Chapter 1 Bai Chenzhu
"Director Li, Manager Bai has taken a week off. No matter how many times we call to ask, the result is always the same," the assistant said helplessly on the phone.
Director Li was extremely anxious. This investment in the company's "Dawn Project" was of utmost importance, as it involved signing contracts for the adaptation of five novels into film and television dramas, which would directly influence the company's main investment direction for the next five years.
What's worse, every single change in the plan was overseen by a blond kid.
Director Li was dissatisfied and wanted to participate, but he could only hold back.
His eyes darted around, and he whispered, "Guess what that guy surnamed Bai will do when he finds out about you accidentally revealing the 'seed' last time?"
The Dawn Project rigorously selected twelve 'seeds' for consideration.
Before the meeting, someone had already spread the word about the twelve "seeds" and spread rumors that "this is the complete list of selected candidates for Project Dawn".
In fact, the final five novels were carefully selected from the twelve, to the point that the authors of those twelve novels all felt they were a shoo-in, which caused quite a bit of trouble.
As Director Li spoke, the young man eavesdropping beside him involuntarily took a deep breath, holding his breath as he awaited the reply from the other end.
Assistant Liang fell silent. On the other end of the phone, there was the sound of a chair being pulled out; he seemed to have left.
A moment later, Assistant Liang picked up the phone again and replied, "The manager is free tonight. You can contact him through your work account for the specific time."
"Great! Thanks, Xiao Liang. Let's go out for a nice drink sometime!" Director Li slapped his thigh with delight.
After hanging up the phone, Director Li's expression gradually relaxed. He patted the young man next to him on the back with a smile, "Cheng Chong, you can go back now. Don't worry, I'm confident I can handle this project."
The young man, Cheng Chong, was one of the authors who knew he was the original author of "Seed" and believed it without a doubt.
He has a secret hobby: gambling for fun, using short bursts of excitement to spark inspiration.
One day, after having some fun, he went home and fell asleep, only to dream of a mysterious world. When he woke up, Cheng Chong was beaming and immediately wrote down the story.
The novel "The God of Creation" brought him unimaginable popularity. When he learned from rumors that his work would be selected for further investment and a big sale, he was overjoyed and believed it without hesitation. He took a big risk with an empty check and was tricked into accumulating huge debts.
He tried to incite fans to insult the company online, but was punished by law; he tried to encourage people to make a scene at the company gate, but was kicked out by security guards; finally, he changed his focus and looked at Director Li, with whom he had worked.
He was thin and had dark circles under his eyes, whether from natural causes or from staying up all night, and he looked very timid. Cheng Chong clenched his fist and said, "Director, why don't you take me with you? I'm the original author, and I can definitely explain my novel to that manager in more detail and make him change his mind."
"This... I'm afraid it's not very convenient." When Director Li smiled, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes became particularly noticeable, carrying a hint of embarrassment.
At this point, the smile in his eyes faded slightly. "After all, it's a company matter. If I bring you along, some things will be harder to discuss."
After a few polite exchanges, Director Li got up and left.
Cheng Chong paid the bill and bowed and scraped as he saw the person to the door, feeling uneasy. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He took out his phone and glanced at it; the screen displayed a chilling debt collection message.
Remembering the debt collectors outside the door wielding knives and hacking at it, Cheng Chong shuddered, his lips turning pale. Money, he needed money!
Cheng Chong hurriedly caught up with Director Li, following him all the way until he saw Director Li enter the restaurant.
After confirming the room number, he took some time to go to the print shop. Before coming, he had already compiled his novel's synopsis, themes, character analyses, and so on into a document, hoping to use it to persuade people.
He neatly printed three copies, a thick stack that was quite heavy. When he held it in his arms, his thin body bent over under the weight, clearly indicating that he was not a very active person.
Afraid of missing their conversation, Cheng Chong hurried towards the restaurant. As he turned the corner, without looking where he was going, he bumped into a man, causing several documents to fall to the ground.
