Chapter 135: The Interview!

Since it concerned him, Luo Chen felt compelled to watch the advertisement. After finishing what was a rather unusual commercial, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Was this the official version of a "ghost animal" video?

It was an advertisement for a mobile game called "Sweeping the World." Tang Guoqiang, the actor famous for playing the Prime Minister, was dressed in full period costume, leading a group of costumed soldiers through a company office building. It was, at the very least, somewhat creative.

Leveraging Luo Chen's popularity, the advertisement was performing quite well; there were already thousands of comments below it. However, an advertisement remained just that. Even by tapping into the hottest current trends, it only maintained a lukewarm presence—not to mention that the game company lacked the resources for a massive advertising blitz.

Luo Chen had initially assumed Tang Guoqiang would be resistant to the "ghost animal" style of editing, but it seemed he was actually quite receptive to it.

Luo Chen smiled lightly. He wondered if the masterminds behind the previous internet troll campaigns knew about this. If they continued to use "ghost animal" videos to attack him, things would get interesting.

Since Teacher Tang had inadvertently done him a favor, Luo Chen didn't mind helping to boost the man's popularity even further. He decided to use this advertisement as raw material to create a "ghost animal" video of his own.

If this ad went viral, the game company would see the profits, and Teacher Tang’s market value would naturally rise. Since it was an easy favor to grant, Luo Chen didn't care whether the advertising company paid him or not.

However, Luo Chen didn't realize at the time that this video would mark the end of his peaceful days. He would soon be inundated with endless calls from companies begging him to insert small advertisements into his videos. Had he known, he never would have set this precedent.

Of course, Luo Chen could not foresee the future. After tucking the idea for the parody video into the back of his mind, he scrolled down to the comment section, looking for useful material. Often, audience comments provided him with plenty of inspiration, making his video production process a little easier.

He skimmed through the comments on various hot topics, only to find that most were discussing Tang Guoqiang’s attitude toward the "ghost animal" trend. Honestly, Luo Chen wasn't the only one surprised by this bizarre ad.

However, one comment successfully caught his attention:

[Holy crap! Tomorrow afternoon, the "Angel Interview" program will feature an exclusive interview with Tang Guoqiang! Absolute bombshells! Huge news!]

Although it was clearly posted by a paid shill trying to generate buzz, Luo Chen didn't have the energy to worry about that right now.

"Angel Interview"?

Due to a recent name change, Luo Chen hadn't heard of the program. But the word "Angel," combined with an exclusive interview with Tang Guoqiang, made him realize this was likely directed at him. He just wasn't sure if it was meant in good faith or bad...

...

The next afternoon, the "Angel Interview" production team was busily preparing for the upcoming program.

This interview was undoubtedly crucial. Ever since their successful interview with the legendary Uncle Long, the show's reputation had soared. With the added weight of this advance promotion, the success or failure of the show depended entirely on the performance of this episode.

The director, Liu Longhua, checked the dwindling time and hurried backstage. The stakes were high, and he needed to verify the final arrangements one more time.

"Director, everything is arranged, but there are quite a few related video works. There are even two videos featuring the 'Angel' creator. Which one should we play first during the sequence?"

A young staff member in his twenties caught up to him, reporting the situation. The order had already been decided, but an unexpected complication had arisen today.

"Didn't I tell you already? The most popular one! Don't make me repeat myself a third time!"

Liu Longhua turned and glared at the young man. He remembered giving clear instructions; did he really have to say it again?

"But... this..."

The young staff member opened his mouth, intending to explain the new developments, but realized Liu Longhua had already turned and walked away without acknowledging him. The young man stood there, conflicted. Lacking the courage to press the issue, he had no choice but to return and report the situation as it was. It was the director who had ordered the most popular one—if things went wrong, it wouldn't be his fault!

After dismissing the staffer, Liu Longhua walked straight into the lounge. Many employees clearly hadn't expected the director to raid the room at this hour. The staff, who had been chatting and goofing off, immediately scrambled to look busy. Regardless of whether they had actual work to do, they had to look occupied, right?

"Xiao Sun! We're less than half an hour away from going live. Don't be too nervous; just give us two hundred percent of your usual effort. You know the fate of the entire program team rests on your shoulders!"

Ignoring the posturing subordinates, Liu Longhua went straight to the host of the interview, Sun Feng. As a good leader, he knew he had to offer comfort and encouragement when employees were nervous—especially when the entire team's future was on the line.

He had always believed that moral support was far more valuable than material incentives. Wasn't the whole reason employees worked hard just to feel recognized?

Besides, it didn't cost a cent—just a few words. What a bargain.

Sun Feng, the host, hadn't been particularly worried initially. This wasn't his first live interview; he had handled international superstars like Uncle Long, let alone a minor situation like this.

But hearing Liu Longhua’s words made him anxious. Two hundred percent of his effort?

He wasn't a Saiyan; he couldn't just "power up" on command. Instead of useless talk, a tangible reward would have been better—maybe then, in his delight, he really would have outperformed himself.

Still, he wasn't foolish enough to voice his complaints to the director's face. He could only force a look of being deeply inspired, as if he were ready to carry the weight of the program's fate on his shoulders, and replied excitedly:

"Rest assured, Director! There won't be any problems."

"Good, keep up the good work." Liu Longhua patted Sun Feng on the shoulder and nodded in satisfaction. Seeing Sun Feng’s display of confidence, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"What a director—downright stingy and heartless!"

Once Liu Longhua had walked far enough away, Sun Feng dropped his submissive facade, cursing the cheapskate director under his breath. It was thanks to his own ability to withstand pressure and handle the interview with such dedication that the program had its current popularity. In the end, all he got was a verbal pat on the back. It was utterly shameless!

But in this day and age, finding a decent, reliable job in Qingshui City was hard enough. No matter how much he complained, he had to stay put and prepare for the upcoming interview.