Superstars of Tomorrow

After ending the call with Great-grandfather Fang and inquiring with base personnel, Fang Zhao took a photograph and sent it back.

Fang Zhao stood before a new model of fighter aircraft that had been recently announced in governmental news. Other models couldn’t be photographed so only this model was shown. However, just this one photograph was enough to allow Great-grandfather Fang to show off for a long time.

Days passed and there weren’t many days left for the program team’s filming. Due to the plans for Planet Bu to become a military strategic location, the program team were already being urged to hasten their filming. Therefore, even if the director wanted to drag on and film for a few more days, the remaining time frame for filming was still compressed.

This season of the program had a slight change in style. It didn’t have the entertainment style of previous seasons and was slightly more serious and proper. However, despite less comedic elements, viewership was actually tens of times higher than previous seasons! The episode filmed on board the Alkaid was also the episode that had the highest ever subscription rate.

Zaro and the others also received some token monetary reward for the matter of the Alkaid. For them, this was just a rather precious and commemorative red packet. They placed this sum inside their bank accounts and wouldn’t use them, but they donated even more items.

This was especially so for Zaro. The value of stuff he donated was more than twice the amount he received! This wasn’t because he was suddenly enlightened; rather, he knew deep down that after getting the monetary reward from the Alkaid, he would get hit if he didn’t donate some stuff back.

Fang Zhao felt that his time on Planet Bu was very fulfilling. Besides filming, he was still busy composing, writing his thesis, obtaining piloting licenses, and occasionally finding the time to have fun with Zaro and the others.

There was a saying, “small beginnings show how things will develop.” From his experiences on Planet Bu, Fang Zhao could see the trend of technology and culture of humankind in the New Era. He could also see how it would develop in the future. Although there were certain aspects that were unsatisfactory below the surface, as a whole, it was still rather good. Looking forward, the short-term future was not too bad.

Plans for Planet Bu to become the third strategic military location was proof of humankind’s ambition.

It wasn’t anything bad. As long as the pace of progress was moderated, this sort of ambition was a good thing, especially in the hands of a leader that had experienced the Period of Destruction. Fang Zhao was very happy to see the current state of development. Even his old friends would have agreed if they were here as well.

Fang Zhao was very gratified. This sort of feeling was like holding a child’s hand and watching him continue to walk on steadily and with determination after letting go of the child’s hand.

Far away, in the sealed region, huge flying transports were taking off and landing.

The night sky was especially bright above the area where Planet Bu’s new spaceport was being constructed.

The sea of stars was like an approaching dream.

Fang Zhao jotted down another star on a certain page of his notebook.

…

On the day of leaving Planet Bu, a military reporter came looking for Fang Zhao and asked whether Fang Zhao’s results for the various licensing tests he took could be made public.

Fang Zhao thought about it before agreeing.

Days later, the official military media outlet published a table of Fang Zhao’s test results on their social media platform.

The official military media outlet had disseminated this using Fang Zhao as an exemplary model. After this was released, many authoritative media outlets fell over each other in a bid to circulate this news first.

Fang Zhao had yet to return when the news was abuzz.

On that table was a series of licenses that Bu Base had conferred on Fang Zhao. There were many licenses for models of fighter aircraft, combat equipment, and even submarines. There were all sorts of licenses: vehicles that flew in the sky, traversed on seas, and ran on land!

Military enthusiasts hurried to educate general netizens and analyzed the models, technology, and military grades of all these.

Many people were astonished.

“Although I don’t really understand, it feels very advanced.”

“Passing all of this with excellent results; isn’t he some sort of top student?!”

“What top student? This is called a study god! Those licenses can’t just be obtained by burying your head in theory. Even people with remarkable studying ability, mental strength, and other traits would find it difficult to even obtain one. He managed to pass them all during the duration he was filming for a variety program! In the military, this would be considered a special grade already!”

“Special grade… from my impression, Fang Zhao is still a refined and gentle young artist…”

“The one above, what gives you the misconception that Fang Zhao is a ‘refined and gentle young artist’?! Is it the videos of the inhuman crazy point-sweeping demon that is still highly circulated in gaming forums? Or is it the videos of Fang Zhao’s operational abilities that were in no way inferior to garrisoned soldiers back when he underwent military service? Or perhaps it is the ‘awakening you with coolness’ musical style that has already started to be forgotten by people? Which of these show ‘refined and gentle’?!”

At Yanbei’s retirement facility, Great-grandfather Fang had been happily browsing through when he saw this and got mad. How is my family’s Little Zhao not refined and gentle?!!

However, Great-grandfather Fang’s voice of justification was too weak and didn’t change the opinion of the majority of netizens.

“Then the question is, why does he not enter the military instead of dabbling in the arts with this sort of ability?” Someone asked.

“Heh? I am just curious why those at the back of the list are pixelated.”

In the table released, details on the last two rows were concealed. All that was shown was Fang Zhao’s results as well as verification of Bu Base issuing the license.

“Probably some certain things that are still within the confidentiality period. I have a nagging suspicion that Fang Zhao has obtained even more credentials that haven’t been made public by the military!”

“The military also has artists. Would Fang Zhao head in that direction in future?”

“Insider info: many units are actually intending to recruit Fang Zhao over.”

“Wasn’t there that guy from the entertainment circle that was specially recruited into the military? He exposed for misappropriating military funds last month. However, if it were Fang Zhao, I wouldn’t have to worry.”

“You don’t say! He already donated tens of billions! As if he would care about that tiny bit of military expenses!”

