64: Chapter 64 Aftermath and New Battlefield

6:00 AM, Nashville was still asleep, but the internet had already exploded.

The hashtag #Alex's Opening Performance hung on the global Twitter trending list all night, with over three million related tweets.

On YouTube, the live clip of "Truth Hurts" uploaded by users broke eight million views within twelve hours, and the comment section became a battlefield—supporters praised it as "This is the attitude music should have," while critics accused him of "grandstanding" and "turning the stage into a political podium."

A music critic from Rolling Stone published an article at 3:00 AM titled "The New Generation's Voice of Protest: How Alex Su Redefines 'Artist Responsibility' with Music," comparing his performance to the folk protest movement of the 1960s and the punk spirit of the 1980s.

Meanwhile, a column in The Wall Street Journal was sarcastic: "Another young man who thinks he can change the world with a guitar. Northrop's defense contract concerns tens of thousands of jobs and national security; it's not something a three-minute pop song can shake."

Alex leaned back on the sofa in his farm villa, with eight news pages open simultaneously on his tablet. He didn't need sleep—Comprehensive Physical Enhancement allowed him to fully recover his energy with just four hours of deep sleep, and the adrenaline from last night's performance was still humming in his veins.

The system interface hovered in the corner of his vision:

[Current Popularity: 4,120,000 points]

(Continued growth after the performance: 270,000 points)

The total growth from a single performance reached 810,000 points, far exceeding his expected 500,000. Among these, the direct emotional feedback from the Front Row Audience contributed about 150,000 points, live stream viewers contributed 300,000, and subsequent media reports, social discussions, and video dissemination brought the remaining growth.

This was an important data point: the emotional concentration of live performances was far higher than online dissemination. If he could hold a personal tour with 20,000 people per show, even if only half the audience produced a sufficiently strong resonance, it could bring considerable growth.

But a tour required time to prepare, and time was exactly what he lacked the most.

Northrop had changed its strategy, shifting from violence to conspiracy. This meant the next attacks would be more covert, more "legal," and harder to counter directly.

His phone vibrated, and a call from Marcus came in, his voice mixed with excitement and anxiety: "Alex, are you awake? Something happened, but it might also be a good thing."

"Speak."

"Let's start with the good part: Universal Music's top brass just held an hour-long emergency meeting and decided to upgrade your contract level from 'Newcomer with Potential' to 'Priority Artist.' They will add a three-million-dollar marketing budget for the global promotion of 'We Are Young' and have promised to prepare a personal tour for you within three months—provided that the data for your next single is no lower than this one."

Alex didn't respond immediately: "What's the bad news?"

Marcus paused: "The bad news is... Northrop's legal department sent a 'legal risk warning letter' to Universal Music early this morning. The letter didn't directly accuse you, but it 'kindly reminded' Universal that if it continued to promote an artist who is 'suspected of spreading false information and may face multiple legal lawsuits,' the company might face 'joint liability' and 'reputational risk.'"

A typical pressure tactic. Don't attack the target directly, but attack the target's partners.

"Universal's attitude?"

"The top brass is divided. Some think this is a commercial threat and should be responded to firmly; others are worried about actually getting sued. The result of the meeting is... they hope you can 'keep a low profile for a while.'"

"How low profile?"

"Cancel all media interviews for the next two weeks, don't discuss any 'sensitive topics' on social media, and it would be best to issue a statement saying that 'Truth Hurts' is just an artistic creation and is not aimed at any specific individual or company." Marcus's voice grew quieter. "I know you won't agree, but Alex, this is Universal Music—if we fall out with them, the entire industry will blacklist us."

Alex was silent for a few seconds.

Then he said: "Marcus, do three things for me."

"You say it."

"First, contact Universal Music and tell them I understand their concerns. I am willing to temporarily cancel media interviews, but I will not issue any clarification statements—the right to artistic interpretation belongs to the creator; this is my bottom line."

"Second, start contacting independent record labels. Not because we really want to switch, but to let Universal know we have other options."

"Third, help me book the best entertainment lawyer in Nashville for this afternoon. I want to consult on the specific procedures for defamation lawsuits and contract termination."

Marcus gasped: "You want to sue Universal?"

"No. I want them to know that I have the ability to sue them." Alex said calmly, "In business negotiations, the most powerful bargaining chip isn't what you can give, but what you can make the other party lose. If they abandon me because of a threatening letter, then what they lose isn't just one artist, but the credibility of the entire company—from now on, any controversial artist will worry about being abandoned by them."

