Tokyo: The evil god doesn't want to be the top star

Although there were no post-production edits such as close-ups and camera switching, the ultra-high-definition front camera aimed at the stage, coupled with external top-level sound pickup equipment, was enough to present Xia Fan's first stage performance clearly and completely.

Listening to Xia Fan's decadent, desperate yet powerful singing on the tablet, Akimoto Manjiro felt countless sad memories flooding into his heart, and tears began to well up in his eyes again.

"Souta, was this video uploaded by our program team?"

Using willpower to drive his thumb to pause the video, he asked Assistant Director Souta, whose eyes also turned red.

Chapter 221: Company B’s conspiracy?

2024-07-13

"No, Director, Xia Fan's debut performance is not on the list of debut performance videos we released to the public..."

"You see, the account that uploaded this video is a personal account, not our program's official account."

Assistant Director Souta looked carefully at the video release details and shook his head in denial.

In order to promote the program, the program team and the accounts of various brokerage companies did release some direct-shot videos of the five-star trainees' first stage performances to attract traffic to the program.

But this naturally cannot include Xia Fan’s first stage video.

"Personal account? But the content of this video was indeed shot by our camera. Could it be that... someone in the production team leaked it?"

"Company B bribed the show's crew and stole the original video in order to attract traffic to Xia Fan?"

"Which bastard would betray the team like this?! It seems that we need to conduct an internal investigation..."

Akimoto Manjiro stroked the stubble on his chin, and his eyes gradually became sharp.

It was as if he was a gangster who was planning to "clean up the inside" after being tipped off by his younger brother to the police.

"Director-in-Chief, it couldn't have been leaked by one of our people!"

"All recorded materials for the program are cleaned up after each recording and stored in an encrypted computer. Every login authorization and operation is recorded."

"We have checked the records and no one has used Xia Fan's first stage live video."

The atmosphere of impending storm made the executive director panic and start to defend himself.

"Director, the program's broadcast data is good and everyone's morale is high. We are still in the recording stage. Conducting an internal investigation now will affect stability and affect the normal recording of the third episode."

"Whoever leaked it can come down and investigate secretly. The most urgent task is to eliminate the negative impact of public opinion."

Looking at Akimoto Manjiro, who was lost in some fantasy with an increasingly ferocious smile on his face, Assistant Director Souta hurriedly whispered to persuade him.

"Quick, continue reporting..."

"Even if Xia Fan's first stage performance video was leaked, those netizens wouldn't complain that the 'content doesn't match the promotion', right?"

He winked at the executive director, trying to get the subject back on track.

"After Xia Fan's debut video was released, it seemed like someone was secretly promoting it. It became popular somehow, and was praised by netizens as the best male cover of 'I Once Thought of Ending It All'."

"This video has been viewed over 10 million times on multiple platforms, and the search for "I once thought about ending it all, the most touching male voice version" has risen to No. 15 on the trending search list!"

"Many netizens were deeply moved after listening to this and came to watch our show, only to find that this first stage performance was not included in the second episode, so they chose to give a bad review in protest."

The executive director organized his thoughts and explained at a rapid pace.

"Just as I expected, this must be a conspiracy of Company B!"

"They stole our official materials, then used them to promote their content and incited negative public opinion to attack us..."

"Hurry up, go to those video platforms and file a complaint, asking them to take the videos down for copyright infringement!"

After being silent for a while, Akimoto Manjiro seemed to have figured something out and made arrangements in a frustrated manner.

"But, despite some negative public opinion, Xia Fan's debut video has a very good effect in attracting traffic to the program..."

The executive director's expression suddenly became troubled.

As more and more netizens watched Xia Fan's singing, they gave various comments such as "very ordinary but very tearful", "no skills, all emotion", "no matter how his white voice can move people", "other people's singing either costs money or life, Xia Fan's singing only costs paper", and then they became interested in watching the program itself...

The core of the KPI assessment for the executive director of the program team is naturally the number of views by paid members.

Therefore, some staff members noticed this video as early as yesterday, but because it had a good traffic-generating effect and no "complaints" occurred, they did not take it seriously.

"No matter how good the drainage effect is, the consequences of this will not be so simple... Souta, you do it yourself!"

"Yes, I'll do it right away."

At Akimoto Manjiro's extremely firm request, Assistant Director Souta hurried out to contact the platform by phone.

"Damn Company Be..."

