Generation Z Artists

Chapter 192 Collision
On the day Fang Penshen set off, both places were completely silent.

Ji Bao is a scoundrel, and Fang Xinghe himself is even more devoid of martial ethics. Since the founding of the country, no one has ever done such a despicable and outrageous thing!
Is it appropriate for a provincial official newspaper to blatantly display these words on its front page?!

It's really outrageous, but Brother Fang has already done it, so what can we do?
Just make a cold dish and pretend you're blind.

All major media outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan unanimously gave the matter the cold shoulder, not even mentioning Fang Xinghe at all, and suddenly began reporting that "the relationship between Faye Wong and Nicholas Tse may be in jeopardy."

Some tabloids, driven by greed, continued to press the issue, launching a massive attack on the "practice makes perfect" argument in an attempt to stir up controversy.

However, it was completely useless. The cultural, film and television, and mainstream media sectors all shut down. What kind of splash could they possibly make with their low-class gossip?
In an instant, Fang Xinghe went from being a hot topic to being completely unknown, disappearing from the public eye in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

We can't afford to mess with you, and we can't win an argument with you, so why don't we just ignore you?

If anything happens, let's figure it out in private.

As a result of this reflection, their relationship with the Beijing elite circle actually deepened.

Strictly speaking, in this day and age, the mainland and Hong Kong and Taiwan do need each other.

Hong Kong and Taiwan need the mainland market to survive. The big ship not only opened the country's door, but also opened the path in the hearts of Hong Kong and Taiwan film and television people.

The mainland needs the business experience and star power of Hong Kong and Taiwan. As of now, only half of the mainland stars can carry the box office – Ge You and Xiao Gangpao need to combine their talents to specialize in Lunar New Year comedies in order to guarantee box office success.

Therefore, when Fang Xinghe completely offended the Hong Kong and Taiwan entertainment industry, Huayi Brothers and several other major Beijing entertainment circles immediately extended olive branches, sharing the same hatred with him.

"Damn! That guy is so utterly despicable!"

Behind the scenes, those slutty and pretentious women in Beijing's elite circles were overjoyed and gloated.

They couldn't possibly like the Hong Kong entertainment circle; strictly speaking, they disliked all circles except their own.

History has long proven that there are only a handful of influential figures who genuinely want Chinese films to be good.

But on the surface, they are all generous and righteous big brothers, willing to go to great lengths for each other.

"Hey guys, what's the point of all that nonsense? Don't worry, if there's a good project, we'll give you money or manpower!"

As for Fang Xinghe's ban...

"Who does he think he is? He's certainly good at talking big, but does he have the right to blacklist the film industry? It's like we can't make this money without him. What kind of bullshit is he!"

"Yeah, that's hilarious!"

During a team-building activity where they jointly cursed Fang Xinghe, their relationship quickly warmed up, and they became as close as brothers.

Then, when it came time to discuss specific projects, both sides stared at each other blankly and remained silent.

This……

If "Hero" isn't released, who would dare to make any big moves?

At most, they can make low-budget crime films or low-budget art films, which one company can handle, so there's no need for collaboration.

Therefore, while they did have a common enemy, they did not have common interests for the time being. After much back and forth, they still had to focus their attention on Fang Xinghe in the end.

Whether "Hero" succeeds or fails will determine far too many things...

But Fang Xinghe has already forgotten about "Hero"; he is trying to become a hero.

Washington, D.C., United States.

After a low-key arrival and two days of rest at the hotel to get into top shape, Fang, the star player, began spending time in the rented training hall.

It was September 4th, and there were still more than half a month left before the end of the offseason.

He didn't immediately schedule a one-on-one match with Jordan; he simply sent him a text message.

"I'm coming."

Jordan's response was equally brief: "Good."

Then, Wang Charlie began his passionate encounter with David Falcao.

A one-on-one duel is inevitable; no one can change the minds of Jordan and Fang Xinghe. However, the two sides have different opinions on whether to hold a public showdown.

From a purely objective standpoint, Jordan needs to subdue Fang Xinghe, but he doesn't need to prove it to the outside world.

David, spitting furiously, shouted, "My boss is the God of Basketball! Winning is a natural and deserved result. Will broadcasting it live do him any good for his reputation? No! So if you want it broadcast live, you'll have to pay the price!"

That makes perfect sense.

Fang Xinghe has always been willing to pay an equivalent price.

So Wang Charlie replied with utter contempt, "How much appearance fee do you need? Name your price. My boss isn't as stingy as your boss. Money is just a number to him."

"This isn't about the money!"

