Archfiend

Chapter 112: Reparations (3)

In the four people’s surroundings, a video recorder and a few cameras towered tall in calm silence. The staff employees were soundlessly shooting everything. Liu Yurao beared a smile as she took her iPad and placed it on the table. It was linked to the station chief’s QQ. If some issue appeared, she could be corrected forthwith. [1]

Although she didn’t know at all why it was a mystery, this stiff interview was even capable of bringing the station chief’s concern. However, the station chief had personally called her numerous times, causing her to rather understand the importance of this interview.

It made her find it to be strange… This interview was being regarded with such weight, yet it’s ratings simply weren’t cared for? If it was being tended to, it would be best to broadcast it live. There was only subject in an actor’s scandal. As such… out of all video clips, if still not the present’s most popular outdoor gag segments, what was popular?

On the other hand, Zheng Song and Manager Zhang nervously recalled the question-and-answer materials from yesterday evening. They hadn’t slept a wink the entire last night. Today, upon seeing Xu Yangyi, they were left even more clueless and unwitting of the circumstances. 

This was no person of high society… The other lacked such a temperament, but he possessed his own unique ambience. They didn’t know why, but when they were before him, a kind of indescribable feeling of insignificance was unexpectedly born.  

This feeling was rather unfathomable. He was cordial towards them; at least he could speak. However, they kept on sensing that they weren’t in the other’s eyes, even his speech seemed not to be directed to them. What kind of person was this?

Of the four people, three of them carried bursting suspicions in their hearts, sitting down at the same table. Apart from Xu Yangyi indifferently sampling the coffee, the gazes of the others didn’t wish to even sweep over his body once for a full three seconds.

“May we begin?” Liu Yurao laughed and questioned.

Xu Yangyi nodded noncommittally. For him, this was a pure waste of time. At the moment, he was most anticipating the Eternal Alchemy Canon’s second step, the medicine placement hymn. 

This step was another divine ability. Moreover, and most critical, it was a step again towards concocting pills. Indeed, his present skill was awfully unsophisticated, however, he could put it to use!

“Mr. Xu… Mr. Xu?” 

On the border of his mental excursion, Liu Yurao’s voice rang out persistently. It was then that Xu Yangyi regained his wits and revealed a smile: “Is there something the matter, Ms. Liu?”

No matter whether it was Liu Yurao, Zheng Song, Manager Zhang, or the other filming personnel in the room, all of them looked at him with speechless faces.

Was there something the matter? Of course there was something the matter! This was the provincial station! The popular Liu Yurao was personally covering the interview of the famous Director Zhang’s new show with the participation of the in-vogue Zheng Song, but the result was that the other basically regarded it as non-matter! 

The smile on Liu Yurao’s face was dead-stiff, and she followed up with a laugh: “Mr. Xu, what are your thoughts on this weekend’s online comments?”

Xu Yangyi placed a laptop on the table in passing, his expression natural as he looked at it. His expression was too natural… so natural that no less than five seconds later did he murmur towards the cameraman: “This… is considered snatching the lead, huh…”  

Liu Yurao smiled as before because she understood. This youth could not be offended. Not only could he not be offended, why had she been requested to come? Was it not to mediate for him? 

Xu Yangyi’s gaze read with blazing speed, taking in ten lines with a single glance. The first thing he saw was a video on the internet, “This Weekend’s Most Fiery Video”.

The first: A Magical Natural Phenomenon at the Four Great Joint Pools! Over a Hundred Witnesses!

The second: A Tremendous Several-Hundred-Meter-Long Water Monster Unexpectedly Appears at the Dead Volcano! The Four Great Joint Pool’s Water Monster Finally Shows Itself!

The third: Immortals? Demons? In the Center of The Four Great Joint Pool’s Natural Phenomenon is a Standing Youth!

The fourth: The Mysterious Scene at the Four Great Joint Pools has Drawn the Joint Investigation of Many Countries’ Scholars.

Engrossed, he entered an advertisement, “Receive 999 Sycees for Playing Legendary Hegemony”, which immediately rang out. [2]

Everyone was stupefied. The hollow smiles that smeared the cameraman’s and Liu Yurao’s face would soon no longer be capable of being continually feigned. Zheng Song and Manager Zheng were rendered dumb. 

This person… didn’t act according to turn at all! 

Any program was lead in mood and rhythm by the host, but right now, the other simply seemed to be unaware of what use there was in a presenter. Whatever he thought to do was how it was.

Peony leisurely swept an eye through the crowd, calmly snapping a photo of the scene. Without the slightest hesitation, she sent it out to her social group: Envious? Jealous? Hateful? Soon, the suave Noble Yangyu is going to shock everyone with his words.

I hate you! What’s your dream? Where is this? I still have an Invisibility Talisman! I think I can go check it out! When is the video going to be released? Peony?

Shockingly… this group had over eight hundred people...

Of course as soon as the interview is wrapped up. Peony pursed her lips and texted: You guys don’t know, but everyone here is stunned. I’m afraid none of them expected our Yangyu would be so unconventional.

Yeah, they should treasure this opportunity to interview a cultivator! They don’t cherish it; they wouldn’t know even if you interviewed them. Hehe, what I enjoy the most is the faces of the common crowd thinking they got it when they actually don’t know a thing.

The group was clamoring with excitement and noise, one after another, but Xu Yangyi was none the wiser to all of this. After he patiently finished listening to the advertisement, the video began to broadcast. 

The video started from the spontaneous explosion in the sky. Xu Yangyi’s expression was motionless, and he continued to watch the seven stars executing Jadewave, the eruption of the Red Spider Lily, and the spirit treasure fountain. His gaze took to the comments below.

“Is this real or fake? This is a natural phenomenon? I think it’s special effects!” - User 800719.