"Are you blind?!" Cheng Chong roared, jumping up and down in a fit of rage.
The man paused, turned to the side. He had a face that could make him a star, and he was taller than Cheng Chong. Looking down at him, he could give people a great sense of oppression.
The man's cold gaze scrutinized him, a smirk playing on his lips, a smile that was both gentle and barbed. "Wow, you're pretty amazing. You even have eyes in the back of your head?"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Cheng Chong's lips twitched, but he dared not look the man in the eye. His temper vanished completely under the man's intimidating gaze. He muttered curses under his breath and squatted down to pick up his things.
The document was lying next to the man's black leather shoes. Cheng Chong bent down to pick it up, and the man, leaning against the wall, suddenly hummed in agreement.
Upon hearing the sound, Cheng Chong looked up with a strange expression and discovered that the man was holding a briefcase in one hand and making a phone call in the other.
The man's expression was somewhat grave. "We'll take her back first. We'll need your help with burying her with her father later..."
Upon discovering Cheng Chong eavesdropping, the man raised an eyebrow and used his toe to nudge one of the documents. Cheng Chong, thinking he was about to do something bad, quickly picked up the document and left.
Cheng Chong knocked on the door with a smile and squeezed through the door amidst Director Li's unpleasant expression. He offered to wash a cup of tea and make tea, and placed the printed materials on the table before Director Li tacitly allowed him to stay.
After a long while, just as he was wondering if Director Li had been stood up, Director Li, who was fiddling with his phone, suddenly said, "The person is here."
The moment the words left his mouth, the door was gently pushed open.
Cheng Chong's eyes widened.
In his imagination, since he had taken the position of manager, which was such a tough nut to crack, he was probably a sophisticated and mature elite man who was also a shrewd scoundrel.
But to his surprise, the manager was not only young, but he also knew him.
It's that strange man!
The person who arrived was dressed in a loose white shirt and black trousers, with rolled-up sleeves revealing bulging veins on his arms, and a briefcase tucked under his arm—the kind of common, unremarkable attire.
This perfectly matches the image of a young manager in his late thirties that Director Li described.
What was unusual about him was his face. He didn't look like a laborer; he looked more like a celebrity. His hair was longer than that of an average man, reaching about shoulder length. He wore a hollowed-out earring in his left ear. His appearance and demeanor were extraordinary, perfectly complementing the antique Chinese restaurant.
Oh no, oh no, he was just yelling at this guy.
The sound of the door closing brought Cheng Chong back to his senses. He looked at Director Li, who had stood up, in a daze, and quickly stood up as well.
"Director Li, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." The newcomer had an aloof and otherworldly face, yet he shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Director Li in a very familiar manner, his smile as warm as a spring breeze, completely unlike his previous coldness.
His words carried a worldly, cynical air, or in short, the air of a corporate slave.
Bai Chenzhu: "Assistant Liang told me that if it weren't for some recent family troubles, I would have come to have tea with you and catch up. I was stuck in traffic on the way here, so I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting. I'll put it on my tab later."
There was no traffic jam on the road; he was clearly on the phone. Cheng Chong didn't dare to say a word.
"Not at all. I didn't expect it to be so last minute, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to work overtime." Director Li said with a kind smile, introducing Cheng Chong simply, "Cheng Chong, look, this is our company's Manager Bai. Manager, this is Cheng Chong, the latest promising talent I found. His novel is very suitable for adaptation."
He patted Cheng Chong on the shoulder, indicating that he thought highly of the man.
Seemingly surprised to see Cheng Chong there, Bai Chenzhu's smile faltered, and she nodded stiffly to Cheng Chong, "Sit down, both of you sit down and talk."
The young manager glanced at the documents on the table, then looked at the uninvited Cheng Chong, touched his fingertips together, and turned back to say without any pretense, "Director Li, I'm in a hurry, so I'll get straight to the point. The five original works have already been published, and the 'Dawn Project' is related to the company's future planning, so it's not something I can decide on my own."
