"This is cult-level stuff! Who even raps like this? This is insane." Gu Duo Fu was so shaken that goosebumps broke out all over his arms.
"What goes on in that guy's head? Any song that breaks new ground in composition, arrangement, or lyrics is already considered outstanding. So how is Chu Zhi breaking through on all three fronts at once?" Gu Duo Fu felt it was almost wasteful. Why not split "The Seventh Chapter of the Night" into three separate songs?
If Chu Zhi were standing in front of him right now, he would say, "Young man, don't be so young."
"But why?" Gu Duo Fu's excitement suddenly calmed. Then came confusion. After all, he had been paid a decent sum to promote this exact song and Chu Zhi as a leading figure of Gen Z.
At the time, he thought it was going to be a challenge. But now that he'd seen the show, Gu Duo Fu realized—Chu Zhi is the voice of Gen Z.
Among all the singers aged 20 to 40, who else could write a song like this? Only Chu Zhi.
"I get it now. They didn't pay me to hype it up. They paid me not to go against the tide." Everything made sense.
Xin Rong was getting annoyed with him. Couldn't he just enjoy the song in peace? His constant reactions were ruining the mood.
On screen, Chu Zhi was reaching the end of the song:
"If evil is a grand and cruel symphony, then I'll be the one to write its final note."
"The morning light dries the last lines of sorrow, and black ink turns to peace."
Even people with no background in music could tell the arrangement was incredible. And Xin Rong, who studied piano, definitely knew what she was hearing.
"The chorus used falsetto that sounded almost feminine the whole way through, and then switched to a male falsetto at the end. It wasn't a shout or scream, but still felt like a powerful release. Was that achieved through composition? Arrangement? I've never heard anything like this in pop music."
Her opinion of Chu Zhi had changed—from prejudice to admiration. Not following celebrity news didn't mean she didn't love music. And she had never heard a style like this.
"Gu-ge, what style is this song?" she asked.
Gu Duo Fu thought for a moment. "Melodic rap. Genre-wise, it's melodic rap, but..."
He trailed off. No one in the Chinese music scene had produced melodic rap like this before.
If you had to give it a label, maybe Gothic melodic rap? But even that didn't quite fit—there were touches of classical music in it too. A hard-to-define masterpiece.
"Yeah, melodic rap," Gu Duo Fu replied with forced confidence. He couldn't admit he didn't know.
"Melodic rap, my ass," Xin Rong thought, barely restraining an eye-roll.
"The soup's gone cold, Gu-ge. Let me warm it up for you."
"Er... I'm actually a bit full. Just leave it there. I'll reheat it later tonight."
Since there were no comments scrolling on the projector, Gu Duo Fu had no idea how the audience was reacting. But if Chu Zhi could win over a crowd of 300 industry insiders, then he could definitely win over the wider public. The episode exploded.
One word: explosive.
One idiom: earth-shaking.
One saying: crowds of people and waving red flags.
Take the average viewer, for example. Even those who thought no song could ever top "Chrysanthemum Terrace" had to admit defeat.
"Turns out only Chu Zhi can defeat Chu Zhi. First 'Chrysanthemum Terrace,' now 'The Seventh Chapter of the Night.'"
"I apologize for accusing Chu Zhi of hyping himself up before. Honestly, you don't need hype to write something like this."
"Other songs make me want to run to a karaoke booth and sing my lungs out. But this one... I just want to listen. I thought the Ghostwriter was just boosting Chu Zhi, but it turns out he was spot on. My perspective was just too narrow."
"I was eating dinner while watching the show. At first, I thought Jo Kwon had a good chance. Singing and dancing? That's basically cheating. But after Chu Zhi's turn... good luck, Jo Kwon."
"These two songs, 'Chrysanthemum Terrace' and 'The Seventh Chapter of the Night,' show two sides of Chu Zhi. One reflects his study of Chinese culture, the other is pure talent. No need for mass appeal—it's a masterpiece regardless. I fully agree."
...
Many viewers were starting to worry about Chu Zhi's health. One commenter, username Anning Iced Latte, left a concerned message:
[Chu Zhi, you better take care of your voice. This song—with its low male registers and soaring female falsettos—is like eating hot pot and ice cream at the same time. Spicy, cold, and thrilling. If your voice gives out, this song might end up being split into a male-female duet in the future!
You need to protect that voice. It's not just yours anymore. It belongs to all your fans.]
Chu Zhi had now defeated Jo Kwon twice. If his performance on MBC in Seoul had been a side jab at the Korean wave, this time was a head-on clash—and he won both rounds.
The song stormed to the top of every chart: NetEase Cloud, QQ Music, Kugou, Douyin. Even the mighty GZ group stumbled in China.
"The Seventh Chapter of the Night" debuted at number one on QQ Music, which held the rights to the show. Meanwhile, other Chu Zhi tracks like "Chrysanthemum Terrace," "What I Miss," and "Suddenly Missing You" climbed back up.
The public began to realize something: Korean idols weren't inherently superior.
Sure, winning six times in a row was impressive. But that was only because they hadn't met Chu Zhi yet.
"Jo Kwon only lost because he ran into Jiu-ge."
"Ahhh, it started with his looks, but I stayed for the talent. People used to mock that line, saying 'what talent?' I dare them to say that now."
"I used to be a GZ fan. Quietly switching sides now. Why even go on stage if you know you're going to lose? Almost got eliminated..."
"I'm in love! God gave Jiu-ge a window, then opened up the whole roof. Jiu-ge, stay healthy! We're all behind you."
Many K-pop fans were now flocking to Chu Zhi's fandom, from Noble elites to humble Little Fruits. The entertainment pie is only so big—if Chu Zhi eats more, others get less. And he was here to shatter the Korean wave's dominance.
Even if Chu Zhi made his fans cry constantly, they still felt a deep sense of accomplishment. His success wasn't just visible to fans. It was undeniable.
Take the story of two close friends, Xiao Zi and Xiao Qi. They were high schoolers. Xiao Qi used to ignore celebrity fandoms, but her best friend dragged her out early one morning to do street cleaning in support.
Back when the GZ boy group was dominating Asia, Xiao Qi became a die-hard fan. But by the time "Lone Brave" came out during the firefighter tribute era, she had already faded into a casual listener.
"Xiao Zi, want to go see a movie tonight?" Xiao Qi called.
"No, I'm staying in to study," Xiao Zi replied.
Xiao Qi was shocked. "Huh?"
"I wrote a goal on the Orange Orchard fan board—to get into Fudan University. I have to work hard, just like Jiu-ge. He keeps rising, and I have to catch up."
Xiao Zi sniffled, full of determination. She meant it. Even if she had to crawl, she would reach the goal she had written for herself.