“Comment above, you can’t be so absolute in your words. Right now, the entire internet has gone viral with the video on that day, but a good many of them have been deleted without a trace. I think the issue lies here within!” - Raccoon that Loves to Eat Instant Noodles.

“Never has such an occurrence been witnessed in several thousand years. Is this the end of the world? Can things loaded onto the internet even be believed in? I don’t believe it at all!” - Sleep-Greedy Dragon.

“Don’t argue! I took this video! I witnessed everything there on that fucking day! I sent it out, but you guys don’t even believe in it? I took over a dozen times! Every time I uploaded it, it was deleted! This is the fifteenth time! Can’t you guys just believe a guy once?!” - Xiao Jinyu. [3]

“Geez! The person who posted it has appeared? C’mon, hurry up, what the heck happened on that day? These videos are viral!” - Call Me Queen.

Seems pretty noisy… Xu Yangyi took his pocketbook and placed it on the table: “That’s very interesting.”

Very interesting? The inside of everyone’s mouths who were present went dry. Boss, we’re the ones coordinating with you, what’re you up to?!

“Ahem…” Liu Yurao gently coughed. She didn’t expect that this partner she had to pay heavy consideration to would be so hard to deal with, however, she was experienced and laughed: “Mr. Xu, based on what you see, do you think these things are true?”

“Of course not.” Although Xu Yangyi had never been interviewed, he had watched programs on television. Presently, this matter of his doing had to be settled by himself. He chuckled: “Such a situation can only be a coincidence.” 

“Oh? How is it a coincidence?” Finally, a response… Liu Yurao sighed and immediately pursued a line of questioning.

“I’m a newcomer of Huayi Broadcasting Corp, and I was just with…” He glanced at Zheng Song, unable to recall the other’s name. Nevertheless, there was no response.

Liu Yurao’s thoughts oozed ghastly anger. This “important partner” obviously wasn’t a person in the industry. Others wouldn’t NOT be of mind. What’s the meaning of you two not taking turns when you should? Why? You movie people are looking down on us television folks? She stifled the flames of her mind and looked on, yet discovered Zheng Song and Manager Zhang were already looking at the screen, rendered dumb in shock.

Hold up… A kind of strange sensation suddenly flitted through her mind. Liu Yurao was forty-two years old. The present could be said to be the peak of her career. Performing Arts Collective was Mingshui Province’s segment with the highest ratings, however, what she truly had a passion for was the Solving Secrets specialty program.

Mingshui Province was one of three northeast provinces. There were legends of great mountains, vast lakes, and even feral people. She held a special affinity towards these things. Regarding this time’s news, she had scoffed in disdain. Such light effects were too fantastic, capable of deceiving insensible youngsters. She, who had hosted two years of Solving Secrets dared to confirm it as absolutely untrue. 

As for why the cast and crew of Demonslayer had come, it was quite simple. They planned to use the topic to stir the fires of their movie. She had been with the television station for many years and had seen this many times. Yet it was in this instant that Liu Yurao, a woman and forty-two years old, finally felt something to be wrong. These three people didn’t recognize each other. 

Xu Yangyi’s seemingly cordial style was in fact cold and callous. She had already sniffed out that this was in no way a pretense. It was certain that he didn’t recognize these two people. And yet, from these materials… Xu Yangyi was the male lead of Demonslayer? But he didn’t recognize a single crew or cast member from the production team?

This was impossible. If that was the case, a first conclusion could be gained: they hadn’t come in order to give their movie publicity. So why the heck had they arrived?

Liu Yurao felt her heart quicken. She felt… She had possible touched upon the edge… of a true secret? She pursed her lips, yet was absent of a trace of anger. Instead, she laughed and asked Zheng Song: “Mr. Zheng, you don’t know?”

Zheng Song was completely stunned, and Manager Zhang was baffled, as well. It was common knowledge that cast and crew were prohibited from carrying their cell phones. They were simply unaware of this matter which had occurred outside! Yet on the contrary, their materials had them “settle” this affair! An acknowledgement that this was the special effects of the Demonslayer production crew! 

He had still believed it to be some affair, but now, after rummaging through countless comments and searching today’s hot news, he discovered to his astonishment… 

Weibo was lit, the news set aflame, every major media outlet… all of them were spreading this video! This absolutely wasn’t some business! Nonetheless… why did he have to come smooth things over? There was only one possibility… These events… were possibly, plausibly… true!

This thought instantly detonated in the pair’s brains. The duo sluggishly exchanged a meaningful look of the eyes. Looking towards Xu Yangyi’s gaze, even now the man in question was wholly different. This person wasn’t an actor. He was one of the figures at the heart of these events! This was truth of the secret!

Zheng Song felt his mind fall to chaos. That tremendous corpse… That person standing atop of the corpse and clenching an object glowing with blue light in his hand… T-this person… w-was him? These things are true? So why was I was found to smooth things over?

What’s the number of similar cases in China? This time, even Yuan Zhaojing, the son of Deputy Provincial Governor Zhao, had to personally get into gear… No, that’s not right. This has to be fake. Hehe, how could this possibly be real? But this can’t be a fantasy, hahaha...

Laughter, my ass!

In his heart, he was terribly nervous. At this time though, Liu Yurao’s voice happened to ring out.

“Mr. Zheng, how do you see this matter?”

[1] QQ is a Chinese messaging app. 

[2] 玩传奇霸业 - so this is an actual Chinese mobile game I believe. Different ways to translate, I chose “Legendary Hegemony”.

[3] So this is actually kinda funny. Xiao Jinyu (I’m not actually sure if this is a real name or web handle, but if it is, the meaning is something along the lines of “dreary brilliant gem luster”) is another author on Zongheng.