Chapter 48: The Number One Whaling Fan

Since the release of Xiao Chi’s new song “If Immortals Had Feelings”, in just two days, the number of views surpassed 8 million. While it hasn’t yet caught up with Lu Sheng and the virtual idol Tang Wanwan’s long-accumulated numbers, it was rising at an astonishing speed.

Countless passersby, moved by Xiao Chi’s celestial appearance and the tender, emotional melody, were left spellbound by the final line “Come with me,” falling head over heels and unconditionally supporting Xiao Chi.

Now, Xiao Chi’s fanbase was beginning to take shape, with fan clubs and support groups popping up everywhere. With just Liu Bing alone struggling to manage it all, he had no choice but to pull in a young man from Huanyi to act as Xiao Chi’s assistant, handling some of the publicity and other tasks.

Liu Bing, of course, would not miss any opportunity to stir up hype. With Ji Chenxuan as a major benefactor backing him, Liu Bing had significant resources at his disposal in Huanyi—if not the most, then certainly not a small amount.

He had always believed in one principle: an artist with a score of 80, plus 50 points of promotion, would end up with only 60 in the public’s eye, whereas an artist with only 60, paired with 90 points of promotion, would be seen far above 80.

As for Xiao Chi’s talent, Liu Bing was certain it was worth over 90 points. Such a good seedling deserved 100% of the promotional effort. To not utilize every available resource would be a waste, and relying only on the artist’s natural ability would be a fool’s mistake.

On the day “If Immortals Had Feelings,” was released, it immediately soared to the top three on the trending list for Weibo’s promotion, eventually reaching first place and staying there for an entire day, only being knocked down when a popular celebrity’s wedding announcement took over.

The next day, national TV host Li Mingyue retweeted the “If Immortals Had Feelings” MV, adding Xiao Chi to his follow list and leaving a two-word comment—“True Immortal!”

Xiao Chen’s fans were ecstatic and quickly gave him a new nickname: “Chen Xian(Celestial Immortal)”—the term “idol” no longer seemed enough to describe Xiao Chi’s aura.

On the third day, the song appeared on the official homepage of the National Musicians’ Association’s recommended list.

Due to the prestigious nature of the platform, fans didn’t immediately notice it until some well-known music critics associated with the Musicians’ Association started posting reviews. That’s when fans went wild, overjoyed as if a fortune had fallen from the sky.

For ordinary fans, being recommended by a national-level platform was a huge recognition—something even top-tier celebrities could only dream of. Fans rushed to share the news, almost writing “My idol is in the national team” on their faces.

—

Tianyu Group, Holographic Game Project Team

As the strategic pioneer of Tianyu Group’s pan-entertainment industry, the “The Celestial Fairy” project team occupied three entire floors of the hundred-story building for office space.

In the office of producer JK, executives from the music, marketing, and publicity departments gathered, arguing fiercely over the choice for the global spokesperson.

On the semi-transparent frosted glass desk, three electronic briefs were lined up in a row: Tang Wanwan, Lu Sheng, and Xiao Chen.

The director of the music department spoke first: “Lu Sheng’s ‘Misty Wonderland’ is a high-quality piece in terms of lyrics, composition, and performance. The key is that Rong Shan has considerable influence in the music industry, and I’ve heard he’s actively pushing this song for the Golden Plum Award’s National Style Music Gold Award. This could be beneficial to us.”

“I think, in terms of quality, buzz, fan base, and theme song quality, choosing Lu Sheng is undoubtedly the most cost-effective and beneficial for our interests. As for the virtual idol, let’s not even mention it. The work doesn’t have any emotional appeal, and it doesn’t align with the theme of our game. As for this newcomer Xiao Chen, although he has gained a lot of buzz recently, he’s still a newcomer, and it’s hard to convince people.”

“Exactly because he’s a newcomer, this song stands out even more. Whether he debuted early or late isn’t important—what matters is making a deep impression and attracting people to our game. Not to mention, he was personally recommended by President Shao Jingfeng. I believe in President Shao’s vision.”

“Alright, stop arguing.” JK tapped the table, interrupting the directors’ heated debate. “I understand everyone’s opinions. I’ve seen their works, and it’s clear that Lu Sheng has obvious advantages. In the past, I would have chosen him without hesitation. However, I recently participated in a variety show called ‘Star CEO’ and had a chance to interact with Xiao Chen up close. You might not know this, but despite his appearance as a pretty face, his skills are quite extraordinary.”

When JK thought of Xiao Chi’s face, he couldn’t help but recall the scene from the variety show’s obstacle race segment, where Xiao Chi’s physical abilities were far beyond impressive—almost better than a professional martial artist’s.

“I suggest we add a live gameplay segment to the second round of auditions. As a spokesperson, being able to promote the game and attract new players is the most important way to measure an endorser’s value. As an artist, Xiao Chen might not have the same fame as Lu Sheng, but I think he could surprise us in the game.”

JK’s gaze moved between Lu Sheng and Xiao Chi, stroking his chin. After a moment, he made a decision: “Next week will be the opening of the Celestial Fairy game’s final closed beta livestream. We’ll send both of them invites to try out the game, and we can decide the official spokesperson after that.”

The executives exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

—

The Day the Invitation Came

The same day that Lu Sheng and Rong Shan received The Celestial Fairy game trial invitation, they were already celebrating with drinks, as if the endorsement deal was already a done deal.

Lu Sheng’s manager hurried into the room, holding a golden-bordered envelope: “One good news, one bad news.”

