Chapter 170: Outplaying and Dominating the Match, Just a Step Away from the Championship

A song, resonant like the tolling of morning bells and evening drums, echoed above the stage.

As Fang Xing and Chen Chaonan finished their respective verses, the interlude began.

Waves of percussive music resonated, accompanied by the clarion calls of brass instruments from the symphony orchestra, evoking the distant dreams of marching camps and blaring horns.

For the final verse, Fang Xing and Chen Chaonan walked toward each other, gazed into one another's eyes, and raised their microphones to sing in unison.

When the harmonic phrase "The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward" rang out, the chest resonance generated by their simultaneous singing was so vast and mighty that it seemed to make the audience's chests vibrate along with it.

The audience could almost hear the rolling waters of the Yangtze River rushing forward toward them.

In the final stanza, Fang Xing raised the pitch once again, taking the second vocal part to harmonize with Chen Chaonan:

"A pot of turbid wine brings joyous reunion,"

"How many affairs of ancient and modern times,"

"Are all consigned to laughter and chatter."

The two vocal parts blended together perfectly, as if sung by the very same person, yet they conveyed two entirely different flavors.

Chen Chaonan's voice carried an extra layer of historical weight and profound depth.

Fang Xing's voice, on the other hand, was imbued with greater vitality and heroic passion.

With the final line sung, the melody flowed into the outro, ending cleanly and decisively on the last drumbeat, executed in one sweeping motion.

Expressions of admiration and intoxication appeared on the faces of the live audience, as if they were attending an elegant classical concert.

Not only the audience at the scene, but even the singers and guests in the lounge wore faces of rapturous delight.

Moreover, the more professionally trained a person was in vocal arts, the more deeply they understood just how extraordinary this performance truly was.

The bullet chats on the live-streaming channel began to erupt like a geyser:

[This sounds amazing!]

[I blame myself for lacking culture, so I can only use a single expression of awe for everything!]

[Can a baritone sound this good? Talk about opening my eyes.]

[They call it a baritone, but actually the highest notes in this song are not low either. F4 is the passaggio for most male voices, and ordinary people can't hit it without using falsetto.]

[This song ranges all the way from F2 to F4. That vocal foundation is insanely awesome.]

[I could imagine Professor Bo being able to sing this well. But I never expected Fang Xing could too. He hasn't showcased the second octave range before, has he?]

[Terrifying, this guy is truly terrifying. Sharing the stage with Chen Chaonan and he didn't show the slightest bit of stage fright.]

[Looking back now, Fang Xing participating in "Tomorrow's Star," wasn't that like an apex predator bullying a small fishpond? Simply outrageous.]

[Simply outrageous +1]

[Suddenly starting to feel sorry for the Glacier Group. They just wanted to hold a boy group talent show, and for no reason at all, they got beaten black and blue by an apex predator. Who did they offend?]

……

Meanwhile, in the singers' lounge, the performers who had already finished their sets were waiting in the main hall.

Zhong Yuanxun and Park So-mi were sitting on a sofa, chatting and laughing before Fang Xing's performance began.

"Teacher Zhong's performance tonight was exceptionally brilliant; you will definitely win," Park So-mi flattered with a smiling face.

Zhong Yuanxun laughed heartily and replied, "It is all thanks to So-mi's singing. If not for So-mi's assistance as a guest singer, I wouldn't have dared to pick Fang Xing as my opponent."

Park So-mi covered her mouth and smiled, asking, "After winning this round, does that mean you secure the title of King of Singers?"

Zhong Yuanxun glanced around, lowered his voice, and said in Korean, "Not yet, but once I beat Fang Xing, no one else will be my match."

Park So-mi nodded and said, "Then let me congratulate Teacher Zhong in advance."

However, as the verse of "The Rolling Yangtze River Flows Eastward" began, Zhong Yuanxun's expression turned serious.

He could not understand the lyrics, but he could appreciate the melody and the accompaniment: "Their accompaniment is rather impressive."

The accompaniment by the Eastern Symphony Orchestra possessed a grand and magnificent momentum that seized the initiative from the very start.

Park So-mi also sensed that the opponents' strength was not to be underestimated, but she still smiled and flattered: "Teacher Zhong has nothing to worry about. Their accompaniment is indeed good. However, the key is a bit low, so the chorus certainly can't go very high. Besides, they are two men, and when it comes to belting high notes in the chorus, they definitely cannot surpass us."

Fang Xing's performance was a male duet, whereas Zhong Yuanxun's was a mixed duet.

In terms of hitting high notes, female voices held a natural advantage in pitch.

Of course, male high notes were usually richer and more powerful than female ones.

A mixed duet could combine both advantages, possessing both the high pitch of a female voice and the depth and power of a male voice.

Therefore, after hearing Park So-mi's praise, Zhong Yuanxun also felt that this round was a guaranteed victory.

Yet, when Chen Chaonan delivered the line, "The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward," that chest resonance, sounding like morning bells and evening drums, instantly shocked him into widening his eyes.

As a professional singer, he knew all too well how formidable the technique behind that single line was.

As the song continued, Zhong Yuanxun's expression grew increasingly solemn.

