I really don't want to be the top streamer anymore

On the day of the premiere of "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

For many people, this weekend clearly felt like Chinese New Year.

Although there doesn't seem to be much publicity or promotion for this film.

However, the scale of the discussion that netizens spontaneously started was indeed quite exaggerated.

Discussions about the plot, special effects, and other aspects of the entire series have covered every possible guess.

Many people have been eagerly anticipating the broadcast.

After waiting for so long, we can finally see the real movie today.

……

Even Ego, who watches dozens or even hundreds of shows a year, is now very much looking forward to it.

However, the fact that "Candle in the Tomb" was scheduled to air during the summer season reduced her workload considerably.

Because many dramas that were originally scheduled to air during the summer season have all been postponed without any prior arrangement.

Online speculation suggests that the reason for avoiding the show is because they are afraid of Feng Ge and Xu Kong's new drama.

Although some netizens think this might be a bit far-fetched.

But only she, who is somewhat of an industry insider, knows that it really is true.

Neither the platforms nor the film and television companies that produce the works have much confidence to go head-to-head with Feng Ge's "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

Of course, that's not entirely true.

Because there's also Changyun Film and Television, but it's not that they don't want to avoid it, but that they can't.

Feng Ge and Xu Kong relentlessly pursued Changyun Film and Television, and in retrospect, they were really unlucky.

Their summer campus drama, let alone whether it has a chance to compete with Feng Ge for viewers.

Even though they aired on the same day, their popularity has plummeted to the point where almost no one is paying attention.

……

Ego wasn't particularly interested in that youth campus drama to begin with.

Judging from the trailers and related information released previously, it really is the kind of work that doesn't offer much new or original content.

Moreover, although the female lead has been quite popular in recent years.

However, his acting skills are not particularly outstanding; he belongs to the category of people whose fame outweighs their talent.

Now that the show is less popular and nobody's paying attention, Yiguo won't waste her time watching it and making videos.

Currently, she can focus all her energy on the TV series "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

……

After waiting for several hours, Yiguo finally got the official premiere date for "Ghost Blows Out the Light".

It has to be said that the number of reservations alone has reached over a million.

For Tudou Video, the promotional strategy this time was quite successful.

In terms of acquiring new users and attracting new users to become paid members, it has already been a great success.

Even before the official broadcast of the TV series "Ghost Blows Out the Light", various data had already increased significantly.

In short, Tudou Video seems to have won big thanks to Feng Ge's new drama.

……

Without the slightest hesitation, Ego immediately clicked on the first episode of the newly updated "Candle in the Tomb: The Lost City".

The familiar opening theme of "Phoenix Song" plays.

The fact that it was a battlefield right from the start surprised Ego.

She originally thought that "Ghost Blows Out the Light" should be a fantasy adventure series, judging from its genre and the trailers released so far.

But right from the start, there's a war scene that looks too realistic.

However, Yi Guo recognized the male lead as Liu Yue, who played Lu Di in "The Beginning".

Many viewers didn't recognize him from the previous trailers.

In the main story, Liu Yue is indeed completely different from what Iguo had previously remembered.

Not only did he look much darker, but Lu Di at that time looked like a young and handsome man.

This time, he's definitely a man in his thirties.

His physique has also become much more robust, and it's clear that Liu Yue has made considerable preparations and changes for this role.

……

As the battlefield scene ended, Hu Bayi woke up with a start on the train.

Ego realized that this was clearly an explanation of the protagonist's background and experiences.

Looking at the green train and the overall quality of the series, you might mistake it for a period drama.

It's clear that the production team put a lot of effort into recreating the background of that era, paying close attention to every detail.

However, Ego was still curious: wasn't this show a fantasy adventure type?

It's even labeled as a suspense film.

The content of the very first episode felt like stepping into a completely different show.

……

The plot then proceeded smoothly and efficiently, clearly explaining how the protagonist, Hu Bayi, arrived in Beijing and reunited with Fatty Wang Kaixuan.

