Chapter 74 2/2

“It can be seen that the research team that created these high-tech devices spent a lot of time and effort on their dazzling appearance. This has made these products, which were rapidly developed in just one year, popular among the public.”

“From this perspective, these beautiful props from China have indeed played their due role. As long as they stand there, they don’t need to do anything, and they naturally win applause.”

To support these points of view, they also brought in the head of a well-known research institution in the country.

The person rattled on, using seemingly rigorous, gentle, and impartial statements. On the surface, they were praising, but in reality, every sentence subtly implied that these recent “globally trending in the tech world” high-tech products weren’t that impressive.

Shengquan wasn’t sure how netizens from other countries felt, but in China, public opinion instantly changed after this video interview appeared.

【Yeah, everyone doesn’t need to be so happy. The crew already said it’s just a prop. We’re so excited, and others might think we Chinese haven’t seen the world.】

【Am I the only one who knows that K country already has transport-type robotic dogs? They started using them two years ago. We’re two years behind and still acting like we’re amazing. It’s really embarrassing.】

【This video really makes me angry. I can understand everyone wanting to tell others about the development of our country’s technology, but when people find out that what we’re promoting isn’t that impressive, it’s really embarrassing.】

There was a confused netizen who commented: 【Aren’t we all just saying that the movie props are so realistic and impressive? Did we not boast about our country’s technology before?】

However, there were too many negative comments, and this netizen’s comment was quickly pushed down. She tried twice more, but each time, her comments were buried. In the end, she had to give up.

Shengquan flipped through the comments and basically understood the situation.

She wasn’t angry; in fact, she found it somewhat intriguing.

“It looks like there’s a water army in action.”

She put her phone on speaker, scrolling through these comments while talking to Gu Zhaotong: “Most likely, those prototypes stepped on someone’s cake.”

Gu Zhaotong also agreed: “I’ll have someone check right away.”

“No need. Regarding research matters, I’ll ask Professor Chen. Oh, she replied. It’s probably K country’s Kio Corporation. Hmm, they’re also in the guide dog direction. They are quite sensitive.”

If Shengquan hadn’t done promotional work, she might be angry. However, she had.

In cases like this, where public opinion suddenly changed overnight and a large number of “netizens” emerged saying different things with the same wording, it was most likely that someone was manipulating things behind the scenes.

Moreover, the reason the other party was causing trouble must involve interests.

Creating the current situation also required spending a lot of money. Setting up a water army alone was a significant expense.

Add to that bribing research institutions in various countries to say what they want to hear, giving media kickbacks, and so on.

“Big moves.” Shengquan, who was currently in a state of poverty, couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. “With this kind of money, they could develop new products. Why bother spending it on competitors?”

Like Shengquan, Gu Zhaotong’s emotional fluctuations hadn’t changed much due to this matter. Oh, no, they had changed.

He looked at the computer screen in front of him, and the light gray eyes harbored more ambition than usual.

“You’re right; this is a great opportunity.”

When Shengquan was in school, there was a period when she liked to read novels where the male lead was a domineering CEO. At that time, she didn’t know that the biggest figure in a company wasn’t the CEO but the chairman.

As for why authors consistently chose to write about CEOs rather than chairmen, she thought it might be because “CEO” sounded more sophisticated and high-end.

In those novels, various business wars always occurred. Young Shengquan, filled with excitement and passion, wanted to join the Navy SEALs.

After growing up and officially entering the workforce, she realized that most companies didn’t engage in business wars. Even if they did, everyone was very straightforward about it.

She still remembered some silly news she saw in her previous life.

A company’s boss hired corporate spies to sabotage a competitor. The spy was a security guard, secretly unplugging the competitor’s company’s electricity every night.

Of course, this was just an isolated case. Most companies engage in fierce competition through more straightforward means.

She also remembered some ridiculous news from her previous life.

A certain company’s boss hired industrial spies to investigate a competitor. The spy was a security guard who unplugged the competitor’s company’s electricity every night.

Although it might be low-end, it was effective. Some companies really went bankrupt because the competition released similar scandals about them.

This Kio Corporation, from the relevant news that had been searched so far, seemed to have had similar technology companies in K-country in the past. However, they all went bankrupt within two years, with various scandals exposed, and in the end, they were all acquired by Kio.

“This is hitting the jackpot with a public opinion war. They’ve even brought it to our doorstep.”

After looking through the news, Shengquan also gained a general understanding of Kio.

Kio might not think those prototype robotic dogs posed a threat to them. Most likely, they coveted the existing fame of those prototypes.

After all, the first appearance of the mechanical dogs was during the flood disaster in Lu City, Huaxia. While the whole nation was still focused on that event, it quickly gained international attention.

Coincidentally, Kio was about to launch a new product, and it seemed like their first promotional strategy was:

Seizing the opportunity of Huaxia’s mechanical dogs, taking away their existing fame, and building their own mechanical dogs on that foundation.

Gu Zhaotong: “They are good at creating momentum. Although their scale is not very large, they have always been famous internationally.”

Shengquan asked him, “Are they envious of their fame?”

Gu Zhaotong honestly replied, “Envious.”

Shengquan smiled. “Then let them be envious for a while. After some time, their fame will be ours.”

