"Mr. Fang, you're talking about film and television works, right? Actually, we've used some of those, but with little effect."

"Director Qi is right. I did suggest that you use film and television works to promote recruitment. As for your claim that the results have been minimal, that's because you haven't hit the mark. A good film or television work will inevitably resonate with the audience and generate an impulse to join the army. That's the focus of film and television works."

"Does Mr. Fang mean that our original film and television works were mispositioned?"

"Director Qi, I haven't seen the films and television shows you used for promotion, so I reserve the right to speak. I'm just speaking from my professional experience. For example, my film 'Shaolin Temple' promotes traditional Chinese martial arts culture. The plot serves this central theme, and the direct result is a surge in tourists to Shaolin Temple and a significant increase in students at martial arts schools. Whether for fitness or other purposes, it has played a very significant role in resisting the invasion of foreign martial arts culture. That's the charm of films and television shows!"

Qi Minghua hadn't seen the movie "Shaolin Temple," but after hearing Fang Yang talk about the post-production effects of the film, he was quite interested. "Where can we see this movie now? We've made some promotional videos before, but they weren't very effective. If this movie can have such a big impact as you're talking about, we'd really like to collaborate with you. Recruiting soldiers isn't just a problem for our East China Military Region, it's a nationwide issue. If we can really overcome this challenge, you'll deserve a great credit."

"Director Qi, whether it's merit or not is irrelevant. You're in charge of cultural propaganda for the East China Military Region, so you should know that propaganda is crucial to doing a good job in recruitment. But how to do it is a very important point. In the past, you only focused on instilling your own views into the audience, but have you done any research on what the audience wants to see and what they like to see?"

Qi Minghua found Fang Yang's words quite intriguing. "Mr. Fang, what's the explanation behind this?"

"Director Qi, I guess the main focus of your propaganda is the glory of joining the army, right? And things like sacred mission, defending the country, and so on, that's probably it?"

"Yes, that's right, that's how we've always advertised it."

"Director Qi, have you ever considered what the military is like in the eyes of ordinary people? Is it mysterious and inviolable? Or are they flesh-and-blood, indomitable men? Or is it just like the stories of ordinary people, a tale of growth and development?"

Qi Minghua was silent for a moment. "I really haven't thought about this question. To the outside world, we always promote ourselves as heroes who defend the country and are tough as nails. But in reality, everyone who comes to the army is an ordinary person. After long-term training, some people stand out, while others settle down. There are all kinds of people in life. How many heroes are there?"

"That's right, Director Qi. So, what outsiders see in the military is different from the reality. They think that everyone who comes out of the military can fly over rooftops and do anything. This fundamentally blocks the thinking of most ordinary people. They all think that an ordinary person like me will not have a good future in the military, so it's more practical to spend this time in a factory for two years, making some money to spend. But those who have never been to the military have never thought that people forged in the great crucible of the military are more resilient. Isn't that the truth that you'll regret not joining the army for the rest of your life?"

"Haha, I didn't expect that Mr. Fang, who has never served in the military, would know so much about military affairs. According to what you say, our propaganda direction is indeed wrong. Please enlighten me, Mr. Fang."

"Director Qi, let's forget about this TV series. I'll be writing a script about the growth of ordinary people in the second half of the year, which I believe will be helpful for your recruitment. I see that most TV series nowadays are about the War of Resistance Against Japan, but that era is quite far removed from us young people. They focus more on educational significance, and there are very few TV series reflecting the lives of contemporary soldiers. This creates a disconnect. Besides, the difficulty in recruiting is also influenced by the overall environment, which can be seen from the difficulty in recruiting military academies."

Qi Minghua stopped in his tracks. "Isn't your TV series very good? I've read the script, and it should be able to pique the interest of a wide audience. Moreover, the theme of a female special forces team is a good starting point, and the plot is fast-paced. Why wouldn't it inspire people to join the army?"

Fang Yang explained helplessly, "Director Qi, you must have heard of the word empathy, right? This script has a very high starting point, and it's understandable that it has achieved high ratings. However, to gain the audience's empathy, the rise of an ordinary person is more likely to gain their recognition. Ordinary people still make up the vast majority of people around us, and only such characters can resonate with the audience and inspire them to think, 'I can do it too.' That's what makes it representative."

Qi Minghua nodded and guided Fang Yang into a five-story building ahead. “There are countless examples like this in our army. This is the norm in the army. Those elite soldiers, which one of them didn’t train hard from ordinary people? Perhaps it’s something we take for granted, but it’s full of mystery to the people. The people only see the result and ignore the process. You’re right, this kind of growth process is more representative.”

Fang Yang smiled. The more ordinary something is, the easier it is to be overlooked. But when it is truly discovered, people suddenly realize that heroes are all around them. Such a stark contrast will naturally spark a surge in enlistment. Maybe tomorrow, I will be one of those heroes!

Peeling away that veil of mystery, only when military life truly descends into the mundane world can the people truly accept it. The military is not always about fighting and killing; it consists of flesh-and-blood individuals. For some high school graduates who failed the college entrance exam, it might be another shortcut to starting their lives!

After Qi Minghua's report was approved, Fang Yang and Qi Minghua entered Zhou Lujun's office. The office, filled with military maps and books, opened Fang Yang's eyes. It was the first time he had entered the office of a military leader. Fang Yang secretly compared it with Ouyang Ming's office and could only say that they each had their own merits.

Perhaps due to their different emphases, Zhou Lujun's office was simple and bright, full of military spirit, especially the military map that almost occupied the entire wall, which depicted the jurisdiction of the East China Military Region in its entirety, and marked various important military locations with red lines. If Fang Yang hadn't been an acquaintance, probably very few people would have seen this military map, after all, it was a military secret.

Zhou Lujun looked up from a thick stack of documents, saw Fang Yang, and smiled, "Why are you so late? Let's have dinner together tonight, and I'll introduce you to our colleagues in the military region. It'll make things easier for you when you move around here in the future."