Chapter 61: Santa Claus Goes Wild (Part 5)

3, 2, 1!

Li Yunzai raised his right hand, and the band members behind him got ready. When Li Yunzai clenched his right hand into a fist, the drummer lightly tapped the cymbals, followed by the deep sound of the bass drum mixed with the electronic keyboard, which suddenly echoed over the Seoul City Hall Square. Li Yunzai's right hand fell sharply, and the pick slid over the steel strings, producing a high and sharp sound mixed with the drum, electronic keyboard, and other instruments, creating a familiar melody that resonated in everyone's ears.

"This is not a song for the broken-hearted,

No silent prayers for those who've lost their faith

I don't want to be just another face in the crowd

You will hear my voice

When I sing it out loud"

When Li Yunzai began to sing, when he first stood on the grand stage and let his voice soar, when he faced over 30,000 people and mustered the courage, his voice spread to every corner of the square and slowly reached the surrounding streets, causing passersby to pause and glance in the direction of the square.

The moment Li Yunzai finished the chorus, the entire venue fell into a sudden silence. Fluent English, seamless transitions, and the band members could even hear Li Yunzai's superb vocal techniques and musical sense. All of this happened in just thirty seconds, a few blinks, a few breaths, and Li Yunzai had already taken the first step in conquering the hearts of over 30,000 fans.

"This is my life

Either start now or it will never change

I don't want an eternal life

I just want to live seriously while I'm alive

My heart is like an open highway

Just like Frank said

I live my life my way

I just want to live seriously while I'm alive

This is my life"

When Jon Bon Jovi sang this song, he didn't have that heart-wrenching scream, but Li Yunzai let out a powerful, raw scream, similar to Chester Bennington's intense scream in "Numb" when he sang, "I've become so numb, I can't feel you there, Become so tired, so much more aware, I'm becoming this, all I want to do, Is be more like me and be less like you."

What is an auditory feast? Only rock music, only that soul-deep scream and roar can ignite the deepest passion in people's hearts.

"Roar..." No one knew who shouted first, but soon the second, third, five hundredth, five thousandth, twenty-five thousandth, and thirty thousandth fans all screamed. The passionate rock music on stage ignited the passion in everyone's heart, causing them to shout out loud without restraint.

The combined shouts of 30,000 people were earth-shattering. Coupled with Li Yunzai's heart-wrenching, melodic, and passionate voice transmitted through the microphone, it created a powerful wave that attracted the attention of the staff in the surrounding high-rise buildings. They were drawn to the windows, looking down at the stage where the singer was performing wildly, and the sea of fans below.

When the climax hit, the singers in the audience couldn't hold back and stood up, looking at the Santa Claus on stage who was screaming passionately. They felt a sense of bewilderment, wondering if this person was a fusion of Jon Bon Jovi and Chester Bennington. When did Korea produce such a monster?

But despite their shock, Li Yunzai's passionate voice ignited their own passion. Some even stood on their chairs, cheering and shouting.

The members of Girls' Generation widened their eyes and exchanged glances, seeing the disbelief in each other's eyes.

Each singer was an elite, and singing was like a daily routine for them. But to reach Li Yunzai's level, they had no confidence.

Li Yunzai had already reached the same height as them, or even higher. His singing skills, his stage presence, and his soul-deep, blood-pumping roar deeply touched their weakest points.

In a moment, they felt they weren't listening to a Korean man in a Santa suit, but to Chester Bennington and Jon Bon Jovi performing together, a thrilling and world-class rock band performance.

The bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, and drummer behind Li Yunzai all wore surprised smiles, and the music from their fingertips became even more passionate. Li Yunzai's performance completely exceeded their expectations. After playing for so many singers, they could swear this was the most thrilling experience.

"This is for those who stand their ground

For Tommy and Gina who never back down

No doubt, (life) is getting harder

Lucky ain't as lucky as it used to be

You gotta break through"

The drummer's sticks hit the snare drum hard, producing two loud thuds. Li Yunzai jumped up, and for a split second, all the musicians on stage froze, making no sound. The moment Li Yunzai's feet touched the ground, the electric guitar emitted a sharp sound, and the band, like a precision machine, sprang into action. There was only a millisecond of silence, and despite being their first collaboration, they performed seamlessly.

The fans below screamed with all their might. The passion of rock music was incomparable to K-pop. At that moment, they were completely infected by Li Yunzai's rock music, shouting with all their heart.

The singers in the audience waved their arms, the passion swirling around them. At the same time, a sense of sorrow welled up in their hearts. They were all musicians, but how could someone perform so masterfully? Truly, there are hidden talents among the people!

"This is my life

Either start now or it will never change

I don't want to live forever

I just want to live seriously while I'm alive

My heart is like an open highway

Just like Frank said

I live my life my way

I just want to live seriously while I'm alive

Because this is my life"

After the song ended, Li Hui and Lee Hyori stood in the corner of the stage, looking at each other with shock in their eyes.

"Amazing... Did we accidentally invite a hidden talent? He's too good... If I had to sing 'It's My Life,' I would admit defeat. I can't match him!" Lee Hyori sighed.

In fact, no matter how Lee Hyori sang "It's My Life," she was limited by her gender. Unless she could sing heavy metal like Nightwish's former lead singer Tarja Turunen, who could deliver powerful and melodic metal with her female voice, Lee Hyori would never reach that level. After all, there is only one Tarja Turunen. (PS: Some may not know Nightwish or Tarja Turunen, but their song "She Is My Sin" is a legendary track in CS and is often used as background music in various game recordings. I recommend listening to it; it's amazing.)

Li Yunzai's roar lingered in the air, slowly fading away, leaving the stage in silence. Li Yunzai stood there with his head down, knowing his throat couldn't handle such high notes. But while singing, it felt as if an invisible hand was pushing him, raising his pitch higher and higher, beyond his control.

If it were four years ago, he could have confidently said he could sing even higher, that it wasn't his limit. But now, those high notes had exceeded his throat's capacity, becoming a burden, a forbidden zone. Li Yunzai could already feel a slight discomfort in his throat, which would worsen over time. In two hours, he would have a severe cough, and if he didn't take medicine, he might even cough up blood.

The silence felt like an eternity, yet it was just a brief moment, a second. Seeing Li Yunzai's heaving body on the big screen, the fans below erupted in the loudest cheer of the day. The highest climax finally came after Li Yunzai's song ended.

In the singer's area, all the singers stood up, clapping their hands and cheering for Li Yunzai from the bottom of their hearts. Music can touch anyone, and passionate music is even more infectious. They were all moved by Li Yunzai's music. Without a doubt, they were all shining stars, and Li Yunzai was the full moon.

In the audience, Park Soo-yeon was in tears, unable to cry.

Everyone thought Li Yunzai was just singing, but only she understood that he was lamenting the unfairness of fate, fighting against life, and expressing the pain and sorrow of the past four years, just as the song said, "Life is getting harder, lucky ain't as lucky as it used to be, I live my life my way, I just want to live seriously while I'm alive, this is my life."

A simple life.

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