Gangzi's expression remained cold and composed, but there was now a clear trace of doubt in his eyes.
He said nothing. Instead, he simply studied Zhang Yichen, as if waiting for a reasonable explanation.
Chen Xiaoxi stood quietly to the side, her fingers unconsciously twisting together, her knuckles turning pale.
She could feel the tension in the air tightening little by little, like an invisible pressure pressing down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say. In the end, she could only lower her head and stare at her toes.
Zhang Yichen noticed the subtle change in their expressions, yet he remained calm. He walked over to the mixing console and turned on the computer.
"Brother Hua, Brother Gang… listen carefully."
As he operated the software, the ethereal sound of bronze chimes flowed from the speakers, blending with the gentle overtones of a guzheng that sounded like flowing water.
The sound was so realistic… it was almost indistinguishable from real instruments.
Gangzi's pupils shrank slightly. He took three quick steps forward and stopped in front of the mixing console.
"This is… virtual instrument software?"
He stared at the guzheng interface on the computer screen and unconsciously pressed a few keys.
"Ding… ding… dong…"
An irregular sequence of guzheng notes immediately filled the room.
"Brother Gang." Zhang Yichen looked at him, his gaze deep.
"Well? Doesn't the expressive power of this software rival real instruments?"
"Indeed." Gangzi's brows relaxed slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Interesting… this is the first time I've seen technology like this."
Ah Hua leaned in, his eyes fixed on the screen. He pointed at the display as if he could hardly believe it.
"Isn't this basically the same as the real thing? Amazing, Brother Zhang! How did you pull this off?"
Zhang Yichen smiled calmly.
"I simply combined some of the latest algorithms and technologies to better simulate the tone and feel of real instruments."
Chen Xiaoxi stood beside them, her palms slightly sweaty.
Her gaze shifted between Zhang Yichen and Ah Hua, her heart filled with both pride and nervousness.
She bit her lower lip and said with a hint of pride,
"This software can create full accompaniment tracks… and it can also handle post-production for recorded songs."
Her tone almost sounded like she was the developer herself.
"Seriously? A software like that exists?" Ah Hua's eyes widened, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
His hand hovered in midair, as if he wanted to touch the screen but didn't dare.
"Brother Zhang, you're saying you can create full accompaniment using just this software? Without a band?"
Zhang Yichen nodded confidently.
"That's right. It can simulate various instrument tones and automatically generate arrangements based on the song's style. Of course, if needed, we can also manually adjust every detail."
A flash of amazement crossed Ah Hua's eyes. He tapped the table lightly, still digesting the information.
"If this gets promoted widely… the entire music production process would be completely revolutionized."
Gangzi remained calm, but his gaze became even more focused, carrying a trace of curiosity.
His hand hovered above the keyboard without pressing another key. He tilted his head slightly and looked directly at Zhang Yichen.
"How precise is it? For example, guzheng harmonics, slides, and even subtle vibratos… can it handle those?"
Zhang Yichen smiled slightly. His fingers quickly moved across the keyboard.
Immediately, a smooth sequence of guzheng harmonics flowed from the speakers—delicate, detailed, and incredibly lifelike.
Each note seemed to leap from real strings, carrying a soft resonance and lingering echo.
"Brother Gang, control the pressure when pressing the keys. Treat the keyboard like guzheng strings."
After saying that, Zhang Yichen stepped aside, gesturing for Gangzi to try.
Gangzi didn't refuse. He stepped forward and gently pressed a key.
The guzheng sound rang out—clear and crisp, like a bamboo leaf dancing in the wind.
He pressed several more keys in succession. As the notes jumped and flowed, he actually felt a sense of realism, as if his fingertips were truly plucking strings.
"Incredible." Gangzi's voice was low, but the shock in his tone was unmistakable.
His fingers moved across the keyboard, as if exploring a new world.
"This technology has an incredibly wide range of applications. Not just traditional-style music—even modern pop, jazz, and rock can be produced using this."
Ah Hua couldn't hold back anymore. He switched the instrument to a drum set and pressed a few keys casually.
Electronic drum sounds immediately filled the room—rhythmic, precise, and powerful, completely unlike machine-generated audio.
His fingers began to move faster and faster. The drumbeats echoed through the room, as if an invisible band were performing live.
His eyes gradually lit up with excitement, and the smile on his face widened.
"This is unbelievable! Brother Zhang, your software is revolutionary! If we use this to produce songs, both efficiency and cost will drop dramatically."
Gangzi remained calm, but his gaze turned serious as he looked at Zhang Yichen.
"What about copyright and patents for this software?"
Zhang Yichen paused briefly, then smiled.
"Brother Gang is indeed thorough. I've already applied for patents, and all core technologies are under my control. If there's an opportunity in the future, I plan to commercialize it. But for now, we're focusing on using it ourselves."
Gangzi nodded, a hint of approval in his tone.
"Very good. The value of this software is far beyond our imagination. If used properly, its influence won't be limited to just the music industry."
Ah Hua suddenly froze mid-motion. His eyes widened as if he had discovered treasure.
"So… the accompaniments for Heaven and Earth Dragon Scales and Rise were made using this software?"
Zhang Yichen nodded confidently.
"Yes. And we can adjust everything in real time until it's perfect. That's far more powerful than hiring a million-dollar sound engineer."
Gangzi stared at the screen for a moment, then turned to Zhang Yichen, his voice unusually serious.
"In that case… let's begin. Time waits for no one."
Zhang Yichen turned toward the mixing console, his fingers quickly tapping the keyboard. The arrangement interface for Rise immediately appeared on the screen.
He turned back to Chen Xiaoxi, his voice gentle.
"Sister Xiaoxi, are you ready?"
Chen Xiaoxi took a deep breath, gripping the corner of her clothes tightly, trying to calm herself.
"Yes… I'm ready."
She walked into the recording booth, put on her headphones, and closed her eyes. In her mind, she replayed every technique Zhang Yichen had taught her.
She knew…
This time, there could be no mistakes.
Ah Hua and Gangzi also put on their headphones at the same time.
Their eyes filled with anticipation.