157: Chapter 157 A Million People's Carnival and the Resonance of a Rainy Night

The "Ellwood Collection" that was won at auction—those vintage cassette tapes and yellowed research manuscripts—arrived a week later at a specially shielded safety inspection room at the Echo Vision headquarters, delivered via a highly cautious logistics procedure.

Alex did not examine the contents immediately. He first had his technical team, under the remote guidance of The Architect, conduct a comprehensive, non-invasive scan and inspection of the outer packaging and the cassette cases themselves.

The results were somewhat surprising: aside from physical signs of aging caused by time, no electronic tracking devices or suspicious biochemical residues were found.

However, the instruments recorded that when the tapes were removed from the specially designed shockproof case, the surrounding background electromagnetic noise exhibited extremely subtle, inexplicable, and rhythmic disturbances, as if the silent tapes themselves were "breathing."

With Energy Perception passively activated, Alex stood outside the isolation window and could "feel" the tapes like several cold, high-density "clumps" lying quietly on the inspection table, emitting a non-natural energy afterglow similar to the "Underground Song" sample previously provided by the Spirit of the Wasteland, though it was much weaker and more "stale."

They were not aggressive; they simply existed, carrying a silent weight buried by time.

Following the extremely detailed operating and safety guidelines (twenty pages long) subsequently sent by the Spirit of the Wasteland, Alex ordered the tapes and manuscripts to be transferred to a "Low Electromagnetic Environment Playback Room," which had been temporarily converted from a warehouse to meet the guidelines' requirements.

All equipment in the room was grounded and shielded, lighting was changed to DC-powered lamps with a specific spectrum, and even the air purification system was turned to its lowest setting to reduce noise.

The guidelines repeatedly emphasized that the initial playback must use a calibrated Nagra reel-to-reel tape recorder of a specific model (which Alex had provided), and must have complete physical soundproofing and remote monitoring.

Alex did not intend to perform the initial playback himself. He had an experienced senior audio engineer who had signed a strict non-disclosure agreement execute the first digital transcription, fully complying with the guidelines, with the entire process recorded from multiple angles and monitored remotely.

He, meanwhile, stayed in the adjacent monitoring room, observing through filtered audio signals and video feeds, while fully concentrating on exercising Energy Perception.

The transcription process was calm, even somewhat dull. As noted on their labels, the tapes contained segments of radio signals of unknown origin that sounded like severe interference, mixed with eerie whistling, rhythmic pulses, and indistinguishable low-frequency humming.

The engineer followed the guidelines and operated the equipment, and no anomalies occurred.

However, midway through transcribing the third tape, Alex's Energy Perception captured a change that the monitoring screen could not display: inside the playback room, with the reel-to-reel machine as the center, the air rippled like water, creating a layer of extremely thin, invisible "ripples."

These ripples were of the same origin as the tape energy he had sensed earlier, but they were "active" for a fleeting moment, as if the sleeping tapes had been briefly "awakened" to a trace of extremely minute activity under the mechanical reading at a specific frequency.

This "ripple" quickly attenuated and dissipated upon touching the special shielding material on the playback room walls, causing no physical impact. But Alex was certain he had captured it. This was not a physical sound; it was a form of "energy projection" that occurred when an information carrier was activated.

The transcription lasted for several hours, safely converting all the tape content into digital backups. Afterward, the engineer reported that everything was normal, only feeling that listening to the noise for a long time was "a bit dizzying."

Alex gave him three days of paid leave and arranged for a comprehensive physical examination (the results were normal).

The original tapes were resealed and stored in a high-security, temperature- and humidity-controlled safe. The digital copies were multiply encrypted.

Alex packed the copies and detailed monitoring logs (including a simplified description of his own sensory records) and sent them through a secure channel to the Spirit of the Wasteland.

After receiving the files, the other party replied with only two words: "Perfect."

There was no further communication. But Alex knew that the value of this "material" to his partner was likely far beyond money. And he himself had gained a more intuitive understanding of the interactive relationship between "abnormal signals" and "specific media/environments."

This was a valuable accumulation for his understanding of his own abilities and even some of the hidden rules of the world.

After handling the tape matters, Alex's attention was immediately drawn to the carnival ignited by the second challenge of the Echo Blind Box, "Emotional Colors."

