Chapter 71

Both the Wu-Yue Province and the Yuhang municipal government have introduced a series of incentives for internet startups, and the hardware facilities in the Binjiang New District are also well-equipped. Shen Zhenghui completed the registration process in a very short time, but the subsequent series of tasks almost killed him. He didn't know before that someone was helping him, but now, starting from scratch, the tedious work was giving him a headache. Fortunately, Wang Anping soon arrived in Hangzhou, planning to build a commercial center in the Binjiang New District, with a cinema at its core.

Shen Zhenghui finally found a helper. Wang Anping wasn't very interested in Shen Zhenghui's internet plan, but out of trust, she invested and mobilized her investment team to help him.

"What is this website for?"

"To allow all aspiring writers to publish their works on this platform."

"Oh? How will it make money? Will it follow the path of physical publication like Rongshuxia?"

"It might burn money in the early years, but ultimately, it will adopt a VIP reading system to grow the platform. Whether it's advertising or users, they are all resources. In the end, it won't be me begging for publication, but them actively seeking me out."

"I still don't quite understand. According to their research, this project requires a significant initial investment. Why not wait a few years and then directly acquire a promising website?"

"Because of the resentment of bookworms." Shen Zhenghui didn't continue. "You know, I'm also a director and have shares in a film company. The core of the cultural industry is actually..."

"Novel stories?"

"No, it's copyrights." Shen Zhenghui scratched his head. "Running a Chinese website is indeed time-consuming and expensive, and we have to cultivate the market step by step. Even if the VIP system is implemented, small pirate sites will still emerge. But what I value most is that with such a platform, we can acquire countless copyrights. The readers will also help filter out the good works that suit their tastes. Although I know that acquiring a website in a few years would be more efficient, I'm still worried that there might be others with the same vision in this world." Another significant part of the copyrights is future game adaptations, but it's not worth mentioning now.

"You're actually afraid of competition?" Wang Anping sneered.

"The development of the internet era is too fast. Falling behind by one step means falling behind in everything. It's better not to rely on competitors making mistakes to help you. Do what you can do as well as possible."

"You're so confident? How do you know the world will definitely develop in the direction you want?"

"I don't need to know. I just need to use money correctly." Shen Zhenghui replied. "There's no problem with recruiting technical personnel. This is a new project, and there's little experience to draw from domestically or internationally. Technical and management personnel can be combined at the beginning. In the early stage, the foundation will mainly be laid by people interested in reading and writing. We can hire more recent college graduates and emphasize the orientation of interest during recruitment."

"Are you just giving them money to play with?"

"It's not just playing. The financial aspect must be mature and strictly controlled." Shen Zhenghui said. "I can write a plan and form an independent team to implement it."

Wang Anping stared at Shen Zhenghui for a long time. "Forget it, do as you please." She pursed her lips. "Are you planning to return to the entertainment industry in China?"

Shen Zhenghui was a bit confused.

"Otherwise, why would you start a Chinese website to collect copyrights for Chinese works?"

Shen Zhenghui's lips twitched. "It's not necessarily just in China." He scratched his head. "Actually, the main use in the early stage is for the Japanese market."

"Hmm?" Wang Anping showed her confusion.

Shen Zhenghui thought to himself, are there any stories from the early internet that are suitable for filming in China?

Hmm, maybe one, "Journey to the West: A Novel" seems quite fitting. I wonder if Jin Hezai will upload it to my site!

As a behind-the-scenes investor, neither Shen Zhenghui nor Wang Anping could directly operate the website's structure and operation. Wang Anping's team was experienced and proposed a plan to recruit from existing popular martial arts BBS sites, ensuring that people who contributed to online literature out of pure interest could be rewarded. Thus, young literary enthusiasts were attracted to Yuhang by generous conditions and their own interests, joining the newly established Boya Cultural Development Technology Co., Ltd., and began operating the site.

In 1999, when literary youth were in vogue, the site's initial positioning was different from literary youth-oriented sites like Rongshuxia. It openly proclaimed its entertainment nature, shouting slogans of interest-driven creation and the creation of interest, with the motto "Everyone can be their own novelist," accepting any genre. Under the call of a large number of pioneering literary youth, the number of registered authors on the site was almost equal to the number of readers. Young people who saw their creative impulses as creative talent published their stories on the site, then sat in front of their computers, refreshing to see comments in the review section. As a result, the site with the smallest number of books had the most unfinished works.

