Illya scrolled through the comments for several minutes before finally landing on one that satisfied him.
[I think the quality of Chinese singer Chu Zhi's songs is on par with Aurora and Mikhail. The only reason his scores are higher is because he's a foreigner singing in Russian, which gives him a favorable edge. That's unfair to Lora and Illya.]
"Unfair. The ten people who voted must be wooden-headed fools," Illya muttered, standing up to defend his goddess. His eyes flicked toward the bedroom door. Through the doorway was a hallway, and at the end of that hallway was a stairwell. A rifle hung on the wall near the stairs.
Even without opening the door, Illya could see the rifle clearly. One more reminder—Illya knew the address of the THT television station.
Everyone knows both America and Russia permit gun ownership, but the former experiences gun violence at dozens of times the rate of the latter. That's the difference between a global superpower and everyone else—strategic swagger.
[Mikhail is a singer I admire. Thinking about it fairly, the Chinese singer Chu Zhi is talented, speaks Russian, and can even write beautiful Russian-language songs. This shows he has a genuine interest in Russian culture.
But to invite him to a cultural forum? That kind of event should make anyone pause for a cigarette and think carefully— is it really appropriate?
After thinking it through, my answer is no. It would be better to give the invitation to Mikhail. He would shine more at such a forum.]
This comment came from a well-known music critic on VK called "победа.или.смерть" [Victory or Death]. He was once a legendary Russian guitarist known as Ice Tiger. However, one night he got drunk and mistook a power pole for a rival challenging him. Being a true tiger in spirit, he launched into a full-on brawl with the pole.
The consequences were severe. His hands were badly injured and required six surgeries. He could no longer play guitar, and on top of that, he had to pay damages for public property.
So Ice Tiger shifted to working behind the scenes and opened a critique account online, reviewing contemporary music.
It's worth mentioning that his username, "победа.или.смерть," became famous in China for sounding like a misheard lyric in Russian: "White Emperor Holy Sword, follow me with the sword."
"He says stupid things often, but not today," Illya muttered. "What good would it do to give the invitation to Mikhail? It has to go to Lora to make the biggest impact. If Aurora doesn't perform well at the forum, I'll punish myself by drinking a full bottle of vodka!"
Illya barely watched television anymore. He mostly browsed VK comments, occasionally getting into wild online debates when something annoyed him.
Many Russian netizens actually agreed with Ice Tiger. They believed Chu Zhi was a foreign artist who showed genuine respect and affection for Russia—he spoke fluent Russian and wrote excellent songs in the language.
"Writing in Russian? I'm from Ulan-Ude and I can't write a good song."
"This Chinese singer has already surpassed most Russians."
"Given all that, the forum invitation seems more justified."
"He's a friendly foreigner. We should be friendlier too."
Love and hate both blind the eyes. Illya didn't agree with this "rewarding friendliness" sentiment.
The TV variety show continued broadcasting, unmoved by a few dissenting viewers. The current program, The Big China-Russia Singer Gathering, was about fifty minutes in. It was transitioning into the cultural forum segment. Of course, THT couldn't film the entire multi-day event, so they had to select the highlights.
For instance, only the second act of The Nutcracker was shown, along with a performance by Russian vocalists, which brought the house down.
"Nutcracker again." Illya found everything annoying if his goddess wasn't on screen. To be fair, he also just didn't like opera.
"Miss Ksenia's voice is beautiful."
"Voices age like wine. No wonder Mr. Pavel is my dad's favorite singer."
All the performances shown so far were by Russian artists. You couldn't really blame THT—it's their show, after all. They can feature whoever they want. Chu Zhi was the only foreign performer given a dedicated segment.
Another half hour passed. Finally, it was Chu Zhi's turn to take the stage.
Illya put down his phone. He wanted to judge with his own eyes, his gaze as scrutinizing as a bargain hunter in a boutique, focusing only on flaws.
🎵 "Dom moy dostroyen, no ya v nem odin. Khlopnul dver' za spinoi…" 🎵["My house is built, but I'm alone in it. The door slams shut behind me…"]
"Jazz? Meh," Illya scoffed. But he didn't notice the slight flicker of anticipation in his tone.
It was the feeling of wanting to be proven right. "See? I told you giving the invitation to a Chinese singer was pointless!"
Opera 2 had strong jazz elements, with a vibrant arrangement. But that rhythm alone wasn't enough to win over a viewer like Illya, who was clearly watching with critical bias.
But that wasn't the point of Opera 2.
On screen, Chu Zhi subtly raised the microphone. His expression didn't change at all. You couldn't see even a hint of preparation for the high note.
And then, out of nowhere, it hit like an avalanche from Mount Elbrus.
🎵 "Uuh aaah aaaah!""Uuh aaah aaaah!" 🎵
The sheer power of the note was overwhelming.
