Chapter Sixty-Five: The Flames of the Music World Have Been Kindled

In the days that followed, everything unfolded according to plan.

On October 28th, "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales," propelled by a host of singers, surpassed "Silk Window" to claim the top spot. That same day, while Cheng Yun was still mired in frustration and pain, Ye Yuanhang's new song suddenly surged in popularity, trailing right behind "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales," and once again knocked "Silk Window" from its perch, shooting into second place.

Cheng Yun, bewildered, watched as his song was overtaken twice in a single day, nearly coughing up blood.

"Damn it..."

"Ye Yuanhang, I won't let this go!"

Somewhere, Cheng Yun let out a cry reminiscent of a slaughtered pig.

Meanwhile, Ye Yuanhang was happily munching on his favorite Shine Muscat grapes.

So sweet.

So crisp.

Indeed, to spare oneself pain, one must inflict greater pain upon others.

...

Wang Mo had been especially busy lately.

He hadn’t paid much attention to "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales" seizing the crown. Upon hearing the news, he was momentarily surprised. But he quickly put it out of his mind, as he was engrossed in something else: livestreaming.

During this period, Wang Mo had resumed his livestreams.

The results were decent; his nightly viewership consistently hovered above twenty thousand. His fan base had grown steadily to 456,000. With less than half a million followers, Wang Mo’s ability to draw such numbers spoke to the strong loyalty of his fans, indirectly proving that "talent streamers" could have a promising future.

His streaming style had solidified: mainly knowledge sharing, with Q&A sessions to answer viewers’ questions.

Even explanations of everyday topics captivated many viewers. Yet, when it came to questions from the audience, their oddball nature often left Wang Mo amused and bewildered.

For example:

"Staying up late is bad for your health, exercising is good. So is it okay to work out late at night?"

"If I eat three pounds of digestive pills at once, will I die of overeating or starvation?"

"If a pig suffers from kidney deficiency, can pig kidneys still be used as a health supplement?"

"Why do meteorites always fall into craters?"

"How should the tongue be placed in the mouth for maximum comfort?"

Many of these questions defied logic; it would take years of brain damage to come up with them.

Some eccentric viewers even exuberantly replied in the comments with their own takes.

For instance, someone said: "The tongue feels best in someone else’s mouth."

What kind of people are these?

Such eye-burning remarks!

Fortunately, there were still some sensible viewers, who posed serious questions, allowing Wang Mo’s livestreams to proceed smoothly.

From Yuan Xiong’s perspective, the streams were progressing well.

But Wang Mo was not entirely satisfied, as the growth rate of his followers was too slow.

At this pace, it would take several months to reach a million followers.

"I have a side quest requiring my streaming account to surpass one million followers within a month. Twenty days have passed, and I haven't even reached half that number. What should I do?"

Wang Mo frowned in deep thought.

Perhaps he needed to do something drastic?

Just as he pondered what "stunt" he could pull, Liu Zhengwen sent a message: "Wang Mo, come here quickly!"

Wang Mo reflexively replied, "No money!"

Liu Zhengwen, exasperated: "Do you think I only contact you about money? This is good news."

Wang Mo: "I'm not interested in your daughter either."

"..."

Liu Zhengwen’s mouth twitched.

Yuan Xiong, you old rascal, what kind of troublemaker did you raise?

Several minutes later, Wang Mo entered Liu Zhengwen’s office and discovered it truly was good news—a major event, in fact.

Just hours earlier, the Bilibili user "Third Generation Foxman" had released a new video, sparking a wave of discussion in a very short time.

Wang Mo was surprised: "Is it the same Bilibili creator who started the debate over whether composers are just tools?"

Liu Zhengwen nodded, "Exactly! This guy is incredible. I was pondering how to leverage the response to your third song to speak on behalf of composers, but this creator took the initiative, firing the first shot for us."

"Let me see."

Wang Mo opened Bilibili, and sure enough, the video was front and center.

The eye-catching title read: "Silent proves with three songs: Composers are every bit as important as singers!"

In the video, "Third Generation Foxman" appeared, brimming with excitement: "Dear family, good morning, afternoon, evening... and late night. Please use the barrage to tell me what time it is in BJ, and thank you for tuning in. I am 'Third Generation Foxman,' who has stayed up late and discovered something new."

The opening was the familiar formula.

But then, his tone shifted.

"Today, we're not discussing music per se, but composers. I'm sure you’ve already guessed which composer I want to talk about: Silent. Let's first look at Silent’s achievements!"

The video displayed Silent’s track record.

First song: "No Regrets," which elevated the washed-up Hao Mingxing into a hot singer with millions of fans.

Second song: "Invisible Wings," with over one billion plays across the web. Su Xueyao, previously a nobody, shot to stardom and was even slated for a spot at the Spring Festival Gala.

Third song: "Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales," a documentary theme song that most had little hope for, yet swept the new song charts in just a dozen days, propelling singer Fu Zhuang to fame and possibly into the industry’s top tier.

Third Generation Foxman declared: "For years, the entertainment industry has considered composers mere tools, with singers as the soul of a song. Whether a song becomes popular is believed to depend entirely on the singer. Previously, I released a video discussing whether composers are just tools, which ignited heated debate online.

Some argued composers are unimportant.

Others argued they are vital.

No one could convince the other.

But today, I can confidently state: composers are absolutely not tools; their importance is equal to that of singers. Perhaps not greater, but certainly not less.

Silent is living proof!

If composers were mere tools, how did Hao Mingxing rise to fame? How did Su Xueyao soar skyward? How did Fu Zhuang sweep the charts?

Three songs, three singers turned into hot stars.

Three songs, three singers propelled forward.

What tremendous power!

Who dares claim composers are unimportant?

So please, recognize the importance of composers. Stop treating them as tools. Only when composers receive the status and respect they deserve can the music industry break its shackles and enter an era of flourishing growth..."

The entire video was a passionate defense of composers, for the first time elevating their importance to the same level as singers.

Thus, after its release, Third Generation Foxman’s video caused an immediate sensation.

Especially in the comment section, which, unlike previous one-sided condemnations, was filled with rational analysis.

"I agree with Third Generation Foxman."

"Silent’s achievements prove composers can shape a singer’s fate."

"The role of a top composer is no less than that of a top singer."

"Singers and composers complement each other; both are indispensable."

"…"

After watching the video, Wang Mo’s expression was complex: "This Third Generation Foxman really dares to speak up!"

In an era dominated by singers, anyone who steps forward to challenge the rules requires great courage.

One misstep could mean ruin.

Liu Zhengwen laughed, "Exactly. But it’s his boldness that has opened a precious door for composers. His video has ignited the fire. Now, the music world is ablaze. Next, it’s up to us to fan the flames, to make it spread far and wide. Only then can composers rise."

Wang Mo asked, "Is there anything you need me to do?"

Liu Zhengwen replied, "No need to intervene. Besides, I think you’ll be busy soon enough."

"Oh?"

Wang Mo was puzzled. "Why?"

Liu Zhengwen smiled, "Your 'Silent' persona has propelled three singers to stardom. What do you think the remaining singers in the vocal department will do?"