After listening to Chen Chaonan's rendition of the first verse, he already felt a sense of foreboding.

If nothing else, Chen Chaonan's performance was entirely at the level of a top-tier vocal artist; arguably, no one stronger could be found across the entire show.

Even so, Zhong Yuanxun had not given up hope.

Because after listening to Chen Chaonan's performance, he realized that for pop singers, the vocal range of this song was simply too low.

Therefore, he figured Fang Xing probably wouldn't be able to sing it well.

Yet, when Fang Xing delivered the opening line, "The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward," Zhong Yuanxun froze instantly.

From that first line alone, it was clear that Fang Xing's vocal prowess was on par with Chen Chaonan's, neck and neck.

When the song reached the final stanza and their harmonized duet rang out, that deep, resonant chest resonance literally made the listeners' souls tremble along with it.

Zhong Yuanxun's expression stiffened, and Park So-mi stopped smiling as well.

Both of them could hear that this opponent was formidable to an absurd degree.

Still, Zhong Yuanxun clung to a sliver of hope.

Because audiences loved watching singers belt high notes, and the highest note in Fang Xing's song only reached F4, which might not necessarily win over the adjudicators.

……

While "Voice" was being broadcast, the renowned mother-and-baby influencer Ni Hongdan was running her live stream as usual, accompanying netizens to watch the show.

Since tonight was the finale, the fans of Qiqi didn't pester Qiqi to work overtime; instead, they focused entirely on the program.

Once Fang Xing and Chen Chaonan finished singing "The Rolling Yangtze River Flows Eastward," another massive wave of netizens flooded into the live stream, begging for a review:

[Mommy Qiqi, quickly tell us how Fang Xing and Professor Bo performed this time!]

[Is there any hope of beating Zhong Yuanxun? From my perspective as an ordinary audience member, I felt that both sides sang with their own unique appeal.]

Seeing the netizens' bullet chats, Ni Hongdan pondered for a moment before replying, "I cannot guarantee entirely who will win, because the preferences of the live audience can sometimes be rather eccentric.

"However, if we analyze it from a professional vocal perspective..."

She paused there for a moment, then raised her tone slightly and said excitedly, "I can only say that the performance by Fang Xing and Professor Bo this time was insanely awesome.

"Remember what Fang Xing said before the competition? He said his opponent couldn't sing it.

"Based on my understanding of Zhong Yuanxun's repertoire, unless he has been hiding his lower-register capabilities, Fang Xing was spot on—Zhong Yuanxun simply cannot sing this.

"Let me clarify here: when I say he can't sing it, I mean he can't sing it to a genuine performance standard.

"If we are just talking about producing the F2 note, I can do that too, like this: *la...*

"Hear that? That is F2. I can produce it too, and it's very deep, but I would never tell people that I can *sing* F2.

"Because my F2 has zero quality to speak of; it's merely producing that pitch and nothing more.

"Furthermore, given my vocal cord conditions, I could never train an F2—it's impossible for me, lifetime impossible.

"As for Zhong Yuanxun, I've listened to most of his songs. When his voice reaches the third octave, the quality already starts to decline, so he basically cannot handle the second-octave range.

"Netizens who frequently watch live streams should know that the golden register for male voices is the fourth octave.

"Zhong Yuanxun's strength lies in the fourth octave, and he can even hit High C with ease.

"However, the vocal registers he can handle are actually accessible to most professional male singers—though, of course, he is one of the top performers among them.

"Now, from a vocal perspective, the performance by Fang Xing and Professor Bo tonight is unequivocally top-tier.

"I can even venture to say that throughout this entire season of 'Voice' up to now, this song by Fang Xing and Professor Bo has the strongest vocals—so strong it's absurd.

"You heard that right, it's absurdly strong.

"Professor Bo is a baritone to begin with, so singing well is quite reasonable.

"But Fang Xing is the absurd one. In the past, he could handle the fourth octave well and occasionally belt into the fifth.

"And now? He can even handle the low notes of the third and second octaves. This man's vocal cords defy science."

After listening to this analysis, the netizens only gathered that Fang Xing and Chen Chaonan had given a stellar performance, but as to *why* it was so stellar, they still didn't quite understand.

What concerned the netizens most was still the outcome of the competition.

[So can Fang Xing win this match?]

[Yeah, can Fang Xing win?]

Ni Hongdan didn't dare to speak with absolute certainty either. She considered her words and replied, "How should I put it? I truly cannot guarantee the result a hundred percent, but from the perspective of a professionally trained music critic, if Fang Xing and Professor Bo don't win this round, then 'Voice' can no longer claim to be the most professional competitive music variety show in the country."

[Is it that exaggerated? Park So-mi is also extremely strong, right? Even if they win, it should still be considered normal, shouldn't it?]

Ni Hongdan shook her head and corrected: "Perhaps everyone is misunderstanding one thing. Park So-mi is hailed as a national treasure singer in her country, but she is still, at her core, a pop singer.

"Chen Chaonan is different. He is an academic-school vocal professor and a National First-Class Singer.

"The two of them simply do not belong to the same dimension of singers. Putting them together for comparison is actually a bit unfair to Park So-mi."