All those special effects and bizarre scenes from the previous trailers are gone.

On the contrary, the very beginning of the series takes a completely realistic approach.

It's fair to say that this was something that neither Ego nor most of the audience had expected.

The following plot revolves around Wang Kaixuan being deceived, the two of them and Da Jinya initially clashing but eventually becoming acquainted.

However, Ego has begun to notice some clues.

That's the compass that Hu Bayi has, and it also explains how he can use it to locate burial sites.

The plot gradually began to get on track.

……

Big Gold Tooth talked about how lucrative tomb raiding was, and it was clear that both Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang were tempted.

But Hu Bayi insisted that he would not do such a despicable thing.

However, the two suddenly remembered that they had visited a remote mountainous area when they were sent to the countryside.

Many villagers' homes inside have bottles and jars that look like antiques.

Rumor has it that there are ancient tombs dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty there.

They don't rob tombs, but they can certainly act as middlemen.

Since neither of them had much money to begin with, they immediately agreed to go to a place called Niuxin Mountain.

……

At this point in the story, the first episode has only just begun.

The pace was quite fast.

However, Ego could also see that this "Ghost Blows Out the Light" was very different from the kind of fantasy adventure drama she had originally expected.

There is definitely fantasy and adventure content, but that's the overall tone of the series.

Judging from the first episode so far, it seems to be taking a more realistic approach.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. A realistic style actually allows the audience to feel immersed in the story, even with fantastical elements, increasing the credibility of the narrative.

……

In addition, Ego also discovered that the genre should have been more fantasy and adventure-oriented.

But isn't the portrayal of the so-called tomb raiding industry a bit too realistic?

Terms like "tomb raiding" and "gold robbing" sound very professional and are actually industry jargon, yet they're presented in a very sophisticated way.

It's unclear whether Xu Kong, as the screenwriter, wrote this himself, or if it's based on a true story.

The entire series maintains a realistic tone, which can be confusing at first glance.

...The plot quickly got on track from there.

Hu Bayi and Fatty went to Niuxin Mountain together.

However, once they arrived, their hopes were quickly dashed.

Recently, an ancient tomb was discovered at Niuxin Mountain, and a professional archaeological team has arrived.

Moreover, the bottles and jars that the two of them originally planned to buy had already been collected by the authorities.

Fortunately, the two of them did not make a wasted trip.

They learned that there was a Kwantung Army fortress that hadn't been discovered recently. If they found it, there might be some good stuff there that would prevent the two of them from leaving empty-handed.

……

"This is real footage!"

"This scenery is indeed beautifully captured."

Yi Guo could tell that the investment in this "Ghost Blows Out the Light" series was definitely not low.

The cost of shooting in various locations alone is far greater than that of shooting in a fixed studio.

Besides, the production costs for the costumes, props, and special effects shown in the trailers are quite substantial.

Only Xu Kong and Feng Ge now have that much confidence.

Such a big-budget production is actually planned to be made into an entire series.

The investment for just one film was already substantial; the entire subsequent series would undoubtedly be an astronomical sum.

If any unforeseen event occurs, the resulting chain reaction of losses could amount to a substantial sum.

That's enough to bankrupt most of the film and television companies in China.

It's only because Feng Ge's family is so wealthy and powerful that Xu Kong has had so many hit projects in the past two years. He has no shortage of money and is so confident.

……

Next, in addition to Hu Bayi and Wang Kaixuan, a third character appeared: Yingzi, who was sent by the village secretary to act as their guide and provide protection.

She is also a young actor I hadn't seen before.

However, the short hair and the pose of carrying a hunting rifle did indeed make him look very dashing.

She should also be one of Feng Ge's new actresses.

However, this person is not the same actor in the trio in the trailer and poster.

She's probably not the real female lead.

……

The plot gradually started to get interesting.

The Kwantung Army, who were treated like savages, and a group of tomb raiders who had once visited the area, suddenly made Savage Valley somewhat frightening.

Later, Hu Bayi indeed found a huge ancient tomb nearby.

