Chapter 70

"Even high-level internet trolls are still trolls," Lu Yichou said as everyone stepped out of the airport and opened their phones. "Seeing that they can't do anything about the novel, they've started personal attacks. After all these years, their methods haven't changed much."

No matter how high-level the trolls were, they still seemed a bit green compared to the old fox Lu Yichou.

Everyone turned their gaze to Liu Jington, who shrugged, looking as if it had nothing to do with him.

"Judging from the scale, many authors must have participated. They really aren't making progress," Wei Zongbian said calmly.

"It's just a case of sour grapes," a young female editor added. "After Xingyue revealed that contract, the resentment has reached its peak, and now it's just a matter of time before it explodes."

All of them were experienced in the industry, and when they spoke, they made sure to use the right tone and words to avoid causing too much interference for the new writer, Gu Yongsheng.

Han Shuo walked up to Liu Jington and patted his shoulder. "Brother, hold on. If you can hold on, they'll weaken."

Liu Jington smiled and nodded.

"Mr. Lu, should we go to the restaurant first or the hotel?" Kuang Heng asked.

"The restaurant is already booked. After we eat, a bus will come to pick us up. Let's go."

The distance from the airport to the hotel near the grassland was quite long, so the administrative department had to plan comprehensively for this trip.

The restaurant was a mid-range establishment. Liu Jington, Han Shuo, Yi Shui'an, Lu Yichou, and Wei Zongbian, along with other company executives, sat at one table, while the other editors were free to choose their seats.

During the meal, everyone avoided mentioning the topic of Gu Yongsheng on the internet. In fact, after a series of planned operations, the high-level trolls had successfully pushed the topic "Gu Yongsheng should leave the writing circle" to the top of the microblog's hot list. The major forums were already flooded with anger.

This kind of attack, led by people with ulterior motives and fueled by the readers' resentment, was easy to spread. Although Lu Yichou and Wei Zongbian spoke calmly, they knew that the mastermind behind this event was definitely a high-level expert like themselves.

The methodical and well-orchestrated approach, combining praise and criticism, was executed flawlessly. First, they used the tragic nature of the story to stir up the readers' resentment, then used the novel's huge success to spread more hate, angering other authors. The comments from well-known bloggers like Luotou and readers like "Tian Dao You Chang" only added fuel to the fire.

In short, "Gu Yongsheng, who deliberately tortures readers and doesn't understand how to write emotions, should leave the writing circle."

Then, someone naturally deduced that "Seven Swords Descend from Tian Shan" would likely have a similarly contrived tragic ending.

This statement, though seemingly ordinary, was actually very powerful. If the novel ended tragically, this statement would be spot on. If it ended happily, it would seem that the author had deliberately changed the plot to avoid being guessed correctly.

During the meal, everyone habitually used their phones or tablets to browse microblogs and forums. The more they saw about Gu Yongsheng, the more curious they became about Liu Jington, as seeing him being mocked would naturally evoke sympathy or schadenfreude, both of which could create a sense of superiority.

Liu Jington, whether genuinely unconcerned or just pretending, enjoyed the unique flavors of the northwest, occasionally commenting on the dishes. Lu Yichou and Wei Zongbian, who had tasted dishes from all over, also commented on the various cuisines without a care.

Liu Jington wasn't really as calm as he appeared. Although he hadn't checked the online comments about himself, he had already guessed the severity of the situation from everyone's attitude, which was even more cruel than any previous incident.

Worry was out of the question, but he was curious. After all, everyone knew the tactics of internet trolls, and he had experienced them several times over the years. What puzzled him was why Lu Yichou and Wei Zongbian were acting, or even performing, so calmly.

By convention, when a company faces difficulties, the higher-ups appear calmer in front of their subordinates, but the situation is often worse. Conversely, minor issues might cause leaders to vent their frustrations.

This time, what kind of turmoil was making these experienced veterans act so nonchalant, when they were actually very worried?

Additionally, Liu Jington was curious about something else. From Jianghai to here, he hadn't found a chance to talk to Yi Shui'an. From her behavior, it seemed she hadn't been affected by the breakup, remaining as calm as ever, speaking little and listening more, occasionally gazing into the distance. It was no wonder readers often said her characters felt detached from the world; she herself gave off that impression.

After the meal, they waited for about ten minutes before a bus finally arrived. Everyone got on, chatting, playing cards, and Wei Zongbian started a word game with a few authors, starting with "a flat road." Han Shuo responded with "a steady stream," Yi Shui'an with "intimately connected," Liu Jington with "shutting the door to beat the dog," followed by "bullying with the support of others" and "irreconcilable differences"...

