Chapter 69: Rainstorm Wild Temple 31 Part 1
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Because the production team fully cooperated with the authorities to suppress and explain the news and because Zhang Wubing made adjustments to the program, aligning with the authorities, the main screen of the program was temporarily transformed into a dedicated channel for showcasing the beautiful scenery, culture, and tourism promotion of Wild Wolf Peak. It also continued to address questions about previous scenes in the program. As a result, the various speculations that had been circulating on major online platforms gradually subsided.
Additionally, due to Yan Shixun’s earlier oversight of forgetting to turn off his split screen, the scene where he directly killed the evil entity during the live broadcast was seen by millions of viewers.
Despite the efforts of the authorities and the production team, many people eventually started to become skeptical about the existence of the supernatural elements and began to lean towards believing the official explanation that the production team had encountered criminals.
However, due to the incredibly swift and precise movements during the fight scene, every frame exuding a sense of overwhelming and fierce power, combined with the aura of haughty recklessness from Yan Shixun and the eerie horror of the temple, a stark and captivating visual contrast was created.
As a result, these screenshots, captured by fans, circulated widely on social media platforms, leaving those who saw them in awe. The visuals showcased during the fight scene, Yan Shixun’s arrogant and fearless demeanor, and the eerie atmosphere of the temple created a striking and captivating contrast.
Therefore, the program did not suffer a decline in its reputation due to the perilous situation it faced. On the contrary, it became a hot topic, repeatedly topping the charts on social media platforms. There were over a dozen trending hashtags related to the program. They continued to climb the real-time popularity charts. The number of participants in discussions even surpassed ten million at one point.
What initially started as a program struggling to find guests, overlooked and underestimated by everyone, had truly become a top-tier phenomenon in the world of variety shows.
Its online popularity was second only to a long-running top-tier variety show.
The participants in this program, including those who were previously less well-known, saw a significant increase in their online presence. Even the relatively unknown third-rate male celebrity gained tens of thousands of new followers and secured endorsement deals.
People like An Nanyuan and Bai Shuang, who were considered “veteran guests” of the program, saw a rapid surge in their fan base. Their respective management companies had to reevaluate their status and the significance of their participation in the show.
Even actors like Zhao Zhen, who had a certain level of acting skills but hadn’t gained much popularity due to pursuing a more serious acting path, were noticed by the audience thanks to their outstanding performance in the program.
Despite his injuries, Zhao Zhen continued to accompany the other guests, enduring the pain without a single complaint and never slowing down the group.
At times when he realized his stamina was seriously depleted and he might not be able to keep up with the others, he willingly suggested that the rest of the group go ahead while he figured out a solution.
This attitude and approach made many viewers appreciate Zhao Zhen’s sense of responsibility, and they started to have a favorable impression of him.
It was only then that they noticed Zhao Zhen had appeared in several well-known dramas, often in important supporting or lead roles, but he had always kept a low profile. This discovery pleasantly surprised the audience, and they quickly began following Zhao Zhen’s social media accounts, causing his fan base to triple in just a few days.
Zhao Zhen’s sudden rise to fame caught the attention of many talent agencies. They saw him as an example and concluded that the show “Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days” had significant commercial value. Almost unanimously, these agencies decided to push their artists to become part of the show’s cast.
Even if the show had already experienced a couple of dangerous incidents in just two episodes, what did it matter?
In the entertainment industry where online popularity reigned supreme, how many people had struggled for years without getting a single chance? This show could turn an obscure actor into a sensation, making them memorable to the audience. It could also instantly revive the careers of actors who had been abandoned by the mainstream media.
Even someone like Yan Shixun, who did not engage in any fan management, team promotion, or even maintain a social media presence, gained such a high level of discussion on social platforms!
For the sake of online buzz, countless individuals were willing to undertake various risky actions and employ all means to try and trend on real-time search rankings, yet their efforts often yielded minimal results.
Now, there’s an opportunity right in front of them. Just by participating in a variety show, they can turn their careers around. How could they not go all out for it?
Moreover, the most important factor was that, despite the show’s frequent encounters with danger, there had never been a death. Even if participants got injured, it was within the tolerance range for artists who were single-mindedly pursuing online popularity.
They watched the injuries of all the guests on the show, finally making up their minds. They sent frantic applications to the production team and the director of the show “Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days,” expressing their determination not to fear injuries, to be willing to bear the consequences, and to participate in the show.
They wanted to take a gamble for their careers!
So, following the first episode that brought this variety show into the view of numerous companies and artists, the second episode’s level of discussion and the traffic it brought to the show’s guests truly put this variety show on the white list of all talent agencies and artists.
Everyone was frantically looking for the contact information of the production team members. Director Zhang Wubing’s work phone was even bombarded with calls, forcing him to temporarily shut it down for some peace and quiet.
Some high-ranking officials from major entertainment companies directly used their connections to find Zhang Wubing’s relatives at home. They hoped that, for the sake of face and respect, Zhang Wubing would include their company’s artists in the guest list.