Marcus was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice: "Alex, are you really eighteen this year?"

"Mentally, I might be eighty." Alex joked, "Go do it. Also, how is Taylor doing?"

"Her team is also dealing with similar pressure—several sponsors 'concernedly' asked if she would continue to cooperate with you. But Taylor's reply was very straightforward: if the sponsors have an opinion, they can terminate the contract, and she will pay the damages according to the breach of contract clause."

Alex smiled. That was very Taylor.

"Tell her I owe her a big meal."

"She already said, 7:00 PM tonight, at her estate, she's cooking herself. She insists you must be there—her exact words were 'Don't make excuses, I know you're fine.'"

"I'll be there."

Hanging up the phone, Alex began to handle the second wave of information.

Hank sent the follow-up on the parking lot arrest incident: two outsourced personnel from Greystone International had been officially taken over by the FBI, and initial interrogations confirmed that they were instructed by Michael Ross. But Ross himself had disappeared as expected—his phone's last signal appeared at the Atlanta airport, then went completely offline, possibly having left the country using a fake identity.

"The FBI is applying for an arrest warrant for Ross, but the evidence chain is weak, and the judge is likely to reject it." Hank said in the message, "Agent Miller told me privately that Northrop's legal team has already intervened, claiming that those two were acting on their own and had nothing to do with the company. A typical distancing tactic."

Alex replied: "Continue to monitor all of Northrop's public actions. Especially the movements of the legal and public relations departments."

Then there was a message from Rex: "'Limping' Robert Cole tried to leave Nashville last night but was stopped by our people at the state border checkpoint. He is now willing to negotiate terms—using the inside information he has on the Guardians of Truth in exchange for safely leaving the United States."

"Interrogate him first. I want to know the details of the cooperation between the Guardians of Truth and Greystone International, and how many reserve squads they still have in the country."

After processing these, Alex stood up and walked to the window.

The morning sun shone on the hills of Tennessee, and the dew on the grass sparkled with golden light. In the distance, herds of horses were running in the pasture; everything was as quiet as an idyll.

But he knew, the calm was only an appearance.

Howard's "gentle pressure" had already begun. Legal threats, commercial isolation, public opinion guidance... this was another kind of war in modern society, without smoke, but equally deadly.

And he needed to find his own weapons on this new battlefield.

---

2:00 PM, a law firm in downtown Nashville.

Eric Lawson was one of the most expensive entertainment lawyers in Tennessee, charging eight hundred dollars per hour. He was over fifty, with graying hair, wearing a custom three-piece suit, and his office was filled with photos with celebrities from all walks of life.

"Mr. Su, your situation is very interesting." Attorney Lawson flipped through the documents provided by Marcus, "Universal Music has a 'morality clause' in the contract; if an artist is suspected of a crime or 'seriously damages the company's reputation,' they have the right to suspend or terminate the contract. But Northrop's threat letter does not constitute legal evidence; if Universal puts pressure on you because of this, it might instead constitute 'malicious interference with contract.'"

"What if I want to sue Northrop for defamation?" Alex asked.

"Difficult." Attorney Lawson said bluntly, "The wording of their letter is very cautious, using 'suspected' and 'may,' without making direct accusations. And as a public figure, you have a heavier burden of proof in a defamation lawsuit—you need to prove that they 'knowingly spread false information.' With Northrop's resources, this lawsuit could drag on for years, and the legal fees alone could crush most people."

Alex had long expected this answer. The law was a game for the rich, and Northrop was one of the richest players in this world.

"Then what if I don't sue them, but... use this matter to generate public opinion?"

Attorney Lawson looked up, his eyes sharp behind his glasses: "You mean?"

"Make that threat letter public and let the public judge." Alex said, "If an arms giant can use legal letters to make a record label abandon an artist, then tomorrow they can use the same method to make a publishing house abandon a writer, or a gallery abandon a painter. This is not a personal feud between me and Northrop; this is a confrontation between freedom of creation and capital threats."

Attorney Lawson was silent for a few seconds, then slowly smiled: "Mr. Su, you remind me of those civil rights lawyers I represented when I was young. The way they won cases was often not in court, but in the court of public opinion."

"So it's feasible?"

"Feasible, but dangerous." Attorney Lawson said sternly, "Once made public, it is equivalent to openly declaring war on Northrop. They will use all their resources to fight back—more lawsuits, more commercial blockades, more media smearing. You must have enough public support to survive this war."

Alex nodded: "My next single releases next week, and the MV will launch simultaneously. If the numbers are good enough, I have confidence."

"Then, my advice is: stay put for now. Wait until your new work is released and gains market recognition before considering going public," Attorney Lawson said. "At that point, your commercial value will be clearer, Universal's position will be firmer, and public support will be more concrete—they won't be supporting a 'victim,' but a 'rising superstar.'"

Strategic patience. Alex accepted this advice.

When leaving the law firm, Marcus was waiting in the car, looking grim.

"What's wrong now?"

"Taylor Swift's tour contractor, 'Global Live'... just notified us that they are 'under pressure from suppliers' and cannot continue to provide equipment and technical support for your solo tour," Marcus said through gritted teeth. "This is clearly the result of Northrop applying pressure. Without a contractor, the tour can't even start."

Alex got into the car and fastened his seatbelt: "Are there any other contractors?"

"Yes, but they're much smaller, and... I made a few calls, but the other parties were evasive, finally saying their 'schedules are full'." Marcus gripped the steering wheel. "They are blocking our path."

"Then we'll build our own path," Alex said calmly. "Contact Rex and have him compile a list of veterans—many retired ordnance technicians, signal corps members, and combat engineers have experience with equipment operation and maintenance. We'll form our own technical team and procure the equipment ourselves."

"How much will that cost? Plus, equipment leasing requires credentials..."

"The money will come from my advance royalties. Let Attorney Lawson handle the credentials; he'll definitely have a way." Alex looked out the window. "Northrop thinks they can trap me by cutting off my commercial links. But they've forgotten—the System gave me more than just creative ability; it gave me learning ability."

He pulled up the System redemption list, his eyes landing on [Information Tracing (Intermediate)].

It was time to upgrade.

---

7:00 PM, Taylor Swift's estate.

Dinner was held in the sunroom, with grilled lamb chops, roasted vegetables, and fresh salad laid out on the long table. Taylor Swift cooked herself; although simple, it tasted good.

"So you're planning to assemble your own tour team now?" Taylor asked, cutting into a lamb chop.

"If necessary." Alex nodded. "I can't let others hold my lifeline."

"I can share part of my team with you. Lighting, sound, stage design... I have a backup team."

Alex shook his head: "If you do that, you'll be targeted too. Northrop hasn't moved against you directly yet because your commercial value is too high, and they don't dare provoke you easily. But if you publicly support me, it's equivalent to standing on their opposite side."

Taylor put down her knife and fork and looked at him: "Alex, from the moment you wrote 'Shake It Off' for me, I have already been on your side. Not because you need it, but because I want to."

The words were too direct; the air in the sunroom went still for a moment.

Alex looked at her. In those blue eyes, there was none of the dazzling radiance of the stage, only a quiet, unquestionable determination.

"Thank you, Taylor." He finally said. "But I need to fight this battle myself. And you... you just need to keep being Taylor Swift, keep touring, keep releasing albums, and keep being one of the best musicians of this era. That is the greatest support for me—because as long as you remain at the top, they can never completely silence me."

Taylor understood what he meant. She was a coordinate, a living advertisement proving that "creative freedom still has space." As long as she continued to succeed, Alex's path had not been completely blocked.

"Cunning." Taylor laughed. "But fine. However, if you need any resources—money, connections, or even just someone to have a meal with—I'm always here."

"I know."

After dinner, the two walked to the lake behind the estate. The twilight deepened, and the lake reflected the last rays of the sunset.

"How do you plan to shoot the MV for 'Truth Hurts'?" Taylor asked. "Now that everyone knows that song is aimed at Northrop, if you shoot it too bluntly, it might be throttled by platforms."

"I don't plan to shoot a traditional MV," Alex said. "I'm preparing to make an 'Augmented Reality Interactive Project.'"

Taylor raised an eyebrow: "Speak plain English."

"Simply put, users use their phones to scan specific patterns—like an album cover or promotional poster—and they will see a virtual 'Data Ghost' on the screen, telling fragments of the truth about the NT-7 material defects," Alex explained. "Turning the MV into a decryption game, turning dissemination into participation. This not only avoids direct platform censorship but also allows the information to spread more deeply."

