“The number of viewers…” The assistant director stared dumbfounded at the skyrocketing live stream audience count on the screen, his jaw nearly dropping in shock. “Fu… Director Fu! Come quick and look at this, these numbers are insane! Even when Nan Li, the top star from the film and television department, went live, he didn’t have this many viewers!”
His eyes wide with disbelief, the assistant hurriedly called over the chief director, Fu Zhi.
Though only in his thirties, Fu Zhi was already an experienced director in idol production. He had been specifically recruited by the Hong Kingdom from Lai Nation, the most developed region in the entertainment industry, to serve as the chief director for this Fire Debut Battle.
Dressed in a casual old-man shirt, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and glanced at the viewer count, jolting in surprise. “Whoa! Three hundred thousand? That’s definitely not right.”
Dik had risen to prominence by riding the wave of the internet, but its foundation still lay in the media sector and the world’s largest online platform, the IK Series. Its involvement in the entertainment industry was relatively recent, with only a handful of artists to its name. Its only group debuted three years ago and was only half-heartedly promoted before fading into obscurity. Logically speaking, without any promotional efforts, aside from dedicated fans who frequented idol circles and Dik’s own fanbase, very few people should have known about it.
At most, the viewership should have capped at ten or twenty thousand.
But now, it had reached a staggering three hundred thousand!
And even at this moment, the number of viewers was still rapidly increasing, showing no signs of slowing down.
What was going on?
Fu Zhi was also starting to feel bewildered when suddenly, another assistant came running over, panting heavily as he shouted,
“We’re trending! Director Fu, our show… huff… is trending!”
“…Trending?” Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Fu Zhi’s head, and he seemed to understand something, his expression turning complicated. “Did Dik buy it?”
After all, Hik, the largest social platform in the Hong Kingdom, was owned by Dik. It wouldn’t be unusual for their own group, streaming on their own platform, to receive a boost in traffic and trend.
“But this wasn’t in the show’s plan…” Fu Zhi couldn’t make sense of it. Moreover, suddenly splurging on trending spots wasn’t necessarily a good thing. If mishandled, it could not only damage the show’s reputation among casual viewers but also disrupt his subsequent plans.
“I’ll ask the higher-ups,” Fu Zhi said with a grave expression.
“No… that’s not it!” The assistant who had rushed over to report quickly stopped him, gasping for breath as he spoke.
“It’s… it’s not exactly the show trending. It’s… it’s one of the contestants on the show. He’s the one trending.”
As he spoke, he shoved his phone in front of Fu Zhi, showing two posts that had already climbed to third and fourth place on the entertainment chart.
The moment Fu Zhi clicked on them, he, like millions of netizens, fell into an eerie silence.
Damn, is this a face a human being could possibly have?
“…Wow, incredible! This Gu Nanci isn’t just trending with two hashtags!” an employee who was browsing online exclaimed in surprise.
Just then, a hashtag titled #Hongyu’s First Provocative Idol# began steadily climbing the charts.
“Provocative Idol? What’s that?” an assistant who didn’t understand asked in confusion.
“It’s short for Provocative Type. Apparently, before Gu Nanci even entered, he managed to provoke another contestant and their fans in just a few minutes.”
“…??? Wow, I wasn’t interested before, but now that you mention it, I actually want to see this!”
Fu Zhi also looked up immediately. Without saying a word, he honestly moved behind the assistant who had opened the video.The video showed a clip from the recent live stream, where a young man in a red lace outfit walked gracefully onto the screen.
While the screenshots had already left people in awe, the visual impact of the video was even more intense. With every smile and glance, his breathtakingly beautiful face completely captivated viewers, leaving them speechless and utterly mesmerized.
His uniquely smooth and enchanting voice was a treasure unmatched anywhere in the world.
Yet, with such a divine voice and face, he spoke words that left everyone stunned:
Apologize online, or wait for a lawyer’s letter!
I hold grudges, and I have a good memory—don’t fall for me too quickly.
