Respawn Entertainment: Days of Glory

Chapter 954 The Space Prodigal
The next morning, the five bands that had already been ranked the day before met again at the music park.

There was no tense atmosphere as expected. Whether it was Goat, who hadn't slept all night because of worry, or Li Hao, who was listless because he hadn't drunk any alcohol, they were all gathered at the door chatting while puffing on cigarettes.

"Goat, you'd better be reliable today. If you keep coming in last place, there's really no point in you staying here." Li Hao's words were rough but true.

Even though the goat felt uncomfortable listening to this, it could only nod and say, "I'll try my best, I can't be too far behind the hedgehog!"

Seeing that he was in better spirits, Li Hao thought for a moment and continued, "Don't lose to Hedgehog, no matter who you lose to. Although Xia Yuxi was the lead singer chosen by Bian Lang, he's still here to directly claim the prize. If you and New Pants lose to them, it would be really..."

Now that things have come to this, without Bian Lang, the formidable opponent, standing in their way, everyone wants to compete for the top spot. However, there aren't as many of the melodramatic or pretentious scenes seen on other shows. In Li Hao's view, anyone can take the top spot, but he doesn't approve of Xia Yuxi's Hedgehog team, at least not in this regard.

That really hit the nail on the head.

Goat felt it was unfair that Xia Yuxi, who was parachuted in, was directly placed in the finals, while the others had truly fought their way up through each round. He felt it was similar to how Exodus got to sing the opening act for the Rolling Stones.

Just as he was about to say something in response, Luo Lin directly hit Li Hao with a "pot lid": "Li Hao, do you only speak when you've had enough alcohol? Should Hedgehog withdraw from the competition and let another band come up instead? And you, Goat... in the eyes of the other lead singers, aren't you just like Xia Yuxi in your eyes now!"
You were parachuted into New Pants as lead singer too, weren't you? Believe me, the number of people criticizing you behind your back is definitely no less than those criticizing Xia Yuxi. Besides, among these five bands, who dares to say that Bian Lang didn't help us get this far? Xia Yuxi was already under a lot of pressure taking on this role in a crisis. And you two…”

That's just Luo Lin's personality; it's not because Xia Yuxi's train schedule is closer to his. After spending time with her, he genuinely feels that Xia Yuxi is more comfortable to be around than some other people.

Li Hao often just wanted to say things to feel good; it wasn't necessarily that he was being malicious. Since Luo Lin had laid it all out so clearly, Li Hao kept quiet.

Perhaps only outsiders can truly see that Rowling's words really did wake the goat up!

Isn't he himself the lucky one in everyone's eyes? New Pants was built up by Bian Lang, and New Pants has released albums and has endorsements, etc., which is much better than Hedgehog's current situation.

So he didn't say anything, punched Luo Lin in the chest, and then went to find Xia Yuxi.

Watching his somewhat relieved figure as he walked away, Luo Lin smiled and said, "That's right! Now that the competition has come this far, the meaning of the competition should be to break through one's own limits!"

When Li Hao heard Luo Lin say that, he was so frightened that he stopped smoking the cigarette he was holding and just stared at Luo Lin blankly, wondering to himself, "Where did this guy go to ascend to immortality?"

In the dressing room, Liu Yao and Guo Sichu were getting their hair and makeup done while chatting, and the topic naturally turned to Bian Lang: "How's his recording progress?"

"It'll be over soon. Just one more trip to Italy and it'll be finished. Then you can meet up with us in Haikou..."

"Can he really resist the urge to skip the Rolling Stones Music Festival?" Liu Yao wasn't trying to stir up trouble; she was just curious.

Guo Sichu probably didn't believe Bian Lang could behave himself before, but after talking so much, she understood some of Bian Lang's bottom line.

Take, for example, the issue of identity among Chinese people!

In this respect, Guo Sichu believes Bian Lang is definitely the most dedicated musician she knows. Don't be fooled by his imported rock style and his English songs; if you try to persuade him to release music abroad, you'll definitely get a lot of flak!

Therefore, Bian Lang wouldn't escalate the conflict over this matter. However, being the vengeful person he is, he will definitely hold a grudge and get his revenge when the opportunity arises.

