Ling Yichen took a deep breath and dialed Jack's number. His palms were sweaty, and every ringtone from the receiver seemed to be pounding on his tense nerves.

"Hello, Mr. Ling, time is running out. What's your reply?" Jack's voice came through the receiver with a cold and emotionless tone.

Ling Yichen steadied himself, trying to make his voice sound calm and confident: "Mr. Jack, the Cultural Censorship Committee of [Second Country Name] has just approved the release of our new drama and given it high praise. This is enough to prove the value and potential of our new drama."

After a brief silence on the other end of the phone, Jack said, "This is indeed good news, but approval from just one country is not enough for us to make a decision. You need to understand that we need to consider the global market, the review results from a third country, and the current online controversy, all of which give us pause."

Ling Yichen quickly responded, "Mr. Jack, we understand your concerns. We have accumulated valuable experience in communicating with the censors of [the second country's name], and we are fully confident in our ability to handle the censorship of the third country. Moreover, the public opinion is gradually improving thanks to the efforts of our fans and supporters, and we are capable of controlling the situation."

Jack pondered for a moment: "Alright, I'll give you another 12 hours. During this time, you must resolve the censorship issue in the third country and come up with a plan that can completely quell the public outcry. If you can do that, we can continue to discuss cooperation."

After hanging up the phone, Ling Yichen relayed Jack's request to everyone. Although time was tight, this new deadline gave them a glimmer of hope.

“We must race against time within 12 hours,” Jun Mo Ran said, his eyes revealing determination.

The publicity team immediately began formulating a plan to quell the public outcry. They thoroughly analyzed the competitors' smear tactics, discovering that they primarily manipulated public opinion by creating false narratives and inciting negative emotions. Therefore, the publicity team decided to start with the facts, producing a series of in-depth videos analyzing the new drama, inviting cultural scholars, film experts, and the actors themselves to participate, dissecting the drama's cultural connotations, creative process, and artistic value from different perspectives. Simultaneously, they contacted major mainstream media outlets, hoping to gain their support in publishing objective and impartial reports.

While preparing a response plan to public opinion, communication with the censorship authorities of the third country was also underway. Ling Yichen and Jun Moran, leading their team, further optimized the cultural interpretation materials for the new drama based on their previous experience communicating with the censors of [the second country's name], highlighting the work's unique charm in cross-cultural exchange.

Meanwhile, the online battle of public opinion was still raging. Competitors constantly changed tactics in an attempt to maintain the momentum of the discussion. They began posting so-called "professional analyses" on some niche but professional film and television forums, pointing out various "fatal flaws" in the new drama, attempting to mislead professional viewers.

"These remarks are utter nonsense, and we must refute them as soon as possible," the publicity director said angrily.

After thinking calmly for a moment, Ling Yichen said, "We can't just respond passively; we need to take the initiative. There are many professionals who are truly passionate about film and television on these forums. We can invite them to watch the new series in advance and let them judge it with their professional eyes."

Therefore, the publicity team acted swiftly, contacting several well-known film and television bloggers and forum opinion leaders through various channels, inviting them to watch sample clips of the new series, and promising exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interview opportunities after the series' release. These professionals, captivated by the exciting content of the new series after watching the sample clips, shared their genuine feelings on the forums.

"This new drama breaks the stereotype of previous cultural export works. The plot is tight and the cultural elements are naturally integrated. It is a rare masterpiece," a well-known film and television blogger wrote on the forum.

With these professionals speaking out, public opinion began to tilt completely in favor of the production team. The false and negative comments were gradually drowned out by a flood of positive reviews.

The production team also made significant progress in communicating with the censorship authorities of the third country. The censorship authorities appreciated the materials provided and the team's sincere attitude, and decided to hold a video review meeting ahead of schedule.

During the video conference, Ling Yichen and his team members gave a detailed presentation on the creative concept, cultural background, and improvements made in response to previous feedback for the new drama. The review panel members showed great interest in the new drama and engaged in in-depth discussions on various details.

After the meeting, the review department said it would take some time for internal discussion, but judging from their attitude, the likelihood of passing the review was extremely high.

However, just when the production team thought everything was going well, a new problem arose. After learning of the shift in public opinion, competitors began pressuring the production's investors, attempting to force them to withdraw their funding.

“How could they do this? Investors are our key support. If there are problems with funding, everything will be for naught,” a core member of the production team said anxiously.

Ling Yichen and Jun Mozhan immediately contacted the investors, explaining the current situation in detail and emphasizing the bright prospects of the new drama and the production team's ability to handle crises. The investors indicated they would carefully consider the matter, but the pressure from competitors was indeed causing them considerable distress.

At this point, less than three hours remained before Jack's 12-hour deadline, and the results of the third country's review had not yet been announced, putting investors under renewed pressure.