Chapter 76: Failing to Endure the Small, One Ruins the Grand Design

Wherever there are those who praise enthusiastically, there will also be those who seek to tear down. The sudden surge of these detractors truly dampened everyone’s spirits.

“I used to like Su Bai quite a bit—his songs are full of positive energy—but now, seeing him license his music to a game for money, I suddenly don’t like him anymore.”

“Do you know how many young people have been harmed by games? And you still agree to endorse one. I don’t know how much Battle King paid you, but you couldn’t wait to accept.”

“Games are a cancer that should be eradicated, and now you’re representing them, Su Bai. Sorry, but this is where I turn from fan to hater!”

“Exactly, and you call it a dream collaboration? Isn’t it just ironic. Why don’t you collaborate with something like Reading Month, or with campaigns that promote traditional culture, or with events that encourage noble values? Why must you do a dream collaboration with a game that has ruined countless lives? Where’s your conscience? Where’s your morality?”

“I urge everyone to boycott Su Bai so that the youth of Daxia aren’t poisoned by games!”

Seeing this wave of coordinated hate, Su Bai felt baffled.

He knew someone was working against him behind the scenes. If it were merely individual opinions, the attacks wouldn’t be so tightly orchestrated. Only with direction could the comments under a video become so overwhelmingly one-sided. It started with one video, then gradually spread to many more.

Previously, when someone was out to get him, Su Bai could tell it was Liu Siyan and Xu Mingkun causing him trouble. But now, he couldn’t figure out who was behind this. Was it simply jealousy over his current popularity? It seemed a bit far-fetched…

Though soon, netizens started to reply: “You lot are such idiots. If Su Bai doesn’t endorse Battle King, does that mean people will stop playing games?”

“Stop twisting the argument. Is this what you’ve come to?”

“When you were young, did you have cell phones? Did you have games? Did you all turn out as model citizens?”

“Honestly, you sound like you need to get checked out!”

Yet, Su Bai still felt unsettled.

At this moment in Yanjing, Zhao Hongbing also appeared a bit dazed. Glancing at Zhou Yanfeng beside him, he asked, “Who’s going after him now? Well, that saves us the trouble!”

Watching Su Bai’s fame soar and hearing that he’d just landed eighty million from Battle King, Zhao Hongbing, already irritated by Su Bai, now felt even more resentful. He’d wanted to hire some trolls to disgust Su Bai, but before he even made a move, someone else had already struck.

Eighty million was nothing more than pocket change in Zhao Hongbing’s eyes, but he also knew what it signified: Su Bai’s value was rising. With an initial eighty million, there would soon be a second and third contract, each one more lucrative than the last.

Su Bai’s fanbase was now burning hot. Who could predict what terrifying influence he might wield if he endorsed a product?

Zhou Yanfeng asked doubtfully, “Could it be Liu Siyan and her crew?”

Zhao Hongbing shook his head. “Liu Siyan can barely protect herself now—she hasn’t got time to worry about Su Bai. From what I hear, Liu Siyan’s mess isn’t just about kidnapping Yang Mengke; there’s a whole lot more tangled up in it. I bet the Madman won’t get much sleep these days!”

Zhou Yanfeng’s eyes widened in shock. “Is it connected to Young Master Feng?”

Li Feng was a friend of Zhao Hongbing’s; birds of a feather flock together, after all. As a scion of the Magic City, Li Feng’s style was very much like Zhao Hongbing’s—reckless, vicious, and most importantly, utterly unbound by rules. Within their circle, everyone called him “the Madman.” The infamous case five years ago, where three young women were murdered—a case that shook Daxia—was his handiwork. Though someone was ultimately arrested, Zhou Yanfeng knew that person was just a scapegoat. The real killer, a complete maniac, was still at large.

So, everyone called him the Madman, though only in private. In public, he was still addressed as “Young Master Feng.” Zhou Yanfeng was also known as “Young Master Feng” among friends, but he knew that compared to Li Feng, he was worlds apart.

Huisi Capital was just one of Li Feng’s many holdings. Only now, the Madman had no time for Su Bai, because if everything Liu Siyan knew came to light, it would cause an earthquake in Daxia—perhaps even force a reshuffling of the entire officialdom of the Magic City.

So, the Madman’s attention was all on Liu Siyan now. Liu Lei himself had no idea that a small kidnapping case would drag him into such a massive storm. As the chief of the Western District police station in the Magic City, he seemed utterly insignificant in this raging vortex.

“Young Master Bing, why haven’t you gone after Yang Mengke lately? Given up?” Zhou Yanfeng asked.

Zhao Hongbing slapped him. “You just had to bring that up! Every time you mention it, it drives me mad. The duck was almost in my mouth, and it flew away.”

“If it weren’t for that meddlesome Long Ling’er, I’d have had my way by now. Not only did I get nothing, I got beaten up by her too. What’s the point of going just to get beaten up?”

Zhou Yanfeng rubbed his head sheepishly, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.

“How about I call Xu Xiaolu over to keep you company?” he suggested. “Back at the training camp, I chatted with her a few times. I could tell she had a thing for you. She’s one of Yanjing’s newest socialites, a rising star in the media, and she’s got a great figure and looks to match!”

At the mention, Zhao Hongbing instantly recalled who she was. He glared at Zhou Yanfeng. “So, you’ve had your eye on her all along, haven’t you?”

Zhou Yanfeng chuckled awkwardly and said nothing.

“Fine, let’s call her. I need some fun—been pretty pissed off lately! Once I’m done, I’ll let you have her.”

Zhou Yanfeng immediately expressed his gratitude, nearly in tears. “Thank you, Young Master Bing! Last time, with Wenwen, I didn’t even get enough time, and you’d already arranged another one. You’re really too generous!”

Zhao Hongbing looked at him with disdain. “You really can’t get enough of my leftovers, can you?”

Zhou Yanfeng grinned foolishly. “Anything that falls from your table is top quality!”

Zhao Hongbing waved him off dismissively, then headed upstairs.

“Just bring her straight here,” he called out as he climbed. “I’m going to rest up—got to be ready for the battlefield!”

Zhou Yanfeng forced a smile as he left the villa. The moment he stepped outside, his ingratiating expression vanished, replaced by smoldering rage.

Ever since Long Ling’er had exposed him, the unwillingness burning inside him grew stronger by the day. Now, every time he saw Zhao Hongbing, he felt a growing urge to kill him with his own hands.

But in the end, he restrained himself.

Small forbearance in pursuit of great plans.