Lin Chen's early musical works, especially "Mountain Questions," were wildly shared and listened to on major music platforms. The comment sections were filled with belated apologies, regrets, and tributes to his courage. The boy who had once been stigmatized as "fragile" and "unsociable" had now become, in the public's eyes, a symbol of resisting power and upholding one's original aspirations.
On the "Echo" platform, the number of participants in the "Mountain Questions Echo" commemorative project grew exponentially. Countless ordinary people, using their perhaps imperfect voices, joined this silent chorus, expressing their respect for life and their insistence on the truth through song.
Even more moving was the fact that many industry insiders, who had suffered oppression from Xingyao Entertainment or were familiar with the industry's inner workings, finally mustered the courage to stand up, inspired by the public outcry.
A former talent agent at Xingyao Entertainment, who has since switched careers, recorded a video detailing how the company manipulated public opinion, fabricated scandals, and suppressed competitors;
An anonymous program director revealed various shady practices and predetermined rankings in talent shows;
Several young artists, also burdened with unfair contracts, jointly spoke out, denouncing the industry's unfair terms and resource monopolies…
These testimonies from within the industry, like precise blows, have definitively nailed Xingyao Entertainment and the distorted rules it represents to the pillory of shame.
The public outcry extends far beyond the internet. Some university students launched a silent flash mob on campus, standing silently with signs reading "Truth," "Justice," and "Life is Priceless." Citizens spontaneously went to the hospital where Lin Chen was staying, leaving flowers and cards of blessing, even though they knew he was still in a coma and unable to perceive anything. Legal professionals also wrote articles discussing the legal issues involved in the case, calling for improved legislation for the cultural and entertainment industry and stronger protection for practitioners…
This massive, bottom-up outcry created powerful public pressure, which in turn spurred decisions at higher levels. The Supreme People's Procuratorate issued a statement saying it would "severely punish crimes that endanger the order of the cultural market according to law"; the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced a special rectification campaign against irregular contracts in the cultural and entertainment industry; and several official media outlets began reporting on the case with a more proactive attitude, emphasizing "upholding social fairness and justice"…
The voice of the entire nation converged into a powerful force driving change.
It exposed the truth that had been tried to conceal, and made the once rampant evils tremble.
It proved that in this era, once the silent majority awakens, their power is enough to shake mountains and rivers.
However, amidst this deafening uproar, Lin Chen lay quietly in the hospital's ICU, seemingly isolated from all the clamor of the outside world.
He was unaware that the torch he ignited with his life had already illuminated countless hearts and was triggering a profound social reflection and transformation.
The tsunami of public outcry seemed unstoppable, yet the deeply entrenched power network did not sit idly by. At the eye of the storm, a powerful and covert counterattack was quietly unfolding in a more cunning and systematic manner.
The first change occurred at the level of the judicial process. Lu Tianyu's legal team suddenly became unusually high-profile, frequently meeting with the media and raising various issues of "procedural justice." They questioned the "legality" of some evidence, emphasizing that "evidence not examined in court cannot be used as the basis for a verdict," and implying that Su Yuqing's team obtained core data through "illegal means." Simultaneously, they began to portray Lu Tianyu as a tragic entrepreneur who "started from scratch" and "contributed to the development of the industry," attempting to blur the criminal case into a "commercial dispute" or "industry unspoken rules."