99: Chapter 99 Celebrities, Internet Celebrities, and New Standards

The celebration party was held at a rooftop bar in Los Angeles overlooking the night view. It was a private event.

The atmosphere was so lively it was nearly boiling. Champagne, laughter, music, and that collective excitement of "we just made history." Alex was surrounded in the center, receiving congratulations from all directions. Richard, the Vice President of Universal Music, was practically grabbing his hand and wouldn't let go: "Alex! The numbers for 'wavelength' are crushing everything! It's not just a song; it's a cultural event! The board is meeting first thing tomorrow morning to discuss your long-term strategy! Star, you are already a true international star!"

"Thank you, Richard. This is all thanks to the team's hard work." Alex responded with a smile, his demeanor poised, without any of that flustered feeling of being overwhelmed by favor. He adapted quickly, as if he were born to be in this position. A star's "class" isn't faked; it's an aura supported by solid achievements and a composed mindset.

But he soon slipped out of that circle of stars and walked toward the corner where his team was. Marcus was grinning at his phone, while Hank and Rex were arguing about which late-night eatery had more authentic barbecue.

"Hey, the celebration isn't even over, and you're already thinking about the next meal?" Alex picked up a bottle of beer (real beer, he could relax a little tonight) and clinked it with theirs.

"Boss, you're an international superstar now. Will you still take us to roadside stalls like this in the future?" Marcus joked.

"Nonsense, stars have to eat too, and the good stuff is often not at Michelin-starred places." Alex took a sip, his tone casual, "Besides, without you guys, I'd just be an influencer shouting nonsense at a camera." This made the others burst into laughter. He hadn't lost an ounce of that down-to-earth influencer vibe or his team bond.

This was the state he wanted: when standing on a stage that the world was watching, he was Alex Su, a talented creator and an emerging pop culture symbol; when returning to his own circle, he was still that clear-headed, sentimental, fun-loving Alex. The two were not contradictory; instead, they formed his unique charm.

At the end of the celebration, he went to the quiet terrace alone. The cold wind helped clear his slightly overheated head.

His consciousness sank into the system.

[Global Livestream Event 'Connection' settlement complete]

[Current cumulative popularity: 16,212,550 points]

[Transcendental exchange permission unlocked]

[Priority exchange target: 'Information Reception Filtering (Passive)' (Requires 20,000,000 points)]

Looking at the price tag of twenty million, and then comparing it to his balance of just over sixteen million, Alex raised an eyebrow. He was short nearly four million.

"I thought one livestream would be enough..." he muttered, but he didn't feel the slightest bit disappointed. Instead, he felt it was more reasonable and more interesting. If transcendental abilities were that easy to obtain, it wouldn't be fun. This feeling of "just a little bit more" was more like a game progress bar worth looking forward to, pushing him to plan the next "big project."

He decisively canceled the previous "priority exchange" mark.

"No rush. I'll wait until I have enough. Let's first see what new tricks I can play at the 'secular' level with this newly acquired ten-million-level popularity." He exited the system and turned his thoughts back to reality.

As a "star" who had just proven his ability to create global hit songs, his next musical work had to maintain or even elevate this standard. But as an "influencer" who needed to continuously output content and maintain heat and approachability, he couldn't let his fans wait too long.

A plan formed in his mind.

He returned indoors and found Taylor, who was chatting with an A&R director from Universal.

"I have an idea," he pulled her aside, his voice low but filled with excitement, "For the next song, let's do something big. Not just a single, but a substantial pop-electronic-rock track that's suitable for live performances and can go viral. I have a melody and a rough concept, and I need your voice and creativity to help fill it out. It feels like... finding a balance between grand fantasy and mundane reality, resisting some kind of false expectation." He was describing the core concept of 'Something Just Like This', which would become a global hit in the future, but he packaged it in language that fit the current creative context.

Taylor's eyes lit up immediately; she liked this kind of pop theme with a sense of conflict and philosophy. "Sounds very challenging and powerful. What about the melody?"

Alex used his phone to simply hum a signature intro and chorus melody line, full of progression and longing. Even just a cappella, the catchy, addictive quality and emotional tension already made Taylor hold her breath.

"That's it!" She grabbed his arm almost immediately, "This feeling is perfect! Alex, your brain... when do we start?"

"No rush, let's take it slow. Let's each settle down, collect inspiration, and officially start after the New Year. This will be our next 'blockbuster'." Alex smiled. Using a future phenomenon-level collaboration track as an advancement of his "star" status couldn't be more appropriate.

At the same time, he didn't forget his duties as an "influencer." The next day, he had Marcus arrange to film an extremely simple daily vlog: he tried to make a "creative breakfast" at home using various strange ingredients, but ended up making an indescribable burnt mess, finally smiling bitterly at the camera with the caption: "Turns out, music creation and cooking don't require the same talent. #KitchenDisaster #BetterOrderTakeout". The video was lighthearted and funny, quickly hitting the platform's trending list, and the comment section was full of "hahahaha" and affectionate teases about "stars failing too."

This was the balance. On one hand, planning the next "transported" hit song in collaboration with international superstar Taylor that was destined to sweep the globe; on the other, posting funny, down-to-earth daily short videos. He wanted both the star's class and the influencer's approachability.

A few days later, the so-called "in-depth deconstruction by music critics" articles regarding the livestream and 'wavelength' appeared as expected, questioning the authenticity of his "improvisation." This time, Alex didn't even have his team draft a specific response. He simply forwarded a long technical analysis article by a senior music producer fan on the "Voice of Truth" platform on his main account with tens of millions of followers (the article used multi-angle livestream videos to analyze the chord and melody development logic derived from the keyword "bridge" in 'wavelength' frame by frame, proving the rationality and superb skill of his improvisation), and simply commented: "Professional analysis is worth sharing. Music is not afraid of being discussed; what it fears is losing the patience to listen. Thank you to everyone who listens carefully."

Effortless, using a small force to deflect a thousand pounds. Using a fan's professional counterattack to respond to an opponent's professional questioning, while maintaining a high profile and focusing on sharing music and daily life. It both maintained the star's class and consolidated the connection with the core community.

The small ripples of public opinion quickly subsided. Alex's life seemed to have entered a new rhythm: thinking about the next big collaboration, occasionally posting lighthearted daily content, engaging in long and complex negotiations with Universal regarding future albums, performances, and brand collaborations, while also closely monitoring the growth of the "Voice of Truth" platform and possible new moves from Northrop.

In the dead of night, he would check the system interface.

[Current cumulative popularity: 16,587,901 points]

(Daily activity and the long-tail effect of 'wavelength' continue to bring steady income)

[Next target: 'Information Reception Filtering (Passive)' - Still need approximately 3,412,099 points]

The numbers were growing steadily. He knew that when the collaboration track with Taylor was released, this missing three-plus million would likely be filled in one go, or even exceeded.

He stood in front of his apartment window, looking at the night view of Los Angeles. The halo of a star was intoxicating, and the life of an influencer was full of fun, but these were just appearances, different facets of him enjoying this world.

And deep in his heart, that transcendental world that required tens of millions of popularity points to unlock was the path he alone possessed, the one that truly led to "something different." Everyone saw him laughing, creating, and succeeding under the spotlight, but only he knew that every bit of growth in popularity was silently paving a path to godhood for him.

The road was still long, but he was enjoying it.