Superstars of Tomorrow

The curing of the Hull virus was big news. When medical experts announced the news, it dominated headlines on all continents for some time. This time, Fang Zhao also became known to many more people.

As far as the masses were concerned, the Hull virus was a distant topic. If news of its curing hadn’t broken, they probably would have never heard of the virus, let alone its symptoms or how hard it was to cure. And they responded to the news with mild surprise—that was it.

But Fang Zhao’s role in the cure blew many folks away. Even though many people didn’t watch TV series and didn’t follow the news, the blanket coverage of Fang Zhao’s feat made him a household name. Many were incredulous when they heard the story for the first time.

"How far-fetched is that—a musician can actually cure diseases!"

The four chapters of Fang Zhao’s "100-Year Period of Destruction" series served merely as a stepping stone, providing the research team studying the Hull virus with a clear roadmap and direction. The actual treatment plan and follow-up research hadn’t had anything to do with Fang Zhao, but for folks who didn’t care about the details, what was more interesting was how a musician had helped cure an illness.

How fascinating did that sound!

For most folks, that was all there was to it: a fascinating story, a topic for post-meal chitchat.

But regardless of people’s motivations, the Fang Zhao’s name got major global exposure yet again. And the engine behind the latest round of publicity was not the entertainment press corps but serious magazines and news outlets. The full range of news publications in Yanzhou also covered the story thoroughly.

Many members of the entertainment industry also discussed the story in private.

"What a freak this Fang Zhao is."

"Indeed. I reviewed his career over the past few years again. These are accomplishments beyond the reach of the average person."

"If you take a look at other celebrities, none of them have followed the same path."

"No tabloid stories, he doesn’t hit the red carpet, and there’s little in the way of self-promotion. Yet every time he does something, it’s a big deal. This Hull virus business has shaken the medical world to its core. I wonder what Fang Zhao will do next."

Fang Zhao was oblivious to all this discussion. He was busy preparing for the Galaxy Awards presentation ceremony. In addition, he had received a few new invitations to other prize ceremonies and activities that carried weight. He had to prepare for those as well.

On the day of the Galaxy Awards prize ceremony, Fang Zhao brought Nanfeng, Zuo Yu, and Yan Biao.

It was common for artists who attended prize ceremonies to bring their assistants and drivers, but bodyguards were rarer. Zuo Yu and Yan Biao would be attending as driver and bodyguard respectively, but only assistants were allowed in the main venue. Drivers and bodyguards were banned.

Nanfeng was glowing. Even though he was assigned a seat in the back where assistants were relegated, he was glad that he had access to the main venue in the first place. He took a selfie and posted it to his social media account, drawing quite a few jealous comments.

As for Fang Zhao himself, he tried to act humbly as Xue Jing had instructed. While most of the attendees couldn’t rival Fang Zhao in terms of market value, they were far superior when considering artistic achievement.

But the awards ceremony posed a dilemma for Fang Zhao. The other artists who won Supernova Awards this year were all quite emotional, teary-eyed and all. In contrast, this young artist was too calm.

So Fang Zhao felt compelled to act "younger" to blend in. His usual calm came off as maturity, but being indifferent at the arts world’s most prestigious prize ceremony was a different story. That would be considered posturing.

Of course, there were artists who didn’t like to smile or who got more wound-up the more nervous they were, but clearly, Fang Zhao didn’t fall in either category.

I better show some emotion. Otherwise, the veteran artists will think I’m a snob.

When it was time for Fang Zhao to accept his award.

Nanfeng, who was in the audience, as well as Zuo Yu and Lan Biao, who were outside, all noticed their boss was near tears and that his eyes were glowing. "..."

"What do you think? Do you think Boss is really that emotional?" Zuo Yu whispered in a voice message he sent his two colleagues.

"Of course! This is the Galaxy Awards we’re talking about. Even though boss only won a Supernova, which belongs to the lowest category and pales in comparison to a Nebula or Galaxy World Medal, it still beats all the other awards. Boss was the only winner from Yanzhou. But... something isn’t right," Nanfeng said.

"What do you think?" Zuo Yu asked Yan Biao.

Yan Biao pondered the matter briefly and shook his head. "Hard to say."

If he hadn’t known Fang Zhao for so long, perhaps Yan Biao would have taken the show of emotion at face value.

Nanfeng hadn’t spent that much time with Fang Zhao and didn’t know him well, but Yan Biao, on the other hand, knew Fang Zhao quite well. During his military service, Fang Zhao was someone who killed calmly when he was under siege and facing off against terrorists and beasts.

Besides, Fang Zhao hadn’t been all that emotional when he got word of the Supernova, and it had been several days since then, enough time for him to calm down. Even if he got caught up in the emotion of the moment, this was too obvious a display.

Yan Biao suspected it was an act.

The presenter of Fang Zhao’s award was Mo Lang.

Clinging to a silver-white round box emblazoned with the Supernova logo, Mo Lang flashed a proud smile. "You’ve done well!"

Even though the old man was retired, he was still well connected. He had already found out about the new piece Fang Zhao had composed for the Hull virus documentary. Adding to that Fang Zhao’s other accomplishments of late, Mo Lang fancied great things for the young artist.

Quite a few members of the audience were intrigued by Mo Lang’s reaction.