"Don't worry, he knows what's important. It's really not easy for Chinese rock to be like this now. He's put in a lot of effort this year, and he'll cherish his own achievements! If he ruins the Rolling Stones Festival, what's the point?"

Liu Yao hadn't really thought of this before, but now that her best friend had pointed it out, she understood: "I have a feeling that life on the border seems pretty tough!"

"From this perspective, there is some truth to it. He wasn't as free-spirited as other rock musicians, but he also achieved things that other rock musicians didn't. Besides talent, there are other essential factors..."

Liu Yao thought about herself. Didn't she once want to revitalize Chinese rock music? But it turns out she really wasn't cut out for it.

But she never imagined that Guo Sichu might actually become a godmother-level figure in Chinese rock music, provided that she and Bian Lang spent enough time together.

"By the way, Dong Youbian, aren't you worried at all that the two of them might rekindle their old flame?"

These words immediately made Guo Sichu laugh: "Is this a topic we should be discussing here?"

Guo Sichu's makeup and styling were done by her own team, so Yue Zaonuo, who was doing Liu Yao's hair, was immediately startled and declared her loyalty: "Anyway, I'm with Rolling Stone, I'm on Queen Chu's side..."

Seeing his serious expression, the two female celebrities laughed heartily.

Liu Yao felt this was the happiest time her best friend had been in recent years, so besides wishing her well, she also had to say, "Take care, I sincerely hope you both take good care of yourselves!"

"Will do……"

Guo Sichu also wanted things to go well. After all, if Bian Lang, with his top-notch appearance and soul, were to be let go, it would be extremely difficult to find someone like him again.

Why is it that everyone on Earth seems to love shipping Faye Wong and Nicholas Tse's relationship? If this happened to any other female celebrity, they'd probably be drowning in criticism, but nothing's wrong with Faye Wong? Being a superstar is one thing, but Nicholas Tse's looks are undeniably stunning…

Compared to Pan Yueming and Wang Dazhi, who else do you think netizens would criticize if not Dong Jie?
Looking at Wang Jingwen's side, Dou Xian, Li Yapeng, and Nicholas Tse were all top-tier heartthrobs in their youth. Now Dou Xian and Li Yapeng are balding, and looking at Nicholas Tse's looks and condition, who wouldn't want to date him!

At this time, Bian Lang was not yet the same age as Xiao Xie from the original Earth, but in terms of appearance and soul, he was not lacking in either.

So when Guo Sichu heard that Dong Youbian was going to record a song, she looked up the lyrics and music of "Flammable and Explosive" and then said to Liang Kuan, "Why is this song so strange? It feels like it's mocking Bian Lang?"

After listening, Liang Kuan laughed and said, "No, I feel that the song's stance is too ambiguous..."

...Although only five bands performed in today's final, the number of music fans and media present was quite large, just because it was the last show.

Many media outlets that didn't arrive yesterday, or colleagues from the television industry, came here today specifically to see what other tricks they could come up with for the final competition.

There are definitely some creative elements; otherwise, some of the bands that were eliminated earlier wouldn't all be here today.

While fans were still entering the venue in an orderly fashion, the five bands scheduled to perform that evening had already gathered in the preparation room. They weren't preparing to go on stage, but rather connecting with Bian Lang via video link.

As Bian Lang's most important move in the revival of rock music on Earth, he definitely wanted to say a few words to everyone at the finale of "The Big Band" since he wasn't there in person: "Thank you all so much for supporting the show all the way to today. I won't say much else, just give it your all. If the ratings are a huge hit, I'll see if I can hold a 'The Big Band' concert in Europe..."

Upon hearing this, all the musicians present became excited!
This offer sounds incredibly tempting, and coming from Bian Lang, it's entirely possible if they really put in the effort. Putting aside Bian Lang's reputation, just the fact that the Rolling Stones just finished their European tour—which other band can compare?
"Bian Lang, if that's how you put it, then we brothers will fight you to the death!" It was Li Hao who spoke.

His words seemed to represent not only his own and the joystick band's thoughts, but also the thoughts of the other bands and musicians present.

Anyway, this is the last show, so even if we collapse from exhaustion on stage, it'll only be a matter of time. If we can actually go to Europe together for a joint concert, that would be a huge win.

