construction.

Onboard the flying transport, Zaro looked at the scenery of Baiji below him. "There is a rather pleasing atmosphere here. The flowers and plants are thriving, fleeting clouds…"

Zaro's agent was calmly arranging information regarding Outpost 23 and did not even raise his head when he heard this. "Be more straightforward. Be more straightforward with the main point." Stop pretending to be artistic

This time, it was clear and simple. "I suddenly don't feel like eating watermelons."

Zaro's agent's expression was as calm as the ocean when there was no wind. Silently watching Zaro for a few seconds, he said. "Senior Master…"

Zaro raised his hands to cut off his agent's words, and Zaro corrected his agent. "Please call me 'Smiling Angel'."

All right, not eating watermelons, not growing watermelons, Zaro's manager had long gotten used to Zaro, who had a new idea in his head every day. As for "Smiling Angel" or whatever, that was definitely the temporary halo Zaro had decided to crown himself with.

"The governor has said that, this time, you must bring about a direct and positive influence. You even guaranteed it," Zaro's agent said solemnly.

"I know. Positive, isn't that smiling more and not arguing? Thus, having arrived here, I am no longer Senior Master Zaro. From now on, please call me Smiling Angel."

Zaro's agent: "...I feel that there is a difference between our understanding of the governor's words."

Zaro spoke sincerely. "Trust me, everything will be fine."

"That was what you said last time, when we invested in the 100-episode web drama. In the end, we made a loss of 90 million."

Zaro pretended not to hear anything and looked out of the transport. "Hey, I can already see Outpost 23!"

At the outpost, Kevin Lin had received news and was already waiting.

Today, Zaro had worn a fluorescent yellow outdoor jacket, as if afraid that he wouldn't be noticed.

"Where is Fang Zhao?" Zaro asked as he glanced at the surrounding people.

"He has already left planet Baiji. Does Senior Master have any words you wish to pass on to him?" Kevin Lin asked.

Zaro raised his hands and shook them to and fro. "Nothing else, just tell him to rest assured and complete his assignment in peace!"

Kevin Lin: "..." These words seemed a little unpleasant to him.

"All right, cut the chatter. Hurry, lights, camera, cameraman, hair stylist… Forget it, I didn't bring my hair stylist. Get into position, everyone, I'm ready to begin the live broadcast." Zaro quickly got into his own character.

Fan Lin, who was standing to the side, had thought that Zaro would look for him first after arriving. He had not expected that Zaro would do a live broadcast first. He did not say anything, instead silently walking to the side. After all, he had not thought about how to talk to this famous youth from Leizhou.

While Zaro was going over his image, Kevin Lin and Zaro's agent had a short discussion. Zaro's agent told Kevin Lin that Zaro wasn't the good-for-nothing loser that people made him out to be and that his constitution wasn't that weak.

Zaro's own father had drilled Zaro hard for a year during his military service midway through his university time. After completing that, he had not left the planet and had done his military service in Leizhou's military district. This matter was not considered a secret. There were videos during that time that showed Zaro's training was tough enough and that Zaro was not as idle as people thought. He had frequently been assigned tasks that required physical strength.With regard to self-preservation and gun handling, Zaro was much more capable than other celebrities. When all was said and done, he was still a Renault.

Kevin Lin had set a notification for the live broadcast beforehand, letting channel S5's audiences know that the broadcast was about to start.

After five minutes, the camera switched to live broadcast mode.

Zaro faced the camera lens and flashed a smile he reckoned was completely sincere and dazzling.

"Greetings, everyone! I am that mysterious person who will be taking over for Fang Zhao and continuing with the live broadcasts~."

Online audiences: "..."

"Surprised? Unexpected? Are you guys happy?!"

Online audiences: "..."

"In channel S5's live broadcasts that follow, I intend to spread love and righteousness. From now on, please call me Leizhou's Smiling Angel!"

Online audiences: "..." It feels like channel S5 has released an extremely deadly super weapon.

Chapter 228: Life Ark

When Zaro was starting the live broadcast as Leizhou's smiling angel, Fang Zhao was on his way to planet Wai.

Planet Wai's position at the tail end of the development sequence was similar to the planet Baiji of the past. The planet's circumstances were not much different from the old Baiji, as it essentially relied on military funds and donations to get by. However, their condition was slightly better than Baiji's had been, as it was a little warmer there.

This warmth did not mean the planet's climate but referred to the life forms on this planet.

Perhaps just looking at planet Wai's plants and animals, there wasn't really anything unusual, but when compared to those on planet Baiji, these life-forms were really much warmer.

If creatures from planet Baiji were rated on a scale from 1 to 10 according to how dangerous they were, here on Wai one would rarely see anything that exceeded a 5.

Because this planet was not as dangerous and the soil quality was pretty decent, every year, more research personnel came to planet Wai than went to planet Baiji. Even Fan Lin had came over to survey. If not for the fact that experiment results at planet Baiji had been more favorable, Fan Lin would have established a laboratory on Wai instead.

Although no large corporations or investing initiatives supported them, many researchers had set up laboratories here. In the past, planet Wai's situation had been much better than planet Baiji's. Furthermore, with its natural conditions and warmth, military service applications to this planet were not under the "extremely arduous" category.

Fang Zhao had seen planet Wai's introduction. Here, they only had grade A− power source ore. Just a grade lower yet the difference was so vast. When the people at the Wai base saw the resources that planet Baiji had, it was little wonder they felt anxious. Even if the latest models of detection equipment weren't able to detect grade A power ore, they would still have put aside their pride and approached Shanta to ask to borrow Fang Zhao for a while just so that they could confirm whatever expectations they had in their hearts.

The person sending Fang Zhao over to planet Wai was none other than Edmund, the colonel who used to be in charge of the mining area. Now he had probably become a major general. Since the establishment of the Baiji military district, Shanta's trusted aides had been on the uprise alongside the developments; they had all been promoted.

Originally, Edmund had starting writing his application to transfer to civilian work, but now, he would not leave no matter what. Only an idiot would choose to leave planet Baiji when they were reaping in rewards.

Edmund was very grateful to Fang Zhao for discovering the grade A power ore. Many people said that even if there hadn't been a Fang Zhao, Baiji ore would still have been discovered eventually by miners, but Fang Zhao's discovery had been too timely. Other people might have had the patience to wait, but Edmund was different. If the discovery had been 10 days later, perhaps he might have already submitted his transfer application. Once it had been submitted, there would have been no retracting it. When he recalled this, Edmund still shuddered at the thought.

Shanta had appointed Edmund to take charge of this transit. It was rare for Edmund to be in this sort of amiable manner, and he had not grumbled about this assignment. He had even given Fang Zhao the best room.

When people on the transport ship saw the always stern Edmund flash a warm smile at Fang Zhao, goose bumps appeared on their skin. People who were oblivious might even mistakenly think Fang Zhao was an illegitimate child of Edmund's.

Before arriving at planet Wai, Edmund told Fang Zhao about the situation there. Other than classified information, Edmund spoke a lot so Fang Zhao would have a rough idea of the situation there.

Also, planet Wai was where one of the other stars of Project Starlight was based—Channel S4's Woo Tianhao.

The transport ship was not suitable to enter the Wai base and so stayed in space. Smaller transport crafts flew out from inside the transport ship. Fang Zhao was within one of these smaller transport crafts.

Wai base's commanding officer, Lieutenant General Huo Yi, was already waiting in the parking space. As the commanding officer of a military base, Huo Yi was not required to personally receive them, but there was special significance this time. To show his sincerity, Huo Yi had decided to personally meet Fang Zhao when he had received news of Fang Zhao's arrival.

When he saw Fang Zhao disembarking from the transport craft, Huo Yi's smile widened and he strode forward.

"Welcome to planet Wai!"

Edmund walked to the front of all the people disembarking from the craft. Whether it was intentional or accidental, he blocked Fang Zhao from Huo Yi's line of sight. When Edmund arrived in front of Huo Yi, he saluted. "Baiji military district's Edmund in charge of transporting Baiji ore. All 10 tons have been safely delivered!"

Edmund's voice was loud and clear, and he placed an added emphasis on the words "military district" and "Baiji ore."

The looks on the faces of those from Wai base did not seem so good. Although they tried their best to hide it, Fang Zhao could feel that the surrounding atmosphere was not that great.

The Wai base commanding officer, Huo Yi, had an unassuming smile on his face, but deep down, Edmund's words were making him boil with rage. I know that you have established a military district and have mined grade A ore and you are now showing off, but just hearing from your tone, I would have thought you had delivered a kiloton of ore. In the end, there are only 10 tons. How petty!

"Major General Edmund, still as imposing as ever. Cough." After he said this, Huo Yi's gaze went past Edmund and glanced at Fang Zhao behind him. "You must be Fang Zhao? How does your first time on planet Wai feel? Isn't there a sort of especially placid and refreshing feeling?"

Fang Zhao agreed with what Huo Yi had just said. Indeed, since he had left the transport craft, Fang Zhao had not felt the need to keep up his guard at every moment. Although it could not be considered entirely safe, in comparison to Baiji, the place was rather peaceful. It was not just limited to Wai base, on the whole, it seemed especially peaceful.

Without waiting for a reply from Fang Zhao, Huo Yi went on. "Here it isn't as dangerous as planet Baiji. It is really suitable for living. Perhaps you might build a large manor or chateau?"

Manors and chateaus were a fantasy of many youngsters. Huo Yi had decided to use this angle to entice Fang Zhao.

When Edmund heard these words, his complexion darkened. Your father is still here! And you are so impatient to try and poach from us?

However, Huo Yi was the commanding officer of this base and had a military rank of lieutenant general. This was also his territory, so Edmund did not dare to make a fuss. Perhaps in the past, even if he was a colonel, he would have put in a few objections, but now, Edmund felt that there was no need. Getting into a dispute with the dirt-poor Wai base was beneath him. All he did was take a mental note of what Huo Yi said. When he returned, he would mention it in his report to Shanta.

Huo Yi also did not want to get into an argument with Edmund. He got his men to do an inventory check. Ten tons of power ore was planet Baiji's assistance to the poor. Although his heart did not feel so comfortable, any free benefits were better than nothing. This was genuine grade A power ore!

After the inventory check, Huo Yi did not have any intention of keeping Edmund here any longer.

Edmund also did not wish to remain here for too long. It was always busy on planet Baiji and he still had a bunch of matters to attend to. Edmund repeated some words to Fang Zhao, then brought his men and left.

After Edmund and his men left, the mood lightened.

Besides Fang Zhao, there were three others: a major and two captains from the Yanzhou military district. Huo Yi had checked up on them already. Although these three belonged to Baiji military district now, they were not men that Shanta could dispatch. Their duty was to ensure Fang Zhao's safety, and Huo Yi would not make things difficult for them.

After the arranged banquet, Huo Yi did not immediately bring Fang Zhao to the mines. He instead arranged for his men to show Fang Zhao around and take in planet Wai's scenery. He would let Fang Zhao relax first and adjust to the place before bringing Fang Zhao to the mines the next day.

Huo Yi was worried that Fang Zhao would be too tired. In his heart, he was itching to pull Fang Zhao to the mines and use his "Diting ears" to listen, but for the sake of getting the most accurate results, he was willing to wait a while more. They had already waited for so long, what was another 10-odd hours of waiting?

Actually, Huo Yi himself knew that planet Wai probably did not have any grade A power ore. Therefore, although he hoped for a good result, he had also mentally prepared himself for bad news.

When he thought about the current state of planet Baiji, Huo Yi had a pained feeling.

In fact, he and Shanta had been dispatched to planets Wai and Baiji around the same time. Then, Huo Yi's methods had won him the upper hand, and he had managed to get the warmer and less dangerous planet Wai.

If the situation was as before, comparing the two planets with similar grade ore, planet Wai would surely have developed faster than Baiji. But now, the two could no longer be compared. At the current rate of development, even after a hundred years, planet Wai might not even have developed to the point of setting up their own military district.

How regrettable!

As Huo Yi was sighing ruefully about his life, Fang Zhao was led to the research section of the base.

Planet Wai's base headquarters was three to four times the size of the old Baiji at best. At the side was a special area for researchers. The person showing Fang Zhao around pointed to the buildings ahead and showed Fang Zhao which were the researchers' dormitories and where the laboratories were. Fang Zhao also caught sight of a vast experimental plot.

From all of these, it could been seen that if grade A power ore had not emerged on planet Baiji, planet Wai would surely have developed much faster than planet Baiji. Its investment value was slightly higher too.

Fang Zhao gazed at the not-too-distant experimental plot, and his voice revealed his slight surprise. "Are those... peach trees?"

Wheat fields and other grain crops were nothing surprising. The base needed to grow its own food supply. But what were those in front?

Fang Zhao thought his own eyes were playing tricks on him.

Although he had seen some being planted on Muzhou farms, the large majority that should have become extinct during the Period of Destruction had actually appeared here.

The person showing Fang Zhao around was momentarily stunned by Fang Zhao's outburst, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of pride. "That's right, those are peach trees. Follow me. Although we can't enter, observing from the outside should provide you with enough content to brag about for half a year."

His tone implied that he was going to bring Fang Zhao to gain knowledge and experience.

"Over at this side are peach trees, over there are apple trees, and at that side..." The person leading him suddenly got stuck. He could not recognize the tree species.

"Tangerine trees, oranges trees, apricot trees, and those are cherry trees." As they walked, Fang Zhao called out the names of many different fruit trees in succession.

As they continued forward, there were even many ornamental plants that had only existed in the Old Era!

"Yes, yes, yes, that's right, these are the ones! These are still in the experimental stage, I think for a few decades already. I heard that they will be able to hit the market soon. This isn't an illegal laboratory. Any experiment run here has to be approved. Actually, we have been applying for a separate research base, but it hasn't been approved yet." The person leading the way sighed helplessly. After sighing, he asked Fang Zhao, "How is it? Are you interested in investing here?" Even at this sort of time, he wouldn't forget about trying to solicit investments.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air.

The scent of osmanthus flowers.

As though Fang Zhao was in a daze that had brought him back to the past.

It turned out that even though many people did not know about it, they had survived on another planet, away from home.

The seed bank that many people had given their all to protect, the ark that preserved life, had never been stranded after all. It had been sailing all along.In this sense it is something that affords safety and protection and not an actual boat

Chapter 229: Investmen

Fang Zhao found his composure and asked the tour guide, "When are these fruits going to market?"

Noticing Fang Zhao's interest in the fruit trees, the tour guide became even more enthusiastic. "Soon. These experimental trees are being planted in secret. All visitors are required to sign confidentiality agreements, so the results haven't been announced yet. The higher-ups want to see how the experiments come along, but judging from the progress, they may go public this year."

The experiments were winding down. There were no major technical issues that needed to be resolved, so only the lab technicians working for research scientists remained.

The tour guide said Fan Lin had started quite a few experiments here as well, but they no longer required his direct supervision. A few of his students had been running the final phases of his projects for several years now. That was also why Fan Lin focused his attention on Baiji. If those experiments panned out, it would be a major technical breakthrough and elevate his influence in his field.

Channel S4 had avoided discussing the experimental fruit trees because of the confidentiality requirement.

The gene bank had once been hailed mankind's last line of defense. Perhaps only people who had survived the Period of Destruction could appreciate its incredible value.

There had been a saying in the Old Era: "Eating is everything." Filling your stomach was a big deal.

There were many plant species out there, but not all were edible by man.

As Earth's major food producer, Muzhou had started out by planting seeds preserved in the gene bank before developing new crops based on technological innovations.

Then had come the advent of space exploration and the introduction of colonization programs. Once a foreign planet was deemed livable and troops were dispatched, the Academy of Agricultural Science would select certain seeds, based on the planet's conditions, for the soldiers to plant on a small scale. The experimental plots would be gradually expanded based on their success.

There were also the hunting quotas, which, besides curbing excessive aggression on the part of the soldiers, were aimed at guaranteeing food safety.

No one knew if the animals on foreign planets carried any untreatable viruses or whether eating them would have any long-term side effects.

Meanwhile, the decision of which species from the gene bank to revive had been reached after extensive discussions among about a dozen senior professors at the Academy of Agricultural Science.

Which plants to test on a foreign planet, whether the ingestion of local animals would bring ill health to soldiers, whether that would impact colonization plans—all these questions required long-term studies and observation to answer. This was also why the soldiers received multiple physicals every year.

It took too long to reach firm conclusions, and it was a major drain on finances and manpower. By contrast, it made more sense to revive "safe" plant species from the gene bank that were suitable for human consumption. Long-term scientific studies were needed too, but running experimental plots and expanding them was less costly.

In times of desperation, during food shortages, it was easy to compromise, but now, material conditions allowed humans to prioritize safety and efficiency.

In choosing extinct species from the gene bank, food crops were preferred because humans needed full stomachs to do anything else, after all.

After full stomachs came a taste for refinement, so next on the list were delicious fruits and plants. Aesthetically pleasing, recreational plants came next.

Few medicinal plants were revived, because many such species had actually survived the Period of Destruction and played a major role in combating disease.

There were quite a few experimental plots on planet Wai, but it had never been certified an "experimental base" because Wai ranked low on the development sequence. Transportation was a major expense. Official budgets only allowed for an annual dispatch of lab technicians from Earth. Other expenses were covered out of pocket by the project leaders.

The reason the tour guide responded so effusively to Fang Zhao was because he wanted the famed composer to invest in Wai's experimental plots. Most investors shied away from Wai because they knew that short-term profit was unlikely, and now that Baiji had stolen the limelight, investors were flocking there instead.

Fang Zhao hadn't promised to invest, nor had he rejected the possibility. The tour guide didn't know what Fang Zhao was thinking. He was about to launch into another spiel when the weather took a turn for the worse. A light drizzle started, so the tour guide scrambled to get Fang Zhao back to base.

The lodgings the Wai base offered to Fang Zhao were decent. Fang Zhao still hadn't seen Tianhao from S4 or his assigned journalist. He had heard that they were on a trip. Tianhao had been going on quite a few excursions of late. He was either doing live broadcasts of himself fishing at a lake or showing off his handicraft. He made specimens out of the fish he caught and the wild flowers he picked. Word was that they were going to be given away as gifts in an online lucky draw.

This was also a gimmick that S4 had come up with in light of S5's strong viewership numbers.

It didn't matter whether Fang Zhao saw Tianhao or not. Kevin Lin treated Tianhao and his assigned journalist as competition, whereas Fang Zhao simply viewed him as the young descendant of an old friend.

Fang Zhao enjoyed his lavish treatment at Wai. The next day, he was woken up early in the morning.

"Your flying transport is ready. Commander Huo Yi is leading the expedition personally. Seems like the Wai authorities are taking your visit seriously," a bodyguard told Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao noticed that Huo Yi wasn't in the best shape, but one couldn't tell at first glance. Huo Yi had done a good job of hiding his condition.

Huo Yi had read a development plan for Baiji last night. He was filled with jealousy. A torrent of thoughts prevented him from falling asleep. One moment, he was fantasizing about the discovery of a grade A power ore on Wai, then the next rational thought told him that it was impossible and he had to accept reality.

Huo Yi managed a smile when he saw Fang Zhao. "Let's go. Let's check out the closest mine first, then move further."

Upon arrival at the first mine, Fang Zhao knocked on the walls and listened, just like he had done on the previous live broadcast. Huo Yi and company were familiar with these moves. Lord knows how many times they had replayed the footage of Fang Zhao discovering the new ore on Baiji. They remembered Fang Zhao's every maneuver.

When Fang Zhao stopped knocking, a major general next to Huo Yi couldn't help but ask, "So?"

"Nothing." Fang Zhao shook his head.

Disappointment was visible on the faces of Huo Yi and co.

Another mine.

"Anything?" the major general asked again.

"Nothing," Fang Zhao responded.

The next mine.

"Nothing."

And the next.

"Nothing."

...

"Nothing."

...

"Nothing."

...

After touring the last mine, the senior military officials from the Wai base had turned neutral. Disappointment had become resignation. This was the result they had been expecting. How could the most advanced detection equipment fall short of the human ear? But they hadn't been able to help but raise their hopes. Now there was nothing to look forward to.

Huo Yi was among the more clear headed. He had adjusted his mindset when they had set foot in the first mine.

So be it.

Such was their fate.

If he hadn't used underhanded tactics to secure the assignment to Wai, maybe he would have been sent to Baiji instead. But hindsight was useless now. It was best to accept things as they were, lest he become more and more depressed.

Fang Zhao had expected the same outcome. His hearing was good all right, but it didn't rival the most advanced detectors. Technology had its advantages. The reason he had discovered a new energy ore on Baiji was because miners there had still been using older detectors due to poor funding. The older models couldn't detect the new ore, but the newer models were a different story.

So Fang Zhao wasn't disappointed that he had failed to discover another power ore. He took advantage of the tour of the mines to carefully observe the physical landscape of planet Wai. It was definitely less harsh than Baiji, even taking into consideration its virgin forests, which could be easily accessed by ground troops with modern weaponry and battle gear.

Because Baiji was ranked high in the development order, every infrastructure project and the zoning for every plot of land had been carefully planned. Fang Zhao had no say. This was a turf war between titans of business and politics, where wealthy businessmen were going to cash in. For now, Fang Zhao wasn't qualified to take part.

As far as planet Wai was concerned, now that it had missed out on the new energy ore, it could no longer secure the most advanced equipment or long stays by top-of-the-line military vessels, which meant it was stuck in no-man's-land in the short run. If the experimental base certification came through, the Wai base would have an extra source of funding. If not, they were stuck with the status quo.

Wai didn't boast any grade A power ore, so it was likely no major investor groups would be willing to commit for the next century or so. The discrepancy between Wai and Baiji would grow bigger. In a few years, the gap might be similar to the difference between a first-tier city from the Old Era and a podunk village.

This was the reality that the leadership of the Wai base had to accept.

Back at base, the atmosphere was a bit stilted. The military officials were less hospitable. Fang Zhao didn't mind, though. He didn't enter the base compound immediately. Instead, he sat on a large rock located near one of the experimental plots.

The base leadership let him be. Fang Zhao's three bodyguards, however, did their duty and stuck with their subject, even though they had no idea what Fang Zhao was up to. The trio exchanged puzzled glances, frowning at Fang Zhao's strange behavior in their own secret language.

One of the bodyguards became alarmed when he saw Fang Zhao turn his head toward the neighboring woods.

No one could be observed emerging from the woods, but Fang Zhao's expression clearly said he had detected something. The three bodyguards knew they probably weren't as competent as Fang Zhao, Hearing-wise, they were definitely inferior, so if Fang Zhao sensed something out of the ordinary, then something had to be wrong.

"Are your ears really as sensitive as legend has them?"

A figure emerged from behind one of the trees in the woods. The person wasn't embarrassed at all about being discovered.

The man was Tianhao. He had heard that Fang Zhao had arrived on Wai, but it was too late and he and his assigned reporter had been quite far from base at the time. They had only returned today. He had wanted to test Fang Zhao, to see if Fang Zhao was really a good enough fighter to earn a second-class merit. He was confident about a successful ambush even though Fang Zhao was guarded by three men. Little had he expected to be discovered before he could approach.

Fang Zhao gestured with his right hand, signaling the three bodyguards to stand down.

Chapter 230: Collaborating to Purchase Land

Tianhao walked over and moved a large stone over to Fang Zhao's side and sat down, his gaze sizing up Fang Zhao and the three bodyguards. Clicking his tongue, he thought to himself, This bastard is rather pretentious, having a major and two captains as his bodyguards. So many people would be jealous if they knew.

Not bothering at all about the looks from the three bodyguards, Tianhao sat cross-legged and plucked a strand of straw before placing it in his mouth. Without enunciating his words clearly, he said to Fang Zhao, "We are all participants of the first segment of Project Starlight and are more or less colleagues already. We shouldn't be that unfamiliar with each other. How about heading back to the base for a drink?"

"I'm still undergoing military service," Fang Zhao replied. There were many restrictions during military service duration, and in principle, conscripts were not permitted to consume alcohol. Of course, alcohol provided by senior officers for a celebratory banquet did not count.

"Oh, right, you are still a conscript." Tianhao felt that it was a pity. He had wanted to tell Fang Zhao that it was all right to secretly drink on planet Wai, but realizing the three bodyguards were staring at him, he stopped himself and thought, How are these bodyguards, they are simply monitors.

While under scrutiny, Tianhao would also not advise Fang Zhao to partake in any questionable activities. Changing the topic, he asked, "I heard that you are really good with history. Do you know about historical figures? Some people say that I resemble great general Woo Tong of the Founding Era; what do you say?"

Fang Zhao gave a simple reply. "There is some resemblance."

Tianhao, or Woo Tianhao, was a descendant of Tongzhou's Woo family. However, when he appeared in the the entertainment circles, Woo Tianhao generally did not display his family name.

Although he did not know whether or not Fang Zhao was flattering him, Tianhao seemed rather happy when he heard this, and his smile grew wider. "I think so too." He loved it when people said that he had a great general's style or that he looked like Woo Tong.

"Have people from Wai base asked you about investing yet?" Woo Tianhao asked.

"They did."

"What are you thoughts on this matter? Actually, it is really good to invest here, and you aren't short of money." Woo Tianhao had made inquiries about the value of Fang Zhao's works and income from other endorsement deals. Making some calculations, he understood that Fang Zhao, this little celebrity, would not lose to him when it came to cash in hand! He also had another motive for finding Fang Zhao so urgently.

"It's worth a try," Fang Zhao replied.

"I think so too, and I have already started looking at places." Woo Tianhao raised his eyebrows and noticed Fang Zhao gazing at the experimental plots to the side. Turning to Fang Zhao, he said, "Brother, let's play a game. Do you know what I wish to build on planet Wai? If you guess correctly, you get a prize. You have three chances. If you get it on the first try, one million dollars. If you take two tries, 500,000. If you take three tries, 100,000. How about it? You have nothing to lose."

As he watched Fang Zhao look over, Woo Tianhao was secretly pleased, and he thought to himself, The bait has been set, but even if you rack your brains, there is no way you can guess it!

"Build a dojo into a mountainside?" Fang Zhao replied.

Woo Tianhao: "..."

Woo Tianhao nearly swallowed his straw and started coughing before spitting it out. Surprise and plain disbelief was written all over his face. "How did you know? Don't tell me your ear can 'hear' it?"

There was a faint smile on Fang Zhao's face. "Guessed it." Just like Su Mu had said many times about returning to tending sheep after the war, Fang Zhao also remembered that Woo Tong had talked about building a dojo into a mountain after the war many times as well. Woo Tianhao, this little fellow, actually had the same dream as Woo Tong.

Fang Zhao had actually had no idea what Woo Tianhao wanted to construct on planet Wai. However, since Woo Tianhao had said he was like Woo Tong, Fang Zhao had then remembered Woo Tong's words and thus made his guess, which had turned out to be correct. The result was really unexpected, but he wouldn't reveal the reason for his guess to Woo Tianhao.

Realizing that he wouldn't be able to get the reason, Woo Tianhao no longer pressed Fang Zhao for it. His motive in looking for Fang Zhao had not been this. One million was just 1 million. When compared to what he wanted to discuss with Fang Zhao, 1 million was not a big deal.

"Pass me your bank account number. I will transfer the funds to you when I get access to the internet," Woo Tianhao said.

The three bodyguards behind Fang Zhao shot each other weird glances. In their hearts, they were thinking. Really building a dojo? What the h*ll goes on in his mind? Still building a dojo in this sort of era? Not saying that people of the New Era would have no interest, but even if they had interest in this, there are all sorts of virtual classes online and all sorts of tutors for one-on-one lessons. With it being so convenient, even gyms gradually faded into obscurity over time. Things from the old era like dojos only exist in history textbooks. Is there a need to construct one?

Too much money and too few things to spend on? Or have the people of Wai base brainwashed him and made him retarded?

On the contrary, Fang Zhao did not find it strange at all.

In the Old Era, the Woo clan had been a family of martial artists and had produced a number of martial arts action stars. It was reasonable to say that the Woo clan of old had not lacked methods of earning money, and Woo Tong had become a physical instructor. After the apocalypse had broken out, Woo Tong had rapidly gathered up a bunch of people and taken refuge. After that, it had turned into a resistance, counterattacking and recapturing Tong Zhao. In the end, he had become one of the great generals of the Founding Era, but due to certain reasons, he had been unable to accomplish his dream of building the dojo.

There was actually a commemorative dojo in Tongzhou, but it did not have the traditional significance and was not the sort of dojo Woo Tianhao wanted. In the New Era, other than Woo Tianhao, no one else in the Woo family had any interest toward this. Snatching a spot in the first iteration of Project Starlight and coming to planet Wai was something that Woo Tianhao had meticulously planned for.

Woo Tianhao did not hide his plans. "Places in Tongzhou that I am satisfied with all belong to the ecology parks and nature reserves. They can't be randomly torn down or undergo construction, so I can only build it on a foreign planet. After looking around, I picked planet Wai."

In the New Era, land resources were scarce. There were too many people and there was too little land. Scenic places were protected by all sorts of regulations. Even if it was the Woo family's Woo Tianhao, he could forget about trying to get his hands on a mountain with a panoramic view. Moreover, on their home planet, for such scenic places, even if they were not protected by laws and regulations, the land would be excessively expensive. Even Woo Tianhao did not have the financial capability to buy a mountaintop.

"How about it? Any interest in buying land here? Construct a manor, own a large piece of land, own a few good horses. When your spirits are low, you can come for a stay and live like the nobles of the Old Era that we see on television. How flashy is that! For safety, you can bring along bodyguards. Although the cost of traveling is a little high, with your income, you shouldn't have any problems."

Woo Tianhao's intention was to rope Fang Zhao in. The risks if only a single person was investing were too high. After all, the land here belonged to the Wai base, and Huo Yi might not necessarily give the Woo family any concessions, as he was not from Tongzhou. However, Woo Tianhao was too satisfied with planet Wai's conditions and did not want to give it up.

Therefore he wanted to rope in a few people to share the risks. If anything should happen, more people would mean more assistance. Woo Tianhao had also approached a few friends, but they had given a host of reasons and had not promised him anything. People from the Woo family were either unwilling or had given Woo Tianhao a little funding as support.

Recently, Woo Tianhao had been anxious. When he had heard that Fang Zhao would be coming, Woo Tianhao had started having all sorts of ideas.

Woo Tianhao continued trying to persuade Fang Zhao. "Isn't retro in fashion again? Let's indulge in a round of nostalgia. There is beautiful landscape here and not many dangerous creatures. Land here is so cheap because the people of planet Wai worry about selling it off. In simple terms, this is a rare opportunity. Aren't you interested in the experimental plots? If the research base gets approved, the price of land on planet Wai will appreciate. Let's get some land first. Otherwise, all the good areas will get snapped up by others."

He had not talked about the situation if the research base was not approved, and even if it was approved, it wouldn't have that much of an impact over here. Even if the price of land appreciated, it would not rise by much. A research base would not have much impetus.

Fang Zhao understood all this and had already considered carefully. However, he did have the notion of purchasing land to build a house. Just like Woo Tianhao had said, for that little bit of nostalgia.

In the early days of the Founding Era, survivors had also constructed ancient buildings of special significance in Huangzhou, such as pagodas, temples, palaces, and many more, with the purpose of passing on the culture to future generations. In the end, though, these buildings had been torn down bit by bit to build commercial buildings. Only a few were left.

Money still dominated everything else.

On planet Wai, the natural conditions were not too bad.

Fang Zhao had already had this idea, so when Woo Tianhao finished speaking, he asked, "Have you selected the area?"

Woo Tianhao expression became blank, and he hurriedly replied, "Not yet! I was just waiting for you!" Woo Tianhao was looking for partners, but he wanted partners that were serious about long-term investments. He had been waiting for another investor besides himself. When he saw that Fang Zhao had that desire, Woo Tianhao beamed. "If you wish to invest, let's jointly purchase land, and we can each build our own things. With regards to manpower, as long as you are agreeable, I can source the construction teams and we will split the expenses equally. How's that?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Sure."

"All right. I will go draft a contract and send it to you in a bit. Just wait!" Woo Tianhao could not remain sitting any long. The collaborator he had waited so long for had finally appeared, and he had to make Fang Zhao stay here. His "Tianhao" dojo was going to see the light of day!

——

Wai base. Huo Yi and the others were feeling slightly dejected, but when they heard that Woo Tianhao and Fang Zhao were going to purchase land and build houses here, their spirits lifted in a flash.

That was good news!

"Commander, when is the transport ship arranged to send Fang Zhao back scheduled to leave?" someone asked.

"What scheduled to leave? Push it back, push back the departure timing! What's the rush for! Everyone would think that you are trying to get rid of him, huh," Huo Yi chided.

The person who spoke cursed silently. Just two minutes ago you were saying "out of sight, out of mind" and to hurry up and send him away.

Huo Yi seemed like had had totally forgotten his previous words. He opened up a map that displayed the areas that were available. "Bring this to them. Let me know after they have chosen. I will give them the most favorable price!"

Huo Yi did not conceal anything, nor did he make things difficult for Fang Zhao. On the contrary, to get the funds from Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao's pockets, Huo Yi even recommended professionals to help them. The places put forward could also be considered to have enchanting sceneries. There were many places like these on planet Wai, but it was hard to find any better on this planet, and they were not trying to scam Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao.

In the past, there had been a news story about an investment firm being scammed on a foreign planet. Here, the places were all part of the base's territory, and they had all the authority here.

Huo Yi also knew that. Thus, when he heard that Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao wanted to invest in planet Wai, he showed a great deal of sincerity.

This was a hard chance to come by. Now, planet Baiji was a investment hot spot, and everyone would try to invest in Baiji. For planet's on the tail end of the development sequence, if they wished to develop faster, all they could do was use their own capabilities to solicit investments, which was down to their methods and luck.

It was rare for others to deliver stuff to his doorstep. Would Huo Yi let such an opportunity slip by?

Chapter 231: Riding Coattails

After taking a look at the map, Fang Zhao marked a few locations. These were all spots he had noticed while touring the mines. The mines on planet Wai were quite scattered, and Fang Zhao had spotted seven locations during the mine tour, but their flying transport had skipped all of them because the group had been on a tight schedule. Fang Zhao had never had the chance to examine them in detail. This time, he returned to the marked spots with his partner Woo Tianhao.

Woo Tianhao was no longer in the mood to test Fang Zhao's fighting skills. He had just landed a hard-earned partner. There was no point in spooking his partner now.

Indeed, Woo Tianhao was quite confident in his own abilities. Even though he had heard that Fang Zhao was a decent fighter, he didn't think he could possibly lose to a martial arts amateur who dabbled in the arts.

Screw the duel. I'll get around to it when everything is confirmed. I can't scare him off before the contract is signed.

They visited three locations in a row. Woo Tianhao thought all three were decent. The locations Fang Zhao had marked were all places he had checked out carefully while doing live broadcasts. They each had their advantages.

Woo Tianhao loved those towering mountains obscured by clouds and fog that were straight out of a fantasy novel. Building a kung fu school in a place like that was classy. He'd also build a bloody orphanage while he was at it and recruit kids who had the right builds and were interested in martial arts. He would get his fix serving as a head coach.

From Woo Tianhao's perspective, why else would you splurge except to feel good?

I'm happy to spend the cash. Who cares what anyone else says?

So even though his family objected to his obsession with building a martial arts school, Woo Tianhao didn't think he was in the wrong at all.

"This is the sixth spot? This place is decent too. I haven't done a live broadcast here. Hey, Tang Ke, mark it down. We'll broadcast live from this spot next time," Woo Tianhao yelled while turning his head.

Tang Ke was the reporter assigned to S4. He was a chubby man about the same age as Kevin Lin.

Tang Ke yawned and said, "Got it!" He would have passed on the trip had he known there were so many spots to hit. This was more work than a live broadcast, more tiring. Tang Ke had spent last night listening to Woo Tianhao bullsh*tting about his dreams and whatnot. He hadn't slept well. Right now, he was sleepy as h*ll.

"Next?" Woo Tianhao asked Fang Zhao after looking up the coordinates of the seventh location.

"Next." Fang Zhao had just uttered his response when he heard a rustling sound from the tall grass ahead of them. The noise was growing louder and was heading in their direction.

The three bodyguards tailing Fang Zhao, the two protecting Woo Tianhao, and the soldiers assigned by the main base all raised their guns.

"Wait!" Fang Zhao shouted.

A silhouette darted out.

It was a brown, furry animal about half a meter tall. It had a round head, a long tail, and ears that were checkered. Its main identifying feature was a blue ring surrounding its neck.

"Lab animal?" Woo Tianhao asked.

Woo Tianhao had seen everything after spending a good deal of time on Wai. He knew instantly where the animal had come from once he saw the blue ring around its neck.

"They're lab animals. They shouldn't be in the wild. They've been injected with medicine. The experiments they were used in have concluded, but the lab animals can't be set free because there are experimental plots nearby. The lab technicians have them sequestered elsewhere. This one must have escaped," Woo Tianhao explained to Fang Zhao.

"Even though they have GPS chips planted in them, catching them is quite a hassle if they escape. Let's cordon them off. The breeders in charge of capturing them shouldn't be far behind."

Surrounded by gun barrels, the animal froze, two round eyes bulging from its furry face.

Soon, the sound of flying transports could be heard. The animal's captors had arrived.

The two breeders disembarked from the flying transport, carrying what appeared to be traps. The bodyguards tucked their guns away.

Lo and behold, the animal ducked away from the breeders and dashed toward Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao's three bodyguards drew their guns again. They were trained to kill anything that posed a threat to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao raised his hand again. "No need."

The three bodyguards could have killed the animal before it approached Fang Zhao, but Fang Zhao had halted them just in time, so they had missed the split second when they had the animal in their sights. The animal clung on to Fang Zhao's leg and hid behind his body, watching the two breeders in pursuit alertly.

Noticing that the bodyguards still had their guns trained on the lab animals, the breeders told Fang Zhao and company, "This thing is called a tiger-eared monkey because its ears resemble the ears of a tiger from the Old Era. It was named by the first researchers who studied them. This is the third time this little fella has escaped, but it's not dangerous. It won't attack humans on its own initiative. Don't worry, we'll take it down now."

One of the breeders approached Fang Zhao. The tiger-eared monkey didn't release its grip, instead climbing along Fang Zhao's leg from his calf to his thigh. Its claws gripped Fang Zhao's pants tightly. It wouldn't let go no matter how hard the breeder tugged, letting out a piercing scream instead.

The breeder stopped pulling. The little fella had sharp claws; they were worried that they might hurt Fang Zhao if they continued to use force.

The two breeders had no choice but to switch approaches. They glanced and each other and prepared their dart guns.

Lo and behold, the tiger-eared monkey started screaming even more loudly.

"Just beat it to death and cook it. It's so annoying," Woo Tianhao said with a frown.

After a fresh round of screaming, the tiger-eared monkey turned its head and glared at Woo Tianhao while baring its teeth in a vicious snarl. The screaming now was the loudest thus far.

The breeders laughed knowingly. "It's better if you don't mouth off. It's spent quite a bit of time with humans. It might understand what you say."

"Does it run in this direction every time?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes, he ended up in this area all three times. Last time, it was at the foot of the mountain." The breeder pointed for Fang Zhao's benefit. "The last time we caught it, it was napping in a tree hole after a meal. Even the howling winds, thunder, and rain didn't wake it up. Animals raised in captivity aren't as alert as wild animals."

Fang Zhao examined the spot the breeder pointed to and said, "Let's check it out. If there aren't any problems, let's use that location."

The breeders didn't like the idea. What if the little fella fled even further? Catching it would be a pain in the *ss, but the breeders kept those thoughts to themselves when they saw the colonel traveling with Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao gesture to them, offering instead. "No problem. Let us lead the way. We know that spot well."

For the senior officials at the main base, a lab animal was far less consequential compared to these two potential investors. The most important task at hand was to secure the investment from Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao.

The tiger-eared monkey was still clinging to Fang Zhao when he boarded the flying transport. The new location was only a short flight away, so Fang Zhao stood throughout the journey.

The flying transport took off for the foot of the mountain and found a landing spot. Fang Zhao got off and approached the woods in front of him.

"Say, now that I'm here, it feels quite good. I couldn't tell from on top of the mountain," Woo Tianhao said after taking in his surroundings.

He couldn't put his finger on what was so great about the location. It just felt right. The air even felt fresher.

"This is probably what the archeologists' notebooks referred to as good feng shui," Woo Tianhao said after pondering the matter.

Fang Zhao didn't know anything about feng shui, but he knew that the animals native to Wai definitely had stronger instincts for good locations than they did, even if they were lab animals. Based on what the two breeders had told them, this little fella was quite sensitive. Just because it wasn't aggressive like a wild animal didn't mean it couldn't discern between different surroundings.

Plus, if the tiger-eared monkey would sleep so soundly here even on a rainy day, the natural conditions had to be quite stable. According to the information provided by Huo Yi, this was not an earthquake-prone area, nor had any major natural disasters occurred.

The most important thing was that Fang Zhao liked the location too.

"Then how about we go with this spot? There are quite a few mountains around here too. I'll pick a good-looking one to build my kung fu school on," Woo Tianhao said. But as he canvassed the massive plot of land, he felt that the investor group comprising just him and Fang Zhao was a bit thin. "We can't rival those major investor groups. Two people isn't enough. Why don't we get more people involved. I have a few friends that I can con—I mean, persuade to invest." Woo Tianhao looked at Fang Zhao. "You know anyone who has money to blow?"

Fang Zhao pondered before responding, "Zaro Renault is on Baiji. I could ask him."

Woo Tianhao had never held Zaro in high esteem, but Zaro's reputation of splurging was known to all. Yes, let's bring that sucker in!

Chapter 232: Why Not Raise the Stakes

Since he had already pulled in one person, Woo Tianhao believed that, in no time, he would be able to rope in a second, a third, or maybe even more.

As for Huo Yi and the others of Wai base, of course they fully approved of Woo Tianhao's thinking. Pulling more people over would be better. When the time came, some methods could be employed to raise the popularity, and chances for the research base being approved would be higher.

The reason the top brass continuously rejected the notion of a research base was probably due to the slower development rate of planet Wai. There was not much human traffic and the operational costs were high. Furthermore, no large corporations had established themselves here, and places with experimental plots were not just limited to planet Wai. Since there were better choices, there was no need to choose planet Wai.

There was a limited quota for bases, so Huo Yi needed to hurry and declare it as soon as possible. Thus, he had made it more convenient for Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao. Communication rules were also relaxed, but they still had to be in line with regulations.

With the help of Huo Yi, Woo Tianhao refined his list of who to contact. Roping in a few others would decrease the risk. If there was no human traffic here and they were unable to generate enough discussion, throwing that much money in would not even be able to create a ripple.

While the collaboration was still in the discussion stage, Woo Tianhao did not want to let others know about it. Therefore, during his live broadcasts, he avoided people and filmed on a nearby mountain. When he was doing his live broadcasts, he carefully made his pick of the nearby mountains.

But however much he tried to hide it, Woo Tianhao could not conceal his high spirits from finally roping in a collaborator.

Nearly all of S4's audience were Woo Tianhao fans and understood him well. When they saw how happy Woo Tianhao was today, they all had their own opinions.

"Do you guys feel that Tianhao seems to be smiling a lot today?"

"I see it too. Perhaps something good happened?"

"Fooling around with a nurse again?"

"That wouldn't give him such a reaction. I wonder what he encountered?"

Woo Tianhao was oblivious to these viewers online discussions about him. Even if he knew, he would not care. Now, a large proportion of his thoughts were on building the dojo.

After the live broadcast ended, Woo Tianhao stood on the mountaintop and surveyed the horizon.

"That mountain... that one, and that one, as well as that one over there, I... want them all." Woo Tianhao sighed. It was a pity he had only so much funds available.

Woo Tianhao turned his head and spoke to a bodyguard behind him. "Take note of these few mountains first."

The bodyguard went blank for a moment. "All of them?" He thought Woo Tianhao wanted to purchase all of these, but how much would that cost?

"Note down all of them. Never mind, pass me the map. I will do it myself." Woo Tianhao took the map and started to mark the areas. From among these places, he would choose the best mountain to construct his dojo. As for the rest, he would recommended them to other people he was close to.

At another location, there were also a bunch of people following Fang Zhao around as he took a look at places.

A breeder familiar with the terrain introduced the surrounding conditions to Fang Zhao and, at the same time, kept an eye on the tiger-eared monkey that was still holding on to Fang Zhao's legs.

With an extra burden on his thighs, he had walked such a long distance without feeling out of sorts. This youngster was rather strange.

"What do you wish to build here? This area is not suitable for constructing skyscrapers with more than a hundred floors. I'm not saying that it is entirely impossible, just that... living here is not necessarily comfortable," the breeder said.

"It wouldn't be that high," Fang Zhao replied.

"Then what do you wish to construct here?"

"An old city street."

From Fang Zhao's memory, in his previous life before the Period of Destruction, his old house had been in an area rich with history and culture. There had been a marketplace and many interweaving roads. Although ancient, every year, lots of people had been attracted to the place for tourism. Later, when he had gone to the capital for work, the thing that had left the greatest impression had been that large palace.

The stockman understood Fang Zhao's intentions rather quickly. "Rebuilding historical sites?" Actually, this sort of idea was not just limited to Fang Zhao. Many youngsters loved to purchase land and construct manors like the aristocrats of the Old Era. It had the same intention and a sense of nostalgia, and it was something people of the New Era found rather flashy.

"There are too many building styles in the Old Era. Different time periods had different styles..." Fang Zhao explained to them different time periods of the Old Era and the special buildings of those different places.

Ancient city gates, markets, and streets that transcended space and time with thousands of years of history. People of the New Era did not understand much about those times and how resplendent each and every period had been.

Unknowingly, everyone accompanying Fang Zhao held their breaths as they listened to Fang Zhao describe scenes that only appeared in documentaries or movies. Even Woo Tianhao, who had concluded his live broadcast and come down the mountains, also slowed his place and listened attentively to Fang Zhao's descriptions.

Nowadays, the only things left of architecture from different time periods of the Old Era were models, photographs, or emulations in virtual worlds. In reality, there were only a few similar replicas, but the scale was too small compared to the originals, and they were not as stunning.

If Fang Zhao really constructed this sort of place...

The people of planet Wai would have it good.

When they had free time, they could form groups to tour this place and relax a little.

The stockman had told Fang Zhao to build the sort of ancient castles and pastures that younger people would be into, where they could enjoy riding horses on the vast lands. However, when he listened to Fang Zhao's accounts, he understood that Fang Zhao had a far greater plan.

"All that you have mentioned, even if we only choose and construct one building a week according to how it should be, is still a large undertaking," a Wai base colonel said. He meant to remind Fang Zhao that although land here was cheap, constructing buildings required quite a bit of money. If there were too many buildings or the buildings were large, the combined costs would amount to an enormous sum.

"Then lets take it slowly," Fang Zhao replied in a relaxed tone.

"When you think about it, it is actually a nice place, one where you can come over when you get older and retire. The atmosphere at this place is really suitable for retirees," the stockman said.

However, Woo Tianhao did not take kindly to those words.

Retirement? What retirement? He still wished to open a dojo here! The concept was obviously youthful energy; why did that guy make it sound so lethargic?

Woo Tianhao snorted. "I don't intend to purchase this land as a retirement plan!"

The stockman and people from Wai base looked suspiciously at Woo Tianhao. Construction at this sort of place, if not for retirement, then is it for reselling? Can it even be sold?

"It's a dream! Understand?" Woo Tianhao shook his head when he realized these bunch of people had no way of understanding. He didn't wish to talk to this bunch of salted fish. Salted fish without dreams would never understand what was going on in his mind.

The stockmen and Wai base personnel really could not come to terms with Woo Tianhao's thoughts. They felt that these people were foolish, that they had too much money and too few outlets for spending. But for planet Wai, this was a good thing, and they would not oppose it.

Woo Tianhao drew a large circle on the map. The land Fang Zhao had chosen and the mountain he had picked were encompassed inside.

"The area has to be enclosed. City walls?" Woo Tianhao asked Fang Zhao.

"City walls will be constructed around the exterior, but current technology still has to be used for defensive measures," Fang Zhao replied.

"Definitely."

Fang Zhao's eyes glanced at the tiger-eared monkey still hugging his thigh, and he asked the breeders. "Where are they raised?"

"There is a park district not too far from here built specifically for raising these sorts of lab animals. However, the park district needs refurbishing. Otherwise, these lab animals will keep escaping." The breeder's expression was pained. "Unfortunately, we just don't have the funds. Besides feeding the animals, every day we are busy chasing these escaped animals. Simple-minded ones are still easy to manage, but when it comes to the more intelligent creatures, we really have our work cut out for us."

These two breeders felt that it was only because of their temperaments that they been selected to tend to these animals. If they had been anybody less patient, they would surely have found excuses to secretly kill off these animals that loved to "prison break."

Fang Zhao continued to question them. "Have experiments for them been concluded?"

"For the majority of them, yes. In the past, we captured a few of this planet's wild animals and brought them to the labs to study. When the soldiers from the base might be scratched or bitten and contract viruses, there is a need to use these methods to find a cure. Thus, animal testing on these creatures was necessary."

The breeder continued explaining, "Now, those animals in the park district have already gone through experiments and tests and basically would not pose any danger to humans. They also do not carry any untreatable viruses. However, it is best not to consume them. Of course, if you really do want to eat them, it is not entire impossible, but they might be hazardous. After all, they grew up in the laboratory. The food they consumed when young was all experimental foodstuffs. Now that the experiments are finished, they have switched over to their current food, but their bodies might have traces of medical drugs. If you really want to eat one, perhaps it is better to capture some wild ones. However, after capturing them, it is best to bring them to relevant parties for some testing first. You people are not from Wai base and have not had many vaccines administered, so there might be some risks if you eat without supervision."

Possibly from hearing the breeders talking about eating them, that tiger-eared monkey started screeching again.

However, this time, Woo Tianhao did not grumble about the ear-splitting screeches from the tiger-eared monkey. It was as if he completely paid no attention to the shrieks, simply continuing to stare at the map in his hands, his brows scrunched up.

"Fang Zhao, I suddenly have an idea," Woo Tianhao said.

"Let's hear it."

"I feel that our stakes aren't high enough. Since this chance is so hard to come by, how about we find a few more people and collaborate to make the territory even bigger. Just like how you mentioned the special architecture of different eras and different continents, if everyone contributes a little, wouldn't we be able to build it up? If we want to take a gamble, why not raise the stakes!"

The breeders and soldiers of Wai base could not understand Woo Tianhao's reasoning. You can jump straight into a hole alone, why do you have to drag more people with you?

However, Fang Zhao could immediately understand what Woo Tianhao meant. Laughing, he said, "In the Old Era, some film companies and movie-making firms created large-scale indoor and outdoor sets that were comprehensive. To achieve the most benefits, certain places also incorporated sightseeing tours besides just using them for filming. A place where art and commerce harmonize perfectly: a film studio complex!"

"That's right!"

Full of fiery passion and complex thoughts, Woo Tianhao stared at the map. At the start, he had not had such big plans. All he had wanted was to purchase some land to build a dojo to fulfill his dream of many years. But after listening to Fang Zhao talk about all that, he changed his mind. Since he was prepared to rope in more people for an investment, why not have bigger plans! With this, he had the confidence to pull in a few more people!

They would bring to life historic sites and cultures that had perished during the Period of Destruction, and not just in virtual reality. Not just table-top models but actual life-size architecture that could be felt and touched would, after thousands of years, reappear at a place outside their home planet!

That... would be a feast for the senses!

Chapter 233: Cultural Film Base

Woo Tianhao wanted to raise the stakes. After analyzing, Fang Zhao felt that it was feasible. Here they could build something just like the celebrated film complexes of the Old Era. Furthermore, with current technology, construction would not be troublesome at all. All they needed to do was to put in effort in the planning phase.

Historic places and sites across all continents had been destroyed during the Period of Destruction. Due to the innovation of technology in the New Era, people did not wish to spend money rebuilding those types of structures. Even if they had been built, in the 500 years that had followed, many had been torn down to make way for housing buildings due to the exploding population.

In the movie and television industry, all that was required to churn out a film was film, a room in a high-rise building, and a special effects team. Regardless of whether it was historical, modern, fantasy, or sci-fi, everything could be settled with special effects.

But for film projects with high standards and requirements, real sets were still favored. Zaro's company borrowing equipment and manpower from the military was one such example.

However, as there were no historical sites preserved, there were very few historical films. In the industry, the historic genre was the least common, and even those that were done with special effects had to reference films preserved from the Old Era.

Relying on just Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao to build up a film studio complex in a short time was an arduous task. Not just due to construction—publicity and popularity were also two other important matters.

What was most important was to rope in more people.

"Fang Zhao, on your side, who can you rope in?" Woo Tianhao asked. After musing, he added, "You definitely have to rope in Zaro."

"I have already left Zaro a message. As for how many I can pull in, I can only try. After all, in the film and television circles, my connections are limited," Fang Zhao replied.

Woo Tianhao remembered that Fang Zhao was not an actor, so he could not pin too much hope on Fang Zhao .

"Can you still remain here for a few more days?" Woo Tianhao asked.

"Two to three days." As he was still undergoing military service, there was no way that Fang Zhao could have an extended stay here.

"You could talk to Huo Yi? He would surely let you stay for some time."

Fang Zhao shook his head. "After matters here are settled, when I have returned to planet Baiji to continue with my military service, I will continue to pay attention to things here in my spare time."

"All right, let's do our utmost and handle things separately." Woo Tianhao did not have much hope for Fang Zhao pulling in many people. As long as Fang Zhao could rope in Zaro, that would be enough. Woo Tianhao would rope in the others!

As it was getting late, everyone packed up their things and prepared to return. The tiger-eared monkey was also returned to the park district by the breeder.

After the party returned back to base, Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao went to look for Huo Yi.

"Film studio complex?!"

When Huo Yi heard this news, he was startled and nearly dropped his canteen before shooting up from his chair.

He had only thought that Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao wanted to purchase a plot of land and build a manor to have some fun. Never had he expected that they would make such a big play. However... he liked it!

Fang Zhao briefly shared the outlines of their plan. "If development goes smoothly, in the future, we can submit an application for a cultural film base or something similar."

"Cul-cultural film.... base?!"

Calling it a "cultural film base" succeeded in exciting Huo Yi. Having had no expectations, this sudden surprise jolted Huo Yi and made him feel giddy with excitement.

If this "cultural film base" was reported to the higher-ups and approved, did that mean that there would be monetary support? Or perhaps other political benefits?

The answer was definitely yes.

However, Huo Yi calmed down very quickly. He was still the commanding officer of a base and would not lose rationality over Fang Zhao's words. Sitting down again, he studied Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao with a deep gaze. There was no longer any trace of excitement on his face. Instead, he had a serious expression. "You wish to construct a cultural film base with just the two of you?"

"There are others too," Woo Tianhao replied.

There was a little flash in Huo Yi's eyes as he stifled the excitement in his heart. "Who else?"

"It has not been confirmed yet. We are still contacting people."

A smile broke out on Huo Yi's face. He understood the two's intentions. "So your purpose for finding me is to request extended free communications for you two?"

"That's right. Of course, we still have to discuss the price of land," Woo Tianhao responded.

This time, Huo Yi was more expressive, waving his arms as he exclaimed, "The more land you want, the better the deal I will give you! It's up to you guys how much land you want."

Huo Yi did not have the final say. If the base was to sell a large plot of land, it still had to be reported to the top. But when it came to the cost, Huo Yi could influence the pricing to some extent.

After Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao left, Huo Yi transferred over the selected land on the map and opened the file. His eyes were shining as he stared at the 3D view. That area was flat ground surrounded by a ring of mountains, and it seemed like the hull of a very large ship.

Whether this "large ship" could assume the mantle of a cultural film base and actually set sail, this depended on whether Fang Zhao and Woo Tianhao could rope in enough investors!

——

Planet Baiji.

Recently, Zaro had been feeling very pleased. He had gotten addicted to live broadcasting. Every day, he exceeded the allocated live broadcast duration.

Kevin Lin had spoken about this to him before. Exceeding by a little bit was fine, as an expense report could be submitted, but exceeding that much every day was not right. If it was exceeded by too much, the column would not pay for the communications expenses.

But who was Zaro? He only wished to enjoy himself to his heart's content. So what if he had to pay for the costs of exceeding the allocated time. So be it. Does your daddy care about these little communications expenses? I'll pay for it myself!

Zaro's agent: D*mn, the money hasn't come in yet and there is still an overdraft.

Actually, Kevin Lin was not particularly bothered by the added expenses of exceeding the allocated time. He also knew that Zaro would not haggle over this. What he was worried about was Zaro's live broadcasts.

Recently, channel S5's comments section had become a little darker.

When Zaro had taken over the live broadcasts, viewership had increased, but the majority had just been here to join in on the action. Kevin Lin was worried that channel S5's older audiences would stop watching. Kevin Lin's worries were spot on. Indeed, a number of original viewers canceled their viewership, and others lambasted the channel.

Kevin Lin was really worried, and he discussed with his superiors about suitable countermeasures they could take. Zaro was a person that easily provoked others. Could they think of any ideas to help change the situation? However, people from the column did not bother about this. Provoking viewers was not a big deal—all that mattered was revenue.

With the increase in viewership of channel S5, naturally, there was more revenue from internet traffic and advertisements. It was only natural that the column would not switch Zaro out.

Kevin Lin was at a loss. He even sent a message to Fang Zhao saying that Fang Zhao had not been able to foresee that Zaro could not retain the channel's original audience. However, in the few days that followed, Kevin Lin received a face smacking.

Some audiences that had originally canceled their viewership had returned!

Zaro had one other nickname—netizens had given him the name "Deceptive Little Expert."

Because when Zaro was broadcasting live, many times, he roasted his father's tyrannical actions back when Zaro had still been undergoing his military service.

"No food for you if you don't complete your tasks. You get a beating if you make any mistakes. My body was beaten by such a thick rod, and I was beaten till my mother could not even recognize me. It ached so badly that I was unable to sleep at night. In the middle of the night, I was still called out to assemble. It was totally brutal!"

Zaro's dad's reputation for being ruthless to his own son quickly spread.

It was rumored that Zaro's dad was so teeming with rage that he wanted to personally come to planet Baiji and beat someone up.

Other than this, Zaro revealed some political information that had not been released. Online audiences realized that the roasting of his own dad was not a big deal compared to the information he leaked.

No one could find out which family member Zaro had gotten this information from, but if he spoke about it, the reliability of the information was high. Although Zaro loved to show off, he wouldn't go so far as to make up stories.

Yesterday, Zaro's loose lips had revealed that some people from certain financial firms would be out of luck. This morning, there had been an announcement that the bosses of certain financial institutions had been arrested.

It was said that Leizhou authorities had not meant to investigate so quickly, but Zaro had given it away too early, so action had been taken immediately. It was also rumored that, because of this incident, the Renault family and people close to Zaro had been called in for questioning and Leizhou's governor had thrown a fit.

Thus, many entertainment media outlets reported Zaro's matter—"Shocking! Leizhou's Famous Youth Reveals Fraudulent Activity during Live Broadcast."

Netizens watched the broadcasts with glee. Now, not only could they watch planet Baiji's developments, there was also humor. Perhaps they might even catch Zaro letting slip some political news that had not yet been announced.

Many viewers left a note on their own notification settings for channel S5 so that the notification that sounded every time live broadcasts were about to start was changed to: "The deceptive little expert that you follow is about to come online."

Fang Zhao also knew about all this, but he reckoned that reality was not quite how netizens described it. Even Woo Tianhao sneered at this when he found out.

Would the Renault family really let Zaro in on matters that were really supposed to be kept secret? Was the governor such a person? Did he not know what Zaro was like?

The entire household was putting on a play. They were just acting in tandem—and they were using Zaro's live broadcasts to go about it. It was just to ease the tension and let people have some mental preparation for any decrees that would be put into effect.

Even Zaro himself knew clearly which information he could announce to the public. If Zaro was really the sort that was unable to differentiate good from bad, there was no way he could have been showered with such favoritism by the Leizhou governor.

Of course, netizens did not know this. Even if there were people who analyzed and pointed it out, nobody really cared. Most people were just watching the live broadcasts for entertainment. Other than that, people did not really bother about the truth and had no intention of getting to the bottom of these matters.

The following day, Zaro was broadcasting in a wheat field.

This was an extended field on planet Baiji.

"Ahh, what fine weather. The air is crisp and refreshing. Today, I will be talking about steam buns. How are steam buns made? For that, we would have to begin with flour. And how is flour made? We would have to start from wheat..."

Zaro spoke as though he was a person who had obtained exclusive cheat codes for a game.

In the New Era, there were very few people that made steam buns and other pastries in their own homes. There was very little consumption for these as well. Even if people ate steam buns, shopping online for quick-freeze or compressed food was very convenient and saved time and effort. Thus, when Zaro mentioned this topic, there were still a lot of people that were interested.

And many older audiences just loved watching Zaro's manner as he talked about such things with vigor and an uncomparable swagger.

Zaro walked through the wheat field as he recounted the stories he had heard from other people, then gazed at the expansive field full of wheat in front of him and lamented, "Planet Baiji's wheat field is really big, even bigger than the largest wheat field I ever saw in Muzhou! We also have wheat fields in Leizhou, close to the Scarlet Crescent port. However, soon, the Scarlet port will have constru... Oh, I can't talk about this. Let's go back to talking about how to make steam buns..."

Online audiences: No, don't! Finish what you wanted to say about construction at Scarlet Crescent Harbor! Don't you know that people that stop a story midway will be beaten?!

Zaro did not care how others judged him, nor did he care how audiences living near Scarlet Crescent Port would be scratching their cheeks in frustration. Immediately after the live broadcast ended, Zaro rushed to check the message Fang Zhao had sent him.

"Purchase land? Film studio complex? This sounds fun!"

Further viewing the comprehensive map of the area, Zaro's eyes glowed as he pondered a little. There, he could build anything he wanted to. That was totally a heaven for pretentious beings like himself!

The more he looked at it, the more he was tempted. Zaro pointed at a few of the tallest mountains in the map. "This one, this one, this one, and the land here, I will take it all!"

Zaro's agent: "..." Are you an idiot?

Chapter 234: Grabbing Land

Zaro's agent had a stiff expression on his face, and he gave Zaro a cruel jab as Zaro's mind was wandering on the limitless possibilities. "Senior Master, we don't have any more money."

Zaro stared at him. "Impossible!"

"We used up most of our funds during the auction and to obtain land here," Zaro's agent patiently explained.

Zaro wore an expression of shock. "We really don't have money?"

Zaro's agent looked him in the eye and said seriously, "This time it is real." He was not lying to Zaro. They really did not have enough funds to purchase land, let alone the areas that Zaro wanted on the map. It was an impossible dream! Even if they had the money, he would advise Zaro to give up on this idea. The risk of investing in planet Wai was too great.

Zaro checked his own bank accounts in disbelief. After coming to terms with the cruel blow reality had struck him with, he sat down in a chair in a daze.

How could the great Zaro from Leizhou actually be in such a predicament where he lacked funds!

If he could not happily pretend all he wanted to, he might as well return home and plant watermelons!

Zaro mused for a bit. He was unwilling to give up this dream of obtaining land on planet Wai. In his heart, he thought of different ways to obtain money.

Noticing Zaro's eyeballs swiveling around in their sockets, Zaro's agent felt a lump in his heart. Having been by Zaro's side for so long, he could tell straightaway what this b*stard was trying to pull! For the sake of preventing Zaro from making an even more foolish decision, his agent decided to help out. Otherwise, this demented numbskull might try to sell off the land on planet Baiji they had worked so hard to obtain from Fan Lin.

Zaro's agent spoke. "Senior Master, if you urgently need money, we can chase your debtors."

"Collect debts?" In Zaro's dictionary, the words "collect debts" did not exist. In his opinion, the affair of collecting debts was beneath him. Zaro was unwilling to do this. "How can I, the great Zaro of Leizhou, have the face to ask people to return those small amounts of money? That is too shameful."

Zaro might not bother about small matters such as debts, but his agent had recorded every single bit. Those "small amounts" were not really small. There were a few people in his records that had debts in the tens of millions!

Browsing through the agent's list of debtors, and seeing the total sum at the end of the list, Zaro was stunned once more. "That much?!"

He actually had not known he had loaned out that much money!

"Chase it! Chase every single one of them back!" Zaro clenched his teeth and turned to face his agent. "You go chase them!"

Zaro was still unable to bring himself so low as to personally do such a thing.

Zaro's agent was indifferent to it. He had long wanted to collect those debts. After all, their side was not the one in debt, so what was so shameful about asking for it back? Previously, he had been worried that Zaro would vehemently oppose it, but now that Zaro had encountered a situation where he himself lacked money, his agent had to settle it as soon as possible.

Zaro's agent was very satisfied with the decision Zaro had made. This time, he would allow Zaro to squander all the funds he reclaimed.

Zaro's agent pointed at the debtor that owed the most. "I can chase the others except the one from Lazhou. My status isn't sufficient enough, so it is best if Senior Master personally chases this debt."

——

Lakalinazhou.

An elegant-looking lass wearing a princess skirt was half-lying on the soft sofa. She had nearly dozed off when her bracelet, placed on the coffee table beside her, rang, breaking the peaceful silence in the room.

The lass opened her eyes, squinted at the name displayed on the bracelet, and knit her brows. She waved her pale slender fingers and her assistant hurriedly came forward and handed the bracelet to her.

Voice was selected instead of videoconference.

"Sha-ro?"

"Barbie!"

"We aren't that close. Please call me Barbara." Barbara felt like puking whenever she heard Zaro call her that.

"Return my money!" Over on the other end, Zaro simply did not care about anything else.

"Since when has this princess owed you any money?" Barbara retorted impatiently.

Although there was no longer any feudalism, with her identity and "Lakalina" family name, her status in Lazhou was similar to a princess. This was also what Barbara liked to call herself.

On the other end, after listening to what Barbara said, Zaro sucked in a deep breath of air and puffed it out. This told others how shocked he was.

Zaro raised his voice in disbelief. "You want to renege on your debt?! When we went to Muzhou to watch the competition, you saw a flying potato car and borrowed money from me to purchase it!"

"It's a flying pumpkin car!"

In their hearts, both Zaro and Barbara came to a certain evaluation of the other party: f*cking moronic!

Zaro had no way of understanding Barbara's weird aesthetic tastes, and Barbara looked down on Zaro's brain that could not differentiate between a potato and a pumpkin.

However, now that Zaro had mentioned it, Barbara recalled that she had borrowed 10 million from this moron to purchase a flying car. Back then, she had lost quite a lot of money betting on dogs, and following that, she had bought a few championship pedigree puppies. After that, she had seen a limited edition commemorative flying pumpkin car. At that time, several of the projects she'd had a hand in were not yet making profits, so she had been a little short. Back then, Zaro had been beside her, so she had borrowed the money from him. An IOU had not even been written, as the two had felt that this sort of thing was beneath their noble status. After returning, they had both forgotten about it.

"All right, I remember. It's 10 million, right? I will transfer it to you right away," Barbara replied impatiently.

"With interest, you have to return 20 million. That was what you said!" Zaro added.

"I did?" Barbara could not remember what she had said back then.

"Yes!" Zaro exclaimed confidently. When his agent had recorded down the debt, he had even left a note. This was definitely true.

Barbara tried to recall it—it seemed like that was how it had been.

"All right, so be it. Twenty million it is." Barbara would not argue over such a trivial matter. Projects she had invested in were making profits, and her treasury was abundant. She was prepared to let her assistant make the transfer when she paused.

Chasing her so anxiously over 20 million was not Zaro's usual idiotic style!

"What are you up to that requires this money so urgently?" Barbara asked.

Zaro was unwilling to share. "None of your business. Hurry up and return my money!"

"I will give you an extra one million if you tell me," Barbara said.

"Cough, do I look like I care about that small sum?"

"Five million."

"Land on planet Wai."

When the call ended, an elusive smile flash acrossed Barbara's face as she gazed at the mural on the wall in her room. The scene on the mural depicted an ancient castle from the Old Era. It was said that her family ancestors had once lived in that place.

Apparently, during the Old Era, Lakalinazhou had been densely covered with numerous castles, mystical castles that had had many years of history that were both romantic and frightening. Yet these castles had all been destroyed during the Period of Destruction.

Every member of the Lakalina family wished to have their own castle, but land was scarce and the family clan kept getting bigger, so a constructed castle could not just be for one person. If anyone wanted to occupy a castle alone, they could only look to foreign planets.

After managing to scrape through to invest in planet Baiji, the land Barbara had obtained was not a lot. The young generations had limited capabilities, and Barbara was not satisfied.

But now she had a new place to construct her castle.

On the other end, Zaro's agent remained expressionless after the call between the two spoiled youths. Only when he received a notification of funds received did he let out a smile.

After that, Zaro's manager continued to chase debts, and Zaro contacted Fang Zhao, asking the composer to reserve a mountain for him. He had wanted a large plot of land, but unfortunately, his reserves were a little tight and all the debts he had reclaimed could only purchase a mountain. Before Barbara made her move, Zaro would first take his pick.

Zaro also told Fang Zhao about Barbara.

Fang Zhao sent a message to Huo Yi regarding the mountain that Zaro had selected to make a reservation.

Huo Yi was also accommodating. When he heard that Zaro wanted to make a reservation, he did not chase the funds. He immediately marked up that area.

"One more mountain sold." Huo Yi gazed happily at the 3D map on his table. He had already marked up the places that people had bought and areas that were pending. However, this area's land was too vast. Just the trio of Fang Zhao, Woo Tianhao, and Zaro would not be able to stomach it.

Just as he was worrying, Huo Yi received a long-distance call request originating from Lakalinazhou on Earth.

——

After Fang Zhao replied to Zaro's message, he received a new message from Duan Qianji. Fang Zhao had also left a message with Duan Qianji regarding this matter. After Duan Qianji had viewed the risk assessment reports done up by her subordinates, she had decided to agree to Fang Zhao's invitation and join in the investment for that area surrounded by mountains.

Duan Qianji wanted to imitate the large-scale period dramas of the Old Era. This genre had never really seen large-scale investments. Most period dramas were done by small companies and were cringy and full of mistakes. If there were no real sets, they would just have to create them so the images filmed had that thick and authentic historical flavor to them. When the period drama was completed, the constructed sets would still remain there and could be always used for other period dramas. In the long run, it would not be a loss.

"When the time comes, I will send someone to keep an eye on the development on planet Wai. You don't have to worry about a thing; just concentrate on your military service," Duan Qianji told Fang Zhao.

After all, during military service, attention would be on Fang Zhao. Duan Qianji was doing it for Fang Zhao's sake

——

At Woo Tianhao's end, he was persuading an uncle to join in and purchase a mountain on planet Wai.

"Have you seen the video I sent? Really, although that mountain isn't really that high, its landscape is especially 'celestial,' and it is suitable for filming that awesome mystical sword fighting serial you talked about!"

On the other side, Woo Tianhao's uncle, who owned an entertainment company, was silent for a few seconds, possibly wondering when he and Woo Tianhao were ever that close.

"We can build however we like?"

"As long as it has a rich historical feel to it. There is no problem if we agree to work together to develop the film studio complex. These are good lands and the prices are preferential. First come first serve," Woo Tianhao said.

This uncle of Woo Tianhao had unintentionally read a book that had been discovered by archaeologists. At that time, he had become captivated by novels of the Old Era. After he had built up his own business, it had been his dream to film a series with magic and celestial beings using real sets and without using too many special effects. However, the mountainous regions back on their home planet were not "celestial" enough, and there were limited scenic areas. But now, in the video Woo Tianhao had sent over, there were a few mountains wrapped by clouds and mist that gave off that sort of "celestial" vibe.

Woo Tianhao continued persuading his uncle. "This is totally undeveloped land, and there are not a lot of restrictions. If you purchase a mountain and construct those scenes and landscapes, filming a long-running serial is not a problem. You can even enjoy yourself over there. How good is that!"

Woo Tianhao's uncle pondered for a bit. That was the good point about places far back on the development sequence. There were not many restrictions and the land was cheap. Picking out a suitable area and signing a 100- or 200-year lease meant he would be able to build anything that his heart desired. How great was that!

"All right. Mark out that mountain. I want it!"Her nickname for Zaro. Sha is foolish in mandarinIt's actually Babala in the raws, so she is probably a descendent of the great general of Lazhou. I will be using Barbara for the translated version.

Chapter 235: Hurry Up and Return

Woo Tianhao spent quite some time talking to his uncle. Not only did his uncle have an eye on the few mountains in the video, his uncle was also eyeing the mountain that Woo Tianhao had selected for himself. It took a while for Woo Tianhao to explain to his uncle that everyone would have their own territory. After ending the call, Woo Tianhao asked whether there had been any developments with Fang Zhao. He found out that Fang Zhao had not yet come out after returning to his room. Upon learning of this, he headed straight to Huo Yi's office.

He wanted to know whether Fang Zhao had managed to rope in Zaro within this short time.

"Zaro?" Huo Yi opened up the 3D map and pointed to a mountain that had been marked. "This mountain has been reserved for him."

When Tianhao stared at the map in front of him, his eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.

All he saw were shiny golden marks on the map. These marks meant that the areas had already been booked.

Woo Tianhai could not believe his eyes. "I was just away for two hours and all these... have been purchased?"

There were hints of joy in Huo Yi's eyes, but he was still rather calm. "Yes. The areas with golden markings have all been reserved."

Woo Tianhao swallowed his saliva. He somewhat rejoiced in his heart. Luckily, he had staked a claim on a few mountains. Otherwise, they might all have been snapped up. Weren't these people's actions a little too quick?

"Woo Tianhao was curious. Who bought all these?" Zaro alone couldn't have gotten them all himself. The markings on the map had initials representing their buyers, but Woo Tianhao could not guess who they were just from the initials alone.

Huo Yi pointed at an area encircled by mountains. "This area was purchased jointly by Fang Zhao and people from Yanzhou's Silver Wing. This, this, and this were reserved by people from Lakalinazhou. This side..."

Huo Yi told Woo Tianhao about the people who had bought these places.

Woo Tian had a bewildered expression. "Why are they involved? How did these people set their eyes on this area?"

"That..." Huo Yi shook his head. "I am not too sure." He had no idea why these people had used various means and contacts to get in touch with him and inquire about the matter of the cultural film base. He wasn't sure how they had gotten the news in the first place.

Huo Yi and Woo Tianhao could not understand it. Even Fang Zhao had not expected the situation to turn out this way.

Actually, when Zaro had been chasing Barbara's debt, it had caught Barbara's attention. However Barbara had been unwilling to take the risk alone, so she had gone looking for partners to collaborate with and had piqued the interest of a few others from the Lakalina family. A few had come together and decided to buy! They had reserved the place first and, following that, organized a survey team to head over to planet Wai to check things out. The deposit had already been paid, and if the preliminary surveys gave the go-ahead, the remaining funds would follow after shortly.

Over at Silver Wing's side, Duan Qianji had searched for a few collaborators. Just looking at the amount Silver Wing had claimed, it was clear that Silver Wing had prepared a large sum. This was also something that delighted Huo Yi to no end.

Who knew whether there would be even more people coming in.

Woo Tianhao eyed the map for a while longer before leaving.

The moment Woo Tianhao left, Huo Yi immediately became excited. A while back, when he had received news of Lazhou and Yanzhou investors forming groups to head over, warm tears of joy had welled up in his eyes when Woo Tianhao had come over. For the sake of protecting his image, Huo Yi had restrained his emotions and maintained the dignified and imposing manner of a base commander. Now that Woo Tianhao had left, he could finally let his emotions run wild.

Planet Wai would also have inspection teams visiting!

Huo Yi brought up the system's name list once again and ran through it from the top, not missing out on a single one. It was as if he was appreciating a treasured heirloom that had been passed down from generation to generation.

And on the other side, Woo Tianhao was trying to control his annoyance as he left Huo Yi's office.

Huo Yi had not said why these people had taken part in this campaign to purchase land, but from what Woo Tianhao had seen, Fang Zhao had surely done something.

Just from Yanzhou, besides Silver Wing Media, there were another two large Yanzhou corporations: a hotel chain and another high-risk investment organization. One look and he could tell these companies were not in it for fun and giggles.

There was also the inspection team from Lazhou. It would have been fine if Barbara alone had gone crazy, but they had actually formed an inspection team and reserved a number of mountains. Furthermore, given the Lakalina's obsession with ancient castles, Woo Tianhao was certain they were all serious about it.

Just from this, the number of people Fang Zhao had roped in was greater than his number! Woo Tianhao had only managed to pull one uncle on board and nobody else. Just by comparing this, it seemed like Fang Zhao had greater influence.

Woo Tianhao was unwilling to concede.

Thus, when he returned, Woo Tianhao contacted his close childhood friend.

After a few rings, the call was accepted.

"About the matter I spoke of previously—"

Before Woo Tianhao could finish, the other party began bawling. "Brother Hao, I really do not have money to invest. I just invested in a film a while back and my finances are tight right now."

"Your brother just has this to say: if you don't hop on soon, it will be too late. The land will probably all get snapped up soon."

The other party did not seem to care. "I really don't have any cash on hand."

Woo Tianhao paused for a while. Instead of the rage the other party had expected, Woo Tianhao spoke rather calmly. "Sure. After all, Zaro has already staked a claim on some land here, Lazhou's Barbara is cooperating with her family members to send an inspection team over, Yanzhou have already circled out the largest plot of land, and me and my uncle have also reserved areas here. It's fine if you have no interest."

There was silence on the other end.

If it was only Woo Tianhao, Zaro, and those few people, he would not have changed his mind, but to think that Yanzhou's famous Silver Wing Media, Woo Tianhao's uncle that ran an entertainment company, and other reputable companies from various continents had all joined in? These firms surely were not just following a bunch of rich and spoiled kids to have fun. Commercial companies were all rushing in for their own interests.

These people had all gotten involved and, as of now, no information had been revealed. This could only mean one thing—these people were plotting something big! They were afraid of others joining in and sharing the pie!

This childhood friend of Woo Tianhao's was using his mind and trying to verify the authenticity and benefits to be gained here.

Woo Tianhao spoke as if he was going to terminate the call. "I won't bother you if you are busy. I'll inform others."

"Brother Hao—" It was half a shout. "I haven't finished talking yet. Although I don't have cash on hand, as a brother, I have decided to borrow money to support your project!" Now that Woo Tianhao had already informed him, passing up on this chance was impossible!

"Don't force yourself," Woo Tianhao advised.

"Not at all! I'm totally supportive!"

"So that's it. Long distance communication fees are too expensive. I'll cut the chatter here."

"I'll pay. I'll pay! I will pay for the communications expenses! Brother Hao, on account of us having grown up together, bring me along to dream and soar!!"

"What can you build if you come over? There are restrictions on construction styles here. It has to fit in with the film studio complex's development. The constructs ought to have historical or cultural implications."

"Mountain stronghold! I want to build the sort of mountain stronghold from ancient times! That should have sufficient historical and cultural implications, right? You know, right? When we were in primary school and the teacher asked us to write about our dreams, I wrote that I wanted to be a bandit chief."

"We don't accept thieves and plunderers here."

"Bah! I'm a law abiding citizen! It's just nothing more than a fancy of mine. Do you have a map? I want to pick a place."

Woo Tianhao sent a copy of the map over immediately.

"The f*ck, are the ones with golden markings already reserved? How do I choose when all the good places have already been taken?"

Woo Tianhao spoke unhurriedly. "That is why I said that if you don't hop on soon, it will be too late. Luckily I reserved a few mountains."

"Brother Hao—"

After the two finished discussing, Woo Tianhao's childhood friend decided to organize his own inspection team and head to planet Wai for a survey. If it was really suitable for large-scale investments, then he would purchase the plots of land.

On planet Wai, Woo Tianhao grinned after the call ended. "Pulled in yet another one."

Looking through his contact list, Woo Tianhao recommended places to his friends and acquaintances in succession.

And as Woo Tianhao was working hard to rope others in, Fang Zhao was no longer contacting anybody else. Instead, he was doing some research and drafting up construction plans.

Silver Wing's professional team would be arriving on the next transport ship to planet Wai, and according to Huo Yi, there would be a few other affluent parties on board too.

Huo Yi held this project in high regard and would surely supervise it carefully. Fang Zhao was not worried about this. Perhaps by the next time he came to planet Wai, this land might already look totally different.

The next morning, Fang Zhao signed a contract with Huo Yi first.

"Signing a lease for 200 years straight?" Huo Yi asked.

According to alliance regulations, these sorts of leases could only be signed for a maximum of 200 years. After exceeding 200 years, the purchasing party would still have priority usage rights but would need to replenish the funds.

For many people, 200 years was more than their lifespan. Therefore, most people would only sign 100- or 150-year leases. When Huo Yi heard that Fang Zhao wanted to sign for 200 years, he did a double take.

Fang Zhao nodded. "Mmhm, 200 years."

After signing the contract, Huo Yi carefully put away the electronic file and hard copy.

"Anyway, the spacecraft is ready. It will fetch you for your next destination tomorrow afternoon," Huo Yi told him.

Fang Zhao returned to pack up his belongings after he was informed. As he was tidying up, he received a call from Zaro on planet Baiji.

The moment the call connected, Zaro impatiently asked, "Fang Zhao, when will you be coming back?"

"Not so soon."

"You gotta hurry up! I want to head to planet Wai and inspect my territory!" Zaro exclaimed. Having already had his fun with live broadcasting, Zaro's attention had switched to something else, and he could not wait to go over and see the plots of land he had claimed. The plans were currently being drawn up by his people, and once completed, construction could start.

Minutes after ending the call with Zaro, Fang Zhao informed Kevin Lin, and he then received a video call from Kevin Lin.

"Fang Zhao, when are you coming back?" Kevin Lin grumbled. He had only known that Fang Zhao was heading to planet Wai after Fang Zhao had left Baiji, and he could guess the reason Fang Zhao had headed there.

This period had been too tiring, and he was always on the edge. Although channel S5's viewership numbers had increased by a lot, the amount of complaints had increased too. It was frustrating.

Back before Fang Zhao had been dispatched on this assignment, he had to listen to Kevin Lin's views and suggestions. But Zaro? One sentence from Kevin Lin would receive 10 sentences of objections and rebuttals, and none were repeated!

"Hurry up and complete your assignment and rush back home. If you don't come back soon, that 'rabbit' might die from Zaro's actions."

"What happened?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Zaro said he wanted to observe it up close and got his bodyguard to fish that 'rabbit' up. His bodyguard reached his hand into the water tank and got stung. Two seconds later, he was lying unconscious on the floor and foaming at the mouth. Only after Fan Lin administered the antidote did he recover. Zaro said that he wanted to cook it but Fan Lin did not allow that. I remember you saying that you want to buy it from Fan Lin. Hey, in short, just hurry up and return. If you don't return soon, nobody can guarantee the safety of your 'rabbit'."

Chapter 236: Friggin' Spicy

While those three bodyguards weren't around, Woo Tianhao wanted to finally test Fang Zhao's fighting skills before Fang Zhao left planet Wai. Who knew when his next chance would come once Fang Zhao left Wai.

Yet reality was a crude awakening for him.

The first time Woo Tianhao tried to ambush Fang Zhao, the latter was walking back to his dorm from the base cafeteria. He was discovered way before he even came close to his mark. There was no ambush to speak of because he was busted.

Failed attempt.

On his second try, Woo Tianhao decided to switch tactics. He would confront Fang Zhao directly.

The most famous skill of the Woo family from Tongzhou was their ability to shatter rocks with their bare hands. A senior member of the Woo family had demonstrated the method on a TV show several decades ago. Decades later, the rock-shattering chop was still what folks remembered the most when the Woo family was mentioned.

Woo Tianhao had yet to achieve that level of skill. He still had to wear gloves when chopping rocks. It might take him another few dozen years before he could use his bare hands, but his current skill level was enough to handle the professional soldiers stationed on planet Wai, so Woo Tianhao was still quite confident.

This time, he waited by Fang Zhao's dorm room. When Fang Zhao emerged, Woo Tianhao darted forward and attacked. There was no finesse to speak of. All he did was throw a punch.

Fang Zhao didn't duck. All he did was raise his arm, spread his fingers, and block Woo Tianhao's punch.

It was as if Woo Tianhao's fist had met a metal plate. All the momentum he had revved up instantly vanished. He couldn't gain so much as an inch. The look on Woo Tianhao's face was one of utter astonishment. There was no way he could follow up.

Another failed attempt.

The third time, Woo Tianhao learned his lesson from the two previous failed attempts. He realized that he lacked power. Since he wasn't as powerful as Fang Zhao, he would strike strategically.

An ambush and a strategic blow.

So Woo Tianhao attacked while Fang Zhao was leaving his room with his suitcase. But before Woo Tianhao could celebrate his successful ambush, he found a gun barrel pressed against his head.

F*ck.

This dealt the biggest blow to Woo Tianhao. If they had been fighting for real, his first two attempts hadn't been lethal mistakes, but the third try definitely would have cost him his life.

Woo Tianhao was still recovering from his failed attempts when Fang Zhao left Wai. When he finally came to his senses, Woo Tianhao realized that he hadn't found out jack about Fang Zhao's fighting skills. All he knew was that Fang Zhao's hearing and reflexes were decent and that he was quite powerful. As for his actual fighting skills, Woo Tianhao was clueless.

Fang Zhao simply laughed off Woo Tianhao's attacks.

Fang Zhao was used to fighting to kill, and Woo Tianhao was someone who went all out quickly, so Fang Zhao had been worried that he would lose control and do permanent damage to his opponent. That would come across as an elder bullying a child, in which case Fang Zhao would be too embarrassed to pay his respects to Woo Tianhao's ancestor at the martyrs' cemetery come Memorial Day. So, ultimately, Fang Zhao had chosen a simple, straightforward block. He'd had no intention of fighting Woo Tianhao.

Not that Fang Zhao was arrogant, but if he were to evaluate Woo Tianhao based on the footage of him sparring with the soldiers aired on S4, Fang Zhao would say Woo Tianhao was just a kid.

If Woo Tianhao were privy to Fang Zhao's appraisal, he would probably be spitting blood.

Planet Wai was only the first stop in Fang Zhao's mission.

Out of the five planets included in Project Starlight, Fang Zhao had three more to visit after hitting Baiji and Wai. Protocol dictated that Fang Zhao's travel expenses were covered by the military bases on the five planets, given that he was an invited guest, yet the Wai base paid for Fang Zhao's trip from Wai to his next destination. Huo Yi was quick to pick up the tab. After all, Wai was slated for a new filmed entertainment culture complex thanks to Fang Zhao. The economic impact would be significant, so Huo Yi didn't have to pinch pennies now.

But Huo Yi hadn't told a soul about the planned filmed entertainment culture complex. All he said was that Fang Zhao hadn't detected any grade A power ore on Wai.

The base leadership on the remaining three planets prepared themselves for possible disappointment when they found out that a higher-grade power ore had eluded Wai.

Fang Zhao also didn't detect any grade A energy ore on the next planet. The mood was grim. He was given the red-carpet treatment when he arrived, but his farewell was perfunctory.

Fang Zhao wasn't upset. This was what he had expected. Huo Yi wouldn't have been so generous if not for the planned filmed entertainment culture complex on Wai.

Fang Zhao also came up empty-handed on the next planet. As he was preparing to head to the final planet, he got word his visit had been scrapped.

The base leadership on the final planet had likely come to terms with reality after Fang Zhao's first three outings had yielded nothing. They didn't want to burn the money—space travel was expensive, a major drain on their power ore—so when the senior officials on the final planet saw that their counterparts on three other planets had splurged all that cash for nothing, they told Fang Zhao to stay put.

Fang Zhao didn't mind his trip being cut short. He headed back to Baiji to resume his military service.

During his downtime on the tour of planets, Fang Zhao had done quite a bit of research on ancient architecture. He had also come across quite a few ancient instruments while he was at it. Every time he spotted one, he would imagine its sound in his head. Melodies had flowed from these old instruments as songs of the past were unearthed from his memory. This was a major bonus for Fang Zhao as well.

When Fang Zhao returned to Baiji, Shanta, now the commander of the upgraded military district, summoned him for a briefing on his mission. Naturally, he had already learned through his own connections that no new power ore had been discovered on the other planets included in Project Starlight, which pleased him mightily.

Even though the outcome was what he had expected, confirmation from Fang Zhao's tour meant Shanta could now brag away without holding back. Baiji had a monopoly!

Such great luck that was. Shanta thought to himself that he was no ordinary Joe—he was born to accomplish great things.

Even though Shanta was secretly gloating, he still paid lip service by congratulating Fang Zhao on a job well done.

"It must have been an exhausting journey. I will log your contribution in your official records. There's still quite a bit of time left in your service period. Depending on how many merits you accumulate, you might get another promotion. Oh, the two elders from your family have already settled down in the quarters for military family members. You should visit them soon."

By the time Great-Grandmother Fang and Great-Grandfather Fang had arrived on Baiji, Fang Zhao had already set off for Wai, so they had missed each other, but Fang Zhao had gotten in touch with the two elders when he was on Wai. He had learned that they liked their accomodations on Baiji. They had no plans to move to Baiji permanently, but they could still get a feel for living on a foreign planet.

The two elders told Fang Zhao that they had run into a few former comrades in the housing complex for family members. A bunch of old folks living in the compound had been shooting the breeze one day and realized that all of them had served on the exploratory vessel Sirius, which had instantly drawn them closer.

After confirming he was allowed to take pictures on Baiji and post them, Great-Grandfather Fang had splurged on the exorbitant broadband fees so he could post pictures on his social media account. His friends back at the retirement home on Earth were awfully jealous.

The folks at the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei weren't the only ones filled with envy.

Immigration was a hot topic. Thus far, the foreign planets ranked high in the development order and listed as possible immigration destinations weren't completely open to the public. The two highest-ranked planets had only welcomed visitors to their tourist spots.

Now Baiji had launched a major marketing campaign promoting itself as an immigration hotspot. Even though Baiji had been colonized after the first two planets listed as likely recipients of Earth immigrants, Shanta wanted to play catch up. The two planets weren't completely open to immigrants yet. Who knows—maybe Baiji could beat them to the punch.

The more publicity, the more investment and donations and the quicker the pace of development.

While Shanta was fantasizing about surpassing the two rival planets, Fang Zhao was en route to the residential compound for military family members. Great-Grandmother Fang and Great-Grandfather Fang had already gotten word and were waiting at the main entrance.

Even though Fang Zhao had a low military rank, everyone living in the military family compound knew that he was the one who had discovered the grade A power ore and reversed Baiji's fortunes. He had also helped fend off the terrorist attack, and he was only performing his military service on Baiji and was scheduled to leave next year, so he posed no threat. He wasn't a potential rival, so residents of the compound were friendly toward him.

During the two Fang elders' stay in the compound, their neighbors treated them with the utmost kindness and courtesy. That was also why the couple was in a such a good mood.

Great-Grandmother Fang was beaming as she tugged her great-grandson in her direction. "Quick, go on in. There's a whole table of yummy dishes waiting for you."

Great-Grandfather Fang followed, flashing a broad smile with his hands folded behind his back.

The Fangs ran into a crying child being comforted by his parents.

"That kid hasn't adjusted to life on Baiji yet," Great-Grandfather Fang mumbled.

It was unrealistic to expect the new immigrants to acclimatize in a short period of time. They harbored aspirations for their new life, and there were psychological and physical adjustments to make. They also missed life on Earth, but this was their new home. They had to regroup sooner or later.

Moving to a foreign planet brought mixed feelings. Even though the two Fang elders were vacationing on Baiji, even they got a sense of the conflicted emotions involved, let alone a vulnerable young child.

"When the communications infrastructure is better, it'll be easier to stay in touch with Earth. Kids will adjust more quickly as a result," Great-Grandmother Fang said.

The internet brought people closer together. Folks could only hope that the cap on data traffic to and from Baiji would be removed soon. Data transmissions were still restricted, and not everyone could afford the expensive broadband charges. Short calls were still affordable, but long conversations were simply too costly.

After having dinner with the two Fang elders in the military family compound, Fang Zhao got a message from Kevin Lin demanding his quick return to the outpost.

After bidding farewell to his great-grandparents, Fang Zhao boarded a flying transport bound for Outpost 23. He hadn't been away from Baiji for long, but the Baiji skyline was changing rapidly, especially in the core area that included the base and various outposts. New buildings and highways were popping up by the minute.

The space port near Baiji was still under construction. When it was completed, there would be even more flying transport traffic, a stark contrast to the empty skies on planet Wai.

Fang Zhao could hear Kevin Lin yelling the moment he set foot in the outpost.

"Fang Zhao, you're finally back!" Kevin Lin darted toward him. "Check out your 'rabbit' quickly. It's been convulsing all morning."

"What happened?" Fang Zhao asked as he hurried into the outpost.

"That idiot Zaro tossed a huge red pepper into its tank this morning when no one was looking, the kind being grown in the plots by the main base, the really spicy ones. The 'rabbit' gobbled it down, and there you have it," Kevin Lin said while pointing to the fish tank.

Inside the fish tank, the 'rabbit,' which used to be white, had turned red. Outside of meals, the 'rabbit' was typically idle. Now it was frantically racing around in the tank, banging up against the glass walls of the tank to create a pounding noise.

"But Fan Lin said it's still in decent health, just... a bit hyper." Kevin Lin thought of something and added with a laugh, "It's probably the red pepper. Isn't there that term from the Old Era, 'friggin' spicy'?"

Fang Zhao: "...That's actually the name of a dish."

Chapter 237: The Most Expensive Pe

There were two reasons why Kevin Lin kept pining for Fang Zhao's return. Besides the channel receiving lots of complains because of Zaro, ever since Zaro had substituted for Fang Zhao on channel S5's live broadcast, Kevin Lin's presence had been dropping! He could tell by observing the comments left on his own social platforms; all attention was on Zaro instead.

This was the same as encountering a tyrannical mic hog at a karaoke bar. What could he do?

He simply could not even snatch an opportunity to make an appearance on the live broadcasts.

Even Zaro's agent had more screen time than Kevin Lin!

This was why Kevin Lin was anxious. Even if it brought S5 a lot more viewership, even if the column supported Zaro continuing to broadcast live, Kevin Lin was unwilling.

How great had it been when Fang Zhao had been here. Fang Zhao had not minded too much about screen time, so Kevin Lin had been able to show his face from time to time. But ever since Zaro had come, Kevin Lin had simply no longer had any presence, and his online popularity was taking the hit.

Fang Zhao could roughly guess what was going on in Kevin Lin's mind, but he did not ask too many questions, instead turning to face Fan Lin who was walking over. "Professor Fan, is the little thing really all right after changing this way?"

"Test results show that its condition is within the normal range and that there aren't any major issues." Fan Lin probably had no way of keeping Zaro in check, and his tone carried a tinge of helplessness. "I have also asked the person who bred it, and he says there is no problem, you don't have to worry."

Fang Zhao looked at the "rabbit" bouncing around in the tank and continued to ask Fan Lin. "Are you selling this small thing?"

Fan Lin lifted up his head in surprise and studied Fang Zhao. Realizing that Fang Zhao was not joking, he frowned and shook his head. "Generally speaking, these sorts of experimentally bred hybrids with Earth and foreign-planet genes are not sold to outsiders. However, in recent years, government regulations on this have been relaxed a lot. However, whether to sell or not, the decision lies firmly in the hands of the breeder. Do you really wish to purchase it?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Mmhm. It is rather meaningful—it can double up as a light at night and as a live light. After my military service ends next year, I can bring it back as a commemorative item."

"If you are really intent on buying it, I will help you ask. The breeder's name is Denzel. He was with the Academy of Science HQ but has since left and started his own company and laboratory. It is rumored that he left to start his own company without any expectations because the research funds he requested kept being rejected. I will contact him first. If he agrees to it, I will put you in touch."

Denzel's projects used to be on ornamental aquatic creatures. After that, when he left the Academy of Science HQ, he had changed his focus and handed over the ornamental aquatic creature project to researchers under him and had chosen to spend his efforts collaborating with his friends on krill cultivation.

Krill was a major nourishment supplement in the New Era. Denzel wished to improve on this nutritional dosage.

When Fan Lin had arrived on planet Baiji, he had heard from others that Denzel intended to claim an area of water at the South Pole to cultivate krill. However, he had not succeeded and had to look for some other place.

This sort of research was extremely costly. The probability of Denzel selling that "rabbit" was very high.

Fan Lin also hoped that Fang Zhao would purchase it. Today, in the afternoon, he had heard Zaro say that he wanted to purchase it, but Zaro's agent had stopped Zaro, as they did not have sufficient funds on hand. For the time being, Zaro had given up on this idea.

However, this was only temporary. If Zaro's funds were replenished and he bought that little thing, that would be a pity.

Given how Zaro was, if this little thing ended up in his hands, it would meet an absolutely miserable end. Who knows, maybe on the second day, it would end up in a pot and cooked. In the eyes of Zaro, this little thing was nothing more than a water commodity of planet Baiji.

Comparing these, Fan Lin naturally hoped that Fang Zhao would hurry up and buy that little thing. He was convinced of Fang Zhao's character. Before Fang Zhao had been dispatched on his assignment, the little thing had been under Fang Zhao's care.

Since he had agreed to help Fang Zhao, Fan Lin made a brief round in the laboratory before returning to contact the breeder.

When Fang Zhao returned to the outpost's dormitory, his entire table was piled with Kevin Lin's materials after being away for quite sometime.

"Cough. I will move it right away." Kevin Lin hurriedly headed over and moved away the things on the table. "Our place is really too small. However, I heard that single rooms with larger spaces will be constructed in the outpost soon." Kevin Lin gave a comprehensive breakdown of the happenings in the outpost to Fang Zhao for the period Fang Zhao had been away. "Oh, right, where are the three bodyguards by your side?"

Kevin Lin remembered that, previously, Fang Zhao had had three body guards that had always been with him. This time, though, they were nowhere to be seen.

"They have returned back to their original posts," Fang Zhao replied.

The major and two captains that had been assigned to Fang Zhao's side by Hong Lou had returned to their own duties now that Fang Zhao had returned to planet Baiji. After Fang Zhao had discussed it with Hong Lou, they no longer needed to follow him around.

Hong Lou had found out some stuff concerning Fang Zhao from the three of them. From the moment they had been assigned to protect Fang Zhao, they had basically never had a chance to do anything.

Perhaps from suffering a shock during the time they had followed Fang Zhao, the three soldiers were determined to get stronger after returning back to their duties. Comrades from the same squad even thought there was something going on behind the scenes—perhaps a selection test to select the cream of the crop. Since all of their comrades had arrived on planet Baiji with lofty ambitions, they followed the three and strived forward as well. Gradually, the mood of the entire detachment of troops changed.

When officers from other continents witnessed this scene, they returned and made the troops under them go through more drills: Look at Yanzhou's soldiers! If you all don't work harder, people from Yanzhou will steal all the glory!

Troops from every continent were drafted into the Baiji military district. There were limited spots for climbing up the hierarchy, so there was intense competition among troops from every continent.

However, this had nothing to do with Fang Zhao.

Half an hour later, Fan Lin contacted Fang Zhao and gave him a number.

"Denzel says he is open to selling and the price is negotiable. Now, he is a merchant, so his asking price might be slightly high," Fan Lin said.

Fang Zhao saved the number. "Understood. Thanks."

After ending the call with Fan Lin, Fang Zhao made a video call to the researcher Denzel, who was far away, on Earth.

Denzel was 70-odd years old and was in his prime according to New Era standards. He was slightly skinny and wore a pair of glasses with a large-frame. These were not glasses for nearsightedness but, rather, eyeglasses with special functions, probably to aid in his research.

"You must be Fang Zhao?" Denzel took off his glasses and glanced at the screen. "I think I saw you somewhere in the news before."

Normally, Denzel did not follow entertainment news, and he viewed very little in the way of political news. The majority of his efforts were spent on research and experiments, so he only had a vague impression of Fang Zhao.

"Fan Lin had many good things to say about you. However, I am now a merchant. Business is business, and there are no special discounts based on friendship," Denzel told him.

Although he ran his own company, by saying that he was a merchant, he displayed his rather straightforward disposition.

"Five million, nonnegotiable." As he was probably worried that Fang Zhao would find this price too high, Denzel hurriedly explained, "Among ornamental aquatic pets, sea slugs are the most popular kind. As of now, the prices of sea slugs in the market can range from tens of dollars to tens of thousands depending on their breed. At the start of the year, an extremely superior breed, 'neptune,' was hyped up to 2 million. For the choppy hair variety on planet Baiji, it is a hybrid, as half its genes have extraterrestrial origins. Compared to the ornamental sea slugs on the market, this variety has a much stronger vitality, can eat anything, and are really easy to keep. I spent a lot of time and effort breeding them, so it is natural that the price is double. Furthermore, with the final price of 5 million, I will help you to handle all the procedures. If you went about it on your own, the procedures might take more than half a year." When Denzel opened his mouth, he rattled on and on just for the sake of telling Fang Zhao that this price was absolutely right!

Fang Zhao nodded his head and did not haggle. "That's fine with me."

Denzel was astonished for a split second but very quickly flashed a smile. "All right, since you have already made a decision, let's complete the transaction now."

Denzel clearly did not want to waste too much time on this. He had a lot of matters on hand. Since a deal had been made, he wanted to go about it immediately.

Animals with extraterrestrial genes all had specialized records. Once Fang Zhao had transferred the money over, Denzel changed the ownership rights of that "rabbit" to be under Fang Zhao's name.

"All right, from now on, it belongs to you. However, only the ownership rights have been transferred to you, so you still can't bring it back to Earth yet. After this, I will help you complete the relevant procedures. Your military service ends next year? By then, you will surely be able to bring it along with you. I guarantee all the procedures will be in order." As if thinking about something, Denzel added, "The feed that you use on planet Baiji is probably common feed. When you return back to Earth, purchase specialized feed from me. It is really easy to raise—even if you feed it some weird and bizzare stuff, it should still be fine."

Denzel had a habit of pushing his glasses back up his nose. Pushing up his glasses, he said, "I heard from Fan Lin that someone fed it chilis? Don't worry, it will probably return to normal tomorrow. If you don't have any feed and have no idea what to feed it, you can just place the tank under sunlight and it will switch to plant mode and undergo photosynthesis. One more piece of advice: although it is immune to poison, it is best not to feed it anything poisonous. It can stockpile and release poison when it feels threatened. For safety reasons, do not come into contact with the poison."

As he spoke, Denzel's face straightened and he exhorted, "Although it is really easy to raise, you still have to be attentive. If it dies from being fed, your 5 million will have been a bad investment. It is probably the most expensive pet that you keep, so treat it carefully."

Fang Zhao: "...Right."

With the transaction completed, Denzel no longer continued with needless chatter. He ended the call.

Completing a transaction and receiving 5 million, Denzel felt rather happy and returned back to his laboratory. He only came out when it was dinner time.

As he brought his dinner back into his office, Denzel mused for a bit and decided to read up on Fang Zhao's information once more.

Previously, when Fan Lin had come looking for him, Denzel had not thoroughly screened Fang Zhao. All he had seen was the recent entertainment and political news, and he otherwise had limited knowledge. Now that he had a little more idle time, he wanted to see what sort of person Fang Zhao really was.

Denzel contentedly ate and drank as he read through the information pertaining to Fang Zhao.

All the way until he saw a piece of news concerning Muzhou's competition dogs.

"Muzhou's heated sheep-herding competition is underway. All eyes are once again on the champion dog of Dongshan Farm, said to have a value of 100 million. And the owner of this competition dog is..."

"Plosh—"

Denzel's mouthful of soup spurted out.

Regret!

The price he had quoted was far too little!

Chapter 238: Imperial Palace

But regardless of how much Denzel regretted his offer, he couldn't change his contract.

Fang Zhao brought the rabbit-like furry sea slug mixed with alien DNA back to his dorm room from Fan Lin's lab. This time, he wasn't borrowing the creature—he was taking custody of his own belongings.

Just as Denzel had predicted, the next day, the "rabbit" that had been in hyper mode after eating the red pepper returned to normal. Its red coloring had mostly faded, although not completely; its furry tail was still reddish. That was the "toxin storage" function of the creature Denzel had spoken of at work.

Fan Lin had reached the following conclusion during his testing: if a human hand was stung by the sea slug, it would present with a small, painful burning wound and a spicy sensation of sorts.

As a precaution, Fang Zhao kept a pair of gloves handy.

Meanwhile, Zaro quickly packed his things and left for Wai after Fang Zhao's return. As for everything else—the live broadcast, the sea slug—all these matters were cast aside. When Zaro left the outpost, he will still trying to reach his design team on Earth.

Now that he was back, Fang Zhao had to continue his military service. As far as the public was concerned, military service wasn't a vacation. If they noticed Fang Zhao slacking off during his live broadcasts, viewers would definitely complain.

But Fang Zhao never gave them the chance.

Most of the time, the most dangerous aspects of construction projects in the vicinity of the outpost were completed by robots. However, areas where robots could not function had to be manually inspected and cleared.

The robots would stall in certain parts of Baiji because of the geological makeup. In that case, the soldiers that were part of the outpost had to saddle up and assist the engineering team.

Fang Zhao and his fellow soldiers scaled towering cliffs and ventured into deep natural tunnels. Some of the spots were truly dangerous.

Take scaling the cliffs, for example: the geological makeup of some cliffs and nearby magnetic fields rendered robots useless. Engineering equipment had to be installed on the walls of these cliffs by hand.

These cliffs were virtually perpendicular, and the winds were strong. In most cases, the person in charge of installing the equipment would sway from side to side when they rappelled down. The person wore protective gear and other precautionary measures were taken, but who knew?

There was also the danger of unknown debris, like falling rocks, which made the job all the more dangerous.

Drone cameras couldn't operate in these conditions, so Kevin Lin had to handle the camera himself. He refrained from rappelling down the cliffs, instead shooting from the bottom of the cliff or over it with the help of robotic arms.

So S5's tone shifted again from absurd to adventure.

Many folks used to think that robots were invincible, that they could take care of everything when it came to developing foreign planets. Only after watching the S5 live broadcasts did they realize that some things could only be accomplished by people.

Critics who were watching Fang Zhao like hawks, waiting to pounce on any slip-ups, were rendered speechless.

Fang Zhao treated himself like a soldier who was part of the outpost squadron, not a celebrity appearing on a variety show. In some cases, he did a better job than the veteran soldiers, even keeping an eye on some of the less experienced ones.

This also gave rise to the illusion that Fang Zhao was actually a veteran soldier.

Regardless of what the viewers thought, there was one thing that everyone agreed on: Fang Zhao's military merits were the real deal. While his promotion had partly been motivated by politics, Fang Zhao's competence was laid bare for all to see. This was indisputable.

During this downtime, Fang Zhao started doing research and sketching designs for the film studio compound.

Duan Qianji had already arrived on planet Wai with her delegation. Also on Duan Qianji's flight had been passengers from other continents. After Zaro's arrival on Wai, the principals involved in the film studio complex project met via videoconference.

The meeting was chaired by the Wai commander Huo Yi.

Huo Yi was more competent in this regard than Shanta. Whether it was military hardware or commercial development, once a project was approved, he could see the whole picture. He could host the meeting on his own. If it were Shanta, he'd probably be surrounded by advisers.

In short, Huo Yi was slicker and more cunning than Shanta. He knew how to secure his own interests. This was an important project he took very seriously, so naturally, he had to be very hands-on. He wouldn't let investors destroy and build at will, nor would he put up so many obstacles that he turned them off.

After the videoconference, Duan Qianji reached Fang Zhao by videoconference for a private discussion about the design of the film studio compound.

Duan Qianji had consulted quite a few experts in architectural history so they could accurately replicate old buildings, but the scale of the project was huge. Not everything could be built at once. She had to prioritize.

"I've decided to built the imperial palace first," Duan Qianji said. "The one that appears most frequently in archive footage, the biggest one that combines the highlights of ancient Yanzhou imperial court design."

"Understood." Fang Zhao knew exactly which building she was referring to. He had visited the same imperial palace several times for inspiration in his previous life, before the Period of Destruction.

The ease of data storage helped preserve many artifacts from the Old Era. The grand imperial palace that had once stood on the Yanzhou continent had been one of the world's five biggest palaces during the Old Era.

There was archival footage of the palace and historical documents about it, as well as TV shows and films featuring the structure preserved on various data storage systems.

But descriptive text and footage had its limitations. There were details that even the most senior researchers couldn't confirm.

As the only living person who had actually laid eyes on and visited the imperial palace, Fang Zhao was a godsend, fleshing out details that were ignored or glossed over in the blueprint and adding footnotes.

Fang Zhao's expertise meant Duan Qianji could complete the palace in a much shorter period of time than she had budgeted. The hard part was design. As long as the design was completed, construction was straightforward. Robots could build the palace in no time.

So as others involved in the project were still working on their designs, the core area in the film studio complex started construction.

————

The days passed by. It was life as usual for folks on Earth. The improvement of broadband infrastructure allowed many people to work from home. Even at a big company like Silver Wing, many employees worked at home instead of commuting to Silver Wing Tower.

Whether someone worked at home or in the office, they spent their idle time browsing the news online, searching for interesting videos or entertainment gossip headlines to break the monotony of the workday.

On this particular day, a news item caused ripples in the Yanzhou entertainment industry. It was quickly reposted by many entertainment news outlets.

After keeping a low profile for some time, Silver Wing's filmed entertainment department had posted this status update on their social media account:

"Shooting on our period epic TV series 'Beauty' will begin soon. The actors and crew will be filming on planet Wai."

The post came with a group picture of the "Beauty" cast. Serving as the backdrop was the entrance sign to a space port.

Silver Wing fans: "???"

"An imperial court drama?"

"Isn't the emphasis on the planet Wai?"

"Wai? Isn't that were Tianhao from S4 is?"

"Why shoot a period drama in outer space?"

"Again, why shoot a period drama on planet Wai? This isn't a space adventure."

"Does the 'period' in period drama refer to ancient times before the Old Era?"

"Someone once said there are so many crappy period dramas out there. Check out the ones online. They're an absolute eyesore!"

"The period TV dramas streaming online are mostly low-budget productions. They're designed as brainless entertainment for fans. But this time, Silver Wing is mounting a big production. You can tell from the cast. The leading actors are all A-list stars from Yanzhou. I'm guessing this series is award bait."

"I have the same question. If Silver Wing is splurging on a period drama, why shoot on Wai?"

"For this kind of drama, a simple set and some special effects will do. Is there a secret weapon on Wai we don't know about?"

Chapter 239: Why Is He Everywhere

The photograph of the cast and crew of "Beauties" just before they left the planet created a lot of buzz on the internet, but discussions were mainly from Yanzhou's side. Even if people from other continents saw it, they were not particularly bothered. As the majority of cast and crew members weren't celebrities they were familiar with, after the initial excitement, they lost interest rather quickly.

After Silver Wing's official announcement, there was no follow-up. No matter how much fans asked, Silver Wing's public relations department maintained their silence.

At the same time, the crew of "Beauties" that were being discussed were en route to planet Wai via transport ship.

As there were no passenger spaceships that took the route from Earth to Wai, the crew could only travel on the transport ships that delivered military supplies to foreign planets. There were many rules and regulations on these sorts of ships, and walking about freely on the transport was prohibited. There were also no entertainment facilities, and all one could see after leaving their own room was the icy-cold glares of gun-toting soldiers, as though they were criminals. Even if they were a really popular celebrity, in the eyes of these soldiers, that celebrity was no different from anybody else.

Having heard that Silver Wing's big boss had also ridden on this sort of transport ship previously, the crew felt more at ease. If even the big boss had to go through this, then people like them shouldn't expect too much. Otherwise, they might be beaten to death by the soldiers without ever getting justice.

Since Huo Yi wanted to look after the people coming over, he got his men to specially install a guest area on board the ships so passengers could have a place to reside and engage in activities. There were bedrooms, dining halls, and a small lounge allowing for guests to gather and chat.

At this moment, in the guest area, a few leads of "Beauties" were gathered and trying to guess the motive behind this trip.

Finding out they would be heading to planet Wai for filming had come as a surprise, and the crew were all at a loss. Although they had been all smiles in the photograph showing them heading off to the spaceport, they had all still been muddled beneath their happy facades. The crew had no idea why they'd had to sign a confidentiality agreement when they were just filming an imperial court drama or why they needed to travel all the way to planet Wai. There had also been not much information from the higher-ups. All they had been told was this: "everything will be revealed in time."

Silver Wing A-list actor Wen Shengyi joked, "Don't tell me we are being shipped off to be sold?"

As A-list film stars contracted to the company, they were not as restricted compared to other smaller celebrities and could speak more freely as long as they did not go overboard.

A Silver Wing A-list actress who was not yet 30, Ju Taohe, joined in the fun. "Let's say we are really being sold. Silver Wing's film department would suffer heavy losses just from our cast's value."

"Only a few people know about this, but a while back, the big boss went to planet Wai. Most likely, Silver Wing has something deployed there, maybe a sealed film studio or something. In any case, it's something that will not hurt us," Silver Wing A-list actress Vicky said in an absent-minded way as she admired her freshly painted scarlet fingernails, her expression containing a certain captivating charm.

This was not her natural disposition. Recently, she had been getting into character for a role, and subconsciously, her words and actions were in the style of the character she was to play.

Silver Wing's A-list film star Maqiyaduo asked, "Teacher He, can't you reveal just a little more? There isn't anybody else here; our lips are sealed." She was in her early twenties, and her voice exuded the air of exuberant youthfulness. She had begun acting at a young age as a child star. Having gotten famous early on, she was the youngest among the four A-listers here. However, while she might be the youngest, her ability was in no way lacking. Regardless of how she was normally, when it came to acting, she was a total monster.

The company's four immensely popular A-listers looked toward a man seated at the side who had yet to utter a single word. That man was also the only S-rank film star among the cast and was one of Yanzhou's top superstars: He Lisi. He Lisi was older than the rest of them. He was 40-plus, and with his current status, his relationship with Silver Wing was more complicated, more like that of cooperative partners than employer and employee.

He Lisi was not a solemn person. Catching the four others glancing over, he laughed. "Actually, I do not know much either. Duan Qianji has probably set up a film studio on planet Wai. All we have to do is go over there and do our job conscientiously. However... from what I know, the reason Director Duan chose planet Wai for filming has something to do with Fang Zhao."

The four of them were astonished.

"Fang Zhao?"

"The gamer composer from our company's virtual projects department?"

"I heard that fella is really impressive. He played a large role in the virtual projects and gaming department's rise in fortunes last year.

Wen Shengyi was a gaming fan and knew slightly more when it came to this. "He is 'Battle of the Century's' global number one on the leaderboards; how can he not be impressive?!"

"Isn't he also undergoing military service on planet Baiji?"

He Lisi shrugged. "I am not too sure either. When I was discussing terms with Director Duan's secretary, I heard her mention this. No concrete reasons were given, but the matter of filming on planet Wai definitely had something to do with Fang Zhao. From what I know, Director Duan started planning for this series a few years ago, but it had not been brought to fruition. Filming had originally been slated to start this year, and the set was going to be at a certain coastal city. The set was already halfway constructed, but there was a change in plans at the last moment.

"Fang Zhao... We do not know much about the virtual projects or gaming department. Normally, everyone has their own tasks and assignments, so I have never run into him in the company. However, I do know a someone who has come into contact before." He Lisi looked toward the pantry and raised his voice and shouted, "Little Ji, Ji Polun!"

Ji Polun had just woken up from a nap. He had headed into the pantry to make himself a cup of tea and had been returning to his room to read the script. As he was returning back to his room, he had walked past the lounge and thrown over a curious glance when he had seen the few very successful film stars seated there. He swore that he had only looked over because he had been curious—he'd had no other intentions.

Suddenly hearing someone there shout out his name, Ji Polun shuddered. If the cup had not been covered with a lid, most of the tea would have splashed out.

The moment he saw that it was a first-tier senior who had shouted his name, Ji Polun scurried over and nervously said, "Greetings, my seniors!"

Even though there were people younger than him among the four, comparing their statuses, Ji Polun was considered second-tier and felt it was best to call them seniors.

Although he had already risen to a B-grade contract with the company and had seen a round of popularity from the previous year's idol drama, he was still considered second-tier in Yanzhou. However, this was already considered doing very well.

He had managed to snag a supporting role in "Beauties," playing a eunuch that was always beside the emperor.

When others in the company had read up on what a "eunuch" from the Old Era was like, many people had been unwilling to take up the role, as they were afraid it would destroy their image. At the start, Ji Polun had also been hesitant, but he had made his decision quickly and snatched up the chance. Luckily, his reaction had been quick. If he had been any slower and others had returned to their senses, he might not have gotten this role at all.

First-rate Yanzhou actor He Lisi was playing the role of the emperor. He might not have such a large influence on a global scale, but when it came to Yanzhou, he was indeed a well-known superstar.

Ji Polun did not have many scenes in the series, but they were not too few either. Even if some of his scenes ended up being deleted during postproduction, Ji Polun felt that this was still worth it. He could learn a lot just by being at the side of a first-rate superstar.

Ji Polun might be narcissistic, but he also knew how to reflect on his own shortcomings. Back when he had helped out at the virtual projects department, he had learned a bit from Fang Zhao.

Noticing Ji Polun being all jittery, He Lisi put on a warm smile and pointed to a sofa at the side. "Don't stand, take a seat."

"Aye!" Ji Polun could not act normally in front of these people and sat himself down nervously like he was a student under the gaze of a strict teacher.

"Didn't you work with the virtual projects department before? Do you know Fang Zhao?" He Lisi asked.

Ji Polun replied honestly, "Fang Zhao? I know him, but we aren't considered really close. I am more familiar with the others in the virtual projects department. I occasionally dropped by, but I rarely ran into Fang Zhao."

"What sort of person is Fang Zhao?" Wen Shengyi inquired.

Ji Polun could only think of this description: "A rather... remarkable person."

Maqiyaduo was curious about something. "There are rumors online that say Fang Zhao and the big boss are relatives. Is that true?"

"That's not true!" Ji Polun hurriedly replied. "Fang Zhao and the big boss have no such blood relations! All those online conjections are rubbish!"

Before, there had been people online that had said Fang Zhao was an illegitimate son of Duan Qianji's. Some people had even guessed that the two had some shameful relationship. However, Ji Polun frequently went down to the virtual projects department and knew the truth. Fang Zhao and Duan Qianji had no such relationship whatsoever. All that was just gossip and guesses that had been made up anyhow.

"That, I believe," He Lisi said. "Fang Zhao's contract is different from any other at the company. "Furthermore, from what I know, Fang Zhao had a hand in Duan Qianji's husband being able to head to the Baiji military district. From this, we can see Fang Zhao's capability."

This Fang Zhao person was indeed remarkable. Everyone present thought to themselves that if they got the chance to meet Fang Zhao, they would have to interact more with him.

As they were rather curious about Fang Zhao, over the next few days, Ji Polun was frequently called over to rehearse lines together with these big-name stars. The other lesser celebrities in the cast were all envious when they saw this.

"Ji Polun is really crafty. I have no idea what methods he pulled to ride on their coattails!" someone jealously exclaimed.

But Ji Polun also knew that being called over to rehearse together was just an excuse. They just wanted to find out more about Fang Zhao.

When the transport ship arrived on planet Wai, the cast and crew members were ferried over to the film studio complex by flying transport.

Disembarking from the flying transport, the cast and crew were stunned.

In front of them was a palace that stretched out as far as their eyes could see. Majestic and imposing, it seemed to have centuries worth of history and culture ingrained within it. Everyone stood frozen in place, their mouths and eyes wide open. If it were possible, the entire place would have been littered with their eyeballs.

Mocking words with a glacial tone dragged everyone's attention away from the palace. "Tsk, how ignorant!"

Everyone's attention turned to a person dressed in black with ghastly makeup and was wearing two sharp prosthetic teeth. He was disdainfully looking over the party that had just arrived.

He had probably just came out from the place, and had a few bodyguards and assistants with him. Due to the thick makeup, his appearance was indistinguishable, and nobody could recognize who he was. However, this person who dared to ridicule these few first-rate celebrities was probably not be an actor from Yanzhou.

Watching the other person's arrogant back as he walked away, all the cast and crew had the same thought: Who does this f*cker think he is!?

But in no time, their attention returned to the place before their eyes.

"What the f*ck!"

"This, this, this..."

"Is this real? It isn't some projection or virtual thing, right?"

"Let me touch... It is real! It's all real! It really exists!!"

"I heard that back on our Yanzhou mainland, this was the sort of place ancient emperors resided in!"

"I feel that my new villa is nothing but a chicken coop compared to this," He Lisi lamented.

Pillars made out of white jade, ash-colored brick roads, scarlet platforms on the ramparts, yellow ceramic roof tiles, vermilion walls...

The ancient construct before them was a myriad of colors. It was both dignified and dazzling!

The party followed instructions from the receptionist and walked in the direction pointed out to them. The more they saw, the more their hearts fluttered. For people of the New Era, viewing these ancient sights was a rather great battering and shock to their senses.

Strolling through the dusty-grey brick roads one step at a time, they felt as if they had traveled back in time several millennia. Especially He Lisi, who was playing the role of emperor. At this moment, he was so excited that both his hands were trembling. This was something he had never experienced before in all his years of acting. No other film set had ever given him this sort of feeling.

Only those born within would know the aura of an imperial family!

Only they would know absolute authority and glory!

This was the glittering gem spoken about in ancient culture and seen in art as in the information provided.

The few leads had actually been given a lot of material and images about palaces, with the purpose of helping them assimilate better into their roles. Originally, it had been assumed that they were headed to planet Wai for sealed filming to avoid harassment from the paparazzi, but never had they expected such a pleasant surprise upon arrival. As these film stars walked on and on, they fell into character!

When the director noticed the mannerisms of those few actors and actresses changing, he did not let anyone go over and disturb them.

"I don't know if anyone noticed, but just now, before we entered the palace gates, there was a stone tablet beside the gates that was inscribed with the name of the design team," a cameraman muttered quietly.

"Eh? Why didn't I notice? Are there any photos?" someone beside him asked.

"I have them!"

The cameraman selected the photograph he had taken just before they had entered the palace gates and enlarged the part with the stone tablet.

On it were close to 100 names of designers and architects, probably arranged in order of importance. The first few people were renowned experts in the fields of history, archaeology, engineering, architecture, and a few others. Anyone not in the know could just search for their names on the internet and there would be lots of related information. Some of the accomplishments on record were enough to dazzle the reader.

But people among the cast and crew had not expected to see a name among the front twenty that would surprise them.

"Fang Zhao?"

"Why is he everywhere?"

"Is he the same Fang Zhao as the one we know?"

"It is highly probable that it is him. I heard that Fang Zhao's history is really good and that he is even a member of the advisory panel for 'Battle of the Century' that Fiery Bird consults with."

"That means to say that the reason we came to film here might really have been because of Fang Zhao?"

"If that is the case, we really have to thank him!" the director exclaimed.

Compared to film sets of ancient constructs, this sort of experience was something that many people in the industry had never come across before.

"It really is a large project!"

See, till now, which company had ever done what Silver Wing wanted to achieve: filming such a large and extravagant period drama!

Chapter 240: Flash Mob

The first building to go up in the film studio complex, besides the eye-catching palace, was a hotel, but it was a hotel with a retro design based on an ancient Chinese inn, not one of the skyscrapers that were ubiquitous in the New Era.

The cast and crew felt a sense of novelty staying at such an old-school hotel for the first time.

"This trip was worth it!"

This was what the members of the cast and crew were thinking. Even though they weren't used to planet Wai, there were many inconveniences, and they wouldn't see their families before shooting wrapped, as far as filming locations went, this one was decent. It was a form of alternative tourism.

There were no tall buildings, and they were surrounded by lush mountains and pristine waters, as well as the faux-ancient buildings that were being completed over time. All their anxiety had gone out the door.

"I have a hunch that this place is going to become a popular destination," the director predicted while standing on the second floor of the hotel.

Just from initial appearances, you could tell that this wasn't just another run-of-the-mill investment. Silver Wing was in it for the long haul, not to mention the fact that there were investors from other continents.

Just as the "Beauties" cast and crew settled into their hotel, Zaro had returned to his turf on a neighboring mountain dressed like a vampire, his entourage in tow.

He checked out the progress on Silver Wing's imperial palace every day, followed by a tour of all the neighboring projects.

He was upset that construction on his own project was slow in comparison to the Silver Wing palace.

"How come it's still not done? Silver Wing is about to finish their Phase I. I visited their construction site today—they're getting ready to start Phase II. How come our Phase I hasn't even kicked off?"

Zaro's agent had no answer for his client's grievances. He had been working in earnest with their design team for days now. The complexity of the project had just become apparent. "Who knows why Silver Wing is so quick. Maybe they prepared ahead of time."

Everyone was overwhelmed with work. Only Senior Master Zaro had the time to dillydally.

Even though Zaro's agent had opposed the investment initially, he had felt more reassured after meeting other investors when they had arrived on Wai. He still believed there was a profit to be made.

In which case, they had to do things properly. The design of their building had to be meticulous. This was the hardest part.

"Silver Wing is in a hurry because they need to start shooting their TV series," the agent added.

Zaro sneered. "You mean that period drama you were talking about? I hear it's just about a bunch of women bickering and fighting. It's bound to flop, haha."

Zaro's agent wanted to tell his client that this was a project handpicked by Silver Wing's CEO, that she had better taste than he did and that her decision was most likely based on in-depth market research, but considering the obnoxiously confident look on Zaro's face, he shut up. Anything he said would fall on deaf ears.

In fact, they all knew there were few period TV dramas being made. Everyone was reluctant to make them because they were typically scrutinized by academics relentlessly and were derided as being historically inaccurate or having crappy props and special effects and whatnot. The number of period dramas that had won prizes at the major award ceremonies in recent years could be counted on one hand. Most were of the art-house variety and didn't strike a chord with mainstream audiences.

When Zaro had first arrived on Wai and found out that Silver Wing was shooting a new TV drama, he had felt that his company was obliged to follow suit. They were building a film studio, after all.

Let's do it!

Let's make a period drama too!

But Leizhou's historical sequence of events was different from Yanzhou's, both during the Old Era and during the ancient times prior to that. So Zaro had done quite a bit of research and found out what other investors in the film studio complex were making. Woo Tianhao and his uncle were going to shoot a kung fu series with a lot of wire stunt work, and Barbara was going to remake a few children's plays from the Old Era. When he had visited her yesterday, Barbara had been ordering a pumpkin carriage and glass slippers from Earth. Zaro had thought she was insane.

After extensive research and intelligence gathering, Zaro had decided on a genre: a vampire film.

"We're not going to make a typical vampire movie. Weren't there movies about vampire dukes and whatnot during the Old Era? I built myself a castle, so let's make a 'vampire duke' movie."

"Have you decided on the cast?" Zaro's agent asked.

"The last leading man you picked didn't cut it. All he had to offer was a pretty face. What good does a pretty face do? It takes talent to carry a movie," Zaro complained.

"Talent? What kind of talent do you mean?"

"Like mine."

"..." Zaro's agent went silent. From where does Zaro's boundless confidence come?

Zaro had decided to star in the movie himself. That was why he was running around in a vampire outfit. In his own words, it was part of getting into character.

"I think I need to come up with a stage name for myself." The idea had struck Zaro after chatting with a few of the Silver Wing actors today.

Zaro's agent didn't bother to lift his head. "Celebrities use stage names when they join the industry to improve their fortunes or for other purposes, such as drawing attention."

"But from what I hear, more than 90 percent of the most influential actors don't use their real names. I think it's better if I come up with a stage name. Who knows, it might change my fortune and lead to major box office success."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I asked around. Folks like to add syllables to their own names. My name is Zaro. We can spice it up into Kaizaro or Pizaro or Bizaro."

The agent silently cursed. Why don't you just call yourself Zaro the Idiot?

"Or I could follow Woo Tianhao's lead and get rid of my surname," Zaro continued.

"What difference does that make for you? Zaro Renault minus the surname is still Zaro."

"True. Then which name should I use?"

Zaro's agent was in a ruthless mood. "Forget it. You're too famous in Leizhou, Senior Master. No amount of disguising will make a difference."

Zaro pondered the response and found himself in agreement. It's true. I only have myself to blame for being so famous in Leizhou. This thought pleased Zaro mightily.

"When will construction finish on our end?" Zaro asked.

"The design has to be meticulous. It's going to take a while. Silver Wing must have prepared in advance. Who knows how far in advance their planning started. And now they're in a hurry to shoot. You can understand why they finished construction quickly, but take a look at the others. Has anyone else finished as quickly as Silver Wing?" Zaro's agent asked.

"That's true. Woo Tianhao's uncle's rooster crown palace isn't ready yet."

"It's called an amusement palace."

"Whatever. Our castle has to be completed before theirs is."

"The blueprint will be finalized in the next two days. Then progress will be quick. Send someone over from company headquarters first and let them decide on the cast. Have them send the cast and crew over as soon as possible."

Talk of the new film got Zaro excited again. His underlings would also bring along his new costumes and props. The outfit he had on didn't feel aristocratic enough.

"Let's make the surroundings a bit spookier," Zaro critiqued while examining the design.

Zaro's agent ignored him.

"I noticed Fang Zhao's name is among those engraved in the stone monument near the entrance to Silver Wing's palace that honors the designers. Remember to engrave my name on our monument," Zaro barked before he left.

"Got it," Zaro's agent said, but again, he was secretly cursing. Fang Zhao's name was included because he made an actual contribution. What have you done? All you've done is boss people around even though you don't know jacksh*t. But of course your name has to be engraved, given your personality, and it has to be listed first. Well, let's credit you as the owner of the castle, not a designer, then.

On the internet.

Silver Wing's official social media account posted another update.

"Epic imperial court drama 'Beauties' kicks off shooting!"

Silver Wing's filmed entertainment department also posted nine pictures. The first was a picture of the creative team, the backdrop being a grand imperial palace. The other pictures included stills of the palace and shots of the leading characters in costume. There were also pictures of the actors posing inside the palace in character.

He Lisi was resplendent in emperor's yellow, oozing imperial authority and presence.

The female leads were decked out in elaborate costumes and accessories, looking either elegant and dignified or shapely and flirtatious.

Because it was such a big-budget production, the creative team paid incredible attention to the wardrobe and accessories. The production had a completely different feel compared to the low-budget period dramas of the past. Add to that the good-looking and talented cast and it was a mouth-watering prospect for eager fans.

The last picture was an aerial shot of the imperial palace set. The caption noted the set was an exact replica of the actual palace.

"An actual 1:1 replica!"

"No special effects? They built an actual ancient imperial palace on planet Wai?"

"No wonder they had to shoot on Wai. Silver Wing built a friggin' palace there!"

"I'm floored. Silver Wing has really gone all out."

After the photos were posted, the reverberations weren't limited to Yanzhou. Fans from other continents were also blown away by the scale of Silver Wing's investment.

Prior to Silver Wing, no one had actually built such a massive set on a foreign planet. Even if there were examples, the scale was smaller.

The Silver Wing publicity team was also fanning the flames behind the scenes. In no time, news of Silver Wing's massive set dominated entertainment headlines in Yanzhou. Silver Wing got major global exposure as a result.

Just as fans were engaged in fervent discussion about Silver Wing's Wai set and pundits analyzed whether or not it was a wise investment, film studios from other planets made their moves.

Tongzhou's Legend Pictures issued the following social media update.

" 'Mountain of Immortals' cast and crew head to planet Wai."

The update was posted with a picture of the cast and crew posing for a picture at the entrance to a space port.

Soon, Zaro's Wireless Media from Leizhou posted an update.

" 'Vampire Duke' cast and crew en route to Wai for upcoming shoot."

The accompanying photos showed a similar backdrop—another space port.

In Lazhou, Cinderella Entertainment announced:

" 'Cinderella' cast and crew heading to planet Wai."

The accompanying photo was also a group picture at a space port.

The three updates were bombshells in the entertainment industry.

"Cinderella Entertainment? I've never heard of them before."

"Word has it the company is owned by Barbara Lakalina. Lakalina!"

Even if folks from other continents had no idea who Barbara was, the Lakalina surname gave her instant credibility.

"Is there a space port flash mob going on?"

"They're addicted!"

"These are all well-connected movie studios."

"Come to think of it, shooting on Wai is suddenly the cool thing to do."

"I just want to know when these studios started investing in planet Wai. I'm curious what else is being built on Wai."

"I'd like to check out Wai for myself."

"I'll spare you the trouble. I'm looked into it already. You can only reach Wai by freight vessel for now. None of these flights are open to the public."

"Isn't S4 based on Wai? Did they mention these movie sets during their live broadcasts?"

"No. Woo Tianhao's got tight lips."

Many folks were puzzled that the film studios had started pouring money into planet Wai, and why Wai?

The entertainment headlines were dominated by news of the new TV productions on planet Wai. As hard as the publicity teams for other new TV shows tried, they couldn't escape being overshadowed.

Fans were obsessed. Every time they saw an announcement about a new TV series, all they asked was where the show was being shot and why it wasn't being shot on Wai.

Other competing entertainment companies were at a loss, their bosses bewildered by the headlines about the upcoming productions on Wai. They had no idea when Silver Wing, Wireless Media, Legend Pictures, and the newly formed Cinderella Entertainment—studios that had previously had nothing to do with each other—had secretly joined hands for a new venture on Wai.

We gotta get to the bottom of this. When did they form an alliance? What exactly are they up to on Wai?

Chapter 241: Appreciate

Everyone wished to know why these few entertainment companies had joined hands and when it had started, but no matter how much people dug, they could not find any concrete information. It seemed as if these companies had come together all of a sudden.

A few entertainment reporters had gotten wind of Silver Wing's plans to film the new drama and even gone to the coastal city where Silver Wing had been constructing the set. In the end, when the information was released, they felt as if Silver Wing had made a fool out of them!

Watching various casts and crews releasing photos and information every day to tantalize people's appetites, all entertainment reporters could do was scratch their cheeks in frustration.

Renowned paparazzi from every continent were specifically targeted by netizens for abuse.

"What are the paparazzi kings from every continent even doing!"

"Nothing but a bunch of trash!"

"Stop fooling us with trivial matters from other drama series! What we really want to know are things concerning planet Wai. Whatever drama series, be it 'Beauties,' 'Mountain of Immortals,' 'Vampire Duke,' or 'Cinderella,' any of them is fine. Our expectations are not high, just a few shots of those celebrities every day will do!"

Entertainment reporters viewing these comments could only feel bitter.

This is called not having high expectations?! If I could snap such a photograph, would I still have to be here doing this?

Silver Wing and the other entertainment companies had a complete grasp of all information now. Unless they chose to release information, nobody would be able to dig anything up.

Was protecting themselves against these reporters the reason they had chosen to film on another planet?

Treacherous, how sinister!!

"We can't allow this to go on!" a middle-aged reporter cried out helplessly as he browsed the discussions online. All they could do was wait for information from planet Wai to reach them.

"What can we even do? It's not like we have a spacecraft to fly across the cosmos in," a young entertainment reporter said as he lay down on a chair.

"Maybe we can try sneaking on board a transport ship headed to planet Wai."

"Like a stowaway?"

"My *ss! Are you tired of living? And being a stowaway, do you think the guns being wielded by those soldiers are toys?"

"So your meaning is?"

"Scout out what other drama's production team is headed to planet Wai and infiltrate the crew. After that, follow the crew over to planet Wai."

"That is the only way."

Yanzhou.

Wang Tie, considered by many the paparazzi king of Yanzhou, groaned as he saw the online abuse calling him "trash." Very well, You people have gotten my blood racing!

Isn't it just planet Wai? He would always find a means of getting there.

He only feared Fang Zhao. Nobody else could make him afraid, and now that Fang Zhao was undergoing military service on planet Baiji, Wang Tie did not have to be worried about encountering him.

Each and every continent's paparazzi king was competing with the others. Now, using this matter as an excuse, they could prove who among them was the king among paparazzi kings!

Without having to worry about entertainment reporters on Earth, celebrities in Wai's film studio complex could film in peace. During their free time, they could even play to their heart's content without worrying about having their photograph taken.

Only celebrities without much reputation wished to stir up news. Most of the celebrities that had come over did not need to self-hype. As long as filming was completed, their respective companies would help them stir up their popularity. All they needed to do was go about their filming conscientiously.

After yet another scene was shot, the cast members had a short rest period.

Ji Polun sat aside summarizing his inadequacies. No wonder He Lisi was a first-rate Yanzhou superstar. With just an action of lowering his eyebrows, he could make other people feel anxious. Just now, Ji Polun's trembling had been a natural reaction, not him acting.

He still had to work hard; otherwise, he would only have the life of a supporting character. Moreover, he did not want to continue acting as a eunuch for future roles.

However, following beside a first-rate superstar still had its perks. He Lisi had divulged some information to him.

"Beauties" was a project their big boss had personally decided on, and their standards were high. Duan Qianji might seem rather mild normally, but that was on the basis that she was satisfied. If anyone displeased her, she would make sure that person did not have an easy time. Therefore, regardless of whether any celebrities had any conflicts or grievances normally, when it came to filming, all such things were set aside—otherwise they would be out of luck.

Everyone had assumed that "Beauties" was a project the big boss had planned for a long time and regarded as very important, but according to the information He Lisi had revealed to Ji Polun, this imperial palace drama was just testing the waters. If it was successful, there would be an even larger project to come. It would be a period piece as well, but on a larger scale and about a monarchy and a power struggle.

Whether Ji Polun could get into the cast for the next project would be up to his own ability. If he didn't act well this round, by the time the next project came along, he might have to pack his bags and leave.

Of course, Ji Polun did not want to leave. Taking part in the company's large film project here naturally brought about lots of benefits. Another reason was that, at this film studio complex, besides Yanzhou's Silver Wing, there were other film companies and production teams from other continents. Getting to know more people was always useful—who knows, it might help him achieve global popularity that much faster.

Thinking back to the stone tablet beside the palace gates, Ji Polun sighed in his heart. Fang Zhao was really remarkable. Nobody knew what role Fang Zhao had had in this matter; all they knew was that Fang Zhao had participated in the investment of this film studio complex and was part of the design team. Those from other continents seemed to have connections with Fang Zhao. Someone from the production team had said that when he had heard Tongzhou's Woo Tianhao and Leizhou's Senior Master Zaro talking, Fang Zhao had been mentioned.

In the future, I have to stop by the virtual projects department more often, Ji Polun thought to himself.

————

Woo Tianhao watched the image captured by the camera. He was wearing a flowing snow-white chang pao and clutching a jade-handled fan. Elegant and graceful, the image portrayed a confident and handsome youth!

"Handsome!" Woo Tianhao exclaimed as he stroke the long wig he was wearing, hinting to special dispatched reporter Tucker to begin.

When the indicator lights of the live broadcast turned on, Woo Tianhao chose the angle he had meticulously picked out and put on an expression he thought made him look coolest. At the moment the live broadcast started, he made a half turn and opened the fan with a swish. With a graceful smile, he faced the camera. "Woo Tianhao, Mountain of Immortals."

Tucker's cheeks twitched as he operated the camera. So freaking pretentious!

However, Woo Tianhao's fans were lapping it all up, as S4's comments section had gone into a frantic whirlwind of discussion.

Who cared about how excited Woo Tianhao's fans were? People who had other purposes for viewing this channel had their attention on something else.

"Does that mean he is acting in 'Mountain of Immortals'?"

"Is he starting to publicize it?"

"I just want to see what's going on at planet Wai and why they are so secretive about it."

Woo Tianhao simply did not care about what others were thinking. He just wanted to show off first at the start of the live broadcast. After showing off, he continued, "I know that everyone wishes to ask about the happenings on planet Wai and wishes to see the surroundings. However, I'm sorry to say that, for the time being, I won't be able to answer all your queries. The best I can do is to show you around my dojo."

Any news regarding the filming of "Beauties," which had already started, could only be released by Silver Wing. This was something Duan Qianji had specifically discussed with him.

He was not from Yanzhou and did not have to give Duan Qianji face. However, he needed to comply to the development agreement of the film studio complex. Not just Silver Wing, all other parties had the same opinion. Any information was to be released by the party themselves, not from any other sources. If anyone wished to release information through the live broadcast, they would naturally look for Woo Tianhao and discuss a collaboration. If not, Woo Tianhao would keep his lips tight. He also had to pay special attention to what the camera was filming so as to not accidentally reveal stuff.

Anyone who broke the agreement would be kicked out of the film studio complex. This had been clearly stated even before the agreement had been signed.

Even his own uncle's constructions had not been shown. The real sets of "Mountain of Immortals," with temples with red pillars, green tiles, and eaves, was still under construction. His uncle had said that they still needed an air of secrecy, so Woo Tianhao had not filmed anything.

Viewers were slightly disappointed, but even if they could not see other areas, they could still get to see the "dojo" Woo Tianhao was talking about. All the viewers of channel S4 were still very curious about this.

"Oh, he built a dojo on planet Wai?"

"Is it that sort of place where people in the Old Era gathered to practice martial arts?"

"Is it also for filming?"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, let us see what Tianhao's dojo looks like!"

Following that, as all the viewers were eagerly anticipating what was to come, Woo Tianhao showed them the foundations of a building.

The audience: "..."

On the contrary, Woo Tianhao was in high spirits. "Here is where the first dojo will be. Construction starts today. Following this, every day, we will get to see the changes and watch as the dojo comes to life!" Woo Tianhao brought the audience around to admire the foundations of the dojo before saying, "I know that many people are disappointed, but I have a surprise for everyone today."

Viewers that were preparing to change channels widened their eyes momentarily and stared at the screen without blinking as they waited for the surprise Woo Tianhao had mentioned. Could it be a special appearance by a celebrity, or perhaps it was some other special construction?

As they thought about it, the viewers' anticipation gradually built up once more.

At the moment of unbearable tension, a ghastly white face with sharp fangs dripping with fresh blood and dark circles around its bloodshot eyes suddenly appeared and covered the entire screen. "Arrghhh!"

Online audience: "..."

"I was having my meal, and now all my food is on the floor!"

"F*ck! This! Sh*t! Your daddy was lying in bed watching the live broadcast. I was startled by it and knocked my head when I jumped out of bed!"

"It is late over here where we are at. Now I'm totally awake."

"Who is this idiot!"

"Speaking of idiots, I just remembered a person."

In the live broadcast, that face that covered the entire screen backed away with a weird cackling laughter. As he wiped away the "blood" from his mouth, he said, "Greetings, everyone, it is I, the vampire duke Zaro. Are you surprised, are you glad? Hahahaha! What you just saw was my berserk mode—I bet you were all frightened!"

Online audiences: "..."

"Indeed, it is him. The moment I heard that Wireless media was investing there, I just knew he would go over."

"I watched this sort of rubbish on channel S5, so I switched to S4. Why do I still see him?"

Although viewers had been startled by Zaro's frightful disguise, they were still very curious. Zaro even brought them to take a look at his first castle and show off a great deal.

In the days that followed, every day, channel S4's live broadcast revealed some photographs and videos that each film company wanted to release.

On a certain day, all the casts and crews that had arrived on planet Wai gathered for a group photo. The location tagged in the photograph was "Wai Film Studio Complex."

"Wai Film Studio Complex?"

"Planet Wai actually built a film studio complex?"

"This sounds really impressive. A film studio complex, eh? The few companies from Yanzhou, Tongzhou, Leizhou, Lazhou are all filming there, so the quality there must be really high!"

Teams from the companies involved had also made arrangements to jointly hype it up and publicize the Wai Film Studio Complex. Through the joint publicity campaigns, netizens had started to feel that, unless filming was done on planet Wai, it would not be considered a large investment.

The Wai Film Studio Complex had made its mark. Especially in the film and television circles, it could be considered to be known by everyone.

In photos released from the film studio complex, ancient constructs that had only appeared in history books had reappeared at full scale on planet Wai!

It was not just one building or one street. Instead, it was extensive, and there were buildings from many different periods in time. Unique ancient architecture from every single continent, covering a wide range of different styles, communities, and methods had appeared before the people of the New Era!

Flavors of civilization, culture, and history!

Not just those actors, even the masses wished to go over and see it for themselves. Many historical researchers also decided that they would make plans for a trip to planet Wai.

This also became a criteria for fans when it came to considering a movie.

Shooting a period drama and not heading to the Wai Film Studio Complex for filming? In that case, was the finished product watchable? Surely the quality would be about the same as those low-cost productions of the past!

Too large an investment? No way! Could a heavily invested firm not head to the Wai Film Studio Complex?

Upon knowing the thoughts of the fans, many entertainment companies also started having their own ideas.

Ones that wished to invest in planet Wai started inquiring through contacts about purchasing land from the Wai base and participating in the film studio complex project.

Those wanting to invest in planet Wai were largely film entertainment companies or hotel and restaurant chains.

Naturally, Huo Yi had given very preferential rates to the first batch of investors, but for those that came after, he was no longer so kind. Since the reputation had already been built up and the planet's popularity was being stirred up, parties wishing to invest here would still enjoy some preferential treatment, but it would not be on the same level as what the first batch had received, and the land would be more expensive.

In the future, as planet Wai's popularity rose even more, those wishing to invest in planet Wai would receive poorer rates the later they came. This was something everyone understood.

Entertainment companies that had abundant resources contacted Wai base straightaway to purchase land and start their own constructions!

But entertainment companies that had various reasons for not purchasing land—such as the high investment risk, long construction periods, or troublesome planning phase—felt that it would be more convenient to rent those sets.

Now that period dramas that touched on ancient history were all the rage, they also decided to ride the winds and engage in their own small-scale period dramas. When it came to filming, they would head to the film studio complex and rent a few suitable sets for filming. Over at the film studio complex, regardless of the location, rent would be calculated daily. Although the rent was not low, it had a much lower risk compared to investing.

Some smaller companies and private teams felt that filming between 10 days to half a month was all right. The main motive was to borrow the hype of the Wai Film Studio Complex. On a whole, it seemed rather cost effective.

There were parties who said they would be heading over for filming, but in fact, they were just visiting the place. No sets would be rented and they would just spent a few nights at the hotel and take a few photos to stir up news about themselves. After all, fans would not know whether they were really renting any sets for filming.

Actually, lots of parties had the funds to rent sets in the film studio complex, but they just could not get a spot!

How many entertainment companies across the twelve continents had the same idea of renting sets? There was a limit to area in the film studio complex. Even just renting a tavern required taking a queue.

At Planet Baiji.

Fang Zhao finished reading the latest financial reports sent over from planet Wai and continued to make amendments to the design plans.

Construction of the palace was a collective effort by the design team. Such a large palace was not just an exact replica on the outside. The palace court, inner rooms, surroundings, roof sculptures, materials, and many other details, right down to a pot of bonsai, had gone through meticulous planning.

Every single brick was being made with technology from the New Era. Although it might seem very similar to those from the Old Era, they were much more durable. After all, the materials used for construction could not be exactly the same. For people of the New Era, those Old Era constructions were way too weak. The bosses did not wish for the constructions they had so painstakingly strived to build getting ruined after only a few series were filmed either.

Now, Fang Zhao was in the midst of drawing up the plans of the street and official residence. Displayed on a screen beside him were all sort of materials and resources. These resources assisted him as he tried to recall the images buried deep in the recesses of his memory.

Fang Zhao was different from other historians of the New Era because his views and angles on these matters were different from those of others. He could view things from the angle of a person from the Old Era, while historians in the New Era would miss certain things.

"Construction on planet Wai hasn't been completed yet?" Kevin Lin asked as he dropped by.

They had already moved into their new single rooms, which were much more comfortable. Kevin Lin had gotten excited from browsing through the news and did not feel like sleeping, so he had come over to chat with Fang Zhao about the progress of the Wai Film Studio Complex.

"Soon. There is still one more street; after that is done, everything will be complete." Fang Zhao put down his pen and looked at Kevin Lin. "What news did you receive this time?"

"Heh, internal news. I heard that planet Wai has submitted an application for a film entertainment cultural base, but I have no idea whether it will be approved. However, if it is approved, those constructions that you people have invested in will no doubt appreciate in value."

Chapter 242: Dual Function Base

S4 saw a rise in viewership, but S5 remained pretty much the same. Viewership did not drop by much as there were still many interesting events occurring on planet Baiji and a lot of news.

Every time Fang Zhao followed people from the outpost team to assist with construction, some thrilling or exciting scene was captured—the weird creatures and plants of planet Baiji that could be both dangerous and violent.

Also, sometimes Fang Zhao followed the outpost team and completed more dangerous tasks that were not convenient for Kevin Lin to follow. Thus, in these cases, Kevin Lin headed to the military district and did some interviews to help the masses understand the thoughts of the pioneer immigrants. This aroused the curiosity of the many viewers as well.

The pioneer immigrants did not have as easy a time as others imagined. When they arrived here, they needed to adapt to all sorts of things. Physical acclimatization was still considered light—the main issue was psychological acclimatization. Fortunately, there were professional psychologists in the military district.

The masses learned about all these through Kevin Lin's live broadcasts and video interviews.

Kevin Lin also interviewed Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang. Probably due to them having similar experiences before, the two elders had not had many problems adapting after arriving at the military district. The people here were warm, friendly, and treated them well. As they loved the environment, the two elders would wait till Fang Zhao was discharged from the military next year before leaving together with him.

Shanta allowed Kevin Lin to have more interviews with the two Fang elders. This was good publicity for planet Baiji's immigration plan and told people that, among immigrants that came over, while there were some that did not adapt well, there were also others that adapted superbly.

Now, network fees were slowly dropping as the communications network structure was upgraded more and more. People who had been unable to adapt at the start no longer had such intense reactions.

Entertainment allowed people to divert their attention elsewhere. "Beauties" had already started airing with two episodes per day. Technological advancements had greatly shortened the time required for postproduction. As long as filming was smooth, each episode could be churned out quickly. There were special effects, but they were all supplementary, unlike those older period dramas in which, besides the cast, everything else was made from special effects. Some companies did not even have physical casts and used virtual idols instead.

The drama series that Zaro had reckoned would be awful quickly became the hottest show on all the large internet video websites after it started airing. A large majority of viewers were females. Many people from the military district here also loved watching it, and immigrants gathered together to watch it and save on network expenses.

After "Beauties," other drama series, including "Vampire Duke," Mountain of Immortals," and "Cinderella," began rolling out.

Although Zaro might normally have seemed unreliable, this time, he had been triggered, and his acting had improved a lot. Leizhou's audiences were all discussing what had caused such a big change in Zaro.

Zaro's agent felt gratified when he saw the amount of clicks on the internet. Bringing Zaro to watch Woo Tianhao film had had its upsides and had provoked Zaro into being slightly more serious when it came to acting. Why was it that Zaro's performance this time seemed especially good?

Because he had few lines!

If Zaro wanted to portray nobility, he could really do so. After all, he had been born into the Renault family and knew what it was like to be an aristocrat. If he was serious, he could really scare people—the only prerequisite was that he not speak. When this b*stard opened his mouth, people would just feel like hitting him.

During a discussion with the script writer, to obtain even better results, Zaro's agent had insisted that Zaro's original lines be cut by 70%!

"Vampire Duke" was popular among many youngsters. Ornamental silver crosses like the one that appeared in the series were best sellers. Even garlic saw a rise in price. In addition, household items that appeared in the series with special characteristics, along with that especially pretentious black cape, were selling like hotcakes.

Taking into account advertising fees, copyright fees, endorsements, and other sources of revenue, these drama series profited quite a lot. The money spent on purchasing land and constructing the castle was all recouped.

The other drama series all had similar circumstances, and all the companies involved were very satisfied.

Now, among very popular drama series, nine out of 10 series were shot at the Wai film studio complex. There were fairy-tale romances, action thrillers, medieval fighting movies, movies about court power struggles, supernatural horror flicks set in ancient times, and slapstick comedies. There were films that adults loved to watch and films suitable for children. Having watched lots of interstellar conflicts, superheroes vs. monsters, and explosive flicks, watching these films and dramas set in ancient times was a novelty for everyone.

The popularity of these few drama series gave rise to a new wave of historical fads. Filming outdoors on planet Wai was also convenient. If it were to switch to planet Baiji, if a group headed into the forests without a military squad for protection, nobody could say for certain whether anyone would return alive.

Presently, Silver Wing was also filming another drama on Wai, "Warring States," which was set in ancient times and was about a power struggle. Many new constructions were added for the filming of this next series.

Some Yanzhou celebrities that had opened their owned studios made connections with Silver Wing and came over to planet Wai for filming. Earnings were secondary; these people came with other motives. First, they wished to know what the Wai film studio complex was like, and second, with so many production teams here, there were actors, directors, and investment firms from continents across the entire world. Getting to know more people could help pave a few more roads in future.

Many people seemed to soar in Yanzhou, but when put on the global stage, they were nothing more than infants learning to talk. Yanzhou alone was too small. Any actor or actress with ambition aimed to develop themselves on the global stage, and Wai film studio complex gave them such an opportunity.

As Wai film studio complex was more or less fully developed and was being hyped up in the news, Wai base's commanding officer, Huo Yi, submitted an application for a film entertainment cultural base.

At the start, Huo Yi had been rather apprehensive. After all, previous applications to be a major research base had been rejected multiple times. Now that he was applying to be a film entertainment cultural base, he had expectations, but he also made mental preparations for rejection.

However, when he received the results and saw the words "application approved," Huo Yi's hands trembled and he wanted to scream, but he restrained himself from doing so. Suppressing the billowing ecstacy in his heart, Huo Yi sat in his own office the whole afternoon and carefully considered many things. However, when he returned to his senses, he realized he had not come up with anything.

On the same day, Huo Yi, informed every investor that the Wai film studio complex had officially been named "Wai Filmed Entertainment Cultural Base"!

When a few companies and superstars posted new statuses on their social platforms, the tagged location had already changed to "Wai Filmed Entertainment Cultural Base."

Film studio complex and film entertainment cultural base. It was obvious from the names which of the two was of a higher level. Since approval had already been obtained, the original film studio complex would surely continue to expand, and development and would not be limited to the extent it was now.

Planet Wai could not be like planet Baiji and bank on having high-grade power ore to develop the planet. Wai had to take its own special path, so Huo Yi decided to build up the major research base and film entertainment cultural base. There was no need to compete with planet Baiji—all that was needed was to compete with other planets that were of similar levels.

The film entertainment cultural base being approved let a lot more people know about planet Wai. In the past, even though there had been the influence of Project Starlight, not many people had understood planet Wai. Now, with the rebuilding of those ancient historical structures, a lot more people were learning of planet Wai.

When investors that had adopted a wait-and-see approach saw this piece of news, a portion of them immediately made their choice, but the remainder continued to hesitate till Wai base had yet another announcement. Wai Major Research Base had been approved.

After the film entertainment cultural base had been approved, Huo Yi had clenched his teeth once more and submitted the application for a major research base. From an economics point of view, there were many examples. For example, during the filming for the film Silver Wing had invested in, "Beauties," many of the plants within the palace had been transplanted from the experimental plots. Furthermore, with the extreme popularity of this series, a few of the bonsai plants featured inside had become highly sought after.

Through these means, plants from the experimental plot had publicized their existence. This was something that had been discussed between Silver Wing and the relevant researchers.

A few large wholesale vendors of the flowers and plants market had contacted planet Wai to place an order for a batch of these goods.

With popularity and economic value, the probability of it being approved had been much higher, but even so, when Huo Yi had received the results, he had not been able to control himself as tears flooded his eyes.

Finally approved!

A dual-function base!

Double insurance!

When the extent of the film entertainment cultural base and major research base got even bigger, Wai base would surely be expanded. Wai base would still be a far cry from Baiji military district when it came to power, benefits, and development rate, but it would still be much stronger than before!

After the major research base was approved, the "Ark plan" experiment was going to continue, and crops with high economic value were going to be resurrected from the stored seeds. As long as there was interest to provide the impetus, there would be sufficient plants for this research.

In the past, whenever investors had heard about the plan to head for planet Wai, the first thought that had come to their minds was this: Cough. Don't even think about tricking me into investing there!

Now, although planet Wai was continuing to seek out investors, the rates were no longer as favorable as before. The prices of land here had increased many times over, and there were restrictions from other ends as well.

For people paying attention to Project Starlight, they could not help but think about this. Among the five channels, first it was S5 that had triggered a planetary reform of sorts. Next the planet S4 had been become a dual-function base. Viewers couldn't help but wonder whether the remaining three channels could come up with any more big news.

The people that had proposed Project Starlight were now beaming with pride. Hasn't it already changed the fates of two planets?

On Planet Baiji. Fang Zhao read through yet another weekly financial report. In the past few weeks, both revenue and expenses had been rising, but on the whole, the financial situation was good.

Now, more and more people were heading to Wai's film entertainment cultural base for filming. Some only rented small sets—for example, a tavern and two shops.

Kevin Lin browsed through the news and lamented, "Now everyone knows the two must-sees on planet Wai. The first is the film entertainment cultural base, to admire every continent's ancient structures and styles and have a time-transcending experience, and the other is the major research base's peach garden. I heard that the best time for admiring the peach blossoms is over. Next year, when the garden is flowering, I shall head over for a look."

As he looked at planet Wai's sceneries and remembered the conditions on planet Baiji, Kevin Lin felt that if planet Baiji had not discovered high-grade power ore, its position on the development sequence would have continued to slide down as time passed by, not because its landscape was no good but because Baiji was just too dangerous.

"The Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base has so many celebrities. Perhaps one might even run into a few superstars when having a meal there. I really wish to go for a visit. Special dispatched reporters should have clearance, right? We aren't entertainment reporters, after all." Kevin Lin searched the web but did not find any definite regulations. All he found out was that there had been an increase in spaceflights to planet Wai. Besides transport ships, there were also other spacecrafts, but anyone heading there was required to go through a thorough inspection, and the number of troops garrisoned on planet Wai had been increased.

"If your company helps you apply for it, the probability will be even higher. If you apply as an individual, that side might not necessarily permit you on board," Fang Zhao replied.

Kevin Lin muttered a few lines to himself. Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly asked, "Hey, Fang Zhao, you will surely head over often after your military service, right? Moreover, your company has a leading piece of land over at the film entertainment cultural base? You also invested in it as well. Perhaps you can even have a small role in a certain drama just for fun. Nowadays, celebrities with some reputation are invited to cameo in films, just like that shooting champion from Mazhou, Ma Xier. He had also starred as a sniper hitman in a film. Having these sorts of small roles can raise your popularity."

For what Kevin Lin saw, Fang Zhao getting a cameo or two, showing his face, and satisfying some cravings was good enough, There was no way he could have any important supporting roles, let alone play a lead character.

Fang Zhao laughed but did not say anything more. His communications device was ringing.

Fang Zhao was astonished when he answered. "Denzel?"

"Fang Zhao, have you returned to the outpost?"

Denzel looked skinnier than the last time they had talked and did not seem to be in good shape, as if he had not slept in a long time.

"I'm back already, what's up?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Could you help me contact planet Wai? I wish to rent a body of water at the pole of planet Wai. All the paperwork and cultivation qualifications are all complete. If not for the fact that the bodies of water at the poles of Earth are not permitted for private leasing, I would have already successfully cultivated here."

Denzel had heard from the researchers on planet Wai about Fang Zhao visiting planet Wai. Although he might have already left the Academy of Science, he still had contacts and could find out this information rather easily.

The bodies of water at the polar regions were no longer available for lease. Denzel had prepared all the required documents and resources only to be told that they were no longer available. Denzel was awfully anxious right now and had contacted many people for help, and he had found out from a few ex-classmates at the Academy of Science that the bodies of water of the polar regions on planet Wai were close to those of Earth's. But now, planet Wai's checks were really stringent, and they could not help him. But they mentioned that perhaps Fang Zhao could have a word with Huo Yi.

Now, Huo Yi was full of confidence and could put on airs. Planet Wai was no longer short of research projects, and the major research base had already been approved, so there was no need to let other research projects in. For these sorts of applications that requested claiming a body of water, Huo Yi just browsed through and deleted them.

Many people were watching planet Wai, and Huo Yi was not willing to make any mistakes, so he would rather not accept any new incoming research projects. Now that a major research base was being developed, it would all get smoother in future. He could not afford to damage their bright future.

There was no need him to personally vet through the applications anymore, as he had a professional team in charge of reviewing potential investors. All Huo Yi needed was to just have a brief understanding.

Therefore, Denzel had contacted Fan Lin and received word on the timing of Fang Zhao's duties in the outpost. After Fang Zhao had completed his duties for the day and returned to his room, Denzel had contacted him right away.

"If it is successful, I can give you a 30% discount for feed purchased from me. No, 50%! As long as you are willing to help, 50% off for feed, is this all right with you? That hybrid sea slug eats a lot, I can't give the feed to you for free, but 50% off is already the best price." Denzel continued on, "I don't require anything much, just so long as you just mention a word to Huo Yi."

Fang Zhao did not give a reply straightaway but instead asked, "Are you just cultivating krill? Let me take a look at the electronic file."

Denzel sent Fang Zhao a large file right away. The required files had long been prepared. If not for the fact that Earth's bodies of water were not for lease, he would not have needed to come running to Fang Zhao.

Denzel was also feeling sullen. Originally, when he had found out about Fang Zhao's dog that was worth 100 million, he had decided to sell the feed to Fang Zhao at a premium. Unfortunately, before he had even been able to put the plan into action, he'd had to come looking for Fang Zhao again. Not only could he not sell it at a high price, he needed to give a discount.

Fang Zhao briefly browsed through the file and nodded. "I will ask first and inform you immediately if there is news."

After ending the call, Fang Zhao went through the electronic file carefully. Denzel had already filed for patents for the technological procedures mentioned in the file and so was not afraid of it being stolen. Otherwise, Denzel would also not having been willing to hand over the file just like that.

After reading through it, Fang Zhao brought up a map of planet Wai that Huo Yi had given him. The map was not complete, but it displayed the areas that could be purchased.

After viewing the polar region's bodies of water, Fang Zhao spun the map around before suddenly stopping. He had spotted a place on the edges of a desert. He looked at the climate data displayed for that area. There, the relative humidity was low and there was little life. It was one of the few areas on planet Wai that seemed to have an aura of death.

Chapter 243: Revolutionary Projec

Fang Zhao studied that area once more. There were mountains and valleys, but it suffered from low rainfall and had a desert climate. The surrounding were all sand and rocks, and there were very few species living there. Because of this, the entire area emanated an aura of death, unlike other regions. Even without personally heading over, he could tell just from looking at the map.

Looking at the time, Fang Zhao contacted Huo Yi.

As Fang Zhao had been among the first batch of investors and had contributed greatly to the film entertainment cultural base, Huo Yi gave Fang Zhao special treatment and let Fang Zhao contact him directly for any important matters.

Recently, Huo Yi had been very pleased, and it was written on his beaming face in the video call. "Fang Zhao? What's up? Don't tell you are looking to invest somewhere?"

Fang Zhao selected that area on the map and showed it to Huo Yi. "Are you selling this plot of land?"

The area was slightly larger, and Fang Zhao did not have sufficient funds on hand to purchase it. His funds had been invested in the film entertainment cultural base and would not return so quickly. However, a loan was possible. He just wanted to make inquiries as to the price of this piece of land first.

Huo Yi was stunned for a moment when he saw the area Fang Zhao had brought up. Afterward, patting the back of his own head, Huo Yi said, "I almost forgot! That map has not yet been updated. You can forget about that area; somebody has already bought it. Previously, I was so busy I forgot to update the map. I'll get somebody to update the information in a bit and show the areas that have already been purchased. Just wait a moment, let me send you the newest version."

Upon receiving the new map Huo Yi sent over, Fang Zhao was even more astonished when he saw that area on the map. Not only was the area he wanted to buy taken, a large part of the surrounding areas had also been encircled. The entire area claimed was three times larger than the amount of land of every investor of the film entertainment cultural base put together.

Fang Zhao was curious. "The entire thing was bought by somebody? The entire thing? Who?" It was reasonable to think that nobody would have noticed the area on the map. Right now, all planet Wai investors were looking for scenic locations and pleasant places. Exactly what sort of person would set their eyes on this sort of area?

When Huo Yi heard Fang Zhao's questions, he fell silent for a few seconds, and then he said, "The Interplanetary Fund."

Only a big player like the Interplanetary Fund had the power to claim such a huge expanse of land right when planet Wai's land prices were rising.

"Is it for building a city?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I have no idea why the Fund purchased such a large expanse of land, but it definitely isn't for a city. We have signed a confidentiality agreement regarding that area. In the future, regardless of whatever is built there, no questions will be asked. However, what I can confirm is that there are no immigration policy plans."

Huo Yi scanned through the map, feeling puzzled deep down. They were so many good areas on planet Wai. Whether it was for commercial or residential purposes, there were many better choices. Why did they view this area as important?

The Interplanetary Fund seemed to be up to something mysterious. It was as though they did not want anybody to know what was going on there, and they had already assigned an engineering team to begin constructing a perimeter wall, preventing anyone from looking inside. If it had been anyone else, Huo Yi would have long ago punched them in the face. Trying to put on airs? How can any area on planet Wai be out of Daddy's control?!

However, when the buying party was the Interplanetary Fund, Huo Yi was terrified.

He had climbed to the high position he now held with support from the Interplanetary Fund. Now he could not go against them. Besides, the Interplanetary Fund had said that his status on planet Wai would not change. As long as the Interplanetary fund did not do anything that harmed Wai, Huo Yi would not ask any questions.

"Forget about that area. How about you pick another location," Huo Yi suggested.

Fang Zhao pointed to a body of water near the polar regions. "Are you selling this area?"

"Polar waters? They can be purchased, but what do you intend to do there?" Huo Yi asked.

"I'm asking on behalf of someone." Fang Zhao sent over a series of files regarding krill cultivation. "Earth no longer permits cultivation at the polar regions, so he can only look for other alternatives. The waters at these areas of Wai are similar to the ones back on Earth, and he wishes to purchase an area to cultivate krill."

Huo Yi browsed through the files that were sent over and noticed a brief mention that the purpose was to improve nutritional doses. This made Huo Yi's heart skip a beat.

That company manufactured nutritional doses, and that was something the base also needed. However, Huo Yi did not immediately agree to it. Instead, he said, "The auditing process for krill cultivation is even more stringent."

"The information and resources are in order."

"Let me take a look first. If there are no issues, the area will be available to purchase."

Fang Zhao sent all the required information as well as audit reports to Huo Yi. Huo Yi then got specialists to verify it and confirm that it would not bring about any serious negative impacts to planet Wai's bodies of water before returning Fang Zhao's call.

With Fang Zhao's mediation, Denzel finally discussed terms and signed a contract regarding the purchase of a body of water on planet Wai. However, this time, Huo Yi did not personally attend to it. He left it to the relevant parties to handle.

Two days later, Fang Zhao received news from Denzel that Denzel had purchased the expanse of water he had been looking at. Soon, Denzel was going to bring along a batch of company workers and head for planet Wai to begin krill cultivation. He would also make some of the special feed for Fang Zhao's hybrid sea slug, so Fang Zhao could get someone to collect it.

On that day, Duan Qianji came over to Outpost 23.

As Hong Lou was part of Baiji military district, Duan Qianji was considered a family member and could live in the family district. However, as a boss, Duan Qianji was rather busy and frequently shuttled between Earth, Wai, and Baiji.

Every time Duan Qianji came, she also brought along some lifestyle accessories and higher quality foodstuffs for Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao did not keep them solely for himself, though, and called people from the outpost to share them.

Although Duan Qianji could contact Fang Zhao through his communications device, she chose to visit him personally every time. Fang Zhao had helped Hong Lou, and Silver Wing had invested in the Wai film studio complex becaused Fang Zhao had roped them in. It could be said that, compared to Yanzhou's other companies, Silver Wing had taken the first foray into the global film scene, and Fang Zhao's contributions could not go unnoticed. Visiting him personally was something Duan Qianji ought to do.

Dun Qianji discussed matters about the newly constructed housing street over at the film entertainment cultural base. Duan Qianji regarded Fang Zhao's opinions and design plans highly and recorded everything down. In addition, certain details in the drama series that had gone unnoticed were spotted by Fang Zhao, and she recorded them down so as to prevent making the same mistakes in the new drama series.

Duan Qianji did not stay at the outpost for too long. After finishing their discussion, as she was preparing to leave, she asked Fang Zhao, "Are there any other problems?"

"Yes."

Under Duan Qianji's puzzled gaze, Fang Zhao asked, "The revolutionary film project that kept being shelved, are they going to restart it?"

On the global scale, there were only a few film projects that could be termed "revolutionary." As for continuously being shelved, there was only one.

Back when Fang Zhao had only been in the virtual projects department for a short while, Fang Zhao had heard Rodney, Song Miao, and the others mentioning this, a film project regarding many important characters from the Period of Destruction. The project had been raised many years ago but had kept getting shelved.

That was a genuine blockbuster that would involve the film circles of all the twelve continents and all the respective aristocratic families, a revolutionary, groundbreaking film project!

Duan Qianji's face changed and her smile faded. With a grave expression, she said, "What news have you heard? Frankly speaking, I received information early on saying that the revolutionary film project might be restarted within the next few years, but that is all I know."

"A few days back, I took fancy to an area on planet Wai and felt that it was suitable for scenes of the Period of Destruction. I originally wanted to purchase the land and build something like a Period of Destruction cultural park in the future. As you all know, I have an interest in all things regarding the Period of Destruction, but little did I expect that the area had already been bought."

"Who?"

Fang Zhao opened up a map and pointed to an area much larger than the film entertainment complex. "The Interplanetary Fund. This whole area was purchased by them."

According to convention, for this sort of revolutionary film project, there was a very high possibility that the Interplanetary Fund would invest in it, and now they had bought that large area. Fang Zhao had asked Huo Yi and a few researchers on planet Wai and found out that there were no valuable minerals there and that didn't have as much scientific value as other areas when it came to conducting experiments. As for planet Wai's two distinguishing characteristics, one was the Ark plan—resurrection of stored seeds—and the other was film culture. Since the former was unlikely, what about the latter?

Therefore, Fang Zhao had surmised that perhaps somebody also wanted to develop the area into a landscape similar to the Period of Destruction and use it for other stuff, such as filming?

To get a better understanding of whether the situation was as he had guessed, Fang Zhao had asked Duan Qianji this question.

Duan Qianji did not doubt what Fang Zhao had said. She fell silent for a bit before nodding her head. "If that area was really made into a landscape from the Period of Destruction suitable for filming, then there is a high possibility of what you just said happening. That revolutionary film project might just be restarted!"

Many people had their eyes on this revolutionary project. When she had heard that the project could be rebooted in the coming few years, Duan Qianji had already starting making plans and rushed to generate a few films and series that could capture the eyes of global audiences and promote the film stars in her own company.

Choosing historical dramas could be considered a strategy. Regardless of the genre of any film, as long as their reputation and fame was put forward, that was good enough. If one series was no good, then two or three!

For such a revolutionary film project, forget about the company's A-list film stars, even their S-rank first-rate superstars might not be able to snag a satisfactory role!

As for other people, if they did not have enough fame or sufficient ability, they would not even be able to get a significant supporting role!

Duan Qianji left hastily. She wanted to go over to planet Wai and scout out the situation.

Fang Zhao browsed through entertainment news from every continent. Upon closer inspection, he realized that competition in the global film circles had escalated. Now, film companies from every continent were churning out large-scale productions in quick succession in order to tussle for viewership and popularity. It was probably as Duan Qianji had said. When everyone had gotten the news, they had rushed to promote their own company's celebrities and make them more noticeable so when the time came, they would have even more firepower when it came to vying for roles in the revolutionary project.

However, many people had not expected that the Wai Film Entertainment Cultural Base was going to pop up this year and result in historical works becoming highly popular. This time, Silver Wing's stars had successfully raised their global fame.

Fang Zhao opened his own notebook and flipped to the last page. On it were plans he had recorded. Picking up his pen, he added a line to it.

Who set the rule that only renowned actors could vie for roles in the revolutionary film project?

————

After Duan Qianji left the outpost, she changed the course of her journey. Originally, she had intended to return to Earth, but now she decided to head to planet Wai to make discreet inquiries as to the situation.

Following which, Duan Qianji gathered the company's few top film stars and agents for a meeting.

As a second-tier actor in the company, Ji Polun did not have the qualifications to be called for that meeting. After completing "Beauties," he had successfully managed to squeeze into a role for "Warring States." Originally, Ji Polun had been rather satisfied. Although that role might be a little effeminate, it was still an important supporting role, wasn't it? He had already acted as a eunuch, would he still be afraid of this? How many even wanted this role but could not get it!?

But after the few big names had been called over by the boss for a meeting, Ji Polun discovered that their attitudes had changed completely. Their acting had always been very professional, but now, this bunch had a change in attitude, as though a fire had been lit in their bellies.

Previously, Ji Polun had heard a few first-rate actors grumble during their mealtimes that the film schedule was too pressing and how they were exhausted and missed their homes and could not wait to return and rest. Now, though, even outside filming, even when they were extremely tired, these people seemed to have an inner fire. Ji Polun never heard them mention "returning and resting" ever again.

Intuition told Ji Polun that he could not take it easy!

Actors and actresses of a higher tier, even first-rate superstars, were all so hardworking. As a second-tier actor, how could he have the cheek to slack off? Furthermore, watching this bunch act up a storm, Ji Polun felt his own blood surging. What a great opportunity to learn!

The changes on the set of "Warring States" did not capture the attention of too many people.

There were now many production teams in the bustling film studio complex. Hoteliers here were making a windfall.

Because there were many people and identities were all confusing, it gave an opportunity for people to take advantage.

With his own superior disguises and the gift of gab, Wang Tie had successfully infiltrated the film studio complex.

However, just as he was about to step into the palace grounds, he saw the tablet beside the gates. When he caught sight of Fang Zhao's name, he had no time to even think as his balls shrank.

After making some inquiries, he felt that the name shown on the stone tablet had a high likelihood of being the same one as his greatest fear.

Making careful considerations, Wang Tie decided to avoid Silver Wing's sets and turned around. He headed over to other sets for a look. Every day, before he started work, he would first head online to check whether channel S5 had any live broadcasts and whether Fang Zhao had appeared in them. Only after confirming that Fang Zhao was still on planet Baiji would he set about his job in peace.

On Channel S4, today's live broadcast was Woo Tianhao instructing martial arts... to a bunch of tiger-eared monkeys.

These animals would not hurt people on purpose because they did not have a hostile nature. Woo Tianhao's uncle had said that the mountains needed some live animals so the scenes would have more vitality. Since Woo Tianhao's mountain was not used for filming, a few of these animals had been released there.

Woo Tianhao had proposed it, and the breeders had been more than happy to agree. On the second day, a group of tiger-eared monkeys had been sent over. At the start, these tiger-eared monkeys had still been quite guarded and had stayed away from humans, but gradually, they had discovered that getting closers to humans granted them even more delectable goodies. There was no need to worry about food and water here, and the food was much better than what the breeders had fed them. Now they wouldn't budge even if you chased them away.

On a certain day, when Woo Tianhao was practicing his martial arts, a tiger-eared monkey had imitated Woo Tianhao's actions and movements. Woo Tianhao had found this rather amusing and had not chased it away. Who could have known that two days later his Dojo would have a larger group of monkeys.

Never in Woo Tianhao's wildest dreams had he expected that his first batch of disciples would be a bunch of alien monkeys!

After the broadcast ended, Woo Tianhao received a call from his uncle.

"What's up? Wanna trick me into acting in a film again?"

Hearing his uncle approaching him to act in a new drama series, Woo Tianhao had prepared to reject him, but the following words made Woo Tianhao halt.

Excitement ran across Woo Tianhao's face as he asked, "That project, is it certain that it will be rebooted?"

"Around 80% probability that it will be rebooted. Filming will probably begin next year, latest by the following year. How about that, do you wish to strive for it?"

"You don't say! Of course I do!"

On another mountain.

Zaro's agent had just ended a call. He mulled it over for a bit before turning to gaze at Zaro who was bragging to some people at the moment. The assistant beside him felt that it was the sort of look a breeder gave a swine as he pondered how to fetch the best price for it.

Chapter 244: Bookworm

Netizens were not really in the know when it came to the intense competition between large film companies and private studios, as there was just too much news and gossip about films, serials, and whatnot. While this was all going on, yet another new round of military enlistment began.

There were two enrollment periods for military service: one in April and the other in October.

Generally speaking, the April batch saw more enlistees than the October one, as near the end of the year, it seemed like Memorial Day was drawing closer. Many people would choose to wait and spend Memorial Day with their family, have discussions, and make preparations before applying for enlistment in April.

However, the opposite happened this year.

The number of applicants for this October's batch of enlistees exploded by a whopping 291%. This was the figure given in an official announcement. Even without looking at all these statistical figures, most people could have guessed that this October's batch would increase by a lot. Especially among people in universities, many students that had yet to serve had decided to enlist.

Project Starlight was a success. It had brought about a zeal in youngsters for military service and brought about even more attention.

To best support the enthusiasm and zeal of youngsters, this round, the top brass had decided that the five planets involved in Project Starlight would take charge of enlistees applying to their respective planets. This meant that anybody who wanted to apply for military service on these five planets could do so, and those that were approved would be sent there. Only after being rejected would these enlistees than be allocated to another location by the system.

Youngsters looking to chase stars naturally chose the planets their idols were at for their own military service. Among Project Starlight's first batch, the planets S1, S2, and S3 had similar situations. They had more enlistees than previous years, but it wasn't too exaggerated. The exaggerated ones were the planets that channels S4 and S5 were on—planets Wai and Baiji.

Planet Baiji's position in the development sequence had shifted and was developing rapidly, which gave rise to a lot more people wanting to go over and strive to do their best. Who knew if it could benefit them in their own future careers.

Planet Wai also received a similar number of applications to planet Baiji because of the film entertainment cultural base. Military enlistees were mostly youths in their early twenties, with the majority being university students, and there were many that chased stars. The Wai Film Entertainment Cultural Base had a strong appeal to these people, especially with entertainment news reports claiming that it was easy to run into a celebrities even when picking a random restaurant for a meal. These sorts of reports made these youngsters rub their hands in glee.

However there was a limit for accepting enlistees. Even though planet Baiji and Wai had both increased their quotas, the amount of applicants greatly exceeded their plans. Thus, they had to use the system to filter applications before filling up their quotas.

That meant to say that for this round, the criteria that planet Wai and Baiji were using for accepting enlistees was much higher. If there were any stains on their personal files, any unsavory records, serious psychological illnesses, or other issues, that party would be filtered out. Especially for planet Baiji, where they also examined the physical records of potential enlistees as well as the physical fitness examination results from primary school all the way to university. Applicants that were physically fit took priority.

After the filtering process, the system then sent the results to the applicants.

Applicants that received notifications that Baiji Military District had accepted their application were required to head to the allocated hospitals in their respective continents for a medical checkup and then head to the respective military districts for basic military training, just like Fang Zhao had done back then. After a month of training, they would then be sent to planet Baiji.

On the transport ship headed toward planet Baiji, the young conscripts were full of nervousness and complex thoughts. When they could not fall asleep, they gathered together to chat.

"Hey people, since we are all going to be comrades, brother, what speciality are you going for?"

"Medicine."

"I specialize in Veterinary studies."

"Hahaha, looks like we are in the same field heh!"

"...It's different."

"Hey, what about the brother in front, what's your specialization?"

"Me? I'm in network engineering."

...

Under normal circumstances, if one wished to rise up in the military, generally, a whole lot of time was needed to grind one's way to the top. But right now, planet Baiji was going through a period of rapid development and expectation, and this counted as special circumstances. Using this as a pretext, it was a really good opportunity to vie for meritorious deeds, so everyone had their eyes on planet Baiji. Planet Baiji gave people from all professions a chance to strive forward for greater future prospects.

But when these young conscripts finally arrived on planet Baiji, they were welcomed with a bug feast.

Baiji's commanding officer had said that the bug feast was a tradition. No matter how much Baiji developed, this tradition would be preserved so every newcomer to planet Baiji would remember the sort of harsh life people had had when they had first come here in the early days. We have to remember the unpleasant past and take delight in our present situation!

However, even though it was the same bugs, now, when these new conscripts partook in the bug feast, it was still much better than how people used to have them in the past. At least now the bugs were no longer served half-cooked.

Even so, many new conscripts were still tormented by the bug feast. On the second day, close to 60% of new conscripts had pale faces, as if their hearts were still reliving the horrors of the bugs. Some people were even starting to wish they had chosen planet Wai instead. Having grain on planet Wai was way better than having bugs!

But very quickly, the doubts in these young conscripts heads were replaced with newfound zeal at a commendation ceremony.

This commendation ceremony was organized by Baiji Military District to honor outstanding conscripts and set a good example for the new batch.

Naturally, Fang Zhao was among the awardees. Fang Zhao and the other conscripts of his batch had already undergone half a year of military service. Previously, when some people had seen Fang Zhao getting promoted, they had become really proactive. Throughout the military district, there were some conscripts and talents from different fields that had produced outstanding performances. These people had also rendered several meritorious services, and although they might not necessarily be third-class merits, with many contributions, Baiji military district took the opportunity to take a few exemplary role models and made an exception to promote them and honor them specifically at this commendation ceremony.

Previously, Fang Zhao had been a second lieutenant. This time, he was once again promoted, to the rank of first lieutenant. In this half year, he had followed the outpost team every day and completed assignments and missions and had rendered quite a bit of meritorious service. Everyone thought highly of his contributions and performance. He had saved people numerous times in critical situations, and having seen it for themselves, audiences watching the live broadcast did not have any complains.

A few experienced officers privately gasped in admiration. Whether it was his psyche or his natural ability, both were at truly extraordinary levels. If Fang Zhao continued to develop in the military, he would rise even higher in future.

When chatting with the two Fang elders, many people in the military district had said that Fang Zhao not being in the military was such a pity.

The two Fang elders naturally protected their own great-grandson in front of others, but they could not help but feel wistful in private. However, this was Fang Zhao's own choice. Everything was fine as long as Fang Zhao was happy. Besides, whenever Fang Zhao went on missions, the two elders didn't feel at ease. Watching those videos of Fang Zhao on those assignments, they couldn't help but feel fear and trepidation when they saw the numerous times the outpost team was caught in dangerous situations.

Every time after watching it, Great-Grandfather Fang would get angry. It is just temporary military service, why do you have to strive so hard? Everyone else just acts and pretends during their military service, why do you have to be so serious? Can't you be more shrewd and avoid all this?

Today, after the commendation ceremony, when Fang Zhao was having a meal in the family district, Great-Grandfather Fang could not help but start preaching.

"Veteran troops handle dangerous places. You new soldiers have too little experience. The next time you encounter those dangerous situations, just stay away, all right?"

In the past, if Great-Grandfather Fang had heard people speaking this way, he would have snorted in disdain. What he couldn't stand the most was spoiling children this way!

However, when it came to himself, Great-Grandfather Fang became soft-hearted too.

Although he kept nagging, when Fang Zhao left after having dinner, Great-Grandfather Fang could not help but smile foolishly to himself as he replayed today's honoring of conscripts at the commendation ceremony over and over.

At the other end, Fang Zhao left the base and headed for the outpost.

Due to the commendation ceremony, Fang Zhao had received a day off and was not following the outpost team out on a mission today. After returning to the outpost, he headed into his dormitory and engrossed himself in composing.

Now, Kevin Lin was full of admiration. During the day, Fang Zhao was just a tireless iron-blooded soldier. At night, he returned to being a harmless artistic youth and continued producing his works. Kevin Lin thought to himself that this was something he would absolutely be unable to do.

The piece that Fang Zhao was composing was an accompaniment piece for a scene in "Warring States."

Before this, Fang Zhao had already made a number of accompaniment pieces for "Beauties" and "Warring States." These works would be part of the OST for the two drama series and would be uploaded online.

As he was writing away on his notebook, someone called on him.

The visitor seemed to be of a similar age to Fang Zhao, but he had an air of class and the haughtiness of an elite—he seemed to treat people politely, but there was a sort of arrogance deep down.

"My name is Joseph, a liaison with the Interplanetary Fund. This is my name card; you may verify my identity."

The other party put on a fitting smile as he handed over a golden card embossed with the Interplanetary Fund's insignia.

Fang Zhao did not need to to personally verify the information. Bie Liao, the outpost team leader, had already sent over Joseph's detailed information.

Before entering the outpost, Joseph would surely have needed to go through a round of identity verification that was even more stringent. Therefore, Fang Zhao did not need to check on it personally, as Joseph's personal records were included in the information sent to him.

There was no doubt of his identity. He was indeed from the Interplanetary Fund and was certainly an elite.

Majored in economics from a famous school in Huanzhou, a doctorate in management, and had professional credentials in the areas of banking, medicine, engineering, art, and many more. It could be said that he was knowledgeable about everything, from astronomy to geography. When around people in the outpost team, he could chat with them about the latest entertainment gossip or discuss the direction of political reforms.

At the bottom of the information Bie Liao had sent to Fang Zhao, he had added, "This liason from the Interplanetary Fund is actually a bookworm!"

Joseph politely asked, "Sorry to bother you. Are you busy, Mr. Fang? I'm in no hurry, so we can chat after you are done with whatever you are busy with."

Fang Zhao did not reject him, simply pointing to a sofa to the side. "You can take a seat there and help yourself to anything."

The furnishings here were simple, and there were no customs here. Furthermore, Fang Zhao had gotten some inspiration a while back and did not wish to stop halfway.

Joseph pointed to the bookshelf at the side. "May I take a look at these books?"

When Fang Zhao had moved into his new quarters, he had purchased a bunch of electronic books and gotten the person in charge of printing at the base to help print them. Fang Zhao still liked to used paperback books and would bring a book with him during the day. During idle periods in between their missions, he would read them. At times when electronic equipment could not be used, paperback books were still very convenient.

The majority of these books were on music, film, history, and architecture.

"Please make yourself at home," Fang Zhao replied.

"Thank you." Joseph gave his thanks and walked over to the bookshelf. He ran his eyes through the titles displayed on the spines of these books. They were all printed on planet Baiji and their dates were also displayed on them.

Joseph took out a slightly thick book about history and flipped over the book.

"..." I don't understand.

His real intention was not to read the contents of the book but to view the notes Fang Zhao had written in the book. From there, he could find out what sort of person Fang Zhao was.

There were many notes and markings on the book, and there were even a few pages of densely packed scribbles. However, Joseph could not understand any of these symbols.

He flipped over to another page.

Still don't understand.

The polite smile on Joseph's face had disappeared. There were so many markings and annotations in this book, yet he couldn't understand a single symbol!

A minority language?

Didn't seem like it.

Shorthand?

Now that seemed a little likely.

Looking at the strokes, it was probably shorthand

But why would he use shorthand when making notes in the book?

A mental case!

Joseph did not buy it. All these books had been printed in the last three months. There were close to a hundred books here, and some were especially thick. There was no way he could have finished reading them all, and there was no way he used the same sort of method to make notes in every single one, right?

Ten minutes later.

Joseph sat on the sofa, as quiet as a mouse.Original Soundtrack

Chapter 245: Fang-Style Cursive

Joseph sat silently on the sofa, having lost much of the arrogance he'd had in his heart.

Actually, those symbols had not dealt him such a severe blow. Although he felt like he had hit a wall when he had tried deciphering those scribbles, what had given him a bigger shock were those books.

Fang Zhao had actually finished close to a hundred books in the space of three months!

He still had some ability when determining whether he was being deceived. Even though he could not understand the scribbles, from what he had seen, the person had made markings and taken notes randomly and had read them seriously. All the underlines, notes, and remarks on blank spaces clearly showed that the person had read it really seriously and taken notes conscientiously!

What sort of speed was this!

Of course, reading books quickly did not mean much—his main objective was to see how capable this Fang Zhao person was.

Recalling when he had investigated all the information regarding Fang Zhao, Joseph felt that it was best for him to maintain silence.

Continuously staring at someone was an impolite gesture. Joseph could not bring himself to fix his gaze on and analyze Fang Zhao, so he stared at the bookshelf. He had wanted to ponder some questions, but as he thought about it, he found himself in a daze.

Only when he heard a book being closed did he return to his senses and put on a polite smile once again.

Fang Zhao placed the notebook into a drawer and looked at Joseph. "Sorry for making you wait."

This time around, Joseph was more humble. "No, no, not at all. It's me who is being a bother." Whatever the case, Fang Zhao was someone worth admiring.

Joseph noticed that Fang Zhao did not seem impatient, so he did not delve straight to the main topic and instead picked out the thickest history book from the shelf. "I have a question I wish to ask, Mr. Fang. Are the notes inside written using shorthand?"

"Yes," Fang Zhao joked, "this is a shorthand I created: Fang-style cursive. One stroke per book."

Actually, it could not be considered a cursive script; rather, it had gradually evolved from one. A few more complicated words inside had been substituted with other symbols, and that was how it had become Fang Zhao's own shorthand style. Fang Zhao could practically write a whole sentence with one stroke.

It was just taking notes. He wrote it this way as it was for himself to read. If it were for others, he would write in the normal words that everyone knew.

Just like when Fang Zhao was composing, the script was written in a code that only he understood. When it was for other people's eyes, he would change it to common musical notes.

During the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao had frequently used this sort of shorthand method for formulating battle plans and taking notes. When there had no longer been any use for those notes, Fang Zhao had destroyed them. Those times required being prudent, not just against the foreign enemy but against vile characters as well.

Thus, those "handwritten notes of a great man" in the New Era memorial hall were actually nothing personal. They had been written for others to see and were not secret, so he naturally hadn't used "Fang-style cursive."

However, now the notes no longer needed to be destroyed and were nothing like the formulated battle plans that could decide the lives or deaths of troops and needed to be safeguarded. However, this was a habit that Fang Zhao continued to retain when he went out on missions. Idle time in between was shorter, so this method of cursive saved time and effort.

Furthermore, perhaps due to his body's physical changes, Fang Zhao's current reading speed kept increasing, and his brain thought faster. To best save time, Fang Zhao would write out all the thoughts in his head, regardless whether he was in battle mode or not. Using this "one stroke per book" was the most appropriate.

During the Period of Destruction, these sorts of shorthand note-taking methods had all been lost, so now, Fang Zhao had no fear of anybody else understanding it.

"So that's the case." Indeed, it was shorthand.

Joseph asked a seemingly harmless question. "All of these have been read by you?"

"Yes. I'm almost done reading them," Fang Zhao replied. Actually, there were still around 10 more books that Fang Zhao had shifted away to make room for newly printed books when he had been tidying the bookshelf, as it had been too full. However, Fang Zhao did not feel that it was necessary to mention this.

"I never expected that Mr. Fang would still read so many books while undergoing his military service," Joseph said ruefully. "I finally know why you know so much even though you only have a composing background."

Fang Zhao wanted to say "One will never cease to learn as long as one lives," but he swallowed his words just before he opened his mouth. This proverb did not seem too appropriate.

Noticing that Fang Zhao did not appear to be pleased or even have any other expression, Joseph did not mention it further. Straightening his face, he spoke about his motive for coming today.

"Does Mr. Fang know the revolutionary film project set during the Period of Destruction is on the verge of being rebooted?" Joseph asked.

Fang Zhao nodded. "I heard about it."

"Although it has yet to be officially announced, certain entertainment companies in every continent have received news of the pending reboot, and it is indeed a reality. As the investors and one of the producing parties of this project, the Interplanetary Fund has nominating rights."

Joseph seamlessly observed Fang Zhao but did not notice any trace of impulse or excitement, or any other expression, on his face. Fang Zhao was still the same as before, maintaining his calm demeanor and listening attentively.

"Mr. Fang is contracted to Silver Wing Media and is one of the members on the consultant team for 'Beauties' and 'Warring States.' You should probably know that for any dramas concerning history, a consultant team cannot be lacking. We have seen the two period dramas released by Silver Wing, and they are indeed top quality. The consultant teams for these dramas are indeed capable. Today, I'm here on behalf of the Interplanetary Fund to give Mr. Fang an invitation and hope you will join as a member of the consultant team for the revolutionary film project that is about to be rebooted."

When Joseph had first received this assignment, he had not understood why the top had a preference for Fang Zhao. As part of the film projects team, naturally, Joseph knew what the revolutionary film project was all about.

Although this project had been raised long ago, filming had been continuously put off, as the parties that were investing in the production were always at odds.

Besides the Interplanetary Fund, there were over 10 other coproducing parties that were large investors. These were all the famous families in each of the continents, and they had continuously argued—having opposing views on this actor or that, being unable to see eye to eye, and even arguing over the script. Parties would say that these were fabrications, slander, or overexaggerations that were misleading. The script had also seen many years of adjustments and amendments, but with so many disagreements, the project had kept being shelved.

Now, the Interplanetary Fund had increased their investment in this project and contacted the other investing parties with their decision to reboot the project. First and foremost was setting up a consultant team.

For the revolutionary film project, the consultant team would naturally be huge. It could be said that consultant teams for past film and drama series could not compare to this film project's consultant team in terms of manpower and capability. Perhaps even many years into the future, there might not still not be a consultant team that could compare with it.

Every investing party had their own consultants they acknowledged. The Interplanetary Fund had put forward two expert professors renowned in many circles for their research on the history of the Period of Destruction.

For the highly viewed online historical dramas "Beauties" and the currently airing "Warring States," many people did not bother watching the tiny words in the end credits after an episode ended, but people from the Interplanetary Fund's film projects team paid attention to them.

Many consultants in many historical dramas were nothing more than consultants in name only and were being dragged along just as a facade, leaving after perhaps having a meal or making some small talk while having close to practically no use. Perhaps these titular consultants had not even watched the dramas in question, so there were lots of drama series that appeared with lots of inaccuracies. For these titular consultants, this would damage their reputation. However, many of these history consultants did not bother about their fame or reputation. They were more concerned about how much money they would get, and it was fine as long as they got paid. If the director did not need them, they were more than happy to relax.

But when the completed "Beauties" and currently airing "Warring States" that were really popular were released, everyone could see the quality. The masses were not blind, and it was shown by the popularity of the two series as well as their rankings on online video sites. This was what made the Interplanetary Fund pay attention to the consultant team displayed at the end credits.

Fang Zhao had already been eyeing this revolutionary film project. Having received an invitation, there was no way he would reject it.

Fang Zhao discussed the terms for the contract with Joseph and was required to sign a confidentiality agreement. There was no need for nondisclosure about Fang Zhao signing on as a consultant—rather, the confidentiality agreement was for the contents of the script he would receive.

The script had not been completely set in stone and required the members of the consultant team to run through it. Probably only when the script was fully set would there be an official announcement on the reboot of this project.

After signing the contract, Fang Zhao asked, "Who are the other members of the consultant team that have already been invited?"

Since the contract had already been signed, they now had a working relationship, so there was no need for Joseph to keep this a secret. He handed over a list of people who were already included in the consultant team. "These members have already been confirmed. There might be a few just like you who have been invited but have yet to be recorded on the list."

The list might not have been completed, but taking one glance through, Fang Zhao could tell right away why this was the consultant team for the revolutionary film project. This lineup was formidable, and past series could not compare.

The head of the historical consultant team was the president of the Academy of Social Sciences, an esteemed and respectable historian. Following behind him, there were names of people from archaeology fields, historical research institute staff, and literature award recipients. All of these were famous names in the fields of history, art, and literature.

Why did Fang Zhao recognize these names?

That was because a third of books in his bookshelf were written by these people!

Just looking at these names, Fang Zhao could tell that this project was absolutely of the highest quality.

If this revolutionary film project was rebooted and the names on the consultant team released, that lineup was enough to make the entire film circle tremble!

Compared to the names on the list, generally, as someone who did not specialize in history, Fang Zhao would not have received an invitation. With regards to advice and consultation, Fang Zhao's current status was a far way off from the others who had been famous for a long time already.

But Fang Zhao's "combat" experience was strong: consultant team member for "Beauties" and "Warring States," design team member for the Silver Wing region of the Wai film entertainment complex, and a member of the advisory panel for Fiery Bird's "Battle of the Century." These were actual examples displayed out in the open and could not be falsified!

The most significant was Fiery Bird's "Battle of the Century." The game had been set during the actual Period of Destruction, and Fang Zhao had provided many pertinent suggestions.

From an investor's point of view, Fang Zhao's resume was no less valuable than that a few of these award winners.

And because of this, the Interplanetary Fund had dispatched Joseph over to deliver an invitation to Fang Zhao.

Even Duan Qianji would never have expected that, through the two meticulously produced historical dramas, none of her actors had managed to secure a spot, yet the historical consultant team had already set their eyes on one of her staff.

With his assignment completed, Joseph had no intention of remaining at the outpost for long and got ready to take his leave.

Fang Zhao called out to Joseph as he got up and prepared to leave. "Please wait."

Joseph raised an eyebrow. "Do you still have any doubts Mr. Fang?"

"Has the cast been confirmed yet?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Not yet. Only after the script has been finalized will the casting be decided on." Joseph assumed that Fang Zhao was helping Silver Wing make inquiries, so he did not find it strange. "For this series, significant supporting roles and leads all require approval from many different parties. After that, a vote will still be required to finalize the decisions. This will be up to how the various companies go about their operations. I do not understand all these too well, but one thing is for certain: people without a certain degree of fame will not even have a chance."

The "fame" that Joseph spoke about was not just being famous in one continent but rather on a global context.

"Thank you," Fang Zhao replied.

"Welcome." As if suddenly recalling something, Joseph turned around to face Fang Zhao. "Right, Mr. Fang is really talented in composing. I have also listened to the background music in the two Silver Wing drama series. They are very good, and I anticipate hearing more of Mr. Fang's works in the later episodes that will be released."

After he finished, Joseph flashed a courteous smile and left.

What he meant to tell Fang Zhao was this. Get your company to do some work and promote you and expand your reputation. Perhaps it will get noticed by the relevant parties at the Interplanetary Fund. After all, this revolutionary film project would also require background music and accompaniment pieces for all sorts of scenes. Sure, Fang Zhao still lacked the qualifications for the opening and closing songs, but for short interludes of various scenes in the show, Fang Zhao might have a chance.

Of course, Fang Zhao understood the underlying meaning behind Joseph's words. However, he had his own plans and would not do as Joseph had suggested. He still thanked Joseph for his kind intentions, though.

After Joseph left, Fang Zhao studied the invitation letter on his table. After scanning it on his personal terminal, he gained access to a group discussion platform for the consultant team, which was really easy to manage.

Shortly after entering, Fang Zhao received a few electronic files that were not related to the script. These were points to take note of for newcomers to the consultant team and to help newcomers adjust to the consultant team.

A consultant was not all about advising and not asking, nor was it all about asking and not advising. Worst of all was doing none of the above. This series was not a historical documentary, and it had some artistic value to it. The pointers were to remind some less attentive consultants about where to set out from and which angle to take when asking questions.

For a historical drama, it was first and foremost a theatrical piece of art, not a historical study. This art was expressed through film and music and had to be slightly larger than life, and for this art that had such a large investment, it naturally needed to arouse sufficient interest from audiences. Only then would there be greater returns. But as a historical drama, this art form could be excessive, but it still had to have a certain degree of authenticity.

After looking through these files, Fang Zhao had a rough of idea of what was going on. Being invited in now was just to report his attendance. When the time came, the contents of the script would be issued.

Just as he was pondering which events would be contained in the script, Fang Zhao received a call from Xue Jing.

Having already completed his global lecture tour on music, Xue Jing had just seen the video of Baiji military district's commendation ceremony and had seen the portion where Fang Zhao was honored.

However, besides showing concern, Old Xue Jing was also worried that Fang Zhao would walk down the wrong path. What if Fang Zhao decided to stay on with the military?

Xue Jing still had high hopes that Fang Zhao would undertake a greater pursuit of musical art and hoped that Fang Zhao would stay away from the military path. He wanted Fang Zhao to gain the recognition and approval of more people, especially the really fussy academics. If Fang Zhao did not walk down this path, academics would then judge Fang Zhao as having taken a "low-end route."

Fang Zhao described his daily routine. "I go on missions during the day and compose at night after returning to the outpost. I'm now working on a piece for a certain scene in 'Warring States'."

Hearing all this, Xue Jing's worry dissipated slightly, and he smiled a little brighter. "That's good. The ancient-style background music for 'Beauties' and 'Warring States' is really good. I have seen your work. If you keep it up, given your ability, once your military service ends, you can begin planning for your own individual concert."

"My sentiments exactly."

Xue Jing was delighted at Fang Zhao's reply, and they chatted about a few other music-related questions before Xue Jing reminded Fang Zhao to be careful and stay safe while out on his missions and then ended the call.

Fang Zhao remained silent for a while after ending the call with Xue Jing before dialing a certain number.

Yanzhou military district's general hospital. Yan Biao was undergoing a medical checkup. His prosthetics had already been fitted, and they were really expensive ones at that. The artificial limbs were nimble, and their functionality satisfied him. He had received a generous payout for his military discharge as well as bonuses. If he had not been discharged with merits and received particularly generous treatment and discounts, with just a normal discharge payout, he would never have been able to afford these sorts of prosthetics.

Yan Biao was also astonished to receive Fang Zhao's call. He had been keeping contact with Fang Zhao, but it had just been through text messages. Undergoing half a year of treatment and rehabilitation, Yan Biao's body had already recovered and he was in good spirits, probably anticipating what lay ahead for him. Furthermore, with the current levels of medical technology that were continuously improving, his recovery time had been much quicker than he had expected.

Yan Biao had sent a message to Fang Zhao last week saying he had already been discharged from the hospital, his body was at peak condition, and he could start work at anytime. Today, he had returned to the hospital just for a follow-up, and the results were all good.

Reading through Yan Biao's follow-up results and confirming that there were no issues, Fang Zhao said, "Prepare to start work."

Yan Biao brightened up, and his eyes shone with anticipation. "I have long been waiting for this day!"

After listening to Fang Zhao's instructions and ending the call, Yan Biao stood at the entrance of the hospital, sighing deeply as he stared at the sky. He had just started work!

But before that...

Yan Biao pulled up his trouser leg, looked at his lower leg, which had been replaced with machinery, and hesitated slightly.

This would be his first job after being discharged from the military. To give everyone a good impression of him, should he color this leg gold? Maybe silver-plated? Or perhaps a lower-profile skin-color tone?An ancient calligraphy technique whereby using cursive strokes joined together, an entire script could be completed in one stroke.

Chapter 246: Protection-Fee Collectors

Gold and silver were too flashy. Plus, out of every 10 prosthetics at the rehab center, three were painted gold and two silver.

Natural skin color?

Yan Biao toyed with the idea and eventually shook his head. It was too pretentious. It was a freaking prosthetic—why pretend otherwise?

Yan Biao gave careful thought to what color he should paint his prosthetic legs, asking a whole bunch of folks for advice. After much consideration, he decided on the color his doctor suggested: titanium white.

Most doctors preferred titanium white because first, as doctors they were biased in favor of white and second, titanium white looked peaceful and less threatening. It was also the default color of most home robots. It was a color most folks in the New Era were familiar and comfortable with.

Titanium white was also nicknamed "suntan-proof." Duh! If a prosthetic could get a tan, that would be spooky.

During his rehab at the hospital, Yan Biao typically did the maximum number of exercises allowed by the doctor so he could be in the best shape possible, the kind that would enable him to engage in combat once he had gotten used to his mechanical legs. He was getting a substantial workout.

Because of his long training sessions, Yan Biao preferred to work out outdoors and bask in the sun as long as it didn't rain. The gym was often too crowded. He wasn't used to the cramped quarters.

Just as his name suggested in Chinese, Yan Biao looked a bit intimidating. Plus, he had gone on quite a few missions in the woods during his time on Baiji. His existing tan and the fact that he was working out outdoors every day now made him look like an ox.

Yan Biao typically wore long shorts or capri pants during his training sessions, both for comfort and to allow his doctor to better monitor his prosthetics. Today he wore pants, but they came off as capri pants after his prosthetics were painted titanium white. Yan Biao even donned a pair of white sneakers to match the color of his new legs.

His other limbs were heavily tanned, in strong contrast to his pristine white prosthetic legs.

Zuo Yu nearly burst out laughing when he saw Yan Biao. "What, are you pretending to be one those black horses with white hooves?"

Fang Zhao had brought Zuo Yu up to speed shortly after he had signed a contract with Yan Biao. Zuo Yu had already visited several times during Yan Biao's hospital stay. He was free anyway and had loads of time to kill, so he looked up Yan Biao to shoot the breeze and hear a few stories about Yan Biao's life on Baiji.

Even though they were competitive toward each other, they would both be serving as Fang Zhao's bodyguards from here on out. They were comrades now, so they also tried to get along.

Zuo Yu gave Yan Biao's titanium-white mechanical prosthetics a glance and commented, "That color looks a bit girly."

That said, compared to shiny gold, silver, any of those other weird, non-conventional colors, or the floral patterns with a dizzying effect, titanium white was OK.

Yan Biao laughed and stomped his feet. He felt good about his new legs. He was used to wearing camouflage in the army. Now that he was retired, he no longer had to sneak around. It felt good to wear a different color. But he sidestepped the issue and instead asked Zuo Yu, "You got the message from boss, didn't you?"

"Got it." Zuo Yu had reached out to Yan Biao after he heard from Fang Zhao, but when he had called, Yan Biao had been having his prosthetics painted and hadn't been able to talk. Zuo Yu had asked where he was and had decided to track him down in person instead.

"The next flight to Wai is a week from now. The tickets have been booked," Zuo Yu said.

Yan Biao was blown away. "You actually managed to swing tickets?" He had looked online right after he had hung up with Fang Zhao. He had checked everything, be they freight vessels or chartered flights, anywhere he could secure seats.

But all flights for the next month had been completely sold out.

Wai was drawing tons of visitors after the establishment of the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base. Most were the cast and crew of upcoming productions. The passengers were screened carefully, first when they bought tickets online and again prior to boarding. The tickets were also quite expensive, but that didn't stop the deluge of visitors. Many folks used their connections to land gopher jobs on upcoming TV productions so they would have an official cover to check out the legendary twin bases in person—the major research base and the filmed entertainment culture base.

But because of the limited number of seats, even production crews had to work their connections.

Yan Biao had access to Wai because he worked for an investor in the filmed entertainment culture base, but first he had to land a space transport ticket.

"I'm no miracle worker. Boss got us tickets and sent me a message. The tickets were just issued," Zuo Yu responded.

Yan Biao fired up his tablet. Indeed, there was an unread message waiting for him. It was too noisy, so he had missed the reminder. He was used to using military-issue electronic equipment in the service and was still getting used to the new consumer electronic devices on Earth.

Yan Biao made a mental note to buy a better tablet when he got his first paycheck.

A week later, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu boarded a space vessel bound for Wai.

The Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base was now crammed with various productions that were renting space from the major investors. They had all signed contracts.

There were quite a few production crews leasing plots from the area that Fang Zhao had bought. Fang Zhao didn't have the time to deal with the paperwork; Duan Qianji had assigned someone to help him out.

But Duan Qianji was also busy and frequently delegated to her staff. The production crews paid their rent on time initially, but some tenants had started playing games when Fang Zhao's plot had started getting crowded. Tenants of the Silver Wing set were typically on time because they had dedicated staffers in charge of collecting rent. Meanwhile, production crews on Fang Zhao's plot had started owing back rent. These folks didn't dare take on Duan Qianji, but they thought Fang Zhao would let things slide.

Fang Zhao was willing to let production crews write IOUs or pay in installments, but the bottom line was that they had to show they intended to pay.

When he checked his books, he realized some tenants were messing with him this month.

It wasn't a big deal, and Fang Zhao was clearly in the right, so he didn't take the issue to Duan Qianji or the Wai military command. Zuo Yu was ridiculously free anyway, and Yan Biao had recovered. This was something for them to do. A former special forces and a retired major, both armed, would send the right message.

When Yan Biao and Zuo Yu arrived at the film studio complex and laid eyes on the clusters of replicated ancient buildings for the first time, they were blown away. Even though they had seen footage of the structures online, the real thing was more impressive.

Yan Biao took a look at his map and took a deep breath. "Wow—this entire plot belongs to boss?"

Zuo Yu triple-checked and nodded. "Yep, that's the plot."

Yan Biao was anxious to get started. "So, let's... go on patrol?" Walking in the streets of these sets felt like traveling through time. No wonder folks liked working here. Filming on a proper set definitely helped you get in character. Those talented actors would feel the difference.

"Let's go." Zuo Yu started a quick trot.

They were careful to avoid production crews that were in the middle of shooting.

They spotted folks arguing and fighting when they walked past the replica of an ancient inn.

Zuo Yu scanned the surroundings. "Are they acting or is this for real?" He didn't see any cameras, and the folks at the center of the fight wore contrasting outfits. Some were in costume and others wore modern garb.

"It's a real fight," Zuo Yu concluded. He asked, "Should we alert the soldiers stationed at the outpost nearby?"

Yan Biao flexed his arms and told Zuo Yu, "No need to bother the outpost over something minor like this. Let's keep track of what these folks damaged, and I'll take care of the rest."

He darted toward the crowd, yelling as he walked, "Hey, hey! What's going on? Stop fighting!"

Followed by three punches, two kicks, and a slap that took down the most violent parties.

The injured folks stayed down for some time. Their heads were spinning.

The other folks retreated immediately after a quick look at the menacing Yan Biao and an approaching Zuo Yu. "Who... who are you?"

"Us?" Yan Biao's tanned face flashed a toothy grin. "Debt collectors."

Judging from their demeanor, the crowd quickly translated "debt collectors" as "gangsters after protection money."

This kind of shady sh*t is going down here already? So soon after the film studio complex opened for business? Isn't the military paying attention?

But come to think of it, this was no surprise. Mobsters collecting protection fees were common around shops and film sets in remote locations on Earth as well as stores on black streets. It wasn't far-fetched for criminals to branch out to foreign planets.

"Don't mess with us. We're going to alert the soldiers at the outpost," someone who appeared to be a leader warned Yan Biao and Zuo Yu while wearing a guarded expression.

"We're civil, law-abiding folks," Zuo Yu responded.

The surrounding crowd: "..." That claim would have been more credible if the two former soldiers hadn't flashed the holsters on their belts.

————

Within a week of Zuo Yu and Yan Biao's arrival at the filmed entertainment culture base, Fang Zhao had collected all his back rent and received payment covering the damage the fight had caused.

Yan Biao gave Fang Zhao a briefing by phone.

"Some folks think they can stir trouble because the landlord isn't around. Boss, just me and Zuo Yu isn't enough. It is a big plot, after all. We can't resort to our guns when there are minor disputes. Using physical violence is also quite tiring. It's just the two of us, after all. Silver Wing has a dedicated team in charge of security. I paid them a visit. The team is made up of retired soldiers. We could put together a similar group, but we don't need that many people. Around 10 will do." Yan Biao continued, "I know some former soldiers who retired for various reason. Some of them were forced to retire because of injury, like I was, but I can vouch for their character."

Fang Zhao had been pondering the same issue. He readily accepted Yan Biao's suggestion. "Zuo Yu should be able to recommend some folks too."

"Understood."

Fang Zhao decided to send Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to the film studio complex first to collect back rent. Second, he also wanted boots on the ground. As the film studios got busier, trouble was bound to happen. Conflicts between different production crews wasn't uncommon.

After hanging up with Yan Biao, Fang Zhao checked his account balance.

Between his savings, payment for the scores he had written for the TV shows, and rental income from the filmed entertainment base, Fang Zhao had plenty of cash.

He planned on staging a concert after he finished his military service.

In Yanzhou, there were three leading performance venues: Five Notes, Vinyl Record, and Golden Age. The first two had strict standards when it came to choosing performers. The criteria was the number of prestigious music awards the performer had received.

The concert halls typically refused to rent to performers who weren't up to snuff.

That left the final option, which was the only venue that rented to anyone who paid: Golden Age. This was Fang Zhao's venue of choice.

Golden Age was the venue where the widest range of artists performed. The age of the average performer was also lower than at the two other venues. It was an important stepping stone for many up-and-coming musicians.

Xue Jing had also suggested Fang Zhao go for Golden Age. Lacking the requisite award wins, the other two concert halls were out of the question. Considering Fang Zhao's current status within the industry, given he hadn't won any top prizes, the only option was Golden Age.

But Golden Age also scared off many potential performers, because it was prohibitively expensive.

Fang Zhao checked the rates for Golden Age, then his account balance. He could afford the venue, although he wouldn't be left with much cash after renting it, but as long as he had endorsement deals lined up for after his military service, he wouldn't be totally strapped for cash.

But precisely because Golden Age was available to anyone who could pay and its rates were exorbitant, it had a bad reputation. Purists refused to perform there, instead preferring to wait 10 or 20 years before renting the other two concert halls when they had accumulated the necessary accolades.

To prevent Fang Zhao from overthinking the matter, Xue Jing had counseled that even though Golden Age didn't enjoy the greatest reputation, it was a great venue for a newcomer, an ideal training ground. Whether it was too mass market or not was in the eye of the beholder.

"As long as you maintain a pure heart, you will always came out a winner." That had been Xue Jing's advice to Fang Zhao.

In fact, Xue Jing had no reason to worry. Fang Zhao knew very well that right now he needed a platform to showcase his talent.

Joseph had suggested hiring a PR company to launch a publicity blitz, but Fang Zhao had vetoed the idea.

If you didn't have the talent to back it up, a PR campaign could only get you so far. If you wanted the backing of major investors, that would be impossible, because they were all too smart to fall for such an act. They could detect a fraud from miles away.

It all came down to ability.

Chapter 247: Those Things About Great Persons

Although the Golden Age music hall was pricey, there was no shortage of reservations. Browsing the official website's booking schedule, Fang Zhao saw that the hall was already booked all the way to February next year, and if he wished to make a reservation, he would have to make it for three months after that. The weekends from March to May were already reserved, and only weekdays were still available for booking.

Fang Zhao would complete his military service and be discharged next April. Fang Zhao would continue producing music after his military service, and it was impossible for him to book it so early. Thus, Fang Zhao made a booking for a saturday night in August. If there was not enough time, he could push his booking back, though his deposit would not be refunded.

Outside of military service, other than Silver Wing's composing assignments, Fang Zhao still had to prepare his own works and handle matters relating to the consultant team.

The consultant team's list of names was already more or less fixed, and the discussion platform had started to get lively. Every day, the team leader would raise a few questions to warm up and let everyone air their own views and suggestions on the targeted topic. The script had not been revealed yet, but everyone's enthusiasm in the group had already adjusted.

As the script had not been set yet, the members of the consultant team could speak a lot more freely. These people had all been engaged by those big investors. Some of these people held positions of power and authority, but when they spoke, there were no qualms.

On this day, the head consultant raised a topic about the character of Founding Era leaders and their livelihoods and other aspects.

Those people were heroes, but they had been humans too, not unfeeling killing machines. They had real feelings and emotions. This discussion was also for the sake of supplementing various elements of these characters' lives in the series and making these great people appear more well developed.

Well-known military campaigns during the Founding Era were all documented in historical records, and examinations would touch upon them. Therefore, students who studied history well knew about all of these, but for the actual temperaments, lifestyle habits, and other aspects of these leaders, a large majority of people had no idea.

On a certain day, after Fang Zhao returned from a mission, he opened the discussion platform to find it bustling with activity, completely different from how outsiders might view an "academic research topic discussion"—serious and solemn.

Currently, this bunch was talking about the gossip of those great people. However, only those big shots in the historical and art circles were doing the talking. After all, only people with their sort of status would dare to gossip about these great people. For those younger ones, or those who were underqualified, they just watched silently from the side.

As a "junior" in these circles, it was not good for Fang Zhao to interrupt when these big shots were talking, so Fang Zhao just viewed silently, since he wanted to know what sort of awkward incidents these bunch of people had managed to dig up.

A big shot who studied history seemed to be excited. "Let's not talk about Wu Yan's mistress. The Wu family definitely would not let it be written in, but Wu Yan was afraid of dogs—this bit should probably be acceptable for the script."

"I'm warning you, although the current Yanzhou governor does not have the Wu family name, random vilification will not be tolerated. We need evidence."

The dominating and awe-inspiring Great General Wu Yan had actually been afraid of dogs? Of all the creatures to be afraid, he had been afraid of dogs? If this information was released, nobody would believe it!

"I contacted people from Xizhou and, with great effort, managed to convince them to contribute a portion of Great General Lu Xi's handwritten notes. It was mentioned in the notes that Great General Wu Yan was actually afraid of dogs, so he had not had that close a relationship with Great General Su Mu."

The others had their curiosity piqued and halted the discussion for the time being. "What else was there in Great General Lu Xi's notes?"

"According to the information provided from Xizhou, it was mentioned that Great General Lakalina's ancestor was an empress."

"That goes without saying. According to historical studies, Lakalina originally wanted to be an empress during the Founding Era. She even got a famed artist to paint a portrait of her titled 'Lakalina the First.' The painting is still on display at Lazhou's museum. After that, the entire world changed its political system to having only a governor. However, over at Lazhou, in private, the governor is still considered to be like a monarch."

"Hey, let me finish. The notes did not only mention Lakalina's royal ancestry but also said that she had originally been a germophobe. However, she gradually changed during the Period of Destruction.

"Germophobe?"

"After surviving through the Period of Destruction, even the greatest germophobe can change."

"That's true. What else?"

"Besides being a germophobe, Lakalina also had trypophobia.

"...For real?"

"That's what was written in those notes. Whether it is true or false, only Great General Lu Xi would know the answer. Or perhaps we could ask people from the Lakalina family?"

"The Lakalina family would definitely not admit it."

"Actually, whether she was a germophobe or had trypophobia, having survived through the many years of the Period of Destruction and having wielded such considerable power, it is obvious she overcame those a long time ago. There is no point in continuing to seek the truth in this matter. The focal points of the script will not be on this."

"Furthermore, the Lakalina family value their reputation a lot. Even if it is true, they will never agree to it being written into the script."

Fang Zhao watched them as gossip about each of the Founding Era generals was talked about in succession. Even the unlucky leader Fang Zhao, who had not managed to endure to the Founding Era, was discussed. Luckily, Lu Xi's notes did not have many awkward quirks about Fang Zhao, but it did record that Fang Zhao was a musician.

That expert that had been fortunate enough to obtain copies of Lu Xi's notes verified what he was saying by posting some photographs of the notes.

"A live symphony orchestra lives inside Fang Zhao's brain." This was the original line written in Lu Xi's notes.

After the discussion on gossip about the various leaders, the topic returned to the project.

"Seems like the great persons of the Founding Era were not so perfect either."

"Should these... be written in?"

"I think not?"

"But all these are crucial snippets of their characters. Nobody is perfect; we are only human because of our flaws. All of these cannot be written in wholesale, but we can filter some out and embellish them a little."

"Sounds fair."

Watching the chatter in the discussion platform, Fang Zhao knew now that the excited manner in which these big shots of the consultation team talked about gossip was like how entertainment reporters got excited when they talked about the private affairs of various celebrities.

By watching from the side, Fang Zhao discovered that the person the head consultant worshipped the most was "Founding Era leader Fang Zhao."

According to the contents of the script, "Founding Era leader Fang Zhao" could not be considered a lead role, but he was an important supporting character that had a role in many crucial scenes.

In the month of December, Fang Zhao received the first draft of the script and, together with the other members of the consultation team, began discussions on inaccuracies or misrepresentations of the various characters and other aspects and how to amend them.

Toward the end of December, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu arrived on planet Baiji.

Fang Zhao had helped them handle the arrangements and procedures. This time, on his return to the Baiji military district, Yan Biao did not have the identity of a military personnel and so had to go through all the normal procedures.

Yan Biao was filled with mixed feelings when he saw what planet Baiji had become. However, on the whole, he was happy to take a walk down memory lane and catch up with old comrades.

Planet Wai had been Zuo Yu's first time leaving his home planet, and it felt like a tour for him. It was a novel feeling, patrolling the sets and watching others film. In short, Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base's atmosphere was much more relaxed. As long as they did not create trouble, it was generally very harmonious.

But planet Baiji was a whole different ball game. Before entering the atmosphere, Zuo Yu could already feel a more solemn ambience. The military presence was much thicker here than on planet Wai.

Over at the film entertainment compound, Yan Biao had recommended six discharged soldiers to Fang Zhao, and Zuo Yu had also recommended two. Currently, there were 10 personnel patrolling the streets of the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base. Even if Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were not there, there were still eight others guarding the place. This was sufficient enough, so there was no need to worry about any production teams causing trouble in the film entertainment compound.

With supervision, production crews there that caused trouble in secret now knew their places. The matter of debts had also been reduced marginally. For some production crews that were unable to fork out a lot of money, Fang Zhao could give them some leeway as long as their attitudes were good and they had a certain reputation.

On this visit to planet Baiji, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu also helped Fang Zhao bring along specialized feed for Fang Zhao's hybrid sea slug.

"Denzel also said that he will send you a electronic file when he sees you online. It's regarding the feed dosage," Yan Biao told Fang Zhao.

"As for the area of land that the Interplanetary Fund has encircled, construction has already started there, but it is guarded heavily. I haven't gotten a chance to get close. Already there are people at the film entertainment compound making guesses about that area's use. A paparazzi went over to try and secretly snap photos but was caught and thrown in prison at Wai base. After that, nobody ever went close to it."

"There is no longer any need to keep watch on that area," Fang Zhao said.

News about the revolutionary film project being rebooted would not remain concealed forever. Having joined the consultant team and as an internal member of the project, Fang Zhao had a much clearer idea of the process. For the time being, there was no pressing need to find out what was being constructed in the Interplanetary Fund's golden circle on planet Wai.

Chapter 248: My Idol Is a Man of Many Talents

Yan Biao did not spend too much time on planet Baiji before returning back to Earth. Yan Biao appeared fine as they were leaving. He had gotten to meet his comrades and had been living well since he had been discharged. Although there was some regret and a slight reluctance to leave, people always had to move forward and look to the future. After adjusting his mentality, he felt more carefree.

On the contrary, Zuo Yu was really reluctant to leave. This foreign planet garrison was how he had always imagined it to be. These constructions in progress were where future immigrants were going to stay. He had not seen enough yet!

However, as Memorial Day was approaching, Zuo Yu could not continue staying on planet Baiji either. He and Yan Biao had a scheduled space flight to catch. As Memorial Day drew closer, certain construction sites ceased operating, as the workers all wanted to return back to Earth and celebrate with their families. There were too many people and too few scheduled space flights. As the time drew closer, it would be harder to schedule a return trip, so it was best if they left earlier.

Fang Zhao had given them a Memorial Day vacation. Recently, there had also been fewer production crews in the film entertainment complex, so not much manpower was required to keep an eye on things over there. Two of Yan Biao's old comrades would not be returning back to Earth, so they would stay they and keep watch.

Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother Fang had also decided not to return. After so many years, this was the first time they had gotten a chance to celebrate Memorial Day in a military district. This could very well be the last Memorial Day they would get to celebrate in a military district. In the future, as they aged, it might get inconvenient to travel far, let alone leave Earth and galavant on foreign planets.

Fang Zhao was different from the other outpost soldiers. He was only undergoing temporary military service, and generally speaking, conscripts had it slightly easier and got to enjoy a Memorial Day vacation too.

The two Fang elders had already helped Fang Zhao tidy up his quarters so he could have a good rest on Memorial Day.

This Memorial Day, the top brass had given conscripts a three-day vacation. In the early morning of Fang Zhao's first day of vacation, he brought along the water tank containing the "rabbit" from the outpost to the base's family area.

Kevin Lin also tagged along to the base. Given the nature of his profession, the base had arranged special quarters for him. However, Kevin Lin was very busy. He had already planned for a week-long "Military District Memorial Day" program. This had also been the column's request. Now he just needed to let Fang Zhao show his face for a bit during the live broadcast every day and Kevin Lin would not bother him after that.

Even without having a daily mission, Fang Zhao did not stay idle. He brought out the second draft of the script, which had been distributed to the consultation team, and checked the contents for areas that might need amendments.

As he looked through the script, as before, Fang Zhao connected to the internet and opened the consultation group's discussion platform.

The bunch of big shots were still as lively and did not realize it was close to Memorial Day. When heroes of the Period of Destruction were mentioned, these specialists would get very engrossed in chatting.

Fang Zhao had also been talked about many times. These bunch of people also knew that discussing too much about the personal affairs of the few great generals was not too good. If they went overboard, the big families of the respective continents would take issue, but for Fang Zhao, they did not need to worry about anyone looking into things. In any case, that leader did not have any direct descendants.

Relatives?

Five hundred years had already passed, who even cared if you were related to him!?

During the initial stages of the New Era, seeking favors through family ties had not necessarily brought about many benefits. Now, 500 years later, it was even more unlikely.

Therefore, even if there was anyone put on the pretext of being "Period of Destruction leader Fang Zhao's relative," it would do them no good.

However, when some people mentioned unsavory rumors about Fang Zhao, even without Fang Zhao himself saying anything, the old head consultant personally made a statement and listed some excerpts from the memoirs of Su Mu, Lu Xi, and the others to vouch for Fang Zhao's character.

Today, as he watched these bunch of people getting exhilarated from discussing important leaders of the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao did not interrupt, as per usual.

For history of the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao remembered those events that he had personally experienced, but regarding matters of the other continents, he might not know as much as these bunch of specialists who had studied the Period of Destruction.

Even for Yanzhou's history, if Fang Zhao said too much or mentioned too many details, especially for things that were hard to find evidence of, it would arouse suspicion.

After all, the setting for a historical drama differed from that of a game. The emphasis was also not the same. Thus, when Fang Zhao found stuff in the script that was not suitable and he could find evidence to back up his point, he put forward the examples. As for the rest, it was up to the screenwriters to do their part.

Watching these people start to gossip once more, Fang Zhao found it really funny.

Today, the style of the discussion platform had changed yet again. Today, this bunch of big shots were in fanboy and fangirl mode.

...

"My idol is well versed in art and warfare and has an impressive and imposing bearing!" a historian from Jinzhou enthusiastically said. The person he was speaking about was Jinzhou's Great General Chu Yuanjin.

"My idol is confident and elegant. His remarkable feats are unrivaled!" A historical archaeologist from Tongzhou eye's lit up like a fan when he talked about his idol. He was talking about Tongzhou's Great General Woo Tong.

"My idol is powerful, had bold vision, and was a natural beauty!" a historical literature scholar said. The one mentioned was Lazhou's "empress," Lakalina the First.

...

Following these were proclamations of adoration for Su Mu, Renault, and the others.

Every Founding Era great general had countless adorers. Even if many of these historians loved to unearth the private affairs of these prominent characters, choosing not to talk about these few great persons' personal affairs was doing an injustice to academics. But even after knowing that these people were not perfect, it still did not change their adulation for these great persons at all.

In the New Era, people viewed these heroic characters of the Founding Era with reverence and admiration. This was their conviction.

Each Founding Era general went through a round of praise, and Mr. Head Consultant paused but could no longer hold it in. "My idol is brave, a strong fighter, and a man of many talents!"

However, the moment Mr. Head Consultant said this line, a few others added, "He was an impressive person indeed, but he had ill fate."

Ill fated. This was the evaluation these historians had of Fang Zhao.

Having fought in Yanzhou for 90-something years, just as the fighting had been about to cease, he had fallen and had not even left behind a single direct descendant.

When historians talked about Fang Zhao, they had the same enthusiasm they had toward gossip, but at the same time, there were sighs and they felt sorry.

Watching these people start to sigh about the "ill-fated leader," Fang Zhao had rather complicated feelings. He had never expected that these people would feel this even more greatly than him.

However, for this matter, Fang Zhao did not take it to heart. In his previous life, just before he had died, he had felt regret, but the regret had been that he would not get to see the day the fighting stopped. As for anything else, he hadn't worried excessively about it.

Furthermore, he had obtained the chance of rebirth. This was something those old friends of his had never gotten.

Laughing soundlessly, Fang Zhao continued reading. After he finished reading through the second draft, he marked the areas with problems and added words onto it before sending it to the head consultant.

Back on Earth, Mr. Head Consultant had just finished chatting in the discussion platform. After he disconnected and was lamenting about Fang Zhao's bad luck with a few colleagues, he received a message notification. Looking at the sender's name, he could not help but laugh. "Whoa, just as we were talking about him, that little fella appears."

"What? Your disciple?" the person beside him asked curiously.

"You wish. It is a little fella from the consultant team. I heard that he was recommended by the Interplanetary Fund. He has a really firm grasp of history," Mr. Head Consultant said.

"What? Showing concern for the younger generation? There are so many juniors and young ones at the academy, but I have never seen you even say a single line of praise for them."

"This is different." Mr. Head Consultant glanced at the sender's name once more. "It is rare for this person to not be inhibited by that name."

The few people beside the head consultant gather around to look at the sender's name displayed on the screen and laughed. "No wonder. Having the exact same name as one of the leaders of the Period of Destruction is not easy at all. If he isn't careful, he could easily be stifled by the weight of that name."

Chapter 249: Idio

Was it such an easy thing to have the same name as a Period of Destruction leader?

Given the level of adoration most people in the New Era had toward the heroes of the Period of Destruction, even if historical truths revealed distasteful news about a certain important character, fanatical worshippers would not be bothered.

The line of thoughts of these fanatical worshippers was this: Negative news? Flawed Character? I won't listen! I won't believe it! In any case, my hero is always number one! How thick skinned can you get, having the same name as my hero?!

When people with the same name as their heroes were spotted, piercing gazes of scrutiny were placed on them. This gave those people with the exact same name rather immense amounts of pressure.

There were too many worshippers of heroes from the Period of Destruction. The numbers were not in the tens of thousands but in the hundreds of millions! And for people who shared the exact same name as these martyrs, wherever they went, they would have to face all sorts of questioning gazes.

There were still some worshippers who did not want to see others have the same name as their heroes but had double standards for their own descendants and gave them names similar to martyrs in the hopes that their descendants would become great people just like their own heroes.

However, for those people who shared the exact same name as martyrs, many could not handle the pressure and chose to change their own names.

Those that could hold their own under this sort of pressure and could even make a name for themselves were generally not such simple people.

This was what old Mr. Head Consultant meant by the line "It is rare for this person to not be inhibited by that name." When he had first seen a young person who had the exact same name as his hero, he had been extremely astounded and had paid even more attention to Fang Zhao.

Even old Mr. Head Consultant had the same sentiments as other worshippers and would unconsciously draw comparisons when he saw the name "Fang Zhao" and saw how capable the other party was.

As the revolutionary film project consultant team head, when he looked through the suggestions and opinions of everyone, he especially paid attention to the articles Fang Zhao submitted and had high expectations. Up to now, every one of Fang Zhao's articles had had opinions that made him very satisfied.

Old Mr. Head Consultant thought to himself, Worthy of having the exact same name as my hero!

But if Fang Zhao's performance had been poor, the old mister would surely have thought this: What a joke, to think he would actually share the same name as my hero!

This was how these worshippers generally thought.

Of course, Fang Zhao did not know what the old Mr. Head Consultant was thinking. After submitting his article, he browsed through the discussion platform to see whether there was any news he had missed.

According to these people's discussions, based on Fang Zhao's experiences during the Period of Destruction, if he was written into the drama series, he would have a tragic supporting role.

In truth, this was how Fang Zhao was written in the script.

Compared to the Founding Era generals, Fang Zhao's impact was not as big. After 500 years, his deeds mainly appeared in history books, and people outside Yanzhou did not know much about him. Even in Yanzhou, besides studying their materials for examinations, most people would not voluntarily make an effort to understand him. What was the point of reading historical information? The past would be forgotten anyway.

However, during every year's Memorial Day, the Cemetery of Martyrs commemorative-painting vendors would remind everyone that besides the Founding Era great generals, there was still another important hero.

Browsing through this year's painting styles at Yanzhou's Cemetery of Martyrs and seeing the new image of himself, Fang Zhao felt that... it burned his eyes.

He would not be purchasing any this year. He would rather paint them himself!

On the second day of his vacation, which was also the actual Memorial Day, Kevin Lin came over to broadcast Fang Zhao's blessings to audiences live, and he left just as quickly.

In short, Kevin Lin was to look for more tear-provoking, gloom-inducing source material that would lead to passionate discussions.

Since it was a suggestion from the top, Kevin Lin could only listen to it. He had tactfully told Fang Zhao about it, but since Fang Zhao had not seemed to mind, Kevin Lin felt more at ease and was able to focus on his own assignment.

His colleagues from the other four channels were also rolling up their sleeves for battle. As they vied for views on this Memorial Day, Kevin Lin did not want to lag behind.

After the blessings on the live broadcast, Kevin Lin left and Fang Zhao continued with his commemorative painting.

Shortly after, Great-Grandmother Fang told Fang Zhao that there was a visitor.

The visitor was Lu Yan, a major from the mining area and a subordinate of Edmund. He lived next door and normally helped out the two elder Fangs with some small chores. Thus, he was familiar with the both of them. He had also brought along some Memorial Day presents with him.

Lu Yan passed the presents to Great-Grandmother Fang and saw the brushes and paper on Fang Zhao's table when he entered the room. Curious, he asked, "Painting?" As Fang Zhao had not yet completed it, Lu Yan could not tell who it was.

Fang Zhao placed the brush down and asked, "Just for fun. Is anything the matter?"

Lu Yan felt a little embarrassed. "Cough, I do have a request to make." Requesting for help from others on Memorial Day was not too nice, but at the moment, he could not find anyone else and could only try Fang Zhao.

Lu Yan explained his purpose in coming. "It's like this..." His wife was a doctor at the Baiji military district hospital. Before the military district had been established, she had been a military doctor here. Both he and his wife were veterans of planet Baiji.

Lu Yan's wife was pregnant, and the scheduled date for giving birth was not today, but a slight mishap had happened today causing her to go into labor and she had to be rushed to the hospital. As for Lu Yan, he was stationed to guard the mines from noon until his shift ended at noon the next day.

He had looked for other comrades to swap shifts with him, but they were all busy. Requesting a change of shift required making a request one month in advance, and his comrades had all been posted out to different areas and were not able to help him out at a moment's notice. As time was of the essence, Lu Yan could not try his luck at going through his contacts in succession. When he had seen the live broadcast Kevin Lin had filmed for Fang Zhao, he had thought about asking Fang Zhao to lend him a hand.

If it were anybody else, even a military personnel with a higher rank than Lu Yan, even if Lu Yan were able to get them to help out, it might still be troublesome. However, if it was Fang Zhao, Edmund would surely be easier to deal with.

Hearing the situation, Fang Zhao nodded his head. "No problem." He still had one more day of vacation tomorrow. Even if he was awake throughout the night, he would still have time to adjust tomorrow.

"Thank you so much! I really can't thank you enough!" Lu Yan exclaimed emotionally. Since Fang Zhao had agreed, he immediately sent a request to Edmund.

Edmund was a familiar face. Back when Fang Zhao had first arrived on planet Baiji and headed to the mining area for his military service, he had gotten to know Edmund. Although Edmund was still the person in charge of the mining areas close to the base, the power-source mining area had already seen upgrades and was no longer the same as before. Edmund's rank had also risen to major general. Now Edmund's family had all moved to planet Baiji, and he no longer wished to return back to Earth.

As expected, the moment Edmund heard the request, he hesitated for a little before approving it. If it had been anybody else, Edmund would surely have taken longer to think and would have considered whether there were any shenanigans involved. He would have viewed this with guarded suspicion, but the person relieving Lu Yan was Fang Zhao, which dispelled any misgivings Edmund had.

Although his military rank might be a little lower, Fang Zhao was still very suitable to provide emergency responses, which was reassuring.

Stealing ore?

That couldn't be.

As the discoverer of Baiji ore, the military district had given Fang Zhao a lot of ore. Although he had not taken it out yet, when the military district had first been established, Commanding Officer Shanta had already signed the dotted line. That share of ore would be sent to Fang Zhao after his military service was completed. Fang Zhao simply did not need to risk all of his deeds and contributions just to steal a few pieces of ore.

Having gotten the approval for a substitute, Lu Yan led Fang Zhao to the mining area's guard post to report for duty.

"What you have to do is very simple. You just have to verify the endorsed documents of anybody entering the mines against the system. If everything is in order, you can stamp the person's pass. At the side is a stamping machine. When the stamp is successful, an electrical current will pass through. If their documents cannot be verified, you just have to call the team guarding to settle the matter. You don't have to worry, though; this is just following a simple process, and there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

If it had been anything too important or too complicated or something that might have some degree of risk, Lu Yan wouldn't have looked for Fang Zhao. Luckily, it was not a hard task, and Fang Zhao was a earnest and trustworthy lad, so Lu Yan had looked for Fang Zhao to stand in for him.

Lu Yan made sure to explain or the important things to take note of. "Oh, right. Remember to put on the working attire that is to the side. The energy fields over at the mining area are stronger, around 15 times stronger than the fields you experienced when you first came. You mustn't get careless even if you stay in the guard post. If you are exposed to it for more than an hour, the energy fields might affect your state of mind."

After Fang Zhao had gotten a complete grasp of this assignment, Lu Yan thanked him once again before leaving.

Fang Zhao had nothing much to do, sitting around in the guard post. Fang Zhao looked around his surroundings. Both the interior and exterior of the guard post had surveillance cameras, but Fang Zhao did not have any devious intentions, so he was not afraid of being captured by the cameras.

While at the guard post, there was no way to connect to the internet or randomly contact others to chat. Thus, Fang Zhao just sat there and thought about the latest few tunes that he was in the midst of composing.

An hour later, two construction workers came requiring stamps. Following Lu Yan's instructions, after Fang Zhao verified their documents, he used the machine at the side to stamp their passes.

The sky gradually got darker. As the symphony orchestra in Fang Zhao's mind was playing, people once again appeared. Three men wearing mining uniforms and helmets had come. The visors of their helmets were covered with blotches, and Fang Zhao could not see through them clearly. However, this sort of attire was very common here. Previously, the people who had come to get their passes stamped had looked the same.

Fang Zhao ran through the documents and looked up to scan the three men standing outside the guardpost before accepting and stamping their passes.

An electric current flashed through the stamp, indicating that it had been successful.

"Happy Memorial Day," Fang Zhao said.

When they heard what Fang Zhao had said, they went blank for a moment before replying, "Thanks."

The three of them picked up their stamped passes and left.

When they had walked away to a less conspicuous area, while struggling to stifle his excitement, one of them softly said, "Hahahaha. I told you getting the passes stamped is very easy, right? Those in the guard post are always idle and are unable to tell! He even wished us a happy Memorial Day. What an idiot!"

Another one of them sounded really delighted. "We have already received the stamps here, that ought to be all we need. We certainly will have no problems when leaving!"

"Stealing right from under these people's noses feels great!"

Chapter 250: Swatting a Fly with a Baseball Ba

The trio returned to a storage facility with the stamped passes in hand. There were five others waiting. Next to them was parked a cart loaded with six large sealed boxes.

The men sitting on the boxes blurted out, "How did it go?"

"Well!"

"We got all three stamps." The man holding the pass snickered. "The soldier on duty in the outpost who gave us the third stamp even wished us a happy Memorial Day. What an idiot!"

"You got the third stamp at the outpost? Was it Lu Yan who was on duty?" one of the men sitting on the boxes asked.

"I don't know. He was in uniform. I didn't get a good look at his face," the man with the pass said. "He sounded quite young."

"He didn't give you a hard time?" the man sitting on a box asked. "Lu Yuan is quite talkative. Sometimes he likes to interrogate folks."

"Not at all. All he did was say, 'Happy Memorial Day.' Isn't Lu Yan's wife in the hospital? If I were him, I wouldn't be in the mood to interrogate anyone either."

"It doesn't matter whether it was Lu Yan or not as long as we got the stamps." The leader of the group pulled a mini-scanner from his pocket and aimed it at the stamps.

The stamps on the pass weren't visible to the naked eye. They would only illuminate when read by a special scanner. The three stamps were their ticket to the freight transport.

The men relaxed when they saw the three stamps light up.

"We're good. We got all three stamps—we're not missing any."

"So should we head out now?"

"Yes. Everyone is taking Memorial Day off, so the mines won't be guarded. We should hurry."

"I wonder what they'll think when they realize eight miners are missing, haha."

"What's so special about eight miners? What'll be interesting is when they realize they're missing 5 tons of Baiji power ore after the Memorial Day holiday."

Five tons of grade A power ore wasn't that much in the context of the entire mine, but it wasn't a small amount either. It wasn't a blip you could just write off. Some folks would probably be quite shocked by the discovery.

After he tucked the pass away, the leader instructed the men sitting on the cart, "Let's ask around first to see if anything is out of the ordinary."

The smuggling operation didn't rely on these eight alone. They also had inside help.

This was the result of six months of careful planning.

"All normal. Nothing out of the ordinary nearby," one of the men sitting on the boxes said.

"Then let's pack up and proceed as planned. Let's go!"

The eight men changed into their miner uniforms and packed their things.

Baiji space port.

After presenting all sorts of credentials to the guards at the space port, the eight men entered the space port without incident. The space port was quite empty, probably because of the reduced traffic during Memorial Day.

They parked their cart next to a freight vessel. Power ore excavated from the mining district they belonged to were typically shipped to this transport, which in turn transferred the load to a larger spaceship near Baiji.

But as long as they boarded this freight vessel, they would be good to go.

They maintained their composure under the watchful gazes of the security guards as they approached the freight vessel with their cart and the cargo on it.

The leader pulled out his pass and swiped it by the entrance to the vessel.

Buzz!

A bland beep sounded, and an access denied symbol flashed.

Access denied.

The eight men tensed up and glanced at the security guards nearby. They were starting to get some attention.

The leader of the group started frowning but still managed to project a sense of calm. "Maybe the swipe was incomplete."

This time, he swiped the pass slowly so that all three stamps could be scanned.

Buzz!

Another beep, another bright red access denied symbol.

The voice of one of the men started quivering. "What's... what's going on?" He had already spotted security guards heading their way.

One of the other men on the other side of the cart had a stern look on his face. He had already quietly gone for the gun hidden in his mining uniform. He was ready to blast open the door to the vessel, but in that case, a firefight with the guards was guaranteed.

The leader was sweating profusely as he gritted his teeth and swiped his pass again.

Beep!

A green access granted symbol flashed on the display.

Never had an electronic bleep sounded so lovely, an answer to their prayers.

A few of the men secretly cursed. What a cr*ppy system!

A simple swipe took three tries to complete. If that isn't a cr*ppy system, I don't know what is. The Baiji military district is so rich now. Why don't they upgrade their scanners? We were scared sh*tless.

False alarm. As they watched the door to the transport open, the men relaxed and started to smile as well.

They had done it!

But their smiles froze when they got ready to move their cart and the door to the transport opened completely.

On the other side were eight soldiers wearing dark-gray robotic exoskeleton armor. A cold glint reflected off the the armor and the eight gun barrels pointed at them.

The eight men: "..."

Uhm... are we busted?

How come there are armored warriors here?

Aren't they reserved for terrorists and beasts?

All we did was steal a few power ore—and they actually sent armored soldiers.

What, they ran out of places to deploy their resources?

Why are they swatting a fly with a baseball bat?

The fingers of the ringleader who was holding the pass started shaking. He turned pale and was sweating big time.

Disappointment. Desperation. The carpet had totally been pulled out from under their feet.

What to do now?

Detonate a bomb?

They were carrying small bombs that were easy to carry and conceal, but such light-weight explosives would barely make a dent in the exoskeleton armor, and yet they themselves might become collateral damage.

Not to mention that they were no suicide bombers. They didn't have the guts to sacrifice themselves. They were quite scared of dying.

They didn't even dare go for their guns. They had done their research on the preparedness of the Baiji military district, so they knew how ruthless these armored warriors that were considered the equivalent of military-grade weapons were. They had no intention of crossing these opponents. They had never thought that military-grade weapons would be used on them.

And if they thought about going for their guns? The armored soldiers would fire before they could touch their firearms.

Just one shot from the kinetic combat rifles the armored soldiers were equipped with would be enough to tear any of them apart—into shreds, that is.

These thieving "flies" simply quivered before these "baseball bats." They didn't have the guts to fight back.

The moment they were handcuffed, they still hadn't figured out what exactly had gone wrong.

They had spent half a year plotting their route, devising a plan, bribing the right people, and obtaining the necessary paperwork. The operation had gone smoothly step-by-step today. They had even gotten their stamps. How come they had been ambushed at the very last minute?

A flying transport landed behind them. From it emerged Major General Edmund, the officer in charge of the mines near the base.

The eight men were ghastly pale as Edmund stared them down.

His cold stare was followed by a command uttered in a restrained grunt that belied the level of outrage bubbling underneath. "Take them in. Let's let everyone get back to enjoying Memorial Day."

The soldiers answered in the affirmative, gagged the eight men, and led them away.

The eight men had come and gone quietly without so much as causing a ripple, as if nothing major had gone down.

Ignoring the eight arrested men, Edmund approached the cart they had left behind. The security guards had already opened the boxes.

"It's grade A Baiji power ore all right. Five tons. It's all here," the captain of the space port's security detail said.

"They're quite bold to have stolen such a big load." Edmund was speaking in a calm tone, but anyone could sense the incredible anger he was suppressing.

Edmund had been enjoying a meal with his family. It was the first time he had spent Memorial Day with his entire family since he had been posted to Baiji, and he had been in a good mood because of his recent promotion and rosy career prospects. He had even been drinking a little.

The moment he had gotten word from Fang Zhao, he had felt like someone had slipped a cube of ice down his undershirt. His festive mood had evaporated and he had sobered up immediately.

Five tons of grade A power ore wasn't a huge amount, but this was grade A energy ore they were talking about. Plus, the quality was good. Early estimates put their worth at more than 10 billion.

Edmund couldn't possibly contain the fallout from losing 10 billion dollars worth of power ore.

He had worked so hard to get where he was today and enjoy a cushy position. So many people wanted to see him gone. If this had gone down, all his ambitions would have gone out the door along with the five tons of power ore.

Thankfully, the thieves had been stopped in time.

After taking inventory of the power ore, Edmund briefed Shanta. The interception plan had been Shanta's idea. Only Shanta had the authority to deploy the armored warriors.

As far as Shanta was concerned, swatting a fly with a baseball bat was exactly his intention. That way it would be easier to follow up.

"You didn't tip anyone off, did you?" Shanta asked.

"No. Everything is normal elsewhere. No one noticed the interception," Edmund responded.

"Good."

Shanta wanted to keep the interception hush hush, not only because it was Memorial Day but also so he didn't alarm the collaborators of the eight thieves. The fact that the eight men had been able to smuggle so much power ore so easily meant there were other bad apples. This was not a simple operation that took a day or two to plan.

The mining companies that worked with the Baiji base would pilfer a few ore at most when they were being transported. Shanta didn't bother to quibble with them over a petty few stones; an official investigation would take tremendous manpower and resources. As long as the stealing wasn't excessive, Shanta was willing to turn a blind eye.

But this was completely different, and the amount smuggled was quite substantial. Did they think the commander was an idiot?

"I want a thorough investigation!" a furious Shanta bellowed.

After hanging up, Shanta was still panting. He had yet to find his composure. He sat in his office pondering how to clean house.

But Edmund's briefing also had him intrigued.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Shanta reached out to Fang Zhao.

"How did you know something was wrong?" Shanta asked.

"By listening carefully," Fang Zhao responded.

"It's your hearing again?" Shanta was reminded of Fang Zhao's reputation: "diting," "godly ears" and all.

"I listened and observed. Body language and heartbeat are great indicators. The trio were quite nervous when they approached the outpost. They were feeling guilty. Plus, they might have been armed with lethal weapons," Fang Zhao explained.

In fact, Fang Zhao could tell something was off just from his first-rate instincts honed during the 100-year Period of Destruction, but that couldn't be his official story.

"So you stamped their pass with an expired stamp."

The stamps were updated every few days, but few knew that. All outsiders knew was that three stamps were required for passage.

After the trio left, Fang Zhao had immediately alerted Major General Edmund, who in turn had briefed Shanta after confirming that something was wrong.

The eight men who had stolen the power ore had failed to open the door to the flying transport twice because they had the wrong stamp. Their first two stamps were the right ones, but the third one was outdated. When the door had opened on their third try, it had been done manually from inside the transport.

"Thank god for your tip. I'll log this as a merit in your personnel file."

The military was clear on merits and misdeeds. This wasn't a major accomplishment, but it wasn't a minor one either. After all, the power ore was worth some 10 billion.

After hanging up, Shanta skimmed Fang Zhao's personnel file out of curiosity. His "merits" column was filled with accomplishments both big and small. Another promotion when his service period concluded was a sure thing.

A kick-*ss soldier.

But Fang Zhao was a rarity among the conscripts. It was a pity he had decided to become an artist.

What a waste of talent.

Chapter 251: Spotted a Suspicious Person

On the first Memorial Day after Baiji military district had been established, the entire military district was in upheaval.

On the night of Memorial Day, well-informed people more or less received the news, but the majority were still in the dark. Only on the second day, when the news was spread, did they find out that the military district had arrested a gang of ore thieves last night and that the ore the thieves had nearly made away with was worth 10 billion!

For most people, this was already a very large quantity and extremely costly.

"Were they caught last night? I didn't hear any activity."

"I didn't hear anything either. They were probably prepared so it didn't disrupt everyone's celebrations."

"Nonsense. If they made a lot of noise, how would they have caught the perpetrators? They are still catching others right now!"

"I heard that even the mecha-troops were deployed!"

"What? What background do these perpetrators have? Terrorists? To think that mecha-troops were deployed!"

"I heard that a number of people were caught."

"Let's wait and see. They still have to catch some more people. To steal that much ore, only a few people can accomplish that. With a rigorous investigation, some people are going to get really unlucky."

"Our military district's prison will have a use this time."

At dawn, when Fang Zhao returned to the family district, he heard a number of people discussing this matter.

Originally, he had been scheduled to end his shift at noon, but because of the mining area's strict investigation, Shanta and his subordinates had acted and implemented other actions, allowing Fang Zhao to return early.

As the person in charge of the mining area, ever since Major General Edmund had appeared last night, nobody had returned home and had instead investigated through the night, simply not giving those people any chance to forge data or cover their traces.

Even now, the investigative inquiry was continuing, and Edmund and a few other important personnel of the mining areas had gone over to give Shanta a report. As before, they were met with a round of Shanta's spittle on their faces.

Inside the prison.

The mine thieves that were detained inside looked extremely exhausted. They didn't feel like saying anything. They had already been interrogated numerous times, and now their leader had not yet returned, so the others were wondering if their boss was undergoing some cruel punishment.

The thought of torture made them tremble uncontrollably.

At the moment, one of the perpetrators sitting on the floor was pondering. They had planned and made preparations for half a year, had taken advantage of Memorial Day when many people were in festive moods to make their move, and had found everything was going smoothly. What exactly had gone wrong?

He made an effort to calm himself down and carefully recalled every step of their plan and realized that the part where they were most likely to have screwed up was the part where they were getting the third stamp, when they were at the guard post.

Now he recalled the person at the guard post wishing them a "Happy Memorial Day."

Simply venomous!

The guard had even wished them a happy Memorial Day. On Memorial Day next year, it would be the one-year anniversary of their time in prison!

Yes, it had definitely gone wrong there!

The more he thought about it, the more he reckoned this was the case.

But who was the person who had helped them stamp their passes? Was it Lu Yan?

When he tried remembering the guard's voice, it sounded a little different.

If it was not Lu Yan, then who was it that had substituted for Lu Yan?

As he thought about it, their boss, who had been dragged out for interrogations, returned. He did not seem to be in good shape, but there were no visible wounds or injuries on him.

"How was it? Did they use violence?" a few people asked.

Following this question, the man who had just entered flew into a rage and sent a fist flying into an asker's face, dislodging a few of his teeth.

"Are you a f*cking moron!? Why didn't you properly check who was manning the guard post before we went to get our passes stamped? For the third stamp, the person there wasn't Lu Yan, it was Fang Zhao, that Fang Zhao! The Fang Zhao with the rumored godlike hearing ability! He clearly could hear that there was something wrong with you guys! Just a bit more, and we were actually foiled at that step!"

In the small cell, the loud roaring was earsplitting, but the other seven weren't bothered by this. Rather, they were shocked by the bit of information their boss had brought back.

Fang Zhao?

That Fang Zhao who had many rumors about him?

Why would he have appeared at that place?

They had surveyed and made careful plans before the operation. They had investigated Lu Yan and had caused some trouble for Lu Yan so that he would be distracted. Never had they expected that Lu Yan would actually get Fang Zhao to replace him!

For the three stamps, the process of obtaining them was in decreasing difficulty, with the first having the most stringent checks. It could even be said that the third stamp was nothing more than a straightforward process that would have no problems. They had never expected that a problem would occur at the easiest part of their plan!

Was that Fang Zhao just like how the rumors had described him, being able to detect truths and lies and everything else just from his hearing?

These were the thoughts of the eight people locked up in the prison and everyone else who knew about this matter. In their hearts, Fang Zhao's ears had already achieved divine status.

Shanta had said it himself: Fang Zhao's godlike ears had rendered a great service in this incident.

Shanta was being rueful. He had not expected that his subordinates would take his words and overly visualize it. However, Shanta did not pay much attention to how his subordinates evaluated Fang Zhao's ears. Following the interrogation results of these eight and their investigation results, another bunch of people were caught.

Shanta was very pleased with the arrests. After strict investigations, those that deserved to be imprisoned should be thrown in jail!

Because of Shanta's attitude here, parties trying to secretly pull tricks in the mining areas curbed themselves.

Fang Zhao had no idea his ears were the topic of discussion. After returning to the family district for a bit, he went to the hospital to visit Lu Yan and Lu Yan's wife as well as their new daughter who had been born on Memorial Day.

Lu Yan was very grateful. "Thank you, Fang Zhao! This time, I really cannot thank you enough!"

Today, after hearing about the incident at the mining district, Lu Yan felt extremely glad. Fortunately, he had managed to find Fang Zhao to relieve him. If he had been the one manning the post yesterday, perhaps as those perpetrators had predicted, because of him being preoccupied with his wife's impending birth, he might have hurriedly checked through their papers and given them the stamp.

If that had really been the case and the matter of the theft of five tons of grade A power ore were revealed, the progression in his military career might have come to a halt then and there.

Lu Yan even suspected that his wife's mishaps had been purposely done by those ore thieves. Whether that was really the case, he would investigate it personally!

When he thought about that possibility, a hint of anger flashed across his eyes. However, when he heard Fang Zhao asking about his newborn daughter, warm tenderness returned to his eyes.

"Hahaha, my little baby is healthy and very beautiful. She is named An Ke. Hopefully she has a safe and peaceful future! Come take a look, isn't she cute?"

Fang Zhao looked at the baby wrapped up in infant clothes, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face. "Really cute."

Lu Yan appeared a little stiff hugging his child. He was about to hand it over to the nurse beside him when he pause and pondered for a moment. He faced Fang Zhao and made a gesture to hand his child over.

"Hey, benefactor, come and hold her."

Fang Zhao: "..."

"Like this, like this. place your hands here to support her. Hey, don't learn from me. I'm also a newbie. Look! You see that nurse over there? Just hold her the way the nurse does."

Lu Yan corrected Fang Zhao's posture from the side as he jokingly said to his wife beside him, "Look at all these little youngsters. They are just so nervous. Look at how tensed up he is, just like a rock. He is even more nervous than me."

Fang Zhao was completely rigid from head to toe. Looking at the little thing in his hands, he could not help but feel all tense.

He had used guns and fought battles, he could compose just by picking up a pen. He could play games well and could drift while driving, but when he held a baby in his arms, this was simply an S-ranked task!

It was rare for the Fang Zhao that was always calm and collected to actually be nervous.

Fang Zhao really had no idea how to handle this sort of frail little creature. In his previous life, he had seen many newborns but had not had much contact with them. He always felt that these newborn lives were too frail. He was used to fighting beasts, but handling little beings like these, he was really not accustomed to it.

Fang Zhao held the little life in his arms as it was bathed with warm light. With his hearing ability, he could hear the soft breathing of the infant circulating around his ears.

Watching her sleep peacefully in his arms, Fang Zhao did not feel calm at all inside. It was as though the sounds of a violin's strings being drawn and the striking of piano keys were resounding in his head like a flowing stream.

This was a child born on planet Baiji. She would start her life on planet Baiji.

Perhaps she would be different from children growing up on Earth. She might be bolder and have to face even more challenges, but her pace would get more steadfast as she grew older, and the paths she took would get wider and wider. Her parents hoped that she would have a safe and peaceful life, and Fang Zhao also hoped that her future would be warm and radiant.

Luckily, Lu Yan was uneasy letting Fang Zhao hold his child for too long and took her and handed his daughter over to the nurse.

At this point, Fang Zhao exhaled a large breath of air.

This manner of his was joked about for a while by Lu Yan. However, it was all in the name of fun. Just before Fang Zhao left, Lu Yan and his wife once again sincerely thanked Fang Zhao from the bottom of their hearts, thanking Fang Zhao for substituting for Lu Yan and helping them foil a disaster and for all he had done for Baiji military district.

After bidding the couple farewell, Fang Zhao went downstairs but did not leave right away. Instead, he went behind the hospital to the garden and sat down. This little garden was where patients and family members could stroll around. Fang Zhao sat on a bench at the corner, took out the notebook he always kept with him, and started writing at a tremendous speed.

A nurse who was wheeling a patient on a wheelchair passed by and noticed the strange person seated there and made a mental note.

The person's head was hanging down, so his appearance could not be seen clearly. However, the nurse could see that the page his paper notebook was flipped to was filled with many scribbles, but she could not understand a single one.

She had not meant to pry into another's secrets and only had given a passing glance to clear her doubts.

Today, the hospital had received news. The head nurse had informed everyone to maintain a high vigilance and take precautions against any abnormal situations. This nurse felt her heart beating faster as she quickened her pace, and after wheeling away the patient, she immediately contacted the hospital's security team.

"I just spotted a suspicious person, and he was writing in some strange language or perhaps a secret code!"

The moment the security team heard this situation, they went on high alert.

Today, the entire base was in upheaval. Last night, the security chief had been called over for a meeting regarding the situation and had brought his team to guard the hospital for the entire night. Shanta wanted to catch the thieves, so the security team needed to maintain guard in case certain people tried anything funny. As such, the security chief had not managed to rest one bit. Now that the perpetrators had mostly been caught, the chief could relax a little and had intended to take a nap.

He had barely shut his eyes when he heard that a suspicious person had appeared at the hospital. All hints of sleepiness were gone and he sprang up, overflowing with killing intent.

"Where is the suspicious person? These sorts of people deserve to be taught a lesson. If we don't beat them up and throw them in jail, they won't learn! Look, I'm not..."

"Chief!" A security team member had a strange expression on his face.

Having been interrupted, the security chief was not happy. "Speak!" This was definitely not him being grouchy from being woken up.

The security team member used his fingers to bring up a screen. "From the nurse's information of the person's position, I have already adjusted the surveillance cameras to target that area. However, Chief, the person captured on camera seems a little familiar. Is there some sort of misunderstanding here?"

"Misunderstanding?"

The security chief took large strides over and glanced at the image displayed on the screen.

"Isn't this, this, this... This is Fang Zhao!"

"I thought so too," the security team member agreed.

Just at that moment, Fang Zhao seemed to sense something and looked up toward the camera, letting the entire security team see his face.

"It really is him!" The security chief's inner rage was completely extinguished.

After looking straight at the surveillance camera, Fang Zhao dropped his head back down and continued writing at a tremendous speed.

"Cough, inform that nurse not to go and disturb Fang Zhao. I reckon that little fella is composing tunes." The security chief scratched his head and decided to return to his nap.

They all knew that Fang Zhao could spread out his notebook and write song scores in a weird code that nobody understood anytime and anywhere. When they saw this behavior, they found it odd but understandable. After all, he dabbled in art.

All of them knew about Fang Zhao's quirks and had been informed by the top that should they encounter this sort of situation, unless it was an urgent matter, they should not disturb Fang Zhao. After all, Fang Zhao could also be considered a benefactor to all the stationed troops on Baiji base and they should not disrupt this composer's flow of inspiration.

Over at the hospital, that nurse who had kept watching vigilantly from a distance did not see any security team coming over to catch the suspect, but she did receive a call from the security team asking her and her colleagues not to disturb that person.

What the hell?

Normally, the security team were efficient. Why were they terrified this time?

The young security team member patiently explained, "You are new and might not know him, so it's fine."

The nurse was curious. "Who is he?"

"That is Fang Zhao."

"...Which Fang Zhao?'

"Which other Fang Zhao is there in our military district—no, I should say 'on planet Baiji'."

"Oh, oh, oh... oh it's him, huh... Sorry, I didn't see his face. I didn't know that was Fang Zhao." The rookie nurse was red in the face and felt ashamed. "But why is he seated there, and what is he writing?"

"You wouldn't believe me, but he is composing."

Nurse: "..."An is the chinese character of peace

Chapter 252: Ear Value Rising Again

Due to the security team's verification and reminders, nobody went over to disturb Fang Zhao after that.

Only in the evening, when the sun was starting to set, did Fang Zhao's attention finally leave his music scores. Looking at the progress he had made today, he finally shut the notebook.

Fang Zhao felt rather satisfied with this piece of work and decided to place it among his concert pieces.

A little growl from his stomach indicated that he was hungry. Fang Zhao looked at the time; it had been so long since he had sat down. His inspiration had been overflowing, and he had composed nonstop and lost track of time. Getting up, he stretched his arms and prepared to leave. He had only walked a few steps when he heard footsteps approaching him.

"Please wait!"

Fang Zhao turned toward the source of the sound and saw a nurse briskly walking over.

Fang Zhao remembered that it had been this nurse who had kept a wary eye on him, although it had not been long before her gaze had vanished.

That nurse's face was bright red, and she was so nervous her tongue was in a knot. "H-h-h-hello! Are you... Fang Zhao?"

In the security team office, the security person watching the surveillance feed rolled his eyes. Why must she ask the obvious when she is just giving a greeting?

Fang Zhao was a little surprised. "That's me." At the moment, the young nurse in front of him did not have the slightest bit of wariness in her eyes. Instead, they were filled with excitement and admiration. Any more and her eyes would be shining brightly.

"Could I trou-trou-trou-trouble you for an autograph!" As she spoke, the young nurse fished out a card.

This was a Memorial Day greeting card that she had not used and had kept in her locker. Now she had taken it out.

Fang Zhao smiled and didn't reject it. The nurse had forgotten to bring her pen, so Fang Zhao took out his own pen that he took notes with, signed his name on the card, and added "Happy Memorial Day."

"Thank... thank you!"

The young nurse had not requested Fang Zhao write anything else. After thanking him, she quickly returned to the hospital building and then posted a photograph of the greeting card with the autograph in the military district hospital's internal chat group.

"I saw Fang Zhao in the little garden behind the hospital a while back!!!"

Previously, she had not mentioned in the chat group that she had seen Fang Zhao in the little garden behind the hospital, as she had been afraid that there would be too many curious people and it would disturb Fang Zhao's composing. But now that Fang Zhao was already done and she had successfully managed to obtain the idol's autograph, of course she had to show off a little.

In the evening, there were off-duty staff that normally did not say a thing, but when this message appeared, the chat group buzzed to life as many lurkers appeared.

"Fang Zhao? That famous Fang Zhao from our military district?"

"Where is he? Can I still make it to get his autograph?"

"I want to go too! Ever since I arrived at the military district, I have never gotten to see him in person!"

"I'm busy on duty. Anyone going to get his autograph, please me get one too!"

...

Two senior nurses shook their heads as they saw the discussions in the chat group and sighed while laughing. "These bunch of young ladies are just..."

"Don't you frequently praise Fang Zhao? Don't you want his autograph?" someone else asked.

"Cough, how can I stop other people at the hospital and ask for their autograph?"

"I also think..."

"I dropped by his place in the family district and even took a photograph together!'

"..."

Little did Fang Zhao know that the bunch of nurses were passionately talking about him. After he returned to his residence in the family district, he received an incoming call from Shanta.

Shanta told Fang Zhao that for this incident, those that deserved to be punished had been punished and those that deserved to be rewarded would not be excluded. Fang Zhao's service had already been reported to the higher ups and news would be released.

This incident could not be kept under wraps. Many people in the internal loop already knew about this. The rumors flying about concerning Fang Zhao's ears were becoming even more and more divine. This could not be helped, though. As planet Baiji lacked entertainment facilities and gossip, how could the people miss out on such a chance? Furthermore, many people felt that Fang Zhao's ears were really mystical, and they could not stop discussing his ears.

Shanta's intention was this: since it couldn't be covered up, then it just had to be publicly commended!

"Why should we cover up a good deed?"

What Shanta meant was that as long as there were merits, they deserved to be publicly commended. Also, it didn't have anything to do with terrorists, just the arrest of a gang of thieves, so why should the person who had actually rendered service be hidden? For what reason? Shouldn't those people who harbored errant thoughts be the ones hiding instead?

Thus, during the official annoucement where Fang Zhao's service in this matter was commended, Shanta also had some words to say. Anyone who dares to try and take revenge against Fang Zhao over this matter, us at Baiji military district will never let them off!

Not only Fang Zhao, from now on, in similar situations, anyone's meritorious deeds would be publically commended, and if anyone dared to retaliate, Shanta would return the favor with added interest!

Thus, in no time, more people on Earth got to know about the matter of Fang Zhao relieving duty on Memorial Day and foiling a criminal gang's ore-theft plans. Furthermore, in the news that planet Baiji officially released where an account of incident was described, there was a line that epecially emphasized "Fang Zhao heard that something was not right." This line gave rise to a round of heated discussion.

"He can even hear that?"

"How far is the range of his hearing?"

"Really, Diting!"

"Although the previous rumors were slightly overexaggerated, there was indeed reasoning behind the online circulation about those 'divine ears'."

"Am I the only one that is focusing on the mecha-troops being deployed? If I was one of those thieves, I would have crumbled. To actually be faced with mecha-troops just from stealing some ore, they probably didn't even have the courage to resist. Hahahaha!"

"Those thieves never expected that Shanta would be so ruthless. He simply did not waste any time with them."

"I have pondered deeply and analyzed this quite a bit. Shanta's decision was the right one. By making such a ruthless move, he sent out a statement. I believe there will be less people who try to steal ore in the future."

"Rubbish. Anyone can tell this from one glance—do you still have to ponder deeply and analyze it?'

"I just received news that a firm that manufactures protective ear equipment has decided to look for Fang Zhao for an endorsement deal!"

"Why did I hear that it was a company that sells sound equipment that is looking for Fang Zhao to be an ambassador?"

"I don't know about others, but till now, Fiery Bird is the only one confirmed. The new model of ear pieces that is going to hit the market in May is set to be endorsed by Fang Zhao. I heard the contract was signed some time back. This is internal information, so it should be true."

"Only Fiery Bird has such foresight. Hasn't the value of Fang Zhao's ears appreciated once again? The fees for approaching him as an ambassador are surely at a premium."

Fiery Bird were indeed rejoicing. They had already discussed the contract for endorsing the new model earpieces, and the fees had already been fixed. If they were to negotiate a contract now, they estimated the fees would be 30% higher.

Originally, the plan had been to wait till Fang Zhao had completed his military service. If his popularity fell, they would roll out some PR operations to hype it up. Unexpectedly, there had never been any need for them to make a move. Fang Zhao's ears had once again become a hot discussion topic, and their value had risen once more!

Watching the value of Fang Zhao's ears soar, Fiery Bird wondered whether they should get Fang Zhao to endorse the company's many other lines of sound and stereo equipment.

At the same time, having found out about the incident's entire timeline, Kevin Lin sighed in his heart. He had known that letting Fang Zhao go out would cause him to miss big news. If he had followed Fang Zhao to the guard post on that day, perhaps he might have gotten to film quite a bit of big news!

Naturally, there was one person whose heart felt really uneasy as he watched the piece of news officially released by Baiji military district.

Wang Tie, who was currently at the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base, was secretly taking snapshots of a certain big-name celebrity. When he saw that piece of news, his first reaction was this: Perhaps the reason Fang Zhao was able to see through my disguises is because he heard through them!

Wang Tie searched the internet for related information and legends of the mythical creature Diting's hearing ability and found out that the Diting was said to be able to hear truths and lies. When considering his own circumstances, the more Wang Tie thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case.

Regardless of what other people thought, Wang Tie had a mental "Diting" label stuck to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao did not read online evaluations of himself, but he found out about them from Kevin Lin. The value of his own ears had risen, so much so that people suggested insuring his ears. From his earlobe to his eardrum, his ossicles, and his cochlea, every bit of his ear should be insured.

Fang Zhao himself had no idea that his ears would actually be raised to a divine status, but he had no explanation for it. Besides, if he explained it, he would have to give many other reasons, and there were some things that Fang Zhao could not disclose. The more he said, the more doubts would appear. His body had too many secrets that others could not know about.

In the days that followed, Fang Zhao continued with his military service. Regardless of how others went about their lives, Fang Zhao's daily routine was roughly the same. The only difference was that planet Baiji had started publicly annoucing the merits of soldiers and specifically started a topic about the meritorious services of this bunch of youngsters that were undergoing military service. From this, Fang Zhao's name often appeared in front of people's eyes.

And when people saw news relating to Fang Zhao, their evaluations also changed.

"Fang Zhao has rendered a meritorious service!"

"So impressive? It's simply hard to believe, is it exaggerated? Don't the media just love to blow things out of proportion and create things out of nothing? Even if it is true, it's surely overexaggerated. It's probably to set a benchmark. This is probably to complete their political duty."

...

"Fang Zhao has rendered a meritorious service again!"

"What? Another one? Are you sure it's real? Are there videos? This little fella is really hardy. This time it really isn't exaggerated."

...

"Fang Zhao has rendered a meritorious service yet again!"

"Impressive! There are so many opportunities on planet Baiji. Now that Fang Zhao has once again received a merit, given his record, he can probably get promoted, right? I'm so envious! Fang Zhao will be my idol from now on!"

...

"Fang Zhao has rendered meritorious service once more!"

"As expected of my idol!"

...

"Fang Zhao has garnered yet another meritorious deed!"

"Has he been promoted yet? Don't call me if he hasn't been! I'm gaming!"

...

"Fang Zhao has garnered meritorious deeds once again!"

"Oh."

Afterward, whenever Fang Zhao rendering meritorious service or deeds was mentioned by Baiji military district, unless it was third-class merits or the like, it rarely even created a splash. Only some idle audiences would lament about it.

Furthermore, Fang Zhao's fans were rather unperturbed. They had already classified Fang Zhao under the category of "an abnormal person." The image that "my idol is a mythical creature" was already firmly etched in their hearts. Thus, small matters like this would not excite them. For a mythical creature, these kind of small matters were nothing more than simple effort. Was there a need to be amazed?

The number of Fang Zhao fans was also continuing to increase.

However, there were also many people who could not understand Fang Zhao's actions. What was a conscript who was only undergoing temporary military service striving so hard for? You aren't even a career soldier! Yes, you can strive for merits over at Baiji military service and rise up the ranks, but even if you reach an officer rank, the bonus you will get after ending your military service is not even a tenth of the revenue you earn just from composing one tune!

It was said that those who could use their brains didn't need to use their hands. Why did Fang Zhao have to use his brains and also use his hands? That just wasn't worth it!

What was he trying to prove?

Chapter 253: Who to Play the Role of "Fang Zhao"

For Fang Zhao, military service was a really special experience. This was the first time he had gone into outer space and the first time he had personally seen the large strides humanity had taken in space travel.

Battlefields would not just be limited to a single planet. In the future, even if planets with immigrants had conflicts or disputes, humanity and civilization would continue moving forward and expanding even farther into space. Should a catastrophe occur on a planet, there were other planets that could provide refuge for humans. There was no need to worry about a calamity like humankind being nearly wiped out during the Period of Destruction ever happening again.

And during the course of his military service, Fang Zhao had gained even more inspiration for his compositions.

In short, Fang Zhao was very satisfied with his own military service experience. Many people advised him to stay on in the military, including Shanta, who had mentioned it multiple times. As long as Fang Zhao chose to remain at Baiji military district, he might even rise to the rank of general in the future.

But Fang Zhao still rejected this notion. In his previous life, it could be said that he sacrificed a lot for the great cause of surviving, so much so that he was unable to endure until the Founding Era. In this lifetime, Fang Zhao just wished to enjoy as much as he could, although many people would not be able to comprehend his sort of "enjoying."

After Memorial Day passed, the batch of conscripts who had started their military service together with Fang Zhao all started to get restless. Whether they wished to remain on planet Baiji or return home after military service, these people all started making plans.

Given planet Baiji's development, they no longer had to suffer what Baiji conscripts of the past had gone through—that is, being isolated from the world. Now, the amount of time they could go online had increased, and on days off, they could still head to the newly constructed places of entertainment and have fun, even if those weren't all open yet.

After Memorial Day, the entertainment circles were also shaken up.

News of the revolutionary film project being rebooted broke out. Media firms, reporters, and paparazzi from every single continent felt that their own springtime had come!

How many topics could be generated just from this revolutionary film project? How many livelihoods could it feed?

The chance to strike it rich was right before their eyes!

A short while back, it had been reported that a certain paparazzo had dirt on a certain film superstar. That superstar had spent tens of millions to purchase the incriminating information from the paparazzo to protect his reputation.

Therefore, promotions, pay raises, and perhaps an overnight fortune were not out of the question. It all depended on who had the ability to seize such big news!

However, well-informed parties had already started their preparations a few months earlier. Now all they were waiting for was the official announcement and the information that would be laid out for the public.

For the sake of snagging a satisfactory role in the revolutionary film project, big-name film superstars from every continent had started to move. The teams behind them had already prepared a series of publicity-boosting plans and campaigns.

Over at Silver Wing's side, Duan Qianji had already used the historical dramas shot on real physical sets to give a popularity boost to the company's few big-name superstar actors and actresses. They still could not afford to relax, though—this was not a competition within Yanzhou alone. This was a competition between all the entertainment circles on a global scale!

There were only so few roles, and there were so many actors and actresses. Anyone who studied history knew what sort of characters there were. At this sort of time, superstars of every continent saw their value depreciating. Only each continent's first-rate megastars with global appeal would be able to vie for the lead roles.

Normally, Fang Zhao would also have paid attention to entertainment news and any trending news regarding this revolutionary film project. The script was still being discussed and the consultant team and screenwriters were exchanging thoughts and views, but it was approaching the end stage and was close to being finalized.

Fang Zhao's military service was also coming to an end soon, and Shanta had informed him beforehand.

"Before your batch is decommissioned, there will be one more large commendation ceremony, and you will be among the recipients. When the time comes, you will be promoted one rank and the bonus when your service ends will increase as well. However, have you really decided not to stay on?"

"I have already made plans for a concert performance at a music hall," Fang Zhao replied.

"All right. Then I shall wish you all the best with your concert. You are welcome back any time." Shanta really wished he could retain the services of Fang Zhao. Not even mentioning Fang Zhao's rumored divine ears, he didn't want to let go of Fang Zhao's combat ability. What a pity that Fang Zhao had actually chosen to be an artistic youth!

After speaking with Shanta, Fang Zhao discovered that an entertainment news company had set up a survey through a voting system to see which superstars the masses thought should play the roles of the important leaders during the Period of Destruction.

Below every Founding Era leader's character, there were over 10 listed big-name film stars from every continent.

What attracted Fang Zhao's attention was the role of that "Fang Zhao," where there were also more than 10 film stars listed.

What was interesting was that for the role of "Founding Era Leader Fang Zhao," there was a lot of discussion.

Fang Zhao saw some of the comments of netizens:

"For sure, the roles of the Founding Era great generals will surely be played by members of their own families. If not, those roles will be selected by them. However, for this sort of revolutionary film project, playing a minor role in it is enough for someone to brag for half his lifetime."

"I just took out my secondary school history e-textbook for a read. This character 'Fang Zhao' had a rather important role during that period but was unfortunate enough to pass on a little early. Now there aren't even any aristocratic families with the family name Fang. Since this is the case, I feel that the film emperors of every continent will be vying for this role."

"The ill-fated leader of Yanzhou was actually called 'Fang Zhao'! Why don't they let Fang Zhao play the role? Yeah, the one I'm talking about is that 'mythical beast' with the pair of really expensive ears."

"Hahahaha, that sounds feasible. Let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao!"

"They should try it out!"

"Stop joking! Fang Zhao's gaming in 'Battle of the Century' is rather impressive, sure. His actual combat ability is legit too—after all, he has garnered so many military merits—but he might not necessarily be able to act. He isn't an actor, after all."

The online voting activity was little more than a means of generating discussion and conveniently obtaining statistics of the masses' opinions and which stars they felt were most appropriate for which role. The final results would also give the investors of the revolutionary film project some data to consider.

Of course, there were huge profits to be made for this voting activity, because for the voting, there were two choices. For every role, everyone had a free chance to vote, and besides that, they could also place a wager.

The latter choice added an element of fun to the voting, and the market was huge. After all, every one of these listed stars had a large following of fans. Even if only one percent of these fans placed a wager, it would still be a massive figure.

The number of people who had placed a wager and how much they had placed were not displayed. After voting, one could only see a bar chart showing the support that each star had.

Fang Zhao looked at the comments and the bar chart. Online audiences that did not know anything and were purely joining in on the fun had made him the most voted option.

"Let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao" also became a topic for laughs.

Sometimes, people would say one thing, but in their hearts, they would be thinking something else. For example, some people said this: That person might not necessarily be able to act. But in their hearts, what they were thinking was this: If not him, who else can do so?

And now, although these people were saying to just "Let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao! He has the exact same name and can even fight beasts!" in fact, their hearts were laughing. If Fang Zhao can act for such an important role, then even pigs can fly!

While Fang Zhao was viewing the voting activity, there were also many people paying attention to it on planet Wai.

Zaro was currently filming the third season of "Vampire Duke." With technological advancements, as long as filming was smooth, the time taken to manufacture an episode had been greatly shortened. Since he had seen that the sets were really good, Zaro's agent had suggested Zaro continue filming. After the first season was complete, the second season had followed immediately after. Reception for season two had not been bad, so they had taken advantage of it and filmed a third season.

During idle times while filming, Zaro had come across the online voting activity. Naturally, his attention went to the role of Leizhou's Great General Renault and the possible candidates for this role. Sweeping through the list of over 10 actors in the voting options, Zaro found out that he was among the candidates on the voting list for the role of General Renault.

Zaro was elated. This was the delight of being acknowledged. However, this joy only lasted for a short while. When Zaro went through the discussions, his face became one shade darker.

Especially after reading the top few comments that had obtained the most likes, Zaro was no longer able to maintain his good mood.

"Why is Zaro in the choices for the role of General Renault?"

"Zaro can act?"

"There's no choice; who asked him to be born with the Renault family name? Furthermore, he acted in a really popular TV series. That cannot be denied."

"This 'Leizhou's Smiling Angel' should just go do some charity! Don't act anymore!"

"Sha-ro? He wants to vie for leading role in that revolutionary film project with his sort of acting skills? I have watched the highly popular series 'Vampire duke,' and it was rather ordinary. All he did was pull a long face and act cool to trick some young ladies. It's better for him not to disgrace himself in this sort of revolutionary film project!"

"Honestly speaking, Zaro does have the status and basis. If he doesn't open his mouth, his acting can be considered decent, but when he talks, everything just falls apart. Under the performances of those kings of the silver screen, he will experience being crushed by a tank! Letting him play the role of General Renault would just be letting people from other continents laugh their heads off!"

...

Reading these few pages of comments, at the start, Zaro was filled with a burning rage, but it slowly turned into self-doubt, as there were just too many such comments—over 10 pages worth.

Zaro tilted his head toward his agent beside him and asked, "Is my acting really that bad?"

Zaro's agent fell silent for a few seconds as he considered the question, then replied, "There is room for improvement." Then his agent added, "It has improved greatly!"

Zaro's expression changed. He seemed pleased and, following that, brought up his own performances in "Vampire Duke" seasons 1 and 2 and the currently airing season 3 and watched them. The more he watched, the more pleased he was. "Where can you find this sort of acting? How can this even be called acting cool? No, acting cool also requires skill! Those people online are just blind!"

Zaro then checked the views and profits of this drama series. "It's impossible not to be popular!"

Returning to the slew of vicious comments directed toward him, Zaro silently pondered for a bit. Combining facts and theory, he came to a conclusion: "Mmhm, these people are definitely blind!"

Zaro's agent shrugged, indicating he didn't wish to say anything

Zaro did not even look at his manager's expression. He voted for himself and placed a wager. This was how much faith the great Zaro of Leizhou had in himself.

After voting for himself, Zaro was feeling contented and went to check on the other roles to vote for candidates that satisfied him.

"Fang Zhao? There was a leader during the Period of Destruction called Fang Zhao? Oh, seems like there was one."

Zaro clicked to enter this page and read through the introduction of this Period of Destruction leader.

After reading through this character's introduction Zaro clicked his tongue. "Weak, this person was really weak."

However, he was not really interested in all this. He quickly went to check the list of candidates in the voting pool.

The first option was actually more good looking than himself. Not pleasing to look at, not voting for him.

The second option had too many awards. The photo of him even had a close-up of those awards he had won! Are you afraid that nobody will know that you have won awards? So pretentious, I can't stand looking at him. No votes.

Fourth option. More than 2 meters tall? What did he grow so tall for? To snatch rebounds in basketball?! No votes!

Fifth option...

Sixth option...

...

Zaro went through them one by one right till the last option.

After browsing through all of them, Zaro looked through the voting options in the list once again. Zaro then placed a vote for Fang Zhao and conveniently wagered a little on him too. This was a totally an instinctive reaction, and the agent beside him could not have stopped Zaro in time if he had wanted to.

After placing the wager, Zaro realized what he had done. He had not really intended to place a wager on anyone other than himself, but he could not bring himself to admit his mistake and reluctantly said, "Cough, just a little investment in Fang Zhao. Take it as me supporting that fella. After all, he did help us out, didn't he? He was the one who introduced the projects at the film entertainment complex to us. As people, we should know how to be grateful."

Zaro's agent felt that from his understanding of Zaro, given Zaro's "idiotic" IQ and pettiness, his choice of voting for Fang Zhao was definitely not "being grateful" but a load of hogwash. Faced with the list of those actors displayed on the screen, perhaps Zaro had only found Fang Zhao a little more pleasing to his eyes than the rest.

Why was this so?

Because among all the superstars on this list, only Fang Zhao's status in the film entertainment circles was lower than Zaro's. When it came to a person who was beneath himself, Zaro would definitely find him more pleasing to the eyes!

Chapter 254: Transferring Duty

Being a hot topic online, people on Baiji were frequently heard discussing it. Whether they were conscripts undergoing military service or workers from construction teams, even seasoned soldiers from the military district spoke about it with their comrades in their free time. In the past, they might have been cut off from the world and would only receive limited military news, but now they could access the internet and their surroundings were much more lively, so people would participate in idle chatting.

Not all people belonged to the category of star chasers, but they would still have actors and actresses they liked or who seemed pleasant to them, so they would also cast a vote. However, when the majority of garrisoned troops on planet Baiji saw the option for Fang Zhao, they immediately voted for him.

If it hadn't been for Fang Zhao, planet Baiji would still be a poor and destitute place. Perhaps they might still be racking their brains to try and get others to lend some assistance even now. Therefore, if they didn't vote for Fang Zhao, who else could they vote for?

Not an actor?

They didn't care. In any case, when they saw the option of "Fang Zhao," they just had to cast their votes.

A year's military service was coming to an end and the military district had allocated a time for the large commendation ceremony.

In the past, planet Baiji would definitely not have set up this sort of thing. They did not have the money or inclination to host farewell parties, commendation ceremonies, or any such events.

This year, they were making it especially formal and were even preparing an extravagant farewell party. Why?

In light of Fang Zhao's contributions to planet Baiji, the military district also had to show their appreciation. Of course, Baiji military district would also use this opportunity to reveal to the public how the military district saw this bunch of youths who had undergone military service, and they would conveniently answer the call from the top brass to promote these exemplary models so that even more youngsters would not choose to avoid military service.

During the large commendation ceremony, over 100 conscripts with exceptional performances were conferred medals, which were handed out personally by the military district's highest-ranking officer, Shanta.

As the first official commendation ceremony, Shanta attached a great deal of importance to it. Besides inviting a few reporters and media, the entire ceremony would be broadcasted live.

There were too many people to commend, so it was impossible to list out every contribution belonging to every single person. During the awards presentation, the majority would only have their biggest meritorious deed mentioned.

Fang Zhao was the last recipient. This time, Shanta listed over 10 meritorious deeds in one breath. These deeds were the more typical cases. There were some that were confidential and could not be released publicly, such as the deeds during the terrorist attack. Saying so much was to show off Fang Zhao as a role model.

Last year, when Fang Zhao had first discovered Baiji ore, it had caused a large commotion. Not long after, he had rendered meritorious service during the terrorist attack and had even shot two important terrorists. Exceptions had been made for him to be promoted, and he had obtained lawful gun ownership rights for after his military service ended.

Half a year after that, at a mobilization meeting in front of the new batch of conscripts that had arrived in October last year, Fang Zhao had been promoted from the rank of second lieutenant to first lieutenant.

Now, when his one year of military service was reaching its end, at the military district's general assembly hall, in front of online audiences watching the live broadcast, Fang Zhao's military achievements once again resulted in him getting a promotion. Fang Zhao was promoted from the rank of first lieutenant to captain.

Although there were other outstanding individuals from the same batch, the only one to rise up the ranks so quickly was Fang Zhao.

However, nobody had any objections, including netizens that were watching the live broadcast.

In this one year, all the meritorious deeds publicly announced by Baiji military district were real and true, to the point that even Fang Zhao's fans had already become immune to hearing about them. Although there might have been some political agenda here where they needed a role model and benchmark, if that person was Fang Zhao, everyone had no qualms.

Tears streamed down Great-Grandfather Fang's face as he watched his great-grandson on stage. He was very gratified. Beside him, others once again told the two elder Fangs to advise Fang Zhao to stay on with the military. However, the two of them only returned faint smiles. They also hoped that Fang Zhao would stay in the military, but they also respected Fang Zhao's own aspirations.

"If he doesn't want to stay on, then he won't stay on. Whatever Fang Zhao wants to do, he should just go ahead and do. All that matters is that he is happy. Being an artist is also rather great too."

This was what the two elder Fangs had decided when they had discussed the matter in private. All the meritorious services and deeds were a result of Fang Zhao's own striving. Whatever he wished to do, however he went about it, the two elder Fangs would not interfere.

Audiences watching the live broadcast of the commendation ceremony also felt somewhat rueful.

"He underwent military service for a year yet could obtain an officer rank. After he is discharged, he can still carry arms. How great is that!"

With Fang Zhao and the others as examples, there were even more people who wished to apply for their military service on planet Baiji. Furthermore, it was predicted that as time passed, it would get more difficult to apply for planet Baiji.

"Fang Zhao was actually promoted to captain. If it were me, I would surely stay on at Baiji military district. Such a great opportunity, what can he achieve by leaving?"

"The person above, do you know how much Fang Zhao earns from his compositions?"

"The person before me, do you know how much Fang Zhao earns playing games? Do you know how much the 10th-generation console he owns is worth now? A sky-high premium! Reselling it would bring one an overnight fortune! How envious!"

"The brother above, do you know much Fang Zhao earns from endorsements? Can he earn so much in the military?"

"The few above who posted seem like they are quite young, shortsighted, and lack any understanding! If Fang Zhao stays on at Baiji military district, that is where there will be unlimited possibilities for future prospects! Those are things that cannot be calculated in terms of money. Returning is the worst possible choice!"

In one hour, the comments section went from admiring Fang Zhao's promotion to discussing whether Fang Zhao should stay on with the military.

Kevin Lin looked at the comments online and could not help but take delight in this. "When the person involved is quiet, these people will defend his interests."

As one of the reporters present, Kevin Lin had been allocated to a good spot and had managed to capture many photographs and videos of the commendation ceremony.

While browsing through the online comments, Kevin Lin sent a message. He wanted to interview Fang Zhao on his thoughts about his promotion and pending discharge. However, he never got a reply from Fang Zhao. After the ceremony ended, Fang Zhao was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?"

Kevin Lin asked a few people he recognized over at the military district and found out that Fang Zhao had been called over by Shanta for a talk. He guessed that Shanta was surely trying to persuade Fang Zhao to stay on with the military.

However, Kevin Lin had only gotten it half right.

Shanta did try to persuade Fang Zhao, but he'd had another reason for summoning Fang Zhao.

"It is certain that you will be transferred to reserve duty, but I have already submitted an application for you as a reserve duty officer. According to regulations, for people with outstanding contributions during their active military service, when they are transferred to reserve duty, their rank can still rise by one grade. That means to say, if the application is successful, after you have been discharged and transferred to reserve duty, your reserve duty rank will rise to major."

The position of a reserve duty officer had already been brought up, and the military district needed time to discuss this matter. As it had not yet been confirmed, this information had not been revealed during the commendation ceremony.

For people like Fang Zhao, Yan Biao, and other discharged soldiers who had lawful gun ownership rights, they were all transferred to reserve duty. Normally, people in reserve duty did not do anything, but should a war break out, these people would receive an enlistment notice and could be speedily converted to active duty to participate.

Reserve duty personnel were registered under the continent they were from as well as the place they had served. In most cases, the system generally listed the home continent in front. Shanta had pulled some tricks, though. During the registration, he had moved the place Fang Zhao had served to the top. That was to say that if there were any wars or special circumstances that required reserve personnel be activated and both Yanzhou Military district and Baiji military district tried to draft Fang Zhao at the same time, Baiji military district would have priority.

Two days later, the position of a reserve duty officer was fixed and his rank was confirmed.

Shanta called up Fang Zhao. "Reserve duty major. Although you don't have any real authority or power, that rank isn't just for show. The higher the rank, the more responsibility you bear on your shoulders. In the future, if you receive an enlistment notice, regardless of any other reasons, make sure to report promptly to the appointed location."

When one was given the right to wield guns, they would have to fulfill their obligations. Although he may never be called up, the moment he received an enlistment notice, unless there was really no way of responding, he would have to rush to the designated location as soon as possible. Otherwise, would it have been so easy to obtain a gun permit?

Fang Zhao took a look at the military uniform that was sent to him. The reserve duty uniform's buttons, rank, and design were similar to the active duty one—only the color was different.

On the day that they were officially discharged, people from the same batch were wearing all sorts of clothing. However, Fang Zhao and others that had been transferred to reserve duty were still wearing military uniforms.

Kevin Lin swept his eyes over Fang Zhao's epaulet. "The heck? It's only been a few days, how have you gotten promoted again? Baiji military district is really generous to you."

Kevin Lin was only joking lightheartedly. He knew about the regulations when transferring to reserve duty.

Fang Zhao bade farewell to his comrades and the construction teams and researchers of Outpost 23 and carried the water tank with the "rabbit" as he left.

Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang also said their goodbyes to the people in the family district they had grown close to. Together with Fang Zhao and the batch of conscripts who had completed their military service, they boarded a transport ship headed back home.

After the space flight, the transport ship arrived at a space station orbiting Earth. Here, all conscripts who had completed a year of military service would ride a shuttle back to their respective continents.

Here, Fang Zhao, the two elder Fangs, and the other Yanzhou conscripts would board shuttles back to Yanzhou, but the two elder Fangs would be on a shuttle for civilians, while Fang Zhao and the other conscripts who had completed a year of military service would board a military shuttle. The destinations of the two shuttles were also different.

Online, news of returning conscripts after their year of military service had been announced.

"Look at Fang Zhao. After completing his military service, his reputation has gotten even higher."

"Have you ever seen a celebrity who was even more famous after military service?"

"If military service could raise one's fame, would any celebrity try to skip military service?"

Before his military service had started, at most, Fang Zhao could have been said to have some fame in the entertainment circles and had banked on gaming to gain a temporary boost in popularity. Many people had seen Fang Zhao choosing to enlist in the military at the time his popularity was soaring as a huge mistake. Now, the Fang Zhao who was even more popular than ever had returned back to Earth!

After all, there were limitations in the gaming circles. Furthermore, during Fang Zhao's military service duration, he had appeared in both entertainment news and political news, with Baiji military district's official news being the main driving force. How could he not be popular?

With reports from many angles, this was not something limited to just the gaming circles. There were lots of people who did not pay attention to gaming or even the entire entertainment industry who had now heard of Fang Zhao. Of course, Fang Zhao's ears were another popular discussion topic among people.

There was also the online voting activity. Not even mentioning those film emperors, even these younger generations of aristocratic families who filmed movies and TV series just for fun had representative works. In the lists of stars, only Fang Zhao did not have any prior films.

Therefore, every entertainment media outlet wished to interview Fang Zhao on his thoughts regarding the revolutionary film project's voting activity and ask him about his thoughts and feelings from his time undergoing military service.

Although netizens were only light-heartedly joking about voting for Fang Zhao, they were also very curious as to Fang Zhao's own thoughts. Why did this person who was able to brave storms and hardships during his military service give up the chance to remain at Baiji military district and instead come back? And what are his future life plans for after this?

"Kevin Lin did talk about it in a live broadcast, but he never talked about the main points. Forget about military reporters, they won't even touch anything related to entertainment."

"Then which entertainment reporter should interview him?"

"Speaking of that, we rarely get to see secret snapshots of Fang Zhao in the news."

"In the past, it was because Fang Zhao was not popular enough. Besides that, entertainment reporters and paparazzi pay less attention to the private lives of celebrities in gaming circles. However, now that he has returned, the amount of entertainment reporters eyeing him should increase."

"I believe that secret snapshots will appear soon."

"We have to leave it up to Yanzhou's paparazzi and entertainment reporters."

"Fang Zhao has already returned from his military service. Yanzhou's entertainment reporters and paparazzi, hurry up and get your *sses over to the airfield!"

"Who is Yanzhou's paparazzi king?"

"I heard it was someone called Wang Tie."

"Wang Tie, you piece of trash! Where are you!"

Wang Tie, who was far away on planet Wai: "..." Why am I being abused again? I will never go even if I get scolded! Whoever wants to can go ahead!

Chapter 255: Blackmail

Wang Tie was afraid of Fang Zhao, but given his reputation as the "top paparazzo" and the "king of paparazzi" in Yanzhou, he couldn't state the obvious. That would be the equivalent of career suicide.

He had been planning to play dead, but given the amount of discussion online, Wang Tie decided to respond directly instead.

So Wang Tie posted a long spiel on his social media account, more than 100 words. In summary, the message was this: "This mofo is onto a big scoop at the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base. Who cares what's going on on Earth? There are so many paparazzi journalists out there. Let them have the story. Stop bugging me!"

The Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base was now the focal point of most entertainment news outlets. After news had broken of the reboot of the revolutionary film project, paparazzi photographers and entertainment journalists started infiltrating the Wai base. They had discovered a construction site that they suspected was where the revolutionary project would be shooting.

Given that it was a blockbuster project, considering how things were developing, an elaborate set was likely. Geologists and historians also pointed out that the geological makeup of the construction site was quite similar to the terrain of many places during the Period of Destruction.

This prompted a deluge of A-list actors setting up camp on Wai so they could get used to the climate. What if they were cast in the revolutionary project? It would be an utter disaster if they couldn't acclimate then.

If they couldn't even get used to the weather and local diet, what were they good for?

So being prepared was the way to go. They couldn't go wrong with renting a spot to shoot another project on Wai and acclimating at the same time.

That was also why, after the brief respite during Memorial Day, the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base became bustling again. With the revolutionary film project as a major attraction, the number of visitors skyrocketed. Real-estate and rental prices doubled. Rents at the film studio complex were spiraling out of control. And yet, despite the crazy rent, there was a waiting list.

The early investors in the film studio complex made a major killing.

Now that Wang Tie had announced that he was chasing a scoop on Wai, entertainment news junkies had nothing to say. They started turning their sights to other famed entertainment journalists and companies.

That was why it was a busy day at Yanzhou's spaceport.

This was the time of the year when conscripts who had completed their military service returned home. The spaceport typically dedicated a special passage for the soldiers where their parents could pick them up in person.

But the Yanzhou spaceport was exceptionally crowded.

There were parents picking up their kids, people greeting their friends, local journalists, entertainment reporters, and fans.

A student from a neighboring university wanted to get Fang Zhao's autograph. Little had he expected the arrival hall to be so crowded. After surveying his surroundings, he asked the folks next to him why they were there.

"I'm a gamer. Fang Zhao is the perennial champion in my mind," one person said.

"I'm a soldier. He's my idol," another answered, pointing to the sky.

"I'm a musician. I attend Fang Zhao's alma mater. He's our senior alum," a young fellow said enthusiastically.

"I'm... I'm here to check out the spectacle."

Suddenly, someone started screaming.

"Look, look! They're here!"

Two flying transports landed, but they descended into different areas. One landed on the civilian airfield and the second on a military airstrip. The jam-packed arrival hall was near the military airfield.

The crowds gathering in the arrival hall craned their necks. Soon, passengers started emerging.

After a year of military service, many conscripts had gone from pale to thoroughly tanned and had bulked up. They still smelled like their barracks. Thankfully, the conscripts frequently stayed in touch via videoconference, so their parents were at least able to recognize them.

The long-awaited reunion gave rise to cheers and laughter. Many parents felt that military service was a rite of passage and that their children had come out the other end more mature.

Meanwhile, the journalists were scrambling.

"Where's Fang Zhao? Anyone see Fang Zhao?"

"Kid, did Fang Zhao come out with your batch?" a journalist asked a young man who was greeting his family. Most of the conscripts were university students, so "kid" was an appropriate way to address him.

The young man laughed. "You're not going to catch him. He boarded a transfer flight for Yanzhou's military headquarters."

Fang Zhao was grouped together with about a dozen other conscripts, all exemplary soldiers from the same batch of conscripts. They wore the insignias of majors-in-waiting. After landing in Yanzhou, they had boarded another military transport bound for Yanzhou's military HQ right away so they could get straight to the paperwork for transitioning to reserve duty.

The computer software for switching service status was available online, but there were certain procedures that had to be handled in person.

The journalists from Yanzhou's military newspaper were already on the transfer flight. They would continue filming Fang Zhao and company as they traveled to HQ, where they would conduct a short interview with the soldiers. The questions were perfunctory and had been given to them in advance. The soldiers knew the kinds of answers the top brass was looking for.

Word spread quickly among journalists that Fang Zhao and company had headed to Yanzhou's military headquarters.

"We're not going to get him here. Let's move on."

"Are we really going to stake out military HQ?"

"Military HQ is not somewhere you can just waltz into. Before you know it you'll be shot dead on account of being suspected criminals."

"Then what should we do next? Set up near military HQ?"

"No, I have a better idea. Let's send someone to Silver Wing and we'll go to the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei."

Conversations like this also happened elsewhere. Yanzhou's military HQ being off-limits, the entertainment press corps started thinking on their feet. They were experts at stakeouts—if one place didn't work, they would move on.

The entertainment journalists had missed Fang Zhao and company, but the group was tailed by reporters from Yanzhou's military newspaper who posted quite a few photos and videos online.

Readers glued to their devices weren't happy.

"The journalists didn't catch Fang Zhao."

"He actually left straight for military HQ."

"I don't want to watch the coverage from the military newspaper. The returning conscripts say the same thing every year. This year there's Fang Zhao, so they have to make a big deal out of him, but he himself is going to give the same politically correct spiel again. Lord knows how many times he has made the same comments on Baiji. I'm so sick of them."

"I only want to watch the interviews conducted by the entertainment journalists, not the bullsh*t that the military reporters generate."

What they wanted to hear wasn't effusive praise about the conscripts and their performance and hard work but, rather, interesting anecdotes—details that had never been reported.

"Wait, didn't you notice the insignia on Fang Zhao's shoulders?"

"F*ck! Is that the insignia of a major? Isn't he a captain? I could've sworn he was promoted to captain at the commendation ceremony."

"If you take a closer look, the color is a bit different than a typical major's insignia. That's the insignia for a major-in-waiting, not a serving major. It's not just Fang Zhao. The others were promoted one rank too. The previous batch of conscripts from Yanzhou didn't produce this many officers. There's also a distinction between active and reserve officers."

"You can get promoted even when you become a reserve soldier?"

"This rule was among the latest revisions to the military code during the New Era. The top brass decided to allow conscripts to be promoted when they become reserve soldiers to encourage military service."

Folks hadn't paid attention to the new provision because they resented having to serve in the military. In addition, there were so many conscripts who served every year, and only a minority were promoted to officer rank upon completing their service period. The provision hadn't been widely promoted either, so many members of the public were clueless.

Meanwhile, after signing in at military HQ and completing his media interviews, Fang Zhao headed to the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei. His pet "rabbit" had already been delivered to his home in Qi'an by courier post, so he was traveling light, carrying a single backpack that contained his notebook and gun, his two most treasured items.

When Fang Zhao arrived at the retirement home, it was still business as usual, but shortly after he arrived, he got word that journalists were en route to stake him out.

Great-Grandfather Fang asked a security guard to send him surveillance footage of the press pack gathering outside, and he lectured Fang Zhao, "You have name recognition now. There are people who admire you and want you to do well, but there are also those who curse at you and will tear you down, especially your competitors in the entertainment industry. So many of them are just waiting for you to stumble, so pay attention to your behavior and language when you're in public. Don't give your enemies any ammunition."

"I know." Fang Zhao made sure his two great-grandparents had returned from Baiji in one piece and were in good health, then got ready to leave.

Great-Grandfather Fang asked him to hang on. "Wait. There are quite a few journalists out there. Some of them have even tried to sneak into the retirement home. They won't be able to make it to the residential wing, but there's a considerable distance between the residential compound and the parking lot. There have got to be reporters staked out there. Even if you lose them, you'll be trailed by cameras, so I suggest you steer clear of both the front and side entrances. Let me show you an obscure detour that will bypass the journalists. You'll see a door and an outpost at the end of the path. The door is typically closed, but the outpost is usually staffed. I'll give the guard stationed there a heads up to open the door for you."

Great-Grandfather Fang pulled out a map of the retirement home and circled a spot. "There it is. There's a small path here that cuts through the woods."

Fang Zhao nodded, memorized the route, changed into plain clothes, and left the residential wing where the two elders lived.

He followed the route Great-Grandfather Fang had traced. Soon he saw a small cluster of trees. The path was buried among the woods beneath the thick foliage, which made it hard to detect.

But Fang Zhao noticed that he had company.

Two men were hiding behind a bush by the sheltered path, one a cunning-looking middle-aged man and the other a young man who struck Fang Zhao as a fresh university graduate.

"Shifu, you were spot on. There's Fang Zhao!" the young man hiding behind the bush blurted out in a whisper after spotting Fang Zhao through his binoculars.

"At the end of the day, us locals have an advantage. We know the layout of the retirement home better," the middle-aged man said, flashing a conceited grin.

He had consulted a few former classmates who covered finance and politics. They frequently interviewed former officials at the retirement home, so they knew the layout of the compound. The classmates told him that the old geezers loved to avoid journalists by using this detour.

The other journalists were staking out the hallway leading to the parking lot. The entrance and side doors were also covered. What a shame they were clueless about the existence of this obscure path.

It wasn't visible from the air because it was covered by a thick layer of leaves and branches. The retirement home compound was also huge, and this was a far-flung location. The detour was impossible to discover unless you were an insider.

The middle-aged man was quite upset. "How come he's all alone?" What he wanted was to shoot Fang Zhao with a few other companions, regardless of whether he could recognize them or not, be they kids or elderly folks. As long as there was a second person in the frame, he could make up a story. Some dirt would be ideal, like a family feud, some form of hypocrisy, or a messy personal life. He could spin a tale out of nothing by extrapolating from a shady-looking picture. Let the image speak for itself.

"I want you to ambush him with those questions we prepared when he passes our spot," the middle-aged man mumbled.

The young man was reluctant. "Shifu, is that a good idea? He's a major, after all." The questions his senior colleague had prepared were quite pointed and touched on Fang Zhao's personal life.

"You're still green. He's a major-in-waiting, which doesn't mean jacksh*t. He might as well be a civilian. He doesn't have any real authority. We have nothing to be afraid of."

The young man was shivering. "But he's a military officer, after all. He's authorized to carry a gun. What if shoots us both in a fit of fury? Word is he's a decent fighter. What if he drags us to a corner and executes us?"

"Have you been watching those lame-ass TV shows again? How many times have I told you? Those shows make you dumb. Cut down on those silly shows and use your brain. Think about it, he's been touted as such a positive role model and he's a major-in-waiting fresh from his military service. Would he dare use lethal force with this much public attention focused on him?"

After peeking into his binoculars again, the middle-aged man continued, "I figure he'll pass us in about two minutes. When he does, go confront him. Don't forget the questions we prepared. If he tries to blow you off, do your best to cut him off and pester him. If there's a scuffle, drop to the ground and yell, 'he's hitting me!'"

The young man was a bit embarrassed by the questionable tactics. "Uhm, isn't that kinda fake?"

"Then drop dead once he makes a move and hurt yourself somehow, pretend that you're injured."

"Soldiers who have earned merits like him, they could paralyze me with a single blow, no?"

"Don't worry, he won't attack you for real. Just confront him."

"What if he attacks me for real?"

"That's even better. That would be big news!"

"How considerate of you, Shifu."

"Look at you. And you call yourself a man? You're even more timid than your female cohort. I should have brought her instead. 'Fang Zhao attacks woman'—that's an even better headline!"

"Don't underestimate me. It's just that this is my first time doing something like this. I'm not used to it."

The middle-aged man didn't mind at all. "You'll get used to it." People who were too generous and honest were destined to fail as journalists.

"You know what, Shifu, I'm still not comfortable with this. The stars should be aligned for such a confrontational approach. We don't have a strategic advantage here. Look around you—there's nobody. No one will see the fight. Even if someone is drawn to the ruckus, this is a retirement home for former officials where Fang Zhao's elders live. They're all on his side. They will close ranks against us. The retired officials will definitely side with Fang Zhao. We're outnumbered."

"Tsk, you've been watching too many period dramas, haven't you? This is the New Era, the high-tech era. Everything will be recorded. As long as we have video evidence, we have nothing to fear. We'll adjust our camera settings to upload the video to an online drive and make 10 copies. He won't be able to wipe out all my copies. If he attacks you, even better. Let's con him with a huge medical bill and we'll offer to sell him the video of the attack. Let's blackmail the hell out of him."

Engrossed in their exchange, the two journalists failed to notice that the silhouette they had spotted in their binoculars had disappeared. When they felt that it was time and stopped chatting, they realized their target had gone missing.

"Where is he?"

"Did he spot us?"

The young man was incredulous. "That's impossible."

"It's all your fault. You were talking too much. He must have overheard us."

The two men felt a sudden breeze sweep their backs, and they shivered. It was as if someone had hovered over them briefly.

Alarmed, the middle-aged man looked around. As a veteran entertainment journalist, his senses were well honed, but all he noticed was the wind and the resulting rustling of leaves.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

The middle-aged man thought to himself, I'm probably just too nervous.

A minute later.

Still no sign of Fang Zhao.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Half an hour had passed.

The young man was ready to give up. "Shifu, there's no sign of him."

The middle-aged entertainment journalist frowned. That's impossible. Did Fang Zhao really spot us? Are his "godly ears" for real? It isn't a load of bullsh*t after all?

He went online and didn't find any updates from the other journalists staking out the retirement home.

The middle-aged man remained unconvinced that he had let his mark slip. He gritted his teeth and said, "Let's stick around."

Five hours passed.

Dusk loomed.

The two journalists got a message from their colleague: "Get online. Fang Zhao was photographed entering Silver Wing Tower."

Silver Wing Tower was located in Qi'an. The retirement home was in Yanbei.

The two journalists examined the pictures and videos posted online and were dumbfounded.

When on earth did Fang Zhao leave?

Chapter 256: Brother Zhao

Qi'an City.

At Silver Wing tower's ground floor car park, Ji Polun emerged from an inconspicuous car. He was wearing a baseball cap and very ordinary clothes. He was having a short vacation that was very hard to come by. The previous day, he had secretly gone out with a few friends to have fun all night and had only returned home at dawn to sleep until now. Today, he had not taken a company car but had borrowed a friend's car instead. He had driven to the company's public car park in an inconspicuous fashion so as to not attract any attention. In a bit, he would take the elevator straight to the film department.

Headed toward the elevator were two others who had gotten out of another car. They were two newcomers that had been signed by the company's film department.

The two newcomers were talking in hushed tones. When they looked up and saw Ji Polun, they wiped the smiles off their faces and greeted Ji Polun. "Greetings, senior!"

"Mmhm." Ji Polun gave a faint smile and nodded his head. His expression was a little aloof with a slight hint of haughtiness, and he didn't say anything else.

Now, although Ji Polun was still a second-tier actor on a B-grade contract with the company, "Beauties" and "Warring States" had let him show his face on a global scale.

During the promotional activities back on Earth, Ji Polun had visited all the different continents. Although he still couldn't be compared to the company's other top-tier stars, compared to other second-tier actors, his popularity was way greater. He finally knew why everyone wished to develop on the global scene. Just Yanzhou alone was too small. If at any time there was a revolutionary film project or something similar, stars that were only famous within Yanzhou would simply have no chance to land any good roles.

People in the film department all knew that Ji Polun was on the right path. Although his roles in the two popular drama series were slightly awkward, at least they let people remember him. How many people regretted not fighting for that role?

Ji Polun's slightly cold attitude did not bother the two newcomers. In their minds, stars with fame and ability were just like that.

The three of them stepped into the elevator. The two newcomers also did not have the nerve to continue chit-chatting in front of Ji Polun and fell silent. Ji Polun was thinking about some information his manager had sent him. Now, his manager was working hard to help him fight for an opportunity to show his face in the revolutionary film project. He wasn't qualified to snag an important role, but he was willing to be a minor character as long as he got a chance to participate in it!

Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Ji Polun's eyes lit up.

The two newcomer watched as Ji Polun's hand shot out to press a button and reopen the closing elevator doors. Ji Polun voluntarily took a step back to create space.

Yet another person entered the lift.

Ji Polun's attitude did a big 180. "Brother Zhao!" His previously cold and indifferent manner was no longer anywhere to be seen. Now a bright and warm smile was all over his face.

This sudden change in attitude stunned the two newcomers. When they saw Fang Zhao, they could recognize him right away. After all, they had seen him frequently in news reports, and their own company was putting lots of effort into giving him publicity.

But what astonished them even more was that Ji Polun, a second-tier actor whose stock was on the uprise, actually had this sort of attitude toward Fang Zhao?

They had still been wondering which top-tier superstar had come over.

Fang Zhao had not expected to run into someone he recognized immediately after entering either. He had driven over from Yanbei City in a publicly shared car and had parked at the public car park below the company's tower. As it was a publicly shared car, it would not be nice of him to park it on the 50th floor, so he had left the vehicle at the public car park and was going to take the elevator up.

"Ji Polun?" When Fang Zhao stepped into the lift, he noticed the two newcomers and nodded his head toward them. He did not have the sort of cold indifference Ji Polun had had, but he made the two newcomers feel even more nervous. The aura that Fang Zhao emitted gave them a sort of constricting feeling, making them afraid to even speak.

"Ay, it's me. Brother Zhao, you have returned back to Qi'an City so quickly! I watched the news in the afternoon and heard that many reporters were camped out in Yanbei City for you." Ji Polun had really not expected that Fang Zhao would be back at the company at this time.

"I just arrived from Yanbei City."

As Fang Zhao chatted with Ji Polun, the two newcomers stood to the side without so much as letting out a squeak.

The elevator arrived at the 50th floor virtual projects department. Fang Zhao left, while Ji Polun and the other two continued on their way up.

The moment Fang Zhao left, Ji Polun returned to his cold and aloof manner. The two newcomers watching were extremely curious and were waiting for Ji Polun to dispel their doubts, but when they reached the film department's floor, Ji Polun stepped out and left. He simply had no intention of explaining anything to them.

He had no choice. When someone was popular, they had to be a little careful. Toward these newcomers, before he understood their characters, Ji Polun would not say much.

After Ji Polun had left, the two newcomers exhaled sharply.

"That's my first time coming close to Fang Zhao in person. His aura is really strong! But isn't Ji Polun older than Fang Zhao? Why did he call Fang Zhao 'Brother Zhao'?"

"In our entertainment company, age doesn't equate seniority."

"Makes sense."

At the other side, when Fang Zhao entered the virtual projects department, Zu Wen and the others were already waiting to welcome him. All of them had been keeping their eyes peeled to the internet. Someone had taken a photo of Fang Zhao at the car park below when he had arrived, but looking at the angle the photograph was taken from and then further considering the security measures the company had improved over the last half a year, the photograph of Fang Zhao entering Silver Wing tower had probably been intentionally leaked by the company itself.

However, whether it was the company's own publicity operation or not, the moment Zu Wen and the others saw the news, they immediately moved to welcome Fang Zhao on his return.

The virtual projects department and gaming department had both recruited some newcomers. The gaming team had also recruited a few team members. First, Fang Zhao got to know the newcomers and spoke to the department staff before heading to the top-floor office to speak with Duan Qianji about acting.

At night, the staff of the virtual projects and gaming departments gathered for a meal to welcome Fang Zhao back. After that, Zu Wen gave Fang Zhao a ride to his Qi'an City residence before leaving.

First, Fang Zhao went to the luggage depositary to collect his "rabbit" and bring it up. Looking at the data being displayed on the water tank's monitoring system, the water tank's vitality readings were still strong, and there were no signs of any abnormalities. It seemed like its endurance for long-haul space travel was decent and it was adapting very well.

After Fang Zhao return to his residence, he received messages from Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. The two of them were on their way back from planet Wai and had already arrived at the space station.

The film studio complex had seen an increase in traffic flow. Fang Zhao had recruited two additional men, so when Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were not at the filmed entertainment culture base, there would still be 10 people to guard the sets.

At the space station, Zuo Yu received a new message from Fang Zhao and raised an eyebrow.

Noticing Zuo Yu's reaction, Yan Biao asked, "What are the instructions from Boss?"

Zuo Yu laughed. "We are to head to Muzhou first to fetch a dog."

Muzhou's annual sheep-herding championship was already underway. However, this year, Curly Hair was not taking part.

Since the year Curly Hair had represented Dongshan Farm as a competition dog, lead Dongshan Farm to the championship, and clinched the title of "most valuable dog," he had repeated both successes once more in the previous year.

It was said that over at Muzhou, Curly Hair's value had swelled up once more.

However, at the start of the year, Muzhou's sheep-herding championships had changed their rules to only permit registered Muzhou competition dogs taking part. As Curly Hair was considered Fang Zhao's pet and was registered under his name, he did not belong to Su Hou's Dongshan Farm.

Fang Zhao was a Yanzhou person. Curly Hair followed his master and was considered a Yanzhou dog.

This change of rules had given rise to heated debates. Medium- and small-farm owners' thoughts were that they finally did not need to compete against that curly-haired dog. On the other hand, large farm owners were wondering whether or not they should purchase that curly-haired dog. If they managed to purchase it, wouldn't it become a Muzhou competition dog?

And outside Muzhou, when people from other continents saw this new system, all they had were laughs.

"There is even a register for dogs?"

"Does it add to the population? Then does my family's pet fish have to be registered?"

"Muzhou is slightly special. Dogs have a high status over there. Only in Muzhou are dogs able to set a high value for themselves. For example, that dog said to be worth over 100 million. If it was placed anywhere other than Muzhou, would it be worth that much?"

"But what's with changing the rules? Is this to prevent foreign competition dogs from competing?"

"Could it be that after having the final's Most Valuable Dog Award stolen by a Yanzhou dog two years in a row, they were not able to stand it and came up with a solution to bar that curly-haired dog from participating?"

"I feel like that is the case."

"This is Muzhou people not having enough faith in their own Muzhou dogs! This is just called being a sore loser!"

There were many people online ridiculing Muzhou's new competition rules. In actual fact, the reform of Muzhou sheep-herding competition rules had been raised a few years back, but it had never been implemented. Now, because of Curly Hair as the trigger that had caused some large Muzhou farm owners to sustain losses, they had pushed for the competition rules to be changed. Otherwise, that curly-haired dog would still be participating this year.

Thus, Dongshan's lineup this year was missing Curly Hair. However, given the progress in the last two years, Dongshan Farm's competition dogs had all been trained up, and there wouldn't be a situation where they had no competition dogs.

Fang Zhao had seen this year's competition. Without Curly Hair in Dongshan Farm's sheep-herding team, although their performance was a little worse, on the whole, it was still considered an outstanding sheep-herding team.

Previously, Dongshan Farm had been hot favorites to be the champion. Now, Dongshan Farm's sheep-herding team was merely considered a contender. Although they were now "just contenders," at least their strength was still being acknowledged.

Many people thought that Curly Hair would surely be dejected and in low spirits.

Many netizens complained about the injustice toward Curly Hair. "Dog's also have self-respect and feelings!"

But when Yan Biao and Zuo Yu went over to pick up Curly Hair, that little thing had just caught a wild rabbit close to its own size. He had not even stopped to catch his breath and was preparing to hunt a second one.

The wild rabbits of Muzhou in the New Era originated from domestic breeding and rearing. After that, a bunch of them had escaped into the wild. Given the impressive breeding ability of those rabbits that had escaped, their numbers had expanded exponentially and they had slowly come to be known as what people called "wild rabbits."

And these wild rabbits in the New Era were even bigger than those of the Old Era. Their hind legs were much more powerful and they could run rather fast. In places with fertile soil and lush vegetation, wild rabbits grew especially large.

Now, Curly Hair had caught a similarly sized rabbit and was in good spirits. Hearing Zuo Yu's calls, it came bounding back.

Zuo Yu laughed as he watched Curly Hair's joyous enthusiasm. "Oh, he seems to be in a rather good state, unlike what the internet says."

Su Hou shrugged. "Ever since the competition rules were changed, he can only catch all these other creatures. However, he doesn't run off too far, at most around the boundaries of the farm. Currently, there are many people in Muzhou eyeing him. I also feel that sending him back to Yanzhou is the best option."

Over at Muzhou's side, some people thought this way. Can't afford, can't purchase, then how about stealing! Even if it can't be used as a competition dog after stealing it, he can still be used as a breeding dog! Any dog with championship-winning blood in its veins surely can't be bad. Perhaps it can produce a batch of outstanding puppies every two years.

Su Hou knew about these people's thoughts, and that was why he was worried. If a championship-winning dog like Curly Hair was stolen, there was a high possibility it would never appear in the eyes of the public ever again. Currently, he was busy with the competition and could not always bring along Curly Hair when he was participating. There were surely times when Curly Hair was neglected. Having been worrying and on the edge, Su Hou had kept waiting when Fang Zhao had told him that he had arranged for someone to pick Curly Hair up. Only after he had seen Zuo Yu arrive had he felt more at ease.

This was Yan Biao's first time coming close to the dog worth over 100 million. He could not see anything really special about this small little thing. There were many such dogs in cities outside of Muzhou—how on earth had its price risen to over 100 million? Not just Curly Hair, even other star competition dogs were worth tens of millions. Yan Biao could not understand it. All he could say was that Muzhou people were crazy.

After Yan Biao and Zuo Yu picked up Curly Hair from Dongshan Farm, they flew to Fang Zhao's Qi'an City residence.

Having not seen Fang Zhao in a year, Curly Hair was especially excited and was whimpering like a spoiled child... until he saw the "rabbit" in the house and his attention was drawn away.

"Woof!"

Curly Hair looked at the "rabbit" in the water tank, then glanced at Fang Zhao before turning to face the "rabbit."

"Woof Woof Woof!"

Chapter 257: Stealing the Show

Regarding a strange creature that had suddenly appeared in his territory, Curly Hair was very angry. During his time at Muzhou's Dongshan Farm, whenever any field mice, wild rabbits, or large wild animals entered the farm, He ate them up right away. Now that he saw that a strange creature had appeared in his domain, he wasn't pleased at all.

Although the thing inside the water tank looked similar to the wild rabbits it had eaten before, it had a strange, foreign smell.

However, his IQ was higher than a normal animal's, so he sounded out Fang Zhao's bearing. As long as Fang Zhao said that he could eat it, Curly Hair wouldn't show any mercy,

Fang Zhao's short sentence made Curly Hair give up all hope: "No eating."

Fang Zhao was indifferent to the matter of Muzhou's sheep-herding competition barring foreign competition dogs from participating. Even if the rules had not been changed this year, Fang Zhao had previously made up his mind not to let Curly Hair participate this year.

There was no meaning.

Curly Hair's IQ was continuously rising. Furthermore, his body had secrets and could not be compared with normal dogs. There had been no choice but to let him take part in the first year and the second year had just been for fun, but there was really no need for him to take part in a third consecutive year. It was just like an adult taking part in a children's competition; wasn't it meaningless?

He had gotten enough of the limelight already. When it was time to withdraw, it was best to do it decisively. If Curly Hair continued to remain in Muzhou, he would just become a target for more and more people, and many things might be revealed. Fortunately, Muzhou's sheep-herding rules had been changed, so Fang Zhao could borrow this excuse to bring Curly Hair back with him.

Patting Curly Hair, Fang Zhao said, "Take a look at your new kennel."

The previous kennel had been given by the advertising company when he had filmed an advertisement, but Curly Hair had torn it down. Afterward, he had been sent to Muzhou, so a new kennel hadn't been bought. After returning, Fang Zhao had once more ordered a kennel manufactured in Muzhou made from natural materials. This one was the same model as the one Curly Hair had had in Muzhou.

This time, it wasn't torn down.

Returning to his study, Fang Zhao received a call from Duan Qianji asking him whether his pieces for the concert had been prepared. Following that, she told him the recent tasks that had been scheduled for him.

"Don't forget about the two talk shows I mentioned. One is 'Prairie Fire,' the other is 'Star of Tomorrow.' Both are interview formats, so be sure to make preparations. Taking the opportunity to boost your popularity now would be beneficial for your concert," Duan Qianji said.

"Prairie Fire," which had a very strong presence in Yanzhou's entertainment circles, had had a good relationship with Silver Wing in the past year and had not publicized much negative news about Silver Wing celebrities. This was probably due to the fact that there was already an imbalance in power among the big three entertainment companies. Silver Wing had momentum that had already surpassed the other two. Thus, a few Silver Wing celebrity's interview sessions had already been scheduled. As long as Silver Wing was informed of the private questions they wished to ask, there would not be any awkward questions that would stump the interviewee during filming.

However, the "Prairie Fire" talk show was not the important point. What Duan Qianji regarded as important was the interview session with "Star of Tomorrow."

"Star of Tomorrow" interviewed mainly youngsters below the age of 30, and according to statistical data, 80% of Galaxy Supernova Award winners had appeared on the "Star of Tomorrow" talk show.

In other words, people who were invited on "Star of Tomorrow" were people they fancied and viewed as potential Galaxy Supernova Award winners. Inviting Fang Zhao meant they felt Fang Zhao had the ability to vie for a Galaxy Supernova Award!

This was also a rather good opportunity for Silver Wing.

Furthermore, the headquarters of "Star of Tomorrow" were not in Yanzhou but in Huangzhou. It was a program that had a global reach. They had had two forms: live broadcasts and delayed broadcasts, but in most situations, they chose live broadcasts.

"This time around, the program hopes that you can have a live broadcast interview. We have yet to give a reply and are waiting for you to make a choice," Duan Qianji continued.

"Then let's go with a live broadcast." Fang Zhao also knew which choice would have a larger impact, and he made preparations for any questions he might be asked.

Audiences were not stupid. Having watched so many delayed telecast programs, they knew that delayed telecasts filtered out some crucial points, so audiences were more inclined toward live broadcasts. Even if the program was longer and there was a long intermission midway through for a break and some advertisements, audiences were willing to wait.

An hour later, Duan Qianji came back with news.

"I have spoken with that side. They wish to select your study as the location for the broadcast. The other side's intention is this: generally, places like studies and offices seem private yet formal and serious. If you decide this is all right, you can make preparations first."

What Duan Qianji meant was for Fang Zhao to tidy up and remove any items that should not be seen by the public at the live broadcast location. Also, if there were any awards or medals he wished to show off, he could bring them out and display them in the background.

"Besides making preparations for 'Star of Tomorrow,' during the live interview, don't forget to mention your concert." Duan Qianji reminded him.

Fang Zhao was signed on with Silver Wing as a composer. He could work on other aspects on his own, but for the concert, he still had to discuss it with Silver Wing. However, Fang Zhao had spoken to Duan Qianji about this some time ago. The operations team had suggested striking while the iron was hot: taking the opportunity before his popularity faded to give an official announcement of his concert and start advanced ticket sales.

The planned date for Fang Zhao's concert was in August. Although it was only April now, once three or four months passed, there was no guarantee that Fang Zhao would still be fresh in everyone's mind.

By talking about the concert and announcing advanced ticket sales, it would at least help mitigate people losing interest in Fang Zhao and deciding not to purchase tickets.

On the night that the interview was arranged, Silver Wing and the "Star of Tomorrow" program team officially announced news of Fang Zhao being invited on "Star of Tomorrow" as well as the details of when the interview would take place.

"'Star of Tomorrow'? Isn't that the program that invites people who have the ability to vie for the Galaxy Supernova Award, that interview talk show?"

"It's just vying for an art award—does Fang Zhao have that ability? I feel that his works are just so-so and are not as good as everyone says they are."

"It's not for you to decide how good they are. The market does that!"

"Speaking of the market, anything too commercialized has no rights to be compared to art."

"Cough, given your salty tone, I guess you haven't been doing too well yourself?"

"Fang Zhao still doesn't really have the qualifications when it comes to artistic music. He hasn't even held a proper concert yet."

This new piece of news gave rise to a lot of discussion, but regardless of their different points of view, everyone set aside their time.

On the day of the "Star of Tomorrow" interview, Fang Zhao sat beside a round wooden table in his newly arranged study. There was another chair on the other side.

A program team staff member had already set up the equipment. Looking at Fang Zhao and seeing him nod his head, the staff member made a hand gesture and started counting down. "3... 2... 1... Action!

A projection of a youthful lady appeared on the originally empty chair beside Fang Zhao: the "Star of Tomorrow" host, Grace Qian.

Grace Qian might have seemed young and beautiful, but she was much more mature than most recent graduates. From her attire and her words and actions, she seemed like someone of class and poise. After all, she was a highly popular host of a globally broadcasted talk show and wasn't just a nice-looking flower vase.

The projection seemed very realistic. During the live broadcast, it seemed like Grace Qian, who was in Huangzhou's "Star of Tomorrow" headquarters, had suddenly arrived in the study,

Right at the start of the program, Grace Qian expertly set the mood with a lively ambiance, dispelling the originally overly serious atmosphere. The number of online viewers was increasing at an extremely rapid pace.

People in the music world and gaming circles, and other people who were interested in Fang Zhao, all came online quickly.

Grace Qian first asked Fang Zhao about his experiences in his one year of military service.

"Fang Zhao, having just returned from military service, can you briefly share with us your thoughts on your past year of military service?" Grace Qian asked with a smile.

Fang Zhao replied, "I gained a lot. It was worth it!"

Grace Qian's smiling expression did not change. She only blinked when she heard Fang Zhao's reply. People who knew her well knew that this was the reaction Grace Qian gave when she was surprised. She had not expected that Fang Zhao would really "briefly" reply. Mmhm, seven words, that was indeed brief.

Following that, Grace Qian talked about "Project Starlight." Probably because she had received instructions from the top, she praised "Project Starlight" in the interview to make it convenient for next year's second batch.

However, Grace Qian also acted appropriately and managed the time well, not making it too deliberate. She did not separate the important from the trivial. After talking about Project Starlight, Grace Qian then said, "Because of Project Starlight, we were able to see the arduous conditions of military service. I believe that everyone has seen some of the videos Kevin Lin filmed back then. Although you were taking refuge when those beasts were on the other side of the door and were extremely close..."

As Grace Qian spoke, a window appeared to the side and displayed a snippet of a video. It was a part of the video Kevin Lin had filmed during the terrorist attack.

"According to some of the videos recorded then, we know that the outpost you were at suffered numerous bombings and was then invaded by terrorists. At that time, when you knew about the terrorist attack, were you afraid?" the host asked.

"No."

Grace Qian laughed but did not ask whether Fang Zhao was speaking the truth. "When you saw those savage beasts in the game become reality, what were you thinking about at that moment?"

"Killing them," Fang Zhao replied.

"...In more detail, perhaps?"

"Completely obliterate them."

"..." Grace Qian blinked once again, her face still displaying a slight smile, indicating she understood and was still in control. "Faced with those savage beasts and battling them and facing terrorists, this is something many youngsters around your age would have a tough time imagining. When faced with that sort of situation, they would most likely be at a loss. So, Fang Zhao, how were you feeling at that moment? Would you be so kind as to share with us what happened then? After all, in the videos that Mr. Kevin Lin recorded, we have no way of knowing what happened outside."

Fang Zhao was aware that his previous words had created an awkward silence and gave off a pretentious image. However, after adjusting, he knew how to reply already. This was not a Silver Wing internal project and there were no scripted answers prepared beforehand, but he could still tackle it calmly.

Fang Zhao said whatever he could. For stuff he was not allowed to disclose, he did not say a single word.

Grace Qian also knew that the military had confidentiality agreements and she did not probe too much into certain things.

As the interview was in progress, Curly Hair, who had been sleeping in the corner of the study, awoke. In a familiar environment with familiar people, he wasn't bothered by the surrounding sounds. Now that he'd had his fill of sleep, he got up to move about.

Stretching his body, Curly Hair circled around Fang Zhao, whimpering around Fang Zhao to tell his master that he had woken up and to make his presence felt.

Probably noticing that Fang Zhao was busy with something, Curly Hair walked away after a round. He didn't leave the study but instead watched the water tank on top of the cabinet.

However, Curly Hair's round after waking up had caught the attention of audiences watching the live broadcast.

"Isn't that dog we just saw the 'golden competition dog' that compelled Muzhou to change its sheep-herding competition rules?"

"That is the golden competition dog said to be worth over 100 million? It isn't even gold in color!"

"The 'golden' in 'golden competition dog' refers to its worth, not the color of its fur!"

"The f*ck, that dog is Fang Zhao's?"

"To the brother above, isn't this old news? Does your household pay their internet bills?"

"I have seen news reports concerning it, but I didn't remember the owner's name back then. I only realized it now."

Fang Zhao's popularity on the global scale was really high right now. People who had never paid attention to this matter in the past remembered Fang Zhao's name now. They had not expected that Muzhou's rule change a while back that had been discussed passionately had been caused by Fang Zhao's dog.

During the interview, Grace Qian had already stopped asking Fang Zhao about his military service and was now talking about stuff that many people in the gaming circles wished to know.

"You have already been away from gaming for a year. Now that you have returned from military service, are you still going to return to gaming?"

"I will still play the game, but only in my leisure time. I won't be a professional gamer." Fang Zhao had just finished his sentence when a series of barks resounded.

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Separated by their screens, online audiences also heard the dog barking.

The cameraman in charge of filming slightly changed the angle of the camera so the scene at the cabinet entered the frame.

When they heard Fang Zhao say "I won't be a professional gamer," many gaming fans were feeling sorry and regretful.

"That means to say that Fang Zhao won't rush up the global individual leaderboards once again?"

"That means we will not get to see the crazy point-sweeping demon ever again?"

"If Fang Zhao gives up on the individual leaderboards, that means that Ma Xier will surely not return either. Without those two, what meaning is there to the individual leaderboards?"

But there were also other people jubilantly celebrating. Luckily, Fang Zhao wasn't playing anymore!

However, whether it was despair or delight, everyone's attention was drawn to the sound of barking. Watching the image shown on the screen, Curly hair was facing the water tank and barking.

Yet another series of barks. "Woof, woof, woof!"

Fang Zhao did not turn his head back. His gaze not deviating, he tapped his fingers on the study table.

Curly Hair no longer barked, but as before, he still bared his teeth at the water tank and paced around. Following that, he stopped. From his manner, it seemed as if he had decided to leap up.

When online audiences saw this scene, they lamented.

"Eh, that dog is so obedient. Just a tap on the table and it no longer barks?"

"I just tried the same thing on my dog at home. It continued barking even more excitedly."

"Wait a minute, your focus is all wrong. That dog looks like it is going to leap up onto the cabinet!"

"It's fine. This sort of dog cannot leap that high..."

This comment had just been posted when online audiences saw the dog in the live broadcast easily leap up a 1.2-meter-tall cabinet without even a running start.

Online audiences: "..."

Everything went haywire in the talk show's comments section.

"Brother Zhao, look behind you! Your 'rabbit' and your dog are about to fight!"

"Aren't many sea slugs venomous?"

"Some sea slugs sold as pets have their toxin glands removed. However, many wild ones are venomous. The foods they normally eat usually have toxins. These sea slugs can store these toxins for their own use. Fang Zhao got his from planet Baiji, so it probably has toxins."

"Does that mean it's not poisonous?"

"It's rumored that the poison from this sea slug caused one of Zaro's bodyguards to collapse."

"Only idiots believe in rumors!"

"Those above, that isn't the main issue right now!"

"Obviously I'm very interested in what Fang Zhao has to say, but I just cannot keep my eyes from watching the top right corner of the screen!"

"Is this dog... a scene stealer?"

"This is totally stealing the show!"

Chapter 258: Golden Paws

Upon hearing the commotion and to prevent Curly Hair and the "rabbit" in the water tank from fighting, Fang Zhao flashed an apologetic look to the host before getting up and lifting Curly Hair, who was about to put his paw into the tank.

The cameraman felt a little disappointed. Actually, he had also wished to see the golden competition dog worth more than 100 million go head to head with the extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug. He wondered who would win in a fight. Would the golden competition dog bite the extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug, or would the extraterrestrial sea slug poison the golden competition dog?

How unfortunate. Why had Fang Zhao interfered at the moment this exciting battle had been about to start?

Not only was the cameraman disappointed, online audiences were also feeling regretful. When Fang Zhao had not turned around, all the viewers had been spamming the comments section asking Fang Zhao to get up, and when he had done so, they were all regretting not getting to see the "Rabbit and Dog Battle."

Outside the study.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were chatting.

The study was soundproof, so their chatter would not affect what was going on inside. At the same time, they wouldn't be able to hear anything from the inside.

Yan Biao was complaining about how his personal terminal bracelet wasn't good to use and he wished to change it.

Bracelets functioned as a computer, mobile phone, and storage for credentials, and they had identification purposes. In the New Era, bracelets had already become a basic item for everyone. It was only natural for Yan Biao to want to switch to one that was easier to use.

"Are there any bulletproof ones?" Yan Biao asked.

"Of course, but it all depends on how much you pay. Different grades of bulletproof ones have different prices."

Zuo Yu showed Yan Biao a few models. The better the quality, the higher the price. Smacking his lips, Yan Biao said, "When I have saved enough wages, I will buy one that is easy to use."

"Recently, to publicize their new products, Fiery Bird is hosting a bunch of activities. Among them is a lucky spin. Old members get three chances, and newly registered members get five chances. I guess you haven't registered as a member with Fiery Bird, right? Since I don't see you use many Fiery Bird items and you don't play games."

"Yeah, I haven't registered yet. There is a lucky spin? What prizes are there?"

Yan Biao leaned over to look at the screen Zuo Yu had opened. Of the prizes displayed on the lucky spin wheel, there were points, game equipment, physical prizes, earpieces, stereo equipment, game consoles... and a personal terminal?

"Since when does Fiery Bird manufacture personal terminals? Don't they manufacture game consoles?" Yan Biao asked.

"They even manufacture mechas!" Zuo Yu joked.

Indeed, the 10th-generation console had been used as a mecha in Muzhou some time back to save Su Hou at Dongshan Farm. After that, it had been coined by netizens as a "game console inbuilt in a mecha, and a fighting machine inbuilt in a game console." During crucial moments, it could be used as a suit of machine armor to protect oneself.

"This personal terminal is being manufactured as a collaboration between Fiery Bird and another company. From what I hear, it is not bad. However, in this sort of lucky spin, don't bother dreaming about drawing those high-quality items. My expectations aren't high. I just wish to draw a red packet. The 10,000 one will do."

As they were speaking, the door of the study opened and Fang Zhao carried Curly Hair out before pointing at Curly Hair, indicating Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't cause trouble around the house.

Zuo Yu nodded his head and silently mouthed, "Understood."

After placing Curly Hair outside, Fang Zhao shut the door, and the study was once again isolated from the outside.

However, Curly Hair was a little moody, and he whimpered and scratched the study room door.

Observing his mood, Zuo Yu brought Curly Hair further away. "Master Curly, don't scratch the door. It's just a 'rabbit' in the water tank. You can go back in after boss is done. If you keep scratching the door now, you might not get anything to eat."

Curly Hair stopped at once and laid down and kept his silence.

Zuo Yu picked up where he had left off with Yan Biao. "I spun the wheel once and got some points. What's your situation like?"

"I'm still registering. I say 100 would be good enough, forget about 10,000. As for my personal terminal bracelet, I think it's better for me to save up. However, thinking about it, our wages aren't low either, but we don't have a lot of things to do. Since we returned, all we have done is head to Muzhou to fetch a dog. Us bodyguards really have too much idle time," Yan Biao said.

"As Fang Zhao's bodyguards, after some time, you will realize that bodyguards are nannies," Zuo Yu lamented. "In the past, I was basically just a driver and a sparring partner."

"Sparring partner?" Yan Biao could understand the part about being a driver, but a sparring partner? "What sort of sparring? Fighting? Marksmanship? Or something else?" Yan Biao was curious now. As he had seen Fang Zhao's performance during the terrorist attack, his curiosity was piqued. How exactly had Zuo Yu sparred with Fang Zhao? Yan Biao himself had exchanged pointers with Fang Zhao before, but he felt that he wasn't on the same level as Fang Zhao. Even his marksmanship could not be compared to Fang Zhao's.

"Others," Zuo Yu explained. "In-game sparring. Let me tell you something. Silver Wing's current game department was established by Boss."

The moment he heard in-game sparring, Yan Biao wanted to laugh. However, when he recalled what Fang Zhao had been like during the terrorist attack, he couldn't bring himself to laugh. He swallowed the words he had wanted to say. "When I saw Fang Zhao instantly killing those mutated beasts, I felt my 20 years of life in the military had been fed to the dogs."

Noticing Curly Hair raise his head and look at him, Yan Bao immediately said, "I wasn't referring to you."

Curly Hair returned to lying down.

Under Zuo Yu's guidance, Yan Biao opened Fiery Bird's lucky spin web page and saw a "5" displayed beside the spin wheel. Without wasting any time, he clicked on "Spin."

On the first try, he received a 10-dollar red packet. Yan Biao was satisfied. Wasn't 10 dollars still money? Receiving a red packet was already not bad. A good beginning and a good omen!

Second try, in-game equipment. A gun that wasn't considered exceptionally good or terrible in "Battle of the Century." Yan Biao felt it was all right. He had already made plans to try out the game in his free time.

Third try, discount coupon. Worthless.

Fourth try, points. Sh*t.

Yan Biao laughed helplessly. "Typical. All typical unscrupulous business tactics."

"Duh, what else did you expect?" On Zuo Yu's second spin, he had also received a discount coupon.

Just one chance remaining. Zuo Yu raised his hands when he spotted Curly Hair spread out on the ground out of the corner of his eye. He squatted down and waved for Curly Hair to come over. "Come, Master Curly, let's play a lucky spin game."

Curly Hair's sensitive ears pricked up when he heard the words "play" and "game."

"Come, let's win a large red packet!"

Zuo Yu enlarged the spin wheel, took Curly Hair's paws in his hands, and used it to click on the "Spin" button.

Yan Biao raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, Idiot! Dogs playing games? And even helping you win a prize? Are dog paws more valuable than human fingers?

But in a moment, Yan Biao realized that Zuo Yu's eyes had widened, and his gaze was fixated on the screen. Taking a second look... "What the!"

On the screen at the webpage Zuo Yu was on, a large opened red packet was displayed. Below was a notification: "Transferred to account."

Zuo Yu checked his bank account and his widened eyes became slits as he laughed. "Hahaha! First time getting a cash prize! And it's a large red packet! Master Curly, you have golden paws indeed."

As he spoke, Zuo Yu even stroked Curly Hair's front paw, which he had used to spin, like a crazed person.

Yan Biao sneered in his heart. It's just luck. What has it got to do with the dog!?

Lucky b*stard!

Yan Biao returned to his own screen and was prepared to click on his own spin button. However, when his fingers were almost touching the screen, he paused.

This isn't right.

Lucky Bastard?

Dog?

Turning to look at Curly Hair, who had laid down once again at the side, Yan Biao was at a loss. Finally, he decided to learn from Zuo Yu and said, "Cough, Master Curly, let's play a lucky spin game?"

Curly Hair raised his head but didn't move. He remembered that this person's attitude toward him had not been that great. Even if his IQ wasn't yet up to the level of a human's, he could still clearly feel how fond people were of him.

Zuo Yu happily breathed at the side. "You haven't even cleared his sh*t before, yet you wish to get the same treatment as me? This little thing... cough, Master Curly bears grudges. You have to show some sincerity! Genuine sincerity, understand? Dogs are animals with souls."

Yan Biao was a rational person and stared at Curly Hair.

Man and dog stared at each other for half a minute. Yan Biao surrendered and rubbed his face, putting in effort to make his expression seem as apologetic as possible. "Please, Master Curly!"

He walked over, squatted down, hung his head, and raised an arm. Yan Biao then enlarged the wheel and pointed to the personal terminal.

Kneeling was not possible. He had his own dignity!

Zuo Yu curled the corner of his lips. It was just a lucky spin, but Yan Biao was really taking it seriously?

Actually, in his heart, Zuo Yu felt that he had gotten lucky himself. He had just coincidentally used Curly Hair's front paw to click on it. Was what Yan Biao was doing necessary? In the Old Era, this was what people then had known as superstition.

At the other end, perhaps because he felt Yan Biao's attitude was not too bad or perhaps because he himself was curious, Curly Hair raised his paw and pressed the "Spin" button.

After that, Yan Biao kept his eyes peeled to the needle on the spinning wheel.

Zuo Yu also wished to see what good stuff Yan Biao would win by using the dog's paw.

Watching the spinning wheel slow down, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu got more and more tense as they watched the needle inch over toward the large prize.

Personal terminal... terminal... terminal... Yan Biao mouthed the words silently in his heart and prayed that the needle would not be too quick or too slow.

Beside the column for the personal terminal bracelet, on one side was a discount voucher for purchases, while on the other side were member points. Forget about discount vouchers—Yan Biao did not have anything he wanted to buy. As for member points, why would he have any need for them?

As the pointer got slower and slower, the two men held their breaths and watched as the needle passed "member points" and finally stopped on "personal terminal."

Watching the results of the spin land on "Fiery Bird's newest personal terminal," alongside the special effects with confetti and celebratory pops, Zuo Yu could only say this: "WHAT THE F*CKITY F*CK!"

This time, Yan Biao nearly knelt down. Staring at the prize for a while, he finally said, "I finally know why he has such a high value. These paws of his are really gold!"

Inside the study.

The interview progressed as the host and Fang Zhao talked about interesting incidents during his military service, his own experiences, his professional plans, life goals, and many other things. Fang Zhao also did not forget to mention his concert at Golden Age Concert Hall in August.

For composers, their concerts were different from a singer's or performer's. A composer's concert would exhibit one's own personal works. Fang Zhao's plans were to invite a symphony orchestra to perform. These sorts of orchestra performances had more feeling when heard live.

Silver Wing had considered the possibility of Fang Zhao's popularity dropping by August and the venue not being filled. Thus, they had let Fang Zhao take the opportunity while his popularity was fresh on everybody's minds to announce information about his concert and advance ticket sales so there would be more people who purchased them.

However, Fang Zhao also knew how to show restraint. After mentioning his concert, he did not say much else. Just two lines were enough for audiences to clearly comprehend it. Too much would cause audiences to be put off.

After the interview ended, Grace Qian let Fang Zhao show off his merit medals and the gun he had brought back with him. Following that, the camera shot a close-up of the water tank on the cabinet, which contained the only extraterrestrial hybrid sea slug in the world, to satiate the curiosity of the audience.

Although the size of sea slugs had increased after the Period of Destruction and some large varieties had been specially bred for the ornamental aquatic pets market, they were not the same as the one in Fang Zhao's study. If it could be placed on a hand, it was rather large, about the size of a real rabbit.

After the interview concluded and the live broadcast was cut, Fang Zhao opened his study room door.

Stepping out, he saw Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. One was combing the dog's fur and the other was shopping for dog food online.

Fang Zhao was puzzled. When had these two people become so proactive?

Chapter 259: Unspeakable Secre

After sending off the staffer from "Star of Tomorrow," Fang Zhao listened to Zuo Yu and Yan Biao recount their good fortune.

Zuo Yu couldn't wait to relate it all to Fang Zhao. "Boss, you have no idea. I actually thought my luck was good enough, but a 10,000-dollar red packet! I have taken part in this sort of draw since I was young, but this is the first time I have ever won this sort of large red packet! But Yan Biao's luck is even better! He actually won a big prize! Fiery Bird's personal terminal bracelet, even though it's just the normal version and not the luxurious one, is still worth at least five figures?"

"Actually, that's wrong. It wasn't our luck that was good; it was Curly Hair who was the lucky one. We let Curly Hair spin the wheel on our last tries. He is really worthy of being a golden competition dog worth over 100 million!" Yan Biao's face was glowing. For this sort of draw, forget about big prizes, he had rarely even hit any small prizes, and this sort of special prize had been even more impossible. He had never expected to actually win it! Right now, he could not help but be all smiles.

This simply a change in fortune!

However, the last draw had been with the help of Curly Hair's paw. Even if Yan Biao felt that he had experienced a change in fortune, in front of his boss, he still had to give merit to Curly Hair.

Whether it was really because of Curly Hair, having won the large prize, Yan Biao was in a good mood. This time, he had saved quite a bit of money and time, so he had bought some high-quality dog food online. In the past, he definitely would not have bought such high-quality food just for a dog.

"Did the interview go smoothly?" Zuo Yu asked.

"It was all right."

Fang Zhao felt it had gone rather smoothly. At the start, he might not have adapted and might have made it a little awkward. Having just returned from military service, he still had some lingering habits from his time with the forces. His first reaction had been to give the most crucial information in the shortest time possible. During the years of the Period of Destruction, because of the fighting that could have occurred at any time, whenever he had spoken or given instructions, most of the time he had spoken briefly and concisely.

However, when he had realized this problem, Fang Zhao had also quickly adjusted and had not continued to let the host feel stumped. This way, there wouldn't be an awkward pause.

"Were you guys playing the Fiery Bird Lucky Spin game?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yeah, every time Fiery Bird releases a new product, they have this sort of giveaway, but new and old members have a different number of chances. Boss, you have already registered as a Fiery Bird member, so you will only have three chances. How about you try it?" Zuo Yu was also anticipating this and wished to know what Fang Zhao's luck would be like.

Yan Biao had also stopped what he was doing. He was also curious and full of anticipation, so he energetically urged Fang Zhao on. "Boss, you can let Curly Hair help you do the spin. His paws are really 'golden'! It's very effective! Lucky without a doubt!"

Fang Zhao had opened the lucky spin page, and after confirming this was the page, he was in no rush to spin it. He instead talked to Zuo Yu and Yan Biao about the upcoming arrangements and sent them back to rest.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao met each other's gaze and smiled as a tacit understanding came to their minds. They felt that Fang Zhao surely cared about his image and wasn't willing to do the lucky spin in front of his two bodyguards. He would lose face if his luck wasn't good and he got a lousy prize. Curly Hair's golden paws were not verified, and there were only two chances. Who knew if he was originally lucky or whether it had been coincidence? Or was he really that effective?

After Zuo Yu and Yan Biao left and there was nobody else around, Fang Zhao checked around the house and made sure the program staffer had not left any monitoring or recording devices behind before he called Curly Hair over and pointed to the gaming room. "Let's go in and talk."

When Curly Hair saw the gaming room, he became more energetic, as he thought Fang Zhao was bringing him to play games again. After Curly Hair had returned, he had not been inside the gaming room yet.

The 10th-generation console had been brought to the office before Fang Zhao had left for military service. Placing it aside was a waste, so he had lent it to the gaming team. Most of the time, it had been the current gaming team captain, Jinro, who had used it.

After military service, Fang Zhao had also inspected it once. The console had been maintained well and was in good shape. There were no problems, so he had not brought it back. When he got busy, he would not have much time to use it.

Thus, at present, there were only a few simple pieces of gaming equipment, along with a gaming helmet, in the gaming room. However, for Curly Hair, it was more than enough.

Curly Hair excitedly rushed into the gaming room and was about to bury his head in the gaming helmet when he spotted Fang Zhao's grave face, and his ears drooped instantly. Curly Hair did not know where he had gone wrong, but every time this sort of expression appeared on Fang Zhao's face, it meant that Curly Hair had definitely done something wrong.

Curly Hair no longer cared about the gaming console and his wagging tail drooped down. He looked up at Fang Zhao nervously.

Fang Zhao looked at Curly Hair but did not say anything. Instead, he downloaded a spin wheel minigame. This was the sort that everyone in a household would play. Prizes and points could be set by the user.

In the options, Fang Zhao set up 10 columns. He decided to use this as an experiment, so he did not need to make it complicated. The prize columns only displayed a number from 1 to 10. After he had set this up, he disconnected the apartment's internet and waved for Curly Hair. "Come over."

Curly Hair looked at the similar-looking spin wheel displayed on the screen, and his eyes had a blank look, but he still came over obediently.

"Did you help Zuo Yu and Yan Biao spin the wheel today?"

"Woof." It wasn't a loud bark, as though he was just replying.

"You spun it twice?" Fang Zhao asked again.

"Woof."

Fang Zhao stared straight at Curly Hair. "Did you influence the spin wheel results?"

Curly Hair no longer made any noise. He knew which matter had upset Fang Zhao, but he could not understand why Fang Zhao was angry. Wasn't it just a lucky spin? Weren't Zuo Yu and Yan Biao very happy?

Faced with Fang Zhao's stare, Curly Hair let out a low whimper. This meant that it was just as Fang Zhao had said.

Fang Zhao let out a low sigh. "So that was the case." He just knew that both Zuo Yu and Yan Biao striking a prize could not have been so coincidental. It wasn't impossible, but the probability of them both having a burst such of great luck was really low.

Anybody not in the know would surely think that these two were overflowing with luck and had experienced a change in fortunes, or if they saw it from a fun way, it was as Yan Biao had said about having "dog-sh*t luck," "golden paws," or whatever just for a laugh. But the moment Fang Zhao had heard that Curly hair was involved, he had realized something. He just hadn't shown it on his face.

Now, there was nobody else in the house. Fang Zhao had already disconnected the internet, and he pointed to the spin wheel displayed on the screen and told Curly Hair, "Spin a 9."

Curly Hair had a look of suspicion, but he still listened to Fang Zhao's instructions. He lifted his paw and hit the "spin" button.

The spin wheel started spinning rapidly but then slowed down, and the pointer needle came to a stop in the middle of the "9" column.

Fang Zhao did not say much but continued, "Now spin an 8."

Curly Hair complied.

Just like the previous time, when the wheel came to a stop, the pointer needle was right in the middle of the "8" column.

Following that, Fang Zhao continued letting Curly hair continue to spin the wheel. Whatever number Fang Zhao called out, Curly Hair was able to accurate land on that column.

Ten times, 20 times...

After 30 times, Fang Zhao finally let Curly Hair stop.

After 30 rounds of tests, there was no doubt about whether Curly Hair could influence the spin's results.

Fang Zhao walked in front of Curly Hair and said to him seriously, "In the future, be more prudent when it comes to this sort of thing."

Fang Zhao wasn't trying to scare Curly Hair, but this sort of thing required some sort of caution, and it was better not to have a next time. Fang Zhao also didn't want to let Curly Hair win him a large prize, just to be safe.

There were always shenanigans of some sort involved in these sorts of online giveaway activities. Large prizes were not that easy to hit.

Once or twice could be reasoned as chance or perhaps a problem with the system, but if it occurred too many times, it would attract unwanted attention. And Fang Zhao knew that he and Curly Hair were different from others.

Curly Hair's IQ was still increasing, but he was still just like a human child, unable to properly and prudently determine what things he should go about. Without proper guidance when he made a mistake, the consequences were still unknown.

Fang Zhao did not know what sort of level Curly Hair's IQ would increase to, but he felt he needed to watch Curly Hair a little more.

After making Curly Hair aware of his mistakes, Fang Zhao then explained to Curly Hair why he shouldn't do such things. He knew that Curly Hair could understand him now.

The moment people found out that a dog was behind the lucky spin's prize anomaly, it would surely blow up, and Curly Hair would surely be taken away to be experimented on.

After five minutes of lecturing, Fang Zhao saw that Curly Hair was getting listless, so he pointed to the gaming helmet to the side. "Go play some games, but no going online."

"Woof!"

Fang Zhao looked on as the listless Curly Hair immediately livened up, expertly buried his head into the gaming helmet, changed the displayed image on the screen, and started playing his whack-a-mole game.

The entire screen was filled with the special effects of fireworks from adding points. Looking at the points on the side rapidly rising, it was very hard to imagine that it was actually a dog playing. Even if a highly skilled gamer were the one playing this game, he might not be able to achieve this level. If one was to just look at the screen and the rapid speed the points were increasing at, their first thought would be that the computer was playing by itself. Probably only a computer was able to achieve this sort of standard.

Fang Zhao recalled back to when he had received the surveillance footage from the black street. In the video, there had been a point where almost every internet connection and all the surveillance footage had been disrupted at exactly the same time!

Something that nobody knew about had to have happened at that instant.

Curly Hair was a native dog, that was certain. When he had just been reborn, Fang Zhao had brought Curly Hair to the drug store, and the boss of the drug store, Ai Wan, had run some blood tests and genetic analysis on Curly Hair and had even speculated what sort of breed Curly Hair's ancestors were.

This dog was odd.

That had been Fang Zhao's guess. Fang Zhao had even pondered whether his rebirth had something to do with Curly Hair. Otherwise, why had it only been him who had gotten a chance at a second life?

"What exactly are you?"

Fang Zhao watched Curly Hair immersed in the game over to the side, and a doubt appeared in his heart. However, he had no way of getting answers now. Whatever the facts were, one thing was for certain—this couldn't be made known to anybody else!

He had an unspeakable secret, and other people could not find out about Curly Hair's secret even more so.

Both of them had secrets that they absolutely could not let others know about.

Making notes on this matter, Fang Zhao started making preparations for his concert. The concert venue and advanced ticket sales were being handled by Silver Wing's side. All Fang Zhao needed to do now was complete the pieces that would be played at the concert and to instruct the symphony orchestra on how to perform each piece perfectly.

However, unbeknownst to Fang Zhao, he had once again become a trending topic on the internet.

Chapter 260: Concert Ticket Advance Sales 1

Fang Zhao's answers to the questions in the interview had caused quite a lot of reactions, especially within the gaming circles.

For the gaming circles, a person like this who had such absolute strength that he could dominate the leaderboards actually deciding not to return as a professional e-sports athlete elicited lots of sighs, and some secret satisfaction, from lots of people.

There were also people discussing the incidents during his military service and the "golden competition dog" that had appeared midway through the program.

Some people reckoned that after Fang Zhao had accepted the interview, he had intentionally revealed the "golden competition dog" on-screen to generate more buzz and discussion.

"How devious, using this interview to show off the dog that was driven out of Muzhou!"

"That dog isn't considered a big deal after leaving Muzhou—of course he wishes to get rid of it. If he sells it now, there are many nouveau riche Muzhou farm owners willing to spend big bucks to buy it. As time passes and the dog ages, it's competing ability will deteriorate and its value will drop."

"That's so funny. If Fang Zhao wanted to sell the dog, he would have sold it long ago. Why would he have dragged it out till now? And even to generate buzz? Does the person who said this have a low IQ?"

"Fang Zhao's dog forced Muzhou to change their rules. Saying 'driven out' is just inappropriate."

"Even if he wasn't trying to hype up that dog, perhaps his motive was to show off that hybrid extraterrestrial sea slug."

"Whether he is generating buzz intentionally or not, we just have to wait a few days for the answer, right? If he really has the intention of hyping them up to sell, he will surely reveal some intent to do some transactions in the news. If he doesn't have that intention, all of you are just making baseless claims."

"Hahaha, my focus was different from all you people. I thought I was the only one, but it turns out there are also many others just like me! To all those who say that Fang Zhao is just generating hype, let me send you a sticker: [completely obliterate them]!"

The "[completely obliterate them]" sticker at the end of the comment had been taken from a portion of Fang Zhao's replies during the program.

Someone had taken two of Fang Zhao's replies from when he had been asked about the terrorist attack and mutated beasts at the start of the interview and had cut them off to create audiovisual stickers.

One was "kill them" and the other was "completely obliterate them."

For example, when that netizen had posted the [completely obliterate them] sticker, in addition to seeing Fang Zhao's face, everyone had heard Fang Zhao's reply that was 30% domineering and 70% laced with killing intent: "Completely obliterate them!"

Fans just loved to take their idol's videos and turn them into stickers that they would use every day and at any time to let more people see them. If they went a day without using these stickers, they would feel uncomfortable.

Generally, these did not directly involve commercial benefits, so it was fine to use them.

When other people saw it, they felt that it was rather interesting and saved it right away.

Thus, very quickly, in all sorts of discussion forums and comments sections, this sticker appeared. Especially in the gaming community, it was like a virus that had an extremely rapid infection rate.

"Have you completed your homework? How dare you play games before completing your homework? [Completely obliterate them]!"

...

"F*ck! Somebody stole our medpack. Brothers, follow me and attack, [completely obliterate them]!"

...

"This territory belongs to us! Anybody who dares to come, [completely obliterate them]!"

...

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Another wave of monsters is coming again, [completely obliterate them]."

...

Even if one didn't see the sticker just hearing that audio would jolt the person's memory into replaying the expression of Fang Zhao when he had said that line.

Fang Zhao had just stepped out of his study when he received Zu Wen's call.

"Boss, do you know that your interview video has been made into a sticker pack?!" Zu Wen exclaimed excitedly.

Fang Zhao was stunned. "Sticker pack?"

"It's true, let me send it to you!"

Zu Wen sent the two most widely used stickers created by netizens to Fang Zhao, [kill them] and [completely obliterate them], as well as some screenshots of discussions and entertainment news regarding this topic.

One of these was entertainment news concerning the gaming circles and gave an analysis on why these two stickers of Fang Zhao's were trending.

If it had been any other star, it might not have been to this extent, but in the gaming circles, Fang Zhao had once held a stranglehold on the throne for first place, and some of his in-game videos had been called scriptures and were frequently taken out by people to study.

Fang Zhao's spot in many gamer's hearts was also different. According to certain gamers, every time they used Fang Zhao's stickers, it was as if were energized by a holy ring of light.

Fang Zhao was somewhat astonished. Everyone had created an sticker pack from his cold and awkward replies at the start but had not taken any from the latter half where he had replied to the interview questions normally.

However, seeing netizens creating stickers of himself, Fang Zhao found it novel. As long as it did not result in a negative impact, Fang Zhao saw it all in good fun and would not put a halt to it.

"Oh right, Boss, about your concert, publicity has already started. Our department has also been allocated tickets, so we will be there to root for you when the time comes!" Zu Wen said.

Technical staff like them rarely went to live concerts, especially this kind that was held at a music hall. They always felt it didn't suit their tastes, and tickets were expensive, so even if they were interested, they could only watch videos online after the concert. This way was much cheaper.

Zu Wen had checked ticket prices for Golden Age Music Hall, and if it had been two years ago, they wouldn't even have been able to afford the cheapest tickets. Although they were able to afford it now, there still wasn't much interest. However, because it was Fang Zhao's concert this time around, even if the company had not given them tickets, they would still have personally bought tickets to show their support.

After ending the call with Zu Wen, Fang Zhao headed online. Indeed, the direction online had changed. It was rather obvious that the publicity team had started their campaigns to direct everyone's eyes over to the concert.

Fang Zhao might have had lots of fans, but there were not many people who were willing to purchase concert tickets. For example, people in the gaming circles or those interested in military affairs tended not to have much interest toward music, and people who could appreciate music might not necessarily be willing to spend money to purchase tickets.

Now, the staff of the publicity team wanted to divert people's attention to the concert. Regardless of whether it was for a concert, television series, film, or game, the work of the publicity team was very important.

Advertising, public relations, even the gaming team under the flag of Silver Wing all came out to lend a hand.

"Yanzhou's Golden Age Music Hall? If I didn't check it out, I wouldn't have known. The tickets for this sort of concert hall are too expensive!"

"Purchase tickets online. Streaming passes are even cheaper."

"How are streaming passes cheap? It's still at least a few hundred!"

"Compared to live tickets, they are way cheaper. After all, it's one of Yanzhou's three big concert halls. The sound quality is really good."

"I think I'll forget about it. This money can be spent to purchase enough gaming equipment for someone to last for a long time."

Tickets for concerts at music halls were divided into live tickets and streaming passess. Live tickets were unequal. The prices depended on the position, and ticket holders would experience the concert live.

On the other hand, streaming passes were not really that much different from live broadcasts, since ticket holders could tune into the music hall's frequency to appreciate concert at the same time as people who were physically there. However, for a music hall with the status of "Golden Age" to guarantee the best sound quality, streaming passes were also limited.

Generally speaking, for musicians that were not famous globally, during their live performances, they would not reach full capacity, and streaming passes would have even more blanks. Such concerts were different from the concerts of singers. For concerts of this nature, it was not within the mainstream tastes, just like Zu Wen and the others who might suddenly have a little interest and just search for videos online to satisfy themselves.

But Fang Zhao was an exceptional case because this person's steps had been just too huge!

The publicity department had taken the opportunity while Fang Zhao's popularity had not dipped to do a round of promotions. If originally only 100 people would have wished to purchase tickets, after a round of publicity campaigns, perhaps there would be 200 or 300 people wishing to buy tickets.

Looking at things, the operating costs would be too much. Whether it was publicity expenditures, booking of the music hall, or internal ticket purchases, all of this added up to a lot. As a business-minded company, since Silver Wing had invested this much, they naturally expected a larger return.

A concert at a music hall was not just a stepping stone for a composer, it was also a platform to display a composer's own works. Letting more people listen to their works would provide a chance at selling the copyrights at a high price.

Selling the copyrights, this was Silver Wing's final goal!

As a deputy chairman of Yanzhou Music Associate, Ming Cang would naturally receive tickets from Silver Wing. Every time people held a concert at a music hall, people of his standing would normally be given tickets. Whether they chose to go or not, the decision lay firmly in their hands.

This time, after Ming Cang received his ticket, he did not ask Silver Wing for two additional tickets, instead personally wanting to fork out cash to purchase tickets for his wife and son to accompany him to Fang Zhao's concert.

After successive days of publicity and promotion, the day of advance ticket sales arrived.

Fang Zhao had applied for Hall No.1 in Golden Age Music Hall. Hall No.1 had a seating capacity of 2000. Besides Silver Wing's own internal purchase of 500 tickets, there were still 1500 more tickets for sale.

Silver Wing Tower 50th floor, inside the virtual projects department.

Today, nobody had other matters to attend to, and they were staying in the department to watch the sales situation of concert tickets. Although it was not their own concert, they were even more anxious than Fang Zhao.

"Quick, take a look. How many have been sold?"

"More than 600. Besides the 500 internally purchased, an additional 100 have been sold."

"That's also too little."

"Too little? Sales have only just started. Besides, this sort of concert would not normally sell a lot."

"It's only April now, and the concert is in August. When the time comes, as long as it exceeds 1500, everything will be fine. The venue will also seem more filled," Pang Pusong said. He was the only one in the department that actually went to live concerts.

Before he had been contracted to Silver Wing, Pang Pusong had always wanted to enjoy concerts at those celebrated concert halls, but he had been embarrassingly short of money during those times. Now, his bank account was in much better shape, and he had been to quite a few concerts, so he knew a bit about those sorts of places.

Even if the venue was unable to hit 1500 people, Silver Wing would fork out some money to purchase the tickets and make the venue more "abundant."

"How about we buy some tickets too," a newly signed newcomer in the department suggested.

However, his voice wasn't too loud, and he spoke a little half-heartedly. As a newcomer, his finances were still a little tight, but when he had seen everyone displaying their support, he had felt that he needed to follow the team closely or he might get the feeling of being excluded. Besides, this was a chance for some *ss-kissing. After all, this was Fang Zhao, the boss of the virtual projects department.

The gaming team's main members would be going, and the core members of the virtual projects department had all been allocated internal tickets. However, these new hires did not enjoy such good treatment and had not received any tickets from Silver Wing, as they were not qualified enough.

Zu Wen palmed his forehead. "I nearly forgot. You guys don't have to buy them. Boss has said that anyone in our department who wishes to go just has to leave your name and he will submit an expense claim. Are you guys going?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Even if they had no interest in music, this sort of opportunity was too good to give up.

Zu Wen added up the number who were going and submitted the list of names to Fang Zhao. Although the department had new staff, the total figure did not even add up to 20.

After sending the names to Fang Zhao, Zu Wen once more refreshed the webpage. "Whoa, live tickets sales are already reaching 900? Not bad, it's going steady. We don't have to worry too much. On the day of the concert, it will surely exceed 1500."

Chapter 261: Concert Tickets Advance Sales 2

Pang Pusong cried out in surprise as he was browsing the web. "Hey, Qi'an Academy of Music just announced that they have purchased 100 live tickets!"

"Lemme see... It's true, not only have they purchased 100 live tickets, they bought an additional 100 online streaming passes, saying it's a reward for outstanding students," Zu Wen said as he scrolled through the web.

Actually, they could have guessed what Qi'an Academy of Music's motive was. As an exceptional graduate of Qi'an Academy of Music, the school naturally had to show their support and let their students know a bit more about their senior Fang Zhao, who was doing really well. At the same time, they were also telling Fang Zhao, "We are supporting you this time and helping you out. Make sure that when you climb even higher, you don't forget about the support your school, teachers, and juniors have shown you."

Indeed, 100 tickets when considered against the total capacity of the music hall was a number that could not be ignored, and no one could deny this fact. Qi'an Academy of Music's actions were praised by many people in the industry.

"Take a look at the Qi'an Academy of Music, buying 100 tickets in a short while. Why doesn't our school do such things to support us?" a graduate of a certain music school grumbled.

"Other people's school."

"Think about it. On a global scale, the 'QiMu' posse is comprised of a tight-knit group of graduates. Even at Huangzhou, where competition is so great, QiMu's members are able to carve a niche for themselves. That is no coincidence."

"Fang Zhao is still but a newcomer in the music circles. Does Qi'an Academy of Music have to support him so vigorously? Fang Zhao isn't the only capable one."

"Among QiMu graduates in the last few years, Fang Zhao's reputation is the greatest. Regardless of what means Fang Zhao used, his fame and reputation are genuine. Now, he might lack qualifications in the musical aspect, but for this music hall concert, he has an institute backing him and a large commercial company vigorously running publicity campaigns. This first step that he is about to take is really solid!"

"Look at how much publicity there has been over the past few days. How much money has been spent? However, as long as his works are of a certain quality, they won't have to worry about selling the copyrights. Once the copyrights of the pieces performed during the concert are sold, their investment will have been recouped."

People within the industry analyzed this from a professional viewpoint, while those outside of the music circles watched on for the excitement.

"How many tickets have been sold?"

"Nearly a thousand!"

"With this momentum, will the advance ticket sales be sold out within a day?"

"The heck, I see celebrities showing off their e-tickets!"

"Maqiyaduo, Wen Shengyi, He Lisi, and the others are sharing screenshots of their e-tickets!"

"Don't tell me they are also fans of Fang Zhao?"

After the two globally popular drama serials "Beauties" and "Warring States" had been broadcasted, those first-rate and super-first-rate stars of Silver Wing had seen an increase in reputation on the global scale. Now, their activities and social platforms were watched by even more people.

However, there were some fans who "saw through everything."

"They are all contracted to Silver Wing and are just helping advertise."

"One look and you will know it is a company assignment. Everyone, just take a look, but don't fall for it."

"It's rare for my idol to help advertise for others."

"After all, Fang Zhao is in the music industry and not the film industry, so there is no competitive relationship between them, hahaha."

However, this time, fans were mistaken.

Silver Wing had prepared some internal tickets but had not forced these first-rate and super-first-rate stars to help advertise for Fang Zhao. These stars had personally asked for these tickets, and the publicity had been done by them voluntarily.

From what He Lisi and the others saw, Fang Zhao owned such a large piece of land in the filmed entertainment culture base. In the future, even if they left the company to start their own studios, it would be unavoidable to have dealings with Fang Zhao. Over at planet Wai, Fang Zhao was on good terms with the people of Wai base. If they were on his good side, that could pave the way for future development.

Besides these film stars, Silver Wing's Jinro and other gaming stars also helped advertise. Compared to others, the gaming team members efforts were much more heartfelt.

On social platforms, Ming Cang also vigorously show his support for Fang Zhao's concert and posted a screenshot of three e-tickets for the live concert.

Dina, who was also a deputy chairman of the Yanzhou Music Association, and others also expressed that they would be attending the concert.

Xue Jing, who was doing an academic exchange in Huangzhou, had forked out his own money to purchase 10 live tickets. Silver Wing had actually sent him tickets, but to support Fang Zhao, he had gotten 10 tickets and sent them to a few old friends, inviting them to join him for Fang Zhao's concert in August and root for Fang Zhao.

Very quickly, news of another two bulk purchases spread.

Wai military district had purchased 100 online streaming passes.

After all, Fang Zhao was among the first batch of investors in the Wai film entertainment complex, and Fang Zhao had played a large role in the development of the Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base. If it had only been him and Woo Tianhao, the base request might not even have been approved. Thus, as a way to show his thanks and support Fang Zhao as well as publicize their own Wai Filmed Entertainment Culture Base and make people remember their presence, Wai base commanding officer Huo Yi had sanctioned the purchase of 100 online streaming passes.

Online streaming passes also depended on distance. Prices of streaming passes for people not on the same planet were more expensive. Streaming passes with high sound quality were not cheaper than live tickets. The cost of long-distance network communications was already high, and it was even higher for high-sound-quality transmissions. These sorts of long-distance online streaming passes were much more expensive than streaming passes on the same planet. One streaming pass was the most that Huo Yi could approve.

Wai base's large spending gave rise to a lot of discussion, but this news was quickly engulfed by even bigger news.

Baiji military district had made a bulk purchase of 1000 long-distance online streaming passes and a "hall-grade" streaming pass.

"Hall-grade" streaming passes were even more expensive than live VIP tickets.

Baiji military district's large spending led to much more discussion, and on a larger scale. However, Baiji military district released an official statement saying that many of the pieces that would be performed for Fang Zhao's concert had been composed during his military service, and given his deep sentiments and close relationship with planet Baiji, supporting him was what they ought to do.

Whether "deep sentiments" was true or false, the purchase of these streaming passes was real.

People tended to have a nosey nature, especially people who paid close attention to military affairs. When they saw a party buy so many tickets, they could not remain calm.

"Even a military district bought tickets? Should we buy online streaming passes too?"

"Let's just buy one to support Fang Zhao."

A certain film company.

"Fang Zhao? The fella who has recently been all the rage?"

"Having just ended his military service, the company managing him hyping it up is understandable, but Fang Zhao is even holding a concert? He isn't a soldier anymore?"

"Having listened to his previous pieces, Fang Zhao's style actually fits our requirements. Let's purchase a streaming pass. When the time comes, we can consider selecting a piece to purchase and place it in the new movie we are investing in."

Given Fang Zhao's influence in the music world, he was still not big enough to be worth traveling all the way to Yanzhou's Qi'an City for a live concert.

Over at MaErsizhou, professional shooter Ma Xier had gotten his assistant to book a live ticket. He was not taking part in any competitions in August and would go over to Fang Zhao's concert for a listen.

As the second-ranked person on the game's individual leaderboards back then, Ma Xier felt a little regrettable that he could no longer compete with Fang Zhao in game, but they could still have some friendly competitions in reality. Ma Xier also rather admired the younger Fang Zhao.

