Chapter 72

Guxiaosheng's post on the forum sparked a series of events that, as usual, saw the "official response" and the "news of a new book" quickly spread across the internet through various channels. Netizens also began to express their own attitudes.

Those who enjoyed watching the drama were quick to fan the flames, hoping for a more intense confrontation; competitors watched from the sidelines, speculating on what tactics Qianhong was using this time and what schemes the old fox Lu Yichou was planning.

On the Qianhong side, they issued a statement confirming that the poster was indeed Guxiaosheng, while vaguely mentioning that his response was a reaction to the malicious and rude comments from some netizens. They also stated that they were in the process of confirming the new book with Guxiaosheng and would provide a definite update soon.

As for the readers, they naturally hoped that Guxiaosheng could produce a high-quality work within ten days, satisfying their desire for good books and silencing all the doubters. After all, it would be a great boost to their own prestige if their favorite author proved to be exceptional. However, they had a lingering concern: could Guxiaosheng really write a book that would silence everyone within ten days?

If this ten-day challenge was a planned move by Qianhong, it would be understandable. But Guxiaosheng had explicitly stated in his post that he would write a book "about love," which was like a命题作文 (a topic-specific essay). As the saying goes, "the hardest part is the beginning," and a topic-specific essay is even harder to start.

So, why was Guxiaosheng so confident?

Was it because Qianhong had predicted this controversy, knowing that the ending of "The White-haired Deviless" would disappoint readers, and had made preparations in advance? Or was this all a Qianhong operation to promote "The White-haired Deviless" and advertise the next book?

If neither of these was the case, then it could only be that Guxiaosheng had made a rash statement out of anger.

The readers were confused, but some believed they had a clear understanding, like the high-level trolls who frequented the forums and blogs. Although they failed to bring down Guxiaosheng and were even outsmarted by him, they still felt a sense of victory. They believed that the usually silent and low-profile Guxiaosheng had been forced to come out, which was a win for them. These trolls, with their thick skins, were never afraid of a response; they only feared no response at all.

There is a popular saying: "Don't debate with trolls." Because once you enter their world of shamelessness, they will use their rich experience to defeat you.

The trolls and their employers were well aware that Guxiaosheng's "ten-day challenge" was not a Qianhong plot but a spur-of-the-moment statement. According to reliable sources, Qianhong's editors, led by CEO Lu Yichou, were in the northwest looking at snow-capped mountains, and their previous response was clearly rushed.

Understanding the direction of the forum discussions and the mindset of the netizens, the trolls quickly devised a plan. Five hours after Guxiaosheng's post, the "Can't Hold It In" user, after gathering and analyzing information, began posting.

"Excited to hear that Guxiaosheng will release a new book in ten days, looking forward to it!!!"

The post didn't contain anything new, but it emphasized the ten-day deadline. After posting, he began assigning tasks to other members, focusing on three main actions: 1) Plan a celebration for Guxiaosheng's new book, inviting readers to participate; 2) Stir up speculation about the plot of the new book, guessing whether it would be a happy ending or a tragedy; 3) Hold a writing contest on the theme of love to promote Guxiaosheng's book, with the results announced on the day of the book's release, and the top ten winners receiving prizes.

These three actions, while seemingly enthusiastic, were actually very malicious and cunning. The first action reinforced the ten-day deadline, instilling a preconceived notion in readers that if the book wasn't released on time, Guxiaosheng would lose credibility.

The second action, a supplement to the first, made it clear that completing a high-quality novel in ten days was almost impossible, but a poem or an essay was still possible. By making readers guess the plot, they were forcing Guxiaosheng or Qianhong to avoid any shortcuts, as poems and essays don't have plots to guess.

The third action, a reinforcement of the second, solidified Guxiaosheng's promise to write about love. If the book didn't meet this theme, it would be considered a breach of promise.

These three actions were tightly linked, professional, and flawless. Additionally, the "troll god" wrote an article praising Guxiaosheng's previous works, pointing out that despite various criticisms, Guxiaosheng was still the most advanced in his genre.

This was a classic "praise to criticize" strategy, leaving a backdoor open. If Guxiaosheng created a miracle in ten days, it would be expected. If not, it would be seen as a decline.

...

When Liu Jingtong woke up, it was already 7 PM. He sat up, feeling the fatigue of the journey dissipate, confirming the truth that often, people's irritability is due to not getting enough sleep or not sleeping well.

Liu Jingtong got up to wash his face and heard a knock on the door. He put on the hotel slippers and opened the door, seeing Tang Nan standing outside, still in the act of knocking, with a routine expression on his face.

"Ah, you're awake?" Tang Nan was surprised to see Liu Jingtong.

Liu Jingtong, still groggy, said, "Oh, you've been here many times?"

"Yes, it's time to eat, so I've been knocking a few times to check."

"Sorry about that," Liu Jingtong scratched his head. "Thanks, I'll change and come down."

Tang Nan nodded, watching Liu Jingtong run into the room in his slippers, feeling a sense of absurdity. This harmless, even adorable teenager had managed to outsmart a group of high-level trolls, which seemed quite out of place.

When Liu Jingtong joined Tang Nan in the restaurant, he sensed an odd atmosphere. He whispered to Tang Nan, "Why do I feel like everyone is looking at me strangely? Is it because I was impolite?"

In this setting, Liu Jingtong's whisper made Tang Nan feel a bit proud. He smiled, "You'll see."

"Did you sleep well?"

As they were whispering, they heard CEO Lu's voice from behind. All the editors in the restaurant stood up as Lu Yichou, Wei Wuzhi, Han Shuo, and Yi Shui'an entered.

"Pretty well, I was woken up by hunger," Liu Jingtong smiled.