Especially for those who always sing English songs, like the joystick operator, they really want to be able to go out and exchange ideas on a big international stage.

A work of art, besides being given to Douyin (TikTok) to make it popular again, also needs to reach music fans who know how to appreciate it to be considered verified. So even the usually aloof Tian Yuan took off his sunglasses and gave Bian Lang an OK sign.

A little while later, when Niu Boyi was announcing some on-site rules, the joystick was already waiting behind the big screen.

The opportunity to play in this final round was drawn by lot yesterday; there was no inside story or manipulation involved.

Despite drawing first place, Tian Yuan didn't find the control lever difficult; in fact, he felt that finishing the performance sooner would allow him to relax. Especially after receiving the news from Bian Lang, he felt that the sooner it was over, the sooner he could put his mind at ease.

With this expectation in mind, everyone is not only supervising others, but also urging themselves to improve!

However, this event was quite fair in one aspect: everyone sang new songs provided by Bian Lang, so everyone started on the same footing. There was no situation where anyone brought their most famous song to the show to gain an advantage over the fans.

But this also means that the first song will be more difficult to perform. Even if there are fans with joysticks at the scene, if you sing a new song now, the fans will not be able to empathize with it, the event will not be effective, and everyone may still be confused before the performance is over.

So these guys who usually just ignore everyone else are actually discussing how to interact with their fans...

A few minutes later, after the prompts to prepare to go on stage came through their earpieces, the large screen in front of them began to slowly rise, and the group was pushed onto the stage and appeared in front of everyone.

The fans were very supportive, and the applause and cheers immediately filled the atmosphere!

Especially for the longtime fans of the joystick, seeing the band on stage with almost three or four times the size of the original, and the addition of the orchestral musicians, they immediately felt that tonight's event seemed a bit unusual.

Tian Yuan also broke his habit of being sparing with words before a performance and took the initiative to say a few words first.

Niu Boyi certainly wouldn't stop it, since how it was recorded on set and what was ultimately broadcast weren't necessarily related.

It's like when Painkiller was invited by Cui Yongyuan to participate in a program. Cui Yongyuan said they wanted to show the attitude of rock and roll. Someone sang "The Sun Also Rises" for everyone, and then that was it!
"Even if he couldn't come, I still want to thank him here. Without you, there would be no Summer of Bands, and no today... Thank you, we wrote this song, and it's a great honor to be able to perform it on such a meaningful stage... 'Space Wanderer'!"

Tian Yuan wasn't sure if he was warming up the crowd, but after he finished speaking, there was indeed another burst of cheers that were even louder than before.

This caused the remaining people in the preparation room to curse, "Holy crap! Isn't this a lack of sportsmanship...?" Then they started discussing what their bands were going to say later!
After he finished speaking, the stage lights dimmed, and then beams of light began to rotate behind the band, creating a beautiful scene with the help of dry ice.

A moment later, the ruff played by the American dry tone and the melody of the glockenspiel together created a sense of mystery, like the starry sky or the universe.

"Space Wanderer! Bian Lang's arrangement is as amazing as ever... Doesn't he even consider whether Li Hao and the others can handle it?"

Before Chuanzi could finish speaking, the commander interrupted him, saying, "Shut up and listen properly!"

It was at this moment that the orchestra joined in. The trumpet from Wheels, along with a trombone that Liu Jiayun and the others had brought from the band, instantly brought out an international flair to the punk fir pipes, unlike anything they had done before!

The addition of a touch of blues definitely brought a fresh and different feeling to all joystick enthusiasts!

After a short, lively eight-stripe intro, Tian Yuan earnestly began to sing, accompanied only by the soft sounds of guitar and cymbals:
"wake up

From the disillusioned dream
When the golden horn

The wind and rain scattered the broken pieces.

In this deserted night
I want to take you far away
Behold the splendor of heaven and earth

"To explore the mysteries of the stars..."

Even die-hard fans of the lever have almost no chance to hear them sing Chinese songs. Today, when they opened their mouths, many of the lever fans began to wonder if they were hallucinating.

After confirming it was correct again, they, like Tian Yuan, mentally exclaimed to Bian Lang, "Bian Lang, awesome!"

(End of this chapter)