However, it's impossible to dig directly in from above because the upper layers are covered with "Heavenly Treasure Dragon Fire Glazed Tiles." Digging directly in would cause a violent explosion, a suicidal anti-theft measure.

Igor was thoroughly enjoying the science lesson.

Including things like geomancy, feng shui, and other niche knowledge, the show's credibility is greatly enhanced.

……

In the subsequent tomb-entry segment, Ego could sense that the plot was gradually getting on track.

I also realized what kind of style the whole thing was.

Is it a real-life replica of a tomb?

Looking at the lifelike mechanisms and facilities in the play.

And while the protagonist Hu Bayi seems to be explaining things to Fatty, he is actually introducing the audience to various mechanisms, murals, and designs in the tomb.

It definitely has a strong sense of novelty.

Before opening the coffin, the tomb raiders would light a candle in the southeast corner of the tomb chamber.

If the candle goes out, it means the tomb owner is very angry, and nothing in the tomb should be taken.

The saying "humans light the candle, ghosts blow it out" perfectly illustrates this.

……

"Absolutely awesome!"

At this moment, what Yiguo admired most was Xu Kong's imagination.

The whole series seems to be realistic, and even the knowledge about tomb raiding, feng shui, tombs and so on is very well explained, making people feel that it is real.

On the other hand, the entire series is also filled with many magical realism elements.

For example, the saying that people light candles at this time, and ghosts blow out the lamps.

And in the still, windless tomb, the candles actually went out.

Ego felt goosebumps all over his body.

Why does this "Ghost Blows Out the Light" series seem scarier the more I read it?
What's even stranger is that the candle flame, once relit, turned green.

The sudden appearance of the giant rice dumpling startled Yiguo, who hadn't turned on the live chat.

"Fuck!"

"Isn't this too scary?"

Ego couldn't help but speak up.

……

It's because of the almost entirely realistic shooting style and approach in the preceding shots.

The appearance of the giant zongzi (a type of rice dumpling) in Hu Bayi's mouth, which is the so-called zombie, is what makes people feel so terrified.

What followed was almost entirely high-energy action as the group managed to escape unscathed and enter the so-called Kwantung Army fortress.

They then encountered all sorts of strange things, including infants filled with mercury, terrifying swarms of bats, and giant ground otters that looked like monsters.

It's almost fair to say that they've exhausted all their strength just to survive.

"No wonder it's labeled as horror and suspense..."

Ego couldn't help but sigh.

With the final crisis looming, the first five episodes of "Ghost Blows Out the Light" came to an end.

Except for the beginning of the first episode, which was a little calmer, the pacing was still very tight.

The following episodes were almost entirely filled with climaxes.

The decision to release five episodes at once for the premiere was clearly a well-thought-out plan by Feng Ge and Tudou Video.

Aside from the various realistic styles used to create an immersive experience, the first few episodes clearly showed the audience what kind of drama "Ghost Blows Out the Light" really is.

It features realistic and retro-style environments, specially selected filming locations showcasing beautiful natural scenery, various meticulously designed and crafted props and tomb scenes, and a variety of eerie creatures with impressive special effects.

It's hard for Ego to say exactly what kind of style this show is.

It's completely different from previous fantasy adventure stories.

It seems to be a style of its own, a completely new style.

In addition, the dialogue and introductions are also filled with a great deal of information.

It's clear that the world-building of the entire series is quite grand, and what's shown is only the tip of the iceberg.

Ego was already looking forward to how the story would unfold.

She had a feeling that what the protagonist was currently encountering was just an appetizer, a small side quest.

The subtitle of this drama is "The Lost City of Jingjue", and the female lead doesn't even appear.

From these points, it's clear that Xu Kong's ambitions this time are truly enormous.

Besides the memorable character designs, there are also the well-established worldviews and settings.

It even makes people feel that it actually exists.

They really intend to create a complete and massive IP series.

This drama might be even more popular than she originally expected!
...(End of chapter)