Chu Zhi's rise to global superstardom owed a lot to Pope Francis I, the legendary figure who once fought guerrilla warfare in Latin America. His praise turned Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me into must-listen tracks for Catholics, earning Chu Zhi millions every year and cementing him as the official worship idol of believers worldwide.
Being a star's fanbase had a religious side, but if you really wanted to measure numbers, you had to look at Catholics. Last time, the Pope casually complimented him during an interview. This time, he wrote an article intentionally, and the resulting storm was on a whole different level.
[The Sahel region's wars have left countless nations facing famine, losing loved ones, and losing their homes.
We know that every war leads to mass starvation and turns food into a weapon of rebellion. The politicians who deliberately start wars will be forever nailed to the cross of historical judgment.
Micah 4:3 says: He will judge between many nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will turn swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift sword against nation, and they will never learn war again.
Micah 4:4 says: Everyone will sit under their own vine and fig tree, with no one to make them afraid. This is what the Lord of Hosts says.
The plowshare is forged by the Lord as King of Hosts, and the foundation of this prosperity is peace. Those who deliberately start wars will go to hell.]
Pope Francis really said whatever came to mind. No wonder people joked that he was a liberation theology master, calling out the instigators behind this incident.
He didn't name anyone directly, which was already generous.
[The Sahel is a land of suffering, full of pain and death. I originally thought the light had been completely extinguished there. I hated to admit it, but I must say that since the last century, it has entered eternal night.
Sharp words, extreme beliefs, aggressive ideas, and militarized actions have become the only way for 'them' to protect themselves. No one can disarm their hearts.
Thanks be to the Lord for six glorious minutes. Earth Song stopped a conflict that was about to erupt.
The Lord never abandoned us, and Chu Zhi will ascend to heaven, standing at the Father's right hand, after the Lord and all the angels.]
There were a lot of things to unpack in the Pope's words. First, Francis's philosophy itself differed from the religious tradition of "justification by faith." He believed in "justification by action." If someone followed their conscience, even if they weren't a believer, they could enter heaven. So even though Chu Zhi had never declared himself a follower, the Pope still lavished praise on him. 1 Peter describes Jesus ascending to heaven, standing at God's right hand, ruling over angels and earthly powers.
Don't get curious about whether Christ is Jesus or Yahweh. Religion has always been reshaped by political divisions.
In short, Francis's praise was the highest religious compliment possible, coming right after the Lord and all angels, on par with many other authorities.
Some cardinals had minor criticisms of Chu Zhi, maybe because of his nationality or his star status. Those critiques completely vanished.
Religious publications like Christian Science Monitor, China Church News, Today's Christianity, Catholic National Chronicle, Gongyi, and OSV News Weekly all put him on the front page.
"He holds the microphone in one hand and the Bible in the other." — Today's Christianity
"Witness! Chinese Christians witness the miracle." — China Church News
"Why does he have the voice of an angel? Because with a mortal body, he created a legend even angels never could." — Christian Science Monitor
There was too much content to list line by line.
A small note: by rule, all church cardinals should be appointed by the Vatican, but Chinese Catholics followed a "three-governance" system and didn't accept Vatican appointments. That caused tension for a long time.
Chinese religious papers were relatively normal, but Western publications often defined Chu Zhi as a believer without his confirmation.
Many probably know that Catholicism played an important role in rural China. Over five hundred million people there had limited access to the Internet. Life in the countryside was extremely poor, and the Church filled that gap.
Even villages without a single fast-food shop had a small church with a large outdoor area for sports equipment.
Farmers wouldn't spend two yuan on newspapers, but the village priests would buy them and read the contents aloud to the congregation.
"Chu Zhi, the superstar who stopped a war abroad, is said to be the reincarnation of an angel," the priest said.
An old man chuckled, "How can a Chinese person be the reincarnation of an angel?"
Why did so many believers gather? Many only came for eggs. Believers got eggs and volunteers often helped at home.
