Please do not judge me based on your narrow understanding.

These words made Ji Fanxing laugh. After all, none of her songs were self-composed; they were all classics from 21st-century China. In the Dragon Kingdom of Planet W, anyone who heard them praised them. The reason "Know My Intent" could speak out so righteously was that, thanks to the relentless efforts of their predecessors, public understanding of music had become almost entirely rigid. Anything that strayed from the norm was immediately seen as an anomaly. It wasn’t just music—many facets of the domestic entertainment industry were like this. In Ji Fanxing’s eyes, the world of entertainment was both strange and grotesque.

On the video, Know My Intent changed his sitting posture and continued his critique: “True music should reach the softest depths of the soul, but every one of her songs reeks of the cheapness tainted by competition. … Let me offer some advice to all you fans: The reason ‘Rivers and Mountains’ became a hit is entirely thanks to her partner. She couldn’t have sung it alone! Combining pop music with tradition is a dead end! Hurry and forget about Ji Fanxing’s style—forget it!!”

At the end of the video, the word “forget” flashed repeatedly across the screen, accompanied by sound effects that made the message all the more compelling. In less than half an hour, the video had garnered over ten thousand likes. Many verified users had left comments below. Ji Fanxing glanced over them and sneered. From major influencers at Know My Intent’s level to small-time creators with only a handful of followers, everyone lined up to show their support.

But this show of force didn’t intimidate Ji Fanxing in the slightest. After all these years, her mindset was as tough as steel. She simply added a comment of her own, right after the row of influencers: “Please don’t project your narrow perceptions onto me. Who says I can’t sing another ‘Rivers and Mountains’?”

Fans of Know My Intent reciprocated by liking every influencer's comment below the video. Suddenly, they noticed Ji Fanxing had slipped in among them. The tone of the online crowd shifted instantly from cheerful to shocked.

[Whoa! Ji Fanxing herself just crashed the comments!!]

Ji Fanxing’s reply was quickly upvoted to the top.

[I have to say, she’s living up to her name—so direct.]

“Know My Intent, she replied under your video.” In the “Cutest” MCN studio in Jin City, an assistant showed Know My Intent the phone.

Know My Intent crossed his legs, took the phone, scrolled casually, and then tossed it back. “Hmph, she’s got nerve. Get every contracted creator in the company involved—keep going after her.”

The assistant fumbled to steady the phone, disgruntled, thinking to himself that although this person was the company’s top influencer, at the end of the day, he was still just an employee; who gave him the right to order around every signed artist?

“But… Ji Fanxing is really popular right now. If our entire company moves against her, isn’t the risk too high?” The assistant carefully chose his words.

“That’s exactly why we have to go after her! Otherwise, how am I supposed to stay relevant?” Know My Intent couldn’t care less.

“But I don’t have that kind of authority…”

Know My Intent glared at the assistant in annoyance and decided to make the calls himself.

Although he appeared to be a top influencer with millions of followers, the online world moved quickly—new stars rose and fell overnight. He was on the verge of fading out, and just then, someone offered him half a million to stir up trouble. After a quick investigation into Ji Fanxing, he realized not only could he get paid, but if he played it right, he could ride a new wave of attention.

Know My Intent wasn’t worried about the boss finding out about his rogue actions, as he already had plans to strike out on his own. If this company could be the launchpad for his last burst of popularity, so much the better.

As a leading influencer, Know My Intent wielded significant influence within the company. Most of the other creators, unaware of the real story, readily agreed to join in. Not only did he rally the company’s creators, but he also reached out to his usual collaborators. Birds of a feather flocked together, and with the lure of massive traffic, most couldn’t resist.

Meanwhile, sensing something was off, the assistant quietly messaged the boss…

Soon, a wave of influencers from various fields released videos targeting Ji Fanxing’s comment under Know My Intent’s post.

Orange was singing: “Doubt her and suddenly you’re narrow-minded? There’s no place for Ji Fanxing in the Chinese music scene. Not everyone is qualified to speak up—let’s have respect for music…”

Poet of Light and Shadow: “Coming from a family of musicians, I’ve studied music since childhood. The journey of our domestic music scene has not been easy… The times are always changing, and some things must be left behind. We absolutely cannot let individual nonconformists drag the music and arts of the Dragon Kingdom backwards!”

Baby BABY: “All she does is reply. If she’s so capable, let’s hear her sing! I’m telling you, people like her are a blight on the music industry…”

On and on, all sorts of influencers took their own approach to pour oil on the fire, overtly and covertly applauding Know My Intent for speaking out. Their fans, many of whom had never even heard Ji Fanxing’s music, chimed in:

[She’s just using “tradition” as a gimmick to get attention. She’s totally misleading people.]

[So what if she wrote a few famous songs!]

[Who does she think she is to criticize others?]

[Sigh, my dad loves ‘The Fleeting Years,’ and I think it’s beautiful too. How could she be that kind of person?]

[She makes some good points, but honestly, who wants to be forced to listen to opera? It’s hilarious—I can’t stand it!]

Some of these fans even flocked to Ji Fanxing’s homepage to maliciously down-vote her songs, especially “Rivers and Mountains.” In no time, its rating dropped from 9.9 to 9.5. Both Ji Fanxing’s character and her music were called into question.

Of course, there were also voices of support for Ji Fanxing.

Chu Hao posted behind-the-scenes footage of “Rivers and Mountains” on DouShou, showing Ji Fanxing recording the accompaniment with her erhu. Her hands rested lightly on the instrument, fingers deftly dancing over the strings as though performing a ballet upon them. The silent, understated style of Chu Hao’s video made it clear to all: The creation of “Rivers and Mountains” was no accident, but a testament to genuine skill.

The official account of Yiniu reposted a high-energy clip of Ji Fanxing and Hailan performing “Sea of Flowers.” As the show’s runner-up, Hailan had been approached by several agencies that day. By the time she learned what was happening, it was already late. She immediately messaged Ji Fanxing to offer her support. Even though Ji Fanxing repeatedly told her not to worry, Hailan still spoke up for her on social media.

Unfortunately, the tide of public opinion was turning strongly against Ji Fanxing. Any supportive voices were quickly drowned out.

In Jin City, Xu Guosheng was at a loss. “What… what’s going on?” He couldn’t understand how things had escalated so drastically.

“Could it be… what the internet says is true? Was this girl just chasing clout with that video?” someone muttered nearby.

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Xu Guosheng cut him off. “There aren’t many young people in the Dragon Kingdom willing to study Beijing opera. We need to believe in her.”

Soon after, Xu Guosheng’s phone rang—it was an unfamiliar number.

“Who is this?”

“Brother Xu, it’s me, Liu Sandao!” The voice on the other end was overly familiar, but then shifted to a low, menacing tone. “You’ve seen what happens to those who stand against me. You have seven days to sign the contract and move out. Otherwise, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your daughter, the director in the entertainment industry, would you?”

With that, Liu Sandao hung up.

Now Xu Guosheng understood everything. He’d gotten Ji Fanxing into trouble! Was there no justice left? Such criminal forces deserved punishment! Guilt and helplessness filled his heart as he thought of his daughter, the troupe his master had entrusted to him, his painstakingly trained apprentices, and the future of Beijing opera…

In the Genesis Fantasy Game Studio, Li Ming and his friends were quietly listening to the game music Ji Fanxing had sent them. The spacious studio was silent. Though it was early summer and the sun was warm, the sounds coming from the computer sent chills down their spines. An unfamiliar instrument produced a sharp, piercing note—“Zzzz—”