102: Chapter 102 Echoes of Old Songs, Cold Gleaming of New Blades

Alex's world was divided into two distinct battlefields.

On one side, in the rehearsal room, he and Taylor were meticulously polishing every breath in "Something Just Like This," with electronic beats thumping against the walls like a heartbeat. On the other side, the reality ripples caused by his two previous "imported" masterpiece songs were continuously fermenting—these ripples were constantly validating his commercial value and social influence, becoming the solid foundation for his current confidence.

The staying power of "Uptown Funk" was more potent than expected. This funk bomb, released years ahead of its time and carrying an untraceable retro-futuristic feel, not only remained firmly at the top of major streaming charts but had also infiltrated the fabric of pop culture in an unexpected way. Marcus held the latest report, his tone filled with incredulous excitement:

"Boss, ABC wants to buy the usage rights for 'Uptown Funk' as the opening theme for the new season of 'Dancing with the Stars' next year. The offer is very substantial. Also, at least three Hollywood studios have reached out, asking if the song can be used in the climax party scenes of their comedy films. The most ridiculous part is," he paused, "a high-end department store in New York used a snippet of it in their Christmas season advertisement without authorization. Lauren has already sent a legal notice, and they immediately caved, now begging for formal authorization and willing to pay a premium in compensation."

Alex listened, the corners of his mouth curling up. This was the power of a pop culture hit; it was no longer just a song, but had become an atmosphere, a label, a sense of "cool" that everyone wanted to touch. Universal Music was using this to re-evaluate the long-term licensing value of his entire catalog, and the scales of negotiation were tipping further in his favor. This satisfaction of letting his work speak for itself and having the market actively pursue him was far more solid than any hype.

And the "See You Again" (adapted memorial version) brought a different, deeper Echo. This free-to-release public service song had influence that far exceeded the music itself. It became the background music for many memorial events, veterans' gatherings, and even campus anti-violence initiatives. A handwritten letter was passed to Alex, from a mother who had lost her son in the NT-7 incident. The letter read: "...Your song didn't take away the sadness, but it gave the sadness an Echo where it could rest. Thank you for remembering them." Enclosed with the letter was a replica of the Marine Corps badge her son loved most during his lifetime.

This heavy gift was carefully treasured by Alex. A more practical impact was that several public welfare foundations focusing on veterans' mental health had taken the initiative to establish contact with the "Voice of Truth" platform, and the "sands of the return journey" documentary had thus gained additional funding attention and broader potential broadcast channels. This song solidified his public image of having "social responsibility," providing a kind of moral shield, and making it harder for Northrop to directly attack him as "superficial" or "money-grubbing" in public opinion.

These two forces from his "past works"—the hot money of commerce and the weight of morality—converged in the present, making Alex's steps onto the duel stage even steadier. He was not an adventurer with only one new song; he was a creator who had already left a deep mark and continued to generate value.

Of course, Northrop and "Urban Rhythm" weren't idle either. After the news of the duel was announced, "Urban Rhythm" accelerated the promotion of their new single. The style was clearly leaning towards the retro-funk of "Uptown Funk," but it was more impetuous and piled with elements. Music critics (suspected to be related to Northrop) began to praise it as a "more authentic street funk revival," implying that "Uptown Funk" was "carefully calculated cultural appropriation." At the same time, some rumors began to circulate, hinting that Alex's "improvisations" were ghostwritten by a team, and describing his collaboration with Taylor as a "PR romance" and "clout chasing."

In response, Alex had "Voice of Truth" release some raw footage from before the "wavelength" live stream, showing him in the studio with no clue, staring blankly at the word "bridge," and finally stumbling out the first few notes on the piano. The footage was raw and extremely real. The caption read: "All creation begins with a clumsy thought." This easily dispelled the ghostwriting accusations.

As for his relationship with Taylor, they didn't respond at all. When they were secretly filmed by paparazzi having lunch during a rehearsal break, Taylor naturally reached out to wipe the sauce from the corner of Alex's mouth, and Alex smiled and handed her a tissue. The scene was natural and intimate, speaking louder than a thousand words. This way of "crushing public opinion speculation with real interaction" made the shipping fans go wild and caused the hype theory to collapse on its own.

On the eve of the duel, Alex was alone in the studio, sorting out his thoughts for the last time. He summoned the system interface; his popularity, under the influence of various factors, was approaching a critical point.

【Current Cumulative Popularity: 19,995,300 points】

Still a little bit short. He thought for a moment, logged into his account, and posted a photo: on the windowsill, the Marine Corps badge gifted by the veteran's mother, next to a small green plant. No text, just a heart emoji.

The silent tribute instantly triggered resonance. Likes, retweets, and warm comments flooded in.

【Cumulative Popularity reached: 20,008,150 points】

【Redemption conditions met!】

【Redeem 'Information Reception Filtering (Passive)' now?】

"Redeem."

A stream-like optimization of perception was completed instantly. In his perception, the world became distinct, the noise faded, and the key points were highlighted. He almost immediately "heard" an analysis post in the massive social media information about a slight off-key note in the latest rehearsal video of "Urban Rhythm," as well as an anonymous post from an awards ceremony staff member revealing that the "Urban Rhythm" team had requested to adjust the position of the voting device. These fragmented pieces of information were automatically marked as "potentially useful."

The new ability was just in time for this final battlefield.

He looked out the window. There were no stars in the Los Angeles night sky, but the city lights were more brilliant than the galaxy. The echoes of old songs were still paving the way for him, and the sharp edge of the new song was about to be unsheathed. Commercial, artistic, personal, social... all lines converged at this moment on that dazzling stage tomorrow.

This was not a simple musical duel.

This was he, Alex Su, using the full weight of his accumulated past and the sharpness of his future ambition, making a magnificent declaration.

He turned off the lights and left the studio.

Behind him, the system interface on the screen slowly faded away, leaving only a line of constantly jumping and growing numbers, and the vague outline of the next, more expensive redemption.

The good show was about to begin.