ROSGT Chapter 108: Unexpected Outcome
### Volume 1, Chapter 108: Unexpected Outcome
That evening, Ye Chui was having dinner with Fang Nan, Fang Xi, and Robert, who was freeloading as usual.
On the TV screen nearby, the entertainment news was playing.
"Chu Qingci's latest album has suddenly been renamed 'Love Transaction.' According to insiders, the album's title was changed because the main song is called 'Love Transaction.' It's rumored that this song is by the same person who made Master Fang give up his title of Music Godfather..."
As the announcer spoke, the TV screen showed the radiant figure of Chu Qingci.
Fang Xi glanced at the screen, then suddenly stood up and went over to change the channel.
Fang Nan, who was interested in the news not because of Chu Qingci but because it involved Ye Chui, asked her brother curiously, "Fang Xi, you used to love watching news about Chu Qingci. If someone changed the channel while her news was on, you'd fight them. Why are you switching now?"
"It's nothing," Fang Xi replied quietly.
A few days ago, after watching a movie, Fang Xi had invited Chu Qingci to dinner, but she had disdainfully rejected him. Fang Xi hadn't told anyone about it.
Suddenly, Fang Xi froze as the TV screen switched to a talk show called Urban Topics.
Fang Xi had never been interested in this show before, but he paid attention now because he heard the host mention "King of Comics."
"...You've been the editor-in-chief of Comic Weekly for a long time. What do you think of the new magazine, King of Comics?" the pretty host asked the skinny middle-aged man sitting next to her.
Everyone at the table—Ye Chui, Fang Nan, and Robert—looked curiously at the TV screen.
Fang Xi exclaimed, "The editor-in-chief of Comic Weekly? Isn't that the guy who rejected our submission and called our comics trash?"
On the TV screen, the editor-in-chief sat upright with a serious expression and spoke into the camera, "It's trash! I think the King of Comics magazine is just trash!"
"What the hell!" Fang Xi cursed, "This guy still says our comics are trash! Who does he think he is? He's the real trash. His whole family is trash!"
King of Comics had published Fang Xi's Dragon Ball, which had been very well received. Fang Xi felt a sense of pride and couldn't tolerate anyone badmouthing the magazine.
Fang Nan shushed Fang Xi, signaling him to be quiet.
On the TV screen, the host, surprised by the editor-in-chief's harsh words, asked, "As a peer in the industry, don't you think calling their work 'trash' is a bit too much?"
"I don't consider them peers. They're desecrating art, tarnishing something we've cherished for decades!" the editor-in-chief declared passionately. "I trust that people will see the truth. Maybe they're curious about King of Comics now, but eventually, they'll realize that only comic strips are worth appreciating!"
The host continued, "So, can you elaborate on why you think the innovative paneling and unique stories in King of Comics are trash?"
"Of course," the editor-in-chief began his critique confidently. "I did my homework for this show and read King of Comics. It was an eyesore! Let's start with Dragon Ball—"
He went on to criticize Dragon Ball.
"There are seven Dragon Balls in the world. Gather them, and you can summon a dragon to grant any wish. What kind of setting is that? It's completely unrealistic. The world doesn't have such magical things; it's against our materialist beliefs. And the main character is called Sun Wukong, has a tail, and wields a staff. When did Sun Wukong look like that? And he gets tricked by a pretty girl into going on an adventure to find the Dragon Balls. Does this Sun Wukong have a negative IQ? The whole story is nonsense!"
A male viewer watching the TV was intrigued by the editor-in-chief's description. "Seven Dragon Balls that grant any wish? Sun Wukong on an adventure with a pretty girl? This story sounds interesting. People said King of Comics is good, but I wasn't planning to buy it. Now, I really want to get a copy."
Next, the editor-in-chief criticized Slam Dunk—
"The protagonist, Sakuragi Hanamichi, has been rejected over fifty times? How can someone be that unlucky? He's portrayed as handsome. If I were a girl, I'd fall for him. But the author made him get rejected over fifty times. It's completely illogical! And the protagonist's character is problematic—he likes to fight. He's a delinquent! Such an unrefined character isn't worth liking. And he starts playing basketball just to impress a girl? His motives are too shallow! Who would read such a story?"
A female viewer was instantly captivated. "A super handsome protagonist who fights and is a delinquent... I love bad boys. And he plays basketball to impress a girl? How romantic! I've never bought a magazine before, but I'm definitely getting King of Comics for this story."
The editor-in-chief continued to ridicule YuYu Hakusho, Storm Riders, and Batman in the same manner.
In conclusion, he said, "I said all this to tell everyone that this magazine isn't worth your money!"
Meanwhile, countless viewers were now eager to buy King of Comics. "This magazine sounds amazing. I have to get a copy!"
...
"That jerk rejected our submission and now slanders us on TV!" Fang Xi fumed. "I'm so mad I could punch him!"
Fang Nan was also upset. "We never did anything to him. Why is he attacking us like this? What did we ever do to him?"
"It might be because people are comparing comics and comic strips," Ye Chui speculated. He'd been following the news closely. "He's the editor-in-chief of Comic Weekly, the leading magazine in the field, so naturally, he wants to defend comic strips. But calling our comics trash on TV is too much."
"Definitely too much!" Robert agreed.
Ye Chui frowned. "I wonder if his comments will affect our sales..."
—The editor-in-chief's comments would indeed affect their sales, but in a positive way.
The next day, Ye Chui received a call from his mother.
"We've sold out the additional forty thousand copies. I'm planning to print another fifty thousand," Zhou Yayun said with a smile.
"Another fifty thousand? That's a lot," Ye Chui said, surprised. Adding the original fifty thousand, that would be a total of one hundred thousand copies.
Zhou Yayun laughed. "Did you watch Urban Topics last night?"
"I did. The editor-in-chief of Comic Weekly called our comics trash. I was worried it would hurt our sales..." Ye Chui paused as realization dawned on him. "Wait, his comments boosted our sales?"
"Exactly!" Zhou Yayun laughed. "Many people who called to buy the magazine did so because they were curious after watching the show. We should thank that editor-in-chief. We're about to release the second issue, and I'm planning to print eighty thousand copies right away."
Ye Chui was too stunned to speak.
Even though he was a time traveler familiar with various publicity stunts, he hadn't anticipated this outcome at all.