Within 72 hours of the submission channel opening, the platform received over four million submissions! The servers were in critical state several times, and the technical team worked overnight to expand capacity.

This was no longer a simple participation, but a global creative catharsis. The submitted videos were bizarre, varied, and brilliant:

Some filmed "Angry Scarlet"—the camera shaking violently, aimed at a boiling hot pot, accompanied by the creator's rapid breathing and the violent clashing of a ladle against the pot;

Some showcased "Serene Glazed Blue"—a tank of slowly swimming goldfish, with the almost inaudible, noise-reduced sounds of a distant city in the background;

A mother submitted "Exhausted Warm Yellow"—under the warm living room lights after work, a mix of her child's steady breathing and her own soft sigh;

There was even an astronaut (via a special channel) who submitted "Lonely Pure White"—outside the window of the international space module, the endless black universe and the arc of light on the edge of the Earth, with only the faint humming of the system running...

When Alex and his team were selecting the top 100, they were simply overwhelmed, unable to bear giving up any of them.

When the final list was announced, it sparked another round of heated discussion. Although those who were not selected felt regret, they were mostly impressed by the brilliant creativity of those who were chosen, and many declared, "I'll fight again next week!"

At eight o'clock on Sunday evening, the live stream started on time. This time, Alex moved the venue to a large warehouse in the company that was full of industrial style and piled with various creative tools and strange collectibles.

Taylor made a surprise appearance as a special guest. Both of them were dressed in comfortable casual wear, and in front of them were snacks from all over the world ("feedings" mailed by fans).

As soon as the live stream began, the number of online viewers exceeded eight million, and the barrage was so thick that the screen was almost invisible.

"Hello everyone! Welcome to the 'Waste... oh no, wait, the 'Echo Blind Box' Awards Night!" Alex waved to the camera and casually picked up a strangely shaped ceramic ornament, "This is a 'Cyber Buddha' made by a submitter from the last session using old circuit boards; it's now the treasure of my office desk."

The relaxed opening instantly closed the distance. Then, they began to play and comment on the top 100 works one by one.

The process was full of fun:

· When playing "Sad Lead Gray"—a video of the creaking sound of an empty swing in an abandoned playground on a rainy day—Alex was silent for a few seconds, then softly hummed an improvised, blues-flavored melody that perfectly matched the mood of the visuals. The barrage exploded with "My ears are pregnant!" and "This improvisation skill is insane!"

· When Taylor saw "Joyful Bright Orange"—a child's screams and laughter at seeing bubbles flying all over the sky for the first time—she couldn't help but laugh along, and even took out a small instrument to add a tinkling accompaniment like bubbles popping.

· When encountering something particularly funny or imaginative, like "Chaotic Fluorescent Green"—a person wearing a fluorescent green wig in a supermarket using various fruits and vegetables to tap out an eerie rhythm—both of them laughed until they collapsed on the sofa. Alex even tried to imitate that rhythm with a banana and a cucumber, with disastrous results, filling the live stream room with a joyful atmosphere.

The commentary was no longer a one-way judgment, but a large-scale, immersive creative resonance party. Alex and Taylor's real-time reactions, improvised interactions, and professional yet humorous comments made every displayed work seem to be endowed with an extra halo.

When the submitters themselves appeared in the barrage, it would always trigger a wave of "Caught a master!" and "Worship!" spam, full of a sense of achievement.

The climax occurred when announcing the top three.

Third place, "Tranquil Dark Cyan"—the morning mist over the mountains filmed by a Tibetan lama, accompanied by distant, long-drawn chanting and environmental wind sounds. The winner was a young monk who appeared via video link, shyly thanking them in not-so-fluent English, saying that this creation made him think about how to convey ancient tranquility in a modern way. He said he would use the awarded creative tool kit to record more sounds of nature and practice.

Second place, "Surging Gilded Gold"—the moment a sunset pierced through the clouds to illuminate the wings, filmed by a retired fighter pilot, mixed with the noise of radio communications in the cockpit and the surging roar of the engines. The winner was a tough-guy uncle who was incoherent with excitement during the link-up: "I've flown planes many times in my life, and I never thought this memory could be exchanged for a top-tier set of equipment! Alex, Taylor, thank you for letting ordinary people be seen!" His story and genuine display of emotion moved countless viewers.