Unexpectedly, Bai Chenzhu was as difficult to deal with as ever. Director Li's expression wasn't very good, but he seemed to have long been used to Bai Chenzhu's style.
Director Li scratched his head, feigning ignorance, and said casually, "I saw a book inside, what was it called again? Oh dear, my memory is terrible. It's called 'The King of Creation,' isn't it? That name is too simple; it's easy for people to mistype or misremember it. We should double-check it."
Bai Chenzhu's eyes were slightly cold.
Director Li slapped his thigh. “Hey, these two book titles are so similar! Maybe it’s missing a sequel, a crossover film, or a two-part series, right? Perfect timing. I’ve been idle for almost a year, and the company hasn’t given me any projects. I’m just a freeloader. I don’t mean anything by it, but do you think there’s any work that can give this old man a chance to shine and continue contributing?”
Bai Chen brushed aside Cheng Chong's excited face and cut to the chase, "The company needs your help right now. But... let's get back to this book. During the meeting, the book 'Genesis Martial God' didn't pass the vote. I know you and this Mr. Cheng had a good working relationship before. Back then, your adaptation of 'Cultivation King of Soldiers' was a miracle because of its novelty, but the trend has changed now."
This was clearly an attempt to sow discord between him and Director Li! The despicable person in front of him was targeting him at every turn. Cheng Chong gritted his teeth and couldn't help but interject, his voice filled with resentment and anger as he asked, "Did the manager not even read my novel?"
"It seems you're quite satisfied with your work." Bai Chenzhu turned her gaze to Cheng Chong, her tone sharp and sarcastic once again. "What are you trying to say? The clichéd leveling-up trope, the apocalyptic setting with a limited audience, the monotonous skill system, and the antisocial protagonist's world-destroying ending—what gave you confidence?"
Cheng Chong's eyes widened, and he angrily tapped the table as he argued, "Now that apocalyptic stories are scarce, that's when they're most popular! Do you know how many bookmarks my website has? How many readers I have!" His tone became increasingly shrill as he finished speaking.
Director Li fell into deep thought, remaining silent and making no attempt to smooth things over.
Bai Chenzhu casually flipped through the printed documents beside him. "The company has assessed the value of the adaptation, and the conclusion is that your novel is not suitable for film and television adaptation. First, there's the setting of your superpowers. Live actors would find it difficult to showcase the skills in the novel, even with a martial arts choreographer. This alone would require major revisions. Second, there are the special effects. Most of the post-apocalyptic world you wrote isn't about 'zombies,' so it's not a problem that can be solved by hiring extras..."
This was not the intense verbal battle Cheng Chong had imagined. If Bai Chenzhu were there to refute his general remarks, Cheng Chong would have countless excuses and justifications.
But he continued to meticulously list the novel's strengths and weaknesses, speaking eloquently and leaving Cheng Chong speechless. Cheng Chong stood there, stunned, unsure of which side to refute first. He was filled with anger, resentment, and twisted jealousy, his face growing redder with each word. He tried to move his lips, leaning forward, but couldn't find the words.
"While it's not suitable for film or television adaptation, it's well-suited for other channels. I sincerely suggest you change your approach and contact relevant companies," Bai Chenzhu concluded.
Then, ignoring the silent Cheng Chong, he spoke to Director Li, “The ‘Dawn Project’ is already finalized. Director Li, joining midway will only cause more trouble. Why not consider leading your own team? The new round of project approval is approaching, and I suggest you take a look at another book you have on hand. Actually, the company values that book very much…”
Director Li, who was initially firm in his stance, gave up on Cheng Chong, but unexpectedly started talking to Bai Chenzhu about other projects.
The dinner lasted two or three hours, during which Cheng Chong tried several times to speak, but Bai Chenzhu always blocked him. Finally, Cheng Chong shut up in humiliation, staring at his phone screen as if he were sitting on pins and needles, his gaze towards Bai Chenzhu growing increasingly resentful.
After it was over, Director Li received a phone call and left first.