David grew increasingly angry.

Winning against Fang Xinghe in a public one-on-one duel offers very few benefits, while losing by accident has extremely negative consequences.

"Do you know how many sponsors Mike needs to secure? Do you think our sponsors are like yours, where you can just snag one and consider it a success?!"

This is another very true statement.

Jordan himself was confident enough to challenge Fang Xinghe to a one-on-one match; his desire to win and his pride were enough to support him at any cost.

However, for those stakeholders to allow Jordan to "act up," there must be an irresistible reason.

"You can choose between a Nike or Air Jordan sneaker endorsement deal, a 7-year contract with a priority renewal option, for a total endorsement fee of $2500 million!"

David stared intently at Charlie Wang, his eyes cold and menacing.

"Only if such a long-term partnership agreement is reached will Nike agree to make this one-on-one match public!"

This is robbery!

Wang Charlie was furious: "Do you even know what my boss's net worth is right now?!"

"What a load of rubbish! He's nothing at all!"

"But he quickly became the supernova who publicly defeated Jordan!"

Fuck you, Californian!

"Fuck you! You bastard!"

The two exchanged insults for a while before leaving in a huff.

They each composed themselves and prepared for the next battle.

This is a recent regular program, and it looks like it will continue for some time.

The two sides have significantly different expectations, and the main disagreement lies in "value judgments under different value systems".

David's view is that Fang Xinghe's market value in the United States is only $300 million a year, far lower than in Japan and South Korea, and his endorsement targets are relatively narrow.

Judging from the sales of "Born to Sing", his core fan base is loyal enough, but not large enough.

"Nike only needs your local influence. Whether you're in Japan or South Korea, they're still Nike's territory. As for China... how many pairs of authentic shoes can you sell in that poor place?"

David's contemptuous logic is self-consistent, but Wang Charlie firmly believes that the boss has enormous potential and a very high ceiling.

The evidence is a Wall Street business report, in which those vampires believe that Fang Xinghe has the potential to become a "global phenomenon".

Meanwhile, the art world also felt that Fang Xinghe had a chance to break into the international mainstream fashion circle. Although LV and Cartier still did not agree to those outrageous conditions, they did not distance themselves and always maintained close ties.

This kung fu kid from the mysterious East has achieved remarkable success in literature and is rising in the field of sports. Now, you can get it at a low price and make a huge profit.

The real reason Nike reluctantly agreed to the one-on-one challenge was because of its own interests.

However, Fang Xinghe was unwilling to be tied to Nike's shoe contract for 7 years—at least not by that price.

What price will the vice GOAT receive in two years?
He couldn't quite remember, but it was very expensive.

As a one-of-a-kind super crossover icon in the world, even Jordan is not worthy of being above me, so what makes you think you can?
Therefore, he preferred not to accept any NBA-related commercial endorsements rather than lower his price. That's where things stalled.

Nike wouldn't budge, and Jordan wasn't willing to push it forward, so the public one-on-one match was on the verge of falling through.

Wang Charlie felt both anxious and somewhat relieved.

"If you don't want to make it public, then don't make it public. That's Michael Kors..."

Shi Huang glanced at him sideways: "Don't you have confidence in your junior brother?"

“Yes!” Charlie Wang shouted loudly. “I just don’t like taking risks. You know, I’m a conservative American.”

Americans are not conservative, at least not right now.

Fang Xinghe would stroll around the streets of Washington every day, observing and experiencing America in this era.

Hmm, how to describe it? Quite energetic and spirited.

The condition was completely different from what he saw when he came here for treatment in his later years; it was now truly at its peak, like oil being poured on a raging fire.

This is precisely why Americans are willing to accept Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jet Li and Hendrik Willem Van Loon, and big-budget productions starring Chinese actors.

Once they fall from that peak and become sensitive, fragile, and hysterical, everything about China will become an object of ridicule.

Then, gradually they become numb, gradually adapt, gradually let go. Some people become desensitized, some become China enthusiasts, and most people become increasingly hateful and hostile.

This is the complete process that Fang Xinghe will see in 2030.

The golden age of Chinese development in the United States will only be the first decade of the 21st century, spanning the next thirty years.

Therefore, we must achieve a substantial harvest this time.

“You’re right, always,” Charlie Wang shrugged. “But I guess they’re unlikely to accept that you beat Jordan; it’s not the same as Hendrik Willem Van Loon’s action movies.”

"Whether we can win or not is still uncertain."

Fang Xinghe didn't even look up, focusing on the final ball control training.