After all, it was clear to everyone that two of the previous episode’s guests were seriously injured and not suitable for further participation. As for the injured Zhao Zhen and the other guests who were frightened, no one could be sure if they would voluntarily withdraw from the show. Plus, there was the matter of the elimination of the last place guest through the popularity vote…
Talent agencies were calculating the available slots on the show’s guest list and figuring out if they could squeeze in one or two of their own artists.
Upon receiving a call from a business acquaintance in the industry and hearing them mention Zhang Wubing, Father Zhang initially thought it was about his own troublesome but always clamoring to become a director and fulfill his dreams son, causing some kind of trouble that other companies were now complaining about.
However, to his surprise, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, the caller began to generously use terms like “young talent” and “promising youth” to praise Zhang Wubing. Finally, the conversation shifted towards wanting their own artists to participate in Zhang Wubing’s show.
Father Zhang: ???
Never in a million years did he expect a situation so drastically different from what he had anticipated. He was baffled.
Immediately, he called his secretary. It was the first time, after Zhang Wubing had left home and set out on his own to pursue his dreams despite their disagreement, that he had actively inquired about Zhang Wubing’s situation.
The secretary was somewhat surprised.
After all, both father and son in the Zhang family were equally stubborn.
One was working tirelessly to ensure his son’s survival, having already stated that he would be happy to keep his son at home and take care of him for the rest of his life, if that’s what it took. He could afford it.
The other was single-mindedly pursuing his dreams, determined to become a renowned director. Even after breaking free from the protection of his elders for over two decades, he remained weak and vulnerable, like a piece of fat that could be easily snatched away by a pack of wolves. Yet, he refused to give up.
After Zhang Wubing left home, Father Zhang stopped providing any assistance to him and even informed all his friends in the entertainment industry not to help Zhang Wubing. He then stubbornly decided not to look at any news related to Zhang Wubing, intending to wait at home until Zhang Wubing’s show failed, so that he could return home and face some hardships.
But now, Father Zhang had taken the initiative to inquire about Zhang Wubing’s situation.
The secretary quickly regained composure from the surprise and provided a brief report on what had happened in Zhang Wubing’s recent activities on the show. He also explained the current popularity and success of the program.
When Zhang’s father heard about Zhang Wubing’s two close calls on the show, a brief moment of concern flickered in his eyes. Then he snorted, “It’s just a lousy TV program. Is it really worth him going all out like this? Do we not provide him with enough food and drink at home? Can’t he learn from other kids how to enjoy being born into a wealthy family? Even if he buys cars and land at will, he still goes out and runs around like he’s being mistreated by us. How much money can he make?
But despite his words, Father Zhang had a proud smile on his face, even straightening his posture to appear quite pleased.
“These are just children’s games, something kids play together. Why are a bunch of old folks getting involved?”
When Father Zhang remembered the purpose of the call from the entertainment company’s CEO just now, he huffed, “Let the little one play by himself. Let him do whatever he wants. As for the others… there’s no need to interfere with his decisions. Let him deal with the guests and artists himself! So we won’t have anyone to blame if the program goes south.”
The secretary chuckled but didn’t comment on Father Zhang’s stubborn refusal to say what was really on his mind.
Then, the secretary turned around and rejected all requests from the entertainment companies, making it clear that the Zhang family would not get involved, provide opinions, or intervene in Zhang Wubing’s program in any way. He instructed the staff to refuse any similar requests in the future.
All joke aside, Zhang Wubing had been the beloved child of the Zhang family for over twenty years. Now that he had decided to do something, he didn’t need others to influence him. With Father Zhang backing him, no one could interfere with or influence Zhang Wubing’s program for their own interests, even if they wanted to destroy it.
Among the rejected requests, there was one from the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment Company.
However, his request was different from the others. He didn’t intend to use Father Zhang’s connections to push his company’s artists into Zhang Wubing’s program. Instead, he wanted to approach Yan Shixun.
——Yaxing Entertainment Company was currently the largest entertainment company, with an unassailable position in the world of idols. They hosted talent shows annually and produced high-quality idols and idol groups, making them a household name for anyone interested in idols and talent shows.
And currently, among the show’s guests, An Nanyuan and Anthony were the active idol and pre-debut trainee from their company.
The negative public opinion had caused Anthony to lose his basic fan base even before his debut. Data analysts, after analyzing Anthony’s current online data and commercial value, have already recommended to the company to give up on Anthony. This also signified that the plan of creating an artificial top-tier idol by Yaxing Entertainment has completely failed.
However, when this report was presented to the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment, what caught his attention was not the further success of An Nanyuan or the complete failure of Anthony.
Instead, he noticed Yan Shixun.
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment was a firm believer in Feng Shui. He had engaged the services of many masters to design and adjust the Feng Shui of his homes and company. There were hardly any renowned temples, Taoist temples, or even hidden local masters in China who hadn’t been visited by him.