"You slept well, but I'm afraid someone else didn't," Lu Yichou smiled. He waved to the group, "Everyone, please sit down."

Liu Jingtong watched this scene silently, sighing inwardly, "It seems that in any industry or field, there is always a hierarchy, whether explicit or implicit."

"I read your post," Yi Shui'an said as soon as everyone was seated. "A new book in ten days?"

"Uh," Liu Jingtong smiled, a bit embarrassed, "Sorry, I didn't discuss it with you beforehand, I was just a bit angry."

"So, there really will be a new book?"

Liu Jingtong nodded.

"Ten days?"

Liu Jingtong nodded again.

"Theme, is the theme set?"

Liu Jingtong continued nodding. Lu Yichou and Wei Wuzhi, though seemingly calm, were listening intently to every word.

"Then, do you have any drafts?"

Liu Jingtong shook his head apologetically.

Lu Yichou and Wei Wuzhi adjusted their postures. Just as Lu Yichou was about to speak, the waiter started serving the dishes.

After a moment of silence, Lu Yichou cleared his throat, "Is it still a martial arts novel?"

"Yes."

"Probably a short story?"

Liu Jingtong estimated the word count of "The White Horse Cries in the West Wind" and said, "A novella."

Lu Yichou's expression turned strange, and Wei Wuzhi asked, "You haven't had time to go online, right?"

Liu Jingtong smiled and shook his head, "I don't think my post caused you any trouble, did it?"

"No, absolutely not," Wei Wuzhi said with a "how could it" expression, "The post is fine, but—"

He paused, then continued, "It's been overused by some people, making the situation a bit complicated."

Liu Jingtong looked curiously at Wei Wuzhi, waiting for an explanation.

"Basically, the troublemakers, upon learning about your new book in ten days, started organizing so-called celebration activities. The idea is to make all readers remember that you will release a book in ten days, and the content must include the theme of love," Wei Wuzhi said with a dismissive smile, "Their intention is clear, they want to put you on the hot seat."

"Got it, cutting off the fuel at the source," Liu Jingtong said nonchalantly.

"Putting you on the hot seat" and "cutting off the fuel at the source" were opposite in meaning but conveyed the same idea here.

Wei Wuzhi exchanged a glance with Lu Yichou, who smiled, "We'll be in the grasslands for three to four days. If you don't have any drafts, completing this task will be quite challenging."

Liu Jingtong smiled inwardly, thinking that these two middle-aged men were just trying to tell him that writing a book in ten days, under such public pressure, was an "impossible task."

Liu Jingtong put down his chopsticks and looked at Lu Yichou seriously, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wei, please rest assured, I will submit the manuscript three days ahead of time. If you still think I'm exaggerating after reading it, we can discuss further."

"So, you only have seven days?" Yi Shui'an stopped eating, frowning.

"That's the plan, seven days to write, and three days for your company to make decisions, to give you more time."

"Do you have an outline?"

"No."

"Any ideas?"

Liu Jingtong smiled, "The story is in my head, I just need to write it down."

Liu Jingtong's words were straightforward, but to the others, they sounded like the confidence of a genius.

Lu Yichou suddenly stood up, holding a wine glass and tapping the rim with a spoon, creating a "ding ding ding" sound. The conversations and laughter in the restaurant quickly subsided, and all eyes turned to Lu Yichou.

"In ten days, Liu Jingtong will release a new book. Everyone can spread the news!"

As soon as Lu Yichou finished speaking, the room erupted in applause, whether for Liu Jingtong's new book or for Lu Yichou's speech, or both.

"After dinner, I'll call Hong Ming, and in ten days, we'll take a bet together."

As the CEO, Lu Yichou made quick decisions. When he heard Liu Jingtong say, "three days for your company," he had already made up his mind. One reason was that if Guxiaosheng had left three days for Qianhong, it meant he was well-prepared and confident. Another reason was that by calling Qianhong "your company," Guxiaosheng was reminding him that if they were to cooperate, they needed to trust each other. Lu Yichou was not willing to offend Guxiaosheng, even if he lost the bet in ten days.

Liu Jingtong, of course, hadn't thought that much, just speaking off the cuff. If Liu Jingtong and Lu Yichou could see each other's thoughts, they would both have smiled wryly.

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Lu," Liu Jingtong said sincerely.

Lu Yichou waved his hand, "I should apologize, I was a bit worried before."

"I understand, Mr. Lu was concerned about my reputation."

"Mainly because they went too far this time, using underhanded tactics."

"At least it saved us some advertising costs."

"True, let's raise a glass to the new book."

Everyone raised their glasses and took a sip. Lu Yichou then asked about Guxiaosheng's new book, "What's the story about?"

"Haha, a love story."

"Still a tragedy?" Kuang Heng, who had been silent, suddenly asked.

"Perspective changes the outcome."

"Is there a simple measure? Do the main characters end up together?"

Liu Jingtong smiled, "No."

"Is it a tragedy? Aren't you afraid of making readers even more resentful?"

"I support the tragedy," Wei Wuzhi said, "Facts show that deliberately catering to readers can actually distance them. Readers want stories that are unexpected but logical. Blindly following them can make the story seem cheap."

Lu Yichou nodded, and with both leaders agreeing, no one else said anything.

Liu Jingtong said, "A tragedy can be beautiful. If I can make them convinced with a story that doesn't have a happy ending, the effect will be even better."

Everyone was enlightened, realizing that this smiling high schooler had everything planned out. This made them even more eager to see the story in ten days.

(The editor says, if the text exceeds 4,000 words, you can request a monthly ticket. Please do!)(To be continued, search for Piaowen.com for faster updates and better reading experience!)

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends