The Brightest Pop Star: Li Xiyun

["Take Me Up to the Skies" by Li Xiyun had peaked over 67 million views within the first 2 hours of the concert online! His fans expressed their massive support towards....]

...

[Li Xiyun coming in for his 40th novelty awards for his 8th album! This global superstar keeps taking the world in storms!.....]

....

[There's no one probably in this decade that is as genius as him, there's just no way! All his albums, none fell off, and his beauty, oh my god, without reconstruction surgery, that's impossible to achieve. His face is a natural beauty. I don't get why Nircess put an arm implant on him. It looks good though but ruins his naturality...]

.....

[Despite being the most popular artist to be born during the musical revolution and even beating the achievement of previous stars before the revolution, we must ask. Is Li Xiyun a newborn or the Nircess just did an incredible job hiding his parents to the public? Because both are reasonable but which of these are closer?....]

Amidst the sea of popular media, Li Xiyun's name sails each street and digital world. Sweeping across millions of admiration and talks.

....

[Caller: 14th Manager]

[Accept/Decline]

.....

[Xiyun, tomorrow, move your plans about your meet and greet with your fans, goddamit your fangirls are causing us a massive headache!]

"....."

[Hello Xiyun? Are you listening?]

"Why is it?" A soft, monotone voice escaped from his pale lips, aloof and unconcerned.

[Your goddamn cultist fans fucking withdraw their subscription on our channels and other artists within our company that you've collaborated once!]

"So what then?"

[What do you mean so what then? You'll host a night show and perform your other songs or whatever. We lost a big time audience and retention the moment they heard that the merchs and albums weren't authorized by you, they kept screaming at us.]

"....." In the other line of that blue hologram, Li Xiyun bit his lips inside.

"How long?"

Disdain and bitterness swells up and expelled through his breath, he didn't become successful after all by being disobedient.

[Just for 2 weeks, that's enough publicity for us to make them subscribe and buy again. I already told your secretary, she's going to your apartment now, wait for her details.]

"What? Why in my apartment! Didn't I tell you all that no one should disturb me personally when I'm in my house!?" His indifference act immediately betrayed him.

[Your house? That's the money bought from Nircess, the contract belongs to them, not yours and they will understand the intrusion. We've already talked with their liaison so that our collaborative work won't be disturbed, she's coming there to tell you the adjustment of this sudden addition to your schedule.]

"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?"

[I already told you right now and I'm also busy, you're asking too much questions today, I know you are tired but this is literally just one schedule subtracted and one schedule added it's not that complex!]

*Beep

The snaps of lock unlocking from behind made Xiyun glance at the direction. He saw his secretary fiddling the air clicking multiple holograms multitasking each.

[She'll tell you more of the information, I'll go now.]

[....]

The hologram died and dispersed in the air.

"Good evening Mr. Xiyun, I am here to tell you all of what's going to happen on tomorrow's schedule and the adjustments I've made for the other schedule that was disturbed."

His secretary pops her black matte right arm and multiple round nodes popped up, absorbing the other holograms into those nodes and leaving one open.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier that there was a change in the schedule. I could have met you outside...!" Shaking tone veils the snapping anger in his voice, he asked his secretary.

"Mr. Xiyun, you are angry but it's not my fault either, we are wasting time so you better listen-"

"You even have access to my apartment door!?" He is in shock and trying his best not to lash his anger out but his veins are already betraying him.

"Mr. Xiyun, you are asking irrelevant questions and please fix your attitude, it does not suit you." She remained stern and didn't even look at his face, she's still busy swiping and scrolling her lists.

"I don't care! Why did no one tell me that this apartment wasn't mine!"

"....." The secretary fell silent, she adjusted her glasses slightly and swipe the few strands of her hair that fell to her forehead on her ponytail

"Mr. Xiyun, you are the star of Nircess Cosmetics, we made sure to nurture you and suit everything you need that is tailored to your beauty. Your silky translucent long hair is always taken care of by the best brands we've made that we didn't release for the consumers."

The secretary closed all the hologram completely and cross arms holding her elbows close to her chest. There's that demeanor and arrogance in her eyes looking down at him.

"We made sure that your skin is as fairest as possible for you to consistently win the most handsome man that secured your position in the entertainment industry."

She walks closer towards him still unchanging, something that he couldn't do with his furious brows that could not hide the anger anymore.

"Your clothing is always at the cutting edge in both quality and aesthetics, you are an idol for fashion for everything you wear, it offsets variable trends and triggers unbelievable sales which secure you and your extravagant life."

As she gets closer and closer, her voice becomes more domineering.

"And for your spectacles, we offered you the best of the best Aether based technology implants on your body that improves your beauty and movement wherever you are. Your brilliant light, shining like a star, is all but from the Aether' modules you have. And this whole apartment room is no exception, it is a gimmick to fulfill the uniqueness of this house."

And then she halts, standing close and looking down to Li Xiyun who's forced to look up as well due to her heels. Her indifferent demeanor, shadowed by a light, doesn't intimidate him but only fuels his anger.

A short contest occurs, neither backing down their intimidation but at the end, Li Xiyun is victorious.

His secretary breaks off the eye contact, she closes her eyes, exhales and goes back to her position.

"Mr. Xiyun, if you want to retire as early as you can, then just endure a bit more. You are at the height of your popularity and it will take a while for you to be irrelevant because you're already an iconic figure. I promised you that I already told the higher ups to give you long breaks after this."

She pops up her hologram again and swipes it in the middle of the air towards Li Xiyun.

