Chapter 372: Battle of the Young Masters (Part Seven)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
This prodigal actually agreed! “Martial Spirit” has all along been incurring losses. And now it could be sold for one million, hahaha! This is just too funny!
Ko Gohon’s mood was happy as ever, as he smiled and said, “In that case, I’ll wait for Young Master Dali’s money, haha.”
“Mm, no problem.” Hong Dali wasn’t the least self-conscious of his squandering. “Then, we can just do the procedures today.”
After hanging up the call, Tang Muxin exclaimed, “Dali, that’s one million! One million! You can just directly give the author’s family this sum of money, why do you need to give it to that annoying rascal Ko Gohon!”
“I know.” Hong Dali shrugged. “The problem is that we don’t know the contact details of the author. What choice do I have then?” Hong Dali turned his head and looked at Ling Xiaoyi. “Give the author’s family another 2 million. Oh right. Sister Xiaoyi, make the arrangements at Luo Xue’s family’s side. Also, tell Zhong Dian website not to hype this issue!”
“OK, Young Master.” Ling Xiaoyi nodded.
“Alright.” Tang Muxin thought for a while, but in the end, she nodded and said, “Though you’re squandering this time, it’s a good way to squander on!”
…
In the group chat for Feng Yun website authors—
Author One: “Has ‘Martial Spirit’ been completely blocked? I can’t find it no matter how I search for it, and I was still thinking of supporting it, sigh.”
Author Two: “Yes, those from the above are definitely planning to tone this matter down as soon as possible. If it goes on like this, in a few days, this matter will just die down like that. Sigh, a long-time author has died, yet there aren’t even any words from them. So heartless.”
Author Three: “Big news! Something big has happened! ‘Martial Spirit’ can’t be found at Feng Yun side already, right? Zhong Dian website has actually published this book and officially released a notice on it. This is really big news! Everyone, quickly go and take a look!”
Author Two: “Really?! I’ll go and take a look right away!”
…
On Zhong Dian website, on the official website.
A huge banner was hung in the central position of the main webpage. The title was “Carrying On Luo Xue’s Unfulfilled Wish, Officially Searching For Authors To Continue Writing ‘Martial Spirit’!”
Upon clicking into the post, the content inside made all the authors’ eyes lit up.
Zhong Dian website’s Official Announcement—
“Author of ‘Martial Spirit,’ Luo Xue, has unfortunately passed away. Thus, Zhong Dian website, in order to do its utmost to help Luo Xue’s family, has invested one million to purchase the contact details and all the copyrights of the author of ‘Martial Spirit.’ Now, Zhong Dian website officially announces that ‘Martial Spirit’ already belongs to Zhong Dian website. Now, we’re searching for authors willing to continue writing Martial Spirit till it finishes. At the same time, Zhong Dian website promises that all the subsequent earnings of Martial Spirit, after deducting taxes, will all belong to Luo Xue’s family.”
This was the full content of Zhong Dian website’s declaration. It did not mention a word about what Hong Dali did.
Ever since this piece of news had been released by Zhong Dian website, countless people started to award and support “Martial Spirit” which had already transferred to Zhong Dian website!
And after this announcement had been released by Zhong Dian website, a Great God-level author named Tian Yuanlong from Feng Yun website posted the following—
“Fight fight fight! Fight against Zhong Dian website for creating hype using Luo Xue’s incident!”
Main content—
“Luo Xue has passed away. This is truly a very sad thing. But I didn’t expect that Zhong Dian website would use this matter to create hype. I really can’t help but despise this! And a so-called one million bought the opportunity to create hype, this is really cheap, it makes people look down on them! As expected, they’re businessmen, very good at grabbing opportunities!
“Why do they want to buy the copyright of ‘Martial Spirit’? Isn’t it because they recognized the opportunity to create hype this time? One million is not a small figure! Having no bottom line when it comes to creating hype, this is really unbearable to witness any further!”
Once this post came out, the internet instantly descended into chaos!
In the various authors’ group chats—
Author One: “Damn it, Zhong Dian website totally doesn’t have any bottom line. The person is already dead, yet they’re still creating hype?!”
Author Two: “Damn you, can you get some brains first before you scold people? Is there even a need for Zhong Dian to use this matter to create hype? You don’t have brains yet you still dare to come out and expose it!”
Author Three: “This time, Zhong Dian’s side has not done this very nicely. Previously, I still thought that Hong Dali was quite a good person. I didn’t think it would turn out this way. Disappointed!”
Author Four: “What the heck, are you an idiot, Young Master is that kind of person? Can you use your brain before you speak?”
…
On the online novel forum—
“Fight! Fight! Zhong Dian website is shameless, using the deceased to create hype!”
“Get lost, people from Feng Yun. Is Young Master that kind of person? Don’t you all have brains?!”
“Go to work+Write novels+Learn drawing+Play COS+Make props+Watch anime+Laze in bed and sleep, I’m still alive.”
“Regarding Luo Xue, writers, do you dare to have some sympathy?”
…
Chenhui Building.
Hong Dali lay on Li Nianwei’s lap and asked Ling Xiaoyi, “Sister Xiaoyi, how are the arrangements going at Luo Xue’s side?”
“They are more or less done. We’ve already communicated with Luo Xue’s mother. Also, we’re planning to fork out a sum of money to buy a new house for his family members, to let them have a place to live in their retirement.” Ling Xiaoyi slowly said, “But Luo Xue has a younger sister. Young Master, do you have any plans on that?”
