Chapter 651: Lawless Ruffian

To speak honestly, "Today's Law" has always been a rather serious program.

Even during relaxed and pleasant moments, it is because the host Sa Beining, when he has said enough, interacts with familiar guests to neutralize the solemnity brought by a legal program.

For instance, Professor Tong Qiang from Peking University's Law School.

Due to their familiarity, when the two previously partnered on programs together, the atmosphere would appear somewhat playful.

But today's scene made the crew members who had recorded so many episodes of "Today's Law" feel like their eyes had been opened—Zhou Yi seemed to have that interview arrogance, sitting there and speaking eloquently; regarding legal issues, he could produce them effortlessly, belonging to the type where one cannot tell at all that he has graduated for several years.

A string of examples of Zhang San breaking the law left them all stunned, truly like an old sow wearing a bra—one set after another.

Yet when Zhou Yi gave examples, he was very serious, looking as if he were truly discussing one serious legal issue after another, possessing quite a bit of black humor or a cold joke feeling.

Sa Beining's corners of the mouth were already in a state completely impossible to suppress, wildly and damnably curling upward.

Fortunately, in reality, no one would actually use their full name as Zhang San; otherwise, they would definitely sue him for infringing on reputation rights...

As the authoritative Professor Tong Qiang from Peking University's Law School, he subconsciously raised his hand to touch the sparse Mediterranean-style landscape on the top of his head, and the look in his eyes toward Zhou Yi was somewhat tinged with... benevolence?

The chief director, who wanted several times to remind him to speak up and interrupt Zhou Yi so that Sa Beining could regain control of the program, felt very helpless in his heart.

Although I knew long ago that Zhou Yi had once attended your class, you are at least a legal guest; do not turn our recording site into some kind of teacher-student reunion!

"Actually, I feel that our topic today should not be raised solely targeting Zhou Yi's single incident."

After receiving the director's hint, Sa Beining, who began to pick up the thread and steer into the topic, started to pivot, bringing up the chaos of random rumors and defamation on the contemporary internet—

This is the theme of this episode of "Today's Law": The internet is not a place outside the law.

"We can see that in recent times, various kinds of messages exist on the internet; whether they are true or false and the impact they cause to the parties involved are all worth discussing. Like the Zhou Yi incident, it is actually an embodiment of internet speech becoming extreme.

"Professor Tong, what is your view on this?"

"In this, actually, just as Zhou Yi said just now, it is simply defamation and personal attacks. From a legal perspective, the spreaders of these internet rumors may actually have involved criminal offenses, or involved administrative responsibilities.

"Just like the criminal suspects arrested by the public security organs in this Zhou Yi incident, the evidence is solid; among them, there are even suspects who received financial aid from foreign forces to smear, which is undoubtedly a crime, and moreover, it is a whole team committing the crime..."

The professor, who began to talk at length starting from legal statutes, spoke with great coherence; Zhou Yi and Sa Beining, the two, sat obediently just like when they were in school, nodding continuously as they listened.

That sense of familiarity was just short of pulling out paper and pen from under the table to take in-class notes on the spot.

Several people led by Yuan Li were once again brought out as background boards for people to criticize.

"So, having said all this, including that Zhou Yi mentioned earlier that since his debut he has actually been accompanied by quite a bit of defamation and rumor-mongering, what do you two think is the reason for the emergence of this situation?" After the public execution on the big screen was finished, Sa Beining threw the question out again.

As the party involved and a big star, Zhou Yi naturally needed to answer first, but his aggressiveness was still a bit too strong for the netizens of the current era—

"This is obviously related to the anonymity characteristic of the internet, because the nature of anonymity is destined to amplify the dark components in people's hearts.

"Zhang San might be a gentle, refined, well-spoken, and good-natured person in reality. But on the internet, without restrictions, he can recklessly release the dark side in his heart, recklessly insult, spread rumors, and defame others, and use this to vent the hostility and pressure he cannot express in his real life.

"There is a saying: the ignorant fear nothing. They do not understand the law, or rather, their cognition of the law is actually only that tiny bit within their own understanding, and they take this as scripture to argue with others on the internet, holding high the banner of freedom of speech.

"Perhaps these people who argue are humans in reality who cannot even make a muffled fart with three strikes, but in the virtual internet world, they are just anthropomorphic carbon-based creatures entirely dominated by their dopamine, doing whatever feels good, completely without needing to consider any consequences.

"The simplest foul mouth, the ultimate enjoyment.

"Yes, Zhang San spread rumors and defamed, but so what?

"Besides, so many people spread rumors and defamed with me; they instinctively believe they are correct, are righteous, and possess legal legitimacy. Even if they are wrong, can you sue a group of us?"

Whoever wins, they help.

If it were not for Zhou Yi's current status and identity being placed here, such an extremely intense viewpoint would absolutely not appear in the "Today's Law" column.

It was only because Sa Beining was there to smooth things over and wrap up that they dared to let Zhou Yi run wild like this.

In a sense, this is also a kind of implicit compensation for him.

