Chapter 295

As the only internet company in the country to sign Zhou Yi, everyone at Sohu was so happy their mouths were twisted.

Not only did they daily repost Japanese reports on Zhou Yi's shift from arrogance to deference, but they even sent a World Cup special reporter with a team to Japan to capture Zhou Yi on the scene in Japan and gobble up a wave of traffic.

Their neighbors Sina and Tencent were drooling uncontrollably.

When the hexagram charts of musicians like Utada Hikaru, Hamasaki Ayumi, Namie Amuro, and Hirai Ken, who were brought up by Asahi Television for comparison with Zhou Yi, appeared, the fun grew even greater—

"Why isn't there a single one with all six dimensions maxed out like Zhou Yi?"

"These Japanese musicians must be seeing a monster like Zhou Yi, who handles all the programs himself, for the first time. Truly all-around with no blind spots, no weak links; no matter how talented others are, they still need to find someone to collaborate on arranging the music."

"It started as just gossip media in Hong Kong putting a high hat on Zhou Yi, but now he's truly the Music Emperor; the Japanese music scene has been beaten into submission, and those haters should shut up."

"Thanks to Chow Yun-fat, thanks to the White Dragon King."

Zhou Yi's fans, laughing and smiling while mocking France, discussed World Cup-related tracks while not forgetting to keep an eye on Zhou Yi's gossip.

On the day Zhou Yi arrived in Japan, the president of Avex, the leading Japanese record label, led a group of artists under his banner to express welcome to Zhou Yi.

Hamasaki Ayumi and Namie Amuro, two of the most famous Japanese divas, expressed appreciation and admiration for Zhou Yi during interviews.

Hong Kong media swung their pens and directly wrote the drama "Japan's Two Divas Fighting in the Same Room, Only to Compete for Favor in the Harem"; although shocking, the sales were indeed very good.

Wang Xinling, who had been signed by Avex after appearing in the MV for Zhou Yi's "Da Cheng Xiao Ai," was originally undergoing training at the Japan headquarters; after Zhou Yi's arrival, she, who had been a small invisible figure in the training class, got some opportunities to show her face, used by the high-ups as a tool to establish a chat topic with Zhou Yi.

Sony and Warner (Japan) didn't need to be mentioned; the two joined hands, so enthusiastic they were just short of arranging a human feast for Zhou Yi.

"Now everyone, human or ghost, is drooling over you; you watch yourself."

Qian Jiang, who never expected to be subtly bribed with a "Sakura girl" in his middle age, instantly sobered up after the drinking session and, upon returning to his hotel, immediately warned the carefree Zhou Yi: "Don't drink water handed to you by others casually, don't eat things others treat you to casually."

"Rest assured, I have that much sense."

Zhou Yi, who was better than anyone at playing along, smiled and joked: "I'm performing on stage tomorrow; I'm not that stupid."

Tomorrow's World Cup final was at peak attention—the alien Ronaldo, returned to Earth, leading the Brazilian team against the German war machine commanded by Lion King Kahn and Little Caesar Ballack, with the Demon Blade Rivaldo and the Football Elf Ronaldinho forming the 3R combination.

This was destined to be a final where Mars collided with Earth; just the fans on site would number 69,029.

According to official statistics from FIFA, up to now in this World Cup, a total of 213 countries and regions' television stations and street big screens have broadcast the relevant matches—

The number of viewers and listeners has already reached a staggering 27 billion person-times.

And according to FIFA's official assessment and forecast, after the final ends, the total number of viewers and listeners for this World Cup is expected to reach over 28.5 billion person-times.

Under such massive attention, if something went wrong with him, the main act, at that time, the shame would not be just his alone.

……………………………………

June 30, the day of the final.

Inside the Yokohama International Stadium in Japan, flags of various countries waved, and the crowd was like a mountain and sea. The flags of Brazil and Germany were slowly brought onto the field by their respective national teams in the TV broadcast lenses, occupying the most conspicuous positions.

As the host countries, the flags of South Korea and Japan were placed below the flags of Brazil and Germany respectively.

Outside the stadium, all the countries participating in this World Cup sent their respective teams, pulling their national flags and circling the field with the stirring music—

Under CCTV's lens, the Five-Star Red Flag belonging to China was especially conspicuous.

"Good evening, viewers in front of the TV sets; what you are watching now is the live broadcast of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup closing ceremony by China Central Television.

"The final between Brazil and Germany will start on time in thirty minutes; the starting lineups of both head coaches have also been announced..."

Huang Jianxiang, the top sports program host in the country, partnered with Zhang Lu to commentate on the scene again.

The Huang Jianxiang of 2002 had not yet shouted the "Long Live Italy" that later made him lose his job at CCTV; Zhang Lu, still in his prime, was not yet the "Zhang Heihei" jokingly called by fans later.

The two partners, one full of passion and the other relaxed yet measured, were a perfect match.

"It's a pity we couldn't see our national team players walk onto the World Cup final pitch, but fortunately, we still have Zhou Yi. In a sense, he can be considered the first player in the country to touch the World Cup final pitch."

Since the folk performances played at the Korea-Japan closing ceremony were too terrible, Huang Jianxiang, who was too lazy to talk about their customs, also joked with his old partner Zhang Lu about Zhou Yi's past "player" identity.

The news of Peking University's Chinese Department losing thirteen goals was still vivid; those were cries of blood and tears.