Only the two of them remained in the private room. Bai Chenzhu dropped the smile he had put on for work, revealing his cold and aloof expression. He nodded to Cheng Chong, picked up his bag without expression, and left.
Cheng Chong persisted, shamelessly chasing after him and flatteringly saying, "Manager, my novel is really suitable! I can adapt any skill or plot! As long as the company is willing to invest, I'm willing to do anything. The adaptation fee is negotiable..."
He kept nagging and chasing after Bai Chenzhu, who quickened her pace, finding it increasingly annoying.
With the elevator right in front of him, Cheng Chong's phone started vibrating frequently in his pocket, as if it were a death knell, making his heart leap into his throat.
He could almost see the large sword rushing towards him.
"We can't let him go!" Cheng Chong took a deep breath, rushed forward, grabbed Bai Chenzhu's hand, his movements forceful yet his tone humble, "Manager Bai! I beg you, I really need this money! Please, have mercy, reconsider!"
As he spoke, he bent his knees and was about to kneel down.
“Let’s stick to the facts. I’m just an employee; I don’t have that much say.” Bai Chenzhu tried to tug at Cheng Chong.
"How could this be! You even managed to assign work to Director Li!" Cheng Chong's face twisted as he growled, "I've worked with your company once before! How is my novel inferior to those five pieces of garbage?!"
After saying that, he suddenly realized that his attitude was wrong, and immediately said humbly, "Of course they must have deceived you. You certainly wouldn't be fooled, right?"
"Trying to morally blackmail me now? If you're so capable, why don't you just buy a rope and hang yourself from the chairman's place?" Bai Chenzhu stepped aside, frowned, and said coldly, "Do you think I'm easy to bully?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Cheng Chong grabbed him excitedly, stubbornly kneeling on the ground and refusing to get up. "Please! Please! Give me a chance, I'll change it to whatever I want..."
Seeing that he couldn't pull Cheng Chong up and that more and more onlookers were gathering, Bai Chenzhu simply took a step back, picked up his briefcase, and prepared to leave.
Cheng Chong was unwilling and held him tightly, preventing him from entering the elevator. He pleaded repeatedly while pulling at him, making such a commotion that passersby stopped to watch. A waiter called for someone to come and stop him.
As the crowd drew closer, the encirclement tightened, and in the chaos, someone who had been stepped on started shouting insults at each other, creating a commotion.
Curses, pleas for mercy, a narrow circle of people, being treated like a circus spectacle... Bai Chenzhu was in a foul mood.
During the struggle, Cheng Chong suddenly knelt down and hugged his left leg. Bai Chenzhu, having exhausted his patience, impatiently tried to shake him off, but unexpectedly Cheng Chong let go just in time to kowtow to him.
With a sudden push and a loss of control, Bai Chenzhu lost her footing and fell backward, her waist slamming hard against the antique-style low railing before she tumbled over.
Before he could react, he heard the sound of wood breaking and screams from people around him. The force behind him suddenly disappeared, and he fell from the third floor. The feeling of weightlessness enveloped him and made it hard for him to breathe.
The wind howled and whipped at his clothes. All Bai Chenzhu could remember was Cheng Chong's twisted, smiling expression amidst the screams around him.
The world stood still.
With a dull thud, my back landed on the soft carpet.
He finally broke free from the fall, his dark pupils contracted sharply, Bai Chenzhu gripped his collar tightly, gasping for breath, cold sweat pouring down his face, his chest heaving rapidly, the heavy breathing sounding like drums in his ears.
The imagined carnage didn't happen, and there was no restaurant in sight.
The room was dimly lit, filled with the smells of smoke and alcohol, illuminated by colorful lights. A group of people looked down at him, their expressions ranging from contempt and ridicule to schadenfreude.
Bai Chenzhu instinctively pushed his arm back, and his palm landed on the dark red carpet.
So surprised that he choked on his breath while holding it, coughing incessantly with his face turned to the side, a little color returning to his pale face.
