CH 7

“Si Huaixi, I didn’t expect you to become so popular in just a few days” the agent Li Zhuo said with a sarcastic tone, looking at Si Huaixi. He felt annoyed inside, even though Si Huaixi didn’t reveal any insider information about the company during his livestreams, the continuous hot searches he generated had attracted the attention of some higher-ups.

The company was in chaos these past few days. It was said that someone from higher up wanted to target the company. Even though the company’s big boss had some connections, the company still received orders to suspend operations for an entire month.

During the entire month, the company could not take on any new projects, which caused significant losses. Seeing the situation was not favorable, some artists under the company began to have thoughts of terminating their contracts and changing agencies. Some idle journalists even camped outside the company’s gate, specifically targeting the company’s artists for interviews, just to defame the company in the public opinion.

Privately, the company’s big boss gave him a thorough scolding, and since the incident involved two of his artists, he could not escape responsibility. Li Zhuo didn’t want to be kicked out of the company when he was in his middle age. Moreover, he knew many dark secrets of the company, which involved some powerful figures. He was afraid that he might not be able to walk out of this alive.

Li Zhuo has been extremely unlucky lately. He was depressed and had occasional stomach pains, making it difficult for him to sleep at night. He went to the hospital for a check-up, but the doctors found nothing wrong.

Spending money on treatment without seeing results made him both angry and aggrieved. His gaze towards Si Huaixi became colder and more resentful. All of his misfortunes happened because of this trash star’s popularity. 

Si Huaixi lifted his eyes lightly and said, “What do you want from me?”

Li Zhuo suppressed his resentment. Even though he hated this trash star’s popularity, he had to admit that this industry relied on fame to survive. This low-class trash star without any talent had only taken a short time to make it onto several hot searches, which were faster than the celebrities whom the company had spent a lot of money to promote.

Remembering how quickly his fans had increased, even he felt envious. Within a day, his fans had surged to over 900,000, and it wouldn’t be long before it reached a million. After all, Si Huaixi was a newcomer who had not yet released any works.

However, Li Zhuo had several artists to manage under him in the past and had no time to manage his Weibo account. Now, he needed to take it back in the company’s name. A Weibo account with a million fans was worth a lot of money. 

Weibo was a platform with a genuine registered fan count, and the daily active users are numbered in the tens of billions. Sometimes, even people from neighboring Federations would cross the firewall and come to the Empire’s Weibo platform. In terms of both technology and entertainment, the Empire is superior to the Federation.

To the proud people of the Empire, the Federal territory’s people are just a group of peasants who developed on the barren and remote planets that their ancestors didn’t want. The Federal people are just a bunch of thieves who frequently provoked the Empire’s territories at the borders. 

Similarly, the people in the Federal territory have a poor impression of the Empire’s people. They are a group of incompetent spendthrifts who rely on the wealth and assets left by their ancestors to survive, and they will be defeated by the Federal people sooner or later. 

Li Zhuo’s eyes turned cold, and he ordered in an unfriendly tone, “The company requires you to hand over your Weibo account quickly. According to the contract, your account must cooperate with the company’s promotion. Give me your password, and I will manage your Weibo posts.” 

--- Weibo account? 

Si Huaixi furrowed his eyebrows slightly, recalling that he did have such a thing, but he didn’t quite understand why people in peacetime were obsessed with this kind of online account. Everyone had one, and the fan count of some interstellar superstars was exaggerated to over ten billion, which was more than the Empire’s total population of just over 7 billion. 

Si Huaixi’s eyes narrowed as he said coldly, “This account is my personal property. According to the citizen privacy rights specified in the Empire’s laws, even if I have signed a contract with a related company, the priority and ownership of this account belong to me. You cannot force me to publish anything harmful to my personal and public image.”

Li Zhuo exclaimed, “What do you mean? Is the company trying to harm you?”

Sihuai Xi sneered. There was no doubt in his mind.

Li Zhuo wanted to get angry, but Si Huaixi was a person who was hard to deal with. Fortunately, he looked like a fox and had made it to the top searches twice, catching the attention of some aristocrats who secretly contacted him to reserve Si Huaixi. If everything went well, Li Zhuo could earn a seven-figure amount of interstellar coins as a reward.

Seven-digit interstellar coins! That amount could buy him a mech, which he could never afford in his entire life. Li Zhuo was both tempted and jealous of the aristocrats in the Empire. 

After thinking it over, Li Zhuo swallowed his words and asked with caution, “What you said to me that day was true, right?” 

“What did I say?” Si Huaixi asked with a light smile. 

“Don’t pretend, it’s about me introducing some investors to you” 

Si Huaixi chuckled lightly and said with a cold expression, “Sure, I never said I disagreed.”

Li Zhuo relaxed a bit and said in a friendly tone, “Well, we’re all here to make money. Our company’s artists have all made it this way. Even that artist who jumped ship to C company from our company made it by sleeping his way to the top with someone’s support. He recently acted in a popular martial arts TV drama as the second male lead. Opportunities and reputation are waiting for you. It just depends on whether you can abandon your principles.” 