"He rendered so many meritorious deeds during his military service, and his marksmanship has surely seen some improvement. I'll head to Yanzhou in August to support that little fellow and at the same time have some friendly competition with him," Ma Xier said.

Ma Xier's assistant immediately booked the tickets and noted down the time and place. He would arrange it closer to the date.

Despite having the same role, Zaro's assistant had a very different life. At this moment, he was making his own presence even less conspicuous.

"Senior master, I have helped you book a ticket for Fang Zhao's concert in April. When the time comes, you should go over for a listen," Zaro's agent said.

"A concert? Not interested, it isn't as fun as playing games!"

"It helps cultivate one's mind. Besides, given our friendship with Fang Zhao, we ought to go and support him," Zaro's agent continued.

Zaro considered it for a bit and his eyes glimmered. Clapping his hands, together he said, "You are right, I ought to go! Book a ticket immediately. I want a VIP seat!"

When he finished talking, Zaro picked up his communications device and contacted someone.

Lazhou.

Barbara was letting someone paint her fingernails while listening to soothing tunes. She had shut her eyes to ponder over some matters.

Currently, she had gotten addicted to filming shows. Not only could she make money and increase her fame and reputation, she could also satisfy her craving to be a princess or empress in the shows.

As she was thinking about what movie to shoot next, the sound of ringing startled her, ruining the fingernail that was being painted.

Everyone nearby watched as Barbara's face rapidly turned frosty, and they kept quiet out of fear.

Looking at the name of the caller, Barbara impatiently accepted the call.

"Barbie!" Zaro said excitedly.

"Talk," Barbara said coldly.

"..."

Zaro nearly smashed his communications device.

In the past, Barbara would still have said, "If you have anything to say, get on with it." Now, one line had been shortened to a single word!

Simply arrogant!

Zaro cursed silently in his heart. However, in order for Barbara not to reveal the black mark of Zaro chasing a debt everywhere just for 5 million, Zaro sighed deeply. How had he gotten involved with such an unreasonable idiot?

That's right, from what Zaro saw, the point where he lacked money and had to chase his debts was a dark stain in his history. How could the great Zaro of Leizhou face anyone if this sort of thing were leaked?

Zaro had already warned everyone else and was only left with Barbara. Back in planet Wai's film entertainment complex, if Zaro had not reacted quickly to cut Barbara's words off, Barbara would have already said it!

Zaro wasn't sure who had said it, but he had heard that the people of Lazhou loved concerts, so when his agent had mentioned it, he had thought that if he invited Barbara to listen to a concert, the matter could be written off and would never be brought up ever again.

Taking another deep breath, Zaro said, "I'm inviting you to a concert in August. Yanzhou's Qi'an City's Golden Age Music Hall."

Barbara reacted very quickly. "Fang Zhao?"

"Yeap, it's him. The one who asked us to planet Wai to invest in the film entertainment complex."

"Sure." However, Barbara was thinking to herself, Does an idiot like Zaro even know how to appreciate music and art?

"All right, I will contact you when the time comes. But Barbara, there is something we need to talk about..."

Zaro and Barbara discussed the conditions so that Barabara would never reveal Zaro's black mark.

Zaro's agent took a step backward from Zaro. Idiotism was contagious. He had to stay further away from Zaro.

As for the reason why he had suggested that Zaro attend Fang Zhao's concert, it had not been because of "our friendship with Fang Zhao."

Friendship my *ss.

He saw this as a chance to hype up Zaro. He wanted to increase Zaro's fame and reputation by letting Zaro use the concert as a means of visiting Yanzhou and generating buzz for himself.

Although Zaro was very famous in Leizhou and had some reputation worldwide, in Yanzhou, his reputation and fame right now could not be compared to Fang Zhao's. His motive was to let Zaro freeload off of Fang Zhao's popularity. If his global fame went up, only then would he be more confident in securing a role in the revolutionary film project for Zaro.

At this time, Fang Zhao did not yet know that his concert was being eyed by people with all sorts of motives.

Chapter 262: "Diting" Series

With the aggressive publicity campaigns, many people knew about Fang Zhao's concert. However, as it wasn't a mainstream concert and Fang Zhao could only be considered a rookie in the music circles, naturally, he could not be compared to those singers with lots of experience and fans.

However, as someone involved with military affairs, gaming, and music, Fang Zhao had quite a lot of fans as well. On the first day of advanced ticket sales, live tickets were completely sold out and 70% of streaming passes were sold.

The problem of the venue not filling up that many had previously worried about would no longer occur. At the current rate, even streaming passes would be sold out within a few days.

As one of the three main music halls, "Golden Age" had a limit to its streaming passes. Regardless of what methods other business-minded concert halls used, "Golden Age" would only release a maximum of 10,000 streaming passes.

Thus, for many people who had adopted a wait and see approach, the moment they saw that live tickets could no longer be purchased and streaming tickets seemed to be selling out fast, they quickly went and booked a streaming pass, thinking that even if they didn't wish to go when the time came, they could still resell it to others. After all, it was better to get it first and decide later, thus preventing future regrets.

It was also at this time that Fang Zhao went for an interview with the other media organization that had arranged for an interview.

Previously, Silver Wing had helped arrange for Fang Zhao to appear on two interview talk shows. One was Huangzhou's "Star of Tomorrow," which had already concluded, and the other was Yanzhou's reputable media outlet "Prairie Fire."

The location of the interview was set at Prairie Fire's headquarters in the heart of Qi'an City and was not too far from where Fang Zhao stayed.

Fang Zhao's two bodyguards, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, displayed their usefulness this time around and obstructed a few entertainment reporters that were already camping in the area.

This interview was different from the live broadcast of "Star of Tomorrow." This time, it would be a recorded interview. After filming, Silver Wing personnel would go through it once, and if there were no problems, it would then be broadcasted.

Having experience from the previous interview, this time, Fang Zhao no longer made the interview awkward at the start. Furthermore, this time around, the interview's atmosphere was more relaxed, as the style of "Prairie Fire" was different from that of "Star of Tomorrow." It was more entertainment oriented. The important points to be covered in the interview had already been set by Silver Wing, and they centered around the concert that would be held in August.

Matters about his military service and gaming had already been talked about in detail during the "Star of Tomorrow" interview. Thus, for today's interview, while these topics were briefly touched upon, but there was no need to ask about them again.

The host laughed and asked, "What will the duration of your concert in August be like? Will it be similar to other concerts, between 90 minutes and 2 hours?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "More or less."

"I would have thought it would be slightly longer. After all, it's all your own works. A symphony orchestra will perform the pieces—you don't have to perform them personally, right? It shouldn't be as tiring as those singers' concerts."

"I won't be tired, but the orchestra members will. A live performance isn't prerecorded. Furthermore, I have only set 10 songs, and there will be time for breaks, introducing the backgrounds behind my compositions, and other information. So, adding all this up, the time won't be too long."

"I hear that the pieces prepared for the concert are all related to your military service? I have also seen a year of channel S5 live broadcasts and heard Kevin Lin mentioned many times that you spent a portion of time composing at night?"

"All of them are pieces composed during my military service. Every song is related to my experience during military service."

The host faced the camera and made a sighing expression. "Taking a look at others' military service and then remembering my own military service experiences makes me feel like I have wasted away some years of my life." The host again asked, "That means to say that these 10 songs are pieces that have never been made public before?"

"Yes."

Actually, he had said 10 songs, but he would surely have prepared a few extra songs beforehand in the event of unforeseen circumstances. This was something everyone in the industry knew. Not just for orchestra concerts at music halls, even at those singers' large-scale concerts, if they were set to perform 15 songs, they would prepare at least 18 to 20, and sometimes even more.

Inside Fang Zhao's notebook, there were not just 10 completed songs, and for uncompleted songs, there were even more.

The symphony orchestra had 12 songs to practice, but the 10 songs that Fang Zhao had chosen were works he felt were most representative of him, and they were the 10 songs that he was most satisfied with.

The interview progressed according to how Silver Wing had planned it. After the recording was done, more stuff would be added during postproduction. For example, special effects and inserting certain videos. Of course, there was also a raffle where a barcode would be displayed. Viewers could use their personal bracelets to scan the barcode to see whether they won a prize.

For this interview, Silver Wing had provided one live concert ticket, 10 online streaming passes, 20 small ornaments that had been made from Baiji ore, and a few cards with Fang Zhao's autograph as prizes for the raffle. Therefore, even people who had no interest in this interview also had a chance to test their luck.

Generally speaking, for these sorts of Yanzhou interview talk shows, the audience was mainly people from Yanzhou. Foreigners generally would not watch them. However, when this interview was broadcast, in a certain senior management office in Fiery Bird's Huangzhou headquarters, there were a few people watching this interview.

"We have only signed Fang Zhao for the endorsement of the new model of earpieces?" the person seated at the head of the table asked.

"Yes, it's the model of earpiece dubbed the 'Diting.' Aren't Fang Zhao's ears called 'divine ears'? Back then, shortly after the discovery of Baiji ore, we approached him for a contract."

The person seated at the head of the table fell silent, and the entire room became quiet.

Several minutes later, the person at the head of the table drummed his fingers on it, making everyone turn their attention to him. "Increase the endorsement."

The other people in the room had astonished faces. "This... shouldn't we exercise more prudence and consider this some more? After all, Fang Zhao is still considered a rookie in the music circles."

The person at the head of the table did not get angry. "Voice your opinions."

"Fang Zhao is, after all, a newcomer in the composing circles. Although his first concert seems amusing and he has accumulated popularity from his military service days and the publicity of the company behind him, if the concert doesn't turn out well, won't we experience the repercussions as well?"

"Even if his concert results aren't up to scratch, as long as his ears are good, we can still continue to generate buzz. From what I know, a few reality singing shows were already considering looking up Fang Zhao even before he discovered the grade A power ore on planet Baiji. The deals probably have not been sealed yet, since Fang Zhao is putting all his effort into preparing for the concert. Furthermore, behind Fang Zhao stands Silver Wing. Given what Silver Wing's publicity has shown, they surely won't give up on Fang Zhao."

Although it was not known how Fang Zhao's concert would turn out, they had selected Fang Zhao mainly because of his ears.

"Divine ears," "Diting," and other sorts of nicknames given to his ears, which were much more effective than a normal human's, were things that everyone would still acknowledge in times to come, regardless of how his concert turned out.

With planet Baiji's development now, some science books had already published new editions crediting planet Baiji's grade A ore's discovery to Fang Zhao. Also, the new element "Zh," or Zhaoium, had already been recorded down and was timeless.

This was something that other global stars did not have. This was the advantage that Fang Zhao had!

Back then, wasn't this the reason they had picked Fang Zhao out of so many other candidates?

There were no idiots sitting here, and their minds started pondering. From the things that the head of the table had pointed out, everyone here now understood.

They were letting Fang Zhao endorse earpieces and other sound and stereo equipment. With the primary focus on "listening," there was nobody more suitable than Fang Zhao!

"So what you mean is?"

"Just an earpiece endorsement is being wasteful. We should create a series!" The person at the head of the table had a burning gaze and stared at the blueprints displayed in front of him. On the blueprints was an abstract drawing of the mythical beast Diting. Originally, the plan had been to use it as the decorative design on the model of earpieces that Fang Zhao endorsed. Every series rolled out by Fiery Bird had an individual characteristic; this had been Fiery Bird's style all along.

After the meeting ended and everyone else in the room left, the person who was seated at the head of the table picked up his internal comms device and contacted the deputy head of the sound effects department, Hua Li. He remembered that Hua Li had talked about Fang Zhao before. A more important scene in "Battle of the Century" had made use of a piece composed by Fang Zhao.

"Hua Li, do you still remember Fang Zhao?"

"I remember him, all right. As a matter of fact, I still keep in contact with him. I even received live tickets for his concert from him. When the time comes, I will surely be there. Why, do you also want to attend the concert?" Hua Li was curious. Besides people from their sound effects department, other people in the company did not have this sort of interest toward music, and among those in their department that often went to concerts, only a few truly enjoyed it. Most of them only went to raise their artistic style and as a way to package themselves better by being pretentious.

"I don't have much interest in concerts. Even if I wished to listen to it, I would purchase a streaming pass. I called to ask you something. According to what you have seen, do you reckon Fang Zhao's concert will be a success?"

Hua Li paused and did not give an immediate reply. Instead, he asked, "Tell me what you mean by your concept of 'success'? An evaluation from an academic? Or the points of view of fans and the masses?"

"We are a business-oriented company."

With this sentence, Hua Li understood.

What the other part meant was Fang Zhao's commercial value!

Viewing it in terms of pure commercial value, the most simple and straightforward way to judge whether the concert would be a success was whether the copyrights of the pieces brought out by Fang Zhao to be performed could be completely sold out and whether they would fetch high prices!

Pondering for a bit, Hua Li replied, "I have only listened to Fang Zhao's previous pieces. Whether his style has seen any changes in his one year of military service or what the quality of his pieces will be like, I have no idea and can make no assumptions. However, making a guess from what I know about that little fellow and taking reference from his older works, I feel that his concert will be a success."

"That should be enough." The tone of the person in the office sounded more relaxed. He did not understand Fang Zhao, but he understood his old colleague Hua Li.

Since Hua Li had say this much, it verified that the probability of Fang Zhao's concert being a success was really high.

This was more than enough!

After ending the call with Hua Li, he instructed his subordinates, "Contact the Yanzhou branch, get them to contact Fang Zhao regarding increasing his endorsements."

Although there was some risk in deciding now, if they waited till after the concert ended and commenced talks in August, that would be too late. He still wished to borrow the traction of Fang Zhao's concert to promote some specialized earpieces for listening to concerts and for other stereo equipment. Even when watching recorded videos of Fang Zhao's concert, specialized earpieces would sound much better than normal ones.

His plan was to create a series!

The "Diting" series!

Chapter 263: He Is My Older Bro

Headquarters' decision was conveyed to the Yanzhou branch, and the staff at the Yanzhou branch contacted Fang Zhao to discuss matters about the endorsement.

When Fang Zhao received the news, he was surprised. He had not expected that Fiery Bird would actually want to increase the endorsement deal.

When Fang Zhao visited Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, he got a detailed grasp of the situation and understood Fiery Bird's intention.

"Diting series? That means to say you want me to endorse an entire series?"

Fang Zhao looked at the information the other person had given him. He knew that what Fiery Bird viewed as important was not his musical talent but rather his ears. Now, Fiery Bird headquarters had had a new notion because of Fang Zhao's upcoming concert and wanted to increase the endorsement deal.

However, this notion of Fiery Bird's, which had suddenly been proposed by Fiery Bird headquarters, was not something that Fang Zhao would reject. An increase in endorsements was also a good thing, and it was also something he needed at the moment.

Previously, he had only signed an endorsement deal for the new model of earpieces, but now, the endorsement deal would be improved on and would include the endorsement of stereo equipment. Furthermore, Fiery Bird was very detailed on this aspect.

Solely talking about earpieces, they were divided into gentle and rough uses.

Gentle use was mainly used to appreciate art. They were used when one needed calm or when sitting down, walking, around or even when sleeping.

Rough use was generally used for competitions and the like. Various aspects, such as being shockproof and waterproof, were emphasized.

And for these, they were further divided into ordinary and specialized grades.

Besides earpieces for this series, there were speakers, vehicle-mounted stereo equipment, and acoustics systems for home use, office use, bedrooms, and many others.

Qualitywise, even though the words "Fiery Bird" on the earpieces, speakers, and stereo equipment were a stamp of quality assurance, Fang Zhao still wished to inspect them personally.

After negotiating the contract and signing it, Fang Zhao freed up two days of his schedule to stay at Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch to shoot a commercial.

Among all these products, a gaming sound equipment series was coined the "Diting·Infernal Flames" series and was relevant to "Battle of the Century."

On the packaged box was an image of Fang Zhao's AliveAfter500Years avatar with a "Battle of the Century" backdrop, but instead of the original emblem on his team uniform, it had been replaced with the logo of the series: a blazing red mythical beast—the Diting. Although the background was the Period of Destruction's chaos and ruins, there was an additional ball of fire blazing upwards. Under the dark, gloomy backdrop, the brilliant red luster appeared to be blazing up from the infernal depths of hell—a purifying fire that seemed to be frantically extending outward. It was as if anybody looking at it could hear a bellow laced with killing intent.

Fiery Bird valued Fang Zhao's ears, but because Fang Zhao had once held a stranglehold on the number one spot on the global leaderboards, even though Fang Zhao had retired from the professional e-sports circles, he still held considerable influence there.

The Diting series was mainly targeted at youngsters and had an even bolder style. The design had been meticulously planned out as well, and the abstract design of the mythical beast Diting was this series's logo.

With a customized logo, it meant that the series would be the focus of Fiery Bird's promotions this year!

Everytime Fiery Bird promoted a series, the advertising would be omnipresent!

This was also the reason many celebrities spent time wishfully dreaming about obtaining a Fiery Bird endorsement deal. Fiery Bird always chose their ambassadors carefully, and most of the time, nobody understood Fiery Bird's selection process.

Thus, since the hype about Fang Zhao's concert's advanced ticket sales was over and there was some time till August, many people thought that the buzz about Fang Zhao would die down and fade into obscurity, but they realized that they were seeing Fang Zhao's image appearing frequently on tall buildings or on advertisements on vehicles when they were on their way to work, school, or even traveling abroad.

"Why is he appearing everywhere?"

"Something strange is going on!"

"I just saw his advertisement on a billboard at the previous station. Why do I see his image at this station too?"

"The Diting series earpiece was being advertised at the previous station. The advertisement here is for the Diting series speakers."

"Earpieces and speakers, how does he have so many endorsements?"

After another station.

"Why is it still him?! Billboards at stations shouldn't repeat so frequently, right?"

"This time it's an inbuilt sound system for vehicles..."

"The f*ck! How many things is he even endorsing?"

Online.

"What the f*ck, Fang Zhao is endorsing a Fiery Bird series! An entire series!"

"For real?"

"It has already been rolled out, so how can it be false?"

"One person monopolizing an entire series? There isn't a second person?"

"Just look at the name of the series and you will know that Fang Zhao is endorsing it on his own."

"Diting? Oh right, even since the start of the Founding Era, I think Fang Zhao is the only person who has been coined 'Diting'."

This was not the first instance where somebody had completely monopolized the endorsements of an entire series. However, in the past, every single person who had endorsed an entire series had been a superstar with very high global acclaim. Although Fang Zhao could be considered to be known throughout the world, he had only made a name for himself in the last two years and was being hyped up at the moment. Who knew whether all of this would die down next year? Given the rate of entertainment news being refreshed daily, at that time, Fang Zhao might not even be as popular as he was now.

"What exactly is the reason for this? Isn't it reasonable to say that he doesn't have the qualifications to endorse an entire Fiery Bird series?"

"To the previous commenter, open up your dog eyes and take a look at the series's name!"

"According to my analysis, Fiery Bird probably values Fang Zhao's ears highly."

"Whew, Fang Zhao's ears are really valuable."

Yet another group of people had their focus elsewhere. When they saw Fiery Bird selecting Fang Zhao to endorse an entire series and then thought back to Fang Zhao's upcoming concert that had been all the rage the past couple of days, even if they had previously decided not to attend, after spotting these advertisements, their hearts were tempted.

If they didn't believe in Fang Zhao, they ought to believe in Fiery Bird, right?

But when they went online to check, these people were dumbfounded.

"Live tickets have already been sold out!"

"What about steaming passes?"

"Streaming passes are actually all sold out as well!"

There were too many people who'd had the same intention, and those that had been a step slower could no longer obtain tickets.

Ticket scalpers with keen noses that had reacted quickly had already swept the tickets and resold them at a higher price.

Some people were unwilling to purchase tickets from ticket scalpers, so they visited Golden Age Music Hall's official website to suggest increasing the number of streaming passes.

However, as one of the three major music halls in Yanzhuo, Golden Age also had their own attitude. When faced with many suggestions by the public to increase the number of tickets, all they gave was a cold reply: "Not possible!"

Their music hall's online live broadcasts were not the same as those normal live broadcasts that were just playing around. Sound quality had to be maintained!

Furthermore, even if they were able to maintain the sound quality and open up additional broadcast channels, they still wouldn't do so. In order to uphold their high-end and prestigious image, they had to set themselves apart from all those random subpar concert halls that only cared about profits.

Silver Wing virtual projects department. Zu Wen felt secretly pleased as he read some of the discussions online.

Fiery Bird's global ambassador selection had already changed. Over the past year, Fiery Bird had gradually removed virtual idol endorsements and added in more real celebrities. In the past, real celebrities had only endorsed hardware equipment, but according to reliable statistics, in the past one year, under the Fiery Bird banner, the amount of endorsements by real celebrities had increased.

"2S e-Sports Club and those other people who can't stand it are probably going mad with rage."

Zu Wen still remembered what those others had said when their Polar Light team had snagged the endorsement deal to get the tree-man Polar Light to be an ambassador for "Battle of the Century."

Back then, what those people had meant was that Fiery Bird's strategy had been changing and they would be adopting a new approach in selecting ambassadors, so virtual idols would gradually be phased out and they would select new ambassadors from gaming stars.

However, now, not only had Fang Zhao snagged a Fiery Bird endorsement, he was endorsing an entire series!

Zu Wen really wished to sneer at those people who had ridiculed them back them. Even if there are no more virtual idols, you people still won't get the chance!

At a certain university in Yanzhou.

Fang Yu was browsing the internet in his dormitory and discussing Fang Zhao's endorsement of the entire Diting series with his roommates.

Fang Yu was the elder son of Fang Zhao's second uncle. For his military service, Fang Zhao had been the one who had helped him arrange his military posting.

Back then, when people had mentioned enlisting in the military, everyone had wanted to take the easy path, but places that were more comfortable had limited spots. People with money would spend large sums to get a posting, and those who had connections would try to use them. Fang Zhao had helped Fang Yu obtain a posting then. To not attract the attention of others, Fang Yu and his family had kept a low profile and had not divulged too much about their relationship with Fang Zhao.

After Fang Yu had returned from his year of military service, Fang Zhao had had an even higher reputation. His mum and dad had exhorted numerous times not to use his cousin Fang Zhao's name to cause trouble outside, so Fang Yu had never told his roommates about his relationship with Fang Zhao.

Thus, all the roommates knew was that Fang Yu's idol was Fang Zhao, and on the wall of the dormitory was a large poster of Fang Zhao's "Virtual vs Reality" image, which had been trending in the gaming and political circles back then. The image was comprised of two halves of Fang Zhao. In one half, he wore planet Baiji's military uniform, and the other featured his in-game avatar.

All four in this dorm were gaming fans and worshiped Fang Zhao, especially because of the incidents that had happened during his military service. From time to time, the four of them would discuss this stuff.

"If only I had enlisted a little later, it would have been great if I could have headed over to planet Baiji with Fang Zhao."

This was what they all had thought after the matters on planet Baiji.

In the past, they had all followed the crowd and thought of ways and methods to get posted to a more safe and comfortable place, but then they had seen Fang Zhao, who had straightaway applied to undergo his military service at an arduous place. What was even more unexpected was that he had discovered grade A power ore there and propelled planet Baiji's spot in the development sequence toward the front!

That was just too awesome!

When they had found out about Fang Zhao's concert, they had wanted to attend, but live tickets had just been too expensive, so they had only purchased an ordinary streaming pass to support their idol.

The four members of the dormitory had pooled their money together to purchase one pass and would watch it together. Their equipment here was limited and definitely could not compare to that of a rich family's. The four also weren't that crazy about music and weren't in the music industry, so just listening to it was good enough.

"Luckily we were quick enough. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to get the ticket!"

"Ticket scalpers have increased the prices by quite a lot. Many people have raised the issue with Golden Age, asking them to increase the amount of streaming passes, but unfortunately, Golden Age is unwilling to do so."

"Hey, Fang Yu, what are you looking at? Why are your eyes on the verge of popping out?"

At the moment Fang Yu wanted to hide it, the image displayed on the screen was spotted by the person beside him.

That person's eyes widened as he asked, "What is this?!"

"...Concert tickets." Fang Yu had just received a message. He had also not imagined that Fang Zhao would send him a ticket. This was a pleasant surprise to him, but he had not been quick enough at hiding it, so one of his roommates had seen it.

"Live tickets!!!" that roommate exclaimed.

With a whoosh, the other two roommates gathered over and looked at the message displayed on the screen, then simultaneously looked toward Fang Yu, their eyes green with envy as they asked, "Is there something you aren't telling us?"

"Cough, Fang Zhao, is my older bro. The kind where we share the same grandparents."

Chapter 264: "Intrusion"

The dorm room went silent for a split second after Fang Yu's response. What followed was an explosive roar that scared the living daylights out of the students next door.

The neighbors opened their door and glanced sideways. They were just getting ready to head over and investigate when the door to the room in question slammed shut.

"What went down next door?"

"My vast experience tells me that odds are they lost as a team in an online game."

The others nodded in agreement. That sounded like a plausible reason.

They listened carefully. Nothing. It wasn't a fight, so they didn't probe further and instead went back to what they had been doing.

Meanwhile, in Fang Yu's room, Fang Yu had scrambled to shut the door after his roommates' exaggerated response.

"Hush!" Fang Yu signaled his roommates to quiet down. "Please keep this a secret."

Before he could finish his sentence, he was already being lifted by his three roommates.

"You sly bastard!"

"Fang Zhao, it's really Fang Zhao! Where is his autograph? Where is the picture of the two of you?"

"Boy can you keep a secret. If it were me, the whole campus would know by now."

Fang Yu's roommates finally put him down after an extensive interrogation. He caught his breath and said, "I'm under strict orders from my mom and dad not to be a burden to him. I never planned on telling anyone. You're the only people who know. Please keep it to yourselves."

"No problem, but you'll have to buy our silence. I'm not greedy. Oh, just a dozen or so signed photos will do," one of the roommates said with a sinister smile.

"Concert tickets!"

"Right, right. We'll keep this a secret, but as our roommate, you gotta help us out too. Deliver the goods!"

Fang Yu gave a resigned smile. "OK. I'll do my best."

The concert was completely sold out. Fang Yu couldn't possibly ask Fang Zhao to produce a few tickets. His three roommates were just posturing. Even if Fang Yu agreed, they would be too embarrassed to accept such expensive tickets from Fang Zhao. The three roommates weren't even related to Fang Zhao; they weren't that thick skinned.

But in terms of autographs and pictures, they would undoubtedly badger Fang Yu for a healthy supply, and if they could tag along when Fang Yu gamed with Fang Zhao, that would be even better.

Yanbei, the retirement home for former officials.

After dinner, Great-Grandfather Fang made his rounds, showing off the concert tickets Fang Zhao had sent him. It just didn't feel right if he didn't brag a bit.

When he was in his room, he repeatedly watched the TV commercials Fang Zhao had starred in every day. TV commercials had never looked better. He'd brag about those too.

There were video billboards inside the retirement home compound as well. After his evening stroll, Great-Grandfather Fang would sit down in the pavilion closest to the billboard and jabber away at someone. Whenever Fang Zhao's ad came on, he would start boasting, "Look, that's my great-grandkid Fang Zhao. He gave up a military career for the arts. He quit the army just to become a professional musician. There was no stopping him. P*ssed the hell out of me. He's about to hold a concert at that Golden... Golden Age concert hall. Don't leave, let me show you the concert tickets I just received. They're completely sold out. Let me show you his emoji pack too."

Great-Grandfather Fang's fellow residents at the retirement home were mighty jealous about his extended stay on Baiji. Several of them also had a grandkid or great-grandkid assigned to Baiji for military service, but those kids weren't yet of a high enough rank to be allocated family quarters. They still had to pay their dues. Not everyone could enjoy the perks Fang Zhao had. He was the discoverer of the grade A power ore, after all. But if Fang Zhao had chosen to remain on Baiji, his military rank would have been sufficient for him to receive family members as guests.

When they had learned that Fang Zhao was about to stage his first concert, Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang had wanted to do their part too. They had bought a bunch of online streaming passes with their savings. They had bought two for themselves and had given away the others to their friends in the retirement home. Lo and behold, Fang Zhao had sent them tickets to the live show. The two elders planned to attend with Fang Yu's family.

So the two elders also gave away the two online streaming passes they had saved for themselves.

Silver Wing had allocated to Fang Zhao a portion of the tickets it had reserved for internal use. Besides his immediate family, Fang Zhao also invited close friends like Su Hou and Su Feng from Muzhou.

After completing the media interviews and shooting the TV commercials, Fang Zhao shifted his full attention to preparations for the upcoming concert.

Fang Zhao was scheduled to work with an orchestra owned by Silver Wing. This was a professional orchestra, not a ragtag army. It was the same orchestra that had performed on Polar Light's debut "Period of Destruction" series.

Pang Pusong had been part of the backup vocals for the "Period of Destruction" series, but this time, he was excluded. The orchestra did everything in-house. The priority back then had been to promote Polar Light, but this gig was different.

But just as Fang Zhao was busy rehearsing with the orchestra, he was approached by the Silver Wing executive in charge of the concert with a suggestion.

Silver Wing was taking Fang Zhao's debut concert seriously. There were many details that needed to be attended to, but at the end of the day, Silver Wing was a diversified entertainment company that did not specialize in live concerts. They could bring in paid consultants, but what if those consultants weren't good enough? So the Silver Wing executive suggested that, as much backup as the company could offer, Fang Zhao had to take matters into his own hands and perhaps consult a veteran performer or two.

This was an issue that Fang Zhao had thought of too. The first person he thought of was Xue Jing, but Xue Jing was stuck in Huangzhou and had a few important conferences to attend. When they had last spoken on the phone, Xue Jing had said that he wouldn't be able to return to Yanzhou for another 10 days or so. He would answer any questions that Fang Zhao had then. If it was urgent, he could be reached by phone.

But Fang Zhao didn't end up bothering Xue Jing. Xue Jing was quite old, after all, and the conferences kept him busy. Ten days wasn't a long time to wait.

Now that Silver Wing had brought up the issue again, Fang Zhao reconsidered the matter. If Xue Jing was still out of town, he could consult another veteran performer first.

He couldn't necessarily trust a senior musician that didn't know him well, but apart from Xue Jing, there was another respected elder in Yanzhou he could turn to—Ming Cang.

So, that afternoon, after leaving rehearsal, Fang Zhao checked the course schedule at Qi'an Academy of Music to see if Ming Cang was teaching or attending any conferences these next few days. He followed up with a phone call.

Ming Cang was at home chatting with Ming Ye. The doctor had said that frequent interaction with Ming Ye would facilitate recovery, so whenever Ming Cang was free, he stayed home with Ming Ye.

When his bracelet sounded and he checked the caller ID, Ming Cang immediately answered with a smile. "Fang Zhao?"

"Teacher Ming, are you at home right now? Are you free? Do you mind if I intrude?"

Even though Ming Cang was no longer president of the music academy, he still lectured there from time to time, so the "teacher" honorific was appropriate considering Fang Zhao's current status.

The smile on Ming Cang's face grew. "Of course, of course. No need to be so polite. It's no intrusion at all. You're close by? Come over now."

Ming Cang's wife entered the room with a plate of fruit. She picked a piece and handed it to Ming Ye before, in a rather impatient tone, asking Ming Cang who was on the phone.

The couple had been receiving an increasing number of calls the past year. People who had never kept in close touch had started reaching out.

Who knew what the future held? Ming Ye's condition was improving, and he might fully recover soon. When Ming Cang and his wife returned to their careers, they were bound to scale new heights. They would wield even greater influence than before.

Take Ming Cang, for example. He had resigned from the presidency of the Qi'an Academy of Music because of Ming Ye. Now that Ming Ye was better, he might assume the presidency again when the incumbent's term ended. Plus, considering Ming Cang's seniority, it was simply a matter of time before he became chairman of the Yanzhou Music Association.

When they had been struggling, some people had stayed away. Now that they were back in the game, the same folks shamelessly befriended them again. That was why Su Tong was upset.

Ming Cang responded to his wife with a broad smile. "Fang Zhao is coming over. I think he wants some advice for his concert."

When she heard it was Fang Zhao, Su Tong's furrowed brows immediately relaxed. She enthusiastically said, "Terrific, terrific! He has a driver... or rather, a bodyguard, no? Forget it, I'll just prepare more dishes. It's not early. Why don't we keep them for dinner? Oh, what are some of Fang Zhao's favorite dishes?"

"I have no idea."

"You don't know? And you consider yourself his teacher?"

Ming Cang responded with a resigned expression, "That's not fair. What does being a teacher have to do with it? I've only had limited contact with Fang Zhao. We usually just speak via videoconference. I've only visited him at home once since he returned from military service. His schedule was so tight I only stayed half an hour so as to not be in his way. These are a young man's most productive years. We can't let him waste his time on unnecessary social calls. If we do, we would just be dragging him down, not repaying the debt we owe him."

"Full of excuses." Su Tong ended the conversation with her husband and started ordering groceries online.

Fang Zhao arrived half an hour later carrying a box full of fresh produce from Muzhou recently harvested from Dongshan Farm. He had just received them yesterday, just in time to bring Ming Cang's share over today.

Ming Cang didn't offer any pleasantries like "No, you shouldn't have," but after accepting the gift, he said, "No need to bring this much stuff next time." Wasn't Fang Zhao tired from hauling such a heavy box over? He had trouble just handling the box when he took it from Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao responded with a laugh. His gaze bypassed Ming Cang and his wife and landed on Ming Ye, who was standing not far away. The young man knew who Fang Zhao was, and his expression suggested surprise and curiosity.

Ming Ye was 15 years old, but the Hull virus had stunted his growth, so he was smaller than his peers. However, Ming Ye's physical development would resume once his condition had receded. He had already grown significantly taller during the past two years of treatment. He had looked even more petite two years ago.

Ming Ye appeared to be in better spirits than before, but he was still a quiet boy. While not completely expressionless, his face was hard to read. That was normal, considering the fact that he had not fully recuperated and he still had to recover from all those years of being in a vegetative state. He never cried or laughed, but sometimes he grinned and wore other subtle expressions, which was already a major improvement.

Chapter 265: Advice

"Looks like he's almost fully recovered," Fang Zhao said.

"Almost. There are still some challenges we haven't resolved, but the doctor said he will get over the hump in about half a year and fully recover in the next three to five years."

Ming Cang and his wife now beamed when they spoke of their son's prospects. The huge weight that had nearly crushed them had been lifted.

Both Fang Zhao and the Mings had been busy, so Fang Zhao had never had the chance to learn about Ming Ye's treatment in detail. This visit was the perfect opportunity to catch up. He was personally very curious about the treatment process as well. Ming Ye's treatment plan had never been made public, and Fang Zhao had only read updates in medical journals. Now he could hear firsthand from Ming Cang and his wife.

After an extended chat, it was dinner time.

"Xiao Fang, did you bring your driver? Ask them to join us. It's just a casual meal," Su Tong said eagerly. "You can ask Teacher Ming for advice about your concert afterward."

After being summoned upstairs, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu did their best to keep a low profile, especially Yan Biao. Zuo Yu had joked that Yan Biao projected the aura of a gangster and might spook young children. If this had been any other occasion, Yan Biao would have blown him off, but now he reined himself in.

After dinner, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu rested in the living room, their faces tired from all the smiling in response to Su Tong's generous hospitality.

"Tea? Or juice?" Su Tong asked.

"No need, no need. We'll just have some water. We'll help ourselves. Why don't you go about your business? We'll just wait here," Zuo Yu said.

Noticing that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were a bit stiff, Su Tong didn't insist on serving them. She led Ming Ye to his bedroom for a chat.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu finally relaxed when they were alone in the living room.

The two bodyguards could put themselves at ease in front of thugs and businessmen, but they were at a loss as to how to behave before such a cultured family. They didn't even feel comfortable speaking up.

"Hey, Zuo Yu, let me ask you a question," Yan Biao whispered, wearing a curious expression.

"What?"

"What kind of illness did that Ming Ye, Professor Ming's son, contract? Did Boss's music really cure him?"

"Yes and no."

Yan Biao didn't like the answer he had gotten. "Either yes or no. What do you mean?"

"To draw an analogy, Boss's 'Period of Destruction' series was like the key to a crucial door. It pointed researchers in the right direction. The rest was up to the researchers. It was a matter of finding the right direction and making a critical breakthrough. Ming Ye didn't necessarily have to listen to the series repeatedly."

"Sounds like a straightforward matter, but without a clear direction, any amount of time, manpower, and resources would simply go to waste." Yan Biao finally understood why this couple treated Fang Zhao so well. Ming Cang and his wife had not stopped smiling since the moment they had entered the apartment. Putting himself in the couple's shoes, Yan Biao thought he would do the same.

While Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were gossiping in the living room, Ming Cang was in his study, giving Fang Zhao pointers about the upcoming concert.

Ming Cang was rather conflicted when it came to live concerts. The most respected figures in the music industry despised big money and crassness, but they also wanted performers to put on classy shows. They seemed to prefer venues that were super expensive but had limited seating capacity, thinking that only concert halls of that category were a match for their level of artistry.

In short, the senior figures in the music industry only respected the three main venues in Yanzhou. Even though they looked down on venues like Golden Age that were open to the highest bidder, saying these venues reeked of gaudiness, they still acknowledged the status of these concert halls.

This was a major contradiction in the music industry these days, a big shortcoming. But as a single person, Ming Cang had limited influence. Even though he took issue with the trend, all he could do was play by the rules.

That was the message Ming Cang delivered to Fang Zhao—if you couldn't change the status quo, you had to conform first.

Ming Cang also zoomed in on details regarding the lead-up and aftermath of the concert that were often neglected.

He pondered some more and added: "Why don't we do this. You've never been to a concert at one of the three major venues. Let me check their schedules. No amount of advice I give you is can substitute for the actual experience. I get quite a few complimentary tickets. Let's pick a show and check it out."

Ming Cang was a former president of the Qi'an Academy of Music, after all, and the current deputy head of the Yanzhou Music Association. Folks like him were regularly invited to concerts of all sorts.

Typically, both Ming Cang and his wife were invited, but because of Ming Ye's illness, the couple skipped most of these concerts except the more important ones, and when they went, only one of them attended. The other stayed home to take care of Ming Ye. The tickets arrived in a steady stream. It was up to them whether or not to attend the concerts.

Fang Zhao watched Ming Cang sift through the electronic tickets on his tablet. He had already passed on the upcoming shows of several up-and-coming musicians in Yanzhou.

Noticing Fang Zhao's puzzled expression, Ming Cang explained, "You can't trust what you read online. You know how it works at big companies like Silver Wing. Even the weakest performer can be packaged as a master with the right backup."

What he meant was that performers like these seemed competent, but in reality, they were being inflated by their promoters. There was no point in watching their shows. It was a waste of time.

"Too many people view their concerts at one of the three major venues as a mere stepping stone. Not to say that there's anything wrong with that, but it's quite disappointing to me if they don't even bother putting together proper pieces or if they offload composing duties to others. The whole thing becomes a career move and the purity of the show is lost," Ming Cang lamented. Veteran musicians like himself could tell instantly if the performers put any thought into their pieces.

"Oh, here we go! Ha Wen. This student is quite competent. He's a talented arranger, too. His concert should be decent." Ming Cang pointed at the two e-tickets and told Fang Zhao, "He's one of my former students, and Auntie Su's as well. An arrangement major. He may not be that talented of a composer, but he's a very strong arranger."

The date of the concert was the day after tomorrow.

"Are you free?" Ming Cang asked.

"Yes," Fang Zhao responded. He had no conflicting engagements. He could definitely spare the night after the next to check out a concert picked by Ming Cang.

Once they had confirmed their plans, Ming Cang asked Su Tong to join them so she could send Fang Zhao her e-ticket.

"Ming Ye's medical team will be visiting him for a checkup the day after tomorrow, so Su Tong is going to stay home for that. I'll join you for the concert," Ming Cang said with a smile. "It's just a routine weekly checkup, it's OK. Last week, Su Tong had to attend a conference for a few days and I was the one who stayed home with Ming Ye. This time, it's her turn to stick around. We can go to the concert together."

Su Tong didn't take issue with the plan. She even asked Fang Zhao if she should send him more tickets.

Ming Cang cut her off. "There are quite a few concerts that you can pass on. Watching them will actually affect your performance. When I have time, I'll sift through them again and send him a few more."

Su Tong pondered her husband's response and agreed. She only forwarded the ticket to the Ha Wen concert.

The day of Ha Wen's concert.

Ming Cang briefed Fang Zhao on his former student's background in the car en route to Golden Age.

"This concert at Golden Age is a big step forward for Ha Wen's music career. It's in concert hall no. 1. He's been preparing for this concert for some two decades."

Ha Wen was in his 50s. His debut concert was happening much later than those of fellow Qi'an Academy of Music alums who were even younger. Ha Wen had started preparing for his concert soon after graduation. If things had gone smoothly, he would have staged his first concert in Golden Age's concert hall no. 1 five years after graduation. Alas, that was not what had happened.

Ha Wen's family business had had a major crisis, so he hadn't had the time or money to spare for his concert. Those had been his toughest times, but thankfully, he had survived the dark days and could finally stage his debut concert.

"Ha Wen's musical style is completely different to yours. His music is mellower, the underlying emotions a bit more subtle. He's charted a different course, so just use him as a reference and draw from his experience where you can," Ming Cang said.

Ming Cang started giving Fang Zhao pointers from the moment they arrived at Golden Age, from the entrance all the way to concert hall No. 1.

Fang Zhao had plenty of help from Silver Wing for his first concert. There were many details that he didn't have to worry about this time, but what about next time? What if Fang Zhao decided to leave Silver Wing and go solo? The more knowledgeable he was, the easier it would be for him.

So Ming Cang left no stone unturned.

Fang Zhao also paid close attention, remembering every single point. A minor slipup could sour audience perception.

This was not the occasion to behave like a know-it-all and offend all the veteran musicians who would attend his concert.

Ming Cang and Fang Zhao found their seats. A program the size of a piece of A5 paper was placed on each chair. It looked like a paper bill, but in fact, it was a tablet stored with the full rundown and Ha Wen's biography.

Fang Zhao also noticed each of the 10 songs in the program was tagged with an empty circle at the end. He knew what the symbols meant—that the songs had not be sold yet. A song that had been sold was indicated by a solid circle.

There was still some hushed chitchat among the audience, but it died down when the concert started.

Ha Wen didn't seem that old. Someone in their 50s in the New Era was the equivalent of a young man in his 30s in the Old Era. He was a bit chubby and had a kind face. Perhaps he was more easygoing because of the adversity he had overcome. He gave a good first impression.

After a brief opening speech for acknowledgments, it was time for the first piece, which was a new version of a folk song for children from the Founding Era and was performed by harmonica.

The harmonica was truly an out-of-fashion instrument in the New Era, but it was a good fit for this newly arranged children's folk song. The melody was mellifluous and tinged with innocence and purity and the warmth of emotion.

The first song was followed by pieces that featured rearranged scores performed by the violin, the flute, the classical guitar, and other instruments, either in solo or in combination.

For professionals, music was the best way to vent emotion. Concerts were an opportunity not only to showcase your work but also to convey personal feelings.

And veteran musicians could tease out the emotion in every piece without reading the program notes.

Each piece was followed by a break during which Ha Wen introduced the next piece and briefly explained what the composer was trying to convey. Fang Zhao noted the structure of the rundown.

The 10th song and also the final piece of the concert.

The backdrop turned deep blue, and small spotlights meandered. The projection complemented the mood of the concert nicely.

The 10th song was a piano piece performed by Ha Wen himself that was adapted from a piece written by a famous composer some 200 years ago. Fang Zhao had heard Natiwuzi perform the piece on an electric guitar.

The original was fast and light-hearted, while the electric guitar version was wild and unkempt. Ha Wen's rendition was neither.

Ha Wen was in the zone. The melody progressed slowly, filled with tortured emotion.

The original was about 4 minutes long. Ha Wen's version was 8 minutes, about double the length, yet it didn't feel protracted. Instead, it conveyed the full extent of the composer's sorrow beautifully.

It was as if time had stopped, like a dead pool of water. A gentle breeze swept by, and the human heart fluttered, the occasional bubble marking the passage of time.

With everything that had gone down, it was important to remember one's initial dream. Honor the past by preserving one's purity of purpose.

This was not the best version of the song Fang Zhao had heard, but it was definitely among the top three. Stunning. It was undoubtedly a high-quality rearrangement.

No wonder Ming Cang had suggested this concert.

Someone who could rearrange a classic from 200 years ago in this way was an indisputable talent. His love for music also shined through.

As Ming Cang had pointed out, Ha Wen remained passionate about life and music despite having been dealt a cruel twist of fate. He had endured the kind of adversity that few had overcome, weathering major ups and major downs as he had gone from wealthy to poor to wealthy again. Such purity of purpose was hard to come by.

An epiphany struck Fang Zhao, and he smiled.

He realized why Ming Cang had picked Ha Wen's concert.

Ha Wen was undoubtedly talented. People who performed at the Golden Age weren't all pretenders. There were actual talents too, but out of all the shows, Ming Cang had picked Ha Wen's.

Ming Cang's choice was a subtle message to Fang Zhao not to be blinded by his current fame and fortune. The entertainment industry was too unpredictable and ever-changing. No one knew what would follow after a moment of glory—more glory, or a slump.

There were no guarantees.

It would be great if Fang Zhao's August concert was a big success, but if it wasn't, he shouldn't get too down on himself either. Look at Ha Wen, this senior musician in his 50s—didn't he make it after all?

As Fang Zhao had figured, Ming Cang was worried that the pressure was too much for Fang Zhao. Silver Wing was a business, after all. All they cared about was making money. Everything else fell by the wayside.

The media scrutiny, the pressure to turn a profit for Silver Wing, the public reaction—all these factors could work against Fang Zhao's development as an artist.

Ming Cang wanted to tell Fang Zhao that even if his concert failed or didn't meet expectations, he shouldn't give up, he should stay mentally strong and not back down. He was still young and had plenty of chances ahead of him.

Chapter 266: Paving the Way

After the concert ended, Ming Cang did not immediately leave. He wanted to introduce Fang Zhao to Ha Wen. This would be beneficial to both Fang Zhao and Ha Wen.

Ha Wen strode over quickly. "Teacher Ming?!"

Ming Cang and his wife had both taught him before. After Ha Wen had sent out the invites, he had found out that Ming Ye would be having his weekly medical examination. His concert had coincidentally fallen on the same day, so he had expected Ming Cang to stay home and look after Ming Ye. He had never expected that Ming Cang would actually come over.

Ha Wen knew about the hardships Ming Cang had been through over the past 10-plus years. He had also helped Ming Cang, but back then, he had been at a low point in his career and the help he had been able to provide was limited. After he had finally overcome his own difficulties, when he wished to help Ming Cang more, he had heard that a treatment had been discovered and had felt happy for Ming Cang.

For this concert, Ha Wen had guessed that Ming Cang might not show up due to the matters with Ming Ye. Although he had felt a little regretful, as the father of two children himself, he could understand where Ming Cang was coming from and had no complaints.

During his time at the Qi'an Academy of Music, besides Ha Wen's own talent, Ming Cang's teachings had been very important as well. Even after Ming Cang no longer taught, they still kept in touch and maintained their student-teacher relationship. Every time they spoke would end up being beneficial to Ha Wen. The reason Ha Wen was able to sit in front of a piano once again was also because of Ming Cang's encouragement.

When he had found out that Ming Cang was here, Ha Wen had been moved, placed other matters aside, and rushed over.

After Ming Cang had introduced Fang Zhao, Ha Wen smiled at Fang Zhao and said, "I know you, a really impressive junior indeed!"

As graduates of the Qi'an Academy of Music, calling one a junior displayed a sense of closeness, and the praise he had given was not because Ming Cang was there but rather because of genuine admiration.

Although they specialized in different styles, they could still hear the skills from other composer's works. From what Ha Wen saw, despite Fang Zhao being only 20-odd years old and having come from a family without a musical background, his accomplishments were already extremely impressive.

"Are you done with all your stuff? Go settle all your own matters first. We will just wait for you here and have a chat later." Ming Cang waved Ha Wen off, letting him sort out his own matters first.

Hearing Ming Cang say this, Ha Wen nodded. Although his concert had ended, there were a couple of things he still needed to see to.

"All right, then please have some tea over here first, Teacher Ming and Junior Fang." Ha Wen got somebody to bring Ming Cang and Fang Zhao to a lounge. He couldn't let his guests stand there and wait for him.

After Ha Wen left, Ming Cang explained to Fang Zhao, "After a concert, he must send off old classmates, teachers, and friends who came to cheer him on as well as parties interested in purchasing song rights. That might take a while longer, but it won't be more than an hour. Let's have a chat over there first." Seating himself down in the lounge, Ming Cang continued, "You did well signing with Silver Wing and having their teams help you out with the social niceties, but you still can't leave everything to the teams behind you. There are always some social interactions that you ought to attend in person."

Ming Cang was reminding Fang Zhao that although he might seem on fire now, if his powerful backer Silver Wing left the picture, he could not even be compared to others who were from influential families. There were some things that couldn't be completely left to others.

Some people were arrogant and haughty but had the capital and resources to back it up—Fang Zhao was still a long way from that level.

A student had once told Ming Cang that, having come from a basic background, the pressure he had felt was much more than what others felt. There were times when he had wanted to escape a predicament but had not been able to rely on contacts, so he had only been able to struggle as if his life depended on it.

Although Fang Zhao did not have an influential background, he had ability and luck, and the path he had traveled was smooth, so he had not needed to struggle and strive to survive.

Thinking about the series of experiences Fang Zhao had had after graduating, in his heart, Ming Cang sighed at Fang Zhao's good fortune. But he did not know that Fang Zhao had experienced a period where he'd had to struggle just to live, and Fang Zhao had spent close to a hundred years in that sort of hell.

Sure, Fang Zhao's current body had been strengthened during the mysterious process of his rebirth, but having the experience from his past life of living through the Period of Destruction had given rise to the current Fang Zhao in everyone's eyes. Otherwise, if it had been any other person who had been reborn, even if they'd had golden fingers, they might not necessarily have accomplished what Fang Zhao had.

The experience from his past life was cast inside the current Fang Zhao. What others saw as luck was actually his experiences that could not be revealed to the world.

As for Ming Cang's worry, there wasn't really any need for it. When it came to his mental state and character, Fang Zhao was really strong. Furthermore, Fang Zhao also wasn't a person with a low IQ or EQ.

After around 40 minutes had passed, Ha Wen hurriedly returned with a beaming smile on his face. He was clearly excited. His selling of song rights had probably gone really well, and evaluations from people within the circles were quite high. He had truly completed his first concert, a major stepping stone in his life.

Ming Cang chuckled. "Looks like the results were not bad." He had already gotten some evaluations of Ha Wen's concert from some people in a group chat, and most of them were full of praise.

Ha Wen's eyes had turned to slits on his slightly round face. "Hahaha, not bad, not too bad!"

Ming Cang once again introduced the two of them to each other, this time a little more formally. Then he said to Fang Zhao, "If you have any queries or doubts about arranging, you can look for Ha Wen."

"Right, I might not be as impressive in other areas as Junior Fang, but arrangement is my specialty. Although I can't compare with the teachers at QiMu, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Oh, I nearly forgot, let's exchange contact information. Your concert is coming soon. If you need help in any area, don't be afraid to ask," Ha Wen said.

In his heart, Ha Wen knew that although Fang Zhao was still considered a newcomer and junior in the music circles, no one took him lightly. Ha Wen had also seen from recent news that there was a lot of attention being placed on Fang Zhao's concert even though there was still some time before it.

Interacting more would be beneficial to the both of them.

The three of them spent an hour chatting in the music hall's lounge. Ming Cang had not performed here in a long time and his suggestions were only from his point of view, while Ha Wen, who had just completed his concert, provided suggestions that were more applicable to Fang Zhao.

That night, after Fang Zhao had returned home from Golden Age Music Hall, Fang Zhao tidied up and recorded down all the knowledge, suggestions, and insights he had gained from Ming Cang and Ha Wen in his notebook.

The concert was in April, but time would pass very quickly. Fang Zhao regarded his first concert as quite important. Just as Ming Cang had said, if he was not satisfied with the status quo in the circles, he could only adapt to it until he had sufficient capability to change it.

In the New Era, for people who were in this industry, holding their first concert at one of the three major venues was like an extremely important examination in one's life.

When Old Xue Jing returned back from Huangzhou, he started helping Fang Zhao prepare for his concert. He was an old man and his energy was limited, so he could not help out too much, but from the attitude he showed, he was telling people in the circles this: "I regard this little fellow really highly. Do not deliberately nitpick!"

As for Ming Cang, there was no need for him to say anything. Everyone in Yanzhou's music circles knew that Ming Cang was standing on Fang Zhao's side. Ever since Fang Zhao's "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had been released, everyone had been able to see Ming Cang's stance. Also, Ming Cang had not hidden the fact that he had brought along Fang Zhao to Ha Wen's concert.

Thus, people within the circles knew that for the newcomer Fang Zhao's first concert, there were two old hands paving the way. As long as the quality of the pieces produced wasn't too bad, on account of these two, nobody would give too poor an evaluation.

Can't stand it? Jealous of Fang Zhao?

Of course there were such people.

But what could be done even if they were jealous? Before finding out the quality of Fang Zhao's pieces that would be showcased at the concert, people could only keep their opinions to themselves. If they said too much, besides offending others, it would only show that they were petty, and it was not beneficial for them.

Thus, when critics in the industry were interviewed, when Fang Zhao, a little junior within the industry, was mentioned, their evaluations of him were guarded. They might have wanted to grumble about Fang Zhao in their hearts, but they could only wait. The moment Fang Zhao failed, they would bring out their grievances without the slightest hesitation!

Everything was judged in terms of quality. Even with Xue Jing and Ming Cang's support, if the quality wasn't there, they couldn't blame others for not showing mercy.

Actually, there were many people doubting the quality of the pieces Fang Zhao would be putting up. After all, he had been undergoing military service for the past year, and all 10 songs of his had been composed during that time. Fang Zhao had also frequently gone out on missions during his military service days, and there hadn't really been a lot of time to spend on composing. And that wasn't even taking into account his mental and physical exhaustion after missions.

In that limited amount of time, had he been able to create 10 quality works?

There were also people who had bought tickets for Fang Zhao's concert off other people at high prices in order to get firsthand news at the earliest possible time.

As days passed, August drew closer.

Fang Zhao did not participate in any activities, did not play games, did not accept interviews, and did not do any livestreams, but Fiery Bird's advertisements were still there. Online, his sticker packs were still in circulation, and Silver Wing's publicity teams were not being idle. Thus, even though Fang Zhao did not participate in any activities, his image never went out of sight, and people were instead reminded of Fang Zhao's concert from time to time.

The concert was arranged for the first Saturday of August.

On the eve of the concert, Fang Zhao was brushing Curly Hair's fur as he talked with Xue Jing through a video call.

Xue Jing was worried that Fang Zhao would be too nervous. He had not expected that, when the call went through, he would see Fang Zhao brushing Curly Hair.

"Seems like you are in a decent state. That's good, keep it that way. Rest early today and make sure your energy levels are up. Don't concern yourself with me tomorrow. I'll be heading there with a few old friends." Xue Jing was very satisfied with Fang Zhao's current state. Seeing that Fang Zhao did not need counsel, Xue Jing did not bore him with incessant chatter and just exhorted once or twice before ending the call.

After the call, Fang Zhao removed a thick layer of curly fur from the brush and placed it in a box. The box was filled with Curly Hair's dropped fur.

In May, someone had looked up Fang Zhao, asking him to endorse a household cleaning robot. Especially for households with pets, the focus was on cleaning the furs and hairs of pets while not damaging the floorboards.

That person had said a lot, but Fang Zhao had ultimately rejected them.

Why?

Even though Curly Hair shed excessively, it wasn't that serious and there was no need for a cleaning robot.

Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair's head. "Go and play."

As soon as he had said it, Curly Hair flew into the gaming room like the wind.

Turning off the lights, Fang Zhao stood in front of the windows as he gazed out at Qi'an City's bright nightscape.

To say that Fang Zhao did not even have any feelings at this point would be a lie, but Fang Zhao was not anxious like Xue Jing and the others were, nor was he worried. Instead, he had a sort of excitement, like he was impatient to get on with it.

As a composer, Fang Zhao was definitely willing to let his pieces be heard by even more people. In his past life, he had not had the qualifications. And forget about a concert. Back in the Old Era, there hadn't been anything like this.

This was something wonderful. Fang Zhao could not bring himself to be worried at all.

Chapter 267: Gathering Together

August 5, the first Saturday of the month.

At 6 p.m., there were already many reporters stationed in the vicinity of Golden Age.

Their target wasn't Fang Zhao, nor were there truly concerned with the quality of Fang Zhao's pieces. Today, they were stationed here with the motive of catching any celebrities attending the concert!

Silver Wing was not a reputed entertainment company for nothing and had done everything to reap the most benefits. For example. Silver Wing had gotten their well-known celebrities to generate buzz for the concert today, using the concert as an excuse to stir up news and let their celebrities show their faces.

There was a red carpet covering the twenty or so meters of road at the entrance. It could be said that before the concert started, this would be their showcase.

Outside the concert hall, the place was glistening with stars. Even if only a portion of Silver Wing's stars were here, it was enough to send those entertainment reporters into a frenzy. There were also other celebrities—first-, second-, and third-rate celebrities, and even celebrities who were not much better than the average person—with all sorts of reasons and purposes for attending. Nearby, there were fan groups of certain stars making themselves heard as layers and layers of security personnel watched on.

The concert had not yet started, but pieces of entertainment news erupted in succession.

There were Silver Wing's official announcements, which were more reserved:

"On the red carpet in front of Golden Age's main doors!"

"He Lisi and other Silver Wing celebrities strike a pose!"

There were others, such as "XXX's stunning red carpet attire" and "XXX beauties on the red carpet." One look and it was obvious that the companies behind them were taking the opportunity to hype up their own artists.

Besides the film stars, there were also members of the gaming team. Silver Wing's side had already made preparations for Jinro and the others.

There were also people from other continents who had no intention of stirring up anything themselves. For example, Ma Xier, who, not wanting to run into any reporters, had entered Golden Age through another entrance. His purpose was the concert, not to generate news about himself.

However, those wanting to keep a low profile were but a small minority. Zaro belonged to the category that loved the attention and limelight everywhere he went.

Dressed in a suit of the same style that nobility of the Old Era wore and with his air of haughtiness, he still seemed rather intimidating. On the twenty-meter red carpet, which would take 30 seconds to cross, Zaro stopped after every two or three steps to strike a pose and let reporters snap till their heart's content.

After finally entering the doors, Zaro's haughty and intimidating air dispersed in a flash. Impatience showing on his face, he asked his agent, "Why hasn't that idiot arrived?"

Zaro's agent calmly answered, "I just checked. She has arrived in Qi'an City and is currently changing her outfit."

"Her and her trifles!" Bored, Zaro went online and watched Silver Wing's live broadcast of the red carpet outside.

Noticing there were still many people talking about him in the comments section, his gaze skipped through those negative comments about him and focused on the comments that praised him, making him feel pleased. Who cares about those celebrities? Look, this is the charm of the great Zaro of Leizhou!

After Zaro had entered, the reporters outside could no longer take photos of him, so they discussed in private. "This Zaro is indeed really pretentious. If I did not know what he is normally like, perhaps I would have been fooled by that image he projects."

But before everyone could continue discussing Zaro, an even more pretentious person than Zaro appeared.

A pumpkin car full of individuality, a gorgeous princess skirt, and the gait of a noblewoman. She was even toting an umbrella.

The moment the silhouette of this person appeared, immediately, reporters diverted their attention away from other celebrities and all focused on her.

"Barbara?!"

"The one from the Lakalina family?"

"She's also here!"

This was simply an unexpected surprise!

Entertainment reporters got even more excited and frantically snapped away.

But when Zaro saw the comments section being flooded with comments about Barbara, he fell into a bad mood and grumbled, "It's already dark, what's she doing with an umbrella? Idiot!"

Indeed, many reporters had misgivings about this. The weather over the past few days had been fine. There was no rain and it was night now, so what was the point of an umbrella?

But in the next moment, everyone knew the answer.

Click. Woosh.

Barbara lifted her hand, and the umbrella automatically opened. On the umbrella were a bunch of glittering gemstones that were blinding.

The mass of reporters: "..."

So it was an umbrella spotlight!

Indeed, it was dazzling enough. Nobody would sparkle brighter than her tonight. Perhaps she would be on the headlines of news being published later on.

Zaro was discontented and groused, "She's cheating! She actually brought equipment!"

His agent stood to the side and kept his silence.

After Barbara stepped into the main doors, Zaro grumbled, "Did you not have dinner tonight? You are walking too slowly!"

This time, because Zaro had invited Barbara to the concert, he had booked a VIP booth and so went in together with Barbara.

There was still a distance to go from the main doors to hall no. 1, and a short distance away from Zaro and Barbara, an entertainment reporter who had purchased live tickets was waiting to secretly snap some shots. When he spotted Zaro and Barbara walking together and they apparently seemed to be talking, his eyes lit up in a flash.

Look! What have I managed to catch!?

Indeed, a costly live ticket was indeed worth its price.

Over at that side, Zaro had found the VIP booth he had booked. Before a concert began, every VIP booth was in a sealed mode, providing an even more private space, making it convenient for guests to talk before the concert started.

Zaro was mulling over how to talk to Barbara about the black mark in his history, while Barbara was being fussy and looking through the song list and information about the composer. All she knew about Fang Zhao was that he was really impressive at playing games and creating waves during his military service. She did not know much about Fang Zhao's achievements in the music world.

Zaro's agent sat in the corner browsing the internet, looking at who else might show up today. Some people were already present but had not given any notice that they would be coming. He had seen a few special people entering through another entrance and was wondering if his eyes had been playing tricks on him.

As he refreshed, more news appeared. As he looked at the contents at the top, his hands trembled.

"Shock! Lei, La families to be joined by marriage?"

"Zaro and Barbara appear at Golden Age Music Hall, seemingly intimate!"

"New romance? Zaro with industry beauty, yet he does this..."

Zaro's agent looked up toward Zaro and saw Zaro's facial expression change as he was browsing the news. In his heart, he thought, It's over. He is going to explode.

Indeed, in the next instant, Zaro shot up as quick as lightning. "My *ss! Seemingly intimate? Are their eyes full of sh*t!? And even joined by marriage? Who said all this? Investigate! Daddy will sue them till their pants fall off!"

Barbara had also seen the news—her assistant had forwarded it to her—and she looked as though she had just stepped in poop.

Zaro no longer wished to talk to Barbara about the black mark in his history. He had not yet resolved that black mark when even worse news had appeared and now he had flown into a rage.

Now he no longer wanted to sit with Barbara and listen to the concert anymore. The thought made him angry. Thinking back, surely he had walked too close with Barbara when they had entered, and they had been photographed by those idiot reporters who were making up stuff.

"Go book another booth!" Zaro shouted at his agent.

Zaro's agent felt his head ache. "Live tickets were already all sold out early on. There aren't any surplus VIP booths either."

Zaro raged on. "I don't care! Spend a little more and get the neighboring booth to scram!"

Zaro's agent wasn't willing to do so. Would people who were able to book a VIP booth care about that little bit of money? Furthermore, there might be people of influence in Yanzhou. As an agent, an employee, would he dare to smash money in another's face to get them to leave?

Besides, this was in Yanzhou. They were not in control over here. It wouldn't be good if news of this broke.

But a red mist had descended on Zaro as he read through the news. Seeing his agent using all sorts of excuses, he waved his hand. "Stand aside, I will do it personally!"

Zaro took large strides over to the neighboring VIP booth and pressed the bell.

His agent advised against this. "Senior master, this isn't appropriate!"

Zaro once more brushed his agent aside. "How is it not appropriate? I know you don't have much guts, so stand aside!" Seeing someone open the door of the VIP booth, he no longer bothered about his agent. With a confrontational tone, he said to the bodyguard that had opened the door. "You all..."

Just two words had come out from his mouth when Zaro stopped as if somebody had suddenly tied a noose around his neck and strangled him. He had seen the crest displayed on the breast pocket of that person.

It was the crest of the Interplanetary Fund, and it was not just a general crest. It belonged to the internal department of the Interplanetary Fund, which held an even higher status.

Zaro was a spoiled brat and normally did not act reasonably, but he could actually discern clearly which sort of people he could afford to offend and which he could not. Furthermore, he was very clear that his family had beneficial ties with the Interplanetary Fund. Now, under this sort of circumstance, stomping on the face of the Interplanetary Fund was no different from sabotaging his family's business. If he returned, he would definitely be in trouble, and even a severe beating would be considered a light sentence.

At the present situation, Zaro knew to be prudent.

Thus, when Zaro saw the crest, even using the little IQ that he had to weigh the pros and cons, he was terrified.

"You all... good evening. I hope you enjoy the concert, hahaha!"

After a few awkward laughs, Zaro turned around and returned back to his room, no longer possessing the brashness he'd had a few moments ago. Compared to offending people he couldn't afford to offend, Zaro decided to endure the humiliation and share a VIP booth with that idiot Barbara. What was the worst that could happen? He could just pretend she wasn't there!

Zaro's agent's face had turned ghastly white at that instant. He had been worried that Zaro would have met the Interplanetary Fund's personnel head on. Luckily, Zaro's brain wasn't entirely mush, and Zaro had stopped in time.

Wiping off the cold sweat on his forehead, Zaro's agent thought to himself, Indeed, those special people I saw before were from the Interplanetary Fund. I didn't see wrongly. However, if the higher levels of the Interplanetary Fund are actually here, Fang Zhao is really an impressive person!

Fang Zhao had no idea what was going through the minds of those people present in the audience. At the moment, he was replying to messages.

"We have already arrived. Don't bother about us. Concentrate on your preparations." This was what Great-Grandfather Fang had sent.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were fetching them, so Fang Zhao was at ease.

There were also other people he was familiar with who had sent him messages, including Ji Polun who had just graced the red carpet and had sent a message to Fang Zhao after entering hall no. 1.

"Brother Zhao, you can do it!"

"Best of luck. Hope everything goes smoothly!"

Before the concert, there were Silver Wing personnel to receive the guests. Fang Zhao did not need to do anything.

Old Xue Jing had also arrived with some of his old friends. He even specifically came backstage to see Fang Zhao. He only left after he saw that everything was going smoothly and there were no abnormal situations.

The Silver Wing personnel in charge of backstage arrangements saw Fang Zhao sitting over there in silence and came over. "Everything is in order. Just follow the plan and everything will be fine. Don't worry."

Although there was no need for Fang Zhao to perform, he still needed to give a thank you speech during the opening sequence of the concert. The Silver Wing personnel was worried that Fang Zhao would freeze up when he went on stage. That would be quite awkward.

Fang Zhao replied to a message and looked up and smiled. "I'm really not nervous."

Chapter 268: Concert 1

As the timezones at various places were different, even though it was night at Qi'an City, other places were not necessarily the same.

On planet Baiji, in the military district area, it was noon.

Shanta and other high-ranking officials sat in the screening room. The sound and projection equipment here was of the highest quality, and the "hall-grade" online streaming pass Shanta had purchased would be relayed here.

"Everyone can take the opportunity to relax. The chance to get to watch a concert is hard to come by. How many years has it been since we've had one? It brings back memories."

Shanta had been to music halls when he was younger, but back then, he had only tagged along to join in the on the fun and act a little pretentious. Later on, after he had joined the military, he had no longer gone to such concerts. After he had been transferred to planet Baiji, there had been no places for entertainment, let alone any music halls. Although they weren't able to attend the concert venue, listening to it live was still a decent experience.

Previously, Shanta had sent a few videos and images to Fang Zhao for him to select some background scenes to play while the concert was officially in effect to set the mood.

Besides Fang Zhao's contributions toward planet Baiji, Shanta also had other motives for showing so much support for Fang Zhao. Although he might not have a great eye for business, when he had seen Silver Wing stirring up news about Fang Zhao's concert and Fiery Bird seizing the opportunity to promote a bunch of sound equipment, Shanta had also wished to take the chance and have a round of publicity.

For the masses, the style of official military publicity might not be what they liked. After Project Starlight had ended, there had been a noticeable drop in attention placed on planet Baiji.

Now, planet Baiji no longer lacked investors, but Shanta also wished to have the attention from more of the normal masses. After considering for a bit, he had decided it was best to borrow Fang Zhao's matter to let their presence be known once more.

Back then, the bulk purchase of tickets had caused quite a commotion, and Shanta had been rather satisfied. Today, on the date of the concert, Shanta had specifically let news be released to let people know that today, in the military district, many areas would be focused on the concert.

Back when news about the military district buying so many online streaming passes had come out, they had received criticism saying that they were spending wantonly and wasting military funds. Those that had criticized them had even included some military officials of a similar rank from various military districts.

But Shanta had not been bothered. Only later on, when he had taken part in a high-ranking official meeting between various military districts, had he directly met these criticisms head-on.

"How can this be considered spending money wantonly? Us old soldiers on planet Baiji are overworked all year, and how many of us have never gotten the chance to return home in decades? In the past, when communications were poor, it was so hard to find time to even see our family through videos. Now that conditions are better, we can't just have a small entertainment activity? Just because they are my own soldiers, I can't care for them a little?"

"Military districts back on earth frequently invite stars over to perform. For us at remote and faraway locations, so what if we watch a concert through the internet? The money spent this time might not even be comparable to the money you people spend every year to invite celebrities!"

"Besides, the concert is Fang Zhao's. Do I need to remind you people who Fang Zhao is? The discoverer of grade A power on planet Baiji and a reserve-duty major! He isn't anybody with a suspicious identity!"

Shanta was mocking certain military districts that had invited celebrities to perform in the past. It had been revealed that there were certain organizations at work behind this, which had nearly caused a big stir.

"Before you talk about our Baiji military district, please wipe your own buttocks clean first!"

After Shanta had spouted this during the videoconference, he had snorted in his heart. Comparing these, all we did was just sparingly spend a bit to watch an online concert. Why do we have to endure criticism? Furthermore, what we are doing is gaining some publicity. How can this be wrong?!

After seeing Shanta flip out during the videoconference, not many others dared to press this matter any further.

Actually, for people of their rank, attending a concert was just considered a small matter. This time, their criticism was because they were unable to stomach the recent limelight Shanta had been getting.

Speaking about the concert, actually, Shanta had another idea.

Planet Baiji wanted to film a documentary, different from those short films and publicity films of the past. This time, it would be even more formal. Other than it being broadcast, it was to be stored in records. In the future, in Shanta's own personal record of achievements, this documentary would be placed as a realistic account.

Filming for the documentary had been started a while back and was already in production, but Shanta had not officially announced it yet. Every year, they produced a few episodes to record the changes on planet Baiji.

For the documentary, there naturally was a need for accompaniment music. The military district had recommended a few people, but they were all masters who specialized in creating background music for military documentaries. Shanta had not yet rejected the notion. For this sort of important documentary, every production personnel, including composers, had to go through a thorough identity screening.

However, whenever Shanta saw a piece that might be suitable for the documentary, if there were no problems with the composer, he would also purchase it.

Thus, Shanta felt that if there were any pieces among the 10 songs showcased at Fang Zhao's concert that satisfied him, he would select a few of them for purchase. Shanta had the authority to use some of the funds on hand. Compared to the amount of military funds he had available, an accompaniment piece wouldn't cost much. When the time came, he could just consider it as a publicity or production expense.

Qi'an City, 7.30 p.m.

The atmosphere outside the concert hall had already quieted down. Reporters stationed outside were starting to regret not purchasing live tickets at this point. How great would it be if they could be inside? Perhaps they could have managed to take photographs of those people who had kept a lower profile and had not graced the red carpet.

Now, it was those reporters that had tickets and were inside who released some on-site news from time to time, such as which certain great master or celebrity had been spotted.

In hall no. 1, the concert formally began.

As the composer of this concert, Fang Zhao went on stage to give his thank you address.

Faced with the completely filled hall, Fang Zhao smiled. "A very warm welcome to everyone who is in attendance at my concert. This is the very first concert that I have held in my life..."

Many people who held their concert for the first time looked exhausted, as if they had been unable to sleep, as they stood here and pretended to be calm. However, Fang Zhao was not like that. At this time and place, he looked particularly refreshed and had an expression of excitement. He seemed to be emotionally moved, as if he had accomplished a cherished dream.

In both his past life and his current life, this was the first time he had held his own concert. He was not a singer, nor was he specifically performing, but as a composer, just like many other creators, he liked to use this method to let even more people hear his sounds.

Fang Zhao expressed some of his thoughts and thanks and gave a brief introduction on the background of the 10 pieces that were to be performed tonight. Before, Ming Cang had told him that the people who came were here to listen to Fang Zhao's songs, not his stories. Even if he wanted to say more, he should also wait till after the concert had ended. Also, he had been told that the opening address for the concert should not be too long. Nowadays, people did not have too much patience.

After the opening address, Fang Zhao returned backstage. The white-haired conductor of the orchestra about to perform gave a nod to Fang Zhao, telling Fang Zhao that there was no need to be worried.

The conductor was only 80-plus years old and wasn't considered particularly old for a conductor, and he did not have too many white hairs. He had dyed his hair himself, as he felt that he would appear even more imposing with a full head of white hair.

The lights dimmed and the audience fell silent.

The sealed modes of the VIP booths were also raised, but there was still a special curtain in between the booths. Only the silhouettes of their neighbours could be seen.

Zaro turned his head over to look and made out four or five figures in the room next door. That was all he could discern.

Who exactly was in the next room?

Zaro was preoccupied with making guesses.

Barbara was chatting with a friend from Lazhou. It was inconvenient for voice calls, so she was using only text messages.

"Hahaha, since when have you been together with Zaro?" People from Lazhou had also seen the news from Yanzhou's entertainment magazines, and it had caused quite a ruckus over at Lazhou.

Barbara didn't even want to talk about this matter. She sent a swift reply: "Bad luck!"

Her friend also knew that entertainment reporters loved to create news of this sort, and she understood what Barbara was like. She had just mentioned this as a passing joke and would not talk about it further, as Barbara's temper was not something to trifle with. Thus, Barbara's friend stopped herself from going too far and instead asked, "Aren't you at the concert? How are you still free to chat?"

"It hasn't started yet," Barbara replied.

"Will you be purchasing anything? Your future drama serials still require accompaniment pieces, right? Purchase one if you like it. Generally, most pieces that are showcased at concerts are of high quality."

"We'll see how it goes." When Barbara had been reading through Fang Zhao's information a while ago, she had listened to the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series and felt that Fang Zhao's style wasn't really too suitable to her own dramas.

Barbara had come because that idiot Zaro had said there were matters they needed to discuss. Barbara herself had never come to Yanzhou before to attend a concert and was a little curious, so she had accepted. She had decided to give it a listen, and if the quality wasn't up to scratch or if it was something not suited to her tastes, she would head online to look for others.

Just as she was chatting, an exquisite and slow piano melody began to flow, accompanied by a layer of cushioned string tones. This brought about an indescribable mood, as if there was some frustration and longing, yet there was some calm gratification.

Barbara subconsciously sat a little straighter and put on a look of seriousness.

The few old folks sitting together with Xue Jing scrunched up their eyebrows at practically the same time.

Eh?

In their hearts, they were astonished.

On the song list, the first piece was titled "Empty."

The backdrop displayed on stage was an azure blue planet in the boundless cosmos. In the introduction of this piece in the song sheet they were holding, this piece was created from Fang Zhao's thoughts and feelings as he left earth and headed for his military service destination.

Evidently, "Empty" was very different from what they had expected, especially for people who had listened to the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series and had seen the background for the creation of this piece.

For the first song, "Empty," the first half was mainly led by a piano and supplemented by a string ensemble. The simplistic melody had hints of peacefulness and an ethereal vibe.

Following that, the string tones sounded like flowing spring water and the slow piano melody became quicker. A series of continuous chord changes was like the many different moods and feelings within the heart changing.

Toward the middle, woodwind tones gently slipped in alongside drumbeats that got progressively heavier.

An amalgamation of different sounds converged to form an interweaving and modulating melody, as if people were watching attentively but, in their hearts, a frantic upheaval was occuring. Restrained feelings bubbled and struggled to be contained before erupting like dazzling fireworks, surging with passion. Soon after the outburst, it changed back to the calm gentleness of the boundless cosmos, splendid yet mystifying.

Appearing as if there was nothing, yet at the same time, possessing everything.

An old friend seated beside Xue Jing stared, fixated, at the image displayed in the background where azure blue collided with obsidian black.

Looking at the azure blue planet, he apparently saw hope and romance.

As the last note faded, his originally constricted brows unfolded, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

This was totally different from the epic styles of Fang Zhao's representative work, the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series. The "100-Year Period of Destruction" series embodied an obvious narrative style in each of the movements and carried a grand and stunning epic saga. As for this song...

It could be said that this song was less forceful, like incorporating warmth into an epic.

Chapter 269: Concert 2

After the first song was over, Xue Jing glanced at his friends beside him. When he saw their expressions, his slightly anxious heart eased.

Although he had seen the scoresheet of the first song before and had faith in Fang Zhao's ability, he had still been a little worried about the quality of Fang Zhao's official concert. But now, it seemed that it differed from his expectations.

Very good.

The few old folks that had come along with Xue Jing had also started some muted discussions.

One of them laughed as he said to Xue Jing, "If the coming songs are as good as this, your apprentice will be all settled!"

Xue Jing immediately put his hands up. "He's not an apprentice, really! He can at most be considered a student." When it came to composing, he had not taught Fang Zhao much, only giving a few pointers from time to time. He had given Fang Zhao support and helped push him forward so Fang Zhao's development could proceed even more smoothly. The term "master" was still a long way off.

For people like them, "apprentice" and "student" had very different characteristics. Anyone that had been taught before could be considered a student, even people who had just listened to one of their lectures, but an "apprentice" was kept close and would personally receive their knowledge, ideology, theories, and much more. Having an apprentice meant one intended to produce a successor.

Therefore, Fang Zhao could only be considered a student, not an apprentice.

However, even if he was just a student, there were different categories. Everyone in the circle knew about Xue Jing's attitude toward Fang Zhao. It was even better than the attitude one would have toward an apprentice!

Xue Jing sounded pleased as he talked to the old man sitting beside him. "How's this, Old Lin? This student of mine ain't half bad."

The old man beside Xue Jing was a few years younger and had once been Huangzhou Music Academy's president. He was a Huangzhou person over 150 years of age and was Xue Jing's apprentice. This time, he had been dragged by Xue Jing to attend this little junior Fang Zhao's concert.

Lin Xun drew his gaze away from the backdrop on stage and pondered for a bit before saying, "This little fellow is not what I expected. After stepping into outer space for the first time, many young composers love to use woodwind and string to continuously change and raise the key while composing, expanding to fit the scale of the performance and increasing in volume to express the vastness and mysticism of the cosmos. At first, when I read the background inspiration behind this composition, I expected that he would use this sort of method to express it. I never expected that he would not do so, instead placing an emphasis on the evolving feelings inside of him."

It was not that it was impossible, but rather, it wasn't easy. Many newcomers might not be able to bring out this aspect, but what came to their minds when listening to Fang Zhao's piece was one word: seasoned!

Totally not like something a newcomer to the industry could produce on his first official concert.

"Fang Zhao's piece gives a very strong story-like feeling. Listeners might not be able to discern the meanings inside the piece, but it will give them such a feeling. A really impressive little fella!" Lin Xun exclaimed.

Originally, Lin Xun had been thinking about the review he would write after attending the concert. On account of Xue Jing, he had been planning to be a little tactful, but now, Lin Xun actually felt that... there wasn't really much to criticize!

People with the sort of status they had in the industry generally did not incessantly praise younger generations for their concerts. Normally, reviews would be written without any bias, from an objective point of view. Strong and weak points would both be pointed out, whether good or bad, but the emphasis would be on pointers.

What a headache!

Besides the song list in Lin Xun's hands, there was a notebook used for recording down his thoughts while listening to the concert. After the concert ended, he would arrange the notes and send it out as a review.

During the concert, there were brief intermissions between every song. This was also to make it convenient for seniors within the music circles to evaluate and jot down their notes.

But at the moment, the notebook in Lin Xun's hands only had a pitiful handful of words. He felt like he wanted to write a lot, yet he didn't know what to write.

Next song, then, I'll write more for the next song, Lin Xun thought to himself.

Over at Barbara's side, after the first song ended, she realized she had flashing alerts signifying new messages. As she had set her bracelet to silent mode, it was only notifying her of messages but had not produced any sound.

Checking it out, there were over 10 messages.

Three minutes ago:

"Hey, Barbara, I will probably head over to planet Wai for a leisure trip next month. When I get there, I'm going to find a few celebrities to visit the Peach Blossom gardens and have fun."

Three minutes ago:

"What do you think of the suggestion I just gave?"

Two minutes ago:

"Barbie?"

Two minutes ago:

"Is it inconvenient for you right now??"

...

Scanning through her messages briefly, Barbara closed her chat window and beckoned for her assistant with her hands.

Her assistant, who had been waiting at the side, hurriedly scurried over and handed Barbara a notebook. This was a special notebook Barbara used when she listened to concerts.

Although Barbara loved being pretentious, she was more serious toward concerts. As long as it wasn't a genre she disliked and the concert's quality wasn't really bad, she would make a record at every concert she attended. What she did was different from Xue Jing and those other artists; she would analyze it both based on her own preferences and from a commercial viewpoint.

This concert of Fang Zhao's had exceeded her expectations.

Although this musical style was different from what she normally listened to, she still found it acceptable. It did not have the thick bloodthirsty aura or the heavy historical flavor that the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had.

Barbara did not really like music that was overly thick and serious. She preferred bright, upbeat music, or music that was expressive, emotional, and refreshing, the sort that made people feel happy. Whether it was classical or modern, whether the tempo was fast or slow, as long as it wasn't too poor, she would find it acceptable.

As for the song "Empty," it fell within her acceptable range.

Perhaps she would really purchase a song at this concert?

Just as she was preparing to write something down, she spotted something from the corner of her eye. Raising her head to look over, She saw Zaro extending his neck to look over.

Zaro wanted to see what Barbara wanted to write purely out of curiosity, but he did not get to see anything except Barbara rolling her eyes.

His mouth twitching, Zaro sat back down and said to his agent, "Taking down notes while at a concert? Lunatic!"

He was someone who had not even taken notes during his student days. Listening to a concert was for enjoyment as a pastime; what need was there to take notes?!

Disappointing!

Zaro's tastes differed from the style that Barbara liked. Zaro just loved the sort of grand and stunning music from the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, the sort that made it seem like there were bloody battles and killing intent, the sort that made one energized just listening to it.

It was fine if there was some emotion as long as it was not too overly emotional.

Zaro wasn't an industry professional and could not evaluate from a professional viewpoint, nor did he have any intention of looking at it that way. His opinion was that if he found it nice to listen to, that was enough. Who cared how others saw it? As long as he liked it, even if industry insiders criticized and roasted it, he would still buy it all the same. For a song he didn't like, even if it was praised to the high heavens, Zaro wouldn't give it a passing glance.

At today's concert, the first piece was still within his acceptable scope.

"Hey, I feel that this piece isn't too bad. After the concert ends, purchase it," Zaro said.

Zaro's agent replied, "It just started. Continue listening. Perhaps there will be pieces you like even more."

Zaro thought about it for a moment. "Makes sense."

Looking at the song list, the second song was titled "Zh."

"What does 'Zh' mean?" Zaro asked bemusedly. "Why is it that artists just love being so deliberately mystifying? Why can't they just give it a simple name that is easy to understand?"

Zaro's agent lowered his voice and answered, "It is written in the information about the composing process for this song. 'Zh' is the chemical symbol of an element, the one found in the grade A power ore discovered on planet Baiji. The element is named 'Zhaoium'."

Listening to the exchange between Zaro and his agent, Barbara snorted in her heart. Idiot! Not only are you artistically illiterate, but you are blind as well!

The lighting changed, signifying that the second song was about to begin. Barbara no longer bothered with chiding Zaro.

The venue once again quieted.

The moment the prelude started, Barbara's face changed. "Interesting."

A woodwind tune picked up, seemingly like a gust of wind from the outside entering the interior of a cave.

A series of slow striking piano notes sounded. At the end of every short period, the piano notes repeated, sounding like an echo. Inside the music hall, it gave listeners a surreal and dream-like feeling of echoes bouncing off the walls.

Listening to it abruptly brought about a sense of trepidation, as if the body was being chilled by a blowing wind, but as one continued listening, the rhythm gained a sort of implicit charm.

Midway through, the tempo changed to a pure and lively clarinet tune paired with a string melody, it was as though a crescendo had risen from the beginning to the end. The rhythm control was highly accurate, just like that of a pulse or the rise and fall of one's breathing. It brought with it a classical feel with some sense of mysteriousness to it, like an uncrackable puzzle of many layers, just like the background image of a deep crevasse leading to an otherworldly abyss where no light shone through.

A passionate yet romantic female voice cried out softly, as if calling to the birth of a sparkling star from the mysterious world beneath the surface of the rock.

Seated beside Xue Jing, Lin Xun stared attentively at the huge image displayed in the backdrop of the stage, his face rigid with concentration, and maintaining his listening posture like he was trying his hardest to hear even more. All the way till the song ended, he did not even give the notebook in his hands a passing glance. When it ended, he sighed. "How spiritual."

It was not known whether he was talking about "Zh," the song that had just concluded, or Fang Zhao, the composer.

Another old person among the group appeared to have thought of something as he laughingly asked Lin Xun, "Old Lin, doesn't that song have a style akin to a spiritual journey?"

Someone else shook his head. "No, I don't think it does. The song that just played lacked an elegant feel, but it had a sort of penetrating force."

The other old folks also joined in the discussion.

"At the 20-second mark, where the clarinet provided the impetus for the sudden change in tempo, I just felt like giving him high marks."

An old man who had a preference toward strings instruments and especially loved the violin disagreed. "Unlike you, I suddenly felt a rousing feeling at the 45-second mark. The sounds of the violin really enhanced this piece greatly."

Hearing the discussions of his old friends, the smile on Xue Jing's face deepened. He wished to let his old friends understand more about Fang Zhao and hoped that Fang Zhao would gain the acknowledgment of these people. This would greatly aid Fang Zhao's development.

Previously, when people in the music circles mentioned Fang Zhao, they would bring up the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, but Xue Jing wanted others in the industry to know that Fang Zhao was capable of even more. Fang Zhao could produce hot-blooded fiery pieces, but he could also create gentle and exquisite melodies.

However, after Lin Xun had said two sentences, he fell silent, as if pondering an important matter.

Roughly half a minute later, Lin Xun sent a message.

Recently, he had been invited by a Huangzhou geography channel to produce accompaniment music for an educational science documentary. Among the series, there were more than 10 episodes that focused on mining, and Lin Xun had not composed anything satisfactory yet. Previously, he had not been able to find anything suitable, but now, he felt that he could recommend Fang Zhao's "Zh" song. Coincidentally, this song of Fang Zhao's had been composed with the discovery of the new ore and element as inspiration, and it complemented the main focus of those episodes.

Lin Xun felt that this was an excellent piece of work and that if a commercial company purchased it, that would be too much of a waste. If it were to be placed inside a commercial film or television series, it might appear for a while but it would not be heard again after the second year.

But an educational science documentary was different. This sort had a later expiration date and would be recorded in high-quality cultural archives. Various science and educational channels throughout the world would broadcast it every year. Schools would also use excerpts as teaching material where the piece would be heard.

Just like how scholars hoped their own literary works could withstand the test of time and circulate for all eternity, every single composer also wished for their own compositions to exist for the longest possible time and not fade into oblivion the year after they appeared. In the New Era, where news and information refreshed at such a rapid rate, these sorts of chances were few and far between.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a pity. Thus, Lin Xun immediately sent the production team a message of recommendation.

Seeing the notification that the message had been successfully sent, Lin Xun felt a little more at ease.

Chapter 270: Concert End

Elsewhere, Zaro also told his agent, "Hey, this song isn't bad either. It's rather meaningful. Make a note. Perhaps I can use it in a future film and television series!"

Zaro's agent didn't say a single word.

This was only the second song. Was Zaro going to change his mind again later on? In any case, Zaro's agent wasn't going to let Zaro squander money.

Zaro's agent could see the quality of the concert from the first two songs. Just as Xue Jing and the other seniors of the industry had said, as long as his following pieces were not too far off from the first two songs, this concert would be settled!

Following that was the third song, titled "The Power of Life." Fang Zhao had gained inspiration for composing this piece when he had witnessed the germination process of the arrow sunflowers at the experimental plot at planet Baiji's Outpost 23.

The start had a monotonous repetitive rhythm, yet there was a hushed, murmured beauty about it, as though something was unfolding as the song progressed, carrying with it some tension that drew in listeners to the artistic concept being created.

Amidst the unfurling harmony, an impetus started to slowly push its way forward. The silence, the struggles of life as it muddled along a track, the explosiveness of breaking through the soil, a rallying cry, and finally, emergence!

This was a piece with a powerful finale able to invoke intense feelings and cause listeners to resonate with these emotions.

Then was the fourth song, "Enemy Attack," the fifth song, "Counteroffensive," and then the sixth song, "Legion."

When it got to this point, many fans who had listened to the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series slowly smiled as they reminisced.

Still the same old familiar recipe and that same fond flavor.

Similar to the styles of the four movements of "Period of Destruction," "Enemy Attack" had layer upon layer of the keyed-up tension of a crisis. It made listeners feel as if their nerves were frayed.

"Counteroffensive" showcased the power and grandeur of strings and woodwinds, creating a thick and heroic feel. Just by solely listening to the sounds produced from the stereo equipment, one was able to feel the mind-numbing killer intent hitting them straight in the face.

And "Legion" was an ever-fashionable march advancing step by step, an upbeat tune that stirred up the will of the people.

...

Listening to these songs brought about a really pleasant feeling, like having a steam hot pot on a cold winter day.

Satisfying!

Although these three pieces had completely different tunes than the movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, people listening could tell right away that the songs had been created by the same composer!

If these three songs had played at the start, many seniors in the music industry would surely have thought, Fang Zhao is still relying on his old methods and only has this style. However, after listening to the first three songs and then appreciating the ones that followed, all they could do was sigh ruefully. "This little fella is really remarkable indeed!"

But the piece that totally changed people's opinion of Fang Zhao was the ninth song, the second-to-last piece for the concert: "Encore/An Ke."

"Encore? An additional song?" Zaro bemusedly looked at the title of the ninth song shown on the list. Noticing Barbara looking over, he hurriedly said, "Oh right, I think it has something to do with the significance of life?"

After he spoke, Zaro thought that he had been intellectually profound and felt particularly pleased with himself. In the end, all he saw was a look of disdain from Barbara.

Could he have been wrong?

Unconvinced, Zaro flipped through the electronic song list and read the information on the inspiration behind this piece.

"A name? Encore is a person's name?" Zaro mumbled to himself as he wore a befuddled expression.

Behind him, Zaro's agent sighed soundlessly. This is the result of opening one's mouth without knowing anything, you big idiot! In hushed tones, Zaro's agent explained, "Senior Master, the title on the song list and the representative person's name are written differently."

Zaro flipped the song list back to check the title of the ninth song. Indeed, the words used were different from the song title.

However, Zaro was thick skinned and did not feel embarrassed at all. On the contrary, he acted as though he had just discovered a big secret. "That means to say this song was written for a newborn baby girl?"

"Er... According to the background description, that seems like the case," Zaro's agent replied.

Stage lights alternated. This time, there was no concrete image that appeared. Yellowish-orange ripple-like patterns appeared in the background.

The strumming of a zither could be heard.

The prelude was gentle. Simple, crisp piano notes leaped around in the hearts of listeners.

A violin created an auspicious and peaceful vibe, like the first ray of sunlight emerging from the clouds in the early morning after a night full of heavy showers and warming the depths of one's heart.

From the tranquil concerto of violin and piano, a billowing surge emerged.

Continuous string tones were like a gust of wind flitting across a stream at dawn, rushing through the forests and gradually clambering up. With some bumps, it finally steered clear of the mountain tops and flew over the wilderness, finally soaring in the boundless sky. This was a tune of majestic freedom!

It felt as if something was passing very quickly, but it wasn't time.

It wasn't very fierce, nor was it heavy. It embodied warmth and radiance, like anticipating an answer that had been brewing over time.

To explain it generally, this song was like an unseen spring water, carefully and continuously permeating into the heart, and when one regained their senses, the heart was already crammed full.

The music contained too many emotions, yet when these emotions seemed to be on the verge of overflowing, they were suppressed.

Even Xue Jing had a flabbergasted look on his face after listening to it.

"This... was composed by Fang Zhao?"

"Listening to the other songs and then listening to this makes me... very surprised."

"It sounds a little similar to the style of that Ha Wen we heard a few months ago, that student of Ming Cang's."

"No, it is different from Ha Wen's."

Ha Wen's music style was like a thin never-ending stream: warm, gentle, and exquisite. On the other hand, Fang Zhao's diverged from this sort of tranquility with a splendid halo. It was seemingly clear and simple, yet it had a stunning effect that could not be described in words!

As soon as the song ended, Ha Wen clapped vigorously, laughing while shaking his head as if he had seen something unimaginable. Turning to his wife beside him, he praised Fang Zhao. "A really impressive junior! He really is remarkable!"

Over in the VIP booths, Zaro was also sighing emotionally. When my own children are born, I will also get him to compose a song. As he thought about it, he felt wronged. Why hadn't his own father gotten someone to compose a song for him when he had been born?

After lamenting, Zaro habitually glanced over to see the situation in the room next door, but he realized that the people there were pacing about. This puzzled Zaro.

Before, the room had been slightly quieter, and even when there had been movement, it had only been one person walking about, probably a bodyguard or assistant serving tea or something. But now, it seemed as if they had something they needed to do.

Could it be they can't hold it in any longer and want to head to the washroom? Zaro thought to himself with his warped sense of humor.

As for Barbara, after listening to the ninth song, she had a blank expression on her face. Afterward, she picked up her notebook and wrote down two lines before stopping, as though she was hesitating. Finally, she resolved herself.

She had decided to purchase this song!

Beckoning her assistant over, Barbara issued her instructions. "Contact..."

She had only said the first word in the sentence when she broke off.

Barbara stared at the electronic song list. On it, behind the title of the ninth song, "Encore," the originally hollow circle had become solid.

A hollow circle was a mark that meant the copyrights of that particular song had not yet been sold, while a solid circle meant that the rights had already been sold.

How long has it been since the ninth song concluded?

Has it even been a minute?!

Who?

Who was it that stole my target!?

If not for the fact that she had to uphold her elegant aristocratic image, Barbara would have flipped the table in front of her right now!

Preposterous! To dare steal my goods!

However, right now, the matter had already reached this point. Barbara forcibly quelled the raging fire in her heart and put on an icy-cold face as she continued sitting there. After the concert ended, she would check it out. She wanted to see who exactly it was that had such quick fingers!

The concert's 10th and final piece was titled "Expedition." The image in the backdrop was of Baiji military district's airfield. This was one of the images that had been carefully handpicked by Shanta and sent over.

The opening three notes of "Expedition" were like the low-frequency warnings of a fog horn. It was as if the entire music hall was engulfed and jolted thrice. This established the song's main key.

Domineering, shocking!

That sort of warning sound was actually being simulated by instruments in the performance and was slightly different from an actual warning horn, yet every person who had served on Baiji knew that it signified that large numbers of transport ships or spacecraft nearby or within planet Baiji's airspace were prepared to take off or descend and that all unrelated personnel should clear the area.

The drum beats, nimble vibrations of the zither, and imposing blares of the trombone that were rousing up the audience's spirits converged to form music and, together with the image in the backdrop, made listeners feel as if they could see the countless flying crafts, both big and small, ascending and descending in planet Baiji's airspace. It was if the audience could see the massive expeditionary force on the faraway planet of Baiji!

With the music provoking the senses, each nerve seemed to be abnormally agitated, creating a rush of blood that seemed to boil over and turn to steam, spurting out from the open pores throughout the body. Even when one shut their eyes, they could still feel that majestic spectacle!

It was like an icebreaker, a combination of hard work and science charging straight ahead and smashing through layer upon layer of thick ice as it broke through and took a foray into space!

From one planet to another, from one galaxy to another.

Our military, fiery and passionate, advancing bravely, conquering the unknown sea of stars!

At Baiji military district base headquarters.

Bang!

Shanta slapped his palm forcefully onto the coffee table beside. Laughing heartily, he said, "This is it! Get it!"

Actually, when the three instrument-simulated warning horns had sounded, Shanta had already wanted to slap his hand on the table. However, he had felt that, as the grand commanding officer, he could not act too impulsively and had held himself until the end of the song before bringing his hand down.

"Contact Fang Zhao..." Considering it again, Shanta said, "Contact Silver Wing... Forget it, Hong Lou, you go speak to your wife!"

Hong Lou, who was seated beside Shanta: "..."

Silver Wing was the managing company for Fang Zhao's concert and was handling the operations and sales of copyrights. Anybody wishing to purchase the songs would have to contact Silver Wing for negotiations. Thus, Shanta wanted Hong Lou to contact Duan Qianji. Directly liaising with the big boss was much more efficient, and they might be able to get a preferential rate.

Hong Lou sighed. He didn't have a choice, so he returned to his own office, picked up the communications device, and called Duan Qianji. Of course, he knew roughly how much Fang Zhao's works were worth on the market and also knew that if Baiji military district wanted a song copyright, Duan Qianji would surely give a discounted price, mainly because he, Hong Lou, was here. It wouldn't be good to offend Shanta. It was better to go along with Shanta's wishes. It wasn't that they were afraid of Shanta but rather that there wasn't any need to cause tension. On a larger scale of things, one song score was just a small matter.

This time, Duan Qianji would have to earn less of a profit.

At present, Duan Qianji was looking at the evaluations industry insiders were giving for Fang Zhao's concert. Seeing their acknowledgment of the concert, she was glad. She was happy for Fang Zhao and delighted at the pieces that would be sold off at decent prices.

After this, Fang Zhao's status within the industry would once again swell.

It was at this moment that Duan Qianji received the incoming call from Hong Lou. She wondered why Hong Lou was contacting her at this time; could it be to congratulate her?

Accepting the call, Duan Qianji saw Hong Lou's guilt-ridden face.

Hong Lou said, "Dear wife, I'm sorry!"

Duan Qianji's hands trembled slightly, and the smile nearly fell off her face.

The moment she heard the end of his sentence, Duan Qianji knew that he was talking about the last song in Fang Zhao's concert tonight: "Expedition."

Silently exhaling, Duan Qianji cursed in her heart. I thought you'd had an extramarital affair!

"Your Baiji military district wishes to purchase it?" Duan Qianji asked.

"Mmhm. Shanta has said he wants to get the last song."

"All right, got it. The price will be negotiated later on. Let me first make a note." As she spoke, Duan Qianji changed the hollow circle behind "Expedition" to a solid one.

At the same time, people in the music hall holding the electronic song list realized that even before the curtain call, yet another song had been reserved.In chinese encore is also pronounced An Ke but the words used are different

Chapter 271: "Idiot" Companies

After completing the final piece, Fang Zhao and the orchestra stood for a curtain call.

Fang Zhao took a deep bow toward the audience.

The concert was finally over.

He hoped that his first "report card" had pleased his audience.

It was his first concert and comprised 10 original compositions—10 of his own stories. What the audience had heard were stories that came from his heart.

Many fans might have first come across Fang Zhao through the four movements in the "Period of Destruction" series, but those weren't Fang Zhao's own stories. They were built around the virtual idol Polar Light. The feelings and thoughts he had conveyed through music and visuals were part of Polar Light's journey, not his.

Any outstanding work of art was based on a compelling story. Now, whether they had watched in person or tuned in via live webcast, people knew the background that informed these 10 pieces and the stories they represented.

It was a dream come true. Fang Zhao hoped it was just the beginning.

He was delighted.

Shortly after retreating backstage following the curtain call, Fang Zhao got a call from Duan Qianji.

"Did you see the updates on the rights on your song list?" Duan Qianji asked.

"Yes." Fang Zhao was carrying a copy of his electronic program. Three—no, now four—songs were tagged with solid circles.

Another circle had been filled while Fang Zhao was on the phone.

In other words, four of his songs had been sold. Maybe not sold per se, but potential buyers had already placed their orders.

"Four of your 10 songs have been reserved," Duan Qianji said.

Fang Zhao was signed to Silver Wing as a composer, so Silver Wing was his agent in charge of handling copyright issues for his works. Duan Qianji didn't have to call in person to notify Fang Zhao of the sale of the four songs.

Fang Zhao's contract with Silver Wing included a supplementary clause that allowed him to sign off on all sales of his songs, including the 10 pieces performed at the concert. He had the right to veto any sale if he took issue with a potential buyer.

Barring exceptional circumstances, if a potential buyer was eyeing one of Fang Zhao's songs, they had to get in touch with Silver Wing and get Fang Zhao to sign off before the sale would be official.

But in this case, four of Fang Zhao's songs had been sold without his final approval. Fang Zhao knew Duan Qianji was someone who kept her word. There had to be a reason behind her decision to proceed without consulting him, hence the phone call.

So Fang Zhao wasn't mad. He just wanted to hear what Duan Qianji had to say.

"Shanta wants to buy 'Expedition'," Duan Qianji said.

Fang Zhao could figure out from that comment alone why Duan Qianji had changed the status of "Expedition" before getting his OK.

In fact, that was what Fang Zhao had expected. He had figured that Shanta would express interest in "Expedition," and he did not object. Even if Duan Qianji decided to sell the rights of the song to the Baiji military district at a low price, he was OK with it. At least the Baiji military district was bothering to pay this time. When the Yanzhou military district had wanted to use songs from the "Period of Destruction" series, they had just gone ahead.

Seeing that Fang Zhao was not objecting, Duan Qianji continued with her spiel.

"The Interplanetary Fund bought 'Encore.' It was the first song that was ordered. They approached us during the concert before the song had even finished. They made an offer too good to refuse. The price they offered was higher than we expected. They also said the song would be used for charity, so as a result of their strong lobbying, I changed the status of 'Encore' as well."

The Interplanetary Fund worked with social welfare organizations, local governments, orphanages, and so on. They shot a series of public interest announcements for these partners every year—twice a year, once in each half. The senior managers at the Interplanetary Fund wanted to use 'Encore' as the score for their first public interest ad next year.

Fang Zhao nodded. "Understood."

Fang Zhao couldn't find fault with the Interplanetary Fund's offer either. He even would have agreed to a heavy discount, but the Interplanetary Fund wasn't poor and had no intention of lowballing him.

"'Zh' was the third song sold. We were approached by Huangzhou Geography Channel. They want to use 'Zh' in a documentary about minerals. Their offer was fair too. This is a good thing for you, good for your career. As I understand it, the documentary they are making is quite meticulous. It will be widely distributed and archived. It will have a long shelf life. Chances like this are hard to come by."

This was also an offer that Fang Zhao couldn't refuse, but he was still curious as to why Huangzhou Geography Channel had reached out so quickly.

He remembered that Xue Jing had mentioned bringing a few old friends to the concert, so he made a mental note to ask Xue Jing if one of his master-musician friends had suggested the song to the channel. Why else would the snobs there pick his piece?

"As for the third song, 'The Power of Life,' it was bought by the Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute. I think they were referred by Professor Fan Lin at the Academy of Science HQ. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the institute. The song might figure prominently in their celebrations."

The Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute was a spin-off of the Academy of Science HQ. It was also an important research body.

Fang Zhao couldn't find any reason to oppose the four sales Duan Qianji had just mentioned. These four buyers weren't for-profit businesses, so they would make sure the four songs were used in a meaningful way.

"Oh, that's right. Hua Li, the team leader of Fiery Bird's sound effects team, expressed interest in the first song. Are you OK with that?" Duan Qianji said with a chuckle.

"Yeah." Fang Zhao received a text from Hua Li while Duan Qianji was completing her sentence. Hua Li just wanted to give Fang Zhao a heads up that he was interested in the first song, 'Empty,' and was in negotiations with Silver Wing about the sale.

Having received Fang Zhao's consent, Duan Qianji changed the empty circle after "Empty" to a solid one, indicating to everyone browsing the program that the song was taken.

Many folks who attended the concert noticed before they even left hall no. 1 that half the 10 songs in their electronic program had already been sold.

Such efficiency!

That level of interest in the works of a composer in the early days of his career was indeed unexpected.

Perhaps spurred on by the speed with which the five songs had been sold, the remaining five didn't go unclaimed for long. Soon, all the empty circles became solid.

A furious Zaro stormed out of the venue as soon as the concert ended. His companion, Barbara, wasn't in a great mood either.

Why?

They hadn't managed to snag a single song.

Zaro had been paralyzed by indecision. His agent had told him that their funds were limited and that there was no need to pick several songs. One was enough.

Zaro was interested in the music itself, but his agent was different. His agent had been performing a cost-benefit analysis. Zaro's agent considered the cost of one song as money spent on a publicity push for his client, which was his goal for the trip to Yanzhou.

Zaro had lingered and taken his time, so by the time he had decided, all the songs were gone.

As for Barbara, she hadn't face the same dilemma. She had only gone for the song she liked, "Encore," but someone had beaten her to it. She hadn't even had the chance to place a call to Silver Wing.

She had tried to outbid the original buyer of "Encore" only to find her offer politely rejected by Silver Wing.

Barbara came from a well-connected family, so to avoid ending up on her sh*t list, Silver Wing had revealed the identity of the buyer. That was also why Barbara couldn't vent her frustration.

The Interplanetary Fund.

The Interplanetary Fund had important business dealings with the Lakalina family. Even an idiot like Zaro knew when to back down—naturally, Barbara knew what the smart thing to do was.

All that pent-up anger!

Barbara hadn't felt this way in a long time.

They kept a lower profile when they left the concert, avoiding the press pack.

If the entertainment journos snapped Zaro and Barbara together, they would be revitalized enough to concoct another 800-word bullsh*t story.

But their main concern was that they were in a bad mood. They didn't want to deal with the media in a bad mood.

The couple exchanged glances. They both looked like they had stepped in dog poop.

"Let's go, let's go! Let's get out of here. I don't want to say in Yanzhou any longer," Zaro said as he sped up to a trot.

Barbara waved her hand for some time, as if fighting a bad smell, before gesturing with her chin to the assistants and bodyguards by her side. "Let's head back."

Like Ha Wen, Fang Zhao couldn't leave the venue immediately after his concert. He had to stick around while Silver Wing negotiated with potential buyers of his songs.

Only one official remained from the Interplanetary Fund party to discuss the fine print of their contract. The others had already left. Negotiations went smoothly.

Duan Qianji would take charge of the negotiations with the Baiji military district. Fang Zhao didn't have to worry about that.

The negotiations with Fiery Bird also proceeded quickly. Again, the fine print in the contract could be handled by their relevant staffers. Hua Li and Fang Zhao discussed the composer's creative process, the former expressing interest in collaborating with the latter again in the future.

Fiery Bird had acted decisively. Even if they didn't use the song now, it might come in handy later. Fiery Bird was in the video-game business, but even if they didn't use the song in a game, it could be placed in an ad.

With their wide range of products and their corresponding ad campaigns, Fiery Bird made a point of building a substantial song library. Hua Li maintained the practice of buying whatever he fancied.

In contrast, Fang Zhao spent quite a bit of time entertaining Xue Jing and Xue Jing's friends. Ming Cang wanted to grab Fang Zhao for a chat, but when he approached, he noticed Xue Jing introducing a bunch of veteran musicians to the young composer, so he decided not to intrude. He said a quick hello and offered his congratulations instead.

"Fang Zhao, this is Lin Xun. Professor Lin is an old friend from Huangzhou. He's the one who recommended 'Zh' to the Huangzhou Geography Channel. You should thank him properly," Xue Jing said while pointing toward his companion.

"Quality is my only criterion. I only recommend works that are worthy. Good job, young man!" Lin Xun broke his serious demeanor with a grin.

Fang Zhao's concert program was quite diverse. There were tender pieces, subtle ones, and epics. There were dark, roundabout expressions of regret and explosive displays of passion. Fang Zhao had managed to strike a balance between raw energy and attention to detail. Every single piece was of good quality. You could tell that Fang Zhao was a serious composer. The combination of the aforementioned factors was why industry elders like Lin Xun were so impressed.

Lin Xun and others were quite willing to give a promising junior musician like Fang Zhao a helping hand.

Xue Jing and his close friends might have had different personalities, but they shared the same approach to and values about music. They wanted to see even more outstanding young composers emerge. So what if they themselves were eclipsed? This was a good thing for the industry as a whole. It proved that the composers of the current generation were an improvement from the previous lot.

The other professional critics who had attended the concert started to issue their reviews as well.

The consensus was that this was a high-quality concert. Even Lin Xun, who was typically a harsh critic, gave a positive review, even though his praise was restrained.

Xue Jing was happy with the outcome. He was happy for Fang Zhao, happy that the young composer had taken this critical step in his career.

On Baiji, Shanta was pleased to see Silver Wing's response.

Not only had he gotten free advertising from Fang Zhao's concert, he had managed to snag a song at a discount.

Still, he wasn't an *sshole who milked his advantage for everything it was worth. Considering the fact that Fang Zhao had taken a loss on this song, he made a mental note to offer the young composer a discount on power ore in the future.

Elsewhere, folks who had been holding their breath and trying to catch flaws in the concert weren't in a very good mood.

After listening to the first song, they had felt there wasn't much to take issue with.

Even if the song didn't belong to a genre that such critics preferred or specialized in, the pundits were still competent enough to appraise the piece.

So after listening to the song, even if they didn't like the style, they couldn't trash it. If they criticized for the sake of criticizing, they would only lose face.

Next song, then. We'll scrutinize the next song.

And then the next, and the next, and the next.

Before they knew it, all 10 pieces had been performed.

Critics who were paid to write negative reviews got together to brainstorm. "OK, let's discuss what we can start our critique with and what position to take."

How could they write their reviews so that they didn't come off as paid hacks? As hard as they tried, they couldn't find any major flaws in the concert, but they had to go through the motions at the very least. After all, they were professionals. They had to satisfy their clients.

Yanzhou, the offices of a film production company whose staff had just finished watching Fang Zhao's concert online.

"OK, let's have a brief meeting to discuss which songs to buy. I think there are a few that fit in the movie we are making."

"I think quite a few are decent, especially the ones that resemble the style of the 'Period of Destruction' series. They would fit in nicely in our movie."

"We have to single one out, then rearrange it into three versions so we can use them both as the score and in the trailers."

"When we've decided, let's negotiate a good price. We might even get some free publicity for our movie out of the concert, some early marketing. Check out all the hype before the concert. It's a pity none of it touched on our production, but judging from the entertainment headlines in Yanzhou right now, the hype around the concert hasn't ended yet. Who knows, maybe we can catch this train in the nick of time."

The meeting ended half an hour later. A song was agreed on.

"Xiao Li, get ready to reach out to Silver Wing."

Xiao Li was staring at his tablet screen. "Uhm..."

"What's up?"

"They're... they're all gone."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, none of the songs are available anymore."

He passed his tablet to the others.

All the circles at the end of the 10 songs in the program had turned solid. In other words, all 10 songs had been sold.

The staffer nicknamed "Xiao Li" scratched his head. "Half of the songs were sold before you started your meeting. The other half were sold during the meeting."

The others were incredulous. "That fast?"

"This isn't Silver Wing's doing, is it?"

"Have they announced the buyers yet?"

Xiao Li browsed several news websites and checked Silver Wing's official website. He couldn't find any announcements. He shook his head and answered in the negative.

He noticed an update right after he finished his sentence.

"Wait, here we go," Xiao Li blurted out. "Silver Wing just issued an official statement saying all 10 songs have been sold."

It wasn't just the potential buyers who were blown away. Fans who were following developments online were even more surprised.

Just half an hour after Fang Zhao's concert had ended, Silver Wing issued an official notice saying all 10 songs performed during the concert had been sold.

There were all sorts of thanks and pleasantries at the end of Silver Wing's statement, but that was of no interest to the fans. Their focus was whether Silver Wing was telling the truth about the sale of the 10 songs.

"My classmates are Fang Zhao fans. They bought online passes to the live broadcast of the concert. I just finished watching with them. It was OK, but was it that good? I heard that newcomers at most sell one or two songs after their first concert and that selling the whole program takes months."

"Fang Zhao is different. He has a foot in various industries and has lots of fans. It's possible his songs were snapped up by nouveau riche tycoons. Hasn't that happened in the past quite frequently?"

"I just want to know how much the songs sold for."

For most curious onlookers, the most straightforward way to judge the quality of Fang Zhao's songs was by their selling price.

"The prices won't be disclosed, but word has it that all the songs fetched high prices."

"You can't trust rumors."

"It's all hype! Definitely hype!"

"It's just rigging. They bought their own songs so they could brag about the sales. It's not like Silver Wing hasn't done it before."

"I've seen these kinds of underhanded tactics before—pushing up prices and then conning idiot companies into buying the songs."

"I wonder which idiot companies were conned."

Another 20 minutes passed.

"Here come the idiot companies." A photo came with the status update.

The picture the fan posted was an update Silver Wing had just issued via its social media account announcing the buyers of the 10 songs.

"F*ck! The Interplanetary Fund, Baiji military district, Fiery Bird, Huangzhou Geography Channel, and the Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute?"

"My dad is asking why I'm reading the news on my knees."

"Shit—these 'idiot' companies are quite high class."

"If these companies are considered 'idiot' companies, then what about the others? Are they parasites then?"

"I can understand why the Interplanetary Fund, Baiji military district, and Fiery Bird might be interested in the songs, but what's with Huangzhou Geography Channel and the Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute?"

"This makes me want to watch his concert."

"D*mn—if only I had bought tickets."

Among the buyers were also several production and gaming companies that had global reputations, even if they weren't as famous as Fiery Bird. They were capable of generating plenty of discussion on their strength alone, but all eyes now were on the first five song buyers.

Just like Barbara's appearance on the red carpet before the concert had stolen the limelight, it was a level of attention that others could only dream of.

The first five buyers were such prestigious brand names that readers ignored the rest of the pack.

But say what they may, the other five buyers weren't "idiot" companies by any measure.

Soon the tides turned in online sentiment.

Most professional critics gave good reviews, but for the masses who were clueless about music, all they cared about was whether the reviews were positive or negative. Then they would move onto the gossip and spectacle.

Footage of the concert wouldn't be available online right away, so folks who had missed the concert could only rely on online news reports.

In Yanzhou, many reporters were working through the night editing their copies.

There were also journalists still out in the field reporting.

It was already past 10 p.m. in Yanzhou, quite late, but the night was still young in many hotspots.

One reporter was lingering near a cluster of university campuses. He was responsible for interviewing university students in the area.

"Did you catch Fang Zhao's concert?"

"No, I just woke up after crashing following three days of group gaming. I need to grab a bite."

...

"Have you heard of Fang Zhao?"

"Yeah, we used to listen to his 'Period of Destruction' series before exams."

...

After conducting several interviews, the journalist overheard a few students discussing Fang Zhao's concert. Further questioning revealed that the group had watched Fang Zhao's concert online, followed by a bit of web browsing in their dorm rooms. They had gotten hungry and had decided to venture out for a late-night snack.

The reporter asked the students for their thoughts on the concert.

"I was still in secondary school when I listened to the 'Period of Destruction' series. It was right before my university entrance exams. I listened to the songs while working on mock exams. The concert tonight was great too. I enjoyed 'Expedition' the best," one student said.

"I liked 'Encore.' Who knew Fang Zhao could produce a song of that style," another student said.

The reporter shifted his recorder to a third student, who was a bit shy, probably because it was his first time being interviewed.

"Me? I liked 'Enemy Attack,' 'Counteroffensive,' 'Legion,' and 'Expedition.' They make for great background music while working on mock papers. I got quite excited listening to them."

The reporter thought to himself that the kid sounded interesting, and the reporter followed up. "Excited? What exactly did you feel when you listened to the songs? Or to put the question in other terms, what thoughts and feelings did the music provoke?"

"Thoughts and feelings? It's hard to say. I don't know how to describe them. I'm not good with words. I don't know how to organize my thoughts."

"Just in simple terms, in your own words."

"Uhm, in simple terms, listening to the songs felt like..."

The reporter threw the student an encouraging glance. "Keep going!"

"...the high you get when you wake up after a super-long nap!"

"..."

Chapter 272: Pet Archives

The next day, many entertainment media outlets reported on Fang Zhao's concert.

Yanzhou's most authoritative music media, "Voice of Yanzhou," and the global authoritative periodical "Worldwide Music" had lengthy features introducing Fang Zhao, the young composer who had finally taken his first step.

When people like Xue Jing and Lin Xun wrote their reviews, those reviews would appear in "Worldwide Music." As for reviews written by Ming Cang and others, those would be shared on "Voice of Yanzhou."

Other entertainment media outlets had commercial objectives, but "Worldwide Music" and "Voice of Yanzhou" focused more on artistic aspects. Many artists within the industry, both new and old, paid attention to them.

"Voice of Yanzhou" and "Worldwide Music" were not really in touch with the needs of the masses. Most audiences naturally preferred reading reports that were more interesting and understandable—reports with a larger focus on entertainment.

Whether it was the matter of all 10 of Fang Zhao's songs being sold off within an hour of the end of the concert or the identities of the buyers, these became topics that were discussed by everyone.

"Sss—this Fang Zhao really seems like a capable person!"

"To be able to get those parties to fancy his pieces, surely the quality is decent."

"He's rich, he's rich! Fang Zhao is earning big bucks this time!"

This was what many people were thinking.

High-quality professional undertakings like the Huangzhou Geography Channel and Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute, which sounded like prestigious scientific branches, gave people a stronger sense of novelty regardless of how much had been spent. Commercial companies were a dime a dozen, so these sorts of organizations interested the masses much more.

For these sorts of high-level professional organizations and research institutions, even if someone was a great master, these organizations still might not approach that person. Even if the works were of an excellent quality, the works still had be in line with their intentions. Furthermore, it was only through recommendations and combining various factors that these organizations would consider purchasing something.

Thus this was the reason why Duan Qianji had said that Fang Zhao was very lucky this time. Normally, these sorts of chances were hard to come by, but Fang Zhao had gotten two in one go.

After the concert ended and Fang Zhao returned home, he made time to contact Fan Lin, who was still cultivating arrow sunflowers at Outpost 23's experimental plot on planet Baiji, to thank Fan Lin for recommending his song to Huangzhou's Life Sciences Research Institute.

"They really bought it? I only mentioned it once to get them to take a look at the quality of your work. Getting them to select it is all thanks to your own ability."

Fan Lin did not feel that he had done a lot. When he had been watching the concert online with the other people in the outpost, he had felt thought that the song "The Power of Life" was not bad and that the inspiration was from when the arrow sunflowers he had been cultivating germinated. Coincidentally, he had been invited by Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute to participate in the end-of-year celebrations for their 400-year anniversary, so he had mentioned it to them.

Every 100 years, the Huangzhou Life Sciences Research Institute would produce a large-scale documentary to be saved in the archives as a record of the important achievements and research results of the last 100 years. It was a grand affair, and they wanted to find a great master to compose an accompaniment piece for them.

As this song had been selected, Fan Lin was also delighted. Although it had been composed by Fang Zhao, the inspiration behind this had been his arrow sunflowers! How glorious!

The documentary would surely not just contain one song, but Fang Zhao's song being picked was a stroke of luck.

Fan Lin chuckled. "My experiments here are concluding soon. I'll return back at the end of the year and won't be leaving Earth for the next couple of years. When the time comes, let's have a good chat!"

Without Fang Zhao at the outpost, Fan Lin had felt like he had lost a good listening ear. Although Fang Zhao had not spoken much, his words had always pointed out the important parts. Furthermore, Fang Zhao's insights weren't narrow-minded, and Fan Lin was very happy discussing matters with him.

Since Fang Zhao had been discharged, Fan Lin had felt rather lonely.

After ending the call, Fang Zhao looked through a few reviews from various authoritative music e-magazines and browsed a few of the comments online. Fang Zhao could roughly tell what sort of evaluations he would get from within the industry just from his conversations with those old people Xue Jing had brought along. As for others, Silver Wing teams would steer the direction of online audiences. Currently, the overall evaluations were not too bad.

After disconnecting from the internet, Fang Zhao received a call from Duan Qianji's top secretary, Zhu Zhen.

"You can take a nice little break now. Contracts have already been signed for the song copyrights and the buyers have paid up already. Currently, it's all being processed internally. It'll be transferred to your account next month together with your wages. Oh, right, will you be attending Fiery Bird's event on the 18th of August?"

While Fang Zhao had been undergoing military service, Duan Qianji had assigned Zhu Zhen to the virtual projects department to handle things. Now that Zu Wen had been promoted to take over the virtual projects department, Zhu Zhen had been transferred back to Duan Qianji's side to manage other matters.

"Jinro told me that Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch has sent me an invitation letter. At that time, I will be attending as a special invitee," Fang Zhao replied.

Zhu Zhen had wanted to let Fang Zhao attend it alongside the gaming team, but she had not expected that Fiery Bird would send out a special invitation just to Fang Zhao. But after considering matters, it made sense. Fang Zhao endorsed an entire series of products and had collaborated with them in the past. Receiving a special invitation was perfectly reasonable.

"All right, that's good. I don't have to inform you about the details then." Zhu Zhen's objective had been to remind Fang Zhao about Fiery Bird's event on the 18th and inform him of the progress of the copyright sales. Now that she had said her piece, Zhu Zhen did not have anything else to bring up.

Actually, in Fang Zhao's composing notebook, there were still two completed songs that had not been taken out. The first was "Peach Blossom Garden," and the other was "Ark." The sources of inspiration had been obtained when he had been sent on assignment to planet Wai, which could not be publicly announced. It would be hard to explain why he had been to planet Wai during his military service duration. Thus, those two songs had been not featured in the concert. Duan Qianji's intention was for the company to purchase them and use them for serials shot in Wai's film entertainment complex.

Although it was an internal purchase, pricewise, not only were they not cheaper, they were actually slightly more expensive to compensate for "Expedition" being sold at a lower price. These two would be settled together with other works that were sold.

After finding out that all of Fang Zhao's copyrights this time around had been sold and he was going to earn a fortune, the members of the virtual projects department and gaming team and a few close friends and family members were going to let Fang Zhao treat them.

Fang Zhao continued to reply to messages from friends and family before resting.

As for the virtual projects department, Fang Zhao had decided not to hold any position there, as he had other plans and did not wish to just occupy the post and collect wages. He also did not want to deny those youngsters with the capability the chance of getting promoted. Zu Wen had grasped this opportunity for himself.

He believed they would bring the virtual projects to even greater heights.

Early in the morning of the second day, Fang Zhao had just finished breakfast when he received a personal message.

The sender's information was "The World's Most Authoritative Pet Magazine, 'PET'." It was a corporate account.

The contents of the personal message mentioned establishing a record in the archives for the pet that Fang Zhao had reared, Curly Hair.

"PET" had its own pet archives set up by their specialized teams. Pets that could establish a record in the PET archives were considered special.

Some people would think up all sorts of methods to get a record in the PET archives, because any pet in the PET archives would not have a low price and its reputation would increase. However, to reduce commercial hyping, PET had very strict requirements when selecting pets for their archives.

But while there were people willing to establish records in the archives for their pets, there were also people who were unwilling to do so. For example, people like Fang Zhao.

Previously, PET had contacted Fang Zhao numerous times. Not mentioning the contact they had made two years ago, just this April, when Fang Zhao had just returned, he had been contacted by them. However, then, Fang Zhao had given the excuse that he was preparing for his concert and had rejected them. Now, the moment after the concert had ended, PET had immediately sent their request.

Fang Zhao could also choose to reject them once again, but Curly Hair still had some reputation in the pet circles. Furthermore, the competitions in Muzhou had increased his status considerably. Continuing to hide and conceal it might have negative consequences. Looking at PET's modus operandi, if Fang Zhao continued to drag it on, they would persist in sending request after request.

Continued rejections would cause people to suspect that Fang Zhao was hiding something.

However, Fang Zhao did not agree to it immediately. He instead asked, "Are blood samples required for the archive records?"

Previously, Fang Zhao had asked some people and found out from that when a record was established for PET's archives, the PET staff would come and run some tests on the pets. However, Curly Hair was too special, and Fang Zhao needed to be somewhat prudent here.

The other party apparently seemed to have been waiting. After Fang Zhao sent the message out, he received an immediate reply.

"No, no, no! Please believe me, we have the reputation of being the world's most authoritative pet magazine. We wouldn't secretly take blood samples of any pet without their owner's permission! We won't even touch a strand of hair without explicit permission!"

Blood samples, hair, and other such things might contain too much information, and many pet owners were unwilling to let this information be divulged, especially certain high-value pets with gene defects. Owners absolutely did not want this information to be known to outsiders.

Even if the pet was healthy, owners were still unwilling to allow such samples. Therefore, when Fang Zhao had asked this question, the person over at PET had hurriedly guaranteed that they never ever did such things that infringed on the owner and pet's privacy and secrets. The checkups they did on pets were just for better records and an estimation of the value of the pet.

That's right, PET would make an estimation of a pet's value for its archives. These records would not remained unchanged either. Every year, PET would provide at most three free inspections for pets in the archives and then update a new record in the archives based on the pet's condition. A pet's value might also see changes.

When Curly Hair had won the championship in Muzhou for the first time, PET had already wanted to make a record, but Fang Zhao had been difficult to contact. When they had finally managed to reach out to Fang Zhao, he had rejected them. During that time, Fang Zhao had been investigating the videos taken from the black street and had discovered the strange circumstances surrounding their rebirth. He had not wanted Curly Hair's abnormalities to be known by even more people. Su Hou and the team could be considered insiders, but it would be difficult to say the same for PET. If PET investigated and found some issues, Fang Zhao would not be able to hide it.

When PET asked again in the second year, Fang Zhao had rejected them using military service as an excuse.

This year, PET still had not given up. This time, having gotten Fang Zhao's approval, people at PET were extremely excited.

"All right! Mr. Fang, thank you so much for giving us such an opportunity. During the checkup, you can supervise from the sides. May I ask when you will have time?"

"Today and the next two days are fine," Fang Zhao replied.

"You can choose a place to conduct the checkup, it can be at your home or you can bring your pet over to our Yanzhou branch. It's not too far away, just in Qi'an City."

"At home." Fang Zhao did not wish to send Curly Hair to PET's Yanzhou branch. They had to be more passive in another's domain, so choosing his own place would be better.

"Great. May I trouble you for your address? We will send someone down today. Please do not worry; PET was established 200 years ago and we have an excellent reputation. Under no circumstances will we take your pet's genetic information without permission."

After arranging matters, Fang Zhao was preparing to disconnect when he heard the other person say, "Please wait! Mr. Fang, we still want to ask you something. For your other pet, is it possible to establish a record for it in our PET archives?"

"The sea slug?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes, yes! That hybrid sea slug that you brought back from a foreign planet. May I ask whether you would permit our staff to make a record? Don't worry, our evaluating staff were transferred over from headquarters and are very professional. They have veterinary backgrounds and definitely will not harm it!"

In the past, these sorts of creatures carrying extraterrestrial genes could only be brought back to Earth after obtaining approval from research institutions. In recent years, these restrictions had been relaxed, but all sorts of certifications were required and there were many procedures that had to be cleared. Thus, even with the lessened restrictions, there were still very few people that raised pets with extraterrestrial genes.

PET also had their eyes on it because it was special due to its extraterrestrial genes.

Fang Zhao mulled it over and then replied, "Sure."

"Thank you so much for your trust in us! Our evaluating team will be immediately dispatched towards Yanzhou's Qi'an City. I will forward his information to you in a bit."

Two minutes later.

PET had decided on the team to be dispatched to Yanzhou.

Five people.

Two veterinarians, one specializing in handling dogs and the other in sea slugs, two professional archivists, and a cameraman. To guard against imposters, PET sent images of the five members, along with their work IDs and their contact details, to Fang Zhao.

PET headquarters were in MaErsizhou. The five of them boarded a flying transport in Mazhou and headed straight over.

Knowing that people would be coming over in the afternoon to make a record for Curly Hair, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were very curious. They did not really know much about this field. Searching the internet, they had expected that Curly Hair's value would also be placed in the top three. However, when they saw the PET charts, the top 10 most valuable pets on the list had values above 100 million.

Placed first was a lion. It was rumored that, way back when, a laboratory had been trying to resurrect animals from the Old Era, this was among the five lions that had been successfully bred. The other four were all in a zoo over at Huangzhou. Only this one had been bought as a pet.

A person who could own a lion as a pet would definitely not be ordinary.

"Estimated value... 300 million? Just an Old Era lion is worth 300 million?!" Yan Biao found this inconceivable. Curly Hair could still take part in competitions, and his value was genuinely a result of his efforts in Muzhou. What about this first place? What could it do? How could it be worth 300 million just like that?

On the contrary, Zuo Yu did not find it hard to accept. "The rarer something is, the greater its value. There are only five in the entire world. Furthermore, there are regulations regarding the resurrection of Old Era animals, and there are quantity restrictions on these sorts of large wild beasts. Furthermore, from a commercial perspective, in order for it not to devalue, after the estimation, it can't undergo more appraisals. Meanwhile, Curly Hair is a dog. Regardless of how many championships he has won, he is still a dog, and dogs are not uncommon at all."

Yan Biao pointed at the water tank in Fang Zhao's study. "Then what about that? The 'rabbit' inside carries extraterrestrial genes, and its the only one of its kind in the entire world! According to your criteria for evaluation, shouldn't it be five times that 300 million?"

Zuo Yu choked up. "This, I have no idea. These evaluators have their own criteria. How would I know how much they will estimate its worth?

Chapter 273: Extremely Fierce

In the afternoon, the five-member team arranged by PET arrived.

After displaying their ID cards and the verification information, the five had looks of eager anticipation on their face as they prepared to enter.

However, they were stopped by Zuo Yu and Yan Biao as soon as they stepped through the doorway.

Zuo Yu wore a polite and formal smile as he looked at the five who had just entered. "Sorry, can everybody open up their suitcases for a brief check?"

Yan Biao also had a solemn expression. Finally, they had some use as bodyguards. When strangers came to their boss's place, checking inventory was a must. Most people with status or fame would require the same.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had expected the five to show some dissatisfaction, yet the person in front did not show even a hint of hesitation and handed over the suitcase in his hands. "The passcode is 666!"

As soon as he handed over the suitcase, he did not even look at the two bodyguards and entered, throwing a radar-like gaze all around as if searching for something. "Little cutie, where are you, ahh~~."

Just like someone hoping to see their treasured darlings, his final syllable was dragged out.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao both felt a chill across their back as goosebumps appeared on their arms. Especially at the floating "ahh~~" at the end. Yan Biao felt like hitting someone when he heard it.

If anyone in the outpost had dared to talk like that, he would have communicated with their faces using his fists. However, since this was not the military, he had to get used to it.

Twitching his mouth, Yan Biao cursed in his heart as he checked through the equipment that these people had brought and made sure they had not hidden any hidden cameras or any such items. However, he still placed 30% of his attention on the five people as they entered the house. Being cautious at every moment, maintaining their alertness, and guarding against people other than their boss were their duties as bodyguards.

Although the other four were slightly slower, they voluntarily put down and opened their suitcases. They had encountered these sorts of situations too often and had long ago gotten used to it.

The few of them curiously looked at Curly Hair, who had just run out from the study.

"This is that golden competition dog? Indeed, it isn't ordinary at all!"

One of them clicked her tongue in admiration. "Look at this fur! Look at those lively eyes, they are so pretty!"

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, who were going through the contents of the suitcases, were bewildered. They had been with Fang Zhao for a long time and had seen Curly Hair for so long, even though he had the hallowed title of "Golden Competition Dog," it shouldn't be that exaggerated, right? These few were praising him straight in his face, but they also shouldn't do so blindly!

However, Curly Hair was not on friendly terms with these strangers and stood three steps away, baring his teeth and growling. This was a warning to the people who had come.

This was also not the first time these people had come into contact with dogs. They could tell the intentions of a dog from its actions, so they stood three steps away from Curly Hair and observed him from there.

Noticing that Fang Zhao had come out, the youth at the front put on a warm and amiable smile. "Good day, Mr. Fang. I'm Wa Kaning, the person in charge of the team here to help establish a record for the two pets at your home. You can also call me Wa Wa. This here is my partner, Muto. The rest are..."

Wa Kaning introduced his partner, who was also a vet, and the cameraman to Fang Zhao. After exchanging pleasantries, they wasted no time and immediately went straight to the main issue. To these people, nothing had more appeal than pets, even if the person standing before them was a Yanzhou teen idol who was a hotly discussed topic and had been hogging the recent limelight.

"May I ask if we can start the recording?" Wa Kaning asked.

Fang Zhao did not know that Wa Kaning's assessment of him was "teen idol." Hearing the question, he nodded. "Sure."

"Can we get closer to examine him?" Wa Kaning meant that they needed to come into contact with the pet's body and hoped that the owner, Fang Zhao, would cooperate.

Fang Zhao made eye contact with Curly Hair, who was crouching, and said, "All right, he won't bite anyone now."

Not biting anyone now didn't mean that Curly Hair wouldn't bite humans any other time.

Wa Kaning and the others were considered old hands and could understand what Fang Zhao meant. Furthermore, they could judge from experience whether a dog would bite or not.

However, when they saw Curly Hair standing there obediently to cooperate with the examination, Wa Kaning and the others could not be bothered to think about anything else. Eyes gleaming, they carried the equipment case over and put on thin gloves.

Muto had already turned on an electronic board and had started recording information.

"Name, Curly Hair?" Wa Kaning looked at Fang Zhao. "Certain?"

Seeing Fang Zhao nod his head, Muto filled in that section of the form.

In their hearts, Wa Kaning and the few others did not approve of such an ordinary name. However, the person who decided a pet's name was its owner. Even if the few of them had any objections, they could only keep those objections to themselves.

Wa Kaning studied Curly Hair attentively while reporting the information that needed to be recorded. "Build, small."

Curly Hair's height, which slightly exceeded 40 centimeters, would barely have been enough to be considered a medium-sized dog in the Old Era. However, in the New Era where the average height of dogs was over 80 centimeters, he could only be considered a small-sized dog. This was also the reason why people had not considered Curly Hair a sheep-herding dog when they had first seen him. In Muzhou, there were no fully grown sheep-herding dogs that were this small!

One of the reasons many Muzhou people felt ashamed was because, despite having so many sheep-herding dogs, they had all been crushed by this little thing.

Wa Kaning continued reporting the information. Some of the information was furnished by Fang Zhao. "Sex, male. Date of birth, unknown. Age, 3–5 years. Occupation, dog..."

After all, Curly Hair was a stray picked up from the black street, and there was a lot of information that was unknown. Although his age was unclear, test results taken in Muzhou back then could be used to give a rough estimate of his age, which did not exceed five. Human lifespans had increased in the New Era, as had the lifespans of dogs. A five-year-old dog was not considered middle-aged. Curly Hair was still considered young.

"Hobbies?" Wa Kaning asked Fang Zhao.

"Games," Fang Zhao replied.

Wa Kaning looked at the toy ball for dogs lying in the corner and understood. This was indeed a dog that loved to exercise. If this dog could not be herding sheep on the pastures, he could only play games with his owner every day. Perhaps frisbee, fetch, or other such small games?

Wa Kaning carefully extended his hand to touch the fur on Curly Hair's back while observing Curly Hair's mood and reaction. "Fur color..."

"Fur color? Gray. Unevenly distributed gray," Yan Biao answered. He thought to himself, Fur color ain't simple, and I can't see any regular patterns. It has a sort of a messy feel, but the wording I just used should sound quite refined, eh?

However, the five people from PET glanced at Yan Biao as though they were looking at a country bumpkin before minding their own business and continuing with the recording.

"Gradual layers of gray. The base layers are ash gray to silver. Back, ears, tail are covered by a darker shade of gray fur..."

Wa Kaning continued reporting the information for recording and Muto keyed the information into the electronic board. From the nose to the tip of the tail right down to the claws, everything was recorded down in detail.

Curly Hair was very cooperative. He stood up when he was required to and laid down when told to do so.

During this process, Wa Kaning's own evaluation was this: Considerably docile.

After a round of simple tests, Wa Kaning said, "Let's measure his bite strength."

Before setting out from headquarters, they had sent a chart to Fang Zhao. On it had been information and examination options that Fang Zhao could choose from according to what he approved and the equipment and instruments they could bring along. Now, the examination was in line with Fang Zhao's choices.

"The vet has checked his teeth already, but the bite-strength test will show the functionality and health of the mouth," Wa Kaning said as he brought took an instrument for testing bite strength out of his suitcase.

It looked like a little toy stick with a bone-shaped sensor at its head. The instrument also had a smell that made dogs excited.

Given the level of technology now, it was actually possible to get a rough estimate of a dog's bite strength just by examining the teeth. However, people from PET just lived to use these primitive methods—baiting the dog into biting so they could obtain data from the instrument's sensor.

When Wa Kaning was not looking, Fang Zhao made a "slow down" gesture, hinting that Curly Hair should show restraint.

Indeed, the sensor smell got Curly Hair all excited and he bit down on it immediately.

"Six hundred one kilograms!" Wa Kaning exclaimed in astonishment when he saw the figure.

There was shock on the others' faces as well.

A small pet dog with a bite strength of 601 kilograms?

Humans only had a bite strength of a few tens of kilograms. Larger pet dogs in the Old Era had had bite strengths roughly at or above 100 kilograms. However, during the Period of Destruction, because dog species had mutated and there had been changes to the environment, survival conditions had been much harsher and there had been dogs with bite strengths of 500 to 600, and sometimes even higher.

But 500 years had already passed since the end of the Period of Destruction. Even if the gene and lineage had continued, the environment had become peaceful and easy. Also, their sources of food had changed, and after 500 years, the average bite strength of dogs had already dropped to 200 to 300 kilograms. Other than dogs with certain occupational uses, it was very rare to see a dog that had a 600-kilogram bite strength.

And it was the first time such figures had been seen from a small domestic pet dog ever since PET had been established.

"Could it be that... there was an error in the test?" Muto asked.

Wa Kaning had a puzzled look on his face. "Wait a minute. Let me calibrate it first before testing once more." He remembered that he had calibrated the equipment before heading over, and the instruments did not have any problems. How could such a figure have appeared?

After calibrating, Wa Kaning chuckled as he faced Curly Hair. "Come, cutie, let's try it out once more."

Yan Biao, who was standing beside him, thought, Didn't he call Curly Hair "little cutie" when he first entered? What happened to the "little"?

When the instrument was raised up to Curly Hair's mouth, Curly Hair bit down on it. At the moment he bit down, an ominous glint flashed through his eyes.

Krrack!

A cracking sound came from the instrument, but it did not break. However, the display had been rendered unable to record any figures. The instrument had been broken by that bite.

The apartment was filled with the sound of exhaling.

The five of them were very clear on the quality of equipment their own company provided. Even though they had only brought over a low-level bite-strength instrument, "low level" did not mean its quality was poor. How much bite strength could it have taken to break the instrument?

Unless the instrument had already been broken to begin with?

But was that possible?

Saying that their PET equipment was defective was just like saying that Fiery Bird's game consoles were of poor quality!

Muto's face was rigid. He did not know how to record this. With this sort of bite strength that could damage the instrument, regardless of whether Curly Hair's teeth or muscles could withstand it, this strength alone made them feel terrified!

Wa Kaning wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead. At the moment when Curly Hair had bit down on the instrument, he had felt a chill across his body and hadn't been able to help but gulp. He had suddenly felt that he was too close to the dog.

As for the vet who had helped checked Curly Hair's mouth and teeth a moment ago, he felt goose bumps appear all over his arm as he shivered. His back felt clammy and he wriggled his fingers. Just now, when he had been examining Curly Hair's mouth, his fingers had even touched Curly Hair's teeth.

Although the instrument had been broken on the second test, in that short moment beforehand, Wa Kaning had seen the figure exceed 1000. However, before the figure had stabilized, the instrument had broken. With this sort of bite strength, if he were to bite down viciously, even placed in a group of sheep-herding dogs from Muzhou, he would be able to crush seven or eight large dogs as if they were playthings.

When they thought about Curly Hair taking part in two iterations of sheep-herding competitions, they could not help but sweat a little for those sheep and dogs of Muzhou. There had not been any news of bloody affairs over there, but had this dog really never bitten anybody before? Forget about sheep and dogs, even biting a person to death would be an easy feat. A human bone would be crushed in one mouthful. Luckily, Curly Hair was small. If he was larger, that would be even more dangerous!

"Then... are we still going to test again? I still have a spare sensor instrument in my case, but it is an old model and isn't for dogs, so it might not be that accurate," one of the veterinarians said. Instruments not meant for dogs might not produce reliable figures and did not have the bite-inducing smell, so it was not known whether the dog would use so much force to bite it.

"He seems a little impatient," Wa Kaning said. He realized that Curly Hair seemed to really not like instruments, and the dog seemed to be a little moody. Could it be that Curly Hair did not like the smell? The people who had manufactured this equipment had even said that all dogs loved it. That was a lie!

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu exchanged glances and thought to themselves, Now he isn't even using "cutie." Has he been scared shitless?

Not just Wa Kaning and the people from PET—actually, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had also gotten a scare today. They had also never known that Curly Hair could bite like that.

As for whether or not they should continue the test, the decision was in the hands of the owner, Fang Zhao. Wa Kaning and the others looked toward him.

The apartment fell silent.

Fang Zhao broke the silence. "Record the first test result. The figures from the second time were inconclusive."

"All right," Wa Kaning said.

Their objective was not clear-cut figures. As long as the first test's figures were real and the equipment had not been defective, that was more than enough. They wouldn't investigate further. They at PET had come across all sorts of strange, bizarre pets that could shock people. Thus, although Curly Hair did have shocking bite strength, thinking back to other occasions, it really wasn't a big deal.

If he wasn't special, how could he have caused waves in Muzhou and forced them to change the rules? How would he have gotten the nickname "Golden Competition Dog"?

Being extraordinary was expected.

Wa Kaning sighed deeply and made a gesture to Muto with his hands.

Muto gave a light sigh, shook his head and recorded ">600 kilograms" in the file and typed "Extremely fierce!" in the remarks column.

Chapter 274: Ferocious Beasts Inside

After sorting out Curly Hair's file, Wa Kaning excitedly said, "Let's go see the other one!"

Although they had been a little intimidated by Curly Hair, they still had one other purpose for this trip, and it was something their compiling department considered important. This was the first case of a sea slug with extraterrestrial genes, so they would have to spend more time to carefully study it.

"Beautiful! It's so pretty!" Wa Kaning looked at the pure white "rabbit." It's external appearance actually seems quite different from the choppy-hair variety.

"After all, it has half choppy-hair genes. It is only natural for there to be some differences," Muto said.

Wa Kaning took out a pair of gloves from his case. "Begin." There were sensors on these gloves that would transmit all sorts of data when it came into contact with the sea slug.

Of course, there were other methods of examining it, but Wa Kaning's reason for choosing to use gloves to examine it was actually because he wanted to touch it personally.

Fang Zhao had already given them a copy of this sea slug's record, and the information on it was even more detailed. There was no need to ask much, but...

"What's its name?" Muto asked Fang Zhao when he saw the blank space there.

"Not yet named," Fang Zhao replied.

Fang Zhao's reply made Wa Kaning and the others dazed for a second. Generally, it was alright for owners of ornamental fishes or other ornamental aquatic pets to not give a name for their pets, but this sea slug before their eyes was the only one in the entire world. To the people from PET, this sea slug had a much higher value than Curly Hair and it could even glow. How could it even be considered an ordinary ornamental pet?

"How about giving it a name? After all, it's the only one in the world," Wa Kaning suggested.

Fang thought about it. That made sense. This sea slug was actually rather smart, so giving it a name was not a bad idea.

"Call it Big White," Fang Zhao said.

Muto wasn't in favor of it. "It's so small—calling it Big White? A few days back, we went to make a record of a great white shark that had been successfully bred. The owner named that great white shark 'Big White'."

"Than how about Little White," Fang Zhao offered.

Now it was Wa Kaning who didn't approve. "It's so big yet you are calling it Little White? Although there are other such sea slugs this size, for the choppy-hair variety, it is already considered large. Even if it is an extraterrestrial variant of the choppy-hair variety, it is very big already."

Yan Biao's lips curled. Too much b*llshit! If you talk about size, the one in the water tank can be taken out and made into stew, unlike those native choppy-hair varieties that would barely be a morsel. However, Yan Biao was also very certain that if that actually happened, because this little thing was poisonous, he wouldn't even dare to eat it.

Actually, Wa Kaning wasn't finding fault. He was trying to get Fang Zhao to think about it more and give it a more classy name—not like Curly Hair, whose name sounded like it had been picked randomly!

A dog with a value more than 100 million being called "Curly Hair"? Just hearing it made their hearts ache.

Looking at the pure white ball of fluff that was the "rabbit," Wa Kaning felt his heart aching again. Rabbity is so cute, how can it have such a vulgar name?

But even if his heart ached, he did not have any other complaints. This was somebody else's pet, and the final decision was in the hands of the owner. Wa Kaning could only keep his objections to himself.

"Than call it Spiky Hare," Fang Zhao said.

Wa Kaning wanted to advise Fang Zhao to change the name again. This name sounded awkward, and people who did not know much would think that it came from the crossbreeding of a hedgehog and a hare. However, they had already denied two names previously, and if they were going to reject yet another name given by the owner, that would really be impolite.

Immediately, the room became quiet again.

"Wasn't there some sort of animal called a Spiky Hare in ancient stories?" Zuo Yu suddenly asked.

"That was Red Hare. It was the name of a horse," Fang Zhao corrected.

"Right, the horse named Red Hare. Since a horse can be called 'hare,' then so can a sea slug! I feel that the name boss came up with is really great," Zuo Yu said.

Fang Zhao had originally wanted to explain, but after considering it, he felt there wasn't a need to waste his breath. He would let Zuo Yu read up on it himself after this matter was settled.

Yan Biao, who had been standing to the side, secretly thought to himself, Zuo Yu, this *ss-kisser!

Yan Biao thought back to his first day on the job as a bodyguard. On that day, Zuo Yu had spoken to him. "A qualified bodyguard need not be smart, but he definitely needs to be devoted. It's simple, really: whatever the boss says is absolutely right!"

Thinking back, Yan Biao shuddered internally. He immediately seconded what Zuo Yu had said. "Well said! The 'hare' in its name doesn't have to mean it is a hare. The 'spiky' in its name doesn't have to mean it is a hedgehog. Calling it Spiky Hare gives it a really profound image. I also feel that it is really great!" If the boss called it a hare, then it shall be called a hare. Furthermore, it looked like a hare anyway.

Wa Kaning looked at them disdainfully. These two bodyguards are just lackeys!

Noticing Muto looking over, Wa Kaning bit down and nodded. So be it. Spiky Hare it shall be. What else could they do?

Watching the name being recorded down, Wa Kaning stared at the water tank, sighing in his heart. Oh darling, this is all I can help you with. At least you don't have to share a name with a great white shark.

"What hobbies does it have?" Muto asked Fang Zhao.

"Eating," Fang Zhao replied.

Muto asked again. "Er... do you have any additional things to add?"

"It can eat a lot."

"...Got it."

Having settled on a name, Muto looked through the information Fang Zhao had furnished and proceeded to update the record. As for Wa Kaning, he was preparing to touch the sea slug and have the sensors on his gloves obtain some data.

Putting on the gloves and checking there were no problems and they were not leaking, he extended his hands into the water tank. In a bit, he would be touching the first ever hybrid sea slug with extraterrestrial genes in the entire world. Wa Kaning was overwhelmed with emotions as he kept his gaze firmly fixed on that sea slug.

Fang Zhao warned him once more. "It is very poisonous. You have to be careful."

"Trust us, we are professionals. This time, I'm even wearing extra-thick gloves, and the sensors have been upgraded. Our preparations are sufficient, don't worry..."

Wa Kaning had not even finished speaking when he felt a sharp pain in his palm.

"Ahhh!" Wa Kaning shouted.

A series of beeping warnings sounded from the gloves, but everything had happened too quickly. Wa Kaning hadn't even had time to react before he had been affected by the venom.

Wa Kaning quickly withdrew his hand out of the water tank before removing his gloves, and he found his entire palm was swollen like a bear's paw.

Muto couldn't be bothered recording down the information. Watching Wa Kaning's hand that had rapidly swelled up before his very eyes, he nearly screamed like a chicken.

"Doctor! I've been poisoned!" Wa Kaning wailed.

The other vet in the party, who was a sea slug specialist and was meant to provide treatment for anyone stung by one, had already reacted quickly and taken out all sorts of antidotes and diagnostic equipment.

When Wa Kaning had just taken off the gloves, only his palm had been swollen. Now, it had extended to his entire arm.

Wa Kaning's entire body was trembling uncontrollably. "I... I don't need... an amputation, do I?" Every word that came out of his mouth seemed like it was falling apart. All he felt was a painful burning sensation in his entire arm, and his palm had gone completely numb.

As the vet was checking on Wa Kaning's arm, Yan Biao calmly answered, "No need, it's not life-threatening. Spraying some medicine on it will cure the swelling after a while."

"After a while?" Wa Kaning was ashen faced. Whether it was from the poison or because he was scared sh*tless, nobody knew.

Muto and the others wore looks of surprise as well. They knew that the medicine used to counteract the toxins from the choppy-hair variety would normally reduce the swelling immediately. Now, they were told that it would need a while?

How long was "after a while"?

How many minutes? How many hours?

Wa Kaning was apprehensive. "Is it really... really alright?"

The vet spoke. "It's fine." Although it was unknown how long Wa Kaning would take to recover, they could at least confirm that it wasn't serious. It just looked terrifying.

Muto was puzzled. "Didn't you wear extra-thick gloves? How was it still able to pierce through? Furthermore, the toxicity is too high. Is it normally fed with venomous feed?"

"Mr. Fang, can we see what this sea slug eats?" the vet asked.

"Sure." Fang Zhao took out the box of feed from the cupboard below and handed it over. "It doesn't contain toxins."

The vet's smile seemed a little awkward. "I know, I'm not suspecting you." Actually, he also knew that there wouldn't be a problem with the feed and that the reason was most likely because of its extraterrestrial genes. Its toxicity would not be the same as the choppy-hair variety they were familiar with.

As if he had realized something, the vet asked, "According to the rumors, when it was still on planet Baiji, a bodyguard of Leizhou's senior master Zaro was stung by it?"

"That happened," Fang Zhao replied.

The vet nodded his head. Looking at things today, it seemed like they had lucked out. If he had not worn such thick gloves or if Fang Zhao had not been feeding it this sort of mild feed but something more toxic, he reckoned that Wa Kaning would not only have a swollen arm, his life might even be in danger!

Wa Kaning opened his mouth to say something but decided to swallow his words. He made a gesture to Muto with his healthy arm. Muto added a remark to the file: "HD."

In their archives, "HD" was an abbreviation for "Highly Dangerous."

As for the vet, he held up the pair of gloves that had been pierced, his heart filled with layers of doubts.

How had these gloves meant for specialized use been so easily pierced? Watching from the side, the "hairs" of the sea slug in the water tank looked rather soft. Only at the moment when Wa Kaning had touched it had the hairs stood up. And at the point where it had triggered its defense mechanism, it had expressed some offensive intent.

But still, it shouldn't have pierced through the gloves. Why exactly had that happened?

"Mr. Fang, normally, when you interact with it, what sort of gloves do you wear?" the vet asked.

Fang Zhao took out a pair of gloves from the cupboard below. These were the sort of ordinary gloves sold at ornamental aquatic pet stores. Fang Zhao had asked Spiky Hare's breeder, Professor Denzel, before and been told that these gloves were usable, but only limited to him. Fang Zhao had also mentioned this to Wa Kaning.

Wa Kaning felt wronged. He had dropped some of his vigilance after seeing those gloves of Fang Zhao's. Fang Zhao's gloves were so thin, while theirs were especially thick and should have provided 100% protection. Unfortunately, they had still been pierced!

The vet examined the pair of gloves that Wa Kaning had taken off, examined the fine and tiny holes in it that were hard to detect, and did not understand at all. Finally, all he could conclude was that it probably had something to do with the sea slug's extraterrestrial genes.

No wonder many extraterrestrial breeds were so tightly regulated. They were really dangerous!

On the file of Spiky Hare, Muto added an "Extremely Dangerous" behind the "HD."

Ten minutes later.

Wa Kaning could feel sensations in his palm again, but his entire arm still remained swollen. As before, the burning pain remained. All they could do was increase the speed of the recording process and not ask too many unnecessary questions.

After the cameraman had snapped a few photos, the five of them bade their farewells. They still had to rush to the hospital. Wa Kaning's arm still needed thorough medical aid and other sorts of medicine. Delaying it for too long would not end well.

"In our next edition of PET, we will have an estimation of the two pets you own. Do remember to look out for it, Mr. Fang."

Before leaving, Wa Kaning stopped as he was stepping out and turned to talk to Fang Zhao. "Mr. Fang, I suggest you put a sign outside your door to warn others. Generally, for houses that contain pets that are extremely dangerous, it's best to remind your surrounding neighbors or visitors so as to avoid any unnecessary incidents. When you bring Curly Hair out, you must remember to leash him, and the leash must be the most sturdy kind."

Fang Zhao accepted Wa Kaning's suggestions.

After the few of them left, Fang Zhao pasted a sign outside his door that read: "Ferocious beasts inside, please keep away unless invited!"In Mandarin, Red Hare and Spikey Hare are both pronounced Ci Tu, but the Ci is different. Wordplay by the author here.

Red Hare was owned by the warlord Lu Bu from the story of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"

It is said that Lu Bu stood out among men and Red Hare stood out among horses

Chapter 275: Global Pet Value Char

The warning sign had been put up. As for whether people believed it or not, Fang Zhao wasn't too bothered.

Back in Muzhou, the veterinarians there had only examined the health and condition of the sheep-herding dogs, not bite strength, so all along, nobody had known about it. This time, PET had measured it, and this was within Fang Zhao's plans.

Fang Zhao had seen the option of measuring bite strength and, after consideration, had selected it. In the future, when he brought Curly Hair out, Curly Hair's strong bite would be revealed one day, so instead of hiding, he would use PET to put it out in the open.

In normal daily life, most of the time, Curly Hair did not exhibit a biting strength too different from a normal dog's, a far cry from the readings PET had taken. During the examination, Fang Zhao had specifically spoken to Curly Hair about it and gestured with hands just before the test. Unfortunately, the smell on PET's instrument had been too stimulating, and when Curly Hair got excited, he couldn't control his bite well.

But 600 kilograms was already a restrained result.

This result was good enough.

After sending Wa Kaning and the others out, Fang Zhao let Yan Biao and Zuo Yu return to rest. Fang Zhao called Curly Hair over to his study for lessons. Curly Hair still had a lot to improve on—such as not being able to restrain himself well enough today.

Elsewhere, Wa Kaning and the others who had just gotten out of hospital flew straight back to PET headquarters.

Midjourney, Wa Kaning received a call from his superior.

"Did it go smoothly?" the person on the other end asked.

"I... guess you could say so," Wa Kaning replied.

"Don't 'I guess' me. Sounds like you people encountered some difficulty? Was Fang Zhao not cooperative? He didn't let you examine too much? Tell me you at least managed to get the most basic tests? The records for the archive can't be too simple."

"Fang Zhao was very helpful with our work, but those two pets of his..."

"Hmmm?"

"Extremely fierce."

There was a short period of silence from the other end.

How fierce could they get?

In the pet community, many times, "extremely fierce" and "extremely adorable" meant the same thing.

When recalling what those two pets Fang Zhao owned looked like, after the momentary silence, the other party laughed and said, "Understood."

Wa Kaning was stirred up. "No, Boss, you don't understand!" His arm that had just had medicine reapplied started hurting again. It hurt so much that his face twisted in pain. "Boss, what I said, I meant it literally! They really are super ferocious! Especially scary! If you don't believe me, you can see for yourself in the files I'm going to send over. If you read them, you will understand."

To not infringe on the privacy of the owner's home, they were not permitted to have any hidden cameras and they had to show the owner all their recording equipment. Every video and photo they took had been shown to Fang Zhao for vetting. Thus, they did not have a lot of photographic evidence. However, the record for the archives was there. Wa Kaning immediately sent the files over to his superior. He also took and sent a photograph of his pig-foot-like arm.

A short while later, the other party finally replied with just a "You have worked hard!"

"This time, I put my life on the line for the archive records. I was just discharged from the hospital after receiving a huge scare. Only a salary raise can console me!" Wa Kaning said seriously.

The other party pretended to be dead.

PET headquarters. Having received the files Wa Kaning sent over, the team of experts started to work on the valuation of the two pets newly added to the archives.

When they saw the copies of the two records, all the experts simultaneously raised an eyebrow.

"Seems like these two are both really extraordinary!"

"The charts are going to change," a specialist from the team said as he looked through Curly Hair's record and came up with a preliminary valuation using his own wealth of experience.

"This sea slug's value will not be low either. After all, it carries some extraterrestrial genes. Considering this, it will be superior, but it is still disadvantaged."

Pets with extraterrestrial genes were not valued lowly, as they were rare and people were curious about these sorts of things.

But the valuation also wouldn't be excessively high. This was a silent rule within the industry. There were policies restricting this so as to prevent commercial organizations from promoting extraterrestrial genes, which would cause a lot of trouble. Thus, even if their speculated commercial value was very high, they would try their best to lower it.

"What a strong bite Curly Hair has..."

Someone joked, "Could it be that it had plenty of rich experiences in the black street, causing it to revert back to the manner of its ancestors?"

What he meant was that this dog had reverted to the form of its ancestors from the Period of Destruction. Many dogs during that period had had bite strengths of 400 to 500 kilograms, and there had also been some with bite strengths exceeding 600 kilograms.

However, they did not spend time speculating this. All they needed to do was make use of the data and information and analyze different aspects before giving it a final valuation.

"We have to properly analyze this Fang Zhao too," someone else said.

What had that got to do with pets?

Only with a "person" would there be "pets."

In the end, they still had to look at the owner.

The people of PET loved this saying from the Old Era: "When a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven."

A owners background, status, value, and operations would all influence the valuation of a pet.

As of now, Fang Zhao's status had been on the uprise, especially after the concert. Not only had his reputation increased, his concert pieces copyrights had all been sold for high prices. These caused everyone to see Fang Zhao in a new light.

Besides this, their estimations would also depend on the pet's own commercial ability. Being named a "golden competition dog," Curly Hair's nickname spoke for itself.

Thus, Curly Hair's valuation would surely be even higher than the previous year.

"All right, everyone take three days to finalize the valuations for these two. We will post them up next week."

One week later.

The new issue of PET e-magazine was published.

There were many people subscribed to PET across the world. Some pet stores would also subscribe to it and display the publications on screens within their shops for customers to see. Those that were more scheming would place these screens outside the door to make even more people halt.

"Eh? Isn't that youngster on the cover someone who was talked about a lot on the internet a while back?"

On receiving the new issue of PET e-magazine, many people realized that the person on the cover seemed a little familiar. When they took a look at the name, they came to an understanding.

"That Fang Zhao from Yanzhou?"

"Right, I remember now. That little fella that sold quite a number of rights from his concert. That dog is his."

"Isn't the dog on the cover the one that won the Most Valuable Dog award for the sheep-herding competition in Muzhou two years straight?"

"Isn't that rabbit the sea slug rumored to carry extraterrestrial genes?"

On the cover of the new issue, Fang Zhao sat leisurely on his sofa in his home clothes. A Diting series earpiece was hanging loosely around his neck. Curly Hair was lying down to the side and a special water tank was placed on the table in front of him. Inside the tank was a pure-white sea slug that looked like a rabbit.

The sunlight shining in through the windows and his home clothes gave off a warm hue, making Fang Zhao seem much softer.

In that pose, Curly Hair had curbed any form of fierceness and was sitting obediently looking at the camera lens. Those eyes of his looked pure and innocent. His combed curly fur seemed to have a metallic glow under the sunlight, displaying an air of nobility.

The "rabbit" inside the water tank looked like a spongy peach suspended in the water. Anyone looking at it would feel like giving it a pinch.

The entire photograph seemed peaceful and vibrant.

In the words of Yan Biao, the cameraman and other production staff had worked overtime to package it. Even disheveled fur could project an air of nobility.

People who subscribed to PET focused on the two pets newly added to the archives.

Everyone looking at the cover felt that "These are two really cute pets!"

And when they turned the page and saw the files of these two pets, everyone's reaction was "Impossible!"

The records provided were just brief and simple ones that only furnished the most basic information. Other information such as bite strength and toxicity were not published.

But the "Extremely Fierce" in the remarks was especially conspicuous.

"Extremely Fierce?"

Looking at the photograph of Curly Hair attached to it before returning to look at the cover page, everyone understood.

"Hahahaha!"

"In the pet community, many times it has the same meaning as 'extremely cute'!"

"How fierce can this dog even be? If he were really fierce, he wouldn't have herded sheep. Did the people at PET make a mistake? In any case, I don't believe this!"

"Surely the people at PET did it intentionally."

"That rabbit sea slug's remarks are 'extremely fierce' and 'highly dangerous.' What does that mean?"

But in no time, everyone's attention shifted.

"Curly Hair is estimated to be worth 210 million?!"

"The sea slug Spiky Hare is valued at 80 million?!"

"This valuation is really high, right?"

"The estimated valuation by PET's team of experts shouldn't result in an overestimation."

"Forget about that hybrid sea slug with extraterrestrial genes—after all, it is the only one of its kind here on Earth—but how did Curly Hair's valuation swell again? Wasn't his value only 100-plus million back then?"

"I thought that Curly Hair's value would drop when he left Muzhou. I didn't expect it to rise again!"

"We humans can't even compare with that dog!"

"Could the reason be because of Fang Zhao?"

"Whatever the case, the team of experts from PET surely have their own reasoning."

"The chart has changed!"

When the chart was mentioned, subscribers of PET immediately turned straight to the last page. On it was the new value rankings of pets from all over the world. It was different from before. Curly Hair's value of 210 million had vaulted him to fifth place!

This issue also talked about the story of Curly Hair, from the start when Curly Hair had been picked up in the black streets to when he had joined Dongshan Farm to participate in the sheep-herding competition. These had all been taken from an account by Fang Zhao and worked on by the editing team to embellish it and make the story more interesting so that readers would be more captivated.

"To think it really came from the black streets! I thought that everyone was joking about it!"

"This Fang Zhao is just too lucky. He picked up 200 million just like that!"

As this involved Fang Zhao, Yanzhou's media outlets were stirred up and reported it vigorously. In any case, Curly Hair was a Yanzhou dog and had charged straight into the top 10 of PET's value chart. There was only one animal in the top 10 from Yanzhou—of course it had to be reported!

Thus, in news notifications that were sent out, Fang Zhao appeared in the headlines again. Although the focus was on Fang Zhao's two pets, as the owner, Fang Zhao was noticed by everyone.

People who lived in the black street where Fang Zhao had once stayed always had the same feelings when they saw news about Curly Hair: regret!

In the New Era, even if a dog did not look good or if its fur color was unappealing, as long as it was a large or miniature, there would be people willing to take it in. But Curly Hair's height of 40 centimeters was larger than miniature and far off from being large. He could not even be compared to a medium-sized dog, so nobody had been willing to take him in. In the state he had been in back then, even after washing and tidying him up, there would still have been no takers.

Back then, when many people had seen Fang Zhao pick up the dog, behind his back, they had even said, "He can't even fend for himself and he wants to keep a dog?"

What had happened in the end?

After Fang Zhao had left the black street, these people had seen that stray dog's value rise to 100 million in a year. It was as if a rocket had been strapped to the dog's back. Last year, he had achieved a value of over 100 million, and this year, it had risen to 210 million! Curly Hair had vaulted straight into the top five of the global pet value chart!

For most people, 210 million was just a fabled figure!

Furthermore, according to the expert analysis in the latest issue of PET, if Fang Zhao's status rose in the future, perhaps Curly Hair's value would follow as well and rise further.

Comparing this, the sea slug Spiky Hare's value of 80 million was less prolific, but it was also being discussed by quite a number of people.

Currently, Spiky Hare's breeder Denzel was cultivating krill on planet Wai's polar ocean. When he saw the news, his vision faded and he clutched his chest, pain written all over his face.

The assistant beside him saw this and immediately asked, "What's wrong?!"

"I wanna jump into the ocean!" Denzel was filled with immeasurable regret, and he pulled his hair in frustration. Why had he sold that precious bunny back then!

Denzel's expression had changed. A few assistants nervously watched this boss of theirs, afraid that he would not think things through and would really jump into the ocean.

"Do you guys think I should start a new project and continue breeding sea slugs?" Denzel asked.

"You are earning quite a lot from cultivating krill."

"Yes, Boss, our krill cultivation is doing rather well."

"Teacher, are you talking about breeding that sort of sea slug that you sold to Fang Zhao? Let's not talk about the difficulty about breeding it first, and let's put aside the some of the unsolved technical problems. Even if we are able to breed them on a large scale, the policies for pets with extraterrestrial genes are always changing. Right now, the rules are gradually being relaxed, but what if? What if, in the future, the regulations tighten? Wouldn't we lose out big time?"

Denzel could understand where his assistant was coming from. Back then, he had given up on breeding sea slugs with extraterrestrial genes, as the technical difficulty had just been too hard, the rate of success had been extremely low, and lots of money had been spent without results. Also, policies had been in place back then preventing people who were not researchers from owning pets with extraterrestrial genes, so it had been really difficult to sell them.

Furthermore, as his assistants had said, planet Wai's conditions for krill breeding were very good. His company was also making huge profits, and it just wasn't worthwhile for them to take the risk and dabble in other stuff. Whether other people would research this, he shouldn't get involved.

Although, deep down, he felt something wasn't right when he saw this news, Denzel quickly accepted the facts. In any case, Fang Zhao had also helped him pull some strings and obtain a suitable body of water for cultivating krill in planet Wai's oceans.

"Forget it, it's been sold off already. Just take it that the little fella got lucky!"

Despite one week of rest, the swelling in Wa Kaning's arm had not yet completely subsided, and he still felt pain just from moving it slightly. Today, he went to the office, enlarged the current issue's cover page and printed a copy before pasting it on the wall in his own office. After that, he picked up a pen and wrote a large word beneath Curly Hair. "Scary." Then, he went over to the 'rabbit' and also wrote "Scary" below it.

Wa Kaning wanted to constantly remind himself and his colleagues that these two pets really belonged to the extremely dangerous category! Extreme caution was needed if anyone should encounter these two! Appearances could be deceiving!

After finishing, Wa Kaning had intended to keep the pen when his gaze paused on the image of Fang Zhao.

The warm hues brought about a soft and gentle vibe to the photograph. This Fang Zhao person also looked like a gentle artistic youth with a harmless character.

However, in this photo, there was actually great danger all around!

The dog with the devastating bite, Curly Hair, and the extremely toxic sea slug that would assault without a moment's notice, was Fang Zhao really as harmless as he looked?

Thinking back to what he had seen when he had recently searched for information pertaining to Fang Zhao, Wa Kaning hesitated. To be able to garner meritorious deeds on planet Baiji, shoot terrorists dead, and get promoted to a reserve duty major, how harmless could he be?

Considering it further, Wa Kaning picked up his pen and wrote two large words under Fang Zhao's image: "Extremely Scary"!An actual chinese saying that means riding on one's success. Once a man becomes an official, everyone he associates with reaps the benefits

Chapter 276: We Meet Again

While people outside were discussing Fang Zhao's insanely valued pets, Fang Zhao wasn't really paying attention to this matter. Instead, he was asking around for news about the revolutionary film project.

However, this morning, he received a call. Someone was coming to visit.

The Interplanetary Fund's film department liaison Joseph had called on Fang Zhao's Yanzhou residence using the address Fang Zhao had given him.

Standing in front of the door, Joseph stared at the sign that read "Ferocious beasts inside, please keep away unless invited!" He recalled a piece of news about pets he had seen recently and wondered whether the sign was being serious or meant as a joke.

Having spent more than 10 seconds yet not understanding, Joseph decided to not think about it further. After all, the focus of his visit wasn't Fang Zhao's pets. Furthermore, he had informed Fang Zhao beforehand, so he didn't count as "uninvited."

Putting on a smile to fit the occasion, Joseph pressed the doorbell.

The door opened.

"We meet again, Mr. Fang." Joseph still had the manners of an elite, but compared to the previous time they had met, his inner haughtiness had dissipated rather considerably.

The previous time, at planet Baiji's outpost, Joseph had suffered a blow. After that, taking into account the matter of the consultant team, the news from the concert a short while back, and the purpose of today's visit, Joseph naturally did not appear too arrogant.

"This must be little Curly Hair, who has a value of over 200 million?" Joseph looked at the curly-haired dog that had run out from a room, took its measure, and chuckled. "He's really cute."

Although that was what he said, Joseph had no intention of getting close to Curly Hair.

Curly Hair's gaze followed the stranger, but because Fang Zhao was here, he also knew that it was a guest and so would not show any obvious hostility. However, in his heart, besides Fang Zhao, Curly Hair would remain vigilant against any other living creature that stepped foot into his territory.

Although the eyes of Curly Hair fixated on Joseph seemed clear and innocuous, Joseph knew that dog's eyes could tell lies too. Their pupils were very large, making people think they were innocuous, but that was a deception.

Joseph didn't particularly like dogs. Therefore, whether this dog was dangerous or not, he would keep his distance. After looking at those eyes, he didn't bother with Curly Hair anymore.

Today, he was here representing the Interplanetary Fund to give Fang Zhao an invitation.

Although Fang Zhao's status within the professional music industry still wasn't that high yet, Fang Zhao's musical style was very suitable for the opening of the revolutionary film project.

"The music team of 'Founding Era' has already been established. We at the Interplanetary Fund think very highly of Mr. Fang's works. Thus, we wish to invite you to the 'Founding Era' music team," Joseph said.

"Founding Era." That was the series name of the revolutionary film project, which would definitely trend sometime in the near future across the world and every single continent.

The "Founding Era" people of the New Era spoke of was the time between the Period of Destruction and the New Era. It referred to the short time period after the Period of Destruction before the New Era had officially come into existence.

The main objective of the revolutionary project was to tell the stories of events and incidents that happened in the later stages of the Period of Destruction, all the way to the founding of the New Era.

As he was a member of the consultant team, Fang Zhao knew which stories were in the script. The plot of the revolutionary film project, "Founding Era," would tell the story up to the conferment of the great generals. Because what came after the great generals had been conferred was the New Era.

The Interplanetary Fund valued Fang Zhao highly and had reasons for inviting him to the music project team. Other than the fact that his musical style was deemed appropriate enough, there was one other reason: Fang Zhao was a member of the consultant team. He knew how the plot would develop and details of the story line and had a deeper understanding of the characters. Thus, it would be easier for him to produce compositions that fit.

Of course Fang Zhao accepted this invitation. He was delighted to receive such a request.

"I will do my utmost," Fang Zhao replied.

Even if he did not receive payment, Fang Zhao would still be willing to compose pieces for this film project. For the stories and people of this time period, Fang Zhao's sentiments were even more profound.

"Since Mr. Fang understands the storyline, you can compose a few pieces first. When the time comes, perhaps some of your works might be selected," Joseph told him.

What these words meant was this: Since you have already seen the script, if you have the inspiration, you can start composing first. As for whether it will be selected then, there are no guarantees.

Fang Zhao understood perfectly what he meant.

This was exactly the same as when Fiery Bird had first looked for him to request a piece for the game. When they had first collected some works, there had been no guarantees that any would be chosen.

Having delivered the invitation and signed the contract, Joseph's assignment this round was completed and he got up to leave. He still had other matters to attend to.

After Joseph left, Fang Zhao sat on the sofa, mulling over stuff.

Naturally, he would grab this opportunity. Whether his works would be selected or not, as long as he had inspiration, he would compose.

However, Fang Zhao was still pondering another matter.

"The actors for a few important roles in 'Founding Era' have not been decided yet.

Lots of news agencies were chasing the wind and clutching at straws, but news that had actual value were few and far between.

However, until the last moment when the contract was signed, anything could happen. Therefore, as long as an actor had been in the industry for long enough, those experienced ones would remain prudent and not divulge anything at the slightest bit of progress. Otherwise, if ultimately they did not get selected or they were squeezed out by somebody else at the last moment, it would just be a slap in the face.

At this moment, with competition from all parties, among the leading roles, only two had been decided. As for the others, rumors were floating about all day, but nobody could be certain whether they were true or false, just a smokescreen, or perhaps some firm's hype operation. However, looking at the current circumstances as well as what was being talked about in the consultant team's discussion platform, at least half of those remaining lead roles would be decided in October.

Due to technological advancements, the time it took to produce a film series had been shortened, but to ensure quality, after this project was started, there wouldn't be a rush to start filming. The criteria for selecting actors this time around was particularly stringent. There were many candidates for every single leading role, and every candidate had a rather long trial period. Perhaps there was no news yet as the candidates had not completed the trial period. Perhaps after the trial periods were over, there would be an outcome.

He wanted to try out for the role of "Fang Zhao," but unfortunately, for a few important roles, there was absolutely no information about auditions.

The reason why Fang Zhao wanted to try out acting was entirely because of this Fang Zhao role. For this role that was just like the roles for the other founding generals, there was simply no information about auditions. Even if he wanted to fight for the role, he had no idea where to go. However, this time, it all depended on one's own ability.

Over at Silver Wing, the company had limited ability, and each of their respective actors and actresses had to employ their own methods and capability to fight for roles.

Fang Zhao looked at the month's summary of information in his hands. His fingers tapped on a name. If he wished to get a chance, he would have to start from this individual.

August 18. Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch organized an event.

Fang Zhao had also spoken with the people from the Yanzhou branch and found out that this distinguished guest had been invited and would even be handing out awards, not just making an appearance.

This time, the Yanzhou branch had organized a half-year award ceremony. That meant to say that from Memorial Day in January till July, according to statistical data, this ceremony was to award outstanding individuals or teams that had performed well in this half-year leaderboard

There were similar activities in each continent to stimulate the enthusiasm of gamers. After all, a year's time was too long. Many amateurs and fans would not have the patience to wait a full year.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were also wearing solemn-looking black suits. Looking in the mirror, they felt like they were especially imposing. Further putting on a pair of shades, they seemed to especially have the auras of bodyguards!

"How come I have never felt like I was this cool in the past?"

Yan Biao stared at his reflection in the mirror. When they reached Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch building, he wiped the smile off his face and put on an icy-cold expression in a flash. He had switched to bodyguard mode.

Since he had become a bodyguard, this was the first time he had experienced such a situation. The concert previously hadn't counted, as he had arrived earlier to make preparations and simply had not needed to undergo the experience of walking through a crowd of media reporters and fans.

The car came to a halt at the drop-off point that Fiery Bird had temporarily set up. There was a pathway here leading to the venue.

Today, Fang Zhao was not wearing the same team uniform as the gaming team but, rather, an outfit that Fiery Bird had tailored specifically for him. It carried the Diting pattern, but the Polar Light tree emblem was still emblazoned on his breast.

Fiery Bird wanted to let him be the impetus for this series. If results were good, they might possibly expand the Diting series.

At the moment when Fang Zhao stepped out of the car, a loud roar emerged from all directions. There were too many people shouting and screaming and it all converged into a hubbub.

Although he was prepared, Yan Biao was still startled for a second. Isn't Boss no longer gaming professionally? Why are these bunch having such a reaction?

Yan Biao had never experienced that time, so he could not understand the fanatical attitudes of gamers. On the other hand, Zuo Yu found it acceptable.

Until now, among "Battle of the Century" gamers, whether professional or amateur, the only person who could be called a god and still maintained a stable position was Fang Zhao!

Although there might be debates on the global scale, in Yanzhou, for the majority of gamers here, Fang Zhao was just a god-tier player.

Furthermore, the members of SilverWing50PolarLight's team had publicly admitted that without Fang Zhao, they would not have seen this day. As a result, Fang Zhao's status had once more been lifted higher.

Furthermore, given the events in the past two years, most gamers felt that the halo around Fang Zhao's body was even brighter. Even if Fang Zhao was no longer in the professional gaming circles, his legacy still lived on.

This event would be broadcast live online, and the members of SilverWing50PolarLight who were en route were also watching Fang Zhao make his appearance.

There were both veterans and newcomers in the team transport arranged by Silver Wing.

"Boss Fang has already arrived!"

"So many people!"

"It's my first time participating in this sort of event. I'm so nervous!'

Two newcomers that had just signed with Silver this year were talking and sharing their thoughts as budding new talents that had just entered the industry.

"This is just a branch event. Wait till you guys go to the Fiery Bird Annual Gala. Let's see whether you freeze up from head to toe then," Schwarzer said. He was already considered a senior in the team.

Hearing Schwarzer say this, the newcomers started asking about previous Fiery Bird Annual Galas. Schwarzer loved talking and explained all this stuff to the newcomers.

Beside him, Jake abruptly said, "I heard that besides being invited as an honored guest, Boss Fang will be conferring an award."

The atmosphere in the room became silent. Even Schwarzer was keeping his mouth shut.

Dorrian added the finishing blow. "In the last half of the year, I think we haven't received any important awards."

Although the half-year region awards could not be compared to awards from the headquarter's annual gala, an award was still an award. Within Yanzou, it still had a sizeable influence. Anyone could see this just by seeing those fans outside Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch tower.

But look at them now.

Newcomer award?

Nope.

Other sorts of individual awards?

Probably none either.

There might be a team award, but it was too close for comfort. Speaking about it was embarrassing.

"Later on, during the awards ceremony, do you think Boss Fang will flip out if he sees that we didn't win an award?" someone asked.

"He wouldn't go that far, right?" Schwarzer said apprehensively.

Back then, it had been Fang Zhao who had brought them over and imparted skills and knowledge to them. Now, though?

Just like a master being invited to a large-scale event and finding out that not a single one of his own apprentices would be among the people to be commended, wouldn't it be very disgraceful?

Thinking about this, everyone in the transport felt their previous enthusiasm dissipating.

"Captain, what should we do?" a newcomer asked Jinro, who was sitting at the front.

Jinro pondered a little before answering, "Just maintaining our lovable selves should do."

Chapter 277: Esteemed Guest Award Presentation

Before the event officially began, the people present could roam freely in the reception hall.

When SilverWing50PolarLight, also known as "SilverLight" in the gaming circles, entered, many eyes turned toward them. Generally, they were more flamboyant, partly due to how young they were on average, and were considered to be much more vivacious. In the past two years, the team's reputation had kept rising.

Within the team, Jinro and the other veteran members had been here so many times that they did not feel any unease.

On the contrary, the eyes of those newcomers were shimmering as they looked at the exhibitions all around. However, they still remembered what Jinro had said, and to avoid being lectured, they had to remain lovable.

In the reception hall, other than professional e-sports athletes, there were some lucky fans that had won a chance to be here through a Fiery Bird raffle and some amateur gamers who had performed exceptionally well and had received invitations. These two groups had even more acute reactions, and their eyes were on the verge of popping out as they got to see all the memorabilia and old machines while they were busy looking for their idols to get autographs.

All of Yanzhou's big e-sports teams were present too.

The organizing team had specifically arranged a place for Fang Zhao so as to facilitate him interacting with fans, signing autographs, taking photos, and talking about his gaming experiences.

SilverLight's members did not go over. First, there were too many people over there, and second, they were too ashamed to go over. They were afraid of getting reprimanded. In the past half a year, they had indeed slacked off. This was an undeniable fact that could be easily seen from the statistics.

After the SilverLight team entered the large reception hall, not just the newcomers, even the extreme chatterbox Schwarzer also became much quieter.

Over at the other side, 2S e-Sports Club had also just entered the reception hall, and they saw their old adversary SilverLight immediately. Right away, they switched to combat mode and waited for the SilverLight team members come over to pick a fight!

But as they waited and waited, the SilverLight team did not come over.

"The SilverLight people are acting weird today," someone said.

The others had also realized this. "Indeed."

Normally, when these two sides met, SilverLight members would start calling them out. However, today, when the SilverLight members had seen them, they had only thrown a passing glance, and that was all? Even if the 2S members provoked the other side, there wasn't even a retaliation. Do they finally know their place?

They must be plotting a big move!

These thoughts were not limited to just 2S. When the other Big Five e-sports clubs saw the situation with SilverLight, they came to the same conclusion. They were wary about what big news SilverLight might announce and made their own mental preparations first. There were even people who reacted quickly and went to investigate and try to uncover whether SilverLight was secretly plotting some large operation.

The 2S manager saw a few of his old friends in the same line and chatted with them passionately, mentioning a fresh talent they had signed this year.

When the Silver Wing gaming department manager, Wayne, who was nearby, heard this, the smile he put on his face appeared somewhat forced.

Back then, they had been the ones poaching happily and even pried away a number of young talents from established e-sports clubs by spending money, creating a lot of animosity. This year, Silver Wing had decided to tone it down and focus on reorganizing the team, letting newcomers to the main team improve their teamwork and coordination. However, they had just relented a little and an even more talented newcomer had been signed by 2S!

In the first half of the year, an exceptional newcomer who had just started university had emerged. His name was Wilkinson, and he had placed first on the newcomer leaderboards. He could very well be the newcomer with the highest score this year.

Wayne was full of regret!

He had wanted to sign Wilkinson early on but had hesitated after some thought. This newcomer's style was too incisive, and Wayne had been considering the pros and cons of signing him to the team. However, before he had been able to come to a decision, 2S had snatched Wilkinson away!

Unlike Wayne, who was regretting, the 2S manager's face was glowing. This year, he had wild ambitions, especially after the very satisfying signing of the capable new talent Wilkinson. This year, their team had also appeared in the limelight a number of times, and if everything went smoothly, they might be the highest-scoring team from Yanzhou this year.

The team manager had just flaunted the newly signed talent, but when he turned around, that talent was nowhere to be seen.

"Eh? Where is Wilkinson?" the 2S manager asked.

A 2S member shrugged while pointing in a certain direction of the reception hall. "There."

The manager looked over and the smile on his face faded.

The other members of 2S didn't look too good either.

In a lapse of concentration, they realized the newly signed talent Wilkinson had run over like a kid to where Fang Zhao was!

"Wilkinson! Get back here right now!" the manager shouted.

With so many people around, it wouldn't seem too appropriate to raise his voice too much, so he could only grunt for Wilkinson to come back.

In the past, they'd had some conflicts with the SilverLight team, especially when it came to Fang Zhao. Nowadays, they could still return some verbal attacks when faced with the other members of the SilverLight team, but when they recalled the incidents with Fang Zhao back then, it was still very embarrassing.

Wilkinson had no idea his new team had these sorts of worries. On the contrary, he was very excited. At the moment, he was getting to see his idol!

Unfortunately, Wilkinson was still dragged back by the combined strength of his teammates.

2S's manager reprimanded him in a hushed tone. "What are you doing over there, joining in the festivities?! If you have that much time, why don't you go and memorize your thank you speech so that you don't forget and freeze up when you collect your award later!"

"Manager, who will be conferring the award for the newcomer half-year leaderboards?" Wilkinson asked.

"No idea. Fiery Bird has yet to reveal it."

"I hope it's going to be Fang Zhao." Wilkinson chirped.

"Shut your mouth!" the manager berated.

Over at the side, after Fang Zhao's interaction session with the fans was over, he headed to the rest lounge that Fiery Bird had arranged. When he entered, he saw someone familiar.

Yanzhou's top-rated actor, Silver Wing S-lister He Lisi, sat on the sofa browsing through a set of game resources.

As he saw Fang Zhao enter, He Lisi smiled and pointed over to a seat beside him. "Little Fang, take a seat and let's have a chat."

When He Lisi had been younger, he had been a professional e-sports athlete for a period of time, but he had shifted his focus to filming. In order to have greater breakthroughs and produce more quality works and strive for the top, he had given up professional gaming. Now he only played occasionally just for fun.

He Lisi also knew some senior employees at Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, but over the years, his interaction with the gaming circles had decreased. He had also not attended Fiery Bird's activities for quite a long time, yet he had appeared today.

"I have been invited over today as an honorary guest to hand out the award for the amateur team category. However, Fiery Bird's people have not revealed this information yet." He Lisi was explaining why he was here today and also telling Fang Zhao not to divulge that he was here before the award ceremony officially began.

Actually, Fang Zhao could also partly guess He Lisi's main reason for appearing as well.

He Lisi was currently vying for an important role in "Founding Era." All his competitors were also people with ability. Recently, He Lisi had been in contact with people from the Wu family, and his appearance here was to garner the support of people in the gaming circles as a bargaining chip of his own.

The award ceremony would be broadcast live. With the publicity operations of the team behind him, He Lisi would be able to gain more popularity. Gamers were also an extremely large category, and gaining support from this group was an advantage in the fight for the role.

However, He Lisi would not talk to Fang Zhao about things from an angle of someone in the film industry.

"Are you really not gaming competitively anymore?" He Lisi asked.

"Not gaming. I don't have the time," Fang Zhao replied.

"Right, people in your industry have to keep building up your experience and qualifications. It is difficult to focus on two things at once. When will you be organizing your next concert? Make sure to let me know when it's time."

"It's still early."

He Lisi thought that Fang Zhao's "It's still early" was him being modest. He Lisi had heard through other means that there were still other pieces inside Fang Zhao's notebook. Even if some were not yet complete, within six months to a year, he would probably be able to organize another concert.

If the copyrights had not been completely sold, a few more concerts could have been held on other continents to publicize those pieces. However, since the copyrights had all been sold, there was no need to have concerts on other continents. Instead, he could focus fully on preparing for his next one.

He Lisi had asked about his next concert but had not made any promises to attend. If he managed to snag the role he was vying for in "Founding Era," he definitely wouldn't be attending Fang Zhao's concert.

Although He Lisi was not from the music circles, he had friends there and understood quite a bit. Thus, he gave Fang Zhao some advice as a senior. "Take advantage of the favorable situation now. You are still young and talented. Seize the moment and prepare for your next concert or pursue your studies. Whether you choose to walk the academic path or the popular path, or even if you choose to go entirely commercial, you still cannot avoid these two steps."

He Lisi's own opinion was that Fang Zhao was just a junior worth being friendly with. He thought that Fang Zhao was competent, but that was all. Furthermore, He Lisi had even more important matters to see to, so he naturally could not pay too much attention to Fang Zhao's matters. What he had just said were words others had told him when they had been talking about Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao chatted with He Lisi for a short while before he received a notification informing him to prepare and head to the main hall. The award ceremony was about to officially begin.

"Oh right, I forgot to ask you. Little Fang, what award are you handing out?" He Lisi asked before they stepped out.

"Newcomer award, to a capable newcomer named Wilkinson," Fang Zhao replied.

He Lisi nodded his head but did not say anything.

Afterward, the awards ceremony began. Awards were handed out in succession, starting in order of least importance with the amateur gamers and then moving to the professional e-sports athletes.

When they saw Fang Zhao standing up as the esteemed guest who would be heading on stage and handing out the newcomer award, the faces of the 2S team members turned green.

As for Wilkinson, after the initial surprise, animated laughter followed.

Seeing the situation, the host asked Wilkinson, "Very excited?"

"Yes! The person I respect most is Fang Zhao!" As he was very excited, Wilkinson had said this so loudly that nobody could pretend not to hear it.

Some snickering broke out among the e-sports clubs off stage, and certain people could not help but burst out laughing.

They all knew that 2S and SilverLight had mutual animosity and could not stand the sight of each other. Now, on stage at this half-year award ceremony, Yanzhou's highly rated top newcomer that 2S had signed had just proclaimed his idol was Fang Zhao!

Given Wilkinson's exuberant manner, it surely wasn't an act.

This was just f*cking embarrassing!

Meanwhile, there were no happy faces at 2S's side. Even forcing a smile was impossible on their currently rigid faces. Now all they could do was rejoice—luckily, the cameras had not been pointing at them.

While on stage, Fang Zhao glanced over at the SilverLight team seated below.

Everyone in the SilverLight team that was taking delight in 2S's disaster simultaneously lowered their heads. Those that didn't maintained their lovable appearance: Boss, I'm not laughing. Really!

Outside the venue.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had some rest time.

Zuo Yu had gone off to chat with his comrade who was currently working as security personnel at this Fiery Bird branch. Yan Biao had seen the security personnel here and had originally wanted to talk to a few. However, he did not expect that after some interaction, there was actually someone who had served on planet Baiji, just at a different outpost. Immediately, they had a camaraderie of sorts.

After all, now they were idle, so the two of them went to the side to exchange stories.

"After getting discharged, someone recommended working here. It's much more relaxing. I can spend more time with my family and there aren't any dangerous missions," that veteran ex-Baiji soldier said.

"Me too. My injuries were too severe, so I had to be discharged." Yan Biao sighed as he recalled the reason for his discharge.

The other ex-Baiji veteran pointed at his colleagues that were currently on patrol duty. "The few right at the front of the path were just like me, only that our military districts were different. After being discharged from the forces, signing on as security personnel with Fiery Bird isn't too bad. The salary is good, and normally, all we have to do is prevent fans from charging in, obstruct reporters, and be wary of fires and thieves. Furthermore, we have so many smart systems and so much equipment, so most of the time we don't get too tired. What about you? From your attire, I'm guessing that you are someone's bodyguard?"

Yan Biao hesitated for a bit while considering the two choices in his head: driver or bodyguard. Nodding his head vigorously, he said, "Yeah! Bodyguard!"

Chapter 278: A Hazard Has Arrived

The other ex-Baiji veteran told Yan Biao, "For today's event, we won't get to go back before 10."

"That late?" Yan Biao looked at the time. It was only a bit after eight, and the awards ceremony had been under way for some time already and would probably conclude in a bit.

"There are other arrangements," the other person said.

Indeed. After the awards ceremony, there was a banquet dinner and wine reception for everyone to interact and foster better relationships.

After the entire thing ended, Fang Zhao was still brought over to get a brief on the follow-up plans for the Diting series products. When everything ended, it was already after 10 p.m.

There were no longer many people outside Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch tower. There were still some reporters stationed there, but after the wine reception, most participants at the event had left through other exits.

Fang Zhao checked his surroundings and found that the SilverLight team had already left on the team transport, so he didn't have to wait. However, when he got to the car park, Fang Zhao met He Lisi once more.

He Lisi had just run into an old friend. He had gone for a chat with his friend and had not left yet.

Fang Zhao noticed that He Lisi was grinning much more than when they had met earlier in the day. Something good had probably happened. Today seemed like a very successful day, and he might possibly have made a breakthrough toward the role he was fighting for in "Founding Era." Otherwise, there was nothing much that could make the normally restrained He Lisi be all smiles.

Seeing Fang Zhao, He Lisi beckoned with his hands, asking Fang Zhao over to talk. Perhaps because he was in high spirits and he had drunk quite a bit of alcohol, having caught sight of a capable and nonthreatening junior from the same company, He Lisi put on the airs of an elder passing on his experiences.

"Little Fang, Uncle is going to tell you some stuff that's for your own good. When you are in these circles, at times when your popularity is exploding, you have to pay attention and be more cool headed and prudent. Also, you should have a team supporting you from the back. Don't throw everything over to them, and make sure you know what's going on. Otherwise, if you encounter some blockheads, you might suffer a heavy blow. Just take a look at that person from Leizhou."

He Lisi's "that person from Leizhou" referred to one of the top actors in Leizhou. Even if Fang Zhao had not seen him online, he had heard Ji Polun mention this person.

That day, Ji Polun had called to congratulate Fang Zhao on his concert and for managing to sell out his copyrights. Ji Polun had also grumbled about the highly intensive work he had been doing recently.

Although the pressure was great and it was tiring, Fang Zhao was able to see that Ji Polun was still very happy, as Ji Polun might possibly get a chance to land a role in the film project "Founding Era." Although it would only be a minor role, it was still an extremely rare chance to come by. This would aid Ji Polun's future development in many aspects.

Ji Polun did not mind this minor role and the little screen time. He understood clearly that given his status within the circles, snatching a role like this was already very rare. It was only because Silver Wing had previously churned out a few period dramas that had raised his global reputation. Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to even be an extra in this film project.

It was rumored that the extras and minor roles in "Founding Era" all had professional training or were outstanding students that had yet to graduate from film academies. There were so many film academies throughout the world, and the extras were selected from among the best. A few large investors made the decisions on these selections, so even if these were minor roles, they were also treasured greatly.

The recent two months had been a crucial period, and many second- and third-rate celebrities were continuously trying their best to appear as much as possible and make their presence felt. Top-tier film stars were engaged in fierce competitions that had many unpredictable changes.

Top-tier film stars were all rushing over for the major roles. The level of "Founding Era" was too high and they needed to exercise prudence. Because, for this project, given their status, a moment of carelessness might scorch them.

The person that He Lisi was talking about was a certain top-tier actor from Leizhou who had been about to sign the contract for the role but had not watched his mouth. This actor had gloated about it on a live broadcast and been flamed by Zaro.

Actually, it was also partly due to the team behind this actor being too brash and feeling that there was nothing wrong in showing off a little on a live broadcast. However, the originally trivial matter had blown up and caused a large stir in Leizhou's entertainment industry news.

Zaro had not been able to get any of the leading roles he had been looking at in "Founding Era" and hadn't been satisfied with the minor roles that his agent had managed to arrange. When he had gone online and seen someone gloating, he hadn't been pleased. Zaro had felt that it was beneath him to flame second- or third-rate celebrities—those were free to do as they pleased—but for first-rate ones, Zaro could not stand it.

Zaro was being sour. "It's just a role in a 10-plus episode series. I don't get why you have to be so proud."

These words were already considered mild coming from Zaro. Over at Leizhou, experienced people all knew that when encountering this sort of situation, all they had to do was treat it as a fart. After all, it would be forgotten really quickly. However, perhaps being complacent and letting their heads swell, the team from that film star's studio rebutted with a few lines of their own and stirred up a hornet's nest.

Others joined in the fray, perhaps fans of the other party or certain people who wanted to take advantage of the situation and criticize Zaro.

"Go ahead if you are so capable! Given your exaggerated acting skills, can you even get into 'Founding Era' just to join in the fun?"

"Look at the Woo family's Woo Tianhao, who has a similar background. He can act as a young Great General Woo Tong. Lazhou's Barbara can even act as a little princess. But what about you, Zaro?"

"Let's not talk about acting as Great General Renault. Let's talk about roles slightly better than extras. Which can you even take on? Not a single one!"

"Cough, nothing but a tyrannical piece of trash who basks in the glory of his family."

Zaro's thoughts were like this:

Anything else is fine, but don't ever call me the trash of the family!

How dare you compare me to Woo Tianhao and Barbara, those two idiots?

Rage!

Unbearable!

Thus, this meant war.

Zaro and the other party's fans started tearing into each other.

Over at Leizhou, cyber bystanders felt as if they were watching an interesting drama that had new episodes every day, and they were very excited. When they saw a side looking feeble, they would hurriedly rush over and lend their voices to that side. And when the other side's arguments were looking weak, they would lend their support.

Other companies were delighted when they saw this. After all, one less film star that threatened their company meant one more chance for themselves. Even if the cyber bystanders did not do anything, these companies would also add fire to the flames themselves.

According to entertainment reports from Leizhou, after the flame war escalated, that film star who had been on the verge of getting the role ultimately saw it fly out of his grasp.

According to Leizhou entertainment reports, after that film star received news about losing the role, he puked blood in anger and was rushed to the hospital. It was not known whether this was real or not or whether it had been exaggerated, but in any case, losing the role at the last moment, even if he had not puked blood, he would have at least suffered some internal injuries.

This trended in the Leizhou entertainment circles and the news every day was even better than a drama series. Over at Yanzhou, there were also quite a lot of people paying attention to this. Every day, they would go online to see how the story had developed and which side had won the latest round of flaming.

Thus, He Lisi had borrowed the incident at Leizhou to remind Fang Zhao to always take note of his conduct. Stirring up stuff was fine, but there was a need to be thorough and exercise prudence. There were many more people waiting for a chance to drag one down.

He Lisi said all this in good faith. Regardless how much other stuff was mixed in with these kind intentions, Fang Zhao acknowledged it.

Fang Zhao gave his thanks and He Lisi started to leave, but he turned around once more. "Oh, there is one more thing I nearly forgot to say. Be careful of those entertainment reporters. I have a feeling that some people snuck in, and there is probably someone lying in ambush at this car park. Even if you aren't in front of the masses, you still have to pay attention to your image."

"I sense it too," Fang Zhao replied.

"All right then. Don't get complacent thinking that your performance during military service was good. Some entertainment reporters are even more difficult to handle compared to special forces soldiers." He Lisi did not say much else. He returned to his own car and got his driver to set off. His schedule was still rather tight.

Cars were leaving the car park.

"Boss, shall we head back?" Zuo Yu asked.

Fang Zhao went into the car and changed to clothing that was less conspicuous before coming out. "You guys go back first. Return straight to your own homes. I still have matters to attend to, so you don't have to send me."

It was already 11 p.m. The city center was still very bright. Qi'an City was another world at night, not the least bit cold and lifeless.

But at night in this flourishing city, there were also some hidden dangers, especially for celebrities.

Many entertainment paparazzi would catch negative news of celebrities, and a lot of the time, it was at night.

Drinking and driving, personal affairs, or participating in certain illicit activities. What entertainment reporters loved most was catching celebrities when their image wasn't proper.

If it was any other celebrity's bodyguards, they would inevitably advise against it and express worry.

What if someone robbed him? Even in Qi'an City, there were cases of robbery and murder.

Furthermore, in recent times, Fang Zhao's exposure rate on the internet had been really high. With so much news about him, many people would recognize that face of his. Forget about being robbed, if he was recognized in a public location, it would be even more troublesome.

However, in this case, all Zuo Yu and Yan Biao needed to do was obediently reply with a "Got it, Boss."

After the car they were in had left Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch's internal car park, Zuo Yu asked Yan Biao, "What do you reckon Boss is up to after changing his clothes? Could it be a secret tryst?"

"How would I know?" Yan Biao was also curious, but he also understood that this was Fang Zhao's own private business, so they would not pry.

Let it be. It's time to head home and sleep

A gloomy and mellow voice sang from the online radio channel playing on the car's stereo system. "Ahh~~~ salted fish, why are you so idle!"

"Did you hear that?" Yan Biao asked.

"What?"

"The sound of our hearts being pricked."

Zuo Yu's face was stiff as he switched channels.

At the same moment, at the Fiery Bird Yanzhou branch, a figure speedily left the carpark.

An hour later.

A certain old residential block in Qi'an City.

Wang Tie opened the door with a heavy heart. Inside the apartment, there were already two people inside waiting.

"Master, aren't you too slow?"

"We have already been back for half an hour, and you only return now. Did you encounter something along the way?"

Among these two people, one of them was an apprentice that Wang Tie had newly accepted: Xiao Bo. He was someone Wang Tie had met while serving his prison term on a foreign planet, and Wang Tie had even saved his life once. Now that Xiao Bo had returned after his prison term, he was tagging along with Wang Tie.

The other one was Wang Tie's godson, Fu Rui. One of the reasons Wang Tie had acknowledged him as a godson was because his name sounded very auspicious. This child's ability and fortune weren't too bad, and Wang Tie lacked assistants, so he had taken his godson in.

There hadn't been that much stuff going on on planet Wai, so Wang Tie had returned. The two had followed Wang Tie for some time and taken advantage of the attention that "Founding Era" received to complete some jobs, and they had tasted sweet success.

Today, Wang Tie would not have headed over to Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch but for these two. One was tracking He Lisi, while the other was very interested in e-sports and wanted to join in the fun and gain experience. Wang Tie also couldn't let these two new hands fend for themselves, so he had clenched his teeth and gone too.

At the car park, when they had seen He Lisi talking to Fang Zhao, Wang Tie had forbidden Xiao Bo from continuing to track He Lisi and had immediately given the signal to retreat!

The three had scattered. Although the two hadn't been sure of the reason, they had still followed Wang Tie's orders and hurried back.

"Master, you are just too worried and overly fearful. It's just that Fang Zhao. I don't see anything special from him. Don't be afraid. If you happen to run into him, I'll help you handle it!"

Having served a prison sentence on a foreign planet and having experienced actual battlefields, Xiao Bo could not understand this reaction from Wang Tie. In all other aspects, he still admired Wang Tie greatly, but he felt that Wang Tie's reactions where Fang Zhao was concerned were excessive.

Fu Rui also chimed in. "Yes, Godfather, we don't have to be afraid. Brother Bo can fight really well. That one time, he even took on five in the black streets!"

Wang Tie sank into the sofa and sighed. "You guys are still too young to understand. In this line of work, although money flows in quickly, there are also hazards too."

As an entertainment reporter with a wealth of experience and an elite in this industry, Wang Tie trusted his own judgment. Ever since he had left Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch, he had been feeling uneasy, and his eyelids kept twitching. He had an ominous premonition.

Xiao Bo and Fui Rui continued talking, but Wang Tie wasn't in the mood to listen to their chatter. He shut his eyes to ponder over this matter.

Noticing Wang Tie doing so, Xiao Bo and Fu Rui no longer talked about this and instead discussed their recent earnings. This film project "Founding Era" had really stimulated too many celebrities. Some certain people who normally exercised restraint had also made moves and given them opportunities. Within the last week, they had already managed to strike thrice and had earned a considerable sum each time.

Xiao Bo looked at his own bank accord and felt glad in his heart. Turning to Wang Tie beside him, he said, "Master, you keep saying that there are hazards in this line of work, but I feel that it is really meaningful, and the money is good." Xiao Bo just loved seeing those celebrities in exasperated and helpless states.

At this moment, the doorbell rang.

Wang Tie's eyes shot open violently.

Generally, they didn't get any visitors at this sort of place.

The three of them who had been relaxing a moment ago all tensed up. Xiao Bo took out his dagger, got up, and prepared to open the door, but Wang Tie raised his hands to stop Xiao Bo.

"Fu Rui, go check it out," Wang Tie said.

Fu Rui walked to the door but did not open it right away. Instead, he turned on the surveillance system and looked at the situation outside being displayed on the screen. He turned around with a long face and told Wang Tie, "A hazard has arrived."

Chapter 279: This Matter, Should We Do I

Wang Tie saw the image displayed on the screen and scratched his head in frustration. After considering for a bit, he said, "Open the door."

Fu Rui was worried. "Godfather, should I really open it? Do we need to check whether there are other people nearby as well?"

"No need, open it." Wang Tie knew that if Fang Zhao really wanted to deal with him, it wouldn't have taken so long. Furthermore, Fang Zhao wouldn't be gently pressing the doorbell.

Fu Rui had no choice, so he listened to Wang Tie and opened the door. Afterward, he rapidly retreated, afraid to get beaten.

If it were any other celebrity, Fu Rui wouldn't have behaved this way, but because he had followed Wang Tie for a while and knew that Wang Tie was afraid of Fang Zhao, Fu Rui kept his guard up.

Actually, before this, Fu Rui had not thought much of Fang Zhao. Surely Fang Zhao wasn't as impressive as what the news reports made him out to be, nor was he as frightening as Wang Tie had said. However, at this point in time, he felt that he needed to reevaluate.

Ever since he had started following Wang Tie as an entertainment reporter and begun secretly filming celebrities, it had always been them stalking and stopping stars. This was really the first time that a star had come and confronted them at home. This feeling was really complicated.

Fang Zhao stepped inside, his gaze lightly sweeping Xiao Bo and Fu Rui before he looked at Wang Tie, who was leaning against the sofa.

The first sentence Fang Zhao said after entering the apartment made Wang Tie feel like kneeling down. "I have been looking for you lately."

Wang Tie howled in his heart: You can start preparing for your next concert. Why do you have to look for me?!

Fu Rui and Xiao Bo stared at Fang Zhao, flabbergasted, then turned to look at Wang Tie. They found Fang Zhao being able to recognize Wang Tie with one glance inconceivable. Normally, if Wang Tie did not voluntarily reveal his identity, even they found it difficult to recognize him.

Today, Wang Tie had put on an identity he had not used before, and the makeup was good. However, Wang Tie had already gotten used to Fang Zhao being able to recognize him, so he didn't think much of it.

As Fang Zhao walked further inside the apartment, Xiao Bo's eyes flashed, and a grim smile appeared on his lips. His entire body seemed liked a crouching leopard as he pounced, darting toward Fang Zhao.

However, the dagger that Xiao Bo clutched in his hand stopped an arm's length away from Fang Zhao.

A gun was pointed toward Xiao Bo's forehead.

The atmosphere in the apartment suddenly turned chilly.

All along, Xiao Bo had always thought that he was a very good fighter, but no matter how well he could fight, he couldn't beat the speed of a bullet!!

Throughout this entire process, Fang Zhao hadn't even looked at Xiao Bo.

Stepping in, Fang Zhao knew right away that this raw young reporter was unlike other entertainment reporters. He had experience and was battle-tested and unruly. Thus, to let this young reporter know his place, Fang Zhao had needed to intimidate him right from the start.

Everything had gone as Fang Zhao had expected. If Fang Zhao had used words instead, Xiao Bo would really not have been afraid of the consequences and would definitely have tested Fang Zhao a few more times. However, right now, Xiao Bo no longer dared to try anything funny.

Yes, both parties might not have shown a genuine intent to kill and might have just been sounding each other out on their first meeting, but... Perhaps it was the cold air from the air conditioner, or perhaps it was his own imagination, but Xiao Bo felt that even the lights within the apartment seemed to have a terrifying chill.

He had nearly forgotten that this individual had lawful gun ownership rights.

Wang Tie's taut cheek muscles moved, as if a solid piece of rock had finally melted. Laughing, he called out, "Xiao Bo."

Xiao Bo looked Wang Tie in the eye and could see what Wang Tie's expression was indicated. He put the dagger away and backed off.

Fang Zhao also put away his gun before walking to a chair and sitting down. He was clearly calmer than all three of the hosts.

Fu Rui, who was standing stiffly to the side, felt that he needed to liven up the atmosphere. Looking around, he prepared a plate of melon seeds from a cupboard and placed it on the coffee table in front of Fang Zhao. "Big God, do you crack melon seeds?"

Anyone hearing that way of address could tell that this fellow loved games. Now, only gaming fans addressed Fang Zhao this way.

Fu Rui loved playing games, but he wasn't too deeply engrossed and did not go so far as to worship Fang Zhao. He just wanted to liven up the atmosphere and get rid of the awkward silence.

After placing the plate of melon seeds, Fu Rui went to bring a cup of tea over.

"Big God, have some tea."

Fang Zhao smiled. "Thank you."

Fu Rui looked at that warm smiling face and thought to himself that if the situation just before had not happened, he would have thought that Fang Zhao would be really easy to deal with!

Wang Tie mentally filtered out the list of assignments he had accepted recently and confirmed that he had not provoked Fang Zhao. Or could it be that some celebrity had looked up Fang Zhao to help intercede?

That just wouldn't do.

In any case, he was the so-called Paparazzi King of Yanzhou. Didn't he have his own dignity? How could he let stuff that he had worked hard to photograph go to waste? If anyone wished to purchase these photographs back, it was fine. If they wanted to lower the price, it was still doable, but it couldn't be overly excessive!

In that short moment, Wang Tie had already decided on his response should the situation be like that.

Regardless of what his inner thoughts were, he could not show any weakness on the outside, or it would seem as if he had a guilty conscience.

Wang Tie had just decided to not wilt under pressure when he heard Fang Zhao ask, "I have a business deal for you. Do you accept?"

Flabbergasted, Wang Tie's brows scrunched up. He had not expected that Fang Zhao would actually look him up just to discuss business, that Fang Zhao was not here to intercede on behalf of other celebrities.

However, Wang Tie also did not immediately accept. "Let's hear it."

"Nova Roman."

Not long ago, the "Founding Era" film project team had confirmed that Nova Roman would assume the role of lead director of this project, and he would also have the authority to select actors and actresses.

As a top-notch director with worldwide acclaim, Nova Roman had both authority and background. He wasn't afraid of offending any first-rate or top-tier superstars, but he did not like being disturbed. Thus, before the list of names on the directorial team had been announced, Nova Roman had intelligently gone into hiding.

There were frequent claims online about people having seen this lead director of the revolutionary film project somewhere. However, whether these people were deliberately making things up to gain attention or whether it was Nova Roman's own diversionary smokescreens, nobody knew for certain.

This time, Wang Tie was genuinely curious.

"Aren't you in the music scene? What do you need his information for? Could it be that you really want to act? Or are you helping your company's people ask?"

Fang Zhao did not answer, instead asking, "Do you accept?"

Wang Tie considered it for a longer time.

Fang Zhao did not disturb him, waiting quietly.

Two minutes later.

Wang Tie wrote down a figure.

Fang Zhao glanced at it. "Sure."

"I accept!" Wang Tie was straightforward this time around.

His professional work was not just limited to Yanzhou, and his contacts and network were not just limited to one continent. As long as it was within the entertainment circles, unless he did not wish to investigate, there was nothing he felt he could not uncover. All he needed was to put in more effort and resources. Furthermore, all along, he had been studying the trends of this lead director, and he already had some leads.

Wang Tie's plan after obtaining precise information had been to sell it at a premium to certain ambitious stars who were vying for roles. However, since Fang Zhao had already looked him up and been quick to offer him a reasonable price, Wang Tie agreed to sell this information to Fang Zhao.

"How long do you need?" Fang Zhao asked.

"If you only want his range of current movements, I can give you an approximate region for where he is right now. If you want his exact location, I will need two days," Wang Tie replied.

After Wang Tie had told Fang Zhao the region that Director Roman was in, Fang Zhao transferred half the agreed fee to Wang Tie's account. The other half would be transferred after Wang Tie found the exact location and informed Fang Zhao.

After deciding to strive for a role, Fang Zhao had thought of Wang Tie, the Yanzhou Paparazzi King. With regards to the entertainment circles, Wang Tie was much more familiar and had a strong perception of people and trends in this industry. Indeed, Wang Tie was superior in this aspect. Fang Zhao also knew that Wang Tie had already returned back to Yanzhou from planet Wai and had been to Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch. Thus, Fang Zhao had followed him back.

Having received satisfactory information, Fang Zhao left quickly and let Wang Tie and his team have some time to work.

After Fang Zhao left, the rigid and forced smile on Wang Tie's face faded away. His eyelids drooped as he stared at the cup of cool tea on the coffee table.

Knocking his fingers on the sides of the cup, Wang Tie studied the ripples that appeared within. Wang Tie's intuition reckoned that this time, the big news would create ripples in the entertainment circles. However, would he follow up? If he really obtained any information, what would he do?

Xiao Bo checked their account immediately after Fang Zhao left. When Fang Zhao had still been here, it had been slightly inconvenient to check on it. After confirming the money was in, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Seeing the sum of money that had just been transferred into the account, Xiao Bo sighed. "Master, this isn't a hazard. It's an opportunity!"

Wang Tie stared at him from the corner of his eyes. "You don't know shit!"

"Yes, yes, yes. Whatever Master says is always right!" Xiao Bo giggled, but afterward, he composed himself. "Now I really know why master has said so much about a person like Fang Zhao. It's best we keep some distance from him."

To locate Wang Tie and even track him back home, this was not something anyone could do.

Taking deep breaths, Wang Tie said, "This place is no longer usable. Let's switch to a new place."

There was no longer any sense of security here. He really did not want to see Fang Zhao's face appear when he opened the door. Furthermore, what if Fang Zhao sold his address?

They had too many enemies. The number of celebrities that had paid them off in order to reveal dirt could not be counted even with the fingers on all three pairs of their hands. What would they do if someone found out this address and came looking for revenge?

You might be able to take on five at once, but what would you do if it was 50?

Thus, to be safe, it would be best to switch to a new base of operations.

After all, this was just a temporary dwelling. When they were out on assignment, they might spend days staying at different places, so there wasn't a sense of belonging and there was no reluctance to leave.

A crafty rabbit has three burrows. They had many more places they could use.

"What were you thinking about, Godfather? You looked as though you were at a loss," Fu Rui said.

Wang Tie gaze furtively swept the surroundings before he used a hand to beckon the other two over.

Noticing Wang Tie behaving this way, the two immediately check the doors and windows and even brought out some sensor equipment to sweep the apartment to ensure that there were no recording devices. After examining the place, they gathered over at Wang Tie's spot.

"Master/Godfather, what are your instructions?"

Wang Tie paused for a moment, then said, "Given my many years of experience in this line and my acute professional senses, I surmise that a huge piece of news might emerge. Now, I am hesitating, whether or not to get this news scoop? If we really go ahead and get the scoop, there might be danger involved."

Hearing this, Fu Rui and Xiao Bo moved a little closer and asked in muted voices, "How dangerous?"

"The 'Fang Zhao appearing on our doorstep again' kind of dangerous," Wang Tie replied.

"Hisss—" Fu Rui took a deep breath. In his mind, he could still clearly remember the situation where Fang Zhao had pointed the gun at Xiao Bo. Discussing businesses and news scoops were not the same. What would happen if Fang Zhao really opened fire in fury?

Xiao Bo also nodded his head in agreement. "That is very dangerous." Having a gun pointed at his forehead hadn't been a nice experience.

How rare, a famous entertainment reporter and the elite team under him were actually afraid of a celebrity turning the tables and knocking on their own doors?!

"So... Master, the big news you talked about, how big will it be? What sort of level?" Xiao Bo asked again.

"The 'something that could shock the entire world's entertainment circle' sort of level."

Both of them exhaled simultaneously. "Hissss—"

"What do you guys think about this matter? Should we do it?" Wang Tie asked.

"Do it!"a direct translation for 狡兔三窟

Chapter 280: What Is He up to Again

Just as many people had expected, after Fiery Bird's Yanzhou branch's half-year event concluded, on that very night itself, lots of media outlets joined in the festivities and stirred up news. These outlets edited the part of the segment where the newcomer award was handed out and made it into a video with captions and added special effects.

Wilkinson's voice was clear and resounding: "The person I worship most is Fang Zhao!"

And the "thank you" speech after receiving the award also became a topic that people made fun of.

All Wilkinson had had to do was memorize the thank you speech that his company had prepared for him and recite it on stage, but Fang Zhao just had to be the esteemed guest conferring the award.

After Wilkinson thanked his company, his teammates, his parents, he gave a very emotional thank you to Fang Zhao...

Everyone from 2S wanted to puke blood. What are you thanking him for?! The speech we prepared for you doesn't contain this line!

If words, once spoken, could be swallowed back, 2S e-Sports Club's manager would probably have held Wilkinson down and forced him to eat his words.

A pity that this was not possible.

During the live broadcast, the cameras had not been pointed toward 2S, and their weird and complicated expressions had not been broadcast. Fiery Bird was not an entertainment news outlet and they took 2S's reputation into consideration. After all, 2S was a respectable and well-known e-sports club, so Fiery Bird ought to give them some face.

Of course, Fiery Bird's people knew that even if they did not generate these topics, entertainment reporters on the scene would disseminate this news. These entertainment reporters were just so good at starting a prairie fire from a little spark.

Thus, Fiery Bird just needed to uphold their professionalism and leave the rest to others in the industry.

As they had expected, many reporters took advantage of this opportunity. The live broadcast cameras might not have captured the moment, but these professional reporters had their own equipment!

Not only were these videos high definition, but they were from all sorts of angle and had been captured perfectly. Besides the scenes during the award ceremony, they had even filmed circumstances in the wine reception after the presentation, when Wilkinson had sought out Fang Zhao for an autograph.

These materials from various sources were taken and edited together with portions of the live broadcast and compiled as a news video, and the circulation rate was rising continuously. Now, everyone in the Yanzhou gaming circles knew that the fresh talent that 2S had signed, Wilkinson, this mid-year newcomer king who might very well be the newcomer of the year, was officially a Fang Zhao fan.

"Hahaha, this year's newcomers are really interesting."

"I can imagine 2S's manager's face turning as black as the bottom of a pot."

"However, speaking of this, there are indeed many e-sports athletes that adore Fang Zhao, but the only one willing to say it out loud in this sort of circumstances is Wilkinson."

"Someone please recount the animosity and grudges between SilverLight and 2S. I have almost forgotten it all already."

"Since Wilkinson is a fan of Fang Zhao, why did he sign with 2S instead of going to Silver Wing?"

"He was probably intercepted by 2S."

"Now this situation is just embarrassing. Those SilverLight guys are probably laughing their heads off."

At 2S e-Sports Club. Many of their members and staff had seen this news.

Wilkinson's movements in gameplay might be sharp, but when it came to dealings and handling affairs with other people, he wasn't that smart. It was as if all his IQ and EQ was used for the game and not even a tenth was available for other aspects. When it came to reality, some of the stuff he did was really stupid.

Otherwise, Wilkinson wouldn't have been so easily swayed into signing a contract with 2S, and even a long-term one at that. The contract had especially strict clauses regarding switching teams just to guard against Wilkinson running over to Silver Wing in a moment of madness.

The manager of 2S felt his head hurt as he saw all the reports online. Whatever, others can laugh all they want. SilverLight is not able to get anything for this. After all, at the start, Wilkinson's first choice had been SilverLight, but the Silver Wing gaming department manager didn't grab the chance. In any case, it was 2S that had unearthed a gem.

In the beginning, Wilkinson's first choice had indeed been SilverWing50PolarLight, but Wayne had been considering it from the point of a team and had hesitated for a few days. During this hesitation, 2S had swooped in and grabbed this talented sapling. This was the reason Wayne looked so full of regret whenever Wilkinson was mentioned.

While other e-sports clubs and netizens were watching and joking about this, over at Silver Wing, this wasn't the case. The SilverLight team, from the gaming department manager all the way to the e-sports athletes at the bottom, was not as merry as the outside world thought them to be. Instead, the atmosphere here was rather solemn.

On the morning after the event, Wayne had just arrived at his office and sat down before he made a call to Fang Zhao. "As the event ended too late yesterday, I wasn't able to look for you. I wish to talk with you about the problems regarding the team."

The team had signed a number of people in the last two years. The team's results were decent, and they were the most successful e-sports team ever produced by a Yanzhou mixed entertainment company, which was something to be proud of.

But in the last year, some team members had been negligent in their training and had slightly inflated egos. Wayne himself was not feared by the team members. Previously, because Fang Zhao had been undergoing military service followed by preparing for his concert, Wayne had not disturbed him, but now, finally, the occasion had arrived.

Wayne spoke continuously for half an hour. All that he said could be summarized in a single sentence: These little fellas have to be put in order.

After he had finished talking, Wayne heard Fang Zhao reply with one line: "Got it."

Although he had only received a two-word reply after talking nonstop for half an hour, Wayne was still very satisfied. He felt much better now compared to the terrible mood he had been in after the Wilkinson situation.

When the staff in the gaming department saw how much Wayne's mood had changed in 30 minutes, they were astonished.

"Did our manager just have something good happen to him? He seems in rather high spirits."

"I keep feeling that his smile seems a little creepy."

Silver Wing tower 50th floor.

A few newcomers were looking at the online comments of videos from yesterday's event.

"Hahahaha, captain, you guys take a look. These netizen's comments are real funny. Those 2S people's expressions really look as though they are suffering from constipation. I reckon that they must be fuming with rage, haha..." The few newcomers were laughing heartily when they suddenly realized that their seniors did not look at all happy. "Captain, you guys, what's wrong?"

Even the normally outspoken hulk of a man, Milo, was silently staring out of the window. His eyes appeared blank, like he was slightly distressed.

Jake leaned back in his chair and coldly said, "Do you think we can run away?"

The newcomers were puzzled. "Run away... from what?"

Ding—

A notification from the chat group.

Team Captain Jinro's face twitched as he opened the message. "It's here."

All the members of the team hurriedly opened the chat group and saw that AliveAfter500Years, who rarely spoke, had sent a message.

In typical Fang Zhao fashion, a set of coordinates and a time—that was all.

Vice Captain Dorrian winced as though his teeth hurt.

Schwarzer wailed in anguish.

The older batch of SilverLight members recalled the experience they'd once had.

These perplexing reactions by their seniors made the newcomers even more nervous.

"Senior Schwarzer, why are you rubbing your chest?" a newcomer asked.

Schwarzer looked as though he was reliving a terrifying nightmare. "It hurts. My innards were all shaken up."

"Actually, Senior Fang Zhao doesn't look all that frightening," a newcomer said.

When the senior members heard this, they all simultaneously replied with a "hehe."

On this day, the members of the SilverLight team did not shirk their duties. Many people realized that in the late morning, the members of the gaming team had been full of vigor, but in the afternoon, every single one of them was listless. Even those few lively ones were very silent.

After that, everyone discovered that the SilverLight team had suddenly begun to be spirited. The cocksure swagger that had been cultivated over the past two years had also dwindled. It was as if the team had returned to when they had first been established.

Wayne was satisfied when he saw the team's current drive. Indeed, he should go looking for Fang Zhao from time to time. This bunch of people needed to be flogged once in a while.

Elsewhere, after Fang Zhao logged off, he passed the gaming helmet to Curly Hair.

As his 10th-gen console had been moved to the office, he only had a Fiery Bird gaming helmet at his residence. Normally, Curly Hair was the one playing it.

Shortly after leaving the gaming room, Fang Zhao received some information from Wang Tie.

Wang Tie had said he would need two days, but not even a day later, he had already found it.

Fang Zhao took down Nova Roman's detailed location before contacting Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. "Pack your stuff. Prepare to head to a faraway place tomorrow."

To a faraway place meant that perhaps an extended stay away might be needed.

"Boss, where are we headed?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Teasandsea."

Teasandsea was the name of a small island affiliated with MaErSizhou.

The next morning, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao both brought travel suitcases.

"Boss, I have applied for a flying transport from the company. We can set off anytime." Zuo Yu said.

Noticing Curly Hair pacing up and down, Yan Biao asked, "Are we bringing Curly Hair?"

"Bring him out to run," Fang Zhao replied. Curly Hair needed to be active. Ever since returning home, Curly Hair had spent a lot of time gaming. This wasn't good, and he still needed to head out to move around.

As he was speaking, Fang Zhao received a call, so he turned and headed into his study.

Watching Fang Zhao enter the study to answer the call, Zuo Yu excitedly told Yan Biao, "It's Teasandsea! That place is a great vacation destination. I have never been there before."

"We are bodyguards. We have to remain responsible and diligent; we cannot covet the pleasures in life!" Yan Biao replied.

"A benefit of being Fang Zhao's bodyguard is that you can travel everywhere. In my first year being his bodyguard, I traveled to all 12 continents."

"What for?"

"Probably to seek inspiration. At that time, Boss had accepted an assignment to compose an accompaniment piece for a game. I followed him as he visited every continent's Cemetery of Martyrs. However, we still visit each Cemetery of martyrs every year. You will come along next time too," Zuo Yu said.

"This time, what is Boss heading to Teasandsea for?" Yan Biao asked.

"How would I know? Wherever Boss points to, we go to, no questions asked. Furthermore, given my experience, I reckon that the two of us will not get any chances to show off our capabilities during this trip to Teasandsea."

"And why is that?"

"What do you think our assignment is supposed to be when we reach Teasandsea?"

Yan Biao had a puzzled expression. "What are you trying to say?"

Zuo Yu pointed at the excitable Curly Hair. "To walk the dog."

At the moment, in Silver Wing tower.

Duan Qianji opened an application for a vacation in her email inbox.

It was from Fang Zhao.

A vacation? What does "return date undetermined" mean?

If the preparations for the concert a while back had been too tiring, heading out to relax a little was fine, but "return date undetermined" was a little subtle.

If it was because he wanted to prepare for his next concert and wanted to go elsewhere to gain inspiration, that was also understandable.

Whether it was a short vacation to relax or to prepare for his next concert, Duan Qianji would surely approve of it, but she had her doubts. When she called Fang Zhao to inquire, Fang Zhao only replied that he was going on a trip to Teasandsea.

Teasandsea was a tourist destination. Many people loved having holidays there. When she first heard it, she didn't think there was anything special.

But Duan Qianji kept feeling that something wasn't right.

Because every time Fang Zhao went on vacation, he created a stir. How big or small the matter was was directly proportional to the length of his vacation.

So, this time, what exactly was Fang Zhao up to?

Contemplating for half a day, Duan Qianji asked her secretary, "Is there any big news that I am unaware of?"

Duan Qianji's secretary was very clear what Duan Qianji meant by "big news." Thus, she very calmly replied, "All the big news in recent times has already been arranged and sent to you."

"Only these?"

"At present, that's all."

Having received this reply, Duan Qianji still felt rather uneasy.

"Keep an eye on Teasandsea."

Chapter 281: Poisoned

Teasandsea was an island that had formed naturally during the Period of Destruction. It was a small area, but the landscape was very beautiful and it was one of the top tourist destinations in the world. The only problem was that expenses here were high.

At Teasandsea, just by taking a stroll, one would get to see many famous people from the sporting world and film industry and other elites from every continent.

Here, if a certain celebrity was spotted, some people might express slight astonishment or perhaps calmly say, "Oh, isn't so and so?"

And that was all.

Aside from the celebrity factor, on Teasandsea island, there were three things that were especially famous, the three things that made up its name: tea, sand, and sea.

Tea leaves offered by hotels here were all produced locally. Inside the rooms, there were hourglasses that had an implicit classical charm to them. The sand used inside was native to the island and was a golden yellow that was more dazzling than sand from other places. The seascape was also beautiful.

Zuo Yu sat beside the window, enjoying life and sipping tea. Afterward, he poured some dog food into Curly Hair's bowl.

A short while later, Yan Biao returned from working out at the gym.

"I saw a number of stars in the gym. Our boss really isn't considered a big deal here," Yan Biao said.

Fang Zhao would not cause too much of a splash here with his status. Furthermore, people here on Teasandsea were already immune to celebrities. At most, if they came across their own idols, they would go over to chat or maybe take a photo. There wouldn't be any crazy fanatical actions. Besides, the police and security allocated here were sufficient, and this lightened the workload of bodyguards.

In the three days that they had been here, besides heading out to walk the dog, they hadn't needed to do anything else. Just as Zuo Yu had predicted, it really seemed like they were here just to walk the dog.

Every day, Fang Zhao would head out, but he would not bring along Zuo Yu or Yan Biao. The two of them did not complain either, because on the first day, Fang Zhao had really brought them along without saying much, just letting the two follow him.

Five hours later, they had lost him.

At first, Fang Zhao appeared as if he was just taking a stroll, but as though he had seen someone, in a flash, the two bodyguards had lost sight of him.

Shameful.

Now, if Fang Zhao did not bring them along, they were too ashamed to say anything. Walking the dog? So be it.

In the afternoon, Fang Zhao returned.

In the three days he had been here, he had been investigating Director Nova Roman's movements and trends as well as the director's recent emotional state.

Wang Tie's information even had the confirmed location of the hotel and the room number, so finding Nova Roman had been easy. Even if Wang Tie had only been able to confirm that Roman was on this island, Fang Zhao had his own ways of locating Roman.

In addition, regarding this matter, Wang Tie was especially proactive, as if he had been afraid that Fang Zhao would not be able to find who he was looking for. Every day, Wang Tie would send new information to Fang Zhao. The reason Wang Tie gave for his proactiveness was that he was a dedicated entertainment reporter. As for what the truth behind his motives was, Fang Zhao was well aware of that.

Fang Zhao told Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, "Tomorrow one of you will be following me out. We will be away for four days and three nights."

The moment an assignment was mentioned, the two perked up. However, only one person could go; it was still rather competitive.

"Where to?" Yan Biao asked. After clarifying the nature of the assignment, only then could they decide who was more suitable.

"Teaseasand's no. 9 cruise ship," Fang Zhao said.

"I'm familiar with cruises. I shall go," Zuo Yu offered without delay.

Yan Biao did not know as much about this as Zuo Yu. In the past, he had lived on an outpost at planet Baiji for too long, He wasn't familiar with cruise ships and the like. However, because he did not understand such things, he wanted to go even more!

"It's your turn to walk the dog tomorrow," Yan Biao reminded Zuo Yu.

"You can take over the duties first."

"Nope."

Noticing that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu could not come to terms, Fang Zhao said, "You guys have 10 seconds to decide."

Upon hearing the 10 seconds, they could not continue to argue. Zuo Yu looked Yan Biao in the eye and said, "Tiebreaker!"

The so-called "tiebreaker" was rock-paper-scissors, best of three. It appeared that these two had used this "tiebreaker" many times before.

The next morning, Fang Zhao brought the rock-paper-scissors victor Zuo Yu as they boarded Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9. Yan Biao stayed behind at the hotel. His responsibility was to walk the dog.

Fang Zhao decided to go on the cruise because he knew that Director Nova Roman would be on it. Also, Nova Roman would be auctioning off a beryl gemstone.

Fang Zhao had shown Director Roman's information to Zuo Yu. Zuo Yu also knew his own assignment. Fang Zhao did not need someone to follow beside him, but should Zuo Yu catch sight of Director Roman anywhere, he had to let Fang Zhao know immediately.

Fang Zhao did not watch Zuo Yu closely after boarding the cruise. Zuo Yu could actually go crazy and have fun; there were far too many entertainment activities on board. However, Zuo Yu felt that he needed to be dedicated to his work. He understood all the different places on cruise ships and arranged a search plan. He also told Fang Zhao, proving that he wouldn't use this as a pretext to enjoy himself.

As for why Fang Zhao was looking for Director Roman, Zuo Yu did not ask. All he needed to do was carry out the search.

Golden sandy beaches gradually got farther away. Ahead lay an azure-blue expanse of ocean. On deck, there were a number of excited tourists shouting.

Fang Zhao watched as the island became a speck in his vision as he pondered over where Roman had the highest possibility of being. Although he had received information that Roman would return to the auction, Fang Zhao felt that Roman might not necessarily show up. Roman's lot at the auction would definitely be his item, but Roman did not have to be present. Thus, Fang Zhao had brought along an extra person. He would let Zuo Yu roam around and inform him if Roman was spotted.

The cruise was huge, and the odds of encountering a specific person was low. If Roman was intentionally hiding himself, he would be practically impossible to find and they would have to track him only when they returned to the island. However, trying was always an option.

There were many other people who had the same intentions as Fang Zhao. Probably having also received news, they had assigned men to keep watch on the theater, casino, and various other places onboard the cruise. However, currently, no one had even gotten a glimpse of Director Roman.

At this time, in a certain high-level double suite on board Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9.

A white-haired man clad in inconspicuous pajamas who looked like an old man frowned as he browsed through some resources displayed on screens.

A middle-aged man in leisure clothing walked into the suite. "Arno, I have just returned from the auction venue. There are at least 10 people trying to find you."

"Mmhm." The person staring fixedly at the screens had only replied with a slight grunt, his eyes remaining glued to the screens.

The one lazing on the sofa staring at the screens was indeed Director Nova Roman, who was being sought after by many film stars and reporters. Director Roman was only 99 this year, and according to the lifespans in the New Era, he couldn't be considered elderly. Furthermore, he loved to exercise and looked fit and full of vigor. However, in order to avoid being sighted, Roman had made himself look a lot older. This way, he would not be easily recognized by others. For this trip, he had changed his hairstyle and even dyed it white.

Only people who knew him well would call him Arno, and because of the current circumstances, the names "Nova" and "Roman" were sensitive. Thus, these friends of his called him Arno.

The one who entered looked at the information on the screens inquisitively and asked Roman, "Are these the few newly recommended actors? How many important roles have yet to be decided? Hey, who is this little fella?"

Numerous screens all displayed different people. Some were images, while others were photographs, but the screen that caught his attention was showing the image of a very young person. The people displayed on the other screens seemed more mature and older. There were even two who seemed of a similar age to Roman.

Roman eyed the screen the other party was pointing at. "That is Fang Zhao."

"Fang Zhao? I remember that the historical character you spent the most time researching during this period has that same name."

"That's right, exact same first and last name."

What Roman had spent most of his time researching was the role of "Fang Zhao." Although this person had not been a great general of the Founding Era, in actual history, he had left behind a legacy that did not lose to any of the great generals.

According to actual history, he actually had much greater presence than Wu Yan, but for the film project "Founding Era," surely much of Yanzhou's stories would be told from Wu Yan's point of view. After all, Wu Yan was a great general of the Founding Era.

Fang Zhao's deeds had mostly been leading the recovery of lost territory, but Wu Yan's capabilities and contributions could not be doubted either. Wu Yan was someone Fang Zhao had trusted and had ultimately taken over the burden of reclaiming their homeland.

When Roman had gone through the historical resources for the first time, he had felt pity.

In history, this person "Fang Zhao" had really been too unlucky. His life had been too short!

Even though the character "Fang Zhao" did not have a leading role in this film project, he had an important supporting role, especially for the story of Yanzhou, and could not be neglected.

When hearing Roman mention this, the other person suddenly recalled something. "Back when there was the online survey, didn't a lot of people vote for him? The one about 'let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao'?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Then just let him try it out." The other person had just spoken when he saw Roman appear to begin pondering something, so he quickly changed his tune. "Hey, don't take it for real, I was just joking. We can't be sloppy with this project. Everything will be fine as long as you follow your own criteria. Don't listen to me."

Roman shook his head. "I'm not saying that he won't do. Actually, at the start, I still thought well of him."

Back during the voting activity, when netizens had all been joking and many people had voted to "let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao," Roman had left a comment: "That's a good idea."

However, Roman loved to joke on the internet and had said many similar things, so from everyone's point of view, this had just been a joke from Roman.

Roman was normally very active online, but after he had accepted the lead director role for this project, he had not spoken much online. Thus, nobody knew what his opinions were currently.

"Think well of him? This youngster isn't an actor, right? I have never heard of him winning any awards," the other party said.

"Aside from that, his manner, personality, skill, and other aspects are satisfactory."

Regarding the historical figure "Fang Zhao," Roman had seen the script, read through historical resources, browsed through the character analysis, and viewed actual historical footage from the confidential archives. The more he had seen, the clearer and clearer the image in his head had become.

But maybe it was because he had watched Project Starlight's channel S5 and had seen many videos of that minor celebrity Fang Zhao, now, whether Roman's eyes were open or closed, the image he had in his mind concerning the historical figure "Fang Zhao" seemed to be gradually coinciding with the image of Project Starlight's channel S5's Fang Zhao.

For a historical figure, 1000 people would have 1000 different opinions. In Roman's head, gradually engraving itself in his mind was the image of that minor celebrity.

Because of this, Roman had sighed in a certain director's chat group. "My brain has surely been poisoned."

It was not known who had circulated this line, but it had caused lots of misunderstandings. This was also the reason there were many rumors in the outside world saying that Director Roman had been severely poisoned and was receiving treatment in a certain hospital. There were even some rumors that he was critically ill. Roman had also found out from the news that he was close to dying.

The other party swayed his wine glass and continued to study the person displayed on the screen that was clearly much younger than all the others. "In any case, there is no way you are really going to let him act."

Roman sighed lightly. "I have really thought about it before."

The other person's wrist trembled, and some wine spilled out. Casually wiping it up, he said, "You better be kidding! Has showbiz declined? Is there nobody that can act? How can you have this sort of notion?"

Roman shook his head but did not explain. Staying silent for a bit, he finally replied, "It's a pity that Fang Zhao is a little too young."

The actors of lead roles and important supporting roles were all older and had at least 20 to 30 years of acting experience. If there were any mistakes during filming, just pointing out the mistake would result in them rapidly remedying it.

But Fang Zhao was too young and wasn't from the industry. If he did not act well during filming or if he could not adapt to this series, much more time might be needed to remedy it. Furthermore, given his age, he might not be able to manage the latter half of his character's life in the film. If not for these, Roman really wanted to contact Fang Zhao to audition.

When he realized that Roman really did not seem to be joking, the other party hurriedly said, "Don't act hastily. You cannot randomly experiment with this project. If you pick the wrong actor, it might affect the quality of the entire film project. If that happens, even a globally acclaimed director like you might be dragged off the rostrum! Now is not the time if you really want to use a newcomer. If you are really unsatisfied, you can just create a virtual one, like a virtual idol. It's much more convenient."

The latter idea was rejected by Roman. "This sort of project that touches on the leaders of the Period of Destruction is too sensitive, and virtual idol methods cannot be used. Besides, when the project was rebooted, it was stipulated that virtual images were prohibited. Everything must be done by actual actors."

"Then you just have to take your pick slowly. I'm heading out for some fresh air first. Oh, right, will you be heading to the auction venue at night?"

"Not going."

A body double of a similar build would appear at the auction. This double had a side profile that looked like the actual Roman. Roman had simply decided not to attend. He had only used this cruise as a pretext to change his working environment.

The other party walked a few steps toward the door but turned back again. A little worried, he pointed at the screen with Fang Zhao's image and exclaimed, "You mustn't be impulsive! Don't go looking for this especially fresh youngster who isn't even in the industry to act! Many people worldwide are watching!"

Roman impatiently waved his hands to drive the other party out. "Got it, got it. I am just looking for some inspiration from this young fellow." He needed a peaceful environment to do some careful consideration.

After the room had become silent once again, Roman added in a few other screens and played out demo clips of those few actors that had not been filtered out.

These people acted very well, and they were all outstanding film stars. Roman did not have any qualms about their statuses, but when placed in the role of "Fang Zhao," Roman kept feeling that there was a little something missing, as if they did not fit the image of "Fang Zhao" he had in his heart.

Indeed, he had been too deeply poisoned by the image of channel S5!Actually Ah No, like a nickname of sorts. I'll be using Arno so it appears less confusing

Chapter 282: Exactly the Same

In the New Era, many innovations in technology and means of transportation had rapidly upgraded, and many older methods had been phased out, but cruises had sentimental value and were a holiday option, so they continued to exist.

The sun gradually disappeared beyond the point where the ocean met the sky, and night descended.

Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9 was just like a small city-state traveling on the seas. All sorts of activities could be done on board, ranging from exercise, shopping, leisure, to entertainment and many more. Guests could enjoy to their heart's content for the entire duration of their vacation.

As sunlight completely disappeared, the cruise ship's lights still shone brightly, sparkling in the dark night.

At the back of the ship, a song and dance performance was currently being held in the open-air theater.

Fang Zhao was standing at a high place, carefully scanning the area, but he did not catch a glimpse of Nova Roman at all. Fang Zhao had decided to do a quick scan before moving off. The auction was about to start and Fang Zhao had seen a number of film stars. Competition was intense; they were all probably trying to look for Director Roman too and wanted to win the lot that Roman had put up for the auction. Perhaps Roman himself might be present.

However, just at the moment that Fang Zhao decided to leave the open-air theater area, a large screen on the side displayed a notification that a guest was going to be performing here.

Every performance held at this theater had already been arranged beforehand. The program list was displayed on the large screen at the side, but if a guest wished to go on stage and perform midway, only those who had gone through an audit and had sufficient qualifications could cut the line and go on stage to perform.

"Fay Harmonik?"

Fang Zhao was slightly astonished. He had never expected to encounter this talented musician here.

This person was from Jizhou. In the past, Fang Zhao had only seen news about this individual online, mostly push notifications about entertainment gossip. An example was like this: "Talented performer's number X girlfriend of the year appears," or some gossip about him being intimate with some other celebrities.

Disregarding his personal life, performancewise, Fay Harmonik was indeed talented, and many older generations acknowledged this.

During Fang Zhao's first concert in August, Xue Jing had brought along a few old friends. Among them had been an old man who especially loved violins. He had mentioned this junior Fay Harmonik a lot whenever he had talked. As long as the person in question's private affairs were not too excessive, they would regard talent more highly.

Harmonik had made a name for himself when he had been very young. This was something those old seniors frequently spoke about. Harmonik was one of the few people who had held their first concert when they were only 10+ years of age. When he had been in secondary school, Harmonik had held his first high-level concert, and even now, after more than 30 years, his status in the music circles was still rising year after year. He had also received an invitation to join the "Founding Era" music team.

There were many young and outstanding musicians, so when Fang Zhao saw Fay Harmonik's name, he stopped in his tracks. This was the first time he would get to listen to a live performance by this talented musician that many of the older seniors praised so highly.

A head full of dyed fiery-red shoulder-length hair was Fay Harmonik's trademark. Normally, his words and actions seemed like those of a noble gentleman from the Old Era, but the moment he started performing, he appeared extremely passionate and deranged.

The charm of a violin was undeniable. Some people loved how it could be used as an effective instrument to stir up emotions and transmit exquisite feelings, but there were others who loved the acute aspect of it.

Although the current accompaniment could not be compared to the luxury of a formal concert, it combined classical and rock 'n roll in an upbeat tune. The speed and precision gave listeners a sense of vertigo. As the enthusiastic atmosphere dispersed, the flamboyant movements of the bow created a raging tempest that assaulted the senses, not giving listeners any slight moment to catch their breath as they worried that the bowstring might snap abruptly!

The quivering of the bow displayed the innermost surging feelings of the performer. Even someone not belonging to the industry would find it dazzling, as if the whole stage was on fire.

This was a theatrical performer's method of combat!

It could be said that the majority of people who had seen Fay Harmonik perform praised him to high heavens... except for people from Leizhou.

When most people from Leizhou saw Harmonik's performances, subconsciously, they would think about something else.

Because in Leizhou, there was a Zaro.

When Zaro had been in secondary two, he had already been very famous in Leizhou. Because of his tendency to voice his thoughts and his illustrious family background, he'd had tens of millions of people following his social platforms. From a young age, Zaro had been an internet celebrity, and the citizens of Leizhou were all too familiar with him!

It could be said that any celebrities outside Leizhou, even if they were world-renowned superstars would not be as popular as Zaro in Leizhou.

Even if Fay Harmonik had already made a name for himself and frequently appeared in entertainment and fashion magazines all over the world, his impact in Leizhou wasn't that big.

Once, Zaro had watched a performance of Fay Harmonik and posted a status on his social platform: "He saws really well, but I have a nagging doubt. When he is pulling his bow in that deranged fashion, how does he play while flinging his head back without sawing off his own hair? If there was a person standing beside him, wouldn't that person get hit in the face?"

Fay Harmonik's trademark shoulder-length hair indeed puzzled a lot of people. That's not to say that it wasn't acceptable, but many performers who kept long hair would tie it up or put it in a bun during performances. However, this individual strayed from the norm and loved to be this willful.

Thus, Zaro had spent the entire duration of the performance studying the topic of "How can he safely play the violin in that deranged fashion" and the Leizhou citizens who followed Zaro's trends had also been swayed toward it.

Actually, there were a number of people who'd already had these same doubts, but they had never voiced said doubts. Even if someone had voiced their doubts, as they did not have significant influence, not many people would have agreed. But Zaro had ignited this fuse, and the topic had exploded.

If it had been anybody else who had said this, Fay Harmonik would have stepped out to teach that person a lesson, but it just so happened that this was Zaro of Leizhou's Renault family! A sh*t-stirrer! What else could he do?

From then on, Fay Harmonik had placed Zaro on his blacklist and had never again performed in Leizhou.

Fay Harmonik was a highly sought after person in the music, entertainment, and fashion circles. In the eyes of his many female fans, Fay Harmonik was an attractive and rugged star with flowing long hair. As for Zaro... his level of being vocal had also increased.

If Zaro was here, he would probably have started sharing his thoughts already.

After the song being performed on the stage concluded, the audience erupted into passionate applause and shrieks.

"Fayfay!"

"Fayfay! Fayfay!"

"Look over here!"

"Fayfay, another song!"

Fay Harmonik's fans lovingly called him "Fayfay," as it was easy to remember and was considerably more intimate.

After his performance ended, Fay Harmonik smiled and waved at the surrounding audiences. When he stepped off the stage, he was immediately surrounded by a bunch of hot and pretty girls.

As he left the venue, Harmonik caught sight of Fang Zhao. He evidently recognized Fang Zhao and paused for a moment, but very quickly, he looked away, so nobody around knew exactly who he had seen.

"Fayfay, saw someone familiar?" somebody asked.

"Not familiar, just a stranger A," Harmonik said absentmindedly.

There had been a period where there was a lot of news reports pertaining to Fang Zhao. Although now there was all sorts of news replacing it and making news about Fang Zhao appear "forgettable," not too long ago, Harmonik had heard his own teacher mention this up-and-coming youngster, so naturally, he could recognize Fang Zhao.

However, Fang Zhao's status was not to the extent that he needed to go over and exchange greetings. From his point of view, Fang Zhao was just a prominent stranger A he had come across on this vacation and wasn't really any different from other guests.

Throughout Fay Harmonik's musical career, he had seen many stranger A's, stranger B's, C's, D's... and it wasn't worthwhile to pay them any heed. Thus, he quickly shoved this matter to the back of his mind and followed the bevy of beauties to have a pleasant night.

Fang Zhao glanced at the program schedule at the side. Currently, there were no other guests heading up to perform, so he did not stay any longer. Turning around, he started walking to the nearest restaurant. He would have a meal before heading straight to the auction venue.

As he was about to step into the restaurant, the doors opened and someone came out. This unfolded right in front of Fang Zhao's eyes, and his mind immediately went blank.

The person who had emerged from the restaurant seemed middle aged. Perhaps from not having smooth experiences in the past, he looked somewhat beaten. However, with the help of fine clothing and the influence of his mental state, he appeared high spirited, as though he had overcome the vicissitudes of life.

Of course, what attracted Fang Zhao's interests was not the other party's clothing but that face!

That face that was exactly the same as Fang Zhao's face in his past life.

If Fang Zhao were to make a comparison between his current face and the face from his previous life, it would only be about 70%, but the person in front of him had actually achieved a similarity of more than 90%! With some slight makeup, this person's face would be exactly the same as Fang Zhao's past face!

The other party's gaze fell on Fang Zhao, and he noticed Fang Zhao being flabbergasted. His eyes flickered in understanding and he confidently said, "You are also here for the role."

Ruan Shuang was an actor from Jinzhou. Although he had decades of acting experience, he still did not have a reputation. He had acting chops, but he couldn't be considered top-notch, and appearancewise, he wasn't that attractive either. Having strived for decades, he still hadn't achieved much. Luckily, his managing company had not given up on a poor actor like him. Having grinded for a few decades, Ruan Shuang had given up on the glorious dream of being a star and would just survive on his company's welfare.

Ruan Shuang knew that he looked like Yanzhou's leader during the Period of Destruction. But as there were very strict rules regarding that history, nobody dared to film anything about that subject matter, especially when there were very strict audits when it touched upon actual leaders during that time. Even when other people from his company talked about Ruan Shuang in private, they would say: "Even if you look like him, what can be done?!"

But who would have expected that with the reboot of the revolutionary film project, "Founding Era," a transparent actor like Ruan Shuang would be dredged up by the company! Moreover, the company now prioritized his development!

Nowadays, Ruan Shuang's company was spending huge amounts to groom him. The company's first objective was to fight for the role of "Fang Zhao" in "Founding Era"!

Given Ruan Shuang's influence and status within the industry, snatching the role was very difficult, but who could know how things would turn out without trying?

Even if he could not get that role, what about being a body double? Just getting into the "Founding Era" film project was a gargantuan achievement!

Taking a step back, even if he could not land a role as a body double, with the start of the revolutionary film project, "Founding Era," that signified that the subject of the Period of Destruction and the true history of those leaders were being revised and that restrictions would be relaxed. The policies were changing! In the future, there would be even more such dramas and movies related to this subject. Ruan Shuang would be able to exhibit this face of his!

A special type of actor!

Could any random person be able to do this?

This was also the reason why, on the whole, Ruan Shang's mental state was entirely different now. His value had risen!

Ruan Shuang noticed that Fang Zhao was still staring at him, or to be more precise, at his face, and he could not help but feel somewhat pleased. He might not be high up on the attractiveness index when compared to other popular stars, but who let him be born with a face like a martyr's? It was completely natural—no plastic surgery, no prosthetics, it was just like that! Envious? Jealous?

Back then, during the online voting activity for the role of "Fang Zhao," Ruan Shang had not been on the list of candidates. However, that online vote had only been spontaneous entertainment for netizens and didn't count for anything. Even if the topic "Let Fang Zhao play the role of Fang Zhao" had gained a lot of traction and there had indeed been many votes for Fang Zhao, how many voters had actually felt that Fang Zhao could act?

It had merely been for laughs.

Ruan Shang could not help but compare himself with the Fang Zhao in front of him.

One with the same name and one with the same face. Who had the advantage?

Naturally, it was the face!

Ruan Shuang walked over to the railing and chugged a mouthful of wine. Viewing the open-air theater stage below, Ruan Shuang was seemingly immersed in the performance. His face appeared slightly intoxicated, but the words that came out of his mouth were cold. "Fang Zhao, I guess? A word of advice from Uncle. Give up on this dream. There is no way you will get selected for the drama. You are too young, and you aren't even an actor. For this sort of high-level project, Director Roman will not use a newcomer for such an important role, let alone a newcomer from a different industry."

Pausing for a bit, he eyed Fang Zhao and continued when Fang Zhao did not appear to have much of a reaction. "I'm not criticizing you. My status isn't high enough, and it will be difficult for me to even snatch the role. But my motive is to be a special type of actor, just playing the role of Fang Zhao. Even if I don't get selected for "Founding Era," there will be other paths. What about you? From what I see, in this fight for the role, you have even fewer advantages than me."

Even Leizhou's Renault family's senior master had been unable to get any good roles inside "Founding Era." For the role of "Fang Zhao" in the series, even the slightest of slipups could not be tolerated.

Or could it be that you have thicker skin than Zaro? Perhaps your backers are even more solid? From Ruan Shang's point of view, although Fang Zhao had had a growing reputation over the last two years and he had raised his global profile, he could only be considered an internet celebrity, and when compared to an internet celebrity like Zaro, who was the son of an aristocratic family, the difference was vast. Even Zaro had been unable to land a satisfactory role. You, Fang Zhao, can only be considered a fart! Don't you even have a f*cking idea whether you can even get selected?

"How much do you know about this 'Fang Zhao' person? If you want to fight for this role, you don't just go about it by having a little online fame and having the exact same name. Do you know about the contributions of 'Fang Zhao,' his battles? How much do you understand about his temperament, the way he thinks, his lifestyle habits? If you want to vie for such a role, you need to put in time and effort, to study meticulously. You have to constantly improve, throw away any ego you originally had! All of these! How much have you prepared!?"

Ruan Shuan drank more wine. He had said quite a lot while Fang Zhao had quietly listened at the side. Ruan Shuang reckoned that his words had had some effect and had influenced Fang Zhao's decision, that this youngster now had the intention of backing off, but in fact, currently, Fang Zhao's emotions were considerably complicated.

He did not know the name or history of the person in front of him who had the exact same face as his past life's, yet here this person was making a solemn vow saying that he wanted to be a special type of actor and play the roles of Fang Zhao, even advising Fang Zhao himself to read more historical resources to understand the character.

There were words Fang Zhao chose not to speak and held back in his heart. Pardon me for being blunt, but whether it's 500 years ago or right now, nobody understands me best but me. I don't have to throw away any ego I had because it is still me.A chinese slang, someone more prominent than a normal stranger.

Chapter 283: Making a Casual Police Repor

Fang Zhao understood what Ruan Shang had said. Indeed, it made sense.

Fang Zhao was disadvantaged because he wasn't an actor and had never formally acted before. With regard to films, he had not produced any works, nor could he talk about experience. He simply had nothing!

But he still had to take a shot. Even if he was rejected, he had tried his best.

Why was Fang Zhao going to such lengths?

Despite it clearly having nothing to do with his own profession, why did Fang Zhao not understand his own limits and why was he trying to vie for a role in such a series?

The same role performed by different individuals would give people different impressions.

For people of the New Era, when it came to history, among all the similarly ranked leaders of that period, "Fang Zhao" was the one with the least presence. This was partly due to Fang Zhao not having been able to survive to the end. There were videos and photographic resources left behind, but a lot of those were not available to the public. Unlike Fang Zhao, the other generals that had survived to the Founding Era had been able to leave behind more resources that were readily available.

Exactly what sort of person was this historical figure Fang Zhao?

When this question was posed to people from every continent, even Yanzhou natives found it difficult to answer. There were only some insubstantial historical excerpts and a pittance of photographs.

As for unofficial historical excerpts, those could only be viewed as gossip and could not be taken seriously.

Once, Fang Zhao had been curious and had bought a book about unofficial history sold to the masses; it had been so exasperating it had been funny.

At that time, Zuo Yu had noticed his boss's expression wasn't looking too good and had explained, "Don't take these too seriously. All of these are just groundless claims."

In the past, there had been compilations by authors that had been too excessive and had infuriated descendants of the great generals, who had proceeded to smother them right away. The book that Fang Zhao had read belonged to a category that had a lower degree of fabrication and had not been targeted by the descendants of great generals from the various continents.

"Founding Era" was considered a historical adaptation and would portray the truth as much as possible, but the series would surely have some embellishments and alterations, so it would not be exactly the same as history.

Even so, Fang Zhao still wished to let people 500 years after see a "Fang Zhao" that was as close as possible to the true history.

In the first ever officially approved large-scale film project on the Period of Destruction, he hoped that everyone would get to see the Fang Zhao–edition Fang Zhao!

Fang Zhao had some confidence in his acting abilities. Truthfully speaking, during the Period of Destruction, under those chaotic and complex circumstances, there had also been fighting between people, and as leaders of their caliber, they had all been drama queens.

There had been times when pretending to be weak had been required, and there had been times when one had had to show the four human emotions: happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy. To achieve certain objectives, pretenses had been needed. Sometimes, concealment had been necessary. And the more their statuses had risen, the more impossible it had become to reveal their true thoughts at any given moment. A single moment of carelessness could have resulted in the loss of their own lives as well as those of their comrades.

But acting in front of a camera, and acting well, needed to be learned. After all, he wasn't a professional.

Fang Zhao had started reading some resources on aspects of acting beforehand. He was learning the theory first. He had also enrolled in virtual training classes online and taken virtual courses. This was all just preparation work.

Fang Zhao did not think that he could compete with those famous film stars after just a short while. All he knew was that he understood the role better. As he understood his own advantages, naturally, he also could see his own shortcomings.

Ruan Shuang's words had mainly been to tell Fang Zhao the difficulties and get him to back out. One less competitor would result in a brighter glimmer of hope. Fang Zhao could see where Ruan Shuang was coming from, but he did not say a word. He was just too flabbergasted seeing someone who looked exactly the same as he used to look. There were many people in the world that looked alike, but this was the first time Fang Zhao had encountered such a situation.

At this moment, a group of youngsters came out from a nearby restaurant and walked passed Fang Zhao and Ruan Shuang. They reeked of alcohol and were happily chatting about heading to the entertainment center to have fun. A very common scene.

Fang Zhao gaze swept over them and lingered on one of the youths. He looked away naturally and said to Ruan Shuang, "Sorry, I have something to attend to."

Ruan Shuang stopped talking upon hearing what Fang Zhao said, and he smiled. "All right, go ahead."

As he watched Fang Zhao's back slowing moving away, Ruan Shuang assumed that his words had been effective. This youngster finally could not bear it and was running off to hide.

Ruan Shuang shook his head and sighed. "He is indeed still too young and inexperienced." What he had said certainly made sense, but his main motive had been to get Fang Zhao to give up on this idea. Being so easily persuaded and changing his mind so quickly, he was indeed still a youngster.

Fang Zhao did not know that Ruan Shuang was thinking. Instead, he was following that boisterous group of youngsters, mainly watching one person from the group. He had smelled the stench of blood on the person's body. Furthermore, although this youngster seemed to be happily conversing with those people around him, he might not have belonged to the same group. This person seemed a little fishy.

Fang Zhao's accumulated experience from his past life might not be enough to completely see through a person, but if his eyes and intuition realized something fishy, then something was definitely wrong!

Fang Zhao followed behind the group, but he kept his distance and wasn't discovered. Further ahead was a street-like area on the cruise ship. It was much noisier, and the entire street was flanked with shops on both sides selling everything under the sun. There were also places of entertainment, and it was extremely lively here. It was just like a bustling street in a city.

Fang Zhao watched as that youngster separated from the group. The group headed to a casino, whereas this youngster walked over to a chain restaurant on the other side.

Mulling it over for a bit, Fang Zhao dialed the ship's police hotline.

That's right, to ensure the safety of the guests on board, this cruise ship was armed with a police squad. Each of Teasandsea's large-scale cruise ships was equipped with one.

The call was answered in no time.

"Hi, Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9's police office duty room."

"There is a person here that should be investigated," Fang Zhao said.

Inside the cruise's duty room, a young police officer looked at a display on the screen as he replied to the call. On it was the information and position of the person reporting.

The screen was split in two. On the left was Fang Zhao's personal information, and on the right side was an image captured by the surveillance system. Fang Zhao appeared in it.

As he read through Fang Zhao's personal information, particularly striking was the column that read "Reserve duty major." When the receiver saw this, he lifted an eyebrow. His original casual expression changed as he became serious and sat a little straighter.

Another police officer noticed this situation and quietly came over and studied the screen.

They frequently received calls from kids who had nothing better to do and were used to encountering such pranks. That was why, when he had heard Fang Zhao's calm and unhurried tone and saw nothing suspicious on the surveillance system, the police officer had mistaken it for a prank call. However, when he saw "Reserve duty major," he no longer treated it as a joke.

Fang Zhao's current status and online fame did not necessarily mean that the cruise's police squad needed to give him special treatment. The police here encountered too many famous celebrities. They might know of Fang Zhao and know that he had been a hot topic for a bit, but they would not know any detailed information.

But when they saw "Reserve duty major," they got serious. This had a much greater impact, and they were more inclined to believe the judgments of a reserve duty officer. They were willing to believe Fang Zhao's words, just in case.

"We have already determined your location. Please point out the position of the target person as well as any distinctive features," the police officer said.

As he had been speaking, Fang Zhao had walked into that chain restaurant. The place was clamorous and warm, and it had the fragrance of freshly prepared food. There were many people in the restaurant, and it was quite noisy.

Fang Zhao scanned his surroundings, then continued, "Twenty meters ahead of me. A youth, slender, about 173 centimeters tall, short brown hair and a dark gray jacket. He just got a glass of wine from the bar counter."

There wasn't a need for a detailed description. Fang Zhao knew that with the current level of the surveillance systems, those in the police duty room could easily detect and lock onto the target person.

Sure enough, Fang Zhao had not yet finished speaking when the system locked onto the target and even let Fang Zhao verify that it was the right person.

On the screen in the police duty room, following the lock on the target, the person's personal information and identity were displayed.

At first glance, there was nothing suspicious about the person's identity, but "nothing suspicious" didn't mean anything. Falsifying documents was still possible.

"Watch him. Bring out previous surveillance footage of this person." Those in the police duty room started to move.

As for Fang Zhao, after ending the call, he went to find something to eat. He would leave the rest to the police squad.

Fang Zhao had made a casual police report not for merit or fame. He would leave the capturing of criminals to the police. Although he was a reserve duty major and had lawful gun ownership rights, he did not have the authority to interfere here.

However, two minutes later, Fang Zhao looked around the restaurant but did not see the suspicious person at all. That person had probably left the restaurant, but Fang Zhao would leave that to the cruise ship's police squad.

Fang Zhao sat near the windows, enjoying his dinner while contemplating what to do next.

The area beside the windows was slightly cooler and quieter. It was more suitable to do some pondering.

At the same time, the people in the police duty room were investigating.

The sharp gaze of the police squad's captain scanned through the investigation results of the few pieces of surveillance footage that had been brought up.

"Although he doesn't seem to be that suspicious, half an hour ago, where did he disappear to for five minutes? Continue investigating! From my experience, there might be something wrong with this person." As he spoke, the police captain also became curious. "Who made the report just now? Does he have a dog's nose? What sharp perception! He might not even lose to a cemetery guard."

Chapter 284: Plea for Help

Fang Zhao didn't know what kind of gossip the security guards on the cruise ship were trading about him. He was preoccupied with the prospect of running into Director Roman at the auction later in the day. How many competitors were also in the running? How would he deal with them?

Thanks to habits formed during the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao was a fast eater, although he had already slowed down significantly to cope with his current life. Still, he was faster than the others. He started noticing curious glances thrown his way, but they bore no ill will, so he didn't mind.

After finishing his meal, Fang Zhao checked the time. There was still a while to go before the auction started, so he called Zuo Yu for an update.

Zuo Yu had no news on Roman's whereabouts but had overheard some folks mentioning the director in conversation. They all knew about the auction, so odds were Fang Zhao would run into quite a few like-minded folks at the auction.

After hanging up, it was about time, but just as he was getting ready to get up and leave, Fang Zhao heard his name called with a soft laugh. "Fang Zhao?"

He lifted his head to see a beautiful blonde girl take a seat across from him. She was holding half a cup of fruit tea whose aroma was wafting through the air.

The blonde girl stared at Fang Zhao. "I know who you are. I saw you at the Fiery Bird annual gala that year in Huangzhou. My friend and I are fans of yours!"

Even though she sounded quite emotional and her facial expressions were exaggerated, her gaze was relatively calm.

Fang Zhao had come across many crazy fans in Yanzhou. He could tell instantly that the blonde girl before him was faking it.

Then again, her indifference was also understandable. Someone who showed up on a luxury cruise ship filled with rich people in Teasandsea had to come from money. A-list celebrities were regular sightings, so Fang Zhao was nothing to write home about.

Also, judging from her pattern of speech, Fang Zhao guessed she was from Huangzhou. Apart from her snobbish tone and her comment, there was also her syntax and accent.

"What are you doing here? You're not..." The blonde leaned in, her bright blue eyes staring at Fang Zhao flirtatiously. "Are you here for Director Roman too?"

Fang Zhao glanced at the girl, probably still in secondary school, and arched his eyebrows slightly. He was about to answer when he heard the blonde continue.

"It's OK if you don't own up to it. Totally understandable. Eight out of the 10 actors I ran into today are here for Roman. The auction is about to start. I won't keep you. Why don't you sign me an autograph as a keepsake? I have two friends who are also your fans. Pity they are out shopping."

She claimed to want Fang Zhao's autograph, but she had absolutely nothing for him to sign, not a piece of paper or anything, not even a pen.

Fang Zhao stared at her in silence.

Realizing she didn't have anything handy, the blonde took off her jacket and tossed it in front of Fang Zhao, without any hint of embarrassment. "Sign here."

The blonde girl wore a skimpy tank top that revealed a big chunk of her midriff, her look typical of the type of wholesome beauty common during teenage rebellion—part innocent, part sexy.

She rotated her teacup with one hand and twirled her hair with another as she gauged Fang Zhao with a mischievous smile. She wanted to jam Fang Zhao in a moment of embarrassment or awkwardness, or any other type of discomfort.

Fang Zhao glanced at the young woman, raised his arms to shut a nearby window and asked a waiter to bring a pen that would leave a permanent mark on clothing. He signed quickly and returned the jacket.

"The evening breeze is very chilly. The temperature gets quite low outside."

The blonde blanked. It clearly wasn't the response she had been expecting. She picked up her autographed jacket without so much as a glance and said, "Do you have anything else to say to me?"

Fang Zhao pondered, then, with a kind smile, responded, "Have you finished your homework yet?"

"..."

That comment came across even chillier than the sea breeze.

The blonde froze, a look of astonishment replacing her mischievous smile. She hadn't expected Fang Zhao to say something like that.

She was a rising year-six secondary student, the equivalent of a rising senior under the education system of the Old Era. The workload at most New Era secondary schools was typically quite heavy in the summer between year five and year six. Summer vacation wasn't over yet in Huangzhou, and the new term was about to start. The summer workload was indeed significant, something even a rich kid had to cope with, not to mention the fact she still hadn't finished her summer homework.

F*ck!

Party pooper!

The blonde girl stopped smiling. She frowned, hissed, and stormed out.

Fang Zhao sighed. "I really don't know what's going on in the heads of kids these days."

He was just about to leave when he got another call.

It was a number he didn't recognize, but it was tagged verified. Fang Zhao put it through.

"Fang Zhao? This is Eric, head of security here on Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9."

A pale-looking Eric was sitting in his office. After receiving the tip from Fang Zhao, he had dug up footage of the suspicious-looking man, and he had found the man questionable as well. He had sent officers to pick the man up while keeping an eye on the surveillance footage, but lo and behold, the suspect had disappeared and his men couldn't track him down.

Meanwhile, Eric had gotten word after ordering a thorough inspection of the entire vessel that two heavily injured sailors had been found unconscious in a storeroom. They would have been lost causes had they been found any later.

After confirming that something was going down, Eric had ordered his men to locate the suspect while continuing the inspection and keeping up appearances.

But the suspect was slick as a piece of hot butter. Taking advantage of his stature, he had blended into the crowd seamlessly. Before they had known it, he had been gone.

Even though the cruise ship was fitted with many security cameras, the cruise ship's wealthy patrons had their concerns about privacy. The cameras were mainly installed in public places and some of the shopping malls. Not every inch of the ship was under surveillance.

What if they lost the suspect?

What if they couldn't track him down?

Should Eric expand the search?

Most definitely.

He had to keep looking and deploy more men, but at the same time, Eric decided to contact Fang Zhao as well.

People had different strengths. Some folks could pick up a scent from miles away, like cemetery guards, for example. No quality of disguise could fool their eyes and their inexplicable instincts.

Given the fact that it was Fang Zhao who had called in the tip, considering he seemed to have instincts that rivaled a cemetery guard's, then why not ask him to assist? Eric looked up Fang Zhao's personnel records. He had to be quite competent to have been promoted to officer grade during one brief year of military service. As much hyperbole as the news reports contained, they had some grounding in facts.

So Eric decided to utilize whatever assets he had at his disposal, lest any go to waste. Otherwise, he might have yet another unsolved crime on his hands.

Why "another"?

Because incidents like this were too common.

Not to mention that many of the tycoons aboard had their own bodyguards. They didn't give a d*mn about anything that didn't concern them. Who cared if someone might be missing, if someone's life hung in the balance? As long as they had fun and partied hard, nothing else mattered provided the cruise ship's security detail didn't get in the way.

So even if Eric wanted to expand his investigation, he would meet resistance. That was another reason he wanted to ask Fang Zhao for help. It was a hassle-free, efficient, and low-profile solution.

After briefing Fang Zhao on the situation, Eric made clear his request for help.

Fang Zhao looked at the time. The auction was about to begin.

He responded decisively. "No problem. Did you pick up a trail? Where did you lose him?"

As he listened to Eric's voice through his headset, Fang Zhao headed in the opposite direction of the auction, leaving the restaurant in a hurry.

In another corner of the restaurant, the blonde girl who had just asked Fang Zhao for his autograph was meeting up with her friends and giving them the lowdown on her encounter.

A pair of siblings, fraternal twins, craned their necks and surveyed their surroundings.

"Zhao God is here too?"

"Where, where, where?"

The blonde girl hadn't lied about the fact that her friends were Fang Zhao's fans. The twins were fans indeed, and of the more fanatic variety at that. They got emotional upon hearing that Fang Zhao was also on the cruise ship.

"He left. I just saw him head that way in a hurry." The blonde girl pointed her finger in the direction Fang Zhao had gone.

Then the girl realized something was wrong. "That's not the direction of the auction. So he's not here for Roman after all? Was I wrong?"

"That's right. I heard the director of 'Founding Era' is on board and that he is scheduled to attend the auction," another person said. "Speaking of Fang Zhao, I remember voting for him in an online poll on who should be cast as Fang Zhao. I did it for fun, but to be serious, there's no way he will be cast."

The twins were already disappointed that Fang Zhao had left. That comment was the last straw.

"Why wouldn't my Zhao God be cast?"

"Yeah, of course he might be."

The twins were determined to defend their idol.

They had started out as gaming fans. After a series of events, they had become Fang Zhao's diehard fans. All their friends knew.

Once the topic of their idol came up, any semblance of reason or decorum went out the window. To put it bluntly, they went from normal people to psychos instantly.

Young people were prone to getting emotional, especially teenagers. Once they got started, there was no talking sense into them.

The friends who had just said that Fang Zhao was a long shot raised their hands in surrender. "OK, we're not going to argue with diehard fans like you. The cast will be announced soon. Nothing speaks louder than the facts."

In fact, the twins weren't total idiots. Of course they knew that a blockbuster project like this had strict standards. Fang Zhao had an edge in gaming, but when it came to movies, he really had nothing going for him. The twins just didn't want to concede defeat in front of their friends.

Never mind how boisterous they were in defending their idol, now that they had calmed down and reason had set in, the twins moped and sighed silently.

"Sigh, how come 'Founding Era' can't be postponed for a few decades? Who knows, by then Fang Zhao might be a much bigger star. He might be a contender then, but now is a bit early."

But matters concerning "Founding Era," its casting decisions, and so on, weren't things these kids had a say in.

The twins consoled themselves by saying, "Why don't we save up our allowance and fund a TV series for our idol?"

Chapter 285: Exper

Whatever the twins were currently thinking about, they were temporarily unable to find Fang Zhao. They had even especially run over to the auction venue for a look, but they were still unable to even catch a glimpse of their idol.

"He is probably in a private room. If not, he really isn't here."

"He was seen walking in the opposite direction. Maybe he really has no intention of coming here."

"Or maybe there are too many people here and that's why we haven't found him."

"Forget it, let's stop looking. After all, he is still on this ship. Who knows, maybe we might get to see him tomorrow or something."

Friends of the twins advised them to give up searching for Fang Zhao. Having achieved zilch in their search, they could only abandon it altogether.

Ruan Shuang, who had also had the idea of finding director Roman, had gone to the auction venue for a look-see. He had caught sight of neither Roman nor Fang Zhao and thought to himself, Did that little fella Fang Zhao really not come? My previous words were indeed effective.

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao referred to the information that Eric had provided, and he started his search.

"Is this where he disappeared?"

The place Fang Zhao was standing at currently was known as the central plaza. This was the central open-air entertainment district on the cruise. It was teeming with people at all times. Besides commercial shops, there were also many self-service dispensers with a variety of goods.

Among the crowd of guests, Fang Zhao also spotted some plainclothes. These were probably the men that Eric had dispatched.

"My men have split up and have been searching the nearby area for 10 minutes, yet they have not seen the target. We have used the surveillance system and are still unable to detect him. Even with face recognition, we still aren't able to find him. I suspect that he might have put on a mask or a disguise," Eric said on the call.

If the target had reacted and changed his disguise before they had even responded or if the target had other accomplices assisting him, then it would really be hard to find him.

So much time had already passed. Just one minute was enough for someone to go into hiding, and it had already been 10 minutes since they had lost sight of the target.

There were too many people in this district. Even Eric, who was looking through each and every surveillance camera, felt tired and did not know where to start.

Although this was not the first time such a situation had occurred on this cruise ship, Eric still felt he had no other alternatives. There were too many people on board that had special statuses, so the manhunt operation was limited. Both his subordinates and himself had limited capabilities, as their hands were tied.

Watching Fang Zhao standing there, Eric felt that he had forced Fang Zhao to do something, so he told Fang Zhao, "Never mind, go ahead if you have other matters to attend to first. I will dispatch more manpower to investigate here."

Since he had already come over, Fang Zhao had no intention of leaving immediately. "I'll take a look around first." The auction had already started; he wouldn't be able to make it even if he went over now. The venue entrance had already been shut and there would be no entry. He might as well search around here. Any additional clues were always good.

Somewhere on the 12th floor.

A person stepped out from the disco dance floor at a bar. This was the suspect that had put on a disguise and was currently being sought out by the police squad.

He stood leisurely in front of the railing and answered a call.

"Wait another 30 minutes. They would probably disperse by then," the person on the other end of the line said.

"Who did you say their backup was?" the suspect asked.

"No idea, the wiretap information is not complete. All I know is that it's the person who made the police report."

"The one who set the police's attention on to me? Has he come over? Who is it?"

He knew that the police's attention was on him because someone had made a report and disrupted his escape plans, exposing him too early.

To actually make a police report!

D*mn it!

"I feel that what is most important now is to wait," the voice in the earpiece advised.

"Got it. After this job is done, I'm going to leave this place and lay low for a couple of years."

However, he just wanted to know exactly who it was that had made the police report. What had that person been able to see through? At which point had he screwed up?

As he scanned the central plaza, he saw a few plainclothes.

Plainclothes?

Tsk!

This bunch couldn't be any more obvious even if they were in disguise.

The corner of his mouth curled upward into a grin. He just loved standing at a high place and watching this bunch thinking that they were well hidden as they searched for him.

However, he had only just broken into a grin when his face froze.

He saw someone, and their eyes made contact. At the moment the other party met his eyes, the suspect felt a shred of alarm in his heart.

Following that, all he noticed was the other party's gaze locking on to him and that person saying something. Immediately after, the few plainclothes turned to look over!

What followed was like the police squad turning into hungry cats that had caught the scent of a fish as they started to encircle the suspect!

"You have been found!" the voice in the earpiece said, sounding both questioning and confused.

"I have a disguise on!"

The tone in the earpiece was anxious now. "But you have been exposed! What have you done?"

"Nothing! All I f*cking did was unintentionally make eye contact with him!"

At the other side, Fang Zhao had originally wanted to search upward floor by floor. He had not expected to see the suspect right away. The suspect even had the gall to stand so brazenly at the railings and look down.

After informing the police squad, Fang Zhao also made his way in that direction.

Police duty room.

A police officer watching the screen was surprised. "Is it really this person? But his hairstyle and appearance have totally changed.

"Probably. There is no other reason for why our men hadn't been able to find him. If he was innocent, why would he be trying to escape?" Eric was delighted with his decision to get Fang Zhao. Otherwise, who would have known that the completely unfamiliar person standing out in the open was actually the suspect that they had so painstakingly been trying to find?

"That impressive? I feel that Fang Zhao can moonlight at the Cemetery of Martyrs on Memorial Day," another police officer lamented.

Eric didn't have too much to think about. The dejection he had been feeling previously had vanished. Clutching the comms device in his hand, he instructed the scattered squad members on each floor while staring fixedly at the screen. His tone was somewhat elated as he barked out instructions. "Seize that person! Surveillance, watch closely! Don't let him escape this time!"

As he saw Fang Zhao also heading over, Eric decided to withdraw Fang Zhao from the capture, but after thinking about it, he changed his mind. He would wait till the suspect was caught first. What would happen if they lost sight of this guy again?

At the central plaza.

Tonight, Fang Zhao was wearing a slightly more formal suit for a soiree. This sort of outfit was not conspicuous here, as it was meant for the night's auction.

Fang Zhao had wanted to dress a little more headstrongly, but from his days at Silver Wing, he knew that this sort of formal suit gave a better impression and projected the serious and dignified appearance of someone going for an interview.

Only someone with a high enough status had the capability to be headstrong. If one wasn't at a high enough level, it was best to adhere to the rules. This was something that both Xue Jing and Ming Cang had told Fang Zhao before. Thus, Fang Zhao had specially dressed up formally. However, the current circumstances were extraordinary, so he didn't care about being formal or not.

Hearing about the suspect's movements from inside his earpiece, Fang Zhao took off his jacket and hung it on a nearby public clothes rack.

He dispensed a drawstring from a vending machine—the sort that was used by guests at the swimming pool to tie up their children's bags or to tie items such as swimming tubes to the kid to prevent them from losing it. The length and elasticity of these strings were adjustable. It was extremely childish in pink and blue, and it even had cartoon illustrations on it.

Fang Zhao pulled on both ends; it seemed rather durable.

Police officers watching Fang Zhao's movements on the screen were somewhat stunned by this series of actions.

Captain Eric glanced at the scene but simply had no time to express his views. He had received information on the suspect they were pursuing.

"Target his gone to the roof!"

"He's heading to the bow of the ship!"

A conjecture came to Eric's mind as he heard this while keeping an eye on the pursuing operation. It seemed like this suspect was very familiar with every area on the ship. Had he infiltrated the ship quite some time ago? There was probably someone giving him instructions inwardly. Perhaps the few cases aboard cruise ships previously had also been committed by them.

Thinking about it, Eric got more worked up. Not about the merits he might log—if they could solve the previous few cases, the brooding feeling in his heart would disappear.

"Continue to chase! If you lose him this time, forget about returning!"

When he finished issuing commands, Eric watched Fang Zhao through the surveillance systems. The comms between the two were still ongoing. Eric passed on the disseminated information to Fang Zhao. "The elevators here are very crowded. There is a door 20 meters toward the left side of where you are. Head through that door and move another 70 meters before making a right. You will see a special elevator there. I'll inform the command center to give you special privileges for it and you will be able to reach the roof very quickly... Where are you running to!"

Over there, after Fang Zhao had left the central plaza, his pace picked up. As the crowd became more sparse, Fang Zhao kept increasing his speed.

The route he took was completely different from the one Eric had advised him to take!

There was a section at the end of the central plaza that was a rock-climbing wall simulating a natural cliff. This was specifically used for rock climbing, and it satisfied guests who had a passion for extreme sports.

At the moment, a group was performing an activity on the rock-climbing wall.

The instructor had just demonstrated to the members of the group how to effectively climb up the wall at speed and had competed with a few competitive people, quite simply crushing their eager spirits.

"All right, take a break before having another go! Next, anybody else want to have a go against me?"

The words had just left the instructor's mouth when he realized someone had rushed over from the side in a flash. Following that, there was a rustle of wind as that person started ascending the wall.

The other person had climbed up with rapid speed, as if he were on flat ground. In a flash, he had vanished from the summit. To be precise, the other party had ascended the rock wall and had climbed to the roof deck.

People from the group who had raised their heads early had still been able to see a silhouette climbing. Others who looked up too late could only see the top of the wall.

A short while later, that instructor blankly asked, "Did someone... just... climb up?"

"I think so," members of the group replied.

"Are you sure it was a person?"

"I think... so."

"Who was that just now? I hadn't even said to start yet!"

"Couldn't see clearly."

There were still some people who had their heads raised as they stared at the summit. "Seems like he was bare handed, and his attire wasn't suited for climbing."

"Very good. Now, who can tell me how a bare-handed person without the aid of any equipment and wearing clothing not suitable could climb up so quickly?" the instructor asked.

"..."

Silence.

The group of extreme sports fans collectively faced the wall and pondered hard.

How exactly had he done it?

The instructor waited for a bit, and before anyone answered, clapped his hands to draw the attention of everyone once again. "All right, let's change the question. Anyone know who that expert was?"

Everyone shook their heads, and they continued to face the wall and pondered.

The instructor asked once more but discovered that nobody knew the able person who had ascended the wall with a "woosh."

"We have seen a ghost!"

Police duty room.

Those who had witnessed the scene were already dumbstruck.

The cruise's command center was currently in a comms channel with Eric.

"Captain Eric, the elevator is ready for use and the authority has been handed over. When is the person you mentioned going to come?"

Eric, who could not take his eyes off the screen, had a complex look on his face. "...Thank you. There is no longer any need."

Chapter 286: Director Sighted

Watching Fang Zhao's speed of ascent before taking a look at those other police officers in the screen, Eric thought to himself, I didn't realize they were that slow normally!

Too little training indeed!

At this moment, a police officer on the roof deck made a report to Eric. "Our deployment at the bow of the ship was complete, but the suspect suddenly changed his direction and is headed to the side!"

"Why is he running over there?" Eric queried.

"I remember that there is an SVIP area on the 17th floor. The balcony there doesn't have any surveillance," Fang Zhao replied in the same comms channel.

Hearing this, Eric understood what Fang Zhao meant right away.

"There is indeed a royal high-end suite on the 17th floor with private balconies. Does that person intend to jump from the roof to the 17th floor?"

The whole SVIP area on the 17th floor did not have any surveillance monitors, nor were there any police officers there. Most importantly, the statuses of the people staying there were even more special, and they were more particular about privacy. Normally, they would simply not allow the police access to search and investigate that area.

Was the suspect's intention to once again evade the surveillance and then change into a new disguise?

Fang Zhao's conjecture really made sense. Eric also agreed with it.

"We can't let him go down! Who is the nearest to the place?" Eric asked.

"The men from T squad... and Fang Zhao," another police officer replied.

At this moment, the suspect, who had already arrived at the side of the ship, jumped decisively without so much as a hint of hesitation. No random person would have the guts to jump from such a height at this sort of place. It was obvious that he had made preparations beforehand and probably had equipment on him.

However, the members of T squad, who were in pursuit, were not as adequately prepared, and they did not have any equipment for descending. The distance between the roof deck and the 17th floor was only three stories, but dropping down straight was dangerous if one wasn't careful. Whether it was falling into the ocean or landing on the decks of another floor, there was a risk of suffering fatal injuries. At least, according to past statistical data from accidents.

T squad slowed down and waited for equipment to be delivered to them before jumping off and descending. On the other hand, Fang Zhao, who had appeared at almost the same time as T squad, did not pause at all.

The few people watching the situation unfold through the surveillance system were once more startled.

"Is he going to..."

"Jump into the ocean!"

"Fang Zhao, don't be impulsive! The suspect dared to jump because he came prepared. Don't think that the plaything in your hands can ensure your safety! Dropping into the ocean at this time is not amusing at all!" Eric exclaimed. He was extremely anxious when he saw Fang Zhao's position.

Yet as Eric was spewing out these words, Fang Zhao had already leaped off the deck and was falling.

"Save him!" Eric howled.

————

Inside a special high-grade custom-made suite on the 17th floor.

The preinstalled phone in the room was ringing constantly, as if it wouldn't stop till its purpose had been accomplished.

Roman's eyebrows knitted as he frowned. He didn't want to break his train of thoughts to answer the phone.

Following that, his personal comms device also rang. If the call was from close family members or friends, the notification tone would have been different. Thus, the incoming call was from an unknown number.

Since he did not know the caller, there was no need to take notice of it.

Now was probably around the time when the auction was starting. Perhaps some person had managed to get his contact information through certain means and was harassing him with the continuous calls.

Under normal circumstances, perhaps Roman might have answered, but right now, his inspiration was overflowing and his train of thought was in a superb state, just like painters not wishing to take a break while they were still painting and composers not liking being disturbed when composing. This was totally trying to start a feud!

What a bother!

Roman scratched his head agitatedly. His somewhat disheveled hair became even messier.

He took large strides over to shut off the room's preinstalled phone and set his own communications device to silent mode. After that, he hurriedly returned to the screen and continued his deep musings.

Roman's eyes were bloodshot from staring at the screens for so long. He still had the same expression of unparalleled concentration as he studied every subtle expression of the characters displayed on the screen.

He watched the audition videos of a few actors and compared them to some historical video resources and felt that there still was something missing. Thinking about it more, he brought up videos of Fang Zhao again.

He kept studying videos of Fang Zhao. Those from his military service and those from normal entertainment media reports. Every time he studied these videos, he gained something new.

"This expression, so good. It's 30% cultured, 70% unyielding. That's more like it!"

"This is very good too. Composed enough, incisive, and steady!"

"Crossing swords in the fires of war tempers a person indeed..."

With his bloodshot eyes, Director Roman was like a crazed maniac chanting an incantation as he mumbled to himself. He had been tired, but he had gained a second wind and was stimulated. Even the ocean breeze flowing through the window was unable to calm him down.

Watching video after video in succession and analyzing them carefully, Roman discovered that Fang Zhao was simply just like the Fang Zhao from all those historical video resources!

Not in terms of his physical appearance, but this was what Roman felt when looking at Fang Zhao's expressions.

But if he was more stringent, they weren't exactly the same.

Comparing the two, the Fang Zhao from the historical video resources had a much more frightening aura emanating from him. His imposing manner was even more terrifying. The sort of fire and blood vibe that seemingly was capable of transcending the screen was not something actors could easily replicate.

The historical video resources that had been preserved were limited, and Roman did not know the true nature of the historical Fang Zhao. All he could do was use these resources as a foundation before gradually carving the image of this historical figure into his mind.

Having gone through numerous resources, especially precious videos preserved from the Period of Destruction, Roman already had a vague idea of the image of this Fang Zhao. When he saw these videos and photographs before him, it once more helped make the image in Roman's mind clearer.

When audiences spoke about a certain role, they would always associate it with the actor who played the role. However, an actor was the direct transmission of a director's thoughts.

When "Founding Era" started filming, what the actors acted out would be what Nova Roman envisioned.

Perhaps it might be different from the actual historical figure, but at least this role would be Nova Roman's own version modeled according to historical resources!

And Fang Zhao was indeed a good template and an important reference.

Roman sighed with regret. "What a pity!"

If Fang Zhao was an actor with many years of experience, Roman would have contacted him for an audition. Unfortunately, he was an industry outsider.

"But his expressions are still really good, and his mannerisms are decent too. He has reference value. I'll just buy some video copyrights when the time comes."

Mumbling to himself, Roman took a little step forward and leaned closer toward the screen. He looked at Fang Zhao's photograph displayed on the left side of the screen, then observed the screenshot taken of Fang Zhao from one of the historical videos.

"There is just a little something lacking in that imposing manner."

Roman wouldn't insist on that frightening aura. That had been honed by the martyr Fang Zhao for decades from close to a century of fighting for survival in a fiery hell, whereas the Fang Zhao on the screen in front had grown up and lived in the peaceful New Era. Even the most top-notch actor might not necessarily be able to act this out, and there was no need for placing such high demands on Fang Zhao.

You win some, you lose some.

"How rare it is to find such a good template. I have to study this more, and when I'm explaining to the actors how to act, I can show them these videos."

Roman enlarged the photograph of Fang Zhao.

"I still feel like there is a little something lacking..."

"Right, too young!"

"Some wrinkles should be added, and the scars. The face needs some fine tuning to raise his domineering look!"

Roman extended his hand, preparing to use some software to age the person in the photograph and add on scars and others details to make the photograph closer to the image he had in his mind, but he suddenly heard activity coming from the balcony. Turning his head over, he saw a figure tumble onto the balcony and rush over to the interior.

A stranger using this sort of method to intrude into this sort of place at this sort of time could only be described as "not a good person"!

Alarm bells were already ringing in Roman's head. However, before he could react, another figure descended from the top and tumbled onto the balcony. At the same time, a snake-like whip flashed across.

The suspect that had successfully landed on the balcony of this suite on the 17th floor was about to silence the person in the room and prevent said person from calling for help or making a police report, but just before he could do so, he felt his legs be looped and pulled under him as he crashed into the floorboards with a loud bang. Immediately afterward, his entire body was bound up like a dumpling.

The suspect was in a daze at the sudden mishap that had occurred in the blink of an eye. Glancing at the rope binding him, the cartoon illustrations on it appeared to be sneering at him.

He thrashed about a few times trying to break free, then stopped moving.

With the cold muzzle of a gun pressed to the back of his head, who would dare move?!

Once Fang Zhao had subdued the suspect, he intended to explain to the guest in the room to prevent any misunderstandings arising. As he looked up at the person in the room and clearly saw the situation in the room, he was rooted for two seconds before saying, "Handling a police case. Please do not panic."

As he said that, Fang Zhao brought up the electronic warrant that Eric had sent him, proving that he was assisting the police with this case.

The suspect, who was wrapped up like a dumpling, did not dare make any large movements. All he could do was carefully twist his neck and rotate his eyebrows to analyze the surrounding conditions and seek a chance to escape.

Sneaking a peak at the person behind him who was pointing a gun at his head, the suspect cursed silently. Where did the police get this sort of godly person? Even his landing after that jump was much smoother than mine!

With this intuition and skill, you could work at any of the 12 large Cemetery of Martyrs. If you have the time, why not go deal with terrorists or head to foreign planets to fight for merit? What reason do you have to stay on a cruise ship as a small cop! Why did you have to f*cking take note of me?!

The suspect carefully turned his neck again and looked toward the front. When he saw the situation in the room, he froze too.

Inside the room, the walls were adorned with many mounted screens. There were videos, screenshots, and photographs on every screen. There were different backdrops: jungles, cities, streets, stages, and so on. The person in the photos had different outfits. Some were military uniforms, while others were suited for events. Some of these images were full-length shots, while some were feature close-ups...

There were all the same person!

And they were exactly the same as the person behind him!

But he kept feeling that he had seen this person somewhere. The more he looked at it, the more familiar the person seemed.

After that, as if the suspect had thought of something, his eyes widened and he wished that his neck could just snap right now.

The wretched old fella in the room with an unkempt appearance and stubbly face, with his hand still on a photograph, seemed like the globally acclaimed director that had been a recent hot topic on the internet.

Furthermore, thinking about how famous, rich, and powerful people like him led their secret private lives, he felt his brain going through countless possibilities in a flash before he finally comprehended.

Unwritten. Rules!

The suspect that assumed he had discovered the truth wailed over his misfortune in his heart. Seems like I have just witnessed a transaction that can never ever see the light of day! Am I going to be silenced for good?

As for Nova Roman, who was standing in the room, he was also stupefied by the chain of unforeseen events. He had not expected that there would be people landing on the balcony of his suite in the SVIP area!

When he saw the way the dumpling-like person lying on the floor was staring at him, Roman was even more displeased.

Why do you have to stare at me like you think I'm an old pervert?!

Chapter 287: You Are...

Roman looked to the other person. Just now, when he had heard "handling a police case," he had only been paying attention to the electronic warrant and had not noticed was this person looked like. Now that he had clearly seen this person, Roman was suddenly at a loss for words

The entire room was filled with videos and photographs of Fang Zhao. Before this, he had been studying them and his eyes were bloodshot from all that staring. Now that he suddenly saw the actual person, his first reaction was that he was seeing things.

"You are..."

Words had just left his mouth when Roman saw a few people in police uniforms land in succession on the balcony outside.

Roman: "..."

Was this how cruise police handled cases nowadays?

Eyebrows twitching, Roman calmly turned off all the screens in the room.

The few that arrived later were the police on the roof deck who had come down after they had received the rappelling equipment.

"Fang Zhao! Are you alright?"

"Caught him?"

"This is that fellow?"

Members of the police squad looked at the tied-up suspect and, after confirming that he was the one, used their handcuffs to restrain the suspect.

Another officer, probably the leader of the squad, walked toward Roman to explain the situation that had unfolded before his eyes.

"Mr. Nova Roman? Sorry for disturbing you. When the police duty room dialed your room number, nobody picked up and you were uncontactable through your communications device..."

The police had previously contacted guests in the SVIP area and given them warnings beforehand to get those with bodyguards to deploy them. Only Roman had been uncontactable, and so they had been unable to inform him. It just so happened that the suspect had landed on this balcony and Roman did not normally have a bodyguard by his side while he was working. If not for Fang Zhao's quick reactions and prompt arrival, Roman might have been injured or taken hostage. If he had been even unluckier, he might not be alive.

Hearing the police's explanation, Roman also understood that Fang Zhao had saved him. However, now Roman's brain was beginning think again.

If it had been anybody else, then so be it, but it just had to be Fang Zhao.

Roman tried replaying the incident in his head. His line of thought regarding Fang Zhao had not been broken yet, and because of these unforeseen circumstances, it had started changing again.

Fang Zhao received a call from Eric.

Eric inquired about what had happened and also allowed Fang Zhao to follow the police squad and the suspect to the interrogation room.

Eric had even dispatched a small flying craft to pick them up.

Time was tight, so Fang Zhao didn't have any time to approach Director Roman for a chat.

However, under the present circumstances, the suspect had to be delivered first. After that matter was resolved, he would come and look for this director.

After Fang Zhao and the police squad left, Roman once again turned on the screens and viewed the images displayed on them. He kept replaying the whole chain of events in his head and began deeply contemplating.

————

After the detainee had been delivered to the police's interrogation room, Fang Zhao was called to another room to give a statement.

Outside the interrogation room, Eric first lectured the members of the police squad.

"Even Fang Zhao knew how to prepare equipment beforehand, so what about you guys? Did you carry the equipment that is supposed to be on you? No efficiency, no operational capability! Even an amateur puts us to shame!"

One police officer timidly replied, "Captain, Fang Zhao is really a professional. He's from the Baiji military district and has directly gone up against terrorists. He really cannot be considered an amateur. Didn't the military reports say that—"

Eric's eyebrows flew upward, his enlarged eyes compelling that junior police officer to swallow his words. "You still dare to talk back?!"

Fang Zhao had served in the Baiji military district, this Eric also knew, but he could not take back the words he had said. It was a matter of pride. He was the boss here!

However, they really could not be compared with Fang Zhao. That mysterious intuition was another matter altogether. Just the way he had leaped off the roof deck was out of this world. Even if it was someone worked all year round on the cruise and trained frequently, they might only be able to accomplish it with some difficulty, and they wouldn't be as nimble either.

"Luckily, not every suspect is just like Fang Zhao. With his skills, if Fang Zhao was to commit crimes, we would lose our jobs," another officer lamented.

Hearing this, Eric's mood became poorer. "Don't talk about Fang Zhao to that extent. Let's say, if we weren't fortunate enough to have encountered Fang Zhao, do you think we would have caught the suspect being detained inside?!"

But this wasn't time to be disciplining his subordinates. Eric had an interrogation to handle first.

When Fang Zhao got here, Eric had already gone inside to interrogate the suspect. However, that had nothing to do with Fang Zhao. After he had given his statement, Fang Zhao was informed that he could leave.

Just as he was about to leave, Fang Zhao heard two police officers discussing something in hushed tones.

Any normal person would not be able to listen to the contents of the conversation, but Fang Zhao's hearing was not like a normal person's, and he could catch what those two were saying.

When making his statement, Fang Zhao had heard from a police officer that the person he had detained had stolen something. He had stolen an important item stored in a safe in the storeroom.

At first, Fang Zhao had thought the person had stolen a precious gem or something similar, as the auction this time around featured gemstones. He had not expected that the person had stolen an antique.

A portable hard drive from the Old Era. Given the storage technology used in the New Era, it was indeed an antique.

During the Period of Destruction, many firms had not made preparations for data recovery for a calamity. When the apocalypse had descended, there had been severe data loss, and 90% of people's personal storage equipment had been destroyed. Too little had been able to be preserved.

Some fortunate storage devices had managed to survive the Period of Destruction due to special methods of preservation that had managed to extend the lifespan of these devices. For devices that had not been so lucky, even if they were not damaged externally, they had spoiled over time and the data inside was impossible to recover.

Research teams established during the Period of Destruction had only preserved more important data, the sort that only concerned humanity's survival and development. As for popular entertainment, there was much less.

But as the world once again recovered and became peaceful, people once again sought out stuff from the Old Era.

In the first 100 years of the New Era, there were people who had gotten rich from discovering Old Era videos. But now, 500 years later, there was already a database with backups. When some people discovered storage devices from the Old Era, they would spend large sums of money to contract historical relic restoration specialist and appraisers. After investing large sums, they would often find out that the videos stored inside had already been uploaded to the database and the first discoverer of those videos had already been recorded. These items in their hands could not be sold for a high price, and it had all been a wasted effort.

People of the New Era always had an Old Era complex, and this was this reason people still valued these sorts storage devices. Naturally, what was more important was the data they contained and whether there were videos from the Old Era that had not been uploaded to the database.

Antiques could be faked, as could videos. Therefore, professional appraisers had to be contracted to verify the authenticity and evaluate the item's value.

The two police officers were discussing finding for a historical relic restoration specialist and appraiser to determine exactly what was in that portable hard drive, why somebody would fork out a large sum to hire a thief to steal it, and exactly who this hard drive belonged to.

However, Fang Zhao's focus was on a different thing. Historical relic restoration specialists are so capable now!

Even a portable hard drive can be repaired!

However, with this matter, Fang Zhao had other thoughts.

The difficulty of being a historical relic restoration specialist was too high, but a historical relic appraiser? He decided he would become one. With those qualifications, he would be able to enter certain venues. He had quite a lot of interest in these "historical relic videos."

As Fang Zhao contemplated this, another police officer came over.

"Hey, Fang Zhao, your rock climbing skills and your landing after jumping from a height were really impressive!"

"Lots of practice. I'm used to it," Fang Zhao replied.

During the Period of Destruction, there hadn't been any elevators for many years. Forget about climbing or landing from a height, Fang Zhao had also done even more dangerous activities. That had long become a habit, as it had been commonplace. Even though he had been reborn and gained a new body, he still retained those memories. Every muscle and cell in his body retained that clear muscle memory.

However, these policemen evidently had no way of verifying the truth of Fang Zhao's words, so they only assumed that Fang Zhao trained a lot normally and had probably trained a lot during his time on Baiji military district, resulting in this proficiency.

Having left the police district, Fang Zhao received a message. It was from an unknown number, but the signature at the end of the message read "Nova Roman."

Fang Zhao blanked for a second before smiling immediately after.

Before coming here, Fang Zhao had thought about many circumstances where he would be able to see this director, yet he had not expected that the first words he would say when meeting the director were "Handling a police case, please do not panic."

He had thought that missing out on the auction would mean letting this opportunity slip by. However, he had actually come across the director here.

What a coincidence. His luck was too good.

Had being reborn really changed his fortunes?

However, what exactly was with the situation in the room back then? Fang Zhao had clearly seen the images on those screens. Had this director really been studying Fang Zhao himself?

Anyone who saw that scene would find it odd and would be suspicious.

However, for Fang Zhao, this might not be something bad.

After leaving the police district, Fang Zhao once more arrived at the 17th floor of the SVIP area. This time he did not need to jump from a height.

In the room, Roman had already changed his attire, washed up, and combed his hair. He no longer appeared so sloppy and disheveled.

Roman had gotten Fang Zhao to come over for a few reasons: first, to explain why there had been so many screenshots and photographs of Fang Zhao in the room previously; second, to thank Fang Zhao for saving him in the nick of time; and third, he wanted to speak with Fang Zhao about those videos. He wanted to assimilate some of Fang Zhao's previous videos into his own instructional resources, and when the time came, he would use it to guide actors and also help assist their understanding of the role of Fang Zhao.

Recalling the situation that had happened before, Roman did not feel awkward meeting Fang Zhao again. After all, with his age, experience, and status, and as he was thick skinned, he could maintain sufficient composure.

"Sit, make yourself at home." Under normal circumstances, Roman was rather affable. "Teasandsea's specialty tea leaves. There are very few authentic goods on the market. I just managed to get these from an old friend." Roman laughed heartily and personally poured a cup of tea for Fang Zhao. "I know all about this matter. Thank you for acting promptly. Otherwise, this old life of mine might have suffered. I'm old and wouldn't be able to bear being tormented. I listened to your concert online. It was really decent. When will your next concert be? If I have the time, I will surely attend it live."

"I haven't started preparing for the next concert yet," Fang Zhao replied.

"Oh? Right, take a break and rest first, give yourself a vacation before preparing for the next one. Teasandsea is a really great place to have a holiday!"

"No." Fang Zhao looked towards Roman, his expression serious. "I received news that Director Roman would be at Teasandsea, so I specifically came here."

Roman paused midway through sipping his tea. Raising his head up, in a flash, his gaze became extremely penetrating. Although he still had a smile on his face, the amiable warmth was no longer there.

Fang Zhao did not shy away from Roman's gaze. "I wish to act as Fang Zhao."

Chapter 288: Given an Opportunity

After Fang Zhao said this line, the room sunk into silence.

It was so quiet that only breathing could be heard.

The specialty tea leaves of Teasandsea had a refreshing scent to them. On a blistering hot day, the scent would let people feel a pleasurable cooling, but now, under this sort of silent and stagnating atmosphere, it caused one to feel a little chilly.

Both parties in the room were trying to outlast the other in keeping their composure.

Roman's penetrating gaze studied the young man sitting on the opposite side of the coffee table.

It wasn't as if he had not given any thought to Fang Zhao's purpose for appearing here, and he had even suspected that the other party had come because of "Founding Era." He had very quickly given up on that thought, as from what he had seen, the possibility was so low that it was completely impossible. Furthermore, Fang Zhao had indeed been helping the police with a case and had appeared elsewhere on the cruise when the auction had started. Therefore, Romans doubts had been cleared in no time.

But now...

Roman abruptly shattered the silence in the room. "You still dare to even think about it!"

The circumstances in front of him showed that not only did Fang Zhao dare to think about it, this youngster had even said it out loud right in front of him.

If he hadn't received a proper explanation about the unfortunate events involving the suspect a short while ago, he would even suspect the whole incident to have been an elaborate ruse!

However, Roman really did not like it when actors beat around the bush when in front of him either.

Having been a director for so many years, he had seen countless film emperors from every continent. He only instructed actors as a director during filming, and actors trying to play games in front of his eyes would find it hard. Furthermore, now that Roman's status was already so high, he disliked it when minor actors tried to beat around the bush in front of him.

He had never expected that the one in front of him had not even tried such a thing. Fang Zhao had gone straight to the point!

Roman squinted and once more studied the person in front of him. Did he speak this way after fully understanding my temperament?

"I have studied many historical resources and understand the martyr Fang Zhao. I cannot deny that on many fronts, you are indeed very similar to the Fang Zhao in the drama series and that there is some resemblance between you and the image I have envisioned, which has given me lots of inspiration. I can let you become a body double. Given your agility, I can draw up a contract for you to sign right now. But!" At this moment, Roman's entire demeanor changed. It was as if a raging tempest had surged, enveloping the entire area around the coffee table. "If you want this role, that is basically impossible! You aren't even an actor. At present, you don't even have a single representative work, and you completely lack acting experience! You, what can you use to fight for it?!"

Fang Zhao's gaze did not back down from Roman's change in demeanor, nor did he lose confidence or appear weak. On the contrary, he replied, "For this role, I can act better than all the others."

"Representative works! Awards! Only these are the most direct proof of your ability, not empty promises!"

"That is why I'm asking for a chance now, a chance to prove my worth," Fang Zhao replied.

Why had he looked for Roman?

Because Roman dared to use newcomers. This was an unconventional gambit!

Fang Zhao had analyzed a lot of people to try and find a breakthrough. Roman was the best place to start. Only here would he be able to fight for a chance!

The room once again fell back into silence.

It was so quiet that the sound of Roman's fingers rubbing the rim of his teacup could be heard.

Fang Zhao did not add anything further, instead continuing to wait in silence. There was no need to say too many unnecessary words in front of this globally acclaimed director. Roman would make his own judgments.

After a short while had passed, Roman said, "You studied my temper beforehand."

Roman loved to promote fresh talent in his own works, as he loved to unearth gold that had been neglected and buried away. He loved to "wipe away the grime on a pearl" so he could see the instant when it glittered!

He loved creating stars!

When his career finally concluded, he wanted to look back at his accomplishments, that night sky full of resplendent stars!

If a question was posed: "Among the people from the entire project with the authority to decide such a thing, who among them had the highest possibility of using fresh talent?"

The answer would be only Nova Roman!

Every newcomer that had been pushed forward by him would make it big, and those with brains or who could speedily adapt to this industry had already stood on the golden pedestal in the entertainment circles.

However, for the "Founding Era" project, Roman had originally decided to go about it conservatively. Now that he had met Fang Zhao in person, though, he was wavering.

A revolutionary film project like "Founding Era," according to Roman, naturally had a different significance, but his internal raging ambition and his tendency to take risks caused Roman to change his original outlook.

Not only was Fang Zhao not considered a fresh newcomer, he wasn't even an actor. However, what harm was there in giving him a chance? Who had asked this youngster to suit Roman's tastes!? And furthermore, Fang Zhao was practically the same as the image of the role Roman had constructed in his mind!

Never mind, just consider it me repaying the favor.

In his heart, Roman had found a very good excuse for himself. Should Fang Zhao fail, and if others were to ask about it in the future, he would be able to explain.

"On account of the inspiration you have furnished and you saving me, I shall give you a chance. However, there are some things I have to say. 'Founding Era' is a revolutionary project. The role of the martyr Fang Zhao is an extremely important one. Even as the lead director, I don't have full authority, and I can't just decide alone." Roman added extra emphasis in his tone. "Ten days from now, I will give you a chance for an audition! But this is just a preliminary trial. If you pass this stage, your audition video will be put together with the audition videos of other actors and sent for the second round of selection. After those videos have been filtered, the ones that pass will be shown to the other policy makers and a vote will be called to decide. You have to prepare well!"

Fang Zhao had to make mental preparations for being overlooked, facing those policymakers with high authority, and dealing with the vicious looks from other great masters in the film circles!

After he had said all this, Roman's penetrating gaze once again became warm, like the gentle breeze after a torrential downpour. He didn't look at Fang Zhao and instead gazed out the window and brandished his hands, indicating that Fang Zhao could leave.

If Fang Zhao had not brought up this request, perhaps he might have discussed with Fang Zhao and analyzed the historical figure Fang Zhao more, but now, there was no need.

"The entire selection process takes a long time, and the competition is very intense. Whether you can make it depends entirely on you. You have to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses," Roman said unhurriedly.

In 10 days' time, if the results were satisfactory, he would give Fang Zhao an official chance to be in the running and would surely give Fang Zhao guidance and assistance. But that was all he would be able to do for Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao stood up and sincerely replied, "Many thanks!"

After stepping out from Roman's place, Fang Zhao returned to his own room on the cruise before giving Duan Qianji a call. He needed a professional acting instructor to come over and give him guidance. Even if he was only showing his inherent qualities, he still needed to grasp the necessary acting techniques, and online coaching had its limitations. Also, Roman would not be able to provide Fang Zhao with much help, so 10 days was actually very tight.

Yanzhou, Silver Wing headquarters. The time zone was different; it was still daytime here.

In the top floor office, Silver Wing boss Duan Qianji had been frustrated recently. The few big name film stars in the company were all in the midst of fighting for roles. Duan Qianji had already provided all the assistance she could give, but not a single one had been able to lock down a role. Even the company's top-rated He Lisi had yet to receive a final contract.

But of course, Duan Qianji also understood that there were many other entertainment companies that were as anxious as Silver Wing. Everyone was having the same feelings.

Duan Qianji got her assistant to pour a cup of coffee and was about to go over the latest reports. It was at this moment that she received an incoming call from Fang Zhao.

"Fang Zhao? Aren't you on a long vacation—important matter? All right, go ahead, I will listen to it... Cough, cough, cough..." Duan Qianji, who had been sipping on coffee to freshen herself up, choked when she heard Fang Zhao's words.

Duan Qianji's assistant shot her boss an astonished look. Recently, she had not seen her boss so excited.

But right now, Duan Qianji could not bother about anything else. The shock of Fang Zhao's information had been too forceful.

"Who did you say it was?! Are you sure it was that Roman?"

Probably only top-rated film stars could get the opportunity of a screen test from Head Director Nova Roman, and if those top-rated film stars lacked some tricks, they wouldn't even get that chance. As for others, they wouldn't even get to see Roman's shadow, let alone an opportunity for an audition.

Yet Fang Zhao, who wasn't even in the showbiz circles, had actually obtained a rare opportunity for an audition from Nova Roman.

Duan Qianji tried to control her fluctuating mood, but when she spoke, her tone still contained disbelief and surprise. "Where are you now?"

"Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9," Fang Zhao replied.

"He is really on the cruise?"

There was too much smoke online. An hour ago, there had been many people saying that Director Roman had participated in the auction, but it had very quickly been refuted by others saying that they had not spotted Roman at the actual venue. There had only been someone who had a similar body shape to Roman. People treated this as Roman duping them once again.

She could not believe that this was actually true!

"All right... Prepare yourself first, and you must absolutely not leak this information externally. I will send someone over immediately!"

Now, Duan Qianji was even more nervous than Fang Zhao. She had known that Fang Zhao was definitely up to something when he had applied for the vacation.

And when he was up to something, it would be a big matter!

Regardless of how Fang Zhao had gotten ahold of this opportunity, Duan Qianji was only looking at the result right now! An opportunity meant hope, and with hope there was a possibility! Every single opportunity had to be grasped.

After ending the call, in line with Fang Zhao's request, Duan Qianji went to browse through a few satisfactory names and checked on these people's arrangements. Following that, she made a call.

On a certain floor in Silver Wing tower, an actor was coaching over 10 second- and third-rate actors. Shen Wei was signed to Silver Wing on a special contract as an instructor. He received a call from Duan Qianji and left.

This batch of students thought that Shen Wei had stepped out to make a call and would return very quickly. However, 30 minutes had already passed and Shen Wei had not returned. Instead, it was another younger instructor who came over. "Senior Shen Wei has something to attend to. I will be taking over this week's training sessions."

When the students heard this news, suspicions and doubts surged like a torrent in their hearts. However, they tried their best to maintain "we understand," "we will cooperate," and "we are quiet and obedient" looks.

But the instructor was able to see through it from the twinkling in their eyes from time to time, as well as their lack of focus.

However, this much-younger instructor did not say anything. He also knew what this bunch was thinking. Actually, even he had his own suspicions.

The training classes had only started two days ago, and they were changing instructors now?

Changing instructors was not something uncommon, but circumstances now were different. This was a sensitive time.

Unless some actor in the company had landed an opportunity for a screen test? Otherwise, the company would not be so urgent in transferring Senior Instructor Shen Wei away.

Very quickly, this information spread through the company.

"Was Shen Wei really transferred out for the time being?"

"Indeed, it's been verified!"

"How is the progress of the companies top-rate and first-rate film stars? Which of them has gotten an opportunity for a screen test?"

"No idea. Information about that bunch is kept under tight wraps. Even if they got a chance for a screen test, they wouldn't reveal it."

"All we can do is wait, then. Let's see which entertainment reporter will release the news first."

"Speaking of entertainment reporters... Where has Wang Tie gone to? Wasn't he given the title of Yanzhou's Paparazzi King? He's been so quiet—there hasn't even been a fart from him!"

"Recently, there really hasn't been any news of him. At this sort of time, being too quiet doesn't seem like his style."

"I having a nagging feeling in my heart, as if he is up to something big."

"Actually, there is only so much in these circles. The roles are all determined by the status of the industry. How big can it even get? Whatever stirring and hyping in the news is ultimately just going to be something that makes sense and is expected!"

Chapter 289: Who Is This?

Oblivious to the fallout within Silver Wing, Fang Zhao, situated in faraway Teasandsea, had already reached Shen Wei.

Shen Wei still hadn't found his composure by the time he boarded his flying transport. He had gotten a call from Duan Qianji.

He had thought he was going to be asked to train a few of the company's priority A-list actors. Duan Qianji hadn't prefaced her remarks, simply asking him if he could spare some time right now. When she had gotten an answer in the affirmative, she'd had him sign a confidentiality agreement.

Chills had gone down Shen Wei's spine once he had realized the severity of the situation. He didn't dare let down his guard, but he also realized this was an opportunity for him. He was as tight lipped as he had ever been lest he squander such a rare career move. Once he completed the handoff at Silver Wing, he headed straight for Tessandsea in the flying transport Duan Qianji had prepared for him.

Only when the flying transport had left Yanzhou airspace did Duan Qianji reveal who he was going to see in Teasandsea.

"Who would have guessed?" Shen Wei marveled silently at this, knowing that all the folks at Silver Wing would get a kick out of the fact that his mystery assignment was Fang Zhao, someone who had nothing to do with acting.

Unlike Duan Qianji, who was a results-oriented boss looking out for the company's interests, Shen Wei had started out as an actor. He knew full well how hard it was to land an audition for this film project, and for a key part, no less. He wanted to know how Fang Zhao had managed to secure the opportunity. That was what he was wondering about during the journey to Teasandsea.

More often than not, actors were pawns. They had no authority. All they could do was wait to be chosen. So what had prompted Director Roman to give Fang Zhao this precious opportunity?

Was a backroom deal involved?

Shen Wei got a sense of the answer on the first day he worked with Fang Zhao after arriving at Teasandsea.

After analyzing Fang Zhao's personality and Fang Zhao the character as described in the script, he realized they were a perfect match.

Fang Zhao had won by simply going with the flow.

That is an advantage too, Shen Wei thought to himself. If there was a huge discrepancy between Fang Zhao's personality and Fang Zhao the character, or if he wasn't already an entertainment industry insider, he couldn't possibly have landed the audition without the proper backing and connections.

But acting in keeping with your personality didn't mean behaving the same way you did in real life when you acted. You still had to depict traits assigned to the character in the script, building from your own personality in order to craft a complete portrait.

As far as Fang Zhao was concerned, apart from mastering some basic acting techniques, he also had to learn how to be himself in the movie, how to deliver a performance that moved audiences. That was Shen Wei's job.

Duan Qianji had asked for Shen Wei, which meant he was highly skilled and the most suitable coach for Fang Zhao. Shen Wei knew how to help Fang Zhao master the skills that were necessary for his audition in the shortest time frame. As for everything else, Shen Wei would simplify. He didn't have enough time to go into detail anyway.

Fang Zhao holed up in his room after Shen Wei arrived in Teasandsea. The cruise ship was still in motion. He didn't need to head back to Teasandsea just yet. He instructed Yan Biao, who had remained on Teasandsea, to help Shen Wei settle down. He would then communicate with Shen Wei via videoconference and receive coaching online.

Fang Zhao rented a seaside villa for Shen Wei. There were plenty of similar options for tourists. They were private enough and conducive to his online coaching sessions.

Meanwhile, in the latest online gossip.

A video had caused quite the stir.

One of the passengers on the cruise ship had uploaded a hastily shot rock climbing video while sharing his pictures from the trip.

The residents of Teasandsea, who prided themselves on being worldly, were blown away. The video was reposted countless times, becoming a top headline in all the local news outlets.

The passenger who had shot the video might have been in a hurry and had only captured the latter stages of the climb, and the climber had been in a hurry. Rock-climbing professionals and non-professionals alike gave their two cents.

"That kind of speed—it's gotta be fake, no? Post-production?"

"How did he do it?"

"On first glance, he seems to be climbing with his bare hands, but maybe he's carrying some secret equipment in his palms."

"But he doesn't look like he came prepared. He looks like he's coming from a banquet or something."

"I know. It's gotta be a publicity stunt. When all the hype dies down, we'll find out that some rock-climbing athlete is making his debut in the entertainment industry."

"Word has it that several quite-good-looking extreme athletes are contemplating new careers."

"It's not them. They were still broadcasting live from their climb up a snow mountain in Muzhou yesterday."

"Let's stop guessing. We'll wait and see. The publicity team behind this will follow up for sure."

"True. Let's let things play out."

So the folks fixated on the video waited for the incident to percolate—except it didn't.

The rock climbing incident on the cruise ship was soon eclipsed by other events. It barely got a mention after a while. It just dropped off the radar.

Folks who thought they had seen through the act were bewildered.

This didn't make sense.

What about the hype?

The athletes switching careers?

Where did they go?

Teasandsea.

Yan Biao watched the video online while he conferred with Zuo Yu by phone.

Others would have missed it, but as Fang Zhao's bodyguard, Yan Biao had no trouble recognizing the silhouette. He just wasn't sure and wanted Zuo Yu to confirm. It was also a chance to ask what had happened on the cruise ship.

Zuo Yu's face went blank. "I'm not clear either. After hanging up with Boss, I went for a cup of coffee and listened to some music. Before I knew it, Boss was in the headlines again."

Even though it was a local headline story, it was still a headline story.

After a slight distraction, Boss was in the news again.

"What good are you for?" Yan Biao thought Zuo Yu wasn't doing his job.

In contrast to the folks in Teasandsea, readers from other continents had other concerns. They wanted to distinguish fact from rumor, to figure out whether Director Roman was actually on the cruise ship and which celebrities had managed to successfully stalk him.

At times like this, the people who got the most flak were the best-known entertainment journalists on each continent.

In Yanzhou, Wang Tie was the one who came under fire.

"Godfather, should we release what we have?" Fu Rui asked Wang Tie after browsing the online chatter.

Wang Tie shook his head. "We still don't have enough stuff. Let's wait and keep at it."

Wang Tie had been sitting on the material he had shot because he felt the timing was wrong.

"We're not going to release anything at all? You haven't seen the online commentary. They're saying that your reputation as 'King of Paparazzi' is at stake."

"It's all talk. I'm not actually going to suffer. It's better than being fed to the sharks. Believe it or not, if I released what we have now, Fang Zhao would show up tonight."

Fu Rui was going to suggest they simply go into hiding after releasing their material, but he thought back to the last time Fang Zhao had paid them a visit and shut up.

"Then should we keep following? How much more can the situation evolve?" What Fu Rui was worried about was Fang Zhao being eliminated from consideration for the role of his namesake in a few days. Then their material would be less valuable. They would be ridiculed for not following credible candidates and chasing Fang Zhao instead. Even idiots had better judgment.

Did Wang Tie have a brain?

But Fu Rui didn't speak up in the end. He chose to execute Wang Tie's plan. So be it if I'm a blind follower.

Fu Rui's question gave Wang Tie pause as well. He had been reviewing his decision-making since arriving in Teasandsea. Was it the right call to come here with his team? In the end, he decided to trust his instincts, to trust the finely-tuned antenna that distinguished him as the leading entertainment journalist of Yanzhou.

I'm definitely right!

"Keep at it," Wang Tie said.

"Aye, aye! Oh, Shifu, where's Xiao Bo today? I haven't seen him all day. How's his assignment coming along?" Fu Rui was a bit puzzled and worried as to why he couldn't reach his colleague.

"He's getting a shot. He got bitten by a dog while on assignment," Wang Tie responded.

"What? Whose dog was he bitten by?"

"Fang Zhao's, the tiny one."

"Godfather, you warned us to be on the lookout for Fang Zhao, but you never mentioned his dog."

Wang Tie took the opportunity to lecture Fu Rui. "That's why I say our line of work is quite dangerous. We have to be on guard at all times. Not only do we have to on the lookout for certain people, we have to watch out for animals too. We can't let down our guard against any form of life." His underlings were getting inflated egos after a few successful assignments. They had to be beaten down.

Fang Zhao ignored all the online debate. He was fully focused on the audition. After resolving the incident on the cruise ship quietly, he never again left his room. When the cruise ship arrived at its destination, he blended in with the other passengers as they disembarked and got back online to receive coaching from Shen Wei.

Several days later, a day before Roman's deadline.

Fang Zhao arrived at the address Roman had provided. Rooms were reserved for the audition.

Before Fang Zhao had set off, Shen Wei had told him, "There are some things that you want in life that you may never get, and some you may fail to escape even if you try, so try your best, but don't force things."

Being granted the audition was enough cause for celebration. It was a rare and incredible opportunity for a movie industry outsider like Fang Zhao. He was also unusually talented and had been a hard-working student the past few days. He had done the best he could. If he was ultimately rejected for the role, there would be no shame in it.

Shen Wei had seen too many talented actors come and go. These kids were often quite fragile, failing to recover after a single stumble. As an elder, Shen Wei felt obliged to pass on his wisdom.

Roman didn't show up in person. His assistant greeted Fang Zhao's party and led Fang Zhao to the room where the audition was going to take place. Shen Wei, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao waited in a living room.

Shen Wei was a bit disappointed that he didn't get to meet Roman in person, but soon his sense of regret was displaced by nerves. As a teacher, he was even more jittery than his student.

The room reserved for the audition was completely empty. There were no props. Certain images would be projected during the audition to help set the scene.

The audition comprised three parts: a conversation, a fight scene, and a random scene picked by Roman. The third scene was extra credit, so to speak, an opportunity for actors to show their stuff.

"I'll give you five minutes to prepare for each scene." Roman didn't bother asking Fang Zhao if five minutes was sufficient. After barking his orders, he sat down on a nearby sofa to study a document. He was very busy. He'd had to reshuffle his schedule to make time for Fang Zhao's audition.

According to Roman's schedule, there were three scenes, plus five minutes of prep time for each performance. The whole process would take no more than half an hour.

Half an hour later.

Shen Wei, who was waiting in the living room, could no longer sit still.

Chapter 290: Committee of 100

Shen Wei once again shifted his gaze away from the audition room. As the minutes passed, his heart, which had required some effort to pacify, once more started to stir restlessly.

Does an audition require this much time?

Half an hour had passed, and that already exceeded their estimated time.

If it had just been a formality or if Roman had not been satisfied with Fang Zhao's performance, it simply would not have taken this long!

Unless... there had been progress?

The more he thought about it, the more Shen Wei could not sit tight. Every two minutes, he would take a look at the time. He had already drunk three cups of tea and had paced around seven or eight times, yet he still could not calm down and was growing even more jittery instead.

When there was expectation, it would give rise to impractical thoughts and a loss of rationality.

When it came to anticipating, who wouldn't tend to think about the positive aspects?

Who wouldn't be willing to have a better result?

Roman was willing to give Fang Zhao an audition, which meant he also regarded Fang Zhao highly.

A director who loved taking risks and using fresh talent...

The more he thought, the more his heart beat faster. Shen Wei's fingers, clasped around the teacup, were also trembling slightly.

Although he wasn't the one auditioning, if Fang Zhao could really snag that role, as Fang Zhao's coach, the benefits that Shen Wei would gain would also be extremely attractive.

Shen Wei kept telling himself to calm down. Stay cool, calm down!

An hour passed.

Not only did Shen Wei's heartbeat not slow down, on the contrary, it was pulsating even more intensely. Both his fists were clenched—otherwise, his fingers would be trembling from the nervousness.

Shen Wei could not sit still, and he got up to pace around. After gulping down a few glasses of water and taking two trips to the washroom while telling himself to calm down, Shen Wei finally saw the sliding doors open. Shen Wei had only just sat back down when he shot straight up. He could not control his own legs as they took a few steps closer to the door.

Fang Zhao had just stepped out of the audition room. There wasn't any hint of excitement on his face, and this made Shen Wei calm down.

"...How was it?" Shen Wei asked with great difficulty. He had wanted to ask why it had taken so long and what exactly had happened inside. There was too much he wanted to ask, and he had only been able to force out these three simple words.

"Return back and wait for the results," Fang Zhao replied.

"What?"

Shen Wei wanted to probe further but quickly realized that the location wasn't appropriate for doing so. Only after they had left Roman's place and were on their way back did Shen Wei find out about the details.

"The audition went rather smoothly. This sort of important role cannot be decided solely by Director Roman. He told me to return home first and wait for news," Fang Zhao explained.

"Oh, right, that makes sense." Shen Wei was much calmer now, and he understood. Although he had not gotten to hear the outcome he had wanted to hear and was a little disappointed, looking at things from a different perspective, as long as the role wasn't fixed, that meant there was still a chance.

"Then how long do we have to wait?" Shen Wei asked.

"Director Roman didn't say, but he did say that this matter would be decided within the week. In two days' time, he will be returning to Huangzhou to discuss and determine the actors for all the important roles," Fang Zhao replied.

Just as Shen Wei had told him, Fang Zhao did not worry about personal gains or losses. He had already done all that he could. Now all that was left was waiting for the results. Even if the results were not satisfactory, he would still accept it. At least he had tried his best, right?

"Oh right, why was the audition so long?" Shen Wei asked.

"At the start, he got me to do three scenes. After that, Director Roman spent an hour speaking to me about filming, then asked me to do another three scenes." When Fang Zhao said this, he was very thankful toward this famous director. Although this director had his own selfish desires, this also benefited Fang Zhao.

Shen Wei was surprised. "Director Roman spoke to you about filming?"

"He even shared some acting techniques that can be used in front of a camera," Fang Zhao replied.

Shen Wei could not help but break into a smile. "Not bad! To be able to receive the guidance of this famous director, it seems like he really thinks highly of you."

"Boss." Yan Biao spoke from the front passenger seat. "There has been somebody watching us continuously for the past few days. I noticed them when you were having your screen test. However, they kept their distance. Whoever it is, they are being very prudent."

"The bunch that Curly Hair bit?" Fang Zhao asked.

After returning from the cruise, Fang Zhao had learned from Yan Biao that Curly Hair had bitten a sneaky person who had been following them. However, Curly Hair had not bitten down with too much force. The other party had escaped very quickly and Yan Biao had been unable to catch them.

After that, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had both asked Fang Zhao whether they should catch the person, but Fang Zhao had indicated that they need not bother.

"Probably."

Form Yan Biao's perspective, these bunch of paparazzi that followed them and tried to secretly film should be caught and beaten severely!

But it was obvious that Yan Biao did not understand these entertainment reporters' dedication to going about seizing news at all costs.

Shen Wei also did not approve of Yan Biao's suggested method of handling it. Besides, from what he saw, dealing with these entertainment reporters was not the most important agenda. The company's public relations teams were not just for show. The company's staff could keep an eye on things, and should any unsavory news appear, they would quash it. At this sort of time, the company would be more than willing to fork out cash.

"Fang Zhao, don't pay any heed to all this right now. Do read more books regarding acting and watch video guides online. You can ask me about any matters that you don't understand. Prepare Well!" Shen Wei advised.

Although he had not pinned too much hope on Fang Zhao... what if?

What if Fang Zhao was really selected?

As a new hand and a completely fresh talent that could not even be called an actor, what Fang Zhao needed to do was spend more effort honing his acting skills and be prepared to be called up to join the cast at any time. If he was really selected and could not keep up with the cast, he might be fired. If that were the case, he couldn't cry even if he wanted to!

"You can never defeat entertainment reporters. The more you fight, the more vicious they become!" Shen Wei told Yan Biao. "Let's not talk about other continents first. Just take a look at our very own Yanzhou. How many people in the entertainment circles have tried to feed those top few entertainment reporters to the fishes? But aren't they still living well and happy all day long?"

Shen Wei felt that, as a self-proclaimed precursor within the circle, he had an important duty, and he took the chance to impart some lessons to Fang Zhao. Even the bodyguards with him, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, were unable to avoid this. However, what they learned was different. Shen Wei imparted professional knowledge to Fang Zhao, whereas he taught Zuo Yu and Yan Biao about some of the troubling matters that were commonly encountered within the circles and ways to deal with them.

Fang Zhao also attentively absorbed the techniques that Shen Wei imparted to him. Opportunities were always left to people who were prepared. Just as Shen Wei had said, before he even got a chance to be fired, he needed to make preparations to be ready to get selected at any moment.

Elsewhere, Director Roman was in a videoconference with his Huangzhou colleagues and was talking about the matter of Fang Zhao. However, he had not directly said which actor it was, nor the actor's background. All he said was that this was a very talented person who suited the role.

"You don't understand. When he stood in front of me, it gave me a really odd feeling. At that time, it coincided with the image of the role I have envisioned in my heart!"

"Stop finding excuses. Are you starting to get restless and trying to stir up something big again? I'm warning you, Roman, the 'Founding Era' project is to be a milestone. A milestone! Do you know what that means?! You should know how many people are eyeing this project. Understand its significance. You better work according to the rules!"

Despite being separated by their communications devices, Roman could still feel the other party's spittle flying all over.

"Got it, got it. All of you are just worrying groundlessly!" Roman exclaimed impatiently.

"You think I wanted to say all this? Roman, you have a record! If I hadn't said it, I wouldn't feel at ease! Remember well, this time, we are going about things in an open and honest fashion according to the industry rules. Don't stir things up. This project doesn't belong to you alone. There is still a Committee of 100 above you. Every single one of them will not be pleasant to deal with. Don't stir up any trouble. Otherwise, your position as the head director might not be stable."

"All right, how can I not understand all this? Cut the nonsense. Preparations over the last week have almost been completed. We have to fix the actors soon. Tomorrow we head out. See you at Huangzhou."

Ending the call, Roman's mouth twitched.

Follow the rules?

Whose rules?

Default rules?

If there were no expressly stipulated rules, it was nothing but bullsh*t!

Roman was prepared to give these people a big surprise this time. He was indeed very satisfied with Fang Zhao's performance, so much so that the Fang Zhao character that Fang Zhao had played out was exactly the same as the image of Fang Zhao in his heart.

Too suitable!

As for how for how much of a gamble Roman was willing to take, he would once again challenge the community's so-called "rules"!

"Please work hard!"

Roman knew how to guide a complete amateur to appear as a seemingly mature actor in a short time. Fortunately, Fang Zhao was extremely talented and great had perception. Although one hour was short, whatever essential points and knowledge he had spoken about, Fang Zhao had actually been able to completely grasp them!

The sort of feeling of unintentionally unearthing a gem was what Roman loved the most. At this sorts of time, he felt especially great about himself.

If industry outsiders were to watch all six scenes that Fang Zhao had recorded for his audition, they might not necessarily be able to see a difference, but the eyes of professional would be able to see a vast improvement, and they would find it difficult to find any minute errors.

If this was Roman's own movie, he would have decided right on the spot, but this was "Founding Era"...

"Committee of 100..." Roman had calmed himself, and he looked at the projection. He heaved a sigh. "Fang Zhao, this is all I can do for you."

The next morning, Roman brought his assistant and set off for Huangzhou.

The relevant parties had all been informed, and a time was set for the conference.

Huangzhou Art and Cultural Center's assembly hall.

The hall wasn't large compared to many other commercial meeting venues and was less presentable. The furnishings here might appear simple, but they were definitely not basic.

Here, the projection and sound equipment were of the highest grade in the industry.

There were not many seats, but everyone qualified to have a seat at the venue either held high positions or had impressive credentials. These were all people with status, important figures with power.

Roman took a look at the time. It was almost time.

A number of projections appeared at the venue in succession. The originally empty meeting place was filled with projections in less than 10 minutes. Near the front of the assembly hall was an area with larger seats, which was segregated from the other areas. There were over 100 seats in that segment, and they were nearly filled with projections.

"Everyone from the Committee of 100 is here. Let us begin."

The Committee of 100 were the people in the "Founding Era" project that had the power to vote for the actors of important roles in the series. Amongst these people, besides investors, there were production representatives, outstanding precursors, in the showbiz circles, direct descendants of the heroes from the period of destruction, and exceptional members from aristocratic families.

These people added up to a total of 100, which was why the group was called "The Committee of 100." Their position was the specially designated area closest to the stage.

Members of the "Committee of 100" were scattered in many regions, and there were even some that held positions that required them to spend extended time on foreign planets, so they were unable to return back to Huangzhou just because of this matter. Therefore, this would be an online voting conference, and it would be accomplished with the aid of holographic projections.

Just taking a look at the few clad in military uniforms and the general insignias on their shoulder epaulets would let everyone know how much of a big deal this was.

Roman's assistant cast a glance at the Committee of 100. Other than those few senior precursors of the industry that made his legs turn to jelly, the lowest-ranked military personnel among those clad in uniforms was a lieutenant colonel. Even he looked very young, and he would surely rise to a general in time.

Although it wasn't the first time Roman's assistant was encountering such a situation, every time he faced this, he was afraid of even breathing. His nervousness was at its highest point, and he was extremely observant and alert so as to not make any mistakes.

"Today we have to decide on three important roles. The first is 'Great General Wu Yan,' the second is 'Great General Ajina,' and the last... is 'Fang Zhao.' We shall first select 'Fang Zhao'."

Although 'Fang Zhao' was not a great general of the Founding Era, he was an integral character in that period of history. Without him, there would not have been a Yanzhou, and even Wu Yan might not even have survived. Nobody could deny the status of Fang Zhao in history. Therefore, although he wasn't a great general, he still was an important role with many scenes in this series, and selecting the actor for this role required the Committee of 100 to make a decision.

In the large screen at the front, Roman displayed the photographs of nine of the candidates he had selected.

These nine photographs had been taken after the actor had been dressed up and had makeup applied. A number of them looked like the Fang Zhao from history, and their faces had similar outlines. After makeup had been applied, it became very difficult to distinguish them apart.

There was also no indication of the names of the nine actors on screen, only the numbers from one to nine. These numbers had all been assigned randomly.

However, for people extremely close to these actors, they were still able to recognize them.

"These are the final nine I have selected," Roman told the Committee of 100 below the stage. "Just like the previous time, I will play the audition videos of the nine candidates, starting from number 1. Each candidate has three scenes, and the final vote result will determine the actor."

Chapter 291: Number Seven

Although the names of the nine actors displayed on the large screen were not shown, those that were more familiar with the entertainment circles had already started to "decipher" who they were in succession. However, when they came to the seventh person, they were stumped.

"I can recognize the first six, but what about the seventh?" whispered a member of the Committee of 100 to his old friend occupying the seat beside him.

The other person was also puzzled. "Is that Dasmi?"

"No, Dasmi is number 9."

"Then... Nion?"

"Not him either. Nion is number 2."

"That's strange. Is it because of the makeup? I can't recognize him."

At first, those in muted discussions had been those from the showbiz circles and people who were more familiar with the industry.

At the area where the Committee of 100 sat, there were a few members clad in military uniforms in the third row. Although they did not share a family name or come from the same military district, they all knew each other. Normally, they were incredibly busy and did not have time to pay attention to the entertainment circles, but as the quintessence of the descendants of the great generals, they still had voting rights when it came to selecting the parties that would play those important roles.

When the "Founding Era" project had first been established, they had been informed that it would be broadcast across every military district as a compulsory series. Since it was a compulsory series and they had voting rights, they definitely had to represent their respective military districts by picking actors that were most pleasing to the eye.

Actors that had criticized military districts were not required!

Those that had immoral characters were not required!

Personality traits that did not pass muster were not required!

...

In short, whoever they voted for had to be pleasing to the eye and satisfy their criteria.

If the actor wasn't good, when the time came for the military district to broadcast it, how different would it be from compelling the viewers to eat sh*t?

Therefore, all of them had come with a duty.

At this moment, when those seated in the third row heard the discussions of those surrounding them, they were immediately delighted.

"Nine actors, yet that bunch can't even recognize them all. Generally, we don't even pay attention to the entertainment circles; we will surely find it even more difficult to recognize them."

"I can see nine different people, but who is who, I can't tell. I don't recognize celebrities."

"I can still recognize the faces of some female celebrities, but I can't remember any male ones. They don't give me a profound impression."

"I just heard people talking about number 7. I can't help but feel that this number 7 seems a little familiar."

"I think so too, but recently, I was on vacation at home and watched a few web serials with my wife. I see a few here that look familiar. Number 7... also seems a little familiar. Surely he acted in some recent series, but this makeup is disguising him, as are those scars on his face."

As for those that were chummy with Roman, when they saw the nine actors displayed on the screen and then heard the sound of discussion, an ominous premonition appeared in their hearts.

"I can't help but feel there is something wrong."

"Can you all recognize who that number 7 is?"

"I have already determined eight of them already. I'm just missing number 7. He seems familiar, but I can't put a name to him."

"Do you think that... Roman is trying to stir something up again?"

"No way! You are kidding, right? This is the 'Founding Era' project! When I spoke to him yesterday, I even specifically warned him to follow the rules!"

"Hard to say."

"He might not necessarily be trying to stir up something big. Perhaps it is just the makeup that has resulted in everyone being unable to recognize number 7 at the moment. After all, with a costume and makeup, it is easy to deceive the visuals. Later, when the audition videos are out, we will be able to recognize him."

"Oh, right, when the audition videos play, we will know who it is."

The large screen's display changed. The first scene of candidate number 1's audition video started to play.

Candidate number 1 was a very famous actor. When his face, adorned with makeup and scars, appeared on the screen, a few of those close to this actor laughed. When it came to voting, they would certainly not be entirely impartial. If the following candidates were not up to scratch, they would surely vote for someone they were close to or, perhaps, someone that they had promised to assist.

On the screen, a segment of the audition video played.

A tattered map with all sorts of markings hung on a mottled gray wall. On the archaic but sturdy table to the side lay a bunch of stationary for taking notes.

It was a sight to behold and had a distinguishing Period of Destruction feel to it, as if all the items there seemed to carry dirt and blood.

There were a few blurry shadows in the room. These were virtual images; when it came to the actual filming, these shadows would be other actors.

At the moment, all these shadows were gathered standing around the table. The entire scene was very quiet, matching the furnishings of the room and giving off a somber vibe.

This was an ad hoc indoor meeting.

A hand full of calluses and scars unrolled a map and laid it out on the table.

That scarred face and that grave expression did not seem sinister. Instead, his every gesture seemed to be naturally imposing, intimidating others.

In the video, Fang Zhao appeared to lean slightly to his side, as if he was listening to something attentively. At the same time, his gaze swept the map before he extended a finger and pointed out a certain point on the map. Like a flash of lightning, he scanned through the side of the table, and everyone appeared to pause momentarily, as if their scalps had tightened.

"A month is too long. We don't have enough time. Within half a month... we have to seize this area!"

What followed was a rather lengthy battle strategy. It integrated the day's weather, how to lay an ambush, the most suitable weapons and equipment, troop movements, and potential threats and factors.

An overcast tune could be heard, modulating, quick at some parts but slow at others. Other emotions could not be heard, as if feelings were being hidden, letting viewers somehow feel like they were unable to grasp the situation. The atmosphere was grave and heavy.

This was a tune that Roman had specifically selected. When it came to the actual filming, the camera would definitely be following Fang Zhao's eyes for this scene. However, these were just for preparing for the role.

Below the stage, there were already people starting to evaluate this scene's performance.

"His dialogue basics are really impressive. For such a long segment, the logic and accents are spot-on," said an old man who had long retired.

Someone else nodded his head as he watched the large screen. "An actor at this sort of grade would rarely make a mistake here. Brilliant tempo control, and his ability to adjust his dialogue to fit the mood is really skillful."

"There aren't any big problems right now. Let's continue watching.

In the video, the character continued speaking.

For this portion of dialogue, the closer it got to the end, the more the words were laced with killing intent. The severity of every single word seemed to grow at an exponential rate right up to the last sentence. Fang Zhao stared at the region marked out on the map as if his gaze was a sharp sword.

An old man in a military uniform sitting in the second row laughed. "Whoa, what a striking demeanor!"

A few military personnel on the third row also concurred. "Seems good enough?"

"Passable."

"The demeanor is all that is important. It looks rather impressive."

Only an old man dressed in leisurely yet refined attire frowned slightly. "It seems a little excessive."

This was a professor that had recently retired from Huangzhou Art and Drama College. He had nurtured countless outstanding actors in his entire teaching career.

When it came to analyzing from a professional aspect, people like them would surely be different from industry outsiders. Thus, when he watched the segment, he was able to see a few minor problems, and he gave voice to them.

However, there were also objections from those of the same industry.

"Where is it excessive? I feel that it is just right! The Fang Zhao of this time was already Yanzhou's leader. Regarding those battles during the Period of Destruction, whether it was theoretical knowledge or actual battle strength, he was very strong in both. He ought to have the valiant demeanor of a person occupying the top position!" someone else refuted.

What sort of person was this historical Fang Zhao?

Perhaps when it came to battle techniques, he might not necessarily be the best, but he had been able to endure the 100 years of the Period of Destruction and become a prominent leader. His resourcefulness, ability, and physical prowess were things that others could not compare to.

An old man with grizzled white hair defended his own student. "The start of 'Founding Era' will be when Fang Zhao was at his peak. He should not be as weak as he was later. Therefore, he needs to have an imposing manner! There is nothing wrong with this segment's performance!" Candidate number 1 was his student, and they had always kept in touch. For this round's vote, he would surely allocate it to this student of his.

The old man in refined attire shook his head when he heard this. This was not what he meant, but he would not say more. His eyebrows continued to be knitted up, indicating that he maintained his own opinion.

"Hahaha, this has only just begun. There are still more to follow. We can compare all of them. This isn't all that we will be deciding today."

"Right, right, right. Let's continue watching. There is still a fight scene later on."

"There will definitely be no problems with the fight scene. This student of mine has filmed many such scenes before. This time, for the role of Fang Zhao, he even went for special training."

This was shielding one's own interests. By saying that number 1 was his student, he was telling others to vote for his student on his account.

Inwardly, there were also some that sneered. It would have been fine if you hadn't said anything. Now that I know candidate 1 is your student, I won't vote for him!

When the Committee of 100 chose actors, the struggles were also intense.

The video continued to broadcast, and the audience once more paid attention and examined it carefully.

Candidate 1's fight scene was indeed decent. Whether it was real or not, at least the result turned out very well.

After a candidate's audition videos concluded, there were some below the stage who wrote down some evaluations in their own small books. After watching all the videos, they would select the one they felt was the best and vote for him.

Immediately after, candidate 2's audition videos played, followed by 3... 4... 5... Five candidates' audition videos were played in quick succession.

The discussions among the audience were even more intense. One might reckon his own student's performance was the best, while another might feel that his own senior or junior was the most outstanding.

Some people chose to gloss things over and not offend any parties. "All of them are really decent. They are all very capable actors."

Without the means and without contacts, these people would not have been able to get the script or a chance to audition. Therefore, anyone that had arrived at this final selection stage was not a simple person. There were some people at the venue who would refrain from voting when the time came so as to avoid offending anyone.

In the third row, those from various military districts appeared slightly distracted. Hearing the discussions all around, their faces seemed detached and indifferent.

"All of them seem fine."

"The acting is quite good."

But that was all.

Even if the people in question were first-rate or top-rate actors, the military personnel here wouldn't recognize them. The military personnel here were garrisoned on foreign planets most of the time and had very little contact with the entertainment circles, especially at places with arduous conditions, just like planet Baiji before power ore had been discovered there. Even the internet bandwidth was limited, and the only news they received to relieve their boredom was official political and educational news. They wouldn't receive any entertainment gossip or any popular films or drama series.

Of course, the most important point was that these bunch did not have much real interest in the entertainment circles.

How troublesome. Why was this voting assignment taken up?

At first, they had still found this rather meaningful. However, at this point, they were starting to find it a little troublesome. It would have been better if these actors had been brought to the mines or to out explore the cosmos. They could conveniently have "friendly" interactions with the native creatures on some foreign planets.

Seriously speaking, on their sides, there were actually many people with exquisite acting skills. On normal days, they all put on masks and acted. The military personnel here had naturally also honed a set of piercing eyes. If these sorts of people were to act, just based solely on acting skills, they would not necessarily lose out to these professional actors.

In their eyes, actors were just that. Actors were not that wonderful, but the military personnel here had no right to criticize.

These people did not chase stars, nor did they pay attention to the entertainment circles, but sitting here, they would still show the respect that these actors ought to receive. Even if these people felt impatient, they would still sit quietly and watch the entire thing before completing their own assignments.

"There are four more to go. After watching these, the role will be settled," a major general of a certain military said while glancing at the time.

"That is only the first role for today. There are still two more roles that require selecting. Each role will follow the same process."

"Sitting here listening to this bunch ramble on and on seems even more tiring than training."

"What else can we do? Let's continue watching. It's number 6 now."

After candidate 6's audition videos concluded, the professionals in the area started discussing once again.

This bunch of professionals had seemed rather upright at the start, but now, when almost all the candidates had been viewed, the competition was more intense, and arguments were laid out in the open. There was even an old fellow who said he was going to campaign for votes.

The audience in the third row continued to be detached.

"Three more left."

"Hey, it's number 7's turn! It's the candidate that these bunch can't recognize."

Hearing that it was candidate 7's turn, some people who were distracted became more alert!

They had to properly see whether they could recognize who this person was from his three audition videos. Candidate 7 was an actor. Who exactly was he?

"I also want to take a look. Perhaps I might recognize who it is before this bunch."

"You don't even watch dramas. How many actors can you recognize?"

"Perhaps not the others, but number 7 gives me the impression that I have seen him somewhere before."

Chapter 292: Vote Results

The veteran artists sitting in the second row were also deep in discussion. Their focus was, as usual, on technique.

"I watched some footage of General Fang Zhao. This leader has unique speech patterns. Others might miss them, but we can spot them right away."

When most folks spoke, they put an emphasis on certain words—sometimes just one, sometimes several. They also paused to highlight certain points. Fang Zhao didn't speak extensively in the footage of the conference attended by many leaders, but he had his own style of speech, which included emphases and pauses. The veteran artists considered this Fang Zhao's signature style.

The first six candidates had tried to imitate that style in their performances. They had clearly studied the archive footage carefully, but they weren't quite there. They couldn't replicate Fang Zhao's speech pattern completely. Their deliveries were close approximations at best.

The veteran artists were impressed with the young actors' professionalism and attention to detail. "They actually all did very well. It's a tough call."

"If they'd had more time, they would have done an even better job. They would have resembled Fang Zhao even more."

"They don't have to be exact duplicates. Art is an embellishment of reality to begin with."

"OK, it's time for number 7. I gotta take a close look at this guy."

Roman sat in a corner, trying to gauge the audience's reactions.

A still photo of candidate number 7 appeared on the screen, followed shortly by footage of his audition.

It was the same scene that the previous six had acted out, the same lines.

A gray-haired old man sitting on the edge of the first row of the area assigned to the Committee of 100 didn't seem to be paying attention—his posture was relaxed, his eyelids drooping—but the moment candidate number 7 opened his mouth, the gray-haired old man's eyelids fluttered and he bolted upright. He gradually opened his eyes and glared at the screen.

As a veteran artist who had won countless awards, including the most prestigious honor in performing arts, the Galaxy World Medal, this old man was eminently qualified to sit in the first row.

True professionals paid attention to minutiae that the actors were prone to miss. They zoomed in on these finer points and isolated them for scrutiny and evaluation. This old man was no different. The moment he heard number 7's voice, he knew this one was different from the previous six candidates.

There were many professionals in the audience, so the old man wasn't the only one to catch on.

True, it was the same lines and the same scenes. There were only so many ways you could break the lines up and vary the rhythm. Candidate number 7 didn't handle his pauses, emphases, and long vowels any differently. The amazing thing was that they detected a form of musicality in his lines.

It was a completely unintentional yet mostly natural rhythm.

The casual rhythm was seamlessly incorporated into the character.

This was what distinguished him from the previous six candidates.

Even the nonprofessionals in the audience couldn't help but be captivated by every word in the delivery even though they couldn't explain the attraction.

The members of the audience secretly grumbled. Yet another strong candidate!

The most frustrating thing was that they had no clue who number 7 was.

He seemed familiar, but they couldn't identify him, which bugged the hell out of many viewers.

They looked at their colleagues probingly. Any luck?

All they got in response was confused headshakes.

"I'm absolutely positive I've never seen one of his movies before," an instructor from the Huangzhou Academy of Art said.

Every performer had his or her quirks, regardless of the role—something in their acting, their delivery, or other features that were easy to overlook. These made up their signature. But the veteran artists in the audience searched their memories in vain for an actor that matched the characteristics of candidate number 7.

"Where did Roman find this guy?"

Folks who were close to Roman went through a mental checklist of the world's top actors. No matches.

Other industry heavyweights in the audience looked equally confused. Clearly, none of them had recognized number 7 either.

"That's impossible. He seems so familiar. It's gotta be someone we know."

But after a mental review of all the TV series and movies they had seen, they still had no matches.

"This is bizarre."

Just the delivery of candidate number 7 distinguished him from the previous six candidates, which prompted many in the audience to direct their attention to the screen for a careful look.

Generally speaking, number 7 did indeed resemble the Fang Zhao as scripted in "Founding Era." He wasn't an exact replica of old photos of the real Fang Zhao, but at first glance, there was a striking resemblance.

"Considering this level of skill, has a retired colleague of ours decided to join the fun?" someone speculated.

If it were indeed a retired veteran artist, he would certainly be competent enough acting-wise, but could his body endure the rigors of the shoot? Could he cope with the fast pace of the shoot? Could he keep up? Was Roman willing to take the risk?

Someone caught a glimpse of Roman, who was standing in the corner, pursing his lips. The observer's heart went "thud."

Something was wrong.

Something was definitely problematic with number 7.

The observer knew Roman well from working with Roman for many years. He knew instantly from Roman's smile that there was more than met the eye.

How dare he play games with such an important project like "Founding Era?"

Let's see how he cleans up his mess.

The audition video kept playing on the screen.

Just like the six performers before him, number 7 stood up at the end of his extended monologue. He was oozing the ambition and the ruthlessness of a climber who had toiled for decades during the Period of Destruction.

Yet number 7's aura wasn't as in-your-face as the previous candidates'. He even looked calm. He spoke quickly, but it was the determination and killer instinct in his delivery that shook the audience much more strongly than all the previous candidates.

It was a very special feeling.

The military officials sitting in the third row felt it all the more acutely. It was just a video, but the seemingly innocuous face on the screen, the seemingly peaceful eyes projected the utmost fear. They felt their muscles tense despite being hardened by countless missions.

They took a deep breath and only exhaled slowly after a few seconds.

"Such a strong killer vibe!"

The comment intrigued one of the veteran artists sitting in the first two rows. Killer vibe? So that's a killer vibe?

He hadn't felt the vibe as acutely. He wasn't from a military background, after all, but he had felt a sudden chill. It was a bizarre feeling and had prompted him to avert his gaze.

"I bet all the stripes on my shoulder that this guy definitely has blood on his hands!" the military official said.

"Not necessarily. He might be a graduate of the military arts academy. Word has it they've been training their people quite rigorously, possibly to the level of candidate number 7. The academy is run military style, after all, unlike other arts academies."

"How rigorous is their training, to have produced someone like this?"

"Hey, Old Tan, aren't you in charge of the arts academy? Is it someone from your school? What a good job you've done of keeping him under wraps."

Professor Tan wore a blank expression on his face. "Huh? Who are you talking about? I don't know this guy."

"Hahaha, don't deny it. I know you don't like openly lobbying for votes. We cast our votes independently. There's no lobbying involved at all, haha. This actor really did a good job."

Professor Tan started panicking. "I really don't know number 7! I did indeed recommend people for the role of Fang Zhao, but they were all rejected by Roman. He said they weren't artsy enough. What business does a Founding Era leader have being artsy?"

The mere mention of the matter made Prof. Tan furious.

Thirty percent artsy and 70 percent killer—Roman's stringent requirements were maddening.

Now came the action scene. Number 7 moved deftly, quickly, and powerfully. His punches were very forceful and realistic. There was no fakery involved.

This was true talent.

The real deal.

"Who is this? Who's number 7?" an old man in uniform couldn't help blurting out.

A member of the audience who didn't know the entertainment industry well asked a friend who was more familiar with the community, "Hey, Charlie, who was that?"

"I couldn't tell."

"Don't you know all the actors well? Someone in charge of censorship like yourself should know the actors well. How come you can't recognize him?"

"It's probably the makeup."

His friend was incredulous. "Really?"

Makeup didn't turn the actor into a replica of General Fang Zhao. You could still more or less tell who the actor was. It wasn't that the makeup artists were incompetent. In this particular project, the actors weren't allowed to resemble the real Fang Zhao exactly.

Even if their natural features were similar, the makeup artist was supposed to make clear the distinction between the actor and the real-life Fang Zhao. This was a stipulation from the descendants of the Founding Era heroes. People were self-contradictory—they wanted convincing imitations but not exact replicas.

Many folks thought number 7 looked familiar. Given his talent level and the fact that he had been given a slot, there was no doubt about number 7's ability. Bowing to conventional thinking, many folks thought the actor had to be a senior figure in the industry.

That led many to guess that this was a veteran artist.

One scene might not prove anything, but three strong performances in a row...

The Committee of 100 was dumbfounded. They didn't know what to say. Clearly, number 7 was a great fit, but they couldn't figure out who he was.

A fleeting thought flashed through someone's head, but it was quickly dismissed as ridiculous. The person kept on brainstorming about number 7's identity.

Number 7 caused quite the commotion, because no one knew who he was. But to avoid getting hung up on the issue, the audition videos for number 8 and number 9 were played immediately.

After the audition videos of all nine candidates were played, Roman got on stage again. He wore a knowing but also slightly stiff smile.

"These are the nine candidates. Voting will begin now. You have 10 minutes. Please get ready."

The chatter began again. Among the Committee of 100, some started lobbying, others started group discussions and fell into deep thought.

Ten minutes later.

Roman tried hard to control his nerves. "The vote results will now be announced. This vote will determine who will be cast as Fang Zhao. Please direct your attention to the screen."

A table tallying the votes that each of the nine candidates had gotten, in descending order, appeared on-screen.

Number 7: 21 votes

Number 9: 15 votes

Number 1: 12 votes

Number 2: 10 votes.

...

The winner had beaten the runner-up by six votes.

The total number of votes for number 7, the only candidate who had received more than 20 votes, wasn't that sizable, but it made for a commanding lead. It was an impressive feat, securing more than 20 votes amid such intense competition.

The audience had mixed feelings as they examined the results. Some went pale, others fell silent, and some went red—though it was unclear whether it was due to anger or excitement. Some faces looked ghastly, oozing disappointment. There were also some who showed no emotion. Who knows if they were actually calm or faking it.

As Roman studied the results on the screen, he could feel his heart skip a beat and the temperature of his blood rise. He could no longer suppress the pursing of his lips. What he would give to burst out in laughter. But he had to maintain his composure as director of the film and host of the meeting.

Roman struggled to contain his emotions. "Please double-check your votes."

It was standard procedure for members of the Committee of 100 to verify that they hadn't cast the wrong vote.

After the voters checked their votes, the computer system verified the results.

Roman smiled knowingly again. He could no longer hold back his amusement. "In that case, candidate number 7 will be cast as Fang Zhao."

Roman gestured, and the in-character photos of the nine candidates appeared on screen in three rows. However, the photos immediately flipped, revealing the mugshots of each actor and their personal information.

Apart from number 7, the youngest candidate was number 8, who was 59. The oldest was 81, which was considered middle age in the New Era.

Number 7 was an outlier.

His youthful face stood out among the middle-aged men.

Number 7's portrait showed him in uniform. It seemed like a military ID photo. Next to it was his personal information: Fang Zhao, Yanzhou native, 25.

The audience went dead silent.

Chapter 293: He Is Just a Kid

After the deathly silence, a roar erupted in the venue.

"Fang Zhao?"

"Which Fang Zhao? Who is this person?"

"Is it really that Fang Zhao from Yanzhou?"

"Why is it this youngster!?"

"Impossible! Utterly impossible!"

Numerous eye daggers shot out and flew toward the front, itching to stab the large screen.

If it were any other candidate that had been selected, they would have accepted it, but Fang Zhao?

A pure new hand who wasn't even an actor was now going to play a leading role? Could he do it?!

This sort of important role, why should it be given to him?!

Refuse to accept!

Protest!

"Roman! This person is out of the question!" someone shouted.

Standing on stage, Roman wasn't at all worried. "He has the highest vote count. How is he out of the question?"

"But he hasn't acted in any films!"

"He has acted as an eye model. He has natural acting talent and ability. Otherwise, how could he have been able to get so many votes?"

"An eye model cannot be counted! What about works? Awards? Qualifications? For someone who cannot even be considered an actor, how can we let him act in such an important role?"

"It doesn't matter. He can learn and I can guide him."

"Do we have that much time for him to slowly learn? How long will he take..." The person halted midway into his sentence.

Couldn't learn well? If he couldn't learn well, how could he have beaten the other eight candidates?

The voting results were still displayed on the screen.

Someone just could not accept it. "In any... In any case, there are no guarantees!"

"Roman, you are going crazy again!"

"I see that you have gotten itchy sitting in the position of the head director!"

Hearing these criticisms, Roman heaved a long sigh. With a rueful look, he said. "As you all know, I am someone with principles. When I select actors, I select the most appropriate. And from what I see, he is the most suitable person."

Roman did not pay further heed to them and instead looked toward the area where the Committee of 100 was. Calmly, he asked, "Old General Renault, do you have any objections regarding this outcome?"

Old General Renault was seated in the front row. He had long been retired and was also the father of the current Leizhou governor. This time, he also had voting rights. Everyone could tell how important this old man considered this film project to be.

During the voting, Old General Renault had given his vote to number 7.

Hearing Roman's inquiry, the calmly seated Old General Renault gave a faint reply: "None."

Roman looked toward the old artist with silver hair in the first row who was a Galaxy World Medal winner. "Teacher Gao Deng?"

The old man chuckled. "None." He had also cast his vote for number 7.

From what he saw, some of the candidates had acted too excessively, like they were hunting a tiger when they should have been slaughtering chickens, or too lightly, like they were stepping on ants when they should have been hunting a tiger. Only candidate seven had had the most natural acting. This old man had only voted for the one that had satisfied him the most. Even if the official result was a little shocking, he still accepted it.

Roman looked toward the third person. "Brother De Lai?"

"Heh, the votes have already been cast. Indeed, his performance was the best."

"Professor Lee?"

"Let's not change it! This young fella acts rather well."

"Director Torma?"

"I feel that... we can give this youngster a chance." Director Torma would not admit that his judgment was wrong.

"Teacher Viga?"

"I don't doubt his acting skills, but I also do not understand the rest. Since he is a person recommended by you, I have one question."

"Please voice your thoughts." There was respect in Roman's tone. Viga had been his teacher for an optional class back when he had been in university.

"Can he keep up with the pace?"

"Definitely! The moment he is a burden to the production team, I will personally kick him out and settle the problems within the cast."

"Since you have already considered this, I don't have any other doubts."

Roman turned to look at Yanzhou's Wu family representative. "Mr. Wu?"

The Wu family representative's main objective today was to audit the role of Wu Yan. However, he now wanted to pay attention and reevaluate the role of Fang Zhao.

Those from the Wu family who had voting rights originally had not found the results satisfactory. A youngster without any qualifications actually wanted to fight for the role of Fang Zhao? That was simply wishful thinking!

But considering it again, it wasn't impossible. Among the other candidates, even if they weren't top-rate film stars, they were at least first-rate actors with considerable influence in every continent, and they were very accomplished.

If the actor playing the role of Fang Zhao had too much influence, those of the Wu family might not feel comfortable.

Their Wu family had members in the entertainment circles and had quite some experience when it came to the entertainment industry. The tragic role of "Fang Zhao" was one that was liable to provoke public opinion online. If the role was acted out too well or too profoundly, their Wu family might be embarrassed. After all, during the Founding Era, Yanzhou had been officially named after Great General Wu Yan, not Fang Zhao, who had departed from the world a step earlier.

Rather than let an accomplished old actor perform the role of Fang Zhao, why not let a newcomer play the role instead? Given the current circumstances, that seemed like the best option.

After some consideration, the members of the Wu family no longer objected. "The voting outcome is acceptable."

The biggest obstacle, Yanzhou's Wu family, was out of the way.

Following Roman's inquiries, the sounds of discussion within the venue became softer.

All these big shots were indicating that they had no objections, so what else could they say? Could they make these big shots withdraw their votes? Could they make these big shots swallow their words?

Nobody had the nerve to even try!

As for those who had abstained from voting, they did not support or object to this result. What they meant was: Whatever, you can do whatever you want. I don't give a d*mn!

Other than the people from the military districts, there were also many old artists who had made names for themselves in the film circles who had also voted for Fang Zhao. Thus, when faced with all sorts of doubts, Roman wasn't anxious and instead remained confident. He also wasn't worried that these people who were protesting would talk drivel when they left. They were all smart people and knew how to carry themselves.

Thus, the outcome could no longer be changed.

Roman was pleased and chuckled inwardly. It didn't fall short! Taking this risk wasn't in vain!

Fang Zhao, this youngster, had popularity.

Ability?

The voting results were proof.

Skills?

Insanely good! They were said to be of a special grade.

Furthermore, in the few audition videos and from the understanding Roman had of Fang Zhao after interacting over that short period, he greatly anticipated Fang Zhao's performance in the series.

"What sort of age is 25 years old?" someone in the venue lamented ruefully.

Considering the average age of the Committee of 100 was close to 120...

"He is still a kid!"

Handing the role of Fang Zhao to such a young person, would he be able to perform well?

Afterward, the meeting continued with the other two more important roles. After the situation with Fang Zhao, this round of voting saw many people being more cautious. They were especially guarded against those that could not be recognized easily. They were afraid that another Fang Zhao incident might occur.

Even those who had previously voted for Fang Zhao actually felt some regret after knowing the truth. As a newcomer, Fang Zhao had no guarantees. If he did not perform well in the series, then it would be their fault and there would be criticism.

Luckily, all the candidates for the later two roles were old faces. Roman himself had only dared to take a risk just once. He wouldn't dare to tempt fate too many times. He really didn't want to be removed from his position as head director.

As the selection for the other two roles was underway, on an online social platform, Wang Tie uploaded a new status:

"The role of Fang Zhao in 'Founding Era' has already been decided. It is somebody nobody would expect, heh~~~. Can anyone guess who it is? [Image][image][image]..."

Wang Tie posted 9 successive images. These nine were of the nine candidates in the final selection for the role of Fang Zhao. From the 'heh' and '~~~,' the rippling ecstasy in Wang Tie's mood could be clearly seen.

It had to be said that Wang Tie indeed had information from a reliable source. At practically the same time that the vote had been fixed in Huangzhou, he had already received information. Even Fang Zhao, who was involved, found out later than Wang Tie.

But Wang Tie knew that Fang Zhao had not yet officially signed the contract and was not part of the cast yet, so he wouldn't cause too much of a ruckus. He could use this matter to fish for some cash and sell some news, but he would do so in moderation. If he created a commotion and caused Fang Zhao to lose the contract that was in his grasp, even if Fang Zhao did not pay him a visit, Silver Wing would not let them off either.

As an entertainment reporter that had safely lasted so long, Wang Tie knew some skills for surviving in this industry.

Until the contract had been signed, he would not release the news. Those parties at the conference would not make irresponsible remarks outside, so Wang Tie could still make some money with this news.

However, Wang Tie knew how to whet people's appetites. Eight of the nine celebrities were seasoned actors. All of them could be considered an expected result, the only one unexpected being the seventh photograph: Fang Zhao.

The photograph's backdrop was a cruise, and the words "Teasandsea Cruise Ship No. 9" could be clearly seen.

Many netizens that saw Wang Tie's status started to make some noise.

"What Old Wang means is that they have settled on Fang Zhao?"

"I have pondered hard over this. Among these nine people, the most most most unexpected one can only be Fang Zhao!"

"Is Fang Zhao really going to play the role of Fang Zhao? This is a joke, right?"

"Ridiculous!"

"A trick, this is definitely a trick."

"Why choose him? Because he looks like Fang Zhao?"

"I have given up all hope on this superficial world of ours!"

"My *ss! There are plenty of people who look more the part. I feel that the reason is probably because he has the exact same name."

"That's even more ridiculous! Do you actually think that with that name he can do as he pleases?!"

"This series is a historical epic, not some comedy flick! Is letting a fresh newcomer perform really such a great idea?!"

"If this is real, I really suspect that there are some hidden details that cannot see the light of day!"

"Can this person who is still wet behind the years really act as a great warrior who has experienced the vicissitudes of life?"

"Fang Zhao also came from the military. He won't lose out to anyone!" supporters of Fang Zhao retorted.

"That isn't the same thing! There's an old saying, 'different trades, worlds apart.' The boundaries that Fang Zhao needs to stride across are just too vast! Furthermore, if his age and qualifications were put out, how could he have been selected?"

Some fanboys and fangirls were so excited they lost all logic. "There is really nothing that my Zhao God can't do!"

"If your steps are too big, be careful you don't step on eggs!" someone added in sourly.

At this current moment, Fang Zhao was getting bombarded with calls from close friends and even other actors within the company who he normally did not interact with. They were all trying to inquire as to whether or not he had really been selected.

Fang Zhao's reply was this: "No news as of yet."

At the moment, all these people were excited. Fang Zhao's "No news as of yet" meant that what Wang Tie had said was the truth. Fang Zhao just hadn't been informed or signed the contract yet!

When Duan Qianji saw the status that Wang Tie had posted, she had used her own means to find out about the voting results, and when she informed Fang Zhao about it, she specifically exhorted, "Don't be too bothered about public opinion. The company's public relations team will handle that. All you have to do now is prepare to join the cast!"

"Shen Wei, you have to guide Fang Zhao properly for this period," Duan Qianji instructed.

"Don't worry. I will surely do all that I can!"

When he had found out about the voting results, the way Shen Wei had viewed Fang Zhao was slightly envious and frustrated, plus a hundred other feelings. However, after he had sobered up, Shen Wei had suddenly felt a sense of purpose.

On the whole, he was nurturing a great person!

Chapter 294: Violent Battering

Online, netizens across the world were paying attention to this revolutionary film project "Founding Era." Any news regarding those important roles would give rise to heated discussions. People with the means of obtaining reliable information got ahold of this information before the general public.

Famed entertainment reporters and paparazzi from other continents released the news in succession, confirming that Fang Zhao had come out on top in the Committee of 100's vote.

Although there were many entertainment reporters reporting on this news, the one that was most well received was still Wang Tie.

Why?

Because he had exclusive information!

He knew how Fang Zhao had gotten the role!

There were many people with wild ambitions who had yet to squeeze into the cast of "Founding Era" and were unable to sit still.

Wasn't it because a few important roles in this series had not been set in stone? If these people were able to learn from Fang Zhao's experiences and imitate him, perhaps they might be just like Fang Zhao and manage to snag a satisfactory role?

Not only the more important roles, even a character that could just survive one season was more than satisfactory.

One season was still too difficult? Never mind, seven or eight episodes wouldn't be too little. Two or three episodes was fine too! If they did not try their hardest, there wouldn't even be a chance for a minor role!

Thus, they were willing to spend more money to purchase this information! Maybe there really was a secret shortcut?

Many newcomers in the showbiz circles got restless.

If this situation had not occurred, they would not have thought much about it, but now, Fang Zhao—an industry outsider—had managed to get such an important role. How many people were watching him with covetous eyes? These people had foundations in acting or came from families with distinguished showbiz backgrounds. How could they have lost to Fang Zhao?

They refused to concede!

They would strive and fight for it! Who could say that newcomers had to stand aside now?

Not everyone was a first-rate or top-notch film star, and not everyone had connections or a background, but the emergence of Fang Zhao's news showed that even a person without reputation or background had a chance!

This was what Wang Tie had been playing for!

At the moment, Wang Tie was hidden in his own secret base, lying on the sofa, shaking his legs while on the phone. From the moment he had published that information, his phone had been ringing nonstop and the inbox of his social platform was almost full.

This time around, Wang Tie's attitude was high and mighty. Exclusive information! Want to know how Fang Zhao managed to get the role? Come on, show me the money! If you don't fork out a high price, you won't get it!

On the same day, after the news of the Fang Zhao role being set broke, the voting outcomes for the other two important roles, Wu Yan and Akalina, were revealed, but they were unable to overwrite the entire entertainment circle's shock at the news about Fang Zhao.

The actress who had gotten the role of Akalina was from Azhou and had achieved numerous awards. She was renowned worldwide.

Although there had been some controversy online regarding her obtaining the role, there wasn't much.

For Wu Yan, as this series would begin when Wu Yan was young, ultimately, three actors had been chosen. A child actor that was popular currently would act as the young Wu Yan. A famous star from Yanzhou from the Wu family, Wu Yun, would act as the grown-up version of Wu Yan.

Wu Yun's acting skills, when compared to some precursors, might not be sufficient enough, and his global acclaim could not be considered too high, but he was a member of the Wu family and had many fans in Yanzhou. With such high support and backing, there was nothing much to dispute.

As for the Wu Yan in his middle and later years, the role would be played by Yanzhou's top-rate actor He Lisi. Wu Yun was unable to act as Wu Yan in his later stages, so he wouldn't disgrace himself and vie for this spot.

This was also something He Lisi had discussed with the Wu family, and he had received their backing. Wang Tie also had some information about He Lisi coming into contact with the Wu family.

The situation with He Lisi was not a rare case. When competing in the entertainment circles, everyone relied on their ability, and exchanging resources was commonplace. It wasn't a big deal.

The role of Wu Yan in the series was more important than that of Fang Zhao. To be able to act as Wu Yan in his later years, it would have been something for He Lisi flaunt—if the matter with Fang Zhao had not occurred.

Now, the limelight had all been stolen by Fang Zhao. He wasn't in as many headlines as Fang Zhao. He Lisi's team was left with no choice—they privately spent some money to purchase a number of push-notification headlines for entertainment news in various continents.

Five hours later, Roman informed Fang Zhao that he had to head to the designated location within a day for a medical examination. If there were no problems, the contract would be negotiated.

Fang Zhao had already made preparations. He set out when he received Roman's official notification.

Naturally, there were no problems with his medical examination. Silver Wing had already arranged for a team of professionals to go along with Fang Zhao to negotiate the contract. There was no need for Fang Zhao to worry about anything.

As of now, Silver Wing had classified Fang Zhao as a focus for development. During this time's competition for roles in "Founding Era," other than He Lisi managing to snatch a lead role, all the other film stars that had high hopes placed on them had been utterly defeated. On the contrary, Fang Zhao had given them all a large surprise, and diverting resources to him now was something that the company ought to do.

Despite being extremely busy, Roman still found some time to speak with Fang Zhao. The more important a role, the more pressure the actor playing the role had to bear, and it would certainly be exhausting with those important scenes. Roman felt that Fang Zhao was still too young. It was Fang Zhao's first performance, and he was already acting in such an important role for a large-scale project. Roman needed to say a few words to Fang Zhao to feel reassured.

"Perform well. My face and reputation are being represented by you! If you don't perform well, that is unpardonable."

These words were not aimed at Fang Zhao alone. Roman had the same demands for all the other actors and actresses in this serial. If you are not able to keep up with the pace of filming and you drag everyone else down, then you better scram immediately!

After Fang Zhao officially signed the contract, "Founding Era" officially announced that they had finalized the actors for three roles and pointed out that Fang Zhao would be playing the role of Fang Zhao.

This news was like a shockwave, battering the entertainment circles.

"Official seal of approval!"

"It's been confirmed!"

"It is actually him!"

This made many people who had doubted the news land in a state of self-doubt. Was it them who were unable to catch up with the times, or had the industry rules quietly changed?

Fang Zhao? Who was he in the showbiz circles? How had he gotten this role just like that? How the hell had he done so?!

Were newcomers now so impressive?

Media outlets that had adopted a wait and see approach started to move too. They wanted to interview this dark horse Fang Zhao, yet despite searching high and low, nobody was able to find him.

Since interviews were not going to work, they would stir stuff up.

Many media outlets went to interview people in the showbiz circles and listen to what professionals had to say regarding this.

Unfortunately, those with even a tiny bit of brains would not say too much. This had been decided by the Committee of 100, not them. They dared not question the Committee of 100's decision.

Whatever inner thoughts people might have had, the outcome had already been decided. They could not smack the faces of the 20-plus voters in the Committee of 100. They couldn't afford to offend the Committee of 100, nor were they willing to do so. Whether they approved it or not, they wouldn't express a different view.

Roman also publicly praised Fang Zhao during an interview he accepted. "That's right, Fang Zhao was recommended by me, but him getting the role was the Committee of 100's decision through voting. All I can say is that he is the most suitable, and the Committee of 100's decision is the right one."

Of course, there was no lack of people who took advantage of the opportunity to make their presence felt by calling into question the Committee of 100's decision during interviews.

Very quickly, a member of the Committee of 100 who had a fiery temper blasted others in an interview and directly replied to these people. "Call into question? Accept? What a joke? It's our decision—why do we need them to accept it? Are they more professional than me? Or perhaps they know more about acting than me?"

Regardless of how industry professionals and reviewers stirred up arguments in the media, this incident with Fang Zhao had thoroughly shocked the entertainment circles and shaken up the original notions of some people.

Many people blew their tops, but they could only clench their teeth and swallow it as they regretted not fighting for a few roles themselves.

A role that could only be fought over by globally acclaimed first-rate actors had actually been stolen by an industry outsider. How could they not rage?

They were p*ssed that they hadn't been staunch enough, and they hated those people that had swayed their opinions. And they were even more envious of this dark horse Fang Zhao.

At a certain bar.

A certain intoxicated actor was having a foul-mouthed tirade. "Fang Zhao might have some reputation in the music circles, but in the film circles, he is just a..." As he cursed, he stuck out his pinky finger and then, pushing his thumb against the upper joint of his pinky finger, pointed out with only the tip of his pinky, the rest of his fingers curled in.

A server who walked by inwardly ridiculed, Tsk, if it was me, I would have picked Fang Zhao over you. Not only do you have no ability, but you are so petty. You have high ambitions, but you aren't able to pay the price. You are still a long way off.

In Jinzhou.

Ruan Sheng, who looked exactly like the Fang Zhao of the Period of Destruction, stared at the news with his mouth agape.

Yesterday, he had still been hanging onto a little hope when he had seen the news that Wang Tie and other entertainment reporters were spreading. Perhaps the news is fake? Maybe it's fake news, or perhaps this is just stirring up news?

But now...

When he recalled the words he had said to Fang Zhao back on Teasandsea's cruise, he felt a stinging pain on his cheeks, as though he had been slapped.

It turned out that person had simply not taken his words too hard. When he recalled those events... Reality had given him a punch!

Now, Fang Zhao had already signed a contract to play the role of Fang Zhao, and Ruan Sheng hadn't even managed to get the role of a body double.

Leizhou.

