"Don't look at me like that. I was just speaking my mind..."

Seeing Chu Tian's somewhat surprised expression, Hou Yichuan laughed self-deprecatingly, then said with a distant look in his eyes, "Not long ago, something happened online. A very famous stand-up comedian repeatedly made subtle insults against our country during their performances."

"At first, the content was very veiled. But as their fame grew and their fan base increased, this group's behavior became more and more insolent, more and more arrogant!"

Seemingly recalling something, Hou Yichuan's face turned livid, and he said through gritted teeth, "Chu Tian, do you know the origin of this company?"

Though Hou Yichuan hadn't said it explicitly, Chu Tian had already guessed, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes.

"Their boss, Lin Ruichao, has always been a bit crooked. And the shares of this company, through some tricks, ended up in the hands of two companies. Guess which two?"

Two companies? Chu Tian had originally thought it would be Habes, especially after all the groundwork Hou Yichuan had laid. He hadn't expected two companies to emerge.

"One of them is Habes, and the other is Chidori Records..."

Habes was a record label under America's High Tone Entertainment, while Chidori Records belonged to Japan's Chidori Entertainment.

So, it had all come full circle.

Chu Tian was surprised, but it wasn't entirely unexpected for him.

These two places had always been troublesome, not just in this world but also in his original one.

Japan, for instance, had caused unforgivable pain to the Chinese people in both his previous life and this world.

America was no better—those familiar with history would know what happened in 1948.

The Eight-Nation Alliance had spent decades scheming to extract numerous treaties from the old Empress Dowager.

America, on the other hand, had tried to swallow China whole in less than a year, essentially taking everything sellable from Baldy.

If our army hadn't acted swiftly and Baldy hadn't collapsed even faster, this land might very well have become America's backyard.

It could be said that ever since Baldy's downfall, America, having lost its puppet, had gone mad, desperately trying to contain this land.

So, Chu Tian wasn't surprised by their current underhanded tactics; these were just their usual maneuvers.

However, not being surprised didn't mean he wasn't angry.

This was just another kind of war, he thought, only this time, China seemed powerless against such people.

This was evident from these companies. Of the world's top ten record labels, China only had a single contender: Huamei.

That alone would have been one thing, but the crucial problem was that this sole contender was a complete fence-sitter, purely driven by capital. Relying on them to resist foreign encroachment was less realistic than staying home and shooting the breeze.

PHEW.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Tian suddenly realized he, a self-proclaimed 'salted fish,' had perhaps been too complacent. His usually carefree attitude had been unexpectedly shaken by Hou Yichuan's words.

"Hou, I understand everything you've said. Don't worry, they can't stir up any significant trouble. As for Habes, we'll take our time. Keep an eye on their activities; we have all the time in the world."

Seeing his serious demeanor, Hou Yichuan didn't say much more.

Having voiced his thoughts, he felt much relieved.

"Alright, I got it!"

Chu Tian didn't say much more and went back to his office to deal with some documents. After a long moment of staring blankly, he took out a notebook and began to write and draw.

Meanwhile, his mind delved into the system.

Ever since the first broadcast of "King of Mask Singer," his mission had been completed, and the restrictions on Reputation Points had long been lifted.

He had been so busy with his love life recently that he hadn't taken a closer look.

[Host]: Chu Tian

[Reputation Points]: 928 million

Songs: 913 million

Performance: 2,896

Arts: 14.71 million

Connections: 578

[Personal Skills]:

Level 4 Musicality, Level 6 Performance, Master of All Instruments (Level 6), Master of Fishing (Level 6), Barbecue Master (Level 7), Eight Pieces of Brocade, Tongbei Fist,

Level 7 Piano Master, Master of Opera (Level 6), Emotional Resonance, Wu Style Tai Chi, Introduction to Comedy, Master of Painting (Level 6), Master of Oil Painting (Level 7),

Calligraphy for Beginners, Master of Classical Literature Appreciation (Level 6)

[Ability Value]

Singing Skills: Rich in Expression

Acting: Masterful

Variety Sense: Variety Newcomer

...

Through this period of continuous accumulation, his attributes had undergone tremendous changes.

Although he hadn't paid much attention to this system, he had not been idle during this time.

His Reputation Points kept increasing, and occasionally, when he had nothing else to do, he liked to try his luck with a draw or something.

He had learned quite a few new skills. Among them, Master of All Instruments was the most useful, allowing him to play virtually any instrument he picked up.

All were at least at a proficient level, meaning he could play them more skillfully than most people.

Furthermore, because he had drawn a master-level skill for the piano, it was in a league of its own, good enough for him to compete internationally without any issue.

And thanks to his continuous exchange for medicinal potions to treat his throat, it had mostly recovered. When he met Xu Ruyan recently, she hadn't noticed anything unusual.

Consequently, his Singing Skills had improved rapidly, reaching the evaluation: Rich in Expression.

Although he didn't know exactly what rank 'Rich in Expression' represented, based on his own assessment, it was probably just slightly below the acknowledged level of a King or Queen of Songs, but the gap was very small.

And being a King or Queen of Songs was merely a starting point. Think about it: history has seen many Kings and Queens of Songs. Reaching that stage might mean entering the top tier, but they were still far from invincible.

His reason for checking the system wasn't primarily for these attributes; they weren't that important to him yet.

Chu Tian wanted to review the works he possessed.

Since a fire had been lit within him, it seemed he would have to engage in a proper contest with them. He hadn't originally planned to make a move, but since they had come knocking on his door, it was time to fight back and see who was truly superior.

This Chinese-speaking land, he resolved, should be governed by Chinese people.

Without realizing it, Chu Tian's notebook was densely filled with all sorts of names, some obvious and some cryptic.

Before long, the lights outside had dimmed, and people began to leave one after another.

"President Chu, haven't left yet?"

The voice was unmistakably Hou Yichuan's. Chu Tian looked up and saw him leaning against the partially open door, looking in.

That guy, Chu Tian thought with amusement. He usually calls me President Chu, but as soon as something comes up, it's 'Chu Tian.' A born rebel, that one!

"Not yet. Are you heading out?"

"Of course! It's past ten o'clock. Hurry up, why the act? I'll go get the car. Let's go for a late-night snack!"

Chu Tian shot him an annoyed glare. I really am busy, he thought. What does he mean, 'why the act'? Seriously, so disrespectful.

Watching Hou Yichuan leave, Chu Tian chuckled self-deprecatingly, got up, gathered his things, and prepared to go downstairs.

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