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment took his superstitions to another level. Not only did he consult Feng Shui masters for himself and his family, but he also insisted on having all of his company’s artists undergo similar consultations. Whether it was determining how company resources should be allocated, setting the debut dates for artists, deciding when to release albums, or even selecting concert venues, all of these decisions had to be made after consulting with these masters.
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment’s fanatical superstitions were well-known even within the circle of CEOs.
After hearing the purpose of the visit from the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment, Father Zhang furrowed his brows and said, “If you simply want to get to know my son’s friend, I can consider introducing you. But if you’re looking for Mr. Yan to provide Feng Shui or fortune-telling services, I strongly advise against it. You should seek out other masters for that.”
Considering the numerous times over the years when Yan Shixun had rescued his son, and the countless times he had heard his son praise Yan Shixun enthusiastically, Father Zhang earnestly cautioned the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment, “Mr. Yan doesn’t practice Feng Shui or fortune-telling. If you invite him for such purposes, like adjusting the Feng Shui of your home or adding decorations, based on what I’ve heard from my son about Mr. Yan’s character, he might just get so angry that he’ll dismantle your house.”
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment was taken aback, never expecting that Yan Shixun would have such a temper. He grew somewhat anxious and said, “How could this happen? Bro, please give me Mr. Yan’s phone number, and I’ll talk to him! Bro, rest assured, I absolutely won’t fall short of Mr. Yan when it comes to money.”
“Moreover, Mr. Yan is currently participating in your son’s program, right? My secretary told me that Mr. Yan hasn’t made his debut yet. Yaxing happens to be the best at nurturing stars. If Mr. Yan is willing to help me, I will definitely return the favor and make sure Mr. Yan becomes a blazing sensation all over the country!”
Father Zhang still refused the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment , saying, “Although I’ve only met Mr. Yan a few times, I’ve heard quite a bit about what he’s done from my son, so I have some superficial knowledge of Mr. Yan. Forgive me for being frank, but everything you’ve mentioned is something Mr. Yan wouldn’t care about. Moreover, you probably haven’t carefully reviewed the information about Mr. Yan that your company has compiled.”
Father Zhang raised his hand and flipped through a report provided by his secretary. He turned to the section that recorded Yan Shixun’s performance on the show, with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. “If it weren’t for my son, Mr. Yan wouldn’t have participated in this show at all. As for the compensation and the promise of fame that you value, they are things that Mr. Yan would scoff at.”
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment was somewhat stunned, saying, “How can this be…? Is there a maestro that can’t be persuaded by money? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to become famous?”
Even after hanging up the phone, the CEO of Yaxing Entertainment sat in his office until it was dark outside, unable to figure out what had happened.
He stared out of the tall office building’s window at the bustling and colorful city below, still unwilling to give up and thinking about giving it another try.
The program faced danger several times, and it was always thanks to Yan Shixun that they averted disaster. Masters he knew have also said that Yan Shixun’s facial features is extremely rare, something they have seen very rarely in their lifetimes. Moreover, it seems that Yan Shixun might have a connection with Haiyun Temple.
All of this indicates that Yan Shixun is a person with genuine talent and skills.
If they could get Yan Shixun to do Feng Shui readings for him and the company, how could his career not take a leap?
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment made up his mind and called the department head.
“I heard that in the TV show our artists are participating in, there’s some conflict between Yan Shixun and one of them?”
“Yes, that guy named Yan Shixun is just an amateur. It’s unbelievable how he dared to treat our Yaxing’s trainee that way. It’s infuriating. Yan Shixun does have some issues with Anthony…”
“Didn’t he get injured? Then replace him. Yaxing has so many talents waiting to debut; we don’t need him. Since he’s provoked Yan Shixun, there’s no need to keep him. Just terminate his contract.”
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment stated ruthlessly, “Afterwards, remember to personally go and apologize to Yan Shixun, and bring that guy, Anthony, with you. Don’t come back until you’ve obtained Yan Shixun’s forgiveness.”
The department head was bewildered, “But Yan Shixun is just an amateur, he doesn’t have any company backing him…”
“Also, if Yan Shixun has a good relationship with someone from our company, make sure that person speaks well of us in front of Yan Shixun, offer good resources, and let Yan Shixun see our sincerity.”
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment didn’t pay any attention to the surprise of the department head. He felt that the department head had a narrow view and couldn’t see the higher and more terrifying value of Yan Shixun. He said, “Since you know that Yan Shixun hasn’t debuted, why don’t you personally invite him to sign with our company? Can’t do it? Let me teach you?”
The department head, who had been supporting Anthony all along and even used the company’s top idol An Nanyuan as a stepping stone for Anthony, was scolded by the CEO and had to nod and respond over the phone.
The CEO of Yaxing Entertainment snorted, and hung up the phone.
Then he looked around his office filled with various Feng Shui ornaments, thinking about Yan Shixun’s mysterious performance on the variety show. He became even more excited about Yan Shixun’s arrival.
With a powerful Feng Shui master, Yaxing’s development was bound to flourish.
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