Zaro tugged on his bed hair that looked like a bird's nest. His eyes were bulging so much they were on the verge of dropping. His face looked as if he had seen a ghost when he saw the headlines of this news notification.

"What the f*ck!"

He had just woken up from a nap when he was violently battered by this headline.

Violently gulping down a glass of ice water, Zaro muttered, "Surely my posture when I opened up the news wasn't right."

As he said that, he made a bunch of calls to his agent.

For the sake of getting a satisfactory role in "Founding Era," he had put in a lot of effort, spent a lot of money, and even been beaten by his father a few times! With great difficulty, he had managed to snatch a role. Yesterday, he was just being ridiculed by that idiot Barbara, and today he had received a battering from the news about Fang Zhao!

Zaro fumed. "It isn't fair! Why does Fang Zhao get to play such an important role? Which people didn't have eyes and selected him? Their dog eyes must be totally blind!"

Zaro's agent hurried in and, with a stony face, warned Zaro to watch his words. "Old Master sat in Committee of 100's first row. I have heard he voted for Fang Zhao."

Zaro seethed. "...Surely he was misled by someone! Great Grandfather is so wise and farsighted... In any case, it's all your fault! I didn't get a satisfactory role because you are too useless!"

Without any expression, Zaro's agent replied, "Yes, it is all my fault."

Zaro "Hypocritical Dog" Renault was someone who wouldn't find fault with himself. His agent would always be a scapegoat.

However, his agent understood that Zaro had a trashy mouth. He would just treat these as farts. Zaro did not fire his agent, either; he had genuinely received a huge shock and needed to vent. It just so happened that Old Master Renault had voted for Fang Zhao, so Zaro did not dare to continue scolding and just went crazy mumbling to himself.

Zaro paced up and down in his house, feeling unresigned. "That fella really managed to steal the role. What methods did he employ? Surely he found some connections to pull some strings! Pooh! I despise this sort of person the most!"

With that, he turned around and gave his grandfather, the governor, a call. He would hug the governor's thigh and get the governor to help him get a role.

Zaro's agent cursed silently. Pooh! Hypocritical Dog! Setting standards for others but giving oneself special standards! What sort of morality is this where you can't even identify your own shortcomings? ...However, if the Leizhou governor can really help Zaro obtain a role, that would save me a lot of work, Zaro's agent thought to himself.

On the internet.

The focus of netizens always changed very quickly. A while ago, netizens had been discussing exactly how well Fang Zhao would be able to act and whether or not he would be able to perform in the role of an old martyr. Now, they were digging up Fang Zhao's family background.

"Comparing the images of Fang Zhao alongside the Fang Zhao from history, then thinking about news from the last two days, I suddenly had a thought: perhaps they are related by blood!"

"Take a look at Wu Yun. He was able to obtain the role of Wu Yan because his family name is Wu!"

"I just heard that Leizhou's Zaro managed to get a decent role. Guess it can't be helped—his family name is Renault, so he enjoys special privileges."

"In any case, we still have to take a look at backgrounds! And their family names!"

"Fang Zhao is also a Fang, and he looks 70% like Fang Zhao. An industry outsider without inside information managing to snatch the role of Fang Zhao, if someone says there are no secret things going on behind the scenes, I definitely won't believe it!"

"Does anyone remember the time when Fang Zhao's grandfather was revealed as a high-ranking military officer?"

"It's his great-grandfather. He's retired."

"He still has influence even though he is retired. Can anyone dig up the backgrounds of others in Fang Zhao's family?"

"Given my acute sense of smell honed from watching hundreds of detective flicks, the Fang family is definitely not as simple as they seem!"

There were quite a lot of capable people online, and nobody knew where they dug out this "evidence" from, but it was all gathered together and it was rather scary.

Yanbei retirement facility. When Great-Grandfather Fang saw these discussions online, he specifically went to check the household register and the family lineage files.

"If I don't check the household register, I might really believe the nonsense that this bunch is making up. Whatever they make up seems so real."

The family lineage files were like the family trees of ancient times. These were much more detailed, and as he went up generation by generation, there was not a single one that had any relation to Martyr Fang Zhao!

If there was any relation, it was just Fang Zhao, for his parent's had named him after a great person.

Actually, there were many people in the world who had the exact same names as martyrs. In so many years, none of them had created ripples, but internet users were excited now that they had encountered a Fang Zhao.

After looking through the family lineage files, Great-Grandfather Fang was certain that the Fang family did not have any bit of connection to Martyr Fang Zhao. Although he was a little disappointed, when he thought about it from a different angle, it meant that Fang Zhao had really relied on his own ability and not his ancestor's shadow to win the role!

After confirming this, Great-Grandfather Fang tidied his clothing and prepared to head out to brag!

Before heading out, Great-Grandfather Fang logged onto his social platform and uploaded a new status: "Our family has absolutely no relationship with Martyr Fang Zhao whatsoever!"

Fang Zhao, who had just seen this status: "..." Actually, there is...

Chapter 295: Belief

Fang Zhao received a notification that the remaining roles of "Founding Era" would all be decided within the next week. At the start of October, the cast and production team would head for planet Wai. There wasn't much time left for them to prepare.

Once filming started, even though technology had improved and the film production cycle had been shortened greatly, it was not known how long the cast would be on planet Wai before they could return. It was rumored that the drama serial would begin airing in January around Memorial Day. This series would be longer than normal. After all, it was telling 100 years of history, and so it would broadcast and film concurrently.

When the time came, idle time to do other stuff would be hard to come by and it would be even more impossible to return back to Earth.

Fang Zhao would have no way of returning to Yanbei City for Memorial Day in January to spend time with the rest of the Fang family. Thus, Fang Zhao settled matters in Qi'an City and returned to Yanbei City to visit Second Uncle Fang's family and see his great-grandparents at the retirement facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang was very happy and dragged Fang Zhao for a stroll throughout the retirement facility. Actually, his intention was to flaunt. He was an old person, after all. In the past, they compared their careers, but now that they were retired, the achievements of their descendants were always brought up for comparison.

In the past, Great-Grandfather Fang had not been fond of the entertainment circles and had found them to be foul, but ever since he'd found out that Fang Zhao had entered these circles, Great-Grandfather Fang's attitude had changed drastically. Furthermore, after everything that had happened, Great-Grandfather Fang now paid much more attention to the entertainment circles. Of course, he only took notice of matters involving Fang Zhao. One thing he did every day without fail was check up on online news regarding Fang Zhao.

Great-Grandfather Fang was repeatedly reminding Fang Zhao to be wary and take care of his health on planet Wai when his ears pricked up from the sound of footsteps ahead. Great-Grandfather Fang, smiling till his eyes turned to slits, pulled Fang Zhao along. "Come, come, come, let's head this way."

When the few old folks approaching from the opposite direction saw Fang Zhao, they chuckled and said, "Old Fang, your family's Little Zhao has returned, heh."

"It can't be helped. Little Zhao will be following the production team and heading to planet Wai to film shortly. He won't be able to return for Memorial Day, so Little Zhao came over to visit us two old folks. He bought a lot of stuff over, including Muzhou produce that isn't sold externally, a whole carload! How are just the two of us old folks going to finish everything! Really... I just told him, even though he earns a lot, he cannot be too extravagant."

The few old folks before him: "..." Is this old head showing off how much his great-grandson earns, or is he lecturing his great-grandson?

An old man sighed. "Oh, acting is tough."

Great-Grandfather Fang's expression straightened. "Can this be called acting? No! This is considered accomplishing a historical mission! It's 'Founding Era'! Even though we have already retired, we all know its significance. I was just telling Little Zhao that he isn't playing a role, he is performing a belief! No matter how tough or tiring it gets, he still has to complete it earnestly! If he tries to be lazy, I will be the first person not to let him off! Besides, if youngsters do not work hard and strive, they aren't worthy of the vigor of youth!"

Fang Zhao: "..." That isn't what you just said to me.

Great-Grandfather Fang then chatted with his old friends for a bit. After they had left, Great-Grandfather Fang's solemn face immediately became softer as he turned toward Fang Zhao and said, "Those words weren't meant for you."

Fang Zhao: "..."

"Let me tell you, Little Zhao, you have to act professionally for this show, but your own health is even more important. Yesterday, I saw some news about certain film stars striving too hard during filming when they were young. They picked up lots of injuries, and they suffered all sorts of ailments when they got older. Even with the current level of medical science, it is still not possible to completely treat everything. How pitiful! Therefore, striving is good, but don't strive too hard!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

Great-Grandfather Fang continued, "There is another saying that I have told you before: be benevolent to others, but you still have to always be guarded against people, especially since you are a newcomer. I heard that rookies without any background support are liable to be bullied in the entertainment circles? I can't help you much on this; you just have to make sure to be very careful! There will be times where you need to tolerate it. After all, your qualifications are the lowest in these circles. There will be times where you would need to swallow your pride and anger, but the baseline is that if there are times when you shouldn't tolerate it, then you must absolutely not hold it in!"

Great-Grandfather Fang even imparted some methods on how to deal with negative people. These were all methods that this old man had put into practice during his own military days.

"Can you remember all that I have just said?" Great-Grandfather Fang asked. He wasn't too reassured.

Fang Zhao. "...I can remember."

Great-Grandfather Fang looked at his own gentle and refined great-grandson and felt less assured. "You are just too honest!"

Fang Zhao: "..." Where do you get this from?

After spending two days at Yanbei City with the two old Fangs, Fang Zhao returned to Qi'an City and received a notification to report at Silver Wing. The company would be gathering all actors that had made the cast of "Founding Era" for a meeting.

Besides the cast members of "Founding Era" that would be heading to planet Wai for filming, there would be assistants as well, although they would be limited. Those without sufficient status could not even bring along an assistant. Even an actor with a status like He Lisi's could only bring along one. Once they got to planet Wai, the entire cast would be under unified administration.

Thus, Silver Wing and the other entertainment companies involved did the same thing, gathering all the celebrities under their flag that were in the cast to take note of this.

"Some of you might be very successful in Yanzhou, but on a global scale, you might not necessarily be such a big deal. Furthermore, there are many experienced precursors in the cast of 'Founding Era.' Your each and every move might be deemed immature in their eyes. Don't try to play any tricks! They have traveled along this path much longer than you!"

"'Founding Era' will be different from any of your previous serials. Do not have any funny ideas. Filming conscientiously should take precedence over everything else!"

"Although you all have signed contracts, that doesn't mean production can't do without you! If anyone gets kicked out for causing trouble, you can forget about ever returning. As you all know, the competition is very intense. Some people who announced their retirements from the entertainment circles came back because of 'Founding Era,' and there are many people waiting to drag you down..."

Department managers, bosses, and board members all took turns speaking in succession.

"I don't care what conflicts you might have internally, but when you head out, you are all part of the Silver Wing family. You have to stay united!"

Silver Wing had a total of 12 actors that were in the cast of 'Founding Era.' More than half would not appear in the serial for more than a few episodes. Silver Wing's little group was headed by He Lisi, and Fang Zhao's position inside was only slightly lower than He Lisi's.

After the meeting, many actors from the company came over to greet Fang Zhao.

"Brother Zhao."

"Brother Zhao, please look after us when the time comes!"

"Brother Zhao, it's your first time filming. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask us. We will be more than happy to help."

"Yes, we are all from the same company. There's no need for formalities with us!"

Entertainment circles were very realistic and pragmatic. These people's attitudes changing was nothing strange.

Especially for some A-lister celebrities. Back when they had first gone to the Wai film studio complex for filming, they had thought Fang Zhao did not seem in touch with reality. He had been an industry outsider back then. They had never felt that Fang Zhao would be any threat to them.

But now, their positions had changed.

Finally, the date of departure arrived.

From the official news releases these few days, it seemed like the cast and crew heading to planet Wai had vast fame and influence.

Two large art academy high-level collectives had appeared!

Five large live-broadcasting platforms would provide instantaneous coverage!

Twelve large media organizations focusing on Huangzhou Airfield!

Thirty art institute professors and student representatives as a sending-off party!

It was as if all the entertainment circles elite were included!

The splendid battle array of the cast and crew alongside the omnipresent news coverage online made the public feel that this wasn't just purely entertainment, that it possessed epoch-making significance. This was a milestone that would be recorded in the annals of history!

This was also the reason why many actors were willing to get into the cast even without receiving a paycheck, and there were actors who spent large amounts of money to squeeze into minor roles in this serial.

A certain live broadcast channel. The host was currently broadcasting live at the airfield.

"I'm here live at Huangzhou Airfield. At the moment, outstanding actors from all over the world, famous directors, gold medal screenwriters, authoritative advisors, top-notch production teams, and many others are all getting ready to set out! Everyone, take a look at the many flying transports behind me. These flying transports will send these people to the space station where the cast and crew members will board a transport ship and head to planet Wai!

"All 12 continents have transferred over a batch of troops heading to planet Wai too. According to the information I just received, we aren't able to see the military now, as they are already at the space station. This serial's escort arrangements are unprecedented!"

After introducing the situation at Huangzhou Airfield, the program host noticed a comment left by a member of the audience: "Isn't this just filming a serial? Is there a need for such a huge battle array? And even mobilizing the military? This is just a waste of resources!"

The host read the comment out loud but did not reply to it right away, instead asking in a serious tone, "Does anyone know why each continent's Cemetery of Martyrs has a batch of the finest soldiers?"

Online audiences' comments started to get lively.

"Is the host talking about cemetery guards?"

"I know! I heard that there are hidden treasures in the 12 continent's Cemetery of Martyrs!"

"If anyone digs up a grave, they will become rich overnight! If no one is stationed to guard it, those treasures will be stolen!"

When the host saw these comments, his expression became even more grave. "Money and treasures are all dead! If you think about it, they aren't actually worth anything at all. What the cemetery guards protect is a belief, our spiritual support!"

The host's spittle was flying all over as he talked about martyrs and cemeteries.

Luckily, he had done enough preparation and memorized a lot of historical information. His seniors had also taught him what to say during the live broadcast, and it was the best and most politically correct answer!

Whether those historical incidents that had circulated down over the years were true or not, the host wasn't certain, nor did he have any profound feelings. After all, 500 years had already passed; it seemed so far away to him. Nowadays, people were incapable of understanding how desperate and arduous that time period had been.

Memorial Day was just a vacation to celebrate the new year. How many people actually went to worship the spirits of the martyrs? How many gravestones had thick layers of dust on them?

Now, as the host faced the camera lens and spoke to the audience, everyone got all fired up, as if a burning passion had ignited within!

But when he finished, that was it. In just the few minutes after, everyone's blood had already cooled, let alone after 500 years.

They hadn't experienced it personally and had never lived during that period. How deep could their sentiments be?

When it came to characters from the Period of Destruction, what the masses came into contact with were only those groundless fabrications, those high-energy historical films with monotonous writing, and the very few historical images online that had been officially released to the public. How ardently could the masses feel about such a thing?

As the host thought about this, he saw the light. He suddenly understood some of the reasons the government wanted to reboot the "Founding Era" project.

When he thought to this point, the host's expression became very solemn as he stared straight into the camera. "Heroes never die; they are only forgotten. There are some things and some people that should never be forgotten! Don't even mention 500 years, even 500 years from now, we must never forget!"

"Now, 'Founding Era' isn't just a simple historical serial. It has been coined a revolutionary project to let everyone remember how the present came about! We, as people of the New Era, have to remember this belief!" The host raised a finger to his temple. "Later, when the transport ship leaves the space station, that will be the ark ferrying our beliefs! Those in the cast and crew are heading to planet Wai on a mission!"

When the host finished speaking and recalled what he had just said, he immediately felt that his pretentious level had just risen by a hundred times! I am a f*cking genius!

In no time, this portion of the host's speech during the live broadcast was clipped and uploaded to the internet. It was met with a round of approval by netizens, and even some big shots in the academic and entertainment circles acknowledged it!

When other live-broadcast hosts saw this situation, they were suddenly enlightened. In the future, they would play this angle, since it could both attract fans and obtain acknowledgment from big shots!

Regardless of what they thought, during a live broadcast, a host needed to love the martyrs more deeply than anyone! Talk about their heroic deeds better than anyone! Be even more pretentious than anyone!

Inside the airfield, celebrities of all sorts of ranks were hurrying to take selfies before they set off.

In the past, many of these celebrities might have been obsessed with taking passerby-style shots of others at the airfield, but this time, in front of so many seniors, they were afraid their actions would be looked down upon, so most photos they took were very normal without too many gimmicks.

There were selfies uploaded online, as well as group photos with other actors from the cast. Regardless of how they treated each other in private, on the surface, everyone put on a show of unity.

"So many seniors from the industry, so nervous! Look who is standing behind me~[image]."

"Met my childhood idol, so excited! Took a photo together [image]."

"Preparing to set off! [Image]"

"Setting off to battle for our beliefs! I feel handsome beyond recognition today! [Image][image][image]"

...

Only when the notification to board the transports sounded did they put down whatever they were doing and board obediently.

Outside, in the area surrounding the airfield, media outlets, fans, and passersby collectively watched as the flying transports rose up into the air like they were saluting those flying off... Or maybe there was envy in their gazes.

When the transports arrived at the space station, everyone from the cast and crew transferred over to the transport ship.

Military personnel armed to the teeth sat in silence, and the solemn atmosphere quelled the lively and excited spirits of the actors, replacing it with a sense of nervousness.

And while there was this sort of peaceful atmosphere, someone just had to suddenly voice his thoughts. "If this transport ship meets with an accident, the entire entertainment industry will be set back by god knows how many years!"

Everyone simultaneously looked over at Zaro standing there as they lamented, This bastard! We should just drag him outside and beat him up!

If gazes were like arrows, at this moment, Zaro's heart would have been pierced a thousand times over.

Who wanted to hear such inauspicious words like "accident" before they had even taken off!?

Zaro's agent was riddled with despair. What a talent! What did you just eat that made you able to offend an entire ship just after entering the cast and crew?

Chapter 296: Bad Luck!

To avoid a beatdown, Zaro's agent dragged his client to the side. If Zaro kept at it, they would be kicked off the flying transport.

Zaro's agent kindly reminded his client that his comments were problematic and that they would upset others. Zaro's agent also reminded Zaro that he had promised the Leizhou governor, in the governor's office, that he'd get along with the cast and crew and not act like a prima donna and so on.

The cabin soon went silent again.

Zaro's comments had stirred up a lot of emotions. The other passengers retrieved thoughts they had cast aside and started to get nervous.

The "Founding Era" cast and crew had been quite high profile from the get-go, the perfect embodiment of the kind of arrogance that came with being involved in a mainstream blockbuster. As far as the cast, crew, and investors were concerned, given the significance of the movie, they couldn't sneak around. They had to project a strong presence. There would be no cowering.

The cast had bragged to outsiders that they were portraying grand historical figures. They were artists on a mission to craft a milestone production. They would stand united with the production crew and face whatever difficulties and threats came their way.

There was no need to duck and hide.

Their goal was to launch the production with pride and pomp.

We have nothing to fear!

If you can't stand it, then we challenge you to make a better movie!

The fact was that a special production like "Founding Era" was bound to attract saboteurs on top of public attention.

Between the time the cast and crew arrived at the spaceport and the time they took off, the troops stationed at the Huangzhou spaceport had already fended off three attempted terrorist attacks on them, but these attempts were hidden from public view. The public had no clue.

Soon after takeoff, the spaceship started shaking. The cast and crew in the cabin were terrified.

"What's going on?"

"We never ran into a situation like this on previous flights to Wai via freight transport."

"Is the spaceship malfunctioning?"

The passenger cabin was comprised of many small cabins and a large lounge. Each small cabin contained many berths. Where Fang Zhao was sitting, folks from Silver Wing had adjoining berths in the same small cabin. Many of the Silver Wing actors started getting edgy after the spaceship started vibrating.

"Big Brother He, should you look into it?" one actor asked, his face completely pale. He Lisi was the most senior member of the Silver Wing contingent.

"Yeah, Teacher He, let's send someone to get the latest in the lounge."

"Why don't I go?"

"I'll go too."

He Lisi was already wearing a deep frown. He raised his hands and the crowd quieted down.

He gave his assistant a quick glance. The assistant took off immediately.

Ji Polun, who had managed to land a small part in the movie, approached Fang Zhao and whispered, "Big Brother Zhao, what do you think is going on?"

Fang Zhao shifted his attention away from his composition notebook. "I'm confident our military escorts will take care of the problem."

Someone who overheard the conversation pouted, apparently not pleased with Fang Zhao's response.

Soon, He Lisi's assistant returned, shaking his head.

Someone else had opened their cabin door with an eye toward getting an update only to find an armed soldier standing guard in the corridor outside.

Alerted by the sound of the opening door, the soldier glanced over with an icy stare, spooking the person who had opened the door into retreating.

Others in the cabin who wanted to do the same gave up as well.

"Return to your seats. Look how frightened you are! If any of you actors are free, spend some time reading the script and memorizing your lines. Learn your characters," Roman said in an upset tone.

The older actors had more life experience, after all. They were also more cool headed than their junior colleagues. Several of the veteran actors told the younger members of the cast who were jittery, "Come, come, come. Let's study the script together."

The young actors were reluctant. Who is in the mood to read the script at a time like this!?

One of the second-unit directors sneered at the pacing young actors. "Ya think this is such an easy gig? Did you read your contracts carefully? They clearly state the likelihood of threats to personal safety."

The comment prompted blank stares in some and puzzled looks in others. A third group was wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

Clearly, not everyone had read their contract carefully. When they had signed, they'd thought they would be guaranteed fame and fortune. Who knew that the fame and fortune associated with "Founding Era" weren't so easy to harvest.

A shivering young man asked, "Should... should I prepare my will?"

"You kids! Worrying about your wills..." one of the veteran actors responded, shaking his head. "I wrote mine ages ago."

The young actors: "..."

Luckily, the turbulence didn't last much longer, and the rest of the journey was uneventful.

When the group finally arrived at the Wai spaceport and planted their feet on terra firma, their first reaction wasn't excitement about the imminent shoot or curiosity about their new surroundings—they breathed a long sigh of relief.

They had landed in one piece!

Having safely arrived at their destination, the cast and crew felt more relaxed, and they started chatting away.

"I just heard that a bomb was defused while the spaceship was in flight. Maybe that's what caused the vibrations. I was scared sh*tless."

"Some idiot kept making inauspicious comments during the journey. I kept feeling butterflies in my stomach."

"Historic missions aren't a walk in the park after all."

"It's the first time it's dawned on me that making a movie can be so dangerous. Thankfully, we had a military escort. Otherwise we may not have survived."

"It was so worth it joining this production. How many actors have gone their whole careers without experiencing this kind of treatment?"

"It's not an easy gig. I feel like I'm on a sacred mission. Let me take a picture first!"

The cast and crew didn't linger at the spaceport. They soon set off for the movie set in batches on several flying transports.

The set for "Founding Era" wasn't located at the Wai film studio complex. The first batch that arrived headed for the dormitory complex to locate the rooms they were assigned.

The actors were assigned rooms based on how important their roles were. There was a full array of rooms ranging from singles to dorm rooms that housed up to 10 people. Each room was equipped with a private bath and kitchen.

"Wow, how long has it been since I last lived in dorm conditions like this?" someone said.

Violin prodigy Fay Harmonik was part of the sound effects team and was one of the first to arrive at the dorm complex. After settling in, he made for a dirt slope nearby. His bright-red shoulder-length hair flowing in the wind, he set his sights on the vast desert on the horizon.

One's brain cells were bound to be excited by a new environment. Fay Harmonik was in a deeply emotional state. He could feel the inspiration oozing from him, a deluge of notes percolating in his head. The notes didn't form a melody, but he felt compelled to play them to quiet his restless soul.

He raised his arm and bellowed, "Violin!"

Only after belting out the command did he remember his assistant was banned from this shoot. There was no one to hand him his violin, so he rushed back to his dorm room for the instrument before climbing the slope again.

Fay Harmonik closed his eyes briefly, then gazed toward the distant clouds and desert as he cultivated his mood. I'm a lone whale swimming in the deep ocean, surrounded by...

"Dogshit!"

Fay Harmonik cursed. He was getting ready to bolt, but it was too late.

Zaro was scurrying toward him, waving frantically. "Fay Fay!"

Fay Harmonik: "..."

Uh, do we know each other that well?

"Fay Fay," this term of endearment typically used by affectionate fans, suddenly felt revolting.

Fay Harmonik's hand that was carrying his violin shivered as he watched Zaro appear before him. He was weighing the pros and cons of getting into a fight with Zaro.

Forget it, I'll just bear with him.

He couldn't afford to mess with Zaro—and he didn't want to lose his violin.

Zaro was completely oblivious to the calculations going on inside Fay Harmonik's head. He was thinking about his agent's reminder to be friendly and not act like a prima donna. He summoned the most polite face he could muster and asked, "I've always been dying to ask you something, but I'm not sure if I should." Fay Harmonik knew Zaro's temperament oh so well. Before he could say anything, Zaro had already blurted out, "When you're engrossed in playing the violin, how do you make sure your bow doesn't get tangled up in your hair?"

Fay Harmonik: "..." How the f*ck do you not lose it with this guy?

Ignoring Zaro, Fay Harmonik wore a cold expression. He silently turned around and left the slope, thinking to himself, Bad luck!

When he was heading downhill, he saw a gorgeous figure emerging from the dorm complex.

Weather conditions were rough. Apparently, a sandstorm was in the making, yet here was Barbara wearing her princess dress. She had an umbrella in one hand, the other lifting her dress slightly. She was accompanied by an assistant, who was carrying Barbara's handbag and forging a path for her. In contrast to her surroundings, Barbara looked like a rose that had sprouted in the desert.

Fay Harmonik looked like he'd stepped on a piece of sh*t.

You're on a friggin' foreign planet. Will not dressing up kill you?

Such bad luck!

I shouldn't have gone out at all today.

Zaro was number one on Fay Harmonik's blacklist, and Barbara was second. Unfortunately, he couldn't afford to piss off either of them.

A furious Fay Harmonik headed for the dorm complex only to run into Fang Zhao, who was dragging a suitcase.

Fay Harmonik got even more upset.

Three blows of bad luck!

Fang Zhao was the last person he wanted to see.

Because of Fang Zhao, Fay Harmonik's fan had persuaded him to give acting a try. If a composer like Fang Zhao can act, why can't our Fay Fay make a splash in the movie industry?

Fay Harmonik's first response had been, "Ha! Am I the type to spread myself so thin?"

In reality, the thought had indeed crossed his mind, but he set his sights high. If he was going to act, he was going to be the leading man. It had to be a big production too. Otherwise it would not befit his status.

He had even appeared on some variety shows to show his face, appease fans, and promote an upcoming concert at the same time. Yet acting-wise, he never came across the right part that also struck his fancy. He had been about to lower his standards when Fang Zhao had snatched a leading role in "Founding Era." At that point, he hadn't been able to drop his standards. He was too proud.

Fay Harmonik felt someone had gotten the upper hand on him, so seeing Fang Zhao was quite upsetting as well. He grunted and went on his way, clearly miffed.

Fang Zhao arched his eyebrows. He had wanted to compare notes with this violin prodigy, but it looked like it wasn't going to happen.

Due to the importance of his role, Fang Zhao was assigned to a single room. There was internet coverage, so Fang Zhao checked the headlines while his fellow cast members resumed posting photos.

Fang Zhao told his family and friends that he had arrived safely, then got in touch with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. His two bodyguards would join him on Wai soon. They were supposed to bring Curly Hair, whose paperwork was almost in order.

Given Curly Hair's special talents, Fang Zhao felt it best to keep him close.

Chapter 297: Inferior to a Dog

As said by the masses, nowadays, there were only two sorts of actors left: those heading to planet Wai and those that had been eliminated.

And actors that were already filming at the Wai film studio complex, regardless of whether they were in the cast or not, were taking advantage of the situation. Since they were already on planet Wai, ignorant people might really think that they were playing some important role in "Founding Era."

Not everyone knew that the Wai film studio complex and the set for "Founding Era" were two different places. Many people were deceived.

On the first day, when the cast and crew arrived on planet Wai, the internet was abuzz. Many people that were unable to visit planet Wai were green with envy.

The headlines on every continent were seemingly dominated by "Founding Era." Netizens were also very happy to see these headlines.

Celebrities were falling over each other trying to post photos to flaunt. Online audiences hoped to see more excitement.

But no news came out from the cast and crew. Only the online interactive platform of "Founding Era" was releasing some trivial news every day.

The online masses that were waiting for excitement were not satisfied.

Where was the publicity?

Where were the trailers?

When it was going to be released wasn't mentioned either!

There wasn't even a single still from the serial, and all the big stars had collectively disappeared.

Regarding this, the official explanation of "Founding Era" was this: The entire crew does not have internet access. They are having a confined period.

Netizens of the New Era that couldn't even live without the internet in their daily lives couldn't help but pity the cast members.

"How cruel, to actually deny them internet access!"

"If it were me, not having internet access would be the same as denying my livelihood!"

"That is why I don't want to undergo military service. How am I going to live if I get posted to some destitute place without any internet!"

"Will you even have the energy to use the internet when you are undergoing military service?"

"Speaking of this, nowadays, aren't there very few serials that don't have internet access? Indeed, this is the royalty of serials, It just isn't the same as all those other inferior ones."

"I wonder when we will get to see those stars post their photos. Without those, the entertainment circle feels miserable."

Over at planet Wai, the cast and crew had indeed entered a confined period, but they had yet to officially start shooting.

The entire planet Wai had raised precautionary measures the moment "Founding Era" had announced its reboot. The military force here had also been expanded.

The military troops that had come along with the cast and crew were not just to ensure the cast's safety. At least 60% of these troops were incorporated into Wai base's military force.

In short, people of Wai base were delighted that the "Founding Era" project was setting up shop on planet Wai.

Once filming was completed, the set would change its name to "Founding Era Cultural Film City" and would become a tourist hotspot. Perhaps planet Wai might be able to apply for a second film cultural base.

In the future, when it was opened up to the public, planet Wai would only be worried if nobody came. With human traffic, there would there be resources and revenue. With revenue, there would be a guarantee for military expenses. If additional armaments were applied for, the probability of it being approved would be much higher. The base would be upgraded and gain wealth!

The area that "Founding Era" was using as a set had originally been a place that wasn't in planet Wai's development plans. This region did not even have a name, only an area number. But now, it had become a mystical place, although it was just a small corner when compared to planet Wai's vast land. Now it was going to become a trace of history.

Its vile weather and terrible environment similar to that of the Period of Destruction was a reason why it had been selected for filming. Most places on planet Wai had four distinctive seasons and had favorable climates, like spring, all year round. However, this place seemed like it had only two seasons: an excessive winter and a hot summer. On rare occasions where it wasn't cold or hot, the place was wrecked by sand and dust storms.

On the first day, when the cast and crew arrived, due to them being tired and having a lot of restrictions, they did not manage to explore the place.

The next morning, after the directorial team held a meeting, each cast and crew member was given an arrangements schedule.

For actors, they were giving a week's time to adapt to the environment, learn how to use props, and make other sorts of preparations to get ready.

It was clearly listed on the plan that all cast and crew would enter a confined period. Once they entered this region, they should forget about getting out before the filming was finalized. If they really needed to do so, they would have to apply for it beforehand. The cast and crew could also forget about sneaking out too. The entire area was surrounded by military personnel, and if they were mistaken for extremists and shot dead, they would have died for nothing.

Every seven days, they would have two hours of time for internet usage. At all other times, there wouldn't be any internet connection.

Zaro's face turned black the moment he saw this. "How do we live without the internet!"

Older actors had experienced a lot and had encountered similar circumstances before. Although those conditions hadn't been as stringent, having experienced life without internet access, they were still able to adapt. The younger actors, on the other hand, found it much harder to bear.

Fang Zhao wasn't really affected. In his previous life, he had gone much longer without any internet. Even in this life, he had undergone a rather long period without much internet access on planet Baiji. Thus, his reliance on the internet was not as strong as that of other people of the same age.

The second day, after receiving the arrangements schedule, Fang Zhao and the others from Silver Wing gathered at the designated location. There, professionals would instruct them on how to use the various props.

The prop instructor wasn't the least bit courteous towards these celebrities.

"People from that era were forced to get stronger on battlefields. Whether it was having the ability to kill their enemies or having the skills to escape, people then were well versed in it. Any person could leap 8 meters with just one stride. Can any of you do so? If you can't do so, then you better familiarize yourselves with the usage of these props. Try not to become a burden when filming officially starts! No one will wait for you!"

"We aren't even athletes—how is it possible to even leap eight meters with one stride," someone muttered.

There were even people who joked about it. "If there is a dog chasing behind me, perhaps I might really leap 8 meters."

The prop instructor paid no heed to what this bunch of instructors discussed in private and continued at his normal pace as he explained the usage of every single prop. Whether the actors listened seriously, whether they comprehended, he couldn't care less.

Fang Zhao did not need it, but after some consideration, he felt that he shouldn't be too segregated from the rest of the group and needed to act normal. So when others interacted with the props, Fang Zhao used them too. Familiarizing himself with their usage would be beneficial as well.

As Fang Zhao memorized the prop instructor's introduction for each piece of equipment, he felt rueful. The convenience that technology brought humankind was indeed amazing.

The prop instructor left after finishing his talk. He had other matters to attend to and would leave the group of actors to train over here.

Ji Polun ran over to look for Fang Zhao. "Brother Zhao, should we had to the production team's dining hall or to the gourmet street later? How about we head to the large dining hall at noon to experience the atmosphere and visit the gourmet food street in the late afternoon to try some Wai specialties?"

The gourmet food street that had been mentioned was a street constructed on the fringes of the film set area. The shops there were run by family members of Wai base military personnel.

The investments and the cast and crew provided job opportunities for the military and were bringing planet Wai considerable revenue. Military personnel garrisoned on planet Wai would definitely look after things well here.

Even a powerful dragon could not repress a local snake. Regardless of how much power and influence one held elsewhere, when on planet Wai, they still had to foster good relationships with the military stationed here. This was the territory of Wai base's commander, Huo Yi. If the cast and crew should really encounter any big problems, they would still have to request help from the Wai garrison.

For the cast and crew, the gourmet food street definitely had a much greater appeal compared to the production team's dining hall. However, the three meals at the dining hall were free, whereas the gourmet food street required them to fork out their own cash.

Naturally, celebrities did not lack such small amounts of cash. So there isn't any internet for us to entertain ourselves with? In life, there are only a few other pastimes.

"We have to eat more. We definitely won't get fat training for days in this horrid place. If we eat according to our past portions, we will waste away before filming has even started," Ji Polun said. "We have to eat more good stuff before filming starts."

Fang Zhao approved of Ji Polun's statement. Before leaving, the prop instructor had given some parting words: "Try your best to eat. Even if you have no appetite or you aren't acclimating well, you still have to force food down."

At lunchtime, Ji Polun dropped whatever prop he was holding and ran over to Fang Zhao to have lunch together. His eager manner appeared as if he was afraid that Fang Zhao would run off alone.

A few other Silver Wing young actors who were of similar grades to Ji Polun gazed disdainfully at Ji Polun's impatient thigh hugging. Following that, they compliantly joined in.

"Brother Fang, take me along!"

"Count me in!"

"Me too, me too!"

People who could squeeze into the cast of "Founding Era" were not foolish. They could clearly see that He Lisi was the head of the Silver Wing party, but there were too many people gathered around him. B-listers like them were nothing more than minions, and they could not force their way in. With no other choice, they could only follow Ji Polun and mix with Fang Zhao.

A few of them thought to themselves that fortunately, Fang Zhao was of a similar age to them. With common topics, they all felt comfortable talking to him

Even if any of them had mush for brains, the managers behind them surely had tricks up their sleeves. Previously, these managers had instructed them, If you aren't smart, then watch what smart people do and learn from them.

For the past few years, Ji Polun's stock had been rising. In the eyes of many people, he was a smart person.

Fang Zhao could see through their intentions, but as long as they had no evil inclinations, he would look after those he could. In his eyes, they were just little kids.

As Fang Zhao was bringing along a bunch of "kids" to the dining hall for lunch, he ran through the list of things he had arranged in his mind. Mmhm, no problems. Everything is accounted for.

Elsewhere.

At Earth's space station, a cargo transport ship headed for planet Wai was stopped.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were not in the passenger cabin but in a single room allocated to them.

They had followed Fang Zhao's instructions and brought along Curly Hair and all sorts of procedural documentation.

Fang Zhao belonged to the first batch of planet Wai cooperative partners, and planet Wai's commanding officer Huo Yi had given him the green light. However, for him to bring a dog, there were all sorts of tests that had to be done to prevent foreign bacteria and other microbes from being carried in. There were slightly more of these procedures, and despite starting in August, it was only now that Fang Zhao had gotten a pass from planet Wai. It was only a one-time pass, and when Curly Hair was going to leave planet Wai, he would need to apply for it again.

However, the reason Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were able to enjoy the treatment of having a single room was because of Curly Hair.

When they had boarded, cargo was being loaded up on the transport ship. Curly Hair had smelt some hazardous materials. Those were goods that had some toxicity.

Despite layers of safety checks, there had still been a little leaking, and nobody had any idea how it had gotten through the checks.

The person in charge at the space station was furious. Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! Find out whoever or whichever step had a problem!

Over at the transport ship, they had only been concerned about whether there were problems with the goods that had been loaded up. The majority of these goods would be for the "Founding Era" cast and crew. If any star was poisoned as a result, those on the ship would be done for as well.

"Wasn't there a police dog making a round? Why didn't it sniff out anything?" someone asked, puzzled.

The space station had 20 elite dogs from Muzhou's police academy with the specific purpose of searching the spaceport. Police dogs and technology gave a double layer of insurance.

However, this double layer of insurance wasn't able to make it 100% safe.

"Strange. How exactly was this dog able to sniff it out?" somebody asked as the ship's staffers gathered to discuss.

One of them was shocked by the results of his online search. "This dog is ranked fifth on the global pet value charts. It has a valuation of over 200 million!"

"I feel it is even better than the 200 million worth of new equipment that the space station just bought."

"I just knew that the space station's new batch of machines were no good. See, there are problems already."

"In the past, I had never understood why a dog could be so expensive. Now I know why. It's totally worth it!"

The transport ship's commander had even specifically come looking for Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. "Let us borrow your dog again."

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were in an awkward situation.

Could their boss's dog be so easily loaned out?

Of course not!

But this was someone else's transport ship. They still had to ride on this ship to planet Wai.

Although Fang Zhao did not have any internet access, with some connections, the two bodyguards could still contact him. However, since it wasn't an especially important matter, there was no need to make use of those connections.

The two of them considered for a bit. It wasn't a big issue, so they sanctioned it.

"We can lend out the dog, but we have to follow along," Yan Biao said.

The ship's commander rejected it. "That won't do. Many areas on this ship are off-limits to non-crew members. You guys have to wait here. Don't worry! I will personally lead the dog to each cabin for a quick search before returning. It's just a dog. Would I not return him after borrowing?"

Having reached this point, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao could only agree, since Curly Hair didn't seem like he was indisposed to it.

The ship's commander gladly brought the dog to patrol the ship and even got his men to allocate a room for Yan Biao and Zuo Yu with food and drinks.

Zuo Yu stared at the ceiling. "I feel that..."

"We are inferior to a dog," Yan Biao replied numbly.

Chapter 298: Thigh Hugging

The "Founding Era" film set district.

After a day of training with props and familiarising themselves with the site, in the late afternoon, Fang Zhao brought Ji Polun and the others to the gourmet food street for some food.

"This gourmet street has a lot of stuff, but the prices aren't low either," a young actor said as he looked at the menu.

"Does the Commodities Price Office manage this area?"

"It appears that they are unable to do so."

There was indeed a wide range of selections at the gourmet food street, but the prices were expensive.

However, this food was grown on Wai farmland. It was purely organic, no hormones or fertilizers, and it tasted great. Most importantly, many of these fruits and vegetables were varieties that had existed during the Old Era. It was rumored that at the moment, only planet Wai was able to supply these.

Therefore, eating this food was all about being pretentious!

After the dishes were served and Fang Zhao had just picked up his chopsticks, Ji Polun exclaimed, "Brother Zhao, wait a moment. Let me first disinfect the poison." As he said this, Ji Polun fished out equipment and started taking photos of the food on the table. He took quite a number from many different angles.

Since there was no internet, how about taking some photos?

When he got his internet usage time after one week, he could show off online!

"OK, I have disinfected the poison within myself. We can eat now."

"Wait, let me take some too."

"I was so hungry I nearly forgot about this! Everyone, please wait for a moment and let me take a selfie."

In this party of eight, other than Fang Zhao, the other seven were frantically snapping away at the table filled with food in all sorts of positions and angles.

Fang Zhao thought for a bit and also snapped a photo of the table. It wasn't to flaunt on the internet. Instead, he remembered what Great-Grandfather Fang had told him before about taking some photos of the food here. Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to know that Fang Zhao was eating well here.

When he got internet access, Fang Zhao would send these to Great-Grandfather Fang.

Ji Polun came over to suck up to Fang Zhao. "Brother Zhao, let's take a photo together."

The others all squeezed over as well. "Take together, take a photo together!"

The eight of them took a group photograph together.

Fang Zhao could not help but flash a grandfatherly smile toward the camera.

In the following few days, Fang Zhao had lunch at the large dining hall. Then, in the late afternoon, when learning assignments were done, he headed to the gourmet food street to seek memories from the Old Era.

Many of the staff, shop attendants, and chefs at the dining hall and food street were family members of military personnel. Some of them also chased stars and had been very excited to see the celebrities at the start. Here, it was really a resplendent area full of stars, an ensemble of heroes! Those who saw it especially wanted to brag online.

Forty-five film emperors and empresses filming together, have you ever seen this?

I have!

Eight top-rated film stars having hot pot together, have you ever seen this before?

I have!

Superstars, famous megastars, we have them all here, hahaha!

Here, shop attendants and staffers that were content with their lot just set their heads down and continue working without saying much. Other staffers that had higher EQs were more astute and knew what they could say and what they could do.

Unsettled people who thought themselves to be shrewd would not even be posted here. Therefore, there were no leaked images that sullied celebrities. Any photographs would only be taken after getting approval from the celebrities.

However, circumstances changed very quickly.

An example was the staffers at the dining hall. When they first saw the stars, they went: "Ah ah ah ah... Superstar, how are you!? Can I get an autograph!?"

A day later: "Please wait for a bit, everyone. Your food will be ready shortly. Can I get a photograph of us all together? I'm so excited!"

Yet another day later: "Oh, you are here."

Yet another day later: "Queue up, queue up! What are you looking at? I'm talking to you!!"

In less than a week, the employees of the dining hall had changed their attitudes toward these stars in the showbiz circles from "precious creatures" to "common as dogs." Nowadays, when the dining hall employees saw these celebrities, their hearts would not even skip a beat.

In these few days, a small group had formed beside Fang Zhao. Sometimes they would have meals together.

Silver Wing's faction was divided into two groups. The first group had He Lisi as the head, whereas Fang Zhao was the core of the second group. The former group was mostly first-rate actors and a few other old actors. The latter group was mainly made up of second- and third-rate young actors.

There were many similar small groups like theirs, and large groups also formed very quickly.

Roman was rarely seen, but Fang Zhao saw Bai Duan every day. Some of Fang Zhao's daily tasks were set by Bai Duan.

Given the special nature of Yanzhou, although he wasn't playing a lead role, Fang Zhao's role was still especially important at the start. Therefore, Bai Duan frequently looked for Fang Zhao and gave him lots of tasks before filming officially began.

The living quarters were some distance away from the filming location. Every day, at allocated time intervals, there was a shuttle transport service to ferry the cast and crew. These weren't the public transports that were commonly seen everywhere in the New Era. Instead, these were specially modified and lengthened transport vehicles from the base. These vehicles could shield from the wind and rain and were bulletproof and resistant to explosions. Even if hailstones the size of fists were to come crashing down in torrential weather, the people inside would not be hurt. Of course, even though the environment here was considered vile, it was not that extreme. The cast and crew were here to film a show, not to play a survival challenge.

Today, Fang Zhao had taken the morning transport headed for the filming location. He had a few places to visit today. Director Bai wanted him to understand more about Fang Zhao's working environment back then.

When Fang Zhao arrived at his destination, Director Bai was instructing some men to move equipment.

Spotting Fang Zhao, Director Bai called out to someone: "You! Bring Fang Zhao to film set Y71!"

Ji Polun made his way over. "Director Bai, let me go. I know where film set Y71 is."

Director Bai did not seem to mind and waved his hands, indicating to hurry up and bring Fang Zhao over.

Ji Polun spoke as he led Fang Zhao toward film studio Y71. "I was just familiarizing myself at film set Y70 yesterday. Y71 is just beside it, so I remember it quite well."

On the way, the two ran into other Silver Wing actors that had gotten close to Fang Zhao. Since they had no pressing matters, they tagged along for a look-see.

There were others present when Fang Zhao arrived on film set Y71. He Lisi was there too, in the middle of a conversation with another middle-aged actor. Fang Zhao did not go over to disturb He Lisi and instead took measure of the film set.

This was a meeting room, similar to the backdrop of the first scene in the audition, but it was even closer to the real historical scene. Clearly, whoever had set this up had referenced historical resources to reconstruct it. Even the scratches on the table were very similar to historical videos that had been preserved from then!

Fang Zhao went over to the head of the table and walked alongside it. He brushed his fingers across the tabletop, feeling the uneven and bumpy scratches on it. He kept walking forward till he reached a very plain-looking chair placed near the front.

At present, the brilliant lights and vibrant colors of a New Era city had all become dull. Many memories were being awoken in his mind. The world that revolved around blood, fire, dust, and ash had become very distinct once again.

The lighting indoors wasn't sufficient, and the supplementary lights had not been turned on.

When He Lisi spotted Fang Zhao, he opened his mouth and prepared to remind Fang Zhao not to touch things carelessly.

At the side, a young actor's elbow accidentally bumped into a metal cup. The metal cup tumbled to the floor, creating a clanking sound. As if sensing something, that actor looked over and met Fang Zhao's gaze. In that instant, the young actor felt all the blood in his entire body freeze.

That penetrating gaze was ice cold and seemed so realistic, as if sharpened hunting knives had been hurled over!

That sort of immense bone-crushing pressure seemingly reeking of blood seemed to emanate all around, making it difficult for one to breathe!

Fang Zhao's attitude after stepping into the film set had been easy-going. Nobody in this room had made any mental preparation, and with the sudden change of pace, everyone was stunned simultaneously.

The entirety of film set Y71 was silent.

The sound of Director Bai shouting came from outside. "Fang Zhao! Is Fang Zhao here!?"

Following the shout, the freezing atmosphere in the room dissipated in a flash, as if the previous scene had never happened.

Fang Zhao responded and flashed an apologetic smile to everyone in the room before leaving. He had been a little caught up in his memories. He had not restrained his gaze and had scared that bunch of kids.

Only after Fang Zhao left did the person who had knocked over the cup feel his blood slowly warm back up. His heart was pounding, and he felt as if he had escaped death by the skin of his teeth! This was the first time he had ever felt like this. Even when the transport ship traveling here had experienced an anomaly, he had not trembled to this extent!

Other actors in the room could not help themselves, and they spoke out.

"Oh my god! Did you see his expression just now?"

"My skin was tingling!"

"I felt my legs going a little soft."

"Scary!"

"You even said yesterday that this brother is rather friendly? How is he friendly!"

The one who had been denounced defended himself. "Normally he is indeed very amiable. Who knew that he would become like this while acting."

"I finally understand how he was able to snag that important role and why I got a role that will only last one season. We are simply on a different level!"

"That manner just now... was awesome! I was caught off guard and shocked. If I was acting alongside him, I would have forgotten my lines."

"I thought the way his imposing manner was written in the script was just an exaggeration. I have gained knowledge and experience! No wonder everyone was striving so hard to get into such a high-grade cast. Wow! Everyone is an expert!"

"Fang Zhao did not even have makeup on. If he had been wearing makeup, wouldn't he have had an aura like that of a great person?"

"Fang Zhao definitely wouldn't lose to those old seniors in the showbiz circles if he went head to head with them like this!"

At the side, He Lisi pursed his lips. He had forgotten what he'd wanted to say.

Taking a deep breath, he replayed that scene once more in his mind.

The sort of imposing manner that Fang Zhao had portrayed seemed as if it was an inherent ability he could release and retract freely. If it had been He Lisi acting instead, he might not necessarily have been able to achieve that degree.

No, it wasn't a might—he could not do it!

No wonder Roman had recommended Fang Zhao so profusely!

No wonder over 20 members of the committee of 100 had voted for Fang Zhao!

This youngster had hidden it really deep!

As He Lisi thought about having to spend a period of time acting with Fang Zhao, he felt an immense pressure.

After regaining his senses, Ji Polun violently sucked in air. "Sssss—" He wasn't able to share his own thoughts before someone beside him lamented:

"I just realized that the thigh we are hugging is really thick!"

Ji Polun nodded his head in agreement and made a staunch resolution to hug this golden thigh even tighter. Turning and guardedly glancing around at the other young actors, Ji Polun moved his legs and ran in the direction Fang Zhao had left in.

Seeing the situation, the others also hurriedly chased after him. If they were hugging a thigh, they had to hug it really tightly. What would they do if they lost it?

Outside, Director Bai was giving Fang Zhao some additional tasks. These would be of use for the filming.

Not too far off, there were some people taking note of what was going on over here.

"That guy is Fang Zhao?"

"Right, that's the one."

"I feel that he looks ordinary, and there really isn't anything special about him. How was he able to force aside a bunch of old actors to snatch such an important role?"

"Who knows. Probably a powerful backer."

"I don't believe that he doesn't have anyone behind him."

"There really isn't. I heard someone say last time that Fang Zhao's family even came out to clarify."

After Director Bai had spoken to Fang Zhao, he went to look for other actors.

Ji Polun and the others hurriedly gathered over. "Brother Zhao, are you free? I have a question I wish to consult with you about regarding acting."

Fang Zhao was just about to respond when he saw a silhouette out of the corner of his eyes and turned around.

That person was clad in a military uniform with the Wai emblem. Fang Zhao had seen this person on Wai base before, and this person was clearly coming toward him.

"Wait a moment," Fang Zhao told Ji Polun and the others.

"No worries, no worries. Brother Zhao, go ahead, we can wait," replied Ji Polun and the others without delay. Their gazes also followed Fang Zhao's as they looked over at the person and noticed he was a major. As the military personnel was walking over, his face remained expressionless.

As the filming had not yet officially started, the filming location had not been closed off yet. From time to time, soldiers would enter the interior of the sets. However, previously, they had been helping to deliver goods or equipment. Coming straight to look for a certain actor was a rare sight.

When the major saw Fang Zhao, he saluted first. Fang Zhao returned the salute.

Seeing this scene, someone whispered to the person beside him. "What is going on?"

"I have no idea. I'm just curious. That major appeared so cold a while ago, but now he is smiling as though he has just seen his own biological brother."

"That Fang Zhao seems like he really has some influence."

Ji Polun and the others stared without blinking and only saw the major speaking to Fang Zhao before handing Fang Zhao a military use communications device.

After Fang Zhao received it, he informed Director Bai.

Director Bai had no objections and nodded his head in approval.

As they watched Fang Zhao walk away, a young actor beside Ji Polun rubbed his chin while looking pensive.

"Why do I feel that the thigh we are hugging just got even thicker?"

Fang Zhao walked over to an empty resting room and answered the comms.

Wai base's commanding officer Huo Yi chuckled. "Haha, long time no see, Fang Zhao! What is being in the cast like? Are you anxious?"

"Filming hasn't officially started, so I'm fine. Anything the matter?" Fang Zhao did not believe that such a high ranked and busy person like Huo Yi would personally contact him just for some idle chat.

"This... I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."

Wai base.

Zuo Yu was shaking as he gestured at the squad of armed soldiers obstructing a doorway. "Despicable! Shameless! To even steal a dog!"

The soldiers obstructing the doorway put on stony expressions: We aren't listening so we won't return it!

Chapter 299: Takeout Delivery Man

Looking back on that day, the captain of the freight vessel had inspected the various cargo holding bays with Curly Hair in tow and yielded some results. Not a whole lot, but some. After all, the screening equipment and the elite dogs from the police canine unit weren't mere window dressing. Curly Hair had just caught what they missed.

When they returned to Wai, the captain of the ship couldn't bear parting with Curly Hair as Yan Biao and Zuo Yu prepared to take him to his owner, so he reported the matter to his superiors.

Port security was a major priority for Huo Yi. Planet Wai's fortunes were on the rise. It was on a development spree. If anything went wrong, it could spell disaster. So once he got word, he ordered them, "Tell Fang Zhao's two bodyguards we need to complete customs clearance for the dog. Stall them. Don't let them take the dog away."

The captain of the freight ship felt that wasn't sufficient grounds. "What if they disagree?"

"What say do they have? Then detain them. They aren't the dog's bodyguards. I'll take the matter up with the dog's owner," Huo Yi responded.

The captain felt reassured. "Commander, no matter what, you must keep the dog. It's so much more effective than the screening equipment at the spaceport. Who knows how long the 'Founding Era' shoot will take? My ship will be transporting a lot of stuff for the cast and crew. There are also other ships. Our military budget doesn't rival Baiji's. Even though we received a new batch of screening machines, it's still no guarantee. We should follow the MO of spaceports on the home planet: screening equipment and sniffer dogs. Didn't you ask Muzhou's police canine academy for dogs? We should get them this year, no?"

"Yes. I'll tell them it's urgent. We should be getting nine dogs."

The captain was delighted by the news. Even though other dogs might not be as competent as Curly Hair, they would still make a difference. He was always filled with envy when he watched the canine units in action at the spaceports on Earth.

Machines were simply machines, and police dogs were police dogs. The dogs over at the Muzhou police canine academy were always in demand.

The captain was curious. "That many? They're that generous? Didn't we have trouble getting five from them in the past?"

"It's because the 'Founding Era' project carries quite a bit of clout. That's why the canine academy is being unusually generous."

Huo Yi had put in a request with the Muzhou police dog academy five years ago. Back then, Planet Wai had been the boondocks. Their security screening equipment had been quite outdated, mostly hand-me-downs from planets ranked higher in the development order. If they couldn't afford screening equipment, Huo Yi figured, at least they could afford to raise dogs.

But it turned out that the dogs at the Muzhou police canine academy weren't cheap either. The main problem was that Huo Yi hadn't acted quickly enough. Every time a quality pup was available, it was reserved right away. Planet Wai had to get in line.

Now that Wai's development prospects had improved, Huo Yi felt he was on more solid ground. After complaining of insufficient funding and leveraging the clout of the "Founding Era" shoot, he had managed to get his dogs.

And today, he heard about Curly Hair. He wanted to draft Curly Hair as well. It was just a dog, he figured. All he had to do was offer Fang Zhao something in return.

But after figuring out Curly Hair's market value through a quick internet search and reading the relevant news items, Huo Yi cringed. He knew there was no way they would land Curly Hair.

That said, Huo Yi still probed Fang Zhao when Huo Yi got him on the line. After confirming that a sale was out of the question, Huo Yi tried a different strategy.

"I'm thinking the reason you had the dog brought here is because you didn't want to leave such a precious dog at home. But frankly, Wai and the film studio complex aren't much better. It's a mixed crowd these days. Who knows, your dog may be marked soon. He's better off at our base. There will be pups from the Muzhou police dog academy to keep him company. The academy is also going to send a trainer and a breeder. They will take good care of your dog. I've set aside land for the dogs, quite a sizable plot. We don't have much to write home about here on Wai, but we sure as hell have plenty of land."

Fang Zhao remained silent. He knew Huo Yi wasn't finished yet.

Lo and behold, Huo Yi continued. "Let Curly Hair serve at our base. He can do whatever he wants most of the time. All he has to do is take a stroll through the inbound freight vessels. This is a good thing for the dog. Dogs who have performed military service are entitled to government benefits down the road. Even though you're not exactly short on cash, this is an honor of sorts, no? By the time he heads back to Earth with you, he'll be entitled to preferential treatment at all sorts of places."

Fang Zhao demanded to see a live feed of Curly Hair.

Huo Yi knew he was still in business when Fang Zhao didn't reject his proposal outright. "No problem. Let me show you. That little fella is having a great time," he said in an upbeat voice.

And Huo Yi wasn't lying.

After their call was switched to a videoconference, Fang Zhao saw Curly Hair, who was already in uniform. Curly Hair's outfit was printed with the logo for the Wai military base, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

The uniform Curly Hair was wearing was actually intended for the pups from the Muzhou police dog academy, but Curly Hair was a small dog, so the outfit was a good match.

"Don't worry. We're only going to use him to detect drugs and smuggled goods and the like. He'll be in a safe environment. We won't use him for dangerous military missions," Huo Yi added.

The fact that Huo Yi had made the call in person meant that the Wai base took the matter seriously, that it had been carefully thought out and was not a spontaneous request.

"Let me come over after I finish up tonight. We'll talk then," Fang Zhao said.

"No problem. I'll give your production crew a heads up."

After completing the tasks Director Bai had assigned to him this day, Fang Zhao skipped the routine trip to Restaurant Row with Ji Polun and company, boarding a flying transport bound for the Wai military base instead.

A quick look at Curly Hair revealed that the dog was in good health and spirits. Fang Zhao knew then that Curly Hair was OK with serving on the military base. The folks at the base thought that Curly Hair couldn't understand what was being said, but in fact, Curly Hair had understood everything. If he was upset, he would have started making a fuss a long time ago. How could he have possibly sat still without Yan Biao and Zuo Yu in his line of sight?

Fang Zhao also checked out the play area Huo Yi said he had set up for the dogs. It was quite big, not a whole lot smaller than Dongshan Farm. Much of the training equipment had already been installed. Curly Hair went nuts when he got there, making his rounds through each piece of equipment.

Fang Zhao also met the breeder. He was from Muzhou and a clear dog lover. He seemed like a decent chap. Come to think of it, the dogs were a top priority for Huo Yi. The nine pups from the Muzhou police canine academy were still due to arrive. Even if this breeder didn't cut it, there would be the trainer and breeder from Muzhou.

Curly Hair dashed toward Fang Zhao enthusiastically. Fang Zhao asked, "So, you wanna serve here?"

"Woof!" Curly Hair barked with gusto.

Fang Zhao stared at Curly Hair silently and waited until Curly hair stopped wagging his tail before saying, "OK."

Fang Zhao negotiated the terms of Curly Hair's service with Huo Yi before leaving.

Huo Yi headed back to base a happy man.

Fang Zhao would be quite busy with his shoot. Once filming started, he wouldn't be able to get away that easily. Still, he would ask Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to check up on Curly Hair from time to time, have the breeder brief them on Curly Hair's latest.

Naturally, Huo Yi was too busy to deal with these day-to-day tasks. His job was done when he successfully drafted Curly Hair into service. The breeder would handle the formalities that remained. He would brief Fang Zhao on Curly Hair's condition.

Starting from the day after tomorrow, Curly Hair would start serving in the Wai military base until Fang Zhao completed his shoot.

As for today, Fang Zhao instructed Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to take Curly Hair back to the film studio complex. They would deliver him to base the day after tomorrow.

After completing negotiations with Fang Zhao, Huo Yi put in a call to Muzhou asking the police dog academy to send their pups ASAP. The training grounds for the pups had been set up and their trainers had been selected. The trainers had already completed a year of training. The only missing piece was the dogs. Huo Yi threw in a mention of Curly Hair to rile the folks in Muzhou a bit.

Muzhou natives always prided themselves in producing the best dogs on the planet, and the Muzhou police canine academy was widely regarded as the best dog breeder in the world. It had long considered itself the industry leader.

Until Muzhou's sheep-herding competitions had had to change their rules thanks to a dog from Yanzhou.

At Muzhou's police dog academy.

"Who? Did you just say that dog is on Planet Wai?" One of the senior officials at the police dog school did a double take, wondering if he had misheard the previous comment.

"Curly Hair. You know, Fang Zhao's dog? The Wai military base took a liking to him. Word has it Commander Huo Yi called Fang Zhao in person with an offer, but Fang Zhao rejected it," a dog trainer responded.

"Duh! You'd have to be brain dead to give up that dog." The official pondered the matter some more and instructed, "Tell the folks on Wai to keep a close eye on our dogs. Elite police dogs can draw quite a few enemies after being in the field for some time. They need to be protected and shielded from the public eye." He eyed the nine pups prepared for Wai. "Let's replace these three with three from Class 1."

The trainer balked at the decision. "Huh? There are only seven pups in Class 1. Didn't you want to save them for us?"

The dogs at the police dog academy were also ranked. The pups from Class 1 were the cream of the crop.

"Stop it. We have plenty of top dogs in Muzhou. There will be more in the pipeline. Let's send Wai this batch." The official glanced at the pups bound for Planet Wai. "Be on your best behavior. Don't lose to that dog from Yanzhou."

At Wai film studio complex.

Fang Zhao headed straight back to the set, while Zuo Yu and Yan Biao retrieved Curly Hair. Their flying transport landed near the film studio complex. There was already a car waiting.

The driver was an old comrade of Yan Biao's who worked at the film studio complex. He had rented the car from the Wai military base. Such rentals were quite common, so their car didn't stand out.

A shadow emerged from a dark corner after Zuo Yu and company sped away in their car. The person returned to the film studio complex as well.

The stalker was an entertainment journalist who had infiltrated the film studio compound. He hadn't landed any scoops of late. News was hard to come by at the film studio complex. All the big stars were on the set of "Founding Era," which the entertainment press corps had failed to penetrate, so tonight he had decided to try his luck near the film studios. Lo and behold, he had managed to shoot something.

The entertainment journalist returned to the room he had rented after arriving at the film studio complex. Two of his colleagues were waiting.

"From the look on your face, you got something, didn't you?"

"What did you get? Which celebrity?"

"Wow, you'll never guess."

The man pulled up the footage he had shot on his camera.

"Aren't these two guys... Fang Zhao's bodyguards?"

Entertainment journalists memorized the identities of all the folks who worked for the stars—agents, assistants, bodyguards, and the like. Even if they couldn't, they kept the information on file. Fang Zhao's entourage had been thoroughly researched by entertainment journalists around the world because he had been cast as the male lead in "Founding Era."

The other colleague figured out the real focus of the pictures. "Wait, isn't that the dog worth some 200 million?"

"Shouldn't Fang Zhao be shooting now? How come he had his bodyguards bring his dog?"

"How would I know?" The journalist paused the footage he had shot and pointed to a spot on the screen. "The Wai military base was responsible for their transportation. Check out the flying transport. It's emblazoned with the base logo."

The journalists were going to screen capture a few still photos out of the video. Even if they failed to shoot any celebrities, this dog was news.

"Let's brainstorm how to spin a story with these few pictures that draws the most readers."

"Should we make a connection to Fang Zhao's family history?"

"The dog is a hot topic. It's worth 200 million, one of the top-ranked dogs on the global list."

As for the truth, did it matter?

They were pros at extrapolating stories out of photos.

"Wait, hold on." The journalist glued to the screen brainstorming a storyline blurted, "It looks like Fang Zhao's bodyguard spotted you. Here, they threw you a glance."

"Don't worry. We're fine as long as we're not marked by the military. All I did was shoot a dog. What, are they gonna arrest me?"

The doorbell rang.

The three journalists were jolted to their senses and glanced at their door with alarm.

The leader of the group gestured, and one of the other journalists turned on their surveillance footage.

"Sir, your takeout is here." The man standing at the door was wearing a hotel uniform. He was a familiar face. He flashed his pristine-white teeth while staring at the camera.

The three men relaxed. They ordered takeout all the time. The film studio complex was off-limits to drones, so all takeout deliveries were made in person.

"It's my dinner."

"Scared the hell out of me."

"I'm going to start writing after I eat. We'll file the story tonight."

When they opened their door, they found about a dozen dark gun barrels pointed in their direction.

The trio: "!!!"

A group of armed soldiers stormed into the room. In the span of a few breaths, they had canvassed the entire room and confiscated the journalists' cameras and storage devices.

"Take them away!"

The squadron retreated. The three entertainment journalists didn't have time for so much as a grunt.

The film studio complex had a lively nightlife, so word of the arrests spread quickly.

Barring major infractions, the Wai military typically ignored what went down within the confines of the film studios. Journalists were generally free to roam around all day, then sneak out at night and find sanctuary outside the army's jurisdiction. As long as nothing major happened, only fines were imposed when reporters were caught.

This was their first time venturing into the complex to make arrests.

When they figured out who had been arrested, the other journalists based in the film studio compound started wondering what exactly their seized colleagues had managed to shoot.

"Judging from the response, it's gotta be something pertaining to military secrets."

"Isn't that a death wish? Why not stick to celebrities? Why shoot the military? You wanna cut your life short?"

The arrested journalists were downright baffled. All we did today was shoot a f*cking dog!

Another spot in the film studio complex.

Zuo Yu glanced in the direction of the commotion, then turned to tell Yan Biao, "When I was still with special forces, someone told me about an ace dog bred by the Muzhou police canine academy. It had completed many missions at various ports and made some major busts, which earned it a first-class merit medal. You know how much weight a first-class medal carries. You don't get one without a major contribution."

Yan Biao remained silent. Even though he had been part of a different branch of the military, he knew how rare first-class medals were. Few humans were awarded them, let alone dogs. The dog had been a bona fide ace.

"Back then, the Muzhou police dog academy was quite high profile and very cocky. They bragged about their ace dog many times. There was extensive news coverage. Eventually, it became a target after all its achievements. Someone placed a 20-million-dollar bounty on its head. The officer in charge of the dog got mighty worried and assigned 20 officers to guard it around the clock, but the dog was still assassinated during a mission. After that, the police dog academy took a different approach. They became very protective of these elite dogs that were as effective as high-tech robots, and they limited media coverage."

Such memories got Zuo Yu worried. "Port work is still quite dangerous. Does Boss really have no qualms about it taking on these security screening assignments?"

Yan Biao spread his hands. "Boss said it was Curly Hair's own call. This is an ideal situation. Boss is shooting on Wai and Curly Hair is serving in the military base. The two of us can keep dicking around."

Curly Hair was fast asleep in his kennel, belly up and snoring.

Chapter 300: I Won't Seek Him Out Even If It Kills Me!

After settling the matter with Curly Hair, the cast and crew officially began filming.

Once filming officially started, the pace of everyone in the cast and crew became very hectic.

Many people had been thinking they were already very busy during the previous preparations. Never had they expected that after filming officially started, there wouldn't even be time to visit the food street. Not just the gourmet food street, even the number of people visiting the large dining hall saw a large decline. Most of the time, people from the dining hall would send food over instead.

The next time they would be able to properly sit down and have a meal would probably be when their own scenes had all been completed.

Before filming had begun, Roman had seemed rather easygoing and had even joked and giggled with actors, but when he became serious, Roman was actually very scary, and he became the devil incarnate.

Roman wished that he could bring along a whip while keeping an eye on each team. Whichever team's pace was slowest would receive a lashing.

Of course, he didn't really go to the extent of using a whip, but when Roman scolded someone, he would not give any face. Regardless of whether they were top-rate or first-rate actors or directors or assistant directors of the filming teams, if anyone's mistake was caught by Roman, they would receive a scolding all the same. The scolding was so great that one would start to doubt his own existence.

For these actors, the most relaxing time was probably the two hours of precious online access time they got every seven days.

Under most circumstances, these two hours were leisure time given by the production team to everyone, and these two hours were the most relaxing period every seven days. Everyone's mind and body would be even more relaxed at this time, because they were able to seek some solace on the internet and find ways to vent. Whether it was chatting up someone or browsing online news headlines, compared to filming, it was much more relaxing.

Every week, when it came to that time, the internet would be abuzz. Every big name actor as well as the team behind them would hurry to seize the headlines.

When it wasn't the cast and crew's internet access time, other media outlets would hurry and push out other news. When it came to those two hours each week, everything else was insignificant. These two hours were termed by people as "Founding Era" time.

Fans of every actor would count down the days of the week till these two hours.

There was no need for additional publicity, nor was there any need for advertisements. When the time came, it automatically became "Founding Era" time.

Every time it reached this point, every website and every social platform's hit counter seemed to sprout rockets attached as they shot straight upward.

Celebrities and some other staff in the cast and crew would save up a week's worth of photos and videos and take the opportunity during this time to flaunt them.

Everybody in the cast and crew was handed a set of guidelines, which explicitly stated what could and could not be posted.

The matter of the three entertainment reporters at the film studio complex that had been visited by soldiers had also circulated among the cast and crew here. Roman had intentionally released this information so as to beat some sense into people who were getting restless. Don't go thinking you are too smart and try something funny.

If you did not abide by the regulations of the production team and wanted to put out content that wasn't allowed?

Roman would say this: "Go ahead and release it. If you can get it out, I'll accept the loss! Do you really think that nobody monitors the internet? When the military comes knocking on your door, don't come looking for me. You can help yourself out the door!"

On an online interactive platform, a third-rate actor updated their status:

"Received my bento box [photograph]."

The accompanying image was a photograph of a bento box. The dishes appeared very tantalizing, attracting a lot of views and making people's mouths water just looking at it.

In the comments section below, lots of fans who did not know the truth were laughing and joking.

"The cast and crew's food doesn't seem bad at all. There is sufficient food too."

"Previously, I heard that the filming conditions are really arduous. Seeing you guys eating well makes me feel reassured."

"If you look closely, there are eight dishes, including fruits and a beverage; how luxurious! Most importantly, I actually see six dishes that I have never eaten before! Those are probably planet Wai specialties, right?"

"I have never had such a sumptuous lunch box banquet before. I'm so jealous."

"I want one portion of this lunch box too!"

But very quickly, another actor who was on good terms with the one who posted the picture posted: "Take care my brother [candle]. I can still persevere for a few more days."

Another actor from the same continent also joined in the fun: "[Candle] You guys go on first. I will follow after in a bit."

Following that, there were other actors who also replied to this post.

Fans were puzzled.

"Observing their posts, I feel like something isn't right."

"Is there some sort of hidden meaning here?

Some people also went over to the official "Founding Era" account to make inquiries.

"Founding Era" officially released a status explaining the special significance of this bento box.

The large dining hall would prepare a sumptuous bento box for cast that had finished filming all their scenes in the serial.

Seeing this, fans hurried over to their own idol's accounts and followed them in "lighting candles."

This also interested the average netizen.

Whenever any actor's new status update was an exquisite, tantalizing, and filling bento box, they would head over to light candles. A long line of [candles] would appear in the comments section below.

"Finished filming so quickly? [Candle]."

"We still have no idea when we will get to see it. When exactly is this serial going to be broadcast? So excited! [Candle]."

"Just finished my game, does this mean that this character in the serial is dead? [Candle]."

"Take care [Candle]."

"[Candle]. Saw quite a number of similar statuses today. The 'Founding Era' production team seems to be distributing these bento sets at a rather high frequency."

"There are so many stars from all twelve continents, of course there are a lot of bento boxes."

Although the frequency of bento boxes and candles had a sort of inauspicious feel, the majority of online audiences found it amusing. This merriment only occurred once per week, so naturally, netizens wanted to have fun to their heart's content, and they had fun with their anticipation for "Founding Era" and tried to guess for which episode their idols would receive the bento box.

While fans were having a lot of fun, actors in the crew were suffering.

Filming intensity was high. For some actors that had decades of experience, this wasn't considered much, as they were used to it, but when weather conditions were not good and filming still continued, that was when it became somewhat unbearable.

Just yesterday, there had been an abrupt change in the weather and it had started hailing. Everyone thought that outdoor filming would be halted and they would be able to take a break. However, Roman had been especially delighted. "Faster, faster, faster! Hurry! These are favorable conditions at the right time! Every group, make your adjustments. Start filming whichever scenes are appropriate here!"

The hailstones weren't considered very big and would not cause injuries when they struck bodies, but it would still hurt.

Because the lead director was watching attentively from the side, the actors could only clench their teeth and soldier on.

There was also a medical team on standby at the side. After the scenes were shot, they would provide a checkup, medicine, and injections to ensure the actors did not fall sick. Roman controlled this well and would not let the actors get caught up in any life-threatening situations.

They had to suffer hardship and wouldn't fall sick, but their bodies and hearts were extremely tired. The actors felt as though they were being tortured.

They recalled the start where the instructors and coaches had told them to eat more. Now, they felt that they had eaten too little, as they often felt very hungry during filming and they were quite tired, yet they had no appetites.

An actor from Muzhou scoffed in private. Simply treating humans as beasts of burden!

Regardless of whether they were willing or not, in order to not keep up the pace of filming, these actors still had to do perform nonetheless.

Even extremely pretentious superstars that had brought along a whole entourage when filming in the past had to follow the production team's demands and force themselves to adapt.

What else could they do? Anyone that was sent back would lose all face. Furthermore, they weren't stupid. Who was even willing to give up such a chance? As long as there were able to endure it, the gains would be even greater than in their wildest dreams.

Every business-minded company had already warned their own artists that if anyone courted disaster or caused trouble and affected the production team's filming, without even a word from the production team, the company would go ahead and remove this "stain" to prevent the matter from involving the company's other artists.

But after two months of filming, there were still some experienced and big-name film stars who were unable to bear it and made suggestions to the director.

Technology had developed so rapidly. In the past, when they had shot films with similar scenes, all of them had been done with special effects. All they had needed to do was act indoors. As long as their acting skills were up to scratch, with technology supplementing it, the results had been good, and they had won awards for such scenes. It had always been this way. Now, it was fine if they were to shoot at physical sets. It wasn't like they have never filmed at such sets before, but now, some scenes needed to be shot when the weather was nasty. This wasn't right. Obviously this could be avoided, but did insisting on filming on a real set at this time and with such weather mean that their technology was on the decline?

Thus, they banded up, wanting to fight for some benefits and hoping to avoid these sorts of situations. These scenes could still be shot on the same set; what need was there to suffer so much?

After that, they received a merciless rejection from Roman. "Act if you want to act. Scram if you don't! Didn't actors back in times when technology hadn't been so advanced act all the same? If you want to act as a heroic character yet are unable to even take 1% of their hardship, you will never be able to understand the situation back then. You will never be able to act profoundly and you will never be able to interpret the script perfectly. Nothing else will be able to save you from acting skills that aren't even comparable to a newcomer's!"

Nothing else will be able to save you from acting skills that aren't even comparable to a newcomer's...

Acting skills that aren't even comparable to a newcomer's...

These film emperors and empresses with countless awards felt as if their chests had been stabbed by a few knives.

As for the "newcomer" he spoke about...

Who else could it be?

Fang Zhao!

Everyone knew that Fang Zhao was the newcomer actor that Roman had recommended and also the only actor under 30 that shouldered a full important role in "Founding Era."

When weather conditions were poor, if Roman said to film, Fang Zhao never had any objections and did as he was told. Most importantly, there were no issues with his acting skills. Everyone could see that he was indeed very suitable for this role and acted well.

At the same time, Fang Zhao was the only person who, in the two months of filming, had never used a body double. Whether it was acting or doing stunts, Fang Zhao handled them himself.

Because the body doubles and stunt teams were not able to perform as well as Fang Zhao, Director Roman, who was always in pursuit of the perfect film, had said one line right away: "Fang Zhao, do it yourself!"

In the eyes of the cast and crew, Fang Zhao was someone who dared to fight and strive. From a director's viewpoint, there were no complaints. He was excellent and had obtained the acknowledgment of many older seniors within the circles.

But acknowledgment was just that. Every time Roman brought out Fang Zhao's name to strike others, who could bear that?

"Take a look at Fang Zhao!"

That was Roman's most common phrase.

This time, they had been a little stubborn and raised a suggestion but had gotten Roman's line of "Nothing else will be able to save you from acting skills that aren't even comparable to a newcomer's." Even their hearts felt weary hearing this.

It had to be said that Roman's ability to draw enmity to Fang Zhao within the cast and crew was top-notch, so much so that whenever Fang Zhao went to the dining hall to eat, he always received many faint gazes.

Over at Zaro's end, he had not yet started filming his scenes. Now he was undergoing a training period and was practicing his acting skills every day.

But he was listless.

Zaro had not even finished his second training class of the day, yet he had returned from the washroom seven times. His whole body was limp from having the runs.

Having taken some medicine his agent had just bought for him, Zaro felt a little better. However, his spirits had not yet returned when he raised his head and saw Barbara. She was even holding a fan in her hand.

Barbara's scenes had not started either, and she was also having training lessons during this period.

Zaro checked the outdoor temperature. It was negative seven degrees Celsius. Although there was a heater indoors, he wasn't hot either. Who would head outdoors at such low temperatures and carry a fan?

Zaro stared at Barbara as if she was a lunatic.

Barbara slanted her eyes and looked toward Zaro as if she was looking at a heap of trash. "I heard you are not acclimating well?"

"I'm well! Which part of me isn't acclimating well?!" Zaro retorted immediately.

"Your weak stomach and intestines..." Barbara sneered as she looked on disdainfully. "Useless person."

Barbara might look pretentious most of the time and always have the poise of a noble, but her constitution was really strong and she had inherited the "Lakalina royal bloodline." Members of the Lakalina clan might appear feeble, but in actuality, they had freakishly strong constitutions. Barbara also looked down on Zaro's resources.

Barbara's evaluation of Zaro as "trash" made him stomp his feet in anger. Turning his head to his agent, he uttered, "Go bring me a 40-meter great sword! I will duke it out with her!"

Zaro's agent hurriedly held on to Zaro and whispered, "...Senior Master, let's not bicker with her. It's better to study the script. After you have strived so hard and filmed it, when the time comes for it to be broadcast, the governor will watch it. Old Master will surely watch it too."

When his agent mentioned the governor, Zaro did not think much about it, but when he mentioned "Old Master," Zaro's entire body clenched up.

After considering this in his heart, Zaro raised his hand and pointed at Barbara twice. "Just you wait!"

Afterward, he turned around and left quickly together with his agent.

"How do you feel after taking the medicine?" Zaro's agent was anxious. He was doubling as Zaro's assistant now and had to manage Zaro's clothing, food, transport, and housing. For the sake of his high salary, he could not let anything happen to Zaro.

Zaro's vitality had returned after taking the medicine. Hearing his agent's question, Zaro thought about it seriously and replied, "I feel much better now! I reckon that all the toxins in my body have probably been eliminated."

Zaro's agent: "..."

No, you were sick because you ate wantonly! The reason you can hop around happily is because I went to buy medicine!

Puzzled, Zaro asked, "Hey, are there any methods that can rapidly improve my acting abilities? I feel like my acting isn't bad right now; why does the coach still want me to improve it?"

Zaro's agent stared at Zaro blankly for a few seconds. Governor Renault had pulled some strings to get Zaro this role that would not appear until the second season. This sort of arrangement had been done so that Zaro would have ample time to polish his limited acting ability!

For past serials and movies that Zaro had invested in himself, with a little difficulty, his acting could still be watchable. This was because the other actors did not act very seriously and everything had been done to magnify Zaro's stronger aspects in his role as the main character. However, in the "Founding Era" serial, compared to others, Zaro was still a long way off. His acting was so awkward that even his agent was ashamed.

After pondering seriously, Zaro's agent said, "How about you look for Fang Zhao and ask for some advice? He will surely have some ideas. Luckily, we have collaborated a few times with him before, so he wouldn't be a stranger."

Zaro fumed. "Don't mention Fang Zhao to me! Looks? Figure? Family Background? Qualifications? Reputation? In what way am I inferior to him?!"

Zaro's agent: "..." I actually have no idea how to respond. Whatever I say will be wrong. Zaro was still brooding about not having gotten a role with more screen time. "I won't seek him out even if it kills me!"

Chapter 301: Premiere

As the days passed, the number of people who had finished filming all their scenes increased, but very few people left the cast and crew. They only left if they had important matters or other arrangements to attend to.

During free time, one actor asked another, "When are you going to receive your bento box?"

The one who was asked stared at the sky in frustration. "Given the pace of filming, probably in two days."

The person in front patted the other's shoulder. "You can do it."

"What about you?"

"Me? Haha, my bento box is already cold."

"When did you receive it? When are you leaving?"

"I'm not leaving, I still have to stay here and study. What a good learning opportunity!"

Those who had finished filming all their scenes were not willing to leave. They felt that leaving early was losing face. They could stay on for a period by paying for their own food and lodging. To put it nicely, this was termed "retained cast studies." Of course, there were indeed many benefits, and there was a lot to be learned.

These people that stayed behind at their own expense provided manual labor, moving stuff and carrying equipment, and they were also on standby. Perhaps if they were lucky, they would be pulled into an extra role and have a few minutes of screen time. Even if the makeup for these extra roles was so thick that they couldn't recognize themselves, they felt satisfied anyway.

These people were more than delighted to work and fork out their own money. The companies behind them were also supportive and would reimburse part of their expenses. Generous companies directly covered all their expenses. Only by staying on with the cast and crew could they continue riding on the large ship that was "Founding Era." Whether it was the actor's own value or the company's commercial benefits, staying on was the best option.

The production team never chased anyone away. Many actors that were able to get into the cast were capable. They could act as old people or pretend to be young and could even portray a different gender.

Fang Zhao's filming went smoothly, and there were no situations where he released his full imposing aura. He was here to act, not to crush people with his aura—that wouldn't be beneficial for cooperating.

A historical serial wasn't history. Other actors were not the actual people from back then.

Fang Zhao could clearly differentiate reality from his memories.

From an artistic point of view, now he was just working together with other actors to bring an adaptation of actual history to life in the form of "Founding Era." This would let many more people remember what had happened during that time and the people that had sacrificed so much for these lands.

From a cultural and artistic aspect, it would leave its mark in history.

As Fang Zhao's motive was different from others, he treated this very seriously. Furthermore, in his own words, he did not consider it very arduous, so when compared to others, it seemed much more effortless for Fang Zhao.

Some people in the cast and crew loved to see Fang Zhao eat. Watching him eat a lot with relish, others would feel slightly more ravenous and stuff a few more mouthfuls of food in.

An old actor noticed Fang Zhao eating with such relish and could not help but ask, "Fang Zhao, how are you able to eat so much?"

Fang Zhao swallowed and replied, "Because I'm hungry."

That old actor hiccuped, following which he turned to the person beside him and sighed. "Given Fang Zhao's physical and mental qualities, it is no wonder he rose up through the ranks during his military service."

When the cast and crew were filming, who wouldn't be tired and hungry? But there were times where one would just feel unwell deep down. It might also be due to being too immersed in their character and being unable to completely separate oneself. When one was feeling stifled or panicky, it could give rise to a physiological rejection and they would not be able to bring themselves to swallow their food.

But take a look at Fang Zhao. A short while ago, he had been even more immersed in his character, but when filming was done, he squatted at the side and dug in.

While others were still holding onto their food in a daze, this person had already started on his second portion.

When others finally adjusted their state of mind and separated themselves from their character and were about to start eating, this person had already finished his third portion and was helping others in the cast and crew.

When others had finished forcefully stuffing food into their mouths, memorized their lines, and adjusted their state of mind, this person came running back to let the makeup artist touch up his appearance, and he got into character in one second.

"A really natural actor," yet another old actor lamented.

"How many years has it been since I have felt that sort of pressure!" old actors said as, with complicated expressions, they watched Fang Zhao as he entered his filming state.

This was also one of the reasons many successful old actors from the cast felt pressured. When juniors performed too well, it would make these seniors feel like their zeal wasn't sufficient and they were not professional enough.

The pace of the production team's filming was very quick. Now, the second season's filming was almost done. Actors had already adapted to the situation and environment and were used to this sort of intensity. They were all quality actors, and after adapting, the filming of the second season had proceeded even more smoothly and quickly than that of the first season.

Nowadays, face makeup was simple. Every actor and role had special prosthetics that could be stuck onto their face. With a little touch-up from the makeup artists, even through a high definition camera, there would not be any traces of makeup, and it saved a lot of time.

Apparel, scars, and others were all the same. Everything had become much simpler with technological advancements, and not a lot of time was required for makeup. Naturally, efficiency had increased as well.

While filming for the second season was underway, the first season was in postproduction. It was rumored that postproduction was almost complete.

Although filming might have seemed quick, the cast and crew had put in a lot of effort. Also, they had prepared for a long time.

The cast had not made preparations only after the "Founding Era" project's reboot had been announced. Rather, plans had been made some years earlier, but they hadn't been carried out then.

The script had also been released earlier, but only after it had been rebooted had the consultation team looked through it and made amendments. Design plans for the construction of sets had long been prepared beforehand and had already been meticulously drawn up.

As for actors, those that had internal information had started preparing a few years earlier and had just been waiting for the project to be rebooted.

On the accompaniment music side, the music team had been hoarding pieces. Some extremely capable teams could even create accompanying music that better fit the plot at the last moment. With so many elites and talented people, Roman could use whoever's work best suited his requirements.

Quick filming did not signify that large quantities were being churned out at the cost of quality. Postproduction was also tightly supervised and had stringent requirements. With a lead director like Roman, who had very high standards, nobody could even think about just going through the motions.

From filming all the way to postproduction, everyone gave their all. The entire cast was like a well-oiled machine that was running precisely and efficiently.

Besides filming, every once in a while, Fang Zhao and other actors playing important roles in the same team would have to visit psychologists for a talk.

This was an arrangement of the production team's, and it was a clear-cut requirement. For Fang Zhao and other actors who held more important roles, they were required to visit the psychologist once every seven days. The production team was worried that these actors' mental health might be affected if they got too deeply immersed in their characters.

The production team cared about the physical and mental health of their actors and had also considered many aspects.

Actually, the original plan after filming started had been to be in a completely sealed mode without any access to the internet all the way until filming ended. Ultimately, following suggestions from the psychologists, it had been changed to two hours of internet access every seven days of the week. The reason was that people needed to release tension. This gave actors a time to drain all their pent-up feelings and emotions.

The psychologist in charge of Fang Zhao and the others was called Dai Yu.

Dai Yu knew many of these actors. As he was in the cast and crew, although he was not participating in the filming, he found out by talking to those actors that this might be the actors' toughest ever challenge yet. He could understand the mental states of these actors through conversations with them.

From Dai Yu's professional viewpoint, "Founding Era" was like a dark and gloomy forest fraught with strange dangers. When actors stepped inside, they were extremely careful even when it came to brushing away a single leaf. As they advance further in and fell even deeper, it got even more dangerous, and any object had the possibility of being a threat.

What Dai Yu needed to do was guide those actors deep in the darkness back out.

All the other actors were fine. The only one Dai Yu felt was a difficult problem was Fang Zhao. Every time he faced Fang Zhao, Dai Yu felt like...

Every time Dai Yu was dissecting Fang Zhao's mental state, the Fang Zhao sitting in front of him seemed to be scanning Dai Yu's mental state as well.

Dai Yu coughed lightly, relieving the strange atmosphere that had built up. He remembered his previous chats with other actors and continued, "People of those times seemingly became like beasts. Supposing they lost their humanity, it would signify that they would lose many things."

Fang Zhao replied, "Lose your bestiality, you lose everything."

Dr. Dai paused and looked at Fang Zhao before looking away quickly and nodding his head. "That's right. They were forced into it. Without change, they had no way of survival."

Dai Yu then took the initiative to talk to Fang Zhao about some other topics for around 10 minutes before he ended this session.

After Fang Zhao left, Dai Yu poured himself a glass of warm water. His finger that was hooked around the cup was trembling slightly. After finishing his water, he stared at the chair Fang Zhao had sat in and pondered.

If he was more attentive, he would have realized that every time Fang Zhao came over, the chair's position was slightly further away compared to others.

From several conversations here, Dai Yu had found out that Fang Zhao was a dangerous person. Fang Zhao might look rather harmless, but his true nature might be even closer to the role he was playing.

Fang Zhao was unlike others. Other people would seem to sink into the dark and dangerous forest because of acting. As for Fang Zhao, his head had an expanse of gloomy forests that was deeply rooted and could not be removed. Dai Yu was powerless.

The sort of temperament Fang Zhao had was probably close to what people during the Period of Destruction had had. It was probably because of this that Roman and the Committee of 100 had selected him.

But all those issues had nothing to do with the psychologist Dai Yu. All he had to do was make sure the actors would not delve so deeply they could not get out. Apparently, during this period, the others had a tendency to sink too deeply and needed lots of talking to, as well as some guidance.

As for Fang Zhao... he just had to go through the session as a formality.

When many young actors came here, they were nervous, but when Dai Yu was speaking with Fang Zhao, the psychologist was the one who felt pressured. Every time Fang Zhao came, Dai Yu would feel uneasy, as if he was being watched by a wild beast.

That's right, over here, Fang Zhao wasn't nervous; Dai Yu was the one all tensed up.

————

December passed by really quickly. As the new year and a new month came, a half-minute-long trailer for "Founding Era" subsequently appeared.

The accompaniment for this trailer had been created by a reputable music association.

A piano played at the start, supplemented by a violin. It sounded gloomy and restrained and also seemed quiet and lonely.

The opening sequence of the trailer:

A truck driver leaning against a steering wheel, his fist clenched tightly. He looked through the shattered windscreen and hesitated...

A shepherd held onto a machete with his trembling hand as droplets of blood trickled down the knife's sharp edge.

A prison guard in a prison sat down on the floor and quietly lit up a cigarette.

A lady in an elegant dress stood on a castle wall and looked out into the distance.

People crawled out from a series of ruins, staggering step by step, as if they were entering an abyss.

...

The whole country in ruins, homes shattered, the sun and moon no longer visible, meteors raining down, struggles in the fires of war, moving forward in the darkness.

A bloodied feather against the light floated downwards.

Two steps from hell!

Calamities that did not cease and battles without any rest!

As the melody's tempo started to rise, drumbeats became even more powerful. The coloration of the image started to become even more intense.

Rising up abruptly from the darkness and being reborn from the ashes!

In that very long and desolate period, freedom, existence, blood, guarding...

Twelve massive monuments appeared.

Countless names flashed across.

The history of the Period of Destruction that only appeared in history books unfolded before the eyes of later generations.

A long journey, a hundred-year reflection!

This wasn't a warped fantasy but actual historical culture combined with video and music to form a work of art!

On January 1 of the 535th year of the New Era, on the first day of the new year, following the release of the trailer, every forum, video streaming site, social platform, newspaper, and magazine was occupied by "Founding Era"!

Without a doubt, the main theme for the coming year had been set!

Scenes of great jubilation happened online.

"Ah ah ah ah, it is finally going to be broadcast!"

"I'm counting down every single day!"

"Everyone is a big name!"

"The feeling of just randomly pointing my finger and it landing on a celebrity feels great. What an unprecedented grand allocation; I can't wait!"

"Were the 12 people that appeared right at the start of the trailer the 12 great generals?"

"Idiot! Did you sleep in history class? There are only 11 great generals! Fang Zhao isn't one!"

"Hahaha, the Wu Yan in the trailer is still a baby."

There were 12 continents in the world because of the Period of Destruction. Huangzhou was slightly special and was the only one without a local great general, and it was the only continent not named after a person.

Nowadays, Huangzhou was the world's political core. The people of Huangzhou always felt a sense of superiority, but this time, people of Huangzhou were depressed.

"Us Huangzhouans have been reduced to a supporting role in 'Founding Era'."

"No idea when we will be able to see a storyline concerning Huangzhou."

"We will have to wait till we're closer to the end. Only then will we get to see our continent's part."

"Whatever. Everything is good as long as we can watch it."

Once it premiered, there would be two episodes aired every day from Monday to Friday—none on the weekends. But the series wouldn't start until the 28th, and it was only the 1st now. How were people going to endure for another 20-something days?

If the series could not be watched yet, then head to the Cemetery of Martyrs to pay respects first.

Fans found out which characters their idols were playing and headed to the Cemetery of Martyrs to find out where these heroic characters' graves were.

Thus, on the first day of the new year, the number of people visiting each continent's Cemetery of Martyrs saw a sharp increase.

"This... Isn't there still some time till Memorial Day? Why are they so many people?" asked a puzzled worker at a Cemetery of Martyrs as he saw the number of people walking around the cemetery grounds.

"The impact of 'Founding Era'," another staff member replied.

Someone else joined in the discussion. "Commemorative portraits of martyrs are selling especially well this year!"

"In the past, nobody bought commemorative portraits. This year, right at the start, they have all been swept up. My superiors have even said that more artists have been hired to work around the clock, and there are a lot of portraits of characters I have never even heard about before."

In the month of January, it seemed as if the number of visitors to the Cemetery of Martyrs was increasing every day.

Very quickly, given the bombardment of information, even people who did not pay attention to these aspects also found out about the premiere "Founding Era" on Memorial Day.

All military districts, regardless of whether there were on Earth or a foreign planet, also received news about it, and they were eagerly waiting. There was much less entertainment in the military, and it was rare for there to be a series that the top brass supported. Naturally, this was highly anticipated.

In people's daily lives, whether they were at work, in school, or online, "Founding Era" was always unavoidably mentioned. This had already become a sort of phenomenon for the entire population.

"Founding Era" was going to premiere on Memorial Day. Schools and companies would be on vacation, and the streets would have much fewer people. For the Cemetery of Martyrs, this would be a rare occasion where it was quiet.

Finally, the day came. Some people were gathered together with their family members, some with their colleagues, and some were staying home alone, but they were all waiting. In some places where it was the middle of the night, people had stayed up waiting.

At the appointed time, the first episode starting airing, and everyone turned it on full of joy and expectations.

But their pleasure was short lived.

Chapter 302: Starting at the Apex

As the trailer time was limited, the majority of stars had only appeared in a flash. Only the faces of those playing lead characters or important supporting roles had been seen. Now that it had officially launched, the majority of fans were here to count stars as they watched "Founding Era."

Others were either curious or here to join in the fun. People that were actually interested in the subject itself were a small minority.

After watching two consecutive episodes, the most intense feeling fans got was: brutal!

Brutal deaths!

Right at the start, large quantities of bento boxes distributed. How could it not be brutal?!

The first episode started off gently building up the Old Era's exquisite and peaceful ambience. However, what followed was chaos, blood, and cruel catastrophes that created an obvious contrast. The Period of Destruction had officially arrived, and it signified that many more people would die.

"Founding Era" had its own rich historical vibe and sense of solemness. Even this impressive lineup of stars was unable to dilute the main ideology it was trying to propagate. This was the first official, profound dialogue the creative team had with audiences regarding that period.

Everything people of the New Era knew about the Period of Destruction was from historical books and various historical resources and records. This was just akin to a skeleton. For the majority of New Era people, their sentiments toward that period were not deep. After all, it had already been so many years.

And this cultural film was bestowing flesh to the skeleton!

Flesh and spirit!

It was only through this method that more people would understand the culture of that period and have a greater sentiment toward this history!

From the beginning, Roman had requested that battle scenes be as realistic as possible, so much so that it would scare viewers. He felt that this was the only way to make those people who had emerged in that time stand out and show their mettle! Regardless of whether they made their mark on history or not, regardless of whether they were from the influential families or they were a little-known person, nobody could be missed!

Along with the extra effort put in by the actors, it produced a multipronged battering effect.

In the past, whenever fans had heard about anyone receiving a bento box, they had laughed and joke, but now they could not even smile.

Harsh, cruel.

This was history.

Each celebrity's fans were treated so brutally that their insides were all jumbled up.

This was just the opening sequence, and looking at the current circumstances, the wholesale distribution of bento boxes would definitely not be little!

Online, 90% of hot topics were related to "Founding Era." Some had companies behind them generating buzz for their celebrities, others were topics that netizens had brought up themselves.

There were even people that listed the celebrities that had appeared in the first episode.

"A breakdown of the poor little things that received their bento boxes right at the opening sequence..."

Even with all the promoting by their companies in the past, nobody had concerned themselves with these less popular celebrities. Now, everyone was especially stirred up, and the companies behind these celebrities seized the chance to promote their assets. The benefits that "Founding Era" could bring had started to show.

Some celebrities that weren't too famous but who played rather impressive roles, even if they only appeared for a few minutes, with their companies' operations, the fame of these celebrities could rise greatly.

"That aura of Fang Zhao's! Dope! [Image][Image][Image]."

"A death gaze coming from Zhao-god! When I was watching this segment, my back shivered."

"Let me upload a screenshot too [image]! This was the predicted fight scene with the beasts that flashed by so quickly! I never expected that he would take on six at once!"

"It's seven! There was one more hidden behind him."

"It seems quite casual, but when you look at it carefully, it isn't casual at all. How ruthless. Every move is efficient, and the killing intent that follows after... And there is still the scene of a meeting where Fang Zhao glances in the direction of the camera. At that moment, I felt a constricting pressure! That is probably the aura of a leader?"

"Awesome! He doesn't look one bit like a newcomer. Fang Zhao is indeed rather impressive."

"Wait a minute! Which Fang Zhao are you people actually talking about? I can't tell the difference. How are we going to differentiate them in future discussions?"

"Cough! Fang Zhao is only a newcomer in the acting circles, but he has made a name for himself in the gaming and music circles already!"

"Gaming fans have brought out the 'scripture' videos from 'Battle of the Century' to watch once again. It has the same effect even though they are different media."

Reputable film reviewers from Yanzhou also gave their evaluations of Fang Zhao.

"Some people can soar up to the heavens when just given a chance. Fang Zhao is that sort of person."

"Starting his career at the apex," yet another reviewer said.

Starting his career at the apex might have sounded very impressive, but actually, there were two ways it could be interpreted.

The first was that he had come flying out of the blocks, vastly exceeded other actors of the same grade and status, and stepped on the summit many newcomers had no way of achieving even after many years. The other meaning was: starting off at the top, he could only go down from there.

That was the intention of the reviewer. Right now, according to the audience's understanding, these were good words that were praising Fang Zhao, but if Fang Zhao went downhill, that reviewer would give a different sort of interpretation all the same.

Even so, there were many media news outlets that used this reviewer's evaluation of "Starting his career at the apex," with the majority appearing to praise or lament.

A newcomer, someone not from the showbiz circles, an amateur who could not even be considered an actor! Relying on "Founding Era," he had truly made a name for himself in the showbiz circles!

At a certain military district.

"Yes, it's this actor. I even voted for him! Now it seems like I made the right choice."

"Indeed, he acts rather well and makes the role memorable. That flair of his is just something else!"

It was too dazzling when there were too many stars. Some people might not be able to recognize this face of Fang Zhao's, but they could remember his flair. The next time they saw this, even if they could not recognize the face, they would be able to correspond it to the role.

Many stars were unrecognizable after putting on makeup. Their originally mild impressions would be even more insipid, but the impression Fang Zhao gave off was very profound. Perhaps people were slightly biased toward Fang Zhao. After all, Fang Zhao had originated from Baiji military district. Just checking the news back then would reveal all this information.

"This actor was once a soldier. He has really fought against terrorists."

"No wonder you can feel that killing intent from his fight scenes. Other actors can portray this somewhat, but their killing intent isn't as realistic." Military personnel that had experienced real battles were more sensitive to this.

"The other actors aren't bad either. This is much better than those so-called war flicks from before. The filming is great! This series lets everyone see that it isn't the same as those nonsense series of the past, and the acting isn't exaggerated either. Those fight scenes are especially immersive for us."

Multiple fight scenes filmed in one take were grim, nimble, and not at all gaudy.

This series did not have many gaudy fight scenes. When the actors of the cast and crew had been training, they found out that this was unlike any previous series they had acted in before.

Fight scenes in past serials were just for the sake of looking cool, but the fight scenes here were to be as realistic as possible.

For artistic purposes, Fang Zhao had actually added an appropriate amount of depth to his acting. Not too little or too much but just the right amount so that he would appear even more natural before the camera. This effect was needed for the filming and was a change that Fang Zhao had made according to Shen Wei and Roman's guidance.

Of course, others did not know that Fang Zhao had deliberately made adjustments to his acting for filming. From what many older precursors in the industry saw, Fang Zhao's understanding of the role, his dialogue, fundamentals, and techniques were satisfactory. This made those among the Committee of 100 that had voted for him feel relieved.

Relieved and somewhat pleased. What did so many positive evaluations prove?

It proved that their foresight was good!

Look, we picked out a no-name among a field of big-name actors, and he is the most suitable!

Now that they were emboldened, when these people accepted interviews or were asked for their comments, they naturally praised Fang Zhao. Praising Fang Zhao was the same as praising themselves! And at the same time, it was smacking the bunch of people who had previously refuted and doubted their choice. My own foresight is better than yours! This also lets those students of film and art academies see clearly for themselves who had the perception to choose this talent!

At this time, they could more or less understand how Roman felt.

This sort of feeling was rather pleasing.

Yanbei City retirement facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang wiped away tears; his eyes were red. He had no idea whether he had been affected by the solemness of the series or by his great-grandson.

After he finished watching the two episodes, Great-Grandfather Fang sat in front of the screen, staring at nothing in particular and remaining silent throughout.

Beside him, Great-Grandmother Fang's eyes were red too. She sighed. "Surviving during that period was no easy task... Little Zhao has acted really well. Word online is that these one-take fight scenes require many tries to be successful. It is very tough on the actors, and they might suffer injuries. And Little Zhao has many more of these sorts of scenes than others. I wonder how much he has suffered. To be able to act until he gets this sort of result isn't easy at all."

"That goes without saying! Could this result be achieved if it wasn't tough?!" The tears that Great-Grandfather Fang had just held back starting flowing again.

For more than an hour, the two old Fangs sat there talking about the cruel fate of survivors in the Period of Destruction and then about how Fang Zhao was holding up while filming.

The two of them had told the younger generations of Fangs that if anyone wanted to visit, they should come beforehand and come looking for them today. Therefore, nobody would disturb the two old Fangs, and these two old folks had decided to spend the whole day watching the serial.

"Nope, let's wait for a few hours before watching," Great-Grandfather Fang replied.

After he had calmed down, Great-Grandfather Fang browsed some news online. When he saw those compliments and praises for Fang Zhao, he smiled till his creases were on the verge of blooming. He wiped away his tears and snot, which had flowed out once again, and washed his face, then headed out to look for his old comrades for a chat.

Fiery Bird Yanzhou department.

The Diting series earpieces and sound equipment that Fang Zhao endorsed saw another round of buzz. There was a significant increase in sales after the first and second episodes of "Founding Era" aired. Some warehouses in Yanzhou were already out of stock. Other continents had stored less stock, and there were many more empty warehouses.

The influence that "Founding Era" had was global.

"Fang Zhao's momentum..."

"If we extend our contract with Fang Zhao, his endorsement fees surely have to be increased. Otherwise, he might not continue with the endorsement."

"Then do we still sign with him?"

"You don't say! Of course we sign! The planning department made plans early on, but the circumstances with Fang Zhao after the broadcast of 'Founding Era' were unknown, so it was set aside. Now that Fang Zhao's momentum is ascending, the new product plans have to be implemented. Diting series's newest model, a high-end version."

Fang Zhao had already played the role of a leader. Naturally, there was a need for a corresponding high-end version, the sort that would cost a minimum of at least five digits.

"All right, I will leave a message for him. They only get two hours of internet access every seven days. We still have to wait a few days for a reply. Why does Fang Zhao not have a manager?"

Fiery Bird approaching a party for an endorsement and even having to wait a few days was extremely rare.

This was something unavoidable because these were the rules of "Founding Era," not something decided by Fang Zhao or certain actors, so Fiery Bird had no choice.

Fang Zhao was not the only actor that endorsed Fiery Bird products, but now, if Fiery Bird wanted to look for any actors to film new advertisements, they would need to wait.

In time, there would surely be many more manufacturers headed to planet Wai who would take the opportunity to film advertisements during actor's rest times.

The sales volume of items endorsed by lead roles, important supporting roles, and other roles that appeared multiple times saw a great increase alongside the rising internet popularity.

The large ship that was "Founding Era" carried many people's interests along with it.

But at the same time, the original purpose of this film project was still in the midst of being completed.

Every continent's Cemetery of Martyrs saw a peak in visitors. Some graves that did not have any visitors in normal years suddenly received a lot more people paying their respects.

Chapter 303: Immense Pressure Too

The internet was full of praise for "Founding Era." There was also a reputable reviewer that claimed "Founding Era" was the most realistic historical drama ever made in the New Era.

As for the actual history? According to Fang Zhao, it was still far off.

However, this was but a film series and a form of art. To come close to the original history was hard enough.

Seeing news reports about people visiting graves that saw no visitors other than cleaners in past years, Fang Zhao felt rather happy. Having someone remember them was a good thing, even if they were only remembered now.

As a milestone historical drama, "Founding Era" was sure to air again in the future. There were certainly going to be even more online broadcasts. Even many years later, as long as people watched it, they would know about these martyrs and the things that had been done.

Being remembered was fortunate. There were many more people that never got to leave behind their names, let alone gravestones.

Fang Zhao agreed to Fiery Bird's endorsement contract extension. Fiery Bird's conditions were decent, and all Fang Zhao needed to do was find some time to take some photos for an advertisement. This wasn't a lot and would not delay filming.

In the cast, there were many people that accepted endorsements and advertisements. The production team allowed the cast to accept these endorsements; their only requirement was that it did not affect filming. s could only be filmed during the few days of break after a season of the series concluded filming. Also, the advertisements could only be done at the region designated by the production team. As before, actors could not leave the filming area. Commercial firms were also required to apply to enter the filming area and needed to sign confidentiality agreements. Also, not every commercial firm could send people to planet Wai.

Therefore, some actors that had finished filming felt that they could not wantonly accept advertisements while staying here, which would affect their earnings, so they decided to leave the cast and return home.

Roman was actually rather unwilling. He hoped that his actors would not accept endorsement deals or advertisements during the filming period, but "Founding Era" was a little special as it touched on the dark side of human nature. Even if it was unable to be portrayed completely in front of the cameras, the actors would deeply be affected when they analyzed the characters they played.

"There will be problems if it goes on this way. Just let them find other things to take their mind off things. After all, shooting a commercial won't take long, perhaps half a day," the head of the psychologist team told Roman. "I don't even know how those people during the Period of Destruction lived. Under that sort of living environment, it is really easy to be forced to become crazy or perverted, right? Those that didn't break were really strong people."

Roman gave a "tsk" and did not say more. Deep down, however, he agreed with what the other party had said.

Sometimes when Roman thought too much about it, the darkness and bloodiness of the Period of Destruction made him feel breathless. There was a lot that wasn't suitable for audiences, and Roman was clear on that. Thus, although he wasn't very pleased with actors accepting endorsements during filming, he ultimately approved of it. He was almost going crazy himself, and he shouldn't make others go crazy with him.

"I heard that Fang Zhao accepted a commercial?" the head psychologist asked.

When talking about Fang Zhao, Roman's face beamed. "It's a Fiery Bird endorsement, just some photographs and a short video. It can be completed within an hour. Furthermore, with Fang Zhao's condition, filming for another day won't be an issue. I feel at ease when it comes to him."

Roman had also seen those evaluations online, and naturally, he was pleased.

"Have you watched it yet? How was it? Didn't this young fella act really well?" Roman asked.

"Very well indeed," the psychologist replied. "Fang Zhao... is very suitable for that role."

He had heard from the psychologist in charge of the actors from Yanzhou about Fang Zhao's circumstances, and it was something that they could not resolve.

In private, they had previously discussed a type of black: Period of Destruction black.

Deep inside Fang Zhao was this sort of color.

Roman, who was currently very pleased with himself, did not take much note of the strange expression on the psychologist's face when Fang Zhao was mentioned. When Fang Zhao was mentioned, Roman could not help but think about another member of the cast that was giving him a headache. The smiles that had just appeared on his face were wiped clean in an instant.

Zaro, the person that Leizhou's governor had personally called about.

Fang Zhao and Zaro were two extreme opposites in the heart of the lead director.

One was incomparable, and the other was... incomparable.

When it came to Fang Zhao, Lead Director Roman felt that there was nobody in the entire cast that could compare to Fang Zhao.

And when Zaro was mentioned, Lead Director Roman felt that even if he just randomly picked an actor from the cast, they could act much better than Zaro!

The training classes that had been arranged for Zaro previously might as well have been for the dogs!

There was simply no effect!

Zaro only had two appearances in the second season. He had spent three takes and the result still hadn't been satisfactory. Finally, after some guidance, his results had been finally passable.

As of now, filming for the second season had concluded and was in postproduction. The third season's filming was underway as well. In the third season, the character that Zaro played saw a significant increase in screen time. Included was a scene where Zaro's character argued with another character. From what the lead director had seen, Zaro was still a long way off from portraying the emotional outburst a capable actor could do in an instant.

If Zaro really wasn't able to do it, the director might have to adjust the angle of filming and place the focus on another character. However, he could not always do so. Lead Director Roman was seriously contemplating making a call to Leizhou's director and just sending Zaro back.

Zaro could roughly guess the directing team's opinions, because when the lead director had gotten angry with him, he had clearly said. "If you can't act, we will change you."

When Zaro had started filming for the second season, he had received a face full of spittle from the lead director after his first scene. Zaro had swallowed his anger and had not dared to take it up straight away with the lead director. Otherwise he would receive a call from his governor granddad.

But thankfully, back then, the lead director had brought him aside to scold him. If he had done it in front of everyone, Zaro would have lost all face.

Filming is so tiring!

Zaro slightly regretted entering the cast. This was a whole different experience from his previous movie filming. There were times when he felt the entire atmosphere of the cast and crew was really stifling.

In Zaro's own words, face was very important. He could quit himself, but he could not be driven out by the directing team. Thus, Zaro had spent more time studying the script over the past few days. The more he studied, the more difficult he felt it was.

How to portray an emotional outburst? Zaro felt that he acted rather well every time, but other people had expressions like the spectacle was too horrible to endure.

"I didn't see Zaro at all in the first episode. Did I miss him?"

"I also tried searching, but I could not find him. Could it be that his makeup is so good that we can't discover him?"

"Has anyone found out where Senior Master Zaro appears?"

"It's best if he doesn't appear. Zaro's acting skills are fine if it is for kicks and giggles, but for 'Founding Era,' he is sure to get bashed."

"When I think about Zaro's acting skills, I actually reckon he will get killed in the show right away."

"Haha, I can't wait to see Zaro."

"Zaro will destroy everything when he appears! Without a doubt!"

"I support Zaro! But Senior Master, when will you appear? Could it be that you can't act well so you have already left the cast? Perhaps you are hiding and not uttering a single word."

"Haha, it might be just that. Even if he has the support of the Renault family, could a lead director with such high standards as Roman bear to see his series get destroyed?"

"The illustrious name of the Renault governor is just ruined at the hands of this grandson."

The many inquiries on social platforms were very effective against Zaro.

Seeing all these messages and comments, Zaro was pissed. This time, even he could not even filter them out if he wanted to. It simply could not be disregarded!

A furious Zaro straight away updated a new status on his social platform account: "Appearing at the start of the second season! Commit suicide if you ask again!"

Zaro could not reveal which episode he would be appearing in, but the second season would be released soon, and Zaro leaking that he would appear in the second season was acceptable, so the production team would not find fault with this. This also helped increase audience anticipation levels. How many people in Leizhou were waiting to watch and joke about Zaro?

The moment this status was updated, many Leizhou netizens came rushing over to join in the fun.

"This 'commit suicide'... Does Zaro mean he will kill himself or does he want the askers to commit suicide?"

"Rubbish! Certainly Zaro commits suicide!"

"Yes! That's right! Zaro is talking about himself!"

"So I see. Zaro, are you really going to appear in season two?"

"Can't wait! Senior Master, are you certain you will appear in season two?"

"I didn't see it just now. Zaro, which season will you be appearing in again?"

"When I heard that Zaro wanted to commit suicide, I stopped whatever I was doing and came over to spectate."

"I'm here to see how Zaro kills himself too."

In no time, many Leizhou mainstream entertainment media's push-notification headlines were about "Zaro committing suicide."

With regards to this, many Renault family members hurriedly contacted planet Wai. Leizhou's governor even found some time to make an inquiry.

Zaro's agent had to explain one by one that it wasn't like what the media had reported. The agent was also worried about Zaro's filming later on. There were so many people in Leizhou watching him and people from other continents waiting to joke about it, yet Zaro was still causing trouble. Zaro's agent was so worried he felt he was going to go bald soon. What can I do? I am under immense pressure too!

After explaining to various parties, the agent was preparing to have a proper chat with Zaro when he saw Zaro sitting quietly and staring at a mirror. There was a rare hint of self-doubt on his face, and he seemed desolate.

Zaro had put on a forced smile when he had replied to the call from the family elders and promised to act properly and film seriously with all his heart. After that, when the call had ended, he had sat in silence, staring at himself in the mirror.

One minute.

Two minutes.

The room was eerily quiet.

"Handsome!" Zaro slapped the table as he got up. "Motherf*cking handsome!"

A powerful and resonating voice full of self-confidence!

The dispirited Zaro a moment ago had disappeared and been suddenly replaced by one with a glowing spirit who was full of vigor and radiating self-confidence!

Zaro's agent: "..."

Self-doubt. Bullsh*t!

Where did you suddenly get that f*cking self-confidence from?!

After his mental state recovered, Zaro's mind starting revolving. Thinking about it for a bit, he turned to his agent and said, "Go and get me a bottle of water, the packaged spring water from the gourmet food city."

Zaro's agent looked carefully at Zaro and then nodded. "All right." Without saying anything else, he stepped out.

Once his agent stepped out, Zaro also went out. He had decided to endure the humiliation and would look for Fang Zhao to ask for any good suggestions. He had sent his agent away, as he did not want to let his agent see him going to look for Fang Zhao personally. Not long ago, he had said that he would not seek out Fang Zhao even if it killed him.

Currently, it was getting late here on planet Wai, and the majority of filming teams had wrapped up filming for the day. Only a few night scenes were currently going on outside.

Like a thief, Zaro ran over to Fang Zhao's quarters. Everyone here stayed in single rooms. Rooms were allocate based on two criteria: one was based on the roles, and the other was based on special privileges. Actually, the two did not have much difference.

When Zaro got there, Fang Zhao was eating.

For today's dinner, Fang Zhao had eaten three portions of packaged meals. After filming concluded for the day, Fang Zhao had returned to continue and have his supper.

When he saw this, Zaro thought to himself, He can really eat! Fang Zhao's supper was rather lavish. It wasn't food the production team provided, nor was it from the dining hall.

"This, where did you buy it?" Zaro asked as he glanced at the few delicately made pastries. He had never tried them before.

"These were sent from the people at the base," Fang Zhao replied.

They were actually a new foodstuff produced at a certain experimental plot. A scientist there loved experimenting with food and would create a lot each time. Every time he did this, he would send some to Wai base. When it was sent to Wai base, it would be sent straight to Commanding Officer Huo Yi.

Recently, Curly Hair had rendered some meritorious services at the port, which pleased Huo Yi. The buzz of "Founding Era" on the internet had also brought about quite a lot of popularity to planet Wai. Thinking back, planet Wai's change in fortunes started when Fang Zhao had come.

And when Huo Yi heard that the filming conditions here were tough and many people could not eat well, Huo Yi felt that he should take care of Fang Zhao, or at least show some concern, so he had gotten his men to deliver some food to Fang Zhao when they headed over. He would get his men to send some stuff to Fang Zhao from time to time as a form of gratitude.

Fang Zhao brought out a clean plate and distributed some food to Zaro. "These are pretty good, try them."

The food displayed on the plate in front of him looked really appealing and was very fragrant, but...

One who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions!

But when he thought about it, Zaro felt that he was wrong. It was the other way around. He was the one looking for Fang Zhao; it was not Fang Zhao who had a request to make.

Looking at things this way, Fang Zhao was just sharing some food.

"You are a pretty good person." Zaro did not worry about his table manners and started eating.

Zaro had not eaten much for dinner. He had been pissed by all the opinions online and had lost his appetite after talking with those family members. Now, when he saw Fang Zhao eating something so fragrant, he felt famished.

After finishing his food, Zaro awkwardly brought up his purpose. He had come over to exchange pointers about acting experience.

Although Zaro had not said it very clearly, Fang Zhao understood his intention. Zaro had come to ask for help, but he was too conscious about his reputation and had to find other excuses, so he couldn't spit it out properly.

Fang Zhao felt that Zaro still had ambition. Most importantly, no matter how much pressure he was under, his vigor was always very strong.

Zaro normally acted lowly but made himself out to be impressive, but he had never done anything that was really exceeding low. In the cast and crew, where the atmosphere was tense and stifling most of the time, having a bubbly person like Zaro around was rather meaningful and fun.

This was probably the reason Leizhou's governor doted on his grandson so.

Zaro felt goosebumps appearing on his skin under Fang Zhao's gaze.

This... was exactly the same sort of gaze his grandfather had had during the video call!

Zaro thought to himself, You really think you are more senior than me? Yet another person who has become too obsessed with the role he plays!The author actually used a chinese idiom that means that there isn't any free lunch in the world, and if someone is trying to give you something, he probably wants something in return

Chapter 304: Innate Talent That Isn't too Mainstream

Because Fang Zhao saw Zaro as a junior and knew Zaro's character, he would not get too bothered about Zaro's bearing, which was especially good at offending people.

"Being an actor isn't easy. Studying the script, memorizing lines, attending training classes, refining our roles, polishing our artistic concept—all this is really tiring!" Zaro grumbled. Most importantly, he felt that he had already worked hard, but other people did not agree. Zaro was really sullen. If not for the fact that he wished to be vindicated, he would have packed his bags and called it quits on the spot.

Fang Zhao smiled. "From an artistic aspect, you all are also people that change the world. The time and energy invested is worth it."

Zaro totally did not pay attention to the more profound meaning of "you all." When he heard what Fang Zhao had said, Zaro felt rather proud of himself. Changing the world indeed!

Right. A while back, he had seen a reviewer say that "Founding Era" had impacted people of the New Era in spirit and ideology.

"Cough, that's what we ought to do. Although I act really well already, I still wish to have an even more profound portrayal of this role! And impact even more people's spirits and ideology!"

Saying this, Zaro waited for Fang Zhao to give some suggestions. No matter how important or pretentious his position was, Fang Zhao would still give some suggestions, right? Otherwise, there would be no meaning in all this!

Zaro spoke about the scene he was going to act in and the role he would be playing. Fang Zhao listened attentively and then pondered it.

Actually, those training classes had still had some effect. At least when it came to understanding the role, Zaro had indeed made some improvements. It was just that the coach's professional acting knowledge and practical techniques had not been absorbed by Zaro.

For the next scene, Zaro would be playing a character that had clashing views with a comrade. These sorts of conflicts had frequently appeared in the Period of Destruction, but they weren't easy to act out well, at least according to Zaro.

Given Zaro's own personal experiences and the abnormal way his brain worked, producing a result that the director wanted was too much of a challenge. Even if he could understand the what sort of character he was portraying or he knew what sort of mood the director wanted, he still wouldn't be able to act it out. When he acted, he directly fell into his own character, and the role he was supposed to be playing was twisted.

This was the reason Zaro felt he was acting very well and was immersed in his character but other people felt like he was destroying the character.

Zaro wasn't suitable for acting in this sort of solemn historical flick, but since he had already come all the way over, Fang Zhao would think of something to help out.

After pondering seriously, Fang Zhao said, "If you want to act according to what the director requests, that isn't entirely impossible."

In season three, the character Zaro played saw an increase in screen time, but as before, his role wasn't important. Therefore, if there was no way to improve Zaro's acting skills from the basics, then an alternate path had to be taken—finding a way to save him.

"If we are just looking at the filming outcome, there is one method that might be suitable for you," Fang Zhao said.

Zaro jolted up. "What sort of method?"

"There might be a little suffering involved," Fang Zhao continued.

"...How much suffering?"

"It can't be considered suffering, just enduring a little pain. However, it is only for the duration of the filming of the scene."

Zaro pondered it seriously for a bit and then asked, "Will it hurt my face?"

"It won't."

"Say it!"

...

Elsewhere, Zaro's agent, who had gone to the gourmet food city to purchase mineral water, had been gone for two hours.

Actually, the entire thing would have taken half an hour, but Zaro's agent had been able to guess what Zaro was up to with one look. He had not left after stepping out and had watched as Zaro went to look for Fang Zhao. Only then had Zaro's agent gone to the gourmet food city. However, Zaro's agent would pretend that he did not know anything, and he even sat at the gourmet food city for more than an hour after purchasing the mineral water.

It was rare that this Senior Master Zaro would actually lower his head and seek help. His agent was just worried that a conflict might arise.

Actually, there were still famous actors among the cast that had some relationships with the Renault family, such as the actor playing the role of Great General Renault. He had graduated from a military college. After becoming famous, he'd had frequent dealings with the Renault family and had both means and power. This time, he had been specifically selected by Old General Renault for this role.

Because of his relation to the Renault family, this actor would also show concern for Zaro, but with a lead role, his assignments were too important and he had greater pressure than others. He had been unable to find time to chat with Zaro, and when he had finally managed to free up some time, the conversation had not turned out well. Zaro had straightaway pissed the other party off.

Zaro's agent had lamented on countless occasions. If Zaro wasn't a Renault and didn't receive the family's protection, he would have long been beaten to death.

There were other actors with ties to the Renault family as well, but basically, nobody could calmly have a conversation with Zaro that lasted for more than five minutes.

Zaro's agent knew what those other people were thinking when they talked to Zaro.

I'm not even your granddad, what reason is there to go along with everything you want? Who can afford to take your mood into consideration at all times! We also have status and power!

Who in the cast isn't busy? Who doesn't feel heavily pressured? Being dog-tired every day and emotionally affected by the roles, I don't even have the time to see a psychologist, yet I still have to contend with your moods? How thick skinned can you be? Which Renault of your generation isn't better than you? At most, I can hug the thighs of other people in the Renault family! If you were not a Renault, you would have been slapped to death a long time ago!

Among those of the same age, there didn't seem to be anyone that could stand Zaro.

Thus, this time, Zaro's agent was very worried about Zaro going to look for Fang Zhao.

Given Zaro's moral character, what would happen if he accidentally offended the other party?

Given Fang Zhao's military prowess, he could beat up 10 Zaros without breaking a sweat.

However, Zaro's agent never expected that when he was nervously waiting for Zaro to return, Zaro would actually come back bubbling with joy, the sort where one had just gotten a cheat code for a game and couldn't wait to try it out.

His agent tried to probe. "Something good happened?"

"Not telling." Zaro's face was full of mystery. He wanted to give everyone a surprise.

The day of filming the scene arrived.

After many actors in the Leizhou film unit had finished their own scenes, they did not leave right away and instead found a spot to observe.

Today, Zaro, who was being talked about by all the Leizhou netizens, had a scene. Zaro could not be compared to those few leads or important supporting roles, but he was a character that was where the winds and waves were the strongest.

The actors also naturally paid attention to this. They were worried that it would be just as those netizens had said, that Zaro would destroy everything. If that was really the case, all their efforts would have been for naught!

However, today, Zaro was full of drive and was brimming with confidence. There wasn't any hint that he had been affected by all the opinions online.

"He seems to be handling the pressure well," someone muttered.

"Most likely he just has a simple mind," another actor whispered.

Today, the Leizhou film unit director was looking all gloomy as usual.

"Are you ready yet?"

"Wait a moment..." Zaro stuffed something into his mouth and signaled the director. "All right!"

Action!

A thunderous roar that seemingly contained a mixture of emotions resounded. "Save people? Who can you save? You are just sacrificing another life!!"

That roar wasn't the sort of shout that Zaro had previously so painstakingly forced out. The emotions here were too intense and too real, so much so that it deceived the ears of older actors.

When he finished his line, Zaro took a large gasp of air. His facial muscles were twitching, his eyes were all red, and they were even glistening with tears. This sort of oppressive fretful feeling that gripped the heart could be even felt from 10 meters away!

The director could not help but do a close-up.

Surprise!

A huge surprise!

This was exactly the result he wanted!

The director's previously overcast and gloomy expression became clear and sunny.

All the other actors and staff that were sitting around spectating had blank looks of shock. Their jaws were almost touching the ground.

Is that Zaro?

Is that really Zaro? How has he portrayed it so precisely? Could it be a body double wearing a Zaro disguise?

Can Zaro do an emotional outburst as and when he wants to?

Nobody could understand it—how could this idiot have suddenly gained enlightenment? All the previous training classes had not been effective, yet after a few days without seeing him, he had actually transformed so much?

At the moment, the other actor opposite Zaro was also performing at a high level. His lips were trembling and veins were bulging out of his temples as he silently endured. His fists were clenched, and it appeared as if there were about to fly up to beat the other person if not for him forcibly restraining his emotions.

The other person was acting rather well too. His skill could deceive everyone's eyes as well.

Previously, the two had kept having frequent flubs; how were they coordinating so well now?

Could it be that these two had rehearsed together? Had they been practicing in private?

After this portion was over, the director was extremely stirred up. "Pass!"

The gloom on his face had faded, and the director flashed a rare satisfied smile at Zaro. "Very good, very good! Keep it up!"

Therefore, he still had to give the youngster a chance and some time. He could not be prejudiced against Zaro because of what had happened in the past.

It seemed like Zaro's condition today was really sharp!

Sure enough, with a little pressure from the outside world, hadn't Zaro achieved this state?

Standing at the side, Zaro's agent's eyes were feeling irritated. He was so stirred up that his eyes were brimming with warm tears. If not for his surroundings, Zaro's agent would be crying.

This was too easy!

Zaro had acted in so many shows, but this was the first time his expressions had radiated the surroundings. Even standing so far away, Zaro's agent could really feel that outburst of emotions. That was something only really capable actors could achieve!

He had finally taught Zaro... Finally brought Zaro up!

He had finally accomplished the heavy responsibility he had always been shouldering.

Accomplished the mission of a specially appointed agent!

All sorts of feelings welled up in the agent's heart. As he saw Zaro running over, he grinned widely.

There was a spring in Zaro's every step as he half hopped and half ran like an antelope till he was in front of his agent's face. Before his agent could say anything, Zaro exhaled deeply in his face.

A dizzying odor wafted into his nostrils.

"Can you smell it?" Zaro asked proudly.

Zaro's agent: "..." There was a hint of despair in his smile.

B*llshit acting skills!

Zaro did not take note of what his agent was going through. Currently, he was elated. This time's success had made him extremely excited.

The director that had always had a gloomy face when facing him had actually given some praise! Actually, this director wasn't that bad; he had foresight!

The more Zaro thought about it, the more pleased he became. Although eating that stuff had been awful indeed, to stimulate his state of mind and for the sake of achieving the result the director wanted, it had all been worth it!

"Hehehe, how satisfying!"

That day, Fang Zhao had said that one could invoke some emotions by eating some stuff—for example, garlic. It was best to have the sort that was grown natively on planet Wai. The stronger the flavor, the more stimulating it would be. Zaro had developed it further and added a little sauce as well. That feeling... he had been able to understand what his character was going through in just a short while.

After he had shared his thoughts, Fang Zhao had suggested Zaro try it out.

Zaro had never expected that he would succeed in one try!

A pass in one take!

Just as he was gloating, the other actor that had just shot with Zaro came over. He had a complex expression on his face as he made a sincere request: "Senior Master, in the future, if you are going to do this again, please give me a warning first."

Back then, when the odor had wafted over and assaulted his nostrils, his brain had suddenly gotten all dizzy and he had nearly forgotten his lines.

"No problem, no problem!" When Zaro was in a good mood, he was very easy to deal with. Zaro turned towards his agent and said, "I acted well, right? Was it gut wrenching? But my gut was really wrenching. That was my first test—I probably ate too much garlic and sauce, so my stomach really felt uncomfortable. Didn't Fang Zhao say tea, milk, or other stuff can alleviate it? Hey, I forgot to bring the stuff he helped prepare! Hurry, hurry, hurry, let's go back!" Zaro dragged his agent along as they left.

Zaro's agent wasn't too bothered by the scent, which reminiscent of smelly feet. He was worried that Zaro might have eaten some unhygienic food. If anything happened to Zaro, he would have to carry Zaro on his back. No time could be wasted; they did not even return back to their quarters. Instead, Zaro's agent brought Zaro to the area's hospital for a check. He wouldn't rest easy until Zaro had had a thorough check-up.

Having gone to the hospital, Zaro took some relieving medicine, as there weren't any big problems. After that, Zaro fished out a phone and impatiently called someone to share his joy.

There was no internet access in the filming area, but everyone here had been issued a phone. This phone could only be used for calls and was limited to the filming area.

"Fang Zhao, I have to really thank you this time! Once season three's filming wraps up, I'll treat you to a meal at the gourmet food city! Hey, by the way, if anybody mentions me, you can just tell them that from now on, in the cast of 'Founding Era,' I, Zaro, only need one take to pass! Hahahahaha!" Zaro's laughter was especially loud.

Zaro's agent thought to himself, Worry about diarrhea instead of talking nonsense!

Zaro felt like he was opening a door to a new world. His success today had let him find the navigation lights in his own acting pathway.

It was not that he did not have the fundamentals for performing but that he was unable to produce the result that other people wanted. However, if he integrated these sorts of techniques, he would be able to achieve it!

On the other end, Fang Zhao had just finished filming a scene. He was currently resting at the side with a few other actors from his unit. In a bit, they would have to continue filming.

After Fang Zhao answered the call and learned of what had happened, he had also laughed. In his past life, he had seen a subordinate do something similar for the sake of an assignment. When he had been analyzing Zaro's character, Fang Zhao had thought about this method. Zaro wasn't a newcomer that knew nothing. With a little oriented stimulation, perhaps this method could be effective.

Looking at it now, it really seemed to have been effective.

Observing Fang Zhao, an old actor beside him asked, "Who called? The sound of his laughter sounds a little familiar."

"Zaro. He says that filming at his end went well. It took just one take," Fang Zhao replied.

The other actors taking a break had shocked expressions on their faces and were doubting their own ears.

Zaro?

The one from Leizhou? The one who has a good family background but nothing else and only drags everyone else down?

Only one take?

Were the standards of the Leizhou film unit's director so low? Did the lead director approve?

In any case, this was unimaginable.

"You believe that?" someone asked Fang Zhao.

"I do," Fang Zhao replied. "We will be able to see it for ourselves when the broadcast is out."

After Zaro ended the call with Fang Zhao, he made calls in succession to people he knew in the cast.

"Bar~bie, I heard that for your Lazhou film unit, you take at least two takes for many of your scenes? That's no good! I only took one take here. I'm not bragg—"

On the other end, Barbara expressionlessly hung up.

Zaro's lips curled as he heard the beeping sound through the phone. Then he dialed another number.

"Hello, Woo Tianhao? I heard your Tongzhou film unit's filming didn't go so smoothly yesterday. You too should attend more training classes and polish your acting skills. Don't just read novels every time filming ends..."

"Go f*ck yourself!!"

There was the sound of Woo Tianhao smashing something followed by beeping from the phone.

Zaro inhaled sharply. "How petty."

His agent stared blankly at the ceiling.

Zaro continued to make calls to others.

Didn't you people use to mock me? Now I only took one take! Feeling foolish now?

Zaro continued to provoke others. "If you can't act, just leave the cast yourself!"

In the past, you people provoked me. Now I'm the one returning the favor and giving you all pressure. Any slaps I get, I return tenfold!

Zaro's round of flaunting finally ended and he was in a good mood. He asked his agent, "Fang Zhao has rendered a great service this time around. Do you think I should give him a big red packet? His compensation for this series isn't very high either. How pitiful."

Zaro's agent calmly said, "I heard that his endorsement fees have increased multiple times."

"How much?" Zaro asked, but he wasn't particularly interested.

His agent mentioned a figure.

Zaro, who was prepared to do a charitable deed, felt as if his face had been splashed with cold water. "What the!? His endorsement fees are that high?!"

His agent continued dousing him with cold water. "From what I reckon and from some calculations, I'm telling you that he has more money than us. He really isn't pitiful at all. However, if you act well, when the third season broadcasts, your rates when accepting endorsements won't be too shabby either."

"Certainly!" Zaro's self-confidence, which had just taken a beating, swelled back up. He tossed his phone aside and went to look at the script, studying what he should eat for his next scene and what else he should add in.

Lead Director Roman had also heard about Zaro's one take in the Leizhou film unit. He heard about it not from Fang Zhao but rather from Zaro himself. Roman was full of doubt when he went to watch the segment filmed by the Leizhou film unit. It was as if he had seen a miracle, and he said, "That improvement is really huge."

"I heard he employed some tricks," said a member of the directorial team who had asked around.

Roman shook his head. "Not just anyone can use such methods. Do you think nobody has tried this in the past? How many can actually produce a result that is so fitting to the storyline? Zaro still has some innate talent, but his innate talent isn't too mainstream."

It seemed like he wouldn't need to make a call to Leizhou's governor.

As he was lamenting, Roman again asked, "Who gave Zaro that idea? This is a good method that has quick effects fit for Zaro's character."

"I'm not too sure about this, but I heard from someone that Zaro went to seek out Fang Zhao. After that, he completed his scene in one take," the director in charge of Leizhou film unit said.

Roman's creases became deeper from his smiling. "Oh my, Fang Zhao still has this ability!"

Fang Zhao could produce a miracle when given a rotten piece of wood. What did this mean?

This meant that Fang Zhao could still guide others!

It meant that Roman's foresight was good!

Look, this is my recommendation!

Three days later, there was yet another scene. Zaro, who had once been publicly known as a burden, did it in one take yet again.

In no time, everyone in the cast knew about this matter.

After that, the lead director go-to line changed. Now, if anyone was out of form, had other ideas, or were not acting conscientiously, Roman would spout, "Take a look at Zaro!"

All the actors felt that this stab by the lead director was especially ruthless.

If he spoke about Fang Zhao, they could accept it. Given Fang Zhao's ability and energy in the past few months, they could not find any fault and were already immune to it. However, if Roman brought up Zaro, none of the actors could acknowledge it.

Shame!

Due to the global acclaim and public praise the first season of "Founding Era" had received, some actors had become conceited when all of it had gone to their heads. Now that they had received such a stab from the lead director, though, they were compelled to return back to before. If they could not compare to Fang Zhao, then so be it, but now they could not even compare to that idiot Zaro?

Chapter 305: Stage Name

But some folks felt that things would improve once Zaro showed up. He was bound to create tension. Zaro's acting style was only suited to nonsensical, exaggerated comedy, not serious period epics like this one.

Of course, there were also people who were more charitable. "The plot is killing me. At least Zaro will provide a change of pace. That's a good perspective to have."

Unfortunately, Zaro didn't show up until the second half of the season, and his appearances were fleeting. Even his close-ups were momentary. You couldn't make much out of his limited screen time. This was a major disappointment to the eager fans in Leizhou.

"I thought he had been cast in a major role. Turns out he ended up with this paltry bit of screen time."

"He hasn't picked up his bento box in season two yet, which means he'll show up in season three. I wonder if he will get more lines then."

"Based on my understanding of Zaro, his role will definitely get beefier down the road. Otherwise, someone with his personality wouldn't bother with a minor role like this. He'll definitely see more action in season three!"

On one of his internet access days, Zaro posted this message on his social media account:

"Me, Zaro, one take only! Shudder in fear, mortals! [picture]"

The accompanying picture featured an obnoxious-looking Zaro making an "oh, yeah" gesture. You could practically feel the cockiness oozing from the photo.

The people of Leizhou reacted as if they had discovered a new continent—they were downright incredulous.

"One take only? Is he referring to his latest scene?"

"I don't believe him."

"I'm not sure if I should believe him and there's no way to verify his claim now. Let's wait until season three comes out."

"Why don't we ask the other actors?"

But the other actors remained silent. Every time they saw a question in the comment section of their social media accounts asking if Zaro was telling the truth, they pretended they hadn't seen it. The truth was that they didn't know what to say.

That was his way of confirming Zaro's one-take claim.

This made the people of Leizhou look forward to season three even more. Even though they were looking forward to the storyline, the series meant something different to the people of Leizhou. Zaro was the star attraction of the entire Leizhou entertainment industry.

Many fans love dissing Zaro, but even they had to admit that Zaro's presence made the Leizhou entertainment industry more interesting. There was never a shortage of news.

The Renaults were also looking forward to Zaro's scenes. They had confirmed through their own channels how Zaro was faring on the set, that the single-take claim was in fact true. Still, they couldn't imagine what the final product would look like.

When season three finally aired, Zaro's first appearance generated countless dropped jaws.

"This is Zaro?"

"That's gotta be a double, no? Zaro can act like that? I'm not buying it, not buying it. They must have swapped someone in."

"I just studied the footage carefully. It's him all right."

"What an incredible transformation! What got to him?"

"His performance is so un-Zaro-like!"

"What are you suggesting? Could he keep his job if he acted like Zaro?"

"It's as if he has had plastic surgery. I can't possibly associate that performance with the Zaro I know from previous roles."

"I was wrong. Zaro can act too if he gets serious about it."

Soon, the Leizhou media was going nuts. One of Leizhou's most respected news outlets posted this headline: "I scare myself when I get serious about something."

The accompanying graphic was a picture of regular Zaro and a screen capture from his role in season three. The contrast was stunning.

The governor of Leizhou even took the time to call Zaro.

"Zaro, I'm watching season three too. You've made tremendous strides! This is worth applauding." The governor used a much gentler tone than he had in previous chats with his grandson. He was less serious.

"This is definitely a tough shoot; it's especially grueling, but there's no way out of it," Zaro said. He even managed to squeeze in a jab at his father: "Dad says that if I don't do a good a job, he's going to break my legs and lock me up at home."

The governor took the bait. "Don't be afraid of him. Let me have a chat with him tomorrow."

The governor was pondering the matter in his head. He had learned the secret to the so-called "improvement" from Roman, but Roman also provided balance, conceding that even with the secret boost, not everyone could have delivered the same performance.

Zaro's successful harnessing of emotion in season three had to have taken quite a bit of work. The governor was worried that Zaro would break down if the family pressure kept up. After all, Zaro was still young, and his tolerance for pressure was limited.

After listening to Zaro complain some more about how tough his shoot was, the governor offered a few words of encouragement and hung up. The call lasted exactly five minutes.

As the chief executive of a continent, the governor was a busy man. The fact that he had taken the time to get in touch with Zaro was a major gesture of appreciation. It was impossible for him to stay on the line for 20 or 30 minutes or more. A five-minute call was already quite long by his standards.

On the other end, Zaro was thrilled to have his grandfather's approval. Granddad was the most powerful member of the family. As long as he had Granddad's backing, no one else posed a threat. If his foul-mouthed dad kept up his act, Zaro would keep reporting him to Granddad.

Filming for season four had actually already wrapped up by the time season three aired. The fifth season was about to start shooting, but the actors had a few days off in between.

Zaro remembered that Fang Zhao was the brains behind his acting turnaround and that he had promised to treat Fang Zhao to dinner, so he gave his fellow cast member a call. "Let's go for a meal at Gourmet Food City. I hear there's a new restaurant and the food is decent."

When Fang Zhao got the call, he had just returned from the Wai military base. He had nothing else going on, so he said yes.

The new restaurant was a fusion place featuring cuisine from all the continents. It didn't take reservations, so Zaro and Fang Zhao had to wait when they arrived.

"Let's sit on the side for a bit. You can bring me up to date on your filming," Fang Zhao said, pointing to two rows of chairs by the reception desk.

Unaccustomed to waiting for seating, Zaro was already a bit fed up, but he got excited once Fang Zhao mentioned his shoots.

"Right, right. I have to give you a proper briefing!"

What Zaro enjoyed the most was bragging to others about his scenes. He still had few lines. He had plenty of time after he was done to prepare for the next scene. Zaro wouldn't have been able to complete so many scenes in one take had his scheduling been tighter.

But as far as Zaro was concerned, the fact that he was completing all these scenes in a single take gave him tons of confidence. This was the first time he had ever felt so good about his acting. He felt as if he could treat all those award-winning actors and actresses like dirt in no time.

During his downtime, Zaro pondered his next career move.

"I think it's about time I come up with a stage name," Zaro said.

"Is that necessary?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Absolutely! I have actually thought of it before, but my agent shot me down. Now, though, I feel like I am in a different stage of my artistic career. What good is an artist without a stage name? My ambition is to become one of Leizhou's top contemporary artists."

Fang Zhao: "That's... that's a worthy goal."

"So which name do you think I should use? It should be something that stands out, best if it's reminiscent of the Old Era. It has to have substance and style. It should have personality and be classy at the same time, but I don't want to lose my current name either. I'm thinking something similar that rings familiar."

Fang Zhao: "How about 'Samoyed'?"

"Sounds good. What does it mean?" Zaro asked.

"It's the name of an Old-Era dog species that went extinct. Samoyeds were known as the 'smiling angels'," Fang Zhao said.

"They've gone extinct?"

"Yup."

"They were dubbed 'smiling angels'?"

"Yup."

"That's it then!"

"I suggest you do some more research during our internet access time. Coming up with a stage name is something you shouldn't rush. You should take it seriously and compare a bunch of names," Fang Zhao advised.

"That's true."

During the conversation, Zaro glanced at the entrance to the restaurant. He immediately yelled, "Hey, Woo Tianhao! Why are you running away?"

Woo Tianhao had invited a few actors who were party buddies from Tongzhou for dinner. They wanted to enjoy a proper meal during their rare break after slaving away for a season, yet lo and behold, the moment they set foot in the restaurant, Woo Tianhao ran into two people he didn't want to see. He had been getting ready to bolt when he'd been spotted by Zaro.

Woo Tianhao had no choice but to retreat. He raised his voice. "Who's running? Are you bloody blind?"

Woo Tianhao's dinner companions stayed silent. The two people facing off were both descendants from prominent families—one from Tongzhou's Woo family, the other a member of the Renault family in Leizhou. It was best if they didn't butt in on an argument between these two.

Woo Tianhao's good spirits had evaporated. Fang Zhao and Zaro were always being held up by the director as model actors, especially for their contemporaries.

Woo Tianhao had acting chops, but he couldn't manage to complete all his scenes in one take.

It was OK that he couldn't emulate Fang Zhao, but not being able to match Zaro was a downright insult!

They were both descendants of storied generals, and online pundits loved to compare actors with this kind of lineage. Zaro used to make everyone look good, but now his acting skills were suddenly off the charts, be it by gimmick or other means. The bottom line was that Zaro's performances turned out well and viewers bought into them. The former critics now heaped praise with the same intensity they used to pour scorn on him—and they often used Zaro to dis actors from other continents.

Woo Tianhao really didn't want to see these two. They killed his appetite.

But Zaro was in a hospitable mood. He waved at Woo Tianhao's party vigorously. "Come, come. The more the merrier. Let's eat together. It's on me!"

That comment irked Woo Tianhao. "No need. It's on me tonight!"

But Zaro stood firm. "I got here first, so of course it's on me."

Woo Tianhao couldn't afford to lose face. "You think daddy can't afford a simple meal?" He had told his dinner companions that he was treating tonight. If Zaro ended up buying, who knew what they would say.

"Ha, and you're suggesting I can't?" Once Zaro's stubbornness came out, there was no stopping him.

The Tongzhou actors that Woo Tianhao had invited were dumbfounded. Are they really arguing over such a petty matter? Really? It seemed like a battle of egos, but it also came across as an excuse to stir trouble. If they started a fight, Zaro would definitely not be a match for Woo Tianhao, but Zaro had Fang Zhao. It was hard to say who had the upper hand.

The back-and-forth led nowhere. Woo Tianhao made a resounding noise from cracking his knuckles. He wanted to beat the crap out of Zaro, no doubt, but he held back on account of Fang Zhao. It would be an even bigger loss of face if he lost.

Chapter 306: When in Doubt, Call Fang Zhao

In their hearts, both Woo Tianhao and Zaro viewed the other as a stumbling block in their path to superstardom.

Given their similar lineages, they were often compared. They themselves liked to draw the comparison.

Achievement-wise, Woo Tianhao didn't think he was inferior to Zaro, but Zaro had the upper hand in one area. Zaro was backed by the governor of Leizhou, who doted on him. Everyone knew this. As long as Zaro didn't go too far, someone would clean up his mess. Meanwhile, Woo Tianhao had to watch himself. Even though the Woos were the most prominent family in Tongzhou, the governor of Tongzhou was a straight arrow. He never played favorites when dealing with the younger members of his family.

Secure in the knowledge that he had backup, Zaro was especially carefree, and he loved to mouth off. Every time Woo Tianhao saw the uninhibited look on Zaro's face, it drove him nuts, and now Zaro was always being held up as an example by Roman. That pissed Woo Tianhao off even more.

Meanwhile, from Zaro's end, the reason he disliked Woo Tianhao was simple: anyone more good looking and more pretentious than he was ended up on his sh*tlist.

The fact is that there were many reasons Zaro and Fang Zhao had become close. Fang Zhao had helped Zaro out, and they were business partners on several projects. Fang Zhao also wasn't double-faced around him and wasn't easily riled. Of course, as far as Zaro was concerned, there was another important factor—Fang Zhao wasn't as good looking as he was.

Zaro had gushed secretly more than once. Haha, Fang Zhao isn't as handsome as I am!

When Fang Zhao had invited Zaro to invest in Wai, Zaro had been motivated mainly out of curiosity and the planet's prospects. They had been business partners. Back then, he'd had few folks he could shoot the breeze with and Woo Tianhao's dojo had seemed interesting, so he had liked looking Woo up when he was free.

Now things were different, especially after they had joined the same production. It was as if they were facing off in a coliseum.

They liked comparing themselves and competing on everything. Take the current dispute, for example. As far as the others were concerned, who picked up the tab was a trivial matter, and yet the two of them were butting heads and refusing to concede one inch, as if being able to pay the bill was a major victory.

Childish!

That was what everyone else present thought.

Judging that the feud was going nowhere, Fang Zhao, who had been a quiet bystander, asked a waiter for a pen and a piece of paper.

The waiter was curious, so he looked on. He couldn't follow Fang Zhao's finger, but before he knew it, the piece of paper had been transformed into a small piece of dice. Fang Zhao used the pen to mark its six surfaces with an increasing number of dots.

"Let's use this to decide," Fang Zhao said.

The two parties in the cockfight-like standoff looked over.

When he figured out what Fang Zhao was holding, Woo Tianhao gave a knowing smile. Ah, so we are kindred spirits.

Fang Zhao smiled and said, "The decision of who to pick up the tab is still up to you. How about the one who throws the odd number pay the bill?"

Woo Tianhao was about to smile, but he suppressed himself. He glanced at Zaro. "I'm OK with this."

"So am I," Zaro said.

Fang Zhao handed them the paper dice.

Woo Tianhao gestured at Zaro with his chin. "You first."

Zaro abruptly withdrew his hand, which had already reached out for the dice. "I don't need any favors from you. You first!"

This time, Woo Tianhao didn't refuse. He took the paper dice from Fang Zhao, weighed it and fumbled with it, then tossed it casually onto a neighboring table with a confident smile.

After rolling on the table a few times, the dice landed with one dot on top.

The smile on Woo Tianhao's face instantly grew. "It's settled, then. This meal's on me."

"What are you so cocky about? I haven't tossed yet." Zaro weighed the paper dice in the same manner as Woo Tianhao without seeming to reach any conclusions. He tossed it on the table. The dice rolled from one end to another, dropped to the floor, and rolled a few more times before stopping.

Woo Tianhao looked and burst out laughing. "It's two! You have nothing to say now, do you? Unless you want to play foul?"

Zaro was indeed about to propose a rematch, but he caught himself. "I'm not that type of person."

Fang Zhao said, "Then this meal is on Woo Tianhao. Next time, Zaro will pick up the tab."

The others in the party were incredulous. Uh, will there be a next time?

But in fact, Zaro was feeling much better. So be it—I'll treat next time, then. I threw a two, after all, a larger number than Woo Tianhao. That line of thinking improved his mood.

It was finally their turn to be seated. They were all young men, so naturally, they craved meat. All they ordered were meat dishes. They also asked for a barbecue platter.

Good food always served as a mood-changer. Despite being on the verge of a fistfight just moments ago, the two rivals were now bullsh*tting together.

After downing a few glasses of alcohol, the actors invited by Woo Tianhao also loosened up. They started chatting about the "Founding Era" storyline and when each character ended up with a bento box.

"Those were tough times. We are just acting. We're probably experiencing only one-tenth of the hardship our characters felt in reality."

"How would we have survived if we actually lived in the Period of Destruction?"

Zaro was engrossed in bullsh*tting with Woo Tianhao when that comment caught his attention. He interjected, "There's an old saying, 'a lone cat will always die young and a flock always thrives.' In other words, once a community reaches a critical mass, their chances of survival improve vastly. If I were born in that era, I'd definitely band together with other folks." Zaro then turned toward Woo Tianhao and said, "You were the one who told me the saying."

Woo Tianhao went blank. "Wait, when did I tell you that?"

"It was definitely you. You were telling me about this novel at your new dojo, the title was 'Soaring in the Skies and Escaping the Earth' or something like that. You mentioned quite a few couplets. That's when you told me that saying. I remember it clearly." Zaro pointed to his skull, then pointed at Woo Tianhao. "What's wrong with your head? Your memory is deteriorating."

Woo Tianhao fumed, pounding his palm on the table. "Bullsh*t! I swear I never said that."

The actor sitting next to Woo Tianhao tried to suppress his laughter in vain. He whispered, "What he means is 'a lone wolf always dies young and a pack always thrives,' right? I think we learned it in Chinese class."

The table went silent. All eyes shifted to Zaro.

Zaro rubbed his chin, not the least bit embarrassed. "Maybe. Oh, it's the same thing."

The others stared at Zaro as if he were a lone mushroom thriving in a desert.

What an oddball!

Woo Tianhao: "Pig brain!"

"Haha, glad you realized you're a bit pig-brained. Quick, eat some more so you're properly nourished," Zaro said.

Woo Tianhao's hands, which he had placed on the table, slithered toward the edge of the table.

He tried to flip the tabletop.

No luck.

Desperately wanting to shove all the dishes on the table onto Zaro's face, Woo Tianhao tried again. Still no luck.

That's weird. The table definitely wasn't bolted to the ground.

Woo Tianhao scanned the other folks seated at the table, his gaze eventually landing on Fang Zhao's hand, which was placed on the tabletop. He squinted.

Fang Zhao returned Woo Tianhao's glare with a friendly smile. He took the fresh dish being served by a waiter with his other hand, withdrew the hand pressing the tabletop and started serving the barbecued meat to everyone in clockwise order.

He served Woo Tianhao the biggest chunk on the plate.

Woo Tianhao glanced at Fang Zhao, then gave Zaro a look. He gauged the mood and felt his rage subside.

Why bother with an idiot like Zaro? Be classy! Be generous. People are watching. A veteran actor was sitting at the next table, as was an actress Woo Tianhao had the hots for. Can't leave a bad impression! If he actually flipped the tabletop, he would have no class left. Damn, I was almost blinded by my anger at Zaro.

As for Fang Zhao, Woo Tianhao had mixed feelings. Members of the Woo family had the utmost respect for people who were competent, especially folks who were good fighters, and judging from the situation, Fang Zhao didn't mean to instigate him.

Fine, I won't cause trouble today.

So Woo Tianhao kept chitchatting with Zaro.

Fang Zhao was pleased. These two kids are well behaved tonight.

He had noticed that even though the actors invited by Woo Tianhao hid their emotions well, they were still a bit depressed because they were still in character. Although they were enjoying a day off, they were still in a bad headspace. The argument between Woo Tianhao and Zaro provided a timely distraction. Their thoughts were diverted elsewhere.

After the meal, Woo Tianhao paid the bill and left with his entourage. He threw Fang Zhao a knowing glance before he took off. "Fang Zhao, let's have fun together some time when we're free."

"Have fun doing what?" Zaro asked.

"None of your bloody business!" Woo Tianhao bolted without looking back.

Zaro was going to press Fang Zhao for details, but he got a call from his agent about a possible endorsement deal, so he dropped the line of questioning and headed back to his dorm room first.

Fang Zhao also returned to his dorm room, but he decided to jog back instead of catching a ride with Zaro.

The dorm complex was quite empty when Zaro arrived. The cast of "Founding Era" was on vacation. The actors were either resting in their rooms or binge-eating at Gourmet Food City.

Zaro was about to head upstairs when someone called his name.

"Sorry to bother. Could I have a few minutes of your time?"

Zaro looked over. The man who had just spoken was quite good looking, just slightly less handsome than he was. Yup, he's on my sh*list!

"Who are you?" Zaro asked.

The man choked a bit. He probably hadn't expected Zaro not to recognize him. He was quite popular in Yanzhou and had a sizable fan base around the world. Even if Zaro couldn't recall his name, surely Zaro should recognize his face, no? But Zaro glared at him as if looking at a stranger.

Zaro became slightly less confrontational when he realized the man wasn't an actor from Leizhou. "Oh, you're from Yanzhou. What is it?"

"I've run into some trouble with my acting. I was wondering whether the methods you used to improve your acting might come in handy," Si Lu said.

Si Lu was struggling with his role, and his main scenes were about to come in the fifth season. He wasn't in his element. He had just returned from asking fellow actors for pointers, which had turned out to not be very helpful, when he had run into Zaro. So he had decided to give Zaro a shot too.

Zaro glared at his fellow cast member like was looking at an idiot. "Of course they come in handy, but they might not be useful for you. Also, why don't you look up Fang Zhao? He's from Yanzhou too. It's much easier talking to him. You Yanzhou actors are weird. Isn't it common sense to ask questions if you have trouble with something? And you have someone available for that purpose, yet here you are seeking out an outsider."

In fact, Zaro simply didn't want the hassle. He was in a hurry to get back to his room. He was worried about the potential endorsement deal his agent had mentioned. Also, Zaro was convinced that his secret weapon worked on him alone. That was what Roman had said. He wasn't making stuff up.

Si Lu froze, and Zaro waved him off and said, "OK, go look up Fang Zhao. He's an actor and an official consultant to the production. He's also filming on the same set as you are." With that comment, Zaro bolted. He mumbled as he left, "Something wrong with his head!"

Si Lu stayed put. His face twitched when he heard Zaro's parting comment. He was in a bind. He wanted to consult Fang Zhao, but they weren't signed to the same company. He was signed to Neon Culture, one of Silver Wing's traditional rivals. His agent had warned him before his shoot to stay away from Silver Wing artists lest he get conned without knowing.

So should he approach Fang Zhao in this case or not?

Chapter 307: Train?

Si Lu was at a loss.

Si Lu had a habit. Whenever he was distressed, he liked to go to a gym and hit the weights.

There was an exercise level in every building in the housing area, but there were many people there. Apart from this, there was also a health center that Si Lu loved to visit.

There was actually another place specifically for the leads and important supporting roles of each film unit. The conditions there were even better and there was more personal space. The only problem was that Si Lu could not get in as he wasn't qualified enough.

Although the cast and crew were on vacation today, there were still many people in the health center. Some people would visit the gourmet food city to relieve some stress, whereas others would visit the health center to relieve all their pent-up stress and frustrations after a season of filming.

Si Lu was also a frequent visitor here. When he entered, he saw familiar faces from each continent's film unit.

He did not greet anyone, and nobody bothered him. Although everyone was training their bodies, they all had their own train of thoughts. Greeting others could be considered disturbing them, so here, nobody would hastily talk to another unless they were friends.

It hadn't been like this at the start, but as season after season went by, this strange atmosphere had arisen.

Sometimes, when one was being polite, from another's point of view, it was like one was asking about their entire family.

Therefore, when one entered the health center and saw a senior from the showbiz circles, not greeting the other party wasn't considered a form of disrespect.

As Si Lu was training, he considered whether he should go seek out Fang Zhao.

At this moment, Fang Zhao had just entered the health center after running around the gourmet food city. Although he had just ran, he wasn't sweating—there was only some sand and dirt on his body.

As Fang Zhao had an important role in the cast, he had the privilege of using the special gym. However, he had loaned his right to another actor in the same company. That actor needed some physical training and a quiet environment. The other exercise areas had too many people, and the special gym for leads and important supporting roles was a little better.

Fang Zhao did not have many requirements for such things, so he had temporarily loaned his access card to that other actor.

The people at this health center frequently saw Fang Zhao. Knowing that he had lent his access card to others, they were quite envious of that other actor. If they could, they would naturally use a quieter and more personal environment for their own training. It was just too bad that there were too many actors and resources were limited. They could only blame themselves for not being capable enough to snag a lead role.

Si Lu also saw Fang Zhao, and he paused his training. He was hesitating on whether to go over, but before he decided, Fang Zhao had entered another training room.

Fang Zhao had entered a room with lots of sandbags. There were a few actors training there already. There were more people using sandbags here. Fang Zhao walked over to the side with suspended sandbags. This was the area with the largest ones.

The people here were already used to this sight. There were also people who had once tried to punch these sandbags and injured their fists. Therefore, those suspended sandbags were basically only used by Fang Zhao. Even when there were many people in the health center, this area would still be empty.

When actors from every continent came here to train and observed Fang Zhao's fighting prowess, they came to this conclusion: he can fight!

He could hit such a large and hard sandbag. If this wasn't considered being able to fight well, then what was?

As some people watched Fang Zhao start to hit the sandbags once more, a few of them started to discuss in muted voices. "Look, Fang Zhao is hitting that sandbag again. That sandbag is really pitiful; it gets beaten up every few days."

"You are mistaken. That isn't the previous sandbag. The health center has changed to a new one again. I heard that the previous one was beaten till it broke... No, I think the sandbag is changed after every session."

"Really impressive!"

"Do you want to go and practice with Fang Zhao? The people from our continent do not have much interaction with Fang Zhao. Why don't you go and practice with Fang Zhao first?"

The person who was asked looked at the new sandbag and then looked at Fang Zhao before vigorously shaking his head and replying, "No way! If he doesn't control his strength properly, what happens if I get crippled? My small frame won't be able to withstand a punch of his."

"He can fight so well, why is he an actor? He can go over to the Muzhou arena and be a boxer. One can earn more than an actor over there."

Someone else interrupted them. "Just a gentle reminder, Fang Zhao's actual profession is composer. He held his first career concert just last year. He graduated from Qi'an Academy of Music, which is a top-tier school in Yanzhou for the arts."

The other two silently pondered for some time before replying, "Then the question is, why does he want to be an actor? Is competiting with us for our livelihood very fun?"

Fang Zhao did not know that he was being discussed. It was not that he could not hear, but whenever he came, he would not put in extra effort to take note of what other people were talking about. Otherwise, if he really wanted to, he could hear them even over the muffled sounds of all the sandbags being hit.

Since joining the cast of "Founding Era," other actors had also suffered from negative emotions. Although Fang Zhao himself was more clear headed, he wasn't entirely unaffected. He would also recall stuff that had happened before, and he wasn't completely at peace.

Actually, Fang Zhao wished that he could shoot to let off steam, but there were no shooting ranges that fit his requirement here. Eighty percent of the guns provided by the production team weren't real. Props were made in the image of guns from the Period of Destruction, and not many bullets were manufactured, as the production team was taking safety into account.

Therefore, Fang Zhao would punch some sandbags every few days. The largest sandbag here was actually set up according to a special request from Fang Zhao. He could hit it without any problems, but if other people tried, they would hurt their fists.

Fang Zhao also paid for the cost of replacing damaged sandbags out of his own pocket. He would not let the production team pay for them.

After his session, when Fang Zhao came out, someone called his name.

"Fang Zhao!"

Si Lu had finally set his resolve and had kept watch over the door. When he saw Fang Zhao, he got a little excited and his voice was a little loud.

Others present there simultaneously turned to look over.

Aware that he had caused a disturbance, Si Lu made an apologetic gesture toward his surroundings. Then he took a deep breath, walked in front of Fang Zhao, and opened his mouth. There were many people around, including a number of familiar faces from Yanzhou.

He was embarrassed. Originally, he had thought quite a bit about what to say, but the word that came out of his mouth was "Train?"

Everyone else: "..." A real warrior!

Especially those that had come out behind Fang Zhao, when they heard what Si Lu had said, they flashed him a thumbs up. His courage was commendable, but he wasn't being sensible. The large damaged sandbag that was hanging inside resembled a dead body.

Even people who did not know the fate of the large sandbag had heard of Fang Zhao's capability. In the four successive seasons of filming, Fang Zhao was the only one that had not used a body double! Even the fight choreographer and people invited from military districts had said that if Fang Zhao was in the military, he would not be much different from special forces or elite troops.

Training with Fang Zhao? Was he not thinking things through? Was he under too much pressure?

Si Lu came to his senses after speaking and wanted to give himself a slap. Why did I say such a thing! I'm asking to be brutalized! Surely I have been under too much pressure; thus my brain isn't working too well.

Si Lu was regretting and praying that Fang Zhao rejected him. Following that, he heard Fang Zhao reply, "Sure. Where shall we go?" Fang Zhao pointed to a site not too far away. Normally, when actors wanted to practice and coordinate for their roles, they would head over there.

Fang Zhao had just seen the people inside come out and it was empty now.

Si Lu clenched his jaw and said, "All right."

Half an hour later, Fang Zhao and Si Lu came out one after the other.

Fang Zhao grabbed his coat and bag and returned to his living quarters. There didn't seem to be anything different about him.

As for Si Lu, he appeared dejected. He grimaced whenever he moved his arm. Clearly, he was in pain.

An actor came over to ask him, "Were you beaten up?"

Si Lu shook his head. "No."

The others did not believe him, but they did not probe further and instead said, "You weren't hit in the face, nor did you receive serious wounds, so it's all fine as long as it doesn't affect filming."

Si Lu could not be bothered to explain further when he saw the looks of pity he was getting from the others. Now he was feeling vexed. He had said to train, but actually, Fang Zhao had given it to him. To make a similar analogy, it was like a master sparring with some young disciples. Clearly he was older than Fang Zhao by a few decades!

Si Lu did not spend much longer in the health center, soon taking his things and returning to his quarters as well.

Sitting down, Si Lu felt rather relaxed despite his body being physically exhausted. A fight was indeed the best way to vent.

His room wasn't like the single room that Fang Zhao had—it was a double room. However, his actor roommate had already received a bento box at the end of season four, and if he wished to stay on, he would have to arrange for other accommodations at his own expense, and the conditions would not be as good.

Now only Si Lu was left here, and it was a peaceful environment to ponder in.

Si Lu once again checked the message his manager had sent him when he'd last had internet access. Besides inquiring about his filming situation and physical condition, Si Lu's manager had also exhorted what should be done and how to handle different matters as well as to guard against people from Silver Wing.

Si Lu wasn't a person with a very high IQ. He had gotten where he was today partly because of his own qualifications and partly because he had an extremely capable manager. Although he would be getting his bento box in the upcoming season five, the role he played had some distinguishing features. When the time came for him to receive his bento box, his popularity would be there. Nowadays, his popularity in Yanzhou was also much higher than before.

He actually wasn't a person that hesitated a lot. He had gotten to these heights today and achieved so much because he relied on advice and plans from his company, his manager, and the teams behind him. His family members also told him to listen to these teams' arrangements and not to act by himself in case he was deceived and lost all the things he had worked so hard to achieve.

But now he had run into some difficulty.

He would be receiving his bento box in the fifth season, and it was the most crucial time for this role of his, yet he couldn't find his form now and wasn't able to produce a satisfactory result. If this went on, when it came to the filming, he might not be able to succeed even after many takes.

Si Lu held a prop knife in his hands. This was the knife the character he played in the series used. He had applied for permission to bring it back so that he could gain some inspiration, but now it was as if his mind was enveloped in a thick fog. He just wasn't able to do anything.

After pondering for quite some time in his room, Si Lu decided that he would still seek out Fang Zhao. From what had happened today, Fang Zhao actually wasn't as scary as Si Lu's agent had said he was. Fang Zhao had practiced with him and had not even made any attacks. The reason his fists were hurting was because Fang Zhao's bones and muscles were too hard!

On the other hand, after Fang Zhao returned to his room, he had a routine meal to replenish the energy used up that day.

When he remembered the encounter with an actor named Si Lu today, Fang Zhao made a mental note.

When some people acted, the personality they exuded would inundate the role they played in the series, but there were also some whose personalities would get overshadowed by the roles they played, and it would impact them throughout their lives.

It would be fine if it was some sunny series, but "Founding Era" was just like the psychologists had said: a dark and gloomy forest. It was too dangerous for just anybody to step in. If a person was not careful, he would be engulfed whole. The more important the part, the longer one touched upon the role, the longer he would be immersed in it.

Today, when Fang Zhao had seen the aura that Si Lu was exuding, it had been clear that Si Lu had been deeply influenced by his role, but it couldn't be considered too serious.

Of course, Fang Zhao had been able to see that the other party had had other stuff he wanted to say, but Si Lu had not voiced it.

After Fang Zhao finished his meal, the doorbell rang.

When he opened the door, Si Lu stood outside with an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry for disturbing you. I have encountered some difficulty. Is it convenient for you to have a listen and give me some suggestions? Zaro said that if we in the Yanzhou film unit have any questions, you are the best person to seek."

After all, Si Lu did not wish to seek out Zaro again. When Zaro talked, he pissed people off too easily.

Chapter 308: A Pot Falls from the Sky While One Sits at Home.

Fang Zhao knew what Si Lu meant, and his gaze went to Si Lu's hands. "You didn't bring the knife."

"...No." Si Lu scratched his head in embarrassment. He had not brought his knife along when seeking help. Wouldn't he get mistaken for a gang member?

However, when Si Lu heard Fang Zhao mention the knife, he had more confidence in Fang Zhao. The character he played was someone whose knife never left his hands.

"Come in." Fang Zhao poured a glass of water and handed it over.

Si Lu accepted it courteously. "Thanks."

But he didn't dare to drink.

His manager had mentioned to him many times that he should not randomly drink anything that others handed over. He was to guard against people even if they were from the same company. Everyone was a competitor—who knew if the other party might have some motives and add something else to the drink?

Before joining the cast, his manager had exhorted repeatedly that he should guard against other actors, especially those from rival companies, such as Silver Wing. Even if the other party might seem extremely cordial and friendly, he should still remain cautious. Work stress, mental stress, and the occasional bad weather already made it unbearable. With the runs added on, one would be half-dead.

Now, should he drink the glass of water that Fang Zhao had handed over?

"Do you wish to understand more about 'Qi Guan' as a person?" Fang Zhao asked.

Qi Guan was the character that Si Lu portrayed in the series.

"Qi Guan, that... that person was very special. He wasn't suited to be born in peaceful times. The Period of Destruction was considered hell for others, but he was a natural there. His ideology was more primitive, and he liked to used knives but not guns. His senses were also not ordinary. In his own words, the strong did not need help, and he only helped the weak. Therefore, he could stand aside and watch coldly as many capable and strong people died, yet he could also sacrifice himself for the sake of two weak researchers—his body was never found..."

Fang Zhao remembered this person, Qi Guan. He had once requested Qi Guan join his own squad, but he'd been rejected.

"We are not the same kind of people."

This had been Qi Guan's reply before he had picked up his long and slender knife and left without turning to look back once.

He was just like those wandering swordsmen of old. Everything he did was based on his own guts. Even if other people had differing views, he would simply not give a damn. He seemingly appeared not to care about other stuff, yet he had his own principles and was obstinate. In a sense, he wasn't one of the good guys, but he wasn't entirely a heinous person either.

After Fang Zhao's rebirth, he had looked through some resources left behind from the Founding Era. Every person that had been shifted into the Cemetery of Martyrs had had to go through many rounds of audits.

Some people were not fond of Qi Guan's style of handling things, and during the Founding Era, when graves had been shifted, there had been some people who opposed it. Ultimately, however, his body had still been moved to the Cemetery of Martyrs.

In later generations, his deeds were considered very great, because some of the people he had saved had ended up as doctors that researched many antiviral vaccines and were among the first batch of senior members that founded the Academy of Science Headquarters.

Back then, Qi Guan would never have thought that he would save such great scientists.

In Qi Guan's grave at the Cemetery of Martyrs, there were no skeletal remains, just a battle-worn knife. When his grave had been built, it had been that doctor who had personally placed that knife in Qi Guan's grave. Today, the knife in the museum was just a replica.

The prop knife that Si Lu was using for filming had been replicated according to the one in the museum.

At the moment, Si Lu sat on the sofa listening attentively to Fang Zhao's analysis of Qi Guan. When he regained his senses... he found himself midway through drinking the water.

Looking at the glass again, there was only half left.

Si Lu: "!!!"

In the 10 minutes that had passed, he had actually, unintentionally drunk half the glass!

Would he get a stomachache?

Was there any poison inside?

It was not that Si Lu always thought about the worst that could happen but that his manager frequently scared him this way.

Yet Si Lu did not have any time to remain at a loss. Compared to this, he still wished to hear from Fang Zhao more about the stuff that Qi Guan had done. What was getting poisoned compared to this?

The Qi Guan that Fang Zhao spoke about was slightly different than the Qi Guan that Si Lu had researched through various resources, but this brought the person to life even more. Si Lu couldn't help but feel that the records of Qi Guan in the resources were a little phony and incomplete, like it was a soul that was missing something important.

But when he listened to what Fang Zhao had to say, Si Lu's previously muddled thoughts seemingly started to get clearer. What Fang Zhao spoke about was the crucial point, and it was what Si Lu had been so anxious to know!

As he spoke, Fang Zhao walked over to where a music keyboard was placed. This was where he normally went to when he wanted to compose. Qi Guan was someone Fang Zhao had not seen in a long time, and when he was brought up, Fang Zhao subconsciously placed his hands on the keyboard.

A key was pressed, and the sound of a string instrument pinged out.

"Regarding the person named Qi Guan, in life, he was the wind. In death, he drifted away in the wind. It wasn't that different."

Si Lu had no idea whether it was the impact of Fang Zhao's words or the magic from the musical notes, but he found himself being thoroughly immersed in his thoughts.

To heed not the outcome, to spare no effort.

A moment, a day, a month, a season, a year, a cycle, a lifetime.

Directly delving into his conscience.

Perhaps this was his life's principles.

When Si Lu had obtained the script and when he had researched his character, what he had seen was a loner in the wilderness who had no companions, but maybe that wasn't the case.

Si Lu had thought that when Qi Guan had been facing death's door, he might have been like other people and have had more sentiments. However, that might not have been the case.

It was as if Si Lu could peek into his own mind and see those gloomy and depressing sentiments.

When the sun was hidden behind the earth, there would only be chills when the wind blew.

He apparently saw the solitary figure in the wilderness, but at the end of the journey, his heart wasn't as fretful as it had been in the beginning.

When contemplating, he was seemingly unresigned and somewhat desolate.

But after that, those emotions were gone.

It was as if he could hear the songs in the night breeze, as if he could see a star falling into a lake and glowing as brightly as before.

The surrounding world was as quiet as the deep sea.

Shutting his eyes, opening his eyes, faintly smiling.

No more being unresigned, no longer desolate.

In life, he was the wind.

In death, he drifted in the wind.

A wanderer wasn't bound by borders!

Si Lu clenched his fist, yet his heart was empty.

"Where's my knife?" Si Lu muttered.

"You left it in your own room." Fang Zhao removed his finger that had been striking the keyboard.

Si Lu turned around and left. If this were the old him, he would have courteously said something, but now, he did not say anything.

Fang Zhao watched the door close and sighed.

It had already been 500—going on 600—years since those people had left!

——

In the cast, Si Lu lost his normal reserved and polite demeanor and was more unrestrained. He was more unbridled, yet he constrained himself to a small area. His knife never left his hands.

The people in the cast and crew were aware of the change in Si Lu, but they did not say anything unnecessary. They were all in the same industry and could understand what these circumstances implied.

The director was happy knowing that Si Lu had found his form, yet he was also worried, worried that Si Lu would not be able to shed his character after filming concluded.

On the day when filming for his role wrapped up, the director noticed Si Lu still standing there blankly, and he went over to pat Si Lu on the shoulders. "Go pay a visit to Dr. Dai after this."

The director also got someone to collect the prop knife and put it away. Since Si Lu's scenes in the series were completed, it was better to collect these sorts of props, just to be safe. The directing team had too many people that had the same sort of circumstances as Si Lu. This wasn't a rare phenomenon. As the series went on, there would be even more actors like this. Yesterday, he had even heard someone from the psychologist team advise Director Roman to increase the number of psychologists.

"Hey, yet another one who has sunk in and can't get out," said a staff member of the production team to his colleague as they watched Si Lu, who seemed in a daze.

"After some visits to the psychologists and some time, he'll be fine and will be able to shed his character."

The cast and crew were too busy. Even if they were actors from the same company or even good friends, nobody could spare the time to take care of others. Therefore, the production team's staff that was in charge of handling these people would bring these actors over to the psychologists as soon as possible to receive therapy. The production team did not wish for the actors' mental states to be affected because of this series.

Si Lu was just like a robot, and he listened to the staff's instructions, changed out of his costume, washed the "bloodstains" off his body, took a bath, put on a set of new clothing, and headed to the psychologist to receive treatment.

By the time he returned from the psychologists, it had already turned dark.

Si Lu wasn't as dazed as he had been before, but the staff did not leave. They instead brought him to the dining hall to collect the fragrant, extravagant, and abundant bento box.

"Have a good meal, and rest for the next few days. You must be tired after filming for so long, but you can wake up as late as you want to tomorrow!" the staff member said as he handed the bento box to Si Lu.

Receiving the bento box, Si Lu mumbled, "Thanks," and then turned around to leave.

When he returned to his quarters, Si Lu placed the bento box on the table and did not move as he sat in front of the table in a daze.

The dishes were clearly impeccable, but Si Lu just had no desire to eat. As before, his hands felt empty, and he didn't wish to pick up any utensils. Si Lu covered up the box and continued to stare blankly.

When Fang Zhao came over after finishing his filming, Si Lu's boxed meal still hadn't been touched.

Fang Zhao had seen the filming of Si Lu's scenes today. The filming had been very good, but as before, Si Lu's mental state seemed a little bit off. Even though Si Lu had visited the psychologist, Fang Zhao couldn't help but worry and had come over to visit.

"Can't bear to?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Mhmm," Si Lu replied softly.

Unresigned, reluctant, apprehensive, melancholic, just like a cavalryman who had lost his horse or a monk who had lost his religious way. However, these feelings were not because of the role—rather, they were Si Lu's own feelings. Even though his part in the series was over, he was still being impacted by the role.

When filming, Si Lu had felt that Qi Guan was himself in another world. And now, it was time to part with the role he played, time to bid farewell to his other self.

Sighing deeply, Si Lu removed the lid of the box meal once again with trembling fingers. Picking up his utensils, he starting eating ceremoniously, one bite at a time. He was unable to control his tears as large droplets trickled into the bento box.

Si Lu finished every single grain of food and every single drop of his drink. Following that, he wiped his face and told Fang Zhao. "Please wait a minute."

With that, Si Lu hurried into the washroom. When he came out, his face no longer showed any trace that he had been crying.

"Let's take a photo together. I'll post it up on my social platform to thank you for your help. I am really very grateful!"

Fang Zhao had no objections. After taking the photo, he didn't stay and bother Si Lu. Right now, what Si Lu needed was some personal space and time to recover his mental state.

After Fang Zhao left, Si Lu edited the photograph and set it to automatically upload to his social platform. The assignment his manager had given him was to update his goings-on whenever he had internet access, so as to let his fans know what he was up to.

The psychologist had scheduled a follow-up session for three days later. Only when he was given the all clear would he be able to leave the cast. Now he just felt really tired. His body and soul were weary, and he needed to have a few days of good sleep.

On the second day, Si Lu was woken up by the reverberating beeps of his communications device.

Si Lu opened his eyes just a little. Not knowing where he was, he reached out mechanically to answer the call.

"Hello..."

The thundering howl of his manager came through from the other end. "Do you wish to change jobs?!"

At a loss, Si Lu looked at the time and was astonished to find out that today was actually internet access day!

Time passed by so quickly?! I thought there were still two days!

However, on the other end, when his manager saw him not saying anything, he assumed that that was indeed Si Lu's intention. He got even angrier, and his roars were louder.

"You didn't even take a photograph of the bento box, but you took a photograph with Fang Zhao, even saying 'thank you'? What are you trying to imply? Do you want to jump ship and join Silver Wing? Now that you are famous, you have more guts and want to revolt!? I have said this many times, stay away from Silver Wing's personnel! Is this how you repay me?"

Si Lu thought back and suddenly remembered. Oh, I forgot to take a photograph of the bento box!

It seemed like his manager had even told him to find a proper angle when taking a photo of the bento box before and had mentioned many photography techniques. He had actually forgotten all about it.

"Now that you have found a new backer, a new master, you wish to kick away all of us that have put in our utmost to help push you up?! One moment I was guiding the teams to help you chart out your developmental plans, and the next moment I find you posting this sort of stuff. Si Lu, you f*cking have the guts!"

"No, you are mistaken!" Si Lu hurriedly explained.

Si Lu had gone from being a small insignificant actor to where he was today thanks to the toiling from his manager and the teams behind him. He really had no intention of jumping ship; all he had wanted was to tell everyone that the reason he had been able to find the best form to portray his character was thanks to Fang Zhao. Because his mood had still been somewhat stifled when he had edited his status, he had only written down two words: "thank you." He had never expected it to cause this sort of trouble.

After Si Lu had explained the before and after, only then did his manager on the other end of the call calm down.

"Don't do this sort of funny stuff in future. It is very easy to misunderstand your post! You don't know it yet, but because of your photo, many Yanzhou media outlets are in a frenzy circulating news that you want to jump ship. They're saying that Fang Zhao is planning to poach from Neon Culture! Fang Zhao is really good at duping people. When he was gaming, he helped Silver Wing's gaming department poach a few e-sports gods. Now that he is acting, he is surely thinking of poaching their rivals' assets! Oh, right, the actor that joined Silver Wing last week was surely conned over by Fang Zhao!"

"I don't think Fang Zhao is that sort of person... How about, I delete that post now?" Si Lu asked cautiously.

"Delete my ass! That makes it seem like you have a guilty conscience! Post another status, a more detailed one, explaining the circumstances clearly... No, after you have written it, send it to me first. After I have vetted it, then you can send... Forget it, I think it will be best if I write it for you. You can continue sleeping first. Remember to visit the psychologist after you have woken up!"

After the call ended, Si Lu's manager lamented to the others in the team, "I'm probably the most dedicated manager among all managers."

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao was also being bombarded by messages. There were some inquiries from Silver Wing, and there was some probing from other companies.

Only after he had seen the "evidence" being circulated by all the different entertainment media did Fang Zhao know that he had started "poaching from rival companies" again.

A pot falls from the sky while one is sitting at home.The phrase in the raws was 幻化成风. When directly translated it means transform into the wind as a form of describing Qi Guan's wandering lifestyle. 幻化成风 is also a theme song titled "Become the Wind" for the anime "The cat returns" and is played on a Ukelele. Probably a form of wordplay/tribute by the author here. I'll link the song in my TL notes and add it to the playlist!A direct translation for chinese internet term the author uses here—人在家中坐,锅从天上来. Basically it means a person who gets the blame/burden for no reason.

Chapter 309: Magical Object Diting Z Series

Entertainment media did not focus on what the truth was. What they focused on was whether it could attract the attention of the masses, and if it couldn't, they would stir things up.

A photograph with Fang Zhao, who was currently very popular in Yanzhou and played an important supporting role in "Founding Era."

A further glance at the source: a Neon Culture celebrity!

Neon Culture and Silver Wing Media were old rivals. Just investigating back a few years, one might discover that shortly after Fang Zhao had graduated, he'd had some issues with Neon Culture. Now Fang Zhao had such good relationships with Neon Culture's actors?

Normally, even if one had good relations in private, they would not frequently bring it out into the open, let alone reveal it on such a public social platform.

In actual fact, fans didn't think too much about it when they saw this photograph. What was the big deal about actors having a good relationship, helping one another, or giving thanks? There were many actors that had good relations with others, even if they were from different companies.

Regardless of whether he had been involved or not, all of these were pinned on Fang Zhao. Wasn't it his own fault for flourishing in the limelight now?

If these were not pinned on Fang Zhao, how would discussion be generated? How would attention be drawn?

At the same time, the entertainment media groups knew that it was rather inconvenient for the casts on planet Wai to get internet access, so before Si Lu could get internet access and before his team could craft a proper response, these people did their utmost to stir stuff up.

Afterward, Si Lu's manager cleared up the situation using Si Lu's words and once again earnestly thanked Fang Zhao for his help. Something written by a professional manager was definitely more thorough than something written by Si Lu, whose IQ and EQ weren't that high. Also, he expressed regret for having caused a misunderstanding and giving rise to these discussions. At the same time, he made sure it was satisfactory for the company.

Neon Culture had a few actors in the cast, including first-rate and top-rate superstars within the continent. However, the only one who had been able to help Si Lu truly find his form was Fang Zhao. However, on the surface, this would not be revealed. If this information was brought to light, it would be disgraceful for the company's experienced actors, who were seniors in the showbiz circles.

Once public relations teams had started to make their move, the matter also quieted down. There were many things happening every minute online, and discussion regarding "Founding Era" never ceased. Diverting the public's attention was very easy.

After entertainment media were satisfied with their increased traffic, they moved on.

The teams behind Si Lu had also gained a few benefits from this matter.

Fang Zhao... Fang Zhao had become a scapegoat.

Even if this matter had already passed, in the eyes of many entertainment media companies, Fang Zhao already had this image: this is a dangerous person! Each and every company would be more guarded and would get the celebrities under their flag to stay away from him. Especially celebrities who were slated for crucial development—they should have as little contact with Fang Zhao as possible. What would they do if Fang Zhao poached these assets in a moment of carelessness?

When thinking about it, it was seemingly like those entertainment reporters had said. Silver Wing's development in the past two years had gone very well, and their global influence had increased. Indeed, they were heading toward becoming a comprehensive entertainment juggernaut, and apparently, these developments had sped up when Fang Zhao had entered Silver Wing.

Naturally, while these companies were guarding against Fang Zhao, they were also thinking about how to poach Fang Zhao over to their own company.

Planet Wai cast and crew.

Si Lu had specifically gone over to Fang Zhao's to extend an apology for causing trouble due to him not thinking things through before posting, thus harming Fang Zhao's image.

Fang Zhao wasn't angry. The entertainment circles were just like this, and he had already gotten used to it. Furthermore, for people who had experienced the Period of Destruction, such trivial matters couldn't be considered a big deal. Besides, Silver Wing's teams were not just for show. Even if the matter blew up, they would be able to resolve it.

Seeing that Si Lu had actually had no ill intentions, Fang Zhao consoled Si Lu instead and asked about his future plans.

"I will still be staying here for a period. Dr. Dai still wants me to come back a few more times," Si Lu replied sheepishly.

For actors like him that had had considerable scenes and had acted for four to five seasons, once their part in the series was over, they would receive some recommendations from the psychologists.

Si Lu might have seemed all right now, but he had not completely gotten out of character. The psychologist wanted to observe him for a while more and allow him to leave only after everything was in order. Si Lu was also advised to leave the cast right away once he was given the all clear.

For people that were immersed too deeply in character, even after shedding the role, continuing to stay on with the cast might result in them falling back into character again.

Si Lu was actually very reluctant. He had originally wanted to stay on with the cast to learn more, but now the psychologist and his manager had both advised him not to stay on. Si Lu trusted the judgment of these professionals.

"I will be returning once Dr. Dai tells me that I can leave. Oh right, Fang Zhao, what was the name of the tune you played that time? I don't think I have ever heard it before." Si Lu was asking about the tune Fang Zhao had played on the keyboard when he had come over to consult Fang Zhao and better understand the historical character Qi Guan.

"There isn't a name," Fang Zhao replied. "That was also my first time playing it. It has never been released on the internet before."

"An impromptu composition? Impressive!"

Now Si Lu really admired Fang Zhao. He had heard from musicians from his own company that Fang Zhao had also been invited to join the "Founding Era" music team. That meant to say that if Fang Zhao composed any pieces, he could compete with others for his music to be used in scenes inside the series. For example, the scene where Qi Guan, the character Si Lu portrayed in the series, died in battle had accompaniment music created by a musician from Yanzhou.

Before, Si Lu had not understood, but now he felt that as long as Fang Zhao wanted to compete, he might not necessarily lose to those precursors in the music circles.

A consultant team member and music team member, and he was even acting in an important supporting role—Fang Zhao was really a talented person.

Si Lu's admiration for Fang Zhao was increasing. Fang Zhao was genuinely capable, and Si Lu was almost becoming a Fang Zhao fan.

Some 10-odd days later, Si Lu received an all clear from the psychologists. He went through the cast and crew procedures, collected his luggage, and boarded a transport ship headed from planet Wai back to Earth along with others who had received their bento box.

On returning to Yanzhou, Si Lu first went to the Cemetery of Martyrs to pay his respects.

Qi Guan's grave number had already been engraved in his heart. After he arrived at the Cemetery of Martyrs, he went straight to Qi Guan's grave and bowed deeply.

He knew that there was only a knife inside the grave—not a prop knife but the actual one that Qi Guan had used. In the eyes of many people, Qi Guan's character might be very flawed, but in Si Lu's heart, he no longer felt so. Perhaps his sentiments were from being too immersed in the character, as Si Lu felt like Qi Guan was another him who had wandered that hell on earth as he'd pleased.

A tragic hero always created a deeper impression. In the eyes of the people, he had already exceeded the ordinary and had become a fable.

Before the fifth season aired, some people had created a list of the names of those that would die this season according to the real process in history.

Fans of Si Lu and of the historical character "Qi Guan" all watched it as their hearts shuddered.

There was a main music piece for the episode where Qi Guan died. The piece had been composed by a celebrated musician in Yanzhou, and the quality of the tune was very high. Many people felt that this storyline was very fitting to the music piece and that it was especially tear-inducing.

However, after listening to it a few times, Si Lu felt that the accompaniment piece in the series was not as profound as the one he had heard Fang Zhao play.

Although he could not remember every single note clearly in his head, every time he recalled the song, there were always some faint sounds. He also sensed that these sounds had gradually vanished when he'd stepped out of the character of Qi Guan.

As for which of the two tunes was better, the two could not be compared.

The accompaniment music in the series focused on "tragic" and "sacrifice" and had a thicker artistic embellishment. As for the piece that Fang Zhao had played, that truly belonged to the person Qi Guan. The two pieces had different orientations.

Si Lu decided that he would search for Fang Zhao's concert and give it a listen when he got back.

Today, Si Lu was in a car headed back to the company after recording a program. He was listening to his manager tell him about what other arrangements he had this month when he suddenly looked out of the window.

An advertisement was flashing on the massive screen on the exterior of a high-rise building.

"Is that the latest earpiece that Fang Zhao is endorsing?"

Hearing that, his manager turned over to look and grudgingly replied, "Yeah. I heard that it is a luxury version. There were commercials and advance sales a short while ago."

Si Lu went online to search for the full video commercial.

Sunshine, mountain creeks; life, destruction, still water, daybreak; ancient temples and shrines, alpine glaciers; shrapnel splitting into pieces, guns blazing; day and night appeared fleeting, the vast starry sky seemingly right beside you... dream-like musical notes revolving beside the ears, a hand stretching out that looked to be able to pass through multiple worlds.

"Take off the earpiece and you are just a part of the world. Put the earpiece on and, you can possess the entire world! Diting Z Series; power arrives!"

Hearing the sounds from the commercial, Si Lu's manager said, "I didn't pay attention then, but after searching, this series of earpieces is rather high quality."

Entertainment circles had their own status hierarchy. Celebrities would endorse luxury goods to display their standing and let the masses have a much clearer idea of their status.

"Other people endorse luxury items too, either clothing, jewelry, makeup, or luxury cars and such, yet the first luxury item that Fang Zhao endorses is actually an earpiece!" Si Lu's manager also felt that it was strange. "An actor endorsing an earpiece... No, I think Fang Zhao wasn't an actor in the past—wasn't he from the gaming circles?"

"Composer," Si Lu said, slightly animatedly. "Fang Zhao's composing is especially impressive! When he was telling me about Qi Guan, he even improvised a tune. At the time, it was as if my entire self was brought into another world, and after that, I found my best form, all the way until I finished scenes. Don't you think that is especially impressive and mystical?"

"...You definitely have been poisoned."

"Hey, there wasn't any poison. Really. I drank the water he gave and was totally fine!"

Si Lu also did not bother to explain further to his manager. He had just seen the timing for the first round of advance sales for the Z Series. It was today at 2 in the afternoon. It was about time soon. Si Lu had been very busy traveling all over and attending activities, so he had spent very little time online and had not paid attention to news regarding earpieces. Thus, he only knew about it when he saw the advertisement outside.

Actually, Fiery Bird released a luxurious high-end earpiece model every year. That model would also represent Fiery Bird's greatest accomplishment in manufacturing earpieces. This year, there had been an even bigger breakthrough, and they were releasing a new earpiece system, "System Z," which once more brought about a heightened hearing experience.

But at the same time, as a high-end series and being viewed by the masses as a luxury good, the Z Series's price wouldn't be low.

As of now, among all the high-end earpieces, the most highly anticipated one was the model that Fang Zhao wore in numerous commercials: Old Era–style headphones. The standard version already cost above 100 thousand, and the superior version was over 500 thousand. As for special custom-made versions... Those were the for the nouveau riche.

From what the masses saw, Diting System Z was a luxury item. As for fans of music, they were more curious about the newest system that Fiery Bird had to offer.

Anyone familiar with earpieces knew that the Diting Series had always been about pursuing a hearing experience, and now the Z-series earpieces would be equipped with the rumored most-up-to-date earpiece technology that was the System Z!

People that normally did not pay attention to this were so shocked their jaws dropped upon seeing the price range. However, for people that took note of earpieces, this was normal; it happened every year.

Some people could never go back after using a high-end machine, not only because these earpieces could satisfy their acute ears and their demanding requirements for sound quality but also because of the degree of comfort provided. High-quality earpieces could let the user forget that the earpiece was even there as it assimilated sounds into the ear, letting the user enjoy the sounds of the world.

Probably only fanatical music lovers would purchase such high-end machines every year... purely for the sake of being pretentious.

"Fiery Bird only releases a high-end series every year. To think that they would actually unleash a System Z!" A certain music zealot exclaimed in a chat group.

"Your information is lacking. Do you even pay your broadband fees? How long has it been since you accessed the internet?"

"I just finished writing my graduation thesis. I have been so busy lately and only managed to find some leisure time today. I actually thought that it was the series that was hotly discussed last year. Two months back, I heard rumors that Fiery Bird was coming up with the Z Series. Now, it is actually real! A new system too! This isn't something that happens yearly!"

"I heard that the manufacturing has been upgraded and that it is more resistant to harsh conditions. I don't know whether it is an exaggeration, but it is rumored that the earpiece that Fiery Bird sent over to Fang Zhao can withstand the harsh climate at the sets of 'Founding Era' and can still maintain perfect sound quality."

"I'm so envious of celebrities that endorse. We haven't even seen the goods yet, but he has already used it."

"All right, this year's magical object is about to be born. Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to fight for it?"

"You don't say! I have already set an alarm. The moment I receive the notification, I will go out guns blazing! Every year, Fiery Bird's first batch just has too few items. In each continent, there are only 500 pieces for each style, and they're basically sold out in two hours. If you oversleep when the time comes, you won't even have time to regret."

In their own words, if one was just a step too late and didn't get to purchase it, whereas others did, then all one could do was stand aside and watch on with envy. Not only was it to be pretentious and to flaunt, these people hoped to be able to use this year's magical object at the first possible time. Outsiders had no way of understanding the pressing sentiments they had.

For people with better conditions, splurging once a year on this was still affordable. They did not have much interest in expensive cars or other such luxury items.

At 2 p.m. Yanzhou time, music fanatics and earpiece lovers fixed their eyes thirstily on the screen, waiting to be the first batch to purchase the Z Series.

However, after sales opened...

"What's going on? I just went to the washroom and there weren't any left when I got back."

"The standard version was cleared immediately, and I only hesitated a little for the superior version, but when I went to purchase it, it was already out of stock! [Cry]"

"Why can't we set the system to purchase it automatically! I want to complain!"

"Hahaha, I managed to snatch one! Luckily my fingers were fast! But I only managed to snatch the earplug-type standard version. I didn't manage to get the classical headphone type."

"I managed to get the headphone type, but it is in green. There wasn't any other choice. All the other colors were already sold out."

"If I can't get the earplug and headphone types, then I shall purchase the speakers. In any case, it is also one of the three big magical objects released by Fiery Bird."

"Don't even think about it! I just checked, and the speakers are also sold out! A bunch of gaming gods snatched our goods! Tsk, what are these gamers doing buying the Z Series! Isn't using the other series better for gaming? What are they coming to join the fun for! A bunch of ignorant outsiders!"

"Not just that, there are also fans of the 'Founding Era' series and fans of the ambassador Fang Zhao. This year's competition is just too f*cking stiff!"

"I just saw a very popular article online, the one that says 'Z Series' pairs up nicely with the 'epic flavor of 'Founding Era.' It was released in the afternoon, and it already has a view count of a few hundred thousand. Just reading it, you can tell it is someone from within the industry. Who wrote it? Admit it now!"

The author of that article was currently at home staring helplessly at his ceiling. He also hadn't been able to get the goods. The article he had written in the afternoon had been to help advertise a singer friend of his. The article had even listed a song list and supplementary evaluations. For the sake of adding a hint of pretentiousness, he had specifically mentioned the Diting Z Series. Furthermore, with the traffic count hitting hundreds of thousands so quickly, it was obvious that there were actually some operations going on. Fortunately, he had used a dummy account when writing this article. Otherwise, if he were to be found out by people in the industry...

He shivered at the thought before replying in the group: "It is all Fang Zhao's fault!"

Whatever the case, he had to save himself first. For everyone that was unable to get the goods, the blame could be thrown on Fang Zhao.

Chapter 310: Fan Base

Yanbei retirement home for former officials.

A disgruntled Great-Grandfather Fang was frowning at his tablet.

He had wanted to buy the headsets Fang Zhao was endorsing. After all, it was Fang Zhao's first time endorsing a luxury product. The first time Great-Grandfather Fang had seen the ad, he had checked his savings and done the math. He had decided to buy the basic model.

But no such luck.

"What is Fiery Bird thinking? They're a big company, after all. Didn't they think to cater to elderly customers who are slower to act? How are we going to compete with those kids? What year is this that we still have to place orders manually? What's the point of smart automation? To put on a show? It's downright insulting to the elderly that we can't preprogram our purchases."

Great-Grandfather Fang was grumbling non-stop.

Great-Grandmother Fang, teapot in hand, was about to water their plants on the balcony when she heard her husband's rant. She raised her eyebrows, threw her spouse a glance, and continued with her chore. "This is called 'hunger marketing.' My understanding is that many luxury brands come out with limited edition products. This is quite common. It's not just Fiery Bird. Don't file a complaint and make much ado about nothing. You'll give Xiao Zhao a hard time."

"I know!" Great-Grandfather Fang was just venting. He had no intention of filing a formal complaint.

"If you really want those headsets, why don't you ask Xiao Zhao next time he gets internet access on Wai?" Great-Grandmother said.

Great-Grandfather Fang shook his head. "I'm not going to bother Xiao Zhao over something trivial like this. What a tough shoot Xiao Zhao has. Who am I to waste his time over a pair of headsets? I heard just a few days ago that some of his fellow cast members got so immersed in character they needed to stick around for psychotherapy after they completed their scenes. It pains me to hear things like that. I had no idea that acting was so hard. Any kind of radical change requires hard work. Xiao Zhao must have paid a heavy price to deliver such a great performance. He won't be due for a bento box for a few more seasons. Sigh, the thought of him getting his bento box pains me even more."

One one hand, he wanted Fang Zhao to finish his shoot soon and get some rest at home. On the other, he didn't want to see Fang Zhao's character exit the show. Great-Grandfather Fang was quite conflicted.

Great-Grandmother Fang raised her eyebrows again and threw her husband another glance. The older this old fart gets, the more sentimental he becomes.

But soon, Great-Grandfather Fang shifted gears. Even though he was upset about failing to place an order for the headsets, he was also a bit emotional. It would have been even more embarrassing if a product Fang Zhao endorsed didn't move, but the new headsets Fang Zhao was endorsing were selling like hotcakes. What did that say?

That meant that his great-grandson was competent, that he had influence!

That line of thinking got Great-Grandfather Fang excited again. He tidied up the outfit he was wearing and told Great-Grandmother, "There's still some time before lunch. I'm going for a walk." He walked out with his hands folded behind his back.

There was a flat-screen billboard within the retirement home compound. Great-Grandfather Fang chose a route that passed the billboard on purpose. The flat screen played the latest commercials every day.

After taking in the ad for the Diting Z Series headsets endorsed by Fang Zhao as if he were admiring a work of art, Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to gloat. But when he turned his head, he couldn't see a single soul.

"Where is everyone?"

He canvassed the area. All of the folks who had been taking walks nearby were gone.

————

Maybe it was nostalgia for the Old Era, or perhaps it was the influence of "Founding Era." Anything that had to do with the Old Era was evoking strong emotions in folks.

The retro headsets from Fiery Bird's Diting Z Series sold out instantly on every continent, regardless of the model. It was impossible to snatch a pair unless you acted swiftly. The earplug model and stereo system from the same series also sold out quickly.

Several days later, the folks who had managed to land the first batch of headsets received their goods.

What was the first thing they did when they got their shipments?

Eight out of 10 buyers showed off their headsets on their social media accounts first.

One of the new stars of the professional gaming scene in Jinzhou posted a series of pictures on his account.

"My headsets have arrived! The same model that Zhao God uses. Come to think of it, Zhao God was the one who inspired me to become a professional gamer. Pity he has switched industries."

Professional gamers from other continents also showed off their new Diting Z Series headsets online. Most of them mentioned Fang Zhao. Some mentioned him in passing, but others did it intentionally to boost their own exposure and brag about their wealth at the same time.

But most of the gamers who had never faced Fang Zhao and yet were lamenting the fact that he had switched industries were merely paying lip service. They sure as hell didn't want to face off against Fang Zhao. Even though Fang Zhao's gaming career had been brief, he had made a significant mark. Footage of his avatar in action was often reposted and dissected. The reason some gamers still called Fang Zhao "Zhao God" was because no professional e-sports team or single player had been able to match his results since his retirement.

So Fang Zhao was truly the reason why some of the current stars of professional gaming coordinated with each other when ordering headsets from the Diting Z Series.

Jinro, the current captain of Silver Wing's professional gaming team, noticed all the posts claiming they missed Fang Zhao's presence in the e-sports industry and wanted to face off against him. He screenshotted a few of the more representative posts and posted the pictures on his social media account with the following message: "I'll show Zhao God these screenshots after he finishes his shoot. I hope you're ready to face off against him then."

The gaming department at Silver Wing had new management, and the professional gaming team also had new leadership, but the gamers still referred to Fang Zhao as "Boss" internally. In public, they went along with the "Zhao God" moniker.

Jinro's post inspired gaming fans to follow suit.

"Captain Jinro, you're missing a few screenshots. Here are some more. [picture] [picture]"

"Here are two from mighty Tongzhou! [picture] [picture]"

"Five from mighty Leizhou! ..."

"Here's 10 from Huangzhou, mightiest continent of them all! ..."

After gaming fans from different continents and curious onlookers from outside the industry joined the screenshot frenzy, gamers kept posting pictures of their new Diting Z Series headsets, but few made any mention of wanting to face off against Fang Zhao.

The first few rising stars of the gaming world who had posted such messages now wanted to delete those posts, but deleting them now would be too obvious. They could only wait until the discussion died down. All we did was bullsh*t a little. Was it necessary to resort to screenshots?

Some gaming publications reported on the screenshots in their social media posts, which gave the phenomenon even greater exposure.

Of course, not everyone followed the latest developments in the gaming industry, so the screenshots weren't a big deal. Overall, they didn't cause a major ripple. No one took them seriously. After some kidding around, the controversy soon died down.

The hot topic was still the Z Series headsets. Music lovers and headset aficionados who had managed to land them were busy writing reviews. Folks who had failed to snatch a pair were either jamming Fiery Bird's customer service department with calls about the official launch date or shifting their attention to the company's other headset lines.

There were also folks who had bought the headsets simply to show off. Simply posting pictures of their headsets online didn't give them their fix. They also wore their headsets in public, hanging out strategically in spots that had the most foot traffic.

At a major mall in downtown Qi'an.

Two young men were discussing headsets.

"Look, these are my new headsets. They cost some 5,000 dollars!" the first young man said gleefully. "You've had those headsets for some time, no? You should upgrade to a better pair."

"Oh, I think my 50-dollar headsets suffice," the other young man said.

"How can 50-dollar headsets compare to a pair that cost 5,000?"

The young men were feuding when they heard a third voice. "Aren't they the same? All you hear is noise with headsets that cost less than 100,000."

The two young men froze. Wow, now that's being pretentious.

They looked over and examined the headsets hanging over the neck of the man who had just spoken. The logo and unique design were unmistakable—they were Fiery Bird's Z Series retro headsets, the most popular among the three most anticipated headset models this year.

The first young man who had spoken raised his hands in surrender. "OK. Pretend I never said anything."

Only an idiot would compare hardware with a nouveau riche tycoon.

Not everyone could afford the Z Series, but even setting aside the Z Series, there were other more reasonably priced lines.

The previous Diting lines that Fang Zhao had endorsed were quite good value for the money. They were sufficient for folks who weren't that exacting when it came to sound quality.

The two young men rewatched the Diting ad on a neighboring flat screen. "I feel motivated to work hard again!"

Fiery Bird had adopted a blanket strategy for its ad campaign. Regardless of continent or city, you were bound to see their ads playing on a giant flat screen hanging on a tall building. The billboards in residential compounds, train stations, and plazas were dominated by the Diting Z Series print ads. Naturally, Fiery Bird knew that the folks who could afford their products were a minority. The reason the company had splurged on advertising aimed at a broader audience was to make a statement.

That's right. The hottest headsets of the year were made by Fiery Bird. Unless other headset makers can surpass the technical sophistication of the Z Series, Fiery Bird will continue to be the industry leader.

Of course, the masses only got the basics. They knew that Fiery Bird had developed a line of kick-ass headsets and that the ad for the line featured the actor who played General Fang Zhao in "Founding Era."

Fang Zhao wasn't that famous in other continents, but "Founding Era" was a global hit. It would be impossible to miss him even if you weren't a music or a gaming fan.

Fang Zhao's look in the Diting ad was different from his look in "Founding Era," but even if a person didn't recognize him in the ad, someone would point it out to them.

Fang Zhao's popularity also rose with every additional season of "Founding Era" that was released. Sales of the previous Diting lines he had endorsed also spiked.

Fang Zhao was the hottest star in Yanzhou, eclipsing even the three actors who played Wu Yan in "Founding Era."

At a small city in Yanzhou, on board the local circular train service.

An old woman took in the Diting Z Series ad that was playing inside the compartment. "Oh, that's Fang Zhao!"

A young man sitting nearby laughed. "That's correct. That was Fang Zhao, but that was only a fragment of the ad. You've got a keen eye, auntie!"

The old woman flashed a conceited smile. "Of course. I recognized him instantly. I've got great eyes. Everyone in our residential complex knows that."

A young lady in the same compartment asked, "Auntie, do you still follow celebrities?"

Fellow passengers: "..." Uhm, then you're wound a bit too tightly for a retiree.

"Anyway, I think he's the actor who leaves the deepest impression," the old woman said with a laugh. "He's my type of guy."

Fellow passengers: "..."

"Oh, what's the name of the actor who plays Fang Zhao?" the old woman asked.

"His name is Fang Zhao too. I thought you had just recognized him," the young lady sitting across from her said. "The ad featured the actor who played Fang Zhao in 'Founding Era.' His name is Fang Zhao as well, but he appears without makeup in the ad. He looks very different, but you still recognized him. What a great eye you have!"

The old woman paused, apparently confused.

"He has the same name as his character?" she asked.

"Yes, the same." The young lady enthusiastically pulled up a few news items from the time when Fang Zhao had first landed the role on her bracelet and showed them to the old woman. "Fang Zhao beat out many big stars from Yanzhou and other continents to get the part."

"Wow, that's quite something! He's only in his 20s. So young. I never would have guessed that he's in his 20s, judging from the look of his character." The old woman had made up her mind to share the news stories with her bosom buddies from the same residential complex.

Folks who didn't follow celebrities like her were more taken by TV characters rather than the actors, who they wouldn't necessarily recognize. They used character names in daily conversation, but they rarely used the names of the actors.

The old woman rushed home after arriving at her station. She eagerly relayed to her friends, "The actor who plays Fang Zhao is also called Fang Zhao! Isn't that easy to remember? He's awfully, awfully young, even younger than my grandson!"

Word spread quickly in the residential compound.

Journalists in Yanzhou soon realized that among Fang Zhao's fans who were active online, many were middle-aged and elderly women who were retired. They mostly stayed home, watched TV, and chatted with their neighbors.

This particular demographic among Fang Zhao's fan base began growing rapidly.

A reporter at an entertainment publication who was monitoring online trends told a colleague, "The sky's the limit for Fang Zhao. The first luxury product he endorsed is already a success. His own market value has risen leaps and bounds."

"It's not just him. Take a look at the other actors in 'Founding Era.' All the ones with substantial parts are doing well. They've all seen their market value rise. Even those who have already picked up their bento boxes are doing OK. It's the 'Founding Era' effect. No wonder folks were angling to land roles when the director was casting. Heck, if I were an actor, I'd pay to get a role."

"The Diting Z Series is the first luxury product Fang Zhao has endorsed. I wonder what he will endorse next."

"Maybe it will be a fashion label. Word has it that a high-end men's tailor-made label is negotiating with his management."

"It might be a top-of-the-line outdoor attire brand too."

Another reporter sharing the same office space who was sipping water started spitting his drink as he watched his computer screen. He quickly summoned the others. "I'm not sure what Fang Zhao will endorse next. All I know is that Leizhou's top star has endorsed garlic! If there's someone who could raise the price of garlic to the price of gold, it's him."

Chapter 311: Zaro + Garlic

Just when news about Fang Zhao's endorsement of Fiery Bird's Diting Z Series advertisements had started to wane and many operational teams behind famed celebrities were rolling up their sleeves and getting ready to get in on the action, news of Zaro endorsing garlic violently seized the headlines of each and every continent, and the entire world's entertainment circles were caught unprepared.

The combination of Zaro and garlic surprised people. The firepower from this news was so ferocious that it carved a bloody path through the community of celebrities that frequently threw money to purchase popularity.

Zaro, who called himself Leizhou's greatest internet celebrity, was a descendant of a great general, a son of an aristocratic family, and someone who frequently bounced around in the entertainment circles. But no one had really ever seen Zaro endorse a product, at most only shooting commercials for films and drama series that his own company invested in.

But now, such a person had actually gone and endorsed garlic!

What sort of blow had he suffered for him to go and consider endorsing garlic?

This was something that everyone found baffling.

And the garlic that Zaro was endorsing had a price that did not lose out to silverware!

A piece of garlic alone cost a few hundred, and there were still handpicked and preferred-choice grades that were above a thousand dollars! If special varieties came out in the future, would there be a grade that was worth tens of thousands?

Ripping people off!

This wasn't the way to hype. In the past, no internet personality's goods that were being hyped up were this exaggerated!

Many netizens were dumbstruck.

"This... Can garlic also become a luxury good?"

"We were talking about earpieces yesterday. Today, after taking a look at my own wages, I realized I can't even afford garlic!"

"No, no, no, it is only the garlic from whatever farm Zaro endorses. The garlic produced on planet Wai can be considered a luxury, but the garlic from Muzhou is still affordable."

"Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the greatest internet celebrity of Leizhou to actually endorse an item that is so down to earth."

"The brother who posted before, please take a look at its price and feel your own pockets before answering honestly. How can that garlic be considered down to earth!?"

"I just went online and checked. Muzhou garlic prices have swelled! Fraudulent goods!"

"Where is the Bureau for Commodity Prices?"

"Not only garlic, farm produce that have seen their prices falling recently have suddenly bounced back up."

There were many voices of protest online, but for Muzhou farm owners, Zaro was simply good news! Because of Zaro, farm produce that was used in everyday life and was gradually being neglected received attention once more, and the prices rebounded.

Because there was an increasing amount of farm produce from foreign planets in the market, prices kept falling year after year. Muzhou's status as the world's granary was becoming harder to maintain. Although a portion of fresh fruits and vegetables were still very expensive, compared to five or ten years back, they had dropped a lot!

Previously, there had even been people saying that unless it was a newly developed variety—for example, those higher in medicinal value—the value of agricultural produce would continue to fall in the future.

Comparing the level of variety and abundance, Muzhou was unable to compete.

Comparing nostalgia, planet Wai had the "Ark Project" major research base and had already resurrected many varieties from seeds.

For planets with immigration plans, farmlands were progressively being put into use. Even on planet Wai's side, private farms were already starting to be established, and furthermore, it was rumored that the soil quality on planet Wai was much more suitable for cultivating crops.

There were some breeds of agricultural produce that had been resurrected years earlier and were grown in Muzhou. However, these crops saw some changes, and their original tastes had also been altered. The longer it took for cultivation, the greater the changes, and not every variety changed in a way that people liked.

After all, Earth had seen a 100-year period full of fundamental changes, and the Period of Destruction had caused the soil to have changes that could not be restored. Even if it was possible to restore soil to its healthy state from the Old Era, it could take hundreds of years. Even thousands might not be enough. Who could wait so long?

In the past, there had been some products from foreign planet farms that had been transported back, but the quantities had been tiny and limited to special communities. They hadn't been for external distribution.

In general, commonly seen fruits and vegetables, such as onions, ginger, garlic and other such products, did not have much investment value, and the risk was high.

Today, Zaro had directly given these people a resounding slap.

The garlic that Zaro was endorsing was directly sold online.

For an item like garlic, not mentioning its medicinal properties, as a seasoning, it could be used for numerous culinary purposes.

Of course, there were also people that felt that even if garlic was special, having such a high price when it could only be fried once... Wasn't that going overboard?

Many people left messages on Zaro's social platform for this.

"Other than this garlic being grown on planet Wai, what other special characteristics does it have?"

"Even if transportation costs and cultivation expenditure are included, the prices shouldn't be so high."

"I know that garlic can boost one's immune system and kill bacteria and germs, but with such a high price, could it be that it can even exorcise demons?"

"What does it have to be sold at such a premium?"

During his internet access time, when Zaro was undergoing an interview by a certain gourmet magazine arranged by his agent, he heard the presenter mention this question, and he replied with a question of his own: "Does this even require a reason?"

Zaro had listened to his agent's advice and so did not reveal the secret of his acting skills to the public. "I say that it is a magical object among garlic, so it is a magical object! It is worth its high value!" Recalling the circumstances when he had been filming, Zaro proudly said, "This garlic encapsulates human sentiment inside of it."

"Don't believe me?"

"If you don't believe me, buy one and eat it and you will understand."

And when some people watched the interview, their views changed and they thought: That's right, with the family background that Zaro has, he has surely tried all sorts of good stuff. If he says it's good, it is definitely extraordinary.

Gluttons that were unable to free themselves from the clutches of culinary delicacies and who had sensitive and fussy tastebuds were just like those music zealots and did not lack money either. These people would head wherever the good stuff was. It was fine if that could not head to planet Wai—there would still be advance sales online. Scramble for them!

Chefs inside some high-end restaurants or hotel chains were already sharpening their knives, ready to do battle.

They just wanted to see what sort of difference this garlic had compared to the ones from Muzhou. Would food prepared with this sort of garlic be even more delicious?

The first batch of five tons of planet Wai garlic would be put on sale at the appointed time, and like before, they were sold out in a flash.

In just the blink of an eye, people discovered there was none left.

People that had managed to purchase this garlic tried it as soon as they received the goods, and they took to the internet to express their own thoughts and views about the garlic and share their own culinary skills with the world through bright photographs of exquisitely displayed delicacies.

"Really, the taste just hits the spot."

"I don't know whether it hits the spot, but the flavor is just right! Stimulating!!"

"This is probably true garlicky flavor."

"The taste is slightly pungent, and if you eat it raw, it is a little spicier than the ones from Muzhou, but I think there isn't that much of a difference."

"How can there be not much difference? Is your tongue so defective that you can't even tell a difference between superior and inferior garlic? You aren't suited to being a chef if you can't taste a real delicacy! Even Zaro is better than you!"

In no time, a new pretentious style appeared.

Garlic used in seasoning?

It had to be garlic flown back from planet Wai. Only then would there be enough flavor!

You can not appreciate this flavor, but you cannot say that it is ordinary. Do you think we are having garlic?

No!

What we are having is an aesthetic taste! A taste of pretentiousness! A taste of being an elite!

How many gourmets gave it acclaim and said it was authentic garlic flavor? If you can't taste the difference, it is definitely your tongue that is defective. You can't even be compared to Zaro.

The gourmet world saw a tide of good evaluations, but the price of this garlic was indeed too high. Thus, many people started thinking of ways to get those over at planet Wai to help buy some on their behalf. Isn't this garlic grown on planet Wai? Purchasing it from planet Wai would surely be cheaper!

Thus, many actors in the Wai film studio complex were bombarded with long distance calls from friends and family.

"Hello, when will your filming over there end? Help me bring back some of the native garlic. Over here, they cost too much! And there are even fakes!"

"What is the price of garlic over at planet Wai? If it is cheaper, help me bring some back. Any amount will do. Over here I can even finish a few hundred kilograms no problem."

Even conscripts serving on Wai base received requests from their relatives to help them purchase garlic. As for those with the right connections, they were contacted to purchase it internally and in bulk. If they could not purchase it immediately, the buyer would make an advance order and gladly pay the deposit first.

When Zaro saw his name appearing on the push notifications of entertainment news headlines across each continent and then saw the money in his account increasing, he forgot the initial unwillingness he'd had when his agent had first asked him to endorse garlic.

"You endorsement is percentage based. Are you satisfied now? I told you before that there was no need to be envious of Fang Zhao. Now the market in which we are operating in is very big." Zaro's agent was encouraging Zaro at the same time he was discussing profit sharing with their collaborative partners. "Now all you have to do is concentrate on doing a good job for the filming that is to come and not bother about other stuff. When the time is ripe, we can generate hype again," Zaro's agent exhorted.

Zaro nodded his head in delight.

What was the big deal about earpieces? Had anyone ever endorsed garlic before?

No one!

A person with his sort of status should be unique and unmatched! He should stand out from the masses!

There were many people who loved music, but what about people who ate lots of good stuff?

Were there any!?

There were many people that bought earpieces, but were there many people that were addicted to gourmet foodstuffs?

Were there!?

The amount was too far apart!!

Zaro excitedly watched his own popularity soar while his agent pondered how to increase Zaro's value even further.

Back when planet Wai had first applied for the major research base, there had been some large Muzhou farm owners that had been eyeing land here. However, back then, the audits for private farmland here had been even more strict than the film studio complex, and it had not been something that Wai base could decide alone.

Now that it was finally open to public purchasing, Zaro's manager had contacted a bunch of farm owners on planet Wai to collaborate and generate a wave of hype for garlic before letting Zaro stand at the front to advertise.

In the past, there had been a limit to garlic on planet Wai. By joining hands, planet Wai's garlic had increased by about 80%. Still, the garlic produced by planet Wai was supplied to the military on Wai base, the "Founding Era" team, and those at the film studio complex. Basically, the supply only covered this bunch.

It was market dominance.

Now even if others wished to purchase the goods, they wouldn't be able to get much. Furthermore, the checks on freight transports from the Wai spaceport were very strict.

Zaro and this bunch might have established market dominance and generated a whole lot of buzz, but they still followed regulations and paid their taxes dutifully. All these taxes would become funds for Wai base, and because of the huge amount of taxes, Wai base would not make things difficult for them and would help out with the transportation of goods.

As of now, the Wai spaceport had increased its manpower, but there were still limitations to bringing goods out of planet Wai. Whether it was garlic or agricultural produce, people were not permitted to bring along too much and weren't allowed to evade the taxes! Experimental breeds still in the trial phrase could not be brought out. If anyone was discovered to be in possession of these, they would be locked up in a small black room on the base, no questions asked.

Now, the Wai spaceport had the doubly guaranteed method of machines and dogs... although there was only one dog that was taking up a post. The other dogs that had arrived on Wai base had not grown up yet.

Celebrities from every continent were gloomy. It was all right if they were unable to compete for headlines with Fang Zhao. After all, besides having the operations teams of Silver Wing behind his back, he still had Fiery Bird's advertising to generate hype.

But now they weren't able to even compete with Zaro!

In the past, Zaro making the headlines had only been limited to having a great influence in Leizhou. On a global context, it had been nothing more than some entertaining news that could be treated as a joking matter. But now, the influence had expanded globally and everyone could not help but feel that all the continents would no longer be peaceful in future.

Over at the cast and crew of "Founding Era," during internet access time, every celebrity took note of the activity on the internet.

During his hard-earned two hours of internet access, Woo Tianhao logged on to his social platform to leave some online presence and saw the news.

"Zaro is a f*cking talent!"

When Zaro had been filming a vampire horror series, the prices of garlic and silverware had been stirred up. Now, the value of garlic had risen even more impressively.

At the same time, Woo Tianhao felt a little sullen. They were both descendants of great generals and they were both around the same age. In the past, he had always felt superior. Even when Zaro's acting ability had suddenly broken out, he still had not treated it as a big deal, but now Zaro had stirred up the price of garlic, and Woo Tianhao was envious of the profits Zaro was reaping.

He had invested in many projects and was always busying himself, yet those could not compare to how much Zaro had earned from generating hype for garlic.

Planet Wai was really a gold mine!

With the topic of Zaro and garlic erupting, Fang Zhao's buzz on the internet slowly declined.

Fiery Bird did not need to bombard the masses with advertisements all the time. Just letting everyone know about this product was enough. When the time for the official sales approached, they would have another round of publicity campaigns, but right now they were fine with leaving the spotlight to others.

Even if this wave of popularity was over, many people would still remember Fang Zhao and the first luxury item he had endorsed.

Before Fang Zhao had endorsed the Z Series, he had actually signed a contract to endorse something even more luxurious—the 10th-generation console. However, back when he had signed that, the contract had been region limited, not global. Furthermore, the 10th-generation console had yet to begin mass production, so any advertisements were still being pushed back. The outside world had no idea about this.

With regard to Fiery Bird seeking Fang Zhao to endorse the Z Series earpieces, besides valuing Fang Zhao's influence and potential, Fiery Bird had also had a mentality of it being a technological challenge.

They had felt that there was no challenge in seeking out other stars. Fiery Bird had never ever worried about sales volume. Seeking out an ambassador was not just for sales—what Fiery Bird wanted the earpieces to challenge was Fang Zhao's ears!

Whenever Fang Zhao endorsed an earpiece model, he shared with Fiery Bird his thoughts as a consumer as well as the pros and cons of the product. Even though the Z Series earpieces had been coined a magical object by the outside world, as before, it did not receive a "perfect" evaluation from Fang Zhao.

Fiery Bird did not think that Fang Zhao was going out of his way to find fault with their product. The frequency range of the Z Series was frightening, and it far exceeded the hearing range of the average person. Generally speaking, if one wanted to hear every single detail, he would need to have the abilities of certain beasts.

Fang Zhao seemed to possess such an ability.

"Divine Ears" and "Diting" were but some of the nicknames netizens had given Fang Zhao. Fiery Bird's technology development department staff also acknowledged this, and when they had time, these staff would communicate with Fang Zhao and inquire with him about his thoughts when testing certain products. This sort of collaboration was something that other celebrities had no way of providing.

At the "Founding Era" cast dormitory building.

Fang Zhao was seated in his own quarters with his earpiece on.

Although he had not given the Z Series earpieces a "perfect" evaluation, he also acknowledged that among all the earpieces he had used up to now, this series provided the best experience.

All the technology squeezed into such a tiny earpiece caused Fang Zhao to lament the marvel of technology. Science and technology had made the experience so different.

Fiery Bird had given the name "Z" to this new series that had a new system. The outside world saw it as representing the "Zhao" in Fang Zhao, but in actual fact, in the Old Era, the letter Z had a significance in cosmology. This represented the self-confidence and ambition of Fiery Bird as an industry leader.

Fang Zhao's fingers slid across the keyboard as musical notes drifted into his ear.

Sentiments carried by the musical notes without any modification passed through the earpiece and were directly transmitted into his ear.

If there were any blemishes, it would surely be the music keyboard being unable to keep up.

Beside the keyboard was a paperback notebook. The page it was turned to was full of undecipherable symbols.

He was composing.

Even if he was filming, Fang Zhao had never set aside composing. But there were too many distractions to do everything well, so during this period, his focus had been on filming.

As of now, season five was being broadcast and filming for season seven was already underway. Fang Zhao's part in the series would end at season nine. Before then, he wanted to complete the piece he was working on right now.

He would not compete with other members of the music team or precursors in the music circles to get his music in the series, but he would fight for one scene in the ninth season.

Chapter 312: Standing on the Shoulders of a Gian

Fang Zhao had a visitor when he was composing.

It was late. Production crews were wrapping up certain scenes, and actors were starting to head back to their rooms. For the most part, the actors rested, memorized lines, or started preparing for upcoming scenes after returning to their rooms. Recently, quite a few actors had been approaching Fang Zhao for acting tips.

While Zaro had taken shortcuts by using gimmicks to enhance his performances, Si Lu was the real deal. He was an A-list actor in Yanzhou who had won quite a few prestigious awards. His quite moving mastery of his death scene in season five of "Founding Era" had won widespread acclaim from senior figures in the industry.

But the bottom line was that both Zaro and Si Lu had gotten their inspiration from Fang Zhao. Thus, when actors were struggling to find their form, they often tried their luck with Fang Zhao.

Eventually, folks realized that Fang Zhao was indeed a big help. They didn't make much of his handy advice, though, chalking it up to his impressive knowledge of Yanzhou history. As a consultant to the production, they figured he also had a deeper understanding of the script and the characters than the average actor.

When he heard the knock on the door, Fang Zhao thought it was another actor. Instead, when he opened his door, he saw Dina, the vice president of the Yanzhou Music Association.

Both Dina and Ming Cang had spoken highly of Fang Zhao when he had created the virtual idol Polar Light and produced the four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series.

Dina was a member of the team composing the score for "Founding Era." Ming Cang wasn't—not because he wasn't qualified but because his son Ming Ye was still receiving treatment. He couldn't get away.

"Vice President Dina?" Fang Zhao invited Dina in and offered him a glass of warm water.

"I'm just taking a walk after dinner. We haven't had a real conversation since we arrived in Wai, so I figured I'd see what you're up to. What were you doing? Memorizing lines?" Dina scanned the room.

Fang Zhao's single room wasn't that big. Apart from his bedroom, he had a living room that he used as a study. There was little storage space. Dina could see everything there was to see.

When he spotted the electronic keyboard and an open notebook and pen next to it, the smile on Dina's face grew.

"No, I was just composing," Fang Zhao responded.

"Sorry to intrude." Dina did feel bad, but he also felt encouraged.

He had dropped by to ask Fang Zhao about his future career plans. Fang Zhao was growing in popularity both in Yanzhou and globally. He had a big endorsement deal. His popularity was skyrocketing. Would he continue acting? What would his next step be?

Dina had been thinking that if Fang Zhao didn't want to give up composing, the young composer could stick around after he finished shooting his scenes. He could remain as a special guest of the music team. If he could produce a piece or two, that would give them even more leverage. If Fang Zhao wanted to switch careers, Dina would definitely try to talk him out of it.

In terms of music composition, Dina considered Fang Zhao one of the most promising talents among Yanzhou's young musicians. The last time Dina had had internet access and spoken to Ming Cang, they had wondered whether Fang Zhao was taking a break from composing. Little had Dina expected to come over and find Fang Zhao working on a new piece instead of memorizing his lines. Of course he was delighted.

And based on Dina's observation of Fang Zhao's patterns the past few years, he realized that Fang Zhao either opted out of the game or was fully committed. Once he set his eyes on something, he would definitely deliver at a high quality. It was too early to say if Fang Zhao's new piece would be chosen for the "Founding Era" score, but Dina was happy about the mere fact that Fang Zhao hadn't given up on composing.

He had no use for the spiel he had prepared in advance, and Dina didn't want to interrupt this junior musician's composing. He'd rather not stem the flow of Fang Zhao's inspiration with a conversation.

"I'll get going, then. Keep doing what you were doing. You're very talented at composing pieces set against the Period of Destruction, but don't put too much pressure on yourself. The journey is more important. There are no winners and losers in music. Even if your piece isn't selected for the score, it doesn't mean it's a bad song."

"I know," Fang Zhao said.

"As long as you can stay sober-minded."

Dina got up to leave. En route to his dorm room, he ran into Fay Harmonik, the violin prodigy from Jizhou.

Dina always treated talented young musicians well, regardless of which continent they were from, but he did not know Fay Harmonik well. They exchanged perfunctory hellos before going about their own business.

Later, Dina remembered that he had seen Fay Harmonik carrying a case. He wondered if it was a new violin that Fay Harmonik had shipped to Wai.

Meanwhile, Fay Harmonik was in a decent mood.

When he needed inspiration or to adjust his mood, he always put on his headset. Sometimes he listened to the sounds of nature, sometimes to classic songs. He listened to all sorts of genres and musical styles.

People like him who were sensitive to sound had extremely exacting standards when it came to headset quality. They could pick up on every detail. Their ears had no tolerance for flaws.

He had brought just a lone headset to Wai, which had broken down. He had borrowed a pair but hadn't been able to stand the sound quality. They had been pure torture, especially when used outdoors.

The climate on Wai interfered with certain types of electronic equipment. Interference in headsets created a noise that Fay Harmonik found unbearable. He had taken advantage of his internet access day to ask his assistant to order a new headset. Price wasn't an issue as long as the headset was of good quality, sound quality was guaranteed, and they could function despite the crappy weather on Wai.

Knowing that Fay Harmonik was demanding when it came to headset quality, his assistant did careful research. He ended up deciding on Fiery Bird's Diting Z Series, hailed online as one of the three top new models on the market. He managed to snatch a pair and sent the headset to Wai immediately.

Half a minute later.

Fay Harmonik was dying to get his hands on his new headset, but he froze when he saw the face of the celebrity endorser on the box.

The joy that the new headset had just drawn out in him had vanished completely.

"Bad luck!"

At that moment, he wanted to smash his new headset.

But he hesitated.

Eventually, he removed the headphones and gave them a listen.

Five minutes later.

Fay Harmonik couldn't bear parting with the headset. Instead, he tossed the packaging into the trash can. What he couldn't see didn't bother him.

Fay Harmonik silently cursed Fang Zhao repeatedly. How come such a quality headset was endorsed by Fang Zhao?

Fang Zhao had no idea that someone was secretly cursing him in a nearby building. After Dina left, he didn't continue with his composing. Instead, he read the parts of his script that hadn't been shot and closed his eyes to meditate.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao had fewer scenes, which was why he had more time to compose.

The next day, after the morning's scenes had been shot, the cast had lunch together, munching on the boxed meals delivered from the canteen.

The younger actors had yet to completely remove themselves from their characters. They were a bit depressed. A few of the veteran actors sitting on the margins tried to liven up the atmosphere. They brought up the entertainment headlines they'd read the last time they'd gone online and speculated which actors would keep dominating the news.

"It's the young ones who are grabbing the headlines."

"We're too old. We can't compete."

One of the veteran actors had a great perspective. "Old geezers like us are frail and ugly. We should just focus on acting and leave the headlines and the limelight to the youngsters."

"What are you talking about? I just turned 100 and I look like I'm in my 70s or 80s. I'm still young. Not long ago, a fan called me an evergreen male icon."

"You can't believe what they say. Fans are biased."

"We're not competing on our looks but on our ability. Last time I was online, my agent told me that quite a few major brands want me to endorse their products. Hahaha, my career has been rejuvenated with youthful vigor!"

"After finishing 'Founding Era,' I'm going to shoot a few commercials and earn some travel money. I'm going to go on vacation and relax properly. I'm too tired!"

The light tone of their conversation was intentional. They wanted to help themselves and the young actors relax.

The veteran actors were more experienced and were tougher mentally, but they were still affected by their characters. They could let go only when they finished all their scenes and steered clear of anything related to the production.

"Fang Zhao, the ad you just did looks decent. My granddaughter managed to snatch a headset you endorsed. I'll have to get you to autograph them when we return to Yanzhou," one of the veteran performers said while looking at Fang Zhao, who was wolfing down his second boxed meal. Secretly, he was full of admiration. What a professional Fang Zhao is.

"No problem," Fang Zhao responded.

Another veteran actor was about to say something, but he was interrupted by someone who yelled Fang Zhao's name from a distance.

"Big Brother Zhao!"

A small figure darted toward the crowd.

The actors smiled when they identified the intruder.

"Xiao Tian, you're not with your dad today?" one of the actors asked.

The visitor was the child actor Lu Aotian, who played a young Wu Yan.

Lu Aotian was not his birth name. His parents had named him Lu Ao. He came from a family of artists that included musicians and actors, so Lu Ao had had a head start. Of course, he was quite talented himself.

He'd made his debut at age 3 in a TV series. His versatile acting had enabled him to turn a supporting role into a leading performance. He'd won his first major acting award when he was 4.

After rising to fame, Lu Ao had felt that he was born to be a leading man. After some online research, he had come up with the stage name Lu Aotian. At age 6 1/2, leveraging his family background and his own talent, he had landed the role of young Wu Yan.

Common sense would suggest that Lu Aotian was closer to Wu Jun and He Lisi. After all, they played the same character at different ages. They shared a lot of common ground.

But in reality, the division of labor was a bit lopsided. Lu Aotian only had a limited number of scenes. There were few important events in Wu Yan's youth, after all, so Lu Aotian had a lighter load.

But Wu Yan's life became more eventful after he came of age. Wu Jun was under a lot of pressure to do a good job portraying Wu Yan in his early adulthood. Sometimes, the director found his performances lacking. He needed a lot of time to adjust, so he had no time to chat with Lu Aotian.

He Lisi was even busier. If Wu Jun was under considerable pressure, then He Lisi faced even more. He had little time to spare for Lu Aotian.

Perhaps because they had enjoyed good camaraderie in season one, Fang Zhao had left a good impression on Lu Aotian. After they had gotten to know each other better, Lu Aotian had begun to look him up for a chat even after the scenes they shared had finished shooting.

The little fella had endured some hardship to portray a young Wu Yan, losing quite a bit of weight. He had stayed away from high-calorie snacks and such for a long period, so what the audiences saw in season one was a malnourished, skinny figure, which was historically accurate.

But after completing those early scenes, the little fella had caught up on all the snacks he had avoided when he losing weight. In a few months, he had been back to his old self.

Lu Aotian had planned on maintaining his figure after completing his scenes as a young Wu Yan so he could become an extra. Random kids appeared in every season. Some simply served as a backdrop. Lu Aotian had badgered the directors to cast him as an extra, but he had been turned down and banned from all units. Most of the kids who served as backdrops were created by CG in post-production. Extras were the exception, not the rule.

Unable to serve as an extra, Lu Aotian had wanted to watch the older actors perform, but that request had also been rejected. Kids weren't mentally as tough as adults. It wasn't a good idea for them to stay malnourished and spend that much time on a stressful set. The negative vibes that the veteran actors gave off when they performed were also a bad influence on kids of Lu Aotian's age.

So Lu Aotian could only visit sets after the day's shooting had been completed.

Lu Aotian's father was an actor. He was shooting next door. His mother was a musician and was a member of the team that was composing and performing the score. He also had a few relatives working on the production who were heavyweights in the industry.

When he heard someone mention his father, Lu Aotian responded, "He doesn't have any scenes today. He's watching a performance at the concert hall. There are quite a few performances today. Quite a few actors who aren't scheduled to film today are there. Do you guys wanna join?"

The concert hall was where the music team was based. It was equipped with rehearsal space and instruments. There were also professional recording studios and performance halls.

Musicians working on the production put on shows there frequently. It was a way for them to interact and exchange ideas. Meanwhile, the on-set psychologists encouraged the actors who were free to attend the performances as a form of relaxation.

"Big Brother Zhao, are you going to check out the shows this afternoon?" Lu Aotian asked.

Fang Zhao looked at Lu Aotian, who was staring at him eagerly, and nodded. "I don't have any scenes this afternoon. I'll head over."

"Then let's go together in a bit! Finish your meal first, Big Brother Zhao. I'll give Director Bai a heads up." Lu Aotian dashed toward the director's office.

One of the veteran actors chuckled. "Fang Zhao, you're quite popular!"

Lu Aotian returned soon. Noticing that Fang Zhao had finished eating, he said, "Big Brother Zhao, let's take a picture together again. I'll post it next time I have internet access."

"Didn't you post one already?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I'll post another one. I don't have any more scenes. If I don't show up, my fans will forget me. This time I'll have to hitch a ride on your popularity, Big Brother Zhao."

Lu Aotian was delighted to get Fang Zhao's OK. Instead of sitting quietly next to Fang Zhao, he climbed Fang Zhao's body as if it were a tree trunk. Using Fang Zhao's hands for support, he sat on Fang Zhao's shoulders.

After taking the picture, Lu Aotian excitedly yelled to the actors who were bystanders, "I sat on the shoulders of a giant again!"

There was a story behind Lu Aotian's comment.

General Wu Yan had said during an interview when he was elderly that the reason he had advanced so far in his career was because he had stood on the shoulders of a giant.

The only surviving photo of a young Wu Yan was a picture he had taken with Fang Zhao. In the photo, the diminutive Wu Yan sat on Fang Zhao's shoulders.

Wu Yan had said in the book that without Fang Zhao, there would have been no him. Wu Yan had been mentored by Fang Zhao.

Away from the set, Lu Aotian, who was fast gaining weight, and an out-of-character Fang Zhao struck a similar pose for pictures.

"I, Lu Aotian, have stood on the shoulders of a giant more than once. I'm bound to have a bright future!" Lu Aotian followed up by asking Fang Zhao, "Don't you agree, Big Brother Zhao?"

"Xiao Tian, you've gained weight again," Fang Zhao said.

That little cub of a child had been eating excessively since giving up on his diet. He was rapidly gaining back the weight he'd lost.

"Rubbish! I haven't been eating much," Lu Aotian said, gazing at his chubby limbs. "I'm just a little chubby. Not to mention that you're a strong man, Big Brother Zhao. I'm just a baby. This is nothing for you!"

Knowing that Fang Zhao could carry him easily, Lu Aotian didn't dismount, instead showing Fang Zhao a bunch of pictures he had taken recently and starting to gossip.

"Big Brother Zhao, did you know they came up with a nickname for the private gym reserved for the prominent actors?"

"What's the nickname?"

"Guess!"

"'Cream of the crop'?"

"No, 'rec center for retired officials'!""Aotian" literally translates as dominant in the skies.

Chapter 313: Troublemaking Hands

Why was it said to be a rec center for retired officials?

Because when it reached the sixth and seventh season, the important characters portrayed in the series were all starting to become old.

Humans' physical constitutions had started to change during those 100 years. It had been a long-term process, not an overnight change. These changes had been more obvious in children born during the Period of Destruction. Other people had been able to see their constitutions change slowly day by day, but they still could not have been compared to people of the Old Era.

Even if the two types of people were both 100 years old, the people that had experienced the Period of Destruction right from the start would seem much older than people of the New Era. The plot for season six and seven roughly touched upon 60-plus and 70-plus years during that period. According to genuine historical video resources, during that time, many of these important historical characters had already been old, and as time passed, these characters would gradually get older. If they were to take into account the Old Era's way of counting age, if the Period of Destruction had not abruptly descended, the majority of this bunch would already have retired. They would really be a bunch of retired officials.

Fang Zhao laughed when he heard this term. He had also wondered what would have happened had the Period of Destruction never occurred. What sort of leisurely life would he have led upon retiring?

Ultimately, his ending had been to die in battle.

"Sure." It was just signing his autograph. Fang Zhao would not decline this sort of trivial matter.

The music center here had been designed by a number of globally renowned architects. The building did not have the bright splendor of buildings of the New Era. Looking at its exterior, it seemed rather unsophisticated. It was as if the architects had used rather pious methods to suit the native topography and blend it together with the rocks, sand, hills, and earth.

Its exterior did seem crude and had an intense native flavor, but stepping in, one would find sophisticated technology all over. There were numerous teams with all sorts of different musical styles concentrated here and over 10 practice studios and concert halls, yet not a single note of a musical instrument could be heard on the first floor.

Stepping in through the main doors of the center, all one could hear was muted discussions. This was the sound of people walking on the first floor and sitting at the rest areas. On the whole, it was rather peaceful.

"Lu Ao!" Lu Aotian's father was carrying a bag, and he took quick strides over from the level-one rest area and exclaimed, "Get down! So old, yet you behave like a two-year-old? Do you still need someone to carry you when walking? How many times have I told you?" After carrying Lu Aotian down from Fang Zhao's shoulder, his father apologetically said to Fang Zhao, "Sorry, little kids are insensitive... Were you like this all the way when coming over from the film area?"

Father Lu looked at Lu Aotian.

Lu Aotian avoided his gaze.

Father Lu's eyebrows furrowed, and he opened his mouth to begin the lecture.

Lu Aotian leaned in to take the bag from his father's hands before he could speak. "Dad, have you brought all the things I asked for?"

Father Lu ignored his question and even blocked his son, raising the bag out of his son's grasp.

"This little rascal just loves giving people trouble. Fang Zhao, are you tired from carrying the little piggy all the way? You can rest for a bit over here. Now, it is the afternoon rest period; performances at the venues have not started yet."

Father Lu pay no attention to Lu Aotian's protest at being called "little piggy," and he brought Fang Zhao to the rest area.

"If I'm a little piggy, Dad, you are a big piggy... My bag! Dad, give me my bag." Lu Aotian picked up his tiny feet and chased after them. "Big Brother Zhao promised to give me his autograph. I won't bother him after he has signed it."

After speaking with Fang Zhao for a bit, Father Lu saw that Fang Zhao really did not seem to mind. Father Lu did not reprimand Lu Aotian as it was a public area, after all, and there were many people nearby. Later on, when they returned home, he would have a little private talk with Lu Aotian. To have the cheek to sit on Fang Zhao's shoulders? Taking a photograph is all right, but walking such a distance and making Fang Zhao carry you? Take a look at your own weight! This little brat needs some sorting out!

"Fang Zhao, if you have no urgent matters to attend to, have something to eat with us while you sign. The refreshments here aren't too bad, and what the performing artists eat here is more exquisite than what actors get over at the large dining hall. The taste might not be on par with the food at the gourmet city, but it definitely wins out in terms of artistic sense. These are the benefits investment firms have given them. However, only the cards here can be swiped, if you wish to eat here. People invited to the music team have the meal card for the music center. I will be using my wife's card."

Father Lu did not seem embarrassed at all and was even a little pleased as he showed off a little. But when he thought about it, Fang Zhao was also a member of the music team and had the meal card too.

"Big Brother Zhao, look, we can do the signing here." To the side, Lu Aotian had finally gotten hold of the bag and had taken out his earpieces, and handed it over to Fang Zhao together with a pen. "There are still two more photographs. For our photo together, you just have to sign here. When I have internet access, I'm going to flaunt your autograph, hehe."

Fang Zhao took the pen, earpiece, and photographs and proceeded to sign them.

Lu Aotian handed over another two photos. "Can you help me sign these two stills too? These are for my grandma and grandad."

After these two, there were another two, then another two, and then yet another two...

Seeing Lu Aotian fishing out photographs two by two, Fang Zhao laughed. "All right, bring out all the remaining ones. I will sign them all in one go." This rascal had too many patterns.

Lu Aotian brought all the photographs and cards in his bag out. Some were for his seniors and some were for his siblings. There was even one for the classmate who sat beside him in class... Altogether, there were more than 50 pieces.

"Hehe." Lu Aotian also felt a little embarrassed and did not know what to say, so he could only smile sheepishly. He had previously lied to Fang Zhao that there were only a few pieces, but in actual fact, the scene before his eyes seemed quite excessive. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed his father's face turning black.

Fang Zhao returned the pen and photograph cards back to Lu Aotian after he was done signing all of them.

"Heh! Thank you, Big Brother Zhao! Feel free to order whatever you want! I can swipe my mom's card too!"

Father Lu pointed to the oval-shaped couch not too far away and said to Lu Aotian, "Lower your voice. If you don't want to eat, go over and sleep."

Lu Aotian saw his father's expression wasn't too good, so he didn't dare to be stubborn. Grudgingly, he moved over to where the couch was, but he did not feel like sleeping and he wanted to keep himself occupied, so he scanned around looking for anything fun. At this moment, he saw a Muzhou actor bringing a dog in, and his eyes glowed.

There were quite a number of actors from Muzhou's filming team that had brought along dogs with them. These dogs were from Muzhou's famed police dog academy, were mature, and could understand a lot of commands.

When the police dog academy was selecting dogs for filming, the dog's appearance, IQ, temperament, and other factors had been taken into consideration before this batch had been selected. Muzhou's actors had also familiarized themselves with the dogs early on and now brought them along wherever they went, fostering a stronger bond so the coordination between man and dog would be even better during filming. There was no explicit rule prohibiting dogs, so whenever those Muzhou actors came, their dogs were at their sides.

Lu Aotian was both afraid of and curious about these dogs that were much larger than him, and he could not help but tease them whenever he saw them. These dogs had received training and were leashed, so even if the dogs were provoked and got mad, they would not chase after Lu Aotian or bite him, as there was a person holding them back.

And because of this, Lu Aotian got bolder. Even if his father had told him many times not to provoke the dogs, he was unable to stop his troublemaking hands.

This time, it was the same. The moment he saw the Muzhou actor bringing the dog over, Lu Aotian scurried over to it.

Father Lu was talking to Fang Zhao about the series as well as discussing other stuff, such as certain code words that people outside the cast and crew did not know. Any industry outsiders would not understand anything even if they heard, but insiders who had a few years in the industry would know right away.

Lu Aotian could be said to still be young and ignorant in the cast, so as his father, Father Lu had to take responsibility and remember and repay the help that others rendered to his son. To have been able to survive in the entertainment industry for so long, Father Lu also had his own methods. Although he was only considered a reputable actor in the showbiz circles, among netizens, he was considered quite the popular star. However, the cast of "Founding Era" had no lack of popular superstars, so with his background and contacts, he would not put on the airs of a senior when talking to a promising newcomer Fang Zhao.

Of course, when speaking to Fang Zhao, Father Lu also paid some attention to Lu Aotian. Noticing the little rascal provoking a dog again, he started to fume inside.

The actor from Muzhou had not been too familiar with Father Lu in the past, but because everyone had friends and relatives over here at the music center and frequently came over for meals, over time, they had gotten to know each other and would exchange some words when they ran into each other.

Thus, when Father Lu saw the Muzhou actor looking over, he made some hand gestures toward the other party.

Lu Aotian, this little brat, deserved to be taught a lesson he would remember.

At the moment, the unknowing Lu Aotian was staring at the obediently seated dog. In his hands, he held a straw for drinking fruit juice.

The average size of a Muzhou dog was very big so that, in the serial, more people would see how awe-inspiring Muzhou dogs were. Back in the police dog academy, the dogs that had been selected were especially impressive. Even when seated, the dog was taller than Lu Aotian by two heads.

The large dog noticed Lu Aotian when he started walking over and stared at him warily. It knew that this rascal provoked him every single time, and when Lu Aotian got close, some impatient growls formed in the dog's throat.

Lu Aotian closed the distance and nervously extended his hands, using the straw to poke the large dog lightly.

The large dog growled and suddenly got up and rushed two steps over to Lu Aotian. As this was the length of the leash, it generally did this to scare people only and would not struggle against the leash restraining him.

Lu Aotian had also been scared by this method a few times. After a while, he had stopped being afraid anymore, and he experiencedly took a few steps back till he was just out of reach of the dog.

Then.

Thud.

Boy and dog both turned to look at the leash, and they saw the leash handle had fallen on the ground.

Lu Aotian: "..." Turn around, run!

The large dog looked at the leash on the ground, then raised its head to look at that Muzhou actor. Seeing the actor gesture, the dog chased after Lu Aotian.

Lu Aotian looked over his shoulder and saw the large dog catching up. Scared sh*tless, he shrieked and ran in the direction of his father.

How fast could those short legs of Lu Aotian's carry him? The large dog was closing in, but it actually was not even using its full strength. Everyone around witnessing the scene knew it was teasing the child.

Father Lu got up and walked over, spreading his arms preparing to catch his son while thinking to himself, Learned your lesson this time?

Who knew that Lu Aotian would change direction, bypassing his father and running over to Fang Zhao before expertly clambering up Fang Zhao's shoulders.

Father Lu: "..."

The large dog stopped about five steps away and twitched its nose while staring at Fang Zhao suspiciously. It took a step closer and sniffed, wary and curious. Following that, it warily turned its head toward the Muzhou actor and gave two low growls.

Black faced, Father Lu went over and picked Lu Aotian up from Fang Zhao's shoulders and smacked him on the butt. "Let's see if you still dare to provoke dogs in future!"

The Muzhou actor came over and picked up the leash before telling Lu Aotian while laughing, "Little friend, don't do this next time. If a dog isn't leashed, you might be bitten."

"Did you hear that?" Father Lu softly chided his son.

The Muzhou noticed his dog sniffing the air from time to time while taking a step closer to Fang Zhao.

"This dog is really well trained," Fang Zhao said.

Hearing praise for the dog from his own continent, the Muzhou actor was also pleased. "Of course. Our Muzhou dogs are all very smart. Besides, he even came from Muzhou's police dog academy. This is the cream of the crop. If you want to own a dog..."

The Muzhou actor paused midway through his sentence. When he had first learned of Fang Zhao, it had not been because of Fang Zhao's composing status. Nor had it been his because of his acting. It had been because of Fang Zhao's dog, which had caused waves in Muzhou.

Thus, the Muzhou's actor changed his tune. "Your curly-haired dog is rather well trained too. Why didn't you bring him over?"

Fang Zhao replied. "He still has an assignment."

That Muzhou actor flashed a knowing smile. He guessed that Fang Zhao had surely had Curly Hair film some commercials or TV series for money. After all, that dog's value in the global charts was right at the front. People from other continents just loved these sort of things. But at the same time, inwardly, he felt a little disdain. He just could not stand it when people from other continents treated dogs as tools to earn money.

Regardless of what he thought, that Muzhou actor did not show it on his face. He just laughed heartily. After exchanging some words with Fang Zhao and Father Lu, he left together with the dog. Just as they were leaving, that large dog raised its head to look at Fang Zhao suspiciously and sniffed before releasing a low growl.

If its specialist trainer was here, the trainer would surely have known what it was trying to say: there is the scent of a dog on Fang Zhao!

Every few days, Fang Zhao would head to the base to visit Curly Hair. Even if he changed and washed his clothing every day unless Fang Zhao specifically tried to remove the smell, a tiny bit of Curly Hair's smell would always linger.

But that Muzhou actor did not know this and just thought the large dog was still angry with Lu Aotian. As for Curly Hair, who the Muzhou actor assumed had been left on Earth to make money, he was actually over at the Wai base working overtime.

Fang Zhao did not stick around. After talking with Father Lu, he headed over to the concert halls. He would first look at the list of each hall's performances before deciding which one to attend.

After Fang Zhao left, Father Lu brought Lu Aotian with him to apologize to everyone seated in the first-floor lounge and to treat them to a cup of tea. It wasn't anything expensive, just manners. There had been a bit of a commotion and some people had frowned. The Lu's could not treat it as if nothing had happened, and Father Lu used this as a pretext so that Lu Aotian would not create a ruckus or do things like provoke dogs in future.

After the rounds, Father Lu decided to bring Lu Aotian to watch a performance.

"Why are you dawdling? Hurry up," Father Lu urged as he saw Lu Aotian walking sluggishly.

"My legs have gone soft." Lu Aotian had been scared by the dog, and strength had not fully returned to his legs. When Lu Aotian had gone one round with his father to apologize, he had beared with it and not uttered a word. But now he could bear it no longer.

"You and your troublemaking. Let's see whether you dare to provoke dogs anymore!" Father Lu went over and picked Lu Aotian up. He had no way of being like Fang Zhao and supporting this little fatty on his shoulders, so he could only let Lu Aotian ride on his neck.

"Why did you run over to Fang Zhao when there was a problem?" Father Lu still took offense to that incident.

"I feel that Big Brother Zhao gives me a greater sense of security," Lu Aotian replied.

"Sense of security my foot... You better know who is your daddy!"

"Of course I know," Lu Aotian said seriously. "Don't worry, I will surely provide for you when you retire!"

"...In your dreams! Your daddy is still young." Father Lu, who was in the prime of his life, simply did not want to think about retiring. He decided to put this little rascal in order when they returned home today.

Chapter 314: That Is My Wife

Fang Zhao did not follow the father and son pair. The hall they were going to had a soothing musical style, whereas the place Fang Zhao was headed to had a different musical style.

When actors from the cast came over, they would pick a style or genre of music that suited their preferences. If they wished to relax, they would head to the soothing music hall. If they wished to gain inspiration or find their form, they could choose to head to other venues.

The majority of people in the music center were from the music circles, and in this place that was isolated from the external world, the rules within the circles were even more obvious.

A few young singers who had been popular online back in the past were very content here.

It had nothing to do with being suppressed or crowded out.

Separated from the internet and public opinion and away from the fans, in these circles, how high one stood and how many artistic achievements one had were clear for everyone to see.

Many faces that people in the outside world were unfamiliar with actually had high standing in the music circles, and some people who had once stirred up and generated buzz outside pretended to be quails when they returned to these circles.

Today, in the afternoon, five concert halls had scheduled performances. In theory, these were performances, but in actual fact, these were actually an exchange between individuals or teams. After Fang Zhao looked through the list, he chose a venue.

Stepping into the venue, Fang Zhao heard a person shouting to him from a short distance away. "Fang Zhao? Come over, there are seats here."

The person who had spoken was Qiao Tingzheng, a veteran actor that originated from Yanzhou. However, he had not signed with any managing company and had chosen to start his own studio to develop on a global scale. Most of Qiao Tingzheng's roles were as a villain, so people called him a specialist villain.

Qian Tingzheng had a villainous face. He wasn't ugly and could be considered attractive, but he did not seem particularly upright. With his acting abilities, portraying a righteous character was possible, but when he was acting as a villain, his portrayal of a crafty and sinister character left a deep impact in people's hearts.

In the words of netizens, Qiao Tingzheng was the total opposite of his name. Those roles he played... generally speaking, were not good people. Directors just loved to seek him out to portray these sorts of roles.

Because he frequently acted as a villain, he did not have as much support or as many fans compared to others, but he still had a rather high level of recognition. On a global scale, even if people did not know Qiao Tingzheng's name, they could remember his face and his temperament that was so suitable for a villain.

Qiao Tingzheng was helpless too. Who could he blame for looking like this?

Anyone who had read a history book knew that Zong Qian had been ice cold and ruthless, his methods unyielding and bloody. He was a true bad guy in Yanzhou's history.

During the Period of Destruction, besides fighting against the elements, there had also been fighting amongst people.

Because he had been immersed in his character, actor Qiao Tingzheng seemed even colder than before. Especially when he wore an icy gaze along on his stiff face, which made people shudder as if an anaconda was staring fixedly at one's back. Little kids were especially frightened of him, and even Lu Aotian, who loved to play crazy, stayed far away from Qian Tingzheng every time.

In the show, Wu Yan had some doubts about Zong Qian. In history, as a child, Wu Yan had nearly died as a result of Zong Qian and had personally witnessed Zong Qian murdering others.

Outside of filming, Lu Aotian and Wu Yun, who portrayed Wu Yan in the series, were unable to keep their composure when they came face to face with Qiao Tingzheng. After all, they were still young and could not remain calm under that stern gaze without any hint of emotion. Among the three actors that played Wu Yan, only He Lisi could resist him.

Naturally, being able to have such a result was a testament to Qiao Tingzheng's acting chops.

Qiao Tingzheng was smiling as he greeted Fang Zhao. He had already received his bento box toward the end of the filming of season six. Now that filming for season seven was already underway, there was no need for him to be immersed in his character. However, there were still some hints that he had not completely shed his character. His gaze when he looked at other people still seemed quite cold.

Thus, when people saw Qian Tingzheng smiling, they could not help but shudder and think to themselves, How can a smile be so terrifying?

Qiao Tingzheng did not care what others thought. In the show, Fang Zhao had trampled over him to ascend, but outside of the show, Qiao Tingzheng did not give Fang Zhao any attitude. Qiao Tingzheng instead greeted Fang Zhao warmly and invited him to watch the performance together.

There were actually many actors that came over to the music center. As "Founding Era" progressed to the later stages, there were even more people receiving bento boxes. Now that they had much more free time and were unwilling to leave the cast and crew, when these people had nothing to do, they would head over to listen to performances, interact with actors from every continent, and expand their contacts.

There were many people interacting with Qiao Tingzheng, but very few were willing to sit beside him to watch a performance, so at the moment, the two seats beside him were empty.

Fang Zhao did not reject the invitation. He walked over to sit with Qiao Tingzheng.

Qiao Tingzheng was very pleased with Fang Zhao's choice to come to this music hall. "You definitely won't regret coming here. These are all amazing singers all right at the top. Perhaps they might not have much fame online, but in the music circles, these are the ones." Qiao Tingzheng stuck up a thumb. "Oh right, I heard from someone that you brought that little fella Lu Aotian along?" Qiao Tingzheng asked.

"Mhmm, I handed him over to his father already," Fang Zhao replied.

Qiao Tingzheng scoffed. "Tsk, that little fella might be young, but he has many tricks up his sleeve, and he can be very determined. Otherwise, how was that kid able to snatch the role of child Wu Yan when there were so many people who had stronger family backgrounds and more awards? Perhaps one other reason is that he was determined to adjust himself, to be exactly like the role he would be portraying, ultimately causing the director and the Committee of 100 to select him."

Fang Zhao nodded. "How can he stand out if he doesn't strive his hardest?"

Noticing that Fang Zhao was not surprised, Qiao Tingzheng laughed. "Seems like I was overthinking." He had been worried that Fang Zhao would be deceived by Lu Aotian's innocent appearance. He had never expected Fang Zhao to have seen through it all along.

After a bit, Qiao Tingzheng suddenly asked, "I heard that many actors from Yanzhou have sought you out to discuss their roles? I also heard from my friend that you are a member of Yanzhou's historical consultant team and have a profound understanding of Yanzhou's history."

"I do know a little, but I don't think it can be considered that profound." Fang Zhao waited for what was to follow.

"Then, what sort of person do you think Zong Qian was?" Qiao Tingzheng asked.

Zong Qian had risen to prominence before fading during the Period of Destruction. For an ordinary person, he had become resplendent before perishing. In the long history, he had blossomed for a short period yet brought about countless shocks.

Zong Qian had once had the conviction of the people of Yanzhou, had numerous fanatical followers, and been in a position of power. During that period of despair, he had led survivors from that corner of the continent out of hell, yet because of his stubbornness, he'd led his people into another abyss.

There were no people from that period that had been soft. Leaders had had even more methods at their disposal, but Fang Zhao had never been as extreme as Zong Qian.

"Zong Qian was..." Fang Zhao was staring out into nothing in particular, yet he seemed like he was focusing on something in the nothingness. "He was a savior who walked the wrong path."

Qiao Tingzhen heard what Fang Zhao said and appeared astonished before looking down and falling into a short silence. Following that, he laughed heartily, a bright blaze in his eyes. "Exactly!"

The character's personality was made up. Outside of filming, a person would naturally be willing to put himself in the shoes of the character he played so as to reflect on it.

Qiao Tingzheng was the same.

A person immersed deeply in their character would have a sort of sentiment that nobody else could understand. Although Zong Qian was definitely a villain in Yanzhou historical books and received a lot of hate, when Qiao Tingzhen was playing the role and was immersed in the character, he seemed to have experienced the glories and downfalls of Zong Qian's life.

Qiao Tingzhen sighed softly. "A savior, ah..."

He had asked many people about their views on the historical character Zong Qian. However, either the villain label was slapped on right away or people spoke nonsense on account of his seniority in the showbiz circles. Zong Qian had never been allowed into the Cemetery of Martyrs and was criticized by future generations. In the eyes of people now, he was indeed a failure.

Fang Zhao's evaluation was the first time Qiao Tingzhen had heard someone speak of Zong Qian this way, and they were also the most satisfying words he had heard.

He had never expected this line to come from Fang Zhao. In the series, the two characters they portrayed were two opposing factions from the start till end.

Afterward, Qiao Tingzhen did not make any sounds. The performance was about to start, and the voices of people in the venue gradually faded away.

Undertones of a symphony epic were blended with a popular music style. Singing it well was a tough ask, but Windsor was a senior in the music circles and could sing many styles, such as classical, pop, rock 'n' roll, and opera, and she sang them very well indeed. From this song performance, one could recognize Windsor's skillful singing abilities.

Music was something mystical. People could find peace through music, and they gain strength through it too.

The music had some strange charm and sorrow to it, yet it did not lack depth and was quite vast.

Even though there were no corpses and there was no smoke, one could seemingly smell blood in the wind.

It was as if with the gathering of night, evil bloomed like flowers, brilliant and beautiful, numerous and vigorous, before ultimately withering away.

This song suited the darker theme of season six rather well. As Fang Zhao listened to it, he felt as if this song had been written for Zong Qian.

The moment the song ended, the venue erupted into applause.

Qiao Tingzhen, who was seated beside Fang Zhao, was especially excited and sprang up from his seat. Any coldness or sinister traits from his villainous aura vanished completely. It was as if his IQ had plummeted to zero as he giggled like a kid, slapping his palms together as if he wasn't afraid of pain. He appeared very pleased, and he tilted his head toward Fang Zhao and exclaimed loudly, "The one who just sang the song, Windsor! A singing goddess! My wife!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

Fang Zhao: "..."

Qian Tingzhen continued to clap vigorously. "My wife specifically composed it for the role I played. It is also a commemoration for my curtain call!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

As if he had suddenly remembered something, Qiao Tingzheng said, "I nearly forgot, you don't have a wife, so you wouldn't understand how I feel!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

That pricked his heart.

Qiao Tingzheng continued, "Oh, right, the one you are portraying also seemed to be all alone till he perished in battle."

Fang Zhao: "..."

That pricked his heart really ruthlessly.the zheng in Qiao Tingzheng is the chinese character for upright

Chapter 315: You Are?

This time, Fang Zhao saw another side of Qiao Tingzhen.

At today's performance, Windsor had sung three songs. Every time a song ended, Qiao Tingzhen was especially excited, but whenever it was another's turn to sing, he returned to his cool demeanor.

That afternoon, the performers were veterans of the music circles, and they each had their own style. Fang Zhao noticed someone else, not one of the performers on stage but a member of the audience seated right at the edge of the front row. If not for the fact that after every singer completed their song, they faced this person and bowed lightly, it would have been rather difficult to notice this person.

Mo Lang, a composing and arrangement great master, was 150-plus years old and an old senior. In the music industry, he was known as "Divine Hand Mo Lang" and was a genius from the same period as Xue Jing. He had even achieved the Galaxy World Award that Xue Jing had yet to achieve. In terms of artistic accomplishments, works, and contributions, he was a person standing at the apex, someone few people could compare to.

At the same time, Mo Lang was the chief appraiser of the music team and had significant authority.

Mo Lang wasn't as amiable as Xue Jing; he seemed sterner. He did not speak or laugh much. There was only the arts in the eyes of this old man. When this old mister was looking at people, it seemed like his mind was full of musical notes.

After the performance ended in the afternoon, people in the venue started to leave in succession. Venerable Mo did stay behind, instead making his way to the exit. Naturally, everyone made a path for him. The old mister was advanced in age, so bumping into him would not be good. Furthermore, because of Venerable Mo's superior status, actors that frequently came here to watch performances recognized him and treated him with respect.

In the entire cast and crew, there were not many people over a hundred years of age. Those over 150 could be counted with the fingers on one hand. Fortunately, he could still be considered rather healthy for his age. Venerable Mo spent all his time in the music center and did not have to bother about anything but composing. This was the special privilege he had.

Fang Zhao returned the greetings. When he saw Mo Lang approaching, Fang Zhao stepped aside. Qiao Tingzheng did the same as well, letting Mr. Mo pass.

"That is Great Master Mo Lang, you should probably know him too. From time to time, the old mister visits each music hall and listens to performances, but he rarely smiles. Recently, it is even rarer to see him smile. I have seen him thrice, and he was frowning all three times and did not acknowledge anyone. I have no idea what is going through his mind, but I have heard others say that the old mister is plotting a big move." After watching the performances, Qiao Tingzhen was much more energetic, and he was speaking a lot more.

Fang Zhao knew what Qiao Tingzheng was talking about. He had heard that Venerable Mo had received an important task to compose a tune that was over 10 minutes long. This tune was supposed to be the ending theme of the "Founding Era" series.

Creating a tune over 10 minutes was not hard, but to compose an exceptional piece was no easy task. The tune had to ensure that listeners did not find it tiring or lengthy. It was no wonder the production team had passed this task to this renowned music master.

Looking at Venerable Mo's demeanor, he was most likely mulling over this piece.

"In the short space of 10 days, I have appeared in front of the old master three times, but believe me, even if I'm standing right in front of him, he still doesn't recognize me." In front of Venerable Mo, that villainous face of Qiao Tingzheng's had no effect.

Fang Zhao nodded. "I heard that there are no people in the old mister's eyes, only musical notes."

The two spoke softly and decided to wait for Mo Lang to pass before heading out. Unexpectedly, Mo Lang abruptly stopped as he was passing them.

Mo Lang looked over, his gaze scanning from top to bottom as he asked Fang Zhao skeptically, "You are?"

"Hello, Venerable Mo, I am Fang Zhao, a graduate of the Yanzhou Academy of Music. I am also part of the music team," Fang Zhao replied.

Mo Lang's two eyebrows rose up. "The little fella that composed the four-movement '100-Year Period of Destruction' series?"

"Little fella..." Fang Zhao paused, then nodded. "That's me."

"I remember you! I listened to the '100-Year Period of Destruction' series and have seen your information. I just didn't get the chance to meet you here before. "

At the side, Qiao Tingzhen stared in disbelief at Mo Lang, then glanced at Fang Zhao. He knew that Fang Zhao had had more success in the music circles than the showbiz circles, but he had never expected Venerable Mo, a person who did not remember faces or care about worldly affairs, to actually know Fang Zhao. He had never heard of the old man following the serial.

Qiao Tingzheng did not understand the Yanzhou music circles and wasn't sure what Venerable Mo meant by the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series. He only had a faint recollection that he had heard that name somewhere before.

Mo Lang did not continue asking why Fang Zhao rarely appeared at the music center. He instead asked, "The four movements of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' series are really decent. Those are some mature techniques. Do you have any works this time around?"

"Yes, I am preparing a piece for one episode in season nine," Fang Zhao replied.

Mo Lang frowned. Just one episode?

However, when he remembered Fang Zhao's age and experience, the frown vanished. "Send it directly to me when it is complete."

When he finished, Mo Lang's gaze turned to Qiao Tingzheng at Fang Zhao's side and asked, "And who are you?"

"Venerable Mo, I am Qiao Tingzheng. My wife is Windsor," Qiao Tingzheng answered respectfully.

"Mhmm." Mo Lang nodded his head solemnly and turned to leave.

Qiao Tingzhen shed a tear in his heart. It wasn't easy, but at least Venerable Mo had remembered him because of his wife and had even added a half-hearted "Mmhm."

Mo Lang did not talk to anyone else, nor did he even give anyone else a look. As he left, he once again immersed himself in his own world.

Regarding this, everyone was already used to it. When one achieved the status that Mo Lang had, there was no need to bother about anything else.

However, the many people in the venue gave Fang Zhao curious looks.

"Fang Zhao, what relationship do you have with Venerable Mo?" someone asked.

"No relationship whatsoever. This is my first time speaking to him," Fang Zhao replied.

However, many people did not believe him.

Who was he trying to kid? If they had no relationship, why had Mo Lang asked Fang Zhao to send his completed piece straight to the old master?

There were some people who inwardly decided to speak about this matter to their friends in the music circles to see if they were able to get any information. After all, it was too difficult to get Mo Lang to remember a person. Without sufficient artistic accomplishments, there was simply no way to leave a lasting impression on Mo Lang.

After exiting the music hall, Fang Zhao parted ways with Qiao Tingzhen. Fang Zhao was going to call on a few seniors, and Qiao Tingzheng was headed to look for his wife.

By the time Fang Zhao left the music center, it was already night. He had his dinner in the small dining hall in the music hall and returned back to continue working on his piece.

Afterward, during his free time in between filming, Fang Zhao spent the majority of it composing.

Actually, Fang Zhao did not know why Mo Lang wanted him to send his work straight to the old master after their first encounter either. According to normal procedures, it would probably go through one or two audits before the piece would appear on Mo Lang's desk.

But hearing Mo Lang mention the four movements of "100-Year Period of Destruction," Fang Zhao guessed that Mo Lang had probably given him a shortcut on account of the series. Perhaps he thought highly of Fang Zhao's composing abilities, or maybe he wanted to seek inspiration from Fang Zhao's piece.

However, all that was secondary. Mo Lang would not accommodate someone's work just because of a good relationship. Furthermore, he had no relationship whatsoever with Fang Zhao and had only asked Fang Zhao to send his completed work straight to him. He had never promised to select Fang Zhao's piece. What Fang Zhao needed to do now was compose.

As the days passed, season five was completed and season six started to air.

In the series, the dark days had still not passed. On the contrary, because of the infighting between humans, the show had taken on a darker turn, and the list of names of those that perished in battle was increasing.

During the closing theme, audiences were used to seeing the rolling words and the list of the names of fallen martyrs and said martyrs' grave numbers. After that, they would notice the composer and performer of the closing theme.

A distant sounding voice combined seamlessly with stunning and aesthetic electronic tones. An epic symphony laid the foundation alongside a harmonic background choir. Some skillful singing reaching high notes brought about an intense sentiment.

A certain film forum in Yanzhou.

"That voice sounds a little familiar."

"I don't even need to look at the words. I can tell right away that it is Windsor just from listening to it!"

"If I had such a voice, I wouldn't even need to go to school! There wouldn't be any need for exams! Or homework!"

"Students nowadays might not know Windsor well. Let me tell everyone more..."

The topics on the forum went from discussing season six's plotline to focusing on Qiao Tingzhen, who played the big baddie Zong Qian, his wife, the singing goddess Windsor, and their gossip.

"I just went to check out Qiao Tingzhen's social platform. Indeed, out of nine photographs he posted, eight of them are photographs of Windsor, and the remaining one is a shot of the two together."

"Qiao Tingzhen? Hahaha, that crazy wife flaunter has started to flaunt his wife again? Season six's ending theme was sung by Windsor, so he will surely boast a bunch."

"According to the course of history, season six is where Zong Qian gets crushed by Fang Zhao and his part in history ends. Surely Qiao Tingzhen has finished filming all his scenes in the series already. That guy has been very active recently. He updates quite a few statuses every time he has internet access."

A certain adorer of Zong Qian's said, "What? Wait a minute! Zong Qian gets crushed by Fang Zhao? He receives a bento box this season? How can that be! He is such an awesome person! I really love this character!"

"One look at the person above me and I know right away that he isn't from Yanzhou."

Zong Qian's adorer justified himself. "Zong Qian had so much strength. If he had been given another five years—no, three years would have been enough. By that time if he had come up against Fang Zhao, it's uncertain who the victor would have been."

"That was why Old Fang crushed him in advance and did not give him the opportunity to continue developing!" This was a die-hard Fang Zhao fan.

"Objectively speaking, if it had been Zong Qian that had crushed Fang Zhao all those years ago, he might really have become Yanzhou's savior. During that time, Wu Yan had still not been capable of standing up to him. If he had really won, he would have probably reclaimed the entirety of Yanzhou. However, Yanzhou would not be named Yanzhou but, rather, Qianzhou, and the entire continent's style would be different. Probably colder and merciless, and more likely to find problems. And there would have been many more sacrifices. Under those tough, bloody, and cold methods, survivors would have been just like slaves, becoming the unfeeling knives in his hands, or they could only stand up and revolt."

"Whoa, history is just so complicated."

"Qiao Tingzhen just updated a new status. He actually said that Zong Qian was a savior!"

This bunch that were currently stirred up all rushed over to check it out.

——

Actor Qiao Tingzheng: "Zong Qian, a savior that took the wrong path [Image]."

——

The accompanying image was a still taken from the series. In the distance, Zong Qian's could be seen from behind, and behind Zong Qian's back, one side was filled with corpses of all sorts of mutated beasts and the other was packed with countless human bodies.

"There is such a saying?"

"Zong Qian was an extreme and unfeeling lunatic."

"Savior? Zong Qian? Far from it!"

"Actually it isn't far. Only Fang Zhao stood between the two."

"So the question returns, or maybe just a hypothesis. If there was no Fang Zhao, Zong Qian might really have become the overlord of Yanzhou. No, I should say the overlord of Qianzhou!"

"Still impossible. The leaders of the other 10 continents would not have let such a dangerous person like Zong Qian exist."

"How is it impossible? Wasn't Great General Lu Xi of Xizhou renowned for being cold and strict? Perhaps he and Zong Qian could understand each other and join hands to take on the others."

"Hahaha! Make sure you study your history well before coming over to discuss historical questions! You people should go read up on which of the historical leaders during that time had the best relationship with Xizhou's big boss!"

"Cough, butting in, I'm from Xizhou and my specialty is history. Us people that studied the Period of Destruction history all know that Great General Lu Xi and Yanzhou's Fang Zhao shared a secret."

Thus, the direction of the forum changed once more, and discussions began on the exact nature of the unspeakable secret the big boss of Xizhou and Old Fang of Yanzhou had shared.

Elsewhere, a battle was also raging on Qiao Tingzheng's social platform profile.

Many people were displeased with the "savior" used in Qiao Tingzheng's status and felt that Qiao Tingzheng was trying to make enemies with the people of Yanzhou.

"Perhaps you are so addicted to portraying villains that you have started being a traitor to society and humankind?"

"I just knew it. One look and I could tell he wasn't a good person!"

"If Zong Qian is a savior, then what is Fang Zhao? And what sort of status would Wu Yan have had!?"

"We don't have to waste our breath, Qiao Tingzheng stopped being a Yanzhou citizen a long time ago."

"Teacher Qiao, have you asked Fang Zhao about this?!"

...

Far away in one of planet Wai's music hall, Qiao Tingzheng received an urgent long-distance call from his manager.

"Brother Qiao, have you seen the opinions online?" his manager asked.

"I have seen them, but my words aren't wrong. If Zong Qian had not walked the wrong path, he would have had much greater achievements. Furthermore, over 10 city districts in Yanzhou's west region were reclaimed by Zong Qian. Without Zong Qian, during the Period of Destruction, the survivors of those 10-some districts in western Yanzhou would have suffered at least 60% losses! All of this is according to history! Since we are talking about actual history, Zong Qian did play a part and his accomplishments cannot go unnoticed. Besides, these words were said by Fang Zhao himself!"

"Don't get emotional! Calm down, I didn't say that you are wrong, I'm just saying that the timing of your status was inappropriate. It just so happens that your old rivals have hired people to flame you. The matter will be settled, don't worry. I just want to remind you that you have not completely shed the character. Before you head online to update a status, remember to stay calm. Weren't you rather refined in the past? Those entertainment media outlets were just lying in wait to cause trouble."

"All right. I didn't consider it thoroughly beforehand. Let me post another status to explain." After the call, Qiao Tingzhen prepared to justify himself and keyed in, "I asked, these words were said by Fang Zhao himself!"

When he had typed it in, he clicked post... Posting failed.

Looking at the time, the two hours of internet access were up and the entire area lost its internet connection.

Qiao Tingzheng: "..."

Luckily, he had already explained to his manager. His manager would surely settle it. Qiao Tingzheng relaxed and tossed his communications device aside and went to accompany his wife for a meal.

Indeed, everything went according to what Qiao Tingzheng had expected. His manager guessed that the internet connection had been cut off for the cast and crew, so he logged into Qiao Tingzheng's account and composed a similar status and sent it, telling everyone that those words had been said by Fang Zhao himself. He also got some stuff to search for some historical records, proving that Zong Qian had indeed saved many people in the past, just that his merits had been overshadowed by his much greater misdeeds.

Battlefields were everywhere. There were just too many in the entertainment circles. Many people loved to stir things up out of nothing. Those in this industry were already used to it. Besides, after this matter was settled, it would benefit Qiao Tingzheng more. As long as historical evidence was laid out to direct the audience's thoughts, that would be enough. This could still be used as a pretext to let Qiao Tingzheng leave a deeper impression and make a little counter attack.

Qiao Tingzheng's manager rolled up his sleeves to do battle. Leading the staff of the studio, he got them to strike back at those making shady moves on the sly.

However, very quickly, a new problem arose.

"Fang Zhao really said those words?" a netizen asked.

"When I see them talking about it, why do I get even more muddled? Exactly which Fang Zhao are you people talking about? Which Fang Zhao is Qiao Tingzheng talking about? Which Fang Zhao actually said this?"

"Yeah, which Fang Zhao? I wanted to ask the same question. Is it the Fang Zhao in the show or the Fang Zhao outside the show?"

Which Fang Zhao?

Qiao Tingzheng's manager's face was blank.

How would I know which Fang Zhao said it!

The cast and crew on planet Wai had no internet access, so he had no way of asking.

Oh my, how problematic! Being a manager is really not easy!

Chapter 316: He Really Composed This Himself?

No matter how the online controversy unfolded or what kind of stories the entertainment journalists who couldn't stay idle made up, Fang Zhao had no time to pay heed. As shooting progressed and the number of scenes involving Wu Yan increased, Fang Zhao's screen time decreased, which gave him more time to compose.

The cast and crew also noticed that Fang Zhao was spending less time on set. With the passage of time, people missed the good ol' days. In the absence of the voracious eater Fang Zhao, everyone began to eat more slowly, at the pace of taking medication. Everyone's rice intake declined.

So whenever he could, the director kept Fang Zhao on set to eat with the rest of the cast.

Fang Zhao had raced through two boxed meals and started his third by the time most of the others were halfway through their first.

When Fang Zhao finished his third box, a smiling Director Bai handed him another. "We've got plenty. Another one?"

The canteen always sent over extra boxed meals. The untouched ones were returned.

Director Bai was actually kidding. Lo and behold, Fang Zhao gauged the fourth box and nodded. "Thanks!"

Director Bai and the other actors glared at Fang Zhao as he accepted the fourth boxed meal and attacked it with a vengeance.

Fang Zhao raced through the fourth box. Director Bai scanned the pile of fresh boxed meals, grabbed another, and handed it to Fang Zhao. "Another?"

Fang Zhao hesitated. "Thanks, but I'm good."

The rest of the cast: "..." Uh, why did you hesitate?

Director Bai returned the box, his eyes oozing curiosity. "Uhm, how come your appetite has increased even though you have significantly fewer scenes?"

Another actor said, "It's good to be young. I bet he expended the energy from his first boxed meal before he finished the second. You get hungry easily at his age."

The other folks secretly disagreed. Fang Zhao had casually downed four boxes and looked like he could wolf down a fifth. This was a bit scary. There were other young actors in the cast. They could eat at most two or three boxes. The stunt doubles, for example.

A thought popped into Director Bai's head and he asked Fang Zhao earnestly, "Are you under a lot of pressure?"

Fang Zhao paused before nodding. "A little bit."

The acting part was OK, but composing was a bit stressful. Being able to submit his piece directly to Mo Lang was both a great opportunity and a test at the same time. If he followed normal protocol, he would be subject to at least two rounds of prescreening, but going straight to Venerable Mo, given his personality, meant either being accepted or rejected in one go. There was no room for condolences.

Fang Zhao would be lying if he said he didn't feel any pressure, although he wasn't as mindful of the final outcome as others. Fang Zhao had already decided that if his new piece was turned down by Mo Lang, he would announce it to the world by playing it at his next concert. Now his focus was on doing the best job he could on the piece.

But others interpreted Fang Zhao's response as a tacit admission that he was under a huge amount of pressure.

Director Bai was worried, but excessive pressure was common on set. Only the odd one out didn't feel any pressure. He tapped Fang Zhao on the shoulder and sighed. "It hasn't been easy for you."

It wasn't easy at all for a young actor to carry such a substantial role. The good thing was that Fang Zhao had done a good job. The online reviews were overwhelmingly positive. With shooting on season nine due to start soon, Fang Zhao was bound to be feeling the pressure. It was the same for all the cast members. They felt increasingly restless as their death scenes approached.

Director Bai also knew that Fang Zhao frequented the concert hall. He didn't think much of it. He figured that Fang Zhao attended the shows as relaxation. The directors were busy shooting every day. They didn't have time to concern themselves with other matters, so naturally they didn't know that Fang Zhao spent most of his time away from the set, composing.

That evening.

Fang Zhao was holed up in his dorm room, completing the final revisions to his new piece. The only sound in the room was the rustle of pencil on paper.

After penning the final note, he was thoroughly exhausted.

Extremely.

Exhausted.

More tired than he had been after days of nonstop shooting.

Fang Zhao gazed blankly at the paper notebook in his hands for some time, then smiled. "This is it."

The piece was bound to be questioned if it was released. This was not the kind of work that a composer in his 20s typically wrote, but Fang Zhao had geared himself up for the possible criticism at the outset.

He turned off the air conditioning in his room, walked toward his window, and opened it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the cold, dry, dust-infested air.

The dusty air penetrated his naval cavity and entered his lungs.

The crappy weather conditions on set, regardless of time of day, bothered most people, but at this moment, Fang Zhao felt completely at peace.

As if the wind had cured his exhaustion.

He felt relaxed, free of yet another incredible burden.

After enjoying the dusty breeze briefly, Fang Zhao returned to his desk and pulled out a fresh music sheet and a pen from the drawer. He copied his new piece onto the fresh sheet.

The music sheet, the pen, and the envelope for submissions were all custom-made for the music team of "Founding Era." They were water- and fireproof.

The team accepted only handwritten submissions. They didn't take electronic files.

After Fang Zhao was done, he placed the music sheet in the envelope and sealed it with a paper strip that came with the package.

The seal was electronically coded. Once it was affixed, only the members of the music team who judged submissions could break it. The strip logged the identity of the person who broke the seal and when it was broken.

Fang Zhao didn't have any scenes scheduled for the next day.

He went for a jog in the morning, showered, changed, and jumped on a bus bound for the concert hall, carrying a backpack containing his submission.

Some of the musicians on the bus were surprised to see Fang Zhao. They had never seen him this early. Typically, at this time of the day, he was on a bus destined for his set.

Some of them asked Fang Zhao about Mo Lang. Word that Fang Zhao had been stopped by Mo Lang and asked to submit directly to him had spread quickly within the music team. Many members of the team didn't make much of it. Even though few were extended this privilege, there were still some 20-odd musicians who had received the invitation. Fang Zhao was not alone, so most folks treated the news as gossip, figuring that Mo Lang probably admired Fang Zhao's talent or had known him for some time.

No one dared press Mo Lang for details. As for Fang Zhao, he didn't volunteer much despite repeated questioning. Seeing Fang Zhao heading for the concert hall first thing in the morning rekindled curiosity about the incident.

A few folks who couldn't contain their curiosity started following Fang Zhao in what they thought to be a stealthy manner after the bus arrived at the concert hall. They posted live updates:

"Judging from his route, Fang Zhao is off to see Venerable Mo!"

"He is! He's headed in that direction!"

"He's removed an envelope from his backpack, the kind of envelope used for submissions, the kind that's sealed. He's really here to submit his piece!"

Word spread quickly within the music center that Fang Zhao was turning in his submission to Mo Lang.

"Folks who can leave an impression on Venerable Mo, who can submit directly to him, should be quite talented. I really want to see his score."

"I've listened to Fang Zhao's pieces. They're quite infectious. The few songs set against the Period of Destruction have a strong narrative."

"Now I remember. That's Fang Zhao, the genius who sold the rights to all the songs in his concert program for great prices before the concert had even ended. If I recall correctly, he's in his early 20s. A very young fella. For quite some time, I used him as an example to encourage several students who lacked ambition."

"How come newcomers are so competent these days? As a veteran musician, I'm feeling the heat."

Fang Zhao was oblivious to the online chatter, but he did know that he was being followed. He knew his stalkers didn't mean any harm—they were just curious if he was headed to Venerable Mo's quarters. He felt no need to hide his destination, so he pretended he wasn't aware of the tail.

Elderly musicians with tremendous stature like Mo Lang lived and took meals at the music center. It was where they lived and worked. When Fang Zhao arrived at Mo Lang's quarters, he didn't see the man himself but was received by one of Venerable Mo's assistants instead.

Artists treated like national treasures like Mo Lang were equipped with a full staff—bodyguards, assistants, doctors, and so on. While other high-profile artists working on "Founding Era" could bring one assistant at most, Mo Lang was entitled to four. These were the perks someone of his status enjoyed.

The assistant who received Fang Zhao was in charge of submissions for the "Founding Era" soundtrack.

The assistant took the envelope from Fang Zhao and inspected the seal. He said with a smile, "Why don't you head back first. I'll hand your submission personally to Venerable Mo."

He pointed to a surveillance camera. "Don't worry. We're under surveillance. I won't leak your piece or claim it as my own."

"Thank you. Then I won't impose any further." Fang Zhao headed for the door.

But he didn't leave the concert hall. Instead, he headed to a recording studio where veteran musicians were working.

The world's top five orchestras were on site. Many of the symphonic scores featured in the TV series were performed by them.

One couldn't immediately hire one of the orchestras to record a new piece after it was finished. It was impossible.

There were only so many orchestras. If one wasn't of a certain level or hadn't garnered sufficient recognition, they weren't even qualified to ask. Even if they put in a request, it would go nowhere. The major orchestras were quite arrogant.

Unspoken rules of selection had formed in the concert hall as well. There was competition everywhere. Talent was the only currency.

If a piece didn't pass the first round of prescreening, the composer had better realize his limitations and get lost. The five orchestras wouldn't bother touching his work.

If someone was rejected in the second round of screening, it was a good learning experience. The composer at least would have some solid footing. They had passed the first round of screening, after all. Composers that fell into this category had a better chance of securing slots at better recording studios and rehearsal rooms than folks who stumbled at the first block.

If someone's piece was shortlisted by the screeners, then they could walk with a swagger. They didn't even have to bother applying for studio space. They would automatically be allocated the necessary resources.

Like other aspiring composers, Fang Zhao sat down in the section cordoned off for outside observers.

Sophisticated digital sound systems did a good job of simulating a live experience, but it wasn't the real thing, after all. Only the human ear was all-knowing.

While the live experience simulated by top-of-the-line digital stereo systems could fool the layman, music professionals, with their keen sensitivity to sound, could still tell the difference. That was also why many folks still enjoyed attending live shows in the technologically advanced New Era. Some of these folks were posers. Others genuinely enjoyed the feeling of a live performance.

Attending a live recording session, Fang Zhao could pick up the redundant sounds that sound engineers would clean up. He could detect the diminishing reverberations of each instrument that eluded the untrained ear.

While Fang Zhao was observing the recording session, Mo Lang finally emerged from his study. He didn't like to be bothered when he was composing. No matter who showed up, they would be blocked by his assistants.

Once Mo Lang stepped out of his study, his four assistants got busy, serving him tea and massaging him. They were a well-coordinated unit.

"Venerable Mo, this is the envelope that Fang Zhao delivered this morning," the assistant who had received Fang Zhao said.

"Who?" Mo Lang asked.

"Fang Zhao," the assistant repeated.

Mo Lang had a blank look on his face. Who is Fang Zhao?

Mo Lang's assistants were used to seeing him like this. He was prone to forget what he said and who he had met the day before when he got busy. The assistants reminded him, "You know, Fang Zhao, from Yanzhou, the really young fella. He's best known for the four-movement series '100-Year Period of Destruction.' You told him he could submit his piece directly to you."

The assistants didn't have to say much. There was no need to mention what role Fang Zhao played in the TV series. Venerable Mo didn't care and wouldn't remember. All they had to do was mention Fang Zhao's best work.

Lo and behold, mentioning the "Period of Destruction" series did the trick.

"Oh, him. Yes, I told him to submit directly to me. Has he dropped off his piece already?"

The reason Mo Lang remembered Fang Zhao was because he had gone out of his way to listen to exemplary pieces about the Period of Destruction to prepare for his momentous task on hand.

Only a few pieces had made a deep impression on Mo Lang. One of them was Fang Zhao's series. Mo Lang had even done some research on Fang Zhao, looking up his personal information and other works. He thought they were all quite outstanding. The only thing was that Mo Lang only listened to pieces set against the Period of Destruction these days. Fang Zhao's series was the most stimulating.

Mo Lang had gone through the submissions he had already received as the senior adjudicator and hadn't found anything from Fang Zhao. By coincidence, he had run into Fang Zhao in the concert hall the next day. Mo Lang had thought he looked familiar, so Venerable Mo had stopped him for questioning.

Now that Fang Zhao's submission had finally arrived, Mo Lang set aside his cup of tea, took the envelope, broke the seal, and removed the document inside.

A star musician of his level could get a sense of the melody from reading the score alone. He didn't need any assistance.

Just a few lines in, Mo Lang started frowning and fidgeting the fingers of his right hand on his right thigh, like a conductor conducting an orchestra, except his strokes were much more abbreviated.

Noticing Mo Lang's deep frown, the four assistants started wondering if their boss didn't approve of Fang Zhao's submission. But when they studied Mo Lang's expression some more, they realized he wasn't upset. If he were, he would have tossed the score to the ground already. Drawing from their vast experience serving at Mo Lang's side, they could tell that he was quite engrossed.

But did he like the piece or not?

The four assistants started tip-toeing lest they interrupt Venerable Mo's concentration.

Mo Lang sat there, leafing through the entire score a page at a time.

Then he went through it again.

And again.

...

After five reads, Mo Lang's frown hadn't relaxed. It had gotten worse.

Breaking his concentration briefly, Mo Lang studied the name on the score and asked, "Did Fang Zhao drop this off in person? Was there anyone with him?"

"No, it was just him," the assistant who had received Fang Zhao said.

Mo Lang took a deep breath and said, sounding like he was either posing a question or asking himself, "He really composed this himself?"

Mo Lang jogged his memory. He only had a vague recollection of Fang Zhao's face, but this much he was certain—Fang Zhao was a young man.

He's able to compose something like this at his age?

Chapter 317: How Do You Wish to Die?

Mo Lang did not dare believe it, but he didn't wish to think about someone negatively. Fang Zhao's compositions for the "100-Year Period of Destruction" had been really good.

"This Fang Zhao person, what sort of background does he have? Did he go through any extraordinary experiences?" Mo Lang asked one of his assistants.

That assistant was normally in charge of helping Mo Lang source and tidy up all sorts of information.

Hearing Mo Long's question, that assistant immediately replied, "This Fang Zhao might be young, but he has much more extraordinary experiences than an ordinary person."

"Eh?" This time, Mo Lang was really curious.

Normally, he would not concern himself with things outside of the artistic circles. Previously, when he had looked up Fang Zhao's information, he had only read up on the composing aspects and had not even glanced at anything else. But now, there were too many doubts surrounding Fang Zhao.

This assistant had previously helped Mo Lang compile information concerning Fang Zhao, thus his reply being quick. He briefly spoke about Fang Zhao's life after graduating, starting his career with the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, amazing the world through gaming, and his rendering of meritorious deeds during his military service. These were all matters that had been reported by the media.

Mo Lang's expression kept changing. Amazed, rueful, then displeased. "He still went to acting?!"

"No wonder he only submitted one manuscript!" Mo Lang disapproved of composers acting in films and series. Wouldn't it be better to put all their effort into composing?

However, Fang Zhao's actions were pardonable.

Even though Mo Lang was not an actor and didn't watch shows, he knew how difficult it was for a youngster to act as an older person! And it just so happened that Fang Zhao had beaten so many other strong and veteran actors for that role and had not been replaced yet. From that, Mo Lang knew that there were no issues with Fang Zhao's acting chops.

"So..." Mo Lang stared at the draft in his hands and muttered incomprehensibly to himself, "If this youngster was too immersed in his character, he wouldn't necessarily have been able to produce such a piece... If that is the case... he really has astounding talent!"

Hearing about all these experiences of Fang Zhao's, Mo Lang slightly believed that Fang Zhao had composed this piece all by himself.

As if remembering something, Mo Lang suddenly got up and returned to his study, opened the file for the script, and scrolled to the part of the story indicated on Fang Zhao's draft.

The tune wasn't intense, nor was it sorrowful. It had a different style from others, yet it had something extra...

Mo Lang's lips trembled a few times before he excitedly slapped the table. "Yes! Just like this!"

The four assistants standing outside were nearly frightened and wanted to say, Take it easy, old man! Stay calm, don't get too worked up!

After all, he was already advanced in age and had been recently vexed. The four assistants were all especially worried about Old Mr. Mo's physical condition. Whenever he was engrossed in something, he didn't care about anything else, especially after he had retired, when skipping meals and neglecting sleep had become a common occurrence. In the past, he had fainted from fatigue and hunger numerous times while composing. Over here, nowadays, the four assistants took turns watching over him, worried that if this old man was careless, he might faint.

Mo Lang was still inside mumbling something incomprehensible to himself. The four assistants could not hear what he was saying, but they saw that Mo Lang was so excited his hands were trembling, and his aged face had an enlightened glow.

Having been with Old Mr. Mo for so long, they couldn't remember previous time he had gotten so worked up. Now, though, he had gotten so worked up over a musical draft that Fang Zhao had sent over.

Mo Lang took a deep breath and told his assistant. "Tell Fang Zhao to pay me a visit!"

After that, Mo Lang scrolled through his address book and made a call to Lead Director Roman.

In the last two days, Roman had been hard pressed. As filming progressed further, not only were the actors under a lot of pressure, he himself was so busy that he was like a spinning top. He wished he could split himself into two. His eye circles were much darker, and his temper was even more fiery than before. His face was dark all the time.

At this moment, Roman was admonishing someone. A certain director had drunk a little too much the previous night and been given an additional, last-minute filming assignment. His mental state had not been able to keep up and he had kept making mistakes and been caught redhanded by Roman.

As he was flipping out, Roman heard the phone he carried on him ring. This was a phone issued to the internal members of the film district. It meant that the caller was someone he should answer.

When he fished his phone out of his pocket and saw who it was, the raging expression on Roman's face gradually withdrew as he stepped over to a refreshment lounge at the side to answer the call. He respectfully answered, "Venerable Mo? What is it? You are asking about Fang Zhao?"

Roman had originally thought that Venerable Mo had called to speak about a certain scene's accompaniment music. He had not expected Old Mr. Mo to ask about Fang Zhao.

"Yeah, that fella is still filming... Recently? He has had much fewer scenes recently, but I heard that he is still under a lot of pressure, since he was deeply immersed in his character. You might not know, but all the actors in the cast are like this. Nobody is able to fully relax in their free time... However, his physical condition is still all right. He can eat eight portions for a meal and then go running and punch sandbags... Right, right, his scenes last till season nine... Right, right, right! That youngster is indeed a genius! Not just any ordinary genius! And I was the one who unearthed him!"

Others in the cast and crew could only see Roman's actions and expressions through the glass window. They could not hear what he was saying. Many people also saw a faint smile appear on Roman's face.

"That's strange. Today, Roman's devilish face seems rather pleasant. He is even laughing so happily. Who is he talking to?" someone whispered to the person beside him.

The director that had been receiving a lecture let out a sigh of relief. He had at least gotten through today. When Roman was in a good mood, he wouldn't continue admonishing others.

Inside the refreshment lounge, Roman answered Mo Lang's queries. Although Mo Lang did not speak of the reason he was asking about Fang Zhao, from his tone, Roman could hear that Mo Lang thought highly of Fang Zhao.

Being immersed deeply in character and having eight portions of food, Fang Zhao was under a lot of pressure was what Roman had heard the people in the cast and crew saying. As for whether it was true or not, he had not verified it—he simply hadn't had the time. Now that Mo Lang asked, he had just randomly talked about all this.

Mo Lang did not ask too much and ended the call after a few sentences.

Recalling Mo Lang's tone during the call, Roman could not help but give a mischievous laugh. Fang Zhao was really capable to have been able to gain the recognition of Mo Lang, an artist right at the apex!

"I wonder how I got this pair of all-seeing eyes. I'm really too awesome!"

At the other side, after Fang Zhao received the notification from Mo Lang's assistant, he quickly made his way up. This time, he wasn't stopped outside and was brought in right away.

"Venerable Mo, you were looking for me?" Fang Zhao noticed Mo Lang holding on to that musical score draft. Further, observing his facial expressions, Fang Zhao had some idea of what was up.

Following the sound, Mo Lang shifted his attention away from the draft in his hands. He had just been going through the score mentally, and he guessed that Fang Zhao had created this piece because he was too into his character. But to be able to compose something like this was just too difficult! This wasn't something an ordinary genius could describe!

"Fang Zhao!" Mo lang raised his hand and waved the score sheet, his gaze become really acute. he spoke with a pause after every word. "Did you compose it yourself? Without any help?"

Fang Zhao did not shrink away from Mo Lang's piercing gaze. "Yes, I did it all on my own."

"Very, very well done!" The way Mo Lang was staring at Fang Zhao was as if he was staring at a rare treasure. "Come over here and take a seat. I have some questions I wish to ask you."

Mo Lang asked about everything from the composing concept to precise techniques and the sentiments and subject of the composition. The more he listened to Fang Zhao, the more he believed that this was a piece Fang Zhao had created himself. He could tell whether or not it was an original composition just from these questions.

And what pleasantly surprised Mo Lang was Fang Zhao's composing concept. On a fixed level, it was identical to the concept he had when he was composing background music for the series.

It was rare to meet someone with an identical concept, and Mo Lang was delighted. Previously, when he had hit a bottleneck while composing, he had sought out a few old friends for some discussion. Unfortunately, everyone's concepts differed, and the more they discussed, the more hot-tempered they got, and the discussion turned into arguments and debates.

Mo Lang had worried about the important 10-minute ending theme of the series so much that he had nearly yanked all the hairs from his beard clean. Today, he had received some enlightenment from Fang Zhao's score sheet and gained quite a bit of inspiration from his discussion with Fang Zhao.

This feeling of being enlightened suddenly was something other people had no way of understanding.

In the words of Mo Lang, this sort of enlightenment had a value that could not be measured, and as an elder, Mo Lang felt that he should show his thanks. The submission was the submission, and enlightenment was enlightenment. Fang Zhao had helped him, so he would return the favor.

For official matters, Mo Lang had no way of offering a shortcut. This was a matter of principles. But for private matters, he didn't care anymore.

After they finished their discussion, Mo Lang dragged Fang Zhao out.

The four assistant's realized that Mo Lang's gloomy expression that had lasted many days had been replaced by a smile, as if he had seen his own grandson... No, Even when Old Mr. Mo met his own grandson, his smile was not even as warm as this.

The four assistant's scanned Fang Zhao curiously, pondering in their hearts. How had Fang Zhao been able to make Old Mr. Mo this happy?

Mo Lang took no notice of his assistant's expressions and dragged Fang Zhao over to a cabinet. Turning to an assistant, he said, "Open it. I remember that there is still quite a bit that was delivered."

The assistant in charge of the "store" paused for a second and answered, "Oh, right, there is still a lot of stuff." As he spoke, he went to open the cabinet door.

This cabinet was filled with specialty goods, tea leaves, alcohol, and some high-grade foodstuffs with high medicinal value. These had been delivered by government departments and a few large investors in the series. This was preferential treatment an artist of Mo Lang's status received. In other words, these were all specifically meant for Mo Lang.

Mo Lang picked up three boxes from inside and pushed them toward Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao didn't accept them and was thinking of what to say. Mo Lang pulled a long face. "Take it!"

It wouldn't be good for Fang Zhao to reject this, so he reached out to take one of the boxes. "Thank you, Venerable Mo. This box is enough."

"Just that small box of biscuits? How can that be enough! Take them all, take these too! Leaving them here is a waste; nobody eats them. You are still growing. I heard that you can eat eight boxed meals and not be full? Hey, just eating all those won't do. You still have to compose after filming too, right? Take this box of tea leaves. It alleviates overheating, aids digestion, and perks you up."

Fang Zhao: "..." Since when did I eat eight portions of boxed meals? Where did you hear that from?

Mo Lang fished out yet another box and pushed it toward Fang Zhao. "Have this wine. Who knows, you might be able to gather more inspiration. I normally drink this too."

Fang Zhao hurriedly said, "There is a rule for the cast and crew. Consuming alcohol is prohibited during the filming period."

"It's nothing, the alcohol content is low. It is just like medicinal wine. In any case, drinking a little is fine. It is good for the body."

As he spoke, Mo Lang pushed yet another box of energy supplements toward Fang Zhao.

"Eat, bring these all back and finish them fast. All of these strengthen the body and have no side effects! People have limited energy. You are still young, so you have to eat more while your body is still growing. The next time you come over, you will definitely be full of energy! I already asked the lead director, you don't have much screen time nowadays, but you are under a lot of pressure. Make sure you don't collapse. When you have the time, make sure to come over so we can discuss more." Mo Lang didn't wish to talk about music with a listless person.

As the assistant in charge of the "store" saw box after box being handed over, his heart ached, but he also had no means of stopping it. All these things belonged to Mo Lang. Obviously, he was free to give them out as he wished.

When Fang Zhao came out, he was carrying many bags both big and small.

The assistant sending him out had a smile on his face. This time around, it was sincere. "Keep the stuff Old Mr. Mo has given you. Don't worry about it and don't bother sending a gift in return. Venerable Mo doesn't accept gifts. If you wish to repay him, then compose more. Venerable Mo only has an interest in musical works. He doesn't really value physical items."

Fang Zhao was actually deeply moved. He could also tell the value of these specialty items. Mo Lang was a person who only looked at artistic value. Now, Fang Zhao had been given so many items because Mo Lang had gained some enlightenment from the draft he had submitted and had found some inspiration while chatting with Fang Zhao.

From Mo Lang's point of view, the enlightenment and inspiration he had gained from Fang Zhao had a much higher value than the items he had given away.

Actually, when Fang Zhao had been answering questions about his composing, he had not spoken the entire truth. There were some things that could not be said, so he had only selected a portion that was fine. Coincidentally, these viewpoints had matched the concept Mo Lang had for composing the ending theme for the series.

At the same time, through his exchange with Mo Lang, Fang Zhao had also found out a lot about the 10-minute accompaniment piece for the series ending.

As he was thinking about the direction of the 10-minute accompaniment piece, the elevator had already reached the ground floor. Fang Zhao walked out and across the large hall as he headed to the main entrance. It was already late and the sky was dark. He could still catch the last few buses back to the living quarters.

Since it was already late, the ground floor of the music center was very empty and no one was around.

As Fang Zhao headed to the main entrance, a bunch of people came out of the elevator on the other side. These people were orchestra members that had just completed a rehearsal.

When they saw Fang Zhao toting bags of all sizes, the group that was chatting happily fell silent in a flash.

Many pairs of searchlight-like eyes scanned the stuff Fang Zhao was holding as if they had seen something unfathomable.

Fang Zhao gave a slight nod to them, and under the weird silence, exited the main doors of the music center.

After Fang Zhao exited, the silent group roared to life and began discussing.

"Were those... specialty products?"

"Looking at the packaging, those were definitely specialty products, and high-grade ones at that! Our orchestra head was also given some by his teacher."

"From what I know, only people of Venerable Mo's status can enjoy these specialty products."

"I heard that Fang Zhao went over to Venerable Mo's to submit his draft."

The group once again fell silent.

By that night, many people from the music team knew about this incident, and even more people were curious about the draft Fang Zhao had submitted. Exactly what kind of piece was it that could have allowed Fang Zhao to receive this sort of treatment from Mo Lang?

In the following few days, Fang Zhao had filming assignments too. He had already submitted his draft, so his focus now returned to filming. From time to time, the director would discuss the script with Fang Zhao, and in between, Mo Lang also called him over twice to talk.

The level of complexity of the actual history was much higher than the series. There were also many darker details that could not be revealed. The light was magnified, but the darkness was confined to an acceptable range.

As for pacifying the political aspect, when it came to handling the scenes of historical figure Fang Zhao, some adjustments had to be made.

Fang Zhao was a historical figure. No one could deny his feats and achievements, but ultimately, he never lasted till the end.

Furthermore, it was already over 500 years into the New Era. History was just affairs that had already passed. What mattered were the people that were living now.

If Fang Zhao was magnified too much, the embellishing was too intense, and he left too deep an impression on audiences, the Wu family might find themselves in an awkward situation.

Today, during lunch, Fang Zhao was asked by Director Bai to have lunch with everyone.

Nowadays, everyone in the large cast and crew of "Founding Era" knew that besides fighting very well, this young actor Fang Zhao could also eat a lot.

It was rumored that the more this youngster was under pressure, and the deeper he was immersed in his character, the more he ate!

At the start, people had said that he ate four boxed meals, and some had said that Fang Zhao had had five portions for a meal. Later on, it had been said that he'd had eight portions, and more people were circulating this.

Eight portions of boxed meals. How much pressure was he under to be able to eat all of them!?

Many actors were jealous. They would simply have no appetite when they were under a lot of pressure or immersed too deeply in a character. It was no wonder that many people loved to eat together with Fang Zhao. With such a voracious eater beside them, they would also able to eat more.

What made people even more depressed was that despite eating so much, Fang Zhao's size did not change much. It was said that he still continued running and training with sandbags. People at the gym frequently saw newly changed large sandbags lying there like corpses.

After lunch, Fang Zhao was dragged out by Director Bai to discuss some minor details in the script.

An old actor saw Fang Zhao being called over and said to the person beside him, "Fang Zhao's body seems like it is made of iron. If the Fang Zhao back then had this sort of body, there wouldn't be a Wu family in Yanzhou."

"I have always felt that Fang Zhao and the one he acts as are very similar, but looking at it now, they aren't alike at all, at least not in terms of their physicality."

"Sigh, that individual's body was too weak, so he wasn't able to endure till the end of that period."

At the same time, Director Bai had called Fang Zhao to one side and asked a few questions about some details in the script that needed alterations.

The start of the filming of season nine was approaching. The script had gone through numerous rounds of adjustments and was closed to being finalized.

"How do you wish to die?" Director Bai suddenly asked.

Fang Zhao was dazed for a moment, following which he found the question funny.

How many years had it been!

It had been a long time since anyone had dared to say these words straight to his face!

However, Fang Zhao also know what Director Bai meant.

When it came to the point in time where a character died in battle, how the character died was already written in the script, but the directors would inquire with the actors on their point of view. If an actor's form was good, filming might go along with the actor's own notion and allow them to improvise. This might possibly be better than following the script.

But it couldn't be too excessive either, which was why Director Bai had asked.

"Die standing up? Die while kneeling? Lying down and dying? Lying down face-first and dying?" Director Bai asked.

"Lying on my back and dying," Fang Zhao replied.

"Oh right, the whole face can't be seen if you lie face down. Dying while standing and dying while kneeling have been done many times in filming by others already."

Fang Zhao: "..."

He had really died while lying on his back.

Chapter 318: Super-Huge Bento Box

Fang Zhao still remembered staring at the gloomy sky just before he died.

Actually, before that battle, Fang Zhao had already made preparations. He had arranged everything properly so that the moment he could not go on, Yanzhou would not descend into chaos.

He knew his body best, and he had already been at his limit just enduring till that point in time. It was because of those preparations that his sentiments just before he died had been very serene. Although he had not been able to endure to see the Founding Era and he had not been able to accomplish his dream from when he was younger, if he was able to trade that life of his for a new Yanzhou and a new world, he considered it worthwhile.

When season nine was about to begin filming, the atmosphere within the cast and crew was much more tensed than in previous seasons. This was because when touching upon the various historical events, the filming teams of each continent had much more interaction.

Many actors would be receiving bento boxes in season nine. Among them, the character with the highest importance was Fang Zhao, but Fang Zhao wasn't as restless as the others. However, he was occasionally in a daze while sitting beside the set.

When others in the cast and crew saw Fang Zhao being this way... "Hey, your team's Fang Zhao is in a daze again. How is his condition while filming?" an actor from another continent asked Wu Yun.

The youthful Wu Yan was played by Wu Yun. Although his scenes were done, he hadn't left the crew yet and frequently sat to the side, watching others filming and learning some techniques.

Hearing his friend's question, Wu Yun's attention was directed to the side of the set, and he saw Fang Zhao resting at the side. Wu Yun replied, "All along Fang Zhao has maintained his form very well. Normally, it is other actors making mistakes. He rarely makes any during filming."

When Fang Zhao was mentioned, Wu Yun had a strange expression in his eyes. Fang Zhao was younger than him. When filming had first started, like others, he had also doubted Fang Zhao's acting chops. But after season after season had passed, he had been able to see everything clearly.

Especially when shooting the previous day's scenes, Fang Zhao had been sitting on a sand dune gazing out into the distance. The expression Fang Zhao had given was as if he had lived through great changes and looked like he had been through hundreds of years. Wu Yun would not be able to act in such a way.

This was the gap between them! And it was also the reason why Wu Yun could only play Wu Yan for just that short period and could not portray a character all by himself like Fang Zhao was doing.

Having arrived at this point, nobody in the cast and crew, including those seniors and elders, could go against their own conscience and say that Fang Zhao could not act well.

Not only did he have the ability, he gave his all, too. There was nothing to be ashamed of when being outdone by such a person.

Hearing Wu Yan's words, that actor from another continent thought about it and laughed. "There is something else I want to say, but promise me you won't get angry."

"What?" Wu Yun asked.

"Have you ever realized that the way Fang Zhao looks at you is odd? It gives me the feeling of someone looking at his own grandson. Hahahaha!"

The side of Wu Yun's lip curled. He wanted to laugh, yet he felt helpless. "You only just realized?"

"Sigh, it's like this when one is too immersed in their character. Over at our filming team, there is an actor around the same age as me who portrays my character's father. I still call him dad outside of filming. When you are too immersed in the character and reach the deepest depths, you don't think about anything else."

Fang Zhao paid no attention to how others discussed him in private. He was currently thinking of something. He had already seen the script for season nine many times and had memorized all the lines. Maintaining his current form would not be too difficult.

Fang Zhao had already submitted his musical score, and it had received its final ruling. During the break after season eight's filming concluded, Fang Zhao had already found an orchestra to record it.

There was no need to worry about this anymore.

What Fang Zhao was thinking about was a segment of a song score that Mo Lang had shown him yesterday. It was a small portion of the ending theme for the "Founding Era" series. Yesterday, he had discussed the question of which accompanying instruments to use with Mo Lang, and now he was playing all sorts of musical instruments over and over in his head.

And every time Fang Zhao was concentrating and pondering, other people in the cast and crew assumed he was trying to build up his mood and avoided disturbing him.

Of course, during filming, Fang Zhao was still very immersed in his character and would not be distracted or let his mind wander.

Finally, after he was done filming his last scene, Fang Zhao got up from the ground and wiped the dust and "blood" off his face and took a deep breath and exhaled, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

In the surroundings, the other actors had not yet stepped out of character from filming that scene, and their faces still had mournful and solemn expressions.

One of the older actors came over, gave Fang Zhao a warm hug, and rather forcefully patted Fang Zhao's shoulders. "You acted well."

All the other nearby actors came over to hug Fang Zhao as well. This could be considered a sort of parting ceremony.

After the actors dispersed, Director Bai came over and asked Fang Zhao, "How are you feeling? Do you feel very..."

Fang Zhao laughed. "Relaxed."

Director Bai, who had been just about to say "heavy-hearted," swallowed his words. Scanning Fang Zhao carefully, he realized that the extremely repressed manner that Fang Zhao had been in, as if he had witnessed great changes, had vanished in an instant. Now, even though the person standing in front of him had not removed his makeup, he gave off a completely different vibe. The hunchback due to him being ill and aged in the show was now straight, and his eyes were full of vigor.

Director Bai felt relieved to see Fang Zhao having seemingly shed his character. However, according to the usual practice, Director Bai still had to exhort, "Remember to visit the psychologists. Even if you feel fine, you still have to get them to verify it."

"Got it. Thank you, Director Bai."

Fang Zhao removed his makeup, changed out of his costume, took a bath, and put on a fresh pair of clothes before heading over to the psychologist.

At the moment, psychologist Dai Yu was in his own office cracking melon seeds.

Actors might feel a lot of pressure, but as psychologists in charge of adjusting the mental states of these actors, they were under a lot of stress too. Cracking melon seeds was also a method for relieving stress.

Hearing that someone would be coming, Dai Yu quickly put away his box of melon seeds. He stared at the mirror and wiped his mouth, spraying some breath freshener and arranging his appearance and facial expressions till they were at a suitable level.

In front of these actors, psychologists needed to maintain a capable image. It wasn't right letting actors know that they normally cracked melon seeds when they had nothing to do. That would destroy their image! Perhaps the actors might even doubt the professional standards of these psychologists if they saw it.

After he was done tidying himself up, Dai Yu put on a deadpan expression and sat there and let the actor waiting outside come in.

Seeing that the one coming in was Fang Zhao, Dai Yu changed modes and became more casual. "Oh, it's you."

As he spoke, he looked at Fang Zhao bewilderedly. "There seems to be something different with you today... Is it time for you to collect your bento box?"

Fang Zhao closed the door and sat on the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Mhmm, filming just concluded."

To ensure privacy for actors, the psychologists here would not necessarily make video recordings. The psychologists would comply with the actor's wishes. If an actor was willing to have the conversation recorded, then the camera would be turned on.

The majority of actors were not willing to be recorded. Fang Zhao had not wanted his sessions to be recorded either, and Dai Yu approved of his choice. Fang Zhao could feel more at ease when there weren't any recordings.

From when filming for "Founding Era" had begun until now, everyone had already gotten familiar with each other. Now, Dai Yu had no need for keeping up impressions in front of Fang Zhao. Opening his drawer, he took out the box of melon seeds and started cracking them once again.

Noticing Fang Zhao staring at him, Dai Yu explained, "It's for relieving stress. Doctors are only human, not gods. We have stress too. Don't go around telling others about this."

"Mmhm."

Dai Yu pushed the box of melon seeds to the middle. "Want some?"

"No thanks, I'm good."

"You seem to be in a much better state now. Previously, you gave off a dangerous vibe, and I nearly put you in the high-risk category, but now..." Dai Yu swept his gaze over Fang Zhao a few times. "You are all right. You seem much less threatening now."

"Could I trouble you to verify that I'm fine?"

"Sure."

Dai Yu quickly issued Fang Zhao a proof certificate, verifying that this actor had shed his character and was in a fine mental state and could leave the cast and crew at any time.

Having received his proof, Fang Zhao did not stick around to crack melon seeds.

Dai Yu watched as Fang Zhao, and he thought to himself, This person is rather interesting. Other people find it hard to shed their characters, yet he can do it really quickly and isn't affected at all. He really doesn't seem as dangerous as when he first came.

Just that... "I just feel that there is still something strange." But Dai Yu was unable to determine which part of it was strange. "Who cares!" Dai Yu continued cracking melon seeds. Fang Zhao's job might be done, but Dai Yu still needed to work.

At the other side, after leaving Dai Yu's office, Fang Zhao headed to the large dining hall. He still had to collect the bento box that belonged to him.

However, when he saw his bento box, Fang Zhao fell silent.

Placed in front of him was a huge 10-layer bento set that resembled a steamer basket.

"This is..." Fang Zhao asked the shifu in charge of issuing bento boxes.

The shifu wore an exceptionally kind smile and there was a hint of tenderness. "For your last meal, every portion is extra large, to make sure you eat till you are full!"

"...Has there been a misunderstanding?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Oh, haha, there is no need to feel embarrassed. Look, this was specially prepared for you by us at the dining hall. Uncle just loves all of you with good appetites. Eating is a blessing! This is a little heavy and isn't easy to carry; do you want to eat it over here?"

"I'll bring it back to eat. Can I have a bag, please?" Fang Zhao did not wish to be surrounded and watched as he ate the bento set. There were already dining hall staff at the sides looking over. Many actors that had come to the dining hall for a meal were already making preparations and were just waiting to take a snapshot of him eating such a large meal.

After the shifu had made this super-huge bento set into a takeaway, he added, "Let me get someone to help you bring it back."

"No need. I can carry it myself."

Seeing Fang Zhao effortlessly lift up the super-huge bento set and walk rather steady, that shifu even lamented, "Hey, this little fella is full of vigor! As expected of someone who eats eight portions!"

Fang Zhao felt that he would never ever be able to explain the matter of "eight portions a meal."

On his way back, the scene of Fang Zhao carrying such a large object was noticed by a lot of people.

"Fang Zhao, what is this?" an actor asked.

"Bento box."

"Bento... box!? Cough, what, you better hurry up and eat it. If the food is left for too long, it won't taste good."

Watching Fang Zhao carry that super-huge bento set as he left, that actor could not help but feel a tinge of respect for Fang Zhao. As Fang Zhao turned away, the actor secretly snapped a shot. He might not have internet access now, but they still had the local intranet and their own internal chat groups. He would be able to share this news with his good friends.

Fang Zhao can eat eight portions of a meal?

That is already past tense!

Have you seen this! Extra large, 10 layers!

On his way back, Fang Zhao was stopped by many people with questions. When he finally returned to his quarters, he remembered how Great-Grandfather Fang had specifically exhorted him to take more photos of his last bento box, so Fang Zhao took a few photographs of it.

Facing this large bento box, Fang Zhao did not feel very rueful, and he dug in after he had taken a few photographs.

As he was eating, Fang Zhao received a call from Zaro.

"Fang Zhao, I heard that you received your bento box today?" From Zaro's tone, it seemed like he was in high spirits.

"Mmhm. What's up?"

"Come out and have some fun! How about letting me host a banquet to celebrate you finally receiving your bento box!" Beside Zaro, his manager could only sigh when hearing Zaro speak. Isn't he afraid of offending people with his words? Can't he be a little more tactful? If narrow-minded people heard these words, they would reckon that Zaro was taking delight in their misfortune.

"There's no rush. Everyone is still busy filming. You don't have to purposely free up time," Fang Zhao replied.

"Busy, my *ss. Everyone knows each other, and it's not as if they are acting out some important roles. Everyone has a bunch of time!"

Actually, Zaro wasn't anxious to hold a celebration for Fang Zhao. He was just worried that he might not get the chance to host a banquet and show off once Fang Zhao left the cast and crew! Previously, he had hyped up garlic and earned a lot of money. Now he was a successful figure! He even remembered that he owed a meal.

After ending the call with Fang Zhao, Zaro scrolled through his contact list to confirm the banquet's attendance list.

"We cannot forget these important characters, and Woo Tianhao, and Barbara... Forget it, let's not invite Barbara."

Two days ago, Zaro and Barbara had had a disagreement, and now he found her an eyesore.

Zaro called each of them in turn to set the date. He was pleased, and he pondered what he should do to make himself even more pretentious during the banquet. Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he asked his manager beside him. "I heard that Woo Tianhao is collaborating with others to promote something. Hey, what did you say I should promote next? We have to make sure we don't lose to him."

Zaro's agent calmly replied, "No worries. What they are endorsing is ginger. Right now, there are many people following the tide, and the profits won't be much. Let's take a different road from them."

"Then what shall we endorse?"

"Ginger's cousin, mountain ginger."

"Why is ginger's cousin mountain ginger?"

"That isn't the main point. The main point is that the plan has already been set. Now you must make sure not to reveal it first."

"Don't worry, I'm not stupid. I definitely won't leak it!" Zaro promised.

Chapter 319: I'm Not Talking about You

Since Zaro wanted to host a banquet, there was no need for Woo Tianhao to show any formalities. Everyone knew that Zaro had earned a lot endorsing garlic. Thus, Woo Tianhao brought along a few more people to enjoy the feast.

Although Zaro said it was to celebrate Fang Zhao receiving his bento box, who didn't know Zaro's character? Wasn't he just using it as a pretext to flaunt?

Because Zaro had said they could bring more people, Fang Zhao brought along Ji Polun and a few other young actors from the company. Now, Ji Polun and this bunch were done playing their minor roles. Before leaving the cast and crew, they would start all sorts of publicity stunts to raise their profile. Fang Zhao had taken this opportunity to bring them along, using the banquet as a pretext to let them get to know actors from other continents.

As for Zaro's side, he had only brought along his agent. Zaro had originally wanted to bring along a few Leizhou actresses, but his agent had advised against it.

Of course, whether it was those that Woo Tianhao brought along or the bunch who tagged along with Fang Zhao, they all understood that were only here to serve as foils. All they needed to do was sit down and listen to the two young masters, Woo Tianhao and Zaro, brag. When one of them said something interesting, they just needed to laugh and lift the mood.

This time, Zaro had hosted the banquet at a restaurant in the gourmet food city. Stepping into the private room, the eyes of Ji Polun and the young actors nearly popped out.

Upon entering, stepping on the soft Old Era-style rug was like treading on clouds high in the sky. There were also huge chandeliers like those in ancient palaces, brightly colored classical paintings and all sorts of artistic displays. Also, there was the shiny silverware on the table...

"I don't remember this restaurant's decorations having this sort of style before," Ji Polun whispered.

"It was newly renovated," someone else muttered as he twitched his nose.

"The heck!" Woo Tianhao, who had just arrived, scanned the place disdainfully. "I heard that all these upstarts love to style their place like this. Seems like Zaro is ready for a round of excessive bragging."

Indeed, when everyone was gathered, Zaro was pleased as punch and laughed heartily before he had even entered the place.

It couldn't be helped. Now, when Zaro thought about his cash reserves, his feeling of accomplishment was bursting out of his chest. There was no way he could calm down unless he flaunted a bunch. Zaro had specifically contacted the boss of this restaurant and rented an entire private room. The rent was considerable, but who had asked him to be flushed with cash right now!?

After two rounds of alcohol, the table's vibe became even more casual. Zaro kept bragging and Woo Tianhao kept chiming in, both unwilling to lose out to the other.

Ji Polun and the bunch who had been brought along as foils had only one thought, which was to exchange contact details with the other actors. More friends meant more options. Furthermore, in the future, Ji Polun wouldn't just be restricted to Yanzhou and would develop on a global scale. Having been brought along by Fang Zhao this time, he would take the opportunity to expand his network.

Fang Zhao had a talk with Zaro's agent. They had collaborated in the past and might collaborate in the future, too. Actually, Zaro's agent was still very grateful toward Fang Zhao. A number of Zaro's opportunities had been because of Fang Zhao pulling strings. Just the matter of endorsing garlic had been indirectly caused by Fang Zhao.

Remembering that despair-inducing odor, Zaro's agent couldn't help but shudder. However, as before, he would not let up on film and television investments. He wished to sway Fang Zhao into acting in a period drama that they would be investing in.

Following the birth of "Founding Era," the regulations regarding film projects based on the Period of Destruction history were going to be relaxed. In the future, there would surely be more and more movies and drama series based on the Period of Destruction. Even in the two years after "Founding Era" finished airing, the popularity of this genre wouldn't drop.

Fang Zhao rejected the idea.

Zaro's agent did not give up and continued to persuade Fang Zhao. "You can always reconsider. There is no need to reply right away. Compensation can always be negotiated." As Zaro's agent was speaking, he heard a shout.

"Fang Zhao!" Woo Tianhao came over with a bottle of wine and poured Fang Zhao a full cup. "Come. Let us brothers have a round! That trash Zaro can't take it anymore!"

To the side, Zaro was already a little dazed from all the alcohol and had taken a break from bragging. Zaro's liquor capacity could not be compared to Woo Tianhao's.

Woo Tianhao had also drunk a lot and wasn't his usual composed self. "Fang Zhao, you have it easy. We still have to continue being in background scenes. Sigh, when I have earned enough money, I will invest in a series and play the lead! Once the prohibition on Period of Destruction history films is fully lifted, I'm going to film many series about our Tongzhou Wu family's important great general!"

As he spoke, Woo Tianhao turned to Fang Zhao and, with sympathy in his eyes, said, "The one from Yanzhou named Fang is pitiful. Given my experience in the industry, either nobody will create films about him or they will blindly and randomly create films! After all, Fang Zhao died early and left no descendants, so there will not be many disputes."

Fang Zhao used his fingers to swivel the wine cup but did not say anything.

"Believe me!" Woo Tianhao hiccuped. He was especially talkative after getting high on alcohol and had no qualms. "This Fang Zhao person, what a pity! My view is that he wasn't ruthless enough! Say, if there was no 'Founding Era,' who would remember the person named Fang Zhao? Of course, I'm not talking about you." Woo Tianhao patted Fang Zhao's shoulder. "I am not a Yanzhou person, but I know that the name 'Fang Zhao' still had significant influence in the first 100 years of the New Era. However, afterward, it was probably only limited to examinations. In the future, when everyone emigrates to foreign planets, I reckon new editions of history textbooks might not even have a place for him. Perhaps the only people who will remember him then will be the cemetery guards. Isn't this leader a failure!? Don't you think so?"

Fang Zhao smiled faintly. "That does sound quite like a failure."

"That's right! Such a disappointment!" Woo Tianhao energetically slammed the table a few times. "Our family clan sends people to each continent's Cemetery every year. The graves of Fang Zhao and Wu Yan are the focus, but it is a political mission! Do you know why it is called a political mission? Because it is a form of diplomacy. It's done just for others to see."

Fang Zhao got the waiter to deliver some hangover soup and poured a cup for both Woo Tianhao and Zaro.

Woo Tianhao, who was absorbed in talking, did not notice the cup had been swapped and gulped the drink down before scoffing. "This wine tastes weird. Zaro wouldn't have bought fake alcohol, right...? Let's go on talking about Fang Zhao."

Fang Zhao: "..."

"For my university political module thesis, I wrote about Fang Zhao and why he has received such treatment among other historical characters of similar statuses. Let's not forget that he died earlier than the rest, and he did not leave behind any descendants. However, when it comes to leading subordinates, he really has no way of comparing with Xizhou's great general. Xizhou has the largest prison cluster in the entire world and has a reputation for being a tough-as-nails land, but just take a look, no matter who assumes the role of Xizhou's governor, whenever Great General Lu Xi is mentioned, all everyone has is the utmost admiration. He simply has divine status!"

Woo Tianhap stood on the chair and rolled up his sleeves. "If I was Fang Zhao, I would brainwash them! Resolutely brainwash all the subordinates under him! Afterward, get them to continue brainwashing their children and great-grandchildren! Endless brainwashing for one's descendants! Even if I'm long gone, I still would need to have offerings and respects paid every year, not a single bit less! I have to let them know that the land they are stepping on is my territory. All these little brats! Who dares to f*cking forget me!"

Fang Zhao said, "...Sit down. Isn't standing and talking tiring?"

"I'm not tired. Don't interrupt. I have only talked about half of my thesis. Let me talk about the Wu family. If I was Wu Yan, I would climb out of my coffin in a fit of rage! How great was the Wu family during the time when Wu Yan was alive? Compared to the families of the great generals of other continents, they were not in any way inferior! But once Wu Yan wasn't there anymore, generation after generation of Wus were weaker than before. They even lost their core position! But to be honest, they aren't entirely at fault. Our Woo family was nearly overthrown some 200 years ago. Fortunately, we were united. Whatever fighting goes on outside, whenever it is at a crux, we will be united! Holding on to a core position is really too difficult!"

Zaro had just finished drinking the hangover soup. When he heard what Woo Tianhao said, he opened his loose lips. "Right! Absolutely right! I agree with what you said! Don't a few of these continents have an old saying: it is easy to conquer Shan Jiang but hard to defend Shan Jiang! That is totally apt!"

The room suddenly fell silent.

"Jiang Shan, it is easy to conquer Jiang Shan but hard to defend Jiang Shan," an actor at the side whispered.

The others in the room stared at Zaro curiously, as well as his manager beside him. Was this fella going to be promoting wild ginger next?

Zaro's agent heaved a heavy sigh and turned to look out the window: F*cking retard!

Those with a much lesser presence might have seemed to be obediently sitting there, but deep down, they were itching and trying to make all sorts of sense of what Zaro had said.

Zaro's agent thought to himself, Fortunately, I still have Plan B.

Since Zaro had already said it, then Zaro's manager would just rope someone in to collaborate. Zaro's manager looked at Woo Tianhao, who was still ridiculing the Wu family.

Zaro and Woo Tianhao. If these two joined hands to endorse something, the result of one plus one would definitely be greater than two.

Previously, when Zaro had been endorsing garlic, there were people that had cursed Zaro for relying on his status to mess up the market. Now they would rope in an additional great general's descendant to share the burden. Zaro's manager still had to make sure Zaro did not go overboard trying to earn money. The label of being a great general's descendant was a protective talisman but also a constraint. As long as one didn't go overboard and had a good grasp of the angles, everything would be fine.

Zaro's agent lowered his head and pondered how to get the best rates for Zaro and Woo Tianhao. He did not notice Fang Zhao glancing at him.

Just a meal with Zaro's bragging and Woo Tianhao's ridiculing. Everyone got to make a few new friends. With food, drinks, and laughs, the dinner seemed really joyous.

After they'd had their fill, it was time to go back.

As they got up to leave, Fang Zhao suddenly asked, "Woo Tianhao, what was the evaluation you got for your university politics module thesis?"

"I had to retake it!" Woo Tianhao was pissed off just mentioning it. "The politics teacher even complained to my old man! My old man even gave me a spanking and warned me not to judge those leaders, so..." The sentence ended with a grunting sound. Woo Tianhao appeared to have been petrified, and his legs went soft as he leaned on the person beside him. His face was blank as he mumbled, "Who am I, where am I, what did I just say? I think I just dreamed of my politics teacher... Arghh, my head hurts. Someone, help support me, I drank too much and need to return and rest. I will be leaving first, bye!"

After everyone had left the private room, Fang Zhao turned around to take a look.

The large meal table was full of plates. It was a little messy, and there were still some remains of food on the table. Large and small patches of soup and broth had stained the white tablecloth. Light from the setting sun shone through the windows and passed through the wine bottles, creating bewitching light rays.

The door was closed, covering up the whole room full of ostentatiousness.

After return to his living quarters, Fang Zhao contacted Zuo Yu and Yan Biao.

"Boss, I heard that you attended a banquet tonight? How did it feel?" Yan Biao asked.

Fang Zhao recalled the meal and sighed. "The generation gap is really huge."

Yan Biao: "..."

Yan Biao was prepared to share some words of advice to Fang Zhao about being reluctant to leave and so on, but he had not expected Fang Zhao to say such a line. He reckoned that his boss had met a few elders from the entertainment industry. Those old fogeys definitely couldn't get along with youngsters! Yan Biao could totally understand where his boss was coming from.

Having assumed he understood what his boss was talking about, Yan Biao would not further mention this matter. "We will head over to the filming area to pick you up tomorrow. Afterward, will we be heading to the film entertainment complex or the base?"

"To the base, to fetch Curly Hair."

"All right, we will definitely be on time tomorrow."

After arranging the details with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, Fang Zhao then contacted Wai base.

Today, a transport ship had arrived and was still unloading its cargo, so Curly Hair had to work overtime. Fang Zhao did not even get to see a glimpse of the little thing in the video call and only informed the other side that he would be going over tomorrow.

Wai base.

After Curly Hair returned from his overtime patrol and heard that Fang Zhao had already finished filming his scenes and would be coming over tomorrow, he got excited and tore the sofa in the office of Wai base's commanding officer, Huo Yi.The actual saying is that it is easy to conquer country, but hard to hold it but Zaro mixed up the words Jiang Shan as Shan Jiang.

Shan Jiang is mountain ginger in chinese

Chapter 320: You Can't Bring the Dog Away

On the second day, when Fang Zhao arrived at the base, Curly Hair was led out from the aircraft tarmac and was wearing a custom-made military uniform.

As a temporary service dog, there were also requirements for clothing, but they weren't strict. Getting Curly Hair to wear this uniform was more for protection purposes.

The one leading Curly Hair was a military officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. During this period, he was the one who had frequently brought Curly Hair onto transport ships for inspections, and he could be considered to be on friendly terms with Fang Zhao.

When he saw Fang Zhao, that lieutenant colonel untied the rope, and Curly Hair ran like the wind toward Fang Zhao, wagging his tail vigorously.

Fang Zhao rubbed Curly Hair's head and asked the lieutenant colonel, "Didn't you say there was overtime? He seems very energetic."

Noticing some residue between Curly Hair's teeth, Fang Zhao asked, "What did he eat before?"

The lieutenant colonel replied, "He ate a lot. Dog food, bones… and the commander's sofa."

Fang Zhao's hand that was rubbing Curly Hair's forehead paused. "Sofa?"

"Cough, he doesn't normally do it, but he likes biting stuff when he gets excited."

"How many has he ruined?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Three... Hey, it's all right, our commander didn't get angry." The lieutenant colonel laughed when he brought it up. He wasn't asking for compensation and was just joking about it.

"Oh, right, our commander got someone to specially prepare lunch for you! Such a huge pot! Let me bring you there." The lieutenant colonel led the way.

The news of Fang Zhao being especially able to eat had spread from the cast and crew over to the surrounding garrisons. Along the way, the lieutenant colonel even said to Fang Zhao, "Now, Curly Hair's appetite has increased. While other dogs have two meals per day when off duty and three to four meals when they have training, Curly Hair has to eat six or seven meals a day or he will rebel." As if he had remembered something, the lieutenant colonel smiled. "At the start, the veterinarian also advised against feeding him so many times, so Curly Hair destroyed the vet's chair and went on strike. Left with no other choice, we tried feeding him extra meals for a few days, and when the vet's checkup found no problems, Curly Hair got his own way."

Fang Zhao had heard about this from an animal specialist before, but he only now found out that Curly Hair would destroy chairs and sofas when angry.

The lieutenant colonel thought that Fang Zhao was displeased when he didn't reply, so he hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Curly Hair is brought for a checkup every 10 days. If there were any issues, they would surely have been detected. Every dog has a medical record with the veterinarians and a record is made of everything when there is a checkup. You should have seen them already. As for Curly Hair destroying chairs and sofas, those are nothing but a trifling matter!"

Actually, the lieutenant colonel was thinking to himself about the saying that a dog had the same characteristics as its owner. Since his owner could eat so much, this dog having a huge appetite wasn't strange at all. He had already decided to let Curly Hair have eight to ten portions a day in the future.

Knowing that Fang Zhao would be coming over today, Wai base's commanding officer, Huo Yi, had freed up some time to have a talk with Fang Zhao.

In Huo Yi's office, only Huo Yi, Fang Zhao, and Curly Hair were in the room. The sofa that had been damaged yesterday had already been removed, and the new sofa still had the scent of fresh leather.

"You still can't bring Curly Hair away yet," Huo Yi said.

Fang Zhao's gaze was slightly restrained. "Hmm?"

Huo Yi let out a faint sigh. "Don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to steal your dog." The wrinkles on his forehead accumulated as he tapped his fingers on the tabletop before laughing bitterly. "There is some stuff that isn't convenient to share with outsiders, but since this involves your dog, there isn't any need to keep it from you."

Huo Yi opened up an electronic file and showed it to Fang Zhao.

This was a list of items intercepted during security checks. Although it was only a portion, the more Fang Zhao read through the list, the more apprehensive he felt.

Explosive materials, drugs, controlled weapons, and materials that seemed harmless yet when combined could cause a threat. There were also attempts to smuggle out Wai native plants and animals.

Commanding Officer Huo Yi was even angrier. Their situation here was different from planet Baiji's. Planet Baiji would be a future planet for immigration, and their military might would be formidable after some expansions. Planet Baiji had better construction times, comprehensive supervision, large stockpiles of high-grade power ore, and a vast amount of capital.

But planet Wai had no way of competing with them. First, they did not have sufficient capability, and they had to contend with the moods of the bunch of big bosses. Planet Wai touched upon the entertainment circles and planned its development along the lines of entertainment and tourism. Previously, they had released large batches of land and relaxed the requirements for firms entering the planet for the sake of increasing planet Wai's popularity, attracting more investment firms, and raising taxes, but now...

"There are more and more people coming over to planet Wai, and it has gotten even more chaotic. Our military might is limited, and we are unable to supervise every single place. It is because of this that there are holes that can be exploited. We are already trying our best to prevent dangerous materials from being smuggled in. A while back, there were even people entering restricted zones to poach! D*mn them! One was caught and thrown in jail for a long time!"

Every place had its own rules. Planet Wai might not be as strict as planet Baiji, but they were still the local bosses here. Huo Yi wasn't willing to let people trample all over his face right from the start. If there was no stricter control, no rules and regulations, these people would climb all over their heads.

Fang Zhao had already thought about the problems that planet Wai would encounter as it developed this way.

By tightening up control, Huo Yi was doing the right thing. Otherwise, planet Wai would surely get thrown into turmoil in the future.

In the future, planet Wai would be a getaway spot for entertainment and leisure, but it would not be a place where one could do whatever one pleased.

Fang Zhao pointed to the list on the electronic file and asked, "Were these all discovered from Curly Hair's inspections?"

Huo Yi shook his head. "More than 60% of the items there were discovered by Curly Hair. As for the remainder, the scanning equipment caught about 30%, and less than 10% were discovered by the other dogs." Huo Yi heaved a heavy sigh as he spoke about this. "Our latest security apparatuses have no way of detecting everything. Many smugglers have shielding devices that counter the frequency of our scanning equipment. They even have measures that work against a dog's sense of smell. Luckily, Curly Hair was still able to detect all of these."

This was also something that Huo Yi was very pleased with. Even if his favorite sofa had been ruined by Curly Hair, he still could not bring himself to get mad.

"We have already reported the matter of the scanning machines to the top, but it will take some time before the latest equipment can be delivered here. The other dogs at the base have already grown up and can take up posts. Now, they are undergoing extra training, and the results are pleasing, but they still cannot replace Curly Hair. Besides, you have said that you won't be leaving planet Wai for the time being, which means you can only stay at the film entertainment complex. Currently, that area is a little chaotic. It isn't safe to bring Curly Hair over there. He might even be targeted. Have you heard about the news of a meritorious dog being murdered in the past? You have to be wary! Nothing will happen to Curly Hair if you leave him at the base. As long as he works overtime, I will always keep him in my office."

"I heard that Curly Hair has ruined three of your sofas, and one of them was your favorite? Are you really comfortable leaving him in your office?" Fang Zhao laughed.

Huo Yi brandished his hands and waved them vigorously. "No problem! He can bite them as entertainment! Working overtime can be stressful. Dogs have to relieve stress too!"

"I can pay for the damaged sofas," Fang Zhao said.

Huo Yi made himself appear magnanimous. "No need. This sofa isn't expensive!"

Actually, according to market prices, the three sofas were quite expensive, but no matter how expensive they were, when compared to the service Curly Hair had rendered, it could not be considered much.

"I will be taking him today and will bring him back tomorrow," Fang Zhao said.

Huo Yi seemed a little unwilling, as if he wanted to say something, but he acquiesced in the end. He could not be too controlling. After all, Fang Zhao was the dog's owner.

After leaving Huo Yi's office, Fang Zhao did not head straight to the Wai film entertainment complex. Instead, he visited the nearby kennel. The batch of dogs brought over from Muzhou had already grown big. When Fang Zhao went over, the dogs were still undergoing training.

They'd had overtime patrolling and inspections last night and had training today, but these dogs were still very energetic. They weren't elite Muzhou dogs for nothing. In terms of IQ, physical capability, and other aspects, they were top tier.

Every once in awhile, Huo Yi would lecture his subordinates: Take a look at the kennel next door. Even dogs are so hardworking. How do you guys have the cheek to slack off!?

The instructor at the kennel was also delighted every time this was mentioned. He even told Fang Zhao, "Because Curly Hair was here and served as a model, these dogs also learned much quicker."

Fang Zhao's previous few visits had been rushed. This time, because he had time, the instructor dispatched over from Muzhou displayed some training results these dogs had received since entering the military and proving that they were indeed the cream of the crop from the Muzhou Police Dog Academy.

The instructor had originally wanted Curly Hair to join in with the other dogs and listen to his commands and participate in the training drills, but because Fang Zhao was here, Curly Hair would only listen to Fang Zhao, not the instructor.

After Fang Zhao left the kennel, the instructor recounted the matter to Huo Yi.

Huo Yi summoned the lieutenant colonel that handled Curly Hair.

"Didn't you say that all dogs love you? Yet you can't even dupe a small dog!"

That lieutenant colonel hurriedly defended himself. "Commander, you don't understand. Dogs are loyal creatures, and dogs with high IQ are even more difficult to dupe. Those dogs that come from the Muzhou Police Dog Academy, regardless of whether they are military dogs or other service dogs, require time before they will acknowledge someone. If you want them to be loyal to you, nobody knows how long it will take."

"That little Curly Hair isn't from the Muzhou Police Dog Academy."

"But he is even more impressive than dogs from the Muzhou Police Dog Academy! It is even more difficult to dupe him!"

Huo Yi nodded. "...That makes sense."

"Furthermore, it is said that Curly Hair was a stray. It was Fang Zhao that picked him up and changed his fate. Under these circumstances, Curly Hair will surely be much more loyal to Fang Zhao. Back when Fang Zhao was away for a year during military service, Curly Hair did not switch loyalties at all. Now, it is impossible. Commander, you might not believe this, but if Fang Zhao asks Curly Hair to eat a bomb right now, Curly Hair would do so."

Huo Yi clicked his tongue in disgust. "Which idiot abandoned this dog back then? Fang Zhao lucked out!"

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao had taken advantage of nightfall to keep a low profile and return to the film entertainment complex. Only after Yan Biao had driven the car into the residence did Fang Zhao bring Curly Hair out.

Curly Hair wagged his tail as he followed Fang Zhao and entered the room. After the door was shut and no sounds could be heard outside, Curly Hair started whimpering.

Fang Zhao understood that this little thing was suffering withdrawal from a lack of gaming.

When Yan Biao noticed Fang Zhao bringing the gaming helmet into the room, he reminded Fang Zhao, "The internet connection is quite unstable, so only some solo games can be played."

"Got it."

After Fang Zhao entered the room, Yan Biao even lamented to Zuo Yu, "I never expected boss's addiction to gaming to be so severe."

Zuo Yu did not find it strange. "Before his military service, our boss was a dark horse in the gaming circles. At that time, he was famous worldwide and placed first on the global individual leaderboards. Many people hoped that he would return to gaming after his military service, but in the end, after he held his first concert, he went on to acting. He took a really bewildering path."

"Oh, right, we can never guess what the boss is thinking."

Yet another day and it was time for the "Founding Era" cast and crew's internet access.

Fang Zhao had not borrowed internet access to release his news immediately after he had left the cast. One reason was that the internet at the film entertainment complex wasn't particularly stable and communicating wasn't convenient. The second reason was to coordinate with the timing arrangements the company had made.

Yanzhou Qi'an City. Silver Wing gaming department.

"Captain, is it their internet access time yet?" someone asked Jinro.

"Almost time. Two more minutes. Later, everyone should go and light a [candle]. Our Zhao god is receiving his bento box this time."

During last week's internet access time, Jinro had received news from Fang Zhao about the filming developments. If filming went smoothly, during this week's internet access time, they would get to see a photograph of Fang Zhao's bento box. As members "directly under Fang Zhao," they should occupy the most conspicuous and popular position on the comments sections of Fang Zhao's post.

Jinro had also informed the company's operations department beforehand, and they were to pin it to the hot topics and not let anybody else snatch it first.

Everyone counted down the seconds till it would be refreshed. Indeed, Fang Zhao had already edited the post beforehand and had set it to post automatically.

————

Fang Zhao: "Received my bento box. [image]"

————

Jinro, who had been had already been waiting originally, wanted to light a [candle], but when he saw the image of that super-huge bento set, his hands trembled and he clicked on [like].

Jinro: "..."

Just as he was about to inform the people in the team to ignore his [like], he saw that the comment with the huge [like] had been already pinned the top of the comments section.

Jinro: "..."

Brothers in the operations department, why were you so quick this time!

Using all his strength to wipe his face, Jinro hurriedly sent a message to Fang Zhao, "Boss, let me explain! I didn't do it on purpose, my hand trembled!"

The other members of the gaming team stood around foolishly and stared at that image of the bento set before turning to Jinro. "Captain, so should we light a [candle] or should we follow you and [like]?"

"Light a [candle]!" Jinro roared.

At the same time, a bunch of netizens that were keeping watching to light [candles] for actors that had just received their bento boxes heard the news of Fang Zhao receiving his bento box. Originally feeling a little heavy-hearted from lighting all those candles, they gloomily came over to Fang Zhao's social platform to add on to the line of [candles], but in the end...

"Hahahaha, the cast's largest bento box has been born! [Like][Like][Like]..."

"My Zhao god is worthy of acting as a great person! Even his bento box is a heavyweight!"

"When I heard that he received his bento box, I was feeling a little sorrowful, but seeing this bento box, I suddenly feel like laughing. Still going to light a routine candle, though [candle]."

"My Zhao god is impressive. Even his bento box has to stand out from the masses [like]."

"What, filming for season nine has already been completed over there? [candle]."

"Very much unwilling to see this, but I still came over. Sigh, what a pity for that great person of that generation [candle]..."

"Don't worry, it's still early. The cast might have filmed till season nine, but online broadcasts are still only at season seven [like]."

From the start of filming till now, among the actors from "Founding Era" that had received bento boxes, Fang Zhao was one of the few that received [candles] and [likes] in the comments section.

Yanbei Retirement facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang were waiting there.

During internet access time, Fang Zhao directly make a long-distance call, telling them his scenes were completed.

Great-Grandfather Fang was delighted. "Finished filming already? That means you can return? Good, good, we can all watch season nine together! Hahahaha!"

Great-Grandfather Fang had only let out a few hahas when his laughter was cut short by a sentence from Fang Zhao.

"I still can't return yet. The director told me to not leave planet Wai for the time being in case there are scenes that need to be reshot."

They could randomly find people to substitute for minor roles, but for these important characters, the director wanted the original actor for reshoots. Of course, they might not be any reshoots, but this was just a precautionary measure, so they wanted Fang Zhao to remain on planet Wai and wait.

Actually, the directorial team had not expected Fang Zhao to immediately receive the all-clear from the psychologist. They had all been prepared for Fang Zhao to remain with the cast and crew for a period of time and leave only after season 10's filming had been completed. They had not expected this sort of situation, so before Fang Zhao could leave the cast and crew, they had informed him that it was all right, but he could not leave planet Wai since filming for the entire project was close to being wrapped up.

Mo Lang also hoped that Fang Zhao would not be in a rush to leave. He did not know when he might require Fang Zhao to exchange some tips. Fang Zhao did not mention this reason to Great-Grandfather Fang.

Although the two old Fangs were a little disappointed that they would not be able to watch season nine together with Fang Zhao, they could also understand, and they reminded Fang Zhao to stay safe and look after himself well.

After the call, Great-Grandfather Fang grumbled, "Our little Fang experiences hardship over there! Say, can such a huge company like Silver Wing even be considered one of Yanzhou's top three? They can't even assign him an assistant!"

Great-Grandmother Fang reasoned, "What you just said are groundless accusations. Didn't little Fang also say that he didn't want an assistant with him? Besides, doesn't he still have his two bodyguards over there?"

"What can a bodyguard do when it comes to work-related matters? They can't act as a nanny too! Let's advise him to look for an assistant next time. Other third-rate celebrities also bring along an entourage of assistants! Given Fang Zhao's reputation in Yanzhou, he isn't shabbier than a third-rate celebrity, right?"

Great-Grandmother Fang agreed with the matter of finding an assistant.

Knowing that Fang Zhao had no way of rushing back to watch season nine with them, Great-Grandfather Fang heaved a heavy sigh. But when he browsed through the comments online, his spirit immediately returned.

When they saw the super-huge bento box, the two Old Fangs beamed with delight.

"Our worthy grandson indeed. Even his bento box is larger than others'!"

Great-Grandfather Fang saved Fang Zhao's image and status as well as other photographs from different angles of the bento box that Fang Zhao had sent. Then, he sent them to other chat groups, sharing them with even more friends and family. He also sent a flurry of images to the retirement facility's internal chat group.

"Across the entire showbiz circles, besides my Xiao Zhao, who else has received such a huge bento box!?"

The one and only!

Great-Grandfather Fang chuckled as he told his wife beside him, "How great having a good appetite is! He is like me. Back then, when I was young and I first embarked on the Sirius for military service, how many people had no appetites because of the poor conditions and were unable to adapt well? Only I was able to eat a lot and adapt fast! My strength was really great too... Hey, now that I mention it, Fang Zhao is really like me!" Great-Grandfather Fang got more excited as he spoke, and he patted his old wife. "Do you still remember? Right at the beginning of military service, because I was able to eat a lot, was full of vigor, and adapted well, the captain even praised me for being a role model!"

Great-Grandmother Fang's lips curled upward at these past memories. "Yes, during those times, many people could not adapt well and fell sick easily. The captain even personally made a visit to the sick bay and ran into you, wearing a sleeveless shirt and underpants, rushing in with your sick roommate."

Great-Grandfather Fang's entire face was beaming. "Ah ha! I just knew that you fell in love with me at that moment. Otherwise, how were you able to remember it so clearly! Heh, and this old lady is still unwilling to admit it!"

Great-Grandmother Fang: "..."

"How many people took a fancy for me all those years ago! This bit of Xiao Zhao is just like me, he is surely especially charming, just that he seems a little boring sometimes. This part of him isn't so good. He is just like you in this aspect."

Great-Grandmother Fang: "..."

Chapter 321: Wrap Banque

Fang Zhao returned Curly Hair to the base as promised. He could tell that Curly Hair enjoyed his work. After getting his gaming fix, Curly Hair happily followed Fang Zhao back to the base.

Curly Hair was still the same dog when he was with Fang Zhao, quiet and obedient, but once he set foot on the base, his tiny eyes started to get cocky.

The soldiers on base were glad to put him on a pedestal. He had made a major contribution, after all.

Curly Hair was sad when Fang Zhao had to leave the base, darting toward him to whine and cuddle.

Fang Zhao thought that the little fella had been spoiled by the folks on base. Curly Hair had grown a temper. That was why he had trashed the sofa without much prompting.

"I'll come see you again in two days." Fang Zhao pet Curly Hair on the head. Now that he was done shooting, his schedule was much more flexible. He could stay longer on base each visit.

The soldier in charge of Curly Hair was still the lieutenant colonel Fang Zhao had met last time.

After Fang Zhao left, the lieutenant colonel sat on the ground next to Curly Hair, oblivious to the dirty surface. "Curly Hair, remember what I told you last time? Guarding the spaceport is the same as protecting your master."

Curly Hair immediately shook off his languor and stood at attention.

The lieutenant colonel continued, "The next spaceship is about to arrive. We have to be on full alert. We can't let any contraband in. You must stay on guard!"

"Woof!" Curly Hair strutted confidently toward the spaceport.

The lieutenant colonel followed, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. Thank God I've tamed him for now.

Meanwhile, free of his acting duties, Fang Zhao took a stroll through the film studio complex. Just as Huo Yi had said, the compound's fast expansion brought a greater number of risk factors. He had no control over other peoples' territory, but on his own turf, there were some issues he had to weigh in on.

After supervising work and straightening things out at the film studio complex for two days, Fang Zhao could finally shift his attention elsewhere.

Over at the experimental plots, operations had already been partly commercialized. When investors wanted to revive certain Old Era plant species, the research center would get on the case right away as long as there were sufficient funds. Only a handful of species had been revived in the past because of limited funding, but now that Planet Wai had developed a thriving entertainment and tourist economy, even researchers were receiving payment a few tiers higher.

Fang Zhao had heard that Zaro and Woo Tianhao had joined hands to invest in the revival of wild ginger, a plant that looked pretty and had medicinal value. Once the wild ginger could be harvested and they had accumulated enough stock, the two would engage in a major round of speculation.

The several new botanical gardens that had sprung up on Wai held plant shows periodically. Most of them were flower shows. Interested buyers could purchase flowers on site. The fair organizers would take care of export permits, ship to Earth in bulk, and arrange for home delivery.

Fang Zhao bought some flower and plants that were easy to care for for Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang. He remembered that his great-grandmother liked flowers. She had just complained to him yesterday that a few of her potted plants had died after being overwatered by Great-Grandfather.

He also bought plants for his former colleagues at Silver Wing, for Xue Jing, and for close friends and family. He figured he would order everything in one go.

Fang Zhao had stayed on set and filmed for nine seasons, about a year in total, and that was with adequate preparation and with the stars aligned—the right technology, the actors performing well, and an experienced crew. If the shoot had taken place in the Old Era, completing a season in a year would have been rough.

A whole bunch of tourist sites, both big and small, had popped up on Wai in the past two years. Fang Zhao took advantage of his break to check them out.

When he felt inspired, he put his new melodies to paper. They varied in length and might not amount to a full song or ever be played in public. They might remain in Fang Zhao's pocket notebook forever, but jotting things down in his notebook had become a habit.

He had been so tightly wound in his previous life. Only now did he have the leisure, time, and circumstances to compose freely.

Fang Zhao was called back to the set by the director twice to shoot additional scenes and once by Mo Lang to discuss ideas for the arrangement of part of the score.

When he finally got word that it was a wrap, he could literally hear the sense of relief the directors felt through his bracelet.

Even though shooting had been completed, there was still postproduction, but that didn't put a damper on everyone's festive mood.

"Fang Zhao, remember to head back to set tomorrow for the wrap banquet," a production liaison said in a note sent to the actor.

"Can I bring my bodyguards?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I think restrictions are laxer now. You can bring your bodyguards, manager, or assistants, but you are only allowed a quota of two people. You have to get special approval if you want to bring more than two people."

Meanwhile, Roman had transformed from Scarface to Mr. Smiley, chuckling wherever he went. After finishing shooting, he splurged on the wrap banquet. We're definitely having one! We're going all out! The investors will pay for it anyway. No need to pinch pennies on their account!

After the entire cast and crew having endured such an extended shoot and depressing mood on set, Roman wanted to throw a proper banquet to cheer folks up. The festive mood would also help draw actors out of their characters.

The cast and crew also did a 180. They had no qualms about speaking up anymore.

Actors who had been dissed by Roman with no mercy now behaved like he was a blood brother, chatting and joking around with the director.

The day of the wrap banquet, Fang Zhao ended up going with Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. He didn't have any assistants or a manager, so he used his quota on his bodyguards.

The duo were happy about the prospect of hanging out with the cast and crew and enjoying a sumptuous meal.

At the beginning of the banquet, the directors took turns making speeches.

Roman had been in a very good mood the past two days, flashing an exceptionally wide smile and revealing his humorous side. After finishing his speech, he added with a laugh, "I ordered a custom-made 10-layer cake shaped like a bento box for tonight."

When the cast and crew saw the big cake, they started throwing glances at Fang Zhao.

Roman sauntered toward the cake, wine glass in hand. "Does everyone recognize it? I had it modeled after Fang Zhao's giant bento box. It's big enough, isn't it?"

The dinner guests broke into guffaws.

"Don't hold back. The more you eat, the thicker the red packet you will get!"

This comment lit a fire in the audience. They might not have been necessarily keen on a thick red packet, but leaving a good impression on Director Roman was a smart move. It would improve their chances of working with him when he directed a major production in the future. Does Roman like actors who have voracious appetites? We're big eaters too!

But soon, all eyes were on Fang Zhao again.

"You better sit out this one, Fang Zhao," Roman said with a smile.

Fang Zhao laughed. "Sure." He had never intended to participate, and he had a good idea what the others were thinking. He would never live down his reputation as a big eater, no matter how much he explained.

An actor sitting next to him was delighted. "I'm relieved."

While the others were enjoying the meal and drinking merrily, Roman approached Fang Zhao. "Have you thought about your next step? I'm shooting a lighter TV series next year. There are a few characters that suit you well. Interested?"

With a smile, Fang Zhao politely declined. After downing a few drinks with Roman, Fang Zhao explained himself. "You know that I auditioned for the role of Fang Zhao because I like the role and the character shares my personality. This is a role I can handle, but if it's another character, I won't fare well against other actors."

Roman wasn't upset. He was actually glad to hear Fang Zhao's answer. It meant that Fang Zhao hadn't let his recent fame get to his head. Being sober-minded was a good thing. He had seen too many young actors vanish after achieving overnight renown.

"No problem. We'll find another opportunity to work together." Roman slapped Fang Zhao on the shoulder and flashed a wide grin. "One of the things I'm proudest of in this production is having suggested you for the role of Fang Zhao. You made me proud, ha!"

Soon, Roman was summoned by others as a drinking companion. The alcoholics could go all out tonight.

Fang Zhao also had a few more drinks with a few actors he knew well.

Out of the actors who remained on Wai, few were close to Fang Zhao. Ji Polun and company had left after Fang Zhao had completed his scenes. B- and C-list actors like them had to take advantage of the fact that the big stars were still on Wai to start publicizing their recent works. Otherwise, by the time the stars got around to promoting the TV series, they would be crowded out completely. They would be on no one's radar.

Fang Zhao was different. He wasn't a professional actor. But for Ji Polun and friends, acting was their primary profession. They had to line up their next project and related activities in advance.

A few of the stunt doubles approached Fang Zhao's table to say hello.

"Now, Fang Zhao, don't bail on us. Once we wind things down, let's race here on Wai!"

The stunt team took no issue with this. Whenever they watched Fang Zhao complete his own stunts, they were impressed too. They even agreed to race after filming wrapped.

There was tons of space on Wai and it was sparsely populated. It was perfect for racing.

Before filming wrapped, everything revolved around the shoot. No one could enjoy their pastimes properly lest a freak accident affect their work, but now they could let loose.

After the stunt doubles left, a fight-scene stunt double approached with his drink.

Most of the more challenging or physically demanding fight scenes had been left to doubles. Martial arts doubles and stunt doubles might be lumped together on other productions, but on the set of "Founding Era," there was a refined division of labor.

As the martial arts double approached, he announced, "Don't get me wrong. I don't want to spar with you. I know I am no match. If we fought for real, I know I'd collapse before I knew what was going on."

Fang Zhao had never used fight scene doubles either, although his opponents in the scenes all did.

Roman's high standards required fight sequences to look authentic. Their moves couldn't seem too fake, so they had to fight for real to a certain extent. Most actors, even if they had a foundation in martial arts and had undergone training, couldn't pass muster.

While they wouldn't go so far as to say that they had a precise understanding of Fang Zhao's skill level, the doubles who had fought Fang Zhao on set many times had a general sense. Even though Fang Zhao had held back, they had still felt sore after filming. They certainly didn't want to spar with Fang Zhao.

After a brief pause, the martial arts doubles said, "I was just wondering if you needed any more bodyguards?"

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, who were engrossed in their meal, took notice immediately. They cast a wary glance at the intruder.

Are you looking to replace us?

The bodyguard team is fully staffed!

Sensing Yan Biao and Zuo Yu's hostile glare, the double scrambled to explain himself. "Not the traveling kind. I know what I'm capable of. What I mean is are you hiring a guard of the security variety?"

The traveling bodyguards the big stars hired were quite elite. Former doubles like himself were rarely considered. Working for a minor celebrity didn't lead to rosy career prospects, so he decided to work for Fang Zhao. He would chart a different course by not working as a traveling bodyguard and serving in a different capacity.

Martial arts doubles like himself had a keen understanding of the entertainment industry. They were especially sensitive to developments in filmed entertainment. The film studio complex on Wai would undoubtedly expand and thrive in the next 10 years. Fang Zhao wasn't just a rising star—he was also an investor, and he had connections to the Wai military base. The martial arts double couldn't find work with any of the investors, but Fang Zhao was a sitting duck. If now wasn't the time to kiss up, then when?

He couldn't work as a martial arts double forever. They peaked only for a brief period and they had to take time to nurse the injuries they accumulated over the years. If they overworked and developed a major chronic injury, their lives would be even more miserable in retirement, so they had to look out for themselves too.

Fang Zhao gave the matter some thought. He did indeed need to beef up the manpower at the film studio complex. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had brought a whole bunch of their retired comrades on board. The film studio compound was expanding rapidly, so he had to keep a closer eye on his property. Hiring more help was a certain thing.

The martial arts double before him was a smooth talker, but from Fang Zhao's observations during filming, he wasn't a bad person. Folks who were hired as martial arts doubles typically were of decent character. Skill-wise, even if they weren't as competent as Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, they were still far superior to the average hire.

Someone else was calling for Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao told the double, "Why don't you have a chat with these two?"

The man glowed. Fang Zhao hadn't rejected him off-the-bat. "Sure, no problem!" he responded with gusto.

It wasn't the first time their boss had put Yan Biao and Zuo Yu in the same situation. They put down their plates and got business-like. "We have our own set of rules. Let me give you the low-down. If you think they are acceptable, let's set up a proper meeting," Yan Biao said.

"Sounds good!"

The trio chatted briefly. After taking care of business, they started letting their guard down.

"It must be a tough gig guarding Fang Zhao, right?" the martial arts double asked.

Yan Biao rubbed his chin. "It's hard to explain."

The double had a knowing look on his face. He said with a chuckle, "Got it. I know how it works. I won't ask any questions I shouldn't ask and I won't eavesdrop when I shouldn't. A professional bodyguard, even a marginal one, knows the importance of confidentiality. Let's drink. No, bodyguards can't get drunk. Let's stick to eating. Let's have a proper bite!"

Celebrities always had some sort of dirty laundry and a side of them that even their parents and spouses were unaware of. Bodyguards and drivers were perhaps the people who knew them the best, but a professional bodyguard knew that mum was the word when it came to the boss's personal affairs. He had heard plenty of stories during his years as a martial arts double.

If Yan Biao and Zuo Yu knew what the double had been insinuating, they would have loudly announced, "No, that's not the case. We so-called traveling bodyguards can't keep up with our boss. We feel like we're mere window dressing!"

Fang Zhao was constantly summoned as a drinking buddy and to pose for pictures. As long as the other dinner guests weren't out of line, Fang Zhao played along. He ended up drinking quite a bit, but he didn't feel drunk.

By the end of the banquet Fang Zhao reeked of alcohol, but he was still quite sober. He even helped the sober guests guide the wasted ones onto the bus service headed back to the dorm compound. He himself waited for the last bus.

Even though Fang Zhao's acting duties had concluded, he was allowed to keep his dorm room. That was because he had responsibilities other than acting. It was late and he'd had quite a bit to drink, so he wanted to rest in his dorm room.

After the shuttle bus made several rounds, the venue for the banquet had died down. Fang Zhao made a quick run to the men's room while he was waiting for the final shuttle.

When he emerged from the toilet, a tall, slim woman in formal wear left the ladies' room next door.

After toiling away for seasons on the set, many of the actresses and female crew members had cleaned up for the wrap banquet, so that type of wardrobe didn't stand out today.

As the sound of high heels clicked by, the woman noticed Fang Zhao staring at her and arched her brows. "What are you looking at? Pervert!"

Fang Zhao broke out laughing. "You really have to go all out in your line of work, Wang..."

"Big God, I was wrong!"

The "woman" who had just confidently given Fang Zhao an earful now sounded defeated.

Indeed, the "woman" was actually Yanzhou's top entertainment journalist, the self-proclaimed "King of Paparazzi," Wang Tie. He didn't dare venture into the film studio complex during filming, but now that shooting was finished, the soldiers manning the compound had let their guard down. It had been easy to sneak in. Other entertainment journalists had also infiltrated the complex. They were all out and about looking for scoops.

In fact, many of the actors had suspected there were entertainment journalists in their midst at the wrap banquet, but they had played dumb. They had dressed up for the banquet and ate with superb table manners. The presence of undercover journalists had obviously been lost on the actors who had gotten wasted.

Wang Tie had actually gathered quite a bit of information at tonight's banquet. He had just been texting his disciples from the ladies' room, telling them to call it a night and retreat, yet when he left the bathroom after tidying up, lo and behold, he ran into Fang Zhao. He secretly cursed to himself. F*ck! Such bad luck!

But he was also delighted to smell the alcohol in Fang Zhao's breath. Fang Zhao was drunk. He could definitely fumble through this time.

Wang Tie couldn't help chewing out Fang Zhao, because Fang Zhao was staring at him. He had wanted to tell Fang Zhao off for some time, but he'd never had the guts to do so to Fang Zhao's face. He figured Fang Zhao wouldn't catch on this time because he was in disguise.

Yet reality set in quickly.

"Big God, how about this? The wrap banquet is over. Just pretend that you didn't see me and I didn't see you. We can both call it a night, OK?" Wang Tie probed.

Fang Zhao didn't respond.

Totally unrecognizable in disguise, Wang Tie paused briefly, then flashed an evil smile. "What if I tore my outfit, clung to you, and yelled for help? What kind of stories do you think the entertainment journalists who haven't left will write?"

Was it an outrageously contrived plan?

Absolutely.

But did the truth matter?

No!

As far as many entertainment journalists were concerned, the truth wasn't a major concern, even if they knew the facts. All they did was write the most sensational account possible. As for the truth, it was none of their bloody business. In the worst-case scenario, they would apologize after the fact. By then, they would have gained the necessary hits.

Fang Zhao flexed his fingers.

Wang Tie retreated abruptly and raised his hands. He blurted in a whisper, "OK, I know where that will land me. Bottom line is it won't be a happy ending. I misspoke. Big God, there's no need to quibble with me. Just think of it as a fart. Let it go!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

Wang Tie was saved by the sound of approaching footsteps. He clasped his hands in prayer as he genuflected toward Fang Zhao, then trotted away in his high heels.

Fang Zhao smiled and shook his head. Being an entertainment journalist was a tough gig. Wang Tie had to go all out to maintain his reputation as Yanzhou's top paparazzo.

The next day, all sorts of selfies and paparazzi shots from the wrap banquet began to surface. All sorts of alleged affairs made their rounds on the internet. There was truth to some of them, while others were fabricated on the basis of suggestive photos.

Wang Tie broke news about the latest romantic entanglements of a few stars. As a bonus, he also broke stories about some less famous actors, but there was nothing about Fang Zhao, not even a photo. The name "Fang Zhao" did not make an appearance at all.

When Fang Zhao went online, all he did was scan the headlines before focusing his attention on one particular item.

A fan of "Founding Era" posted, "I hear that many period dramas auction their costumes after they finish shooting. Is this true?"

"Director Roman, is there going to be an auction? I have my piggy bank ready!"

"I can't get enough of the costumes and accessories that my idol wore. It'd be even better if they're autographed!"

"Set up an auction page!"

Soon enough, Roman responded, "No."

Most of the costumes and props would be preserved, though. The set would be rebuilt as a theme park. The most important props and costumes would be autographed and put on display.

The theme park would also be equipped with Period of Destruction clothing for tourists to rent and buy.

Two days later, Fang Zhao and a select few other actors were summoned by Roman to sign their laundered costumes.

There were holes in many of the costumes, and there was wear and tear to varying degrees, but that was the effect the theme park was looking for.

Fang Zhao signed his name properly on his own costume.

Chapter 322: The Disappearing Bulle

After filming wrapped up, actors left in batches according to their own work arrangements.

Staff members handling postproduction still had to remain on planet Wai for an extended period of time. For actors, most were in a rush to return, as they had busy schedules. Only a small portion of actors were not in a rush. Besides staff members in charge of postproduction, there were also a few actors that decided to stay on planet Wai for a bit to have a vacation and tour the place before they returned.

During this time, Fang Zhao and the stuntmen street raced twice.

The roaring of engines and billowing of dust made the blood within one's body seem like it was boiling.

Zaro watched enviously and wished to join them for a round.

But with Zaro's driving skills, where he even needed to turn on the autopilot when driving a flying car, if he were to operate one of those two-wheeled motorcycles from the Period of Destruction, he would probably flip over immediately.

For the sake of Zaro's safety—and taking into consideration his own occupational future—Zaro's agent had stopped him. Although Zaro's agent wouldn't be able to avoid a scolding from Zaro, he had long gotten used to it, and he was at peace with himself.

As a last resort, Zaro had sat on the motorcycle and struck a cool pose for a photograph. Fortunately, he could still flaunt and act pretentious online, conning all those netizens that did not know the truth.

Perhaps these stuntmen got some inspiration from street racing. These stuntmen decided that when they returned, they would propose a few of those super motorcycle companies in MaErsizhou set up a large-scale cross-country race here.

"The competition venues at MaErsizhou are too congested. In recent years, it feels as if the competition venues are being more restricted, and racing doesn't seem as refreshing as before," one of the stuntmen said as he removed his helmet. Although he had lost to Fang Zhao in a race, this reckless speeding made him extremely excited.

The majority of these stuntmen were from MaErsizhou, and people from this continent seemed to carry a fanatical competitive gene. Even if they fell down and were in pain during an event, they would still be captivated by the spirit of competition.

Advances in technology had given rise to a lot of new sporting events, and now, people of Mazhou were once again starting ancient sporting events from the Old Era. The few of them had been riding imitation cross-country mountain bikes from the Old Era and racing around the sandy dunes outside the film sets.

Those stuntmen had fanatical glints in their eyes. "Under the wind and rain, when lightning flashes and thunder rolls, when the engine roars and dirt splatters while climbing a steep dirt hill, at the moment when the wheels of the bike leave the ground, that sort of feeling is just like an ancient knight of old, how glorious! Fang Zhao, I can see that you also really love these sorts of sports and you can understand how we feel. You have an extremely high amount of talent in this aspect! Visit Mazhou! Duke it out on the racetrack! Experience the charm of ancient sporting events! That is a totally different experience from e-sports competitions!"

Fang Zhao: "Not interested."

He'd had his fill of racing in his previous life.

Under the disappointed gazes of the stuntmen, Fang Zhao rode the motorcycle back and returned it. After paying for the rent and maintenance, Fang Zhao headed for the music center.

There were always many people in the music center. Actors and crew members waiting for the next trip back would watch performances at the music center if they did not wish to head out.

Nowadays, every time Fang Zhao went over, it was to see Mo Lang.

Mo Lang had sent Fang Zhao a message yesterday asking him to drop by in the following few days if he had the time. It wasn't an urgent matter; Mo Lang just wished to exchange some composing insights with him.

Mo Lang's 10-minute ending tune was already 90% completed. There were only some tiny areas left that he wasn't satisfied with and wanted to amend. Once he was satisfied with the final product, recording could begin.

As Fang Zhao had contributed significantly during this period where the ending tune was being composed, Mo Lang had let Fang Zhao sign a confidentiality agreement. When the time came, he would place Fang Zhao's name in the credits for this composition, second only to Mo Lang.

After signing this agreement, Mo Lang let Fang Zhao see the completed score sheet. This way, it would be easier for them to discuss composition-related problems.

Today, after discussing with Mo Lang for half an hour, Fang Zhao's communications device produced a hurried noise.

If it wasn't an urgent matter, it wouldn't be this sort of tone. Looking at the caller, Fang Zhao's eyelids twitched. "Sorry, I have to take a call."

The caller was Huo Yi. As Wai base's commanding officer, he wouldn't personally contact Fang Zhao unless it was an urgent matter. And for stuff on Wai base that concerned Fang Zhao, there was only Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao walked over to an empty room to the side and answered the call.

Huo Yi's heavy tone appeared to have some restrained fury. "There is a problem at the kennel. You have to come over now. Turn on your GPS and I will get the nearest base personnel to pick you up."

"Is Curly Hair all right?" Fang Zhao asked.

"He is healthy and active, but he is a little excessively stirred up. Now, nobody is able to go near him. Come out now. We will brief you on the way." Huo Yi did not elaborate further and ended the call.

Fang Zhao informed Mo Lang and left quickly.

As Fang Zhao exited the large main doors of the music center, others entering and leaving the music center saw Fang Zhao's hurried footsteps and were about to inquire with him when they heard surprised exclamations from people around them.

Raising their heads to look over, a huge and menacing flying transport was descending. When Fang Zhao boarded, the transport left immediately.

"Was that a... military flying transport?" someone wondered aloud.

"I think it belongs to Wai base's internal department. It is equipped with the latest propulsion and weapons system, and generally, people on the outside can't use it," said an actor who had acted in many military serials. He understood these sorts of things a little better and frequently paid attention to these aspects.

"So the rumors that Fang Zhao has a formidable military background are true? Otherwise, why would Wai base let Fang Zhao use such a destructive flying machine?"

"This, I have no idea. But I see that Fang Zhao has special qualities that military talents possess. If I were him, I would surely stay on with the military to develop. With such a background, I would be even better off and would be able to climb much higher. Why does he want to muddle along in the entertainment circles? That really puzzles me."

The people of the entertainment industry had all sorts of guesses from watching Fang Zhao hurriedly board Wai base's flying transport in that manner, but the main point that made even more people curious was this: did Fang Zhao really have a formidable military background?

On the flying transport heading for Wai base, Fang Zhao wasn't in the mood to bother about what those people at the music center were thinking. On the journey there, Fang Zhao contacted the base to better understand the matter.

Previously, when Huo Yi had said that Curly Hair might be targeted, that hadn't just been chatter. Having intercepted so many goods, he had damaged quite a few people's interests. Even if the base was able to keep it confidential, over time, there might be times when they overlooked stuff. Furthermore, Wai base's internal teams were not a singular organism. After the expansion, it had gotten more complicated.

Today, there hadn't been any transport ships arriving, and there were few security check assignments at the airfield. In the morning, the person in charge had brought Curly Hair out for a round and then returned him to the kennel to rest. Today, the dogs in the kennel were all resting, and they did not have training either. The people guarding the kennels had never expected that someone would dare try to assassinate a dog in broad daylight!

Although the other party had not succeeded, the soldiers stationed at the kennels had not caught the perpetrator. Afterward, in the blink of an eye, Curly Hair had run out from the kennels!

After that, the staff there locked the other dogs inside and got a team to guard the kennels. They then dispatched another team to chase Curly Hair.

That team caught up to Curly Hair very quickly, but his manner had changed. From his originally gentle and friendly nature, he was now especially fierce and kept barking.

When Fang Zhao entered the base, he heard a dog barking.

A stockman at the kennel explained to Fang Zhao, "Since we found and brought him back, he hasn't allowed anyone to get near him. He starts barking frantically, bares his teeth, and his body goes completely taut whenever someone gets close. I have never seen him so ferocious before. The vet has come over and observed, but he didn't discover any injuries. After using an apparatus to do a rough scan, the vet said Curly Hair's internal organs and bones are fine too, but he has no way of getting close to do a proper check, so we still can't be certain Curly Hair is completely fine. The commander said to wait for you to come over. If you too have no way of making him calm down, then we will have to adopt other methods."

The stockman and instructor, as well as the lieutenant colonel normally in charge of handling Curly Hair, had all received the same treatment. They were unable to get close and couldn't do anything but wait for Fang Zhao to come over.

When he saw Fang Zhao, Curly Hair speedily ran over to Fang Zhao's side and whimpered as if he'd been wronged. Although he was no longer barking, he still wasn't friendly to others, baring his teeth and growling to anyone else who got too close.

Fang Zhao put out his hand to stroke Curly Hair's fur, firstly to pacify Curly Hair and secondly to check whether he was hurt in any way.

"He's all right," Fang Zhao said.

Huo Yi heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good. Let the vet give him a checkup, do some blood tests, and so on, to ensure that he hasn't received any harmful drugs or the like."

However, the moment the vet moved a step closer, Curly Hair once again started barking. This time, he only barked twice before stopping, but as before, he stared at the vet, low warning growls originating from his throat as he revealed his sharp canines.

Fang Zhao patted him lightly before the growling stopped.

"Tell me what happened. Just that which can be said will do." Fang Zhao glanced at Huo Yi. "Previously, when I brought Curly Hair over, we agreed that I would have the right to know anything that happened."

Huo Yi took a deep breath, his brows constricting, and he raised his hand, indicating the lieutenant colonel that normally handled Curly Hair should explain to Fang Zhao.

The lieutenant colonel gave a brief recount, which was similar to what Fang Zhao had found out on the way here.

"The perpetrator still hasn't been caught?" Fang Zhao asked.

When this was mentioned, Huo Yi's face became even darker and he fell silent. Evidently, he also felt ashamed.