The priest quickly said, "The Lord loves everyone. Anyone can be granted glory by Him."
"Then why could this singer stop a war?" someone asked.
"Because his singing was so good the bandits retreated," the priest said.
The believers blinked. That sounded unreal. The old man said, "Pastor Wang, don't fool us. How can singing alone make armed bandits leave? Does this star have Zhang Fei's throat from Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
"I'm not fooling you. The news said so," the priest explained. "It wasn't the volume that scared them, it was his singing. His voice made them realize what they were doing was wrong, so they all retreated."
Seeing the disbelief on the elders' faces, the priest changed tactics: "It's like the song Always Go Home. Don't you think of your children far away when you hear it?"
The believers started chatting: "That's true," "You tell your mom about troubles and dad about work, and the song reminds you of that," "I think of my grandchildren, who haven't visited in two years," "My child only stayed for a few days during New Year before going back to work, it's hard for them," and so on.
Many elders wiped their eyes. They shared the common trait of calloused, wrinkled hands.
"Oh no, I shouldn't have said that," Pastor Wang thought, quickly changing the topic: "Yes, that's right. Because the songs are well sung and well written, they have this effect. Always Go Home is also sung by Chu Zhi."
The elders were surprised. They all knew the song and often heard it during the New Year market gatherings.
"So it's him, I knew it," "Amazing, singing can stop a war," "He should be sent to the front lines, play a song wherever there's fighting," the elders discussed excitedly.
This religious promotion spread Chu Zhi's fame into rural towns. Calling him the most popular singer in China was a bit exaggerated, but his popularity was now easily in the top ten.
Popularity differed from fame or traffic. Think about Liu Xiao Ling Tong and his commercial endorsements. Even if he wasn't a top-tier star, how many could match his popularity?
The religious hype was a pleasant surprise. Globally, the discussion was already wild.
Rolling Stone magazine's monthly issue had him and Horman on the cover, standing on stage. Deputy editor Barnes really knew his stuff. One long shot captured them surrounded by armored vehicles and twenty thousand guns, looking like a tiny boat in the ocean, waves threatening to capsize them.
But Chu Zhi stood like Santiago, the old fisherman, unshaken by the waves.
One person can be destroyed, but not defeated. That was the perfect caption.
Huge letters read: I never believed music could stop war!
[I was once invited to the 'Violins of Hope' exhibition by Israeli violinist Amnon Weinstein. They collected and restored violins from WWII, mostly played by musicians forced into concentration camps. Amnon said restoring them helps people hear and remember that history. One founder, Schmoll, said: 'As a descendant of victims of WWII, I want to dedicate this complete set of Bach pieces to all those who suffered injustice in the war.'
This event made me feel helpless. For war, ordinary people can do nothing. Music can only comfort or serve as a reminder, never affect the course of war.
Until Chu Zhi appeared.
He organized the African Peace Concert and stood on the war-torn Sahel, risking gunfire, calling for miracles with the purest human emotions.
The miracle happened. The miracle was Chu Zhi himself. The repeated melodies and simple lyrics of Earth Song, sung by this great performer, achieved more than the UN peacekeepers could.
It was as if Chu Zhi sang on behalf of the world. His voice carried the scarred earth, parched plants, terrified children, and bloodied corpses.
The gentle chorus was his desperate cry, echoing the emotions in all of humanity, touching every extremist present.
August 19, 2026, will be remembered in history!]
At the article's end was a photo of over ten thousand people saluting, captured perfectly by Barnes. The caption read: "This salute thanks Chu Zhi for keeping soldiers safe."
Undoubtedly, next year Rolling Stone would rerank the Top 500 Most Important Songs in History, and Earth Song would be very near the top.
Subscribers were either music lovers or industry insiders. After reading Barnes's article, their perception changed.
Professionals and semi-professionals often favor the old over the new. After 2000, music overall declined.