…Just listen to that! Can you believe it?
In an era where other idols strive to cultivate a gentle, fan-loving, perfect image, here was someone who not only clapped back at rivals but also took on antis head-on!
A provocateur! He’s truly a provocateur!
A full-blown master of provocation, the kind who never lets anyone get the better of him!
“Your Hongyu Entertainment really has a diverse array of talents,” remarked Fu Zhi, a director long immersed in the world of perfect idols in Lai Nation, falling silent as he felt the overwhelming cultural shock radiating from the screen.
Assistant: …Gu Nanci’s actions do not represent Hong Kingdom idols! This is genuinely a rare and extraordinary case I’ve never seen before!!!
“His name is Gu Nanci?” Fu Zhi scrolled down the page, reading the name aloud, and mused, “This kid is quite interesting… He deserves special attention.”
Immediately, the looks in everyone’s eyes shifted.
This “special attention” was no ordinary remark.
While live streams were watched by only a small audience, the real traffic surge came from the officially edited episodes. However, with limited runtime per episode, only a select few could feature in reaction shots, stage captures, or daily life segments.
These selections were largely predetermined during the planning stage, reserved for popular contestants or those with influential backgrounds.
Now, Gu Nanci had joined that list.
Yet, as Fu Zhi gazed at that stunningly beautiful face, he stroked his chin thoughtfully. Having overseen the overall coordination, he left the specific selection and planning of trainees to the talent department. He couldn’t help but wonder: With a face like this, destined to go viral in minutes, why hadn’t anyone at dik mentioned him before?
Countless speculations flooded his mind, and Fu Zhi instructed, “Bring me Gu Nanci’s profile later.”
Thanks to Gu Nanci’s three trending topics, the popularity of the Fire Debut Battle skyrocketed like a rocket.
【Provocateur? Who came up with that name? I’m dying of laughter!】
【I swear, I’ll be a lifelong anti-fan of Gu Nanci! I’ll never become a fan! …Well, I’m just here to admire the handsome guy… Definitely not falling for Gu Nanci! (Panicked)】
【Came from the trending topics, so was there really any slander? Did Gu Nanci actually bully his teammates? This is really important because it determines whether I’ll become a fan and be mocked by Provocateur Gu… (Sobbing)】
【I still can’t believe this is the same Gu Nanci, the pretty-faced scumbag with nothing else to offer. How did his looks improve so drastically in just a few days… Did he secretly evolve behind everyone’s backs?】
【It’s not just his looks! Remember how this guy used to be a quiet, decorative vase on the sidelines? Look how bold he is now! A full-blown gorgeous carnivorous flower!】
Although there were still many mindless antis and bandwagoners spewing filthy, vulgar insults without even watching, the atmosphere was considerably clearer compared to before.
Gu Nanci made his way upstairs, collected his name tag at the registration desk, and, under the stunned, wide-eyed gazes of everyone around him—a reaction he’d encountered without fail since his rebirth—entered the studio right on time.
The minute hand pointed to twenty-eight.
Gu Nanci looked up and saw that the cameraman, having received Fu Zhi’s signal, had long since aimed his lens at the entrance, waiting for Gu Nanci to step inside so he could snap away.
Unexpectedly, however, Gu Nanci stopped at the doorway.
Her gaze locked onto a particular seat inside the studio.
Twenty-nine minutes.
As if sensing Gu Nanci’s stare, the boy in the seat looked up, his expression shocked, his face stiff, and the fingers gripping his phone trembling uncontrollably.
After turning and meeting Gu Nanci’s eyes, that shock instantly transformed into boundless resentment.
Watching Gu Xiao’s crumbling demeanor, Gu Nanci knew. Her threat against Gu Zhaofeng had succeeded.
She curved her lips, leaning against the wall with the relaxed posture of a victor, her narrow, dark eyes shimmering with faint mockery. She parted her lips and silently mouthed a taunt at Gu Xiao: “Get lost.”