Chapter 262: Dawn
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Making an MV could be cheap, as long as one knew how to do it. Instead of a real stage, one could use the virtual stage and when mixed with some background music, voilà, you got an MV.
Wang Tong’s only experience in making an MV came from what he had overheard from other professional music video makers while loitering at the backstage before and after his performance in Aurora City. He wasn’t sure if this piece of roughly patched up work would be worth anything, but he decided to give it a go anyways.
Other than the injury he had sustained in his sea of consciousness, his body had recovered fully.
After Wang Tong lost his power, the world around him seemed quieter. He enjoyed this quiet, free time, as it gave him an opportunity to put his plan of making an MV into action. He went to an internet cafe and started working on his MV right away. He first researched online about the methods of making an MV, and then realized what he had wanted could be accomplished easier than he had expected. Since he didn’t like the frivolous decoration, he had decided to go with a black and white background.
Wang Tong took a deep breath as he searched for inspiration deep inside his mind.
Wang Tong was quickly engrossed in his search, slowing teasing out all kinds of emotions. In this material world, he found something real and untouched within the myriad of convoluted feelings, and that was humanity.
Wang Tong’s dance was a heart-touching performance. Without the GN force, he had given up on tricky moves, but the whole arrangement seemed even more sincere and touching, as it spoke in a language that everyone could relate to.
After he had finished recording, tears poured out from Wang Tong’s eyes.
Wang Tong sent the unedited MV to Mike.
Three days later, Wang Tong followed Jansining to his home. It was a beautiful little town called Provence. A fussy warmth rose inside Wang Tang when he saw Jansining embrace his wife and daughter. Wang Tong reckoned that the fussy feeling was a feeling of home.
“BeiBei, this is Wang Tong. He is a great soldier,” Jansining spoke to his daughter, pointing at Wang Tong.
“Hello, Wang Tong!”
Watching her cute chubby face, Wang Tong cracked a smile and gently patted at the top of her head, then said, “Hello!”
Children were innocent because they didn’t know the cruelty of the world. “Papa, Papa! Where is Uncle Big Head? I have already got his gift. I really like it!”
“Gift?” Jansining was confused. His wife then told him that she had just received a gift from Big Head; it was a piano.
Wang Tong squeezed Beibei’s chubby little cheek and said, “Uncle Big Head is on a very important mission far, far away. You will understand it when you grow up.”
BeiBei pouted and said, “That’s what grown-ups do, lie! He promised me many times that he would come, but he never did.”
Wang Tong’s finger trembled slightly as a rush of sadness came over him. Jansining kept silent, fighting his own demons. Jansining’s wife had guessed what had happened, so she said, “BeiBei, you are very selfish. Uncle Big Head is a soldier, he needs to protect other people. “
BeiBei squeezed her hand together and nodded. “Wang Tong, I am sorry. I just really really miss Uncle Big Head. I want to touch his head.”
On her way home, BeiBei clapped her little hands, and sang the Big Head song, “Big Head has a Big Head…”
All Academies had pulled back their students. Despite the fact that their stay in the military was short, all the students had learned a lot. The most valuable lesson they had learned was the harshness and cruelty of the war. Some students had already accepted the reality and started training with a newfound determination.
The moment Wang Tong stepped into the Ayrlarng Campus, he reckoned that he had forgotten the person he shouldn’t have forgotten.
Perhaps there had been more passion between the two when they first started dating, but both Wang Tong and Samantha knew that their infatuation wouldn’t last long. However, Wang Tong never regretted anything he did for Samantha, and he knew that the feeling was mutual. Although Wang Tong had matured a lot during the military campaign on Norton, he held on to the thought that he did love Samantha when they first fell in love, and so did she.
Wang Tong decided that he wouldn’t meet Samantha before he was fully recovered. He tried every day to use the tactics, but with the very little soul energy he had recovered over a few weeks, he couldn’t move even one GN node. That being said, the small progress in recharging his soul energy exhilarated Wang Tong, and it gave him a sliver of hope.
Wang Tong figured that that reason why Mr. Wannabe and Goldie’s had kept silent might be more than just because of his lack of soul energy. Mr. Wannabe had spent a great deal of his soul energy while Wang Tong was battling the Zergs, and Goldie had practically absorbed all the damage from the mini-nuke for him. Wang Tong felt a sense of guilt, and he wished that he was stronger, so his friends wouldn’t have to suffer for his incompetence.
The pain and guilt made Wang Tong more adamant in recovering his power. He decided to start from the basics. As long as he was still alive, he would give all he had to find his power back. He made up his mind that he would join up with Jansining, Third, and Big O after he graduated.
Wang Tong went to Ma Xiaoru’s mansion in Shangjin, but the gate was locked. Suddenly, he felt helpless in this big world. Without his power, he was a nobody.
