"Okay, esteemed user, I will immediately access the Level 3 Ghost database and find you a Level 3 Ghost that is skilled in brewing!" the AI program chuckled.
Chapter 425 Is this a one-sided match?
Chapter 425 Is this a one-sided match?
There are 8 days left until the World Talent Challenge. Gao Jianfei still has 3 skills to learn: winemaking, Western abstract painting, and stone carving.
We currently have 25,000 exorcism points available.
Gao Jianfei approached these three projects with a casual attitude. If he succeeded, that would be great; if he didn't, it shouldn't have a significant impact on the final outcome of the talent challenge.
First, Gao Jianfei instructed the intelligent program to find a ghost among the level 2 or 3 ghosts who was skilled at brewing wine in life.
The intelligent program accessed the database, sifted through it for a while, and then said to Gao Jianfei, "Dear user, after screening, I have selected two Level 3 ghosts skilled in brewing for you. One is a renowned brewer from ancient Chinese history, and is said to be the progenitor of coarse grain brewing; the other is a modern brewing master who passed away, proficient in modern brewing techniques, including red wine, grape wine, spirits, baijiu, beer, and so on. Would you like the ancient inventor of coarse grain brewing, or the modern brewing master? Or perhaps both Level 3 ghosts together?"
"Two level 3 ghosts who are good at brewing?" Gao Jianfei was taken aback. "One is an ancient historical figure who is only good at brewing coarse grain liquor, and the other is a famous brewer who passed away in modern times and can brew beer, red wine, and so on."
Gao Jianfei pondered for a moment, then asked, "How many exorcism points would be needed for each of these two level 3 brewing ghosts?"
"Dear user, the historical level 3 ghost brewing requires 5000 exorcism points; the modern master brewer's level 3 ghost brewing also requires 5000 exorcism points," the intelligent program replied.
After careful consideration, Gao Jianfei realized that if he only brewed level 3 ancient historical wines, he would be destined to only be able to brew coarse grain liquors, and beer and red wine would be completely unavailable.
Well... it's only 1 exorcism point, it's nothing!
With that thought, Gao Jianfei snapped his fingers... "Alright, two level 3 brewing ghosts, come out together!"
"Dear user, as you wish! Please wait a moment!" the intelligent program responded attentively, and then, random electrical waves began to flicker on the virtual display screen.
Gao Jianfei's gaze was also fixed intently on the virtual display screen. Three minutes later, two data messages popped up on the virtual screen...
Ghost's name / Ghost's level / Ghost's origin / Gender / Special skills in life /
Du Kang / 3 / Xia Dynasty / Male / Brewed coarse grain liquor (intercontinental level)
...
Ghost's name / Ghost level / Age in life / Gender / Occupation in life / Special skills in life / Cause of death /
Hu Feiwei / 3 / 56 / Male / International Brewing Master / Brewing beer (national level), brewing red wine (national level), brewing baijiu (intercontinental level) / Passed away /
...
Gao Jianfei summoned two ghosts with expertise in brewing. One was a historical figure, and the other was a person who died in modern times.
"Huh? Du Kang?" Gao Jianfei was a little puzzled.
Du Kang is very famous! Extremely famous! Basically, every Chinese person who loves to drink knows Du Kang! He has almost become synonymous with baijiu (Chinese liquor)!
The Super Ghost Instrument could summon Du Kang, which Gao Jianfei had no objection to. After all, it could summon Hua Tuo, let alone Du Kang. However, what Gao Jianfei couldn't understand was why Du Kang, a historical figure, was only a Level 3 ghost, and a mere few thousand exorcism points were enough to summon him?
According to conventional thinking, such a famous historical figure should be worth more than just a few thousand exorcism points! Moreover, the second level 3 brewing ghost, a modern figure, is worth exactly the same number of exorcism points as Du Kang!
