96: Chapter 96 A Joyful Way of Coping and the Imitators in the Dark

Four days before the live stream, Alex was woken up by a call from Marcus.

"Boss, the people from Universal are getting restless." Marcus's voice sounded a bit helpless, though not nervous. "One of their senior vice presidents, along with two project managers, has already arrived downstairs at 'Voice of Truth'. They said they want to 'confirm the process and content direction one last time'."

Alex yawned and checked the time; it was 9:30 AM. "Give them coffee, the best kind. Tell them I'll be there in half an hour; I was just doing some important 'artistic creation physical conditioning' at the gym." He made up a random excuse, when in reality, he had just naturally woken up from a deep sleep brought on by Comprehensive Physical Enhancement.

"Understood. Hank and Rex are already on-site, the atmosphere… is civilized enough."

Alex got up slowly, washed up, and even made himself a hearty breakfast. Pressure? Yes. But it was more of a relaxed feeling, like watching a good show. He knew what Universal was worried about—they were afraid he would mess up, afraid the live stream wouldn't be "phenomenal" enough, and afraid their investment would go down the drain. And all he had to do was put their minds at ease, at least on the surface.

Half an hour later, he appeared at the door of the studio conference room, wearing a comfortable hoodie, sweatpants, and sneakers, with a perfectly balanced, sunny, yet slightly apologetic smile on his face.

"Sorry for the wait. I couldn't slack off on my morning workout to ensure my mental state for the live stream." He shook hands with the three executives from Universal, who were all dressed in suits, his attitude natural and casual.

The vice president was a middle-aged man named Richard, his hair combed meticulously. After the pleasantries, he cut to the chase: "Alex, we are very much looking forward to this live stream. But you also understand that the company has invested huge resources in the pre-promotion, and the 'phenomenal' standard is not just empty talk. We want to understand more specifically, how confident are you in your so-called 'improvisational creation'? Is there… a more detailed script or contingency plan?"

Alex listened, seeing right through them. They weren't here to help; they were here to apply final pressure and try to gain more control.

He leaned back, his posture relaxed: "Richard, I understand your concerns. But the charm of 'improvisation' lies in its uncertainty. However, I can guarantee a few points: First, regardless of which theme direction is drawn, I have the ability to complete a full, pleasant, and theme-appropriate song within 45 minutes. Second, the melody and basic framework of this song will have pop potential—my past record can prove that. Third," he smiled, his gaze sweeping across them, "the watchability and topicality of the live stream will definitely not disappoint you. As for the script… that would kill the true creative soul, wouldn't it?"

His tone was relaxed, but the confidence in his words was unquestionable. At the same time, he quietly activated 【Emotional Resonance Field (Intermediate)】. It wasn't forced indoctrination, but rather creating an intangible atmosphere that made people feel reassured and reliable.

Richard and his subordinates exchanged glances, their tense expressions softening slightly. Alex's track record was indeed impressive, and the effortless aura he exuded made it hard for anyone to remain aggressive.

"We certainly believe in your talent, Alex." Richard's tone softened a bit. "It's just that the stakes are too high this time…"

"Which is why it's even more worth taking a gamble to make history." Alex took over the conversation, smiling brightly. "By the way, on the night of the live stream, I'll be inserting a small segment into the performance that might require Universal to coordinate some extra social media resources… It's a little surprise that can ignite interaction. I'll have Marcus send you the details later."

He threw out bait, shifting the other party's attention from "controlling the content" to "coordinating a surprise." Richard was indeed attracted and pressed for details. Alex, however, kept him in suspense, saying only that it was to increase audience engagement and reach.

After some conversation, Universal's worries seemed to have been pacified (or diverted). After seeing them off, Marcus leaned in and lowered his voice: "Boss, that 'little surprise' you just mentioned… do we have that in our plan?"

"We do now." Alex winked. "Just think of any idea that can get the audience excited and participating, like a live stream giveaway of a signed guitar, or calling on the audience to post a certain hashtag simultaneously. You and Lauren can discuss the specifics, just make sure there are no legal issues. The point is to keep them busy so they stop staring at how exactly I'm going to create."

Marcus was stunned, then gave a thumbs up: "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant."

After handling this matter, Alex returned to his creative room. He opened his computer and began organizing the final core material library. In his mind, melodies and lyric fragments of future hits were flowing. Based on the five preset theme directions ("Connection", "Echo", "Breaking Walls", "Overture", "Home"), he matched one or two "backup" song core motifs for each. These motifs, fused and adapted through his 【Creative Master (Intermediate)】 ability, had become "semi-finished seeds" that fit the 2011 listening experience while carrying a fresh, futuristic feel. During the live stream, no matter which theme was drawn, he could quickly select the most suitable "seed" and then, as if truly improvising, grow, perfect, and perform it around that seed.