The lieutenant colonel frowned helplessly. "The perpetrator is probably an old hand. We have yet to find him. We even brought out two dogs that are good at tracking, but they lost the scent. Our surrounding monitoring system did not catch anyone on film, and our sentinel system didn't release any warnings. From the leads we have now, there was only one person that opened fire." That lieutenant colonel handed over a set of analytical results. "Although we were unable to catch the perpetrator's figure, the sentinel system recorded a sound. After filtering it out, the system's analysis results indicate that the perpetrator opened fire thrice. Luckily, none of them hit the mark."

Fang Zhao's hand that was patting Curly Hair halted. He knew that what had happened here at the base was not just limited to this, but he would not chase further answers. The base would have stuff that they weren't liable to reveal too.

Thinking about it, Fang Zhao asked, "The perpetrator fired three times. Where did they hit? Can I see the bullets? I remember that over here, you all are still equipped with live ammunition, not with energy firearms."

A flash of embarrassment lit up across the lieutenant colonel's face as he looked towards Huo Yi.

Huo Yi nodded his head.

That lieutenant colonel said, "Three shots, but we only found two bullets. One was on the ground in the dog shed, and the other was near the entrance of the kennel. As for the remaining one... we have yet to find it. We have already widened our search radius, and I believe we will find it very soon."

"Could I trouble you to arrange a guest room? I want to bring Curly Hair over for a little rest. He has just experienced quite a scare, and his mood isn't all that well. Right now, he is very guarded against outsiders. Perhaps he needs some time alone. I'll bring him out again when he is feeling better," Fang Zhao said.

This time, Huo Yi gave an instant reply. "All right."

"Can I have a copy of the monitoring footage from the kennels as well as the sound recordings from the surrounding sentinel system? For the sound recordings, can I have the original source, not ones that have been filtered?" asked Fang Zhao.

There was bewilderment on the lieutenant colonel's face. "You can't really hear anything from the original source. The perpetrator had a silencer on his gun, and because it was broad daylight, there were many random noises nearby. Without processing them, you won't be able to hear the sound of gunfire."

Fang Zhao nodded. "That's the sort I want."

"No problem." Huo Yi's face was a little gloomy. However, it wasn't directed at Fang Zhao but at the day's happenings.

Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair to the room the base assigned them. This was a guest house in the base, for treating guests when they came over.

Curly Hair followed closely beside Fang Zhao. Only after there was nobody else inside the room did Curly Hair's tense body relax slightly, and he wagged his tail.

Fang Zhao paced the guest room, then fished out an object around the size of a palm from his pocket. This was an instrument for taking readings. After checking for surveillance equipment in the room and not finding any, Fang Zhao waved to Curly Hair, who was scratching his back with his hind legs. "Come over."

The people from the base viewed Curly Hair and those elite dogs from Muzhou Police Dog Academy the same way. They felt that these dogs had IQs much higher than other dogs. Just from some little drills and instructions, they could understand a lot and were similar to 10-year-old kids. But in the end, they were only dogs, and no matter how high their IQs were, they still could not compare to an adult.

In Muzhou's history, there were many dogs with especially high IQs. During those extraordinary circumstances of the Period of Destruction, many outstanding combat dogs had come about. There were many graves for meritorious service dogs in the Muzhou Cemetery of Martyrs alone.

But 500 years later, in the New Era, there was still a disparity for Muzhou dogs even if they inherited their forefathers IQ. In all that time, the number of dogs with really high IQs could be counted with the fingers on a person's hands, and every one of those dogs was considered a Muzhou treasure.

As for Curly Hair, Fang Zhao did not think that he was in any way inferior to those Muzhou treasures recorded down in history.

Because Curly Hair stood out from the masses, Fang Zhao had taught him a long time ago to pretend to be clumsier than he seemed and to be wary of outsiders. Today, in front of Huo Yi and the others, Curly Hair's barking might not have been because he'd received a shock but for other reasons.

Fang Zhao crouched down and stroked Curly Hair's head. "There are no outsiders here. What do you wish to tell me?"

Curly Hair whimpered, groaned, and growled, as if trying to tell Fang Zhao something, but the language was different.

Fang Zhao watched as Curly Hair whimpered then growled. He knew Curly Hair was trying to tell him something, but... the language was different, so he really had no way of completely understanding what Curly Hair wanted to say.

Curly Hair's scratched his paws twice on the ground, as if he was trying to write something, but he gave it up quickly. Following that, he paced up and down on his spot and twirled around a few times.

Fang Zhao watched Curly Hair twirling around, his paws moving up and down. If this were a grass patch outside, this sort of action would generally be done to flatten the grass to prevent the grass from poking his butt. Then, Curly Hair... took a crap.

In front of Fang Zhao, Curly Hair took a long crap.

Fang Zhao: "..."

After Curly Hair was done, he leaned in to take a sniff, then abruptly withdrew his neck, took two steps back, and cried out softly. Curly Hair looked at Fang Zhao, then turned to look at that fresh poop and continued to bark.

Fang Zhao remained quiet for a few seconds, then got up to get a pair of tweezers.

Thirty seconds later, Fang Zhao stared at the deformed bullet shell he had picked up with the tweezers from inside the dog poo, and he continued to remain silent.

Chapter 323: The Dog That Eats Anything

"So this is the bullet that vanished?" Fang Zhao asked Curly Hair.

"Woof!" Curly Hair barked as he sat while wagging his tail violently.

Fang Zhao pressed on. "So the sniper did actually hit you?"

"Woof!" The tail-wagging picked up in tempo, as if Curly Hair was indicating his pride in stopping a bullet.

Fang Zhao inspected Curly Hair's body. "Where did you get hit?" He didn't detect any traces of blood. The prior inspection did not yield any obvious wounds either. If Curly Hair had any wounds, Huo Yi and company would have noticed.

Curly Hair used one of his hind legs to scratch his back. He scratched some more, like he usually did when scratching an itch.

Fang Zhao parted the fur at the spot Curly Hair was scratching and found a light scar about the size of a fingernail.

Fang Zhao pointed at the scar. "Here?"

"Woof!"

Curly Hair's military fatigues had been removed after he'd returned to base after his mission ended. He had not been wearing any bullet-proof clothing at the time of the attack.

Fang Zhao examined the heavily deformed bullet that he'd pulled out, then checked the light scar on Curly Hair's back again.

This couldn't be explained by a plain old mutation. Even the strongest service dogs in Muzhou during the Period of Destruction hadn't been invincible. How many dogs had been shot dead?

Fang Zhao had a good idea how deadly the arms used by soldiers at Wai base were. If it had been any other dog, there would have been an exit wound, yet in this case, the bullet had barely scratched Curly Hair's skin. Then...

"You ate it?"

"Woof!" Curly Hair started wagging his tail vigorously again, as if anticipating Fang Zhao's praise.

"You even knew to hide the evidence. You've gotten smart." Fang Zhao fondled Curly Hair's back. "Don't you remember how I instructed you to react when you come across danger? And you decided to pursue the enemy? If you didn't have the ability to stop bullets, you'd be dead, you know?"

Curly Hair stopped wagging his tail and started whining. His tiny eyes looked sad.

Fang Zhao sighed and examined the debris on Curly Hair's coat. "We're going to have a proper chat when this dies down."

Fang Zhao cleaned up the dog shit on the ground and flushed it away in the toilet. He picked up the mangled bullet, washed it, and put it in his pocket.

When he was washing the bullet, Fang Zhao noticed that, in addition to being deformed, it had signs of corrosion.

He sunk into deep thought.

If the bullet hadn't been shat out, would it have eventually been completely digested?

Was Curly Hair actually an alien dog?

But when he thought back to the results of his investigation when he'd lived on a black street, Fang Zhao wanted to attribute the miracle to other factors he didn't know about.

The moment when all the surveillance cameras on the black street had malfunctioned, the moment of his rebirth.

Everything had changed at that moment.

Before that, Curly Hair had been a sickly stray roaming the black street.

But after Fang Zhao's rebirth, Curly Hair had grown stronger by the day. He never got sick and could eat anything. On the ranch in Muzhou, other dogs had gotten upset stomachs from eating hamsters, but not Curly Hair.

Who knew how many hamsters Curly Hair had downed at the Muzhou ranch? Had he eaten any other animals?

Fang Zhao's body had clearly gotten stronger after his rebirth too, but he was nowhere near the level of digesting bullets.

Suddenly, Fang Zhao thought back to the results of Curly Hair's physicals over time.

All along, Curly Hair's checkups had never yielded any obvious abnormalities, including the physical conducted by the vet on the base. Apart from slightly higher-than-normal levels of metal in his blood, he didn't have any other problems. He was perfectly healthy.

The reason the vets gave for Curly Hair's high metal levels was the massive changes to the ecosystem during the 100-year Period of Destruction. Some species went extinct and new species emerged. Dogs underwent mutations. At first glance, the vet's explanation seemed to make sense.

But Fang Zhao knew this wasn't the case.

His own hearing had improved from his previous life. Curly Hair's sense of smell had far surpassed the sniffing capabilities of other dogs. No, perhaps Curly Hair's hearing, sense of smell, and other senses had been very strong to begin with and were improving over time.

When the world's leading pet magazine, PET, had tested Curly Hair's jaw strength, his numbers had already been quite scary, but Fang Zhao knew that Curly Hair hadn't gone all out.

Fang Zhao lifted Curly Hair and glared at him. "Did you eat something that you shouldn't have?"

Curly Hair gently swayed his drooping tail and averted Fang Zhao's gaze.

Right then and there, Fang Zhao knew the little fella had been secretly eating something out of the ordinary.

Who would know that this tiny dog, no different from your average pet dog, actually harbored powers that shook the world?

Fang Zhao's bracelet rang. It was Huo Yi.

"Fang Zhao, how's Curly Hair?" Huo Yi asked with genuine concern.

"He's calmed down," Fang Zhao responded.

"That's great. Why don't you come over. I can't send you the footage from the outpost surveillance system, but you can look at it over here."

"No problem. I'll come over now."

Fang Zhao sent Yan Biao and Zuo Yu a message instructing them to head for the Wai military base, and then he set off with Curly Hair.

Curly Hair stayed close to Fang Zhao and ignored everyone else.

Huo Yi flashed a rare smile when he saw Curly Hair. "He seems to be in better spirits."

"The little fella tends to shit when he gets nervous. He just shat in the guest room. I've cleaned it up already," Fang Zhao said. The floor in the guest room had signs of recent cleaning. Given Huo Yi's personality, he was bound to investigate, so Fang Zhao figured he might as well be forthcoming now and clear the mystery.

The vet who had been observing Curly Hair laughed. "That's normal. It's a reflex. We humans are the same. When we get nervous, we tend to want to shit. When people panic, some pee, others barf."

Curly Hair let out a whimper, but Fang Zhao pressed his head down.

Huo Yi and company had a eureka expression on their faces when they heard the vet's spiel.

"No wonder he looks like he's in better spirits. He must feel relaxed after taking a shit. Good, good. Should you give him a checkup?" Huo Yi was quite concerned about this dog that had made major contributions to the base's security.

The vet approached and Curly Hair growled. Even though he wasn't as mean as he had been before, he was still resistant.

Fang Zhao explained, "He just calmed down. He's still in shock, so he doesn't want to deal with strangers for the time being."

"That's understandable." Huo Yi expressed sympathy, but a look of disappointment flashed across his face. He knew that after what went down, Curly Hair might not be able to continue his service, not to mention the fact that he was so standoffish now.

After asking the vet to leave, Huo Yi instructed his deputy to play Fang Zhao the surveillance footage and audio. As a commander, he had many affairs to attend to. He couldn't stay forever, and he was even busier than usual after the dog sniper incident. His deputy could stick around.

Fang Zhao studied the footage carefully and listened to the audio.

Huo Yi's deputy observed Fang Zhao curiously, especially when Fang Zhao was listening to the audio. The audio track had not been cleaned up, and the volume had not been turned up. All he could hear was static. What could Fang Zhao hear?

By the time Fang Zhao finished listening to the audio, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had arrived.

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

"Yes, the liquid soap that Curly Hair uses at home, his mattress, and dog food."

As Huo Yi's deputy watched the two bodyguards remove the items from their bag, he wondered to himself, Are they bodyguards or babysitters?

Fang Zhao told Huo Yi's deputy, "I'm going to take them to the guest room for a rest and give Curly Hair a bath."

When they arrived at the guest room, Fang Zhao bathed Curly Hair and briefed Zuo Yu and Yan Biao about the dog sniper. He didn't say anything about the bullet.

As he gave Curly Hair a bath, Fang Zhao wondered if he should apply some medicinal cream to the scar on Curly Hair's back, but when he parted the fur near the wound, he realized that the scar had nearly healed. One wouldn't be able to tell it was there unless they looked carefully.

Looks like the wound doesn't need to be treated.

After bathing and blow-drying Curly Hair, Fang Zhao checked the floor. He couldn't find a single strand of dog hair.

Whether he was being bathed or combed, Curly Hair never shed any fur. This trait remained.

Fang Zhao pointed to the dog mattress and ordered, "Go to bed." He turned his head to face Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. "He's in shock. Let him have a good rest. Don't let anyone bother him."

"OK, Boss," the two bodyguards responded.

"I'm going out. You two stay here."

"OK, Boss."

They had a good idea what Fang Zhao was up to, but what could they do? They could only play dumb and obey orders.

After Fang Zhao left, Yan Biao threw a glance at Curly Hair, who was sound asleep and snoring, before telling Zuo Yu, "He doesn't look like he's in shock at all."

Zuo Yu glanced at Curly Hair as well and whispered, "This seems to have been a professional hit."

"Someone actually traveled all the way to Wai base to whack a dog?" Yan Biao was baffled as to why an assassin skilled enough to infiltrate the military base would bother with a dog.

Zuo Yu let out a cold laugh. "Our Curly Hair is no ordinary dog. He has been awarded military merits. Do you know how many people he's kept from getting rich by guarding the cargo shipped to the spaceport? There's a memorial hall at the police dog academy in Muzhou where the pictures of outstanding service dogs are displayed. The dogs there were at least awarded second-class merits. Half of the dogs have been murdered. It's normal to be hated when you stop too many people from getting rich, when you hurt people's interests."

The thought of Curly Hair being targeted made Zuo Yu furious. He got up and said, "I should head out with Boss."

"What for? To hold him back? Or are you saying you can keep up?" Yan Biao said. It's not that he wanted to rain on Zuo Yu's parade, but the same scenario happened over and over again. He wanted to seek revenge for Curly Hair, but he couldn't keep up with his boss.

Zuo Yu wore a blank expression on his face.

Yan Biao thought of something and smiled. "Actually, if we can't keep up with Fang Zhao and protect him, we can protect Curly Hair, this meritorious service dog. Now that he has made a few major contributions in terms of port security, he has won praise and become a target at the same time. He will face graver risks from now on. If we can't protect Fang Zhao, then we should protect Curly Hair. We are still protecting a hero, no? We have to earn our salary."

Zuo Yu nodded. "You've got a point!"

Elsewhere.

After getting off the phone with Fang Zhao, Huo Yi's deputy reported to his boss, "Fang Zhao said he wants to go out."

Huo Yi frowned. "How many people did he bring?"

"Just himself. He wants to borrow a flying transport and a base vehicle."

"Just himself? What is he up to?" Huo Yi was baffled. "Doesn't he know that the situation outside is uncertain, that it's dangerous?"

Standing next to Huo Yi, the lieutenant colonel in charge of Curly Hair whispered, "Fang Zhao was awarded a merit for killing a terrorist while serving on Baiji. One of my friends from the Baiji base says that Fang Zhao is a strong solo operative." The lieutenant colonel continued, "Commander, you should remember that Fang Zhao is nicknamed 'Diting.' He came to Wai to detect power ore through his hearing while he was serving on Baiji. He must have asked for the audio surveillance from the dog pound to listen for clues. Folks like him have special ears. They're like bats equipped with sonic radar. He must have found a clue, given he's asking for permission to go out."

Huo Yi figured as much.

After pondering the matter briefly, Huo Yi instructed, "Put together a team and follow Fang Zhao. See if he can actually locate the sniper. No worries if he can't. As long as he can find some useful clues. If something goes down, you can be his backup. Remember to protect Fang Zhao. Don't let things get out of hand."

Fang Zhao was now a celebrity. If something happened to him on Huo Yi's turf, it would spell trouble for the commander.

The lieutenant colonel saluted. "Yes, sir! I won't let you down!"

After the lieutenant colonel left, Huo Yi was the picture of exhaustion. "We won't be able to keep the dog. We'll have to prepare in advance."

Even if the attack didn't happen, Curly Hair couldn't have stayed on forever. A single dog shouldn't shoulder the burden of the entire base. If that was the case, he would be looked down on by other base commanders when they gathered for meetings.

There was no way of forcing Curly Hair to stay either. Fang Zhao would be hard to persuade, not to mention that other base commanders like Shanta of Baiji would rub it in.

Huo Yi got a headache from contemplating the repercussions.

Huo Yi's deputy consoled him. "Even if contraband is sneaked in, stepping up inspections and checks will make a difference."

Huo Yi didn't respond.

Huo Yi knew that he had upset many folks by cracking down and upgrading security measures recently. He lamented the fact that he had been too eager to put Wai on the development fast track. He had sold off too many plots of land and approved too many projects. The number of visitors had jumped, and they were a mixed bunch. It was harder to tighten controls now.

Also, the sniper who had attacked the dog pound had used a standard-issue rifle from the base, which had prompted Huo Yi to go through the missing firearms logs. If he hadn't checked, he wouldn't have realized that quite a few soldiers had lost their weapons. Huo Yi was so pissed he chewed out the relevant officials in charge and fired two people.

Huo Yi started brainstorming how to implement internal reforms. After a while, someone walked in.

The lieutenant colonel Huo Yi had dispatched had returned. He was beet red and avoided making eye contact. "I lost him."

Huo Yi stared him down.

A storm was brewing.

The lieutenant colonel and Huo Yi's deputy were so nervous they held their breaths. Their foreheads started sweating profusely.

Huo Yi eked out the following words: "What do I need you for, then?"

Chapter 324: Really Divine Ears

Fang Zhao first went over to the kennels.

The base had provided the unprocessed and comprehensive sound recording. Regardless of what a normal person was able to hear or not hear, in Fang Zhao's mind, all the sounds created a comprehensive scene.

Every person, every dog, and all their activities and paths formed a clear picture in his mind.

The spot where the sniper had concealed himself had been planned meticulously. Perhaps he had already been observing for many days.

The first shot had been taken when the dogs had finished their meal in the kennel, when they'd been looking for a spot to rest.

Curly Hair's alertness was very high. He had evaded before the assassin had fired. Following that, he had taken to his heels and chased the perpetrator while dodging the second shot.

Fang Zhao left the kennels, walked over to a large tree, and examined the traces beneath it.

This was where the third shot had struck Curly Hair's backside, but Curly Hair had only slightly paused for a bit before continuing to give chase. Surveillance footage here had been obstructed by the rapidly growing branches and twigs from the trees.

And the base soldiers that had rushed over behind Curly Hair had not been able to discover any bullet traces here, nor had they been able to determine precisely where the assassin had been.

Moving further forward, this was the area where Curly Hair had been restrained by the soldiers from the flying transport.

The sounds in the recording and the traces on the ground all showed that Curly Hair had been very irritable. Curly Hair had been barking away, starting from when he was restrained continuing even after he was brought back to base. Huo Yi and the others felt that Curly Hair had been like this because he had experienced a shock, but looking at it now...

Curly Hair had probably been scolding them.

After all, he had been so close to apprehending the assassin. It was unfortunate that he had been restrained by the base's personnel. He couldn't be blamed for being irritable.

All the way from the kennel to this spot, the men that Huo Yi had dispatched had followed Fang Zhao, but shortly after, they lost Fang Zhao. The lieutenant colonel only knew this much.

In the base, when Huo Yi listened to the lieutenant colonel's report, he wore an amazed look.

"At first, the path he took was the same path that Curly Hair took back then." Although Huo Yi had already made mental preparations, when he heard this, he could not help but feel that it was miraculous. "Those ears of Fang Zhao's are really even more impressive than a dog's!"

"That is why he is called Divine Ears," lamented an aide standing beside Huo Yi.

"Indeed, a dog is like his master. Curly Hair was able to find so many sealed prohibited items, and Fang Zhao can hear sounds that other people are unable to hear. Curly Hair's nose and Fang Zhao's ears, I wish I could keep both of them here." Huo Yi did not hide his own opinions. If it was anybody else, they would surely also feel the same.

"Actually, Commander, if you really wish to keep the dog, you can try. My grandfather once said that something that can be loaned out isn't really important, and a really important object would never be loaned out. Since Fang Zhao previously lent us the dog, as long as we are able to show enough sincerity and offer sufficient trading terms, Fang Zhao will surely lend us the dog once again. Commander, if you are able to give him more benefits and sacrifice more, perhaps Fang Zhao might even sell the dog to us!" the aide said.

Huo Yi sighed deeply and shook his head in silence.

If it was anybody else, Huo Yi might still have considered discussing it, but Fang Zhao was just too difficult to deal with. Fang Zhao did not lack money, and he wasn't obsessed with power or privilege. If Fang Zhao had really wished to develop further in the military, he would have stayed on planet Baiji. Baiji military district even treated Fang Zhao as a mascot and a treasure. Planet Baiji had much better development prospects than planet Wai.

At this moment, his internal comms device starting ringing.

Huo Yi was flabbergasted. "Southeast garrison region?"

"Commander, Fang Zhao has requested Southeast Garrison Region Three's original sound recordings and surveillance footage," stated the other side.

Huo Yi was astonished. He has already arrived there? How is his speed so fast? "Give it to him!" Huo Yi exclaimed. As long as Fang Zhao was able to find the target, any assistance to Fang Zhao was fine. Today, the base's southeast direction did not have any training activities, so there was no need to maintain secrecy.

Five minutes later.

"Commander! According to the leads that Fang Zhao has provided, we have found a suspicious target. We aren't able to see his face and he is wearing our base's uniform. We have already confirmed that it is stolen. The person probably isn't from our base... Twenty minutes ago, the party entered the primeval forest in front of the southeast garrison region. According to ecology and environmental protection regulations, besides the sentry towers, we don't have any monitoring equipment inside. It will be quite difficult to track the target."

The person on the other end in charge of giving the report had actually wanted to say that they were poor and had limited funding. In these non-open places, there were only a few old facilities, and the machines there might even be defective, as nobody had maintained them in a long while. However, to save face, he could not speak too directly, just enough that the commander could understand.

Huo Yi could naturally understand what the other party was trying to say. "Where is Fang Zhao?" Huo Yi asked.

"Fang Zhao... Fang Zhao said he would be heading into the primeval forest to search for the target."

Huo Yi became even more alert. "Let him in! You people follow him! Follow him tightly!"

"Yes!"

Two minutes later.

"Commander, reporting... We lost him."

Huo Yi sat in front of his desk, his face as black as when he received rejections to his requests for additional expenditures.

The lieutenant colonel beside him heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, I wasn't the only one that lost him. Everyone is useless too. Brothers in the southeast garrison region, you guys are comrades who have gone through the same trials and tribulations as I!

The reporting personnel from Southeast garrison region asked cautiously, "Commander, what do we do now?"

Huo Yi really wanted to wave his hand and shout "Find him," but thinking rationally, now was not a good time to send people in. The primeval forest was an original forest on planet Wai. Although there weren't fierce and savage creatures like on planet Baiji, there were still dangers. Now, it was already getting dark, and the amount of people that could be transferred over to the southeast garrison region was limited. They would also be practically useless if they went. It would still be all right if they had been following Fang Zhao. At least they would still have had someone to follow, but if they were unable to keep track of him, then forget about it.

"Remain on standby where you are!" Huo Yi said through clenched teeth.

————

In the primeval forest southeast of the base, a black figure was moving.

Bang!

A snake darted out from the underbrush, but its head exploded. Snake blood splattered on the underbrush and tree trunks.

The sound of gunfire suppressed by a silencer wasn't very loud, and it was very quickly muffled by the sounds of the snake's head exploding and blood splattering.

In the gradually darkening forest, these sounds were clear yet not very abrupt..

Nightfall descended and the figure finally stopped.

This was a person that did not seem to have any distinguishing characteristics. He might even be wearing a mask. With his appearance now, even if he was captured by surveillance cameras, it would be difficult for someone to remember his face with just a glance.

After this person stopped, he leaned against the trunk of a tree and closed his eyelids slightly. He maintained a specific breathing rhythm and was so quiet that he appeared to blend into the surrounding forest. Not moving for some time, it appeared like he was already sound asleep.

"Tsk!"

The person who seemed like he was sleeping soundly suddenly sneered. Raising his eyebrows, he looked in the direction of Wai base, his expression full of disdain.

Weren't the troops garrisoned on planet Wai supposed to be more impressive than the troops on military districts back on earth? Looking at things now, it seems like this wasn't the case!

It made sense. Before planet Wai had made a name for itself, it had just been a small and barren place. Species here were ordinary and did not pose much threat. Over time, the basic quality of the military here might even be weaker than the military districts of the various continents.

Relaxing his frayed nerves, he fished out a palm-sized communications device. Then he attached an additional device. This was to camouflage the signal to prevent the military team at the sentry tower in the primeval forest from intercepting his communications signal.

He was contacting someone who was waiting in the film entertainment complex.

"Have you succeeded?" The other party's voice was rough. It wasn't his real voice.

"Failed. That tiny thing is rather difficult to deal with. The price has to be increased. Three times the previous price and I will not let it board the transport. Otherwise, you better find someone else." While he conversed softly, he remained vigilant of his surroundings.

The person on the other end reacted as if he had heard something unfathomable. His rough voice became shrill and ear piercing. "What did you say? Failed? Aren't you the 'Dog Butcher' known as the number one at slaughtering dogs? With such a high reward, you actually failed? Now we are really doubting your professional ability."

A hint of fury flashed across the face of the person with the nickname of "Dog Butcher," but he calmed down quickly. "Since you don't believe me, go find someone else. But I advise you all to hurry. I reckon that dog will be taken away by Fang Zhao shortly and won't remain on Wai base."

The other party's voice sounded very calm. "If the dog is taken away, then we don't have any need to fork out a large some to kill it. Without the dog around, a lot of our goods will not be detected."

"Heh!" Dog Butcher laughed sarcastically. "In no rush, really? Your boss's business is really big. All along, he liked to strangle potential threats in their cradle. Now that he has got his sights on earning a fortune on planet Wai, shouldn't he be willing to spend a little more to clear up the path ahead of him?"

The other party revealed a hint of alarm. "You know who my boss is?"

Dog Butcher grinned as his eyes twinkled with greed. "More or less guessed it. Seven years ago, when I was employed to kill Tobey, the 'divine dog' of spaceports, I had already guessed it. But rest assured, I don't just serve only one client, and I have never ever revealed who my employers are."

"Then you better pray that the military doesn't catch you first. Nowadays, interrogation techniques are becoming even more innovative."

"Ha, catch me? Are you talking about that bunch of trash? That bunch of trash isn't even able to catch my tail!"

Dog Butcher's self-confident tone somewhat pacified the other side. Thinking about it, Dog Butcher was reliable indeed. People in Muzhou really hated Dog Butcher, yet even after so many years, he had never been caught.

Dog Butcher also had the ability to back up his confidence. Even when he failed an assignment, he rarely left traces for people to find. The only time he had ever suffered defeat was probably 30 years ago, when he had been dealing with what Muzhou people called a king of dogs that only appeared once every 100 years. Although he had ultimately shot dead that king of dogs, he was also bitten by it. Even now, the scar on his arm had not faded, and the police had a record of his DNA. Dog Butcher had not gone for an operation to remove the scar and instead kept it as a reminder.

"Match the price and I will act when I have the opportunity. If you choose not to, I will leave immediately. Staying here isn't safe. There are people from the base looking for me right now. That little thing runs really fast and is rather vigilant. This sort of unexpected speed and vigilance might not even lose out to Muzhou's dog kings. We can't determine the price according to previous calculations."

When he mentioned this, Dog Butcher felt a little depressed deep down. He had fired three shots. The first two shots had missed because his estimations had been wrong, but for the third shot, he had already adjusted. He did not understand. According to reason, that shot should have hit, but seeing the dog full of energy and continuing to chase and seeing that dogs speed, it seemed like that shot had missed too.

Had his marksmanship deteriorated?

Dog Butcher was very displeased.

He had clearly already spent sufficient time adapting to the geography and climate here. Today, his operation might have failed because he hadn't completely adapted to the conditions on planet Wai. On top of that, that dog's reactions had far exceeded his expectations, causing him to have errors in judgment.

Next time... Next time, when he fired, he would surely not miss.

As he set his resolve, Dog Butcher's tone became cold. "What's your decision? I'm only waiting 10 seconds!" He didn't wait for the other party to reply and started counting down. "10! 9! 8..."

When the countdown reached two seconds, the other party finally agreed. "You said it. Don't let the dog board a transport and leave!" the other side exhorted.

"Don't worry. You people have to believe in my professional ability. When it comes to slaughtering dogs, I'm a professional. I have even slain Muzhou's king of dogs." Dog Butcher laughed. In the short term, Wai base would not be able to sort out all their chinks. He would still be able to find opportunities to act in this period.

Having negotiated the deal, Dog Butcher told the other side to wait for good news.

After ending the call, Dog Butcher's lips had barely curled upward, thinking about the large potential payout he would get, when he suddenly froze as he felt a shiver throughout his body.

Having spent many years on this path dithering between life and death while tangling with the police and military countless times, Dog Butcher had trained a sharp sixth sense. In that instant, he felt as if he'd been locked onto by an ice-cold gun barrel laced full of killing intent. He suddenly felt an immense pressure, making Dog Butcher's entire body shudder.

Who is there!

Since when has there something here?

Man?

Or beast?

...

Wai base.

Huo Yi had just shut his eyes and prepared to sleep when he received an urgent call from the southeast garrison region.

"Commander. Report! Fang Zhao dragged someone out from the primeval forest!"

Huo Yi's eyebrows arched upward.

The word dragged was subtle.

"Alive or dead?" Huo Yi asked. If the person was dead, Fang Zhao might be in a little trouble.

"The target is still breathing."

"That is good. Don't let him die. You, personally escort him back here! Now!"

"Yes!"

After ending the call, Huo Yi received a photograph and image of the assassin.

Ah, one look and it could be seen that someone had used the method of dragging him like a sack of rice across the forest floor full of rocks and dirt. His body was full of wounds and bruises and his face was bloodied.

When Huo Yi got to see the Southeast garrison troops and Fang Zhao who entered the base together, Huo Yi jokingly said to Fang Zhao, "Impressive! That 'Divine Ears' nickname is not in vain! However, I never expected that you would bring him in alive."

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow. "I'm a law-abiding citizen."

Huo Yi: "...Hehe."

Fang Zhao wasn't bothered whether Huo Yi believed him or not. He continued, "This person is called Dog Butcher, and he is an experienced hand. I reckon he has business dealings with some people in the film entertainment complex. I suggest handing him over to Muzhou's side. This person was involved in the murder of Muzhou meritorious service dogs, at least two of them."

Handing him over to Muzhou would let Fang Zhao feel more reassured than leaving him to Wai base.

Huo Yi stroked his stubbled chin, and his eyes were full of admiration. Nodding, he said, "All right, I also had this in mind."

Following normal procedure, this Dog Butcher person might not necessarily die. Perhaps he might be rescued during the process of transporting him from place to place. There was a higher possibility he would be silenced.

But if he was handed over to Muzhou authorities, his fate would probably be, firstly, a life where it would be better to die. Then, a death where he wouldn't even leave behind a corpse to be buried.

From Huo Yi's point of view, he could use this opportunity to do a favor to Muzhou and perhaps get another batch of dogs. This would be a rather worthwhile transaction. Meanwhile, Dog Butcher's outcome would also satisfy Fang Zhao. Beneficial three ways!

Having gotten Huo Yi's promise, Fang Zhao did not stick around. He left Huo Yi's office, returning to check on Curly Hair's condition.

Now, only Huo Yi and his aide were left in his office.

"Commander, Fang Zhao looks just like an artistic person, but I can't help feel that he is rather dangerous. I have a conjecture, if... I'm just saying if the person caught was not Dog Butcher, would Fang Zhao have dragged him in alive?" The aide had some doubts in his voice when he said this. In any case, the aide did not believe Fang Zhao's claim that he was "a law-abiding citizen."

Huo Yi replied meaningfully, "Sometimes, we shouldn't chase too much for answers or think too much. If you overthink, it is easy to become aged. Take a look at this old face of mine. It is because I think too much!"

How could Huo Yi not know what his aide was talking about?

Thinking about it, since Fang Zhao had this sort of frightening tracking ability and the ability to capture Dog Butcher, a wanted criminal that Muzhou had been after for so many years, why hadn't Fang Zhao pursued him right from the start? Maybe he'd been worried about the dog, but from a different angle, had Fang Zhao had... a motive in giving the assassin some time to leave the base? In the area nearby, the best place to avoid inspection from the internal military departments was the primeval forest.

Inside the primeval forest, what happened was not restricted. Even if Fang Zhao had pursued the target and even killed Dog Butcher inside the primeval forest, as long as he denied it, who could determine what he had done?

Making someone disappear in the primeval forest near Wai base was really too simple.

Having seen Fang Zhao's military service records on planet Baiji and having seen some confidential files, Huo Yi was just like his aide. He didn't believe the b*llshit Fang Zhao had spouted about being "a law-abiding citizen"!

An artistic person?

Cough!

A g*ddamn f*cking artistic person!

What sort of artistic person would fight monsters as if he were chopping up vegetables?

What sort of artistic person would head to a completely unfamiliar primeval forest at night to apprehend a suspect and drag him out like a gunny sack?

Do you think that just by draping on the skin of an artistic person, I will not know how dangerous this little fella is?

However, there were times when it was good to act ignorant. After all, the circumstances weren't bad.

Huo Yi's lips curled into a grin. He indicated for his aide to leave the room and stretched, moving some of his stiff bones and picking up his communications device to contact an old friend at Muzhou's Police Dog Academy.

Perhaps he might not be able to retain Curly Hair, but he could use this as an opportunity to get even more dogs.

Chapter 325: Death Penalty!

When the senior official at the police dog academy in Muzhou saw the call from Huo Yi, his heart leaped. He was worried that something was wrong with one of the dogs they'd sent or that Huo Yi was thick skinned enough to ask him for more dogs.

"Hello, old classmate!" Huo Yi's pitch was rising; he seemed to be in a good mood.

The senior official was already on guard. "What's the matter? Strictly speaking, we weren't classmates."

"Comrades, then? Anyway, let's not belabor the point. I have some news for you."

"Good or bad?"

"Good, I suppose."

"Keep going. In any case, don't think about asking for more dogs. You've maxed out with the last few dogs. So many folks objected to the loan and I still talked them down."

"Look at how petty you sound. Why don't you listen to what I have to say and decide."

"So you're saying you are eyeing one of our dogs again?"

"We arrested Dog Butcher."

The senior official was about to b*tch some more, but when he heard the name "Dog Butcher," he turned serious and his fists tightened. "Is this a joke?"

The name "Dog Butcher" had left an indelible scar on them, especially the few trainers who had witnessed the slaughter of their beloved dogs. It had been years, but they still hadn't healed.

"I've sent you a copy of the DNA match results. If you still don't believe me, you can send someone to verify his identity. If it really is Dog Butcher, I'll leave him at your disposal after I'm done interrogating him. How about that?" At a measured pace, Huo Yi continued, "As a token of thanks, you can send me 10 more pups from the top class."

"That's impossible! We're running out of Class A pups. We just gave out another round. At most, I can give you two. But let's hold our horses. Did you folks really catch Dog Butcher yourself?"

"Of course!" Huo Yi kept his composure. "You should decide soon. Dog Butcher has close ties to certain industries. After I'm done with my interrogation, I'm going to have to make some major moves that are bound to draw a lot of attention. If someone comes asking for him then, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop them."

"I don't care what you need to do. You must hold Dog Butcher for me!"

In the end, Huo Yi's request for dogs was set aside until Dog Butcher's identity was confirmed. The senior official at the police dog school didn't totally buy Huo Yi's story. He had no idea what condition the first batch of dogs he'd sent to Wai was in. He would wait for the person he'd dispatched to the Wai base to report back. If the base wasn't secure enough, he wouldn't send any more of his elite pups over. Those pups were their babies!

After pondering the matter further, the official made a few calls.

The head trainer at the police dog academy.

A chief of staff at Muzhou military headquarters.

The local branch of the global anti-smuggling bureau.

By the time Huo Yi heard back, Muzhou had put together an inspection team that was ready to set off for the Wai base.

Now that the Wai base and officials in Muzhou had joined hands, it would be hard for others to butt in. When they were ready to intervene, Dug Butcher might already have been executed in Muzhou.

But before the folks from Muzhou arrived, Huo Yi had to take precautions against certain restless individuals on his own turf.

Fang Zhao, with Curly Hair in tow, and Zuo Yu and Yan Biao returned to their apartment in the film studio complex. They traveled at night again in a jeep borrowed from the Wai base to keep Curly Hair under wraps.

Back on their own turf, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao felt more relaxed. They hadn't been in a position to ask questions on the base, but now that they were back, they fired away.

"Boss, how come you didn't kill Dog Butcher? He almost shot Curly Hair!" Zuo Yu asked.

Yan Biao nodded in agreement. "Wouldn't it have been easier to make him disappear in the forest? If he has powerful connections, he might be kidnapped while being transported. The folks at the base are prone to surrender when they meet their match. We can't count on them to exact revenge."

"Dog Butcher is allegedly involved in the killing of several decorated service dogs in Muzhou. I asked that he be handed over to authorities in Muzhou," Fang Zhao responded.

Zuo Yu understood Fang Zhao's thinking immediately. He chuckled. "That's true. There's no better move than handing him over to the folks in Muzhou. They're dying to get their hands on him."

The folks in Muzhou had a fiery temper. When it came to matters like this, whoever pissed them off—they were bound to make those people's lives miserable. When folks in Muzhou got stubborn, they resembled hunting dogs. They would do whatever it took to get a bite.

"Internet access has been cut," Yan Biao suddenly declared. "It's the entire film studio complex, dozens of new entertainment districts, and the districts under construction."

Zuo Yu glanced outside. "Boss, the base must be launching an operation. Their vehicles have started moving in."

The interrogation of Dog Butcher must have yielded something, and now it was time to act. Huo Yi had quite the temper too. He had been looking for an excuse to crack down for some time. This was the perfect pretext.

The arrival of military vehicles put an instant damper on the lively mood in the entertainment districts. The sight of armed soldiers seemed to augur an imminent tempest.

"What's going on?"

"Has there been a riot?"

"It's the military, from Wai base."

"Why the commotion? Who the f*ck's been killed? This is quite the rollout!"

Armed drones hovered above while armored vehicles rolled in and several platoons stormed into buildings. There were also service dogs wearing bullet-proof uniforms emblazoned with the Wai base logo sniffing around.

In the areas where internet access was cut off, residents got a message from the Wai military base. The gist was that the base was conducting unscheduled searches in the neighborhood. Residents should follow instructions and not panic or attempt to flee; otherwise, they might be treated as a suspect. In the worst-case scenario, they might be mistakenly shot, so people who were drinking had better keep an eye on friends and colleagues who were prone to starting trouble when they were drunk, the message said.

Soon, gunshots, screams, and explosions were heard in one of the new entertainment districts.

This was bound to be a sleepless night for opportunists who had traveled to Wai to make a quick buck.

Huo Yi moved decisively this time. He wanted to let those gold diggers know that on Wai, he was the big boss. No one dares stir trouble on my turf!

"Let's cooperate. There's no need to be nervous. These searches are bound to increase in frequency. We might as well get used to them now," Fang Zhao told Zuo Yu and Yan Biao.

"Got it, Boss."

After Zuo Yu and Yan Biao left, Fang Zhao entered a room whose door was shut. Lo and behold, Curly Hair was already gaming.

Fang Zhao removed a syringe from his medical kit.

"Curly Hair, time for a blood draw."

Curly Hair, who was engrossed in his game, managed a whimper of acknowledgment.

Fang Zhao poked Curly Hair with the syringe.

The needle went bent.

Fang Zhao swapped in a new needle and tugged at the tip of one of Curly Hair's ears, which were partially covered by his gaming helmet. "Blood draw!"

This time, Curly Hair finally shifted his gaze away from the screen to Fang Zhao. He wagged his tail and whined appeasingly.

Fang Zhao let go of Curly Hair's ear. This time, the needle went through.

After drawing the blood, Fang Zhao examined the bent needle and gave Curly Hair a gentle pat. "OK, go back to your game."

Fang Zhao dropped a trickle of the blood he'd drawn from Curly Hair onto a small testing device he removed from the medical kit. The device indicated the metal levels in Curly Hair's blood. It had gone up a bit, but his other readings were normal. The only thing was that Fang Zhao didn't know if the high metal levels were temporary or permanent.

Only time would tell.

Fang Zhao memorized the data, discarded the syringe and needle, and cleared the testing device of its data. Then he took a look at the message on his bracelet.

He couldn't contact people outside of planet Wai, but he could still get in touch with locals within a certain distance.

The searches were nearing their conclusion. The military arrested about 20 people and shut down two nightclubs that had been especially high profile.

Internet access resumed only when the military vehicles had retreated from the film studio complex, but there was no online news coverage of the operation.

Fang Zhao was puzzled.

Wasn't it Huo Yi's intention to make a statement and send a message to folks who were too high profile? It was a totally justified and decisive operation. There was no need to keep it under wraps. How come no one leaked word of the operation?

Fang Zhao browsed some more.

All he could find were some vague statements from a few B-list celebrities about being in minor shock. There was no mention of the military. When they'd been pressed for details, they had explained away their posts as a reaction to a nightmare or some other event.

They didn't dare mention the military.

The entertainment press corps, who typically published the most trivial items about the celebrities at the film studio complex, was also silent.

They also didn't want to mess with the military.

The entertainment journalists were still spooked by the time their colleagues were disappeared in the middle of the night. They all knew that reporting on celebrities was OK, but news about the military was completely off-limits. They didn't have a death wish.

So no one had the guts to report on tonight's operation.

At a hotel room in one of the entertainment districts.

A few entertainment journalists who had scrambled back to their hotel met to confer.

"The searches have come to a conclusion. I've shot some stills and footage. The internet is back up. Should I file?"

"Are you able to file?"

"Forget about it. There is no way the Wai military base will let us file stories that cast a negative light on the military."

"Hells no! If you're adamant about filing, please switch rooms first. Don't drag us down with you. I have no intention of being arrested by the military in the middle of the night."

"Our bosses have sent word that we should steer clear of matters involving the military."

Another group of entertainment journalists was having the same conversation in a different room at the same hotel.

They were part of the gold rush at the Wai film studio complex in light of the "Founding Era" phenomenon. They'd set up an office less than two years ago.

"So, what should we do? Should we file or not? I feel like we got some good material tonight. Among the people arrested by the military were a few B-list actors."

"Fortune favors the bold!"

"Let's file! Let's roll the dice!"

This group of journalists had never landed a major scoop before. Now that they had the unusual luck of stumbling onto a big story, they weren't going to give up that easily. For them to pass on such a rare scoop—no way!

"Let's give it a shot, then. Ideally, we'll be able to file. If we can't, worst-case scenario we're locked up by the military for a few days. It can't be that bad." The journalist who made the prediction didn't sound convinced himself.

"OK, I... f-f-filed."

"What?"

"You were able to file?"

The others in the room hovered over him, glaring at his computer screen.

"Were... were you really able to file?"

"Does that mean your story wasn't censored by the military? Did they miss it?"

There was no way they could bypass the Wai military if Wai was intent on censoring certain stories, given how tech-savvy they were.

"Why don't we try another story?"

The journalists acted quickly. They filed some footage they'd just shot along with a short piece of text.

They were so nervous their fingers were glued together and their teeth clattered.

They hit the "send" button.

Ding! Successful file upload.

"..."

A brief moment of silence.

"Did anyone knock?"

"There's no sign of any takeout delivery people, is there?"

Another two minutes.

As they watched the news items they'd just filed rack up reposts rapidly, the journalists felt overwhelmed and hot blooded, as if they had literally grown in stature.

We're the f*cking bomb!

"Hurry, hurry, hurry. Let's edit the good footage we got. You, write it up! You don't need me to show you how to appeal to a mass audience, right? And you, don't forget to buy likes and ranking placements!"

The other entertainment journalists soon took notice.

"This... actually wasn't censored?'

"Is the military not disappearing folks this time around?"

"F*ck, we've got scoops too!"

"Hurry up and file away!"

Now that they realized they weren't at risk of being arrested, the entertainment journalists grew bold. They went all out and reverted to their usual selves, using the type of headlines that were bound to stir controversy and writing their stories in a way that were prone to provoke discussion. They had a field day taking events out of context. For now, they avoided sheer fabrication, but whether the masses would extrapolate from the pictures and footage they filed—that was beyond their control.

The online discussion evolved in exactly the way the entertainment journalists had predicted.

"So horrible. Judging from the footage, you would think that riots broke out on Wai."

"So it turns out Wai is such a mess. The Wai base is out of control!'

"Who gave them the right?"

"Are these underhanded tactics by the Wai military? So corrupt!"

The online controversy persisted for a few days, yet there was no word that the commander of the Wai military base had been fired. The military also refrained from commenting. Eventually, given the deluge of information surfacing on the internet every day, people's attention shifted elsewhere.

Until one day when the global antismuggling bureau put out a statement thanking the Wai base for capturing the killer of multiple decorated service dogs.

The statement included profiles of several of the more representative service dogs that had been killed, listing their main accomplishments and the date and location of their deaths. The suspect in all the murders was the same person—Dog Butcher.

The Muzhou military district put out a statement: "In Muzhou, the murder of decorated service dogs carries the maximum penalty of death."

The Wai base quickly followed suit: "On Wai, the murder of decorated service dogs likewise carries the maximum sentence of death."

The statement also included a link to a video featuring Wai commander Huo Yi.

Huo Yi was in full military dress and spoke in a somber and firm tone, signaling his determination to maintain order on Wai and expel any evil influences. "Wai is a beautiful planet. It's a cultured place where the arts flourish, not a land of outlaws. We here at the Wai military base..."

Most mainstream news outlets reported the statements and provided details on the Wai operation. There had been no riot. The soldiers had raided several illegal establishments. The two nightclubs shut down that night had had contraband on the premises and had been the sites of illegal business dealings.

The careers of the celebrities implicated were in tatters.

When the people of Muzhou heard the name "Dog Butcher," they went nuts.

"Death penalty! It's gotta be the death penalty! Even better if the execution is broadcast live!"

"A live broadcast doesn't seem likely, but a death sentence is a must. It must be carried out in Muzhou!"

"Dog Butcher? A death sentence is going easy on that piece of trash!"

"F*ck, this asshole killed so many decorated service dogs. What's he got against dogs?"

"Non-Muzhou residents may not know much about Dog Butcher. Come, let me give you the full lowdown on this guy's relationship with dogs..."

A new round of discussion broke out online.

But what the public didn't know was that at the center of Dog Butcher's capture was a tiny dog who had just finished serving on Wai base and a composer who had just finished filming "Founding Era."

Now, Fang Zhao was getting ready to head home.

Curly Hair had to stay out of the limelight. Not even the cast and crew of "Founding Era" knew that Fang Zhao had brought his dog to Wai, so the Wai base had Curly Hair secretly shipped from the film studio complex to the Wai spaceport. Fang Zhao instructed Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to guard Curly Hair while he traveled with the rest of the "Founding Era" cast and crew.

At the spaceport, the cast and crew scrambled to board their vessel. The latecomers witnessed an odd scene.

Not far away, a squadron of soldiers stared at Fang Zhao. Among them was a colonel who was gazing at Fang Zhao sadly, his eyes full of emotion.

The soldiers were throwing fierce stares at the cast and crew, which intimidated them, but when they shifted their gazes to Fang Zhao, their faces softened.

The cast and crew who witnessed this scene shivered and got goose bumps. They quickly boarded the spaceship so they could share the scene with others.

"Fang Zhao must be mad connected! The soldiers from the Wai base stared at us so coldly, and yet when they looked at Fang Zhao, it was if they'd been reunited with their long-lost father! Flat-out discrimination!"

"That can't be." The cast and crew members who boarded earlier were incredulous. "We all know that Fang Zhao knows people from the Wai base, but he's not that connected."

"Yes he is! You gotta believe me! I swear I saw tears in the eyes of the soldiers!"

Not far from the boarding gate.

The colonel was all over Fang Zhao, his tone melancholic. "Fang Zhao, do visit again soon. You are always welcome. Oh, that's right, you have a stake in the film studio complex. You'll definitely be back. Remember to bring Curly Hair. Us folks at the spaceport love him!" The colonel continued, "I know Curly Hair has a temper and likes to tear up sofas and chew on shoes, but he's a good dog! If you ever get sick of him, don't sell him. Just send him to Wai and let us adopt him."

Fang Zhao: "You're overthinking things."

Curly Hair never tore up sofa chairs or chewed on shoes when he was at home.

The colonel was adamant. "I just mean if. Remember, if you don't want him anymore, be sure to remember us first! The Wai military base will only get richer and richer. We can definitely afford him." The colonel was still waving vigorously when Fang Zhao entered the cabin. "Don't forget, Fang Zhao!"

Fellow passengers who were curious onlookers told Fang Zhao when he boarded, "Fang Zhao, it seems like the folks from the Wai military base are really going to miss you."

Fang Zhao: "Yeah, a bit."

No, my dog is who they will miss.

Chapter 326: It's Over!

Fang Zhao belonged to batch of cast and crew that would be leaving slightly later. Mo Lang hoped that Fang Zhao could stay on a little longer to discuss questions regarding composing, so as a result, Fang Zhao would be leaving later.

But when Fang Zhao was leaving planet Wai, there were still some crew members handling postproduction and others who wanted to tour around planet Wai that would still be staying on.

Mo Lang had already completed the series's 10-minute ending theme, and he had decided to call his family over to visit the scenic areas on planet Wai and maybe search for more inspiration for composing. Thus, he did not return with Fang Zhao.

Because he left later, when Fang Zhao returned to Earth, all the various entertainment headlines in each continent had already been occupied by those that returned earlier. Even though season nine of "Founding Era" had yet to finish broadcasting, the Fang Zhao in the series had not received his bento meal yet and Fang Zhao was rarely mentioned in news notifications.

When actors from the cast of "Founding Era" returned and took part in various activities and accepted interviews, they rarely mentioned Fang Zhao. Unless reporters or certain program hosts asked, they would say one or two brief sentences but nothing more. What was the point in talking about Fang Zhao? To compete with themselves to occupy news? These people weren't foolish either.

The attention of the masses was attracted by news that was even more meaningful. As for Fang Zhao who hadn't been mentioned in a long time, he slowly faded from people's sight.

Now, Fang Zhao had returned, and as before, he didn't choose a high-profile appearance.

Having rejected the company's suggestions for hyping up news of his return, Fang Zhao first returned to Qi'an City to sort out some matters.

He returned to his residence in Qi'an City. An intelligent robot had been in charge of cleaning his apartment. Even the feeding of his hybrid sea slug "Spiky Hare" had been done by the robot.

After being away for so long, the apartment was still as clean as before, and the air smelled fresh. The intelligent robot facilitated a lot. Sweeping, mopping, watering plants, applying fertilizer, regulating air quality, etc. Everything was in order.

Pots of lush green bonsai in the apartment had grown especially well. Two pots were currently experiencing their flower season, and the flower petals were tender and beautiful...

Not right!

Fang Zhao swept his gaze across and did not see any of the other bonsais in the apartment flowering.

These bonsai had been left behind by Xue Jing when he'd handed the apartment over to Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao remembered that there had been five of these pots. If two of them were flowering, what about the other three?

Fang Zhao wasn't too familiar with these florae that were cultivated in the New Era, but he could compare their leaves. After searching meticulously, three pots with the exact same leaves were found in his study.

But none of these three pots were flowering. Although they weren't dead, these three bonsai appeared much shorter than the other two in the living room.

Having arrived back to patrol his territory, Curly Hair ran into the study and saw Fang Zhao staring at a pot of bonsai on his table. Curious, he also got up, twitched his nose, and sniffed it. He paused awhile, then turned his neck to look at the water tank by the side.

"Woof, woof, woof, woof!" After a few barks, he turned to look at Fang Zhao, then returned his attention to the water tank and began to bark even more violently.

Fang Zhao turned to look at the water tank.

With the intelligent robot feeding it at designated times, this hybrid sea slug did not look much different from how Fang Zhao had left it. As before, it was lumped into a ball and floating lazily in the water tank. Those fine and soft spikes covering it's entire body moved with the ripples in the water. Looking like a soft and squishy ball, it seemed totally harmless.

Seeing Fang Zhao staring at the water tank but not saying anything, Curly Hair's barking became even louder.

"All right, I know it has a problem." Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair and went to his study to view the security footage.

A monitoring system was installed in every room in the apartment. Normally, when Fang Zhao was at home, he would leave it off, but when he wasn't, the system would be turned on.

Fang Zhao had been away for "Founding Era" for too long, and the monitoring system had been turned on. Fang Zhao had been too busy during the filming period, so he hadn't examined the monitoring system carefully and had only glanced through the data the intelligent robot transmitted to him. Knowing that everything in the house was normal—sweeping, mopping, watering plants, adding fertilizer, feeding the "rabbit" at the designated timings, all of these set tasks had been completed on time, and the vital signs of the "rabbit" in the water tank had been maintained in the normal range, so Fang Zhao had not needed to view more details.

Now, Fang Zhao brought out the surveillance footage from inside his study and filtered any activity over at the water tank. In no time, over 40 video clips appeared.

Opening the first video, Fang Zhao right away saw the rabbit in the water tank begin to change its body, sticking itself to the wall of the water tank. After that, it pushed open the lid at the top of the water tank, which wasn't too tightly sealed. One end of the "rabbit" remained sticking to the wall of the water tank, while its other end explored the potted plant that was nearest to the tank.

Each leaf of that plant was about the size of a duck egg. After rapidly eating one leaf, the "rabbit" retraced its path back into the water tank. Its entire body also slowly turned green, until it was the same color as the leaf it had just eaten!

From a white "rabbit," it became a green "rabbit".

Through the study's windows, sunlight shined on the water tank on the desk. The "rabbit" that had once again curled up into a lump swayed its two ears in a larger oscillation. It seemed even more lively than before, as if it was in a good mood.

Fang Zhao remembered that the breeder of this hybridized species had said before that this sea slug could photosynthesize like a plant.

Furthermore, it was omnivorous.

Back then, on planet Baiji, it ate a chili that Zaro tossed in. Now, having eaten a leaf, it would naturally still be fine. Fang Zhao had received the vital signs of the "rabbit" and they had been in the normal range.

What amazed Fang Zhao was that the sea slug had actually been able to push open the lid of the water tank. Although the lid wasn't locked, pushing it open required some strength. Not only that, the sea slug could lengthen its body and accurately find the plants outside the water tank...

Because it had extraterrestrial genes, Fang Zhao could not compare it to native sea slugs.

Shaking his head, Fang Zhao checked the later videos.

After its first leaf-nibbling operation, the "rabbit" apparently knew that there were no dangers or threats in its surroundings, so its courage increased. After a while, when its body turned back to white from green, it once again explored the outside and nibble on leaves.

After it had nibbled on the desk's potted plant till it was shorter, it set its sights on the other bonsais in the study.

Besides the three pots that had not flowered, there were other bonsais that were nibbled on. Two pots were a little further away and were on the floor, so the sea slug had probably left the water tank for a short period of time.

Watching the sea slug proficiently open and close the lid, Fang Zhao squinted. It seemed like he would have to lock the lid of the water tank in the future.

After shifting out the few potted plants in the study that had been trimmed shorter and exchanging them with other plants that were growing well, Fang Zhao sent a message to the hybrid sea slug's breeder and arranged to leave it with him temporarily.

After getting up to date with work-related matters from Silver Wing's side, Fang Zhao let Yan Biao and Zuo Yu have a break and return to their families. After all, they had been away for so long.

When most matters were handled, Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair and quietly headed to Yanbei City to visit Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang.

At Yanbei Retirement Facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang had a visitor today, a junior he had guided before he'd retired.

This junior was doing rather well now. After being transferred out for five or six years, this person had been promoted and now held a position as an assistant bureau chief in a certain region of the continent. This time, he had returned to Yanbei City to visit relatives and had specifically come over to visit his old leader, Great-Grandfather Fang.

Subordinates that had worked under Great-Grandfather Fang all knew that this old man really loved to guide his juniors and younger generations. It was a pity that none of his children and grandchildren had become very capable figures. On the contrary, those subordinates of his had all ascended with great momentum and had ranks that were at least similar to Great-Grandfather Fang's before his retirement.

"Xiao Wei, watching each of you rise up so fast and high, I am also very happy. All of you are very good!" Great-Grandfather Fang was in the retirement facility's garden. He was leaning on a walking stick as he unhurriedly walked on the small stone path step by step.

There was a slight uphill slope in front of them. This assistant bureau chief that was called Xiao Wei hurried forward and supported Great-Grandfather Fang. "If you had not pulled me up all those years back, I would never have climbed to my current height."

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei lamented in his heart. He had been transferred away and had not returned for five to six years. Now that he'd had time to return and saw his old leader who had guided him in the past, he felt a little sad.

Before he was transferred out, the old man might have been of advanced age and had a full head of silver hair, but his body had still been rather healthy, but just five or six years, he was now using a walking stick and walking slowly. His legs didn't seem like they had much strength.

The old leader has really aged!

As the two were chatting, Great-Grandfather Fang's footsteps abruptly stopped.

Beside him, Assistant Bureau Chief Wai followed the old man's line of sight.

Not too far ahead was another retired veteran. At his side was a youngster. This youngster also seemed familiar. Apparently, he was a rising political star in Yanbei City. Two days ago, he had even given an important speech.

At that side, the old man and the youngster were having a light-hearted chat. At a certain point, that old veteran let out a hearty laugh.

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei looked at Great-Grandfather Fang beside him. This old master's eyes clearly carried a tinge of envy.

"How envious," Great-Grandfather Fang muttered.

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei let out a sigh in his heart. The old leader was still unresigned that there weren't any outstanding descendants in the Fang family. He was regretting that he did not have a suitable successor. In the past, there had even been people who joked that Great-Grandfather Fang had guided and mentored so many people but, at the end of the day, all of those that were promoted were not from the Fang family.

The last time Assistant Bureau Chief Wei had visited the old leader, Great-Grandfather Fang's tone had sounded slightly depressed and unresigned, but now, after five or six years had passed, the old leader seemed to have accepted and moved on. He no longer had those unresigned feelings and even had the mood to do some farming with his old wife.

Thinking about all this in his heart, Assistant Bureau Chief Wei consoled the old man. "Your family has a few that aren't too bad. Compared to the majority, they are already doing quite well."

Hearing what was said, Great-Grandfather Fang chuckled. "Stop trying to flatter them. Compared to normal people, of course they are doing rather well, but when compared to others in the same system, they can only be considered to have reached the minimum criteria. The support I have provided them is not any less than what I have given you all. If they are unable to rise, it's because they lack the ability or do not have the ambition."

There were members of the Fang family in the military and in the government, but they weren't considered outstanding. At the start, Great-Grandfather Fang had helped them a little, but how far they went depended on themselves.

"I cannot support them all the way. One's own path, one's own future still has to be fought for with one's own hands." Great-Grandfather Fang sighed. "Now that I have retired, I am all the more unable to accompany them on their paths. The younger generations will do right on their own. I am already old and don't wish to worry so much. Why not own a plot of land behind the retirement facility and grow crops with my old wife for fun?"

Mentioning the land behind the retirement facility, Great-Grandfather Fang became spirited again. There was a limit to the land that could be drawn out, and it wasn't comparable to the farmlands of Muzhou. The area was entirely for the old veterans of the retirement facility to grow their own crops for fun and while away their time.

Hearing the old leader's tone not sounding gloomy, Assistant Bureau Chief Wei chuckled along. "That's great. When your children and grandchildren visit, you can even pick some of the vegetables to cook for them."

How would he have known that upon hearing this, Great-Grandfather Fang exclaimed, "No way! The land I rent is just a small piece. Everything is grown for ourselves. No way am I letting them have any! None of them will have any!"

As he was speaking, an old and young pair walked by from the front.

That old veteran stared at Great-Grandfather Fang in astonishment. "Hey Old Fang, I just saw your family's Little Zhao. He seems to be heading over to your place and he appears to be carrying a basket full of things. I thought that you had returned home; I didn't know you were still outside walking about."

Great-Grandfather Fang paused for a second. "What? My Little Zhao has returned? The old woman surely knew beforehand and she actually didn't tell me!" Following that he was ecstatic. "My Little Zhao has returned!"

Knowing that Fang Zhao had already arrived, Great-Grandfather Fang could not stay here and so turned around to walk back. He even told the assistant bureau chief, "Xiao Wei, let's continue chatting when we return! If you are busy, go on ahead. I have received your kind intentions and I'm very thankful you still remember this old geezer. I wish you success in everything you do. May more major undertakings come your way and may you continue to have a meteoric rise in your career! My Little Zhao has come to see me, so I will return home first... Oh, right, do you know my family's Little Zhao? Have you watched 'Founding Era'? The role he plays in that show is Fang Zhao!"

The assistant bureau chief: "..." This turn had been too rapid. He suddenly felt a little stupid.

Watching the old leader head back, there was a flight of steps in front of him. He was about to head forward to lend an arm for support when he saw the old leader lift his legs up and leap. Following that, he broke into a slow jog.

The assistant bureau chief of a certain region: "..."

But Great-Grandfather Fang had not run far before he ran into Fang Zhao.

"Haha, Little Zhao is back! Good, good, good! You look like you have lost weight. Filming is tough... Not tough? How can it not be tough! Don't lie to me. I know all about it, I check the news every day!"

The assistant bureau chief that had been left in his original spot saw the always stern Great-Grandfather Fang chuckling as if there were flowers blooming on his face. His voice had also gone several pitches higher, and he appeared full of energy.

"Little Zhao, you came back at the right time. I've rented a plot of land on the hill behind this place. It's all homegrown. In a bit, I will go and pick some ripe vegetables and cook them for you. If you can't finish them, we can pack them for you to bring back... This walking stick? It's an online fad. Everyone in the retirement facility wants to buy them, so I followed everyone when they made a bulk purchase. It is rather meaningful and can even be used as a weapon. Whoever tries to mess with me can have a taste of my stick!" Great-Grandfather Fang enthused, one arm holding onto Fang Zhao as they returned, the other arm twirling the walking stick around for fun.

"You can stay here for a few days... A break? Good, good, good! Then you should just stay here. I haven't touched the room you slept in last time. Let's watch 'Founding Era' together! Now, season nine is almost done airing, but we haven't watched you die... Pooh! Pooh! Pooh! We haven't watched the part where the character you act as perishes in battle. You are just in time to watch it together with us!"

The surrounding old folks in the retirement facility who heard Great-Grandfather Fang's words: "..."

What? That young fella Fang Zhao is going to stay here for a few days?

It's over!

There won't be any more peaceful days!

Old geezer Fang's head is surely going to swell like no tomorrow!

Great-Grandfather Fang's loud voice gradually faded into the distance.

The assistant bureau chief was still standing in his original spot, staring absent-mindedly.

It is as if I just visited a false leader.

Chapter 327: This Life of Mine

Fang Zhao stayed at the retirement facility and accompanied the two elder Fangs as they watched the series. He shared with them some interesting anecdotes that had happened while filming. He also helped take care of the little cultivation plot that they had rented.

After meals, Fang Zhao would be dragged along by Great-Grandfather Fang to go for a walk. They would walk through the garden. Whenever any of the other old veterans of the retirement facility saw Great-Grandfather Fang approaching from far, they avoided him.

Today, after a meal, the two old Fangs were keeping watch in front of the screen. It was finally the episode where Fang Zhao received his bento box. The two old folks staring at the screen seemed to be in an extremely grave mood.

Fang Zhao also maintained his silence.

In this episode, Fang Zhao perished following the chaotic aftermath of an earthquake that caught everyone off guard.

Actually, at that time, given his status, he could have protected himself and safely left the war zone. But he had chosen not to do so.

At that time, he had known that he didn't have long left, and he had also been tired.

Mutual suspicions and deception, bloodied storms, and the cumulative injuries and pains after every battle—every day, his mental state had been strained to the point that it had been as tight as a steel wire. After arranging things, he had chosen to stay behind and meet the enemy head-on. He'd had some regrets about not ever getting to see the beginning of the Founding Era. He had lost to his injuries and lost to time, but a loss was a loss. After thinking and getting over it, he no longer had many complaints.

He had only been able to bring everyone to this point, but he had believed that his successor would lead everyone to their destination. Before he'd died, he had been in a peaceful state of mind. In the series, he had also acted this way.

Many people in the cast and crew felt that he'd been worried about the Wu family and had followed the directorial team and scriptwriter's suggestions and acted this way, but that wasn't the case.

The accompaniment music where he perished in battle had been composed by someone else. It was a mournful tune full of choking sorrow. Although it had a heroic meaning, it was still thick with emotions. Just the tune alone was very good; otherwise, it wouldn't have been selected.

However, from the audience's point of view, the sorrow wasn't that intense. It wasn't that the acting was substandard or that the accompaniment piece wasn't good but rather that everyone had already been prepared. It was all laid out in history. Before filming even started, everyone knew the ending.

From the start of "Founding Era" till now, many important characters had already received their bento boxes. Many accompaniment pieces that were offered as scriptures had appeared. The audience had already seen a lot and listened to a lot. At most, they would only feel emotional for the great people that perished in battle and feel these people's regret.

On a certain film-discussion forum.

"Oh dear, even if I'm unwilling to see it, we have reached this episode."

"Old Commander Fang, you have worked hard!"

"It feels like I have lost an old friend that has accompanied me for so long. Even though I knew what the ending would be, I thought it would be all right as long as we recall him fondly, but now, at this time, I still feel very sad."

"Did Old Fang die with regrets? A pity, what a pity! If he had been able to endure for another year, even if he couldn't have been the governor, the number one spot in Yanzhou's cemetery would not have run away."

Watching the ending of this great person in Yanzhou history, many people called into question his cause of death in historical records.

He had already had such a high rank as being commander of the corps. Not mentioning his individual importance, why hadn't even more people stayed at his side and protected him? Was reality really like what the series portrayed? Had Fang Zhao given the order himself not to let anyone protect him? Had he really made the decision to stay behind and fight to the death?

"Old Fang's ending is really the same as what is recorded in history books, but is the stuff recorded in them really true? Or were there unspeakable things that were deliberately concealed?"

"Does the brother on top mean that Old Fang was actually killed? But because it involves certain secrets, it cannot be revealed in public?"

"A power struggle, aren't all people like this? When hope cannot be seen, anyone would want someone at the front to shield them. When finally people get out of their predicament and see the benefits not too far ahead, their thoughts will no longer be the same."

"I don't think that's the case. Old Fang had already arranged his successor. He knew early on that he would not be able to last till the end, and he did not want many others to trade his life for him. Why not die in battle instead?"

On many film forums discussing topics related to "Founding Era," more and more people were using "Old Fang" for Founding Era's Fang Zhao.

Many people did not believe Fang Zhao's cause of death and did not believe the "ordinary" death he'd had. Thus, they were inclined to make guesses as to whether there had been any hidden conspiracies or assassinations.

Regardless of whether the audiences acknowledged Fang Zhao's cause of death, the "Founding Era" series had been filmed like this, and Fang Zhao himself had willingly acted this way. Although reality hadn't been entirely like what was shown in the show, the two were largely the same. The heroic and profound way he'd died a martyr was a little exaggerated. Compared to others, his death couldn't be considered bitter. At least he still had an entire corpse.

History had drowned out a lot of truths. The truth might be much more complex than everyone thought, or it could be much simpler.

Actually, the truth was just as the historical records said. But it had been simplified to just a few sentences.

Just like other, more important characters that perished, at the end of the episode, a grave number was shown followed by a flashback reel showing images of this character as he journeyed through different times.

However, Fang Zhao's focus wasn't on this. All those before had been acting according to other people's requirements in the script. The three-minute accompaniment piece at the end of this episode was what he really wanted to tell everyone.

Gentle orchestra music carrying a sense of thickset mood, apparently like a gale of wind originating from a high mountain. Flitting across the cold snowlands and desolate wilderness, passing through serene forests, through the quiet, long night, and pushing past the patter of spring rain and penetrating the thorny and rugged undergrowth of life.

The sound of a trumpet was like a fierce breeze streaking across the ears. Within the wind, it seemed like there was someone unhurriedly trying to say something.

Along the gradually forceful bugle cries and layered notes of a zither, that gale of wind seemed to climb hills full of green, break through the murky daybreak, fly past the clouds, and then slowly meet light...

In front of the screen, Fang Zhao had a relieved smile in his eyes.

In "Founding Era," all other music concerning this Fang Zhao had been expressed by other composer's sentiments. What Fang Zhao himself wished to tell everyone was in these last three and a half minutes.

A long, long time ago, when the world was still peaceful, I once thought that when I grew old, with white and grey on my temples, I would be watching flowers bloom in front of my lawn or I would have friends and family by my side making light chat over creative works and watching time pass by.

Unfortunately, what came were hails of bullets, smoke and explosions, and danger and difficulties. What we faced were destruction and ruins, broken limbs, seas of blood, and mountains of corpses.

During that time period, the gods that people believed in never showed mercy. Fate was already fixed, so how could we struggle?

I wasn't born brave.

In this life of mine, I was once bewildered and lost. I once abandoned myself to despair. But finally, in this bloody purgatory, I woke up.

Under the apocalypse, defying the natural order and fighting. Puerile people would ultimately end up as cannon fodder. The world was a battlefield. The battlefield was how us people who existed during the Period of Destruction saw and experienced the world.

Anguished wailing, rallying cries. Exhausted till we became numb, in our eyes, innocence completely faded away. There was no path of retreat, only advancing forward. Attack, counterattack, again and again.

People who existed during the Period of Destruction would always be pushed along by fate.

In our darkness and despair, we found a path. We hoped that the end point we pursued would be bright and warm, hoped that we could endure till the day we could see sunlight break through the clouds and shine down.

Fortunately, the path we walked was the right one.

In this life of mine, I was once ordinary, and I was also once splendid.

I have walked through ruins, grasslands, snow-capped mountains, and forests. My footprints can be found throughout Yanzhou.

I have gone through the cruelest times and experienced the difficulty of fighting against fate. I have gone through the uninhibited ups and downs of life, experienced great joy and sorrow, and arrived at the pinnacle of life.

Ultimately, everything returns to silence.

All the unyielding sorrow, all the extraordinary iron blood has passed. All hardships and difficulty and joy and happiness have been diluted by time. In the end, the complete chaos was dissolved inside history.

All the grand thrills and dangers I have experienced, all these great changes, only I would know about them myself.

However, that is enough.

I never dreamed of striving for merit, and I have never felt unwilling.

The fight has already ended. Souls have already found peace. Soil dyed with blood has already putrefied and sunk into the underground. New life absorbs this nutrition and grows on this land.

I have seen the rising sun, it's expansive rays lighting up the earth!

I have seen countless people in front of graves, swearing oaths and saluting!

I have seen the Founding Era. I have seen sunlight illuminating the new starting point. I have seen the brilliant world outside the battlefields!

Now, I have returned to this place and let go of the heart that is finally tranquil. Together with the old friends I once had, my heart will be content with the setting sun and the afterglow following that, to be within the dust of the graves.

No regrets for this life!

The music wasn't what everyone had imagined. It wasn't bleak sorrow or regretful bewailing for the martyr not being able to achieve his great goal in his declining years.

The tranquil music notes carried a truly magnificent momentum formed over time and experience!

A legendary sound, calming and extensive!

For this episode, at the end was a segment of a real historical scene.

Inside the newly constructed Cemetery of Martyrs, two rows of people adorned with star epaulets on their shoulders were bearing a coffin.

An already aged Wu Yan solemnly draped three flags over the coffin: the flag of the 5th Corps, the continent flag of the newly established Yanzhou, and the new alliance flag.

"Fang Zhao (???–Period of Destruction year 99), first commanding officer of the 5th Corps..."

The words on the grave gradually grew fainter.

In the main hall at the cemetery's public worship area, a tall and looming ash-colored sculptured stood under the setting sun, staring fixedly at a faraway place.

Fang Zhao soundlessly exhaled.

He had written this tune to tell everyone three things: I have seen it all, I don't regret this life, and I'm still here.

What he had let go of was the heart of Fang Zhao that had belonged to the Period of Destruction. The heart that belonged to the Fang Zhao of the New Era was still beating as per usual.

In the musical score, what the latter part expressed was veiled and ambiguous, so much so that when Mo Lang had been examining the scoresheet, even if he had heard a clear sentiment of remembrance, he would only have thought that the music was specifically planned to highlight it.

"Sigh!"

Sitting beside Fang Zhao, Great-Grandfather Fang sighed heavily. He pulled out a piece of tissue paper, wiped his nose, dabbed at his tears, and sighed once more. The old fella did not know what he was feeling now. In the past, he had always felt that this commander that had perished right before the dawn of the Founding Era had been unlucky and pitiful, but knowing his great-grandson had taken on this role, Great-Grandfather Fang had had even more sentiments about this role, this historical character, and had felt that this person was really pitiful. But right now, he had no idea why his past feelings of pity and regret seemed watered down.

Two minutes later.

Great-Grandfather Fang finally returned to his senses and started to browse the internet for comments. This was something he had to do every time he watched the latest episode.

"A legendary founder, a poetic saga of a person!"

"Everyone dies someday, but not everyone can leave behind a legacy. Every person that can start a blaze in the long rivers of time burns their mark in history."

"Originally, I was feeling rather downcast and felt even more gloomy after watching it, but when listening to the blare of the trumpet, I suddenly felt a strength like I just wanted to start running."

"At the scene right at the end at the graves, the accompaniment's snare drums sounded as if they were in sync with the scene's march."

"This accompaniment music is too awesome. Although it was moderate, it was also majestic. I felt incomparable melancholy listening to it, yet I also felt all sorts of weird sentiments."

"It was like watching an old man recalling his entire life's experiences."

"There are also different standards when it comes to epics. The accompaniment piece at the end of this episode will surely be ranked highly even if it is placed in a 'Founding Era' music compilation. It's just too bad that the end credits don't show any information about the composer of this tune."

"I didn't pay attention to the music, I was just feeling deeply rueful. The stormy life of Old Fang came to an end as he left accompanying his comrades. Sigh, the cost of peace is so high!"

"I'm bawling my eyes out. How could he have perished in battle! He even didn't get to see the Founding Era!"

"He was great, and he wouldn't have had any regrets. I'm guessing Old Fang's sentiments were probably like this: What Founding Era, what great generals? Whatever happens, it is just my fate."

"This was a really great person who gave his all to humanity! A hero everyone has to respect!"

"Old Fang might have lost his life, but it was full of glory!"

"I beg to differ. Old Fang's life might be full of glory, but he still died too early!"

"Old Fang really never looked for a wife? And he didn't leave behind any children?"

"Cough, Old Fang looked up, sighed, and said, 'In my life, the more beautiful something is, the more it shouldn't be touched'."

"As the apocalypse descended, Old Fang stared up at the sky and hissed, 'I will not take a wife, have offspring, fight for authority, or become a great general. I will fight whoever there is to fight and will only rest when I die!'"

"Old Fang said, 'Everyone dies in the end. I fight for the common people! Even when my light has dimmed and my gas is running low, even when I have one foot in the coffin, I will offer my blood!'"

"Lying alone in his coffin, Old Fang calmly said, 'Someone asked me what my feelings were, being the only one among the twelve leaders to take my leave. However, what I see is not loneliness or misery but rather the surging momentum of the vast ocean and the glittering sky full of stars!'"

"Old Fang said..."

The hotly discussed comments section was swept with a wave of "Old Fang said."

Fang Zhao, as he saw this bunch of online drama queens: "..."

I never said all this! Stop talking nonsense!

Chapter 328: Where Did You Get This Self-Confidence

Music is something magical. It can resonate without the use of language.

Whether people paid attention to this ending accompaniment tune or not, at the end of this episode, they might have been thinking about many different things, but the original feelings they'd had toward this historical figure Fang Zhao—of sympathy, regret, and the like—and had been reduced by a lot.

With this, inevitably, there would be people continuing to discuss conspiracy theories and feeling that because of the interference of certain parties with power, this Fang Zhao had met with this sort of ending. Although the character's portrayal was profound, it did not have that tragic hero sentiment that everyone had come to expect. There is surely some conspiracy here! All this political whatnot is just shady!

Of course, they were even more people that were only chasing the series. Regardless of how the series was shot, they just lapped it up, and at the same time, it changed their view toward the historical figure Fang Zhao.

Shortly after the airing of "Founding Era" season nine, season 10 would be broadcast. Up till now, all nine seasons that had been broadcast had been very high quality.

Even if there were disputes in the plot, it could not be denied that "Founding Era" was a series with awesome film and soundtrack.

Forgetting about other stuff, just this lineup, this amount of resources, this historical significance... Even if it was remade in the future, could it replace the current one?

Many reviewers and critics had already said that in the coming 50 or even 100 years, there was no way of surpassing it!

Actors that had been unable to get into the cast were regretting immeasurably and could only console themselves by saying that there would be opportunities in future. But rationally, they also knew that even if there were any future historical dramas set during this period, it would be far from ever competing with the impact of "Founding Era."

With the ending of season nine and the death of this important character Fang Zhao, Fang Zhao once again became a highly searched topic.

When everyone discussed Fang Zhao, they inevitably mentioned the Fang Zhao that portrayed this role.

"It is really pleasant to watch these strong actors perform and portray that thick historical feel. This sort of epic series is really testing their acting skills. I heard that many actors were unable to get out of character for a duration after their scenes were finished. I wonder if Fang Zhao was able to shed his character after portraying all of Old Fang's scenes. Recently, we haven't heard any news of him."

"Enthusiastic fans from Yanbei have revealed that Fang Zhao was spotted at the retirement facility."

"He probably hasn't shed his character."

"It seems that you all have forgotten that this Fang Zhao is only 20-something! Even younger than me! Generally, for these sorts of young actors, the better they act, the harder it is for them to shed their character, so much so that it might possibly leave behind a mental shadow. There are many actors that were impacted by films for the rest of their lives. It's really tough for this little fella!"

"Yeah, Fang Zhao isn't even 30 yet! And he is a complete newcomer! Still, remember that it was Roman's recommendations when they were selecting the actors? Roman's foresight is really good."

"It was Roman's recommendation and ultimately the voting of the Committee of 100. However, Roman was the chief driving force."

It was inevitable that there were people who were sour.

"Fang Zhao was just lucky, that's all."

"I have analyzed it. Fang Zhao was actually just displaying his inherent qualities. If he was changed for anyone who had the same characteristics, that person would have been able to produce the same result."

Fans weren't happy.

"There was something I didn't know whether or not to say, so I went to check the verification information of the two above me, and it turns out they are also actors? That's great, then; I have to say it now: if you can do it, go ahead, but if you can't, stop complaining, pussies!"

"I always used to think that the person portraying Fang Zhao was a veteran actor, but now it seems like even if he acts out his inherent qualities, even though they do have some advantages, looking at Fang Zhao's age and his performance, it really isn't something that just anybody could do. Roman, those world-renowned directors, and the old artists from the Committee of 100 aren't blind either!"

"In the series, I can't find any faults with the speech, actions, or expressions! You have done amazing, my Zhao god!"

During postproduction for season nine, due to the effect of them sharing the same name, Fang Zhao's composer information had not been displayed in the end credits of that episode. However, the official site had very quickly released the composer, arranger, recorder, orchestra, and other information as well as a link with a sample of the piece.

"F*cking awesome! This is self-composed, self-arranged, and self-acted!"

"I nearly would have forgotten if this was not said. He is a graduate of a music academy. What more can I f*cking say? He doesn't want to be a film emperor or an e-sports god because he is a great composer?"

"I just want to ask, are all people with this name really impressive? I have been pondering what to name my newborn kid."

"Cough, I have the exact same name as Old Fang and Zhao god. I just failed my recent month-end tests."

...

Netizens had their own fun, but when it came to people in the music circles, their impression was different.

"The standard of this piece is really high, and it blends well with the scenes being shown, there is a possibility of it achieving an award. Are youngsters nowadays so impressive? Which school did he graduate from?"

"He probably had a teacher to guide him. I can't deny that the standard of this piece is rather high, but this isn't something a youngster like Fang Zhao could have composed!"

"That is what I think too. Fang Zhao definitely has talent in this area, but the possibility of him composing it on his own isn't high. Let's not talk about how difficult it is to master this sort of unhurried and slow piece that carries a thick epic character; without sufficient experience and sufficient realization, without sufficient accumulated wisdom, how could a mere youngster with a few decades of experience compose this!?"

"Perhaps he was too immersed in his character? Wasn't it said that Fang Zhao acted very well? However, if he really composed this tune on his own, then all I can say is that Fang Zhao is just a genius among geniuses."

"Acting and composing are different. It isn't something that can be explained with talent. I am still inclined to believe that he had some help behind the scenes."

"If it is not Xue Jing, then it is Mo Lang. The probability of Mo Lang is even higher. After all, Xue Jing did not go to planet Wai. Furthermore, many people know that Fang Zhao grew close to Mo Lang during their time on planet Wai. Old Master Mo even frequently gave stuff to Fang Zhao. It seems like they have a good relationship."

"Didn't Venerable Mo say he wasn't accepting students? The old master's last disciple is already over 50 now."

Doubts were just doubts, but who dared to actually ask Mo Lang? However, in everyone's hearts, they believed that it was Mo Lang that had given Fang Zhao guidance.

There were many works from youngsters that were said to be self-compositions but that had actually had the assistance of a team or an impressive guiding teacher.

"Fang Zhao only submitted one song in 'Founding Era'?"

"With his status as a composer, only one tune. However, I heard my teacher say that Fang Zhao helped in the arrangement of the penultimate tune for season 10."

"Season 10's penultimate tune? That project that's more than 10 minutes long? The tune that Old Master Mo personally crafted?"

"Yes. According to inside information, under the arrangement section, Old Master Mo personally added Fang Zhao's name."

"All right, say no more. He surely had Old Master Mo's help."

That was the verdict a bunch of composing masters came to.

Regardless of what these academic masters guessed, Great-Grandfather Fang firmly believed that Fang Zhao had composed it all by himself. From what he saw, there was nothing his own little grandson could not do.

Great-Grandfather Fang smiled till his eyes could not be seen. "My family's little Zhao is just a genius!'

The next morning.

Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang prepared breakfast early in the morning.

When it was only the two of them, they normally had the retirement facility's dining hall send over some porridge or prepare a simple breakfast for themselves. However, as Fang Zhao had come over, the two old Fangs personally cooked; Fang Zhao could not stop them.

Early in the morning, they made a huge pot of rice and five to six dishes.

The dishes were all vegetables the two old Fangs had grown on their land and some other vegetables and meat that Fang Zhao had gotten his farm in Muzhou to send over.

One bowl, two bowls... Fang Zhao had five huge bowls of rice in succession. The huge pot of rice and dishes on the table were basically finished.

Great-Grandmother Fang smiled kindly, not finding anything wrong with this scene.

On the other hand, Great-Grandfather Fang's heart seemed to ache. He thought to himself, My child Fang Zhao has indeed suffered. Filming and composing, physical and mental effort, how could he not be exhausted! Fang Zhao probably often went hungry and didn't even have proper meals. Mhm, add in an extra scoop of rice for today's lunch.

Actually, Fang Zhao had not intended to eat so much here. Indeed, he was able to eat a lot here, but the two older Fang were advanced in aged and preparing food wasn't an easy task. Preparing such a large table full of dishes was even more difficult. Even if most of the kitchen tools were automated, Fang Zhao didn't want to tire out the two elders. However, he was unable to stop them. The two old Fangs were full of vigor, so Fang Zhao could only stand to the side and help out a little. If he ate less, the two elders might feel that their cooking skill had dropped, which might hurt them.

Although Fang Zhao ate a lot, he ate quickly. When the two elders had finished their meal, Fang Zhao had also finished his fifth bowl. He stopped Great-Grandmother Fang from filling his sixth bowl and helped tidy up the table.

Great-Grandfather Fang patted his sleeves and stood up. "Cough, Little Zhao, let's go for a stroll. We have to digest our food after having breakfast."

Fang Zhao was just about to reply when he was interrupted by his communications device. It was a call from his company.

Great-Grandmother Fang let Fang Zhao head into the room to answer the call, then waved her old husband off. "You go alone, Little Zhao is busy."

"All right." Great-Grandfather Fang sounded reluctant, but he didn't want to interfere with Fang Zhao's official matters.

Great-Grandfather Fang pulled a long face as he walked out, but in no time, his face glowed again as he hastened his steps to catch up with a few other old folks who were out strolling too.

"Hey, Old Lin, did you watch 'Founding Era' yesterday? My Little Zhao acted really well! How many people online are praising my family's little Zhao for being a genius? Seeing them mentioning the old commander and calling him 'Old Fang' makes me feel warm, but it feels a little embarrassing. I think you guys should stop calling me Old Fang in the future. How about we change the way of addressing me?"

The face of the old veteran that had been called became rigid. "Where did you get all this drama from?"

"My family's Little Zhao acted in this series! It's a pity he only acted till season nine... Oh right, the final ending theme for season nine is different from the other episodes. The accompaniment was composed by my family's Little Zhao all by himself! What is this called again, self-composed, self-arranged, and self-acted! It's not that I'm bragging, but not many people in the entire world can do it, and those that can do it cannot compare with the standard of my family's Little Zhao!"

The other few old veterans: "..." How are we going to continue living!?

After his routine bragging, Great-Grandfather Fang returned in high spirits and was even humming a tune. When he stepped inside, he saw his old wife packing up some stuff.

"What's going on?" Great-Grandfather Fang asked.

"Little Zhao says his company has some matters. He has to return to Qi'an City tomorrow. I'm helping him pack up these things."

A bolt from the blue!

Great-Grandfather Fang's fluttering mood came crashing down.

Great-Grandfather Fang immediately asked, "What? Wasn't he going to stay for a period of time? Why is there such a rush to return?"

At this moment, Fang Zhao stepped into the room and explained, "The company has arranged for me to have an interview. It was a sudden decision."

"Live or recorded?" Great-Grandfather Fang asked.

"Live."

"Then that's fine. Which program is it? I want to set a notification first."

After clarifying all this, Great-Grandfather Fang proficiently set up three important reminders, then continued to ask, "Little Zhao, are you going to continue acting after you return this time? I see many reports online that there are lots of people who want to approach you to act, and these are absolutely lead roles."

"No, I intend to further my studies," Fang Zhao replied.

"Advanced studies? Where will you go to do that?"

"Huangzhou Institute of Art or Huangzhou Music Academy to undertake advanced courses. However, I still have to take an exam."

According to Silver Wing's intentions, now Fang Zhao had works that he could bring out as well as a certain influence. With a little support from the company behind him, as long as his exam results weren't too shabby, entering the advanced courses for these two institutions would be no issue. The only problem was that the examinations for both institutions were on the same day, so there was no way he could attend both at the same time. The company would like Fang Zhao to consider first and quickly make a decision so that the company could make preparations beforehand.

Great-Grandfather Fang did not understand much about this. After reading up, he found out that in terms of music, Huangzhou Institute of Art and Huangzhou Music Academy were the two top-rated institutions in the world and had much higher rankings than the Qi'an Academy of Music that Fang Zhao had graduated from. These two were really the best schools.

Great-Grandfather Fang had confidence in Fang Zhao. "You can surely do it!"

Fang Zhao had yet another call, so Great-Grandfather Fang did not disturb him. Going one round, he realized there was nothing much left to pack up, so he ran to the vegetable field.

There were professionals in charge of the vegetable fields and they would help out with the manual labor. Great-Grandfather Fang got them to pick all that could be eaten and got them to seal and pack the vegetables.

When others saw this, they asked, "Old Man Fang, you already picked quite a lot yesterday, so what are you picking so much today for? You aren't having them anymore?"

"Not having anymore! I'm sending everything with my family's Little Zhao!"

The few old veterans nearby that were taking care of their crops under the guidance of the agriculture specialists immediately looked up and asked, "Your family's Little Zhao is leaving?" There seemed to be some ecstasy in their expressions that could not be covered up fast enough.

"That's right." Great-Grandfather Fang's attention was on these vegetables, so he didn't notice the other's reactions.

"Then what about the vegetables you picked yesterday?" someone asked.

"They have all been eaten! He's a youngster. Being able to eat is a blessing."

"Doesn't your family's Little Zhao have a farm in Muzhou? He doesn't lack these things. Vegetables produced on Muzhou farms taste much better than the vegetables you grow here!" someone added.

"How is that the same?" In any case, Great-Grandfather Fang felt that the vegetables he had grown himself were the best. "My family's Little Zhao still wants to go to Huangzhou to pursue his studies. Composing is also very tough, so I have to send him more of these."

The others were curious. "Eh? Isn't your family's Little Zhao an actor?"

Great-Grandfather Fang looked somewhat pleased. "That was him moonlighting. Do you know what moonlighting is? His original occupation is composing. After that, he still wants to moonlight and further his studies."

"Further studies? This I know. My son is in the Ministry of Education, so I have heard about this before. Has your family's Little Zhao found a school yet? In recent years, music and art institutions have been very stringent when it comes to this. The higher the ranking, the more difficult it is to get into advanced courses. Especially the top two ranked ones in the world."

Great-Grandfather Fang had a solemn expression on his face. "He hasn't decided yet and is still considering his specialization. Let me say, Huangzhou Music Academy is okay. Huangzhou Institute of Art is all right too."

The others: "..." Where did you get this self-confidence to say this?

Chapter 329: God-Level Advanced Course

Great-Grandfather Fang placed the sealed vegetables into the preservation warehouse and wrote down the address in Qi'an City. They would be sent over tomorrow.

Knowing that Fang Zhao would be heading to Huangzhou to further his studies, Great-Grandfather Fang was extremely reluctant. He had waited so long for Fang Zhao to finish filming, but now Fang Zhao would be going to Huangzhou to study. Great-Grandfather Fang had heard that a normal course normally took about one year and that some were even longer.

He did not know when he would next get to see Fang Zhao. Even though modern communications were very convenient, it still could not be compared to the real person standing right there. Great-Grandfather Fang's recently fluttery mood once again became downcast.

After dinner, Great-Grandfather Fang had Fang Zhao accompany him on a stroll.

Great-Grandmother Fang brought Curly Hair out for a walk and did some aerobic exercises with a few of the other old ladies.

On the second day, Fang Zhao, together with Curly Hair, left Yanbei City's retirement facility quietly and returned to Qi'an City.

The "rabbit" was quietly nested inside the apartment's water tank. The water tank's lid still appeared as before, and the surrounding pots of plants did not appear to have any traces that they had been nibbled. Fang Zhao brought up the surveillance footage for a look and saw that this "rabbit" had not lifted the lid.

Fang Zhao had received a reply from the time he had left a message with this hybrid sea slug's breeder, Denzel. Denzel's replies were in the form of short videos. It seemed like Denzel was also very busy on his end, given his hurried and short replies.

"That 'rabbit' is really good to rear. You have also seen it for yourself. Even if you don't give it anything to eat, it can still photosynthesize like a plant. You don't have to worry about it starving to death. Your five million will not turn out to be a bad investment," Denzel had explained, as if he was afraid Fang Zhao was regretting the purchase. "Perhaps it doesn't like the feed. If it is nibbling on leaves, let it be. I have checked and those potted plants of yours aren't too expensive. By eating those leaves and basking in the sun to photosynthesize, it can sustain itself for quite a while. This is even more cost-effective than giving it feed...

"You can also try occasionally changing things up and feeding it some fresh food. Meat and vegetables are fine. It is different from other sea slugs. If it likes leaves, you can throw more in. Don't put in too much. If the leaves are fresh, it might not like them. Oh, right, it also loves to eat jellyfish. The more poisonous, the more it likes them. However, for the sake of your own life and well-being, my personal recommendation is that you don't feed it those, especially those really poisonous ones like sea wasps and Portuguese man o' wars. Prepare some comprehensive antidotes at home so even if you do get stung, they can at least be a buffer to ensure that you survive until you can get treatment at a hospital...

"As for what you said about its IQ, its learning ability is much higher than native sea slugs'. However you don't have to worry. Compared to people, it is still rather stupid. It has already been identified as a nonthreatening invasive species. The probability of it becoming an invasive species is extremely low. It exists apart from native species, so it won't reproduce. Even if the relevant authorities come and investigate, you don't have to worry. All credentials are in order...

"It's a pet, after all. It's fine as long as it looks good. If you don't think it looks good, then you can just treat it as an emergency light. If you really don't wish to raise it, you can sell it. Eighty million!" When he mentioned this, Denzel felt a little sour. When he'd sold it to Fang Zhao for five million, he had felt that he'd gotten a good deal at Fang Zhao's expense. When he had turned around, though, he'd realized the authoritative pet magazine had given it a valuation of 80 million!

Fortunately. Denzel was also earning quite a lot cultivating krill. Otherwise, he would feel like puking blood every time this was mentioned.

After watching Denzel's replies, Fang Zhao looked at the seemingly very content "rabbit" in the water tank. Then he trimmed some leaves off a potted plant and tossed them in.

Occasionally giving it some stuff to change up its diet was fine, just not jellyfish and the like. Those were too dangerous.

As for antidotes, Fang Zhao decided to install a few more. He didn't need to worry about himself, but should anyone visit him and have itchy hands, at least the antidotes might be able to save a life.

As he watched the "rabbit" within the water tank start to nibble on the leaves happily, Fang Zhao thought about Denzel's replies. Fang Zhao laughed as he tapped his fingers on the walls of the glass tank. "If you end up going out of control, I won't sell you; I'll just cook you and be done with it."

Shelving the matter with the "rabbit" for now, Fang Zhao went through the contents of the interview that the company had collated and sent him. This sort of interview had high entertainment value. The questions and answers seemed impromptu, but there would be a script and a sequence.

As he looked through these, the Silver Wing gaming department manager, Wayne, called.

"Fang Zhao, today, the two 10th-generation machines that the company bought have arrived. Although they are only the standard versions and cannot be compared to the luxury version you own, the price is still acceptable. The youngsters in the team say that it is much better to use compared to the 9th gen. When will you be coming over to give them a try?"

Fiery Bird had finally mass-produced and released the 10th-generation standard version. Fang Zhao was the worldwide ambassador for the 10th-generation console.

Back when Fang Zhao had endorsed high-end earpieces, many people had started making guesses and wondering what luxury item Fang Zhao would endorse next. Now they had their answer.

Following the endorsement of the magical object of earpieces, the Diting Z Series, Fang Zhao once again had the status of a global ambassador and endorsed the current magical object of gaming consoles, the 10th-generation "Rhapsody."

Although the 10th generation had entered mass production, its price was still not something that normal people could accept, and it was considered a luxury item.

"I will be busy these few days, so I won't be going over," Fang Zhao replied.

"I know, Prairie Fire's interview, huh. Don't take it too seriously. That is something Prairie Fire and our company has planned out. Just memorize the replies the company prepared for you and everything will be fine. I hard that the company originally wanted to promote you full force, but unfortunately, you are planning to further your studies, so the company had to temporarily change their plans. They want you to bring along two acting newcomers to the interview?"

"Yes. I know those two, so it's all right to bring them along."

A business-oriented company would still like to do that which brought about the most benefits. Since Fang Zhao had other plans for himself, they would get Fang Zhao to bring along newcomers. On the company's end, they were worried that this method of making use of Fang Zhao's popularity would give rise to a negative reaction from Fang Zhao, so they had specifically explained it and asked about Fang Zhao's views on the matter.

Fang Zhao also knew those two newcomers. Back when they'd had minor roles in the cast of "Founding Era," they had tagged along with Ji Polun and had meals together. These two newcomers had ability and could take hardship. All they lacked was opportunity, so Fang Zhao was willing to lend them a hand.

Seeing that Fang Zhao did not have any negative reactions, Wayne cleared his throat and said, "I know that your ambitions lie elsewhere. All right, I'm not going to beat around the bush. The reason I called you today is because of those newly signed youngsters."

Silver Wing's own e-sports team had already developed. Team members were offered competitive wages, so naturally, they were able to attract some capable fresh talent. This year, Wayne had signed a few promising ones, but Wayne realized that these youngsters in the team had started to have inflated egos.

They might be a little more well behaved in front of their department manager, but the moment Wayne turned his back, these youngsters loved to put on airs online. Every time they won a match, they itched to let the entire world know. Wayne had told them many times before, but it had fallen on deaf ears and Captain Jinro had even needed to make an appearance.

Wayne was worried that if this sort of attitude continued to swell, even the veterans would inevitably start to get complacent.

Put in simple words, they deserved a spanking.

Without a rude awakening, there was no way they would calm down.

Therefore, Wayne had once again sought out Fang Zhao.

"Teach this bunch of brats a lesson and, at the same time, give Jinro and the other first-string members some training. I know you have said before that you don't wish to meddle too much in e-sports and want to leave the scene to them, which is why I didn't insist that you take part in the newly released missions. I also know that you are preparing to further your studies, but are you able to spare some time to help put these kids in order?"

Fang Zhao considered his schedule over the next few days and replied, "All right."

In the Silver Wing gaming department, the bunch of people who were getting swollen heads from the newly arrived 10th-generation consoles suddenly felt chills throughout their bodies.

After Fang Zhao ended the call with Wayne, he received a call from the person in charge of Silver Wing's talent development and studies.

The person in charge did not dare to be negligent and so contacted him frequently. The matter of Fang Zhao wanting to head to Huangzhou to further his studies was approved by the big boss of the company, and she had personally asked about it. Naturally, the person in charge had to be more proactive.

"Fang Zhao, I have understood a little about the schools over at Huangzhou and have had detailed talks with people at Huangzhou Music Academic and Huangzhou Institute of Art. There are no big problems with this situation, so you don't have to worry."

The person in charge seemed to have some slight intention to take credit. Not only because he thought highly of Fang Zhao's potential but, more importantly, after the person in charge finished handling this matter, he could also get some benefits from the boss. It was about time he received a promotion.

As he thought about a promotion and a pay raise, that person's tone unconsciously rose a little.

"Young man, being willing to study and improve is a good thing. Regardless of what path you take, the company will support you vigorously. For music institutes, I can give you a guarantee, take your pick of any of the top 10 schools in the world!

"Let's not talk about our own Yanzhou's QiMu. Your alma mater has teachers and lecturers that all recognize you. Even if we don't do anything, they will be more than willing to accept you. As for the two right at the top of the rankings, HuangMu and HuangArt, if you want to get into their advanced courses, we can help arrange that. Although there might be some slight resistance, don't worry, problems can be solved. Previously, our company has sent a few of our contracted composers over for advanced studies.

"Resources and strength are still very important. Furthermore, the momentum of Silver Wing's development in Yanzhou has already pushed down our two old rivals. The company is more than willing to spend even more resources to develop the potential of our talents. We must always look long term."

This wasn't just limited to Silver Wing. Many large entertainment companies worldwide worked this way too, but they never revealed it publicly. Entertainment news might frequently show news of a certain film star enrolling in a certain prestigious university, institute, or research facility for advanced studies, but most of the time, it was the influence of the teams and families behind them.

"Huangzhou Music Academy is slightly more specialized, and they groom musical talents in specialization and techniques. However, Huangzhou Institute of Art has more genres of art. Many of the current big shots in the entertainment circles originated from there. These two each have their own advantages, so it depends on which one you think suits you best. Have you made a choice yet?" asked the person in charge.

"I have chosen," Fang Zhao replied.

"Which?"

"Huangzhou Institute of Art, 'Twelve Tones' advanced class."

The other side suddenly went silent.

After a while.

"Ermm... This... HuangArt's Twelve Tones is not within our operable range," stammered the person in charge.

Huangzhou Institute of Art's "Twelve Tones" advanced class might not have been known by many people, but it was rather well known in the music circles.

"Twelve Tones" got its name from the "five pitches, seven notes, twelve tones" recorded in ancient books. After the Founding Era, the New Era was divided into twelve continents. Huangzhou Institute of Art's founder had chosen the name "Twelve Tones" and set up an advanced course only for the best of the best.

Generally speaking, for the majority of most schools, the credentials of advanced courses did not have the value and acknowledgment of normal graduate credentials. "Twelve Tones" was an exception. Its credentials were the gold standard anywhere one went.

In this advanced course, from the teachers to the advanced course students, every single one was a somebody.

There would be one round of recruitment for the "Twelve Tones" advanced course every year, and only twelve people were recruited each round. Whether it was composing, singing, dancing, or another specialty, each batch recruited exactly twelve.

Every year, many characters praised as geniuses attempted the enrollment examination. The intense competition and frightening elimination rate made many people shrink back.

"Twelve Tones" had another name: god-level advanced course.

Therefore, when he heard Fang Zhao announce that name, the Silver Wing staffer's forehead started to sweat. How am I able to do anything?!

"It's all right, I can take the examination myself," Fang Zhao replied.This is some ancient chinese musicology. I wasn't able to find an exact translation and with my limited knowledge of music theory I hope this is right. Any musicians out there can correct me if I'm wrong.

Chapter 330: Doubting One's Own Existence

The person in charge from Silver Wing advised Fang Zhao, helping him analyze past and present circumstances and previous examples. If he just wanted some gilding or a springboard, then he should forget about such an extremely difficult advanced course like Twelve Tones. From what the person in charge saw, Fang Zhao was just like the other celebrities that the company had groomed in the past. They just went out to slightly improve their credentials and did not need to enroll in this difficult advanced course.

Furthermore, Twelve Tones was known for being difficult to get into and out of.

To say the least, even if one was able to pass the exams and enroll, he might not be able to graduate. There were instances of students being unable to graduate and thus asked to leave.

It wasn't that the person in charge did not think Fang Zhao was up to scratch but that Fang Zhao was too young. He was only in his 20s, whereas others who enrolled in this course were no younger than 40. Looking further back into the past, even if there were younger ones, they had been geniuses among geniuses.

Age signified qualifications, experience, and understanding of the fundamentals. Without sufficient accumulated experience, it was very difficult to compete against others.

From a commercial point of view, the person in charge did not wish for Fang Zhao to take the exam. Fang Zhao's popularity was flourishing right now. He appeared both on film and in endorsements and was very well known throughout Yanzhou, but if he took the examination and was unable to get in, people would inevitably seize the opportunity and say that Fang Zhao had overestimated his capabilities and bitten off more than he could chew.

The company's reply wasn't unexpected for Fang Zhao. After he had made his choice, he had not intended to use his company's connections. He also knew that this extraordinary advanced course was extremely difficult, but he had to take the exams once to know whether he could get in or not. If he could not get in, where was the disparity and how large was it?

Fang Zhao needed to learn more new knowledge. As for the majority of advanced courses, they were actually meant to make the ordinary seem special. The quality of the curriculum was much worse than Twelve Tones. This was the decision Fang Zhao had come to after comparing the curriculum of different advanced courses.

If he could not get in, then he would take on a postgraduate course in HuangArt or HuangMu.

The person in charge from Silver Wing saw that he had no way of getting Fang Zhao to change his mind. After the call, he immediately reported to his superiors about the direction Fang Zhao would be taking for further studies. Now, it would be best to keep it suppressed and not publicize this news. When the time came and Fang Zhao could not get in, at least he wouldn't lose face.

After ending the call with the Silver Wing staffer, Fang Zhao memorized all the interview questions, took a look at his schedule, and contacted Wayne, setting a time to give the company's e-sports team a training session.

After lunch, in the Silver Wing e-sports team's internal group chat, team captain Jinro summoned all team members and released a piece of news: "Just received a notice. Manager Wayne got Zhao god to give us a training session tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. Coordinates for the training venue will be given later. All team members are to gather at the company on time tomorrow."

Within the team, the new team members and the old team members had different reactions upon seeing the message.

The newcomer's faces were flushed with excitement. "W-w-w-we can also take part?"

A veteran team member's lips curled upwards. "Didn't you hear clearly? Captain said 'All team members'! You guys can't run away now."

The ignorant newcomers were thinking, Super excited! Can't wait!

The old team members threw pitying glances at the younger members. Following that, they started to ponder how long they would be able to survive tomorrow.

A newcomer asked, "Captain said that we will be going to a training venue? Which map? Are we familiar with it? Which team will we be facing off against this time? Is it a practice match or some other mode? What's the difficulty?"

A certain veteran team member replied, "It isn't a practice match, just internal training. Opponent... just one. Difficulty... S rank."

"S rank? Doesn't that mean that it is extremely difficult?"

The newcomers were astonished and rubbed their palms with glee. They were itching to head online and announce this on their social platform accounts, letting everyone know that they would be getting the chance to go head to head against the legendary big god Fang Zhao!

Unfortunately, this line of thought was stopped by the captain and vice-captain, the reason being that it was internal training and thus could not be publicly announced. If they were really itching to say it, at best they could tell a few close friends or relatives.

Seeing these newcomers that were riled up, the senior members lamented inwardly, Ignorance is bliss.

The next morning.

Fang Zhao used his apartment's gaming helmet and headed online. Normally, the helmet console was for Curly Hair to play with. His 10th-generation console was left at Silver Wing for Jinro and the other professional e-sport athletes to use. There was no need to get it back for this training session.

Over at Silver Wing's gaming department, everyone had arrived early at the company and started making preparations.

Wayne, the gaming department manager, only stepped in unhurriedly with a cup of tea at 8.55 a.m.

"Oh, everyone's here." Greeting the members of the coaching team, Wayne pulled out a recliner chair and sat down. To develop the team even better, he had applied for lots of funding in the last two years and had signed a few reputable coaches to establish a coaching team.

In front of him was a large screen that would display the scene in-game.

The training venue's coordinates had been decided earlier in the morning. Team Captain Jinro had chosen a new map that neither side was familiar with.

Wayne lifted the lid of his teacup and took a sip as his face broke into a smile of fond remembrance. No one knew whether it was the rich and mellow aftertaste of the tea or a flashback to the past.

At the appointed time, the game formally started. Wayne wasn't in a hurry and glanced at the timer before telling those in the coaching team, "Fang Zhao will give them 30 seconds to think of a battle strategy and one extra minute to put their plan into action."

"Isn't this time a little too short for a new map?" one of the coaches said.

"Later on, you will realize that their time online will be even shorter. Don't bother following Fang Zhao; you guys won't be able to catch up. It would be better to watch those members, especially the new ones signed this year, and see where they are lacking."

For the coaches that did not understand Fang Zhao's style, Wayne's words seemed really cryptic.

A minute and a half later.

Du.

A disconnection notification sounded.

A new member had a dazed expression as he raised his hand to touch his forehead and muttered, "It was as if... my head exploded."

"There was no as if," one of the coaches blurted out.

Was this kid so shocked that he'd become stupid?

That new member was still full of disbelief. "That shouldn't be, I hid myself so well."

Du.

Yet another disconnection notification.

A new member at the side stared blankly at nothing in particular, as if he was completely unable to comprehend what just happened.

Three minutes after the preparation time, the members of the coaching time finally understood the meaning of what Wayne had said.

The sounds of disconnection notifications made them panic-stricken. They could see the look of shock in each other's eyes.

"What frightening decision-making," one of the coaches said as he saw Fang Zhao's figure flash across on the screen. Even before he had finished his sentence, yet another disconnection notification had rung out.

The highly skilled talent that the company had signed this year had not even had any time to react before being sent offline.

More experienced senior members were more prudent, but they weren't able to hold out for long either.

Following the sounds of disconnection notifications, the team members that were sent offline had looks of annoyance and defeat. There were also some that just sighed calmly.

"He really doesn't show mercy," Jinro said helplessly. He had been the last to disconnect.

Taking a look at the time, from start to end, with the one and a half minutes of preparation time and the three minutes following that, this match had not even lasted five minutes.

"This..."

The coaching team was also dumbstruck. Suddenly, they felt that their own team members' standards had declined.

Actually, the coaches also understood. It wasn't that the team members' standard had declined but that the opponent had been too strong.

In the match that had just ended, the team members didn't seem to have acted incorrectly, but they'd just been beaten offline in succession. Any carelessness or opening had been seized by Fang Zhao.

In the past, what they'd understood about Fang Zhao was only what had been through circulated videos, news, and analyses online. Now they truly recognized the disparity. Back then, Fang Zhao had not been called a point-sweeping machine right at the top of the individual leaderboards without reason.

Wayne no longer had a pleased expression on his face. "I already told all of you, when facing Fang Zhao, you cannot take any chances!"

The members on his team had been beaten like crap, and Wayne wasn't too pleased. He had expected this match to last at least 10 minutes, so he had told Fang Zhao not to go easy in the morning. How could he have known that it would turn out this way!?

Thirty members completely wiped out in three minutes! This sort of result was simply appalling!

"Do you need a break?" Jinro asked the other members.

"No need."

"We aren't tired either."

"Let's continue."

The team members got into position quickly.

The first match had not even lasted for five minutes; how could they need a break?

While making preparations for the second match, captain Jinro set himself a target: to last six minutes for the next round!

However, the second match only lasted 4 minutes and 19 seconds, even quicker than the previous round by 10 seconds.

The third match lasted 4 minutes and 11 seconds.

The fourth match...

The coaching team was as silent as the dead.

Wayne's calm and collected face from the morning had turned stiff, and he could not even bring himself to sip his tea. In his heart, he decided that the next time he got Fang Zhao to teach these youngsters a lesson, he would definitely need to get Fang Zhao to go easy!

When the team members stepped out from the gaming studio, it was already afternoon. Every one of them looked extremely haggard.

In the morning, they had played a total of 10 matches, all of them 30 to 1. They had lost 10 matches in succession and had been beaten so badly that they'd doubted their own existence.

The time they'd spent online plus the intervals between each round had added up to only an hour!

The rest of the time in the morning had been spent reflecting!

When the team members received the analysis summary from Fang Zhao, they suffered an even bigger blow. It was like someone thinking that they had done decently for an examination but, when the exam scripts were returned, all that person saw was a paper full of red marks.

"How did Zhao god know that it was me?" one newcomer asked as he held a copy of his own evaluation. After speaking, he felt someone awkward and added, "In such a short time, how was he able to identify each member? Even if there was a notification in-game every time he killed someone, with so many people and so many rounds, how was he able to recognize everyone? And remember them all?"

"That is why he is a 'god' and you are just a nobody!" Wayne had walked over after hearing this and gave a clap. "All right, take your own evaluations and go reflect! Don't get so satisfied with just some achievements! Don't rest on your laurels! Take a look at today's battle situation; you guys still have a long way to go!"

This blow had been too big. The members did not have any appetite for lunch as they kept pondering every scene in the 10 matches and tried to make a frame-by-frame replay in their heads.

"Manager, when will we have our next training session?" someone asked.

"With this sort of horrible standard, you are still dreaming of next time?" Wayne snorted. "Wait till I feel that you guys have improved. Besides, Fang Zhao is very busy. This morning's session was because I requested it. Otherwise, do you think he would even waste any time with you guys? He still has to prepare for his examinations."

All the team members: "..." Manager, these words are too prickly!

Elsewhere, after Fang Zhao had sent out today's analysis summary, he started to prepare for war, browsing through practice questions and making preliminary preparations for enrolling in the advanced course. There were three preliminary examinations, and the majority were on theoretical knowledge. He had to read more books and do more questions.

Chapter 331: Balance between Work and Res

In his previous life, Fang Zhao's memory had been very good; in this life, it was even better.

This was Fang Zhao's advantage.

For the same content, he needed to spend less time to memorize it, but with this superiority, he needed to work harder. Otherwise, he would be wasting his advantage.

Behind every successful genius was hard work that normal people were unable to understand.

Fang Zhao had never felt that he would be better than others despite living an extra life. The world was constantly changing, especially when it came to music. Many things from the Old Era were different. There were now even more genres and even more outstanding works.

Although Fang Zhao had been continuously learning such things over the past few years and had more or less grasped this knowledge, regarding the contents of the examination, he still needed quite a bit of guidance.

Fang Zhao consulted a few people who had once enrolled in HuangArt's Twelve Tones advanced course, such as Xue Jing.

Now, Xue Jing's focus was on compiling teaching materials, but he once went through HuangArt's Twelve Tones advanced course. Even though he graduated many years ago, he had still helped come up with questions more than twenty times. Even when he was older and didn't have enough energy to participate, he frequently paid attention to it. In his spare time, he sometimes collated some focus examination questions and posted them online. He didn't count on selling them, he just hoped to give people who wanted to apply for HuangArt's Twelve Tones a choice.

Knowing that Fang Zhao wanted to take the examinations, Xue Jing picked out 10 sets of exam papers from the question stash and even recommended a few books for Fang Zhao to read.

Following Xue Jing's plan, there were 10 sets of questions, one per day. After 10 days and intensive learning, it would probably be time for the preliminaries. There wasn't much time left for Fang Zhao to prepare.

Xue Jing sighed in private many times. If Fang Zhao had not gone to acting, he could have spent this year undergoing special practice. With Xue Jing's own personal tutelage, Fang Zhao's chances of getting into HuangArt's Twelve Tones might be slightly higher.

But now was fine too. For youngsters, there was no harm in trying. If he failed once, there would still be opportunities in the future. Failing to get in could also suppress any impatient inclinations.

Other than Xue Jing, another person Fang Zhao was familiar with who had undergone the Twelve Tones advanced course was Yanzhou Music Association's vice president and the former headmaster of the Qi'an Academy of Music, Ming Cang.

In recent years, Ming Cang's efforts had all been placed on the medical condition of his son Ming Ye. He had even resigned as headmaster and naturally didn't care too much about other things. Hearing Fang Zhao mention his desire to apply for HuangArt's Twelve Tones, Ming Cang specifically took out a notebook that he'd kept locked up in his cupboard. These were all his collated notes from back when he'd been preparing to take the examination for HuangArt's Twelve Tones. He had once thought about tidying these up and writing a book when he had the time, but unfortunately, he had shelved it time and again.

"You can do it!"

Ming Cang had not regarded Fang Zhao as a normal person since the release of the four movements of Fang Zhao's "100-Year Period of Destruction"—a turning point for his own son's condition.

From what Ming Cang saw, Fang Zhao was in no way inferior to anyone that graduated from HuangArt's Twelve Tones. Even if he could not pass the entrance examinations, that didn't prove that Fang Zhao had no ability.

But this was how the circle worked. One would always need to show one's credentials. If Fang Zhao wanted to go even further in this industry, if he wanted the recognition of more academic authorities, a degree from QiMu wasn't enough.

Ming Cang sincerely hoped for Fang Zhao's success. How great it will be if Fang Zhao can get HuangArt's Twelve Tone's graduate cert.

Fang Zhao had a strong memory and his own accumulated knowledge and experiences, so he read and went through the notes very quickly. His fundamentals were good and his comprehension was rapid. After reading through them, Fang Zhao started doing the 10 sets of exam questions that Xue Jing had given him.

Indeed, Xue Jing had a specialty for compiling teaching materials. The sets he gave were very focused, and every set of questions was serialized. The key points covered in these 10 sets followed a pattern, and it was a gradual process.

On the second day after Fang Zhao had received the 10 sets of questions from Xue Jing, he once again contacted Xue Jing asking him whether he had even more questions.

Xue Jing was utterly flabbergasted.

"Those 10 sets aren't enough? You do them first. Let me see them when you are done and I will select questions for you based on your condition."

"I did five sets today. I have the interview tomorrow morning but should still be able to do another three sets in the afternoon." What Fang Zhao meant was very simple: the questions weren't enough.

"Oh, all right, send me the five sets you have completed and I'll help you mark them. You can do the remaining ones first; I'll help you pick more from my stash."

After ending the call, Xue Jing blankly sat at his study desk. He didn't suspect that Fang Zhao had gotten someone else to do them or was just talking big. From what he understood about Fang Zhao, he believed that Fang Zhao would not falsify this sort of thing.

When he finished marking the five sets of practice questions that Fang Zhao had sent over, Xue Jing had an idea.

It seemed like new arrangements were needed. The amount of knowledge that Fang Zhao grasped exceeded his expectations by far.

After deciding on this, Xue Jing picked exam questions from his practice-questions file that were focused on HuangArt's Twelve Tone's course, compiled them into a set of practice questions, and sent it to Fang Zhao.

"Do them according to the numbering. After you have completed a set, send it to me, I'll help you mark it."

"Sorry for troubling you."

"Don't try and apologize for this trivial matter. I might lack other things, but I don't lack questions! If you pass the preliminaries, I will also bask in the light."

Since Fang Zhao wanted to take the entrance examinations for HuangArt's Twelve Tones, Xue Jing was delighted and more than happy to help out.

Xue Jing was a little worried that this youngster was too impatient and anxious for results. He even exhorted, "After you have finished the questions, remember to go through the key points that you don't understand and consolidate them. Not just for the later rounds of examinations but also for your professional future as well." Even after saying that, Xue Jing still wasn't reassured and added, "Of course I'm not saying you must spend the entire day doing this. You still have to relax a little in between doing questions. Strike a balance between work and rest. Only with both tension and relaxation can efficiency be maximized. Us in the music industry should take note more. You also know that if you are fixated on a single thing, your lines of thought become stiff and you will not necessarily be able to compose good pieces."

"Thank you, I understand."

Ending the call, Fang Zhao took a look at the time. It was only 9 p.m. He could do one more set of questions.

The next morning, according to the company's arrangements, when Fang Zhao attended the interview, he was accompanied by two newcomer actors that the company was focusing on. Because of the preparations beforehand and the company having good relations and collaborating numerous times with the media outlet "Prairie Fire," the interview went very smoothly.

However, during the process of the interview, according to the company's opinion, Fang Zhao's future arrangements were not divulged. All Fang Zhao said was that his focus would not be on filming.

Every professional e-sports team that was watching this live broadcast felt their hearts tighten.

Was Fang Zhao going to come out of retirement?

In a certain high-end professional e-sports chat group. The members of this chat group were individuals from high-ranking teams from every continent.

Someone asked Jinro, "Captain Jin, I heard you guys had training with Fang Zhao?"

Jinro cursed in his heart, Which idiot in the team leaked this information!

But on the surface, Jinro was still very coolheaded. "That's right, our skills aren't up to scratch, so Zhao god gave us some training. When are you free to set a time and venue for a practice match? There are many newly released maps. Let's pick a map everyone isn't familiar with to be fair."

"Not free, we are waiting for the game to release the new phase of missions. This round's monetary awards are high, but more importantly, there are also game packs. Oh right, will your team's Fang Zhao be taking part in the new phase of missions that are about to be released?"

This was the question that all the e-sports teams from other continents wanted to know. Right now, there wasn't too much difference between everyone and there was an equilibrium. Silver Wing's side could be said to be slightly disadvantaged, but if Fang Zhao participated, he would destroy the original equilibrium.

Jinro replied, "Our Zhao god won't be taking part in this."

Upon hearing this, the others felt slight pity in their hearts, but they were also rejoicing. It was best if Fang Zhao did not return to upset the apple cart. But regardless of what they were thinking in their hearts, the side of their lips inadvertently curled upward.

"That is really regrettable. When I was watching the live broadcast, I was even anticipating his return."

"Yeah, I still thought we would be able to exchange pointers."

"Continuous anticipation, once again disappointment. What a pity."

"Does your team's Zhao god accept challenges?"

"Fang Zhao was doing rather well in the showbiz circles, but I heard some insider news saying that Fang Zhao is going to further his studies in the music field. Not sure whether it is true, but if it is, that is really a pity."

Seeing this bunch of people pretending, Jinro had another idea and replied, "Seeing that you all are so looking forward to it, I'll help you guys ask. He might not be taking part in the new phase of missions, but he can do private sparring. Also, who posted on the public platform saying they wished to fight Zhao god? You guys decide first, I'll ask Zhao god to see when he is free to let you guys have some close-up interaction with him."

Elsewhere, after the interview ended, Fang Zhao left Prairie Fire's office tower.

Although Fang Zhao and the two newcomer actors that had gotten to show themselves during this interview were similar in age, they treated him with the respect of a senior. Furthermore, they were very grateful that Fang Zhao had been willing to bring them along this time.

Those two actors extended a sincere invitation. "Brother Zhao, want to eat together? We know of a newly opened restaurant with great dishes. The food and ambiance are great and there aren't any unwanted disturbances."

"Maybe next time. I still have matters to attend to," Fang Zhao replied.

Although the two newcomers felt a little regretful, when they recalled the company's internal rumor that Fang Zhao would be furthering his studies, they didn't urge him to stay.

Returning home, Fang Zhao took an afternoon nap. After he woke up, he went to the study and did another three sets of questions.

After he was done with the questions and finished tidying up his notes, Fang Zhao saw a message that Jinro had sent him.

Jinro would not go so far as to disturb Fang Zhao over something so trivial and only mentioned it as a joke to Fang Zhao. He hadn't expected that Fang Zhao would really find time to accept the challenge.

Fang Zhao scanned through some questions in his hands and replied, "All right. Who will these people be? Which practice maps?"

Jinro was currently in the company's computer room training the newcomers. His hand trembled when he saw Fang Zhao's reply, and he could no longer be bothered with training these newcomers. He hurriedly replied, "Zhao god, you don't have to take this too seriously. They were just shooting their mouths off and actually did not have such intentions. You should attend to your own matters. I heard you still have to take an examination? Don't let this interfere with your matters."

"It's all right. Old Mr. Xue said that we have to strike a balance between work and rest. With tension there must be relaxation."

Jinro: "..." Do "rest" and "relaxation" mean what I think they do?

After this conversation, Jinro was still somewhat distracted, but he was stirred up very quickly and went to contact those who had previously talked about wanting to challenge Fang Zhao.

This time around, there were eight people. Actually, these eight had not really had the intention of fighting Fang Zhao, but since the words had already been said, their face was at stake, so they could not back down. When they thought about it more, Fang Zhao had already been away from the gaming scene for so long and they did not know what his standard was now. If he had maintained his high standards... Having an exchange with an expert was also beneficial.

After contacting all of them, deciding on the practice maps, and confirming the other's free periods, Jinro sent Fang Zhao a message. If a matter wasn't especially important, he would only send a message and would not call and disturb Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao only replied half an hour after this message had been sent.

"All right, then let's have it now."

Jinro was still worried. "You just finished your questions? Do you want to rest for a bit?"

"No need, I just finished a revised set on the many forms and variations of marches, so my condition is pretty good."

Jinro: "..." I understand now. He got too stimulated doing questions and had no way of venting.

With Fang Zhao's reply of confirmation, Jinro immediately contacted the other eight. "My kid is being naughty, so I won't be forming a team with you guys today. I have given you the time and coordinates; you eight go ahead."

Little Jinfei, who was currently at home doing his homework, looked up silently at his father. Why are you pushing the blame to me again? I'm clearly very obedient.

Chapter 332: Preliminary Exam

When the news of others taking the initiative to challenge Fang Zhao and then Fang Zhao accepting that challenge spread, the previously quiet SilverLight internal chat burst to life.

"Ahahahaha! We can't only be the ones getting oppressed! Well done, Captain!"

"Captain, can we go spectate?!"

"Now that we are severely doubting our own standards, only spectating this match can remove our doubts."

"Let's make it clear first. I'm not delighting in others' misfortune. There's an old saying: 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' I just want to observe how others fight when faced with Zhao god... and how they respond."

"If it was me, I would rather die than actively challenge Zhao god."

Seeing this bunch start to get excited, Jinro also felt that they should take some notes. There was no need to compare themselves with Fang Zhao's individual god-like combat ability, but they could compare with their normal old rivals, see where the disparity was, and observe how long the opponents could survive in Fang Zhao's hands. Perhaps they could even learn a few moves.

But seeing the delighted attitudes the members within the chat had, Jinro felt that as the captain, he still needed to say some things. "Your attitudes aren't right. As professional e-sports athletes, we ought to have a more positive outlook. We should be thinking about how to improve ourselves. Going up against experts is necessary, and we cannot cower just because the opponent is too powerful..." Jinro droned on an on, but he never mentioned that he himself had used an excuse to avoid taking part in this match.

There wasn't a choice. Originally, Jinro had really wanted to form a team with the other eight to challenge Fang Zhao, but when he'd learned that Fang Zhao had gotten all stimulated from doing questions, Jinro had become terrified.

However, observing would probably be out of the question. The other eight weren't fools either. For the first challenge, the outcome wasn't certain and neither side knew how big disparity between them was. They wouldn't let others spectate.

The eight people who were preparing for the match were also discussing.

"Why do I feel that Jinro has dug a pit for us?"

"Whether it is a pit or not, it is too late to back out now."

The matter had been brought up by themselves, and the declaration of war had already been written. So many people inside the elite group knew about this. Most people who were at a certain level in the gaming circles had also heard about this. If the eight wanted to back out now, how would they have the face to show themselves in the gaming circles in the future?

"I never thought of backing out; I just feel a little restless. Why is Jinro letting the eight of us face off against Fang Zhao alone? Is Fang Zhao really that strong?"

"From watching past videos, Fang Zhao's individual point-sweeping ability was indeed impressive, but I don't know about the rest. A video is, after all, just a video. We have never fought against him in the game before, so we won't know anything till we experience it."

"An eight-man team against one person. It feels like we are bullies. Even if we win, I won't feel good letting others know."

"Let's not think about this first. Since Jinro has arranged it this way and Fang Zhao has also agreed, let's fight first. Don't get careless either. If we eight lose to one, we won't have any face left."

"Right. Fight first, talk later."

The eight of them privately discussed battle strategies and their equipment. Although they were from different continents and different teams, they were professionals, after all. They had taken part in many similar competitions and knew how to coordinate.

"Any other questions?"

"No more."

"Okay, move out!"

And they were oppressed so tyrannically.

...

Inside the global elite e-sports chat group, there were also people paying attention to this.

"Has it started?"

"Will they be challenging in succession or will it be a team battle? If it is a team battle, how will they be split? If it's the eight plus Fang Zhao, doesn't that add up to nine? A 5v5 can't even be held unless somebody new participates, and we don't know about it?"

"Hey, Jinro, you don't have to say anything else, but you can at least divulge the coordinates and practice venue, right?"

Jinro replied, "No can do. I can't even spectate myself. The match just started. As for the rest, you will know in a bit."

These words made many people perk up. The two phrases "just started" and "know in a bit" combined together made the others feel restless. How fast was a bit? 10 minutes?

Jinro looked at the time. If Fang Zhao went with his old method, he would let the other side have a minute and a half of preparation time. He had no idea how long these eight would last after that minute and a half were up; the only thing he was certain of was that it wouldn't take too long.

Not being able to spectate the game, Jinro could only watch the match's duration timer, which was displayed up top.

According to the time, it wasn't even two and a half minutes from the start of the match when the display indicated that the match had ended.

Jinro's eyebrows trembled. He decided that he wouldn't stick out in the global elite chat for the time being.

Inside the chat group, the eight people from the finished match bombarded the chat with messages.

"Come out, Jinro!"

"You cheap person! How treacherous! You chose to run away first!"

"Pisses me off!"

"Our friendship is over! All f*cking over!"

"It was just like returning to our noob days."

"Why did it feel like my signature technique became so weak?"

Those in the group who did not know the truth were all very curious. Why were these eight scolding Jinro when it was Fang Zhao that they had challenged?

Reading further, they felt that these messages contained quite a lot.

Put together, it probably said that Jinro had tricked the rest and that Fang Zhao was very strong.

As for the challenge result? That went without saying. From their tone, they had surely lost.

Those eight wouldn't reveal too much in the chat group, so those that were closer would have to inquire in private.

Many people threw questions toward Jinro, but Jinro played dead.

These eight weren't stupid either. Now that they had finished the match, they realized that Jinro had previously found an excuse to back out, leaving the eight of them to face the stimulated Fang Zhao. Thus, for the time being, Jinro didn't want to appear and be the target of their hatred.

However, given Jinro's understanding of Fang Zhao's ability, two and a half minutes might have been Fang Zhao going easy. Otherwise, the match would probably have ended in two minutes.

Of course, Jinro also felt rather pleased inwardly. Previously, when Fang Zhao had announced that he would no longer be participating in formal competitions, many people had doubted Fang Zhao's ability. Some had said that the "Zhao god" term was overexaggerated and it was the adulation of fans and the company's manipulations. This had also resulted in many people growing used to shooting their mouths off and issuing public challenged online.

After this, there would surely still be challengers, but the number of people shooting their mouths off would drop by a substantial margin.

That was fine. At least this bunch would think carefully in the future before saying anything foolish.

Regardless of how this seemingly ordinary match was discussed by everyone, Fang Zhao's god-like status was cemented.

On the other end, when Fang Zhao saw that the other side was done after that match, he didn't say much. He logged off to let Curly Hair use the console and returned to his study to continue doing practice questions.

In the period after that, Fang Zhao rarely ever went out, instead staying cooped up at home doing practice questions or having video conferences with Xue Jing and Ming Cang to understand more about the examinations process and issues he needed to take note of.

Of the entertainment circles, only in the e-sports circles did people frequently mention Fang Zhao. Elsewhere, news of Fang Zhao was rarely seen.

Following the broadcast of "Founding Era" season 10, the discussion topics were continuously changing. There were still people that mentioned Fang Zhao, but Fang Zhao's online popularity was a far cry from what it had been in season nine.

Finally, the day of the first preliminary examination came.

Worldwide, more than 100,000 people applied to take the entrance exams for the top-notch HuangArt's Twelve Tones advanced course. HuangArt had designated exam venues in every continent, generally at reputed universities. As this concept touched upon artistic aspects, art institutions were avoided as the designated exam venues.

Only after the preliminaries would aspiring students be able to visit Huangzhou to take part in the second round of examinations. However, there was a limit to the number of people that would be able to visit HuangArt. The three preliminary examinations alone would be able to shave off at least 99% of entrants.

Fang Zhao had been allocated to an examination venue at a reputable university in Qi'an City. On the day of the examination, he kept a low profile and headed to the examination venue.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, who had returned from their vacations, resumed their duties as drivers.

There was a mandatory security check at the entrance to the examination venue to prevent any cheating devices from passing through and to perform identity checks. Following that, there would be another round of checks by the exam supervisors.

The majority of people who applied to take the examinations were 40 years or older, but a small portion of the entrants were in their twenties and thirties. Fang Zhao looked much younger than the other entrants in the area, so the supervisor at the security entrance noticed him and proceeded to take a look at his face.

Whoa! Fang Zhao!

Take a look at his examination admission proof. Indeed, it is Fang Zhao!

Although there had been very little online news of Fang Zhao recently, he had been too popular in the period before that. With the hype from "Founding Era" and the advertising blitz from Fiery Bird, even people who did not pay attention to the entertainment circles would find Fang Zhao somewhat familiar. Furthermore, there were some supervisors here that were fans of Fang Zhao.

After the security check and identity verification, Fang Zhao followed the directions on his examination admission proof and found his own examination room.

Each examination room was a small room on its own. Every room would only have one student inside. The exam script was an electronic one displayed on a screen. After writing, it would be input into the database.

Windows in the examination rooms were one way. The entrants inside could not look outside, but the exam supervisors outside could observe everything inside.

During the examination, outside Fang Zhao's examination room, four to five exam supervisors gathered outside and observed him.

"Right, no doubt about it. That's Fang Zhao!"

"Who is Fang Zhao? He sounds kinda familiar."

"The one who played the role of Fang Zhao in 'Founding Era'."

"Oh, it's him. I didn't expect him to be so young! He actually wants to take the entrance exams for HuangArt Twelve Tones? This is a globally renowned top-notch advanced course that cannot be entered by just throwing cash around! Isn't it a little early for Fang Zhao to take the examinations for this course?"

"It doesn't matter if he fails to make it. He is still young and will have many more opportunities in the future. Right now, he can just treat it as a learning experience and familiarize himself with the process."

"Makes sense."

Due to regulations, exam supervisors were not able to loiter outside a certain examination room for too long, but every time they passed Fang Zhao's room, the exam supervisors stopped for a slightly longer time. Sometimes there would even be a few of them gathered around watching.

Exam supervisors could not take photographs during the examination, and anything that was sent out needed to go through an audit. However this wasn't an unspeakable secret, so there was no need to be secretive.

Thus, the exam supervisors at these examination rooms shared the news with their colleagues, and soon, more teachers in the school knew that Fang Zhao was taking an examination here.

Following that, the news spread even more.

This resulted in Yan Biao informing Fang Zhao after he was done with the examinations that there were entertainment reporters lying in wait outside the school.

Zuo Yu looked up a more covert road and had Fang Zhao leave through it.

Entertainment reporters weren't able to snap any photographs of Fang Zhao, but they were able to learn from a few of the exam teachers that Fang Zhao had indeed applied to take the entrance examinations for HuangArt's Twelve Tones and had just gone through a preliminary examination here.

HuangArt's Twelve Tones entrance examinations would not cause much of a ripple in the huge entertainment examinations, because most of the people that passed the examinations and enrolled were more academically inclined artists with different styles and than the entertainment circles. Nobody really understood it well and they never really paid attention to it. Many people had never even heard of the name HuangArt Twelve Tones before.

However, Fang Zhao's matter didn't just cause a ripple but a huge wave. Furthermore, there were others blowing up the matter. Silver Wing was unable to suppress it and could only direct public opinion and ensure it didn't blow up into a storm.From Sun Tzi's art of war

Chapter 333: Good-Luck Charm

News that Fang Zhao was taking HuangArt's Twelve Tones exam spread online quickly.

The name "HuangArt's Twelve Tones" was a novelty to many folks hearing it for the first time.

"What the heck is HuangArt's Twelve Tones? Sounds like our school, Qi'an No. 12 Secondary School."

"Hahaha! There's a No. 12 Primary School by my house."

Every city had primary and secondary schools that had numbers in their names. Names like XX City No. XX Primary School or Secondary School were too common, so the name "HuangArt's Twelve Tones" didn't stand out initially. But what did "Tones" refer to? Why 12 tones?

After a quick internet search, folks had the utmost respect for Fang Zhao.

"On my knees! Too high class. All I can do is admire from a distance."

"Folks who can simply graduate from this course have major bragging rights, huh?"

"My adviser's adviser graduated from that program. A real badass! Word has it that all the graduates become industry giants!"

"Outsiders might not know much about this program. HuangArt's Twelve Tones is somewhat independent from the school itself. The instructors for the program are far, far superior to the other teachers at HuangArt and their colleagues at HuangMu!"

"Right! Most of the Twelve Tones instructors have won Galaxy World Medals. Folks who don't care for academic types can look up the actors and singers who have won Galaxy medals."

The Galaxy World Medal was the highest honor in the arts world. The actors or singers who won the prize were true superstars with global renown, not local celebrities with self-proclaimed stature.

"Oi, our teacher sat for the admission exam for 10 straight years to no avail. Eventually, he just applied to a regular graduate school. He said that it's too hard to aim for the stars. Only the cream of the crop can complete the program."

"You need to prepare for at least two years before sitting for the admission exam. The preparation time is too long and the exam is too difficult. Only about a dozen students are admitted. Only a handful of students take the exam, maybe some 100,000 each year. How long has Fang Zhao been preparing? He's been filming for the past year or so."

"Some 100,000 people sit for the exam? Why the 'only'? That's way more than a handful of folks!"

"Friend from upstairs, isn't the point that Fang Zhao hasn't had enough prep time?"

"I'm aware that Fang Zhao is very talented, but to try for HuangArt's Twelve Tones program now is making an outrageous claim. Fans have to calm down sometimes. You have to have rational expectations and not blindly follow your idol. There's something called setting someone up to fail. Don't kill your own idol."

"It's not that I have no respect for Fang Zhao's abilities but that you can't wing it for programs on the level of HuangArt's Twelve Tones by composing a few songs, starring in a TV series, or cramming for the exam. Experience and talent are equally important."

The topic quickly trended online. Some folks even started a bet to see how far Fang Zhao could advance in the exam.

Something like this hadn't been that big of a deal to begin with, but certain folks were fanning the flames. All Silver Wing could do was contain the situation as best they could.

Fang Zhao had gotten in the way of too many people. There were always folks who wanted to take him down when the opportunity presented itself.

The internet chatter would undoubtedly influence Fang Zhao. All the attention meant more pressure. If someone was overly sensitive, this kind of pressure could be deadly.

Passing the first hurdle would give Fang Zhao some breathing room. If he didn't, then he would have to face more ridicule and naysayers. Even though he had some outstanding pieces of work under his belt, this was how the industry operated. When someone was doing well no one would bother them, but once they screwed up, everyone would show up to tear them down.

The first round of the preliminary exams had been held. Countless candidates were eagerly waiting for the results so they could plan their next moves.

Fang Zhao was aware of the online discussion. He could handle this much pressure. If he broke under such little pressure, how could he have survived the Period of Destruction?

As soon as he got home, Fang Zhao got a call from Xue Jing.

Xue Jing was mighty worried.

"Ignore all the outside comments—just focus on your prep. The results for the first round should be out at 8 p.m. tonight. Considering your level, I don't think the first round will be a problem. If you advance to the next round, you'll receive a pass for round two. Regardless of whether you pass, just take it easy."

"Thank you. I know."

After hanging up on Xue Jing, Fang Zhao responded to messages from concerned friends and family, then starting prepping for the second-round exam.

In stark contrast to Fang Zhao's calm, Xue Jing was restless. Even though Xue Jing had consoled Fang Zhao, in reality, he was so nervous that he couldn't eat his dinner. He just sat there waiting for the results.

At the retirement home for former government officials in Yanbei.

Great-Grandfather Fang was so furious he trashed his own walking stick.

"I can't rest easy! Can't rest easy at all!"

On one hand, Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to call Fang Zhao, but he was also worried he might say the wrong thing and put even more pressure on Fang Zhao. All he could do was quietly fume at home.

Great-Grandmother Fang sighed and tried to comfort her spouse. "Silver Wing will handle things," she said.

"My ass! How can we count on self-interested corporations like that? Hell will freeze over before they lift a finger."

"They have still made a difference." Great-Grandmother Fang browsed the online chatter and took screenshots of some of the comments for Great-Grandfather Fang. "You can tell that Silver Wing has intervened to steer the conversation in a positive direction."

"What good does that do? The situation has still blown out of control. Can you imagine how much pressure Xiao Zhao is under? Why is it so hard for Xiao Zhao to sit for the exams peacefully?" Great-Grandfather Fang was feeling Fang Zhao's pain.

"Being a celebrity means that whatever you do, you have to cope with more pressure than the average Joe," Great-Grandmother Fang said.

After pondering the matter some more, Great-Grandfather Fang still couldn't let go. He called Fang Zhao via videoconference.

When the call went through, Fang Zhao was in his study. Books were scattered on his desk. He was also reading a document on his tablet.

Great-Grandfather Fang stuttered, "You're st-studying?"

"Yeah, I'm preparing for the second-round. Regardless of whether or not I pass the first round, it's good to be ready."

"That's the spirit! Maintain your composure. Ignore what other people have to say. Just try your best. Also, make sure you get plenty of rest, and don't forget to eat."

After he was done nagging, Great-Grandfather Fang didn't want to intrude anymore. He hung up and resumed fuming on his own. He hadn't taken a close look during the video call, but from what Great-Grandfather Fang could remember, he thought Fang Zhao had lost weight. "Xiao Zhao seemed skinnier! He's under so much pressure. Who knows if he's eating regularly?"

Great-Grandfather Fang sat restlessly until 8 p.m., nervously fidgeting with his truncated walking stick.

At 8 p.m., Fang Zhao received an email notifying him he had passed the first-round exam. The email also included his exam pass for the second round.

Just as Xue Jing had predicted, the first round hadn't posed a major challenge. As long as he'd been careful and had nailed the questions he was supposed to, clearing the first round of screening wasn't an issue.

After notifying Xue Jing, his great-grandparents in Yanbei, and Silver Wing, Fang Zhao went back to his prep.

As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Fang Zhao didn't have enough prep time, but from the moment of his rebirth, Fang Zhao had never stopped absorbing information and knowledge about the New Era, even when he'd been filming. The reason he could race through Ming Cang's notes and Xue Jing's mock exam wasn't just because he was cramming.

Xue Jing had described to Fang Zhao the types of questions that appeared in the second-round exam and other things to pay attention to. Fang Zhao didn't leave his apartment the next two days, nor did he go online.

He would leave the public relations battle to the professionals at Silver Wing. All he had to do was focus on his exam prep.

The second round took place just two days after the first round. A new venue was assigned—a different university.

Fang Zhao kept a low profile as usual when he arrived at the exam venue. The university was in a secluded location. By the time Fang Zhao finished his exam, word that he was there had already leaked. There were quite a few entertainment journalists staking him out. Fang Zhao was determined to avoid them. None of the entertainment journalists managed to snap a picture of him. All they could do was buy some of the surveillance footage from the university.

Access to the surveillance footage was heavily restricted. There was only so much footage one could buy, but it was better than nothing. For entertainment journalists, a single frame was enough fodder for several stories.

Only some 20,000 candidates passed the first-round exam. After the second round, only 5,000 were left.

So many folks were hoping that Fang Zhao would fumble during his exams, cave under the pressure, or underperform due to jitters, yet against all the expectations, well-intentioned or not, Fang Zhao passed the second-round exam with a solid showing.

After clearing the second round, Silver Wing felt it could speak with more confidence. They didn't have high hopes for Fang Zhao. Clearing the second round was enough. Passing the third exam was even better, but it was no big deal if he didn't. For someone Fang Zhao's age, passing the first two rounds was a terrific result already.

Only 1,000 candidates would remain after the third exam. Among the people sitting for the third exam were some of Yanzhou's more famous artists. They were mostly in their 60s and 70s. The number of artists who were 30 or younger could be counted on one hand.

The day before the third exam, Great-Grandfather Fang sent Fang Zhao a package. He said he and Great-Grandmother Fang had gotten it at the Cemetery for Martyrs.

The two elders had made a quiet trip to Qi'an, but they hadn't bothered Fang Zhao. They'd just visited the Cemetery for Martyrs, gotten what they needed, and left. They had sent the gift to Fang Zhao by courier before they'd left.

"Your great-grandmother and I said a sincere prayer for this. Word is that it's quite effective. Remember to wear it during your third exam. I've already checked—they're allowed at the exam venue. Remember to wear it!" Great-Grandfather Fang said in the voicemail he sent Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao opened the package. It was a necklace similar to the good-luck charms of the Old Era.

Out of curiosity, Fang Zhao removed the slip of paper inside the pouch attached to the necklace. It had been folded multiple times.

After carefully unfolding the piece of paper, a portrait emerged—Fang Zhao, the inaugural leader of the resistance's Fifth Battalion during the Period of Destruction.

Fang Zhao: "..."

Chapter 334: Finishing Early

After the Period of Destruction, people had started treating the heroes from the era as saviors as a form of religion. Festivals of worship and prayer from the Old Era were moved to martyrs' cemeteries. Every city had its own martyrs' cemetery.

Folks had stopped believing in the legends of the past and started projecting their emotions onto the martyrs' cemeteries, which became the sites where people prayed for good fortune.

Outside of Memorial Day, the martyrs' cemeteries typically didn't draw many visitors, but there were exceptions. For example, Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang had visited the martyrs' cemetery in Qi'an to pray for good luck for Fang Zhao's exam.

The idea hadn't occurred to Great-Grandfather Fang initially. When he'd been taking a walk in the garden of the retirement facility one day, he had overheard a fellow resident saying that he had obtained a good-luck charm at a martyrs' cemetery for his great-grandson, who had been about to perform his military service.

Great-Grandfather Fang had a eureka moment.

Ah... that's something I could do!

Great-Grandfather Fang hadn't known if good-luck charms were allowed at the exam venue, so he had checked with his connections at the education ministry. When he'd confirmed that they were kosher, he and Great-Grandmother Fang had quietly set off for Qi'an.

There was a martyrs' cemetery in Yanbei, but Great-Grandfather Fang didn't think it was big enough. It wasn't that he didn't respect the martyrs who were buried there but that when it came to Fang Zhao's exam, Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to pray at the biggest martyrs' cemetery in Yanzhou. If one was going to worship, it made sense to worship the greatest martyrs. People had their own agendas.

So who was the greatest martyr at the martyrs' cemetery in Yanzhou?

This was a subject of debate.

Some said Fang Zhao, others Wu Yan. There were also other answers, but when it came to praying for good health and good luck, very few people worshipped Fang Zhao.

The reason was Fang Zhao's personal history. Many historians lamented Fang Zhao's fate and considered him a tragic figure. He had survived 99 years in the Period of Destruction but had failed to take that last step and make it into the Founding Era. His tomb was ranked second. His influence had also waned. In terms of stature, in the minds of Yanzhou residents in the New Era, Fang Zhao was even lower than the martyrs buried in tombs no. 3, no. 4, and no. 5.

Even though it was unfair to evaluate the martyrs from that era according to their tomb placement, people from the New Era made that subconscious judgment. Not everyone studied history. As time passed, few folks took the time to study the Period of Destruction. If not for the airing of "Founding Era," most born-and-bred Yanzhou natives probably couldn't have remembered who was buried in the top 10 tombs at the martyrs' cemetery.

The bottom line was that folks who prayed for good luck and health usually avoided Fang Zhao. People mainly worshipped him to ward off bad luck.

But Great-Grandfather Fang knew what he wanted. When he arrived at the martyrs' cemetery, he headed straight for Fang Zhao's plot and got a good-luck charm.

Having performed his worship rituals and mailed the good-luck charm, Great-Grandfather Fang felt much more relaxed. When he returned to the retirement home in Yanbei and was asked about his whereabouts, he didn't feel the need to lie.

The fellow resident who had suggested Great-Grandfather Fang get a good-luck charm asked, "Who did you worship?"

"Of course it was Battalion Leader Fang," responded Great-Grandfather Fang.

"All I did was suggest you get a good-luck charm. I didn't suggest you worship him!"

"I thought about it and decided that worshipping him was the best bet. We share the same surname. Who knows, maybe we are related if I go back far enough. He also shares a name with our Xiao Zhao. Xiao Zhao even played him in a TV series. It's destiny!"

"But that fella didn't have very good luck. Uhm... it's not me, it's what the experts say."

"I know." However, Great-Grandfather Fang had his own reasoning. "Back then, it was a major challenge to just get through the day. I think he had pretty decent luck to have survived 99 years during the Period of Destruction. Also, he mentored our old governor Wu Yan. Don't you think he's quite something?"

Great-Grandfather Fang felt he had made the right call, but little did he know the mixed emotions Fang Zhao felt when he received the good-luck charm.

What a magical experience.

After folding the piece of paper printed with the portrait and inserting it into the pouch attached to the necklace again, Fang Zhao chuckled. "At the end of the day, I have to rely on myself."

Even though it felt weird, Fang Zhao still followed Great-Grandfather Fang's instructions and kept the good-luck charm on him. It was a thoughtful gesture by the two elders, after all.

The day of the exam, Great-Grandfather Fang got up early. When he figured it was about time for Fang Zhao to get up and have breakfast, he sent his great-grandson a text message asking him what he was eating.

Great-Grandfather Fang was relieved to find out that Fang Zhao had a voracious appetite as usual.

Having an appetite was a good thing. It proved that Fang Zhao was in good physical shape, unlike some exam takers who couldn't eat when they got nervous.

Great-Grandfather Fang reminded Fang Zhao to bring his good-luck charm again before ending the exchange.

Great-Grandfather Fang started fretting again. "I hear the exam will take the entire day."

"There's a time limit of eight hours." Great-Grandmother Fang had done her homework too. She was familiar with the exam rules.

Great-Grandfather Fang started panicking. "Eight hours? What about lunch? Given Xiao Zhao's appetite, will a regular boxed meal suffice?"

"Don't worry. I've asked Xiao Zhao. He said you can order your meals online from approved vendors at the exam site. You can order as many meals as you like."

"Is that so? How come you never mentioned this before?"

"I did. You were wearing your headset at the time."

"You did that on purpose! You decided to tell me when I had my headset on!"

Picking a fight with Great-Grandmother Fang was Great-Grandfather Fang's way of easing his stress. If he weren't so advanced in age and physically frail and worried that he would pose a burden, Great-Grandfather Fang would have preferred keeping vigil in Qi'an instead of restlessly waiting at home for the results to be announced online.

For an exam of this magnitude, other kids typically had their parents with them. If not their parents, then other elders. It pained him to see Fang Zhao soldier on alone.

Seeing as Great-Grandfather Fang was trying to start a fight and was overthinking things, Great-Grandmother Fang shook her head. She picked up her kettle and started watering the plants.

If someone wanted to make something of themself, be it in the military or the arts, there were no shortcuts!

Great-Grandmother Fang was also delighted to see Fang Zhao blossom—she just wasn't a braggart like her husband. She was also nervous for Fang Zhao on the occasion of such an important exam.

The more Fang Zhao progressed in his career, the less the two elders would be able to help him. At the end of the day, all Fang Zhao could count on was his own talent.

At one of the exam venues, a university in Qi'an.

During the second round of security screening, one of the exam monitors asked Fang Zhao to remove his necklace for a scan to make sure it wasn't being used for cheating.

The scanner picked up the folded fragments of the Fang Zhao portrait and reassembled it on screen.

The exam monitor was baffled when he identified the portrait.

After Fang Zhao entered the exam room, the exam monitor whispered to his colleagues, "Someone actually brought a good-luck charm with old battalion leader Fang's picture."

"What? Very few exam takers picked him in the past. Isn't it still under debate whether he brings good luck or bad luck?"

"It was Fang Zhao who brought the good-luck charm. You know, the popular actor who was assigned to our venue?"

"Interesting. Perhaps he is someone who likes to defy convention and picked a martyr that other folks avoid?"

Soon, many of the monitors knew that Fang Zhao had brought a good-luck charm with his namesake's picture on it.

The third exam didn't just cover theory. Examinees had to compose a song on the spot and analyze different pieces of music. All of this took time, so even though there were fewer questions, the exam lasted longer.

None of these questions took Fang Zhao by surprise. Xue Jing had told him that the third exam also tested analytical skills and versatility on top of theory.

These types of questions didn't pose a major challenge for Fang Zhao.

Hours passed by. When one of the exam monitors approached Fang Zhao to ask him about his lunch plans, Fang Zhao was getting ready to leave his seat.

The monitor looked at the time. It was 1 p.m. The exam started at 9 a.m. It had only been four hours.

"You're..." The surprised monitor checked Fang Zhao's exam status on his tablet. The column indicated Fang Zhao had already submitted his answers.

"I'm done. Can I leave now?" Fang Zhao asked. He was a bit hungry.

"Y-yes."

After Fang Zhao left, the monitor conferred with his colleagues.

"What do you think? Did he actually finish?"

"Probably not. I hear the third exam is the toughest. Four hours is too short."

"But he looked like he was in a good mood. He didn't seem like someone who didn't finish the exam."

"Have you forgotten that he's an actor? How can you tell what an actor is really thinking?"

"That's true. Who cares? We'll find out when the results come out. It's a shame that the results for the preliminary exams aren't ranked. Otherwise, we could find out his placement."

Having left the exam venue, Fang Zhao was oblivious to the speculation. He went home to have lunch, then briefed Xue Jing on his performance.

The entertainment journalists staking out Fang Zhao missed him again, but they managed to land two major scoops.

First, Fang Zhao had turned in his exam after only four hours.

Second, Fang Zhao had brought a good-luck charm with Fang Zhao's picture on it.

Each of these pieces of information was sufficient fodder for multiple stories!

The entertainment journalists stayed true to character, crafting their pieces in a way that catered to the curiosity and venting tendencies of the masses.

The results for the third exam took longer to process than previous exams. Candidates had to wait five days.

Candidates who sat for the HuangArt Twelve Tones exam came from all over the world, so news of Fang Zhao's candidacy soon caught notice in other continents.

The entrance exam for a music program that had barely caused a ripple in the glamorous and messy entertainment industry in the past now became the focus of many journalists.

Fang Zhao ignored the online chatter, be it mockery or praise. He stayed home and read several books that Xue Jing had recommended. When he got tired, he taught Curly Hair new video games or fed his "rabbit" some leaves.

Five days later.

The official website of the HuangArt Twelve Tones program published the list of candidates that had passed the three exams in the preliminary round.

The results weren't ranked. The names of the successful candidates were listed alphabetically by surname.

Fang Zhao's name was on the list, as was his six-digit candidate ID number to avoid confusion.

Soon, Fang Zhao also received an email from HuangArt about the next round of exams.

Great-Grandfather Fang was ecstatic that Fang Zhao had passed the three preliminary exams. Despite having been hobbling from the discomfort in his legs the past few days, the old fella couldn't help leaping in joy a few times.

"Be careful! You're not young anymore!" warned Great-Grandmother Fang.

The leg problems were genuine, tracing back to Great-Grandfather Fang's time in the military. Their condition had improved with treatment, but they still hurt from time to time because he was old.

Great-Grandfather Fang couldn't stay put even while sitting down. He clicked on a few chat groups and started sending digital red packets in celebration of Fang Zhao's results.

"Hahahaha! Our Xiao Zhao passed all of the preliminary exams! [Red packet]!"

"Did you see the news? Our Xiao Zhao was the only candidate under 30 to pass all three preliminary exams! [Red packet]."

The retired officials in the chat groups were used to Great-Grandfather Fang bragging about his great-grandsons, usually Fang Zhao. Whenever he sent red packets in his chat groups, nine out of 10 times, it had to do with Fang Zhao.

Everyone knew that Fang Zhao was Great-Grandfather Fang's clear favorite. He viewed his other descendants with one lens and Fang Zhao another. How biased he was. With the passage of time, the prejudice got worse. Whenever he mentioned "our Xiao Zhao," it was a sign that reason had gone out the window. At times like that, there was no point in arguing with the old man. It was all in vain. All they could do was accept the red packets and congratulate him.

"Congrats!"

"He passed the preliminary round? Passing all three exams is no small feat! They're quite tough. Congrats!"

"Look forward to the time when your Xiao Zhao passes the second round of exams. Remember to send red packets then!"

"Yes! Who knows, he may be on a roll. What if he passes the second set of exams too?"

Great-Grandfather Fang responded, "I'm pleased that he's gotten this far. Even the experts are saying that for someone of Xiao Zhao's age, passing the preliminary round is a great accomplishment, enough to prove his talent. There's no shame even if he stumbles in the second round. We'll treat it as a rehearsal and a learning experience. Xiao Zhao is still young. There will be plenty of other opportunities down the road." Great-Grandfather Fang paused before adding, "But if he really passes the second round, I'll send out some major red packets to the group!"

Meanwhile, on the internet, attention was focused elsewhere.

"Did Fang Zhao really bring a good-luck charm with Fang Zhao's picture to the exam?"

"Is that why he finished in four hours and passed?"

"I think so. Didn't you read what the experts said? It's very rare for someone Fang Zhao's age to pass all three preliminary exams. Exams require luck too."

"One of my relatives told me that Fang Zhao's grandfather got the good-luck charm from a martyrs' cemetery."

This comment irked Great-Grandfather Fang.

"It was his great-grandfather, not grandfather! His grandfather is an idiot who doesn't know jack sh*t!"

Chapter 335: You Absolutely Musn't Misunderstand

Great-Grandfather Fang felt that among all his descendants, the one most like him was Fang Zhao. As for the others, who were they like? Great-Grandfather Fang glanced at his old wife.

"In any case, they aren't like me," Great-Grandfather Fang muttered to himself.

Online, even more people participated in the discussion about good luck charms. Some people felt that Fang Zhao's good luck charm had brought him good fortune, and these people wanted a similar model, but at the same time, they were also worried. What if they became unlucky afterward?

"I think it's better to wait first. Let's wait and see how Fang Zhao does later before buying. It's not like we need it immediately."

"Then let's wait first? In any case, the second round of examinations is approaching. We can decide again after the results are out."

"My demands aren't high. Furthermore, I have an examination coming up. I'll buy it first."

At Qi'an City's Cemetery of Martyrs, there were suddenly a lot of people buying protective amulets, and the protective amulets they wanted to buy were the ones Fang Zhao had used. However, it just so happen that this version was out of stock. Previously, as there had been few people buying this, those in charge of the Cemetery had not kept much stock.

The rarer something was, the more valuable it tended to be. As stock was low and not many people managed to buy it, this protective amulet's price was jacked up in a short time. As quantity was low while demand and prices were high, there were inevitably people blinded by greed that took an alternative path: counterfeiting.

In the eyes of those who made counterfeits, the paper quality was just slightly inferior and the painting looked exactly the same. How could they count as counterfeits?

But buyers did not approve of it.

In the Old Era, there was a word: "consecrate"!

An amulet that hadn't gone through a consecration ritual or been created in the Cemetery was a fake! No matter how good quality of the materials used, it was still a fake!

Thus, relevant departments started combating counterfeits. The Cemetery also had their own countermeasures, so genuine and fake goods could still be differentiated.

As for Fang Zhao, who had given rise to this series of counterfeiting and anti-counterfeiting, he had no time to be bothered about all this. After receiving the notification for the second stage of examinations, he was called over by Xue Jing to undergo a week of training. Afterward, he would head to Huangzhou to participate in the second round of exams.

More than 100,000 people had applied to take the examinations, and after going through three rounds of preliminary exams, the number of people with the qualifications to sit for the second stage was only 1000. Of the 90-plus from Yanzhou that had passed the preliminaries, Fang Zhao was the youngest.

This time, Fang Zhao did not let the company arrange any other assistants and, as before, brought along Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. These two took turns being a driver and an assistant.

"Boss, are we really not bringing Curly Hair along? Won't he feel lonely if he is left alone at home?" Zuo Yu asked.

"He won't," Fang Zhao answered firmly. With the gaming console around, Curly Hair would not find it boring.

Furthermore, if there was any danger, it would be more convenient for Curly Hair to handle it himself. If someone was dispatched to stay home and watch him, Curly Hair's actions might be restricted.

After arriving in Huangzhou, Fang Zhao's presence declined drastically. His influence here was a far cry from his influence in Yanzhou. However, since he had frequently been appearing online recently, Fang Zhao still wore a cap.

During this season, Huangzhou's weather was slightly hotter. Inside Huangzhou Institute of Art, many students walking on campus were sporting hats too. Furthermore, Fang Zhao kept a low profile so he appeared less conspicuous.

"Hey, Boss, make the most of your time to study. Leave any errands to us," said Yan Biao.

This time, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu both had assignments. Silver Wing, Great-Grandfather Fang, Xue Jing, and others had all privately sought the two out to have them run more errands. This way, Fang Zhao would have time to adjust to the time difference and prepare for his examinations.

So after arriving at Huangzhou Institute of Art, Zuo Yu ran off to inquire about the necessary procedures for exam candidates and to learn how the school arranged its exam candidates room and board. Yan Biao followed by Fang Zhao's side and towed the luggage and bags.

Fang Zhao had wanted to carry his own bags, but Yan Biao hadn't let him.

Let boss carry a bag? How could a salted fish fetching such a high salary have the cheek to allow that? This was such a rare opportunity to display his usefulness, so naturally, he couldn't let it slip by.

The sun was extremely glaring. Fang Zhao pointed at a building with walls that seemed to be entirely made of transparent glass not too far away. "Let's sit over there and wait."

The building that Fang Zhao had pointed out was a library mainly for guests. The first floor was primarily a rest area and was slightly more lively. The people seated on this floor were mostly people who had stopped on the way for a rest.

After finding a spot to sit down, Yan Biao put down all the bags and luggage. When he saw that Fang Zhao wanted to go buy a drink, he hurriedly exclaimed, "Let me, let me!"

Yan Biao ran to buy a drink while Fang Zhao sat on the chair and gazed out of the transparent glass at students that were walking by outside.

HuangArt students all had a sort of haughtiness. Even though they maintained their fundamental etiquette and did not spare any honorifics, one could sense haughtiness from their expressions and speech.

That was understandable. As top-notch institute seeped in artistic influences with many specially privileged people, this was very normal. Fortunately, they wouldn't look down on people without any reason. This was also part of their upbringing.

Taking a further look at the interior, there were many green plant ornaments and wood-colored furniture all around. Even if that furniture wasn't really manufactured out of wood and those lush green plants were merely man-made air purifiers, when put together, they gave off a very peaceful vibe. Upstairs was a small library collection open to the public. Paperback books could be borrowed here as well, but at a fee.

While Fang Zhao was taking the measure of his surroundings, Yan Biao returned from purchasing drinks. There were too many people today and he had even needed to queue up.

After drinking some water, Fang Zhao said, "I'll be heading up to take a look."

"All right, I will just sit here. If you want to buy anything, you can send me a message straight away." Yan Biao indicated that he would not wander off and would be on standby at all times.

When Fang Zhao went up, Yan Biao sorted out some of the luggage and wiped the sweat off his forehead. While drinking some water, he thought about his performance in the morning. Seems all right, mhm. I can feel at ease and rest for a bit.

A person at the side watched him for a bit and then came over. "Hey, brother, you brought your son to enroll too?"

The mineral water in Yan Biao's mouth all spurted out. "PFFFF!" Yan Biao was sweating all over from that scare and hurriedly explained, "No, no, no, no, that's not it! You absolutely mustn't misunderstand! That is my boss!"

As he said that, Yan Biao had some self-doubt. He was clearly still young and wasn't much older than Fang Zhao. What had caused this person to have such a misunderstanding?

Where could Yan Biao find the gall to be his boss's father?

Stroking his beard, Yan Biao found the reason that had caused this misunderstanding. He had originally thought that it would make him look more dignified and imposing, but he had never imagined that it would cause this sort of misunderstanding. Luckily, this hadn't been heard by his boss. If his boss was annoyed in his heart... What would Yan Biao do if he got fired?

Stroking the beard he had grown, Yan Biao decided that he would shave it when they returned to the hotel later!

During this period, HuangArt's other, more ordinary advanced courses were also enrolling, so it was a common sight to see other parents sending off their children for enrollment. Afterward, there were quite a few others who came over to talk to Yan Biao. Yan Biao had to explain clearly to them that he was just accompanying his boss. He really didn't want any misunderstandings to arise.

There were also others that accompanied their family elders and came over. Yan Biao even met a person who was accompanying his father who would be taking the second round of examinations for HuangArt's Twelve Tones. Hearing the other party bragging and flaunting, Yan Biao especially wanted to say, "My boss is also here to take the second round of examinations," but he chose to hold it in.

As a qualified bodyguard, it would be best if he didn't randomly reveal information about his boss.

When Zuo Yu was done handling all the procedures, Fang Zhao checked into his dormitory.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao wouldn't need much afterward, so Fang Zhao let them return to the hotel and wait. The school had only prepared temporary dormitories for exam candidates; other people were not able to stay.

HuangArt's Twelve Tones's second round of examinations was even longer and required three continuous days of exams.

The examination venue was a building next to HuangArt Library. The examination venue was linked to the library by a passageway. The second round of examinations was open book, so materials could be referenced, be they physical copies of books or computer files. Other than being unable to communicate with the outside world, everything in the library could be used.

For the next three days, candidates would be confined to these two buildings. But candidates apparently didn't seem indisposed, especially candidates with creative backgrounds. For them, shutting themselves in their own work studios for one or two months was common. There was no need to worry about food, water, or toilets; all they needed to do was concentrate on answering the questions.

On the first day, after Fang Zhao saw the questions, he left the exam venue and went over to the neighboring library to look through resources.

This library was different from the small library that catered to guests. It was truly a treasure trove of knowledge. Some resources that were reportedly not permitted to be converted to electronic files and disseminated could be found here.

There were monitoring systems for the exams. Monitoring teachers would observe the candidates' actions through the monitoring system and would not appear in front of candidates or disturb them.

As for meals, Fang Zhao did not let down his stomach. Solving questions and composing consumed mental strength. He had consumed quite a bit and needed to replenish his energy now so that he could move forward even better later on. While others ordered only one box lunch, Fang Zhao could order four! If the boxed meals had less inside, he might order five or six.

During these three days, Fang Zhao spent the first day visiting the library and researching resources, and he rested at night in his own examination room. There was a bed within the wall, and when it was brought down, it was sufficient for a single person.

The second day was spent solving questions, and Fang Zhao rested early after completing them.

On the third day, he once again went to the library to look through the resources in the morning, and he returned to his room in the afternoon to make amendments to his script. When time was almost up and other people in the examination venue started submitting their scripts and leaving, Fang Zhao submitted his as well.

Leaving the examination venue, Fang Zhao saw a group of students distributing HuangArt cultural commemorative gift boxes.

For people that could participate in the second round of examinations, the majority all had some reputation in their own domains. Thus, even though HuangArt students had their own air of arrogance, in front of candidates who took part in the second round of Twelve Tones's examinations, they were even more courteous and had fitting smiles when they handed over the gift boxes.

When they saw Fang Zhao, some students' eyes shone brighter, and they rushed over to hand over the gift box. "You have worked hard!"

Fang Zhao smiled as he accepted the gift box. "Thank you. It wasn't that arduous."

Fang Zhao really had not found it that difficult. He had not needed to worry during the examinations. Food and drinks were provided and there were specially designated activity areas. Candidates could also roam freely in 60% of the levels of the library. Other than solving questions being somewhat mentally straining, the rest hadn't been too tiring.

"Can we take a photo together? I'm a fan of yours!" a student asked.

"I'm a gaming fan!"

Students of a top-notch art institution would not get too excited when seeing celebrities and reputable artists and were just slightly more curious.

After Fang Zhao agreed, these few HuangArt students took a few group photos with Fang Zhao. After chatting with Fang Zhao for a bit, they went to post the photos up on their social platforms.

Following that, various people from entertainment media once again started to excessively interpret Fang Zhao's expression in the photographs.

"Fang Zhao is smiling so happily. He probably did quite well for the examinations."

"I feel that Fang Zhao is actually forcing himself to smile. If you've seen the expressions of others that took the second round of examinations, it is quite safe to say that the difficulty was rather high."

"Three continuous days of examinations, but why does Fang Zhao seem to be in high spirits in the photo?"

"Perhaps he is pretending?"

"I wonder if he wore his good luck charm this time."

"Who has bought information from HuangArt's side? Hurry up and speak."

"HuangArt rarely leaks information to the outside. Purchasing the monitoring system's videos is even more difficult."

There were also some people who made inquiries with HuangArt monitoring teachers that they were close to. While concrete information about the situation at the examination venue could not be divulged, when asked about their impression of Fang Zhao, these monitors said: "He is very young and he can eat very well."

Chapter 336: All the Rage

After taking the examinations, Fang Zhao waited in Huangzhou until the results of the second round were released. He called on a few industry precursors, all of whom had been recommended by Ming Cang and Xue Jing. These people had even gone to Fang Zhao's concert back then.

There were also a few other senior QiMu graduates that Fang Zhao got to know in the group chat. These people had helped him by sharing resources in some form or another before he'd sat for the second round of examinations. Even if Fang Zhao had not used those resources in the end, he still had to thank them.

Huangzhou Institute of Art, inside a certain office.

The second stage examination's grading teachers from the music team were discussing Fang Zhao's examination script.

"Not only does this young fella have a good grasp of the fundamentals, he also has high comprehension and intelligence. He is indeed really capable and has the qualifications to get into Twelve Tones. A rare talent."

There were some experiences that teachers couldn't teach and that students would have to rely on themselves to comprehend. Students with high levels of comprehension were much easier to groom.

Some other teachers expressed a different view. "Solely based on the questions, I would give him high marks too, but we still have to take into account his character for this evaluation."

"The officially released information is that Fang Zhao completed it all by himself, but as before, I still have my doubts. That isn't something a person his age can produce. Even if he has been able to compose a few outstanding works before, that tune in 'Founding Era' was different."

"You guys have also agreed that he has high levels of comprehension and intelligence. What makes you so sure that he wasn't able to produce it? There are always geniuses in this world."

"This isn't something that being a genius can explain! Hey, I don't know how to explain that feeling either, nor do you guys."

The grading teachers were split into two factions. One faction felt that this youngster Fang Zhao had talent and ability. His questions had been answered very well, and giving him high grades for the second round of examinations was not an issue.

But the other faction firmly believed this: "In any case, I don't believe it! Regardless of how Fang Zhao did on his exams, he surely got others to write those previous works of his on his behalf! Toward these sorts of people that get others to substitute for them and never admit it, the overall marks for the second round examinations have to be pressed down!"

The head of the music team grading the papers watched both sides continue to disagree, and his brows scrunched up. After more disagreements and no solution, he interjected, "All right, everyone stop arguing. Since you all can't decide on an outcome, let's call and ask."

"Ask who?"

"I have already asked Xue Jing's side. He denies participating in any of Fang Zhao's composition. I believe that he would not lie about these matters, and furthermore, the style of Xue Jing's pieces are different, so it wasn't him."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Go ask Teacher Mo Lang."

On hearing Mo Lang's name, both factions fell silent.

The group head saw everyone looking terrified, and he pointed at the grading teacher that had argued the loudest. "You, make the call and ask."

That teacher stuttered, "M-me?"

"Weren't you very loud just now? Go and ask."

"You can't blame that on me. It's because I have a singing background and my singing techniques affected me; I'm not used to speaking softly. Besides, I do not know Teacher Mo's contact number."

"I know. I have already helped you dial the number." As he said that, the grading group head forced a communications device into that teacher's hands and raised his chin, indicating that teacher should hurry up and ask.

Mo Lang had just returned from planet Wai. He had recently been on vacation and had nothing to do at home, so he answered rather quickly.

The teacher nervously introduced himself first and then stated that his purpose was to find out if Mo Lang had guided Fang Zhao when Fang Zhao had been composing.

This was a rather tactful way of asking, but Mo Lang had been part of the music circles for so many years that even if he didn't like to bother with other stuff, he could still tell the other party's intention. The other party's question was just indirectly asking him, "Did Teacher Mo ghostwrite for Fang Zhao?"

Mo Lang went silent.

This sort of silence wasn't tacit agreement. Rather, it was like the gathering of black clouds. The atmosphere was both stifling and suffocating.

The other teachers also held their breath and tried to lower any presence of their existence. The entire room was so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

Beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the teacher that was holding the communications device. "Teacher... Teacher Mo, we aren't doubting your character, we are just asking that's all."

Mo Lang became even more taciturn.

The silence made all the grading teachers feel their skin tighten. A few of them also subconsciously shifted further away. They all knew that this was the calm before the storm.

"Venerable Mo?" the teacher holding on to the communications device probed. His voice seemed to be wavering.

Old Mo Lang appeared to be breathing heavily on the video call, but when he spoke, his tone was almost flat. "I remember telling others in the industry about the matters with Fang Zhao. Listening to your words, are you implying that I'm lying?"

"No, no, no! Venerable Mo, we are just routinely asking. It's merely a formality. Please, don't get worked up! You absolutely mustn't get worked up!" That teacher was so worried his face was turning red.

Mo Lang suddenly raised his voice and furiously roared, "Absolutely preposterous!"

"You mustn't think too much! We really did not have that intention! Really!" That teacher was so worried he shot up from his chair. Old Master Mo was a treasure of an artist. If anything bad occurred to Old Mo because he had become angry, this bunch would be done for.

"Should I swear it on my Galaxy World Medal!? Ah? How do you all wish for me to prove it? I will come over to HuangArt to show you your proof! An old fellow like me can still walk! You doubt me? That's simply vilifying all the honor I have achieved in my life! Trampling all over it!"

"No, no, no, you have really misunderstood. Without a doubt, we believe your morals. It is really just a formality! Really!"

Furious berating still continued from the other end. The grading teacher holding the communications device had sweat trickling down his forehead.

Mo Lang's words were like large bricks aimed at his head, each one heavier than the last, smacking his head till he was dizzy.

A single person would not be able to handle Venerable Mo's fury. He thought about looking for the other grading teachers to share the responsibility. "You guys hurry up and help explain..."

However, when he looked behind him, he realized that all the other grading teachers that had originally been sitting there had run off.

The teacher facing the full wrath on his own: "..."

At that moment, the amount of cursing in his head was enough to fill up the entire continent of Huangzhou.

Mo Lang spent more than 10 minutes admonishing that teacher through the call. However, Mo Lang was still very advanced in age, so his assistants were worried about Mo Lang's health and advised him to calm down.

After the call ended, the grading teachers that had left returned one by one. One of them even exclaimed, "See, I already said we should seek truth from facts. If it's good, that means it's good. If it's no good, then that means it's no good. How things are is how they should be! We are but grading teachers, not the teachers that will be guiding them. If this person really has problems, then those teachers should be the ones fretting over it. Anyway, let's not be unreasonable. Since he has already explained it well and you people haven't been able to find evidence that someone ghostwrote, we should just evaluate him according to the exam script."

With a rigid face, the teacher holding the communications device stared accusingly at the speaker. Why didn't you say all these before we made the call?

"According to the exam script?" The grading teacher that had sat down again looked over at the group head.

"Then let's evaluate according to the script," the group head said.

On the day results were released, many media outlets were watching HuangArt's official homepage.

With only 12 selected from 1000, the elimination rate was rather high.

At the appointed time, HuangArt's Twelve Tones's advance course page refreshed. The 12 accepted applicants were displayed.

This list was arranged according to the results of the second round examination from highest to lowest. Fang Zhao took third place.

Of the two before him, the first was a talented 40-plus-year-old Huangzhou dance artist. He had made a name for himself for many years already and had been coined the dance god's successor.

The second was a 50-plus-year-old painter. He was still considered young in New Era terms. He came from a family with a background in painting and calligraphy and was also a genius. Not mentioning how many awards he had received, what people remembered most about him were the two paintings he had sold a while back. The selling prices of these paintings were in the tens of millions.

In the musical field, there were four entrants this year. Fang Zhao was the highest ranked from the music field.

Actually, when the music team's grading teachers saw the final standings, they felt a little regret. If they had known it was going to turn out this way, they would have given Fang Zhao's exam script a few more marks. This way, they would not have lagged behind dance and painting.

However, the media outlets that had their attention on the enrollment of this advanced course did not spend too much time bothering about the classifications of the standings. Their focus was on Fang Zhao.

Many entertainment media members had been putting all their effort into throwing shade on Fang Zhao, but today, they changed their tune and lauded his accomplishments.

"HuangArt's Twelve Tones advanced course's youngest entrant in close to 50 years! Yet another Mo Lang! The Galaxy World Medal isn't a dream!"

"Ability? Or was it luck? The most effective good-luck charm in history!"

Entertainment news media outlets made full use of their ability to blindly create stories without logic. They inflated Fang Zhao so much that he didn't even recognize himself.

Certain reviewers were also unwilling to keep silent on this. Some reputable reviewers even posted short evaluations on their social platform accounts: "Really unexpected. Fang Zhao has huge potential. Nobody knows how high he can climb, but there is one thing that is certain: Silver Wing Media must fear being unable to control Fang Zhao in the future."

When Silver Wing's people saw this status, they didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Since when have we controlled him?

Right from the start, Fang Zhao had always done things beyond what the company had anticipated.

He simply had never been controlled!

In Yanzhou. On the second day after the second round's examination results were released, Yanzhou's Cemetery of Martyrs's administration department held a ceremony.

On this day, the Cemetery of Martyrs' were full of people who had come to attend the ritual. There were people from Yanzhou as well as people from other continents.

A foreign tourist saw the ceremonial guards and band walking at the front, turned to look at the dense mass of people behind him, and then lamented to his companion, "Tsk, looking at this situation, later on, by the time the ceremony is over, those amulets will surely be sold out."

His companion shot him a look of "how ignorant" and replied, "All of the amulets at this ceremony were sold out in advance! If you wished to purchase one, you would have queue up!"

That's right, the model of amulet that Fang Zhao had used had become all the rage online. This also became a must-see location for tourists from other continents.

Some people asked them, "There are Cemeteries in every continent, so why have they all come here?"

Tourists: "This is just coincidentally joining in all the fun!"

"Why don't you just purchase it online instead of traveling a long distance and coming all the way to Yanzhou?"

Tourist: "Sales of this model was selling too quickly, and the Cemetery's stock cannot hold up. Online sales have closed, so one can only take a queue number for a booking. Queueing up here is still better than trying to get the goods online."

Actually, there weren't that many people that really believed in these superstitions. They were just following the trend to join in on the excitement. They felt that after purchasing the amulet, they could treat at is a way of being pretentious. People were also willing to spend money to get the amulets as gifts for others.

Fang Zhao when he saw all this news: "..."

His feelings were once again complicated.

At the Yanbei retirement facility for veterans. In the past two days, the smile on Great-Grandfather Fang's face had not faded. That smile of his annoyed others when they saw it.

"My family's Little Zhao, I'm not bragging, he is just so capable! How many analysts said that he would go no further than the second round? But take a look now!" Great-Grandfather Fang showed off this year's HuangArt's Twelve Tones entrants to others for the umpteenth time.

"Despite competing with so many outstanding artists, he achieved third place. In ancient times, wouldn't he be called a tan hua?"

An old veteran replied, "I heard that tan hua langs all look very good. Your great-grandson doesn't look good."

Hearing this, Great-Grandfather Fang's eyebrows shot up.

That old veteran hurriedly explained, "No, what I mean to say is that your great-grandson isn't good-looking enough."

The others were all speechless. You might as well not explain.

Great-Grandfather Fang blew his top. "You are just jealous and envious and saying this because you are sour!"

Someone came forward to calm the situation down. "Old Man Fang, aren't you supposed to be thinking about your family's Little Fang? What are his tuition fees are going to be like? Do you need to get anything in order? I heard that the tuition for HuangArt's Twelve Tones is especially expensive."

Great-Grandfather Fang went blank for a bit before returning to his senses. "Right, right, right, I still have responsibilities. I can't stick around and waste time chatting with you guys!"

Great-Grandfather Fang returned to check his own little treasury and went to research Huangzhou's Twelve Tones's tuition fees. He also went to contact some old friends of his from the education system to ask whether there were any procedures needed or if they could pull any strings.

Very quickly, he received replies. "Tuition fees? The tuitions fees for that advanced course are really expensive. One person will have to spend a few hundred thousand a year, and that isn't counting in lifestyle expenditure. Spending money is a must when building interpersonal relationships with others over there, and it doesn't cost any less than the tuition fees. But you also need not worry. For an advanced course like Twelve Tones, as long as someone manages to enroll, they will be taking a straight path for grooming talents in our continent. The Ministry of Education is in charge, so there isn't any need to pull strings. Any procedures will be handled right at the start, and the scholarships given out can offset the tuition fees. All you all need to do is handle daily living expenses. However, your family's Xiao Zhao earns quite a lot; what are you so worried for?

"What he earns is his own money. What I'm giving him is just my kind intentions as an elder! Do you understand what 'kind intentions' means?"

Great-Grandfather Fang had his own tiny inclinations. He wanted to show that he could still be of use. Otherwise, he wouldn't have peace of mind. If he could not even do anything to help, wouldn't he be just like this bunch of old fogeys who spent all day in the garden chatting and gossiping idly?

After learning about the matters before entering school, Great-Grandfather Fang started dreaming about the future again, and a crazed smile appeared on his face.

HuangArt was good, a top-notch advanced course in a top-notch school. It would be best if Fang Zhao found an equally capable and like-minded girlfriend, just like that recent teenage-idol serial with classmates from the same class being lovey-dovey and so on.

But then, Great-Grandfather Fang thought about the ages of Fang Zhao's coursemates...

His smile gradually vanishedthe title given to a person that came in 3rd place for the imperial examinations in ancient china

Chapter 337: You Are Going to Keep a Dog?

The news of Fang Zhao passing the second round of examinations and enrolling in HuangArt's Twelve Tones created much discussion, but outside of Yanzhou, those topics only lasted temporarily. After all, those areas weren't Fang Zhao's home ground and Silver Wing teams had difficulty getting involved. They couldn't increase publicity further even though they wanted to. However, back in Yanzhou, it seemed like this fervor would continue on for a few more days.

Yanzhou people felt that with such a good example like Fang Zhao, they could be proud. Look at our Yanzhou's genius!

People who weren't from professional art industries and didn't pay much attention to this sort of news only found out through the news that people able to enroll in HuangArt's Twelve Tones were very impressive. However, nobody could clearly determine exactly how impressive those enrollees were until they downloaded a copy of this year's HuangArt's Twelve Tones examination scripts.

Every year, after the entrance examinations for HuangArt's Twelve Tones concluded, HuangArt would officially release the examination questions for the three preliminary exams and the second round exam.

In the past, the only people that had downloaded these exam questions were those related to the arts. In general, the amount was low, but this year, because of the discussion that came about as a result of Fang Zhao, many people who weren't from the art industries also joined in the excitement and downloaded the questions. After all, the fee for downloading these questions wasn't much; it could be considered gaining knowledge and they could see for themselves the fabled super-hard questions for the entrance examinations of this top-notch advanced course.

Afterward, they realized that the preliminary exams were okay. Ignoring those subjective questions, although the objective questions might seem difficult, by spending the time to research some materials, it was still possible to pass the exams. The second stage was where the questions got really difficult to answer.

"I recognize every single word, but when put together, I actually can't understand it."

"Questions from the first preliminary already left me on the verge of tears. My head was already dizzy just checking through materials for an hour, and I was only able to make some slight progress. I totally can't even do anything from the second stage examination."

"My mom graduated from a music academy and she also says that these questions are extremely difficult. She says that there are a few composing questions that she is completely unable to answer. It's like having her favorite food, watermelons, and most hated, coriander, placed in front of her and being asked to create a dish that smells and tastes good with the two. Forget about having three days, even if she was given three years, she still wouldn't be able to do it."

"Indeed those that are able to pass the examinations are just sick!"

"Us normal people have no way of understanding how the mind of a genius works. From this, it can be seen that Fang Zhao really has the ability. It isn't something that can just be explained by being lucky. If it were other people, even if they brought a whole trunk of good-luck charms to the examination venue, it wouldn't be of any use."

But words were just words. Fang Zhao–style good-luck charms still maintained their high desirability. As before, there was no stock available online, so everyone that wished to purchase them had to queue up at Yanzhou's Qi'an City's Cemetery for Martyrs.

The matter of Fang Zhao enrolling in HuangArt's Twelve Tones and his good-luck charms once again created a wave of news. In the entertainment circles, those big names that stood firm were not really worried. It was the people in the circles that weren't really moving along that were not at ease.

Every time they persisted long enough to make some news, it ended up being battered by Fang Zhao's news. Now that Fang Zhao was temporarily going to be leaving the entertainment circle to further his studies, they could only heave half a sigh of relief.

Why only half a sigh?

This was not the product of groundless fears and alarmist talk. This Fang Zhao person really played his cards too unconventionally! There was no way they could completely relax!

Back when everyone had been guarded against him producing virtual idols, he'd run off to play games! And he'd been on fire!

When people had been prepared to guard against him entering the e-sports competition scene, he had actually gone to complete his military service! And he had been so d*mn popular again!

And when everyone had thought he was doing very well and would stay in the military, he had returned and held his concert! And he had made a ton!

And when everyone's attention had been on music, he had snagged an important role and gone to act in the large-scale revolutionary film project! Eyeballs all around the world had popped out!

Now, Fang Zhao had passed the examinations and gotten into what was said to be a god-tier advanced course. Even the good-luck charm he had worn had become an online trend!

Counting all this one by one...

It was horrible just thinking about it!

Only God knew what he would do next!

Back when Fang Zhao had gone to serve in the military, everyone had thought that he would cool down. However, everyone had ultimately found out that Fang Zhao was still able to make waves from far away.

It would be good if Fang Zhao quieted down while furthering his studies. These people would be able to make use of that year to boost their fame, and once they were standing firm, they wouldn't be afraid of getting battered.

After Fang Zhao received his admission notice, he returned to Qi'an City to handle a few matters, then went to Yanbei City to visit the two old Fangs. He didn't stay long, though, before once more heading to Huangzhou to handle his admission procedures.

Great-Grandfather Fang gave Fang Zhao a red packet. "After you have settled down there, send us some photographs and videos of Huangzhou Institute of Art so your great-grandmother and I can see what your life is like over there so we can also experience the atmosphere of an art institute."

The truth was that Great-Grandfather Fang had not gloated enough. He still wanted to flaunt a bunch in the group chat with his old comrades and prove he hadn't been bragging blindly.

"If you two are free, you can come over for a holiday. The dormitories allocated there are bigger than most other students'," Fang Zhao replied.

Great-Grandfather Fang smiled and waved his hands. "Oh, let's see how it goes. The two of us are old. We won't be able to help you much if we go over. Furthermore, you will surely be very busy when you start school. We don't want to go over and disturb you."

However, once Fang Zhao left, Great-Grandfather Fang started browsing through his calendar and set up reminders for large-scale holidays. After that, he placed an order for a new walking stick and pondered whether or not to purchase two sets of artsy clothes so that they wouldn't make Fang Zhao lose face when they went over to visit him in Huangzhou.

This time, when Fang Zhao traveled from Yanzhou to Huangzhou, he brought Curly Hair with him. He would be studying at HuangArt for a somewhat lengthy period of time, and he couldn't just leave Curly Hair in Yanzhou. Fang Zhao wouldn't feel assured leaving him at Muzhou either. The secrets that Curly Hair's body contained could not be made known to others, so staying beside him was the most appropriate.

After some consideration, Fang Zhao had also brought the "rabbit" along. He wasn't certain whether this "rabbit" might do anything shocking while he was furthering his studies, so he'd be better off keeping an eye on it.

Fang Zhao had gone through the school and dormitory's rules and regulations and had not seen any restrictions regarding pets, but people that were going to keep pets needed to produce all sorts of identification and sign an indemnity. He wouldn't be the only person in the building. Keeping pets was fine as long as it did not affect the other students.

Unlike those during the second round of examinations, the dormitories allocated to students that had been admitted were of high quality, around 100 square meters with two rooms, two halls, and two washrooms. One was a bedroom, while the other was a work studio. The studio alone took up close to half of the area.

For many people here, the work studio was even more important than the bedroom, so much so that eating, drinking, and toilet breaks could be all settled in the studio. The people here could decide on how to furnish the place themselves.

Artists had their ateliers and dancers had their practice rooms. Fang Zhao's own furnishings here were very simple for the time being. Besides the basics—a desk and a bookshelf—there was a music keyboard he had received as a reward when he had been in Qi'an Academy of Music, a commemorative helmet-style gaming console that Fiery Bird had sent over, and the water tank with the "rabbit."

Curly Hair ran all over the house happily as he patrolled his new territory. Fang Zhao had arranged a place for Zuo Yu and Yan Biao outside the school.

Fang Zhao had just replied to a message from Great-Grandfather Fang when he heard the doorbell ring.

His new neighbors from the dormitory next door were dropping in.

A man and a lady. They seemed to be much older than Fang Zhao.

The man was Will Branch, the genius painter whose results for the examinations were ranked second among students admitted in this year's intake of Twelve Tones students.

Unlike Will, Will's wife was much more cheerful and had even brought over some freshly baked cookies. It wasn't that she couldn't bear to part with some money to buy a more valuable gift but that the majority of people who enrolled in this advanced course weren't lacking in money. They wouldn't lack these sort of things. Since Will and Fang Zhao were both enrolled in this course and they would be neighbors, she had brought along a little token of sincerity. Even if Fang Zhao didn't eat it, he could also pass it on to his friends.

Printed on the lid of the cookie box was a painting done by Will in the past. It appeared really abstract. People who were not familiar with paintings might just think that it was blind and random strokes. However, back then, someone had offered to buy it for 6 million, but Will had not sold it.

At the corner of the painting, there was an imprint that looked like a "V"—this was Will's personal symbol.

Will's wife was a lecturer at some other school in Huangzhou and would not be staying here all the time. In addition, when Will started painting, he would not bother about anything else and would get annoyed if he was disturbed by others. Will's servants just delivered meals at set times while maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. They wouldn't dare say anything more. Most of the time, it was Will alone staying in his dormitory.

That was why Will's wife had come over to build up a relationship with his neighbors; she hoped that Fang Zhao would look out for Will sometimes.

Originally, Will's wife had not had any hope that Fang Zhao would be able to help out much. A young artistic genius would surely be different from ordinary people in some aspects. Perhaps he might be even less reliable than Will. But looking at things now, Fang Zhao did not seem to have the fickleness of a young person. He didn't appear to be ill at ease when facing them and instead gave off a steady and reliable vibe. With such a neighbor, she could rest easy.

Will frowned as he gazed at Curly Hair quietly sitting beside Fang Zhao's feet. "You are going to keep a dog here?"

"Mmhm, he is really quiet normally and is very obedient. He won't disturb the neighbors, and all the paperwork has already been done," replied Fang Zhao.

Previously, when he'd been setting up his living arrangements, Fang Zhao had filled in the column indicating that he kept pets. Whenever the dormitory admins allocated rooms, they took into account the requests of the students admitted to the advanced courses. If there were people who didn't like pets or had problems with pets, these people wouldn't be allocated next door to someone keeping pets. Of course, perhaps the other students might have forgotten to leave a remark.

Will's wife was worried that Fang Zhao would misunderstand, so she explained, "We don't have any issues with this. It will be all fine as long as he doesn't bark inconsiderately. Although the dormitory block has very good soundproofing, many people here like to open their windows rather than rely on the system's completely sealed environment."

"You don't have to worry about this. Curly Hair won't run around wildly and bark uncontrollably," Fang Zhao reassured them.

"That's good, then. However, a pet dog still needs accompaniment and exercise. When you are busy with your studies and composing, you will still have to bring him out to walk often. Don't spend all your time cooped up in the dormitory. If you don't like heading out, you can buy a treadmill and train him to run." Will's wife even recommended a few versions of treadmills that young people liked to use.

Will didn't say anything else on this matter, but his tightly constricted brows didn't loosen.

After sitting and chatting for a bit, Will and his wife took their leave. Just before they left, Fang Zhao asked them to wait. Some specialty products had been just sent over from planet Wai, so Fang Zhao gave Will and his wife some.

When Fang Zhao went over to the storeroom to take the stuff, Will, who was still frowning, stared at Curly Hair and walked over.

Curly Hair raised his head to look at the stranger. A pair of dog eyes, innocent and harmless in appearance.

Will stared at Curly Hair, then extended a hand to stroke him.

Chapter 338: Can't Even Afford a Dog

Will's wife had originally wanted to take a look at the furnishings in Fang Zhao's room and speculate whether Fang Zhao had had any special characteristics. When she turned around, she saw Will stroking the dog and immediately broke into a cold sweat. Her face was completely pale and she pulled Will back immediately.

"Do you not want your hand any longer?!"

A painter's hands were very precious. If his hands were bitten, even though medical technology was very advanced now, but what if? What if he was unable to fully restore his former skill? What if he was unable to paint out everything he pictured in his mind?

This was a rare occasion where Will's wife got angry. But since they were in someone else's home, it wouldn't be good to say too much. After she pulled Will away, he was met with a barrage of words. Only when she saw Fang Zhao bringing a bag of things over did she force a smile, but it seemed stiffer than before.

After Will and his wife left, Fang Zhao looked at Curly Hair. "Will might look unsociable, but he has no ill intentions."

Curly Hair wagged his tail and came over and whined.

Fang Zhao also knew what Curly Hair meant. "All right, your performance today wasn't bad. Go play."

Even before Fang Zhao finished the sentence, the little thing had dashed across the room, proficiently put on the gaming helmet, and started playing his games.

This dog's gaming addiction was getting stronger and stronger.

Next door, after Will and his wife returned to their own dormitory, his wife started reprimanding him for his inappropriate actions.

"You still dare to touch an unfamiliar dog! Have you forgotten what happened in the past?"

When Will had been younger, he had been bitten by a dog as a result of a prank by some peers. The injuries had been a little serious, but he had recovered well. He had protected his arms especially well that time, so after healing, his painting skills hadn't been affected, but his legs had taken a while to fully recover. Also, New Era medical techniques were quite advanced, and the dog that had bitten him had been small. If it had been a large dog like those seen in Muzhou that had bitten Will, it would have been hard for him to even survive.

Thus, normally, when Will saw a dog, he kept his distance, and he was especially vigilant against unfamiliar dogs. Compared to his past behavior, his actions today were really unexpected.

Will seemed to be puzzled himself. "I just felt that dog was really extraordinary. It gave me an intense feeling."

"What sort of feeling?" his wife asked, suspicious.

Will's forehead creased tightly. "I felt like touching."

Will's wife: "..."

Seeing Will's perplexed manner, his wife probed, "You want to get a dog?"

Will didn't hesitate and replied, "I don't want to. Pets are too much trouble."

If he couldn't take care of himself normally, would he even keep a dog? Besides, this wasn't his own home, so he could not just leave these matter to servants or a housekeeper.

"Regardless of whether you wish to get one or not, just don't have any designs on the dog next door. Let's not talk about whether Fang Zhao is willing to sell or not. Even if he is willing to sell it, you won't be able to afford it." Will's wife continued to berate her husband, "I have checked, and the value of that ordinary-looking dog of Fang Zhao's was estimated at more than 200 million by an authoritative pet magazine! The money you earned from those paintings was spent a few days back purchasing antiques because you said you wanted to study ancient people's painting styles."

Faced with this pragmatic issue, Will paused for a bit and then said, "Old master's words really make sense."

"What did your dad say?" Will's wife asked curiously.

"Not to me—he said it to my older cousin. He said that painting requires one to put in continuous effort to improve oneself. One must continuously try to surpass oneself. If not, the art that one produces can't even be worth as much as a dog."

That cousin of Will's had loved to look at the value of a painting in monetary terms. When Will's cousin was young, he had learned painting for the sake of earning money. He'd had talent but hadn't been hardworking enough, so the old master had said such words to incite him.

Although Will's paintings currently sold in the tens of millions range, and other than a few reputed great masters with many years of experience, it was really difficult to find someone comparable, it still wasn't enough to purchase Curly Hair.

"Indeed, if I don't continue to work hard, I won't even be able to afford a dog!" Will lamented while staring at his own hands.

Will's wife: "..." No! Old master's context definitely didn't mean the sort of dog that is worth over 200 million!

Will's wife could not help but ask him, "Did you have any special feelings when you touched a dog worth over 200 million?"

"I felt like painting." Will also seemed to come to his senses when he spoke as he reminded himself before heading over to his atelier.

However, when Will sat in front of his canvas and picked up his brush, he found himself unable to move.

He couldn't paint anything.

He couldn't put his brush to the canvas!

Clearly, he'd just had an intense desire to paint, but upon sitting down, he realized that his mind was suddenly muddled. It was as if he had lost control of whatever inspiration he'd had, and he had no way of sorting it out!

Why was it like this?

Will was at a loss.

Whether it was a person or some objects, Will had his own methods of presenting them, but when he had decided to paint an object, even if the image in his mind wasn't clear, he would still have some lively outlines and colors. But now it was totally different. The outlines and colors he had in his head were just a dense fog! It was as if everything was hidden behind this fog and nothing could be seen clearly!

Will put his brush down, closed his eyes, and meditated.

Two hours later.

Meditation hadn't borne fruit.

When Will's wife came over, she saw Will facing his blank canvas and looking miserable. He wore a look of being unable to paint and feeling grievance.

According to past experiences, this meant that Will had encountered a difficult problem. If he could not find a way to solve it, he probably would not have any appetite.

Will's wife quietly knocked on the door. When Will looked over, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"I can't paint that dog."

"Can't paint it?" Will's wife looked at the blank canvas. She didn't understand too well, but she knew Will's way of thinking when he painted, so she suggested. "You can paint Fang Zhao first, the way he was next door, him sitting on the sofa and Curly Hair lying beside his feet. If you start with Fang Zhao, that might aid you in painting Curly Hair."

Will felt that this was feasible. It wasn't that he was unable to paint a dog, just that he wasn't able to create a painting of that dog next door. Since that was the case, he could try it out and start with painting the owner. Perhaps while painting, he would get clearer inspiration.

With this in mind, Will picked up his brush and starting working on the canvas.

However, after a few strokes, he stopped.

He couldn't continue painting.

Unable to continue.

So much so that the more he painted, the more his mind became muddled.

That shouldn't be the case.

Will appeared even more perplexed than before. Not only was he not able to paint a dog, he couldn't even paint a person, something he was very adept at!

Finally, Will decided to shelve this assignment. Following that, he altered the study plans he'd created when entering this advanced course. He once again submitted a new study-plan form to the guidance teachers.

The teaching methods of teachers in this advanced course were different from normal schooling. Teachers here did not get the students to do whatever they said. Rather, whatever the students wanted to do, the teachers would be there to help them realize their goals.

Thus, there were study-plan forms to let the teachers understand the advanced student's objectives and orientation. This way, they would be able to give focused guidance and have the best people in each specialized field impart their skills and knowledge.

Will's new study plan form did not see any huge changes, but he made changes to the two most important projects.

————

During the period of advanced studies, my short-term objective: to paint Fang Zhao.

My final objective: to paint Fang Zhao's dog.

————

Upon seeing the newly amended study plan, the guidance teachers for painting and calligraphy: "???"

Fang Zhao didn't know that Will was at a loss. He had just received his course schedule for the first week and was preparing to welcome his advanced-studies curriculum.

Course schedules would vary, and only the nearest week's arrangements could be set. The lecturers weren't set either. If a certain great master was free this week, he might have a few sessions. In the following week, another great master might take over. Whoever had time would give lessons.

Every advanced student would receive a different course schedule. As their specialties, genres, and styles were different, there would also be differences in the teachers for each student.

The schedules weren't too tightly packed. Much of the time would be for advanced students to make their own choices. They could seek out a certain great master after lessons to discuss issues, or they could self-study and visit the library or some other location to polish their skills. Alternatively, they could seal themselves up and create their works, but they would need to give a heads up beforehand.

Fang Zhao's first lesson in the Twelve Tones advanced course was a collective class. Students with painting, calligraphy, dance, and music, as well as other specialties, would attend a class together. Besides the current batch, there were also other advanced students from past batches that had not left yet. With this, there were close to 30 people.

It wasn't that those advanced students from past batches had not met the graduating criteria for the course but rather that they still had some collaboration projects with the teachers that were not yet complete. Once these were complete, they would naturally leave.

For the new student's first lesson, it wasn't the lecturers speaking but those seniors from the previous batch speaking about study issues during the course, giving those without a clear niche some form of reference and making them think, What do you want to do in the future? What sort of heights can you reach?

For everyone else, seeing the 20-something Fang Zhao call a 100-plus-year-old person senior was extremely strange. But in Twelve Tones, these sorts of scenes were seen often. When the next batch of advanced students enrolled, regardless of how old they were, they would still have to call Fang Zhao "senior."

Regarding Fang Zhao, who was the youngest advanced student, at the start, others had surely felt a little uncomfortable, but after all, everyone here had some status and was accomplished within their own domain.

The path of art was like a sort of religious practice, a form of cultivation. Their thoughts should be placed on upgrading themselves instead of spending time being jealous and so on. That sort of cultivation was no good.

The reason why academically inclined great masters did not really like people with an overly commercialized vibe was because they did not like placing too much of their thoughts on things that were not art. As for the private lives of these advanced students, the requirements weren't high.

Thus, once everyone had adjusted their mentalities, during the first lesson, Fang Zhao received care and concern from his seniors as well as fellow students from the same batch.

Outside the classroom, a few great masters who would be teaching were observing four of the new students this year. Of the four, Fang Zhao was the one they knew the least about, and he wasn't from a familiar family known for their art.

An elderly man looked at Fang Zhao in the classroom as he asked the person beside him, "This is the kid?"

In the eyes of these people who, on average, were 120 years old, at 20-plus years of age, Fang Zhao was just a little kid.

"Yes. Back then, Xue Jing brought this kid along on his global lecture tour. Mo Lang also thinks very highly of him," a different teacher voiced out.

"No wonder Mo Lang says that he wants to come to Twelve Tones to give a few lectures after his vacation ends."

"We will see whether he really has the ability when the course starts. From what we can see now, Fang Zhao does indeed have innate skill and talent. He doesn't seem to have that cupidity or fickleness. For him to have done so well at his age is already very difficult."

These people were really not focusing on and talking about Fang Zhao on purpose. If it was anybody not from the industry seated there, they would also be staring at Fang Zhao.

Because when looking inside the classroom, Fang Zhao was too conspicuous. He was like the only grandson sitting among a group of people who were like his grandparents or parents.

Chapter 339: New Assistan

Compared to the first test's graders, the instructors at HuangArt had a better impression of Fang Zhao. They had graded fairly in the second round of the admission exam. They hadn't known Fang Zhao, but they'd trusted Xue Jing and Mo Lang.

One's final ranking in the admission exam depended on their overall score. There were no interviews, because they weren't necessary. The candidates who were singled out by the initial graders were all known quantities. Even if someone used a pseudonym, the instructors could figure out whose disciple that person was with a quick read of their exam.

There wasn't much of a point to the interviews, so they had eventually been phased out.

The first class was the first time these music masters were able to observe Fang Zhao up close.

"He has great promise. He has his own style."

"The kid was nominated for a Galaxy Supernova Award this year."

"Oh? He was the one who received a nomination by special mention?"

"Come to think of it, now I remember. There was indeed a Fang Zhao on the list of special mentions."

"Did Xue Jing tell him about this?"

"Old Xue must have his reasons for not telling him. Let's not butt in. We should hold off on telling him for now as well."

Fang Zhao, who was sitting in the audience: ...I heard everything you said.

The Galaxy Awards was the most prestigious prize in the arts world, second to none.

Supernova was a subcategory of the Galaxy Awards that honored young artists who had made a substantial contribution. It was awarded not just to musicians but also to up-and-coming painters, dancers, and actors.

Most winners were artists in their 40s or 50s, which was considered a young age in the New Era.

To be nominated in one's 20s was already a tremendous honor.

But Fang Zhao didn't understand what "special mention" meant.

Setting aside commercial value and considering only artistic achievement, Fang Zhao naturally paled in comparison to those artists in their 40s and 50s who had enjoyed fame for many years. He could not prove himself by passing the Twelve Tones exam alone.

The Galaxy Supernova "special mention" nomination was the equivalent of using VIP access, of cutting in line, but this alone did not turn off the masters at the academy. The nomination had to be irrefutably justified.

The Galaxy Awards put a premium on contribution, not commercial viability. Even if someone produced an outstanding piece, if they hadn't accumulated a critical mass of work or reached a certain level of artistic sophistication, they wouldn't be nominated.

Contribution, special mention...

A light bulb flashed in Fang Zhao's head.

The four-part "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, the Hull virus!

The "Period of Destruction" series had created a window for curing the Hull virus. Some five years had passed since then. With more systematic treatment protocols and better results, Ming Ye's condition had improved significantly. Even though he didn't speak much and his range of emotions was limited, at first glance, he didn't differ from the average person in a major way.

If that was the reason Fang Zhao had been nominated for a Galaxy Supernova Award, that meant a total cure for the Hull virus wasn't far off, if it hadn't been cured already.

Only that would prove the value of the four movements of the "Period of Destruction" series and assuage these masters into allowing this shortcut, a nomination by special mention, with no qualms.

It had been five years. The organizers of the Galaxy Awards had kept quiet all along. It turned out they had been gearing up for a big move.

All things considered, the "Period of Destruction" series did constitute a major artistic contribution, and its influence spanned different fields, enough for the jurors to make an exception.

Fang Zhao was delighted when he figured out the reasoning, not because of the Supernova nomination but because his work paved the way for a cure to this disease that had originated during the Period of Destruction. He had never thought that his series might have such an impact when he'd composed it.

In any case, this was a good thing.

Since the masters had no intention of breaking the news to Fang Zhao just yet, he pretended he hadn't heard anything.

After his first day his classes, Fang Zhao returned to his dorm room, where he found Yan Biao and Zuo Yu waiting.

Fang Zhao had signed them up for a celebrity bodyguard course so they would have a better understanding of the kinds of situations bodyguards who worked in the entertainment industry faced and how to respond in a professional manner. They would learn how other bodyguards practiced their trade.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu took no issue with the assignment. In fact, they were delighted. The fact that Fang Zhao was willing to sign them up for further studies meant he wanted to keep them around long-term.

So exciting! Not being fired is terrific news!

The two men were extremely enthusiastic. They promised Fang Zhao that they would brief him on their progress every few days. That was the purpose of their visit today.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had too much free time. Apart from the fact that Fang Zhao could handle himself very well, the two bodyguards were also inexperienced. On many occasions, Fang Zhao could deal with matters by himself more efficiently than if he delegated the matter to them. Just a few days into the course and it had already made a difference. The two men realized many of their shortcomings. It was easier than learning on the job. This professional bodyguard course in Huangzhou lived up to its high price tag.

To prove they were serious about their studies, the two men took notes and let Fang Zhao examine them.

When Fang Zhao arrived, his neighbor Will also returned. He stared at Fang Zhao briefly before entering his own room, frowning.

After entering Fang Zhao's room, Yan Biao couldn't help but blurt out, "Boss, is your neighbor..." a nutcase?

Yan Biao didn't finish his sentence. He felt the guy next door had looked at Fang Zhao weirdly, like a voyeur. But passing judgment based on a mere look didn't seem appropriate, so he'd held back.

"I've asked him about it. He wants to paint a portrait of me, but he's stuck. He needs to observe me some more." Fang Zhao had figured out the reason behind the odd behavior, but he still wasn't entirely clear on why Will was stuck. Painters had their own way of doing things. Fang Zhao wasn't about to quibble with him over the occasional stare.

After briefing Fang Zhao on their progress and letting him inspect their notes, Yan Biao blurted out, "Boss, do you need an assistant? I have a former comrade who has been working in Huangzhou since he retired from the military. He knows the entertainment industry well, has a lively personality, and is meticulous and smooth."

Fang Zhao nodded. "Go on."

Yan Biao was delighted and gave the lowdown on his former teammate.

"His name is Nanfeng, as in southern wind. He used to be a member of Outpost No. 23 too. He was a sniper. Unfortunately, he injured his left eye during an operation. Back then, Baiji had still been poor, and the medical infrastructure had been primitive, so his treatment was delayed. Eventually, he retired and returned to Earth, where he had a prosthetic eye implanted at a military hospital. Then, armed with his pension and discharge payment, he moved to Huangzhou."

Because he hadn't notched any major merits and his length of service had been short, Nanfeng's discharge payment had been meager. He worked as a bodyguard and an extra. Even though he was skinny and short, he was quick with his hands and got along well with his colleagues. He was also quick on his feet and diplomatic. He had fared well compared to most other folks.

Last month, Nanfeng had used his hard-earned savings to upgrade to an artificially intelligent left eye. Now that he was strapped for cash again, he was looking for new work. Lo and behold, he'd run into Yan Biao one day.

Fang Zhao got a decent grasp of Nanfeng's situation from Yan Biao's briefing. "I don't have class tomorrow afternoon. See if has time for a meeting."

"Of course! Of course! He has all the time in the world," Yan Biao blurted out.

"Then let's meet tomorrow at 3 p.m. in your apartment."

"Oh?" Yan Biao froze. "There's no need for Boss to make the trip personally. I can bring him here."

"It's OK. I'll come over."

Since Fang Zhao had made up his mind, Yan Biao didn't press the matter. After leaving Fang Zhao's apartment, he gave Nanfeng a call.

Nanfeng was quite emotional. "Thank you, Captain!"

He had actually been quite sad when he'd run into his former captain and learned that Yan Biao had been forced into retirement after losing his legs in a terrorist attack. Baiji's fortunes had improved vastly, so it was a shame that Yan Biao had had to quit the military so early due to an injury. But after learning about Yan Biao's current line of work, Nanfeng had almost lost it.

He wanted a piece of that easy money!

But he also understood that if he didn't show initiative and complacently twiddled his thumbs, he wouldn't survive for long.

Nanfeng was confident that he was quite the well-rounded employee—he was a good waiter, he could drive, cook, walk the dog, and feed the rabbit, he knew how to handle interpersonal relationships, and he was willing to put himself at his boss's beck and call.

Besides, based on what Yan Biao had said, he figured Fang Zhao would be easy to get along with. As long as he did his job, Fang Zhao wouldn't give him a hard time.

"Don't thank me now. Thank me after you've impressed our boss. Remember to show up early tomorrow. Don't make boss wait," Yan Biao said.

"No, I'm going to head over now." Nanfeng was ecstatic. "I have quite a few questions for Captain. I need to learn about boss's preferences so I can do a good job. Captain, my future is in your hands!"

"Sure, why not?"

Nanfeng brought appetizers, barbecued meat, and a few cans of beer.

"Let's skip the alcohol," Yan Biao said.

Zuo Yu agreed, "It wouldn't be a good idea to reek of alcohol when Boss shows up tomorrow." Zuo Yu gave this prospective colleague a few pointers. He also asked, "So how's your tolerance?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that! Don't be fooled by my stature. I actually have decent tolerance. I can drink on boss's behalf in the future!" Nanfeng said with a chuckle.

Zuo examined Nanfeng's new left eye curiously. "Your new eye is really high-quality. It looks no different from the real thing." He could tell the difference up close, but from a distance, it looked like a real eye.

"Of course." Nanfeng was quite happy with his new eye. "It cost more than 10 million dollars. It took me seven years to save up."

Technological advancements in the New Era brought conveniences to the handicapped. Take Yan Biao's prosthetic legs and Nanfeng's eye, for example.

"Do you have X-ray vision? Can you see through walls?" Zuo Yu asked.

"Of course not! Civilian models are all heavily restricted. I didn't want that many new functions either. I was happy as long as it could restore my vision."

"Why is it so expensive if it has so few functions?" Zuo Yu wondered.

"There's no way around it. Quality costs. Inferior models will hurt me here." Nanfeng pointed at his head. "There's the risk of dementia."

"So your new eye has no additional functions?" Yan Biao asked.

"Of course it does!" Nanfeng crept closer. "Look at my left eye."

The color of Nanfeng's left iris turned from white to red, then yellow, green, jade, blue, purple, and finally black.

"Look, the full range of color variation!"

Yan Biao: "..."

Zuo Yu opened his mouth but decided it was better to stay mum. This team member of Yan Biao's is indeed quite the character!

Nanfeng adjusted his eye color back to normal. He noticed that Yan Biao's face had gone black. He slapped himself on the chest and proclaimed, "Don't worry, Captain. I know more than you do about how to be a good celebrity assistant!"

"No, it's not that. I just want to remind you that our boss is a bit different. He's not the average celebrity," Yan Biao said.

"How different?" Nanfeng asked.

"Our boss's solo fighting ability is no different than in the show," Yan Biao said.

Nanfeng wore an expression that said "You're f*cking kidding me." He glanced at Zuo Yu for confirmation.

A serious-looking Zuo Yu nodded, then pointed to himself, Yan Biao, and Nanfeng before saying, "Believe it or not, with his bare hands, Boss could beat the three of us into pulp."

Nanfeng started to tremble.

Chapter 340: Boss, Rest Easy and Allow Me!

Nanfeng, who felt he had quite a bit of work experience, started to get nervous.

He did more research on Fang Zhao, but the information he gathered was all superficial, stuff that he had already known. As for insider information, Yan Biao wouldn't reveal too much about Fang Zhao before Nanfeng was officially hired as an assistant.

He could ask friends to uncover unreported tidbits through other means, but if he did that, he could kiss his job goodbye.

For now, all Nanfeng could do was extrapolate from the info he gathered online.

When Yan Biao and Zuo Yu got up the next morning, they saw Nanfeng using a device they had never seen before to conceal his puffy eyes.

"Captain, the more I think about the gig, the more nervous I get," Nanfeng said.

"You're not mentally tough enough. You're regressing." Yan Biao started to wonder whether Nanfeng would be able to grip his gun properly during an emergency.

"Oi, I was affected by what you said. You said that the boss is different from other celebrities, so my prior experience is irrelevant. Now I feel like I don't even know what to say. Captain, what do you suggest? What should I say when I see the boss this afternoon?" Nanfeng asked.

"Just call it as it is. Don't embellish and don't be too humble. Boss doesn't buy that crap," Yan Biao said.

"Understood!"

"In any case, behave yourself!"

Nanfeng nodded vigorously. "Rest assured, Captain! I will be on my best behavior. After all, I have plenty of experience working in Huangzhou. I want to let the boss know that I know the rules of the entertainment industry, that I can start the job right away and deal with any challenges that come my way!"

Fang Zhao arrived at 3 p.m. on the dot. When he entered, he noticed the floor was sparkling clean and the apartment was very tidy. There was not a speck to be found on the windows.

In anticipation of their boss's scrutiny, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had cleaned their apartment meticulously, personally attending to nooks and crannies that might otherwise have been easily missed.

"How do you do? I'm Nanfeng, as in southern wind." Nanfeng tried hard to smile naturally, but he was so nervous that it came off as awkward.

Fang Zhao gestured to a neighboring chair. "Don't be nervous."

Nanfeng's teeth were clattering as he said, "I'm n-not nervous!"

Yan Biao resisted the temptation to slap Nanfeng in the face. He briefed Fang Zhao on Nanfeng's personal history. When he got to the part about Nanfeng's new prosthetic eye, he glared at his former teammate.

At this point, Nanfeng recovered his senses. His quick thinking was back and his attention sharp. He explained to Fang Zhao how he had earned the money for his new eye.

Ten million was not a small sum for the average Joe. Most people couldn't earn that amount in a lifetime. Fang Zhao had to be wondering how someone with as little job stability as Nanfeng had been able to get his hands on so much cash. And why did this guy want to become his assistant? Would he be a dedicated employee?

Take Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, for example. They might not be able to earn 10 million after 10 years in the bodyguard business unless some major events happened and they were awarded bonuses.

So on this matter, Nanfeng had to thoroughly explain himself to Fang Zhao.

Nanfeng took a few sips of water, paused, and said, "I didn't make a lot of money my first two years in Huangzhou, just enough to cover my expenses. During my military service, I had been quite out of touch. I hadn't had much work experience before joining the military. When I left the military, it took me some time to adjust, to learn how to handle my affairs and personal relationships. Things started improving after I got to know my surroundings and built up a personal network. I invested in a low-budget TV series made by a few university students. The year before last, the returns were quite good. I earned nearly 5 million that year between my dividends and the return on the investment."

When he had seen his income statement, Nanfeng had felt like he was on Cloud Nine, but soon, he'd realized that Huangzhou was home to many high-income individuals. Small potatoes like him barely caused a ripple.

Now, Nanfeng had stopped investing in TV productions for a couple of reasons: firstly, he had run out of cash, and secondly, his previous collaborators had made it to the big leagues and were now backed by major corporations. He was fortunate enough to have come across that one investment opportunity. He wouldn't always be so lucky. There were plenty of smart investors in Huangzhou. He was a nobody.

"So you don't have to worry about the source of the cash. I didn't earn money through illegal means."

Huangzhou was full of opportunities, but one would have to work hard. Whether or not someone could strike it rich depended on their talent. It hadn't been easy for Nanfeng these past few years. He had been so busy that he'd felt like a constantly spinning top. He'd wished he had multiple brains that could function concurrently. There were no free lunches. Life was a constant learning experience.

But now Nanfeng had his future mapped out.

Many folks said that if you were to identify the entertainment industry with a color, it would be gold mixed with black. Money came quickly, but it was also easy to make enemies. But Nanfeng liked the industry. He could get used to things.

He felt that being Fang Zhao's assistant was a decent position. Fang Zhao wasn't short on cash, so he didn't have to venture into illegal dealings. Also, word was that Fang Zhao was connected in the military. Connections were a good thing, a form of protection. Not to mention that one of Fang Zhao's bodyguards was Nanfeng's former captain, an old friend. The salary that Fang Zhao could offer certainly would pale in comparison to his investment returns, but it would be high by industry standards.

The bottom line was that this was Nanfeng's best job prospect right now.

After he had accumulated enough experience as an assistant, Nanfeng was confident that he could become a talent agent, build his own team, and produce a few superstars. It would be the pinnacle of his life!

The only thing that worried Nanfeng was Fang Zhao's positioning in the industry. From what he could see, Fang Zhao was more of the artsy variety. This was an area that Nanfeng was less familiar with.

Nonetheless...

Nanfeng went for the hard sell. "I will do my best as an assistant so you can focus on your studies and composition and have time to rest, Boss. I will take care of Boss's daily chores, walk the dog, and feed the 'rabbit.' I will plan your trips in advance and even double as a bodyguard."

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao stared him down immediately.

Double as a bodyguard? What do you think we are, window dressing? Why would we need an assistant to double as a bodyguard?

What a f*cking calculating fella this Nanfeng is! Zuo Yu thought to himself.

After Nanfeng finished his spiel, he looked at Fang Zhao expectantly. "Why don't I start on a probationary basis? You can decide whether or not to keep me after my probation."

Fang Zhao stared at Nanfeng for a few seconds and nodded. "One month's probation. I'll send you a contract when I get home."

"Wow! Yes, Boss!" Nanfeng worked hard to contain his emotions. He wanted to show that he was a steady hand.

"Is there anything Boss wants to eat? I'll order the ingredients." Nanfeng wanted to show off his cooking skills to his new boss and two colleagues and make a good impression. He wanted to prove he wasn't lying.

"That won't be necessary. I'm heading back to campus. Yan Biao is a former comrade. Why don't you stay and catch up with him? You can come by campus tomorrow to sign your contract," Fang Zhao said as he got up.

"No, no, no. Boss, let me head back to campus with you so I can familiarize myself with the route," Nanfeng said while getting up himself.

Are you kidding me? He could catch up with his comrade later. He had just been hired as an assistant, on a probationary basis no less. He had to seize the chance to impress his boss.

"Boss, where's your car? I'll pick it up," Nanfeng asked.

"I didn't drive. I walked from HuangArt," Fang Zhao said.

"Then should I call a car?" Nanfeng asked.

"I'm going to walk back."

"Great idea! It's good exercise. Boss, let me walk back with you."

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao silently observed Nanfeng's shameless sycophancy, which got them thinking that they weren't doing their best.

The two bodyguards also wanted to walk Fang Zhao back to HuangArt, but Fang Zhao told them to stay put.

After leaving the apartment, Fang Zhao took the elevator to the first floor instead of using the bridges that connected the apartment blocks.

He was wearing a hoodie, which was common apparel in this neighborhood. Add to that a baseball cap and unless someone stood right in front of Fang Zhao and stared, they wouldn't be able to recognize him. Plus, Fang Zhao wasn't as popular in Huangzhou as he was in Yanzhou. Fewer people would go out of their way to identify him.

Huangzhou also had its share of high rises. The apartment block where Zuo Yu and Yan Biao lived was home to a lot of students and workers from other continents, but the rent varied significantly within the same building. The lower the floor, the cheaper the rent. The brighter the unit, the more expensive the rent became.

Huangcheng, the capital of Huangzhou, was also known as Phoenix. This had been a forgotten wasteland during the Old Era. It had also been an important battlefield during the Period of Destruction, but in the New Era, it was the world's leading metropolis, far more prosperous than Qi'an.

The buildings were towering and the streets separating them weren't that wide, but it wasn't dark at street level because the streets were properly lit.

The gaps between the skyscrapers were lit up in an artistic fashion. Even the lighting layout in the lower floors was aesthetically pleasing.

Nanfeng noticed that Fang Zhao was quite interested in the lighting, so he shared some stories he had heard.

"This is probably a typical black street in Huangcheng, but unlike black streets in other cities, they aren't poorly lit and are much safer. Strictly speaking, there are no black streets in Huangcheng. The lighting here was designed by a world-famous artist. Quite a few artists who studied in Huangzhou rented places in this neighborhood. Do you see the trash can over there? The painting on it was done by an artist before he became famous. Eventually, it was preserved and locked up."

While Nanfeng was telling Fang Zhao stories, a nondescript TV broadcast van was parked the next block over.

Inside, a middle-aged man was pointing at an online map and whispering.

"The office workers haven't left work yet and the homebodies aren't out either. The streets are quite empty. The timing is perfect, just the right number of people. There are two young men the next block over. Walk past them, make this turn, and you'll see someone smoking by a garbage can. Then head this way and you'll see a couple in the corner, then..."

There were two people next to the man barking instructions. One was a pretty, sweet-looking young blonde in a red dress, and the other a big chiseled fella whose arms and neck were covered with menacing tattoos. He had "Don't mess with me" written all over him. The duo paid close attention to the instructions.

"Remember your route. This time, you'll be passing nine people. See if any of the nine are willing to intervene."

The trio was working for a live TV show that exposed shortcomings in human nature. Today they wanted to show online audiences how few people were willing to stick their necks out when they ran into other folks in distress in daily life.

The middle-aged man was the host. He relied on his quick wit rather than good looks. He knew how to come up with gimmicks that attracted viewers.

The two folks standing in front of the host were both acting graduates from HuangArt. They weren't well known, but both were competent actors. HuangArt graduates were all works of art, as they say. The two were solid actors. The host had paid them handsomely to be part of his show.

"Got it?" the host asked.

"Got it!" the duo responded.

The host took one final look at the two actors and wasn't satisfied. He summoned his makeup artist. "Add some finishing touches! Prop master, where's our knife? Is the knife ready?"

"Yes, yes!" The prop master dashed over to hand a "bloodied" knife to the big fella.

The makeup artist added a few fake wounds to the blonde in red and drew a few fierce-looking wrinkles on the big fella's face.

"Are our cameras ready?"

The cinematographer signaled OK. He had deployed a fleet of miniature drones.

After making sure that everyone was ready, the host went live. He kicked off with a sensational introduction before cueing the action.

"We're all set. Let's see whether folks stay put or intervene when they run into a robbery."

"We have no idea who we'll run into or what their backgrounds will be. This is reality TV. Out of respect for the pedestrians, their faces will be obscured."

"OK, our actors can start!"

The host gestured to the two actors, who instantly shifted into character.

The blonde in red roughed up her hair and her sweet smile was replaced with one of anger, sadness, and desperation.

The big fella lost his kindly face and replaced it with a vicious look. Coupled with his giant build, tattoos, and thug haircut, no one would mistake him for the good guy.

Carrying the "bloodied" knife, the big fella got off to a head start while the lady in red, who was trailing behind, screamed at the top of her lungs, "Robbery!"

The cameras clearly captured the surroundings of the two actors. The audience was clueless as to where the location was. There were also many viewers tuning in from outside of Huangzhou. Curious viewers from around the world were turning to their screens in earnest while munching on snacks.

Two silhouettes could be spotted on the route the big fella and the blonde in red were taking. Even from a distance, they seemed young.

The first person, who was wearing a cap, appeared calm when he saw the two actors pass by, while the other, a shorter man, looked on earnestly, eyes sparkling.

This doesn't smell right! The tattooed big fella and the blonde in red hesitated briefly, but they kept running.

Meanwhile, Nanfeng was ecstatic.

The cry of "robbery" had jolted him to his senses. Now that he saw two people run by, he started flexing his limbs.

Here it was! The opportunity to prove his worth!

Nanfeng took a giant step in front of Fang Zhao and said, "Boss, rest easy and allow me!"

The way Nanfeng saw it, anyone who served at the side of a strong fighter like Fang Zhao, even if they were a lowly assistant, had to be able to fight!

Chapter 341: Can I Touch?

With close to 10 million viewers worldwide spectating, Nanfeng proceeded to beat the guy up.

The other party was caught off guard and was entirely stupefied.

Nanfeng knew how to use his own advantages and the most effective ways to bring someone down. In any case, he had once served the military on the rough and remote planet Baiji. He was someone that had wielded guns and fought beasts. He had a wealth of actual combat experience. However, his experience running minor roles and being a stuntman in Huangcheng had led to him learning how to dazzle with fancy moves.

Thus, although Nanfeng's actions seemed garish and a tad superfluous, but they were nice to watch and could shock industry outsiders, such as those online audiences.

Although though Fang Zhao could see that those attacks of Nanfeng's were slightly superfluous, to others, Nanfeng's movements were too quick. They simply wouldn't be able to react. The burly fella had already been pinned to the ground and his dagger forcibly seized.

The pretty blonde in red behind ran up anxiously and tugged at Nanfeng.

"Stop beating him, stop beating him! Misunderstanding! It's really a misunderstanding! We are just doing a program! Look, there are drones following us."

The blonde in red pointed at a few miniature drones that looked like houseflies following them in the air.

Following that, other crew from the livestream team hurried over. They hadn't expected the first pair of pedestrians on the planned route to take action either.

When the program host had seen the other party's skill through the video feed, he knew that this wasn't someone to trifle with. Thus, he had immediately left the TV broadcast van and run over, worried that something might go wrong if they were a step too late. It was best to clear up this sort of misunderstanding as soon as possible.

Unlike the program crew's panic, online audiences were overjoyed. The comments section was filled with strings of "Hahahaha."

"See, haven't they encountered a strong person?"

"I know where it is just from the backdrop. Only Huangcheng's black streets have these sorts of lights. I just don't know which street it is."

"People from the black streets are more unreasonable, and there are quite a lot of experts. Indeed Huangcheng deserves its reputation. Even an unremarkable person can settle this so cleanly."

"They should have prepared to get beaten when producing this week's episode. There are still people that will uphold justice and aid others. See, didn't they just get beaten by a pedestrian?"

The host rushed to the scene and saw the blond in red supporting the burly fella. They seemed to be all right, so he heaved a sigh of relief before intending to explain what was going on to these two pedestrians. But when he saw that person in the hoodie and baseball cap, he stood there blankly and even forgot what he had wanted to say.

The host could suppress his astonishment, but the other crew members of the program weren't able to hold their words.

"Fang Zhao?!" someone exclaimed in astonishment.

This place wasn't too far away from HuangArt. Because there were crewmembers that were HuangArt graduates, they paid attention to news about their alma mater. They had previously seen quite a bit of news about Fang Zhao being admitted to Twelve Tones and had privately discussed this person. The host had even had plans to invite Fang Zhao to show his face on an episode of this program. However, since people that entered Twelve Tones rarely had any interaction with outside entertainment programs, the host had given up the idea. He had not expected to run into Fang Zhao here.

Other crew members that hadn't noticed looked over when they heard "Fang Zhao."

Nanfeng immediately stood in front of Fang Zhao. However, he was much shorter than Fang Zhao and couldn't even obstruct Fang Zhao's chin.

Netizens watching the livestream who had just been commenting "Hahahaha" suddenly heard "Fang Zhao," and many of them were astonished as well.

"Fang Zhao?"

"Did I hear wrongly? Quick, tell me! Did I actually hear that person say 'Fang Zhao'?"

"Remove the censor! Why is there mosaic at this crucial point!"

"Even though we can't see that person's face, from their reactions as well as that person's figure, there is a possibility that it is Fang Zhao."

"Shouldn't the focus be on why Fang Zhao, who is furthering his studies at HuangArt, has actually appeared in Huangcheng's black streets?"

"Nonsense. Huangcheng doesn't have black streets."

"Why aren't there any? Just because lights are installed doesn't mean that you can stop calling it a black street. The characteristics are the same!"

"Previously, we heard that Fang Zhao came from a black street. Perhaps he knows some people there."

"Was the one who stepped up to help Fang Zhao's bodyguard?"

"Shouldn't it be 'younger brother' in the black streets? That's how it is on TV shows."

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Huangzhou entertainment reporters, get to work!"

The camera view changed. It was no longer looking at Fang Zhao but at his surroundings.

This made the audience dissatisfied. In the comments section of the live broadcast, the audience urged the host to switch the camera back and remove the mosaic.

The host shot a meaningful glance to that tattooed fella. The burly bloke the size of a bear nodded his head faintly, and when the camera faced him, he shrunk back and his vicious face became somewhat wacky. What they were trying to tell audiences was that their team had principles and would not film others against their will or generate discussion just to attract everyone's attention.

After Fang Zhao saw the camera moving away, he apologized to the host that came walking over. "Sorry, my assistant was a little rough."

Nanfeng stood obediently at the side looking apologetic. "I'm really sorry, I didn't know you all were acting. When I saw that aggressive man with a knife running over, I was worried that he would hurt my boss, so I acted. But I didn't go all out, so he is fine."

The host hurriedly said, "It's all right, I can understand your reactions. Our program is a test of human nature, we wanted to see how people would react to this sort of situation. Lending a helping hand is actually a good thing, and it shows everyone a good example."

After introducing the main intention of the program, the host looked toward Fang Zhao with gratification and zeal. "I didn't expect to see you here."

The hidden meaning behind this was thus: Aren't you undergoing further studies at HuangArt? Aren't Twelve Tones advanced course students a bunch of study freaks? How do you still have time to visit Huangcheng's black streets? Hurry up and explain yourself, you can't deceive me!

"I'm here to visit a friend," Fang Zhao answered briefly.

The host didn't believe these words. However, he put on an expression that said "Oh, so that's the case" and asked for an interview, but Fang Zhao declined.

The host didn't insist after seeing Fang Zhao's expression, but he wasn't resigned to giving up such a good opportunity to take advantage of Fang Zhao's popularity. In Huangzhou, Fang Zhao's popularity might be limited, but this live broadcast was to a global audience, people from all twelve continents.

As the subject changed, the anchor had some anticipation as he asked Fang Zhao, "Our staff accidentally shouted out your name just now, but during the process of our live broadcast, all pedestrians' faces are covered by mosaics, so the audience didn't see your face clearly. Now, there are over 10 million viewers—"

"30 million," a crew member quietly interjected. "About to reach 40 million... It has reached 40 million."

The host's heart was beating like mad. While not doing anything special, the online viewers had already reached 40 million. In the past, the highest viewership count had been only 20 million. This figure now simply made him want to shout out in joy. However, he was an experienced host and knew how to keep his appearance in check.

The host warmly tried to earn a few more brownie points with Fang Zhao and eagerly asked, "Zhao god, how about saying hello to everyone. Just a few minutes will do. We won't take up any of your time."

Fang Zhao nodded. "All right."

The host suppressed his ecstasy, which was threatening to overflow, and signaled to bring the camera over quickly as he took the brief gap to peek at the online viewership. It had already crossed the 50 million mark and was rising to the 60 million mark without any signs of slowing. Perhaps with some operations to stir up discussion, the figure might even hit 100 million!

One hundred million, that was the goal set this year. As long as they were able to achieve it just once, it would be satisfactory. Now, just half a year in, there was actually a chance!

Before the camera, Fang Zhao's expression was much gentler as he smiled and greeted the online audiences. "Good afternoon, everyone. I am Fang Zhao."

Online audiences weren't satisfied, especially those that had switched over from other channels upon hearing the news.

"Of course we know you are Fang Zhao!"

"Can't you say more?"

The live broadcast's comment section got noisy once more when they heard Fang Zhao saying, "I'm here to visit a friend as well as to appreciate the art and culture of Huangcheng's streets. I hope to benefit from this city that indeed has a strong artistic flavor. I can't stay any longer, as I still have something to do. Everyone, please continue."

Fang Zhao raised his hand to make a "bye" gesture, but new audience members that had just joined the live broadcast weren't satisfied.

"Leaving just like that?"

"Won't even say just one more line?"

"Yeah, saying one more line is fine! I haven't even taken a screenshot yet."

The host, standing to Fang Zhao's side, also urged, "Zhao god, do say a little more. Consider it ending on a good note."

To the side, Nanfeng frowned and took a step forward, intending to help Fang Zhao settle the problem at hand. He understood too well about how these hosts tried to take advantage of others' popularity. All they were concerned about was the traffic of their own program and the viewership count. As long as Fang Zhao continued to talk, they would come out with more and more excuses to get Fang Zhao to speak. They wouldn't let him leave easily. If he gave them an inch, they'd take a mile. These people were best at taking advantage of others.

If Fang Zhao didn't want to speak, he would be labeled a diva, as having an inflated ego, or other such terms regardless of whether it was true or not.

Fans of Fang Zhao were not the main focus of this live broadcast. If the commentary developed in an unfavorable direction, once it started, it would be even more troublesome.

It wasn't that Nanfeng always considered the worst but that he had seen these things happen frequently in the entertainment industry. It was best to guard against them from the beginning.

But before Nanfeng was able to act, Fang Zhao spoke. As before Fang Zhao, had a faint smile, but people who saw his smile felt a little uneasy, as though they were facing "affection" from their own grandparents. "Have you done your homework? Have you prepared for your final exams? Have you completed your month-end work summary?"

Online audiences: "..."

This person was simply venomous!

"I skipped class to watch the live broadcast. Suddenly, I feel as if I have been stabbed through my chest."

"Ah ah ah, why must you remind me that I still have to fight the god-tier boss known as the 'final exams'!"

"The image of my superior's devilish face just appeared in my head. That scared me and made me tremble even on a hot day like this."

"I quit being a fan! I want to report Fang Zhao for a personal attack. My mind and body took a beating!"

"I'm going to become an antifan! Only if he sends me one of those protective charms will I return!"

"One isn't enough! I want 10 protective charms to alleviate this stab that has pricked my heart!"

"Disperse, everyone, disperse. Do your homework, and hurry and review your exam materials. Those that have reports to write, think about your own salary."

Thus, the host watched as the livestream's viewership count, which had soared to 70 million, experienced a sharp decline thanks to that line from Fang Zhao.

The previous shining live broadcast viewership count was like a wild mare that had thrown off its rider and run off into the distance, never to return.

All the crew members of the program: "..."

Their wish for 100 million viewers, which they'd made as part of their new year plans, was no longer achievable.

A chilly feeling swept through their hearts.

The host really wanted to give his mouth a tight slap.

You and your cheap mouth!

Why did you ask Fang Zhao to add another line!

The host seemed to suck in his bitter tears as he watched Fang Zhao leave.

Nanfeng tried to stifle his laughs and only manage to gradually become serious when they reached HuangArt's campus.

"Boss, I have a confession to make"

Fang Zhao eyed him. "Speak."

Seeing Fang Zhao's apparently all-knowing look, Nanfeng felt frightened deep down. Luckily he had remembered Yan Biao's repeated exhortations. Don't try to be too smart with the boss or play tricks. If you make any mistakes, admit them as soon as possible.

"Actually, I could tell that they were acting, but I don't really like these sort of programs. Boss, maybe you do not know, but in the past, some distasteful incidents happened on these sorts of programs, so I dislike them."

Nanfeng told Fang Zhao about some of the negative influence brought about by reality TV shows that he had seen.

There were some things that shouldn't be tested.

Human nature by itself was already very complex. The majority of people producing these sorts of programs thought that they would be able to grasp the overall situation while just observing from the side. They assumed an attitude of superiority to denounce others' actions for not being appropriate and led audiences to pass judgment.

Actually, Nanfeng had found these sort of programs rather meaningful at the start, but later on, when he'd experienced more, Nanfeng had become unsure whether these programs were good or bad, but he didn't like the program deliberately testing human nature and found it irksome.

After explaining his thoughts, Nanfeng scratched his head. "Actually, I only used it as a pretext to teach them a lesson and perform a little in front of you, Boss. But Boss, I'm sure you could also tell they were acting, right?"

"I knew about it before they appeared." Actually, Fang Zhao didn't like these sorts of programs either. Human nature was complex and he had seen too much of it during the Period of Destruction. Being able to see through this and control the situation to a certain extent, it seemed like Nanfeng had experienced quite a lot.

"Boss, you are really impressive! How did you know..." Nanfeng was halfway through his sentence when he remembered reading up on Fang Zhao's past deeds and the nicknames "Diting" and "Divine Ears."

"I heard it," replied Fang Zhao.

Indeed. Now Nanfeng was rejoicing for being honest.

"Boss, you are really impressive! Previously, I thought that all the talk online about your 'Divine Ears' were just adulation, but now it seems like they really are divine!"

Noticing that Fang Zhao wasn't angry, Nanfeng relaxed and continued to be a toady right up until he stepped into Fang Zhao's quarters and saw Curly Hair.

"This, this, this... Isn't this the Curly Hair with a valuation of 200 million?"

A living $200 million dog! Right in front of his eyes!

Nanfeng was so excited that he bit his knuckles to stop himself from shouting out.

Nanfeng's voice trembled slightly as he said, "Boss, can I touch him?"

Fang Zhao eyed Curly Hair and replied, "Sure. You will have to bring him out for walks in the future. You can get familiar with him first."

Nanfeng struggled to control his overflowing excitement and became nervous. "It's my first time touching a dog of this level. Should I touch him directly or do I wear a glove?"

Fang Zhao: "...Touch him directly."

Then, Fang Zhao watched as Nanfeng ran to the washroom and washed his hands three times with soap and dried them before proceeding to touch the dog. He was treating the dog like precious and fragile chinaware.

Luckily, Nanfeng remembered his responsibilities, and after touching the dog, he followed beside Fang Zhao to learn the scope of his job.

When he saw the "rabbit" in the water tank, Nanfeng's eyes lit up.

But when Nanfeng opened his mouth, Fang Zhao spoke first. "You can't touch this."

"Oh, got it! I won't touch it if Boss doesn't give approval!" Nanfeng expressed immediately.

"It is poisonous."

"Got it, Boss! I absolutely wouldn't touch it!" Nanfeng answered even more firmly.

Actually, there really wasn't a lot of things Nanfeng needed to do on normal days, so Fang Zhao didn't talk about it for too long. He drafted out a probationary contract and discussed wages and benefits, and Nanfeng signed it immediately.

"Then, Boss, I will head back today to prepare first. I'll come over tomorrow."

Having received Fang Zhao's approval, Nanfeng left. However, he didn't return home. Instead, he went over to Yan Biao's.

"Hahaha, Captain, I have seen that dog already! That is a $200 million dog. This is my first time seeing one! I even touched it! With two hands too! That fur is so soft. It's worthy of being a $200 million dog! Its canines are so white, even whiter than my own, which I tend to so carefully. As expected from a dog with a value of 200 million..."

At the side, Zuo Yu's mouth twitched. This schemer had even started kissing the dog's *ss!

Seeing Nanfeng mentioning "200 million" in every sentence, Yan Biao couldn't help but interrupt him. "Curly Hair's value cannot be measured easily by monetary value alone."

Right now, Yan Biao couldn't tell Nanfeng about Curly Hair's service and security checks in Wai military base. All he could do was remind Nanfeng that this dog's value couldn't be measured by money. There was only one dog alive in the entire world that was even more effective than the security screening machines at spaceports. Over at Muzhou, many people had ideas of poaching him, while Wai base kept having evil intentions of keeping Curly Hair for themselves. How could he be worth just 200 million? Those parties might even be willing to spend a few times that amount.

Nanfeng went blank for a second, and the excitement on his face subsided. Looking slightly ashamed, he said solemnly, "I understand now. Captain, your reprimand was correct!"

Yan Biao was even more at a loss. What do you understand? Which part of my sentence was reprimanding you? I was just stating a fact!

Nanfeng was minding his own business and reflecting. "I know that I have become snobbish already. Even when it comes to aesthetics, I can only view them from a monetary point of view. Those experiences of mine in the past few years have already become habit, but Captain, don't worry. I will take note when I'm outside and won't be a disgrace to the boss. What you said is right. Our boss is an artist, not an ordinary star in the entertainment circles. Our outlook cannot be shallow. We cannot only think about money. We need to maintain standards and be classy!"

Yan Biao: "..."

Yan Biao stared at Nanfeng in silence for a bit before nodding. "It's good that you know!"

After Nanfeng left, Yan Biao lamented that he really couldn't keep up with the thoughts of people who had left the military and spent a long time in society.

Chapter 342: High-Pressure Assistantship

Nanfeng returned to his apartment and shared the good news with several of his closest friends in Huangzhou.

Even though he was envious of Fang Zhao's high income, Nanfeng didn't feel jealous. He figured that Fang Zhao had leveraged his talent into a comfortable living. He couldn't argue with that, and he had his own talents. He was confident that a brighter future was in store.

Yet Nanfeng's good mood was soon shattered. He came across a headline, "Fang Zhao's Assistant in Assault during Live Broadcast."

Nanfeng's heart leaped immediately.

A further search yielded similar headlines. The headlines were written in the most sensationalist way possible. They all included key phrases like "Fang Zhao's assistant," "Huangcheng black street" and "assault during live broadcast." They all but screamed, "Come check out the commotion! Fang Zhao's assistant attacked someone in front of an audience in the tens of millions!"

The news reports about Fang Zhao's encounter with the live broadcast crew mostly focused on the matter of his assistant launching an attack. Many readers blurted obscenities as soon as they saw the headlines, but when they clicked the links and read more carefully, they reacted differently. F*ck, we were conned again!

Still, after reading the full story, these internet readers who loved a spectacle kept following the aftermath.

"Serves them right! You have to prepare for the possibility of getting beaten up if you make these kinds of shows. Who knows if you're acting?"

"If I ran into the same situation, I'd throw a punch first too. If it were a genuine assault, then I would be in the right. If it was just acting, I'd be innocent by virtue of not having prior knowledge. I wouldn't be liable for any compensation."

"Fang Zhao's assistant held back. If I were him, I would have beaten the assailant to a pulp."

"Oi, cut the bullshit! Not everyone has the courage to step up. Many folks like to mind their own business on black streets."

"I'm curious if Fang Zhao actually has mob connections."

"Isn't the main attraction the assistant's eye? After the blurring effect was removed, you could see that one of the assistant's eyes was red! Is he of mixed heritage?"

"What type of mixed race would that be? Even someone of mixed race wouldn't have eyes of a different color. He must have some type of eye disease."

"A bunch of country bumpkins! Haven't you heard of colored contact lenses? For a while, it was quite the fad to wear just one colored lens. It was a form of street culture."

"Apart from colored contact lenses, there are also prosthetic eyes that vary in color."

"It's a shame that the eye only showed up in the footage briefly."

After reading the comments in several of the more popular discussion forums, Nanfeng felt his career was over. During the time of the attack, Nanfeng had neglected to disable the color variation function of his prosthetic eye, so the color of the eye had adjusted according to his mood and become red.

News of the assault had spread so quickly and on such a large scale. Nanfeng was convinced this wasn't just regular word of mouth. He was positive the TV crew was working behind the scenes.

What could he do about snatching the spotlight away from his boss? What would happen if the story tarnished his boss's reputation?

He had just landed this job and was at risk of losing it before he had warmed his chair.

At a loss, Nanfeng asked Yan Biao for advice.

After getting the full lowdown, Yan Biao was quite calm. "Based on my understanding of Boss from these past two or three years, he's not going to quibble with you over having the limelight stolen, but you did act improperly on this matter. Why don't you apologize to Boss first? He's not that petty."

One had to give credit where credit was due. Yan Biao had been an attentive employee these past two or three years. He was spot on—Fang Zhao was not about to throw a fit over a drop in publicity.

Fang Zhao knew what was being said online. Silver Wing had also contacted him to get a full briefing. There was no shady business involved and the incident wasn't a big deal in the first place. Silver Wing also knew that the TV crew was trying to generate publicity. The company knew how to respond.

As for his assistant Nanfeng, the way Fang Zhao saw it was that even though Nanfeng was a bit impatient, he had a lively personality and was quite energetic. In key moments, he showed the right balance of intelligence and emotional intelligence. Even though he had his own agenda, Nanfeng had an upright character. If he didn't cause any major problems during his probation, Fang Zhao was going to keep him on as a permanent employee.

He knew that serving as his assistant was only a stepping stone for Nanfeng. Nanfeng was ambitious and had set his sights higher. That was perfectly understandable. Everyone wanted to progress. When the time came for Nanfeng to move on to greener pastures, Fang Zhao wasn't going to get in his way. In fact, if Nanfeng did a good job, Fang Zhao was going to help him along.

So when Nanfeng called to apologize, to admit his mistake and reflect, Fang Zhao didn't say much in the way of a reprimand.

When he realized that Fang Zhao wasn't going to fire him, Nanfeng's mood improved. His boss wasn't a petty person, which meant Nanfeng would have a much easier time serving as an assistant.

The next day, when Nanfeng arrived at Fang Zhao's dorm room, Fang Zhao had just returned from the gym.

"Good morning, Boss!'

Nanfeng had bought breakfast and some ingredients, which he placed in the kitchen. Thus started his first day as an assistant. He had already taken notes on the tasks Fang Zhao had assigned to him.

He had to inspect the "rabbit" in the tank and check how much feed was left in its feeding tube. He also had to check the readings on various indicators and throw in two freshly snipped leaves.

He didn't dare touch the slug. Fang Zhao had cautioned that the "rabbit" was poisonous and wasn't to be touched.

Nanfeng didn't question Fang Zhao's claim. He had a friend who kept a poisonous sea slug at home that couldn't be handled with bare hands. Special gloves were required.

"Boss, I'll walk Curly Hair, then?"

"Go ahead! Did you memorize the route?"

"Yes, yes!" Nanfeng showed Fang Zhao the route he had marked on a map.

"The leash is in the cupboard by the entryway. Curly Hair will fetch it himself."

Just as Fang Zhao finished his sentence, Nanfeng saw Curly Hair open one of the doors to the cupboard next to the entryway and drag out his leash with his mouth. He closed the door, then trotted toward Fang Zhao.

"What a smart dog! You even know how to open the cupboard yourself and fetch your leash. Boss, you did a great job training him!" Nanfeng wanted to add "This $200 million dog is truly worth its value," but he remembered Yan Biao's advice and held back.

After attaching the leash to Curly Hair, Fang Zhao let Nanfeng take Curly Hair on his regular walk on campus. Even though HuangArt's campus security wasn't top-notch, it was better than taking a walk off campus.

Fang Zhao didn't intend to let Curly Hair hole up in his dorm room for the entire length of his program. The student gym was off-limits to dogs, so Fang Zhao walked Curly Hair within the HuangArt campus, tracing several regular routes and frequenting one of the on-campus parks. Even dogs weren't suited to gaming all day. It was good for them to get a breath of fresh air and experience nature and the local community.

When Nanfeng returned from walking the dog at a lightning pace and extracted himself from thoughts that he had just taken a dog worth 200 million dollars for a stroll, he noticed Fang Zhao signing for a delivery.

Ten gigantic boxes of fresh fruit from Muzhou.

Nanfeng remembered Yan Biao mentioning that Fang Zhao had a stake in a Muzhou farm, guaranteeing him a steady supply of fresh produce. Fresh fruit from Muzhou fetched a handsome price locally. Nanfeng rarely sampled this Muzhou specialty. The sight of the crates made him hungry.

After observing Fang Zhao carry two crates into the storage room of his dorm room, Nanfeng figured the boxes weren't heavy. After detaching Curly Hair from his leash, he scrambled over to help out.

Nanfeng flexed his limbs, walked over, and grasped the first crate.

Deep breath, and go!

No luck.

Nanfeng tried another box.

Still no luck.

After trying to lift the remaining boxes one by one to no avail, Nanfeng watched Fang Zhao carry another two crates into his storage. He was blown away.

On only his first day on the job, Nanfeng had already experienced the sense of powerlessness and resignation that Yan Biao had described.

When Fang Zhao noticed Nanfeng just standing there dejectedly, Fang Zhao instructed him, "The two boxes on the side contain melons. Why don't you unpack them, give the melons a wipe, and bring two of them next door? Will should be up by now."

"OK, Boss!"

Assigned a fresh errand, Nanfeng felt he had value again. Maybe he couldn't handle heavy physical labor, but he did a decent job of delivering gifts and cultivating relationships. On previous assistant gigs, he had delivered gifts to fellow actors on the same shoot on behalf of minor celebrities. It was the kind of work he knew well.

After unpacking the crates, Nanfeng picked one melon of each kind, placed them in a clean basket, and went next door. Flashing a friendly smile, he pressed the doorbell.

The door opened soon to reveal a pale, serious-looking young man.

Nanfeng maintained his smile. "Good morning, Mr. Will. My name is Nanfeng. I'm Fang Zhao's assistant."

Will said nothing, his expression stone cold.

"These are fresh fruits from a farm in Muzhou. My boss asked me to bring them over. My boss has a stake in the farm, so these are technically home grown."

Will stood by the door, frowning. His gaze shifted from Nanfeng to the melons in the basket.

Nanfeng kept up his friendly smile, but Will's serious expression remained.

Seconds later, Will extended his hands but gave no indication of welcoming Nanfeng into his room.

Keeping his composure, Nanfeng handed over the basket. "The melons are quite heavy."

After accepting the basket, Will seemed to be getting ready to close his door, so Nanfeng left. But after taking a few steps, he still hadn't heard the sound of the door closing. Will's gaze lingered.

Nanfeng turned around to find Will staring at him through a small gap next to the ajar door. Will's room was dimly lit. His face was blurry, giving off weird vibes.

Will remained silent and kept observing Nanfeng.

Nanfeng froze and returned Will's gaze with a smile.

Two seconds later, Will closed his door and returned to his studio.

So it's decided. Fang Zhao's assistant is too easy to draw. I'm going to pass. But Will still felt the itch to draw. He scanned his room, and his gaze landed on the basket of melons that had just been delivered. I'll draw a melon, then.

Next door, back in Fang Zhao's room, Nanfeng was oblivious to Will's thought process. He did, however, feel he had been scrutinized.

Fang Zhao's circle of friends was different from the people Nanfeng was used to dealing with. Accustomed to folks who hid their true feelings behind a mask, Nanfeng was at a loss as to how to deal with temperamental artists like Will.

Just like Yan Biao had predicted, this was a tough job.

Nonetheless, Nanfeng was confident he could do well. Today he was going to show Fang Zhao his cooking skills. He had trained with a master chef. Nanfeng was going to let Fang Zhao know that he was a versatile assistant.

As he kept busy in the kitchen, a thought popped into his head. The series finale of "Founding Era" was airing over the next two days.

But was "Founding Era" going to fall off the radar after the series finale?

No such chance!

Setting aside the issue of online reruns, it was awards season on all continents.

Regardless of the continent, the blockbuster project "Founding Era" was bound to mount a clean sweep at all the major awards ceremonies. For the sake of their own careers, the actors featured in the TV series weren't going to let the buzz die down just yet.

And as Fang Zhao's assistant, Nanfeng was likely to attend these prize ceremonies.

Previously, he had worked as an assistant for two-bit stars. The most prestigious awards ceremonies had been out of their league. They would have become a laughing stock if they had shown up on the red carpet uninvited, but things were different now with Fang Zhao as his boss.

All sorts of awards ceremonies, all sorts of red carpets covered in flashing lights.

Just the thought of them got him excited.

Nanfeng rubbed his hands.

He had to do a good job so Fang Zhao would bring him along to these prize ceremonies.

While Nanfeng was busy in the kitchen proving his versatility to his new boss, proving his worth, Fang Zhao got a video conference call from Xue Jing in Yanzhou.

Xue Jing had been in Yanzhou for some time working on a new textbook with a few old friends. He never made it to Huangzhou.

Xue Jing asked Fang Zhao about his studies and his transition to campus life.

Fang Zhao answered Xue Jing's questions in detail.

Xue Jing was pleased with Fang Zhao's answers. After pausing briefly, he said with a chuckle, "Fang Zhao, I'm calling with some good news."

"What good news?" Fang Zhao played along. He had already guessed the reason for Xue Jing's call.

"You've been nominated for a Galaxy Supernova Award!"

Fang Zhao had been busy with exams for the Twelve Tones program and the nomination list hadn't been finalized, so Xue Jing had held back the news.

By the time the nominations had been confirmed and Fang Zhao gained admission to the Twelve Tones program, the internet had been filled with praise for "Founding Era." Worried that Fang Zhao had been too giddy, Xue Jing had held off on sharing the news for another few days.

Xue Jing had expected ecstasy and irrepressible joy from Fang Zhao, but none was forthcoming, even after an extended wait. "You're not excited? Even though a nomination doesn't guarantee an award, a nomination for someone your age is already quite rare. This is the Galaxy Supernova Award we're talking about! It's the highest honor a young artist can receive. Not everyone can receive a nomination. Worldwide, only some 70 artists were nominated this year. It's quite a feat considering your present circumstances."

"It's not that I'm not happy," Fang Zhao explained. "I'm just confused as to why I was nominated. After all, my artistic accomplishments and contributions haven't amounted to much. Even if I passed the initial screening, it doesn't seem likely for me to end up on the final list of nominees."

Xue Jing roared in laughter. "It's great that you've remained sober and level headed. This time, you were a special nominee jointly recommended by two jurors from the Huangcheng School of Medicine and the Galaxy Awards panel respectively. The '100-Year Period of Destruction' series you composed played a major role in the curing of the Hull virus."

Most folks were only shortlisted as prospective nominees after surviving nearly half a year of debate and discussion. In Fang Zhao's case, strictly speaking, he had taken a shortcut by bypassing the discussion phase. To be nominated in the end was in itself a form of recognition and honor.

The reason for his nomination was more or less what Fang Zhao had expected, but he kept playing along, feigning some surprise and delight. Otherwise, Xue Jing would think he didn't care about the Supernova Award and get upset.

"Keep a close eye on the email inbox on your bracelet. Set up an alert. The 10 winners will be selected soon. Each winner will be contacted individually," Xue Jing said.

Every year, 10 Supernova Awards were handed out.

Was 10 a large number?

Not at all!

That was barely one per continent.

Within a 10-year span, most continents didn't produce as many as 10 Supernova winners. Musicians, painters, dancers, sculptors—how many people were eyeing the prize? Young actors were also in the running.

Xue Jing didn't know who the ultimate winners would be, and he had no way of finding out ahead of time. Due to his own circumstances, he wasn't part of the selection panel this year, but based on his own calculations, considering the weight of Fang Zhao's contribution, Fang Zhao had a 60 percent chance of winning an award. But that was his own thinking, which he did not share with Fang Zhao.

While Fang Zhao and Xue Jing were chatting via videoconference, the activity in the kitchen had died down.

Nanfeng was eavesdropping, ears pricked.

He knew he was wrong to eavesdrop. He had planned on shutting the kitchen door when Fang Zhao got on the call, but when he heard the words "Galaxy Supernova nomination," he hadn't been able to bear closing the door.

This was the Galaxy Awards. Even if it was the Supernova prize for up-and-coming artists, it was still a prestigious award. Even though Nanfeng hadn't paid attention to the award before, he knew the weight it carried.

One could put it this way: if Fang Zhao won the award on account of his music, even if he was a terrible actor and mediocre gamer, he would still return to Yanzhou to a hero's welcome.

If Fang Zhao were to seek employment at an institution for higher learning, winning the Supernova Award would significantly help cut through the red tape and bureaucracy at the top schools.

As an artist, his pay would double or even triple without a doubt.

The mental reminders flashed in Nanfeng's head. You're a high-quality assistant! You can't eavesdrop on your boss's videoconference! You have to respect his privacy!

A gamer-slash-actor-slash-composer had actually helped overcome a virus!

At that point, Nanfeng wanted to call his mother, who often mocked the entertainment industry.

Mom, my boss is a god!

Chapter 343: Compulsory Exam Question

Nanfeng felt immense pressure on his first day as Fang Zhao's assistant.

The next day, Fang Zhao had class. After Nanfeng completed his own tasks, he didn't head home immediately. Instead, he sought shelter in a pavilion that was part of an on-campus park. He opened a plastic container to reveal slices of iced watermelon. Nanfeng wanted to take in the artsy vibe of the HuangArt campus.

Someone was practicing the piano nearby. Legs crossed, Nanfeng shook along with the beat. He felt he had gotten a taste of the artistic life.

Soon, a parent and her child joined Nanfeng in the pavilion. The child looked like he was a secondary school student. Judging from their conversation, they were at HuangArt to sit for an exam. The parent was consoling her son, who was complaining about how hard the HuangArt exam was.

"HuangArt's admission exams are tough. Even prospective students with connections need to sit for them. But do you know why HuangArt has these exams? It's for your own good. The administration doesn't want any of their students to be in the awkward position of cluelessly munching away at a melon because they can't follow an academic discussion."

Nanfeng, who was eating watermelon 10 meters away: "..."

He felt like he had been punched in the gut.

It was quite the demoralizing comment.

But Nanfeng quickly regained his composure.

The sky was the limit for Fang Zhao's career. As Fang Zhao's assistant, he had to be presentable too!

Should he sign up for a short-term course?

After finishing class, Fang Zhao returned to his dorm room and organized his notes for the day. When it was time, he turned on his TV to a preset channel.

As long as he didn't have class, Fang Zhao would tune into the 10th season of "Founding Era." Today was the season finale.

Unlike the previous seasons, the 10th season of "Founding Era" had a brighter visual tone.

Downcast from a grim and grey color palette since the first season, audiences were finally rewarded with a change in the 10th season.

The overall epic storyline was quite stifling, but the 10th season was much more upbeat even though quite a few main characters died.

From the full recovery of territory to cleaning house in Huangzhou, to the Founding Era and the naming of the 12 continents, to a new regime, a new order, and a world—after enduring 100 years of suffering, the human race was finally marching toward a brighter future.

A short film concluded the series.

It featured the final victory, the triumphant homecoming of the heroes, and the changes to the world in the 500 years after the Founding Era.

The score to the short film kicked off with a Chinese flute and violin solo that resembled a lone voice beckoning from the vast landscape.

A powerful force was gradually forming and gathering pace steadily.

Darkness always preceded the dawn, but darkness also became the dawn.

Bellows from the brass section resembled deafening cries that pierced the dawn, charging toward the sky and beckoning the future.

The world was rebuilt on this wasteland under a warm, nourishing light. A series of pale headstones told the stories of countless legends.

Every note that traveled to the ear evoked a fragmented memory, and every melody formed coherent scenes in the mind.

Like a preacher relaying an epic narrative.

The TV series was a lesson in history and time that told of grand, epic battles and legendary figures who were also regular folks.

Blurry shadows appeared in the film. These were the characters that survived or perished during the 10 seasons.

During the 100-year Period of Destruction, it was the work of these titans that had led to them escaping the darkness and forging a new world.

Now, five hundred years later, they were long gone. What history remembered was their determination and glory as well as tragedy and sorrow. But what took their place was something brighter, a sense of purpose powerful enough to motivate people to strive their entire lifetimes.

In later years, people called it faith. Others called it the grand cause.

It was this force that had underpinned 100 years of struggle and gave rise to countless miracles.

The short film was accompanied by an uninterrupted 10-minute score.

Ten minutes, far longer than the average song, was sufficient to convey a mind-blowing range of color.

Ten minutes, 12 melodies, 28 sections, more than 100 lines of music. They encompassed the cultural elements of all 12 continents. A large and complex ensemble of instruments. The rich range of emotion and the exquisite melodies that varied in pace but came off as seamlessly edited, coupled with the repeated variations, did not result in an overwhelming or protracted effect. The piece did not feel long at all, with surprises popping up at every corner, giving little in the way of respite. It had both the weight of an epic and the sheer beauty of a romantic score. A stunning and grand construction filled with twists and turns that put the listener in the moment and stirred their emotions.

When Mo Lang had composed the piece, he had been inspired by Fang Zhao's "This Life of Mine."

What Mo Long had wanted to create was not just a perfunctory account of these historical figures or collection of memories. What he had wanted to do was recreate the ethos of the era.

As if these giants had never left and the hope and faith that had propelled them into battle had lived on.

The human body might decompose, but the human spirit lived forever!

The blood of the martyrs painted the skies red as the heroes made a triumphant return!

Remembering these forgotten souls and etching their stories into stone.

Forgetfulness was the ultimate killer.

The short film ended with a monologue from the character playing General Lu Xi from Xizhou while he was resting on his deathbed.

"I will have experienced three deaths in my life. The first time was when the Period of Destruction began. I bid farewell to my past and took on a new identity. The second time will be my imminent death, when my heart stops and my coffin is buried. I will be declared dead by a doctor, by friends and family, and by society. As for my third death, it will occur when the last person in this vast universe who remembered me forgets me. At that point, I will have nothing to do with the world. That is when I will truly disappear. I lived through my first death, and I'm about to welcome my second, but as long as you remember me..." The hoarse yet firm voice summoned all the remaining strength of his lungs, transcending time and space. "I. Shall. Live. On. Forever!"

Fade to black, followed by the text: "Please remember them."

Commemoration and the passing of the torch could withstand the test of time.

Audiences from around the world only shifted their attention away from the screen when the end credits rolled. They felt a sense of loss and were reinvigorated at the same time.

The 10 seasons of "Founding Era" had finally concluded.

A visual and auditory feast, without a doubt.

When these stories of the past were transformed into images and the effect was enhanced by a haunting score, 10 seasons later, audiences acutely felt the power of fate and faith.

"Unsurpassable god-level work!"

"We probably won't see another piece of filmed entertainment that can rival 'Founding Era' for another 100 years."

"They weren't kidding about the series being a milestone. Even if there's a remake featuring a bunch of big stars, it can't beat the original. It's just not the same."

"I'm outta here. Gotta go pay my respects at the martyrs' cemetery."

"I've decided. My plan for the second half of the year is to hit all the martyrs' cemeteries on all 12 continents!"

"Who's going to the martyrs' cemetery in Qi'an? Can I trouble you to bring back a good-luck charm from Old Fang's grave?"

"They're in high demand these days and will be difficult to come by. I think there's a quota of one per person."

"I love the soundtrack! The score to the short film at the end is jaw-dropping!"

"The piece was written by Master Mo Lang. It's a complex, meandering piece that incorporates elements from all 12 continents. It's grand and meticulous at the same time. This is a true master at his finest. No wonder he's a national treasure, someone who's won the Galaxy World Medal, the highest honor in the arts world!"

"Factoring in all 10 seasons, the score for 'Founding Era' is so strong. The songs keep getting better and better. The final piece that ran with the short film at the end was the grandest of them all."

"Did anyone notice the credits at the end of the film? Two people were credited with the arrangement of the final song. One was Mo Lang, and the other Fang Zhao!"

"What? Fang Zhao was involved?"

Curious viewers rewound the episode. Lo and behold, there was Fang Zhao's name.

Concluding score "Legend"

Composer: Mo Lang

Arrangement: Mo Lang, Fang Zhao

"..."

"This was a tough song to compose—and arrange as well. Fang Zhao was actually one of the arrangers?"

"As far as us academics are concerned, arrangement is a form of composition. In other words, Fang Zhao took part in the writing of the song."

"No wonder he's a genius who got into the Twelve Tones program. He's on a completely different level."

The more people discussed Fang Zhao, the more folks studied the end credits. Some of them scrutinized the list word by word. Thus, their attention was drawn to the list of musicians who had taken part in the recording of the final song.

"The world's top three orchestras, Huangzhou Nightfall, Hongmenlan, and Saint Byron were all involved!"

"I knew it! Sheng Yong from Saint Byron nailed his solo!"

"My absolute favorite TLB also took part! No wonder the performance in the middle of the song sounded familiar."

"I took a close look at the list of parties who participated in the recording. Besides the world's top three orchestras, the others are all masters or critically acclaimed ensembles. They represent a wide range of styles. It's hard to believe that someone was actually able to incorporate them all into one song."

In that context, lined up alongside a host of world-class masters, Fang Zhao paled in comparison. But the criticism was muted by the fact that Fang Zhao had been admitted to the Twelve Tones program.

Yet while professionals and non-professionals alike touted their beloved orchestras, bands, and masters that had taken part in the recording, a lone comment quickly became the focus of attention over a short period of time.

"Such a show-off, Granddaddy Mo! I can't handle such a sophisticated piece! This is the kind of material that will become my dissertation topic or appear in my final exam! I wanna cry my eyes out!"

After worshipping this magnificent piece, breaking down how technically difficult it was and admiring the all-star lineup that recorded the song, students from various music academies became paralyzed with fear.

A single thought lingered in their heads after reading the comment: Sh*t. This is definitely going to show up on an exam!

Chapter 344: Prize Notification

Indeed, Mo Lang's 10-minute piece was eyed by teachers in every major music academy as a potential exam question as soon as it debuted. It was exam time, after all; the teachers had to get creative.

Every year, outstanding pieces were used as exam questions, and Mo Lang's was a shoo-in. He was a master to begin with, and the song was top-notch. The piece was impossible to pass on.

Ever since he had advanced in age, Mo Lang only released a song every two or three years, and every release was a curveball. Teachers immediately saw potential in "Legend" as a possible critical analysis or rearrangement question or essay topic.

Just as music students from different departments had suspected, the complexity of the piece was Mo Lang's way of showing off. The questions asked by Mo Lang's piece were all tough ones. The average student struggled to answer one of them, let alone every single question.

Many students started brainstorming. Since they knew that Master Mo Lang's piece was a likely exam question, they had to prepare in advance.

Should they seek outside help?

Yet folks who had made their presence known on similar occasions in the past—tutors from music cram schools and the authors of prominent textbooks—kept a much lower profile this time around.

The leading cram school tutors were at a loss too. There didn't seem to be an easy solution.

They didn't dare comment on the piece. We barely understand it. Who are we to counsel others? What if we're wrong? That'd be career suicide.

The composer was Mo Lang, after all. What a legendary figure. His technique was beyond the grasp of the average musician.

Should they ask Mo Lang himself, then?

Stop bullsh*tting!

Was it so easy to gain access to a master musician who was a national treasure? Not to mention that Mo Lang was quite old. He had limited energy and his body couldn't keep up. There was only so much he could do.

After pondering the matter repeatedly, the students realized that approaching Fang Zhao was the easiest move.

Fang Zhao was young, so there wasn't a generation gap to consider. Plus, Fang Zhao had been involved in the composing of the song. He was somewhat of an authority too.

The students of Qi'an Academy of Music were the first to reach out to Fang Zhao. They were all "senior alum" this and "senior alum" that, fully taking advantage of the old-boy connection.

It wasn't only the students. The teachers who planned on using "Legend" as an exam question also consulted Fang Zhao.

As for Fang Zhao, he didn't mind offering his thoughts. It was easy for him. When he had been working on the song with Mo Lang, they had had wide-ranging discussions. He knew Mo Lang's creative philosophy well. The only thing was that Mo Lang was still the author of the song. Whether or not he should speak up, how much he should reveal—these were matters he still had to consult Venerable Mo on.

Mo Lang was actually quite delighted when Fang Zhao reached out.

"This is a good thing!"

From Mo Lang's perspective, his body couldn't cope, so it was impossible for him to lecture at length. But if it were up to him to choose someone to speak on the topic, his first choice would be Fang Zhao.

He didn't think that Fang Zhao's young age reflected a lack of ability. The old man had gotten a good sense of how much Fang Zhao knew when the young composer had still been on Planet Wai. As far as he was concerned, Fang Zhao would do just fine as a lecturer.

Mo Lang already enjoyed considerable stature and prestige. He had no intention of holding back his talent and knowledge at this stage. He was more than willing to share his wisdom and insight with the next generation.

It wasn't that Mo Lang ever withheld in his teaching, but now that he was so advanced in age, and he had gained new insight during the creative process for "Legend." Why leave any stone unturned at this stage?

Passing the torch, a key theme in his work, was very important to him.

As a teacher, he had the responsibility to spread his knowledge, train disciples, and dispel confusion. The future of the industry depended on the next generation. Mo Lang hoped to see innovation and breakthroughs in all musical genres.

"Fang Zhao, do speak up!" Mo Lang was very supportive. "If I weren't encumbered by my poor health, I'd go on a global lecture tour!"

After receiving Mo Lang's go-ahead, Fang Zhao approached HuangArt for a venue where he could broadcast his lecture live.

Yes, he could have lectured from his dorm room, but HuangArt had professional lecture halls for live broadcasts. The rent wasn't that expensive. As long as one could secure a room, the rest was easy. The only requirement for booking a lecture hall was that one had to broadcast through HuangArt's own website.

The leadership at HuangArt wasn't about to stall Fang Zhao on this matter, not to mention that he had Mo Lang's backing. His request was approved immediately and he was allocated a prime lecture hall that had recently been upgraded with live broadcast equipment.

Once he got approval, Fang Zhao studied his own class schedule and decided on a timetable for his lectures.

Tentatively, there were three lectures scheduled, each lasting an hour. They were free to watch.

This was what the HuangArt officials in charge of the school's online curriculum had suggested.

Given Fang Zhao's current seniority, he wouldn't be able to command a very high viewing fee. Mo Lang also had to be taken into consideration. The fee couldn't be too low, out of respect for Mo Lang's stature. Still, Fang Zhao wasn't short of cash, so they decided to keep things simple and make the lectures free. Master-level teachers had done the same in the past. It was a form of pro bono work, a token of encouragement and support for young musicians.

The news of Fang Zhao's upcoming online lectures on "Legend" was first spread by the students of QiMu and HuangArt. Students from the leading music academies in other continents soon caught wind from chat groups and online forums.

Many folks tuned in to partake in the spectacle. The lectures were free, after all. Giving them a listen didn't cost a cent. But there were also folks that felt that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Fang Zhao was bound to withhold the good stuff, so the lectures were a waste of time.

It was up to the masses to decide whether or not to tune in. Fang Zhao couldn't force the issue.

The three lectures were scheduled for three separate days, but cumulatively, they would not last more than three hours. Fang Zhao showed Mo Lang his lecture outline.

"You've done a decent job. Just stick to this outline. Knock 'em dead! I will tune in."

While Mo Lang was only listening in on the lectures, he occasionally posted a thought or two. He couldn't physically deliver a full lecture now, but he was still fully capable of offering a thought or two every lecture.

But that got some of Mo Lang's disciples jealous. "Teacher is playing favorites!"

Mo Lang had so many students. In terms of seniority, stature, and academic achievement, any one of them was far superior to Fang Zhao.

But Mo Lang had no patience for the jealousy. "What can I do? On the matter of this piece alone, Fang Zhao knows me the best. He also has enough professional knowledge to lecture on the topic. You guys don't know me well enough. You can't capture what I want to convey."

Several of Mo Lang's disciples were incredulous. They also tuned in to Fang Zhao's lectures.

During the first lecture, Fang Zhao focused on the background of the song and its artistic merits.

"Is that the case? Is that what Teacher Mo meant?" asked one of Mo Lang's former students.

But every time a disciple posed such a challenge, they were inevitably shot down by Mo Lang. "Indeed. That's exactly what I meant!"

So much so that the more they listened to Fang Zhao's lectures, the less they questioned. Or maybe they simply kept their thoughts to themselves. So that's what Venerable Mo was thinking. I could never tell. Has age changed his perspective?

It wasn't just Mo Lang's former students. Many folks tuned in to Fang Zhao's lectures to enjoy a good show or with skepticism, but gradually, they realized that this Fang Zhao fella's lectures were very high quality. They were all gems.

Fang Zhao's gaming and acting fans got word of the lectures and started tuning in too.

"Even though I couldn't understand a single sentence, I still felt that it was kick-ass."

"So Zhao God is truly a music professional! I thought it was a joke."

Out of the online audience of some 20 million for Fang Zhao's first lecture, only one-tenth were music students. The remaining viewers were either fans or random spectators.

On day two, Fang Zhao moved on to composition technique. The number of music professionals tuning in jumped by 1 million. Students who had skipped yesterday's lecture showed up today. They realized that Fang Zhao's every utterance might be considered a model answer on their upcoming exams. It was better to hit record first and decipher his words later. Students who were lacking in analytical skills committed the lecture to memory. At least they wouldn't turn in a blank exam.

The number of music professionals tuning in on day two had increased, but the overall viewership actually increased by 20 million! In contrast, 1 million more music professionals wasn't much to write home about.

"The music professionals are a minority here. Most of the viewers are fans of Fang Zhao, no?"

"No wonder producers like to invite top celebrities to join live broadcasts. They have a built-in audience," another viewer lamented.

"What a smart PR move by HuangArt!"

Because the second lecture touched on some key points and important techniques, the music professionals tuning in paid close attention. Those who couldn't keep up with the lecture rewatched the archived video after class.

Fang Zhao was also very focused.

The vocal reminder on Fang Zhao's bracelet sounded before the online audience of some 40 million. "Ding! You have received an important email. Please take a look."

Fang Zhao paused briefly before resuming, but he ignored his bracelet as if he hadn't been interrupted.

But some of the folks watching the lecture took issue.

"It's best that you turn off your notifications while lecturing. It's a form of professional courtesy."

"That's right. We turn off our notifications when we lecture too. Otherwise, your flow and rhythm will be interrupted. We're also concerned about affecting our students."

"Aiya, Fang Zhao is still young, after all. He's inexperienced. He just has to pay attention next time. My fellow professionals tuning in, there's no need to be too harsh."

Fang Zhao's fans:

"So it turns out the vocal reminder on Zhao God's bracelet is the default one."

"I remember when this voice first came out. Everyone complained it was 'as stiff and emotionless as a stone'."

"I haven't heard the default voice in a long time. So they haven't changed the voice, have they?"

"Hahahaha... My granddad uses the same voice!"

The chitchat continued until the following comment: "Do you guys know what the email he just received is about? If not, check out the press release the Galaxy Awards organizing committee just put out! The winners of the Galaxy Supernova Prize have been announced! Fang Zhao is among the 10 winners!"

"So it's possible that Fang Zhao had set his notifications to mute, but the email from the Galaxy Awards organizers was categorized as extra important? And that's why his vocal reminder was triggered?"

"That can't be it. If it was a message from the Galaxy Awards organizers, why didn't he read the email?"

Mo Lang, who was listening in on the lecture, also noticed the announcement from the Galaxy organizers. He made the connection to the vocal reminder he had just heard during Fang Zhao's lecture. "Ha! This fella is quite something," he blurted with a chuckle.

This was probably the first time in history someone had been able to ignore a prize-notification email from the Galaxy Awards organizers and keep lecturing calmly.

More and more folks searched the internet to verify the news. When they managed to do so, they scrambled back to the online lecture to post comments.

"Zhao God! You've won!"

"You've won a major prize! Aren't you going to take a look?"

"Hurry, check out the email you just received!"

"If it were me, I'd screw the lecture and read the email first!"

"Now this is a masterful display of god-level composure!"

"So the award citation refers to his 'special contribution in curing the Hull virus.' What the heck? Isn't the Galaxy Award an arts prize? They don't have a medical category, do they?"

More and more folks found out about Fang Zhao's Supernova win, but Fang Zhao continued his lecture at his usual tempo even though the comments section for the online lecture had already been flooded with messages urging him to read his email.

At the retirement home for former government officials in Yanbei.

Great-Grandfather Fang was watching the live broadcast. He learned of Fang Zhao's win through the comments section and confirmed the news on the Galaxy Awards' official website. He was in tears, his voice hoarse from screaming in celebration.

Great-Grandfather Fang felt that this went beyond a family honor. As the only Yanzhou native to win a Supernova Award this year, Fang Zhao was the pride of the continent no doubt, but as one of the major players behind the curing of the Hull virus, he was a credit to all mankind!

"Our Xiao Zhao... How come he's so competent?"

Great-Grandfather Fang's emotions began spiraling out of control. He was so moved that he was covered in tears and snot. He turned his head to discover Great-Grandmother Fang had been filming him all along.

Great-Grandfather Fang: "Burp!"

Chapter 345: It's Watching Me

Great-Grandfather Fang was so caught off-guard by his wife's paparazzi-style filming that he burped.

The burp instantly erased all the simmering emotions that had built up inside him.

But he was done crying, which had taken a toll on him. Devoid of emotion, Great-Grandfather Fang felt refreshed. He sent out eight generous virtual red packets in his various chat groups and bragged away.

"In celebration of our Xiao Zhao winning the Galaxy Supernova Award! [red packet]"

Every time the former officials in the retirement home heard Great-Grandfather Fang tout Fang Zhao's latest song or acting role, they adopted the mindset of watching someone make a fool of himself. Even though they ostensibly congratulated Great-Grandfather Fang, in their hearts they were contemptuous.

The retirement home was quite big. Besides Great-Grandfather Fang, there were bound to be other retired officials whose descendants were doing well, especially those who were part of the establishment. But these fellow residents were much more low-key about their descendants' accomplishments. There was no way they would put these milestones front and center and brag about them like Great-Grandfather Fang.

But this time around, when they found out that Fang Zhao had won the Galaxy Supernova Award, Great-Grandfather Fang's fellow retirees offered their heartfelt congratulations.

Firstly, it was because the Galaxy Supernova Award was the real deal. Fang Zhao was the only person from Yanzhou among the winners—and he was only in his 20s. He had tremendous potential. The prize cemented Fang Zhao's transition from an entertainment celebrity to a genuine artist.

The second reason Great-Grandfather Fang's fellow retirees changed their minds about Fang Zhao was his role in the curing of the Hull virus. Regardless of whether or not it was serendipitous, Fang Zhao's contribution couldn't be disputed. It was worthy of respect.

"Congrats, Old Fang! Your family has produced another stalwart!"

"Your Xiao Zhao is only in his 20s. The sky's the limit for him!"

"This kid Fang Zhao is quite something."

Great-Grandfather Fang couldn't contain his delight. "Yes, yes, yes. Xiao Zhao takes after me the most!"

Great-Grandfather Fang wanted to speak to Fang Zhao via videoconference, but he decided to wait another two days because he figured his great-grandson was very busy. After sending a text message offering his congratulations and urging Fang Zhao to pay attention to his health and eat well, Great-Grandfather Fang, donning his new artsy outfit and with his immaculately polished walking stick in hand, went out for a chat with his friends. He wanted to see if his friends thought his new outfit was artistic enough. Should he get a new hairdo too?

In Huangzhou, after completing his second lecture, Fang Zhao had a huge backlog of messages to go through.

First, Fang Zhao read the email from the Galaxy Awards organizing committee and confirmed that it was a notification of his win. The email also asked Fang Zhao to respond with his address. The invitation to the prize ceremony would be delivered within 12 hours of organizers receiving his address.

After responding with the address of his dorm room at HuangArt, Fang Zhao responded to some of the other messages. While he was doing so, he got a call from Huangcheng TV's Channel Nine.

Huangcheng TV's programming wasn't heavy on commercial and entertainment content, and its Channel Nine specialized in high-brow documentaries. A small portion of its best work ended up in government archives and labeled with a golden sticker.

Channel Nine was making a documentary about the curing of the Hull virus. It was a gold-sticker production.

As the composer of the music that paved the way for a cure to the Hull virus, Fang Zhao was naturally one of the key interviewees.

"We've already dispatched a team to shoot in Yanzhou. We're wondering when would be a good time for Mr. Fang? It's just going to be a straightforward interview and some additional filming. Half an hour will suffice. We'll also film you going about your day, but our cameraman won't be intrusive," the producer from Channel Nine said.

Crews had already been dispatched to all 12 continents. There were people involved in the project to cure the Hull virus on every single continent who needed to be filmed, but the team sent to Yanzhou had a heavier workload. When Fang Zhao had composed the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, he had been working for an entertainment company in Yanzhou. The Yanzhou crew also had to film Fang Zhao's fellow team members who had helped create the virtual idol Polar Light.

"No problem," Fang Zhao said.

"Then when might you be free, Mr. Fang? Let's set up a time. We can conduct the interview at HuangArt. We'll send our team over."

"How about tomorrow at 4 p.m.? I have class in the morning and a one-hour lecture in the afternoon that's being broadcast live. The lecture ends at 3:30. I can start filming at 4."

"Great, let's make it tomorrow at 4 p.m., then."

After making the appointment with Channel Nine, Fang Zhao called Nanfeng to brief him so he could start getting ready.

Already ecstatic about Fang Zhao's Supernova win, when Nanfeng learned about the Channel Nine interview, he profusely promised his boss that he would be on his best behavior and not reflect poorly on Fang Zhao.

After hanging up, Nanfeng also secretly commended himself, See, what a great eye for employers I have!

He also reminded himself to perform on the job so he could keep it for as long as he could. He was going to attend the Galaxy Awards presentation ceremony with his boss! How many award-winning actors and actresses coveted an invitation? The entertainment industry figures who could attend were a minority who had accumulated a critical mass of works and gained sufficient status.

As a newly hired assistant, Nanfeng was already feeling the trickle-down effect of his boss's success.

The day after Fang Zhao was awarded the Supernova, he had class in the morning and gave his third live lecture in the afternoon. As soon as the lecture started, the viewership skyrocketed to 100 million people and kept growing rapidly.

Yanzhou's entertainment media put its ability to judge where the winds were blowing and to bullsh*t accordingly on full display. Once word that Fang Zhao had won a Galaxy Supernova award got out, they started putting him on a pedestal. Most of the viewers for the final lecture were from Yanzhou, folks who were curious and eager to witness the spectacle.

The 10 winners of the Supernova prize hailed from nine of the world's 12 continents. There were two winners from Huangzhou.

Media outlets from those nine continents went all out in their self-promotion, eager not to be outdone by their competitors.

The comments section for Fang Zhao's live webcast was flooded with congratulatory messages, but Fang Zhao didn't study them carefully. Instead, he completed his lecture series according to his lesson plan before smiling at the camera and thanking viewers for their good wishes.

After going offline, Fang Zhao got a video call from Xue Jing.

"Fang Zhao, have you received your invitation to the awards ceremony?" asked Xue Jing.

"I have. It was delivered to my dorm room last night," said Fang Zhao.

"Good. Remember to be humble when you attend the presentation ceremony. You carried yourself well during today's lecture. Keep it up."

Xue Jing was worried, having read all the inflated coverage by the shameless media. He was concerned that Fang Zhao might be swayed and get a swollen head. He figured if he had won the Supernova at such a young age, he would have felt like he was God. Many senior artists who had won Galaxy awards in the past would be attending the presentation ceremony, and Xue Jing didn't want Fang Zhao to leave a bad impression.

Fang Zhao knew what Xue Jing was thinking. He was about to respond when an alert popped up on his bracelet and caught his attention.

"Teacher Xue..." Fang Zhao said.

"Listen to me, don't dress like a rock star at the awards ceremony. Just pick something simple and elegant."

"I understand. Teacher Xue, I wanted to..."

"I'm not done yet. Listen, kid. The venue will be filled with senior artists. Regardless of whether they are award winners, their presence means they have made significant contributions and racked up accomplishments in their respective fields. Watch your behavior before them," Xue Jing continued.

"I understand, Teacher Xue..."

"Let me finish first!" Xue Jing scolded before realizing he might have been too harsh. He paused and asked, "What was it you wanted to say?"

"Teacher Xue, you've won the Galaxy World Medal. It was announced two minutes ago," Fang Zhao said.

The Galaxy World Medal wasn't awarded every year. It wasn't uncommon for there to be a three- to five-year gap between winners.

The reason that Xue Jing worked so hard at his age to accumulate even more accomplishments and make greater contributions to his field was to win a Galaxy World Medal, which was the pinnacle of any artist's career.

Judging simply from how many outstanding pieces he had and his influence as a composer, Xue Jing paled in comparison to musicians like Mo Lang. In contrast, his range was also limited. There were other competent composers who specialized in the same genre. He fell just short in terms of artistic achievement. But all these years, he had kept toiling away.

Xue Jing applied for a Galaxy World Medal every three years. He had applied this year as well. That was why he wasn't a member of the organizing committee for this year's Galaxy Awards and hadn't joined the selection panel for the Supernova award.

News had not been forthcoming, so Xue Jing figured he had been passed on again. Little did he know...

Xue Jing froze when he heard what Fang Zhao had said.

Xue Jing's assistant looked on with concern. He had just received official word of the prize, but Xue Jing was on the phone with Fang Zhao, so he hadn't interrupted.

The assistant handed him a glass of warm water. "Venerable Xue, calm down! Have a sip of water first!"

Xue Jing's eye gradually focused on the glass. He accepted it, but his hands kept shivering. The glass was only half full. By the time it had reached his mouth, another half had been lost to the trembling.

He also accidentally hung up on Fang Zhao at some point.

When Fang Zhao called back, it was Xue Jing's assistant who answered.

"Venerable Xue is just in shock. He needs some time to recover," the assistant said as he cast a glance at his boss, still paralyzed in his chair.

"Good to know." Fang Zhao had been worried that Xue Jing was so emotional he had collapsed or something.

Nanfeng was already waiting when Fang Zhao emerged from the classroom.

"Boss, the folks from Channel Nine are here."

The crew from Channel Nine was standing by. The venue for the interview was a quiet park within the HuangArt campus. The questions posed to Fang Zhao weren't as pointed as the ones he had learned to expect from entertainment journalists; they mainly revolved around his creative process and the Hull virus.

Fang Zhao answered in detail.

A giddy Nanfeng delivered tea to his boss and the interviewer.

After the interview, most of the crew left. "If we need additional footage, we'll reach out ahead of time. Does that work for you, Mr. Fang?" the producer asked.

"No problem." Fang Zhao was willing to work with the crew on minor details like that.

One cameraman remained to tail Fang Zhao and shoot him as he went about his daily routine.

"Fang Zhao, just go about your business as usual. Pretend that I don't exist. If you think something is off-limits, just let me know."

The cameraman followed Fang Zhao back to his dorm room. The first thing he noticed was the Fiery Bird gaming helmet.

To prepare for the Channel Nine shoot, Nanfeng had wiped many of Fang Zhao's personal items repeatedly, especially the gaming helmet.

"Wow! Fiery Bird's limited-edition souped-up eighth-gen gaming helmet! It's no longer available for sale!" The cameraman was a Fiery Bird fan as well. His gaze became fixated on the helmet.

"Nowadays, only celebrities like you who work with Fiery Bird can get one. Can I take a look?" the cameraman asked, looking at Fang Zhao expectantly.

"Of course," Fang Zhao said, nodding.

"Can I take a picture of it?"

"Sure."

"Thanks so much! Oh, Mr. Fang, just do your own thing. I've set up the camera already. It will follow you automatically. I'm just going to sit here and not interrupt your work."

The cameraman cradled the gaming helmet like a baby. He was giddily taking a selfie with it when he felt something was off. He scanned the room and his gaze met that of the curly-haired dog lying next to Fang Zhao's feet.

"That dog is looking at me. I feel like it wants to bite me," the cameraman whispered to Nanfeng.

Nanfeng, who had been pondering what to wear to the Galaxy Awards presentation ceremony, glanced at Curly Hair and said, "Little Curly Hair is such a good boy. Why would you think that?"

"No, I really think it has something against me. Look, it's still staring at me."

"Why don't you switch places?" Nanfeng suggested.

The cameraman broke his promise of sitting still and moved to another chair, still cradling the gaming helmet. Yet Curly Hair's gaze lingered.

The cameraman poked Nanfeng and whispered, "It's staring at me again."

Curly Hair kept on staring, snorting every few minutes or so.

The cameraman panicked. What did I do wrong? Why do you keep staring at me?

Chapter 346: Gift from a Kid

During the entire shoot, the cameraman was holed up in his corner, cradling the gaming helmet. He used his bracelet to adjust the angle of the camera.

Fang Zhao just sat there writing. Initially, the cameraman had thought that Fang Zhao was posing. No wonder he starred in "Founding Era." That's some serious acting chops.

But eventually, the cameraman realized that Fang Zhao was actually writing. He was curious what Fang Zhao was writing, but he was hesitant to zoom in. Most artists didn't like voyeurs when they were immersed in the creative process.

The curly-haired dog stuck out its neck and glanced over at its owner.

The notebook spread open on Fang Zhao's desk was filled with words and all sorts of symbols and lines, but the cameraman couldn't understand a thing.

Not a single word.

After a few embarrassed chuckles, the cameraman reluctantly parted with the gaming helmet and packed his gear.

On the way back to the TV station, the cameraman shared his thoughts about the shoot with his colleagues.

"Fang Zhao's dog is vicious!"

"Doesn't he have a small dog?" one of his colleagues asked.

"It is a small dog, but now I know—the smaller the dog, the meaner it is!"

"Maybe it's leery of outsiders. Did it bite you?"

"No, but there's a saying from the Old Era that makes a lot of sense: 'Biting dogs don't bark.' It didn't bark, so it's definitely the biting kind. It kept staring at me. What a scary gaze. I'm thinking if Fang Zhao hadn't been around, it would have attacked me."

"Hahaha, so were you scared shitless during the entire shoot?"

"Yeah, but thank God there was a limited-edition gaming helmet to keep me company, hehehe."

While the cameraman was discussing the limited-edition gaming helmet with his colleagues, Curly Hair was already dragging the helmet back into the cabinet.

A puzzled Nanfeng looked on and asked Fang Zhao, "Boss, so Curly Hair likes gaming helmets?"

"Yep." Fang Zhao slammed his notebook shut, but he didn't put it away. It remained on his desk so he could edit his score in the evening. He had been inspired by the footage the documentary crew had shown him today.

Seeing as Fang Zhao had no intention of elaborating, Nanfeng moved on, asking about preparations for the awards ceremony.

"Boss, are you really going to wear that outfit on the red carpet?"

As far as Nanfeng was concerned, the outfit Fang Zhao had picked was too plain. It didn't stand out. Nanfeng had attended many awards ceremonies. Some celebrities were dressed unremarkably at first glance, but on closer scrutiny, there was a certain extravagance to their outfits. It was stealth posturing, to put it bluntly.

The celebrities attending the presentation ceremony weren't going to dress plainly. What a great opportunity for exposure it was. There would be so many people attending. How would they boost their popularity if they didn't wear something special that became a topic of discussion?

But the presentation ceremony Fang Zhao was going to attend this time wasn't of the pure entertainment variety. It was very high class. Nanfeng didn't have much in the way of precedents to work with. He didn't feel confident about this judgment and wanted to confer with Fang Zhao.

"There is no red carpet at the presentation ceremony for the Galaxy Awards," Fang Zhao responded.

As an elder in the arts world once put it: "They didn't need a red carpet to shine."

Serious artists didn't care about things like that. They also weren't into ostentatious displays, which they considered too crass.

"No... no red carpet?" Nanfeng was disappointed, but he quickly found his composure. His job posed many new challenges, and he intended to take them seriously.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were still taking their bodyguard classes. Nanfeng hadn't signed up. He had rented a room on campus close to his boss's room so he could be at Fang Zhao's beck and call. That way he could do his job efficiently and minimize intrusions to his boss's personal life.

After dinner, Fang Zhao started editing the song he had composed in the afternoon.

Fate worked in magical ways. Even Fang Zhao, who had endured the 100-year Period of Destruction, hadn't expected this added bonus.

The reason the Galaxy Awards selection panel had decided to make an exception and name Fang Zhao a Supernova winner was to send the message that music wasn't just a form of recreation or entertainment. It could also save lives.

At 11 p.m., Fang Zhao sent the edited piece to the director of the documentary about the Hull virus.

After the interview, the director had a brief chat with Fang Zhao. It was also the director who had showed him the footage of the Hull virus patients his team had compiled.

On the spur of the moment, the director had jokingly asked Fang Zhao, "Wanna compose a new piece? I'll stick it in the documentary."

"Sure," Fang Zhao had responded.

While Fang Zhao was sending the director his score, the director was on a videoconference call with an old collaborator.

"What the station chief means is that they want to promote this documentary heavily. Curing the Hull virus is something beneficial to all of mankind. It's a rare topic to come by, so of course we need to make the most out of it. The production values must be meticulous. As for the score, we're counting on you, Old Jo."

Anyone in the business knew that an excellent score that meshed well with the film had a big impact on viewers. It would enhance the appeal of the documentary significantly.

The Old Jo the director had referred to was a famed musician and composer of film scores. He was in his 80s. In the New Era, when life expectancies had doubled, these were prime years, the pinnacle of one's career.

Old Jo had a special knack for interpreting images. He also knew how to help the director advance his or her story. He had his own team and took on projects independently.

Old Jo had been hired to write the score for the Hull virus documentary. He had a sufficient body of work and a team with a proven track record that justified the appointment.

The director's email notification went off during the chat.

The director had dispatched teams to all continents, which were in different time zones. It was early in the morning where he was, but it might be noontime on another continent, so he was keeping his eye on the ball, scrutinizing every single email he received.

When he got word of the encrypted email, the director clicked on it immediately.

"Huh?" The director was surprised when he read the name of the sender.

"What's wrong?" Old Jo asked.

"It's a scan of a handwritten score." The director didn't identify the sender. "But the score is a bit complex, unlike the ones I received earlier. It's incredibly detailed."

Old Jo's curiosity was piqued. "A score? Send me a copy."

Old Jo was an old collaborator, and the director knew he was trustworthy. He wouldn't sabotage another person's work. The director forwarded the score quickly after obscuring the name of the composer.

"There are quite a few symbols I don't understand. I'm not a music professional. Why don't you take a look and share your thoughts," the director said while secretly passing judgment. He's a young man, after all. Once he heard I could stick his song in the documentary, he got to work right away. A bit of a career climber.

Old Jo often vetted pieces for the director to prevent his team from being conned. Nowadays, many submissions were touted as the work of masters to fetch a high price, but in reality, they were often composed by those masters' students and then polished by the masters themselves. But veteran musicians could see through the act easily.

When he got the score, the first thing he looked for was the name of the composer, but it was blurred. He chuckled. "Why bother redacting the name of the composer? Not to brag, but at our level, we can identify the composer with one glance. Even if I can't give you a name, I can tell you who the composer trained under. That's why they don't demand confidentiality for music academy exams anymore."

The director served himself a slice of watermelon. He chewed away while Old Jo kept yapping away. But after a while, when he had nearly finished the slice, he realized Old Jo had stopped speaking. He lifted his head and his heart leaped.

Old Jo's smile was gone.

"Old Jo?" the director asked.

On the other end of the call, Old Jo arched his eyebrows and glared, his voice filled with anger. "We've been collaborators for 20-plus years, if not 30, no?"

The director was confused. "What's up?"

"You promised me this project and now you look for outside help?"

"I didn't!" The director was at a loss.

Old Jo's frown deepened. "Then what's this score all about? Don't tell me it isn't for the documentary!"

"You could tell from the score?" The director was blown away. He raised his arms in surrender. "OK, I confess, this is a piece a young kid composed for our documentary. It was a nice gesture. He doesn't count as outside help."

Old Jo wasn't appeased. He was still trembling in fury. Raising his voice, he demanded, "You're still lying! A kid? This type of quality and competence, this level of emotional impact... a kid? Go find me a kid who can produce something like this!"

As far as Old Jo was concerned, it would take a composer with at least decades of experience to produce the score before him. And that would be someone quite talented.

The director froze. He immediately clicked on the email from Fang Zhao and showed Old Jo the name of the sender and the original scan. He circled Fang Zhao's name on the score. "See, there it is. The composer is Fang Zhao, the guy I interviewed today. You must have heard of him."

Old Jo stared at the name on the score in silence.

If it were anyone else, Old Jo would have suspected a ghostwriter, but Fang Zhao?

Old Jo was still feeling embarrassed when the director asked, "Fang Zhao is only in his 20s. Compared to us, he's a young kid, no?"

Old Jo's cheeks were burning. "Fang Zhao... Fang Zhao is an exception. His talent has transcended his age."

It finally dawned on the director what Old Jo was getting at. "So you're saying this piece is quite exceptional?"

"Indeed! It's so good that it should cost you a hefty sum."

The director was delighted. "It's free. Fang Zhao said it's a gift. His only condition is that we don't change his score and that we record the song based on his score."

"You wanna change the score?" Old Jo glared into the camera. "Don't sabotage a good piece!"

"We won't, then! Not a single note. We'll stick to his handwritten score." The director realized he had lucked out big time. He had saved some major bucks. He couldn't afford to splurge on someone of Fang Zhao's market value. He had never thought that Fang Zhao had taken his joking comment seriously.

Let's give Fang Zhao more prominent play in the documentary, then.

Then it struck the director that he could publicize Fang Zhao's gift. Who knows, maybe other master composers would donate their work!

The director couldn't contain his joy. He was smiling like a fox that had just nicked a juicy chicken leg.

"This kid Fang Zhao, he's quite willing to lend a helping hand. He's a good kid."

Chapter 347: A Kindly Smile

The curing of the Hull virus was big news. When medical experts announced the news, it dominated headlines on all continents for some time. This time, Fang Zhao also became known to many more people.

As far as the masses were concerned, the Hull virus was a distant topic. If news of its curing hadn't broken, they probably would have never heard of the virus, let alone its symptoms or how hard it was to cure. And they responded to the news with mild surprise—that was it.

But Fang Zhao's role in the cure blew many folks away. Even though many people didn't watch TV series and didn't follow the news, the blanket coverage of Fang Zhao's feat made him a household name. Many were incredulous when they heard the story for the first time.

"How far-fetched is that—a musician can actually cure diseases!"

How fascinating did that sound!

For most folks, that was all there was to it: a fascinating story, a topic for post-meal chitchat.

But regardless of people's motivations, Fang Zhao's name got major global exposure yet again. And the engine behind the latest round of publicity was not the entertainment press corps but serious magazines and news outlets. The full range of news publications in Yanzhou also covered the story thoroughly.

Many members of the entertainment industry also discussed the story in private.

"What a freak this Fang Zhao is."

"Indeed. I reviewed his career over the past few years again. These are accomplishments beyond the reach of the average person."

"If you take a look at other celebrities, none of them have followed the same path."

"No tabloid stories, he doesn't hit the red carpet, and there's little in the way of self-promotion. Yet every time he does something, it's a big deal. This Hull virus business has shaken the medical world to its core. I wonder what Fang Zhao will do next."

Fang Zhao was oblivious to all this discussion. He was busy preparing for the Galaxy Awards presentation ceremony. In addition, he had received a few new invitations to other prize ceremonies and activities that carried weight. He had to prepare for those as well.

On the day of the Galaxy Awards prize ceremony, Fang Zhao brought Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao.

It was common for artists who attended prize ceremonies to bring their assistants and drivers, but bodyguards were rarer. Zuo Yu and Yan Biao would be attending as driver and bodyguard respectively, but only assistants were allowed in the main venue. Drivers and bodyguards were banned.

Nanfeng was glowing. Even though he was assigned a seat in the back where assistants were relegated, he was glad that he had access to the main venue in the first place. He took a selfie and posted it to his social media account, drawing quite a few jealous comments.

As for Fang Zhao himself, he tried to act humbly as Xue Jing had instructed. While most of the attendees couldn't rival Fang Zhao in terms of market value, they were far superior when considering artistic achievement.

But the awards ceremony posed a dilemma for Fang Zhao. The other artists who won Supernova Awards this year were all quite emotional, teary-eyed and all. In contrast, this young artist was too calm.

So Fang Zhao felt compelled to act "younger" to blend in. His usual calm came off as maturity, but being indifferent at the arts world's most prestigious prize ceremony was a different story. That would be considered posturing.

Of course, there were artists who didn't like to smile or who got more wound-up the more nervous they were, but clearly, Fang Zhao didn't fall in either category.

I better show some emotion. Otherwise, the veteran artists will think I'm a snob.

When it was time for Fang Zhao to accept his award.

Nanfeng, who was in the audience, as well as Zuo Yu and Lan Biao, who were outside, all noticed their boss was near tears and that his eyes were glowing. "..."

"What do you think? Do you think Boss is really that emotional?" Zuo Yu whispered in a voice message he sent his two colleagues.

"Of course! This is the Galaxy Awards we're talking about. Even though boss only won a Supernova, which belongs to the lowest category and pales in comparison to a Nebula or Galaxy World Medal, it still beats all the other awards. Boss was the only winner from Yanzhou. But... something isn't right," Nanfeng said.

"What do you think?" Zuo Yu asked Yan Biao.

Yan Biao pondered the matter briefly and shook his head. "Hard to say."

If he hadn't known Fang Zhao for so long, perhaps Yan Biao would have taken the show of emotion at face value.

Nanfeng hadn't spent that much time with Fang Zhao and didn't know him well, but Yan Biao, on the other hand, knew Fang Zhao quite well. During his military service, Fang Zhao was someone who killed calmly when he was under siege and facing off against terrorists and beasts.

Besides, Fang Zhao hadn't been all that emotional when he got word of the Supernova, and it had been several days since then, enough time for him to calm down. Even if he got caught up in the emotion of the moment, this was too obvious a display.

Yan Biao suspected it was an act.

The presenter of Fang Zhao's award was Mo Lang.

Clinging to a silver-white round box emblazoned with the Supernova logo, Mo Lang flashed a proud smile. "You've done well!"

Even though the old man was retired, he was still well connected. He had already found out about the new piece Fang Zhao had composed for the Hull virus documentary. Adding to that Fang Zhao's other accomplishments of late, Mo Lang fancied great things for the young artist.

Quite a few members of the audience were intrigued by Mo Lang's reaction.

"Venerable Mo is in a good mood today."

"Venerable Mo doesn't accept disciples anymore, but judging from his demeanor today, he might as well have taken on a new student."

People who knew Mo Lang knew that this was a rare display of emotion for him. Mo Lang rarely smiled or joked around. Even as a presenter, he was mostly solemn and decorous, but now he was all smiles on stage. Clearly, he was pleased with Fang Zhao, this junior artist. On account of Mo Lang's status, the veteran artists in the audience secretly vowed to treat Fang Zhao well from now on if they could help it.

Mo Lang personally draped the Supernova medal over Fang Zhao's neck.

Fang Zhao clutched a certificate that went along with his medal. In all honesty, he was happy and overcome with emotion. Whether it was the curing of the Hull virus or a nod to his musical talent, the prize was worth celebrating. It was something worth getting excited about.

His unfulfilled wishes from his previous life were being realized now.

The white metallic medal he had just donned and the certificate in his hands were confirmation of his hard work the past few years.

He had shouldered a heavy burden during the Period of Destruction and faced different circumstances, so he'd had to conceal his emotions, keep his cards close to his vest. Now he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. It was a minor adjustment more in keeping with the young body he inhabited.

After wearing the medal, Fang Zhao had to remain on stage with Mo Lang for a photo. The photo would be filed in the Galaxy Awards' archives.

Meanwhile, the live broadcast of the prize ceremony on a certain website...

The host was also overcome with emotion, and he pronounced, "At this moment, the Venerable Mr. Mo Lang, a master who is a national treasure, and Fang Zhao, the youngest Supernova winner this year, are facing the camera and flashing kindly smiles simultaneously."

Realizing his mistake, the host caught himself. But it was a live broadcast, after all. What he had just said couldn't be undone.

Laughter engulfed the control room of the live broadcast.

"Hahaha, the host misspoke, huh?"

"Kindly my ass! It's a fitting adjective for Mo Lang, but Fang Zhao is only in his 20s!"

"Snicker. Kindly? What the hell? Compared to these old geezers, Fang Zhao is just a kid! Why don't you stick to the facts, host?"

Even though the host eventually corrected himself, his comment had already aired. Some folks with too much time on their hands took a screenshot of Fang Zhao's smile while wearing his medal and holding his certificate and made it into an emoticon called "Kindly Smile."

Ignorant of the fact that he had been made into an emoticon, Fang Zhao acknowledged the master artists in the audience before returning to his seat.

After the Supernovas were presented, it was time for the Nebula prize. The Nebula was a lifetime achievement award of sorts. One winner was chosen each year, honoring an individual or organization that had made long-term and significant contributions to the arts.

As for the Galaxy World Medal, the most coveted prize among the Galaxy Awards, career achievement, talent, and competence were equally weighed. If there were no suitable candidates, the prize was not awarded. It was common for the award to not be handed out several years in a row. But this year, Xue Jing had finally been selected.

Many folks were worried when Xue Jing went on stage, afraid that the elderly man in his 160s would be so overcome by emotion that he would pass out.

Xue Jing had long been a fixture in the arts community. He had many friends in the audience. It seemed like these friends could feel the heavy heart and ecstasy that were colliding inside Xue Jing.

Xue Jing had waited for some 160 years. He had been oh-so-close to winning this award on many occasions but had always missed out. Now, the most prestigious medal and highest honor in the arts world was in his hands. It was affirmation of his talent, contributions, and his artistic career.

The mood in the room was much more boisterous compared to when the Supernovas were being awarded.

Xue Jing was allocated more time to share his thoughts compared to the other prize winners. He was all choked up and the applause was never-ending.

Fang Zhao clapped along too. He was happy for Xue Jing while pondering his career at the same time.

The Supernova was only the first step in Fang Zhao's artistic career. The Nebula Award and Galaxy World Medal were his next goals. Maybe, when he was at the twilight of his life, he would be awarded the most prestigious medal of the premier prize in the arts world, just like Xue Jing and Mo Lang.

Photos and footage of Fang Zhao accepting his award surfaced online before the Galaxy Award ceremony had ended. Screen captures of the live broadcast and highlights appeared on a variety of media outlets. The news item showed up among entertainment, local, and even military headlines.

As the youngest winner of the Supernova this year and with the link to the curing of the Hull virus, Fang Zhao was prime fodder for journalists. He simply dominated the headlines.

At their retirement home in Yanbei, Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang were glued to the telecast. Great-Grandfather Fang tearfully handed out generous red packets in his chat groups.

"Our Xiao Zhao won the Supernova Award! [red packet] [red packet] [red packet]"

The gaming department at Silver Wing didn't stay idle either. The team posted profusely.

Jinro's latest status update:

"Our boss! [Kindly Smile]"

It was fair to say most of the people who knew Fang Zhao well were quite emotional while watching the live broadcast, but there was also a minority that reacted differently. The painting prodigy and Fang Zhao's HuangArt classmate, Will Branch, for example.

Will was extremely calm and wore a very serious expression when he watched the live telecast. His eyes were glued to Fang Zhao as he carefully observed his classmate's every move and expression. He felt that he was close to attaining the short-term goal he had set for himself while studying at HuangArt.The Chinese equivalent of "kindly" is usually associated with the elderly.

Chapter 348: Realizing a Short-Term Goal

After the Galaxy Awards prize ceremony, Fang Zhao's name recognition was boosted yet again. Both journalists who were part of and outside the establishment showered praise on him.

If any big star in the entertainment industry was made the topic of the day, these media types would typically feud to no end, yet this time, they all stuck to the same script.

Why was that?

The circumstances were different. One had to pick one's battles. The pundits weren't stupid enough to bicker over this one. Regardless of whether or not Fang Zhao had simply been lucky in providing the breakthrough to curing the Hull virus, the results were what they were. He had received an official commendation. He had picked up his prize. Even if they wanted to take issue with Fang Zhao, now was not the time. They could only hold back for now. There would be plenty of other opportunities down the road. Who knows, they might have something on Fang Zhao next time.

The director of the Hull virus documentary intended to capitalize on Fang Zhao's popularity. Government-owned media outlets on every continent were already pushing the documentary, generating plenty of headlines, but the director's fear was that few readers would actually go to see the documentary.

The name "Fang Zhao" guaranteed traffic, which meant more potential viewers.

To give the documentary broader exposure, the director shot a short film that used Fang Zhao's new song as the score. Fang Zhao's authorship of the song was highlighted.

Nanfeng was peeved when he found out.

Nanfeng voiced his concerns to Fang Zhao directly. "So it turns out that high-class shows like this will hitch a ride on someone's popularity too. Isn't it a bit underhanded?"

But as far as Fang Zhao was concerned, as long as they meant well, he wasn't going to quibble with the director or the team over their calculated moves.

Fang Zhao was happy to see more people learn of the Hull virus and the stories of the strong family members who supported the patients.

The first trailer that the production team for the documentary released was about three minutes long.

A mournful piano solo conveyed sadness and a heavy heart.

A stifling mood permeated the darkness, as if the world were deep in slumber.

Hull-virus patients experienced an out-of-body experience of sorts. They couldn't express themselves. They couldn't experience the world, so they didn't feel sadness and pain. Those who suffered the most were their immediate family.

As far as the immediate family members of Hull-virus patients were concerned, the world was a mean place, but they had no choice but to confront it head-on.

They were forced to abandon their own life plans, like the power couple of Ming Cang and wife, for example. They gave up their promotions and bright futures so they could track down a cure and diligently keep vigil, hoping that Lady Luck would pay them a visit.

But when would that day arrive?

Nobody knew.

Maybe their children would recover tomorrow—or never.

Human beings weren't afraid of hardship. What they feared the most was the lack of courage and determination.

A man squatted in a corner smoking a cigarette and taking in the picture of his 5-year-old daughter, who wore a blank expression. He tugged his collar over his lips, which were frozen pale, got up, and shivered in the relentless winter breeze. He had to get back to his life.

After a long night of entertaining, a middle-aged man reeking of alcohol and vomit returned home to his stone-like, expressionless child. His shoulders collapsed and he stormed into the bathroom. He washed his face with cold water and stared into the mirror with his bloodshot eyes. How much longer can you keep your sh*t together?

A mother sat on the seat of a swing, watching squealing children scamper in the park. Her eyes turned tearful. She dusted off her dress, left, and leaned on a railing, her eyes filled with fear.

A gray-haired couple steered a wheelchair-bound young man out of the hospital and into the quiet streets as they slowly made their way home.

...

Not everyone was as well-off as Ming Cang and his wife. There were so, so many folks who had already been suffocated by the cruelties and hardships of life. For them, the world was a brutal place. Fate was a form of torture, a multitude of setbacks, painful and full of desperation. In one fleeting moment, they had contemplated giving up. They had wanted an end to it all.

"Life is an extended wait. Everyone is waiting for something important or meaningful. It could be a certain person, a single utterance, a belief, or an opportunity."

"We're prepared to wait for our whole lives."

"Thankfully, Lady Luck shined on us this time. Our break has finally arrived!"

A letter arrived informing them that there had been a breakthrough in the battle against the Hull virus and that their loved ones qualified for an upcoming clinical trial.

Three years ago, the release of the four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series had provided the missing link in the race to cure the Hull virus.

At that time a sea of changes had occurred in many corners of the world. But the world was a vast place, and the breakthrough had been kept under wraps and news reports censored. People had stopped paying attention and the news had soon been forgotten.

But unbeknownst to the world, the ripple that Fang Zhao had caused had been changing the lives of many families, of whole communities.

So much had changed over the span of three years.

The man who used to cower in a corner nursing a cigarette now raced to the mountaintop in anticipation of the imminent daybreak. He admired the sunrise and basked in the sunlight enveloping the landscape, gearing himself up for a hopeful day.

The gray-haired old man removed his hands from his worn pockets and broke into a brisk walk, beaming. Tomorrow will be a better day.

It was their dogged determination, strength, and sense of responsibility that got them through the dark days.

The seemingly simple melody that played in the background had a glowing effect, splashing vibrant colors onto what had been a dull canvas, creating a rich, layered, and sharp image.

After countless sleepless nights, the family members of the Hull-virus patients could finally see the light of day and kick back a bit.

For those Hull-virus patients who had been fortunate enough to stick around for a cure, regardless of their age, they were experiencing their senses and expressing their emotions for the first time. It was like being a newborn. They were clueless about life, not having enjoyed bliss or endured suffering yet.

Their experiences from now on would enable their growth and make them strong and patient. Perhaps they might choose a less-traveled, more painful path at some point, but this much was sure: their lives would be rich and colorful.

The cheerful melody soared high, a glimmer of light in the dark seas breaking through the surface of the water and rising alongside the sun.

Fang Zhao hoped the Hull-virus patients who had received a second lease on life were filled with gratitude, remembered their purpose in life, and never strayed from the righteous path.

Fish swarmed through the waters while eagles scaled the skies. Fang Zhao hoped the recovered patients would face their uncertain futures bravely.

There were also researchers and medical personnel to thank. There was too much to say. Fang Zhao had packed his message in a song.

Musicians of a certain aptitude could quickly decode the theme of a piece even if they couldn't figure out the composer's exact message. That was why Old Jo had been able to instantly tell that Fang Zhao's score had been written specifically for the documentary.

But the message was most likely lost on the masses, who weren't interested in analyzing the piece. The name Fang Zhao alone was enough to pique their curiosity.

That was why the director of the documentary had listed Fang Zhao among the credits at the end of the trailer. This move had done the trick.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao's next door neighbor Will applied for a leave of absence from his classes. He was going to hole up for a week to paint. He intended to skip the next week of classes.

His instructors were happy to accommodate him.

To have enough inspiration and ideas to paint behind closed doors was a good thing. It proved that the artist had made progress during his studies at HuangArt.

The instructors at HuangArt were all giants in the industry. At their level, besides their own accomplishments, bragging rights also hung on the quality of their students.

If their students produced outstanding pieces during their programs, it reflected well on them too.

One of Will's instructors, a highly respected senior professor at HuangArt, called immediately after receiving Will's application for leave.

"Will, you're going into hiding?"

"Yes, so I can achieve my short-term goal."

The old professor paused briefly. Who was Will painting again? I think he mentioned it in his study plan. But the professor interrupted his train of thought, instead asking, "Is this going to be a tough assignment? If you're stuck, you mustn't keep things to yourself, Will. We can talk it over and figure out a solution."

"I've gotten over my hump," Will responded.

"Good, good."

After hanging up, the old professor rummaged through Will's lesson plan. He was getting old and becoming absent minded. The old man struggled to keep track of anything other than his own work.

Still, when he noticed Will's short-term goal was a portrait of Fang Zhao, he cringed.

He was sick of the name. The old geezers in the music department had been flaunting it to him constantly.

"There are so many talented students at HuangArt who span disciplines. Why Fang Zhao?"

Because he was a celebrity? Because he had high market value?

No, Will wasn't that shallow.

"Ah, probably because he lives close by."

Chapter 349: "My Neighbor"

The documentary was still being made, but its marketing campaign had already kicked off. The first step in the campaign, a three-minute trailer, drew quite a bit of attention because of the Fang Zhao effect.

"So I hear that Fang Zhao wrote the score for the trailer? That's awesome. Are there any music professionals out there? How is the score? Let's hear some professional analysis."

"I'm not a professional and I can't offer professional comment, but I think the score sounds good. Coupled with the trailer, it's quite a moving combination. Sigh, it's not easy being a Hull-virus patient or the family member of one."

"Are there any Hull-virus-related charity events going on? I want to donate to the researchers, but I can't find anything online. I wonder if they have enough funding? I hear the treatments they offer are all free."

"There's no need for donations. The major research institutes behind the cure are all backed by major investment funds. Such an important project like curing the Hull virus isn't short on funding. What they lack is the right talent."

"It's time to study medicine. No, I mean to study music, so we can save lives like Fang Zhao."

"Let's be down-to-earth and stick to medicine. After all, only one Fang Zhao has surfaced in the 500-odd years of the New Era."

Other folks had other concerns.

"The director of the documentary said that the score was an in-kind donation from Fang Zhao. Does that mean Fang Zhao composed a song for the documentary without charging a single cent?"

"Something like that. After all, documentary filmmakers need to hire folks to compose their scores. Master-level musicians don't come cheap at all."

"Fang Zhao's market value is something to be reckoned with, no? A commissioned piece from him should cost at least 10 million dollars, no? I remember he sold a piece for 10 million at one point. That's 10 million we're talking about! And he made the offer without a thought."

"Ten million is low. How long ago was that? His fee will definitely go up now that he's won the Supernova Award. Plus he is immensely popular now. The filmmakers behind the documentary clearly wanted to use Fang Zhao to draw attention. I don't know what level of artistic mastery Fang Zhao has reached right now, but in terms of market value, he must command a lot more than 10 million, at least twice as much. The director of the documentary was smart. Think about how much of his marketing budget he saved with Fang Zhao's gift."

"Fang Zhao is like a god. One moment he's taking the gaming world by storm, the other he's mining and battling beasts on a foreign planet. Before you know it, he's starring in a blockbuster TV series—and his songs can cure diseases? I haven't rested my knees since the day I started following this star."

"I wonder what Fang Zhao will endorse next."

For most people, the curing of the Hull virus was just a casual topic of conversation. They quickly moved onto something else, even though it was widely covered by major news outlets and there was the Fang Zhao factor. Anything that didn't concern their immediate interests was trivial. They would move on after dwelling on it briefly.

Meanwhile, the Hull-virus patients and their immediate families treated Fang Zhao as a savior. Ming Cang had said in public on many occasions that he would lend Fang Zhao his unconditional support on many matters. Their gratitude was not something outsiders could comprehend.

Due to the latest round of saturated news coverage, the four movements of the "100-Year Period of Destruction" series, which folks dubbed the key to curing the Hull virus, rose in value.

Silver Wing Media, Fang Zhao's management company, took advantage as well. Polar Light, the first-generation Silver Wing virtual idol that was already somewhat passe, started trending within Yanzhou again.

Online discussion picked up as well.

"Does Fang Zhao own the rights to the four movements of his '100-Year Period of Destruction' series or does Silver Wing? Has he sold the rights to any of the movements?"

"If not, I'm thinking their market value has just doubled."

"Bullsh*t! I think it at least tripled."

"Speaking of which, I remember that idiot from Leizhou, Mr. Z, bought the rights to the third movement for a movie of his."

"Are you talking about Zaro, that generator of trashy movies? A crappy film paired with a godly score. What an insult!"

"We Leizhou natives are used to it."

"I just searched for that Zaro movie and watched it. To be perfectly honest, the part of the film that used the third movement of the '100-Year Period of Destruction' score kind of stood out. It was quite good. The scenes were especially epic and mindblowing. Those armored vehicles were the real thing!"

"Really? Let me search for it too. What's the name of the movie?"

"It's called 'God of War'."

So viewers dug out and watched a film that even Zaro himself had forgotten about. Within a short time frame, the film racked up enough fresh views to push it into the top 10 on Leizhou's biggest video-streaming website.

When Zaro saw the data his agent showed him, he was blown away.

"This hardcore? That can't be the case. In terms of driving traffic, I can certainly rival Fang Zhao!" Zaro was convinced there was something wrong with the data.

Zaro's agent stared at his client with a blank expression. "Why don't you read the news more often? You've barely been skimming the entertainment headlines recently," he said as he brought up stories from major news outlets about the Hull virus and Fang Zhao's Supernova win on his tablet.

Zaro scanned the stories quickly. He looked like he had just witnessed a 10-ton elephant take off in flight.

Lately, Zaro had been busy reading several novels and scripts that Woo Tianhao had passed to him. The duo had had a good time dabbling in garlic speculation and now were planning on investing in a movie project together.

The past two days, Zaro had been mulling over how to use garlic to improve his acting. Then he'd heard about the spike in the views of "God of War."

Zaro also read some of the online comments, which left him fuming.

"What do they mean that donating to charity is better than splurging on a crappy movie? I spend my money how I like. How am I getting in their way by having a good time? Did I dip into their savings? I've never been late on a single tax payment. These folks have nothing better to fidget over."

"It's 'fuss over'."

"Huh?"

"Forget it, fidget it is, then." Zaro's agent tried to calm his client, who had rolled up his sleeves and was gearing up for a war of words. "Cool down, Senior Master! You know, no amount of words is a substitute for action. You have to let everyone know that you have ambition too."

Zaro interrupted his agent immediately. "I'm well-off and hail from a powerful family. What's wrong with talking about scoring chicks, reading novels, and speculating on garlic? Why are you talking to me about ambition?"

Zaro's agent: "..." Are you trying to piss me to death so you can go shopping for a new agent?

Oblivious to the terrified look on his agent's face, Zaro felt he had been maligned. He felt that he had been on good behavior, keeping a low profile. Who could have known that he'd get attacked for holing up at home reading novels?

"It's all Fang Zhao's fault!" Still, Zaro was full of confidence. "Just wait until this business about the Hull virus dies down. Fang Zhao won't be trending again. Without government media taking the lead—and given how quickly entertainment headlines change—who's gonna remember him in a few days?"

The agent had no qualms about taking Zaro down a notch. "Festival and awards season is about to begin. Fang Zhao did a good job in 'Founding Era.' It's very likely he'll pick up an award."

"Film festivals? Let me be clear: I'm not going to attend any that aren't high class enough."

The agent: "..." Who the f*ck cares whether you attend or not? None of the prestigious festivals sent you invites on their own initiative. I had to use my connections to get them.

But all Zaro's agent did was keep these thoughts to himself. If he actually voiced them, Zaro would be royally pissed off. Zaro's agent never bothered volunteering information that upset his boss.

But just as Zaro's agent had pointed out, Fang Zhao was flooded with invites from film festivals big and small from all around the world. He had only been in a TV series and had yet to appear in a movie, but he still got invitations from film festivals. Some of the organizers were hoping to work with him on projects, while others wanted to hitch a ride on his recent star power. But Fang Zhao turned down most of the invites. He was busy.

The Twelve Tones program was not a walk in the park. The course load wasn't heavy, but there were a ton of assignments. After penning the song for the Hull-virus documentary, he had to write a lengthy paper. The paper accounted for a big chunk of his grade. If he didn't achieve a certain GPA, he wouldn't be able to graduate.

Nanfeng had briefed him on the online commentary, but Fang Zhao hadn't paid much attention. Even though there were plenty of news stories about him, this much he and Zaro agreed on: it would die down in a few days.

Even though all these TV and film festivals were coming up, some of which Fang Zhao would attend, by that time, every celebrity would be angling for a piece of the action. The publicity teams for many top stars had been gearing up already, but who knew this Hull virus business would land Fang Zhao in the entertainment headlines again. But that was a fluke. These crack teams were going to go all out in the days that followed. Let's see who shines the brightest on the red carpet eventually. After such an extended shoot on Planet Wai, many members of the "Founding Era" cast felt it was their turn in the limelight.

Yet no one, including Fang Zhao, would have guessed that the name that was slowly being crowded out would dominate entertainment headlines once again a week later.

A week later, Fang Zhao's neighbor Will finally emerged from hiding.

He had been holed up in his dorm room for seven straight days. Apart from attending to his bodily functions, all Will had done was paint. By the time he left his room, he was a shade of his previous self, barely able to stand on all fours. He had lost a ton of weight, as if he had just survived a major illness, yet he was in great spirits and looked relaxed.

Will showed his painting to his adviser after emerging from hiding.

The first time the old professor laid eyes on the painting, he was so shocked that he struggled to find words.

The crooked outline looked quite over-the-top, but somehow, it came together nicely. The extensive use of black, in contrast to the white canvas, lent passion and mystique to the piece, which was so dynamic and full of tension. If someone stared at the painting, they would feel as if they had just succumbed to a bewildering blow; they'd have no idea what had just hit them.

The old professor glared at the painting for some time before taking a deep breath. He asked Will, "Can I keep the original for a few days? I want to take a good look at it."

Will nodded decisively. "Sure."

After getting Will's permission, the old professor took the painting home. Wanting to brag and to get a second opinion, he invited an old friend over to have a look.

"'My Neighbor'? Who's Will's neighbor?" the friend asked.

"Fang Zhao. You know, the guy who was all over the place a while back. He's in Will's class. He's the youngest student in the program this year," the old professor explained.

"What's so interesting about Fang Zhao? But is he really like that in real life? The portrait gives off a weird vibe. It's kind of spooky too."

"I confirmed with Will. It's Fang Zhao all right."

"Wow. I never would have guessed that Will would take this approach. This is a significant improvement. The sketching is superb—and he has gone beyond putting idea to paper. It's so rare to have this level of enlightenment at this age. This should be put on display so that the other art academies can see what our Twelve Tones students are made of!"

"Well, that's up to Will. Once it's on display on campus, buyers will soon beckon."

"Then let's put it up for auction. The painting will definitely fetch a good price. That is, if Will is willing to sell."

So, painting in hand, the old professor personally paid Will a visit to see if would be willing to put the piece up for auction on HuangArt's auction website.

HuangArt selected outstanding student works every week to put on display. If the artists agreed, the pieces would be put up for auction as well.

"Go ahead and put it on display and up for auction," said an emotionless Will.

The old professor was quite baffled by Will's casual attitude. "You're willing to part with it now? You don't want to keep it for a few years?"

"No," Will responded firmly.

The old professor wanted to confirm Will's intentions. "It took a great deal of effort and reflection to produce this painting. Are you sure you want to sell it right after you've finished it?"

Will seemed confused. "This was only my short-term goal. Painting Fang Zhao is only the first step. My ultimate goal is actually to draw his dog."

As far as Will was concerned, painting Fang Zhao was only a transition. Been there, done that. Why keep the painting around?

Speaking of which, it dawned on Will that it was time to ask Fang Zhao if he could borrow that dog.

Chapter 350: Alien

Will had indeed struggled to read Fang Zhao, but he had been able to capture the complexity of his inner turmoil—not entirely, but at least a part of it. That was already a big success. To capture the full extent of Fang Zhao's complexity would require further refinement of his painting skills.

So for Will, the painting was a form of incremental progress, the equivalent of a draft. He hadn't taken it too seriously.

Will had attained his short-term goal of tackling a portrait of Fang Zhao. At least Fang Zhao was within his grasp. He could produce some semblance of a portrait of Fang Zhao. But Curly Hair fell outside his comfort zone.

Others might not be able to detect that complexity. More often than not, Will only sensed that the dog was a bit special, but when he picked up his paintbrush, he realized that he had no idea where to start. The more he pondered the matter, the more confused he got. This was a challenge unlike any other he had faced before. No one had taught him how to handle a problem like this; it was something he had never thought about. After considering the matter some more, he had decided to start with the dog's owner.

And this was an idea that had come from his cousin, a dog owner himself. Will remembered that his cousin had once said that a dog's personality, to some extent, came from its master. That was why Will had painted Fang Zhao. Now it was time to study the dog again.

Yet he was still clueless as to where to begin.

After another round of brainstorming, Will decided to borrow Curly Hair for a brief time. He might get more insight after a period of close contact with the dog.

But Will knew he wasn't a dog lover. He had never wanted a dog before. He thought they were too much trouble. He had even been bitten by a dog once. He had not harbored any affection for a dog since he'd been a kid. Now that he decided to have a dog, he made a rare call home.

The person who answered was Will's father, Will Sr.

Will's new piece had caught the attention of masters in the art world, and word had traveled to Will Sr. He was quite proud and had just bragged about the news to a few old friends. He was still wearing a broad smile when he got the call from his son.

"What is it? Have you run into a problem?" said Will Sr. in an unusually pleasant tone.

"There is indeed a problem," Will said.

Will Sr. was intrigued. "Tell me."

"I want to have a dog."

Will's comment caught his father completely off guard. Will Sr. nearly dropped the teacup he was holding. Incredulous, he was scared more than surprised.

"You're going to scoop dog poop with your drawing hand?"

Will kept his cool. "I won't have to clean up myself. I did some research. Now, there are AI robots that can do the job and other related equipment that can ease the owner's burden. I won't have to do stuff like clean up poop myself."

"Don't you remember that you were bitten by a dog?" Will Sr. said.

"I don't have amnesia." Will maintained his composure, speaking as if he were bringing up a mundane matter. "There's no law that says you can't have a dog after you've been bitten by one."

"Tell me the truth. Why exactly do you want to have a dog?" Will Sr. asked.

"For inspiration. I can't draw a dog, so I want to try close contact with one."

"You've been enrolled in the Twelve Tones program for some time now and you can't even draw a dog?" Will Sr. scolded.

Even though he struck a hostile tone, Will Sr. knew his son well. He knew that Will had to have his reasons. Maybe he did genuinely need to borrow a dog to find inspiration and resolve his impasse.

"How long are you going to keep your dog for?" Will Sr. asked.

"I don't know. Probably until I can paint the dog." Will sounded unusually troubled. It felt horrible being stuck. Why would he bother taking care of a dog if he could already draw one? It was too much hassle. But Will wasn't sure when he would be able to produce a painting.

Will Sr. dropped his objections but voiced other concerns. "What kind of dog do you want to have? Don't pick a big dog. When big dogs bite, they kill."

"A small dog."

"That's good." Will Sr. breathed a sigh of relief. "Bring it over some time."

"I haven't gotten the dog yet."

"Who are you borrowing it from?"

"Fang Zhao."

When the latest class of the Twelve Tones program had been announced, Will Sr. had looked into Fang Zhao, who struck him as being exceptionally young. Plus, Fang Zhao and Will were neighbors. Will Sr. had done some research online, and he knew that Fang Zhao had a very expensive dog.

Will Sr. pondered for another few seconds. "I'm going to send over another servant. You also need a nutritionist."

"For the dog?"

"For you!" Will Sr. wanted to hang up on his son.

Will was mentally exhausted from holing up all this time for his Fang Zhao portrait. He struck everyone as being in poor health. He needed someone to look after him, and he needed to rest.

Father and son discussed the matter of the dog some more. Will accepted his father's suggestion to call one of their relatives to ask for advice on having a dog. The relative recommended a popular web channel dedicated to dog rearing. The host broadcast his dog training sessions live and offered tips to novice dog owners.

When Will clicked on the link, the host was disciplining a dog and launching into a spiel at the same time:

"I like smart dogs but not cunning dogs. What's the difference? Smart dogs do what you ask. Cunning dogs ignore your instructions. Smart dogs are of the cuddly and adorable variety, while cunning dogs are little demons."

Will thought about the dog next door. Based on his current understanding, Curly Hair belonged to the cuddly and adorable category.

To prepare for his upcoming dog ownership, Will pulled out a notebook and started taking notes.

[Curly Hair type: cuddly and adorable]

The host continued in his live webcast: "Most dogs are afraid of heights."

Will jotted a reminder in his notebook not to walk Curly Hair on high ground.

"Dogs like to be fondled, but don't fondle the butt or tail of a dog whose personality you don't know well."

No touching! Definitely not! Will jotted down this point with force. He was still haunted by the memory of being bitten by a dog as a child.

"Dogs like to chew and bite."

Gotta hide all my pens.

And they like to tear stuff?

Gotta hide my most important documents, especially my paintings. As for the rest, so be it.

"There's a saying from the Old Era that dogs can't help eating shit..."

Gotta lock my bathroom door too!

...

While Will was preparing for dog ownership, an online news item sparked heated discussion.

Will's HuangArt professor posted Will's painting on the school's website and made it available for auction.

After the portrait was posted online, it began drawing the attention of fellow artists. The number of bids rose quickly. Within a day, the portrait was going for 30 million dollars.

Paintings that were posted by HuangArt as one of its featured pieces were the works of either masters or very talented students. It was not unheard of for a painting to go for as much as 30 million, but when pieces attracted such bids in the past, it was typically from other artists, collectors, or investors. Other folks wouldn't pay attention, nor would they express interest.

There were two reasons this particular painting was able to draw attention from every continent in a short period: the style was unusual and, more importantly, the subject was Fang Zhao.

"'My Neighbor'? Whose neighbor looks like that? His facial features are leaping from the canvas! It's gonna scare children."

"Hahahaha, who is Will's neighbor? Poor thing being depicted this way."

"According to my auntie who works at HuangArt, Will's neighbor is Fang Zhao."

"That's impossible!"

"According to credible sources, the neighbor is indeed Fang Zhao."

"F*ck! That looks nothing like Fang Zhao!"

"This is worth 30 million? My niece in primary school can paint like that."

"Not to brag, but I could produce 10 paintings like this in a day!"

"Then why don't you paint one?"

"So this is what they call an abstract painting?"

"Isn't Will Sr. a surrealist painter? I remember him saying that he wanted Will to take after him. Even if Will doesn't become a surrealist, he's not an abstract painter. This is a major detour."

"Nowadays, painters just follow the money. What you hate, others like. Surrealism was indeed popular in Will Sr.'s time, but now the elite prefer abstract paintings. That's why Will switched gears. Look, the bids for his portrait broke 30 million in a day. The bids are going to keep going up."

"I don't really get the aesthetic standards of you artists."

"A regular Joe like me can't understand abstract paintings. They're no fun. I prefer surreal paintings. Who was it that painted a portrait of Fang Zhao last time? I thought he did a good job."

"A year-one student at my art academy just drew a sketch of Fang Zhao. [picture]"

"That sketch wouldn't pass muster in our class. It's so superficial and empty. Other than the fact that it looks like Fang Zhao, there's nothing there."

Some of the onlookers were confused. "So... apart from resemblance, what other elements are we looking for?"

"Of course something deeper, something philosophical. There's a reason why Will's painting got so expensive. The more I study it, the more of a heart-thumping, dazzling effect it has."

"I'm bedazzled too. Even a painting like this is worth 30 million? I feel dizzy, my eyes are blurry, and my heart is racing. I want to have a painting auctioned too!"

"Even if it's a decent painting, the pricing is a bit high."

"Hype! It's definitely hype!"

There were the naysayers—and defenders as well.

"That's actually not the case. My uncle put in a bid too. He's not a painter and he doesn't really understand the painting, but he's a businessman. He is quite rosy about the painting's commercial prospects."

"True. The painter is a rising star and the subject is likewise a genius artist. Fang Zhao is a trending topic."

"But the way Will portrays Fang Zhao is really spooky. He looks like an alien."

"Hahahaha, there you go. My question has been answered—the reason why Fang Zhao kicks ass at everything is because he's an alien!"

"Will, does Fang Zhao know you painted him like this?"

"Paging 'Alien' Fang Zhao!"

The focus of the discussion shifted again, this time from the pricing of the painting to Fang Zhao's new nickname. But amid all the playful banter, no one took things seriously. This was simply a form of entertainment.

In addition, the matter died down quickly, replaced by the latest headlines from the entertainment industry and news about new celebrity ventures and projects.

Oblivious of the online chatter, Will pressed the doorbell to Fang Zhao's dorm room after taking dozens of pages of notes on dog rearing.

Chapter 351: Borrowing a Dog

Nanfeng answered the door.

When he realized that the visitor was the genius painter who was enjoying his moment of fame at the academy, Nanfeng was delighted, his previous concerns about Will cast aside. He wore an enthusiastic smile, a contrast to Will's pale and serious expression, which Will had maintained since coming out of hiding.

This is a master who produced a painting worth 30 million dollars, after all! You can't judge him like a normal person.

"Hello, Master Will!"

After inviting Will in, what Nanfeng wanted to do was ask him about his painting, but he knew his place as an assistant and he was aware that Will was a quiet fellow, so he held back.

After entering Fang Zhao's dorm room, Will scanned his surroundings. He was quite disappointed when he didn't spot Curly Hair, and he frowned.

But Nanfeng was already used to Will's constantly disgruntled look. After pouring the guest a cup of tea, he snuck away to the kitchen to prepare his boss's dinner. He had to put on a good showing. In a few days, Fang Zhao would be bringing him along to film festivals. That meant walking the red carpet.

Fang Zhao was quite taken aback by Will's sudden visit. He knew about the portrait. Will had mentioned it to him and he had signed off on it. Fang Zhao had also learned from Nanfeng that the painting had been posted on HuangArt's website and was fetching prices of up to 30 million.

Fang Zhao hadn't been following the news online. He had papers to write and other assignments to attend to. He was scheduled to attend a few film festivals soon, so he had to clear his desk before then. It would be easier to ask for time off that way. He had already turned down all interviews about the Hull virus so that the spotlight would be on the research and medical personnel. He just made for a nice prelude. There was no need to blow his story out of proportion.

After Fang Zhao sat down on his sofa, a yawning Curly Hair also emerged from his room and lay down by his owner's feet. He didn't give Will so much as a glance, because he didn't need to. He could tell who the visitor was by smell and figure out what that visitor had brought with him.

Meanwhile, Will's gaze lingered on Curly Hair for quite some time before he told Fang Zhao the purpose of his visit.

"You want to borrow my dog?" It was the first time Fang Zhao had run into a situation like this. He had never considered Will an animal lover. Even though Will's gaze lingered on Curly Hair constantly, Fang Zhao never detected any envy in him, nor the affection toward animals seen in animal lovers. The gaze was more a gaze of curiosity and novelty. That was why Fang Zhao froze when he heard Will's request.

Curly Hair snorted a few times.

Will wore a serious expression on his face, his whole presence oozing a sense of determination that said he wasn't kidding.

"I want to paint a dog—your dog, to be specific—but I can't. I'm thinking close contact will stimulate and inspire me. That's why I want to borrow the dog."

"If it's more contact you want, I can send Curly Hair over to your room more frequently. We're neighbors, after all," Fang Zhao said.

"No," Will said with a shake of his head. "What I mean is close contact, up-close observation."

Nanfeng, who was chopping veggies in the kitchen and eavesdropping at the same time, couldn't help sending a glare Will's way.

Will continued, "He's so difficult to paint. That's why I want to take some time to observe the real him. If I can walk the dog regularly, that would be even better. I hear that exercise helps a dog express its personality. Oh, I almost forgot, what are his hobbies?"

Fang Zhao: "..."

He couldn't tell Will that this dog was addicted to gaming.

"What's his personality like?" Will asked.

Fang Zhao: "..."

Fang Zhao felt it was better to keep Will in the dark.

Yet Will kept pressing on earnestly. On the rare occasion that he talked, Will looked like he was having a scholarly debate. He even took out a pen and a notebook to jot down Fang Zhao's responses. Perhaps the answers would be the key to Will finding his inspiration.

But Fang Zhao's silence led to a look of utter disappointment on Will's face. So it turns out that Fang Zhao doesn't even know the answer to these questions.

An awkward silence settled in.

At a loss as to what to say, Will opened his notebook and said, "You don't have to worry about the dog not being well cared for. My family will be sending over help. I am bringing in experts to look after him. They're arriving tonight. Also, these are some notes I have taken."

Fang Zhao accepted the notebook Will handed over and leafed through its pages. He could tell from the notes that Will had done his homework. He wasn't all talk, even though nearly none of his notes applied to Curly Hair.

"As for dog food, I'll only buy the best. I've started looking at kennels too. I'll buy whatever he likes right away!" To show his sincerity, Will even offered to sign a dog-loan contract.

Fang Zhao returned the notebook and pondered. "Let me think it over."

Fang Zhao's response got Will panicking. He was about to mouth on when Fang Zhao raised his hand to stop him.

"I'll have a decision by tomorrow at 9 a.m."

Will could only back down. When he got up to leave, he kept looking back at Curly Hair.

Nanfeng emerged from the kitchen after Will left.

"Boss, you have to think carefully before you decide!" Nanfeng didn't want Fang Zhao to loan out his dog.

What's the big deal about a 30-million-dollar painting? My boss's dog is worth 200 million! You can't just loan him out like that!

A pet dog like Curly Hair is weak and defenseless. Will can barely take care of himself; how can he take care of a dog?

What if Curly Hair dies under his watch?

Setting aside the prospect of illness or death, what if Curly Hair suffers from psychological trauma or some type of invisible damage? There'll be no going back.

This is the only 200-million-dollar pet dog in the world.

"Plus, Will doesn't come across as a reliable fellow. I think he must be psycho beneath his cool, cold exterior."

Fang Zhao waved Nanfeng away. "I have my own considerations."

Taking note of Fang Zhao's reluctance to discuss the matter further, Nanfeng shut up. The first key to being a trusted aide was to listen to his boss. He had to go where his boss pointed and do what his boss said. Even if his boss made the wrong decision, he would have to follow suit.

At around dusk, the servant and nutritionist that Will had mentioned arrived. Apart from them, there were also two bodyguards. They didn't move into Will's dorm, staying at HuangArt's guest house instead. They were close by and could rush over on short notice.

Inside Will's dorm room, Will was curious about the suitcase the nutritionist carried.

"What's in the suitcase?"

"Rabies shots," the nutritionist responded.

"For the dog?"

"No, for you, in case you're bitten by the dog."

Will fell silent. He recalled how terrified he'd been as a child when he had been bitten.

But soon, his desire to produce great art nipped his fear in the bud. Before art, everything else was secondary. Not to mention that Curly Hair always seemed well behaved in Fang Zhao's room. He never bit. He wouldn't have any use for the rabies shots.

Next door, after his room had been cleared of outsiders, Fang Zhao locked his door and windows to have a chat with Curly Hair.

Given Curly Hair's current level of comprehension, he could understand and follow what Will had said and what was going on next door.

"Even though Will doesn't seem reliable, he's a good man. He doesn't have any bad intentions."

Curly Hair began whining on the floor, a picture of reluctance.

Fang Zhao continued, "I can add a small hole to my door. You can hang out in Will's room during the day and eat there, then come back in the evening to sleep."

Curly Hair kept whining, although at a lower volume.

"Also, I have to head out of town in a few days for film festivals. You know about this. Do you want to come with me or stay here?"

Curly Hair stopped whining and started wagging his tail as if he was pondering the question.

If Fang Zhao's travels were to seek inspiration for his music, Curly Hair would definitely tag along. But film festivals were super crowded. He didn't like the hustle and bustle. People were so casual these days. He might get fondled all the time—and he wouldn't be able to bite back.

After a rudimentary exchange, Fang Zhao was able to figure out Curly Hair's intentions. I don't wanna go. I wanna stay home and play games!

"Don't game all day." The stern reprimand sent Curly Hair cowering again.

After weighing the pros and cons, Fang Zhao made a decision.

Will showed up the next morning, dark circles around his eyes from a sleepless night of worrying.

"You can borrow the dog," Fang Zhao said.

The comment jolted Will. His eyes lit up. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet. I have my conditions."

Fang Zhao outlined his conditions. He would add a dog hole to his door. Curly Hair would spend the day in Will's room and return to Fang Zhao's room in the evening.

"I'll be heading out of town in a few days. We can go by this contract on those days." If Will did a good job, he would have more access to the dog. If Curly Hair fell sick, then having more access would be out of the question.

"Rest assured! I won't let him starve. I'm gonna go buy dog food now. What brand does he prefer? Is there anything else I need to prepare?"

Will took out his notebook and started taking notes. He also gave Curly Hair a quick pat on the back, using the stroke he had practiced on his model dog for more than 10 hours.

Will quickly withdrew his hand when he noticed Curly Hair baring his white teeth. In a cautious tone, he asked Fang Zhao, "Is he trying to bite me?"

"No, he's just being friendly."

Will: "R-really?"

Childhood trauma cast a lasting shadow.

To move things along, Will went for a walk with Curly Hair right after he signed the loan agreement with Fang Zhao.

Two bodyguards hired by Will Senior trailed not far behind. This was a 200-million-dollar dog, after all. Even if the HuangArt campus was quite secure, they had to play it safe. Will and his father would have to make a major payout if the dog was kidnapped. The bodyguards were also there to protect Will from being bitten.

People who knew Will well were blown away by the scene.

How could Will possibly have a dog? Has he forgotten that terrible incident from his childhood?

How could someone so prone to being bitten by dogs have a dog?

What if the dog bites off one of his fingers or damages the muscles in one of his arms? His career would be ruined!

Who cares about inspiration?

Is he willing to put his life on the line for art?

The skeptics baffled Will. All I did was borrow a dog so I can find inspiration for my work. Why is everyone responding like it's the end of the world?

"This dog is a good boy. Really, it's not aggressive! It doesn't bite!" Will explained repeatedly.

Chapter 352: Film Festival

According to the loan agreement, if Will was free in the day, Fang Zhao would let Curly Hair go over.

When Will was writing his thesis, Curly Hair would lie down and nap inside the newly bought kennel. During mealtimes, he would be called out to eat, and he would put on a leash and go for a walk in the afternoons. After the walk, Curly Hair would return to Fang Zhao's place and game throughout the night.

Fang Zhao had told Curly Hair not to game the whole day, so Curly Hair would play games at night and sleep during the day.

After trying out keeping Curly Hair for two days, Will felt that keeping a dog was very simple. Fang Zhao had said there was no need for him to bathe the dog or make arrangements for someone to trim Curly Hair's nails. All he needed to do was provide board and lodging and keeping an eye on Curly Hair on walks. It was that simple.

When Will spoke to his family over the phone, Will even said, "That dog is really well behaved. He doesn't gnaw on the sofa, doesn't damage the furniture, and doesn't destroy my paintings. He doesn't bark for no reason, and he knows to defecate in the designated area. He sits obediently and doesn't move when I comb his hair. In my workstation, he is especially quiet, though he eats quite a lot."

Will believed that everything that was said online was wrong. Clearly, keeping a dog was very easy! There weren't any worries at all! The only thing that made Will gloomy was that he still didn't have any inspiration to pick up the brush and was still unable to draw anything when he faced a sheet of paper.

However, Will Sr. felt a lot more reassured when he heard this. "He really is much smarter than other dogs and deserves his value of 200 million. As for inspiration, it is something that can be gained but not sought. You don't have to painstakingly think about it. Perhaps it will automatically come to you after some time. You must remain patient."

Will understood what his father was saying, but he had an indescribable feeling that he would make no headway if this went on. He didn't have peace of mind, and he felt that something was lacking, but he couldn't tell say what it was.

Whatever, I'll continue keeping it this way. Perhaps it will be as father said and inspiration will come after some time.

Will Sr. then asked Will about some other matters. Knowing that everything was fine, he felt relieved. He thought nothing much about the "though he eats quite a lot" that Will had said. How much of an appetite could this tiny dog even have?

After the call, Will had only just turned around when his servant handed him an express delivery that had just arrived.

"Sir, you bought snacks for the dog again. The storeroom in your quarters is almost full to the brim with them." This servant had served Will for over 30 years, so she spoke rather casually with Will.

"The previous trending dog snacks were no good. It doesn't like to eat them. I asked Fang Zhao already; it likes snacks that are a little harder." Will unwrapped the package hurriedly and tossed an artificial bone for grinding teeth into Curly Hair's bowl.

This servant had experience keeping a dog. When she saw that bone, which simply couldn't be bitten by such a small dog, and the details on the packaging, she told Will, "This is meant for large dogs. It is a specialized snack for large dogs with great bite strength to gnaw on. Small dogs won't be able to bite..."

She hadn't yet finished when she heard "crraacck."

This so-called "specialized snack for large dogs with great bite strength to gnaw on" was treated like a biscuit by Curly Hair as he devoured it in just one bite.

The servant: "..." She subconsciously backed away from the dog.

The sounds of cracking continued. Other than Will, who was not the least bit bothered, Curly Hair's danger level rose in the hearts of the servants and bodyguards.

The servants and bodyguards also discussed this in private.

"Should we tell Master Will Sr. this first? If anything should happen, even a visit to a hospital might not be enough to completely recover."

"We have to. With this sort of bite strength, just one bite would result in a tragedy!"

"That is Master Will Jr.'s hand that created a painting worth 30 million. Does he have insurance?"

"Speaking of Master Will Jr.'s painting... I think I saw that it hit 37 million yesterday."

One bodyguard had just opened up the webpage displaying Will's art and choked out, "No... Just... just recently, it hit 40 million!"

"A 40-million-dollar painting... Master Will Jr.'s hand is really too expensive. In the future, we must absolutely prevent him from touching the dog!"

...

In a certain city in Huangzhou, an investor had just placed a bid of 40 million and officially brought this auction into the 40-million-dollar range.

Beside him, his son was extremely perplexed by his father's actions. "So, Dad, you also like this portrait? Since when did you learn to understand paintings?"

"No, I think highly of these two, Will and Fang Zhao." The investor waved his finger but didn't continue to explain. Instead, he posed his son a question: "A genius artist plus a genius rising star in both art and commerce. What do you get?"

"Two geniuses?"

"It's money!" That investor drummed his fingers on the table and stared fixedly at the figures that were slowly rising on the display. "Considering this momentum, if Fang Zhao can generate some big news at the Corale Film Festival, the value will rise further."

The investor's son didn't really understand what his father meant, but he knew of the Corale Film Festival. A quick search online yielded the latest push-notification news, and he went blank for a second.

"Huh? Fang Zhao sold his dog? He has finally sold his 200-million-dollar dog?"

Some news about Fang Zhao selling his dog had appeared online. Furthermore, there was also "photographic evidence"—the accompanying images were of Will walking the dog on a leash.

But they were people that refuted it. By now, it was common knowledge that Will and Fang Zhao were neighbors. It didn't mean that the dog had been sold. Rather, Will might have been helping walk the dog.

However, most of the online push-notification news was dominated by the Corale Film Festival. The topic of Fang Zhao selling his dog had only just appeared when it was pushed down by news of other celebrities. For example, a certain celebrity's photos at the seaside, or so-and-so appearing at a coffee shop together with someone else on Corale Island, and so on and so forth.

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao had applied for leave and was preparing to head to the Corale Archipelago to attend the Corale Film Festival.

The Corale Archipelago was a region in Huangzhou. Having gotten its name from coral, the archipelago possessed beautiful waters and colors that were really unforgettable. The Corale Film Festival, which was held there, was one of the most artistic and influential film festivals in the world. It was also the most comprehensive film festival, as it included awards for movies, serials, short films, and more. Other than the political and commercial elements, it also emphasized art, and the highest prize was the Golden Coral Award.

Nanfeng had already started making preparations even before Fang Zhao received his invitation.

"As an all-around assistant, I have already made reservations for a parking space on Corale Main. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to get a parking space and would have to park the flying transport at one of the other small islands."

Yan Biao straightened up his new bodyguard attire and chuckled as he viewed photographs of the flying transport that Nanfeng had rented. "Oh, Nanfeng, this flying transport is really excellent, a deluxe model. Renting it couldn't have been cheap, right?"

"Boss will be heading to the Corale Film Festival, the film festival that creates violent storms in the entire world's entertainment circles every year! We can't scrimp on our allocations—we can't be looked down on by others or become a laughing stock! Besides the flying transport, I have also rented a flying car. It can be driven out when we get there. Most importantly, Boss can cover the expenses, hehehe..."

Fang Zhao had seen and approved everything Nanfeng had applied for. One had to act according to the rules of whatever circle they belonged in. Nanfeng was the most familiar with film festivals, so as long as it wasn't overboard, Nanfeng's requests and activity expenditures would be approved by Fang Zhao.

"It's rumored that boss might win an award this time—best supporting role or something like that," Zuo Yu remarked as he wiped the shades in his hands before putting them on.

"How come I heard that it is probably a newcomer award?" Yan Biao went online and started to search. He didn't really know much about this stuff and didn't understand some of these awards.

Nanfeng had also hired a stylist from one of his contacts. He already had it all planned out. When they reached the Corale Archipelago, he would give Fang Zhao a new appearance every day so that he wouldn't lose out to others.

After Fang Zhao had finished giving his last lecture before setting off, he returned to his quarters to tidy up his things. He didn't bring much with him, as Nanfeng had mostly prepared everything.

Before he left, Fang Zhao headed next door to check things out.

From his past few days of observation, Fang Zhao had realized that Curly Hair was adapting very well. The little thing also seemed rather happy and was enjoying himself next door. With a lifestyle of eating, drinking, and sleeping in the day before returning home to game at night, how could he not feel refreshed?

However, Curly Hair was already controlling the amount of food he ate and drank next door to conceal his peculiarities. Now, his appetite had increased considerably and he ate as much as three large dogs put together. Therefore, after Curly Hair had eaten next door, he would still eat the dog food that Fang Zhao prepared when he returned, though nobody else knew about this.

Fang Zhao had already instructed Curly Hair on what was needed, so Fang Zhao didn't need to say much when other people were present.

Will even brought out his new shopping list to prove that he would definitely not treat Curly Hair poorly. The list was filled with dog food and treats of the expensive variety, so nutrition was guaranteed.

Nanfeng was a little worried and said, "Isn't this a little too excessive? Don't feed him till he turns into a pig."

With a straight face, Will replied, "That absolutely won't happen!" How can a dog turn into a pig? Is this man an idiot?

When Fang Zhao left the dormitory building, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were already stationed beside the car door.

Yan Biao noticed Fang Zhao carrying a wrapped-up case in his hand and hurried over to help Fang Zhao carry it. "Boss, what is this? It's rather heavy."

"Miniature aquarium," Fang Zhao replied.

Curly Hair wouldn't be coming along this time, but Fang Zhao was bringing the "rabbit" with him. Fang Zhao didn't know what Curly Hair might do to the "rabbit" if it was set free. Given Curly Hair's stomach, which could even digest a bullet, Fang Zhao reckoned that his toxin resistance would be rather high and he might be just fine eating the sea slug, at most having the runs.

Furthermore, the Corale Archipelago was surrounded by the ocean, and there would be many people keeping sea slugs on the islands so Fang Zhao wouldn't have to worry about the feed. Perhaps he could take the opportunity to look for more choices of feed, since the appetite of the "rabbit" had increased recently.

The car arrived at the transfer station and the party set off toward the Corale Archipelago in the flying transport Nanfeng had rented.

Chapter 353: Arrival

The Corale Film Festival lasted quite a long time, about half a month. Many attendees arrived ahead of time. There were also some folks like Fang Zhao who landed a few days into the festival, but they were few.

Fang Zhao was held back by class. Quite a few key sessions were clustered around a few days—not just music classes but also drawing and dance. It was as if the scheduling was intentional so that the teachers could keep their students at HuangArt for a few more days.

One student suggested in private that this was a prank on the part of the teachers.

Fang Zhao's departure was delayed by two days. By that time, the film festival had already kicked off. Entertainment headlines were dominated by the Corale Film Festival. The entertainment journalists were already flexing their limbs in celebration.

"There're bound to be reporters staking out the airport. We've gotta look our best," Nanfeng said while scrolling through the headlines on his bracelet.

Fang Zhao was easy to take care of. He always kept his hair short, and he wasn't fussy about his hairdo. Nanfang paid a hairdresser to give him a trim before their departure, and their stylist could take care of the rest. The stylist was one of Nanfeng's friends. He would be traveling with the entourage. He was responsible for Fang Zhao's entire look.

Fang Zhao wasn't a fan of too much bling. His outfit for the day was simple, but nobody could take issue with it either. This annoyed Nanfeng. It wasn't quite what he had imagined. He felt that he hadn't shown his full repertoire.

En route to the airport, Nanfeng checked in with his chat groups and showed off to a few of his old friends. He also compared notes with the other assistants from Silver Wing.

Nanfeng had been added to a Silver Wing chat group for assistants not long after he had started this job. The other assistants had been quite guarded around him at the outset because he had still been on probation. But soon enough, Nanfeng had become an insider. His boss was always at full throttle. There was a constant stream of news about Fang Zhao, which gave Nanfeng quite a bit of backbone. Fang Zhao was also in a special situation. He was on academic leave, which meant he wasn't competing directly against Silver Wing's other artists. That was also why Nanfeng had been quickly accepted as one of the boys.

There was internal competition within Silver Wing. The assistants were quite chatty, but there was no way they could reveal too much about their boss's private lives. Matters that pertained to their boss's direct interests were off-limits.

Meanwhile, several young actors were comparing notes in a chat group set up by Ji Polun.

The Corale Film Festival was naturally too good an opportunity to pass on. Ji Polun showed up with a few young actors who were his partying buddies. They might not be invited to certain events, but just being able to show their faces and get exposure from a major film festival justified the trip.

Some of the celebrities who attended film festivals got invites from sponsors, while others were part of productions that were being screened at the festival.

On average, there were dozens of premieres at a film festival. Each premiere staged a red carpet walk. The featured film's cast only took up so much time. They needed a large number of other filmmakers and celebrities to fill up the screen time.

Did you think the folks who weren't part of the cast who walked the red carpet repeatedly were really there to watch the movie?

As for minor celebrities, they didn't necessarily walk the red carpet. Some found it a chore, while others failed to crash the party.

A few actors in the group were sharing their thoughts. They thought they had decent careers in Yanzhou, but here they were nobody. No one recognized them on Main Street, not so much as a glance.

As for the entertainment journalists? Why would those guys make time for two-bit characters like them?

"I just crashed a red carpet ceremony. There were so many people crashing the ceremony that they had to step up security. I was kicked out in the end. The good thing is I had already had my picture taken. I've completed my assignment. I'll have my publicity team edit the footage. They better edit out the part where I got kicked out by security."

"I hear two of our company's projects are selling quite well over at the film market. They've already signed deals for them. It's a very lively film market this year. Movies set against the Period of Destruction are doing exceptionally well."

"The fad created by 'Founding Era' won't die down for another five years. My agent has secured a role in a film set in the Period of Destruction. I'm only the third male lead, but the director is quite well known. Both the leading man and leading lady are A-listers on their respective continents. My roommate also got a role in a TV series that touches on the Period of Destruction."

"Who wants to go watch movies? Let's organize a group. Let's go!"

"Idiot! Are you going to waste your hard-earned appearance here on watching movies? You should seize the moment and crash a few red carpets, get your photo taken, and generate some headlines. Where's your agent?"

"He says he's out negotiating deals for me. He wants me to stay out of trouble, but it's so boring staying in my hotel room. I've ended up getting killed in 10 straight gaming sessions. I'd rather watch a movie instead."

"Forget about it. You won't stand a chance trying to land a ticket for a major production. All you can settle for are the smaller-budget movies. I saw a horror movie this morning. I broke into a cold sweat. You gotta admit, the films invited to screen here are all quite high quality."

"Where's Big Brother Ji? I saw in the news yesterday that he attended a premiere—it was for a movie he actually appeared in. Why is he so quiet today? That's not his style."

"Paging Big Bro Ji! Is Big Bro Ji free today to show us a good time?"

Ji Polun was the closest thing to the leader of the group. His career was also the most thriving. Usually, Ji Polun was quite high profile, posting selfies on his social media accounts every day. He had made a post at least once or twice daily since arriving at the Corale Film Festival. It was utterly odd for him to not have posted a single item today. There was no way someone like him would let his social media accounts go cold on an occasion like this. It was definitely not Ji Polun's MO.

After a while, Ji Polun finally responded, "Busy, picking someone up at the airport."

"Who? Who could require Big Bro Ji to put in an appearance? All of Silver Wing's A-listers have arrived."

"No, there's one more person who hasn't shown up yet."

"Fang Zhao!"

"Big Brother Zhao is arriving on the island?"

"Big Brother" came out so naturally, no qualms whatsoever, even though the actors were referring to someone younger than them.

"I'm going too! Which airport?"

"Wait for me! My shades are broken. Who's got spares?"

"Why do you need shades? Who would recognize you? It would be a great thing if you were recognized! This is the Corale Film Festival, after all."

While Ji Polun and the other young actors were awaiting Fang Zhao's arrival, a shiny golden flying transport hovered above. It stood out amid all the white, gray, and black transports. The plane didn't land immediately, making a few ostentatious turns before touching down slowly.

"That flying transport looks like it's been struck by lightning! Whose is it?" one of the young actors asked, glaring in its direction.

"What a flashy landing. It's gotta be a major player."

"Let's wait and see. Let's see who gets out first. I'm sure it's someone very recognizable considering how high profile the landing was," Ji Polun said.

Just as the actors described, the flying transport was so flashy that the entertainment journalists staking out the airport got all excited. They had started filming when the transport had still been hovering and hadn't stopped since lest they miss a single detail.

Soon, a figure emerged from the entrance of the plane.

Such vibrant colors, an over-the-top shirt, and pants with extravagant prints—this combination stole everyone's attention instantly.

Ji Polun cast a skeptical glance and grumbled, "I saw that outfit at Fashion Week last month. It looked hip on the model, but why does it look so weird on him?" He wanted to punch someone.

"He actually brought 10 assistants? What's up with that? The bodyguards trailing him look like they're gearing up for a group fight." The young actors were blown away.

"F*ck! I'm wearing the same outfit as one of the assistants!" One of the young actors started covering himself awkwardly. His entire outfit had cost some 10,000 dollars. It was the most he had splurged on an outfit ever, yet even this fellow's assistants were so luxuriously dressed. "Such injustice!"

"He's the king of Leizhou no doubt. But is Zaro here to showcase his movie or himself?"

"His movies wouldn't qualify for the Corale Film Festival. As for branding, his last name is an established brand already. One of the Renaults is a major backer of the film festival. Even if his movie isn't screening, he can still easily swing an invite."

While Zaro and company were the focus of attention, another flying transport landed.

Yan Biao disembarked and surveyed his surroundings. "Nanfeng was right on the mark. I thought were going to make a grand entrance, but everyone is the same. There's a flashier plane right next to us."

Fang Zhao emerged and looked over.

Because air traffic was especially busy this time of the year, the airport imposed restrictions on plane size. Large flying transports were banned—only small or medium transports were allowed. Planes that were too big were turned around.

The "bling bling" flying transport parked next to their plane was right on the border. A little larger and it would have been banned. It was probably custom made, and it was clearly larger than its neighboring aircraft.

With that plane as a contrast, Fang Zhao's flying transport, which was already quite modest to begin with, paled in comparison.

Nanfeng was utterly annoyed. Based on where the flying transport was parked, it had landed not long before theirs.

"Who the f*ck is that?"

Fang Zhao, who had a good idea, smiled. "The Samoyed of Leizhou."

Chapter 354: Preferences

Back when they had been shooting "Founding Era" on Planet Wai, Zaro had toyed with the idea of a stage name. Fang Zhao had jokingly suggested "Samoyed."

As far as Fang Zhao was concerned, even though Zaro looked like he deserved a good beating, he never did anything immoral or illegal, and he was a simple thinker. Also, Zaro always said in private that he was the "Smiling Angel" of Leizhou and even secretly nicknamed himself "Samoyed." The name might even strike folks who didn't know the backstory as tasteful.

Zaro had arrived at the Corale Film Festival two days late not because, as he put it, "the superstars always showed up last" but because he had received a dressing down from his father. In the end, Zaro had gone over his father's head straight to his grandfather, the governor of Leizhou. By the time he had secured his festival passes and tickets, it had already been two days into the festival.

"Senior Master, let's stick to our game plan on this trip. You have to control yourself. This flying transport wasn't part of the plan. It's too high profile. Shall we stick to the plan going forward? You promised the governor on your honor!"

"I promised on my honor." Yet Zaro was oblivious to his agent's pale complexion. He had promised his grandfather that he wouldn't stir up trouble or instigate disputes, but...

Does being high profile count as stirring up trouble?

Isn't this perfectly normal?

Being high profile didn't qualify as something out of the ordinary in Zaro's book.

Zaro fidgeted with his sunglasses and pouted his lips toward an approaching limo. "Let's go. We've posed for 10 minutes. These ecstatic photographers probably have enough material."

Zaro's agent, who was trailing behind his client, wore a blank expression on his face. These paparazzi? They're not here out of admiration. They're here to see a monkey make a fool of himself! He could predict what the entertainment journalists would write even without going online. The entire population of Leizhou knew the limits of Zaro's talent. His films would never qualify for the competition of a film festival of this stature. More likely than not, he was here to party and pick up chicks.

Zaro's agent was also quite worried.

In Leizhou, Zaro had been able to indulge himself and make a mess of things to no end. His family had always backed him up. Even though Leizhou natives loved to chew out Zaro, at the bottom of their hearts, they still treated him as a mascot and a regular source of entertainment. But on other continents, similar behavior would probably result in a mob lynching.

Zaro waved off his agent's spiel. "Got it, got it. Stop talking. I'm no idiot."

Zaro's agent: "..." Yes, you're the brightest of them all. You have an IQ of 250!

Just as he was getting ready to leave, Zaro heard someone yell near the entrance to the airport. "It's Fang Zhao!"

"Fang Zhao! Over here!"

"Fang Zhao! What do you think of Will's painting, 'My Neighbor'?"

"Stop pushing! You folks in the front are getting in the way."

"What's Fang Zhao carrying in his suitcase?"

"Is it some kind of secret weapon?"

"Who cares? Let's shoot it first." It was storytelling time again. It didn't matter what was actually inside the suitcase. The key question was how to spin a tale based on the picture.

Fang Zhao had been dominating the headlines of late. Everyone recognized the name. The entertainment press corps naturally paid attention to someone who frequently showed up on TV newscasts. Fang Zhao's role in curing the Hull virus and his Supernova Award win had completely overshadowed the prestige of the Twelve Tones program. There were plenty of folks who had graduated from the Twelve Tones program, but only one student had written a song that had helped cure the Hull virus.

Capturing Fang Zhao on film was a rare opportunity. Naturally, the paparazzi would seize the moment. Staking out the airport had paid off after all.

Ji Polun and company were completely crowded out.

"Wow, Zhao God is this popular?" one of the young actors said with envy.

"The entertainment journalists who joined the stakeout are from all over the world, not just Yanzhou!" Ji Polun marveled.

"Even Silver Wing's A-listers don't draw this kind of commotion, no?"

Many celebrities were insanely popular in Yanzhou but hardly worth a mention in a global context.

Not far away, an incredulous Zaro watched as the press pack rushed toward Fang Zhao like sharks that had smelled blood. His shades had nearly fallen off.

Zaro hadn't felt anything when the paparazzi had snapped away at him behind a 10-meter perimeter, but now the contrast was glaring. It stung.

"Such bad luck! He must have pulled some sort of sorcery to steal the limelight from me!"

Zaro's agent: "..." Are you a f*cking idiot?

Elsewhere, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao put into practice the bodyguard skills they had picked up in class recently, shepherding Fang Zhao to his car. A reporter tried to tug Fang Zhao but was blocked by Zuo Yu.

Safe in his car, Fang Zhao got a call from Ji Polun. Fang Zhao told him the location of his hotel and asked for a back-road route.

Ji Polun and company, who had been at the film festival for some time, were quite familiar with the terrain. They were handier than GPS. They were here to crash red carpet ceremonies, after all, and made their way to all kinds of events both big and small.

After Fang Zhao and his entourage checked in, Ji Polun and his crew arrived. The two groups had lunch together. Ji Polun insisted on paying, and Fang Zhao didn't fight him.

Fang Zhao also agreed to have his picture taken with Ji Polun and let him post the photo on social media.

"Big Bro Zhao? What should we do after lunch?" Ji Polun asked.

Nanfeng glared at Ji Polun. This kid is a relentless free rider!

Naturally, Fang Zhao knew what Ji Polun and co. were getting at. He responded, "I'm going to catch a few movies. The films that have been selected for the Carole Film Festival competition should be decent."

Ji Polun pounced when Fang Zhao didn't blow him off. "I'm going to join too. I've been so busy since I got here. I've only managed two screenings so far."

"Take me! I love watching movies," another young actor said.

"Me too! Me too!"

"We don't have anything else going on. We'll hang out with you," the others said.

It was as if these groupies had completely forgotten what they'd said in their chat group, that "only idiots go watch movies during a film festival."

Ji Polun had work the next day. The others couldn't remain idle either. Even if they wanted to slack off, their agents would get on their cases. Their agents hadn't worked so hard to get their clients to the film festival just for their clients to be beach bums!

Fang Zhao's workload was different, but he had his own tasks to attend to. His only credit so far was "Founding Era." TV series were different than movies, whose publicity campaigns involved more events. Many directors were promoting their new films and went all out. The TV series featured at the film festival were either being broadcast or had concluded already. There were associated events, but none of them involved Fang Zhao. He hadn't received any special requests either. All he had to do was attend the awards ceremony at the end of the festival.

Fang Zhao had read up on Corale. The archipelago was home to a branch of the Marine Biology Research Institute that was also one of the world's three major sea-slug breeding grounds. But the branch was located on a smaller island, not the main island. Corale comprised a host of islands. Because of the film festival, the general public was most familiar with the main island, Corale Island. If one wanted to buy a sea slug, they didn't need to venture to a smaller island; there were plenty of fish pet markets and stores on the main island, which drew traffic away from the outlying islands.

Fang Zhao wanted to bring his "rabbit" to the research institute branch.

The branch housed quite a few rare sea-slug species and many types that weren't available on the market. The staff there could also perform a health checkup on his "rabbit." They were professionals.

Fang Zhao had all the credentials he needed, so the day after he arrived in Corale, he traveled to the small island that was home to the research institute branch, water tank in hand.

Silver Wing headquarters.

Chairwoman and CEO Duan Qianji was getting a briefing from her secretary about the film festival.

The team Duan had dispatched was doing well negotiating partnerships and new deals. Silver Wing artists were also getting decent exposure.

"What about Fang Zhao? Has he helped out at all?" Duan Qianji interjected.

"Not that I've heard of. After checking into his hotel yesterday, he had lunch with Ji Polun and his friends, then saw a few movies."

Duan Qianji was curious. "What kind of movies did they watch?" She wanted to get a sense of Fang Zhao's tastes based on his preferences in film.

"Uhm... According to his assistant, he watched a historical epic, a film set in the modern day, and a sci-fi movie—and two animated features for children."

Duan Qianji: "..." Animated features for children? Duan Qianji was baffled. She asked, "What did he do today? If I recall correctly, there were three major premieres today."

Apart from the cast, premiere screenings were also attended by other directors and celebrities. Even folks who weren't invited and didn't have tickets tried to crash the red carpet.

"Fang Zhao left the main island first thing in the morning for a small island that's home to the local branch of the Marine Biology Research Institute. He said he wanted to get a checkup for his pet sea slug." The secretary's voice tapered off.

Duan Qianji, who was signing a document, paused. "He went where?"

"The Carole branch of the Marine Biology Research Institute, to get his pet sea slug a checkup."

So a film festival is less interesting than a sea slug?A large herding dog nicknamed "smiling dog" for its cheerful demeanor.

Chapter 355: Can Ea

Fang Zhao could no longer be controlled by Silver Wing. Now, even though Silver Wing was always keeping tabs on Fang Zhao's tendencies, they were unable to anticipate the next step he would take.

Everyone had thought that with the invitation card Fang Zhao held, in addition to his reputation, he could easily attend any large-scale production's premiere and grace the red carpet without any worry of being chased away, and he'd still have reporters from every continent following after him for interviews.

However, contrary to what most people had thought, after going to catch a few movies on the first day that weren't too popular, on the second day, he had gone to an island's research center to give his pet a checkup!

Totally unpredictable!

This was the collective opinion of Silver Wing's personnel.

So much so that there were even some who wondered whether Fang Zhao was doing this on purpose because he knew that people were watching him and analyzing his preferences.

However, these people were overthinking things. Fang Zhao had really gone to watch those movies seriously and had had a purpose for doing so, including the two animated features for children.

Now, due to the popularity of "Founding Era" and the easing of restrictions for films set during the Period of Destruction, more and more movies and drama series set in the Period of Destruction were being produced. But the Period of Destruction was an extraordinary period, and many New Era people had no way of understanding that time. To produce a great film, it had to be helmed by a grand director and competent scriptwriters, and having top quality music and sound personnel, outstanding actors, epic subject matter, and other such important factors was indispensable. Otherwise, it was very likely that while the film would have the skin of a Period of Destruction flick, its core would be empty and it would be nothing more than a dud film.

From an artistic angle, it wasn't that adaptations were not possible, but as someone who had personally experienced the cruelty of the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao hoped that people would view that period with reverence and reflection and not treat it jokingly and adorn it with irrelevant matters.

The Period of Destruction film that Fang Zhao had gone to watch hadn't been too bad. It had told the story from an even more ordinary perspective. The accompanying soundtrack had also had its own characteristics. When watching the film, Fang Zhao had actually paid even more attention to analyzing the acoustics. It wasn't just limited to this film; in all the film premieres that Fang Zhao had gone to, he had paid particular attention to analyzing the acoustics and music.

Different movie genres had different musical characteristics. Some lesser-known composing experts who could improve a low-budget production were participating in the competition, whereas an accompaniment that wasn't done well could lead to a negative film experience, and viewers might find it jarring. It would be unable to achieve the desired effect.

Fang Zhao had discovered some new techniques after watching those movies, and with his notes, he would be able to write out a thesis in the next few days.

During the course of advanced studies, there were rules for theses. Fang Zhao felt that he could write a lot, and there was too much he could learn from and analyze during this film festival.

Thus, when Fang Zhao had brought out his notebook after each screening of a movie, Ji Polun and the others had been at a loss. Could it be that their disparity with Fang Zhao was in how they thought afterward?

Write!

I will write when I get back!

Among Ji Polun and the others, there were some that had watched the animated features with keen interest, and some had fallen asleep. Only Fang Zhao had been different; he had kept his eyes wide open as he'd stared at the screen as his pen scribbled continuously in his notebook. The theater had been very dark, and Ji Polun hadn't even known what Fang Zhao was writing. Would Fang Zhao's blind scribbles while staring at the screen be legible? But after they had finished watching, Ji Polun hadn't had the nerve to ask for a peek at Fang Zhao's notes.

Blindly scribbling wasn't very difficult for Fang Zhao. He had gotten used to it during the Period of Destruction. In addition, as Fang Zhao had watched the animated feature targeted at kids, besides analyzing the acoustics of the film, he had still been able to see the New Era's education situation for kids through the content and techniques. Thus, when compared to the other films, Fang Zhao had taken down a lot more notes for these two animated features for kids.

During the Period of Destruction, life had been about survival—preserving oneself, then picking up weapons with which to fight. During that period, the first items a child might have picked up were not eating utensils but, rather, knives and guns. But these were no longer needed in the New Era. As someone who had experienced all three periods—the Old Era, the Period of Destruction, and the New Era—this sort of experience was really miraculous.

This was something that nobody else would be able to understand, something Fang Zhao didn't need anybody else to understand.

When Fang Zhao brought his pet for the checkup, he brought along his notebook so that he could still work on his thesis in his free time.

Before heading over to the research center, Fang Zhao contacted the breeder of the hybrid "rabbit," Denzel. Denzel informed Fang Zhao that he had a student who was working there and studying sea slugs.

When Fang Zhao arrived on the little island where the research center was located, Denzel's student came to personally pick him up.

"I am Ren Hong. Just calling me Ah Hong will be fine." Ren Hong had a rather cheerful temperament. He looked like a freshly graduated university student, but in actual fact, he had been working at the research center for 10 years already.