Shen Zhenghui had already made a plan for the development of the site. Therefore, the professional manager entrusted by Wang Anping only needed to implement the plan and promote capable young people under her. As a future benchmark in the online literature industry, the site needed the dedication of young people passionate about literature, sensitivity and responsiveness to new genres in the early stage, and constant recruitment in this pioneering era. A single great work by a big name could support a website, and the site needed enough passionate and sensitive employees to maintain vigilance in the online literature industry—constantly recruiting.

Shen Zhenghui didn't stay in Yuhang for long. Once the framework was set up, he handed it over to Wang Anping's team and quickly returned to Japan. Fukuda Mihime was thinking about how to use the newly signed treaty, and Shen Zhenghui had already set up the framework for her.

"Is it so complicated?"

"Where is it complicated?" Fukuda Mihime explained. "Japan buys novel copyrights from China, commissions Babble to translate the novels, and then publishes them on the Japanese light novel site. Isn't that simple?"

"I mean, why the repeated buying and selling?"

"Because of taxes!"

"Hmm?"

"The money spent on buying copyrights from China is specified in the Sino-Japanese business treaty and needs to be balanced. You can spend it through copyright exchanges or other means later, and this money is tax-free for us, so the price can be whatever we agree on." Fukuda Mihime said seriously. "As for why it goes through Babble, it's easier to understand. Both sites are ours, so the price can be whatever we want." Fukuda Mihime nodded. "Besides, Mr. Sun gave us so much money to burn, it would be a shame not to use it."

"Uh, is that so?"

"Regardless, we need to create a buzz. Otherwise, the Chinese side might think we're taking advantage of them." She smiled. "We need to show some results to prove that Chinese culture is beginning to dominate Japan."

"Oh."

"By the way, there's something I haven't told you. We had a business deal with the CEO of China Film Company."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Congratulations, 'The Fortress of Puhai' can be edited into a movie and shown in China."

"Really?" Shen Zhenghui's eyes widened.

"Maybe." Fukuda Mihime's response was a cold shower for Shen Zhenghui. "It needs approval from the so-called broadcasting department. I don't know if it will be approved!" She shrugged. "But it might be approved. I've bought the copyrights to many Chinese movies, including this one, and we can find people to dub it. Maybe they'll give me some face as a big customer?"

"I don't think we should have too much hope." Shen Zhenghui sighed. "After all, in that story, Puhai is blown to pieces, even the iconic TV tower is destroyed. This might be seen as tarnishing the country."

"Is that so? Then why do you still hope the animation can be shown in China?"

"Speaking of animation, is the series going to be shown in Japan?"

"Didn't you know?" Fukuda Mihime shrugged. "This is the first TV animation and movie exported from China to Japan after the treaty was signed!"

"Hmm?"

"Completely made by Chinese, by the Original World Animation Production Co., Ltd., and the director is a woman named Liu Xin."

"Nani?"

"Your father has already talked with Puhai Oriental TV, and the TV version of the series will be broadcast on Puhai Oriental TV. Oh, their broadcasting tower is the one you blew up."

"What's going on?"

"The deal was made long ago, but the Chinese side felt that broadcasting it on CCTV would indeed have the negative aspects you mentioned. Therefore, broadcasting it on a local satellite channel is acceptable."

"Then, my animated movie..." Shen Zhenghui continued.

"A company called Poly is very interested in this series. They've seen both the animation and the movie and want to distribute it. We were negotiating with China Film Company, so the issue was resolved. China Film Company and Poly will jointly distribute the movie version, and they plan to release DVDs of both the TV and movie versions."

"Us?"

"Liu Xin represents Original Animation in negotiations with China Film Company, and I negotiate the import with both parties. As for the screening, who knows?" Fukuda Mihime shrugged. "I think you should ask your friends in China to find out. I hope they don't just buy the copyrights and burn them."

Shen Zhenghui scratched his head. "You should have told me earlier."

"Wasn't it a surprise?"

"This is scary, not surprising."

"I spent a lot of money buying these movies," Fukuda Mihime said with a smile. "You should think about how to balance trade by purchasing in Japan."