Manjiro Akimoto frowned, took out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Hexi old thief, you usually hype up topics, guide public opinion, and increase the number of views. But this time, you openly used commercial espionage methods for the sake of a primary election. Aren't you crossing the line?"

The person he was talking to was, of course, Company B's publicity and promotion director, Kawanishi Shigeo.

The entertainment industry is not a small circle. Although they belong to different companies, the industry veterans who have been in the industry for many years are very familiar with each other privately.

"Don't you know what I'm talking about? Xia Fan! You deliberately used your personal account to leak Xia Fan's first stage video. Where did you, Company B, get it? Do I need to tell you?"

"What, you don't know what Xia Fan is? Besides, you are very grateful to me for helping Yayoi Tsuki to become popular again, so you would never do such a thing?

"Are you in a meeting? Wait, don't hang up yet..."

Kawanishi Chengfu seemed to know nothing about this and ended the call after a few perfunctory words.

"These guys from Company Be are so arrogant that they dare not take responsibility..."

"In short, we can't let this video continue to spread. If it continues like this, the fairness of the entire program will be questioned!"

Staring at the dark screen of his mobile phone, Manjiro Akimoto was like an ant on hot pot, pacing anxiously on the spot, with no intention of "leaving get off work early" at all.

Because, if Xia Fan's first stage performance video continues to go viral, the program crew will no longer be able to hide the fact that they used the "Spring and Autumn style" to deliberately create a "black hot search" about Xia Fan and Yayoi Tsuki!

The main sources of income for the program are, first, the share of viewing revenue from paid members of the video platform, and second, the income from advertising title sponsorship, both of which are relatively fixed.

The part that can further tap into potential and raise the ceiling is the additional income generated by fans' consumption in various cooperative channels during the elimination phase in order to vote for the trainees.

Before the program enters the first elimination performance, it will arrange seemingly cumbersome links such as personal interview videos, initial stage ratings, theme song PK, etc., all of which are to allow the audience to have a certain feeling and sense of substitution for the trainees who meet their XP, and pave the way for the subsequent spending money on ranking and voting.

The "Idol Birth Festival" is ultimately a competition, so superficial fairness is naturally the most basic. If the credibility of the program team is questioned due to "malicious editing", the audience's desire to continue watching will decrease, let alone spending money to vote for the rankings.

"Director, we have contacted people from all the major video platforms, and those videos of Xia Fan's debut performance have been removed..."

Not long after, Assistant Director Caota came back jogging to report.

"Well, if we can calm down now..."

"Oh no, Director. After those videos were taken down, more newly registered accounts immediately re-uploaded the video!"

"What?! Keep reporting it and keep taking it down!"

Before Manjiro Akimoto could even breathe a sigh of relief, the executive director next to him reported news that made him furious.

Chapter 222 Divine Punishment

2024-07-13

"I understand that the videos on the website can be removed continuously, but many people have already kept the video and spread it on social platforms and software. Do we need to find a way to deal with it?"

"Wait, it's not easy to deal with private dissemination on social media platforms. As expected of Bethesda, their tactics are really sophisticated. It seems like we've met our match this time..."

Touching his stubbled chin, Akimoto Manjiro frowned and squinted his eyes as he began to think.

Videos spread on social platforms and communication software are also considered infringements, and they can be removed by finding platforms.

But if the video fails, netizens will know that the program officials are deliberately suppressing this matter, which will only make it more obvious and the gain will outweigh the loss...

"However, Company Bethesda has never paid much attention to idol auditions in recent years, but this time it has made such a big fuss. Is it to protect the reputation of Yayoi Tsuki, or is it because of the bottleneck in performance growth, and finally wants to share the 'idol audition' pie?"

But what worries him more is the deeper meaning behind Bethesda's actions.

"Director, some netizens have begun to question our 'malicious editing' of Xia Fan's debut performance, deliberately creating conflicts, and using Yayoi Tsuki's popularity to hype up topics!"

Assistant Director Kusata stared at his mobile phone, paying attention to the direction of the real-time topic, and finally understood Akimoto Manjiro's concerns.

At first glance, Xia Fan's first performance on stage was neither good nor bad, but it had an inexplicable emotional appeal that could easily stir up people's sentimental side...

Netizens who are "moved" will not only choose to watch the show, but will also spontaneously share it with their friends.

Coupled with the invisible network promoters behind the scenes, the speed at which this video spreads cannot be stopped by "removing it from the shelves" or "banning it".

"It looks like we can't suppress it anymore... Souta, call a meeting of relevant personnel immediately and make public relations preparations..."