“I find it quite puzzling. Before deciding to engage in a public opinion war, didn’t they check what I do?”

Shengdong had a piece of dried fruit, unable to suppress the smile that appeared on her face.

“We’re Starlight Entertainment, an entertainment industry company, after all.”

***

Indeed, the international discourse quickly changed.

The previously popular Huaxia mechanical dogs were soon declared “technologically immature” by professional institutions from various countries.

Of course, this was understandable. After all, these mechanical dogs were originally developed as props for movie shooting, and the developers were said to be a team of university students. It was already impressive that they had achieved what they did.

It could only be said that they were good as props, but the hype was a bit too much.

The critics spoke in a sophisticated manner, not outright disparaging the mechanical dogs from the set of “Interstellar War,” but rather using the narrative that they were “only suitable as props, yet the public exaggerated their capabilities.”

Once the criticism was enough, it was time to introduce Kio Corporation’s new guide dog.

The narrative was roughly: “The Huaxia mechanical dogs you desired to buy earlier are too weak. However, don’t worry; now there is a new guide dog from Kio. It not only guides the visually impaired but can also be used as a robotic pet, even more powerful than you imagined before.”

Moreover, it had passed the 【Robot Design】 test of a renowned international research institution, scoring 4.2 out of 6. This institution was highly authoritative, with a rigorous testing process, and their fees were high. Still, at the same time, it meant that they couldn’t be bribed.

Because if any tested scientific result turned out to be problematic, this institution, which had been established for nearly a century and gained immense international fame, would instantly collapse.

Therefore, it was impossible for them to falsify the data. Additionally, out of caution, they would carefully assign scores, relying mostly on test data, with human participation accounting for only two percent.

In the realm of robotic achievements, 3.5 was a pass, and 4.2 was already an excellent score. The previous high record was 4.1.

This proved that Kio’s guide mechanical dog, with its 4.2 score, could be considered top-notch worldwide.

Everything was going smoothly.

After spending a considerable amount of promotional funds, Kio Corporation successfully stripped away the fame from the Huaxia mechanical dogs and, with that massive reputation as a foundation, aggressively marketed their own product.

The fame of Kio’s guide mechanical dog grew like a snowball rolling downhill. Finally, after receiving a high score of 4.2 in the test, it became a global sensation.

Shengquan, who had remained silent, finally made a move.

Shengquan: “The movie props have finally turned into real products. You guessed it right; the product is a guide mechanical dog. I took some time to have it tested, and it scored 5.3.”

【Score Chart Image】【Cool Mechanical Dog Image】

As soon as the Weibo post was made, all the artists under Starlight Entertainment, regardless of their level of fame, instantly reposted it.

In the current entertainment industry, who wouldn’t give Shengquan a bit of a face?

Soon, actively competing for annual awards, Yan Hui forwarded the post.

The current popular TV drama female lead, Lin Aike, forwarded it.

The actress known as the “Queen of Winning Awards” with numerous dedicated fans, Hua Qing, forwarded it.

The singer, who had just finished a highly attended concert, Jin Jiu, with countless fans, forwarded it.

The internationally renowned sensation with countless foreign fans, Jiang Zhen, forwarded it.

The director who became famous after directing “The Cultivator” and now had people wanting to invest everywhere she went, Xu Man, forwarded it.

All the artists under Starlight Entertainment, each one counted, regardless of their fame, were all reposted.

Now, in the entertainment industry, who wouldn’t give Shengquan a bit of a face?

The moment the red-hot young actress reposted, followed by the famous veteran actor, the renowned writer and director, and even the owner of a certain entertainment company, the artists under that company quickly reposted as well.

Shengquan didn’t just post on Weibo; she also had accounts on commonly used international platforms. As a 10G surfer, how could she not?

Don’t forget about the Starlight Banquet.

The Starlight Banquet not only expanded Shengquan’s network but also made more people want to be part of her network. Not to mention the financial strength that could be admired in any country, just this year’s banquet had many people wanting to attend.

At moments when you could gain visibility with just a little effort, no one would find it troublesome.

On international platforms:

A well-known actor from Country A reposted

An internationally renowned opera singer reposted.

A top-tier actress from Country C reposted

A currently trending boy group from Country B reposted

Kio Corporation was anxious but could only watch as one celebrity after another reposted their news.

There were too many—really too many.

With the celebrities’ reposts, fans from various countries also saw this new piece of information.

——Boom!

Everyone’s spirits were instantly lifted.

If it were in the past, perhaps they wouldn’t have paid much attention to guiding mechanical dogs. However, hadn’t Kio Corporation just marketed them extensively? People who were previously uninterested had become somewhat interested due to prolonged exposure to the marketing.

Their first reaction was: “The 4.2 score was already so impressive; it feels like experts worldwide are calling it a miracle.”

The 5.3 score! Isn’t that even more impressive?

Huaxia unexpectedly has such advanced technology! Look! I must check this out!

In an extremely short time, all potential buyers of Kio’s guide robots turned their attention to Huaxia’s “movie props.”

Kio Corporation was in chaos, but they could only remain in chaos.

At this moment, everything they did was ineffective; the roles of the deprived and the depriver had switched.

The situation they had painstakingly built over more than three months, along with the massive fame gained from Huaxia’s mechanical dogs, was reversed in just seven hours.