Chapter 21 一 Engage in a Heated Online Debate with Eight Thousand Black Fans.
The filming has been going on for several weeks, and the director finally gave everyone two days off.
Meanwhile, fans eagerly anticipated the release of behind-the-scenes footage of <Light Years> on the official account.
As soon as the video was released, it was clicked countless times, and amidst great anticipation, the scenes gradually unfolded before everyone’s eyes…
The opening shot depicted the vast universe, with a dazzling planet gradually enlarging as the distance was stretched. When fully immersed, the scene shifted to the ecological environment of ancient Earth.
There were towering mountains, lush vegetation, and dense towering trees casting cool shadows below.
Under the setting sun, “Master Lin”, who had been busy all day, returned on a tricycle, causing the corners of the netizens’ mouths to twitch. This opened the curtain for everything.
Barrage Comments:
［Damn it! Give me back our tall, handsome, and cool male god, Movie King Lin!］
［This master, who are you?］
［Brother Chen, are you in debt? It’s okay if you’re having a hard time, just tell us and we’ll all help you out.］
After that, the scene showed a stunningly beautiful young man with fair skin and a graceful appearance leaning back on the old man’s recliner, enjoying himself with a relaxed expression.
He took a sip of his “82-year-old” tea, his expression relaxed, his face full of contentment.
[Is that Bai Ruogu? The one rumored to have a powerful background and also related to internet speed?]
[I haven’t seen any of his films, so I can’t judge his acting, but in terms of looks, he’s truly outstanding. I believe there are few in the industry who can match his handsomeness.]
[Wait! Am I the only one feeling that his actions are very out of place?]
[…Me too, just now without my glasses, I thought my grandfather was on TV.]
[Pfft, the person above is too much.]
Next came the scene of Bai Ruogu acting in a movie, where he was lively and vigorous, like a sprout.
In the drama, his eyes were lively, like a child who hadn’t experienced much of the world, innocent and unaware of the ways of the world.
As netizens gradually adapted to this personality, they almost all thought that this was Bai Ruogu’s true personality.
As soon as the filming was over, his whole aura immediately sank, and even his walk became much steadier.
Netizens: ?
They just watched as Bai Ruogu, like before, sat down on the recliner with a teacup in hand, and the whole person suddenly became as serene as an old man.
Netizens: …
[This sudden change caught me off guard.]
[In both the play and in real life, I can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what’s fake. Can someone tell me Bai Ruogu’s age?]
Perhaps because the visual impact was too strong, there were even off-topic comments mixed in the barrage.
[I swear, I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but that sitting posture just gave me a feeling of being a big shot for a moment.]
[Bai Ruogu… Coincidentally, same name. Could it be the ancestor’s spirit manifesting?]
[Holy crap, tomorrow’s final exam for “Mecha Exoskeleton Design Theory”, may the ancestor’s spirit bless me, please don’t let me fail!]
[May the ancestor bless me to successfully obtain the certificate of junior mecha pilot.]
[May the ancestor bless me for smoothly advancing in my studies and entering the dream school I’ve always desired!!]
[May the ancestor look upon me…]
[Enough, enough, are you all crazy? It’s just an actor, do you really think he’s the ancestor of the world?]
[Exactly, with just a little connection, you can fabricate anything. Why not say Bai Ruogu has a special bond with internet speed because he’s secretly in a relationship with StarNet? Look at how ridiculous this is. Isn’t it hilarious? I’m laughing my head off.]
At the same time, the reason for Lin Chen riding a tricycle was also explained in the behind-the-scenes footage.
No one knew if Lin Chen had encountered some bad luck, but ever since he joined the crew, the internet has been constantly lagging for him.
In the same spot, others’ internet speed soared while Lin Chen couldn’t even open a website.
At first, netizens kindly suggested various methods in the barrage, such as buying acceleration packages, reinstalling the system, or hiring a hacker to fix it.
But as they watched Lin Chen riding away on his tricycle, and the signal grew stronger and stronger, the barrage suddenly fell into eerie silence.
They paused for a moment and opened the shopping interface to start placing orders rapidly.
Folding tricycles, flying tricycles, even tricycles for three-year-old children were all sold out!
For a moment, the #HighSpeedTricycle# hit the trending searches. Unfamiliar passersby looked bewildered. Hadn’t they seen enough tricycles these days? Yet here came a new variety?
