The music scene in Muzhou was indeed not strong. They did not understand many styles of music and did not even pay attention to pop stars, let alone composers of symphonies. Other than a few glances from the media, they did not pay much attention to composers of symphonies.
But now, at this year's Eastern region finals, a newcomer had appeared in the promotional video of a competing team, and the number of people paying attention had increased.
"Who is Fang Zhao?"
Many people who usually only paid attention to agriculture, weather, and sheep-herding competitions were now a little interested.
Some students from music academies had found out that Fang Zhao was a rising star in the music industry and was praised by many seniors in the music industry. He was also sought after by the younger generation. Some Muzhou natives reacted by saying, "Sounds impressive, but how did Su Hou manage to invite this person?"
That's right, how did Su Hou manage to invite Fang Zhao to compose the background music for the Eastern region finals promotional video?
But even if they were curious, they had no way of knowing the truth.
Of course, the focus of the Muzhou masses was still Su Hou and Dongshan Farm's seven dogs.
The focus of the promotional video had not been to promote the new Dongshan Farm but to introduce the growth of Dongshan Farm's young master. The combination of video and sound had left a deep impression. It was also because of this promotional video that some people felt it was not good to mock Su Hou. After all, he was still a middle school kid, and he was a hardworking kid who could endure hardships.
Older people would always have good impressions of these hardworking youngsters.
Some of the parents watching the live broadcast also started nagging at their children, "Look at Su Hou …" Blah blah blah.
Su Hou probably did not expect to become someone else's kid, but he did not have the mood to care. He was preparing for the finals.
Perhaps it was because of the promotional video, but Su Hou's nervousness had lessened significantly. In its place was an indescribable fighting spirit, as if something he had been looking forward to for a long time had finally arrived.
When Su Hou told Fang Zhao about this feeling, Fang Zhao laughed. "That's called confidence."
After the competing teams' promotional videos had finished playing, the viewers realized that among all the promotional videos, the one that had left the deepest impression was Su Hou's. It had made them remember Su Hou's growth as a small farm owner.
"Alright! The promotional videos are all about bragging. Next, it's a real battle of strength! "The people watching the match calmed themselves down and looked forward to the next match.
The finals of the Eastern region would decide which four teams would enter the finals. The arena was larger than the regular season, and the sheep-herding route was longer. The grass was more undulating, and it was easy to deviate from the route. There were more situations where instructors were needed than in the regular season, and of course, the time taken was longer. Generally speaking, a time of less than ten minutes was considered passable. In previous years, the teams that were able to enter the finals had all used less than six minutes, and the teams that were able to compete for the first and second place in the finals had all used around five minutes.
The goal that Wu Yi had set for the team was eight minutes. If they could reach ten minutes, they would only be considered to have passed. However, if they really pressed the line, they would still be last place.
"As long as I don't make a mistake in my judgment and apply for the correct guidance in time, I won't make a mistake."
As an instructor, Su Hou could see the situation of the entire stadium through the several screens at the platform. He knew the correct route. Every year, the route of the finals was different. Sometimes, there was a need to make a turn, and that was when the instructor would show up.
The music for the sheep-herding competition began. This signified the start of the finals. Whether it was the people at the stadium or the people watching the live broadcast from all over Muzhou, they temporarily put aside other matters and put aside any unfinished discussions. Everyone focused on the competition. Not only did they like this kind of traditional Muzhou competition, but many of them had placed bets on the team they supported to win.
The first team to appear was a veteran team that had participated in the finals many times. Of the eight shepherd dogs, six had participated in the finals last year. Furthermore, the farm owner had probably trained them many times, so the dogs did not seem nervous or uncomfortable. As an instructor, the farm owner had also applied for on-the-spot guidance whenever necessary. It could be said that the first team to appear had performed well in the competition.
"Seven minutes and 16 seconds!"
This result was not bad, but the farm owner did not seem satisfied with this result. This was ten seconds more than the team's time last year. Ten seconds might not be a big difference in the regular season, but in the finals, it could directly determine whether or not they could squeeze into the top four. However, even if he was dissatisfied, the farm owner did not show any displeasure. He just smiled and shook his head. In an interview after the competition, he said, "This year's sheep are different. They're hard to chase. "
Hard to chase? The audience was puzzled.
