Chapter 61

The first award turned out to be related to him, and Lin Han had not expected it to come so quickly. In the list announced earlier, only the works that had made it to the semi-finals were listed, without specifying the nominations for each award.

The Best Newcomer Award had a relatively narrow scope, limited to new writers who had published science fiction works in the past year. Writers who had been active for more than a year were not eligible.

A person could only win the Best Newcomer Award once in their lifetime. If he missed this award, no matter how well he wrote in the future, he would not get another chance. Therefore, Lin Han did not want to miss this opportunity.

Among his competitors, almost every one of them was a talented science fiction writer. The names of these novels sounded familiar, as if the original owner had read them all.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Han tried to maintain a calm demeanor. The large crane camera was directly aimed at him, and he could not show any signs of nervousness or tension.

"Don't worry, although they are all very talented, you are even more talented. I bet this award is definitely yours," Tian Ran said. Although he had only known Lin Han for a little over an hour, they had already become quite familiar.

Wu Zhentian nodded in agreement. Although Lin Han was not particularly good in the film industry, he seemed to be naturally suited for science fiction literature. His first work had caused a sensation throughout society, and his second work was equally groundbreaking.

If the award was not given to Lin Han, the judges would probably be embarrassed to face the media. Everyone knew that Lin Han's writing was astonishing, and when combined with his vivid imagination, it was like he had wings.

The other science fiction writers, scientists, and audience members, as well as the guests, began to whisper about who would win the first award.

The noise in the venue gradually increased. The nominees were slightly nervous, but their nervousness was tinged with despair. Everyone knew that they had a common opponent this time: Lin Han.

The popularity of "The Rural Teacher" was still fresh in everyone's mind, whether it was the heated discussions online or the sales in reality, or even the positive reviews, all of which made people hesitant to challenge it.

The nominees almost simultaneously turned their heads and fixed their gazes on Lin Han. Only by defeating him could they win the award.

At the same time, the live broadcast on various video websites attracted a large number of science fiction enthusiasts. Although the websites were分流 (diverting) the audience, the online viewership remained steady at around 300,000, with the chat messages refreshing rapidly.

"This award is so boring, is there any suspense about 'The Rural Teacher' winning?"

"Support Goddess Qian Silin, the Best Newcomer is definitely you!"

"If 'The Rural Teacher' doesn't win, I'll eat my own feces live on stream."

"Look how playful the editor is, deliberately cutting to everyone turning to look at Lin Han."

"I don't want Lin Han to win, but his writing is indeed very good."

"Reading 'I, Robot' made me a fan, front row support for Lin Han to become a science fiction god."

"First read 'The Rural Teacher,' then 'I, Robot,' completely blown away."

"Front row support for Lin Han, the god."

"Support 'The Moon Prisoner' without any explanation!"

...

The online comments did not affect the award ceremony. Lin Han, sitting upright, exhaled slightly. At this moment, he saw one of the judges of the Galaxy Award, Zhang Jiahao, walking onto the stage with an envelope.

"In the past year, it has been a pleasure to see so many talented new friends join the world of science fiction literature. Each of you is an excellent writer. After the committee's vote, the Best Newcomer of this year's Galaxy Award is Lin Han, for 'The Rural Teacher'! Congratulations to Lin Han, and best wishes to the other writers. I hope you will create more excellent works."

Lin Han, who had expected this, let out a long breath. He had been gripping the handle of his chair, and now he could finally relax. He stood up, shook hands with Tian Ran and Wu Zhentian, and then slowly walked up the aisle.

At this moment, Lin Han looked handsome and dashing. His 1.8-meter height and well-fitted suit made him look like a male star at the Golden Horse or Golden Rooster Awards.

This handsome face made the online chat messages explode. Many people knew his works but not his appearance. Upon seeing Lin Han, they were completely沸腾 (boiling) with excitement.

They had thought that science fiction writers were all unkempt, messy men or unremarkable middle-aged men, but who would have thought that he was such a handsome guy.

Good looks are justice, and the sudden surge of chat messages was the best proof.

Standing on the stage, Lin Han took the trophy with a dazed expression. He felt a bit dizzy, although he had always dreamed of this day.

But when the day finally came, he was overwhelmed by happiness and could only take several deep breaths to force himself to calm down.

"Wow, a few months ago, when I started writing science fiction on my computer, my former agent advised me not to be so pessimistic. She thought entering the world of science fiction was a dead end, but I did it! Unbelievable, I'm very happy that my novels are more popular than my movies."

Lin Han's self-deprecating humor to lighten the mood made the writers in the audience laugh. It seemed that everyone still remembered his past struggles.

Rather than being ridiculed by others, it was better to make fun of himself. So Lin Han happily raised the trophy and said, "This is just the beginning. I believe there will be more works to come. Thank you, Galaxy Award!"

As he walked off the stage, Lin Han's steps were a bit light. He still could not believe that he had really won the Galaxy Award. Although it was just the Best Newcomer, its value was far less than the main Galaxy Award.

Returning to his seat, Lin Han held his trophy tightly with both hands, unwilling to let go. He realized for the first time that he could do better and bring those science fiction classics to this world.

"I told you it would be you, now you can relax," Tian Ran said enviously, looking at Lin Han's trophy. He had never won the Best Newcomer Award.

Lin Han nodded. His heart was still beating rapidly, and he could not calm down. Who could have proven it for sure before he actually won it?

The Best Translation Award and Best Art Award were being presented, and Lin Han even saw a few foreign science fiction writers in the guest seats. This was far from being just a self-entertainment event for Chinese science fiction.

"The most popular foreign science fiction writer is Gene Wolfe, known for 'The Book of the New Sun'!"

With one award in hand, the world is mine. Lin Han was no longer concerned about the subsequent awards, as they were not related to him. He could just enjoy the show.

"For any kind of literature, the readers' opinions are our direction. Only by writing novels that satisfy the readers can we create true classics. In the past year, we invited all netizens and science fiction enthusiasts to vote. As of January 1, 2017, 140,000 netizens and 50,000 subscribers to 'Science Fiction World' participated in the voting. The work that won the 'Reader's Choice Award' of this year's Galaxy Award is 'The Rural Teacher'!"

"Congratulations to Lin Han. 'The Rural Teacher' with its 20,000-word length, paints a picture of reality and imagination intertwined. With a powerful work, it has expanded the scope of science fiction beyond traditional reading, creating a broader space for survival and showing the potential of science fiction to mainstream literature! In this vote, 'The Rural Teacher' received support from over 50,000 netizens. Please invite Mr. Lin Han to the stage to receive the award."

At this moment, Lin Han was completely stunned. He had actually outperformed those science fiction gods? The Reader's Choice Award was based on the number of fans.

As a newcomer in the science fiction world, Lin Han had never expected so many people to support him. This was a victory for Earth's science fiction!

...