Taylor's eyes brightened: "That's a great idea. But what about technical implementation? You need programmers, AR engineers..."

"The System can redeem it." Alex thought to himself, but said: "I have resources in this area. I'm already in contact with them."

In reality, he had just found [Augmented Reality Content Generation (Primary)] in the System, which required 800,000 points of Fame. Although it couldn't directly generate a complete program, it could provide detailed technical plans and key code snippets, enough to guide a professional team to complete the development.

"You're always prepared," Taylor said softly.

"Because this world doesn't allow people to be unprepared." Alex looked at the lake. "By the way, on your father's side... can you help me look into someone?"

"Who?"

"'Front Row Audience'." Alex said. "I don't know who he or she is, but this person can obtain surveillance footage of Northrop's internal meetings and know Greystone International's plans in advance. They are either a top-tier hacker or a high-level executive within Northrop or Greystone International."

Taylor's expression turned serious: "That's very dangerous. If the other party is a double agent, they might be luring you to expose more information."

"I know. But so far, the information provided has been true, and it has helped me," Alex said. "I just want to know who he is and what his stance is. No need for direct contact."

"I'll have my father's network look into it. But it will take time, and there's no guarantee of results."

"That's enough."

The night deepened, and the two walked back to the main house.

At the door, Taylor stopped: "Alex, do you really believe... music can change anything?"

"I believe music can make people remember," Alex said. "When enough people remember the same thing, remember the same anger, the same anticipation... change will happen. Maybe not immediately, maybe not in the way we imagine, but it will happen."

Taylor looked at him. In the moonlight, the teenager's profile was as clear as a sculpture.

"Then, let more people remember," she said.

---

Late night, the farm villa.

Alex sat at the desk and redeemed [Augmented Reality Content Generation (Primary)].

800,000 points deducted, remaining: 4,040,000 points.

A stream of information flooded his brain—AR technical principles, image recognition algorithms, 3D modeling simplification schemes, cloud data transmission architecture... Although it was only Primary level, it was enough for him to build a basic framework.

He opened his computer and began writing the technical requirements document.

At the same time, the System interface automatically popped up a new notification:

[Detected Host's continuous high-density creation and crisis response]

[Ability Synergy Increased]

[Gun-Fu: Ballistic Calculation (Mastery)] and [Spider-Sense (Primary)] have produced a synergy effect: Crisis warning accuracy increased by 15%, shooting posture adjustment speed increased by 10%

[Emotional Resonance Field (Primary)] and [Comprehensive Physical Enhancement] have produced a synergy effect: Physical stamina consumption during emotional guidance reduced by 20%, duration extended by 30%

The growth of abilities depends not only on redemption but also on use and fusion.

Very good.

He continued working until 3:00 AM, completing the preliminary plan for the AR project.

Just as he was about to rest, he received a new email.

It wasn't from "Front Row Audience," but... an interview invitation from the editor-in-chief of the culture section of The New York Times.

The email was worded cautiously but clearly: "Mr. Su, we have noted your performance and related controversies in Nashville. If you are willing, we would like to conduct an in-depth interview to explore the relationship between music, creative freedom, and contemporary social power structures. The interview content will be published in full, without deletion or modification."

Alex stared at this email.

The New York Times. One of the most influential voices in mainstream media.

If he accepted the interview, it would be equivalent to officially pushing his story into the national public opinion arena. The risk was huge, but the rewards could also be huge—this would be another explosive growth in popularity.

He replied: "Agreed in principle. Please provide the specific interview outline and publication schedule; my lawyer will review the terms."

Send.

Then he turned off the computer and walked to the window.

The night sky was dotted with stars, and the distant lights of Nashville were like a galaxy on the ground.

Two fronts were already clear:

One was in the shadows—Northrop's commercial blockades, legal threats, and pressure from their network of relationships.

One was in the open—music creation, public performances, media reports, and the battlefield of public opinion.

And what he needed to do was to keep winning on the open battlefield, building high walls with popularity until the attacks from the shadows could no longer reach him.

Until he saved up ten million points.

Until he unlocked Transcendent.

Then, all the rules would be rewritten.

The night was deep.

But Alex Su's eyes were as bright as stars in the darkness.

He turned and walked toward the bedroom.

Tomorrow, there would be more battles.

And he was already prepared.