Only then did he realize that he had fallen onto the carpet, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and vest—a typical waiter's uniform—with a large footprint on his chest and a burning pain in his chest.
Without a doubt, he was kicked and fell to the ground.
Amidst intermittent coughing, Bai Chenzhu surveyed the people around him.
Where am I? Am I in a dream?
But the pain in his body was undeniable. Bai Chenzhu looked with lingering fear at his limbs, confirming that they were intact and not smashed into a bloody pulp.
Where is this? He covered his forehead, staggered to his feet, and tried to leave the uncomfortable environment, hoping to find a quiet corner to sort out his thoughts.
Unexpectedly, after he turned around and took only two steps, he was surrounded by people.
Caught off guard by the other party's attack, Bai Chenzhu was shoved hard and fell to the ground. His elbow hit the ground, making him gasp for breath and calming him down a bit.
"Why are you running?" someone in the crowd said maliciously. "Don't even think about leaving until you apologize today."
The room was packed with people, who were divided into two categories.
One type of customer was a nightclub patron, standing or sitting on a sofa, surrounding a man in the center with an extremely unrestrained and arrogant posture.
The man, dressed in an eye-catching floral shirt, had his arm around the waist of the girl sitting on his lap in a domineering manner.
Judging from her clothes and appearance, the girl was the quintessential innocent and demure type. She looked at Bai Chenzhu worriedly, then turned anxiously to grab the man's clothes, mustering her courage to say, "Jiang Ye, don't make things difficult for him! If you've got the guts, come at me!"
Although she was making harsh remarks, her posture and tone made it sound like she was being coquettish.
The man named Jiang Ye sneered, dusted off his clothes, and his gloomy eyes told him he was not to be trifled with. He raised his hand and pointed in the direction of Bai Chenzhu, "Difficult? My hand is worth a thousand pieces of gold. He spilled wine on my hand, and it would be kind of me not to cut it off."
"If you're a man, get up. For Xin Xin's sake, drink this wine and I'll consider letting you go," Jiang Ye said arrogantly.
Another group consists of nightclub workers, dressed in the same waiter's uniform as Bai Chenzhu, who are huddled together on one side, looking bewildered.
One of the men in a suit wiped his sweat and helped the pale-faced Bai Chenzhu up from the ground. "Little Bai, go and apologize to Young Master Jiang properly, okay?" he emphasized.
Bai Chenzhu rubbed the bridge of his nose, and amidst Xin Xin's worried expression, Jiang Ye's disdain, and the amused looks from the crowd, he stood up again and staggered forward a step.
He raised his head and scanned everyone in the room. His long, drooping eyelashes trembled like a fan, and his half-closed eyes stared at a row of bottles of wine on the table, the multicolored liquids shimmering.
Jiang Ye? Xin Xin? Those names sound familiar…
Wait, Jiang Ye! Bai Chenzhu's expression suddenly turned ugly as he stared intently at the man on the sofa, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
The clothes, the appearance, and the woman... Bai Chenzhu realized what was happening.
Jiang Ye is the male protagonist of "Genesis Martial God".
Was he actually in this novel? But he clearly fell from the building. Bai Chenzhu pinched his forearm until it was bloody and raw. The sharp pain shot up his arm to his head, telling him that this was not a dream.
A thought flashed through Bai Chenzhu's mind: the rustling gossip in the office.
It's such a pity that the book didn't pass the vote at the meeting.
Why?
—Because there's a pathetic little supporting character in it who shares the same name as our manager! Just thinking about this workaholic getting his comeuppance makes me happy… What's with that look? Are your eyes twitching? Oh crap! Manager, I'm sorry, I was just kidding.
Bai Chenzhu shifted his gaze slightly, and when he looked at Jiang Ye again, a burning anger ignited in his heart because the book "Creation Martial God" had been pushed off the third floor.
He ground his back teeth, laughed out of anger, and released his bleeding arm.
Author's Note:
I couldn't resist opening the [Lop-eared Rabbit Head] video.
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