The commentator did not elaborate on this matter. The second team to appear took nearly half a minute longer than the first team. The reason was that they took too long to make the turn.
"This year's sheep are very slow," the farm owner of the second team said.
At first, when the viewers heard this, they might have thought that the team was making excuses for their poor results, but after the third and fourth farm owners said the same thing, everyone started to doubt it.
"I paid special attention during the second round," Wu Yi said in the viewing hall. "This year, the sheep arranged for the finals are different from those in the regular season. They look the same, but their temperaments are different. They are bolder and more violent. Just now, the fourth team was one of them. In the middle of the run, the flock of sheep almost scattered. A few sheep even stamped their hooves at the shepherd dog and provoked the lead dog, almost crashing into it. It's not going to be easy! "
Wu Yi sighed. But this was not the time to lose morale. He turned and patted Su Hou's shoulder. "Don't worry. The harder it is, the harder it is for the others. They all took longer than last year. Don't be too stressed."
"The fifth team to appear is Shoubei Farm. We have to watch carefully. I heard that the top dog of this round is going to fight for the best in this year's finals." Wu Yi and the others looked serious. If they had to say who was giving them the most pressure, it was definitely Shoubei Farm. They were still at the top of the leaderboard and were the most likely to win first place in the East, or even the entire continent.
Shoubei Farm's lead dog, Golden Colt, drew a lot of screams the moment it appeared. Of course, those in the field could not hear it. Every spectator in the viewing gallery and the live broadcast had their eyes glued to that figure. That was an ace dog that could truly herd sheep with just a look!
Foreign stars and Muzhou dogs. The affection that Muzhou people poured into shepherd dogs was something that people from other continents could not understand. To the people of Muzhou, the dogs in the sheep-herding competition were as dazzling as stars. The discussion section of the sheep-herding competition's official website had long been bombarded with messages. If one watched the live broadcast through the virtual viewing gallery, one could hear the deafening shouts.
The previous few farm owners had all said that the sheep in this year's competition were exceptionally difficult to herd. But when it came to Shoubei Farm, it was a different story. The speed at which the sheep were sprinting was much faster than the previous four teams.
"They're about to make the turn. Shoubei Farm's luck is not bad. Their lead dog, Golden Colt, is picking up speed! It's exerting pressure on the lead sheep! "
…
"They're changing directions! The sheep are changing directions! "
…
Compared to the previous teams, Shoubei Farm's team was lightning fast when they made the turn. There was no pause in the entire process.
"Shoubei Farm's lead dog, Golden Colt! Godly courage! A profound explanation of what it means to herd sheep with one's eyes! "
…
"In the pen! All in the pen! Perfect! Four minutes and 32 seconds! Four minutes and 32 seconds! Last year, it would have been number one, and this was even with a new breed of sheep! " The commentator's excited voice could be heard through the excellent sound system. He no longer hid the fact that this year's sheep had been changed. "MVP of the match! It might even win this year's Most Valuable Dog Competition! "
The commentator turned to the old farmer next to him and said, "Someone once said that a 'Divine Dog' only appears every ten or twenty years. For example, 'Lightning,' who helped you win five consecutive championships, 'King Kong,' and this year's' Golden Colt 'of Shoubei..."
The invited guest was an old farm owner. His farm had won five consecutive championships more than 20 years ago, until his champion lead dog passed away in an accident. Later on, the farm had trained new lead dogs to win championships, but they had never been able to repeat the glory of five consecutive championships.
The old farmer was very admirable when it came to the breeding, training, and judgment of the dogs. That was why the commentator asked the farmer, who had won five consecutive championships, for his opinion.
The old farm owner also recalled his beloved dog. "This year's Golden Colt is really eye-catching. It has the demeanor of our family's Lightning's divine dog …"
The atmosphere in the viewing hall was solemn. Everyone was silent. Only the excited voice of the commentator and the praises of the guests could be heard clearly through the sound system.
"Godly dog?" Fang Zhao asked.
Just then, Fang Zhao heard a snort from his feet. He looked down and saw that Curly Hair had sneezed.