If it were Wang Tong when he still had the power, he would have rushed in without permission. However, he had learned a lot from Jansining, so he knew what he should do.
Although the school life remained the same, Wang Tong couldn’t stop feeling like he didn’t belong there. The classroom and the classmates were the same, but the war had changed him.
Zhou Sisi and Karl had not returned yet, thanks to the Martians interference with the operation. The Martians had tabled a proposal to slow down the retreat process, as they tried to learn more about Earthling’s real intention behind all these maneuvers. All mobilizations were halted until the council made their decision about the Martian proposal.
The average person wouldn’t care about the military strategy as much as the council did, but their attention was attracted by a breaking news in the entertainment industry.
A poorly edited music video had gone viral on the internet, and quickly became the most watched music video of all time.
Mike posted the video, and it was the same mysterious masked dancer dancing to Zhou Yiyi’s song “Dawn.”
No one asked questions about the identity of this masked dancer since their curiosity paled under the comparison to the emotions the performance had summoned inside of them.
The song was not any mainstream pop dance music, but the dance pierced through the pretense of worldly desires like an arrow, and stroke home at the hearts of the audience. It made them see themselves as who they really were—creatures of sentiments.
The masked dancer’s performance was soul touching; it would be an insult to compare his performance with those empty-brained swaggering of a*ses one saw so often on their home TV.
The masked dancer’s performance could light up the desires for a genuine relationship among his audiences, regardless if they were watching from Earth, the Moon or Mars. Despite the different artistic appreciation on every planet, the video swept through all medias of the human world, as it evoked a universal feeling in humans: life was beautiful.
“Don’t complain it was gone, be happy because it was beautiful” An ancient wise man used to say.
The video was the most touching to the veteran families, as if it had spoken out loud for their sorrow and reconciliation of losing their loved ones.
Using the profit he made from the video, Mike had formed a charity for veteran families. Mike had also announced that he would donate all of his wealth to this organization.
This series of developments had shocked everyone, from ordinary citizens to the politicians. They all found a measure of respect for this seemingly feminine man.
At Ayrlarng, the scene in the school lunchroom was unusual: no one was fighting for the best meal. Instead, the students lined up in a row, eyes glued to the screen of a TV.
It was an interview with Mike about the new MV and the masked dancer. It had been a few months since the release of the MV, but people’s enthusiasm didn’t seem to die down the slightest.
Wang Tong watched as he stood at the end of the line. He noticed that Mike had changed a lot. He used to wear frivolous shirts and talk with a tense and demanding tone that meant only business. Wang Tong could have seen the money signs in his eyes if he watched close enough. However, the new Mike seemed much laid back. Even the color and style of his clothes were muted, and much more comfortable to look at.
“Mike, did you know that everyone, your friends, enemies, they all want to know what had made you give up your wealth? You had gained so many fans, I included, hehe… But If I were you, I won’t have the gut to give away all my money, you know?”
The interviewer was the most influential talk show host, Clayton.
“When I was young, I worked for my craft, not for the money. But it changed, and I wasted too much time on things that were not really important. The masked dancer made me think a lot about that. I am just an average person like everyone else. I simply wanted to do something meaningful, and I believe you do too.” Mike answered calmly. His spirit was free the moment he relinquished his worldly possessions.
“Hehe, Mike, maybe one day I will do the same and give away all my money. On another note, the dancer, when I watched his performance, he reminded me a lot of my youth. I am not ashamed to tell you that I still cried on the 20th time I watched the video. So, who exactly is this young man?” Like everyone else, Clayton was eager to know the identity of the masked dancer.
“Clayton my friend. I wish I could tell you who he is, but I can’t. One thing about him though, he is a brave warrior, and dancing was just his hobby. He sent me the MV hoping that I would be able to fulfill one of his comrades’ final wish. His comrades died on the battlefield, but the veteran family didn’t even get any compensation. I wish to bring this issue to the government’s attention, and hope they would table something out that is more effective than my charity in helping these people who bled and died for us.” There was a determination in Mike’s voice, and he was rewarded with a wave of approving applause.
“Well said, Mike. I will donate five million credits to mike’s charity for veterans. I would like to join forces with Mike and urge the Confederation to pay attention to the living conditions of our veterans and their families. After all, without them, none of us would be here today. Thank you, Mike and thanks everyone. That’s our show tonight.”
Mike had indeed changed a lot.
The students cheered at the show, but Wang Tong sat at the table and ate his lunch quietly. He knew he could change profession and become a successful dancer, but he wouldn’t give up what he had started. He had chosen to be a soldier, and he would stick to it. Even if he couldn’t fight, he would still volunteer at the military, help them with other activities that didn’t require fighting.
Mike had proven to be a trustworthy friend. He might seem crazy in giving up all of his money, but everyone’s life was different, because everyone held a different answer to the meaning life.