After about forty to fifty minutes, everyone was getting sleepy. With Han Shuo's final "exhausted," everyone decided to sleep, and the bus gradually quieted down, with only the engine humming.

"Snow-capped mountains pierce the clouds, ice rivers hang upside down, eagles circle, snow sheep run, the cold is bone-chilling, and the desolation is terrifying." Yi Shui'an looked out the window and softly recited these lines. "Gu Yongsheng, have you been here before?"

At that moment, the car was speeding down a desolate road, with distant ice mountains clearly visible, a spectacular sight. Liu Jington recognized these lines from "White Hair," and couldn't help but admire Yi Shui'an's memory.

"I haven't been here, just read about it in a book. You remember this line?"

"The company said we were coming here, and I happened to see it."

Liu Jington nodded, wanting to ask Yi Shui'an something but not knowing how to start. He quietly watched the distant snow-capped mountains.

"Actually, my favorite lines from this book are the opening verses: 'A sword comes from the west, a thousand arches line up, demons dance, is the mirror not a stand, is the bodhi not a tree, the realm arises from the mind, can it be clearly distinguished?' And the line 'The wind and thunder are full of spirit, the cold frost is swept away, and beauty is born'—the cold frost is swept away, and beauty is born, this line is most fitting." Yi Shui'an turned to look at Liu Jington and smiled.

Liu Jington smiled back. "It's rare to see you smile like that. Saying this now is more appropriate." Yi Shui'an's smile was like the cold frost being swept away from the snow-capped mountains, instantly adding a touch of beauty, which moved Liu Jington.

Yi Shui'an didn't mind him teasing her. "Now everyone is saying that Gu Yongsheng doesn't understand how to write emotions and is a wooden stick who hasn't experienced love. I think you could be a saint of love."

Liu Jington laughed softly. "To be called a saint of love now, what will they say when 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' comes out?"

He looked at Yi Shui'an frankly. "Are they still focusing on the emotional aspect online?"

Yi Shui'an nodded slightly. "Everyone is worried that the online comments will affect you, but I don't think so. Someone who can say 'the mirror is not a stand, the bodhi is not a tree, the realm arises from the mind'—how can they be easily influenced by the outside world?"

Liu Jington laughed. "That's not necessarily true. There is a difference between the narrator of a text and the individual. For example, the author who creates a great hero may not be a hero themselves."

Yi Shui'an stared intently into Liu Jington's eyes. "Do you care?"

Liu Jington shook his head honestly and asked, "What about you? What is your real attitude towards external comments?"

"I rarely see criticism that touches the core. Most people read with a critical mindset, seeing themselves as kings from the start, abandoning equality and patience, and not truly entering the novel. Their criticism often focuses on minor details, which is very unfortunate."

Liu Jington said, "Literary works inherently have the problem of differing opinions. Sometimes, the core message the author tries to convey may not remain intact in the narrative. Readers also need to go through a process of re-creation. Hence, the saying that a thousand readers have a thousand Hamlets."

"Hamlet?"

"Uh, a literary term."

Yi Shui'an smiled. "Tell me your attitude."

"My idea is simple: choose some good stories and share them with everyone, entertaining others and myself in the process."

"That's a fresh perspective. But if you have this attitude, why do you make the stories so tragic? To be honest, although I agree with Lian Nishang's actions and can accept the ending, I still feel a bit regretful sometimes. That's not an attitude of entertaining others, is it?"

When Yi Shui'an said the last sentence, she showed a rare playful side, which made Liu Jington feel refreshed. A talented and beautiful writer like Yi Shui'an, known for her icy demeanor, was naturally attractive to literary youth. Her display of a more feminine side made Liu Jington think, "That's a bit much," and he silently called Mi Hu's name three times in his mind. He laughed and said, "Tragedy can also be entertaining. With so many idol dramas flooding the market, a bit of variety is always good."

With Yi Shui'an in such a good mood, Liu Jington was about to ask more questions when the bus suddenly stopped. The driver called out, "We're here!"

...

After arriving at the hotel, Liu Jington took a refreshing shower and then opened the hotel computer to go online. His curiosity had been building up all the way. He first entered the Jianghu Ren forum, where posts condemning "Gu Yongsheng" filled the screen. Liu Jington clicked on a few out of interest and admired the mastermind behind this event, as there was no trace of internet trolls, showing that they had put a lot of effort into it.

Then, he saw the post, "Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've seen pigs run. His parents' experience of dating, marrying, and having children can be used as a reference." Liu Jington frowned, his expression darkening.

Next, he logged into his account and started his second post since registering. (To be continued. Please search for Piaowen.com for better and faster updates!)

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