"Hehe."

Hearing this, Zhang Lu gave his signature two laughs: "I've seen the video of Zhou Yi playing football; he was very calm and imaginative when playing multiple positions in the front field; he definitely has talent.

"If he had received professional training and cultivation since childhood, maybe he would have appeared in the national team lineup this year, providing offensive vitality for the country's front field."

Zhang Lu, who still had great confidence in the national team, didn't take it seriously; instead, he followed Huang Jianxiang's lead to make his own professional judgment, with more teasing than regret in his words.

Shanghai, a fan's home.

Old Chen, a die-hard football fan, was watching the closing ceremony in front of the TV with his son Xiao Chen, a die-hard fan of Zhou Yi; hearing Zhang Lu's wave of commercial praise for Zhou Yi's talent, Old Zhou, who had never been fond of the young man Zhou Yi, dismissed it: "Zhang Lu is truly senile; how can a singer be compared to the national team in talent? If he has such ability, wouldn't it be better to play football?"

"Dad, is there a possibility that Zhou Yi earns more from singing?"

"How is that possible? Do you know Fan Zhiyi? His weekly salary in England was 12,000 pounds, weekly salary, and in pounds. And that doesn't even count various bonuses and endorsements—"

"Dad, Zhou Yi's songs earned a guaranteed few million pounds in England; he is also the image ambassador of Arsenal Football Club, another few million pounds in endorsement fees; in just these two months, he earned more than Fan Zhiyi's entire career wages."

"..."

Old Chen, choked and unable to speak, didn't know what to say to refute for a moment; he could only mutter a few words like "Fan Zhiyi used to live on the same street as me; when we met, I called him Xiao Fan; you little rascal doesn't understand."

Until a very familiar drum and music sound suddenly came from the TV, the two, father and son being filial for their respective "idols," were attracted; inside the TV, Huang Jianxiang's commentary also came out at the right time—

"Oh? Viewers in front of the TV sets, now appearing is our music industry's Guo Tianwang Zhou Yi; he will bring a wonderful performance for us and for all viewers in the world on the stage of the World Cup final.

"We can see he is dressed very sportily today..."

As a qualified endorser, at such an important occasion, Zhou Yi, stepping on Anta sneakers, made Ding Shizhong, the son of the Anta president, watching the program, smile so hard his mouth twisted.

Profit! Profited uncontrollably!

This is the World Cup!

On site, the audience, whose passion had been dampened by the folk performances of Korea and Japan and the songs sung by the Korea-Japan Voice combination, couldn't help but shiver when the stirring drum sounds rang out—

"Wavin' Flag," which they had listened to countless times over the past two months; they were too familiar with these drum sounds.

Zhou Yi, wearing a red-and-white striped T-shirt similar to a jersey, with a golden-line dragon tattooed on the armband, was followed by a group of stage performers holding footballs and playing with them; they ran into the field along with the rhythm—

"Football fans, everyone come! Come on! Everybody!"

After shouting this sentence, Zhou Yi even took the football kicked over by a stage performer during the drum intro of the prelude, and performed a dazzling display of freestyle football on site, head-butting and foot-kicking, causing countless female fans in the audience to scream—

"Zhou Yi! Zhou Yi!! Zhou Yi!!!"

"Spike! Spike!! Spike!!!"

After executing a Marseille turn to bypass the stagehand "blocking the way," Zhou Yi kicked the ball toward the empty goal in the distance, microphone in hand, one finger pointing skyward, head high as he began to sing!

"Ooooohwooooooooooh!

"Ooooohwooooooooooh!

"Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher (Give me freedom, give me strength, give me a goal, fly higher)."

"See the champions, take the field now, unify us, make us feel proud (See the trophy, gleaming bright, the stadium drunk, returning in triumph)!"

As a World Cup atmosphere anthem, the infectious power of "Wavin' Flag" needed no further explanation.

Especially that globally universal "Oooooh"; no lyrics were needed. As long as you could open your mouth, you could join the chorus of this song.

Singing, running, and dancing, even occasionally interacting with the stagehands using the football, Zhou Yi perfectly commanded this venue of sixty-nine thousand people. When the chorus surged to its climax again, his handsome face, slightly dampened at the temples by sweat, murdered the hearts of countless young girls and young wives under the sunlight!

"Everybody! Join in! Come on!"

Accompanied by live broadcasts from over two hundred countries' television cameras on site, Zhou Yi's voice, leading the entire stadium in a massive chorus, floated above the Yokohama International Stadium. Even the Brazilian and German teams in the player tunnel couldn't resist swaying their bodies slightly to the rhythm of the song, captured perfectly by the cameras.

"Singing for every young, singing songs underneath the sun (Singing for youth, under the blazing sun above)"

"Let's rejoice in the beautiful game, and together at the end of the day (We all participate on the field, together more excited at the end)"

The passionate, high-pitched notes were crystal clear, sweeping away all boredom and loneliness within the entire stadium. The passionate cheers of sixty-nine thousand people rose and fell with the waving of Zhou Yi's right hand—

In this moment, Zhou Yi's figure was imprinted with unparalleled clarity into the minds of people in over two hundred countries and regions around the globe who were watching this live broadcast in real time!

The stadium was as passionate as fire; under the blazing sun, spirits were high!

Mortal realm!

There's another update in the mortal realm too, at twelve-thirty!

(End of this chapter)