"Please do not make it harder for the both of us, I'll let you read the schedule at your own pace so I don't bore you, don't make any more actions that would both trouble us, I'll let you rest, good bye."

She walks away as concise as her actions, she glanced at the set of drums covered by a sheet in the corner.

"And Mr. Xiyun, you are already told that you shouldn't touch instruments that don't fit you. You're a superstar, drums are too far away from the spotlight and don't showcase your beauty, I don't know why you're still onto that."

"I didn't ask. Anything else you're going to say?" Li Xiyun's heart beat is already pulsating fast and his whole body stiff from suppressing frustration.

"The songs you composed two weeks ago, you should give it to the recordings now, they'll play the music you made for you and you just need to focus on singing and dancing, I hope it becomes a new hit, that's all." With no enthusiasm in her voice.

The secretary shut the door and as soon as it clicked, blue thrusters on his two white fists appeared.

In a successive manner he torqued his body behind facing the window pane and delivered more than 13 explosive punches that rippled the air.

The shockwave of his fists are enough to move his furniture a few inches.

"Ruining my songs, my interest, my privacy... WHAT MORE!?"

He looked at orange hexagonal after effects of the kinetic absorbing non-newtonian barrier that took his punches.

"Resignment? You're going to milk me dry... Don't make me laugh...!"

Xiyun looks at his ceiling light, pondering his living and what's happening in the world today.

He fell to the ground, resigned, looking at the skyscrapers at the horizon, a lively city that each living soul represents through their light. The dimmer and smaller the light, the harder it is for them to stand out and imprint themselves alone in this world. Yet if they gather, their existence cannot be ignored and they can also sweep even the giant beams.

That's what the revolution is about today. Those who truly lived a tough life, an insignificant one found love through music, these individuals were able to find meaning through their lives and decided to make changes to the old lights they once followed as a moth. The same old lights that fooled and blinded them, a promise of a brighter future only for them to burn themselves.

This time, these lights collectively fought and successfully made a change and left a mark in their stale history. Becoming a beacon themselves for the other lights that cannot find themselves yet. They will burn in this arduous fight but they will find meaning to their action as valuable.

The fight is still not over however. What they left behind can still be burned down by the old lights.

He knows that these people who wish for one true light to radiate alone and guide them their true path is their ultimate goal. It is the answer to the question of the Maker about freedom and purpose of life.

But as the brightest light himself, he knew that these people still have a long way to go. After all, even if they are indeed lights that are already attracting other like minded peoples. They are still moths attracted to a bigger light. He himself is that light they follow. And he knew what the power of these old lights when they all combined.

It is a giant beam that the current them cannot swallow. He is the product of that beam. As long as people worship him, they are still fools that truly can't see the essence of what they're fighting for through music that he wasn't even able to fully express by himself alone.

He slouched his back at the side of his sofa and opened up online forums.

_____________________

StreamingLike!

[Videos for you:]

[Starlium Gear: Where did this myth originated really?] 700m. views

[We found a trace of clues about The Maker's Starlium Gear!!!] 108k. views

[Starlium Gear parody song] 97k. views

[Best wishes to pick if you got the Starlium Gear] 78m. views

[Aether energy and Starlium Gear. Are they related?] 609m. views

[Theory behind the Starlium Gear? Is it a construct of Aether energy?] 40m. views

[What is Aether energy and why are we still oblivious about its actual principle?] 800m. views

...

_____________________

He looks up to the ceiling, reaching the light that shimmers his aqua pupils.

"Starlium Gear... If I wish to be free... Would that be selfish?"

"...."

"I can't even imagine what the world would be like if everyone got freedom..."

He giggled at his inability to imagine such a world.

'How people would live without these corporations supporting their livelihood and everyday's expenses and needs?' Is the question he can't imagine the answer and thus laugh at his foolish self.

He nods his head disappointingly.

"Get yourself together Li Xiyun... Just like them, you can change something."

"I am the greatest light that they created... If I fall, I must make sure that these lights must be disjointed as well so they can't create another idol that draws people's admiration into nothing but falsehood."

"Maybe If I succeed. That's when I will truly get my freedom, oh my... That's great."

Li Xiyun's eyes became heavy, chuckling over the ridiculous yet hopeful thought he just muttered. He swiped the air and the lights slowly turned off. Laying down on the floor picking up the fallen pillow.

"Haha... Fuck... What a fucking sweet dream... It's too hard."

But it is that sweet dream that soothes the fire inside him.

"Tired... Too tired."

.....

The night sky still flashes its beautiful lights, the billboard's never ending ads, the commercials and the different shows popping up the streets.

["And he said that humanity longs for salvation, there are times that they will be stuck, find it hard to move forward and wishes to dream and that is fine, but that cycle would remain as long as people wishes to dream but do not do anything!"]

-Dormancy and Dreams ft. Dr. Forsch - The Night Do Not Sleep with JY Rousu Episode 765.

[I will remain here, but you will move forward! Embark a journey different from the paths we laid down for you! We are but echoes of the past but you... You are yourself! Walk forward to an unknown road past beyond that we could reach!]

-The Moving City Serafil -Astroman Productions.

[Humanity will save itself, no matter who it faces, whether an outside threat, whether it's nature or whether against itself. That's the romantic and melancholic cycle we are always going to face. Flawed beings fueled by our self interest. What a tragedy, what a beauty. What hypocrisy, what a martyr... But humanity won't save me, they are foolish.] -The Fool Iscarot -Garben Schazerkel.