Gao Jianfei racked his brains before finally understanding... Du Kang was so famous simply because he was the inventor of winemaking! He invented a method of brewing baijiu (Chinese white liquor) using grains and a simple process! This didn't mean his winemaking technique was particularly advanced; he was merely a creator! Of course, from an academic perspective, without Du Kang, the emergence of baijiu in China might have been delayed by a few years, a decade, or even several decades. However, the Super Ghost Instrument assesses a ghost's value not by its historical significance, but solely by its technological sophistication!
To put it bluntly, winemaking techniques have been passed down for thousands of years, with each generation refining and improving upon them. Du Kang's winemaking skills might not even be comparable to those of today's internationally renowned winemakers!
Moreover, Du Kang only knew how to brew coarse grain liquor; he knew nothing about beer and wine!
Thinking about it this way, Gao Jianfei felt that '5000' exorcism points were about right for Du Kang!
"Dear user, would you like to immediately assemble the souls of Level 3 Ghost Du Kang and Hu Feiwei?" the intelligent program eagerly reminded.
“Uh…” Gao Jianfei paused for a moment, “Today I won’t continue with the ghosts specializing in stone carving or Western abstract painting. Hmm, let’s piece together the ghosts of Du Kang and Hu Feiwei right away!”
"As you wish, dear user!" the intelligent program respectfully accepted the order.
After saying that, the two progress bars directly covered the information of Du Kang and Hu Feiwei on the virtual display screen.
The piecing together process was slow. Gao Jianfei didn't stay in the ghost den for long; he immediately slipped out.
Go back to sleep.
It only took two days to assemble these two level 3 brewing ghosts.
…… …… ……
After Gao Jianfei's family moved to Germany, they gradually adapted to the German living environment. Meanwhile, in Beijing, the city was becoming increasingly lively due to the upcoming Genius Challenge.
Almost all the hotels and inns in Beijing are fully booked.
Large numbers of foreigners flocked to the capital. Some came to witness the epic duel between Gao Jianfei and Feng Haoyu, while others came to enjoy the city as tourists.
This month, the number of tourists visiting Beijing has increased by 500% compared to the same period last year, which has boosted various industries in the city.
Food and beverage, entertainment, handicrafts, various tourist attractions, clothing...
At the main stadium for the match, the Beijing Stadium with a capacity of 100,000, a large number of armed police officers responsible for maintaining order had already entered. Meanwhile, the professional referees for Feng Haoyu and Gao Jianfei's various matches had also arrived.
Daily sales at every sports lottery outlet in Beijing have surged. Lotteries related to the "Genius Challenge" have sold out.
The people of Beijing were fully immersed in this festive and lively atmosphere. In fact, the Spring Festival is almost here. This talent challenge, taking place at this crucial juncture, is undoubtedly a grand birthday gift for the people of the capital. It's even more interesting than a blockbuster Lunar New Year movie!
Gao Jianfei's girlfriend, Song Ying, as the primary host of the competition, was also incredibly busy! Although the competition hadn't officially started yet, the television program broadcast live worldwide had already begun recording. Song Ying, leading 10 assistant hosts, provided rolling coverage of the 10 competition events, interspersed with interviews with referees and experts for each event…
In short, the capital city is now ready to welcome this challenge of geniuses!
…… …… ……
at the same time,***.
Gao Jianfei's album, produced by Ni Company, has been recorded and officially released! It's also charting on major music websites.
With its powerful promotional efforts and the high quality of the album itself, it achieved extremely high sales on its first day of release!
Furthermore, thanks to the powerful capabilities of the internet, the 10 songs on the album have already begun playing in internet cafes across the world! They instantly gained a large number of fans!
It must be said that since all 10 songs on this album were written, composed, and sung by Gao Jianfei himself, and Gao Jianfei is currently one of the most popular people in the world, this gives the album a huge gimmick!
In short, this album topped the charts across Asia as soon as it was released! It also sold well in Europe and America!
Of course, Gao Jianfei didn't put his full effort into producing this album, and it wasn't geared towards an international audience; it was made according to Asian pop music standards. Therefore, the album didn't receive particularly good reviews in the European and American markets. However, due to the brand effect of the name "Gao Jianfei," the album sold well in Europe and America, and even foreigners who didn't like the music bought it to keep as collectibles.