Illya, who loved vocal climaxes, felt like his brain had been pierced straight through. Buried in a landslide of sound, his head buzzed.
"…?"
He stared at the TV in confusion.
It wasn't the same as being there live, of course. But the post-editing did offer something unique. The camera cut to other guests at the forum. Their expressions mirrored Illya's.
"What pitch was that?" Illya couldn't recall. He was more focused on something else. "How can he hit that note without any reaction?"
He was referring to how singers usually prepare before a high note. His goddess, Aurora, would slightly bend backward—like drawing a bow—before unleashing hers.
But Chu Zhi? He just stood there.
The performance continued. The final part of Opera 2 maintained the Russian style of "light head, heavy tail"—saving all the emotion for the ending.
🎵 "Uuh aaah aaaah!""La la la, la la la, laa laa!" 🎵
This final burst soared even higher, as if from China's own Mount Everest. It swept over the audience like a sonic flood, washing over Illya's ears a second time.
This time, he saw it clearly. The Chinese singer handled the high note with such ease. Others climb Everest with gear and training. Chu Zhi? He just rocketed up like he had a jetpack.
When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted. Chu Zhi's talent had conquered every singer present—and the viewer in front of the television.
"This Chinese singer… why does hitting high notes look as easy for him as eating meat or drinking vodka?" Illya muttered, completely baffled.
THT's promo push with the car giveaway had already drawn attention. Lullaby had made Chu Zhi a rising star. But Opera 2? That sealed the deal. Of ten Russian viewers, at least six were now fans.
Chu Zhi was an overnight sensation on the Russian internet, with his soaring vocals sweeping the web like a storm.
"How did he manage that Swan Lake–level high note?"
"If Chu Zhi went into operatic tenor, he'd probably break new ground."
"I need to apologize. I doubted him. I thought he'd flop at the forum. But Opera 2 turned out to be the most stunning piece of the whole event."
"I can't believe it. My favorite singer used to be Russian. Now it's a Chinese guy."
Even Illya didn't want to fall for Aurora's "rival," but his opponent was just too strong!
Before he could even sort out his conflicted feelings, a new post popped up from someone he followed.
Aurora:
[I'm too moved to speak. For Captain Chu's performance, for the music.]
Mikhail:
[No singer like Mr. Chu has ever appeared before. Both Opera 2 and Lullaby are deeply touching pieces.]
They didn't have to post, but they wanted to. Not only were they impressed by the performance, but they also sensed Chu Zhi was someone worth knowing.
As the saying goes, "A good wind lifts you to the skies." Aurora and Mikhail were already superstars in Russia. Thanks to their quick endorsements, the six-out-of-ten fan ratio jumped to eight-out-of-ten almost instantly.
Illya wanted to see what the professionals had to say. He already suspected Chu Zhi might be even stronger than his goddess. He went back to VK and checked Ice Tiger's page.
No updates yet…
He refreshed for over ten minutes before finally seeing Ice Tiger's long-awaited review.
[After hearing Opera 2, no one can doubt this Chinese singer's future.
It's simple. Even though Chu Zhi is Chinese, he's walking the path of a "People's Singer."
That title is extremely hard to earn. It means creating music that all walks of life can love. Like Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin, Shemchuk, Sobinov. You see, some are just singers, while others are beloved by the people. The latter, like Chaliapin, are few and far between. But Chu Zhi has the potential.
Why? Because his voice is "a gift from the heavens!"
Group 4 and 5 are considered high notes for male singers. Producing quality sound in those ranges takes years of training. But in Opera 2, Mr. Chu easily danced through Group 6. This pitch range is called the "heart-strain register" because of the pressure it places on the cardiovascular system. Yet Mr. Chu delivered it effortlessly—clean, resonant, and rich with overtone.]
Praise hits different when it comes from a professional.
Chaliapin was the most famous Russian bass and known as the "King of the Low Voice." For Ice Tiger to hold him up as Chu Zhi's future target? That was enormous praise.
If Chu Zhi were Russian, the accolades would be even greater. On Earth, Vitas debuted at eighteen with Opera 2, receiving near-universal praise and backing from veteran vocalists across Russia. He was crowned the next big thing in the industry.
So yes, nationality does matter somewhat. But in terms of raw skill, Chu Zhi's current display of the "Farinelli technique" was already stronger than Vitas in his debut.
He may not have won over the older generation of Russian singers, but Chu Zhi had captured the admiration of the professionals. And with Ice Tiger's post as the spark—Russia's entire music scene was shaken.
===
Mount Elbrus: The highest mountain in Russia and Europe.
Mount Everest: The highest mountain in the world, located in China and Nepal.
Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin: Iconic Russian operatic bass, symbolic of "People's Singer."
Vitas: Russian singer known for high-pitched vocals, debuted with Opera 2.
Farinelli: Legendary castrato singer of the Baroque period, famous for impossible high notes.