This process was actually full of fun for him, like playing a high-level music puzzle game.

In the afternoon, Taylor arrived. She wore a baseball cap and appeared discreetly at the back door.

"Surprise inspection, to see if someone claiming to be 'busy preparing' is actually slacking off." She took off her hat, and her blonde hair cascaded down.

Alex smiled and showed her the dense tracks and notes on his computer: "Look, the fruits of my labor."

Taylor leaned in to look at those abstract theme words and musical notes, tilting her head: "'Home'… this theme feels very warm. If you draw this one, how would you write it?"

Alex's heart flashed through a few options, but he just shrugged: "I don't know, maybe about searching, about inner peace, about… a place or person that makes you feel like home?" He looked at her, implying something.

Taylor's blue eyes flickered, and she gently patted his arm: "Smooth talker. But… the answer is acceptable."

They had a simple lunch together, and Taylor shared a small dilemma she had encountered with a chord progression while writing a song recently. Drawing on his musical accumulation far beyond the current era and the intuition of 【Creative Master】, Alex easily provided a few clever and novel suggestions, making Taylor's eyes light up, and she immediately took out her phone memo to record them.

"Sometimes I really wonder if you've been possessed by some ancient musical soul." She said half-jokingly.

"Maybe I just listen more and think more." Alex drank a sip of soda without changing his expression. The matter of the system was his own happy secret.

The warm interlude was interrupted by Marcus's slightly serious knock.

"Boss, there's a new situation." Marcus held a tablet. "The 'Urban Rhythm' group funded by Northrop just released a new single MV. The style… is six or seven parts similar to the direction you prepared for the 'Breaking Walls' theme. The melodic structure is different, but the overall atmosphere and rhythmic groove are very similar. Music critics have also started writing sporadic articles, touting them as 'purer, more underground trendsetters,' and there are subtle hints that our advertised 'live improvisation' is just 'grandstanding'."

Alex raised an eyebrow and took the tablet to look. The song was good, well-produced, and obviously money had been spent. This combination of "imitation + early release + public opinion paving" was indeed a bit disgusting.

Taylor also took a few looks, her brows slightly furrowed: "They are doing this on purpose."

"Of course." Alex put down the tablet, but there was no anger on his face; instead, he wanted to laugh. "'Echo Cage', as expected. However, they can imitate the style, but they can't imitate the core, and they definitely can't imitate… what I'm going to do next."

He was not only unpanicked, but even found it interesting. The opponent was following his rhythm, trying to defeat him in a preset box. But they didn't know that his true "improvisation" arsenal was bottomless, and he could switch tracks at any time.

"Marcus, use the 'Voice of Truth' account to repost the new song from 'Urban Rhythm', and for the caption…" Alex thought for a moment and snapped his fingers, "Just write: 'Great rhythm! Looking forward to more good sounds in the music scene. By the way, a reminder, our live stream is real-time creation, no pre-recorded MVs here~ See you this Saturday night!' Remember to add a playful emoji."

Marcus's eyes lit up: "Haha, brilliant! It seems generous, subtly points out that they might be pre-recorded, and promotes the live stream again!"

"Go ahead." Alex waved his hand.

Taylor looked at him, shook her head, but with a smile on her lips: "You… sometimes I really think you enjoy being in the middle of it."

"Life, especially the life of an influencer, is a large-scale reality show." Alex stretched. "Instead of being chased by trouble, it's better to turn around and dance with the trouble. By the way, are you free to watch the live show on Saturday night? Not on stage, just in the control room or backstage."

Taylor nodded without hesitation: "Of course. I want to see with my own eyes how someone 'dances with trouble'."

Sending Taylor off, night fell. Alex stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the studio, looking at the city lights. Deep in his consciousness, the system interface floated quietly.

【Current Popularity: 10,275,890 points】

(Growing slowly and steadily, the aftermath of the Crab Dance and the live stream pre-heating continue to contribute.)

【Priority Redemption Target Locked: Physical Function Overload (Temporary), Information Reception Filtering (Passive)】

There was still a long way to go, but he wasn't in a hurry. After the live stream, there would definitely be a big harvest. By then, he would be even closer to his first true extraordinary ability.

Northrop's imitation? Universal's pressure? The undercurrents of public opinion?

Alex exhaled softly, the corners of his mouth curling into a relaxed arc.

What everyone saw was an influencer genius who was calm, even a bit cynical, in the face of challenges.

Only he knew that on this bustling stage, he was happily collecting tickets to another world.

Three days before the live stream, everything was as usual, yet undercurrents were surging. And Alex Su, had already prepared for his performance.