“Seeing the current momentum, he is being publicly pushed forward as a role model. In the future, if he is really specially recruited in, he would surely rise really quickly!”

“Back then, he was promoted by one rank after being discharged from military service and converted to reserve duty. If he really gets specially recruited, I reckon that he will get promoted again.”

“I’ve heard before that artists in the military rise really fast. It is different from those in combat squads. It is easy for them to provide meritorious services and receive awards. The only thing I’m not too sure about is whether Fang Zhao can rise to General before the age of fifty.”

“A soldier that doesn’t wish to be a general isn’t a good artist. If I were Fang Zhao, I would surely accept the special recruitment. That is the rank of general we are talking about!”

“According to the stipulations, it is difficult for those artistic types to have real authority. What’s the use without any real authority?”

“Glory and salary is enough. No real authority is fine too.”

The internet was full of guesses on whether Fang Zhao would be specially recruited into the military.

Huangzhou, Mo Lang’s residence.

The formerly quiet and peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a furious roar.

“All of you better give up this god-damned idea! That is a talented genius I have painstakingly cultivated! He still has a long way to go in the path of art! He wouldn’t cherish that sort of place!!”

Mo Lang’s beard twitched continuously as he faced his communications device.

The person on the other end of the communications device saw Mo Lang being so worked up and hurriedly tried to explain, as he worried that something might happen to this treasure of an old artist.

However, the more he explained, the angrier Mo Lang got.

“You have said so much, but at the end of the day, aren’t you still trying to poach him? Impossible!!”

Mo Lang didn’t wait for the other party to try persuading him again and ended the call.

At his age, Mo Lang had really seen a lot. If Fang Zhao was specially recruited into those units, the academic atmosphere there would surely be inferior compared to where he was. If he was duped, he would spend all of his time attending various social events and take on varying assignments. Inside, there were also many people who fought both openly and in the dark for the sake of promotion. Mo Lang definitely wouldn’t let Fang Zhao go over and waste his precious artistic talents!

Mo Lang took a deep breath and paced up and down. “No, I need to read a few theses to calm down.”

His assistant hurriedly sent over two thesis papers and a newly composed work that Fang Zhao had submitted. It was only then did Mo Lang’s mood lighten.

“Let Fang Zhao start on preparing his graduation concert the moment he returns. Don’t let him get distracted by other matters.” This was what Mo Lang had decided. He wasn’t entirely reassured so he contacted a few people to quash the news that the official military had released. He didn’t wish for Fang Zhao to see news about him everywhere on the internet when he returned.

There were people who felt that this was completely unnecessary. There was so much news on the internet everyday. It was hard enough for this sort of disseminated news to persist for two days, let alone maintain its popularity for a sustained duration.

Two days later, news of Fang Zhao’s results on Planet Bu died down. Mo Lang was delighted but only for a while. Very soon, that official military news that had been published was dug out again and its viewership rose.

“What… What is going on?” Mo Lang was stunned.

————

In the space station orbiting earth, Fang Zhao and the entire program team had finally returned. However, they were still required to go through immigration processes and a quarantine which meant that they had to stop at the space station for awhile.

Everyone from the program team including Zaro didn’t have any complaints. There wasn’t anything to fret about and there was internet access here. With internet access and food, these people were even happy to stay here for an entire month.

“Damn! Fang Zhao, you’re trending on social media again!” Woo Tianhao exclaimed while browsing the news. He had originally wanted to post a good-looking photo of himself. However, he hadn’t expected to see Fang Zhao’s name as one of the top searches after he logged into his account.

Nanfeng was also abnormally excited. He had also seen it at the same time as Woo Tianhao. He was somewhat in disbelief, so he carefully gathered some information and asked around before coming over to explain things to Fang Zhao.

“Boss, ‘Star Cup’ has recently concluded. You are ranked first on the Celebrity Popularity Chart.”

The Star Cup was organized by the Inter-planetary Fund in conjunction with science associations, the ministry of education, and higher learning establishments from every continent. It was a global extracurricular competition for innovation and entrepreneurship for secondary school students. Its name came from the father of spaceflight, Master Heng Xin. In his later years, Master Heng Xin had brought out a portion of his fortune and had established the ‘Star Cup’. ¹

In the words of Master Heng Xin at the beginning when this was established——

Fame, I will grant it! Benefits, I will also grant it! It is right here. Come take it if you have the ability!!

Star Cup was a top-notch challenge for secondary students throughout the world. It was also considered a gathering of geniuses. It was held once every three years. At this time, various top universities and large-scale companies throughout the world would prepare to poach the participants!

If they couldn’t poach them now, they would try to sign them to binding contracts for when they were finished with their education. Some students who performed exceedingly well in the Star Cup challenge match were signed by the world’s top hundred corporations before they even stepped foot into university.

It could be said that everyone who participated in the Star Cup were elites, and that those who survived until the final rounds were the elites among elites.They were considered genius-tier students in certain aspects.

At the end of the Star Cup, there would be an awards ceremony. The Star Cup would invite a celebrity to the awards ceremony according to the requests of students that participated in the Star Cup challenge. This was the usual practise.

Who was to say that geniuses couldn’t chase stars?

And currently the voting charts had reached this point. Only students that participated in the Star Cup challenge and passed through pre-selection would have voting rights. This couldn’t be falsified.

At the present moment, Fang Zhao occupied the first position on the voting charts.

Nanfeng glanced at Fang Zhao’s expression before continuing, “According to convention, the invited celebrity has to perform at the awards ceremony. Boss, you have to be prepared.