“...” 

Si Huaixi’s eyes remained indifferent. He had seen many of these rules that lurked in the dark corners of human nature in the end times and had grown weary of them.

In the apocalypse, people sell their own flesh and blood to survive, just like how the minor celebrities in peacetime rely on using all means to climb up the ladder for resources, fame, and status. As long as they do not cross the line or mess with him, whether it’s the end of the world or peaceful times, Si Huaixi has never had many moral constraints or empathy to care about such things.

But if someone is forced to do so, Si Huaixi’s eyes instantly flashed with a cold light. Si Huaixi deals with scumbags like Li Zhuo according to his own set of rules, no matter if it's the end of the world or peaceful times. 

After leaving the company, Si Huaixi put on his mask and glanced at the entrance where several reporters were squatting. When someone rushed up to him, he immediately evaded them, disappearing from their sight in an instant. After easily dodging the reporters, Si Huaixi passed by a large shopping mall that was hosting an event and suddenly heard some familiar words. 

“The holographic mech game ‘Star River Battlefield’ is about to be released. This game is jointly developed by top imperial scientific research institutions, Blue Air Mech Company, Glory Mech Company, Ghostfire Games Company, and others. It is the largest virtual game world in the history of the empire, and every NPC in it has artificial intelligence, personality, and thinking ability that can interact with players. With 100% realism, it contains various rare and unique mech styles. The developers of 'Star River Battlefield' are committed to constructing a different interstellar virtual mech game..." 

There were also some e-sports celebrities on stage to liven up the atmosphere, and many young people around stopped in their tracks, excitedly watching the game trial of the e-sports celebrities.

On a screen that is taller than a building, a promotional video of a game called ‘Star River Battlefield’ is playing, showcasing an endless universe, real planets dotted like stars, and a surging, stirring music. One by one, majestic and powerful mechs appeared in front of the crowd, drawing cheers from the audience.

“Look, there are so many rare mechs appearing inside!”

“What the hell! I came specifically to see the professional e-sports players. I thought it was another holographic game with false advertising, but it turns out that the mechs inside could actually be operated and fought with. They look exactly like the real thing!”

“Of course, this is the mech game developed by General Pei. The realism is so high that it is close to 99% of real mechs. The wind speed and ground conditions in the game environment will also affect the mechs’ movement. It’s said that the military even wants to use it for mech training.”

“General Pei? Is it the Major General Pei from that glorious battle?”

“Who else could it be? Unfortunately, General Pei has already retired, otherwise those Federation people wouldn’t be so arrogant!”

“Hey, the promotional video also mentioned that General Pei’s S-class mech, the Silver Arc, will appear in the form of a hidden mission. As long as all the hidden missions are completed, it can be assembled in the ‘Star River Battlefield’, and it’s one of a kind!”

“I want it!!!”

Originally, Si Huaixi just wanted to stop and check out this product of the peaceful era and confirm if it was the game from his memory.

In the original work, ‘Star River Battlefield’ had an important role.

Si Huaixi is about to star in an interstellar campus e-sports love story, which tells the story of the male and female lead’s love-hate relationship in a game, with a relatively light plot.

Originally, the game in the script was not ‘Star River Battlefield’, but this game caused a sensation as soon as it was released. The director changed the name of the game to ‘Star River Battlefield’ to ride the trend. 

The protagonist, Bai Huaiyu, snatched the male lead role in this drama and portrayed himself as a cool male lead who was skilled at operating mechs. He even posted some videos online claiming he was a gaming master. It really made Bai Huaiyu popular with the trend of this game, and his popularity soared.

Si Huaixi is preparing to go to the film crew and will soon see the protagonist, Bai Huaiyu, and his numerous harem. He needed to learn more about this world.

It’s just...

“I have already booked a VIP-level virtual game warehouse. When the time comes, I will be the first one to collect General Pei’s mech!”

“Who do you think you are? This is General Pei’s mech we’re talking about. Not only individuals, but some large mech companies are specifically buying accounts to get the data of the S-class mech Silver Arc. General Pei personally developed his mech, and there is only one Silver Arc mech out in the world. It is a priceless treasure!”

“General Pei mentioned in a video promotion that releasing his exclusive S-level Silver Arc was a sudden whim and the hidden task of collecting all the Silver Arc parts is of extreme difficulty, comparable to that of a senior military mech pilot. If any player can truly collect all the parts, he wouldn’t mind meeting this highly skilled player.”

“Wow!!!”

Listening to the admiration and excitement of those around him for Pei Zhaozhou’s mech, Si Huaixi’s clear, sea-blue eyes gazed at the S-class mech on the screen emitting moonlight-like arc glow, revealing a hint of secretive possessiveness and dissatisfaction.

— I’m starting to feel a desire to participate in this mech game.