"Venerable Mo is in a good mood today."

"Venerable Mo doesn’t accept disciples anymore, but judging from his demeanor today, he might as well have taken on a new student."

People who knew Mo Lang knew that this was a rare display of emotion for him. Mo Lang rarely smiled or joked around. Even as a presenter, he was mostly solemn and decorous, but now he was all smiles on stage. Clearly, he was pleased with Fang Zhao, this junior artist. On account of Mo Lang’s status, the veteran artists in the audience secretly vowed to treat Fang Zhao well from now on if they could help it.

Mo Lang personally draped the Supernova medal over Fang Zhao’s neck.

Fang Zhao clutched a certificate that went along with his medal. In all honesty, he was happy and overcome with emotion. Whether it was the curing of the Hull virus or a nod to his musical talent, the prize was worth celebrating. It was something worth getting excited about.

His unfulfilled wishes from his previous life were being realized now.

The white metallic medal he had just donned and the certificate in his hands were confirmation of his hard work the past few years.

He had shouldered a heavy burden during the Period of Destruction and faced different circumstances, so he’d had to conceal his emotions, keep his cards close to his vest. Now he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. It was a minor adjustment more in keeping with the young body he inhabited.

After wearing the medal, Fang Zhao had to remain on stage with Mo Lang for a photo. The photo would be filed in the Galaxy Awards’ archives.

Meanwhile, the live broadcast of the prize ceremony on a certain website...

The host was also overcome with emotion, and he pronounced, "At this moment, the Venerable Mr. Mo Lang, a master who is a national treasure, and Fang Zhao, the youngest Supernova winner this year, are facing the camera and flashing kindly smiles simultaneously."

Realizing his mistake 1 , the host caught himself. But it was a live broadcast, after all. What he had just said couldn’t be undone.

Laughter engulfed the control room of the live broadcast.

"Hahaha, the host misspoke, huh?"

"Kindly my ass! It’s a fitting adjective for Mo Lang, but Fang Zhao is only in his 20s!"

"Snicker. Kindly? What the hell? Compared to these old geezers, Fang Zhao is just a kid! Why don’t you stick to the facts, host?"

Even though the host eventually corrected himself, his comment had already aired. Some folks with too much time on their hands took a screenshot of Fang Zhao’s smile while wearing his medal and holding his certificate and made it into an emoticon called "Kindly Smile."

Ignorant of the fact that he had been made into an emoticon, Fang Zhao acknowledged the master artists in the audience before returning to his seat.

After the Supernovas were presented, it was time for the Nebula prize. The Nebula was a lifetime achievement award of sorts. One winner was chosen each year, honoring an individual or organization that had made long-term and significant contributions to the arts.

As for the Galaxy World Medal, the most coveted prize among the Galaxy Awards, career achievement, talent, and competence were equally weighed. If there were no suitable candidates, the prize was not awarded. It was common for the award to not be handed out several years in a row. But this year, Xue Jing had finally been selected.

Many folks were worried when Xue Jing went on stage, afraid that the elderly man in his 160s would be so overcome by emotion that he would pass out.

Xue Jing had long been a fixture in the arts community. He had many friends in the audience. It seemed like these friends could feel the heavy heart and ecstasy that were colliding inside Xue Jing.

Xue Jing had waited for some 160 years. He had been oh-so-close to winning this award on many occasions but had always missed out. Now, the most prestigious medal and highest honor in the arts world was in his hands. It was affirmation of his talent, contributions, and his artistic career.

The mood in the room was much more boisterous compared to when the Supernovas were being awarded.

Xue Jing was allocated more time to share his thoughts compared to the other prize winners. He was all choked up and the applause was never-ending.

Fang Zhao clapped along too. He was happy for Xue Jing while pondering his career at the same time.

The Supernova was only the first step in Fang Zhao’s artistic career. The Nebula Award and Galaxy World Medal were his next goals. Maybe, when he was at the twilight of his life, he would be awarded the most prestigious medal of the premier prize in the arts world, just like Xue Jing and Mo Lang.

Photos and footage of Fang Zhao accepting his award surfaced online before the Galaxy Award ceremony had ended. Screen captures of the live broadcast and highlights appeared on a variety of media outlets. The news item showed up among entertainment, local, and even military headlines.

As the youngest winner of the Supernova this year and with the link to the curing of the Hull virus, Fang Zhao was prime fodder for journalists. He simply dominated the headlines.

At their retirement home in Yanbei, Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang were glued to the telecast. Great-Grandfather Fang tearfully handed out generous red packets in his chat groups.

"Our Xiao Zhao won the Supernova Award! [red packet] [red packet] [red packet]"

The gaming department at Silver Wing didn’t stay idle either. The team posted profusely.

Jinro’s latest status update:

"Our boss! [Kindly Smile]"

It was fair to say most of the people who knew Fang Zhao well were quite emotional while watching the live broadcast, but there was also a minority that reacted differently. The painting prodigy and Fang Zhao’s HuangArt classmate, Will Branch, for example.

Will was extremely calm and wore a very serious expression when he watched the live telecast. His eyes were glued to Fang Zhao as he carefully observed his classmate’s every move and expression. He felt that he was close to attaining the short-term goal he had set for himself while studying at HuangArt.