Sighing, Manjiro Akimoto took off his coat and walked towards the meeting room.

……

A high-rise apartment building in Saitama Prefecture.

Even in broad daylight, the study room filled with computers and equipment is sealed off by heavy curtains, not even a ray of sunlight can get in.

"Hehe, those platforms have removed my videos one after another. It seems that the production team has finally reacted?"

"It's a pity that the reaction is too slow. If it had been a day earlier, it might have been of some use..."

"Speaking of which, the authority of Section 9 is really high. It can even use the cloud computing authority of the RIKEN's top-level Fuji quantum computer at will..."

"In the entire District 11, there is no server that can refuse this computer's 'forced insertion', right?"

Aiba Yui, wearing only a tank top and hot pants, with her long hair lazily scattered behind her, was typing quickly on the keyboard.

Compared to the last time the police "visited her late at night", her house had many more "customized" peripherals, such as mouse pads, human-shaped pillows, and 3D printed figures, all of which were printed with Xia Fan's photos...

The walls around the study were densely covered with posters of Xia Fan in various sizes.

"How dare you cut Lord Xia Fan into pieces? Such a beautiful, moving, tear-jerking performance..."

"The production team that committed the sin of arrogance must accept the punishment from our "Midsummer Shrine"!"

At this moment, what was reflected in Aiba Yui's reflective glasses was Xia Fan's personal support website "Midsummer Shrine".

The homepage of the website has been changed to the complete video of the debut performance.

Hanging below is a "divine punishment notice" targeting the "Idol Birth Festival" program team.

The "Notice" listed in detail the program team's crimes against Xia Fan, including malicious editing, lowering the ratings, and hyping topics, and attached "original recording materials" of unknown origin as evidence...

Whether it was Xia Fan's singing or the emotional reactions of the mentors, they were all clearly visible.

Not only that, the notice also called on "Summer Disease" to expose the evil deeds of the program team on the public opinion platform, and also attached detailed combat guidelines and rhetoric...

Even fans who don’t have time to fight only need to provide their account and hand it over to the self-programmed “one-key fighting program” to carry out their own activities…

Yes, after discovering that Xia Fan’s first stage was “cut three times and one third” in the main film, Yui Aiba, who was not satisfied with the show, immediately hacked into the program team’s computer and obtained the original recording material of that stage.

After Xia Fan was listed on the "black hot search" due to malicious editing, she was furious and directly released Xia Fan's first stage video to the entire network, and at the same time called on "Summer Disease" to launch a public opinion counterattack.

"Look at me, look at me, Master Xia Fan..."

"See how I remove these obstacles that want to obscure your light one by one..."

Being watched by countless "Xia Fan" in the room, Aiba Yui had a silly smile on her face and typed faster...

From being announced as the "main promotion" by Yayoi Tsuki, to becoming a "seven-star trainee", Xia Fan has been on the hot search list as Yayoi Tsuki's "thigh pendant" during this period.

Although it has attracted a lot of negative public opinion, the number of "summer diseases" registered at the "Midsummer Shrine" is actually increasing rapidly...

Among them, there are female fans of Yayoi Tsuki, as well as passers-by who are curious and attracted by Xia Fan for his good looks, acting skills or "emotional singing skills".

In short, based on these female fans who are keen on online bickering and fan circle debates, combined with computer genius Yui Aiba's AI, crawlers and self-developed software, plus the terrifying cloud computing power of quantum computers, a very terrifying online public opinion force has taken shape...

Xia Fan's outstanding stage performance is their greatest confidence to refute everything.

"Hey, the weight calculation formulas for the hot search lists of several mainstream social platforms have been cracked by quantum computers, and AI can already generate the 'highest weighted content' in real time."

"It is expected that in three hours, Xia Fan's perfect cover, as well as topics such as the program team's 'malicious editing' and 'malicious hype', will soon top the list..."

"The tide of public opinion has begun to turn... The "Idol Birth Festival" production team, get ready to accept God's punishment!"

After being busy for a while, Yui Aiba adjusted her glasses, wiped the sweat from her forehead, then lay down in the computer chair and stretched.

"Master Xia Fan, how are you going to reward me this time..."

Being watched by countless "Xia Fan" in the whole room, Aiba Yui's body twisted like a maggot...

"Ok?"

At the same time, a message popped up from the program responsible for 24-hour automatic monitoring and collection of information related to the "Idol Birth Festival"...