"Did he catch a cold?!" Wu Yi immediately diverted his attention, looking as if the sky was about to collapse.
Everyone in the hall immediately tensed up. Wu Yi and his family, as well as a team of veterinarians, rushed over to check on Curly Hair's condition.
"How is it?" Wu Yi felt his liver tremble. He was afraid that Curly Hair had eaten something else yesterday. Although he had checked on Curly Hair's condition yesterday and today and found nothing abnormal, who knew if Curly Hair had contracted some kind of disease or gastrointestinal disorder?
The veterinarian team examined Curly Hair very seriously and shook their heads. "Nothing abnormal."
"Really?!"
The veterinarian team was unhappy that their medical standards were being questioned. "Are you questioning our ability? Or do you want him to get sick? "
"No, no, no, absolutely not!" Wu Yi shook his head vigorously.
Fang Zhao glanced at Curly Hair, who was scratching his head with his hind legs, and said to Wu Yi, "Don't worry, he's doing very well. Continue watching the competition."
Shoubei Farm's godly performance had indeed amazed a large number of people. It had also put a lot of pressure on the two teams that had come up. Following that, although the sixth and seventh teams' results were passable, they did not manage to get within seven points. If the commentator had not directly mentioned the matter of swapping out sheep breeds, perhaps some people would have suspected that those few farms were making excuses for their poor performance. Not everyone could tell that the sheep breeds were different.
When the seventh team came up, Wu Yi led his people to send Su Hou and the competition dog to the competition venue.
When the seventh team finished, it was Dongshan Farm's turn to come up.
"Alright, the eighth team to come up is another team that has received a lot of attention this year. Dongshan Farm also has a very special competition dog …"
While the commentator was giving the pre-match commentary, Wu Yi hurriedly ran back and sat in his chair. His eyes were glued to the screen, afraid to miss a single scene.
"It's time to start!" The commentator's voice rose, stirring up people's nerves.
"They gathered the sheep quickly, and the herding went smoothly. Up until now, Dongshan Farm's competition dog has done very well. Their time is also considered short. Other than Shoubei Farm, their time is the shortest," the commentator said as he looked at the results given by the statistician.
Wu Yi, who was sitting in his chair, could not sit still. He stood up and walked closer to the screen. He clenched his fist and bit it with his teeth. His lips were still moving, as if he was praying for something.
Fang Zhao also stared at the screen. He knew that a crucial point was coming up.
Which side of the pen they would enter was given at the last minute, or was it random. Before this, there was no way to predict it. It depended on luck and tested the adaptability of the competition dog and the instructor.
When the sheep had been herded halfway, the screen displayed a random answer.
It was given to the left side of the pen. This was not good news for Dongshan Farm, because their lead dog, Curly Hair, was on the left. According to convention, the lead dog on the right side would herd the sheep to the left. If the left side wanted to herd the sheep to the left, there were three possibilities. The first was for the lead dog to run to the right and force the sheep to turn. The second was for the instructor to give orders to the second dog on the other side to help force the sheep to turn. The most conservative method was to force the sheep to stop before turning, but this method was too time-consuming.
The second dog on Dongshan Farm's team was Bingo. They had discussed how to choose before the match, but in the end, they followed Fang Zhao's suggestion and chose the first method.
"Turn! They are about to change directions! Pay attention to your positioning! This is the time to test the ability of the lead dog! See if they can follow the instructor's instructions and force the sheep to change directions. Or, like many teams, force the sheep to stop and then herd the lead sheep … "The commentator was still explaining, spittle flying everywhere." Su Hou requests for on-the-spot guidance! Oh? Su Hou gave the lead dog Curly Hair an order. Does he want him to circle to the other side? "
On the screen, Su Hou's request for on-the-spot guidance was a direct order for Curly Hair to circle to the other side of the sheep and force them to change directions.
"Attention! He's picking up speed. It looks like he's going to circle … Eh?! He's … flying over!! "
This time, not only did the commentator's voice break, he even stuttered. The old farm owner who was a guest at the side also let out a cry of surprise, as if he had seen something shocking.