They said the new pop king Akendagen couldn't compare to Elvis. Chu Zhi's popularity was high, but they thought that was only due to necessity. His overall artistic achievement couldn't compare to the greats of the eighties and nineties.
Now, their public comments had changed a lot:
British critic: "Idealistic Chu Zhi always weaves beautiful, happy scenes. He carries all humanity in his heart. That's why he has fans worldwide. His music conveys universal values."
French singer: "Chu Zhi is a creative singer. His extraordinary songwriting has always been admired, but we were surprised to see his exceptional vocal skills. He is chosen by history."
American YouTube music fan: "Chu Zhi's creative works have contributed massively to global culture. He makes music more than music, something few artists have done."
Mexican music professional: "Chu Zhi is a genius artist of this era. People of all races adore him. He revived a languishing industry. He's not just a Chinese star; he's a model of peace."
Russian record association chairman: "Chu Zhi's style is vast, like the Pacific. From metal to soul to classical opera, he produces it all. He's an amazing musician. His untrained voice perfectly expresses lyrics. On stage, he's God incarnate. His voice carries unexpected power."
Inside the industry, Chu Zhi's status skyrocketed.
It was rare, since this generation grew up with the nineties' stars. Childhood filters are hard to break. Only decades later, after the legends die, can comparisons be made fairly.
The Emperor Beast lived, breaking their filters, by accomplishing something unimaginable for humanity.
In a Los Angeles apartment, people watched the news. Every major channel urgently reported the event.
Even an India-born anti-China host ranted live: "How could a song stop a war? This Chinese singer must be a mastermind. He started the war, then pretended to save the day. The extremists couldn't possibly know the equipment prices unless someone leaked it. The leak must be Chu Zhi!"
"Team leader, what do you think?" "I love hearing him talk nonsense," "That's too conspiratorial, Chu Zhi couldn't start a war,"…
They were members of the [Save Hope] organization. The leader, Spikehead, said: "If the news says it, it must be true. The official probably instigated this conflict."
Everyone agreed. They'd lived in America for decades and knew how their country worked. Most conspiracy accusations were self-admitted.
Elsewhere, Leighton saw the news and swore. Was today April Fool's? He'd just left a secret LA club, bought a drink at a kiosk, and grabbed Today's America because it had colorful images. He wanted to check yesterday's MLB Subway Series, Yankees vs. Mets, but the front page screamed: "A Concert of One, Peace Over Sahel." Sub-head: "McDantley: I was scared, now regret not standing on stage."
Leighton's interest got pushed to a secondary page.
He picked up The Global Post, headline: [Why They Left]. Sub-title: [Chu Zhi: People can only decide when a war starts, not when it ends. What I want is to make war impossible.]
"My brain's a mess. It's full of bras. Let me sort this out." It took him ninety seconds to piece it together.
His only reaction: Horman isn't supposed to like Chu Zhi? By facts alone, he's Chu Zhi's biggest fan in all of Europe and America. How could Horman get that spot?
"Traitor! You!" Leighton dialed his friend, but the call failed. No signal there.
When one rises, even the dog flies up. Yes, following the big brother brings nine meals in three days. Horman Hulk, a top West-Hispanic singer in Hollywood, still lagged behind top bands and Akendagen.
This time, standing firm on stage, even stiff as a board, symbolized human courage, even American courage. Media flocked, more than he'd seen in a month, in one morning.
"F**k, are they deaf? I said no interviews and they scaled in. Don't they know I can shoot in my own house?" Normally, Horman might fire two warning shots, but after the recent concert incident, he avoided guns unless necessary. He hid in the underground garage while his manager dealt with reporters.
It was 9 or 10 in LA, 11 PM in China. There's a saying: "If you don't get home by 11, bad things happen." Chu Zhi got home around eleven and realized Little Fatty was missing. He panicked, checked the doors, all locked.
"Did he jump out the window?" He checked, confirming all were locked. No Paradise Bird triggered. Little Fatty shouldn't disappear.