…… …… ……
Maldives.
On an island where the wind and rain are taking a break.
Inside the wooden cabin, songs from Gao Jianfei's album were playing.
Feng Haoyu, Chen Yishi, and Xiaodao, along with other students from the Holy Land of the same generation as Feng Haoyu and Xiaodao... 'Senior Brother Ma', 'Senior Brother Li', 'Senior Brother Han', and 'Senior Brother Situ' from previous years, all enjoyed Gao Jianfei's music while sipping coffee.
"Hmph! I underestimated Gao Jianfei!" Feng Haoyu sneered. "I originally thought he couldn't make music, but I didn't expect him to release an album. And it seems to be selling quite well!"
Xiao Dao listened to the music, nodding his head and then exclaimed in admiration, "These love songs are quite nice! They're catchy, melodious, and the lyrics are great, and the singers are quite skilled... Uh? Junior Brother Hao Yu, you and Gao Jianfei drew music in your competition, you... you won't have any problems, will you?"
Upon hearing this question, everyone's gaze turned to Feng Haoyu.
Feng Haoyu's eye muscles twitched a few times. "Me? I'm fine!" He paused, then waved his hand. "This album's style is too one-dimensional, nothing more than early Hong Kong and Taiwan pop music, without any international elements. If it weren't for Gao Jianfei's work, this kind of album wouldn't qualify for the European and American markets, and it wouldn't sell so well! I must admit, Gao Jianfei has inherited the lingering sentimentality of classic Hong Kong and Taiwan love songs very well, and he has a good grasp of the artistic conception. But musically, he's not as good as me! I'm going for an international route! My music has received high praise in Europe and America! To be honest, his is at most a good piece of popular music. My work already has elements of Western opera—magnificent, grand, and epic! The judges we've hired for this competition are mostly European and American musicians, and Gao Jianfei's music simply won't appeal to them! I'll say it bluntly: musically, Gao Jianfei has already lost!"
He spoke with extreme arrogance, but this arrogance was not unfounded; he spoke with conviction and conviction.
"Well, it's not bad to be able to secure a victory in one project first," the 'Senior Brother Situ' said in a very old-fashioned manner.
At this moment, Xiao Dao interjected, "Senior Brother Hao Yu, I heard from some senior brothers that Gao Jianfei has already gone to Germany..."
“I know.” Feng Haoyu smiled. “Escape is impossible. It is said that after Gao Jianfei became the world’s number one gambling god, he sold himself to Germany and became the head gambling god of the German state-owned casino. Germany is a football powerhouse. Gao Jianfei went to Germany simply to ask a Bundesliga club, or even the German national team, to help him fight against me in football.”
"oh?"
Everyone in the room was completely ignorant about football, so they all looked at Feng Haoyu with suspicion. Xiao Dao asked, "Junior Brother Haoyu, how good is the German national football team?"
"Not bad." Feng Haoyu smiled dismissively. "However, Germany can't beat Spain, and this time, in addition to the original Real Madrid players, I've also hired some of Barcelona's key players, including Messi, Puyol, Pique, and so on. Furthermore, Aguero and Tevez, who play in the Premier League, have agreed to be my substitutes. This lineup can even beat the Spanish national team, so why should we fear Germany? Besides, Gao Jianfei, as the protagonist of the match, will be playing. Once he's on the field, the overall strength of the German team will immediately drop by more than three levels! Haha, tell me, how does Gao Jianfei think he can beat me?"
"Haha, in this way, we can secure victory in two projects in advance?" The 'Senior Brother Situ' had a big smile on his face.
"And another one!" Feng Haoyu gave a thumbs up, speaking with great enthusiasm. "My internal strength is stronger than Gao Jianfei's, and my gambling skills are no worse than his. Therefore, I'll win another game in terms of gambling skills! The match hasn't even started yet, and I'm already leading 3-0!"
"Hahaha! Interesting! Interesting! I can imagine this will be a one-sided match!" Everyone laughed easily.