“Younger sister…” Hong Dali thought for a while. “Send her to New Lanxiang campus city. The environment there is better. Oh right, iPartment should already be built, right? Arrange for his family to stay in an apartment there—give them a bigger one, with shops around the area. Anyway, I’m not planning to collect money from there.”
“OK.” Ling Xiaoyi nodded. “There aren’t any more problems. It’s just that this time, many people are scolding us and saying that we are using this incident to create hype. Young Master, do you want to respond to these?”
Upon hearing what Ling Xiaoyi had said, Tang Muxin angrily said, “This group of people, they can’t tell good from bad!”
Even Li Nianwei, whose personality was calm and composed, nodded. “Yes, sigh, they can’t tell right from wrong.”
“I’ll not respond.” Hong Dali insipidly said, “If I respond, that would really be creating hype. They can say all they want to, we just need to do what we want to do. Oh right, I heard that Luo Xue’s father is handicapped?”
“Yes, Young Master.” Ling Xiaoyi said, “A car accident caused the loss of both of his legs from the knee down. Or else, Luo Xue wouldn’t have to tire himself out to this extent.”
“Mm…” Hong Dali nodded. “After we’ve developed our endoskeleton, give him one set.”
“OK.”
…
In the group chats for Feng Yun website authors—
Author One: “They’re actually selling copyrights at this time! Needless to say, I’m not writing my book anymore. I want to go back to Zhong Dian!”
Author Two: “I’ll go back too. Feng Yun’s side has actually sold all the copyrights, they’re just so damn careless about it!”
Tian Yuanlong: “What the heck, Feng Yun gives you such high prices yet you want to be traitors!”
Author One: “F*ck you! This proves that I still have a conscience, unlike you!”
Tian Yuanlong: “Damn, a traitor is acting all superior here! You haven’t even figured out clearly who is the one that gives you money and supports your living. If you want to leave, leave quickly, don’t affect our moods! I’m fine with my new book which has published 1.7 million words within half a year. I can play around every day.”
Author Two: “Damn you, you’re giving up even your conscience for the sake of money, aren’t you?!”
Author Two was kicked out from Feng Yun authors’ group chat.
Author One: “What the heck, you’re still kicking people out, I dare you to kick me out as well!”
Author One was kicked out from Feng Yun authors’ group chat.
Tian Yuanlong: “Don’t blame me for being honest. This is the group for Feng Yun authors, and the group prohibits any discussions about Zhong Dian website! Any more discussions, and you’ll be kicked out of the group without any hesitation!”
…
Just when there was chaos on the internet, “Martial Spirit” had undergone a huge change!
It was first the five Supreme Gods of Zhong Dian website who each gave one million Zhong Dian coins as tips. And then, very soon later, the number of people tipping “Martial Spirit” had reached a new peak once again!
Initially, only about 1,000 or so readers and authors tipped “Martial Spirit.” However, very soon, the scale started to greatly increase, and when nighttime came, the number of people giving tips had already exceeded 10,000. And it was still continuously increasing.
…
Feng Yun website headquarters building.
“Young Master, at the moment, there are already close to a hundred authors planning to return to Zhong Dian website. These are all the authors that we’d paid a high price for their chapters when we just started the website.” GM Liu from Feng Yun website stood in front of Ko Gohon and Shiroishi Kazuma and reported.
“So many have left?!” Ko Gohon paced back and forth in the room. “Are there any movements at the authors’ group chat now?!”
“Currently, there’s not much going on,” GM Liu answered. “Now, things have toned down at the authors’ side. According to your idea, we have pushed all the blame on this matter to Zhong Dian website taking the opportunity to create hype. Approximately more than half of the authors in the authors’ group chat have expressed their support, and the reactions on that are not very big! Especially an author called Tian Yuanlong, he’s extremely supportive of us!”
“Mm, that’s good!” Ko Gohon firmly decided. “Increase the recommendations for all the authors that have supported us this time! Promote that Tian Yuanlong with all your might! As for those who have left, remove all their books and get them to completely disappear!”
“Young Master, aren’t we keeping anyone of them?” GM Liu cautiously said, “The quality of their books is not bad. If they just leave like that, it’s quite a pity…”
“Mm…” Ko Gohon wasn’t anxious to reply, but asked instead, “Oh right, about how many authors have left in total? How is the impact on the updated books?”
“According to the calculations, we’ve lost approximately 400 books or so.” GM Liu replied.
“400 books, 400 books, it’s not little…” Ko Gohon anxiously pranced around the room and then irritatedly waved his hand. “Go out first, I’ll think about it again!”
“Yes.” GM Liu instantly went out.
After he’d left, Ko Gohon instantly took out his smartphone and made a call, then anxiously said, “Uncle Kazuma, quite a lot of authors have left because of the incident this time. We’ve lost approximately 400 books, what should we do?”
“How can you do big things if you’re so flustered!” Shiroishi Kazuma said in a low voice, “It’s even better that they leave, don’t keep any one of them!”
“Ah?!” Ko Gohon was shocked. “Why? That’s over 400 authors, over 100 elite writers! It’s fine that those without contracts left, but it wasn’t easy for us to poach those with flat fees!”
“The aim is to let them leave by themselves.” Shiroishi Kazuma insipidly said, “Once they leave, our spendings would decrease greatly. Also, get the editor to ask the unofficial authors to hurry up and speed up in completing their books. Take this opportunity to directly clear them all!”