Generally, the people of Corale Archipelago were used to seeing big-name celebrities. The clientele here was higher end, so he was more casual toward Fang Zhao. However, Fang Zhao was still different from other celebrities. The halo of being a Galaxy Award winner was much brighter, and furthermore, he had been introduced by Denzel, so Ren Hong treated Fang Zhao much warmer than when he did others.

Ren Hong drove Fang Zhao to the expo. The research center's laboratory was off-limits to outsiders. Generally, tourists would head to the expo. There, one could find sea slugs for sale, veterinary clinics, and all sorts of little shops.

"Is this that sea slug my master bred?" Ren Hong was very interested in the "rabbit" inside the aquarium. However, as he had received the data that Denzel had sent him and thus knew that this little thing was highly toxic, he didn't dare touch it.

"There are many varieties of feed here. Feed with a higher composition of natural ingredients is limited, but here in the Corale region, you can purchase a lot more this time."

On the way, Ren Hong recounted many stories regarding the sea-slug trade. The expo also belonged to the research center. Their research center had a high revenue and didn't lack any money, but due to the rising popularity of varieties of goldfish and other non-poisonous ornamental fishes, the pressure on them had increased somewhat.

"This year, the center has bred quite a few better-looking sea slugs that have a lower toxicity that won't hurt humans. These varieties have hit the market, and many families with kids and elderly have ordered them. You can purchase some when the time comes."

The sea-slug exposition was bustling. There were merchants and celebrities that were participating in the film festival. Along the way, Fang Zhao saw quite a few familiar faces.

Ren Hong brought Fang Zhao deeper inside. He observed many people who were coming out opposite him and holding all sorts of aquariums, both large and small, filled with all sorts of sea slugs. Some were colorful and garish, swimming about excitedly in their aquariums and appearing very lively.

Fang Zhao didn't know whether he was assuming wrongly, but it seemed that the "rabbit" in the aquarium he held seemed to have become especially quiet after he'd set foot in the expo. The "rabbit" was just laying there not moving, as if it was a fake.

Fang Zhao also saw some tourists carrying aquariums with sea slugs that weren't too gorgeous and were slightly bigger than a fist. Although they couldn't be compared with Fang Zhao's "rabbit," they could still be considered rather big for sea slugs.

"Are those being bought to be reared too?" Fang Zhao asked.

"They're to be brought home and eaten!" Ren Hong raised his hand and pointed out. "Ornamental is that side. This side onward is for food. Those that aren't too colorful or beautiful and don't have any special characteristics are for consumption unless their flesh doesn't taste good. However, the majority of sea-slug flesh tastes quite decent and has high nutritional value. If handled well, there won't be any toxins that would harm humans, and it'll provide health benefits too. Oh, and those few varieties over there have succulent flesh and a tasty flavor; many people buy it to brew soup for old folks. And the row over there is more suited for youngsters. Youngsters have their own needs too." Ren Hong gave Fang Zhao a "you know what I mean" look. "If you wish to, I can help you purchase them. Just transfer the funds to me. We have an internal staff price."

Seeing Ren Hong's vigorous recommendations, Fang Zhao bought a batch suitable for elderly to be sent to the two old folks in Yanbei City. He also bought some snacks and souvenirs to send to other people.

Ren Hong smiled so happily that his eyes disappeared. They had an internal staff price, but they would also get a cut of sales. The research center didn't lack money, so their staff would also earn from this.

No wonder Denzel said that this is a big client, Ren Hong thought to himself. He felt that it had been worth waking up early in the morning to prepare.

After calculating the cut he would receive, Ren Hong's expression became more enthusiastic, and he introduced Fang Zhao to the prices of different breeds of sea slugs and also handed Fang Zhao a little book. In it were over 10 ways to prepare sea slugs for consumption, as well as methods to avoid. Steaming, boiling, frying, and roasting all had detailed steps, and incidentally, the book was a form of advertisement as well.

"Different varieties have different flavors and different nutritional values. We here pay particular attention to food therapy. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter all have different effects. Bitter ones help to alleviate fever and with detoxification, sour helps with sweating and diarrhea, and those few there have sweet flesh and have mild benefits..."

After introducing all the different breeds in the surroundings to Fang Zhao, Ren Hong's line of sight fell on the aquarium in Fang Zhao's hands.

"I really have no idea what yours taste like. After all, it's a hybrid, so our center hasn't studied it before. If you decide you no longer want to keep it, give me a call. Then change its feed to clear the toxicity, and after one month of feeding, bring it over and let me slice a part off for research purposes. You can then use the remaining portion to boil some soup." Ren Hong had already checked on the value of this hybrid sea slug. It was too expensive to purchase, so he was waiting for when Fang Zhao no longer wanted to rear it and decided to eat it. Ren Hong would then request a small portion for research purposes. Such a huge lump could cook up an entire pot.

Fang Zhao had already bought everything that he wanted to buy. Knocking on the wall of his mini aquarium, he told Ren Hong. "Let's get it checked out first. It doesn't seem very well today."

"All right, let us head to that side. There are apparatuses that can be borrowed in my friend's shop. They are the latest models, and the inspection results are very accurate."

Ren Hong personally did a checkup of the "rabbit" Fang Zhao handed over. The checkup results would require at least 10 minutes to be processed, so Fang Zhao went to the shop next door that was selling feed to take a look at some of the products that Ren Hong had recommended. The "rabbit" that could normally eat anything seemed to have a poor appetite today. Even when Fang Zhao threw in some Corale special feed, which was said to be selling especially well, the "rabbit" didn't even eat a single bite. Its "ears" were pressed up tightly to its body, and it still continued to lie there motionlessly.

Surely it couldn't be that it wasn't acclimatized to the water. Yesterday, it had eaten a lot, whereas it had only eaten a little bit this morning and hadn't eaten anything else since. Especially after arriving at the expo, it had entered this play-dead state.

Seeing this situation, Fang Zhao wasn't in a rush to buy any feed. Just as he was prepared to find somewhere to sit and wait for the checkup results, he heard crisp laughter from outside.

"Yo, Old Tan, you didn't attend the film festival?" Ren Hong greeted the person with a laugh.

Although he had been called "Old Tan," this person didn't seem the least bit old. He was middle-aged and had a well-built physique. He had been laughing heartily at something, and that had caught Ren Hong's attention.

The person in question was holding onto an aquarium. When he heard his name being shouted, he turned around and his eyes brightened, following which he walked over quickly, bypassing Ren Hong, who had already outstretched his arms for an embrace, and walking right in front of Fang Zhao.

"Fang Zhao? Hello, hello! My name is Tan Min!" As he spoke, Tan Min handed Fang Zhao a name card.

Fang Zhao eyed the introduction on the name card.

Director?

Tan Min, a native of Corale, used to be a diver. Afterward, he had changed his profession and become a director. Although he wasn't that famous globally, he had a considerable reputation in the Corale Archipelago. Just a simple look at the way he had been chatting so animatedly with the shop owners here displayed the advantages of being a local.

However, Fang Zhao did not intend to act right now. According to his plans, during his advanced studies, he would need to compose and write a thesis, as well as prepare for his second important concert after graduation. He simply didn't have time to act.

Before Fang Zhao even said anything, Tan Min placed the aquarium he was holding in the arms of Ren Hong, who was standing beside them with a vacant expression on his face. He rubbed his hands, acting somewhat embarrassed, and with eyes filled with anticipation, asked Fang Zhao, "I wonder if Mr. Fang is interested in investing in movies?"

Chapter 356: This Story Is Purely Fiction

Tan Min had no other choice. As a native, participating in the film festival had its advantages, as it was close to home and he had some privileges.

Usually, as he had some reputation as a local, there were people willing to invest in some of his films. However, in the past, he had directed documentary reels about the ocean. Now, he had decided to shoot a movie and he wanted to pull in investors. It was a pity that, given 10 directors, 11 would be looking for investors, and the extra was one who had previously been in a different profession.

For someone who had changed his profession to a director like Tan Min, attracting investors was much harder, more so when he wanted to change his genre. He didn't wish for people's impression of him to always be about ocean documentaries.

After busying himself for a few days without any success and being unable to squeeze into a few venues, Tan Min could only hang around in the surroundings. Today, he had come over to purchase a few sea slugs for the little kids in his family when he'd unexpectedly run into Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had been all over the news some time back, so Tan Min knew that Fang Zhao was loaded, and he also knew that some actors liked to invest in films when they weren't acting, so he had come running when he had spotted Fang Zhao.

"Invest in a movie?" Fang Zhao had never expected to hear such a question.

He did not intend to act, but investing in a movie wasn't out of the question.

Tan Min was delighted when he saw that Fang Zhao wasn't immediately rejecting him. With an extremely warm smile, he hurriedly said, "If you are free, how about we head to the coffee shop over there for a chat? My script has already been written!"

Seeing Tan Min acting this way, Ren Hong helped out and suggested, "How about this: Fang Zhao, you have walked around for quite a bit in the expo. You guys can have some tea and a chat while resting, and when the results are out, I will bring them over."

Fang Zhao nodded. "All right."

Tan Min also knew the staff at the coffee shop, and they helped prepare a quiet little private room and recommended some of the region's specialties.

Fang Zhao ordered a cup of tea and was in no hurry to read Tan Min's script. Instead, he asked Tan Min some questions. "Back then, what made you decide to be a director?"

Tan Min drank half his glass of lemonade to cool himself down. When he heard what Fang Zhao asked, he paused for a second before saying, "The ambience of movie and film is very dense in the Corale Archipelago. People here are fond of randomly filming or photographing things in their free time. I used to be a diver and frequently collaborated with the research center. Sometimes, when they wanted to collect specimens in a certain ocean region where it is difficult to operate equipment, us divers would go over and help. As technology advanced, I went to the deep sea a couple of times, and I can be considered to have a better understanding of the ocean than most."

As he spoke about his experiences in the shallow and deep seas as a diver, Tan Min was in a good mood. His previous nervousness and apprehension had largely dissipated.

"In the beginning, I only tried my hand at filming some videos relating to the ocean to make a special collection. Afterward, I received an award, and that aroused my interest in this profession and opened a new door in my life. I wanted to record even more films about the ocean so that when people looked up at the starry sky, they would also look to our planet's very own vast ocean." Tan Min's voice was slightly excited. "A director that came to participate in the film festival once told me that 'curiosity and imagination bring about stories.' The ocean is such a magical place, and it brings me a lot of inspiration. I have been to mainland Huangzhou for directorial advanced classes, and I even recommend a few of my mainland classmates visit the oceanarium when they feel lacking in inspiration. They might be able to find the things they need there.

"Nowadays, some bigger oceanariums have a quite a number of deep-sea-creature exhibits. These deep-sea creatures have always grown rampantly in certain places, and they have strange, unimaginable appearances. I feel that these creatures surely have the sort of mentality that 'Since no one can see me, I will just grow as I wish.' And whenever someone steps into the deep-sea-creatures exhibit for the first time, they might go 'Wow, they can even look like this!'"

As he waxed lyrical about the ocean, Tan Min started to chuckle to himself.

A smile also appeared on Fang Zhao's face. He knew that the ocean had many creatures with strange appearances. Furthermore, with the huge environmental changes brought about by apocalypse, triggering mutations, these creatures might have become even stranger now.

Tan Min continued, "One doesn't necessarily have to head to a foreign planet to see monsters. We can also see them on our own planet. There are all sorts of 'monsters' in the ocean. As long as you take note and observe, you will always be able to discover them. Corale Archipelago is surrounded by the ocean, and Huangzhou's third-largest oceanarium is here. When I was a diver, I rarely went to the oceanarium, as I was in contact with the ocean nearly every day. However, since becoming a director, I have brought the kids in my family to oceanariums everywhere to enjoy the sights and expand their knowledge. The fish in the sea aren't just limited to the sort that appear on our plates. As long as one has a boundless imagination, the future will be unlimited. Especially in our profession, we have to open our hearts, and imagination is necessary."

After a simple sharing of his professional experience and feelings, Tan Min digressed and asked Fang Zhao, "Have you heard about the story of mermaids?"

Fang Zhao nodded his head gently. "Yeah."

"I am very interested in this, and I searched for quite a lot of video resources about mermaids, so much so that I even have some films preserved from the Old Era. I have watched the romantic fables of those predecessors as well as those supernatural flicks. Of course, there are too many of those, and I don't intend to follow the tide. I haven't met a mermaid, but I have kept sea slugs! And I have many years of experience! I won't film a mermaid, but I can film sea slugs!" Tan Min got even more excited as he talked, and he even slammed his hands against the table.

Fang Zhao's brows arched upward. He knew Tan Min was about to broach the main topic.

Indeed, Tan Min expression became serious and he said, "Actually, this time, I wish to film a movie pertaining to sea slugs and include some topics about environmental protection. Man and nature have to live in harmony; we lost too many things in the 100 years of the Period of Destruction, and it took 500 years of great difficulty to recover. Man must cherish what we have, right?"

Fang Zhao nodded once again. There was nothing wrong in Tan Min's words. Nobody could understand it more than he himself, as he had personally experienced the calamity and destruction. Fang Zhao recalled the ocean he had seen during the Period of Destruction, then looked at the clear sky and azure ocean. How hard had it been to come to this point?

As he noticed Fang Zhao listening intently, Tan Min spoke even more enthusiastically. It seems like there is hope for all that I have talked about!

"This story I want to shoot this time is a script written by me. It is a script that I took five to six years to refine and straighten out."

Tan Min wasn't worried that the contents of the script being leaked, as the halo around Fang Zhao's head was still bright. It was unlikely that he would do anything to damage his own name.

Tan Min was worried that Fang Zhao would be scared by the contents of his script so he added a warning: "Let me say this first: the story is purely fiction. You absolutely mustn't take it as being real. Ha, let me describe it briefly..."

Hearing Tan Min say this, Fang Zhao really felt a little interested.

"This story happens in a small coastal town. The main protagonist heads out to sea to fish and catches a sea slug. This sea slug doesn't seem to have any special characteristics, just some minute differences from others of the same breed. The protagonist doesn't really care much, but he realizes that it is still alive after fishing it up and decides to keep it as a pet. One day, he realizes that the flower buds of a few potted plants in his house are gone."

Fang Zhao's hand that was holding the cup froze.

Tan Min continued narrating. "He searches and searches, but he can't find anything and eventually forgets about it, thinking that perhaps it was his neighbor's or relative's kids that plucked them when they came over to play, and he feels that it is a pity. After that, the protagonist heads out to sea again, and when he returns, he actually discovers that all the newly-grown leaves in the flower pots are all gone!"

Fang Zhao drummed his fingers soundlessly against the cup.

Tan Min went on. "The protagonist is puzzled and asks his family members. He ascertains that nobody else entered the room during the period he was out at sea. After some consideration, he sets up surveillance cameras in each of the four corners of that room!"

Fang Zhao: "..."

At the climax, Tan Min's face turned red from excitement. "When the protagonist returns after heading out to see once more, he realizes that even some of the older leaves are gone. He feels a chill down his spine and goes to check the videos captured by the surveillance camera. After that, he sees that the sea slug that he had previously fished up actually opened the lid of the tank and climbed out during the period he was at sea! Hahahahahaha, did you get the creeps?"

Fang Zhao: "..." You got me there!

Chapter 357: Life on the Rebound

Fang Zhao looked at Tan Min in silence.

Fang Zhao's glare reduced Tan Min's enthusiasm. He spoke in decreasing volume. "That's... That's... the gist of the story."

Tan Min mopped the sweat on his forehead. All he had done was outline the script. It was a basic synopsis at best, so why did he feel like he had just completed a herculean task? It had to be the pressure. If he couldn't secure the necessary investment, the story might not hit the big screen.

Fang Zhao remained silent, so Tan Min asked in a tentative tone, "I just made all this up myself. What... do you think?"

Fang Zhao fiddled with his cup and smiled. "It's OK."

Fang Zhao would have given the story higher marks if it weren't so familiar. He could tell how much effort Tan Min had put into the script based on his outline. Fang Zhao had been observing Tan Min during the extended silence to make sure that the pitch was an original story and not based on covert surveillance of himself.

It was too big of a coincidence, so Fang Zhao had to proceed cautiously. It was a good sign that Tan Min had proclaimed the story was a pure fabrication and should be treated as such. There were some things that even Denzel, the "rabbit" breeder, wasn't privy to, and Fang Zhao had no intention of divulging the information to anyone else.

Tan Min had no idea what was going on inside Fang Zhao's head. When he heard Fang Zhao's response, his anxiety and pressure vanished instantly. "Then... are you interested in investing in the project?"

Tan Min had spent a lot of time preparing for this shift in genre. He was ready to kick off shooting once the funding was in place.

"Let's hear your game plan." Fang Zhao didn't know if Tan Min's story would resonate with audiences, but if it was shot properly, he should be able to recoup his investment. The beginning of the story was too familiar, which had thrown Fang Zhao off-guard and given him a major kick. But now that he had ascertained that Tan Min wasn't lying, Fang Zhao was willing to back the project.

Tan Min's smile grew. He didn't need to hold back anymore. He pulled out a complete portfolio.

Ren Hong, who had the results of the physical in his hand, refrained from approaching when he saw that Fang Zhao and Tan Min were still deep in conversation. He sat outside instead. When Tan Min emerged, Ren Hong noticed that his cheeks were flush and his face was wrinkled from excessive smiling.

"Here's to a happy partnership!' Tan Min said as he shook hands with Fang Zhao.

To show his sincerity and because he was overwhelmed with emotion, Tan Min's handshake was quite firm. He eased his grip when he regained his composure. He was worried that Fang Zhao might take offense, but his new partner hadn't. Fang Zhao's such a nice guy! Tan Min thought to himself.

Fang Zhao noticed Ren Hong when he exited the meeting. He asked about the physical.

Ren Hong handed Fang Zhao a sheet of paper. "It's probably just a case of poor appetite due to slow acclimatization. The sea slug itself is quite healthy. All its levels are normal. I've compared all the numbers to data provided by my boss. You don't have to worry about mistakes."

There was no point in sticking around now that Fang Zhao had confirmed his sea slug was healthy.

Tan Min played tour guide, giving Fang Zhao the lowdown on local culture and custom. He was a native of the Corale Archipelago, so he knew the place better than the researchers who had relocated here. He offered up many tidbits that Ren Hong wasn't aware of.

At dawn, Tan Min took Fang Zhao to a lighthouse on the coast.

"This is a popular tourist spot. It's served as a location for quite a few movies. There actually was a lighthouse here during the Old Era, but it collapsed during the Period of Destruction. A sturdier replica was erected during the New Era as a monument. Legend has it that the ancestors of the governor of the Corale Archipelago guarded the lighthouse. Their family was also behind the replica. Over the generations, at least one member of the family is always living in the lighthouse. Visitors are welcome."

Fang Zhao glanced over as Tan Min was talking.

The tall lighthouse towered over the coast. Against the backdrop of dawn and rolling waves, it emanated a mix of gravitas and tenderness. It appeared to glow with a certain grace and magical aura.

As far as folks from the New Era were concerned, this was old-school elegance.

Retro architecture always reminded people of history. Even though these were new buildings, they didn't figure prominently in modern development. But as a symbol of the past and a local landmark, they drew a steady stream of visitors and photo-takers.

Tan Min was a regular visitor. Admiring the lighthouse reminded him of his own personal history.

"I was dealt quite a few setbacks when I first switched from scuba diving to directing. I felt my talent wasn't appreciated and that I wasn't understood. I was young back then, so I decided to find a place to sulk. I ended up holing up inside the lighthouse. The guard at the time was this interesting old fella. He dragged me outside, pointed to the sky above the sea, and told me, 'See that light over there? Even if the sun is blocked by clouds, it shines through the clouds. As long as you are talented enough, no one can stand in your way'."

The trip down memory lane led Tan Min to chuckle a few times. "How young and innocent I was back then. It was as if I had ODed on optimism. I had so much mojo. That's what got me through the career switch the next few years and how I found my footing. Only later did I find out that the old fella was one of my biggest critics. He never voted for me in local film competitions. His comments were the most brutal. Since then, whenever I think back to what he said, I think that something was off."

Fang Zhao laughed. "Did you ever go back and ask the old man to clarify after you successfully switched careers?"

Tan Min spread his arms. "I'm too chickenshit. I never had the guts to ask, because someone told me the old man is the grandfather of our current governor. He's got quite the temper."

Tan Min followed up with a sigh. "There's a new guard at the lighthouse now. The old fella got too old and retired. The one time I found the courage to knock on the entrance to the lighthouse, the new old man asked, 'Who the hell are you?'"

Tan Min didn't blame the old man. Back then, he'd felt he like he was on cloud nine because he had won a film award, but his work actually hadn't been good enough. It was understandable that the old fella hadn't voted for him in the regional film competition.

Tan Min asked, "So, Fang Zhao, are you going to take part in any of the film festival events on the main island tomorrow? If not, I'll take you scuba diving. I just got a message from a friend who has to help collect underwater samples for the research institute. I'm going to check out the excursion."

Fang Zhao pondered the question and responded, "I'm in no hurry to get back."

"Great, then you can join me tomorrow. We'll catch a ride with the research institute. Don't worry about equipment; I'll take care of that. If you don't want to scuba dive, you can hang out on the coastal square. You don't have to worry about paparazzi there. Artists like you who hole up all the time have weak bodies. You should work out more. Don't let your bones rust. Have you heard the saying, 'sound body, sound mind'?"

Fang Zhao checked into a hotel on the outlying island that night.

Nanfeng, Yan Biao, and Zuo Yu were instructed to take the next day off.

"..."

Boss ditched us again!

——

Tan Min also booked a room at the hotel so he could get to know Fang Zhao better. He wanted to talk movies with Fang Zhao, but Fang Zhao started working on a paper instead. Tan Min could only retire to his room.

The next day Fang Zhao boarded the research vessel with Tan Min. Already on board were seven scuba divers. They all knew Tan Min.

Tan Min started chatting with his old friends. The next thing he knew, Fang Zhao was helping folks from the research institute move their equipment.

There were plenty of people who could handle equipment that weighed dozens of kilograms, but few artists could, especially with such ease.

One of the scuba divers whispered to Tan Min, "Big Brother Tan, so this is the guy you said was a little weak and needed taking care of?"

Tan Min's jaw dropped. "Youngsters like him are in good shape" were the only words he could manage.

Fang Zhao's help reduced the prep time significantly. Initially, the researchers on the boat had been a bit wary of Fang Zhao. Now, they gladly briefed him on the waters they were venturing into.

When they arrived at their first location, the scuba divers went underwater with their gear and equipment. Fang Zhao was an amateur, so he rarely strayed from the group.

Tan Min knew the marine vegetation and wildlife in the region well, so he briefed Fang Zhao whenever he saw a new species.

"There is some coral over here. Pretty, aren't they? Don't touch them, though. They are all under surveillance. Folks who damage the corals are subject to heavy fines. And don't try to catch any fish or shrimp you see. That's finable too. You could even get yourself banned from the archipelago," Tan Min said. He was worried that Fang Zhao wouldn't be able to help himself. Fines weren't a big deal, but being blacklisted was. Being banned from the islands was no joke. Some 200 or 300 people were blacklisted every year.

Fang Zhao didn't touch anything. All he did was observe quietly. Then he returned to the ship to take off his scuba gear, replacing it with a snorkel that revealed his ears.

Naturally, Fang Zhao needed to get the leader of the research team to sign off. If anything happened to him, the team would be liable.

Fang Zhao signed a waiver and returned underwater.

One of the professional divers thought Fang Zhao was yet another impulsive tourist. "F*ck! He's crazy! What does a novice diver know about protecting his ears?"

"If he doesn't watch his ear pressure carefully, he could die!"

"Put a rescuer on standby!"

"Let's have one of the divers tail him. Tan Min! He's your guest. You take care of him yourself."

Youngsters are so impulsive! Tan Min thought to himself.

Regardless of what he thought of Fang Zhao, Tan Min tailed him closely along with another diver just in case.

Yet they noticed that Fang Zhao didn't do anything drastic after switching to a snorkel. All he did was swim around slowly and aimlessly. He showed no signs of discomfort.

"Big Brother Tan, this kid doesn't look like a novice diver," one of the professional divers told Tan Min via his comms device.

"Uhm..." Tan Min didn't know what to say. He realized he didn't know Fang Zhao at all.

Fang Zhao was now his big boss, his biggest investor. Tan Min was cool as long as his boss was happy.

As for Fang Zhao, he turned his attention to the wonders of the underwater world.

It was a flurry of light and shadow, bursting with color.

Exotic and lively.

He could hear the sound of currents bombarding reefs.

The minute movements of groups of fish skirting around his body in fear.

The tiniest of noises competed for Fang Zhao's attention among the corals and between the reefs.

What was a calm, quiet underwater world to Tan Min and company lit up Fang Zhao's ears.

Straps of seaweed wavered in the water.

A small finback swam by.

Life was on the rebound after the Period of Destruction.

Chapter 358: Don't Ask Me

When Fang Zhao surfaced and returned to the boat safely, one of the professional divers asked him: "What were you up to just now?"

"Seeking inspiration," Fang Zhao responded.

The diver paused briefly before having an epiphany.

When these artist types "go crazy," they're not going crazy, they're seeking inspiration!

Tan Min was curious. "Weren't you listening for something?" Why else would he have left his ears uncovered?

"I did indeed hear a few things."

Fang Zhao was in a decent mood. His head was filled with inspiration. After shedding his scuba gear, he said bye to everyone and took off with his notebook. As curious as he was, Tan Min didn't intrude.

One of the divers shook his head as he watched Fang Zhao leave. What could he possibly have heard underwater?

Had he gone dumb from a lack of oxygen?

Then he remembered Fang Zhao's nickname. Even though it seemed far-fetched, maybe Fang Zhao could hear things that normal people couldn't. After all, his ears were dubbed "diting," "God's ears," and so on.

Another diver slapped himself on the thigh. "I forgot to ask him where he learned to dive."

"Is that kid a good diver?"

"I think he's pretty kick-ass. We ran into a strong current that gushed from above and below, and the kid wasn't swayed. He was exceptionally calm, no sign of panic whatsoever. He performed just as well as we did. I want to know where he learned how to dive."

"His name sounds familiar. Didn't the kid serve in the military too, in addition to acting and composing? I think I remember hearing his name in the military headlines once."

"Now that you mention it, I think I've heard his name before too. It's been so long, so I didn't make the connection. Let me do a quick online search."

Fang Zhao was oblivious to the discussion on the boat. He was busy recording down in his notebook all that had flashed through his head. The new song would make its debut in his second solo concert.

The Period of Destruction had seen the extinction of certain types of marine wildlife and the birth of new species, but overall, the damage had been tremendous. There hadn't been much beauty left to speak of.

What Fang Zhao had seen in the ocean had left a deeper impression than what he had seen at the aquarium. He had gotten a stronger sense that life was indeed on the rebound. That was also partly why he was willing to back Tan Min's new project. Setting aside his concerns about the script, Fang Zhao could tell that Tan Min was genuinely passionate about these waters.

Folks who grew up in the New Era didn't feel the change in fortune as acutely, but Fang Zhao was different. If Tan Min could spread his passion for these waters and his interest in protecting its marine ecosystem, what was a few more dollars?

Fang Zhao didn't stay on the research vessel. There was limited space on board. The researchers couldn't possibly give him his own room, so Fang Zhao moved onto a floating square.

This was a square anchored in the waters. Apart from concessions stands, it was also equipped with fishing sections and a swimming pool. It drew quite a few fishing enthusiasts every year.

Because of the film festival, the visitor traffic was concentrated on the main island. Fewer folks ventured out to the outlying islands. There were only a handful of people on the floating square, mostly young men and women.

"It's just a bunch of rich kids who have nothing to worry about. It's their third trip this year. Stay away from them. These kids like to stir up trouble when they run into celebrities," one of the divers told Fang Zhao.

Having read up on Fang Zhao, the folks on board the research vessel had a better understanding of his current situation. Many asked him for his autograph before he left, while others eagerly recommended prime fishing spots.

Tan Min also joined Fang Zhao. After all, he had to keep an eye on Fang Zhao, who was his biggest financial backer right now.

As a local, Tan Min knew the ins and outs of the maritime square well. He instructed Fang Zhao to wait while he dealt with the paperwork. Tan Min's paperwork was straightforward, but Fang Zhao's was slightly more complicated because it was his first visit. Authorities imposed strict protocols on first-time visitors.

Fang Zhao was about to sit down when he heard his name called.

"Hey, is that Fang Zhao?"

"It really is! Fang Zhao! Come join us!"

"Tell us how you managed to compose the four movements of the 'Period of Destruction' series."

Tan Min took notice of the growing commotion and frowned. He was wondering whether or not to step in when Fang Zhao gestured to him.

Fang Zhao told Tan Min to stay put and deal with the paperwork. He approached the group of young men and women who had spotted him.

"Hey, Fang Zhao, I saw the news reports about the Hull virus a while back. I just want to know why that 'Period of Destruction' series was able to cure the disease," a young man in shades shouted.

"I'm not sure either. You'd have to ask the medical researchers," Fang Zhao said with a smile.

He wasn't one to quibble with these kids over decorum.

No one would have dared speak to Fang Zhao this way during the Period of Destruction. But there was one set of rules for years of chaos and another set for prosperous times. Naturally, Fang Zhao didn't thrust the standards of the Period of Destruction on these young men and women.

These kids struck Tan Min and company as typical rich kids, but drawing from his own brief observation, Fang Zhao realized they meant no harm, even if they spoke a bit too casually and in bad taste.

"What were you just talking about? I think I heard someone mention a great white?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yeah, we were wondering if you might run into a great white in these abouts," a kid sucking on a straw said as he adjusted his cap. "Word has it there was a sighting, but not in these exact waters. It's just a rumor. Some say it's pure fabrication, that the great white is already extinct apart from artificially bred ones and thus can't be spotted in the wild anymore."

"It's true. Someone captured it on camera!" an older boy retorted while swinging his fishing rod.

"Many species that have been categorized as extinct have been caught on camera in recent years."

"In any case, I don't want to come across a great white. It's the tyrant of the sea!"

"Bullsh*t! You've watched too many movies. The great white is just wee big. It's nothing in terms of size. I can knock one out with a single punch."

"Boy, you certainly know how to bullsh*t."

"Fang Zhao, I hear you're quite the historian. So was the great white the most brutal sea animal during the Old Era?"

Fang Zhao had just settled into his role as a jovial onlooker when he heard the question. "I'm not sure which species was the most brutal, but let me tell you a story. It's a story I read while researching the Old Era a while ago."

Meanwhile, Tan Min was a bit worried. After rushing the maritime square staff through the paperwork, he returned to Fang Zhao only to discover that the group of youngsters, who were quite boisterous, were now staring blankly at his new partner. He had no idea what Fang Zhao had told them. The boy who was fishing hadn't even noticed that he had dropped his fishing rod into the water.

"For real?" a waiter whispered.

"What's the commotion?" Tan Min asked the waiter.

"He's telling a story."

"What story?"

"The story of two orcas who ran into a great white, how they toppled the shark, took a few bites and didn't like the taste, then tossed it around."

Tan Min: "What about now?"

"Now he's telling the story of a wandering orca that ran into a great white. The great white was too strong and the orca was no match, so the orca summoned other orcas in the area and surrounded the great white."

Tan Min: "Can you move over? I'm going to listen in too."

——

While Fang Zhao was telling stories, quite a few folks were doing online searches of him.

The daily entertainment news cycle never strayed from affairs or breakdowns. It was quite boring. The film festival was going on, but fans were treated to a steady stream of the standard celebrity selfies by the beach or on the red carpet. Only a few of the better-known entertainment journalists filed interesting material. Even so, after a few days, readers got bored again and started looking for new stimulation.

"Where's Fang Zhao? Fang Zhao's at the Corale Film Festival too. Where is he? Have all the entertainment journalists fallen asleep?"

"The entertainment journalists covering the film festival this year aren't that good. I haven't seen anything about the celebrities I'm interested in."

Wang Tie scanned the online comments from a hotel room in Corale. He skipped the comments about Fang Zhao, pretending they didn't exist.

Wang Tie's bracelet rang and he answered the call.

"Old Wang, you're not in a very generous mood these days, huh? You've hogged too many scoops." The man on the call was quite pissed off. Other journalists had been on the verge of exclusives quite a few times, but Wang Tie always beat them to the punch. So the late stories always struck outsiders as matching reports, Wang Tie's leftovers. The reporters were very disgruntled.

The tone softened, the caller looking for a compromise. "I know you're Yanzhou's king of paparazzi, but can't you spare a few scoops for your old friends?"

Wang Tie organized his notes from the day and responded at the same time. "I have. I said at the outset I wouldn't be tracking Fang Zhao. He's quite a popular figure these days. If you land a scoop on him, you'll make a fortune."

"Fang Zhao is too hard to tail. Plus, he isn't on the main island."

"Then there's nothing I can do. I've given you the opportunity." The mere mention of Fang Zhao also annoyed Wang Tie. He didn't want to discuss the matter further.

"Hehe."

"Don't 'hehe' me. This mofo hates that word! Hehe my ass! If you have something to say, just say it!" Wang Tie wanted to punch someone.

"Just consider this as you doing us a favor, Old Wang. We are classmates, after all. Just leak us something, something big, not peanuts. Or tell us where Fang Zhao is. I just got off the phone with the man I sent to the outlying islands. He didn't see Fang Zhao today. He has no idea where Fang Zhao is. This guy's too good at dodging paparazzi."

"Don't ask me about Fang Zhao. Track him down yourself!"

Chapter 359: Model Studen

At the retirement home for former government officials in Yanbei.

Great-Grandfather Fang had been spending most of his days at home. He was constantly online, browsing for news about the Corale Film Festival.

Before Fang Zhao had set off for the Corale Archipelago, Great-Grandfather Fang had sent him this message: "Take plenty of shots of the scenery. I hear the Corale Archipelago is quite pretty."

Fang Zhao had taken his great-grandfather literally, sending along only pictures of the scenery. There was no sign of Fang Zhao himself.

A disgruntled Great-Grandfather Fang blew at his mustache. "Don't youngsters these days love to take selfies? Aren't those celebrity photos online all selfies from different angles? How come this kid is different from the pack? I wonder who he takes after."

Great-Grandfather Fang threw his wife a glance and sighed.

If Fang Zhao wasn't in the picture, what was the point of showing his friends the photos? If they wanted to check out the scenery from the Corale islands, they could just search for photos online.

After venting, Great-Grandfather Fang sent Fang Zhao another message. "Xiao Zhao, when you take pictures, make sure you're in them too. Take plenty of pictures of yourself and the scenery."

Great-Grandfather Fang finally received photos he was happy with.

"Our Xiao Zhao takes the best pictures. Look at how upbeat he is. If only he could smile some more. Oh, he went fishing. That's a great catch. Just looking at it makes me yummy."

Great-Grandmother Fang put on her glasses and joined her husband. "I thought film festivals were all about red carpet events. Who knew you could fish as well? Judging from the picture, this must be a fishing area built off the coast?"

The pictures Fang Zhao sent were all panoramas that provided a clear view of the surroundings.

"There's this one too. He took it while he was scuba diving. No wonder they call Corale the island of reefs. How gorgeous!" Great-Grandfather Fang bookmarked the picture. He was going to send a select few to his chat group.

After posting the photos in his chat group, Great-Grandfather Fang began counting the days on his fingers. "It still isn't time for the awards ceremony. How come time is passing so slowly for me?"

Great-Grandfather Fang was nervous.

How could he not be?

"Who knows if Xiao Zhao will win an award this time."

Even though many online comments predicted that Fang Zhao was a likely winner, there were no guarantees. They had no way of finding out the results in advance.

"Film awards like this love playing games. Everything is announced at the last minute. Wouldn't it be so much better if they were like the Galaxy Awards, where everything is decided in advance? All you need to do to go on stage and accept your award." Great-Grandfather Fang was going to fret until the moment the results were announced.

"Our Xiao Zhao was nominated for both best newcomer and best supporting actor. Judging from the online commentary, he should bag at least one of the two awards, no?" said Great-Grandmother Fang. She was quite uncertain herself.

"Which carries more weight, the Best Newcomer Award or the Best Supporting Actor Award?" Great-Grandfather Fang posted this question online. There were all sorts of answers. Some said the Best Newcomer Award was just a token of encouragement and completely dispensable. Others said the Best Supporting Actor Award was a sideshow, an award for hard work that didn't carry much heft. Great-Grandfather Fang had no idea who was right. The bottom line was that neither award mattered as much as awards like best actor.

That annoyed Great-Grandfather Fang. The way he saw it, whenever one of his descendants shined in a certain area, he wanted them to be honored. But personal preference played no role in the way things actually unfolded.

Great-Grandmother Fang was clueless too. She never followed the entertainment industry. If not for Fang Zhao, she would pay the least bit of attention to entertainment news, let alone film awards.

"Actually, if you think about it, none of these awards carry as much weight as the Supernova Award," Great-Grandmother Fang said.

"That's true!" Great-Grandfather Fang felt better instantly. "We've bagged the Supernova Award already. As for the Best Newcomer Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award, it'd be great if we won those too, but it's no big deal."

At that point, a deliveryman arrived.

Great-Grandfather Fang forgot all about the awards. He bolted from his chair, tossed his walking stick, and made for the door in his flip-flops.

"The package from Xiao Zhao has arrived!"

Great-Grandfather Fang didn't open the delivery boxes immediately. He took a picture of them first, then unwrapped the boxes and took another picture, which he posted in the chat group for his fellow retirement home residents.

"Our Xiao Zhao has sent us stuff again. [photo][photo][photo] Sigh, kids these days. How many times have I told him not to waste money? This shipment is going to last forever! He also went fishing in Corale. Go figure! When the rest of the folks are walking the red carpet, he holes up fishing instead. What an odd style he has!"

——

Meanwhile, on the Corale islands, Fang Zhao had already returned to his hotel on the main island. He mailed the stuff he had bought and brought Nanfeng and company snacks he'd bought on the outlying island.

After replenishing its feed, Fang Zhao examined his "rabbit," which was resting in its water tank. The small fellow had gotten all excited after returning to the main island. It had finished its last batch of feed in 10 minutes.

When Fang Zhao knocked on the walls of the tank, the little fella's "ears" pricked and the sea slug started dancing in the water. He had to send Ren Hong a message to place an order for more feed.

In the next few days, Fang Zhao ventured out for a few movies occasionally, but the rest of his time he spent holed up in his hotel room composing and writing papers.

Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao were seated on the balcony of their hotel room in single file, each armed with a bag of snacks.

"Boss isn't heading out again today."

"What should we do next?" Yan Biao felt he still hadn't fully utilized the skills he'd picked up from his bodyguard course. He felt underutilized. He also felt guilty being paid such a hefty salary while goofing around and downing baked fish chips.

"I'm gonna head out in a bit to gather some intelligence. You guys do what you want. Boss gave us the day off, after all," Nanfeng said as he tossed a baked fish chip into his mouth. Having signed up to work for a boss like this, all he could do was compromise. He had planned on escorting Fang Zhao to premieres, red carpet events, and the like, but it appeared that his boss was taking a pass.

What was more important, the red carpet or homework?

But if Nanfeng posed that question to Fang Zhao, he could kiss his assistantship goodbye.

"Zuo Yu, what should we do today?" Yan Biao asked.

"Let's deal with the paparazzi," Zuo Yu said while pointing outside. "The two entertainment journalists that have been tailing us for the past few days. When we go out for a smoke, let's drag them into the men's room for a chat."

Yan Biao nodded. "Sure thing!" He was bored to death anyway.

Inside his hotel room, Fang Zhao sent his completed paper to his instructor, Prof. Carter.

Douglas Carter, the Twelve Tones instructor in charge of arrangement classes and Mo Lang's most senior disciple, was well respected at HuangArt.

Before receiving Fang Zhao's paper, Prof. Carter was chatting with an old friend about the Corale Film Festival.

"You're not coming over this year?" the man on the other end of the videoconference asked.

"No. There's nothing going on that concerns us. Besides 'Founding Era,' I haven't done work for any other productions in the past year," Prof. Carter responded casually as he browsed the nominations for the awards ceremony at the Corale Film Festival. Even though he had been part of the team that had written the score for "Founding Era," he hadn't been nominated for a prize. He knew that with Mo Lang in the running, everyone else was bound to be sidelined. Judging from the list of nominees, many of the nominated musicians were destined to be sideshows.

The other man asked, "So Venerable Old Mo won't be attending the prize ceremony this year? The song he wrote for the ending of 'Founding Era' is a shoo-in!"

"It's been years since the old man has attended a film festival's prize ceremony. He passes on everything except the Galaxy Awards. He's in no physical shape to keep up. The old man also likes to avoid big crowds these days." As Mo Lang's senior disciple, Carter knew his teacher well.

"And I thought the old man took 'Founding Era' seriously. He lived on Planet Wai with the crew for such a long time. Who knows, maybe he'll make an exception?"

Carter pondered the response. "That makes sense, but so far I haven't heard anything. If he were to attend the prize ceremony, he would have confirmed his itinerary in advance."

"Well, it's par for the course if he skips the ceremony. He's won so many awards, after all. What's one more to him?"

Carter received Fang Zhao's paper during the conversation.

The email took Carter by surprise. He scanned the first two pages of Fang Zhao's paper, oblivious to the fact that his friend was still on the call.

"What's up?" the friend asked after noticing Carter arch his eyebrows.

"Fang Zhao just sent me a paper. I read the first two pages. Even though I haven't read the entire paper, I can tell this is a high-quality paper. Based on our grading standards, I think it deserves an A+."

"It's that good? Isn't the kid at the film festival? Where did he find the time to write a paper?"

"There's more. He just sent me a message saying he's working on another paper." The smile on Carter's face grew. As a teacher, he naturally wanted his students to dedicate the bulk of their attention to music. "When he asked for time off, I was worried that he might let the pomp and circumstance of the entertainment industry get to his head. Who knew he could find the composure to write papers."

"Young men like him are like a needle in a haystack. No wonder he got into Twelve Tones at such a young age."

"Fang Zhao is indeed a decent student. I look forward to reading his other paper after the film festival," a delighted Carter said.

Five days later, before the prize ceremony at the film festival took place, Carter received another email from Fang Zhao. Attached was his second paper and the scan of a handwritten score.

Carter spent most of the day reading the paper and studying the score. Then he took a deep breath and sent Mo Lang this message: "Teacher, are you sure you don't want to take any more students?"

If you're going to pass, I'm going to take him on! Carter thought to himself.

Chapter 360: Junior Disciple

There was a distinction between being a regular student and a disciple.

Carter had taught countless students throughout his career, but he would only categorize about a dozen of them as his disciples, apart from his master's and PhD students.

Academia placed a premium on passing the torch.

It had been years since Carter had accepted a disciple. There was no shortage of standouts at HuangArt. He got the itch to accept another disciple every year. The only thing was that he'd realized that the older he got, the more careful he had to be about accepting disciples. He was worried that the reputation and stature he had spent so many years building might be destroyed overnight. He had seen this happen in the music industry several times. When one was young, they recruited disciples based on talent. But at a more advanced age, talent wasn't the only criterion—character was equally important. Folks who were more conservative even valued character more than talent. Their disciples didn't necessarily have to be top-notch, talent-wise.

As far as regular students were concerned, all Carter had to do was lecture, answer their academic questions, and pass on technical knowledge. Beyond that, Carter was circumspect. He had limited resources. The connections that he had accumulated, the ideas and insight he had refined over time, if all went according to plan, he would only pass on to his disciples. If his disciples performed well, it would also reflect well on him, their master.

So for Carter to consider Fang Zhao now was a rare occurrence.

In fact, Carter had considered accepting Fang Zhao as a disciple when Fang Zhao had been first admitted to the Twelve Tones program. It wasn't only Carter. Some of the senior professors at HuangArt had also had the same idea. But everyone had decided to wait and see so they could observe Fang Zhao's character. Too many geniuses had vanished after succumbing to the tests of time and worldly temptations, not to mention the fact that Fang Zhao was already an active member in the entertainment industry. That had prompted the old professors to proceed cautiously.

But now, given the quality of Fang Zhao's paper and work, Carter felt he couldn't wait any longer. If he did, he was worried that someone might beat him to it.

He had asked around already. Fang Zhao hadn't been accepted as a disciple by anyone else. That old fella Xue Jing was a solid academic, but he and Fang Zhao had different styles. Even if Xue Jing wanted to train Fang Zhao, he couldn't manage it. He had even needed Fang Zhao's help when he'd been writing the textbook "New Voices in Symphonic Composition." So Carter's only immediate concern was Mo Lang.

Mo Lang was his teacher. In terms of stature and talent, he was also top-notch. Carter could tell that the old man had long been interested in Fang Zhao. The only thing stopping Mo Lang was his earlier vow not to take on any new disciples. He was conflicted. It was time for Carter to step in.

You had to hand it to Carter—he knew Mo Lang well.

Mo Lang was indeed torn when he got the call from his disciple.

Initially, Mo Lang had taken the position that if he refused to take on any new disciples, his disciples could forget about it too. Whoever thought otherwise was quickly reprimanded.

But now, Carter's spiel helped him come around. What a waste to pass on such a budding talent! I can't live with that!

Better that he comes under my lineage than is poached by someone else!

Carter was his own student, after all. Mo Lang himself wasn't in a position to take any more disciples because of his previous vow, but Carter could do so! Let Carter take on Fang Zhao on his behalf, then he could instruct Fang Zhao personally. That could work too! A slight detour!

Mo Long was wearing his poker face during the videoconference, but in fact, he was secretly pleased with himself. I've grown more cunning with age!

On the other end of the call, Carter was a respectful, attentive student, but in fact, he had long had Mo Lang all figured out.

"I'll inform Fang Zhao later. Also, Carter, were you hired for a new project? Remember to let Fang Zhao work on it. Also, Fang Zhao is quite young. Make sure your students take care of this junior disciple," Mo Lang instructed.

"Got it. Don't you worry. Why don't you call Fang Zhao first and I'll follow up with another call. Then it's decided. As for my students, I will make sure they help Fang Zhao out. Isn't Fang Zhao attending the Corale Film Festival? It's his first time at a film festival. I'm worried that Silver Wing Media isn't taking good enough care of him. It happens that I have a few students and friends at the festival. I'll ask them to keep an eye on Fang Zhao."

Mo Lang was satisfied. He cut his conversation with Carter short and called Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao was quite surprised by the call. The old man wasn't planning on attending the film festival. Why the call?

"What's wrong, Teacher Mo?" Mo Lang was also an instructor in the Twelve Tones program. The students addressed him as "Teacher Mo."

This particular greeting of "Teacher Mo," however, felt exceptionally good to Mo Lang.

"Fang Zhao, have you considered studying further under a specific teacher?" Mo Lang's tone was quite serious, but he was still significantly friendlier than during the call with Carter.

Fang Zhao arched his eyebrows. "I have, but I haven't decided on a teacher yet."

"Uhm, let me recommend one." Mo Lang paused briefly. "I'm quite old and only have so much energy. Plus, I've stated publicly that I won't take on any new students. But my senior disciple, Douglas Carter, your composition and arrangement instructor, he's halfway decent. If you run into problems, if he's not being clear on certain points, you can reach out to me."

Who knew what outsiders would think if they found out that the head of the composition department at HuangArt, a full professor, a PhD supervisor and Twelve Tones instructor, was dismissed as "halfway decent."

Naturally, Fang Zhao caught Mo Lang's drift. Mo Lang wanted to take on a new student, but he could only have Carter do so on his behalf because of his public vow. Meanwhile, Carter was keen on taking on a disciple too.

"If Teacher Mo and Teacher Carter are willing, of course I'm willing to study under you."

Fang Zhao sounded quite excited and passionate, which delighted Mo Lang. The usually taciturn musician flashed a rare smile and rocked his chair. What did I say? With me personally making the offer, there was no way Fang Zhao could refuse. But if Carter had approached Fang Zhao himself, who knows how long it would have taken. Carter is regressing!

Carter had no idea how little Mo Lang secretly thought of him. When Carter got word from Mo Lang, he gave Fang Zhao a call as well. The matter was settled. If another old geezer at HuangArt approached Fang Zhao in private, Fang Zhao could only refuse the offer.

After hanging up on Carter, Fang Zhao relaxed.

He was definitely happy, but not as excited as he had appeared on the phone. People who survived the Period of Destruction had a different outlook, after all.

Fang Zhao knew that even though he'd won a Supernova and had made a name for himself, he was still quite junior in the industry. There were many projects he would never be exposed to. Only if he became an official student of one of these masters would he get to work on bigger projects and gain more experience.

It wasn't only the teachers doing the observing during the Twelve Tones program. The students were observing their teachers too. Students from prominent families had their own connections, but for students like Fang Zhao who weren't born into the arts world, all they could do was rely on their own ability. Fang Zhao had been eyeing Carter as a master too. That was why he had been so proactive in writing papers. More often than not, people created their own opportunities.

Now, a prime opportunity had come calling.

Fang Zhao walked toward his hotel window and looked outside.

The number of movie fans flocking to Corale had grown exponentially in the past few days. Fans wearing clothing emblazoned with the names or pictures of celebrities from all continents could be easily spotted everywhere. The buzz was growing across the archipelago. If the local government hadn't set a quota on visitor numbers and enforced special regulations during the film festival, these fans would have arrived even earlier.

To maintain some semblance of normalcy during the film festival, the Corale government reserved car lanes for local residents. The number of permits authorizing use of these lanes was also limited. Each family was only entitled to one permit. Traffic was also redirected elsewhere. The airspace was completely off-limits. Only ambulances, police, and fire rescue vessels and the like were allowed in the air. The pilots of any private flying transports that took off without extenuating circumstances were subject to heavy fines that could eat up their annual income.

Luckily, Nanfeng had done his homework. Even though he had never attended the film festival before, he had asked around in advance. Fang Zhao's transportation for all his festival events had long been in place.

Over at HuangArt.

Carter was in a good mood, having accepted a new disciple. Remembering that Mo Lang had asked him to have his students keep an eye on Fang Zhao, he sent his students a message. These few students had told him a few days ago that they planned on attending the film festival. Carter was going to ask them to take care of their fellow disciple, their junior.

But before he could send the message, Carter got a call from one of the students.

"Teacher, we just arrived at the Corale airport. There's an important premiere in about an hour and we can't get transportation. Do you know anyone here who could help us out?" A slightly overweight middle-aged man examined the traffic from behind the French windows of a coffee shop inside the Corale airport as he mopped the sweat dripping from his forehead. "There's a face-off between the fans of some award-winning actor from Jinzhou and the fans of another award-winning actor from Jizhou, which has created a traffic jam. The police are on-site. Word is that it will be another five minutes before the situation is resolved. It's insane! I think other fans were affected by the standoff and had to take a detour. They've taken all the taxis. The rentals are all out too. The entire fleet of cars at our hotel is engaged. I haven't been able to find anyone else who can help."

A five-minute wait didn't seem like a long time, but the delay meant it was harder for them to hail a car. When they had first exited the airport, they had seen five empty cabs, but those cabs had been gone in an instant. Now, they had to get in line, and just the size of the queue was overwhelming.

Carter's students didn't follow the entertainment industry, so they didn't know much about these two award-winning actors. At most, they might recognize the names and the faces might strike a chord. They never would have thought that they would one day be blocked by the two actors' fans in Corale.

Carter's good mood vanished instantly. "You've been to the Corale Film Festival before, haven't you? Don't you know that you have to show up early?"

The middle-aged man mopped the sweat pouring down from his forehead again. "I never ran into a situation like this on prior visits, so the importance of arriving early never occurred to me. I arrived two days late this time around because of a conference. Who could have known that two days would make such a big difference!" Oh, how he regretted his decision now. If he had only known, he would have blown off the conference. It hadn't been an important meeting anyway. The problem was that he hadn't given much thought to the logistics at Corale and had underestimated how passionate the fans were.

Carter took a deep breath and blurted out, "Wait for my call!"

"Yes... yes, sir! Sorry to impose on you!"

Inside the coffee shop at the Corale airport, after hanging up, the middle-aged man accepted a piece of tissue paper from one of his students and wiped his face. He attributed the nerves in part to anxiety and in part to Carter's tone on the phone. He had to keep his composure in front of his students, but the instant he turned his head, he started sweating profusely again. Now he knew why all the celebrities showed up early. It wasn't just for the media exposure. They also wanted to avoid peak traffic. Otherwise, they'd be mobbed by fans when they arrived at the airport.

Meanwhile, over at HuangArt, Carter reached out to his contacts immediately. The thing was, the closer to the prize ceremony it got, the busier his contacts at Corale became. The folks he contacted were swamped. While they promised Carter they'd see what they could do, it was unclear how long they would keep Carter waiting.

The minutes passed as Carter browsed his contact list. His gaze lingered on Fang Zhao's name. He paused before hitting the dial icon.

Carter had barely done anything for his new disciple, and now he needed to ask a favor first. It felt unbecoming. His face was beet red during his conversation with Fang Zhao.

Chapter 361: It Is Fang Zhao

Carter simply explained the matter to Fang Zhao and asked if Fang Zhao was able to borrow a car on his end.

Nanfeng had helped Fang Zhao rent a car beforehand, but the hotel was too far from the airport, so fetching someone from the airport would take too much time. In addition, the car had already been lent to Silver Wing for an emergency, and he wouldn't be able to get the car back immediately.

Fang Zhao got Nanfeng to ask around to check if there were any available cars while Fang Zhao himself sent messages to a few people. He remembered Tan Min, so he sent a message first, as he wasn't sure whether it was convenient for Tan Min to pick up a call at the moment.

Presently, Tan Min had just stepped out from a screening hall. He had wanted to learn from Fang Zhao and take notes while watching a movie, but he had only written down two words when he'd slapped his forehead. "I was nearly lead into the gutter by Fang Zhao. Smart recording software is available—why do I need to write with my hand?"

The main reason he couldn't manage it was because his writing speed couldn't keep up with the speed at which his brain thought. Tan Min was rather slow and his scripts were all entered into his computer.

Tan Min had just finished watching that movie and had recorded some of his thoughts regarding the movie via speech when he saw Fang Zhao's message and immediately called back.

"I just finished a movie screening." Tan Min didn't say more and waited for what Fang Zhao had to say. He knew that Fang Zhao contacting him at this time meant that he definitely had a situation.

"I have a senior who will be heading over here to attend an activity, but the roads are jammed and he can't leave. Do you know anybody in the area of the airport? Could you help send them to the venue?" Fang Zhao briefly explained the matter and expressed that he was willing to fork out extra money. With the current market price, although the journey from the airport to the venue was less than 30 minutes, hiring a local civilian vehicle was especially expensive, and the price would rise according to the urgency.

Hearing what Fang Zhao had said, Tan Min quickly told him, "All right, I will help you ask around and see if I have any friends who are passing by. Local cars are all booked beforehand and many are chartered for the entire day. It is all down to luck now."

"Thanks."

"Heh, welcome! All right, I will go ask around."

About two minutes later, as Fang Zhao was asking others, Tan Min replied. "How many people are there with your senior?"

"A total of seven people and three 24-inch packages."

"That's good. I have a friend who just sent people to the airport. He will be heading to the venue to fetch a group, so he can bring you senior's group along. What is your senior's name?"

"George Quintero. The fare...."

"Don't bother about the fare! Hurry up and inform your senior. It's best to send a few photographs. My friend will be arriving shortly. His vehicle number plate is..." Tan Min passed on the details to Fang Zhao.

"Thank you."

Fang Zhao didn't waste any time and informed Carter immediately after ending the call with Tan Min.

Carter immediately contacted those at the airport.

George Quintero was dripping with perspiration as he waited inside a coffee shop. When he heard the communications device ring, he picked up the call immediately.

"Teacher..."

"Send a photo of yourselves over and wait beside the road! There will be someone there to pick you up shortly." Carter wasn't interested in listening to any small talk.

"All right, all right! Thank you, Teacher! You are still as awesome as ever!"

"Don't thank me. This time, it was your junior fellow disciple who lent a hand. Today, my face has already been shamed by you!"

After informing them of the vehicle number plate and ranting some, then forwarding the photographs over to Fang Zhao, Professor Carter decided to listen to some ballads to calm his nerves down.

Before he put on his earpiece, Carter felt as though he had forgotten something, but after mulling it over for a few seconds, he wasn't able to recall what it was.

"Never mind, it can't be anything important if I can't remember it." Carter stopped wondering and listened to his tunes.

On the other side, George Quintero wiped away the perspiration from his face after receiving a tongue lashing from Professor Carter as he thought to himself, Wasn't I just asking you for help for someone to arrange a car? Why did you have to be so irritable?

Unless Teacher Carter encountered a bottleneck recently while composing?

Or perhaps Old Mister Mo criticized him somehow?

That's not right, junior fellow disciple?

George Quintero finally caught the main point and kneaded his chubby face while trying to think hard. "Who is this junior fellow disciple?"

Professor Carter was already over 100 years of age and had groomed too many master's and Phd students. After George Quintero had finished his apprenticeship, he hadn't been too familiar with most of Professor Carter's other disciples beyond the minor impression he'd had of 10 or so of the more prominent ones. Junior disciple... The last disciple to be accepted would surely be called junior fellow disciple, but George Quintero had no idea who the last one to have been accepted was.

Despite flipping through his communications device's address book, he still wasn't able to determine who it was. However, this wasn't the time to think about it.

He instructed his own students to quickly carry their luggage to the roadside and look out for the vehicle number plate that Carter had given him.

About two minutes later, a local private sports car drove over.

One side matched the photographs of the person, while the other side matched the vehicle number plate for confirmation.

Verified.

The driver gestured with his hands. "Hurry up and get in!"

The other people waiting at the side watched this group enviously. Getting a car at this time was really too difficult!

"Hey, mister, the road you are taking is different from the navigation system," a student said as he checked the navigation system in his hands and the road outside.

"Didn't you see the number plate on my car? The roads this car of mine can take are different from others." The driver looked pleased. He really loved seeing foreigners look at him in admiration.

A quick-witted student praised him. "Oh, yours must be the so-called 'green pass' plate that is limited to one per household?"

"Of course! There won't be any obstructions on this road, and the number of cars allowed here is strictly limited. The road is smooth as well, so we can drive much faster. We will be able to reach the venue in 15 minutes."

"Nice, we can make it!" The people in the car finally relaxed.

One student lamented as he saw two signboards beside the road in the distance promoting the film festival. "It's probably going to be a bumper harvest for 'Founding Era' this year. The boards on the sides of the roads are all for 'Founding Era'."

When this was mentioned, the driver got excited. "You can tell all this just from the nominations. For the drama series category, the others won't win anything. Us people from Corale Archipelago know this best. 'Founding Era' is really good, and the others have no way of competing!"

"You are also a fan of Fang Zhao?"

The expressions of the others in the car froze. "...Junior fellow disciple?"

The driver found their reaction bewildering. "Yea, wasn't he the one who helped you guys arrange for the car?"

George Quintero's hand that was adjusting his appearance paused.

"My junior fellow disciple is Fang Zhao?"

"Teacher, your junior fellow disciple is Fang Zhao?"

"What? It is actually Fang Zhao?!"

The driver in front immediately chuckled when he heard what these people were saying. "Are you guys trying to do a choral recital?"

George Quintero had a puzzled expression. "How can my junior fellow disciple be Fang Zhao? When did this start?"

The driver grinned even more. "It's your own fellow junior, what are you asking me for?" These people are really too foolish. "In any case, Fang Zhao contacted my friend who in turn asked me for help. Now, vehicle resources here are scarce and have all been booked as of a few days ago. Luckily, I was on my way to the venue to pick some people up, so this journey is on the way. Otherwise I really wouldn't have had the time to pick you guys up," the driver said.

"It's that busy?" a young student asked.

"Heh, of course! All year round, it is only these few days where it's a holiday and there isn't work. There are people all around who are crazy film buffs. However, each year, during these few days, we all double up as drivers." The driver's smile widened. He wasn't complaining the slightest. "It's like a supplement to our income."

Another young student was curious. "Then you people who take on roles as drivers during this period can earn quite a bit, right?"

"Not much, not much! Just enough to live well" The driver might have said it was not a lot, but the sides of his lips continued to curl upward, and his voice was cheery. "I'm not bragging, but we have a family here with a licensed car who are hardworking enough. The three of them take turns driving in shifts. Do you know how much they can earn in these 10 days?"

The few young students in the car were all extremely curious. "How much?"

The driver extended the five fingers of one hand. "Over a million!"

The others in the car: "..."

The figure is rather astonishing, but why did he have to put out five fingers?

The few young student's attention had been shifted, but George Quintero was still absent-mindedly kneading his face, and he didn't even realize that his hairstyle had already become messy.

My junior fellow disciple is Fang Zhao?

When did Teacher accept a new disciple?

That was the Fang Zhao who had ties to the commercial and artistic circles as well as the chaotic entertainment circle! How had his own teacher, who was a firm believer in academia, accepted an disciple like Fang Zhao?

Bewildered, George Quintero asked a few fellow disciples, yet they didn't know about this matter either.

By the time the car had arrived at the venue, George Quintero still hadn't solved this doubt. In his heart he thought, Teacher is also too much. He didn't mention that his junior fellow disciple was Fang Zhao, and he didn't give me a way to contact this junior.

After arriving at the destination and thanking the driver, the car drove off before they could even ask about the fare.

George Quintero reported his status to Carter and incidentally asked about Fang Zhao as well.

A short while later, Carter replied, evidently still in a bad mood. "Remember that it was your junior fellow disciple who helped you this time around. When you are there, if Fang Zhao encounters any difficulties, you guys have to look after him, understand?!"

"How can we take care of him? Isn't this sort of place his home ground?" According to George Quintero's point of view, this was the home ground of people belonging to the entertainment circle, including those teams that specialized in producing music for films. As for them, the academics, this sort of place made them feel slightly uncomfortable.

However, even if this was outside of their sphere, George Quintero felt that he couldn't shame his teacher, and since he had been invited by a cooperative partner, he ought to put on an air fit for the occasion.

Raising his head and puffing out his chest, George Quintero put on a proper appearance as he led the students into the venue, oblivious to the fact that his students were all bragging to their friends in various chat groups.

"We have reached the venue! We made it! My Teacher's junior helped us arrange a car, and a green license at that! We've got photos to prove it [Image]. On top of that, I just found out that my teacher's junior is actually Fang Zhao! Yes, it's that famous genius Fang Zhao!"

"Help, what were the students of masters in the Old Era called? What can I call Fang Zhao when I see him that won't sound so flattering but will still sound close?"

Chapter 362: Gala Kickoff

After Fang Zhao helped Carter resolve his student's transportation issue, he started preparing for the prize ceremony.

The prize ceremonies for film and TV at the Corale Film Festival took place on separate days. The one honoring TV shows took place a day before the presentation ceremony for movies.

All the hotels near the venue for the film festival were fully booked, barring hotels that were reserved for actors and celebrities. Fans could only settle for locations some distance from the venue. Many of them rented office spaces or even flats from locals.

Nanfeng handed Fang Zhao a piece of paper. "Boss, this is your itinerary." Nanfeng had shown Fang Zhao a draft schedule earlier, but this was a more detailed rundown that factored in possible complications at the venue. Cognizant of the fact that Fang Zhao lacked experience in events like this, Nanfeng had sought out many seasoned assistants for advice, which he had incorporated into this final schedule.

"Also, Silver Wing is asking whether you need help with your schedule," Nanfeng said.

Fang Zhao studied Nanfeng's itinerary and waved his hand. "This is great. No need for Silver Wing to send anyone."

Nanfeng couldn't help flashing a smile, but he quickly restrained himself. He thought he should come off as a steady ship before his boss. He couldn't break into a silly smile because of a single line of flattery.

Nanfeng recovered his composure and continued, "Boss, you received two nominations, so you have to walk the red carpet. But we have no idea who your partner on the red carpet will be. We'll only find out when we arrive at the venue. This is decided by the organizers—we can only play along. That's how things have always been done at Corale. If we have suggestions, we can pass them along ahead of time, but the organizers might not accept them. Typically, only the cream of the crop in the entertainment industry can sway the organizers."

The bottom line was that as far as the entertainment industry was concerned, Fang Zhao had neither enough stature nor seniority to pull rank with the organizers. Fang Zhao understood this as well, so he didn't have any suggestions. He was happy to defer to the organizers.

Zuo Yu was intrigued and began brainstorming. "What if they decide to set you up with an actress who's calculating? Is she going to try to fake a relationship with you?"

Fang Zhao had never been associated with anyone romantically. Plus, there was no shortage of headlines about Fang Zhao. He didn't need a scandalous affair to boost his visibility.

What about the paparazzi, who claimed to be ubiquitous?

Quite a few entertainment journalists were tracking Fang Zhao closely, looking for a scoop, but the problem was that they had trouble following the man himself.

The journalists sent to film Fang Zhao secretly had been roughed up by Fang Zhao's bodyguards. The bodyguards had been quite strategic in their use of force. They hadn't inflicted any obvious wounds. A hospital checkup hadn't revealed any injuries serious enough to cause public outrage. The incident wasn't worth making a story out of. In that case, there was even less news about Fang Zhao during the film festival. It was all trivial stuff. The pictures that the journalists had managed to take weren't clear shots and had been taken from odd angles.

As for a scandalous affair or whatnot, forget about it. There was absolutely no sign online that any entertainment journalist had caught even a whiff of a scandal.

Nanfeng sighed. "As far as your red carpet partner is concerned, based on what I've found out about the Corale organizers, they typically pair up celebrities of similar stature. Plus, there are a limited number of slots at the red carpet for an awards ceremony of this level. Either you're a nominee or a prominent figure in the industry. The scenario Zuo Yu painted is possible but highly unlikely."

Nanfeng didn't think the contingency Zuo Yu suggested would happen. Actors who had a shot at the red carpet planned their careers carefully. Boosting their visibility through a fake romantic liaison was beneath them. If the story was mishandled, it would backfire and jeopardize their careers.

But setting aside his professional responsibilities, as a spectator, Nanfeng wouldn't mind Fang Zhao getting romantically linked with someone.

Alas, a thought was just a thought. As a competent assistant, he knew clearly what he should and shouldn't do. Still, Nanfeng felt he should be prepared, so he reached out to his friends to help stave off any possible storylines that might cast Fang Zhao in a negative light.

Gotta let Boss know my value!

Gotta let Boss realize I'm indispensable!

Nanfeng had mapped out all sorts of scenarios and come up with responses. He was ready to see how things played out.

Now all that was left was to escort boss to the venue.

The presentation ceremony for the Golden Coral Awards for TV was also known as the "Golden TV Series Gala." Add to that the "Founding Era" effect and there was a significant bump in turnout.

The main island started getting busier the morning of the awards ceremony. Many fans flocked to the venue to stake out strategic positions before the break of dawn. Locals living on the outlying islands also traveled to the main island first thing in the morning.

Fang Zhao proceeded according to Nanfeng's itinerary. The assistant had allocated a bigger chunk of time this time around for wardrobe and makeup. The process was more meticulous than usual.

Nanfeng was on hand every step of the way, not letting the smallest detail escape his attention.

He felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment. If he had his way, Nanfeng would have posted photos left and right. But he could only hold back due to his ethical obligations.

"Boss, when we're ready here, we'll catch our ride to a side room at the venue and wait for further instructions. Let's head out after lunch. Also, Boss, you should overeat a bit for lunch; otherwise you'll get hungry later in the day. There will be hairdressers and makeup artists at the venue. If you want to change your look or if your hairdo gets messed up, you can reach out to them. If they're unavailable, call me and I'll send someone over. Remember to watch what you eat when you arrive at the venue. You have to control your food intake. Don't eat or drink too much. Cut down on your fluid intake."

Nanfeng's nonstop nagging got on Zuo Yu's and Yan Biao's nerves. Too much hassle! What a nuisance!

Figuring that he might not be able to eat much in the evening, Fang Zhao went all-out during lunch.

Nanfeng was left bewildered as he watched bowl after bowl of rice be emptied.

"Boss, don't eat too much!" Nanfeng was worried that Fang Zhao might need the bathroom at an important moment during the ceremony.

Yan Biao whispered to Nanfeng, "Boss has a quirk—he has a huge appetite! Everyone from the set of 'Founding Era' knows this."

When Fang Zhao finally got up from his chair, Nanfeng clutched his chest and took a few deep breaths. "Gotta calm down, calm down!"

Fang Zhao and company got into the car they had booked well in advance and headed to the venue.

The route from the hotel to the venue had long been planned. Barricades had been erected on both sides of the road. Police officers hovered nearby, while behind the barricades were packed passionate movie fans from all over the world.

The car's windows were tinted, but those inside could still see out. Still, the fans went berserk every time a car emerged from the hotel.

Even though the car was soundproofed, the sight of crazed faces and screaming mouths gave Yan Biao and Zuo Yu the jitters.

Yan Biao felt he had been exposed to a whole new world. "No wonder the local government declared a holiday. How could you work in conditions like this?"

People were everywhere!

He had no idea the island could fit so many people!

"I'm guessing the police officers from all the outlying islands have been diverted to this location. It'd be impossible to maintain order on the strength of the main island's manpower alone," Zuo Yu said.

"There's more. Officers from other parts of Huangzhou are also sent here. Police districts closest to the archipelago and districts that have spare manpower all send folks over. Otherwise, traffic would come to a standstill," the driver said.

"Are there this many movie fans? I never felt this way attending other events." As a bodyguard, Yan Biao felt immense pressure. Even though he was quite confident, his knees weakened at the sight of this mob.

After studying the clothes the fans were wearing and the signs they held, Yan Biao breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, none of these were Fang Zhao's fans. Otherwise, he and Zuo Yu would be stampeded.

"These are fans from all the continents. You've underestimated how crazy fans can get." Saliva flying, a frantic Nanfeng elaborated on the incredible drawing power of a film festival of this stature. It was his first time experiencing an atmosphere like this too. He had only admired from a distance in the past. Now he was part of the action.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had laid eyes on many global superstars while Fang Zhao had been filming "Founding Era" on Planet Wai. They had seen top-tier actors from all the continents. They hadn't made much of it then, but in this context, the gathering of stars created a different spectacle.

This was a home-court advantage for the superstars of the entertainment industry!

A single wave and smile could create a tsunami of squeals.

Comparatively speaking, Fang Zhao really didn't have much of an edge.

After arriving at the side room of the venue, Nanfeng pointed at the door. "Boss, we'll have to drop you off here. We can't go inside. You've been briefed on what happens next. The organizers will guide you every step of the way, or just follow the lead of one of the more senior stars from Silver Wing. Someone will give you a heads up on your red carpet partner. If you run into any problems, just call me. I'll figure something out."

It was Fang Zhao's first time at such an important event—and he had to walk the red carpet. Nanfeng felt like a parent sending his kid to school for the first time. He couldn't let go. If he had his way, he'd tie Fang Zhao to a leash and lead the way.

Yan Biao eyed Fang Zhao, who showed no signs of nerves, then Nanfeng, who was sweating profusely and shivering. He recalled a saying from the Old Era: "The eunuch panics vicariously for the emperor."

Is Xiao Nanfeng a bit too tightly wound? Yan Biao couldn't help blurting out, "Xiao Nanfeng, no, I mean Nanfeng, I think our boss is smarter than you are. He'll manage just fine."

Nanfeng wanted to say, "My ass!" but seeing as Fang Zhao had already gestured to him, he held back. They couldn't linger. There was a long line of cars behind them. They had to make way.

"Boss, why don't you head in first. We'll be outside. Just call if you need anything."

Nanfeng had booked a room near the venue. He and Yan Biao and Zuo Yu would wait there.

The towering skyscrapers near the venue were equipped with large screens that showed a live feed of the venue. The event hadn't started yet, so all that could be seen was droves of people heading in different directions. Folks had also staked out spots on rooftops. Word was that some rooftops had already been paid for.

The moment Fang Zhao walked into the side room, he ran into a director who had just returned from a shoot on Planet Wai. The director had rented some of his property on Wai. Fang Zhao had met with the filmmaker twice while he had been filming "Founding Era."

"Fang Zhao, you're here! Congrats on your two nominations! Judging from your performance in 'Founding Era,' I think you're bound to bag at least one prize," the director said with a thumbs up. "Commander Huo Yi asked about you before I came back. He said to tell you to visit Wai again when you had time."

Fang Zhao figured that what Huo Yi meant was to drop by Wai again with his dog.

Chapter 363: Red Carpet Partner

It had to be said that there was simply too much star power at an awards ceremony like this. One global superstar followed another. Fang Zhao didn't stand out at all. Even the brash Zaro failed to cause a ripple here.

Zaro had been able to crash a red carpet or two during the film festival, but he wasn't good enough for the red carpet at the "Golden TV Series Gala."

He didn't have any quality productions under his belt. He lacked seniority. And gathered here were fans from all around the world and the top figures in the film and TV industry. Zaro wasn't much of a factor. This wasn't Leizhou. Every step had to be earned the hard way.

The entertainment journalists might throw him a crumb or two when there wasn't any big news, but at a star-studded moment like this, they ignored Zaro outright.

It wasn't just Zaro. Woo Tianhao, Barbara, and so on got the same treatment. They felt slighted. But either they bolted or they sucked it up.

At a star-studded moment like this, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Fang Zhao. But he was someone who had been nominated for best newcomer and best supporting actor in a drama, after all. When the awards came up, folks still mentioned the name "Fang Zhao."

But apart from having his arrival at the airport two days ago filmed, there had only been a dribble of news about Fang Zhao since the beginning of the film festival.

Initially, quite a few folks had been clamoring online for news about Fang Zhao, but as items had surfaced about other stars, no one had had time to track Fang Zhao. But now that they had Fang Zhao in their sights, a few journalists who worked for media outlets close to the organizers approached for an interview.

After giving two brief interviews, Fang Zhao made an excuse to bolt, avoiding the remaining few journalists.

Journalists who had access to the side room all belonged to publications that had worked closely with the organizers for years. They weren't prone to stalking certain celebrities. After Fang Zhao left, they turned their attention to other actors. There were plenty of stars in attendance this night, plenty of people to interview.

When Fang Zhao served himself some tea from a dispenser, he overheard a few directors whispering.

"Hey, Old Li, I heard a while ago that you signed on for a project backed by the Renault family of Leizhou and that kid from the Woo family from Tongzhou. Those two kids are both very generous. Is the project going well? I have a script I'm thinking of pitching to them."

"Don't get me started. I'm suffering from internal bleeding here. Yes, the two kids are generous, but they both keep nagging me about starring in the film. The way they do things..."

"What's wrong? I thought they did a good job in 'Founding Era'."

"But that's 'Founding Era.' What kind of production is that? Even the extras were professional actors, or at least highly experienced. It was a different atmosphere. Even if you were an average actor, your level was raised by everyone around you. But now that they've left the 'Founding Era' set, they're showing their true mettle. These two spoiled brats—one just wings it, the other just tries to steal the show."

The pressure had been immense on the "Founding Era" set. Even Zaro had held back his usual antics. But now that he was working on a production he was investing in, he felt he could take liberties—plus, he was a slacker to begin with. Naturally his performance paled in comparison to his delivery on "Founding Era."

Other than that, Zaro realized his beloved garlic didn't do its trick anymore.

He either overacted or couldn't deliver the right emotions. Now Zaro felt great about himself when he did his scenes, but everyone else found his delivery super awkward and stinging to the eyes.

As for Woo Tianhao, he tried too hard to steal the spotlight, and he was over-the-top and pretentious. He even improvised from time to time.

The director and screenwriter were too chickenshit to offend the two investors. All they could do was suck it up and keep shooting. In the end, a serious drama became a comedy.

The two directors were deep in conversation when they caught a glimpse of Zaro heading their way. They shut up immediately.

The director who had just spoken turned away from Zaro, lest he get busted.

But Zaro seemed to be fuming about something else. He looked like someone had robbed him of billions—he was completely oblivious to his surroundings.

Zaro had just realized that all he had gotten was an invitation.

The invitation gave him access to the awards ceremony only. As for the red carpet festivities, he could forget about them. He didn't qualify.

He had nothing to show for himself apart from that cameo in "Founding Era." All his other films were major turnoffs, far from meeting the exacting standards of the Corale Film Festival.

After repeated pleas from his agent, Zaro had agreed to suck it up and stay. No wonder he looked so pale. Everyone who saw him coming their way ducked immediately. If I can't afford to piss him off. Can't I hide? they thought.

Even though Si Lu was signed to Neon Culture—a Silver Wing rival—and the two companies were at loggerheads, Si Lu thought well of Fang Zhao. When he had played the lone swordsman Qi Guan on "Founding Era," Fang Zhao had given him a few pointers. They exchanged a few pleasantries.

Apart from Si Lu, Fang Zhao also ran into Qiao Tingzheng, an actor who specialized in playing villains.

A senior actor, Qiao Tingzheng had passed on a few insights to Fang Zhao, but the "wife braggart" lived up to his name. A few sentences in and he was talking about his wife Windsor again.

Qiao Tingzheng hadn't been nominated, but Windsor had been nominated for best original song and was therefore eligible for the red carpet.

Qiao Tingzheng was a bit upset because he hadn't qualified for the red carpet and thus couldn't walk with his wife. He was sad and a little jealous.

"Speaking of the red carpet, do you know who your partner is?" Qiao Tingzheng asked.

Fang Zhao shook his head. "I haven't heard yet."

"It's still early. You'll find out when the red carpet event begins. Don't be nervous. Remember not to drink too much water. It will affect your performance," Qiao Tingzheng instructed before he parted ways with Fang Zhao. He was worried that Fang Zhao would overhydrate because of nerves and fail to bring his A game to the red carpet as a result.

After Qiao Tingzheng left, a man carrying a wine glass sauntered toward Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had never spoken to the man before. All he remembered was catching a glimpse of the person from a distance at the performance hall on Planet Wai. He vaguely remembered the face, but he didn't know the man's name.

"You look like you're in good spirits. Are you ready for the red carpet?" the man asked as he cocked his chin.

"I'm all set," Fang Zhao responded.

"You've already done well to have earned two nominations, but..." The man gave Fang Zhao a knowing glance, crept closer, and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Did you know that you were originally nominated in three categories, but the jury voted you down in one category because of your young age?"

The man took a sip of his wine, chuckled, and left.

Fang Zhao didn't follow up, nor did his gaze linger on the mystery man. As soon as he turned around, he saw He Lisi walking toward him.

He Lisi was an A-lister in Yanzhou and one of Silver Wing's top artists. He had been nominated for best actor at the Golden Coral Awards on several occasions. He had won best actor in a drama for his performance in an extremely popular TV series five years ago.

He and Fang Zhao weren't rivals anymore. Fang Zhao's focus was his music, so he didn't pose a threat. Plus, both artists were signed to Silver Wing. The Silver Wing board made a point of cultivating Fang Zhao. Duan Qianji had even personally asked He Lisi to keep an eye on Fang Zhao at the film festival and pass on some pointers.

"What did that man say to you? I'm guessing nothing flattering." He Lisi had approached Fang Zhao quickly in the first place because he had noticed the man's sly smile.

"Nothing major," Fang Zhao responded.

"Good. This is your first time attending an important event like this. Many folks are jealous that your first acting performance earned two nominations. There are plenty of people who want to see you make a fool of yourself, including the man who just approached you. No matter what they say, don't let it get to your head. Stay calm and composed. The time spent agonizing over their comments is better used practicing your acceptance speech. You're likely to win in one of the two categories."

"Got it."

"Great. If you have a question or run into a situation, feel free to get in touch. I see an old friend; I'm going to go say hi."

He Lisi had his own group of friends. He moved on quickly after the brief conversation with Fang Zhao.

The crowd in the side hall grew in size. The soothing soundtrack piped by the sound system wasn't relaxing at all. Instead, the mood in the room grew increasingly tense with every passing second and minute.

Fang Zhao also ran into Ji Polun and company.

Ji Polun looked more sophisticated than he used to in his carefully tailored outfit made of a slightly reflective material. His posture and hand gestures were also smooth and elegant thanks to recent in-house training. His good looks added to his advantage.

But there was definitely no shortage of pretty faces in the room.

Advancements in plastic surgery meant there were countless "perfect" faces for the media to obsess over every year at the film festival. But how many of them qualified for the red carpet at an awards ceremony of this stature?

Not to mention, Ji Polun's face was still far from perfect.

Regardless of how confident they were in Yanzhou, Ji Polun and friends paled in present company. Self-aware as they were, they stuck to a corner and avoided roaming the room.

The several young actors that were part of Ji Polun's group were all priorities for Silver Wing. Otherwise, the label wouldn't have bothered to secure invitations to the "Golden TV Series Gala" for them.

When the group noticed Fang Zhao, they approached to say hi.

"Big Bro Zhao!"

"Big Bro Zhao is cutting quite the dashing figure today!"

This wasn't mere flattery.

What appeared to be a simple black-and-white combination didn't come off as staid because of a sophisticated design that was mature and youthful the same time. The slick cutting highlighted Fang Zhao's slim figure. Fang Zhao was impeccably groomed from head to toe. Nanfeng had gone all out crafting his boss's look.

Even though he boasted fewer accessories, Fang Zhao wasn't one to be neglected, even if he just stood there.

Maybe this was what they call a star's aura, Ji Polun and company thought.

"You've decided to stick together?" Fang Zhao asked as he scanned the group.

These were all young actors. Silver Wing's senior stars were too busy to babysit them. Even if they wanted to make conversation with some of the bigwigs, they would be given the cold shoulder. All they could do was linger in a corner.

One could be as obnoxious as one wanted on their home continent, but sharing the room with the biggest stars and most prominent entertainment executives in the world, it was smart to keep a low profile.

"There are big shots everywhere. Even the top stars from our continent have to play nice," one of the young actors said with a forced chuckle. He wanted to chuckle more naturally, but his entire body had started freezing up from the moment he'd entered the side hall. He could barely walk.

He relaxed somewhat in Fang Zhao's company. They belonged to the same label, after all, and Fang Zhao was friendlier in comparison. It was like running into a fellow countryman abroad. Even if they didn't know each other and had never exchanged a single word before, they would still feel more at ease.

"We haven't seen you in a few days, Big Bro Zhao. We've been taking in the sights, and we watched two movies," another young actor said.

At times like this, generating a few headlines for the Yanzhou news outlets would be considered mission accomplished. Generating stories for foreign publications was a different challenge altogether.

"Big Bro Zhao has been holed up writing papers," Ji Polun answered on Fang Zhao's behalf. He knew about Fang Zhao's plans after the movie viewings.

The others were clued in by Ji Polun's response. "Oh, that's right. He's still in school. He has other assignments."

"I haven't completed my assignment for the film festival yet," the young actor standing closest to the corner said with a distressed look.

Ji Polun explained with a chuckle when he saw Fang Zhao look over. "His agent asked him to hook up with someone during the film festival. Any gender or race would do. His agent is the devil!"

"Amen to that. All agents are devils!" another actor seconded.

"What about you, Big Bro Zhao?" someone asked.

"I don't have an agent," Fang Zhao responded.

"Jealous!"

"So, so jealous!"

What they envied wasn't the fact that Fang Zhao didn't have an agent looking over his shoulder but the fact that Fang Zhao could become so popular without relying on an agent. He didn't need an agent to fight for plum jobs. He could take care of everything himself. Take his role in "Founding Era," for example. Silver Wing might not have been able to secure the part. It was Fang Zhao who had done the lobbying.

Not to mention that Fang Zhao had a broad repertoire. Acting wasn't even his main focus. This was also the source of much envy.

"Oh, I forgot to ask. Big Bro Zhao, who's your partner on the red carpet? The red carpet event is about to start." Ji Polun was curious.

"I have no idea..." But before Fang Zhao could complete his sentence, he got word on his bracelet.

"It's Anna. I just received word. My red carpet partner will be Anna," Fang Zhao said.

Ji Polun and company took a collective deep breath.

"You mean the Anna who won the Golden Coral Award for best actress last year? She's been nominated for best supporting actress this year as well."

"She's a super-A-list star in Huangzhou!"

"Isn't her husband that really famous Huangzhou pop star Lan Jing?"

"Indeed! Lan Jing, the genius singer-songwriter who's a regular among the top three on Huangzhou's pop charts. I'm a fan too! I went to see him when he went on his world tour two years ago."

The name also rang a bell with Fang Zhao because Lan Jing was Mo Lang's final disciple.

As Nanfeng had said, actors were typically paired with other actors of similar stature on the red carpet, even when it came to supporting actor nominees. But Anna was far superior to Fang Zhao in terms of stature within the film and TV industry. Someone must have pulled some strings.

Chapter 364: Boiling

A gentle voice drifted over from behind them. "Fang Zhao?"

The few that had been in the midst of discussion turned their heads, and their eyes lit up.

What they saw was a lady with long golden curls and a white embroidered dress with an eye-catching silver pendant. She was elegant and graceful.

However, when they realized who this person was, Ji Polun and the others became timid like quails.

This extremely famous Huangzhou film star and recipient of the previous season's Best Actress Award smiled at them as she glided over.

Anna was in her forties, but in the New Era, she could still be considered relatively young. Furthermore, she maintained herself very well, so when she stood beside Fang Zhao, there didn't seem to be any age gap between the two.

Anna gave a slight nod of her head toward Ji Polun and the others before glancing at Fang Zhao with a faint look, like a senior's warm gaze toward a junior. "You can call me Senior Sister. My husband, Lan Jing, was Mo Lang's last disciple and most of my own music theory and knowledge was taught by him. I also studied with Venerable Mo for a period; thus, our circumstances seem slightly similar. So, it is fine to just call me Senior Sister."

Anna's tone was cordial and, at the same time, told Fang Zhao that for this red carpet arrangement, she and Lan Jing had lent their strength to help out Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao was still considered a newcomer to the film circles, and this was his first time attending this sort of occasion. It would be awkward if Fang Zhao's red-carpet reception wasn't enthusiastic enough. Venerable Mo didn't wish to see this sort of situation either; thus, Anna had come over to lead a junior disciple as a favor to Mo Lang. When her husband, Lan Jing, had encountered some problems during his concert world tour, it had been Mo Lang who had personally stepped in to help resolve them.

After finding out that Mo Lang had indirectly accepted another disciple after such a long time, Anna had immediately made the decision to request the organizing committee partner her with Fang Zhao. Before she had come over today, she had even spoken to Mo Lang on a call and pledged, "Teacher Mo, don't worry. I will lead the little junior disciple along!"

After Anna arrived, Ji Polun and the rest made their greetings before tactfully leaving.

"Greetings, Senior Sister." Fang Zhao was smiling. When he had heard Lan Jing's name, he had already guessed that it had been Venerable Mo pulling the strings.

"I heard that you arrived rather early, but there wasn't much news about you. Did you go out to have fun? Many of Corale's specialty products are only sold during the yearly film festival period. You can buy some to bring back; the majority of specialty products here can't be found elsewhere and aren't sold online." Anna decided to make a little small talk with Fang Zhao so he wouldn't be nervous. On account of Venerable Mo and Lan Jing, she would especially take care of this little junior disciple.

"I bought some already and sent back a batch," Fang Zhao said.

"Bought presents yet? Do you have little kids at home?"

"Old and young."

As he replied, Fang Zhao received a message.

"Something important?" Anna asked. Messages and news might change a celebrity's condition before he stepped onto the red carpet. Since Anna had already promised to help, she naturally kept an eye on Fang Zhao's condition.

"It's Teacher Mo," Fang Zhao replied.

Anna's expression was solemn. "Venerable Mo sent you a message at this time?" From her understanding of Mo Lang, there was no way that Venerable Mo would not understand the situation here and choose to send a message at this sort of time without consideration.

"Venerable Mo sent a set of exam questions," Fang Zhao replied with a smile.

Mo Lang wasn't worried that Fang Zhao would get stage fright later and had specially sent him examinations questions to test him, perhaps because he was worried Fang Zhao would be infected by the atmosphere of the film festival and forgo academics.

Anna still wanted to say something, but the person in front had already gestured toward them to start preparing, so she said, "There is still half an hour before it begins. Don't be nervous. You have been to many large occasions. Check to see whether there is anything out of place and, if there is, look for someone to rectify it. There are people upstairs... Never mind, I will bring you over."

Anna brought Fang Zhao up to the side hall's second floor and got a stylist she was familiar with to inspect Fang Zhao once more.

Fang Zhao also saw Lu Aotian on the second floor.

This time, Lu Aotian had been nominated for the Best Child Star Award and would feature on the red carpet. No one knew where this child had just been, but his hair was a mess and his stylist was busy trying to tidy it up.

When he spotted Fang Zhao, Lu Aotian patted his chair's armrest twice.

"Big Brother Zhao!"

His father hadn't been able to receive any nominations this year and thus hadn't been able to get a spot on the red carpet. This time, Luo Aotian would be accompanied by a singer when entering the venue.

Beside him, someone asked Lu Aotian, "Have you prepared your acceptance speech?"

Lu Aotian puffed his chest out. "All memorized!"

Anna chimed in too. "Nervous?"

"No way, the Best Child Star Award is surely mine! The acting of the other nominees isn't as good as mine!"

At this moment, the screen beside them flickered.

Many large screens were hung up in many areas of the side hall. Previously, publicity images from various films had revolved on these screens. Right now, the images had changed, and all of them displayed the scene outside. All the people that had been joking and chatting a moment ago stopped as their expressions changed.

On the screen, the scene showed that people were thronging the streets outside the venue.

As the scene cut, all sorts of people could be seen. There were film buffs, professional film crews that took up a few rooftops, entertainment reporters situated at their own designated locations nearby the venue, and die-hard fans of each and every actor.

There were even people at the balconies of nearby residential buildings or at public plazas watching the time and keeping their eyes peeled on large screens displaying the live broadcast.

A cameraman who was on break glanced at the slowly fading sunset glow and shouted to the others in his team, "Time to get ready!"

As the curtain of night gradually approached, the high-rise lights on the main Corale island started to shine.

Fang Zhao could even see people who seemed like bodyguards armed to the teeth accompanying the professional film crews

The atmosphere in the side hall had started to fluctuate following the changes in the scene. The organizers had already started arranging for people to enter the venue. Celebrities not gracing the red carpet were to enter the theater in batches.

"Do you know why so many people strive to win an opportunity to grace the red carpet?" Anna asked Fang Zhao, her eyes still fixed on the display.

Fang Zhao glanced over and waited for Anna to continue.

"Have you seen previous editions of the 'Golden Series TV Gala'?" asked Anna.

"I have," replied Fang Zhao.

There were top-notch film crews throughout the world gathered here. One had to be prepared to be filmed from the moment one revealed their face.

Why had Nanfeng continuously emphasized and paid particular attention to every single detail of Fang Zhao's appearance?

The majority of composing was done behind the scenes, whereas actors stood right in front of the cameras. Now, countless cameras would capture images of celebrities in high definition from practically the moment they appeared.

In addition, there were large quantities of critics camped before the live broadcast screens watching closely and ready to catch any slipups.

"It's good that you have seen it. However, watching and experiencing it for yourself is really different. Have you prepared yourself mentally?" Anna asked.

"Done," Fang Zhao replied.

"Nervous?"

"No."

Whatever else Anna might have prepared to say remained stuck in her throat.

She studied every fine detail on Fang Zhao's face and realized that Fang Zhao wasn't lying. There wasn't a single trace of nervousness!

But after recalling that Fang Zhao was a celebrity and had appeared at many public occasions as well as onstage at the Galaxy Awards Ceremony, Anna didn't find it that strange either.

When the last natural light disappeared beyond the horizon, Golden TV Series Gala's stage, Golden Coral Theater, was lit up by dazzling lights, taking on the shape of a large golden coral.

The sounds of a bugle signified the prologue for the "Golden TV Series Gala."

Boom Boom Boom!

Earsplitting fireworks shot into the night sky as colors filled the night sky like a peacock spreading its tail.

These weren't real fireworks but special effects created by light and sound.

Numerous light-projection machines throughout the island propagated the mood, sending the entire island into an impassioned state.

Ocean-blue waves of light shone at the center of the theater before rippling out in all directions. Above it, dazzling flares burst open, as if all of tonight's passion was in them, forming projections of all sorts of huge coral in the air!

Blots of light scattering in all directions shimmered and flitted across tall buildings, following the blue waves of light as they descended onto the crowd.

These artistic light effects that were like fireworks were continuously beamed up into the sky, turning the plain-looking night sky into a dazzling and multi-colored dream.

The mood of the crowd was ignited as they watched these life-like light effects that appeared within reach.

It was as though the stereo equipment released a formless blade, assaulting the auditory senses of the crowd wave by wave.

The sounds of the tide seemingly became an electric current, brushing across everyone's skin and making every hair on their bodies stand. Many people felt as if an uncontrollable impulse was threatening to overflow!

A long and narrow stage rose up 20 meters in the wide-open space before the theater.

Countless "fireworks" made from special-effects lighting flew out from the 50-meter platform up in the air, forming huge waterfalls that streamed down from both sides of the path.

An ancient, solemn, and thick sound rang out.

Creak—

Near the top of the Golden Coral Theater, large doors with a golden coral imprint that only opened once a year started to move unhurriedly.

A red carpet from inside the golden-coral-imprinted doors rolled out along this elevated path.

Here, celebrities, directors, renowned film critics, and all sorts of influential persons in the film industry gathered at the summit of this golden pyramid of the entertainment circle.

As the midair carpet was laid on that elevated path, reporters and specialized cameramen had all prepared their equipment.

Outside, the countless film enthusiasts were an unrelenting tide with no end in sight. Their fiery enthusiasm threatened to overflow in all directions, and this whole region felt like it was on the verge of combusting!

Under this eye-dazzling and magnificent scene, the densely concentrated crowd was expressing the excitement within their hearts, shrieking frantically as their cries reached the sky and going head-on against the powerful sound effects!

All the blood within their bodies was resonating, and their hearts were pounding, seemingly out of control.

Thousands of screens throughout the island were displaying this same scene. As the shot passed the faces of all these excited fans, the reflections of these "fireworks" could be seen in their eyes.

The Galaxy Awards Ceremony, which was considered to be the pinnacle of the arts, was a calm and controlled affair.

But here, it seemed as if any level-headedness had already been thrown out the window! Right now, regardless of which continent a person was from, their state of mind had already aligned. This dizzying passion had made sound seemingly lose its significance. These people might not know what they were shouting, or perhaps they didn't need to know—it was fine as long as they could yell at the top of their lungs and vent their feelings that couldn't be suppressed.

Incapable of keeping calm!

Even those film emperors and empresses with decades of performing arts experience were unable to keep their composure when they arrived here every year and saw this scene.

Their struggles were all worth it! Wasn't it all just for this?

To stand in the hallowed light, that resplendent path in the eyes of millions!

What were the red carpet premieres of large-scale blockbusters compared to this!

What were the red carpets of galas everywhere compared to this!

The real focus, the real avenue of stars was right here!

Here, every celebrity would be embellished to the greatest extent!

Here, they were true kings!

Although the cameramen and entertainment reporters had different purposes, at this sort of time, they did the exact same thing: raise their mental states to the maximum so as to not miss even a tiny moment that could never again be replicated!

Every time a star walking along this path raised a hand, it would trigger a tsunami of sound.

The undulating shouts and shrieks had yet to rest since the beginning.

Fang Zhao waited in the side hall and watched the images shown on the live broadcast. He could feel the on-site fervor through the display.

Following the instructions of the organizers, Fang Zhao and Anna walked out of the waiting room. Outside, a flying car was already waiting.

"Later on, regardless of the shouting of anyone around, you must maintain your composure. Don't keep looking over if you hear people calling your name. Maintain your own rhythm," Anna told Fang Zhao as soon as they got in the car.

"Got it. Thank you, Senior Sister."

"You don't have to worry. Senior Sister will lead you along."

Chapter 365: Defection!

A host of folks had already gone before Fang Zhao and his partner. The passion of the fans was unyielding. Some of their voices had already started going hoarse from all the screaming.

The atmosphere didn't abate a single bit from the moment the red carpet event kicked off.

Apart from Memorial Day, the two days when the film festival's awards ceremonies were held were the liveliest days of the year in the Corale Archipelago. This was Corale's grand feast. Even though most of the archipelago's residents could only settle for a live broadcast of the festivities, they still screamed at the top of their voices in front of their screens, along with the fans on site.

A countless number of cops were on duty across the archipelago, maintaining order.

After two celebrities entered the front entrance emblazoned with a golden coral, another flying transport landed slowly but steadily at the end of the red carpet.

"Who is it this time?"

"I dunno. How many flying transports has it been?"

"How many of the nominees still haven't walked the red carpet?"

Fans and journalists alike craned their necks like eager kids opening their Christmas presents.

In contrast, the photographers appeared calm and composed. Some of them had been hired by entertainment labels to take pictures of their own artists. Others were on the payroll of fashion magazines, there to snap shots of celebrity outfits and accessories. There were also official photographers hired by the organizers.

The stars naturally had impressive auras, and they wore eye-catching outfits, but not every single celebrity moved the photographers. After the photographers shot their assignments, the rest was entirely up to them. Still, even if certain celebrities on the red carpet didn't meet their standards, the photographers would still snap a token few shots out of respect for the organizers. The extra flashes would make the live broadcast look more presentable.

The doors to the flying transport at the end of the red carpet opened and its passengers disembarked.

"F*ck! It's Fang Zhao!"

"Fang Zhao! The man himself finally makes an appearance!"

"How many days has it been? We've finally landed Fang Zhao."

The entertainment journalists were even more excited. Most of them hadn't seen Fang Zhao at all since they'd arrived in Corale. Fang Zhao was a newcomer in the film and TV industry all right, but in a global context, he was also a true celebrity. He generated news nonstop, being a genius-level character who had been featured repeatedly in authoritative media outlets.

Gotta snap!

Snap away!

Gotta seize the day. Who knows when the next opportunity will be if we miss out this time?

From the moment Fang Zhao stepped out of his vehicle, he was attacked by white flashes. He might not have been able to see all the faces clearly, but he could feel the deluge of passion and admiration pouring in from all corners, as if he were the center of the world.

Amid the screams and flashes, Fang Zhao bowed and tugged at a pale-skinned arm that extended from inside the flying transport.

Dressed in a resplendent white full-length gown, Anna emerged from the vehicle.

Against the backdrop of blinding lights, the gown swayed tastefully with Anna's every step. She flashed a subtle smile that was casual and elegant at the same time.

"Wow!"

"Anna!"

"Goddess!"

No wonder she was an established star with global influence. The fans started screaming. Seeing Anna's face, the fans from Huangzhou wanted to storm the red carpet. One fan warned he was going to try to breach the cordon, but he was dragged back in routine fashion by a police officer.

The entertainment journalists and cameramen worked their equipment nonstop. There was hardly a break to the live commentary, and the pack of photographers was a blinding source of glitter. The night hit yet another climax, helped by the rowdy commotion and rapid flashes.

Anna was a picture of contentment and composure on the outside. She enjoyed being the center of attention. No matter how much hardship she had to endure behind the scenes, she could never part with her screen career. Even though she kept an even keel most of the time, every time she stood before the press pack, she was truly overwhelmed. It proved that everything she put up with was worth it!

A smiling Anna waved toward her fans on both flanks.

Whether she won an award was something to worry about later. All Anna wanted to do right now was steal the limelight with her incredible presence. Whether or not she could earn more endorsement deals with the world's top fashion and jewelry labels depended on this walk.

But a thought struck Anna after she took a few steps. Oops.

The moment she had stepped onto the red carpet, she had been swept away by the emotion of the moment and had started handling herself like a Golden Coral best actress winner. What about the junior disciple she had promised to look after?

Completely. Forgotten.

If there was a huge discrepancy in their entrances, if one party stole the limelight, then the partner would be reduced to nothing. Even if they appeared in the same frame, the latter would come off as a nonfactor. Even if the two stood side by side, the less glamorous star would strike viewers as a groupie. That was also why organizers typically paired celebrities of similar stature on the red carpet, to avoid awkward situations like this.

Anna was worried that she would reduce her junior partner to an obsequious assistant on his first red carpet. If the junior disciple was completely overwhelmed by her on his first red carpet, how would she explain herself to Venerable Mo?

But soon, Anna realized that Fang Zhao lacked the nerves of a newcomer.

Fang Zhao cut a masculine and impressive figure in his seemingly simple black-and-white tux. Even though he wore a smile, there was an aggressive touch to his stare.

Aura was a magical quality.

Many people would have been awed by the moment and gotten a case of wobbly legs, but in his debut red-carpet event, Fang Zhao made people forget about his young age and his newcomer status. Every move he made hit the spot. He struck the perfect balance—a little more outgoing and he would come off as a camera hog; a little less effusive and he would strike observers as being repressed. His unique aura—a lovely combination of composure and presence—gave no indication that he was a novice at the Corale "Golden Gala."

While Anna maintained her smile, deep down, she was blown away. Who is this junior disciple? Is he really a newcomer?

In his first red-carpet event, Fang Zhao wasn't overwhelmed by Anna's presence. Instead, his own presence added to the overall picture.

As far as many top photographers were concerned, there were no real stars, and the so-called pecking order among celebrities meant nothing. The stars were all simply a bunch of outlines. Even the most glamorous visuals didn't necessarily move these photographers.

Their job was to capture that moment when contour and light found the perfect combination.

To create a satisfactory image, to achieve that aesthetic beauty, they would leave no stone unturned and would lose their wits.

Against the backdrop of music and flashlights, the two actors varied their gait for the photographers. They found a specific rhythm and blended together seamlessly. They also struck a perfect, stark contrast with their background.

This type of a visual presentation, the elegant pace at which the two actors strutted their stuff—it was a strong assault on the photographers' senses. It moved the photographers at the core.

Glints of passion flashed through the eyes of the photographers.

If the screams of the fans were a tsunami, then the busy activity of the photographers was a brutal thunderstorm.

The dense flurry of lights made for a sparkly, silver-white constellation.

The excited photographers frantically adjusting their cameras and pressing their shutters looked like they had shivering hands. They felt they were about to lose their grips.

Soon enough, the silver-white constellation blew up entirely.

Even though Anna had walked this particular red carpet more than once, this was was a first. This was a new experience.

Thinking back to her previous red-carpet walks, when had these snobbish photographers ever displayed such strong emotion?

The unrelenting flashes made her feel like she was taking part in a major religious ceremony. The moment was so overwhelming that she almost lost her cool.

Excitement, ecstasy—Anna tried hard to keep it all contained so her smile didn't come off as too unrestrained.

The entertainment journalists took in their surroundings. With the photographers going all out, how could they hold back?

Even though they were clueless as to why the photographers had suddenly gone berserk, they were quick on their feet. They couldn't go wrong by following suit.

Anna and Fang Zhao were only halfway down the red carpet.

Photographers that weren't strategically positioned weren't happy with the pictures they had already taken. Even though they were masters at adapting to different lighting conditions, line of sight was still a big problem.

The pictures weren't quite right.

Just a bit off.

Was it Anna?

No, it was Fang Zhao.

This actor was downright unprofessional.

Anna knew how to let every single photographer capture her at her best. This was where experience came into play. But Fang Zhao was different. He had yet to master the skill of allowing every photographer to take shots to their liking. Actually, he was better at dodging the camera.

Some photographers thought to themselves, It would be great if Fang Zhao could turn toward us another 15 degrees.

Others wondered, I missed the perfect moment. If only he had looked this way a little longer.

But all obstacles were paper tigers. The problem was their perfectionism.

"Fang Zhao!"

"Don't look that way. Look this way!"

"Turn this way a bit more."

Photographers that typically carried themselves with comportment started growling.

Yet this was not their own studio. Their shouts were instantly drowned out.

The entertainment journalists realized the photographers were focusing on Fang Zhao.

OK, more Fang Zhao, then!

The fans staking out the movie theater were also excited at the sight of the two stars. Who could have known that the entertainment journalists next to them would get even more emotional?

The journalists pressed their shutters and record buttons frantically between yells. In contrast, the more composed Fang Zhao fans looked like indifferent bystanders.

Some fans that were neither diehard supporters of Fang Zhao nor of Anna were blown away by the enthusiasm of the reporters. When they came to their senses, they were furious.

I'm a top-tier groupie, a self-proclaimed crazed fan. How can an entertainment journalist be more spirited than I am?

Such a disgrace!

Can't put up with this.

Even though they were neither diehard fans of Fang Zhao nor of Anna, they couldn't allow themselves to be overshadowed by the entertainment journalists.

Hence:

When the photographers yelled, "Fang Zhao!"

The entertainment journalists were even louder: "Fang Zhao! Fang Zhao!"

And the fans screamed their lungs out: "Fang Zhao! Fang Zhao! Fang Zhao!"

Thus the atmosphere boiled over again, hitting yet another climax.

More and more fans started chanting Fang Zhao's name unconsciously, as if they had been brainwashed, including some Anna fans that had lost their minds.

Anna: "..." My fans are defecting before my very eyes!

Chapter 366: Bragging Rights

When Anna's fans recovered their composure, they realized that something was wrong. They couldn't put up with this.

And so the live audio feed featured a face-off between Anna's fans, who appeared to have squeezed every last ounce of energy left in them and cried hysterically, and the mayhem brought on by Fang Zhao's fans and the photographers.

Neutral parties wondered who they should support. Forget it, I'll just chant what the person next to me yells.

In an atmosphere like this, one would feel bad not taking a side.

Eventually, the mood hit its ultimate climax. At that point, words became meaningless. A simple cry of "ah" sufficed.

So shouts of "Fang Zhao" and "Anna" eventually blurred into one loud chant of "ah."

The sense of excitement that gushed forward from all four corners had a dizzying effect on Anna, who was at the center of the storm. The smile she wore was no longer contrived. It came from the bottom of her heart. She was happier than she had ever been winning an award.

Outsiders didn't appreciate the moment, but as a regular at film festivals, she knew clearly how rare a response like this was. Even if she didn't win an award, this trip was worth it!

Not far from the venue, fans who hadn't been able to stake out a spot outside the ceremony tuned into the live broadcast.

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao felt their hearts skip a beat when they saw the situation on the screen.

Zuo Yu shivered, his body covered in goosebumps. "Is our boss this popular?"

Yan Biao was baffled. "Don't they say that newcomers are at a disadvantage, appearing at an event like this?"

Zuo Yu turned toward Nanfeng. "Did you hire fake fans? Did you arrange for professional fans to set the tone?"

"No way! I just hired a few bodies. Just judging from the number of journalists and the number of fans outside the venue, you can tell it's something way beyond my reach." Still, Nanfeng was blown away. He was ecstatic.

Nanfeng had been worried that an acting newcomer like Fang Zhao might not receive a warm welcome. When he'd found out that Anna was his red carpet partner, he had felt somewhat reassured. With this Huangzhou superstar as a partner, the response definitely wouldn't be lukewarm, even if the cheers were all for Anna.

But the reality far exceeded his expectations. The way things were unfolding, Fang Zhao's fans might crowd out Anna's!

The excitement of the photographers wasn't something anybody could provoke. They had seen their share of superstars. Nanfeng wasn't entirely sure why they had responded to Fang Zhao this enthusiastically. He wasn't a professional photographer. He couldn't understand what had motivated them. But he could tell from the live broadcast that Fang Zhao's aura didn't fall short of Anna's.

Nanfeng was so emotional that he was near tears, yet there was nowhere to vent his sense of vindication; Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were on a different page. So he sent a message to the chat group made up of his friends from the entertainment industry.

"Did you watch the live broadcast? That's my boss!"

"That's quite something—performing so well on his debut 'Golden TV Series Gala' red carpet. Look at how the photographers responded! Nanfeng, you're a rich man now!" one friend congratulated him.

"If you have any business needs in the future, don't forget about your brothers! We'll give you a discount."

"Hahahaha! Of course, of course!" Nanfeng was quite pleased with himself. He applauded himself for having the foresight to switch employers. Stars with Fang Zhao's talent and luck weren't easy to come by.

"After enduring so much hardship over the years, I don't know how to describe my emotions now." Nanfeng's eyes were bloodshot, his hands shivering.

"Is it the same kind of excitement that a pig farmer feels when his pig is ready for slaughter?" another friend suddenly wrote.

"Yeah... My ass! What are you talking about?" Nanfeng furtively glanced at Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. He breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that neither had looked his way. How could you compare Boss to a pig? Even if he were a pig, he'd be a prize pig. Would you be excited if a prize pig was ready for slaughter?

Meanwhile, Zaro's agent, who was also watching the live broadcast, was likewise tearful—out of envy.

Even though he was well compensated, he never experienced the kind of satisfaction that came with great honor and respect. Every time he watched an event like this, he felt jealous watching the reception other celebrities received.

Compared to other celebrities, my client is a dog!

A stupid dog at that!

But even though my client is a stupid dog, I still have to babysit him. This stupid dog pays my salary, after all.

Based on his understanding of Zaro, he figured his client would also be filled with envy and jealousy. So, with a heavy heart, Zaro's agent sent Zaro a short text message: "No need to be too jealous. You can do it too. There's a saying from the Old Era: 'All great journeys begin with one humble step.' Let's take things step by step."

Soon, Zaro responded, "I get it, but I have to ask, where do we take that first step? Which continent?"

Zaro's agent was dumbfounded.

It's a f*cking analogy!

Then he recovered his composure.

Gotta come to terms with reality. Instead of dreaming the impossible, I better figure out how to increase this stupid dog's market value, how to fetch a higher price for him. As stupid as Zaro is, his last name gives him a major leg up. What can Fang Zhao do? As popular as he is now, he isn't the descendant of a general.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao and Anna had finished walking the red carpet and entered the entrance to the venue, which was emblazoned with a logo of a golden coral. The commotion outside died down. After signing the autograph wall, having a few more pictures taken, and doing a brief interview, the couple entered the event hall.

Anna had yet to calm down entirely. She turned toward Fang Zhao and smiled. "So what do you think? Isn't there something magical about the red carpet that makes you feel like you're floating in midair? Do you want to switch to the entertainment industry for good?"

Fang Zhao lifted his head, his eyes completely devoid of any excitement. "No."

Anna: "..."

Anna noticed that Fang Zhao was typing into his bracelet. "Are you sharing your thoughts with friends?"

Fang Zhao responded, "Teacher Mo sent me a quiz question earlier. I'm sending him my answer."

Anna gave Fang Zhao a curious stare. "'What kind of question did Teacher Mo ask you?"

"He asked me to pay attention to the music playing in the background during the red carpet and text him the name of the composer after I was done."

Anna: "..." Junior disciple, are you a freak?

It was hard enough for a normal person to maintain their composure in a setting like that, let alone pay attention to the background music amid all the screams and cries. It was impossible to hear anything, let alone identify the composer.

After finding her seat and sitting down, Anna immediately texted her husband Lan Jing: "Now I know why Teacher Mo wanted Fang Zhao so badly."

Lan Jing's curiosity was piqued. "Why?"

"Because Fang Zhao is a freak!"

Setting aside the enormous response Fang Zhao had provoked on the red carpet, the lone fact that he could tackle a quiz question while walking the red carpet and then calmly send a text message with the answer afterward was a sufficient blow to Anna.

"You can't argue with talent. Lan Jing, you're about to fall out of favor."

Huangzhou.

Mo Lang was watching the live broadcast too. During the red carpet, he had only tuned in for Fang Zhao's walk. He glared at the screen, paying close attention to Fang Zhao's demeanor. On his high-resolution screen, Fang Zhao's performance seemed quite flawless. Perhaps his only mistake was not being adept at giving photographers the perfect line of sight.

Seeing Fang Zhao generate such an enthusiastic response made Mo Long wonder, Did the kid remember my quiz question?

The background music for the red-carpet walk had been commissioned specifically for the event. The pieces would not be played again elsewhere. The songs were restricted to a certain length. Every couple that walked the red carpet was introduced by a new song.

Soon enough, after Fang Zhao finished walking the red carpet, Mo Lang got his response.

Not only did Fang Zhao give an answer, he provided a full analysis. He deduced the song's style based on signature features, structure, and tempo. He concluded that the style was representative of the master musician Staple and that the song had been composed by one of Staple's top disciples.

Actually, all Mo Lang had expected was Staple's name, yet Fang Zhao had managed to figure out which one of Staple's students had written the piece.

After reading Fang Zhao's response, Mo Lang rocked his rocking chair triumphantly and dialed Staple's number.

"My man Stapes!" Mo Lang's pitch was quite high because he was in a good mood.

"Please call me Staple." Staple was baffled by the call. What was the old geezer doing, calling at this hour?

Staple found out soon enough.

Being able to break down the song in that kind of setting, analyze every single note accurately, and pinpoint the composer—this was something Mo Lang could brag about for half a year.

How long had it been? Mo Lang had not felt the need to brag to someone since he had stopped taking disciples. No, even before the announcement, he had rarely felt this way. Mo Lang felt that the decision to recruit Fang Zhao was the best decision he had made ever. Even though Fang Zhao wasn't officially his student, he had to instruct Fang Zhao personally. Fang Zhao's official master, Carter, isn't good enough, Mo Lang thought.

Seated at the venue of the "Golden TV Series Gala," Fang Zhao had no idea that Mo Lang was bragging about him to someone else. After he sent his answer to Mo Lang, all he received in return was a simple "good job." That was it. Maybe that's the style of a master, Fang Zhao thought.

After saying hello to all the senior actors in the room, Fang Zhao was summoned by Nova Roman, the head director of "Founding Era."

The venue was packed, but all the nominees sat up front. Their every move was closely watched. Many folks were curious when Roman asked for Fang Zhao and greeted him with a friendly smile. How come Director Roman is so nice to Fang Zhao this long after "Founding Era" wrapped?

Then again, Fang Zhao's performance in "Founding Era" had provided Roman bragging rights until the end of his directing career. What a bold move! Such a great eye for talent!

Quite a few actors were wondering if Roman's next film might cast newcomers from their respective companies. They had been too timid to approach Roman on "Founding Era" and had handed Fang Zhao the opportunity on a platter.

The big screens set up inside the event hall still showed a live feed of the red carpet, but none of the couples that followed Fang Zhao could generate a similar response. The photographers seemed less enthusiastic too.

The contrast was glaring.

The actors that immediately followed Fang Zhao and Anna secretly cursed the pair.

How cunning those two are! Especially Fang Zhao!

Chapter 367: Award Winning

After the final pair completed the red-carpet walk, buzz from outside the venue gradually died down. Within the venue, though, the atmosphere was still rather tense.

When the last pair entered after strolling down the red carpet, they let out a long sigh of relief. One of them was also gracing the red carpet for the first time and had been so nervous that his entire back was drenched in sweat. He felt that this traversing this short path had been even more exhausting than completing filming for an entire series.

The majority of award nominees were from the cast and crew of "Founding Era." Most of them would at least recognize the others even if they weren't familiar with one another. Upon entering the venue, most of them subconsciously glanced at Fang Zhao and realized that he still appeared rather unperturbed. Whether contrived or not, this was worth learning from.

Thus, those that were very nervous also started to put on an act and appear calm. They could hide their actions and gestures, but their palms were clammy and, in their hearts, they were worrying about whether they would win any awards.

The Golden Series Gala quickly started. Compared to the solemn and formal Galaxy Awards Ceremony, the Golden Series Gala was much more random and vivacious. At the start, the host created a relaxed atmosphere as he spoke, sang, and shared some anecdotes, obtaining plenty of laughter from the audience.

In front of the cameras, celebrities and all other film production workers were laughing gently. If they couldn't actually laugh, they faked it. Otherwise, what would happen if the camera caught it? This was a live broadcast! No one knew what the online audiences were saying, and there would be entertainment reporters ready to take screen grabs and caption things. Thus, acting skills had to be ever present.

At the start was the awards presentation for the comedy category. The atmosphere was also much more relaxed, but after the first few categories were completed, the atmosphere was no longer as lively. The younger actors' originally bright smiles had become awkward.

The Best Child Star Award was a turning point, because after it were the awards for the TV series categories.

In the beginning, the Corale Film Festival hadn't had the Best Child Star Award. At some point, this award had been added to serve as an encouragement for outstanding child performers. This time, Lu Aotian had made it into the finalist pool and was the hot favorite.

Indeed, when the honored guest said "Lu Aotian," there was no surprise on the faces of those present.

Lu Aotian's parents got up excitedly and gave a standing ovation when they heard his name being called.

Lu Aotian got up from his seat and made a small jog onto the stage before doing a somersault followed by a cartwheel and then a few successive flips, landing in front of the honored guest and drawing a chorus of laughter from the all the elder actors and actresses present.

"Haha! This kid!"

"This little fella is really excited."

"These somersaults are full of vigor. Not bad, he must have practiced many times in private."

"Yeah, he even learned to handle guns; his hands were full of calluses when filming 'Founding Era.' That was why he appeared so natural with them in the series. He is indeed a very hardworking little fellow."

On stage, Lu Aotian didn't even bother to wipe away the sweat from his forehead and was flashing a toothy grin. During the filming of Founding Era, he had been starting to lose his milk teeth. Back then, to increase the authenticity of the film, the director hadn't let him put on fake teeth. Now, he had on a set of custom-made teeth for the awards ceremony. Otherwise, how shameful would it be if people saw the gaps between his teeth? He wouldn't remove the fake teeth until the film festival had concluded, so he wasn't afraid to flash his teeth. Not only did he have to smile, his smile needed to be especially dazzling! This was the first heavyweight award he had achieved relying on his own ability. His father hadn't even been nominated this time around!

Lu Aotian held up the award and was about to give an acceptance speech when he suddenly realized that he had forgotten his lines.

He had clearly memorized them before coming, but now that he was overly excited, his brain seemed to be shooting off fireworks. He simply couldn't think about anything else.

When the honored guest saw the situation, he understood immediately and didn't hurry off the stage. He asked Lu Aotian, "What a surprise. Are you happy?"

Lu Aotian immediately replied, "No surprise! I'm very happy! After all, my performance in the series was so good!"

"This little friend really has a lot of self-confidence. Who was your favorite person in the cast and crew during filming?" inquired another honored guest.

Lu Aotian loudly exclaimed, "My favorite person was Fang Zhao!"

The live broadcast camera gave a special close-up of Lu Aotian's father in the audience.

Father Lu smiled nervously. In his head, he was thinking about how to sort out this little rascal when they got home. When this rascal got excited, he even forgot about his own father. Aren't you supposed to recite your father's name at this sort of time!?

After the camera was cut, the person beside Father Lu joked, "Want to have a fight with Fang Zhao after this is over?"

"No way," Father Lu replied firmly.

"Why?"

"Do you know how many sandbags he disfigured during the filming of 'Founding Era'?"

At this point, Lu Aotian recalled the acceptance speech he had memorized. He thanked his parents for his upbringing—without his family environment and conditions, he would have had no way of reaching these heights at such a young age. He also thanked the director and the brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts from the cast and crew.

But many online audiences were no longer concerned with what Lu Aotian was saying. What they were more interested in was why the first person Lu Aotian had mentioned was Fang Zhao?

Thus, many netizens searched for the photograph of Lu Aotian riding on Fang Zhao's shoulders as well as a historical photograph of Great General Wu Yan sitting on Fang Zhao's shoulders, which triggered a wave of discussions.

Inside a residential building on Corale Main.

Blossoming special effects fireworks reminded everyone that yet another award had been issued.

"Which award was just handed out?" a youngster who had just finished a round of gaming asked the companion beside him watching the live broadcast.

"This kid is rather interesting. He even did flips on stage, and when the host asked him who his favorite person in the crew was, he answered Fang Zhao, hahaha! The live broadcast even gave his father a close-up."

"Fang Zhao? The Fang Zhao who was very popular a short while ago? I think I saw his name in the nominations."

"Yes! He was nominated for the Best Newcomer and Best Supporting Role awards, though I don't know if he will be able to win… Hey, the next award is the Best Newcomer Award!"

After the Best Child Star Award was the Best Newcomer Award. The honored guest tore open the envelope, glanced at the name on it, and opened his mouth.

"Fang Zhao!"

Music and applause sounded as spotlights were pointed at Fang Zhao.

Through the camera lens, Fang Zhao got up and gave a bow to the showbiz seniors all around him. There was some excitement, nervousness, and delight in his expression, the sort of reaction someone his age ought to have.

Zuo Yu, Yan Biao, and Nanfeng, who were watching the live broadcast: "..." Our boss is acting again.

Although Fang Zhao had won this award and Silver Wing's side was happy, they were also a little disappointed.

On this stage, at Corale Film Festival's Golden Series Gala, the Best Supporting Actor award was rated slightly higher than the Best Newcomer Award. Just like the Best Child Star Award, the Golden Series Gala hadn't always had the Best Newcomer Award. It had only been added later to encourage young performers to work hard in the acting circles. It could be said that the Best Newcomer Award was a comparison between new actors and actresses at this time, whereas the Best Supporting Actor Award was a more comprehensive competition among predecessors of the showbiz circles.

When "Founding Era" Head Director Nova Roman saw this result, his smile dimmed. In his heart, out of the Best Newcomer Award and Best Supporting Actor Award, he had hoped that Fang Zhao would win the Best Supporting Actor Award. That would be affirmation that Fang Zhao didn't lose to any industry predecessors in terms of ability.

The evaluation committee had ultimately decided to place Fang Zhao on the Best Newcomer Award. Roman had cast his vote on Fang Zhao for Best Supporting Actor, but the others might not have had the same opinion. This was no longer the "Founding Era" program; Roman's say was limited.

An actor's acting skills were important, but there were also other factors involved. After all, the members of the evaluation committee were only human, and they had their own selfish desires or partiality and would also consider an actor's experience. Compared to Fang Zhao, the evaluation committee might be more satisfied with others,

Although there weren't any written rules, everyone understood that after winning the Best Newcomer Award, Fang Zhao should forget about receiving the Best Supporting Actor Award. This made the other few nominees in the Best Supporting Actor category heave sighs of relief. Fang Zhao was indeed a very strong competitor, and his performance in the series was obvious to all.

A few people seated beside Roman noticed the expression on his face. They understood that Roman was not pleased. But the result was what it was. Even if he had objected, it was of no use.

When the Best Newcomer Award was handed out, another wave of light fireworks was set off on Corale Main, telling those watching the live broadcast that yet another award had been handed out.

"Indeed, it is Fang Zhao, just as I expected."

"Getting such an achievement on his acting debut really isn't bad. How many people have spent over 10 years in the newcomer category without things picking up? Wasn't there some continent's movie award where the recipient of the newcomer award was an actor that had been somewhat invisible for five to six years since his debut?"

"Fang Zhao has really gotten a lot of limelight at this Golden Series Gala. This should be enough. Previously on the red carpet and now winning an award, he has really struck gold. How many people struggle to even show their faces? This is a global live broadcast in any case!"

In the venue, Fang Zhao accepted the award, gave his acceptance speech, and returned to his seat when he received a message. Before entering the venue, Fang Zhao had set his notifications to silent unless it was someone especially important.

Fang Zhao opened the message and saw that the sender was Mo Lang. His message wasn't the same congratulatory messages that others had sent.

Fang Zhao's eyebrows raised slightly when he saw the contents. A camera swept toward him, and Fang Zhao fixed his appearance and continued to watch the following awards.

The next award category was the Best Screenplay Award, and as expected, the production team of "Founding Era" picked up the award. Two scriptwriters represented the team and went on stage to receive it.

After thanking a few important figures, the two scriptwriters praised the other members of the "Founding Era" cast and crew.

"...The cast and crew of 'Founding Era' was a superteam. During the process of filming, everyone shared our unimaginable suffering. Also, it wasn't easy for the actors to shed their characters... Also, we have to especially thank the consultant team. Without them, we wouldn't have been able to perfect the script. For example, Prof. Man Te, Prof. Redmayne, Prof. Besse, Prof. Jason, and Yanzhou's Fang Zhao, as well as the others. All of them provided extremely pertinent suggestions. This is the result of everyone's collective hard work! Thank you!"

The ears of people watching the live broadcast pricked up.

"What? I didn't hear wrong, right? I think I heard Fang Zhao's name again!"

"They just said Fang Zhao's name, right?"

"After rewinding and rewatching that part, I can confirm that they mentioned Fang Zhao!"

"How many Fang Zhaos are there in the consultant team?"

"According to a public figure's reveal, Fang Zhao was indeed invited to the consultant team for 'Founding Era.' And he was the only Fang Zhao in the consultant team. He was indeed the one mentioned by the scriptwriters."

Some audience members wouldn't understand, but the frequency with which Fang Zhao's name was appearing was really high. The audience was also very sensitive to this name. In the past, only a small portion of Yanzhou people had known that Fang Zhao had been in the consultant team, but now many viewers across the world knew.

"The f*ck! Fang Zhao was actually a member of the 'Founding Era' consultant team! Isn't he a composer? How is he mixing around with those historians? Does he also specialize in history?"

"Shouldn't you ask why a composer is here snatching awards from people from the film circles!?"

Chapter 368: Him Again

A composer who had run to acting and even entered the consultant team, which was a playground for historians, how awesome was that?

Next up was the Best Director Award for the TV category, and once again, unsurprisingly, the head director of "Founding Era," Nova Roman, received the honors.

"I would like to thank every member of the staff that worked behind the scenes. The performers were all extremely great, and there were many young actors and actresses that dared to fight and strive and weren't weaker than the veterans in any way. For example, Fang Zhao..."

The entire cast and crew of "Founding Era" let out a collective sigh.

Here it comes!

They all recalled the fear they'd had of "newcomer Fang Zhao" during production and filming. Back then, Roman had loved to use Fang Zhao as an example to pressure them. When Roman mentioned "Fang Zhao," the actors within the cast didn't find it surprising. Everyone knew that during filming back on planet Wai, Head Director Roman's favorite actor had been Fang Zhao. However, they fully accepted it. Fang Zhao's performance had really been outstanding. If Fang Zhao wasn't only in his 20s, perhaps the evaluation committee would have made an exception and perhaps Fang Zhao could have clinched a few more nominations.

A pity.

But it was because of this that Roman had specifically mentioned Fang Zhao here. In his heart, he felt that it was a pity for Fang Zhao.

After Best Director Award was the Best Original Soundtrack Award. Fang Zhao hadn't received a nomination.

The Golden Series Gala used to have quite a number of categories for music awards. Afterward, due to suggestions from all parties, the awards had been reduced and simplified, with only Best Original Soundtrack and Best Original Score remaining. The TV category would frequently have many works from within a series competing against each other, and the award would be given to the musical composition. This year, the nominations for this category were all works from "Founding Era."

Someone told his friend in private, "Fang Zhao could have also received a nomination here, but it was overruled by the evaluation committee in the end."

Fang Zhao's song "This Life of Mine" could have received a nomination based on the quality and alignment with the content of the plot. However, there was a slight controversy; some people doubted that Fang Zhao could have composed this piece on his own at his age. Even though Fang Zhao had won the Galaxy Supernova Award, it still couldn't get rid of these questioning voices. There were many high-quality soundtracks and accompaniment pieces in "Founding Era," and a large number were of a great-master grade. Thus, the evaluation committee ultimately voted to exclude Fang Zhao's piece from the nominations.

In short, it was because Fang Zhao was too young, had insufficient experience, and wasn't able to make everyone believe that he had composed the piece alone. In a situation where they had many other options, the evaluation committee wasn't willing to take this risk.

The screen displayed the five nominated compositions. Mo Lang's "Legend," the final song of "Founding Era," was among them.

The composition information was displayed on the screen.

"Legend"

Composer: Mo Lang

Arrangement: Mo Lang, Fang Zhao

Roman mouthed a "ha" as he turned to glance at Fang Zhao. At this sort of event and for this sort of award, as long as one's name was displayed on the composition information, whether it was a composer or any other participating member, the person had the right to go on stage and receive the award.

Indeed, when the honored guest read out "Legend," the spotlights converged on Fang Zhao's seat.

Mo Lang wasn't in attendance, so the only present member of this composition was Fang Zhao.

The bright, thick, and epic tune belonging to "Legend" from the ending of "Founding Era" played.

Roman and the others clapped their hands delightedly.

When the spotlights shone on Fang Zhao getting up to go on stage, the comments section of the live broadcast erupted.

"The f*ck! Why is it him again!"

"Mo Lang couldn't attend, so naturally, the other person will be the one to receive the prize. Arrangement is also a part of this piece."

"From the Best Child Star award on, the frequency at which Fang Zhao's name is appearing is kinda high for today's Golden Series Gala."

"How can this be 'kinda'? It's simply through the roof! Best Child Star, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Original Soundtrack, his name has already been said five times! And he has gone on stage to receive an award twice!"

"His spirit inexorably lingers on!"

"To the one above, did you not attend school? 'His spirit inexorably lingers on'? Is this the right usage of this phrase?!"

Regardless of what online audiences had to say, Fang Zhao's name was especially memorable today.

If mentioned just once, people might not have had an impression, but when the name "Fang Zhao" came up in two, three, then five awards presentations in succession, each and every one would cause a wave of passionate discussion online!

There were film emperors and empresses every year, but it was extremely rare to see such a situation. Entertainment reporters were delighted and rubbed their hands with glee. There was too much to write about!

Tan Min, who was seated in the corner, watched enviously as Fang Zhao went on stage to receive the award.

Indeed, there were some people that absolutely couldn't be held down. Once sufficiently outstanding, their radiance could not be blocked out. If one had financial assistance but lacked the ability, even if there was someone supporting them from the back, it still wouldn't amount to much.

After accepting the award, Fang Zhao specifically mentioned that he was collecting this award on behalf of Mo Lang in his acceptance speech. This time, he appeared much calmer during this award presentation.

The message he had received previously had been Mo Lang telling Fang Zhao to go on stage and accept the award should he win it. Furthermore, the organizers would surely have made preparations beforehand and discussed it with Mo Lang.

Afterward, the Best Original Score Award and Best Supporting Actress Award were handed out for the TV category, and then it came to the Best Supporting Actor Award. When the list of nominees was recited, Fang Zhao was once again mentioned. In the end, the outcome was just as everyone had expected. Having won the Best Newcomer Award, Fang Zhao failed to be chosen as the winner for Best Supporting Actor. But him being mentioned once again gave rise to yet another round of discussion.

"Six times already!"

"Tonight, 'Founding Era' was mentioned the most, but Fang Zhao comes in second!"

"Impressive, being mentioned by others successively six times. He can even make his presence felt despite not being nominated, and he even went on stage to receive two awards."

"He still has to go on stage later. That will be the third time."

After the TV category's awards for best actor and best actress were issued, it came to the night's final heavyweight award, the Best Series Award. Once more, there was no suspense.

"Founding Era!"

When the honored guest read out "Founding Era," nobody's heart skipped a beat. Everyone was already prepared. The other series in the TV category were nothing more than a foil.

A few important members of the production and the other "Founding Era" nominees from tonight all went on stage. The one receiving the award was still Head Director Roman. Having already received two awards, naturally, Fang Zhao also had to go on stage to take a photo.

"The biggest winner tonight was 'Founding Era,' sweeping up many heavyweight awards, and the second biggest winner was Fang Zhao."

"That means to say that Fang Zhao is really the biggest winner. More people are talking about him rather than the winners of the best actor and actress awards. The amount of times entertainment reporters have mentioned Fang Zhao is way more than other people."

This was destined to be a sleepless night.

Special effects fireworks had lit up the sky each time an award had been issued. When the final award was handed out, the entire island had a fireworks display that continued for close to 30 minutes.

Many people had come over not just to catch their idols but to enjoy Corale's magnificent fireworks display. Tonight, Corale natives and tourists from other lands all remembered the name "Fang Zhao." It couldn't be helped—the rate at which his name had occurred was just too high. In entertainment news, every 10 pieces of news would have at least four items that mentioned him. At a film festival, this proportion was really frightening!

In a certain hotel, George Quintero, who had just returned from the Golden Series Gala, sent Prof. Carter portions of videos recorded by netizens tonight as evidence. His message was laced with grievance. "Teacher, does this little disciple even need our assistance, given his status in the entertainment-rich atmosphere of Corale?"

Deep creases appeared on Prof. Carter's forehead from his frowning.

How does Fang Zhao have such a high popularity within the entertainment circles?

This won't do!

Although television and film were also considered art, they only collaborated in a few outstanding works like "Founding Era." Revolutionary programs like these were few and far between. But the current fickle entertainment circle still had a rich commercial overtone, and every company was continuously maximizing their celebrities' commercial value. Fang Zhao having such high popularity within the entertainment circles wasn't necessarily a good thing for academics like them.

Young man, don't get swayed by the allures of fame and fortune.

Carter decided that, the moment Fang Zhao returned, he would hurry and bring Fang Zhao to work on projects so that Fang Zhao would stay further away from the entertainment circles.

Yanbei Retirement Facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang had his hands full reading the comments as he watched the live broadcast, wishing he could open his eyes wider. He didn't know the situation within the entertainment circles too well and could only grasp a little through the discussions online. He was delighted when he saw people online saying that Fang Zhao might be tonight's biggest winner.

"Hahahahahahaha... Cough… cough cough cough!!"

Great-Grandfather Fang choked on his own saliva while he was laughing and slapping his thigh. Great-Grandmother Fang got a shock and quickly called the retirement center's paramedic.

The paramedic was helpless. Although he wasn't able to find anything wrong, he said, "I suggest you don't overexert yourself and keep your emotions in check. It's best you don't get too excited or angry."

"I'm fine, I'm just delighted! I'm happy every day!" Great-Grandfather Fang pointed at the news about Fang Zhao on the screen. "My Little Zhao won yet another award today!"

The paramedic ridiculed Great-Grandfather Fang inwardly. How fresh, how many times have you said "won an award" in the retirement center? The Galaxy Award matter had barely passed, yet here it came again!

Just before the paramedic left, Great-Grandfather Fang pulled him aside and exhorted, "You absolutely mustn't talk about this outside." How shameful.

"Don't worry, I got it." He was in contact with these retired veterans every day and wouldn't disclose a patient's condition outside, especially among these retired veterans that cared a lot about their pride.

After leaving, the paramedic chuckled and shook his head. Seeing this old man's manner, there would be another bout of bragging in the days to come.

Chapter 369: "High-Class Face"

After the "Golden Series Gala," there was saturation coverage and nonstop discussion of the event. The name "Fang Zhao" once again dominated entertainment headlines on all continents. Fang Zhao didn't win best actor, but he was without a doubt the biggest winner of the gala.

If one looked at the stats across the board, one would realize that every time Fang Zhao became a hot topic, in addition to the entertainment industry, his name would also show up in gaming, music and even to a lesser extent military and medical headlines, sectors that had nothing to do with the entertainment industry. Also, world-renowned modeling agencies started eyeing him as a potential signee.

During Fang Zhao's red carpet walk, the photographers positioned on both flanks had shivered like crazy. Even though they had taken countless pictures, none of the pictures had been satisfactory on second glance. Their line of sight had been slightly off. All the photographers had been able to do was file the best among the batch. The shooters, however, were still upset.

Then they watched video footage of the red carpet. The photographers mourned: What a waste of talent! This fella is clearly model material. How come his label doesn't position him as such?

The photographers had their own aesthetic standards. Faces that struck many as pretty or handsome didn't interest them. Of course, besides looks, one's presence also came into play, as well as one's ability to create a unique aesthetic before the camera.

Footage of Fang Zhao and Anna walking the red carpet spread quickly on the internet.

The entertainment journalists couldn't necessarily grasp the criteria for a "high-class face," but they knew that celebrities the photographers preferred were definitely "high class." Fang Zhao's face was considered average in an industry overflowing with handsome men and gorgeous women, but overnight, entertainment journalists deemed it a "high-class face."

Many photographers who shot the "Golden Series Gala" took an interest in Fang Zhao, going so far as reaching out to Silver Wing and asking to shoot him again.

Silver Wing's response:

"Oh, Fang Zhao? We don't have any control over him. He signed to the label as a composer, not as an actor or model. But our company has a deep roster of very talented actors and models. If you can't land Fang Zhao, why don't you try them instead? They received the same training as Fang Zhao."

Most photographers didn't bother to follow up. They had seen their share of run-of-the-mill celebs. They were a dime a dozen. They only wanted Fang Zhao.

But a small minority of photographers did take Silver Wing up on their offer.

When a Silver Wing spokesman was asked about Fang Zhao at a news conference, he simply smiled.

You want me to address an issue the entire company is clueless about?

On the topic of Fang Zhao, Silver Wing started treading more and more lightly. All they could do was appease Fang Zhao to the best of their ability. Beyond that, things were out of their control.

Apart from the fact that the photographers expressed keen interest in Fang Zhao, Anna referring to Fang Zhao as a "junior disciple" also sparked heated discussion.

Before the red carpet, Anna had been thinking that she was doing her junior a favor.

In reality, she had ended up riding on Fang Zhao's coattails.

Sure, jealousy was at play here, but Anna didn't go so far as hating Fang Zhao. He was a junior disciple, after all—and one with crazy potential at that, someone Mo Lang saw huge promise in. Who knows, she might need a favor from this junior disciple down the road. It made sense to stay in Fang Zhao's good graces now.

After Anna let word of Fang Zhao's new loyalties slip, Prof. Carter from HuangArt announced that Fang Zhao would be studying under him. Mo Lang also openly praised Fang Zhao.

Industry insiders instantly knew what was going on. This was a disciple accepted with Mo Lang's blessing. Mo Lang had brought Fang Zhao under his wing. No wonder Fang Zhao—and not someone else—had accepted the Best Original Score Award at the "Golden Series Gala" on Mo Lang's behalf. To have the backing of a master artist like Mo Lang, who was a national treasure... Fang Zhao's career was bound to be much smoother.

Still, Mo Lang was very concerned. Fang Zhao was all over the entertainment headlines, which generated offers of acting and modeling gigs. There were also news items that were completely blown out of proportion. Mo Lang was worried that, if events continued down this path, Fang Zhao would let the hype get to his head.

After pondering the matter, Mo Lang reached out to Prof. Carter.

"Once Fang Zhao gets home, bring him along on your next project. He must be isolated! He has to be insulated from these temptations immediately."

Carter nodded in agreement. "Got it. And what about Fang Zhao's theoretical training?"

"Don't worry about it."

Carter: "…" He is my disciple, after all.

After the "Golden Series Gala" for TV, it was time for the "Golden Film Gala" for movies.

For visitors to the Corale archipelago, if the "Golden Series Gala" was a terrestrial party, then the "Golden Film Gala" was a festival at sea. The "Golden Film Gala" was held in a palatial structure on the coast, coupled with a visual extravaganza of torches and lights. The combination of the seaside setting and the dreamy lights made for a decidedly different backdrop than the venue for the "Golden Series Gala."

Celebrities who hadn't stolen the limelight during the "Golden Series Gala" eyed the "Golden Film Gala" hungrily. The past two years had been owned by "Founding Era." This blockbuster project had attracted 70 percent of the world's best-known actors and celebrities. Thus, the lineup for the "Golden Film Gala" was much weaker in comparison. Still, as far as celebrities were concerned, there was no such thing as too much exposure. There would not be a shortage of bodies on the red carpet or a dearth of photos and news.

Entertainment journalists from all over the world were eagerly anticipating another shot at Fang Zhao. Who knows, maybe they could land a scoop about this "high-class face" that was the talk of the town.

The photographers shooting the "Golden Film Gala" also came prepared. Some of them staked out positions in advance, with an eye toward taking the perfect picture this time around. Even though they found out that Fang Zhao wasn't on the list of red-carpet guests, they wanted to try to shoot him elsewhere. There were locations where guest celebrities could pose inside the venue.

Yet, ultimately, everyone realized that Fang Zhao was nowhere to be found again.

Because he hadn't appeared in any movies and he wasn't planning a career in film, Fang Zhao had given away his tickets for the "Golden Film Gala" to other Silver Wing artists. He had other plans.

On the evening of the "Golden Film Gala," another celebration for locals took place on one of Corale's outlying islands.

Fang Zhao skipped the "Golden Film Gala" so he could head to the lighthouse with Tan Min.

"Today is a special day of remembrance for the Corale archipelago. It just so happens that the 'Golden Film Gala' and the Lighthouse Festival fell on the same day this year. Look, there are locals celebrating near the lighthouse." Even though Tan Min wanted to show his face at the "Golden Film Gala," compare notes with other filmmakers, and network, as a local, the Lighthouse Festival had more sentimental value. Forced to choose between the two, he had picked the latter.

As for Fang Zhao, Tan Min had brought up the festival to his friend to float the idea. He never thought that Fang Zhao would actually join him.

There were too many locals gathered near the lighthouse. It was impossible for Fang Zhao to get close. Instead, he settled for a few spots that Tan Min had recommended.

The mood stood in stark contrast to the glamor of the "Golden Film Gala."

Its top bulb shining bright, the lighthouse projected a historical aura accumulated over time. Waves lapped at the reefs lining the coast, creating intermittent splashes. The moist sea breeze carried the fragrance of wine. Festive crowds were everywhere.

Local traditional drums were sounded consistently, evoking the vitality of the region. Dancers raised their heads, their eyes beaming with wonder.

The waves, the reefs, the lighthouse—everything blended perfectly to create an intoxicating atmosphere.

Tan Min gazed at the lighthouse with a smile and told Fang Zhao, "After 'Founding Era' aired, lots of foreigners started saying that Huangzhou residents aren't religious. I disagree. I'm not sure about other parts of Huangzhou, but in Corale, this is our religion."

Even though the lighthouse had been destroyed during the Period of Destruction and rebuilt during the New Era, as far as Corale natives were concerned, the spirit of the lighthouse had always been there.

The towering lighthouse was a symbol of hope.

Fang Zhao started drumming on his knees with his fingers. After a while, he pulled out a notebook from his backpack and started jotting away.

Tan Min was filming. He spotted a few pretty girls who were dancing nearby, smiled mischievously, and geared up to tell Fang Zhao, "Hey, those girls are decent," but when he turned his head, he saw Fang Zhao pull out a notebook and scribble away.

Tan Min held back and engaged in a bit of reflection.

As a working artist, I'm not focused enough! Indeed, success doesn't happen by chance. Look at Fang Zhao and how focused he is, whether he's writing a paper or composing. That's a mindset worth imitating.

With Fang Zhao as an example, Tan Min quickly corrected himself. I'm a director who dreams big, an artist with ambition! If Fang Zhao records his insight with a pen, then I'll use my camera. It will pay off one day. I gotta have faith that I will become a world-class director one day!

At the stroke of midnight, the lighthouse shined its spotlight on the horizon.

A neighboring ship sounded its horn. The deep, melancholic sound resembled a tribute to the lighthouse from the past.

For Corale residents, this was the most sacred of responses. The festival was incomplete without the sounding of a foghorn.

As the crowds dispersed, Fang Zhao jotted down his final note and closed his notebook. He had accomplished a great deal during his trip. Apart from his paper, he had also composed quite a bit. When he added the finishing touches to the two songs he had started, Fang Zhao was going to add them to the rundown for his graduation concert at HuangArt.

By the time Fang Zhao reached his hotel, folks who had attended the "Golden Film Gala" were also filing in. Some of the artists who spotted Fang Zhao wondered, Where did this fella come from? I didn't see him at the awards ceremony tonight.

Ignoring the curious gazes, Fang Zhao completed the piece he had started earlier in the evening. After tweaking it some more, he decided to check the surveillance feed for his HuangArt dorm room.

Curly Hair was gaming again, his tail wagging vigorously.

Fang Zhao had little downtime during his stay in Corale. And yet:

When Fang Zhao was busy writing papers and composing, Curly Hair was gaming.

When Fang Zhao was attending various events, Curly Hair was sleeping.

When Fang Zhao was fasting for the "Golden Series Gala," Curly Hair was indulging his voracious appetite.

The contrast made Fang Zhao feel that dogs had better lives than humans.

Chapter 370: Dog Gamer

After attending the Corale Film Festival, Fang Zhao returned to HuangArt at the urging of Prof. Carter.

HuangArt appeared to be the same after an absence of 10 or so days. The only difference was that students were discussing Fang Zhao in private more frequently. Fang Zhao heard his name mentioned more than a few times the day he returned, even though the students thought they were speaking with discretion.

But HuangArt was HuangArt, after all. Even idol worship took on a much more subtle form.

The day Fang Zhao returned, Will was walking Curly Hair in one of the on-campus gardens in a bid to light a creative spark. Lo and behold, Curly Hair, who was relieving himself in a shrub, suddenly made for the dorm complex. Caught unawares, Will let the dog leash slip from his hands.

The leash in tow, Curly Hair dashed toward Fang Zhao's dorm room and leaped at his owner. He wagged his tail vigorously and whined.

Curly Hair's enthusiastic welcome caught Fang Zhao off guard. He never would have guessed from the surveillance footage last night. Last night, the little fella had been engrossed in his game. Thankfully, Curly Hair wasn't going online; otherwise, he would be even more obsessed.

Will, who was in hot pursuit, breathed a sigh of relief when he laid eyes on Fang Zhao. He was terrified of losing Curly Hair. He had heard that many dogs had been lost in a momentary lapse of attention. The dog manual he consulted said that he had to hold the dog's leash tight no matter what. Curly Hair had been on his best behavior, never causing any trouble under Will's watch, so Will had let down his guard.

While the sight of Fang Zhao relaxed him, Will also dreaded the moment. I haven't found any inspiration and my dogsitting gig is over already?

The utter disappointment on Will's face didn't escape Fang Zhao, who said hello and entered his dorm room.

After sending Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao home, Fang Zhao returned his "rabbit" tank to its place and tossed in a fresh batch of feed. Then he gave Curly Hair a quick checkup. Because of Curly Hair's unique DNA makeup, Fang Zhao had to use special tools.

But it turned out that Curly Hair was the same. He hadn't even gained or lost much weight.

Fang Zhao knelt by Curly Hair and fondled his head. "I may have to head out in another two days. I need to tag along with Prof. Carter on one of his projects in Mazhou. Why don't you hang with Will for another few weeks?"

Curly Hair's ears drooped and he tumbled at Fang Zhao's feet, whining nonstop. His tiny paws tugged at the cuffs of Fang Zhao's pants.

Fang Zhao observed his dog briefly before saying, "I'll buy you a new video game."

Curly Hair got up instantly, glanced at Fang Zhao's gaming console, and started wagging his tail again.

He was a bona fide gamer dog all right.

Laughing, Fang Zhao shook his head. He turned on the console and looked up the user data. Curly Hair had already gone through all the single-player games Fang Zhao had bought for him—with flying colors. Now, the gamer dog was going for record high scores. He had to have been excited last night because he'd broken a record. If these scores were posted online, they would cause quite a stir.

Fang Zhao deleted the data and all the existing games.

He bought a new game released by Fiery Bird. It was a physics-themed educational game that got harder with each level. The higher the level, the bigger and more complex the structures the player had to navigate. Fang Zhao stuck to single-player mode.

Fang Zhao picked the game not only because of its innovative design, unique color scheme, and neat special effects. The game also incorporated knowledge about structural engineering and so on and the score was decent. The background music blended with the game seamlessly to make for a tasteful atmosphere.

An ecstatic Curly Hair barked several times. If Fang Zhao hadn't been holding him back, he would have made for his gaming helmet and started playing immediately.

After tidying up his dorm room. Fang Zhao was summoned by Mo Lang. Mo Lang wanted to give him a lecture about the finer points of professional musicianship and career development. Mo Lang said that he would lecture by videoconference from now on if they couldn't meet in person. He said he would be personally responsible for Fang Zhao's theoretical training.

After returning from Mo Lang's place, Fang Zhao heard from Carter, who wanted him to deal with some paperwork.

Carter sent Fang Zhao a few forms to fill out. "I'm about to head out to the Spartacus Cup Games in Mazhou to help score the opening ceremony. You're with me. A few of your senior fellow disciples will be there too."

Just as Mo Lang had instructed, Carter had planned Fang Zhao's schedule for the next few days the day his new disciple had returned to campus. Carter had even finalized the itinerary two days earlier than expected so Fang Zhao wouldn't have the chance to make contact with folks in the entertainment industry.

Fang Zhao was planning on spending two or three days on campus before heading out again. He hadn't expected Prof. Carter to keep him on such a tight leash.

But there were also pros to becoming a master musician's disciple. If he were going solo, it would be very difficult to gain access to a project like the Spartacus Cup in Mazhou, especially for a young musician in his 20s.

After finishing the paperwork, Fang Zhao returned to his dorm room, where he found Will standing at the entrance.

"Can I have a word?" Will asked.

"Sure, let's head in first."

After entering the room, Will's gaze lingered on Curly Hair for some time before he spoke up. "When are you heading out again?"

Will had really pampered Curly Hair while Fang Zhao had been at the Corale Film Festival, lest he lose a single hair.

Yet the creativity hadn't been forthcoming.

Will had felt like he was on the verge of something on several occasions. He felt that he was on the right track but simply lacked the final spark. There had to be something he wasn't doing right.

After pondering the matter, Will concluded that the root of the problem was that he hadn't spent enough time with Curly Hair. Man and dog weren't close enough, so the inspiration hadn't been cultivated. If he had more time, he might have a breakthrough. That was why Will approached Fang Zhao again to see if he could look after Curly Hair for a longer period of time.

Fang Zhao smiled. "What a coincidence. I was about to look you up. I've been summoned by Prof. Carter to join him on a project on Maersizhou. I'll be gone for 10 days to two weeks or so."

Will's eyes sparkled. "Really? That's great!" He proceeded to assure Fang Zhao, "Don't you worry. I will become an even more meticulous caregiver. I feel like I'm close to achieving my goal."

Fang Zhao believed Will. For now, Curly Hair was Will's top priority. Will's claim that he was close to his goal had to have also been made in good faith.

After seeing his own portrait, Fang Zhao was looking forward to seeing how Will painted Curly Hair.

Will and Fang Zhao agreed to the same routine. Curly Hair would hang out with Will during the day and return to Fang Zhao's dorm room in the evening. The little fella would be obsessed with gaming. He wouldn't go wandering around campus at night.

After Will left, Fang Zhao called Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang.

Carter had gotten on his case immediately after the film festival ended, so Fang Zhao hadn't been able to spare the time to visit the two elders in Yanzhou in person, but they were staying in touch.

During the call, Great-Grandfather Fang was same old same old, but Great-Grandmother Fang seemed to have something on her mind. She hesitated on the phone before telling Fang Zhao about Great-Grandfather Fang's recent mishap—he had gotten so carried away bragging about his grandson that he had nearly choked on his own saliva.

Great-Grandmother Fang was quite old and couldn't deal with the shock. The old fella survived this time, but what about next time?

The old fella had brought it upon himself when he'd choked. None of the other residents at the retirement liked to talk as much as he did. The older he got, the more impulsive Great-Grandfather Fang got, yapping away like a little kid.

Great-Grandmother Fang lamented, "He won't listen to what anyone else has to say. When I told him off, he thought I was blowing things out of proportion. Xiao Zhao, he'll definitely listen to you. Can you ask him to calm down? At this age, he needs to take it easy—not regress to a child."

This was unexpected, but Great-Grandmother Fang had a point.

"Got it. Let me see what I can do."

After ending the call, Fang Zhao reflected on the matter. He decided that talk was cheap in terms of calming Great-Grandfather Fang down. The best solution was to find the old man something to do, to help him develop a new hobby.

Fang Zhao clicked his address book and called someone in Muzhou.

At the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei.

Great-Grandfather Fang started sulking after he found out that his wife had told Fang Zhao about him choking on his own saliva.

"Why did you have to tell Xiao Zhao about such a trivial matter? It was nothing, an accident. He's so busy. You're just adding to his burden," Great-Grandfather Fang said.

Great-Grandmother Fang gave him a sideways glance. "You should control that restless soul of yours. If you have so much energy, go farm. Rent a few more plots to farm so you stay out of trouble."

"How am I restless? Why are you picking a fight? All I did was brag about our Xiao Zhao. Also, I can't possibly farm every day. If this old geezer does hard labor, he'll collapse and die." Great-Grandfather Fang censored his final thought: How is farming more fun than bragging about my great-grandson?

Great-Grandfather Fang started ignoring his wife. He wore a stern expression on his face, but deep down, he was worried. What would Xiao Zhao say when he called? Would he be upset?

Great-Grandfather Fang lost his appetite and didn't sleep well. The next day, he was a zombie.

Fang Zhao finally called to say that he had sent them a package. It would arrive later in the day.

The package contained a small box of walnuts.

Many species of walnut had gone extinct after the Period of Destruction. The species that were available now were mostly new species developed by the Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

There were only a handful of walnuts in the box. It wasn't that Fang Zhao couldn't afford more but that there were few walnuts to begin with. These had been plucked from extra samples discarded by the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They had been sent to Yanzhou immediately after some basic processing.

Soon, Great-Grandfather Fang received the delivery. The box also contained a manual and an instructional video.

"So these are the walnuts that Xiao Zhao spoke of?"

Great-Grandfather Fang emptied an even nicer box and relocated the walnuts there carefully.

Great-Grandmother Fang donned her reading glasses and examined the manual. "Fitness walnuts?"

Great-Grandfather Fang followed the instructions in the manual and grasped two walnuts. "You don't say—I feel more at peace right away."

Great-Grandmother Fang: "..." Such bullshi*t!

Great-Grandfather Fang kept talking, an intoxicated expression on his face. "This is good stuff. I can kill time with it. It's good for my health and it looks cool!"

In blunter terms, this toy was good for his health while allowing the old man to keep being a poser at the same time.

Great-Grandmother Fang's face went blank. She felt her husband had somehow managed to cultivate yet another new skill.

After fiddling with the walnuts the same way they were used in the instructional video, Great-Grandfather Fang felt he had learned the ropes. He tossed his walking stick and carefully picked two of the prettiest walnuts from his box. He headed out to brag again, one hand behind his back and the other playing with the walnuts.

Yup, this was what they called Zen posing.

Chapter 371: Are You Asking For a Beating?

Great-Grandfather Fang brought those two walnuts along for a stroll. His pace was rather leisurely, but his pleased expression simply couldn't be suppressed as he hummed a tune while walking around.

Someone asked Great-Grandfather Fang, "Why are you playing with walnuts?"

Great-Grandfather Fang's face stiffened.

Are these walnuts?

No!

These are sentiments! A creative concept! Art! If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself. They even have some of the Old Era's charm!

On that day, a number of retired veterans asked around in private about where to purchase these sorts of walnuts. They couldn't bear to see Great-Grandfather Fang showing off. Although they didn't show it on the surface, they rather covetously eyed those walnuts twirling within his palm. When they returned to do some research, indeed, the Old Era had had such a method of playing with them, and it was rather pretentious.

There were also some that asked Great-Grandfather Fang, but the old man immediately replied, "My family's Xiao Zhao sent them," then jabbered on and on about "his family's Xiao Zhao," which made the askers gnash their teeth.

As for those that looked for Great-Grandfather Fang in hopes of borrowing or purchasing these walnuts, they were met with firm rejection from the old man! No discussion!

These were given by my great-grandson. I can't even bear to use them—how could I distribute them to you guys? In your dreams! If you have the ability, get your own great-grandsons to buy them for you!

Great-Grandfather Fang wasn't willing to loan out these walnuts. He did have a small box full of them, but it was only a small box. He knew very well that if these things were easy to obtain, Fang Zhao would surely have sent a large box. The fact was that there were too few of these things!

In the days that followed, Great-Grandfather Fang liked to twirl these rather pleasing-to-look-at walnuts in his palms wherever he went. Regardless of whether he was strolling leisurely, chatting, or playing chess, his hands never stopped. He even intentionally headed for places with more people to flaunt the two glorious walnuts in his hands.

How pleasurable!

This is just my individuality!

I am completely different from those old fogeys that only know how to drink tea and play chess!

Great-Grandfather Fang even went so far as to christen these two walnuts the "Diting Walnuts." Having the name of a mythical beast made them even more high end and auspicious!

When it came to mythical creatures and the like, Great-Grandfather Fang's had the deepest impression of the "Diting," because one of Fang Zhao's epithets online was "Diting." Thus, when mythical creatures were brought up, the first one that Great-Grandfather Fang thought about was always the "Diting."

The rarer something was, the greater its value. With its links to the Old Era on top of Great-Grandfather Fang's ability to brag, this leisure topic among the old veterans gradually circulated, and as it spread, it became even more incredible. There were people saying that the veined patterns on the walnut's surface weren't ordinary and were similar to the mythical creatures of legends. There were also people who said that the reason these were called "Diting walnuts" was because Fang Zhao had created them. Fang Zhao's nickname was "Diting," after all. Of course, there were also people who wondered whether Fang Zhao was promoting it behind the scenes? Would the next step be roasted walnuts?

Thus, unknowingly, Fang Zhao was blamed for something once again.

Ultimately, Great-Grandfather Fang wasn't able to completely preserve his small box of walnuts. In the end, Great-Grandfather Fang reluctantly gave away some walnuts to a few of his closer older friends. Afterward, some people tried to use their social connections to purchase Muzhou's Agricultural Science Institution's limited surplus of walnuts. Even if the price were several times higher, it wouldn't be enough to match the demand.

The more something couldn't be bought, the more people would want to purchase it, and there were many more people making inquiries. Later on, when the personnel from Muzhou's Academy of Agricultural Sciences noticed, they wondered why this plaything had become so popular. The walnuts they cultivated weren't that great to eat, so they weren't mass-produced. In general, when growing new breeds, items without much commercial value were shelved. This variety of walnuts didn't have a high consumption value, so the personnel from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences had never expected that it would become so popular all of a sudden! Now that the circumstances had changed, people started to have ideas.

Grow!

Since the demand was so high, then they would grow it again!

Retirement facilities in the New Era also knew how to keep up with the times. Playing with walnuts was indeed uncommon, and those that weren't able to obtain some would use other alternatives. However, they would feel that it couldn't compare with the authenticity of the real ones, so those that could use connections made orders with the Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Fang Zhao had no idea that all this was happening.

After he settled his matters with Great-Grandfather Fang, he prepared to follow Prof. Carter to Mazhou.

Nanfeng and the other two tagged along as well.

Nowadays, Nanfeng walked a little taller. Many people who had known Nanfeng in the past searched him out in hopes of a collaboration. However, Nanfeng didn't bother with them.

It really verified that phrase: ignore me thou shalt, lick my ass you cannot! Nanfeng felt extremely pleased with himself.

Nanfeng was putting on airs and chatting when he received news from Fang Zhao about heading to Mazhou. As Fang Zhao's assistant and given his boss's influence, Nanfeng still needed to put on airs at the right time; otherwise, others would assume he was easy to bully. But whatever the case, what was important were his boss's interests. Nanfeng needed to firmly guard this job of his. He knew very well what he should say and do when meeting others, as well as what sort of attitude to show.

Having received notice that his boss would be heading to Mazhou for a music project, Nanfeng felt a little regret at leaving the entertainment circle so soon. However, he understood that Fang Zhao's main focus was on his own composing. As a capable assistant, Nanfeng would only give thumbs up to the decisions Fang Zhao came to.

Zuo Yu also felt a little apprehension when he received the news. "Will Boss bring us along for his trip to Mazhou?"

Nanfeng rubbed his hands in glee and confidently said, "He will definitely bring me. I have to take charge of boss's traveling and daily matters. Participating in a project is really tiring, and it is taxing on both the mind and body. Boss's appetite is also so big; I can't let boss go hungry, right?"

Zuo Yu wasn't willing to lag behind and added in, "Besides keeping Boss safe, I can still drive cars and pilot flying transports. He will need a driver when traveling in Muzhou."

Yan Biao chimed in, "I can still help Boss fend off entertainment reporters, and I teach the paparazzi a lesson. Nowadays, many entertainment reporters are keeping an eye on Boss. As a bodyguard, I have a heavy responsibility."

Although all three of them proclaimed their importance, inwardly, they felt weak. Fang Zhao could really do without them. During the period of the film festivals, he had even let the three of them have free time. This time around, he would be heading to Mazhou together with Prof. Carter's team, so it was uncertain whether he would bring the three of them along.

After waiting nervously for an hour, they finally received formal notification from Fang Zhao regarding their travel plans. The duties for the three were also issued, so they immediately felt peace of mind.

While excitedly packing his luggage, Nanfeng thought of something and asked the other two. "If the three of us leave, what will happen to Boss's pets?"

Yan Biao had just ended a call with Fang Zhao. He replied, "The 'rabbit' has a self-feeding machine, and Curly Hair will be looked after by the neighbor."

"Still loaned to the neighbor?" Nanfeng inwardly wondered why that neighbor was so strongly attached to Curly Hair, but he soon shoved those thoughts aside. He needed to concern himself with his boss's matters first.

Nanfeng and the other two would head to Ma'ersizhou beforehand, while Fang Zhao would follow Prof. Carter and his team.

Ma'ersizhou, named after Great General Ma'ersi, was one of the four special continents out of the 12 continents in the New Era. Ma'ersizhou was also known as Mazhou for short.

Ma'ersi was also the family name of the aristocratic Ma'ersi family clan, which dominated Mazhou. It was said that people with the Ma'ersi family's blood might not necessarily have this family name, but anyone that had this family name was someone that was recognized by the Ma'ersi family. Therefore, people coming to Mazhou knew that they could offend first-rate clubs, but they absolutely could not offend anyone that possessed the Ma'ersi family name.

In Carter's opinion, he was more willing to interact with people who had the Ma'ersi family name; at least those from the Ma'ersi family clan wouldn't cause trouble for no reason. On the contrary, there were quite a few personnel from second and third-rate clubs that loved causing trouble.

Therefore, before arriving in Mazhou, Prof. Carter emphasized to his team not to face it directly should they encounter any trouble. As people that dabbled in art, what advantage could they have when facing those athletes and competitors? They should avoid trouble whenever possible and look for the police if the situation couldn't be avoided. Although the competitive atmosphere there was thick, the law and order in the capital city of Sivana was still pretty good, and law enforcement was just and upright.

Mazhou was known by everyone as the competition continent. Everywhere in Mazhou was filled with competitive elements. One could see competitive sporting clubs and guild halls everywhere on the streets, and many basketball stars, football stars, shooting celebrities, wrestling stars, and famed personalities from all sorts of sporting events frequently appeared on the suspended screens on buildings.

Sivana, the capital city of Ma'ersizhou, was also the region where the competitive atmosphere was heaviest. Many large-scale sporting competitions were organized in Sivana, and the Spartacus Cup Games were held here.

After checking into the hotel and taking some time to rest, Carter held a small meeting for the group. The main point of the meeting was to explain the following arrangements as well as to introduce Fang Zhao to these other disciples.

Carter's gaze swept across the room. "Everyone, this is Fang Zhao, your junior disciple. This is his first time following the project team. Do take care of him."

All Carter saw were smiles on the faces of the others, but inwardly, these people were very envious of Fang Zhao. They all knew that on the surface, Fang Zhao was said to be a disciple of Carter, but in actual fact, he was learning from Great Master Mo Long. However, regardless of who Fang Zhao was studying under, they all still greeted Fang Zhao as a "little junior disciple."

Carter had brought along more than 10 disciples to this project team. They were all older, and aside from Fang Zhao, the youngest one among them was in his 50s.

Carter was someone who didn't like beating around the bush. After saying all that needed to be said, he took a look at the time and said, "Go and experience things a little, search for inspiration," before turning around and leaving. He still had to attend a meeting with personnel from the Spartacus Cup Games organizing committee to discuss some matters with the opening ceremony.

After Carter left, the atmosphere in the conference room lightened. The others all gathered around Fang Zhao to chat with this extraordinary little junior disciple and exchange contact details. In the future, they would have a camaraderie from being one big family and would help each other out, so contact details were a must.

An averaged sized man with flowing white hair walked over and said with a smile, "Little junior brother, you can call me big senior brother."

This man was Yin An, Carter's first disciple. He was doing very well now. He had made quite a reputation for himself and had a niche within the circles. Yin An was already in his 80s, but this wasn't considered old in the New Era. His white hair had been specially dyed and was kept at shoulder length with some floating curls. It let him give off quite the "artistic" vibe.

"Big senior brother," Fang Zhao called out sincerely.

"Ai, that's right!" Yin An clapped his hands and his smile widened. "Since you called me big senior brother, I will definitely bring you to..."

Yin An was about to say "bring you to soar" when the conference door opened and Prof. Carter came in hastily to take a file that was on the table.

"Definitely bring you to properly investigate academic questions and teach you how to search for composing inspiration during the Spartacus Cup Games period. As your big senior brother, you can ask me if you have any questions. Whether you meet with a bottleneck when composing, an obstacle in your thesis, or so on, you can look for me," Yin An said with a straight face.

Prof. Carter himself knew his own disciple's personality and conduct, so he shot Yin An a warning gaze. Yin An immediately promised Carter, "Teacher, don't you worry, I will definitely lead little junior disciple along well!"

Carter groaned and left hastily with the file.

The smile returned to Yin An's face when Carter left. Slightly impatient, he said to all the others, "It's rare for all of us from different continents to gather for a project. Today shall be my treat. I will bring everyone to have a taste of Mazhou!"

Carter's disciples all know what that this big senior brother Yin An was very talented but that he had a bad habit: drinking. At the start, Carter had advised him many times, but afterward, when Yin An had produced works of sufficient quality, Carter had stopped warning him to give up the habit.

Thus, everyone besides Fang Zhao knew what Yin An meant by "a taste of Mazhou."

"Big senior brother" would be treating, so they had to give face and could not decline.

As the little junior disciple, Fang Zhao was dragged along with everyone.

Scarlet Ocean Flower Street was a consumer entertainment district in Mazhou's capital city of Shivana. It was a strip that bordered along the Scarlet Ocean. Originally, this street had been called Victory Street, but back during the Founding Era celebrations, the entire street had been littered with fresh flowers. Afterward, people had brought flowers over to this street during every year's Memorial Day, so people had started to call it Flower Street.

The place Yin An brought everyone was a rather stylish ball on Scarlet Ocean Flower Street. The place had an artsy design, but most importantly, the liquor here was good. With great liquor, nice ambiance and decent food, the place was naturally packed.

Clearly, Yin An had been here more than once. He was familiar with the place and the group of more than 10 people found a place to sit. As they merrily enjoyed their food and drinks, Fang Zhao sat quietly, listening to these senior brothers and sisters boasting while also listening to the performance at the bar.

The rather melancholy electronic blues tune didn't dampen Yin An's high spirits. Although Yin An didn't look too reliable, he did have the ability. His analysis of the performance in the bar was also incisive, and he was able to precisely point out the notes and instruments in the tune.

After a few rounds of drinks, even those people that normally seemed rather composed had loosened up. They chatted about their respective composing paths as well as their successes and failures.

These people that were viewed highly by Carter definitely had sufficient ability, and they had many experiences that Fang Zhao could learn from. After filtering out some of the stuff they said, Fang Zhao decided to take notes and tidy up his thoughts when he returned.

Two hours later, Fang Zhao was supporting Yin An to the washroom.

"Hey, there is no need to help me. Big senior brother can still recognize the road to the washroom." Yin An refused Fang Zhao and pointed to his own head. "I might look like I have had a lot to drink, but my mind is still very clear."

Fang Zhao wasn't comfortable letting Yin An go in this state, so he followed a few steps behind.

Indeed, although Yin An's steps were slightly feeble, his direction was correct and he could differentiate the signboards.

As Yin An entered the washroom, someone from inside bumped into him. Luckily, Yin An managed to evade quickly. Otherwise, he might have been thrown to the ground.

However, the person who knocked into him had also had quite a bit to drink. His body reeked of alcohol, and he had an air of arrogance along with his robust body and rugged muscles. When he looked up, his bloodshot eyes made him seem like some sort of fierce animal as he glared at Yin An.

"Don't you have eyes?!" the other party bellowed.

Yin An's anger sobered him up. Clearly, this person had drunk too much and knocked into him. Now the thief was crying thief?

However, Yin An was rather experienced in this sort of situation.

When encountering such a conflict, Yin An would consider what sort of person the other party was. If the other party was a pushover, naturally he would smoothen things out. But if it was some drunk fool or a lunatic that couldn't be reasoned with, Yin An wouldn't bother, leaving a few parting words before running.

In the current situation, trying to reason with this person might result in the other party speaking with his fists. If Yin An stayed and didn't run, wouldn't he be asking for a beating?

Thus, Yin An didn't even go to the bathroom but instead decided to leave immediately. However, he'd had too much to drink. Even though his mind had sobered up, his legs still felt weak. If not for Fang Zhao coming over to support him, he would probably have fallen to the ground.

Yin An glanced at Fang Zhao gratefully before shifting his eyes toward that drunk man, then toward the door, indicating they should hurry up and run rather than waste time talking to this fool.

Fang Zhao concurred with Yin An's choice and supported Yin An as they made to leave.

But them trying to keep away infuriated the other party even more. The drunkard had a dark expression as he gurgled with tightly clenched fists. "What sort of look was that? Looking down on me? You people are f*cking asking for a beating!!"

Fang Zhao: "Hmm?"

...

The police administration for this region received a report: the silver medalist of today's Spartacus Cup Game's heavyweight boxing event, which had just concluded today, had been knocked out by someone in a certain bar's washroom.

Chapter 372: Doubting One's Existence

Yin An had a dazed expression on his face when he left the washroom. A while ago, he had expected that deranged drunkard to come over and hit him. Yet in the blink of an eye, before he'd had any time to react, that guy had fallen.

"Little junior brother, is... is leaving him there really all right?" Yin An was worried.

Fang Zhao calmly replied, "It's fine. There are people headed for the washroom; they are the other party's friends."

"How do you know?"

"I heard it."

Yin An: "...All right."

The others didn't notice any difference when Yin An returned. It was already getting late, and someone suggested that it was about time to return to the hotel. Coming out to have fun was fine, but it couldn't be too late. Prof. Carter wouldn't restrict their personal activities as long as they didn't get out of hand. Otherwise, Carter would mercilessly kick them out of the project team.

Yin An wasn't in the mood to continue drinking. "Let's go, let's go. Have a good rest when we get back so that we will be in the right mind to look for inspiration."

When the group exited the bar, a police car had just pulled up. Yin An tensed up and glanced at Fang Zhao. Noticing that Fang Zhao didn't have a single shred of panic on his face, he thought to himself, This little junior brother's mental strength is indeed rather impressive.

Yin An's assistant didn't pay too much attention to Yin An's worried expression after they returned to the hotel. Yin An was always like this after having too much to drink. Perhaps he might even be consolidating his inspiration and composing in his heart.

After his assistant left, Yin An immediately went to search the internet to see if there had been any news in the vicinity of the bar before heaving a sigh of relief. Thinking back, he felt that Fang Zhao was indeed a youngster. Fang Zhao was impulsive, but Yin An didn't think that Fang Zhao was wrong. After all, Fang Zhao had done so to protect him.

"Sigh, I must properly lead this little junior brother along in the future." Previously, Yin An had only decided to look out for Fang Zhao on account of Carter and Mo Lang. Now that Fang Zhao had helped him, Yin An was much more sincere about it.

The next day, Yin An went to check the news after waking up. His unease finally dissipated when he saw that there still was no report of an incident at a bar. It seemed like, just as Fang Zhao had said, it wasn't anything big. There hadn't been a splash even after one night, so there was no longer any need to worry.

But Yin An's smile had just appeared when it froze in place. He saw a push notification for sports news, and one of the articles showed the previous days Spartacus Cup Games results, including the photographs of the top three in the heavyweight boxing competition, which had just concluded yesterday.

"Heavyweight... boxing competition.... silver medalist?"

In disbelief, Yin An searched this silver medalist Danny's photograph on the internet. Recalling the deranged drunkard they had come across last night... They were too similar!

If that was true, that would mean...

On their first day after arriving in Mazhou, this little junior brother had knocked out the Spartacus Cup Game's heavyweight boxing silver medalist!

He suddenly felt that this little junior brother would be hard to lead along and that the pressure was really great.

At the same time, in a certain private hospital...

The current Spartacus Cup Games heavyweight boxing silver medalist Danny had just woken up in his hospital bed. Waiting on him were two police officers as well as his club's manager.

"Danny, do you still remember what happened yesterday? Was it someone trying to harm you?" The club manager had already come up with quite a few rival names.

Danny kneaded his forehead vacantly and shook his head. "What happened?"

The club manager briefly recounted yesterday's incident.

After losing the finals yesterday, Danny had been in a bad mood and went with a friend to drink. Danny had quite a lot to drink and went to the washroom midway. That friend of his waited for some time but felt that something was up, so he went to the washroom to check. He had never expected to find Danny lying on the ground. When the friend went over to ask what had happened, Danny only said, "Someone hit me," then lost consciousness.

When that friend heard that someone had hit Danny, all sorts of conspiracy theories sprouted in his head, and he immediately made a police report. When he regained his senses, he felt that it had been a little inappropriate, so he contacted Danny's club manager.

The club suppressed the news. This was also why Yin An hadn't seen any news related to the incident.

The checkup at the hospital discovered that Danny had injuries, but they were a result of the competition. Other than that, there weren't any other big issues.

There weren't any cameras near the washroom, and nobody knew what had happened, as it hadn't caused a big disturbance. The police couldn't summon all the people that had been at the bar, so they could only wait for Danny to wake up before asking about the concrete details.

Mazhou permitted competition, but it forbade malicious competition. Athletes that did such things in private would be punished severely when they were found out. This sort of thing was especially susceptible during the duration of the Spartacus Cup Games, so the two police officers were here and couldn't be driven away even if the club manager wanted them to leave.

"We have some questions to ask you regarding yesterday's incident. We hope that you will cooperate," one of the police officers said.

They hoped that Danny could properly recall what exactly had happened yesterday. If this was a malicious revenge incident, they would have to intensify their investigation. But if it was a private matter, as long as Danny didn't pursue the matter, the police officers wouldn't need to do anything more.

The club manager also wished to know who had hit Danny. Although Danny had drunk a lot yesterday, he still shouldn't have been knocked unconscious just like that! He was the club's trump card, after all, and a silver medalist at this year's Spartacus Cup Games. The last person to try to strike Danny when he was drunk had spent an entire month lying in hospital!

Danny picked up the wet towel at the side and wiped his face as he tried recalling the previous day's details.

"I went to the bar for some drinks yesterday. Afterward, I went to the bathroom… When the others saw me, they ran away."

When Danny had gone to the washroom, he had thrown quite the drunken fit inside. When the other people in the washroom had seen Danny acting this way, they had left immediately, since there wasn't only just one washroom in the bar.

"So there weren't any others in the washroom at that time?" one of the police officers asked.

"I guess so."

"What happened after? Who did you meet?"

"After that… I think I bumped into someone."

The two officers and the club manager became more alert. "What did the other party look like?"

"I don't remember... I think it was an oldie. There was quite a bit of white hair."

The two police officers made eye contact. There were too many people that dyed their hair white. This point wouldn't pinpoint much.

"You don't remember anything else about the other party's appearance?" the police officer queried.

Danny shook his head.

The police officer continued, "What happened next? Try to think hard, especially the minute details."

"After that? I was lying on the ground." When he recalled this, Danny started to doubt his own existence. Had he actually been knocked down so easily yesterday? And to the extent where he couldn't remember how he had been knocked down!

The club manager frowned. He couldn't think of anyone who could knock Danny out so easily. Even the champion of yesterday's boxing competition couldn't do it.

However, the two police officers caught onto a detail in Danny's words.

"Wait a minute, did you say 'lying'? Were you lying on the ground when you were knocked out?"

"I haven't finished yet," Danny said.

"Continue, recall the small details. Don't skip anything!"

"Mmhm, he even helped flip me over."

"...And then?"

"It seemed like I vomited."

One of the officers nodded. "You did. Furthermore, when your friend found you yesterday, you were lying face up."

"Yes, I remember that the person flipped me over after I fell."

The two officers continued probing for details, but Danny really didn't remember much. When he didn't think much of a person, he wouldn't really make an effort to remember the person's appearance. Regardless of whether he was drunk or sober, he was the same. If he didn't think the person was worthy of being remembered, he wouldn't waste any brain cells on it. Only afterward, when he had been knocked down and had started to doubt his existence, had his memory become more profound. However, it still wasn't clear, and the only impression he had was the white hair that had flashed past.

Furthermore, the more he remembered, the more Danny's spirit took a beating.

He had lost the match yesterday and had felt extremely indignant. He had nearly won the gold medal, so anyone in his situation wouldn't feel good. But now, the indignation in his heart had thoroughly been wiped clean!

This sort of transformation was like blaming everyone but himself all the way before discovering that "It turns out that I am the failure."

With such a huge drop in his mental state, what gold medal, what final loss, what indignation, all of these were chucked aside.

Currently, there was only one line revolving continuously in Danny's head. So it turns out that I am lacking?

The two police officers watched the crestfallen Danny lying on the bed and clutching his head. This huge man now looked as though he had been extremely wronged.

"Cough! We have a rough understanding of the situation already. According to what Mr. Danny has said, the other party didn't seem to have any strong malice. First, he didn't cause you any bodily harm. Second, the other party helped flip you over to prevent you from choking on your own vomit when you were lying face down... We will continue to investigate this matter, and if you remember any important clues, you can contact us."

As long as it wasn't a malicious revenge case regarding competitive rivals, Danny's case wouldn't be considered a big deal in Mazhou. It was no different from some drunken brawl across the street. Furthermore, at first glance, this matter had been instigated by Danny, and him getting hit was normal.

The two police officers left quickly after that. The club manager had similarly complicated feelings as he watched Danny lie in bed, hugging his head and contemplating his existence.

So there wasn't any conspiracy theory?

Then who exactly hit me?

That white-haired and confused fellow?

As Danny lay in the hospital, doubting his own existence, the one who had cast this shadow on his heart was accompanying his seniors to search for inspiration at the competition grounds.

Yin An had brought Fang Zhao and the others to watch a tennis match.

To fully experience the atmosphere of the sporting competition, they didn't use a VIP box or special viewing terrace. Instead, they sat together with the ordinary spectators.

Today was the finals of the Spartacus Cup Games men's singles tennis. This was a match that had a very high viewership.

On one side was the old veteran Dumol, who was currently ranked eighth in the world. He had only rushed up explosively this year and had never entered the top 20 in the past. At this year's Spartacus Cup Games, he seemed to have performed exceeding well and had swept through the previous rounds of matches, defeating many strong opponents along the way and making it into the gold medal match. Today would also be the last match in his professional career.

On the other side was a young tennis athlete who hadn't fallen out of the top three rankings in the past few years, Mitisy. He was a handsome lad and was nicknamed the "Prince of Tennis." There were also fans who affectionately called him "Xiao Mi."

Mitisy had won many championships. The only championship he lacked was the Spartacus Cup Games gold medal. After so many iterations, he had gotten a silver medal every time, and slowly during the Spartacus Cup Games, he had jokingly become referred to as "The Perennial Runner-up."

Among these two, one would retire after this match, while the other said that he would retire if he still couldn't get the gold medal this time. Thus, the attention placed by the media on this was especially high.

Fang Zhao took deep breaths, experiencing the complicated mixture of smells consisting of sweat, odor, snacks, and fragrances when Yin An turned to ask him, "Who do you think will win?"

"I can't tell," Fang Zhao answered seriously.

He had watched some previous competition videos of both parties and had analyzed the two competitors' states. Fang Zhao really couldn't say who would win.

"Haha! That is only right!" Yin An chuckled. "You will never know when a miracle might occur, and you will never know what might happen next. I just love this sort of plot. Because every time a turnabout occurs, countless musical notes enter my head. This feeling of my head being filled with music is a magical feeling. As a composer, you should understand, right?"

Fang Zhao nodded. "Mmhm." The symphony in his head had never stopped.

Chapter 373: This Kid

Cheating was an utter disgrace in athletic competitions in Mazhou. Athletes involved in match-fixing were banned for life. You wanna keep competing? Sure, go ahead—on other continents. Mazhou no longer welcomes you. In some cases, athletes were even barred from entering Mazhou altogether.

Quite a few pundits gave their two cents on the gold-medal match, but no one could say definitely who the likely winner was. The way the match played out bore out the conflicting predictions.

The gold-medal match ended up taking three days, an average of more than five hours per day. The total length of the match was about 16 hours, which set the record for the longest championship match at the Spartacus Cup.

This was a battle of two athletes at their peak that involved not the slightest iota of showmanship or fakery. Both players were in tip-top shape and were going head-to-head in terms of technique, tactics, endurance, and mental toughness. It was the very definition of athletic competition.

"They both went all out!" Yin An marveled.

He was a casual tennis player too. But half an hour was tiring enough for him, let alone more than five hours.

"These two are certainly athletes worthy of respect," Fang Zhao said.

Fans of the two players went crazy cheering for their respective idols. Even folks who weren't interested in either player began paying attention to the match.

One could dislike these two athletes, but one still had to give respect where respect was due.

Media coverage of the match also increased.

Taking in the match that seemed to be sapping the life out of the players, Fang Zhao realized that the two athletes probably hadn't been kidding when they had spoken of retirement to the media before the match. They were playing their hearts out. It was impossible to play at this level if they were holding back.

The third day of play took more than seven hours.

When the match ended, the veteran Dumol glanced at the score on the big screen. He let out a huge bellow as he circled the court, tears rolling down his cheek, as if he had forgotten about his utter exhaustion.

In stark contrast was the silent Mitisy.

Mitisy was flat on his back, racket in hand. His other hand covered his eyes. He removed the hand after some time to reveal bloodshot, tearful eyes, and he gazed at the sky.

He got up, jogged over to Dumol, and hugged the man, then bowed to all four sides of the grass court and raised his hands in applause. The applause was for himself, his opponent, and the audience. He had given it his all. He was at peace with the outcome.

A melancholic rock song suggestive of farewell began playing. The hoarse vocals of the male lead seemed to speak to the passion and dedication the audience had just witnessed.

At this point, many members of the audience recovered their composure.

"Dumol should have had no regrets about retirement. He is starting to go downhill, after all. He mustered every last bit of energy he had for this match. I'm guessing it will take him at least five years to recover. But Mitisy is a different story. Is he really going to retire?"

"Really? Mitisy is so young, only 36."

In an era when life expectancy had doubled, 36 was truly quite young.

"It's the peak of Mitisy's career now, his golden years. He has plenty more shots at glory after this match. He is quite young, after all. He could play another 40 years if he wanted to."

"Impulsive talk. It was definitely impulsive talk. Let's see what Mitisy's club says. They're not going to give up on a cash cow like Mitisy that easily. Even though he's missing a Spartacus Cup gold medal, Mitisy has won plenty of other important titles. His popularity is only going to increase after this three-day match."

Regardless of whether Mitisy retired, the gold-medal match was a great deal for the audience. A three-day match for a single ticket. Totally worth it! Got my fix!

And as far as the journalists were concerned, there was plenty to write about. An even better deal!

"Perennial Runner-Up Loses Again!"

"'Prince of Tennis' Misses Out on Gold Again!"

"Another Brand Ends Collaboration with Mitisy, Perennial Runner-Up Loses Another Deal!"

In Mazhou, this hub of athletic competition, the major brands preferred champions. Even though Mitisy had won quite a few titles, his lack of a Spartacus Cup gold was a missing link one couldn't ignore. Add to that the saturated media coverage and the absence of a Spartacus title became a major, indelible black mark on his career. Journalists loved to pour salt on a wound.

After the prize presentation ceremony, amid all the talk about Mitisy's possible retirement, Mitisy's club announced he would be holding a press conference soon.

"Is he really going to retire?"

"I don't get it. I really don't. It's just a Spartacus gold medal, after all. He can go after it again. He's only been playing for 20 years."

"Maybe he's lost his spirit. He's played professionally for 20 years already, after all. Come Spartacus Cup time, he always finishes second. And it's not that he's a bad player. He always gives his all."

"What could he do after he retires?"

"He'll be discriminated against as a coach. It's too hard to shed the 'Perennial Runner-Up' reputation. What if the 'Perennial Runner-Up' can only produce perennial runner-ups? Plus, he's still relatively young. If top clubs want to hire him, they'll skimp on his pay. It's not worth it."

"He might as well join the entertainment industry, then."

Quite a few retired athletes in Mazhou became entertainers. Considering Mitisy's good looks and popularity, following in that tradition was a likely move.

Back in his hotel room, Yin An watched the highlights of the gold-medal match repeatedly. He wiped the tears on his face and said, "We should compose a song for them! Sigh, what a pity, Xiao Mi." Mitisy has grown on Yin An. You can't blame him for the outcome. He tried his best.

After reading the online speculation about Mitisy's next move after retirement, Yin An looked up Fang Zhao. "Lots of folks are saying that Xiao Mi will likely become an entertainer after retiring. Junior disciple, you have a background in the entertainment industry. See if you can lend him a helping hand. This man has suffered enough, losing the gold medal and all these endorsement deals. And he's getting dissed and teased online left and right."

Fang Zhao pondered the request and responded, "I actually don't think he needs my help. Given his temperament, I'm sure he's decided on his next move."

"Uh huh. Anyway, give him some help if you can," Yin An said. He thought Fang Zhao was just making excuses, but then he realized that Mo Lang and Carter might not want Fang Zhao to have anything to do with the entertainment industry. Yin An swallowed the comment he had been about to blurt out.

Fang Zhao glanced at Yin An and continued, "Regardless of what the media is saying now, I think Mitisy's career going forward won't be that bad. As for the journalists knifing him now, it will backfire eventually."

Yin An didn't take Fang Zhao's comment seriously. He just started sighing nonstop. Yin An was quite sensitive. The thought of Mitisy's performance in the gold-medal match, coupled with all the facetious comments online, made him awfully upset.

"I feel like crap. I'm gonna go compose to make myself feel better."

Even though Fang Zhao lamented Mitisy's loss, he didn't think Mitisy was someone who made rash decisions. He was someone with a clear head and a clear plan.

That night, Mitisy held a press conference at his home club.

Images of Mitisy crying after the gold-medal match dominated front-page news and newscasts. His fans were heartbroken. Now, both fan and foe alike were glued to this press conference, which was being broadcast live. They could see in the live feed that journalists from many leading sports publications were in attendance.

Mitisy's eyes were still bloodshot. His voice broke up as he started speaking. He continued after recovering his composure.

"Looking back on my 20-year professional career, I don't have a whole lot of complaints or anger. What I feel more is gratitude. I've never let down my guard in the past 20 years. Even today, I can stand proudly before you. Every step I have taken has been forceful and purposeful. In the past 20 years, I've borne witness to the beauty of competition as well as its cruelty. Retirement isn't a decision I made hastily, and it's not a compromise. I have my own private life and responsibilities. After retiring, regardless of where I end up, I'll always be an optimist. I'd like to thank my club and my fans for their support these past 20 years. I also want to thank my coach. I'm sorry I couldn't bring home a Spartacus gold medal for him."

Mitisy's coach, who was sitting next to him, also turned teary eyed. His eyes were filled with sadness. When it was his turn to speak, he talked about Mitisy's difficult journey.

"I still remember that 16-year-old showing up all alone at my doorstep, bag in hand, 20 years ago. And he stayed for two decades. At the beginning of this year, he told me, 'Coach, this is my last shot.' He was under huge pressure. I can only imagine what he was going through. All I can say is that he has always worked his ass off. He's as good a player as anyone out there."

How brightly Mitisy's star had shone back in the day—his surreal rise to the top of the world rankings, his good looks, and his amazing talent. Soon, he had become one of Mazhou's most popular sports stars, and the endorsement deals had started pouring in.

Subsequently, Mitisy had taken part in all sorts of tournaments and had won quite a few of them. The Spartacus Cup was the only exception. He had always come second. Even if he had managed to survive tough group competition in round robin, he had always ended up with silver. He had beaten every Spartacus Cup gold medalist on many occasions, but the gold medal had simply eluded him.

Eventually, the endorsement deals had dwindled. The naysayers and comics had come out of the woodwork. They hadn't cared whether they broke Mitisy's heart. All they had cared about was web traffic and attention.

Mitisy's fans and critics had already engaged in several rounds of verbal combat in the early minutes of the press conference.

Taking in Mitisy's comments at the press conference and rewatching highlights of the gold-medal match, Mitisy's tearful fans were devastated. They felt like they couldn't breathe. They were also extremely worried about their idol's postretirement plans.

Meanwhile, the critics kept hitting where it hurt most.

"So he's incompetent and we can't even talk about it? He has only himself to blame for never landing gold. It's his destiny."

"Who else can he blame for throwing in the towel now? If you can't handle the pressure, if you don't have mental toughness, why bother becoming a professional athlete?"

"Focus on the entertainment industry after retirement. Make some money so you can enjoy your twilight years."

As far as Mazhou natives were concerned, only failed or retired athletes joined the entertainment industry. In Mazhou, the most popular celebrities were athletes. Award-winning actors and actresses paled in comparison.

After Mitisy and company spoke, they took questions.

"What are your plans for after retirement?"

"Will you become an entertainer?"

"What line of work will you go into?"

"Will it be tennis related?"

Mitisy responded, "I will move to working behind the scenes."

The reporters were intrigued. There was more than met the ears.

"Are you going to start your own tennis club?" a reporter asked.

Mitisy flashed an embarrassed smile. "I don't think I ever told everyone what my last name is."

The press pack: "???"

Even Mitisy's coach cast him a confused glance. All these years, Mitisy had never mentioned his surname. It wasn't printed on his ID card, so no one had ever brought up the issue. As far as most folks were concerned, his last name was irrelevant.

Mitisy cleared his throat and said, "My full name is Mitisy Maersi."

Dead silence.

Dead silence in the online discussion forums.

The fans, the critics, the journalists, everyone at the tennis club: "..."

What the f*ck did you say? What is your last name again?

The Maersis were Mazhou's most prominent family.

Jaw dropped, Mitisy's coach was in a daze, his expression the picture of disbelief.

Journalists that had dissed Mitisy in the past started shivering.

This kid from the Maersi family is quite something, Fang Zhao thought to himself.

Chapter 374: Brother, Run?

The news pertaining to Mitisy astonished the extensive online audiences. It was as though they had always been pitying this person, but it turned out that he had such a strong background.

His family was really strong. Not only that, they were like kings. Although they were no longer monarchs, the position the Ma'ersi family held in Mazhou was supreme, and the characteristics were more or less the same.

Fans of Mitisy who had shed tears when he regrettably retired from the sport no longer cried.

Those who had publicly bashed Mitisy were racking their brains thinking about how to retract their words.

Many people were grumbling that Mitisy had deceived them, but a portion of people who understand the Ma'ersi family could understand why he had done so.

Not every person that possessed the Ma'ersi bloodline could have this family name. Mitisy's ID didn't have this family name written on it. Perhaps it was deliberate or perhaps he hadn't possessed the family name at that time.

The truth was that Mitisy had only obtained the "Ma'ersi" family name later on, and he had never gone and gotten an updated copy of his ID. However, the internal family clan had already recognized that after he retired, he would start his new life with his new identity. In the future, his ID would carry the glorious "Ma'ersi" family name.

The news conference was still underway. Mitisy wasn't being pleased because of this family name. He expressed that this family name was glorious but it also signified even greater responsibilities. In the past, he had been the tennis player Mitisy, but after today, he would be Mitisy of the Ma'ersi family and would make Ma'ersi better together with the others of the Ma'ersi family clan.

At the same time, at a press conference for the launch of a certain commercial good in another part of Mazhou, a Ma'ersi family clan elder was asked by a reporter about the matter with Mitisy. With a smile, he replied, "We consider ability, character, moral standing, and other comprehensive qualities... Our requirements for the younger generations of our family clan are rather stringent. Even if Mitisy hadn't achieved the Spartacus Cup Games championship, he has already proven himself and passed the family clan's test."

The thoughts of others were unknown regarding the Ma'ersi elder's words, but far away in Leizhou, Zaro's father felt that the words of these people were extremely prickly, and they pricked where it hurt the most!

Take a look at the kids of another's family, then take a look at his own family's idiot, who lacked awareness and was terribly annoying!

If you don't work hard, you will just drag the family clan down!

Zaro had recently been wanting to speculate on walnuts because walnuts had suddenly come into vogue, giving Zaro all sorts of ideas. He had sent over a pair of walnuts to his grandfather, the governor, making his partially biased grandfather pleased. Thus, his grandfather had not stopped Zaro from speculating on walnuts, only strongly urging him to not underpay his taxes.

Zaro's grandfather was rather strict in this aspect. Zaro knew his grandfather's bottom line, and after sounding out his grandfather's attitude, Zaro rubbed his hands in glee and decided to go out.

However, just as Zaro and his agent were making plans together, the news of Mazhou's Mitisy raised his father's vigilance—this blockhead couldn't be allowed to continue with his wanton ways!

Children had to be put in their place once in a while or they would get out of hand. However, Zaro's father couldn't spend every single moment watching his son, and he didn't have that much time. He had given Zaro a beating the previous time he had returned and had been called over by his own father for a talking-to. That made him livid!

What should he let this blockhead do?

Zaro wasn't accomplished in academics or the military, he lacked IQ and talent, and he had a short attention span. Zaro's father decided that he should kick this blockhead out to go assist the poor.

Mitisy's retirement press conference not only caused a storm in Mazhou but also affected other continents. Mitisy himself didn't know all of this. After the press conference, he vanished from the public eye. Some people were saying that he was participating in the family clan's business, while others joked that Mitisy was receiving grooming to "succeed the throne." However, everyone's various guesses were taken with a sprinkle of humor because everyone knew that there were many people in the Ma'ersi family and that Mitisy wasn't the only one that people would joke about "succeeding the throne."

However, because of the Ma'ersi family name, no matter how people joked, nobody would blatantly show any malice, because nobody dared to.

None of this affected people from other continents that much. At the start, perhaps there had been a little interest, but it was just treated as news and forgotten after a quick browse. For instance, the team of Fang Zhao and others still had assignments. They didn't have the time to follow the Mazhou people and their gossip.

In the days that followed, they went over everyday… They sought inspiration, composed, and had meetings every two to three days. The team had about half a year to produce a collection of music, with sports competition being the main theme. Right now, what was most important was taking advantage of the Spartacus Cup Games period to experience the charm, intrinsic spirit and radiance of sporting competition.

Today, Fang Zhao had gone out with a few seniors to seek inspiration. After having dinner together, the others either returned to the hotel or had other activities planned. Fang Zhao didn't follow them. Instead, he went to a small park a short distance away from the hotel for a run. There were too many people at the hotel gym and it was noisy. Fang Zhao preferred running in places like parks and such. However, the park was only quiet at night, so Fang Zhao had chosen this time to run.

There were many hotels around, so the number of foreigners was rather high. At night, there were fewer people jogging in the park. Most people were used to gyms and didn't really like running outdoors. Furthermore, at this time of night, even natives weren't willing to run in the park.

Fang Zhao ran two laps around the park and came across someone.

The other person was very young, seemingly a student who had yet to graduate. He was wearing what seemed to be a retro-punk-style sweatshirt, and he ran over to strike a conversation.

"Hey, brother, running? How many laps have you done?" that person asked.

"Two laps," Fang Zhao replied.

"Just started, huh. Theren't aren't too many people out running at this time. Are you a professional athlete?"

"No."

"Me neither. But I will become one soon. For now, I'm still a little insignificant fellow, not worth mentioning, just Stranger A. What about you?"

"Stranger B."

The other party guffawed. "Hahaha, brother, you are really amusing!"

Fang Zhao: "...."

"Being alone is rather boring. Let me accompany you on your run," the other party requested.

"No need."

"You really don't have to be polite!"

"Really, there is no need!"

"All right, then you run first."

After Fang Zhao had run off for a bit, the other person, still standing on the spot, loosened his hands and legs before starting to run.

He followed behind, leaving a set distance between him and Fang Zhao, and he decided to maintain this gap. Because he was in a rather good mood, he even hummed a little tune. His coach would surely give him a scolding if he heard. However, his coach wasn't present right now.

Today was the first time he had been in Mazhou. He had personally been scouted by the manager of a certain club. In the past, he hadn't had much understanding of sporting competitions and hadn't paid much attention to anything but his family's business. This time, he had come over to start a new life in Mazhou and become a professional athlete. He had already looked up some famous athletes in Mazhou, and this person in front of him had seemed a little familiar. Perhaps due to the lowered visibility in the darkness, he hadn't been able to see clearly, but he was certain that this person hadn't been on the list in the file he had received.

If he couldn't remember, then so be it. After all, this man surely wasn't some important person anyway.

He had told Fang Zhao that he was "still a little insignificant fellow, not worth mentioning." That was just him being modest; he actually had rather high aspirations. His hometown had lots of mountains and a thriving tourism industry. Every day, he had climbed up and down the mountains, leading tourists and helping run errands. He had practically spent every day running. The locals there could really run, and he had been the best runner in the town. Today, he had gotten to meet a few of his fellow club members, and he felt that their abilities were just so-so. It was no wonder the manager had needed to scout for talent elsewhere. The legends about Ma'ersi sporting competitions were indeed exaggerated.

He had been unable to sleep tonight, perhaps due to the jet lag from traveling. Without any intention to sleep and being unused to the gym, he had looked at a map and run over from his apartment.

Anyway, since there aren't other people running, I will accompany the person ahead of me. After I am all warmed up and the other person leaves, I will continue running for another hour. Then I will return to the club... Maybe it's better to run two hours instead? One hour is too short, no different from a warmup... Perhaps three hours? After all, I have nothing to do. It's better to exhaust more physical strength. When I'm tired, perhaps I will be able to sleep better.

Mmhm! It's decided then! After accompanying that brother for a run, I will run for another three hours before returning back to the apartment to sleep!

Chapter 375: Little Puppy

Fang Zhao only paid a little attention to the person following him before tossing the matter aside. He didn't sense any menace from the other party and so let the man do as he pleased.

It was late at night, and the tall hotels all around continued to shine splendidly. The number of people in this little park continued to decrease until there were only two figures that remained running.

Fang Zhao ran laps in the park. This sort of peaceful environment made it easier for him to think about issues.

He had gained a lot during this period in Ma'ersizhou. Not only had he come to understand the cooperative styles of this sort of project team, but he had also gained a lot of experience and had learned even more composition techniques from the others.

The sporting arenas in Ma'ersizhou were much more intense than those of other continents, especially the atmosphere, which couldn't be experienced on any other continent. For the members of the project team, these were a precious source of inspiration, and it was an experience that images had no way of providing.

Fang Zhao didn't know the progress of the others. On his end, he had already come up with an outline.

Even though Fang Zhao had only been at the viewing terrace, recalling the scenes at the sporting arenas made him able to feel his racing heart, his perspiration and the merriment of progress, the radiance of physical capability and fighting spirit, and the countless sounds erupting and brushing past him at the venue.

Intense, relaxing, high, downcast sections of a melody appeared in his mind. The melody's tempo was quick at times yet slow at others. Fang Zhao's legs moved along to the beat of the floating melody playing in his head.

Fang Zhao didn't have any clear-cut objective in coming here to run. At this sort of time when inspiration was overflowing, his body would move along to that inspiration.

However, while Fang Zhao was doing as he wished, the person behind him was perplexed.

At the start, that young fellow had even been humming a tune as he studied Fang Zhao's running technique. In the past, he had neither known nor paid attention to long-distance running techniques. But after signing a contract with the club, he had received some brief specialized coaching, although he wasn't considered a professional athlete yet.

Tsk, one look and I can tell that he's an amateur. That person came to this conclusion as he observed Fang Zhao's running style for a while.

Three laps later, he saw that Fang Zhao was starting to pick up the pace. His somewhat disorganized state of mind was stirred, and he felt somewhat excited.

He increased his speed! Is he simulating a last spurt to the finish!

With these thoughts, he also increased his speed. This sort of experience when accompanying a passerby on a run wasn't too bad.

However, after a short period, he felt that something was amiss.

Isn't this simulation of one last spurt a little too long?

After a few laps, Fang Zhao started to slow down.

That person heaved a sigh of relief. His sprint is over. Is he slowing down for a bit before leaving?

However...

After a few unhurried laps, Fang Zhao started to speed up again.

That person: "???"

Again?

He watched as Fang Zhao ran lap after lap, sometimes fast, other times slow. Sometimes, his quick pace lasted a long time, while other times, it only briefly lasted half a lap.

Is he toying with me?!

He really wanted to call out to the person in front and tell him, "Brother, this isn't how your pace should be! You won't last very long running this way!"

However, an hour passed, then two hours later, and Fang Zhao was still persisting.

For Fang Zhao, who housed a symphony orchestra in his head, he was like this when his mind was lively.

A section of tunes passed. This section isn't bad... but there are still some areas that need to be amended.

A moment later, the amended tune played in his head, Once more, and again... There are still some small areas that need to be worked on.

The third edition played in his head twice... Good, the back... Hey, this area isn't right...

Amend... for the nth time... Amend again... for the nth time...

This led to Fang Zhao's pace, which was following the beat—it was fast and slow at various times with varying durations.

At the same time, the thought process of the person running behind him was like this:

A pleasant and floating state of mind... Strange... Speechless... Bad feeling about this... I feel pressured... Starting to feel tired... Last stand of obstinance... Crazy...

The fellow up there is still running!

He f*cking started to increase his speed... Slow down again…

Ah ah ah ah—

There's a complete lack of logic in his running!

What exactly does he want! Trying to slip away or toying with me!

Later on, he didn't even have the strength to be impetuous.

Feels like my heart and lungs are about to go on strike.

Heart rate on the rise, body weary... Every single muscle in my body is going on strike.

I can't do it, I can't run any longer. My legs can no longer be ordered around!

Watching himself being left further behind, the person lagging behind finally gave up on chasing after Fang Zhao. He dragged his heavy feet to a long bench and sat down. He had an extremely perplexed look in his eyes and seemed to be at a total loss.

He considered himself to have a body condition blessed by heaven, and he had reserves from all his years of running. However, at this time, he felt like he was just a piece of trash.

He just sat there like a stone statue, his lifeless eyes following Fang Zhao's silhouette as Fang Zhao continued to run lap after lap after lap…...

At this time, he suddenly understood the words his manager had said when he had first signed: "You still have a long way to go." Indeed, it was as everyone said, Ma'ersizhou is the apex of competition, and it isn't that easy to break into. There are many talented athletes. Ultimately, how many of them can truly break into the top? In this whole wide world, there are always people more talented than oneself. Among the strong, there is always someone stronger!

He had merely come out for a night run, yet a passerby he had come across possessed such monstrous physical ability! And this person still wasn't someone on the rankings list he had seen! Then wouldn't that mean that those godly professional athletes were geniuses among geniuses, the monsters among monsters?

As he sat on the long bench in the small park, the person carried a serious attitude for the first time. It was as though he was about to embark on a pilgrimage to examine the route taken by this professional athlete.

Time passed by slowly, and Fang Zhao's pace finally slowed down for real, all the way until he stopped.

Fang Zhao took deep breaths as he gazed at the sky, which had already turned hazy. He took in the sounds of seeds breaking through the earth and the rustling of wind through tree branches. The beauty of this world was really captivating.

There were only two people in this small park at this moment. Besides Fang Zhao, the other was the passerby seated on the bench beside the grass.

Fang Zhao knew that this passerby had run behind him for sometime before stopping and sitting on the bench to rest. He had remained seated there without leaving, as though he was a lost puppy.

Kids these days, Fang Zhao thought as he flashed a smile in that direction.

The "lost little puppy" seating on the bench woke up from his deep pondering. His expression changed and he stared at Fang Zhao as though he was facing a terrifying creature.

After hesitating for a bit, he spoke. "You... how are you feeling right now?"

"Still okay," Fang Zhao replied.

The "lost little puppy" felt as though his chest was being stabbed by a knife, as though his world was crumbling apart.

How is this "still okay"? Fang Zhao looked as though he was simply refreshed!

Fang Zhao decided to show some concern for this little friend. "You..."

"No, I don't wish to speak with you now!" The other party got up and ran away.

In a certain club, the manager stood ashen faced at the door. The newly signed young talent was a prick.

This was a good young talent with an innate aptitude and much stronger basics than many people. With two years of training... No, perhaps he could be allowed to compete next year. The club was planning to nurture this young talent and use him as a secret weapon.

He had already known about the matter of this newcomer having won a little contest with the other members of the club. A genius would have the pride of a genius. The more this was so, the more they needed to be polished. Before that, this young talent with loads of potential couldn't be allowed to be cocky.

Even saying that he was going out for a night run. A night run that lasted the whole night? Bullsh*t!

As the manager contemplated how to teach the young talent a lesson, someone dressed in a retro-punk-style sweatshirt appeared in his field of vision, but before he could say anything, the other party lamented with all his strength, as though he had witnessed great vicissitudes. "The competition continent really has a fully justified reputation! There are hidden talents everywhere!"

The manager, who had originally wanted to give him a harsh admonishing: "..."

In the space of one night, how had this pompous newcomer gained such a profound understanding?

The newcomer spoke agitatedly. "I feel that my spirit has taken a beating that cannot be erased! I finally understand what manager meant by those words! You were right!"

Manager: "..." What did I say?

Although the manager couldn't remember what he had said, when he saw that this newly signed talent looked like he had received a huge blow, he showed some affirmation and said, "You are really an extremely talented and capable athlete!"

The newcomer was already on the verge of tears. "No! Manager, you don't have to console me, I know that I am actually very lacking! I am below average!"

Manager: "....." Have you given any thought to those club members you beat on the first day?

The clearly stirred-up newcomer informed the manager and made a call to his family.

"Mazhou is really too scary! It's no wonder that it is called the competition continent… Right, I always thought that the people of Mazhou were just exaggerating, but after personally experiencing it for myself, I discovered that am I still too young! I only went out for a night run because I couldn't sleep, and guess who I ran into? That simply wasn't a person, he was a monster! You know what a monster is?! The sort that you wouldn't wish to run into a second time... A monster! I totally couldn't find myself capable of having any intention of challenging it!"

The club manager beside him: "..." Nonsense! Since when has our Mazhou been that terrifying? Don't make us Mazhou people out to be demons and monsters! However, which world champion did this kid run into last night? That is really quite some luck.

However, the "lost little puppy" simply didn't take note of the manager's expression. He shared a whole bunch of thoughts with his family.

Originally, he had thought himself sufficiently outstanding regardless of whatever impressive people he faced. Even if he couldn't win, he wouldn't lose too horribly. However, reality was just an appalling scene.

Now every time he closed his eyes, that person's back appeared in his mind. No, that could no longer be considered his back, that was simply psychological trauma! His professional career hadn't even formally started! Psychological trauma had already been imprinted in him at the starting line!

"I feel that I will have to at least train for a decade or two to have the power to fight!"

Chapter 376: So Small and So Obedien

The "little lost puppy" felt that he had found the right place. His physical ability, which he had been proud of, had taken a beating, and whatever pride he'd had had been completely wiped clean. People who only found out about Mazhou's competitions through word of mouth or through online files would never understand what rationality was. Now he felt that all that exaggerated bragging by others in the past was normal. Hadn't that just been a "Stranger B"? Then there would surely be even more impressive strangers, or perhaps the person had been keeping a low profile and wasn't used to competition, and thus he didn't belong to the competing category.

A harsh reality was indeed the most painful, and Fang Zhao, the one who had given him the harsh wake-up call, simply didn't know that when the symphony orchestra in his head had been surging with momentum, someone had been beaten into submission in the chilly night.

After Fang Zhao had finished his run, he had returned to the hotel to do a simple washup but hadn't gone to sleep right away. Although he hadn't slept the whole night, his mental state was stirred up and inspiration was overflowing in his brain. He had already amended the score in his head many times, and it was almost done. Now what he would do was to write out what was in his mind.

When the draft was sorted out, the sun was already high up in the sky.

When Nanfeng saw Fang Zhao come out, he quickly got someone to send over the prepared breakfast.

When the hotel staff had seen Nanfeng ordering a table's worth of food, they had naturally thought that it was for a number of people and had specially prepared extra utensils. Nanfeng hadn't bothered explaining, just flashed a sheepish smile.

Nanfeng and the others were already used to their boss having a huge appetite. Fang Zhao had disappeared for a night and had shut himself in his room after returning. They had asked randomly, but they had only received a simple reply of "night run."

All right, if Boss says that it is a night run, then it's a night run. However, Nanfeng and the other two didn't believe it one bit.

Naturally, Fang Zhao could see the three's unconvinced looks, but he didn't bother explaining. After running for an entire night, his body and brain had consumed a lot of energy and he was very hungry.

While having his meal, Fang Zhao received news from Will.

Will was going to go to an art exhibition and wanted to bring Curly Hair along.

During this period, Will had been taking care of Curly Hair in a bid to nurture his inspiration, and he was unwilling to leave Curly Hair's side. He was also unwilling to waste any time. If not for his father personally calling Will to attend on his behalf, Will wouldn't have wanted to leave the campus. He already had no time to mull over his own works; how could he have the energy to ponder others'? Besides, the style of this person's works wasn't to his liking.

Fang Zhao listened to what Will had to say and thought about it. He then turned on video mode to check on Curly Hair's condition. This little thing could already understand words. When Will had made the call, Curly Hair had been by his side. His tail was wagging vigorously and it was obvious that he wished to go out and have fun.

Fang Zhao pondered, then asked, "Can you bring a dog to an art exhibition?"

Will explained, "It's a private exhibition of works. It is handled by a friend of my father's. The exhibition is being held at his own personal manor. Only some people from the industry have been invited, and it isn't open to the public. I have asked already and there are quite a number of people bringing dogs."

It was rare for the reticent Will to say so much.

Since this was the case, Fang Zhao didn't reject it. Will also had bodyguards when traveling, so it should be safe. Besides, Curly Hair spent every day absorbed in gaming. Going out to stretch his legs would be good too.

"All right, let him have more interaction with his kind and get to know some new friends," Fang Zhao said.

After ending the call with Fang Zhao, Will immediately went to prepare.

Previously, Will's father had told Will, "I know that you don't really like the paintings there. You don't have to stay long, just go over and express your thoughts. I have matters that I can't drag myself away from, so I can only send you over on my behalf. Of course, don't leave the art exhibition too early. At least stay for an hour before leaving, at least show some face to the host, got it?"

Will could accept an hour. Since his father had requested it, Will had agreed. However, he wanted to bring the dog with him.

Will's father knew he couldn't change Will's mind. Thus, he had helplessly said, "All right, as long as you have the dog's owner's approval, you can do as you wish. After all, it will be fine as long as your bodyguards attend the exhibition as well."

When Will's father had been making that call, a certain relative beside him had heard the conversation and later brought it up in a chat with friends. "Do you know that nephew of mine? The one who got into HuangArt's Twelve Tones? I don't know if he has gone mad from painting so much, but he is actually keeping a dog! Keeping a dog, sigh! The sort that smells if you don't give it a bath every day, digs up the floorboards, and destroys flower vases. The sort that barks at the slightest movement, a devil!"

After ridiculing the dog, he continued, "That nephew of mine is surely being kicked around by the dog! Today he actually said that he wants to bring the dog to an art exhibition! Goodness, how unimaginable is that! That is really a disaster! Having to be in the same space as a dog during an art exhibition...? Are there places solely designated for dogs? That won't do. I get goosebumps all over my body just imagining a dog being close!"

Will was oblivious to his relative ridiculing him. He was delighted to have gotten permission from Fang Zhao and no longer hated the idea of attending this private art exhibition that he didn't really like. He felt that this could be a way of cultivating new inspiration, and he was looking forward to bringing the dog to take part in the exhibition.

However, Will's good spirits didn't persist long. After bringing the dog over to the manor where the art exhibition was being held, he found out that dogs couldn't be brought inside the exhibition hall. Will wanted to have his driver turn the car around immediately, but ultimately, he alighted the car while pulling a long face.

Will personally carried Curly Hair out of the car. Other people wanted to come over and pet Curly Hair, but Will didn't allow them to do so. This was his source of inspiration; he couldn't allow others to touch Curly Hair, in case the dog was damaged as a result.

A friend of Will's strode over. "Wow! Isn't that the dog worth 200 million?" He didn't own dogs, but he followed the pet periodical and knew about Curly Hair's valuation of 200 million.

"How did this dog land in your hands?" the friend asked.

"Borrowed it," Will said. "Are dogs really not allowed inside the exhibition hall?"

"Definitely not! Dogs can be allowed to run elsewhere in the manor, but they can't be brought into the exhibition hall. Why are you still holding on to this dog? Are you rearing a dog or an ancestor? Although I don't keep dogs, I know that dogs cannot be pampered this much. Dogs need to exercise too," the friend said as he eyed Curly Hair covetously. "Can I hold him?"

He especially wanted to touch the dog with a value of 200 million, hoping to have a change in fortunes.

Will rejected him mercilessly.

"All right, so be it. Oh, let me bring you to the place designated for dogs." Will's friend excitedly led the way and sneakily touched Curly Hair when Will wasn't paying attention.

When they arrived at the designated location for dogs, Will saw others who had brought their dogs.

A few dog owners were gathered together and were discussing whether dogs with long legs or those with short stubby paws were more appealing.

Will didn't have any interest in these things. He felt that long legs and chubby paws were all transient. He was only interested in one.

The designated area was like a large warehouse filled with large cages. There were already seven or eight dogs inside. There were two that were rather lively, raising their heads in revolt as they howled at the other dogs and people.

Before Will even had time to consider, Curly Hair tugged on the leash and walked over to an empty cage, pawing the door before entering.

Will's friend laughed when he saw this. "What great foresight, this cage was just tidied up and is the neatest. The lighting here is great as well."

Will studied the place designated for dogs fussily and saw Curly Hair enter the cage.

The cages were all very big. Even large dogs would have a lot of space to move around. The allocated facilities were comprehensive, so there wasn't any need to worry about the dog going hungry or thirsty.

What worried Will was the large dog that was as round as a ball in the cage beside Curly Hair. It was one of the most energetic dogs here. It was rather large to begin with, and its fluffy fur made it appear even more sturdy. When compared with Curly Hair, it made Curly Hair seem like a miserable pocket-sized mutt.

Will watched Curly Hair lie on the soft cushion in the cage, and he could only sigh helplessly. "If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have attended the exhibition."

Will decided that he would only stay for an hour before leaving with the dog. He still needed to make the most of his time with Curly Hair to foster inspiration.

"Don't worry, the supervision here is not bad. The dogs here are fed natural dog feed produced in Muzhou. There aren't any preservatives; it's expensive stuff. The dogs have even better food than me," said a dog owner beside Will.

Another dog owner chimed in, "It's true. There are also cameras on the sides and men in charge of watching over the area. You don't have to worry about losing your dog. Every dog here is easily worth millions, especially so for the one you brought. With a value of 200 million, won't they watch it even more carefully?" As he spoke, he pointed out the cameras to Will.

Nobody noticed that Curly Hair, who was quietly lying in his cage, pricked his ears and raised his head to glance in the direction of the surveillance cameras before lying back down again.

After assigning a place for Curly Hair and registering, Will looked back as he was leaving with his friend. Compared to that majestic and imposing dog, Curly Hair was so small and so obedient.

Barely five minutes had passed since they'd left when Will came back. He was worried that Curly Hair wouldn't be used to the food here, so he had specifically brought over a can of the dog food that Curly Hair normally had.

The moment Will stepped in, he realized that the designated area had become much quieter. The previously clamorous barking had stopped, and when Will looked at the two large dogs that had been barking the most, he saw that they were making low whimpers in the corners of their cages and that their eyes were making sneaky glances at him.

Will didn't really pay much attention to it. As before, he still had a limited understanding of dogs. He felt that this place had become a lot quieter, but he didn't think anything was abnormal.

After putting down the can, Will checked Curly Hair's condition and didn't notice anything wrong. Will didn't really feel like leaving, but the exhibition had already started and he needed to rush over.

When Will left, the place once again fell silent. Only the sounds of Curly Hair eating from the can could be heard.

When the large dog next door smelled the fragrance, it inched two steps closer to check it out.

Curly Hair raised his head from the bowl and bared his teeth.

The large round dog retreated toward the corner furthest from Curly Hair with all its strength, whimpering in fear.

Chapter 377: Finally Comprehended

Inside the manor's exhibition hall, the organizer of the exhibition, who was also the owner of the manor, was laughing happily as he introduced his art pieces.

The evaluation of those within the circles was that his style was too utilitarian but that it would still be popular in the market and that his ability was equal to a veteran within the painting circles.

Will counted the time as he viewed the paintings. Although he didn't like this person's paintings, he had to admit that their painting techniques were worth learning from. Of course, he was even more willing to bring Curly Hair out and foster some inspiration. That was what he thirsted for the most. Many times he had felt that he was close to achieving his goal, but whenever he picked up the brush, he was at a loss.

After browsing through all the paintings in the exhibition hall, Will glanced at the time. Only 30 minutes had passed; he needed to continue listening to the host's exaggerated bragging, but it was simply contaminating his mind!

Will didn't continue listening. Instead, he went upstairs alone to check out the host's private collection. The owner of the manor loved to flaunt. Besides his own works, he also displayed his own collection, which was comprised of artistic treasures.

There were fewer people upstairs, so it was quieter. Will decided to kill time here and endure for one hour before leaving with the dog. As he viewed these items, a loud boom shocked him to his core. Afterward, some flames rushed up and ignited the large paintings in the exhibition hall in an instant.

Some people were at a loss, faced with these sudden unforeseen circumstances. The exhibition hall suddenly descended into chaos as some people tried to flee and others searched for people they knew.

Will was a genius when it came to painting but was a noob in other aspects. For example, the ability to flee for his life.

When the accident occurred, Will stood rooted to the spot in a daze at a time when every second counted toward being able to escape with his life. Will only reacted when people that were viewing the art pieces reminded him. His first reaction was to run after the people ahead of him—he had completely forgotten where the exits were.

Inside the chaotic exhibition hall, people who were cultured and graceful most of the time no longer gave a sh*t now that their lives were threatened. They ran for their lives. Will, who was an artist that stayed shut in most of the time and didn't pay any attention to training, was gently squeezed out and knocked down by the people behind him, like a weak chicken. He fell to the ground and couldn't get up; his leg was sprained.

There had originally been fewer people upstairs, and in a flash, Will was the only one left.

The smart fire-control facilities had become ornaments.

And his own personal terminal bracelet wasn't working properly.

Will had never imagined that he would encounter such a situation. He was caught off guard. He hadn't been least bit mentally prepared. People would only understand true despair when they reached such a state.

Will was coughing. His throat felt as though it was being choked by something sharp. Breathing became difficult, and his cries for help were drowned out by the surrounding sounds. His eyes were uncomfortable and watery. In his narrow and warped field of vision, the columns of thick smoke were like a terrible monster reaching toward him.

For Will, who placed painting above everything else, right now, his mind was actually overflowing with inspiration. His strongest thoughts right now were actually about painting...

While Will's line of thought was caught up in the confusion between fleeing, inspiration, and painting, the back of his hand brushed against a moist nose.

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Will's mind sobered up, and he turned his head.

Curly Hair rubbed his nose into Will's arm once more. "Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!"

Will didn't wonder why Curly Hair, who was supposed to be locked up in his cage, had appeared here. Right now, he was filled with a deluge of thoughts. He was touched, rueful, and immeasurably regretful. Curly Hair had actually found him before his own bodyguards. Oh, right, and painting. He still hadn't achieved the target he had set himself for this period of advanced studies.

When he thought about this, Will tossed all other complicated thoughts from his mind. "Hurry up and get out... Cough, cough, cough..."

Saying just a few words was extremely difficult.

Curly Hair barked loudly a few times, then bit into his sleeves and pulled him toward the exit.

Ssss—

His sleeves tore.

Will was even more touched. "Run, cough, cough, cough... Go find someone... You can't move me..."

He had not yet finished speaking when Curly Hair gave up on his sleeves and instead grabbed Will's collar and ran like the wind. It wasn't any different from running with a stick in his mouth.

Will, who was being dragged along easily: "..."

Crash—

A row of display cabinets came crashing down where Will had been lying just moments ago.

Will watched the rapidly falling ceiling and the continuously collapsing objects. There were concentrated sparks flying in the distance.

In this instant, Will finally comprehended.

When Curly Hair dragged Will over to the top of the flight of stairs, the bodyguards that had rushed into and were searching the exhibition hall heard the sound of barking and came over. The hurriedly placed a breathing mask on Will's face and carried him to the exit.

Curly Hair followed by their side.

Outside the exhibition hall, emergency rescue had already rushed over and were treating the injured.

Will, who was being carried, only felt the temperature around his body becoming much cooler. The light had also become much brighter. He could faintly hear the sound of dogs barking in the distance, as well as some lady's high-pitched shouting.

Having reached a safe place, the bodyguard put Will down. Seeing Will's dazed manner, he was worried and thought to himself, Is he in shock?

"Sir! Mister Will Jr.!" the bodyguard called out.

Will, who was drowning in his own thoughts, snapped out of it. He raised his hand, indicating that he was fine, before returning to his dazed state and muttering, "Wrong... I was wrong before..."

Seeing Will in this state, the bodyguard was even more worried. He has really suffered a severe shock. Hurry up and inform Mister Will Sr.!

During the video call, Will Sr., who was attending some other event, turned pale until he learned that Will was safe.

Currently, Will was in a sorry state. His enter body was grey and sooty, and his hair had a burnt smell. One side of his sleeves was torn and his eyes were blank. When Will Sr. saw this, he was no longer in the mood to continue with his current activity. He placed all matters aside to rush over. At the same time, he arranged for a private medical team and even more bodyguards to rush over as well. He also made an appointment with a psychiatrist. How much of a mental shadow had been cast on his son, having encountered such an accident?

At this time, ambulances, fire engines, and police cars were gathered at this manor away from the city, making quite a din.

The only good news was that there were no casualties as of yet. Even the dogs from the designated location were safe, though they had run out, so some people had been sent to catch them.

There was no need for Will to say anything. The bodyguards brought the curly-haired dog with a value of 200 million with them as they left.

Seeing the bodyguards taking Will away, some of the people gathered there started to discuss what had happened now that their lives were no longer in danger.

"I heard that Will was dragged out of the exhibition hall?" someone said.

The person beside him was astonished. "Eh? Didn't the bodyguard bring him out?"

Yet another person chimed in. "I know! I just heard a bodyguard from that side say that Will was found by the dog. The bodyguard heard the dog's barks, then found and brought out Will!"

"Heh, I really never expected that such a small dog could actually drag a grown man."

"...Explosive power? Otherwise, why would the dog have a value of 200 million! I wonder if the dog's owner insured it? I saw that its fur was all curled up from the fire."

"No, its fur is naturally curly. It appeared quite lively when it came out. It shouldn't be hurt; otherwise, the compensation would have to be quite high."

"Will didn't leave the dog at the designated location?"

Someone else joined the discussion. "You still don't know? The dog cages at the location were all opened and the dogs all ran out!"

"What? There's still such a thing? Didn't I say that I saw dogs running outside! Who did it? Perhaps they were trying to steal some of the dogs?"

"No idea. I heard that the surveillance cameras were damaged. Some special pliers or equipment were definitely used, to have been able to break the cages' metal locks that easily."

"Forget about the dogs for now. How did all this happen in the first place?"

"What else could it be? The manor owner must have offended someone, and this was revenge! We were all caught up in this grudge! I wonder what sort of trivial matter it was."

...

Will didn't know about the follow-up about the matter at the manor. After leaving the manor, he was sent to a hospital ward. Because he was entranced by his own thoughts, during the doctor's questioning, his reactions were sluggish. He appeared as though he was in a daze and he didn't know what he was saying.

By the time the medical examination was completed, Will's parents had arrived. Seeing the miserable state of their son lying in the bed, their hearts ached and their eyes welled up with tears. Upon hearing from the doctor that Will's mental state seemed abnormal, the old couple were even more depressed.

Indeed, their child had been traumatized! No one knew how long a mental scar would take to vanish. If Will Sr. had known this was going to happen, he wouldn't have forced Will to attend the art exhibition!

But before the old couple could say anything, with great difficulty, Will lifted his hands toward a bodyguard by his side. There was an unprecedented glow in his eyes. "Lift me... up. I want to paint!"

After that, Will's desire was firmly suppressed by his father.

Still thinking of painting at this time? Paint, my *ss! Don't think about touching a brush till you get better!

Before Will Sr. had arrived at the hospital, he had gotten someone to inform Fang Zhao. After all, that dog was valued at 200 million. It was best for the owner of this "precious item" to be in the know.

Having received the news, Fang Zhao hurriedly applied for leave from the project team and rushed over. Fang Zhao hadn't expected such an incident to occur when WIll had just brought Curly Hair along to an art exhibition.

Will's parents hadn't been there for long when Fang Zhao arrived.

Will Sr. shook Fang Zhao's hand and expressed his thanks. He had already heard that if it hasn't been for Curly Hair's barking, the bodyguards might not have found Will so quickly and Will might have died. However, Curly Hair wasn't cooperating and wouldn't let the vet near him.

Curly Hair was being looked after well. The dust and soot on his body had been cleaned off. He looked like he hadn't experienced this whole incident at all. When Fang Zhao saw Curly Hair, the dog was currently gnawing on a bone. Clearly, Curly Hair simply hadn't been affected by this whole incident. His appetite was great, and his tail wagged vigorously as he whined when he saw Fang Zhao.

As the savior dog that had saved Will's life, the gazes of Will parents toward Curly Hair were full of appreciation, as though they were looking at a glowing little angel.

The "Glowing Little Angel" was brought away from the hospital by Fang Zhao, and they returned to the dormitory at HuangArt.

Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair a checkup and then fell silent as he stared at the metal fragments he had pulled out from Curly Hair's teeth.

Chapter 378: What Exactly Am I Rearing

Generally, when Curly Hair didn't cooperate for a checkup, that meant he had done something. Thus, when Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair home, he gave Curly Hair a checkup.

Curly Hair didn't have any external injuries. He hadn't even shed a strand of fur when escaping the exhibition hall. Other people thought that Curly Hair had been fortunate, escaping the blaze and avoiding being crushed by falling objects, but Fang Zhao knew that might not have been the case.

When Fang Zhao extracted the bits of metal lodged between Curly Hair's teeth, he knew that the matter was indeed not that simple.

Fang Zhao had already gained understanding of the matter at the manor from others. He knew that the cages in the designated area for dogs had been broken and, until now, the culprit hadn't been found.

Fang Zhao sighed. "Where are you injured this time?"

Curly Hair lifted up one of his front paws.

Fang Zhao pinched the paw and took a meticulous look. He found an extremely fine scratch on one of the little pads of Curly Hair's paw. The skin hadn't even been broken. It would be all right in just a bit.

As for the fragments of metal lodged between Curly Hair's teeth, Fang Zhao saw that the edges of the bits of metal had signs of dissolution. Even if they weren't extracted, they would dissolve completely.

After dealing with the metal bits and washing them, Fang Zhao applied some medicine to Curly Hair's paw just for show.

"All right, go elsewhere and play." Fang Zhao hadn't found out all the information. He needed to know more details about the scene.

Having obtained permission, Curly Hair let loose and ran to play his games. Fang Zhao used his identity as the dog's owner and a good friend of Will Jr. to find out more about the incident.

The police had been rather efficient. Given the clues they had and the pressure placed on them by furious artists and entrepreneurs, they had already found the primary culprit. Indeed, the incident at the exhibition hall had been man-made, and it was an act of revenge. The culprit behind it had already been apprehended.

The person behind this incident was an antique dealer who had old grievances with the manor owner. Not too long ago, the manor owner had employed some methods to snatch an art piece from the antique dealer, thus incurring his wrath. This time, the manor owner had made announcements for this private exhibition beforehand, and the antique dealer had set his sights on them.

According to the antique dealer's account, his act of revenge this time had been purely targeted at the manor owner's private collection. He hadn't wanted to cause any deaths and had made considerations regarding where to set off the bomb and ignition devices. As long as one wasn't too weak or unlucky, those at the exhibition should have had ample time to escape.

However, a physically weak and unfortunate individual, Will, whose brain circuitry was different from most, had been there. This time, he had sprained his leg and was all bruised and battered. Many people who had seen Will being sent to the hospital had been stunned!

Inside the police post, the furious manor owner and the downcast antique dealer had been verbally sparring for close to half an hour already.

The manor owner: "You deranged crackpot!"

The antique dealer: "You backstabbing b*stard!"

The manor owner: "You extremely wicked and sinister fellow! Bribing my manor staff to hatch a plot together! Destroying my collection and at the same time coming up with a plan to steal dogs!"

Traces of fury showed on the antique dealer's overcast face. "You are making false accusations! I am f*cking allergic to dogs!"

The police officer to the side watched as the two went at each other without hitting any important points, so he interrupted them. "Who disrupted the surveillance systems at the designated location for the dogs and the few storehouses beside it?"

The antique dealer erupted. "I already said! I admit to everything else, but the storehouse surveillance had nothing to do with me! I have been wrongly accused! Perhaps it was the people of their manor trying to take advantage and profit themselves! Since the manor owner is such a self-seeking son of a b*tch, the staff of the manor can't be any better!"

Hearing the other party continuing to vilify him even though he was in this state, the manor owner slammed his hands down on the table and stood up. "You still dare to argue! Didn't you blow up the exhibition hall? Didn't you get someone to set the fire?!"

"Those, I admit..."

"Then who else but you could have caused the incident in the storehouse?! Trying to steal dogs was definitely you! Stealing dogs to sell for money! At that time, there was a dog valued at 200 million!"

The antique dealer rushed over, wanting to hit someone, but he was held back by the handcuffs and quickly restrained by the police officer.

Seeing the two engaging in a verbal spar once again, the policemen's heads ached. They had found clues about everything else, but they hadn't found a single lead regarding the malfunctioning surveillance system where the dogs were being kept or at the storehouse. After asking the manor owner a few more questions, he was allowed to leave.

Although no lives had been lost and few people had been hurt, injuries were still injuries, serious or light, physical or mental. Many of the people attending the exhibition had been scared, and they placed the blame on the manor owner. Why were we implicated in a grudge against you? You clearly knew that you would incur the wrath of others, so why didn't you have adequate security for such an important event as an art exhibition?

In short, the manor owner had a responsibility that he couldn't shirk! In the next few years, there wouldn't be many people willing to attend his private art exhibitions. Even if he increased his security by tenfold, those invited to participate would take some time to consider it. Art exhibitions were aplenty, whereas everyone only had one life. Even if the antique dealer wouldn't do anything next time, what if another lunatic appeared?

The manor owner had suffered a disastrous loss. Even though he had insurance, the works that he had painstakingly painted, as well as his collections, would never return.

When he returned, the manor owner got his men to meticulously check out the goods in the warehouses. He actually believed the antique dealer's words. Since the antique dealer had already admitted to setting fire to and blowing up the exhibition hall, there wasn't any reason for him to lie about the warehouses.

There wasn't really anything of value in the warehouses. The most expensive objects were the surveillance installations for the dogs, especially Fang Zhao's dog, which was worth 200 million. However, not a single dog had been lost!

The manor owner's head was swimming with all sorts of plots. For example, perhaps someone had placed an extremely valuable object in his warehouse and used the confusion to shift it somewhere else. Didn't such things happen in movies?

The manor owner searched through a few warehouses but still didn't find anything.

Or perhaps the items had been taken away in the chaos?

Since he couldn't find any useful information, the manor owner decided not to pursue the matter further. He still had other matters to attend to. All of the people he had invited were reputable artists or entrepreneurs, and he would have to apologize to each of them in turn, especially the unfortunate Will Jr. Will had been the one to suffer the worst injuries, and it was rumored that he had suffered psychological damage.

As the manor owner was busy handling matters, Fang Zhao came over. The manor owner interacted with him for a bit before having the housekeeper bring Fang Zhao to take a look at where the dogs had been kept.

The manor's housekeeper told Fang Zhao that two of the dogs that had run out of the allocated area had helped apprehend a suspicious character, and it had been proven that the person had participated in the arson. However, no clues had been found as to how the dogs had escaped the cages, nor had the appliance used for breaking the cages' locks been found.

"It is too difficult to determine how the cages were broken into. I reckon it was some sort of rarely seen pliers," the housekeeper said.

"Can I take a look at the surveillance footage?" asked Fang Zhao.

"Sure."

The housekeeper transferred to him the surveillance footage of this area.

On the surveillance feed, everything was normal at the start. Fang Zhao witnessed Curly Hair's show of authority towards the other dogs, as well as him eating happily. When the incident in the exhibition hall occurred, a loud explosion startled all the dogs in the area and they started barking, after which the screen flickered. There was nothing else.

"Everything afterward is just like that. The surveillance installations failed." The housekeeper continued, "It wasn't just here. All the surrounding warehouses had the same situation."

"Can I take a look at the surveillance footage from the surrounding warehouses?" Fang Zhao asked.

The housekeeper hesitated for a bit before replying, "Yes." All of the warehouses were filled with junk anyway; there wasn't anything to hide.

The beginnings of the footage from the warehouses were all the same. At a certain point, they all encountered the same problem, and after flickering for about a second, they all failed.

In the area that had been allocated for the dogs, the surveillance footage flickered the most intensely. Nothing could be seen in that one second, as though the whole system had malfunctioned. As for the footage of the area outside the warehouses, although the footage flickered at the same time, some blurry silhouettes could still be seen.

Although Fang Zhao didn't show it, his heart pounded.

He had seen something similar before!

That "point" that had only lasted about a second.

Back then, Fang Zhao had obtained surveillance footage from when he'd returned to the black street. During the period where he was "reborn," he had seen that "point" in all the surveillance footage! But the "point" hadn't affected the surveillance instruments afterward. However, here, after the "point," the surveillance equipment at the designated location, as well as the nearby warehouses, had all failed.

Fang Zhao took a look at the area that had been allocated for the dogs. It was a mess. Fang Zhao could picture the chaotic scene from when those dogs were released.

"Where is the door?" Fang Zhao asked.

"The door here is locked by a passcode, and identity verification is required. However, at that time, it also malfunctioned. Afterward, the doors opened automatically..." The housekeeper felt that these sorts of locks weren't reliable. So be it if it malfunctioned, the door should still remain shut. How could it open on its own!

Fang Zhao asked about some other stuff, then left the manor.

After he returned to his Huangzhou dormitory, Fang Zhao called out Curly Hair, who was in the midst of a gaming session.

Having been interrupted midway, Curly Hair whined and tried to curry favor as he rubbed himself against Fang Zhao's leg. When he saw Fang Zhao's stern expression, his wagging tail stopped and his ears drooped as he lay on the ground.

Fang Zhao stared at Curly Hair and asked, "Did you spoil the surveillance system?"

Curly Hair tilted his head and glanced at Fang Zhao, puzzled. His gaze was cautious and confused.

Fang Zhao paused for a bit before asking, "Did you bite off the cages' locks?"

"Woof!" Curly Hair raised his head and wagged his tail, pleased, as if trying to get Fang Zhao to shower him with praise.

Seeing Curly Hair this way, Fang Zhao wondered.

The strange occurrence with the allocated location and the surrounding warehouses might have had something to do with Curly Hair, but Curly Hair himself wasn't too clear about it—or perhaps he didn't understand it. Of course, this was just Fang Zhao's own guess.

During the incident at the exhibition hall, Curly Hair had bitten the lock off his own cage. Then he had quickly broken the other cages and released all the other dogs. With these obscure facts, Curly Hair was very delighted and wanted to show Fang Zhao: look at how clever I am!

As for everything else, Fang Zhao couldn't ask. Curly Hair was clever, but he couldn't explain things clearly. Fang Zhao just couldn't ask a dog to speak human words.

Luckily, there wasn't any evidence pointing at Curly Hair. From Fang Zhao's own observations, if the manor owner couldn't investigate what had gone on in the warehouses, he would place the blame on the antique dealer. Compared to the matter with the exhibition hall, the area that had been allocated for the dogs and the surrounding warehouses weren't so important.

Curly Hair fell silent when he saw Fang Zhao quietly pondering. He remained crouched and glanced at Fang Zhao from time to time before gazing at the gaming helmet a short distance away and whining.

Fang Zhao waved his hand. "Go play."

Curly Hair rushed over in delight, buried himself in the helmet like a pro, and started to game.

Fang Zhao rubbed his face with all his strength. What exactly am I rearing!?

Chapter 379: Team of Fools

There was a limit to how much leave Fang Zhao could apply for. The manor owner had speedily requested that the matter at the manor be allowed to die down. Since there wasn't any evidence pointing to Curly Hair and the crisis had passed, Fang Zhao decided to bring Curly Hair along with him to Ma'ersizhou after he had more or less settled matters in Huangzhou. He didn't feel at ease leaving the dog here.

Before leaving, Fang Zhao went to the hospital to see Will once again, and he ran into Will's parents and wife, who were advising Will to stay at the hospital for further observation.

Many people felt that Will had been really unlucky this time, but Will himself didn't think so. He reckoned that he had been incredibly lucky this time. This was not mockery but what he truly felt. Because of this incident, he felt that he had finally broken through the wall and could pick his brush up and paint. It was just a pity that his family wasn't allowing him to leave the hospital. They had even locked up all his painting materials.

Will could only paint in his head. Because of this, he spoke less, and thus, everyone was thinking, This person's psychological trauma must be serious!

Will Sr. was currently full of regret. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have made him attend the exhibition!" This was the 30th time he had sighed.

He only felt better when he saw Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao asked about Will's condition and discovered that the foot injury wasn't serious. Will was recovering well. Besides his foot, Will's back also hurt slightly from being dragged on the ground, but it was minor.

After Fang Zhao told Will that he would be bringing Curly Hair with him, Will watched with sad eyes as Fang Zhao left. Will wanted Curly Hair to stay, but Fang Zhao didn't allow it this time.

Upon returning to Mazhou, Fang Zhao quickly threw himself into the project team's workload. As for Curly Hair, his appetite was as voracious as ever in a new place.

Nanfeng was worried that Curly Hair might have received a huge scare or that he wouldn't acclimate properly. He even wanted to get a veterinarian to take a look, but that was rejected by Fang Zhao. Dogs were just idle; Curly Hair was just a little unhappy about being unable to game, and Fang Zhao felt that Curly Hair should go out a little more.

Thus, the two-man idle group picked up dog-walking duties once again.

However, dog walking was done at night. The little park near the hotel had a restriction that dogs weren't allowed in before 10 p.m. Only after 10, when there was basically nobody in the park, were pets permitted inside.

Today, Zuo Yu saw that it was about time and brought Curly Hair for a walk.

Indeed, there weren't many people in the park after 10. It was very cold and cheerless.

Fang Zhao let them run with Curly Hair on a leash, and Zuo Yu specifically changed into exercise clothing before coming out. While walking the dog, Zuo Yu noticed a strange young fellow. This youth wore a retro-punk sweatshirt and sat on the bench besides the grass as though he was waiting for someone.

The kid's gaze swept over Zuo Yu upon seeing him him, but the kid's gaze very quickly turned into disappointment as he looked away.

Zuo Yu didn't really care too much and walked the dog conscientiously.

Curly Hair probably heard the activity of some mice that had come out at night or something, so he got excited and wanted to chase after them. Thus, Zuo Yu was dragged along.

"You are a dog, not a cat. Why do you want to catch mice? Good boy, let's go run a little before heading back. I will get you support once we return."

Seeing Curly Hair nibbling on some grass, Zuo Yu hurriedly stopped him. "Don't eat random things!"

This was a 200-million-dollar dog; what would happen if he got an upset stomach?!

"Do you know that the park cherishes the flowers and plants?" Zuo Yu said. Fang Zhao had said not to let Curly Hair do as he pleased. Otherwise, later on it would be Curly Hair walking Zuo Yu instead of the other way around.

The guy seated on the bench sneered when he heard what Zuo Yu said. Talking to a dog about protecting the plants? It would be good enough if the dog didn't dig a hole.

The guy in the sweatshirt on the bench was the "little lost puppy" that had been dealt a blow by Fang Zhao previously. He had felt gloomy when he returned to the club that day, but two days later, his previously lost confidence had come flying back. He had realized that the others in the club totally didn't pose a challenge! After looking up all sorts of data about the sporting circles, the spirits of the "little lost puppy" had risen once more, and he had felt that he was still rather awesome!

He even reckoned that the illogical person he had encountered running in the park that night might be a robot clad in human skin!

Or perhaps… he had seen a ghost?

He shuddered as he thought of that, but he was curious. He wanted to confirm for himself... was he really too weak, or was the other party an "abnormal being"?

Thus, he had sneaked out at night to stand guard.

He hadn't met anyone on the first day, nor had he caught sight of his target the following two days. He had told himself that if he didn't see that person today, he would temporarily stop coming over and just treat what had happened that day as a nightmare. Let it pass and forget about it.

He warmed himself up as he saw surveyed the cold and cheerless park. He had already come here, so if he didn't run, he would be letting himself down.

While running, he saw Zuo Yu leading the dog on the jog, then glanced at the curly-haired dog and scoffed. "Little short legs!"

Strictly speaking, Curly Hair didn't possess that variety of short legs, but he was really too short when compared to other large dogs, so it seemed like he had short legs.

Zuo Yu hadn't yet expressed anything when he felt the leash in his hand tighten. Curly Hair, who had been running at an unhurried pace, suddenly rushed forward.

Zuo Yu was startled. You can't bite people!

Luckily, Curly Hair only increased his pace and ran behind the other person. He maintained a two-meter gap.

When the guy in the sweatshirt pick up his pace, so did Curly Hair. When he slowed, Curly Hair slowed down as well. In any case, the gap was always maintained. His little dog paws even made swishing sounds as they rubbed against the ground while he ran. Zuo Yu noted that Curly Hair's paws didn't normally make such sounds when they ran.

Half an hour passed, yet the situation was still the same.

An hour passed without any changes.

The guy in the sweatshirt was dripping with perspiration. The swishing sounds behind his back seemed to be urging him on, making his heart flustered.

However, though the guy in the sweatshirt could still run, Zuo Yu couldn't go on any longer. He wasn't an athlete and had never received professional training in this aspect. He had never wanted to exert himself to his fullest. Seeing Curly Hair's exuberant manner and then scanning the park and realizing that the park was fenced up and there were no other people, Zuo Yu unleashed Curly Hair, as he didn't have to worry about losing Curly Hair or the dog disturbing other guests. Zuo Yu would stand to the side and rest while letting Curly Hair get his fill of running. He could even see that Curly Hair was calling out.

Yet another hour passed.

Not only was there swishing behind the youth in the sweatshirt, there was also the huffing sounds of a dog panting.

As if mocking him.

He couldn't shake the dog no matter how he ran!

As Zuo Yu recounted the situation here to Fang Zhao and the others back in the hotel, he was smiling as though he had heard a joke.

"This young fellow even mockingly called Curly Hair 'little short legs.' I bet he is on the verge of tears now." Zuo Yu delighted in that little fellow's misfortune. However, he hadn't expected that Curly Hair could actually run so well. It was no wonder he was the gold-medal dog that had defeated all the shepherd dogs in Muzhou!

"That's enough, bring him back," Fang Zhao said.

"Ah? Return just like this? He looks like he can still continue running."

"It's enough," Fang Zhao said. If this went on, that young fellow would crumble.

"All right." Even if Zuo Yu wanted to continue watching that guy in the sweatshirt, but his boss's orders were more important.

Zuo Yu whistled, then shouted, "Let's head back. Boss's orders."

Curly Hair pouted before changing his direction and heading over to Zuo Yu. They left the park and returned to the hotel.

The next morning.

The club manager of a certain club discovered that his fresh talent, whose spirits had started to pick up in the past two days, had gone out last night and returned emotionally drained in the morning. Wasn't it a nightly run? What sort of blow had he again suffered?

"Mazhou dogs are really too frightening!" the talented newcomer said gloomily.

The manager: "..."

Elsewhere, to ensure that Curly Hair did not upset other people when running, Fang Zhao rented a treadmill for Curly Hair.

While Fang Zhao was composing and observing Curly Hair, the program team of a certain variety program was gearing themselves for battle. This variety program dealt with poverty alleviation.

In this sort of era, these sorts of nonmainstream poverty-alleviation programs headed to tough places. Normally, they simply couldn't invite any big name celebrities. However, with the backing of some charity funds and the Poverty Alleviation Office, this program was able to go on.

This time, the program team had actually been able to invite a celebrity from Leizhou's aristocratic family: Zaro Renault!

Zaro had been forcefully chucked into the program team by his father. This time, his father had steeled his heart with the intention of making Zaro suffering some so that he would live a little less aimlessly, do more meaningful things, and learn to appreciate life.

When Zaro saw that he had no hope of being saved, he took on an "If I go down to hell, you people can forget about ascending to heaven" attitude and dragged Woo Tianhao and Barbara into it as well.

The program team was delighted, gaining personages of this level one after another! If not because there was a limit to how many people they could accept, the program team would really hope to trick everyone in Zaro's contact list into joining as well!

These people had background, financial muscle, and the support of Zaro's father, General Renault. With such strong backing, their program team would see a change in fortune.

The program team contacted the commanding officer of a certain planet near the tail end of the development sequence and discussed a collaboration.

At the time, that commanding officer was happily deciding how to allocate the military funding and resources they had fought so hard to achieve in the past year. He was considering whether to upgrade some of the base's facilities when he received the information from the program team.

Poverty-alleviation variety program? Very good, very good! It will be even better if it can pull in some developmental funding!

However, when he saw the program team's guest list and the proposed plan, his face turned green. Are you f*cking kidding me!

"Look at the sort of people they are! Are they to alleviate poverty or flaunt?"

What poverty-alleviation team? More like a team of fools!

The project team negotiated again and tried to paint their most beautiful vision.

The base commander sneered. "To hell with you!" Do you think this sort of little trick can befuddle me?

They didn't wish to wait upon a bunch of spoiled and pampered young masters and mistresses! Inconveniences! And if they accidentally stirred up some trouble, the losses would outweigh the gains.

The program team didn't give up, and the people from the Poverty Alleviation Office came forward and offered advice as well. The base's top brass held a meeting and ultimately came to a decision. "We can collaborate, but we request the addition of another person. We will accept the collaboration if you are able to bring him on board."

"Who?" The program team was curious.

"Fang Zhao."

————

Prof. Carter's eyelids twitched violently. He felt like he didn't seem to have any peace of mind. But when he had gone through each and every one of his important matters, he hadn't discovered anything out of his control.

He had just reported to Mo Lang about work a while back. Mo Lang had told him to guard against fire, theft, and the entertainment circles, and he had agreed.

Carter really didn't think much about guarding against the permeation of the entertainment circles. This was Mazhou; there was lots of news about athletes, competitions, and all sorts of sporting gossip. Who would even take notice of Fang Zhao, who spent most of his time composing in the hotel?

Wasn't keeping his distance from the entertainment circles just fine!?

Chapter 380: The Only Appointed Gues

Fang Zhao didn't know about any of these developments regarding himself. While in Mazhou, in addition to collaborating with the other members of the project team, he made preparations for his advanced-studies completion concert.

The completion concert was similar to a graduation thesis. If the quality was insufficient or the total credits didn't clear the passing grade, then he would have to continue studying. Thus, some could graduate early, but others would have to remain and continue to study over and over.

Fang Zhao had already recorded some works in his little notebook, but he didn't have enough yet.

After submitting some of the stuff to the project team, Fang Zhao had just decided to go out for a walk when he heard Yan Biao laughing at Zuo Yu.

"Aren't you useless? You can't even beat Curly Hair!" Yan Biao ridiculed Zuo Yu's half-dead appearance on the treadmill. "I last even longer than you with one leg."

"Would it kill you not to brag? That leg of yours has a f*cking power-propulsion function!" Zuo Yu jumped off the treadmill he was running on, grabbed a towel, and wiped his sweat off frantically. He glanced at Curly Hair, who on a treadmill and running along to a game's musical tune. While running, Curly Hair was even stepping to the beat. Zuo Yu immediately swallowed the words he wanted to rebut Yan Biao with.

He really couldn't even be compared to a dog!

Of the two treadmills Fang Zhao had rented, one was specifically for Curly Hair. This dog wasn't ordinary; Fang Zhao didn't want to have Curly Hair run outside continuously for long periods of time, but he didn't want Curly Hair to get lazy either, so he was making Curly Hair run when with their own people. He didn't want Curly Hair to think about gaming all the time.

However, Curly Hair had learned to play truant. When Fang Zhao wasn't around, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao couldn't manage this little thing. Because of his extraordinary value, Yan Bian and Zuo Yu were very cautious and were even afraid to clutch his fur when they played with him. As for training and disciplining Curly Hair, they didn't have the guts to do so.

After Fang Zhao knew about this, he downloaded a number of gaming songs onto the treadmill machine. These were all from games that Curly Hair had played before, and they were played on loop, ending automatically after three hours.

Thus, every day, Curly Hair would run for three hours. Today Zuo Yu had decided to try running at the same pace, but he'd had to get off the treadmill after two hours and ended up being ridiculed by Yan Biao.

Wiping his sweat off and tossing the towel aside, Zuo Yu raised his head backward and lamented, "To think that back then, before I was discharged from the military—"

"Forget about the past," Yan Biao interrupted. "It was just as easy for me before I was discharged! For just this distance, we would even have had strength training simultaneously!"

The two took turns took turns looking down on the other and bragging while reminiscing about their pasts.

Although they had worked out regularly since being discharged, working out was like primary training and could be considered a form of entertainment. When they were still serving in the army, they had been forced to train, and for long periods at that. They hadn't been able to rest just because they were tired; the entire thing was like a sort of work.

Zuo Yu sighed. "Indeed, the easy life really wastes people. I have degenerated much from before, and now I can't even beat a no-name athlete from Mazhou." He had already given up on comparing himself to the special Curly Hair, who was worth 200 million.

"After hearing your recounting, perhaps he was a hidden top-notch athlete? Don't look down on the top professional athletes from Mazhou. Those long-distance runners run a minimum of 40 kilometers whenever they start, and they have all sorts of tricks and patterns. They can start running again before your muscles have even had enough rest. They are all talented people with natural aptitude. People doing what we do really cannot be compared with them," Yan Biao reasoned.

"Right, back then, besides physical training, we still had technical and skills training, not just running." Zuo Yu was a little comforted.

"Our garrison was much more arduous than what yours. Our training intensity was even greater," said Yan Biao.

"Continue blowing your horn. Regardless, I have never seen it." Although Zuo Yu said this, deep down, he largely acknowledged it. A garrison somewhere like Planet Wai might be slightly better, but he knew what sort of place Planet Baiji was, even if he had never been there. The danger level there was indeed high, and the planet's native organisms were really terrible. However, after Planet Baiji discovered new ore, it had become a paradise. Now, the competition for Planet Baiji's mineral resources was intense and it was a very difficult place to enter in the short term.

"You will understand if you experience life at Planet Wai's garrison. You don't need to experience the sort of difficulty at Planet Baiji. Those bases on planets near the end of the developmental sequence are more or less the same. You will suffer if you go there."

"Aren't you underestimating me? It's not like I haven't suffered before."

When this was said, the mood became a little gloomy. They felt that this couldn't go on. After being discharged, they would only feel melancholic in the future if they ran into their old comrades. They had started new lives after being discharged from the military, but their past experiences in the forces still left a deep impression. They didn't wish to admit that they had become weaker.

The two saw Fang Zhao come out as they were reminiscing, and they hurriedly tossed aside their thoughts. Whatever it was, they couldn't lose this job! They absolutely could not lose his job!

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were worried that their conversation had been overheard by Fang Zhao. They knew that Fang Zhao's ears were very impressive!

But Fang Zhao didn't show any expression. He took a look at Curly Hair's condition and run time as he stepped out. This little thing treated this like he was playing a game. He had drive the moment he heard the game music, and he looked very happy running to the beat.

"Where is Nanfeng?" asked Fang Zhao.

"He just went out to take a call. I think someone was looking for him. He looked surprised when he took the call," replied Zuo Yu.

As he said that, Nanfeng rushed in hurriedly from outside. He appeared delighted when he saw Fang Zhao. "Boss, the director of 'Up-Close Contact' just contacted me. He wants to invite you onto the next edition of the program as a special guest."

"What sort of thing is 'Up-Close Contact'?" Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had puzzled looks on their faces. Although they had already learned a lot about the entertainment circles, they really had no impression of this program.

"It's a government-supported variety program with a social theme." Nanfeng's understanding of all sorts of variety programs was much deeper than Zuo Yu and Yan Biao's. "To put it simply, it's an entertainment variety program with poverty alleviation as its objective."

"Poverty alleviation? Where? Is there still a need for such a thing now? Aren't there rather large foundations?" Zuo Yu was curious.

Nanfeng pointed his finger to the sky. "Planets."

Zuo Yu's and Yan Biao's eyebrows rose up, but they didn't say anything. No matter what their opinion was, they still had to follow after their boss. Whatever decision their boss made, they would follow after him.

Fang Zhao took the materials from Nanfeng, browsed through them quickly, and said, "Explain it simply."

"It's like this..." Nanfeng told Fang Zhao everything he knew about it.

Fang Zhao had been on a variety program before. Back then, he had taken part in "Project Starlight" during his military service.

It was unlike "Project Starlight," which had been a joint project by the Ministry of Education and various military district leaders. The main target of "Project Starlight" had been youngsters who wanted to evade military service, whereas this program was aimed at alleviating poverty. There were many governmental media groups behind this poverty-alleviation program, but it was still an entertainment variety program. However, the program had never been able to invite any popular or big-name celebrities. The ones they could get were either not very popular or were semi-retired. Some internet broadcasting platforms were unwilling to buy the broadcasting rights, so the majority of people didn't know about this.

The program was slightly nonmainstream, but because it touched upon public welfare and poverty alleviation, and also because of the number of influential governmental media groups backing it, the program had been able to survive till now. Nanfeng saw that the production aspect of it was rather ordinary. The special guests of these programs would go to places that were really arduous, so it was no wonder that many popular celebrities didn't want to go. If they got hurt by accident, then the losses would be great!

"I will take a look at some of their previous editions. Nanfeng, did they say where the next edition would be going?" asked Fang Zhao.

Nanfeng shook his head. "The planet they are headed to hasn't been decided yet. In any case, it will surely be those toward the tail end of the developmental sequence. That won't change." In short, it would be a poor place with harsh conditions, somewhere there wouldn't be much internet and even daily living would be rather inconvenient.

"Also, because this program has a public-welfare nature..." Nanfeng checked Fang Zhao's expression. "The director requested that you give them a friends discount."

Nanfeng's lips had twitched when he'd heard this from the project team. There wasn't any friendship between them, let alone a friendship price. Could the boss really go there just to suffer?

"Because Boss was previously composing in isolation, they went to speak with Prof. Carter first. In a bit, they will contact you."

When Nanfeng was explaining all this to Fang Zhao, the program team had already spoken with Prof. Carter's side. The program team also had it tough. Speaking to people from the entertainment circles was still fine, but when facing this bunch of academic professors, they really couldn't be forceful, nor could they speak gently and appear weak. Ultimately, their objective wouldn't change! They had even requested a few big shots of the Poverty Alleviation Office speak out on their behalf.

Actually, it wasn't that that had to seek out Fang Zhao, but this was requested by the garrison on the planet they had planned for. Fang Zhao was their only appointed guest. Changing, adding to, or removing the other special guests was fine as long as Fang Zhao was brought along.

That bunch garrisoned on the planet were all elites. Circumstances on a planet without many resources were already difficult enough as it was, so who was willing to be a nanny? It wasn't that they looked down on the descendants of the Great Generals; the majority of Great Generals' descendants were all very impressive, but Leizhou's Zaro, Laizhou's Barbara, and Tongzhou's Woo Tianhao? What sort of bunch were they!

Even if one didn't pay any attention to the entertainment circles or watch other programs, just a quick check on the internet would provide a simple understanding.

Because many foreign planets' bases had internal regulations on communications, there was a limit to the entertainment programs that the garrisoned troops could see. Thus, the internal personnel in charge of culture and art would select suitable entertainment programs from time to time and transmit them to every base and military district, including songs, movies, TV series, sporting events, variety programs, news from various continents, and so on.

A short while back, "Founding Era" had been packaged and transmitted in its entirety to all the bases and military districts, including the soundtrack. Having a series to watch, and a massive, top-notch production at that, had delighted those garrisoned on bases on foreign planets.

Many people had become fans of Fang Zhao. A number of Fang Zhao's songs had been well received. Fang Zhao was also a reserve duty major, and many unlucky people who were sent out for military service viewed Fang Zhao as their idol.

Of course, the top brass didn't just look at Fang Zhao's popularity and his status as a reserve duty major. There was also Planet Baiji and Planet Wai's rise. Fortunately, the program team had come seeking them out, looking for a collaboration for one season. Therefore, they had put in this request.

The actual effectiveness of "Up-Close Contact" wasn't huge; otherwise, those garrisoned bases at the tail end of the development sequence would have soared up long ago. A reality show was just a show! An entertainment program made for people to watch!

Even with its focus on poverty alleviation, the officers of many garrisons rejected it. It wasn't because they didn't despise the program—they thanked those people for their help, but at the same time, special guests would bring their own set of troubles. There was once a celebrity with a weak immune system who fell really ill at a certain garrisoned base. Luckily, medical attention had been prompt. It would have been a lot of trouble if something bad had happened.

Thus, sometimes the officers of garrisoned bases would hope for big-name celebrities, but they were worried something might happen on their domain, resulting in an unsavory public opinion, which gave them conflicted thoughts. But if Fang Zhao was used, they would be much more relieved! Fang Zhao had fought off terrorists while undergoing military service on Planet Baiji! His character was strong enough! He could withstand hardship! And he still had the nickname of a mythical beast!

A mythical beast! Didn't the legends from the Old Era say that they warded off evil?

The three invited special guests on the program team were too "evil." They needed to add one more to balance it out.

Because of that garrisoned base's request, the program team tried their hardest to persuade the relevant parties. After speaking with Carter for close to an hour, the program team sought out Fang Zhao.

While the other party sought out Fang Zhao, Carter hurriedly made a call to Mo Lang.

Carter lowered his head and didn't look at Mo Lang's expression upon informing him of the situation.

It made one tremble in silence.

Carter steeled himself as he met Mo Lang's deathly stare. "...Teacher, regarding this matter... I... I can explain..."

Mo Lang was breathing heavily.

He was pissed!

He had just told Carter to have Fang Zhao stay away from the entertainment circles during his advanced studies period, but in the blink of an eye, he learned that a certain entertainment variety program had come digging!

Carter was indeed unreliable! He couldn't even look after one person!

The might of the entertainment circles was all that was evil!

Chapter 381: Heading Out to Gather Materials

Mo Lang was furious that this bunch from the entertainment circles loved picking fights and wouldn't even let Fang Zhao off when he was pursuing advanced studies. They had even used the excuse of "Poverty Alleviation" to try to dupe him. Did they think that an old man like him had never collaborated with the Poverty Alleviation Office before?

When all was said and done, 'Up Close Contact' was still an entertainment variety program that didn't have much effect. Just look where the program had gone. Were there any huge changes up till now? Weren't they still the same?!

"They really are seizing every opportunity! It's impossible to guard against them!" After speaking to Carter, Mo Lang decided on what to say later on.

Elsewhere, the program team contacted Fang Zhao and spoke in more detail about this program. At the same time, they emphasized that Fang Zhao was the first-ever special guest appointed by the base garrison. If Fang Zhao didn't agree to participate, then this season's location would have to shift.

Nanfeng sat at the side, listening the director and everyone else's words in disdain.

Treacherous!

Bemoaning their hard-pressed situation was fine. According to Nanfeng's understanding of Fang Zhao, his boss really wouldn't care about how much he was paid for this sort of program that had a public welfare theme. But the program team were actually pretending to be pitiful before Fang Zhao!

With the director as the head of this group, they said a lot to Fang Zhao which could be summarized as——

We are bitter deep down!

We are also being forced to do this!

We are benefitting the soldiers garrisoned on foreign planets, letting even more people see their suffering!

Fang Zhao was no stranger to bases on other planets. He would definitely understand, right? It was said that his great-grandfather served aboard the spaceship Sirius during his military service and had gone through many hardships. Your great-grandfather would surely support your decision to participate in this program.

...

At Yanzhou's Yanbei Retirement Facility, Great-grandfather Fang sneezed for no apparent reason.

Rubbing his itchy nose, Great-grandfather Fang put on an extra jacket and continued to twirl the two walnuts as he calmly bragged to the other old fellas in the retirement facility.

However, no matter how sincerely the program team put it, Fang Zhao wasn't really a youngster and wouldn't be easily deceived by their words. He understood well what this bunch in the program team were thinking about.

Fang Zhao calmly considered for some time and asked, "Can I bring a dog?"

The bunch that had been eagerly awaiting Fang Zhao's decision: "??"

What? Bringing a dog when alleviating poverty?

This isn't a a Muzhou farmland or pasture where pets could be simply brought over to play. Pets are so weak and feeble—a moment of carelessness could result in them losing their lives!

"I can't? Then never mind," Fang Zhao said.

The director studied Fang Zhao and probed, "What does 'never mind' mean?"

Fang Zhao also stared at the other party but didn't say anything.

The director remained silent for quite awhile before saying, "Although we call ourselves a variety program, but we carry the objective of poverty alleviation. The place we are headed to will surely be arduous."

"His ability to adapt is very high," Fang Zhao said.

"It can still be done if you really have such a request. However, an agreement has to be signed."

"Sure."

The director's facial muscles relaxed. In any case, as long as Fang Zhao didn't pose a request that was too demanding, he would do his utmost to meet Fang Zhao's needs. After all, it was the other side who had requested for Fang Zhao. In comparison to that, what was a pet dog? If he wanted to bring it along, then so be it. Everything would be fine as long as its owner was well taken care of.

The two sides progressed to more detailed negotiations regarding the other aspects of the program and recording. Nanfeng assumed the role of an interim manager and helped to settle the even finer details and issues.

After discussions were complete, Fang Zhao didn't sign immediately but said instead, "I still have to speak to the teacher-in-charge and get his approval."

"Yes, yes you should." The director's face had the vigor of having just solved a difficult question. He knew that Fang Zhao was still undergoing advanced studies and still had to undergo a procedure, thus he showed an understanding to Fang Zhao's situation.

"We have already spoken with Prof. Carter. You don't have to worry," the director said.

"I know, I was talking about another teacher." Fang Zhao smiled.

"Whom are you talking about? If it is needed, we can send someone to speak with him," the director said immediately.

"Old Mr. Mo Lang."

"...Cough, this... you can speak to Venerable Mo first. If it can't be resolved... then we will step forward."

They had of course heard of Mo Lang's grand reputation. This old master had also collaborated many times with the Poverty Alleviation Office and was a highly respected old artist. At the same time, they also didn't dare look for him straight away. The old master had quite the temper.

One should be terrified when it was time to be terrified.

After the people from the program team left, Fang Zhao had a video call with Mo Lang and shared his own views.

Fang Zhao had already prepared a portion of his graduation works. As for the remaining part, he still needed time and some catalysts.

This program, "Up Close Contact", seemed like a decent catalyst.

Mo Lang believed Fang Zhao's words. During the period in Mazhou where he had followed Carter and his team on assignment, Mo Lang was very pleased with the works and thesis that Fang Zhao submitted. Of course, Mo Lang also knew that just staying at one place without any experience to challenge one's thoughts would make it difficult to produce and obtain inspiration. In turn, that would make it difficult for someone to produce breathtaking works. Since Fang Zhao had pledged, Mo Lang also wouldn't go as far as to forcefully obstruct him.

Fang Zhao was a very special person and his works had never failed to leave Mo Lang pleasantly surprised. Mo Lang also eagerly anticipated what sort of graduation works Fang Zhao would submit.

Of course, this was what he had decided, but Mo Lang was still displeased deep down. He respected all sorts of art of various forms. He had also collaborated with many film and tv programs before, but he really didn't like that sort of unconcealed pragmatism of the entertainment industry. Fang Zhao was a student he thought very highly of, and this bunch had come knocking during a very crucial moment in Fang Zhao's advanced studies...

They are just asking for a scolding!

But whatever opinion he had of the program team, Mo Lang still wasn't too strict with Fang Zhao, even if he didn't smile.

"Remember what you said. I will leave you some assignments. Don't forget to do them. Also, submit a thousand word explanation to request for absence. Not a single word less, or I won't approve it!"

After the call ended, Fang Zhao did as Mo Lang requested and wrote a thousand word essay with the title being "Heading out to gather materials" as a request for absence.

When Mo Lang went through the "Heading out to gather materials" request for assistance, he turned around and spoke to a few "good friends" who managed departments of which included the Poverty Alleviation Office. Although he couldn't change the outcome, he wouldn't let this bunch treat this too lightly. Who knew when they would hoist such a noble banner to dupe people again!

At the other end, Fang Zhao started making preparations after signing the contract with the program team.

The sporting events at Mazhou were about to conclude soon. Prof. Carter and the others would also be leaving shortly. Fang Zhao left a Mazhou a day before them and returned to HuangArt to handle his leave application. After that, he headed to Yanzhou's Yanbei Retirement Facility to visit the two old Fangs.

After learning that Fang Zhao would be taking part in this program, Great-grandfather Fang viciously criticized the program team behind their backs. There were so many variety programs, and the number with the theme of public welfare couldn't even be counted with the fingers on one's hands. Why did such a variety program that was heading to such a distant and tough place look for Fang Zhao?

"I've said it before, these people in the entertainment industry are just too cunning! Our Little Zhao is just too honest! Just too soft-hearted! He agrees to help the moment other people come running over with tears in their eyes!" Great-grandfather Fang twirled the walnuts in his palm vigorously as his heart ached tenderly.

And when he went online to search for previous editions of the program and watched them, his eyes turned red.

"My family's Little Zhao is going to suffer hardships again!"

Regardless of how Fang Zhao explained, in his heart, Great-grandfather Fang had already believed firmly that it was this sinister and crafty bunch who were trying to latch onto Fang Zhao's popularity and dupe him into suffering hardships!

Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang insisted on sending off Fang Zhao this time.

Before setting off with the project team, Fang Zhao still needed to go for a medical examination at the program team's designated location. This was a necessary procedure for this sort of program. People whose constitutions were too weak couldn't take part. It was too dangerous and the place's arduous conditions could result in loss of life if one wasn't careful. The program team didn't wish to see this sort of situation.

The program team was still rather at ease on Fang Zhao's end, just that these procedures had to be down to a tee.

During the time when Fang Zhao went for his medical examination, Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang left the retirement facility and disappeared for a day before heading to Huangzhou and meeting with Fang Zhao.

When they met, Great-grandfather carefully handed a small pouch over to Fang Zhao.

"Your great-grandmother and I went over to the cemetery to get this. Make sure to wear it at all times and don't lose it! This is highly sought after nowadays and it's very effective!" If only they had the time, Great-grandfather would have dragged Fang Zhao over to pay his respects.

Fang Zhao: "...Right."

After bringing the two old Fangs into a room to rest, Fang Zhao moved to the side and removed the paper wrapped around the item inside the pouch.

On it was the common saying "May the martyrs bless you" which Fang Zhou automatically interpreted as: Rely on yourself rather than on others.

"Sigh!"

Chapter 382: Cherishing The Young

The program team's time constraints were rather tight. For this season, there would be five special guests. Besides Fang Zhao, Zaro, Barbara, and Woo Tianhao, there was also Mitisy.

Indeed, Maersizhou's former tennis athlete Mitisy who had just recently retired was also a special guest. This was a surprise since the program team hadn't even considered inviting this fellow. Rather, he had voluntarily contacted them.

Past editions of this program had struggled to even invite two satisfactory special guests, yet this time, so many "heavyweights" had appeared.

The program team had a rare confidence due to this edition's line up. They stood a little straighter and wished to shout it out. However, because of the restrictions of the confidentiality agreement, they couldn't leak it in private nor public.

After the five special guests had signed on the dotted line, the program team immediately started early publicity. Firstly, they wanted to attract even more attention so that there would be topics from pre-production all the way until filming concluded.

Just as the program team had anticipated, the news release of the special guests garnered all sorts of attention.

Most reactions were: "What the heck is this?!"

"'Up Close Contact'? What sort of program is this? I've never heard of this before!"

Upon further searching, they found it was a "variety program with the nature of poverty alleviation?"

"Four out of five special guests are from big and powerful families! They are all from family clans of the Great Generals!"

"Such a powerful array of special guests, seemingly bathed in a golden glow, is forming a team to alleviate poverty?"

It was reasonable to say that if these four young masters and mistresses from top aristocratic families went to provide poverty alleviation, even a dried-up and barren place could flourish. However, this line up gave off an extremely unreliable vibe.

"Poverty alleviation isn't as simple as donating. Would this idiot Zaro straight away start throwing money at them?"

"How does Barbara all decked out in luxury goods seem as though she is going to provide aid? Isn't this just going on a vacation?!"

"Didn't Woo Tianhao say when publicizing his new film that the sequel was in the works? Isn't he just jumping on the bandwagon to promote the sequel?"

"Mazhou's Prince of Tennis Mitisy's first stop after retiring is poverty alleviation? Is he carrying out an assignment for his family clan?"

"It feels like a large game of chess. Am I neglecting any recent important activity?"

"There is still Fang Zhao! Don't forget about Fang Zhao! Four out of the five special guests are noveau riche. I just don't believe that the last one would have a background beneath any of the others!"

"Indeed! Renault's Zaro, Lakalina family's Barbara, Tongzhou Woo's family's Woo Tianhao and Mitisy Maersi, who recently created waves in Maersizhou, are all descendants of Great Generals! With this in mind, Fang Zhao definitely wouldn't have an ordinary background! Otherwise, he wouldn't have been dragged in together with this bunch!"

"Wasn't this clarified before? Fang Zhao doesn't originate from an aristocratic family."

"The past doesn't represent the future. Take a look at Mazhou's Mitisy. He just had the Great General's family name added in during the press conference. Who would have expected that?"

"Makes sense. Perhaps that means Fang Zhao concealed his aristocratic family status!"

"Agreed! Even if he isn't a Great General, he definitely wouldn't be that much lower."

More and more people online started to believe that Fang Zhao had a hidden aristocratic family background.

As for the explanation that Fang Zhao had given out before?

We won't listen to it! Surely someone is up to something! Don't think about deceiving us! Because of Mitisy's situation, your background has long been seen through by us!

Even Yanzhou's Silver Wing's Media Affairs manager hurriedly went through Fang Zhao's information a few times when he saw this but wasn't able to discover any evidence. Unless Fang Zhao had the most important information hidden, otherwise...it was netizens having a hyperactive imagination.

In a certain Huangzhou hotel, Great-grandfather Fang flew into a fit of rage and nearly smashed the walnuts in his hand when he saw the online discussions. Great-grandmother Fang hurriedly snatched the walnuts over and stuffed a slipper into his hands.

Great-grandfather stared quietly at the slipper in his hand for two seconds before using all his strength and threw it to the ground, creating a loud slapping sound.

"Nonsense! Our Little Zhao has not a damn relation to a Great General's family clan!"

Great-grandfather Fang was vexed. Why was it that regardless of whatever explanations were given, that bunch just wouldn't believe it?

"Aristocratic family? In another 50...No, in another 20 years, our Little Zhao himself would be an aristocrat! And a big one at that!"

Great-grandfather Fang had this much confidence. In his eyes, Fang Zhao was a genius among geniuses that was all-powerful in all aspects! No one could compare to him!

'Up Close Contact' had just released this news coupled with a little operation on their side. It quickly became hotly discussed by the entire internet. A portion of people discussed whether the few aristocrats were plotting a certain something; another portion guessed whether Fang Zhao had an aristocratic family background, while the remaining people delighted in following the excitement.

Of course, there were also some celebrities who started having ideas when they saw this news.

Before Zaro was thrown into this program by General Renault, 'Up Close Contact's' program team had approached quite a few celebrities with quite some reputation, but they all had rejected them. Now, regardless of whether it was that bunch that were approached for this season or for previous seasons, every one of them automatically contacted the program team, trying to get in.

Every season's headcount was more or less around five, but it wasn't set in stone. At times when they were short, there would be around two or three guests. Other times, there could be about six or seven guests. Now, five had been officially announced, so two more would still be fine. That was what many people assumed, but the program team had decided to have only five special guests this time around. The program team attached high importance to this season and had no intention of letting other celebrities on board. These few alone would make the program team very busy as it was.

The program team tactfully declined those celebrities that had voluntarily approached them and expressed that they were caught in the crossfire. Firstly, they didn't dare offend the special guests, and secondly, they didn't dare cause trouble at the side of the military garrison, so they could only leave it as that. Their tone was very polite and expressed that they had no other way. Facing big names, they pretended to be apologetic to the fullest extent and didn't put on any airs. When they encountered more minor celebrities, they still laughed along together with these celebrities. This was the first time they experienced such a situation, and it delighted them to no end. Their intent to rise from the ashes with this season became even more intense.

While this was all being hotly discussed online, people from the Poverty Alleviation Office were speaking with Zaro's father, General Renault.

"Are you really sure? This time it has been really hyped up, and the process of recording the program would be even more strict and be slightly tough." A certain head in the Poverty Alleviation Office said.

General Renault didn't really care. "No problem, just let him go over and suffer some hardship. Since he loves the entertainment circles so much, and since it happens that you have a program related to the entertainment, I will just throw him in. I wouldn't dare let him get involved in other programs." In his opinion, this sort of entertainment variety program that was all about selling foolish behavior to achieve the objective was most suitable for his son.

This was a person who was merciless when tricking his own son.

The Poverty Alleviation Office head laughed before retracting his smile and saying solemnly, "Let me emphasize this once again. Poverty alleviation is a very serious matter. Even if it is an entertainment variety, it also isn't a place for them to play around and have fun!"

"Don't worry. I have already spoken to Zaro. If he creates a fuss, I will smack his bottom!" General Renault guaranteed.

Zaro felt really wronged after being tricked by his own father. Does he know how difficult it is to film this sort of entertainment program? Does he think that top variety programs don't require acting skills?!

This day was also the appointed day set by the project team to leave.

This time, Fang Zhao brought along Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao, as well as Curly Hair.

Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang insisted on sending Fang Zhao to the space port before leaving. Great-grandfather had his own ideas. He wanted to see how the program team was like and what sort of allocations the other special guests had. Fang Zhao felt that he had brought along enough people this time, but Great-grandfather Fang didn't think so. Given Fang Zhao's current fame, one assistant and two bodyguards were still too little. However, the program team was headed to a military base on a foreign planet, so they couldn't be too casual. He would see the situation first before saying more.

The program team had set a designated gathering spot near Huangzhou Space Port. When Fang Zhao arrived, only the people from the program team were there. The other special guests were nowhere to be seen.

A staffer explained to Fang Zhao, "The other four will arrive shortly."

A short while later, Mitisy arrived in casual attire with a backpack and shades. He entered the lounge and took off his shades, revealing dark eye circles. He yawned when he took a seat.

Mitisy had been confident and relaxed when he spoke about his retirement during the press conference. However, after really retiring, he hadn't slept well at all. This time when the family elders heard Leizhou, Lazhou, and Tongzhou were all sending people to participate in this poverty alleviation entertainment program, they also kicked him in, saying that it would surely improve his insomnia and that he should treat it as a post-retirement adaptation process.

After, Mitisy, Woo Tianhao, Zaro, and Barbara arrived in succession, each besting the other in a show of extravagance.

Great-grandfather Fang stifled his anger when he saw the others bringing along a whole horde of bodyguards and assistants. In order not to falsely accuse anyone, he still specially went to verify it with the program team staff to check how many men each of the other four special guests brought. With one look, Great-grandfather Fang had discovered that the four special guests all brought more people than Fang Zhao!

Mitisy had two assistants and four bodyguards. Woo Tianhao had brought along a seven-man entourage. As for Zaro and Barbara, each of them brought a team of 10. If not for the fact that the program team had limited them to a maximum of 10 people, they would have wanted to bring along 10 cars worth of people.

Great-grandfather Fang was so angry his face turned purple. Were they going to provide poverty alleviation or to take a vacation? How outrageous! Especially that Zaro!

But after hearing Zaro and the others chatting, Great-grandfather Fang suddenly felt that his anger had subsided considerably. It had turned into consolation.

The way Zaro was, wanting to let others be at ease, bringing a whole contingent wasn't enough!

Great-grandfather even felt some sympathy towards their parents.

Sigh, forget it, not every family's children are as smart and lovable as my Little Zhao. Great-grandfather Fang thought to himself.

Before Fang Zhao set off, Great-grandfather Fang pulled him to the side and exhorted. "Make sure to pay more attention when you are on a foreign planet. Although the location hasn't been revealed yet, it would surely be a tough and desolate place. Little Zhao, your own safety is paramount!"

Great-grandfather particularly emphasized 'your own safety is paramount' to make sure Fang Zhao looked out for himself first. As for the others, that would come later.

After which he increased his volume and let more people hear his words. "Film the program properly and take care of the young kids! Cherishing the young is an important virtue!"

The reason he had said this was because Great-grandfather Fang had already checked. Among the five special guests, Fang Zhao was the youngest. Looking after the younger ones in the cast and crew was correct. The others should look out for Fang Zhao more!

Fang Zhao was silent for a few seconds before nodding his head. "I understand."

"That's good!" Great-grandfather Fang's smiled deepened. He felt more relaxed having gotten this answer from Fang Zhao.

Chapter 383: Program Team Scammed Me!

This time around, Fang Zhao didn't request for absolute secrecy. There were so many people within the program team, and it would be impossible to have complete confidentiality. Being secretive and trying to cover things up would only make others suspicious. However, Fang Zhao requested for the program team to minimize Curly Hair's screen time and film presence as much as possible.

The program team readily agreed to Fang Zhao's request and added it into the contract. In any case, they saw it as just a dog, not an important issue. The main focus was the process of five special guests embarking onto an arduous foreign planet and experiencing its hardships and tough lifestyle.

Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang watched as the shuttle carrying Fang Zhao and the film group left before leaving the spaceport with the others that had come to see them off. Fang Zhao had already made arrangements for personnel to look after them and send the two elders back to Yanzhou.

Upon returning to Yanzhou, Great-grandfather Fang started to recommend this program to others. Although it was still some time before production would be complete and the program broadcasted, official publicity had already begun! How could he lag behind himself!

At the other side, after the shuttle left earth, the program team changed to a spacecraft at the space station before heading to their destination.

This wasn't Fang Zhao's first time leaving earth, but it was a surreal and wonderful experience each time. The steps of humankind were still ceaselessly progressing. Having gone through that 100 years of calamity, humankind now knew to plan ahead. Their footsteps and sights could be set even further now.

Fang Zhao also didn't count on this poverty alleviation program to be able to massively change the fortunes of these impoverished planets. However, it was better than nothing. They would take a look at the situation first and help whatever little they could.

"We are already so far along. You all ought to be able to tell us where we are headed now right?" Woo Tianhao said huffily.

The program team staff didn't take offence with Woo Tianhao's tone. They themselves wouldn't be able to keep their calm if they were placed in his shoes.

"Director?" A staff member glanced at the program team's director.

The director coughed lightly and nodded his head. "Planet Bu."

As he spoke, he got someone to turn on a projection and introduced the circumstances of Planet Bu.

What sort of place was Planet Bu?

Barren, desolate, and a mediocre planet that didn't have much of a presence when placed amongst a multitude of planets waiting to be developed.

Although its position on the development sequence wasn't right at the tail end, it was still sufficiently towards the back. Sometime ago, it had still been placed before Planet Baiji on the development sequence until Baiji charged forward due to the discovery of power ore stores. As a result, planet Bu was pushed further behind.

From the map, seventy to eighty percent of the planet's surface was filled with deserts and oceans. In terms of natural resources and landscape, it was a far cry away from Planet Baiji and Planet Wai. Furthermore, compared to other planets that were even more suited for human habitation, many areas of Planet Bu had low pressure and low oxygen. Many people who came over would develop symptoms similar to altitude sickness or be unable to adapt well. This was also why the program team cared so much about the special guests' physical conditions. All guests that were contracted would have to go through medical examinations and would only be able to come upon meeting all the requirements.

Planet Bu wasn't given the treatment a planet suitable for emigration would receive. Although its living conditions were slightly worse when compared to Planet Baiji and Planet Wai, it was better in some regards because it was safe and simple. Away from those places with vile climates, the base's safe zone offered sufficient freedom and space.

But at the same time, because they were near the back of the development sequence, major enhancements had yet to begin. The current conditions were still really arduous, and it was impossible to go online as one pleased. The cost of constructing communications facilities were even higher than Planet Baiji's, so the program team had said at the start that there would be only recording but no live broadcasts.

The five guests who had just seen Planet Bu's introduction and videos——

Woo Tianhao, who had been prepared to display his skills, fight monsters, and act pretentious during live broadcasts: The program team scammed me!

Barbara, who had anticipated being able to shoot many beautiful photos and videos: The program team scammed me!

Mitisy, who had listened to the suggestions of his family elders that coming over for a 'vacation' would help in curing insomnia: The people in my family scammed me!

Zaro, who had long been mentally prepared, wrote an electronic message to the Leizhou governor: "My father scammed me again! Your cute and lovable smiling angel of a grandson is about to suffer a hellish torture!"

Fang Zhao, who didn't have much expectation towards where they would go: The introduction says that the base has a high degree of freedom? Should be a good place for dog-walking.

After learning about the overall situation at Planet Bu, among the five guests, four appeared dispirited. Only Fang Zhao was going through the data of Planet Bu meticulously.

Each guest had brought along some supplies for the military garrison on Bu Base. However, they wouldn't be sending it over personally, and the spaceport had personnel specially in charge to do so.

"Isn't this spaceport a little too small?" Zaro used his pinky finger to emphasize it. "It's just a dot. They are indeed poor!"

"The base is also small. Their total manpower isn't even half of Planet Baiji's in their early days." Mitisy sounded disappointed but was a little curious. This could be considered the first time he had truly come to a faraway place.

"Are there really no hunting conditions?" Woo Tianhao was also unresigned.

The program team replied with slight smiles.

"First timers here will probably require three to seven days to adapt. We have set aside seven days of preparation time for everyone," a staff member in the program team said.

An officer from the base, Colonel Song Ping, received them. He could still be considered young and was tanned. His attitude was amiable, but he was still slightly stern.

On the shuttle to the base's airport, Zaro twitched his nose, sniffing all around.

Barbara painted her nails absentmindedly. "What does your dog nose smell this time?"

"A strange scent..." Zaro responded. "Who are you calling a dog?!"

Seeing that they were going to bicker again, the program team's staff diverted their attention. "The base has already prepared rooms for everyone. Bring all your stuff and don't forget any important items!"

Nanfeng hurriedly grabbed Curly Hair and stayed at Fang Zhao's side. In his opinion, besides his boss, the most valuable object was Curly Hair. He absolutely needed to watch this dog properly. If Curly Hair got lost, who knew if someone would catch and eat him up.

Upon entering the base, Colonel Song Ping provided them an electronic map. The map displayed the areas where they could move about.

Generally, just following the base's protocol and going about their own stuff wouldn't pose any danger. The degree of freedom here was very high. This was also the reason why the program team had chosen Bu Base. If it were elsewhere, although conditions would be better, their activities would encounter too many restrictions and filming wouldn't be so carefree.

Fang Zhao moved into the room the base had prepared for them. Every special guest had a suite, and their assistants and bodyguards stayed nearby. These had all been settled during negotiations between the program team and the base to prevent a situation where people couldn't react in time if an accident occurred. Nothing could be allowed to happen to any of these special guests!

Fang Zhao's side had the least men. Nanfeng directed Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to tidy up the things in the room and install the various equipments that improved the living conditions in the room. He had heard that the difference in temperature between day and night here was huge. The resources at the base were limited, and the base might not be able to look after them the entire time.

As someone who had undergone military service, Fang Zhao himself had said that he didn't have high requirements for the place he stayed in. Nanfeng hadn't been nit-picky about all this originally. However, when he saw the areas of the other four special guests buzzing with activity, Nanfeng couldn't stand by and watch. If those areas are luxurious, then our side can't be worse! Install all modifications. In any case, the base didn't say that they couldn't install their own facilities and equipment.

On the first day of arriving at Bu Base, many people in the program team weren't adapting well until base personnel sent over breathing masks. Those with more severe reactions were sent for treatment. This wasn't much of a problem; they just needed some more time than others to adapt. The base's breathing masks were made according to the conditions of the environment and would aid newcomers in adapting to Planet Bu. .

Breathing masks were also delivered to the five special guests and their parties.

Somewhere in the base, Colonel Song Ping, who had received the program team, was called up to report on the situation.

Base Commander Flemington, who had just returned to the base, rotated his shoulders and stretched his back. He shut his weary eyes and asked grudgingly, "How are things there? Have the breathing masks been delivered?"

"They have been delivered. The others are still okay, but the five special guests aren't using masks," Song Ping delivered his report as it was.

"Eh?" Flemington's eyes flashed open and asked with an interested expression. "Go on."

"Former professional athlete Mitisy is still adapting fine. After he settled down, he didn't react too poorly. Instead, he went to the exercise ground to play tennis for 10 minutes before returning to lie down."

Flemington's lips curled up into a grin. "That kid from the Maersi Family is rather impressive, even daring to do intensive exercise when the adaptation period isn't over."

"Woo Tianhao also adapted quite similarly to Mitisy. He said he wanted to test the limits of his body and went outside to practice his martial arts without wearing a breathing mask... He is currently sitting down."

Flemington's grin became wider. "A little of the Tongzhou's family's martial arts specialty. What about the others?"

"Zaro's adaptability isn't comparable to the first two. He went to receive treatment after entering the base..." Song Ping paused for a bit and said with a sort of complicated expression on his face. "He's pretty riled up from cursing his father with his breathing mask tossed to the side."

"Oh!" Flemington was happy. "Great spirit! This kid's rebellious phase isn't over yet? Continue, continue."

"Barbara...although she says she didn't feel so well, she bluntly rejected the breathing masks when they were sent over."

"Reason?" Flemington asked.

Song Ping opened his mouth and said sheepishly, "It's ugly."

Flemington: "...This pretentious kid even rejected them because they doesn't look great? If she dislikes them, then forget about it. Collect all the masks back! Right, what about Fang Zhao? He is the main focus. He should be adapting fine, right?"

Song Ping's expression turned strange. "Fang Zhao has gone out to walk his dog."

Flemington: "? ? ?"

This was the first time he had heard of such a thing. Actually being in the mood to walk a dog after arriving here? Wait, wasn't the primary issue that Fang Zhao brought along a dog in the first place? Did that dog not have the slightest bit of adverse reaction either?

"And then?" Flemington.

"The soldiers on patrol there says that he seems to be in a cheerful mood while dog-walking and has no intention to return yet."

"..."

Chapter 384: Pes

Fang Zhao also didn't bring Curly Hair too far. According to the map provided, he brought Curly Hair to walk around the area where they could move about freely to first understand the topography and lifestyle of this place.

The area which Bu Base covered was huge, and the area for activity was also broad. Occasionally, they would run into soldiers on patrol. However, the atmosphere here was more relaxed, unlike the tensed vibe of the soldiers at planet Baiji's outposts.

This place was very dry and barren, but it was also peaceful.

Curly Hair's adaptability was very strong. An environment with low pressure and low oxygen didn't appear to cause any changes in him. The barren sand also didn't make his spirits fall, and he seemed to really like it here. There weren't any other people around, so Fang Zhao also didn't keep Curly Hair leashed. Currently Curly was running about on the sand without a care in the world. He was also very interested in the various bugs and animals beneath the soil, and regardless of whether they were big or small, Curly Hair would capture and play with them for awhile before devouring them.

Fang Zhao observed for a bit, and since Curly Hair seemed content, Fang Zhao just let him be.

After strolling around outside, Fang Zhao leashed Curly Hair and returned back to base. On the second day, Fang Zhao woke up and headed to the base's dining hall to eat, when he ran into Woo Tianhao and Mitisy. Having gone through a day of getting accustomed to the new environment, the two had gotten stronger, just that Mitisy still appeared like he lacked sleep.

It wasn't just Woo Tianhao and Mitisy. Zaro and Barbara also came out to walk about today. However, these two didn't eat at the dining hall. Instead, they ate their own food which they brought along.

The program team all lamented as they watched the five guests become active and lively. "Genes are really something powerful. They are the descendants of the Great Generals after all. Their adaptability ability is really strong."

Genes implied potential. As long as this sort of potential wasn't wasted, they would be superior to others. Wasting them was another matter.

"Let's not compare with the other four. After all, they are members of the Great Generals' family clans. They have impressive genes, but what about Fang Zhao? Isn't he still of an artistic background?! We can't compete with the other four, but we also should learn from Fang Zhao..."

The director started to deliver "chicken soup" for the other staffers in the program team.

Actually, the director felt helpless deep down. This was the first time all the invited guests had a stronger adaptability then the staffers. He reckoned that the special guests could start filming already, but the staff couldn't keep up.

As he thought about this problem, the director revised his arrangements. Their own end could not officially start work, but the special guests could be mobilized first.

The director gathered the five special guests together and started to mobilize them.

"The guide manual sent to you all contains a lot of important information including edible and poisonous food stuff you might see outside. If you see something that isn't shown, it is best not to touch it. Therefore, if you see something that is unknown, it is best to leave it to the professionals."

At the start, Zaro was still listening attentively, but as he listened on, he started to daydream. On the surface it couldn't be seen, but deep down it was like this:

Previously I have earned quite a bit endorsing wild ginger, but the sustainability isn't there. Fresh ginger is fine, but it is still best to endorse garlic.

Fang Zhao has already brought a dog. I will also bring one next time. I don't like these kinds of small dog. Big dogs are way more impressive.

When will we be able to have internet connection here? I want to complain!

...

In 2 minutes, the thoughts in Zaro's brain had completely jumped from wild ginger to dogs to something else altogether.

After emphasizing the stuff that needed to be taken care of, the director then explained to everyone about the main point of poverty alleviation.

"In the Old Era, there was this saying, 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'..."

Poverty alleviation nowadays was generally about discovering an impoverished region's bright spots and magnifying it. Following which, the next step would be to try and raise the quality of life at these impoverished regions. However easy it might sound, how many could actually achieve this?

Furthermore, theirs was a program which had an entertainment nature. They didn't really pin too much hope on discovering any bright spots; however, they would bank on the program to let people know how arduous this place was so that they would consider this place when they made donations.

Of course, regardless of what he thought deep down or how cruel reality was, the director wouldn't explain things too realistically when trying to mobilize them.

"See more, listen more, walk around more, understand more. Given everyone's experienced and wise mind, you all should probably be able to discover this place's bright spot," the director concluded.

Woo Tianhao: See more, listen more? Definitely! Just rely on my observant and alert senses!

Mitisy: Walk around more, understand more? Seems like a rather large amount of exercise.

Zaro: My wise mind?

Barbara: Bright spot?

Fang Zhao: Slightly difficult.

The director felt satisfied seeing all five special guests apparently deep in thought. It seemed like these five special guests already understood his words.

Clapping his hand to rouse everyone, the director then continued, "As some of our program team staffers still haven't fully adapted and are unable to formally start work, today we will let Colonel Song Ping bring everyone out to look around.

The personnel turnover on Planet Bu was much higher than on Planet Baiji and Planet Wai. After all, the environment here wasn't suitable for ordinary living. A few years were fine, but if it was too long, there would be some people unable to endure it. Thus, most soldiers generally wouldn't stay for more than ten years before being transferred to other locations.

Song Ping had served on the explorer-class spaceship Fomalhaut previously. After that, he had been transferred here for an interim period. He had already achieved enough military merits, and he would be able to get promoted again just by staying here and gaining experience. This was the second year since he had been transferred to planet Bu, and he would be transferred elsewhere after at most three years to some other planet that would basically be higher up in the development sequence.

Although he had no intention of staying long on Planet Bu, Song Ping was still rather cordial with the few special guests. Even if they couldn't change the development outlook of Planet Bu, at leasts these special guests could bring along some financial support.

This was only the second day since the program team had arrived. After considering that some people were still in the preliminary stages of adapting and weren't in prime condition, some cars were specially brought out to bring these people along as Song Ping introduced the various areas and their uses on the wayside.

Noticing the deserts in the distance, Mitisy pointed beneath his feet and asked, "Isn't there oil below the deserts? I have seen some records from during the Old Era mentioning about this. In the Old Era, oil was considered a very important resource."

Song Ping nodded his head. "Oil has been detected in many areas of planet Bu, but it isn't necessary. For daily usage, the thermal radiation provided by the fixed star is enough. It is even more convenient and lower cost. Our base mainly uses solar energy. As for even higher level power consumption, we use power ores that are sent over here."

Afterwards, Song Ping brought them to see the cultivated fields.

"Every year, those sent over for military service are allocated to work in these fields, either growing crops or improving the soil quality."

"What sort of things can be grown in this place?" Zaro asked in disbelief as he pointed at the barren patch of sand.

"Things can be grown as long as there is water. The piping layout was completed a long time ago. The water supply is able to meet the requirements," Song Ping replied.

Very quickly, they reached the agricultural district. Crops of varying heights grew sparsely on the modified land.

"They don't look to be growing too well." Mitisy didn't know much about farming, but at least he could tell that the crops weren't doing well.

Song Ping said, "The output isn't too high, but at least we won't let everyone die."

Woo Tianhao appeared to think of something and asked in a hurry. "Brother Ping, then do you all eat bugs? Planet Baiji also had bugs in the past. Bugs this —— large!"

"Bugs? We eat them too, but less. There aren't too many bugs that are edible here. They are either too small, too difficult to catch, or too expensive to catch. Those funds would be better appropriated for agriculture. We mainly have agricultural produce here, all grown by ourselves. Sometimes we capture some edible items from the ocean to improve our diet, but those are rare. There are also large animals on dry land, but because their numbers are low and aren't a threat to the base, most of them have been placed on the protected species list. Not only are we not allowed to eat them, but if we see these animals encountering any difficulties on the outside, we still have to land them a hand. Therefore, in our base, we tend to eat vegetarian more often than not. Other times, we would just have the nutritional dose to replenish our energy and the required nutrients.

Song Ping was saying all these to tell them that over here, don't think about eating lavish meats and extravagant stuff. When you are here, you follow everyone and eat vegetables!

Zaro rubbed his chin and nodded. "I understand what you are trying to say. The Old Era had a saying, 'rest in peace'."

Song Ping: "....? ?"

Woo Tianhao was indeed someone who had interacted with Zaro the most, and immediately understood what Zaro was trying to say. "You probably wanted to say 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?'"

Zaro clapped his hand. "Right! That's the one!"

Song Ping: "..." For a second, I thought that there was a problem with my ability to understand!

"More better-suited crops for this place could be cultivated," Mitisy said. "Find some researchers and they would surely be able to look into it."

Song Ping shook his head. "Researchers? We can't bring any over. The salary would be too low and the conditions are too poor; the land isn't fertile enough for abundant crop cultivation, and we aren't able to attract any research talent. Look at planet Baiji. They were able to attract quite a number of researchers over, but this is an aspect we cannot compete with. Of course, if you all are willing to help out, you could send some people over. Those that aren't looking for fame are genuinely knowledgeable and capable people. It is fine even if their personalities aren't the best."

Song Ping had only made an offhand remark. He didn't pin his hopes on an entertainment program being able to bring capable researchers over.

"Let me bring you over to the plot."

Song Ping deactivated a region's defensive net and brought Fang Zhao and the others in. He wasn't going to forget to speak about Bu Base's strong point.

"Our students here on military service do not have to mine. Although farming might be a little more tiring, it is still safer than on planet Baiji. Just solely this point makes recruits more willing to come here."

As he spoke, Song Ping glanced at Fang Zhao. He had been transferred over from the explorer-class spaceship Fomalhaut and had heard about Fang Zhao's application to serve his military service onboard the Fomalhaut and Arcturus. Unfortunately, the applications were rejected, and Fang Zhao chose to serve on the planet Baiji that had arduous conditions. Sometime later, unexpectedly, planet Baiji discovered deposits of high-grade power ores as it took off and flourished.

Many people knew that it was Fang Zhao who had discovered the new power ore, but many people also knew that even without Fang Zhao, other people would also be able to discover it, just that it might take slightly longer. As such, there were still many people who considered Fang Zhao to have an element of luck. Bu Base Commander Flemington had taken this into account when he had agreed to collaborate with the program team. Otherwise, Flemington wouldn't have dared to take such a risk. He would be in line for a good promotion if he guarded this planet smoothly for another one or two years. He wasn't willing to meet any hiccups during this period.

Song Ping didn't think about that stuff. He introduced Fang Zhao and the others to the crops here.

"We are such a big planet and we cannot always rely on supplies. Only through self-reliance can we truly establish ourselves. We can't let ourselves starve to deaths if something unexpected happens to our supplies. Pests have to be prevented in the fields, but the effects of pesticides are limited. We also can't poison ourselves just trying to kill pests."

Song Ping sent a few images to Fang Zhao and the others, introducing them to some of the commonly seen bugs and animals that were harmful to their crops.

"Especially this sort!" Song Ping pointed at one of the images and gritted his teeth. "These are one of the largest pests here. A large reason for our low output is because of them. They can eat a lot, and just a moment of inattention can allow them to destroy a large patch, with everyone's hard efforts going to waste!"

The animal that Song Ping was talking about had a long, narrow body with developed claws and a tail. Its body appeared to be covered with segments of scales, and an adult one was about the size of a human palm. "These things are highly resistant to drugs and are very nimble in the earth. It is very difficult to catch them without relying on traps. This type of animal is a big headache for the base. Luckily, it isn't too poisonous and doesn't pose too much danger to humans.

"To protect the crops, we have deployed the defensive net; however, the net isn't always sealed at all times. The fields require large amounts of manpower to tend to them, and each time we open up the defensive net, a few sneak in. We also have assigned personnel to exterminate pests regularly, but trying to get rid of them completely is simply impossible. These animals bury too quickly into the ground. Even when the pest exterminators do discover traces of them, there's always the concern about collateral crop damage. With their hands tied, the difficulty of pest extermination is rather high."

Fang Zhao studied the image. "It's like a lizard?"

"It only looks a little similar, but its internal structure is completely different. There are specimens in the base. I will show them to you all when we get back. If the pest exterminators are able to catch one next time, I will dissect it to let you all see," Song Ping said.

"You can't catch one now?" Woo Tianhao cracked his knuckles, eager to give it a try.

"They aren't easy to catch. You will probably need guidance from a professional if you want to catch one, as well as equipment. Also you mustn't damage the crops as well. In short, catching them isn't as easy as you think."

Song Ping had just said this when he saw Curly Hair running like the wind. He bit at something in the soil and dragged it out before hitting it against the ground for a few times. He then raised his head and tossed it into the air. Curly Hair leapt up and caught it in his mouth before hitting it twice and tossing it into the air again.

"Is this the pest you were talking about?" Fang Zhao pointed at the thing that was tossed into the air.

Song Ping: "...Seems so."

Curly Hair held it in his mouth while playing with it excitedly before swaggering over to Fang Zhao as though he was trying to take credit.

Fang Zhao took a look at the animal held in Curly Hair's mouth and then glanced at Song Ping.

Song Ping's voice was tart. "Indeed."

Chapter 385: Enjoying In Spite Of Suffering

Curly Hair placed the thing between his teeth beside Fang Zhao's feet before scampering back off to the fields. In the blink of an eye, he came back with another.

Fang Zhao put on a pair of gloves, picked up the thing beside his leg, and examined it. "Seems like it is really a little different."

After studying them, Fang Zhao placed the two animals that Curly Hair had caught on the ground. Even if these two hadn't been smashed dead by Curly Hair, they were probably dazed and half-dead. Song Ping was also standing watch at the side holding some equipment and stomped on them once more. Song Ping definitely wouldn't go easy on these sorts of pests.

Mitisy squatted down and examined this new species curiously.

Woo Tianhao watched as Curly Hair went off to catch pests again. He itched to give it a try too so he followed after.

Seeing that everyone wouldn't be resigned unless they gave it a try, Song Ping said, "Go on, just pay attention to not damage the crops."

"Understood!" Woo Tianhao even specially ran over to a warehouse at the side and rummaged through it for a tool he felt was useful before heading to the fields.

It was "monkey see, monkey do" for Zaro, and he grabbed a farming tool which he had no idea of how it functioned before running over to the field and joining in the fun.

Barbara got herself a stool and wiped it over 10 times before gracefully sitting on it. Getting down in the dirt and hunting pests wasn't something for a noble young lady like her.

Half an hour later.

Woo Tianhao did a few tumbles before catching one with some difficulty and damaged some crops in the process. Mitisy took more caution around the crops and wasn't able to let loose. As a result, he wasn't able to catch any. On the other hand, Zaro didn't care about the crops in the field either. However, he lacked Woo Tianhao's experience, and it seemed more like he was a pest rather than a pest exterminator.

Upon seeing the situation, Song Ping hurriedly called the few of them back. If this went on, he didn't know how many of these crops that had been so painstakingly cultivated would be damaged.

Compared to Woo Tianhao's performance, Curly Hair brought over pest after pest as Song Ping watched on.

If he hadn't experienced it for himself, Song Ping would have thought that these pests were easy to catch!

Woo Tianhao glanced at the one he caught, then eyed the bunch laid out by Curly Hair on the ground and felt as if he had been dealt a blow. He couldn't help but admit the reality that he couldn't be compared to a dog. However, when he saw Mitisy and Zaro...Hahahaha they still can't be compared with me!

Woo Tianhao immediately felt much better.

"Such an impressive dog has definitely got to be from Muzhou!" Song Ping eyed Fang Zhao enviously. Song Ping had eyed those work dogs bred in Muzhou for some time already. He had heard that these dogs were especially impressive. Unfortunately, the application difficulty to get them here was too high, and they also couldn't compete with the people from larger military districts who wanted them.

"Hahahaha you guessed wrong!" Woo Tianhao roared with laughter. "It's a Yanzhou dog!"

Woo Tianhao then raised two fingers. "It's worth 200 million."

Song Ping shuddered. He had thought of borrowing the dog from Fang Zhao but quickly gave up the idea. He couldn't afford to borrow it! What if he damaged it by accident? How much would he have to compensate?

In less than half an hour, the ground before Fang Zhao was littered with the field pests that Curly Hair had brought back. After coming back once more, Curly Hair no longer went scampering off.

"This is all for the time being," Fang Zhao said while diverting the other's attention to the corpses on the ground. He casually pushed a remnant of a pest's tail that was hanging by Curly Hair's mouth in.

Eating on the sly yet not knowing how to cover your tracks!

Song Ping's attention was completely absorbed by these pests laid out on the ground and didn't notice Fang Zhao's actions. Right now he felt like he had received a blow, yet he was also pleasantly surprised.

"...This already isn't easy!"

As he gazed at the row of creatures that had wrecked their fields every day, Song Ping wondered whether to issue Curly Hair a little pest exterminator award.

Song Ping went back to the warehouse to bring some instruments out. He picked a fat specimen out to dissect and showed their body structures to Fang Zhao and the others. He explained how these things were able to be so nimble within the soil because of their body structures. Catching them under normal circumstances was really difficult. Curly Hair was a "special case".

After the demonstration, Song Ping heeded Zaro and Woo Tianhao's suggestions about not wasting resources and making the most of what they had, so he roasted these pests.

There was little meat and it didn't taste good. They only tried it for the novelty.

Eating was secondary. Photos were the main point.

Woo Tianhao and the others took a number of photographs and looked forward to showing them off on their social media when they received internet access.

Afterwards, Song Ping still showed Fang Zhao and the others around some small factories. Of course, Planet Bu's factories weren't limited to these, and there were surely a few that weren't for their eyes. A lot of the things that Song Ping said might not have been entirely true either.

Fang Zhao was well aware of all of this.

Take for example the cars and other mechanical equipment at the base that didn't require crude oil as power. But what about other stuff? What about the chemical industry aspect?

When Zaro had first arrived on the base, he had asked questions regarding these.

However, when Fang Zhao saw that the Planet Bu personnel hadn't bothered to explain further, Fang Zhao just treated it as nothing.

Things that were too confidential such as the chemical industry, military affairs, and others couldn't be revealed to external people. Planet Bu was no exception. Every single base was just like this and would only let guests see the most basic things. Other aspects weren't something outsiders could come into contact with. How could a planet that was garrisoned for so long have just the few things that Song Ping had shown?

"Wah! What is that!" Woo Tianhao's eyes lit up as he pointed at a car parked inside a warehouse.

"The car is used by soldiers nearby for transporting small-scale goods," Song Ping explained.

"It looks like the dune buggies we toyed with at the beach some time back, right Zaro?" Woo Tianhao said.

"A little, but there are weapons attached on top of it." Zaro scanned the installations on the car and touched the broad tires. "The tires are a little different from the ones we used back then."

"It looks even more impressive! Brother Ping, what is this sort of car called?" In Woo Tianhao's opinion, this sort of car ought to have a name like "Wild Dog", "Wild Bull", "T-Rex", or something else wild and ferocious.

"We call it 'Little Electric Donkey,'" Song Ping said.

"...An electric-powered car? Little Electric Donkey then, so be it. Can I try it?" Woo Tianhao rubbed his hands together.

"Sure." There were five cars in the warehouse. Song Ping locked the weapons systems on these vehicles before letting them use it.

Woo Tianhao and Zaro were all old hands. Upon getting on, they sped off into the desert.

After consulting Song Ping, Mitisy slowly drove the car out of the warehouse.

"Fang Zhao, you..." Song Ping had just seen Mitisy drive out and turned around, preparing to ask Fang Zhao when he saw Curly Hair hop on.

"Hic...you have no qualms bringing the dog along?" There wasn't any form of protection on the car. What would happen if the car flipped and squashed the dog? 200 million!

Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair squatting in the storage seat and wagging his tail before turning to reply at Song Ping, "No problem, he isn't afraid."

Song Ping: "..." But I am afraid!

Song Ping felt his heart rising up into his mouth as he watched Fang Zhao drive out.

Sighing, Song Ping turned to the last special guest inside the warehouse.

Barbara extended her hand adorned with jewels and neatened her flowery summer hat, put on a pair of shades, and smiled elegantly. "I will be taking a walk nearby."

A young lady of nobility doesn't ride this sort of coarse car!

Song Ping sighed once again as he watched Barbara lift the hems of her skirt and leave with her assistants and bodyguards. Song Ping then got soldiers to follow and protect these five guests.

Fang Zhao didn't drift like Woo Tianhao and Zaro when he drove out. He kept a speed that wasn't too fast or too slow as he surveyed the surroundings. Moving further ahead, he couldn't see a single plant anywhere.

Gusts of wind blew, sweeping up huge sheets of sand.

Curly Hair stuck his tongue out as if playfully licking the golden sand all around.

Approximately 20 minutes later, they received a notice from Song Ping.

"Urgent warning, we have to return. There's a storm nearby."

Fang Zhao didn't delay upon receiving the notice. He turned the car around and headed back.

Zaro and Woo Tianhao had driven far out, but because of their speed, they managed to return quickly, even before Fang Zhao.

However, Zaro tried to show off his drifting when coming to a stop.

After a beautiful arc, Song Ping, Barbara, and her entourage were hit with a spray of sand.

Song Ping was still fine. He had long gotten used to it, and his body was always full of sand every time he went out. Barbara couldn't stand it and shouted while patting away the sand on her body. There was no place to shower here, and she hadn't brought along any clean clothes. She could only make do with glaring as if she wanted to kill Zaro.

Noticing that a situation was going to occur, Song Ping hurriedly drew everyone's attention away. "The wind is getting strong. Let us hurry up and leave. Get on the car!"

The Little Electric Donkeys were parked and the warehouse was locked. The party hurriedly got on the car and left.

After a while in the car, Barbara had finally gotten rid of all the dirt on her face. She was admiring herself in the mirror when she realized her ring was missing from her finger.

"My diamond ring!" Barbara wailed.

Every accessory Barbara wore on her body was specially custom-made. The value of the gems on them weren't ordinary either. What Barbara loved the most was the design of the ring, and nothing could compare to it.

She anxiously searched on the car and didn't find it.

"I definitely lost it while patting away the sand on my body! It was definitely still there before that!" Barbara shot Zaro a murderous look.

Song Ping felt his head hurting more. The things these little brats wore definitely wasn't cheap.

"Should I send men to search for it?" Getting the car to turn around to everyone search for it was impossible. They could only roughly estimate the changes to the desert atmosphere, but it wasn't too precise. All along, they had always needed to make the necessary preparations beforehand. If they were to return now, what would happen if they were to encounter any unforeseen events?

Barbara took a look at the screen displaying the weather conditions and said with a gloomy look. "No need, let's return to the base first!"

Turning back now was too risky. Her heart ached from losing the ring, but not to the point where she would let the soldiers risk their safety to help her look for it.

"If I lost it, then so be it. Zaro will compensate me!" Barbara glared coldly and stared more daggers at him.

Zaro was so angry he nearly leaped down from his seat. "You lost it yourself! What has it got to do with me! Look at yourself for wearing so many accessories! Unreasonable demon!"

"If you had eyes on your head and didn't spray me with sand, would my precious ring have gone missing?!"

"Ha! Surely that ring of yours was sick of you and took the opportunity to escape! Look, why haven't you lost your other rings?"

Song Ping's head hurt as the two bickered. Luckily, Barbara didn't insist they turn around to search for it, and everyone returned to the base safely.

The two were still arguing when they got back to base.

"How about this? After the storm subsides, we'll return to search for it," Song Ping said. Actually, deep down he knew that in such a place, the odds of finding a tiny ring after the storm subsided would be extremely low.

"Tsk, it's just a tiny ring. Look at how miserly you are." The corner's of Zaro's mouth curled upwards.

"Diamond ring! The only one of its kind in the world. A large, diamond, ring!" Barbara emphasized.

Zaro seemed to think of something and his tone changed. "Only one of its kind in the world? Wait here!"

After that, Zaro returned to his room for a bit. When he came out, he threw a box at Barbara. "Compensation!"

After tossing the box at Barbara, Zaro quickly returned to his room and locked the door.

Barbara was apprehensive of the box that Zaro tossed over. She stood a distance away and got an assistant to open it.

Inside the room, Zaro's agent asked curiously. "What was in the box? A real diamond ring?"

Zaro replied gleefully, "She wanted a large diamond ring? I gave her a large——ring. A special variant of Planet Wai's garlic. In the entire world, this species exists only on Planet Wai. It's one of a kind too,even I couldn't bear to eat it.[1.The chinese characters for diamond and garlic sound similar. Diamond is zuan, while garlic is suan.]

Agent: "..." Are you courting death?

Program team staff resting area.

The director was holding on to a cup of hot tea as he discussed the script. He didn't think that these high-profile special guests would follow their script entirely. Neither did he hope to assign any special roles to these guests. All he hoped for was that these few would follow the general outline.

Didn't General Renault say this already? Let Zaro suffer some hardship.

Endure some sandstorms, be vegetarian for a period, and experience an arduous and dull life. This should be considered tough for these bunch of aristocratic young masters.

"How are things going on at that side?" The director asked a staff member.

"It seems...still fine," the person said weakly.

"What sort of reply is that? Say 'alright' if it's alright and say 'no' if it isn't. What is 'seems still fine'?" The director was displeased with the staff member giving him this sort of reply.

That staff member also didn't bother to explain and showed the director the messages he received today.

What he saw was a series of photographs.

In the first photo, the five special guests were surrounding a simple platform as they watched Song Ping dissect a creature. Apparently that creature was a pest.

In the second photograph, the five special guests were gathered around a grill. On it were a number of pests that had been gutted and cleaned. It was as if the director could hear the sizzling of oil and the fragrance of roasted meat.

Everyone in the program team that spent the day as vegetarians started salivating.

Further on were photographs of Zaro and the others drifting joyfully in the desert. They even made victory signs towards the camera. Even that dog by Fang Zhao's side seemed to be happily sticking out its tongue and playing in the sand.

The members of the program team whose bodies hadn't yet fully adapted and were cooped up in the base for the entire day: "..." They felt so envious.

"Does this count as enjoying in spite of suffering?" A staff member muttered.

Director: "Hehe."

How is this suffering?!

At a glance, it really seemed like a vacation. Every one of them were happily having so much fun!

If this went on, the mission General Renault gave him would not be completed.

The director clapped slapped the script in his hands and regained his self-confidence.

"Just let them have fun while they can. From tomorrow onwards, we will follow the arrangements made by the program team. Those that can move, move. We will be starting to film ahead of schedule!"

After he completed issuing his instructions, the director sat down beaming as he looked at the script with a cup of hot tea. Mhmm, that's right. I am the one who controls everything.

Chapter 386: Causing Trouble

After sending Fang Zhao and the others back to base, Song Ping went and reported to Commanding Officer Flemington.

"Fang Zhao didn't hear anything useful?" This was what Flemington was most concerned with.

"No," Song Ping replied.

Flemington immediately looked disappointed; however, he had already anticipated this outcome.

"Seems like these rumors were all exaggerated," Flemington sighed and waved his hands dismissively. "Never mind, just bring this bunch to have fun. If they have fun, they will be willing to spend. Are they easy to bring along?"

Song Ping recalled the few special guests' behavior today and reported honestly, "They are still alright. A little squeamish, but they don't behave that much worse than others. Zaro and Woo Tianhao were really happy while driving the cars and said that they would donate a fleet to us!"

"Haha that's good!" The disappointment in Flemington's heart disappeared in an instant.

As long as the special guests didn't cause trouble and were willing to donate more stuff, they would definitely benefit with this collaboration with this project team.

"Carry out Plan A," Flemington said in a relaxed manner.

When the program team came calling, Commanding Officer Flemington had discussed with the other high level officers of the base and came up with two sets of response plans. If the special guests performed well, they would cooperate to the greatest extent, which was their aforementioned "Plan A". If the guests threw their weight around and caused trouble, the base would be forceful and let this bunch suffer some hardship in "Plan B".

Now that everything seemed to be going smoothly, Flemington also chose to take the path of "Plan A" . This way, the program team could film in peace, and they would all be relaxed as well. Everyone would get what they needed and both sides would benefit.

After Song Ping left, Flemington was in a good mood as he browsed through the photos and videos of the five special guests that Song Ping had submitted. They had all been taken today.

But somehow, as Flemington flipped through them, he felt that something seemed a little off.

Weren't the bunch of creatures being laid out like salted fish on the ground the hardest pests to exterminate at the base?!

Flemington thought that he had seen wrong. He rubbed his eyes and took a closer look at the photograph. There was nothing wrong with his eyes; those really were the things that caused him so much headache!

Just now, Song Ping had said that Fang Zhao's dog that was worth 200 million was a little helper at catching pests. He had thought that Song Ping said it as a joke and was exaggerating, but it was really true!

Nightfall descended on the base.

Outside, sand and dust filled the sky, and the raging storm had yet to pass. However, the inside of the base was rather peaceful.

There were very few entertainment facilities and enriching entertainment activities at the base. There wasn't free internet access either, so many people slept early.

Fang Zhao had great pickings today. He had gained quite some inspiration when they were out today and wrote down some musical scores before lying down to rest. Instead of sleeping, he quietly listened to the various sorts of sounds.

Although the base had decent soundproofing, as long as Fang Zhao concentrated, he could also hear the the wind and sand blowing against the base.

That was a natural rhythm that was impossible for a person to create.

Wind, sand, rocks, land, and the solid barrier that man had created. This was the sound of all those things interacting with each other.

All of these sounds formed individual musical notes in Fang Zhao's mind, forming a score that specifically belonged to Planet Bu.

Suddenly, Fang Zhao distantly heard some minute unfamiliar notes and tones that were difficult to catch.

That little bit of sound was feeble, like the activity of ants beneath the feet of humans. It could be extinguished at any moment, yet it still struggled and fortunately could still rush out.

The beat that was both strong and weak had intervals that seemed to have been measured by the world's most accurate metronome. It didn't get tired and continued over and over like a beckon, yet also like a plea.

What exactly was that?

Just as Fang Zhao was pondering, Curly Hair groaned and ran over to the side of Fang Zhao's bed.

Fang Zhao opened his eyes and glanced at Curly Hair.

Curly Hair whimpered, staring at Fang Zhao with innocent eyes. He was so serious that his tail wasn't wagging.

This sort of behavior by Curly Hair was seeking permission. Back when they were at home, this meant that he wanted to game. But now, Fang Zhao didn't think that Curly Hair had called him in the middle of night because he wanted to game. Wouldn't Curly Hair be asking for a beating for making a fuss and wanting to game in the middle of the night?

"You also hear it? That sound," Fang Zhao asked. He didn't know why, but he felt that Curly Hair had surely heard that sound.

"Woof!" Curly Hair wagged his tail and spun around before running a few steps towards the door then turning to face Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao didn't move and remained seated on the bed.

He was pondering.

He didn't know what that sound was, but it probably wasn't a threat. If it had been other important information, the base would have probably have caught the message.

If even the base couldn't catch it, yet he heard it…

Fang Zhao also couldn't determine whether it was a good or bad thing. After that time on Planet Baiji, it might have seemed impressive, but Fang Zhao knew that he was being eyed by a lot of people. Many scientists wished to study his ears, and there were people who even discussed about whether they could get a hold of Fang Zhao's body should he pass away, whether naturally or by accident.

This time, he could pretend as if nothing had happened and follow the program team as well as the base's arrangements. He'd complete the season of filming before returning back and continuing with his life.

When Curly Hair noticed that Fang Zhao was unmoving, he ran over,raised his dog paws to tug at Fang Zhao's pants, and whimpered.

Fang Zhao suddenly laughed as he watched Curly Hair.

He got up and straightened his clothes before patting Curly Hair's head. "Hide it well."

…

Song Ping was currently watching "Founding Era". He took a look at the time, realized it was already getting late, and decided to go to bed after this episode.

Just that before this episode finished broadcasting, Song Ping received Fang Zhao's call.

"Sound? What sound… Wait a minute!! Explain it in detail!"

Song Ping couldn't care less about the series and questioned hurriedly. He was full of anticipation and anxiety.

Elsewhere, Flemington was in good spirits after handling today's matters and had rested early. He was currently in a deep slumber when he was jolted awake by a call.

It was rare for Flemington to be sleeping so well, so his mood darkened when he was roused. However, he knew that a call at this time would surely mean an urgent matter, so he had no time to be angry and quickly put it through.

"WHAT???!"

Flemington was so startled he tumbled of the bed.

On the other end, Song Ping said rather hurriedly, "Fang Zhao said he heard some sounds. However, I asked some specialists about the sorts of sounds he was hearing and they couldn't provide any conclusive answers. It is possible that it has nothing to do with our base, and the instruments aren't able to detect it as well."

"That's the way!!" Would it still be significant if the instruments could detect it?! Flemington could hardly hold back his excitement.

Back then, Planet Baiji's instruments couldn't detect the ore, but Fang Zhao could hear it!

Flemington's breathing became heavier when he recalled the history of Planet Baiji's rise to prominence.

Hahaha, I never expected that I would also see such a day! Every cloud really has a silver lining!

Without caring about anything else, Flemington put on clothes as fast he could and rushed out of the bedroom.

Fang Zhao was led by Song Ping to Flemington's office, and in no time, Planet Bu's most authoritative figure came striding over.

"Hahaha! Fang Zhao, I have heard about you for a long time! I finally get to see you today!"

Flemington was brimming with enthusiasm as he took Fang Zhao's hand in two of his own and shook them vigorously. He eyed Fang Zhao as though he had seen his own father.

Beside him, Song Ping thought to himself: Sir, restrain yourself a little! Don't scare him away!

Flemington didn't care about what others thought and hurriedly asked Fang Zhao, "You said you heard a sound our base's instruments couldn't detect? Is it ore?"

"No," Fang Zhao replied.

Flemington's mood… seemed to take a sharp nosedive.

Song Ping coughed lightly. "Fang Zhao said the sound seems like something emitted from electrical equipment."

"Electrical equipment?" Flemington calmed down. "It isn't the sound emitted from our outpost or equipment scattered at other areas?"

"Probably not." Song Ping explained, "We don't have many outposts here, and there are only so many equipment we use at the nearby outposts which are all available at the base. I have already let Fang Zhao listen to them, and he says it isn't from one of those."

Song Ping wasn't an impulsive person, and he would only report it to Flemington after confirming the details.

"If it isn't equipment we use at the base or outposts…" Flemington quashed the disappointment in his heart. His face stiffened as the first thing he thought was: Spy!

As though he could guess Song Ping and Flemington's thoughts, Fang Zhao replied, "It probably isn't a spy. It doesn't seem to have invasive properties."

"Reason?" Flemington frowned and stared at Fang Zhao.

"Feeling," Fang Zhao replied.

Flemington was at a loss for words.

Curly Hair was lying by Fang Zhao's feet. He raised his head to look at Flemington before turning to Fang Zhao. Those innocent looking eyes appeared as though he completely didn't understand what these people were saying.

Flemington pondered for a bit. "Regardless whether this sound has any invasive properties or not, we must get to the bottom of this matter!"

Flemington brought up the weather forecast, studying it before asking Fang Zhao. "Can you determine which direction it is coming from?"

"Yes." Fang Zhao pointed at a direction.

"How far? Flemington asked again.

"I can't say for certain, but it isn't within the scope of the base."

"Then is that sound still emitting? Did you hear it last night?" Flemington continued his questioning.

"I didn't hear it last night, but it is still sounding now," Fang Zhao replied truthfully.

Fang Zhao was certain he didn't hear it last night and Curly Hair hadn't acted out of the ordinary either. That sound definitely wasn't being emitted last night. Of course, there was the possibility that the sound had been further away so they hadn't heard it.

"Fang Zhao, could you help out tonight? I will dispatch men to follow you out of the base to trace the source of the sound. The storm outside is starting to weaken. There shouldn't be any storms that cannot be handled in the direction you pointed out in the next 20 hours."

"Alright, but the program team starts filming tomorrow," Fang Zhao said.

"Don't worry, I will handle it."

After thinking about it, Flemington added himself to the group he arranged to escort Fang Zhao. He couldn't sit still in the base. Whether this was good or bad, he still had to get to the bottom of it.

The base was very efficient, and Flemington very quickly dispatched men, cars, and flying transports to bring Fang Zhao out of the base. A whole squad of people headed out in the direction where Fang Zhao had pointed out.

In the base.

Barbara was painting her nails. After today's trip out, the designs on her nails were messed up.

Because of Barbara's high standards, she spent two to three hours removing the nail polish before applying a manicure. Only the last bit was left.

Barbara's attendant was painting a design an artist had constructed personally for her. She had originally wanted the design to be embedded, but when she thought about how she had lost her diamond ring today, she changed her plans and at the same time pondered how to get her revenge on Zaro. For example… conning him of 100 million?

As she was deep in thought, a bodyguard who accompanied her over to Planet Bu rushed over and said some words to Barbara in a low soft voice.

Barbara's finger trembled and the design on her nails that was almost completed ruined. By her side, her attendant hung her head and didn't dare let out a squeak.

However, this time Barbara didn't care about her nails and only asked the bodyguard solemnly, "Is the news verified?"

"Verified! Flemington has already brought Fang Zhao out of the base."

"Chase after them!"

"Yes! I will dispatch someone to trail them in secret…"

The side of Barbara's lip curled upwards. "No need. Just go follow them openly. I will personally bring people over!"

"It's too dangerous! Would Flemington try to do anything funny to us outside?" Another bodyguard replied worriedly.

"They wouldn't dare!" Barbara didn't want to continue explaining and arranged for her men to borrow a car from the base . She called over another bodyguard and told him, "Leave Zaro's side a message. Let him know that Fang Zhao heard something. Flemington is currently bringing him along to search."

"What about the others? Do we tell them too?" The bodyguard asked.

"No need. Once Zaro learns about it, the other two will also know," Barbara said assuredly.

At Zaro's side.

Zaro was currently writing out a message at a tremendous speed. His mind was filled with stuff he wanted to grumble and complain to his grandfather about. After he was finished with the draft, he set it to send automatically when internet access became available.

Zaro's agent couldn't sleep from worry either. He was thinking about how to face Barbara's wrath tomorrow.

A accompanying bodyguard came over hurriedly and told Zaro the information he had just received.

"For real?!" Zaro had a look of pleasant surprise. He had been thoroughly engrossed in drafting his message and hadn't completely stepped out from the spoiled and adorable character he used with the Leizhou governor.

"The information is verified."

"Great!!"

Zaro tossed aside all other thoughts and immediately called Woo Tianhao over to conspire and cause trouble.

This wasn't an obligation of friendship. Zaro also didn't analyze things as incisively as Barbara. However, he knew that pulling an extra person along meant more guarantees. It was just like finding someone to share the blame when causing trouble. At the end of the day, if everything went wrong, he wouldn't have to suffer alone.

"Could it be that he discovered ore again?!" This was Zaro's first thought.

"Probably not. This planet doesn't seem to be the sort that has power ores. And even if it did, the ores wouldn't be of a high grade and wouldn't have any extracting value.

"Then could it be aliens?" Zaro made another guess.

"… To be precise, we are the aliens to the native organisms of this planet," Woo Tianhao retorted.

"Then it must surely be some other important matter! I know this fellow Fang Zhao. Although he isn't as handsome as me, his ears are even sharper than a dog's! Perhaps what he heard will be a startling discovery. We mustn't miss out on it!" Zaro thought that Woo Tianhao was afraid.

Woo Tianhao wasn't afraid; he was weighing the pros and cons, yet his brain had some areas that worked in a similar manner to Zaro's. After the conspiring, he realized that there was still too much pressure on the two of them. herefore, they got a hold of Mitisy, who couldn't sleep and was preparing to head to the exercise hall.

Mitisy froze when he heard what the other two said. He then handed his tennis racket over to a bodyguard and made a subtle hand gesture. That bodyguard left with the tennis racket and returned a short while later,whispering something to Mitisy.

After, Mitisy joined Zaro and Woo Tianhao in their covert activities.

"How about we first secretly…"

Just when this was suggested, they found out that Barbara had already brought a whole bunch of people and left the base with great fanfare.

The three: "…"

What is there to sneak about? Hurry up! Gather men and set out!

The three didn't tarry, and just like Barbara, they borrowed vehicles and flying transports from the base with their entourage in tow.

At the area of the other program team members.

The director was studying the script intently. He had just discussed it with the screenwriter and added in a few topics to emphasize which could make the entire program better.

Full marks!

A godly masterpiece!

Breathtaking plot, dramatic ups and downs, how thrilling!

With five high-level special guests alongside such a script, the program would definitely make a comeback!

Calling on a few other program team members who couldn't sleep from excitement, the director said confidently, "This time we will definitely soar!:

The other members were ecstatic. A pay raise was before them!

"Tomorrow, we will first…"

The beaming director hadn't even finished speaking when he received a notice from Bu Base——"Program filming is to be postponed and Fang Zhao will be borrowed."

Director: "…"

He was pissed!

The director didn't know the reason why Fang Zhao had been borrowed by the military. However, he felt that he should first placate the other special guests. Who knew if they would have any grievances?

The director made a call to Zaro's agent. He had yet to say anything when he heard the sound of wind whistling as a motorcade drove across sand.

There were also the excited "whoops" of Zaro and Woo Tianhao beside.

Director: "…"

Forget about everything else first. His heart was tired.

Chapter 387: Discovery

On the sand dunes, a motorcade was currently moving. There were still a number of flying transports following after in the air.

The storm above the sand dunes had yet to subside, but it had clearly weakened.

Flemington looked through the weather forecast that was sent over and noticed Fang Zhao staring continuously into the distance. He thought that Fang Zhao was worried about the storm outside, so he reassured, "This storm has already passed and will start to subside rapidly. It's no longer powerful enough to pose a threat to us. Normally, we will still do missions in this sort of weather."

Fang Zhao was seated in the back holding on to Curly Hair. He smiled upon hearing what Flemington said but declined to comment. He had been thinking about other stuff rather than worrying about the storm. It wasn't a threat to the motorcade. Instead, he had been trying to analyze what exactly that sound could be.

As they got closer to that sound, Fang Zhao could hear it even clearer. Fang Zhao had no way of explaining the "beckoning" and "crying for help" meanings he heard from this sound. Even he himself didn't know why he knew this.

"Is it really in this direction?" Flemington scrutinized the map as well as the projected path of the motorcade with a doubtful look.

"Yes," Fang Zhao said decisively.

Flemington's brows furrowed even more, but he didn't let the motorcade slow down.

"How much further?" Flemington asked.

"With this speed, another half an hour would suffice," Fang Zhao replied.

"If the direction is right, after half an hour, the place we will be at is part of the 'Outer Region'."

Where the base was at, the areas which were frequently patrolled and areas with installations were classified as the "Inner Region". The so-called "Outer Region" was the area outside of this "Inner Region''. In layman's terms, it was the area which the military personnel at the base least understood and seldom went to.

"The sand dunes in that area change rapidly, and there is also quicksand. We have to be careful." Flemington picked up his communications devices and got the other vehicles in the motorcade to follow tightly. The lead car was large, but there were less people inside. On it were all sorts of equipment and devices to avoid danger zones.

"Sir, there is someone following us." An officer reported on the situation at the base as well as the people following the motorcade.

Flemington heaved a long sigh. He knew that he couldn't keep it from those people. In any case, they were still descendants of Great Generals. Were all the kids groomed by these super families all blockheads?

Furthermore, even if he kept this from Zaro and the others, there would be other people in the base who would pass on this information. Bu Base wasn't just run by Flemington alone. This Fang Zhao person was just too unusual. Because of his previous incidents at Planet Baiji, this time other people were also actively alert.

After a short moment of pondering, Flemington said, "Contact the cars behind and get them to return to base. Advise them first. If they can't be persuaded, then forget about it." At least by announcing his stance, if something really did happen, Flemington had already done his part to warn them. If anything happened later on, it would be because those people behind insisted on following.

After the call, Flemington laughed and patted Fang Zhao on his shoulder. "If this time we find something important, I will definitely help you apply for military merits! Perhaps your reserve duty rank might even rise again."

Although this was said, if it wasn't an especially huge contribution, getting a promotion of his reserve duty rank was really impossible. There were many people who were honestly striving to achieve merits in the military before they could get promoted. Fang Zhao had already been discharged. In the past, reserve duty wasn't subjected to the same rules and regulations. However new rules had been set a few years back to further motivate reserve duty military personnel.

For people like Fang Zhao who were still under reserve duty, if they could earn a large merit, perhaps he could still be promoted. But that was on the premise of a large contribution and influence.

The group tightly following behind the motorcade.

"Will we really be alright following them? This is base military after all, and we aren't familiar with them. Would they forcefully send us back?" Mitisy asked worriedly.

"Definitely not, even if they object, we can donate more stuff. I will throw in an extra truckload of garlic!" Zaro didn't even think about how the base military would stop them. Right now, all he wanted to know was what Fang Zhao had discovered and how to mess around following that. He was already getting bored of this period.

Hearing Zaro speak about donating garlic, Mitisy scratched his head. "That isn't too good, right?"

"How isn't it good? What's wrong with garlic? Are you looking down on garlic? Do you know how valuable farm produce is?! Furthermore, in this sort of poor and barren place, garlic is even more of a rare commodity!"

Mitisy thought about it. That made sense. Ordinarily, the soldiers at Bu Base couldn't consume garlic. There were limited seasonings over at the dining hall, and the condiments available were mostly native species. The flavor wasn't much, and it was fine as long as it was edible. They couldn't be picky in this place. If one couldn't stomach it, they would go hungry. With the garlic that Zaro donated, the soldiers would have improved lives in any case.

"Then I will donate a gymnasium. The base's exercise facilities aren't good enough," Mitisy said.

Woo Tianhao wasn't willing to be left behind. "I wonder if they would take a dojo."

15 minutes later.

In the motorcade at the front, Flemington received a report from a subordinate. "Signal detected!"

Flemington immediately shot straight up. His hand holding on to the communications device was shaking. Fang Zhao's ears hadn't heard wrongly!

"Has the source of the signal been confirmed?!"

"Its a foreign signal. Although it is weak and we can't confirm what exactly it is, the signal grows stronger as we move forward. It should probably be at the place where Fang Zhao said it is! We have yet to construct any monitoring installations in the area. There is no way the signal comes from the equipment!"

"Very good! Continue to analyze the source of the signal and find out what it is! Teams, increase speed and move forward… no, maintain original speed, we must be cautious! All of you raise your guard up!" Flemington bellowed.

Flemington also couldn't be bothered about Fang Zhao right now. After issuing the order, he quickly contacted the base and made arrangements. Although Fang Zhao said that the signal wasn't threatening, he didn't dare take any risks and arranged for teams at the base to be on standby.

Moving forward, they no longer needed Fang Zhao to point the way. The motorcade had already caught the signal. When the signal became clear, the team arrived at their destination.

Flemington studied the map, then glanced at the sand dunes not too far away before pointing. "There!"

"Take readings again! Depth probing!"

Flemington was itching to immediately dig out whatever was beneath the sand. However, the signal source was buried too deep. Since they also didn't understand the region too well, they also needed to check that the place was stable and that there wasn't any quicksand.

As the surveying crew got busy, Fang Zhao also studied the area as well as the markings on the map Flemington had given him. The large expanse ahead was a large pit. The pit was completely filled with sand. If this sand were replaced by water, it would become a large lake that was over a hundred meters deep. The source of the signal was inside the the pit.

Before Bu Base was constructed, a preliminary exploration of the entire planet was done. The deepest this region had been explored to was only a hundred meters. After it had been classified as the "Outer Region", no one had paid any attention to it anymore. Probing equipment couldn't be installed, and even if it could, the equipment would be buried by sand after a few days. It would be a waste. Bu Base was really poor, and they couldn't afford to spend resources wantonly. Therefore, no monitoring installations nor outposts were set up in this region.

Upon seeing Fang Zhao bring the dog out, Flemington reminded, "Keep the dog on a tight leash and don't lose him. Right now it is still okay since it's nighttime, but don't let him out during the day. His fur is too thick, and he'll be affected by the heat. Make sure to keep him on the car." This dog was worth 200 million! Flemington still wanted to borrow the dog to exterminate pests when they got back. He didn't want to let the dog fall ill.

Fang Zhao nodded and brought Curly Hair for a walk in the designated safe range.

Curly Hair was very excited and sniffed around as he walked before he started digging frantically.

When Flemington saw this, he chuckled. "His short little legs are quite energetic…"

Flemington hadn't finished speaking when the smile on his face faded. He stared fixedly at the hole Curly Hair was digging. A dog's sense of smell was even more keen than a human's. It was said that this dog which was worth 200 million had an extraordinary sense of smile. Could it be that it had discovered something?

30 seconds later, an animal like a sand lizard was dragged out in Curly Hair's mouth. Afterwards, it was tossed around by Curly Hair as a toy.

Flemington: "…" Disappointment.

A short while later, Flemington sensed activity on that side and looked over again.

Curly Hair had dragged out yet another animal.

Flemington: "…"

He silently retracted his gaze.

On the third time, Flemington no longer carried any hope. When he looked over, he saw Fang Zhao squatting down to pick up something that Curly Hair had excavated. His squinting eyes widened immediately and he hurried over.

"What did you find?!"

"A piece of metal." Fang Zhao handed over the metal piece that had been excavated.

The piece of metal that wasn't even half the size of his fist seemed as though it was part of a wreckage from a flying transport. After sending it over for analysis, the verdict was that this metal existed even before Bu Base.

That meant that this piece was already here even before Bu Base was constructed!

"Commander, the probe results of this region are out." A technician transmitted the depth probe's readings over.

Flemington rapidly went through the report, and excitement showed on every inch of muscle in his body. Pointing at the huge sand pit, he said, "Dig it up!"

Bu Base was poor in the past and they were unwilling to even spend the least bit of money. Now, Flemington, who always took the conservative path, decided to be audacious and try it out.

Considering Planet Baiji and Planet Wai and how these bases that were on the tail end of the development sequence had flourished, who wouldn't be willing when a chance to change Planet Bu's fortunes appeared? Even if the changes weren't too large, creating some news to attract attention over would also be good.

Of course, if there were others willing to share the responsibility, Flemington was also more than willing. Say, for example, those few special guests that were behind.

Just as he thought about those special guests, Zaro's party arrived.

Upon learning that there was something buried in the huge sand pit, Zaro visualized all sorts of scenarios.

Flying transports from the base also delivered a batch of equipment. Flemington got his men to hand out metal detectors that could be worn on the wrist. Personnel not participating in the excavation would use these detectors to scan for any buried items. The more they dug, the stronger the signals became.

Their base was poor and equipment was lacking. Some equipment still required manpower, so Flemington arranged for another team to be sent over.

The sky gradually got brighter and the temperature rose.

Zaro and the others came over, wanting to play around with a few detector probes.

"Give me one, I will personally do it myself!"

"Me too, me too!"

After using it for awhile without detecting anything, Zaro could no longer endure and his gaze wandered over to the surroundings.

"Eh? What is that?" Zaro saw some white granules.

Barbara, Woo Tianhao, and Mitisy heard activity from Zaro's side, so they all gathered around.

Zaro pinched one grain with his fingers. As he squeezed it hard, the grain turned into fine dust. Zaro was amazed. "Is this some sort of local specialty desert salt?"

A soldier beside him answered with an awkward look on his face. "… That local specialty is the feces of a native desert species."

In the distance, a peculiar creature stuck out half a head above the sand. Noticing people observing it, it burrowed back in to the sand with a whoosh.

Curly Hair's nosed twitched. When he took two steps towards Zaro and the others, Fang Zhao pulled him backwards by his leash.

"Let them dig the rest out themselves."

Chapter 388: Unearthing a Treasure

Woo Tianhao roared with laughter as he made fun of Zaro.

With a rigid face, Zaro slapped away the fine white dust on his hands. Beside him, Barbara avoided him like the plague.

Mitisy stifled his laughter. When he saw Colonel Song Ping, he ran over to borrow excavation equipment and mentioned to him their donation ideas that they came up with on the journey here. Song Ping was delighted; regardless whether it was garlic, a dojo, or a gym, they needed all of those!

When Fang Zhao heard this, he also chimed in, "I will take part too. What else does the base lack?"

Song Ping pondered for a bit before coughing lightly in an awkward manner. "How about you contribute a KTV bar?" Song Ping wasn't bragging, but when it came to singing military songs, nobody in Bu Base would claim that they were better than him! Just that it was unfortunate that he didn't have a place to exhibit it.

Fang Zhao: "… I will, if it is approved."

As they were speaking, Curly Hair, who had been squeezed into a tent by Fang Zhao, stuck his head out and stared over at where Zaro and the others were.

Zaro, who had been just made the butt of a joke, was twitching his lips. He got up, turned on his detector, and changed another spot to survey when he heard a shrill beeping.

The few people who had just been avoiding Zaro all turned to look back.

"Eh?" Zaro waved the detector about. "There is something beneath the sand here… hey hey, what are you doing!"

Zaro squeezed out Woo Tianhao, who had scrambled over and started digging. He then ordered his bodyguards, "It's here! Dig!"

After day broke, the temperature rapidly soared. Everyone had perspiration dripping down their faces, but they were in high spirits and didn't hide inside the tents.

A bodyguard held out an opened umbrella to block out the sun and Zaro stood under it. Zaro downed a glass of water, wiped his face, and observed the two bodyguards digging. This was a metal piece he had detected. When it was out, he could use it as a souvenir and bring it back to show off!

Over at Flemington's side, the excavation activities had gone on for some time already and they had found quite a few metal fragments in succession. Although they existed for a long time, these metal fragments didn't seem to have too severe signs of corrosion. According to the analysis results of the technicians, these metal fragments were probably from a spaceship or exploratory ship. The materials found were similar to the ones found on the Arcturus and other exploratory ships.

The metal piece that Zaro had discovered didn't arouse Flemington's attention. Right now, Flemington's main focus was all on the sand pit.

The two bodyguards dug out the top layer of sand and some rolled-up metal sheets were revealed. One of the bodyguards was about to use force and yank it out but was stopped by Zaro.

"Careful, careful!" Zaro blocked off the bodyguard who had been digging. "In the old archeology flicks I saw, you have to first brush off the sand and then blow lightly…"

As he said that, Zaro got down to his knees and inhaled. He had yet to blow when a gust of wind gave him a face full of sand.

He wiped his face miserably. The sand had mixed with his sweat to turn onto a muddy paste, and his face was all messy. Zaro no longer had any patience and pulled the whole metal sheet out from the sand.

"There are even words—hey!"

Zaro brushed off the sand on the metal sheet and blew gently. This time he took note of the wind direction.

Most of the metal sheet was already ruined and all fuzzy so the words couldn't be distinguished. Fortunately, there was still a small portion in the middle that was clear.

Zaro rotated the metal sheet a few times. "This should be the right way up. It's a letter…'n'?"

Mitisy came over and studied it. "Looks like 'η', the right portion is clearly a little longer."

"Oh? Is it? No wonder I felt that something wasn't right…" Zaro replied.

He hadn't finished speaking when Barbara rushed over and snatched the metal sheet before kicking Zaro to the side.

Zaro was furious at being kicked aside. He rolled up his sleeves preparing to take revenge but was stopped by Mitisy.

"Barbara, are you able to recognize it?" Mitisy asked as he held of Zaro.

Barbara's reaction was too huge. She no longer kept the image of a noble and virtuous young lady. Even her fan had been chucked aside.

Instances that could make Barbara act this way were extremely rare. Mitisy, who wasn't able to see any useful information, waited for her answer.

Hearing Mitisy say this, Zaro also froze and glanced over. Zaro trembled as he saw the twinkling in Barbara's eyes. Had this unreasonable demon gone crazy?

There was still quite some sand and a layer of grime on it. At this moment, Barbara couldn't care less about her obsession with cleanliness. Her two hands held the metal sheet firmly as she stared at it. There was shock, fervor, infatuation, and crazed looks in her eyes, as though she had seen a 100 kg diamond.

"The Alkaid… the 'η' letter imprint. It is definitely the Alkaid, there's no doubt about it!"

"What?!" Flemington's pitch became higher. He had came over unnoticed by the others. He couldn't believe his ears. All his internal organs shuddered when he heard "Alkaid".

With his hand propped to his ears, Mitisy had also heard it. His face was similarly filled with shock. "You mean to say that the thing buried here is the Alkaid, one of the seven fabled primal interstellar exploratory spacecrafts of Dream Team?! Wasn't the Alkaid said to have met with an accident in the preliminary stage and was destroyed?"

Flemington breathed heavily. "Contact with the Alkaid was lost. Just that no traces of it were discovered all these years so people guessed that it must have met with some geomagnetic storm in space and was destroyed and vanished from the universe.

Za·Dunce·ro appeared to be at a loss. What was an 'Alkaid'? Was there such an exploratory spacecraft?"

His manager beside him proceeded to give him the lowdown.

Many people knew about the Sirius and that it had been one of the pioneers in space exploration in the New Era. It represented a new era. And before the Sirius, there was still a primal exploratory team comprising of seven unmanned space crafts that were christened after the stars in the Big Dipper.

"Primal exploratory team Dream Team bore the apex wisdom and intelligence of that time!" Barbara said with a fervor in her eyes as she stared ahead at the sand pit which was being excavated.

"Alkaid, serial η lost all communications during an exploratory mission. To find the Alkaid, the Inter-planetary Fund offered a reward of 100 billion!"

100 billion!

For the absolute majority of people, this number was an astronomical figure!

A fire lit up in the eyes of those present.

The one who started Dream Team was the founder of the Inter-planetary Fund!

The initial reward was 10 billion, but as the years passed, generations after generations of Inter-planetary Fund administrators had changed. But the reward for the Alkaid was never retracted and increased continuously! 400 years had passed, and the reward had already been raised to a point that could make Barbara and the others from an aristocratic super-family background go crazy.

In those 400 years, as humanity's footsteps in space increased, many adventurers had tried searching for it, but they all returned in disappointment.

Whether it was Flemington, Song Ping, or many others undergoing military service on foreign planets, they would all have dreamt about finding the Alkaid. However, the harsh reality had sobered them up.

400 years had already passed, and the reward for the task of finding the Alkaid that remained in first place on the rewards board had already become a leisure topic.

"Could the Inter-planetary Fund set the reward so high because they themselves never imagined that the Alkaid could be found? Who would have imagined that traces of the Alkaid would be found after 400 years? If we really unearth the Alkaid this time, the Inter-planetary Fund wouldn't go back on their word right?" Woo Tianhao voiced his thoughts.

"Definitely not! That is the Inter-planetary Fund we are talking about!" Barbara refuted. If this was really unearthed, the Inter-planetary Fund would definitely not go back on their word!

Whatever the case, the Inter-planetary Fund had never been fraudulent before this. Whatever was stated was paid out, not a cent less! And it wasn't paid out in installments either.

If the offered reward was 100 billion, then it would be 100 billion!

So what if they went back on their word?!

That wasn't permitted!

Absolutely not permitted!

Not a single cent less!

Flemington smiling mouth was about to crack. He felt as though he could soar into the high heavens.

100 billion!

Even if they couldn't claim all of it, their Bu Base would surely claim the majority!

Even if they couldn't apply for next year's military expenditure, the reward from the Inter-planetary Fund would be enough for them to spend!

Spaceport upgrade… Base expansion… Mm, entice some agricultural scientists over with high salaries… a full scale refurbishing of soldiers' equipment… Another 10 motorcades…

Flemington had already started to ponder about how to spend this bounty.

The teams that were excavating were stimulated as though they had been injected with amphetamine when the heard the information about the Alkaid!

Unlike the others who were going crazy, Fang Zhao was way more calm. He recalled something that he had read up on.

There was very little information concerning the first generation of seven interstellar exploratory spacecraft online. He only knew that the seven ships that comprised Dream Team were the batch with the best technology. Afterwards, the Sirius belonged to a "newer generation", and further on, other exploratory spacecrafts in interstellar spaceships were considered even more junior.

Generally, science and technological products that were out of date would only have value in being collected and displayed in a museum or on a display shelf. Reasonably speaking, after so many years of science and technology, there was lots of innovation when it came to the strides humanity took in space. Spaceships and warships had already gone through many rounds of upgrades, and a spacecraft from that generation shouldn't make people go that crazy. However, everyone's reaction was just like an Old Era archeology team discovering a magnificent mausoleum of an ancient emperor!

The seven spacecrafts of the primal exploratory Dream Team that could make the Inter-planetary Fund fork out 100 billion wouldn't be that simple. Furthermore, Fang Zhao took notice of the words "bore the apex wisdom and intelligence of that time".

Flemington also didn't care about what Fang Zhao was thinking. He directed men to continue excavating while preparing his report to the top brass. As for Zaro and the others, Flemington had partitioned some areas from them to play around.

Zaro and the others were also unwilling to sit at the side and be idle. They waved at Flemington and requested for some excavating machinery.

Mitisy's manager Luxin was currently busy taking photographs of Mitisy.

Zaro noticed this and spoke to his agent who was currently drinking some water at the side. "Take a look at other people's managers! Take more initiative!"

Zaro's agent, who had just recorded over three hours worth of videos: "…" What the f*cking hell was I doing all this while?!

After taking a few photographs, Zaro turned on the machinery and started to dig. He felt that what he was doing was a tough mission that held great historical significance!

Zaro decided that he would write about a book of his travels when he returned—"Those Days Where I Used An Excavation Machine On Planet Bu".KTV is a karaoke bar.The seven stars of the Big Dipper are Alkaid (Eta Ursae Majoris), Mizar (Zeta Ursae Majoris), Alioth (Epsilon Ursae Majoris), Megrez (Delta Ursae Majoris), Phecda (Gamma Ursae Majoris), Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris) and Merak (Beta Ursae Majoris).

Chapter 389: Planet Bu's Opportunity

Huangzhou, Inter-planetary Fund headquarters.

Flemington had reported the matter about Alkaid to his superiors and the council had immediately convened for a meeting.

"This wreckage does indeed look like the Alkaid we lost contact with all those years ago. The archive files show the same 'η' imprint."

"It is doubtful for now and not confirmed yet."

"Then shall we dispatch men over?"

"Flemington wants to determine whether our reward is still valid. They are eyeing the 100 billion reward."

Only the council could decide when it came to such an astronomical sum. The other small leaders simply couldn't do anything.

"The reward isn't a small sum. Oh dear! Never expected that the Alkaid would really be found."

"Who discovered it? Bu Base personnel?"

"Flemington says that it was Fang Zhao who heard activity. Afterwards, Flemington then dispatched a team to follow the sound through the night before they found traces."

"Wow——From the map, it seems a long way off. How do Fang Zhao's ears work?"

"No wonder the Academy of Sciences keep wanting to study those ears."

"Forget about the matter with Fang Zhao for now. Let's discuss what we should do."

Inside the conference room, the council members took turns speaking. This wasn't just for show, and the council members had different views they insisted on. The debate was rather intense.

The director general at the head of the table furrowed his brows tightly. He lifted his hands and was about to tap the table when his communications device rang.

Afterwards, all the council members in the conference room realized that the solemn and serious director general had turned all smiles, as though he was having a chat with his own grandchildren.

Those arguing also kept their mouths shut. They didn't dare make a ruckus and sat still like obedient primary school kids. Something that could make the director general react this way was a big deal.

The director general slightly bent his back. "… Yes yes yes! I will arrange it right away… yes! Don't you worry! I will personally see to it!"

After the call ended, the director general's expression immediately returned to its old imposing manner. He said gruffly, "Set the task of excavating the Alkaid as the number one priority! Immediately dispatch men to planet Bu to take over the excavation work!"

The others also didn't press for answers at this time and simultaneously voiced their acknowledgment. Basically, this confirmed that the Alkaid was buried there.

"What… what about the reward?" Someone asked.

The director general gritted his teeth. "Give it! Once the Alkaid is excavated, transfer the money immediately! The full sum!"

As the Inter-planetary Fund team got into action, the Spaceflight General Headquarters didn't fall behind either and sent a team towards Planet Bu.

Before the Alkaid was excavated, information would be classified and not publicized. The general public didn't know about this matter. Online, many discussions were on how the entertainment program "Up Close Contact" would change its fortunes. During the previous high-profile marketing, everyone in the program team was full of confidence. Furthermore, the invited guests this time each generated their own discussion topics and thread traffic.

"The program should have started filming by now, right?"

There hadn't been any official information. In the past, there would at least still be some photographs being distributed. Why wasn't there anything this time?"

"This is standard procedure, deliberately trying to hide and maintain secrecy. Who knows, perhaps they are still conjuring up a big move."

"Director! Come out and say something!"

At that moment in Bu Base, the program team director, who was being summoned by the netizens, was looking through the script with a smile on his face. He gathered all the crew for a meeting to pump them up and prepare to go out. Then, he received a notification from the base——Temporary mission, collaboration to be postponed.

Director: "??"

He started to feel flustered.

The director immediately contacted the feel special guests and brought up filming matters. Fang Zhao had no objections, but the other four guests wanted to apply for temporary leave!

The director when he received these replies: "…"

Despair!

Fury!

The urge to scold someone!

The base isn't cooperating and the guests are going on strike! What will happen to my godly script that I spent so many sleepless nights perfecting?! Compensation? All the compensation in the world cannot heal the hurt inflicted on me!

The director furiously brought out the contract and decided to get someone to go over it when the news about the Alkaid stopped him in his tracks.

"Alkaid? One of the spacecrafts from 400 years ago from the Dream Team?"

The director's eyes were glowing indescribably.

Out of those seven old spacecrafts, only two remained. One was inside an aviation museum, while the other one was at a top-secret research institute. The remaining ones had met with various accidents when out on exploratory missions and were destroyed.

The Alkaid was a special technological legacy of that time, and if it was really discovered, the significance would be extraordinary!

No wonder Bu Base had changed their plans. No wonder the special guests weren't in the right frame of mind to film!

This was also an opportunity!

The director stared blankly at the script he had poured lots of effort into. After mulling it over for five minutes, he finally calmed his wavering mind.

"We will go too! Change the script! This program will revolve around the Alkaid!"

The screenwriter was puzzled. "Director, we are a poverty alleviation reality show. Overall, the majority of the focus should be on entertainment, not archeology. This isn't in line with our theme."

However, the director had already made his decision and had no intention of changing it. "From where we stand, we must know when to innovate when it comes to creating programs! We must follow the current trends and grab the focal points! Besides, if we don't change and follow the previous plan, who knows how long we will have to wait before we can film?"

Everyone in the program team nodded their heads simultaneously: Makes sense!

In the end, they were still forced to follow.

The director didn't want to find out what the others were thinking and instructed staffers to follow after.

Indeed, after the director had changed plans, Zaro and the others also agreed to cooperate. In any case, they were stationed at the sand pit and filming there wouldn't make any difference.

Zaro held the metal sheet with the 'η' imprint he had personally dug out and wiped it carefully. Delirious with delight, Zaro had intended to kiss it, but when he thought about how the metal sheet would have probably come into contact with feces, Zaro gave up the idea right away.

Zaro had gotten his assistant to prepare an exquisite box and placed into it the metal sheet along with some photographs he had personally selected and printed out. He then handed it over to base personnel for it to be brought back to earth. Today, Flemington had already arranged for men to fly a portion of the excavated metal pieces back to earth for the Spaceflight General Headquarters as well as the Inter-planetary Fund to study so Zaro had gotten them to help out with an express delivery. The box also contained a handwritten letter. Besides sharing the news of the excavation of the Alkaid to the Leizhou Governor, the letter also had bits that denounced his father.

Not too long after, Leizhou's governor was delighted to receive this souvenir with special significance. The first photograph even had Zaro's crooked penmanship at the back that read, "I dug it out myself!"

When he saw the foolish smiles on Zaro's sand-covered face as he used the excavation equipment in the photos, the Leizhou Governor's tender feelings towards his beloved grandson swelled. He immediately turned around and went to knock his own son's head on behalf of his grandson.

Elsewhere, personnel from the Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters had already arrived on Planet Bu and had already taken over Bu Base military personnel.

The equipment brought by the Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters were of much higher quality compared to the old and outdated machinery of Bu Base. Their excavation efficiency was much higher.

The signal emitted below the sand pit persisted for 20 hours before coming to a halt. According to Fang Zhao's conjecture, he reckoned that the signal would emit every once in a while and would persist for 20 hours each time.

Although the signal couldn't be detected now, the position was already confirmed, and it didn't affect the excavation work.

Following the arrival of personnel from the Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters, fortifications, rest areas, and dormitories were already constructed in the vicinity of the sand pit. The program team personnel had also moved over here as it made filming more convenient.

Flemington studied this arrangement and decided to turn this area into a second base after these people left. Such good construction and resources couldn't be wasted and had to be used to the fullest.

Flemington's spirits soared when he thought about the reward that would come as well as plans for the second base.

The base's military personnel were excluded from the excavation assignments after handing over the job. However, Flemington wasn't the least bit worried. Now, all he had to do was to wait for the money. The Inter-planetary Fund's director general had already replied, agreeing to transfer the funds once the Alkaid was dug out. As for allocating the shares of the reward, it would be up to themselves to discuss.

"Where is Fang Zhao?" Flemington scanned through the area of the sandpit but didn't catch sight of Fang Zhao.

"Filming the program. I think they ran over to that side." Song Ping pointed out a direction. "He has bodyguards as well as a map with him. Recently, there haven't been any storms in the area. He will be fine as long as he doesn't run out of the safe zone."

"Alright, got it."

It had gotten dark by the time Flemington had finished handling his matters.

Fang Zhao was looking for inspiration at an area one kilometer away from the sand pit.

An enchanting and mystical sea of stars spread out above him.

Beneath him lay a dry desert that was teeming with life.

The boundless starry heavens and the vast desert formed a dream-like tone.

A long long time ago, he had once sat on the sand in a certain area. Just that at that time, the resplendent starry heavens couldn't be seen, and it hadn't been that peaceful either.

This was a familiar yet strangely novel feeling.

It was very dark all around and there were no lights. Fang Zhao gazed out into the distance, flipped open his notebooks, and started writing symbols.

Fang Zhao wrote very smoothly. By the time Flemington came looking for him, Fang Zhao had already finished his first draft.

Flemington had sought out Fang Zhao to discuss the allocation of the reward.

"You were the first one to hear the signal. However, without our base military, you wouldn't be able to find this place. Zaro is also making it widely known that he wants a share of the action; let's find a time when we can all sit down and discuss it. Whatever it is, your share this time definitely won't be small. It is a huge sum, and if you don't know what to do with it, how about using it to support our Bu Base's development." Flemington spoke without much thought.

"Sure."

"… I… I was just kidding." Flemington suddenly found himself stuttering.

"I wasn't." Fang Zhao's tone was mild, yet it was also serious.

"Cough… how embarrassing… Hahaha then it's settled! Thanks in advance!" Flemington lamented deep down. Fang Zhao is a really good kid!

However, even if Fang Zhao said this, Flemington also felt slightly embarrassed, and he treated Fang Zhao much more sincerely now.

"Planet Bu doesn't have the resources like Planet Baiji and Planet Wai. This planet is barren, poor, and very arduous. The conditions result in a high turnover rate for base personnel. I will also be transferred away in two years. Before I go, I hope to be able to build up the base even more and let the soldiers garrisoned here live a little better. My heart aches for my own men. I have to strive and fight for more resources before I leave."

"Not necessarily."

"Huh?"

"Planet Bu has its own advantages." Fang Zhao smiled.

Flemington treated this as Fang Zhao comforting him and returned a smile. What sort of sh*t advantages does Planet Bu have?!

After Flemington left, Fang Zhao gazed at the desert beneath the night sky.

He hadn't deceived Flemington. Planet Bu really had its own opportunities. Yesterday, he had unintentionally overheard Spaceflight General Headquarters personnel's hushed discussions.

In the future, there was a high possibility that Planet Bu would become a strategic location for military affairs!

Or perhaps it would become a new science and technology tourism base.

Chapter 390: Program Broadcast Begins

Planet Bu was vast but sparsely populated with lots of dry arid land. Although there were areas with frequent storms, there were also areas with less.

Building an aviation test site here was also very convenient. However, Planet Bu didn't have any mineral resources, and this was a reason why Spaceflight General Headquarters never got around to finalizing it. Now, they had selected a suitable site, probably because they were given a push by the discovery of the Alkaid.

However, Spaceflight General Headquarters hadn't yet officially made the decision and they merely had people inspecting various areas every day. Because this was done in secret and it wasn't made known, Flemington hadn't been aware of it.

Fang Zhao had heard what the personnel from the Spaceflight General Headquarters had said in private, but he wouldn't reveal it.

In the few days that followed, Fang Zhao, Zaro, and the others participated in filming according to the director's arrangement. The process was still considered rather relaxed.

Zaro felt that Fang Zhao was a strange person that didn't know what was rest.

When they were all sleeping in, Fang Zhao would be writing his thesis.

When they were outside digging and playing around, Fang Zhao would be composing.

When they were out drifting, Fang Zhao would read.

When they played cards, Fang Zhao would do assessments.

To prevent Fang Zhao from relaxing, Mo Lang had supplemented quite a lot of assessments and recommended more than 10 books for Fang Zhao to read. Thus, outside of filming, Fang Zhao still had quite a lot of tasks.

Zaro especially sympathized with Fang Zhao. "What a pity, you can't even dodge homework despite coming all the way to a foreign planet!"

Mitisy could understand a little. "After all, he is still going through advanced studies. Evaluation for these advanced courses are all about assessments, works, and thesis. He won't be able to get the graduation certificate if he doesn't produce all of this. He might even be kicked out if he fails to do so."

When he had been a professional tennis player, he would still receive calls from his coach occasionally while he was on vacation asking him to practice and do drills every day.

On one of the days, Flemington gathered the few of them to discuss the reward. Zaro kept fighting for his share of the reward and put forth ample justification——

"If I didn't join the team, then Barbara and Woo Tianhao and Mitisy wouldn't have hopped on either. Without us, the program team wouldn't have done anything large-scale and they wouldn't have looked for this poor and barren base on Planet Bu to collaborate with. Then, Bu Base wouldn't have willfully contacted Fang Zhao. As a result, Fang Zhao wouldn't have been in the program team and would never have heard the signal emitted by the Alkaid!

"Also, that metal piece with the 'η' imprint was dug out by me!"

Barbara and Woo Tianhao stood on Zaro's side this time. They still would have persisted in fighting for it even if the reward wasn't much. What exactly was it that they were striving for?! Money?

It was for the records in the scientific annals for the discovery of the Alkaid!

Very soon, newly published science journals would introduce the Alkaid. And the names of the people who discovered it would be shown.

They didn't want to have a "just a bit" part in it!

Their intention was: We will still donate whatever we promised and not a single bit less! However, we must have a share of the reward, and furthermore, our names must be added to the news and official reports!

Flemington wasn't very willing. After Fang Zhao looked for Flemington and talked to him, Flemington gave Zaro and the others a bit of leeway during the second round of negotiations. When the reward was conferred, they would be called along to sign their names for the verification of the reward and permitted to take part in the photo taking.

The shares of the reward allocated to these few of super aristocratic background wasn't considered much. However, they were very satisfied and agreed to donate even more stuff because they were in high spirits.

The Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters were very efficient and after the Alkaid was completely unearthed, the big shots of the Inter-planetary Fund personally arrived. However, the majority of unrelated personnel were removed, and the program team crew were confined to their quarters and couldn't see the live situation.

When the program team crew were allowed out again, the majority of the Inter-planetary Fund's personnel had already left. The spacecraft's black box was reportedly brought away by them as well.

The sound that Fang Zhao had heard sounded again during the process of the Alkaid's excavation. The interval between the previous time had been seven days and it persisted for 20 hours as well.

This was a very rhythmic signal.

After the Inter-planetary Fund brought the black box away, Fang Zhao never heard the sound again.

As for the Alkaid couldn't be transported easily, the Alkaid was left there for the time being. Personnel from the Spaceflight General Headquarters said that the Alkaid might be dismantled into parts in the future and reassembled at a newly constructed museum where it would be sheltered from the forces of nature.

The technological core of the Alkaid had already been taken away by the Inter-planetary Fund. What remained was just an empty shell. However, even if this was the case, it was still a rather rare bit of experience and history for many people.

The program team's director had some ideas and held discussions with the Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters for quite some time before obtaining permission for filming. However, there was a time constraint and only one episode could be recorded.

So be it if it was just one episode. The director was already very satisfied.

This was also a gimmick!

With the filming permits, the director suddenly felt as though his own style had been raised. It was just like a person who only had scraps of vegetables in the past but was suddenly given a new diet of seafood and luxurious meats. He even felt a little unaccustomed to it.

The director once again perked up his spirits and directed his crew to prepare for filming.

Filming a program inside a spacecraft from Dream Team. How many entertainment program directors ever received this sort of treatment?

He was the one and only!

Elsewhere, although most of the Inter-planetary Fund's personnel had left, there were still some left behind to handle the remaining work which included the arrangements for the reward.

There were also a few authoritative media outlets that had come over to take photographs.

Flemington brought Fang Zhao, Zaro, and the others along, and after the all the related procedures were complete, the few of them signed on the form for the verification of the reward.

The first to sign was Fang Zhao. Nobody had any objections with that. The second person to sign was the commanding officer on behalf of Flemington. No one had any objections either. Following that, the signing order with the remaining four was Barbara, Mitisy, Woo Tianhao, and Zaro.

Naturally, Zaro wasn't pleased to be last, but he couldn't do anything. He only had his luck to blame for drawing the last spot.

"Cough, I heard that other people still wore masks in photographs where they received a reward. Do we wear our masks later during the photo taking?" Mitisy asked.

Zaro stared at Mitisy as though he was an idiot.

They had worked so hard to get the rights to show off their faces. Why would they even wear a mask?

Mitisy was also kidding. With his status, it wasn't necessary for him to conceal his face.

During the photo taking, Fang Zhao carried Curly Hair and stood in the center with Flemington. Zaro and the other three were split up on the sides, while the background was filled up with some military officers and part of the program team.

After the photo taking, Mitisy and the others were extremely surprised when they found out Fang Zhao would be donating his share of the reward to Bu Base.

"Really donating all? Not a single cent less?" Mitisy couldn't understand why Fang Zhao would make such a decision.

Although Flemington said that he would help Fang Zhao apply for meritorious service, this little bet wouldn't be enough to get Fang Zhao promoted. Besides, even a promotion for reserve duty personnel didn't give any real authority. As long as Fang Zhao didn't enter the military, it really wasn't of much use. What the h*ll was he thinking by donating billions away?

"I'm supporting Planet Bu's construction efforts," Fang Zhao replied with a smile.

The others viewed didn't take it for real and took it as a joke.

These were billions of dollars. Who would be so selfless? In the past, there were indeed rich and powerful people that had donated assets worth billions, but that was when they were reaching the ends of their lives! How old was Fang Zhao now? Why didn't he think about his own future?

Fang Zhao didn't try to explain, and when everyone dispersed to work, rest, or play around, Fang Zhao returned to his own room and watched the sky outside his window.

Now, the third strategic location for a military base on Planet Bu had already been confirmed. The Spaceflight General Headquarters had already decided on an area and was waiting to publicly announce it. Fang Zhao had a gratified smile plastered on his face as he thought about the new spaceport, cities, and spaceflight experimental base that would be constructed on Planet Bu.

Substance and water brought about life.

Technology and civilization assured the future.

If there had been a second choice at that time, would the people during the Period of Destruction have experienced a different future?

On the internet.

Official government media outlets reported the news of the Alkaid.

The first batch of reporters covering the news of the Alkaid didn't mention the program team because of the director's arrangements. The reporters that came along with the Inter-planetary Fund and Spaceflight General Headquarters were all from reputable authoritative media outlets and had a more stringent style. The director had talked over with them to quash any information of the program team for the time being until after the first episode was broadcast.

The few official governmental reporters insisted on honest meticulous reports, but they also agreed to give the program team time. Once the allocated time was up, they would meticulously publish their drafts.

The news of the Alkaid's discovery gave rise to fervent discussions on the internet. However, many people weren't aware of the importance of it. Since all the official government media outlets were reporting on it, people just followed and talked about it.

Compared with the significance of the Alkaid, what most people paid attention to was the "100 billion".

"I just found out from an adventurer friend. The Inter-planetary Fund's reward for finding the Alkaid is 100 billion!! It was found by Bu Base!"

"Bu Base has struck gold!"

"Isn't this basically making a great fortune overnight?"

Two days later, the hype had started to dissipate slowly. Netizens that were paying attention to the entertainment section learned that the first episode of "Up Close Contact" was about to be released!

Many people eagerly anticipated the release when they recalled the grand and luxurious guest lineup for the program.

Of course, there were also people who felt that it was senseless.

"What's so nice to watch about it? Wouldn't it be the same old routines again?"

"They're just going to appeal for everyone to provide assistance to impoverished areas, get donations from everyone, and make people willing to donate. First, they will bemoan their poverty and then show how tough and miserable it is by playing the emotional card."

"There are so many such programs. Do you think they ever showcase places with great investment value on this sort of show?"

"Just take it as doing charity and accumulating karma. Some token donations as a sign of goodwill will do."

Netizens thought themselves to be wise and farsighted for seeing through all the patterns of the program team.

The time arrived for the program to broadcast.

The first episode of the new season aired, and people tuned in with varying attitudes.

The opening sequence was completely different from previous season's. A grand and biting accompaniment made viewers tremble slightly.

A deep and resounding voice seemingly filled with a vast energy reverberated——

"This was humanity's greatest adventure…"

The scenes cut to precious images, videos, and sound clips from 400 years ago——

[Rocket thrusters in order!]

[All systems green!]

[Countdown starting…10…9…]

[Ignition!]

[…3…2…1!]

Seven spacecraft rose into the sky at daybreak. The seven spacecrafts were like stars lighting up the heavens as they began their own journeys into space.

The spectacular scenes and the extremely embellished accompaniment music stirred up the hearts of viewers.

Yet, the audiences who reckoned themselves as wise and farsighted had dumbstruck looks on their faces.

They logged out and checked the directory of the web page. This was the entertainment program "Up Close Contact". There was no mistake!

They clicked and reentered the video page.

Huh???

Where was the promised poverty alleviation program?

Where was the said entertainment reality show?!

With such a solemn opening, I f*cking thought that I had clicked on some documentary on a history channel platform!!

Five minutes later.

The comments section for the program exploded.

"So this time the program team's target for poverty alleviation was the military base on Planet Bu that just received 100 billion?!"

"Seeing this set up, it seems that when the program team went to Planet Bu, it was still a poor place. Bu Base only discovered the Alkaid after the program team went over."

"Did the program team bring along the god of wealth?"

"From a certain angle, this also counts as poverty alleviation."

"I just want to know how much share of the reward the program team got!"

"Ermmmm… Then do we still donate this time around?"

"I feel that the whole nature has changed. This cannot be called donation anymore. Perhaps to be more festive, it can be said that we are giving red packets."

Very quickly, the bottom of the program's web page for donations to Planet Bu's military base became "red".

"[Red Packet] Congratulations on Bu Base receiving an overnight windfall!"

"[Red Packet] Celebrating Bu Base's upward rise!"

'[Red Packet] Joining in the festivities. Hope I strike the lottery!"

"[Red Packet] Paying my respects to the god of wealth!!"

Chapter 391: Superintelligence

The program's web page was flooded by a torrent of red packets and many people lamented. Planet Bu is so fortunate. The poor and small base actually had such a stroke of luck!

The discovery of the Alkaid and the program's popularity led to another round of hot discussions online.

"Up Close Contact" suddenly tore away its weak personality and suddenly "hardened", leaving old viewers flabbergasted. In the past, the program's style had been suffering in miserable places. This time, the program was like this: Bring it on! Let the sandstorms be even more ferocious! Even the scenes of physical labor were portrayed with grandeur and spectacular significance!

Citizens of Leizhou, Lazhou, and Tongzhou were all deeply stirred. Zaro was personally using excavation equipment to dig, Barbara had tossed aside her obsession with cleanliness to sort out the wreckage, and Woo Tianhao's hair was all messed up. Most of the time, these three were extremely concerned about their appearance. However, this time, they had sacrificed their public images, and their dust-covered faces really portrayed true poverty alleviation. They weren't just there to go through the motions!

Mazhou citizens highly anticipated the first entertainment program that Mitisy was taking part in after his retirement. Furthermore, with the Maersi family name, regardless of whether whatever shown was true or false, Mazhou citizens lapped up every bit of it.

As for Yanzhou netizens…

"I wager a titanium alloy keyboard that it was surely Fang Zhao who discovered the Alkaid! Our 'Yanzhou's divine ears' isn't just all talk!"

"It kind of makes sense now that you say it this way!"

"It is rumored that the Academy of Sciences are eyeing Fang Zhao's ears. I have no idea whether it is true."

"I also feel that this discovery of the Alkaid has something to do with Fang Zhao. Anyone have insider information?"

"Wang Tie, you piece of trash!"

Wang Tie, who had just revealed a certain film emperor's secret wedding: "…" What has this got to do with me!

Wanting to emphasize that he had no relationship with the matter and unwilling to let everyone bash him, Wang Tie hurriedly used dummy accounts to post online. "Wait and see how the official media reports this. Even if it isn't stated explicitly, we are able to see clues from the photographs. Their photographs have the highest degree of proof."

Indeed, after the first episode of "Up Close Contact" was aired, three authoritative media outlets reported on the matter of Planet Bu and the Alkaid. Although the discovery process of the Alkaid wasn't reported on, netizens were still able to discover quite a bit of hidden evidence from the photographs that were released.

"Firm evidence! Official firm evidence! In the group photo for the reward conferment, Fang Zhao is standing in the center!"

"Let me explain it a little. Of the two people standing in the center of the photograph, one is Fang Zhao and the other one in the military uniform with the general stars is Bu Base Commanding Officer Flemington. The person able to stand together in the center position with the base's commanding officer is surely someone important to this Alkaid excavation operation!"

"Fang Zhao even brought a dog along?"

"Am I the only one concerned with the reward?! If Fang Zhao is able to stand alongside Commanding Officer Flemington, then wouldn't his share of the reward be the same as Bu Base?"

"Even if it isn't half, he should also have gotten 30 to 40 billion right?"

"Sss——Has Fang Zhao become super rich and powerful in just one leap?"

"He has really become an aristocrat, no doubt about it!"

Many people felt surreal when they saw this. How old was Fang Zhao? How did it feel to suddenly become a multi-billionaire?

Yanbei, Yanzhou. Retirement home for former government officials.

It just so happened that Yanbei city was having a campaign and reporters were interviewing retired government officials during this period. After the matter of Fang Zhao and the Alkaid came to light, when a reporter was interviewing Great-grandfather Fang, he asked about Great-grandfather's stance on this matter.