At this moment, Senior Brother Situ said nonchalantly, "Junior Brother Haoyu, what the Venerable One and the other deacons mean is that you must win this Genius Challenge! If you encounter any trouble during the competition, the rest of us will work together to help you! Remember, this competition is also related to the face of our Holy Land. If there is anything we can't handle, let's not follow the rules. If we have to resort to underhanded tactics, we'll resort to them!"
Feng Hao's pupils contracted a few times. He was extremely proud and arrogant, and he simply did not believe that he would lose. However, out of respect for 'Senior Brother Situ', Feng Haoyu could only nod and say, "I understand, Senior Brother Situ. If I really encounter trouble, I will definitely ask all the senior brothers for help!"
Meanwhile, in Feng Haoyu's heart, he was shouting... "Very good! Gao Jianfei, in a few days, our competition will officially begin! This is a competition in which I will unilaterally crush you! You will also have the great honor of becoming my stepping stone to the world's peak!"
Chapter 426 Countdown... Only 3 days left!
Chapter 426 Countdown... Only 3 days left!
Germany. A suburb of Frankfurt!
There are only 6 days left until the World Genius Challenge!
Gao Jianfei is also considering returning to China.
Chen Xian knew the exact time of the match, but she had to stay in Germany to take care of her family, so she wouldn't be accompanying Gao Jianfei back to China. However, one thing was certain: the Gao family would watch every single match and every detail of Gao Jianfei's game live!
That night, after Gao Jianfei and Chen Xian had a night of passion, they received an unsurprising notification from the AI program in the early hours of the morning: "Dear user, the souls of the level 3 brewing ghost Du Kang and Hu Feiwei have been pieced together and are now in the third level of the Ghost Nest. You have thus gained 1,000 experience points and 1,000 exorcism points. You can see them immediately!"
A smile tugged at the corner of Gao Jianfei's mouth. With a thought, he entered the Ghost Den!
In the den of ghosts.
"Dear user, welcome to your haunted home!" the AI program's voice said solicitously. "Excuse me, would you like to see Du Kang and Hu Feiwei immediately?"
"Wait a bit." Gao Jianfei lit a cigarette and took a drag, then checked his exorcism points; he currently had 15,000 points left.
Originally, piecing together the souls of Du Kang and Hu Feiwei would have cost 1 Exorcism Point. However, Gao Jianfei compensated for the fact that the Exorcism Points were only going out and not coming in by automatically recovering 5,000 Exorcism Points per day. Therefore, he still retained 15,000 Exorcism Points.
“Next, I want a ghost specializing in stone carving, and a ghost specializing in Western abstract painting,” Gao Jianfei said, exhaling a smoke ring. “Hmm, let’s play with stone carving first… uh, wait, I’ve seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before, and there’s a turtle in it named after a great stone sculptor. What was his name again… uh, right, Michelangelo. Hmm, that’s the Italian Renaissance stone sculptor! He’ll do! But I don’t know if 15,000 exorcism points will be enough, but thinking about it, it’s about right.”
Gao Jianfei happened to know the name of a stone sculptor: Michelangelo. Therefore, Gao Jianfei took the initiative to ask him for help.
"Uh... Dear user, to obtain an Italian ghost, you must first learn Italian," the intelligent program reminded you.
Gao Jianfei shrugged and said, "That's a minor problem!"
After saying that, Gao Jianfei summoned a deceased Chinese man who was fluent in Italian. This man had been a translator for a Sino-Italian joint venture. In other words, several hundred exorcism points were gathered, and then Gao Jianfei pieced together the information in half an hour, after which Gao Jianfei learned Italian in an hour.
"So, can we proceed normally now?" Gao Jianfei, who had learned Italian, asked the AI program with a smile. "Alright, check the database for me and see if my current exorcism points are enough for Michelangelo?"
"Okay, dear user, please wait a moment!" The intelligent program began working on the database.
Two minutes later...
"Congratulations, esteemed user! Michelangelo, one of the three great artists of the Italian Renaissance, was skilled in stone sculpture and oil painting. He was also an architect and a poet! He is a Level 4 ghost! However, with your current exorcism points, you can still summon him! He is worth 12,000 exorcism points!"