Chapter 47: Qiang, Please Be Safe!
Su Mu subtly probed Zhang Huaimo for information.
He gleaned quite a bit. Aside from details about the screenwriter and the script, the most important revelation was that the producer of this round of "Langya List" was Penguin Video.
If it’s a major platform, negotiating pay afterwards would be much more confident.
After all, they're not short on funds.
…
…
Days with hope for the future rush by, much like a young man encountering a captivating woman—swift and exhilarating.
With just a little exertion, September slipped away in a hurry.
And then—
It arrived.
Yes,
After countless calls and anticipation, the drama "Wild Surge" officially premiered.
Actually, over the past month, though everyone seemed busy with their own affairs and things appeared calm on the surface, deep down, this new drama lingered in their minds.
After all, Su Mu had stirred up such a storm of public opinion before; there had to be some outcome.
Some were hopeful.
Some waited, ready to voice doubts.
Others simply wanted a result—like seeing Su Mu make a fool of himself, or watching him ruin the entire drama so they could criticize him with righteous fervor.
There were even those who hoped Su Mu would fail spectacularly, perhaps even so badly that he’d lose his supporters and fans.
That would mean one less competitor for resources.
On the night of the premiere,
Hot searches were everywhere.
Su Mu’s name, dormant for a month, once again topped the trending charts.
Following Kiwi’s usual practice, twelve episodes were released in succession, with the first few free and subsequent ones available for VIP early access.
The entire series would be updated over about a month.
After roughly a week, public ratings would be available.
…
On the first day of airing,
Viewers saw Su Mu’s portrayal of Gao Qiqiang in the early episodes.
Some laughed.
[Bullet comments:
What the hell? Is that Su Mu? Hahaha! That look is incredible!
My goodness, Su Mu is really going all out—he doesn’t look like a villain, more like a loser!
So pathetic! I’ve never seen Su Mu look so ugly! Haha!
Just a fish seller, a so-called “fish-killing maniac”?
Pfft, his character is so humble, not as comfortable as the protagonist.
So weak! It’s painful to watch!
Damn... Can’t you stop being bullied? Be tougher! Is this it?]
But on the second day,
The plot moved forward.
Viewers saw Gao Qiqiang, alone in the night, agonizing over his choices.
Suddenly, the public sentiment exploded!
[Bullet comments:
Whoa! Brother Qiang, don’t look back—just keep going ruthlessly!
Su Mu’s acting is fantastic!
Brother Qiang, keep walking this path!
This plot is amazing!
Damn, I kind of hope Gao Qiqiang doesn’t get caught by the police now.]
Third day.
Fourth day.
Fifth...
As the episodes increased and the story unfolded,
At some point,
Everyone began to worry for Su Mu—no, for Gao Qiqiang.
Afraid he'd be discovered by the police, afraid he'd get caught.
Afraid he'd leave clues by being careless.
Even more afraid he'd make nothing from his criminal path!
[Comments:
Brother Qiang! You have to make money!
It’s fine—my Brother Qiang sells fish with his left hand and wields strategy with his right, invincible!
The War God of Frozen Fish is invincible in the early episodes, but why isn’t he as fierce later on?
What should Brother Qiang do! Please, let him survive until the end!
From now on, whenever you see Gao Qiqiang, bow your head in respect! So cool!]
For a time,
Gao Qiqiang’s classic quotes were spreading wildly across the internet.
Paired with Su Mu’s song “Listen” as the background music,
It quickly became a sensation.
Meanwhile, Su Mu’s acting began to amaze everyone.
No one expected Su Mu to portray Gao Qiqiang so brilliantly.
Those who had waited to criticize him unwittingly joined the ranks of strategists rooting for Gao Qiqiang.
By the end, people completely forgot who the protagonist was.
Yes, the protagonist was Su Mu!
Even if he played a villain.
…
…
At Giant Elephant Media,
Zhou Wanming’s voice rang out from the office: “What’s going on? I just finished an episode—why isn’t there another?”
Li Hui and Li Xinjie, sitting across from him, wore expressions sour as lemons.
Li Hui replied helplessly, “You haven’t bought a membership. The next two episodes require VIP access.”
Zhou Wanming realized, “Oh, right, hurry up—buy me a membership! I’m right at the critical moment. How did Gao Qiqiang finally deal with the village chief?
Tsk tsk, Su Mu’s acting is amazing! Who would have thought he could act this well? I never noticed before. If I’d known, I would’ve insisted he join the historical romance at year’s end.”
Li Hui: “...”
Li Xinjie: “...”
The air suddenly grew quiet.
To be honest, it was terribly awkward.
The two of them were still sitting right there—was it appropriate to say that?
And to buy a membership just to watch “Wild Surge”—is that right?
Li Hui really wanted to lash out at Zhou Wanming.
After all, Li Xinjie was about to start filming soon; this was the company’s own investment in a new historical romance to fit next year’s trend.
And yet here he was, glued to his phone watching Gao Qiqiang.
Is that appropriate?
Of course, Li Hui knew Su Mu’s acting was outstanding.
It completely exceeded his expectations.
He had even watched it secretly.
Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Su Mu’s portrayal of Gao Qiqiang really turned things around.
Everyone’s faces were figuratively slapped.
They’d thought Su Mu playing a villain would damage his image and persona.
But not only did it not affect him, it made people adore him even more.
Especially after Gao Qiqiang reached his peak—those flamboyant suits became a trend.
Brands endorsed by Su Mu seized the opportunity, investing heavily to promote his image.
Coincidentally, it was a line of high-end suits.
Combined with the retro gangster look of Gao Qiqiang, the killer and arsonist,
In just a few weeks, sales soared.
It was said that even the stock price rose!
Liu Qiangxi, director for the Huaxia region, gave Su Mu a 20% raise in his endorsement fee overnight.
Rumor has it he’s grinning from ear to ear right now.
Who could argue with that?
Li Hui and Li Xinjie were so frustrated they could grind their molars to dust.
…
At Tianxing Media,
At that moment, Zhang Hua’an and his NNQT effeminate boy group were no happier than Li Hui.
After all, his rivalry with Qian Jida had been going on for years.
As long as the other side was doing better, it was a disaster for him.
But now,
Qian Jida had cultivated a money tree,
Thick, robust, and fruitful.
Looking at his own situation,
Zhang Hua’an glanced at the boy group members behind him, each with a face mask, and fumed inside.
Technically, the artists under his management weren’t lacking.
If any of them could achieve something,
They wouldn’t be losing endorsements to Su Mu.
“An’an, have you seen my SKII skin care essence? Help me find it—I want to do my skincare while watching Gao Qiqiang,” a handsome young man asked.
Zhang Hua’an’s composure snapped.
The anger he’d been suppressing finally erupted.
“An’an, my foot! You’ve all been completely crushed by Su Mu, and you still have the mood for skincare! Listen, all four of you—next month, you’re running press tours nonstop. Run yourselves ragged, for all I care!”
“???”
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