If Lingyan insists on not letting him go, he will not only lose everything, but also spend several years in jail.
“Wang Ze, you should have thought of this day when you set up a scheme to undermine the foundation of Starlight. You’re full of scheming and tricks, but you always use them in the wrong places.”
Ignoring Wang Ze's threat, Ling Yan tossed the accusation in her hand in front of her, her eyes filled with coldness.
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Author's Note:
Tomorrow is May 20th... Waaaaah, the lament of a single dog. I'll keep it short today, because I don't have a partner, so I can't write anything!
//The business battles are all made up, I don't know anything about them!
Chapter 45 Agent and Movie Queen (Seventeen)
==============================
"That was truly spectacular..."
After listening to his subordinate's report, Xia Xiange couldn't help but applaud.
"One company, Yaoyang, is enough to get us out of this predicament. Who can resist the allure of semi-holographic technology?"
"President Xia, what do we do now? Wang Ze is currently preoccupied with his own problems, and I'm afraid this plan against Starlight will completely fall through."
"President Xia, regarding the cooperation that Country M mentioned before, would you consider it..."
"I think I've said before that I don't like being controlled by others."
Upon hearing this, Xia Xiange gave the man a cold glance.
The group of people sitting below instantly fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.
"Focus on doing your job well. The starlight can't move anymore, so let's just leave it at that."
Completely unconcerned that her plan had failed, Xia Xiange calmly announced the end of the meeting, leaving no one able to guess what she was thinking.
Despite paying a huge price to declare war on Starlight, they showed no reaction to the defeat.
"Is the host planning to give up again?"
When Xia Xiange returned to the empty office, that cold, synthesized electronic voice rang out again.
"System, is there really no problem with this world? Don't you think that what Lingyan's Yaoyang Technology is capable of is too advanced?"
"Impossible!" the system replied decisively.
"Okay, okay, you can't be wrong. Now, I can't beat her."
Xia Xiange didn't give a lazy smile; instead, she spoke softly, her words filled with a sense of slackness and unwillingness to work.
"If we kill the chosen one, there will still be room for maneuver."
The system continued its defiant clamor.
"Gu Zhong is currently riding high. If I were locked up in jail, this mission would be completely ruined, right? System, I think you should prioritize protecting the host."
"You should have a way, of course. Otherwise..."
The system didn't care at all about Xia Xiange's predicament.
"You really think highly of me..."
After a long silence, Xia Xiange uttered a sentence, leaned against the corner of the dimly lit room, and took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
The flickering light of the lighter illuminated her beautiful face hidden in the darkness, burning away the cold depths of her eyes.
"Is there still no movement from Chenxi?"
After swiftly taking control of the situation, Lingyan specifically instructed people to keep an eye on Chenxi's movements. However, Chenxi's initial attempt was unsuccessful, and it went quiet, focusing only on completing its interstellar blockbuster project. Judging from the speed, it seemed to want to finish the project before Xingguang's.
This behavior is strikingly similar to how the Witchcraft Cult failed in its attempt to seize power. Having missed its first strike and knowing it was no match, it didn't even bother to move.
It's as if, in Xia Xiange's eyes, the things she did before didn't have any necessity to achieve any result; they were just things she did casually.
There was no one to cause trouble anymore. Regarding the drug issue, there was official support, and both Xingguang and Gu Zhong were thoroughly cleared of wrongdoing. The company underwent a major purge, eliminating many toxic elements and creating a much cleaner and more upright environment. Yang Mei chose to leave on her own because of Wang Ze.
Ge Tan and Shen Yue are now in a difficult position; having tried to ride the wave of popularity, they should pay the price.
However, neither side has any evidence in this matter, and they can only remain in a meaningless tug-of-war as before. In the long run, no matter how much they care, they will always have some stains on their reputation that are difficult to remove.
"Once you stand tall enough, these problems will no longer be a problem."
Compared to Lingyan's concern about this issue, Gu Zhong always ended up being the one offering comfort.
"Besides, with you here, sister, what impact could these problems possibly have?"
"Gu Xiaozhong, why are you always so indifferent to your reputation?"
With a sigh, Lingyan embraced her. No matter which life she lived, her disregard for worldly customs and etiquette would never change.
"When you're alive, all you need to do is be happy. As long as other people's opinions don't become obstacles, why bother caring?"
Gu Zhong, who has always had a smooth life, has never experienced the feeling of being crushed by public opinion, which is why he has the confidence and audacity to say such things.
“That’s true.” However, Ling Yan did not refute it, because in this life, she would never again let her words become a weapon aimed at Gu Zhong.
While Chen Xi was busy filming her new movie, "The Astrologer" was released, but it was forced to be taken off the screen for rectification after only three days.
In fact, this whole thing was brought up by Wang Ze. The previous drug scandal had an impact that far exceeded many people's expectations.
No one expected that a long chain of drug trafficking and abuse would be uncovered from Wanxiang's son, involving many people in the entertainment industry, and even a management company was exposed for using drugs to control its artists.