His vest was already soaked, his face was covered in sweat, he was breathing heavily, and his movements were struggling on the edge of being deformed and out of control.

Wang Chali was overjoyed: "It's rare that you're still so clear-headed. Otherwise, why don't we just avoid a public duel? Who knows how much that god has recovered... We can think of a safer plan."

Ultimately, Old Wang still lacked confidence.

But Fang Xinghe didn't blame him. Back in 2001, no one believed that Fang Xinghe could beat Jordan.

Even he himself lacked absolute confidence.

受限于星耀值的匮乏，他只将柔韧点到了96点，目前的体质属性是力量90、速度99、耐力90、灵敏99、柔韧96。

Qiang is definitely very strong; his speed and agility far surpass Danzi's.

The problem is that basketball is a sport that combines dynamic and static elements, making models extremely important.

Fang Xinghe's height and wingspan are at a significant disadvantage, and this disadvantage is exacerbated in one-on-one situations, leaving him with almost no room for error.

There are too many small guards with lightning speed; who would dare to imagine that they could beat Durant in a one-on-one match?

Peak Danny was even harder to beat than Kevin Durant, at least Durant's defense wasn't as hopeless.

"I'm not absolutely certain of victory, but this one-on-one match has to be played publicly."

Fang Xinghe finally finished his third training session of the day, panting heavily as he collapsed onto the floor.

"If I don't reveal it, how will the world know the true level of my talent? I can afford to lose, but if I win, I will win everything!"

"Okay, I'll keep trying."

Wang Chali looked distressed and couldn't help but wail, "But you're unwilling to give Nike a discount, which is really difficult! We don't care about the money, so why?"

Fang Xinghe truly doesn't care about money, but making concessions now will inevitably lead to one consequence—he will definitely be heavily criticized and talked about by that person.

“You know, Fang and I are best buddies, but I’m the chosen one. I’m Nike’s top star, I don’t need to prove anything else… Of course, we’re best buddies, I won’t say these things in front of him. We often talk about literature. I recently read his book, oh my god, it was amazing! I’ve decided, I’m going to write one myself someday. It won’t be easy, but I’m confident…”

Oh my god, this is terrible!

So either don't sign at all, or if you do sign, sign the biggest contract possible, and look down on A-tan from a high position.

As for Nike's obstruction of one-on-one matches...

"Don't overthink it, let's take it one more time, time is always on our side."

Wang Charlie did not understand Fang Xinghe's meaningful words.

He and David tormented each other with great difficulty, but little progress was made. However, after the beginning of September, the situation suddenly changed dramatically.

Some things can't be said, but the facts are undeniable—Nike and Jordan suddenly softened their stance.

“We really need something special to inspire people.”

David carefully considered his words before speaking.

“Charlie, it’s time for our bosses to meet. They now share common goals, common interests, and common pressures… Shouldn’t we be more honest with each other?”

On September 13th, Fang Xinghe and Jordan faced off again in a villa in the suburbs of Washington.

The first words spoken by both sides were not friendly.

Of course, it has to be your move, Brother Fang, that's the first one to make a move.

“You need me more now, Mike.”

The boy's confident, smiling expression made Dan frown. He replied with a warning, "Kid, in the world of basketball, no one is needed more than me!"

Yes, that is the current reality.

So Fang Xinghe didn't continue arguing, but instead carefully examined Teacher Da Dan's figure.

Lean, strong, lean, and healthy, he has recovered very well.

In recent months, Danzi has been living like an ascetic. Fang Xinghe has brought out the highest level of competitive spirit in Danzi, and he has not wasted a single day.

Thus, unlike in his previous life, Danzi was not injured, did not gain weight while lying in a hospital bed, and did not suffer a knee injury due to short-term overload rehabilitation.

This is a Discipline Pill that is far from being at its peak, but far greater than the previous genius Joe.

Can you believe that Jordan didn't go to Las Vegas for three whole months?

No one believed it, but Fang Xinghe did it.

"Go warm up?"

Danzi chewed her gum vigorously, eagerly extending the invitation.

"No."

Fang Xinghe, however, did not follow his lead and politely refused.

"I like to save the surprise for the last moment. Your exasperated expression will be very interesting."

"Really? Your ball skills had better be as tough as your mouth, otherwise it would be too boring."

Good news: Da Dan has stopped swearing at Fang Xinghe.

Bad news: Dane is recovering too well and has gotten a little cocky.

The collisions will continue, and it seems that an end is nowhere in sight.

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It was reviewed before because the issue was too sensitive, so we had to revise it to downplay it, which made the transition feel a bit abrupt.

(End of this chapter)