Later, a children’s toy tricycle from a remote planet arrived at a netizen’s home. Coincidentally, the netizen’s internet speed was very slow at the time. So, they fiddled with the tricycle back and forth, but the internet speed never seemed to increase.
Was it perhaps because of the wrong posture?
The netizen tried stepping on it, but the tricycle collapsed under their weight, scattering parts all over the floor, and the wheel rolled under the sofa.
Netizen: …
I’ll never believe what they say online again!
Apart from the behind-the-scenes footage of the actors’ daily lives, the movie also released some well-edited clips as teasers, hoping to attract some viewers in advance.
The scene began with a warm and sunny campus. Students laughed and chatted as they walked out of the school. Half-grown young men in school uniforms operated mechas on the simulated playground, brimming with youthful energy. In this peaceful era, everything felt so stable, happy, and blissful.
Suddenly, the scene changed to one of war, with smoke and fire everywhere and the sky dark as night.
A boy in a school uniform stood in the center of the battlefield, looking up as the artillery fire approached head-on. Soil splattered around him from all sides, accompanied by the sounds of countless skirmishes and gunshots.
Yet, in his world, there was a peacefulness. His eyes fixed straight ahead, and suddenly he pointed his finger and shouted, “Blow that place up, their commander is there!”
As if in telepathic connection, a tall man, adorned with the insignia of a major, rode a horse and pointed his rifle, his voice stern as he commanded the artillery behind him, “Attack there.”
For a moment, the sky was tinged red with the fires of war, and the thunderous sound nearly deafened their ears.
Amidst the clash of blades and the chaos, the situation seemed favorable, and everyone pressed on in pursuit.
Amidst the chaos, countless hooves trampled across the battlefield, and amidst the rolling smoke, faint shouts could be heard, “Major Eisley, retreat quickly!”
Looking up, the boy in the school uniform saw the artillery barrage incoming. Without hesitation, he ran to the front of Major Eisley, spreading his arms to shield those behind him…
Explosions lit up the ground, igniting the viewers’ sight, and everyone’s hearts tightened, their palms clenching involuntarily.
Just when they thought the man was really dead, they heard a mechanical voice——
[End of the Experience]
The netizens took a deep breath, their eyes still filled with lingering horror, when suddenly the page turned black, and a raging fire burst forth from the interface.
As the flames subsided, silver lettering with distinct patterns thudded onto the interface.
<Light Years>
The special effects were crafted by a top-tier interstellar team hired specifically by Bai Ruogu. Besides the lifelike visuals, the immersion was incredibly strong, effortlessly drawing the audience in, as if they were transported to that world.
[Soon: Huh? This movie looks pretty good so far. I don’t know what the plot is like yet, but it feels pretty realistic.]
[GuardianStar: I thought it would be a flop, didn’t expect it to be somewhat surprising? Feeling a bit intrigued now.]
[LittleBear089: So what genre is this, school or war?]
[ForeverLoveChenBro: The special effects are amazing! Much better than some money laundering films.]
[ChenChenIsMine: Oh, here we go again with the whitewashing? Just hire some team to make the visuals look impressive and that’s it? Who knows if these few scenes were specially made? If you’ve got the skills, make the whole movie maintain this quality!]
［GetLostTrolls: The movie hasn’t even come out yet and there’s already a bunch of people talking nonsense here. I wonder if they’re internet trolls. I’m speechless.］
［LittleSun: Hey, it looks like another sweet and indulgent movie. I’ve been tired of these for the past two years. Well, since it’s Brother Chen’s movie, I’ll support it when it comes out.］
Just when most people were positively evaluating the movie, a bunch of haters suddenly appeared online for no apparent reason.
［4877996: So this is Bai Ruogu? Pfft, I thought he was so amazing when he was on hot topic before, but it turns out he’s just a pretty face with no substance. She’s all looks and no talent.]
［8599112: Heh, they’re different from us. They just throw money at making movies and let the movie king do supporting roles. My poor Brother Chen.］
［HeavyGlass: Where did these haters come from? If you want to criticize, go ahead, but why stoop so low?］
［4589613: Bai Ruogu obviously isn’t good at acting, yet insists on being an actor. Just relying on a pretty face, they have no real talent whatsoever.］
［HasRuoguEatenToday: Are you trying to troll? Although my Ruogu’s acting skills aren’t top-notch, they’re still above average. There’s indeed a lot of room for improvement, but who are you to criticize my Ruogu like this?］
The trolls continued: ［Luckily Bai Ruogu has a good-looking face, otherwise they’d be utterly useless. Barely managing some acting skills, they’re just scraping by as an actor. But with such terrible acting skills, I don’t think they’re fit to be an actor!］
At the same time, Bai Ruogu was in the rest area, pondering over the script, struggling to portray some very subtle emotions for half a day.