Unfortunately, several investors in "The Astrologer" were implicated, and the actor who played the second male lead in the film was also confirmed to be a drug user. Following the trail, Ge Tan was also exposed as a drug user, and his girlfriend Liu Wanjun was also suspected.
The country has always had zero tolerance for drugs. How could a film that brings together drug money and drug addicts possibly reappear in the public eye?
This unexpected turmoil has left no one—whether it's the actors, the producers, or the investors—unscathed.
Chenxi suffered heavy losses, its investments went downhill, and Qu Xiaoran's plan to enter the domestic TV drama market with a hit series also failed. Ge Tan, who had been making a lot of noise, finally ruined his own career.
On the contrary, Gu Zhong, due to his previous scheming, was unable to participate and escaped disaster.
Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise; life is always unpredictable, which makes one feel fortunate.
Adhering to the principle that giving the enemy a respite is tantamount to slow suicide, Lingyan began to implement a high-pressure policy within Starlight, determined to bring the progress of the new project up to par with Dawn.
If Dawn gains the upper hand, it will give it a chance to recoup its funds and recover. Moreover, Yaoyang's semi-holographic technology is destined to remain hidden for long, and the many promises he made to resolve his predicament may allow Dawn to exploit a loophole.
When that time comes, it's inevitable that things will return to a state of equilibrium, and we'll inevitably have to live in constant anxiety and worry.
Days passed by, and the entertainment industry changed too quickly. Countless talent shows were in full swing, and a group of idols attracted the attention of most young people.
However, when Dawn and Starlight released news about "StarCraft" and "Wasteland Era" one after the other, all the trending topics were once again dominated by these two giants.
Two domestically produced special effects blockbusters that had been highly anticipated for two years coincidentally hit the National Day holiday, further fueling public expectations.
"StarCraft or Wasteland, which are you more looking forward to?"
"The leading 5D semi-holographic technology was used for the first time in film shooting, and Wasteland Era ushers in a new era."
"StarCraft is touted as a well-made game, but can it surpass Wasteland's technological advantages?"
Recent press releases and trending topics are all of this kind.
Beneath this bustling surface lies a fierce battle for box office revenue and a re-division of the market.
Perhaps, for the dawn and the starlight, this is the final battle.
—It was also a game of wits between Xia Xiange and Ling Yan.
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Author's Note:
Suddenly I have a boyfriend/girlfriend, and sorry, I've become short...
Chapter 46 Agent and Movie Queen (18)
==============================
StarCraft truly boasts excellent production quality and an extremely compelling story, justifying Dawn's massive investment.
If it can be released independently during the Golden Week holiday, it will surely make a fortune, allowing Chenxi to expand its capital once again.
Unfortunately, it ran into Wasteland Era, which had the latest technology and was equally well-made.
The market is only so big. In the first two days of the Golden Week holiday, the two films were evenly matched. With the support of the theaters and the captivating semi-holographic technology, Wasteland Era gradually surpassed Interstellar in terms of screenings, which inadvertently reduced its box office revenue.
By the time the holiday ended, the difference was already apparent. Having lost the golden hour, the dawn could never catch up with the starlight again, no matter what.
Moreover, for Chenxi, failing to capture the largest market share would be the biggest failure; their current profits are likely only enough to break even.
Lingyan deliberately released misleading information, making the opponent mistakenly believe that "Wasteland" would be released during the Spring Festival. After the opponent launched a large-scale promotion and the film was leaked, she then announced the release date.
To be honest, this method is somewhat underhanded. However, the business world is like a battlefield, where there is no smoke of gunpowder and killings are done invisibly. So, we can't blame anyone for being more ruthless.
As expected, Starlight emerged victorious in this battle, while Dawn suffered a severe blow. In the cutthroat market, second-tier companies eager to advance took advantage of its misfortune, all wanting to squeeze a piece of its flesh.
In stark contrast to the dire situation of Dawn, Starlight has risen to become an industry giant. As a groundbreaking film, Wasteland has broken the conventions of world film festivals, receiving exceptional treatment from the highest-level film festivals in the industry and winning multiple nominations.
"Congratulations, Mr. Ling."
At a business cocktail party, Ling Yan encountered Xia Xiange again. After a long time apart, perhaps due to being busy with the crisis at Chenxi, the charm she once possessed had dissipated, and her temperament exuded a certain coldness.
Just like now, he says "congratulations" but can't even be bothered to put on a smile anymore.
"You flatter me, Mr. Xia."
Lingyan politely clinked glasses with her, but dared not let her guard down for a moment, fearing that she might have some tricks up her sleeve.
"I heard that President Ling has acquired Tianchen's 'Micro Dust' script?"
As if casually mentioning a trivial matter, Xia Xiange said, "President Li was extremely grateful to President Ling because of this."
"President Xia is certainly well-informed."
Ling Yan's heart skipped a beat. In the scheme to frame Tianchen, she had completely sold out President Li, yet she remained oblivious, counting the money for her. But the person before her seemed to know some inside information.
"President Ling, it's always good to leave yourself an out in life and business, don't you think?"