Lu Sheng, holding his wine glass, glanced at him lazily: “Start with the good one.”

“The AI virtual idol has been rejected by Tianyu, and we’ve received the second round audition invitation along with a full set of the latest limited-edition game equipment. We’re also invited to participate in the closed beta livestream event. This event will be livestreamed globally through Tianyu’s media partners. Also, there’s a high appearance fee, though that’s just a bonus.”

Lu Sheng smiled lightly, as if he had already expected this outcome. He clinked glasses with Rong Shan: “Master, see? Your talent has been recognized by Tianyu. Once I officially become the spokesperson, your song will be heard worldwide along with the game.”

Rong Shan closed his eyes, gently stroking his bald head: “It’s only right.”

The manager cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “Actually… there’s another bad news.”

“Spill it,” Lu Sheng responded, lazily glancing over.

“There are eight artists participating in the auditions. Tianyu has sent out two second-round invites, and we’re not the only ones who received one. Xiao Chen also got an invitation.”

Rong Shan suddenly opened his eyes wide: “What?”

Lu Sheng’s expression subtly changed. Since when did a newcomer with just a few months of career experience get on the same level as him?

The manager hurried to calm them down: “I suspect Tianyu wants to test the artists’ fan appeal before making a final decision. Don’t worry, we won’t lose to that newcomer who has no foundation. I’ll organize the fans to control the atmosphere in the game. Even if we have to use the sheer number of fans, we’ll crush Xiao Chen’s momentum.”

“If he makes a fool of himself in the livestream, he won’t have the capital to compete with us!”

—

With the new song out, most of the subsequent promotional work was handled by Liu Bing. Xiao Chi followed the instructions given by Liu Bing: speak less, smile more.

He exceeded expectations, successfully shaping a shy, reserved, and ethereal image, trying to shake off the cold, joke-worthy impression he had left on viewers in ‘Star CEO.’

At the Huanyi headquarters building, in the multi-purpose activity room.

A black and blue single-player holographic game pod was placed in the center of the room, with its sleek, streamlined design and fully automated intelligent service. The pod looked like a tilted ostrich egg, and under the lighting, a mesmerizing halo flowed at the edges of the pod.

Above the pod, a flying eagle symbol represented the Tianyu Group, signifying the company’s top-tier standard in the global holographic virtual gaming industry.

“This is the game pod sent by The Celestial Fairy project team. This one is worth over a hundred thousand, and it’s a limited edition,” Liu Bing said, tapping the pod’s door. The smooth black egg suddenly split open along a line in the center, and the shell automatically slid apart to both sides.

Xiao Chi couldn’t wait to lie down inside, fiddling with the controls and examining everything—this was his first time playing a holographic game.

“What exactly do I need to do for the trial?”

Liu Bing read the invitation carefully and frowned. “There isn’t much content for the trial. It’s just an introductory clip. The main storyline is… breaking through the guardian serpent ^[1]Teng She (螣蛇), also known as the Soaring Snake or Flying Serpent, is a mythical creature in Chinese mythology. It is often depicted as a serpent or dragon capable of flying. Teng She‘s blockade to awaken the fallen immortal goddess who has been asleep in the ice coffin for a thousand years.”

Xiao Chi rubbed his hands together, eager to show off his skills. “Sounds interesting.”

“Don’t act recklessly. For this trial, besides you and Lu Sheng, there are also many other players who received invitation codes.”

“In the game, everyone will be competing with each other. It’s not like real life where people are polite and restrained. Especially for someone like you, a public figure—you’ll definitely become the target. Plus, you have Lu Sheng, your competitor, watching you closely.”

Liu Bing stood with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth. “In terms of fan numbers, you’re definitely no match for Lu Sheng. But even though this is a trial, it’s really about who can attract more players. In other words, whoever grabs the most attention is the winner.”

Liu Bing turned around and grabbed Xiao Chi’s face, pulling it slightly. “In this aspect, you actually have an advantage.”

Xiao Chi rubbed his sore cheek, silently thinking to himself—actually, he had other advantages.

—

Lakeside Half-Mountain Villa, Ji Residence.

On the second floor study, there was a holographic game pod identical to Xiao Chi’s. The moment Ji Chenxuan found out that Xiao Chi was going to participate in the game trial livestream, he immediately ordered one for himself. Using his position, he easily secured an invite for the closed beta.

In reality, he couldn’t admit to being Xiao Chi’s number one fan, nor could he openly declare war on all the “rivals” in the world. But in the game, no one knew who he was. Surely, he was allowed to play under a pseudonym and enjoy himself?

With a mix of subtle excitement, Ji Chenxuan finished handling his company affairs, and while Xiao Chi was still away, he quickly lay down in the game pod.

The moment the game started, Ji Chenxuan closed his eyes, feeling a brief sensation of weightlessness, followed by the return of balance.

When he opened his eyes again, the environment around him had completely changed. It was no longer the confined space of the game pod but a quaint little cabin set amidst beautiful mountains and clear waters.

System prompt: Choose your appearance. Option 1: Retain real-life features. Option 2: Customize your features.

Without hesitation, Ji Chenxuan choose the custom appearance. Given the game’s content limitations, the customization options were not extensive, but he quickly entered the shop and started spending money like crazy.

After meticulously modifying his appearance from head to toe, a graceful and elegant figure slowly walked out of the little cabin.

That’s right—this was a female character, and there was no way anyone would associate her with the President of Huanyi.