He must be hiding somewhere inside. Chu Zhi grabbed a cat toy, shaking it while searching the room.
Meanwhile, his fame spread worldwide. Songs on SPO were downloaded like crazy, in every language.
Comments were wild:
American: "I love The Most Romantic Thing. I want to play it at my wedding, but I don't understand Chinese. Is it okay?"
Chinese kind-hearted user: "Of course. The lyrics are the best confession. I use it at my wedding every time."
Or:
Icelandic user: "Someone told me Chu Zhi has high morals and the world's highest notes. Which song has the highest note?"
Answers poured in: "Opera 2, you haven't heard Chu Zhi's high note without it," "Left Hand Points to the Moon? Check headphones," "I'm sure it's Dedication," …
The Icelandic user cranked up his speakers, trying each song. The rest of the story is obvious.
Online hype didn't die down. After a night of searching, Chu Zhi finally found Little Fatty in a cabinet corner. He nearly scolded him but decided finding him was enough. He patted his head and said nothing.
Next day, no sleep wouldn't stop work.
The Is It Peace? MVs were finished, seven in total. We.Are.The.World MV had a unique bullet's-eye view of human factories making guns. Chu Zhi didn't appear at all, so technically it wasn't an MV. Tomorrow Will Be Better featured over ten stars singing together, a rare collaboration since he usually did all the harmonies himself.
The album would draw global attention. The MV also gave exposure to the company's trainee, Miao Chen.
Miao Chen wasn't a trainee anymore. He debuted first in Idol Forward as "Crazy Clown." His numbers weren't the highest, but votes skyrocketed. People either loved or hated him, no in-between.
Having a big star as backup helped. Apart from Tomorrow Will Be Better, he joined Mango TV's evergreen variety show Time Music Concert as a season four permanent guest.
His first album Helping Seedlings Grow let him cover Chu Zhi's new songs, gave interviews, and put him on magazines, skyrocketing him to top-tier fame.
Why are there so many useless people in showbiz? Because connections let you do anything.
Chu Zhi knew and stopped the company from over-investing in resources. "We can give high platforms, but the path must be walked by the artist themselves."
Other companies lacked resources. Only Aiguo Media had resources but used them selectively.
===
So, I hit a bit of a wall and I think I need a new story to freshen things up. Basically, I got a little bored translating one of my projects on Webnovel, True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress, so I decided to pick up another novel.
I was looking for something with 'historical' mixed with 'transmigration' and 'Fourth Calamity' vibes. I found this shorter one, I think it's around 100-150 chapters, called Summoning Players: From Magistrate to Monarch.
You can check it out on my AO3 profile if this blurb hooks you!
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Lin Xi died, and then she got a promotion. Waking up in a new world, she's now the magistrate of a backwater county, a post awarded to her predecessor by a grateful emperor. The good news? She's skipped the peasant class entirely and landed a government job. The bad news? Her new county is poor, the roads are terrible, and the locals have a deep-seated distrust of anyone in power.
But Lin Xi has a theory: there are no bad citizens, only too many terrible officials. So, she rolls up her sleeves. She's planting crops, building bridges, and turning this forgotten place into a functioning society. She's doing such a great job that the one thing she never saw coming happens: the Imperial Court vanishes. The central government just... ceases to exist.
With no emperor, no chain of command, and no laws from the capital, what's a capable and ambitious local leader to do? For Lin Xi, the path is clear: if the old heaven has died, it's time for a new one to rise.
Meanwhile, in a modern world called Longguo, a hyper-realistic game titled From Magistrate to Monarch has become an overnight sensation. Gamers are desperate to play, but the chances of getting a spot are almost zero. The masses are left watching live streams, endlessly debating the game's ruthless AI. What they don't know is that the world is all too real, and the few lucky "players" who log in are about to have their own lives turned upside down, forever changing the fate of Lin Xi's rising domain.