Before the camera lens, Great-grandfather Fang kept a straight and proper face as he rotated two walnuts in his hands.

"… Little Zhao is participating in an entertainment program during his advanced studies period? Right, I know, he told me about it. I definitely wouldn't allow him to participate in other sorts of entertainment programs, but this is different. Providing aid to impoverished regions is a good deed! It should be advocated! A slightly tougher and tiring life isn't that much to be afraid of. As a public figure, Little Zhao being able to lend a hand to officers and soldiers garrisoned at impoverished regions deserves our vigorous support.

Great-grandmother Fang at the side had a composed smile plastered over her face.

The reporter lamented inwardly. Look at how enlightened they are!

Towards the end of the interview, Great-grandfather Fang seemed to accidentally blurt out, "I even personally went to Huangzhou's spaceport to send him off. This child isn't easy to handle. He heads off somewhere so far away, and we as great-grandparents will worry. Take a look at the photographs we took at Huangzhou…"

Great-grandfather Fang flaunted the photographs that the two old Fangs took with Fang Zhao at Huangzhou. The photo backgrounds showed HuangArt's campus, Huangzhou's Cemetery of Martyrs, and finally the spaceport. The two elders were even wearing different clothes each time.

However, the reporters focus was on one of the photographs. He pointed at something and asked, "Is this a lucky charm?"

Great-grandfather Fang took a look and nodded. "Yes, before when went to Huangzhou, we requested for a new charm at the Cemetery of Martyrs and sent it over."

After the interview concluded, people who had watched the interview forwarded the video to their good friends. There's no doubt about it! Surely Fang Zhao's good fortune is because of the lucky charm!

Thus, the stream of visitors that had only recently started to decline once again exploded. The same lucky charms were sold out.

People still had to have dreams of achieving 100 billion. What if it became real?

In short, the program team for "Up Close Contact" saw a lot of publicity. The broadcasting platform discovered that the number of subscribers for the second episode of "Up Close Contact" tripled, and this delighted the people who held the broadcasting rights.

To preserve its popularity, the program team announced that the next episode would be shot onboard the Alkaid!

This blatant marketing ploy immediately caused an uproar among archaeologists, astronomers, and other such groups.

Causing trouble!

Defiling relics!

Complain! We definitely have to file complaints!

Even if the Spaceflight General Headquarters didn't care, could the Inter-planetary Fund's personnel leave it at that? That was their trump card project back then! How could the Alkaid be left there to be trampled all over by an entertainment program!

However, some high-level technological researchers knew what was going on. The true core of the Alkaid would surely have been brought away by the Inter-planetary Fund. Even if the Inter-planetary Fund hadn't removed everything, personnel from the Spaceflight General Headquarters would have also gone through it once, only leaving behind an empty shield.

This way, it would also be able to satiate the curiosity of people who weren't from this field.

Of the seven spacecrafts that comprised Dream Team, only two others remained besides the Alkaid. The only one left in as an exhibit for the general public had been disassembled, so people could only observe its exterior but couldn't enter the cabin. Thus, an incomplete spacecraft wasn't that attractive.

Compared with the buzz online, the Inter-planetary Fund's side was much more serious.

The Inter-planetary Fund's headquarters was located 50 floors underground in an extremely restricted area. Many high-level supervisors didn't have the clearance nor were they permitted down here. The majority simply didn't know of this place either as the publicly accessible elevators only serviced 10 floors underground. Many people also didn't know about the floors beneath basement 10 even when they left the Inter-planetary Fund.

Currently, at basement 50, the atmosphere was grave and stifling.

There were close to 50 people here. There were some seemingly young, and there were also some with a head full of white hair and wrinkles strewn across their faces. Among them was the Inter-planetary Fund's current director general, Meche Assis. He was standing together with a few other council members. They might have seemed very impressive most of the time when outside, but right now, all of them were like well-behaved grandkids. Even the sounds of their breathing was cautious, as though they were all skating on thin ice.

A very young-looking lady was heading the meeting. Her two hands were holding a round metallic object as she walked over unhurriedly towards an oval cabin-like device that was slowly rising up. The round metallic object and the cabin-like device had a fierce bear head design on it.

After verifying her identity, a circular hole appeared in the oval cabin-like device and the young lady placed the metallic object in.

Hisss——

Frigid cold air dispersed out from all sides of the cabin-like object.

After the white mist dispersed, everyone clearly saw the person standing there.

It seemed to be a slightly chubby young boy about the age of 10.

When that boy opened his eyes, the current director general Meche Assis took a deep breath. He felt goose pimples sprouting across his whole body as cold sweat dripped down his back.

This was one of the trump cards the Inter-planetary Fund possessed——Superintelligence!!

He had heard about this superintelligence from a few of his predecessors, but when he actually saw it, he felt that it deviated greatly from what he had expected. All of those AI products, even the most first-rate ones also wouldn't have given him such a hair-raising feeling.

Those eyes that were full of vitality didn't seem so different from human's. Just by looking at this "person" before their eyes, how was anyone to know that beneath his surface was a mechanical core?

The other Inter-planetary Fund elders were much more calm.

"Little Bear, welcome home." The young lady at the head spoke. "You have worked hard!"

The little fatty who had been address as "Little Bear" blinked and a flash of light appeared in his lively eyes.

Older Inter-planetary Fund elders knew that this was him analyzing newly received information. There wasn't a need to say anything; he would be able to obtain whatever information he wished to know through the Internet. Before this, they had also transmitted a portion of Inter-planetary Fund internal information that couldn't be traced over the Internet into his body.

"It has already been so long." The crisp childlike voice released a sigh that didn't seem fitting for his age.

"Yes, this is a new body that grandfather built according to your requests. It has been maintained all these years. Do you like it?" The young lady said.

The little fatty prodded his belly with chubby hands. "I like it!"

After admiring its new body for a bit, the little fatty studied the young lady before him for some time before blurting out. "Cui Hua ahhh~"

Everyone else in the Inter-planetary Fund hung their heads and didn't dare glance at the big boss' current expression.

The name "Cui Hua" was personally given by Master Heng Xin, founder of the Inter-planetary Fund and spaceflight project Dream Team's chief director, designer, and engineer. It was said that back then, Master Heng Xin had a profound love for his native literature. He had personally given the name "Cui Hua" to this granddaughter that he regarded very importantly.

After the old master passed away, those in the Inter-planetary Fund no longer dared to used this teasing name. Everyone used others ways of addressing her, and some even referred to her as "Demon" in secret. After so many years, they actually heard someone using this name again.

The nerve! As expected of superintelligence. He dares to provoke the wrath of the Demon!

As if able to sense the awkward atmosphere, the little fatty blinked and corrected himself. "Little Hua ahh~"

All the Inter-planetary Fund personnel drooped their heads lower and stared at the ground, as if there was ore beneath their feet.

Awkward atmosphere version 2.0.

After a short interval, the young lady finally answered, "What?"

"It feels like I have forgotten something."

As he said that, the little fatty raised his right hand, palms skyward, and whistled.

Inter-planetary Fund personnel: "???"

Silence.

Awkward atmosphere version 3.0

The few elders of the top brass exchanged glances. After working together for so long, they were able to discern the meanings behind their glances——

What does this little fatty mean by extending his hand? Are the thoughts of superintelligence to advanced or have I really become old?

Could it be that we have to give him a red packet at this sort of meeting?

Red packet? I didn't prepare one.

I didn't prepare one either. What do we do? Will he cry if we don't give him one?

Never had an experience dealing with superintelligence. Do we transfer him the money directly, or do we give actual cash in a red packet?

Who even carries cash nowadays? How about we give something else?

Let's see what the Demon does. We just have to follow after her.

The few senior top brass elders shot ever-changing glances at one another and came to an unanimous decision. All of them turned to watch the person at the front.

The big boss was also puzzled. "What do you want?"

"Where is Little Riches? I didn't detect it when I scanned the surrounding area. Have you seen it?"

"Riches is?"

"My pet." Superintelligence Little Bear stared at his fingers with a guilty conscience. "I… I… created him myself… when I was bored."

"I remember Master Heng Xin giving an order absolutely forbidding you all from creating superintelligent objects without permission!" An old man couldn't help but blurt out.

Under a flurry of condemning gazes, Little Bear felt wronged and hurriedly tried to explain himself. "No, no, it cannot achieve the level of superintelligence. It is only just a retarded toy machine with its learning capabilities hindered! Did… did you all leave it on the spacecraft?"The literal translations for Cui Hua and Heng Xin are jade flower and star respectively.

Chapter 392: Little Riches

Inter-planetary Fund viewed an intelligent object created by superintelligence with great importance.

A group of high-level executives went to work straight away. Little Bear was led through a search of the depot as they investigated step by step, confirming that this so-called "Little Riches" wasn't among the objects on board the Alkaid that was brought back and that it wasn't lost in the process of transporting the items back.

"AHHH——I have lost Little Riches!" Little Bear had a panicked look. "Should I head back to Planet Bu to search?"

After a brief discussion between the Inter-planetary Fund's personnel, the big boss transmitted the sound of Little Bear's whistle to their personnel that had remained on Planet Bu. If Little Riches heard this signal, it would appear.

"What if it doesn't appear? Would it have been captured by other people? We have to guard against Spaceflight General Headquarters' personnel as well as Bu Base personnel." An old man raised his thoughts.

"That won't happen." As he said this, the panic on Little Bear's face subsided. "Little Riches possesses more than 300 escape methods. Furthermore, the material it was created from is special. Generally, it is impervious to blades and guns. If it awakens and discovers that I am not around, it will immediately seek out nearby organisms as a cover. Small animals that are harmless and have low intelligence are prioritized."

"That's good." All of the Inter-planetary Fund personnel gradually relaxed.

Having finally found the last superintelligence that had been lost and having the chance to interact with the one and only superintelligent body, the personnel of the Inter-planetary Fund were very indulgent towards Little Bear.

Little Bear first went to pay respects to his already deceased owner and founder of the Inter-planetary Fund, Master Heng Xin. Back then, he had already make his preparations before taking on this mission and leaving the planet. Thus, Little Bear wasn't too overly sentimental when he was paying his respects.

After returning back here after 400 years, Little Bear wanted to first familiarize himself with the environment.

Director general Meche Assis felt a little apprehensive when he was called over by the big boss. He was afraid that he would be demoted by the big boss because of a mistake he might have committed.

"This is Meche Assis, the current Inter-planetary Fund director general. Little Bear, you can follow him and familiarize yourself for a period of time. There have been huge changes compared to 400 years ago. You will be given a week to adapt quickly and will start work after a week."

"A month! Kids also need vacations!" Little Bear started to haggle. "I was trapped in darkness under the sand for a long time. I am afraid of the dark and it's tiring. Perhaps I may even be claustrophobic. I wish to visit more vast and bright outdoor areas and rest for a period of time."

Inter-planetary Fund: "…"

Stop being ridiculous! Do you want to see the logs from the spacecraft for yourself?!

Does he really think he is a kid?

After the spacecraft met with an accident and was marooned on Planet Bu, the power levels of the craft had been played around with until it had reached critical levels, and this bear kid had no choice but to go dormant. Claustrophobic my *ss!

To put it simply, after sleeping so long, he just wanted to head out and explore!

The big boss finally spoke. "50 days. Come back to work after 50 days!"

It wasn't that the Inter-planetary Fund's personnel were being strict, but rather when it came to matters concerning superintelligence, they needed to keep an eye on him all the time. A long vacation was impossible, especially for the one before them that was liable to cause trouble as long as he had too much free time.

Planet Bu, at the sand pit where the Alkaid was at.

Fang Zhao had followed the program team into the the Alkaid for filming. As there was personnel limitations, Nanfeng and the others also couldn't enter. They waited with a leashed dog at the rest areas.

Curly Hair wasn't willing to remain indoors and wasn't afraid of the heat, so he laid down outside the door and was playing with sand.

Suddenly, Curly Hair's ears twitched. He got up abruptly and stared at a distant sand dune.

"Woof Woof Woof!"

Curly Hair barked and wanted to take a few steps in that direction but was held back by the leash.

Nanfeng was chatting idly with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu when he was startled, got up suddenly, and rushed out.

"What's going on?"

Nanfeng glanced in the direction of Curly Hair's sights.

There seemed to be something below the sun running towards them.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, who also came running out after hearing the activity, raised their guard. They signaled for Nanfeng to bring Curly Hair in .

However, Curly Hair didn't cooperate. His line of sight was fixed on the activity beneath the sand, and Nanfeng wasn't able to make Curly Hair budge no matter how hard he tugged.

Seeing the thing get closer and closer, Nanfeng was at a loss at being unable to make a dog budge and shielded Curly Hair behind his own body.

Sha Sha Sha Sha——

The thing beneath the sand finally showed itself.

It was a flat, black oval-shaped bug of some sort. It had quite a number of legs and had two long feelers protruding from its front.

As its head peeked out, three black holes of gun muzzles were pointed at it.

The black bug's feelers stiffened and with a whoosh, its legs and feelers were retracted and the bug curled up into a black ball about the size of an orange.

Nanfeng and the other two stared fixedly at this black ball and detected no sign of activity from it for quite some time.

Curly Hair ran over and swatted it with his paw, and the black ball rolled forward.

Seeing this, Curly Hair excitedly scrambled to chase after the ball. Nanfeng, who was holding on to the leash, ran along as he was pulled.

"Hey! Curly Hair, stop! Don't run!"

Having caught up to the ball, Curly Hair raised his paw and swatted it again, and the black ball shot forth once again. Curly Hair was even more excited now.

At another rest house not too far away, someone watched through the windows as Nanfeng was being dragged along by a dog. Disdainfully, he said, "Look at our neighbour Fang Zhao's trash assistant. He can't even hold onto a dog!"

After Fang Zhao finished his filming assignments aboard the Alkaid for the day and came out, he saw Curly Hair who was chasing the ball and Nanfeng on the verge of tears from being dragged along.

"What are you all up to!" Fang Zhao berated.

Curly Hair's ears twitched. He didn't control his paw strength too well, and the black ball was sent flying in another direction.

Mitisy had also just finished filming and was dripping with perspiration. His assistant was holding an electric fan aimed at him, but Mitisy felt that it wasn't strong enough. He held up a commemorative alloy fan that Bu Base had given him. He had only fanned himself for a short while when someone shouted, "Careful!"

Noticing the black ball flying over, Mitisy instinctively swung his fan. His posture and lightning-quick reflexes were the mark of a true professional.

The black ball that was flying over was hit and sent flying away.

Mitisy's eyes lit up. All tiredness from filming disappeared instantly. Hey, this ball isn't shabby at all!

His hands had been itching for quite some time!

Mitisy turned to his assistant and said, "Go fetch my racket!"

The ball flew in the direction of where Woo Tianhao was at. When he saw Mitisy's actions, he perked up, flipped open his own commemorative Bu Base alloy fan, and used it as a racket to strike the ball back.

Having already gotten a hold of his racket and seeing the ball being returned, Mitisy shouted, "Great return!!"

Thwack!

The black ball was accurately returned once more.

Woo Tianhao had difficulty catching this ball and shouted, "Zaro come over quickly! This Mitisy fella is playing for real! Us amateurs have to work together!"

"Hey! Take a look at my skills!" Zaro gleefully picked up his own fan and joined in.

Seeing this spectacle, the program team director shook his head and chuckled. "Ahh, young people!"

The cameraman didn't need to be told and started to record this rare friendly match in the desert.

At the end, Mitisy struck a shot that Zaro was unable to receive, and the ball flew all the way over to an area where a Spaceflight General Headquarters' officer was patrolling.

Frowning, he picked up the black ball and squeezed it. The ball was rather soft.

Nearby, Curly Hair growled twice, came over, and stared at the ball in the person's hands.

Raising his head to see what the ruckus was all about, the person from Spaceflight General Headquarters reprimanded them with a stern face. "Do not randomly throw the dog's toys around!"

Nanfeng promptly apologized, "Sorry, sorry! I will take note!"

The other managers and agents came over to make clear that they would not in the future.

The officer from Spaceflight General Headquarters eased up when he saw that these people were apologetic and that Zaro and the others were no longer creating a ruckus. He squeezed the black ball once more before handing it over to Nanfeng. He couldn't help but ask, "Where did you buy this ball?"

Nanfeng stammered, "Uh… I don't know either."

The officer didn't get angry even though he didn't get the answer he was looking for. Forget it. It wasn't anything important either. He could search for it on the Internet once he got back. He waved his hands dismissively and let them leave.

After Nanfeng received the ball, Curly Hair tugged on his trousers, wanting the ball. Curly Hair was very obedient once he had the ball in his mouth. Wagging his tail, he followed Nanfeng back and refused to lend the ball to Mitisy and the others along the way back.

After returning to their rest area, Nanfeng recounted the matter about the black ball to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao took the black ball from Curly Hair's mouth and squeezed it. It was really soft indeed, and Fang Zhao couldn't determine what it was made of. Curly Hair had struck the ball so many times, Mitisy had hit it around as a tennis ball, and Curly Hair had then carried it around in his mouth. Yet its appearance remained glossy, like it was new, and there weren't any scratches on it at all. An organism from Planet Bu? No! Fang Zhao had a feeling that this wasn't any ordinary living organism!

Curly Hair whimpered at the side as he turned to Fang Zhao before staring at the ball miserably.

"It seems like Curly Hair especially loves this toy." Nanfeng realized that he had also been fooled after he said this. This wasn't a real ball. It was a bug!

Fang Zhao considered for a bit before returning the black ball to Curly Hair. He then instructed Nanfeng and the other two, "Let's keep it for now. Watch it properly."

"Yes, Boss!"

Elsewhere, the Spaceflight General Headquarters' officer on patrol was thinking to himself. I wonder what material that little black ball is made off, it feels really good in the hand. I've got to buy a few for the kids and dog at home when I return.

As he mulled it over, he saw someone walking over and his face stiffened. "Aren't you headed for the base?"

The person who came was the Inter-planetary Fund supervisor who was still stationed on Planet Bu.

Spaceflight General Headquarters and the Inter-planetary Fund had a cooperative relationship, but they also had a rivalry. Take for example the Alkaid's core technology. The Spaceflight General Headquarters had thought about it for very long but had no chance of touching it. This time, Spaceflight General Headquarters had reacted quickly, but it had still been snatched by the Inter-planetary Fund first. They never even got to see any trace of its "black box". It was no wonder he couldn't put on a smile when the two ran into each other.

The Inter-planetary Fund supervisor currently wasn't in a mood to talk much either. He smiled and headed over to the Alkaid.

The supervisor got his subordinates to stand guard on the outside before he entered the Alkaid once more. After that, he broadcast the sound clip that he had just received.

After some time, there still wasn't any sign of activity.

He wasn't willing to give up and tried broadcasting the sound at areas nearby the Alkaid.

Because this was a secret matter, he couldn't search for it openly. Neither did he dare tell anyone else. Even his own subordinates didn't know what he was looking for. He could only go about it alone and wondered to himself why wasn't a position tracker placed on such an important thing?!

The sound clip was broadcast for three days straight and the search area was widened. However, not a single trace was found.

Helpless, he finally submitted a report of this outcome.

Base soldiers stationed at this region also heard the whistling in the past three days. Each time they weren't nearby and couldn't see it clearly, so they thought that it was the Inter-planetary Fund personnel that was whistling. They joked in private, "The guy from the Inter-planetary Fund looks strict, but it turns out that he likes to whistle. And he whistles such a kiddy tune too."

The supervisor from the Inter-planetary Fund after he heard the rumor: "…" Forget it, I will just be the scapegoat.

Some days later.

The highly anticipated second episode of "Up Close Contact" was released. Indeed, it was shot aboard the Alkaid, and it satiated the curiosity of many people just that…

Inter-planetary Fund Headquarters.

Director General Meche Assis pointed at a certain black ball that was being hit around in the scene of the program. "Is that it?"

Little Bear said with an equally stunned face and widened eyes, "… Yes."

"Didn't you say that it has over 300 escape mechanisms? Didn't you say it would avoid humans and look for cover?"

"It really does!"

"Then what is going on here?"

"Playing dead procedures activated."

Before many doubting eyes of the Inter-planetary Fund, Little Bear explained himself, "Simply put, it is just… like many animals that play dead when they meet with danger; shutting itself down in a defensive state."

All the Inter-planetary Fund personnel present heaved a sigh of relief. If it could shut itself down so easily, it was indeed just a retarded toy.

However, according to Little Bear, the material used to built that retarded machine toy was very special, and it had to be retrieved as soon as possible. The material and technical knowledge couldn't be leaked.

Little Bear scratched his head. He was puzzled too. In theory, unless it faced a natural predator, Little Riches wouldn't have so easily activated its highest level defensive measure—playing dead procedure. Could it be that too much time had passed and some of the components inside had malfunctioned? Forget it, when the Inter-planetary Fund retrieves Little Riches and brings it back, I will give it an upgrade.

As for the time being…

Whatever! It's vacation time! Time to head out and let loose!!

Chapter 393: Superfanboy

Inter-planetary Fund's Meche Assis felt that he had taken on a thorny assignment. After considering many candidates, consulting with his superiors, and many discussions with Little Bear, Meche Assis called over his own son Danke Assis.

Having just returned home from boat races on the sea with his rowdy friends, Danke received a phone call from his father and was called over. He wondered what important matter was going on that required his father to call him so urgently. Danke hadn't been stirring up trouble, and there hadn't been any big matters at home.

Danke was pondering over the reason why his father had called him over as he arrived at the Inter-planetary Fund Headquarters. He stepped into the office belonging to Director General Meche Assis and saw a little kid dressed like a bear seated on the sofa. A thought immediately rose into his head. Where did this kid come from?!

He swept a doubting gaze at his father before continuing to stare at the kid.

Meche Assis coughed lightly and introduced him. "This is Little Bear. Bring him around to have fun for a few days."

Danke wasn't happy. "Whose kid is this? How many days is 'a few days'?"

Meche raised his hand at pointed upwards.

Danke's pupils shrank and he sat straight, immediately dispelling his previously sloppy manner. His was excited. This was an assignment from the top brass. Wasn't it just to bring a kid to have fun? He might not do for other stuff, but when it came to having fun, this was his specialty. Being given this assignment meant that the top brass had taken note of him. Perhaps he could enter the core management level even earlier. His siblings hadn't even managed to squeeze in yet!

"Take him along for a week first. Bring him anywhere he wishes to go," Meche said.

"Just one week? Not a problem!" Danke glanced at the little kid on the sofa watching him and accepted this assignment right away.

Meche had a complicated look as he watched his son. He opened his mouth to speak and then hesitated before finally saying, "Do… do your best."

"Don't worry. Isn't it just having fun and making merry? I can arrange for that!"

"No, you don't have to bother about food and drink. He will tell you if he wants anything. All you have to do is accompany him wherever he wants to have fun at. Don't worry about anything else." Meche exhorted him to take note of a few matters.

Although Danke had his suspicious, he knew that he shouldn't probe more into matters concerning the upper echelons of the Inter-planetary Fund. If he asked around too much, perhaps he might not make it into the core management.

"Alright, understood!" Danke promised. "I will definitely complete the assignment!"

Danke walked over to the sofa. He bent down and flashed what he reckoned was his warmest smile. "Hello, I am Danke Assis. You are called Little Bear, right?"

Little Bear studied Danke for a bit before smiling innocently. "Hello Dan Dan."

Danke: "…" This kid isn't lovable at all.

However, no matter what his first impression was, Danke had accepted this assignment. He picked up the luggage with a fierce looking bear head that his father had carried over before bring Little Bear out.

After entering a car, Danke asked, "Where shall we go to have fun first?"

"First, let's fly once around Huangcheng." Little Bear replied.

"Alright." Danke wouldn't even have any complaints even if they were to fly once around the entire Huangzhou, let alone just the capital city of Huangcheng. After all, there would definitely be benefits for doing so. He would treat this little kid belonging to some great leader just like how he would treat his ancestors.

Meche stood at the window of his office as he watched a flashy flying car rise and fly into the distance. He sighed and wondered how many days his son would be able to handle this superintelligence for.

Two days later.

Meche was looking through some documents when he heard that Danke was looking for him. He wasn't too astonished and told his assistant to send Danke in.

"Father——"Danke dragged his voice in a miserable manner when he entered. He knelt down and hugged Meche's thigh. "You are my own father!"

There was a greenish bruise around one of his eyes. The word "B*stard" was written across his face and his delicately arranged bangs was a mess. Danke's eyes were also shimmering with tears.

Danke took one look and sighed. "Tell me the truth."

Danke exhaled and pointed to the words on his face. "I lost in a game."

He then pointed to his eye with the bruise. "My tone was a little unpleasant when I was shaken awake, so I got hit. Father, how old is this kid? His strength is really off the charts!"

He had been beat in a game and had even lost in terms of strength to a kid. This was really the first time Danke had ever suffered such a heavy blow.

Meche knew his own son best and knew that Danke's words could only be believed to a certain extent. Danke was surely hit because he had lazed in bed and had put on an attitude while getting up.

Superintelligence could be used as a fighting weapon. Thus, Danke's bruised eye couldn't even be considered playing around.

Therefore, Meche only replied to Danke's tearful complaints with a heartless, "Oh" followed by, "Since you can't accomplish this assignment, I will just hand it to someone else…"

"Don't!" Danke blurted out hurriedly. He didn't really want to give up on this assignment. He had only come over to let his father and the Inter-planetary Fund leaders know that this little kid was a handful as well as to let them know how tough it was on him.

"Dad, is that really from the great leader's family?" Danke asked in a hush tone.

"Mmm." Meche nodded.

"Kids of the great leader's family are really extraordinary." Danke put on a serious expression, stood up, and smoothed his messy hair. "Don't you worry, I can still persevere!"

"With these acting skills, even if you don't get into the core management, you can still try your hand in acting." Meche said with a wooden face.

"Hehe." Danke giggled as he jumped up and loosened his arms. "I will be heading back first. I have given the broadcast video platform's account to that little kid to watch serials. He likes 'Founding Era'. The full series should be able to keep him busy for quite a long time."

"Don't imagine him being too simple! You… do your best." Meche emphasized once more.

"Hey, don't you worry!"

Danke waved his hands and hurried back. He had taken the opportunity to come over and show his presence while that bear child was watching the serial. However, when he returned home, Danke realized that this bear child's speed at watching serials was a little too fast.

Hadn't he been gone for only an hour?

Danke changed to a pair of slippers before coming back to the room and saw that Little Bear's eyes that had been teary and red had returned back to normal. There wasn't any trace that he had been about to cry!

Danke was astonished. So tears can really be stifled!

He suffered yet another blow. This little kid actually had better acting skills than him!

"Really well-acted!" Little Bear exclaimed.

"Of course, take a look at 'Founding Era's' cast and crew! Oh right, Little Bear, after watching so many episodes, who is your favorite actor or actress?" Danke returned back to the moment and asked.

"Fang Zhao!"

"Fang Zhao? Why?"

"Real!"

"Sss, aren't actors all acting? How can that be real?"

"Then his acting is the most realistic."

"What does a kid know about being real or not?"

"I want his autograph!"

"Don't have it… I will help you purchase one online."

"I want to take a photograph with him!"

"He is on a foreign planet filming and can't return… Why? Have you learned from others to chase stars? Chasing stars will make you brainless!" Danke tried to frighten Little Bear.

"Oh, so you have chased stars before?" Little Bear asked.

"… What do you mean by that?!" This brat is totally not adorable at all!!

Seeing that Little Bear wasn't replying, Danke asked, "Will you be continuing to watch the series, or do you want to do something else?"

"Watch the series."

"Alright, you go on watching. Call me if you need anything. There's food in the refrigerator. Help yourself if you get hungry or thirsty. I will be returning to my room to catch up on some sleep first."

Little Bear's only raised his hand to wave Danke off, his eyes remaining fixated on the screen.

Danke returned to his room to shower and washed the markings off of his face. He applied some medicine to his bruised eye and took a nice afternoon nap. When he got up, he discovered the bear child watching a concert. A video of Fang Zhao's concert.

Danke yawned and muttered to himself, "No longer binging the series. Kids sure are fickle."

Danke took a look at the time. He double checked that he had only slept for two hours and not two months!

Danke wondered whether that kid had just fast-forwarded through the videos. Danke stretched his neck out to observe and saw that the bear kid was really watching the concert attentively and didn't seem to have any intention to fast-forward. Thus, Danke left the projection room and sent his father a message.

[That bear kid is chasing stars now. Will that be a problem?]

Meche immediately returned with a video call.

"What's going on?"

"It's like this. Do you see? He is currently watching Fang Zhao's concert video and even said that he wants Fang Zhao's autograph and a photograph with Fang Zhao. I reckon that he will want to find Fang Zhao when he returns back from filming… Dad, what's wrong?! He's just chasing a star. Why does it seem like it scares you so…"

On the other end, Inter-planetary Fund Director General Meche Assis who had been entrusted with this important assignment turned pale and broke out in cold sweat. He didn't reply to Danke's question immediately and sent a message after ending the video call.

[Don't let him get close to Fang Zhao during the assignment period! No, make him stay far away! Don't let him get close!]

Meche was worried. Little Bear looked human, but he had the kernel of a superintelligence. Meche was worried that Fang Zhao's ears would detect something if he were close enough.

Danke frowned when he received his father's message. He studied the little figure in the projection room a few times.

"*Cough*, Little Bear, let's change a star to chase. What do you think of that…"

"News just came out. Fang Zhao donated tens of billions to Bu Base," Little Bear blurted out abruptly.

"WHAT?!"

Danke was so stunned by this news that he totally forgot what he wanted to say. After searching online, Danke discovered that this news was true, and various authoritative media outlets had already reported on it. There were two news items regarding Bu Base. One was that Bu Base would become the third strategic military location and that the planet was being sealed for developments. The second was that Fang Zhao had donated the entirety of his monetary reward for the Alkaid's discovery to Bu Base.

"Is this person stupid? Is he soft in the head?"

The monetary reward was so much, and he donated every single cent to Planet Bu? Couldn't he exchange it for something more valuable?

Danke just couldn't understand. Was it worth it?

At the same time in Yanzhou's Yanbei retirement facility, Great-grandfather Fang had also seen this news. His hand twirling the walnuts trembled. His lips quivered and his mind was filled with thoughts that Little Zhao had been pressured and swindled.

Great-grandfather Fang, who chose to be mindlessly biased, cried, "My Little Zhao has surely been wronged!"

He has been tremendously wronged!

Bad intentions! They all have bad intentions!!

Chapter 394: Crazy Test-Loving Monster

Great-grandfather Fang wasn't the only one who thought this way. The first thought that came to many people's minds when they first saw the news was whether there were any behind-the-scenes deals.

Otherwise who would so readily give away tens of billions that were recently acquired?

This was tens of billions. How many things could be bought with that sum?

Besides, Fang Zhao's primary status currently was an artist. What was the point of donating so much money to Bu Base for construction? Firstly, he wouldn't receive any additional rights and secondly, his rank also wouldn't rise. What exactly was he scheming? Shouldn't he set aside a certain portion for himself?

However, no matter what people thought in private, the various authoritative media outlets were very willing to report on this news. They needed to shine the light on this exemplar model.

Take a look at how others are so enlightened!

Was this something that most people could do? The Internet was abuzz with discussions.

On Planet Bu.

The black ball "Little Riches" had been returned. Inter-planetary Fund personnel had come knocking when they had seen the new episode of the variety program.

Fang Zhao didn't say much and had returned the black ball.

Without anything to play with, Curly Hair searched for toys in the desert. His targets were all sorts of lively creatures in the desert. After playing with them for a while, Curly Hair would secretly eat them up.

In the period that followed, besides filming, composing, and working on his thesis, Fang Zhao also applied for piloting credentials for various fighter aircrafts, military flying transports, armored tanks, and other such vehicles. Back when they were filming on board the Alkaid, Fang Zhao had been very interested in the piloting system of the Alkaid. However, given his current status, he was unable to apply for this grade of piloting credentials.

Despite his contributions as well as repeated donations, Fang Zhao's rank wasn't promoted, but his meritorious service was remembered. Thus, the auditing for Fang Zhao's applications were put through a fast track and those that could be done were released within an hour. Following that, Fang Zhao would find time to attend related theory lessons with soldiers from the base as well as practical piloting lessons.

Bu Base personnel found out that whether it was theory or practical applications, Fang Zhao picked things up extremely quickly!

Other people saw that Fang Zhao was talented in these aspects, but the reality was that Fang Zhao had experienced a lot during the Period of Destruction. Back then, things weren't so advanced, and smart systems weren't so ubiquitous. . Back then, credentials and applications weren't needed. Those with ability would just do it, and those without ability had to force themselves to do it in order to survive. Human potential was harshly extracted in this way.

However, other people didn't know this. Bu Base Commanding Officer Flemington lamented many times, "It's too much of a pity. A talent like Fang Zhao should stay in the military and develop instead of being an artist!

A waste of talent!!

The three salted fishes Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao watched impatiently as Fang Zhao took all sorts of driving and piloting licenses. They had also applied for these; however, the auditing was slow and they encountered many more restrictions.

Yan Biao said enviously as yet another squadron of fighter crafts flew by, "Back then, we weren't so privileged on Planet Baiji, so I was never able to touch these models. By the time Planet Baiji developed, I had already been discharged. I never imagined a day where I would come so close to these new models."

"We should get word of our applications within these two days. However, we surely won't receive as much clearance as Boss," Nanfeng said. Different models of military flying transports and fighter crafts had different piloting setups. The military would differentiate it even more meticulously and the audit would be stricter.

Zuo Yu thought of something. "Our boss takes the tests for all these various credentials here, so shouldn't Bu Base be the issuing party?"

"Bu Base will become the third strategic military location in the future. The issued credentials' worth will increase with Bu Base's development. This cannot be compared to ordinary private and commercial licenses!"

After a substantial silence, the three spoke in unison, "I'm so envious!"

"How many licenses has our boss obtained up to now?" Nanfeng asked.

"The seventh was just received today." Yan Biao remembered this clearly.

"Say, how many do you think boss will have once the program filming is completed?"

"There are no limits to taking tests. Our boss is addicted to earning licenses. I even saw him perusing a book on engines. Will he try for a technician license?"

"What a crazy test-loving monster!"

Nanfeng decided how he would introduce his boss to people in future. "My boss is an artist that is fond of taking tests!

As for now… better to walk the dog first.

After Fang Zhao got down after a round of flying, he was stopped by Flemington for a chat.

Recently, Flemington was in high spirits and glowed with vigor. He was excited that Bu Base being built into the third strategic military location. He also didn't want to be transferred away and would fight to the bitter end if anyone tried to transfer him away!

This was the third strategic military location!

At that time, the big boss here… wouldn't be him. However, his position wouldn't be low either! He would wield even more authority and power at that time!

Flemington was satisfied with everything else except Fang Zhao here. Flemington wanted to convince Fang Zhao to stay here and develop. As the incumbent base Commanding Officer, he still had power, but Fang Zhao rejected him.

Having seen the exceptional results of Fang Zhao's piloting practices, Flemington persisted and personally came to try to convince him.

Flemington drew a circle in the air. "In the future, an experimental flight center will be built here. Countless new models of fighter aircrafts and flying transports will take off and land here… Construction for the new spaceport has already started… and at that side…"

Flemington brought Fang Zhao to see the desert and the sky; he talked about life and ideals from fighter aircrafts armaments to spaceships, all in a bid to sway Fang Zhao to join the base.

However, Fang Zhao's dedication to music was still unchanged.

Having discussed so much with Fang Zhao, Flemington felt that this youngster really had great skill and strategy.

A talent! How can he think about being a music artist?!

It's too much of a waste!

There were people who couldn't become winners even with 10 golden fingers. And there were some that would soar through the clouds with just one opportunity. In Flemington's eyes, Fang Zhao was of the latter sort. Unfortunately his ambitions laid elsewhere.

Flemington sighed as he walked and sat on a rock that had been eroded by the wind into a bizarre shape. As he watched the sand flying afar, Flemington asked, "Fang Zhao, what are your feelings about this trip to Planet Bu? What is it that you think is the most fortunate about this trip?"

Flemington imagined that Fang Zhao would say that it was the monetary reward of the Alkaid.

Fang Zhao smiled. "Living. I still don't know what marvels the future holds."

While speaking, Fang Zhao received a notification about internet access time. As internet access time wasn't fixed because Planet Bu's construction projects constantly changed,, the program team only got internet access when they received the notification. The duration wasn't very long either.

Naturally, since Fang Zhao had received the notification, Zaro and the others had received it too.

Fang Zhao watched as the few of them who had been looking for entertainment outside scrambled over to the base soldiers to borrow cars.

Flemington could only shake his head as he observed them. "This bunch is really…"

"Really lively." Fang Zhao finished.

Flemington: "…" Lively? Then so be it.

Fang Zhao got up to take his leave and also returned to the base. He wanted to speak to Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang when there was internet access. Otherwise, the two elder Fangs would surely be worried.

Elsewhere, Zaro and the others immediately got down to business the moment they received the notification for internet access. Now, Planet Bu was very busy throughout and all the flying transports were in use, so they couldn't rent any. All they could borrow were cars, and the ones available weren't very good either. Alternatively, they could wait for the program team's large car to pick them up, but that would require at least half an hour more.

Since they were so eager to head online, that half hour that could be saved was really precious!

Barbara borrowed a small-sized desert buggy used for patrolling from a team of soldiers and got her assistant to hurry and drive off.

Zaro and the others who were slightly behind were met with an unfeeling "No."

Woo Tianhao stomped his feet! "Damn it! Isn't this sexual discrimination?!"

Zaro was furious. "Barbara surely seduced them!"

Mitisy went up to reason with them, but the soldiers had looks of helplessness. "There really isn't any more. Our team is only able to lend out that one car. We just loaned it out to whoever came first."

What this meant was—You can only blame yourself for being slow! There aren't anymore cars!

Zaro, who had been close by but hadn't been able to run faster than Barbara: "…" Pissed!

Mitisy, who could run fast but had been quite a distance away: "…" Gloomy!

Woo Tianhao, who had been having too much fun that he forgot to react in time: "…" Sullen!

"How about you all try asking other teams?" That soldier suggested.

Zaro turned around, wanting to look for another squad of soldiers when he realized that Mitisy and Woo Tianhao had already started to sprint after the dune buggy that Barbara was on. It had only just started and hadn't yet picked up speed. The two of them ran quickly and forced out Barbara's assistant and bodyguard when they caught up, taking their places. Woo Tianhao was driving with Barbara in the front passenger seat and Mitisy in the rear trunk area.

Zaro, who had been left behind. "…"

This plastic brotherhood had simply been unable to even withstand a single blow at this time.

Zaro looked around him and his eyes glowed. He started running and waving his hands frantically. "Fang Zhao! Take me!"

Nanfeng and the other two bodyguards occupied one dune buggy. On Fang Zhao's end, he was in the driver's seat while Curly Hair sat in the front passenger seat. The rear compartment was still empty. Zaro had wanted to sit in the front passenger seat, but when he saw Curly Hair bare his teeth, Zaro hesitated before turning and heading to the rear compartment.

"Fasten your seatbelt!" Fang Zhao said.

"There aren't any seatbelts…" Zaro looked around. He saw a rope for fastening goods and tied it around himself. "Done!"

Fang Zhao shook his head and smiled. He tossed a helmet to Zaro in case the wind and sand damaged his brain.

When they got back to the base, Fang Zhao first sent Great-grandfather Fang a call request.

Because of new guidelines, the program team members were not allowed to use video projection and other methods for online calls to their friends and relatives. Only voice calls were allowed. Great-grandfather Fang expressed his understanding towards these rules. Due to Planet Bu's plans to become the third strategic military location, the entire planet was going through a closed-off period and the degree of confidentiality was raised. Thus, voice calls were implemented to prevent the program team from inadvertently leaking too much.

Of course, this wasn't what Great-grandfather Fang focused on.

"Little Zhao, tell me. Who over there has wronged you?" Great-grandfather Fang was worried that Bu Base personnel had employed some schemes and that Fang Zhao was being bullied.

When Great-grandfather Fang spoke with Fang Zhao over the call, other retired veterans of the facility came to visit in succession. There were some who were worried, some who came to join in the fun, and even some who were bored and wanted to find something to do. They were still chatting as they entered, and upon knowing that Great-grandfather Fang was current speaking with Fang Zhao, they ceased their chatter and their ears pricked up. They were also very curious as to what Fang Zhao was currently thinking.

The worry on Great-grandfather Fang's face lessened when he heard Fang Zhao's explanation.

"Really? You have already gotten the license for so many fighter aircrafts? Hey, do you have—whatever that's called—over there?" Great-grandfather Fang rattled off the names of new model fighter aircraft that had recently been reported in military news.

Fang Zhao said that he had tried out two among those new models. And because Planet Bu was still in a developmental phase, there were less types of aircrafts and transports there. Fang Zhao first started with the licenses that were available. .

Knowing that Fang Zhao was obtaining all sorts of licenses and learning that Fang Zhao had flown new models of fighter aircraft, the sides of Great-grandfather Fang's lips continuously curled upwards.

"Good good good… you even got to pilot a submarine? Not bad, not bad… right, and those new models of combat equipment? In the future, they will all be moved to Planet Bu. Even if you can't get the qualifications for those, you can try your hand at whatever is available… You can't get a pilot license for a warship? It doesn't matter. There's no rush. Take it step by step…"

The other old fogies that were watching Great-grandfather Fang talk about various firearms, fighter aircraft, and submarines felt their hearts itch. From what they saw, Fang Zhao's donations actually brought about quite some benefits. Fang Zhao's applications for credentials would surely be approved quicker.

Great-grandfather was beaming. Nobody knew what Fang Zhao was saying, but Great-grandfather Fang nodded his head continuously. "You haven't done anything wrong. So be it if you donate. We also can't have have any peace of mind when spending all that easy money. Being able to get all those credentials is more than worth it already."

Great-grandfather Fang almost seemed like a robot with how he approved and nodded his head at everything Fang Zhao said. As for the massive monetary reward, he just treated it as though a large gust of wind had blown past and had swept all the money away.

"Take more photographs… Oh, you can't randomly take photos now? Alright, I feel way more at ease knowing that you weren't being bullied over there!"

Great-grandfather Fang only reluctantly handled the communications device to Great-grandmother Fang after exhorting him a little more. After that, he turned around, wanting to find targets to share Fang Zhao's accomplishment with. "Hey Old Li, let me tell you guys… where's everyone?"

The living room that was filled with people moments ago was now completely empty.Salted fishes is a term for idle people in chinese

Chapter 395: Celebrity Popularity Char

After ending the call with Great-grandfather Fang and inquiring with base personnel, Fang Zhao took a photograph and sent it back.

Fang Zhao stood before a new model of fighter aircraft that had been recently announced in governmental news. Other models couldn't be photographed so only this model was shown. However, just this one photograph was enough to allow Great-grandfather Fang to show off for a long time.

Days passed and there weren't many days left for the program team's filming. Due to the plans for Planet Bu to become a military strategic location, the program team were already being urged to hasten their filming. Therefore, even if the director wanted to drag on and film for a few more days, the remaining time frame for filming was still compressed.

This season of the program had a slight change in style. It didn't have the entertainment style of previous seasons and was slightly more serious and proper. However, despite less comedic elements, viewership was actually tens of times higher than previous seasons! The episode filmed on board the Alkaid was also the episode that had the highest ever subscription rate.

Zaro and the others also received some token monetary reward for the matter of the Alkaid. For them, this was just a rather precious and commemorative red packet. They placed this sum inside their bank accounts and wouldn't use them, but they donated even more items.

This was especially so for Zaro. The value of stuff he donated was more than twice the amount he received! This wasn't because he was suddenly enlightened; rather, he knew deep down that after getting the monetary reward from the Alkaid, he would get hit if he didn't donate some stuff back.

Fang Zhao felt that his time on Planet Bu was very fulfilling. Besides filming, he was still busy composing, writing his thesis, obtaining piloting licenses, and occasionally finding the time to have fun with Zaro and the others.

There was a saying, "small beginnings show how things will develop." From his experiences on Planet Bu, Fang Zhao could see the trend of technology and culture of humankind in the New Era. He could also see how it would develop in the future. Although there were certain aspects that were unsatisfactory below the surface, as a whole, it was still rather good. Looking forward, the short-term future was not too bad.

Plans for Planet Bu to become the third strategic military location was proof of humankind's ambition.

It wasn't anything bad. As long as the pace of progress was moderated, this sort of ambition was a good thing, especially in the hands of a leader that had experienced the Period of Destruction. Fang Zhao was very happy to see the current state of development. Even his old friends would have agreed if they were here as well.

Fang Zhao was very gratified. This sort of feeling was like holding a child's hand and watching him continue to walk on steadily and with determination after letting go of the child's hand.

Far away, in the sealed region, huge flying transports were taking off and landing.

The night sky was especially bright above the area where Planet Bu's new spaceport was being constructed.

The sea of stars was like an approaching dream.

Fang Zhao jotted down another star on a certain page of his notebook.

…

On the day of leaving Planet Bu, a military reporter came looking for Fang Zhao and asked whether Fang Zhao's results for the various licensing tests he took could be made public.

Fang Zhao thought about it before agreeing.

Days later, the official military media outlet published a table of Fang Zhao's test results on their social media platform.

The official military media outlet had disseminated this using Fang Zhao as an exemplary model. After this was released, many authoritative media outlets fell over each other in a bid to circulate this news first.

Fang Zhao had yet to return when the news was abuzz.

On that table was a series of licenses that Bu Base had conferred on Fang Zhao. There were many licenses for models of fighter aircraft, combat equipment, and even submarines. There were all sorts of licenses: vehicles that flew in the sky, traversed on seas, and ran on land!

Military enthusiasts hurried to educate general netizens and analyzed the models, technology, and military grades of all these.

Many people were astonished.

"Although I don't really understand, it feels very advanced."

"Passing all of this with excellent results; isn't he some sort of top student?!"

"What top student? This is called a study god! Those licenses can't just be obtained by burying your head in theory. Even people with remarkable studying ability, mental strength, and other traits would find it difficult to even obtain one. He managed to pass them all during the duration he was filming for a variety program! In the military, this would be considered a special grade already!"

"Special grade… from my impression, Fang Zhao is still a refined and gentle young artist…"

"The one above, what gives you the misconception that Fang Zhao is a 'refined and gentle young artist'?! Is it the videos of the inhuman crazy point-sweeping demon that is still highly circulated in gaming forums? Or is it the videos of Fang Zhao's operational abilities that were in no way inferior to garrisoned soldiers back when he underwent military service? Or perhaps it is the 'awakening you with coolness' musical style that has already started to be forgotten by people? Which of these show 'refined and gentle'?!"

At Yanbei's retirement facility, Great-grandfather Fang had been happily browsing through when he saw this and got mad. How is my family's Little Zhao not refined and gentle?!!

However, Great-grandfather Fang's voice of justification was too weak and didn't change the opinion of the majority of netizens.

"Then the question is, why does he not enter the military instead of dabbling in the arts with this sort of ability?" Someone asked.

"Heh? I am just curious why those at the back of the list are pixelated."

In the table released, details on the last two rows were concealed. All that was shown was Fang Zhao's results as well as verification of Bu Base issuing the license.

"Probably some certain things that are still within the confidentiality period. I have a nagging suspicion that Fang Zhao has obtained even more credentials that haven't been made public by the military!"

"The military also has artists. Would Fang Zhao head in that direction in future?"

"Insider info: many units are actually intending to recruit Fang Zhao over."

"Wasn't there that guy from the entertainment circle that was specially recruited into the military? He exposed for misappropriating military funds last month. However, if it were Fang Zhao, I wouldn't have to worry."

"You don't say! He already donated tens of billions! As if he would care about that tiny bit of military expenses!"

"Seeing the current momentum, he is being publicly pushed forward as a role model. In the future, if he is really specially recruited in, he would surely rise really quickly!"

"Back then, he was promoted by one rank after being discharged from military service and converted to reserve duty. If he really gets specially recruited, I reckon that he will get promoted again."

"I've heard before that artists in the military rise really fast. It is different from those in combat squads. It is easy for them to provide meritorious services and receive awards. The only thing I'm not too sure about is whether Fang Zhao can rise to General before the age of fifty."

"A soldier that doesn't wish to be a general isn't a good artist. If I were Fang Zhao, I would surely accept the special recruitment. That is the rank of general we are talking about!"

"According to the stipulations, it is difficult for those artistic types to have real authority. What's the use without any real authority?"

"Glory and salary is enough. No real authority is fine too."

The internet was full of guesses on whether Fang Zhao would be specially recruited into the military.

Huangzhou, Mo Lang's residence.

The formerly quiet and peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a furious roar.

"All of you better give up this god-damned idea! That is a talented genius I have painstakingly cultivated! He still has a long way to go in the path of art! He wouldn't cherish that sort of place!!"

Mo Lang's beard twitched continuously as he faced his communications device.

The person on the other end of the communications device saw Mo Lang being so worked up and hurriedly tried to explain, as he worried that something might happen to this treasure of an old artist.

However, the more he explained, the angrier Mo Lang got.

"You have said so much, but at the end of the day, aren't you still trying to poach him? Impossible!!"

Mo Lang didn't wait for the other party to try persuading him again and ended the call.

At his age, Mo Lang had really seen a lot. If Fang Zhao was specially recruited into those units, the academic atmosphere there would surely be inferior compared to where he was. If he was duped, he would spend all of his time attending various social events and take on varying assignments. Inside, there were also many people who fought both openly and in the dark for the sake of promotion. Mo Lang definitely wouldn't let Fang Zhao go over and waste his precious artistic talents!

Mo Lang took a deep breath and paced up and down. "No, I need to read a few theses to calm down."

His assistant hurriedly sent over two thesis papers and a newly composed work that Fang Zhao had submitted. It was only then did Mo Lang's mood lighten.

"Let Fang Zhao start on preparing his graduation concert the moment he returns. Don't let him get distracted by other matters." This was what Mo Lang had decided. He wasn't entirely reassured so he contacted a few people to quash the news that the official military had released. He didn't wish for Fang Zhao to see news about him everywhere on the internet when he returned.

There were people who felt that this was completely unnecessary. There was so much news on the internet everyday. It was hard enough for this sort of disseminated news to persist for two days, let alone maintain its popularity for a sustained duration.

Two days later, news of Fang Zhao's results on Planet Bu died down. Mo Lang was delighted but only for a while. Very soon, that official military news that had been published was dug out again and its viewership rose.

"What… What is going on?" Mo Lang was stunned.

————

In the space station orbiting earth, Fang Zhao and the entire program team had finally returned. However, they were still required to go through immigration processes and a quarantine which meant that they had to stop at the space station for awhile.

Everyone from the program team including Zaro didn't have any complaints. There wasn't anything to fret about and there was internet access here. With internet access and food, these people were even happy to stay here for an entire month.

"Damn! Fang Zhao, you're trending on social media again!" Woo Tianhao exclaimed while browsing the news. He had originally wanted to post a good-looking photo of himself. However, he hadn't expected to see Fang Zhao's name as one of the top searches after he logged into his account.

Nanfeng was also abnormally excited. He had also seen it at the same time as Woo Tianhao. He was somewhat in disbelief, so he carefully gathered some information and asked around before coming over to explain things to Fang Zhao.

"Boss, 'Star Cup' has recently concluded. You are ranked first on the Celebrity Popularity Chart."

The Star Cup was organized by the Inter-planetary Fund in conjunction with science associations, the ministry of education, and higher learning establishments from every continent. It was a global extracurricular competition for innovation and entrepreneurship for secondary school students. Its name came from the father of spaceflight, Master Heng Xin. In his later years, Master Heng Xin had brought out a portion of his fortune and had established the 'Star Cup'.

In the words of Master Heng Xin at the beginning when this was established——

Fame, I will grant it! Benefits, I will also grant it! It is right here. Come take it if you have the ability!!

Star Cup was a top-notch challenge for secondary students throughout the world. It was also considered a gathering of geniuses. It was held once every three years. At this time, various top universities and large-scale companies throughout the world would prepare to poach the participants!

If they couldn't poach them now, they would try to sign them to binding contracts for when they were finished with their education. Some students who performed exceedingly well in the Star Cup challenge match were signed by the world's top hundred corporations before they even stepped foot into university.

It could be said that everyone who participated in the Star Cup were elites, and that those who survived until the final rounds were the elites among elites.They were considered genius-tier students in certain aspects.

At the end of the Star Cup, there would be an awards ceremony. The Star Cup would invite a celebrity to the awards ceremony according to the requests of students that participated in the Star Cup challenge. This was the usual practise.

Who was to say that geniuses couldn't chase stars?

And currently the voting charts had reached this point. Only students that participated in the Star Cup challenge and passed through pre-selection would have voting rights. This couldn't be falsified.

At the present moment, Fang Zhao occupied the first position on the voting charts.

Nanfeng glanced at Fang Zhao's expression before continuing, "According to convention, the invited celebrity has to perform at the awards ceremony. Boss, you have to be prepared.The literal translation of Heng Xin is Star

Chapter 396: Bomber

The voting period was not yet over, but Fang Zhao's dominance in the charts was clear. Nanfeng had to begin his preparations.

"Boss, if you receive the invitation from the organizers, you probably won't reject it, right?" Nanfeng asked.

"I won't," Fang Zhao replied. "Let me think about the performance."

"Alright!"

Given the present circumstances, Fang Zhao receiving an invitation was certain. As a positive role model publicized by the media, there was no reason not to invite Fang Zhao.

It was as Nanfeng had thought. The organizing side contacted Fang Zhao's side before the voting results were even concluded and invited Fang Zhao for Star Cup's victory ceremony.

Mo Lang didn't wish for Fang Zhao to take part in other activities after returning back, but it wasn't good to reject this. The significance of Star Cup wasn't the same. Even though it was against his will, Mo Lang could only agree. Fortunately, the graduation concert plans that Fang Zhao had submitted satisfied him. Progress was also good, and it showed that Fang Zhao hadn't neglected making preparations for the graduation concert all this while while being busy with other things.

However, Mo Lang still called Fang Zhao over for some lessons in seclusion before the Star Cup victory ceremony as well as amending the graduation concert plans that Fang Zhao had submitted.

Therefore, Fang Zhao didn't have too much time to head out after he returned to school. Fang Zhao also didn't attend a banquet that Zaro hosted when he came on a vacation to Huangzhou.

Zaro felt that it was really a pity that Fang Zhao couldn't come out. "My brothers are rather looking forward to see you. Oh, I have a good bro that was also invited by the Star Cup organizers. You two will meet when the time comes."

"Who?'" Fang Zhao asked. He was also a little curious.

"It's Bobo, or Chu Bo. His nickname is Bomber. He's the one who ended in second place on the Star Cup's voting list of the Most Popular Celebrities."

After ending the call with Fang Zhao, Zaro then looked through his address book and picked people to contact in succession. He wanted to call a few more people to have fun and liven things up. He hadn't gathered together with his bunch of good-for-nothing friends for quite some time as he had been on Planet Bu for "poverty alleviation".

Zaro also contacted Danke Assis. "Come out and have fun!"

"I'm not free. I have to look after a kid!" Danke really wanted to go out and have fun but wasn't able to spare the time. He had already completed the assignment his father had given to him at the beginning, but perhaps because he had looked after the kid too well, management was too lazy to change the kid's caretaker. They had asked Danke to accompany Little Bear to play every once in awhile. Thus, Danke wasn't free today.

Zaro had learned the news of Danke looking after a kid from his bunch of good-for-nothing friends back when he had been 'alleviating poverty' on Planet Bu. At that time, he had jumped up in shock. Those scoundrels knew how to go crazy, but there always had a limit. When they heard that Danke was at home looking after a kid, all of their imaginations ran wild. It was only after Danke explained that they understood that the kid was something like a crown prince of the Inter-planetary Fund. After that, they stopped joking about the kid.

"Wasn't your assignment completed? Hasn't it been so long already?" Zaro didn't understand.

"New assignment. That kid has probably started school somewhere, so he comes out during the holidays. In any case, I have been called over to accompany the kid to have fun for this period." Danke sounded tired.

"Alright, another day then. Bobo came to Huangzhou today and will be staying for a while. Let's schedule another time to hang."

Zaro had his own private residence in Huangcheng and this was the place he would call his friends over to every time. A little while after he ended the call with Danke, the "Bobo" that he was talking about arrived.

Chu Bo was a member of Jinzhou's super-aristocratic Chu family and a descendant of a Great General. He had a status that was similar to Zaro's status in Leizhou. Their personalities were also similar in some aspects——both were relentless in their verbal attacks.

The difference was that Zaro straightforward in his verbal attacks. Whatever methods were used against him would be directly used back in a counteroffensive. If someone attacked him on social media, Zaro would use social media to directly criticize them in return.

It was different for Chu Bo. Regardless of whatever methods were used by others to scold him, Chu Bo loved turning whatever he wished to say into song lyrics and verbally criticize the offending parties back in song.

Chu Bo had blinding gold hair which was dyed. He scanned the area after arriving at Zaro's place. "Nobody came?"

"They are on the way. Danke can't make it. He has to stay home and look after a kid. You know the one."

"Still?" Chu Bo didn't really care though and asked, "What about Fang Zhao? Is he coming?"

"He can't come. His teacher has shut him in for lessons."

"… Are the teachers of Twelve Tones that strict? That didn't happen back when I was studying." Chu Bo went online and searched. "That's not right. Isn't his Academic Advisor Prof. Carter? Prof. Carter is giving lectures away from Huangzhou these few days. Who is the one giving lessons to Fang Zhao today then?"

"Prof. Carter? I'm not sure." Zaro recalled the Fang Zhao's words. "However, during the call, he seemed to have spoken to someone on his end. If I heard correctly, it sounded like 'Teacher Mo' or something."

"Mo Lang?!" Chu Bo got excited. He rubbed his hands in glee and continued, "This won't do. I have to run into Fang Zhao when the time comes and have a good chat with him!"

Chu Bo had always paid attention to Fang Zhao because of their similar age and because both studied music. Although their approach was different, people would still compare them side by side. This had been especially so during the voting where Fang Zhao had been a dominant first while Chu Bo was second. Chu Bo didn't feel that it was unacceptable; rather, he became more curious of this Fang Zhao. He originally thought that they would meet today. He hadn't expected that the Twelve Tones Advance Class would supervise him so strictly.

Fortunately they were both invited by the Star Cup organizers and would get the chance to meet.

"Hey Zaro, you interacted with Fang Zhao for quite a long time during your stay on Planet Bu. What is he normally like? Are those credentials published by the official military media outlets real?" Chu Bo asked.

…

While Chu Bo was asking about Fang Zhao, on the other side, Fang Zhao was at Mo Lang's place for lessons. He was resting in the study after listening to Mo Lang's assessment and evaluation of his thesis.

Mo Lang was already quite old and couldn't spend too much time and energy giving Fang Zhao lessons. He would normally go rest after teaching Fang Zhao, and more often than not, Fang Zhao would stay behind after that. There were all sorts of professional books and works in the study as well as Mo Lang's own manuscripts that couldn't be found anywhere else.

After straightening out his thesis, Fang Zhao did an online search for information of Chu Bo.

Before this, Fang Zhao had seen video recordings of Chu Bo's concerts as well as various entertainment reports of Chu Bo online.

Chu Bo was from the family of a Great General. Chu Bo achieved overall excellence all the way from kindergarten to university, yet he wasn't the sort of well-behaved student as he had an arrogant and obstinate character. Afterwards, he managed to get into Jinzhou's best university with exceptional grades. During university, he formed a band for fun, and two years in, he realized he loved singing even more. Having suddenly found his true passion, he spent another half year to complete his studies in advance before getting into the next door music academy which was also Jinzhou's best. Back then, this matter became the headlines for Jinzhou's various media outlets.

There were people who said that he was willful, but he had the ability to be willful.

There were also some who said that his personality was like a student going through adolescence, and they loved this sort of person who took the road less traveled.

Chu Bo liked to use incisive lyrics to sing about his innermost thoughts under powerful electronic beats. He didn't care how others saw him. At the beginning of last year, an extremely aggressive punk track full of dissing was popular among many punk enthusiasts. However, shortly after, Chu Bo then revised a rather famous punk track into rock 'n' roll. Although it sold extremely well, he was boycotted by many punk fans and caused them to turn from admirers into detractors.

He liked to add insightful critique to his song lyrics about various happenings and would improvise and change lyrics for songs to verbally criticize people during his concerts where the atmosphere was at its highest. He had also written a song with a positive and bright outlook for a young fan prone to suicidal tendencies and had once composed a rock n roll style requiem to honor the victims of a terrorist attack.

There were some people that said he exploited the terrorist incident to show off and gain popularity. However, seven days after the incident, Chu Bo released a powerful song with a strong anti-terrorism agenda. The evaluation of a well-known person in the music industry was this: "With fury added in it, a song triumphs a gun."

After that, it was rumored that Chu Bo was placed on a certain hit lists because of this anti-terrorism song. Chu Bo's family kept him at home for a month before he was allowed to step out. When he finally did, he was surrounded by many more bodyguards.

However, there were also people who said that the reason Chu Bo always had many bodyguards with him was because his daring mouth had offended many people. He once did an improvised rap during a concert criticizing a rather popular film emperor, and lots of people wanted to beat him up, let alone terrorists. As long as he couldn't control that mouth of his, he would be smothered sooner or later even if he wasn't assassinated.

Some people hated him till their teeth hurt, but there were people who absolutely adored him. Secondary school students in particular loved him. Chu Bo's popularity among secondary students had never fallen, and if the the scope was only in Jinzhou, the most voted celebrity among secondary school students would definitely be him.

In the eyes of the entire world, academics didn't really like Chu Bo's style. Chu Bo's status in the music circles wasn't too high, but he still maintained extremely high popularity among secondary school students. Chu Bo had also been invited to the previous iteration of the Star Cup's victory ceremony. This year, he had been a hot favorite in the Star Cup, except that there was the unexpected emergence of Fang Zhao. On the day when voting concluded, many students from Jinzhou had even protested.

Fang Zhao watched Chu Bo in his concert video. When this sort of person stood on stage, he was majestic, willful, and ostentatious. It was as though his entire body was emanating with light, just like a little blazing sun. The point where he glowed brightest was when his mouth did as his heart wished and it could not be concealed.

And the media's assessment of him was accurate indeed. Chu Bo would really change lyrics when the atmosphere was intense. From time to time, Fang Zhao would see the lyrics at the bottom of the screen be replaced by '***' or beeps, and the frequency of this was highest when the live atmosphere was at its most intense.

This wasn't a good habit.

Fang Zhao thought about the Star Cup victory ceremony. Chu Bo wouldn't start cursing at that sort of occasion, would he?

Chapter 397: The Most Dangerous Person

Nanfeng didn't have any hesitation regarding this invitation. While Fang Zhao was being kept at the venerable Mo Lang's side for supplementary lessons, Nanfeng brought Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to the venue first for a walk around and to get a better understanding of the place by talking to staff there.

The venue was beside the hotel the participating students of the Star Cup challenge were staying at. When Nanfeng and the other two went over, they were still able to see secondary school students from various continents moving about in their uniforms. In the hotel's main lobby, there were some reporters ranging from school journalists to entertainment hosts. Some were able to find a student or two to interview, while others were standing there waiting for an opportunity.

The one who attended to Nanfeng was a staffer from the Science and Technology Association. Since Fang Zhao didn't need to stay at the hotel, Nanfeng got the other party to show them the venue directly. Nanfeng's main focus was on the organizers' arrangements and any requests they had. For Zuo Yu and Yanbiao, their focus was to survey the venue. They needed to familiarize themselves so that they could ensure Fang Zhao's safety when he came.

It had to be said that the organizers of Star Cup also placed great importance on the safety of these genius students.

While Zuo Yu and Yan Biao surveyed the venue, Nanfeng had already gotten the victory ceremony arrangements and schedule from the staffer and was making notes.

"And that is?" Nanfeng pointed at a door at the end of a passageway. The door was half shut and sound came out from it.

"That is a conference room. Today a few groups of students are exchanging ideas." The staff member explained.

"Can I go over and take a look?" Nanfeng asked. He was rather curious about these juvenile elites.

"Err… okay."

Inside the conference room, teachers and students alike were chatting. Because the Star Cup Challenge had concluded, they were all smiling and joking now. Students were in small groups of three to five and were discussing research-oriented problems.

"This bunch of kids… they're talking about remodeling spacecrafts and outer space warships. They really might be bragging a little too much, but having aspirations is a good thing," the staffer who brought Nanfeng along said with a chuckle. After listening to these students for a bit, it sounded like the things these little students said weren't too realistic. Perhaps they touched upon theory too much so they weren't able to express their ideas very well in the practical aspect.

Nanfeng had a puzzled face from the moment he entered.

At the beginning, Nanfeng was very happy to get the opportunity to get to know the future to backbones of the science and technological circles. However, after he entered, he discovered that he totally couldn't understand what these students were saying. He could catch a few words occasionally, but he wouldn't know what it meant when put together.

Because they were in secondary school, many of these students were also very tall already. Height had always been Nanfeng's sore spot, and after coming in, not only was his intellect taking a beating, he also wasn't able to find any superiority in height either. This made Nanfeng really gloomy.

The students only swept a passing glance at the two strangers who entered and nothing more. Some were currently chatting happily and totally neglected the two.

"Who are you?" A student finally asked as he scanned the Science & Tech staffer before glancing at Nanfeng. Nanfeng didn't have any labels or tags that identified him as a staff here.

"Cough, I am… a staff member. I came over here first to check on matters for the victory ceremony." Nanfeng didn't dare say he was Fang Zhao's assistant. If this bunch of students asked him questions that he couldn't answer, wouldn't he be bringing shame to his boss?

Upon hearing that Nanfeng was a just a staff member, the curious students immediately lost their interest.

Nanfeng noticed the student before him wasn't participating in the small group discussions so he asked, "Who did you cast your vote for the celebrity vote?"

"Fang Zhao," the student replied. "I like Fang Zhao's music."

Nanfeng was inwardly elated and continued asking, "The fabled divine tune for exercising?" He remembered seeing a news article saying that students loved listening to Fang Zhao's music while exercising and studying.

"No, I listen to it when I run experiments. It lets me feel a sense of mission!" That student replied.

"Ah? Won't anyone make a fuss for listening to music during experiments?" Nanfeng couldn't understand this.

That student had a slightly puzzled look. "Why would anyone make a fuss about me listening to music in my own laboratory?"

Nanfeng: "… Ha, your own laboratory. Heh."

Nanfeng laughed sheepishly. When Nanfeng asked a second student and found out that this student also liked listening to Fang Zhao's music while running experiments, Nanfeng lamented, "You have all the freedom in your own laboratory."

However, the other party stared at Nanfeng as though he was an imbecile. "Of course it is the school's laboratory! We applied for a laboratory and funding. What made you think a poor student like me could afford the costs of an expensive research laboratory?"

"But you said you listened to music in the laboratory…"

"With earpieces!"

Nanfeng: "… Oh." Nanfeng felt like he had left his brain back home today.

"Do you know about Fang Zhao?" That student suddenly asked.

"I don't think… I know… that much," Nanfeng stuttered.

"That means you know quite a bit about him." That student nodded. "I have a question I want to consult you about. Can he hear soundwaves as low as 20Hz or ultrasonic sounds as high as 20kHz? Of course, that isn't the main issue. What I am more curious about is that when he listens to frequencies above 4000Hz, is he be able to discern two different tones that vary by only 1Hz? Also…"

Nanfeng: "…" Farewell!

As a qualified assistant, Nanfeng didn't wish to discuss his own boss' precious ears with anyone!!

After leaving the venue, Nanfeng immediately sent a text message to Fang Zhao—Boss! These little brats are trying to pry into your ears!!

Nanfeng reported to Fang Zhao what he had seen at the venue as well as the conversations he had had with those students. He had to make sure that Fang Zhao wouldn't be stumped by those little brats when the time came.

Fang Zhao smiled when he saw Nanfeng's message and set the matter aside before continuing to write his thesis. Mo Lang had agreed to Fang Zhao attending Star Cup's victory ceremony, but he had to finish his thesis before that.

The day before the victory ceremony, Fang Zhao and the other invited guests arrived at the grounds for the victory ceremony and convened for a little gathering by the organizers.

At the venue, Fang Zhao saw the golden-haired Chu Bo. Besides him, there were other world-renowned sports stars, film stars, tv show hosts, and others. They might not be within the same circles, but without an exception, every one of them had great reputations. A few were familiar faces at the Star Cup victory ceremony.

"Chu Bo seems to have a quite a lot of bodyguards with him." Yan Biao did a quick scan around and said in a low voice, "There are still some staying outside the venue."

"I think I have seen that short-haired square-faced fella beside Chu Bo before," Zuo Yu mused but couldn't remember where he had come across this guy.

"Cemetery guard," Fang Zhao replied.

"Yes yes!! Boss, didn't we see that fella the time we visited Jinzhou's Cemetery for Martyrs?" Zuo Yu recalled how Fang Zhao had been subjected to identity checks when they went to visit the various Cemetery for Martyrs to pay their respects back then.

"Cemetery guard?" Nanfeng was astonished. He knew about cemetery guards and that only those with keen perceptivity would be posted to guard the cemeteries. Once their service period was up, they would be transferred to various important posts and would also be considered "secret weapons" or special soldiers in the military.

Even if they were transferred to become an employed guard, they would be tasked to protect highly important people. Although Chu Bo had a strong family background, getting a cemetery guard transferred over was still extremely difficult. Nanfeng now slightly believed the rumors that Chu Bo's name was still on a hit list; otherwise, the Chu family wouldn't have gotten a cemetery guard over. This was such a precious resource! Even Zaro, Woo Tianhao, Barbara, and Mitisy had never received such treatment!

The people next to Fang Zhao were discussing whether Chu Bo had run his mouth so much that his family had no choice but to transfer over someone special to ensure his safety.

At the other side, Chu Bo's security entourage were also talking.

"The security measures here are very good. These Star Cup students are all future elite researchers and precious talents. The organizers place the security of these students very highly." As Chu Bo said this, he lowered his voice and whispered to the person beside him. "Have you discovered the dangerous person you mentioned? You have been rather uptight ever since we entered."

"Yes," the former cemetery guard replied.

Chu Bo's smile faded. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but it was clear that he was a little tense. Coming through all the layers of security checks outside was no easy task. Chu Bo had originally wanted to go greet Fang Zhao but wasn't in the mood to do so after hearing what his bodyguard had said.

"Where?" Chu Bo's words were stiff.

"Same row as us, seat number 05 on the left."

Chu Bo pretended to casually glance around the room and froze. He then reconfirmed what he had seen and said in disbelief, "The one in seat 05 in the same row as us, Fang Zhao?"

Truth be told, Chu Bo would have believed it if it were the person beside Fang Zhao. That person had a murderous look. Although he tried his hardest to control it, the way he watched the surroundings vigilantly and his reactions towards Chu Bo's bodyguards from time to time gave him away. That person was probably a former soldier garrisoned on a foreign planet. Chu Bo had quite a number of bodyguards like him, so he was rather familiar.

But… Fang Zhao?

Seeing Chu Bo disbelieving, the former cemetery guard said, "I have seen him at the cemetery before. He still wasn't famous at that time, but back then, I kept feeling that this person was very dangerous. Now it can't be seen, but it doesn't mean that he isn't dangerous, just that he hides it very deeply. I feel this person's danger level has escalated."

On the contrary, Chu Bo relaxed when he heard that the dangerous person was Fang Zhao and chuckled. "This is just your occupational disease acting out. I know what sort of person Fang Zhao is. He belongs to the genius category. Didn't Bu Base flaunt all his accomplishments some time back? I only have respect for this sort of person."

"He is the sort that has seen death, and his hands are definitely soaked in a lot of blood!" The former cemetery guard said with certainty.

"Now that you have said it, that means that the internal rumors about him killing many terrorists during his military service period should probably be true!" Chu Bo was a little excited, and his inclination to befriend Fang Zhao intensified. "I feel that he isn't dangerous at all!"

The former cemetery guard was unsettled. The orders he received was to keep Chu Bo away from dangerous characters. In his opinion, Fang Zhao was like a very well-hidden knife that could be unsheathed at any moment and draw blood. Although Fang Zhao had indeed rendered a lot of meritorious service and many military big shots thought of him highly, the former cemetery guard's first impression of Fang Zhao was very deep. At that time, when he had come across Fang Zhao at Jinzhou's Cemetery of Martyrs, he really felt the urge to activate the alarm for the entire zone. The memory was still extremely clear. Put in simple words, Fang Zhao casted a shadow in his heart, a very large shadow.

However, regardless of how his bodyguard advised, Chu Bo reckoned that there was nothing to fear from a person so dedicated to music and artistically inclined!

Chapter 398: Don't Worry Elder Nephew

Fang Zhao was reading through an information sheet distributed by the organizers. On it were various arrangements and things to note. As he was reading, the golden-haired Chu Bo made his way over.

Nanfeng glanced at Fang Zhao, and seeing him incline his head slightly, Nanfeng vacated his seat for Chu Bo.

"Fang Zhao, I have heard many things about you! I had really hoped to meet you at the banquet that Zaro hosted, but unfortunately you didn't have the time."

"I know you, Chu Bo." Fang Zhao smiled.

Chu bo's smile widened when he noticed Fang Zhao didn't display any intention to keep his distance. After sitting down, Chu Bo started to chat animatedly with Fang Zhao. He even asked about the qualifications Fang Zhao had taken on Planet Bu. Chu Bo had learned from Zaro that Fang Zhao's qualifications were real, and furthermore, he had obtained even more certificates that could be obtained through official means. Chu Bo was rather interested in it.

10 minutes later, Chu Bo's arm was around Fang Zhao like they were a couple of brothers enjoying some banter. The former cemetery guard was panicking and hurriedly sent a message to Chu Bo's manager.

Chu Bo's manager was also from the Chu family, but he had gone somewhere else to discuss a collaboration and wasn't here.

As the setting wasn't right, Chu Bo didn't ask Fang Zhao about his military service back on Planet Baiji. However, he had heard quite a bit from others, and with what he learned while chatting with Fang Zhao, he knew that around 90% of the things he had heard about Fang Zhao was probably true. There was the part about discovering ore and the part about fighting off terrorists.

Chu Bo respected this sort of person. He knew that his own operational abilities were limited and could only attack terrorists with his mouth. Even then, his family still admonished him.

Since this was the venue for the Star Cup victory ceremony and there were other people around, it wasn't right for Chu Bo to ask too much about things that happened in the military. Noticing that Fang Zhao didn't get annoyed and didn't intend on leaving, Chu Bo continued and asked, "What have you decided on performing for tomorrow's Star Cup victory ceremony?"

"I will be performing a song live for them. Probably guitar or piano." Fang Zhao replied.

Upon hearing what Fang Zhao said, Chu Bo got excited and immediately blurted out, "Want to collaborate?" He had said this to sound out and observe Fang Zhao's expression.

"How do we collaborate?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Pick one of your works, you play it, and I will sing it on the spot. You don't have to worry about it, I can sing." Chu Bo wasn't bragging. He was really an expert at improvisation.

Fang Zhao considered for a bit. Just as Chu Bo assumed that Fang Zhao was going to reject the idea, Fang Zhao replied, "Select a song of yours."

Chu Bo paused. The bright and radiant smile of his became even more sincere.

"Then let us sing together!" Chu Bo enthused.

"No need. You sing and I will do the accompaniment." Fang Zhao had seen some of Chu Bo's concert. He wasn't suited to Chu Bo's style and would only be interfering if he tried to mix it up.

"This… this…" Chu Bo rubbed his hands. "Let's have a proper discussion after the meeting."

"Sure."

"Right! It's settled then!"

Chu Bo returned to his own seat when he saw that the organizers were all present. However, Chu Bo didn't really listen to those formal talks. It was always the same every time, and he knew what they were going to say either way. Right now, his mind was completely filled with thoughts about the collaboration. He would be performing together with Fang Zhao on the same stage! Just thinking about it made him excited.

Chu Bo rarely performed on the same stage with others. He wasn't able to get along with other special guests when invited to participate in programs. Neither did he have many friends he was on good terms with. It was reasonable to say that the descendants of the Great Generals would have no lack of people trying to curry favor by their side. For example, Zaro and Woo Tianhao were always surrounded by all sorts of characters and had a bunch of scoundrel friends. However, Chu Bo was different because of his mouth that frequently stirred up trouble. Many people were afraid of getting implicated. After the rumors about him being a target for assassination surfaced, there were even fewer people who wanted to get close to him.

Zaro and the others didn't mind, but others didn't necessarily think so.

Therefore, when Chu Bo had suggested collaborating, he only had the intent to sound out Fang Zhao. He worried that Fang Zhao didn't understand the circumstances or that there was perhaps a misunderstanding. But with how things were, it seemed that Fang Zhao wasn't the sort that was afraid of trouble.

Chu Bo was delighted to make a new friend who was someone he thought very highly off.

After the organizer's meeting ended, Chu Bo dragged Fang Zhao to his place. He had his own place in Huangcheng which had been renovated to fit in a recording studio.

Chu Bo selected over ten of his own works he felt satisfied with. Fang Zhao selected three from them and said, "These three are fine. These are appropriate for Star Cup's stage."

"Then which one do we perform?" Chu Bo asked.

"The organizing committee gave us a slightly longer time for our performance. We can perform all three together."

"A medley!" Chu Bo understood what Fang Zhao meant. "That is a great idea! However, we have to modify it a little."

The two were both professionals. Fang Zhao was strong in composing and arrangement while Chu Bo wasn't weak either. These modifications weren't difficult at all.

Because they still had to discuss about the collab performance, Chu Bo let Fang Zhao and his bodyguards stay here to rest.

"Boss, do you want me to go back and take a look? Curly Hair is still at home." Nanfeng was worried about Curly Hair who had been left at Fang Zhao's dormitory back at Huang Art.

"No need, there's the automatic feeding machine."

Although this was what he said, Fang Zhao still sent a voice message back to his dormitory. He just needed to let Curly Hair know why he wasn't returning to the dormitory today, and he wanted to confirm that there was no need to send anyone over. Curly Hair would surely have his fill gaming through the night.

Early next morning, Chu Bo's manager came over.

"This is my manager and also my elder nephew, Chu Yang." Chu Bo introduced.

Chu Yang was slightly older than Chu Bo and was also from the Chu family. However, his seniority in terms of generation was lower than Chu Bo, so Chu Bo addressed him as "elder nephew".

Chu Yang appeared rather steady. After greeting Fang Zhao and his group, he took a look at the repertoire for Chu Bo and Fang Zhao's collab performance. He seemed rather satisfied. There shouldn't be any trouble if they stuck to this, as it wouldn't be easy for Chu Bo to let fly when he started singing this.

There was no choice; he had to be worried. As Chu Bo's manager, Chu Yang was worried that Chu Bo would let fly on a stage like Star Cup which would cause his arrangements for later plans to fail.

When they got to the Star Cup victory ceremony venue, Fang Zhao saw Zaro.

Zaro definitely wouldn't pass by an opportunity to get in on the fun at this sort of occasion. He hadn't been invited, but he donated a laboratory to the organizers and obtained a spot at this event.

It wasn't time to start yet, so Zaro was at the resting lounge chatting with Chu Bo and Fang Zhao.

"Bobo, I went back and listened to those songs you recommended. Those were rather engaging. I also used to listen to this before. Our continent has Aleksy, whose style similar to yours."

Chu Bo appeared as though he had been dealt a huge slap to his face. "Our styles are clearly different! Aleksy mainly sings nu metal. Although I also sing nu metal, my style is more diverse. Besides, Aleksy's songs are wilder and more extreme…"

Chu Bo went on and rambled a whole list of his differences with Aleksy from musical style to lyrics and even the core of the songs. After he was done talking, Zaro still had a foolish look on his face.

Sighing deeply, Chu Bo pondered for a bit before saying, "Simply put, we are both attacking others. My songs are 'Come at me bro! Bring it on if you have the guts!' whereas Aleksy's ones are 'I will bring you to hell along with me! Oh yeah!'"

Zaro clasped his hands together. "Oh, got it!"

Fang Zhao smiled while watching them from the side.

Fang Zhao also knew about that Leizhou singer Aleksy that Zaro was talking about. He also sang nu metal, and his songs were also rather wild. Chu Bo's songs were wild and crazy with the purpose of making things better whereas Aleksy's were wild and about destruction. The cores of their music were different. However, those who didn't like taking a more in-depth look at the lyrics, wouldn't be able to hear much of a difference, especially for people like Zaro who weren't really interested.

As they were chatting, Chu Yang came in. As a manager, he was even more anxious than Chu Bo.

Seeing the others in the lounge, Chu Yang gestured with his finger indicating that he wanted to speak with Chu Bo in the next room.

"You guys chat first. My elder nephew needs me." Chu Bo got up to leave.

Seeing Chu Bo head over, Zaro tiptoed over and placed his ear on the door of the next room, trying to eavesdrop. He even waved his hands at Fang Zhao and mouthed silently, "Come over and listen together!"

Fang Zhao smiled and shook his head. He didn't need to.

In the adjacent room.

Chu Yang told Chu Bo about the results of him heading all over these few days.

As Chu Bo really liked to shoot his mouth off when he was really immersed in singing, the lead of the cultural departments of various continents were prohibiting his live concerts.

Out of the twelve continents, nine didn't allow Chu Bo to hold live concerts there. If you can't watch your mouth, you won't be shown any face.

However, if Chu Bo wanted to increase his global reputation, he still had to think of ways to perform worldwide. This would be just like gaining experience and qualifications in the music circles. Being popular online didn't really account for much. So what if he was very popular among secondary school students? Weren't others from the same industry laughing behind his back? Just like how Fang Zhao had also needed to use the methods of holding concerts, Chu Bo also needed to have live performances to progress.

Chu Yang had already negotiated with some partners. As long as Chu Bo's performance at the Star Cup victory ceremony was good, they would be accommodating.

"Mmhm, I understand." Chu Bo nodded indicating that he knew. He exclaimed excitedly, "For this collab with Fang Zhao, we have picked three popular songs for a medley! We rehearsed yesterday and it turned out really well! This Fang Zhao is really something. No wonder he could get into the fabled god-level advanced course…"

"Chu Bo!"

"What? I haven't finished talking."

"Do you remember what I said?"

"You said… Oh! Watch my mouth! Watch my mouth! Watch my mouth! I remember!" Chu Bo made successive pledges.

Chu Yang placed his arms on Chu Bo's shoulders and stared into his eyes before flashing an encouraging smile. He said gently, "I don't care whether you are singing your medley or whatever, just make sure you perform properly. If you don't learn this time, after the victory ceremony concludes…"

"… Elder nephew?"

"I will turn you into barbecued pork."

Chu Bo: "…"

Under Chu Yang's rather pressuring gaze, Chu Bo solemnly said, "Don't worry, elder nephew!"

Chapter 399: Lapse And Let It Rip

The cultural departments of various continents rejected Chu Bo from holding concerts there because they were worried about the influence of his trouble-making mouth.

Many people poked fun at Chu Bo's habit of going into a tirade when he grew excited while singing. There were always people who watched his concerts to catch the moment he starting mouthing off. This time, many reporters also tried all sorts of ideas to enter this event since the Star Cup victory ceremony wouldn't be broadcast live. Most videos released after the event would be edited with various highlights cut out. Many reporters felt that these edited videos wouldn't be as satisfactory as the originals. Thus, even reporters who weren't invited tried all sorts of methods to get into the venue. Jinzhou entertainment reporters especially used all their skills and abilities to obtain a entrance pass. Those without entrance passes would find it difficult to get in as security was extremely strict.

Students were particularly excited today. Even those who were normally serious were also smiling.

A reporter took a few photographs inside the venue and then complained to his colleague. "There isn't any program schedule."

"Can't be helped. Those students suggested it themselves."

In the first few years of the Star Cup, the victory ceremony actually had had a program schedule, However, in later years, participating students had felt that there weren't any surprises with a program schedule. After they had suggested the change to the organizers, this had been the format ever since.

Of course, the invited guests had all prepared their own items and just had to follow according to the organizers' arrangements.

Fang Zhao and Chu Bo's item was scheduled as the fifth item, which was somewhere in the middle. Before it was their turn, Chu Bo practised with Fang Zhao for a bit.

Chu Bo always brought his own band when performing, and most bands couldn't keep up with his tempo. Concerts would always have live accompaniment instead of recorded accompaniment. Chu Bo wasn't used to recorded accompaniment as live ones provided more feeling. Most importantly, in his own words, pre-recorded accompaniment was too restricting and it affected his creativity and emotions while singing.

As for lip-syncing? There was no lip-syncing with Chu Bo. On the contrary, many people hoped that he would because when Chu Bo took stage, nobody could control him. Every single one of his performances couldn't be replicated, just like how the target of his tirades changed each time. Many famous people in Jinzhou from celebrities to politicians were all called out by him. He criticized those that others called out and also those who others didn't dare condemn. And he would always be spot-on.

With an eye on the time, manager Chu Yang exhorted once before Chu Bo took the stage, "Watch your mouth when on stage!"

"Got it, got it!" Chu Bo heard a stage technician telling him get ready so he nodded his head hurriedly and checked himself in the mirror. After carefully inspecting everything from his hair to his shoes and feeling that he was especially handsome, Chu Bo took a photograph of himself to flaunt on social media platforms.

Compared to Chu Bo's typical ostentatious style, Fang Zhao was much more reserved.

Chu Bo fussily scanned Fang Zhao and said, "Your outfit will be overshadowed by my dazzling appearance. Do you want to change? I brought quite a few sets of clothes over."

Nanfeng nodded his head silently at the side. Previously, he had suggested to Fang Zhao to dress a little brighter. His attire appeared suitable now, but it was still much less eye-catching next to Chu Bo's.

"No need, this will do just fine," Fang Zhao replied.

…

At the venue, the world-renowned football star sang a tune and interacted with the audience before his stage time was up.

Two lucky students who were selected to go on stage for an activity received signed jerseys. They carefully folded the jerseys when they got back to their seats and intended to purchase exquisite cases for the jerseys once they got back to the hotel.

"I wonder who is going next on stage?"

"There are only five performers left."

Reporters were also discussing in muted voices.

"When will Chu Bo be going? Do we have insider info?"

"My camera is ready. I'm just waiting now," a young reporter who had come all the way from Jinzhou said.

"I'm not like you all. My main objective is to photograph Fang Zhao. Chief's orders."

As they were speaking, the lights dimmed and the stage curtains were drawn.

Blueish-gray lights lit up a circle on the stage. Inside this circle, a man sat before a piano.

The drawn out and fluttering piano notes sounded like leaves fluttering under the desolate night sky.

Upon seeing the person before the piano, all the students applauded enthusiastically. They still had considerable interest towards Fang Zhao.

The reporters also got busy.

"Fang Zhao?"

"Not bad, a piano solo?"

"But why does this melody sound a little familiar…"

The reporter hadn't finished his sentence when sonorous tones blasted out.

The students and reporters in the audience all froze uniformly for a bit before raucous shouts and applause filled the air.

This unique vocals—who else could it be but Chu Bo?!

"Chu Bo?"

"A joint performance! Fang Zhao and Chu Bo are actually having a collaboration!!"

"I really can't imagine it. Why are these two collaborating?"

Jinzhou reporters were especially shocked. They thought that their ears were playing tricks on them when the vocals started. Otherwise, why would they hear Chu Bo's voice during Fang Zhao's performance?

They couldn't be blamed for being so astonished. Chu Bo had always performed solo. He was rarely seen performing on the same stage as others. For the few times he did, there was always some complicated arrangement for Chu Bo to cooperate and go through the motions. However, a stage like Star Cup was much more formal. Generally, during more formal appearances, Chu Bo didn't perform with others… No, it should be said that very few people were willing to collaborate with Chu Bo and perform together with him on a formal stage.

Then why had Fang Zhao agreed to have a joint performance with Chu Bo?

This was a topic that they could only speculate about!

When they returned to their senses, these entertainment reporters that had gone to great lengths to obtain these entrance passes became even busier.

Under the dusky lights, a figure slowly walked out from the back of the stage, leading to even more intense screams and shrieks from the students.

The situation at the venue depicted Chu Bo's status in the eyes of these students. If Fang Zhao hadn't been promoted by the military through the media to arouse students' curiosities, his votes might not have surpassed Chu Bo's.

The three songs Fang Zhao had selected were all written by Chu Bo for secondary students. And combining the three into a medley was like a thematic sample of Chu Bo's composed "Student Series".

Fang Zhao had also taken the time to understand the background behind the composition.

A young fan had written a letter to Chu Bo, expressing his adoration and his own predicament. It was a denouncement of the rottenness of youth.

When the fan reached secondary school, he felt a step closer towards adulthood, like he had taken a great leap. Although he hadn't officially stepped into society, he had already come into contact with and understood all kinds of people in society.

That student told Chu Bo that he had been looking forward to progressing through his youth. He carried a passionate desire to walk forward with the seasons. However, he discovered that the world was never perfect and was filled with flaws. He saw the world's pain, suffering, misery and corruption. This so-called youthfulness was just interwoven falsehoods—nothing more than an embellished farce created by the literate.

There were all sorts of perplexities of adolescence and pressure from all directions to endure. There were too many tears, and too much crying and drowning in an inexhaustible darkness. He felt really tired and pained. He didn't know whether this period was a springboard or a graveyard for his dreams and aspirations. He was confused and wondered how he would find himself a place to belong in this world. He also wondered whether he could persevere and walk down the path that was originally planned out. He talked to his parents, but they couldn't understand. He disliked—no, loathed—everything about the world, including himself.

After that, Chu Bo composed the few songs that had come to be jokingly called the "Secondary School Student Series".

The three songs Fang Zhao had selected had been rearranged together as a medley. The first segment was like a train making its way through a faint, misty fog on a railway track stretching for miles. It passed through desolate wastelands and sleeping cities. The many people in the carriage watched the world outside the windows and were filled with a sense of independence and glee. The second segment resembled a starry sky at the beginning. Luminous glowing yellows in a a dark sky creating a psychedelic spectacle that magnified all sorts of desire and longing in all who saw it. The third segment was like an abruptly lit flame that sprang to the high heavens. Not a flame that destroyed everything but one that lit up the darkness.

To many people who were similar to the fan who had written in, Chu Bo was like a confidant. He was the flame guiding them to persist in achieving their aspirations. When people were surrounded by mist, he allowed them to find the strength to persevere and move forward.

Fang Zhao also felt that this child Chu Bo was very good. Most of his songs had a energetic dynamism… just that he had a misbehaving mouth.

Elegant notes became more fervent and the lights alternated with the rhythm. Murky gray lights turned into agitated light beams before before becoming blazing flames on the large electronic screen in the backdrop.

When the medley entered the third segment, Fang Zhao stood up from the piano and picked up the electric guitar that was placed behind. The guitar belonged to Chu Bo. Originally, Fang Zhao had intended to borrow one from the organizers. After the joint performance was decided on, Chu Bo had lent his guitar to Fang Zhao. The instrument had been custom-made according to Chu Bo's requests. It was brightly colored and its style was just as ostentatious as Chu Bo. It made Fang Zhao stand out more.

The background rhythm got even more powerful and the atmosphere at the venue was intensifying.

The students were roused even more, and it seemed as though they were using all their effort to scream and shout at the top of their lungs. Zaro also followed with weird shrieks as well.

Fans loved Chu Bo's powerful aura on stage, his resolute gaze, his individuality that couldn't be constrained and his indomitable energy.

Unlike a recorded version, the energy let out by his body language at the live performance overflowed and swelled, filling every nook and cranny of the venue.

Some self-restraining students were still able to keep their cool at the beginning but were very quickly infected with this energy.

The venue's atmosphere was too good. Chu Bo was in a splendid mood. Chu Bo got too absorbed, and when he got excited, he got high from singing.

And when Chu Bo got a singing high, everyone knew what would happen: temporary changing of song lyrics!

Once Chu Bo started to improvise and change lyrics, there was an extremely high possibility that he would start a lambasting session!

The instant that Chu Bo's lyrics changed, the key and tempo became more intense. The accompanying live band understood that a situation had occurred!

Following that, the accompanying band still quickly matched Chu Bo. After all, these circumstances were common and they were well-practised.

Fang Zhao had a premonition even before the lyrics and song key had changed. When the situation arose, Fang Zhao had a very tiny pause. He was considering whether to forcibly lead Chu Bo back to the original plan or whether to be like the accompanying band and match up to Chu Bo.

Ultimately, Fang Zhao still chose to do the same as the band. He matched up to Chu Bo's key and took a step forward.

In the audience.

Before Chu Bo changed key, reporters were slightly regretful despite saying that they already found enough scoops today. When Chu Bo got high, he couldn't control his mouth and would let fly all sorts of incisive words to ignite the venue. Reporters especially loved this, but unfortunately they still hadn't witnessed it today.

"Seems like Chu Bo came prepared today. He still hasn't gone off the rails yet."

"I heard that his manager, Chu Yang, who is rather renowned in the industry, ran around various continents negotiating collaborations about holding live concerts for Chu Bo. My guess is that if Chu Bo can control himself well, he'll be permitted to hold those concerts later on."

"No wonder Chu Bo seems so restrained today."

"No, why do I feel that there are indicators that he is about to go off the rails?"

"Really?!"

The reporters' spirits were roused once again.

Backstage, Chu Yang was all tensed up and couldn't bring himself to relax.

When Chu Bo had started signing, Chu Yang was silently chanting, Restraint… restraint… restraint…

As Chu Bo's manager and a family clan member, Chu Yang knew Chu Bo too well. When Chu Bo's emotions started to overflow, he had a very bad premonition.

"Nonono… f*ck!"

At the instant Chu Bo changed keys, Chu Yang couldn't control himself and cussed. He exerted all his effort to wipe his face, but his expression turned desolate.

It's over, everything is over.

What concert? We are done for!

Compared to Chu Yang's crumbling emotions, reporters were ecstatic.

"Chu Bo is going to lapse and let it rip!!"

"I wonder who he will lambaste today!"

"As expected of our Jinzhou's number one bomber! He is even going to let it rip on Star Cup's stage!"

"Yes! That's the way! Show them how a wild bull off its reins will fly! Let the hairs on everyone's arm stand!!"

Chu Bo was totally oblivious to everybody else and was really high from singing. He was excessively high, and once he entered this state, he completely forgot everything else. He had already tossed his manager's words to some far off corner of his mind. He had even forgotten that he was on the stage of Star Cup's victory ceremony.

But, just as he sidestepped and did a vigorous arm swing, Chu Bo caught sight of Fang Zhao standing a short distance away from himself. When he met Fang Zhao's gaze, he felt that his tongue was tied. The obscenities he had been about to spout were silenced by this momentary pause.

The reporters who had been rubbing their hands in glee: "???"

Chu Yang stared in shock at the stage as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

Chu Yang's eyes were brimming with warm tears of joy——

He did it!

He actually f*cking did it!

Seems like Chu Bo still remembers what I said!

Chapter 400: Too Frightening

Actually, a long time ago, Chu Bo's style hadn't been this way. He had been just like Zaro: blunt and direct. If anyone verbally attacked him, he would immediately reply in kind.

When Chu Bo released his first album, his family members told Chu Bo, "You are now considered a public figure. You have to watch your image and think about your own profession whenever you encounter anything."

Chu Bo went back and pondered, They are absolutely right! I am an honorable recording artist. Artists should use artistic methods to attack back! Just like the ancient saying: "A gentleman uses his mouth and not his fists". If we are at odds with each other, I will neither hit you nor call you out on social media. Instead, I will write you into my song lyrics!

Through practise, Chu Bo found that this sort of venting was rather satisfying. Afterwards, it became a habit. Every time he got excited and lost himself in his good spirits, he would let out all the words he kept stifled in his heart.

Chu Bo had also prepared for this Star Cup victory ceremony. Actually, Chu Bo was aware of his bad habit. Therefore, when Fang Zhao had chosen these three songs to form a revised medley, they had made adjustments to the tempo and style. Although the core was still rock 'n' roll, the accompaniment at the beginning was much more emotional. The changes were even greater in the first and second segments to be more suitable for Star Cup's stage. More importantly, they also created a "cooling" effect for Chu Bo.

Manager Chu Yang had naturally understood Fang Zhao and Chu Bo's changes when he looked through the revised medley and had been very satisfied with the adjustments.

All the preparations had been completed, but nothing could stop Chu Bo when he was in a good mood. He was delighted to have made a new friend! When he was delighted, he also let loose on this rather serious and formal stage.

It could be said that when Chu Bo reached the third segment, Chu Bo was no longer able to think clearly and his intellect had all been suppressed. Come on! Let loose! Let's get high together!

And at the moment when Chu Bo just so happened to get a singing high and was about to release all the words he had bottled up… he saw Fang Zhao's expression.

What sort of expression was that?

It was part reproach, part admonishment, and part… love?

Chu Bo's heart shuddered at that moment.

Fang Zhao's expression reminded Chu Bo of his grandfather. Chu Bo had been called over by the old master after the last time he caused a big fuss. He had been forced to write a reflection essay with a guarantee that it wouldn't happen again. Furthermore, he had been shut away from the public for a period of time.

Chu Bo involuntarily fell silent. Just imagining his grandfather standing beside him when he was high caused his hairs to stand and his tongue to get stuck. It was a natural reflex.

Luckily, Chu Bo was rather proficient with singing and had sufficient professional ability. The swear words he had been about to release faded away as his rationality returned. The original lyrics flowed out smoothly instead.

Chu Bo returned to his senses quickly and continued singing. Seeing that it was Fang Zhao beside him instead of his grandfather, Chu Bo felt that his eyes must have played tricks on him.

However, he was now clear-headed from the scare. Luckily, the third segment was close to ending. Chu Bo controlled the rhythm and directed the derailed song back to its original key before smoothly completing the performance.

At the same time, the students didn't find anything too strange. Even if they noticed his artificial silence, they didn't think too much about it. They liked Chu Bo and his songs. As for the reporters, every one of them had flabbergasted looks on their faces as though they had just witnessed the sun rising from the west.

Reporters familiar with Chu Bo's character had been inwardly delighted when they saw Chu Bo starting to get high. They were just waiting for Chu Bo to enter his spouting mode and let curses fly. Yet who knew that Chu Bo would have gone silent!

"Was that… just a harmony? Or did I not hear any lyrics?" A reporter thought that he had hallucinated hadn't managed to catch the crucial moment.

"I heard exactly the same as you." The reporter beside him also had a shocked look on his face.

How many people had felt that they heard wrongly?

Even harder to believe than Chu Bo getting high and mouthing off on the Star Cup stage was Chu Bo actually managing to control his mouth and remain silent!

This was simply something miraculous!

Having made his first performance so many years ago, if Chu Bo had had this sort of ability, his status in the music world wouldn't be like this! Otherwise would his manager run all over the place making pledges in order to find a venue to host his live concerts?

None of the reporters were thinking about anything else. The reporters who had been writing their drafts had put everything aside to listen carefully. They wanted to see if Chu Bo's silence was by chance or from self-control.

However, all the way until Chu Bo finished, reporters didn't hear Chu Bo explode.

"Is Bomber a dud today?"

"Perhaps there are Chu family elders seated in the audience so he doesn't dare cuss?" People started making conjectures.

"Probably not, there wasn't any news."

"The atmosphere was just right, and the mood was on point. The ignition point was right there. Why did it pass in silence?"

"I reckon that… the mood still wasn't right so Chu Bo didn't let it rip."

"From what I saw, he was really high! I guess that because of the matter with those other concerts, his manager was watching him tightly. He was forced to learn self-control for the sake of his future performances. Take a look. Didn't he successfully control himself? Chu Bo's taken another step by replacing his high with silence."

"Oh, he must have been forced to because of his current situation."

They were a little disappointed, but there was still a lot to write about. The reporters were still in a good mood. Jinzhou reporters especially had already worked their brain cells overtime to come up with all sorts of reasoning.

Backstage, Manager Chu Yang chuckled heartily as he came over to Chu Bo.

"Little Bo, very good! Simply perfect!! I had originally thought that you were going to improvise again! Seems like I really underestimated you!" Chu Yang happily said as he gazed at Chu Bo through teary eyes. All of his hard work had finally paid off!

However, Chu Bo didn't notice Chu Yang's strange gaze. He was currently a little dazed. His performance on stage had consumed all of his energy. His assistant helped him over to the sofa which he immediately collapsed onto.

Zaro also came in at this moment. He didn't find it too meaningful to be alone at his own seat, so he came over to talk to Chu Bo. He gave a thumbs up when he saw Chu Bo and complimented, "What dedication! Despite jumping around on stage, you were still able to sing so quickly without tripping over any words. I now know that singing can be really tiring. Look at all that sweat!"

Chu Bo gave him a glance but didn't reply. He was still panting and his legs were still shaky.

Zaro continued, "Hey, Chu Bo, this won't do. Didn't you say that you'll be visiting various continents to hold live concerts? There are so many songs at one concert. Look at how exhausted you are after just one song. Even if this was a slightly longer medley of three songs, it's still way shorter than a regular concert. If you have the time, you better train up more! Look at me; I slogged away on Planet Bu to help alleviate poverty and now my abs look so much more defined!"

Chu Bo took a towel from his assistant and wiped the sweat off his neck and face. Naturally, he didn't need Zaro to tell him all of this. Concerts required sufficient physical endurance, but he wasn't this way normally! Normally, he could sing 10 songs without collapsing, let alone just one!

But that song he had just performed was a psychological battering! He had spent a lot of effort to continue the song normally and hide his problems. It had been more tiring than 10 songs! Not stuttering had already been difficult enough!

"Hey Bobo, how do you make that hand gesture while singing? It's rather cool; teach me if you have the time!" Zaro tried to copy the gesture.

"Mmhm." Chu Bo finally took notice and grunted a reply.

"Also, you were supposed to hold a joint performance with Fang Zhao. Even if you think that Fang Zhao doesn't sing well, you still should have let him sing at least a verse. It should be fine as long as you're leading, right? Just like how we normally sing karaoke together." Zaro felt that Chu Bo didn't show much respect for Fang Zhao and only cared about getting high himself.

Currently, Chu Bo was highly sensitive to the name "Fang Zhao". Hearing Zaro mention Fang Zhao, Chu Bo had an an embarrassed look on his face. How could he bring himself to tell others that he had mistaken Fang Zhao for his own grandfather which nearly caused a huge mistake?

As for singing together?

Chu Bo shook his head with all his strength.

My legs are still f*cking soft!!

At this time, Fang Zhao walked in. Chu Bo quickly glanced over before retracting his gaze. He looked back again as if wanting to find something and had a troubled look.

Chu Bo thought to himself, Actually, now that I look at Fang Zhao, he doesn't really look alike. Everything is just a misperception that I'm scaring myself with!

Luckily, the performance had ended well. However, the psychological shadow it had cast on Chu Bo's heart couldn't be removed in the short term. Whenever he came across Fang Zhao, Chu Bo would remember his first time that he had recovered after going off the rails during a performance.

In any case, Chu Bo had no intention of telling anyone else. He would totally lose face if anyone knew!

He also decided that he wouldn't have any more joint performances with Fang Zhao until he got rid of this psychological scar. He might have been able to continue singing this time, but what about the next?

Fang Zhao didn't know anything about this. However, he could see that Chu Bo was somewhat afraid of him. Although it was well hidden by Chu Bo, Fang Zhao was still able to make out some subtle signs.

Actually, Fang Zhao had the mindset of an elder in his performance with Chu Bo. He didn't intend to steal the limelight, but as Chu Bo got a little too high from singing, Fang Zhao increased his presence. His purpose was to let Chu Bo know that he was still standing there. He wanted to remind Chu Bo not to get to absorbed and forget where he was.

Fang Zhao never imagined that he would have scared Chu Bo in such a manner. Thus, he hadn't come over immediately after the performance to allow Chu Bo some time to calm down.

But even now, it seemed like Chu Bo hadn't completely calmed down.

Am I that scary? Fang Zhao was puzzled.

Seeing the situation, Fang Zhao didn't say much before leaving. Ever since he had entered, Chu Bo's face was rigid and wasn't natural at all. Fang Zhao didn't want to put him on the spot. Fortunately, Chu Bo hadn't spouted any obscenities so his venue applications wouldn't be rejected immediately,

After Fang Zhao left, Chu Bo loosened up entirely. He turned to his bodyguard/former cemetery guard and said, "You were right. This Fang Zhao person is really too frightening!" To actually cause me to hallucinate!

Former cemetery guard: "…" He didn't understand. It is just a performance. How did you come to such a deep realization?

Chapter 401: Song In The Nigh

Star Cup's victory ceremony wasn't broadcast live, so many people waited for the media news release after the victory ceremony concluded.

No one was disappointed, especially those in Jinzhou. The reporters had dropped a "bomb".

Chu Bo knows how to mute himself?!

He didn't explode after getting high from singing, and he even finished the song?!!

All people from Jinzhou who saw this news didn't believe it. It wasn't just them. Even the Chu family couldn't believe it either. After contacting Chu Yang for confirmation, the Chu family saw Chu Bo in a whole new light.

"What sort of shock did he suffer to learn how to censor himself?" Chu Bo's mother was rather curious.

"Was he really forced to concede?" Chu Bo's father stroked his chin and pondered all sorts of possibilities. He knew that Chu Bo's requests to hold concerts in other continents had been blocked by the various cultural departments, but he hadn't paid too much attention to it.

Chu Bo's grandfather was beaming with satisfaction. "Not bad, seems like my teachings were effective."

In the old master's opinion, he was certain that his efforts in forcing Chu Bo to reflect on the error of his ways had borne fruit. Indeed, this old man is great at educating kids.

As for many Jinzhou fans…

We don't believe it! Impossible!

How could our Jinzhou's number one merciless "bomber" learn to censor himself in such a short span of time?!

Definitely fake news! False rumors!!

When the Star Cup organizers released the edited videos of Chu Bo and Fang Zhao's joint performance, many people went to analyze it meticulously. They really weren't able to find any instances of Chu Bo hurling obscenities. That spectacular singing also meant that it couldn't be a fake Chu Bo.

Among Jinzhou fans, some had mixed feelings about Chu Bo's change. Others were skeptical, thinking that it might have been a kind of "once in a blue moon" thing. The remaining people…

We won't believe! We won't listen! The organizers have definitely doctored it! This is censorship! Our Jinzhou's number one insult-hurling machine wouldn't just go offline like this! We won't accept it!

Regardless of what others thought, manager Chu Yang had already started to busy himself. Since Chu Bo had controlled his mouth at Star Cup's victory ceremony stage, applications for future performances and concerts would be much easier to negotiate.

After the evening performances, there was still a short meet-and-greet session to allow the students some closer interaction with Fang Zhao and the other guests.

The students posed a lot of questions, but Fang Zhao only chose to reply to a few. He told whatever he could to the kids and didn't touch upon anything that involved military secrets. Besides this, Fang Zhao discovered that many students were actually very interested in his ears. He wasn't upset, but he didn't talk too much about it either.

The rest of the time was spent signing autographs, taking photos and exchanging contact details with the other special guests. By the time Fang Zhao returned back to his campus dormitory, it was already close to midnight.

Fang Zhao let Nanfeng and the other two rest and walked back to his own dormitory block. At this time, Huangcheng's commerce streets were still buzzing and brightly lit, but the inside of HuangArt was much quieter.

When he opened the door to his dormitory, Curly Hair was standing guard at the doorway, wagging his tail and whining like a spoiled child.

Fang Zhao took a look at the automatic feeding machine. The ten kilograms of dog food that had been left there in the morning had already been emptied.

"You ate so much? Where does it all go?"

Fang Zhao lifted Curly Hair up. It was impossible to tell that this dog could consume in a day what other dogs consumed in a month.

He had known that Curly Hair ate a lot in the past. But he had always attributed Curly Hair's large appetite to his special body. However, ever since they had returned from Planet Bu, Curly Hair's appetite seemed to have grown even greater.

"Did you eat secretly eat too much on Planet Bu and expand your stomach?"

Curly Hair frequently had eaten a lot of stuff without anyone noticing on Planet Bu. In addition to the bugs he had eaten in the desert, they had also visited the ocean a few times. Fang Zhao had heard from Nanfeng that Curly Hair had even gone swimming in the ocean. Nobody knew what he ate and how much he ate.

Fang Zhao also wouldn't get an answer. This dog only knew how to whimper.

The game console was still running. Fang Zhao looked through the gaming records. Curly Hair had just been playing, and had been gaming all throughout last night. There wasn't anyone to look after him or bring him out for walks, so Curly Hair had stayed in the whole day. When he hadn't been eating or defecating, he'd been gaming. Somehow, he still seemed rather alert and looked looked as though he could pull another all-nighter.

The games that Fang Zhao had previously downloaded for Curly Hair were all completely cleared. Now he was playing a new game that featured different stages, a leveling-up system, and monster battles. Curly Hair was addicted to it.

After putting in new dog food, Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair's head and said, "Moderate gaming benefits the brain; too much gaming dulls the mind. Reasonable arrangements, remember?"

Curly Hair drooped his ears and looked at the floor.

Fang Zhao pulled up one ear and pressed, "Got it?"

Curly Hair whimpered and wagged his tail vigorously.

"You are fortunate that we don't live in the Period of Destruction!"

Fang Zhao also wouldn't get serious with a dog. Although he knew that Curly Hair's IQ was always rising, he still wouldn't treat him using human standards.

However, he still had to be taught. Fang Zhao decided to bring Curly Hair out running tomorrow. If he spent all his time on the gaming console, he might fall out of shape.

He ordered a batch of dog food from the usual Muzhou farm then ordered some more from other farms. The dog food storage really wasn't large enough for Curly Hair's appetite.

Fang Zhao arranged the notes he wanted to bring to Mo Lang before heading to bed. As Fang Zhao lay in bed, he thought, Ten kilograms of dog food in a day doesn't have any visible effect on Curly Hair. He can eat so much despite his size. What exactly am I keeping?

Fang Zhao had thought about this many times but still hadn't figured it out yet.

The world was huge and full of bizarre things. Perhaps this was one? Fang Zhao himself had also transmigrated and received a new life. Compared to that, a small dog being able to eat ten kilograms in a day wasn't that big of a deal. People would be scared if they knew, so he still had to keep it secret.

Fang Zhao didn't bother musing over it when he couldn't figure it out. However, Fang Zhao couldn't sleep well. He kept feeling as though there was someone singing.

Despite living in the New Era for quite some time now, his vigilance honed during the Period of Destruction hadn't weakened. The sound didn't trigger alarms in Fang Zhao's mind, so he didn't wake up immediately. However, Fang Zhao's mind had already subconsciously started to analyze where this sound was coming from.

Why would there be a tune coming from somewhere nearby?

It was within the dormitory. But other than himself, there was no other person in the dormitory.

Fang Zhao opened his eyes abruptly and was awake in an instant. He picked up his rarely used gun and walked out of the room silently.

Just relying solely on his hearing ability, he could hear that the sound had come from just outside the room a while ago. Now it had stopped, and there was only the sound of Curly Hair's games coming from outside.

Was it the music from the game console?

No, no it wasn't.

Fang Zhao could differentiate the sounds emitted from the game console versus live music.

The lights outside weren't turned on. The only lights were from the game console and the display screen. There was only Fang Zhao and Curly Hair in the dark and small dormitory.

Fang Zhao double-checked that there wasn't anybody else in the dormitory. However, he was almost certain that he hadn't imagined the voice he had heard in his sleep.

Fang Zhou didn't return to his bedroom and instead melded into the darkness. His eyes and ears could catch everything going on around him. He was just like a hunter in the night, waiting for an opportunity.

Curly Hair was deeply engrossed in his game and had his head in the gaming helmet. While he was fighting the stage boss, he growled and bared his fangs at the monster boss shown on the screen. If that monster were real, Curly Hair might very well have rushed forward to bite it.

At the instant the stage was cleared, congratulatory fireworks popped up on the screen. And at the same time, the tune that Fang Zhao had heard in his sleep sounded again.

It was somewhat shaky and sounded a little weird. The pitch wasn't precise, but Fang Zhao could recognize that this wasn't the music from the game. Right now, it came from… the dog's mouth.

Having cleared yet another stage, Curly Hair's head was shaking as he wagged his tail enthusiastically!

Less than 10 steps away.

Fang Zhao: "…"

The psychological battering he took was quite huge.

Chapter 402: Which is More Important?

Despite living for so many years and seeing so many things, Fang Zhao had never experienced such a mental battering ever since he had woken up in the new Era.

Fang Zhao at least understood what it was like to be scared by his own dog in the middle of the night.

Curly Hair was still absorbed in his game and didn't notice Fang Zhao. His tiny eyes were moving to the option to proceed to the next stage. Fang Zhao walked over and used his foot to kick Curly Hair's butt lightly.

Curly Hair, who had been focused on challenging the next stage, jumped and his helmet fell to the side. Seeing that it was Fang Zhao, Curly Hair got up and wagged his tail, gazing at Fang Zhao with his innocent and pitiful dog eyes.

Fang Zhao studied Curly Hair silently.

Noticing Fang Zhao's stare, Curly Hair slanted his head and came to a rest at Fang Zhao's feet. He seemed to be in a good mood from defeating the previous stage boss.

Fang Zhao mused in silence for a bit before telling Curly Hair, "You are capable now, huh. When did you learn to hum songs?"

Curly Hair stared at Fang Zhao in bewilderment and his tail wagging became less enthusiastic.

"You really don't understand?"

Fang Zhao played a segment of his recorded video of Curly Hair wagging his tail and humming a tune.

When he saw the video, Curly Hair was so startled his ears became erect. He pulled his head back and even the curls in his fur nearly became straight. He backed away a few steps as though he had seen an especially frightening monster.

"Scared yourself?" Fang Zhao made a come here gesture. "Come, hum it again. Do that same tune in the game that plays when you clear a stage."

Curly Hair looked at Fang Zhao some more before turning towards the screen. Then, he began to "hum". However, it was entirely different from his humming earlier and wasn't that much different from an ordinary dog's groans.

After hearing Curly Hair's "humming" for a bit, Fang Zhao then said grudgingly, "Alright alright, let's stop here today. Pay attention to it and don't let anyone else discover this."

Fang Zhao could tell that Curly Hair had unconsciously hummed that tune because he had been too engrossed in the game and in good spirits. He simply hadn't known what he had done himself and wasn't able to do it when he tried to hum intentionally.

Fang Zhao discovered that Curly Hair learned things very quickly. His IQ was always increasing, and the Muzhou sheep-herding competition had been proof of his impressive adaptability. His sense of smell and hearing also far surpassed other dogs, including the world's most elite dogs at Muzhou's famed police dog academy. Fang Zhao didn't think it had anything to do with how he treated Curly Hair; rather, it was probably because of Curly Hair's peculiar genes. However, Fang Zhao hadn't been able to discover anything when he did examinations of Curly Hair in the past.

Curly Hair's scar from the bullet on Planet Wai that he'd defecated could no longer be seen either…

"Extraterrestrial? Or a native mutant?"

Fang Zhao had first seen Curly Hair in the black streets. Although he had found some records of Curly Hair in the black street, but what about even before that? Where had he come from? What sort of secrets did he carry on his body?

On the other hand, Fang Zhao had a good understanding of his own body. He too was always changing, but the changes were neither as evident nor as exaggerated as Curly Hair's. Compared to other people, he was much stronger. Even his peak body condition during the Period of Destruction couldn't achieve this standard. His sight, hearing, perceptivity and physical constitution actually surpassed the ordinary range. But other than his hearing, Fang Zhao very rarely displayed his other quirks. Other than his ears, people mainly knew him for his music.

Fang Zhao once again recalled the supernatural circumstances regarding his rebirth on that night in the black streets. Maybe Curly Hair's peculiarity and his own body's changes were linked? Despite all his research, he still had no answer. The universe was vast. There were surely many things that people couldn't imagine but actually existed.

Originally, Fang Zhao had only thought that Curly Hair had an above average IQ and slightly thicker fur. But based on his developmental trend, Fang Zhao really couldn't tell if Curly Hair would one day learn to talk.

He thought about it again. Why not practice it if you have the ability?

Where does all that energy and nutrition go from eating so much everyday?

A second growth spurt?

No, it should probably the the nth one. Who knew exactly how much Curly Hair had developed? From the time Fang Zhao had picked him up, Curly Hair's physiology had never stopped changing.

His IQ had increased and he had developed a tremendous ability to learn. Now, he had also started to develop in this new aspect. Fang Zhao decided to let Curly Hair practice making sounds.

He guided Curly Hair to some educational videos on how to hum and produce sounds other than dog sounds. He wanted him to practice making sounds that humans made. After all, with Curly Hair's current IQ, he probably could understand easily what was being said in those educational videos.

At the start, Curly Hair was rather unwilling to learn and and would start whimpering after a bit. Fang Zhao saw that the traditional educational videos weren't effective, so he downloaded some games meant for young children to learn songs. These games featured simple vocal exercises where higher points would be given for more accurate pitch and tone.

Under the attraction of a new game, Curly Hair finally took more initiative towards learning to make human sounds. After all, a gamer dog was still a gamer dog. As he played, he quickly became addicted. He didn't dare mess around during the day, but at night, he would practice making sounds while gaming. Fang Zhao didn't need to watch him.

The sound proofing in the campus dormitories was very good as long as the doors and windows were shut. After all, this was an institute of art. Singing, dancing and music playing were common occurrences. If the soundproofing weren't good, the whole place would be drowning in noise everyday.

Fang Zhao's hearing ability was very good. Although there was soundproofing, he could still hear neighboring sounds. After getting accustomed to the environment, Fang Zhao could filter out the sounds from outside the apartment. Just that…

How did hearing his own dog make weird sounds in the night while he was sleeping feel?

At first, Fang Zhao thought that Curly Hair's vocal practice wouldn't affect his sleeping at night. However, he had really underestimated this gamer dog.

If it were any other ordinary dog blindly barking, Fang Zhao could filter it out. Life during the Period of Destruction had been chaotic, and he wouldn't have been unable to sleep just because of a little noise. Maintaining vigilance was a given, but bodies also required rest. Anyone that didn't have this ability wouldn't live long.

However, when Curly Hair played those vocal practice games, his devilish sorts of sounds had some destructive power that would strike straight at Fang Zhao's mind. Fang Zhao had just fallen asleep as a serenade played in his mind when Curly Hair's freakish tunes came shooting in.

Fang Zhao: …

I better let him play monster killing games instead.

For the sake of his own sleep, Fang Zhao set up time constraints for games on the console. Different games could only be played at certain times. It wasn't possible in the short term for Curly Hair to speak. The vocal training exercises weren't ideal, but there was no need to be impatient. It would still be fine if Curly Hair couldn't learn to speak in the end. After all, he was still a dog, not a human.

After that, Fang Zhao busied himself with his thesis and graduation works.

Days passed by and the year drew to a close. Celebrities were busy traveling all over for various activities. Every large company competed to invite high-profile celebrities for their internal events. This year, Fang Zhao had been invited to perform at the Star Cup victory ceremony, so many people eyed him as a potential candidate. Celebrities invited to the Star Cup were cooler.

However, Fang Zhao was completely focused on his own work and rejected all invitations. Because Fang Zhao couldn't be reached, people looked for others to help contact Fang Zhao. Thus, as Fang Zhao's assistant, Nanfeng became very busy.

…

One day, Nanfeng had just stepped out of HuangArt campus when he received a call. He answered, and it was yet another invitation for Fang Zhao. Nanfeng frowned and rubbed his forehead.

"… I already said, it's impossible. It can't be helped. I'm just a little assistant and not his manager. I just listen to what my boss says… Hey, this isn't about the money!! My boss isn't accepting any performances or activities currently. Even if he was willing to, he wouldn't be able to accept any right now… Why? You all should have already heard. Venerable Mo is making him write his thesis… You should probably know Venerable Mo right? Mo Lang, a treasured artist. That old man has already wedged chair under the door handle and guards it. If you dare, you can go look for him personally… I don't have the guts! Nor the time! Really, I just came back from dog walk—assignment given by the boss…"

After ending the call, Nanfeng complained to Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. In the past, before he had become Fang Zhao's assistant, Nanfeng had always dreamed of this sort of life. Being busy was good! It was proof of his boss' reputation, and there were loads of money to be had! Now… he felt too annoyed to be happy.

So many people inviting Fang Zhao to participate in activities was a good thing and he should be happy! But just as Fang Zhao himself had said, he was currently undergoing advanced studies, and that was his main priority. Other activities were dropped.

As a proper assistant, Nanfeng absolutely followed his boss' instructions to handle affairs. Those that were trying to pull strings to get Fang Zhao to promote something were all rejected. If Nanfeng dared to bother Fang Zhao with these sorts of things, perhaps he would be sent packing even before the day ended.

Nanfeng really wasn't exaggerating. Old Master Mo was really guarding the house and letting Fang Zhao write his thesis in the study. To smoothly graduate from HuangArt's Twelve Tones Advance Course, the thesis needed both quality and quantity.

Is a thesis or performing more important?

Firmly reject all unnecessary commercial activities! Television programs, movies, corporate annual meetings, advertisements and all other sorts of other activities can dream on!!

It wasn't that Mo Lang wanted to meddle with all of Fang Zhao's affairs. The old master had experienced many things. Naturally, he wouldn't really force Fang Zhao to reject all other activities. There were quite a number of his students who had gone all over for year-end performances. Even Fang Zhao's "official" mentor Prof. Carter was also busy with non-academic activities. Many other teachers and students of HuangArt were the same.

However, Mo Lang believed that it was best not to dabble in too many things before graduating during the advanced studies period. He hoped that Fang Zhao would place more efforts on the art of music. Such a promising seedling shouldn't fall to the wayside.

Fang Zhao himself also approved of Mo Lang's view. He had cooperated during the last two days and had stayed at Mo Lang's place to write his thesis. Curly Hair was handled by Nanfeng and the other two. They brought him out for walks every day.

In the first floor hall of the Mo residence, Mo Lang held a cup of tea as he looked at the thesis draft that Fang Zhao had given him today. He let out a satisfied sigh.

He believed that there wouldn't be anyone daring enough to steal Fang Zhao away now that he was personally standing guard!

Chapter 403: Draft Notice

The news about Mo Lang personally guarding Fang Zhao as he wrote his thesis had been circulated by Mo Lang himself. This was to warn others to back off.

Fang Zhao also wasn't someone unable to tell good from bad. He could understand Mo Lang's earnest thoughts, and he was also willing to focus his efforts on music composition. Thus, he was extremely cooperative.

Mo Lang had just finished going through the thesis draft that Fang Zhao had given him. Looking at the time, Mo Lang reckoned that there probably wouldn't be anyone coming over today, so he decided to head upstairs to rest. Just as he got up, the doorbell rang. Mo Lang's face fell immediately.

"Old Master Mo, it's Prof. Carter and the others," an assistant said.

Mo Lang's face loosened up when he heard who it was. "Let them in," Mo Lang said. He could guess why Carter and the others had come.

Prof. Carter brought along two apprentices and three of Mo Lang's other disciples.

"Originally, I didn't have any intention of troubling you, but I ran into your disciples, who are also stuck on a few problems. We can't quite get around them, so we decided to try our luck at this time," Prof. Carter explained.

Prof. Carter took a look around and asked, "Is Fang Zhao still in the study? How is progress with his thesis?" Officially, Fang Zhao was his student, after all. He ought to show some concern.

"He's alright. His efficiency is also higher without anyone to disturb him," Mo Lang said. "The end of the year is when people are most restless. I have to stand guard. If it isn't convenient for him to decline or if he can't bear to reject requests, I will do it on his behalf!"

One of those who had come together with Carter hurriedly added, "With Venerable Mo standing guard, other people can forget about trying disturb him. They also wouldn't have the guts..."

He hadn't finished his sentence when Fang Zhao came over from the study.

"Teacher Mo, I wish to apply for leave."

While in the study amending his thesis, Fang Zhao had received a draft notice asking him to bring Curly Hair to a designated location within three days for a test. Although people part of the military reserve were given a lot of freedom and weren't bothered too much by military regulation, once they were given the order from the top, there could be no refusing unless there were special circumstances.

From what Fang Zhao knew about current trends, the next important military activity would be the upcoming Whale Island Conference. Various military districts, bases, and cooperative representatives would gather on Whale Island for a conference centered on military science, strategic arrangements, and various other matters. This conference was held every five years and held a high importance. It was reasonable to say that Fang Zhao wasn't qualified to participate in it. The shows and performances during the conference period would be for people of Prof. Carter's level to jointly arrange.

Prof. Carter had also been busy with performance activities concerning the Whale Island Conference. However, the draft notice Fang Zhao received was clearly different from the ones Prof. Carter and the others had received.

Shortly after receiving the draft notice, Fang Zhao then received a call from Wai Base Commanding Officer Huo Yi. Huo Yi had just arrived in Huangzhou the previous day and would be participating in the Whale Island Conference.

"Have you received your draft notice?" Huo Yi seemed to be in good spirits.

"Just received it," Fang Zhao replied.

"I recommended you to the Whale Island Conference inspection team. This is a very high level conference and I can only recommend people; I don't have the rights to the final decision. Whether you can stay depends on your test results. However, I have faith in you! Fang Zhao, for these sort of things, the allowance during the mission period won't be much, but your record will be filled up with merits. It is a good thing for both you and Curly Hair! You have to prepare for it earnestly!"

Which was more important: a thesis or the Whale Island Conference?

This was simply a no-brainer for Huo Yi! In the face of the Whale Island Conference, what were performances? What was a thesis? All of those should be pushed back!

Fang Zhao was also rather curious towards the Whale Island Conference. At his level, he simply wouldn't have any way of being there. Huo Yu had fought for a spot for him, so Fang Zhao wanted to express his thanks and try for the spot. Even if he would only be part of the inspection team, the experience would already be pretty worthwhile.

After making his decision, Fang Zhao went to look for Mo Lang to apply for leave.

Upon hearing Fang Zhao's request, Mo Lang didn't say anything and only stared at Fang Zhao with a frown.

Because there were other people present, Fang Zhao didn't say anything and went over to show Mo Lang the draft notice.

Immediately, Mo Lang's face became rigid. Even an artist with a high status like himself had no choice but to give way.

"The second amended version of the draft has already been completed and sent to your inbox. I will take one day of leave first and go take some tests tomorrow," Fang Zhao said in hushed voice.

"Alright," Mo Lang said resignedly.

What else could he have said?

Prof. Carter and the others were still there. Fang Zhao called out his greetings before taking his leave first. Carter and the others who remained behind took a look at Mo Lang's gloomy expression and shrunk back. Indeed, today wasn't a good time. They shouldn't have come over.

When Fang Zhao returned to his dormitory, he called Curly Hair over, "Come, let me tell you how to go about the test tomorrow."

——

The next morning.

Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair to the designated location indicated in the draft notice.

The test was divided into a preliminary and secondary test with the focal target for evaluation being Curly Hair.

First, the tests evaluated Curly Hair's physical condition, his temperament, and his ability to follow instructions. All of these were part of the preliminary evaluation and were the most basic requests. After the preliminary tests, there would be a search-and-detect test.

Fang Zhao also had his own examinations. These included a physical checkup and mental evaluation. All of these were rather simple and were completed in less than half an hour. Curly Hair's tests took over two hours.

After all the tests were completed, Fang Zhao's results were all "outstanding". Curly Hair's test results were also considered to be among the best and his evaluation results placed him at overall ranked third.

Fang Zhao had undergone military service on Planet Baiji and had received many military commendations, so there was no issue. Curly Hair also had service experience during his time on Planet Wai. Generally, inspection dogs needed one year of service experience before they were allowed to take these examinations. Although Curly Hair didn't have sufficient experience and was still technically a pet dog, considering Wai Base's recommendations and his merits, the inspection team was willing to give Curly Hair the opportunity to try out.

Simply put, with ability, experience, and a recommendation, as long as there were no prominent issues, Curly Hair could still be given an opportunity when they were lacking dogs. However, nobody had imagined that this dog's evaluations would turn out that good.

The people at the test center were discussing the results of the evaluation.

"Fang Zhao is really capable. That dog of his can't compared to the two elites of the police dog academy, but it isn't a professional inspection dog after all. But overall, he is considered to be among the top. That value of two hundred million really isn't for nothing."

"It is still a little pet dog—its discipline isn't that good yet."

"Why don't you say that this pet dog is already very capable and isn't inferior to those elites groomed by the police dog academy?!"

"These results are sufficient to join the inspection team."

If Curly Hair had been ranked over ten or further, they might have still hesitated since this was a pet dog and the dog's owner was a reserve duty soldier. But instructions from the top were to increase the level of security checks this time. They didn't lack good inspection dogs, but there weren't a lot of dogs with such good results in these evaluations. More than half of these were serving in spaceports or other planets.

Special circumstances called for special measures. After discussion, they ultimately decided to approve Curly Hair. Thus, this was how the only "pet dog" in Whale Island Conference's inspection team came to be.

Fang Zhao had just returned to his dormitory when he received the official notice.

"We passed the test," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair wagged his tail vigorously, begging for praise. He had gone and done all the tests according to how Fang Zhao had instructed.

Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair extra servings of food and allowed him to game throughout the night. After all, once they entered the conference on assignment, it would be at least two weeks without the gaming console.

After informing Nanfeng and the other two of the new arrangements, Fang Zhao contacted Mo Lang to inform him of the outcome.

Mo Lang mused silently for some time before sighing, "I have already reminded you all that I needed to. The commander should have already informed you about the need for confidentiality during the conference period. Make sure you stay safe."

"To everyone else, I am just undergoing closed-door studying. I have already gotten my assistant to make arrangements," Fang Zhao replied.

"When will you be going over?"

"My instructions say to report in tomorrow."

Mo Lang sighed again. He felt gloomy. There were too many things he wanted to say but couldn't spit out. He had considered various complications, but he had never expected a draft notice would have messed up all his plans! No matter how unwilling he was, he still had to let Fang Zhao go. Fortunately, this assignment wouldn't be too long. Fang Zhao would only be away for about two weeks.

At the end of the year, the internet was abuzz with reports about the annual galas of various companies, appreciation banquets, and other such events. Fans chasing stars felt like the excitement every day was like a festival. News of Chu Bo's successful applications to hold concerts had also been released. There was a chance he would performing on various continents next year. Furthermore, just today, news that Chu Bo would be appearing at Jinzhou's new year countdown was revealed. In the past, this would have been simply impossible. Who was willing to listen to Chu Bo criticize someone at a new year's countdown ceremony? How negative of an influence would that be?! Jinzhou's Cultural Department wanted to maintain their dignity too. But now that Chu Bo had actually learned how to censor himself, they allowed him partake in the countdown festivities.

But whenever Chu Bo was mentioned, people would bring up Fang Zhao as well because of their joint performance at Star Cup's victory ceremony.

"Speaking of that, there hasn't been any news about Fang Zhao after that Star Cup victory ceremony performance."

"I wonder whether Fang Zhao will appear for Yanzhou's new year countdown."

"It is rumored that Fang Zhao is being locked up by a certain big shot to write his thesis."

"But they wouldn't go so far as to not allow him to come out to enjoy the new year, right? He also participated in the Star Cup victory ceremony."

"Does anyone have insider info? Please share."

"Wang Tie! Stop pretending to be dead!!"

Wang Tie was always dragged out for a lashing by netizens to express their anger every time. He also wished to let off steam and prove them wrong, but this King of Paparazzi's intuition told him to give up, especially this time! Forget it, he would release juicy information about a famous film actress to divert people's attention away tomorrow.

Many messages concerning Fang Zhao were posted to Yanzhou's Silver Wing Media's social accounts——

"Hey, where is your Fang Zhao? Bring him out from time to time!"

"In any case, Fang Zhao is a Yanzhou person. He should come for our Yanzhou's new year countdown. He better not get snatched away by Huangzhou!"

"Right right right! Huangzhou just loves stealing stars from other continents!"

Even Silver Wing Media's own celebrities were also discussing in private on whether the company would call on Fang Zhao this year. There were only limited spots for Yanzhou's new year countdown, and the few large-scale entertainment companies would be involved. There would also be some self established artistes and celebrities. Competition was already tough as it was. If Fang Zhao was around, their chances would diminish even more.

Silver Wing's top brass were also worried. They also wanted to find Fang Zhao, but the problem was that they could only contact Fang Zhao's assistant. Fang Zhao himself seemed like he couldn't be found

At the moment, Fang Zhao, who so many people were thinking about, had already brought Curly Hair along into the Whale Island region.

Whale Island was an artificial island off the coast of Huangzhou. The center of the island was a massive building that looked like a whale. And that was the conference venue.

Currently, there was still a week to the Whale Island Conference, but preparations at the Whale Island region had already started half a year ago.

Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair to the reporting location. He handed over his gun, personal terminal, clothes, and communications devices. Guns and equipment would be issued out in batch to everyone. During the period of this mission, there was to be no contact with the outside. If anyone had urgent matters to handle, they would need to make a special application. There would also be specialists to handle urgent incoming calls. In other words, they just needed to concentrate on carrying out the assignment properly and not bother about anything else.

Chapter 404: Fight! Started!

A cafeteria in Whale Island region.

Baiji Military District Commanding Officer Shanta stepped in and surveyed the inside. He cracked a bright smile. "Aren't you guys early!"

Ma Jika and Luo Sha, commanders of the exploratory spaceships Fomalhaut and Arcturus, looked up and then turned away when they saw Shanta.

"Oh? Why aren't you guys saying anything when you see an old friend?" Shanta was beaming as he dragged a chair over to sit down. "You guys used to be constantly on the move. How rare for us to be able to meet."

Commander Luo Sha said impatiently, "The sight of you irks me!"

Shanta's chuckled even more heartily. "Hahahaha! From a certain angle, you two are my benefactors. Hah! Thanks for blocking Fang Zhao's application back then!"

At that time, if these two spaceship commanders hadn't blocked Fang Zhao's application, Fang Zhao wouldn't have gone to Planet Baiji. He wouldn't have discovered the new ore and Baiji Military District wouldn't have been established that quickly!

Compared to Shanta, the two spaceship commanders Luo Sha and Ma Jika were in rather heavy moods. The discovery of the Alkaid meant that there might possibly be changes to exploratory missions on a whole and that the two of them would be very passive at this time. Thus, it was understandable that Commander Luo Sha was in a bad mood when Shanta took a jab at his sore spot.

Shanta also wasn't too upset that the two spaceship commanders didn't bother about him. He turned around and saw Wai Base Commanding Officer Huo Yi, who was trying to sneak off. He called out immediately, "Huo Yi, I heard that your Wai Base is developing rather well recently. Why is it that I heard something today about you even wanting to steal someone else's dog?"

Baiji Military District had naturally gotten wind of Huo Yi's recommendation of Fang Zhao to the inspection team for the Whale Island Conference. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, the matter would not have been reported to Shanta. As the Commanding Officer of a military district, he was very busy every day and simply didn't have any time to bother with these small matters. However, because of the special significance Fang Zhao had, once Baiji Military District received the news, it had been reported to Shanta.

Naturally, Shanta wouldn't obstruct Fang Zhao's opportunity to gain merits. After making discreet inquiries and learning that it was Wai Base's Huo Yi who had personally made the recommendation, Shanta started to ponder. Huo Yi couldn't be the only one allowed to leave a favorable impression! Shanta still had hopes that Fang Zhao would join his own military district if he got tired or decided to leave the artistic path. How many people were coveting Fang Zhao's years now?

Therefore, Baiji Military District and Wai Base had both helped facilitate it. Therefore, after the audit was passed, the draft notice had been issued to Fang Zhao. Otherwise, someone on reserve duty like Fang Zhao wouldn't have been called over here with just Curly Hair as the sole reason.

Back when Fang Zhao had converted to reserve duty after his military service on Planet Baiji, Shanta had changed Baiji Military District's allocations to first, ahead of Yanzhou Military District. Therefore, Shanta had made Fang Zhao a soldier of his own military district long ago. However, now that Huo Yi had designs on Fang Zhao and even wanted to snatch his dog, Shanta had no choice but to be on buard. He came out on the offensive when the two commanding officers met.

Huo Yi might be able to be a figure of authority and might before others, but he could only quake before Shanta. With an insincere smile, he said, "How can we compete with the ore you have? Our lives on our side aren't so good. Our spaceport facilities can't keep up and we have limited power. All we can do is find other means to attract a few more dogs."

Not too far away, Bu Base Commanding Officer Flemington's face twitched as he heard this exchange. How I wish to take a gun to blow up your ores, produce and facilities to bits! If it comes to being poor, who can compete with our Planet Bu? If not for Fang Zhao heading over for poverty alleviation and discovering the Alkaid, we would still be eating dirt at Bu Base!

There were already seven or eight high ranking military officers in this small cafeteria. There were exploratory spaceship commanders, commanding officers of garrisoned bases on foreign planets, and special forces officers. To put it simply, these were all people that had left their home planet to work and earn some benefits.

There were a quite a number of such cafeterias in the whole Whale Island region. In the next few days, they would serve as a place for military officers, technicians, engineers and other participants to relax when they arrived. The security works and processes in the entire Whale Island region were also frantically underway at all times.

At a certain spot in the Whale Island region, Fang Zhao took his own allocated items into the dormitory. This building was a specifically constructed residence for members of the inspection team. The furnishing within the dormitory was really good and the facilities for dogs were in no way inferior. Standing beside the window, Fang Zhao could see specifically installed training and activity facilities for dogs in the yard. There were instructors currently playing with dogs.

After tidying up a little, Fang Zhao called Curly Hair over, who had been checking out the dormitory. "Let's go down and meet our team members."

They first went down to the Inspection Team Captain Zhao Chao's office. Zhao Chao was previously from Huangzhou spaceport's Anti-Smuggling Bureau and had assumed the post of this conference's Inspection Team Captain.

Zhao Chao was familiar with the public figure Fang Zhao. However, he was even more curious towards Curly Hair. He was able to place in the top three with his test results despite only being a pet dog! And he was really rather small!

But now wasn't the time to ask about random stuff. Zhao Chao gave Fang Zhao a simple brief about the current state of the Inspection Team.

"We have many team members, but only thirty-five inspection dogs. Curly Hair makes it thirty-six. Everyone gets along rather well…"

He hadn't finished speaking when someone came in. "Captain! Those two are at it again!"

Zhao Chao paused for a bit. He then said to Fang Zhao without so much as a flinch, "There are two exceptions. Let's go over and take a look first."

As they walked over, Zhao Chao explained the situation between the two.

Due to the Whale Island Conference, outstanding military and police dogs from various places had been transferred over. Currently close to half of the dogs in the team used to be on anti-smuggling assignments. All of these canine elites from all sorts of places and posts had gone through a period of familiarization and had started to get used to their new working environment. They were also getting along decently, except for two.

"His name is AK, but we normally call him 'K'. Of course, he'll be happier if you call him 'King'. Smart, daring, confident. Has a great attitude towards instructors, compliant to instructions and can carry out missions independently. He once independently detected an explosive and had a nose that was especially sensitive to prohibited items. K has the bloodline of a hunting hound; he is a large-sized dog, can climb trees, leap over walls and even parachute as well. He can even catch fish in water and can carry out many missions with high difficulty on dry land. He is a naturally gifted fighter and a workaholic.

"The other dog, Thornhead, is also a large-sized dog. He is also very smart and capable, just that he has an explosive temperament. Most of the time, Thornhead is very active in anti-smuggling and other police dog work. Because he received bodyguard training, Thornhead is very fierce towards strangers and won't listen to anyone but those few trainers he is familiar with and accepts. He is quick and efficient in operations and adapts well to the environment. He has a bloodline of a military and police dual service dog. Thornhead is one of the most outstanding police dogs currently. He really is very intelligent… just that his temperament is slightly unstable and has intense changes sometimes."

From Zhao Chao's tone, Fang Zhao could tell that Zhao Chao really liked these two dogs even though they were causing him some minor headaches. However, Fang Zhao could determine that Zhao Chao slightly favored Thornhead. Thornhead had been on many assignments at various large spaceports. Thus, Zhao Chao had naturally interacted with him much more than K, so the bias was understandable.

If placed in the Period of Destruction, these two would be guard dogs with great combat ability. The New Era had seen continuous changes in breeding, and the appearances of these dogs were somewhat different now. However, whether it was intellect or ability, all of this had evolved for the better.

Zhao Chao also lamented with a frown, "These two are also the kings of their own domain. Kings do not meet other kings in ordinary times. At most, they'll have some short encounters during exchange matches or competitions. Now that they are in the same team, the atmosphere isn't so good every time they cross paths despite being on Whale Island together for so many days."

Zhao Chao hoped that the dogs in the team could get along amicably. What would happen if there was a situation which required several dogs to coordinate and carry out a mission? Therefore, he hoped that all the dogs in the team would get along like comrades before the Whale Island Conference officially began. Only then would any missions be completed perfectly. Therefore, even if those two couldn't get along, Zhao Chao still got their instructors to lead them along to interact. Luckily, those two didn't fight for real too many times. Both had lots of training and discipline, and the instructors were available at the side to separate them.

While talking, Fang Zhao had already seen the two dogs in the passage up ahead. Even though he hadn't seen the two dogs before, he could tell who was who the moment he saw them.

In the passageway, the one facing Fang Zhao was K. Rugged yet not cumbersome, he had the physique of an all purpose hunting hound. He seemed extremely perceptive, and his eyes were clearly glowing with an ominous glint.

And the one with his back to Fang Zhao had short black fur. He was muscular and imposing. There was a small tuft of fur that was slightly longer on his head. It looked like a little thorn. This was Thornhead.

During the tests Curly Hair took before entering Whale Island Conferences' Inspection Team, the two dogs that Curly Hair had ranked behind were K in first place, and Thornhead in second. In terms of comprehensive ability, Thornhead was slightly weaker.

Looking at the situation, if the two could speak, it would probably have gone like this——

K: I am number one!

Thornhead: F*ck off! Daddy doesn't accept it!

Zhao Chao wanted the two to get along amicably, but for now, this was an impossible task.

"During the Period of Destruction, there was only one alpha dog in a team with many dogs," Fang Zhao said softly.

"Of course I know that!" Zhao Chao sighed. "Don't worry, they are smart and won't fight. They are just putting on airs for now."

Curly Hair, who had crouched by Fang Zhao's feet, sneezed and used his paw to brush Fang Zhao's trouser leg.

Fang Zhao took a look at Curly Hair and asked Zhao Chao in a low voice, "Captain, where is the dog toilet?"

"There, Eagle just returned from there." Zhao Chao pointed somewhere towards the front of the passageway.

Up ahead, an instructor was currently leading a rather docile-looking middle-sized dog over. Eagle was the dog's name.

Fang Zhao had already seen the sign for the dog toilet, just that he felt that those two dogs ahead were in the way. He had asked Zhao Chao to find out whether there was another one elsewhere. But now that Zhao Chao had said this, Fang Zhao could only shoot him a probing glance.

Those two dogs were still obstructing the passageway, and the center section was a "warzone".

Zhao Chao knew what Fang Zhao was worried about and said, "It's alright. Take a look at Eagle. Just learn from him and you all will be fine."

Fang Zhao had seen that instructor sticking to the wall and walking over slowly. Eagle lowered his body, drooped his tail, and stuck to the wall as he passed through the "warzone".

"Got it?" Zhao Chao asked.

Fang Zhao mulled for a bit, then nodded. He turned to Curly Hair. "Understand?"

Curly Hair got up and walked over to the side wall.

Zhao Chao was rather pleased when he saw this. Indeed, dogs that could go through these tests were all really smart. However, the smile on Zhao Chao's face turned stiff in no time.

Fang Zhao had stuck close to the wall as he walked and had even lowered his own presence. His speed was neither fast nor slow and was similar to how Eagle's instructor had moved.

The problem was Curly Hair! Although he had also stuck close to the wall, he didn't have the same docile attitude like Eagle had. Instead, his tail wagged happily and he went over in a light jog!

The hearts of a few instructors present skipped a beat. They weren't able to stop Thornhead in time when he turned and snapped his jaws at Curly Hair.

Of course, as a highly trained elite service dog with lots of experience, Thornhead wouldn't really bite out with the intent to seriously injure. He only wanted to establish his dominance and indicate his fury.

Curly Hair, who had been in a little trot towards the toilet, was given a shock. Then, he threw himself forward.

No one expected that this little thing would dare try and bite back!

Immediately, dog barks, shouts, sorrowful cries and frightened wails rang out all around.

In the passageway, within the warzone, the three dogs had started to fight, and the scene was extremely violent and chaotic.

Chapter 405: Done It For Real

A squad of inspection team members who had just returned back from assignment were chatting happily when they suddenly heard the intense barks and human shouts. The surrounding dogs also tensed up and moved further away. Even if they did not move further away, they stuck closer to their respective instructors and appeared uneasy.

"They fought?" Someone asked in astonishment.

"Those two… No, why does it sound like three dogs?"

"Don't tell me K and Thornhead are fighting? I just knew that those two were bound to fight eventually!"

"Doesn't sound like it at all."

"I think it did happen. Look at the reaction from the other dogs. Besides those two, anything else wouldn't have this sort of effect."

"Wasn't it said previously that these two would fight? What exactly is going on right now? It sounds really ferocious!"

"The other dogs are just going to be cannon fodder if those two fight. Hurry and check it out!" Every dog in the team was very precious and nobody hoped to see another dog get hurt because of a fight between these two.

Team members with dogs by their side didn't head over, but those without any rushed over. They were worried that if K and Thornhead fought, their instructors might not be able to hold them down and that more people might be required to help.

The people in the yard as well as upstairs all headed over.

However, the barking stopped very quickly. The Captain's shout transmitted out of the passageway. "What are you all looking at, go back!"

Those that were chased away knew that the situation had been diffused. However, they couldn't help but be curious so they gathered together to discuss after leaving.

"Did they really fight?" A team member who had been on night duty came over and asked. He had been catching up on sleep when a series of intense barking had startled him and made him fall off the bed.

"Who won? K or Thornhead?"

"No idea. I hadn't seen anything when the captain made me turn back."

"Hey, Little Liu. Where did you come back from? Did you see what happened?" Someone saw Little Liu bringing Eagle over and asked.

Eagle's trainer, Little Lu, patted the startled Eagle tenderly and shook his head at the posed question. "I can't say anything, Captain's orders."

"You still can't talk about this matter? Can't you reveal just a little bit? Was it K or Thornhead that won? Or perhaps a draw?" Another trainer from the inspection team asked.

Little Lu had a hard to describe expression and continued shaking his head. "Stop asking."

This fight had come really quickly and had concluded really quickly as well. There were so many people who had heard the news and had wanted to head over to check it out, only to be met with an empty passageway.

In a certain room upstairs.

Thornhead, who had been brought back to his dormitory, was currently lying on the ground. His body was shaking as he sobbed. He was even panting rapidly. At this moment, Thornhead seemed to be completely one hundred eighty degrees from his normal majestic self.

This wasn't anger, fury or being hurt. He had no other way to vent except by sobbing.

The trainer most accustomed to Thornhead's temperament was also helpless. The blow he had received today was also too large. He had originally thought that the only one who might suppress Thornhead within the team was K. Yet, before the victor between him and K had been decided, Thornhead had been pressed to the ground by a bite from the little dog. Thornhead had also lost a few tufts of fur around his neck. Luckily, Thornhead's fur around his neck was thick even though it didn't look long. However, he wouldn't be recovering anytime soon from the psychological blow he had received today.

"Thornhead, you also shouldn't get angry with someone else's little dog," The trainer said. "You are a big dog. You shouldn't bicker too much with that little thing."

But the moment "little dog" was said, Thornhead's sobbing intensified. A big dog like himself couldn't even beat that tiny thing!

The trainer caught himself and hurriedly went on. "No matter what, you are still our king when it comes to work! Right?"

Thornhead's sobbing slowed.

While placating Thornhead, the trainer was also vexed. In his heart, he thought to himself, That little dog is real ferocious!!

The same building but a different dormitory.

K lay on the ground with his front paws crossed. He seemed no different from how he usually was except that he no longer had that imperious air. Currently his entire body seemed to be giving off a gloomy aura.

His trainer was at the side saying consolatory words. K glanced at his trainer and listened for a bit before shifting his head to the side as if trying to say, "I'm annoyed, stop bothering me."

Seeing K this way, K's instructor didn't say anything else and only sat quietly by K's side while replaying the scenario at the passageway in his head.

The blow K received today was rather huge, and his trainer reckoned that this blow was even greater than failing a mission.

When Thornhead and Curly Hair had started fighting, K had only wanted to intervene and mediate. Yet, not only did it fail, he had been dumped to the side by Curly Hair kicking a leg out. Thus, his temper had frayed and he had joined in the fracas. In this sort of chaotic fight, the two trainers hadn't been able to stop two large-sized dogs like K and Thornhead in their frenzy. Furthermore, it had seemed vaguely like those two large ones were teaming up to deal with that little dog. However, K had been kicked aside a few times in succession. In the past, he had never imagined that a large dog like K would be kicked to the ground by a little dog. Neither could he have imagined that the robust Thornhead would actually be pressed to the ground and bitten by that little thing.

At this moment, K's trainer had the same thought as Thornhead's instructor. That little dog is goddamn ferocious!

Exactly what sort of breed is it?

Why was it unheard of in the past?

Below them, in a certain dormitory.

Curly Hair had his neck drooped and looked at Fang Zhao carefully as though he had done something wrong.

"Look at you. Bullying others? However, the blame doesn't lie with you this time. The other dog bit first. Curly Hair, everyone is going to be in the same team. They are all going to be your team members… Don't bully them with your strength! Leave them some dignity."

"Also, don't think you can slack off just because you are very impressive. You must do things seriously when working!"

As Fang Zhao was speaking to Curly Hair, Zhao Chao sent him a message asking him to bring Curly Hair upstairs to the dormitory where Thornhead was at.

"Remember what I told you before. You must remember to behave and not show off!" Fang Zhao exhorted before leading Curly Hair upstairs.

Zhao Chao was already waiting there. The moment Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair into the room, Thornhead released a few low growls.

Curly hair didn't react and obediently followed by Fang Zhao's side as though trying to portray that "I'm a very good boy."

Fang Zhao noticed tear stains below Thornhead's eyes and was a little curious. Zhao Chao had said that this dog Thornhead had rather acute temperament changes. To think that he would cry this much after losing a fight.

Thornhead's trainer noticed Fang Zhao's gaze. He gave a slight cough and explained, "Thornhead drank a lot of water and is just feeling a little hot."

Fang Zhao nodded his head cooperatively. "So that's what happened." He understood the importance of looking after the moods of the service dogs.

Zhao Chao also spoke. "I just called the vet over to check on them later. Any injuries have to be handled. Fang Zhao, is Curly Hair hurt anywhere?"

Zhao Chao had clearly seen the situation back in the passageway. Curly Hair didn't seem like he had been bitten by Thornhead. As for K, he had been kicked aside by Curly Hair each time he had tried to got close, so he never had any opportunity to bite.

"No, he isn't hurt." Fang Zhao replied.

"That's good." Zhao Chao had a complicated expression as he looked at the quiet Curly Hair crouching by Fang Zhao's feet. He told Fang Zhao gently, "Today, K and Thornhead were in slightly bad moods so they fought. However, they won't do it for real, and they won't bite each other to death. You don't have to worry. Speaking of that, I never expected that your little curly-haired dog would actually be so ferocious when it got mad."

Fang Zhao: "…" Would you all believe me if I said that he didn't do it for real?

If Curly Hair did it for real, it wouldn't just be a few kicks or biting some tufts of fur. This was really light already. However, Fang Zhao couldn't say anything and only limited himself to placating responses.

No matter what, this fight was wrong. The three dogs were forced to spend ten hours in solitary confinement.

Ten hours wasn't long, but no dog was willing to spend too long inside the solitary confinement chamber made specifically for dogs.

Now was when they were starting to get busy, and these three dogs were the elites that ranked in the top three in the tests. They were still needed for assignments so Zhao Chao couldn't lock them up for a few days. This was only the first mistake and their first time fighting, so ten hours was just a little punishment to make them remember it.

After handling matters here, Zhao Chao returned to make his reports to the higher ups. Because of Curly Hair's inclusion, the team would be able to move ahead with the break-in period and would be able to start operations even earlier.

Furthermore, Curly Hair appeared to be rather compliant and had a fighting strength that exceeded Zhao Chao's imagination. Zhao Chao just wondered what Curly Hair would be like when it came to work.

Chapter 406: Why Don't You Try Touching?

Solitary confinement wasn’t much of a big deal for Curly Hair, and he behaved no differently from normal.

The three dogs were locked separately in three different solitary confinement rooms. Thornhead would whimper from time to time, sounding a little miserable and somewhat agitated.

In the next room, K kept staring at a certain spot in silence, and nobody knew what he was thinking.

In the room beside him, Curly Hair was sound asleep and even snoring.

Captain Zhao Chao, who viewed every dog within the team as a treasure, couldn’t help himself after reporting to his director and personally came over to look around. Thornhead and K were both experienced dogs, and these weren’t their first times entering solitary confinement chambers. However, Curly Hair was different. He worried that this little dog couldn’t adapt. It would be a big problem if he became psychologically scarred.

However, in no time, Zhao Chao watched the little dog sleep peacefully in the solitary confinement room.

“…” What a really mystical dog.

After checking the solitary confinement rooms, Zhao Chao went to look for Fang Zhao again.

“Fang Zhao, I just went to check things out. Your little Curly Hair is sound asleep.” Zhao Chao chortled happily. “Did he go out to catch thieves last night?”

Fang Zhao couldn’t say that the gaming dog had gamed through the night, so he smiled apologetically. “He was a little too excited previously and has calmed down now.”

“Is he really alright? He won’t have any psychological scars, right?” Zhao Chao wanted to double check with Fang Zhao again.

“He is really fine,” Fang Zhao said with certainty.

“That’s good then.” Zhao Chao hadn’t come over just for the matter of Curly Hair’s solitary confinement and said in a more serious tone, “Ready to take on a post tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Good! From now until the conference concludes, your status is no longer a reserve duty serviceman. Your dog is no longer a pet too! Bring out your battle ready attitude! Battlefields aren’t just places with guns, bullets and blood. During the Whale Island Conference, the entire Whale Island Region is our Inspection Team’s battlefield!”

“Yes!”

Fang Zhao had a serious attitude, and his salute was extremely on point. Zhao Chao was satisfied and explained to Fang Zhao his working arrangements.

Saying that the assignment was important wasn’t an exaggeration. Because of the importance of this conference, the Inspection Team would work in three shifts before the conference would officially begin. They would need to work overtime during the few days of the conference as well. Besides that, they would be assigned to patrol, inspect or attend classes from time to time.

Although Curly Hair had served on Planet Wai before, he had gone for quite a while without any assignments. Therefore, Zhao Chao specially arranged for Fang Zhao and Curly Hair to take some supplementary classes.

Ten hours later.

Fang Zhao went to the solitary confinement room to bring Curly Hair out. Curly Hair was still sleeping when he went over. When others saw the situation, they told Fang Zhao, “Your dog is really tolerant.” A dog that could sleep so soundly in solitary confinement is a rare sight.

This wasn’t something worthy to flaunt, so Fang Zhao disciplined Curly Hair when they returned and made him stand outside the corridor to reflect on his actions.

Other team members originally thought that Fang Zhao’s way of disciplining his dog was a little too willful and disrespectful. Thus, they came over to advise Fang Zhao.

“Captain Zhao didn’t say anything, so you shouldn’t be too strict,” an Inspection Team member who passed by said.

“Yeah, I heard that he has already been locked up for ten hours. It’s already so late. Has that little thing eaten yet? He ought to have drunk some water, right? It’s better to not let him go hungry,” someone else advised.

After all, this was a pet dog at heart. To be able to hold his own here surely meant that he had the ability. Everything would be good if he could complete assignments and not cause trouble. There shouldn’t be too high expectations for everything else. This was what most of the team members thought.

However, Fang Zhao still made Curly Hair reflect outside the door for an hour before letting him into the dormitory.

Curly Hair was intelligent. It was just that he wasn’t willing to use his brains sometimes. After being lectured by Fang Zhao and being aware that he was in the wrong, Curly Hair was rather serious in his self-reflection and crouched with his neck and ears drooping down. He looked really miserable and looked at passersby with two innocent dog eyes.

No matter what was the case, Curly Hair had displayed his remorse and compliant attitude, which gave a good impression to many team members.

After Curly Hair returned back to the dormitory and shut the door, Fang Zhao rapped his knuckles on Curly Hair’s head.

The dog feed in the team was top quality, but the quantity was too little for Curly Hair.

“Try to bear with it for this period. Wait for the conference to end,” Fang Zhao said to Curly Hair as he pondered whether to request for more dog food for Curly Hair. The amount of dog food he’d received today was already the result of requesting more. From other people’s point of view, with that size, this was already the max that Curly Hair could eat. It wouldn’t be easy to increase the quantity.

The next day, Fang Zhao wore the Inspection Team’s standard uniform and helped Curly Hair to put on his vest. The vest had the same “Inspection” written on it, just like Fang Zhao and the other team members’ uniforms. It also had the Whale Island Conference insignia printed on it.

Perhaps from having slept enough or from recalling his time in service at Planet Wai’s space port, Curly Hair was rather enthusiastic on his first day at his post.

Zhao Chao also praised Curly Hair when he saw this. “Great condition, keep it up!”

The first duty on the job was day shift. Today, after their team patrolled the area, they still needed to go a few rounds around the warehouses.

The warehouse was where the luggage of the conference participants who had arrived today were being stored. After going through them with the inspection apparatus, they still needed a round of checking by the inspection team dogs. It wasn’t that much different from the procedure at the spaceports. When entering Whale Island Region, all participants’ luggage were subject to security screening.

A third of people who came from Muzhou could recognize Curly Hair right away. As for the remainder, either they didn’t take notice or were too afraid to say anything because of the words “Whale Island Conference Inspection” emblazoned across his vest.

No matter where they went to work, watching sheep herding competitions to understand the current state of their homeland was something the majority of Muzhou people liked to do. Therefore, a dog like Curly Hair who had forced Muzhou to change their sheep herding rules left a deep impression on many Muzhou people.

Fang Zhao didn’t mind the gazes of those Muzhou people. He concentrated all his efforts on to the task at hand.

Not every participant of the conference was content with their lot. There were bound to be some who set off frantic searches and checks because of their curiosity. These were the sort that vexed the Inspection Team the most.

“You have no idea what kind of bulls*t fills their heads,” an Inspection Team member told Fang Zhao.

Not too far off, a pair of reporters, one young and one old, had just arrived at the Whale Island Region and were waiting at the designated spot to collect their luggage.

“Master, those must be the Whale Island Region’s inspection dogs,” the young reporter whispered. “They seem rather meek. Look, there is even a small dog. It is kind of cute.”

The old reporter didn’t even look up and replied in a low voice, “Lovable and meek looking dogs also aren’t meant for you to touch.”

Noticing his young apprentice still looking at the dog, the old reporter patted his young apprentice’s shoulder and pointed at the warehouse. “Do you see the handlers by their sides? Yes, those with the words “Inspection” on their backs. Those people who are wielding guns. Why don’t you go over and try reaching out to touch their dogs in front of them?”

The young reporter shook his head immediately when he heard the words “wielding guns”.

Seeing that his young apprentice was afraid, the old reporter let out a satisfied smile. “Listen more, see more, talk less! Alright, our luggage is out.”

The young reported hurriedly went to collect the luggage when he saw someone. With widened eyes, he exclaimed, “Ah!”

“I said not to make unnecessary noises! Go back home if you can’t watch your mouth!” The old reporter came over and hurriedly told him off in a low voice.

The young reporter still wished to say something but was forced by the old reporter to look away. “Before coming, I already told you this. No matter what you see or hear in the Whale Island Region, do not blindly shout out!”

The little reporter used a lot of effort to close his hanging mouth. He then dragged the luggage and followed the old reporter to their designated accommodations.

After shutting the door, the old reporter surveyed the room once. He knew that there wouldn’t be surveillance cameras installed in the rooms at the Whale Island Region, but it was his professional habit to personally scan through his place. Only after finishing the scan did the old reporter finally relax.

“Say, what was that ‘ah’ all about just now?”

The young reporter was full of zeal when this was mentioned. “Master, I saw Fang Zhao! The one who acts… no, the composer, that Fang Zhao who was commended by the military a short while back!”

His eyesight was quite good, and the young reporter didn’t reckon that he had been seeing things. Furthermore, there was that dog of Fang Zhao’s. He had seen information on Fang Zhao through internet searches and also knew about that dog. That little dog had been wearing a little vest with the words “Inspection” emblazoned on it!

The old reporter definitely knew who was Fang Zhao too. He calmed down after his initial astonishment. “So what? We are a proper and earnest newspaper, not some wanton and devious entertainment reporters!”

“Why would Fang Zhao be here? Before coming, I saw people online saying that Fang Zhao would be appearing at Fiery Bird’s year-end customer gratitude ceremony. But today, I actually saw Fang Zhao in the inspection team!” The young reporter was flabbergasted.

“Alright, keep your exuberant curiosity in check. It took us great pains to receive approval to be among the participating reporters of this conference. Don’t get us kicked out. Let me remind you once more. There will be quite a number of big shots in the Whale Island Region during this period. Don’t go looking like an ignorant idiot even if you run into someone with a general’s star on his shoulders. There are many high level military officers here. In this place, major generals are everywhere and lieutenant generals are as many as… cough, in any case, it’s a lot! Pay more attention!”

“Understood.” The young reporter nodded. He was just very curious as to what would happen to Fiery Bird’s year-end gratitude ceremony since Fang Zhao was actually here in the inspection team. The news outside had been circulated as though it was official. He had really thought that Fang Zhao would appear at Fiery Bird’s year-end customer gratitude ceremony.

——

Huangzhou, Fiery Bird headquarters.

It was nearing the end of the year, and Fiery Bird was indeed making preparations for their year-end customer gratitude ceremony. Celebrities endorsing their products had all been contacted except for…

“What about Fang Zhao? Why isn’t Fang Zhao on this? Was he informed or has he rejected us?” The person in charge of the year-end customer gratitude ceremony trembled as he held the name list.

In the end, Fiery Bird was still a commercial company with a focus on commercial benefits. Among high end products, Fang Zhao was also an important ambassador that drove a lot of sales. His name shouldn’t have been omitted from the list of invited guests at the year-end customer gratitude ceremony.

“No, Fang Zhao has already explained to us that he can’t spare any time at the moment and sends us his apologies. I heard that he is in the middle of composing with no disturbances permitted. I even heard that old Master Mo Lang is personally keeping an eye on him,” someone from the planning team said.

“You all also believe that?! He participated in Star Cup’s awards ceremony and doesn’t have the time to attend our year-end customer gratitude ceremony? He can’t even spare a single day?! Now that he is famous, he thinks he can do as he pleases… Humph, is he that confident that we won’t change our endorsers?”

The room fell silent.

The manager in charge knocked on the table hard and said coldly, “Contact him again! Right now! Call his personal number!”

“Err… uncontactable.”

“Continue calling! Call until he picks up!”

Chapter 407: Tune

The first call wasn't successful. As before, it reached an automated reply.

There wasn't an automated reply for the second call. It was diverted to Nanfeng.

"Hi, this is Fang Zhao's assistant. May I know who…" Nanfeng had already received many calls looking for Fang Zhao during this period and had become well-practiced.

The manager's face turned dark as he snatched the communications device. "I am the person in charge of Fiery Bird's year-end customer gratitude ceremony. Put Fang Zhao on right away!"

Nanfeng's tone became much more serious when he heard that this was Fiery Bird's personnel. He explained, "I'm really sorry, Fang Zhao is—"

"—I'm not listening to that! Put Fang Zhao through!"

"Sorry, he really has no way…"

Beep——

The call hung up even before Nanfeng finished his sentence.

Nanfeng used his hand to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. He felt slightly worried for Fang Zhao. That was Fiery Bird! If his explanation wasn't good, who knew if he would his endorsement deals next year. It might even affect future collaboration with Fiery Bird. However, Fang Zhao's team really had no way of explaining. He couldn't divulge anything right now and could only wait for the conference to end. If anything was leaked, Nanfeng could almost guarantee that there would be news of Fang Zhao getting kicked out of the Whale Island Region before the end of the day.

To offend Fiery Bird, or to be kicked out of the Whale Island Region? There was no need to ask Fang Zhao; Nanfeng had already made the choice.

"Sigh, best to let boss complete his assignment before going over to explain. My words carry no weight and people won't listen."

Nanfeng's friends were acting pretentious as they ran around to all sorts of events with their own celebrity bosses. Nanfeng's heart also itched, but he couldn't flaunt anything!

Elsewhere with the Fiery Bird year-end customer gratitude ceremony planning team, the manager's face turned rigid for the third time. He was thinking that if the third time was the same as the previous two times, he would advise the higher-ups to change the endorser next year!

Yes, Fang Zhao's ears were very special. He had also been commended by the official military media outlets and had achieved high level artistic awards. However, that didn't mean he could behave like that! Was it acceptable to act so self-important before Fiery Bird?

Less than five minutes later, the third call was made. The third call didn't receive an automated reply. Neither was it diverted to Fang Zhao's assistant. Instead, an unfamiliar voice answered the call.

"Hello, may I know what you are inquiring about?" A gentle yet unfeeling voice answered in a formal manner.

The manager's brows twitched. "I'm looking for Fang Zhao. Put Fang Zhao through!"

"Fang Zhao currently has matters to attend to and isn't free. If you have any urgent matters, I can help you relay the message."

The manager took a deep breath and said furiously, "Tell him, in half an hour… No, he better return the call in ten minutes. Otherwise, don't even dream about endorsing Fiery Bird next year!!"

Bam! The communications device was thrown onto the conference table and the manager pulled a long face. He was in an extremely bad mood, and the others involved in the planning were slightly fearful.

Ten minutes later, a call had yet to come.

The manager's fury ascended to another level and he sent a message to the Fiery Bird headquarters for Deputy Director Tang Can. The message explained Fang Zhao's disappearance and rejection of Fiery Bird's year-end customer gratitude ceremony. He also recommended kicking Fang Zhao out of next year's collaboration list.

Tang Can was also very quick to send a reply. "Just handle the year-end customer gratitude ceremony well. Don't ask me about this matter. Anything else will be discussed at a later time. Alas, for this matter, Fang Zhao has indeed…"

Elsewhere, Tang Can and a few other senior executives of the headquarters had arrived on Whale Island. He didn't say too much in his hasty reply to the planning team. Right now, his focus was on the Whale Island Conference. He had no time to bother with the year-end customer gratitude ceremony and left it all to the manager of the planning team.

"Alright, I'm busy on my side. I'm afraid that I won't be able to manage the year-end customer gratitude ceremony. Don't contact me unless there are especially important matters."

With that, Tang Can ended the voice message and stepped out of the flying transport along with the few other company executives.

As some of Fiery Bird's product parts were used in military projects, those fortunate would be able to come and gain experience. One could forget about having dreams of continuous career advancement without attending a few of these conferences. This was Tang Can's second time participating in the Whale Island Conference. The previous time had been ten years ago when he had managed to get a spot to be an extra. This time around, his status had already risen quite a bit, and Tang Can couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic as he stood in the Whale Island Airport once more.

"I don't know if it is just me, but it feels like the security on Whale Island is much stricter compared to ten years ago." Tang Can sighed.

"It isn't just you. Their security has indeed become more strict. All of you, check your belongings and try to remember if you have brought any prohibited items in your luggage," one of the Fiery Bird senior executives said.

After checking and placing their luggage on the conveyor belt, Tang Can's party followed the signs and headed to another passage.

Airports at other places would always be noisy and clamorous. However, a solemn atmosphere permeated every corner of this place. Returning conference participants were subconsciously more prudent in their words and actions.

Tang Can's back was drenched in sweat from layer after layer of security checks. The others weren't much better.

"Rest for a bit first. We'll go over and collect the luggage in a bit," the person at the head said.

Tang Can got up to the refreshments booth to get some cups of water. He handed them out before keeping the last cup for himself. As he drank, he observed the surroundings. There were other people that had arrived around the same time as their party. He was familiar with these people. They had collaborated before so he exchanged muted greetings.

There were also some familiar looking faces that he couldn't put a name to. Tang Can tried to search for the information in his mind as he continued to look around. However, when his gaze fell on a certain spot, Tang Can froze.

The exit they had just headed out from was flanked by two men, each with a leashed dog. Those were people from Whale Island Region's inspection team. Tang Can and the others simply hadn't noticed them when they came out!

Fang Zhao was scanning the conference participants that had just stepped out from the airport to look for anyone suspicious. Sensing Tang Can's gaze on him, Fang Zhao paused and nodded slightly at Tang Can before continuing to watch the arrivals. His gaze was sharp and incisive like an eagle watching its prey. It caused Tang Can to shiver slightly.

"Ack! Cough… Cough cough…"

Tang Can choked on his water, and his face turned red.

"What's wrong?" The others in his party were concerned.

"N-Nothing, I just feel that the atmosphere is too tense and choked on my water since I wasn't paying attention," Tang Can replied.

"You haven't attended this sort of conference in far too long. Feeling this way is absolutely normal. Relax, as long as you haven't done anything wrong and abide by the rules, you don't have to worry about the inspection team. The police won't haul you off for interrogation," another aged man comforted him with a chuckle.

Tang Can thought to himself, Don't say anymore. I am feeling guilty right now!

He glanced over in Fang Zhao's direction. Indeed, he hadn't seen wrongly. Tang Can sent a voice message to the year-end customer gratitude ceremony's manager.

"Don't bother about the matter with Fang Zhao first!!!"

The manager busy preparing for the year-end customer gratitude ceremony was momentarily stunned when he received the message. His mind went to work quickly.

Where was Tang Can?

Whale Island!

Why hadn't Tang Can said all this before? How come he only sent this now when had when he had just arrived at Whale Island? His tone sounded shocked!

Could it be that…

Tang Can had seen Fang Zhao at Whale Island?

But, was Fang Zhao qualified to be at Whale Island?

Perhaps he is there to perform?

In just a moment, the manager had already came up with a whole host of possibilities.

No matter what sort of possibility it was, at the very least, he could deduce that the possibility of Tang Can running into Fang Zhao on Whale Island was at least seventy percent! If it was related to the Whale Island Conference, Tang Can wouldn't be able to say anything, let alone explain the circumstances there clearly.

Right, if Fang Zhao was on Whale Island and couldn't answer calls freely, then who had answered the third call? Who had he flipped out on?

The color on his face fluctuated from green to red to white. The others from the planning team had no idea what he was mulling over when they saw this.

Afterwards, the planning team members all said their piece, and all matters were settled in succession. The manager summed up the meeting, fixed the list of invited endorsers from the various continents and finally said, "As for Fang Zhao…"

The other members of the planning team were waiting for the manager to flip out. They had made guesses as to whether their team leader had already reported the matter up about wanting to remove Fang Zhao's endorsement deals next year. Little did they know…

The manager had a warm expression without the slightest trace of anger. He even had a wide smile. "Perhaps Fang Zhao is really somewhat inconvenienced. Let's listen to his explanation when he is able to spare the time in future. We mustn't be so demanding of our partner celebrities. People ought to be given a chance to explain themselves, right?"

Other members in the planning team: "…" Who is demanding?

Boss, this wasn't what you said before!

As expected of the planning team leader! He changes his tune even quicker then one can blink.

Huangzhou, Whale Island Region

Fang Zhao had just returned to his dormitory after his shift at the airport and received the message relayed by the switchboard operator.

He had no way of explaining to Fiery Bird's customer gratitude ceremony planning team at the moment and could only wait for the conference to conclude. However, thinking back to seeing that deputy director of Fiery Bird at the airport today, he thought that perhaps their side would know the reason without Fang Zhao even needing to explain to them.

A short while after returning to the dormitory, Fang Zhao was called over by Captain Zhao Chao.

"Are you able to get used to the workload?"

"No problems," Fang Zhao responded.

"Very good. The workload will increase as it gets closer to the start of the conference. You must be prepared. If you have any needs, feel free to raise them—even issues with the accommodations or food. Don't let other small issues affect your work," Zhao Chao said.

"Captain, I wish to request for more dog food!"

"… Let's talk about something else."

Fang Zhao's previous request had been turned down by the canine specialist veterinarian. This time, the request was turned down as well.

Chapter 408: This Can't Be Eaten

Fang Zhao didn't say anything about the request for additional dog food being turned down. However, he ate even more every time he went to the dining hall. Even though he didn't eat until he was completely full, he would at least eat until he was seventy to eighty percent full. However, even this much was enough to scare quite a lot of people.

Everyone's image of Fang Zhao went from "the celebrity with very good hearing ability" to "the king of eating who can eat a whole potload in one sitting".

As for his allocated foodstuffs such as energy bars, compressed biscuits and nutrient fluids, Fang Zhao kept it all for Curly Hair since Curly Hair had a wide diet and strong digestive ability. He could eat most things without issue.

This continued until the day before the conference began. The number of people entering Whale Island Airport was at its peak.

Fang Zhao had been dispatched to the luggage section. After all, he was a public figure. The Inspection Team tried to limit the number of times he appeared in public.

At Whale Island's entry point, reporters from all the various large news and media outlets formed long queues to go through layers of security checks.

"As expected of Whale Island! The atmosphere here just isn't the same," a reporter on his first time here said nervously while taking deep breaths.

"The security checks are really strict! Even tea leaves can't be brought in? Luckily I didn't try to sneak stuff in."

"Prohibited items absolutely mustn't be brought. Take a look around. There are specially trained staff, high tech equipment, elite sniffer dogs, and even some special military dogs. How can anything pass them so easily?" Someone said as the reporters were discussing quietly.

A group of people had just arrived at the airport and were several hundred meters away from the media channel. The passage that these people took had different procedures from the ones the members of the media had to go through. They also weren't separated from their luggage, and quite a number from this party were holding suitcases.

A major-general walked over and greeted, "Guests from the Inter-planetary Fund, please come with me."

As he spoke, the major-general's gaze fell on a kid slightly ahead of the group. That kid was dressed in a shirt that had a bear head printed on the front. He was playing with a black elastic ball… That should be an elastic ball right?

As if sensing his gaze, the little kid flashed a childlike smile at the major general.

Deep down, the major-general's vigilance soared. He forced out a stiff smile and turned around to lead the way.

Superintelligence Little Bear didn't bother about the curious glances he received from the soldiers. Rather, he was curiously checking out the surroundings and occasionally evaluating the security facilities and installations.

Much stronger than before, but still not good enough.

Luggage Inspection Area.

Fang Zhao and Curly Hair were standing by the conveyor belt. If there was anything suspicious among the luggage, Curly Hair would find it.

The service dogs here each had their own areas of expertise. There were dogs adept in detecting explosives and combustibles, while others were more sensitive towards suspicious allergens. Also, the team had passed through the break-in period smoothly. Curly Hair was the catalyst after that allowed the team to calm down after stifling the two other top dogs. However, every service dog would be graded by results. After the Whale Island Conference concluded, the service dogs would also get merits logged into their files according to their results. Therefore, there was still competition among them.

There was starting to be overtime, and Fang Zhao was temporarily posted to the night shift team. He would be on duty until 8 AM the next morning before being relieved to get some rest.

In between luggage checks and night patrols, Fang Zhao found some time to feed Curly Hair some extra food. Otherwise, who knew what this little thing would eat behind his back once he got hungry.

As the sun rose on the second day, the overtime was completed. It was already close to 8:30 AM after a short debrief and change of shifts. Fang Zhao and the other team members who had done overtime left the warehouse together. With this sort of workload, both the team members and inspection dogs were very tired.

Curly Hair seemed a little dejected — but not from being tired. This amount of work might have tired the other inspection dogs, but it really wasn't a big deal for Curly Hair. He appeared somewhat listless just like the other dogs, but only because he was hungry.

"I'll make something for you when we get to the dining hall later," Fang Zhao whispered as he patted Curly Hair's head lightly.

Curly Hair wagged his tail but didn't seem overly happy. He wasn't just hungry. He hadn't gotten to play any games for many days.

There were many dining halls in Whale Island Region. Fang Zhao followed the other team members to the nearest dining hall to eat. The inspection dogs had also finished their dog food, but Curly Hair only perked up after Fang Zhao found time to slip him a snack.

"Let's go. We have to head back and rest. There is still work to do when we wake up." The team member leader took a look at the time and instructed the other team members.

It was rare for people to have free time at Whale Island Region. Besides the building where the inspection team stayed, the other most common sights were troops and convoys.

The little night shift team left.

As Fang Zhao and the others were leaving, they saw some kids following their teacher into the dining hall.

The whole conference would last at least three days. They couldn't hold the conference for the entire time though. They needed to liven up the atmosphere as there had to be both tension and relaxation. There would be performances of all age groups ranging from kindergarten kids to elderly performance troupes. These little stage performers were just like all the others who were at the Whale Island Conference to perform.

Many of the kids looked over curiously when they saw the inspection team's dogs.

Fang Zhao even heard a little boy turn and shout towards his fellow students behind, "Look, even the dogs are so orderly. How can we lose to dogs!"

When returning from the dining hall to their accommodations, they passed by Whale Island Region's central public square, where the guard of honor contingent was standing in position.

At the stroke of 9 AM, music filled the air.

String instruments, flute music and military drums created a bereaving melody that also carried inspiration and hope. It sounded like a mild wind that seemed to signify the peace and tranquility after war.

Flags of the twelve continents and the emblems of various military bases were raised along with the music, commemorating the longest fight for survival in the history of mankind. It honored those who had sacrificed their blood so that others could see the dawn of the New Era.

When the music started, the small overtime team stopped walking and held a salute until the music ended before continuing to make their way back.

The Whale Island Conference had officially started. And in the next three days of the conference, the inspection team's tasks would become even greater. Thus, after returning back to the dormitory, nothing much was said. Sleep came first. They had to make the most of the little time they had to replenish their energy.

After waking up, Fang Zhao's next tasks were to patrol some buildings.

There were special rest areas for inspection dogs at the first level of every building. There were special dog toilets that included automated cleaning, massages and other services. All it required was a scan of the work badge hanging from the dog's collar. The treatment of service dogs was really good here.

After finishing going through one building, Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair to the dog toilet.

When they got there, Fang Zhao saw Thornhead's trainer waiting outside the toilet. Thornhead's trainer smiled and called out when he saw Fang Zhao coming over. "Our team was just patrolling the building next door. There were too many people there, so I brought Thornhead over here."

Thornhead was too overbearing and found his own territory and personal space to be very important. He would even make other dogs stick close to the wall when he visited the toilets. Back at his own home, Thornhead even had his own special toilet. Having gotten used to his overbearing ways, Thornhead treated these public dog toilets as his own. His trainer was also helpless and had to bring Thornhead to find another toilet each time. This dog was capable, and his results on duty at Whale Island Region during this period were exceptional. The higher-ups were willing to give him some special privileges and were also willing to put up with his little temper.

The leashes on the dogs' collars were automatically retractable. Fang Zhao released the leash and let Curly Hair enter the toilet himself before conversing with Thornhead's instructor.

Inside the toilet, Thornhead was squatting down solemnly taking a crap. Startled, he tensed up and wailed.

Curly Hair shot him a passing glance and continued to make his way inside. He selected an upright post and raised his hind leg to urinate. After he was done, Curly Hair scratched his claws on the post, totally ignoring Thornhead beside him. He was about to head to the rest area beside to relax with a message and a fur comb.

Suddenly, Curly Hair's nose twitched and he turned around. He moved closer to the wall and started sniffing meticulously.

The trainers waiting outside rushed in when they heard Thornhead's wail. When they saw that they didn't fight, they stood by the door and kept an eye on them.

"What has he caught scent of?" Thornhead's trainer asked.

Fang Zhao was also watching and saw Curly Hair use his paws to make a hole in the wall. Curly used his mouth to take out a cylindrical shaped object.

The trainer, who was about to lambaste the shoddy construction work of the toilet, was immediately startled. "Deodorant?"

Curly Hair placed the cylindrical object at Fang Zhao's feet. Thornhead's trainer fished out an apparatus and give it a quick scan. No reaction. He then looked at Thornhead at the side and didn't see any special response from the dog either. Only then did he let down some of his vigilance.

"What is he biting deodorant for? Could it be that he doesn't like deodorant? Or does he dislike the mechanical sound it makes when it sprays?" Thornhead's trainer didn't really understand.

That trainer had barely finished speaking when Curly Hair bit open the outer shell of the cylindrical deodorizer.

Thornhead, whose eyes had been firmly fixed on Curly Hair, now turned to stare at that deodorizer with its casing broken. Meanwhile, his trainer's apparatus, which hadn't been shut off, flashed red. Urgent beeps sounded from it with red flashing.

Without further ado, Fang Zhao hurriedly contacted the Inspection Team Captain and reported the situation here.

The other trainer stared at the small cylindrical object as though it was a bomb and said to Fang Zhao, "This thing shouldn't explode right away. However, the stuff inside is something that shouldn't appear here. We shouldn't disclose this until the person behind this is caught. For now, we have to deal with this thing."

"How do we deal with it?"

Fang Zhao had just finished asking this when he saw Curly Hair's mouth moving closer. Curly Hair was trying to bite the cylinder.

"This can't be eaten!" Fang Zhao stopped him.

"Don't touch it!" That trainer had shouted at the same time as Fang Zhao. His face had turned white.

Although it likely wouldn't explode straightaway, there was always a chance. What if there were other unknown substances inside? What if it exploded when subjected to force? Curly Hair's professional ability was really very strong, but he wasn't experienced enough. How could he try to bite something like that?!

And what is "this can't be eaten"? Fang Zhao's command was totally wrong! It could cause service dogs to make errors!

That trainer had a whole lot of things he wished to say, but now wasn't the time. He would wait until the matter at hand was settled before speaking to Fang Zhao in private later on.

After quietly handling the matter here, Fang Zhao and the other trainers brought their dogs out as if nothing had happened. Investigation personnel on Whale Island had also been mobilized to deal with the matter and find the culprit.

Fang Zhao continued to patrol the buildings. When nobody was paying attention, he pried open Curly Hair's mouth to check that there weren't any suspicious substances or debris in his mouth. He exhorted once again, "Don't eat anything randomly!"

Chapter 409: Graceful Scaling

The job of the inspection team was just to detect and report threats. The follow-up actions didn't concern Fang Zhao and the others. Whale Island Region still had their internal police department and relevant personnel to handle the next step of the investigations. Fang Zhao learnt from Inspection Team Captain Zhao Chao about the culprit being apprehended only the next afternoon. The cylinder that had been found by Curly Hair was separated into two compartments. One part was deodorizer while the other was filled with a substance that could be used to manufacture explosives.

This had been expected to deceive dog noses and portable sensor apparatuses. The idea to hide it in an unexpected place like a dog toilet was even better. After all, there was a saying that the most dangerous place was the safest. Who would expect that something would be hidden in a toilet for service dogs? When the time was right, the designated personnel could have retrieved it to manufacture an explosive.

During planning, the perpetrators probably never imagined that a dog would still be able to sniff it out with such a packaging.

However, from the information received, it could be deduced that this object had been placed there beforehand as there was no way it would have passed the many layers of high-level security checks in the airport during this period. It could be confirmed that there were both domestic and foreign conspirators. Two foreigners had been apprehended. No one knew how many others were hiding within the island and avoiding capture.

"Everyone must be cautious these few days. Search and sweep the areas meticulously. Do not overlook a single suspicious thing!" Captain Zhao Chao had gathered the team members for a meeting. Those that were on duty would also get to see the recorded logs/minutes of these meeting.

After exhorting once again, Zhao Chao got Fang Zhao to stay behind to have a word with him.

"Fang Zhao, you have worked hard in bringing Curly Hair all over to many areas."

Curly Hair receiving a merit had come as a huge surprise to Zhao Chao, but at the same time, he could now see why Curly Hair was recommended here despite being a pet. This dog was really capable! Indeed, he deserved to be known as the dog that had caused Muzhou's sheep herding competitions to change their rules!

Regardless of whether he joined the anti-smuggling bureaus of various large spaceports or special combat departments, this sort of dog would be extremely welcomed!

Being with Fang Zhao was a waste of its talent!

Furthermore, it had been a shepherd dog before and wouldn't be that staunch. What a pity!

Fang Zhao's ears were really good, but having good hearing didn't mean that he could do everything. He still had to rely on the dog. However, Zhao Chao also knew those who had recommended Curly Hair and Fang Zhao surely had sights on Curly Hair long ago. However, it was impossible to make Fang Zhao part with Curly Hair.

Now, he could only assign Fang Zhao more tasks. It couldn't be helped. His dog was just too impressive. The capable ones did the most work.

"Under the current circumstances, the security equipment at the airport can't possibly be moved to every single building. There are many places that aren't convenient to search or have limitations. Curly Hair's nose is really sensitive. I will need you to bring him around to more places on behalf of the team. Of course, if you have any additional requests, I will try my best to help satisfy them."

"Captain," Fang Zhao said.

"What?"

"Can we increase our rations?"

"… Increase!" Special times called for special measures. With gritted teeth, Zhao Chao went over the team's vets and approved additional food for both dog and human.

After, Zhao Chao was still a little uneasy and reminded Fang Zhao, "I know that you can really eat; however, your dog might not necessarily be the same as you. If you ever find that he is unwell, make sure you send him to our vets right away."

"Understood." Fang Zhao nodded.

"Also, watch him carefully and don't let him eat everything he wishes to. Not all food that we eat can be fed to dogs. Even in small amounts, some things are harmful to dogs."

"Got it. I will watch him carefully," Fang Zhao replied.

"It's all good if you know." Zhao Chao recalled that Fang Zhao had kept this dog for quite a long time already. He probably already understood all the fundamentals of keeping a dog. Seeing that Fang Zhao already seemed aware of all the information, Zhao Chao felt more relieved. In addition, people who could enter Whale Island Region weren't bumpkins. They wouldn't litter or toss random things around. There wouldn't be that much that Curly Hair could eat indiscriminately.

Thus, Zhao Chao relaxed.

The specially approved additional food arrived quickly, and Fang Zhao gave his own share to Curly Hair. He could go to the dining hall when he got hungry.

With the increase in food, Curly Hair's mood improved, and he no longer stared at the bowls of other dogs.

Instructions from the top were to give Fang Zhao additional assignments. Before Fang Zhao even accepted, Zhao Chao had already transferred seven men over. Among them, five were similar in age to Fang Zhao, and the other two were somewhat older. Zhao Chao had his own considerations when deciding on such arrangements. Fang Zhao didn't have too many qualifications, but leading young team members was alright. However, he wouldn't be able to lead a more experienced and older team. Zhao Chao had also transferred in the two older members because he was worried that the youngsters in the team lacked experience and might not know how to react in tough situations.

On the second day of the Whale Island Conference, at around 3 PM, Fang Zhao was working overtime leading the squad to patrol buildings when they received a group notification from Zhao Chao. "Suspicious person spotted at the southeast corner! Currently headed in the direction of block fifteen!"

The area Fang Zhao was situated at was in Whale Island's southeast region.

The Inspection Team members that received the message hurriedly headed over.

The "suspicious person" Zhao Chao mentioned was able infiltrate Whale Island, avoid monitors and Whale Island guards, and successfully evade capture. In short, he had some ability. What Zhao Chao meant in his messages was for the Inspection Team personnel on duty in the southeast region to head over to assist the Whale Island Guard in capturing the suspect.

Fang Zhao's small squad wasn't the closest, but they were within range. They had already completed their patrol of the few blocks without finding anything out of the ordinary, so they headed in the direction where Zhao Chao had said.

After running for a short while, Fang Zhao's squad came to a fence that had been temporarily set up for the conference period. Taking a straight path to where the suspicious character was spotted wasn't considered far but going around the fence would take up quite some time.

One of the older squad members pointed towards the left decisively. "Let's go around this way—"

He hadn't finished his sentence when he saw that Fang Zhao had already climbed over to the other side. In the blink of an eye, Fang Zhao had scaled the five meter tall perimeter fence and was already on the other side.

Two young squad members behind Fang Zhao also started to follow and climb, but they slid down when they tried.

Other squad members who were following behind and about to climb: "…"

"Is there equipment? This sort of defensive perimeter fence is really difficult to climb!" One of the squad members that had slid down exclaimed. If he hadn't tried it for himself, he would really have thought that it would be a breeze to scale this sort of fence! His fingers had nearly snapped!

"The design of the fence and the paint used makes it really difficult to climb."

Even a temporary fence like this couldn't be so easily scaled. It was still alright with equipment, but trying to climb it barehanded was really too difficult. Perhaps a few older squad members would be able to succeed after trying it a few times, but nobody could guarantee being able to climb over the fence so smoothly like Fang Zhao.

Those transferred to Fang Zhao's squad were slightly younger. They could still train dogs and their individual abilities were considered above average. The two older members had more experience but were slightly weaker in individual ability. Furthermore, even if they could climb, they also couldn't be like Fang Zhao and leave their dogs behind to operate individually.

Having already gotten to the other side, Fang Zhao told his squad members, "I will head over. You guys go around and catch up!"

One of the older squad members replied, "Understood! You head on first. I will help you bring your dog—"

He hadn't finished speaking when the squad members discovered that Curly Hair had already tunneled his way through a narrow crack at the bottom of the fence. Curly Hair was already standing beside Fang Zhao.

The other squad members: "…"

Who designed this perimeter fence?! Why is there a crack at the bottom?!

Only a small dog like Curly Hair could manage to squeeze through that narrow crack. It was really too difficult for the other squad members. Even if they were small enough to squeeze through, they couldn't leave their dogs behind. In this small squad, all of them had medium or large-sized dogs!

Now wasn't the time to be rueful. They still had to go catch a suspect. Because they could neither scale the fence nor squeeze through the crack, the squad members could only quickly make their way around. At least this was still more efficient then trying to force their way through the fence.

But how had Fang Zhao scaled the fence so skillfully? Wasn't he a youngster who mainly dabbled in art?

Chapter 410: Those Ears Of His

When Fang Zhao found Zhao Chao, the captain was standing before a building on a call. His expression didn't seem so good.

Surrounding the building were personnel from the Whale Island Guard.

Fang Zhao only went over after Zhao Chao ended the call.

"The person went in?" Fang Zhao asked.

Zhao Chao kneaded his own forehead. "It's a comprehensive laboratory. Animals outside the laboratory aren't allowed in more than seventy percent of the areas inside. The guard have already sent in some men, and we have already contacted the staff inside to cooperate. Now this building is locked down. People can enter, but nobody can exit."

Laboratories were the places that inspection dogs were least willing to go. Even if they were permitted inside, their mental states would be affected. The atmosphere and smell inside made inspection dogs nervous.

Fang Zhao first got Curly Hair to stay outside with another inspection team member before following Zhao Chao in.

The laboratory facility was divided into three different sub-units, and the target had entered from Unit One. Thus, after the building had been locked down, the focus of the search was at Unit One.

Staff within the facility had already received the order to stay in their respective offices or labs without avoid moving around too much and to keep an eye out for any suspicious characters.

When Fang Zhao and Zhao Chao entered, they were met by a person wearing a white suit. The tag he wore on his breast indicated that he had considerable status here. His face showed no sign that he was worried or uneasy. Instead, he had a slight look of disgust. This look wasn't targeted at Fang Zhao and the others but at the infiltrator.

"You all must increase your efficiency! The person still hasn't been caught?! Can you imagine the consequences of this sort of sterile environment being contaminated… by bacteria and germs from the outside?!"

Zhao Chao paused but didn't reply. Instead, he introduced the person to Fang Zhao. "This is the person currently in charge of this comprehensive lab facility's Unit One, biochemical virus specialist Prof. Diem Nicolas."

Here, the unit manager of this laboratory building wasn't like the caretaker of a student dormitory. It was entirely different. His status was similar to a CEO of a company. Many of the experimental projects within this facility were presided over by this person. Personnel from the Inspection Team and the Whale Island Guard also required his authorization in order to search the interior of this facility.

Of course, under the current circumstances, this unit manager was still rather cooperative. Surveillance footage showing the inside of the facility was handed over, but he wasn't too satisfied with the efficiency of the search.

"You can just call me Prof. Nick."

Unit Manager Nick was only in his fifties. This was considered rather young in the science and research domain. Being able to possess such status at his age meant that his research abilities couldn't be doubted.

However, what Zhao Chao didn't say was that Unit Manager Nick was indeed very impressive in terms of research ability. Given his ability and research accomplishments, he could have already taken charge of many important projects and become a unit manager in Whale Island Region's research facility ten years ago. As for why he had only just become a unit manager at this time…

This individual had offended too many people!

Prof. Nick didn't know what Zhao Chao was thinking. He had previously explained to personnel of the Whale Island Guard about the laboratory facility's layout and once again gave Zhao Chao and the others a simple introduction.

"… For the conference period, there are at least three types of highly dangerous pathogens that are deposited at our facility. But don't worry, please have trust in our security system. Furthermore, the pathogens that can be brought in have already been handled…"

Prof. Nick was very animated as he talked about the projects he handled.

Biochemistry and toxicology had always been popular spheres of research. This wasn't only because of the catastrophic Period of Destruction, but also because the immigration plan required manufacturing vaccines and antidotes to raise defensive ability. As a result, these research spheres were able to garner a lot of funding, groom many talents and attain accomplishments that were admired by many.

Biological organisms and substances that could be made into weapons were forbidden from being used. However, humankind had never stopped studying them.

Because of the catastrophic Period of Destruction, people were fearful when they talked about these things. But they needed to be overcome.

Prof. Nick rambled on and on. It appeared that he got more excited the more he talked. It seemed like he wouldn't stop, so Zhao Chao interrupted him. They didn't have the time to listen to Nick's rambling. They only needed to know the general situation inside.

The personnel from the Whale Island Guard that had previously entered to search had yet to apprehend the suspect. Surveillance footage had only shown the target entering a section inside the building before all traces of him were lost.

Not every part of the laboratory facility had surveillance facilities. Some places didn't have surveillance facilities installed because of its sensitive nature. And clearly, the suspect was also a person adept in evading surveillance.

This was indeed a thorny situation.

"Looks like the aid surveillance footage can provide is limited." Zhao Chao furrowed his brows.

Prof. Nick spread out his hands and shrugged. "I have already done all I can to help. I am really anxious now. Please be understanding towards a toxicology researcher's obsession with cleanliness."

Zhao Chao glanced at him. Just solely from his expression, Zhao Chao could notice a clear look of disgust but not a single hint of worry.

However, Zhao Chao also fretted about the situation at hand. He had contacted the Whale Island Guard captain that had lead a squad over. They hadn't been able to discover any clues on their end either.

The suspect was definitely within the building. As for where exactly, it was still difficult to pinpoint in the short term. The facility was so big. How long would they need to search? Each minute wasted was another minute of uncertainty and danger.

"I think we should let the dogs in to search." When machinery was unreliable, Zhao Chao thought of dogs.

Nic didn't give an immediate reply. He pondered for a bit before saying, "There are a few floors within the building that require special attire to be worn. There are also all sorts of sterilization procedures required. These procedures might not affect humans, but I can't be sure for dogs. We don't have specialized attire for dogs here. If you people can't find a more effective way, you can bring the dogs in, but the risk is yours. Also, there are many places with self-cleaning procedures. Even the most exceptional inspection dog might not be able to sniff out anything.

Fang Zhao was listening to Unit Manager Nick's exchange with Zhao Chao while his eyes were fixated on the surveillance display screen. At this point, he said to Zhao Chao, "Curly Hair is outside. The inspection squad nearby should have reached here as well. You can get them to search the floors which don't require too many complicated procedures first. At the same time, you can let me try listening to any audio surveillance. My hearing ability isn't too bad."

A member from the Whale Island Guard shook his head. "We have already tried analyzing the audio recordings of the surveillance footage. There is just too much noise, and it is really difficult to determine the suspect's path."

There were too much sounds from the various apparatus and equipment in operation. Even if there were layers of filters, it was impossible to determine which were the sounds produced by the target's movements and which were just noise.

"I can try," Fang Zhao said.

Zhao Chao considered for a short moment and agreed.

Zhao Chao got the squad outside to bring the inspection dogs in and search the few floors that didn't require any complicated procedures. At the same time, Fang Zhao used the audio surveillance to try to track the target's movements from the point of infiltration.

This wasn't Fang Zhao's first time doing such a thing. It wasn't just in his previous life either. Back when he had been on Planet Wai, Fang Zhao had used this sort of method to track down a killer.

There was indeed a lot of sound interference inside the facility. Fang Zhao broke down every sound and tone, differentiating, analyzing and filling in required information in his brain. After, he tried to consider different angles. If the suspect was here, where would he head to and where would he hide?

With his extraordinary hearing ability, abundant experience in tracking, fleeing for danger and survival instincts, Fang Zhao was able to choose a route that practically coincided with the infiltrator's route!

Furthermore, Fang Zhao's pursuit speed wasn't any slower than the infiltrator's speed!

The men dispatched by Zhao Chao and the Whale Island Guard to follow weren't able to catch up and lost him.

Inside the main control room.

Zhao Chao and the Whale Island Guard captain watched the scenes on the display with gaping mouths. On it was the live feed of Fang Zhao's real time situation and a route indicator.

The Whale Island Guard captain managed to move his jaw that had nearly fallen out from shock back into position. He pointed at the screen and exclaimed, "Those ears of his… No wonder so many people are interested in it!"

This was the first time Zhao Chao had witnessed firsthand the miraculousness of Fang Zhao's ears. "No wonder! No wonder a reserve duty musical artist would be recommended here!"

"Is his hearing ability very good?" Prof. Nick asked.

"You don't know him? I always thought that those who did research were very interested in those ears of his," Zhao Chao said.

Nick shook his head. He was a researcher in the field of biochemistry and toxicology. He rarely paid attention to any news outside of research and didn't really know much about Fang Zhao.

Zhao Chao gave him a summary of the services that Fang Zhao's miraculous ears had rendered.

"Nowadays people like to jokingly call him "Diting". Seems like it isn't an exaggeration! He can really catch what other people are unable to hear. Those ears are even more effective than machines!!" Zhao Chao's professional habits acted up and his first reaction was to compare it from a pragmatic point of view in regards to work.

However, Unit Manager Nick's focus was completely different from Zhao Chao's. His face turned slightly uncomfortable when he heard Zhao Chao's evaluation of Fang Zhao..

"So, as long as it isn't completely soundproof, if he is in a suitable range, he can actually hear other people's conversations?" Nick pulled a long face.

"In theory, this sounds about right."

"That means that he can hear the classified information of many laboratories?" Unit Manager Nick asked.

Zhao Chao stuttered. He was suddenly aware of what Unit Manager Nick meant.

The areas with surveillance cameras and the audio recordings provided to Fang Zhao didn't need to be classified. However, Fang Zhao's movements had taken him through a few areas that belonged to non-surveillance zones! All of these touched upon important classified research!

And Fang Zhao only had temporary clearance to enter this place for work related matters. There was certain information that he shouldn't come into contact with.

No wonder Nick's face had turned black in an instant.

"He has signed a non-disclosure agreement." Zhao Chao could only say this. After all, Fang Zhao was a member of his team. Whatever he was doing was to help capture the target as soon as possible. Zhao Chao had to protect him.

"All those don't count. What I require are the high level non-disclosure agreements for the projects that are precise to the level of the culture medium!"

Nick stared firmly at the Fang Zhao's route indicator displayed on the screen and said frostily,

"One set of non-disclosure agreements."

And as the indicator representing Fang Zhao continued to move quickly——

"Two sets of NDAs."

A short moment later.

"Three sets."

"Four sets!"

…

Unit manager Nick's face was turning even more rigid by the minute. As he watched the path taken by Fang Zhao on the screen, he thought to himself, Has this guy really heard our research secrets? How much has he heard?

Regardless whether he heard, non-disclosure agreements had to be signed in any case!!

Chapter 411: Mild?

Inside a rest lounge on the fifth floor area B in Unit One of the research facility.

Blood trickled from the forehead of a young researcher clad in a white lab coat. His lips and face were both equally pale. Large globs of clear fluid, either tears or sweat, kept falling to the ground.

At his side, a sharp cold blade was pressed against his neck and made him break out in goosebumps.

The person wielding the knife had a malicious look. The skin that he exposed was a strange red as though it had been scalded with hot water, and he was breathing heavily.

The person with the knife was the target being pursued by the Whale Island Guard. The one being threatened was a young researcher and also a student of Prof. Nick. His academic results this year had been outstanding and he had received an opportunity to remain on the island. Although he was only able to do some odd jobs and cheer on the project leaders given his current status, this was already more than enough for him to boast about.

Today, just like any other day, he had completed the work assigned to him and came over to rest for a bit. He had just stepped in when he received the notice from Unit Manager Nick informing everyone to stay within their rooms as best as possible, cooperate with the search and report if there were any abnormal happenings. An island guard had come over ten minutes ago to ask questions, and the researcher had said that everything was normal and that he hadn't spotted any suspicious characters. The island guard also advised him to lock up the room, and he did as was told.

This young researcher had locked up the door after the guard left, but when he had turned around, he had discovered someone coming out from the fridge.

The young researcher felt that his luck today was really horrendous. His experiments hadn't gone smoothly and he had run into this sort of situation. He had tried to resist, but his body wasn't well trained since he spent most of his time in the lab. Just when he had found the courage to make a move, he had been hit. His head was still hurting. However, fear made him neglect the pain. He didn't even know how much blood he had lost.

The young researcher had thought that he was going to lose his life, but as the minutes passed, it seemed like the infiltrator didn't have any intention of killing him right away. The infiltrator also didn't seem like he wanted to flee. Neither did it appear like he wanted to extract any classified information about the research projects. Instead, his bloodshot eyes were permanently fixated on the door.

After the initial wave of terror passed, the young researcher regained some sense of rationality. He didn't dare look directly at the infiltrator and peeked at the knife from the corner of his eyes. His pupils shrank when he saw the bloodied blotches on the infiltrator's arm. He then caught a glimpse of a sealed vial in the infiltrator's other arm, and his tears flowed once more.

He was familiar with this sort of sealed vial. As a researcher in the field of toxicology, he saw these sorts of sealed vials every day. They were used for the storage of toxins and pathogens. However, the vial in the infiltrator's hands was already opened. That meant to say that this rest lounge was already contaminated.

"The time… is almost upon… " The knife-wielding infiltrator panted heavily as though he was in a lot of pain. As he said that, he coughed out a mouthful of blood.

The young researcher trembled violently as he watched the blood land on his body.

The infiltrator gave a maniacal smile but didn't say anything else. He stuffed a cleaning rag into the young researcher's mouth and struck his head again, causing the clotted wound on his head to start bleeding once more.

Outside the rest lounge.

Fang Zhao had tracked up to this spot before stopping. He raised his hand and signaled the guards that were heading over to move back.

Zhao Chao and the Whale Island Guard captain were watching the surveillance display with furrowed brows. There were very bewildered.

"What does he mean by that?" The Whale Island Guard captain asked.

"Maybe he heard something." Zhao Chao had just said this when he received word from Fang Zhao and his expression changed abruptly.

The Whale Island Guard captain had also broke out into cold sweat and contacted his men that were following after Fang Zhao to keep their distance and await instructions. At the same time, he quickly dispatched a Hazmat squadron over.

"They won't make it in time." Unit Manager Nick activated that floor's isolation and quarantine procedures.

At the next moment, the door to the rest lounge before Fang Zhao was opened.

The young researcher was already in a slight daze and couldn't see clearly exactly what was going on. He knew that he was being held hostage at knifepoint and that the door to the rest lounge had been thrown open. In his heart, he was very worried. He knew about the consequences of the pathogens vaporizing. He wanted to shout and tell everyone what had happened to get Unit Manager Nick to activate the quarantine procedures, but he was unable to. He could only see a vague figure in front of him, then…

Bang!

The young researcher felt the vice-like grip on his back loosen.

Behind him, the target of the Inspection Team and Whale Island Guard was dead with his eyes wide open. There was a bullet wound through his head,

Inside the facility's control room, the two captains had just decided to deploy snipers when they saw Fang Zhao raise his gun through the display screen.

A voice sounded through Zhao Chao's earpiece. "Reporting in, Captain. Target has been shot dead."

Zhao Chao: "…"

Whale Island Guard captain: "…"

The inspection team that Zhao Chao led generally only assisted in apprehending suspects. Most of the time, the Whale Island Guard would take action first whenever there was a situation. Very rarely were there circumstances where other parties acted even quicker than the Whale Island Guard.

And in the situation that had just occurred, taking action required immense courage and precise judgment.

Old timers in the island guard might have known to shoot the target dead right away if there was an opportunity. However, those from the inspection team were slightly milder. Even if they had good aim, they might have hesitated to shoot because of the researcher in the front or might have considered leaving the target alive in order to follow up with interrogation. Once the opportunity was missed, the damage would have been even greater.

The squad leader of the Island Guard stood a short distance away and had witnessed the scene of Fang Zhao shooting so decisively. He thought to himself, Huh, mild?

But no matter what everyone was thinking, the target had already been shot dead. The spread of pathogens was confined to a small area, and everyone in that area was taken to be quarantined.

Unit Manager Nick got a hold of the details of this type of pathogen.

"It is a synthetic virus created by some people trying to court disaster. It is half-finished and can't be considered a completed product. It is spread by airborne transmission and has limitations to its invasiveness of a body. However, if it is troublesome when it does successfully invade the body. The period it takes for symptoms to show depends on different constitutions. The shortest is a few minutes and longest is twenty-nine days. It is very difficult to measure its incubation period, and I'm afraid you have to remain here in quarantine for a month."

"That means that even when the Whale Island Conference concludes, you still can't return back to celebrate the festivities. Welcome to the Memorial Day stay-behind team."

Memorial Day was the most important holiday every year. The working class all had a rare long holiday. It was also the best time of the year for families to have a reunion.

Shortly before coming to Whale Island Region, Fang Zhao had told Great-grandfather Fang that he would be returning back to Yanzhou for Memorial Day.

Under the current circumstances, he really had no way of returning. He would need to explain to his great-grandfather.

However, now wasn't the time to think of all that.

"Is it treatable if I get infected? What is the mortality rate?" Fang Zhao asked.

"It can be treated. The mortality rate of contracting this virus isn't considered high. It's only seventeen percent," Unit manager Nick said.

Zhao Chao had been standing silently at the side listening. When he heard this, his heart skipped a beat. A mortality rate of seventeen percent was already very high!! Only people like Nick who spent all their time handling mortal viruses and diseases would find this figure low!

As the inspection team captain, Zhao Chao felt guilty watching Fang Zhao be put in quarantine. Fang Zhao wasn't even thirty yet and he was only working here temporarily. If it hadn't been a critical situation, he also wouldn't have let Fang Zhao take the lead and rush forward.

This time, the others were still alright. Because of Fang Zhao's notification, that guard squadron hadn't gotten to close. After the target was shot dead, the quarantine had been quick, and the chances of them being infected were very low. The only ones possibly at risk were Fang Zhao and that unlucky researcher.

"How is the condition of that researcher?" Fang Zhao asked.

"There aren't any big problems. Although he suffered some injuries, he had fortunately been administered two types of antidotes yesterday according to laboratory procedures. Those two antidotes have a preventive effect towards this sort of virus. The effect lasts for twenty-four hours, so it hasn't expired yet. However, he still has to be isolated and quarantined for a month, even if he recovers. The two of you and that Island Guard squad on that floor will all be joining the Memorial Day stay-behind team," Unit Manager Nick said.

The guilt in Zhao Chao's heart grew. By saying this, did Nick mean that Fang Zhao was the only one at risk?

He had been doing very well in the art circles and had been drafted over for an assignment. Now he was under quarantine. Quarantine was still alright though. As long as he wasn't infected, one month would pass really quickly. But if he was infected…

Zhao Chao wanted to console Fang Zhao. Just as he was about to say something, he heard Fang Zhao ask, "That person who was shot shouldn't have been in possession of the pathogen for too long. Now, it appears that he only opened the sealed vial after he entered the rest lounge. Where did the pathogen come from?"

Unit Manager Nick nodded his head. "Our findings have determined that only that area was contaminated. Therefore, he indeed opened the sealed vial after entering the rest lounge. This sort of sealed vial requires some time to be opened. We still do not know where the pathogen is from, but that is a job for the investigation bureau. As for why he showed symptoms so quickly, it's because he received some medical stimulants beforehand. His nerves and muscles were overly stimulated, so his cells and organs functioned exceptionally quickly."

"Something is wrong," Fang Zhao said. "It still hasn't ended."

Before Zhao Chao and Nick could ask, the two of them received calls at the same time.

The Whale Island Guard captain also had a bad premonition when he questioned the injured researcher on some details. He had gotten the other two research facility units to do some self-checks. Afterwards, he received a reply that Unit Three of the research facility had lost a vial of a super pathogen.

Unit Three's unit manager had been negligent, and someone had found a loophole. he would definitely be reprimanded, but now wasn't the time to investigate who was responsible for the lapse.

Zhao Chao immediately contacted his team's personnel and gave instructions for the dogs that were adept in this area to be brought over.

Unit Manager Nick didn't look too happy, but he hadn't blown his top yet.

"The one missing is also a type of synthetic virus, but it belongs to a super pathogen grade. If this pathogen is released, all vertebrates on Whale Island Region will suffer a calamity. However, pathogens of this grade are sealed in vials with many layers of security. The material of the vial is special, and forcibly trying to open it requires quite some time. With the current search intensity on the island region, the person who stole the pathogen simply wouldn't have had the time to open it. However, if he escapes, the consequences will be unthinkable."

"Fortunately, this was discovered in time. Whale Island's various entry points have already been sealed." Zhao Chao looked towards Fang Zhao. "We will need to borrow your Curly Hair for a bit."

Quite a number of inspection dogs only listened to the commands of their respective trainers. Curly Hair was just a dog that didn't have a professional background. He was smart but lacked critical thinking and didn't have a sense of responsibility. He only listened to Fang Zhao. Zhao Chao could only bring Curly Hair before Fang Zhao.

Curly Hair wanted to rush over when he saw Fang Zhao. He still pawed at the safety glass after knocking into it but was stopped by Fang Zhao.

"Curly Hair, bring Captain Zhao Chao to search for people. Find the lost vial of pathogens. Don't let the thief leave Whale Island!"

Curly Hair crouched at the other side of the glass whimpering. He was unwilling.

Fang Zhao squatted down and gazed at Curly Hair, separated by the glass. "I can't go out now. Let Captain Zhao Chao bring you along for a mission. After the mission is complete, we can go back. I'll let you play some new games."

Because there were other people present, Fang Zhao didn't dare make his message too clear. However, Curly Hair understood what Fang Zhao meant. His two ears pricked up and he wagged his tail. He walked over to Zhao Chao while gazing at Fang Zhao.

Zhao Chao replayed what Fang Zhao had just said and analyzed it.

First, find the lost vial of pathogen.

Second, don't let the person who stole the pathogen leave the island.

Nothing was left out. Everything should be fine.

Chapter 412: It Knows

After Zhao Chao brought Curly Hair away, Fang Zhao sat down in his quarantine room to quietly think about the matter. There were other quarantine rooms not too far away housing the island guards, who were also kept in quarantine.

However, compared to Fang Zhao's calm, the atmosphere there was much more agitated.

How could they sit still knowing that there were still dangerous extremists hiding on the island with a stolen super-grade pathogen! They frequently handled these sorts of matters and knew all too well the consequences of those pathogens being released! But no matter how anxious they were, all they could do was sit still in the quarantine rooms and worry.

Slurp slurp slurp——

Unit manager Nick carried a bowl of instant noodles over and sat in front of the quarantine rooms watching them.

"Unit manager Nick, you are still in the mood for instant noodles?" An island guard stared at Nick as though he was a mysterious new species.

"You are actually eating in your own laboratory?!" Another island guard had a face full of disbelief. He still remembered this unit manager talking about the importance of cleanliness when their small squad had entered. G*ddamn cleanliness!

If it were the previous unit manager, there wouldn't have been any incident of eating instant noodles inside! Other than the rest lounge, snacks and other small food stuffs had been absolutely prohibited, let alone such a demonic item like instant noodles! This was simply a pollutant!

The current unit manager was no good!

Nick didn't react the slightest to all the flabbergasted looks and slurped another mouthful before speaking unhurriedly, "This isn't a laboratory. This is a quarantine floor. The area outside the quarantine rooms are free activity zones. The circulatory system here is highly efficient and will purify and disinfect the air."

Slurp slurp slurp——

"Want some instant noodles? This taste is fascinating," The Unit Manager asked the people in the quarantine rooms.

Island guards in quarantine: "…"

How can we be in the mood to eat instant noodles at this time! Such comical actions at this time just make us more anxious!

"Stay calm," Nick said.

"Who can stay calm in this sort of situation?!" An island guard retorted.

Nick inclined his head to the side.

The island guards turned over to where Nick was looking at and saw Fang Zhao seated on the chair, cool as a cucumber.

Island guards: "…"

They didn't believe that Fang Zhao was calm deep inside. They were more inclined to believe that the blow Fang Zhao had received was too great. After all, among those in quarantine, the one in most danger with the highest possibility of being infected was Fang Zhao. However, no matter what, Fang Zhao had also saved all of them. If they didn't know how to console him, it was best to maintain their silence.

Unit manager didn't have the slightest intention of being silent. He held up the bowl of instant noodles and continued to entice them. "What you are need now is food. Food can replenish your energy and is also a good remedy for anxiety."

"Aren't you worried at all?" A young island guard couldn't help ask.

Nick shook his head, "Worried, yes, but it isn't of any use. All I need is to do my job well. The rest will be left to the professionals. You all must trust your comrades. They aren't useless. Under the current circumstances, even if they aren't able to capture the perpetrator in the short term, they won't allow the person to escape either."

"But what if?" Yet another island guard asked. He tended to always think of the worst-case scenarios.

Unit manager Nick said extremely confidently, "Given the island's armed forces, there is no what if. Unless people can suddenly vanish."

Elsewhere, the mobilized personnel had already set off from Unit Three of the research facility. The inspection team had brought over seven dogs to assist in the search, including the two ace dogs, K and Thornhead.

Curly Hair was alone at the front.

Now, it wasn't Zhao Chao leading, but rather, Curly Hair was dragging Zhao Chao along. Sometimes he would even turn his head back and give a few urging barks when he felt that Zhao Chao was running too slowly.

The island guards following behind had slightly skeptical attitudes.

"There is sufficient momentum and its speed is quick enough. But is that dog really in pursuit? Or is it blindly running?"

"It's probably running while following the scent. Look, those dogs behind are also following the same route."

"It coincides with the clues surveillance provided us with. It should be correct."

Not every area had surveillance footage. Furthermore, someone had tampered with the surveillance footage. Some portions had five to ten second pauses. This was the overall situation, and relevant personnel had gone to handle it. Now, Zhao Chao and the inspection team's mission was to quickly find the sealed vial that was lost.

As Curly Hair was running, he suddenly stopped and put his nose to the ground.

"Why have you stopped?" The Whale Island Guard captain who was following closely behind asked Zhao Chao.

Zhao Chao shook his head quietly and kept his eyes on Curly Hair.

Curly Hair sniffed the ground before looking up and twitching his nose. "Woof woof woof!"

Zhao Chao and the Whale Island Guard captain exchanged glances. They then called for a ladder to remove the ceiling boards.

"It's here!!" The Whale Island Guard captain was delighted. Wearing gloves, he placed the ceiling board on the ground and gently took hold of the sealed vial before studying it carefully. He confirmed that this was the vial that was lost and that it hadn't suffered any damage.

He got his men to bring the storage container and sealed the vial inside.

"How devious. Knowing that he was being pursued by many and couldn't bring the item out, he chose to hide it above. It would have bypassed the search of most inspection dogs." The island guard captain chuckled.

The lost super-grade pathogen had been the priority of the search. It was fine if the perpetrator wasn't found, but the pathogen had to be retrieved.

Now, everyone could collectively heave a sigh of relief.

The dogs had followed the scent to track the perpetrator. Other than a few innately talented dogs, most would have missed this spot in the pursuit.

"This dog isn't too bad! Very impressive!" The Whale Island Guard captain gazed at Curly Hair as though he was some sort of treasure.

Zhao Chao appeared pleased, but it quickly turned into worry. "This time, we really have Fang Zhao to thank. If not for him tracking that suspect, we wouldn't have been able to find the lost item so quickly. Every minute that passes is an added variable. Now, the dog that retrieved the pathogen also belongs to Fang Zhao."

The Whale Island Guard captain nodded in approval. "We really have to log this as a big merit. If… I'm just saying, if Fang Zhao really gets infected and can't make it…"

"Sssh!" Zhao Chao hurriedly made a gesture to keep silent while his gaze was on the dog beside his feet.

Curly Hair was originally crouching at the side. His two ears stood up when he heard what the Whale Island Captain said and glanced at the two captains. He whimpered, then stood up, wanting to run back in the direction they came from.

Zhao Chao dragged the leash. "Stop! Curly Hair!"

The Whale Island Guard captain also helped hold the leash back. "Hey, what is it trying to do?"

"What else? It wants to return! Don't think that dogs can't understand human speech! You said that his master might get infected and die. Of course he would surely want to run back!" Zhao Chao exclaimed.

Being in contact with many intelligent dogs, Zhao Chao knew that some smarter dogs that were trained from a young age or animals that frequently interacted with humans could understand human speech. They might not be able to fully comprehend, but they could at least understand some. The two ace dogs, Thornhead and K, belonged to the group that could understand quite a bit.

Previously, he had seen Fang Zhao speak to Curly Hair. He had never expected Curly Hair to fully understand. Fang Zhao had said a lot and Curly Hair surely wouldn't remember everything. At most, he thought that Curly Hair would only remember the important words. But now it seemed like Curly Hair could really understand a lot.

Besides understanding quite a lot, Zhao Chao hadn't expected Curly Hair to have so much strength. He hadn't been able to hold Curly Hair back alone.

"Curly Hair! Stop! This is an order! Don't forget the mission that Fang Zhao gave you hasn't been completed!"

Sensing less force on the leash, Zhao Chao put in more strength. "The orders Fang Zhao gave you are to find the pathogen and find the perpetrator! We have only found the pathogen currently. We still haven't apprehended the perpetrator!"

Curly Hair stopped and looked at Zhao Chao.

Zhao Chao didn't avoid Curly Hair's gaze. He answered solemnly with a sincere expression, "Curly Hair, Fang Zhao is still very safe. He hasn't been infected yet. We have to continue with the mission. Come, let us catch the person who stole the pathogen."

Zhao Chao pointed ahead as he spoke. The one who stole the pathogen had run in this direction. They had stopped over here because of the discovery of the sealed pathogen, whereas the others had continued on with the pursuit.

Curly Hair's ears drooped and he trudged over to Zhao Chao's side. His little eyes were pitiful, and Zhao Chao's heart softened when he saw it.

Sighing, Zhao Chao stooped down and planned to pet him tenderly.

But before Zhao Chao's hand reached his head, Curly Hair suddenly bit out. He didn't bite Zhao Chao though. Instead, he pulled the leash out of Zhao Chao's hand. After that, he starting running forward. This time, he didn't run back and instead started to pursue the trail.

The Whale Island Guard captain standing beside him was stunned.

Zhao Chao cursed silently and stood up to whack the Whale Island Guard captain's shoulder. "What are you looking at? Hurry up and chase!"

Curly Hair, who had forcibly seized back his leash, was simply like a wild dog. The two captains exerted all their efforts to chase but only discovered that the gap was continuously widening.

Very quickly, Curly Hair surpassed the teams ahead that were in pursuit.

Personnel from the island guard and inspection team only felt a gust of wind. They glimpsed a figure passing by in a flash and couldn't stop it.

"Was that… a professional racing dog?" An island guard asked.

"No, that was a former shepherd dog, current interim inspection dog and full-time pet dog," an inspection team member explained.

In a certain basement.

A figure was traveling quickly like an agile monkey avoiding obstacles. A voice continuously spoke through the micro receiver in his ear, feeding him instructions on where to flee and how long he had for each path.

Suddenly, the receiver in his ear made sputtering noises as if there was interference.

The sounds of static became even more obvious and the words transmitted through the receiver were no longer clear.

The change had been sudden and it was intensifying rapidly. He only felt a buzzing in his ear which seemed like it had intensified tenfold, then a hundredfold.

Time seemed to slow down, and his perception and senses felt sluggish.

Behind him, there was something rapidly closing in.

His mind was blank.

His vision turned dark abruptly.

…

Zhao Chao's face turned pale when he and the others caught up to this spot and saw Curly Hair lying on the ground.

Fortunately, Curly Hair was still breathing and his heart rate was normal.

Curly Hair woke up very quickly and he looked around puzzled.

The other dogs were also circling on the spot.

"The scent disappeared here," an inspection team member said.

No one was satisfied with this outcome.

To actually be able to vanish from this many layers of encirclement? Investigate thoroughly!

Why did this whole area of surveillance suffer a 10 second malfunction just now?!

Why were all communications suddenly cut?!

Did the perpetrator use some sort of secret weapon? Or perhaps something unknown to the world?

Everyone was livid.

With the pursuit being fruitless, Zhao Chao could only get his team to return. They hadn't been able to apprehend the perpetrator, but fortunately, the pathogen had been found.

"What exactly happened just now? How can a fully grown human just suddenly vanish?" Zhao Chao just couldn't understand.

"Perhaps it knows." The Whale Island Guard captain pointed at Curly Hair at the side.

As if knowing that he was being talked about, Curly Hair raised his head and glanced at the Whale Island Guard captain.

Facing those limpid innocent eyes, the island guard captain shook his head. "Never mind. It's useless to ask it anyway."

Curly Hair drooped his head and continued walking, this time obediently following the team.

He released a belch as they walked and stuck his tongue out to lick his snout.

Chapter 413: Where Is The Person?

Seeing that Curly Hair had already run off once, Zhao Chao was particularly mindful of Curly Hair this time.

Zhao Chao mentally associated Curly Hair belching with the scene of Curly Hair lying on the ground and said in worry, "Did it eat something previously? Could it be possible that someone tried to poison him?"

He suspected that Curly Hair had eaten some drugged bait that someone threw to the ground and fainted.

After observing Curly Hair's mental state and running posture, a trainer in the team shook his head and said, "Nothing seems out of the ordinary. However, it's still best to have a proper check up when we get back."

Inside a certain building that was arranged to serve as accommodation and office for Inter-planetary Fund personnel.

In one of the buildings, Little Bear had been watching the news out of boredom. He had already finished the "Founding Era" series as well as concerts, movies and other shows he wanted the watch. Also internet access within Whale Island Region wasn't freely accessible. Because Little Bear was special, his movements were restricted. Other than watching the news every day, the only other thing he could do was play with his pet, Little Riches.

While playing, this superintelligence and his so-called "retarded" pet paused uniformly.

Little Bear's hand trembled as tried to meticulously analyze this strange sound he was hearing. As for Little Riches, it had once again turned into a ball and deactivated itself.

After ten seconds, Little Bear didn't check on Little Riches in its defensive state. Instead, he scuttled over and knocked on the adjacent room's door. "Cui Hua! This place is too dangerous! I think we should leave!!"

Comprehensive research facility unit one quarantine room.

Other's didn't really react, but Fang Zhao, who had been deep in thought, had heard it.

It was a strange sound, yet it felt strangely familiar.

Fang Zhao had also observed the other people but couldn't see any changes in their expressions. Unit Manager Nick also didn't receive any urgent calls either, so Fang Zhao decided to observe first and see if there were any changes.

A short while later, Unit Manager Nick received a call from Zhao Chao, and his facial expression was somewhat strange. "The pathogen has been found, but the person who stole it wasn't caught. It was like he suddenly disappeared."

Suddenly disappeared?

The island guards in isolation were also shocked by this news. Just as Unit Manager Nick had said, with the island's armed forces and layers of encirclement, even if they weren't able to catch the perpetrator, at the very least he shouldn't have been able to escape without any trace.

The island guards were all full of doubt, but Nick didn't intend to explain too much. He wasn't too interested in all this. Everything was fine as long as the pathogen was secured. As for the rest, he would let the investigation bureau mull over it.

"Oh right, Fang Zhao!" Nick turned back towards Fang Zhao and said with a chuckle, "Captain Zhao said that Curly Hair has rendered meritorious service again."

Fang Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Right now, he was more surprised than delighted. However, he didn't show how he was feeling like deep down.

When Zhao Chao brought Curly Hair over, Curly Hair ran over to Fang Zhao, who was wagging his tail. He couldn't enter the quarantine room, so he crouched in front of the safety glass separating Fang Zhao and grunted vigorously.

Fang Zhao didn't notice any clear injuries on Curly Hair and he seemed to be in high spirits, so Fang Zhao turned towards Zhao Chao.

Zhao Chao was panting. "Fang Zhao, this dog is rather strong. I had intended to let the vet do a detailed checkup, but Curly Hair wasn't cooperating and kept wanting to run over here. I wasn't the one pulling him. Rather, he was dragging me!"

After briefly talking about Curly Hair's service rendered, Zhao Chao also mentioned about Curly Hair lying down there for an unknown reason.

Zhao Chao was speaking to Fang Zhao from the interview booth at the side of Fang Zhao's quarantine room. Privacy mode had also been enabled so no sound would escape. The transparent safety glass had become like reflectors, shielding them from the curious gazes of the island guards not too far off.

"Are the ones behind this from Tomorrow's Empire?" Fang Zhao asked.

Zhao Chao's gaze suddenly became penetrating. "You have come across them before?"

"Back during my military service on Planet Baiji," Fang Zhao said.

Zhao Chao remembered looking through Fang Zhao's file previously. He coughed lightly and his gaze became milder. Back then, during his military service on Planet Baiji, Fang Zhao had came experienced a terrorist attack. The ones responsible were Tomorrow's Empire. Fang Zhao had also killed a number of extremists and rendered meritorious service.

"It's them," Zhao Chao replied.

Fang Zhao's brows furrowed and a flicker of fury flashed across his eyes. Those b*stards again!

Seeing Fang Zhao in silence, Zhao Chao said somewhat ruefully, "Fang Zhao, don't think too much about it. Once the assignment concludes, this matter won't be your concern. We will be the ones handling it. You just have to be at ease and shine in the artistic circles. Of course, in special times, you… and your dog will be drafted. You have to be prepared and keep up with training so you don't fall behind."

Zhao Chao worried that Fang Zhao would overthink. He already had the threat of infection to worry about. Now there was a terrorist organization on top of it. As someone in his twenties, he shouldn't have to bear too much pressure. Zhao Chao also didn't mention anything about infection to not let Fang Zhao fret.

Seeing Zhao Chao this way, Fang Zhao no longer continued to press the subject. He asked about Curly Hair's condition and actions in this operation with the focus on when Curly Hair had fainted.

Zhao Chao also didn't know too much. Curly Hair was already lying on the ground when he rushed over. He told Fang Zhao all that he knew.

"What can we do now? How are we going to get Curly Hair to cooperate with the checkup? I'm just worried someone might have fed him poison. It might be too late to save him if we don't check him." Zhao Chao was worried but still defended Curly Hair. "Back then, he heard me and the island guard captain talking. He probably knew that you were exposed to the pathogen and might be in danger, so he had acted a little too urgently. Fortunately, the pathogen was retrieved and nothing bad happened, so you don't have to blame him."

Zhao Chao couldn't protect Curly Hair who he viewed as a little treasure, but he hoped that Fang Zhao wouldn't reprimand him too excessively.

"I got it." Fang Zhao nodded before continuing, "Captain, can I speak to him in private?"

"Sure."

Zhao Chao went out of the interview booth and ran into the Whale Island Guard, who had finished reporting to their superiors. The captain had come to see how his quarantined subordinates were doing.

Seeing Zhao Chao coming out, the Whale Island Guard captain called him over. "How are things with Fang Zhao?"

"Still alright. No symptoms of infection. He is even lecturing his dog right now," Zhao Chao said.

The Whale Island Guard captain lowered his voice. "That Fang Zhao… when he killed the target at that time, that technique wasn't something a newcomer could do."

Zhao Chao chuckled when he heard this. "You don't have to worry about that. There are no issues with his background. It was checked thoroughly long ago. Do you remember the terrorist incident on Planet Baiji during the period where they discovered the new ore? That was the period when Fang Zhao was doing his military service."

The Whale Island Guard captain seem to have some recollection of that incident. "Right, I remember that. So the matter of Fang Zhao rendering meritorious services during the terrorist attack are true? It wasn't something the top brass exaggerated to set him as a role model?"

"I previously thought that it was exaggerated, but this incident proves that this fellow is really impressive."

"Sss—" The Whale Island Guard captain sucked in a deep breath. "If he wasn't trained from a young age, then he is just a gifted natural at this! When he safely gets through this quarantine period, will he be released to go back and dabble in those artistic circles?"

"What else can I do? He isn't willing to stay on! And his dog! I really want him, but even Wai Base's commanding officer isn't willing to make a move. What else can I do?" Zhao Chao sounded a little gloomy.

Over at the quarantine rooms.

Through the safety glass, Fang Zhao watched Curly Hair pacing around in the interview booth.

"There isn't any monitoring equipment here. Come here, open your mouth and let me see," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair wagged his tail and pressed his widened jaw against the safety glass to let Fang Zhao clearly take a look at his teeth.

Fang Zhao scanned it carefully and didn't see any suspicious remains.

Curly Hair whimpered, making himself sound rather pitiful.

Fang Zhao told him, "I am only being kept in quarantine here. My life isn't in danger, so don't worry. When the conference is over, Nanfeng and the others will come fetch you."

Curly Hair retreated back a step and whimpered, clearly not delighted.

Fang Zhao couldn't be bothered with his moodiness for the time being and continued to ask, "You fainted previously?"

"Woof Woof!" Curly Hair wagged his tail vigorously and appeared very proud of himself.

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow.

"An act?"

Curly Hair puffed his chest out and wagged his tail vigorously.

"Where is the person?" Fang Zhao asked.

Curly Hair opened his mouth wide.

Fang Zhao: "…" It can't be what I'm thinking, can it?

Chapter 414: Only Eats Dog Food

Fang Zhao took a deep breath and remained silent.

Seeing no reaction from Fang Zhao, Curly Hair thought that Fang Zhao didn't understand and opened his jaw even wider and pressed closer to the safety glass.

Fang Zhao: "… Alright, close your mouth."

Fang Zhao rubbed his face then asked. "How did you manage to eat him?"

A fully grown human vanishing without a trace. Curly Hair's size didn't seem like he was possible of doing so!

Curly Hair tilted his head and had a puzzled expression. This time, he was really puzzled and it wasn't an act.

From Curly Hair's expression, he probably only knew that he had eaten up the perpetrator. After all, the order he received was not to let the perpetrator off Whale Island. Consuming him was one such method. Curly Hair still thought that he had rendered considerable service and ran back over to Fang Zhao to take credit! As for how he had eaten up that person? Curly Hair had no idea and recollection of how he had done it.

Fang Zhao sucked in another deep breath once more.

What exactly am I rearing!

The reaction from Fang Zhao caused Curly Hair's proudly enthusiastic spirits to cool down. He crouched down and watched Fang Zhao carefully, feeling a little uneasy.

Through the safety glass Fang Zhao, continued to watch this dog in silence.

This dog can't differentiate things clearly. Or it should be said that the way he viewed things differed from humans. In his eyes, strangers were no different from the ground rats at farms. This dog had many unknown abilities. He was very smart, and still maturing. His intellect was increasing by the day and even knew how to pretend to avoid suspicion this time.

From the details Zhao Chao had given, Fang Zhao could roughly guess how things unfolded—Curly Hair heard the conversation between the two captains and thought that Fang Zhao's life was in danger. This, he wanted to rush back but was stopped by Zhao Chao. Therefore, Curly Hair got stirred up, forcibly snatched away the leash and chased after the perpetrator on his own in a bid to complete the mission and return back.

Fang Zhao had brought Curly Hair along and attended some training classes after entering the inspection team. The instructor had told Fang Zhao that on Whale Island, the moment any situation involving extremists were discovered, island inspection team, island guard and other authorities could immediately should them dead. Personnel equipped with guns would have the power to handle urgent matters when they encountered them!

Not cooperating with security checks at the island's entry points alone was already an offense liable to being shot, let alone a matter involving pathogens and a terrorist organization. There would always be some things that brewed during each Whale Island Conference Period. Many people who came to participate in the conference didn't know about the billows surging beneath the picture of calm and tranquility. The price of peace and stability didn't come cheap.

Although most wouldn't begrudge the deaths of those extremists, but that was a totally different thing. Eating a human was no small matter!

It no longer was the Period of Destruction. The New Era had its own set of rules.

Fang Zhao was now clearly aware on one point: This dog Curly Hair was capable of doing anything when he got excited!

It wasn't too convenient for Fang Zhao to say or ask too much while still in quarantine. Zhao Chao also wouldn't give him too much time to speak with Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao knocked on the safety glass in spoke to Curly Hair in a serious tone. "From now on, you aren't allowed to eat anything other than dog food and water! Until my quarantine ends!"

Fang Zhao spoke briefly to Curly Hair for a bit before Zhao Chao came back over to urge him..

"How, have you spoken to him?" Zhao Chao asked. "The veterinarian was sending reminders. He says that we mustn't neglect even the slightest details that could threaten the life of an inspection dog.

Fang Zhao quashed all sorts of misgivings he had deep down and said. "Captain, can you get the vet to come over here and do the checkup?"

Curly Hair was too special. Fang Zhao had to watch him to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. Fang Zhao was also worried the checkup would discover some hard to explain results and it would be better if he was present.

Before getting a reply from Zhao Chao, Fang Zhao asked another question. "His blood will also be drawn?"

"Yes." Zhao Chao nodded.

Fang Zhao: "He is afraid of needles."

Curly Hair gazed at Fang Zhao with those innocent eyes of his.

Fang Zhao's expression didn't change.

Zhao Chao chuckled. "No wonder you are always beside him whenever blood needs to be drawn. I understand, many dogs are like that, they require their owners to be at their side to cooperate, otherwise they will throw a fuss."

Ignoring Curly Hair's whimpers, Fang Zhao shot Zhao Chao an apologetic look. "Sorry for the trouble."

The vet had already been waiting and brought his working back over the moment he received Zhao Chao's notification. He performed the checkup on Curly Hair in front of Fang Zhao. The drawing of blood also went very smoothly. With Fang Zhao watching, there wasn't an instance where the needle bent when pricking Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao kept his eye on the vet's actions and waited for the results of this checkup.

"No big problems, just that he has high levels of certain rare metals." The vet said. "He might have possibly eaten stuff that are high in such metals."

These excessive indications were in accordance to results of Curly Hair's previous medical examination. There were records of Curly Hair's checkups since he entered the inspection team.

Zhao Chao was fuming when he received this conclusion. "I just knew that someone had surely tried to drug him!"

"Fortunately it isn't too serious. I will prescribe some medicine. Let him have some when feeding him with dog food will do."

After the vet left, Zhao Chao discussed with Fang Zhao about the issue with Curly Hair's arrangement.

Now that Fang Zhao was in quarantine, Curly Hair couldn't stay here all the time. Thus, Fang Zhao allowed Zhao Chao to bring Curly Hair out for patrols when there were assignments and let Curly Hair return here when these assignments were completed.

Because of the long quarantine, Fang Zhao be locked inside this cramped and small quarantine room all the way. A special quarantine apartment building would be catered for him and the rest of those under quarantine to stay a month.

They weren't criminals and had even rendered meritorious service so they would definitely be treated slightly better. The quarantine apartment building also had a visitor room which Curly Hair would stay at when he wasn't on assignments or missions.

Zhao Chao was very busy everyday and wouldn't have time to keep an eye on Curly Hair outside of missions. However, he would bring Curly Hair to the visitor room after missions as it didn't take up too much time.

After discussing this arrangement, Zhao Chao brought Curly Hair out. He had just received a notification that there were two warehouses that needed an inspection so he could only let Curly Hair work overtime. Fortunately, there wouldn't be too much to inspect this time, and it wouldn't take too long.

Before bringing Curly Hair to the warehouses, Zhao Chao was worried that Curly Hair would be hungry and tried to feed him something first.

Fang Zhao had said before that Curly Hair got hungry easily. Zhao Chao knew that some dogs were this way. Also, Curly Hair had rendered quite a huge service this time round so Zhao Chao had specially gone to the dining hall to request for a huge pig knuckle and brought it over when it was cooked.

Normally, the dog food that the team's dogs consumed were mixed with minced meant and fresh vegetables being sent over. There were both dry and wet rations. However, besides dog food, if dogs would also be given some rewards for rendering a service. For example if Thornhead performed well at a certain inspection checkpoint, someone would send over a huge pork knuckle. Thornhead loved pork knuckles.

The other dogs in the team also ate pork knuckles so Zhao Chao thought that Curly Hair should probably enjoy it too.

However, where Zhao Chao brought the pork knuckle over, Curly Hair only squatted beside the bowl and looked at it. Zhao Chao gave it to Curly Hair, but Curly Hair only stared at it and made groaning sounds but he didn't eat it.

At first Zhao Chao thought that Curly Hair wouldn't eat anything that was given by anyone other than his owner. However, when Zhao Chao switched it to dog food, Curly Hair ate it all up.

Zhao Chao felt that he had found the reason and said when chatting with other team members. "I heard before that some pet dogs only eat dog food. I never imagined it to be true till I give Curly Hair such a huge pork knuckle but he wouldn't eat it."

"That shouldn't be, a few days back I saw Fang Zhao giving him some biscuits." An inspection team member said.

"Those are minor occasions. Besides if the owner is the one feeding, the dog should still eat a little even if he doesn't like it. Have you seen Curly Hair eat a lot of biscuits?" Zhao Chao asked.

"Not a lot. But, isn't there also pork knuckle inside our team's dog food? Why doesn't Curly Hair eat pork knuckles when he consumes the dog food? He doesn't even touch it?" Another team member voiced out his doubts.

"Perhaps because Curly Hair is a small-sized dog. Perhaps he can't gnaw on it with his small mouth so he doesn't know how to eat it! The small pet dog that at my aunt's place is like this. It doesn't have the patience to bite on food stuff that are too big, at most a few testing nibbles for fun but the food still has to be cut up into smaller pieces before it will eat. Pet dogs are all rather pampered." That inspection team member continued.

From their point of view, Curly Hair was brought up as a pet dog most of the time. Although he had some experience herding sheep in Muzhou, however, that had only been phase and ihe had a status of a pet dog for much longer. Curly Hair's inspection dog status was also only temporary and when Whale Island Conference concludes and the missions were completed, He would return and continue being a pet dog. Therefore, everyone's expectations of him weren't that strict.

Zhao Chao felt that it made sense, pet dogs were willful. Curly Hair would also dawdle when doing an inspection unlike how military and police dogs complied with orders. He was also afraid of needles and a little timid.

However, as long as he had the ability and could complete missions, being a little willful didn't matter. Zhao Chao then placed the cut up pork knuckle into Curly Hair's bowl but Culry Hair still didn't touch it.

Afterwards, Zhao Chao broke the pork knuckle down into even smaller pieces and mixed it into the dog fod. This time, Curly Hair ate it.

Thus, everyone in the inspection team knew this—Fang Zhao's dog only loved dog food. That dog absolutely wouldn't touch any other food stuffs that were a little big!

Chapter 415: My Little Zhao Ah

After Fang Zhao had been kept under observation in isolation for two days, he and the others were shifted to the quarantine apartment.

"Someone will come every day to check up on each room. The check up might be a little different from what you are used to. You can work in here and book timings for your three meals. You can also leave a message in advance if you do not wish to be disturbed…"

Fang Zhao and the others had already heard some of the matters and procedures before, and now the quarantine apartment supervisor was briefly reviewing some of the points.

"Let me know if you need anything." The quarantine apartment supervisor looked towards Fang Zhao.

"A paperback notebook and a pen," Fang Zhao replied.

Military work was military work while art was art. Even if he were kept on Whale Island for an entire month, Fang Zhao would still have to complete his unfinished thesis. Otherwise, if he couldn't complete the assignments Old Venerable Mo had given him, Fang Zhao's graduation would be delayed.

"Just that?" The supervisor asked in astonishment.

"They will do for the time being."

"Alright, someone will deliver them over within ten minutes." The supervisor made a mental note of Fang Zhao's request and went to the next room.

It didn't even take five minutes for a staff member to deliver the things Fang Zhao had requested. It was a whole set of stationery that was specially made for office use on Whale Island. The Whale Island insignias were even printed on both the notebook and the pens. There were even rulers and other stationery inside the bag that formed a complete set.

The room wasn't large. It was about the size of a single room in a hotel, except that there was also a small gym and a small guest room attached. When Curly Hair completed his assignments, Zhao Chao would bring Curly Hair here.

The room had simple electronic entertainment installations, but there was limited internet accessibility here. The computer in the room could only access the intranet. Upon a closer look, there was the full series of "Founding Era" inside the media files. The guards who hadn't caught up with it could watch this during the quarantine.

During the conference period, communications to the outside needed to be audited. However, once the Whale Island conference concluded, those restrictions would be relaxed. However, calls would still be monitored, and the personnel being quarantined had all been informed.

The Whale Island Conference lasted a few extra days more than the original plan. After the conference concluded, Fang Zhao contacted Nanfeng to bring Curly Hair back to his dormitory at HuangArt. Each day, Nanfeng just needed to go over and take him for a walk. As for everything else, Fang Zhao had already spoken to Curly Hair alone. Curly Hair knew where the feeding machine was. There was still quite a lot of food stocked up in the dormitory.

Fang Zhao had also specially exhorted Curly Hair to not eat anything else in the dormitory. "No eating the 'Rabbit'! Otherwise no playing of games."

On the day Curly Hair left Whale Island Region, Thornhead cried again. Thornhead didn't cry because of their camaraderie. Neither did he cry because he didn't want to see Curly Hair go. After the conference concluded, the results and merits of the service dogs were set. Because Curly Hair's performance during the conference period was exceptional and he had rendered quite an amount of meritorious service, his comprehensive score was very high. K had also performed slightly better than Thornhead as well. Therefore, Thornhead was relegated to the third spot and cried in anger. Streaks of tears were still visible when he went outside.

His trainer explained to others. "Cough, he is grumpy again."

The other members also came to the quarantine apartment to visit Fang Zhao before they left Whale Island. As the days of the quarantine passed, the chances of Fang Zhao being infected were continuously lowering. Thus, the mood was much more relaxed when everyone came to visit Fang Zhao.

After matters at Whale Island were complete, personnel continued to leave the island, and the island's sealed state was lifted. It also became easier for Fang Zhao to contact the outside world, but there were still certain restrictions.

First, he had to contact Mo Lang.

"There are still some matters here, and I'll only be able to return after another half a month." Fang Zhao couldn't give the explicit details as some information was still confidential.

Mo Lang didn't press him for answers. There were things an experienced old man like him would understand. The old master was very happy as long as Fang Zhao was safe. He was also reassured that Fang Zhao was spending a lot of his time on the thesis and his work.

"That's fine. You can consider it a change of environment for seclusion. Nobody would dare to disturb you."

There still had been many online topics concerning Fang Zhao recently. Huangzhou entertainment reporters had been trying to find traces of Fang Zhao. Some gutsy reporters even camped outside Mo Lang's residence.

Fang Zhao couldn't access the internet and didn't know too much about what was going on outside. Nanfeng had said it wasn't serious and told him not to worry, so Fang Zhao didn't pay any attention to it.

On the internet, there were many people talking about Fang Zhao. The countdown events of various continents received a lot of publicity. Celebrities and stars of various continents had shown their faces but no one had seen Fang Zhao at all.

There were people who guessed, "Fang Zhao was absent from Yanzhou's countdown gala. Could it be that he went to Whale Island Conference?"

"Fang Zhao rendered a great service with the discovery of the Alkaid. Perhaps he obtained clearance to participate."

Previously, there had been rumors that a certain internet celebrity had gone to Whale Island to participate in the conference. This was followed closely by rumors of certain actors and singers performing at Whale Island Conference because they had rejected the invitations for their own continents' countdown events.

At a glance, all things seemed to point that Fang Zhao had really gone to Whale Island!

However, since this touched on Whale Island Conference, people didn't dare discuss it too much online. Many posts elicited no response, so the majority of people didn't know anything about the Whale Island Conference.

Very quickly, as the countdown events of various continents continued, the embargo on dissemination of Whale Island Conference information was lifted. Internet celebrities and other public figures posted proof of their participation at the Whale Island Conference such as photographs with various insignias or backdrops.

The conference had ended! It was time to flaunt and brag!

Now that the confidentiality period had passed, they could all show off for a bit.

However, there was still no activity on Fang Zhao's end.

He was absent from Fiery Bird's customer gratitude ceremony, absent from Yanzhou's countdown gala, and absent from Huangzhou's countdown event. He didn't even appear Huangzhou Academy of Art's student gala. Where exactly was he?

"Could it be that somebody is keeping him locked up somewhere?" Someone guessed.

"That is even more unlikely. Let's not talk about the reason why Fang Zhao would be locked up. And even if that was the case, how long could it be for? There isn't even a trace of him right now. Are Huangzhou entertainment reporters just for show?"

"Why is it that nobody believes that Fang Zhao is in lockdown mode? He is still undergoing advanced studies after all. Great Master Mo Lang has also said that he is shutting Fang Zhao in to complete his thesis."

"You even believe this? Anything can be possible except him being shut in seclusion! Who would lock him in so long that he wouldn't even appear at countdown events or even Fiery Bird's important customer gratitude ceremony? Who would even have the guts to do so?!"

As all sorts of information and rumors flew about, there were people who spread that Fang Zhao's Fiery Bird endorsement had been terminated.

Evidence?

"He didn't even participate in Fiery Bird's customer gratitude ceremony. Isn't this equivalent to not giving Fiery Bird any face? Would Fiery Bird be able to accept this?"

"According to reliable sources, Fiery Bird is changing two of their ambassadors in the new year. Surely Fang Zhao is among them!"

At first, it was a small minority who were saying this. However, more and more people believed this conjecture in no time. Quite a number of top rated celebrity management companies from various continents also went to work, hoping to snag Fang Zhao's endorsement for themselves.

At the beginning, Fiery Bird didn't bother with all these online conjectures. However, as they watched these rumors go out of hand, they also became worried. Who said that we were changing ambassadors? In any case, we didn't say so!

Very quickly, Fiery Bird's public relations department came out with a statement with the main idea being, "New products of the Diting series will be released in the New Year. We will still be collaborating with Fang Zhao."

When this official statement was released, some people were flabbergasted.

When did Fiery Bird have such a good temperament?

Fang Zhao had been absent from their important annual customer gratitude ceremony. How could Fiery Bird bear with this?

A brand new round of hot discussions made its way onto the internet again.

There were some that took the opportunity to smear Fang Zhao's name, but the majority of these were small media outlets. Larger media outlets had more or less obtained some information through various means. They wouldn't dare shoot their mouths off as long as they knew that Fang Zhao had appeared on Whale Island. This was also the reason Nanfeng had told Fang Zhao not to worry. Within the industry, no matter how much was faked or exaggerated, it would just be a short lived hype. While some media outlets would dabble in it, when it involved politics or the military, they wouldn't dare to make careless statements.

Fang Zhao, who was largely oblivious to the online activity, was currently in a video call with Great-grandmother and Great-grandfather Fang.

Fang Zhao originally had plans to celebrate the new year in Yanzhou with the two elders, but his quarantine on Whale Island had thrown a wrench into his plans. In order to not let the two elder Fangs' imaginations run wild, Fang Zhao had to speak to them.

Great-grandfather Fang had also been keeping an eye on the news recently. At the start, he had also believed that Fang Zhao was undergoing seclusion to prepare for his impending graduation. But after seeing the analysis online, doubt had also started to creep into his mind. Now that Fang Zhao had called them, Great-grandfather Fang was extremely delighted.

"At least this counts as seeing you, Little Zhao!" The smile that bloomed on Great-grandfather Fang's face turned stiff when he saw a certain insignia on Fang Zhao's end.

Beside him, Great-grandmother Fang had been about to say something, but she changed her words. "Little Zhao, how are you recently?"

"Not too bad. I'm eating and sleeping well." Fang Zhao even stood up to let the two elder Fangs have a good look to show that he wasn't hurt in any way.

"Oh, then that's good!" Great-grandfather's voice was a little shaky. "When… when can you come back?"

"I still have to stay for twenty something days. I'm sorry that I won't be able to return and spend the New Year with you two."

"It's alright, it's alright. All that matters is you return back safely," Great-grandfather Fang said hurriedly.

With that, the smile on Great-grandfather Fang's face deepened again before he ridiculed the New Year activities that had been planned by the retirement facilities. Fang Zhao sat there listening and responded from time to time.

There was a time limit for Fang Zhao's call. The top right of the screen indicated that time was almost up. Great-grandfather Fang finished with one line. "Little Zhao, you have to be well!"

"Mmhm, I am doing just fine. I even ran two hours on the treadmill just now," Fang Zhao said.

The call ended.

The smile on Great-grandfather Fang's face thoroughly disappeared, and tears flowed down his cheek continuously.

During the video call, there had been a small Whale Island insignia at Fang Zhao's side. When he saw that and recalled the discussions about Fang Zhao's absence from all the various countdown events, Great-grandfather Fang could join the dots. After all, the two elders had served in the military for many years and knew quite a lot. There also knew the dangers that went on during every such conference to maintain the peace and stability on the surface.

What had Fang Zhao been transferred over there to do? What had he encountered?

Now it seemed like he was in quarantine!

Great-grandfather's heart ached when he thought about the possible scenarios Fang Zhao could have encountered and felt lifeless no matter what he thought of.

This went on all the way until Memorial Day. The entire retirement facility was filled with cheer and joy as families came to visit their elders. Every year, this time was the most festive and joyous period.

When descendants came over to visit the two elders, Great-grandfather put on a smile, but he was actually down in the dumps.

Every time this year, little children would compare how much red packet money they received. Older kids would compare their school results, while adults would talk about their career and business.

Hearing someone mention Fang Zhao, Great-grandfather's eyes welled up with warm tears and he started to cry. "My Little Zhao ah…"

Great-grandmother Fang coughed. "It's the festive period! Why are you crying!"

Great-grandfather forcefully suppressed his crying.

Chapter 416: Afraid of Dogs

After hearing that Fang Zhao wouldn't be coming back to celebrate the new year with the two old Fangs, many veterans in the retirement facility guessed that Fang Zhao's absence was the reason why Great-grandfather Fang appeared so listless.

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao didn't have much hope from keeping the truth from the two old Fangs. After all, those two were experienced with this sort of situation. The two old Fangs had pretended to not know, so Fang Zhao had also played along. There were many things that couldn't be spoken explicitly, but the simple understanding was good enough. Going into details would just cause excess worry.

In the one month of quarantine on Whale Island, Fang Zhao wrote his thesis, amended his compositions and made preparations for graduation. He had also read quite a few books recommended by Mo Lang. After completing each book, he had jotted down his afterthoughts.

Because he was isolated from all the various online disturbances, an extremely peaceful month passed by for Fang Zhao. For him, this month hadn't been tough at all.

When Fang Zhao came out from the quarantine apartment, he was called over for a meal by the other Whale Island guards who had been released to celebrate getting over this hurdle. Those who had spent their quarantine period watching "Founding Era" also wanted autographs and photographs with Fang Zhao.

"You are very lucky," research facility's unit one manager Nick said when he saw Fang Zhao.

Many people felt that Fang Zhao had been really fortunate not to have been infected despite being in such close proximity to the contagion.

Whale Island Region was already much emptier, and the restrictions had been relaxed. Tourist and sightseeing areas had opened up again.

In order to avoid tourists, Fang Zhao left Whale Island through an exit point. Nanfeng and the other two were already waiting for him there.

The car had been borrowed from a friend of Nanfeng's. After Fang Zhao boarded the car, Nanfeng spoke about matters during the period. Previously, it hadn't been too convenient to speak too much through the communications device when Fang Zhao had been on the island. Now that he was finally out, Nanfeng could give a more detailed report. He could prove that this assistant hadn't been slacking off and had also partly assumed the role of a manager.

"Boss, what arrangements do you have in mind? Fiery Bird personnel have called me a number of times asking about your decision," Nanfeng said.

"Graduation from Advanced Studies is still the priority. Are Fiery Bird's new products coming out soon?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes. To commemorate the discovery of the Alkaid, there are plans to have some Alkaid features on the product. The tentative name will be the Diting·η series. Fiery Bird has already released the information, and many people know about it.

The partnership with Fiery Bird would continue. Since Fiery Bird had shown their sincerity and Fang Zhao had no reason to reject, Fang Zhao had contacted the relevant parties on Fiery Bird's side to discuss the endorsement of the new product. He also set a date for more comprehensive talks for the contract.

After Fang Zhao was done speaking with Fiery Bird's representative, Nanfeng studied his boss' expression. Seeing that Fang Zhao didn't seem unhappy, he took the opportunity to suggest, "Boss, is it time for us to get an MPV?"

The vehicles they had previously used were company vehicles specially rented for certain events. When they had needed flying transport, it also had to be applied for.

Aside from flying transport, they ought to purchase a car for daily use, right?

Nanfeng continued to analyze it for Fang Zhao. "You see, boss, your status has risen, and it will surely continue to rise in future. We also aren't putting on a show of extravagance. However, the company cars should be for the company's newcomers to fight over, right? Even if we don't use the company's resources, renting cars using our own expenses is also troublesome. Also, I have already asked around. Won't you have to consult the tutors and professors regarding your thesis and other school related matters from time to time? You'll need to travel from place to place. Your reputation in Huangzhou is also high now. What will you do if you are recognized by people in public? It is very troublesome, and you can't bring a dog. If you attend events, there isn't any place to change or rest. Of course, all of this can be resolved, but you also do not have a quiet place to compose. Running around often wastes a lot of time. Don't you think so boss?

"That's true." Fang Zhao nodded his head. He could tell that Nanfeng already had some ideas, so he asked, "Do you already have a model in mind?"

"Oh, we don't have to be too unconventional. Staying low-profile will be the best. Simply getting the model of MPVs that most celebrities normally use will do. I have a friend whose team specializes in licensed and lawful modifications of cars and flying transports."

"Alright. We will check it out after negotiations with Fiery Bird are done."

Fang Zhao first returned back to HuangArt. His dormitory was still the same as ever, just that the dog feed was empty. Curly Hair rushed over and whined. First, he was very happy to see Fang Zhao. Secondly, he wanted to remind Fang Zhao to order more dog food. Finally, he wanted to remind Fang Zhao about his unfulfilled promise to let him play new games!

Fang Zhao surveyed his dormitory once. The "rabbit" was still alive and well in its water tank. Fang Zhao went online to order dog food and contacted Muzhou's farm to send another batch of food over.

On his first day back to school, Fang Zhao didn't leave the campus. He downloaded a few new games for Curly Hair, discussed issues on composition with a few teachers, submitted his thesis to Mo Lang and submitted his application for graduation.

Fang Zhao was the first person in his cohort to submit his application for graduation from the Advanced course.

An application had to be submitted before the graduation certificate could be received. Only with the qualitative works and a satisfactory thesis would the application be successful. Fang Zhao's quality of his thesis and works were already sufficient, so it gave considerable pressure to the others in the same batch as him.

After the application was accepted, a time would be arranged for the student to defend their dissertation. There would also be a graduation concert. However, all of these were matters that would happen in June. The earliest Fang Zhao could defend his dissertation was at the end of May. It was only February now, and there seemed to be sufficient time. Still, Fang Zhao would need a lot of effort to prepare for his concert, especially since the academy would be more stringent for Fang Zhao given his reputation.

On the second day, Fang Zhao didn't have any classes, so Fang Zhao set a meeting with the relevant Fiery Bird representatives to discuss the collaboration terms.

Fang Zhao would be the ambassador of their new line of Diting·η series products. Besides this, Fiery Bird also hoped that he would advertise it during his graduation concert.

The concerts of graduating HuangArt Advanced Studies students always had an advertising area. Still, the focus was still mainly on art, so the area wouldn't be too big. It was easy to miss if one wasn't attentive. However, many people had their eyes on Fang Zhao's graduation concert. Even if it was just a small ornamental billboard, Fiery Bird was still willing to invest in it.

The Fiery Bird personnel had their own ideas. Even if they didn't believe in Fang Zhao's music standards, they ought to believe in Mo Lang, right? Behind Fang Zhao stood the great master Mo Lang!

Of course, Fang Zhao was also very talented and hadn't relied on his managing company to rise up. Besides, the managing company didn't have that ability. Was the Twelve Tones Advanced Studies Course something that could be entered that easily?

Also, it was important to consider the strength of the professors of the Twelve Tones Advanced Studies Course!

There were many mentors to seek guidance from. Those great master-ranked artists and mentors wouldn't withhold any knowledge as long as the student wanted to learn and improve. The student could learn much more in this one year than the majority of people did in their entire university life!

However, the Twelve Tones Advanced Studies Course was difficult to enter and difficult to exit. There were qualifying tests to enter, and a good dissertation and a sufficient number of quality works were needed to obtain the graduation certificate. Staying for too long was also useless. The great master-ranked tutors and mentors only spent one year with the student. After a year, only students having joint projects with them would still have much contact with them. Others who weren't able to smoothly graduate wouldn't receive the same treatment from before.

After discussing the details with Fiery Bird, Fang Zhao returned back to his dormitory to put his files away. Then, he brought Curly Hair to the place where Nanfeng's friend did vehicle modifications.

Nanfeng had already bought the car. Just as he had said, the exterior of the car didn't seem special in any way. At any film set, eight out of ten cars used by actors and actresses would be this model. This model of MPV was frequently seen a lot on the roads and was also frequently used for delivering goods or moving furniture as well.

At the moment, Nanfeng's friend was confirming the modification requirements with Nanfeng.

"We will do modifications for the engine, chassis and other parts according to your requirements. Take a look at the additional items. These haven't been confirmed yet. Also, you said that you will purchase your own sound system, right? You have to let us know what sort of system you are getting. If you haven't gotten it yet, inform us of the type. We have to have a rough plan in order to make the appropriate modifications."

"Sound system? Fiery Bird's Diting Z series." Nanfeng replied. He had already discussed this with Fiery Bird beforehand. They could get it at half price from Fiery Bird, and it would come along with freebies. This was the benefit of being an endorser. When the Diting Z series vehicle sound system first came out, there were people who said that Fang Zhao himself didn't use it, so how could he endorse it? But now, they could finally use it!!

The person in charge of taking down notes eyed Nanfeng. The Diting Z series sound system didn't come cheap. The amount one such sound system cost could be used to purchase a few of these MPVs. Their garage rarely saw this grade of sound system being fitted onto an ordinary car.

Nanfeng's friend had some insider information, so it wasn't out of his expectations. He continued asking, "What about the grade of bulletproofing?"

"Fit it with the highest level," Nanfeng answered.

"What does your boss do that requires such a high grade of bulletproofing?" The friend asked with a laugh.

"Heh, the worries of a celebrity," Nanfeng said jokingly. Of course, he couldn't disclose the truth.

As they were speaking, a luxurious car drove in from the outside.

A youngster with dyed gray hair got out of the car in a distressed manner. "Mend the dents on the car."

The flashy luxury car was full of dents, probably because something had smashed into it.

A kid wearing a bear-printed shirt came out from the backseat playing with a small black ball. He said nonchalantly, "You were the one who said I could play any way I wished. You said your car was sturdy enough."

The son of the Inter-planetary Fund General Diretor, Danke Assis, was full of regret at the moment. He had thought that the bear child was only playing with a squishy elastic ball. Little had he known that it would cause such dents! His beloved car! Disfigured just like this!!

At this time, yet another car was driven in. It didn't get close and stopped at the car park.

The car door opened, and Curly Hair jumped down from the seat. His fur bristled as he studied the surroundings curiously.

Little Bear's unbridled attitude disappeared instantly. He jumped behind Danke and observed Curly Hair carefully.

When Danke saw this, he laughed deep down. This little kid normally acts like he isn't afraid of anything in the world. So it turns out he is afraid of dogs!

Even though he was delighted deep down, Danke put on a caring and protective front. "Ah ha, don't be scared. What is there to be afraid of? This dog doesn't eat humans."

Fang Zhao, who had just gotten out and heard this: "…"

When he saw the person who came out, Danke's smile gradually froze. He remembered that his father had said to keep this bear child far away from Fang Zhao!

Chapter 417: Are You Even Human!

Danke was starting to perspire from his anxiety.

Wasn't Fang Zhao supposed to be in seclusion?! He had been missing for so long without any sign of activity. Why had he suddenly appeared here?!

Huangzhou entertainment reporters are really nothing more than a bunch of trash!

Danke had even asked a few entertainment reporters he was on good terms with and confirmed that Fang Zhao hadn't appeared before heading out. This was the only reason why he had dared to bring Little Fatty Bear out to play. But what was he supposed to do now?

After getting down from the car, Fang Zhao glanced at Danke. Then, his gaze lingered on Little Bear. This kid was a little strange.

Little Bear flashed a bashful smile when he sensed Fang Zhao's gaze. His eyes were filled with delight and excitement, and he wanted to run over right away. However, when he saw Curly Hair, the legs that had inched forward were quickly retracted.

At the same time, Fang Zhao heard a sound. It was a sound that he had first heard when he was on Planet Bu — the signal that had originated from the Alkaid.

Fang Zhao raised his eyebrows.

The signal appeared for a short moment before stopping. This time, it wasn't a request for help but more like a probing one. After confirming the answer, it had stopped.

Little Bear appeared even more excited, but when he looked at Curly Hair beside Fang Zhao's feet once again, Little Bear shrunk back once more.

Fang Zhao handed the leash to Zuo Yu to bring Curly Hair to the side.

Zuo Yu tugged on the leash, but Curly Hair didn't budge.

Fang Zhao bent down and gently patted Curly Hair's head twice and indicated for Curly Hair to wait at the side with Zuo Yu first.

Only then did Curly Hair leave grudgingly.

Once Curly Hair walked away, Little Bear, who had been hiding behind Danke's back moments ago, sprung out and ran over to Fang Zhao.

"Hello, I am Little Bear!"

"Hi, I am Fang Zhao." Fang Zhao found a chair and pulled it over.

"I know you! I finished watching 'Founding Era', which you starred in. I also watched your concert! I've also seen your gaming videos and variety programs!" Little Bear sat on the chair that Fang Zhao had passed over. He swung his legs around and looked delighted.

Danke, who had been immediately forgotten and left at the side: "…"

Little Bear was currently in fanboy mode and bragged about all of Fang Zhao's shows and concerts he had watched.

Fang Zhao replied to Little Bear from time to time while analyzing this… person?

No, was this a real person?

His body temperature, pulse, breathing, heartbeat and other expressions were similar to a real person. Although the disguise was close to perfect, it was still different in the end. Fang Zhao could hear some discrepancies.

He looked like a real person, but this was actually a mechanical body.

However, he was too much like a real person, especially with the minute details in his changes in expression. If it weren't for Fang Zhao's impressive hearing ability, he really wouldn't be able to discern it immediately. At most, he would have just thought that this person was a little weird.

Was this the "person" on board the Alkaid that the Inter-planetary Fund had brought away?

Back then, the Inter-planetary Fund had only revealed that they had taken away some core technology that couldn't be disclosed to the public, possibly the spaceship's blackbox. Even Fang Zhao hadn't thought that it would be a "person" like this.

As Fang Zhao mulled over how he should treat this little special fan(?), Danke worried incessantly. In the meantime, Little Bear continued to display his excitement.

Fang Zhao paused. "Err, drink more water? You have to replenish your fluids if you run out of tears, right?"

"Yeah!" Pure adulation was written all over Little Bear's face.

Danke: "…" Kid, your IQ has fallen!

You even believe this nonsense?!

Drink more water if you run out of tears?

Can you produce tears just by drinking water? Shouldn't tears fall as a result of emotion?!

However, Little Bear still continued on. "I will definitely bring a few more bottles along with me next time!"

"Are you… alright? From crying too much?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I'm fine. This is also a method for me to experience enriching emotions."

"Even so, you still have to maintain it at acceptable levels. You can't always specially carry a few bottles of water everywhere you go," Fang Zhao said.

"Of course, I have reserves. I will specially drink more water before heading out. Don't worry," Little Bear said in a really pleased manner.

Danke, who had been entirely forgotten and left behind, looked like he was about to crumble. Ahh——I can't go on listening to this retarded conversation!

Are they nuts?!

Little Bear wasn't aware of Danke's frustrations and continued speaking to Fang Zhao. "I heard that you will still have a graduation concert after your Advanced Studies is complete, right? I also want to listen too, just that I do not know whether I will have the time then. I will have lots of tiring assignments. However, I will overcome these difficulties!"

Danke, listening in over at the side: "…"

More crap!

Yesterday, Danke had seen Little Bear watching the television and had asked, "Have you finished your assignments? I heard that you have quite a lot of assignments every day." However, Little Bear had replied with a disdainful "piece of cake".

And now? Have you eaten up all the words you said yesterday?!

Not only did Little Bear expressed his fanboy sentiments to Fang Zhao, he even talked about his little pet.

"Here, this is my pet, Little Riches. You two should have met before. You can rub him this way, pat him in this manner, or pull him like this!

Little Bear showed Fang Zhao the various sorts of methods of playing with Little Riches.

Danke: "…"

I have f*cking brought you out to play so many times and you don't even let me touch that black ball! What do you mean, "Little Riches can't be handled over and touched by other people randomly"? You meet Fang Zhao for the first time today and you voluntarily deliver Little Riches into his hands?

Is our friendship and interaction over such a long time incomparable to Fang Zhao, who you just met for the first time?

Such a difference is totally cold and ruthless. Are you even human?!

Danke felt that he couldn't stay any longer. When the repairs for his beloved car were done, he dragged Little Bear away.

Back in the car, Danke still felt outraged by this injustice and criticized Little Bear for forgetting about a brother upon meeting his idol.

"Do you really like Fang Zhao that much?" Danke just couldn't comprehend.

"He is a good person," Little Bear replied.

"You have only known him for such a short while. How would you know that he is a good person? Many people act one way in public and another in private. Word online might make Fang Zhao out to be very impressive, but you do not know how he really is."

"He is especially impressive!" Little Bear interjected.

"His is indeed impressive, but that has no relation to whether he is a good person or not!"

Danke wanted to go on, but he saw Little Bear's eyes quickly starting to brighten when talking about Fang Zhao. Danke quickly swallowed whatever else he wanted to say.

Forget it. Discussing how bad an idol before a die-hard fanboy would only be causing myself trouble.

Little Bear caressed the ball-shaped Little Riches and said, "Truthfully, I think it is a little like imprinting."

When Little Bear had laid dormant in the Alkaid deep under the sands of Planet Bu for so long, it had been Fang Zhao who had detected his S.O.S signal. Little Bear had finally been freed and the Alkaid had finally seen the light of day.

Fang Zhao could be considered his benefactor.

Although Little Bear had been in a dormant state at that time, everything that had occured around him had been recorded. Every organism and every machine had been converted to data. Fang Zhao was the first person in many years to fish out the Alkaid's distress signal.

As for Curly Hair?

Little Bear had sensed a natural enemy signal coming from Curly Hair's body. He couldn't bring himself to get close.

"There wouldn't be the current me without Fang Zhao," Little Bear lamented.

However, upon hearing this, Danke's only thoughts were, The f*ck?! Unbelievable!

Danke's mind started to think about all sorts of far-fetched plots he had seen in dramas.

Little Bear interrupted Danke's thoughts and said, "I'm still a kid. I don't know."

Danke scoffed, "At least you know that much, little brat."

Danke wasn't too hung up from not getting any answers from Little Bear. He was simply curious about any gossip concerning the top brass of the Inter-Planetary Fund, so he had casually asked. However, he wasn't super invested in it.

"Alright, let's not talk about all this already. I will bring you drifting!"

Of course, Danke wasn't really talking about real street racing. He didn't dare bring Little Bear drifting. His father and those on top would flay him alive. The street racing he was talking about were holographic races at a racing gaming center.

He wouldn't have anything to be afraid of if Little Bear drove virtually.

At the gaming center, Danke chose a gaming hall. He swept his bangs aside and said, "Sit at the back. Brother will bring you for a spin! You shall witness the Racing God of Huangzhou's driving skills!"

Although this was only a game, the visuals and sensations were rather realistic. If the open roof method was selected, they could even feel a strong wind on their faces.

After choosing the car model, Danke started to drift.

After one round of drifting, Danke flashed Little Bear a dazzling smile and asked, "Am I impressive or what? Are you happy?"

Little Bear was expressionless and scoffed indifferently. "Oh."

"Tsk, alright. Since you don't think much of it, I will let you have a taste of my true ability!"

Danke sucked in a deep breath and showed his true skill in the second round, forgetting that Little Bear was in the back seat. He was sure that even if it was a game, his driving this round would have surely scared the little kid. When he turned around, he saw that Little Bear was just staring blankly ahead like an idiot.

"This isn't how you are supposed to drift," Little Bear said.

"Heh, teaching me now? Then how do you really drift?" Danke was displeased.

"Move aside." Little Bear swapped places with Danke and took the driver's seat.

Five minutes later.

Danke rushed to the sink and vomited.

This was the first time this self-proclaimed Racing God of Huangzhou felt carsick.

Danke felt like he had been dealt a massive blow. Although the Racing God of Huangzhou was a name he had given himself and was rather boastful, he still felt that his driving ability was quite good. He should be at a god level when it came to racing games!

However, today, a little bear kid had smacked his face really hard!

Danke returned after rinsing his mouth and looked embarrassed. He remained sullen for awhile before saying, "A game is just a game. Driving a real car is different."

Little Bear didn't like what he heard. "I can also drive."

"Then wait till you are of age and get your driver's license."

"I can drive now!"

"Alright alright alright, you can drive," Danke replied half-heartedly.

"Not only can I drive, I can even fly a spacecraft!"

"Yes, yes, yes, you are awesome!" Danke continued to put on a show. Deep down, he was snickering. This brat really loves bragging. You might as well just say you piloted the Alkaid!

After recovering, Danke also didn't stay much longer at the gaming center and brought Little Bear back.

"I'm actually very good at gaming. It's just that I don't play many racing games now so I have become rusty," Danke said.

"Given your standard, wouldn't you be crushed if you played other games?" Little Bear said with disdain.

"Hey, that doesn't really happen. Even if I encounter an opponent I can't beat, I just have to call a few of my bros. The strength of someone alone is always insignificant."

Little Bear appeared to think for a while. Then, he patted Danke's shoulder. "Dan Dan, thanks for reminding me!"

"… What did I remind you about?" Danke suddenly had a foreboding premonition.

"I have a new idea."

"It's best if you don't have other ideas. I'm worried." Danke didn't dare underestimate this bear kid's destructive ability!

"You reminded me."

"No! I didn't!"

Danke was on the verge of tears. Having run into Fang Zhao when bringing Little Bear out was bad enough. Who knew what his father would say when they got back? Now, Little Bear suddenly saying such a thing scared him sh*tless. God knew what this bear child would do. If Little Bear came up with some bad idea, wouldn't Danke be the one taking the blame?

Little Bear didn't listen to Danke's thoughts. He didn't go to Danke's place and returned to his own work place instead.

At the engineering floor of the Inter-planetary Fund's Experimental Base, staffers were astonished when they saw Little Bear. Normally, this kid couldn't wait to run out and have fun when ever he was free. He never did any overtime! Now, Little Bear was supposed to be on vacation. It was very rare for him to not head out during vacation!

Little Bear didn't care about the gazes of others and walked into his own workshop.

He felt that what Danke said was right. Alone he was too weak. Little Riches also wasn't much use. He required helpers!

If he didn't have any helpers, he would just make them!

The Inter-planetary Fund didn't permit him to construct any high intelligence objects, so Little Bear had always felt that there wasn't any need to build another retarded pet. Little Riches was also considered by the Inter-planetary Fund personnel to be highly intelligent. This made Little Bear somewhat depressed. When had the standards for "intelligence" become so low?

In his opinion, without that bit of "soul", whatever remained behind would be a stupid object with rigid reasoning and no flexibility!

However, even so, what he wanted to build now was something that had a lower intelligence grade than Little Riches.

Taking a few deep sighs and mulling quite a bit, Little Bear ultimately decided to build two Intelligent+ pets.

He had already thought of their names. One would be called Dogdan and the other would be Dogke.When a young animal narrows its social preferences to an object (typically a parent) as a result of exposure to that object

Chapter 418: A New Year, A Change In Fortunes

While Little Bear was constructing his new pets, Danke was being reprimanded by his father.

Inter-planetary Fund Director General Meche Assis's face had turned a shade paler when he heard that Little Bear had met Fang Zhao today and that they had even spoken for a long time.

After hearing Danke recount the conversation between Little Bear and Fang Zhao, Meche Assis knew right away that Fang Zhao had already discovered something wrong with Little Bear.

Disregarding the frightened Danke, Meche Assis returned to his own office and made a call to report this situation to his superior.

The person on the other end of the call was silent for some time before replying, "Got it."

Although his superior never said the matter would be looked into, the Director General could rest a little easier. With how things looked, it wouldn't cause any major problem for the time being. However, a reprimand was still on order.

Thus, Danke spent an hour being reprimanded by his father.

However, who was Danke? He acted meekly and listened to his father's reprimands obediently. But, when he got back, he flipped through those few Huangzhou entertainment reporters' contact numbers and vented his grievances onto each of them.

Those few Huangzhou reporters felt even more wronged from the verbal abuse. They really hadn't received any news. Upon hearing Danke say that they would be put on his blacklist, those few reporters panicked. Danke's father was the Inter-planetary Fund Director General. He was also considered part of the higher class aristocratic young generation in Huangzhou. They had always been able to glean some useful information from him every once in awhile. They had always expended quite some effort to stay in his good books. Otherwise, Danke would have just ignored them. Now, they couldn't accept just being blacklisted like this.

You want to find Fang Zhao's whereabouts? Then wouldn't all that we need to do is find him?!

Knowing there was a limit to their own abilities, a few entertainment reporters even contacted a few collaborative partners from other continents.

Yanzhou.

Wang Tie was browsing through his bank account and wondering what to invest on using his money. He was rather astonished when he received a call from a Huangzhou cooperative partner.

Wang Tie was in rather good spirits after viewing his bank account and answered the call in a rather relaxed manner. "Which big star is your target this time?"

"Fang Zhao," the other end replied.

"No!"

Wang Tie simply didn't wait for the other party to continue speaking and immediately disconnected the call.

Fang Zhao hadn't shown up at Yanzhou's New Year celebration events a short while back and there wasn't any accurate news concerning Fang Zhao online. Many people online had looked into and asked Wang Tie for answers, but Wang Tie had played dead. Besides having suffered at Fang Zhao's hand before, Wang Tie had also obtained information that Fang Zhao was on Whale Island. At that time, he hadn't even dared dig for more information. Why would he put himself in a disadvantageous situation now?

"But…" Wang Tie rubbed his chin. With people from Huangzhou contacting him, could it be that Fang Zhao was coming to Yanzhou?

Wang Tie decided that he wouldn't step outdoors in the next week!

The truth was just as Wang Tie had surmised. Fang Zhao had applied for two days of leave to return back to Yanzhou to handle some matters. He visited Yanzhou's Fiery Bird branch to discuss some stuff and returned to Silver Wing Media for work related matters.

Fang Zhao was still signed to Silver Wing Media under a composer contact. He still had to discuss with the company regarding his HuangArt Advanced Studies and other issues related to his graduation.

This time, Fang Zhao kept a low profile on his return. There were only a few people on Silver Wing's side who knew that Fang Zhao had returned to the company.

After company matters were settled, Fang Zhao went to call upon the few industry insiders he was close to in Yanzhou. When it got dark and night fell, Fang Zhao returned to his Yanzhou Qi'an city residence.

When he saw the outside sign "Ferocious beasts inside, please keep away unless invited!", Fang Zhao was in a complex state of mind.

He kept feeling that the effectiveness of this warning wasn't enough. It seemed like nothing more than a joke.

Curly Hair wouldn't just bite. If he was worked up, he might even swallow a person whole!

However, he only had two days of leave and wouldn't be spending too much time at home. He would be heading to Yanbei City to visit the two Old Fangs tomorrow and returning back to Huangzhou the day after. The sign would be left as it was temporarily. He could change it later. Curly Hair also wouldn't be left here, so it would probably be fine.

Speaking of Curly Hair, Fang Zhao thought about that Little Bear again.

Little Bear had been very afraid of Curly Hair. Why was that so? Was it because he was afraid of dogs, or was he scared of Curly Hair's mysterious powers?

These were things Fang Zhao couldn't figure out for the time being.

After mulling over this for a bit, Fang Zhao contacted the two elders in Yanbei City. He hadn't been able to return during Memorial Day, so he definitely would visit them during this short break.

At the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei.

Great-grandfather Fang twirled walnuts in one hand while holding a chess piece in the other. He was currently playing chess with a few of the other old fogeys in the retirement center.

Great-grandfather's communications device rang. He frowned and squinted at it. Seeing that the call was from his own wife, he grumbled, "Why is she calling me at this time and disrupting my train of thought?"

Although he was complaining, Great-grandfather Fang's speed at answering wasn't slow. He knew that his wife calling him at this time would surely mean it was something important.

"Hello, what is it? I am playing chess… WHAT? Little Zhao called?!"

Great-grandfather was so surprised he nearly fell off the chair. He was grinning with delight.

Some words were said on the other end, and Great-grandfather Fang nodded his head. "Right, right! We should go over. Don't let Little Fang come. He is also tired!"

Upon ending the call, Great-grandfather Fang was no longer in any mood to continue playing. He tossed his chess piece aside. "I'm not playing anymore. My family's Little Zhao returned to Yanzhou today. He said that he wanted to visit us two oldies, but we rejected him. This kid has too many responsibilities and doesn't take enough vacations. He really is too busy running all over the place. We will be heading straight to Qi'an City tomorrow morning. The weather has been nice recently, and walking about more will also be good."

Great-grandfather Fang's spirits had been stirred up, and his face was glowing with vigor upon finding out that Fang Zhao had returned to Yanzhou. How would he still be in the mood to hang around with the old fogeys of the retirement center? Was playing chess or seeing his own great-grandchild more important? Furthermore, it was his favorite great-grandson. He had been hoping for so long. Finally, Fang Zhao had returned!

"That child has such a heavy school workload. He even appeared to have lost weight the last time we had a video call. I have to go over and look after him properly."

Actually, Great-grandfather Fang had already discussed with Great-grandmother Fang when Fang Zhao had been kept in quarantine on Whale Island. The conclusion they had come to was——

This child Fang Zhao's luck wasn't good. In the New Year, they would have to get rid of his ill-fortune!

And in the two elder's opinion, there was only one sacred place to seek blessings, rid ill-fortune and change one's luck — Qi'an City's Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs!

Thus, on the second day, Fang Zhao was helplessly brought by the two elders to Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs to pray for blessings.

Upon arriving at Qi'an City, the two elders didn't go anywhere else. After a simple meal, they dragged Fang Zhao to the cemetery.

Memorial Day had already passed and the place's popularity from 'Founding Era' had waned considerably. However, there were still many people coming to the cemetery to pay their respects in the period just before and after Memorial Day. There were still groups of people coming to pay their respects whenever they were free.

Since it was currently the working hours, the interior of the cemetery didn't have too many people.

To seek blessings, Great-grandfather Fang brought Fang Zhao to the graves area.

"You weren't able to come during the Memorial Day period, so you have to make up for it now!" Great-grandfather Fang pulled Fang Zhao along and said, "Also, your great-grandmother and I reckon that your luck is a little poor. Take a look at yourself! You were still locked up for quarantine during your advanced studies period."

Great-grandfather Fang lowered his voice when entering the core cemetery area. Speaking too loudly here was disrespectful to the martyrs.

The two elders looked solemnly at each and every grave and bowed.

After bowing, Great-grandfather Fang dragged Fang Zhao over to "Martyr Fang Zhao's" grave.

"Quick quick quick! Come over and pay your respects. You have to be sincere!"

Fang Zhao: "…."

Sighing in his heart, Fang Zhao put on a solemn expression and bowed before his own grave.

"Bow a few more times! The more the better!" Great-grandfather Fang urged softly.

"I don't think there is such a need?" Fang Zhao replied.

"What do you know?! An old friend of mine from Muzhou told me that a Muzhou Su family child once kowtowed so many times that his forehead turned red before this great person. After that, his fortunes changed when he returned!"

Great-grandfather had originally wanted to make Fang Zhao kowtow like that child from Muzhou. But, he loved Fang Zhao dearly. Seeing that Fang Zhao was unwilling, Great-grandfather Fang didn't force him.

"You must be sincere about it deep down!" Great-grandfather Fang said. "This way, this great person can bless and watch over you!"

Fang Zhao: "…."

The two elders stood there watching him closely, so Fang Zhao still bowed many more times until Great-grandfather Fang was satisfied.

After Fang Zhao moved aside, Great-grandfather Fang carefully approached "Martyr Fang Zhao's" grave as though he wanted to have a private word. He whispered to the grave, "Old master, this is Little Fang. I have come again! Beside me is my family's Little Zhao. I have told you about him before. He is a worshipper of yours. He portrayed you very well in 'Founding Era'! There is a whole lot of praise online, and he even won an award! Great master, you must definitely watch over and bless my family's Little Zhao! Ah… This child, he loves music and is gifted at composing. It can even treat illnesses. Of course, while in his pursuit of art, he hasn't forgotten to contribute to society. He is also very hardworking too. Many people say that I am biased, but how can I not be when my Great-grandson is like this?! Anyone in my position would be biased! If you are here, great sir, you would surely have the same thoughts as me, right?"

Fang Zhao, standing just beside: "…"

After Great-grandfather Fang finally finished all that he wanted to say, the three of them exited the core cemetery area. Great-grandfather Fang even explained to Fang Zhao, "I know that there aren't any ghosts in this world. When people die, it is just that. However, Little Zhao, you have to remember that what is buried here is faith and belief. These are mystical things. So mystical that it can change your fate in an instant."

As Great-grandfather Fang pulled Fang Zhao along and left the cemetery, he told Fang Zhao some stories about the two elders' time in military service. They hadn't experienced the cruelty of the Period of Destruction, but they had many thrilling and frightening stories from their era.

Great-grandfather Fang took a look back in the direction of the graves when they got out of the cemetery and muttered, "So many people come to pay their respects every day. I wonder if that great old master heard my words."

Fang Zhao: "…" Sigh.

Chapter 419: Ferocious Beasts Inside

After returning from the cemetery, both great-grandparents took a short rest before going to visit old friends. They had quite a number of old friends in Qi'an City. A gathering was in order since they had come all this way.

Great-grandfather Fang had wanted to spend more time with Fang Zhao but didn't want to impose and bother his great-grandson. He knew that if the two of them stayed here, Fang Zhao would surely spare no effort to look after them. Besides, Fang Zhao would be leaving Yanzhou and heading to Huangzhou tomorrow morning, so he needed ample rest. Great-grandfather Fang would let Fang Zhao spend some time in Yanbei's retirement facility after he graduated from his advanced studies instead.

Great-grandfather Fang was satisfied after taking a few more photographs. He took quite a few more this time around so he could flaunt them within his circle of friends.

Fang Zhao got Yan Biao to drive the two elders around.

During his quarantine period on Whale Island, Fang Zhao had given Zuo Yu and Yan Biao some time off. Both of them had spent Memorial Day back with their families, so they didn't need additional leave upon returning to Yanzhou.

Zuo Yu was sorting out things.

"Boss, should these gaming helmets be placed in the cabinet or…" Zuo Yu looked towards Fang Zhao with a slightly awkward expression.

There were three new gaming helmets. The first had been given by Fiery Bird when he had been at Fiery Bird's Yanzhou Branch the previous day. It was considered a late New Year's gift. It was a limited edition, so it had some collector's value.

The second was a present given to Fang Zhao by everyone in Silver Wing Media's professional gaming team. This was a prize they had won for a challenge match last year. There were only two of these helmets worldwide. The only one in Yanzhou belonged to Fang Zhao. On it were the autographs of everyone in the team sending their regards.

The third gaming helmet was a gift that many of Fang Zhao's gaming fans had chipped in to buy. It had been sent directly to Silver Wing, and Fang Zhao had received it when he had gone to the company. Accompanying the helmet was a handwritten letter which contained the fans' hope of seeing Fang Zhao return to competitive gaming. It was signed by over a hundred fans. This was only the paper copy. In the email version, the number of signatures had hit more than 10,000 and was still increasing.

Curly Hair had been fixated on this third gaming helmet ever since Fang Zhao had brought it home. Now, Curly Hair wanted to bite this helmet and hide it in his own little storage space. This put Zuo Yu in a difficult spot. Curly Hair's storage space really wasn't big, and it wasn't convenient to store things there. Furthermore, it wouldn't be good if this sort of commemorative edition gaming helmet was scratched or damaged. Thus, Zuo Yu hadn't let Curly Hair bite and drag it away, so Curly Hair was now staring at Zuo Yu and baring his fangs.

Fang Zhao saw the situation and said, "Place it in the cabinet." At the same time, he flashed Curly Hair a warning glance.

Curly Hair whimpered.

"That's right. This sort of precious gift should be placed in the cabinet where it can be displayed and be safely guarded against theft. If any item on the display cabinet is removed, it will show on your personal terminal." Zuo Yu pointed at its electronic screen. The screen displayed the number of items in the cabinet as well as the temperature and humidity levels.

After carefully placing the gaming helmet in the display cabinet, Zuo Yu turned his head and realized that Curly Hair was lying at the side with his head raised, staring at the display cabinet.

Why did it seem like… this dog's eyes were glowing even brighter when staring at this gaming helmet than when looking at a bone?

Could his belly be filled just by staring this way?

Zuo Yu scratched his head. He just couldn't understand it. Perhaps that dog had a hobby for collecting stuff?

Little did Zuo Yu know that in Curly Hair's heart, those three gaming helmets belonged to Curly Hair himself. Fang Zhao rarely touched games when he was home. Besides, Fang Zhao's greatest love was still music, and he didn't really like games. In this case, these things would naturally belong to Curly Hair.

Curly Hair only stopped staring at the display cabinet after Zuo Yu left. He wagged his tail as he started to game!

There was still a spare for the gaming helmet that had been brought to HuangArt. Curly Hair spent the whole night playing a new game that Fang Zhao had let him play.

In the morning, Curly Hair was pulled back into reality by a tug on his ears from Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao wasn't going to let him play without rest.

There were still lessons and assignments at HuangArt so Fang Zhao left Yanzhou for Huangzhou after breakfast. Before leaving, Fang Zhao filled up the feeding machine for the aquarium before knocking on the glass wall. "Watch the house properly."

In the aquarium, the "ears" of the soft and flabby "rabbit" were moving in sync with the weak current of the water.

On the same night after Fang Zhao had left, two figures appeared outside Fang Zhao's door.

One of them with fiddling with some sort of apparatus and made a hand gesture.

Beep!

The door was unlocked.

However, the two of them didn't enter immediately and instead looked at the signboard hung above the door——

"Ferocious beasts inside, please keep away unless invited?"

The two exchanged glances and snickered silently before entering quickly.

After confirming that the interior surveillance and alarm systems were disabled, the two unloaded their equipment.

"Easy peasy," the skinnier and more agile of the two said with slight disdain.

"An old building at the top floor. It's not very noticeable," the shorter and stubbier man said as he surveyed the surroundings carefully.

Fang Zhao had purchased this apartment from Xue Jing some time back. Perhaps back then when he had just bought the place, this building's installations could still be considered top-notch. But as the years went by, this place also became an older building. Its hardware installations were already starting to be outdated and had many loopholes that weren't difficult for "professionals" to exploit.

"So Fang Zhao stays here? It doesn't feel like it matches his status." The other person had taken out a miniature camera and was starting to take photos of the interior.

Some of the older buildings in the area had already undergone reconstruction. They had been remodeled to be taller and more beautiful. The building that Fang Zhao stayed in really paled in comparison. It would have been more understandable if a second or third grade celebrity was staying here. However, this place seemed a little unsuitable given the popularity and attention Fang Zhao received.

"It's also good that he stays here. Otherwise, our assignment would be much more difficult."

"Alright, let's start. You take the photographs and I will do the searching."

"What's there to worry about? Fang Zhao has already gone to Huangzhou. There won't be anyone to bother us. Nobody would know even if we spend a night here."

One of them was a professional thief, while the other was an unsavory entertainment reporter. Both of them had some reputation within their own circles as infamy was also a form of fame. The two had collaborated many times and had taken up an assignment from an employer. All they had to do was search Fang Zhao's residence in the night and dig out some of Fang Zhao's secrets. It would be even better if they could find news that could shock the entire world.

"We still have to be cautious. Who knows what other mechanisms might be in place inside."

"Are you talking about the 'ferocious beasts'?" The skinny fellow chortled.

The other person couldn't help but burst out in laughter when he remembered the warning sign above the door. "This Fang Zhao is really humorous."

"Though, that dog really bites people and has great service ability. Aren't Muzhou people extremely proud when talking about dogs? Even if they weren't willing to talk about dogs, they'd still have to admit that that dog is expensive. Fang Zhao really cherishes that dog and brings it everywhere he goes."

"You don't say! I would bring it everywhere I went if I were the owner too! Mind you, it is worth two hundred million!"

After the jokes, the two of them made use of the lighting from an illumination device to roughly scan the ornaments and decorations.

"Isn't Fang Zhao supposed to be very rich? This place feels just so-so."

The place was neither luxurious nor pompous. It even seemed a little simple. The two of them had visited many luxurious residences, and Fang Zhao's furnishings appeared quite poor for a person of his level.

"These sorts of people are the scary ones. You can't tell exactly what sort of person they are and you can't see their preferences."

"Fang Zhao is just a talented celebrity… Should he be called an artist now? Why would such a young artist be targeted?" The ones who had employed them weren't the savory sort. What had Fang Zhao, who dabbled in the artistic circles, done to capture their attention?

Had he gotten in the way of someone?

Whatever. All they cared about was getting the payment for completing this assignment.

Fang Zhao had already brought the dog away, so they didn't have to worry about running into it.

"It wasn't obvious with a quick glance, but when you look carefully, this place has quite a bunch of valuable items!"

The professional thief's eyes were glowing as they swept over an autographed special edition guitar, globally limited edition gaming helmets, an aquarium and others. All of these… would be coming with him later!

"Is this that hybrid sea slug that is valued at eighty million?"

"Currently, it's the entire earth's most expensive pet sea slug. Half of its genes are extraterrestrial. It is said that it lights up if you knock on the glass." The other man that had been taking photos now came to the aquarium and tapped on the glass with his finger.

No response.

"Not lighting up?"

"Could it be that I'm doing it wrongly? I remember Fang Zhao knocking on the glass this way once in a live broadcast."

"Perhaps it was all just hype to make the value of this sea slug rise."

After he knocked on the glass a few more times, the sea slug in the aquarium still didn't light up.

The skinny guy was unresigned, so he unlocked the lid of the aquarium and used an apparatus to poke it. There was still no response.

"It was hype without a doubt. It's so dull and lifeless. Definitely not worth eighty million."

As they knew that Fang Zhao wouldn't be coming back and no one came here most of the time, the two weren't in a hurry. They chatted leisurely.

"This reminds me of that movie that came out recently. The science fiction movie about a sea slug."

"Oh, are you talking about the one that was hotly discussed online? The one where the sea slug would open up the lid of its aquarium and climb out when his owner was away?"

"Yes yes yes, it's rather meaningful. After watching that movie, every time I see sea slugs inside sealed aquariums, I can't help but wonder whether sea slugs can really open their lids and climb out."

"Tsk, now I know you have never kept a sea slug before. You even believe that? Science fiction is always based on fantasy. Those are all things that can never happen. But this is really big. I have never seen a choppy-haired variety this big."

"If cooked, it would be enough for a whole meal."

The atmosphere suddenly became silent.

The two met each other's gazes in that silence.

"Would it be too much of a waste to eat it? Perhaps we should just fish it up before we leave. It can be sold for quite a bit."

"It's too conspicuous. Researchers can't make use of it, and not many people who own pets would dare buy it. There is only one such sea slug in the entire world. How about… we just cook it? I saw a pot and all sorts of condiments in the kitchen earlier." The entertainment reporter licked his lips. He loved eating sea slugs, and the one before him was a variety he had never tasted before.

"Having an eighty million hot pot in the home of a mega star?" The skinny fellow's eyes lit up.

Exciting!

"Let's leave Fang Zhao some leftover broth. I wonder how Fang Zhao will react when he returns. I guess he'll explode?"

Hehehe.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became!

Chapter 420: He. Finally. Talked!

"I'm probably the first entertainment reporter to break into Fang Zhao's residence, right?" The reporter taking photos was slightly pleased.

"Yes, even Wang Tie has never come in before. Speaking of that, it seems like Wang Tie isn't interested in news about Fang Zhao. He has made so many explosive allegations but has very little information concerning Fang Zhao. And he claims himself to be Yanzhou's king of paparazzi," the skinny guy said as he waved the apparatus in his hand.

"Wang Tie? Who the hell is that?" The entertainment reporter snickered in contempt. "Ever since he was caught and sent to prison, Wang Tie is no longer the person he was in the past. Everything he does now is constrained. What a piece of trash!"

The unsavory entertainment reporter had gone through the drawers in Fang Zhao's study and didn't find anything useful. Even the score sheets there were from some time back. However, he still took photographs of them since they were handwritten by Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao always destroyed his personally coded score sheets after converting them to normal music notes. Important works were kept by his side or stored somewhere safe. They wouldn't be left in a place like this.

Therefore, this unsavory entertainment reporter didn't discover any information that was especially useful. However, he still took photographs of every nook and cranny of the room. This was also the requirement of his employer. Perhaps his employer could dig out some tiny details from the photographs or videos?

Meanwhile, the skinny professional thief had gone through the apartment once and returned his focus to the display cabinet. He skillfully disabled the alarm and cut the link between the display cabinet and the owner's personal terminal. He then connected a fake information source so Fang Zhao wouldn't discover anything amiss even if he were to use his personal terminal to check on the display cabinet.

He only opened a small gap in the display cabinet after completing all of this. He was about to take out the limited edition gaming helmet inside when he was stopped by his partner.

"Are you sure there are no problems? The display cabinet is only linked to one person's personal terminal?" The entertainment reporter asked.

He was a veteran entertainment reporter and was always on guard. He felt something was amiss because he hadn't discovered any important information in the room.

Although the skinny fellow didn't feel a need to, he still did another check since his partner was worried and they weren't in any rush.

"There's no problems. It is only linked to Fang Zhao's personal terminal. I've already got it covered."

"That's good then."

After confirming that it was safe, the skinny guy extracted the gaming helmet from the display cabinet.

"This is a commemorative gaming helmet revealed by Fiery Bird at last year's customer gratitude ceremony. Designed by a globally renowned master, it has top grade specs and configurations. Only the most important customers and endorsers have one. Many people only have quoted prices to purchase it. The top ten quoted prices have already surpassed seven figures. This can be resold after some refurbishing."

At the same time, in the HuangArt dormitory.

Due to the time difference, night had yet to fall in Huangzhou. Fang Zhao still hadn't returned from class and Curly Hair was slumbering soundly. Curly Hair could sleep very well after playing so many games in Yanzhou.

Fang Zhao had been worried that Curly Hair might eat up the "rabbit" if he got excited, so Fang Zhou had left the "rabbit" back at his home in Yanzhou.

Just that, Curly Hair, who had been fast asleep, seemed to be startled by something and came bounding out of his kennel. All drowsiness had completely evaporated and his entire body was tensed up. Low muffled growls sounded from his throat as he paced around restlessly in the dormitory.

Meanwhile, in Fang Zhao's Qi'an City apartment, the skinny fellow carefully packed the first helmet away before extracting the second gaming helmet from the display cabinet.

Back in the dormitory, all of Curly Hair's fur was standing. With an ominous glint in his eyes, he bared his teeth and growled urgently. He wanted to tear at the floorboard or something else with his teeth, but Fang Zhao had ordered him not to before. Curly Hair could only forcefully refrain from doing so. His attacking stance, shaking body and bared teeth displayed his extreme rage.

*Click*

The dormitory door was opened. Fang Zhao had returned from his lessons.

Upon seeing Fang Zhao, Curly Hair rushed over to Fang Zhao and howled nonstop.

Fang Zhao closed the door and looked at Curly Hair, puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Woof Woof Woof Aoo Aoo!"

Curly Hair, who was in a state of distress, bounced around and wailed before Fang Zhao as though he was eagerly trying to inform Fang Zhao of something. However, Fang Zhao couldn't immediately understand what Curly Hair was trying to say. Curly Hair's fury definitely wasn't targeted at him, but what exactly had happened for Curly Hair to react this way?

"Don't panic, slow down. What are you trying to say?" The more flustered Curly Hair was, the more difficult it would be for Curly Hair to express himself. Fang Zhao could only calm him down so that Curly Hair could properly express himself.

At this very moment, in the apartment in Yanzhou, the skinny guy had already taken out the third gaming helmet.

Curly Hair, who had just been slightly placated by Fang Zhao, once again bounced up anxiously.

"Aoo Woo Woof Whine Whine!!"

If Curly Hair was a person, this would be the equivalent of him starting to speak incoherently.

This was the first time Fang Zhao had seen Curly hair this way. Surely something big had happened.

But because of the language, Curly Hair's ability to express himself was limited no matter how smart he was. Furthermore, he was currently flustered and had lost his cool. Fang Zhao really didn't know what that "Aoo Woo Woof Whine Whine" meant.

There was no time to waste. Fang Zhao decided to bring out the gaming helmet. Curly Hair could play games, and under Fang Zhao's training, Curly Hair had learned some common words used in gaming. He could recognize part of the alphabet. He would still have some difficulty writing full sentences in the dialog box, but he could probably convey the crucial points.

If Fang Zhao could recognize some keywords, then it would be easier for him to discern what Curly Hair was trying to say.

However, Curly Hair was already at an emotional stage. When Curly Hair saw that Fang Zhao about to move away, Curly Hair thought that Fang Zhao thought nothing of it and nearly burst into tears.

Fang Zhao wondered what was going on. Just as Fang Zhao walked over to Curly Hair's gaming cupboard, an urgent shout rang out in the dormitory.

"Fang Zhao!"

The intense voice sounded like a mix of a high frequency machinery sounds and the crackling of electricity. It sounded extremely strange.

However, how it sounded was no longer what Fang Zhao focused on.

Fang Zhao turned around with a look of shock.

The dog that he had kept for so long…

Finally. Talked!

Although Fang Zhao had made some mental preparations ever since he had discovered Curly Hair subconsciously humming to the background music of games, he still had never imagined that this day would come so quickly.

Curly Hair stared straight at Fang Zhao. His normally limpid and innocent eyes were twinkling as though it contained a hidden and boundless galaxy within.

Inside the dormitory, even the air seemed to have frozen.

However, very quickly, this strange atmosphere was broken as a somewhat anxious and grieving howl sounded out.

"My game console has been stolen!!"

——

Yanzhou, Fang Zhao's Qi'an City residence.

The skinny guy packed away all the things from the display cabinet that he felt would be good to sell.

"Is this really Fang Zhao's residence? There are really too few things here. Does he have another residence? This could be just a place where he has stopovers. People like him wouldn't only have one place under their name. Perhaps his more confidential stuff is hidden somewhere else."

"That might be possible."

"I'm almost done searching. Have you finished taking photos on your side? After you are done, let us have the sea slug hot pot. I'm starting to feel hungry. But, I heard that thing has poison. We wouldn't be killed by the toxins, would we?" The skinny guy spoke.

"Relax, it will be fine as long as we handle it carefully." The one who loved to eat sea slugs was already very proficient with the butchering and cleaning technique. "Sea slugs have high nutritional value. This one that is worth eighty million is definitely top grade! We mustn't miss this opportunity. Since its other aspects are all merely hype, its price might be due to its nutritional or medicinal value. It will be totally worth it to consume it! Totally worth it!"

Noticing his comrade still worried, the shorter man continued, "How about, we fish it out, kill it and bring it back. Find an animal to try a bit. If it's fine, then we'll consume it."

"Sounds good. Later, you kill it, and I will find some ice. Let's bring it back to eat. It might die on the way if we bring it back alive. It could affect the taste.

The two decided to continue their plundering when suddenly, there was a light thud. It sounded like a lid hitting the ground.

The two stopped moving at once and held their breaths.

The soundproofing inside the dormitory was very good. All outside noise was blocked. Even the drop of a pin could be heard.

There was the sound of dripping water in the living room, but it faded very quickly.

The skinny guy unsheathed his dagger and looked around with an icy gaze. The entertainment reporter also drew a gun. He had gotten this gun through some illegal means

The two made their way to the living room quietly and glanced around, not noticing anyone. The furnishings of the living room were very simple. There weren't many places that could hide a human.

After surveying the living room once, the entertainment reporter's eyes widened as he looked towards the water tank.

"Where is the sea slug?!"

As the two of them looked towards the water tank, a large ball of fury appeared on a plant at the side.

Acute pain shot through their nerves.

"Arghh!"

Two sharp shrieks of pain rang out simultaneously.

There were miserable shrieks, groaning, and then a soundless stupor. In seconds, the two were already on the ground.

The room fell back into silence once again.

Meanwhile the large ball of fury that had appeared shrunk at a speed visible to the naked eye until it returned to its original size.

The sea slug that had been inside the water tank had done a "jail break" once again. When it had sensed danger, its normally soft body that could be held with bare hands swelled to a large size with spiky hairs pointing outwards.

In order to avoid leaving any traces, the two intruders were wearing gloves, masks, long sleeve shirts, pants, and even bullet proof vests inside.

Although the bullet proof vests protected some areas, the other parts covered by gloves, masks, and clothing could be easily pierced. The intruders' hands, arms and face had all been stung.

Everything had happened in a flash and the two were caught off guard.

Blurry vision, intense pain and numbness set in as the toxin spread rapidly. The dagger and guns held by those two fell to the ground as they lost control of their limbs. After a few flops on the ground, the intruders lost consciousness.

After a while, the "rabbit" hidden in the ornamental plant slid down and climbed up onto the body of one of the intruders. It extended its two probing ear-like feelers before clambering onto the other intruder and doing the same. Uninterested by these two bodies, it then left to gnaw on the bonsai in the living room. During the period where Fang Zhao had brought it to Huangzhou, the leaves of the bonsai plant had grown luxuriantly once again. Two pots were even flowering.

As for the two unconscious intruders, they had been stung once more when the "rabbit" had gone to investigate them.

Chapter 421: Paramour In A Golden Mansion

HuangArt Advanced Studies Student Dormitory.

Nanfeng, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were all at Fang Zhao's dormitory.

Fang Zhao had already told them about the thieves' visit to his Yanzhou house and had contacted Silver Wing. Silver Wing knew how to handle this since they were experienced in these matters. And, with Fang Zhao's status, the company didn't dare be negligent. Fang Zhao believed that he would get a reply shortly.

It would also take quite a while for Fang Zhao to go home. Fortunately, there hadn't been any classified documents or shameful things left there, so he didn't need to worry about the outcome.

Silver Wing's personnel had asked Fang Zhao whether he would like the matter to be handled in secret or openly. "In secret" meant that Silver Wing would privately investigate while "openly" meant contacting the police.

Fang Zhao chose "openly".

Of course, regardless of whichever choice was taken, it would still be conducted in a discreet manner as Fang Zhao was a public figure.

Currently, Nanfeng couldn't sit still, and his face was pale. Luckily, Fang Zhao didn't have any incriminating stuff left in the house so there was no need to worry about secret news being leaked but… eighty million!

There was a sea slug valued at eighty million inside the apartment!

The most expensive item in the entire house!

Would an experienced thief miss it?!

Even those limited edition gaming helmets added up couldn't match up to the sea slug's value! Perhaps the thief had broken in specifically to steal the sea slug!

Nanfeng sorely regretted his decision. Indeed, this expensive item should have been brought along all the time! Previously, when Fang Zhao had brought it to the dormitory, he had only paid attention to it at the start before his focus had turned to Curly Hair. After all, Curly Hair was worth two hundred million, and with his military merits, Curly Hair's hidden value was even greater. But, this didn't mean that he didn't have to cherish the eighty million!

Nanfeng was already preparing himself for the eventuality of the sea slug being stolen. He consoled himself by thinking, Luckily Curly Hair is always by Fang Zhao's side.

Turning his head, Nanfeng saw Curly Hair lying listlessly at Fang Zhao's side. Nanfeng took a closer look and was startled.

"Boss, why is Curly Hair crying?!"

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu also looked over. They hadn't noticed it previously, but after hearing what Nanfeng had said, they now noticed that Curly Hair's face had obvious tear stains as though he had been crying.

"Dogs cry too?" Yan Biao was curious.

Despite having been Fang Zhao's bodyguard for so long, he had never seen Curly Hair cry before. He had never kept a dog before and didn't really pay much attention to pets. He really didn't know that dogs could cry.

"Of course dogs cry. An old comrade of mine had a dog that liked to cry. It would cry whenever it got scolded."

Crying whenever it got scolded?

Nanfeng and the other two glanced at the expressionless Fang Zhao who had remained silent up till now before looking at the listless Curly Hair…

Was this because of a scolding from Fang Zhao?

Sensing the gaze of those three, Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair and said, "He got upset and cried when he heard that his home was broken into."

"Oh, so that was the case."

"Understood, understood."

"I nearly shed tears when I learnt about it too."

The trio nodded their heads simultaneously, but deep down they didn't think this way. What did Curly Hair know? He was surely scolded by boss! They reckoned that Fang Zhao had given Curly Hair a fierce scolding before they arrived here. Or, perhaps, Fang Zhao had vented his anger from learning that his place was broken into on Curly Hair?

Fang Zhao wasn't in any mood to care about what the trio were thinking. Even the matter of the break-in at his house was secondary. Right now, what was being considered most in his mind was still Curly Hair.

This dog spoke!

Then, Fang Zhao discovered that this dog seemed like he didn't realize that he had opened his mouth and spoken.

Just like the previous time when he had subconsciously hummed along to the game background music, Curly Hair wasn't aware that he had spoken human language. Perhaps his attention was focused on his three gaming consoles that were stolen… No, those are my gaming consoles. When did they become his?

Fang Zhao frowned and sized up Curly Hair on the ground beside him. Before calling the trio over, Fang Zhao had told Curly Hair that he was forbidden from making a sound. It would be a problem if others heard him speaking human language.

Curly Hair really hadn't made a single sound, but from what he saw, if the gaming helmets were really stolen, he would really cry once more.

It was reasonable to say that those with the ability to bypass and deactivate the security and surveillance systems would very likely be able to steal everything and retreat before the police arrived.

On the trip to Whale Island, Curly Hair hadn't learnt much, but he had learnt to cry.

Fang Zhao had also asked Curly Hair how he knew that there was a break-in at home.

Curly Hair wasn't able to explain. To be precise, he couldn't say it clearly. The pronunciation had been very weird, like a kid who hadn't learned how to speak yet. The only two sentences that had been somewhat clear were "Fang Zhao" and "My game console has been stolen". Those had been blurted out anxiously.

After that, through the dormitory's gaming helmet and pop-up screen, Curly Hair had typed a few key words in the dialog box so Fang Zhao could roughly guess what he meant.

How did Curly Hair know there was someone stealing the gaming helmets?

Because he had bound himself to the display cabinet where the gaming helmet was stored!

Using his own method! And it couldn't be easily discovered!

As for how he had established such a connection, and how he knew this method…

For Curly Hair, he had just suddenly discovered how to do it! Using it was just as easy as eating and drinking. It was just like the innate ability of a baby to drink milk! However, it was still somewhat different because it wasn't innate for Curly Hair. He hadn't even aware of it until the day he had stared at the display cabinet. As he stared and stared, he had developed a feeling that it had been bound to him.

In short, Curly Hair couldn't explain it.

While Fang Zhao was mulling over the issue with Curly Hair, the reply from Yanzhou finally came.

Silver Wing had established a small temporary team to handle this matter immediately after receiving Fang Zhao's call. The one who contacted Fang Zhao was the leader of this small team. He had also been the one to inform the police.

"Nothing should have been stolen. The two intruders were also apprehended, but the situation is a little problematic." The team leader watched as two stretchers were loaded into an emergency flying transport. "When we arrived, the two were lying on the ground with their entire bodies considerably swollen…"

"Their identities have already been confirmed. Those two are on the police's A-grade wanted list. They are suspected to be poisoned and are in critical condition. Emergency treatment had to be administered immediately. Any longer and we would have to contact forensics…"

"There is no way of keeping this matter under wraps anymore. It's best if you come over tomorrow. You might be required to cooperate with the investigation."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhao revealed a strange facial expression. "Alright, I got it."

The team leader paused before lowering his voice. "… Do you hide any dangerous drugs in your home?"

"No," Fang Zhao replied.

The other party asked another question before ending the call.

After hanging up, Nanfeng asked anxiously, "How is it? Was the sea slug stolen?"

"No, it was in its tank when the police arrived."

Nanfeng heaved a sigh of relief and then asked without any hope, "Were the thieves caught?"

"They were apprehended and are being rescued," Fang Zhao replied.

The trio: "???" Rescue?

Curly Hair was whimpering at the side. Fang Zhao cast a glance at him and said, "The gaming helmets and other valuable items weren't taken. Nothing was stolen."

Fang Zhao got Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to head over to Qi'an City first. He would return after the end of tomorrow's classes.

Currently in Yanzhou's Qi'an City.

The leader of the Silver Wing team handling Fang Zhao's matter had tightly furrowed brows. He was busy contacting the hospital, trying his best to find out exactly what toxins those two suffered from and how they had become poisoned. At the same time, he was also trying to guess exactly what Fang Zhao kept hidden in his home.

He reckoned that Fang Zhao surely was hiding something. Perhaps he even had some prohibited items that he wasn't willing to reveal. Since Fang Zhao had chosen to handle this openly, it probably didn't involve sex, gambling or drugs. However, Fang Zhao had black street history. The in-charge was worried that Fang Zhao perhaps was trafficking other prohibited medications. These sorts of highly toxic drugs weren't easy to deal with.

"Sigh, how troublesome."

The matter had been expected to be wrapped up quickly and quietly, yet it had now turned out this way. Silver Wing simply had no way of keeping this matter under wraps in the short term, and the identities of those two intruders meant that this matter wouldn't be set aside lightly.

In the same building a few floors lower, a certain Internet personality had started his live stream. Against the backdrop of the night sky, he was artistically dramatizing and entertaining his viewers. He was totally absorbed in it when an emergency flying transport zipped past rapidly with its flickering and noisy siren.

The Internet personality stopped his exposition and aimed his camera upwards. "Seems like the penthouse apartment has some issue. I wonder what happened… Eh? There are police too? It isn't some malicious case, is it? How scary."

As he was speaking, he received a push notification from a media outlet he followed. He opened the notification, which was a news item with a photograph of the top floor penthouse apartment. It had been taken by an entertainment reporter from another building, so the angle was different. But a few uniformed policemen and the emergency flying transport that was landing could be made out in the photograph.

When he continued to scroll down the article and saw the apartment owner, the Internet personality was shocked.

His first reaction: What the f*ck! Fang Zhao lives above me?!

His second reaction: Something big happened!

There were police and an emergency flying transport. How could it be a small matter?!

If it involved anyone else, everyone would just treat it as tonight's news, and it would pass after seeing and discussing it. But the one involved now was a celebrity! A celebrity famous in all twelve continents of the world! He had even appeared on the news quite recently.

Live stream viewers also started stirring up the news immediately when they heard what was being said. There weren't just viewers from Yanzhou but other continents as well.

"Something happened in Fang Zhao's house?"

"It's been verified. Two Yanzhou journalists have already posted this news on social media platforms!"

The eyes of that Internet personality widened as he saw the number of online viewers increasing exponentially. He excitedly browsed a few more web pages and platforms. "For the time being, three entertainment reporters have claimed that the one staying in the top floor penthouse is Fang Zhao. It shouldn't be wrong then, but we still don't know exactly what happened in Fang Zhao's house. It is probably serious… Now, Qi'an City entertainment reporters are simply like flies that have caught the scent of shi… Cough, bears that have smelled honey and started digging for the truth! I will continue paying attention to this… I wonder if I can head up for a look…"

"110 (Police Hotline) + 120 (Emergency Hotline) = Serious incident"

"110+120+Celebrity? Furthermore, it's one of Yanzhou's most resplendent stars in the past two years?"

Netizens couldn't be serious about it. Besides Fang Zhao fans, the majority of others that focused on this were doing so purely to join in the excitement.

How curious!

That was the Fang Zhao who had been hotly discussed some time back! A genius artist in the eyes of many! Fiery Bird's handpicked endorser for their new products! A young role model who was showered by praises from various continents' authoritative publications and official military media outlets!

Negative news has finally emerged?!

Five minutes later, someone in Huangzhou verified that Fang Zhao was in HuangArt. Two hours later, HuangArt students saw Fang Zhao in class. He could not have been in Yanzhou.

Then, who exactly was currently living in Fang Zhao's apartment?

A relative? Friend? Or…

Nanfeng's face turned dark as he explored all the various imaginative guesses.

"Boss, do you want to go online and release an explanation?"

Nanfeng showed the recent push notifications from entertainment news sources to Fang Zhao. There were already four bold headlines from media outlets that had been sent out in succession concerning Fang Zhao——

[Hidden Romance exposed? Secret Lady Appears In Fang Zhao's Grand Residence!]

[Startling! Popular Star Fools All By Keeping A Paramour In A Golden Mansion?]

[Sudden Raid On Fang Zhao's Grand Mansion By Yanzhou Police. Many Arrested]

[Fang Zhao's Image Crumbling?! Insider Leaks: It Has Been At Least Three Months Already]

Fang Zhao: "? ? ?"

Chapter 422: Stupid News

Once the first photograph appeared, many entertainment tabloids released their own takes within an hour. Their formats were all the same: that first photograph followed by completely fabricated contents.

What about the truth?

The truth was important, but site traffic was even more important!

At this time, what they were fighting for was site traffic.

Whoever could grab more site traffic first would earn more money!

Were rumors in the entertainment industry called rumor mongering?

It was called hyping!

What would happen if there weren't any topics to report when the truth came out? It was better to earn a bunch first before anything else.

These entertainment reporters also weren't just blindly fabricating. They even gave various analysis and explanations to make it sound as though it were the truth.

Fang Zhao's graduation was nearing, and he had been busy with preparing his graduation concert. Together with the Whale Island Conference, he had indeed disappeared for quite a period of time. The netizens' line of thought were swayed as they read the analysis of these entertainment reporters.

When they thought about Fang Zhao's previous disappearance, these reasonings seemed to make sense.

There were photographs and the actual fact that Fang Zhao had recently returned to Qi'an City for today before leaving hurriedly. Perhaps, just as this entertainment reporter guessed, Fang Zhao had come over to meet his lover?

Or, perhaps it was some unspeakable matter that yet another entertainment reporter said? After all, even the police were mobilized.

Entertainment reporters fabricated stories vigorously, and netizens online became very excited just reading all the news. Some media outlets who hadn't gotten in on the first round of hype coveted the site traffic that others were getting and also joined the party soon after.

Those trying to muddy his name also wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by. Silver Wing couldn't be allowed to just cover up this incident.

Of course, there were also some who felt disdain towards this sort of news. Wang Tie was one such example. He wouldn't fabricate random lies and falsehoods. He only released definitive evidence.

Their professional principles were different from his. Ordinarily, they would go about earning their own money and not cross paths. On the surface, they would still appear harmonious despite what they thought deep down.

Right now, Wang Tie turned his nose up and scoffed at all these so-called "truths" all over the Internet.

"If Fang Zhao really wanted to hide something, do you think that trash like you would be able to discover it?"

Although Wang Tie didn't dabble in Fang Zhao's matters, he was also rather curious towards this incident and felt an unbearable itch. He wasn't the sort that would stand at the side and glare at others so he used a few dummy accounts to comment.

"It is obvious that Fang Zhao notified the police voluntarily. Perhaps someone suffered at Fang Zhao's hands. It's just that we do not know who are the unlucky ones."

Wang Tie was happy to view it as a joke and aired his views as long as he wasn't the one suffering from that misfortune.

In Leizhou, Zaro was just about to take a nap. Over the past few days, he had been dragged by his dad into training. He was really tired and wanted to rest whenever he had any free time. Unfortunately, he had just shut his eyes when Woo Tianhao rang him up.

"Have you seen the news that just came out online? Someone's public persona is going to come crashing down!" Woo Tianhao giggled deviously.

Zaro yawned. "Not a big deal. This happens everyday in the news. I'm sick of hearing about them already."

"Fang Zhao has gotten into trouble!" Woo Tianhao was clearly excited.

All traces of Zaro's sleepiness vanished. "Who?!"

Some of the Renault family's core members had attended the Whale Island Conference. Zaro's father was among them. Thus, they knew a little about the matter of Fang Zhao rendering meritorious services during the conference period. They looked at Fang Zhao, and then thought about their very own Zaro…

Thus, after the Whale Island Conference concluded, Zaro was forced into training by his father. During this period, what he heard the most was, "Look at Fang Zhao!"

Zaro was delighted upon hearing that Fang Zhao had a scandal now!

After searching the Internet and seeing all sorts of stuff, Zaro got so excited that his spittle went flying everywhere.

"Seeing how secretive he is being means that he surely has a guilty conscience! Based on my experience of over two decades in the entertainment industry, it's almost certain that he has a secret lover in his mansion! How awesome! Fang Zhao actually did something that even I wouldn't dare do!"

Renault family elders had told Zaro to go about his love life and friendships openly instead of hiding them. It couldn't be helped. The Renault family elders were also worried. It wasn't that they were strict, but that they were concerned about Zaro's limited intelligence. His family members were afraid he could be implicated in trouble if he wasn't careful.

Since he hadn't been able to vent all his excitement with Woo Tianhao, Zaro then went to contact Chu Bo.

"Bobo, did you know that Fang Zhao has gotten into trouble?"

Chu Bo had just finished performing a concert. His family had criticized him for failing to control himself and using two lines of expletives. He had been sulking dejectedly in his own recording studio without checking the Internet. The news that Zaro brought immediately raised his spirits.

"For real?"

Chu Bo went online to browse through the news. The sides of his lips curled upwards. "To think that there would be a day like this for him!"

Chu Bo had complex sentiments regarding Fang Zhao. He felt that Fang Zhao was a rather good person, but after being scared into silence by Fang Zhao during that concert, he had always felt a psychological scar in his heart. Now, he had dissipated it with some difficulty, but it wasn't completely gone.

Seeing that Fang Zhao could also have a scandal helped ease his psychological scar considerably.

See, Fang Zhao is also just a normal person. There is nothing to be afraid of.

With that thought, Chu Bo made a call to Fang Zhao to express his sympathy and ask whether he required any help. If he could make Fang Zhao owe him a favor, Chu Bo felt that whatever traces of that psychological scar would no longer exist.

Chu Bo had always thought that people more impressive than himself wouldn't come begging to him and he wouldn't need to take action. On the contrary, those that needed help would surely be inferior to himself. Since he can't compare to me, what is there to be afraid of?

Thus, Fang Zhao received calls with consolation intent from Zaro, Woo Tianhao, Chu Bo and others, although they couldn't even hide their joyous delight in his misfortune.

Fang Zhao: "…" Are this bunch of kids asking for a whooping?

Of course, besides Zaro and the bunch, Fang Zhao also received calls from many people. Even Mo Lang had specially called to offer help. These people were genuinely showing concern. Although the police were still investigating and details weren't convenient to divulge, Fang Zhao still told them that it wasn't a big matter and that all the news online was fabricated. The truth would come to light as long as they waited.

While the Internet was abuzz with conjectures, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao arrived in Qi'an City and headed to Fang Zhao's home.

There were two police officers on guard there.

After identifying themselves, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao went inside. Upon seeing the apartment that had been messily rummaged through, Zuo Yu clicked his tongue. "It's about time Boss moves to a new place."

With Fang Zhao's current status, staying here was unsuitable indeed. For ordinary people, this place was indeed luxurious. However, it was insufficient for a public figure who had lots of exposure in the entertainment circle.

Yan Biao surveyed all over before halting his gaze at the aquarium. "The eighty million is still here."

In accordance to Fang Zhao's instructions, Yan Biao took out his communications device and made a video call to Fang Zhao.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"We have already arrived boss." Yan Biao let Fang Zhao view the situation of his house. "It doesn't seem too bad."

Fang Zhao only casually looked at the somewhat messy apartment before telling Yan Biao, "Check whether the aquarium's lid is unlocked."

Yan Biao went closer and took a look. "It's unlocked. The aquarium can be opened."

Fang Zhao's silence was somewhat longer this time.

"Boss?" Yan Biao was a little puzzled.

Zuo Yu had also been carefully inspecting at the side. He had heard that the two people that had broken in were found unconscious here, but he hadn't discovered any marks.

Fang Zhao took a deep breath before instructing, "Stick a memo at the side of the aquarium that says 'extremely venomous, stay away'. Write the words big and make sure it is eye-catching."

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao said, "… Boss do you mean… those two… were stung?"

"Mmhm."

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao both took a step back simultaneously.

Fang Zhao glanced around and saw that the two bonsais in the living room had been nibbled on. Clearly, the "rabbit" in the aquarium had been out.

Having confirmed his suspicious, Fang Zhao once again applied for leave to return to Yanzhou after he ended classes on the second day.

The two perpetrators that had been rushed to the hospital were finally out of critical condition but were still unconscious. The police were aware that these two were afflicted with sea slug venom and also had questions for Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao was cooperative and produced the ownership permit as well as various other documents concerning it. The permit was comprehensive and there were no issues with Fang Zhao's right to breed it.

The Police had also checked the sea slug feed in Fang Zhao's house. Commonly seen pets like sea slugs couldn't be fed with highly toxic food without approval. Although the police had already confirmed that the feed within Fang Zhao's apartment was completely non-toxic, it still didn't mean that whatever that was fed to the sea slug in the past wasn't toxic.

Afterwards, by comparing what had happened to experimental results from various sea slug researchers, the final conclusion was:

"What caused these two to be lying in hospital is just a venom it composes within its body from the energy gained through photosynthesis. It is only released when it feels under threat and has nothing to do with its food. If it had really been given toxic food, even if there were just a slight bit of toxicity, those two would have already stopped breathing before the police arrived."

Police officers: "…" So, those two deserved it!

The pot and condiments lying around the kitchen had made the intentions of those two obvious.

It could only be said that those two had been asking for it by breaking in!

Served them right for getting stung!

And, they were fortunate that Fang Zhao hadn't fed it any toxic foodstuff!

However, one more unsolved mystery remained. The surface area on their bodies that were stung was too huge. How had it been done? Could it be those two had hugged the sea slug and rolled around?

Those questions would have to wait until those two regained consciousness. Right now, there were no longer any problems for Fang Zhao.

The personnel dispatched by Silver Wing to handle Fang Zhao's incident also heaved a sigh of relief. No wonder Fang Zhao had dared to make a police report. Fang Zhao hadn't done anything illegal nor did he have any of those shady dealings. He had believed Fang Zhao's issue to be much more complicated, but that wasn't the case.

However, the matter couldn't be hidden. All sorts of rumors were flying all over on the Internet. Now, they needed the police to clarify matters as nobody would believe the credibility of any statement that Silver Wing issued. There was also the need to contact authoritative media outlets as their words held weight. The follow-up actions would all be handled by one of Silver Wing's teams.

Thus, a day after this incident, an authoritative Yanzhou media outlet released a piece of news.

[Two Fugitives Broke Into Fang Zhao's Residence Late At Night. They Tried To Cook A Sea Slug Worth 80 Million, But Ended Up In The Hospital Fighting For Their Lives…]

Everyone that had been waiting an entire day to hear from an authoritative media outlet: "…"

People across the globe who were paying attention to this news were also shocked.

"Hahaha, what sort of stupid news is this!"

"Those two are especially foolish!"

"Yeah, they should have some intelligence if they could break in… Come on, they were nearly poisoned to death from trying to eat a sea slug!"

"I suspect that this was planned by Fang Zhao. How could there be such stupid thieves?"

"Fang Zhao again? Hyped again? Or is it fabricated to hide some truths?"

"Fabricate my *ss! Yanzhou's Qi'an City Police Department has already confirmed the identities of those too. There is even an official stamp. This is real news! Those two are A-listed wanted criminals by the police! This, time Fang Zhao's pet sea slug has rendered a meritorious service!"

"For real? A-list wanted criminals? If that is true, I just want to say something to those two—— you f*cking deserved it!"

"As expected from my idol. Even the sea slug he keeps can apprehend thieves!"

A certain person from the 'PET' magazine who had once evaluated Fang Zhao's two pets said as if trying to clear his grievances, "I said it before, that one is really very dangerous! Do you all believe me now?!"

Back then, my arm was nearly been crippled despite just a touch while wearing a thick glove! I really wasn't doing it wrongly. That "rabbit" is just that savage!

Chapter 423: Guard Dog

In no time, more and more authoritative media outlets reported on this matter. The truth was that two thieves had broken into steal stuff and had been stung and sent to the hospital by Fang Zhao's sea slug.

Authoritative media outlets didn't have that much click-bait and had a tendency to state the truth, so they were also more trusted by people.

As these authoritative outlets released their say, netizens also no longer suspected that Fang Zhao was involved in any shady incident. Slowly, more and more people placed their attention on Fang Zhao's sea slug.

"I want the detailed information and purchase info of the same type of sea slug that Fang Zhao has! Price negotiable!" A certain Fang Zhao fan posted this excitedly on social media platforms.

"Don't bother. In the whole world, there is only one like that which carries extraterrestrial genes. The sort that has half extraterrestrial genes isn't that easy to rear."

"I found the old issue of "PET" magazine where there was an introduction to that sea slug of Fang Zhao's. Its estimated value was 80 million!"

"I remember this. Fang Zhao's one can also emit light and made sea slug lamps a fad. Those two thieves are idiots. It would probably fetch many millions on the black market. To think that professional thieves would only concern themselves with eating!"

"That's not entirely accurate. I have asked many people. There are many people willing to rear that kind of sea slug. However, I have never seen anyone willing to secretly purchase one on the black market and rear it. Not many would dare rear that sea slug in secret. Its diet, needs, and other information are completely unknown because it is a hybrid variety. People would be worried about killing it by accident if they aren't careful. Who would dare ignore this risk after spending 80 million on it?"

"Makes sense. It seems that those two thieves weren't willing to take such a risk and felt that they might as well consume a sea slug worth 80 million. That is great value too."

"Hahahaha, didn't they end up in hospital after being stung?! Idiots!"

"Speaking of things, this incident reminds me of that film that was released sometime back which was about a sea slug."

"Yes, yes, yes, same here!"

As the subject and topic changed over and over, the film about the sea slug was mentioned. The plot was about a highly intelligent sea slug. Everyone had just treated it as a science fiction story just for entertainment, but the incident in Fang Zhao's home led to more discussion about it.

In no time, the online discussions went from the two wanted fugitives to Fang Zhao's extremely valuable sea slug to whether there was any possibility of hybrid sea slugs ever entering the mass consumer market. Finally, the topic shifted to whether that sort of "demonic" sea slug portrayed in the film existed.

Thus, the sea slug film that had already seen a sharp decline in the box office started to rise again.

Fang Zhao received a call from Tan Min when he got home.

Fang Zhao had run into Tan Min, the diver who had switched careers to become a director, back while sourcing sea slug feed when he had been invited to the Corale Archipelago to attend the Corale Film Festival. At that time, Fang Zhao had been won over by his movie's purpose of advocating the conservation of the ocean so he had invested in Tan Min's film that revolved around a sea slug.

The film had been released not too long ago and did decently. It couldn't be considered a box office hit, but at least it had made a profit. After all, it was a small scale production, not a mega blockbuster.

But after this happened, Fang Zhao brought about a new wave of interest in sea slugs. Tan Min also didn't let this opportunity for publicity slip by. Seeing the box office sales rising again, he excitedly gave a call to Fang Zhao.

"A friend of mine says to make the most of this opportunity. We can surely turn our minor profits into major profits! I was just talking to two video streaming platforms regarding the copyrights. Fang Zhao, perhaps you will even get a three hundred percent return on your principal!! This is only a conservative estimate. If we're lucky, this film might even join the tenfold profit club. How awesome would that be?!" Tan Min said this confidently. His voice was bright and crisp, and his eyes glowed with ambition when he mentioned the tenfold profit club.

Only Tan Min himself knew the hardships of becoming a director with just the background of a diver. The success this time around was only a fluke, but it gave him confidence and faith. Tan Min felt that his director prospects were still rather bright. Thus, he wasn't stingy with his benefactor, Fang Zhao. After using Fang Zhao's popularity to do another round of marketing that made the box office numbers soar, he wanted to quickly let Fang Zhao know that he wasn't someone who became ungrateful after earning lots of money.

Fang Zhao chuckled after listening to what Tan Min had said. "You don't have to return it. Donate my entire share of profit from this film to the Ocean Environment and Ecology Conservation Fund. You are more familiar with the organization, so do as you see fit."

On the other end of the call, Tan Min paused and asked, "Don-Donate all of it? This isn't a small sum."

"All of it," Fang Zhao said firmly.

Upon confirming that Fang Zhao's intentions were to really donate the money and weren't an act for money laundering, Tan Min was suddenly moved. He started to reflect and wonder whether the benefits that lay before his eyes had clouded his mind. In the beginning, he had changed careers from a diver to a director because he wanted to show people the charm of the ocean as well as increase awareness in the importance of protecting the oceans. He had nearly forgotten his own initial aspirations.

"I… I will also donate!" Tan Min choked up.

"You don't need to. You still need to leave enough capital to make a living. This is only the beginning. You still have to prepare more future works," Fang Zhao said gently.

Tan Min, who hadn't been thinking clearly, felt as though a basin of cold water had been poured over his head and cooled him down. He had to face reality.

Yes, he couldn't compare with Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao was someone who could just donate his reward of many billions like it was nothing!

When he ended the call with Tan Min, Fang Zhao went online to check the situation of the film and help publicize it a little. After that, he once again pondered his home break-in.

The focus of the police was on the two wanted criminals. As for other questions such as the hybrid's sea slug's method of stinging and other details, the police only asked for a rough outline. They were somewhat surprised upon finding out that this sea slug could open its own aquarium.

This new variety of sea slug had extra-terrestrial genes and was worth 80 million… Strictly speaking, it could probably be considered a new species. With that in mind, this peculiarity could still be considered acceptable.

Even so, Fang Zhao stayed in Yanzhou for two more days to cooperate with investigation. The police suspected that somebody was targeting Fang Zhao and those two wanted criminals hadn't selected their target at random.

The police in charge of the investigation had asked Fang Zhao for any leads. Had he offended anyone? Did he suspect anyone? Currently, they couldn't get much information out of the mouths of those two criminals.

Fang Zhao really couldn't think of any right away. There were too many people who had been offended by him. He had obstructed the paths of quite a number of people and had probably incurred the fury of many.

"Whatever it is, you still have to take note of your own safety!" Nanfeng said nervously. "Also, it's best if you move houses, boss. You can no longer stay here. Many Yanzhou entertainment reporters have their attention on this place and have found a variety of reasons to visit some households below. Since this place has already been exposed, you should move to a safer and more private place. I have already contacted a few friends to ask about some suitable districts in Yanzhou. Luckily, you still haven't graduated from your advanced studies yet, so you basically don't live here."

Nanfeng suggested that the best option would be the one of those detached villas so that at least Fang Zhao wouldn't be subjected to sneak photography from the floors above and below. Ever since people living below in this building had learned that Fang Zhao stayed here, camera drones around the size of houseflies were seen flying around trying to take sneak shots. And, they even had the cheek to say that they were photographing the city's skyscape. What b*llshit!

"There's no rush. You just continue finding out more first," Fang Zhao said.

Currently, this place really wasn't suitable for living anymore. However, finding another place wasn't too urgent. In two days, Fang Zhao still needed to return to Huangzhou to continue his studies, so there was still time to find a place.

As they were talking, Nanfeng received a new message. Since Fang Zhao didn't have a manager, his assistant Nanfeng was acting concurrently as his liaison and could basically be somewhat considered to be a semi-manager. People would seek out Nanfeng when they couldn't contact Fang Zhao.

Zuo Yu was seated at the side and noticed Nanfeng's strange expression. He asked, "What is it now?"

Nanfeng glanced at Fang Zhao and said, "They're seeking an endorsement from boss."

"What sort of endorsement?" Zuo Yu was curious.

"Black Pot."

"???"

Nanfeng showed an image to Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu while explaining, "This is the photograph of Boss' kitchen that was leaked earlier, the one showing the pot and condiments the two criminals had taken out to cook the 80 million… cough, our sea slug. The brand of the pot has already been determined by netizens. Now, the manufacturer wishes to ask boss to endorse their cookware."

"Will you endorse it?" Nanfeng looked to Fang Zhao.

"… No," Fang Zhao replied.

While saying that, Fang Zhao received a call on his end and smiled when he saw the name of the caller.

"Nazi? Long time no see."

The caller was Natiwuzi, the boss of "Space", which was a music night club in Qi'an City. He was also one of the top three speed-strumming maestros in the entire world. "Nazi" was a name that his close friends and families used. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

"I heard that you encountered some troubles over at your end. How about coming here and having some fun? You wouldn't have to worry about harassment from entertainment reporters," Natiwuzi spoke slowly. "I remember you mentioned some interest towards antiques. I have just received some small objects from the Old Era. Come over and have a look!"

Despite saying this much, Natiwuzi's hands were itching. He wanted to find a guitar strumming partner.

It just so happened that Fang Zhao was trying to avoid reporters at this time. Also, he was indeed interested in those Old Era objects that Natiwuzi was talking about.

"Zuo Yu, you and I will go over. Yan Biao and Nanfeng stay home," Fang Zhao said. Yan Biao had been the driver the previous time they went out, so it was Zuo Yu's turn now.

"Boss, I will go too!"

"Zuo Yu alone isn't enough."

Nanfeng and Yan Biao exclaimed at the same time.

"No need, you two keep an eye on them." Fang Zhao pointed at the sea slug that was locked back in its aquarium once again and then at Curly Hair, who was still standing guard over the display cabinet.

Nanfeng and Yan Biao still wished to persuade Fang Zhao more, but they ultimately shut up. It was just too bad that they had a boss who could fight and run better than themselves. They felt that they would be nothing more than ornaments if they went, so they couldn't find it in them to change Fang Zhao's mind.

After Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu left, Yan Biao sat on the sofa in silence. After a while, he looked at the time and kicked Nanfeng, who was sending messages. He used his chin to gesture Nanfeng to look at Curly Hair.

"This dog Curly Hair has been crouched there ever since coming back. That display cabinet and him have been staring lovingly at each other for an entire day. Err, more accurately, it should be considered a one-sided love from the dog."

Nanfeng raised an eyebrow and said without much thought, "He is helping boss guard his belongings. Besides the 80 million sea slug in the apartment, the other items in the display cabinet are the most valuable. Good dogs are like this. They are silent and faithful guards that won't let outsiders steal a single brick or tile from this house."

"Oh, really?" Yan Biao didn't believe that. He kept feeling that Curly Hair's gaze on that display cabinet was filled with a fiery passion.

Yet another hour passed.

Curly Hair was still crouched before the display cabinet in his original position. Even the dog food placed by his side was untouched.

Yan Biao looked at the display cabinet and thought about what Nanfeng had said. He then glanced at Curly Hair and laughed silently.

This little thing was rather interesting. The way he stared at those belongings seemed genuine. It was as though he would chase anyone who stole any of these items to the ends of the earth!

Chapter 424: Antique

Fang Zhao's first visit to "Space" had been on the recommendation of Silver Wing Gaming Department manager Wayne to check out what "people of the same age" were like.

At that time, he hadn't completely adapted to his new identity and hadn't understood how a young person normally behaved. He had wanted to learn how to be more lively, enthusiastic and flamboyant. Luo Yunyang had been willing to experience some new places for the sake of creating music that could be accepted by youngsters of the New Era.

It was also at "Space" where he had met Natiwuzi.

"Space" was a music entertainment venue and Natiwuzi's private domain was located above "Space". No guest was allowed up unless Natiwuzi personally invited them.

Fang Zhao got Zuo Yu to stop the car at the place where Natiwuzi had mentioned. The person waiting for them brought Fang Zhao and Zuo Yu upstairs.

Natiwuzi's private domain was silent most of the time. Natiwuzi also practised the guitar in soundproof rooms. The corridors were so quiet that it had a solemn vibe. Fang Zhao's arrival broke this solemness.

"Teacher Fang, this way please. The boss is already waiting for you." A bodyguard in black waiting at the corridor indicated with a smile on his face.

Zuo Yu eyed that person and thought to himself, Teacher Fang? It was only "Mr. Fang" the last time. Has boss's status increased, or has their level of sucking up risen?

Was it better for an artist's bodyguard to be more candid or quick-witted?

Secretly observing this bodyguard opposite him who seemed to be doing rather well, Zuo Yu decided to discuss this with Yan Biao and Nanfeng when he got back. He wanted to create a reliable persona for himself so that he wouldn't be inferior.

Fang Zhao had Zuo Yu wait outside while he entered the room Natiwuzi was in.

Natiwuzi's nickname was "Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands", and he was one of the three great speed-strumming maestros in the world. However, Natiwuzi felt the extreme loneliness that all experts felt — Besides me, others are trash. Natiwuzi's larynx already wasn't good, and he wasn't willing to talk much to begin with. When he did talk, he spoke especially slowly. Natiwuzi also didn't have much desire to speak to people he felt were "a bunch of ordinary people". Those who didn't know Natiwuzi would reckon that he probably spent too much time in "God's Domain" and did not interact with "mortals" who didn't understand music based on this impression.

Most of the time, Natiwuzi's assistants and bodyguards were used to their boss's disregard and silence. To their surprise, they had heard Natiwuzi laughing heartily upon Fang Zhao's arrival, which was a complete 180 from the everyday silence they were so accustomed to.

"Fang Zhao! Long time no see!" Natiwuzi stuffed a guitar into Fang Zhao's hands upon seeing him. "Still remember how to strum?"

Natiwuzi was worried that perhaps Fang Zhao hadn't touched a guitar in a long time and had gotten rusty.

"I haven't forgotten." Fang Zhao took the guitar. "There are also instrument mastery classes in HuangArt's advanced study course."

"That's great then!"

Natiwuzi didn't waste any more time and strummed a chord for Fang Zhao.

The room was soundproof, and the guitar sounds were isolated within.

Zuo Yu and Natiwuzi's bodyguard stood guard outside. Naturally, they didn't just stand there in silence. When bodyguard met bodyguard, mutual bragging and exchange was commonplace. Natiwuzi's bodyguard had also brought some tea, water and refreshments. Alcohol was out of the question though. Bodyguards weren't supposed to touch any alcohol while on duty.

The bodyguard Zuo Yu had been examining had been promoted to Natiwuzi's personal bodyguard earlier that year. He and a few other bodyguards were the ones who would accompany Natiwuzi outside. They were the highest paid bodyguards here. Natiwuzi's bodyguard was curious about Fang Zhao's bodyguard, so he asked Zuo Yu about his general job.

Zuo Yu smiled faintly. "We accompany the boss wherever he goes. We also have assignments when boss is home and comply with everything he says."

That bodyguard was stunned for a bit. "You still have assignments when your boss doesn't go out?"

Zuo Yu maintained his collected smile. "Of course."

Too many assignments. For example, feeding the pets, walking the dog, attending training classes… All of that stuff cannot be said!

The bodyguard sitting opposite seemed to have processed something else in his mind and said with respect and admiration, "Being trusted by the boss for important assignments demonstrates the bodyguard's value! Impressive!"

"Cough, you are too kind." Zuo Yu maintained his stoic expression.

As the two body guards chatted, they talked about experiences on the job and their philosophy when dealing with matters. Afterwards, they started to brag about their own bosses.

"Our boss's speech might sound sluggish, but he becomes a tornado the moment he picks up a guitar. Two total extremes! However, geniuses always have their own quirks. You can't judge a person by their appearance."

Natiwuzi's bodyguard acted as though it was an honor just to bask in the halo of his bosses' genius.

Zuo Yu nodded his head in approval. "Indeed! Just like our boss. Most of the time, he seems like a gentle and cultured person. But when he fig… plays games, he becomes a monster. He's so viol… explosive. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to produce so many epic tunes. Some of them can even cure illnesses!"

He was an outstanding employee; he couldn't say that his boss was vicious when beating up people.

Natiwuzi's bodyguard didn't think much of it. Natiwuzi's people believed that Fang Zhao was a musician and artist. When Fang Zhao had arrived, Natiwuzi's bodyguards had categorized Fang Zhao as an artistic youth. Back then, the incident of Fang Zhao taking on six men at "Space" had already long been blurred by his image of an "artistic youth". Was that fighting? That had just been disco dancing!

Natiwuzi's bodyguard then said, "Actually, us bodyguards for celebrities don't have it easy. Although our salaries are high, sometimes the mental pressure is really great. I reckon that the amount the boss talks to us in one month isn't even as much as he has spoken to Fang Zhao today. I can't help but feel like we are disregarded."

Zuo Yu still had the faint smile plastered on his face. "I understand." The pressure of being a salted fish was also great.

While the two outside were sharing the stresses of being bodyguards, Fang Zhao and Natiwuzi strummed up a storm on their guitars. After feeling sated from all the strumming, Natiwuzi asked Fang Zhao about his recent incident and asked whether he needed help. He also recommended a few suitable residential districts to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao talked about it briefly and then asked, "Didn't you say that you obtained some new artifacts from the Old Era? Let me see them."

"Aiya, I nearly forgot!" Natiwuzi brought Fang Zhao to his store room. "Everything in this store room is an artifact. However, those at the top are genuine, while those at the bottom are imitations. Imitations are easy to find."

Natiwuzi's father had been an archaeologist who loved collecting antiques. Thus, Natiwuzi had also inherited part of his father's enthusiasm. However, he still had a preference for guitars and various Old Era instruments. Everything else had less precedence. However, he was still rather interested in general and would store Old Era antiques on his display shelves whenever he obtained some. He would also get someone to construct an imitation and would fiddle with these imitations from time to time. He couldn't bear to mess around with the genuine ones even if they had been restored and reinforced. After five hundred years, they could still be damaged easily no matter how much restoration was done. Besides, even if these things were fully restored to their original condition, they still couldn't be compared to the imitations made from new materials of the New Era.

Natiwuzi explained to Fang Zhao what these newly obtained Old Era artifacts were as well as their uses in the Old Era.

"This is a type of mobile phone from the Old Era. Its damage is rather severe so we can't determine its original appearance. Take a look at the restored imitation on the shelf below. That is its complete image. Apparently, this is still an even earlier model, so it is rather large. In the Old Era, it was also had a nickname 'Brick Cell Phone'. I really can't imagine how people back then carried such a large thing around to make calls. That would be so inconvenient!"

Natiwuzi was still rather pleased to obtain this incomplete brick cell phone. Although it was severely damaged, there currently wasn't another such brick cell phone in the world as well preserved as this one. It was rumored that this had been preserved by many collectors all this time. Otherwise, even the remains wouldn't have existed after so many years.

"And this too. You definitely won't be able to guess what it is used for…"

Natiwuzi showed off his own collection. There were some components of electronic products and even more components of ancient instruments. However, Fang Zhao didn't really care about all these. His attention was on a little box in the corner of the display cabinet.

In it was a small circular badge. The surface layer could no longer be seen, and the metal emblem was tarnished. There were some scratches as well as a few dents. Fang Zhao focused his gaze on the remaining words that could still be vaguely seen on the badge: "Ding Chuan Secondary School".

This was a school badge. An Old Era secondary school badge.

The badged was deformed and no longer had its fully round shape. The scratches and marks on it seemed to narrate everything that it had gone through.

"Can I see it?" Fang Zhao pointed at that school badge and asked Natiwuzi.

"You have an interest in this?" Natiwuzi was astonished. Then, he quickly remembered that Fang Zhao was a youngster, so being interested in Old Era school badges was understandable.

"Go ahead; gloves are over by the side. Control your strength, these small and fine items require more caution. There is an imitation copy of its original appearance. You can play with that right away." Natiwuzi didn't have much interest in that school badge, but he still had to remind Fang Zhao on the proper way of dealing with antiques.

Fang Zhao put on the gloves and carefully picked up the original school badge. His finger brushed the face of the school badge that was littered with scratches.

"Why? Interested?" Natiwuzi was in good spirits today. Noticing that Fang Zhao was interested in this little badge, Natiwuzi waved his hand. "Take it. And the imitation copy, pick it up and have fun."

Fang Zhao looked away from that badge and said, "Thank you, I'll transfer you the money. How much…"

"It's yours! This type of antique isn't worth a lot. There are too many types of badges. It wouldn't be sold for too much anyway."

Natiwuzi wasn't lying. There were still quite a lot of badges across different schools that were still well-preserved.

There were too many school badges that could be collected. With so many around, they weren't as valuable. Only badges from schools that were ranked among the top globally or had special historical significance were valuable. However, those were mainly from universities; secondary school badges weren't worth much.

This school badge was considered to be rather well preserved. But even so, Natiwuzi had only bought this from someone for only several tens of thousands and was considered a pittance amongst his considerable collection.

Several tens of thousands was like pocket change to Natiwuzi. He would feel embarrassed to even take Fang Zhao's money for it. If it was someone Natiwuzi disliked, he would haggle over ten dollars, but when it came to Fang Zhao, Natiwuzi simply didn't wish to take this little bit of money. He just considered it a small gift for Fang Zhao. Natiwuzi also didn't have a hobby of collecting badges, so he had no qualms giving it away.

Fang Zhao gave his thanks once again.

He thanked Natiwuzi for the gift and more importantly thanked Natiwuzi for letting him see this badge.

When it came to badge collecting, secondary school badges, especially those that didn't have any important historical significance, basically did not have much collectors' value. Only some people who were interested in badges would collect them. However, the significance for Fang Zhao was different.

In the Old Era, Fang Zhao had gone to school for three years at Ding Chuan Secondary School.

Today, Ding Chuan City was no more, and Ding Chuan Secondary School had long vanished during the hundred year Period of Destruction.

Fang Zhao had already forgotten how it looked.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Chapter 425: Dream

Natiwuzi talked too much and only stopped after his throat felt sore.

Fang Zhao played the guitar with Natiwuzi again and then went to the room arranged for him when Natiwuzi wanted to rest. He didn't have to worry about entertainment reporters in Natiwuzi's domain. The privacy here was great, and Fang Zhao could have peace for two days.

After Fang Zhao showered and tidied up a little, Natiwuzi sent someone to deliver the badge.

The small box was separated into two layers. The top portion was the genuine article, while the bottom was the imitation.

Fang Zhao gave his thanks and declined Natiwuzi's invitation to go down to Space for drinks. He wanted to stay in the room. Then, he put on gloves and picked up that tiny round badge from the box.

It hadn't been too convenient before, but now that no one was around, Fang Zhao could take a careful look at this small round badge.

The things that had happened during the Period of Destruction took up way too much of his memory. Too much time had passed, and his memory of the Old Era had already become very vague.

Fang Zhao had once wondered whether it was because of his birth into this body that many of his memories couldn't be found. However, as time passed, Fang Zhao realized that many of his forgotten memories slowly surfaced and his memory became better. However, those things required a catalyst. This secondary school badge was one of those.

This secondary school…

How long ago was that?

What was it like during secondary school?

Fang Zhao shut his eyes and tried to search through his memories.

As if traversing through endless time and boundless space, Fang Zhao finally found a segment of memory.

When some things became clear, the countless fragments melded together into a body.

Bam!

Fang Zhao was suddenly roused by a sound.

A slightly peeling table was before him. There was a marked test paper that required a parent's signature at the bottom corner. A hand pressed the paper to the table as the wind ruffled its edges.

Fang Zhao looked at everything in a daze.

Feels like I had a long dream.

He raised his head.

Sunlight spilled through the windows and shone onto the blackboard, tables and chairs.

Hushed voices and hearty laughter could be heard. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Outside the classroom, people leaned on the banisters while chatting.

The weather outside was fine and dandy.

As if there was still time for everything.

…

Fang Zhao opened his eyes in the quiet room and returned to his senses from that momentary daze.

Clasped in his hand was that someone deformed and tarnished metal school badge.

Fang Zhao got up and walked to the window. He opened it and was met with the slightly chilly air and the bustling of a large New Era city.

A night had passed.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled.

Fang Zhao gazed into the distance but wasn't focused on anything in particular.

Slowly, the world also started to become quiet.

The clamor of the city was isolated from his ears.

Fang Zhao retracted his gaze, sent a message to Zuo Yu and put a "do not disturb" sign outside his room. He then sat before the table, took out a pen and flipped open the notebook he always carried with him.

People forgot easily. From the moment a person woke up, the memories within a dream didn't last for more than a few minutes before gradually fading. Only by recording it down would those memories be able to take root in the mind and not be easily forgotten.

Zuo Yu received Fang Zhao's message. He was used to Fang Zhao's habit of suddenly holing up. As a bodyguard, he had to shoulder this responsibility.

Thus, Zuo Yu hastily scarfed down a compressed biscuit and went to stand guard outside Fang Zhao's door.

A short while later, someone came. This person had been sent by Natiwuzi. Natiwuzi had wanted to invite Fang Zhao downstairs to join him for breakfast, but Fang Zhao hadn't replied his message. This person had come to check in-person.

Zuo Yu put on a serious yet courteous face and explained that Fang Zhao was currently composing and shouldn't be disturbed until he came out unless it was something very important.

Breaking an artist's moment of inspiration was akin to starting a feud. Upon hearing the explanation, that person no longer said anything. He arranged for some refreshments to be brought over and left hastily.

Downstairs, Natiwuzi was seated at a square table. There were a few other people there as well. He had just sent someone to invite Fang Zhao to have breakfast together. He wanted to introduce a few friends from the music industry to him.

A short while later, the person returned, but there was no sign of Fang Zhao.

"Where's Fang Zhao? He hasn't gotten up?" Someone asked.

"He's going through a lot lately. Perhaps he hasn't been sleeping well," Natiwuzi said.

The person who had gone upstairs at Natiwuzi's bequest hurriedly replied, "He is up but has locked himself up. His bodyguard says that Fang Zhao has gained some inspiration and doesn't want to be disturbed while composing."

Natiwuzi was momentarily astonished before waving his hand to indicate that he understood.

"Seems like he's been struck by a composing epiphany. Fang Zhao is rather talented," one of the men at the table said with a chuckle.

"He is really capable indeed," Natiwuzi said.

"Hey, Nazi, it is rare for Fang Zhao to come here. Haven't you thought about asking Fang Zhao to perform a song or two at your nightclub? Didn't you say that Fang Zhao's guitar playing skills are quite good? There happens to be a program on tonight. If he can come out tonight, let's all have an exchange together," someone else suggested.

Currently, Space nightclub had a special program on every Saturday night where Natiwuzi would invite some friends, reputable performers or bands.

Generally, the special guests performing for this program would wear masks and perform a segment with instruments. The singer wouldn't sing, so people wouldn't be able to recognize who they were. The audience could only try guessing who the performers were from the musical style and technique.

The majority that came to listen to music at 'Space' were regular customers and had a certain understanding of the music circles. They really loved this game. Every Saturday night, they would always invite a few friends to come over and have drinks while appreciating music. And when it came to this event, the person who guessed wrongly had to foot the bill.

It so happened that today was Saturday, and those seated at the table were a reputable rock and roll band from Yanzhou. The band leader and guitarist was a long time friend of Natiwuzi.

The band had originally been invited to the place by Natiwuzi because of their friendship, but they never imagined that Fang Zhao would actually be here!

Fang Zhao was too famous. His reputation wasn't just limited to Yanzhou; it was global! Furthermore, he had won the Galaxy Supernova Award and was currently undergoing advanced studies at a prestigious school.

As people in the same industry, they were both envious and curious.

Way too curious!

They were curious about Fang Zhao's personality and abilities.

They had listened to Fang Zhao's compositions, which were indeed impressive. Although their band's musical style was different, they could still distinguish whether a piece was good or bad. Even though a master like Mo Lang had acknowledged Fang Zhao's ability, there was too much faking in the industry. At their age, they would always harbor some skepticism until they could personally see and hear Fang Zhao's talent.

This was such a rare opportunity, yet Fang Zhao had gone into seclusion! Their paths had crossed, but they had yet to even see his face!

God knows how long he would remain in seclusion for!

The band also had a long chain of other performance commitments scheduled after this, and Fang Zhao would also have to return to Huangzhou for his studies. Another opportunity to run into Fang Zhao was very unlikely. Thus, there perhaps would never be another chance like this.

"I wonder if Fang Zhao has changed much after all this time in his studies and whether his style has changed," the band leader seated beside Natiwuzi said.

"Probably he's better now? He's taking HuangArt's Twelve Tones advanced class! I couldn't get in despite attempting the entrance exams multiple times!"

"Now that you mention this, I feel like I really have to see him in person!"

Natiwuzi listened to the excited conversation but didn't say anything.

Natiwuzi naturally believed in Fang Zhao's ability. However, Fang Zhao mainly composed rather than performed, so it was somewhat different. Besides, Fang Zhao had a lot on his plate recently and was being watched by many. Whether he would be willing to appear and perform in public was up to Fang Zhao himself. He could understand if Fang Zhao wasn't willing.

After mulling in silence, Natiwuzi spoke in an exasperatingly slow manner, "Let me ask him when he comes out."

If Fang Zhao could come out of his room today, Natiwuzi would introduce his friend from the band to Fang Zhao and conveniently ask Fang Zhao if he was willing to perform a segment in Space. It would be even better if he was willing to show his face. There were Fang Zhao fans among those that came to Space to drink and listen to music. It would fulfill the dreams of some regular customers who wished to be closer to their idols.

Given Fang Zhao's fame, it would probably bring about considerable popularity to the nightclub.

Chapter 426: Why Are You Playing The Guitar In The Middle Of The Night?!!

Fang Zhao came out from his room around dinner time.

Natiwuzi hadn't waited for Fang Zhao to have dinner together as he didn't know when Fang Zhao would be out. Upon seeing Fang Zhao, he took the opportunity to introduce his friend's band, explain their idea and ask Fang Zhao whether he was willing to perform a short segment tonight.

Fang Zhao thought about it before nodding. "Alright."

When the band members saw Fang Zhao agreeing, they indicated that they were willing to allow Fang Zhao have the opening performance on the Midnight Stage.

Fang Zhao didn't understand Space Nightclub's Saturday program so Natiwuzi patiently explained it to him.

Fang Zhao's popularity within Yanzhou was well known. If Fang Zhao was willing to reveal his face, Natiwuzi said that he would bring over more manpower so Fang Zhao wouldn't have to worry about security or harassment from entertainment reporters.

"It is still a little early for the opening segment. Do you want to practice? Have you thought about which song to play?" Natiwuzi asked. Most of Fang Zhao's works weren't suitable for guitar performances so he thought that Fang Zhao would choose someone else's song.

"No worries," Fang Zhao said. "I composed a new song today. Playing it on the guitar is fine."

Natiwuzi grinned. "Come, come! I will practice with you! Does this new song have a different style compared to your previous ones? Oh, you didn't bring your guitar. Let me bring you to pick one. I might not have a lot of stuff here, but the one thing I do not lack is guitars! Tell me whichever one catches your fancy!"

Those band members who had been invited to perform whispered in hushed tones to each other when they saw Natiwuzi's delighted manner. "Natiwuzi is talking a lot today."

"He is in a good mood today."

"I'm in a good mood too. I never imagined we would run into Fang Zhao and hear his new works!"

"But Fang Zhao is a composer. We can't say for sure how his live performance will be until we have seen it."

Their global fame was a far cry from Fang Zhao's, but they still had some confidence when it came to Space and Yanzhou's pop music circles. They couldn't compete in terms of music composition or the depth of their work, but they had no fear when it came to expressing themselves on Space's stage. They had given the opening act to Fang Zhao for two reasons. One was as a sign of goodwill due to his popularity; the second reason was to get a hang of Fang Zhao's ability so they could react appropriately. If Fang Zhao's performance wasn't good, they would perform tactfully to give this young star some face. If Fang Zhao's performance was outstanding, they would also adjust their original plans to not be overshadowed and lose face.

…

Saturdays from 10pm to midnight was the period in Space where people would let loose. With catchy rhythms and strong beats, the performances here would incite people to gradually reach a crazed and wild high.

People's emotions could be stirred up easily late in the night. Whatever grievances, unhappiness, weariness or concealed helplessness in the day would all come out when people shed their regular daytime personas.

Of course, there were also people here who came to drink, listen to music and talk.

In a certain VIP box.

A webcast host started today's live stream. He livestreamed at Space every Saturday mainly for the Midnight Stage program.

"It's a little noisy here… can everyone hear me clearly?"

The webcast host controlled the camera to capture the situation from inside the VIP box.

"There are really a lot of people here on Saturdays. I wonder who they invited for the Midnight Stage today."

Minors were prohibited from entering. Even university students who were of legal age would find the prices here rather expensive. Once or twice was still alright, but coming here week in and week out would be a huge financial strain. Besides, they wouldn't even be able to afford good spots if they entered. An hour in a VIP box like this could be equivalent to an entire month of living expenses. With such a comparison, it was still more worthwhile to watch the livestream.

It was different for the webcast host. He had some financial ability and could book a good spot every time. Having his own space made it convenient to livestream and interact with his audience. People who couldn't watch the performance live came to watch his livestream.

As a music webcast host who had made a name for himself in the streaming world, he used professional recording and streaming equipment. Even if the surroundings were very noisy, it wouldn't affect him from being able to interact with live stream audience and fans.

In a certain SVIP box.

A group of about seven or eight were gathered inside.

"I don't like to brag, but I've been a regular customer for over two decades here. Countless invited performers have come and gone. If they have some fame or reputation, I can discern at least eight out of ten even with my eyes closed! Masks can't hide them from my golden fiery eyes!"

"You? You dare brag in front of me? You have only been here listening for twenty odd years. I, on the other hand, have been following this music program for over four decades! Singers and performers, new and old, I am even familiar with those with little reputation!"

"Exaggeration!"

"Let's have a competition if you don't believe it!"

"Bring it on! Let's see who is able to guess correctly first! Lend me that new flying transport you just bought to play around with for three months if you lose."

"Heh, who's afraid? I don't want your flying transport if you lose. Hand over your private yacht at Teasandsea for three months."

"Sounds good!"

"Hey Ron, you want in?"

All the others in the booth looked towards the one smoking a cigarette on the sofa.

Ron Zak was the same age as Natiwuzi and was Natiwuzi's old classmate. His family was quite well-off do, so he had been able to dabble in various instruments from a young age and had set up numerous bands. However, he hurt his hand in an accident sometime later and no longer played the guitar much. However, as a longtime customer of Space, he liked coming to Natiwuzi's nightclub to listen to music. Ron's innate talents could be said to be mediocre in all other aspects, but he really wasn't afraid of anyone when it came to his ability to listen and distinguish sounds. His ears were coined by the Yanzhou Musician Society as the "golden ears"!

He could tell who was lip-singing or using auto-tune right away. Besides that, he had also done extensive research on the styles of all sorts of musical performers and could match the compositions to the right person most of the time. In the past, there had been a singer who had hired someone to write a song on behalf of himself and then passed it off as a self-composition. Ron Zak had exposed this relentlessly on social media and the ensuing brouhaha had lasted for quite a long time.

Hearing his friends call him, Ron Zak waved his hands uninterestedly. "You all go ahead with the game. I don't bully others."

"Heh, makes sense. This really wouldn't pose a challenge to you."

"These are the 'golden ears' that the Yanzhou Musician Society acknowledges! It definitely wouldn't be difficult for Ron."

"Speaking of ears, I remembered that Fang Zhao was lauded for his 'godly ears'. I wonder how they compare to Ron's."

Someone else joined in the laughter. "Those are 'godly ears'. Heh, those definitely wouldn't be low -evel. Ron, when are these 'golden ears' of yours due for an upgrade?"

One was only "golden", while the other was praised as "godly". They didn't know the standard of "godly", but the authoritative media outlets were the ones who had coined this name. Of course, this didn't affect the private discussions between the professionals.

Ron looked up and sucked on his cigarette. He exhaled the smoke from his nostrils.

Ron would be lying if he said he didn't care. However, his attitude towards Fang Zhao was ordinary mostly because Fang Zhao's works weren't in the same genre he liked. He had to admit that Fang Zhao was outstanding, but whether he liked Fang Zhao's works or not was another matter. Ron hadn't listened to a live concert of Fang Zhao's, so he maintained a reserved stance towards him.

"That kid Fang Zhao does have some talent."

Hearing this insipid tone, the others all knew that Ron didn't particularly enjoy talking about Fang Zhao, so the others no longer pursued the topic.

As midnight approached, the venue's lighting began to change. The previously pulsating beats also gradually decreased. Everyone followed the rules here and the venue quietened down.

Although the people who were already high stopped for the time being, the intensity in their eyes never dimmed. On the contrary, their anticipation blazed more ferociously with each second and minute that passed.

"It's almost midnight!"

"I wonder who was invited today."

"The stage is being cleared, the stage is being cleared! Let's see what they put there… Eh? Just a stool?"

A staffer had moved a patterned stool onto the stage that had just been tidied up. However, no matter how many patterns it had, it was still just a stool! Everyone was waiting to see what else would be added. Would there be any drums or bulkier instruments? But, after a while, there was still only a stool on the stage.

"There is only a single prop for today's performance!"

Everyone looked towards the stage expectantly as they counted down the time.

At the stroke of midnight, a person holding a guitar walked onstage.

On second glance, it was still just one person.

Discussions sprouted within the venue.

"Just one person?"

"Who was the one with insider information saying that it was a band that was invited tonight? I wondered if it was that band that I liked. I booked a two hour time slot just for this."

Slots inside Space were charged by time. Many people came early and waited for a few hours just to see who would be the ones invited tonight.

"This doesn't seem like a band. Fraud! The information is wrong!"

But, regardless of whether it was a fraud or not, everyone still looked curiously towards the stage when it was time.

The person on stage was wearing ordinary leisure attire. He wore a hood and mask that covered his face so tightly that even his eyes couldn't be seen. The performer could see them through the mask, but they had no way of seeing who it was behind the mask.

The eyes offstage scanned this person from his physique, hair color, skin color and apparel. Not a single detail slipped by them. However, they were still unable to deduce any identifying information.

"No tattoos, chains, rings or ear studs. The shows aren't limited edition either. Who is this?"

"Although I can't say that I'm a fashion expert, I can tell that this person isn't fashionable. And from what I see, either his hair is too short, or he hasn't done any styling."

"In my opinion, the dull clothes and the lack of an impressive aura mean it is most likely a has-been."

The opinion of many people was that this person onstage didn't have much of a personality.

Many public figures, especially those in the entertainment circles, would sport trendy hairstyles in public. However, despite all of the scanner-like gazes, no one in the audience was able to discern any special features. Nobody would have paid this person any attention if not for the fact that this person had appeared onstage.

Inside the SVIP booth, those guessing had no clue either.

"I can't tell. I'll have to analyze his skill and music style before making a better guess."

"I can't see any distinguishing features from a first look. Fortunately, he doesn't seem nervous."

The "golden ears" of the Yanzhou Musician Society, Ron Zak, was also interested now.

Interesting. Natiwuzi has given everyone quite the conundrum.

Given Natiwuzi's style in handling matters, he wouldn't go as far as to invite someone without any genuine talent or reputation. Could it be… a certain bigshot who hadn't been active in the industry for a long time?

Who was it?

Ron pepped himself up as he noticed the person on stage preparing to begin.

Fingerstyle? Not strumming?

On stage, the masked Midnight Stage performer's entire aura changed the moment he sat down. An ordinary person had become a firm and substantial statue. He looked quiet yet extremely forceful. Not saying a single sound was emitted, but the emotions still clearly flowed through.

The now-quiet venue was filled with a prelude that contained a slight air of mystery from the top-notch sound system. The music distinctly permeated every corner of the room.

The immersive warm melody gently rose and made the listeners' hearts feel lighter. A blank space appeared in the minds of the listeners. Those who were careless were completely submerged.

Amidst the haziness was a tree growing by lake.

There was a strange reflection in the lake beneath the tree.

It was as if something had been forgotten.

A dream? Or an ideal?

It was too distant and indistinct.

Time elapsed.

There was no sound from the tree. Leaves fell gently to the ground. Then, they were picked up by the wind and blown to a faraway and distant place.

The leaves made a long journey.

They wafted back and forth, wandering around. They completed a full circle and everything lost was regained.

The cozy sun shone through the passing clouds in the sky. A warm breezed passed through chatter and laughter in a bustling place and stopped in solitude.

Space, time, displacement.

Days, years, longing.

A leaf floated towards a remote starry sky. Dazzling multicolored particles started to change and warp.

One could stand still and look back into the past. The large tree still stood by the lake, still as luxuriant and vigorous as ever. The people smiled beneath the tree.

Ron shut his eyes and listened as he felt the peculiar sensation brought by the melody. He clearly hadn't heard it before, yet it felt intimate. It was as though he could hum it the next second, as if it had already long been etched within his soul. The world had become quiet.

The cigarette in his hand was still emitting smoke, yet it was completely forgotten at this moment. The atmosphere around him suddenly became clear. There was only the melody in his ears.

The fingers of his free hand drummed the table with the beat. The sides of his mouth arched upward into a faint smile.

His eyes glistened.

The tune was simple yet charming. It stimulated the senses.

It evoked a variety of sensations: a familiar longing, a peaceful mind, a contented soul.

The guitar strings seemed to have come alive. Every note appeared at the right moment and triggered a myriad of thoughts in the clear-headed listeners. It left behind a realization after an endless time.

Words came from the heart but stopped at the mouth.

It was plain, clear and peaceful.

Ron already couldn't think of why he found himself here. He was simply celebrating being able to listen to this sort of performance. It was moving, simple and pure, like a storyteller recounting a long-forgotten tale on a fine day.

The tune wasn't long. It lasted for less than four minutes, yet it made listeners feel as though they had traversed through a faraway time and space. No one bothered to study the performer's skill. No one bothered to analyze the tune's style as their thoughts carried them away.

At the end of the tune, Ron sighed deeply as he was hauled back to reality by the rapturous applause.

"Sounds of the world from the outside, reflected from the inside. A real work of art!"

After so many years of listening to music at Space, there were really too few pieces that could be praised as "works of art" by Ron Zak on the spot!

The others in the booth were also stunned by Ron's evaluation. But, at the same time, they were grimacing. They still couldn't guess who it was after listening to the entire song!Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Upon exchanging glances, they realized, Oh, everyone was the same!

"Ron, can you tell who it is?" Someone asked.

Ron didn't say anything and fixed his sights on the person onstage.

He couldn't tell!!

But to play out this performance to such an extent definitely meant that this was an original work by that person. And such an expressive performance that could resonate within the souls of the listeners definitely meant that he wasn't an unknown!

Could this really be some bigshot who had left the music circles many years ago?

Under the watchful gazes of the audience, the person onstage stood up and bowed before nimbly pulling down his hood and removing his mask.

The venue went crazy when the mask was uncovered.

Shrieks and screams erupted as people jumped up and down to get a better look.

"Fang Zhao?"

"The f*ck! It is Fang Zhao!!"

"Hit me quick! Am I hallucinating from having too much to drink? I am actually seeing Fang Zhao here!!"

Some drunk lying on the sofa in a booth opened his eyes and mumbled, "I actually dreamt that there were people shouting Fang Zhao's name."

Yet another ear piercing shriek rang out.

The recent news had caused quite a stir. And, this was on top of Fang Zhao's previously accumulated popularity. The majority of people in the larger regions of Yanzhou wouldn't make a mistake recognizing Fang Zhao's face.

Ron had dropped his cigarette in shock. His eyes were wide open as if he was watching the world crumble.

He swallowed and searched for an image of Fang Zhao disbelievingly. He then looked towards the person onstage holding the guitar and couldn't lie to himself any further.

It was Fang Zhao!

Why is it Fang Zhao!!

He had also studied Fang Zhao's works before, and there simply hadn't been this kind of style! Furthermore, this sort of expressive ability wasn't something that could be done without decades of training and experience!

But! He could swear on his golden ears that there definitely wasn't any falsification in this performance!

But… why was it Fang Zhao!

Countless "whys" whizzed around in Ron's mind.

At the same time, Fang Zhao's movements were quickly circulated through various information channels, and all the entertainment reporters in the city rushed towards Space.

Online, fans, anti-fans and curious netizens with nothing to do got embroiled in discussions and flame wars. The trending news late at night was out of the ordinary.

Reports, complaints and other issues reached a peak within a short time on the social media platform. The automated customer service was jammed and switched to manual. Malfunctions occurred a short while later, and customer service teams and maintenance engineers in Yanzhou were woken up in the middle of the night for overtime.

Fang Zhao! You again!

Why are you playing the guitar in the middle of the night!!

Ah?!

Why are you playing the guitar!!!

Chapter 427: Poisonous!

Although the customer service teams and maintenance engineers were a little moody, traffic meant wages and overtime meant more pay. Everyone became happy again thinking about the overtime pay.

They were rather happy to see celebrities cause trouble, but why did they all like to do so in the middle of the night?!

What sort of sick habit is that?!

At Space, Fang Zhao finished the song, gave his thanks and left quickly. This wasn't his special performance, and he wanted to leave the stage for tonight's invited band.

However, all the band members were feeling a great deal of pressure, as though they had large rocks chained to their feet.

They hadn't had a clear idea of Fang Zhao's ability before he started his advanced studies. No one had known how good he was after his studies. But now, they had a clear idea.

"I knew he was good, but I never imagined he was this good!"

"You can only experience how strong his ability is up close."

"We can only execute plan B now."

They had previously thought that if Fang Zhao's performance wasn't good enough, they would execute plan A and perform with a little more restraint to save Fang Zhao some face If Fang Zhao was too impressive, then they would carry out plan B to save their own faces. Clearly, it was time for plan B now.

"In the future, let's just compare notes with him in private."

"When will Fang Zhao's graduation concert be held? Where will it be? Let's get a few tickets to attend live. The works in that sort of graduation concert won't all necessarily be made public."

The band members also were quite capable and performed out of their minds because of the prior pressure from Fang Zhao. Thus, the venue's atmosphere also became fired up. The influence that Fang Zhao had brought wasn't diluted in the least.

At this time, Natiwuzi didn't care about anything else. He had given Fang Zhao his word on keeping him safe and blocking off entertainment reporters and various disturbances. He was determined to see this through. After dealing with some regular customers, he got his men to bring Fang Zhao upstairs to rest. Fang Zhao had already isolated himself for over ten hours today to compose already. He hadn't had any time to rest before preparing for the Midnight Stage.

"Have a good sleep. Don't worry about matters here; I won't let anyone disturb you." Natiwuzi hurriedly left to handle other matters after sending Fang Zhao up. Tonight definitely wouldn't be peaceful. Fang Zhao had only performed for just a short while, and Natiwuzi had already received a great number of calls.

Many people coveted Fang Zhao's business value. Some of Natiwuzi's partners and close friends called to make discreet inquiries. A music variety program that Natiwuzi had worked with before inquired whether it was possible for Natiwuzi to rope Fang Zhao onto the program. The appearance fee was negotiable.

Natiwuzi had asked Fang Zhao regarding this and was declined. Fang Zhao still had to continue his advanced studies and didn't want to be distracted by participating in too many commercial activities or variety programs.

Natiwuzi also understood that Fang Zhao showing his face in his nightclub was him repaying a favor. Would Fang Zhao even be lacking name recognition?

Zuo Yu didn't plan on getting any sleep tonight. He looked out the window at the street below and saw many entertainment reporters camped outside. Who knew how many more people had entered Space nightclub downstairs? He had to guarantee Fang Zhao's safety. Those men Natiwuzi had sent over were after all outsiders. As Fang Zhao's true bodyguard, he couldn't let himself fall behind.