He sat on the recliner, sipping tea and rubbing his forehead, sighing inwardly.
Sigh, I’m really not cut out to be an actor. It’s not even my main profession.
How wonderful it was to tinker with technology! It was both smooth and satisfying.
He suddenly thought of the oath he made his death in the previous life, sighed, and thought, “Forget it, just indulge secretly in private. It’s better not to put the main business on public.”
. . . . .
Li Ruogu was one of the participants who “killed” Bai Ruogu during the dinner party, and also the leading figure in their generation’s mecha industry.
The collapse of the house last time left him somewhat puzzled. Initially cautious, he eventually relaxed when nothing major happened.
Having not paid attention to Bai Ruogu for a long time, one day he suddenly remembered to have someone investigate Bai Ruogu’s recent situation, only to find that the other party had been trending on several occasions, accumulating a chest full of grievances all at once.
He, who had long held the power of discourse, didn’t like it when things exceeded his expectations.
Therefore, he called his subordinates to take action, and he was determined to ruin Bai Ruogu.
He opened his smart brain and relaxed as he watched the overwhelming wave of internet trolls on the StarNet.
The number of internet trolls this time was quite considerable. Leveraging his identity as the young master of the top-tier mecha aristocracy Li Family, the internet trolls he hired was also extraordinary.
With eighty million internet trolls crazily brushing, negative comments flooded the entire StarNet. He reclined on the sofa, watching this outcome with satisfaction, nodding in approval.
Not to mention Bai Ruogu, even Lin Chen’s fans couldn’t argue with him.
The whole StarNet was dumbfounded. Those who attempted to help as bystanders were mercilessly attacked to the point where their ancestors’ graves were not spared.
Most people thought Bai Ruogu was going to be overwhelmed by the criticism, so they took a breath and waited. But as they lifted their heads, they suddenly saw the direction online shift drastically!
[4848478: Bai Ruogu hasn’t even produced any works, yet he’s gained quite a bit of fame. Tsk tsk, the waters behind him are deep.]
[Ruogu’s Little Sweetheart: Some people can’t eat grapes and say they’re sour1. Jealousy is jealousy, just say it directly. Being too cryptic for too long turns you into a eunuch.]
[Ruogu’s Precious: Where did these trolls come from? Release your account and let’s all make money together.]
[Ruogu’s Venom: Get lost! Who do you think you are to talk about my Ruogu? You don’t deserve to even mention his name!]
A hired troll was slammed by three accounts, and they were all equipped with “Battle of Words” manuals. In no time, the troll was overwhelmed and fled in disarray with all of their accounts.
Meanwhile, the incident had also been happening to countless internet trolls. These people, who had been used to being the ones doing the trolling, were now being trolled themselves to death.
The fengshui had turned, and trolls also had their day of being trolled to death.
Netizens were all baffled, and Young Master Li was stunned. He stared blankly at the trends above, almost unable to hold back from spitting out a mouthful of blood.
He opened his contact list, intending to connect with the leader of the internet trolls. But as he clicked to dial, a popup suddenly appeared on the screen.
[Your smart brain is suspected of hiring internet trolls and has been suspended. For appeals, please dial 547.]
Li Ruogu: …
His hands were shaking uncontrollably, and he nearly lost his balance and fell.
- 有些人吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸 (Yǒuxiē rén chī bù dào pútáo shuō pútáo suān) is a Chinese idiom that used to describe someone who is jealous of someone else’s success and tries to belittle their accomplishments. ↩︎
Taw’s Note: So… the original chapter title is “与八千黑粉对线互撕” (Engage in a Heated Online Debate with Eight Thousand Black Fans), but if you notice in the story it mentioned “八千万水军疯狂刷…” (“With eighty million internet trolls…”). There’s a difference; “八千” means eight thousand and “八千万” means eighty million. And I’m just going to leave it as is.
Also, the word 水军 (shuǐ jūn) literally means “water army,” but I prefer using “internet trolls” instead of “water army.”