The true essence of single-mindedness is to boldly pursue what you believe in.

"Quiet? Quiet for what?! Hurry up and move! The train is about to leave!" The manager felt nothing but misfortune—this singer, who couldn't even see his own position, was not only unprofessional, but now wouldn't even listen to instructions.

He Fei stared, trying to make out the faces of those on the television screen: He Hongjing, strumming her guitar, the bassist not far from her, and the drummer elevated on the platform...

He muttered to himself, voice trembling, "Red Flame..."

Suddenly, long-buried memories surfaced. He remembered vividly the day he struck out on his own, full of youthful arrogance. What had he said back then? Something like, "If you miss me, just turn on the TV. You'll see me there..."

But in the end, his solo ambitions had never led him to any real stage. Now, under the company's thumb, he was reduced to the lowest, most humiliating kind of gigging, chasing money he despised.

Yet those he'd cast off like dead weight were now dazzling under the stage lights, their brilliance blinding on such a grand platform...

The sting of reality hit him like a nightmare. He Fei's eyes burned with rage, while the manager continued his endless nagging behind him.

It was this man who had lured him away! Back then, he’d said, better to follow him to fame than languish in an underground band like a rat in a sewer.

The thought ignited He Fei's fury. He turned, grabbed the manager, and roared,

"It’s all your fault! You ruined me!

That person on TV should be me! Who is that girl anyway? I’m the real lead singer!

Aaaahhh!

I'll kill you!"

The manager was shaken so hard he felt dizzy, his face twisted with terror as he screamed for help.

"He's gone mad! Mad, I tell you! Somebody call the police!"

The commotion quickly drew a crowd. Several people rushed over to separate He Fei from the manager.

Panting, the manager, now beside himself with rage, shouted for all to hear, "He Fei! You think you’re too good for these jobs, is that it? Well, let me tell you, there are plenty of others willing to take your place! Just wait—you’ll be iced out! No gigs means no money! With your contract, even begging on the street will be illegal! Just wait and starve!"

Pinned to the ground by security with riot batons, He Fei stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in a haze, uncertain how much of the manager's words had truly sunk in.

The TV in the lobby, untouched by the chaos, continued to play. Onstage in the City of Sea, Hailan and the Red Flame Band unleashed the raw energy of rock before a crowd of ten thousand.

"In this night of broken voices—
No longer hearing those youthful vows—
Who still fights for their ideals?
Who would still sacrifice for love?
..."

A single song, yet each listener hears it differently—some take it as a bitter mockery, while others feel a fire kindling in their hearts.

At the live show, the performance reached its climax. Nearly everyone in the audience rose to their feet, letting the music carry their emotions away.

Among the judges, only Ji Shengxue’s seat remained calm. Ruan Lin tapped the table in time with the beat, reserved yet thoughtful. Rock had been at its height in Dragon Country during her own glory days.

Within the same entertainment circle, it was impossible not to know a little about each other. She even commented with genuine interest, "This retro disco is pretty good, though the lyrics are a bit odd."

The singer, Hailan, was an ordinary girl with no background. Her style wasn't even the current mainstream—no threat at all.

Knowing this, Ji Shengxue replied quietly, "Maybe young people like it this way?"

"Is that so? I’m not convinced," Ruan Lin said, glancing at her youngest son, Ji Rufeng, who sat motionless, disagreeing.

Ji Shengxue also looked over at her brother, whose expression was lost in the dim light. Her tone carried a tinge of sadness. "Rufeng usually loves excitement. Maybe he's still upset after that run-in with Fanxing..."

Though her words were vague, Ruan Lin immediately understood she was referring to her good son being bullied by Ji Fanxing.

Her gaze at Ji Rufeng was full of pity. She couldn't understand how her once-obedient younger daughter had changed overnight.

Reckless, wild, with no regard for family at all.

But at least... during the performance just now, Ji Fanxing had obeyed her warning and not fought Shengxue for the invitation letter...

That meant her daughter’s rebellion was only temporary—her heart still belonged to her family.

As long as she listened, she would still be a good daughter of the Ji family.

Unseen by Ji Shengxue and Ruan Lin, Ji Rufeng seemed frozen in place, his eyes fixed unblinking on the stage.

Onstage, Hailan’s petite frame contained astonishing power—her voice and music struck straight to the soul.

A strange light glowed in Ji Rufeng’s eyes. The fire in his heart had been lit by this song.

He felt as if he had touched a world he’d never imagined before.

A world of independence, defiance, freedom—a world that drew him irresistibly.

Raised from childhood as his father’s heir, Ji Rufeng now felt a stirring of longing and yearning.

"So this... is rock and roll!"

...

"To love single-mindedly, to hate single-mindedly..."

As the catchy lyrics echoed for the second time, the audience quickly joined in.

They waved their glow sticks until only afterimages remained.

The entire venue was electrified!

Outside, fans who hadn’t managed to get tickets went wild as well. Uninhibited, they danced along to the rhythm.

A whole day’s exhaustion seemed to melt away.

This was the final episode of the first season of "King of Singers," and this was the last song. After tonight, the contestants would all go their own ways.

Since the show had begun, there’d been plenty of drama, but among these unknowns, fans had witnessed ordinary people chasing and holding onto their dreams.

So many moving, beautiful songs had been performed. They had come to understand rap, learned the spirit of rock, and even discovered a new, uniquely local style of music.

To viewers, this show was a treasure in the otherwise dull and tedious world of entertainment!

Here, competition meant just that—pure competition, with not even the hint of a scandal. They'd even invited notaries to supervise the results live.

It was as if the show had only one aim—pouring every bit of budget into musical equipment, seeking nothing but pure music, searching only for the true King of Singers.

In every entertainment industry, there is scheming, deceit, and masks, but fans are always the purest.

They don their thickest rose-colored glasses, beautifying what they love until it's perfect in their hearts.

Now, with the long contest drawing to a close, their passion finally erupted in this final song. They cheered with abandon, savoring the last wild celebration.

"A single-minded person never walks with a bent back; even when bumped, they never cry...

The truth of being single-minded is to break through as you wish..."

In her apartment, He Hongyao saw her daughter sing the final line on TV, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

She regretted her old prejudices and ignorance. She had never imagined that her daughter could be so outstanding!

Strangely, the song she and her sister performed together made her understand at last what it was they loved about rock.

It was strength, resilience, and the freedom to be oneself.

"A single-minded person never walks with a bent back..." He Hongyao murmured, as if waking from a dream.

Just moments ago, she had been wondering if she ought to take her daughter far away from Hai Dachuan—now she felt like slapping herself!

What had she been thinking? Her daughter was so remarkable! Why should she give up her dreams for that scum Hai Dachuan?

“Ding-dong.” Her phone rang again—it was yet another voice message from the persistent Hai Dachuan.

"Hongyao! Why did you hang up on me?

I told you my plan would work! Just now, I got a bunch of calls from people wanting to get to our daughter through me!

I threw out a random price and they agreed without hesitation!

After so many years as husband and wife, we've had a great relationship. If it weren't for that wretched woman interfering, we would still be a perfect family of three...

How about this: I'll ditch her! I'll remarry you, and together we can manage our daughter’s career..."