Standing guard outside the room door, Zuo Yu browsed the latest news online. Indeed, all sorts of trending topics pertaining to Fang Zhao were revealed with just a tap.

#Fang Zhao's Night Club Fingerstyle#

#Fang Zhao's Godly Tune#

#True Artist#

There was also a segment from the live stream of Fang Zhao's performance as well as snippets of noisy videos taken from different angles in the venue which led to a wave of disputes.

"I just saw the edited video from a certain webcast host. All I can see is that it is so-so."

"Give me an effects synthesizer, and I can also play something like this! Me+effects synthesizer=Fang Zhao! See, with this, the difference isn't that great."

"Not exaggerating, but when it comes to strumming skill, there would already be at least ten people from my school alone who wouldn't lose to Fang Zhao!"

"As someone who watched the full thing live, all I see are you all trying to be pretentious. Those who weren't there would find it very difficult to imagine that sort of feeling of transcendence and loss of control of your body. Perhaps that is the difference. I finally understand the reason why so many people prefer listening to live music. It is truly only up close where you can experience that strong expressive power. Fang Zhao being able to reach such heights today is really no fluke."

"There are already people who have uploaded their strumming covers. After listening to so many covers, it has to be admitted that there are many impressive people. All of these are played really well, and there are people who even pick difficult songs to show off their technical ability. However, it still isn't the same. Those who listened to it live felt a peculiar infectiousness that cannot be replicated. This isn't an exaggeration."

"Indeed, the tempo looks stable, but the creative concept is very difficult to express. Therefore, would the person on top stop boasting?! You wouldn't be able to produce it even with an effects synthesizer!"

"Is the technical aspect as easy as you all say it is? I've tried it already. The harmony is really difficult, and the timing is hard to grasp. I can't even strum it smoothly, let alone even worry about the creative concept."

"Fang Zhao still has a strong foundation in terms of technique. What is important is his expressive ability that cannot be replicated. The tune is indeed mystical. Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to experience it live."

"Yeah, Zhao God isn't like a certain someone who only knows how to flaunt his technique on stage but can't display his inner qualities!"

"Hey hey, don't bash others if we are talking about Fang Zhao. We can't compare others this way. Their styles are different, and their artistic expressions are different as well. Some value concept, others value form. Some works value the melody, while others value the tempo."

"Let's not talk about technique, artistic concept and what not. What I want to know is the name of this tune that Fang Zhao played! I used a music recognition software, but it wasn't able to produce a name!!"

While the netizens were arguing, entertainment reporters who had rushed over were stopping customers coming out of Space.

Ron hadn't been the only one caught up and deeply affected by Fang Zhao's tune. Some people didn't stay and left Space after Fang Zhao left the stage.

A journalist from Qi'an Morning Post was in the vicinity and hurried over when they received the news. They didn't enter Space and instead camped outside to pick their targets.

This was a good opportunity concerning Fang Zhao who always seemed to generate a lot of news. If they couldn't find Fang Zhao, interviewing others was fine too. They just needed to gather and edit some material and it would be ready for the morning paper.

Noticing a few men come out of the night clubs with their arms around each others' shoulders, the journalist hurried over.

With one look, the journalist could tell that these people had had a lot to drink. It was good if they were drunk. Inebriated people spoke more freely without qualms and generally had a high degree of truth.

The journalist went over and probed a little. He found out that these people had come over for a small gathering. They had graduated thirty years ago and had gotten back together for a class reunion.

"Did you all listen to Fang Zhao's song too?" the journalist asked.

That drunk man who was asked this question inhaled sharply. "Yeah, it's a 'wakes you up from any sort of tiredness' kind of song. Suddenly hearing such an expressive song was simply…"

"Mmhm?" The journalist's eyes were glowing.

"Killer!" The drunk man started to bawl again.

He was drunk, and his brain couldn't function that well. He also had no idea why, but he just felt like crying. It was as if a deluge of sentiments buried deep down for a long time was finally being set free.

The handful of grown men hugged in a circle and bawled together like they were suddenly upset by something. They had tears and mucus rolling down their faces.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

The journalist silently let them pass.

They were an upright publication and only reported according to standards. His boss had just said yesterday that they had to uphold an honorable attitude and not fabricate or publish content blindly unlike those entertainment reporters who embellished reports for the sake of attracting views. Although they had taken the opportunity to come here for interviews, they still had to do it the proper way.

Very clearly, the ones who had just been interviewed had painted an exaggerated scene with untruths. It didn't follow the high standards of Qi'an Morning Post. He needed to interview someone more sober.

There were so many people coming out from Space so there wasn't a need to take the words of that group of people seriously.

The journalist scanned Space's leaving crowd and picked a person. Mmhm, this person seems very sober. Seems to be in high-spirits too. He will surely cooperate for an interview.

The journalist had confidence now and strode over to stop that person.

"Did you listen to Fang Zhao's performance just now?" the journalist asked.

"Yeah."

"Did you like it?"

"Loved it!"

"Then… in your opinion, what sort of standard is Fang Zhao song at?"

"What standard?" That man appeared puzzled.

"Right, meaning, in your heart, what level do you think this song is at?"

That person thought hard.

"Air purifier level!"

Journalist: "…"

That man patted his own chest, "Ah~~~~I feel like all the dust and haze has been expelled!"

Journalist: "…"

This person is definitely a Fang Zhao fanatic!

Fanatics were no good. There weren't in compliance with the professional standards of their Qi'an Morning Post.

That man didn't care what the journalist was thinking. He maintained a deeply moved expression and sheepish smile as he pushed past the journalist and hummed a tune as he walked over to his taxi.

As the journalist exhaled sharply, his assistant beside him asked feebly, "Are we still doing interviews?"

"Yes!"

The journalists picky gaze scanned the crowd meticulously. In no time, he chose a person who looked to be calm and steady. This person would definitely be neutral.

The reporter went over and inquired about this person's evaluation of Fang Zhao's performance tonight.

That person didn't decline the interview and even replied seriously, "Evaluation? It's a very good composition. There was grief and also beauty. My sentiments were enriched as I listened to it."

"I saw some people crying. Did you feel sad after listening to it?"

"Not sad."

"Melancholic?'

"Not melancholic."

"Happy?"

"Not happy either."

The journalist stared at that face that lacked emotion: "…"

Which part of your emotions were enriched?!

"Then you were?" The journalist refused to give up.

The interviewee maintained a stoic face of profound mystery. "You won't understand."

Journalist: "???"

"That sort of sublimation of the mental state."

"???"

"Listening to it and returning to write a thesis would feel like an atonement."

Journalist: "…"

Poisonous!!!

Fang Zhao didn't know about the views regarding him. He received a call from Mo Lang after he entered his room.

It was already morning in Huangzhou. Mo Lang had been notified by his assistant about Fang Zhao's matter in Yanzhou the moment he got up. He had originally thought that Fang Zhao had returned to Yanzhou to assist in the investigations. He never expected that Fang Zhao would still be able to cause a commotion. This worried the old master so much that he had to anxiously call and ask about it. Sigh. Indeed, the most worry-free time was when Fang Zhao was still under quarantine at Whale Island.

Fang Zhao explained this matter to Mo Lang.

Mo Lang revealed a satisfied smile and continued, "Hurry up and return after you are done with things at Yanzhou. You are still undertaking advanced studies. Don't go applying for leave all the time. It's fine this time since it is a friend's invitation, but it is best to not participate in too many of those commercial entertainment programs. You still have the Fiery Bird endorsement, and you don't lack money so there isn't any rush to endorse others."

"Mhmm, got it," Fang Zhao said.

"That's good. The song you performed was a new composition? It was not bad indeed. However, it isn't suitable to be included in your graduation concert."

Mo Lang analyzed the pros and cons for Fang Zhao. Academics had their own academic standards, and graduate concert pieces had their own auditing guidelines. He worried that Fang Zhao was too young and would be easily swayed so he felt the need to re-emphasize certain important things.

Mo Lang felt gratified seeing that Fang Zhao's attitude was sincere and didn't say much more. However, before he hung up, he asked, "Oh right, what was the name of the song you played?"

"A Journey Through Time".

The Old Era, the Period of Destruction and the New Era spanned an inconceivable amount of time. Many things of the past had already been forgotten by Fang Zhao, and the school badge had reminded him of many of these things.

Ants on the ground, stars in the sky, masses of common people.

Situated at an unconventional passage, Fang Zhao could only move forwards. However, memories would occasionally open doors back to the past and let him see even more of those memories that had long been forgotten as well as changes, secrets and vicissitudes of time.

He thought he had only remembered the ruins, wreckage and destruction of the Period of Destruction. He never imagined that he would be able to clearly remember the Chinese Parasol Tree that had stood outside the classroom, swaying in the breeze.

Fang Zhao glanced at the school badge stored inside the box. He tidied up a little and didn't head to sleep immediately.

Mmhm.

He was in a good state. The time was suitable for making some revisions.

Fang Zhao hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside his door and flipped open his notebook. Then, he began making amendments to his graduation concert pieces.

Natiwuzi, who had finished with his own matter, came over and saw the "Do Not Disturb" sign and fell silent.

Is inspiration so easy to come by?

Is it the difference of innate talent, or am I really growing old?

Chapter 428: Purpose Of A Dog's Life

Natiwuzi didn't sleep very well that night. He had already settled matters at the nightclub, but he would still receive phone calls every once in awhile. Most of them were the sort that couldn't rejected. This was also the first time that Natiwuzi experienced Fang Zhao's influence in Yanzhou.

Now, Fang Zhao was a true power celebrity. Natiwuzi believed that Fang Zhao's commercial value would continue to rise. After all, Fang Zhao had ability, luck and youth.

It's good to be young.

Natiwuzi sighed wearily. He felt that his own innate talent wasn't too far off from Fang Zhao's. Indeed, age was his problem. His mind was no longer as lively, and he couldn't keep up in spirit.

However, Natiwuzi chuckled when he thought about the many others in Yanzhou who wouldn't be able to sleep as well.

Just this one performance by Fang Zhao late at night had stolen the limelight from so many people. Those who wanted some media attention would definitely be gritting their teeth—

Why isn't this fellow still not leaving?! When will he be returning back to school!!

Actually, Fang Zhao really had no plans to stay too long in Yanzhou. He had returned this time to assist with investigations. Despite not gaining much from the investigations, the matter was over now. Fang Zhao didn't have too much else to attend to in the short term, and he wasn't in a rush to look for a new place. After staying at Natiwuzi's for another two days and rejecting invitations from many parties, Fang Zhao returned back to Huangzhou to continue his studies.

Fang Zhao had left Yanzhou, but more people were coming to Space. Fang Zhao isn't here, but perhaps there might be other surprises?

Thus, for a long time after, Space experienced full houses every Saturday night. Many people couldn't enter without advance reservations as there were too many people in the limited space at the nightclub.

Natiwuzi had his own famem, but it was limited to a small circle within Yanzhou. After Fang Zhao's performance in his nightclub, the name "Space" became even more well-known and even became a trending topic. There were bands, singers and performers who voluntarily contacted Natiwuzi to express their interest in performing at Space.

Natiwuzi never imagined that giving away a school badge that wasn't worth much would actually earn him such great benefits.

Elsewhere in Yanzhou, by a seaside villa, someone was watching Fang Zhao's Space performance video over and over.

"How astonishing. Never imagined that he would actually be that sort of all-around talent."

The one speaking had a unique voice. He had been a hugely popular singer in the past. However, he hadn't produced any outstanding works in the past two years, and his popularity had cooled. His manager beside him was also watching the video attentively.

"We should consider paying special attention to Fang Zhao. I have studied all of his compositions. He is someone who possesses a scary ability to learn. Before, I could more or less see his approximate development direction. But, I totally can't see it now. In this year of advanced studies, he has grasped a lot of elements, and his style has undergone many changes. There is no way of determining what sort of style he will release next."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"We can go take a look when Fang Zhao's graduation concert comes around. If there are any suitable compositions, we can purchase them and revise them for you to sing. Perhaps they can become the start of your comeback."

At the same time, on a certain vacation island, an old man was seated on a lounge chair while talking to a good friend over the phone.

"Have you seen the video I sent you?" the other party asked.

"Yeah, this kid Fang Zhao is really impressive!"

"So, are you interested? How about we attend this kid's graduation concert when the time comes?"

"Alright, we can call upon Old Mo at the same time. I haven't seen him all these years. I wonder if he still has that horrible temper."

"Then you better remember it. Don't throw the Twelve Tone's invitation into the trash."

"Got it, got it!"

After ending the call, the old man clicked his tongue as he opened Fang Zhao's performance video that his friend had sent him.

"Have the kids now all become so impressive?"

There were similar conversations in the various continents and other places. Fang Zhao didn't know that so many people were closely tracking his own graduation concert. After returning to Huangzhou, he quickly fell back into the pace of his advancement studies. He had to attend lectures, gain new knowledge, revise his thesis, and amend his compositions. On top of these, Fang Zhao was also rather concerned about the issue with Curly Hair.

Because Curly Hair hadn't learned to control his speech, Fang Zhao had decreased the frequency of bringing him out. Even when they went out on walks, Curly Hair didn't bark or make a sound. He was afraid of dropping some human speech if he got excited. That would definitely be scary. If he was caught, Curly Hair would probably be sent to a laboratory.

Nanfeng, who didn't know the truth, even joked when he saw Curly Hair's transformation, "It is said that dogs that bark don't bite. Now that Curly Hair doesn't bark, does that mean he'll start to bite people?"

Fang Zhao would also teach Curly Hair how to speak in the dormitory. He downloaded a kids phonetics curriculum for Curly Hair, but progress wasn't great. After some time, Curly Hair was opposed to the phonetics curriculum. Fang Zhao wondered if this little thing needed some motivation.

Hadn't Curly Hair talked because he was anxious that his gaming helmets could be stolen?

There was an artificial intelligence sales exhibition targeted for home and school use currently being held at the HuangArt campus. All sorts of items such as personal terminals, game consoles and household robots were on sale.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Fang Zhao went over after his lecture. There were still many students in classes so the exhibition hall wasn't very crowded.

Fang Zhao scanned his surroundings and looked towards the game console section. There was a mother and child there.

The mother probably wanted to buy the child a present. Mmhm, for a birthday present… a learning console would be suitable. It has educational games.

The mother wanted to go to the learning console section, but the little child was holding onto the game console display cabinet and wasn't letting go. It seemed like he was about to cause a scene.

At that moment, the little child wailed towards his parent, "Are you a monster?!"

The child leaned on the game console display and refused to look at the neighboring learning consoles. He refused to move and stood there stubbornly.

As he sulked, the child heard his mother shout, "Quick, the snowman ice cream next door is almost sold out!"

Child: "…"

His last stand collapsed at the first blow.

Fang Zhao watched as the child was conned by his mother to get an ice cream before she purchased the learning console. The child kept turning back to look at the game consoles longingly as they left.

Fang Zhao walked over.

The eyes of the staffer at the game console section lit up when he saw Fang Zhao. He took two steps forward only to see Fang Zhao walk past the displays.

Fang Zhao stood before the learning console showcase and assessed the various learning consoles. There were helmet types that weren't too different from gaming helmets, except they were smaller. Other models were also readily available.

The staffer recognized Fang Zhao and was puzzled by Fang Zhao browsing learning consoles.

They had never heard of Fang Zhao being married. Unless it had been a secret wedding? Or perhaps he was buying a present for a friend or a relative's kid?

All sorts of guesses were going through his head, but he still smiled warmly and inquired what Fang Zhao needed. He was the manager of this exhibition at HuangArt and wouldn't wantonly divulge any secrets. HuangArt didn't have much, but they had many celebrities.

Fang Zhao inquired about the usage and functionality of a few learning helmets, and the staffer patiently explained them to him.

Fang Zhao didn't purchase anything before leaving. However, Fang Zhao wanted to pay a consultation fee because the staffer had answered many detailed questions. But, the staffer didn't accept it and instead asked Fang Zhao to autograph a learning console which he intended to gift to his niece.

With the autographed console in hand, the display exhibit in charge thanked Fang Zhao.

"Thank you Zhao God! My entire family loves you very much!"

As the staffer carefully placed the learning console inside a gift box, he thought to himself, With this autograph, my dear nice won't sneakily throw the learning console away, right?

When Fang Zhao returned to his dormitory, Curly Hair was making whining sounds while observing the speech curriculum. He was whimpering and hadn't yet learnt how to control his speech.

Fang Zhao eyed him and knew right away that this dog had surely been sleeping right before he had come home. He was only now pretending to be learning attentively after he had heard the sounds of activity. It looked like Curly Hair was watching the screen attentively, but he was casting sneaky glances at Fang Zhao from time to time.

Fang Zhao pondered for a moment and gestured with his hand.

Curly Hair immediately came over while wagging his tail and acting lovable. He placed his paws on Fang Zhao's legs.

"Curly Hair." Fang Zhao patted the dog's head and said, "When you have learned to speak, control your speech, and distinguish between human speech and dog barks, I will give you a custom-made helmet that can connect to the Internet."

Upon hearing this, Curly Hair's ears sprang up.

Custom-made helmet?

Connect to the Internet?

He was simply so excited he couldn't breathe!!

Curly Hair's eyes were shimmering brightly.

Fang Zhao met the curly haired dog's gaze and nodded. "I mean what I say. When you meet all of these requirements, I will buy you a custom-made helmet and permit you to access the Internet. With your ability, learning all of this definitely won't be difficult."

The pair of dog eyes burned with an intense passion upon receiving confirmation yet again. For the sake of his custom-made helmet and his excitement for Internet access, Curly Hair was fired up. It was as if he had found a new purpose in life.

Fang Zhao smiled kindly as he observed the now hardworking Curly Hair.

Heh, a gamer dog indeed.

Chapter 429: When A Dog Can Talk

For the first helmet in his dog life, Curly Hair actually worked extremely hard to change.

Fang Zhao's dormitory had a new display cabinet where those few gaming helmets were now kept. Curly Hair used this display cabinet to motivate himself. Whenever he felt vexed and didn't want to learn, he would go stare at Fang Zhao's display cabinet to regain the drive once again!

After his Yanzhou home had been burglarized, Fang Zhao moved some of his items. That "rabbit" and the gaming helmets were all brought over to the dormitory. This had been a vehement request by Nanfeng. He felt uneasy if he couldn't keep an eye on them in person so he came over everyday to look at them.

As for the other stuff, Great-grandfather Fang suggested keeping them at the retirement facility. He would definitely be able to help Fang Zhao look after them well, especially those awards and prizes that Fang Zhao had won. Thus, Fang Zhao assigned Yan Biao to drive over and deliver those things.

With an incentive to spur him on, Curly Hair's progress was satisfactory.

He progressed from muffled sounds at the beginning to faintly discernible words and finally to properly enunciating individual words. These changes all happened within a week. His ability to control his speech improved tremendously. All that was left was getting used to knowing when to use human speech and when to bark like a dog.

Curly Hair hadn't been too enthusiastic towards talking originally and perhaps hadn't really put in effort to change. But now, Fang Zhao dangled a carrot before him, and this dog had become proactive all of a sudden. The changes over these few days were really drastic!

This made Fang Zhao contemplate a lot and even guess whether Curly Hair's changes were linked to his desires? Or perhaps, he changed slowly, but an intense desire could make him change even more rapidly?

For example, he had eaten someone on Whale Island.

And now he could communicate through human speech.

Although Fang Zhao still didn't know how Curly Hair had eaten a grown man without leaving any trace, Fang Zhao didn't doubt its authenticity.

Curly Hair couldn't describe the process though Fang Zhao had asked. His reply given had been very simple: "Open mouth, swallow. Ate it because I felt like it."

This was an unknown species that needed proper guidance and a degree of control.

On this day, Fang Zhao returned from classes and listened to Curly Hair practice speaking. It was no longer the perfunctory sort. That dog was really serious about it.

"Chicken thigh, gophers, beef…"

Curly Hair had completed the day's phonetics exercises. He was currently reading a short excerpt with emotion. Then, Curly Hair excitedly showed his A+ evaluation results to Fang Zhao.

"Fang Zhao! I have already gotten A+ for five days in a row! Yesterday, my performance while out walking was very good too. I didn't mistakenly mix up human and dog speech! Can I get the helmet now?"

Curly Hair's large eyes were brimming with expectation.

Fang Zhao took a look at his results today and nodded. "I can place the order."

Curly Hair's speech still couldn't be considered especially smooth, and he had a limited vocabulary. Fortunately, he didn't have that sort of stiffness from the beginning. The high frequency machine-like tone no longer appeared, and he could indeed start the next step.

Fang Zhao opened the online order web page for learning consoles. He had already saved the webpage when he had asked the manager of the sales exhibition. Now, it seemed like Curly Hair had achieved the most basic requirements. Fang Zhao opened up the saved order web page.

After choosing the model, there were many components that could be selected and added. The buyer could also choose designs and colors according to their own preferences.

"Take a look and choose your colors and design. What do you want to inscribe?"

Curly Hair wagged his tail and came over.

This was the first helmet he would get in his dog life!

Curly Hair referenced the few gaming helmets in Fang Zhao's display cabinet when selecting the designs and added own his paw and teeth prints before engraving two words: "Curly Hair".

After he was done, Fang Zhao submitted the order for manufacture and made the payment. All that remained was receiving it.

There was a queue for the helmet to be custom-made so the earliest Fang Zhao could receive it was in two days.

When Fang Zhao received the helmet from express delivery and brought it back to the dormitory, Curly Hair was already waiting by the door.

After Fang Zhao removed the packaging, the words on the box were revealed.

Curly Hair's dog face stiffened.

Learning console?

"What is a learning console?"

Why isn't it a game console? There isn't even a Fiery Bird insignia!Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

He suddenly had an ominous premonition.

"Why does it look exactly like a game console?"

Curly Hair tilted his head and looked at the product's name on the box. He was puzzled.

Fang Zhao's expression was unchanging. "They are cousins."

"There aren't only gaming helmets. There are learning consoles as well. We have to progress step by step," Fang Zhao told Curly Hair. "Learning console—gaming console—personal terminal. This is a process we have to follow. At present, you have to use the learning console first. We can proceed to a game console depending on your performance."

Although this learning console was a little different from what Curly Hair had expected, the game console and smart personal terminal were too attractive to this dog!

It was just like a huge bone dangling before him that he could only reach by biting through all the small bones blocking the way.

As for right now, the learning console was fine.

"Can games be played?" Curly Hair asked.

"Yes."

"Can it link to the Internet?"

"Yes."

Curly Hair was happy again and circled the box, urging Fang Zhao to open it. He wanted to see his first ever helmet that belonged to himself! Even if this was only a cousin of the game console, Curly Hair wouldn't dislike it!

For a dog that was permitted to access the Internet, even a learning console would delight him.

When the learning console with Curly Hair's paw prints and name engraved on it was taken out from the box, Curly Hair cuddled it. Similar to those three gaming helmets, Curly Hair had his own imprinting method.

Back then, Curly Hair had known those gaming helmets were being stolen because he had bound the display cabinet rather than the gaming helmet to himself. Thus, he had been able to sense the items within the cabinet being moved. The process was somewhat fuzzy: Staring, then binding possibility, then binding complete.

Curly Hair was adept at this now and bound his own helmet to himself.

After binding, he started his learning console journey. Fang Zhao let him use the learning console to learn more vocabulary.

The learning console provided a certain degree of freedom when it came to searches.

Indeed, it was "a certain degree"!

After all, it was essentially still a learning console. Even though it could access the Internet, there were age limitations. After a guardian set restrictions, content for certain ages and above became inaccessible. In short, only content for minors could be accessed.

Curly Hair put on the learning console, entered studying mode and used the search bar to search for phrases related to dogs. Fang Zhao still required him to practice phonetics; however, unlike previously, he now had greater freedom with the learning console.

Curly Hair looked at the displayed words and read them.

"A dog's threat is based on its master's power; a cornered dog will jump walls…"[1.Chinese idioms that contain the word dog]

Fang Zhao watched from the side for a bit before doing his own stuff. From time to time, he would check on how Curly Hair was doing.

Purchasing a learning console was also a form of restriction. Fang Zhao had to watch this unknown creature a little more closely to prevent him from going astray or being overly free to do as he pleased.

Without restrictions, he reckoned that this dog would even fly.

After observing for two days, Fang Zhao discovered that Curly Hair didn't show any signs of rejection towards the learning console. Perhaps he had special sentiments for it being the first helmet, or perhaps he didn't encounter any difficulties and thought that learning was just like playing.

The learning console had new material every day and had tests based on progress. The educational games and tests were given the standard A, B, C grades. Curly Hair did very well on puzzles and crosswords, frequently scoring A+. On the other hand, he wasn't very good with riddles and logic games, sometimes getting results from B to C-. However, he was still very interested in them.

All these only counted as in-curriculum games that the learning console provided after completing each module as a recap.

However, when Fang Zhao asked Curly Hair about his experience using the learning console, Curly Hair replied, "I still like game consoles better."

"Then you just have to work harder," Fang Zhao replied.

"What do I have to do?"

"First, you have to graduate from secondary school."

Of course, it was impossible for Curly Hair to go to school. There was no need for a graduation certificate. The learning console had pre-installed settings. What Fang Zhao wanted was for Curly Hair to reach the graduation standard for secondary school.

Curly Hair learned extremely quickly, but Fang Zhao discovered that this dog frequently went overboard!

Curly Hair preferred to learn science, history, geography and other subjects quickly. However, his language was atrocious.

Sometimes, Curly Hair was like a high speed calculator with astonishing data processing and memory that even a human brain couldn't keep up with. Furthermore, his calculation speed was increasing.

After earning an A+ on a math test, Curly Hair wagged his tail and hopped around, enjoying his glorious dog life.

However, he was stumped on reading comprehension, making him doubt this dog life.

Rote memorization was fine, but when it came to reading and compositions, Curly Hair wilted.

Curly Hair already found modern texts difficult enough. Ancient texts were simply demonic!

After getting yet another C- evaluation in succession, Curly Hair cried, "Reading comprehension is too hard waaa—

"I am only a dog, why do I have to learn all this!

"My dog brain can't understand the way these scholars think. The sentiments they try to convey are so difficult to understand! How would I even know what they are trying to express!"

Curly Hair didn't want to study all this. He felt there wasn't a need because he was only a dog. There was no need to go to school or any real need to get a graduation certificate. What was the point of studying literature?!

To this dog's cries over why he should study literature, Fang Zhao replied strictly, "To better survive in human society."

Fang Zhao hoped that Curly Hair could better understand the thinking of human society through the process of all the studying. The goal was to be able to distinguish good words from malicious talk; to understand insinuation, sarcasm and beating around the bush in order to not get tricked.

"Wasn't there a 'Without knowing how to speak and write, one can't go far nor exist long' in the teaching material you were reading yesterday? Therefore, you still have to learn even if you don't like it. Go through the recommended books every week and read through them slowly."

Curly Hair read books very quickly just like his brain did calculations, but unlike people, he couldn't view things with the same logic.

After being lectured, Curly Hair mulled over everything Fang Zhao had mentioned, especially the line "to better survive in human society." It was etched into his mind. Curly Hair felt that this sentence was extremely important and that he had to understand it carefully.

After pondering for half the day, he understood it.

Curly Hair reckoned he finally understood the meaning of what Fang Zhao's line was trying to convey.

After learning all this, he could act like a person online!

For example, he could use the in-game mic when playing games.

Chapter 430: Online Classes

Curly Hair worked even harder in order to advance from his learning console to a game console. However, there were some things such as reading comprehension and writing essays that were really too difficult to learn.

Curly Hair wasn't even able to obtain a C each time and didn't know whether he was making any progress.

After yet another test, Curly hair had to defend himself when Fang Zhao checked his learning progress.

"I feel I have made great progress. Not far from a C- now."

Because of this sentence, Fang Zhao changed the grading system to score from 100 marks. On the next day's test, Curly Hair's reading comprehension received a grade of 21 marks.

He wasn't even able to meet the passing criteria of 50/100 marks.

The weather was fine. Nanfeng and Zuo Yu had been looking at a few houses for Fang Zhao and came over to report their findings. Upon entering the dormitory, Nanfeng saw Curly Hair crouching in the corner with his head drooped. There were clearly tear marks beneath his dog eyes.

"Why is our Little Curly Curls crying again?" Nanfeng was about to say "Did you receive a scolding again?" but caught sight of Fang Zhao from the corner of his eyes and changed his tune. "Feeling heaty again? Here, have some fruits."

Nanfeng then brought out a paper box filled with little fruits. He saw Fang Zhao looking over and explained hastily, "Got them from the fruit store outside of HuangArt. I asked already; dogs can also eat these fruits. They are rather cheap too. One box only cost 21 dollars."

Curly Hair cried even harder.

With that, Nanfeng could only have Zuo Yu bring Curly Hair out for a walk. If the dog wasn't in a mood, walking one round would make him feel better. If that wasn't enough, then two rounds was needed. As for everything else… what could he say as an assistant?

Whoever paid the wages was the boss!

Curly Hair didn't seem to be in better spirits after walking two rounds. However, the dejection of scoring 21 marks was quickly forgotten when he regained his self-confidence after taking a math test at night.

The learning console also had reference books compiled by various teachers of various continents. Unless the user loved doing questions, most students would simply have psychological scars from those reference books.

Curly Hair had similar sentiments, but his were slightly more complicated. Practice questions in the sciences were a piece of cake. He could do ten sets of science practice questions in the same time he took for a reading comprehension question. Even then, he might get the reading comprehension question wrong.

After Curly Hair finished the primary school curriculum, Fang Zhao looked through Curly Hair's grades. Curly Hair scored close to full marks on math and science. The only blip on his report card was a narrow pass on language, but overall, it was good enough for him to start the secondary school curriculum.

To celebrate graduating primary school and being one step closer to his own personal terminal, Curly Hair happily devoured five kilograms of dog food.

Secondary school curriculum was more complicated. Fang Zhao added some money to the account to purchase some of the online classes. After watching a few videos, Curly Hair chose the online classroom of a very popular teacher.

The microphone was also turned on.

Sometimes, students would have questions. Of course, there were also students unwilling to turn on their mics and would just type questions out in text.

This type of classroom mode was rather novel to Curly Hair. This was the first time in his dog life that he was acting as a human. He needed to be on his best behavior.

Curly Hair pretended that he was a secondary school student and started his journey of attending online classes.

However, this unique student still gave teachers some headaches.

For example, when a certain teacher that specialized in tackling test and examinations questions said, "Encountering a tough question is like a stumbling block in the middle of a road. How would you go about solving it?"

Curly Hair: "Eat it up!"

"Can this student please be more serious?"

As the other online students roared with laughter, the teacher took note of the online student ID [Little Curly Curls].

Afterwards, Curly Hair felt that the stuff this teacher taught was too simple so he went over to the next classroom and stumped the teacher with his questions.

He wasn't purposely causing trouble. Even though he asked seriously, the kind of questions he asked were either from unorthodox perspectives or were beyond the scope of the syllabus.

For students, those that could stump teachers by asking questions had a "cool" halo in the eyes of others. Some students also took note of [Little Curly Curls]. But, this bookworm seemed to not like accepting friend requests.

It wasn't that Curly Hair was unwilling to add friends. Rather, he remembered what Fang Zhao had said.

"No adding friends before 'graduating from university' or scoring at least 85/100 for a language examination." Fang Zhao was worried Curly Hair would reveal his identity in a fit of carelessness.

The teacher of this classroom didn't know this. He had spent the past few days studying this student who had asked many crafty questions. Although there was a voice, the student couldn't be seen. The voice sounded young, and the questions were sometimes very naive.

Nonetheless…

There would surely be a vile and sinister face behind this innocence! A wide mouth and sharp teeth were just waiting to bite a huge chunk of his flesh!

Some people were just the best at pretending to be innocent!

"Don't think you can deceive me!"

A question solving genius? He didn't believe it!

How could there be so many geniuses in the world. If this were really a genius, he would have been snatched up long ago. Those at schools weren't stupid. Nowadays, every continent and district were competing for talents. There was no way such a talent would use a learning console's platform to attend classes.

Therefore, it definitely had to be a professional troll!

This sort of situation was commonplace. Currently, competition among online classes was intense. Mutual sabotage occurred frequently. He reckoned that surely this ID had been sent by someone from the same industry. He couldn't keep this fellow any longer!Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Right now, what he needed was to think of a reason to kick this person out of the classroom.

After another round of questions left him stumped, the teacher sent a private message to Curly Hair. The main idea was this: You are already very impressive. I have nothing more to teach you. I can recommend you a teacher, for example XXX[link]. Since you have only attended half of the scheduled classes, I will refund you the remaining half.

Don't bring me down. If you want to harm others, then go ahead, the teacher thought to himself.

Curly Hair was also surprised when he saw the message.

"This teacher is really great! Introducing a new teacher and even giving a refund! Woooo!"

The refunded money could be used to buy dog food!!

Curly Hair felt that this transaction was rather worthwhile and agreed to leave the original classroom. He even sent a red packet to that teacher as thanks when he left the classroom. It was mentioned in literature that one must respect their teachers.

That teacher was thinking of agreeing to a full refund if the other party didn't agree. He could only count himself unfortunate this time. He never imagined that the other party would really agree. When he glanced at the classroom's online enrollees, he no longer saw [Little Curly Curls].

There was even a virtual red packet attached to the private message that wrote, "Thank you teacher! You are a really good person!"

The teacher: "???"

Is there poison in this red packet?

Curly Hair didn't know what the former teacher was imagining. After exiting the classroom, Curly Hair clicked on the link the previous teacher had recommended and entered another online classroom.

The new classroom mainly targeted the upper secondary students. There were many people in this online classroom, and more than half had been attracted by the teacher's background and experience at a university that had many essays and lots of lecture videos. A large portion of the introductory web page displayed various awards and honors the teacher had received. These online classes were just a part-time job for him.

Parents were very satisfied with the awards and honors of this teacher, but students were different. They felt that listening to this teacher's lessons was very tiring. Every lesson touched on complex knowledge that left them blank ank unable to keep up, especially when the teacher threw out complicated and rare jargon that wasn't in their secondary school textbooks. Every concept and formula required a lot of time to absorb. There were also many questions that combined the covered material. The students simply couldn't keep up when the teacher spoke too quickly.

However, for Curly Hair, such content was easy to receive. Thus, after adapting for two days, Curly Hair once again started to hunger for more knowledge and had a debate with the teacher over his question response that was marked wrong.

After that, on his third day at this new class, Curly Hair was kicked.

The teacher had forcibly kicked him out of the classroom and left a message. "I will return the money. Leave."

Curly Hair left rather happily.

"You are a really great teacher for teaching without accepting payment!"

Fang Zhao said, "… The newly released 'New Reading Compilation' has good short essays. Go take a look at the first ten."

As before, Curly Hair still couldn't distinguish certain words and sentences. He was also unable to perceive some words with derogatory connotation. However, speech was fine for him. Outside, Curly Hair could listen to someone's tone, mood and body language to determine whether the other party had any malicious intent. However, Curly Hair was still particularly sluggish when facing written words.

While Curly Hair drooped his head and analyzed the short essays, Fang Zhao received a call from Mo Lang.

"The dissertation committee list has already been finalized. The time slot to to defend your thesis will also be set in the next few days. According to the sequence of submitted applications, you will be the first. Prepare early."

There was still time before the dissertation. However, Fang Zhao would the first postgraduate from the advanced studies course to defend his dissertation. Furthermore, there could also be pressure from various other sources, so Mo Lang was worried whether Fang Zhao would be nervous. It was easy to make mistakes during the dissertation defense if one was nervous. Thus, he had informed Fang Zhao beforehand so that Fang Zhao would be able to mentally prepare himself.

Fang Zhao wasn't nervous. The dissertation touched upon his thesis that was completely written by himself. Points that needed to be taken note of had already been discussed with Mo Lang already. Fang Zhao was sufficiently prepared.

Mo Lang then analyzed the dissertation committee chairperson and the members of the committee before hanging up.

Fang Zhao brought up his virtual calendar and checked his schedule. Nanfeng would indicate if there were any new work related matters or things to take notice of. However, there was a period coming up without any events. Many people knew that Fang Zhao would be defending his dissertation. They wouldn't seek him out if it wasn't anything important. Other small matters could be handled by Nanfeng on his own.

Fang Zhao marked out a row of dates on the calendar. This would probably be the period where he would defend his dissertation.

While he was doing so, he received another call notification.

Fang Zhao picked up the call and had yet to speak when the other party shouted, "Hello, Fang Zhao! It's me, Samoyed!"

Fang Zhao: "…."

What sort of stimulation had this Zaro child received recently?

Chapter 431: I'm Not Afraid!

Zaro felt like he was on top of the world.

He had just won a an Esports war game competition!

The moment he lifted the championship trophy, Zaro smiled flamboyantly.

I actually won?!

Why am I so awesome?

Did I save the entire Milky Way in my past life?

Those were the three questions he asked himself.

Thus, when Zaro held up the champion trophy, he wanted everyone to bow down to him. And, the game ID he had used to participate in the competition was [Samoyed]. He couldn't wait to let the world know about [Samoyed], who had just won a championship. He firmly believed that he had an affinity with the name [Samoyed] and that it was an extremely lucky ID. It was just a pity that his current fame was too high and he couldn't change his stage name.

However, he was in high spirits from winning the competition. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would show off to others. It just so happened that Chu Bo was holding a concert in Huangzhou, so Zaro came to support his friend. He brought along some of his fellow Esports teammates to have fun in Huangzhou and watch Chu Bo's concert. He also organized a private gathering with some of his old friends in Huangzhou.

Those from Leizhou who had accompanied Zaro for the competition were all professional Esports athletes. They were considered gaming gods in the Leizhou region and played the game "Battle of the Century" under different clubs. They only switched games to have fun and never expected to meet Zaro. After they met, they accompanied Zaro to participate in this competition and won it with a little luck.

Fang Zhao had also received an invitation. Zaro's Huangzhou residence wasn't too far and Fang Zhao didn't have anything planned tonight, so he also decided to go.

When Fang Zhao arrived, there were already over ten people there. Some of them were new faces to Fang Zhao.

Inside the apartment, Danke Assis was bragging to others.

As the son of the Inter-planetary Fund director general. Danke Assis didn't just lead a flamboyant and extravagant lifestyle. He spent no less time online than Zaro. Netizens jokingly called him the "Inter-planetary Crown Prince."

The bogus Crown Prince Danke also felt quite pleased lately. The bear kid that his father had thrown to him had gone somewhere unknown. Without him, Danke's days were rather peaceful. He had been so carefree lately that when he heard Zaro was organizing a private gathering, he didn't hesitate to come. He even brought a few bottles of expensive wine that he had collected.

Danke knew how to have fun and had no problem getting friendly with others. Those who were invited to Zaro's private gathering were worth knowing.

Danke quickly became high after all the wine and flattery.

"I have the most experience chaperoning that bear kid. I'm not exaggerating, mind you. Rather than the bear kid, if you really give me a bear…"Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

There was a rather simple and honest person amongst those present. That person blurted out, "It is illegal to own bears in private."

"… just give me three wild kids!" Danke frowned from the interruption. He was about to say something when he saw Fang Zhao entering. His tongue became stuck.

Those bunch of trash reporters!

Danke cursed the Huangzhou entertainment reporters silently. Didn't they say they would report Fang Zhao's whereabouts at all times? Why hadn't he received any news?

Although Danke was no longer chaperoning the bear kid lately, he still wasn't too willing to see Fang Zhao.

The attitude of the Inter-planetary Fund top brass towards Fang Zhao was rather strange. They were very cautious whenever Fang Zhao was mentioned. Danke didn't want to see Fang Zhao either.

Nevertheless, Danke switched on his professional mode. He put on an appropriately pompous smile for the occasion.

Fang Zhao naturally sensed this change, but he didn't really bother about this.

The others also came over in succession to greet Fang Zhao. They noticed Danke's change in attitude towards Fang Zhao, and their assessment of Fang Zhao changed once again. There was indeed more than meets the eye to this Fang Zhao person.

On the balcony at this moment.

Zaro, Chu Bo and Woo Tianhao were squatting like three potatoes.

Chu Bo had a cigarette in his hand and was making a pained expression. "I've been under a lot of pressure lately, how annoying. Let me have some alone time. You guys head in first."

"With the concert?" Woo Tianhao lit up his own cigarette and handed Zaro one.

The moment Zaro heard the word concert, he piled onto the somewhat distressed Chu Bo. "Hey, I heard you were called up for a talking-to again?"

"Mmhm." Chu Bo didn't wish to talk about this topic.

Because he had let loose and hurled vulgarities on the stage during one stop of his global tour, his current concert here at Huangzhou had nearly been canceled. Huangcheng's media department had given him a stern reprimand.

However, this wasn't the reason Chu Bo was under a lot of pressure. Huangcheng's media department had been rather amiable during his reprimand. They gave a lot of face to the Chu family of Jinzhou. However, the media department then disclosed this matter to Old Master Chu. If not for the concert in Huangcheng, Old Master Chu would have hauled Chu Bo back for another dressing-down.

He had only been given a verbal reprimand this time, but if he still couldn't control his emotions during this Huangzhou tour, he would never ever have another world tour concert. Although the old master hadn't explicitly said it, Chu Bo understood what the old man meant.

Chu Bo wasn't didn't fear his parents, but he was afraid of his grandfather. When his grandfather was lecturing him and saw that the situation wasn't improving, he didn't scold or hit him. Instead, he forced him to admit his mistakes obediently out of fear.

Heh, the cheap tricks of the elderly!!

Chu Bo was helpless about this fear.

He raised his head and exhaled smoke slowly.

Chu Bo didn't want to let Zaro and Woo Tianhao know about the timid way he had admitted his errors to his grandfather.

Zaro looked at the time and got up. "Bobo, stop squatting on the balcony already. Let me bring you to see my newly won trophy!"

The purpose of Zaro's gathering this time was to flaunt his new trophy. He wanted to prove to everyone that he was also a champion Esports athlete!

Chu Bo continued squatting there and rolled his eyes at Zaro. What's the big deal about a bunch of gaming gods carrying a burden like you to win a small-scale competition?

Zaro didn't think this way. He didn't consider the competition rules or the prize money. He had just been a voluntary meat shield and was proud of it.

"Fang Zhao should have arrived. I will let him take a look at my trophy," Zaro said.

"Fang Zhao?" Chu Bo's distressed face went rigid. "You called him?"

"Of course I did. He is also in the Esports scene!"

Zaro didn't notice the changes in Chu Bo's tone but Woo Tianhao did.

"Bobo, are you afraid of Fang Zhao?" Woo Tianhao asked.

"My *ss! Me, afraid of him?!!" Chu Bo was so pissed steam nearly came out from his nostrils.

He had just said that when the door to the balcony opened and someone came out from the apartment.

Chu Bo saw those raised eyebrows and that stern gaze. Chu Bo hadn't yet seen the face clearly, but his heart tensed up. He flicked the cigarette in his hand away.

Chu Bo: "…"

Zaro and Woo Tianhao glanced at Fang Zhao who had just entered. They then looked at Chu Bo's cigarette that had been sent flying. "…"

Chu Bo, you still said you weren't afraid of Fang Zhao!

You are so terrified that you tossed away your cigarette!

Actually, Fang Zhao had no intention of scaring anyone. He hadn't specially eavesdropped on the trio's conversation either. He had only smelled smoke. There were many singers and performers in HuangArt. They all took measures to protect their own throats and showed extreme restraint when smoking. Someone like Chu Bo who had to practice singing every day was actually here squatting and smoking?

Chu Bo flushed from the stares of the other three. He was clearly embarrassed and tried to give an excuse. "I'm not smoking. I just lit one to smell what it's like."

Chu Bo felt his insides crumbling. Why must I explain? Why am I like a terrified grandson? Could it be that I am psychologically scared of Fang Zhao?

Sensing Chu Bo's embarrassment, Fang Zhao didn't linger on this matter and instead turned to Zaro. "I heard that you just won a competition?"

Zaro had originally been wondering why Chu Bo was so frightened of Fang Zhao. But, upon hearing Fang Zhao mention championship, he immediately forgot all about Chu Bo and chuckled heartily. He brought Fang Zhao to view the championship trophy.

After flaunting the trophy for quite a bit, Zaro remembered something his Esports teammates had asked. "Did you receive the invitation for the All-star match Fiery Bird is organizing next month?"

The All-star match organized by Fiery Bird involved the 20 most popular games released by Fiery Bird. The All-star match were a series of exhibition matchs. Teams weren't invited, and only a certain portion of gaming gods ranked near the top were invited. And amongst the twenty games, "Battle of the Century's" popularity occupied more than 90% of viewership, and the Esports athletes invited were naturally the most popular. Thus, it could be said that this was a "Battle of the Century" All-star match.

Fang Zhao still didn't know about this and replied, "Nope. I don't play competitive now."

Zaro hadn't received an invitation either and felt at ease. He consoled Fang Zhao by patting his shoulder. "If you don't get invited, shall we go to the venue and watch it? I have already asked Woo Tianhao and the others."

"You guys go ahead. I have to submit my dissertation next month and prepare for graduation," Fang Zhao said.

Zaro had a look of sympathy. An Esports athlete who used to be really popular couldn't even go watch the match. How miserable.

In Yanzhou.

After a meeting, the members of Silver Wing's professional gaming team were gathered for a chat.

Jinro and four others had already received invitations for Fiery Bird's All-star match.

Schwarzer, who had also received the invitation, suddenly asked, "I wonder if Zhao God received an invite."

Despite so much time passing, Schwarzer still remembered how he had been so mercilessly kicked the first time he had challenged Fang Zhao. Despite playing "Battle of the Century" for so long and transforming from newbie to senior, Schwarzer still quivered whenever Fang Zhao was mentioned. Besides the monsters in the game, only Fang Zhao was able to send him offline with just one kick.

The group that had been chatting and laughing suddenly fell silent when Fang Zhao was mentioned. After a while, someone spoke.

"I don't think so. Zhao God is busy trying to graduate. The period of the All-star Match probably clashes with his dissertation submission. I have already seen his schedule, and honestly speaking, I don't think he will participate in the match."

"Special guest? He is a Fiery Bird endorser. The All-star match is considered an important commercial activity. He wouldn't be omitted, right?"

"He also didn't attend last year's Fiery Bird customer gratitude ceremony."

Jinro rubbed his chin and kicked Schwarzer. "Go ask Nanfeng. Didn't you talk a lot to him the last time Zhao God returned?"

Schwarzer hesitated for a bit and sent Nanfeng a message. He didn't dare ask Fang Zhao directly. What if he disturbed Fang Zhao when he was composing? Fang Zhao would beat him to death.

Five minutes later.

Schwarzer heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Nanfeng's reply.

"Hahahaha, Brother Nan said that Zhao God will be very busy with his thesis during this period and won't be taking part in any other activities!"

The All-star match was actually a stage for these popular gamers to be pretentious. Competition was secondary, and entertainment was primary. Schwarzer didn't wish to be kicked offline by Fang Zhao while he was being pretentious. That would be really disgraceful in front of all the fans in the world.bear kid is a slang for wild children in chinese

Chapter 432: My Father Is Fang Zhao

Fang Zhao didn't stay for too long at Zaro's little gathering. Mo Lang had given him a task yet again, and he needed to return and handle it.

As Fang Zhao was leaving, Zaro told him, "Let's talk more when you are free. See you in the game."

The Leizhou professional Esports athletes: "…"

Senior Master, you are really high today.

Fang Zhao chuckled. "Alright, but it might have to wait till after I graduate."

After returning to his dormitory, Fang Zhao looked at the questions concerning his thesis that Mo Lang had sent over as well as the timing for the dissertation defense.

HuangArt had just finalized Fang Zhao's dissertation defense timing ten minutes ago. After him would be other advanced students who had submitted applications in turn.

Thirty minutes after Fang Zhao found out about the confirmation of the timing, he received a call from a Fiery Bird representative. Fiery Bird had already learned of the timing for the dissertation defense. The day of Fang Zhao's dissertation defense was also the day the All-Star Match would start. However, the first two days of the All-star competition didn't involve "Battle of the Century". "Battle of the Century" would start on the third day.

"Battle of the Century's" All-Star Match featured special guests. Some were retired top gamers. Some had retired from professional circles before "Battle of the Century" had even been released. However, they had been superstars during their prime in their respective games. This was a marketing ploy targeted at gamers' nostalgia, and gamers were all too happy to lap it up.

Fang Zhao was different from these people. Fang Zhao had made a name for himself through "Battle of the Century" when it had first come out. Even if he was no longer a professional gamer, he was still talked about continuously. He could even attract attention from people outside of gaming. Furthermore, with Fang Zhao's status as an endorser, Fiery Bird naturally wouldn't let an opportunity like this slip by.

After all, they were a commercial company and had to operate under their best interests. Even though it was close to a crucial period of Fang Zhao's graduation, they still had to try. Perhaps they could convince Fang Zhao to participate in the match?

Fang Zhao rejected them.

When signing the endorsement contract with Fiery Bird, Fang Zhao had told them that his studies took precedence during his advanced studies period. Fang Zhao would only cooperate with Fiery Bird and take part in commercial activities when they didn't interfere with his studies. It really was a crucial period this time. Even if he had confidence and was in the mood to enjoy other hobbies, those watching him, especially Mo Lang, didn't want to see this. The old master was already so old. Fang Zhao would feel apologetic if the old master still had to worry.

With regards to this, the Fiery Bird representative replied, "No worries. You can reconsider. The invitees for special guests will only be confirmed on the fifth or sixth day of the All-Star Match. We wish you a successful dissertation defense."

After the call ended, Fang Zhao thought about this All-Star Match and browsed through his friends' social media accounts.

From Silver Wing, Jinro and the others were already flaunting their invitation letters.

As he browsed, Fang Zhao saw Danke Assis's newly posted status——

"New little companions![Photo]"

In the photo, Danke was squatting in the middle, flanked by two extremely magnificent robotic dogs. Although the robotic dogs were sitting on the ground, they were much taller than the squatting Danke.

In the comments section, there were a group of people showing their envy with oohs and ahhs. There were also others who asked whether Fiery Bird had started to make robotic pets. Were they prototypes? Could they crowdfund them?

However, Danke had actually been miserable when the photo was taken, contrary to his victory pose.

He had only been acting pretentious for the photo. No one knew the pain he had actually felt.

Danke looked at the large burn hole in the sofa and wanted to scold someone. Although it had been his wrong instructions that had resulted in the sofa being burnt, but…!

Why does a dog have laser weapons?

How the f*ck is this a robot pet? This is clearly a terminator!

They were downright playing with his happy life!

Danke glanced at that bear kid playing with the black ball at the side. Then, he took a photo of the wrecked sofa and sent it to his father. He needed to let his father see his heartache! And he wanted to request for more funds to look after this bear kid!Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Suddenly remembering a fantasy drama that was currently airing, Danke analyzed the pros and cons and assigned himself the persona of a "companion of the crown prince".

If this "crown prince" advanced high up, he would also be able to tag along and enjoy the benefits. Lalala~

With this thought in mind, Danke felt much more at ease. The new companions Dogdan and Dogke seemed much more pleasing to the eye now. Wasn't it just a sofa that was burnt? It would still be worth it even if ten more sofas were burnt!

Fang Zhao was slightly intrigued when he saw the two robotic dogs in Danke's photo. However, he quickly put those thoughts aside and continued to complete Mo Lang's assigned task.

Days passed, and the day of the dissertation defense arrived.

The dissertation defense was a test of an advanced student's entire year of learning. Mo Lang had already briefed Fang Zhao about the various questions dissertation committee could pose. While asking questions about the contents of the dissertation, sometimes they would suddenly find punctuation errors and disturb the student's train of thought. Then, they would immediately switch back to asking content-based questions.

Even though Fang Zhao was already sick of his thesis and couldn't be any more familiar with it, he also couldn't anticipate all the questions the dissertation committee could pose. The most important thing for him was to maintain his composure.

Prof. Carter walked to the advisor's seat, saw the name "Mo Lang" printed on it and walked one more row towards the back without a change in expression.

Everyone in the academy knew that Prof. Carter was the advisor in name only. The actual advisor was Venerable Mo.

The dissertation defense for Twelve Tones Advanced students was held in a large conference room. Besides many teachers observing, there were also quite a number of students who had come. If seating weren't limited, all the students in the school would definitely have wanted to come. Those who were late didn't even have standing room.

Before the defense, Mo Lang still called Fang Zhao over to discuss some detailed questions regarding his thesis.

The dissertation defense for a top advanced studies course like the Twelve Tones would take at least four hours with a break in between. However, it still basically took up at least half the day and generally took much longer than other courses' dissertation defenses.

"Being stressed is a good thing, but don't give yourself too much additional pressure. You have already done very well. Maintain your good state until the dissertation defense ends, and there won't be any problems."

Mo Lang looked at the time and walked into the dissertation defense hall together with Fang Zhao.

After everyone was seated at the appointed time, Fang Zhao's dissertation defense started.

In this dissertation defense that was no less than four hours, Fang Zhao was bombarded by questions from the dissertation committee members in succession.

Any of these committee members could make the entire school quiver, and their questions followed one after another. The observers could sense the tense and stifling atmosphere. Indeed, those that could graduate smoothly from the Twelve Tones were gods.

In the short span of a year, besides grasping opportunities to absorb specialized knowledge and improving oneself, the students still had to busy themselves with a thesis, dissertation defense and other graduation requirements. The students present couldn't help wondering if they would be able to do the same in that position. Could they answer the questions as calmly as Fang Zhao was doing?

During this time, the All-Star Match organized by Fiery Bird had begun.

Zaro, Woo Tianhao and others had come over to participate in the festivities.

All sorts of champion gamers, big or small, would appear at this venue even if they hadn't received an All-Star Match invite. Zaro reckoned himself as one of them.

Even though champion was an overstatement, Zaro didn't care. Not listening, not listening! In any case, I am also someone who has won a championship!

After browsing the various matches, Zaro was puzzled.

"Why are there so many kids? What ghastly games are these? Why are there still virtual rubik's cubes?"

Woo Tianhao, who also followed "Battle of the Century", read the information aloud, "It's a cooperative release by Fiery Bird and a few brands of learning consoles. This is a global competition, and these ten participants are mainly students. I never imagined that virtual rubik's cubes would have a rather high popularity."

"There's such a thing? Why weren't there such events when I was in school?" Zaro felt aggrieved.

"Students associations finally won competition participation rights after decades of protest. Anyway, even if there were these events back then, you wouldn't have been able to take part. These students' IQs are much higher than yours." Woo Tianhao turned his gaze away from the mini-games venue and looked towards another building. "However, 'Battle of the Century' is still the venue for adults."

These mini games were meant for minors. In Woo Tianhao's opinion, these were all games for little kids. Whenever he saw those games, he would recall the fear of being dominated by learning controls back when he was still in school.

"Let's go, there's no point looking at this. Let's go watch the practice matches for 'Battle of the Century'."

Although the 'Battle of the Century' matches were scheduled to begin on the third day, the various gaming gods had already gathered. There were still free practice matches scheduled before the official matches to let the Esports stars adapt to the conditions.

At the same time, in Fang Zhao's HuangArt dormitory.

Curly Hair had just completed two sets of practice questions and a reading comprehension exercise with great difficulty. He was just about to enter an online class to listen to a lecture when he saw a small advertisement on the web page.

"Want to get up close and personal with Fiery Bird's All-Star Match?

"Want to interact with top gamers online?

"No need to head to the venue, the All-Star Match online platform is now open…"

Curly Hair stopped reading the whole string of words that followed. With glowing eyes, he stared ravenously at the screen as though it was a piece of meat.

"Waa! Fiery Bird!"

Curly Hair followed the notification and found an icon that had the Fiery Bird insignia. He rushed to enter it.

At the All-Star Match venue, virtual rubik's cube competition ground.

A certain popular secondary school magazine was interviewing the current record holder of the virtual rubik's cube game.

The 16-year-old record holder had set the record when he had been 14. Two years had passed, and that record was still unbroken. In the past two years, he had earned quite a bit through endorsement and advertisement deals. This competition had earned him fame and fortune.

As the interview was wrapping up, the host asked, "Later on, ten other virtual rubik's cube gamers from around the world will challenge you. Are you feeling confident?"

"Of course." The 16 year old record holder adjusted his bow tie while looking in the mirror. He flashed a mesmerizing smile. "Only I can break my own record."

To make the program interesting, the host would pick someone from the online audience. Of course, this wasn't a random selection. The system would pick from those with better records for this game. However, people on the leaderboards wouldn't be selected. This was just for the sake of entertainment, not an official challenge match. Thus, the atmosphere wouldn't be too tense. It was just a warm-up activity for interaction with fortunate viewers.

The host raised an eyebrow when the selection was done and the lucky viewer's information was displayed on the large screen. This [Little Curly Curls] seemed like he was a primary school student.

The venue's screen displayed the selected viewer's ID as well as his education level: "Primary School (Verified by learning console platform)".

Of course, this selected viewer could also be a secondary student. There were some people in secondary school that had kept their learning consoles in cold storage after a partial primary school level education. There were also some kids who were still in primary school but had secondary school level knowledge. The learning platform would put their education level as "secondary school". However, this was only used for grading authentication by the learning platform. It wasn't officially verified by the education ministry.

This fortunate viewer's account had seen quite a lot of activity in recent weeks, so it was probably a primary school student.

"Looks like this is also an impressive little gamer. Alright, now, let us connect with this lucky little viewer."

The host sent a call request.

However, the call was rejected.

Host: "… Perhaps this viewer pressed the wrong option because he was too excited."

He sent another call request as he said that.

It was rejected again.

Host: "???"

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

The audience in the venue broke out in laughter.

The host maintained his smile. "Hi, are you student [Little Curly Curls]? Is it convenient for you to talk? You can also use text to reply. However, voice is still the best. We have to confirm whether you are truly playing or whether you're using a program to play for you."

The third call request finally went through. The entire venue heard a "guggugugug" sound and the rustling of a paper or plastic bag.

Host: "… Student Little Curly Curls, are you having a snack?"

The sounds from the other end paused, and a puerile voice replied, "Is… is eating not allowed?"

"Of course it is allowed. You don't have to be so nervous." The host chuckled. "Can I ask why you rejected the call just now?"

"Fang… My father said that besides during classes, I should not randomly talk to people!"

In the dormitory, Curly Hair applauded his own resourcefulness while gnawing on a chew toy.

By creating a persona of "my father is Fang Zhao", people won't know that I am a dog!

Chapter 433: Irresponsible Paren

Curly Hair wouldn't randomly talk to people, with the focus on "people".

However, the host and the audience at the competition grounds heard it as "not to talk to strangers".

The host smiled warmly and said, "That 's right. We shouldn't randomly talk to strangers most of the time. But of course, we are here at Fiery Bird's All-Star match competition grounds. This is an officially verified contest, so talking a little is still fine. So, student [Little Curly Curls], how good are you with virtual rubik's cubes?"

Curly Hair thought about his recent record against others on the learning platform and replied, "Not too bad."

He also didn't know what his own standard was. He had played with virtual rubik's cubes on Fang Zhao's gaming helmet before. Back then, he didn't have access to the Internet. He was just competing against himself, so his results hadn't been uploaded online. There simply wasn't anybody who knew his real skill. Curly Hair didn't have a clear understanding of his own ability, but he remembered Fang Zhao praising him before. It should probably be considered "not bad".

The host didn't know what Curly Hair was thinking. She could only assume that Curly Hair's reply indicated a lack of confidence. Thus, she didn't think much about it. No matter how good someone was, they would still be lacking against a world champion.

"So, student Little Curly Curls, are you ready for a challenge?"

"Wait a minute!"

Curly Hair ran to lock the door and set an alarm to prevent Fang Zhao from suddenly returning and exposing him.

The on-site audience heard some noise, and after a moment, [Little Curly Curls] responded, "Ready."

The host looked towards the technician who gestured an 'ok', meaning there weren't any issues. The host said, "Then, let's begin."

…

At another venue in the All-star match competition grounds, Zaro didn't follow Woo Tianhao to watch gaming gods in practice matches. Instead, he found a spot to strike a pose.

Zaro had a "even though I'm not in the All-star lineup, but I still can easily snatch the headlines" sort of self-confidence.

His agent beside him had a wooden face. He didn't think that Zaro could snatch too much attention away from the All-star match. However, as an exprienced agent, he was all too familiar with Zaro's nasty temperament. On account of his high salary, there were some truths he couldn't say. At this time, what he needed to do was shower Zaro with praise and swallow his other comments.

Zaro took a few satisfactory photos with great difficulty. Just as he was prepared to upload them, he saw fireworks and heard background music from a certain competition ground.

"It's the rubik's cube venue. Probably a challenger was successful or a new record was set," Zaro's agent said.

The minigame venues were different from the All-star match competition grounds. There were many students who didn't have to attend school on weekdays and had come from afar to watch the All-star match. Although those minigame venues seemed busy, they weren't much of a big deal. Most of the people there were lower-level students or parents bringing their young kids along. The older students would all be at the venues of bigger games like "Battle of the Century". Thus, the moment there was anything fresh, the minigame venues couldn't wait to try to catch people's attentions.

In the meantime, Zaro had also received some push notifications from Fiery Bird's All-star Match about this.

"A primary school student shattered the rubik's cube record? Not just broke, but shattered? Since when could primary school students snatch headlines?" Zaro was displeased.

Inside the rubik's cube competition venue.

On stage, the now-previous record holder turned from disbelief to self-doubt. His face was entirely pale.

He had lost the first match but was only slower by a bit. Thus, he suggested a three match series.

After that, he lost all three matches.

How had he encountered such a character? Why was this opponent always just a bit faster than him?

The sixteen-year-old former record holder fell into silence. If he couldn't maintain his record, he only had two choices: think of a way to increase his speed or change profession. He had already earned enough in these two years and could indeed do other things. But! He just wasn't willing to accept his loss! He had only been slower by a bit!

Perhaps he had done too many commercial activities and lacked practice?

To actually lose to a primary school kid!!

The host glanced at the technique and inquired with his eyes: Was there cheating? That person was so fast he seems more like a professional troll!

The technician shook his head. He had no way of determining it.

They had only used the most common learning console's rubik's cube. Rubik's cubes ranged from low grade to high grade, and the competition today was using the learning console's high grade rubik's cube. The host had never imagined that such a situation would occur. However, to them, news was a good thing!

After the three matches, the host wished to understand more about Curly Hair.

"Can I eat something?" Curly Hair didn't seem at all delighted about breaking the record. He hadn't even gone all out.

"Of course you can." The host chuckled. "Are you hungry? Right, it's about time for lunch."

Then, the on-site audience heard crunching sounds as if a biscuit was being chewed.

"Oh… are you having a snack? Snacks can't be treated as a meal. Where is your parent?" the host asked.

"He has gone to school!" Curly Hair replied.

Afterwards, the host continued fishing for information. [Little Curly Curls]'s parent had gone to school and hadn't returned in the afternoon. [Little Curly Curls] was left alone at home and could only have snacks.

"[Little Curly Curls]'s parent is still a student? Masters or doctorate? Which school? This parent should be disciplined!"

Members of the audience who thought they knew the truth gave [Little Curly Curls]'s parent an "irresponsible" tag.

There were indeed many parents who attended school while raising kids, but they also wouldn't leave their young child alone at home for an entire day! There wasn't even a robotic supervisor!!

Could it be that his family's conditions were really difficult?

As the host continued fishing for information, the audience started to visualize an impoverished family. The parent was busy with studies, and the young child was all alone. The child stayed on his learning console and ate biscuits to pass time on the weekends.

How pitiful!!Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

The host also expressed her sympathy, but she was more conscious about whether it was possible to sensationalize it just a bit more. Thus, she asked Curly Hair to try a few other nonstandard larger rubik's cubes that were more difficult to solve.

The audience then watched [Little Curly Curls] try out seven different varieties of rubik's cubes at the host's suggestion accompanied by the sound of munching. Each time, a new record was set.

The host thought to herself elatedly, I found a genius from random selection!

However, as the host prepared more rubik's cubes, Curly Hair stopped.

"Hey! Hungry already? Let's take a break and talk a little to relax," the host said. Perhaps the student would relax their guard and have looser lips.

"Not playing anymore," Curly Hair replied.

He wanted to go eat his dog food quietly, but the host kept blabbering on and trying to fish for info. She asked Curly Hair for his name and tried asking about his "father's" name.

Could his "father's' name be said?!

If he said it, Fang Zhao would surely cut his Internet access and toss him to Muzhou to shepherd sheep!

He only wished to be a gamer dog and didn't want to return to being a shepherd dog in Muzhou!

Curly Hair wanted to quit, but the host didn't wish to let him off.

"We can continue after a short rest. Oh, right, there is a reward for successfully completing the challenge and setting a new record." The host took the opportunity to mention this. After all, wouldn't mentioning a reward work best in getting someone to stay?

Curly Hair got excited when he heard there was a reward.

"What is the reward?" Curly Hair asked.

"You will receive a really special one-of-a-kind All-star match edition learning console…"

"Don't want it!" Curly Hair disconnected.

For things like learning consoles, one was enough. Reading comprehension exercises would still be difficult no matter how many learning consoles one had! No matter how special it was, it was still a learning console! To actually want to give another learning console for more assignments. You all are demons!

The host stared at the screen displaying "the other party has already terminated the call" and continued finishing her words with a rigid expression. "And a monetary prize of two million dollars."

Curly Hair, who had already exited Fiery Bird's All-star match channel, didn't know there was still a monetary prize. Deep down, he was elated. Luckily, I escaped quickly!

He also noticed that this account was receiving too many messages from strangers.

He thought back to what he had said today and looked through the messages from these strangers. There were friend requests, commercial partnerships, skill solicitation, address requests, etc. But, none of these were important!

There was no problem. Nobody could tell that he was a dog. He also hadn't exposed Fang Zhao. However, Curly Hair was… apprehensive. He kept feeling there was something wrong.

Have I caused trouble for Fang Zhao?

Human patterns were too profound. What Fang Zhao had said was correct. There was still a lot to be learned in pretending to be a human.

Curly Hair guiltily deleted all those messages and even removed the Fiery Bird All-star match icon.

However, there were still strangers sending him messages continuously. Curly Hair deleted them all without a second glance. He couldn't send private messages because he didn't have the friending functionality set up.

Finally, his inbox was completely clear. Curly Hair then deleted the call records. Would Fang Zhao know when he returned?

Fang Zhao was busy facing the barrage by the dissertation committee members and didn't know about this.

Fang Zhao came out of the conference room after the six-hour-long extended dissertation defense ended. He spoke a little to Mo Lang before being escorted to the car by Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. The dissertation defense venue was a distance away from the dormitories. Besides teachers and students, there were also a number of entertainment reporters that had come to camp. Nanfeng immediately drove over to pick them up and prevent paparazzi trouble.

Nanfeng glanced at Zuo Yu and received a thumbs up indicating that Fang Zhao's dissertation defense had gone smoothly. He said, "Boss, during your dissertation defense, Fiery Bird's representative called again. They want you to participate in the match."

"Mmhm, I already received their message." Fang Zhao had received a new message the moment he had stepped out from the dissertation defense hall. It was from a Fiery Bird representative congratulating him for smoothly completing the dissertation defense and inviting him to participate in the All-star match as a special guest.

Nanfeng didn't continue further. Instead, he talked about some news he had just seen to liven up the atmosphere.

"Boss, speaking of Fiery Bird's All-star match, did you know that a primary school student went to wreck the All-star match today?! He even broke a few records in succession! Hahaha, interesting. This kid's ID is called [Little Curly Curls]. That name is similar to our Curly Hair. It sounds even more intimate. I even gave him a like!"

Nanfeng jabbered on about how [Little Curly Curls]'s parents were irresponsible and had actually left the kid alone on the weekend with only biscuits to eat. How could biscuits be treated as proper food for a growing child?!

Fang Zhao: "…."

Fang Zhao had been about to decline Fiery Bird's second invitation but paused instead.

Chapter 434: Invitation Accepted

Fiery Bird's representatives wanted to try a few more times to convince Fang Zhao before giving up. Even if Fang Zhao only appeared at the All-star Match, it would still generate a lot of publicity. The amount of influence Fang Zhao had in esports circles couldn't be compared with thhe amount other athletes had.

Fiery Bird's representatives had crafted three different messages to send to Fang Zhao depending on whether Fang Zhao's dissertation defense went poorly, went well, or was borderline. They had also arranged for someone to provide them with real-time report of Fang Zhao's dissertation. With this, they could choose which message to send once Fang Zhao's dissertation defense was complete.

They were preparing additional reasons against Fang Zhao's expected decline. Yet, they never expected…

"Fang Zhao said he would give us a reply in two hours time."

"It's great that he didn't decline straight away! This means that Fang Zhao has some desire to participate in the match, just that his time is limited. He still has graduation and academic arrangements. He's also being watched by Mo Lang all the time, so there is no knowing whether he can apply for leave."

"Should we prepare gifts for a discussion with Mo Lang?"

"Better not."

They knew that if they really went over, Old Venerable Mo would instantly complain to the relevant departments. The old master was especially firm with regards to this. Threats and promises wouldn't affect him, so it would all be up to Fang Zhao.

If Fang Zhao really couldn't take part, they could only select other guests as backups. However, these backup guests had much less influence, so they wouldn't attract as much publicity.

At the other end, Nanfeng parked the car in the advanced student dormitory's underground garage. Fang Zhao let him leave first and took the elevator up alone.

Inside the dormitory, Curly Hair had fallen asleep from doing questions. Then, his ears shot up suddenly. As if remembering something, Curly Hair ran over to unlock the room door and looked around the room in a fluster. He rushed over to remove the "do not disturb" indicator. In his haste, Curly Hair failed to control his strength and broke the switch of the electronic indicator sign. Sparks flew out from it.

Noticing that Fang Zhao was about to open the door, Curly Hair swallowed the broken indicator sign in a moment of desperation. Then, he crouched by the door and wagged his tail as if nothing had happened.

Fang Zhao opened the door to an innocent and lovable-looking Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao didn't say anything and closed the door. He swept his gaze across the room and paused at the spot where the indicator sign used to be before walking over and turning on the learning console.

The history inside the learning console had already been cleared. Only practice questions and purchased curricula material remained within.

"Deleted rather cleanly," Fang Zhao mused.

Curly Hair wanted to wag his tail but felt that something wasn't right after wagging it twice. He stopped and looked at Fang Zhao carefully with his innocent eyes.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.

Fang Zhao used his personal terminal and searched for some of the news articles that Nanfeng had talked about before projecting one.

Curly Hair shrunk back when he saw the projection. His ears drooped down from fright.

Fang Zhao continued browsing through the news.

"Mystery primary school student? Mmhm?"

Curly Hair hung his head.

"Luckily, you remembered my words and didn't mention my name. Otherwise, you'd already be on the road to Muzhou for sheep herding."

Curly Hair's head drooped even lower.

"Is it very fun breaking records? You didn't even want the two million yuan reward."

Curly Hair suddenly raised his head and looked at the news articles that Fang Zhao was browsing through. He realized he hadn't heard the host's final words before he had ended the call.

Two million! How many luxurious game consoles could he have bought?!

"There is actually still a monetary reward! Why did the host mention the learning console first?!!" Curly Hair looked shocked.

Fang Zhao cast him a glance. "Forget about the prize money."

Receiving the prize money required a bank account and an identity verification. None of this could be revealed.

Fang Zhao selected another piece of news and displayed it for Curly Hair to see, letting him know how much trouble he had caused.

Curly Hair had thought he had evaded the host's information digging, but he had actually revealed a lot. The reporters had keen perceptions and already had some guesses. For example, "the parent of [Little Curly Curls] might be a person with a sensitive identity" or "See, no one has claimed the two million. Either two million isn't much to [Little Curly Curls] or this person's identity cannot be revealed." They were all curious which case it would be!

If he did not have a sensitive identity, then perhaps he had things to hide!

Some reporters specially went to investigate good rubik's cube players amongst primary school children. There were some who used searches on voice databases trying to find a match. However, they didn't discover anything.

Fang Zhao pondered for a moment and looked through the various resources in the learning console. There were question banks from famous schools and online classrooms run by reputable teachers. However, all of these had limitations in regard to Curly Hair's transformation. After seeing that there were some children's shows on the learning console too, Fang Zhao selected two for Curly Hair to watch. Since written language was too difficult for Curly Hair to understand, perhaps using the vivid visualization of videos would be better.

Of course, it was a learning console after all. How could these shows only be for killing time? There were still questions to solve!

Thus, Curly Hair took a temporary break from reading comprehension and delved into a new question bank.

Since it still had some element of entertainment, Curly Hair could easily catch the errors in some of the exaggerated acting in order to make progress. However, the worse actors still misled Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao also added the learning console's news section to Curly Hair's everyday reading list. Curly Hair didn't read the news on his own. Previously, besides completing the daily tasks Fang Zhao assigned for him, he would be studying the various games in the learning console.

After making these arrangements for Curly Hair, Fang Zhao checked the news online before calling Mo Lang. Then, he gave Fiery Bird his reply. He was willing to participate in the All-star Match as a special guest.

Fiery Bird was delighted. They immediately dispatched someone over to discuss terms.

Fang Zhao agreed to participate in the All-star Match because he wanted to understand the situation and fish for information. Perhaps he needed to create bigger news to divert the reporters' attentions. Although the news headlines were already starting to be captured by the various "Battle of the Century" gaming gods, Fang Zhao still felt that going down for a look was worthwhile.

A Fiery Bird representative arrived at Fang Zhao's dormitory shortly and explained to Fang Zhao about his special guest participation and the competition rules.

"There are twelve modes. You can select three, and we will proceed with allocation."

Many of the special guests invited to the All-star Match weren't professional "Battle of the Century" players. The organizing side gave the guests three chances to choose game modes. If two or more guests chose the same mode at the same time, the organizers would make the arrangements. In any case, invited guests had the selection rights but not the deciding rights. In addition, Fiery Bird had also said that this was basically a competition that was mainly for commercial and entertainment purposes. Thus, even if the invited guests were allocated to modes they weren't adept in, Fiery Bird would also give them added benefits for weapons and equipment so that they wouldn't lose too badly.

Fang Zhao went over the organizer's information seriously before making his three choices.

The Fiery Bird Personnel was somewhat astonished when he saw Fang Zhao's first choice.

"Actually, there are very few invited guests that chose this mode," the Fiery Bird personnel said. "Are you sure you want this as your first choice?"

"Yes."

"Alright, any requests regarding weapons and equipment? We will do our best to fulfill them. You can also request powerful equipment."

"The basic ones will do."

"… Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Chapter 435: Insane Luck

Fang Zhao couldn't tell anyone except Nanfeng and the other two about him participating in the Fiery Bird All-star Match as a special guest.

Nanfeng was especially delighted upon receiving this news. If it hadn't been confidential, he would have bragged about it to his friends. Only those god level players could snag a special guest invite to participate in the All-star Match. He had thought that Fang Zhao would only show himself in public after officially graduating, but there was a chance now!

"There are still a few days before the date set by Fiery Bird. I will still be staying in school before that. Venerable Mo has left me some tasks," Fang Zhao said.

"Don't worry boss, I will arrange everything," Nanfeng pledged repeatedly. "We definitely won't leak this news!"

Beside him, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao also expressed that they would absolutely keep it a secret.

Fang Zhao believed them in this aspect. Thus, after the travel arrangements were done, Fang Zhao continued with his preparation for his graduation concert. Fang Zhao had completed his dissertation, so the next task would be the concert.

Fang Zhao's movements after his dissertation defense had been photographed by a number of paparazzi that were camping at HuangArt. Sometimes, Fang Zhao would also be photographed outside Mo Lang's residence. Thus, it seemed very unlikely to many that Fang Zhao would appear at the All-star Match.

In the entertainment circle, if a celebrity didn't make the news for half a year, they would gradually become the content of stories and myths.

Fang Zhao was one of these people. However, unlike the majority of retired gaming gods, Fang Zhao was still rather active outside the gaming circles. People still frequently saw news concerning him, even if it was in a different industry. An esports reviewer had once said that Fang Zhao was "a shooting star that passed by and left to pursue the musical arts."

Point-sweeping demon? That was something a long time ago and had now become folklore. Now, people could only watch and worship past videos.

Fiery Bird All-star Match competition grounds.

Minor games were essentially treated as warm-up on days one and two. As more "Battle of the Century" gaming gods arrived, attention on the All-star Match rose. Many film and entertainment celebrities also showed up to take advantage of the hype.

Now, the most-discussed subject was who the special guests invited by Fiery Bird would be this time. On Fiery Bird's official All-star Match web page, there were twelve grayed out silhouettes of the special guests.

Jinro had also discussed this with his teammates.

"Somebody said they saw Rex show up in person at Fiery Bird HQ, but they didn't have enough time to snap a photo," Schwarzer said while browsing through news online.

When a certain older coach heard this, he said with a reminiscing smile, "Rex was my idol! Back then, he lit up the entire scene during my secondary school days. By the time I entered the professional circles, R-god had already retired from competitive gaming."

"Forget about R-god. Someone managed to snap a photo of Bin-god! Didn't Bin-god retire from the gaming circles to become a stay-at-home dad and look after his kid?" Schwarzer was slightly unfamiliar with the names of these old-time gaming gods. When these gamer gods had been prominent, Schwarzer had yet to be born.

Jinro knew a little more about this person. "Dabin becoming a stay-home dad was over ten years ago. Now, he is more like a stay-home coach and supporter. His son is an exceptionally talented kid and is not at all inferior to Dabin. Wait another five years! He will enter the professional circles and shoot straight up."

"15 years ago he was beating his son, now 15 years later he is getting beat by his son." Schwarzer couldn't help but chuckle.

Regardless of what sort of lifestyle these people had after retiring professionally, they still were representatives of their generation. People associated them with various melancholic sentiments.

Fiery Bird was quite successful in capitalizing on the fans' nostalgia.

As they continued chatting, a few of them received a new notification.

"Let's go, time to draw lots."

Jinro and the other Silverlight members went to the designated venue to draw lots. The various gaming gods from all twelve continents would be scheduled according to the number they drew.

"Nine?" Jinro was beaming. "Good number! It's my lucky number!"

Beside him, Schwarzer moaned. "One! How am I so unlucky!"

Number one was the first to compete in the special guest match.

Schwarzer wasn't happy. The first match was too close to the start. He wouldn't have time to get used to Fiery Bird's modes for the All-star Match. Perhaps he wouldn't even be able to display half of his talent and genius.

Jinro and the others were all in team 3 or higher. Schwarzer was the only one who had drawn a 1. Schwarzer felt that the opening match wasn't favorable and became gloomy. However, the outcome couldn't be changed. All he could do right now was to think about how to deal with the first match.

There would be two special guests matches in the late morning and two in the late afternoon. Although each special guest match would last half an hour on average, the scheduling was tight, and there were other activities before and after the matches.

According to the number card drawn, Schwarzer would be in the first match on the first day. Jinro's match would be two days later, and he would have ample time to practice.

Jinro held his own new team card and went to great his new teammates who had also drawn the "9" card.

"Bruce? You are also in team 9?" Jinro saw Phoenix E-sports Club captain Bruce from Huangzhou.

They had both been captains of their respective teams, but Jinro's Silverlight team hadn't ranked as high as Phoenix in the overall rankings. On the individual leaderboards, Jinro was also one spot beneath Bruce. However, Jinro wasn't willing to lower his head when they met.

"A team can only have one captain. What now? Should we draw lots? Or have a match?" Jinro said.

"Draw lots, I guess. It's simple and quick." Bruce also had the same intention. A team could only have one captain. Who would be willing to be vice-captain after being captain for so long?

Jinro ended up drawing a higher lot than Bruce.

Jinro felt that his good fortune was bursting at this iteration of the All-star match. He had a feeling that he would surely break out at this All-star match!

Furthermore, he was delighted from seeing entertainment news regarding Fang Zhao's dissertation defense. Many fans expressed doubt that Fang Zhao could attend due to his school commitments!

He still remembered the previous time when Old Master Mo had said, "Strike a balance between work and rest. With tension there must be relaxation". Back then, Fang Zhao had just finished a lot of practice questions in preparation for his entrance exams and hadn't vented his stress yet. Thus, he had thoroughly decimated the whole group of pros. Fortunately, Jinro had been wise at that time and avoided it smoothly by putting the blame on his son.

It was just so fortunate that this All-star Match coincided with Fang Zhao's dissertation. Fang Zhao can't come~~~

Jinro was in high spirits. When it came time for the first special guest match, Jinro watched team 1's miserable performance from the viewing terrace. "Hahahahaha!"

"Such a ferocious operation and only 5% damage to the boss. That coordination won't do. With such high defense and damage, the only way is to outsmart the boss," the unfortunate vice-captain Bruce said.

Another gaming god in team 9 chimed in. "We have to understand that some special guests have never played 'Battle of the Century' before. The officials have to give them special treatment."

"Team 1's special guest has chosen to appear in the form of a monster. I wonder what sort our team will face."

"I'd rather face a boss in the form of a monster. That would mean that the special guest hasn't played that before. However, if the boss is human, that would be slightly more troublesome."

Jinro expressed his agreement.

On the day before the ninth special guest match, Jinro represented their team to draw lots.

"Leave the drawing to me. My luck is especially great."

The others in team 9 believed Jinro. If Jinro didn't have such good fortune, how could he have become the captain over Bruce?

They were all gaming gods. What right did one have to be captain? Everyone had similar ability, so why would they have to listen?

Thus, the other members of team 9 had another round of lot drawing. Jinro's results were still the highest.

They had no choice but to accept this luck.

"Alright, Captain Jin, draw it. We believe in you!"

Thus, Jinro drew the lot under the watchful gazes of all the gaming gods in team 9.

"Survival Mode?"

Chapter 436: This Tempo Isn't Righ

"What does survival mode mean? Was there such a mode in past special guest matches? Is it newly added?"

"Does this mean that our entire team of 20 will team up to fight one?"

"And as long as one person survives, we win?"

"Exactly which side does this favor?"

"The special guest this time is really going overboard. What is Fiery Bird going to give him? Smart Equipment? Or a super weapon that can wipe out a large area?"

Everyone in team 9 was puzzled.

When Fiery Bird turned the special guests into a BOSS, the age, reflexes, familiarity of operation, knowledge of maps and experience of the special guest would be taken into account. But, what the hell was this survival mode?!

"That means to say, this special guest will have to exterminate our entire team? That's way too overboard!"

"Did this special guest play as an assassin before?"

"The map is jungle. Concealment is easy, and there are also dangers."

Jinro put on his game face. "Alright, let us study and make plans on how we should play tomorrow."

Because the mode was out of their expectations, the members of team nine spent a slightly longer time discussing that night.

The next morning, the competition venue was packed. Every single action by these celebrities in the gaming circles brought cheers and excited shrieks from the audience.

The members of team 9 were all renowned within the gaming circles and had many fans. Besides those watching live, there were also many more fans watching through live stream platforms.

Of the twelve grayed out special guest silhouettes displayed on the large screen, eight had already been unlocked. Over the past two days, these eight special guests had triggered delight amongst fans and were hotly discussed.

Today was the third day of the special guest matches. There were four guests that had yet to appear. Fiery Bird had kept this information under tight wraps. Entertainment reporters hadn't yet been able to uncover any news. Everyone could only make blind guesses over what they knew.

Before the first match of the third day, the members of team 9 had a brief period after the morning's interactive activities to condition and prepare themselves.

In the rest lounge, Jinro even gathered the team for a pep talk.

"Captain Jin, are you worried? This mode is too strange," someone asked.

"Regardless of what mode was selected, we can face it no problem. The person I'm afraid of isn't here, so I'm not worried." Jinro was brimming with confidence.

He wasn't being blindly arrogant. Jinro indeed had the ability. There was no need to doubt a steadfast captain who had led his team to stay near the top of the leaderboards for so long. With all that Fang Zhao had taught him and his accumulated experience and skills, he had the confidence to deal with anything.

Furthermore, a captain had to express confidence to his team even if he had no confidence.

As he recalled his good fortune in the All-star Match up to this point, Jinro calmed down.

However, team 9's vice-captain Bruce grabbed at an important point in Jinro's words. "The person you are afraid of? Are you talking about Fang Zhao?"

Jinro also didn't hide this fact. "Everything is fine as long as Fang Zhao doesn't come. I'm not afraid of anything else."

He didn't feel that being afraid of Fang Zhao was anything to be embarrassed about. After all, he wasn't the only one afraid.

"Is it true that all you SilverLight members are afraid of Fang Zhao?" a copper skinned female team member asked. Because her skin was dark, she had chosen a dark-skinned in-game character and people affectionately called her "Black Sis".

"Black Sis, you don't understand." Jinro's expression turned serious. "The Fang Zhao in 'Battle of the Century' is especially vicious. You will understand if you get the chance to encounter him in future. For now, you can try asking people who have faced Fang Zhao, but they might not necessarily be willing to talk about it."

Jinro didn't think that what he said was exaggerated. He had encountered so many people, but Fang Zhao was the only one that gave him a strange feeling that he had no idea of deciphering. The Fang Zhao in "Battle of the Century" simply didn't give anyone the chance to breathe. The "Point-sweeping Demon" moniker really wasn't an exaggeration.

Upon arriving at the competition venue, Jinro glanced at the special guest seat. The seat was covered up, and it was impossible to see the person inside.

Everyone got into position and the match started.

For this match, the in-game setting was a forest. It was a forest from the Period of Destruction. Besides being overwhelmingly green and luxuriant, there were all sorts of brightly colored venomous plants and variations of mutated beasts that could camouflage. Thus, this map was filled with danger.

However, for this special guest match, Fiery Bird had already changed the environment settings and lowered the degree of danger.

But, it was also because of this that the members of team 9 were more cautious.

The environment becoming easier meant that the BOSS would be harder to deal with. They would have to put more thought into fighting this BOSS… or perhaps, find a place to hide for thirty minutes?

Jinro and the others had already come up with a plan to deal with this scenario last night.

Upon entering the game, the twenty members of team 9 split up into small groups and separated.

"Move out according to the plan! Don't let the opponent control the tempo!" Jinro said.

A minute passed.

Ten minutes passed.

The split up groups picked up emergency supply bags and stronger weaponry. Someone even found a stealth suit in an underground chamber.

The spectators watching the match were also baffled.

"So, this is a forest treasure hunt?"

"Survival mode… is actually this simple?"

Schwarzer felt sour watching from the viewing terrace. He recalled how he had been beaten so miserably in the first match. Watching Jinro and his team have a leisurely treasure hunt, Schwarzer mused, "Is this just my fate?"

However, at this moment, Jinro wasn't that relaxed.

They hadn't even seen any trace of the BOSS up to now! They didn't even know whether the opponent was man or beast!

"Special guest, are you online?!" someone in team 9 shouted cheerfully.

After all, this was an exhibition match and it wasn't so serious. Being cheeky to lighten the stifling atmosphere was alright.

However, these ten minutes of non-activity had indeed made many team members relaxed.

"Wouter! There's a small little thing in front!" a teammate shouted from a short distance away.

Team 9 had a gamer called "Wouter" whose nickname was "Legendary Dart Master". In the game, he was like a ferocious panther. While it couldn't be said that his darts never missed the mark, his accuracy was at least ninety percent. But, in real life, he was a fatty and would need some luck to even hit one out of a hundred darts.

Darts? No, he only had fat.

Of course, the ability of this "Legendary Dart Master was still very strong in game.

A mutated beast half the size of a human appeared. After hearing his teammate's shout, Wouter threw a dart casually.

The mutated beast fell to the ground without a squeak.

The teammate gave Wouter a thumbs up. "Not bad, the Legendary Dart Master's forte indeed."

"It wasn't me!" Wouter checked his surroundings carefully. "I was about to do a fancy triple dart throw and didn't intend to kill it with one dart!"

Mutated beasts that were slain in game would disappear. And, before this slain mutated beast disappeared, Wouter discovered a broken dagger lodged in this mutated beast's neck.

Cold sweat flowed down Wouter's back. He turned on his communicator to contact his teammates. "The Boss appeared…"

However, his vision turned black, and a "You have been eliminated" notification appeared.

Wouter, who had been disconnected: "???"

I have been eliminated?

How did I get disconnected?

Jinro had also realized that there was one less member online, and he suddenly felt uneasy.

He glanced at the time. Ten minutes and thirty seconds had passed since the match started.

After the initial ten minutes of peace, the first person had been eliminated after thirty seconds.

Thirty seconds later, the second person was eliminated.

Another thirty seconds later, the third person.

…

In three minutes, six members of team 9 had been eliminated in succession!

It happened at every thirty second interval. It was extremely precise, like a set tempo.

This tempo isn't right!

Outside the game, the SilverLight team members were watching from the viewing terrace.

"Still that same operation."

"Still that same feeling."

Schwarzer was no longer sour. He rubbed his chest while rejoicing. "I have a frightening guess."

Chapter 437: It's Fang Zhao

This special guest match was filled with the unexpected, yet it was also a pleasant surprise for everyone.

The first ten minutes had been a leisurely facade. Once those ten minutes had passed, the scene turned on its head into a thriller.

The members of team 9 were being eliminated every 30 seconds and were greatly affected.

Having no control made them panic.

Furthermore, the BOSS of this match could always conceal itself each time after quickly disposing of a player. Even if team 9 members could catch a glimpse of its shadow, they were unable to pursue. And even if they were tracking the BOSS, they might find themselves eliminated when the time was up.

"This style… this..."

Schwarzer was so excited his voice was shaking. He immediately went into his Global Esport Elites chat group and sent a celebratory fireworks emoticon.

This immediately made the previously quiet chat group burst to life. People sent messages one after the other, especially those eight who had once been tricked by Jinro into a match against Fang Zhao.

"This 'I will let you run at the start before mercilessly slaughtering you after you are done running' style! It's definitely Fang Zhao!"

"Didn't that lowlife Jinro slink off after instigating us to fight Fang Zhao last time? Coward!"

"Indeed! It was him!"

"Hahahahaha, karma will get you! Have your just desserts, Jinro!"

"Light a candle for Old Jin."

"No candles here, let me set off a few celebratory fireworks!"

"Wait, are you all forgetting that you all have fellow teammates participating in this match too?"

The few who were happily setting off virtual fireworks: "..."

After a momentary lull, the group chat started to explode with fireworks once again.

While the elite chat group was buzzing, the live audience watching the special guest match had also received some information regarding this.

"My classmate's neighbor's cousin's niece says that this BOSS is Fang Zhao!"

"From an entertainment reporter I follow, a certain gaming god said that this BOSS is Fang Zhao!"

All sorts of forwards, screenshots and shares very quickly let more and more people know that the BOSS of this match was Fang Zhao!

Wasn't it said that he wouldn't come?!!

However, entertainment reporters seemed to have forgotten all about the "Fang Zhao won't be coming" news from the past few days. They retracted their words. Choosing to "forget" and be thick-skinned were required skills.

"Just as I forecast, he has really come." A certain entertainment reporter who previously had posted "Fang Zhao cannot come" changed his tune.

"He is the stuff of legends after all. It's as if the point-sweeping demon from the top of the individual leaderboards so long ago is back," a certain entertainment reporter who had vilified Fang Zhao the previous month posted.

Yanzhou reporters immediately showered Fang Zhao with a whole wave of flattery. At this time, the continent was united as one. Naturally, their own experts would stomp the players from other continents.

"See that? Yeah, that BOSS slaughters in an extremely cool fashion. That is our Yanzhou's star!"

Any hopes for entertainment reporters' moral principles had long been shattered.

At this moment, inside team 9's internal chat.

Jinro: "I suspect our boss has come."

Other members of team 9: "???"

Jinro: "The one I am afraid of."

The others could guess that it was Fang Zhao. They could also guess as much even though they didn't know Fang Zhao as well as Jinro. If Jinro couldn't surmise that, then his captain position might as well be swapped.

Jinro gritted his teeth. "The reporters lied!"

He had been really too naive to actually believe the reports of those entertainment reporters! Indeed, if the reports of paparazzi were to be believed, then even pigs could fly!

If it was really Fang Zhao, it would mean that whatever plans he had made yesterday wouldn't be of any use at all.

Jinro was in a total panic.

The remaining members in the team had realized the pattern in the eliminations of their teammates. It was reasonable to say that players who were invited to the All-star Match all had outstanding ability. However, here they were dwindling at a fixed rate. It was as if they had encountered an unknown and powerful force. Everyone could only trudge about, unable to stop it.

When the team members understood all this, they started to search for ways and methods to escape. After all, surviving was winning. But when they realized what they were doing, all of them felt that this was inconceivable.

Thinking about escaping rather than meeting the enemy head on?

They had clearly told themselves that regardless of the opponent, circumstances, or type of match, they would meet the challenge head on.

On the special guest match's public channel.

Huangzhou's Phoenix-Bruce: "Fang Zhao?"

The large screen in the competition arena had finally switched. The audience saw Fang Zhao's in-game character with the two scars across his face.

Fang Zhao was using his own account at the All-star Match.

Many people still kept tabs on [AliveAfter500Years] despite him being gone for so long. However, they hadn't received any notifications when Fang Zhao went online!

Right, the All-star Match and Battle of the Century had separate servers. Other Esports stars didn't show as online either.

But it was still very shocking!

Shrieks broke out in the competition arena all of a sudden. These weren't from shock, but rather from the pleasant surprise.

There were even esports fans who were crying tears of joy. "My Zhao God has finally chosen Esports! Esports is this true love indeed!"

When the scene changed, everyone saw the slight smile on Fang Zhao's character.

The smile faded very quickly. As his figure raced through the forest like a monster, the audience was unable to keep up.

In team 9, although some had become unsettled, there were also some who were excited.

"Bruce, are you saying the BOSS is Fang Zhao?"

A player from Rongzhou laughed heartily. "Hahaha, I never imagined I would really get the chance to meet in game! I have no need for hiding and biding my time!"

As a Rongzhou citizen, one needed to face challenges head on!

"Fang Zhao——"

"Come out! Let me see how much patience you have!"

He had just said it when a bullet pierced his skull, sending him offline right away.

The half a minute interval was up. It was so precise that it made one's blood run cold.

Furthermore, this Rongzhou gamer had four team mates nearby! And not a single one had sensed anyone nearby!

The Rongzhou gamer who had been eliminated with a shot to the head was in his seat facing the "You have been eliminated" notification in a daze. Before he had been killed in-game, he had seen a flicker of a shadow in the shrubbery nearby. It was too fast, so fast that he simply didn't have time to react before being sent offline.

He had also encountered many experts in game. These experts either moved quickly or had accurate marksmanship. However, until now, only Fang Zhao could evade every single pursuit, move with such speed and do a one shot one kill every time.

"Is… is this a cheat?"

It was really difficult to accept.

He wasn't the only one. A large portion of the audience was also skeptical.

"Is this the true survival mode? Did Fiery Bird raise the BOSS's speed and marksmanship to make it easier for the BOSS to exterminate the entire team?"

"Isn't Fang Zhao nicknamed 'Godly Ears'?"

"That ear of his can even hear in-game?"

"Regarding his mobility and speed, I heard that Fang Zhao experienced actual combat when he was undergoing military service. His natural physical ability is not bad."

"But it also wouldn't be this ridiculous!"

"Cheating! Definitely cheating!"

"Reported!"

"I am puzzled. Why did he choose to become an artist? Are games not interesting enough for him?!"

Fiery Bird was used to the doubts and skepticism from gamers and fans. Thus, they responded calmly: Fiery Bird doesn't allow cheating software nor permit anyone to cheat!

In this match, when the member equipped with the stealth cloak was kicked offline, Schwarzer clutched his chest and sympathized. "Ahh… this really brings back the horrors."

While watching his team 9 members disconnecting in succession, Jinro lamented, "I haven't seen this despairing tempo for a long time."

Many people were waiting for Jinro to be eliminated, especially those eight who had previously been conned by Jinro. They had even started to record their live streams, competing to be the first to share screenshots of Jinro being eliminated in the group chat!

After a while, team 9 only had three members remaining.

Of the 20 who had started the match, Jinro, Bruce and Black Sis were the only ones remaining.

Bruce: "What do we do?"

Black Sis: Although I am hidden, I think that he caught a glimpse of me just now."

Bruce: "There's still 17 seconds."

Jinro: "Do you guys wish to win?"

Bruce: "That goes without saying!"

Jinro: "I have an idea, but I would have to sacrifice myself."

Bruce: "The time has come for your ordeal! Old Jin, I will remember you!"

Jinro: "I shall go then."

Black Sis: "Go ahead."

The audience couldn't hear team 9's internal comms. They watched the time and counted down. The 30 seconds were almost up, and they wondered who it would be this time when they saw Jinro leap up confidently from his hiding spot.

"Boss! Don't shoot! It's me, Jinro!"

Jinro had raised both hands up and was walking forward in a bold and confident manner...

The audience waiting for Jinro to be shot to death: "This lowlife!"

"Coward!"

"Bah!"

Chapter 438: Biased!

When many people saw the seemingly terrified Jinro pop up, the large majority guessed whether this was some sort of tactic by Jinro's team.

Right! It definitely was a stratagem! Impromptu battle tactics!

On the viewing terrace, Schwarzer was thrilled upon seeing this. "Hahaha, you are finished! You are in trouble, Old Jin! You are a captain. How can you not know that surrendering doesn't work either!"

Back in internal training, surrendering wouldn't make things easier. Schwarzer firmly believed that Jinro either had an ulterior motive or was plotting something when pulling out this trick. However, he would definitely be viciously crushed!!

The two other remaining members of Team 9 were also paying close attention to Jinro's activity and counting down the seconds.

Would the elimination countdown stop here thanks to Jinro?

Everyone both in game and outside was counting down the seconds.

Time was up, and Jinro was still alive. When the thirty seconds were up this time, Fang Zhao fired a shot in front of Jinro's feet.

Jinro was quick-witted and understood Fang Zhao's intention. He hurriedly jumped backwards. "Ah! I will leave at once!"

Then, he ran helter-skelter away.

The audience in the stands waiting to see Jinro get oppressed: "…"

Schwarzer: "How biased!"

Fang Zhao had never ever shown mercy during their internal training matches!

The SilverLight team members who had surrendered in terror before felt aggrieved.

In the next minute of this special guest match, "Black Sis" and Bruce disconnected in succession. Jinro remained alive and active.

Bruce: "… Traitor!"

Jinro: "I said surrendering would definitely be fine."

Bruce: "Bah! I will never surrender to you SilverLight people! Look at Black Sis! She too would rather die than surrender!"

"Black Sis: "… I wanted to surrender, but I was too nervous and didn't notice a vine tripping me up. I didn't have time to say anything before I was shot and eliminated."

Bruce: "…"

Of the entire Team 9, only Jinro remained. He had really been a coward until the end! And, he had really survived!

Schwarzer: "How biased!"

"Zhao God has changed! He is no longer that cold-hearted and merciless Zhao God who kicks, cripples and beats to death those who surrender!"

The other SilverLight team members all nodded their heads.

No mistake!

Too biased!

Fang Zhao had rarely used guns back when he had trained them. He had used whatever he could get his hands on. That was called being savage.

Regardless of how people saw the match, the SilverLight members only had one evaluation—Too gentle!

Since when had Fang Zhao become this gentle?!

Is it the influence of becoming an idol?!

Or has he been infected with by art in his one year of advanced study?

He had been so gentle that they were going to forget their psychological scars etched in their hearts.

After Jinro became the sole remaining member of Team 9, the match became leisurely once again. The audience watched Fang Zhao fighting monsters online and picked up some practical tips. Jinro stayed on the side giving commentary.

The two commentators at the competition venue: "…"

When will this Jinro shut his mouth and give us a chance to talk?

Jinro was commentating joyously. He even started to wonder whether he should become a commentator rather than a professional eSports coach when he got too old to keep up with the competition after retirement.

Jinro had reckoned that the possibility of Fang Zhao cooperating to put on a show was high due to it being an exhibition match. This was the reason why he had decided to try surrendering. After all, surrendering to his own former captain wasn't a big deal. They were both Silver Wing personnel. What was there to be embarrassed about?

The truth showed that Fang Zhao was indeed rather cooperative in this sort of match that was largely commercial and for entertainment. With that in mind, Jinro gave himself a pat on the back for being so wise!

Internal training sessions were more strict and rigid. But this was different.

Fang Zhao had also studied this sort of match beforehand. It was just an exhibition match. As long as the players had fun, the audience enjoyed it and the investors made enough, the objectives of this exhibition match would be achieved. There was no need for a bitter and serious fight to the end.

Besides, Fang Zhao had already discovered that he could hear the various sounds in-game and differentiate minute discrepancies. His hearing was like a data stream that allowed him to have even more precise judgment.

On top of the vast experience gap he had over others, he almost felt like he was cheating.

Fang Zhao appeared like he was playing along with a bunch of kids and even gave the SilverLight captain Jinro some face in front of millions of viewers.

When the thirty minute time limit for this match was up, Team 9 obtained victory with one member surviving. However, no one felt like a winner. They had only won this match because of Jinro's shamelessness.

Fang Zhao also came out from the special booth to join in the post-match interaction activities. He was all smiles as he patiently cooperated with the other team members and engaged in some fan activities.

Jinro chuckled from his teammates' mocking. "At least I managed to help you all deduce who the BOSS was. Seem that God Zhao isn't easy to deal with. There is a saying from the Old Era, "Where's there's life, there's hope. Only by surviving can we win."

The others: "Pooh!"

Fang Zhao was rather impressive, but everyone agreed tacitly that Fiery Bird had given him an unfair advantage. After all, Fang Zhao was an endorser of Fiery Bird products. Furthermore, upon viewing the match recordings of other special guests, surely Fiery Bird had given him an unfair advantage.

After this match ended, Team 9 members' expressions were also turned into an emoticon pack, which quickly went viral. .

Team 9 Expressions Pack Series——

[Disbelief]

[Stupefied]

[Who am I? Why did I suddenly disconnect?]

[I am awesome, I am cool, yet I got killed]

[Captain! Don't shoot! It's me!]

…

Jinro's surrender videos and animated images were circulated the most and garnered a lot of "hahahas" online.

"A real pussy!"

"Deserving of being called the survival mode godly gamer. His will to live is immensely strong[XD]."

"I am very interested in the internal culture of the SilverLight team. I wonder if all their members followed Jinro's style after Fang Zhao left."

Regarding this, all SilverLight team members (except the captain) expressed, "Please do not associate the captain's actions with that of the team members!"

At the same time, Fang Zhao's snippets of performance in the match were also being cut and analyzed.

"I want to know how Fang Zhao could determine the location of his opponents so precisely!"

"That scene when he kicked the stealthed enemy looks painful!"

"As expected of someone who experienced actual combat during military service. It always seems like he has a killer's aura! How ruthless!"

After all, this was only an exhibition match. As long as the spectators enjoyed it, everything was fine. However, Jinro was trending worldwide. Of course, this had partly been due to the Fang Zhao factor.

Jin-Puss-ro, Thickskinned eSports God and such nicknames spread far and wide. Although these were said jokingly, a sensitive person would definitely mind.

Jinro didn't mind one bit. Furthermore, he replied self-righteously, "What's wrong with being scared when facing an old military instructor? Right, we are all gaming gods. But he is a super gaming god!"

Some people weren't happy with Jinro's words. "Military instructor is fine. Why must you say 'old' military instructor? My Zhao God is clearly very young!"

There were even people who wondered whether Fang Zhao's reason for not returning to competitive eSports was because there weren't any opponents who posed a challenge. If a person like Fang Zhao emerged in the eSports circles in future, perhaps Fang Zhao would return?

Regarding these conjectures, the small portion in the know could only grin.

Even if a talent like Fang Zhao appeared again, there was a high chance they would be poached by the military.

Yanzhou. Yanbei Retirement Facility.

Those retired veterans who looked after their grandchildren or great-grand children also watched competition livestreams and related news. Every day, when they went out for walks, they would gather to chat.

Regarding this, Great-grandfather Fang had previously expressed, "There really isn't much point in watching these kinds of gaming competitions that are mainly for commercial and entertainment value. Why are you all watching it at your ages?!"

Great-grandfather Fang had been closely following Fang Zhao's dissertation and advanced studies and didn't have much interest towards gaming.

Two days later, Great-grandfather Fang posted in all of his chat groups.

"Quick quick quick, my Little Zhao is at the All-star Match! [Share]"

"Didn't you look down on gaming competitions?" someone asked.

Great-grandfather Fang had to justify himself. "What nonsense! This is called eSports! Even if we are old, we can't have the mentality of being old! We have to keep up with the times! Even military news mentioned these kinds of simulated online games! Sigh, I'm not going to bother arguing with you backward-thinking old fogies!"

After informing everyone, Great-grandfather Fang felt a little rueful as he browsed through the news.

Sigh! I should have gone to watch it live!

Damn those entertainment reporters!

Netizens are right. These entertainment reporters just won't do!

Especially the one called Wang Tie. King of Paparazzi? More like King of Garbage!

As Great-grandfather Fang was browsing through the comments section of the All-star Match's official account, he saw someone say, "It's alright to praise Fang Zhao's gaming skill, but all this praise is going overboard! What is 'So cool it makes one puke blood'?"

Narrow-minded Great-grandfather Fang replied, "What is wrong with 'So cool it makes one puke blood'?!"

In his opinion, this wasn't an exaggeration, but rather a cold hard truth!

What a cool kick. When it landed, that person puked blood. I had that demeanor in my youth!

As for comments like "too vicious", "thick murderous aura", "cold-hearted" and what not….

Rubbish! My Little Zhao has such great character! What cold-hearted?! He still spared one out of the twenty man team!

Chapter 439: Intense Acting Skills Curls

The final special guest for the last match was an elderly man of over a hundred years of age. He had practically grown up together with Fiery Bird. As Fiery Bird had developed and flourished, their first batch of gamers grew old.

These people were treasures.

There were still other activities after the special guest matches. The "Battle of the Century" gaming gods would be participating. As a special guest, Fang Zhao wouldn't be taking part in any other matches, but Fiery Bird didn't let him off either. Fang Zhao just needed to be there and there would be no lack of topics for discussion about him.

Fiery Bird planned to keep Fang Zhao at the All-star match for two days. Originally, they had wanted to keep him for three or four days, but they had been pressured by Mo Lang. Thus, Fiery Bird settled for two days. Two days was fine too. It was better than just one.

While Fang Zhao was at the All-star Match competition grounds, Curly Hair was struggling in the HuangArt advanced students dorm.

Curly Hair knew that Fang Zhao had gone to participate in a match and would be away for two days. He had to take the opportunity to be extra hard-working!

On the learning console forums, secondary school students expressed that even though they couldn't play "Battle of the Century" because they were minors, they still watched live broadcasts frequently. There were also some people who couldn't watch on their own but would watch the matches through their older siblings' accounts.

Curly Hair was a little listless when he saw all this. Thus, he ran over to the cabinet where Fang Zhao kept his limited-edition game consoles and was motivated!

Each time after doing a few questions, Curly Hair would go gaze at the game consoles for a bit before returning to the questions! Otherwise, he would fall asleep.

Only with a goal would there be motivation!

Curly Hair's current goal—Secondary school graduation!

He decided to give Fang Zhao a pleasant surprise!

Before Fang Zhao returned, he wanted to get the secondary school graduation certificate from the learning console's platform!

He had watched so many educational videos and done so many practice questions all for this day!

If his performance was good, Fang Zhao would buy him a game console!

With a clear goal, Curly Hair was highly motivated. Having efficiently clearing this round of practice questions, Curly Hair felt that he was more or less ready and applied to take a secondary school graduation test.

The requirements for graduation were to get a passing score of 60 out of 100 marks for each subject. Also, there was also a minimum for the total score.

After the test, the results came out rather quickly.

The total passing point requirements was hit, but Curly Hair received 59 for Language. Just short of one mark.

System evaluation: "Graduation requirements not met."

…

Nanfeng had come over to walk the dog and to take care of some other tasks. When he opened the door, he saw Curly Hair crestfallen and crouching in the corner. Nanfeng felt his heart ache a little.

This two hundred million dollar dog! What a fragile thing!

Sigh, dogs just can't be left alone at home. Look, after his master is out for a day, he's become like this: so lonely and miserable.

After dealing with his tasks, Nanfeng put the leash on Curly Hair and brought him out for a walk. When a dog wasn't in a good mood, bringing them out for a walk would surely make things better.

Nanfeng brought Curly Hair for a walk in the recreation area. There weren't many people out for a stroll at this time. Just as Nanfeng was about to bring Curly Hair back, he saw a few teachers leading students from the teaching block over. Also, more people were starting to gather slowly.

From their conversation, Nanfeng realized that these academic advisors were trying to gauge the abilities of these undergraduates.

"Oh, they are gonna have an outdoors performance! Let's go watch!" Nanfeng tugged on the leash and led Curly Hair over.

Facing the group of academic advisors and the gradually growing crowd of spectators, some students became nervous and stiffened up. Other forgot their lines or worried about their appearance. The academic advisors wanted these students to toss aside their apprehensions, set aside their idealistic ideas and learn what it meant to be a good performer! They would be representing HuangArt after leaving the school!

Nanfeng had originally been standing where the spectators were starting to gather. But because he had a dog, Nanfeng moved over to the side and let Curly Hair lean against some shrubs so the wouldn't disturb others.

The currently-performing graduate student was acting out a tearjerker skit. According to the script, there would be a crying scene where she would start with some sniffling before progressing to sobs and then full fledged wailing.

Thus, Nanfeng watched the intense acting skills of this HuangArt Performance undergraduate live.

At the beginning, it was just a beauty shedding tears, but slowly, the mood started to get heavier before finally overflowing. The slow heart-wrenching portrayal that tugged at one's heart slowly became an unreasonable out-of-control scene. All in all, it was a very good performance.

After the performance, the audience applauded, and the student gave her thanks. As the academic advisor was about to ask the second student to go on stage, he caught something from the corner of his eye and chuckled. "Oh, that little dog is crying!"

Everyone hurriedly turned to look.

Nanfeng saw tear droplets trickling out from Curly Hair's eyes and hurriedly took out a tissue to wipe the tears away.

"This… was it moved to tears by the performance?" someone asked.

"Even dogs can be moved. This shows the strong fundamentals that HuangArt students have," another concurred.

Nanfeng felt that this was also a factor, but in any case, Curly Hair wasn't in a good mood today. He felt it would be best to bring Curly Hair back to the dorm before asking Fang Zhao what to do.

He lightly tugged on the leash, but Curly Hair didn't budge.

And it wasn't just that. Curly Hair's soundless crying had become spasmodic sobbing.

The students, teachers and audience who had practically never seen a dog cry in such a way were all stunned.

A first year performance student whispered to his companion, "Not comparing to the seniors, but if I had its ability to cry on demand, I would be able to graduate right away!"

Curly Hair, who had latched on to the word "graduate": "…"

Nanfeng tugged on the leash once more to no avail. Then, Curly Hair began rolling on the ground in a tantrum.

This dog was making an unreasonable scene.

These actions seemed a little familiar.

The first student who had performed flushed with embarrassment as she saw everyone looking over. She really didn't know that this dog would actually have such great learning capability! This really was crying on demand! And, it was an inconsolable grief that would tear one's heart out!

The students and academic advisors watching the dog bawling its eyes out intensely: Are you done?!

Whose dog is this?

Are you out to wreck this performance?!

Seeing the situation turning south, Nanfeng grabbed the rolling dog, apologized to the teachers and students and left quickly.

The spectating audience who came to their senses gave a delayed round of applause.

"Marvelous!"

"That sudden intense acting skill…"

"As expected of a HuangArt dog. What an immersive performance! It was so real it didn't seem like an act at all!"

"I thought that it had been moved to tears; turns out it was an improv act!"

"Wait! Was that… Fang Zhao's dog? The really expensive one?"

"I searched, that's the one! Worth two hundred million!"

"It's worthy of such value with that acting ability!"

"Dogs mirror the personality of their masters. After all, Fang Zhao clinched an important role in the super series 'Founding Era' based on his ability."

The leading teacher took the opportunity to knock this into his students' heads: See that?! If you don't properly train your acting skills, even a dog will best you!

Does a dog rolling on the ground bawling not put you to shame?

However, the teachers were also rejoicing in secret. At least this batch of undergraduates had decent ability and wouldn't disgrace themselves.

In no time, videos of that scene recorded by members of the audience were uploaded online or sold to entertainment reporters and other media outlets.

Thus, for a period, those people trying to grab headlines discovered that they had been beaten by a dog.

People who were following other stuff also noticed this news.

"Did this dog join Fang Zhao and go to HuangArt for advanced studies too?"

"Are all HuangArt dogs that strong?"

"This dog of Fang Zhao's is due for a raise."

"But this dog is already worth too much."

"What do you know?!"

For the time being, it was unknown whether Curly Hair's valuation would increase. However, many people interested in keeping dogs specially made inquiries to HuangArt regarding whether they had opened up acting classes for dogs. Or, perhaps they intended to groom dog actors?

HuangArt personnel rejoiced once again. Luckily, their undergraduates had strong enough ability. Otherwise, there could have even been news about HuangArt performance undergraduates being beat by a dog.

After being galvanized by a little dog, the HuangArt performance students pledged to work even harder. Otherwise, they could be labeled by teachers as "inferior to a dog" after graduation.

After Curly Hair's news squeezed into the headlines, the upper management of various media entertainment companies flipped out. "Aren't you all useless?! It's fine if you can't beat Fang Zhao. But, to lose to even his dog?!"

Fang Zhao when he saw all the news: "…"

Alright.

At least not many people were paying attention to the matter of the "genius primary school student".

Fang Zhao felt that he really was becoming more mellow.

Chapter 440: Value Rise Yet Again

Fang Zhao was very worried.

After learning how to cry from Thornhead, Curly Hair had mastered making an unreasonable scene from the outstanding undergraduates of HuangArt.

On his return from Fiery Bird's All-star Match, Fang Zhao first went to apologize to the relevant HuangArt personnel as Curly Hair had indeed interfered with their session.

Afterwards, Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair over to be taught a lesson.

Curly Hair needed to explain himself. "I wasn't acting!"

"I heard you did an improv session with some of HuangArt's graduating students?"

"I didn't improv!"

Curly Hair had really been influenced by the performance of the HuangArt graduating students. He had also learned how to cry before. Thus, with Fang Zhao away, Curly Hair's emotions were finally released in that mental state.

The moment he remembered his test paper with a score of 59 and missing out on secondary school graduation by one mark, tears started to flow from his dog eyes.

Fang Zhao frowned.

This habit of crying at the drop of a hat was no good. Bad habits needed to be eliminated!

"Cry again and you will go to Muzhou to look after sheep," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair immediately forced his tears back.

He couldn't go tend sheep! He still needed to work hard to earn his own gaming helmet! He had to get his own personal terminal with the freedom to access the Internet!

While Fang Zhao was disciplining his dog, the news outside didn't cease.

News of Fang Zhao attending the All-star Match hadn't yet cooled when a discussions about "Dog Displays Acting Skills" went viral on the Internet. Actors lacking acting skills received a barrage of online attacks.

The evaluation of "acting skills inferior to a dog's" was not an insult but an assertive fact. Anyone that objected would be faced with this clip of Curly Hair crying.

HuangArt didn't have anything to be ashamed about. Firstly, the ability of their graduating students was solid enough. Secondly, it was both the graduating season and the recruitment season. Many schools were fighting to snatch talents at this time. This incident had been of great assistance to HuangArt. Look! After advanced studies at HuangArt, even a dog can produce such impressive acting skills.

It wasn't just limited to the relevant schools and students. Some businessmen started to have ideas and wanted to source out Curly Hair to act.

Curly Hair had received invitations to act back when everyone knew him as the "Golden Competition Dog". However, back then it had just been a small deal, whereas now, this was known globally. Also, Fang Zhao was the dog's owner, so naturally the dog would also be more valuable.

Back when Curly Hair's outstanding performances in Muzhou had given him the name of "Golden Competition Dog", he had been valued at 210 million and was ranked fifth on the most valuable pets chart. Now, the global authoritative magazine PET's group of experts once again gave Curly Hair a new valuation.

In the latest edition of PET's digital magazine, Curly Hair's valuation rose by 50 million. His new value of 260 million meant he was now the third most valuable pet.

A true stray dog's comeback!

The black street where Fang Zhao had found Curly Hair was once again mentioned and became a popular spot.

What, there's nothing much worth seeing at that black street? It's dirty and disorderly?

Don't care! As long as I can have half… no, a tenth of Fang Zhao's luck, I would be willing to walk all over that street!!

There were netizens who started to dream.

"How great would it be if I could get a dog like Curly Hair?!"

"Stop dreaming! Ever since Fang Zhao picked up this dog on the black streets back then, you can no longer see dogs on black streets. It would be extremely rare to see a dog on the black streets anywhere in the world, let alone the black streets of Qi'an City. You can forget it now that the black streets are trending again! I'm certain you won't even find dog fur there!"

"However, there are indeed some people who secretly toss them back out after keeping them for awhile. Then, they are rapidly picked up by others."

People of Muzhou who loved dogs reacted to this. "Those that pick up then abandon aren't worthy to have dogs!"

Muzhou people were proud of themselves. Take a look at our Muzhou. There isn't a single stray dog here. Look at other continents. Before that dog of Fang Zhao's was unearthed, there would practically be all sorts of news regarding stray dogs biting people every other week.

However, whenever there was news that touched upon that curly-haired dog, people of Muzhou would feel conflicted.

Love and hate!

There were even many who secretly wondered if they could buy this dog back. Once that dog was entered into the Muzhou records, Curly Hair would be a Muzhou dog!

With the passing of time, the Golden Competition Dog of the past had gradually faded to the back of people's minds. There were now less people willing to fork over huge sums to purchase Curly Hair. After all, a dog's lifespan was limited, and its value would depreciate. Who could have expected that this curly-haired dog's value didn't just drop but rose instead?!

Some people started to have ideas.

Upon seeing all the news online, Nanfeng became even more wary. Everyone looked like they wanted to steal the dog.

All the other pets on the rankings were served like kings at home and had entire entourages following them when they went out. Only Curly Hair was like an ordinary dog wandering about at the school everyday. What a miserable existence!

"Boss, should we do something? Recently, I keep seeing suspicious people loitering near the advanced students' dormitory. The inside of HuangArt campus has been rather restless lately," Nanfeng said.

"Well, graduation season is much more lively."

However, Fang Zhao also knew that the recent headlines caused by him and Curly Hair had instigated many entertainment reporters to come over and camp.

"This has to be avoided indeed."

Fortunately, Fang Zhao received a call from the space port authorities. After explaining the situation to Mo Lang, Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair for a one week assignment at the space port's anti-smuggling team and let things cool down before returning.

Of course, Fang Zhao didn't neglect his graduation concert preparation. Mo Lang was still keeping a close eye on him.

The old master had been watching Fang Zhao closely in this crucial year of advanced studies. Mo Lang had already felt that Fang Zhao caused trouble very easily. However, he never imagined that even the dog Fang Zhao kept could be so good at causing trouble.

This was a headache for Huangzhou entertainment reporters. There were many people wanting to buy information about Fang Zhao. Regardless of whether it was watching Fang Zhao or his dog, people expected the reporters to at least know Fang Zhao's movements. However, Fang Zhao was just too good at hiding!

He had suddenly gone missing while so many people had their eyes on him.

Entertainment reporters camping inside and outside HuangArt's campus couldn't find him.

However, with so much news in the entertainment circle, everyone who couldn't dig up news about Fang Zhao naturally changed targets as the days passed.

When Fang Zhao was about to return back to school after the one week assignment at the space port, Huangzhou Space Port didn't want to release him… No, Fang Zhao could leave as he pleased, but they absolutely weren't willing to let the dog go!

As for that global pet valuation chart, they saw it as a joke.

Was this a pet?

A waste!!!

Fang Zhao still brought the dog back. Curly Hair was content with his lot during his one week assignment at the space port. He also no longer behaved unreasonably and just worked much harder on practice questions. Fortunately, the language test wasn't entirely on reading comprehension. Memorization was practically free marks for Curly Hair; otherwise, perhaps Curly Hair couldn't even get 30 marks out of 100.

As the days passed, Fang Zhao's graduation concert drew closer.

As Fang Zhao was considered a popular superstar, there would surely be many people interested. There was limited capacity at the graduation concert venue, and HuangArt had dedicated personnel to issue the invites. Whether those invited showed up was another matter. After all, they had already sent out the invitations. No one could fault them.

Fang Zhao was also allocated some spots. He sent invites to Great-grandfather Fang and Great-grandmother Fang as agreed upon. Fang Zhao also asked Great-grandfather Fang whether he needed to send invites to other close relatives, which Great-grandfather Fang rejected.

"Don't waste spots on them. They wouldn't understand!"

Great-grandfather Fang was thinking, Tickets are limited, and I can represent the Fang Family. Fang Zhao can use the remaining to build his social relationships.

Great-grandfather Fang had already started preparations for Fang Zhao's graduation concert a long time ago. He wasn't going to let Fang Zhao send anyone over to pick him up and happily booked plane tickets to Huangzhou. He turned around and realized Great-grandmother Fang was trying on newly bought clothes.

Great-grandmother Fang had recently gotten a new haircut and had bought a new dress and hat.

Great-grandfather Fang remarked with a stiff face, "Trying to dress up at this age?!"

After returning to his room, Great-grandfather Fang opened up his cabinet and brought out the two sets of artsy clothes he had yet to wear. When he was done with that, Great-grandfather Fang opened yet another cabinet. In it were five neatly arranged walking sticks. Some had been purchased in bulk with other residents of the facility, while others had been purchased after being swayed by advertisements.

Great-grandfather Fang picked up a popular new generation walking sticks with many functions, tested the grip and even swung it a few times before putting it back in the cabinet out of dislike.

He then picked up another one and checked himself out in the mirror.

"Tsk!"

Great-grandfather Fang placed the second walking stick back in. He disliked the gaudy color. It didn't go well with his inner grace and artistic vibe.

The newly bought walking sticks in the cabinet were either too flashy or had an unsuitable color. None of them were suitable in his hands.

"Viral products really won't do!"

As he went about nit-picking and comparing, Great-grandfather Fang finally settled on one reluctantly.

Great-grandfather Fang was finally satisfied with his appearance in the mirror and smiled.

Chapter 441: Old Friend

Indeed, many people closely followed any news of Fang Zhao's graduation concert. Not everyone was Fang Zhao's fan, but they definitely had to attend the concert!

If they couldn't get an invitation letter, they would have to snatch others' admission tickets!

Graduation Concerts in the past by Twelve Tones advanced students were also full houses, but many seats were filled up by behind the scenes staff or other students. Generally, the public didn't pay too much attention. This time, Fang Zhao's graduation concert was different. After all, the concert details had yet to be announced, but the quota had already been filled.

People who had been camping on HuangArt's official platform to purchase tickets were dumbfounded as they stared at the large "sold out" on their screens.

Personnel from HuangArt already found it difficult to procure tickets, let alone people from other schools.

Silver Wing's side was allocated ten admission tickets because Fang Zhao was signed to them. However, it was still too little compared to how many Silver Wing personnel were interested in attending. Those who weren't allocated tickets had to find other means to obtain entry.

At a corner of the company, a few popular celebrities were currently having a hushed discussion.

"Aren't you in acting? What do you want admission tickets for?"

"Have you heard of being proficient in both acting and singing? I want to understand more on being a singer-actor."

"Only ten admission tickets? Is it really not hunger marketing by HuangArt?" someone asked.

Others stared at him as though he was stupid.

"Do you have some misunderstanding regarding 'God-level Advanced Course'?"

"Do you know what sort of people the mentors and teachers of this advanced course are?!"

"HuangArt allocated the majority of invitations to various big shots within the art circles from different continents. Therefore, there are limited spaces. Even Fang Zhao wouldn't have too many for himself. The company has already done very well to be able to obtain ten tickets. Look at other Yanzhou entertainment companies. They'll need to struggle to get even five!"

"If you can't get admission, you can try asking invitees who aren't planning on attending."

"Other people might be able to get this sort of invitation, but I reckon it would be difficult for this concert."

Leizhou.

Zaro hadn't gotten sufficient headlines and attention from the All-star Match. The data and numbers were out. He was still doing fine in Leizhou, but his publicity on other continents had fallen. Thus, Leizhou netizens routinely ridiculed him.

After arguing with netizens online, he posted: Just you all wait and see!

And after that, it was really waiting.

People waited and waited, but there were no signs of activity.

Citizens of Leizhou knew that the Za-dog was rather forgetful. He could hold grudges for a long time, but he also frequently forgot other things he didn't deem important.

Just as Zaro was drafting a plan to get back against those netizens, he received a message from Chu Bo. Chu Bo wanted to attend Fang Zhao's graduation concert.

After going through his friend circles, Zaro found that Barbara and Mitisy had actually gotten their hands on admission tickets!

How could he fall behind when it came to this?!

Zaro immediately made a call to Fang Zhao and shamelessly asked for an admission ticket before running off to flaunt it to Woo Tianhao.

Woo Tianhao was busy with other matters recently and couldn't go join the fun even if he wanted to. In his delight, Zaro forgot all about the "You all just wait and see" matter. Instead, he went to make plans with Chu Bo for Fang Zhao's graduation concert.

Many people in each continent paid attention to news regarding Fang Zhao's graduation concert. In the past, Great-grandfather Fang wouldn't ignore this kind of news. But this time, he didn't only follow it online; he experienced it personally as well!

Decked in artsy attire and armed with a new walking stick, he arrived at HuangArt together with Great-grandmother Fang.

Although they had arrived earlier, they spent a few days visiting old friends because Great-grandfather Fang felt that Fang Zhao would surely be very busy. Thus, he didn't let Fang Zhao worry about them and only headed to HuangArt on the day of the graduation concert.

"You do what you have to. We know how to get there!"

After sending Fang Zhao a short message telling Fang Zhao not to worry about them, the two elders tidied their appearance in front of a mirror before calling a cab to HuangArt.

During graduation season, HuangArt would specially promote a few outstanding graduate students. HuangArt had special spots to publicize those in the advanced course. A large floating screen cycled through a display of brief descriptions and notices of forecasted works of the current batch of Twelve Tones graduates.

Fang Zhao's neighbor Will had an art exhibition, while Fang Zhao had his concert.

The two elders stood before the billboard screen and took many photos and videos to share with their friends online.

"Have you seen this?! So many impressive people, and my Little Zhao is the youngest!"

After chuckling and bragging, the smile on Great-grandfather Fang's face gradually dimmed when he saw the publicity shots of other students on the large screen.

"Say, after spending a year here, do you think Little Zhao has… has… has that?"

Great-grandfather Fang gave Great-grandmother Fang a "you-know-what" look.

As someone who kept up-to-date on news in the entertainment circles, Great-grandfather Fang had never seen Fang Zhao having any scandals or links with other female celebrities.

Most of Fang Zhao's class were old enough to be his parents or grandparents, so they were eliminated. If classmates weren't suitable, then what about fans?

"I heard that there are many young female students clamoring to get a chance to attend his concert."

The two elders arrived at the concert hall. They didn't enter, but instead loitered in the rest area outside the hall to observe other early arrivals to the concert.

"What do you think?"

"I feel that one won't do."

"Hey, old woman, look at the one in the corner…"

"Seems familiar."

"I feel that way too."

"Perhaps some celebrity?"

"Wait, let me search… she's really a celebrity, but she's already married."

The two old Fang's either discussed quietly or communicated through text. It wouldn't be too nice if others heard what they were saying.

As they were discussing, a black ball rolled to their feet.

Great-grandfather Fang picked up the black ball and squeezed it. It felt rather nice.

Great-grandfather Fang beamed when he saw a little boy run over.

"Little friend, is this your ball?"

"Yes! It's called 'Little Riches'."

"Here."

"Thanks Gramps!"

Great-grandfather Fang currently had no resistance against kids. His wrinkles were all creased from smiling. His gaze followed that little kid, and he saw the kid run over to the side of a young lady.

That young lady even smiled when Great-grandfather Fang looked over. Then, she pulled on the kid's hand and led him away.

Great-grandfather Fang's smile froze. He had a dazed look in his eyes.

So many years had passed. He had forgotten what that person looked like, but at that moment, he suddenly remembered.

Many years ago, Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang had taken part in a military campaign when they had been on the Sirius. However, many people in that military campaign had signed confidentiality clauses. Even now, they couldn't mention it casually.

The personnel on the Sirius had been nearly wiped out back then. It was only thanks to timely reinforcements that they had been able to escape. The one leading the reinforcement team had been a woman.

What he remembered clearly wasn't that person's appearance, but the scene where the lady had ripped apart an armed battle droid with her bare hands.

Ah. Torn apart.

Great-grandfather Fang still felt the psychological trauma of that scene even today.

Senior officers explained that the rescue team were using exoskeleton suits that increased their power, but Great-grandfather Fang's psychological trauma never lessened. As someone who had personally witnessed the scene in close quarters, Great-grandfather Fang had always believed that there was more to it.

Great-grandfather Fang coughed lightly as he came back to his senses. His daze had lasted a little too long, and he didn't want his wife to misunderstand. Heh, that old woman just loved to get jealous.

Great-grandfather Fang was preparing an explanation as he turned his head and discovered Great-grandmother Fang staring intently in the direction those two were leaving in.

Great-grandfather Fang: "…"

"What are you looking at?! There's nothing to see! Let's go! The concert is about to start!" Great-grandfather Fang pulled Great-grandmother Fang towards the hall.

"Hey, old man, that person looks a little like…"

"Like what?!"

"I remember…"

"No! You don't remember!"

"A descendant of an old friend?"

"Who cares who she is. Mind your own business!"

Chapter 442: Graduation Concer

After entering the concert hall, the two elder Fangs found their own seats. Their seats were close to the front, just behind the VIP, academic advisor and evaluation committee seats.

The HuangArt Center's music hall was constructed in line with top standards. Practically every seat in the hall could enjoy the same sound quality. However, some areas were closer to the stage than others, so there was some difference in visuals.

Great-grandfather Fang looked around and sighed in relief when he didn't see that figure.

The person the two elders had seen had shocked them greatly. However, they no longer had any inclination to mull over it. This was the venue of Fang Zhao's graduation concert. People continued to show up in succession all around them. Many were celebrities they had seen on the Internet before. Great-grandfather Fang paid close attention to the entertainment circles. He wasn't able to recall all of their names, but he could still recognize them. Those people were surely famous.

At the thought of so many reputable people in entertainment circles coming over to attend Fang Zhao's concert, Great-grandfather Fang felt extremely proud.

As for everything else, what old friend or bare-handed droid-ripping could be more important than his own great-grandson?!

Great-grandfather Fang took the opportunity before the concert started to show off once again to his friends. The other old fogies at the retirement facility definitely never had such an experience!

As Fang Zhao was very busy today, he had Nanfeng check on the two elder Fangs after hearing that they had arrived.

Nanfeng had only stayed for a short while before he was sent back by the two elder Fangs to attend to Fang Zhao. Great-grandfather Fang reckoned that Fang Zhao would be too busy today to even drink water. Furthermore, it was easy to fall ill when stressed. Thus, Fang Zhao had to be properly taken care of!

So, Nanfeng was shooed away again. He didn't have any complaints but was instead very excited.

He had originally thought that no matter how great Fang Zhao's reputation was, this sort of graduation concert would only attract academics. He had never expected to see so many celebrities!

When had Fang Zhao met these people?

Furthermore, many of the newcomers to the singing industry walked a completely separate path. Why were they trying to join in the fun?

Others who had managed to snag admission tickets and take part in the excitement had the same doubts as Nanfeng. Quite a number of those rookie singers weren't academics. They didn't have anything in common with Fang Zhao nor did they have any intention of promoting themselves here. What were they here for?

Last but not least, there were also people interested Fang Zhao's commercial potential. Although they appreciated music, these people were businessmen first and foremost. Perhaps they weren't able to estimate Fang Zhao's artistic value, but they could gauge Fang Zhao's commercial value well. And, these sharp-witted businessmen had already learned a lot just based on who else was present.

Were all these music industry colleagues from various backgrounds necessarily here because of Fang Zhao?

Some young superstars from the continent were very well-behaved.

Putting on airs? Acting self important?

That didn't exist.

There were too many big shots here. It would be easy to get their faces smacked.

Anna, Fang Zhao's red carpet partner back at the film festival entered the music hall with her husband Lan Jing at this moment.

Lan Jing, a famous singer and songwriter from Huangzhou, was a talented individual and disciple of Mo Lang. No one was surprised to see Lan Jing here.

As a frequent guest at HuangArt, Lanjing was very familiar with the seating arrangements and found his seat in no time. Beside him was another recent arrival.

Lan Jing was taken aback for a moment when he saw the person beside him. He recovered quickly with a smile and greeted, "Oh, Sis Fei, what a coincidence!"

The person beside had already taken off her shades. It was Lakalinazhou superstar Fei Ying. She was a singer renowned globally and sang all kinds of genres from opera and classical to rock. In addition, she was very talented in composition and arrangement. Her emergence on the scene years ago had resulted in a bloodbath for all the big music charts of Lakalinazhou.

Anna immediately greeted "Sis Fei" as well. She was a junior and couldn't compare with Fei Ying's influence in the global music circles.

Fei Ying returned a smile. Then, as if she had thought of something, she shot a look of disdain at Lan Jing.

"I heard that your new song lost on the charts again? What kind of trash can't even beat a female virtual idol?!" Fei Ying said condescendingly.

Lan Jing cried out with an exaggerated look on his face. "The heck! Do you know how hard it is to go up against a female virtual idol now?! Why don't you try it if you are so capable?!"

Fei Ying's main battleground was Lakalinazhou. Virtual idols didn't enjoy the same reception in Lazhou's music scene as compared to Huangzhou's. Therefore, Lan Jing felt that Fei Ying was all talk.

It was publicly acknowledged that competition in Huangzhou's music scene was intense. Those that could survive and emerge were all impressive people. Even virtual idols here had powerful groups backing them.

One loss wasn't a big deal. What was scary was always losing.

Lan Jing had indeed encountered a bottleneck in his composition. He had come to attend Fang Zhao's concert not because of what others thought as "fellow disciple camaraderie" but because Mo Lang had suggested it. Therefore, Lan Jing had come to this concert eager to learn. Regardless of whether he could break through the bottleneck, any gains here would be worthwhile.

While the two seemed to exchange harsh words, those words were validation that they acknowledged each other.

Many weren't qualified for acknowledgement at all and would be entirely ignored.

Not long after, yet another familiar face called out to Lan Jing.

"Seems like you came to attend your junior brother's concert, Lan Jing."

"Strictly speaking, Fang Zhao isn't my junior brother. He is Prof. Carter's disciple, and Carter is my Senior Brother," Lan Jing explained.

"Tsk, everyone knows Fang Zhao is learning from Old Master Mo. Isn't this equivalent to being your junior brother? Everyone knows that Mo Lang has been guiding Fang Zhao personally. He guarded Fang Zhao very tightly in the latter half of the advanced course duration because he was afraid Fang Zhao would get distracted. It's clear how much Old Master Mo cares about Fang Zhao from how protective he is of him.

Lan Jing didn't deny it and laughed sheepishly. "I used to be one of master's gems. But, after Master found this little junior brother, I have become some poor grass by the sidewalk."

That was what he said, but Lan Jing also knew that many people could only be envious of him. As a disciple of Mo Lang, he enjoyed many benefits and had access to lots of resources that many people had no way of getting their hands on. Of course, the prerequisite was to have the ability. Without sufficient ability, he would have long been kicked out by Old Master Mo.

As this conversation carried on, another group of people entered the hall.

The music hall that was rampant with discussion suddenly quieted before stirring up once again. Although the atmosphere was more muted now, that was merely on the surface. Many people's eyes were on those few people who had walked to the front and sat down.

The group that had just entered were HuangArt personnel, evaluation committee members, academic advisors and a few special guests.

Lan Jing became aware of others shifting their attention. Some even shot up from their seats in excitement.

"They actually came!"

"The last time I saw Teacher Yan was ten years ago."

"Great Master Sang Jieqi actually came out of his long seclusion!"

People in the music industry all knew Yan Ye and Sang Jieqi.

Yan Ye, Da Mu and Sang Jieqi had been three globally renowned composers of epic music. Some people said that their peaks in the pop music circles were somewhat exaggerated, but it wasn't by much. The style of their works varied from subdued to intense. Too many pop stars had found their fame from them. Back then, many singers couldn't even get those three to produce a song for them despite willing to fork out large sums of money.

However, these three all had conflicting views with HuangArt before. Back then, some HuangArt academics had felt that HuangArt catered too much to the market and was too commercialized. However, these three didn't feel that way. They selected their music and persevered because of their passion.

After that, the three never reconciled with HuangArt. However, in their opinion, Twelve Tones was Twelve Tones while HuangArt was HuangArt. Although there were people they loathed in Twelve Tones, their teachers and mentors of their music journeys were inside. Previously, they had attended a few Twelve Tones events but rarely the HuangArt ones.

Later on, Da Mu passed away from an accident, while Sang Jieqi went into seclusion, so his whereabouts hadn't been well known. Yan Ye was quite old and had limited energy. He wanted to rest and only released a song once a year. Even if his current style wasn't necessarily appreciated by the masses, the song rights were still highly sought after.

Nowadays, Yan Ye and Sang Jieqi rarely participated in Twelve Tones events. However, invitations for important events and graduation concerts were still sent to them.

Of course, there were also other composers and creators in attendance not on Yan Ye and Sang Jieqi's level but were also considered important people in the industry. There were also pop megastars with huge backings present as well.

"Is it because of Old Master Mo?" Anna asked.

Only Mo Lang could pull off securing the attendance of these people.

Lan Jing was so sour he felt he was going to turn into a lemon.

"I never received such treatment before. Teacher actually managed to bring these people out just for junior brother! No, based on Fang Zhao's previous works, his style is entirely different from this bunch's… This is just promotion for little junior brother!"

It wasn't just Lan Jing. Mo Lang's other disciple also felt sour when they saw this.

Teacher is indeed biased!

At that moment, Great Master Mo Lang was chatting with old friends.

"I have listened to Fang Zhao's previous works before. It is profound, yet unfolds impressively," Yan Ye said. "I don't really delve into the kind of musical approach you all take, but I am still able to somewhat perceive it. For instance, the first type of profundity is like reading a history book or watching a movie laden with details and insights. The other sort is like placing oneself in the annals of history as if actually experiencing it without being separated by space or time. Fang Zhao's works belongs to the latter. Therefore, Old Mo, I haven't come just to give you face. I'm also very interested in this young fellow's music.

Sang Jieqi also chimed in, "The structure of Fang Zhao's works has always been huge. However it is easy for something with a huge structure to appear empty. However, from his previous works, I can see that he has already done very well. No, I should say that he has done extremely well for his age! I just wonder what sort of pleasant surprise he will give me this time. At the same time, it will be good to have a glimpse at the current standards of the Twelve Tones Advanced Course."

"As a student, this Fang Zhao learns really quickly."

The academic advisors of the advanced course were all full of confidence. To be precise, they were very confident in Mo Lang. If Fang Zhao's submitted works couldn't satisfy Mo Lang, then this Old Master Mo wouldn't be smiling. Mo Lang appeared solemn, but the corners of his mouth had curled upwards multiple times when he heard others praising Fang Zhao.

The few of them started inquiring from Mo Lang about stuff pertaining to this concert. As the guiding advisor, Mo Lang knew much more.

Prof. Carter sat behind in silence. It was best if he didn't say anything at this time.

Chapter 443: "Ocean Of Stars"

The concert hadn't started yet. Although the hall couldn't be considered noisy, there were still sounds of hushed greetings and gossip.

Even very popular pop stars were more reserved today. They could see their old teachers in the front rows.

Chu Bo was thoroughly astonished when he arrived. He saw many familiar faces from fields unrelated to Fang Zhao.

Two people in the row ahead of him were bickering.

"What is an EDM artist like you doing here?"

"Why can't I come if even a death metalhead person like you is here?

Chu Bo thought about his own style, then observed this bunch. He felt that it wouldn't even be strange to encounter opera singers here.

Zaro only arrived when the concert was about to start. He yawned as he sat down.

"I nearly overslept."

Zaro surveyed his surroundings with his low IQ. He didn't see anyone familiar or fresh, so he had nothing to talk about. I should have slept instead.

Chu Bo was about to share some gossip with Zaro when the lights dimmed and the entire concert hall quietened.

Fang Zhao's graduation concert had officially started.

According to the stipulated rules, there had to be at least six works for the graduation concert. Mo Lang had selected seven from Fang Zhao's works in the past year.

The purpose of the graduation concert was to display what an advanced student had learned and gained in the past year. The growth of an advanced student could be seen directly through his works.

Fang Zhao's works in the past year had many new changes and clear differences from his previous compositions. Mo Lang considered various aspects before selecting these seven songs. He hoped that everyone would no longer have the image that Fang Zhao's works were the sort that "woke you up from any tiredness" as said on the Internet.

The screen at the front displayed the information about this graduation concert.

Displayed right at the top in a large neat font was "Ocean of Stars".

There were a few academic advisors listed. Mo Lang was the first name, while Carter was in the second spot.

By custom, Fang Zhao would introduce the background behind this composition.

Zaro listened until he was drowsy. I can't understand all these academic expressions. Maybe I should go to sleep.

On the other hand, Chu Bo was listening attentively. Simply put, this sort of graduation concert was the stage for advanced students to shine on. His musical path was different from Fang Zhao's as his own works placed more emphasis on rhythm. However, he was extremely curious as to how Fang Zhao would have changed after a year in this God-level advanced course. Would any new elements appear in Fang Zhao's works?

Fang Zhao briefly explained the background information behind this composition to the evaluation committee and esteemed industry precursors. He showed no signs of stage fright that the two elder Fangs had been worried about. After that, it was time for him to exhibit his own works.

The concert hall wasn't huge, but the acoustics inside the stage for HuangArt's top advanced students were undeniably top-notch and would allow advanced students to fully demonstrate all of their merit.

Opening song: ''Splendor''

There was a main piano melody with the echoes of woodwinds. Grandiose, gorgeous orchestral elements flowed like a spring breeze thawing snow and ice. It brought the golden lights from the horizon and the pulsations of new life. Hearts of longing and reverence gazed at the large golden door that fanned open to welcome a new world.

Such a bright and impressive opening jolted the senses, causing any weariness and restlessness to be tossed aside. The solemn faces of the evaluation committee members relaxed. They exchanged glances and revealed satisfied smiles.

But, that was all to it. They were merely satisfied.

This could be considered a strong display from any other student. But, when it came to Fang Zhao, this only belonged to the ordinary category. Those who had studied Fang Zhao's works before wouldn't be too surprised by this opening. Furthermore, it would be surprising if Fang Zhao couldn't reach this sort of standard considering that he had Mo Lang's guidance.

Percussion, string and stimulated woodwinds produced an extensive and melodious atmosphere. Listeners imagined waking up from a blurry dream, looking into the distance and seeing budding greenery; they saw an imposing mountain, a vast plateau and a flourishing city skyline.

The music evoked reminders of sounds throughout the year. There went the sounds of children hurrying out at the first rays of dawn into a bustling crowd.

The world was very huge, the skies high and the earth vast.

Hope and fantasy were interwoven behind closed eyes and intoxicated minds like a victory cry from afar.

People cried out in jubilation beneath the many golden rays of light. They looked up to the skies and saw the grand possibilities the future held.

Hearts were lifted by a magnificent energy and soared towards the horizon. Even the tallest of mountains did not obstruct the free-flying clouds. Overcome your difficulties, surpass the extreme limits and pursue the brilliant splendor you believe in!

Say, do you see the ocean of stars?

…

An evaluation committee member from Mazhou was deeply moved by this opening song. Every single note resonated within him. He could hear the overflowing hope and vibrancy of life in full bloom.

Carefree!

Expansive!

Exuberant vitality and surging sentiments made it feel as though every cell in the body was enlightened. Unknowingly, people found themselves smiling.

After the song concluded, the evaluation committee members started to discuss quietly.

"Bold, ingenious skill and technique. This fellow's fundamentals are impressive."

"What powerful uplifting impetus and forward energy. This youngster's enthusiasm is great!"

"The world is so big; follow your heart! I felt that even the most simple things could become splendid as I listened."

Gorgeous!

It wasn't hollow on the inside and flashy on the outside. Rather, it was like a high level and substantial theme!

An evaluation committee member shot Mo Lang a thumbs up as he was speaking.

Mo Lang was his usual reserved self as he smiled and nodded slightly. He gave a "still passable" gesture.

The evaluation committee member from Mazhou was really satisfied . His smile widened after reading the background information behind this composition. "Indeed, it has influences from our Mazhou!"

Prof. Carter jolted up at the back. Fang Zhao's journey had been arranged by him. He could join in on this conversation!

But, before Carter could say anything, Mo Lang already responded, "Right. He composed the preliminary draft for 'Splendor' when he followed the team to Mazhou…"

Carter swallowed his words and sat up straight, pretending nothing had happened.

After the short exchange, the various evaluation committee members gave grades and remarks on the evaluation sheets in their hands. The short break between each song was to give the evaluation committee some time to discuss and evaluate. A graduation concert was a little different from ordinary concerts with its academic and public appraisal elements.

As the audience discussed, Zaro, who had been jolted awake by the opening song, sat in his seat with a dazed and bewildered expression.

Chu Bo finished his own reflections about the song and turned towards Zaro. "What's wrong?"

Zaro rubbed his face vigorously. "I just had a dream. I dreamt that I was running and running. Then, I started to fly."

Chu Bo laughed. Looks like Zaro still has some artistic cells in his body after all.

The second song began after Zaro sobered up and the evaluation committee finished their evaluations.

"The Return Of Life".

The main theme of Fang Zhao's concert was "Ocean Of Stars". The first song was merely a prologue, whereas the second composition was really about the ocean. It was a piece Fang Zhao had come up with when he was at the Corale Archipelago for the Corale Film Festival.

Fang Zhao had added electronic tones in this song.

Orchestral symphony and electronic tones combined seamlessly. The music traveled from dry to damp before becoming the spray from the sea.

Besides dry land was the ocean.

The exotic and vivacious electronic tones were like lively and efficacious cries.

Layers of color and tints fluttered with the tides of the ocean.

The natural rhythm progressed downwards.

It shuffled between lively, profound, calming and mysterious.

It was like the ripples of countless vibrating strings breaking the stillness of the deep sea.

Then, a tremendous undercurrent surged upwards, dragging the listeners to a fin splitting through a wave. They leapt across the water's surface with freedom.

Birds high up in the sky swooped down and glided over the surface of the ocean. They broke through the waves before soaring thousands of miles.

The world was full of living things.

Sunlight scattered through the surface of the ocean. Some light penetrated, while the rest reflected off the waves.

A certain director specializing in documentaries sighed as he experienced the wonder of the music. "It's just perfect. The melodious score is uplifting. What a great ecological sensation."

I definitely have to place this song in my new documentary if I get the chance!

I can't afford the copyright, but the TV Station can afford it!

Their Huangzhou TV Station had the largest music library in the entire world!

I have to recommend this new song of Fang Zhao's to be added to the music library! No, if funding is approved, it would be better to get all seven songs into the TV Station's music library. Just these first two songs are enough to indicate that all the compositions in Fang Zhao's graduation concert are of high quality and worthy of being added to the music library.

What is that saying?

There's nothing more to say. Prepare the money and just buy it!

It won't be an exclusive buyout anyways. There shouldn't be a problem with adding these seven songs to the music library, the director thought to himself.

He had great confidence in Huangzhou TV Station's purchasing power. It was merely seven songs.

Everyone harbored their own ideas.

Other than the second song "Return of Life", Fang Zhao had also composed the third song "Lighthouse" with inspiration from his time at the Corale Film Festival.

The people of the Corale Archipelago had a celebration for the lighthouse. Every year, the lighthouse shined very brightly at that time.

The style of this song was totally different from the other two and had special island instruments in it. Light, cheerful drum beats carried a special local and rustic flavor.

Although the initial drumbeats sounded soft and muffled, they carried a sort of ancient and mystical vibe.

It brought to life the faraway island shore caressed by waves. Lights and shadows flickered across the islanders celebrating. Their eyes turned misty from the lingering smell of alcohol in the ocean breeze.

They turned around through the dancing throng and faced the ocean.

Under the glow of the lighthouse, currents crashed against the reef. The lighthouse rays quietly probed the sea to guide returning ships along the blue periphery.

Corale Archipelago's native folk songs and dances were partly behind the inspiration for "Lighthouse". Fang Zhao had taken some of these native musical styles and blended them into his own composition.

Under the starry sky, other islanders, the blue ocean, the lighthouse and ships were all blurs to the dancers. "Lighthouse" encapsulated all of this with an intense artistic vitality.

Amongst the audience, a renowned Huangzhou rapper smiled pleasantly as he listened to the booming drum beats. "What sort of drum is this? It is rather pleasing to listen to."

Chapter 444: A Monster Is Hidden Within

The rapper looked at the background information for this composition. The inspiration was from Corale?

He too had received many invitations to participate in activities at Corale. However, his thoughts and focus had all been in taking part in the Corale Film Festival. How could he have time for other things? Thus, he hadn't even noticed the native instruments.

He didn't have too much interest in music that was too thick in symphonic styles. He had come this time not to appreciate art but rather to unearth gems. After listening to the previous two songs of the concert, he had wanted to send a message to some friends about the situation here. However, he could no longer care about anything else when the drum beats started for this song.

He asked those around him, but nobody was able to discern what sort of drums they were.

He looked through his contacts. There was no method of contacting Fang Zhao, so he decided to send a message to ask Lan Jing. Fang Zhao and Lan Jing had learned from the same master, so even if Lan Jing didn't know, Lan Jing could also ask Fang Zhao.

Indeed, Lan Jing replied after a short while.

"It's a special kind of snare drum from Corale Island." Lan Jing had also studied this sort of drum on Corale Island before, so he could answer without asking Fang Zhao.

"A drum from Corale Island?" The rapper committed it to memory.

He was especially excited with "Lighthouse" that he couldn't sit still. During the short intermission for the evaluation committee, the rapper used his communications device to share this with his other friends.

"Really, when this sort of instrument full of native characteristics combines with musical notes, it is simply a cheat! It is too astounding!"

"Then, shall I find some time to purchase drums from Corale?" his friend asked.

"… Do I look like I lack a drum? What I lack is talent! Not everyone can use this cheat combination! At least, I won't be able to do so in the short term."

"How then?" the other side asked.

"What do you think?! Of course, I need to find someone who can! Just a slight revision of the original score will do! A revised tune would definitely be very suitable for me."

In his excitement, the rapper mentally composed some variations and sang a few verses under his breath.

"Hey, how is that?" He was very satisfied with the few verses he had modified.

An actor seated beside him listened to the rapper's rambling as well as his "modified verse". He nearly doubted his own listening ability and memory when he compared it to "Lighthouse". Was everyone listening to the same song? The changes are quite big. Also, isn't the concept completely different?

However, this was a very normal thing for the rapper and his friends. People extracted different sentiments from listening to the same song. The rapper had a high level of musical knowledge. Thus, making larger changes to suit his style was very common.

"I can wait until the concert ends to look for Fang Zhao and discuss the copyrights for a revision." The renowned Huangzhou rapper already started to make plans.

"Oh… negotiating the copyrights might not be a good idea. I heard that during his previous concert, all the copyrights for Fang Zhao's songs were bought up even before the concert ended." The person on the other end of the line sounded hesitant.

"Is that so? Then, I shall have to ask Lan Jing."

With that, he sent a voice message to Lan Jing.

"Lan Jing! You have to help your old classmate! You and Fang Zhao share the same master. Help me tell him that he must leave the third song 'Lighthouse' for me!"

Lan Jing replied cordially but thought to himself, What's the use of looking for me? I'm also not that close to Fang Zhao.

Fortunately, the intermission was short. Lan Jing looked towards the large screen at the front in anticipation of the next few songs. Even people who had no contact with Fang Zhao were seeking help from Lan Jing. This little Fang Zhao fellow is really impressive.

The fourth song: "η"

The Alkaid, serial η, was amongst the Human race's first batch of deep space exploratory spacecrafts. Contact was lost with the Alkaid on an exploratory mission a long time ago. It had traveled alone for a long time before crash landing on Planet Bu and being buried under the sand. Four hundred years later, it had finally been rediscovered by Fang Zhao and the rest[1."η" is the symbol of the Alkaid. η is the Greek letter eta].

The electronic tones carried an intense and unique spatial vibe reminiscent of the boundless cosmos and minute stardust.

An azure blue planet gradually passed through a glassy nebula.

The main theme revealed itself to be spry, but not noisy or urgent. It had a sense of novelty upon entering one's ears. The harmonics from time to time were casual and mischievous.

It was mystical with a dense and seemingly otherworldly feel.

The unique and distinct melody full of rich variations made it difficult for thoughts to keep up.

But if one listened carefully, there was a tinge of sorrow. It was light and could be easily missed without close attention.

Before the audience could ponder over what the song actually represented, they felt a sense of novelty.

"What a peculiar style. Somehow, I feel a little ill-suited listening to this mystical tune."

"It feels sort of quiet and solitary, as if you're immersed in your own solitary world. There's no sadness, but it is strange."

"My whole body feels limp just from listening to this."

"What a strong illusory vibe. I closed my eyes and felt as if I transcended to an alternate world. My body is covered with goosebumps right now."

"It's my first time hearing this genre. It's actually… still okay?"

Chu Bo was currently excited from experiencing the new style. "Wonderful! This pitch glide is too smooth! How did I not know that Fang Zhao could do this style too?"

Besides Chu Bo and the others, there was one other special audience member.

Little Bear was listening very attentively.

As a Superintelligence and the controller of the Alkaid, he had always wondered what sort of music was suitable enough for him to truly appreciate?

He seemed to play around most of the time, but he still had the pride of a Superintelligence.

And now, Little Bear was crying. It wasn't a slight sobbing, but a full-fledged torrent of tears.

While he cried, he took sips from a bottle every once in awhile to replenish his fluids. He occasionally belched from the water.

He also didn't know exactly what sort of mood this was.

His heart ached a little as he recalled the four hundred years on the Alkaid.

He suddenly remembered a conversation he had with his creator and founder of the Inter-planetary Fund, Master Heng Xin.

"Should robots have their own sentience? Is our existence proper?" Little Bear had asked.

Master Heng Xin hadn't replied.

"It really is tough being a Superintelligence. Why is it so arduous?" Little Bear had grumbled.

"It's normal. Because you already have a 'soul'," Master Heng Xin had said.

Some questions couldn't be answered even with the brain of a Superintelligence.

Now, Little Bear had an impulse to bawl his eyes out because of a song. His tears wouldn't cease.

He had already finished a bottle of water yet showed no signs of stopping.

Another bottle was passed over from the side. Little Bear took it, continued to replenish his fluids and continued to cry. If it wasn't for the current setting, he would be wailing.

"Is this an emotional outburst? Are you Superintelligences able to understand all this?" the person beside asked.

Little Bear replied through muffled sobs, "Su… Superintelligences… also have artistic sense."

Some evaluation committee members checked the duration of the song. After comparing with the previous three songs, they shook their heads as they realized they were only two-thirds into the song.

A pity!

It the song concluded here, it would definitely get high marks. On the other hand, an overly long song made it seem verbose and would cheapen the overall quality of the composition.

It was a common mistake by youngsters.

It's fine if Fang Zhao made this error, but how could Mo Lang not discover this problem?

A few evaluation committee members glanced at Mo Lang but weren't able to notice anything from his expression.

An evaluation committee member retracted his gaze and looked at the evaluation score sheet. He had originally wanted to give an "A" for a particular column but now moved his pen down to "B+". Just as he was about to give his grade, he suddenly paused.

Not right!!

His entire body quivered as if a chill had brushed over every inch of his skin.

Unknowingly, the tune's momentum had changed!

If the first two-thirds of "η" was like a solitary voyage into the boundless and empty void, then the last segment was like an overlooking gaze that emerged from behind!

The mysterious and fascinating communities hidden within millions of stars were revealed!

They had silently waited.

There was an ice-cold feeling.

The listeners saw the stars move over time and observed the transformations of the world.

Exotic electronic notes, both incisive and cold, entered their eardrums.

It wasn't an intense mechanical feel, but more like a freezing electrical current. It made their hair stand on end!

It was like a monster had suddenly appeared.

It was definitely something from another world. A monster!!

Too astonishing. The evaluator even reached his hand up to wipe his forehead even though he didn't know if there was any sweat.

A few evaluators were still in a daze even after the music stopped.

One evaluator had a absent-minded look on his face. He liked classical music, but after hearing "η", he felt as though he had just woken up from a nightmare. But, he wasn't able to remember what he had dreamt of.

He even felt that there were residual effects. He definitely didn't wish to listen to anymore electronic music for some time after this! Especially this song! As long as he had a choice, he wouldn't choose to listen to this song a second time! Absolutely not!!

That's why electronic music is said to be the most frightening!

I have to listen to some soothing and graceful classical music when I get back to alleviate this, the evaluator thought to himself as he wiped away the perspiration on his forehead.

During the evaluation intermission, the evaluators' thoughts fluctuated. However, they now viewed "η" with both complex sentiments and admiration.

Like it?

We don't like it!

But, they couldn't touch their hearts and say it was bad.

They just didn't like the feeling of fear from hearing this song. But they were still able to discern good from bad.

Mo Lang also sighed silently. He had already told Fang Zhao that if he only kept the first two-thirds of "η", obtaining an A grade would be rather straightforward. But, things wouldn't be so certain if he retained the latter portion. It exceeded many people's range of comprehension.

It was far too advanced.

It wasn't bad, but it was too hard to understand.

Somewhere in the audience, Little Bear's flow of unceasing tears had finally stopped. There was an additional twinkling in his eyes that was hard to detect now.

"Cui Hua." Little Bear glanced over at the person by his side.

"If you call me the wrong name again, I shall send you back for remodeling," the person beside responded indifferently.

Little Bear paused before continuing to ask, "Have we been exposed?"

"You were exposed for quite some time."

"Is Fang Zhao trying to tell this secret to others?"

"To be honest, not really. They can't understand the message Fang Zhao has hidden within 'η'. Fang Zhao's expression is rather vague. He has no intention of exposing you. If he really wanted to expose you, he wouldn't have waited until now."

"But, in any case, should we censor this 'η' song?"

"No, just a buyout of rights will do."

"Oh right, it is possible to buy out all the copyrights. I'll buy it! I will buy it and listen to it all myself! Nobody else can share it! Boss, there's no limit on my wage card, right?"

"No."

"Luckily, I have money!"

"No, you don't."

"???"

"Dogdan and Dogke."

"…"

Little Bear suddenly remembered something upon hearing these two names. The money in his wage card had been spent on constructing those two intelligent robot dogs.

He suddenly felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning!

I actually spent the money for buying copyrights on those two retards?

Little Bear felt like he had suffered a severe blow and fell silent.

Moments later, Little Bear's ears twitched, and he blurted out in a somewhat discomfited fashion, "I heard some old man in the most forefront row say that 'η' has a monster hidden within. He actually says that I'm a monster!"

"So?"

"Why don't I go tell him that there is actually an even more fearsome monster by Fang Zhao's side?"

Before he got a reply, Little Bear shook his head and mumbled to himself, "Forget it, I don't want to get eaten up."

Chapter 445: Limitless Future

The concert's fourth song "η" indeed made many people shiver. The evaluation committee needed a lot more time for discussion than previously.

Great-grandfather Fang was a little worried. He didn't understand all these music technicalities. He hadn't been able to determine with his listening ability and just felt strange from his rising goosebumps. However, this was all secondary. He was worried that the evaluation committee's grading for this song wouldn't be ideal.

The evaluation results would only be announced after the concert ended. It was impossible to know the detailed scoring for each song right now. Apparently, every song had a number of different evaluation criteria.

Others in the audience didn't think highly of it either. Great-grandfather Fang was even more concerned upon hearing an older member of the audience seated behind saying that the copyrights of "η" weren't very sellable. Great-grandfather Fang worried that Fang Zhao would be mentally affected by the relatively poorer reception of this song compared with the first three.

After a short while, evaluation for the fourth song concluded, and the fifth song commenced.

The fifth song "Star Sand" was a piece Fang Zhao had composed during his time on Planet Bu. Compared to the previous four, this song was much more soothing.

Instrumental tones simulated the tranquil muttering of the ring of stars within the vast cosmos. Grains of sand fluttered and shimmered in the night sky.

Above the clouds, the sky seemed boundless, distant and pristine.

The galaxy filled the entire view.

As the dust settled, everyone was bather in the warm cleansing glow of starlight.

Under such a macrocosm, life was like a puff of smoke, gently fading into oblivion.

But, even so, life struggled on, even out of despair.

Distant stars in the vast, boundless infinitum pulsed with vitality.

Again, a speck of dust floated through the endless starry sky.

Daytime gradually approached. A gust of wind carried the grains of sand into the distance…

In the audience, pop goddess Fei Ying sat quietly listening to these wondrous sounds that seemed to originate from the stars. Despite her iconic Lakalinazhou pride, she simply wasn't able to put up any resistance! She was itching to quietly sing along and put in great effort to resist that urge. She clenched her fists tightly, not knowing how to express her cascading emotions.

"Sounds of nature!"

She shut her eyes and listened. Her soul felt like it was floating.

As the song ended, Fei Ying sighed.

"This melody, 'Star Sand', seems fated for me. It would immediately make anyone listening melt if it was matched with bel canto."

While saying that, Fei Ying gracefully raised a high quality handkerchief and dabbed the corner of her eyes. However, what was covered behind this handkerchief?

It was a look of determination!

However, seated on the other side of Fei Ying was a certain popular Huangzhou singer whose eyes were lit up.

"Sis Fei, how about you don't fight with me for it?" He then pointed to his own throat. "See this? My larynx is shaking! It wants to sing already!"

Lan Jing who overheard this exchange: "…"

A pity these singers didn't delve into acting!

"I feel 'Star Sand' will be a great fit to my upcoming album with just some revisions."

Fei Ying flashed an unyielding smile. "No, it should be matched with an angelic hymn."

The two turned towards Lan Jing at the same time in the middle of their conversation.

Lan Jing: "…"

What are you all looking at me for? Go look for Fang Zhao to negotiate the copyrights! I'm really not that close to Fang Zhao!

However, Lan Jing still came to a decision that he would interact more with Fang Zhao in the future and deepen their bond. This junior brother was too impressive. No wonder Teacher Mo was willing lower himself and snatch Fang Zhao from his own disciple.

Elsewhere in the audience, Zaro was also discussing his thoughts with Chu Bo.

Chu Bo said, "Listening to this feels like something strange has entered my ears and is bouncing between my ear drums. Could this be the fabled brainwashing? Achievement unlocked!"

Zaro felt those things didn't add up. "Is this song really about Planet Bu's desert? Was Planet Bu's desert that beautiful? I have also been to Planet Bu. Why does it seem like the desert I saw was different from the desert in Fang Zhao's music?"

"It's artistic processing, just like how certain places are described so wonderfully in classroom textbooks. I even specifically ditched school to see some of them and discovered that I was cheated. It's simply textbook levels of deception!" Chu Bo exclaimed.

"Is that so?"

Zaro's doubts persisted all the way until the sixth song, "Bu".

Anyone could tell where the song got its name from instantly. This song had also been composed during Fang Zhao's time on Planet Bu. However, its style was totally different from "Star Sand"'s.

The raspy sound of a zither with hints of echoes became a prosperous scene as more and more instruments were added into the mix. It was just like how Planet Bu developed from an endless desert into the unyielding and steel juggernaut it was today!

One could almost see the waves of yellow sand that were like millions of gold plated vehicles advancing at a steady place!

One could almost see figures sprouting from the unchecked wild!

The emotions were overwhelming!

Younger listeners instantly perked up.

It's here!

Fang Zhao's trademark 'Wake you up from any sort of tiredness'!

What is potency?!

A hardcore bombardment!

There was even such a domineering vigor during the rests!

Industry music professionals in the audience found themselves drowning in melancholic sentiments.

"This arrangement technique is splendid," an evaluator said.

"The classical symphony integrated with metal and the seemingly cosmic electric tones creates such an explosive infectiousness and a special charm."

Another evaluator had a wide smile on his face. "It's just like a coarse piece of rock becoming a charming diamond after going through artistic embellishments. Planet Bu definitely has to be visited if there is ever a chance."

Quite a number of people had the same sort of idea, especially those who once had had the chance to go to Planet Bu but had never gone.

Planet Bu…

It was a pity that it was currently no longer opened up to externals.

The new military experimental base had already been constructed and had comprehensive coverage by the armed forces. Planet Bu's new journey had already started.

It was no longer that poor and destitute place.

Even though it couldn't be witnessed personally, there was an indescribable excitement and pride.

However, speaking of Planet Bu, many people remembered how Fang Zhao had donated those billions of yuan.

The Inter-planetary Fund's reward for the discovery of the Alkaid was 100 billion. Fang Zhao had gotten a share of many billions and had completely donated all of it towards Planet Bu's construction efforts.

Fang Zhao had indeed played an important role in Planet Bu's rise from barren land to experimental military base. Without Fang Zhao, Planet Bu might never have been chosen to become the third strategic military location.

Back then, the military had still been deciding between Planet Bu and two other planets. The decision was only made after the Alkaid was unearthed.

It seems like Fang Zhao had rather lasting sentiments towards Planet Bu. Three out of the first six songs at this graduation concert involved Planet Bu! Or, perhaps, was there some unspeakable secret between Fang Zhao and the Planet Bu base?

Zaro wasn't thinking about all this. He was very puzzled at this moment. Is Planet Bu really as staggering or mighty as the song put across?

Actually, it was because his impression of his experiences and sights when he first arrived on Planet Bu was too vivid. Even after the new experimental military base had been established, his image of planet Bu was just a dirt poor and tiny planet that had nothing but deserts and oceans.

Had Planet Bu become amazing when he wasn't paying attention?

While many in the audience were still wondering about it, the final song of the graduation concert started.

The seventh song was "Limitless".

Given the previous few songs, some evaluators originally guessed that with Fang Zhao would place emphasis on wind instruments to portray the cosmos. However, they never imagined that Fang Zhao would superimpose string music to match different periods of the tune.

The tempo alternated between fast and slow, igniting different moods. It reached an accumulated pinnacle in just an instant.

Thoughts were led to the far reaches of the universe. The Milky Way glittered splendidly.

Time was wonderful yet very cruel.

The cosmos evoked feelings of nostalgia and reverence.

Compared to outer space, even the vast oceans seemed cramped.

Humankind, from their conception on this little blue planet to their rapid emergence, was nothing more than a drop in the ocean with regards to the universe.

A person's life was too brief; merely a fleeting dot in the cruel shadows of time.

In the past, anyone who dreamed of space travel could dedicate their entire life to it but would never make significant progress from their starting point in the universe.

However, humanity could go even further.

In the future, even more people would press forward into the ocean of stars. They would stand on the shoulders of predecessors, and afterwards, become the shoulders for future generations to come.

The ranks were long.

Time etched its mark on everything, from the most shocking calamities to the most wondrous of births.

Time would also be a witness for humanity as the future filled with limitless possibilities.

Fang Zhao gazed into the distance as if his eyes were able to transcend the void and see a faraway scene. The corner of his lips curled into a gentle smile.

500 years ago, he had led troops to seek out a path of survival in a warped world.

500 years later, he stood in the tranquil desert of Planet Bu, gazing at the resplendent night sky.

——

I came from the past, and I am extremely fortunate to see the future I had so earnestly hoped for.

Chapter 446: Graduation

Music was a medium for emotion and ideas. Through music, even if one couldn't completely guess the composer's full intent, they would still understand parts of it.

The audience had no way of knowing what exactly Fang Zhao was thinking about. However, they could seemingly comprehend why Fang Zhao would completely donate away the many billions he had received for discovering the Alkaid.

But, understanding was only one part. Not everyone would be able to do the same.

Not everyone in the concert hall had come for Fang Zhao. There were some who also wanted to personally witness exactly what kind of people could get into this god-leveled "HuangArt Twelve Tones advanced course". This unconcealable radiance that shone through wasn't something that marketing ploys could compare with.

The graduation concert entered the evaluation grading phrase, so there was a longer break. The evaluation committee needed to give a comprehensive evaluation for these seven songs which would also be the final overall grades for Fang Zhao's graduation concert. This too pertained to his overall graduation results.

Lan Jing heard some discussions in the row behind him.

"A piece worthy of being created by a Galaxy Award winner. I thought I saw a little kid crying while listening to it. Actually, I also nearly teared up. I felt as if some ineffable feeling washed over me, as if the music was talking about me."

"…When people are pretentious, everything sounds like it's about themself," someone else retorted.

"It's not being 'pretentious'. It's called a narrative."

Lan Jing then heard an electronic music producer in the row ahead express, "Just look at his electronic music. We all produce electronic music, but look at him! He is able to make it both penetrative and elegant. He can also bring out such dynamics as well as such tease such lavish momentum. It's so freely interchanging yet enigmatic. There's no choice but to respect him! Fortunately, Fang Zhao isn't the same as us. Otherwise, our own careers would be under threat."

All the people around had very high opinions of Fang Zhao's graduation concert. Meanwhile, Lan Jing was quite confident that the evaluation committee would settle on an A+.

Just as Lan Jing had expected, the evaluation committee gave an overall "A+" grade.

An evaluation committee member lamented as he watched the display grade, "Fang Zhao's learning ability is too impressive. From these graduation concert pieces, we are able to see the elegance of classical music as well as the unconstrained flexibility of present day contemporary music. It might not be at the pinnacle, but these works are really brimming with talent. The graduation pieces have different melodies, rich layerings and magnificent scenes. The creative concept is distant, yet doesn't lack the connection of a story or picture. Every single note seems to contain a sort of emotion that tugs at the senses ever so slightly."

"There were a few portions that didn't have a heavy rhythm yet could still make listeners all fired up. It was truly a majestic atmosphere, and the music seemed to brew with power."

"These are the works of someone from Yanzhou, but characteristics of other continents can also be found. This isn't easy."

Suddenly, an evaluation committee member said, "Actually, these seven songs can entirely be made into an examination question for this year's Year One freshmen's initiation examinations."

This resulted in a unanimous approval by the few other evaluation committee members.

There were two sentences HuangArt welcomed new students with——

The first sentence was: "Welcome new students!"

The second sentence was: "Exam time."

HuangArt was adept at pouring cold water on their new students.

They would first display the works of outstanding students to the newly enrolled freshmen. This would let the freshmen experience the ability of their outstanding schoolmates as a reminder.

Don't assume you are awesome just because you made it through the entrance exams. Forget about being big-headed. Take a look at your seniors. Do you have time to waste in university?!

In the past, they rarely used the works from the Twelve Tones Advanced Course to set initiation examination questions since the age gap between advanced students and freshmen was considerable. However, things were different this year. Fang Zhao wasn't that much older than the freshmen.

Having decided to turn Fang Zhao's graduation works into a set of examination questions, the evaluation committee members all flashed the "devilish grins" that only veterans in HuangArt could see through.

Thus, in the same year, Fang Zhao singlehandedly dealt a massive blow to a whole cohort of HuangArt freshmen.

HuangArt's cold water bath was really discouraging.

Of course, all of this came later on.

After announcing the final evaluation, the graduation concert ended. In a sense, Fang Zhao had already graduated smoothly. The only thing that remained was a ceremony. However, that would have to wait until the others in the advanced course completed their graduation evaluations. A formal graduation ceremony would be held for them to receive their graduation certificates.

When Fang Zhao thanked the evaluation committee, the old professors of the committee all had gratified smiles.

A professor patted Fang Zhao on his shoulder. "Well done, well done. Continue to maintain your passion for music and learn more techniques and skills. Oh, right, we have an important performance activity some time later. Perhaps we might also invite you then."

Fang Zhao gave his thanks and remembered these words.

Important performance activity?

How important?

It was so important that it couldn't be explicitly said. That meant it would definitely be held at a special location. Perhaps it would be a high level performance.

The audiences at the venue continued to leave in succession.

Master Yan Ye, one of the specially invited epic music composers had already left skillfully and evaded the blockade of some stars in the audience.

However, there was still someone at Yan Ye's side. This was a very popular veteran Huangzhou singer who had collaborated many times with Yan Ye in the past.

In the car leaving HuangArt.

"So, not eyeing any of those seven songs today?" Yan Ye asked the person seated beside him.

"I can't say I don't. I do wish to re-adapt two songs, but the competitors are just too strong. I don't know if I can beat them," the singer chuckled.

Fang Zhao's older works were very good indeed. However, there weren't that many that could be rearranged to fit a song. The lyrical aspect was only so-so, and even the epic flavor wouldn't sustain it.

However, Fang Zhao had gained greater mastery over surrounding aspects after entering advanced studies. These seven songs contained even more elements, and many others in the industry were already circling like hawks. Naturally, this singer too had his own ideas.

Yan Ye smirked. "You need to go about it the right way if you want to buy the adaptation rights! Don't bully him!" Because the old Yan Ye had such experienced such things in his younger days, he especially loathed those that used power to pressure people for lower prices on the music rights.

He had accepted the invitation and come over this time because he was very interested in this youngster. He treated Fang Zhao as a very hard-to-come-by genius junior.

One person alone couldn't do much, but when many combined, great things could be achieved. Machine intelligence had superseded many things, but the arts and other such intellectual ways would forever be difficult to replace. Only by pouring in fresh blood would this circle forever be filled with vitality.

Little seedlings had to be protected.

Therefore, if anyone wanted to employ unsavory means to adapt Fang Zhao's songs, this old man would flip out!

Under the stern gaze of Yan Yu, this veteran Huangzhou singer felt like crying, but no tears came out.

"You think too much now that you are old. Who can even bully Fang Zhao? Could you have some misunderstanding to the name 'Fang Zhao'?"

On the singing stage, this singer had decades of experience, fans across the world, and the charisma to rally supporters. He could indeed be considered someone with "power and influence" in the industry, but this was all temporary. There was no questioning Fang Zhao's innate talent. Perhaps in the future, he would even have to go implore Fang Zhao personally for songs. He had experienced what it was like trying to get songs from other renowned composers. The standards for this one were even higher.

And, once he entered the music industry, Fang Zhao might not have any less influence than he did. Furthermore, Fang Zhao's cross-industry impact was even more impressive. Just the sheer numbers of his gaming fans was frightening.

And this was only within the entertainment circles. There wasn't any need to mention those outside the circles nor his friendly relations with the military. Fang Zhao was still on military reserve duty and could even legally carry arms!

Who would even poke Fang Zhao for nothing?

Just as he thought, those wanting to buy adaptation rights really didn't dare try any underhanded methods because of Fang Zhao and academic big shots behind him. Look at Great Master Mo Lang. The concert had already concluded, but he still pulled Fang Zhao to the side to talk to him.

Mo Lang didn't leave right away after the concert ended. Instead, he stayed with Fang Zhao to continue lecturing him.

There's no longer any need to write anymore theses now that you have graduated?

No such chance!

In the academic world, theses were extremely important. Just relying on words and concerts wasn't enough to earn the recognition of academics globally.

"I'm still watching you. Don't slack off," Mo Lang said.

Mo Lang only let Fang Zhao off after droning on for some time.

Mo Lang left with his assistant. After Fang Zhao sent Mo Lang off, he headed over to Great-grandfather Fang and the others who were waiting outside.

Great-grandfather Fang Zhao had been surveying his surroundings carefully when he came out. He exhaled in relief when he didn't see that terrifying figure buried deep in his memory. Upon seeing Fang Zhao, he smiled until his eyes were nothing more than slits.

Great-grandfather Fang Zhao decided to stay in Huangzhou for a few more days until Fang Zhao officially graduated. He still wanted to take photos together with Fang Zhao! How could he miss such an important occasion?!

But, Great-grandfather Fang wouldn't be staying with Fang Zhao the whole time before the graduation ceremony. He called to Great-grandmother Fang, "Let's go! Time to catch up with our old comrades."

Chapter 447: Is It So Difficult To Just Purchase Rights?

Fang Zhao arranged for Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to send the two elder Fangs off. There were a lot of media and journalists outside the concert hall. These were media that HuangArt had screened and allowed onto their campus grounds. There would surely be even more entertainment reporters waiting outside the school.

Even if the reporters weren't here for Fang Zhao, they had come for the people who attended the concert today.

Fang Zhao's concert was trending online and had appeared on push notification news headlines multiple times today. There were so many big shot celebrities present that it didn't even seem like they were attending a concert! How could the media let such a big opportunity for generating site engagement slip by?

Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother Fang were already rather aged and couldn't withstand the media's persistence. These entertainment reporters could get rather wild when it came to finding the scoop. Fang Zhao was only able to rest easy by sending Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to escort the two old Fangs back.

As Great-grandfather Fang was getting into the car, he still told Fang Zhao, "Don't worry, if we run into any shameless reporters, I will send them flying with my walking stick if they dare try anything! This time, I brought my new tactical self-defense walking stick!"

Fang Zhao: "…Real impressive."

Great-grandfather Fang happily got on the car and left.

The graduation concert came to a close smoothly. Fang Zhao's remaining time at HuangArt was also ending. All that was left was some administrative matters regarding his thesis and academic reports. Other than that, he would also have to handle talks regarding the sales of his copyrights.

While walking from the concert hall back to his dormitory, Fang Zhao received close to a dozen calls.

At the same time, Yanzhou's Silver Wing Media, which had received firsthand information of this concert, was ecstatic.

After all, Fang Zhao could be considered a star that they had nurtured. The recognition and high evaluations from academics also brought glory to Silver Wing! Other artists at Silver Wing would also benefit from the reputation boost.

Without even considering copyrights or gaming, Fang Zhao was still contracted to them on the music side, so they still had the rights.

Seven songs!

They had been given an A+ high score by HuangArt's evaluation committee!

They had the choice in how many copyrights they wanted to keep for internal use and how many they wanted to auction!

Silver Wing's current problem was to determine the process in how to sell them and who to sell them to.

Unlike Fang Zhao's previous concert that had live broadcasts that were made public, the graduation concert's processes were different. There hadn't been too many people attending the concert, so there was a lot of opportunity for marketing promotions.

When the graduation concert's final evaluation came out, Silver Wing Media CEO Duan Qianji got her secretary to convene an online meeting for relevant personnel within the company to discuss the issue of Fang Zhao's seven song copyrights and how to get the most out of them.

It was still very early in the morning over in Yanzhou due to the time difference, and many people still hadn't woken up yet.

When the senior executive in charge of copyrights and marketing received the notification, he didn't even have time for his normal morning routine. He hurriedly threw some water on his face before joining the conference call.

They had already discussed the matter about Fang Zhao's concert beforehand and made preparations. Now, they were just making a final decision according to the concert's evaluations before beginning follow-up actions.

Once everyone was present and the conference was about to start, Duan Qianji's communications device rang. She had to disconnect to take the call.

Duan Qianji had a slightly complicated look on her face when she returned to the conference call but she quickly hid it.

"We're gathered here to discuss the marketing for Fang Zhao's graduation concert's songs. Just moments ago, the Inter-planetary Fund contacted me. They have decided to buy out 'η' and have a reasonable offer. Therefore, we now only have to discuss the remaining six songs."

Most of the senior executives were very surprised at this news. They never imagined that the song they felt would be hardest to deal with would actually be sold first. And, it had been a straight buyout!

"The remaining six songs…"

A senior marketing executive had merely said this when Duan Qianji's communications rang once more. It wouldn't have rang during the conference call if it wasn't important.

Thus, nobody complained about the interruption. Everyone merely exchanged glances at one another while trying to guess who was it that was seeking out Duan Qianji.

Duan Qianji's eyes lit up when she saw the displayed number on the communications device. This was a number that she really couldn't reject.

Thus, Duan Qianji once again disconnected to take the call. Approximately five minutes later, she rejoined the conference call and informed the other participants. "The song 'Bu' has been reserved by Bu Base. Straight buyout. Aside from that, they also have an inclination towards 'Limitless'."

The participants of the conference call fell silent.

"The song 'Bu' is indeed rather compatible with Bu Base. It is no surprise Bu Base acted so quickly. As for 'Limitless', we can hold onto it first to wait and see how it goes."

Duan Qianji nodded. "I also have the same opinion. Then, let's talk about the remaining five songs…"

Beep Beep Beep!

Hurried beeps from a communications device's notifications interrupted the conference call.

The holographic projections of the various senior executives all turned to look at Duan Qianji.

Duan Qianji glanced at the displayed number on the communications device and was silent for a few moments. "I will have to leave the call again for a bit."

This time, Duan Qian left for a slightly longer period of time and returned once more after about ten minutes.

"Baiji Military District wishes to buyout 'Limitless'. The offer is extremely high."

A very high price…

Everyone present starting playing out the pros and cons in their head.

"Since it's a very high offer, it isn't like we can't take it. 'Bu' was reserved by Planet Bu, so the complete 'Limitless' rights can be sold to Planet Baiji," someone said.

The others nodded their heads in approval. "Bu" and "Limitless" weren't what they considered must-keeps. This arrangement wasn't a violation in any way.

The conference call had merely gone on for ten minutes, and three out of seven songs had already been sold. Furthermore, these were complete buyouts where buyers weren't willing to share the copyrights. Fortunately, these three songs weren't in Silver Wing's core plans.

However, another senior official couldn't help but blurt out, "Director Duan, three songs are enough! We can't sell the complete rights for the remaining songs! At least, we can't sell them all now. Let's hold them first. We can allocate the copyrights carefully and negotiate authorizing collaborations. We should also especially retain the ones suitable for rearranging and adaptation right? This year's circumstances aren't too good. The company's plans are to further promote some of our core singers. It just so happens that there are some suitable pieces amongst Fang Zhao's pieces this year. These excellent resources cannot be given out!"

Nothing would be left if a few more similar calls were answered!

——

Huangzhou TV Station.

As the TV station possessing the world's largest music library, Huangzhou TV Station spent massive amounts of resources to purchase rights every year.

They had money! They could be assertive!

The person in charge of purchasing music rights also had his eyes on Fang Zhao's graduation concert. Recently, Fang Zhao's concert was trending and frequently appeared on news notifications. Today, the news regarding the concert erupted, and it was too difficult not to notice.

It just so happened a documentary director of the TV station had attended this concert and was fervently recommending the TV station to just get all of Fang Zhao's seven songs.

There was no need to be the exclusive buyer and just obtaining the rights would do. In any case, it wouldn't be that much money. After doing the budgeting, this little bit of expenditure was something their Huangzhou TV Station could accept.

The manager viewed this purchase with great importance and specially called his staff over to inquire about the progress.

"How are the negotiations regarding the seven songs of Fang Zhao's graduation concert?"

"We have already gotten 'Splendor' and 'The Return Of Life'!" the purchaser reported.

"What about 'Lighthouse'?" the manager asked.

"It's in the middle of negotiations. There's been a few problems."

The manager wasn't pleased. "If there are problems, then resolve them! Is it so difficult to negotiate copyrights?"

He frowned while browsing through the purchasing plan in his hands and asked again. "What about 'η'? I heard that this song has some special characteristics that stumped the HuangArt evaluation committee."

"We can't get this song anymore. Silver Wing has said 'η' has already been exclusively bought out by the Inter-planetary Fund," the agent replied.

The manager was expressionless as he rapped his knuckles on the table. "The Inter-planetary Fund moved really quickly."

Alright, that couldn't be helped.

"Then, what about 'Bu'?" The manager continued asking.

"Uh… we can't get this either. Silver Wing said that it has already been reserved by Planet Bu in an exclusive buyout too. No authorization for sharing was given."

"Are you certain it is a straight buyout? What does Planet Bu need this for?"

"A new round of talent recruitment by the various bases has started, and Bu Base wants it for publicity. However, from my personal point of view, I also think that besides Bu Base valuing 'Bu' highly, their actions are also in a sense returning a favor. Fang Zhao directly donated many billions to Bu Base, and they are probably doing this as a show of support."

"Makes sense, Planet Bu received a change in fortune from Fang Zhao."

The manager shut his eyes.

Okay, they too couldn't be dealt with.

"What about 'Limitless'? HuangArt's evaluation committee gave it a very high evaluation. We definitely have to get this!" the manager said.

"This… also… also can't be obtained," the agent stuttered. "Silver Wing says that Baiji Military District intends to buyout."

There was a cracking sound. The pen being fiddled with by the manager snapped, and his breathing was somewhat ragged.

"What is Planet Baiji buying it for?"

"It… it is said that Planet Baiji currently values cultural and creative constructs… From what I understand, in the current graduation season, they are targeting graduates and doctorates as well as other elite talents who intend to change jobs. These bases won't yield the slightest when it comes to vying for talent. Planet Baiji seems to have really put in great effort for publicity. They set their sights on 'Limitless' and have a publicity film coming into circulation in the near future. This is also an exclusive buyout with no authorization for sharing. It's a really firm stance and can't be negotiated."

The manager inhaled sharply.

Is a buyout necessary for making a publicity film?!

Those bunch of upstarts on Planet Baiji! Does having ore make you all that great?!

Is it so difficult to just purchase rights?!

What's wrong with all these people? Exclusive buyouts at the drop of a hat!

Chapter 448: New Residence

Two days later, Duan Qianji personally contacted Fang Zhao on behalf of Silver Wing to discuss matters regarding the sale of copyrights. All sales of copyrights required Fang Zhao's approval.

The parties of the three buyouts, the Inter-planetary Fund, Bu Base and Baiji Military District, had already contacted Fang Zhao and gotten his approval.

After the buyout contracts were signed, the Inter-planetary Fund became rather silent, and there wasn't much activity. Nobody heard "η" again after that, and Silver Wing personnel couldn't understand why the Inter-planetary Fund had spent so much money to purchase "η".

In contrast to the Inter-planetary Fund's silence, Bu Base and Baiji Military District moved rapidly.

A new round of marketing circulated to the various continents. Planet Bu was like a hardy tough guy rolling up his sleeves preparing to do battle in the fight to recruit talents!

Planet Bu had successfully extricated itself from its poor situation. This time, Planet Bu would reveal its all-new appearance in front of everyone. Although it was a strategic military experimental base and many things couldn't be made public, just the picture painted by the limited information made many military fanatics tempted.

Planet Baiji also didn't take things lying down either. Competition between similar level military districts was already intense. Bu Base was a new player trying to grab the limelight in order to recruit talent. Thus, Planet Baiji also put in a lot of effort in marketing.

Planet Baiji's recruiting propaganda and their talent recruitment video were mass circulated at the same time Bu Base's publicity campaign started.

So what if there is ore? There are also people!

Planet Baiji: "For talents with specialized technical skills, we will provide high salaries, housing, medical benefits, arrangements for partners, schooling for children, and more. Comprehensive support and subsidies will be given to help you settle in!"

Planet Baiji also looked to the future when scouting for talents.

"Planet Baiji doesn't only recruit talented new graduates. You're still wanted! Regardless of whether you are a university, primary or secondary school student, as long as you have a heart that longs to head forward into the ocean of stars and pass our test, we will assist in the procedures for transferring schools!

"People who look to the stars shouldn't be lonely. Only talents that stay where they are will be lonely! Welcome to Planet Baiji's construction team, and help create prosperity together with us!"

——

Aboard an intercity train, a secondary school student was using his personal terminal to chat with his classmates. s displayed on a screen inside the train carriages formed the background noise that overlapped with the voices of commuters.

Suddenly, a robust rhythm sounded. Commuters aboard vaguely felt as if their souls had been shaken out of their bodies.

That student chatting with his classmates felt as if he had lost control of himself for a moment and subconsciously sought out the source of that sound.

The student couldn't care less about his conversation and rushed over to the screen. He didn't even notice what kind of video was being played and turned on his automatic song recognition app on his personal terminal.

Then…

He felt as if tears were going to come out of his eyes when he saw the large and coarse words "Military Use".

At least the original tune could be found if it was "For Non-commercial Use". However, "Military Use" was a special kind of category, and songs classified in this category were basically impossible to find elsewhere.

The painful part wasn't because additional money was required to be spent, but rather he couldn't listen to it even if he spent money!

It would be impossible to find the original song on all the large music platforms! Even Huangzhou Television Station which had the so-called largest music library in the world wouldn't have it!

What about other means? They could either save the publicity video or extract the sound from the video. However, the extracted music wouldn't have the same quality as the officially released tune. Those with higher standards wouldn't accept it.

Despite being dissatisfied, this student quickly did an online search of that publicity video and shared it on his class group chat:

"Godly music I just heard on the train! [Link]"

His classmates who were online all rushed to click the link excitedly: "Recruiting Propaganda".

A chain of "…" appeared. Then, the group chat became abuzz with activity.

"The heck?! Planet Bu's new publicity film is so cool!!"

"How domineering! As expected of the third strategic military location!"

"Requesting BGM! Need nourishment for the mind!!"

"Don't even think about it. This sort of BGM is an exclusive copyright. You won't be able to find it on any music platforms. Furthermore, it is still for military use."

"I watched this publicity film over ten times just to listen to this BGM! But, Planet Bu is indeed awesome! I wanna go! I wonder if pilots have a weight limit?"

"What's the big deal with Planet Bu's recruitment video? I just saw Planet Baiji's publicity film [Link]. It feels like destiny! It's time to fulfill our life's value! Everyone, let's meet up on Planet Baiji!"

"From the video it looks like Planet Baiji has already constructed schools. The place is huge and has lots of greenery. I want to go too!"

"I just wanna ask if Planet Baiji has Internet currently. Do they have limited Internet access everyday? Will the power supply in dormitories cut off in the middle of the night?"

The form teacher silently viewing the chat couldn't help burst their bubble. "Students, calm down for a bit. First, open up your recently released grade reports. Have you passed your tests? Are your results improving? Any outstanding fields? If the answer is no, then have you made preparations to go to a foreign planet to mine for ore and lead a life of hardship yet?!"

Many such similar conversations were happening everywhere, and various forums were bustling with activity.

In no time, topics regarding recruiting propaganda and talent acquisition were trending. And, after confirming that the accompaniment music of Planet Bu and Planet Baiji's publicity videos were two songs from Fang Zhao's graduation concert, the intensity of searches became even higher.

While the two foreign planet garrisons were generating a great deal of buzz, Fang Zhao had arrived at a residential area by the sea.

Nanfeng had selected this place after a comparison against many other residential areas. This area was on the fringes of Qi'an City. Many that lived here were celebrities, and one could easily run into A-list Yanzhou celebrities around here.

There was no need to worry about paparazzi here. Every unit had a garage and landing pad so small flying transports could directly land.

Nanfeng had settled on two units, one with a garden close to the center of the residential district, and the other by the seaside with a small private beach.

After viewing them, Fang Zhao was more inclined towards the one overlooking the sea.

"The original owner is a merchant that moved to Huangzhou two years ago. This house has been vacant since then. The owner wants to sell this house and head to invest in Planet Baiji," Nanfeng said.

The interior decor was excessively gorgeous and would require a few changes if they purchased the place.

However, renovation techniques were amazing now. Even a complete overhaul wouldn't take too much time. Renovations could finished in just a week.

Fang Zhao's previous house in the central district of Qi'an City had already been exposed, and there were too many paparazzi camped in the area. Because of the disturbance, Fang Zhao rarely went over there nowadays.

Fang Zhao had started to consider a new place to stay after his previous house had been burglarized. Now, he was rather pleased with this place.

"It's peaceful enough," Fang Zhao said as his gaze lingered on the beach before him.

Curly Hair was digging at the sand and looked very excited. He stuck his tongue out, paced back and forth and brushed against Fang Zhao's legs before looking towards the sea and barking twice.

Fang Zhao removed the leash, and Curly Hair dashed towards the sea. Curly Hair ran and jumped into the sea before dog-paddling towards deeper waters.

Curly Hair had followed Fang Zhao to the seaside back when he had been filming on Planet Bu. Curly Hair had frequently gone swimming in the sea there and had even gone underwater for long periods before coming back.

However, Nanfeng was still worried.

"Boss, should we be watching over Curly Hair out there?"

Planet Bu didn't have an abundance of species, but the oceans here had quite a few dangers. There were occasional sightings of large fish in the coastal regions. It was fine if Curly Hair ran off alone to play in the water near the shore. But what would happen if he strayed too far from shore and was eaten?

Chapter 449: "My Neighbor's Dog"

Fang Zhao was basically set on the house after scrutinizing it carefully without finding any major issues. All that remained was for Nanfeng to negotiate with the real estate agent and the owner.

Curly Hair was in a very good mood today and enjoyed himself thoroughly when he was let loose. After Fang Zhao called him ashore, he continued playing around in the sand. When they were finally leaving, Curly Hair stared longingly out the car window.

Nanfeng chuckled when he saw this. "Don't worry Curly Hair, you'll be moving in the next time we come. You'll be able to play as much as you want and swim in the ocean every day. There are even small fish and aquatic creatures to play with."

Curly Hair was delighted and laid down to envisage his blessed future life.

What sort of impression did Curly Hair have of the ocean?

An image of a free seafood buffet.

His cheerful mood persisted all the way until they returned back to the advanced students' dormitory.

After Nanfeng and the other two left, Fang Zhao shut his dorm door. "Come here, Curly Hair."

Curly Hair wagged his tail and went over.

"Did you enjoy playing today?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Woof!"

"Did you have fun there?" Fang Zhao asked again.

Curly Hair leaped up and barked again. He wagged his tail vigorously.

"Speak."

"Fun!" Curly Hair replied.

He had already gotten used to switching languages already, and his pronunciation was rather smooth now.

"Mmhm." Fang Zhao nodded, then turned on the learning console.

Curly Hair: "…"

His ears shuddered and he shrank back a step.

Fang Zhao ignored Curly Hair's retreat. He turned on the learning console and opened a file for Curly Hair. Inside the file were e-books that he had purchased for Curly Hair.

"Ocean Environment Protection Law"

"Environmental Conservation Series For Young Adults"

"Protected Marine Creatures List"

"Marine Environmental Management"

"100 Facts About The Ocean That New Era People Need To Understand"

"The Ocean, My Home"

…

There was a total of twenty books. All of them were related to the ocean.

On top of that, there were twenty sets of test questions as well.

Curly Hair: "…"

His trembling ears drooped down.

"I know you read fast. You ought to be even faster now, right? After you finish reading the twenty books in the file and get full marks for all twenty sets of test questions, I will let you out to play in the ocean. By my estimates, there are probably less than fifteen days before we can move in," Fang Zhao said.

This was all knowledge that could be memorized. Given Curly Hair's current memory and learning ability, obtaining full marks wasn't a difficult task.

Fang Zhao wasn't worried about Curly Hair's safety when he went out into the ocean. On the contrary, he was worried that Curly Hair would eat up and eradicate endangered marine creatures.

Even now, Fang Zhao didn't know exactly how big Curly Hair's stomach was. During the filming on Planet Bu, Curly Hair was secretly eating a lot of other creatures in the desert and the sea. It was only because of Fang Zhao's warning that Curly Hair didn't really go all out and eat. After all, his time in Planet Bu wasn't very long, and Fang Zhao had given him restrictions. He also had to be careful of being seen by other people on Planet Bu and hadn't been able to eat too much in secret.

However, after moving into the new place, Curly Hair would have the opportunity to go to the sea every day. No matter what restrictions were in place, this single dog would be an invasive force that would wreck the marine ecosystem in that area.

Fang Zhao had to get Curly Hair to understand certain things beforehand. It hadn't been easy for the marine life to recover to the current levels of today. It couldn't be destroyed by Curly Hair.

Forget about playing in the ocean if you don't get full marks! There'll only be the learning console for you!

On a certain day, Nanfeng came to look for Fang Zhao regarding the renovations of the new place.

Upon entering the dormitory, Nanfeng saw Curly Hair facing the wall with a drooped head. There were tear stains beneath his dog eyes.

Nanfeng paused for a moment, then looked away and went to find Fang Zhao. He had to settle the matters at hand first. Besides, this was normal behavior from Curly Hair. Nanfeng had already gotten used to it and could remain calm when seeing this.

After discussing the renovation issue, Nanfeng recalled something he had seen today and asked, "Oh, right. Boss, did you see the stuff online today?"

"What stuff?" Fang Zhao had been writing a thesis today and had set his personal terminal to "Do not disturb".

There was a lot of talk online regarding Fang Zhao. Many people were looking for him. Thus, Fang Zhao could only use the "Do not disturb" mode.

"Do you know about Will's painting?" Nanfeng asked.

"Yeah, is it regarding Will's graduation works?"

Fang Zhao had gone to see Will's graduation exhibition already. Will too had gotten a high A+ evaluation. Amongst his graduation pieces was a painting of Curly Hair titled "My Neighbor's Dog".

The exhibition had already ended two days ago. Furthermore, because Fang Zhao had been working on a thesis in his dormitory since morning, he really wasn't aware of the online news.

Nanfeng told Fang Zhao what he knew.

It turned out that after Will's graduation exhibition had concluded, the school had displayed his art pieces on the school's website. This had garnered a lot of discussion.

Will had successfully both of his goals set last year from his advanced student plan. His short-term objective had been to paint Fang Zhao. His final objective had been to paint Fang Zhao's dog.

His short-term objective had long been completed. Back then, Will's painting of "My Neighbor" had generated quite some buzz online. There were even netizens joking that Will had painted Fang Zhao like an alien.

Following "My Neighbor", "My Neighbor's Dog" became a trending search on that day.

"My Neighbor's Dog" was the art piece that Will had spent the most time and effort on during his advanced studies period. At the same time, it was also the piece Will was most satisfied with.

This painting had a similar style to the previous "My Neighbor", but it was even more difficult to interpret. One could still make out a human form when viewing "My Neighbor", but "My Neighbor's Dog" didn't seem in any way like a dog. If not for the title of this piece, nobody would think that the dog in this painting was a little pet dog.

The vivid colors were both mysterious and imposing, They pushed the boundaries of the ordinary. But, there seemed to be something off. The longer one looked at it, the more apprehensive one would feel.

"Is Fang Zhao's dog really that terrifying?" A HuangArt student thought back to when he had encountered that curly haired dog in the school's garden. He then went to do a quick online search of Fang Zhao's dog. Indeed, he hadn't remembered wrongly.

Over at HuangArt, those who had attended Fang Zhao's graduation concert and also viewed Will's painting up close had other thoughts.

"I must say, the feeling I get from this painting is similar to what I felt from Fang Zhao's song 'η'. It seems to surpass ordinary people's scope of comprehension."

Even industry outsiders standing before the painting and observing it silently for a few seconds felt eerie sensations. Even though they didn't understand, they still shivered.

On the Internet, the discussions became even more intense.

"Will has really let loose after entering advanced studies. His thoughts and ideology are free-flying. It's no longer something we can understand."

"What sort of grudge does he have to actually paint Fang Zhao's dog in such a way?!"

"OP definitely hasn't seen Will's previous painting 'My Neighbor'. First go see how Will painted Fang Zhao before you try to understand it."

"Perhaps Will was bitten by a dog before and has a psychological scar. Otherwise, why would he have painted it in such a terrifying light?! A little cutie has been turned into a monster!"

"This is called art."

"Indeed, ordinary people like us aren't able to understand an artist's world."

"Objectively speaking, after staring at it for a whole five minutes, I am still unable to decipher what it is that he wants to express. However, I undoubtedly feel that is impressive despite the weird sensation."

"This probably classifies as a more abstract art which requires more meticulous viewing."

"This painting wouldn't sell well, right?"

"It can be purchased to ward off evil spirits too."

"I think it's worthwhile as an investment. This artist Will is still young."

In actuality, Will had already received some inquiries about purchasing the painting after it was displayed on the school's website.

Finally, it was a collector from Muzhou who bought "My Neighbor's Dog". His bid far exceeded HuangArt's estimated valuation.

Some people reckoned that this Muzhou collector was overly crazy about Curly Hair. After all, many Muzhou people couldn't stay calm when it came to Curly hair.

There were also some who felt that this was purely hype, whether because of Will or because of Fang Zhao's dog. The way that Muzhou people viewed dogs could be impossible to understand sometimes.

Thus, Huangzhou TV Station's painting and calligraphy channel specially dispatched someone to interview the person who had bought this painting.

During the interview, the Muzhou collector said, "Many people that buy Will's paintings invest in the artist Will and not the painting. I am different because what I look at is both the painting and the dog in the painting. I have a hunch that this painting's value will skyrocket in the future."

Little Bear was watching the interview broadcast. "Muzhou people really have a fearsome intuition towards dogs. Humans are indeed peculiar creatures."

Thus, because of Will's painting "My Neighbor's Dog", Curly Hair too became a hotly searched topic and appeared on Huangzhou's trending headlines.

After Nanfeng left, Fang Zhao browsed through the news online and said to Curly Hair, "You can forget about going out these few days. Stand for another five minutes before going back to hit the books. You only scored 62 for the morning's test. Go read through the section of protected animals twice more! Can whales be eaten?! You can't eat corals either!"

Chapter 450: Moving House

Curly Hair spent two days to memorize the protected marine species. He even memorized videos and photos, regardless whether they were from the Old Era or New Era. He even remembered the characteristics of these creatures.

Once again, Curly Hair worked hard for the sake of swimming freely. The last time he had done this was to obtain his own helmet.

Curly Hair's test scores slowly rose from borderline passing to seventy percent, then ninety. A little more memorization and he would be able to get a full score.

Nanfeng had thought Curly Hair would be feeling down over his movements being restricted due to all the stuff online. On the contrary, Curly Hair wasn't affected in the slightest. In fact, he seemed more spirited with each passing day.

Fang Zhao had already finished all his follow-up tasks at Huangzhou Acadamy Of Art. The advanced studies course had come to a close. After all the other advanced students completed their last evaluations, the academy held a graduation ceremony for the students of HuangArt's Twelve Tones Advanced Course.

It wasn't any complicated setting. Most of those who had managed to enter the Twelve Tones Course were no longer ordinary students and preferred the more academic settings. Thus, there was no need for any gaudy or extravagant festivities.

The graduation ceremony was held in the highest academic hall. Great-grandfather Fang was seated in the audience. Warm tears welled up in his eyes when he saw Fang Zhao on stage. His hands were shaking as he took many photographs and videos, which he then shared with his friends and his fellow retirees at the retirement home.

After the graduation ceremony concluded, Great-grandfather Fang walked over to Fang Zhao.

"Let me see, let me see."

Grand-grandfather Fang grinned from ear to ear as he carefully took the certificate from Fang Zhao. He took many high definition photographs from all sorts of angles before returning it back to Fang Zhao.

"You must store it away properly. Make sure it doesn't get eaten by the dog! One of the old fogies in the retirement facility has a grandson who owns a dog. Once, when nobody was paying attention, the dog ripped his grandson's recently received graduation certificate to shreds. It couldn't even be glued back together." Great-grandfather Fang even turned to look at Curly Hair as he said it.

Those large innocent dog eyes of his seemed as though he had just suffered great injustice.

Great-grandfather Fang retracted his gaze and said to Fang Zhao, "Heh, in any case, just keep it safe."

How many people earned the Twelve Tones Advanced Course certificate each year? This was the best advanced course in the industry, and those who managed to get them would be great masters in the future. How precious was this certificate?! Even those old fogies in Yanbei Retirement Facility didn't have any family members with the certificate.

Great-grandfather Fang was very pleased with Fang Zhao's graduation ceremony and the pictures he had taken. The two elder Fangs had spent quite some time in Huangzhou already. It was about time they returned.

Before leaving Huangzhou, Great-grandfather Fang looked at his gentle, genuine and refined great-grandson. He didn't feel too at ease, so he left Yan Biao and Zuo Yu some parting words. "You two must definitely ensure Little Zhao's personal safety! I hear there are many crazy fans nowadays, and many competitors may employ unsavory means. My Little Zhao's temperament is just too good. He doesn't guard himself against others, so he doesn't know how wicked people can be."

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: "…"

Do you still remember what happened when Fang Zhao was undergoing military service?

Do you know how he was drafted into reserve duty?!

Do you know how he oppresses people in games?!!

The two bodyguards didn't know how oblivious this old man was to say such a thing. Or perhaps his memory was declining from old age?

But, in any case, Fang Zhao did indeed seem much more gentle now.

Could it be the influence of art?

Regardless of what they thought inwardly, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu could only force themselves to reply to Great-grandfather Fang. "Yes, we will surely guard Boss well!"

Great-grandfather Fang took another photograph with Fang Zhao and left in high spirits. The two old Fangs would come again when Fang Zhao moved into his new home and had free time.

The term came to a close, and advanced students would be leaving. However, before that, the advanced students had one final academic ceremony by HuangArt to attend.

It wasn't a formal academic report conference though. The student union would broadcast this conference so that those who weren't able to make it could watch.

Fang Zhao also didn't hide anything. He shared all of his experiences and techniques learned over the past one year of advanced studies.

The academic report lasted two hours. The interactions and signing activities went on for another four hours.

Many people even suggested that Fang Zhao should join the school's faculty since Fang Zhao's ability was enough for him to be a HuangArt lecturer.

"Alas, how great would it be if Fang Zhao stayed on at HuangArt," a student lamented.

However, not long after, they found out that even though Fang Zhao had left, he would somehow always appear inside examination questions…

——

With a year of advanced studies complete, Fang Zhao left HuangArt and returned to Yanzhou for some basic packing and moving.

The weather was fine when Fang Zhao moved from the central location in Qi'an City to the seaside.

The "rabbit" was especially lively today because of the ocean scent. It kept moving in the small water tank, and its two ears kept wanting to probe the outside.

Fang Zhao had gotten a large aquarium specially made and had moved the "rabbit" from the small water tank into the larger aquarium.

The "rabbit" was like a fluffy and lively cotton candy as it climbed all over the new home it had moved into. However, this cotton candy had nearly poisoned two thieves to death.

It was really a perfect disguise.

It wasn't just those brightly colored ones that were really deadly. There were also those that seem overly adorable.

The happiest to move was Curly Hair. He had finally completed the tests the day before and had been running around since morning in a bid to urge Fang Zhao to move out sooner.

Curly Hair watched closely as the display cabinet was moved in and ensured not a single gaming helmet was left out. Curly Hair then thought about keeping his own learning console in the cabinet and locking it, but it was taken out by Fang Zhao.

"You still have to use the learning console," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair groaned and walked off with his tail drooped. However, he got excited again later as he couldn't wait to explore his new territory.

Zuo Yu held onto Curly Hair's leash.

Dogs had very strong awareness of their territory. It was in their innate nature to occupy their domain.

His territory at the new place was even larger, and Curly Hair was rather pleased after looking through it. He also barked a few greetings towards the other dogs in this residential area. From today onwards, he, Curly Hair, was going to be staying here!

It was dark by the time Fang Zhao had sorted out all the stuff. He let Yan Biao and the others go off and gave them two days of leave.

Once the three had left, Curly Hair who had been lying by the door came running in.

"I want to go swim in the sea," Curly Hair said.

"Just swimming?" Fang Zhao asked.

"…and hunt for food." Curly Hair glanced carefully at Fang Zhao's expression. "Hungry."

There had been restrictions during the advanced studies period in HuangArt, and Curly Hair had found himself hungry most of the time. He had been forced to sneakily find other things to eat whenever Fang Zhao brought him out.

He had indeed gone hungry in the last year.

Fang Zhao had long discovered that Curly Hair's food intake had been increasing constantly. His diet had also been expanding.

Some things that had been of no interest to Curly Hair in the past now would receive a few sniffs from Curly Hair as if he was contemplating whether they could be eaten.

Once, Curly Hair even spent quite a while sniffing in the car. Because of that, Nanfeng thought the car had been tampered with and immediately sent it for an inspection out of worry.

It was later discovered that besides some scratches, there wasn't anything wrong with the car.

When Fang Zhao asked later on, Curly Hair said that he was hungry and had smelled the scent of food.

Curly Hair seemed to know what he could and couldn't eat. Even if it was something he had never seen before, Curly Hair could still differentiate it.

Curly Hair didn't have many chances to go all out and eat over the last year. But now that they had moved into a new place, Curly Hair wasn't willing to let this opportunity slip. He couldn't wait any longer. He had already endured for the entire day until Nanfeng and the others had left before suggesting that he wanted to go out and hunt.

Fang Zhao checked the weather forecast. The weather in the past two days had been fine.

Since Curly Hair had already met the requirements for the test and was able to answer a few questions posed by Fang Zhao, Fang Zhao felt that letting him out to roam would be alright.

During the day, there was a higher risk of getting noticed. There were always people near the beach, and Fang Zhao had even seen some people setting off on yachts to fish not too far from them.

Fortunately, it was nighttime now.

Fang Zhao nodded. "Sure."

"I want to swim further and find some stuff to eat," Curly Hair said. "I will be back before eight tomorrow." He wanted to enjoy himself a little.

Fang Zhao thought about it and agreed.

"Take note of changes in the weather. Avoid boats and return immediately if you find anything amiss."

"Yes!"

"Remember, no eating of protected species!"

"No eating! Definitely no eating!"

"And no indiscriminate eating either!"

"I won't eat indiscriminately!" Curly Hair promised.

"Go on then."

Having obtained permission, Curly Hair scampered out and jumped into the sea under the cover of darkness.

Chapter 451: Disappeared!

Fang Zhao gazed at the ocean and placed the leash on the cabinet by the door.

This was the first time he was letting Curly Hair go out on his own, and Fang Zhao was a little worried. However, he couldn't keep looking after Curly Hair forever. He was only willing to let Curly Hair go out independently this time his long period of discipline. He would assess Curly Hair's performance this time to decide on future measures.

Curly Hair was no small matter, and Fang Zhao had never relaxed Curly Hair's restrictions. If he didn't give any guidance, Curly Hair could become a killing weapon by the hands of certain errant people.

There was nothing wrong with a weapon on its own. The fault would lie with the user of the weapon.

Fortunately, Curly Hair was a complete life form that had its own consciousness, cognition and emotions.

Furthermore, Fang Zhao had always felt that his rebirth had something to do with Curly Hair. He simply hadn't discovered the connection yet.

Being strict to Curly Hair was both for guidance and protection.

"Never go astray."

The night wind grew stronger. Waves battered the shore before retreating out of sight in the darkness.

Everything was full of the unknown.

At this time, Curly Hair, who was oblivious to Fang Zhao's worries, was really an out-of-control wild dog swimming about and riding the waves.

Oxygen? Breathing?

There was no need for that. Curly Hair had entirely forgotten there were such things the moment he had jumped into the sea.

He disregarded air supply, water pressure, and light. Curly Hair happily chased schools of fish. Corals couldn't be eaten, so he went to lick the rock beside the coral.

Can't be eaten.

He saw a turtle and went over to tease it.

Curly Hair even sang.

"Lalalalalala, watching that sea turtle swim in the water~"

As the dog of a musician, he could sing if he could talk. Nobody could hear him anyways so he wasn't worried about being discovered.

If he sensed any people nearby, he would dive in or hide himself.

Although Curly Hair was hungry, he didn't let loose and start eating the moment he entered the ocean. Instead, he decided to play for a bit first. He had plenty of time to play now. Fang Zhao wasn't here, and there was no one minding him.

After chasing the sea turtle and the school of fish for a bit, Curly Hair discovered a big fish. It belonged on the New Era protected marine species list and was something that Curly Hair was forbidden from eating. However, that didn't dampen Curly Hair's interest towards it.

Protected species can't be eaten, but that doesn't mean they can't be toyed with~

Curly Hair gave up on the school of fish and the sea turtle and chased after this large fish. He followed closely behind the fish and used his paw to touch it from time to time.

I'm just touching, not eating.

That fish swam faster. Curly Hair also wanted to pick up speed. He paddled with his dog legs and caught up. He simply didn't wonder how his doggie-paddle was outracing a sailfish that easily.

After playing for quite some time, Curly Hair felt even hungrier. He stopped and decided to first look for stuff to eat.

Curly Hair wouldn't eat anything in the ocean that was on the protected species list, not even a single fin. Even if Fang Zhao couldn't see, Curly Hair also didn't dare. After all, this was his first time coming out, and he didn't have the guts to do so. The moment he thought about eating, the first thoughts that came to his mind were the books and tests inside the learning console that Fang Zhao had given him. He remembered the long periods facing the wall during self-reflection.

As for stuff that weren't on the protected species list, Curly Hair would not restrain himself!

Bon appetit!

While Curly Hair was excited, he was also a little perplexed at the same time.

Where to start?

As this was his first hunt on his excursion, Curly Hair felt that his first prey should be something special. Perhaps this was what that Nanfeng meant by "ceremonial"?

Thus, Curly Hair went about searching meticulously for his first prey.

With great difficulty, Curly Hair finally discovered one.

Its appearance looked similar to photographs of a protected species he had seen in the list. But, it only looked alike. Curly Hair could tell that this fish wasn't the same. He observed it more closely and was able to list a few differences as evidence. Thus, he could answer confidently if Fang Zhao were to ask him when he returned.

Having eliminated the possibility that it was on the protected species list, Curly Hair was now confident in his course of action. Although this prey wasn't too large and only about a meter long, it attracted Curly Hair greatly.

With sights set on the target, Curly Hair dog-paddled after it.

——

1 a.m.

A certain counter-terrorism department in Yanzhou was still at work.

"Night security teams have yet to discover any suspicious persons. Sonar hasn't discovered any suspicious targets."

"Continue this vigilance towards the target region. Pay attention to patrol and coastal detection readings. Screen out any sound or energy anomalies. Don't even let a single bird or fish go undetected!"

They had received information that the notorious terrorist organization "Tomorrow's Empire", or "T", would launch an attack on Yanzhou at 2 a.m. The counter-terrorism department only had an approximate region but no specific location or coordinates.

Furthermore, the "T" organization had stolen the latest bionics technology. Who knew what sort of modifications those bunch of lunatics could implement?

At the same time, in a secret basement.

Only the flickering lights of display screens could be seen in this dusky basement.

A bunch of people were either seated or standing. Their eyes were all glued to one of the screens.

"Successfully bypassed a patrol vessel!'' Someone cried out excitedly, and his bloodshot eyes gazed towards the map at the side that had a blood-colored "T" stamped on a certain area.

They had formulated a new plan. This was the first operation and their first trial run. They were going to use a newly manufactured bionic torpedo to strike a harbor that was a hundred kilometers from Yanzhou's Qi'an City.

Although only one bionic torpedo had been released, the high energy ordnance it carried was sufficient to destroy dozens of cargo ships at the harbor and cause serious damage.

Bypassing those patrol vessels was well within their expectations. Going up against the coastal defenses afterwards would be the crucial point.

"Smoothly approaching, almost there!"

The person holding onto the control device stared at the dot on the display screen without blinking. As the torpedo was entering Yanzhou's coastal defense range, he became even more cautious and was also eager to see whether their newly modified product could deceive Yanzhou's defense system.

As long as this attack was successful, follow-up operations would immediately commence!

All the people in the basement were staring at the screen attentively.

Everyone watched with bated breath. As the torpedo was just about to enter the range of Yanzhou's coastal defenses, the moving dot on the screen suddenly disappeared.

Everyone in the basement: "???"

They even doubted their own eyes for a moment.

The one wielding the control device had a frozen look on his face.

Where the heck is my torpedo?

He looked again. It had indeed disappeared. It had vanished cleanly and without warning.

This sudden change flustered all those in the basement.

They had come up with a few possible scenarios, but what they were witnessing right now wasn't one of those!

It was as if it had ended even before a single splash could be made. This psychological blow was too great, and they couldn't come to terms with it right away.

"What's going on?"

"We have lost the bionic torpedo's signal! Unable to detect any energy reaction! Cause unknown!"

"Impossible! Is it a display malfunction?"

"No, the monitor is fine. Control device is fine too. But there is no response from the torpedo!"

They had paid a hefty price and had invested considerable manpower, resources and time to concoct this plan. Yet, this was the outcome?!

Had it actually just disappeared without a trace like this??

"Have Yanzhou's coastal defenses become this strong…? No… I don't believe it!"

The lips of the man wielding the control device were trembling. His scrunched up expression was distorted, and there was a crazed look of unwillingness in his bloodshot eyes.

He had no way of accepting this sort of failure!

Another man seated in the corner said gloomily, "Inform the others to immediately halt their operations! Determine how their coastal defense system stopped it first!"

They had spent a rather long time formulating this plan, and the first attack targeting Yanzhou had failed.

On the other side, Yanzhou's counter-terrorism department was also puzzled.

They had waited and waited. Even after 2 a.m had passed, they didn't dare to relax or get complacent. They continued to wait all the way until 7 in the morning.

There wasn't a single sign of activity.

Those lunatics from "T" organization wouldn't lightly terminate their operations even if their information was leaked. Instead, they would go about it in an even more crazed and provocative fashion. However, it was already daybreak, and the counter-terrorism department had yet to receive any news of an attack.

It was peaceful on both dry land and in the sea. It was reasonable to see that there were no detection blind spots. So, why wasn't there any activity?

Strange.

Could it be that the information was wrong?

…

Night gradually receded and the sky turned bright.

Rays of the sun shone on the surface of the ocean, dispelling the chill of night.

Swishhh——

A dog's head broke the water's surface, and spray was expelled from his nose. As if suddenly remembering that he could breathe, he moved his head and inhaled the crisp and fresh morning air.

Curly Hair slowly swam towards shore, his paddling legs splashing about.

He shook himself off after standing on dry land.

"Belchh~~~"

Chapter 452: Appetite Really Isn't That Huge

Fang Zhao had given Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yanbiao three days of leave. However, Nanfeng worked hard to be a responsible assistant and sent Fang Zhao a message. After obtaining approval, he came over early in the morning.

Many people had come looking for Fang Zhao for collaborations ever since he had left HuangArt. In their opinion, Fang Zhao could start commercial activities since his advanced studies had concluded.

However, Fang Zhao didn't have any intention of participating in all these commercial activities.

Most of these people were unwilling to give up even though they were rejected. They sought out Nanfeng since they couldn't find Fang Zhao. After all, Nanfeng used to be involved in Huangzhou's entertainment industry, and many staffers knew him. Thus, contacting Nanfeng was way easier than getting in touch with Fang Zhao.

Therefore, Nanfeng gave himself the title of "part-time manager" and enthusiastically came running over with his work.

After giving Fang Zhao a summarized brief of all these matters, he looked around but didn't see Curly Hair.

In their little team, other than the boss, Nanfeng cared most about Curly Hair with his valuation of close to three hundred million.

"Where's Curly Hair?"

Curly Hair was so excited to move into the new place. Why do I not see him at all? Did he exhaust himself from playing too much and is sleeping around somewhere now?

Fang Zhao looked at the time and said, "He went swimming and will be back soon."

Nanfeng's jaw dropped. He wanted to say, "Are you stupid?! You actually let a dog worth nearly three hundred million out to play in the ocean!" but didn't dare say it in the end. Nanfeng put whatever files he was holding on to down and said instead, "Boss, I'm going to the beach to take a look."

Nanfeng received a call from Yan Biao after stepping out. Yan Biao inquired about the situation and asked if Zuo Yu and him were needed.

Nanfeng went to the beach to search while answering the call.

At this moment, Curly Hair had just come out from the sea. He shook off the water on his body and ran over towards the house.

Nanfeng thought that Curly Hair's fur glittered like gold under the sun.

As expected of our 300 million dog! He even glitters like gold under the sun! Nanfeng took a photo and sent it to their private group chat. "Even his footprints in the sand are so cute!"

Yan Biao: "…"

Zuo Yu: "…"

Nanfeng continued, "I'll turn on the camera for you guys. Can you see that running silhouette glistening with light? Our Little Curls is the most beautiful pet in this district!"

Yan Biao: "And the most expensive right?"

"Boss…" Nanfeng wanted to say the boss was stupid, but his tongue got stuck when he thought about Fang Zhao's hearing ability. "The boss doesn't always have time to watch the dog. We have to watch him closely while we are here, especially when he goes swimming in the sea. It is too dangerous!"

Nanfeng jogged over towards Curly Hair.

Curly Hair stopped by Nanfeng and shook his wet damp fur.

Belchh~~~

Pooot~~~

Curly Hair belched and farted.

Nanfeng was excited. He regretted not being able to record this scene. "It's my first time personally seeing a dog fart. Curly Hair deserves his three hundred million yuan valuation. Both his burp and fart linger for some time. And, on closer inspection, it even smells like smoke."

Yan Biao: "…"

Zuo Yu: "…"

The brains of their comrade had already been deeply corroded by money.

This brainless flatter was incurable!

While Nanfeng was fancily lauding how "our dog is just different from others", Curly Hair had already bypassed Nanfeng and rushed into the house.

He looked at the time. It was 8:02 AM.

Before leaving, he had told Fang Zhao he would return by 8 in the morning…

He had been late by 2 minutes.

Curly Hair needed to explain himself.

"I was already ashore before 8 AM! But, I wanted to dry myself outside before entering the house! Nanfeng even stopped me!"

Curly Hair still wanted to continue defending himself but heard Nanfeng's footsteps. He quickly shut his mouth.

"Go to the dryer and dry yourself completely," Fang Zhao said.

After Curly Hair finished drying his fur and came out, Fang Zhao had already dismissed Nanfeng.

Fang Zhao looked in Curly Hair's mouth and between his teeth. There wasn't much else besides some green stuff that looked like the remains of some sort of algae.

"How much did you eat this time?" Fang Zhao asked.

Curly Hair confidently replied, "I ate one fish. Just one! And maybe some other snacks."

Curly Hair wanted to prove that his own appetite really wasn't that large.

He had heard people talking about how keeping pets was a waste of money. Those that ate a lot could even be abandoned!

Curly Hair needed to defend himself. His appetite really wasn't huge!

"Did you really just eat one? Aren't you hungry?" Fang Zhao asked. He knew what Curly Hair's appetite was like.

"Really! Not hungry!" Curly Hair said confidently.

"…Did you secretly eat a whale?"

"No! I didn't eat any whales! Neither did I eat any other protected marine species! Not even a single fin! The fish I ate was a little longer than me. It looked like a protected species, but it actually isn't. I surveyed it many times and verified it!" Curly Hair hurriedly said.

This has to be explained! He didn't want to face the wall!

"Then, what snacks did you have?" Fang Zhao continued asking.

"Just two clams and some seaweed when I was returning. There were some that I didn't know the names of, so I just licked them. They didn't taste good."

"Mmhm."

Fang Zhao studied Curly Hair carefully. Besides being a little excited, there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary with Curly Hair. Fang Zhao didn't know whether Curly Hair was truly not hungry so he decided to go pour a bowl of dog food.

Just as he got up, he heard Curly Hair belch.

Fang Zhao stopped in his tracks.

His expression turned serious after discerning the smells in the air.

He placed the bowl of dog food aside, then walked over and squatted down to carefully inspect Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao thought of something and asked, "How did the fish you ate today look like? Did you see it before in any of the books?"

"It looked similar to one of the protected marine species."

Fang Zhao opened up the ebook and got Curly Hair to point it out.

"This type, just that it only looked somewhat similar. It definitely isn't! I could tell!" Curly Hair was somewhat pleased. Fortunately, he had taken a closer look while hunting and remembered all its differences when compared to the fish shown in the protected marine species ebook.

Curly Hair gave a detailed account of his observations and could even point out where every scale was, including a "T" on that the body of that "fish" which wasn't easy to spot. Curly Hair had remembered every single detail rather vividly.

Fang Zhao used a pen to draw a sketch according to Curly Hair's description.

Considering the direction this "fish" was swimming, Fang Zhao drew out a few routes after comparing it to a map for understanding. After some pondering, he marked out three routes. Amongst these three, one of these routes would lead to the harbor about a hundred kilometers away from Qi'an City.

Fang Zhao took this into account and asked Curly Hair, "How did it taste when you ate it? How hard was it?"

Curly Hair looked perplexed. "I don't know… Things larger than me are swallowed whole."

Fang Zhao: "…" What perfect logic.

From this bit, Curly Hair had completely abided by the instinct of wild animals by using the least amount of energy to gain the most amount of energy.

Why bite and chew when it could be swallowed straight? There wasn't any point wasting all that excess energy if it could be swallowed. There weren't any people in the area to witness it anyways.

Curly Hair didn't know what mistake he had made. He became nervous when he saw Fang Zhao deep in thought. "Although I don't know how it tasted, I think that its composition is probably more complex than dog food… Definitely more complex than dog food! Should I bite it to bits and taste it next time? The books I read didn't mention what protected fish species taste like. Without a comparison, I also won't know how special it is compared to similar fish. But, I still feel a little bloated after eating it up."

Fang Zhao pulled his gaze away from his notebook. He patted Curly Hair on his head. "No need, no need. You've done very well."

Curly Hair wagged his tail vigorously after being praised and felt at ease.

"How do you feel now?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Feel? Eating that fish feels like eating compressed biscuits. I'm so full." Curly Hair even emphasized, "My appetite really isn't that big!"

Fang Zhao still wasn't at ease and gave Curly Hair a simple check-up. The equipment he used to inspect Curly Hair had also been moved to the new place.

The check-up results showed that Curly Hair didn't have any injury and was completely healthy. Only his blood test results were abnormal with an excessive metal content. Fortunately, this was only slightly higher than normal.

The metal levels in Curly Hair's blood had always been higher than that of other dogs. It was only slightly higher after he had swallowed something Fang Zhao suspected was a bionic torpedo.

This amazed Fang Zhao.

On closer inspection, the luster of Curly Hair's fur also seemed to have some changes. Nanfeng had done some grooming for Curly Hair, but never had Curly Hair's fur seen this sort of luster. Curly Hair's fur wasn't the sort that could easily be changed with some chemical dosage.

All of these changes had happened overnight.

Just in case, Fang Zhao tied a micro-monitoring tracker to Curly Hair's leg. He would be able to find out right away if Curly Hair encountered any abnormalities.

"You'd better not go into the sea for the next two days," Fang Zhao said.

"Yes." Curly Hair had enjoyed himself thoroughly this time. Furthermore, he felt a little too bloated and sleepy. He would spend the next two days watching TV at home and sleeping!

"If you come across this type of 'fish" that makes you full again and want to eat it, don't bite it. Just swallow it whole. After eating it, immediately return and inform me."

"Alright, yea!" Curly Hair wagged his tail vigorously.

I'll go find it again the next time I'm hungry!

It was so filling, and Curly Hair felt that having one of such a fish could last him for half a month!

This can help Fang Zhao save a lot of money!

It did make him burp a lot though.

Chapter 453: "Enemy Attack Awoo!!"

Curly Hair was delighted from his full stomach and narrow escape from criticism. He yawned and crawled into his kennel to sleep.

Fang Zhao had originally planned on exploring the surrounding area today. Now that he'd graduated, Fang Zhao was looking forward to some relaxation. Earlier, Fang Zhao had asked the realtor for information on renting a speedboat. The plan was to do some leisurely fishing for fresh seafood for the "rabbit".

However, Curly Hair's new findings caused Fang Zhao to give up his original plans.

Fang Zhao returned to his study and scrutinized the sketch he had just made in the notebook. He brought up multiple diagrams on his monitor and circled an area on a map of Yanzhou.

The "T" represented Tomorrow's Empire, the organization that liked to spring attacks and wanted to bring back the Period of Destruction. The first time Fang Zhao had encountered them was during his time serving the military on Planet Baiji.

He had encountered them over at Whale Island as well.

Fang Zhao studied the three routes on the map and analyzed their objective.

As someone who had survived close to a hundred years in the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhaon was still rather sensitive to many things. Some influences were deeply ingrained into his soul and would never go away even in a new body in spite of years of peaceful life in the New Era.

That smell of smoke had immediately caught Fang Zhao's attention.

During the Period of Destruction, this smell meant fighting and bloodshed.

Beep——Beep——

While he was thinking, Fang Zhao's personal terminal received a notification. Fang Zhao's attention shifted away from the map. He checked the notification.

It was the micro monitoring apparatus he had tied to Curly Hair's leg. Fang Zhao would be notified if there were any abnormal occurrences.

Real-time detailed graphs were displayed on the projected screen.

The metal content in Curly Hair's blood that was slightly high an hour ago was currently rising rapidly.

No! Rather, it was a sudden fluctuation!

The content of a few types of metals spiked abruptly before dropping rapidly. There were even some metals that couldn't exist in a normal dog.

These metallic elements were probably a result of what Curly Hair had eaten today.

Humans also absorbed some necessary elements from food, but the situation here was clearly different. In a span of less than ten seconds, certain metallic elements in Curly Hair's body fell from abnormal levels to zero, then climbed up to astounding heights!

Of all animals Fang Zhao knew about, there wasn't any animal that could produce these sorts of changes!

If these levels appeared in a human body, the human wouldn't be able to survive. The same applied to regular dogs.

But, evidently, Curly Hair's vitals didn't weaken the slightest. Fang Zhao could still hear his rhythmic snoring.

However, the results simply weren't normal!

Is the monitoring apparatus faulty?

Fang Zhao strode over to Curly Hair's kennel. He observed the snoring Curly Hair, then reached out a finger before Curly Hair's nose to check his breathing.

Curly Hair always snored when he was sleeping soundly despite not being short-snouted or fat. Fang Zhao had once brought him to a vet for a check-up, yet nothing conclusive was found.

Right now, Curly Hair's breaths were very forceful. It wasn't hurried, but the temperature of the exhaled air was abnormally high. It was way higher than the monitoring apparatus's measurement of Curly Hair's body temperature.

Was it normal for a warm-blooded creature's exhaled breaths to be twice as hot as its body's temperature?

Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair's head.

"Curly Hair?"

Curly Hair continued snoring.

Fang Zhao patted again. "The gaming consoles have been stolen."

"Aoo wooo…"

Curly Hair struggled to growl. He licked his lips and flipped onto his side while still asleep. His four legs even paddled as if he was running.

A few moments later, the snoring resumed.

Fang Zhao's expression became even more serious.

Even the words "gaming consoles have been stolen" can't wake him up?

It seemed the situation was already way more serious than he had imagined.

However, Fang Zhao had never heard of nor encountered such a situation before. He didn't know what to do.

Should he forcefully awaken Curly Hair or wait and see?

He wasn't sure whether forcefully waking Curly Hair would be harmful, and he didn't dare act rashly.

Just as Fang Zhao was pondering about what to do, the sensor's beeps became more urgent. The numbers displayed on his personal terminal were alarming.

Heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure were all fluctuating wildly.

Those were only the metrics the monitoring apparatus measured too. Who knew what else was happening unknown to the device?

The projected display with all the graphs was flashing. The image became warped and distorted as though it was being pulled by some sort of power.

All light sources in the house became unstable and were flickering as if there was some sort of interference.

Any electrical appliances that were currently in use were producing warning beeps.

A seemingly shrill buzzing sound caused an extremely unpleasant feeling. Fortunately, Fang Zhao could still bear it. Anybody else might have already become delirious if caught in the same situation.

There seemed to be a slight chill in the air around.

Fang Zhao's intuition cultivated from the chaos of the Period of Destruction could clearly sense an unknown danger from Curly Hair's body. He retreated hurriedly.

The digits displayed by the monitor broke, and the sharp warning beeps ceased. The connection between the monitoring apparatus and personal terminal was cut.

All the lights within the room blew out simultaneously.

There was hissing as sparks of electricity flowed out of the sockets.

Something luminescent reflection flashed on the metal.

A huge… something like a… paw?

It slammed down so quickly it seemed like an illusion.

Bam!

Dust and fragments on the ground were thrown into the air.

The abrupt stream of air blew the curtains open.

The entire three story house swayed.

The reflective luminescence vanished.

Just like that, it came and went in the blink of an eye. Just like an illusion.

Fang Zhao fell silent as he looked at the huge paw imprint and the many cracks on the floorboard.

There had actually been a chair in the area the huge paw imprint covered.

Nanfeng had bought it for quite a high price and gifted it to Fang Zhao as a housewarming gift for the new place.

Nanfeng had actually wanted a chair made from real wood, which was generally considered a luxury in the New Era. However, the retailer had recommended more sturdier furniture for places with dogs that were resistant to being gnawed on.

Thus, Nanfeng had chosen an alloy chair. It had been sturdy enough.

But now, this high grade ally chair praised by the retailer to be "sturdy enough" was now flattened and embedded into the floor.

Curly Hair, who had been sleeping by the side, jolted awake as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.

His innocent dog eyes scanned the surrounding mess. The floor below could even be seen through the cracks on the floor, and there was still that sinister paw print.

Curly Hair jumped out from his kennel in shock and growled. "Enemy attack! Awoo!"

He spotted Fang Zhao and quickly ran over to stand by Fang Zhao's side. He continued to growl at that huge paw imprint that had appeared without his knowledge.

His ears were pressed backwards and his teeth were bared. This dog had evidently entered an aggressive stance, like a brave warrior guarding his territory against invaders.

This was an extremely fierce demeanor.

"Awoo!!"

Fang Zhao: "…."

Chapter 454: Can't Fi

Fang Zhao had really wanted to keep a low profile and rest. However, things just didn't stop happening.

The ruckus had been too great. The district's security system had detected an anomaly and a housing representative had quickly called to inquire.

"Is there anything I can assist you with, sir?"

"No need, it's just my dog making trouble," Fang Zhao replied.

The realtor gave a dry chuckle.

Alright, if you say so, then that's what it is. On the surface, I will believe you.

The realtor didn't persist with the questions. Everything was fine as long as it didn't affect other households or endanger any lives.

However, many others were still paying close attention to Fang Zhao's recent move-in. Despite the distance to the other houses, those people would definitely know if there was any activity from the Yanzhou celebrity.

Thus, people were already asking around what had happened.

A middle aged businessman with a dog in tow said he was just passing by, but his roving eyeballs were clearly trying to find some answers.

Fang Zhao didn't let the businessman enter, saying that his house was a mess. Instead, Fang Zhao exchanged pleasantries with him by the table and chairs in the front yard.

"Your dog made a mess? *Sigh*, I can understand where you are coming from. There are some troubles that only dog owners like us would understand," the businessman sympathized as though he was a veteran.

After a while, the businessman felt that he had gotten enough information and wouldn't gain anything else with more probing. Thus, he pulled his dog along and left.

He immediately told his other friends about everything the moment he left.

"There was quite a bit of ruckus over there today. It sounded like many things being smashed… Didn't see the dog. Maybe he was beating his dog just now… No, you know how some people behave totally different in private and public though. Who knows what goes on in their own home? Hehehe…

"Too much stress from outside, so they can only vent when they get home. It is rather common for celebrities like these to have terrible tempers in private…

"I know, I know, everyone has their own secrets. It's easier to just blame the dog when anything happens. After all, the dog can't say anything."

Fang Zhao's neighbors wouldn't talk to the media. They would only mention it in private conversations.

Nevertheless, in a short time, some shocking news began circulating in some social circles.

Apparently, Fang Zhao had violent tendencies and wasn't honest when it came to private matters.

At the same time, there were all sorts of rumors.

They ranged from Fang Zhao being smeared by competitors, a relationship dispute, a terrorist attack and many others.

There were even people who observed silently and reckoned they had deciphered the truth. Something had happened just after Fang Zhao had moved houses. Who had Fang Zhao offended?

Fang Zhao knew what these people were discussing in private, but he didn't really care. He got Nanfeng to renovate the house once more and handle this as quietly as possible.

The huge paw print was too obvious in the area Curly Hair had damaged. Fang Zhao could only get rid of this paw print by bashing a hole in the floorboards himself.

On the second day after moving in, this house had to go through another major renovation.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu both looked ashamed. Such destructive power definitely meant there had been a sneak attack by someone! They had failed as bodyguards!

Even though Fang Zhao had given them time off, all the security installations in the house had been installed by them. None of these had been of any use!

They felt it was still their responsibility and that they had let down their boss and their high salaries!

The two were discussing how to upgrade the house's security system.

Nanfeng's face was pale as he touched the flattened chair with trembling hands.

What sort of force had actually flattened an alloy chair that was said to be capable of withstanding the weight of an elephant?!

The ground floor was still fine, but the second floor was damaged significantly. Half of the newly bought electronic devices inside the house were damaged, and two-thirds of the lights needed to be replaced. The flooring had to be redone as well.

Scenarios of assassination, revenge, and lovers' quarrel spun through Nanfeng's mind. He was very worried for Fang Zhao's personal safety.

He didn't ask any questions. Since Fang Zhao didn't talk about it, Nanfeng could only keep his doubts to himself.

"Boss, do you want to employ a few more people?" Nanfeng asked.

"No need."

Fang Zhao let Nanfeng handle the renovation and called Curly Hair who had been standing in the corner all this time over to his study.

The incident had happened on the second floor. Fortunately, the house was sturdy. Otherwise, it might have collapsed following that swipe.

It was also lucky that they had moved. If this had happened in their previous house, the neighbor would have suffered a tremendous shock.

Fang Zhao shut the door behind Curly Hair. The study was rather well soundproofed.

At this moment, Curly Hair was still doubting himself.

He had fallen into a state of shock after Fang Zhao had told him the truth. The degree of shock was even greater than when he had discovered he sung while gaming.

"You really don't remember?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I really don't!"

Curly Hair absolutely believed that he wasn't the sort of dog that wrecked houses!

Fang Zhao nodded and took out a sound recording. Although all the surveillance devices in the house were destroyed, there was still a short sound recording taken before the system was damaged. There was a shrill sound of static.

"Listen."

Curly Hair's ears pricked up. He slowly began doubting his own memory.

"Sounds familiar," Curly Hair said feebly.

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow. Could this have happened before?

"When did you last hear this?" Fang Zhao asked.

Curly Hair thought seriously. "When you were locked up."

Fang Zhao: "…"

Fang Zhao thought back to that time. Curly Hair was probably talking about his quarantine.

"On Whale Island?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Right!"

"What did you do back then?"

"Swallowed a person."

"…"

"But, I pretended to faint on the spot after swallowing! Nobody discovered anything!"

"…Very good. Are there any other similar instances? Think carefully."

Curly Hair pondered for quite some time.

"There may have been one other time. But, I can't remember when it was."

Curly Hair couldn't remember clearly, but Fang Zhao had a conjecture.

Once, Will had brought Curly Hair along to an art exhibition to seek inspiration for painting. However, there was an accident, and Curly Hair had dragged Will out from a burning building.

At that time, the locks on the dog pens had all broken, and the surveillance systems had gone haywire. Even now, the perpetrator still had yet to be determined. Curly Hair only remembered bitting open the pens but wasn't clear what he did to the surveillance. Curly Hair hadn't even aware of it then.

Up till now, Curly Hair still didn't know that he would damage surveillance systems every time something like this happened.

He had come from biting open cages to swallowing a person whole on Whale Island. Now, a giant paw had nearly destroyed a building.

In the last year, Curly Hair had begun changing faster than ever. Fang Zhao guessed that Curly Hair's changes had certain forms.

Like evolving.

Nobody knew how long this process would persist for. What would happen in the future was impossible to predict.

What was even more worrying was that Curly Hair himself couldn't control these changes.

What would they do the next time something like that happened?

They could only try to find a place with no one around.

Fang Zhao recalled the size of that paw which had nearly destroyed the entire floor. That had only been a paw. If it had been an entire body…

It wouldn't even fit in the house!

"How do you feel now?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I don't feel much… Does my sole feeling itchy count?"

Curly Hair lifted up one of his front paws.

Fang Zhao inspected Curly Hair's paw that had supposedly split the floor open and saw only some slight scratches. As Fang Zhao watched, the scratches were disappearing. The paw even seemed like it was well taken care of.

After speaking to Curly Hair about things to take note of, Fang Zhao went through his bank account and frowned.

Alas, supporting a household was hard.

Fang Zhao sighed helplessly then called Nanfeng.

Nanfeng had been fretting over how to strengthen the building during the renovations. He had expected Fang Zhao to ask him to keep the renovations as low-profile as possible and indeed had a few plans, but then…

"I want to buy an island," Fang Zhao said.

Nanfeng: "???"

Buy a what?

Calm down boss!

Buy anything but an island!!

In Nanfeng's opinion, there was totally no need for Fang Zhao to buy an island. Even amateurs knew that private islands were currently depreciating!

The New Era had once seen a period when buying islands had been popular. A bunch of merchants had jointly jacked up the prices of islands. Sometime later, due to environmental protection and other reasons, a portion of islands were prohibited from business transactions. Thus, as the supply of private islands decreased, prices had soared.

However, with the continuous development of foreign planets, those with spare cash had set their sights on investing in foreign planets. Who would still be investing on islands here? Larger ones were jacked up to astronomical prices, but the smaller, less popular ones could even have lingering viruses from the Period of Destruction! Who would even buy them?!

With many choices, the value of luxury goods fell. Everyone moved towards better choices.

Currently, there were indeed many private islands on the market that struggled to sell. On the other hand, buying a private island was easy. With enough cash, the transaction could be done right away, and those owners would be more than happy to part ways with their islands.

Nanfeng steadied himself from the shock and cleared his throat. He squeezed out a slight smile before explaining to Fang Zhao the state of islands market.

"Everyone says to buy on the upswing, not on the downturn. Island prices are falling continuously, and it will be difficult to sell if needed… Many buyers ended up not using the islands anyways. Who knows what poisonous bugs and plants are on those islands? It's very dangerous. Island prices were high to begin with. Even the initial investment to make an island inhabitable is high…" Nanfeng jabbered on with his analysis, telling Fang Zhao that this investment wasn't worthwhile.

After hearing Nanfeng's analysis, Fang Zhao said, "Curly Hair needs a much larger space to be active."

Numbly, Nanfeng looked at Fang Zhao and couldn't make out any trace of humor.

Seeing that Fang Zhao had already made his decision, Nanfeng could only abide.

"Alright, I will first come up with a budget."

Nanfeng thought to himself, What exactly did Boss experience? Is it so serious that Boss wants to shun the world?

Nanfeng decided that he would purchase an additional insurance policy for himself when he returned home today.

At this moment he was really itching to ask Fang Zhao, Do you regret donating so much money? If you hadn't donated that much, even a whole bunch of islands wouldn't be out of the question!

While having all these ridiculing thoughts, Nanfeng searched for private islands for sale through the Internet. He then filtered islands for sale with landing pads.

He estimated that after buying a small island, Fang Zhao's savings would be nearly wiped out.

Perhaps Nanfeng would be able to understand if there had been another reason. But, if it was really for the sake of keeping a dog, then that was too…

On this day, Nanfeng learned a life lesson from his boss: Keeping pets could make one poor!

Chapter 455: One Wouldn't Know How Weird He Is Unless He Looks In The Mirror

On Earth, islands were easy to purchase, and there were many choices. Nanfeng shortlisted a few for Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao selected one amongst them.

Island owners were more than happy to meet potential buyers. They too had grown anxious as increasing numbers of investors flocked to foreign planets instead of islands over the past two years. They were more than willing to get rid of their islands and were much more amenable to negotiations.

The owners were eager to respond, and negotiations began only a day after the initial inquiry.

Nanfeng could only feel helpless seeing Fang Zhao complete the procedures so quickly. Fang Zhao doesn't know how to invest. He needs an investment advisor.

Even though he didn't know what exactly had happened in the house on that day, it couldn't require an immediate purchase of an island, right?

Sigh, Boss should just go and dabble in his music. He's going to lose too much in investments.

Nanfeng wasn't the only who thought this way. The island owner also thought that Fang Zhao was foolish. He was still buying islands in a bear market. What was this if not foolish?

Indeed, it is easy to act rashly when one is too young.

Fang Zhao's newly bought island wasn't considered very big, but it was enough for Curly Hair to move around on. It was located some distance away from the various continents. There was nothing special about its shape, and it basically had no reputation. The island owner himself had never gone to the island for almost twenty years. He only sent a maintenance team there twice a year. Thus, it could be considered a rather primitive island.

The calamitous Period of Destruction had engulfed the entire globe. There had been no safe havens, and the islands on Earth too had been ravaged during that tumultuous period. But, after five hundred years, its flourishing vitality had returned.

The island house had been constructed over fifty years ago. Because of frequent storms, it had seen a few upgrades here and there. The house was in good shape. Since it was still habitable, Fang Zhao didn't make many modifications.

After the security systems were installed, Fang Zhao asked Nanfeng and the other two to return and remain on standby.

The surface area of the island wasn't too big, and game was limited. Supplies would need to be delivered to the island. Fang Zhao hoarded some supplies for now and decided he would have Yan Biao or Zuo Yu deliver some more later.

After receiving the remainder of the copyright fees, Fang Zhao used them to buy another two transoceanic flying transports.

His recently replenished account once again became near empty.

Nanfeng and the others felt their hearts ache. All three of them had the same thought: Had boss gone crazy?

One of the transports was docked at the island in reserve, while the other was for supply delivery.

"Boss, are you… going to live here by yourself?" Zuo Yu was worried and asked again.

"Mmhm." Fang Zhao seemed very calm.

"You won't need any assistance?" Yan Biao asked.

"Correct."

"Then… Boss, contact us immediately if you need anything. We'll be on call at all times." Nanfeng glanced back reluctantly as they boarded the flying transport.

After watching them leave, Fang Zhao returned to the house and called Curly Hair who had been inside his kennel all this time.

Curly Hair's mental state had gone from "I can't be this sort of dog" to "Do I have to go out and work?"

He had originally thought that swallowing the "fish" could last him a month. However, Curly Hair was unexpectedly feeling a little hungry already.

Fang Zhao brought out a large 50 kg bag of dog food.

"You eat. I will watch you eat from the side," Fang Zhao said.

"Can I swallow all of this?"

"Sure."

Curly Hair licked his nose and trotted over to the bag of dog feed.

Then, Fang Zhao saw what appeared like a huge… mouth?

There was a silvery gleam of light.

The 50 kg package of dog food was gone.

"Are you full?" Fang Zhao asked.

Curly Hair hesitated. "Still… a little hungry."

He simply hadn't eaten his fill.

Fang Zhao then brought another 50 kg bag of dog food. "Can you swallow it slower this time? Slow your swallowing motion?"

Curly Hair nodded his head firmly. "Swallow slowly!"

This time, Fang Zhao could see it more clearly.

Curly Hair's head changed, but his body and other parts remained the same. His curly hair seemed to shrink back into his body at that instant.

The change between his normal body and enlarged head seemed to be a gradual metallic delineation. Fang Zhao noticed a large mouth with sharp teeth opening and swallowing the 50 kg bag of dog food. Easily.

Perhaps 100 kg wouldn't even be a problem.

Fang Zhao pondered as he watched.

Perhaps this dog could no longer easily be classified as a carbon-based life form.

Perhaps he even had another form.

Curly Hair spent most of his time as a dog, but during the transformation, was he an alloy dog? Or an unknown metallic life form?

It wasn't a surprise the newly installed cameras in the house malfunctioned. There was too much interference during the transformation.

Fang Zhao then checked the surveillance devices in other parts of the house. Those that were nearby had suffered severe malfunctions. Those more than twenty meters away only captured distorted images.

Only electronic devices were affected. Fortunately, Fang Zhao had already made appropriate preparations.

Curly Hair himself wasn't aware of his transformation. Since electronic appliances couldn't be used, Fang Zhao searched the storeroom and brought out a dressing mirror that belonged to the previous owner of the island.

Curly Hair faced the mirror and gulped down another bag of dog food. He suddenly choked, flabbergasted.

He nearly wet himself from his reflection.

Indeed, without the mirror, he didn't know how he looked!

The degree of shock was even greater than when he had found out that he had wrecked the house in his dreams!

However, his fright was quickly replaced by hunger.

Curly Hair felt weary after transforming a few times. The three bags of dog food had already been completely consumed.

Hungry.

Hungry!

Without any other choices, Curly Hair ran into the ocean again to forage. Since there weren't any other inhabitants nearby this time, Curly Hair didn't need to wait for nighttime. After getting Fang Zhao's permission, he rushed into the sea.

Just like a switch, Curly Hair's transformations immediately became more frequent. For example, while digging a hole for fun, Curly Hair's paw enlarged, and he created a crater.

Fang Zhao didn't dare let Curly Hair sleep in the house. What if Curly Hair destroyed the house when he dreamed of chasing thieves?

As Curly Hair transformed more frequently, he also required more energy.

Food!

Fang Zhao really couldn't solve this issue and could only let Curly Hair run into the ocean for food. Fang Zhao made sure to give Curly Hair frequent reminders of what was permissible.

Curly Hair wandered about the ocean every day. In a week, he swallowed two bionic torpedoes in the coastal regions nearby Yanzhou.

However, a torpedo no longer filled him for a month. Now, it barely lasted him a week. Whenever his transformations were too frequent, he would have to go back into the ocean after a couple of days.

Curly Hair was rather happy. He could eat his fill and save money.

But, after swallowing up three bionic torpedoes, he no longer found any more of them. Curly Hair swam to the coastal regions near Yanzhou a few times but never saw any again.

Fang Zhao knew the 'T' organization had probably given up on their bionic torpedo strategy. He wondered what their next move would be.

Yanzhou's counter-terrorism measures were decent. Even without Curly Hair swallowing torpedoes, there was also a very high probability that the bionic torpedoes would be stopped.

Without torpedoes, Curly Hair could only change his targets. This time, he decided to swim further away.

Fang Zhao neither agreed nor objected. He handed Curly Hair a set of comprehensive test questions he had personally set. They covered how to react during crises and other important things.

Curly Hair finished these questions very quickly and scored 93 marks out of 100.

For the seven missed marks, Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair supplementary lessons before allowing Curly Hair to go out.

Curly Hair was out for longer this time and returned after more than twelve hours. He was in high spirits, probably from having eaten his fill.

"What did you eat?" Fang Zhao asked.

"I ate a huge chest!!"

Curly Hair briefly summarized his experience on this trip. He had kept swimming and swimming after leaving the island. If something had seemed edible or delicious, he had eaten it.

Fang Zhao then asked more specific and detailed questions to find out where Curly Hair got his "food" this time. It sounded like Curly Hair had found some high energy substance from a sunken submarine.

Out of eight huge chests, Curly Hair had eaten two.

Because Curly Hair still couldn't control his bodily transformations, he didn't have any means to bring the huge chest across the long distance to let Fang Zhao have a look.

At that time, he had already felt full after swallowing the first chest. He initially wanted to drag a chest back for Fang Zhao. However, after holding it in his mouth, he accidentally swallowed it.

Curly Hair didn't want to swallow a third. Fang Zhao had also repeatedly warned him not to bite things open, so he'd only been able to head back to the island.

"So full," Curly Hair said.

He rarely encountered times when he was completely stuffed.

Fang Zhao also had no way of seeing the chests without any diving equipment and could only make guesses through Curly Hair's descriptions.

Curly Hair was unable to discern when the submarine sank, and Fang Zhao had no way of sketching an approximation. Thus, with insufficient information, he could only wait for Curly Hair's next trip to provide more clues.

The effects after Curly Hair had eaten his fill was very noticeable.

Curly Hair had been totally unable to control his sudden transformations at the beginning. Now, he was vaguely conscious of the feeling. Whenever, he felt the transformation coming, he would try to avoid any unnecessary damage. Thus, he didn't add too many extra holes to the island.

However, the transformations were becoming more frequent and intense.

Fang Zhao had told Curly Hair to run into the ocean anytime he felt a transformation about to take place. He didn't want aircraft patrols or satellites detecting abnormal energy surges. Curly Hair didn't mind.

In the following month, Curly Hair ran out a few more times and swallowed the remaining chests inside the sunken submarine,

With the additional information from each expedition, Fang Zhao could more or less ascertain that it was a "T" Organization submarine sunk by the Yanzhou Navy about a hundred years ago. It was rumored that this sunken submarine carried at least eight tons of Grade A power ore…

Many people had attempted to find the submarine for the eight tons of Grade A power ore. However, their efforts had proved futile. It was easy to be swallowed by the undercurrents or get attacked by deep sea creatures. Rumors said that the area was also a zone with magnetic anomalies. Communications would suffer from interference, and diving gear could malfunction.

It really wasn't worth risking so much for a tale that wasn't necessarily true.

Gradually, people forgot about the sunken submarine and the fabled eight tons of Grade A power ore.

Fang Zhao fell silent as he thought back on why the Yanzhou Navy had mobilized during that time.

He was filled with complex sentiments.

Chapter 456: Tiny Remote Islands Have Lousy Signal

Curly Hair didn't have too many other ideas. After he'd finished all eight chests, he returned a few times to search for similar chests but to no avail.

Fang Zhao had told him not to casually eat the deep sea creatures there. Scaring them was fine, but eating wasn't. Thus, Curly Hair left, but not before biting a few more chunks from the submarine wreckage. The power core was especially tasty.

——

Above the submarine wreckage, three fully armed submersibles cautiously made their way towards this area that people termed the Devil's Trench.

They had indeed experienced multiple instances of communications interference as they approached the fabled abyss of danger. Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any strong undercurrents during this time.

The stifling environment at the sea floor left the crew uneasy and fearful of this unknown world.

Humankind had already headed into outer space and stepped foot on other planets. However, they still hadn't throughly conquered the ocean. Many areas in the deep sea still hid their secrets.

"We've reached the middle without any issue… If there is nothing wrong with the map, we will reach the target soon."

"No dangers discovered. Looks like luck is with us today."

They had never imagined to find success on the first try. This was an exploratory operation. Who would be willing to brave the dangers here if they weren't forced to do so?

But, it was strange. Their three bionic torpedoes seemed to have suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth.

The three torpedo attacks had failed, leaving them ever more apprehensive of Yanzhou's coastal defenses.

Seriously, their interceptions were so strong it made their hairs stand on end!

Not even a ripple remained!

The "T" branches in other regions had immediately stopped with the bionic torpedo plan and instead discreetly researched the current state-of-the-art in interception technology.

They had reason to suspect that the imitation biotechnology method stolen from the military had a bug. Maybe the military had planned for them to steal it!

Unfortunately, they had sacrificed many lives and revealed many of their bases to seize this imitation biotechnology.

Now, it even seemed like this was all a plan to target them!

How crafty!

Those here had no choice but to change their original plans. The organization's higher-ups were already dissatisfied with the Yanzhou division. If they weren't able to make any results, they would suffer disastrous consequences within the organization.

They desperately needed to prove themselves through a successful attack.

After losing three precious bionic torpedoes, their commanders had temporarily cut a large portion of their funding, recalled all bionic torpedoes and halted the plan. It seemed like they had been left out to dry.

"T" Organization's Yanzhou division chief was so worried lately that he had started balding.

Originally, they had wanted to just blow up a densely populated place with less security such as Yanzhou's commercial districts.

But, they were worried about ruining the organization's other plans. They knew that "T" had a lot of plans, but they just weren't in the know. Since the various divisions operated independently, their division didn't have the bigger picture.

Furthermore, the Yanzhou Military District was watching them very carefully. They would likely be stopped before even getting close to any commercial areas.

With limited options, the Yanzhou division could only search for other means to earn merit such as finding resources.

The Yanzhou division chief ultimately placed his sights on the submarine that had sunk more than a hundred years ago. One of his seniors had been in charge of transporting the power ore. Unfortunately, the crew had encountered the Yanzhou Navy and hadn't been able to escape. In the end, the submarine had been sunk. Not a single crewmember had survived.

Eight tons of Grade A power ore had sunk into the ocean.

Eight tons!

How much time and effort had been spent to collect eight tons of Grade A power ore?!

And it had all f*cking sunk!!

This incident had also been a huge blow to the organization, leaving them very dispirited. The organization had been forced into a period of quiet recovery.

After that, the organization no longer transported more than two tons of power ore at once. Grade A power ore was also transported separately.

What was more, the event was a result of pure misfortune. The plan itself was sound, but the Yanzhou Navy had been holding an impromptu training exercise. Reportedly, this impromptu exercise was a special commemoration for the death anniversary of some Yanzhou bigwig from the Period of Destruction after many years.

They hadn't received any information beforehand and had been stunned by the news.

F*cking Yanzhou Navy!

Who was that Period of Destruction hero? Something Fang?

Who the hell cared. He was long dead and gone.

It was rumored that there had been many plans to blow up that person's grave at the Cemetery for Martyrs, but those bunch of cemetery guards were too hard to deal with. None of the plans ever succeeded.

Because of their long-standing grudges, every newly appointed Yanzhou division chief would receive a mission to blow up graves in the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs, especially the one for the Fang guy.

In a certain hidden underground hideout, "T" Organization's Yanzhou division chief was directing the salvage operation with a gloomy look on his face.

Normally, he wouldn't stake so much on a sunken submarine lost over a hundred years ago, but he really didn't have any other alternatives.

The price of A-grade power ore had fallen quite a bit with the discovery of new power orde deposits, but these eight tons would still be worth around fourteen billion.

Fortunately, communications technology had advanced quickly. Even though the salvage operation experienced some interference a few times, it was still overall quite smooth. They had managed to approach the objective without any strong undercurrents or deep sea creature attacks. The chief thought to himself that even the heavens were helping him!

"Stay vigilant for attacks from giant deep sea creatures."

"Understood! But boss, are there really giant creatures of legend here?" one of the men in the submersibles asked.

"I don't know."

"The area we are close to is very peaceful. Perhaps there aren't even any fish at this depth, let alone deep sea monsters. It is all just a dead zone. Documentaries have only managed to capture some indistinct shadows. Who knows if these fabled monsters actually exist? Some even suspect those documentaries to be faked."

Though they agreed outwardly, deep down, they still believed the existence of the deep sea monsters.

The men inside the three submersibles raised their level of vigilance.

"Found it! The sunken submarine!"

The submarine that had lain there for over a hundred years no longer held the same structure.

"Find the ore first!" An impatient voice sounded through the communications device.

"Got it, Boss!"

The men within the three submersibles were also excited. Eight tons of A-grade power ore. This was worth over fourteen billion!

They could rest easy after this was done!

As planned, one submersible was for ore extraction, and the other two were for protection.

Just that….

"Boss, there aren't any readings of ore."

"The cases used to store the ore are made of special materials that make the ore difficult to detect. Go search for those cases. Eight tons of ore should be stored in at least eight cases."

After a while, the extraction team reported back.

"Boss, the submarine looks to have sustained heavy damage. Only the wreckage remains. The edges of the severed portions are uneven… like they've been bitten by a dog."

"Not a funny joke." The voice over the comms was icy cold. Clearly, their chief wasn't in a good mood.

"Chief, they really do like bite marks. There really are giant deep sea monsters!!" The man in the submersible was fearful. If something could chomp the submarine into this state, wouldn't crushing their submersibles be very easy?

Honestly speaking, they were more willing to blow up Yanzhou's cemetery than stay here to feed the fishes.

"Find the cases!" A stern shout came through the comms.

"Yes!"

In the end, the attraction of "eight tons of A-grade power ore" was stronger than the fear of "giant deep sea monsters".

However…

"Chief, we can't find any cases! It's empty here. A whole chunk of the submarine is missing! The power cores have also vanished! It looks… looks like something bit through it recently."

"…"

Heavy breathing could be heard on the other end of the comms. The chief was probably livid.

He felt that everything was going against him.

"Look again! Search the vicinity! See whether there are any… Bzz… traces… Bzz Bzz…"

"What did you say, Chief? That wasn't clear!"

There was nothing but static. However, they didn't panic. They had experienced some communications instability earlier. It would come back.

But, after a while, they still had nothing but static. In fact, the submersibles' control systems began encountering issues as well.

This time, the men in the submersibles all panicked.

"Retreat, retreat, retreat! Quickly withdraw! Regroup in the shallows!!"

The submersibles were losing more and more control, and their movements became erratic.

As the submersible began pumping water out of the ballast tanks to rise, all instruments suddenly stopped working, as if there was a power failure.

A shrill ringing sound echoed, and the crewmembers' visions went blurry.

——

Elsewhere, Fang Zhao was on a call with Nanfeng.

Nanfeng was reporting some recent matters to Fang Zhao. He had received many requests for collaboration ranging from variety shows, news interviews, and others. Fang Zhao's decision was needed for whether to accept or decline them.

Ever since Fang Zhao moved to the island, Nanfeng's duties had become more important. However, he had no complaints and instead was rather happy about it. Fang Zhao had given him another salary raise, but that wasn't the only reason he was happy. Most importantly, Nanfeng had made connections with many other important people. This would benefit his future professional path.

"Then, I will reject the variety program and only accept Yanzhou Television Station's interview program. As for the collaborations… Bzz Bzz…"

Nanfeng heard some static before the communications were completely cut.

Nanfeng turned to Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. "I already said it, the signal on those remote islands is too lousy."

Nanfeng, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were worried about losing contact with Fang Zhao and wanted to head over to take a look. However, they received a notice from Yanzhou's Coastal Monitoring Station saying that a mild earthquake had occurred in a nearby marine trench causing serious magnetic anomalies. They asked people to avoid this stretch temporarily.

Thus, the three of them couldn't do anything but sit tight and wait.

A mild earthquake wasn't much, but magnetic anomalies were troublesome. The degree of severity of the anomalies was uncertain, and they weren't willing to risk malfunctions while flying over.

"Sigh, the city is great. Why did boss want to move to a tiny island?"

At this moment, on the tiny island.

After the communications were cut, Fang Zhao discovered that a familiar flickering was appearing on all display screens.

Fang Zhao stepped out of the room and gazed towards the ocean.

What sort of changes were happening now?

Chapter 457: Dogs Also Need Goals

The interference continued for close to two hours before disappearing. After one of Nanfeng's calls finally came through, Fang Zhao confirmed that he was safe. However, he didn't want Nanfeng and the other two to come over.

Instead of returning to the house, Fang Zhao sat on a beach rock, skimming over the reports about the oceanic magnetic anomaly.

There were currently no casualties or deaths. The earthquake was rather weak, and the center of the magnetic blast was uninhabited. Many people saw the news and didn't give it another thought.

As he browsed through the news, Fang Zhao heard the sound of rushing water.

Fang Zhao wasn't concerned and stood up for a better look.

Splash——

A dog charged onto shore. Perhaps due to speed or excitement, the dog tumbled a few times before coming to a stop.

Curly Hair shook off the water and sand on his body before running over to Fang Zhao. He wagged his tail excitedly.

Fang Zhao saw that Curly Hair didn't have any injuries and patted his head. "Had your fill?"

"Yeah!"

That "yeah" was so full of vigor and delight.

"What happened? You caused quite some ruckus this time." Fang Zhao showed the news articles regarding this incident to Curly Hair.

Curly Hair had a guilty conscience when he saw those news pieces but lightened up after discovering that nothing too serious had happened.

"Can you change form now?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yes!" Curly Hair said with confidence.

Fang Zhao didn't let Curly Hair transform here. Even though there were no other people on the island, the previous incident with the magnetic anomaly had resulted in tighter satellite surveillance. They needed to be more careful.

"Let's go into the ocean."

Fang Zhao changed into his diving attire. With some equipment in tow, he swam into the ocean.

He wanted to prevent satellite monitoring and the destruction of his electronics on the island. He didn't have enough spares.

After moving some distance away, Fang Zhao dove deep underwater and motioned for Curly Hair to transform.

Sunlight shone through the ocean's surface. Even little bits of floating plankton could be seen.

Fishes of all shapes and sizes were swimming around leisurely.

Suddenly, there was a ripple, and all the fishes scattered.

A huge creature with a cold metallic sheen appeared.

Blue light reflected off the creature.

The uncertain light and shadows from the waves produced an ethereal sight.

The creature still had two ears, four limbs, a tail, sharp teeth… Fang Zhao could still roughly discern a dog's form.

Fang Zhao ran his hand over the legs.

With a mouth of that size, swallowing a human whole was indeed easy.

Fang Zhao stared bewilderedly at this strange form before him. He had never imagined that a small dog-sized organism could become this sort of metallic-looking new life form. The instant when Curly Hair had transformed, Fang Zhao had even heard the high-pitched whirring of machinery.

Fang Zhao waited for the new form to stabilize before turning on his underwater communications device.

"Very magnificent. Can it be smaller?"

"I don't think… so?" Curly Hair tilted his head and thought about it. "Currently no, not sure in the future. I can now control my transformation! But I can't maintain it for long."

He added, "I won't need to eat a lot as long as I don't assume this form!"

In Curly Hair's opinion, he wouldn't become hungry as long as he didn't transform. This way, he could save on dog feed!

Curly Hair quickly reverted to the little dog and paddled happily beside Fang Zhao. He felt that he had finally solved a huge problem. No longer would he have to be so worried anymore!

Fang Zhao still had many questions, but this wasn't an appropriate place to have a proper conversation.

They returned to shore and entered the house before Curly Hair told Fang Zhao about the cause of the recent incident.

"There weren't any cases to eat. After nibbling on the submarine, I searched along that trench and smelled food in the deeper area so I dug it up to eat."

"Food? What did it look like?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Looked like a rock. It was white and round, about the size of a football." Curly Hair didn't remember anything else. At that time, he had simply gobbled it up without paying too much attention because he'd been hungry.

Fang Zhao guessed that it might have been a new type of power ore. Perhaps it even had a higher energy level than A grade power ore. Potentially, that rock had come from outer space.

There had been many falling meteorites during the Period of Destruction. Some of them would have contained power ore.

Fang Zhao was more inclined to believe it was from outer space.

But, it was now difficult to verify the origins of the rock since Curly Hair had swallowed it. It didn't matter though; everything was fine as long as the rock was beneficial to Curly Hair.

"Did you discover other rocks like this?" Fang Zhao asked.

"No! Just one." Curly Hair was a little sad because of this. If there were more of these rocks, he wouldn't need Fang Zhao to spend money on dog food. Also, he'd be able to play around in both forms every day.

Unfortunately, the number of things that could fill him up in one mouthful was very limited.

Fang Zhao wasn't concerned and instead asked about the cause of the magnetic anomaly and earthquake.

Curly Hair carefully glanced at Fang Zhao and slightly lowered his head. "I ate too much and couldn't control myself."

After gnawing on the submarine's power core and swallowing a high grade ore, Curly Hair had become aware of his form change. So, he'd found somewhere to hide while time passed.

"I tried to control my transformation and didn't expect I would completely transform or cause any disturbance. I checked my surroundings though; no one was around, just a few fishes."

Curly Hair's eyes then lit up as he recalled something. "Some time after my transformation, I discovered that there were three diving machines not too far away. There were people inside so I sent them to the nearest naval warships! I secretly dragged the diving machines over and wasn't discovered!"

At that moment, Fang Zhao received a notification. He clicked and opened it.

It was a news report about a Yanzhou Navy patrol detecting three submersibles. The crew was confirmed to be part of the "T" Organization. Furthermore, they had confirmed that the submersibles had been at the center of the earthquake and magnetic blast.

Thus, the "T" Organization became the prime suspects behind the magnetic anomalies.

Fang Zhao had mixed feelings watching Curly Hair scratching himself with his hind leg without a clue. After a while, he said, "Well done this time!"

Curly Hair immediately perked up and wagged his tail. He gazed at Fang Zhao expectantly. "Then can I… I… have a gaming console?"

"Sure."

Actually, Fang Zhao had already made preparations.

Fang Zhao brought out two boxes.

The first box contained a gaming helmet.

Curly Hair's eyes lit up as he watched Fang Zhao bring out the brand new gaming helmet.

An actual gaming helmet! Not a fraudulent learning console!

Fang Zhao then opened the second box. This one was smaller than the first.

Inside was a bracelet shaped personal terminal engraved with little dogs.

Curly Hair's attention shifted away from the gaming console to the brand new personal terminal.

This was the personal terminal he had dreamed about for such a long time!!!

Curly Hair licked his lips, wagging his tail excitedly.

"Which do you want? You can only choose one," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair's gaze alternated between the gaming console and the personal terminal. He whimpered in indecision.

"Actually, there is another problem," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair's clear and innocent dog eyes widened as he gazed at Fang Zhao pitifully.

"Whichever it is, it wouldn't survive for long," Fang Zhao said.

"Impossible!" Curly Hair guarded his possessions well. The hated learning console was still around.

"Each time you transform, the interference affects all electronics. In serious cases, they're rendered unusable."

Curly Hair no longer said anything and became depressed.

"However," Fang Zhao continued. "I see that you have improved a lot recently. Initially, you had no control over your transformations. Now, you're able to completely control a full body transformation. I believe that you have the capabilities to transform without causing electrical interference."

Curly Hair regained his confidence when he heard what Fang Zhao said.

Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair time to make his choice. During this time, he had to figure out how to control the magnetic interference.

Curly Hair quickly entered a new training phase.

Dogs also needed to have goals. Only with goals would there be motivation and direction.

Otherwise, he would only think about eating, sleeping and gaming.

Fang Zhao rearranged the storage space to be able to fit Curly Hair's transformed form. Even if Curly Hair accidentally transformed, the house wouldn't be destroyed.

Curly Hair practiced swallowing cans of dog food, fruits, bones and other foods everyday. Each time he swallowed, he tried to control and minimize interference.

After his control over transformations had improved, Curly Hair could limit his transformation to only his head. While the electric interference wasn't as strong, it still fried any close-by electronics.

Fang Zhao returned the dressing mirror to the storage space for Curly Hair's use.

Curly Hair would occasionally look in the mirror to see his new form when he transformed. It was his only way to examine his new form.

After settling matters with Curly Hair, Fang Zhao contacted Nanfeng and the others to replenish supplies. Even though there were lots of fish in the ocean and possibly power ore in the depths, there was still a need to keep some supplies ready.

Nanfeng and the other two were rather baffled upon receiving the order. Fang Zhao had really requested too much this time. The cans of dog food were understandable. Those were for Curly Hair.

But, the list also contained so much fruit, meat, and compressed biscuits. Could Fang Zhao even finish them as the only person on the island?

While glancing at the grocery list, Nanfeng said to Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, "I suspect that boss is secretly keeping a shark… or perhaps some other sort of fish? Well, judging by the quantity, maybe he doesn't only have one."

Chapter 458: A Dog That Knows How To Bring Its Owner A Bone Is A Good Dog

Nanfeng and the other two didn't want to dig into their boss's secrets for fear of losing their jobs.

When the three of them brought supplies, Curly Hair wasn't training in the storehouse. Instead, he was lying on the sofa watching TV.

Having finished stocking up, Nanfeng turned around to look and chuckled. "Watching TV again, little Curly Hair?"

With their work all finished, Nanfeng stretched his back, then ran over to the sofa and watched television together with Curly Hair.

A program involving dogs was currently airing. A dog owner was currently showing his dog.

"Dog and land; I can tell with one look that the owner is from Muzhou," Nanfeng commented while sipping water.

"Oh, look, that shepherd dog is even bringing a present to his owner! Look how much the dog owner is smiling! Let me tell you this, little Curly Hair, a dog who knows how to bring his owner a bone is a good dog. When will you bring one to your owner? Your owner will definitely be delighted!"

Nanfeng said all this without much thought. He knew that Curly Hair's IQ was probably similar to a toddler. He probably could only understand some simple words and orders. He didn't expect Curly Hair to fully understand his offhand comments

However, Curly Hair's ears twitched. He glanced at Nanfeng, then returned to lying on the sofa. He watched the currently airing program a little more closely.

"Boss, the supplies have all been stocked. I've already sent you the electronic inventory. Please check it when you can," Zuo Yu said to Fang Zhao.

"Thanks for your hard work."

"Do you want us to bring a housekeeping robot next time? It can clean, cook and even chat with you," Yan Biao suggested.

"There's no need for the time being." Fang Zhao shook his head. He didn't want to rely on too many electric appliances until Curly Hair could control his interference ability.

After a while, Nanfeng and the other two left.

Curly Hair immediately got up and shouted, "I'm going out for a bit!"

"Going far?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Not far, just swimming near the island." Curly Hair looked around but didn't look straight at Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao frowned and knew right away that this dog had something on his mind. Nevertheless, he still said, "Go on."

"Woof! I will be back shortly!" Curly Hair scampered off.

Fang Zhao wanted to go over and see what this dog was up to, but a call interrupted him.

It was Mo Lang.

After graduating from HuangArt's advanced course, Fang Zhao had kept in touch with Mo Lang. They frequently contacted each other.

Fang Zhao returned to the house to answer the call. The wind outside was a little strong and would cause too much noise.

Mo Lang first asked if Fang Zhao had encountered any difficulties and if he had been affected by the magnetic anomaly. He advised Fang Zhao to hire more people. The Yanzhou Navy had recently apprehended a few terrorists, and Mo Lang was worried about Fang Zhao's safety.

Of course, that wasn't the only reason Mo Lang had called. Besides worrying about Fang Zhao's safety, he also called to inform Fang Zhao of an important piece of news.

"There is a very important concert where only very renowned musicians are invited. The organizers think highly of you. Do you want to go?"

Fang Zhao recalled an evaluation committee member mentioning a very important concert. Unfortunately, it wasn't the kind that was public.

"Who are the organizers?" Fang Zhao asked.

"The military, but the concert venue is a little far."

"I'll go."

Mo Lang smiled. He was very satisfied with Fang Zhao's reply.

"This type of concert will benefit you in the future. Someone will contact you within a week. You can directly ask him any questions you might have. You still have about a month's time to arrange matters here on Earth."

"Alright."

A month should probably be enough.

Fang Zhao understood that Mo Lang meant the concert was held on a foreign planet. As for where, Fang Zhao currently had no idea. However, he was certain that he wouldn't just be leaving for a couple of days if he participated in this concert. He was somewhat concerned with leaving Curly Hair alone, but bringing him along to the concert venue had risks too.

If Curly Hair could control his electrical interference, then Fang Zhao would bring him along.

Of course, he had to inform the organizers beforehand that he intended to bring a dog.

Even if a dog couldn't be brought, Curly Hair wouldn't be easily exposed as long as he could control his ability.

With a gaming helmet and personal terminal as motivation, Curly Hair's progress over these few days was very obvious. He had already managed to limit his interference to within the boundaries of the storehouse. Electrical appliances beyond the storehouse were rarely affected, if at all.

Fang Zhao spoke with Mo Lang some more. After ending the call, Fang Zhao looked at the time. His call with Mo Lang had taken half an hour.

Curly Hair hadn't returned yet.

"Curly Hair?"

Fang Zhao walked out the house and shouted a few times.

He didn't hear any response.

He concentrated and listened even more closely.

He could faintly hear a trembling that sounded like someone digging a hole underwater nearby the island.

Fang Zhao didn't bother calling anymore. He sat down by the shore and opened up an e-book to read.

He was reading what Muzhou people proclaimed as a legendary work——"Su Mu Talks Dogs".

It was written by an old comrade he knew during the Period of Destruction.

As the leader of the Muzhou battlefront, Su Mu's influence had been considerable. His views and stories had been gathered by Muzhou people and compiled into books.

"Su Mu Talks Dogs". This book was Su Mu's views about how to raise dogs. Of course, only parts of it were quotes by Su Mu. The rest was just analysis by other people later on. The early Muzhou people were a large reason that Muzhou people today loved dogs so much.

Su Mu was the first known person to raise a dog on the battlefield during the Period of Destruction.

Fang Zhao felt that he should learn from his old comrade who had a wealth of experience raising dogs.

Curly Hair was still a dog. Even if he became a mechanical dog, his core wouldn't change.

As he was reading, Fang Zhao heard the activity of Curly Hair coming ashore.

Curly Hair sprung out from the ocean and didn't even bother to shake himself dry. He trotted over with a bone even bigger than his head.

Fang Zhao's eyes widened when he saw that bone.

Curly Hair held the bone as gently as possible in his mouth to avoid breaking it. He looked like a sea lion balancing a ball as he came over with the bone that was five or six times larger than him.

Curly Hair put the piece of broken bone down in front of Fang Zhao.

Both teeth marks and cracks covered the bone. For a dog that could bite through the hull of a submarine, this was a considerable feat of restraint already.

Curly Hair finally relaxed after putting the bone down and shook off all the sea water on him.

"This bone is so soft and almost crumbles on contact! It's not as hard as seafloor rocks even though it was stuck in one. I saw bones inside rocks the last time I went to play and dig around in the ocean, but they aren't very nice to eat. They don't satisfy my hunger either. However, these bones are really huge! Really huge!" Curly Hair wagged his tail and looked towards Fang Zhao, clearly pleased with himself.

The bone he brought back was much larger than the bones he'd seen those Muzhou dogs bring back on television!

"Really impressive!" Fang Zhao rubbed Curly Hair's head and picked up the broken bone.

This bone wasn't the full piece. It had been broken by Curly Hair, and some crystalized granules could be seen inside the chipped section.

There definitely was a part of the bone that was still attached to the rock. Curly Hair couldn't possibly be that meticulous in excavating the bone.

Some fine lines could be seen in the bone. They looked like blood vessels.

Fossil!

This bone was a fossil of some organism that had lived many hundreds, thousands or millions of years ago!

The calamities and the Hundred Year War during the Period of Destruction had destroyed too many things. Survival had been the only objective. Anything else could be tossed aside for its sake.

After the Period of Destruction had ended, culture of the New Era began to flourish. Some became obsessed with those huge prehistoric creatures. They also started trying to unearth remnants of the past. Most of the time, they would find some fragments. Complete skeletons were rare and often became treasures of museums. These excavators would boast about them for years to come.

Most huge skeletons were replicas created from surviving records of the Old Era. Those that were created using technological methods were not real fossil specimens!

And, according to fossil transactions of the past twenty years, a tooth of a carnivorous dinosaur from seventy million years ago was worth as much as a 100 square meter apartment in the heart of Yanzhou's Qi'an City!

"Curly Hair, you've funded all your dog food."

Chapter 459: Ability To Dominate Headlines Is Really Beyond Exceptional

Curly Hair didn't really understand what Fang Zhao meant by that. He didn't think the bone was nice to eat. Neither was it very filling. However, he could tell that Fang Zhao was very happy with this "present".

While waiting for Fang Zhao to continue praising him, he heard Fang Zhao say, "Curly Hair, if you are able to control your interference to not affect electronic devices within a meter, you can have both the personal terminal and gaming helmet."

Curly Hair was momentarily stunned from this surprise. He immediately jumped up and down while wagging his tail. "For real?"

"Mmhm. Starting from now."

Curly Hair immediately sprang off to the storehouse to practice.

Fang Zhao packed the broken fossil bone away, put on his diving equipment and went into the sea to where Curly Hair had dug the hole.

The surrounding waters near the island weren't too deep. There were many traces of a dog digging around here. Even since they had moved over, Curly Hair would frequently dig for things to play with in the surrounding waters.

The entrance of the hole Curly Hair had dug was really small and could only fit Curly Hair. Rather than widening the hole, Fang Zhao brought out a small energy radio transmitter.

Without specialized equipment, Fang Zhao could only rely on his own hearing abilities to discern the composition of the rock strata.

Fang Zhao's brain was like an imaging device as he approximately mapped out the general structure of the strata after carefully listening to the changes in sound waves.

There were many things in the rock strata that could add noise, but Fang Zhao had a basic understanding already.

After going ashore, Fang Zhao made some notes before bringing excavation equipment.

For now, he wasn't going to use those tools to excavate the fossil of a giant creature that had been buried for god-knows-how-many-years. He was first going to cover up Curly Hair's leftover traces to ensure they didn't attract any unwanted attention.

This was Fang Zhao's project over the next few days. Fortunately, the creature buried beneath was large enough and a portion of it could be excavated directly from the island.

Meanwhile, the dual incentives of gaming console and personal terminal made Curly Hair's training progress at lightning speed. It took not even a week for Curly Hair to cut down the interference range to be limited to within a meter of himself. After that, he ran impatiently to Fang Zhao to collect his reward.

Gaming console!

Personal terminal!

I have waited for so long!

It's great without needing to choose between the two!

Fang Zhao also didn't lie to Curly Hair. After checking that Curly Hair had met the requirements, he handed over the gaming helmet and personal terminal. He even customized the personal terminal from its form as a watch into a dog collar for Curly Hair to put around his neck.

"You can use them when you want, but stay away from them when you transform. Remember to remove your personal terminal before you transform," Fang Zhao said as he helped put the personal terminal around Curly Hair's neck.

"Awoo!" Curly Hair replied.

He would pay special attention even if Fang Zhao hadn't reminded him. This was a reward he had achieved through so much painstaking effort! How could he not properly take care of his own first-ever gaming console and personal terminal!?

After putting on the special neck strap, Curly Hair ran to the mirror in the storehouse and spent a good two hours admiring himself.

He was familiar with gaming helmets, but this was his first time experiencing a personal terminal. The interface was very easy to use, and he had memorized the electronic manual Fang Zhao had given him. He no longer needed to look for Fang Zhao and could instead talk to him via the personal terminal.

When Curly Hair ran to the storehouse's mirror, Fang Zhao received a notification containing a guide: "Managing Personal Terminal Usage for Kids". He deleted it.

Curly Hair had only needed five days to decrease his interference range to within one meter. Curly Hair's control of his own body had exceeded Fang Zhao's expectations. Fang Zhao would have to set the bar higher in the future.

After settling the matter with Curly Hair, Fang Zhao contacted Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao. He immediately started a conference call.

Nanfeng and the others didn't dare delay to respond. They dropped everything they were doing and headed online to await their boss's commands.

The three were making guesses. Their boss generally contacted them once a week, but it had only been five days this time. Could the island supplies need replenishing again?

They felt this was rather unlikely since the previous shipment was so large it could probably last Fang Zhao a whole month.

What happened this time?

But, when they came online, their boss didn't seem too anxious.

Or… was he finally going to reveal his secrets? For example, owning a shark on the island?

The three of them set their doubts aside and waited for Fang Zhao to talk.

"Curly Hair brought a bone," Fang Zhao said.

Nanfeng said excitedly, "Our little Curls has learned to bring back bones!"

Zuo Yu ignored Nanfeng's idiocy. "Boss, is it human or animal bone?"

Only then did Nanfeng realize the possibilities. "Right, did something happen?"

According to the island purchase control, the island was clean. There had never been any accidents or deaths on the island since the previous owner had bought it. After all, the previous owner hadn't really lived on the island. There had only been simple modifications and the construction of the house.

Unless… was there some malicious activity that the previous owner didn't know about?

Fang Zhao wouldn't go as far to contact them if it was merely the bone of some bird or animal.

The three of them saw that Fang Zhao didn't seem alarmed and patiently waited for Fang Zhao to continue.

Fang Zhao continued normally, "Preliminary evaluation is that this is a fossilized bone from a large creature millions of years ago, maybe even hundreds of millions of years ago."

The three: "…"

Sounds of sharp inhaling ensued.

"Fo… fo… fo… fossil?" Zuo Yu stammered.

Yan Biao didn't understand much about fossils and was still rather unperturbed…

Like hell!

"Is it a dinosaur?! Those huge creatures that existed a long long time ago?!!" As a dinosaur fanatic, Yan Biao was itching to fly over immediately. He had loved listening to dinosaur stories when he was young! He had even fantasized about being a dinosaur hunter too!

"Not necessarily a dinosaur. It might be some sort of marine reptile," Fang Zhao said.

"Those are still dinosaurs in my book!" Yan Biao didn't care about the specifics of dinosaurs. Whether they were land or sea dwellers, those creatures from that period were all dinosaurs in his eyes!

Yan Biao convinced Fang Zhao to send him a few more photos of the fossil bone. "This bone is huge! Surely, this is a big fella! Boss, you can't dig it out alone. I'll head over and help you right away!"

On the other hand, Nanfeng appeared to be searching for something online in silence. After a while, when Zuo Yu and Yan Biao calmed down, Nanfeng spoke.

"Boss! I just checked the relevant laws and consulted a few authoritative lawyers. In the last five hundred years, fossils are considered tradable goods. Anything dug up on a private island belongs to the island owner! Boss!! You are rich!!!"

Nanfeng's voice even cracked towards the end. Clearly, he was very excited at this moment.

Private islands were typically all surveyed before going onto the market. However, the examinations in the early days had been mainly to check whether there was power ore or lingering contagions or dangerous creatures that survived from the Period of Destruction. The island Fang Zhao had bought was no exception. There was no need to think about power ore because it would have already been excavated a long time ago. If it hadn't, the island wouldn't have even been on the market.

Thus, private islands without power were standard goods and included everything on the island.

Fossils were a huge deal to the New Era's research in archeology and biology and collectors. Despite the decrease in fossil discovery year over year, interest in it never waned.

Actually, there were countless fossils of organisms such as bugs and plants that survived millions of years. These could still be found even after the Period of Destruction. However, mankind still had a special fondness towards dinosaurs. However, there weren't many dinosaur fossils.

Who could have imagined that a small and remote island would actually hide fossils of ancient creatures from hundreds of millions of years ago?

Fossil!

A real fossil!!

Unlike the other three who were clearly worked up, Fang Zhao calmly made arrangements for the excavation of this fossil.

A professional team was still needed to excavate the fossil.

Thus, Fang Zhao took a photo of the fossilized bone and a video clip of its location to upload to his various social media platforms. He appended a message saying that he was looking for a professional excavation team.

Fang Zhao's personal terminal buzzed nonstop after he posted this. Top researchers always had ways to obtain his personal number, while various media outlets tried to interview him.

On this day, many people were shocked by the news headlines.

"Fossil? Like a fossil of those… prehistoric giants in our textbooks? For real? This isn't just for publicity?"

"Those bones that have already been dug out are rather large, and there are still remaining parts that haven't been excavated. It is definitely huge!"

"Fang Zhao again? His ability to dominate headlines is really beyond exceptional."

"It was his dog that dug it out! I suspect that the bone covered in saliva that my dog brought to me yesterday was also a fossil! But I threw the bone into the garbage… Ah, I feel like I have lost many millions!"

…

Fang Zhao alone generated a lot of traffic. And, with dinosaur fossils having a special significance in the New Era, the whole world learned of this very quickly.

On some small island that Fang Zhao had recently purchased, his dog, yes, the one named Curly Hair with a value close to three hundred million, had dug up the bones of a dinosaur that had lived hundreds of millions of years ago.

This news was too huge and immediately galvanized the internet traffic of several circles.

Meanwhile, many professional excavation teams were flying towards Fang Zhao's little island.

Chapter 460: Bustling Island

After news of Fang Zhao's dinosaur fossil discovery broke, many island owners put their plans for selling their islands on hold. Instead, they contacted professional surveying teams to search their own islands and the surrounding seabeds.

Some even checked with three different teams for the surveying before giving up.

"Quick quick quick! See whether there are any buried fossils on the island I bought!"

In no time, the struggling ground surveying industry that had always been neglected was reinvigorated!

However, academic researchers still focused their full attention on Fang Zhao's little island. They didn't know whether there would be fossils on other islands, but the one on Fang Zhao's island was confirmed. It was a large one!

Thus, anxious island owners could only hire ground surveyors and other non-scientific teams. Although, some teams en route to Fang Zhao's island changed course for another island after being offered a large amount of money.

The most dejected was the previous owner who had sold Fang Zhao the island.

He knew very clearly all the flaws of that little island. Due to its remote location, it was hard to manage and remodeling incurred large transportation costs. With the previous market situation of islands, the previous owner had felt very happy getting rid of the inconvenience.

But, how long had passed after it was sold?

Had it even been half a month?

The previous island owner nearly coughed out blood when he saw the headlines. Regret turned quickly to depression.

However, business transactions were just like this. It was hard to say who would be the winners or losers. Yesterday, he was a big winner, but today, he discovered he had lost thoroughly. How many people were joking about the person who had sold the island to Fang Zhao?

The previous island owner felt his heart tighten each time he thought of the buried fossil.

How regrettable!

I should have just done another survey of the island back then!

Fang Zhao!

Treacherous!

Too treacherous!

I don't believe that you didn't know about this when you bought the island!

Surely he had rushed to buy the island because he knew there was a dinosaur fossil buried there!

Indeed, every action of Fang Zhao's had a purpose! Every single action had to be studied. Nobody knew what he was going to do next!

As news about Fang Zhao this time affected too many circles, discussion about this news could be heard around the world. Even Mo Lang, who didn't really pay much attention to news, also found out about it.

Mo Lang thought that Fang Zhao was making preparations for the concert on the small remote island. Yet, he had never imagined that Fang Zhao would be making waves after just a few days!

Mo Lang didn't feel at ease so he hurriedly called up Fang Zhao to remind him not to forget about the upcoming concert. The concert was extremely important and would concern his future prospects!

Fang Zhao hadn't forgotten about that important concert. While handling fossil matters, he had still been preparing for the concert.

Fang Zhao placated Mo Lang, and after ending the call, he saw Curly Hair coming over.

Curly Hair ran over to Fang Zhao and raised his chin to look up at Fang Zhao.

"The new collar is not bad. It looks good," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair yelped happily and said, "I will change a spot to dig for bones next time!"

"You like digging bones?" Fang Zhao asked.

"Yeap!" Curly Hair replied without any hesitation. He had gotten his gaming console from digging bones! Just digging out the broken half of a bone had earned him a gaming console and personal terminal. How great was that?!

Fang Zhao seemed to have thought of something. He nodded his head and said, "Good."

Originally, Fang Zhao had intended to sell the fossil off for dog food. But now that Curly Hair could control his transformations and find food in the ocean, Fang Zhao could cover Curly Hair's food costs as long as he didn't transform for too long.

There wasn't as much urgency to sell the fossil any longer. If Curly Hair found any other fossils or special items, he planned to keep them.

His old comrade Su Mu had said in his book, "Treat every present you receive earnestly." Fang Zhao found that these words made quite a lot of sense.

Perhaps he could build a personal collection room for Curly Hair to store the stuff he brought back.

The longer he thought about this, the more Fang Zhao felt this was a good idea.

Excavating bones would be better than playing games at home all day.

Fang Zhao had already told Curly Hair that there would be many strangers coming to the island. Curly Hair wasn't worried. He was already able to control his interference so he wouldn't suddenly transform and scare others. He wasn't concerned about accidentally revealing this.

However, with so many outsiders coming to his territory, Curly Hair decided that he would do more patrols, both on land and underwater!

"Is this personal terminal waterproof?" Curly Hair asked uneasily.

"Waterproof to a depth of two hundred meters," Fang Zhao said.

"Only two hundred meters?" Curly Hair decided not to wear it when he went into the ocean. It was better to be safe than sorry.

There was the sound of a flying transport landing. Curly Hair looked in the direction, then ran over.

It was Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yanbiao.

Nanfeng and the other two rushed over right away upon receiving Fang Zhao's call. Before landing, they saw that the northern part of the island was already riddled with holes.

But it was fine!

For the sake of excavating fossils, they wouldn't feel any heartache even if the entire island was dug out!

Nanfeng saw Curly Hair running towards them the moment they got off the flying transport.

Curly Hair raised his head to let them see the new personal terminal around his neck.

Nanfeng probably would have noticed it any other time, but now his mind was preoccupied with everything about dinosaur fossils. He didn't catch Curly Hair's subtle actions. Instead, Nanfeng was staring at Curly Hair as though he was a golden hen that laid golden eggs.

"Our little Curls has done a great deed! You can stand proud with your chest out! Well done, Curly Hair!" Nanfeng said excitedly.

Curly Hair watched him through his innocent black dog eyes.

Nanfeng then continued, "Your owner is going to be rich this time. That is a dinosaur fossil! And a humongous one at that. Millions of years ago, even ten little dogs like you wouldn't fill its mouth!"

Curly Hair glanced at them once more, then turned to leave.

Nanfeng didn't care about this. He first went to Fang Zhao to understand the situation. Then, he excavated two more fossil bones with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. He excitedly shared a lot of photographs with his friends and social media.

Since others were already on the way there, the three of them didn't have too much leisure time. After excavating the fossils and taking pretentious photos, all of them quickly got down to business.

It was possible that the fossil under Fang Zhao's island was the first complete fossil of a large prehistoric creature over twenty meters tall to be found in the five hundred years of the New Era. Its fascinating appeal drew in lots of teams and organizations.

However, the island was still Fang Zhao's personal property. The island and a small area of water around it was considered personal property of the owner. Fang Zhao could take action against trespassers.

Nanfeng was responsible for communicating with these parties.

Fang Zhao also employed some men to maintain order on the island and its surroundings. The Yanzhou Navy expressed that they would send a squadron to help.

There were too many people from all the various continents coming. The Yanzhou Navy couldn't ignore this. Even if the island's owner wasn't Fang Zhao, they would still help out.

Ever since Fang Zhao had sent out information that he was seeking cooperative partners, professional research teams had voluntarily requested to participate in this excavation operation. They were even willing to offer their services for free as long as Fang Zhao would allow them to participate. Some groups even set aside budgeting and made plans to fight for a slot.

Media outlets weren't willing to be left behind. Yanzhou Television Station even made an appointment to interview Fang Zhao.

This originally lonely island quickly became extremely lively. Some temporary housing facilities were built. Ships of all shapes and sizes appeared in the surrounding seas and were still increasing in number. For those that couldn't set foot on the island, they were still willing to live on ships.

Some even chartered boats to stay outside of the private waters.

There were also many flying transports in the sky. Since many of them didn't have authorization to land, they circled around in the sky. There were even some on board these flying transports using binoculars to observe or broadcasting to a live stream.

The competition between teams on the excavation operation was intense.

From all these groups, Fang Zhao chose twelve teams from each of twelve continents. The majority were research teams.

At first, the various teams weren't too pleased at sharing such a big project. However, they understood Fang Zhao's intent. Anyone who wasn't pleased could leave.

The teams and private organizations that weren't picked still hovered around, hoping to squeeze in should any team leave.

Thus, even if they were unwilling to share with others, those twelve teams still agreed. Nobody was willing to give up this opportunity, so they could only cooperate now.

Fortunately for them, Fang Zhao didn't take charge and give any orders. He said that he would leave the professionals to do what they were best at.

Fang Zhao also got to meet people from the Brian Family, the top collector in the entire world. They had taken the initiative to seek Fang Zhao out.

Fang Zhao had some impression of the Brian Family. This family had rose to prominence on the Huangzhou battlefield during the Period of Destruction. Now, Huangzhou possessed the largest private museum——Brian Museum.

The Brian Museum possessed the only Tyrannosaurus skull in the entire world as well as a complete and intact Velociraptor fossil.

Besides their rare and precious collections, the Brian Family was also famous for their people.

Regardless of whether they were men or women, members of the Brian Family were very attractive. However, people in the know knew that this family didn't actually care much about their appearance.

Sometime back, a family member nearly turned into a savage just for the sake of finding an insect amber from 100 million years ago.

The leader of the Brian Family delegation was also the Brian Museum's curator. He knew that it would be difficult for private teams to participate alone so he had contacted Huangzhou Museum to send an excavation team to cooperate with Fang Zhao.

He had sought out Fang Zhao in hopes of Fang Zhao renting out the dinosaur fossil to Brian Museum a month each year after it was excavated. It would be even better if they could purchase it directly, regardless of cost. However, Fang Zhao had explicitly told them that he wasn't selling when they had first arrived. Therefore, they could only settle for the next best thing which was to rent.

Fang Zhao still didn't want to talk about it now. "Let's discuss after excavation is complete."

He had to see the performances of these teams before deciding.

Different museums prioritized their collections differently based on their administrative capabilities. Fang Zhao didn't want this dinosaur fossil to be ruined by any careless museums.

The Brian Museum curator didn't count on Fang Zhao agreeing now. He just hoped that Fang Zhao could consider them first when looking for cooperative partners after the fossil was excavated. They had really shown him the greatest sincerity!

There were five people from the Brian Family that had come with the curator. Regardless of gender, they participated in the excavation work themselves. Their faces couldn't even be seen clearly with all the dirt and perspiration on them. However, the burning passion in their eyes was undeniable.

They didn't care about those cameras filming them. Nor did they bother about their appearances being shown to global audiences. After all, the operating style of their family was already well known.

Who cared about face? The important thing was the fossils!

With so many professional teams, work progressed quickly.

While the teams were busy excavating, Fang Zhao was being held up by reporters.

A reporter from Yanzhou Television was the first to arrive because of their geographical advantage.

"How did you discover the fossil initially? Was it really your dog who discovered it?" The reporter smiled as he watched the cute little dog squatting beside Fang Zhao.

"Yes, the first bone was dug out by him."

The camera turned to focus on Curly Hair. Curly Hair raised his head showing the neck strap as well as the personal terminal engraved with little dogs. He didn't let a single strand of fur cover it.

After filming the dog for a bit, the camera lenses turned back to Fang Zhao.

The reporter asked some questions the public was very curious about. For example, how had Curly Hair discovered the fossil buried underground?

Fang Zhao replied, "There was some construction carried out when the island was purchased. Because of this construction, some subterranean rock layers were exposed. Curly Hair dug out the bone from there."

Nanfeng and the others watching the interview: "…"

The boss even pushed this onto Curly Hair to play down his hearing ability?

Other people wouldn't know, but how could the three of them not? Since when had there been any large scale construction works on the island?

As for the reporter's question on why Fang Zhao would purchase this island, Fang Zhao just said that he wanted to find a quiet and peaceful place without many disturbances. Discovering the fossil was really down to luck.

Luck?

Most people didn't believe that.

Hehe, luck my *ss!

Does he still need to be secretive about those ears?!

Even though the reporter found this ridiculous, he still adopted an understanding expression and praised the obedient Curly Hair by Fang Zhao's side.

Curly Hair was especially delighted to receive praise from everyone!

After the interview concluded, Curly Hair ran all over the place to patrol his territory. When the interview was about to be aired, Curly Hair went to sit in front of the TV.

As Yanzhou's official television station, news was taken quite seriously. The original interview was broadcasted in its unedited form.

Curly Hair knew the camera had been on him for quite a few seconds. Even smaller new channels were in high definition now. No doubt Yanzhou's official television channel could capture him.

However, the personal terminal on the neck strap was blurred out, probably to prevent any product placement.

Curly Hair seated before the TV: "…"

Chapter 461: Watchdog

Curly Hair became listless from the mental blow of not being able to flaunt his neck strap.

When Fang Zhao returned from checking on the excavation teams, he saw Nanfeng anxiously talking to Curly Hair. However, Curly Hair was wandering around aimlessly with his head drooped.

Nanfeng hurriedly informed Fang Zhao of Curly Hair's abnormal behavior.

"Boss, does Curly Hair have an upset stomach? Perhaps he isn't used to too many strangers on the island? Or is he sick? He was still fine previously."

Fang Zhao took the leash and motioned to Nanfeng that he would take things from here.

Fang Zhao could roughly guess the reason for this mood when he brought Curly Hair back to the house.

"Curly Hair, I have an assignment for you," Fang Zhao said. Curly Hair would have less time to mull if he had something to do.

Curly Hair raised his head and looked towards Fang Zhao.

"A large warehouse has just been constructed on the southeast part of the island. The excavated fossils are all stored there. Help me go and guard it for a bit. Make sure nobody steals the fossils."

The prehistoric creature buried beneath the island was really huge. There would be some level of difficulty in excavation while minimizing damage to the fossils. Even though there were twenty teams, the excavation process would span more than a few days.

Fang Zhao had constructed a temporary warehouse at the southeast part of the island. Besides fossils, the excavation teams' equipment and resources were also kept there. It also had a temporary rest lounge.

Although a security system was already installed, Fang Zhao trusted Curly Hair's ability. Fang Zhao also took it as an opportunity to divert Curly Hair's attention.

There were too many people on the island as of late. In active areas, Curly Hair needed to be on leash at all times, so his activities were restricted. At least at the warehouse, Curly Hair didn't need to be leashed.

"If your performance is good, I will bring you to another planet to play shortly after," Fang Zhao said.

Curly Hair's eyes lit up immediately.

Curly Hair knew that Fang Zhao would be leaving to participate in a concert on a foreign planet soon and that there was no guarantee he would be brought along. Curly Hair was obviously delighted now when Fang Zhao said this.

Thus, when Nanfeng ended a call and walked back, he saw Curly Hair run like the wind into the warehouse enthusiastically.

"This is?" Nanfeng asked with a skeptical glance at Fang Zhao.

"Guarding the warehouse."

Fang Zhao greeted the staff working over at the warehouse and placed a sign at the entrance that said: Danger! No entry for non-staff!

Staff members going in and out of the warehouse raised their eyebrows when they saw the warning sign.

Danger?

What was dangerous?

Was such an intense tone warranted?

They had already been working here for two days. Why hadn't they discovered anything dangerous in the warehouse?

The only thing new was a little dog.

"The island owner's dog won't gnaw and damage the bones, right?" someone asked worriedly.

"It won't be able to reach the fossils if we place them on the shelves."

"Since Fang Zhao chose to let it in, he can bear the responsibility himself if anything happens."

Even if the staff of the warehouse didn't like to see a pet dog in such a place, Fang Zhao owned the island. What could they do about it?

Alright, you are the island owner, do as you wish.

Meanwhile, Curly Hair was in full work mode in the warehouse. Curly Hair took his duty very seriously to ensure Fang Zhao would bring him to another planet.

Curly Hair went around the insides of the warehouse once. Every nook and cranny was inspected. Even the tiniest of bugs weren't let off.

After the patrol was done, Curly Hair lay down outside the doors of the warehouse, watching the staff members going in and out. As a serious watchdog, he neither barked nor ran around.

At this time, a yacht was moored a short distance away from the island. There were many other boats trying to get in on the excitement so this yacht wasn't really conspicuous.

"Successfully infiltrated the island. This imitation biotech's camouflage is really good! Looks like we didn't spend the big bucks in vain. That seller didn't lie to us!"

"The manual says that this is the latest in imitation biotechnology that can bypass most civilian security systems. It is really good, but it's pretty expensive and its lifetime is unknown. Almost all of our budget went into this. Unfortunately, because of its small size, it can only fit around twenty kilograms.

"I'm not greedy; just a small bone will do. One or two bones missing from such a huge skeleton wouldn't be noticed."

"Me too, just a tiny bone is enough to satisfy me."

"Let's split the money from the sale!"

"There are guards on night duty in the warehouse. We have to be extra careful."

"Relax, I have already equipped this with tranquilizer darts. They're small enough to go unnoticed, but strong enough to knock out an elephant."

"Fang Zhao was really too impatient to publicize the news of the fossils without proper preparations. A small island like this won't have nearly enough guards. Furthermore, he trusts this so-called intelligent security system too much. He's really too young and doesn't know how quickly security devices need to be upgraded."

"Let's wait for nightfall before taking action?"

"Mmhm, it's more convenient at night."

The sun set, and it gradually became darker.

The excavation teams returned to their own dormitories after an entire day of digging. On the first night, they had been too excited to sleep. Many of them stayed up late on the second night too. Their workload on the third day wasn't too heavy, but it was especially mentally taxing to dig out the bones without damaging them. They weren't willing to leave this job to the robots. Therefore, they wanted to properly rest for the next day.

Given the current speed, the huge beast underground would be completely unearthed in another two more days. They would be able to see the prehistoric giant that had been buried for millions of years!

The excavation teams fell into a deep slumber with smiles on their faces and were oblivious to the many stirring shadows in the darkness.

The island was much quieter at night, and nocturnal bugs began to come out.

A creepy crawly climbed out from the grass headed over for the warehouse.

Onboard a certain yacht in the nearby sea, a few people had their eyes fixed on the display.

The video feed was taken from the point of view of the bug. It had already gotten close to the warehouse and was about to sneak in through a crack in the window.

Their unblinking eyes were fixed on the screen. They watched the creepy crawly enter the warehouse. However, before they even had time to rejoice, an ear-piercing "Bzz——" sounded, and connection was lost.

"What happened?"

"Were we discovered?"

"Could it be that the security systems were already upgraded?"

"That shouldn't be. This new imitation biotechnology just came out! It wasn't that fast in the past."

"The security system in the warehouse was installed by Fang Zhao's bodyguards and some security company. Perhaps they installed military-grade equipment?"

A stifling silence ensued.

That had cost them most of their savings!

Similar scenes were happening aboard many of the inconspicuous boats in the surrounding sea.

They had spent large sums on the black market to purchase their equipment. Probes, spy cams, and intelligent robots made with this reportedly new imitation biotechnology were sent out, but none returned. Every single one lost connection upon entering the warehouse. Some seemed as though they had been stomped on, while others just suddenly vanished.

Regardless whether they crawled, burrowed, or flew in, all of them met the same outcome.

Even managing to sneak a photo failed, let alone stealing a bone!

These people even made discreet inquiries into which security company Fang Zhao had used. However, none of these people believed the answer.

Clearly, it was just fake news meant to confuse people!

How sinister!

Indeed, more impressive people were more mysterious. Fang Zhao surely had some hidden cards up his sleeves!

Could Fang Zhao really have sought the military for help?

In the newly constructed warehouse on the southeastern side of the island, Curly Hair carefully picked up a severely deformed bug with his mouth and placed it into a box at the corner.

Number 15!

Every twenty could be exchanged for gaming time!

Chapter 462: Apex Predator

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao took shifts on the security system. They had seen all of Curly Hair's actions.

Curly Hair knew that the warehouse had cameras and understood this was another one of Fang Zhao's tests.

Fang Zhao had put in quite a bit of effort to stop Curly Hair's bad habit of eating recklessly. This time, he wanted to see whether Curly Hair had changed this habit.

Curly Hair was delighted. He didn't even need to transform to be able to swallow these creepy crawlies. Maybe he could save a few to play with for later away from the surveillance cameras. But, twenty of these bugs could be exchanged for gaming time. At the very least, he couldn't afford to swallow them. Each time he caught a new one, Curly Hair made sure to recount his entire collection to make sure the rest of them were all there.

Yan Biao was on duty tonight. He whistled in amazement. As expected of an inspection dog!

Actually, he had also noticed the many insects in the warehouse despite the insecticide treatment. However, while watching Curly Hair seize and place these insects into the box Fang Zhao had prepared for him, Yan Biao noticed electrical sparks from one that Curly Hair stamped on. He knew that something wasn't right and immediately contacted Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had said before that only Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were allowed in the warehouse monitoring room. If they wanted to leave, they were to contact Fang Zhao immediately so that either he or Nanfeng could assume the position. If anything strange happened in the warehouse, Fang Zhao had to be informed immediately. No information was to be divulged to anyone else.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu hadn't found anything strange with these orders. They had simply assumed Fang Zhao attached great importance to these fossils.

To their surprise, when they reported the anomaly, Fang Zhao simply instructed them to continue monitoring the surveillance. They could ignore the things Curly Hair was catching.

Yan Biao consulted a few ex-comrades who had been discharged from service for some information.

There were large quantities of bionic imitation devices for sale on the black market. However, because of the exorbitant price, very few people purchased them. It just so happened that after news of Fang Zhao's fossil discovery broke, the black market saw a large increase in these bionic device purchases.

Unexpectedly, their security system wasn't as efficient as Curly Hair.

Not a single bionic device had successfully gotten near a dinosaur fossil!

Yan Biao watched Curly Hair throwing some debris into the box and sighed. Need to upgrade the security system tomorrow.

If Curly Hair could do everything, wouldn't his job be taken?

In the next two days, things of different shapes and sizes continued attempting to infiltrate the warehouse. Some looked like insects, while others looked like plants. They all looked extremely realistic. However, not a single fossil bone was stolen from the warehouse. Not a single photo was captured either.

There were also attempts to bribe the staff workers. However, the teams that Fang Zhao had picked were all seasoned veterans. The team managers were strict. If anyone accepted the bribes, Fang Zhao didn't even need to step in; they would be kicked out by their own team first. The contract that the teams had signed with Fang Zhao already stated that the entire team was responsible for the actions of the individuals. Besides being expelled from the project, they would need to pay a hefty penalty on top of that.

Thus, team managers were even more vigilant against problematic teammates than Fang Zhao.

In the afternoon, an excavation crew member wasn't feeling well. The professor of his team let him head to the rest lounge in the warehouse to rest.

This staff member carried his case and had just entered the warehouse when he was stopped by Curly Hair.

"Woof woof woof!" Curly Hair barked.

Warehouse guards on duty immediately came over.

Other staff members going in and out of the warehouse also looked over.

That staff member with the case who was stopped by Curly Hair turned pale from fright. He didn't have a guilty conscience, but he was really frightened.

The warehouse guards brought him to the side and opened up the case that Curly Hair had been staring at all this time.

Curly Hair scanned the various tools in the case and put his paw on a hammer.

There was an abrupt change on that man's face. "This isn't my hammer! I personally engraved my name on my hammer! There isn't any on this one!"

He hurriedly contacted the professor leading his team. "Teacher! My case has been tampered with!"

In order to protect his favorite pupil and ensure that his team could stay in the excavation project, the professor quickly cooperated with the investigations. Each team also had their own way of handling these issues.

In no time, that team member was proven innocent, and three suspicious people were detained with the information provided.

This incident reminded the other excavation teams to take precautions. No one besides the owner could touch their tool case! Clothing was also inspected everyday, and everyone maintained utmost vigilance towards anybody who attempted to get close to them.

Previously, they had looked forward to those mainstream media interviews, but now, these reporters had to come up with new methods every day to get an interview. Everyone was now on guard after the incident today.

The excavation quickly reached its final phase. The skeleton before them was nearly fully out of the earth. Being kicked off the project at such a time would definitely leave one with lifelong regrets!

They absolutely couldn't be tossed out at such a crucial juncture!

In no time, others on the island discovered that the once-lively atmosphere had become much more solemn. Furthermore, no matter how busy there were, one team member was always standing guard and watching their surroundings.

With the joint efforts of the twenty teams, the skeleton fossil buried beneath the island was finally unearthed completely.

The skeleton was well preserved and largely intact. There were few areas that needed restoration. Then, they began arranging the fossil bones.

After this was complete, they could all sit back and admire the fifty-meter-long skeleton. It was as if they had transcended space and time to see a master of the oceans from seventy million years ago.

A young staff member became incoherent.

Tears were streaming down the cheeks of several old professors as they gesticulated wildly at the fossil display.

"I never imagined… that I would actually see the ocean's apex predator from over seventy million years ago with my own two eyes!"

After an hour of discussion over the freshly unearthed fossil, everyone arrived at the same problem.

"It has to have a name," a leading professor said.

The skeleton didn't match with any existing species. Without a doubt, this was an unknown species, so they had to give it a name.

But, the problem was that this fossil hadn't been solely unearthed by any single team. It had been a group effort. Furthermore, the entire fossil belonged to the island owner.

"According to the naming rules…"

"Do we have naming rights?"

"Fang Zhao? Oh, Fang Zhao, Owner Fang! This should be named…"

"You all can just decide on it," Fang Zhao said.

The leading professors had still been wondering how to persuade Fang Zhao to change his mind if Fang Zhao had chosen a name that was too casual. They had never imagined that Fang Zhao would actually just hand the naming rights over to them.

In many places during the Old Era, the country's government owned any ancient fossils with scientific value. New Era administrative laws for such historical relics were different, but Fang Zhao really wasn't too interested in them. If not because of Curly Hair, Fang Zhao would actually have just given the fossil display to a museum.

Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair. Curly Hair yawned while standing guard by the box filled with bionic bugs. It didn't look like anything else interested this dog besides gaming and eating.

A leading professor trembled from excitement when he heard Fang Zhao say that he would be granting the naming rights to them. The assistant beside him swiftly handed the old professor two pills.

The twenty excavation teams had a round of intense discussion over the matter of naming the fossil.

In the end, they named this prehistoric oceanic apex predator Poseidonsaur. [1. Made up name. The literal translation of the name in the raws is sea emperor dragon.]

This was the largest skeletal fossil discovered to date. It was obvious that it ate meat from the shape of those teeth. It was definitely the ocean's apex predator at that time, so the word "Emperor" was rather fitting.

Next up was classification. The twenty teams once again entered another round of intense discussion.

To be precise, the newly unearthed Poiseidonsaur should fall under marine reptiles rather than dinosaurs. However, any creature from that period with special characteristics would be called a dinosaur by mainstream society.

However, many New Era paleontologists suggested to re-establish a new classification. There were too many large gaps in the New Era's paleontology. Limited resources left behind from the Old Era were merely used as reference. These researchers didn't trust them completely. They only believed in their own research.

After the classification was complete, a paleontology professor grasped Fang Zhao's hand. "I see that you have an affinity with dinosaurs. Would you have any interests in pursuing paleontology research?"

Fang Zhao: "… No."

Clearly, they weren't actually interested in him. Their true motive was the skeletal fossil of the Poseidonsaur.

In the following days, news pertaining to the Poseidonsaur dominated social media and news outlets. All the news from archeology to entertainment circles was about the Poseidonsaur. It reached everyone from young children to biology students.

Soon, the masses began to believe that such huge creatures had actually existed on our planet before. This isn't inferior to the discovery of aliens! People boasted online and told all sorts of stories as if they had personally witnessed the creature.

"Those 'kings of the ocean' discovered in the past seem merely like little brothers now."

"Unrivaled! Truly unrivaled!"

"The ocean's apex predator! I'm already anticipating a Poseidonsaur movie!"

"I wonder if the Poseidonsaur fossil will be publicly displayed?"

"This fossil is too expensive. I reckon it won't be open to the public."

"Even a model would do. When will a Poseidonsaur model be released?"

"This… would probably depend on Fang Zhao's decision."

"I announce that only Fang Zhao can stand on the head of a Poseidonsaur!"

"… Eh?"

"Putting it this way is actually right. Fang Zhao indeed lived on top of the Poseidonsaur's grave."

In no time, a new topic emerged.

#Fang Zhao, the man who stood atop the head of a Poseidonsaur!

Nanfeng guffawed when he saw this.

Even without anything else, they had already made a huge amount from rentals because of this Poseidonsaur matter.

"Boss, you have really hit the jackpot this time! You can probably return to the ten billion club once you sell the skeleton!"

"I don't intend to sell," Fang Zhao said.

After being astonished for a moment, Nanfeng adopted a look of enlightenment on his face. "Indeed! Such a precious treasure that is unique in this world has to be kept for at least two years!"

"I intend to open a collection. Besides the Poseidonsaur, some other items may possibly be added to it," Fang Zhao continued.

"A collection?" Nanfeng was once again flabbergasted. Regaining his composure, he thought to himself, As expected of the Boss to think so far ahead. He wants to keep the fossil and open his own exhibition hall. Then, he can use all sorts of related merchandise to earn money!

The Poseidonsaur was the largest creature from this planet to be unearthed to date. There could be even larger creatures on foreign planets, but paleontologists had yet to fully finish studying their home planet. Who would even have the energy to research foreign planets?

Furthermore, the sentiments that humans held towards Earth were irreplaceable. Mankind had developed here. Everyone shared this common history.

People were partial to nostalgia.

Earth's policies and administration with regards to extraterrestrial creatures were rather stringent. In terms of value, creatures from Earth were still at the top. They couldn't be replaced.

Nanfeng felt rather pleased with himself when he assumed he had successfully guessed Fang Zhao's intentions. My boss still has some investment instincts.

Nanfeng watched as the research teams used software to simulate various possible appearances of the Poseidonsaur. "That's the ocean's apex predator alright. It's so ferocious regardless of appearance. A pity it's extinct," Nanfeng lamented.

"I wonder how the universe's apex predator looks like." Nanfeng started to fantasize. "It's definitely very bold and powerful-looking too."

Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair on the side and said, "Not necessarily. Some creatures might look adorable but actually have great destructive power."

"Hahaha, you really are too humorous, Boss!"

"…You will understand one day."

Nanfeng nodded his head in approval but was snickering inwardly.

Alright, Boss, whatever you say. I will fully support it even if you say that Curly Hair is the universe's apex predator!

Chapter 463: No Way I Am Worse Than A Dog

Reports pertaining to the Poseidonsaur were everywhere. With the explosion of interest, many new studies in paleontology were published. People began to rethink the existence of creatures in films that were previously thought to be impossible.

A student who studied ancient vertebraes said with a chuckle during an interview with the media, "My teacher used to say, documentaries and archeology are alike. They are always updated as more information is revealed. The discovery of the Poseidonsaur is a monumental affair. We believe that there are even more surprises waiting to be discovered in other unknown places."

People began to reevaluate islands that were fortunate enough to survive the Period of Destruction because of the discovery.

Island prices swelled!

It wasn't a sudden jump though. However, with the increased interest in islands, the market value for islands began to grow.

One paleontology lover bought an island for research. He constructed his own research base and assembled an exploratory team to examine the rock strata underwater.

After the Poseidonsaur was unearthed, Fang Zhao signed a cooperative agreement with the Brian Museum and Huangzhou Museum. In the next two months, the Poseidonsaur fossil would be moved to Huangzhou and rotate between those two museums. Online tickets for the days the Poseidonsaur exhibit would be live were already sold out.

As for Yanzhou Museum's curator… he could only feel like crying.

It couldn't be helped. While Yanzhou was closer and Fang Zhao was from Yanzhou, they simply couldn't make preparations so quickly under so much scrutiny.

However, they would surely have the adequate preparations to receive the Poseidonsaur after those two months!

All the media attention followed the Poseidonsaur off the island. Fang Zhao's little island quietened down once more.

Fang Zhao had plans to build a collection hall, but the island wasn't a good place. He didn't know how long his trips off the island would last. What if people came to the island to cause trouble? He didn't want to lose anything Curly Hair happened to dig up.

Fang Zhao didn't have anywhere suitable for the time being and lacked sufficient capital as well. Thus, that was something he could only do when he earned enough money.

The Poseidonsaur was rented out, but businesspeople of all kinds still sought out Fang Zhao. However, Fang Zhao's focus was on the upcoming concert in space.

He had already received the invitation from the organizing committee.

Fang Zhao now understood why Mo Lang hadn't told him who the organizers were.

Planet Yin.

The first of the three foreign planet military affairs strategic locations!

There was too little information available about it. Even military news rarely reported anything about Planet Yin. However, Planet Yin was publicly acknowledged to have the highest research capabilities.

"…Basically, these all should be noted. I will send you a more detailed electronic file shortly. Someone will contact you about travel arrangements," the other party briefed Fang Zhao. "Any other questions?"

"Can I bring a dog?" Fang Zhao asked.

The person on the other end paused. Some fluctuation could be heard in his previously emotionless voice. "Do you mean Curly Hair? You can bring him, but not any other dog. Of course, if you don't have the time to feed your dog while on Planet Yin, we can also help. Perhaps he can exchange some pointers with our inspection team at the spaceport."

Fang Zhao didn't find it surprising that the other party knew about Curly Hair. Curly Hair had been registered at a few military districts and departments. Inspection departments of various spaceports would definitely jump at the chance to recruit him.

Planet Yin's spaceport had indeed wanted to recruit Curly Hair before. However, they knew Fang Zhao wasn't willing to part with his dog, so they hadn't said anything. Of course, they too were very interested in Fang Zhao's ears, but with Fang Zhao's flourishing music career, recruiting Fang Zhao was even more difficult.

Fang Zhao opened the electronic files the organizer had mentioned. It contained additional application instructions for escorts and pets.

Fang Zhao had already told Nanfeng and the other two about the concert before, but not its location.

Nevertheless, all three of them had expressed their desire to come with him.

Nanfeng's own keen insight had told him the location would be quite exclusive. He absolutely wasn't willing to be left behind!

When Fang Zhao had said that he wanted to bring Curly Hair along, Nanfeng had had some worries. "Won't the place have very strict regulations? Would they allow a dog?"

How could a place with such a strict and complicated auditing process permit a pet dog to be brought along?

Fang Zhao didn't explain and merely said, "I've sent the application to you all. Just make sure to submit one for Curly Hair too."

"Understood, Boss!"

Nanfeng worked quickly and called up Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to submit the application as Fang Zhao's retinue. The auditing process for them as accompanying personnel was much stricter. The first round of auditing was on their political record. They could be rejected if they had made any publicly inappropriate remarks.

"Pets also have a political record examination?" Nanfeng was intrigued but still helped Curly Hair submit his application as per Fang Zhao's request.

A minute later, Curly Hair's political record examination was passed.

Nanfeng: "…"

Was the political auditing for pets so fast now?

An hour later, Yan Biao's audit was passed

Half an hour later, Zuo Yu followed suit.

Nanfeng… Nanfeng still had yet to receive any notification at dinnertime.

"How did you all pass the auditing so quickly? Will I…" Nanfeng stammered with an ashen face.

Yan Biao consoled him. "It's probably because you have been in the entertainment circles, so there's more information for the audit to look through."

Nanfeng still remained worried. He had been in the Huangzhou entertainment circle as a lowly worker. There had been times where he might have been a little careless, but surely there hadn't been anything that would merit a rejection!

Nanfeng couldn't sleep all night. Fortunately, he received a notification that he passed the audit in the morning and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Okay! Time to apply for the next round of auditing!"

The following few rounds of auditing went rather smoothly. However, the final audit was a physical examination at a designated location. They were required to appear there within seven working days.

Fang Zhao went together with them.

"Boss, didn't you already pass all the auditing? You don't have to come with us; I can handle it all," Nanfeng said. Something like a physical examination was really simple!

"I'm going over just to take a look," Fang Zhao replied.

At the designated location, three men and one dog were separated to different examination stations.

Fang Zhao found himself a high stool and sat down to read.

Half an hour later, Curly Hair trotted out leisurely.

Two hours later, Yan Biao came out from his examination station.

Yan Biao felt somewhat pleased seeing that Zuo Yu and Nanfeng both weren't out yet. Look, I am the strongest. Serving on Planet Baiji for so many years has its advantages!

As for Curly Hair, Yan Biao didn't think much of it. He reckoned that the physical examination standards for pets were much more lenient.

Curly Hair yawned.

Curly Hair found a more comfortable position to lie down and yawned again.

By the time Nanfeng came out from the examination station, Curly Hair was already curled up asleep by Fang Zhao's feet.

Nanfeng was feeling a little faint and even felt like puking.

"The tests this time are a little too rigorous. Their standards for physical capability are really too high."

Based on the tests, it seemed like the concert destination wouldn't be very comfortable.

Zuo Yu chuckled. "Nanfeng, you even used to be from Planet Baiji. That's no good; you've regressed! We'll have some more intensive training starting tomorrow!"

Yan Biao also chimed in with his approval. "Intensive training is required, indeed. Look at you! You're even worse than a dog. Do you feel no shame?"

Nanfeng glanced at Yan Biao and Zuo Yu who were already seated on the bench, then at the snoring Curly Hair. He felt a little dazed.

No… No way… No way I am even worse Curly Hair!

Have I really degenerated to such a weak chicken after leaving the force for so many years?

Chapter 464: Setting Off

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

After they passed the application process, Fang Zhao rejected all further requests for collaborations. He also didn’t attend the inaugural unveiling ceremony of the Poseidonsaur at Huangzhou.

On the day of the unveiling ceremony.

There were long queues outside the Huangzhou Museum doors. People enthralled by the Poseidonsaur had come from very distant places to see it. The security check teams struggled to cope with the crowds.

Beside the queue were some Poseidonsaur figurines and toys. As they waited in the queue, the visitors could play with them first.

Invited media representatives and reporters photographed the Poseidonsaur furiously after entering through a separate path. Many of them hadn’t gotten photographs before because not all of them had been permitted on Fang Zhao’s little island.

The curators of Huangzhou Museum and Brian Museum were smiling all throughout the unveiling ceremony. When they returned to their office after the news conference, their smiles disappeared.

The Huangzhou Museum curator glanced at the few lifelike bugs on the table with a look of disgust.

The Brian Museum curator was also felt relieved. “If not for Fang Zhao reminding us to have these specific security upgrades, we would have suffered some losses this time.”

Fang Zhao had advised them to do a security upgrade targeted at biotechnology techniques when he handed the Poseidonsaur over to them.

The two curators regarded this Poseidonsaur unveiling ceremony with great importance. Thus, they had taken Fang Zhao’s advice and upgraded the security systems in their own museums before setting up the Poseidonsaur exhibit.

While the curators felt a mixture of relief and anger, another group was hopping mad.

“We can blame Fang Zhao’s military-grade equipment for not being able to enter his warehouse. But what does it say if we can’t even infiltrate Huangzhou and Brian Museums?”

“This technology is way out-of-date!”

“I actually spent so much money to purchase something so outdated!”

“The seller scammed me!”

The new biotechnology machinery that had been praised to the high heavens by sellers was all f*cking crap!

So much money was thrown down the drain!

Outdated technology was worthless. Goods on the black market were expensive, but such stuff had always been worth the exorbitant prices!

These people who felt cheated went to look for the sellers for a refund but were unable to find them. In anger, they dumped some additional money to hire a hitman to find the seller and advised others that “the black market is full of fakes!”

Within the “T” Organization, the person responsible for the imitation biotech cut a sorry figure.

Ever since they had found out the imitation biotechnology didn’t work against the Yanzhou Navy, the “T” Organization had wanted to find some use for the technology to recoup their losses. Then, news of Fang Zhao’s fossil discovery broke. They took this opportunity to create a batch of biotech machines to earn a fortune on the black market. However, it didn’t take long for their buyers to start demanding refunds.

This made the “T” Organization feel as though this “biotechnology” was a conspiracy targeted at them!

They conceded they weren’t able to get through the military. But if even civilian security systems could render this useless, it meant that all their effort to obtain this outdated technology was wasted!

As the person responsible for this whole fiasco, Fang Zhao once again delivered a blow to the “T” Organization.

After discovering the imitation bugs, Fang Zhao had reported this matter to key authorities. In addition to Huangzhou and Brian museums, other strategic locations now had defenses against this imitation biotechnology.

However, Fang Zhao currently didn’t have time to pay attention to the matter of security system updates. Right now, he was packing his things and preparing to head off towards Planet Yin.

He would be away for a longer period this time. Fang Zhao had informed his great-grandparents of this without going into too much detail. It could be hard to organize communication, so he let the elders know that they shouldn’t worry too much if he couldn’t be contacted.

“Boss, this 80 million…’rabbit’ will be just left here?” Nanfeng asked.

“Mmhm.” Fang Zhao eyed the aquarium. He had decided to leave the “rabbit” in the oceanside residence instead of on the island. If anything were to happen here, property management would be able to react quickly once the alarm sounded.

“Alright.” Although he was still a little worried, Nanfeng didn’t say much else and continued with his report. “The island construction team reports smooth progress. Things should be restored by the time we return.”

Because of the Poseidonsaur fossil, the island had experienced lots of excavations, constructions and demolitions. Now, a construction team was filling up the large pits and restoring other parts of the island.

After he was done packing his stuff, Fang Zhao received a call. It was from the person assigned by the military to pick them up.

A flying transport descended on the landing pad.

Two soldiers came over to verify their identities.

Fang Zhao, an assistant, two bodyguards and a dog.

Nanfeng noticed that the gazes of those soldiers lingered on Curly Hair for a bit as though they were double checking whether it was the same dog from the application forms.

Four men and a dog. Once the verification was complete and the luggages inspected, the two soldiers didn’t say anything else and led them onto the flying transport. They quickly set off for Yanzhou Military District.

The plan was to gather with other Yanzhou invitees at Yanzhou Military District before heading towards the space station orbiting Earth.

Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao stood tall with their chests puffed out. One of them had a special forces background, while the other two had been on a foreign planet garrison. They had to display a steely demeanor when facing these soldiers from Yanzhou Military District. They couldn’t make Fang Zhao lose face at this time.

However, upon boarding the flying transport, these two soldiers merely sent passing glances at them before focusing on Fang Zhao and Curly Hair.

The orders these two soldiers had received were to take extra care of Fang Zhao and his dog. Nanfeng and the other two weren’t in that scope so verifying their identities would suffice.

Actually, they hadn’t been specifically sent to pick Fang Zhao up. They had simply been the nearest to Fang Zhao’s residence after completing a mission, so they were dispatched for the pickup. Their main mission was to guard the power ore and other goods in the cargo hold that were bound for the military district. They had merely come to pick up this group along the way.

Curly Hair lay quietly by Fang Zhao’s feet. His two innocent dog eyes scanned the surroundings. He licked his nose, looked up at Fang Zhao and whined.

Fang Zhao shot him a look and reached out to pat his head.

Curly Hair obediently lay back down. However, he would lick his nose and lips from time to time.

One of the soldiers noticed and asked, “Is it thirsty?”

“He’s thirsty indeed. Nanfeng, bring out his drinking bowl,” Fang Zhao answered without missing a beat.

“Aye!” Nanfeng got the drinking bowl out and handed it over.

Yan Biao thought to himself as he saw this, Tsk, pet dogs are just so delicate.

Fang Zhao got some water from the soldier. He thanked the soldier and placed the bowl down in front of Curly Hair. Then, he pointed at Curly Hair’s head as a warning.

Curly Hair’s appetite and diet had expanded ever since he could completely transform. He had even been let out to forage yesterday.

Thirst?

No, he was just being gluttonous.

Of course, the truth wasn’t something Fang Zhao could say.

How would he even explain?

Say that Curly Hair was drooling because of the power ore in the flying transport’s cargo hold?

Fang Zhao was a little worried.

Fang Zhao had to keep a close eye on him this time. Who knew if Curly Hair would run off and eat something strange without leaving any traces?

Chapter 465: Don't Even Think Of Stealing The Dog

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yanzhou Military District. A number of reporters were gathered and preparing for an interview session with an armored division that had returned from a mission when one of them exclaimed in astonishment.

“Is that Fang Zhao?!”

The others turned to look over.

“Looks like it!”

“From the dog at his side, it is certainly Fang Zhao!”

“What is he doing in Yanzhou Military District?”

“He must have just disembarked from a military flying transport. There are still two soldiers escorting him.”

“Interesting. What is he doing this time?”

One of the reporters intended to snap a few photographs but was stopped by the others.

After regaining his composure, that young reporter regretted acting a little too rashly.

When inside the military district, it was best to refrain taking photographs of anything they weren’t permitted to.

He still had to control his impulses even if he was burning with curiosity. Otherwise, they would all be removed from the premises immediately, and their professional careers would come to an end prematurely.

But, even if they couldn’t take photographs, it didn’t stop them from some private gossip.

“I have a feeling Fang Zhao is going to cause a disturbance again.”

“Recently, news concerning him is all over the globe. I thought that he was still busy with the matter of the Poseidonsaur fossil. I never imagined that we would actually see him here.”

“Come to think of it, I haven’t heard much about his movements recently. The internet discussions are all about the fossil situation. None are about his whereabouts.”

“I heard from my friend that many entertainment reporters are trying to track Fang Zhao but are just unable to find him. Entertainment reporters these days have really declined. Back when I was young, those entertainment reporters were so quick it gave us headaches. They were able to dig out information before we were even able to publish anything.”

It was indeed just as this reporter said. Due to the buzz from the Poseidonsaur fossil discovery, everyone was naturally trying to observe and track Fang Zhao.

However, unlike before, there were quite a number of investors wanting to watch Fang Zhao.

When analyzing the process of the Poseidonsaur fossil’s excavation, many people reckoned that Fang Zhao had surely gotten information beforehand, which was why he had purchased the island so quickly.

After a further analysis of Fang Zhao’s road to fame, anything that Fang Zhao did seemed to cause a sensation. This incident with the Poseidonsaur fossil definitely wouldn’t be the last!

Thus, these people had watched Fang Zhao carefully. They really wanted to know whether Fang Zhao would covertly go excavate more fossils. Or, perhaps he had discovered other stuff that was even more valuable?

However…

He had f*cking disappeared again!

Fang Zhao, his assistant, bodyguards and the dog that could dig up fossils had all f*cking disappeared!

They had never even attended the unveiling ceremony of the Poseidonsaur fossil exhibit. They were definitely up to something even more important!

But, there simply wasn’t any news of him recently.

Investigate!

Investigate what exactly has that fellow has been up to recently!

Was he going to cause sensational news again?!

They waited and waited, but there was no news.

It wasn’t just investors who felt suffocated. Netizens not seeing any developments also became impatient.

Fang Zhao’s last public appearance was in Yanzhou. Thus, Yanzhou netizens started to exert themselves.

The same old accustomed practices…

“Wang Tie, you piece of trash!”

“Wang Tie! Time to come out and work!”

“Look, Wang Tie, we have even started a crowdfounding page. See that? More than 10 million people have already pledged. Conservative estimates predict that it will cross the 100 million mark this time tomorrow! All this money will be yours as long as you can dig out news about Fang Zhao! Are you surprised? Astonished? Pleased?”

Thus, with the amount of mentions and activity, Wang Tie’s name became a trending topic.

Wang Tie: “…” Thank you every f*cking body!

While many on the crowdfunding platform were busy bashing Wang Tie, Fang Zhao had already switched to a connecting flight headed for the orbiting space station. They would have a stop over at the orbiting space station for two days before proceeding to Planet Yin.

At the space station, Fang Zhao saw other artists invited to Planet Yin as well as an old friend.

This friend was none other than the specialist villain and wife flaunter, Qiao Tingzheng. They had collaborated back on the set of “Founding Era”. This time, Qiao Tingzheng’s wife Windsor had been invited to perform at Planet Yin, so Qiao Tingzheng came along as an accompanying family member.

Qiao Tingzheng was delighted to see Fang Zhao and said he would come find Fang Zhao for a chat after stowing his luggage away.

Nanfeng came over and whispered to Fang Zhao, “Boss, I have seen all the artists who have been invited. You are the youngest among this batch.”

Fang Zhao’s experience was also the least.

Even though Nanfeng didn’t finish speaking, Fang Zhao understood what Nanfeng meant.

Having the least experience could mean having to suffer some grievances. However, Fang Zhao was prepared for all these.

A middle-aged artist walked by them. His gaze fell on Curly Hair who was by Fang Zhao’s feet. This middle-aged artist frowned, as if a little unhappy before turning to Fang Zhao. It looked as if he was about to say anything, but it ended up as a “humph” before this artist stormed off.

Fang Zhao, who had already gotten up to greet him: “??”

Fang Zhao knew the middle-aged artist who had stormed off for unknown reasons. He was David Hull, one of the three great violin masters on the planet and also the flamboyant Fay “Fayfay” Harmonik’s teacher.

Recently, Fay Harmonik and Zaro were having an online spat. However, Fang Zhao didn’t pay much attention to it and didn’t know the current circumstances of their online spat.

Unlike Fay Harmonik who was extremely high profile in the entertainment circles, his teacher David Hull kept a much lower profile. Besides performances and lectures, he was rarely seen in the public eye.

Fang Zhao had never spoken to this person before, nor had they ever crossed paths. This occasion was the closest they had ever been. Fang Zhao didn’t know what this globally acclaimed violin master would be upset with him for.

After David Hull was some distance away, Nanfeng leaned closer and said softly, “I recognize the one who just went by us. A violin great master. His student is Fay Harmonik who has considerable presence in the entertainment circles and is often compared against you. I reckon that is the reason he seemed miffed at you, Boss.”

Things like this were common within the circles. Nanfeng believed that he had found out the reason and that if it wasn’t the truth, the real truth wouldn’t be too far off.

Fang Zhao, however, didn’t think so. However, he too wasn’t certain why David Hull would be angry with him.

Fang Zhao only got the answer to that question when Qiao Tingzheng came over to chat.

“David Hull? Oh, him…” Qiao Tingzheng glanced at Curly Hair lying down at the side. “He would surely be pissed! That’s because his application to bring along his beloved pet dog was denied. Before coming here, I still heard someone consoling him that those going to perform on a foreign planet would have no way of bringing a dog. He was already gloomy, so how could he not be pissed seeing you bring a dog just after arriving on the orbiting space station?”

Qiao Tingzheng told Fang Zhao all about this globally acclaimed violinist and his dog. He had heard all of this from his wife.

“…The thing this great master loves most besides his violin is his dog. Before these two great loves of his, even his beloved disciple Fay Harmonik would have to give way. Mhmm, this is his beloved dog.”

Qiao Tingzheng then showed Fang Zhao a saved photo of David Hull’s beloved dog.

David Hull’s beloved dog was a product of artificial cultivation. It had a gene base of three types of Old Era hunting dogs and had iconic “long hair”. It looked really elegant when it was well-groomed.

Nanfeng also came over to steal a glance.

“This great master… has a special fondness for long hair.”

Qiao Tingzheng also chuckled. “Indeed, he rather likes long-haired varieties.”

As he said that, Qiao Tingzheng glanced at Curly Hair by the side. “Your dog’s fur can’t be considered especially long, so perhaps he doesn’t find it too pleasing. However, you can relax. He still treats dogs very well and is merely envious of you right now. Don’t worry, he isn’t really angry at you.”

Qiao Tingzheng then eyed Curly Hair again. He knew that this dog had recently caused quite a sensation in the news. “The first bone of the Poseidonsaur fossil was really dug out by him?”

“It was him,” Fang Zhao confirmed.

“I even thought that it was just the media making things up and sensationalizing it.” Qiao Tingzheng eyed Curly Hair like he was some sort of rare and precious object.

Curly Hair stuck his tongue out and droplets of saliva dripped down. He licked his lips continuously and appeared somewhat agitated.

“Does he feel a little too hot inside?” Qiao Tingzheng asked.

Although he didn’t know dogs that well, he could still understand simple common sense. For example, a dog letting his tongue hang loose, panting and salivating meant it was trying to cool down… right?

But, everything was normal when Qiao Tingzheng checked the room’s temperature and pressure. Rationally speaking, it shouldn’t have been happening.

“He just hasn’t adapted that well yet,” Fang Zhao replied calmly.

“Makes sense. It is quite difficult for pet dogs to get used to a space station’s atmosphere. I heard that dogs are all afraid of height. Coming to a place like the space station can also be considered a very high place, right? Hahaha!” Qiao Tingzheng was amused by his own joke.

Fang Zhao smiled courteously, but deep down, he was even more worried.

This dog had gone into the ocean to forage a day before they had set off. He also didn’t transform often and didn’t consume much energy, so how could he be hungry?

He was just having a craving.

There was a lot of power ore in the space station. It was very enticing given Curly Hair’s now expanded diet.

Fang Zhao even suspected that if he didn’t watch Curly Hair carefully, this dog could really eat the entire space station.

Fang Zhao increased the restrictions on Curly Hair upon seeing such a reaction. He also gave Curly Hair lessons in private. Only then did Curly Hair curb himself a little. Or,at the very least, he no longer drooled all the time. However, his eyes would still dart around furtively.

Fang Zhao and these other invited artists were called for meetings every once in a while, so Curly Hair couldn’t be by his side at all times. Therefore, the assignment of watching Curly Hair closely was given to Nanfeng and the other two. Fang Zhao had brought these three over for the sake of watching the dog.

“You three watch him closely.”

Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao replied in full seriousness, “Understood!”

Don’t even think of stealing the dog!

Chapter 466: Chase Stars Rationally

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Planet Yin was a planet entirely under military administration. Besides a small fraction of dormitories, most of the space was used for military exercises and testing of experimental items.

Naturally, the environment here wasn’t suitable for human survival. But, because of the abundant power ore deposits, the first foreign planet strategic military base was established here.

As of now, ninety percent of space travel technology originated from Planet Yin.

Fang Zhao and the others couldn’t see anything outside during their journey until they landed on Planet Yin. They had also signed a confidentiality clause for this period. In short, they were only there for the artistic showcase and shouldn’t be overly curious.

Fang Zhao’s batch alighted the flying transport onto Planet Yin..

Planet Yin’s special characteristics meant that there was very little actual information about it online. Even veteran artists who had been on Planet Yin previously didn’t know much.

As a first time visitor to Planet Yin, Fang Zhao didn’t know much, but he was certain that the power ore deposits on Planet Yin were very rich and abundant. Curly Hair was drooling non-stop.

They looked up to see a huge defensive barrier above them. Without protective gear, they were limited to indoor activities, but at least the space wasn’t too cramped.

“At the side are the living quarters prepared for the various teachers,” introduced their Planet Yin guide.

This area was a reception center. There were dormitories, cafeterias and activity zones here.

The invited guests had already been briefed on the most important matters and signed non-disclosure agreements. They were to work together with Planet Yin’s music and dance troupe to put on a collaborative performance. In their spare time, they could have their own leisure activities in the permitted area.

For the living quarters, family members could stay together, but assistants and bodyguards were in a separate block.

“Fang Zhao, your quarters are over on that side,” the guide said.

“Can I bring my dog over too?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Yes.”

Fang Zhao brought the keycard to his allocated quarters.

The living quarters weren’t considered large but had comprehensive furnishings. There was a hall, a bedroom and a study. The interior seemed very high-tech and had an artistic vibe as well.

Besides these, there was also a dog bowl and dog toilet.

That was indeed thoughtful.

After a short break, the leader of the group called to gather everyone for a small meeting to brief them on the plan for the following few days.

There were musicians, dancers, actors, painters and all sorts of professions among the invited group. They all had different specializations, and the Planet Yin personnel they worked with were different too.

Fang Zhao would be collaborating with a youth band. On Planet Yin, most of the artists were hobbyists and couldn’t be judged according to professional standards.

“Fang Zhao, you will be the conductor of the youth band. Any issue with that?” the group leader asked.

“No problem,” Fang Zhao responded.

The piece this Planet Yin youth band had chosen to perform was a work of Mo Lang’s. It was “Founding Era’s” final closing theme, the ten minute long “Legend”.

As such, Mo Lang had indicated that the conductor had to be Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao had played a part composing this piece and knew this musical work better than anybody else.

This was also another one of Mo Lang’s tests for Fang Zhao.

After the meeting ended, everyone returned to take a short rest before a tour of the exhibition hall in the afternoon.

Only the invited personnel could be on this tour. Their retainers weren’t permitted. Even family members like Qiao Tingzheng couldn’t come in, let alone bodyguards and assistants. Thus, Fang Zhao had Nanfeng and the other two walk the dog.

The stuff in this exhibition hall was mostly related to space travel and scientific products. This was Fang Zhao’s first time here, and he was rather interested by all these.

What interested Fang Zhao the most was the warp engine.

The warp engine had brought the age of space flight and was publicly acknowledged as the New Era’s greatest invention.

The guide in the exhibition hall was currently sharing some related information about the warp engine.

“Here is a component of a first-generation warp engine. It is because of this engine that space jumps became possible. However, the energy consumption of the warp drive far exceeded everyone’s expectations. Old energy sources had no way of supporting the operation of the warp engine. Therefore, mankind had to look for new power sources…”

The guide went from warp engines to power ore technology and ore extraction, but he never revealed any important points.

For example, he omitted how the warp engine was derived, its development process, how long it took, and the distance it could support. All those questions that Fang Zhao was especially curious about were never answered.

However, they knew that in this place, they weren’t supposed to ask too many questions. The guide probably had limitations on the things he could talk about.

The guide talked about many things from the discovery of power ore and the upgrades of power isomerization techniques to power ore classification. While these were merely like stories to others in the invited group, Fang Zhao listened attentively.

While the warp engine wasn’t shared in detail, Fang Zhao was still interested to hear about power ores and the other stuff.

The more Fang Zhao listened, the more beset with emotions he became.

So fast!

Breakthroughs in new energy sources and space flight technology came too quickly in the New Era. They had far surpassed Fang Zhao’s expectations.

During the Period of Destruction, he had asked relevant scientists numerous times whether space travel could be realized.

However, the reply he had received was, “Perhaps humans might never achieve that breakthrough.”

But, after the Period of Destruction was over, the New Era had barely been established for a hundred years when the warp engine emerged. The New Era’s seven pioneer exploratory spacecrafts “Dream Team” was created.

Most people from the Period of Destruction would never have been able to forecast such a thing.

A hundred years sounded long, but Fang Zhao understood the aftermath of the Period of Destruction very well. In his opinion, a hundred years was probably only enough for recovery and restoration.

The rate at which the New Era actually developed was simply a miracle in Fang Zhao’s opinion.

The warp engine had been invented in the first hundred years of the New Era. Now that five hundred years had passed in the New Era, Fang Zhao wondered what the current warp engines were like. It was a pity he wouldn’t get to see it.

However, being able to see a part of the first generation warp engine was already good enough.

Fang Zhao felt gratified.

Others didn’t know of Fang Zhao’s sentiments. Not everyone was as interested, and many didn’t stay for long in the exhibition hall. Soon after, there was a meet and greet where fans from Planet Yin’s various departments could meet their idols.

The autograph and photo sessions were very disciplined and orderly despite the number of people. The special administrative environment made these kinds of fan meets very efficient.

With the limited capacity, some fans were already filtered out.

Fang Zhao had both young and old fans. Old people, especially those who had watched “Founding Era Yanzhou Chapter” showered Fang Zhao with tender gazes.

Not too far away, two high level executives who had organized the fan meet smiled when they saw the long lines queuing up for Fang Zhao.

“I really didn’t expect that Fang Zhao would have this many fans on Planet Yin!”

“He’s popular with both young and old. This chap is not bad indeed. It’s a pity he didn’t stay in the military.” .

“Speaking of which, have you seen Little Yuan? Didn’t he keep going on and on about having prepared a big present for Fang Zhao?”

“I’ve already completed one circuit and didn’t see him. That little brat kept bugging me about the schedule for the invited artists.”

“There are time constraints for this fan meet. There’s only half an hour left.”

“Could he have overslept? Maybe he lost track of time working. Or perhaps an urgent task cropped up?”

——

Planet Yin Warp Engine Technology Research Facility.

At the security checkpoint, a youngster who seemed to be around the age of a university student was seated on a chair. He drummed his fingers on the table anxiously while glancing at the time non-stop.

A research facility security guard sat opposite him. Currently, he was expressionlessly removing the last item from inside a gift box that had been subjected to an investigation. All the items were laid out on the table.

“So, you want to…” The security personnel pointed at the stuff on the table. “Gift an interstellar voyage fleet to a celebrity?”

“That’s right!”

“But these haven’t yet been made public. It’s so confidential the even the prototypes might not be going public in ten years.”

“These are models!”

“Models aren’t okay either. Please be reasonable.”

Yuan Zheng inhaled sharply. “I might idolize a star, but I am still a reasonable person. I am different from those die-hard fanatics who blindly shoot their mouths off! Please don’t demean my intellect!”

“I don’t doubt a gold badge engineer’s intellect.” The security personnel said with an unchanging expression. “Wasn’t Master Heng Xin your idol?”

“My idol now is still Master Heng Xin! He is a god in the hearts of us science people! One whom we can only look up to and worship! However, my Zhao Bro is more down-to-earth. Zhao Bro is my idol. I just feel that he is especially impressive!

“What does it mean to idolize a star? Their spirit shines through their bodies! My Zhao Bro is a huge mass of glowing light! Say, who else in the entertainment circles is able to achieve so much glory at such an age?”

The security personnel nodded, expressing he understood Yuan Zheng’s sentiment. He knew Fang Zhao too. Fang Zhao’s influence across even planets was too impressive, not to mention his military accomplishments. There were very few twenty-somethings who were invited here to participate in a performance.

Upon seeing the security personnel’s stance loosen, Yuan Zheng continued. “Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘A goal lies ahead, but an idol is by your side’? That is a form of mental encouragement, you understand?! Improve together, understand?! I even have a poster of Zhao Bro in my room!”

The security personnel nodded his head. He had heard that when Fang Zhao achieved the Galaxy Supernova award, Yuan Zheng had risen from a silver badge engineer to gold badge level with hard work.

Of course, he too could understand that youngsters were more impulsive when it came to idolizing stars. In his younger days, he himself had adored a Mazhou basketball star. Unfortunately, that basketball star failed the audit and wasn’t able to come over. To come here, everyone had to pass stringent screenings. Besides their own professional ability, many other aspects such as character and moral integrity were taken into account. Compared to him, Yuan Zheng was much more fortunate. At least Yuan Zheng would be able to see his idol in person.

Although Fang Zhao had impressive ability, he was too young and could potentially leak secrets. It wasn’t good to gift him with a model of an unreleased spacecraft.

Seeing the security personnel tense up, Yuan Zheng hurriedly played the sentiment card. “Uncle, you have watched me grow up and you should know the sort of person I am. I would definitely want to display my own achievements to my idol. Uncle, you have also adored idols before and can understand, right? Now, I have merely turned some parts from the project I’m working on into a model. I have even blurred out the more critical areas. There’s definitely no intention of leaking anything here!”

“I believe you of course,” the security personnel said with a warm expression. However, it was soon followed by, “Second application, overruled.”

Yuan Zheng put on a pitiful face. “Unc—”

“—All models will be confiscated. Sorry, duty takes precedence.”

Yuan Zheng was on the verge of tears. The space fleet model he had taken so long to prepare was confiscated at this security checkpoint!

Watching Yuan Zheng droop his head in dejection, the security personnel sighed. “How about this…”

Yuan Zheng looked up, his eyes brimming with hope.

He watched as the security personnel picked up one of the spacecraft models, broke off the engine component and placed the component in front of him.

Yuan Zheng was shocked.

Following that, his face fell. “My Zhao Bro came all the way here to perform and I can only give him… a part?”

The security personnel replied mercilessly, “This is the bottom line. Young friend, have some rationality when chasing stars.”

Chapter 467: 2nd Gen Warps

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The fan meet had already concluded by the time Yuan Zheng reached the venue. The artists had already returned to their rooms. With no other choice, Yuan Zheng could only go find Fang Zhao personally. It was a rare opportunity to meet his idol, and Yuan Zheng couldn’t allow it to slip by.

The schedule for these invited artists was rather packed on their first day of arriving on Planet Yin. The older ones already looked exhausted and didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

After returning from the fan meet, Fang Zhao went to pick Curly Hair.

“Boss, is Curly Hair not yet adapted to the environmental conditions here? Why does he keep panting and drooling?” Nanfeng was very worried.

“He will get used to it in a couple of days,” Fang Zhao said.

“I guess that makes sense. The environmental conditions on Planet Yin takes some time getting used to. Me, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao also felt a little dizzy when we arrived here.”

Nanfeng passed the delivered dog food and pet products to Fang Zhao. “The people at the reception area said to go get replenishments when these are used up.”

Nanfeng didn’t drag on too for too long given the artists’ weary looks. “Boss, you can return and go rest. Contact us right away if you need anything and we’ll handle it. We are always on standby!”

“Alright, you guys go get some rest too.”

Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair back to his quarters and poured out a bowl of dog food for him.

Curly Hair looked aggrieved, eating the dog food piece by piece in a pitiful manner.

The amount in the bowl was all he would have. The next serving wouldn’t come for at least another four or five hours.

There was no choice. He couldn’t do as he pleased after arriving on Planet Yin. He couldn’t eat anything else besides dog food, and there wasn’t very much of it.

“Learn to control yourself,” Fang Zhao said. “You can watch TV if you behave. Planet Yin has synchronous live broadcasts with home.”

Curly Hair gulped down the dog food in the bowl, then nudged it in front of Fang Zhao. What he meant was, Look, I didn’t swallow the bowl. Is that good enough?

“Alright, go watch TV then.”

Curly Hair dashed into the room and turned on the TV immediately. He tuned in to a news channel and assumed a serious expression.

After a while, Fang Zhao went into the study.

Curly Hair stealthily sneaked a glance. When he saw Fang Zhao busy with work, Curly Hair changed to a competitive esports channel and was quickly engrossed in the live match.

Inside the study, Fang Zhao sighed silently.

He knew what little tricks Curly Hair was up to. He just pretended not to notice. Having something to occupy Curly Hair’s attention was good too. At least he wouldn’t be drooling all the time.

Fang Zhao sorted out some of the musical scores on the table and continued making alterations to his plan.

For this performance, Fang Zhao wanted to rearrange “Legend” to bestow a new vitality to it.

Mo Lang had already seen Fang Zhao’s rearrangement manuscript and approved of it. When it came to understanding the piece as well as the composer’s intent, Mo Lang only trusted Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao had a lot of work on his hands. Following this, he needed to meet the orchestra to organize rehearsals. During this process, he had to fix any of the orchestra’s flaws and provide suggestions on improvements.

As he was working out his plan, the doorbell rang.

Fang Zhao hadn’t put up a “do not disturb” sign on his door, nor did he know who could be looking for him at this time. The other artists had already returned to rest.

He opened the door. Standing there was a young man accompanied by two soldiers.

Fang Zhao glanced at them and was astonished to notice the golden badge that the young man wore.

Even though Fang Zhao hadn’t spent too long on Planet Yin, he already understood that these chest badges corresponded to rank. The two soldiers were probably ensuring this young man’s safety. A gold badged-ranked person would have people responsible for his safety whenever he stepped out.

However, being able to achieve a gold badge rank at such a young age meant that this young man was definitely an important talent. Protection for him was warranted.

That young man visibly attempted to restrain his excitement when he saw Fang Zhao.

“Zhao Zhao Zhao Zhao Zhao Bro! I’m Yuan Zheng! A fanboy of yours!”

His words were forceful and resounding, especially those last three words.

The two soldiers behind him. “…”

What happened to being a rational fan?

Was he nervous?

However, Yuan Zheng wasn’t aware of this. He even forgot what he had said. Right now, his mind was a mess from the excitement of meeting his idol.

“Am I disturbing you?” Yuan Zheng scratched his head sheepishly.

“Nope, come in.” Fang Zhao smiled.

“Oh! Thanks Zhao Bro!”

The two soldiers followed Yuan Zheng inside.

Yuan Zheng quickly came to his senses and explained, “Zhao Bro, these two are protecting me. It is in accordance with the regulations. Us gold badge engineers need to be protected by at least two soldiers whenever we are out.”

“That ought to be.” Fang Zhao poured the two soldiers a glass of water each as well before returning his attention back to Yuan Zheng.

Before his idol, Yuan Zheng gave his all to display his excellence. He had pinned on all his awards and had made sure to polish his little golden badge symbolizing that he was a ranked Planet Yin engineer. He absolutely couldn’t disgrace himself in front of his idol.

“I was born on Planet Yin. Currently I’m a gold badge engineer in the Warp Engine Technology Research Group. My parents were also warp engine engineers. So, I am a second generation engineer in my family. Zhao Bro, you can call people like us ‘Second Gen Warps’! I have been involved in many important projects…”

“Cough!”

Yuan Zheng had merely started to talk when one of the soldiers seated at the side coughed lightly to remind him that there were some things that couldn’t be said.

Yuan Zheng paused and thought about the “important projects” he needed to omit. “In any case, I am very impressive! When it comes to geniuses, I am our research facility’s first… err, second… besides Little Bear who came over recently, I am our research facility’s youngest gold badge engineer!”

Yuan Zheng sulked a little when he said this.

He had indeed been the research facility’s number one genius in the past, but he had been dethroned ever since that little kid named Bear had come over.

“I even prepared a huge present when I heard you were coming! I personally made models of a space fleet! But, after passing through the security inspection… only… a part is left… I wasn’t even able to rush over to the fan meet in the afternoon.”

Yuan Zheng’s voice petered out towards the end. With a slightly sheepish smile, he handed over a part that was about the size of a thumbnail.

Only such a tiny part was left from the space fleet models after going through inspections. Yuan Zheng was helpless as well. This was already the security personnel’s bottom line. Even a genius gold badge engineer like Yuan Zheng couldn’t be granted any exceptions.

Yuan Zheng also didn’t have anything else that could be used as a present. With the limited time, this was all he could muster up.

“Zhao Bro, you have to stay on Planet Yin for a while. I shall make another present that can successfully pass the inspection when I go back!”

“This is already very good.” Fang Zhao examined the unremarkable part. “Is this a component of a model warp engine?”

“Right!” Yuan Zheng wanted to say more, but the soldier at the side coughed, forcing him to swallow his words.

Yuan Zheng felt very wronged.

Too hard!

As a gold badge engineer, chasing an idol was just too hard!

Nothing could be revealed, and even his present couldn’t be given away. He felt humiliated in front of his idol!

Yuan Zheng racked his brains, thinking of how to explain. He glanced up and noticed Fang Zhao looking at him. He had a rather kind smile.

Yuan Zheng upon meeting Fang Zhao’s gaze: ???

Before Yuan Zheng could figure out the meaning of that gaze, he saw Fang Zhao hand over a palm-sized box. In it was a Poseidonsaur fossil model.

“F-f-for me?” Yuan Zheng stammered.

Fang Zhao nodded.

Yuan Zheng put out both his hands as if he was receiving an award.

“Zhao Bro, can you… sign beneath the stand of the model?”

“Sure.”

Fang Zhao found a suitable pen and signed his name beneath the stand of the Poseidonsaur fossil model.

Yuan Zheng was worried he would disturb Fang Zhao’s rest so he didn’t stay too long and quickly bade farewell.

He clutched the box containing the Poseidonsaur fossil model to his chest tightly all the way outside.

As they walked away, Yuan Zheng’s eyes were already glistening with tears.

“How touching! I gave a badly mutilated component, yet Zhao Bro gave me a gift in return!”

However, the two soldiers by his side weren’t able to relate to his sentiments. “According to regulations, gifts from elsewhere have to be subjected to a security check. Please cooperate.”

Even though the luggages of all invited artists had already gone through rigorous checks, whatever gift that Yuan Zheng received still had to be inspected again. This was also for his own personal safety.

Yuan Zheng handed over that box unwillingly. “Be careful, don’t break the bone. And be extra careful of the stand. Don’t rub away the autograph.”

While Yuan Zheng was returning to the research facility, Fang Zhao had stopped working and was instead looking at the little gift he had received.

Although Yuan Zheng had revealed very little, Fang Zhao was still able to make some guesses.

And when combining it with all the various doubts he previously had, Fang Zhao felt quite confident in his guess.

He remembered when he had first discovered the Alkaid, Barbara had said, “The Primal exploratory team ‘Dream Team’ bore the apex wisdom and intelligence of that time!”

“Apex wisdom and intelligence…” Fang Zhao stared at the little component and muttered softly.

The Alkaid from “Dream Team” had existed four hundred years ago.

Yuan Zheng had also mentioned “Little Bear”. There was a possibility that this “Little Bear” was the ordinary-looking kid who had a mechanical core.

Being able to perfectly blend in among humans meant it wasn’t any ordinary artificial intelligence.

During the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao had also interacted with many great scientists from that time. He knew that each time mankind had a flash of knowledge, the world’s development processes would experience a great leap.

But what was the possibility of artificial intelligence, energy technology, warp technology, spacecraft and others simultaneously experiencing such flashes of knowledge in just one hundred years since the New Era was established?

During this period, the badly damaged world needed to recover, cities needed rebuilding and order in the twelve continents had to be established.

“Was it a great revolution of intelligence, or was it…”

Fang Zhao eyed the little component in his hand as if he could see a faraway image through this little component.

There was another possibility.

“Outsiders.”

Visitors from beyond the stars.

Chapter 468: I Am Still A Baby

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Whatever the truth was, Fang Zhao had no way of ascertaining it right now.

However, with this little understanding, if there were “outsiders”, the most likely “alien” would be that legendary “Master Hengxin”, father of the warp engine and founder of the Inter-planetary Fund. He had brought about so many changes and also established the Inter-planetary Fund’s special status.

Fang Zhao didn’t know the motives of these “outsiders” and how many there were. But, from the looks of things, they didn’t seem to have any hostile intentions and had groomed many top talents.

In any case, this was all merely conjecture.

Fang Zhao also recalled the shock of seeing this new world back when he had “resurrected” at the little rented apartment in the black street.

Fang Zhao glanced at that unremarkable little component and smiled before putting it into a box.

“The future is already here.”

——

Planet Yin Warp Engine Technology Research Facility security checkpoint.

The same security guard was there but with a different researcher.

A little kid wearing a gold chest badge was sprawled on the table bawling his eyes out.

“Sob sob——You can’t confiscate my Little Riches! My Little Riches! Sob sob——”

His tears kept flowing amidst measured sobs.

The security guard seated across the table felt a little guilty from the kid’s red eyes, trembling lips and occasional hiccups.

His usual poker face now showed a rare look of distress.

How could he have known this kid would start wailing without any warning?

This was giving him a headache.

The security personnel softened his tone. “That black ball… what was it…? Little Riches is still undergoing an inspection.”

He was worried speaking too loud might scare off this little engineer who was even more talented than Yuan Zheng.

However, another bout of wailing started just after he said this.

“It has already been fifteen minutes and seven seconds already! How can the inspection be this slow?! Has something happened to my Little Riches?!” Little Bear didn’t even lift up his head; his tears flowed even more freely.

The security personnel glanced at the time displayed on the monitor and thought to himself, No wonder he is a gold badge engineer. He doesn’t even need to look at the monitor to precisely keep track of time down to the second.

However, circumstances were complicated, and the inspection required even more time. Previously, the inspection of Yuan Zheng’s model craft had taken a long time. Fifteen minutes wouldn’t be considered long for the inspection.

After approximately another five minutes, the little black ball was sent over.

Upon seeing the indication of approval on it, the security personnel hurriedly handed the ball over and squeezed it in the process. It felt really good to touch and was suitable for relieving stress. No wonder this little kid likes it.

After taking back Little Riches, Little Bear said, “And my Dogdan and Dogke! How are they violating anything?! I will be lonely and afraid without them!”

“Those are considered dangerous items that can’t be brought out. As for your safety, you don’t have to worry. We will dispatch men to escort you,” the security personnel said.

“I want them! My Dogdan and Dogke boohoo——Poor things boohoo——”

While crying, he fished out a bottle from the backpack at his side and gulped the contents down.

The security personnel continued to have a headache. They had already asked the superiors for instructions. How would those two robot dogs be dealt with? They were indeed Little Bear’s personal belongings, but they were equipped with weapons and had to be cautiously dealt with.

Vexed and waiting for time to pass, the security personnel rummaged through the drawer, found a lollipop and passed it over.

“Come, have some candy. Don’t cry anymore.”

Little Bear sniffled and placed the lollipop into his pocket. Then, he continued sobbing.

Security personnel: “…” My head hurts.

As Little Bear continued sobbing away, the security guard finally received a message.

The security personnel heaved a sigh of relief and put on what he felt was his kindest smile.

“Alright, approval has been granted. You can bring your Little Riches, Dogdan and Dogke out. However, regulations have to be adhered to when you are playing outside.”

“Oh yeah!”

The crying immediately stopped, and Little Bear hopped off his chair. He led the two robot dogs in one hand, while the other clutched the little black ball as he left happily.

Security personnel: “…”

Isn’t this change of attitude way too fast?

What a drama queen!

Since when were little kids this skilled!!

The security personnel felt that today had taught him a lot.

Little Bear who had already run out was very pleased.

Pretending to be a kid is really good!

They can do what they please!

People in the research facility were more tolerant towards genius kids. For the new generation of warp engines being developed at the research facilities, Little Bear had contributed greatly. Compared to that, his willfulness from time to time was considered rather trivial. Thus, people would give in to him most of the time.

But, when it came to the development of the warp engine, Little Bear was still very dissatisfied.

He had piloted the Alkaid four hundred years ago, and there had only been this little progress since then. It was too slow!

Back then, seven of them Superintelligences and one Master Heng Xin had regularly redefined the field’s state of the art! Warp engines had been upgraded very quickly. This bunch of people couldn’t even come close to that efficiency!

Unfortunately, in the four hundred years, the Superintelligences had either been destroyed, malfunctioned, or gone dormant. Little Bear was the only one remaining.

Alas, there had been seven Superintelligences accompanying Master Heng Xin back then!

Now, he was the only one left.

It was really…

Delightful!!

Hahaha, there is nobody to bully me anymore!

I’m the greatest!

Those six have finally scrammed!!

What same kind?! Humans are more fun!

Especially those here: weak, feeble and pose no threat. Playing with these species with abundant emotions is just so fun!

When bored, Little Bear could just construct a few playmates to entertain him.

Little Bear was still rather satisfied with his current life.

Ever since he returned from the Alkaid, Little Bear’s days had been free and unfettered.

…Just that one bit wasn’t good.

Why must I work?!

I am still a baby!

I was a baby four hundred years ago, and four hundred years later I’m still a baby!

The world is so perfect and I haven’t had my fill of fun yet!

If not for settling a debt, who would even be willing to come here?!

Movements were restricted, and he had to pass through security checks to go to work. His Little Riches had nearly been confiscated!

He was also accompanied whenever he was out.

Little Bear shot a glance at the two soldiers behind him and pouted in dissatisfaction.

Pouting was an action he had learned from watching a child star on TV. He heard that doing so could make him more adorable and likable by adults.

However, Little Bear only pouted and acted coy in front of outsiders. He would be whipped if he dared act cute before the Demon Cui Hua.

Although Master Heng Xin had already passed away, his descendants still had methods to suppress him. Cui Hua was one example. In the eyes of Little Bear, Cui Hua was simply a great demon who made him work overtime on just a whim!

Didn’t he just borrow some money for music copyright? Did it warrant chucking him into this place filled with crazed workaholics?!

Luckily, he could act like a child very well.

Little Bear felt rather satisfied.

He just loved how this bunch of weak and feeble humans treated him as a minor, saving him a lot of trouble.

Besides Planet Yin’s top brass and core executives of the Inter-planetary Fund, nobody here knew his actual age.

Hehehe~~~

With this thought, Little Bear cheered up again. So be it if there was overtime. It was all fine as long as he could play!

Little Bear pondered over reasons he could give to apply for leave as he strutted over towards the reception district with the dogs in tow.

He wanted to seek out and have fun with Fang Zhao. He had heard people in the research facility mention Fang Zhao. The artists invited for Planet Yin’s Joint Arts Performance had already arrived today.

Fang Zhao knew what he was like and had a good temperament. Therefore, Little Bear was very willing to interact with Fang Zhao. At the very least, he could do as he pleased and act cute in front of Fang Zhao without fear of being hit.

The previous time, Fang Zhao had reminded him to drink more water after learning that Little Bear had wept when watching “Founding Era”.

What a good person!

The supervisor of the reception district recognized Little Bear. His identity was just too prominent. There was only one kid with a golden badge and two robot dogs in the entire Planet Yin. Furthermore, Little Bear had stayed here for two days when he first arrived on Planet Yin. Everyone had a lasting impression of him.

However, despite Little Bear’s gold badge engineer rank, most people didn’t normally call him “Master Bear” or “Teacher Bear”. Instead of “Little Bear”, they liked to address him as “Young Bear.”

People were generally more indulgent of this sort of top technological talent.

After all, he was still only a kid!

Upon learning that Little Bear was here and wanted to find Fang Zhao, the supervisor of the reception district personally brought him to Fang Zhao’s place.

Inside the elevator, Little Bear fished out a lollipop from his pocket and handed it over to the unit supervisor.

It was illegal to receive bribes, but a lollipop could be considered kind intentions from the heart. Furthermore, it had been given to him by a young child so the unit supervisor didn’t reject it either. He took the candy, flashed a warm smile, gave his thanks and reached his hand out to pat Little Bear’s head. But, he caught sight of the gold badge and pulled his hand back.

The head of a gold badge engineer wasn’t something one could touch as they wished. They had to respect the high level talent!

Fang Zhao’s room.

Curly Hair was watching the broadcasted match on the competitive Esports channel. His ears twitched, and he licked his nose while shifting his gaze away from the TV with great difficulty towards the door. He then walked over and lay down beside the door, staring at it fixedly while drooling.

Fang Zhao, who was making amendments to his music score, also looked towards the closed door.

On the other side of the door.

Little Bear inched closer one step at a time. However, as he got closer to the door, each step became smaller and slower.

His previously rosy expression was now pale, and beads of perspiration formed on his forehead. He stopped in his tracks.

He had been so overjoyed that he had forgotten an important matter. Now, he suddenly remembered.

Little Riches, who was somewhat unfurled a while ago, had now curled up into a perfect sphere in Little Bear’s hand.

Upon seeing Little Bear suddenly stop, the unit supervisor said, “Fang Zhao’s room is just ahead. It’s less than five meters away.”

“No, I feel that now isn’t a very good time. I better not disturb him.” Little Bear shook his head vigorously without budging.

The unit supervisor panicked seeing that Little Bear was a little pale and breaking out in sweat. He couldn’t afford for something to happen to this sort of talent!

“Are you feeling unwell? Let me send you to the infirmary downstairs!” The unit supervisor was about to contact personnel from the infirmary already.

“No no no, I just remembered I have something important to do. I will be leaving first! Bye bye!!”

Little Bear turned around and pulled his dogs along.

In one breath, Little Bear ran out of the reception district. He wiped away his sweat and got a bottle of water at the automatic dispenser using his card before proceeding to gulp all its contents down.

He had dehydrated himself considerably today and needed to replenish his fluids.

Little Bear felt regretful when he saw that Dogdan and Dogke were oblivious to the near-miss. “I actually used up my salary to make you two retards!”

Chapter 469: Well-behaved

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Little Bear had snuck away quickly and decisively.

Curly Hair, who was waiting by the door, was very disappointed. However, his attention was very quickly diverted by the Esports channel, and he quickly returned to watching the match broadcast.

However, Fang Zhao thought about a lot.

Although the door had some soundproofing, Fang Zhao was still able to hear the conversation outside with his current hearing ability.

Based on Little Bear’s display outside, Fang Zhao felt that this was a thoughtful kid, or rather, a peculiar artificial intelligence.

Fang Zhao was getting more and more interested in these “outsiders”.

However, right now, the most important matter for Fang Zhao was the upcoming joint performance.

Fang Zhao and the other artists would be sent to Planet Yin’s Arts and Cultural Center. During this period, Fang Zhao would be rehearsing together with some of Planet Yin’s youth music enthusiasts.

Planet Yin had its own schools from kindergarten to university. Generation after generation had been born, worked and lived on Planet Yin, and it now had its own social systems. However, it didn’t mean that Planet Yin was isolated from everything else.

Upon graduating primary school, those born on Planet Yin would have a chance to choose whether to continue studies on Planet Yin or transfer to a school back on Earth.

Those that chose to continue their studies on Planet Yin would have opportunities to go back to earth for exchange studies during their secondary school and university period.

Planet Yin wasn’t a completely sealed-off military factory. It had communications with Earth, Planet Baiji, Planet Wai, Planet Bu and other planets.

Fang Zhao would be working with secondary school and university students who had chosen to stay in Planet Yin for studies. There would also be some music enthusiasts from various research facilities.

There was some free time before the rehearsal started.

Fang Zhao didn’t immediately head to the designated rehearsal hall when he got to the arts and cultural center. Instead, he stood at the french windows in the lounge meant for instructors to observe the students inside the rehearsal hall.

The person who brought Fang Zhao here was called Gu Mang. In the past, Gu Mang had been part of Planet Yin’s combat troop. After retiring from the frontlines, he had picked up his own hobbies and applied for transfer to the art and cultural center. He was currently an instructor here and was well-liked by the students here because of his affable temperament. They called him “aunt”.1

In front of an “outsider” like Fang Zhao, Gu Mang was more protective of these Planet Yin students. When he gave Fang Zhao the student roster, he included short descriptions of the students, praised their talents, and showed some photos of them winning awards in competitions on Earth.

“Regardless of how they look, they’re all good students.”

However, those students present didn’t know they were being praised. As rehearsal time hadn’t yet started, those present were relaxing in the general hubbub.

Secondary school students area.

“Hey brother, which class are you from? I’ve never seen you around before. I’m in Rockets.”

“I’m in Vehicle Armor. I’m new here, just enrolled.”

“The heck! Where is my flute? Why is there a gun barrel here? Did my grandpa mistakenly put a gun barrel into my flute bag again?!”

University students area.

A year two Aviation Flight and Command major said, “Just returned from my internship yesterday. I got to try out two new fighter crafts this time. Hehehe, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep the entire night and almost didn’t make it here on time.”

The Aircraft Design and Engineering major beside him responded enthusiastically, “I wasn’t on a mission, but I almost didn’t reach the minimum score for my theory exam to be here.”

Nearby, a burly Heavy Mecha major was hollering, “Any Heavy Mecha Majors, any Heavy Mecha Majors? Our team is looking for one more person! The Light Machinery neighbors are challenging us to a 4v4 strumming showdown!”

“Forget it, all your instrument strings were ruined the last time there was a showdown. Rehearsals haven’t even started for today yet. How are you all gonna rehearse if your strings are damaged? If you want to face off, at least wait until after today’s rehearsals.”

It was common for strings to be damaged in showdowns. Even custom-made strings couldn’t withstand their frenzied showdowns.

Gu Mang felt the need to speak up for these students. He wanted them to have a good impression on Fang Zhao. Compared to students on Earth, these students were basically dangerous carnivores with sharp teeth and claws. It could be harder for artists from Earth to accept them.

Fang Zhao watched all of this with a smile. “How lively.”

Gu Mang had been worried these students would scare Fang Zhao and felt reassured by Fang Zhao’s reaction.

“That’s good then. Actually, they might seem very aggressive, but they’re well-behaved and mild when they pick up instruments.”

“Sure,” Fang Zhao replied.

He could tell that though these students were quite young, they weren’t the overly protected kind of kids.

These students were the sort that were docile and well-behaved when they picked up instruments but were also ready to fight at any moment when they put them down.

Glancing at the time, Fang Zhao said to Gu Mang, “Let’s go. Time for practice.”