The first place, without any suspense, was awarded to "Solidified Twilight Purple"—city traffic at dusk and the sounds of returning birds. The winner, "City Wanderer," was a sound-sensitive female architectural designer. When the video link was connected, her eyes were slightly red: "I shuttle through the concrete forest every day, and recording these sounds is my way of talking to the city. I never thought that this kind of private whisper could be heard and understood by millions of people, and could also... could also get such an opportunity."

When she heard that the reward was "an afternoon of creativity with Alex and Taylor," tears finally fell, and she thanked them repeatedly. Taylor comforted her gently, while Alex said sincerely: "It was your ears and heart that first captured the most beautiful twilight of this city. We just helped you amplify it."

Sincere acceptance speeches, generous material rewards, the respect and recognition given personally by stars... all of this was conveyed to all viewers through the live stream lens in an incredibly real way. At that moment, the sense of participation, the sense of honor, and the excitement of dreams being illuminated into reality reached their peak. The barrage went completely crazy:

"This is what real respect for creativity is!"

"I'm crying, it feels like I was the one who won!"

"Next week! I must get on the list next week!"

"From now on, I'm a die-hard fan of 'Echo'; this platform is so humane!"

The live stream ended with Alex announcing the theme for the next challenge, "Sound Portrait: Voiceover for the Stranger You Know Best," and also teased that they would select several of the most promising creative concepts from all submissions in this session to launch small-scale collaborative projects. The sense of anticipation was maxed out.

After the live stream ended, related topics dominated social media for three whole days. "Echo Blind Box" was not just an event; it became a phenomenon, a cultural symbol. Countless media outlets wrote long analyses of its success model, and the conclusions all pointed to one point: Alex Su had truly achieved "making creativity valuable and letting ordinary people shine."

Commercial returns followed: multiple top-tier brands vied to sponsor subsequent challenges, streaming platforms paid high prices to purchase the broadcasting rights for selected submission collections, the valuation of the "Echo Vision" platform soared again, and user willingness to pay and loyalty reached terrifying levels.

What made Alex even more gratified was that the winner of the first session, "Junkyard Poet," was already working closely with his team, and the "Rusted Music Box" art short film project was progressing smoothly. The other party provided a large amount of core creativity and had practically become an external core member. This ecological cycle of "discovery-empowerment-co-creation-win-win" was truly running and beginning to generate a powerful appeal.

That evening, a rare winter rain began to fall in Los Angeles. Alex and Taylor stayed at the Malibu studio. Outside the window, the rain was pattering, and the sea was pitch black. The two curled up on the sofa, sharing headphones, listening to an old jazz record.

In the warm and tranquil atmosphere, Alex's Energy Perception relaxed and unfolded unconsciously. He no longer tried to analyze anything, just let his perception gently diffuse throughout the room.

Thus, he "heard" more: the fragmented energy splashes when raindrops hit the glass windows; the stable and warm energy radiation from the firewood burning in the fireplace; the delicate energy flow in the process of the record's analog signal flowing through the stylus and amplifier, and finally transforming into sound; and, in Taylor's steady breathing beside him, that vital, soft, and bright energy field, unconsciously and gently merging with his own field, forming a reassuring and harmonious resonance.

This perception had nothing to do with prying; it was more like a deeper level of "immersion" and "connection." He suddenly understood another use for Energy Perception: it was not a tool, but a bridge, connecting him to the environment, to others, and to the more essential vibrations of all things.

"Tonight's live stream... feels so good." Taylor suddenly said softly, leaning into his arms, as if she had also sensed that invisible harmony, "Seeing those people shine because their creativity was recognized makes me happier than any awards ceremony."

"Yeah." Alex tightened his arms and dropped a light kiss in her hair, "Because this light is one we lit together."

Outside the window, the rainy night was cold and clear, while inside, the warmth was serene. The path of business moved forward solidly amidst enthusiastic applause and real tears, and the extraordinary scenery transformed into a gentle background color in his daily perception. Alex knew that this was the "path to godhood under the spotlight" that he wanted—to illuminate himself, and also to illuminate countless ordinary people who carry sparks.