On the screen, the accelerating Little Curly Hair rushed to the side of the sheep like the wind and leaped up. He stepped on the backs of the running sheep and crossed to the other side like stepping on stones to cross a stream. Calling it "flying" was an exaggeration, but it really made many people's jaws drop.
This kind of situation was very rare. Not only was it a test of a competition dog's jumping ability, but more importantly, if he missed a step or lost his footing and fell into the middle of the running sheep, his life would be trampled by the sheep.
Wu Yi's heart had been in his throat just now. He hadn't even felt the blood from his clenched fists. His two eyes were wide open like copper bells. He had seen Curly Hair step on the backs of sheep before, but he wouldn't choose to let a dog do this during a competition. It was too dangerous, and the slightest mistake could cost the dog its life.
The commentator reacted quickly and was very excited. "Best of the match! Best of the match!! Without a doubt, if he enters the finals, he will be a strong contender for this year's sheep-herding competition's most valuable dog! "
The people watching the live broadcast cursed when they heard the commentator's words. Hadn't this guy just said that Jin Ju's Best of the Eastern competition would be guaranteed? He even said that Jin Ju would be a strong contender for the finals' most valuable dog. Now he's slapping himself in the face so quickly?! Where's his integrity?!
The commentator seemed to have completely forgotten what he had just said. Integrity and whatnot? His first day as a commentator had been fed to the dogs. He continued to roar, oblivious to everything else. "I can already see his value continuously multiplying!"
"Most valuable dog" had both a hidden meaning and a literal meaning.
Every sheep-herding dog that participated in the finals would see its value rise. The lead dog would rise even more, and the value of the most valuable dog in every finals' most valuable dog would be astronomical.
"The herd hasn't stopped! It's changing direction! Su Hou has once again requested for on-the-spot guidance! Very good, his timing is very accurate! Dog A on the other side, pay attention to your positioning. Those at the back, keep up. Don't lose sight of the sheep! This change is too fast! The herd is still picking up speed! I have a feeling … "
The commentator looked at the data display beside him and took a deep breath. "They might …" A certain word lingered on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't dare say it out loud.
In the viewing hall, Wu Yi was so nervous he wanted to bite his fingers off. His eyes kept shifting between the timer on the top right corner of the screen and the competition scene in the middle. His whole body was so tense that it was as if he had been petrified.
Fang Zhao looked at the competition scene on the screen and suddenly laughed. He added the three words that the commentator had not said: "Breaking the record."
Wu Yi's ears twitched. He had heard Fang Zhao's words clearly, but his brain didn't seem to understand. His teeth, which were clenched into a fist, started chattering.
"In the pens! In the pens! "
"Everyone in the pens!"
"Four minutes and 20 seconds! Four minutes and 20 seconds!! " The commentator's voice was hoarse as he roared hysterically. "Ever since the competition was reformed eighty years ago, the Eastern region's best time has been four minutes and twenty-one seconds. That was the record set by Lightning's team, who was known as the Divine Dog for five consecutive championships. Now, Dongshan Farm's team has rewritten the record with a one-second advantage! It can be said that if they hadn't changed the breed, this time would have been shortened by at least 10 seconds! "
Wu Yi felt like he had heard everything, but at the same time, he felt like he had not heard anything. His lips were still trembling, and he couldn't speak smoothly. "Breaking, breaking, breaking the record?"
"Yep," Fang Zhao replied.
If it had been a combat dog from the end of days, Fang Zhao believed that one minute would not have been more than two minutes, and they wouldn't have needed human guidance to herd the flock of sheep into the pens.
However, for Muzhou, which had been peaceful for 500 years in the New Era, it was already not bad for the farm's normal combat dogs to be able to do this.
Fang Zhao understood a little why the people who had founded Muzhou had made Muzhou's sheep-herding competition a tradition.
It was like the New Era's never-ending annual military service. The sheep-herding competition was the same. Although it was unavoidable that some dark, utilitarian motives were mixed in, the competition and the training behind it kept the valiant genes in their blood active. Regardless of whether they were service dogs or surviving wild dogs, if the world changed one day, they would be able to quickly enter the battlefield as reserve combat dogs, just like during the end of days.
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