[Mommy Qiqi, give us a more detailed analysis.]

Ni Hongdan thought for a moment and added, "Since everyone wants to hear a critique, let's make a comparison from the angles of lyrics, composition, and vocal delivery.

"First, the lyrics. Do I even need to explain? Lyrics by Yang Shen from the Ming Dynasty versus the theme song of 'Empress Myeongseong' sung by Zhong Yuanxun—that's an absolute slaughter.

"Next, the composition. The composition of 'The Rolling Yangtze River Flows Eastward' is absolute timeless classic material, especially the orchestration by the symphony orchestra—the horn calls played by the brass instruments are simply peerless.

"Therefore, from the perspective of composition, it also crushes the opponent, and by a massive margin.

"Finally, vocal performance. Let's start with the guest singers: Chen Chaonan versus Park So-mi is a dimensionality-reduction strike—an academic-school National First-Class Singer bullying a pop singer.

"Then comes Fang Xing and Zhong Yuanxun. These two are actually comparable.

"The gap in their vocal levels isn't as wide as in the previous categories.

"However, it is blatantly obvious that Fang Xing has a higher degree of professionalism, whereas Zhong Yuanxun belongs to the hard-working, acquired-skill type.

"Zhong Yuanxun's singing quotient is indeed high, and his ability to handle and shape music is robust enough.

"Yet, everything Zhong Yuanxun can achieve is actually well within Fang Xing's capabilities.

"Conversely, Fang Xing can sing F2, but Zhong Yuanxun cannot.

"From the perspective of vocal range, Fang Xing wins.

"Even if we leave vocal range aside and compare the fourth octave, the F4 that Fang Xing sings is of extremely high quality, losing nothing to Zhong Yuanxun.

"In short, analyzed from a professional standpoint, Fang Xing and Chen Chaonan are superior to Zhong Yuanxun in every single aspect—you could say it's a positional wipeout.

"As for winning or losing, it all depends on the actual standards of the live adjudicators."

……

Amidst the anticipation of the national audience, He Hao returned to the stage and invited Zhong Yuanxun back up as well.

To prevent the popularity of the guest singers from having an excessive impact on the competition results, the guest performers of both sides had retreated to the backstage lounge after their respective songs.

He Hao began guiding the five hundred adjudicators on site to cast their votes: "The five hundred adjudicators on site, the time has come for you to exercise your power.

"Pick up the voting devices in your hands. The number 1 represents the singer who performed first, namely Zhong Yuanxun.

"The number 2 represents the singer who performed second, namely Fang Xing.

"If you support Zhong Yuanxun, please press the number 1 key. If you support Fang Xing, please press the number 2 key.

"Finally, a countdown of ten seconds: ten, nine... two, one, please lock your votes!"

A sound effect indicating the locking of votes echoed through the venue.

He Hao turned around to look at the main screen: "No commercials tonight, no suspense-building; we will announce the results directly. Let our purest and most organic natural pasture guide us in revealing the outcome. Please look at the big screen!"

Flame special effects bloomed on the stage, all converging on the large screen.

Two numbers appeared on the big screen and began to scroll.

A moment later.

The number on the left stopped at 192, while the number on the right stopped at 301.

Seeing this result, the live audience, the guests, and even the host involuntarily looked toward the right side of the stage.

And standing on the right side of the stage was none other than Fang Xing.

He Hao announced in an excited tone: "Congratulations to Fang Xing for winning the competition with a high score of 301 votes! Congratulations!

"At the same time, heartfelt thanks to Zhong Yuanxun and Park So-mi for bringing us such a wonderful song. Thank you."

Upon seeing the result, Zhong Yuanxun clasped his hands together expressionless, thanked the audience, and then, guided by the host, turned and walked off the stage.

His retreating figure carried a hint of loneliness and lingering unwillingness.

He had clearly mastered the high-score password beforehand: as long as you belt high notes, you secure high scores, which was why he had invited Park So-mi to assist him.

His proactive provocation of Fang Xing in the first round—asking Fang Xing to choose him as an opponent—was not born of blind confidence.

In truth, this was a championship strategy devised by his team after thorough discussion.

Because Zhong Yuanxun's team had the capability to secure Park So-mi.

With Park So-mi's ultimate high notes, on the stage of "Voice," she was a trump card.

Therefore, Zhong Yuanxun believed that with Park So-mi assisting, the first round was a guaranteed victory.

By contrast, the second round, lacking Park So-mi's assistance, would not be nearly as secure.

Since the first round was a guaranteed win, as long as he eliminated the most formidable opponent in that round, the title of "King of Singers" would be within arm's reach.

Consequently, after consulting with his team, Zhong Yuanxun executed this strategy, proactively provoking Fang Xing in the opening round of competition to force a high-stakes showdown right away.

As long as he won the first round, he would be this year's King of Singers.

Yet, never in his wildest dreams had he expected that Fang Xing would forgo a Heavenly Queen guest singer and instead invite a ridiculously powerful collaborator, completely turning the tables.

Zhong Yuanxun walked off the stage and delivered his final words to the tracking camera: "I was only a hair's breadth away from the championship."