After all, foreign forces really did intervene this time; they themselves did not expect that Zhou Yi would be so hated outside.

"So, this is the reason you chose to always sue the rumor-mongers and defamers who caused significant impact?"

"Correct."

Zhou Yi crossed his legs, leaned back tactically, and smiled brilliantly: "I just want to tell them, you damn people broke the law, do you know?"

Sa Beining: "..."

Tong Qiang: "..."

—?!

Huh?!

Wait, that part wasn't in the script either?

Where are the lines?! Say the lines!

You kid are slipping in your own agenda again, right?

The director helplessly held his forehead.

Forget it, the post-production can save it and make do. Since it's already said, can it be stuffed back into the stomach?

You're a big star, you have people behind you, you're awesome.

"Today's Law" airs on CCTV at 12:35 PM every day, known as the golden time slot for lunchtime rice.

Because of the high attention and heat of this Zhou Yi episode, combined with the lawsuit finished by the court after the New Year, it was directly arranged for post-production to rush the work after recording ended, striving to cut in line and go online three days later.

"Zhou Yi, you still need to restrain yourself when appearing on a CCTV program."

After the program recording ended, and after exchanging with Professor Tong, Sa Beining still, out of a spirit of doing good for him, warned: "This place is very strict."

A bit too "spoiled by favor and arrogant."

He almost couldn't smooth the scene over.

"I know."

Zhou Yi, leaning against the chair back, shrugged: "But you know, if I don't curse, I'm not me; besides, I didn't break the law."

"..."

That is true.

Counting the past, the achievements are brilliant.

Such flamboyance would only emerge from the West, but Zhou Yi possessed one more virtue than them—obedience to the law.

This is a genuine virtue, without any quotation marks.

With no precedents to reference, Zhou Yi was truly carving out his own unique track step by step.

The sole survivor in the domestic market.

He had even become a warrior fighting against racial discrimination abroad.

"Alright, I can't argue with you, but I still wish you good luck at the Grammys this time."

Since it was a recorded broadcast, Sa Beining didn't mind; he smiled, patted Zhou Yi's shoulder, and offered his blessing: "Let those foreigners open their eyes again and sweep three or four Grammy trophies back."

As an outlier, Zhou Yi, who released one album a year, had this year directly become the person with the most nominated items on the Grammy selection list.

Moreover, if Zhou Yi maintained this pace of one album a year, it was hard to imagine whether the Grammys would see a trend of him going up to win awards every single year in the future.

If he could achieve that, it would be terrifying, directly creating Grammy history...

As everyone knows, singers in the Western sequence release albums every two or three years.

"Those foreigners are probably having a headache right now."

Zhou Yi, talking about this matter, wanted to laugh.

Other things were fine to discuss, but in the West, his rock album had clearly begun to trend toward being "deified," a mythological trend tainted by political correctness.

It wasn't just the Grammys; all other awards this year must give an explanation, otherwise it would be true racial discrimination.

It has sales, it has substance, it has attitude; how could they not award it and still satisfy the public?

Warner and Disney, who hold high the banner of political correctness, are all veterans of playing this game.

"Don't laugh; with what you said on the show, I think the leaders at CCTV will be the first to have a headache."

Sa Beining joked, but soon he found himself becoming the "clown"—

Amidst extreme controversy, Zhou Yi's final statement was not cut; instead, it was preserved.

On February 1st, the day Sun Yanzi returned to Singapore to rest and Zhou Yi prepared to depart for the United States, "Today's Law" aired on time; Zhou Yi's aggressive attack on the current state of internet trolls and his final profanity directly caused an uproar—

And CCTV's response was to publicly announce that they had secured the sub-broadcast rights for this year's Grammy Awards ceremony.

"???"

"Holy crap! Grammy broadcast?!"

"Zhou Yi really has a big face."

"The first time in my life I heard profanity on a CCTV program... Zhou Yi is truly fierce."

"To be fair, Zhou Yi sees through the chaos of the internet so thoroughly; his logic is maxed out."

"You're arguing with someone who studies law; if he became a lawyer, he would definitely be someone capable of spreading fallacies and confusing the masses."

"Don't forget he has already written a song about internet phenomena; it's not popular, but it's enough to show he has indeed thought about it and has insight."

"Wait, it seems the US side has a huge grudge against Zhou Yi; they even directly call him an 'Outlaw'..."

"No problem, he is indeed quite wild."

"No, look..."

In the US, regarding Zhou Yi's trip to America this time, "Entertainment Weekly" directly paid tribute with the cover of its new episode—

"Outlaw, Coming Up" (Lawless Rogue, Coming Soon).

A half-body portrait of Zhou Yi occupied the entire cover, his gaze containing a mix of disdain and contempt, accompanied by the word "Outlaw."

Outlaw is a character from DC Comics under Warner, formerly a member of the Suicide Squad, a well-known lawless rogue.

At the same time, the word itself carries a similar meaning, implying Zhou Yi's "bandit" status to the Western music scene.

A pun.