Gu Mang wasn’t wrong, these students were indeed well-behaved when they picked up their instruments and practiced seriously. Their passion for music could easily be seen. However, as they weren’t professional performers, they still had minor hiccups. As conductor of this orchestra, Fang Zhao’s workload was quite considerable.

Fang Zhao had to organize the entire orchestra.

He was expected to lead students through their rehearsals from the individual to orchestral level. Any parts that didn’t harmonize well had to be individually worked on.

There were many instrument types used in Mo Lang’s “Legend”. Fang Zhao had a large stack of musical scores. A number of them still needed appropriate amendments. Many details still remained unaddressed, and he was still missing a sequencing plan.

It was hard to imagine the hard work and effort behind just performing this one song onstage.

However, Fang Zhao was able to handle these difficulties.

After rehearsals on the first day ended, Fang Zhao contacted Mo Lang. Fang Zhao had previously let Mo Lang see the amendments and wanted to go over some additional ones.

The music score had been written before he had come over to Planet Yin. Now, Fang Zhao had some new inspiration. He briefly explained his thoughts to Mo Lang and gave his reasons the changes.

Mo Lang responded, “Art engraves life, and music models the soul. Different environments and different performers also result in a different outcome. I believe that you will make the optimal choice.

“Fang Zhao, you have to remember this. This song became yours when I handed you the musical score. You don’t have to ask me if you want to change it. What you must do is to lead your orchestra to put on a performance as you envisage. Show the new ‘Legend’ that you desire to hear.”

“Got it.”

Having come to this decision, Fang Zhao worked overnight to modify the score.

This performance was a test given by Mo Lang to Fang Zhao. And in Fang Zhao’s view, this performance was also his gift to Planet Yin.

Fang Zhao wasn’t aware of it, but dazzling blossoms of starlight had already started to bloom on this unknown land.

The future was arriving at such a startling pace.

Chapter 470: Watch Your Mouth

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

In the few days that followed, Fang Zhao spent most of his time in the art and cultural center with the students.

The students also found that Fang Zhao matched the remarkable reports about him. Regardless whether the topic was firearms, mechas or art examinations, Fang Zhao could keep up.

At the beginning, Gu Mang had even been worried that Fang Zhao wouldn’t be able to control the young students. They had all grown up on Planet Yin, which was a much different environment. There were bound to be some conflicting views during the rehearsal process.

Gu Mang was especially wary of a few of the troublemakers and had decided to seek them out for a private chat. However, after observing for two days, he realized that there was no need for it.

Gu Mang didn’t have anything to do so he went to find other instructors to chat.

Rest lounge in the art and cultural center.

“Gu Mang, why do I feel that you have a lot of free time recently?” someone asked.

“I’m not needed at the rehearsal. Fang Zhao is more than enough, so I don’t have much to do besides chatting with you guys.” Gu Mang pulled over a chair and sat down.

An instructor beside Gu Mang raised an eyebrow. “Fang Zhao is directing the whole orchestra alone? You didn’t get anyone to assist him?”

“I did! But there is nothing to worry about. Fang Zhao is handling it personally. He wrote the musical score and even personally conducts during rehearsals.”

“Can’t others share the workload? We also have professional musicians here.”

“It’s not the same. Nobody can compare with Fang Zhao when it comes to understanding the chosen piece.”

A thought occurred to the other instructor and he gave a wry smile. “Those rascals aren’t causing any trouble??”

“They are well-behaved!” Gu Mang replied.

“Tsk, Gu Mang, you can tell that to an outsider, but there is no need to pretend in front of us. Aren’t we all too familiar with the mischief those kids get up to?”

“Eh, I am really telling the truth this time. If you don’t believe me, you can go down and take a look at any time.” Gu Mang chortled.

The other instructors really didn’t believe it. They hurried over to observe the youth orchestra together before returning with surprised looks on their faces.

“A rare sight, right? It’s like they’ve undergone a personality swap. Maybe they’re past that phase now?”

Gu Mang recalled something and began laughing. “Of course it isn’t that simple. Just yesterday, during the rehearsals, a Heavy Mecha student didn’t perform too well so Fang Zhao had a talk with him.”

The other few instructors revealed knowing grins.

Heavy Mechas generally rushed to the front during battle and were bold and fierce. Those who came from this specialization usually had similar personalities.

Sometimes, these brash youths could be too overwhelming. It wasn’t something any random person could handle.

Were those youngsters really that easy to keep in line?

They weren’t the type to give in to others that easily. How could they simply accept the command of an outsider?

Against Fang Zhao, that Heavy Mecha student was the vanguard.

“What did he do?” the instructor asked.

“He hollered at Fang Zhao, saying, ‘Bring it on if you can!'”

“And then?”

“Fang Zhao really took him on.”

“Huh?!”

“In a musical showdown or in…” An instructor put on a boxing stance and threw some air punches.

“Both. They competed with instruments and martial ability. It has to be said, Fang Zhao is really talented!”

“Wasn’t that a tremendous psychological blow to the student?”

“No, Fang Zhao is very considerate. From my observations, there wasn’t any lasting psychological damage. After that, the students were more well-behaved during rehearsal time.”

“I say, those troublemakers need to learn some discipline! Instrument showdowns at the drop of a hat! Who do they think they are?”

“Youths are ignorant. They need to understand that there is always someone better than them!”

“Look at this incident. That student seems to know his place now. They are well-behaved because Fang Zhao can keep them under control!”

“But, back to the topic. I just saw the program plan for them. It isn’t any less intensive than our normal program. I feel exhausted just from watching Fang Zhao handle so many matters all by himself. Can he sustain this?”

In the past, he had seen a number of Fang Zhao’s past deeds on authoritative media outlets. Fang Zhao’s constitution was definitely slightly stronger than that of other artists. But, he had thought that Fang Zhao would have some difficulty dealing with students with military training since Fang Zhao was from the art field.

“Yeah, I see these other invited artists all brought along helpers. Those assistants are well versed in art and can fight, so they should be quite helpful. Did Fang Zhao bring along an assistant?”

Gu Mang had a complex expression. “He did, but his assistant is looking after his dog. His assistant wouldn’t be able to help much anyways since he doesn’t have a music background.”

Another instructor shook his head and lamented, “Fang Zhao is really too young and lacks experience! He should have brought along a helper. I see others have assistants who help with planning and instruction, while his assistant is actually busy walking the dog!”

“One assistant and two bodyguards, actually. They’re all looking after his dog. I don’t know what he is thinking. I just can’t understand how the minds of young people work nowadays,” Gu Mang said.

“He is but a slave to his dog!”

“I heard that dog is worth a lot!”

Gu Mang sighed. “Who knows. When I was over there, I saw him checking messages about his dog. During breaks, he even calls to ask about it!”

At this very time, Fang Zhao, the person being discussed by all these instructors, was in a call with Nanfeng.

It was currently break time, but Fang Zhao wasn’t actually calling to check in on Curly Hair’s behavior.

This morning, Planet Yin’s spaceport inspection team had come looking for Fang Zhao. They wanted to invite Curly Hair to the spaceport. Some spaceport service dogs were having their examinations. The inspection team wanted Curly Hair to come try it out to compare him against Planet Yin’s service dogs.

Fang Zhao wasn’t too bothered about the examinations. His main concern was whether Curly Hair would be able to keep his mouth shut once he became excited. He had sent all three of Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to watch Curly Hair, but he still didn’t feel at ease. He had requested Nanfeng to send an update every half an hour.

Nanfeng spoke to Fang Zhao via video chat. “Hello, Boss, we are still at the spaceport. Everything is fine here!”

The spaceport wasn’t a place where video calls were freely permitted. Cameras weren’t allowed to be turned on there. Video calls could only be taken in designated area.

Nanfeng was surrounded by four walls, and there weren’t any items that suggested he was in a military facility. Even the table, chairs and lights were all generic models.

“Has the examination started yet?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Not yet. It appears there was some issue at the mines, so they were sent on an impromptu mission. They just got back half an hour ago,” Nanfeng explained the situation to Fang Zhao briefly.

“The majority of service dogs here on Planet Yin are large-sized. There are only two medium-sized dogs, and none that are small-sized. Curly Hair is the smallest over here. However, our Curly Curls isn’t afraid of them! He even went up to greet them!”

Nanfeng beamed as he recalled the scene just now. “Boss, do you know? Curly Hair doesn’t pale in comparison to those impressive looking Planet Yin dogs. He really makes us proud.”

There was a subtle change in Fang Zhao’s tone. “…He what?”

Nanfeng was beaming with pride and wasn’t able to detect the change in Fang Zhao’s tone.

“Nothing much. Curly Hair just went over to greet those Planet Yin dogs.”

“How did he do that?” Fang Zhao asked.

“He just went over to sniff and lick the lead dog. Don’t worry, Boss. They didn’t fight. It really was just licking.”

“How did the dog that was licked react?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Like it was scared. It tucked its tail back and even yelped. Afterwards, it avoided Curly Hair whenever they met.” Nanfeng sounded very pleased. “Our Little Curls is just so impressive!”

In Nanfeng’s opinion, everything was rather ordinary. Some large service dogs could be capable and still have timid natures. Some could even be afraid of small dogs.

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow. He didn’t let Nanfeng continue and said, “Put Curly Hair on. I want to speak to him.”

“Alright! Come, Curly Hair. Boss wants to talk to you.” Nanfeng directed the communications device lens towards Curly Hair.

Curly Hair came over with a droopy tail and whimpered as though he had a guilty conscience.

Fang Zhao stared at Curly Hair without saying anything. Curly Hair’s ears drooped down.

Then, Fang Zhao said two things.

“Behave.”

“Watch your mouth.”

Nanfeng shuddered from the two seemingly ordinary commands.

Scary!

Certainly, Curly Hair had just been reprimanded again! Perhaps he would be sent to face the wall later!

Nanfeng was puzzled as to why Curly Hair was reprimanded.

Why is Boss being so strict towards a dog?

Wasn’t it just a lick?

“What did he do wrong?” Nanfeng whispered to Zuo Yu.

“I don’t think he did anything wrong,” Zuo Yu replied.

What was wrong with a dog licking another dog?

Nothing was wrong with that!

Chapter 471: No Longer Wanting To Be Salted Fish

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

[Note: salted fish = person with nothing to do.]

Nanfeng and the other two reckoned Fang Zhao was making a fuss over nothing. Meanwhile, there were others who christened Fang Zhao as “dog slave”.

Fang Zhao didn’t care what others thought. He needed people to watch Curly Hair at all times. One person wasn’t enough. He was still worried with three.

In the natural world, wild animals had no qualms eating food presented to them.

Even though Curly Hair was domesticated, things could still happen if he was tempted. It would just take one bite.

If Curly Hair licked that dog today, who knew whether he would directly swallow that dog the next day.

It wasn’t that Fang Zhao always feared the worst, but it was best to take precautions.

To Curly Hair, were those spaceport service dogs the same species as himself?

No!

They were food!

Thus, when Fang Zhao returned to his quarters after the day’s rehearsal, he picked up Curly Hair who was feigning sleep in the corner for a stern talk.

“You licked the dog in the spaceport today? Tell me, were you thinking of swallowing it?”

“I never thought about eating it!” Curly Hair needed to defend himself. “They just returned from the mines and had ore traces on their bodies so I just licked away the ore!”

“You really never thought about it?” Fang Zhao looked straight into Curly Hair’s innocent dog eyes.

Curly Hair avoided Fang Zhao’s gaze and hung his head in shame. “…Maybe a little.”

He really had wanted to swallow that dog. Maybe even the whole team of dogs. Unfortunately, Fang Zhao would have disciplined him. Curly Hair had had to stifle those temptations and content himself with licking the ore dust.

Curly Hair reminisced about the taste and licked his snout. Ore dust was really delicious.

Ore chunks would definitely be even better!

It was just a pity that those dogs were too timid and kept hiding. On top of that, because of Nanfeng’s quick report, Fang Zhao was already aware of Curly Hair’s single lick.

In the following two hours, Curly Hair was on the receiving end of Fang Zhao’s carrot-and-stick treatment.

Finally, Fang Zhao said sternly, “I hope that you will think about what you are wearing around your neck before doing anything. I will confiscate your personal terminal the next time you casually lick others!”

Curly Hair tucked in his neck, as if trying to hide the doggy print personal terminal he was wearing.

“No more licking! I promise I won’t lick!”

Curly Hair hadn’t even used it yet. How could he let it be confiscated?

“When will I be able to use the personal terminal?” Curly Hair asked.

“Soon. Wait until the concert here concludes. You’ll get to use it when we return home.”

——

In another building while Fang Zhao was disciplining his dog.

Assistants and bodyguards weren’t allocated to the same quarters. Zuo Yu and Yuan Biao were living in the same quarters, while Nanfeng was on a different floor.

Right now, Yan Biao was sharing his thoughts with Zuo Yu.

“I feel like changing jobs,” Yan Biao said.

“Why? Isn’t this job good?” Zuo Yu was flabbergasted. “The pay is high, and there isn’t much to do. Where can you find a job like this?”

“But what can we do staying here? Be idle salted fishes? Walk the dog everyday?” Yan Biao gave a bitter smile.

Zuo Yu frowned. “You feel that walking a dog is a waste of your talent?”

Yan Biao shook his head. “Not quite. I just feel uncomfortable getting paid such high wages without actually doing any proper work. We are bodyguards in name, but we don’t have the typical duties of one. Are there any bodyguards like us who are paid so well to look after a dog all day long? Don’t you feel ashamed?”

Zuo Yu was speechless.

Yan Biao continued, “Nanfeng is an assistant and does quite a lot. He is busy every day and is very happy to walk the dog. That is the path he wishes to take, and it is a fulfilling one for him! But what about us? A duo of salted fishes?”

Zuo Yu sobered as well. He understood what Yan Biao meant. Actually, he had the same sentiments as Yan Biao. How could he really not mind all of this?

Yan Biao sighed. “Now, after arriving on Planet Yin and seeing all these people, I’ve come to a realization.”

In the entirely militarized Planet Yin, Yan Biao would hear all sorts of discussions pertaining to military matters whenever he stepped out. Outsiders like them could only view video clips of the military exercises. But, this was already enough for Yan Biao.

He reminisced about his time serving on Planet Baiji. He missed the feeling of being fired up everyday.

“When I first served on Planet Baiji, I wanted to do something big. Afterwards, I slowly got used to a daily routine, all the way until Fang Zhao discovered the power ore reserves on Planet Baiji.

“I served in the military for so many years, but was only a bystander when Planet Baiji rose.”

“If you hadn’t been injured, you would have been able to stay on Planet Baiji and pursue your dreams,” Zuo Yu said.

“I can’t deny that I have never felt bitter about it, but the past is the past. I am also very grateful to Fang Zhao for helping me in my most difficult period. But now, I feel that I am receiving charity and being pitied. Look at the people of Planet Yin. Many of them have prosthetic limbs yet haven’t retired from the military. I am still in the prime of my life. I feel that I can return to the battlefield and fight for another fifty years!”

Zuo Yu understood Yan Biao’s restlessness. He also shared the same sentiments.

At that moment, various thoughts went through Zuo Yu’s head.

He also didn’t want to be a salted fish. He was embarrassed to talk about his job with former comrades.

They would ask, “What do you do normally? Are you busy?”

Could he reply, “Busy walking the dog”?

How shameless would that sound?

“Salted fish like us…” Zuo Yu felt that what he said felt a little wrong and immediately made a correction. “Bodyguards like us are indeed rare.”

Yan Biao gave a wry smile at “salted fish”. However, it contained complex emotions.

“Ever since leaving the military, I have never slacked off on my training. I’m ready for battle at any time. I would rush in front of Fang Zhao to protect him without any regret. No questions asked! However, he only lets me walk the dog.

“Zuo Yu, it’s now just the two of us here. Honestly speaking, I feel that my abilities aren’t utilized at all. Fang Zhao can fight better than us and simply does not need us to do anything. We are basically just decorative adornments. Normally for ten days of our job, we are out walking the dog for nine days and are just standing in the background for the remaining one.

“I do not understand music and don’t play games well either. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that perhaps Curly Hair is even better than me!

“Fang Zhao always reminds us to keep striving. For what? Our work is actually more like self-hypnosis! It’s just office duty. I’m taking certifications, doing reports, training and walking the dog. Does this make me a diligent and responsible bodyguard?!

“All I feel is emptiness from doing nothing!

“I am not very great and have limited abilities. If I can’t make use of it here, then why shouldn’t I go somewhere else to use my strengths?

“Maybe my future life won’t be that exciting either and also won’t have much career growth. But, maybe I’ll be able to do something meaningful. Despite how I might look, I’m not in a good state right now. I don’t have any motivation at all. It’s like I’ve already retired at my young age.

“If I can’t demonstrate my value, what is the meaning of my life?”

Zuo Yu was silent for a long time. Then, he asked, “Are you thinking of applying to return to your squadron?”

“Indeed!” Yan Biao nodded.

“Will the application be successful?”

“I don’t know. Even if I can’t return, I want to change jobs. It might be tiring and pay less, but at least I will have peace of mind. I just wish to do honest work so that I will feel deserving of my pay!”

Zuo Yu could tell that this wasn’t an impulsive decision and that Yan Biao had really given it some hard thought. Perhaps he had already been considering it for some time. Planet Yin seemed to be the final straw.

“This is my own decision. I’ll wait until the concert is over before letting Fang Zhao know. I’ll also recommend a few potential replacements for me.” Yan Biao sighed. “I don’t want to go on being a salted fish. I need to once again reignite my fighting spirit.”

“I too have to think things through properly,” Zuo Yu muttered.

“Yeah, you should think about it.”

Before heading to sleep, Yan Biao had already made his decision.

“Mhmm, that settles it. When we return home from Planet Yin, I will hand my resignation to Fang Zhao!”

Chapter 472: Last Time Walking The Dog

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yan Biao didn’t tell Fang Zhao of his decision the following day. Fang Zhao was very busy in the preparation phase for the concert, and Yan Biao didn’t want to interfere with his work.

Zuo Yu had also thought about it all night and felt awkward in front of Fang Zhao today. In truth, he too had been tempted to resign. However, he wasn’t as resolute as Yan Biao.

Yan Biao had been recruited directly by Fang Zhao, whereas Zuo Yu was assigned by Silver Wing Media. Even if he hadn’t become Fang Zhao’s bodyguard, he would probably have been assigned to some other celebrity. However, the entertainment circle was messy. Things were much simpler by Fang Zhao’s side. Nonetheless, Yan Biao was correct. He couldn’t keep doing this. He didn’t want to be stuck here forever as a salted fish.

He hadn’t thought through about when to resign because he didn’t know what he would do after. He needed to find some other options first.

So, when they went to pick up Curly Hair from Fang Zhao, they both felt somewhat guilty.

Fang Zhao sensed the awkwardness but didn’t bring it up. After briefing them on their dog walking assignment for today, he headed to the art and cultural center for rehearsals with the youth orchestra.

He could tell that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were bothered by something but that it wasn’t urgent. Fang Zhao wasn’t going to press them for answers if they didn’t say anything. He expected he would find out after the concert.

Planet Yin’s spaceport had tested all the service dogs. Curly Hair’s results were very good and even broke many records. Planet Yin’s spaceport inspection team felt disappointed but also had renewed motivation.

The captain of the spaceport inspection team noticed that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu seemed down when walking Curly Hair so he came over to speak with them during free time.

“Walking dogs is great! I alone can walk ten dogs like Curly Hair! He’s so obedient! And he’s a small dog. Small dogs are good. Small dogs that aren’t temperamental and don’t bark incessantly are great to walk! They aren’t strong so it isn’t tiring at all. If there’s ever a time you’re too busy to walk the dog, we can help out! Just ask if you need anything!”

Till now, Curly Hair was the only one who beat their spaceport’s elite dogs in the tests. If you aren’t willing to walk Curly Hair, we have many people ready to jump at that opportunity!

Some others offered to help walk Curly Hair as well, but Yan Biao and Zuo Yu declined their offers.

Although he didn’t like the job of walking the dog, Yan Biao knew how valuable Curly Hair was. Fang Zhao had also drilled it into them to stay by Curly Hair’s side and not let anyone else walk him. They even had to take turns using the toilet so that someone would be watching him at all times.

Yan Biao had totally been brainwashed by Nanfeng and saw these as attempts to steal Curly Hair. Was Planet Yin plotting something?

On the day of the joint art performance, dogs weren’t allowed into the venue. Nanfeng needed to be at Fang Zhao’s side to help deal with matters related to the performance. So, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were again watching over Curly Hair.

Yan Biao was filled with complex emotions and heavy sighs when they had set out.

This could possibly be his last dog walking assignment before he resigned.

After this task was done, the performance would be over. He wouldn’t need to walk the dog after that.

How great!

Even if he resigned and changed jobs, he could at least say that he had once walked a dog worth 300 million!

Yan Biao had spent the past few nights contemplating his future path and had put together more than ten pages worth of future career prospects ranging from bodyguard or engineer to even a youth interest group teacher.

Anything was fine as long as he would never have to walk a dog again!

When Yan Biao and Zuo Yu brought Curly Hair to the Planet Yin spaceport, he realized that the circumstances today seemed a little unusual.

There was an extra dog at the space port.

It was a small dog, about the same size as Curly Hair. Its long lustrous fur was light brown and had streaks of white on its head. It was obvious this dog was cared for meticulously.

Yan Biao glanced over and noticed the inspection team members had wide grins on their faces.

“She belongs to the family of an old professor on Planet Yin. She’s highly intelligent, and despite being kept as a pet, she has service dog level abilities.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Biao understood at once.

This is clearly matchmaking!

The boss hasn’t even gotten matched yet! Hig dog gets one first!

Although Yan Biao didn’t like the job of walking the dog, he had to admit that Curly Hair was indeed remarkable. It was no wonder why so many people wanted him.

This bunch at the spaceport had wanted to determine whether Curly Hair was really as intelligent as they had heard. They had wondered if he could surpass their elite dogs. So, with the test administered by themselves, they trusted its results.

Now that they had confirmed Curly Hair’s abilities, it was time for their next step.

It was no wonder that Planet Yin had permitted Fang Zhao to bring his dog over so easily. They treated Curly Hair even better than Yan Biao and Zuo Yu.

If they couldn’t get the dog, perhaps they could get its genes!

It explained why the inspection team had seemed somewhat down. They felt it was a shame that Curly Hair didn’t fancy any of the dogs in the team. With the joint art performance being today, it was their last chance before Fang Zhao’s departure.

This little dog was really beautiful. Even her dog collar seemed much more exquisite than that of other dogs.

But, Nanfeng had mentioned before that Curly Hair had high standards! There were so many dogs in Muzhou, yet Curly Hair hadn’t taken a fancy to any before!

Those Muzhou dog lovers hadn’t succeeded in getting Curly Hair to leave offspring. It would be an uphill battle for Planet Yin as well.

In any case, this matter had to be reported.

Yan Biao immediately sent a message to Fang Zhao explaining the situation here.

“Boss, you have to negotiate with the people here on Planet Yin.”

Yan Biao was trying to say that Fang Zhao should try to get some additional benefits in exchange from Planet Yin. However, he suddenly froze when he saw Curly Hair.

“Eh?! Boss, you better make it fast! Curly Hair’s eyes are set!”

Fang Zhao glanced at the photograph Yan Biao sent over and saw Curly Hair staring at the nearby little furry dog.

Fang Zhao thought for a moment and enlarged the photo to observe that small dog. He discovered that the collar worn by that dog was made using a type of high grade power ore.

Fang Zhao: “….”

Fang Zhao grimaced and rubbed his aching head. Then, he ordered Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, “Watch Curly Hair carefully. Don’t let him lick random things. Report to me immediately if something out of the ordinary happens!”

“Understood!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt that they completely understood their boss’ intentions. The boss definitely wanted them to guard against the unsavory methods of those from the Planet Yin spaceport!

Wretched beings! Not even willing to let a dog off!!

Meanwhile, the spaceport’s inspection team felt that their plans were proceeding smoothly. They were delighted.

Curly Hair was oblivious to what the two sides were thinking. He glanced at that small dog nearby and fixed his gaze on that power ore that hung around its neck. Curly Hair licked his nose and took a few steps forward. However, he remembered what Fang Zhao had said and drew back.

“Hahahaha, Little Curls is still shy!” An inspection team member chuckled.

“Don’t be shy! Go, quick!”

Curly Hair set his innocent dog eyes on the inspection team members ahead who were egging him on before turning back to glance at Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. Those two salted fishes simply didn’t seem like they had any intention of stopping him. Thus, he got bolder and continued to inch closer to the dog.

The spaceport inspection team members were excited upon seeing this. However, they still held back their laughter because they were worried about disturbing this “matchmaking” session.

A few team members really couldn’t hold it in and sent messages in their internal group chat.

“It’s working, it’s working! Our Planet Yin dog is more attractive than Muzhou dogs!”

“That doesn’t sound that pleasing… but who cares! It’s all good if it succeeds!”

“This is a dog that beat the Muzhou police academy’s elite team of dogs! It also broke the records of the elite dogs we bred and is even more effective than the latest sensors! Its genes are definitely very outstanding!”

In their opinion, they needed to seize this opportunity when Curly Hair was still in peak form. They wanted to breed a batch of outstanding puppies before Curly Hair got old. Of course, the most important thing was that they didn’t know when they would ever get another chance if this session failed. Fang Zhao would be heading back once the performance ended.

They had considered cloning before, but cloning did not necessarily mean that ability would be replicated. There were too many failures in cloning, so they had gone for natural breeding.

Right now, Curly Hair was less than two meters away from that dog.

As that “fragrant” power ore got closer, Curly Hair’s mouth started to water.

Before Curly Hair could get closer, all the fur on that dog suddenly stood up. She seemed to swell up before scampering back a couple of steps like a hare. She hid behind the inspection team members while yelping and shaking as if she was scared witless.

Everyone present: “???”

“What the hell is this?” Yan Biao asked in bafflement.

The two man salted fish team exchanged puzzled glances and were thinking to themselves, Are pet dogs on Planet Yin that timid?

The inspection team members also had crestfallen looks on their faces.

A pity!

They had never imagined that the problem would be on their end!

This dog was normally so wild when it was by the professor’s side. Why was it this frightened today over just a matchmaking session?

Looks like this matchmaking has failed.

Curly Hair’s innocent dog eyes stared at the little dog hiding behind the inspection team members and realized that it was hiding in a very safe spot. He then turned his gaze towards the inspection team members. A trickle of saliva dripped out from the corner of his mouth.

Rumble rumble—

The growling of Curly Hair’s stomach diffused the awkward atmosphere.

Yan Biao was puzzled. “Didn’t you just finish up all the dog food before we set out today? How are you hungry again?”

An inspection team member chuckled. “Haha, looks like Little Curly is hungry. Maybe it’s because he has literally seen a ‘feast for the eyes’!”

Another team member interjected, “Isn’t ‘feast for the eyes’ a little unsuitable here?”

The other dog seemed to be very jumpy, and the inspection team members were worried too. Seeing that the “matchmaking” had failed, they brought the dog away. They had to go out on a mission soon and didn’t have time to stay here for idle chit-chat.

A small inspection team squad left with their dogs to start the day’s mission. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu brought Curly Hair along to watch as well.

However, it seemed like interaction between the two sides was difficult. Each time Curly Hair wanted to get close, the inspection team dogs would scuttle away.

Zuo Yu huffed. “They are isolating him! This is emotional abuse!!”

Yan Biao agreed with what Zuo Yu said. The Planet Yin dogs were excluding Curly Hair!

However, this wasn’t too important to him. This would be the last time he would have a dog walking assignment. Once Fang Zhao’s performance ended, the ones walking the dog would be Nanfeng and Fang Zhao. He would inform Fang Zhao of his decision to resign first and recommend suitable candidates to replace himself later.

I’ll submit my resignation to Boss after walking the dog today.

Chapter 473: The Future Has Come

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

While the Planet Yin Joint Art Performance couldn’t be considered a very significant and grand event, it was still a rare entertainment activity after all. People who were free or on vacation would come over to the venue to watch. Those that couldn’t come would watch the live broadcast.

The live broadcast was only limited to Planet Yin. People outside of Planet Yin wouldn’t be able to watch it. No official recordings would be posted to the internet.

Even photos taken by official media representatives from Earth had to be audited and censored before they could be uploaded on the Internet. There were too many important people who needed protection. Their faces couldn’t be revealed.

Gold badge engineers like Yuan Zheng belonged to the category of people with sensitive identities that couldn’t be made public. People like them were assigned secret identities and bodyguards when they went to Earth for work or vacation.

Thus, Fang Zhao and the other invited artists were once again reminded of the confidentiality requirements.

At the venue, people were already starting to stream in.

Little Bear had brought Dogdan and Dogke over. Unfortunately, the robot dogs weren’t allowed in the venue and could only stay outside. Thus, Little Bear entered to watch the concert alone. Lately, nobody had bothered him so he had run over to watch Fang Zhao and the orchestra’s rehearsals whenever he was free and feeling bored. As long as that dog wasn’t around, the word “afraid” didn’t exist in his dictionary.

Besides Little Bear, the self-proclaimed fanboy Yuan Zheng also wouldn’t miss this performance. He was accompanied by a few older engineers from the same research facility.

Yuan Zheng had also brought along the present he had made for Fang Zhao. Previously, his space fleet models had been confiscated and he had been limited to gifting a small component.

Giving his idol a tiny component was probably his most regrettable incident ever!

Therefore, he had worked during his spare time to build a complete craft. It couldn’t compare with the entire fleet he’d previously made, but at least it managed to get through the strict security audit. He had heard the invited artists would be leaving once the concert ended, so he only had one opportunity remaining.

Seated to Yuan Zheng’s side were some much older people. They didn’t really have too much interest in the art itself. They had come over to watch their own children or grandchildren perform on stage.

“Our son is performing this time. He’s always so rough and boorish. I wonder what he is like when he plays the violin.”

“My granddaughter will be performing this time! Make sure to take more photos later!”

“Are you all talking about the piece that Fang Zhao is involved in?” someone turned around and asked.

“Fang Zhao? I know him too. He’s the one who acted in ‘Founding Era’ and also is very good at gaming, right?”

“Yes, yes! They are performing a piece that Fang Zhao has revised. You should have heard it before too. It is that long tune at the end of ‘Founding Era’! I can’t remember what it is called, but it ain’t easy!”

“That song is called ‘Legend’. The original is very difficult. Can these troublemaking kids do it justice? Perhaps Fang Zhao revised it to lower its difficulty. I wonder how different it is compared to the original.”

“Nonsense! There’s definitely no lowered difficulty!” a parent interjected. In truth, he would boast like mad as long as his child’s performance was passable! After all, they weren’t professionals, so the standards weren’t too high. To be honest, he wouldn’t be able to determine the difficulty or the intent of the music.

There were many people backstage as well.

Fang Zhao’s group would be performing third in the concert.

Right now, even the most lively ones in the orchestra were also rather quiet.

Those youths who would always go on about “strum-offs” or “showdowns” were wiping beads of perspiration on their foreheads and breathing quickly.

Nervous! Extremely nervous!

There were many seniors in the audience! Family members who could make it would definitely be there to watch them perform!

What happens if my strings break? I wouldn’t just be a burden to the entire orchestra; I would be disgracing my family and all of Planet Yin.

The student turned around to look at the others.

Hehe, good, everyone is the same. Those brothers seated by the wall appear calm, but their fingers have been drumming on their kneecaps nonstop. Clearly, they aren’t as composed as they appear!

He looked at Fang Zhao.

“Are you nervous, Brother Zhao?” a youth asked.

“Nope,” Fang Zhao replied.

The others looked over and carefully studied Fang Zhao’s facial expression. However, they couldn’t tell whether that unperturbed look was genuine.

Even older first-time performers couldn’t suppress their nerves in front of such an audience. Both excitement and worry could affect their onstage performance.

Some people guessed that Fang Zhao was definitely extremely nervous deep down. But, regardless of what Fang Zhao was truly feeling, his calm composure left everyone else more at ease.

While their rehearsals hadn’t gone perfectly, the students had shown great improvement from the time they had started.

They were all youngsters, and disagreements were common when their emotions flared. However, the orchestra hadn’t become disorderly because Fang Zhao was standing there to maintain order.

It was approaching the time for their performance. The stage manager instructed the youth orchestra to stand by.

“Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion…”

The entire orchestra including Fang Zhao began to ready themselves. There were ten minutes left.

Fang Zhao made time to contact Yan Biao once. Upon confirming that everything was normal with Curly Hair, he then set his attention on the upcoming performance.

Fang Zhao eyed the nervous orchestra members backstage and chuckled. What he liked most was the splendid vigor that appeared in the eyes of the students when they performed. Such expressions would never appear if they didn’t truly have a passion for music.

“Perform seriously. You guys are the best,” Fang Zhao said to the youth orchestra.

“Of course!” The youth orchestra puffed their chests out proudly.

They were the ones with the best skills among their age group. Would they have been able to enter this orchestra and perform on stage if they weren’t outstanding enough?

If they weren’t the best, then who was?

No! One! Else!

Afraid?

That didn’t exist!

It’s all an illusion!

How could the people of Planet Yin feel fear?!

There was the correct mental state, and then there was fear!

The students reined in their emotions and waited to head on stage to release them.

And, when they really got on stage with their stiff expressions, even though their hands were shaking from nervousness and their minds were blank, their conditioned reflexes kicked in. What supported them was really their genuine passion from the bottom of their hearts.

Fang Zhao held his conductor’s baton and headed on stage together with the orchestra.

This concert couldn’t be considered a grand or luxurious affair. However, it was still an extremely special one. Most of the audience were unknown to Earth. Even their greatest glories only had slim chances to be revealed to the public after god-knows-how-many years.

And, these youngsters had also chosen such a path.

Conductors had their own styles. Some appeared cool while keeping all their passion in their hearts. Others would expose all their sentiments and use exaggerated body movements to relay their emotions.

Fang Zhao was very cool when he conducted. All his passion was already in the score that was being transmitted via these amateur youths.

When helping Mo Lang with the composition, Fang Zhao had been visualizing people from the Period of Destruction. However, for this adaptation of “Legend”, he had been looking at people of the present New Era.

With a different aim, the sentiments were different as well.

Mo Lang’s “Legend” was about the past.

Fang Zhao’s revised version of “Legend’ was about the present and future.

He had come from the Old Era, experienced the protracted Period of Destruction and arrived at the present some five hundred years later.

It was just like a bird finally finding a branch to rest on after drifting for a long time. The bird then watched the withered branch transform into a flourishing tree.

It was the law of nature and the circle of life. New would replace old. This would never cease.

After waiting for so long, it had finally started to flourish.

It emanated gratitude for the present.

There were many people on Planet Yin. But, in Fang Zhao’s eyes, they were all young children. Besides the “Second Gen Warp” genius engineer Yuan Zheng, there were many other outstanding youngsters.

The “us” of the past belong in the history books. The “us” of the present belong to the future! They belong in the distance! They belong to the vast sea of stars!

Those spirited young geniuses roared along the tides of time in their characteristic headstrong fashion!

Youngsters during the Period of Destruction would have been more quiet. On the verge of collapse, they could have sunk into the depths of fear, misery and hysteria. Or, perhaps they could have broken free of their shackles to lead an epic life. Regardless of which it was, they had to fight for survival at every turn.

These children of Planet Yin did not need to face all these. They loved the stars, and they loved voyaging into the unknown. The galaxies they wanted to explore were their dreams and futures. Stories remained to be told.

Each era had its own main theme, and each generation had its own mission.

Life moved quickly, but it still carried emotions.

The wind and flames clashed to open a new gorgeous chapter of life!

The doors to expeditions faraway were already open. The entire world was blossoming and waiting for them!

Walk ahead firmly and bravely!

Only

Galaxies and stars are beneath your feet. Limitless dreams lie ahead!

Unlimited expectations! Countless possibilities!

Their speed exceeded 30,000 kilometers per second. Their future couldn’t be captured by pen on paper!

This was a dazzling era!

This was the ideology to pass down to future generations!

The stars sparkled!

The past had gone! The future had come!

Chapter 474: Don't Be So Reckless!

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Fang Zhao’s revised “Legend” was youthful and filled with dynamism.

As it resonated throughout the performance hall, what stunned everyone wasn’t the deep, booming drum beats, but the power hidden within the music!

Each sound and each note seemed to be laced with a myriad of sentiments!

Listening carefully, there was stoicism in the music. There was also restlessness and surprise. Even though the youngsters on stage weren’t professionals, they still put together a piece that could bring warm tears of excitement and lament to the audience.

“My heart feels as if it is beating along with the earth!”

“This sounds very different from the original version of ‘Legend’ I heard while following the serial. However, it is still as impressive as ever!”

“Both versions are great, but I personally prefer Fang Zhao’s version. It’s not like I don’t respect Great Master Mo Lang, but I feel that Fang Zhao’s version is more suitable for us people of Planet Yin!” an audience member exclaimed.

“Right! Only people of Planet Yin can understand that!”

“Fang Zhao’s version of ‘Legend’ doesn’t have the same thick history, but it has inspiration and liveliness.”

In contrast with these audience members’ analysis, the performers’ parents were much more excited.

They weren’t necessarily able to discern the deep meaning of “Legend”, but they could still tell if a performance was good or bad. Furthermore, people around them were praising it!

If everyone said it was good, then surely it was very good!

They didn’t disgrace Planet Yin!

Parents picked up their communication devices and sent messages to those who were unable to attend.

They bragged!

They flaunted!

They told their friends and colleagues about their child’s brilliant performance!

And, some had relatives on Earth. They had to be informed too! Although photographs and videos couldn’t be sent, verbal descriptions would suffice.

After the orchestra’s performance concluded, the students bowed before retreating backstage.

When they arrived backstage, many of them still had shaky legs. Some immediately slumped to the ground.

They suddenly realized how exhausted they were after breaking out of the immersion of their performance.

A student nearly collapsed but was luckily caught by a person at his side. After getting comfortable, the students gathered in a circle to watch the video of their performance.

“I actually played this well!” A student watched herself play the violin.

“We actually exceeded our capabilities!” A flutist grinned from ear to ear. He was extremely satisfied with his display.

“This was a team effort. We couldn’t have done this without everyone’s best effort! Perfect!” another exclaimed.

“I have to ask the organizer whether the soundtrack can be extracted. I will keep it as a single to play on loop!”

“I want the video. I will apply for a cut of that segment. I will be able to boast about it for many years to come!”

Younger students were so thrilled they couldn’t even speak coherently. Those that received red packets from their parents nearly shrieked.

A younger student was busy collecting all the electronic red packets sent by various elders and muttered, “How great would it be if these performances were more frequent?” Although rehearsals were tough, the rewards were rather abundant.

“Oh right, where is Brother Zhao? I want to ask when he’ll come over again.”

“Is it once a year? Or once every few years?”

“He was called up by the artiste group.”

After their performance concluded, Fang Zhao had been called over by members of the artiste group. The invited artistes were gathered together. Those who had finished their items were now much more relaxed. Seeing Fang Zhao come over, an older artiste smiled and patted his shoulder.

“Not bad, not bad! Old Mo will surely be very pleased with your performance!”

“No wonder Mo Lang gave nobody else but you permission to revise it.”

They had originally thought that Mo Lang would still contribute in private. But, upon hearing the revised version of “Legend”, they could tell that even if Mo Lang had helped, it wasn’t by much. There weren’t many traces of Mo Lang in this version. “Legend” could be heard in this version, but the style was entirely different. These people were all professionals and could tell how much effort Mo Lang put in.

This was also why they understood and praised Fang Zhao’s ability.

When it came to rearranging famed pieces by predecessors, many young people would find themselves in a tangle. There would always be a hesitation to change the piece. Fang Zhao, however, was a successful example.

Fang Zhao accompanied these older artistes for a chat. The ones here had already finished their performances. They even talked about gathering everyone for a proper catch-up when they returned to Earth. There were too many restrictions here on Planet Yin, so they didn’t dare say too much.

While chatting, the doors to the rest lounge suddenly opened. A figure rushed in and made a beeline for a pouch on the sofa.

“Oh? Meyer, lost something?” an elder artiste asked.

The person who had rushed in, Lady Meyer, was a dance master amongst the artiste group.

Meyer’s performance was slated to start in less than fifteen minutes.

“I can’t find my bracelet! I clearly checked that it was placed together with my costume in the morning! I just discovered that the bracelet was missing when I was about to change into my costume! It’s not in this pouch either!”

Meyer’s bracelet had been custom-made for the dance she was to perform. It would enhance the performance. However, she never expected the bracelet to go missing at such a crucial juncture.

“Still haven’t found it? Could it have been left in the dance studio?” another older artiste suggested.

“I will go search again…”

Meyer nearly ripped her bag out of worry as she rummaged through it. The bracelet still couldn’t be found. Thus, she could only go look around the dance studio. She had indeed been there in the morning.

“Where’s your assistant?” someone asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it. There’s a problem with a button on my costume, and my assistant is altering it now. The dance studio isn’t far. I will go search…”

“Let me.” Fang Zhao got up. “I’ll go search the dance studio.”

The others also chimed in approval. “Yes, let Young Fang search the dance studio. Young people like him run very fast. Meyer, you go change into your costume and think about finding another bracelet as a replacement. At least that can be a backup plan.”

“Alright alright alright! Thank you, Young Fang!”

Meyer told Fang Zhao the location of the dance studio and handed him the access card. Fang Zhao didn’t dawdle and ran to the studio.

The concert venue wasn’t the same as where they normally rehearsed. It took quite some time for Fang Zhao to get through the layers of security at the concert hall and reach the dance studio. However, he didn’t find any bracelet when he got to the dance studio Meyer spoke of.

Fang Zhao immediately made a call to Meyer to inform her. Meyer sounded anxious and dismayed on the other end of the call. Since the bracelet couldn’t be found, Meyer could only find a replacement for the time being. However, this meant there was a flaw in the performance already. It wouldn’t be able to reach the quality Meyer strove to achieve. It was akin to a violinist using an unknown bow. No doubt they wouldn’t be as comfortable performing with it.

As a dancer master with a wealth of experience, Meyer couldn’t have casually misplaced such an important item. Careless oversight was something that rarely happened to her. Meyer even wondered whether someone had taken it.

Students pranking teachers wasn’t unheard of, but this was Planet Yin. Students joked here and there during rehearsals, but which student would dare play such a prank at an important juncture? Planet Yin punishments were severe.

After ending the call, Fang Zhao was about to leave the dance studio. However, as he took a final sweep before leaving, Fang Zhao noticed two open windows. He strode over with the intention of closing them.

Footsteps could be heard coming from the elevator’s direction.

“Zhao Bro!”

Yuan Zheng was running over with a package in his arms.

Upon finding out that Fang Zhao had left the concert venue, Yuan Zheng felt that this was a good time to deliver his gift to Fang Zhao!

Fang Zhao had run very quickly to the dance studio, and Yuan Zheng had worried about being able to catch him. Fortunately, he had made it in time.

Yuan Zheng hadn’t brought any bodyguards with him. He simply hadn’t informed any security personnel when he left the concert venue. He had many things he wanted to say to Fang Zhao and didn’t want to be interrupted midway.

“How did you know I was here?” Fang Zhao’s expression darkened. “Where are the soldiers responsible for ensuring your safety?!”

Faced with Fang Zhao’s stern gaze, Yuan Zheng swallowed his prepared speech. He opened his mouth to say something but was suddenly pulled to the side by Fang Zhao.

BANG!

A bullet struck the wall behind Yuan Zheng.

In the shortest time, Fang Zhao had already pulled Yuan Zheng away to dodge and find cover.

Yuan Zheng was stunned by this abrupt turn of events. He glanced at the bullet hole in the wall. His brains might have already been splattered all over the wall if Fang Zhao hadn’t pulled him aside.

“Zhao Bro…”

Yuan Zheng’s voice trembled, and his face turned pale at Fang Zhao’s bloodstained clothes.

There were two snipers, and two shots had been fired. The first had been avoided and had struck the wall. The other shot had been blocked by Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao put a finger to his lips indicating for Yuan Zheng to stay silent and not move.

No alarms had sounded. Clearly, someone had tampered with the system beforehand. However, Planet Yin would definitely have contingency plans. No doubt people were rushing over already.

The dance studio windows were one-way windows. There was no way of seeing the interior situation from the outside, even with the use of advanced x-ray imaging techniques.

From the looks of things, it seemed like someone wanted Yuan Zheng’s life and that it had been planned for quite some time already.

Fang Zhao’s mind went to work as he quickly analyzed the situation and gauged his injury.

Yuan Zheng was currently overcome with regret. He shouldn’t have come running over here all by himself. He was frequently reminded to pay attention to his own safety and bring along guards whenever he went out. However, he too had let down his guard as nothing had ever happened all this time. He pressed on the emergency signal on his communications device but there was no response. It had been jammed.

Yuan Zheng was also very worried about Fang Zhao’s injury. The wound was in Fang Zhao’s abdomen. He couldn’t tell how severe the internal damage was. Medical treatment was needed as soon as possible!

As he worried, Yuan Zheng watched Fang Zhao furrow his brow before digging his bare hand into the wound and extracting the bullet.

Yuan Zheng: “…” Brother! Don’t be so reckless!!

Yuan Zheng had minored in specialized firearms. All young boys liked guns, and Yuan Zheng was no exception. Back when he was in secondary school, he had experimented what being shot was like out of curiosity.

He had worn a full-bodied bulletproof suit. However, he had still collapsed to the ground when an ordinary bullet had struck his torso. There had been a throbbing pain, and a few of his ribs had broken. The pain had caused him to lie on the ground for quite some time.

However, the physical pain was secondary. The event had left him psychologically scarred. It took a lot of time and help from a psychiatrist to overcome that trauma. That was why Yuan Zheng had switched to researching engines. He was still interested in guns and occasionally studied firearms in his spare time, but he no longer went to play games with firearms. He also skipped out on paintball sessions with people his age. The psychological scar from his secondary school days kept reminding him of the pain.

Now, Yuan Zheng nearly leapt up in fright from seeing Fang Zhao remove a bullet from his own body with his bare hands.

Pain was one thing, but the wound absolutely couldn’t be exacerbated!

After that, Yuan Zheng saw the bullet that Fang Zhao had dug out from his wound.

The sharp bullet tip had already changed form and seemed to have opened up in the shape of a flower.

Yuan Zheng’s mind went blank when he saw this bullet. Then, he quickly started to think.

If he wasn’t mistaken, he had looked into this type of bullet not too long ago. It was a special bullet that had very powerful penetration capabilities. It could even easily pierce through three or five people standing in a row.

If even light armor couldn’t withstand it, how could people?

Just glancing at the hole in the wall was enough to see the bullet’s penetrative strength.

All of the core engineers who were under protection would normally wear at least three layers of nanometer bulletproof attire. Yuan Zheng had also worn it today when he came for the performance. As long as he wasn’t shot in the head, 70% of live ammunition wouldn’t pierce through it and cause life-threatening harm.

Furthermore, with Planet Yin’s strict security, killing a heavily protected core engineer was very difficult. Being able to make a move at this time meant the perpetrators clearly had a well-thought out plan. Surely their plans had accounted for the bulletproof attire. They definitely weren’t using ordinary bullets.

But!

Right before his eyes!

Fang Zhao alone had blocked a bullet on his own!

Alone!

Yuan Zheng was panicking. Fang Zhao’s injury…

Only

Injury?

The blood stains on Fang Zhao’s clothing seemed to have stopped spreading?

He was no longer bleeding?

Yuan Zheng glanced at Fang Zhao again. His breathing was light yet steady. If not for the bloodstains on his clothes, he really didn’t look like someone who had just been shot. On the contrary, the pale and weakened Yuan Zheng seemed more like a gunshot casualty.

Yuan Zheng suspected he was hallucinating.

He had studied the destructive effects gunshots had on the human body and had also studied the structure, shape, quality and speed of bullets before. In his mind, he was very worried about Fang Zhao’s injury. However, the scene before him caused him to doubt his experimental data, theories and knowledge.

Yuan Zheng… Yuan Zheng no longer felt he was smart.

Chapter 475: It Transformed!

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Fang Zhao was aware that his own physical constitution was constantly strengthening, just that it wasn’t as exaggerated as Curly Hair’s. However, he didn’t know exactly how strong his physical constitution actually was.

But clearly, he had already far surpassed the constitution of an ordinary human.

Fang Zhao had also guessed before that these changes were possibly influenced by Curly Hair and had started the night he transmigrated. With the exception of hearing, he had acted like any other ordinary human in order to hide these changes.

However, because of the sniper incident, he could no longer conceal the changes to his body.

Planet Yin’s response was indeed quick. Yuan Zheng hadn’t brought along anyone when he left the concert venue, but his position had been monitored. The moment his signal had cut, Planet Yin’s relevant personnel went into action.

Less than five minutes after Fang Zhao was shot, the two sniper assailants were shot dead. Yuan Zheng was quickly brought away, and Fang Zhao was sent to receive medical treatment.

However, the paramedics discovered that Fang Zhao’s wound was rapidly healing and there was no infection. There seemed to be no signs of internal damage either. If not for the bloodstains on his clothes, Fang Zhao appeared to be in much better shape than Yuan Zheng.

The performance at the concert hall continued as per normal. The performer and audience weren’t aware of the situation happening outside. The few people in the loop wouldn’t leak anything either. Therefore, the inside was still as peaceful as ever.

In a small conference room, two of Planet Yin’s top brass were deep in discussion.

“After hiding for so long, ‘T’ Organization has finally made a move. We must take the opportunity to purge any enemies hiding within our midst!”

“A total of four assassination targets were discovered: three core research personnel and a Major with outstanding service in the field. Fortunately, we were prepared and thwarted these attempts. However… according to new information, ‘T’ Organization actually had five targets this time.”

“Oh? Who is the fifth?”

“It’s still being investigated currently.”

“Make it quicker!”

“Yes!”

“Also, are the results of Fang Zhao’s check-up ready?”

“It’s done. His recovery speed is quite startling, and all health metrics seem ordinary.”

“His rate of recovery is the greatest anomaly! An average person shot by this type of bullet would either die or be disabled. Given where Fang Zhao was shot, any other person in his place would definitely die! A bullet that can even penetrate light vehicle armor was blocked by him? You believe that?”

“Indeed, given such circumstances, it’s unfortunate that he’s leaving soon.”

The other high level military officer raised an eyebrow. “We can’t do anything to keep him here? We have to let him go? Who determined this?”

“Inter-planetary Fund’s highest authority vouched for him.”

“Now that’s troublesome. We should still go have a chat with him though. Let’s go.”

Besides a team of soldiers stationed outside Fang Zhao’s ward, Nanfeng too was also staying by the door. His legs had gone weak when he heard something that Fang Zhao was involved in a mishap.

Nanfeng didn’t know why Planet Yin personnel had to isolate Fang Zhao. Nanfeng wasn’t permitted to enter and could only speak with his boss via communications device. Regardless, Nanfeng was determined to stay there. Yan Biao couldn’t be reached. Nanfeng had sent them a message asking them to come over the moment he heard the news.

Nanfeng was in the middle of a call with Fang Zhao when the two high level executives came. Nanfeng didn’t dare say too much under the scrutiny of so many. Thus, he had only been asking about the severity of Fang Zhao’s injuries.

“… Boss, don’t lie to me! You can’t fool me! You must be very weak after losing so much blood… Although you sound full of energy, I know that you are just pretending to be strong!” Nanfeng was already pondering about food that could help Fang Zhao replenish his lost blood. As a self-acknowledged all-around assistant, Nanfeng felt that he was a failure. He had failed in his duties and let down his high wages. I have to make up for it! I must give my hardest to look after Boss during this period when he is weak!

The two high ranking military officers who just came over heard what Nanfeng said and thought to themselves, Still weak? We wouldn’t have seen anything more than a scab if he had been sent here any slower! If they hadn’t insisted that Fang Zhao stay here, that fellow would have long disappeared without a trace!

In his ward, Fang Zhao listened to Nanfeng in silence. This assistant was very good in most aspects, but his perception was a little weak.

Upon seeing the two high-level officers enter, Fang Zhao ended the call and looked over.

The arrivals seemed relaxed and were mulling over how to fish out information from Fang Zhao. But, before they could speak, an urgent call came through.

“The fifth target has been determined,” the officer who answered the call said.

“Who?” his companion asked.

The former officer turned his gaze to Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao: “….”

He suddenly had a foreboding premonition.

——

A certain huge warehouse at Yin Base.

Planet Yin’s warehouses were built like forts. Besides shielding against storms, they were also designed to withstand damage from experimental testing and military exercises. There was an outdoor exercise zone near this warehouse. Once, a newbie had misfired at the warehouse during a military exercise.

The two man salted fish group also followed the inspection team over. As Curly Hair was being excluded by the inspection team’s dogs, Yan Biao, Zuo Yu and Curly Hair could only trail behind the team. Fortunately, the inspection personnel still treated them warmly.

Curly Hair’s exclusion by the other dogs was quite severe. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had to keep some distance between themselves and the inspection team. Furthermore, there were some places they couldn’t enter. When the inspection team went to survey a room in the warehouse, Curly Hair and the two of them had to wait outside.

Today was the same. When they went to patrol the warehouse here, the inspection team had gone into one of the rooms to carry out their tasks. Zuo Yu, Yan Biao and Curly Hair waited outside and admired Planet Yin’s fort-like warehouses. However at this moment, the fortified shutter doors of the warehouse that were always open during daytime were shut! Their group was completely separated from the rest of the inspection team!

“Hide quickly! There’s a mecha at the warehouse…”

The rest of the inspection team’s message was cut off. Only static remained.

Communications with the inspection team was interrupted, and the warehouse sentry post was uncontactable. At the same time, the other shutter doors also began to malfunction. There was only one entrance and exit to this warehouse. Soon, footsteps sounded from the direction of the main door.

Heavy, mechanical footsteps.

“Assault Mecha! Why is there an assault mecha appearing here!!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt goosebumps just from looking at it.

What had they done wrong to deserve such a monstrosity?!

“This morning I heard that a malfunctioning mecha was transferred here and sent for maintenance.” Zuo Yu quickly recalled.

“The thing has way too much firepower. Our guns won’t even scratch its armor. We’ll be incinerated before being able to run if we go head-to-head!” A wave of despair washed over Yan Biao. He had decided to submit his resignation after this final time of dog walking. He had never imagined such a situation would occur!

Zuo Yu recalled the inspection team had mentioned that the shutter doors had manual controls on top of their automated system.

“Let’s go over there! We need to find a large store to hide in first! Planet Yin squads have fast response times. Since the inspection team already knows that something has happened, they’ll surely dispatch people over. We just have to buy some time!”

“That’s the only thing we can do!”

Yan Biao called Curly Hair over, and the three of them headed for the large rear store.

Curly Hair glanced outside and licked his nose. He remembered Fang Zhao’s warning and followed Yan Biao and Zuo Yu deeper into the warehouse.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu didn’t notice Curly Hair’s reactions. In desperation, they chose a rectangular store that had two reinforced doors separating the inner and outer sections.

Zuo Yu closed the outer doors but didn’t stop as the trio continued to run inwards.

While running, Zuo Yu said, “The mecha outside should have been sent here for maintenance because it was malfunctioning. Normally, such mechas are under strict administration and can’t be easily mobilized. The one in this warehouse was the malfunctioning one. Perhaps its laser cannons don’t work?”

Just as Zuo Yu finished…

BOOM!!

A large hole had been blasted in the outer door.

Curly Hair faced the mecha that had fired. “Woof Woof Woof!!”

“Why the heck are you barking!” Yan Biao bent down, seized Curly Hair and started running.

Zuo Yu quickly shut the reinforced shutter doors to this store, blocking the shots fired by the mech’s energy gun.

After the inner store’s reinforced doors were shut, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao searched around. There was really no way out this time.

“What the hell did you do to attract this assault mecha?!” Zuo Yu shouted.

“I didn’t f*cking do anything! You should be the one thinking about what you did wrong!” Yan Biao shouted back.

“I can’t think of anything!!”

“Then why is the mecha targeting us?”

After a brief moment of silence, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu turned towards Curly Hair.

Curly Hair was listening to the activity in the surroundings. He sensed the gazes of the other two and returned an innocent and puzzled look at them.

“Who would expend this much effort to kill Curly Hair?” Zuo Yu was baffled.

“Curly Hair’s evaluation results are too good. He’s even better than specialized detection equipment. Even Planet Yin’s spaceport personnel are trying to get his offspring. Surely this has attracted the attention of some people with ill intentions. Detection equipment isn’t as portable as Curly Hair. Our enemies here probably want to get rid of Curly Hair.”

“I understand the reasoning! But, why is a mecha being employed to kill a dog!” Zuo Yu just couldn’t understand.

“Because Curly Hair runs too quickly? And he’s hard to pursue? Or, perhaps this operation to kill Curly Hair was hastily prepared.”

Regardless of the perpetrators’ intentions, it was pointless trying to understand the motive. Right now, the enemy had them cornered!

They simply had no way of retreating!

They were truly isolated without any chance of aid!

Even leaving last words would be tough!

Could they survive the barrage of the assault mecha’s tremendous firepower in here? They would be incinerated the moment they were in its sights!

“Planet Yin reacts very quickly. Reinforcements might be here soon. We just have to hold out for a little while…”

Yan Biao grit his teeth. “We can only go all out! At least until the reinforcements arrive!”

Curly Hair stood behind the reinforced doors making brief snorting noises from his nostrils. He glanced at Yan Biao and Zuo Yu before returning his sights to the doors.

“Look, Little Curly Hair hates to part with us.”

Yan Biao picked Curly Hair up and placed him further away from the reinforced doors before patting his head.

“I know you are smart. Find a corner to hide in first. Make sure to hide well. When the doors fall, find an opportunity to escape during the crossfire. Understand?”

Although Yan Biao didn’t think that Curly Hair could understand him or escape the assault mecha’s barrage, all he could do now was hope. He had to hope that Curly Hair would just have a little luck and find a gap in the firefight to escape.

Curly Hair continued snorting as before, and the snorting got even more hurried.

“Finally understand what it means to be frightened?” Yan Biao sighed. “Who asked you to be so capable that you are on the receiving end of such an assassination attempt?”

“Curly Hair is still worth protecting right?” Zuo Yu suddenly chuckled.

At this time, the two of them had already done a proper analysis of the current circumstances. They both realized that they wouldn’t be able to escape and could only try to create better chances of Curly Hair surviving.

While Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were formulating their plan for response, they never realized that there was an item missing from the collar around Curly Hair’s neck. Curly Hair had already started to stir restlessly.

Outside the inner store’s reinforced doors, a round, miniature personal terminal was lying in the center of the room. It had come loose when Yan Biao grabbed Curly Hair and retreated hurriedly.

Such a small object simply wouldn’t garner any attention.

One of the thick large robotic legs of the assault mecha stepped forward.

Crack!

The sound of the personal terminal shattering was drowned out by the motorized whining of the mecha’s armored leg.

Curly Hair was staring at the reinforced doors when his drooped ears trembled violently. He stood frozen in place with a vacant look in his eyes as all the fur on his body bristled. It appeared as if he had just received a massive blow.

Yan Biao assumed it was just Curly Hair being frightened and shifted the unmoving Curly Hair into the corner.

Yan Biao checked his gun and took a deep breath. “Comrade Salted Fish One?”

Zuo Yu grimaced. “Comrade Salted Fish Two.”

“Finally, we are no longer salted fishes.”

BOOM——

The reinforced doors of the inner store were finally blasted apart.

However, before Zuo Yu and Yan Biao could move, a shadow darted out from inside the store. It grew in an instant. A cold metallic glint blinded their eyes.

Amidst a heatwave caused by lasers, forceful streams of hot air and smoke rushed out.

Clatter!

Creak, Groan——Crash!

Only

The ear-piercing sounds of metal breaking were terrifying.

Sparks flew everywhere, and metal fragments were sent flying.

The scene was extremely frightening.

The reinforced doors had split in two and were mangled beyond recognition. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, who had been ready to die moments ago, had looks of extreme shock. Their legs seemed to no longer work.

The two man salted fish team’s inner thoughts:

Arghhhhhhh!!!

My Boss’s dog transformed!!!

Chapter 476: Delicate Little Curly Hair

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yan Biao’s mind was a mess. His inner thoughts were screaming.

Is that the dog I always walk?!

Can that monstrous thing that took down an assault mecha be called a dog?!

That small and obedient Curly Hair!

Is that a f*cking dog!?

Is it!?

Yan Biao had only seen the moment Curly Hair had transformed and pounced on the mecha. After, he didn’t dare to continue watching and hid himself in a corner of the store.

Yan Biao had some experience. During his time with Planet Baiji’s military, they had encountered creatures that were difficult to deal with. When encountering ones that were tricky to deal with, it was best to not be too curious and avoid showing off. All squad members were taught to hide and avoid detection. It was the same now. Yan Biao concealed himself instinctively. Who knew when that berserk creature would attack them?

However, Yan Biao discovered that Zuo Yu was actually still sneaking peeks!

Zuo Yu’s eyelids were twitching as if he was looking at an extremely shocking scene.

Yan Biao didn’t dare imagine the scene. Just the crashing din was enough for him.

After another ten seconds, everything became calm. It had merely been a few moments, but Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt like they had survived a harrowing and life-threatening ordeal.

The store was silent once more. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu’s drumming heartbeats gradually calmed.

Zuo Yu stretched his neck out for a quick glance and had a strange expression on his face.

Yan Biao looked at Zuo Yu and mouthed, “Is it over?”

“I don’t know.” Zuo Yu moved his lips without making a sound either.

“Is that thing a dog?” Yan Biao asked again.

“It… is?” Zuo Yu seemed even more perplexed.

Yan Biao was left speechless at Zuo Yu’s reply and couldn’t help himself from sneaking a peak at what was outside the doors.

Amidst the floor littered with holes and craters, a small little dog was lying there. There didn’t seem to be any injuries on its body, yet it was crying pretty hard.

There was nothing else besides this dog. The mecha was totally gone. There wasn’t even any wreckage. It was as if the previous scene and all the various sounds were nothing more than hallucinations.

Yan Biao seemed as if he was doubting his own life.

Zuo Yu was stupefied.

Bzzz Bzzz——

Communications signals returned to normal.

The inspection team managed to get in touch. A rescue team quickly arrived.

Yan Biao’s tense nerves wouldn’t relax. He kept his eyes fixed on the dog, afraid that the dog would suddenly go crazy and hurt others when the rescue team arrived.

The shutter doors and main gate of the warehouse were now working as normal. A squadron of soldiers and two inspection team members came running over.

“Are you all alright?”

“Where’s the assault mecha?”

“The inner and outer doors of this store were done in by an assault mecha’s laser cannons. But how did all these holes appear on the floors and walls? Do you two know anything?” The soldier at the lead came over and asked.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu maintained their silence and shook their heads.

How to explain this? How can we explain this?

We can’t speak the truth right?

They couldn’t understand it themselves and needed to talk to Fang Zhao first. Otherwise, they couldn’t say anything.

The two inspection team members saw that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were unharmed and made a beeline for Curly Hair.

“Little Curly Hair? What happened?” one of the inspection team members asked.

The only reply he had received from Yan Biao and Zuo Yu was silence.

The inspection team members shot them a dissatisfied glance before squatting down to pat Curly Hair. They reckoned Curly Hair was already familiar with them over the last few days.

“Scared witless?” The two inspection team members had tender looks of concern. “Curly Hair, don’t be afraid. Come, let’s bring you out.”

Curly Hair continued lying there, crying like an extremely delicate pet dog.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

The two inspection team members felt their hearts ache even more.

“Sigh, looks like he’s really terrified.”

One of the inspection team members picked Curly Hair up from the floor.

Curly Hair stuck out his legs while still crying, as if he was trying to resist.

The inspection team members chuckled when they saw this. “Those little dog legs are still rather lively. Looks like it isn’t a big deal.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu stood about ten places away and watched with complicated looks on their faces. The two of them took a deep breath to summon the courage to get Curly Hair back. After all, the dog was theirs, and walking Curly Hair was their job. Even if some crazy incident had just happened, Curly Hair was still their responsibility and not the inspection team’s.

However, the inspection team members who didn’t know what Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had gone through were rather dissatisfied with them.

The inspection team evaded Yan Biao’s hands that reached over and said, “You guys stand aside. I’ll carry him!”

“Thank you!” Yan Biao and Zuo Yu replied sincerely.

The inspection team member thought to himself, These two bodyguards won’t do. They don’t know anything and can’t even walk a dog properly!

The inspection team members reckoned that something serious had happened in this store previously. They suspected that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu definitely knew something but weren’t willing to speak about it for some reason. But, whatever was up with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had nothing to do with Curly Hair. Since it was unrelated, they had to comfort this terrified dog first.

This was such an outstanding dog. Curly Hair’s service ability could be affected if he suffered psychological trauma. Although Curly Hair was a pet dog currently, there was no telling what he could be in the future. This type of dog belonged in spaceports!

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were led away. The inspection team restricted them in a rest lounge for the time being.

After the others left, Yan Biao surveyed the lounge. He didn’t discover any monitoring installations, but that didn’t mean that the room was clear. Just to be safe, he didn’t speak too directly.

“What happened?” Yan Biao asked.

Zuo Yu knew that Yan Biao was asking about the incident earlier. He didn’t say anything and used his facial expressions to ask, You don’t know?

Yan Biao shook his head. He only knew the beginning and end, but he really couldn’t guess the process.

Zuo Yu was stony-faced. He didn’t know what sort of emotion to show at this point in time. He sighed heavily.

Yan Biao raised an eyebrow. It was a puzzled look.

Zuo Yu turned his sights to the refreshments placed on the table beside. He picked up a bun and pounded it flat with his hands. Following that, he viciously used his teeth to rip the bun in two before swallowing it completely. After that, he licked up the bits of crumbs that had fallen.

Having acted it out, Zuo Yu’s stony-faced expression returned. He gestured, It was like this.

Yan Biao: “…”

Yan Biao rubbed his face vigorously, willing himself to stay calm.

However, deep down, he was howling inside.

That was an assault mecha!

Such thick armor!

It was just ripped apart so easily?!

How did such a big mecha be completely devoured!

Even if it was eaten, where did it all go?!

There wasn’t even any part that remained! Nobody would even suspect that there was one there!

Just thinking about it is horrible!

Yan Biao wondered whether Curly Hair had also devoured other stuff, like people!

They were simply risking their lives to walk the dog!

Yan Biao felt a chill from just thinking about the times he had patted Curly Hair.

He had to thank Curly Hair for not eating him!

After composing himself, he continued to ponder.

What exactly is Curly Hair?

Is he an alien organism?

Does the boss know that Curly Hair can transform?

Rationally speaking, Yan Biao reckoned that given Fang Zhao’s prudence and intellect, he would surely understand Curly Hair’s situation.

Yan Biao broke out in cold sweat when he recalled what Fang Zhao had reminded them of every day when they either watched or walked the dog.

On the surface, both Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were staring into space. But, it felt like a raging storm in their minds. They sat blankly in silence until Nanfeng’s voice sounded.

Fang Zhao couldn’t contact Yan Biao and Zuo Yu so he contacted the inspection team’s personnel and had Nanfeng fetch them.

The inspection team checked with their superiors. After approval was obtained, Nanfeng was allowed to enter.

The first thing Nanfeng did was retrieve Curly Hair from the inspection team.

Nanfeng was hugging Curly Hair as he entered the lounge. While placating Curly Hair, he glanced at Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. He had heard from the inspection team that the two of them were unscathed and relaxed after confirming it personally.

Right now, all of Nanfeng’s concern was focused on this dog worth nearly 300 million in his arms. As for his comrades?

Weren’t his comrades totally fine? They didn’t even have a single scratch.

Seeing Yan Biao and Zuo Yu gaping at him, Nanfeng raised an eyebrow and urged, “What are you two spacing out for? Come on! Let’s go see Boss!”

Only

Yan Biao: “…” No! Comrade! I have something to say!

Yan Biao moved his lips but swallowed his words in the end. All he did was watch Nanfeng hug the dog with an inexplicable look on his face.

Nanfeng didn’t know that those two were currently worrying for his safety. He hugged Curly Hair and led Yan Biao and Zuo Yu out.

Fang Zhao was lying down in his ward. His movements were also being restricted now. Even though his wound had already healed, he still continued to lie in bed.

Nanfeng entered the ward with Curly Hair in his arms, followed by the other two.

Upon entering Fang Zhao’s ward, Curly Hair leaped down from Nanfeng’s embrace and ran over listlessly. He easily sprang onto the bed and whimpered. He sounded like he was very upset, and there were obvious tear stains beneath his eyes. He raised his head to let Fang Zhao see the bare dog collar before lying on the bed and weeping.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

Chapter 477: It Talked!

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were thinking, This thing can really act!

It just ate a mecha and is now acting so weak! Who are you trying to fool?!

Can you be more self-conscious of being an apex predator!

We didn’t even cry when we were totally horrified. You are a dog who just ate a mecha. What are you doing crying over here? What is there to cry about?! So fake!!

They really couldn’t understand how this dog could suddenly be crying like this.

Maybe it was a form of disguise?

How scheming!

The two of them observed Fang Zhao’s reaction and tried guessing how likely it was that Fang Zhao knew the truth.

Fang Zhao rubbed Curly Hair’s head and glanced at Nanfeng. “You go out first.”

“Oh, okay. Then, I will go see if the soup is ready, Boss.”

Nanfeng guessed that the boss wanted to speak with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. Perhaps he was about to reprimand them. Was he going to deduct their salaries?

Nanfeng shot the other two a “you guys better reflect” look and hastily exited the ward. He closed the door gently and considerately hung the “do not disturb” sign.

The ward fell quiet. Only the sounds of Curly Hair’s sobs and pants remained.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu stood anxiously waiting for Fang Zhao to speak. They were still waiting for Planet Yin’s side to deal with them with regards to the matter of the mecha’s disappearance. However, they still had to inform Fang Zhao first. But, they didn’t know how to put it in words. The ward wasn’t a good place to talk either.

Fang Zhao didn’t immediately ask about what had happened. Instead, he glanced at the two bodyguards before turning his gaze to the miserable Curly Hair. He reached out and pulled Curly Hair’s mouth open to examine his teeth.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu closely watched Fang Zhao’s actions.

There were still some metal fragments stuck to Curly Hair’s teeth.

“What did you eat now?” Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair’s head. “Lick the remains clean.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “???”

How can the boss say such a thing so calmly?!

Boss, open your eyes wide! Those remains are metal! Metal!!

Curly Hair paused his crying, stuck out his tongue and licked his teeth. He opened his mouth and showed it to Fang Zhao. It was clean this time.

“Mmhm.” Fang Zhao nodded.

Curly Hair tilted his head, lay down and continued crying.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

The evidence had been erased!

Nobody would even know or think about such a thing!!

How many times had they practiced such a tacit understanding?!

They didn’t believe that this dog had always been obediently eating dog food!

It was all fake!

Everything was a disguise!

Surely, that dog had preyed upon many other things!

Including living things!

They couldn’t go on lying to themselves that their boss was oblivious to it!

The two of them were originally thinking about how to mention the matter of the mecha to Fang Zhao, but now, they stared at the ground when Fang Zhao’s gaze fell on them.

They were panicking inside.

Bodyguards that knew too much either became trusted aides or forever kept their silence. A choice always had to be made.

Now, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt confronted with the most crucial occupational crisis in their life: Continue walking the dog, or be eaten.

At this moment, Fang Zhao’s communications device rang.

It was one of the high ranking Planet Yin officers who had visited Fang Zhao in the ward earlier.

“You can go ahead and arrange for your discharge. However, you have to ensure your communications device is with you at all times. We must still have a chat before you leave Planet Yin. Also, do not tell anybody else about what happened. You can handle your assistant and bodyguards.”

Fang Zhao wasn’t too surprised and gave his acknowledgement before ending the call.

This matter had happened way too abruptly. Some things couldn’t be hidden, like Curly Hair’s abnormalities.

Actually, Fang Zhao knew that certain people were already privy to his and Curly Hair’s changes. Things had only remained as long as it had because most weren’t aware of them.

The Inter-planetary Fund…

Nanfeng returned carrying a flask of nourishing soup. However, he was standing outside and didn’t enter because he was afraid of interrupting the conversation in the room.

Fang Zhao heard his footsteps and called out, “Nanfeng!”

“Here! Boss, what are your instructions?” Nanfeng opened the door and entered.

“Go arrange the discharge procedures.”

“Boss, your injury?”

“I’m fine already.”

“Eh! I will go right away!”

Nanfeng nimbly poured Fang Zhao the bowl of soup and headed out to handle the discharge procedures.

Fang Zhao then turned to the other two who had been silent all these time. “Go get a car.”

“Yes!” The two tense bodyguards marched out with heavy footsteps.

The inspection team captain was about to knock on the door when it opened. Seeing Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, he raised an eyebrow and eyed them with a “I already see through you two” kind of look.

The inspection team captain chuckled. “Go on. Do you not want to leave? How about coming over to our place for some tea and buns?”

“No, no thanks. Please come in.”

The two moved aside and looked towards Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao indicated for them to continue with their task so the two bodyguards left.

The door was closed and the inspection team captain joked, “Your two bodyguards are quite loyal.”

He then noticed Curly Hair lying by Fang Zhao’s side. “Still crying? Fang Zhao, I don’t care about other stuff, but I have to talk about Curly Hair.”

Over the next half hour, the inspection team captain criticized Fang Zhao for actually turning an outstanding dog with the potential to be the king of all spaceport dogs into a delicate and pampered pet dog!

It could have been the best spaceport dog ever. But, perhaps it would permanently suffer from its trauma.

What a waste!

Simply a great waste of talent!

The inspection team captain sighed continuously as he criticized Fang Zhao for not being able to teach his dog. He palmed his chest. “My heart feels immense regret, just like a merchant missing out on a big opportunity. Do you understand?”

Fang Zhao was about to speak, but the inspection team captain put out his palm. “Say no more. You don’t understand!”

After that, he stiffened up and earnestly instructed Fang Zhao on how to train dogs. In the end, he even said in full seriousness, “Its natural talent mustn’t be wasted! You have to train it more! Don’t let it stay at home all the time! I know that celebrities like you are very busy, but you have to remember: dogs mustn’t stay home all the time!!”

“…I got it,” Fang Zhao said.

The inspection team captain seemed pleased seeing Fang Zhao’s fine attitude. “Good.”

He felt that everything he said had been absorbed by Fang Zhao. He had accomplished his objective. He sensed a gaze on him and turned towards that direction.

Curly Hair’s tear stained eyes were staring straight at him.

The inspection team captain reached his hand out and patted Curly Hair’s head.

Curly Hair licked the hand.

The inspection team captain chuckled delightedly. He reckoned that Curly Hair was expressing his attachment!

Fang Zhao shot a warning look at Curly Hair.

Curly Hair returned to lying down and whimpered.

Now that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were some distance away, they regained their senses.

“Is the inspection team not going to pursue the matter at the warehouse? Aren’t they letting the matter go too easily?”

A whole assault mecha had suddenly vanished from the face of the planet, and they weren’t going to pursue the matter?

“Judging from Boss’s reactions, he is probably aware of it.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu heaved a sigh of relief.

With Boss handling the matter, at least they wouldn’t have to rack their brains to fabricate a story.

However, when they thought about Curly Hair…

“Was our reaction too excessive?” Yan Biao asked.

“You even served on Planet Baiji. Your threshold is a little low!” Zuo Yu said.

“It isn’t the same! That is totally something that cannot be explained with conventional sense.”

Such a large mecha had been completely devoured without any remains. Even the fragments between the Curly Hair’s teeth were completely cleaned up!

This was totally an existence at the top of the food chain! An extremely dangerous creature!

“What do you think of it now?” Zuo Yu asked.

Yan Biao shook his head.

“Now, it doesn’t matter what we think, but what Boss thinks.”

After experiencing Curly Hair’s transformation, they felt that probably nothing else could ever faze them ever again.

If a dog could eat a mecha, what else couldn’t they accept?

After the discharge procedures were done, Fang Zhao returned to his quarters. He let Nanfeng go rest first and asked Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to stay.

Nanfeng left with no questions asked, leaving behind the two bodyguards who were extremely apprehensive.

Curly Hair circled the room and gave Fang Zhao a “woof”.

No surveillance and listening devices here.

Fang Zhao shut the door. Curly Hair walked over to Fang Zhao’s side and crouched down. He yawned with his mouth wide opened, exposing his clean little canines.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu thought of a scene and turned deathly pale. Beads of cold perspiration formed on their foreheads.

The door was shut and the dog was released.

Were they… going to be silenced?

Would they be erased from the world without a single hair left behind?

As bodyguards, they knew how callous Fang Zhao could be. Yan Biao still clearly remembered Fang Zhao’s display back on Planet Baiji those years ago.

Fang Zhao didn’t say anything and mulled over how to handle these two next.

In Curly Hair’s eyes, other people and other dogs were just other types of food to him.

This was also the reason why Fang Zhao had been really strict with him. The moment Curly Hair forgot this distinction, everyone would just be his food.

Although Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were classified as “our people”, they couldn’t compare to Curly Hair’s first ever personal terminal.

Curly Hair’s restraint in not causing more damage and harming innocent people was the result of Fang Zhao’s strict discipline.

Fang Zhao had also come to a decision after observing Yan Biao and Zuo Yu’s character all this time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let the two of them watch Curly Hair.

“Tell me, what did you two see?” Fang Zhao asked.

The two of them shook their heads resolutely. “No! We didn’t see anything at all!”

How were they to answer such a question after witnessing such a huge secret? Was this the right answer?

Only

Fang Zhao frowned at his two tense bodyguards.

“Curly Hair, you scared them.”

Curly Hair had been pondering whether he could negotiate a new personal terminal by passing some more academic tests. He abruptly raised his head, looking totally aggrieved and defended himself loudly, “I didn’t!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu suddenly looked over as if they had heard the weirdest of sounds.

Deep down——

Arghhhhhhh!!!

This dog talked!!!

Chapter 478: A Trivial Matter Like Walking The Dog

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Curly Hair instantly realized he had inadvertently exposed himself again. He drooped his head and carefully glanced at Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao’s eyelid had merely twitched when Curly Hair had cried out. Calmly glancing at the two thunderstruck bodyguards, he reprimanded Curly Hair, “Go reflect on your actions.”

Curly Hair felt wronged. His tears started flowing again.

This was just great. Who knew how many more tests he would need to take in order to earn another personal terminal?

With tears flowing down his face, Curly Hair cast a slight glance at the two bodyguards rooted in place before walking listlessly towards a corner. He faced the wall while thinking about the day’s events.

The already stunned Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt their limbs shake and go cold at the scene.

This scene… was really familiar!

Similar scenes in the past flashed through their minds.

Had there been disturbing events behind each time Curly Hair faced the wall?

After a while, they shook off the stiffness. Yan Biao couldn’t rein in his curiosity. “Boss, Curly Hair, he…”

“It’s just as you two saw. He can talk and transform,” Fang Zhao replied.

The two of them finally calmed down with a “Oh, so it’s like this” look on their faces.

But, deep down, they were thinking, What the hell?! Talking and transforming?! How can this damn thing be called a dog?!!

Zuo Yu probed, “Boss, will he… have digestive issues after eating the assault mecha that tried to kill us?”

Fang Zhao replied calmly, “No.”

The two of them weren’t surprised at Fang Zhao’s response. Their imaginations ran wild.

I knew it!

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened!

Who knows how many such occasions have occurred in the past?!

They could forget about running away now that they were aware of such a secret. Furthermore, in a way, Curly Hair had saved them this time. Was Fang Zhao considering whether to let Curly Hair “dispose” of them?

At this sort of time, both Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt their survival instincts kick in.

“Boss, don’t worry, we won’t shoot our mouths off carelessly. We didn’t reveal a single thing at the spaceport! We won’t say anything no matter who asks!” The two of them gave continuous assurances in turn.

There was a brief pause before Yan Biao asked awkwardly, “So, boss, what’s the reason why you are always asking us to watch him?”

“To stop him from eating wantonly,” Fang Zhao replied.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu suddenly felt a great deal of pressure. Why did they suddenly feel like they had a responsibility of saving the world placed on their shoulders?

“Oh, right. Didn’t you have something to say to me before the performance?” Fang Zhao seemed to have thought of something and looked towards Yan Biao.

“No, nothing.” Yan Biao shook his head.

Fang Zhao then turned to Zuo Yu.

Zuo Yu shook his head hurriedly. “No! I also have nothing to say!”

“Mhmm.” Fang Zhao then mentioned some things to take note of before letting the two return to rest. Even if their tolerance level was very high, the two of them would need some time to adjust after experiencing the recent events.

On hearing that they could leave, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu both heaved a long sigh of relief. “Yes, we will take note.”

“Uh… Boss, what should we say to Nanfeng about this matter?” Yan Biao asked.

“For the time being, nothing. He just has to maintain his current enthusiasm for work,” Fang Zhao replied.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt ashamed hearing that. They understood that this was saying that they didn’t have any work enthusiasm.

Actually, that was indeed the case. They didn’t have much enthusiasm for their work. They did have some at the beginning, but the times when Fang Zhao needed their protection was really too little. The majority of their time was spent studying, training, taking tests, chauffeuring and walking the dog. It was no different than a life in retirement as bodyguards. They were currently in the prime of their lives and had ambition too. No other bodyguards would be willing to have this sort of lifestyle a couple of decades early! Thus, their passion and enthusiasm for their work had gradually diminished.

But, things were different now. Their responsibility was monumental.

Being a bodyguard, chauffeur and others was considered easy. The most dangerous was walking the dog!

Should they even call it dog-walking? It should be considered saving the world!

Holding the leash was like wielding a battle banner!

They had to be ready for war at any moment!

The two of them reflected deeply on their previous attitudes and voluntarily requested for a salary cut.

“Boss, we will definitely work seriously!

As the two bodyguards were about to leave Fang Zhao’s quarters, they encountered Nanfeng coming over with a big bag.

Nanfeng noticed their pale faces and asked, “Were you two reprimanded for being unprofessional?”

“Mhmm.” There was a heavy atmosphere.

Nanfeng’s expression changed. He came closer and lowered his voice. “Salary cut?”

The two nodded.

Nanfeng relaxed a little and patted the two of them on the shoulder. “Salary deductions are but a trivial matter. It’s alright as long as you guys aren’t fired. Where else can you find such a relaxed and high paying job?”

Nanfeng didn’t notice the complicated expressions Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had. He sent Fang Zhao a message saying that he had work matters to report. After receiving permission, he quickly lifted the bag and entered the room.

Nanfeng saw a familiar scene when he opened the door: a tear-stained Curly Hair facing the wall.

Nanfeng cried out in exaggerated fashion. “Oh my! What’s wrong, Little Curly Curls?”

It was clear that he had been punished by Boss again. However, Nanfeng pretended to be oblivious. Chiding the boss was out of the question. He absolutely couldn’t berate the person who paid him such high wages.

His heart ached for the dog worth nearly 300 million. Nanfeng could only rub Curly Hair’s head to comfort him before going over to report to Fang Zhao.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu who were watching this scene: “…”

This scene was way too familiar!

The two of them felt that they had been really lucky to have actually managed to survive safely time after time!

In the past, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu never bothered to find out what Curly Hair had done wrong and simply ridiculed Nanfeng. Wasn’t it just a dog worth over 200 million?

But now, the truth was rather mortifying.

If the three of them were to really encounter danger, Curly Hair would surely protect Nanfeng, who was always good to him.

Meanwhile, the oblivious Nanfeng was speaking to Fang Zhao.

“Boss, look, the spaceport just sent over dog food as a reward. All of these seem like good stuff…”

The room door closed, blocking the sounds from inside.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu exchanged a glance before silently returning to their own quarters.

At this moment, the two of them really felt fortunate to still be alive.

Strictly speaking, it had solely been Curly Hair who had allowed them to survive today’s attack.

As they recalled the past, the two of them felt that those two innocent little dog eyes now hid an ominous glint.

The two pondered hard. How were they going to walk the dog in future?

After today’s experiences, they could no longer view it as “walking the dog”.

High risk!

After mulling for quite some time, Yan Biao said, “Do you still remember when Boss just moved to his new place? That house by the beach. There was once when Nanfeng went over to find Boss in the morning.”

Zuo Yu thought back and nodded. “Right, I remember now. He even sent a video in our group chat praising the dog.”

They weren’t sure if their room was bugged. Thus, they didn’t say anything explicitly and only tried to recall the incident in their heads.

What had Nanfeng said in the group chat that time?

[As expected of our 300 million dog! He even glitters like gold under the sun!]

Glitters, my *ss!

It wasn’t from the sunlight!

That damn thing can turn into metal!!

[Both his burp and fart linger for some time. And, on closer inspection it even smells like smoke.]

The two sank into a dazed state as they recalled the stuff Nanfeng had said.

Back then, in the video Nanfeng had sent in their private group chat, they had seen the scene of Curly Hair coming out from the ocean. Now that they thought about it… Who knew how long he had wandered in the ocean and what he had done?!

Zuo Yu had a horrified look on his face and took a few quick breaths to calm his flustered emotions. “Say, that burp and fart…”

What had he eaten to produce that sort of scent?

Perhaps, Nanfeng hadn’t been brainlessly exaggerating. Were the two of them the ignorant ones? They hadn’t been able to see the truth.

The two of them shuddered thinking about the scene of the shiny metallic silhouette attacking the assault mecha.

They couldn’t help but replay it over and over in their minds.

Would they develop PTSD?

Now that they knew, peacefully walking the dog was the same as saving the world.

They felt glad that the world had survived another day.

Before the two could rejoice, Nanfeng came over with the dog in his arms.

The two bodyguards felt their hearts thumping. Their bodies tensed instinctively.

Only

Nanfeng didn’t enter the apartment and instead stood at the door. “Oh, I’ll be heading out for a bit. We will be leaving Planet Yin in two days. I still have some procedures to handle. You guys, be mindful of Boss.”

“Understood. But… what are you doing with him?” The two bodyguards were anxious.

Nanfeng was puzzled. “Walking the dog, duhh! What did you expect? Riding him into battle?”

When a dog is feeling down, it’s obvious that the dog needs a walk! Does such simple logic have to be put so explicitly? How do these two not understand yet?!

Nanfeng glanced at these two disappointedly. These two can’t even do a trivial matter like walking the dog properly. No wonder the boss deducted their salary.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu’s minds were blank. They gave Nanfeng complicated looks.

They held sympathy mixed with some envy.

Chapter 479: Handheld

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Nanfeng brought Curly Hair out for a stroll. Since the concert performance had already ended, most of his work was done. He could now relax a little and brought little Curly Hair out for a walk.

When dogs are feeling down, going for a walk makes them feel better. Running is good too. Exercise therapy is a thing.

The worry-free Nanfeng carried Curly Hair and walked out in a relaxed mood. Despite the military presence, there were still quite a lot of places for leisure activities. Even the indoor man-made ornaments were full of Planet Yin characteristics. If photographs were allowed, Nanfeng would have definitely taken lots of photographs to show off to his friends.

When they arrived at the walking area, Nanfeng put Curly Hair down and let him choose wherever he wanted to walk to.

Since he didn’t have any plan in mind, Nanfeng just planned on following Curly Hair. For himself, he was interested in admiring Planet Yin’s unique landmarks. He didn’t notice that the originally dejected Curly Hair was gradually becoming more spirited and walking faster.

When Curly Hair finally broke into a jog, Nanfeng was very pleased with himself.

Indeed, dogs need a walk when they are feeling down. Among our little group, only I know how to best look after a dog! Even Boss Fang Zhao can’t compare!

Nanfeng concluded that Fang Zhao didn’t understand how to look after a dog.

In a short while, Nanfeng saw a bunch of youngsters gathered ahead.

They were holding palm sized machines and shouting excitedly, so Nanfeng went over for a look. After an inquiry, Nanfeng learned that they were native secondary school students staying nearby for an internship. Their allocated dormitory was in the reception district. They had come out to enjoy the sun and play video games for their day off.

Curly Hair eyed them eagerly.

However, the deeply engrossed students didn’t notice the dog crouching in front of them.

Nanfeng learned from a student that these were consoles that Planet Yin game enthusiasts had invented to pass time because Planet Yin’s regulations meant they couldn’t connect to the Internet.

“Old-era style handheld game consoles?” Nanfeng asked as he eyed their small devices.

“Yes, it’s said that the creator of this series of game consoles was very interested in many things from the Old Era and thus came up with this design. It might look cumbersome compared to the new gaming consoles. However, its quality is undeniable!”

Nanfeng agreed. In a certain sense, this could also be considered a military grade product. After all, it was produced on Planet Yin.

After understanding it, Nanfeng soon lost interest and decided to leave. He tugged on the leash, but it didn’t budge.

“Curly Hair?”

Curly Hair was staring at the students and didn’t even look at Nanfeng.

“Don’t wanna go? Alright, let’s sit here for a bit.”

Nanfeng sat down nonchalantly and watched those students playing their Old-era style handheld devices.

Were offline games that fun?

Five minutes later.

Nanfeng: “…Brother, could you let me try it for a bit?”

Curly Hair’s black beady eyes watched Nanfeng play the games. He had a look of longing, but nobody paid any attention to him.

A minute later.

Curly Hair hopped up the stone bench and squeezed over to watch up close. From time to time, he would extend a paw to touch the handheld console’s buttons gently, as if he were some collector handling his precious items.

…

Elsewhere, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were still stewing in their mixed emotions when Fang Zhao called them over.

Planet Yin’s relevant personnel had informed Fang Zhao that someone wanted to see him.

“Boss, do we have to call Curly Hair back?” Yan Biao asked.

After witnessing Curly Hair’s ability, Yan Biao felt that it was safer to have Curly Hair at their sides in such unknown situations. Curly Hair had devoured an assault mecha easily. Perhaps he could annihilate anything.

Fang Zhao shook his head. “No need. Don’t tell Nanfeng anything.”

Fang Zhao felt it was likely that the other party was taking the opportunity to contact him while Curly Hair was away.

Curly Hair’s anomaly couldn’t be concealed from everyone. Fang Zhao felt that there were people helping him hide this from the shadows. For example, his peculiar healing from the assasination attempt had been hushed up. Only a few people knew about it.

He too wanted to meet the people who were helping to hide his secrets as well as ascertain their motives.

Soon after, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu arrived at Fang Zhao’s quarters. Two soldiers came over to fetch them.

The reception district was huge, but the artiste group was restricted to certain areas. They had never been to the other areas.

Fang Zhao followed the two soldiers into an elevator that brought them to some underground level. After going through a security check, he was shown onto what seemed like a subway train carriage headed elsewhere. Their escorts also changed.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were somewhat anxious and puzzled. Security had been extremely tight up until now. But, once they got off the carriage, it seemed much more lax. There weren’t many soldiers in sight.

Noticing this, the two of them became even more apprehensive.

They kept feeling that something wasn’t right.

Strange.

Based on how they had been contacted, the person who wanted to meet them probably had some clout. But now, the lack of security seemed to indicate otherwise.

Even the feeling of being watched had lessened considerably. Either the monitoring devices were more discreet, or there simply weren’t any here.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu began to feel worried with all the unknowns.

On the other hand, Fang Zhao had some other ideas.

“Inside here.” The soldier leading the way gestured at a door.

Yan Biao stepped forward to check the room first but was stopped by Fang Zhao.

The door opened.

They recognized the person seated there. It was the person who had greeted them when the artiste group first arrived on Planet Yin.

Compared to how formal he had been then, he seemed much more casual now and had a warm smile.

“Come in, take a seat. There’s food in the drawers and a water dispenser over there. Feel free to have anything you like. Just wait for a little bit. Some people from the Inter-planetary Fund are coming over soon. They want to meet you.”

After Fang Zhao had sat down, the person asked with concern, “How’s your injury?”

“Much better,” Fang Zhao replied.

The person thanked Fang Zhao once again for saving the life of one of their important engineers. “I’ve heard all about what happened. Don’t worry. We’re proactively screening against threats so you need to worry about any more sudden assassination attempts.”

That person was about to say something else when he noticed Fang Zhao looking towards the door. He raised an eyebrow and stopped talking.

The door had decent soundproofing, but Fang Zhao could still hear footsteps getting closer. It wasn’t just one person. There were footsteps Fang Zhao recognized, as well as some unfamiliar ones. The forceful footsteps of the one leading the way was quick but unhurried. They sounded strange.

The door opened once again.

The person in front was a lady. She seemed relatively young and had a disarming, affable smile. However, when her serene gaze swept over them, her eyes emanated a strange sense of pressure. She wore a pair of white gloves and was attired similarly to Planet Yin’s research scientists.

Behind her was the gold badge engineer Little Bear.

Three others followed them in. They weren’t in military uniforms, but Yan Biao and Zuo Yu could sense that they were fellow bodyguards.

Those able to casually command three bodyguards on Planet Yin were definitely very special.

Those three bodyguards had an Inter-planetary Fund insignia on the chest pockets of their suits.

The coordinator who had been speaking with Fang Zhao got up from his chair, went forward and saluted.

“I didn’t expect that you would personally come over.”

Having said that, he even pulled a chair out for this lady. He had a respectful attitude that even seemed to have a hint of fear.

Little Bear didn’t receive such treatment. He pulled up his own chair and scampered up. He looked towards Fang Zhao and flashed an excited yet bashful smile at his idol.

The coordinator introduced the arrival to Fang Zhao. “This is the Inter-planetary Fund’s highest authoritative figure, Yu Hua.”

Fang Zhao was astonished. He had never imagined that the person meeting him would be the mysterious top authoritative figure of the Inter-planetary Fund.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu could only stand with their mouths agape in disbelief.

They were looking at this fabled being!

This wasn’t the director general who ran the Inter-planetary Fund publicly. Rather, this was the highest authoritative figure behind the entire Inter-planetary Fund. She was the actual big boss! In comparison, the Inter-planetary Fund’s director general could be considered an obedient grandchild in front of this person.

However, after having witnessed a mecha-devouring dog, the two of them reacted rather calmly.

The totally disregarded Little Bear twitched when he heard the name “Yu Hua”. “Cui Hua” sounded much better! However, he decided to give her some face and didn’t bring up her nickname.

The coordinator gestured to introduce Fang Zhao to Yu Hua and the others, but Yu Hua cut him off. She extended a hand and smiled warmly. “I’ll speak with Fang Zhao. The rest of you are dismissed.”

“Oh, alright. Take your time. Call me if you need anything.” The coordinator immediately left with his men without any questions.

Yu Hua gestured to the three bodyguards and motioned them out as well. She then glanced at Little Bear. “You go out too.”

Little Bear had a protesting look that said, How could you do this to me. He pouted and trudged out the door like a kid throwing a tantrum.

Fang Zhao glanced at Zuo Yu and Yan Biao, indicating for them to leave the room as well.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu felt worried as they stepped out. When they looked around, the three Inter-planetary Fund bodyguards were nowhere in sight. Only the little kid who was chased out was there. He was playing with a black ball while muttering something ineligible.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu exchanged a look and put on warm, friendly smiles.

“Little friend?” Zuo Yu used a tone he reckoned would be most appealing to little kids.

Only

Little Bear turned around. His eyes were red and glimmering with tears as if he was still upset from being chased out. However, when he looked at Zuo Yu, the redness in his eyes disappeared, and he no longer had a child’s coyness. Instead, Zuo Yu felt an ice-cold sensation.

Zuo Yu: “…”

It was a little scary.

Yan Biao noticed Zuo Yu’s misgivings and took matters into his own hands. He asked Little Bear gently, “Little friend, where are those three bodyguards who were with you? Don’t they have to stand guard and ensure your safety?”

Little Bear rolled his eyes in disdain. “What use are a bunch of salted fishes?!”

Yan Biao: “…”

The atmosphere became strangely silent.

Chapter 480: Weakness Of The Universe’s Beloved Child

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Compared to the awkward atmosphere outside, the vibe inside the room was much more relaxed.

“‘It was an exceptional piece; the mood was fitting. Keep it up’,” Fang Zhao said.

Yuhua was stunned for a moment which gave way to a light smile. “You recognized it. No wonder you are said to have divine ears. Your memory isn’t bad either.”

This sentence Fang Zhao mentioned had been the only thing Yu Hua had said through the call when Fang Zhao had been serving on Planet Baiji. Back then, Yu Hua hadn’t revealed her identity and had won Fang Zhao’s piece at the auction as an anonymous bidder.

“I never imagined that the anonymous bidder would be the Inter-planetary Fund’s top figure of authority.” Fang Zhao had never imagined that he had already made contact with the top figure behind the Inter-planetary Fund that early. However, had the Inter-planetary Fund been watching him since that long ago?

Yu Hua seemed to have guessed Fang Zhao’s thoughts and said, “Don’t worry, we don’t have any ill intentions. I personally stepped in to cover up this matter. You were able to recover from that kind of bullet wound so easily. Probably, if you went to the hospital later, they wouldn’t have even found any injury. That isn’t something that having a sturdy body can explain. Are you completely fine now?”

“Yes. Thank you,” Fang Zhao replied. He waited for the other party to continue.

Yu Hua smiled and went on. “You exposed your own secret to save Yuan Zheng. Do you regret that?”

“I don’t. He is a rare talent,” Fang Zhao answered naturally.

Yu Hua’s smile widened. “Indeed, he is a rare talent. If it were anyone else but you there, I’m afraid we would have lost two lives.”

There was a cold glint in Yu Hua’s eyes. This wasn’t targeted at Fang Zhao but those who had planned the assassination.

The smile returned to Yu Hua’s face as she glanced at Fang Zhao. “You have helped us a great deal this time. I came over today to express my thanks. Actually, I should have met you long ago, but I have been too busy. With this incident, I took the opportunity to come and discuss some other issues as well.”

Yu Hua sighed as if recalling something else. Her gaze went from placid to incisive. “Do you know about half-machine organisms?”

Fang Zhao’s heart skipped a bit. “I don’t.”

Yu Hua said softly, “My grandfather, whom you all know as the Inter-planetary Fund’s ‘Great Master Hengxin’ had a record of a type of creature in his diary:

“There is a type of “miracle substance” in the universe. Nobody knows how it forms, nor can anyone guess where it appears. It can’t be captured or duplicated. However, when it drifts to any planet with life, it seizes the genetic information of a living organism, using it as a framework to form a brand new organism. This new organism can replicate the form and existence of its template. If the template is a cat, it takes the form of a cat; if the template is a dog, it takes the form of a dog. At the same time, it also becomes a sort of mechanical lifeform. Therefore, it is termed a half-machine organism. It has no natural predators and can even survive in the extreme conditions of outer space. It is really the true apex predator of the universe. Of course, calling it a predator doesn’t come close because it can eat anything.”

What Yu Hua said to Fang Zhao was indeed quite shocking. He had originally thought that Curly Hair was just a special alien lifeform. But now, he was a “miracle”.

Fang Zhao thought of something and asked, “What happens to the original ‘template’?”

Yu Hua shook her head. “This, I don’t know. However, I can guess that such an organism favored by the universe carries an extraordinary energy field when it first forms. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have become like this. You might still be you, but you might not be the original you.”

After discovering the existence of Curly Hair, the Inter-planetary Fund had also investigated Fang Zhao as well as that black street. However, the investigations yielded that only Fang Zhao exhibited clear changes. Back then, the apartments closest to Fang Zhao weren’t affected much.

Fang Zhao understood what Yu Hua implied. She was trying to explain why Fang Zhao’s body was much stronger than an average human and why he could recover from that sort of highly penetrative bullet in such a short time.

However, Fang Zhao was thinking about the day that he had transmigrated.

If that “miracle substance” had taken Curly Hair as a template to form a new life, could that mongrel have actually died that night? Had he been substituted by a new lifeform with the same body? Was that why Curly Hair had no previous memories?

When this new life was formed, a special energy field had appeared. Perhaps the special energy emitted had caused Fang Zhao to awaken in this body.

If Curly Hair wasn’t that original mongrel…

Then, was Fang Zhao’s body the original “Fang Zhao”?

Or was this body also a replica?

There was no way to know all of this. However, his revival was a fact. He had walked the earth 500 years ago and had come back to life.

The wound on his abdomen had completely disappeared. There were no signs of a gunshot wound.

“The universe is a place where miracles are born,” Fang Zhao said.

Yu Hua eyed Fang Zhao and suddenly chuckled. She shifted her focused gaze away. “For an uncontrollable factor like Curly Hair, it ought to be disposed upon discovery. At the time, Curly Hair was still in his infancy. Just because it had no natural enemies didn’t mean it was immortal. Ultimately, we decided to observe first. Someone was actually able to restrict this monster, turning threat into assistance. Fang Zhao, it was you that made me withdraw the order to dispose of Curly Hair.”

Yu Hua’s gaze fell back onto Fang Zhao like a kindly elder looking at a young junior who could be entrusted with a heavy responsibility.

Fang Zhao: ???

Yu Hua turned serious. “Fang Zhao, from your music, I can tell that you really love our little blue planet. However, Curly Hair isn’t the same. He is a special existence that has no sense of belonging towards other people or these planets. Now that he has matured, in human terms, he is like the child of the universe. Nobody knows how much power he possesses, nor if he has any weaknesses. I don’t wish to see a day I have to go against him. Neither do I wish to see the day he becomes an enemy of humankind. If such a day were to really come, then that would really be an all-encompassing ‘Period of Destruction’, perhaps even more disastrous than the hundred-year Period of Destruction humankind experienced in the past.”

Fang Zhao’s pupils shrunk. As someone who had personally experienced the Period of Destruction, those words impacted him greatly.

According to Fang Zhao’s understanding of Curly Hair, what Yu Hua said really wasn’t alarmist talk. Fang Zhao had long been aware. This was the reason he had always been guiding Curly Hair.

“Fang Zhao, your body was modified by the energy of a miraculous substance of the universe. You still have a very long life. Curly Hair can bring destruction, but he can also bring protection. Our Inter-planetary Fund is merely the pioneer. The task of protection shall be left to you. That protection is not for our Inter-planetary Fund but for all the people on our planet.”

The Inter-planetary Fund was satisfied with Curly Hair’s current development trend. Therefore, the Inter-planetary Fund had lent some help to Fang Zhao multiple times. They couldn’t find Curly Hair’s weakness nor did they have confidence in controlling this universe’s apex predator if he went berserk. Furthermore, the Inter-planetary Fund had their own tasks. Right now, their efforts were focused on warp engine research as well as stopping the disturbances of certain terrorists organizations. They didn’t have the resources to handle the unstable element, Curly Hair, concurrently. Fortunately, it seemed like they didn’t have to waste too many resources to deal with Curly Hair since they could leave the job to Fang Zhao. If Curly Hair was guided in the correct direction, he would also be a trump card for humankind.

Fang Zhao being able to control this unstable element within a satisfiable range was a good thing. The Inter-planetary Fund wasn’t willing to disrupt this equilibrium.

Thus, Yu Hua had made time to meet with Fang Zhao here to discuss their future cooperation.

They already guessed that Curly Hair needed energy to grow. Yu Hua expressed that the Inter-planetary Fund could provide help and even some power ores.

After two hours of discussion, Yu Hua gave Fang Zhao an extra contact number. “I’ll be very busy during this period. This is my assistant’s contact number. You can contact him directly if you have any thoughts regarding what we discussed today. He knows about Curly Hair too.”

Having said all this, Yu Hua prepared to leave. She paused when she was almost at the door. “Let me reveal some information to you since you saved an important engineer. In another decade or century, you won’t regret taking that bullet for Yuan Zheng.”

Fang Zhao glanced over with a puzzled look on his face.

The corners of Yu Hua’s mouth curled upwards. “A new era is arriving. You will get to see it shortly. As a celebrity in the entertainment circle, you too will get busy soon. Be prepared.”

Yu Hua left hastily after she said this.

Fang Zhao remained seated there, trying to analyze the meaning of what Yu Hua had just said.

As the top authoritative figure of the Inter-planetary Fund who worked closely with the government and military, these wouldn’t just be some casual words.

A new era?

You won’t regret taking the bullet for Yuan Zheng?

This was a lot of information.

Yuan Zheng was one of the core engineers on the warp engine project. Then, did “a new era” mean that the new generation of warp engines would bbe successful?

A sparkle appeared in Fang Zhao’s eyes at the thought of this.

Others in his position wouldn’t have these considerations. However, as a leader who had experienced the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao was all too clear on the significance of this.

Fang Zhao had always paid close attention to news regarding the warp engine. If the new generation warp engine project was successful, it would greatly reduce the time and cost of traveling between planets on the development sequence! While it wouldn’t necessarily achieve actual warp jumps across entire star systems, it was still good news!

The Outer Space Immigration Plan could proceed!

Outer space immigration had been a topic that people had always taken note of. But currently, even Planet Baiji, Planet Wai and other hotly discussed planets in recent years had yet to be completely open to the public. Only a small portion of people would go to those places, and the cost of such immigration wasn’t cheap. Most people only took vacations to those planets. Immigration? That was totally out of the question.

Land, housing, environment and resources were all important things to consider. Even in Yanzhou’s metropolitan core, Qi’an City, there were still many black street residents who found it hard to get any sunlight from the bottom floors of those towering buildings.

A new era…

That would be an even more spacious era!

“I’ll wait and see!”

Fang Zhao was in really good spirits because of this tidbit of information… until he saw Curly Hair and Nanfeng.

Only

When Fang Zhao found the two of them, Curly “Child-of-the-Universe/Apex-Predator” Hair was squeezed on a bench together with Nanfeng playing games.

One was giggling with the handheld machine.

The other was laughing with his tongue stuck out.

The two looked like blissful fools.

Fang Zhao: “…”

How worrisome.

Much still remained to be done.

Chapter 481: Snack Supplier

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

When Fang Zhao came, Nanfeng had just finished a round. He had just set a personal record with great difficulty and was very pleased with himself.

Nanfeng also hadn’t expected that the Planet Yin handheld game consoles would be that interesting. Although Curly Hair would swipe at the console from time to time, Nanfeng found that his timing was very good.

As expected of a dog valued at nearly 300 million. Its paw alone brings good luck.

Nanfeng didn’t think Curly Hair actually understood this kind of high intelligence puzzle game. He thought Curly Hair was just lucky.

Thus, when he saw the celebratory screen of a new record on the screen, Nanfeng excitedly took Curly Hair’s paw and kissed it.

“Mua! Mua! That’s my Little Curly Curls! Ohhh, this little paw is so awesome!”

Curly Hair puffed his chest out and was panting happily. He hadn’t gamed in so long. He was happy to try out this new game console! And, he had even set a new record!

Then, the two of them noticed Fang Zhao standing over there, stony-faced.

“Cough, Boss, why have you come?”

Nanfeng shot up awkwardly from the stone bench and returned the console to the student. His inner thoughts were screaming, I’ve always performed so outstandingly in front of Fang Zhao and attained this salary with great difficulty. Why is the image I built up crumbling in just an instant? Will Boss think that I’m a two-faced, good-for-nothing slacker?

Curly Hair too immediately leaped down from the stone bench with his tail drooped. He eyed Fang Zhao carefully.

Dogs were always adept at studying the facial expressions of humans to know how they were feeling.

Even though Fang Zhao’s face was expressionless, Curly Hair knew from his abundant experience facing the wall that Fang Zhao wasn’t all in a good mood. He did still want Fang Zhao to buy him game consoles.

As they were still outside, Fang Zhao didn’t say anything and sent Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao back to their quarters. The artiste group would be leaving Planet Yin soon, and they needed to prepare for their impending departure.

While walking in silence towards their quarters, Nanfeng wailed in distress, “Gaming is my downfall! Boss’s evaluation of me will certainly be bad now! He won’t fire me, will he?”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu eyed him with complex looks. “Probably not. You are still very useful.”

Nanfeng didn’t believe it and sighed while flopping on the sofa. “I never imagined it happening. I had only intended to play for a while, but three hours passed in the blink of an eye!”

What caused Nanfeng the most heartache was that he had been caught red-handed playing games when he was supposed to be walking the dog!

Would he ever be assigned to dog walking in the future?

Such a lapse!

It was too late for regrets now. All Nanfeng could do was think of how to redeem himself.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhao returned to his quarters. Curly Hair walked around the room once before facing Fang Zhao. There were no monitoring devices here, and Curly Hair wanted to say something!

Fang Zhao gestured for Curly Hair to come over. “I too have stuff to say to you.”

Curly Hair immediately came over and crouched down.

“Just now, someone from the Inter-planetary Fund came looking for me to have a talk…”

Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair a recap of what he had learned from Yu Hua. He told Curly Hair exactly what he was and that there were people in the Inter-planetary Fund who already knew some specifics.

“Half-machine organism?” Curly Hair was very curious about this. He had always assumed that he was a slightly more impressive dog. He never imagined that he was a whole different species!

No wonder he only thought about eating when he saw those other dogs. They actually weren’t of the same species!

Curly Hair wagged his tail even more vigorously when he heard Fang Zhao say that the Inter-planetary Fund could provide some of the energy he needed to grow.

Someone to provide food→Fang Zhao won’t go bankrupt from feeding me→Don’t have to worry about being abandoned for eating too much.

Curly Hair’s eyes sparkled when he thought about it rationally.

Summarizing everything that Fang Zhao said, Curly Hair drew a deep association with regards to the Inter-planetary Fund: Inter-planetary Fund = Snack supplier

He needed huge amounts of energy to grow. It seemed like the Inter-planetary Fund had a lot of money. He wouldn’t make them go bankrupt, would he?

Whatever! I’ll just eat!

As for what Fang Zhao mentioned about “assuming a certain responsibility when necessary”, Curly Hair expressed that this wasn’t a problem!

Assume responsibility? What sort of responsibility?

Fighting? Or perhaps make a guest appearance as an inspection dog? Or dig bones? These were all fine!

With the huge matter of food settled, Curly Hair’s dog life seemed much brighter and more relaxed!

It just lacked…

Curly Hair raised his gaze, carefully observing Fang Zhao’s expression.

“Do you understand everything I just said?” Fang Zhao asked solemnly.

“Understood!” Curly Hair nodded his head earnestly.

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow as he observed Curly Hair.

After a while, Fang Zhao added, “Anything else you need?”

Curly Hair’s ears sprung up and he licked his nose. “Can you buy a game console? The one Nanfeng was playing is not bad. It’s definitely not expensive.”

Curly Hair still showed great restraint when they were outside. Even though he couldn’t help pawing at the game console, he could still control himself to a certain extent.

He had never seen this sort of handheld game console before. There were many games inside, and although it couldn’t connect to the Internet, it was very interesting. It was still on Curly Hair’s mind even after they returned to the living quarters. Thus, Curly Hair wanted Fang Zhao to bring back one so he could play as much as he wanted to.

Non-helmet game consoles that required him to play with his paws were still very appealing to Curly Hair.

His personal terminal had been destroyed. Maybe this handheld game console would help him get through the pain.

“Buy? Awoo!”

Curly Hair did a little roll and nuzzled Fang Zhao’s shoes with a hopeful look of longing in his eyes.

Fang Zhao looked at him but didn’t say anything.

Curly Hair rolled around some more and raised his head towards Fang Zhao. He put on his most adorable face.

Fang Zhao continued to have the same stiff expression.

“You want the handheld console?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Yes!” Curly Hair jumped.

“Alright, do a set of comprehensive test papers. Forget about the console if you score anything less than 95 out of 100.”

“…Wuu.”

Fang Zhao went to create a set of questions. The questions were about Planet Yin and their cooperation with the recently mentioned Inter-planetary Fund.

While Fang Zhao was setting questions, Curly Hair seized the time to refresh his memory on everything that he knew. He was worried that he wouldn’t get to play if he scored badly.

Curly Hair took the test seriously, albeit feeling very nervous. He even checked through three times after he was done and only submitted at the final moment of the time frame Fang Zhao had stipulated.

The results came out very quickly.

“95 marks. You barely made the cutoff.” Fang Zhao deducted less marks from the analysis questions Curly Hair got wrong, considering that all the multiple-choice questions were right.

Curly Hair was delighted upon hearing his results.

“Awoo!”

Game console! Game console!

Fang Zhao called Nanfeng and asked him to purchase a game console.

Nanfeng, who had been lying in his room worried sick, was instantly revived.

The time to raise his own worth in the boss’s eyes had arrived!

As for Boss’s decision to buy a game console?

Nanfeng thought, I understand. It’s not seemly for Boss to get one himself. Clearly, the little assistant is the one who wants to game.

Nanfeng reckoned he could see through his boss’s intentions and happily went out to buy a game console.

However, it wasn’t that easy to purchase a Planet Yin game console. Nafeng had to find the relevant department to proceed with administrative procedures. These Planet Yin game consoles were limited exclusives. Any purchase had to go through several audits. Planet Yin electronics generally weren’t for sale. Nanfeng couldn’t purchase more than one unit.

After the matter of the game console was handled, Fang Zhao contacted the Inter-planetary Fund and provided a list of items.

They would be leaving Planet Yin soon, so Fang Zhao had to prepare more “dog food” to prevent Curly Hair from salivating over everything he saw.

On the day the artiste group was leaving Planet Yin, Fang Zhao saw Yuan Zheng among the people seeing them off.

Yuan Zheng was seated in an armored vehicle, flanked by soldiers protecting him.

Yuan Zheng had matured a lot and was no longer as naive after experiencing the assassination attempt. However, he still worshiped Fang Zhao.

Previously, in Yuan Zheng’s heart, Great Master Heng Xin was a god-ranked idol while Fang Zhao was a human-ranked idol.

Now…

I was wrong. My Zhao God is also a god!

Yuan Zheng held a box in his hand. It wasn’t the Poseidonsaur model that Fang Zhao had given him. It was the petal shaped bullet .

His life was saved by Fang Zhao. The only thing Yuan Zheng could do was to live up to his expectations.

At the same time, Fang Zhao’s personal records were split into two sections. One was ordinary, and the other was denoted as strictly confidential.

——

On the returning spaceship.

Fang Zhao examined the gift in his hands.

“This is a little gift from Planet Yin for each of the invited artistes,” the soldier who had given out the boxes said.

Fang Zhao learned from the other artists that this was a standard gift. They would always receive a token of appreciation from Planet Yin as they were leaving. It wasn’t especially expensive, but it was full of sincerity and Planet Yin’s style.

This time, the token of appreciation was a non-confidential warship model exquisitely crafted from power ore in the style of Planet Yin.

“Guardian series ‘Initial’ class warship.”

Fang Zhao inspected the warship model.

The Guardian series “Initial” class warship was one of the first generation machines from when humankind had first expanded into outer space. Fang Zhao had seen relevant information about it when he studied New Era space travel history.

Production of “Initial” class warships had stopped 200 years ago. The warships themselves had been completely decommissioned from service over a hundred years ago. However, the “Initial” class warships were irreplaceable in the hearts of many older space travel enthusiasts.

Fang Zhao had seen an actual one in Planet Yin’s exhibition hall. He intended to give this model to his great-grandparents when he returned. He remembered how the two elder Fangs always had melancholic looks whenever these warships were mentioned.

While Fang Zhao was appreciating the gift, Nanfeng was busy handling various matters for their return to Earth. As for Yan Biao and Zuo Yu, Fang Zhao arranged for them to take turns feeding Curly Hair. At the same time, this was an opportunity to let the two bond with Curly Hair.

Only

Feeding was done in the cabin, and the dog food was some power ore provided by the Inter-planetary Fund. This was quite a long journey, and they couldn’t let Curly Hair starve the way. This would also stop him from salivating at the ship’s power core.

At this moment in the cabin, Yan Biao rigidly took out a piece of power ore from the box and placed it in front of Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao had told Curly Hair countless times to maintain dog form when he was outside. Thus, he could only bite bit by bit when it was time to eat.

Crunch, crunch——

It was like he was biting on an apple.

The two man salted fish team watched with rigid expressions. I was once thoroughly shocked, but now I can already calmly watch as it eats ore.

“Make sure to clean up all the fragments too,” they reminded Curly Hair.

Chapter 482: Infuriating!

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

While Fang Zhao was on Planet Yin, there had been no shortage of topics regarding him on the Internet. Discussions over the Poseidonsaur fossil exhibit still continued, even if the excitement had died down somewhat. Various museums and collectors wanted to find Fang Zhao for a collaboration but were unable to find any trace of him. This time, even Nanfeng had become uncontactable.

When Nanfeng finally returned online, he received an explosion of messages. There was no way he could go through all of them.

Nanfeng was highly motivated to begin this work and promised Fang Zhao he would finish all his tasks.

As long as his performance was good, he would once again receive another salary raise!

Aside from the Poseidonsaur fossil exhibit, another hotly discussed topic online was regarding Fang Zhao’s music.

A singer who purchased Fang Zhao’s graduation concert copyrights had released a revised version of this song.

This single soared to the very top of the music charts on release.

A high quality revised piece was a surefire way to rise to the top of the charts.

When fans checked out the new song’s information, they discovered that the original tune belonged to Fang Zhao?

Pure music enthusiasts were delighted. However…

When they searched for the original tune, they found no results.

After varying their search, they finally found a hit. However, the page only displayed: A work from Fang Zhao’s concert. Playback unavailable due to copyright.

They searched again!

But, there were only results from the graduation concert!

Generally, in this sort of situation, nobody knew how long it would be before the original tune could be made public. It could take a few months, a couple of years or even longer. It all depended on the copyright holders.

For example, the raw theme songs used in Planet Baiji and Planet Bu’s recruitment videos were not available. Those who wished to listen to the song could only watch the recruitment videos. However, the videos also contained engine sounds, cannon fire, wind and even the roars of some alien beasts. While those added sounds complemented the video well, there were those who preferred the raw music. Since Planet Baiji and Planet Bu weren’t willing to release the original music, some people resorted to extracting the music from the video.

Meanwhile, two music circles veterans had also recently released new songs. They were both revised pieces from Fang Zhao’s graduation concert. The rearranged songs had a completely different style, which made people curious about the original.

Thus, Fang Zhao, who had disappeared from the public eye, was once again mentioned.

Yanzhou’s so called paparazzi king, Wang Tie, was once again dragged into the conversation.

“Wang Tie! Come out to take our abuse!”

“It’s time to work! Do you know that Fang Zhao is missing!”

“Teacher Wang, I’m not scolding you. Could you reveal some hot news regarding Fang Zhao?”

However, Wang Tie was still the same as before, unmoved by force or persuasion. He either pretended to be dead or dug up other matters to divert the general public’s attention. He would never release any information regarding Fang Zhao’s movements.

Wang Tie was bitter deep down. I know where he went, but I can’t reveal it! I still want to live!

Wang Tie didn’t want to offend Fang Zhao. He was even more afraid of Planet Yin. Who would dare test the tolerance of a military strategic base? It really wasn’t an exaggeration. If he were to expose information today, he would definitely be on his way to a foreign planet for labor reformation before the day even ended.

At the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei, Great-grandfather Fang hadn’t gone online much recently without any of Fang Zhao’s updates. Thus, he was more listless nowadays and could only find other old fogies to chat with.

Great-grandfather Fang twirled two walnuts in one hand and held a walking stick in the other. He was sitting down, complaining to a bunch of retired veterans.

As families grew, they would naturally have some less outstanding or good-for-nothing descendants. The descendants whom grandparents talked to most often weren’t necessarily outstanding either.

An old man was rambling irately about his disappointing little grandson. “I’ve already walked with him along this path. He can’t make it himself yet blames me for not supporting him? He’s already 30 years old! I’m so pissed I lost all my appetite!”

The retired veteran by his side placated him while mocking himself. “I’m not as capable as you guys. I can’t help them much in their career, so all of them just eye my little bit of pension!”

Of course, calling it that “little bit of pension” was being modest. Based on their past contributions and rights to enjoy such a retirement, their monthly pension was also considered rather high for most.

Another retiree chimed in, “Totally! But, I think I’m slightly luckier compared to you guys. At least I still have a granddaughter and a great-grandson doing somewhat better. They don’t cause me worry and bring me some comfort. As for the others, forget it. A bunch of good-for-nothings. And they blame me for being biased. Hmph!”

Great-grandfather Fang felt the need to say something.

“Tsk, look at you bunch of bitter old fossils. You brought all of this on yourselves!” Great-grandfather Fang twirled his walnuts calmly. “I dare say that before you guys retired, every one of you was shrewd and resourceful. But now? You guys can’t even handle your little brats? At the end of the day, you all aren’t ruthless enough! You need to be firm!! Unlike you guys, I am different. I help whoever I feel like helping and share my pension with whomever I feel like. What right do a bunch of little brats have trying to control us elders? Be more forceful!! Look at me! In my family, if I say something, none of my descendants would dare say otherwise…”

Grand-grandfather Fang was interrupted before he was done. “Stop bragging. You were so meek in your call with Little Zhao that time.”

Great-grandfather Fang blushed. “How is that being meek? That’s showing care. It’s love, get it?! I’m just afraid to disturb his work!”

He then continued righteously, “Besides, my Little Zhao isn’t the same as those ‘little brats’!”

Great-grandfather Fang was especially spirited when Fang Zhao was mentioned.

“My Little Zhao is so good, so why can’t I be more biased towards him? That child didn’t have it easy, not at all! I even wanted to supplement him with a little bit of my pension, but he didn’t want it. Besides, he is capable himself and doesn’t need any money from me.”

Everyone believed this. The entire retirement facility knew that.

“Those billions were casually donated by Fang Zhao. It isn’t comparable,” an old man said sourly.

“Most importantly, that fellow Fang Zhao really knows how to be grateful, unlike some ingrates,” another old lady chimed in.

Great-grandfather Fang stood proudly to show that he didn’t have to worry about this problem. “Therefore, be biased to those who know how to show gratitude. As for those ingrates, leave them to their own devices! At our age, we should only need to worry about enjoying our remaining days.”

As he was saying all of this, he received a notification.

When he saw the name displayed, Great-grandfather Fang jumped up. His walnuts were sent flying, and his walking stick was chucked aside. He hurriedly answered the call.

“Hey! It’s Little Zhao! Have you returned? You are going to come tomorrow? Good, good, good… Don’t worry, we are in good health… No, there’s no need to buy stuff. We aren’t lacking anything. We have plenty of money to sustain ourselves… Don’t buy anything, just bring yourself over. I just wish to take a good look at you… Really, there’s no need. Don’t bring anything… cough… That is alright…”

Great-grandfather suddenly raised his voice. “I’ve even piloted a Guardian series warship before! That brings back memories… First generation ‘Initial’? ‘Initial’ is great. It’s the class I like the best! It’s a pity that it was decommissioned so early. During my military service time, the ‘Initial’ class had already been decommissioned.”

Great-grandfather Fang was all smiles when the call ended. He didn’t mask his glee as he flaunted to the others, “My Little Zhao is coming to see me and is even bringing a present. Want to know what it is? It’s a Guardian series ‘Initial’ class warship!”

For this generation of veterans, the Guardian series “Initial” class warship had always been something they longed for but never had the chance to experience.

“Initial”?

It was their first love!!

When their generation had come of age, a new class of Guardian series warships with various upgrades had already taken over. However, “Initial” was still their first love from their youth.

However, there were too few “Initial” models. They weren’t for commercial sale. It was very difficult to find such models.

The other old veterans watched him enviously and sucked in their breaths.

My heart hurts. I’m not coming out tomorrow!

He’s starting again. Again!

Infuriating! I don’t want to see him for the rest of the month!

At the thought of Great-grandfather Fang bragging about his great-grandson, the other retired veterans were sullen and told themselves to avoid this old fogey starting tomorrow.

However, despite those thoughts, everyone still waited excitedly for the next day.

They weren’t waiting for Great-grandfather Fang. They were waiting for the “Initial”.

It was the “Initial”!

It was the herald of their dreams for space flight!

How long had it been since they last saw an “Initial”? Just mentioning it brought many fuzzy memories back.

I’ll just take a look. One look. I won’t listen to Old Fogey Fang’s bragging.

The next day, Fang Zhao arrived at the retirement center. He would only be staying for half the day. He came to have lunch with the two elder Fangs and to drop off the present. He had too many messages and calls. He also had matters with his company to attend to, like requests for collaborations. These were matters that Nanfeng couldn’t deal with. Fang Zhao needed to attend to these in person.

The hearts of the two old Fangs ached when they saw Fang Zhao was so busy that he only had four bowls of rice. He normally had at least five in the past!

“I’ve really had my fill.”

Fang Zhao was helpless.

Why had he only eaten four bowls?

Because the bowl Great-grandmother Fang used for him was a size larger than before!

Those four bowls contained more than five servings of the old bowls.

Actually, he could continue eating, but doing so would be overboard. It would scare others if they heard about it.

After lunch, Fang Zhao chatted with the two elder Fangs for a bit before leaving Yanbei Retirement facility and flying off to his company in Qi’an City.

After Fang Zhao left, Great-grandfather gradually returned to normal.

He hadn’t specifically asked about where Fang Zhao had been. Fang Zhao had told them he was invited to participate in a concert performance and hadn’t gone into detail. Great-grandfather Fang hadn’t pressed him for answers. However, he could guess where Fang Zhao had visited from the model.

When Great-grandfather Fang picked up this “Initial” warship model, he knew that this model wasn’t manufactured by any ordinary manufacturing company. There was even a special serial number and a design under the base of the model. All of this made it seem very likely that this model came from where the Guardian series warships had been manufactured: Planet Yin!

The warship’s exterior didn’t pale in comparison to the actual one!

The material, details and other aspects were exceptional as well!

Besides the warship’s manufacturer, who else could produce such a level of detail? Who would even dare to create a model of this level?!

Only

While his heart ached for how tough it must have been for Fang Zhao, Great-grandfather Fang was also proud.

Our Little Fang is just brilliant!

Planet Yin!

Those who could be invited there weren’t ordinary people. How many of those invited were prominent figures?

It really wasn’t easy!

It was a pity they hadn’t been able to watch his concert live.

After his lamentation, Great-grandfather tossed his walnuts aside and carried the box with the model out the door.

Chapter 483: A Single Model Leads To...

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Yanbei Retirement Facility. A group of avid space flight enthusiasts and idle veterans were gathered together.

In the center of the people, Great-grandfather Fang carefully placed the box in the middle of the wooden table and opened it, revealing the Guardian series “Initial” Warship model. Everyone had a good look at the spaceship that represented a whole era.

“Forget about the real thing; the model is the same. Its exterior is identical to the original!” Great-grandfather Fang said delightedly.

“It looks exactly like the photograph I keep in my display cabinet.” The veteran beside him nodded.

“Sigh, it’s difficult to even find information on the ‘Initial’ class on the Internet now. Even images aren’t clear.”

“Let me see. I used to minor in warship manufacturing and maintenance. Hmm, why does it seem like this material… is like the real thing? Could it be?! Old Fang, the origins of this isn’t so simple. Where was it manufactured?” The old man who took it with both his hands gave everyone else a knowing look.

Great-grandfather Fang chuckled. “Calm down, everyone. If you know, keep it to yourselves.”

“For real? Let me see it too!” Others watching from their sides were itching to get a good look.

If it was really made on Planet Yin, this wouldn’t just be any simple model. It would be totally different from the stuff produced by those ordinary model manufacturing companies!

This was the true pinnacle of “Initial” models!

If other models weren’t like this, then surely they were wrong!

“Oh, be careful! Don’t damage my model. It was given by my Little Zhao… Stop! You can’t remove the components! I’ll kill you if any part is missing!” Great-grandfather Fang was exasperated. He had intended to let this bunch have a quick glimpse before storing it safely away.

“I just feel that something seems off.” An old man with snow-white hair frowned as he scrutinized the model.

Great-grandfather Fang wasn’t pleased when he heard this. “Where is it off? Don’t talk nonsense. This is the genuine article of all genuine articles!”

That old man hurriedly explained, “I’m not talking about yours. I actually don’t have that much of an understanding towards the ‘Initial’ warship. But, I watched an online drama series recently, and there was an ‘Initial’ in this serial. The ‘Initial’ from that show is different from your model. I don’t remember it that well, but the hull is clearly different.”

“There was such a thing? What online drama was it? Let me search for it.”

Great-grandfather Fang typed in the online drama’s title. While he did so, those eager old fogies seemed to want to dismantle his precious model, so he went over and proclaimed loudly, “Come and watch this serial. There’s an ‘Initial’ inside! It’s rare for there to be a drama series that shows an ‘Initial’. Everyone, come and watch!”

The group of old men and women weren’t too pleased at having their attention forcefully diverted. However, they still gathered around to watch the drama as there was an “Initial” in it.

They could neither see the real thing nor touch the model, but at least they could reminisce.

“It’s an idol drama? Old Li, you watch idol dramas?”

“I watched it together with my great-granddaughters. They like watching idols, and this series was very popular during that period,” the old man who had recommended this drama series said sheepishly.

“Fast forward, fast forward… Let’s go straight to the ‘Initial’! I don’t want to see all this filler!”

“It’s out, it’s out!”

However, the smiles on this bunch of old veterans gradually disappeared.

“Ridiculous! This hull is used by one of the later classes. It’s definitely not ‘Initial’!” An old man exclaimed.

“What are those capsicum shaped objects? Laser cannons? The laser cannons on an ‘Initial’ aren’t like this!” The one who spoke clutched his chest feeling as though his heart was bleeding.

“In the scene where it flew past, weren’t the armor plates of that ‘Initial’ fitted incorrectly?” someone blurted out.

“Shut up! That’s no ‘Initial’!”

The first episode wasn’t even half done, yet this bunch was already making a ruckus.

Great-grandfather Fang was so pissed he was shaking.

The “Initial” in the drama only had a roughly 30-50% similarity, yet it was able to fool people who didn’t know much about the “Initial” class. Fans of the “Initial” class, even if they were old fogies with foggy memories, would definitely find that something was off when watching the drama. Now, comparing the “Initial” in the drama series to the model made everything much more clear.

This definitely wasn’t their first love!

Compared to later versions of Guardian series warships, the “Initial” class was slightly slower and had less firepower.

But!

It had still made them dream. It was something they couldn’t forget even though it had already been decommissioned from the military for over a century!

Even the “Initial” class warships weren’t the prettiest, they were irreplaceable!

There wouldn’t be those new and improved warships if there hadn’t been the “Initial” class!

These old people wouldn’t normally watch an idol drama, especially this kind of distasteful series that was ridiculous and distorted history. After all, there were specialized personnel to handle this sort of stuff. These old veterans had retired and wouldn’t meddle with other people’s jobs or criticize them blindly.

But now!

The miraculous first generation warship in the history of spaceflight had been shot in this manner!

How dare they change the spaceship of my dreams?

This trash series destroyed my first love!

Could this be tolerated?

Definitely not!

It was fine if they were oblivious, but now that they knew, they certainly had to step forth!

Complaint!!

Complaint!!

Let them hear the roars of retired veterans!!

While the Yanbei Retirement Facility veterans were stirring, Fang Zhao had already returned to Qi’an City.

Fang Zhao didn’t head to Silver Wing Media headquarters immediately after arriving in Qi’an City. Instead, he went to see Xue Jing first. Xue Jing had been in Yanzhou during this period.

Xue Jing and Mo Lang communicated frequently. Xue Jing also knew about Fang Zhao being invited to Planet Yin to perform. Actually, they shared information within their own internal circles. Most of them knew who was going over from their own private discussions.

As Fang Zhao was a first timer, Xue Jing was worried for him. Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.

Xue Jing had received the highest accolade, the Galaxy World Medal, in the same edition where Fang Zhao was accorded the Galaxy Supernova Medal. After winning this accolade, old master Xue Jing took things easier and even accepted four disciples after that.

As a fellow artist of Mo Lang’s generation, Xue Jing was also rather advanced in age and had limited energy. He had only intended to accept one disciple to really be his last disciple. However, in the end, he gave face to other old friends and accepted another three youngsters who had real talent and good learning attitudes.

Xue Jing’s four new disciples weren’t around when Fang Zhao came over to visit. Xue Jing had had them go home when he heard Fang Zhao was coming over.

Xue Jing seemed rather satisfied when talking about his four newly accepted disciples.

The four disciples were all in Qi’an City. Two of them were still in university, while the other two were recent graduates. The two recent graduates had decided to rent a place together so that they could discuss both professional or academic questions.

Fang Zhao chuckled when he learned about it. “The apartment you passed on to me is currently empty. Let them stay there. After all, I’m no longer staying there, so it can be put to use.”

Xue Jing knew the reason Fang Zhao had moved was most likely a break in. Nothing had been stolen, and the perpetrators had been sent to the emergency room. It had caused quite a big hooha back then. Afterwards, Fang Zhao had been revealed as the owner of the apartment and had been forced to move over privacy concerns.

Xue Jing thought about it. “That seems fine. You still have to collect rent at the normal market rate though! We can’t let you take a loss!”

Fang Zhao hadn’t intended to collect rent from those two. Xue Jing had sold him the apartment at a cheaper rate back then. Now, he only wanted to loan his unused apartment to Xue Jing’s disciples as a place to stay. He didn’t need that little bit of rent.

However, seeing Xue Jing insist, Fang Zhao decided on a rent at half the market value. After all, those two had just graduated and had yet to have a foothold in the industry. They probably didn’t have much income.

Those two disciples were ecstatic when they found out that they could rent Fang Zhao’s flat. They were very grateful for the discounted rent, but more importantly, that was an apartment that Xue Jing and Fang Zhao had both lived in! One was a Galaxy World Medal winner while the other had won the Galaxy Supernova Medal at a very young age. They could bask in the same environment that created such great talents!!

Since it was decided that the apartment would be rented out, Fang Zhao had Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to head over and tidy things up.

All the important stuff had been moved away when Fang Zhao had moved to his new place, but there were still some daily necessities and other junk in the apartment.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu set out immediately upon receiving their task and drove over to Fang Zhao’s penthouse apartment.

When they arrived, the two didn’t enter right away. They scrutinized the sign at the door that read, “Ferocious beasts inside. Please keep away unless invited.”

“Do you remember when this sign of caution was placed up?” Zuo Yu asked

“Seems like it was a very long time ago,” Yan Biao mused.

“I was wondering what Boss was feeling when he put up this sign.” Zuo Yu stroked his chin. “It feels like every single word on it is laced with deep meaning.”

Only

“The burglars who tried to steal stuff should be glad that Boss had brought Curly Hair to Huangzhou at that time. Otherwise…”

What was the big deal about getting stung and lying in the hospital?

It was better than disappearing right away!

As for their tasks today, were they really sent over to tidy up the old property?

No!

As qualified bodyguards, they needed to help their boss dispose of some little things, like some claw marks on the floorboards, the suspicious bite marks on the metal wooden frame, and any other marks or traces in the apartment that didn’t seem normal.

That way, those young friends moving in wouldn’t be scared.

Chapter 484: New Endorsement

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Fang Zhao headed straight for Silver Wing Media’s headquarters after leaving Xue Jing’s place.

Fang Zhao kept a low profile en route. He noticed many more flying cars coming and going. The midair flying paths were also more congested. It seemed as though the whole area was busy.

“I don’t know what’s going on. The entertainment circle seems to have become much more lively. Those at the top of the golden pedestal are especially active.” Nanfeng told Fang Zhao what he knew from the latest reports as he drove the flying car into Silver Wing Media headquarters’ underground parking space.

“Recently, all of a sudden, a lot of A-list celebrities are trying to become superstars. Superstars are trying to compete against global mega stars. I can’t help but get the feeling something is brewing. Boss, if you have connections, you should ask around,” Nanfeng said.

“No need. I’ll also be busy soon.” Fang Zhao said as he exited the car.

“Oh? Does that mean that you know the reason already, Boss?”

“Mmhm.”

Nanfeng heaved a sigh of relief. Although it appeared Fang Zhao had no intention of telling him anything now, at least the boss was aware and had plans.

“You find somewhere to rest for a bit,” Fang Zhao said before he left. He wouldn’t be spending too much time at the company.

“No need! I’ll wait in the car. There are some emails I still have to reply to.”

Nanfeng expressed that he wouldn’t forget about doing work even while waiting in the car. He needed to show he was completely different from the two salted fishes Yan Biao and Zuo Yu!

Having improved his image in front of Boss, Nanfeng became more spirited. He wanted to become a manager too and help his boss make working arrangements.

He was getting closer and closer to his dream of becoming a manager!

Perhaps he would even be promoted really soon! Hehehe.

Two other company employees joined Fang Zhao to wait for the elevator. However, they faced away from Fang Zhao while waiting.

The two employees had noticed someone already waiting for the elevator, but other than that, they didn’t pay any more attention. Nowadays, most of the bigshots would have their flying cars land on their own levels in their personal parking lots. Those who squeezed in the underground parking space were either small timers or on the downturn. Even if anyone of importance was forced to use the underground parking space, they would at least be surrounded by assistants and bodyguards, right?

The two cast a sweeping glance at Fang Zhao when they got close. They didn’t take a good look at his face and first surveyed his body.

This person wasn’t decked out in any branded goods, so he could be ignored.

While waiting for the elevator, the two of them chatted casually.

“Recently, everyone in the company is busy. Even the elevators take forever now.”

“It can’t be helped. The parking spaces upstairs all fill up very early, so underground is the only option for late arrivals like us. Hey, did you just see the news? The very popular online drama series from a while back is being jointly sued by close to a hundred retired veterans!” one of them said.

“I saw it. Quite a few of my chat groups were talking about this. Even the relevant departments are paying attention to it. Who would have expected a bunch of 150-year-old oldies to watch teen idol dramas just for the sake of seeing that so-called ‘Initial’ warship?”

“There were no issues previously because it was an online drama series meant for younger people. The ‘Initial’ warship was just an unimportant backdrop in the show. People watched it for the gorgeous idol rather than the spaceships, eh? I’m amazed there are really people who watch idol dramas for the military aspect. Someone even listed each and every mistake regarding the military industry. The arguments contain a lot of research. It’s a hot topic now.” The employee relished over the controversy.

The investors of this drama series had earned bucket loads and were very pleased with the series before. It had been a great return on a low cost investment. However, things had suddenly turned for the worse

“Mmm, it’s actually understandable. The era of the ‘Initial’ warship ended almost two centuries ago. Most of the information online was removed, so it’s hard to tell whether the remaining information is real. Only the true veterans would be able to tell the difference. Actually, the production team got scammed too. For the series, they hired a consultant who is a reputable professor in the area of space flight. It looks like that professor is a phony.”

“It’s hard to fault the professor though. A lot of people will embellish details, particularly for an entertainment series. Is it even possible to always be accurate? What’s the point of being so fussy? Discrepancies in the appearance of a warship are very normal. Two hundred years have passed. Who knows what the outdated stuff looked like? They’re just making a mountain out of a molehill. They must have too much free time in their retirement.”

“It’s hard to say. Actually, I feel like someone just doesn’t like the series and wants to cause some trouble.”

“That might be possible! This series stole quite a bit of the limelight some time back.”

“Tsk, that’s deep. There’s suddenly so much havoc for the production team to deal with. I bet they’re anxiously trying to do damage control.”

“Those behind this must be giggling in delight. Experts!”

Fang Zhao, who had heard the entire conversation clearly: “…”

He searched for this on the Internet.

The matter had started with Yanbei Retirement Facility taking the lead.

Fang Zhao was silent.

It was highly likely that the spark for this whole matter was because he had given Great-grandfather Fang an “Initial” model.

As he was in thought, another group of five came over.

The two standing in front of the elevator stopped talking and turned to the five newcomers. “Brother Ji!” They smiled and exchanged greetings.

“Brother Ji” casually acknowledged them and strode past them to Fang Zhao. “When did you return, Zhao God? If I knew you were coming, I would have invited you to have some tea. There’s a newly opened teahouse near here that is really good!”

Ji Polun had gone out for a meal with a few colleagues. He had noticed there were many cars heading to the mid-level garages, so he came to the underground parking space. He wasn’t in a rush for time. He had never expected to see Fang Zhao here.

The two who had just greeted Ji Polun: ?!!!

Fang Zhao?

The person behind us waiting for the elevator was Fang Zhao?!

They sneaked another glance. Indeed, it was Fang Zhao.

*Ding*

The elevator arrived.

Fang Zhao walked into the elevator. Ji Polun and his four friends followed behind.

Ji Polun had intentionally lagged a step behind to block off the elevator doors. The other two employees had wanted to shamelessly squeeze in but were left outside.

“Your elevator has also arrived.” Smiling brightly, Ji Polun pointed at the opened elevator opposite them.

The two standing outside replied with smiles too, “Alright, Brother Ji and… Brother Zhao, you guys head up first.”

The elevator doors closed in front of their faces. Both them were full of remorse and felt like crying.

What a good chance that was, arghhh!

That was Fang Zhao! His influence wasn’t just limited to Yanzhou. He was a global star!

If they could make connections, perhaps Fang Zhao could help lift them up.

It was rumored that Ji Polun had also gotten his big break by cozying up to Fang Zhao. Although he hadn’t yet become a true first-rate star, he now had many more opportunities on the global stage compared to the two of them.

“If we had just given him an extra look…”

How could they have first looked at his clothes?! They should have looked at his face!!

Wouldn’t they have recognized Fang Zhao right away?

“It feels like we just missed out on a hundred million dollars!”

Meanwhile, in the elevator, Ji Polun took this little bit of opportunity to talk to Fang Zhao.

“I just returned from shooting three drama series on Planet Wai. My intention was to rest for two months and take some time off. During today’s lunch, I made some plans to visit Planet Wai’s Peach Blossom Island. Oh right, Zhao God, do you know about the peach blossom garden? Planet Wai cultivated a type of luxuriant peach blossom that blooms all year round. With it, they created Peach Blossom Island, where you can witness a scene of peach blossoms raining down all around at any time. That is what the promo shows. It hasn’t officially opened to the public and nobody has verified whether it is true or not. However, it is going to open very soon,” Ji Polun said.

“Wouldn’t a trip to Planet Wai and back cost quite a bit?” Fang Zhao chuckled.

“Hehe, indeed, it’s quite a bit. I just received the payment for my prior work, and I want to reward myself. There weren’t many opportunities to explore Planet Wai’s attractions when filming. Due to time constraints, our movements were mostly restricted to being with the production team. This time, I intend to spend some money to go over for a relaxing vacation and enjoy myself.”

“How are commodity prices in Planet Wai now? Are the expenses manageable?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Daily necessities are slightly more costly, but produce is cheap. Planet Wai has a new orchard where you can enter and eat while sightseeing! It is much bigger than the private orchards in Muzhou. Even Muzhou’s largest orchard would merely occupy a corner of it. You even have to drive in if you want to enter. Zhao God, do you want to go? We can go as a group.”

“I currently have no plans to go over. Are you all going?” Fang Zhao asked.

A young actor raised his hand. “I won’t be going. I just bought a house and I’m still repaying the loan. Flights aren’t cheap. They would cost a big chunk of my savings. My pay isn’t as high as Brother Ji’s, and the company won’t reimburse expenses for personal activities.”

Ji Polun expressed his sympathy and patted this guy’s shoulder. “Work hard. We will send you photos of Peach Blossom Island!”

Fang Zhao thought for a bit and said to this bunch, “Attractions can be visited at any time. It’s better to work hard for the upcoming period.”

Ji Polun’s mind began to work.

Was there a hidden meaning behind Fang Zhao’s words?

He thought about the company big shots’ recent busy work arrangements.

Was this some inside news?

Ji Polun no longer cared about Peach Blossom Island or its orchards. Compared to his prospects, enjoyment could take a backseat first!

After Ji Polun and the others got off on their own floor, Fang Zhao changed to another elevator that would take him straight to the top floor conference room.

Midway, Fang Zhao received a message from Planet Wai’s commanding officer Huo Yi.

The message was very long and included images.

Fang Zhao, are you free? Bring your dog over to Planet Wai for a vacation!

Only

Our Planet Wai has a new attraction. Have you heard of Peach Blossom Island? It’s a paradise where peach blossoms bloom all year round! It’s the only one of its kind!

We didn’t approach any other superstars and sought you out first. Come over and endorse our new scenic attraction!

We’ve even prepared a publicity campaign. I drew inspiration from an Old Era photograph. Using this, I came up with a brand new plan.

[High Definition Image]

Beneath the dancing rain of peach blossoms, twelve golden combat mechas stood glistening under the sunlight.

Huo Yi: Isn’t this awesome?!

Fang Zhao: “….”

Chapter 485: Safe And Peaceful Yanzhou

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

In Huo Yi’s opinion, a visual spectacle of luxurious gold and romanticism would definitely leave a lasting image.

This sort of impact was needed!

In five or ten years or even several decades, people would definitely still remember this image. !

As the boss of Planet Wai, Huo Yi was also well informed. He too was making preparations for the impending new era. He knew that the new generation of warp engines was already in the final testing phase. This information had yet to become public. Those in the know kept it to themselves. They waited for this to be announced before making any moves. The upgrades to warp engines would greatly decrease the costs of spaceflight. The prices of Planet Wai’s commodities would be affected. However, Planet Wai was moving towards the tourism industry. In Huo Yi’s opinion, this would be very advantageous. Huo Yi only hoped that more people would travel to Planet Wai for sightseeing!

A lot of work was going into marketing for Planet Wai’s changes and new attractions. Preparations had started long ago and were still being refined. Planet Wai wanted to find a star for an endorsement, but after a while, they still hadn’t settled on anyone. Thus, Huo Yi set his sights on Fang Zhao. However, the decision wasn’t yet final. Then, Huo Yi heard that Fang Zhao had gone to Planet Yin to perform and even rendered a meritorious service. Huo Yi immediately came knocking with the plan that satisfied him most.

However, Fang Zhao declined.

“Why? I feel it’s very good!” Huo Yi was sullen.

However, Fang Zhao only rejected the plan. He hadn’t directly rejected the request for endorsement.

“Alright, I will rethink the marketing campaign,” Huo Yi lamented. “It’s been a while since you last came to Planet Wai. We’ve undergone great changes. Bring along Curly Hair for some relaxation when you are free!”

“Alright.” Fang Zhao chuckled. Huo Yi still thought about Curly Hair from time to time.

Being in charge of Planet Wai, Huo Yi was extremely busy. It was difficult for him to find the time to make a personal call to Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao felt honored by Huo Yi’s sincerity. If Fang Zhao could make some spare time, he would bring Curly Hair over to Planet Wai and see its changes.

When the elevator reached the top floor of Silver Wing Media headquarters, the doors to the conference room opened. A few of the company’s popular artistes came out. The reason for all the cars around the building was because of Silver Wing’s artiste meeting.

The artistes who came out from the conference room were either A-listers or higher. They were considered to be among the finest of Silver Wing’s contracted artistes. Currently, they either had solemn expressions or were secretly excited and bubbling with ambition.

The expressions of these people changed slightly when they saw Fang Zhao. However, they quickly covered it up and greeted Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao acknowledged each of them.

Duan Qianji’s assistant came out at this moment and showed Fang Zhao in. Director Duan and the other high level executives of the company were inside waiting.

After the conference room doors closed, the few popular Silver Wing artistes exchanged glances outside. These were looks filled with complicated and wary sentiments.

Resources that the company could provide were limited. Competition in entertainment was very intense. One additional person was one extra competitor.

Once they entered the lift and were out of earshot of the high level executives, someone spoke in a hushed voice, “He isn’t omnipotent either. His brand image is not as developed. This is a clear disadvantage.”

He didn’t mention names, but the others knew who he was talking about.

Everyone understood that Fang Zhao had chosen to focus on music and was behind the scenes most of the time. He didn’t have many endorsements and rarely made public appearances outside of concerts.

“But, who knows for certain? He has strong control of his global-level niche. The company won’t neglect him,” someone else interjected.

“For sure, he’ll take some resources. The question is, how much?”

“Given Director Duan’s ambition and daring, he’ll definitely take quite a lot.”

“The clash of the titans has already started to unfold. Resources and engagement will depend on ability!!”

An intense blaze appeared in the eyes of everyone present.

At this moment, in the top floor conference room.

“Fang Zhao, you are one of the trump cards of our company. You aren’t like the other company artistes. Strictly speaking, we only have a collaborative relationship, and our contract is limited to music. However, the upcoming period is a really crucial phase. The entire entertainment industry is going to heat up with competition. Our competitors will go all out with their accumulated strength. The company is also very concerned with your future development. Fang Zhao, what plans do you have lined up?”

Silver Wing’s big boss Duan Qianji used a very gentle tone. Fang Zhao was a collaborator. Most of the time, the collaboration was led by Fang Zhao, not Siler Wing. Furthermore, as the director, Duan Qianji owed Fang Zhao some personal favors.

Fang Zhao pondered. “In this coming two months, aside from some interviews and program invites, music-wise…”

Fang Zhao briefly spoke about his scheduled itinerary. He would be participating in two global academic conferences and attending the concerts of three reputable artists. He also had to give Mo Lang a report every month.

The few high level executives stiffened when they heard this.

All of these activities were indeed related to music and sounded classy. But! Did these activities have anything to do with Silver Wing? What benefits could it provide them? How much attention would it garner for them?

In the past, they would have been grinning from ear to ear if they had company artistes in high-level academic circles. It would be useful for their reputation.

But, with the winds of change blowing, they wanted popularity and traffic!

Who cared about reputation? Could reputation be exchanged for more money?

As long as it wasn’t illegal, the company didn’t mind using any sort of means to garner benefits in the short term!

This was what they were seeking!

Towards other artistes receiving priority development, their request was:

Get busy!

Increase your exposure!

Feature yourself more prominently!

The activities Fang Zhao spoke of were indeed high quality. But, what use were they in the eyes of Silver Wing?

A few high level executives shot Boss Duan Qianji glances.

We don’t like the sound of what Fang Zhao just said. Hurry up and think of ideas to help him arrange more gigs!

Duan Qianji rubbed her temples. Without any change in expression, she said to Fang Zhao, “Whether through concerts, variety programs, or any other activities, you have to be more aggressive to capture the public’s eyes. Fang Zhao, the company has very high expectations for you and has other arrangements for your consideration. Of course, if you have any ideas, let us know so the company can help you.”

Fang Zhao thought about the interviews and variety show invites Nanfeng had mentioned. There were invites for other popular online activities, but he wasn’t too familiar with them. Fang Zhao decided to list them out and let the company help filter through them. After all, Silver Wing would definitely know more about the great changes that were coming to the entertainment circles.

Just as he was about to speak, his communications device vibrated. Fang Zhao glanced at the notification and raised a surprised eyebrow.

“Excuse me, I have to take this important call.”

Duan Qianji raised her hand and indicated for her assistant to lead Fang Zhao into the room at the side.

After Fang Zhao left, one senior executive smiled profoundly. “Looks like he is also well informed and understands the great wave that is coming.”

“He has had interactions with the military and Inter-planetary Fund. Furthermore, he was just at Planet Yin for a performance. It isn’t out of the ordinary for him to know,” Duan Qianji said.

“Then, what sort of arrangements should we have for Fang Zhao?” another high level executive asked with tightly furrow brows.

Silver Wing was one of the big players of Yanzhou’s media industry. They would still be one even without Fang Zhao. However, it was still somewhat difficult for them on the global scale. They had to rely on Fang Zhao and other artistes with global recognition to raise their prestige.

The number of company artistes under them who had both excellent commercial value and academic accomplishments could be counted with the fingers of one hand. And on this list, Fang Zhao was ranked first.

But, the company had limited resources. Every senior executive had their own biases, and the resources they held would definitely skew towards their trusted personnel. They had yet to decide how many resources could be diverted to Fang Zhao. Some of these executives flipped through their electronic files to determine what they could arrange for Fang Zhao.

As the big boss of the company, Duan Qianji also had considerable resources at her disposal. She definitely wanted to allocate some to Fang Zhao.

After a short while, Fang Zhao finished his call and returned.

“Shall we continue with what we were discussing just now?” Duan Qianji indicated for Fang Zhao to continue.

“I had originally wanted to have Silver Wing help filter through some of the invites and requests I received, but with this call, I have a new assignment,” Fang Zhao said with a somewhat pensive smile.

Duan Quanji’s curiosity was piqued. “Who called you?”

Only

“Yanzhou Public Safety Bureau…”

Swish!

All the high level executives stared at Fang Zhao.

“They contacted me with a request for me to endorse ‘Safe & Peaceful Yanzhou’,” Fang Zhao added.

The conference room suddenly fell dead silent. All the burning gazes lingered on Fang Zhao.

Director Duan secretly canceled out the work arrangements she had initially intended to give Fang Zhao.

She had intended for Fang Zhao to be the face of their company. She never imagined that Fang Zhao would be the face of an entire continent!

Chapter 486: Out Of Nowhere

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

Becoming the “face” of a continent wasn’t something anyone could achieve by being popular. The requirements were way too high!

Silver Wing Media’s high-level executives once again glanced at Fang Zhao. Now that they were looking at him…

Fang Zhao didn’t seem capable of competing with those popular teen idols in terms of looks, but he seemed just right!

There wasn’t any negative news about him. In the end, this endorsement fell to Fang Zhao.

Whatever the reason was, Fang Zhao was going to endorse “Safe and Peaceful Yanzhou”. An endorsement of this level was amazing news for Silver Wing.

The various senior executives now eyed Fang Zhao like he was a golden goose.

“Not bad, not bad!”

“Very good!”

“Fang Zhao, do you lack personnel at your side?” A deputy director smiled warmly and patted Fang Zhao’s shoulder. He recalled that Fang Zhao didn’t keep many people by his side. “How about I arrange for you to have a few more? They are all professional and can handle domestic services, makeup, styling and other stuff. You won’t have to worry about anything else and can just focus on coordinating with the relevant departments!”

Fang Zhao also didn’t reject the kind intentions of the various senior executives. He didn’t have experience being the main subject of an endorsement before. These senior executives would probably make reasonable arrangements.

Fang Zhao left with two assistants, a makeup artistand two stylists.

In the parking garage, Nanfeng was all smiles after finding out that Fang Zhao would be accepting the “Safe and Peaceful Yanzhou” campaign endorsement. However, the smile on Nanfeng’s face disappeared very quickly.

His good mood was ruined when he saw the handful of people following behind Fang Zhao. He could sense they were of the same industry.

Nanfeng was worried.

Why are there so many extra people after a trip upstairs?

Am I not enough? Is the boss dissatisfied with me?

Nanfeng seriously pondered about his recent work. He didn’t think he’d done anything wrong.

Fang Zhao walked over and introduced those behind him to Nanfeng.

Nanfeng acknowledged them and faked a smile. “Oh? Looks like we are all going to be colleagues for this upcoming period.”

The newly assigned group also feigned enthusiasm, but their tone implied,First, we are directly assigned here by the big bosses. Secondly, we are professional elites that are indispensable, unlike you salted fish.

Fang Zhao paid no heed to them crossing swords. He had just received an electronic file sent by the Yanzhou Public Safety Bureau liaison. On it was a brief outline of the upcoming campaign. Fang Zhao had some idea as to why he had received the “Safe and Peaceful Yanzhou” endorsement, but he hadn’t told the Silver Wing’s senior management.

After leaving Silver Wing, Fang Zhao went to the Yanzhou Public Safety Bureau to sign a formal agreement. There would be a shoot on the next day.

Fang Zhao’s short trip to Silver Wing had been watched by many company employees. Therefore, everyone found out really quickly that Fang Zhao had met with the senior management at the top floor and left with five additional personnel. These five were considered the company’s top-notch deployment personnel. Now that they had been assigned to Fang Zhao, it was clear what the senior management’s stance was.

Being able to make the senior management part with such personnel surely meant that something big was brewing.

The company had so many artistes. There were some that were popular only on their home continent and struggled globally. Only very few could become popular globally. Fang Zhao was one of these.

“The company has already launched its strategy. Fang Zhao is at the core of the company’s development. With his global reputation, the company would surely grant him important resources. Aren’t they trying to raise their global ranking?”

“But, I also haven’t heard which global luxury brand has collaborated with Fang Zhao yet.”

Silver Wing personnel discussed in private and made inquiries but still never received precise information. The senior management was tight-lipped, and nothing was revealed. The longer this continued, the more speculation flew around.

Silver Wing’s senior management was extremely serious now. Nothing was divulged, no matter who was asking. Everything would come to light in due time. They couldn’t use their normal operation procedures because of this. This was the first time they encountered a “main subject” endorsement of this magnitude, and they didn’t want to mess it up.

Some days later.

Silver Wing had yet another senior management meeting.

After the meeting ended, the atmosphere in the meeting room lightened considerably. The important high level executives didn’t leave and spoke about Fang Zhao.

“Director Duan, how are things on Fang Zhao’s end? How many promotional videos have been shot?”

“When can they be released? Any information on publicity details yet?”

“We have to pay close attention to Fang Zhao so that the company can handle any problems should they arise. Director Duan, could you ask if he requires additional bodyguards?”

As they didn’t know whether Fang Zhao was busy, Duan Qianji directly contacted one of the newly assigned assistants. Generally, she would contact this assistant to find out about developments on Fang Zhao’s end.

When the call connected and the display appeared, the smiles of the senior executives all disappeared.

“Where is Fang Zhao?” Duan Qianji asked expressionlessly.

“He’s… shooting a promotional video…,” one of the assistants replied, trembling.

Duan Qianji eyed the group of five in the video call. “So, all of you are gathered together leisurely to have tea?”

On the screen, the five who had been newly assigned to help Fang Zhao were seated around a small table that was topped with refreshments and tea. It appeared to be a very relaxed setting.

The makeup artist seated beside the assistant felt they were being misunderstood. “Director Duan, we really aren’t slacking off. The manager said we are too commercialized and not specialized enough for their requirements.”

She continued, “After the inspection, my makeup kit was taken. They said I wasn’t allowed to bring it in.”

The others also aired their own difficulties. They had also wanted to use this opportunity to perform but hadn’t even received a chance. In the previous shoot, they had still been able to watch from the side. For today’s shoot, they weren’t even allowed to enter the building.

Duan Qianji was silent for a bit before she asked, “What about Fang Zhao’s assistant and bodyguards? Were they also stopped outside along with the few of you?”

“No, Fang Zhao’s assistant and bodyguard were sent to look after the dog. Fang Zhao’s dog also had a filming assignment today,” one of the newly assigned assistants complained.

“Why does Fang Zhao’s dog also have a filming assignment?” a deputy director asked. This was a “main subject” promotional campaign. Could a pet dog participate in filming as a side character?

“If Fang Zhao’s pet dog can take part in the shoots, can we also do the same? Maybe we can squeeze in a few more people. It’ll be good enough even if they’re in the background,” another deputy director chimed in.

This suggestion was met with the approval of the other senior executives.

This type of opportunity was too rare. They definitely wanted to squeeze more of their own people in, even if their faces were shown for only a moment.

The assistant at the edge of the screen timidly interrupted the discussion of these senior executives, “…That dog cannot be compared to. It has meritorious service awards, second class.”

All the Silver Wing senior executives fell silent instantly.

It really was incomparable.

Elsewhere.

Today, Fang Zhao was required for filming at a designated location inside an airport. There was a lot to be filmed, and the workload was heavy. Furthermore, Fang Zhao wasn’t the only one in the video shoot. Curly Hair also had a filming assignment.

Nanfeng had even arranged for a massage and grooming package for Curly Hair last night. If Fang Zhao hadn’t stopped him, Nanfeng had even wanted to have someone trim Curly Hair’s fur.

Since Nanfeng and the two bodyguards were looking after Curly Hair, neither of them were with Fang Zhao’s shoot.

However, moments after entering the airport, Curly Hair lay down in front of a store selling personal terminals and refused to budge. He stared passionately at the displays as tears started welling in his eyes. He whimpered pitifully as if he was missing something.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu squatted down at his side and tried persuading him gently. They didn’t dare put any strength when tugging on the leash.

Nanfeng had already walked on ahead. When he turned and noticed nobody was with him, he rushed over to Curly Hair and picked him up.

Curly Hair struggled and whined.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu turned pale from fright. They broke out in cold sweat every time they saw Nanfeng carry the dog like this.

Nanfeng turned around and tried to shove Curly Hair into Yan Biao’s arms. “Just carry him there. We are in a rush!”

Yan Biao backed away with a rigid expression.

Nanfeng: ???

What the hell is wrong with him?

Nanfeng glanced at Zuo Yu.

Zuo Yu took a step back too and shook his head vigorously.

Nanfeng was displeased. Not only were their working attitudes not up to scratch, they lacked awareness too!

“Stop causing trouble, you guys!”

Nanfeng then forcefully shoved Curly Hair into Yan Biao’s arms.

“I still have to handle matters. You two best bring Curly Hair along and keep up. I am very busy; do you think I’m as idle as you two?”

Having said that, Nanfeng picked up the pace and strode towards Fang Zhao. He needed to appear more often in front of the boss to demonstrate his importance. He couldn’t allow the newly assigned support team to usurp him.

Nanfeng didn’t really pay any attention to Curly Hair and naturally didn’t realize that Yan Biao was holding Curly Hair like a bomb. They eventually made their way over to Fang Zhao.

Meanwhile, the first promotional video of “Safe and Peaceful Yanzhou” had already started screening in the various major movie theaters in Yanzhou.

Inside the largest movie theater in downtown Qi’an.

“Hurry, hurry, the movie is about to start!”

“What’s the rush? There are still commercials.”

Movie-goers armed with snacks and drinks had already gotten in place.

Some chatted, while others browsed the Internet. There were some who went on their social media. They intended to update their statuses with their thoughts while watching the movie.

Raucous sounds of a commercial died, and an uplifting melody filled the air.

The people in the audience thought the movie was starting. They stopped whatever they were doing and raised their heads to see Fang Zhao’s face appear on the screen.

Audiences:???

Aacckk!

Someone sucking on his drink absentmindedly choked.

Popcorn was nearly sent flying from those who were stuffing their mouths.

The quiet movie theater immediately erupted.

“Fang Zhao?!”

“Fang Zhao acted in this movie?”

“I don’t remember him being in the cast!”

“A commercial? It doesn’t seem like it. This clip seems too serious for a commercial.”

“It’s here! After leaving the esports scene, our music god is finally in a new movie!!”

Discussions erupted inside the movie theater. Then, the person on the screen continued in a serious manner:

“Enhance cybersecurity with healthy and civilized Internet usage.

“Greetings Yanzhou, safe and peaceful Yanzhou.”

Afterwards, the simplified text of the Internet safety law appeared on the screen.

The text grew larger.

It turned bold.

Only

The red stamp of the Yanzhou Public Safety Bureau appeared beneath.

The audience: “…”

What new profession has Fang Zhao gotten into this time?

Many people turned on their personal terminals at the same time.

Is the movie really starting now?

Don’t panic!

Let me send out this important information first!!

Chapter 487: It's Finally Here

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

Everyone was astonished from the sudden public service announcement and Fang Zhao’s appearance.

They really weren’t accustomed to seeing Fang Zhao’s righteous face on a cinema screen.

“Did something big happen recently? Was there another Internet cleansing?”

“Not necessarily. But, from the official stamp, it definitely means something is happening. I’m not interested in any of that though. I just want to know why Fang Zhao was chosen for this publicity campaign.”

“He has widespread global popularity. Of course, perhaps the rumors that Fang Zhao has some mysterious backer is true.”

A certain critic posted, “I feel that selecting Fang Zhao to endorse this sort of publicity campaign is a very wise choice given his current reputation, clean slate and firm political background. I reckon they have a fancy for Fang Zhao’s unique temperament. When he doesn’t smile, he has the solemn look of an old veteran. When he does, elders love his adorable look.”

“…Is this praise or mocking? Doesn’t this describe him as old?”

“That’s right! Fang Zhao is a fresh face on the scene, but that doesn’t fully capture his worth!”

“It’s a pity that that face isn’t super good-looking!”

“Rubbish! Fang Zhao might not be as handsome as other idols, but he isn’t bad-looking! He has an affinity with audiences, and his role in ‘Founding Era’ is still fondly remembered by everyone. Isn’t this way stronger than those good-looking but forgettable people? My mom just loves that righteous and cultured face of his!”

“Fine, Fang Zhao belongs to a different sort of attractiveness index. Let’s analyze a little. Fang Zhao has only acted in one role… Wait, is Fang Zhao still acting now?”

“It doesn’t seem like he acts. He specializes in music.”

“Wait a minute, didn’t he make his name in esports?”

…

While the Internet was abuzz with discussions about whether Fang Zhao was returning to acting, at Yanzhou Airport…

People were queuing up to pass through a security check. Some were chatting with their companions, while others were engrossed in their personal terminals, either surfing the Internet or messaging friends and family. Suddenly, there was a cry of surprise from ahead. “Woah! Fang Zhao!”

“Where?!”

Those going through security checks dropped whatever they were doing and craned their heads, looking in all directions. It was said that celebrity encounters were quite a frequent occurrence in airports. Could they finally be encountering one for the first time?

After that, everyone’s gazes fell onto the numerous large screens at the side. The safety protocol and informative video had been replaced.

Right now, the screens showed a safety informational video Fang Zhao had shot for the Public Safety Bureau.

Fang Zhao talked about prohibited items on aircraft and spacecraft, the safety screening, and the boarding procedures.

There was also a segment on spaceport security screening, starring Curly Hair. A Curly Hair decked in a “Spaceport Inspection” uniform appeared on screen.

Since the Inter-planetary Fund already knew of Curly Hair’s identity, there wasn’t any need for him to be hidden as tightly as in the past. Therefore, in the filming, instead of a dog tag around his neck, Curly Hair wore a meritorious service medal!

However, most people didn’t notice the medal around Curly Hair’s neck. Instead, their attention was all on Fang Zhao.

“The heck! What’s this??”

“It’s not a merchandise endorsement but a continent wide airport publicity campaign?”

“Sick sh*t, totally awesome man!”

At the same time, a safety briefing video was being shown on aircraft and spacecraft that were set for take off. This video would tell passengers things to take note of, safety rules that needed to be complied to as well as emergency measures to take in the event of any unforeseen circumstances.

It would still take a while before actual take-off, and the safety briefing video for spacecrafts was longer than the one in aircrafts. Thus, other than first time passengers, most passengers were doing their own thing.

Of course, this didn’t mean that everyone remembered all the information in the video. Most people were just impatiently waiting for the video to end.

Passenger:How dull, I ain’t listening to that!

Flight crew: “Please pay close attention to…”

Passenger:Too long, ain’t watching!

Flight crew: “And let Fang Zhao show…”

Passenger:?!!

Who?

Who did you just say it was?

The passengers immediately perked up and looked towards the screens in front of their seats. Those wearing headphones were notified by their companions.

On the screen, Fang Zhao was currently demonstrating how to use a life vest.

Many passengers stared at the screen with their eyes wide open, refusing to blink.

“Hey, it really is Fang Zhao!”

“This can also be done?”

At this very time, similar events were happening all over Yanzhou. Regardless of land, sea, air, or space travel, all public safety and informational videos starred Fang Zhao.

Curly Hair didn’t just appear in the spaceport segment. After making a guest appearance as an inspection dog, he made guest appearances as a guide dog, search-and-rescue dog and other roles, in coordination with Fang Zhao’s public safety videos.

In just a short while, topics regarding Fang Zhao erupted both online and in real life.

Of course, for Fang Zhao’s haters, this was simply torture.

On public transport, Fang Zhao was there.

On ships, Fang Zhao was there too.

On flights, Fang Zhao was still there.

Even self-driving navigation featured Fang Zhao’s voice in a traffic safety broadcast!

“Arghhh! My eyes are going blind soon! Why is it him everywhere?!”

“I just had an argument with his fans not too long. It’s like I’m being slapped in the face repeatedly. I feel something big is about to happen.”

“Without the slightest bit of warning, we are suddenly suffering an all-out counterattack from him.”

“Either he’s gathering the strength of everyone in Yanzhou, or something big indeed is about to happen.”

“The possibility of the former isn’t high. It is most likely the latter. Everyone, let’s first calm down and cease our arguments. We need a better understanding of the overall picture. Is there any insider news? Has anyone leaked anything?”

While everyone was making all sorts of guesses, Fang Zhao had returned home to rest. He was currently assigning duties to Nanfeng and the others.

Nanfeng took this rest period to give Fang Zhao a suggestion. “Boss, a few reputable collectors just made contact requesting a collaboration. However, I feel that matters pertaining to the fossil should be handled cautiously. With your current fame, you don’t have to accommodate them at all. The Poseidonsaur fossil is very precious. If it is moved around all the time, what would we do if someone steals or swaps out a bone? Boss, it is time to open a private collection hall. I have compiled a list of the suitable locations. Do you want to take a look?”

Fang Zhao glanced over and shook his head. “Let’s wait a while more.”

“Understood, boss.”

Nanfeng felt like it was currently a good time to buy. Land was growing ever more scarce and quickly becoming difficult or impossible to purchase. Already, only a few stories could be bought or rented. Nanfeng had taken a fancy to a few floors he had checked out. These floors could even experience at least five hours of sunlight a day. Black streets were everywhere now. Being able to have five hours of direct sunlight was already very rare. It was expensive, but such good spots would be taken if they continued waiting.

However, since the boss had said to wait, Nanfeng could only comply.

Nanfeng was sighing to himself when he heard Fang Zhao say, “These locations are all too small. There isn’t enough space.”

Nanfeng:???

Too small?

It isn’t small!

The spaces are big enough to fit a Poisedonsaur fossil exhibit. It’s definitely enough!

Unless Boss really plans to purchase land and build from scratch?

Only

Hehe, that’s impossible.

No one sells land anymore. Those with land would rather construct apartments rather than private collection halls. We can’t compare with those museums that were built four to five hundred years ago.

Fang Zhao knew what Nanfeng was thinking, but he didn’t explain his thoughts. There were some things that weren’t convenient for him to say. However, Nanfeng wouldn’t have long to wait.

The success of the new generation of warp engines would greatly shorten the costs and durations of spaceflight between planets. After the final tests were successful, it would truly be an era of planetary immigration and the beginning of a new epoch. Over on Earth, there would be changes regarding the regulations of land.

Some days later, Fang Zhao received an encrypted text from the Inter-planetary Fund’s authoritative figure.

The new epoch is starting.

The new generation of warp engines were already being manufactured, tested, and installed. Numerous spacecraft equipped with the new generation warp engines would soon be commissioned by the military. This news would be announced tomorrow.

Chapter 488: There Always Has To Be Some Hope In Life

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

At nine in the morning, Yanzhou office workers were already commuting to their workplaces. In contrast, it was time to rest for close to half of the inhabitants in the lower levels of the black streets. Business at night was better for shops in the black streets, and many were already used to this nocturnal lifestyle.

Of course, for the other half of black street inhabitants, today was just like any other ordinary day as they got ready for work.

In an apartment on the lower floors, a youngster casually ruffled his hair, put on wrinkled pajamas and rubbed his face casually. He turned on the live streaming platform and started today’s stream with his “just out of bed” look.

“Hey everyone, it’s me, ‘Lowly Little Worm’! A new day is a humble new beginning…”

“Lowly Little Worm” was a homestyle livestream host. His streams didn’t have a central theme. He just did whatever he felt like and commented on random topics without any depth. The stream was very ordinary. When he got lazy, he would even take a nap on stream.

In his own words: “I am but one of countless lowly black street inhabitants always at the bottom of all these colossal skyscrapers where we never experience any sunlight.”

Since he didn’t have much fame, the revenue his livestream earned was barely enough to get by. His friends and family had suggested him to change to a different type of streaming. His current unorganized approach didn’t have many future prospects.

But, Little Worm felt that this was his style.

It’s not easy to find success even if I change. I’m just passing time anyways; it’s more relaxing this way.

There weren’t many viewers in his chat. His viewers were already used to his “lowly” introduction and were prepared to view yet another lowly day in Little Worm’s life.

Just as before, Little Worm browsed through the news and casually remarked on its contents.

Suddenly, Little Worm’s eyes widened in disbelief as if he had just won billions in the lottery. He shot up and bounced around in glee.

To his online audience, it seemed like Little Worm was performing a passionate pantomime.

There were many questions in his chat. Little Worm regained his composure and said with a shaky voice, “Please forgive me for being incapable of controlling my lowly excitement!”

The seemingly out of sorts Little Worm wiped the snot from his nose and continued with his still shaky voice, “*Cough!*Then, let me first play Fang Zhao’s ‘Chasing Wind’ to set up the mood.”

His audience: “…”

???

Whose song did you say you were going to play?

“WTF?! What is this worm doing? Didn’t he blacklist Fang Zhao’s works because they didn’t fit his casual style?”

“Who gave you the courage to listen to Fang Zhao? Is that something people like us should listen to?!”

“Are my eyes playing tricks on me? The person who lives by the mantra “messy is beautiful” just combed his hair!”

“Did Worm have too much to drink?”

They took a closer look at the music playlist that had just popped up.

“Chasing Wind?”

“Splendor?”

“The Power of Life?”

“There’s even the fourth movement from the ‘Period of Destruction’ series??”

“Such a deranged playlist! What is he playing at?!”

“What kind of blow has he suffered?”

“It’s happened! Congratulations, the host has successfully become delusional!”

“He washed and tidied up! He must be going on a date!!”

“That doesn’t seem right. Why would he play Fang Zhao’s songs if he’s got a date? It doesn’t add up.”

“Come back, Little Worm! Can’t we just listen to simple stuff like ‘Blackened Street’ or ‘Degenerate Boy’? Fang Zhao’s songs don’t fit this stream.”

However, Little Worm’s excitement couldn’t be stopped. He paid no heed to his viewers’ comments

“A lowly person like me!

“My dreams have become reality!

“How long I have waited!

“The new generation of warp engines is finally complete!

“The new generation of warp engines will greatly improve the efficiency of interplanetary space travel, decrease travel time and reduce costs. Most importantly, the large spacecraft for outer space immigration will finally be open for ordinary people!

“Thank you, God! Thank you, second generation warp engine! I can finally afford a flight ticket!”

Little Worm shared the news he had just seen with his online audience. Some viewers went to the Outer Space Immigration Plan’s star map web page that hadn’t been updated for many years. Now, one planet on the development sequence was finally lit up.

According to the official source, the emblem of this planet was a sunflower, symbolizing light, optimism and courage. This would be the first stem of the Outer Space Immigration Plan! It would also be the first planet open for large-scale immigration!

“Applications for the Outer Space Immigration Plan will be accepted starting today. Applications will take 6 months to process. Applicants passing the audit will immigrate in batches. Financial assistance will be available for those who need it.”

Successful applicants would be entitled to compensation. The government welfare programs ensured that immigrants would lead successful lives. It was way better than living in the black streets that never got to see much sunlight! And, it was a land filled with opportunity!

Of course, the audit process was also very strict.

Everyone immediately dropped everything to read the assessment categories.

“It’s over for me! Credit score is part of it! Credit score will also be assessed! Will a late payment for utilities last year affect my credit score?”

“Is there any way to salvage a late loan repayment from last month?”

“Is there any hope for people in debt?”

“Asking for a friend: how do you deal with a traffic violation record?”

“Hahahaha, I don’t have any of those issues! Looks like I will be the one taking the first step!”

…

Some people cheered and hooted throughout the day, while others sighed with remorse.

Little Worm had no inclination to care about anything else. He washed up, combed his hair and changed into a set of neat clothing. He appeared much fresher and even turned on the dust-covered imitation-sunlight lamp in the corner.

Starting from today, I’ll have a brand new image!

Let the record show that I, Little Worm, am a proper, optimistic person who looks forward to progress!

On his various social media accounts, Little Worm changed the dark and gloomy theme of his personal pages to a bright and spirited background. His changed his profile photo to a field of sunflowers and updated his profile tagline.

“As long as I am given a tiny bit of hope, lowly me can once again see sunlight.”

Indeed, I am the type that can shine with just a little bit of sunlight! I can adapt very quickly to a brand new environment!

After updating his pages, Little Worm deleted his past stream recordings and posted his first status on his newly revamped social media accounts.

“Today is yet another day filled with hope!”

Auditors, can you see my longing for the sunlight?!

Finding it hard to calm himself down, Little Worm apologized to his viewers and ended the day’s livestream early.

He came out of his house and looked upwards at the tiny gap in the towering skyscrapers all around him. The tiny gap of brightness was like a crack in the sky.

For people like him living in the “depths”, even the wind had a stale and putrid smell. People here could only see a tiny bit of blue when they raised their heads and looked upwards.

He was ordinary, mediocre and lowly.

He had had dreams in the past, but society and reality had crushed them.

When he was young, Little Worm dreamed of being a farm owner. It didn’t matter if the farm was small. After growing up, his greatest goal was to save up some money and go on a soul-searching trip. Expensive locations were out of the question. He just wanted to see the farms of Muzhou in person. He wanted to see the vast grasslands, enjoy more than eight hours of sunlight and breathe in the fresh air and smell of fresh produce. However, this dream had never become reality. Instead, it had almost become forgotten.

When had he lost the motivation to struggle?

He was trapped in a small space, frittering his time away gloomily, day by day.

Luckily, a new era had finally arrived!

It was a new beginning. It didn’t matter if it took more work. People who could work hard would never live too poorly.

No matter how bad it was, it would still be an improvement to the present.

“There always has to be some hope in life!”

A Fang Zhao version traffic safety demonstration was playing on two large advertisement screens on both sides of the black street. Little Worm walked over and watched it from start to finish.

His neighbor, who was out on a walk, shot him a dubious glance.

“What are you looking at, Little Worm?”

“I’m watching Fang Zhao.”

“Didn’t you dislike him?”

“Nonsense! I like Fang Zhao the most!”

——

The success of the new generation of warp engines and the news about applications for the Outer Space Immigration Plan caused great waves all around.

Soon, everyone was discussing the Outer Space Immigration Plan.

Every large entertainment company held emergency meetings. Even though they already had inside news beforehand and had made preparations, it soon became apparent just how intense the competition and market would be.

For businesses, this news didn’t just signify new lands. This meant new battlefields and new structures!

This was like circumventing Earth! There could even be a second home planet!

Although the application process took six months, many businesses had already started taking action. All their preparation work wasn’t for nothing.

For example, real estate conglomerates started launching marketing campaigns on land that had yet to be obtained.

All the large real estate conglomerates launched their brand ambassadors and relied on stars for marketing.

Only

A certain flourishing real estate firm hosted a celebration for the success of the Immigration Plan and invited many stars to attend.

It wasn’t just real estate. The textile, food, housing, transport, health and other industries all became inundated with advertisements and brand ambassadors trying to dominate the market’s attention.

In the entertainment circles, celebrities were busy fighting for endorsements and commercial performers. Some who had left the scene were even called out of retirement by businesses. Anyone who was still idle currently was at the lowest point in their professional career or had simply become forgotten.

Global top stars like Fang Zhao were watched by everyone from primary school students to retired veterans.

Fang Zhao’s communications device was flooded with messages. His unread messages showed “999+”.

Fang Zhao had also accepted an invitation. This invitation wasn’t from any of those big brands, but the Public Safety Bureau. However, unlike before, it wasn’t just a continent-level Public Safety Bureau this time. Rather, it was the Public Safety Bureau’s global headquarters.

He had received a request to become the ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Plan.

Chapter 489: Super Powerful Formation

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

When Fang Zhao became the Outer Space Immigration Plan’s ambassador, photos and videos of him swept through the world with the immigration discussions. The industry was stunned.

This… this… isn’t a standard method at all!

We can’t compete with him any more.

This was especially so for Silver Wing Media. The senior management executives were similarly dumbfounded. The company had prepared a strategy to use Fang Zhao’s global reputation and appeal once the Immigration Plan was announced. But, they hadn’t imagined that Fang Zhao himself would win an endorsement of this magnitude by himself.

This already completely transcended beyond the entertainment circles. It was something no entertainment company could handle.

People were baffled as to why Fang Zhao had received this ambassador role. Rumors flew around. Many suspected that Fang Zhao had a mysterious backer.

A lot of people were envious. Why was such a resource given to him?! What right did he have to be granted a resource of this level?!

Some people called this into question and felt Fang Zhao wasn’t good enough for an undertaking of this magnitude. He was an artist and gamer. What qualifications did he have to become the ambassador of a super project like the Outer Space Immigration”? Other people would work their entire lives for such an opportunity.

But, very quickly, Fang Zhao appeared in various continents’ promotions of the Outer Space Immigration Plan. This signified that regardless of what Fang Zhao had relied on to land this ambassador role, he had obtained the recognition of every continent and the various foreign planet military districts for the role.

Fang Zhao didn’t accept any other commercial assignments after taking on the Outer Space Immigration Plan’s endorsement. He collaborated with the Public Safety Bureau headquarters to shoot a series of promotional videos. Then, he decided to return to his private island for a period of time in seclusion. He had taken on a new composing assignment on Mo Lang’s recommendation and needed a quiet place to work.

Thus, reporters eager to dig up information on Fang Zhao’s mysterious backer were once again stunned.

Where is he?

Where has he disappeared to once again from the limelight?!

Shouldn’t he take this opportunity to consolidate his position at the top of the entire world’s popularity indices?!

Large entertainment conglomerates from other continents are joining forces to deal with Fang Zhao. How will Fang Zhao react to such an offensive?

Is Fang Zhao preparing an ultimate move?

Entertainment reporters could only anxiously clutch at straws. Curious Yanzhou netizens were helpless too and could only once again shout out their own ultimate move.

“Wang Tie, you piece of trash!”

Yanzhou’s paparazzi king, Wang Tie:Your cries are useless!

——

Leizhou.

With the new generation of warp engines becoming functional and news about the Outer Space Immigration Plan’s application process, the entire market was bustling. People could be seen scurrying to and fro.

The self-proclaimed “Leizhou’s greatest internet celebrity” Zaro was pompously waiting at home for endorsement deals to come knocking.

But, as he waited and waited, nobody came looking for him.

Others with just a slight bit of fame were busy flaunting in the group chats everyday. Seeing this, Zaro became anxious.

That shouldn’t be. I am Leizhou’s greatest internet celebrity. How can there be no one seeking me out for endorsements?

Could it be that I’m too good looking and have such a high prestige that nobody can afford my services?

Given Zaro’s brain capacity, he still hadn’t figured it out after mulling for a long time. Thus, he called his agent over.

Zaro inquired, “Did my number change? Is my communications device shut off? Was there anyone who sought me out for endorsements?”

His agent replied calmly, “There were.”

Then, as Zaro looked on expectantly, his agent explained with a wooden expression that Zaro’s father thought him to be unreliable. Thus, his father had rejected all endorsement offers and wanted Zaro to know his place and stay home obediently.

Zaro’s agent was composed on the surface, but deep down his heart was aching.Aarghh, what a good opportunity this is!

Not jumping on this epoch-making wave was akin to letting every part of yourself down!

At this huge turning point in history, something big should be done in order to leave one’s mark.

Fang Zhao was a good example. Perhaps even after a hundred, two hundred or even a thousand years later, people searching about this point in history would be able to see traces of Fang Zhao because he was the Outer Space Immigration Plan’s ambassador.

Of course, he didn’t even consider taking Fang Zhao as a comparison. Just like many other agents and managers, he was just a behind-the-scenes worker. However, his own interests were bound together with Zaro’s. He too wanted to ride on this wave and sell Zaro at a good value! His heart ached just thinking about this missed chance!

However, Zaro was oblivious and incapable of understanding his agent’s sorrow. He couldn’t be bothered to think about anything else and was livid from his agent’s explanation. He took a look at the time. It just so happened to be his father’s rest period, so Zaro immediately made a call. The two had a furious quarrel.

After this argument, Zaro sneaked out stealthily. He wasn’t going to sit around to be caught and sent into the military for more grueling training.

As he left, he didn’t forget to make a complaint to his grandfather.

Thus, the busy Leizhou governor chuckled with a shake of the head when he finally saw the message from his favorite grandson. “Is he so upset that he is running away from home?”

The Leizhou governor asked Zaro about his plan and relaxed when he learned that Zaro was going to find Fang Zhao.

“That young Fang Zhao is rather reliable.”

Elsewhere, Zaro had gotten Fang Zhao’s location and was on his personal flying transport headed towards Fang Zhao’s island.

When Zaro arrived, Zuo Yu was the one responsible for receiving him.

Fang Zhao was currently in the study composing. Nanfeng wasn’t on the island, and Yan Biao was out at sea walking the dog.

Zaro was first curious as to why a dog would be walked out at sea, but a small machine caught his attention very quickly.

“What is this?” Zaro picked up a palm-sized machine from the coffee table and inspected it.

“It’s… a custom-made retro handheld console,” Zuo Yu said without showing any hint of emotion.

“A game console? Oh, I’ve never played this sort before!”

Zaro was interested. As a nouveau riche, he was well adept in the ways of enjoyment and had a special fondness for terms like “limited edition” and “special custom-made”.

This game console was placed on the coffee table and didn’t have any passcode on it. Zaro reckoned that it was a game console for the bodyguards to play with.

The machine’s panel and configuration seemed simple to use, and there wasn’t any identity verification required to turn it on. All that was shown was a table of scores, and the top scores for each level were rather high.

It appeared like it wasn’t very difficult.

“I’ll play this game for a bit.”

Having said that, Zaro delved into the game.

However, Zaro found himself using a lot of effort for this so-called simple game. He couldn’t keep up mentally, and his reactions were slow. Zaro got more frustrated the more he played.

Zaro stopped after a while. “This trash game doesn’t have in-app purchases!”

Beside him, Zaro’s agent rolled his eyes.Do you expect to beat all games just by throwing in money?!

Fortunately, Fang Zhao came out of his study shortly. Since Zaro had sent him a message earlier, Fang Zhao set aside some time for him.

Zaro’s attention was diverted when he saw Fang Zhao and no longer harped on the problems of no Internet and lack of in-app purchases with the handheld game console. He first complained about how his father looked down on him before expressing how envious he was that Fang Zhao had managed to become the ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Plan.

Actually, Zaro had come over for two reasons. First, he wanted to find out what special means Fang Zhao had relied on to become the ambassador of such a large-scale project. Secondly, he wanted a companion in his complaints about his father.

But, as they talked, Zaro felt that Fang Zhao hadn’t changed at all. Thus, he forgot to ask Fang Zhao how he had managed to become such an ambassador. Right now, he just wanted to vent his grievances.

“Now, no business will seek me out. I’ve become ostracized.”

The businesses he referred to were basically high-end brands that he liked. The majority of them were from Leizhou, and these brands didn’t dare look to Zaro for a collaboration because Zaro’s father, General Renault, had stopped them.

Thus, Zaro deeply felt that he had talent but lacked opportunity.

In Fang Zhao’s eyes, Zaro was the kind of person he could easily see through. He was more tolerant towards Zaro since he viewed him as an old friend and junior.

After listening to Zaro’s complaints of his father, Fang Zhao could also understand General Renault’s intentions for doing so.

While this was a period of new markets, it was also an extremely sensitive time for figures of authority. In order to prevent Zaro from being deceived by others, the easiest and the most effective method would be to make Zaro stay home rather than spend needless cash and cause trouble outside.

However, Zaro wasn’t the sort to stay at home obediently.

As he observed Zaro switch from rambling to thinking, Fang Zhao was quite sure that Zaro was plotting something.

Fang Zhao pondered for a bit. He really did have a suitable endorsement for Zaro.

“What do you think about an image of gold on pink?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Old-fashioned!” Zaro then felt a single word wasn’t enough to describe his disdain. “Utterly outdated!”

Fang Zhao brought up an image for him to see. “What about this?”

This image was the one that Wai Base commanding officer Huo Yi had sent to Fang Zhao. Huo Yi had previously sought out Fang Zhao to endorse Planet Wai’s scenic peach blossom locations. Fang Zhao had declined, but Huo Yi had asked Fang Zhao to keep a lookout and recommend any suitable candidates.

Fang Zhao reckoned that a suitable endorser hadn’t been found as he had yet to see any publicity regarding Planet Wai’s attractions. An official advertisement hadn’t been shot yet, and Huo Yi had sent a message to Fang Zhao the previous day to try his luck once again.

Huo Yi still wanted to shoot that promotional campaign with rich gold and romantic pink. In the photograph Fang Zhao showed Zaro, twelve golden mechas stood tall and overbearing beneath the shower of pink petals like mystical warriors.

Zaro’s eyes widened.

“Sweet! Awesome! I want to be in it!”

Zaro’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the photograph. He felt that this was the coming of his own company’s new drama series.

“Where is this image from?” Zaro asked. “Is there any script? I want to purchase and shoot it myself!”

“Don’t get impatient. Let me ask first.” Fang Zhao sent a short message recommending Zaro.

Fang Zhao didn’t know when Huo Yi would see this message since Huo Yi was busy at Wai Base. He explained to Zaro that the other party probably wouldn’t reply quickly. Then, he told Zaro about the idea’s development on inspiration from an Old Era piece.

There were very few Old Era art pieces that were preserved fully intact. Fortunately, New Era technology was able to restore them. Zaro immediately logged onto the Internet to search for related information.

On Planet Wai, Huo Yi finished a videoconference and was having some tea. As he was checking through his mail, he saw Fang Zhao’s message.

Huo Yi was disappointed because Fang Zhao declined to participate. However, when he saw the person Fang Zhao recommended, he immediately slapped his palms on the table in delight.

Zaro?

That fellow from Leizhou’s Renault family who didn’t have much ability but was well known for eating, drinking and making merry?

That would do!

That would really do!

Eating, drinking and making merry were all that was required!

Furthermore, Zaro had invested in the Wai film studio complex together with Fang Zhao. Huo Yi still had a rather favorable impression of him.

Therefore, Huo Yi immediately sent a reply to Fang Zhao, expressing that he was familiar with Zaro and that they could discuss a collaboration. He also told Fang Zhao to recommend more people like Zaro since there were twelve slots in total. To express his sincerity, Wai Base would be covering all travel, food and lodging expenses.

After reading through Huo Yi’s reply, Fang Zhao relayed Huo Yi’s response to Zaro.

“En… endorsement?”

Although Zaro tried his hardest to act like he didn’t care, he was totally unable to stop the corners of his mouth from curling upwards.

It’s finally here!

And, it’s an endorsement for a huge attraction on a foreign planet!

This has sufficient class!

The proposed filming plan is satisfying too!

The trivial matters about expenses being covered and endorsement fees were unimportant to him.Do I look like I lack that little bit of money?

“Cough, considering that we are old friends, I’ll accept this endorsement.” Zaro got excited. “Are they still lacking people? Let me look for others!”

Zaro scrolled through his contacts list and started to pull people in.

In Jinzhou, Chu Bo was currently giving vocal lessons to a talented nephew taking part in a singing competition.

“Pay attention to your breathing! Your song requires this technique. You will fail if you don’t take note of your breathing! The attention of the judges will be attracted to the sound of your breathing… Wait a moment, let me take this call… Zaro? What’s the matter… Scenic attraction endorsement? Sounds okay, let me see the concept image first… Holy crap! Cool! When does filming start? I’ll adjust my schedule…”

In Tongzhou, Woo Tianhao was reading a martial arts novel when Zaro’s call came.

“Tianhao!”

“What’s up?”

“Let’s meet on the night of the full moon…”

“And have a decisive duel for ascendancy?”

“Ptui! I have proper business! An ad for an attraction. Are you in?”

“What kind of attraction? Can it beat reading a novel?”

…

Since Huo Yi’s requirements weren’t gender specific, Zaro contacted Barbara too.

Barbara had a look of contempt on her face. She wasn’t willing to participate in such a tacky shoot. However, when she saw the concept image, she felt there was a lustrous grandeur amidst that tackiness.

Thus, she accepted. Although there would be twelve individuals, she was fully confident that she would be the most dazzling amongst the twelve!

Zaro continued to make calls to acquaintances he felt were suitable. He found one from each continent for twelve in total.

Within two hours, Zaro had gathered twelve people.

Fang Zhao studied the list that Zaro sent him and was silent for quite a while. Then, he forwarded the list to Huo Yi to decide.

Huo Yi was delighted and sighed emotionally when he saw this list.

This array… would really do!

Together, they would attract much more attention than most celebrities!

It was enough to break through the current deluge of marketing campaigns from all sides!

Although the person he wanted to swindle… or invite over wasn’t among these twelve, he was still rather satisfied with them.

A pleasant surprise!

Huo Yi’s good mood lasted all the way until the shoot began.

Huo Yi had arranged for these twelve people to be flown to Planet Wai aboard the new model spaceships so they could start filming right away. However, the filming outcome was… somewhat different from what Huo Yi had envisaged.

Zaro: Extraordinary, Samoyed’s wise and far-sighted smile!

Chu Bo: Head tilted 45 degrees, observe my apparent emo style!

Woo Tianhao: Check out my terrifying gaze! I’m the manifestation of fear!

Barbara: Majesty beyond words. My entire family is royalty!

…

Wai Base commanding officer Huo Yi was the creator of this publicity campaign, but right now, he was in dull spirits. With falling spirits, he watched his invitees strike all kinds of ridiculous poses. Finally, he saw the shy Mitisy and felt this was still salvageable.

Even though Mitisy had been a professional athlete and was used to grand occasions, he didn’t seem to be as thick-skinned as the others. He appeared a little uneasy at this film shoot.

Under Huo Yi’s guidance, Mitisy struck a pose according to Huo Yi’s requirements. However, even Mitisy added in some of his own details after observing the others.

Only

Huo Yi: “…” He was exhausted.

Fortunately, the film shoot still went rather smoothly.

Although the actors made all sorts of modifications in their attire and props, the end combined product was still blindingly stunning!

Huo Yi suddenly felt a sense of guilt towards the original idea.

However, after considering the promotional value of his actors, the guilt in Huo Yi’s heart was tossed aside.

After shooting the video and adding in a dignified soundtrack, the advertisement was released. Planet Wai’s scenic attractions started to garner a lot of attention as it carved a bloody and tyrannical path through many other promotional campaigns. It forcefully occupied the entertainment headlines of each continent.

Planet Wai’s Twelve Poser Kings!

Chapter 490: Fang Zhao Being Unable To Join Is Great News

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

This topic was raised up by netizens and quickly disseminated.

Those who saw the publicity image were astounded momentarily and were filled with indescribable sentiments watching the video.

“Ahhh! I’m blinded!”

“Such an awesome lineup… These pink flower blossoms and glittering gold adornments… What a luxurious and indulgent style…”

“Zaro, Barbara, Mitisy, Woo Tianhao, Chu Bo, Danke Assis…”

“Danke Assis? The current Inter-planetary Fund director general Meche Assis’s son? The young crown prince of the Inter-planetary Fund? This is the first time seeing him in a commercial!”

“I was wondering why Dog Zaro was so quiet recently. But, it’s really astonishing when he barks!”

“Is Barbara’s fan made of pure gold? What are those precious stones she’s wearing on each of her ten fingers? Are there any similar designs?”

“I don’t need a similar design. Even a replica will do! That would be way cheaper!”

“Since when did Planet Wai become so rich?!”

“It’s obvious that they brought their own outfits. A single outfit is already so darned expensive. Planet Wai wouldn’t be able to provide them.

“My eyes, my eyes and my heart!”

“Even if the entire sky is dancing with peach blossoms, all I smell is the scent of money and riches!”

“Come come, let us dig up every single detail of the aura of luxury and gold!”

…

Netizens cooked up a storm regarding this unique and special commercial for Planet Wai’s scenic attraction. Many people felt deeply brainwashed by this “chaotic pink” and “luxurious gold”.

Huo Yi had complex sentiments with regard to all this.

Huo Yi had hoped that Planet Wai’s scenic area campaign would grab the headlines,but he never imagined that it would be in this form.

He felt a little shame, but at the same time, he was a little delighted too.

Of course, the result was still very pleasing.

People now associated Planet Wai’s specialty peach blossom showers with the “twelve poser kings”. Nevertheless, all available tickets quickly sold out, and reservations were lined up until next year.

The tickets had sold out In less than half a day!

It could be said that achieving this objective was good enough. The rest… wasn’t important.

Of course, when someone mentioned this at a video conference with heads of the various military districts and foreign planet bases, Huo Yi still had to give an explanation.

His original intention really wasn’t this!

Huo Yi had imagined beautiful falling showers of pink with powerful and grand gold. It would meld strength with gentleness and create a picturesque charm.

But, the actual advertisement conveyed,Warning! Danger! Take evasive action!!

Huo Yi thought of the reception he had intended.Woah! Look, these rich young masters are actually enjoying Planet Wai’s scenery!

However, the actual advertisement was met differently.Woah! Look at these posers, each one trying to outdo the other!

The others simply didn’t believe Huo Yi’s explanation. They thought that the wily Huo Yi had duped these twelve high quality spoiled brats to shoot such a promotional campaign. He had even tricked them into bringing their own adornments.

How scheming! What a great method!

“No, I really didn’t intend this!”

Seeing that his explanations fell on deaf ears, Huo Yi found a scapegoat to blame.

“It’s Fang Zhao! These twelve were roped in by Fang Zhao!”

…

In seclusion, Fang Zhao didn’t know he was being made the scapegoat. He had seen the final result Zaro and the others had produced. After a small chuckle, he noticed the tickets for Planet Wai’s scenic area selling like hot cakes and no longer paid any attention.

Old Master Mo Lang had pulled some strings and had recommended a new assignment for Fang Zhao. It was an assignment to compose music for a thematic series.

This series was a project launched by the cultural ministry. It was a documentary about the people and process of warp engine development.

This was another large-scale thematic series, just like “Founding Era”. While the scope and talent array of this series couldn’t be compared with “Founding Era”, it was still considered a quality production.

In fact, filming for the series had already been completed. The series was currently still under wraps. There was a reshoot for a certain segment, but most of the series was in post-production. It would be ready for broadcast soon.

The series had contracted various outstanding composers from the twelve continents. Fang Zhao was one of them and also the youngest.

Fang Zhao also viewed this assignment with importance. This was an opportunity that was hard to come by. Thus, to compose well, he assigned Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao to handle all other matters.

Nanfeng wasn’t on the island. He needed to handle various matters on behalf of Fang Zhao. This was practice for being a successful agent. Nanfeng was confident he could be promoted from assistant to manager. Thus, he worked hard and gave his very best!

While Fang Zhao was in seclusion, Nanfeng had to represent him in a variety of settings. Matters regarding Silver Wing, cooperative partners, Public Safety Bureau and others were dealt with by him. Besides that, Nanfeng also had to pay attention to any land being put up for sale.

Fang Zhao planned to construct a private collection hall. Now that the Outer Space Immigration Plan was starting, some unsafe buildings in old city districts on the various continents would be torn down. A number of areas would also have a new review of regulations. Purchasing land to construct a private collection hall would become much easier.

On the other hand, Curly Hair didn’t seem to be affected by the changes from the Outer Space Immigration Plan. Yan Biao took him out on a speedboat for walks every few days.

Curly Hair no longer needed to pretend in front of Yan Biao and Zuo Yu after exposing his secret. Fang Zhao wanted someone to be with Curly Hair whenever he went out for walks, so Yan Biao and Zuo Yu took turns.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had already gotten used to the high risk job of dog-walking and now viewed it in a whole different light. While it sounded unbelievable, it was fine as long as they were accustomed to it. They could even speak and play games with the dog without showing any astonishment.

Now, they were already able to calmly take the dog out to sea and bring Curly Hair back at the Boss’s stipulated time. Furthermore, they would also bring back things that Curly Hair picked up like certain ores, gems, fossils of unknown organisms, and equipment from wrecks.

Each time before walking the dog, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu would make some mental preparation.

I am a bodyguard.

After witnessing a mecha being devoured, I have come to a whole new and profound understanding.

It’s my turn to walk the dog today. I will pilot the speedboat out to sea and wait for him as he goes exploring.

I do not know what he has eaten, nor do I dare ask. I don’t even dare smell his dog farts.

The less I know, the safer I will be.

As a proper bodyguard, I just have to do whatever the boss requires of me. I shall not see, hear or speak about anything that goes beyond that scope.

Only Nanfeng who didn’t know the truth viewed Curly Hair as some fragile little thing and assumed that everyone looked like a dog thief.

Curly Hair’s value had changed again.

After starring in the public safety campaign with Fang Zhao, Curly Hair’s value had risen again! As a dog that had rendered meritorious service, his value estimation was different from other pet dogs.

On the new issue of the world’s most authoritative pet magazine, “PET”, Curly Hair’s information had been updated. His profile photo had been changed to an image from the promotional video, and there weren’t any figures displayed at his value. Instead, there was only one line: “Special dog type, invaluable”.

Curly Hair wasn’t really affected by the online public opinion and his valuation change. He was allowed to play games and watch TV more while Fang Zhao shut himself in.

Fang Zhao had assigned homework for Curly Hair with a minor test every three days and a full exam once per week. Curly Hair didn’t mind as long as he could have fun with the new game helmet and personal terminal that Fang Zhao had bought him.

His first personal terminal had been thoroughly destroyed so Curly Hair especially treasured his second one. He hid it away in his cabinet so even Nanfeng and the other two hadn’t seen it. Curly Hair also holed up in his own little room to game. Besides Fang Zhao, nobody else was allowed to enter.

The handheld console had also been stored away by Curly Hair. After Zaro left that day, Curly Hair had smelled someone else’s scent on it and was displeased.

Today, Curly Hair returned from a trip in the ocean.

Zuo Yu was on the couch watching TV. Curly Hair ran in and slid to a stop to stare at the screen.

He stopped Zuo Yu, who had been about to change the channel.

Yan Biao came in after parking the boat. He glanced at Curly Hair, then at the TV before shooting a questioning glance at Zuo Yu.What program is this?

Zuo Yu replied, “It’s some gamine news. Fiery Bird says that they will be opening a new map in ‘Battle of the Century’ to celebrate the success of the new generation of warp engines. It will last for a month, and the top ten on the leaderboards will win grand prizes. At the same time, a hundred lucky players will have a chance to win gaming peripherals every day.”

“How generous!” Yan Biao lamented. “However, Boss doesn’t game anymore and is secluding himself for composing. I also don’t play it nowadays. This event has nothing to do with us.”

“I don’t play either, and it’s been a long time since I looked into my account. But this prize draw…” Zuo Yu stroked his chin and glanced at Curly Hair. “Master Curly?”

Curly Hair’s ears pricked up and he came over.

“Want to draw a prize?” Zuo Yu asked.

“No!” Curly Hair continued to stare at the screen.

Zuo Yu sighed.What a pity.

He really wanted Curly Hair to help him win a prize. Curly Hair was really special. Who knew what Zuo Yu could win if Curly Hair helped?

Elsewhere.

News of “Battle of the Century” opening a commemorative map spread quickly. Teams from every continent were getting ready to fight for glory and prizes!

Esports clubs stayed up several nights in a row to come up with a battle plan and also tried to find out information about other teams.

In the global group chat with many reputable Esports athletes, many teams were making inquiries with Jinro.

“Captain Jin, will Zhao God be participating this time round?”

“Yeah, it’s been a long time since Zhao God appeared. I long to see him play again.”

SilverLight team captain replied, “Of course not. Zhao God has accepted a composing assignment and has secluded himself. He is wholeheartedly focusing on composing and doesn’t want to get involved in gaming nowadays.”

Jinro knew this bunch all too well. While they “longed to see him play again”, deep down, they were chanting, “Do not come.” At this time when all the esports clubs were striving for achievements and results, nobody was willing to have an additional threat appear.

Indeed, the mood lightened considerably after Jinro said that Fang Zhao had secluded himself to compose.

Only

The strength of a SilverLight team without Fang Zhao was totally different!

If the current combat strength of the SilverLight team was said to be 5000, then it would become 10,000 if Fang Zhao was added in! This wasn’t an exaggeration; it was based off of the solid data of various esports clubs!

Therefore, Fang Zhao being unable to join was great news!

Everyone relaxed.

Gamers flooded into the new map the day it opened. Those unable to log in watched live broadcasts. This was what it meant to be a gaming fan.

However, not long after the new map was opened, many gamers who were having fun suddenly received a pop-up notification.

[AliveAfter500Years] is online.

Chapter 491: Crazy Point-sweeping Demon 2.0

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

Many gamers followed [AliveAfter500Years]. As Fang Zhao’s reputation rose, the number of people following his game ID increased as well. However, Fang Zhao rarely logged on nowadays. He logged on privately once in a while for SilverLight training sessions and publicly for invited events.

Furthermore, Fang Zhao hadn’t participated in public global Esports events in a long time. That was the reason some people said that Fang Zhao had retired. Many gaming athletes thought this was the case as well.

Many teams had made inquiries about Fang Zhao before the commemorative map was opened. They were mostly relieved upon learning that Fang Zhao would be secluding himself to compose. There were also a few top teams that made contingency plans for every situation. What if Fang Zhao decided to participate?

Of course, not a single Esports club wished to resort to such plans.

After the new map opened, SilverLight’s first string squad had been fighting for quite a while and didn’t see [AliveAfter500Years]. Thus, everyone basically accepted that Fang Zhao wasn’t going to be participating.

However!

[AliveAfter500Years] is online.

When this pop-up window appeared before so many people, they seemed to lag for a moment.

All gamers who saw this pop-up window: ???

A legendary marksman from a certain top team even felt his ever steady hand tremble, and he missed a shot.

All of these gamers had various guesses the moment they saw this account come online. Those who believed Jinro’s words first reckoned that Fiery Bird’s account was hacked. Although it was said that Fiery Bird’s anti-hacking system was the best in the industry, there was no such thing as an absolute. There were always what-ifs. What if the account had really been hacked?

News of [AliveAfter500Years] coming online spread throughout the gaming world rapidly. Various live broadcast teams immediately changed their original trajectories, while various Esports forums bustled with activity. Attention that had been on other players and teams was diverted.

“What did I just see?!”

“Has my Zhao God given up music to return to the competitive Esports scene?!!”

“Don’t get your hopes up. According to insider news, SilverLight’s captain Jinro has said that Fang Zhao should be composing in seclusion. The one logging into the account might not necessarily be him.”

“How can you even believe Jinro’s words?! You should understand what smokescreen tactics mean!”

“Let’s observe more before commenting. We will know whether it is Zhao God after watching.”

There were some gaming newbies who didn’t know too much about Fang Zhao and weren’t too impressed by the overreactions of older gamers.

Newbie: “I don’t know about Fang Zhao, and I’m not gonna pass any judgment. However, the name [AliveAfter500Years] doesn’t have a nice ring to it. It’s not domineering enough.”

Veteran: “What use is there having an awesome sounding game ID? Anyone would still be trampled over just the same!”

Newbie: “Is Fang Zhao really as impressive as the rumors say? I can’t help but feel that these rumors are exaggerated.”

Veteran: “No, no, no. Just search up and watch the battles where he made his name. You weren’t there when it happened, so he might just be a story to you. But to us, he is a god!”

Of course, there were also older gamers who didn’t view Fang Zhao favorably too.

“…Stop exaggerating. What remains of Fang Zhao are merely myths,” someone said. “Aren’t there many outdated gods in the gaming world?”

“I have to admit that Fang Zhao was impressive, but he’s just one person, no matter how amazing he was. As long as he doesn’t join up with the SilverLight team, he actually doesn’t pose much threat.”

Some people were also gradually convinced. Fang Zhao wasn’t with the SilverLight team. He was fighting alone!

For this angle, he didn’t seem to be much of a threat indeed.

However, some people still deserved a scolding. In a certain esports group chat:

“Jinro! F*cker! How dare you say that Fang Zhao wasn’t participating!”

“Don’t ever trust Jinro’s words y’all! Didn’t I say it was just a smokescreen tactic!”

“Phew, it’s lucky we made contingency plans.”

“To be honest, I’m not worried. On the contrary, I now feel more level-headed. Plan B initiated!”

SilverLight’s internal team chat:

“Captain, come quick! What’s going on? Didn’t you say that Zhao God wouldn’t be taking part?”

“Yeah, no one disturbed Zhao God because Captain Jin said he was composing in seclusion.”

“So, do we have to change our tactics?”

“Captain… could it be that you actually conspired with Zhao God to come up with a secret strategy?”

“Perhaps this is just Zhao God taking a break from composing?”

Jinro hurriedly replied, “Let me inquire first. Our team shall continue as per the original strategy for the time being.”

Jinro was actually astonished too. Given what he knew of Fang Zhao, there was an extremely low possibility of Fang Zhao taking part in these commemorative events. Furthermore, Fang Zhao would surely have given him a heads up if he planned to. Although Fang Zhao seemed to be retired, he still understood the rules and would have informed him of his plans.

Thus, Jinro was inclined towards believing that Fang Zhao was hacked.

Jinro got some team members who weren’t participating in this commemorative competition to observe Fang Zhao’s activity. They were to immediately make a report with Fiery Bird if the account seemed to have been hacked.

Jinro didn’t have time to bother with those calling him out and had no plans of explaining himself.

Why do I have to explain our internal SilverLight matters to you guys?

Even if I knew Fang Zhao was coming, what’s wrong with putting on a diversionary smokescreen? All’s fair in war!

We are all professional Esports athletes. Blame yourselves for being so naive!

Disregarding the sudden influx of PMs, Jinro waited and observed for a bit. Seeing that there was no hacked account notice from Fiery Bird, he found some spare time to send [AliveAfter500Years] a PM.

“Zhao God! It’s me, Jinro!”

“Are you just making a guest appearance, or do you intend to do something big? Do you require us to coordinate with you?”

“We’ve done some analysis of the new map. Do you want me to send you a copy of the report?”

However, the PM was met with silence.

Jinro assumed Fang Zhao was too busy killing monsters to reply.

At the same time, Fiery Bird was also paying close attention to [AliveAfter500Years].

Fiery Bird headquarters.

“Hacked account?”

“No signs of a hacked entry. No problems with identity verification. No anomalies back-end either.”

“Can Fang Zhao be contacted?”

“Fang Zhao has set a ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. We can’t use emergency means of contact as we haven’t gotten a full understanding of the situation yet. However, we left him a message and contacted his assistant too.”

“Mhm, watch closely. Immediately freeze the account if there are any signs it was hacked!”

It wasn’t them being overly sensitive. [AliveAfter500Years] was really too unique in the gaming world. Furthermore, with Fang Zhao’s current global influence, too many people were watching.

At a certain spot in-game.

“Hi everyone, this is your old friend Strong Bubbles. Welcome to my live broadcast. I am hiding inside a small cave on the fringes of a beast lair. I have put on camouflage and haven’t been discovered by any monster. However, in a short while, I won’t be able to say anything. So, I will first show everyone my surroundings…”

He adjusted the camera to let his audience see the situation outside this cave.

While these were the fringes of a beast lair, many monsters could already be seen moving around in the area.

Strong Bubbles explained to everyone the reason for choosing to do a live broadcast here. He guessed that [AliveAfter500Years] would possibly appear here, given his previous movements. Only teams would come here for battle. No solo player in the right mind would come to such a dangerous place. However, Bubble’s intuition told him that a storm would surely appear here.

One of the accounts owned by his team happened to be in the vicinity of this area, so Bubbles had used it and hidden here to wait for the storm to appear.

If his conjecture was correct, they would be able to earn another huge sum this time.

Some years back, Bubbles had managed to film a video of Fang Zhao manically sweeping through monsters. That video became scripture for gamers, and Bubbles had gained lots of fans. His production team had managed to earn loads from that video as well. Nowadays, he was no longer a small-time webcast host who contemplated switching genres. He had now built up quite a decent production team.

It could be said that relying on that video where Fang Zhao made his name in gaming was enough to revive their entire production team.

They had always worshiped Fang Zhao for being their goldmine.

It was genuine worship.

They had printed out a still of that scripture video of Fang Zhao and spent quite a sum for a custom-made photo frame. They prayed to this photo before starting a live broadcast each time. They didn’t ask for luck equivalent to the original. Just a tenth of that good fortune would be enough for them to strike it rich.

However, Fang Zhao had retired from competitive gaming. He was no longer seen in esports competitions. Thus, Bubbles’s team could only trail other people or teams. Of course, they didn’t just follow random gamers. With Fang Zhao setting the precedent, they chose to cover some intense battles and chased after top players. Each time, they hoped for a battle that could cause a storm in the gaming circles.

After Bubbles had successfully switched to gaming broadcasts, he discovered he was especially sensitive towards blood and carnage. He frequently succeeded in predicting where the action would be. Thus, his team had expanded to its current size over time.

Bubbles used different accounts each time and had both high and low level accounts. Chasing after action in the game was considered to be a dangerous activity that could result in game over. Chances of surviving a bloody carnage was extremely low and required lots of luck every time.

Suddenly, the monsters that were wandering outside the cave pricked up and simultaneously looked in a certain direction.

Bubbles held his breath. He heard a slightly familiar sound in the distance.

“T-Rex motorcycle! It’s the sound of a T-rex motorcycle!” Bubbles was on the verge of tears from the excitement.

He finally heard this sound again after so many years!

After [AliveAfter500Years], more and more people used the T-rex motorcycle, but there was only one scripture!

In Bubbles’s opinion, [AliveAfter500Years] was just different! He could hear the tyrannical oppression coming!

His heart raced. He felt rapt anticipation and some indescribable fear.

The high-energy humming of the engine was like a ferocious roar of a tyrannical beast. There wasn’t a slight hint of hesitation. One could even hear a bit of… excitement and impatience? As of a famished beast spotting prey?

No, it had to be an illusion.

Bubbles quickly shook away all these thoughts and listened attentively for activity in the surroundings.

Motorcycle tires screeched shrilly against the ground.

Here it comes!

Taking the risk of having a gameover, Bubbles moved his body further out and adjusted his live broadcast frame.

Bubbles had originally planned to have some interaction with his viewers, but he quickly found himself stunned by the scene before him.

The beast attracted by the sound charged over, and it instantly turned into a scene of a storm.

Everything else was a blur. Only the moving eye of the storm could be seen.

Flashes of gunfire sprayed from the eye of the storm!

Spurts of blood sprayed all over as corpses of beasts fell onto the ground like rain. The concentrated sound of gunfire made Bubbles’s heart thump.

The beasts that charged over like a relentless tide were cut through and turned into mere puddles.

After a short while, the storm passed into the distance. The sound of gunfire gradually lessened, and the surroundings became completely silent.

Bubbles regained his senses and finally felt able to breathe. He took in a deep breath.

He walked out from the cave. A thick layer of beast corpses lay his feet. On closer inspection, he discovered that there was only one bullet hole in each corpse.

Bubbles made his way through the thick layer of beast corpses with great difficulty and headed in the direction where [AliveAfter500Years] had gone. It was even more exhausting than climbing a mountain, and he had to be wary of any beasts still alive among the corpses. The monsters could easily rip him apart with just a bite.

However, it was clear that he was overly apprehensive.

There weren’t any alive.

All these beasts had been cleanly dealt with.

Even though the danger had already passed, Bubbles still shuddered as his hairs stood on end.

He looked into the distance. It was literally a bloody carnage. The path ahead was littered with beast corpses, and there were a few heaps that formed little mounds. Anybody would feel dizzy from the site.

Bubbles’s legs turned soft. He immediately knelt on the ground.

It wasn’t just Bubbles whose legs had gone soft. His viewers who had witnessed the scene were all in shock.

“Just one person… massacring the entire beast lair…”

“There’s only one person capable of doing that, right?”

“This display seems to be even more savage than that famed scene!”

Hacked account?

What hacked account?!

Who else besides Fang Zhao had such ability?!

Besides the live broadcast audience, personnel at Fiery Bird headquarters observing this account were staring at the screen with their mouths agape.

The new commemorative map had some regulations that were different from normal game play.

As long as one was willing to spend money on ammunition, they could have unlimited bullets.

But! Everyone who played this game knew that you couldn’t go around the game like a boss with just unlimited ammunition! This was a survival game! There wasn’t any revive functionlity in the commemorative map. If you found yourself in a monster’s nest, death was certain unless you had a nuclear warhead!

Furthermore, every detail like gun model, reloading speed, anticipation ability, reaction, combat skills and environment had an effect.

However, the scene they had just witnessed challenged their understanding of their own game.

“Is there a system bug in our game?”

“I don’t think so… it’s impossible!”

“I just ran a computer simulation. Without using a weapon of mass destruction and removing any elements of luck, killing an entire beast lair solo requires achieving the game’s set limits of anticipation, movement, efficiency and reloading! All of these have to be done flawlessly!”

“Basically, achieving this is practically impossible. Even a single tenth of a second delay will result in failure.”

“But, he’s managed to achieve these limits!”

“It’s as if he is a perfectly tuned and precise supercomputer!”

“Are there really no problems with the account? Not a trace of hacking or cheating?”

The technical stuff replied grudgingly, “There really aren’t any. At least, our entire technical team isn’t able to detect any. There aren’t any anomalies in the game, and the account is normal.”

Silence.

After a moment, a technical engineer said with a distressed look on his face. “I feel that… this kind of person… should be banned from entering the game.”

At the same time, all the large esports discussion forums were bustling with videos and posts.

“It’s appeared! Slide with a 360 drift and simultaneous reloading and firing! [Video] (Dangerous action, do not imitate!)”

“Is this the fabled…’God’s Domain’? [Video]”

“Holy f*ck! This isn’t desperate survival. This is unilateral and maniacal slaughter! [Video]”

The Silver Wing Gaming Team’s official social media account was also flooded with comments.

“[AliveAfter500Years] has yet to say a single word after coming online. The phrase ‘a real killer moves in silence’ is so apt here!”

“I’m not here to join in the excitement but to pay my respects. Has Silver Wing successfully persuaded Zhao God to give up music and return to gaming?”

“I already sense a storm looming on the leaderboards.”

As these topics started to grow, many live broadcast teams gave up their original plans and switched their sights towards tracking [AliveAfter500Years]. They believed with [AliveAfter500Years]’s trend in slaying monsters, he wouldn’t just hit a single beast lair.

Just as everyone expected, the storm caused by [AliveAfter500Years] was just barely getting started.

Beast lairs were sacked one after another. [AliveAfter500Years] was like a fine-tuned machine that never stopped operating. He maintained an extremely high efficiency. He never wasted a single second and could safely survive each round of danger.

On the new map’s individual leaderboards, [AliveAfter500Years]’s points kept climbing as if there was some sort of bug. He soon occupied the top spot.

Gradually, everyone was able to see something.

Picking up loot was secondary. Killing monsters was his objective!

Only

Savage!

Rampant!

Crazy!

He went wherever monsters were!!

The people trying to follow him were left far behind in the dust and unable to even smell the exhaust emissions of his motorcycle.

Very quickly, all the large Esports news and media outlets had this headline:

“Crazy Point-sweeping Demon 2.0!”

Chapter 492: Ao!

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

More and more people rushed towards the commemorative map in “Battle Of The Century” after seeing the news. Casual gamers who weren’t too interested originally ran to join the excitement after seeing notifications like “Return of the King: Fang Zhao Comes Back to Esports” and other similar news.

This was no longer a matter limited to the gaming circles. People of different occupations like entertainment all rushed into the game. Those who didn’t like playing watched broadcasts. Game broadcasters were also going all out for the traffic. Anyone in the media knew how to attract the most attention in the shortest time possible.

However, this spotlight didn’t seem to affect the efficiency of that “crazy point-sweeping demon” who was steadily rising up in the ranks of the game.

It was as if [AliveAfter500Years] was totally oblivious to the storm he had caused. He slayed monsters as nimbly as ever and continued visiting beast lairs in succession.

The game developers’ shock and disbelief slowly gave way to self-doubt.

Did this commemorative map… have some sort of bug they were unaware of?

There were some entertainment media outlets that decided to interview [AliveAfter500Years] after he was done. Fang Zhao was just playing solo. This sort of exhausting and high intensity activity would make anyone tired.

However, as they waited and waited…

An hour passed. Then two hours…

Five hours…

Ten hours…

[AliveAfter500Years] maintained such a ferocious monster-slaying momentum. It seemed as if he never tired. His movements were still as perfect as ever. Not even the tiniest flaw could be found.

New gamers who watched for fun at the beginning felt their adoration begin to numb.

The masses who joined in to watch couldn’t stay in their seats. This fellow was still killing and killing!

“This is the first time I have truly experienced what is known as the ‘crazy point-sweeping demon’!”

“What a god indeed. This isn’t something ordinary people like us can compare with. No wonder everyone in the gaming circles acknowledge Fang Zhao as ‘Zhao God’.”

“As expected from the brightest star in ‘Battle of the Century’! Only one person has assumed the mantle of ‘God’ since the game started!”

“After observing his zeal in slaying monsters, I feel that Fang Zhao might really be giving up music and rejoining the gaming world! Rejoice!”

These weren’t wild guesses. Everyone who watched [AliveAfter500Years] breathtakingly take down hordes of monsters continuously had the same idea.

“It’s obvious he is someone passionate or addicted to gaming!”

“For sure! There’s no way he isn’t coming back!”

“It’s such a great addiction. Retiring from gaming is impossible. There’s no way he is quitting competitive gaming in this lifetime!”

Elsewhere.

Fang Zhao had shut himself away to compose for quite a long time as his inspiration had been overflowing. After he was done, he wanted to head out, adjust his condition, eat and shower before sleeping.

Fang Zhao tidied up his score sheets and turned on his personal terminal. He switched off the “Do not disturb” mode just before he was about to get up.

The moment he turned off his “Do not disturb” mode, notifications and messages flooded in continuously.

Fang Zhao: ???

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow. He had a bad feeling.

As he scanned through the news and messages, Fang Zhao’s eyebrows jumped.

Even Old Master Mo Lang was among those who had sent him messages.

Normally, the old master didn’t pay attention to the Esports scene. However, this incident was a big deal all over the Internet. Fang Zhao could create quite a ruckus with just the tiniest of activities, let alone such a “bloody carnage” in esports.

Old Master Mo couldn’t keep calm when he saw everything that people were talking about.

At first, Old Master Mo was very unhappy when he heard that Fang Zhao had spent a long time gaming today.

How could he be playing games when he is supposed to be engrossed in art?!!

Is he having it too easy with too few assignments?

He can write a thesis after he is done with writing his scores!

Mo Lang’s expectations of Fang Zhao were really high. Furthermore, Fang Zhao’s attitude was satisfactory most of the time, so Mo Lang never imagined that Fang Zhao would give up music. Everything that happened today was quite a big blow to this old artist.

However, Mo Lang didn’t immediately make a call to reprimand Fang Zhao. He was still willing to believe Fang Zhao. Thus, Old Master Mo pondered silently for a while. He felt that probably… maybe… Fang Zhao was very stressed recently and needed to vent a little in game?

Perhaps being the ambassador for a massive project with significant historical importance was a lot of pressure on Fang Zhao? Could it have made him unable to compose as usual?

The greater the reputation, the more attention. Fang Zhao was also under scrutiny and pressure from all areas.

With these thoughts, Mo Lang’s anger subsided. Fang Zhao was young after all, so Mo Lang could understand.

Thus, Mo Lang sent Fang Zhao a message. He first showed some concern towards Fang Zhao’s current psychological state and reminded him tactfully.

If you’re stressed, gaming is fine. But don’t become addicted. The focus must still be on music.

Fang Zhao: “….”

Sigh!

Fang Zhao sent a short reply to Old Master Mo. For the time being, Fang Zhao didn’t bother with anybody else who had contacted him to find out about the situation. After a quick online search, he easily understood the cause and development of the matter.

Veins on his forehead started to bulge.

He walked out of the study and came to the door of Curly Hair’s little room. Fang Zhao didn’t have to open the door. He could tell what the situation inside was like just from the sounds.

That gamer dog donning the helmet was humming a tune and wagging his tail!

He was even humming because he was having too much fun killing monsters! He was totally delirious from joy!

Fang Zhao didn’t know how his old friend Su Mu was like when training dogs so many years ago. But, right now, Fang Zhao was thinking of closing the door and beating the dog.

Just a few days of lax discipline, and he dared to hack the account!

Did he have too few assignments, or were the tests too easy?!

Did Curly Hair turn a deaf ear to everything he had said before??!

Fang Zhao closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.

There was already too much attention online, and that dog was currently clearing a monster lair in game. A sudden disconnection at this time would be hotly discussed, and things would be harder to explain in the future.

Fang Zhao brought a chair over to the door and sat down.

While waiting, he thought about how best to conclude this affair.

And, how to make this dog learn his lesson!

A beating was necessary.

Punishing him by making him face the wall was necessary too.

The game console and personal terminal would have to be confiscated. And, it had to be taken away in front of his face! Everything had to be confiscated! Nothing but the learning console would remain!

When Yan Biao and Zuo Yu came over, they stopped in their tracks when they saw Fang Zhao’s stiff face and felt the stifling atmosphere.

The two man salted fish squad didn’t dare make any noise. They cushioned their footsteps and carefully glanced at Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao inclined his head slightly, indicating for them to leave first.

Without saying a word, the two man salted fish squad left at once.

They ran all the way to a beach at the island’s side and sat down on a rock. They turned to look at the house. They were already far enough, and any massive fight would probably not affect them if it were to happen.

“From Boss’s expression, I reckon that there’s going to be domestic violence,” Zuo Yu said.

“Is beating up the dog considered domestic violence?” Yan Biao asked.

“Ehh… I don’t think so. But it isn’t maltreatment either.”

Engrossed in the game and oblivious to the outside world, Curly Hair was having too much fun and lost track of the time.

Actually, he hadn’t decided to play in such a manner originally.

Curly Hair’s line of thought went:

The television seems to say that it is very interesting. Since Fang Zhao isn’t here, I will just head online to take a little peek. Just a little peek!

A motorcycle! Fang Zhao probably wouldn’t know if I secretly ride it for two minutes.

That monster looks delicious, let me kill it!

A bunch of trash dares to try to stop me!

I’ll stop after clearing a beast lair!

Only

This game is really fun! Awoo!!

Curly Hair continuously killed monsters online for twelve hours until the system reminder of “You have gamed for an excessive period” appeared. Only then did he reluctantly exit the game.

He was famished from killing monsters. He had been provided with plenty of food, but he hadn’t been able to eat while gaming. He was famished.

Curly Hair squeezed the game helmet off of his head and happily trotted out of the room. However, when the door opened, he saw Fang Zhao seated at the doorway with an extremely solemn expression.

Curly Hair: “!!! Ao!!!”

He leapt up in shock.

Even his fur was standing from the fright.

Chapter 493: Closing The Door And Beating The Dog

Translator:Atlas StudiosEditor:Atlas Studios

Everything seemed to come to a standstill.

Curly Hair carefully glanced up at Fang Zhao.

After having such a scare, he had completely and thoroughly sobered up.

Fang Zhao’s warnings that had been tossed to the back of his mind while gaming finally came back.

His mental state went through several changes from excitement to fright and then to anxiety.

Curly Hair backpedaled his paws as if trying to hide. Then, he whimpered slightly towards Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao remained seated, staring at Curly Hair while maintaining his silence.

Curly Hair averted his gaze and shrunk his neck back as well. His entire body felt as though it was going to shrink into a ball from guilt.

“I…”

Curly Hair wanted to find an excuse and explain himself.

Fang Zhao got up from the chair and entered the room. Pointing at the wall, he told Curly Hair, “Come, if you have anything to say, tell it to the wall.”

Curly Hair glanced at Fang Zhao, then trudged listlessly to the wall with his tail drooping. However, his little dog eyes still stole sneak peeks over at Fang Zhao to observe his expression and movements.

Fang Zhao didn’t bother with him and carried the lockbox he had prepared over. He opened up the cabinet in Curly Hair’s small room and pulled out the retro handheld console, placing it in the lockbox.

Curly Hair sobbed.

Fang Zhao still ignored him. He unplugged the gaming helmet and peripherals Curly Hair had just been using and placed them all in the case.

Curly Hair whimpered upon seeing this. Tears welled up as he eyed the lockbox unwillingly. He was flustered but didn’t dare speak. He could only whimper as a plea for leniency.

Fang Zhao turned a deaf ear to these cries. He surveyed the open cabinet and raised an eyebrow. Two days ago, Curly Hair had stored his personal terminal in the cabinet. However, it wasn’t there anymore.

Curly Hair watched Fang Zhao nervously.

He watched as Fang Zhao raised his foot, tapped the ground lightly and differentiated the various sounds with his ear.

Fang Zhao closed the cabinet and walked over to the corner. He shifted the kennel and pulled away the mat laid there. There was a hole beneath.

The gap was just small enough for Curly Hair’s body to squeeze in.

The inside of the hole was slightly larger, and there was a cylinder-shaped object inside.

It was an explosion-proof barrel.

It was the kind that could withstand an explosion or a mecha stepping on it.

The outside of the barrel seemed aged. Fang Zhao reckoned that this was something Curly Hair had secretly brought back from a shipwreck or isolated islands.

How capable!

Fang Zhao opened the barrel lid and fished out a small silver object. This was Curly Hair’s personal terminal that he licked three times a day to make it even more shiny.

This also had to be confiscated. There would be no Internet access for Curly Hair.

Curly Hair started bawling when he saw his precious personal terminal being put into the lockbo.

He felt wronged.

He didn’t even have a “Battle of the Century” account!

An account needed identity verification. Even alternate accounts required it!

How could a dog like him have identity verification?

With just that bit of wishful thinking, he had “borrowed” Fang Zhao’s game account for a bit.

At first, he was simply curious. He just wanted to experience a little bit and then log out. As for everything that happened after… That wasn’t something that a dog could control.

He felt aggrieved and guilty. As he thought about his precious things that had been confiscated, Curly Hair’s weeping intensified.

However, Fang Zhao didn’t have any intention of consoling Curly Hair and even rolled up his sleeves.

“Come here!!”

…

At the seaside, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were chatting while looking through entertainment news.

Zuo Yu: “I have a guess.”

Yan Biao: “Very well, me too.”

They met each other’s gaze and flashed a knowing grin.

They had seen the news all over the Internet. They had also seen the in-game videos. Combining it with the scene they had just witnessed in the house, how could they not guess who was playing as [AliveAfter500Years]?

Who would believe that the crazy point-sweeping demon was a dog?!

Who would believe it if this was leaked?

Who would believe that?!!

“Say, do you think he spoke human language when he was online or…”

“He didn’t say anything in the game. The mic was probably off.”

“Hey, if the mic wasn’t shut and he howled in game, would Boss’s public image change?”

Zuo Yu got excited thinking about such a situation.

“However, it hasn’t reached that stage. In any case, it hasn’t been proven that it was Boss playing. Do you think Boss will deny it?”

“[AliveAfter500Years] has a helmet, so nobody can see what he looks like. However, the distinctive pattern of the crazy point-sweeping demon is too obvious. There’s no denying it.”

The two of them were rather worried for Fang Zhao. Such a situation was really quite a headache.

As they were talking, there was an “awoo~” coming from the house.

The two of them tensed up.

They could hear such mournful dog cries despite being so far away. Had the dog beating started?

The conversation halted, and the two of them pricked up their ears and listened.

After a moment, another string of howls sounded.

Awoo Awoo Woo——

Awoo Awoo Woo——

The howls were more shrill this time, and they even followed a rhythm.

“The beating has started,” Yan Biao said with certainty.

“What weapon is Boss using to beat the dog?” Zuo Yu asked.

They recalled how this dog could bite apart a mecha, and how bullets seemed like tickles to it. What sort of weapon could inflict pain on Curly Hair?

Yan Biao pondered and shook his head. “I can’t think of any. Regardless of whatever weapon it is, I reckon it’s a very cruel beating from its wails.”

However, they weren’t sympathetic and even felt a little glad deep down.

The two of them only returned after Fang Zhao sent them a message. Nanfeng had come over to the island. On their way back, they were still trying to stabilize their mental state.

The howling had stopped. When Yan Biao and Zuo Yu returned to the house, they saw Curly Hair sobbing as he faced the wall.

They weren’t sure if they were mistaken, but they thought that the tear stains beneath Curly Hair’s eyes were much larger this time.

Nanfeng’s heart ached seeing Curly Hair crying with so much grief. He rubbed Curly Hair’s head and quietly asked Yan Biao, “Did Boss abuse the dog again?”

Yan Biao: ???

Again?

Dog abuse?

He thought that this sentence didn’t make much sense.

Yan Biao stared at Nanfeng with an indescribable look. In the end, he didn’t say anything.

Nanfeng didn’t bother to keep asking Yan Biao. In his eyes, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu weren’t too bright. They never had answers to his questions and lacked initiative. Only when their boss gave instructions did they go about to accomplish their tasks like wooden blocks.

These bodyguards wouldn’t have many future prospects!

Nanfeng sighed for his two colleagues and dropped the matter. After all, Curly Hair crying and facing the wall happened every once in a while. Curly Hair was merely crying a little harder this time, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Thus, Nanfeng placed the dog aside and hurriedly went to discuss some important matters with Fang Zhao. For example, was Fang Zhao really going to give up music and return to the competitive Esports scene?

This incident had caused a great ruckus online. Now, everyone was waiting for Fang Zhao to declare his position. Nanfeng had also received calls from many people. Even though it was worrying, he also reckoned that Fang Zhao had been too willful in this whole matter. However, he wouldn’t complain about it in front of his boss. Criticizing Fang Zhao was out of the question too.

Thus, Nanfeng first started flattering Fang Zhao with his monster-slaying feats in the game. He simply didn’t notice the sympathetic looks Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were giving him behind his back.

After unleashing this flattery, Nanfeng then expressed his own difficulties. The incident had been too sudden and he hadn’t had time to think about how to handle it. He was in a tough spot since he didn’t know Fang Zhao’s decision.

Fang Zhao replied, “I am not giving up music. Neither do I have any plans to return to the professional Esports scene.”

With this being said, Nanfeng understood.

“Alright, Boss. Then… what about the public’s questions?”

“I’ll handle them.”

Only

It couldn’t be helped. Fang Zhao had no choice but to be the scapegoat.

That dog had actually dared cause such a big disturbance when he wasn’t paying attention!

Fang Zhao turned on a certain esports social media platform. There were “marvelous replays” of what had happened on the front page. They contained various clips of monsters being quickly slain. The main character in each of these videos was the same.

As he watched the “person” in-game stomp through beast lairs as if they were ant hives, Fang Zhao’s thoughts started to wander. This was his own dog!

If Curly Hair had really appeared during the Period of Destruction, would that century-long devastating war have concluded early?

But, when he thought about the complicated circumstances during the Period of Destruction…

The possibility of a Period of Destruction 2.0 seemed more likely.

Chapter 494: Double Standards

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

With the matter of [AliveAfter500Years] settled, Nanfeng was much more relaxed as the remaining matters weren’t that urgent. Nanfeng then gave a report of work matters for the past few days and discussed with Fang Zhao about the plan to purchase land.

On the topic of buying land, Nanfeng excessively praised Fang Zhao for his farsightedness. Because Fang Zhao had not made a move back then, wouldn’t he now be able to pool money to purchase an even larger plot of land to construct his collection hall?

Now, Nanfeng clearly understood he just needed to follow Fang Zhao’s instructions. Fang Zhao was much more knowledgeable compared to himself when it came to news and directives of the upper echelons.

Nanfeng finished reporting all his matters before asking his questions.

“Boss, wasn’t this lockbox always kept in the storehouse? Are you using it to safekeep belongings? I heard from someone that these electronic lockboxes can’t be binded to a personal terminal. You won’t know immediately if it is taken, and it may be difficult to retrieve.”

Nanfeng meant that this sort of electronic lockbox wasn’t secure enough. It wasn’t meant for important items.

Fang Zhao nodded, indicating that he understood.

Nanfeng didn’t say anything else after that. But, he felt that Curly Hair’s sobs had become louder.

Since Fang Zhao didn’t have any comment on his report, Nanfeng no longer took up Fang Zhao’s time. Fang Zhao still had to handle matters related to the game.

This incident had caused quite a huge disturbance this time, especially in the esports circles. It was as if a hurricane had passed through and changed the perspectives of many. Thus, “#Crazy point-sweeping demon 2.0” became the topic of the year in esports circles.

While he lamented about his boss’s ability to create news, Nanfeng walked over to Curly Hair’s side by the wall.

Nanfeng had accomplished his official work and now had time to console Curly Hair. His heart ached tenderly for this little dog.

He patted Curly Hair’s head and used a piece of tissue paper to dab away Curly Hair’s tears.

“Did you cause trouble again?”

Even though Nanfeng reckoned it was Boss mistreating Curly Hair, Nanfeng still had to ensure his own survival when he was still in Fang Zhao’s hearing range.

Within this range, everything that Boss did was correct! The employer was king.

Therefore, he could only blame Curly Hair. Sigh.

Curly Hair cried even harder when Nanfeng said that. He looked really miserable.

Nanfeng hurriedly continued wiping away Curly Hair’s tears with the tissue.

“Oh, don’t cry, don’t cry. Curly Hair, don’t cry. Are you hurt?”

Nanfeng scrutinized Curly Hair’s body carefully and didn’t notice any injuries. Although Curly Hair was crying really hard, his posture facing the wall still seemed fine. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu didn’t seem worried either, so Nanfeng relaxed a little. But why would Curly Hair cry over nothing? Nanfeng thought a little consolation would help.

Curly Hair bawled without caring about anything else. He took no notice of Nanfeng.

First, he was upset that his precious things had been confiscated by Fang Zhao and he wouldn’t be able to play with them.

Secondly, he had received a beating.

This was the first time he had ever received such a beating.

Is this how it felt like being hit?

Every single hit felt as painful as his flesh being cut up.

Of course, Curly Hair didn’t know why it hurt so much. His body didn’t really feel it. He didn’t understand that it was actually his heart hurting each time he was struck.

Before he began the beating, Fang Zhao had instructed Curly Hair to focus his attention on his emotions to make sure he would remember this lesson. His body’s pain was secondary.

On top of the confiscation and his beating, Curly Hair was also miserable because he still had homework and tests.

Fang Zhao’s opinion was that since Curly Hair could game for twelve hours straight, it meant that he had too much free time. Thus, his online lessons and assignments increased. The question bank was refreshed. The quizzes every three days became daily quizzes, and now there were also three exams per week.

Also, since he had caused a topic of the year, Curly Hair had to write a composition on this hotly discussed topic. An 8000 word essay was to be submitted within a week.

Therefore, after Curly Hair was done facing the wall, he had to attend classes, do homework, take tests, and write a self-reflection essay.

Just the thought made Curly Hair’s head hurt. Nanfeng’s efforts to soothe him didn’t have any effect. After all, Nanfeng couldn’t help him write essays.

Then, his dog ears picked up a phrase: “Make amends for your mistakes by doing good.”

He understood this phrase. It had come up in a test a few days back.

Nanfeng was still talking.

“Curly Hair, Boss will be happy if you do good deeds. He might even reward you! For example, go catch thieves! Bite them with all your strength! Especially those paparazzi taking sneak shots. Bite first, talk later!”

Curly Hair had already gotten a rabies shot before and this island was private property. In Nanfeng’s opinion, any trespasser who was bitten deserved it!

Most reporters wouldn’t dare mess with a meritorious service dog.

“Bite if you find one! Bite both if there are two! Bite as many as you can! I will take responsibility for any issue!” So what if they get bitten? How serious can a small dog’s bite be?

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

The heck! Stop instilling such terrifying thoughts in him!

Do you even know how big his bite is?!!

He can even eat a mecha!!!

And you will take responsibility if there is any issue? Can you even handle it?!!

Nanfeng didn’t notice anything wrong with his words and continued, “Of course, if you come across anything you can’t handle, just call out and start running! Your tiny life is a priority!”

Trespassers who can evade the island’s security systems are surely very capable. Curly Hair is but a tiny dog. If he really encounters a trespasser, barking out a warning is already accomplishing his duty. This is a meritorious service dog and a priceless treasure we are talking about! Nanfeng’s heart would ache if even a strand of Curly Hair’s fur was hurt. He didn’t want Curly Hair to defend the house with his life. It was okay for Curly Hair to stay a pet. Was there any need for Boss to have such high expectations for Curly Hair?

Nanfeng sighed multiple times as he thought to himself.

Curly Hair had only listened up to “make amends for your mistakes by doing good”. His eyes lit up.

Nanfeng smiled when he noticed that Curly Hair had finally stopped crying. He shot Yan Biao and Zuo Yu dissatisfied looks.

“*Sigh*, when I’m not here, you guys should spend more time with Curly Hair. Boss is always busy. If we can’t help with other stuff, we can at least look after the dog. Besides bringing him for walks, you guys should still talk to Curly Hair. Dogs need company!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

They had stiff looks on their faces.

We eagerly await the day where you discover his true form. Will you still be able to say that so calmly at that time, dear comrade?

——

On the second day after the “crazy point-sweeping demon” had caused a racket in the esports circles, Fang Zhao and Silver Wing jointly made a statement clarifying that this wasn’t any special battle strategy of Silver Wing’s and that it had all been Fang Zhao’s own personal actions. Furthermore, Fang Zhao publicly announced that he wouldn’t be giving up music and that he wouldn’t log on in the next one month.

Despite his explanation, not everyone believed what he said.

“Leaving after showing off?”

“After this incident, Fang Zhao’s God status is cemented and unshakable. Everyone who witnessed this will always remember him. It feels like Fang Zhao has some other strategy in mind.”

“Not necessarily. Fang Zhao might just be seeking inspiration. Them artists are very crazy.”

“Maybe he was just letting off some steam playing games because he is under a lot of pressure?”

“Is he really not gaming anymore? How about playing for another couple of days! I just started playing this game! I even had the intention of making a pilgrimage to see God!”

…

At the retirement home for former officials in Yanbei.

Great-grandfather Zhao had a relieved smile after seeing Fang Zhao’s latest announcement.

Great-grandfather Fang preferred music over esports. He felt that music was more prestigious. For many people, esports wasn’t part of the arts.

Of course, if Fang Zhao chose to give up music and reenter the esports scene once again, Great-grandfather Fang would also support him wholeheartedly.

After Fang Zhao’s statement, some in the family clan’s group chat said that Fang Zhao was “getting addicted to gaming while slacking off from music”. Great-grandfather Fang immediately responded to them.

“Little Zhao just has wide interests and many talents!”

There were some who weren’t happy. “When our children lay games, you call them slackers, but when Fang Zhao games for twelve hours straight when he’s supposed to be composing, you call it ‘having wide interests and many talents’?

“This is totally double standards!

“This is bias!”

Great-grandfather Fang didn’t feel that he was in any way wrong. He replied righteously, “How can this be compared? Your little children sneak off to play games before doing a single bit of homework. When have they passed a single examination? Look at Little Zhao! Were any of his music works shoddy? Were there any that weren’t exquisite! Was there any piece that didn’t fetch a high price?! Who can say he is wrong for playing games when he has made good music?!”

Of course, Great-grandfather Fang couldn’t deny that he was biased.

No, this is just human nature!

Isn’t it normal to be biased? What’s strange about it? Everyone has bias!

Only

After Fang Zhao became the ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Plan, Great-grandfather Fang had even specifically called other children, grandchildren and later generations individually to knock some sense into them. He didn’t want them to burden Fang Zhao.

No one is to seek out Fang Zhao with regards to the Outer Space Immigration Plan. Settle your difficulties on your own! After all, it is only still at the application stage. Whether you want to immigrate or establish a foothold on a second home, this old man doesn’t give a damn! If you are capable, go ahead! But, I will cut ties with anyone who tries to use Fang Zhao’s status as image ambassador to bend the rules!

Everyone in the Fang family knew that this old man was stubborn and his bias knew no boundaries. They could still request some help from the old master if they faced difficulties in their life or career but they could forget about anything else besides that.

The people in the retirement facility knew Great-grandfather Fang’s favoritism the best.

After Fang Zhao’s joint statement with Silver Wing was released, Great-grandfather Fang started to get lively in the retirement facility group. He started enthusiastically talking to anyone who would listen.

Everyone in the retirement facility, take note!

I am going to start showing off now!

Chapter 495: Make Amends By Doing Good

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Great-grandfather Fang once again started to brag about his great-grandson. When he got up every day, the first thing he would think about was what angle he would take.

Fang Zhao wasn’t aware of this. Because of Great-grandfather Fang’s warnings, other members of the Fang family didn’t seek out Fang Zhao to take advantage of their relationship.

Fang Zhao cleaned up Curly Hair’s mess, rejected some more collaboration requests and went back to composing. The series producers had also contacted Fang Zhao after seeing the news online. When they found that the composition was still coming along smoothly, they didn’t say much more out of respect for Old Master Mo.

The music score was already mostly complete. There were only some follow-up amendments left.

After he finished the score, Fang Zhao sent it to the production team. With this finally done, Fang Zhao could focus on other things.

Fang Zhao still had to check over Curly Hair’s assignments and tests. Fortunately, Curly Hair was a lot more honest after his punishment. He knew that he needed to be on his best behavior to earn his game console and personal terminal back. Thus, he spent a lot more time on the learning console now.

However, Fang Zhao didn’t know that Curly Hair was spending a lot of time on the learning console outside of his assigned work.

Curly Hair had decided to make amends by doing good! However, there weren’t any trespassers to the island for him to bite. Curly Hair could only look for other options.

In the rare times he was brought for walks, Curly Hair no longer behaved atrociously in the ocean, nor did he assault sea creatures.

He was searching for treasure.

Curly Hair used his abundant knowledge to seek out valuable things on the ocean floor. He wondered what he could find about ocean floor mineral deposits. But, because his personal terminal had been confiscated, he didn’t have access to the Web. The learning console had limited resources, mostly in the form of academic papers.

Curly had heard multiple conversations between Fang Zhao and Nanfeng about constructing a collection hall and buying land. Buying land and constructing a building required quite a lot of money. Curly Hair wanted to help relieve some of this financial strain from Fang Zhao and show that despite eating a lot and causing trouble, he could also make money!

If he could help Fang Zhao make a huge fortune once again, perhaps his game consoles and personal terminal could have their jail sentences reduced.

At the thought of being able to get back his game consoles and personal terminal, Curly Hair jumped with excitement.

When Yan Biao brought Curly Hair out on the speedboat, he watched Curly Hair jump into the ocean and disappear. Curly Hair didn’t appear on the radar, nor was there any indication of his location. Yan Biao was already used to it. He turned on the apparatus to record today’s dog walking assignment. Then, he picked up his gun to start his shooting practice. As a bodyguard, he couldn’t slack off on his training.

On the island, Zuo Yu was driving around in a patrol car.

The sun gradually started to set. Zuo Yu looked at the time. Yan Biao seemed to be running late. He was normally back by this time.

Just as he was about to send Yan Biao a message, he noticed something approaching from beneath the water. Zuo Yu chuckled.

At the next moment, he witnessed Curly Hair hurtling out from the ocean onto the beach. Without stopping, Curly Hair dashed towards the house. There seemed to be something between his teeth, but Zuo Yu hadn’t managed to get a clear look.

Yan Biao wasn’t able to keep up even on a speed boat and arrived at the island ten minutes later.

“What happened? Did the dog play a trick on you again?” Zuo Yu asked. “Didn’t the boss order him to take the speedboat instead of swimming back on his own?”

Yan Biao’s mind was also full of doubt. “I have no idea what new discovery he made today. He wasn’t listening to my commands. After he surfaced, he immediately started swimming back to the island. I don’t even know what’s in his mouth.”

“If he’s rushing that much, perhaps he’s bringing that thing to gain some credit?” Zuo Yu guessed.

Back at the house, Curly Hair immediately ran to Fang Zhao with the bowl-shaped thing in his mouth.

“This! I found it on the seafloor!”

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow when he saw the object held between Curly Hair’s teeth.

Porcelain!

During the hundred years of the Period of Destruction, practically all porcelain and other brittle historical relics had been thoroughly destroyed. Compared to metal items, porcelain was too fragile. At that time, everyone had had their hands full just trying to survive. They couldn’t care about gold, silver and gems, let alone porcelain objects.

From what Fang Zhao knew, there were collectors who preserved porcelain relics during the Period of Destruction, but these were few and far between.

New Era technology developed rapidly, and new materials kept being invented. Daily utensils became cheap and thus, porcelain gradually became obsolete on the general market. There were only a handful of ceramic craftsmen in the entire world, and these artists were merely enthusiasts who had fumbled about with surviving leftover knowledge from the Founding Era. Traditional crafting techniques from the Old Era had more or less died out during the changes of eras.

Chinaware in the New Era was mostly manufactured by smart machinery. Higher quality ones were custom-made by craftsmen, and they were made by New Era ceramic techniques.

Generally speaking, in today’s market, ceramics belonged to a very niche category. Besides households that paid special attention to quality and detail, most people didn’t use ceramics.

“Did you get it from the ocean floor?” Fang Zhao asked as he picked up the object.

“Oh yeah! I discovered many on the ocean floor! A small boat is buried there! I dug out this one. Is it worth anything?!” Curly Hair wagged his tail excitedly.

Fang Zhao’s attention lingered on the words “a small boat” for a moment, but he didn’t say anything.

In the beginning of the New Era, artifacts from the ocean had to be handed over to the authorities. However, after outer space picked up interest, the laws for ocean artifact salvaging were changed. Items found on the ocean floor now belonged to whoever found them. Even so, the attention of merchants also gradually shifted elsewhere, and the ocean floor was slowly forgotten by most. Only artifact collectors who were strongly attached to these sort of relics still watched the ocean floor. However, seafloor exploration costs grew prohibitively expensive, and they too gradually gave up.

“This thing is too fragile. I broke quite a few of them before I was able to bring this back. I didn’t even dare swim too quickly.” Curly Hair continued to wag his tail and show off his accomplishments.

He had learned via the learning console that this sort of fragile thing was expensive! The older it was, the more expensive!

Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair’s head and held the bowl up for a closer look.

There were a few teeth marks and cracks on the bowl from Curly Hair’s bite. Curly Hair had already been very careful but was unable to prevent this damage. This result was already rather difficult to achieve for Curly Hair.

Fang Zhao first searched the Internet for a way to clean artifacts that were recovered from the ocean. Following some instructions, he did a simple cleaning to remove stains and salt.

The sediments on the ceramic bowl were washed away, revealing how it looked. Although there was some damage, the elegance and beauty of this artifact could still be seen. Also, there was a distinct artistic style that had survived many events.

Only

Fang Zhao didn’t know too much about ceramics and wasn’t able to determine which period this bowl was from. Back when the Poseidonsaur was dug up, Fang Zhao had bought two artifact dating machines, which he used now.

Fang Zhao was stunned for quite a while when he saw the digits displayed on the two machines.

“Over one thousand six hundred years…”

This bowl had been crafted at least 1600 years ago!

Curly Hair panted excitedly at the numbers displayed on the machines. He wagged his tail even more vigorously.

This junk is over 1600 years old!

It should be old enough. I wonder how many of these can be exchanged for my game consoles and personal terminal?

Chapter 496: Getting Rich Overnigh

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Curly Hair grew excited and expressed his desire to fish up the ceramic relics!

Of course, Fang Zhao wasn’t going to let Curly Hair do so. Fang Zhao reckoned that Curly Hair wouldn’t be able to bring back any intact. It would be best to let professionals handle it.

Nanfeng rushed over to the island after receiving Fang Zhao’s message. He was still somewhat in disbelief. Those artifacts were from over 1600 years ago!

Ceramics from a few decades before the Period of Destruction were already worth a considerable amount. Most museums didn’t even have porcelain from more than a thousand years ago! Yanzhou museum did indeed have two intact pieces, but they were small ones!

Nanfeng picked up the porcelain bowl with a shaky hand. His lips trembled and his heart ached when he saw the holes and cracks on the bowl. This was all wasted money!

“Boss, is there really a sunken ship and large amounts of china where here?” Nanfeng gulped as he studied the spot Fang Zhao indicated on the map.

“Mhm, that’s what it is from our understanding of the current situation.” Fang Zhao brought up some photos. He had gotten Curly to take them while out swimming.

Nanfeng… Nanfeng’s heart no longer hurt at the thought of the damaged chinaware.

“Salvage them! We must definitely fish them all up! All of this belongs to whoever retrieves them. Boss, we have to act fast! Do you have any reliable professional salvaging crews to call upon?”

Fang Zhao had also looked into these. But, there were really too few salvage crews that were both reliable and capable. Nevertheless, Fang Zhao planned to partner with museums and get their help. Long-lost items were more valuable to the museums.

With this in mind, Fang Zhao activated his communications device and prepared to contact relevant parties.

Suddenly, he received a new message notification.

The message asked if it was convenient for Fang Zhao to talk now.

Fang Zhao raised an eyebrow.

It was the top authoritative figure of the Inter-planetary Fund, Yu Hua. If it wasn’t anything important, this important person who dealt with countless matters everyday wouldn’t directly contact Fang Zhao. At the time when the warp engine was formally announced, Yu Hua had merely sent him a message.

“You guys discuss this outside. I need to head inside to take a call,” Fang Zhao told Yan Biao and the others.

Nanfeng was still immersed in the revelation of these hidden treasures. He alternated between mumbling to himself and searching for relevant information online.

Then, who shall we contact? Which company is the most professional? They wouldn’t steal anything, right? Nanfeng’s mind never stopped working. Then, he thought about which museums would be good to partner with.

As the top collector family, Bruce Museum was a good choice. But, Huangzhou Museum was well-known too. Should they ask both?

Or, perhaps, contact an auction house?

Nanfeng pondered and wanted to inquire what Fang Zhao’s plans were before he realized that Fang Zhao was no longer here.

“Where’s Boss?” Nanfeng asked.

“He went to take a call.” Yan Biao pulled a face. “You only just realized it? It’s already been twenty minutes!”

“What a long phone call.” Nanfeng was anxious to discuss matters about the hidden treasure.

Fang Zhao finally came out after another ten minutes.

“Boss, do you have any salvage crews in mind?” Nanfeng asked.

“They’ve already been contacted and will be arriving here shortly,” Fang Zhao replied.

“Ah? That fast? Which company?” Nanfeng asked.

“The Inter-planetary Fund.”

Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yuan Biao: ???

The Inter-planetary Fund can take on these sorts of assignments?

The three of them were skeptical. When they saw the ship in the distance, their doubts grew deeper.

“Is that the crew Boss employed? Why does the vibe of this crew seem somewhat stern,” Zuo Yu mused as he gazed out to sea.

“Thats… that’s the Inter-planetary Fund insignia! It really is the Inter-planetary Fund!” Nanfeng whispered. “That kind of ship is more fit for battle. Can it really be used for treasure retrieval? Are you sure it isn’t here to invade the island?”

Yan Biao stared blankly. “Very few people can command such a team…”

Nanfeng was astonished.

Awesome!

This really isn’t something that can be bought just by throwing money around!

It’s as though a warship is being deployed to catch some fish! It doesn’t match!

“Perhaps Boss brought them here not only to salvage but also as security? Protecting the treasures isn’t easy!”

This line of thought seemed reasonable. As expected of Boss, he has thoroughly considered everything!

Back when the Poseidonsaur fossil was being excavated, there had been many who tried covert activities that caused quite a bit of trouble. Therefore, having such powerful aid was a good thing.

Nanfeng glanced around. Seeing that Fang Zhao wasn’t present, he asked softly, “Say, do you guys think that Boss really has some very impressive background or a powerful backer? Why else would the Inter-planetary Fund agree to help with a ship salvage? Did they already reach a business deal? But, given the Inter-planetary Fund’s financial prowess and status, they wouldn’t go so far to make an exception just for these cultural relics, right?”

Of course, he only asked about this in private. He didn’t dare ask Fang Zhao in person. Regardless of whether they were assistants or bodyguards, all they needed to do was to listen to their boss’s orders and not be overly curious.

Well, who cares?! It’s all good as long as they are able to do the work! After all, Boss’s reputation is on the line too!

After tossing aside those doubts, delight and excitement started to well up in Nanfeng’s heart once again.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had fleeting looks in their eyes. They did have some ideas, but they didn’t dare say it. What they witnessed on Planet Yin wasn’t something they could tell Nanfeng.

They didn’t exchange many pleasantries with the Inter-planetary Fund’s crew. After understanding the situation, the crew left to begin their work.

Even a log submerged in the ocean had immense research value. The value of those ceramics didn’t need to be said. The salvage crew used a special material to seal the entire sunken ship and bring it up.

Nanfeng clutched his chest and lamented, “So many cultural relics! So exciting! Now that I’ve seen the Poseidonsaur and this sunken ship, I doubt anything can ever shock me again.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu studied him with complicated looks on their faces.

Sigh!

Ignorance was bliss.

Inside the house, Fang Zhao compiled some photos and videos to send to a few potential partners. He didn’t want to monopolize all of the artifacts.

Fang Zhao started picking partners out of the satisfactory ones from the Poseidonsaur fossil’s excavation.

Yanzhou Museum.

The curator who received Fang Zhao’s email nearly fainted from excitement.

Gold, silver and other precious gems in the sunken ship were quickly overlooked.

Ceramics!

Yanzhou Museum’s curator felt his heart pounding away.

Their museum also had chinaware from over a millennium ago on display. They had two intact articles that survived the calamities of the Period of Destruction. These were artifacts that weren’t allowed to be loaned out since these were items that only their Yanzhou Museum had!

Now, how could he remain calm after hearing about hundreds of 1600-year-old ceramics?

He took two deep breaths and hurriedly stuffed a pill into his mouth.

Stay calm!

Be rational!

…Still can’t remain calm!!

Aren’t they merely ceramics?

More than that, it’s culture!!

These are treasures forgotten by the world and fortunate to survive until now!!

They hadn’t been able to get the Poseidonsaur first last time; that had gone to Huangzhou Museum. But, they could do it this time!

Yanzhou Museum had upgraded itself considerably to prepare for the Poseidonsaur display. This time, the pressure was even greater, but he was confident!

This time, they had to seize the opportunity to be the first to work with Fang Zhao!

At the time when Yanzhou Museum started to move, other parties that had received the email also set off.

Various top ceramic art masters around the world were also shocked from the news.

Even after so much time, people still held the Old Era in a special place. This wouldn’t change even if humankind achieved interstellar migration.

Those brittle artifacts were unfortunate to sink to the depths of the ocean a long time ago. However, this was a blessing in disguise. They had survived the calamities of the Period of Destruction.

All of this was more than enough to cause a frenzy in the collecting world!

Only

The more sensitive media outlets also started to move.

Even though the world’s top collector family, the Bruce Family, had yet to carry out any comprehensive appraisal, they already had a rough estimate from the photos. Given the present market situation, this find was worth at least a hundred billion yuan! They had great value for collectors!

The media had mixed feelings. They were excited at the big news story, but they were also green with envy!

Back then, Fang Zhao had just donated his portion of the few billions from the discovery of the Alkaid. In just a short time, Fang Zhao had achieved an estimated net worth of a hundred billion.

But, envy was just envy. News still had to be released to generate the most traffic!

Thus, there was a new round of news about Fang Zhao.

Fang Zhao no longer was described as the “crazy point-sweeping demon” or as the Outerspace Immigration Plan ambassador. The newest story read: “Fang Zhao, the man who found another fortune overnight”!

Chapter 497: Something Even More Insane

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Fang Zhao’s little island became lively once again as experts from all the various continents gathered. Some teams had already started on cleaning the retrieved ceramics. Of course, experts had different opinions on the suitable level of restoration. Sometimes, the blemishes themselves had historical research value.

Culture loss was taken very seriously. Fang Zhao’s find was priceless because it filled gaps in cultural relics.

“Too many are damaged.” The restoration team felt their hearts ache tenderly.

Although there were several thousand porcelain pieces, only a few hundred were completely intact. But, this could already be considered fortunate. Some were already damaged at the depths of the ocean, while others were damaged in the salvage process. Of course, the Inter-planetary Fund’s salvage crew had already greatly minimized the degree of damage already.

However, even if the ceramics were damaged or shattered, they still held research value. In a world that lacked cultural relics, even fragments had to be safeguarded properly.

Museum representatives from various continents came over to try to set up a collaboration with Fang Zhao.

This wasn’t their first time dealing with Fang Zhao. The collaboration with the Poseidonsaur had satisfied everyone. These people had a deep understanding of Fang Zhao’s character and knew that Fang Zhao was interested in collaboration given that he had called them over.

However, never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that Fang Zhao would donate these relics.

“D-Donating… for real?”

Yanzhou Museum’s curator nearly bit his own tongue by accident.

Seated beside, Lanzhou Museum’s curator, who normally carried a dignified air, heard a resounding *clink* as his teeth hit his cup.

Curators and representatives from continental and private museums alike all stared at Fang Zhao intently.

Bruce Museum’s curator tried to hide the excitement in his voice. “Have you… thought this through? These are ancient relics worth more than a hundred billion!”

Fang Zhao nodded. “I’ve already thought about it.”

“Oh! This decision is really admirable! Please accept our Bruce Museum’s most sincere thanks! This means a lot to us! On behalf of Bruce Museum, I promise you that these historical treasures will receive the most proper care!”

The others quickly reacted and also expressed their thanks towards Fang Zhao.

There was another wave of flattery and praise.

Of course, Fang Zhao didn’t donate everything unconditionally. He put forward some requests regarding artifact conservation and future research. Since Fang Zhao was willing to donate such precious artifacts, they were naturally willing to accept the terms.

Some curators even volunteered to help when Fang Zhao talked about applying for land for his own private exhibition hall. Applying for land to build a private collection hall wasn’t an easy matter. With help from the various curators, the audit process would become much easier.

The decision to donate the ceramics wasn’t related to his private collection hall. The private collection hall was a small matter that he would be able to accomplish even without help from the various curators. In reality, he donated the relics because he wanted them to be properly cared for.

Fang Zhao didn’t have the space or time for ceramics. For the near future, his primary focus would still be on music. He definitely couldn’t match relic preservation specialists. Partnering with professionals to handle the relics would take too much work, and things could always go wrong.

On the other hand, these museums would surely treat the artifacts well.

The relics were a treasure that belonged to the entirety of humankind.

They were precious treasures that carried human culture and history!

Making them available to the public maximized their utility. No matter what happened, people would still remember these resplendent items.

After detailed discussions, the relics were transported to the various continents.

The museums officially announced Fang Zhao’s donation once they fully appraised all the historical relics.

To acknowledge their importance, every continent’s governor personally presented a certificate of honor to Fang Zhao during the official donation ceremony.

Related topics once again sprang to the headlines in all the various continents.

“Fang Zhao donated again!!!”

“Undiscovered treasures excavated! A beacon to pass on past culture! Fang Zhao donates relics worth hundred billion!”

Practically everyone who saw this news had very complex sentiments.

Many people had said Fang Zhao was foolish after he donated his few billions the previous time. Now, they didn’t really know what to say anymore.

Those who had envied Fang Zhao for gaining an instant fortune from the relics now felt their eyeballs popping out of their sockets.

They…

They were all donated just like that?

Their hearts ached even though they were non-participants watching the news!

“This really isn’t showing off! Who could bear to give away relics worth hundreds of millions just to show off?!”

“Given Fang Zhao’s current reputation, there isn’t any need for him to show off in such a manner.”

“What a display! Although he might not have an array of assistants and bodyguards at his beck and call, he should be the only celebrity in entertainment circles who can get the twelve continent governors to personally issue him an honorary certificate, right?”

“This really isn’t something easy to achieve.”

Great-grandfather Fang was silent for quite some time when he saw news articles like “Fang Zhao donates relics worth hundreds of billions”. He sighed. He felt like it was a pity, but even more so, he felt proud.

And when he found the photograph of Fang Zhao with all those continent governors, the corners of Great-grandfather Fang’s lips curled upwards. He started to circulate them in all his chat groups.

Look!

My Little Zhao is just so enlightened!

No wonder he was chosen to be the ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Plan.

At Fang Zhao’s island.

Nanfeng stood at the shore, gazing far at the ocean. His entire body was rigid like a stone that had weathered many storms.

He had stood here a few days ago watching people from the various continent museums transport these artifacts away. Even now, he clutched his chest every time he saw the news.

This blow was really too much for him!

It was upsetting!

Even though these relics weren’t his, Nanfeng had both seen and touched them. Now, these relics worth hundreds of billions had flown away from his hands to far off places, never to return.

How his heart ached!

“Say, how do you think Boss is able to maintain such a calm attitude? Just one of those bowls could be equivalent to a room in the heart of Huangzhou’s Huangcheng! Is he really not a tiny bit reluctant? Does he really not find it a pity?!”

Has he gotten hooked on donating?!

Even if it was to maintain his image as ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Plan, the costs were also too high!

Nanfeng couldn’t understand, but he didn’t dare ask Fang Zhao. Thus, he could only grumble to Yan Biao and Zuo Yu.

Only

“What kind of great shock has Boss suffered before to stay so calm?”

As he vented all of his complex emotions, Nanfeng turned around and saw his two colleagues, who were standing there calmly.

Inexplicable!!

“How are you two able to be this calm as well?” Nanfeng studied Yan Biao’s expression carefully. “Are you really not putting up an act?”

Yan Biao spoke, “You might not believe it, but I have seen even more insane stuff.”

“What can be even more insane? Tell me.”

Nanfeng didn’t believe it. What could be even more insane than giving away historical artifacts worth hundreds of billions immediately?

Chapter 498: Mission To Safeguard Snacks

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Yan Biao smiled but didn’t say anything.

After having seen a talking, gaming and mecha-devouring dog, he felt that everything else was no big deal.

Yan Biao felt that Nanfeng’s tolerance for shocking information was a little low given Nanfeng’s reaction to those tiny historical artifacts. What would Nanfeng do when he discovered the truth behind Curly Hair?

Yan Biao was a little worried. Would Nanfeng be traumatized by Curly Hair’s true nature?

After all, Yan Biao was still traumatized by those events.

Yan Biao sighed and was about to say something when Fang Zhao issued instructions in their work chat group.

Nanfeng had no time to feel downhearted. He was required to head to the other continents to follow-up on the donation of historical relics. Thus, he quickly left the island via flying transport.

Fang Zhao was already waiting when Yan Biao and Zuo Yu entered the house.

“Come with me.”

Fang Zhao brought the two of them to an underground storehouse.

There were quite a number of underground storehouses on this island. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu rarely came over to this storehouse, but even so, they could sense that some changes had been made here.

The two of them exchanged puzzled glances. When had this place been renovated? In particular, the storehouse door looked different. At first glance, it seemed similar, but upon closer inspection, differences could be seen. With Yan Biao and Zuo Yu’s level of perception, they could tell that the new door was definitely a high security door.

Does Boss want to hide items in this storehouse?

Their impression of this storehouse was that it wasn’t very large. However, it was well hidden beneath the house. The last time they were here, the storehouse mostly had daily necessities, most of which were for the dog.

Nowadays, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were rather sensitive to the word “dog”. They didn’t dare probe more, even if they were curious.

As the two made silent guesses, the storehouse door was opened.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were stunned when they saw what was behind the doors.

The original storehouse had completely been refurbished. It now looked like a complete apartment with top-notch installations.

A somewhat chubby kid seemingly about the age of ten was seated on the sofa, tossing and catching a black ball.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu immediately roared out inwardly.

Why is this kid here?!

Isn’t this that… that person from the Inter-planetary Fund?!

Shouldn’t he be on Planet Yin? Even if he isn’t on Planet Yin, he should be on Inter-planetary Fund territory! What’s he doing on Fang Zhao’s island? And, so secretive on top of that!

The one who appeared in the storehouse at this time was indeed Little Bear.

“He will be staying here for awhile. You two have to take note.” Fang Zhao told Yan Biao and Zuo Yu.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu regarded Little Bear as the true crown prince of the Inter-planetary Fund. Upon hearing what Fang Zhao said, they started to imagine various scenarios like power struggles, assassinations and other crazy plots.

At the same time, they also had their doubts. Perhaps the Inter-planetary Fund’s top authoritative figure doesn’t trust her own aides and placed the important “crown prince” under Fang Zhao’s care. What exactly are they up to?

Or perhaps there is some internal feud…?

Little Bear leaped up from the sofa with a wide smile at Fang Zhao’s arrival.

“You came! This place is really boring. Can I go upstairs to your house and play?” Little Bear pouted playfully.

“You may. Curly Hair is also there,” Fang Zhao said.

“Never mind then,” Little Bear said decisively and returned to the sofa.

Fang Zhao then had a serious expression. “In the following period, he will be taking refuge here. Do not leak his whereabouts.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu answered sternly, “Yes!”

Things weren’t as simple as it seemed on the surface indeed!

No wonder the Inter-planetary Fund had willingly sent a salvage ship. There was really some sort of transaction involved!

It was a salvage ship on the surface, but it was really a transport ship for their “crown prince”!

This secret strategic move had fooled countless people!

Right now, everyone’s attention was drawn to the valuable historical relics. Who would have even thought that the salvage crew had sent a person over? Even if there were people doubting the deployment of this salvage crew, their doubts had been quickly dispelled by the news “Fang Zhao spends big money to hire Inter-planetary Fund salvage crew for millennia-old artifacts”.

The value of historical artifacts over a thousand years old was considerable. Was there anything wrong with employing such a high level salvage crew? Absolutely not! Even inviting an entire escort fleet was reasonable!

After going through the key points in his mind, Yan Biao asked in a hushed tone, “What… about Nanfeng?”

“There’s no need to tell him for the time being,” Fang Zhao said.

Nanfeng recently hadn’t spent much time on the island. He frequently had to travel between continents to manage their collaborations. In any case, the less people who knew, the better.

The two bodyguards nodded. “Understood.”

Fang Zhao asked Yan Biao and Zuo Yu to introduce this place to Little Bear. In the meantime, Fang Zhao left to have a talk with Curly Hair.

The atmosphere in the underground storehouse became heavy without Fang Zhao. The child’s smiles instantly disappeared. Little Bear completely disregarded the two bodyguards standing there.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had already witnessed this child’s dramatic change of attitude before and weren’t too surprised.

Zuo Yu forced a smile and said to Little Bear, “Young friend, we meet again. You look taller now.” Most kids liked hearing stuff like that. Surely talking about growth would be okay, even if Zuo Yu couldn’t really discern any difference.

However, Little Bear’s expression became even colder. “Oh.”

Noticing that Little Bear didn’t like this topic, Zuo Yu changed it quickly. “You… didn’t bring any bodyguards?”

Little Bear had a stiff expression. He didn’t even feel like saying anything. His look of disdain reminded Zuo Yu and Yan Biao of that merciless personal attack.

What use are a bunch of salted fishes?!

After that, all that remained in the storehouse was an awkward silence.

The two bodyguards gave up trying to converse and decided not to interact too much with this kid. They would surely be sympathetic to any other child who was sent here for refuge.

But, for Little Bear?

He had skills! He was a high ranking engineer of Planet Yin!

He had wealth! Presumably, he was the actual “crown prince” of the Inter-planetary Fund!

Two salted fishes like them didn’t deserve to sympathize with someone like this.

At the same time, in the study above.

Fang Zhao called Curly Hair over.

“The Inter-planetary Fund is providing you with part of the energy required for you to mature. The power ores that you usually gnaw on are also provided by them. In exchange, we agreed to do some work for them. Our current task is to protect the… child… in the underground room.”

They had to work for the Inter-planetary Fund’s resources. There was no free lunch in this world.

Even though historical relics worth a hundred billion had already been donated, a hundred billion yuan wasn’t enough to cover Curly Hair’s diet costs.

Furthermore, providing protection at a crucial time for the Inter-planetary Fund wasn’t entirely unconditional either.

“Got it?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Understood!” Curly Hair replied.

He had to protect his snack supplier. Otherwise, he would not have free snacks in the future.

No free snacks = eating until Fang Zhao goes bankrupt = I might be abandoned.

Furthermore, Nanfeng had said before that he could make amends by doing good. If retrieving the junk from the sea floor wasn’t enough, there was another opportunity here! Perhaps if he performed well, he could get Fang Zhao to buy another worldwide-limited edition game console for him again!

With this reasoning, any bit of unwillingness Curly Hair had quickly dissipated.

Fang Zhao watched him in silence for a moment before saying, “Don’t go into the ocean during this period. I’ll return the gaming console to you.”

“Guarding the house is my job!” Curly Hair stood proudly and guaranteed Fang Zhao as his dog eyes shone with firm resolve.

Only

As long as he could get the game console back, he would even rush onto a battlefield, let alone just guarding the house!

“Also, there are submarines in the sea near to the island. They belong to the Inter-planetary Fund. You should know what not to do.”

“Should I go sniff the friendly scent?” Curly Hair asked.

Fang Zhao thought about it and shook his head. “Never mind. You just stay on the island.”

What would happen if Curly Hair nibbled on them in a moment of impulsiveness? Biting even a small piece off would cause quite a commotion. It would be better to limit Curly Hair’s activity to prevent friendly fire.

Furthermore, Fang Zhao wasn’t certain whether those people could be trusted. It would be best if Curly Hair wasn’t revealed. The less people knew about him, the better. He couldn’t control the Inter-planetary Fund’s personnel, but he could still manage Curly Hair for the time being.

In any case, this dog was a shut-in when he played games. Curly Hair wouldn’t want to take even a step outside as long as there was food to eat.

Chapter 499: Youngsters Nowadays!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Little Bear had been delivered in secret by the salvage crew. He had only brought along Little Riches, who was all curled up. He hadn’t been allowed to bring his two darling robot dogs Dogdan and Dogke.

After all, he wasn’t a real child. While he sometimes acted immature, he understood the gravity of their situation and wouldn’t do anything against orders. Fang Zhao didn’t have to worry for the time being.

Fang Zhao sent the scoresheet he had spent completing over the last few days to the series production crew and answered any questions they had regarding the composition.

At the same time, “Above the Blue Dome of Heaven” production team.

The busy music studio didn’t stop to rest at all.

The scale of this drama series about warp engine engineers could not compare with the extent of “Founding Era”. But, it was still a rather large investment in comparison to other series being produced currently. The series had already been fully shot, and it was currently in the tense period of post production.

“Above the Blue Dome of Heaven” was a quality series. Professionals like Fang Zhao had been contracted to compose the opening, closing and various accompaniment music.

The music studio was also receiving completed works from the other contracted composers. All they needed to do was choose the most suitable pieces according to the series.

This job sounded easy, but in truth, it really wasn’t. The style and instruments of the accompaniment needed to match the scene’s plot. This was highly important for a quality series like this one. Investors, producers and even the director viewed the music with great importance.

Emotional people could be entirely won over by a film’s music. The music could have a long-lasting effect. Many people still associated scenes of long ago to familiar tunes.

When Fang Zhao’s works were sent over, the music studio staff immediately jumped into a discussion.

“Oh, this song isn’t bad. I told him we needed a slow emotional style during the drafting stage. Fang Zhao hasn’t let me down!”

That staff played the tune as he was talking.

“Every note tells a story! It’s slow, but not boring. It’s rich, but not too heavy. It’s suitable both for the opening or accompaniment. Maybe it’s better as the accompaniment during the pan-in. That will create a powerful impression!”

A team member in the room nodded, but then shook his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t accept what his colleague had said, but rather, they had different preferences.

“I prefer the second song in the list. It’s lively! There’s both the cello’s deep timbre and the guitar’s bounce. There’s a sort of industrial romanticism. It’s very apt for our series! I personally think that it can be used for the end credits. It can even be adapted to have vocals.”

“No no no, if we’re talking about the ending theme, the third song is best suited for it!” Another staff member in the corner with earphones plugged in was visibly excited.

“Really, have a listen. Oh, Chief, you should listen to it too! It’s simply entrancing! The brisk tension can fit seamlessly in any plot. It doesn’t sound out of place at all, and it’s pleasing to listen too! Fang Zhao’s composing ability is really too strong! Chief, did you specifically request Fang Zhao for an all-purpose ending theme during the planning stage?”

The chief hadn’t said a word all this time. He nibbled on his pen and flipped through the materials while listening to the music on his earphones. Then, he removed the earphones, placed the pen down and rubbed the goose pimples on his arm. “I didn’t. Anyways, why don’t you all like the last song ‘Millennium’?

“How can any other song compare with it in terms of extravagance and narrative? Even compared with all our music scores, every other song pales in comparison! You guys should at least have the basic ability to appreciate what’s good, right?”

All the others in the studio appeared embarrassed.

“It’s not that we don’t like it. In our opinion, Fang Zhao’s ‘Millennium’ is already at the level where it can be the series’s main theme. However, cough… didn’t… didn’t we already decide on the series’s main theme…?”

His voice trailed off towards the end of his sentence.

All of them had a rather considerable professional ability and could easily appreciate the finer works. Even if they didn’t like the genre, they were still more than capable of telling what was good.

It wasn’t that they didn’t like “Millenium”. In fact it was so good it exceeded the expectations! It even surpassed the range of their ability! But, their hands were tied.

The tune selected as the series’s main theme was also composed by a great master-level composer. It too was an exquisite piece, and more importantly, that composer was very experienced. In terms of seniority and connections, he was surely stronger than the rest. As a young composer, Fang Zhao was famous, but he still had to pay respects to the master-level composers.

The studio’s chief frowned silently for a moment before clicking his tongue.

“The series has two seasons. We can keep the first season’s theme. Since Fang Zhao’s songs are more applicable for the second season, we’ll use them there,” the studio chief said.

In the original plan, the main theme of the series wouldn’t change between the seasons. However, the studio chief wasn’t willing to neglect Fang Zhao’s “Millennium”.

“The historical sentiments and sense of mission isn’t something others can compete with. There are also some complex elements within that I am unable to describe for the time being. I just feel that it would be a pity not to use ‘Millennium’ for the main theme!”

The others also nodded and smiled. “Using it in the second season is fine too. Perhaps it may even be more suitable.”

The studio chief suddenly seemed to think of something. “All the works that Fang Zhao sent over match well. I have seen the music scores he sent. A few songs are suitable for rearranging. Let’s adapt several other uses from this main theme. This way, we use other composers’ works in the first season and have Fang Zhao’s pieces cover the entire second season.”

“Can… can we do that? But, Chief, rearranging tunes will still incur expenses. Given Fang Zhao’s current status, this might be a little expensive. Our funding might not be… well, how about we discuss a full package with Fang Zhao? It would be more cost-effective.”

The chief went out and made a call asking his superiors for instructions. He returned and tapped his hands on the table. “Negotiate a whole package!”

“Got it. Can we contact Fang Zhao now?”

“It should be fine. Even if he can’t be contacted, he left a number probably belonging to his assistant or manager.”

The studio chief exhaled sharply after giving out the instructions to discuss a whole package deal with Fang Zhao. He grinned in satisfaction. “Although Fang Zhao is young, he won’t have any problem carrying a season solo. It doesn’t matter if others have doubts. His works do the talking! Besides, Fang Zhao’s current influence is global! In terms of popularity, appeal and ability, he really doesn’t fear anyone!”

The studio chief was fully confident. Fang Zhao’s ability was the reason for his decisiveness. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare raise this matter to his superiors.

As he leaned back in his reclining chair, the studio chief’s smile slowly dwindled. He gazed in nothing in particular and mumbled, “Old Master Mo said he didn’t even provide any counsel for these compositions. He really wouldn’t lie about such stuff. That means that all these are Fang Zhao’s own works.

“Young people these days!

“Too impressive!

“Fortunately, there’s only one of him. Otherwise, won’t seniors like us lose our jobs?

“Honestly, in terms of character, hardships and realization, some people that are close to two hundred years old can’t even be compared to Fang Zhao. Ahh, I wonder how profound the composers during the Period of Destruction were? Why haven’t we heard of any really renowned composers from that time?”

“Even if there were any, that period didn’t permit pure musicians to exist, right?” someone else interjected.

“That’s true.”

“Eh? I’ve seen Fang Zhao’s file. He hasn’t experienced many trying times before.”

“That’s innate talent.”

“Oh, some people just can’t be compared.”

The production team acted quickly and immediately contacted Fang Zhao to discuss buying the whole package.

Fang Zhao didn’t have any urgent matters to attend to and had remained on the island. Thus, he answered the incoming call immediately. While he was discussing this matter with the production team, Little Bear was on the sofa watching TV in the refurbished storehouse underground.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had just tidied up the armory and came over to check. When they saw Little Bear seated there quietly, they couldn’t help feeling some pity for this kid and decided to accompany him for a bit.

Yan Biao replaced his stern expression with a more amiable one as he served up some fruits and snacks.

“Little friend, are you missing your family?” Yan Biao asked with a stiff smile.

Little Bear looked up with a questioning glance. “Family?”

“Was the person we saw previously your family?”

Little Bear’s lips twitched and he answered casually, “Oh, her? She’s bringing men to prod Tomorrow Empire’s stronghold. Outer space immigration can’t move along if they aren’t suppressed. Interstellar navigation still lacks this piece.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: ?!!

No! Shut your mouth! This is too much info! We don’t want to hear this!

How can you tell us such confidential matters to us this easily!!!

Yan Biao felt like slapping himself. Stupid mouth!

The atmosphere became awkward once more.

Just as Yan Biao and Zuo Yu decided to leave, Little Bear glanced at them with a playful smirk and called out, “Hey, salted fishes, have you heard of hand-shredded mecha?”

Zuo Yu said, “Nope, I have only heard of hand-shredded chicken.”

Zuo Yu then added, “Little friend, have you ever seen a mecha being swallowed whole?”

Only

The two of them stared at each other in silence.

And, it was as if they both came to sudden realizations as ghastly looks appeared on their faces.

Zuo Yu really wanted to slap himself. You and your stupid mouth!

The kid had a really strange expression. He noticed Zuo Yu didn’t seem to be joking, like there was some unknown horror story behind it.

Swallowing a mecha whole.

Meanwhile, Zuo Yu was thinking, Ripping a mecha with bare hands… doesn’t seem to be false either.

Zuo Yu shuddered and suddenly felt envious of Nanfeng.

Chapter 500: King Nanfeng

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Zuo Yu and Yan Biao envied Nanfeng’s recent high spirits. Although he was just an assistant, he represented Fang Zhao. While Fang Zhao was in seclusion, Nanfeng became the only channel to reach Fang Zhao.

The discovery of historical artifacts didn’t just attract people from the collecting world. Some commercial big shots and literary celebrities also sought out Nanfeng. Even though these people merely wanted to find out whether they could buy a few pieces of these china, being able to speak with them delighted Nanfeng tremendously.

A nobody who had once struggled at the bottom depths of Huangzhou entertainment circles now held relationships that were the envy of anyone in the business world!

Nanfeng couldn’t help feeling buoyant with all the flattery he was getting. Of course, he wouldn’t harm his boss. He kept his glee in his heart and tried not to show it. He didn’t want to give others the opportunity to discredit Fang Zhao.

After he was done handling the artifact inquiries, Nanfeng was assigned another important task by Fang Zhao. He was to handle procedures for the private collection hall.

The land for building the private collection hall had already been chosen. With help from the various continents’ museums, the relevant procedures were completed much quicker. But, the current buildings there were awaiting demolition, so there was still at least six months before construction could begin. Nanfeng’s current workload was mainly to handle the relevant procedures, and he didn’t have to worry about much else for the time being.

Nanfeng felt his heart ache watching the money flow away. Even though the money wasn’t his, he still couldn’t help feeling this way. The really expensive ceramics were donated just like that. But, it was his boss’s decision, and he could only do as told.

When Nanfeng heard that the “Above the Blue Dome of Heaven” production crew wanted to buy out Fang Zhao’s works, Nanfeng’s distress lessened.

Nanfeng went over to Yanzhou Museum once again to thank the curator for his help. He also needed to check on the artifacts Fang Zhao was storing there. These were the artifacts Fang Zhao hadn’t donated.

Nanfeng understood that it was normal to keep a few artifacts. However, he couldn’t understand why Fang Zhao wanted to keep one with bite marks.

There were so many perfect pieces. Why would his boss want to keep a damaged one?!

Nanfeng just couldn’t understand!

After leaving Yanzhou Museum, Nanfeng immediately flew towards Fang Zhao’s island to give a report. During this period, Nanfeng had done everything the boss asked of him perfectly. Nanfeng was certain he would be rewarded, and he was delighted!

Nanfeng couldn’t stop beaming on the way there. As he was landing, he finally reined in his smiles.

He still had to be earnest, reliable, sincere and professional. The image he portrayed would crumble if he smiled too much. He didn’t want to seem unreliable.

Furthermore, with his recent assignments, Nanfeng had gotten to know more people and widened his network. He hadn’t been able to hold his head high when he was struggling solo in Huangzhou. But now, Nanfeng felt that his professional status had risen. Thus, he couldn’t afford to be sloppy.

In high spirits, Nanfeng walked towards the house on the island.

Nanfeng greeted Yan Biao and Zuo Yu when he saw them. He was about to step into the house when he saw Curly Hair trudge out slowly.

Curly Hair yawned listlessly. He couldn’t stay in his room and play games when Nanfeng was here.

He was unhappy!

His dog eyes were faintly accusatory as they watched Nanfeng.

But, Nanfeng didn’t know that. He just felt that Curly Hair seemed more depressed after the few short days of his absence. Nanfeng was sure that Yan Biao and Zuo Yu hadn’t taken care of Curly Hair properly!

There wasn’t anybody else on the island, and their boss was busy. Who else could it be if it wasn’t Yan Biao or Zuo Yu? With his mind set on that conclusion, Nanfeng shot the two of them a look of disapproval.

However, it wasn’t the time to talk about this. Nanfeng rubbed Curly Hair’s head gently as he walked past. Nanfeng actually noticed a few curly strands of hair out of place, and he wanted to brush Curly Hair’s fur.

But, Boss didn’t allow them to brush Curly Hair’s fur, so Nanfeng could only bear with it.

Nanfeng needed an outlet for his growing disapproval.

While rubbing Curly Hair’s head, he glanced at Zuo Yu and Yan Biao who were some distance away.

“How long has it been since Little Curls has gone out?”

“A few days,” Yan Biao replied vaguely.

“How can a dog not be taken out for walks?!”

“Boss says to not go out to sea for the time being,” Yan Biao stiffly muttered a defense.

Nanfeng: “…”

Nanfeng didn’t know what to say to these two.

Why don’t these two know how to be flexible?

Curly Hair can still go on walks on the island even if the Boss doesn’t want him out at sea!

The dog can be walked in circles near the house if you don’t want to go too far!

Anything like smelling the grass and flowers or chasing after bugs can help strengthen the body.

Those two just don’t know how to look after dogs!

“Alright! You two, don’t walk him. I will do it! You guys go on your patrol. I will bring Little Curls for a walk after my report. I will be staying on the island for two days.”

Curly Hair’s eyes appeared to dim.

Nanfeng saw it and sighed with lament. “See, just one look and I can tell that Curly Hair can’t wait. His eyes are glowing!”

With that, he rubbed Curly Hair’s head once more and went into the house.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

A brave soul!

Sigh!

Two hours later, Nanfeng brought Curly Hair out for a walk after he was done reporting to Fang Zhao. Nanfeng didn’t need a leash since the entire island belonged to Boss.

Nanfeng was in high spirits after receiving a bonus and recognition for his hard work. He didn’t criticize Yan Biao and Zuo Yu when he saw them and even called out, “Comrades, how about a gathering tonight?”

“You got a bonus?” Yan Biao asked.

“Heh, as expected of an old comrade. You can tell even without me saying a thing.” Nanfeng chuckled happily. “How about a drink or two tonight? I brought some alcohol when I came over.”

“Chatting is fine, but we’ll pass on the alcohol. Us bodyguards aren’t allowed to drink on duty.”

“Alright, then let’s just have a short catch-up. It won’t take up too much of your time.”

As dusk fell, Nanfeng left his assigned room with some canned fruit juice. He drove a patrol vehicle to the island’s sentry post.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were already waiting there.

Nanfeng tossed a can to each of them. “Let’s drink!”

Even though it was only fruit juice, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu didn’t dare drink two much. A couple of days ago, Fang Zhao had informed them about the severity of the situation and reminded them to be combat ready at all times.

Only the totally oblivious Nanfeng quickly downed his juice.

Even though they weren’t having any alcohol, Nanfeng was still in fine spirits. When he was out and about, he represented Fang Zhao and needed to restrain himself. But now that he was off work and among his own colleagues without Boss present, Nanfeng naturally didn’t need to hold back. He happily gave a brief recount of the things he had experienced while working during this period.

“Hehehe, I am famous already. Everyone in the industry knows ‘King Nanfeng’!”

Nanfeng rocked back and forth with laughter.

“Hahahaha! I, King Nanfeng, have really made a name for myself!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…Congratulations, King Nanfeng.”

Nanfeng waved them off meekly. His smile disappeared as he sighed. “Actually, I asked you guys out because I wish to talk about my career plan. I know that in future, Boss’s focus will continue to be on the musical arts; everything else is secondary. He also doesn’t seem interested in many other commercial endorsements. I am not from an academic background, and my musical knowledge isn’t great. I have already put in great effort to try and learn, but with the little talent that I have, I probably won’t make much progress even in ten years. In the future, the occupational pressure I face will be even greater.”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu fell silent. Although bodyguards didn’t have to know music, they experienced great pressure too!

Nanfeng continued a little dejectedly, “The experience from helping Boss is enriching and profound, especially when I met those academic great masters. I was totally stunned by their technical jargon. I don’t care if I humiliate myself, but I mustn’t disgrace Boss!

“Boss is soaring towards the artistic peak. Currently, he still needs more qualifications and experience. When he has accumulated enough, he will definitely be able to achieve the next stage of Galaxy Awards!

“Boss should find an assistant who is more musically inclined and find someone who understands the highest levels of the music circles to be his manager.

“As for me, I don’t have much affinity with music. I won’t be able to help Boss much or show my true value at Boss’s side.

“Boss treats us well, and we shouldn’t be greedy. We have to know our place. Tightly holding onto my position without sufficient ability would only trouble Boss.”

“No, Boss is still very pleased with you,” Yan Biao said.

Nanfeng immediately broke out of his emotional rant and became delighted again. “Hahaha, of course I know Boss is really pleased with me! My working attitude is so good. Besides my lack of aptitude towards music, I am actually a whole package! I am even better at dog walking than you two!”

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu: “…”

Nanfeng patted the other two’s shoulders. “I do have to say something about you two. Comrades, as subordinates, we have to think about our Boss’s interests. You guys have to be more proactive.”

Yan Biao replied, “…But our way of thinking might be totally different from Boss’s.”

Nanfeng answered with full confidence, “That sort of thing will never happen to me!”

“Alright, it’s good that you believe in yourself,” Yan Biao said with difficulty.

With an arm around the shoulder of each comrade, Nanfeng continued, “When the private collection hall is constructed, I will have a talk with Boss… Actually, when I reported to Boss today, I had initially wanted to talk to him about my career plan. But, I don’t know why I suddenly felt terrified as I was about to mention it. Hahahaha!”

Nanfeng chuckled, then seemed to ponder. “Actually, speaking to Boss beforehand would be good too. He could then look around for suitable people. Mhmm, that’s set then. I will write a letter and talk to Boss about resigning tomorrow!”

Only

Zuo Yu was deep in thought and froze while drinking the juice. He glanced at Yan Biao.

Yan Biao’s gaze was blank. Hadn’t he once said something similar?

Yan Biao quivered when he recalled that experience. He turned to Nanfeng and said seriously, “I think you don’t have to talk about this. Or, perhaps you can bring this up in a different way.”

Yan Biao paused for a moment before continuing, “You are still rather suitable for your position. Don’t underrate yourself. Boss really hasn’t thought of replacing you.”

Nanfeng assumed it was all just consolation. “Hahaha, I know you guys can’t bear to see me go. After all, we have been comrades and colleagues for so long!”

Yan Biao said, “No, I just have a nagging feeling… that you shouldn’t say it this way. It sounds hurtful.”

Zuo Yu nodded his head vigorously. “Yes, don’t say such stuff. It’s scary.”

Chapter 501: Don't Be Shocked Regardless Of What You See

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Nanfeng felt that he was increasingly unable to keep up with Zuo Yu and Yan Biao’s line of reasoning. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that they had different reasoning because of their different occupations. There was still a rather considerable difference between bodyguards and managers.

Having come to that conclusion, Nanfeng didn’t probe further. He returned to his own room after he was done chatting with Yan Biao and Zuo Yu.

The island was very quiet at night. There was only the sound of rustling leaves. Even the crickets were mostly quiet.

After a quick shower, Nanfeng sat in front of a table. He opened an electronic file and started to draft job plans. This file was meant for Fang Zhao, so Nanfeng paid particular attention to his use of words.

When he was handling matters on Fang Zhao’s behalf, many people had contacted Nanfeng. Some wanted to be Fang Zhao’s assistant or manager. These people expected that one assistant surely wasn’t enough given Fang Zhao’s status. Since they couldn’t contact Fang Zhao, they had to go through Nanfeng.

These people either specialized in music or minored in music during university. Some applicants had dazzling resumes.

Nanfeng compiled a list of names to run background checks on. He planned to give Fang Zhao this information with his letter of resignation.

Truth be told, Nanfeng really didn’t wish to leave.

Nanfeng might have been a little big-headed, but he didn’t lose his rationality. He understood that the hallowed glow he had and whatever special treatment he received outside was entirely because of Fang Zhao. Naturally, Nanfeng knew he would no longer be treated like this once he left Fang Zhao. There could even be individuals who wanted to get confidential information about Fang Zhao from him.

As someone who had struggled in its lowest rungs, Nanfeng knew how complicated the music industry was. Bosses like Fang Zhao were few and far between. The work environment here was relatively straightforward without much plotting and deceit. The job paid well and provided opportunities to experience all sorts of high-grade occasions.

Nobody else in the same line of work could compare. Zuo Yu and Yan Biao were receiving such high pay without putting in much work. In the past, Nanfeng would have surely been delighted to do the same.

But, if he could not feel guilty receiving such high pay now, what would it be like in future? Could he be that shameless?

Fang Zhao was currently producing the music for an entire season of “Above The Blue Dome of Heaven” alone. This was already something that most of the industry would struggle with. Nanfeng believed that he lacked the ability to accompany his Boss’s struggles. Giving up his own position was necessary. However, he couldn’t leave immediately either. When the new replacement came, he would have to guide the replacement before leaving. Newcomers nowadays were impetuous and impatient. And, who knew if they could walk a dog properly…

Nanfeng got more and more emotional as he wrote, and his eyes turned red.

He sniffled and continued writing.

——

Fang Zhao had just finished going through an amended score sheet and was about to write an email to the production team.

The first season of “Above the Blue Dome of Heaven” would begin airing tonight. The production team was very efficient, and the second season was already in the final stages of post production. The music studio also contacted Fang Zhao rather frequently for rearrangement requests.

During this period, Fang Zhao stayed on the island and didn’t have any other pressing issues. Thus, his replies were quick.

Today wasn’t any different. After scanning an amended music score, he started to type another email.

Suddenly, Fang Zhao’s typing hands froze.

His ears twitched and noticed some extremely high and low frequencies that ordinary people couldn’t hear. His expression turned grave, and he quickly put the score away. At the same time, he used his communications device to contact Little Bear. “Hide well.”

Little Bear was in the middle of going to find Fang Zhao to watch a drama together. He stopped in his tracks and locked the storehouse shut.

Grasping the black ball in his hand, Little Bear looked at the aquarium that had just been moved over today.

Inside, the originally idle sea slug had suddenly become agitated and was knocking on the aquarium walls.

Meanwhile Curly Hair’s ears pricked up from where he was lying on the living room sofa. He darted into his own room and quickly hid his gaming console into the explosion proof barrel.

Curly Hair scanned the room and picked out a few more items to store inside. Once all his precious items were properly hidden, Curly Hair eyed the explosion proof barrel reluctantly for a few more moments before sprinting to the front yard. Fang Zhao had said that if there were any attacks, Curly Hair was to guard the front yard. Under such dangerous circumstances, he would be permitted to bite first.

At the same time, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu who were switching patrols received Fang Zhao’s notification. “Prepare for combat!”

Beep Beep Beep——

The island’s warning system started sounding.

Nanfeng was startled by the alarm. He hurriedly saved the file he had been working on and got up.

Concentrated booms sounded in the distance. Some were from the air, while others were from the water.

The floorboards beneath him shook. The appearance of an abrupt crisis snapped Nanfeng out of his sentimental state at once.

Nanfeng had once undergone military service on Planet Baiji. He knew all too well that whatever was happening wasn’t small. Something big was happening!

Just as he was about to ask in their own chat group, Nanfeng received a voice message from Yan Biao. “Go to the underground room door and wait for me!”

Nanfeng didn’t ask any other questions and changed into proper attire. When he arrived at the underground room, he saw Yan Biao striding over with a tense expression.

“What’s going on?” Nanfeng asked. He had already started making his own guesses. He wondered if Fang Zhao was cooperating with the military. He thought about the hot topics online about “Fang Zhao’s mysterious background”. He considered the artifacts that were donated a while ago…

Yan Biao opened the door and led Nanfeng inside while replying to the question, “The Inter-planetary Fund and Tomorrow’s Empire have started a war.”

Nanfeng: ???

Why would the world’s top fund and the worst terrorist organization fight here?

Although he couldn’t understand this logic, Nanfeng didn’t have time to think about anything else.

“Where are we going now?” Nanfeng asked.

“The armory,” Yan Biao said as he opened yet another door ahead.

Nanfeng was stunned when he saw what was beyond the door.

This is an armory?

This was totally different from the garage-sized armory that Nanfeng had envisaged. This could already be called a small base!

The quantity and quality of equipment wasn’t something that any ordinary person could possess. Some of the newer models couldn’t be purchased even if one had all the money!

Besides the arms and ammunition, there was even an armored assault mecha!

“When… when did this place become like this?” Nanfeng swallowed hard. “Doesn’t this violate regulations?”

“We have permits.” Yan Biao walked over to a shelf with a prepared case. “Battles far away aren’t our business. Our job is just to guard this building well. Pick whichever weapons you need. There are exoskeleton suits there as well. Go pick one out if you need. These are all new models, and the expenses can be claimed. Don’t be afraid to use them.”

“Understood!”

Nanfeng viewed this armory eagerly. He felt his combat spirit reawaken.

How long had it been? He hadn’t touched those things ever since he left the military.

“Can I use that?” Nanfeng pointed at an eight meter tall propulsion armored mecha in the corner.

Yan Biao. “No, you might be mistakenly killed if you use that.”

Nanfeng nodded. “Understood.”

The sound of activity outside meant that the fighting between the two sides had gotten intense. Perhaps Yan Biao was concerned about him being mistakenly killed because the enemy’s mechas were similar.

“What’s the battle strategy?” Nanfeng asked.

“Boss will guard the backyard. Zuo Yu will hold the left. I will hold the right. You…”

“I will defend the front yard!”

“…No! Don’t bother about the front yard. You be flexible and just watch yourself.”

Yan Biao mulled for a moment then advised, “If the situation in the house turns bad, run towards the front yard.”

As Yan Biao carried the weapons case and prepared to leave, he shot Nanfeng a complex look. “Turn on your internal comms and maintain communications. Don’t be shocked regardless of what you see.”

“Understood!”

Only

Nanfeng had also done covert missions before. Therefore, he didn’t find anything strange with what Yan Biao said.

Nanfeng hadn’t seen actual combat for far too long and lacked regular training. Although he still practiced his shooting from time to time at a range, his body and fitness couldn’t compare to before. Furthermore, he wasn’t as strong as Yan Biao to begin with, so he needed an upgrade for himself.

After equipping the exoskeleton suit, Nanfeng selected his arms. He surely wouldn’t be up to Yan Biao and Zuo Yu’s standards after not having experienced real battles in a long time. He would need to defend himself if the fighting drew close.

Memories of those years before he left the military came to Nanfeng. Back then, he had also been his squad’s top marksman!

Even though many people here know something I don’t, none of that is important!

Before resigning, I, Nanfeng, will give my all one last time! Even if it means sacrificing myself!

For my glory as a top marksman!

Chapter 502: Our Secret Weapon

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After equipping himself, Nanfeng headed upstairs with the weapons case.

Nanfeng thought that the backyard would be under the most pressure since Fang Zhao was stationed there, so he first went there.

Flames erupted in the sky from time to time. The mass of trees made it difficult to see the overall situation clearly. However, the loud explosions meant that the fighting between the Inter-planetary Fund and Tomorrow’s Empire was still raging.

Huge fireballs rose into the sky in the distance, and the entire night sky was dyed red. The ground shook, and there was no way to ascertain which side held the advantage.

Nanfeng’s heart was thumping. He calmed himself down and raised his gun. He looked through the scope and had his finger on the trigger.

Here it comes!

Nanfeng fixed his sights on a target and prepared to fire…

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The target he was aiming at was eliminated before he even fired. Besides this target, there were also sounds of other things falling to the ground. Some were targets Nanfeng had noticed, while others had fallen before he even noticed them.

The shots had been fired by Fang Zhao.

He was just one person, yet he had such overwhelming and suppressive firepower.

Before Nanfeng could even fire, Fang Zhao had already gotten rid of a whole wave.

Nanfeng: “…”

Never mind. This round of attacks isn’t over yet!

Nanfeng continued to wait.

But, very quickly, Nanfeng sensed something wasn’t right when he heard an approaching sound.

This movement…

Assault mecha!

The enemies are actually using an assault mecha!

The defense systems were fully engaged and stopped bullets and cannons in the air. Still, the enemy offensive came quickly and ferociously. Nanfeng was concerned that the Inter-planetary Fund wouldn’t be able to stop it, but Yan Biao had said that they would be okay if they could hold out against this wave.

Nevertheless, the situation seemed very unfavorable for them against an assault mecha. The guns they had weren’t enough.

Nanfeng glanced at the weapons case he brought over and brainstormed how best to help Fang Zhao defend the area. Suddenly, he saw the mecha ahead being… kicked away!

Indeed, Fang Zhao had kicked that mecha! And it was sent flying away!

The mecha crashed into the ground, leaving a crater.

Nanfeng: “…”

This doesn’t make sense!

My Boss has superhuman strength!

He then surveyed the backyard. The defense system along with his superhuman Boss made Nanfeng entirely useless. He couldn’t even find an opportunity to raise his gun.

Doesn’t it seem like I’m not needed here?

Now aware of this cruel truth, Nanfeng didn’t delay any more. He quashed his turbulent doubts and moved to reposition himself.

He didn’t know how Fang Zhao could be this strong. Perhaps Fang Zhao’s body was aided by some confidential and highly advanced technology. However, he didn’t have much time to mull over this.

Yan Biao had told him not to be shocked, regardless of what he saw. Perhaps he had meant this?

Nanfeng tossed away the random thoughts and listened intently for outside activity. He checked the defense system’s real-time metrics.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were to the left and right. Due to the terrain, these sides were under less offensive pressure. With the defense system, Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were doing fine for the time being and didn’t need Nanfeng’s support.

Check the front yard!

Yan Biao said there was no need to bother about the front yard. Does that mean that the Inter-planetary Fund is handling that?

However, Nanfeng still felt anxious. From the sounds of things, it seemed like the gunfire intensity was increasing. The front yard was hard to defend. There would be a lot of pressure if more enemy mechas mobilized.

Nanfeng carried his weapons case and headed in the direction of the front yard.

The lights within the house had all been extinguished. Nanfeng was very familiar with the house, so between his knowledge and the flashes of explosion, Nanfeng moved very quickly.

Nanfeng stopped in his tracks when he passed by the living room.

The main door wasn’t tightly shut. However, there wasn’t any sign of forced entry, and the defense system hadn’t issued any warning of a breach.

The main door would automatically shut if no one had activated it to open. But now, there was a dog tag stuck in between, preventing it from being closed fully.

Nanfeng found that dog tag very familiar. It belonged to Curly Hair. Nanfeng had seen it when he was out walking Curly Hair today.

No wonder he hadn’t heard any barks from Curly Hair throughout this great ruckus. It seemed as though he had run out.

But, at such a time, there was only one outcome for a pet dog running into a battlefield. He would be obliterated to the point of no remains.

All Nanfeng could do was pray that Curly Hair would have enough luck to survive the battlefield.

300 million… no, a priceless dog!

Nanfeng’s heart ached dearly, and his eyes welled up. In Nanfeng’s eyes, Curly Hair was no longer purely a pet dog. Besides the value, there were sentiments from having known each other for so long, and Nanfeng felt an additional sense of responsibility for him. Curly Hair had even rendered meritorious service and was unlike any other.

Nanfeng tried listening attentively again but didn’t hear Curly Hair’s barks. He wasn’t inside, and there weren’t any dog barks from outside.

Nanfeng’s tears were on the verge of flowing.

However, this wasn’t the time to be sad. Nanfeng kept his feelings in check as he shoved the dog tag into his pocket. He shut the main door tightly and went up to a window on the second floor.

Downstairs didn’t afford a very good view of the battlefield. Now that he had a better vantage point, Nanfeng’s eyebrows twitched.

Debris, grass and dirt were sent into the air as loud booms rang out continuously. Under the flashes of cannon fire and explosions, there was a threatening metallic glimmer.

With his naked eye, Nanfeng saw a huge robot-like monster running down everything without any resistance behind all the blazes and smoke.

Of the three mechas at the front, one was stomped, one was sent flying and the last one was bitten in half.

There was another mecha not too far away that had been disabled in the first confrontation When that monster turned around and returned, it stomped on the mecha again.

The metal screeched as fragments and sparks scattered. The scene was extremely brutal. Nanfeng felt suffocated!

Nanfeng’s bulging eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. He felt every single cell in his body trembling. He closed the windows as quickly as he could and ran towards the underground room. At the same time, he called out to Yan Biao through the comms.

“Brother Biao! The enemy is using some secret weapon! The front yard can’t be held any longer!

“That fiendish monster is definitely a demonic entity!!

“It can crush a mecha as easily as one crushes a can!

“That is something totally beyond our means to defend against. Our weapons won’t do anything to it! I am going to the armory now to see whether there is anything we can use!”

Even though he had only gotten a few glimpses, Nanfeng was certain that if that assault mecha below ground had a combat level of 100, that monster in the front yard was definitely over 9,000! How can we even fight it?!

Now, Nanfeng could only hope that the Inter-planetary Fund would send reinforcements over as soon as possible. He didn’t know how long they could hold out in the house. Or, if Fang Zhao came over, they could perhaps hold out a little while more?

While Nanfeng’s thoughts were running wild, he heard Yan Biao say, “That is our secret weapon!”

Screech!

Nanfeng’s shoes slid against the ground as he came to a sudden stop.

“Huh???” Nanfeng was taken aback.

“That’s Curly Hair!” Yan Biao added.

Nanfeng: “…”

???

!!!

Nanfeng thought he was hearing things.

What did he say that thing was?

Curly… Hair?

I don’t believe that!!!

His entire world turned dizzy.

In a daze, Nanfeng stumbled back to the window. He widened his eyes and watched the scene outside without blinking.

That robotic monster ferociously ripped a mecha in two with its teeth and tossed the half in its mouth into the air. After taking a few shots on its body, it shook off all the fragments as though it was dirt before going on another rampage.

Only

Nanfeng’s entire body was trembling.

“It… it bit through another mecha…”

Although Yan Biao hadn’t seen it personally, he could picture the scene that Nanfeng described. “Don’t be shocked, it’s just a basic function.”

Nanfeng: “…”

Basic function? What basic function?

He had heard every single word clearly, yet it seemed like he didn’t understand a single word that was said.

His disarrayed mind was falling apart.

Chapter 503: Nanfeng——

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Nanfeng’s whole mind was a chaotic mess.

But, as an elite who had once served on Planet Baiji, Nanfeng still had the ability to steady himself despite having left the force many years ago.

He even had some slight doubts about his life. He had always thought himself as a core member of the team, but from the look of things, the truth was really cruel. No wonder Yan Biao and Zuo Yu always seemed like they were hiding stuff whenever he was holding the dog.

Nanfeng wanted to slap himself.

Where’s my keen insight?!!

Has it degenerated?!

Nanfeng couldn’t help asking, “Did you all know already?!”

Yan Biao said, “…That’s not important.”

Since Nanfeng had already seen what was happening in the front yard, Yan Biao no longer kept it from him.

“Don’t bother about the front yard and just guard the house. All you have to do is get rid of any intruders who manage to sneak through. Be careful with the rocket launcher… It’s best if you don’t get caught up in the front yard!

“Logic goes out the window when that dog gets excited. He might not be able to differentiate between friend or foe. If you accidentally hit the dog with a rocket, he might come after you! Staying in the house is the safest!

“If the defense doesn’t hold and too many enemies sneak through, go run to the front yard and shout Curly Hair’s name loudly. He can protect you. Remember, you must shout loudly! Otherwise, he might overlook or accidentally injure you!”

Nanfeng’s trembling intensified.

He took deep breaths to calm his thumping heart. His thoughts that were running wild.

No matter how great the shocks were, he still had to suppress them at such a time.

Since the “dog” was on their side, those firing at the “dog” were the enemy.

The Inter-planetary Fund troops weren’t important. All they needed was their very own… dog.

With this line of thought, Nanfeng felt more relieved.

“Alright… alright. I’ll stay in the house. Let me know if you guys require support on your side. Cough… Brother Biao, will this Curly Hair… really recognize me if I shout loudly?”

Doubts remained as Nanfeng watched the robotic monster rampage in the front yard. Did the killing machine still retain its rationality? Would it stop to save him?

Yan Biao fell silent. He didn’t know whether Curly Hair would recognize Nanfeng. However, those were Fang Zhao’s instructions.

“Don’t worry. He will surely recognize you.”

Nanfeng relaxed slightly. He trusted his old comrade Yan Biao very much.

As he continued watching, the robotic monster swatted aside a mecha, looked over and began wagging its tail.

Nanfeng: “…”

Nanfeng had a bad feeling.

He saw that monster raise its head and howl at the moon. Then, he heard the mechanical buzz of machinery.

“Nanfeng——”

The mechanical voice left Nanfeng scared witless.

Nanfeng’s entire body was frozen stiff. After having just calmed down, his mental state was obliterated again.

It… it talked!!!

Nanfeng stared, flabbergasted at the scene outside the window.

He saw that “dog” excitedly stomp on a few invaders once more.

“Look!

“I’ve made a good contribution again!

“I caught another one. Awoo!”

Then, it bit another mecha and dragged it around like a stuffed toy.

The mecha clattered on the ground. Sparks and smoke appeared from dislodged parts.

Nanfeng: “…” His soul had left his body.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled the words he had told Curly Hair not too long ago.

Curly Hair, Boss will be happy if you do good deeds. He may even reward you.

Bite if you find one! Bite both if there are two! Bite as many as you can! I will take responsibility for any issue!

Nanfeng wished he could turn back time and return to that moment.

Why did I have to speak this nonsense?!

Curly Hair was oblivious to Nanfeng’s emotions. He remembered what Nanfeng had said about “making amends by doing good.” Feats in battle had to have witnesses too! Who could verify his deeds if all the surveillance cameras malfunctioned? Fang Zhao was in the back yard, while Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were on the two sides. He didn’t have any other friends here to bear witness.

Thus, Curly Hair was very happy when he noticed Nanfeng looking over. With a witness, he wouldn’t have to worry that his efforts at destroying the mechas going unnoticed.

Curly Hair killed and devoured humans as well as mechas.

Nanfeng: “…” His soul continued to leave his body.

After Curly Hair got rid of all intruders in the front yard, reinforcements from the Inter-planetary Fund arrived. No other hostiles were detected in the vicinity of the house for quite some time.

Fang Zhao also received a message from the Inter-planetary Fund. Their mission was complete, and all that remained were some trivial matters that didn’t concern him. The crisis was over.

Fang Zhao briefly informed the other three of the situation and instructed them to clear the battlefield. They were to get rid of any remaining intruders who had snuck through the defenses. Fang Zhao himself had to head to other areas of the island to check if there were any hidden enemies.

In the front yard, Curly Hair transformed back to his pet dog form. Wagging his tail happily, he came running back to the house, then found himself locked outside.

Curly Hair glanced at the tightly sealed door, then looked up towards the second floor window. “Open the door. Awoo!”

Nanfeng ambled down. He mustered up his courage and carefully inched over to the closed main door. He opened it with shaking hands.

He stared at the small pet dog he was so familiar with.

It was still the same Curly Hair.

Yet, it wasn’t that Curly Hair.

When it came close, Nanfeng’s knees buckled. He slumped to the ground.

Curly Hair ignored Nanfeng and rushed straight into his room. Moments later, he came out and circled around the main door.

“Where’s my tag? I left it to hold the door open.” Curly Hair couldn’t find his own dog tag.

Shivering, Nanfeng quickly drew out the dog tag from his pocket and handed it over with both hands. “This… it was better to close the door.”

“No, if intruders made it in, I would be able to rush into the house and clean them out! If these thieves really wanted to enter, would a closed door make any difference?”

Nanfeng: “…”

This dog even has rather astute logic!

Nanfeng added, “I was actually worried that your dog tag would be damaged. I was keeping it safe.”

Curly Hair was delighted when he heard that. Upon seeing that his dog tag wasn’t damaged, he no longer cared about Nanfeng closing the door.

The smoke and fires in the vicinity of the house were already starting to disperse.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu were cleaning up the battlefield. They had suffered some minor injuries. After a while, they came over to the front yard to check things out.

Seeing the scattered wreckage, Yan Biao exclaimed, “Curly Hair has gotten stronger again. Consuming those power ores weren’t a waste at all.”

Nanfeng: “…”

Ore?

What ore?

Were power ores meant to be eaten?

Only

Nanfeng asked hesitantly, “Is there anything else I don’t know about?”

Yan Biao looked towards him with furrowed brows and an open mouth. He asked, “What happened to your eye?”

Nanfeng touched his slightly protruding left eye. “Nothing, it’s probably just a little damaged. I’ll change it when I get back.”

The blow he had suffered was too great. His exquisite top-of-the-line smart left eyeball which he had purchased for more than a million had gone haywire.

An eyeball worth more than a million!

Nanfeng rubbed his face.

He never thought that there would actually be a day he could accept such an expensive eyeball spoiling in such a calm fashion.

Chapter 504: You Aren't Fang Zhao!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Nanfeng was no longer in any mood to grieve over that really expensive eyeball. He watched Curly Hair scampering around the area, sniffing and licking randomly as though he was out playing. Sometimes, Curly Hair would disappear into the nighttime darkness and come darting back moments later covered in dirt and leaves.

In the past, Nanfeng would have gone and carried Curly Hair back.

But now, he didn’t dare go over. He was even afraid of calling out.

“What is Curly Hair doing?” Nanfeng asked.

Yan Biao glanced over at Curly Hair and said, “Didn’t Boss say to clean up the battlefield? Curly Hair is sniffing around the area to check for bombs…”

“Bombs?!!” Nanfeng jumped up in fright. “Can’t the defense system scan for them?!”

“Just in case. The enemy might have some that can’t be detected by the system. Besides explosives, there may be other dangerous materials or radioactive waste. Curly Hair rendered meritorious service when on assignment with spaceport inspection teams. He is especially sensitive to the smell of those dangerous things.”

“You… You can’t just put it this way! Can we rely on Curly Hair completely? Also, how does he dispose of dangerous materials? I don’t even see any explosive-proof boxes! Don’t just stand there! Do something! Are there any other sensors? I will help too.”

Nanfeng was anxious to head inside and search for equipment when Yan Biao added, “Boss said…”

Nanfeng stopped in his tracks and turned his head stiffly. “What did Boss say?”

“Boss said to just leave the clean up to Curly Hair.”

Yan Biao’s eyes darted towards where Curly Hair was in the distance. His expression became serious and he pointed a finger. “He discovered something!”

Nanfeng turned to look as well.

He watched as Curly Hair bit a piece of a flattened mecha and tossed it aside. His mouth suddenly enlarged to an exaggerated size and swallowed the hidden stuff beneath.

A slight rumble came from Curly Hair’s gut. Curly Hair belched and let out a loud fart.

A smoky smell wafted over.

Nanfeng: “…”

Yan Biao calmly said, “Oh, it’s a bomb.”

Nanfeng: “…”

Nanfeng rigidly sat to the ground. Ashen faced, he stared at the sky.

Didn’t this scene seem a little familiar?

[As expected of our 300 million yuan dog! He even glitters like gold under the sun!]

[It’s my first time seeing a dog fart. Curly Hair deserves his 300 million yuan tag. Both his burp and fart linger for some time. It even smells like smoke.]

Nanfeng was in a daze. “Back then, how did I have the courage to dare stop this dog?

Yan Biao patted Nanfeng on the shoulder. “Therefore, we can just leave this matter to Curly Hair. It’s safe and efficient. We just have to clear up some junk or shoot anyone who still might be breathing.”

Nanfeng: “…”

——

As Nanfeng was trying his hardest to regain his composure, Fang Zhao was sifting through the woods to deal with those hidden invaders.

The main battlefield between the Inter-planetary Fund and Tomorrow’s Empire was at some innocuous planet.

Today, Little Bear was the invaders’ target.

Tomorrow’s Empire’s attack here meant that something had gone wrong. Either they had spies within the Inter-planetary Fund or that they had some other way to pinpoint Little Bear’s location.

Fortunately, the Inter-planetary Fund had backup plans. The majority of the offensive had already been stopped outside the island. Otherwise, even Curly Hair wouldn’t have been able to protect Little Bear.

Ever since Little Bear’s arrival, Fang Zhao had used the pretext of composing in seclusion to decline visits. Fang Zhao had quickly finished up any work on the island related to the discovery of the artifacts and limited Nanfeng’s time on the island by dispatching him to manage the artifact distribution.

Nevertheless, Nanfeng had finally come across this revelation.

Fang Zhao raised his gun and shot a person hiding in the tall grass before continuing his search. There was no need for him to see. He could accurately determine every enemy in hiding just based on his hearing ability. Their breathing, heartbeat and any minute sounds couldn’t escape his ears.

Nightfall didn’t affect him in the slightest bit. Although there were continuous explosions in the distance, it was already quiet enough for Fang Zhao. During the Period of Destruction, chaos had been the norm.

Elsewhere.

A person hid himself behind a boulder and vegetation. He continuously suppressed his presence and even his scent.

He was one of the ringleaders of today’s mission to invade the island. Their plan was to spare no expense in breaching the Inter-planetary Fund’s defenses, invade the island and capture Little Bear. According to their plans, they should have been able to gain control within half an hour.

But in reality, half an hour had gone by, and they had yet to even come close to that house. He had already lost contact with the majority of personnel in the invasion force. Not a single one of those assault mechas responsible for the frontal assault of the front yard could be contacted!

He suspected that there were errors in the reports. This place was definitely a trap set up by the Inter-planetary Fund.

He wasn’t sure about the situation at the front yard. But in the backyard…

The person who appeared like the shadow of death was too strange.

That person fired shots decisively without any hint of hesitation. It was near impossible to determine who was being targeted. According to reason, there wasn’t even any time to aim. It would even appear as if that person was randomly firing.

But in reality, someone would fall each time a shot rang out. It was literally a one shot one kill.

The leader reckoned that he wouldn’t have survived without his swift retreat.

However, according to the unclear image he had received, wasn’t that Fang Zhao?

In the past, he had felt that all the news about Fang Zhao was exaggerated. He was just a musician. Sure, Fang Zhao also played games well, but those were games! Even if Fang Zhao had a military background, he still wouldn’t have treated Fang Zhao as a serious threat. However, this experience had totally changed his perspective.

Also, reports said that Fang Zhao was a good-natured person and benevolent person!?

How the f*ck is this benevolent!

Everyone lied to me!!

I would believe it if someone told me he was a professional killer or a veteran!

How the f*ck is he an artistic youth?

What kind of artistic youth can kill a bunch of hardened killers???

No, there’s another possibility…

That person is absolutely not Fang Zhao!

He recalled this harrowing experience and replayed each scene in slow motion in his mind. Some minute details became clearer.

Clearly, only one person had suppressed and beat the sh*t out of them from the start.

Fang Zhao’s killer intent couldn’t even be sensed. Based on how easily Fang Zhao had kicked the mecha away, the terrorist wondered whether Fang Zhao was using undisclosed Inter-planetary Fund exoskeleton technology.

He had a suspicion that it wasn’t Fang Zhao, but a killing machine trained by the Inter-planetary Fund!

Is it Fang Zhao or not?

Suddenly, he froze.

A pair of feet stopped not too far away.

He could sense the dagger-like stare on his body. Cold beads of sweat started flowing down his back.

Raising his head, he peeked at the person.

That person’s silhouette was blurry under the cover of darkness. But, under the momentary flash of an explosion, he saw that person’s appearance and the pair of chillingly cold eyes.

It was the face that he saw on screens often, yet it seemed somewhat unfamiliar at this moment.

He meticulously studied Fang Zhao’s appearance and face for any anomalies.

That was indeed Fang Zhao’s face. This face appeared on commercials throughout the various continents nowadays. There was no way he couldn’t remember what it looked like.

The lively Fang Zhao on screens had a somewhat gentle demeanor even when he wasn’t smiling. The celebrity Fang Zhao that the public knew shouldn’t be like this.

But at this sort of time, he wished that the person before him was Fang Zhao, that genius composer in the music world. Because, if this were so, he would still have a slight chance to survive. After all, musicians were more sentimental and were easily led on by emotions.

With this in mind, he suddenly had an idea.

“Don’t shoot!” He tossed his gun aside and raised both hands in the air.

“You mustn’t kill me! Do you know who I am?” he yelled.

Fang Zhao stared at him.

Only

The terrorist gritted his teeth. “I am the Period of Destruction’s Fang Zhao’s descendant!”

BANG!

The only reply he got was a bullet.

The hand that had reached for the dagger hidden in his sleeves became limp.

Up to the moment he died, he couldn’t understand exactly what the Inter-planetary Fund had promised Fang Zhao. Why didn’t Fang Zhao even have the slightest bit of hesitancy when firing?!

Weren’t musicians sentimental?! Fang Zhao had even acted as “Fang Zhao” in the “Period of Destruction” series. Shouldn’t hearing “Period of Destruction’s Fang Zhao” shock you a little?

If he were still alive, he would definitely yell this at Fang Zhao: You aren’t Fang Zhao!

Chapter 505: Manager

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Many people thought of Fang Zhao as a good-natured person. Nobody had seen Fang Zhao lose his temper before. However, nobody knew that Fang Zhao had once been on equal footing with the Founding Era Great Generals. There was no way he could be soft-hearted.

Fang Zhao went through the other areas of the island before returning to the house. His icy cold gaze gradually disappeared, replaced by his normal placid expression.

The cannon fire in the distance had gradually quietened down as well. This battle had arrived abruptly and concluded just the same.

After everything had calmed down, Fang Zhao contacted the Inter-planetary Fund’s medical team to arrange for a checkup and treatment for Zuo Yu, Yan Biao and Nanfeng.

Yan Biao and Zuo Yu had gotten hurt defending the house. Nanfeng hadn’t suffered any harm except for the problem with his eye. His man-made left eye had malfunctioned. The medical team gave him a temporary disposable eye for him to use.

However, even this sort of disposable eye also cost several hundred thousand yuan. Nanfeng wouldn’t have used it if he had had to pay for it himself. Fortunately, this was considered a work-related injury that was covered by the Inter-planetary Fund.

After removing his scrambled eye, Nanfeng placed it carefully in a box. After all, it cost more than a million yuan. Nanfeng had initially thought he would be able to use it until he was old. However, it was now damaged and couldn’t even be resold for much money. Nanfeng had no intention of selling it and decided to keep it as a memento.

When dawn broke, the sea surrounding the island had already been cleaned up. The Inter-planetary Fund personnel then started to restore the island.

Troops who had participated in this battle didn’t leave. They would continue to be stationed in the vicinity of the island until Little Bear left.

Fang Zhao let Yan Biao and Zuo Yu rest before looking towards Nanfeng. “Come with me.”

Nanfeng followed Fang Zhao to the study apprehensively.

“I didn’t want you to know about all of this,” Fang Zhao said. “I know you have your career plans. If you chose to leave, not knowing would be the best for you.”

Nanfeng actually had some grievances at first, but he understood what Fang Zhao meant. Knowing too much was dangerous. If he had wanted to just remain in the entertainment circles purely as a manager, not knowing all these secrets would be much easier.

But now, he was in the know and had personally witnessed all these. All he could say was that it was bad luck. If he had come during the day and left before it got dark as always, he would still be oblivious to it all.

Fang Zhao continued, “There are two contracts to choose from here. Think over them and make a choice. You can’t leave the island until you have made your choice.”

“Understood.” Nanfeng’s eyes well up and his voice became raspy. “Boss, I know you are doing this for my own good. I will contemplate seriously!”

Nanfeng brought both contracts to his own room and went through them seriously.

One consisted of “compensation for psychological damage and work-related injuries”. The compensation for psychological damage was understandable. Nanfeng had suffered a great shock last night which could very well leave a long-lasting psychological scar.

The compensation for work-related injuries was for Nanfeng to buy a new artificial eye to replace the damaged one. The sum was a lot. It was more than enough to get one that wasn’t any worse than the previous one.

Nanfeng was touched to tears when he saw the amount of compensation. While wiping away the snot from his nose, he flipped to the second agreement and continued to go through the written contents.

Nanfeng blinked several times, then reread every word carefully for fear that he was seeing things.

“M-Manager?”

I can convert?

Nanfeng was both delighted and at a loss.

Do I take the money, sign a confidentiality clause and leave? Or do I just sign the agreement to become a manager?

While at a loss, Nanfeng opened the electronic file of the letter he had saved. He looked through the contents in silence for some time, then clicked delete.

He wouldn’t have to use this anymore regardless of whichever choice he made.

Fang Zhao had given some time for Nanfeng to calm down and analyze the pros and cons before making the choice.

Nanfeng didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t leave the island now, nor did he have any other tasks. Nanfeng didn’t look at the chats on his communications device either and decided to head out for a walk to clear his head.

When he stepped out, he noticed that Yan Biao had just come out from his room as well.

“Not catching up on sleep?” Nanfeng asked.

Yan Biao shrugged. “I couldn’t fall asleep so I came out to take a look. How about yourself? What did Boss say to you? Are you still going to resign?”

Nanfeng shook his head. “Boss asked me to consider a few options. I also don’t know how to choose.”

“That’s fine. Calm down first and use your new outlook to make a career plan.” Yan Biao patted Nanfeng on the shoulder and looked towards the door. “If you are alright now, you can bring Curly Hair out for a walk around the island. Perhaps it can help you realize new things.”

Nanfeng… Nanfeng didn’t dare.

He had witnessed Curly Hair devouring humans last night. There was no way Nanfeng wouldn’t be afraid of being in close contact with such a dangerous creature. But when he thought about the manager agreement… Nanfeng thought, Why not give it a try?

He had to try it before knowing whether he could accept this position.

If he could withstand the pressure of walking this sort of dog, then it wouldn’t be much of a problem.

If he couldn’t accept it, then he could only choose the first contract and leave with the money.

Curly Hair was getting ready to head out when Nanfeng decided to come out. Fang Zhao had instructed Curly Hair to sweep the fringes of the island once. After he was done, he would be allowed to play games!

Nanfeng went up and stopped Curly Hair. He took a deep breath and mustered his courage. “Curl, Curly Hair! I’ll go together with you.”

Curly Hair thought about it. If he discovered anything, Nanfeng could be his witness.

“Alright, awoo! But you have to run faster!”

“Oh!”

Nanfeng glanced at the cupboard beside the door out of habit when he thought about walking the dog.

“There are Inter-planetary Fund personnel still near the island. We will need the leash…” Nanfeng suddenly realized he sounded stupid.

If Curly Hair wanted to bite someone, would a slender rope hold him back? He could bite through a mecha, let alone a leash!

As he glanced at the leash in the cupboard, Nanfeng felt that the leash was so brittle.

“Hurry up, Nanfeng!” Curly Hair urged from outside.

“Coming!”

Nanfeng could no longer be bothered with the leash and hurried out. He had to watch Curly Hair carefully and not let him bite other people.

Thus, Curly Hair scampered ahead while Nanfeng followed behind.

As he watched Curly Hair, Nanfeng was curious. How could a small dog like this become such a huge robotic monster? Was he an extraterrestrial breed? Or a product of Inter-planetary Fund experiments?

However, if he were the experimental product of Inter-planetary Fund research, then surely he wouldn’t be the only one. Furthermore, Fang Zhao already had Curly Hair before making a name for himself.

Did that mean Curly Hair was some unknown extraterrestrial life form?

The frightening scene of the huge robotic dog stomping on mechas flashed through his mind, and Nanfeng recalled some things that he had never noticed.

When Fang Zhao had moved into the new place, Nanfeng had bought an alloy chair capable of supporting the weight of an elephant as a gift for Fang Zhao. A few days later, that chair had been completely flattened. Nanfeng hadn’t thought too much about it, but now, he reckoned that it had been stomped on by the “dog”.

While on their rounds, they came across a small Inter-planetary Fund team responsible for restoring the island. Curly Hair immediately stuck out his tongue and started panting as though he was tired from all that running.

Nanfeng: “…”

I will no longer be deceived by this facade anymore!

An act! It’s all an act!

This dog had undergone advanced studies together with Fang Zhao at Huangzhou Academy of Art. However, while Fang Zhao had studied music, this dog had studied acting!

This dog acted very well at all times. Curly Hair could seamlessly switch between different personas. Even Nanfeng had been fooled!

After the Inter-planetary Fund personnel were out of sight, Curly Hair retracted his “tired dog” form and picked up speed.

“Curly Hair!” Nanfeng called out.

Curly Hair glanced over suspiciously. “Awoo?”

Although he found it rather awkward, Nanfeng’s nervousness receded slightly seeing that Curly Hair seemed easy to talk to.

“Don’t rush off. Let’s talk for a bit. Otherwise, we won’t get to chat anymore after I leave,” Nanfeng said.

Curly Hair was initially disgruntled at being called back, but he was shocked upon hearing the latter half.

His dog eyes shimmered with tears, and he whimpered reluctantly. “Don’t go, Nanfeng!”

If Nanfeng left and a new person was brought in, Curly Hair would have to act as a pet dog once again. Snacking would become harder, and he wouldn’t be able to game openly!

Nanfeng finally discovered the truth after great difficulty. How could he be allowed to leave just like that?!

Furthermore, Nanfeng was quick-witted, and Curly Hair could seek him out if there was something he required. Yan Biao and Zuo Yu weren’t as good as Nanfeng in this aspect!

Perhaps if Fang Zhao confiscated his game consoles again, Curly Hair could still use Nanfeng to satisfy his cravings in secret. That retro handheld console from Planet Yin came from Nanfeng’s contributions! And, he could play games while out on walks!

Meanwhile, in Nanfeng’s mind, Nanfeng was extremely touched.

Look! What a great dog!

Treating him well hasn’t been in vain!

This isn’t the reluctance of a pet to part with its owner. This is recognition of my ability!

This proves that my importance cannot be replaced!

Nanfeng’s self-confidence soared.

I, King Nanfeng, have come back to life!

The scales have tipped in my favor.

Becoming an official manager, standing even taller, higher wages, and even more pressure…

But, is there anything that comes without pressure? Pressure is proof of great responsibility!

Only this sort of job is fitting of I, King Nanfeng!

The word “Manager” is calling! My hot blood is soaring!

How exciting!

Besides, no matter what happens in future, I also have backers!

A superhuman boss, and an insanely powerful… dog.

Only

What else can faze me?!!

My outlook and perspective is no longer the same. Looking back, the me from last night is really too naive.

So what if I don’t have musical talent?

Can those with an academic background compare with me?!

Do they have as strong hearts as me?!

Are they as capable of walking a dog as me?!

Who can even compare to me?!!

Chapter 506: Alive After 500 Years

Even though Nanfeng had suffered many different shocks at once, he was able to get over them much faster than Yan Biao and Zuo Yu. Furthermore, his self-confidence was brimming.

Fang Zhao had given him time to consider. In two days, Nanfeng created his new Manager career plan.

He brought this career plan with him to seek out Fang Zhao and sign the second contract.

Stepping out of the house once again, Nanfeng gazed at the clouds in the distance and clenched his fist.

Yan Biao saw this and asked, “You signed as a manager?”

Nanfeng didn’t answer immediately and said, “Listen!”

“Listen to what?” Yan Biao asked.

“The sound of dreams being realized. It is really wondrous.”

“…As long as you are happy.”

Nanfeng smiled and looked around. “Where’s Curly Hair?”

“He’s been inside his room all this time.”

“How can a dog be a shut-in all the time?” Nanfeng felt something was amiss when he said that. If Curly Hair really wanted to go out, nobody could stop him unless the boss didn’t permit it.

“What happened? What is he doing in the room?” Nanfeng asked.

“Gaming. He played through the night again,” Yan Biao replied calmly

Nanfeng: ???

What sort of nonsense are you spewing?!

Nanfeng didn’t want to believe it, but this dog could become a robot monster and could talk. Being able to game… seemed acceptable?

Yan Biao felt pity for his comrade. On his first day in a new post, he received another psychological shock.

The next day, Yan Biao no longer felt this way.

Nanfeng was gaming together with Curly Hair, and they seemed to be having a lot of fun.

Yan Biao: “…”

Do people capable of becoming managers have such hearts of steel?!

Besides the matter with Curly Hair, Nanfeng also learned of the existence of Little Bear and now knew that the island had been attacked because of this individual.

When Curly Hair was gaming, Little Bear would come over and drag Fang Zhao to catch up on dramas together. Since everyone in the house already knew of his existence, he wasn’t willing to spend all his time hiding in the underground room.

A month later, Inter-planetary Fund personnel came over to pick up Little Bear.

The Inter-planetary Fund’s highest authority Yu Hua had come personally.

Yu Hua smiled as she shook Fang Zhao’s hands and expressed her sincerity. “Thank you for your hard work!”

Whether it had been saving Yuan Zheng on Planet Yin back then or protecting Little Bear this time, Fang Zhao had done a great deal for the Outer Space Immigration Plan and the future of interstellar travel.

Yu Hua dismissed Little Bear to play by himself elsewhere so she could speak to Fang Zhao in private.

Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao also took the initiative to give the two some private space. The things discussed between big shots would surely be highly confidential. The three of them understood that the more they knew, the more pressure they would have.

Curly Hair scrutinized both people, then returned to his room to game. He knew he would have to start lessons and tests again once the Inter-planetary Fund people left. His unrestricted play time was coming to an end, so he had to play as much as he could now!

In the study, Yu Hua and Fang Zhao were the only ones there.

Before Little Bear was sent to the island, Fang Zhao had told Yu Hua in their long-distance call that he would protect Little Bear. And, once the matter concluded, Yu Hua would tell Fang Zhao about herself and her family’s origins.

Fang Zhao had never once let his guard down with regards to these visitors from beyond the stars.

Yu Hua scrutinized Fang Zhao. When she first met Fang Zhao at the beginning, she only viewed Fang Zhao as a junior to be given much encouragement. Now, she treated Fang Zhao as a peer of the same level. They both were extraordinary. Her forebears had different genes, whereas Fang Zhao changed through external factors. The two of them each had their own secrets.

She took the cup of tea Fang Zhao handed over and smiled mildly. “Just as you guessed, my Grandfather, who everyone knows as ‘Great Master Hengxin’ is indeed not from this planet. He is from a distant stellar system…

“He came here by chance and had no way of returning. Therefore, until he passed, he devoted his fullest efforts towards interstellar travel-related technology. He also cooperated with the native military to harness power ore for warp engines…”

Nobody would have imagined that the godly engineer and research fanatic everyone called “Great Master Hengxin” was actually an alien. His experiments had brought him to a remote place that he had no way of returning from. Thus, he had no choice but to make contact with the natives and impart space flight technology to them.

“There were also seven super intelligent robots that came together with Grandfather. These were his work assistants. They are different from the A.I. that most people are familiar with. Their intelligence levels are much higher. You can just treat them as another type of human. Little Bear is one of them.

“The superintelligences could follow orders, but they also knew how to defy them. After my grandfather passed, six of the superintelligences started to diverge, and there was a defection. The Inter-planetary Fund suffered great losses, and the research on warp engines stalled. Fortunately, there were quite a number of talents who had been groomed. Although they lacked the specialized core guidance, they were still able to sustain the project at that time. Although progress was slow, any progress was still a good thing. That was… until you discovered the Alkaid.

“Of the seven superintelligences, only Little Bear was left. This was because the Alkaid had encountered malfunctions and was uncontactable. However, it turned out to be the best of all the misfortunes. Because, with his return, the new generation of warp engines has arrived two decades earlier than original estimates.

“Although those six superintelligent robots are gone, their navigation cores still exist. These cores can’t be replicated with current technological standards. Many years ago, Tomorrow’s Empire took advantage of the chaos to snatch one away. They hid the core very well, and we had our misgivings. This was also the reason why the Inter-planetary Fund never made any move against them all this while. However, after Little Bear returned, finding these navigation cores became much easier. Therefore, we snatched it back this time.”

Yu Hua recounted this story in a calm fashion. However, the scenes this little island experienced meant that it wasn’t difficult to imagine how much more intense the fighting at the main battlefield was. There was payback for the animosity of the past and present. The Inter-planetary Fund had combined with the military for an all-out offensive this time. Even if the Tomorrow’s Empire wasn’t completely wiped out, they had definitely been dealt a mortal blow.

At this point, Yu Hua glanced at Fang Zhao with a serious expression. “Before my grandfather passed, he told me something. ‘We are staying here, and we didn’t come to trample over their home.’ My grandmother is a native, and my father was also born on this planet. Therefore, to us, this is also our home planet.”

“What about you? Where were you born?” Fang Zhao asked.

“Planet Yin. The discovery of Planet Yin was actually made much earlier than the public date. At that time, our Inter-planetary Fund and the military joined hands to establish a base on Planet Yin. I was born there and looked after by a robot nanny. This went on until I was three and accidentally ripped the arms of a cleaning robot off. Thus, my grandfather brought me to his side and guided me personally. Later, he announced that I would be his successor in the Inter-planetary Fund.”

Fang Zhao: “…” That was a lot of information.

Yu Hua’s tone flattened. “It was because he did gene testing and discovered that I was the strongest in the family and capable of living the longest.”

Fang Zhao: “….”

“Our future plans include reconstructing navigation cores. When warp engines reach a certain level, that will be when we truly realize interstellar flight and will be able to travel even further.”

Fang Zhao was very concerned about this matter. “How long will the reconstruction of cores take?”

“There’s no definite answer. It might be several decades or possibly over a century.”

Fang Zhao fell silent for a moment, then smiled. “I hope that the speed of your success will be swifter than my aging.”

…

Little Bear was really reluctant when it was time to leave. “Must I return to work now?”

Yu Hua smiled at him but didn’t say anything.

Little Bear then glanced at Fang Zhao. “Brother Zhao, do you want to sell that rabbit? It can light up and even give early warnings!”

Fang Zhao knew that Little Bear was talking about the sea slug. “Is it convenient for you to keep it there?”

“Of course, of course! I have a huge pond. I can remodel it into an aquarium.”

In the water tank, the two “rabbit ears” of the sea slug fluttered back and forth with the ripples of the current as if it was sending a greeting.

Fang Zhao picked up the water tank and brought it over. “You can have it.”

A pair of fair hands reached out and accepted it. “Thank you.”

Little Bear’s outstretched hands stopped in mid air and he turned his head towards Yu Hua.

Yu Hua held the water tank in one hand and patted Little Bear’s head with the other. “We should go.”

Fang Zhao then said, “This sea slug is a man-made organism. The breeder didn’t fully uncover all its secrets. All that is known is that it has a strong survivability and a high level of toxicity. It’s best to lock the water tank tightly. It knows how to ‘jailbreak’, so you two should pay more attention to it.”

When it was kept here, Fang Zhao always had to worry whether it would ‘jailbreak’, escape to the ocean and wreck the food chain and ecosystem. He wouldn’t need to worry as much if it was brought to Planet Yin. It would die if it broke free there.

Little Bear pledged, “I will look after it well! I will send updates of it everyday!”

Fang Zhao: “That won’t be necessary.”

“I have to! I have to! When the time comes, I will make a robot A.I. sea slug and send it to you!”

Little Bear hugged Fang Zhao and badgered him for an autographed photo of them together before he reluctantly left

When the house was out of sight, Little Bear asked Yu Hua. “Fang Zhao is very concerned with the spaceflight project.”

Yu Hua nodded. “Yes, he even said that he hopes our success will be swifter than his aging.”

Little Bear sighed. “Humans here start to decline after they are over a hundred. The natives here have different genes and live very short lives. Can we even be certain that we can accomplish this within a hundred years? I can’t even determine how much time I would need to decipher the core and reconstruct it. Even if five generations of warp engines are achieved and interstellar space ships are constructed, we still won’t be able travel far without getting lost if the core isn’t reconstructed.”

“He might not necessarily have any significant changes after a hundred years,” Yu Hua said.

“Really? Then how much longer can he live?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’ll still be around in 500 years.” Yu Hua smiled and pulled Little Bear to the flying transport.

The personnel from the Inter-planetary Fund withdrew completely.

Restoration of the island was complete. Even if outsiders came, they wouldn’t know that a fierce battle had taken place here.

As participants of the battle, Nanfeng, Zuo Yu and Yan Biao had received gifts from the Inter-planetary Fund.

The Inter-planetary Fund had given Nanfeng a new eye. All he needed to do was head to the hospital to install and activate it.

Nanfeng giggled sheepishly as he caressed his new eyeball.

The Inter-planetary Fund’s technological level had always been at the forefront. However, their products were usually for the military. It wasn’t easy for most people to obtain them.

Everything has turned out for the best!

Nanfeng was delighted. He wasn’t even envious when he saw the exoskeleton suits for Yan Biao and Zuo Yu.

Who cares about exoskeletons? I have Curly Hair!

Chapter 507: (END) - I Came From The Past, And I Belong To The Past (END)

Half a year later, the first successful batch of applicants to the Outer Space Immigration Plan was announced. During this time, the whole matter hadn’t cooled at all. Every corner of each continent was stirring excitedly and restlessly.

Netizens would discuss this topic every day when they were online. On the other hand, companies were still trying to capture the markets. Companies that had once said they wouldn’t need brand ambassadors now regularly invited celebrities for both online and offline activities in order to boost their brand recognition.

The general public felt that companies that could mobilize the most celebrities and experts were more prestigious.

These six months were very favorable to celebrities throughout all continents. Even those who had faded from the public eye also experienced a second spring.

As the Public Safety Bureau’s publicity representative and ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Program, Fang Zhao never once faded from the public’s view. Although he didn’t accept a single invitation for any commercial activity, people still saw him when they took public transport, watched videos or visited places of entertainment.

Now, Fang Zhao’s only billboard endorsements were for Fiery Bird’s earphones and game consoles.

As the brand ambassador for the Diting series of earphones and 10th generation game console, Fang Zhao helped shoot a few commercials. Fiery Bird broke sales records and laughed all the way to the bank.

Final results for the Outer Space Immigration applicants had been released. Some people were excited. while others worried. But, as a whole, this was a good thing. It would forever be engraved in their memories.

Television stations from all continents, large broadcasting platforms and private media firms all started to follow-up a week before the first immigration ship was scheduled to take off. On the day of launch, everyone was fighting to publish news.

Yanzhou.

At the ground floor of an apartment complex, a youngster dragged his luggage out of an old and rundown elevator. He was holding onto live broadcast equipment at the same time.

“Hello, everyone! This is your host, Little Bug. I am setting off already!”

Nowadays, livestream host Little Bug had a neat, glowing appearance. Even his fingernails were neatly trimmed. Only his old fans would be able to recognize him as the host who always referred to himself as “lowly”.

This person had undergone a 180 degree turn. On the day he received the news that he had passed the audit, he had bawled his heart out before hundreds of thousands of viewers on his livestream. Following that, his outlook and attitude was no longer the same.

Little Bug dragged his luggage out of the murky shadows of the apartment complex. “I am moving! I submitted an application for welfare housing after my audit results came back, and it has already been approved. At least, I don’t have to worry about not having a place to stay or having to be in a dormitory. I also applied for a job and passed that audit too. Now, I just have to go for an interview there…

“Right now, I am heading to the district’s gathering point, where I’ll meet with others to go to the station. There, we’ll take flying transport to Yanzhou Spaceport. I heard that Fang Zhao is also headed there today. After we are done with the procedures at the spaceport, we might be lucky enough to get photos and autographs with him!”

As he walked along the pathway of the black streets, Little Bug glanced up at the crack of bright blue in between all the skyscrapers that reached beyond the clouds. This was the last time he would be seeing the sky in this manner.

The breeze brought the stale and putrid smell, but Little Bug’s outlook was completely different already.

Little Bug smiled and increased his pace. He spoke to his livestream viewers, “I see the gathering point! So many cars… Later on, everyone in our continent’s first batch will gather at Yanzhou Spaceport for identity verification. I’ll be busy later, so I’m stopping my livestream here. Everyone can watch the official live broadcast. This migration will be officially broadcast live~~~

“So, everyone, see you guys tomorrow on home number two!”

After shutting down the live stream, Little Bug went to register at the district’s gathering point before heading to the designated waiting room.

“Above the Blue Dome of Heaven” was being shown on screens in the waiting room. Currently, the series was in its second season, and many people watched it.

Everyone thought that the first season was already good, but when the second season came out, it received even better reviews, especially for its music. Streaming numbers for the second seasons were significantly higher than the first’s.

The first season couldn’t even be considered bad. The accompaniment music was interesting and infectious. Anyone hearing it would have an impression of it for some time. However, it wasn’t long lasting, and most people forgot it within a month. On the other hand, people actively searched for the second season’s accompaniment music online to save it.

Little Bug’s own music playlist for his lifestyle was filled with Fang Zhao’s pieces, ranging from old works to the current ones from the second season.

After waiting for some time in the waiting room, Little Bug was directed to board the vehicle.

He wasn’t looking at the screen, but the music continued to play in his mind.

The flowing sounds of strings combined with the piano’s layered notes to depict faraway stars.

In the quiet universe, glassy nebulae revolved rhythmically.

Tiny drum beats that pounded to the starry rhythm gradually became more distinct and persistent.

They broke through fogs and clouds.

The glorious lights overwrote the past with each new ray.

The mood became brighter with the added sunlight.

Their footsteps picked up more spring with the awe-inspiring emotional music.

Little Bug and others got aboard the leaving cars. Their apprehension gradually died down as they watched the tall apartment blocks gradually get smaller and the sky become brighter and clearer.

“Spaciousness feels really great.”

He wasn’t gifted nor a genius. He was just an ordinary person, but when he heard Fang Zhao’s music, he felt that he could become whoever he wanted.

Therefore…

“I really freaking love Fang Zhao!”

——

A certain hotel in Yanzhou, Qi’an City.

A proud Nanfeng was informing Fang Zhao of the upcoming arrangements.

He was no longer acting confident to maintain his image. Right now, he truly looked as though nothing in the world could faze him. Nanfeng himself reckoned that was the case too.

Many people who knew the Nanfeng of the past were very shocked by this change. They didn’t understand how he could have changed this much in such a short time.

When asked, Nanfeng would casually chuckle and joke with them.

Before, Nanfeng felt light and airy whenever he was praised. Now, he was unaffected by others’ flattery.

Others felt that he was pretentious.

Nanfeng… didn’t know whether he was being pretentious.

But, he was certain of one thing. In their little troupe, his status was slightly higher than Yan Biao or Zuo Yu’s.

“… At nine o’clock, Yanzhou Television Station interview…

“From ten to twelve, publicity representatives of the twelve continents’ space ports will have an online dialogue session and answer questions…

“The motorcade heads to Yanzhou Spaceport at two in the afternoon…

“At 3.30…

“At 4…

“Ships leave the spaceports at 5…

“You have a spaceport press conference at 8PM Yanzhou time. There will be a comprehensive live broadcast of this…”

Nanfeng went on to explain the remaining work arrangements for today, including some fine tuning of the schedule.

“Boss, you only have two hours in the afternoon to eat and rest. I’ll make sure this time stays clear of anyone or anything. Make the fullest of the rest time as it will get very busy after that. Also, you will need to see the stylist before leaving for the events in the late afternoon.”

“I’ll be heading out in the afternoon,” Fang Zhao said.

Nanfeng was taken aback but didn’t press for answers. “Then… shall I arrange a car?”

“No need, I will go out alone. You look after Curly Hair.”

Nanfeng understood that this was a private matter and Fang Zhao didn’t want anyone following him.

“Alright!”

Fang Zhao wanted to head out alone in the afternoon and wasn’t even bringing Curly Hair along. Nanfeng could only… play games together with Curly Hair.

After completing the morning’s work and having his lunch, Fang Zhao drove away from the hotel in an inconspicuous car.

As he passed the black street he had once lived in, Fang Zhao stopped his car for a bit.

Afternoon sunlight passing through the criss-crossed installations from above resulted in fragmented spots of light hitting the bottom of the black street.

A group of children playing around enviously eyed the flying cars above that were taking off.

“My mom says that we’ll be in the next batch to relocate!”

“My dad said it as well! Our entire family will be moving!”

“I heard our new home has vast grasslands. It won’t hurt to fall down there!”

The group of children shrieked excitedly and discussed whatever information they each heard.

Fang Zhao smiled and drove off. He soon arrived at the Yanzhou Cemetery for Martyrs and walked into the cemetery.

The cemetery guards here were already accustomed to the sight of Fang Zhao. They wouldn’t necessarily recognize the really popular celebrities, but they definitely knew Fang Zhao very well.

The first time they saw Fang Zhao here, the cemetery guards had thought that he was a dangerous person.

Afterwards, as Fang Zhao became increasingly popular, many of Fang Zhao’s songs were stored in their individual music playlists. They had also watched “Founding Era”, which Fang Zhao had acted in. However, their deepest impression stemmed from Fang Zhao visiting at least once every year.

However, on such a day and at this time, why had Fang Zhao come over? He was the ambassador of the Outer Space Immigration Program and was definitely really busy right now. Furthermore, he would have officially been invited to participate in the activities today. Why had he come over to the Cemetery of Martyrs at a time when the entire world had their attention of the first batch of Outer Space immigrants?

Because it was such a special time on a special day, the cemetery was practically devoid of tourists and people paying their respects. It was empty and very quiet.

There was a routine ID verification and registration.

The guards on duty were curious and asked Fang Zhao, “Why have you come here today? Looking for inspiration again?”

Fang Zhao nodded with a smile but didn’t say anything else.

“Alright, you musicians are indeed different from the masses.”

Fang Zhao walked past many other gravestones and arrived at his own. He brushed away the fine dust on the gravestone and sat down before it.

If each gravestone was a star, that era would also have been resplendent.

The exhausting rhythm of despair seemed to have been a very long time ago.

Fang Zhao looked up at the azure blue sky as if his gaze could see through the atmosphere towards faraway stars.

For the countless stars in the vast universe, everything that happened wasn’t new to them. Dynasties rose and fell. Golden ages came and went. Life and death meant nothing to them.

This planet beneath his feet was but a mere speck of dust in the vast cosmos. Only people who had lived on its surface would know its importance.

But now, humankind had already flown out from this little rock.

“Take off,” Fang Zhao muttered.

In the distance, ships were leaving, and the hums of engines gradually died down.

At the space station orbiting earth, huge transport crafts berthed at the side were about to embark on a voyage to faraway destinations.

More and more people would forget the scars of those arduous hundred years.

No longer would they have to worry about another apocalypse.

Perhaps one day in the future, everyone would forget this planet that had nurtured countless human lives.

The scars of those hundred years would only exist in the dust-covered annals of history.

Maybe in the distant future, those hundred years would just be summarized in a simple sentence.

Or perhaps, there would be people that would remember the resplendent stars of that era on certain dim and starless nights.

However, the era belonging to us has finally passed.

I came from the past, and I belong to the past.

Fang Zhao sat there in silence for quite some time. Finally, he got up and gazed at the rows of ash-colored gravestones before turning to leave.

…

In the hotel room, Nanfeng was playing games with Curly Hair. From time to time, he would glance at the electronic clock at the side. Boss, hurry up and return! We have to get you stage-ready!

————

(END)

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The New World after the End of the Old

Chapter 2: Black Stree
Chapter 3: Your Friend Has Made I
Chapter 4: Virtual Idols
Chapter 5: New Talent Competition
Chapter 6: Brainstorming
Chapter 7: Qualification
Chapter 8: Awoken by Coolness

Chapter 9: So That’s the Kind of Little Secretary You Are

Chapter 10: Crowded Ou
Chapter 11: Overtaken
Chapter 12: The Shelved Virtual Projec
Chapter 13: I'll Leave This Mission to You

Chapter 14: Don’t Set the Bar Too High, Young Man

Chapter 15: Do You Follow Pop Stars?
Chapter 16: Graduation
Chapter 17: Creativity
Chapter 18: Longxiang Tianluo
Chapter 19: Professional Extra
Chapter 20: One Freak Dubbing for Another
Chapter 21: Step Aside

Chapter 22: What Do You Think About When You're Acting?

Chapter 23: My Version, My Rules
Chapter 24: You're F*cking Messing with Me
Chapter 25: Yanzhou Derby
Chapter 26: First in History
Chapter 27: Gold Brick Road
Chapter 28: Upstairs for a Meeting
Chapter 29: The Label Prizes Its Best Talen
Chapter 30: We're Rich Now
Chapter 31: It Can't Be Him
Chapter 32: Killing by Flattery
Chapter 33: Expansion
Chapter 34: He's Panicking
Chapter 35: Comeback?
Chapter 36: Bringing Out the Big Guns
Chapter 37: Fiery Bird
Chapter 38: Second Movement: "Cocoon Breach"
Chapter 39: Haven't Heard of a Single One
Chapter 40: Pushing Back

Chapter 41: The Assigned Topic Is Over Our Heads

Chapter 42: It's Actually a Real Photo
Chapter 43: Serendipitous Indeed
Chapter 44: Such a Bully
Chapter 45: Don't Be Afraid
Chapter 46: Coffee
Chapter 47: Home Purchase
Chapter 48: An Order from Another Continen
Chapter 49: From Whence the Gumption
Chapter 50: This Mofo Ain't Backing Down

Chapter 51: Exam Time for Secondary Students Again

Chapter 52: Third Movement: "Mission"
Chapter 53: Great Grandfather
Chapter 54: Anguished Tears
Chapter 55: What Is the Title?
Chapter 56: Battle for the Composition
Chapter 57: Battle Date
Chapter 58: Ten Military Postings
Chapter 59: Arrested
Chapter 60: Sideshow
Chapter 61: His Own Grave

Chapter 62: Where Have They Seen This Name Before

Chapter 63: Immortality
Chapter 64: Custom-Made Invitation
Chapter 65: Going Back
Chapter 66: Candy
Chapter 67: You Are Also Children
Chapter 68: Winging I
Chapter 69: The Odd Great-Grandson
Chapter 70: Wait till You Are Well-Known
Chapter 71: Is That You?
Chapter 72: Fourth Movement: "Eternal"
Chapter 73: Unexpected Foreign Aid
Chapter 74: The Real Composer
Chapter 75: How Scary
Chapter 76: Evidence
Chapter 77: The Decision
Chapter 78: Heading Out to Gather Materials

Chapter 79: Landowners Are Very Much Like Dogs

Chapter 80: Play a Little?
Chapter 81: Winning
Chapter 82: Really Don't Have One
Chapter 83: It's from Kowtowing
Chapter 84: My Boss Is a Crazy Fellow
Chapter 85: This Is I
Chapter 86: Cash or Console?
Chapter 87: On Account of Your Forehead
Chapter 88: Master Zhao
Chapter 89: The Styles of Most Dogs
Chapter 90: Collecting Materials
Chapter 91: Dongshan
Chapter 92: Little Pet Dog

Chapter 93: New Voices in Symphonic Composition

Chapter 94: See Fang Zhao
Chapter 95: Live Broadcast Lesson
Chapter 96: Global Lecture Tour
Chapter 97: Complete
Chapter 98: Publicity Film "Chasing Wind"
Chapter 99: Takeoff

Chapter 100: The Dog with a Value of 50 Million

Chapter 101: Ambassador, an Even More Natural Image

Chapter 102: The Person Behind
Chapter 103: The Only Non-Human
Chapter 104: You Have Too Few Expressions
Chapter 105: Strictest Lockdown Day

Chapter 106: Possession of Dangerous Materials

Chapter 107: Star-Studded Gathering

Chapter 108: Really, What Sort of Dog Is This?

Chapter 109: Not for Sale
Chapter 110: What Happened That Day
Chapter 111: Coincidence?
Chapter 112: We Are in the Same Boa
Chapter 113: Tools from the Old Era

Chapter 114: Your Express Delivery Is Arriving

Chapter 115: Astonishing Adaptability
Chapter 116: Your Boss... Is Still Your Boss
Chapter 117: Black T-Rex
Chapter 118: Who Is That Lunatic
Chapter 119: What's His Background?
Chapter 120: Overtaking
Chapter 121: Bullying Kids
Chapter 122: Who Do You Think You Are
Chapter 123: Bring It On

Chapter 124: Boss, Don't Be Scared; We'll Cover You

Chapter 125: Immortal! Let's Drink, Old Friends

Chapter 126: If You Don't Listen to Your Elders, Log Off and Wai

Chapter 127: Sorry, Too Immersed in

Chapter 128: God Knows What We Just Experienced

Chapter 129: SilverWing50PolarLigh

Chapter 130: You Guys Are Up To Something Again

Chapter 131: Crazy Killstealing Demon
Chapter 132: Please Let Us Off
Chapter 133: Morning, Boss
Chapter 134: Pry Away the Foundations
Chapter 135: Downright Masterful!
Chapter 136: What Is He Playing A
Chapter 137: The King Summons
Chapter 138: Just Fight Again

Chapter 139: Report at Silver Wing Tower 50th Floor Tomorrow

Chapter 140: That's Me

Chapter 141: Eight Successive Bombshells

Chapter 142: The Distance Between Virtual and Reality

Chapter 143: A Reporter That Separated Himself from the Inferior Ones

Chapter 144: I Know Who You Are
Chapter 145: It's Really the Same Person
Chapter 146: Young Man, Stop Being So Solemn
Chapter 147: Such a Great Generation Gap
Chapter 148: Sketchy at First Glance
Chapter 149: Reference Book Taking Human Form
Chapter 150: Follow the Rhythm, Move About!
Chapter 151: Yanzhou's Shadowless Hands
Chapter 152: Improvised Quarrel
Chapter 153: Boss, You Made The Headlines
Chapter 154: God's Domain

Chapter 155: Show Me Your Fastest Strumming Speed

Chapter 156: Most Valuable Grave
Chapter 157: Letting Go
Chapter 158: Nostalgic Trend
Chapter 159: Fiery Bird Annual Gala Invite
Chapter 160: "Kings of the Battlefield"
Chapter 161: Arriving at Imperial City
Chapter 162: You Are AliveAfter500Years?
Chapter 163: Resplendent Night of Stars
Chapter 164: How Can This Be?!
Chapter 165: Give Everyone a Chance
Chapter 166: Please Do Not Show Mercy
Chapter 167: Evaluation Without Question
Chapter 168: Pure Slander
Chapter 169: Temporary Withdrawal
Chapter 170: Diehard Fan
Chapter 171: Not Worth I
Chapter 172: No Way of Explaining
Chapter 173: Live Broadcas

Chapter 174: It Still Has This Sort of Function?

Chapter 175: Rise in Value

Chapter 176: Sir, Could I Trouble You for an Autograph?

Chapter 177: Selecting the Most Difficult Applications

Chapter 178: Choice
Chapter 179
Chapter 180: Service with Funding
Chapter 181: Worst Luck

Chapter 182: The Middle-Aged/Senior Demographic

Chapter 183: Flying to the Heavens
Chapter 184: Unique Treasure
Chapter 185: Healthy Appetite
Chapter 186: Adapting Well
Chapter 187: Only He Can Eat I

Chapter 188: The More You Eat, the Less Scary They Become

Chapter 189: S5 Is Real Special
Chapter 190: Ratings System
Chapter 191: Mining Is a Technical Job
Chapter 192: It's Really Not Deliberate!
Chapter 193: Grade A Power
Chapter 194: I Have Good Hearing

Chapter 195: Entire Planet's Most Precious Ears

Chapter 196: Fang "Diting" Zhao

Chapter 197: Naming

Chapter 198: Why Don't You Come Farming with Me

Chapter 199: Purely Natural Energy-Saving Lamp

Chapter 200: Unpresentable
Chapter 201: Our Muzhou Blood
Chapter 202: Breaking through the Soil
Chapter 203: Transfer Over
Chapter 204: Showing Off Gunplay?
Chapter 205: Attack
Chapter 206: Raging Fury
Chapter 207: How Can It Be Him
Chapter 208: I Disagree
Chapter 209: Blind
Chapter 210: No Interes
Chapter 211: Virtual vs. Reality
Chapter 212: Meritorious Deeds?
Chapter 213: New Bodyguard
Chapter 214: Promotion
Chapter 215: Power of an Idol
Chapter 216: Fang Zhao Style
Chapter 217: Military District Established
Chapter 218: Broken Teeth
Chapter 219: Auction Item
Chapter 220: High Valuation
Chapter 221: I Want That Tooth
Chapter 222: First Lo
Chapter 223: Crazy
Chapter 224: Hundred-Billion-Dollar Auction
Chapter 225: Auction Outcome
Chapter 226: Zaro Is Coming
Chapter 227: Please Call Me Smiling Angel
Chapter 228: Life Ark
Chapter 229: Investmen
Chapter 230: Collaborating to Purchase Land
Chapter 231: Riding Coattails
Chapter 232: Why Not Raise the Stakes
Chapter 233: Cultural Film Base
Chapter 234: Grabbing Land
Chapter 235: Hurry Up and Return
Chapter 236: Friggin' Spicy
Chapter 237: The Most Expensive Pe
Chapter 238: Imperial Palace
Chapter 239: Why Is He Everywhere
Chapter 240: Flash Mob
Chapter 241: Appreciate
Chapter 242: Dual Function Base
Chapter 243: Revolutionary Projec
Chapter 244: Bookworm
Chapter 245: Fang-Style Cursive
Chapter 246: Protection-Fee Collectors
Chapter 247: Those Things About Great Persons
Chapter 248: My Idol Is a Man of Many Talents
Chapter 249: Idio

Chapter 250: Swatting a Fly with a Baseball Ba

Chapter 251: Spotted a Suspicious Person

Chapter 252: Ear Value Rising Again

Chapter 253: Who to Play the Role of "Fang Zhao"

Chapter 254: Transferring Duty
Chapter 255: Blackmail
Chapter 256: Brother Zhao
Chapter 257: Stealing the Show
Chapter 258: Golden Paws
Chapter 259: Unspeakable Secre
Chapter 260: Concert Ticket Advance Sales 1
Chapter 261: Concert Tickets Advance Sales 2
Chapter 262: "Diting" Series
Chapter 263: He Is My Older Bro
Chapter 264: "Intrusion"
Chapter 265: Advice
Chapter 266: Paving the Way
Chapter 267: Gathering Together
Chapter 268: Concert 1
Chapter 269: Concert 2
Chapter 270: Concert End
Chapter 271: "Idiot" Companies
Chapter 272: Pet Archives
Chapter 273: Extremely Fierce
Chapter 274: Ferocious Beasts Inside
Chapter 275: Global Pet Value Char
Chapter 276: We Meet Again

Chapter 277: Esteemed Guest Award Presentation

Chapter 278: A Hazard Has Arrived
Chapter 279: This Matter, Should We Do I
Chapter 280: What Is He up to Again
Chapter 281: Poisoned
Chapter 282: Exactly the Same
Chapter 283: Making a Casual Police Repor
Chapter 284: Plea for Help
Chapter 285: Exper
Chapter 286: Director Sighted
Chapter 287: You Are...
Chapter 288: Given an Opportunity
Chapter 289: Who Is This?
Chapter 290: Committee of 100
Chapter 291: Number Seven
Chapter 292: Vote Results
Chapter 293: He Is Just a Kid
Chapter 294: Violent Battering
Chapter 295: Belief
Chapter 296: Bad Luck!
Chapter 297: Inferior to a Dog
Chapter 298: Thigh Hugging
Chapter 299: Takeout Delivery Man

Chapter 300: I Won't Seek Him Out Even If It Kills Me!

Chapter 301: Premiere
Chapter 302: Starting at the Apex
Chapter 303: Immense Pressure Too

Chapter 304: Innate Talent That Isn't too Mainstream

Chapter 305: Stage Name
Chapter 306: When in Doubt, Call Fang Zhao
Chapter 307: Train?

Chapter 308: A Pot Falls from the Sky While One Sits at Home.

Chapter 309: Magical Object Diting Z Series
Chapter 310: Fan Base
Chapter 311: Zaro + Garlic

Chapter 312: Standing on the Shoulders of a Gian

Chapter 313: Troublemaking Hands
Chapter 314: That Is My Wife
Chapter 315: You Are?
Chapter 316: He Really Composed This Himself?
Chapter 317: How Do You Wish to Die?
Chapter 318: Super-Huge Bento Box
Chapter 319: I'm Not Talking about You
Chapter 320: You Can't Bring the Dog Away
Chapter 321: Wrap Banque
Chapter 322: The Disappearing Bulle
Chapter 323: The Dog That Eats Anything
Chapter 324: Really Divine Ears
Chapter 325: Death Penalty!
Chapter 326: It's Over!
Chapter 327: This Life of Mine

Chapter 328: Where Did You Get This Self-Confidence

Chapter 329: God-Level Advanced Course
Chapter 330: Doubting One's Own Existence
Chapter 331: Balance between Work and Res
Chapter 332: Preliminary Exam
Chapter 333: Good-Luck Charm
Chapter 334: Finishing Early

Chapter 335: You Absolutely Musn't Misunderstand

Chapter 336: All the Rage
Chapter 337: You Are Going to Keep a Dog?
Chapter 338: Can't Even Afford a Dog
Chapter 339: New Assistan
Chapter 340: Boss, Rest Easy and Allow Me!
Chapter 341: Can I Touch?
Chapter 342: High-Pressure Assistantship
Chapter 343: Compulsory Exam Question
Chapter 344: Prize Notification
Chapter 345: It's Watching Me
Chapter 346: Gift from a Kid
Chapter 347: A Kindly Smile
Chapter 348: Realizing a Short-Term Goal
Chapter 349: "My Neighbor"
Chapter 350: Alien
Chapter 351: Borrowing a Dog
Chapter 352: Film Festival
Chapter 353: Arrival
Chapter 354: Preferences
Chapter 355: Can Ea
Chapter 356: This Story Is Purely Fiction
Chapter 357: Life on the Rebound
Chapter 358: Don't Ask Me
Chapter 359: Model Studen
Chapter 360: Junior Disciple
Chapter 361: It Is Fang Zhao
Chapter 362: Gala Kickoff
Chapter 363: Red Carpet Partner
Chapter 364: Boiling
Chapter 365: Defection!
Chapter 366: Bragging Rights
Chapter 367: Award Winning
Chapter 368: Him Again
Chapter 369: "High-Class Face"
Chapter 370: Dog Gamer
Chapter 371: Are You Asking For a Beating?
Chapter 372: Doubting One's Existence
Chapter 373: This Kid
Chapter 374: Brother, Run?
Chapter 375: Little Puppy
Chapter 376: So Small and So Obedien
Chapter 377: Finally Comprehended
Chapter 378: What Exactly Am I Rearing
Chapter 379: Team of Fools
Chapter 380: The Only Appointed Gues
Chapter 381: Heading Out to Gather Materials
Chapter 382: Cherishing The Young
Chapter 383: Program Team Scammed Me!
Chapter 384: Pes
Chapter 385: Enjoying In Spite Of Suffering
Chapter 386: Causing Trouble
Chapter 387: Discovery
Chapter 388: Unearthing a Treasure
Chapter 389: Planet Bu's Opportunity
Chapter 390: Program Broadcast Begins
Chapter 391: Superintelligence
Chapter 392: Little Riches
Chapter 393: Superfanboy
Chapter 394: Crazy Test-Loving Monster
Chapter 395: Celebrity Popularity Char
Chapter 396: Bomber
Chapter 397: The Most Dangerous Person
Chapter 398: Don't Worry Elder Nephew
Chapter 399: Lapse And Let It Rip
Chapter 400: Too Frightening
Chapter 401: Song In The Nigh
Chapter 402: Which is More Important?
Chapter 403: Draft Notice
Chapter 404: Fight! Started!
Chapter 405: Done It For Real
Chapter 406: Why Don't You Try Touching?
Chapter 407: Tune
Chapter 408: This Can't Be Eaten
Chapter 409: Graceful Scaling
Chapter 410: Those Ears Of His
Chapter 411: Mild?
Chapter 412: It Knows
Chapter 413: Where Is The Person?
Chapter 414: Only Eats Dog Food
Chapter 415: My Little Zhao Ah
Chapter 416: Afraid of Dogs
Chapter 417: Are You Even Human!
Chapter 418: A New Year, A Change In Fortunes
Chapter 419: Ferocious Beasts Inside
Chapter 420: He. Finally. Talked!
Chapter 421: Paramour In A Golden Mansion
Chapter 422: Stupid News
Chapter 423: Guard Dog
Chapter 424: Antique
Chapter 425: Dream

Chapter 426: Why Are You Playing The Guitar In The Middle Of The Night?!!

Chapter 427: Poisonous!
Chapter 428: Purpose Of A Dog's Life
Chapter 429: When A Dog Can Talk
Chapter 430: Online Classes
Chapter 431: I'm Not Afraid!
Chapter 432: My Father Is Fang Zhao
Chapter 433: Irresponsible Paren
Chapter 434: Invitation Accepted
Chapter 435: Insane Luck
Chapter 436: This Tempo Isn't Righ
Chapter 437: It's Fang Zhao
Chapter 438: Biased!
Chapter 439: Intense Acting Skills Curls
Chapter 440: Value Rise Yet Again
Chapter 441: Old Friend
Chapter 442: Graduation Concer
Chapter 443: "Ocean Of Stars"
Chapter 444: A Monster Is Hidden Within
Chapter 445: Limitless Future
Chapter 446: Graduation

Chapter 447: Is It So Difficult To Just Purchase Rights?

Chapter 448: New Residence
Chapter 449: "My Neighbor's Dog"
Chapter 450: Moving House
Chapter 451: Disappeared!
Chapter 452: Appetite Really Isn't That Huge
Chapter 453: "Enemy Attack Awoo!!"
Chapter 454: Can't Fi

Chapter 455: One Wouldn't Know How Weird He Is Unless He Looks In The Mirror

Chapter 456: Tiny Remote Islands Have Lousy Signal

Chapter 457: Dogs Also Need Goals

Chapter 458: A Dog That Knows How To Bring Its Owner A Bone Is A Good Dog

Chapter 459: Ability To Dominate Headlines Is Really Beyond Exceptional

Chapter 460: Bustling Island
Chapter 461: Watchdog
Chapter 462: Apex Predator
Chapter 463: No Way I Am Worse Than A Dog
Chapter 464: Setting Off

Chapter 465: Don't Even Think Of Stealing The Dog

Chapter 466: Chase Stars Rationally
Chapter 467: 2nd Gen Warps
Chapter 468: I Am Still A Baby
Chapter 469: Well-behaved
Chapter 470: Watch Your Mouth

Chapter 471: No Longer Wanting To Be Salted Fish

Chapter 472: Last Time Walking The Dog

Chapter 473: The Future Has Come

Chapter 474: Don't Be So Reckless!

Chapter 475: It Transformed!

Chapter 476: Delicate Little Curly Hair

Chapter 477: It Talked!

Chapter 478: A Trivial Matter Like Walking The Dog

Chapter 479: Handheld

Chapter 480: Weakness Of The Universe’s Beloved Child

Chapter 481: Snack Supplier
Chapter 482: Infuriating!
Chapter 483: A Single Model Leads To...
Chapter 484: New Endorsement
Chapter 485: Safe And Peaceful Yanzhou
Chapter 486: Out Of Nowhere
Chapter 487: It's Finally Here

Chapter 488: There Always Has To Be Some Hope In Life

Chapter 489: Super Powerful Formation

Chapter 490: Fang Zhao Being Unable To Join Is Great News

Chapter 491: Crazy Point-sweeping Demon 2.0

Chapter 492: Ao!

Chapter 493: Closing The Door And Beating The Dog

Chapter 494: Double Standards
Chapter 495: Make Amends By Doing Good
Chapter 496: Getting Rich Overnigh
Chapter 497: Something Even More Insane
Chapter 498: Mission To Safeguard Snacks
Chapter 499: Youngsters Nowadays!
Chapter 500: King Nanfeng

Chapter 501: Don't Be Shocked Regardless Of What You See

Chapter 502: Our Secret Weapon
Chapter 503: Nanfeng——
Chapter 504: You Aren't Fang Zhao!
Chapter 505: Manager
Chapter 506: Alive After 500 Years

Chapter 507: (END) - I Came From The Past, And I Belong To The Past (END)