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

Chapter 15 Traffic is war
"Thanks, but I already listened to all of them yesterday. I missed a few days of classes due to illness, so I have to make up for it..."

Xia Fan politely declined Horie Tsubasa's kindness.

He didn't lie, he did listen to the new song from beginning to end, but it was a live version.

"All of them? You're willing to pay for downloads this year... Well, what do you think?"

Horie Tsubasa didn't notice that Xia Fan said "yesterday", he just asked curiously.

"Well, 'I Don't Want to Leave the Bed' is pretty good."

Xia Fan pondered for a moment and replied.

"The song by Sakamoto Hide? "I Don't Want to Leave the Bed" sounds good at first, but the lyrics and composition techniques are a bit cumbersome, and the song doesn't have a deep meaning...

"If you ask me, there is another song called 'Sakura' which is simpler and more pleasant to listen to. It is more sincere and has more learning value for newcomers."

Horie Tsubasa obviously has a different opinion.

"What the monitor said is right. Although the singer's singing skills are not top-notch, the song "Sakura" itself is really good. It always brings up a lot of images in my mind when I listen to it. I think it is the best song."

"The song is nice, but what's more important to me is that Miss Hoshina is beautiful and sings sweetly. I want to marry Hoshina Hanami!!!"

"It's too noisy. Someone take this sick guy away."

As the class monitor and the student union's arts and literature committee member, Horie Tsubasa's speech immediately attracted the students next to her to join the discussion.

"By the way, Xia Fan, the Student Union is organizing a campus singer audition in the first half of the year. Do you want to sign up?"

Horie Tsubasa remembered something and handed a registration form to Xia Fan.

The campus singing competition is a traditional event jointly organized by colleges and universities in District 11. The singers selected on campus will go on tour to other colleges and universities in District 11 in the form of a competition.

Although it is difficult for this kind of performance to gain exposure beyond the college student circle, for students who aspire to become singers, it is also a good channel to gain stage experience and accumulate popularity, and there is even a chance to be discovered by scouts.

"You know I'm tone-deaf and I've never been able to be selected for a chorus since I was a kid, so forget it."

Xia Fan shook his head and lowered his head to continue reading.

For him, the campus singing competition not only does not pay, but also takes up his part-time job time, which is meaningless.

"What a shame! This is a rare opportunity to practice in college."

"Besides, with Xia Jun's looks, he would already have 20 points more than others just by standing on the stage without even opening his mouth."

With a playful smile, Horie Tsubasa walked to the back row and continued to send out registration forms to other people.

Students majoring in music have a wide range of career options, including singers, music producers, teachers, civil servants, musical instrument stores, music engineering and many other fields. Not everyone wants to develop into the entertainment industry, so there is no need to force it.

……

While Xia Fan was enjoying a peaceful campus life, the publicity and promotion department of Company B was in full swing.

“It has been twelve hours since the new song of Tokyo Newcomer Music Awards was released. Report the current data!”

Be company's director and external publicity representative, Kawanishi Shigeo, was standing in the middle of the conference room with his head held high, staring at the giant two-meter-high screen in front of him.

"Report, as of now, the No. 1 is J-company's "PPAP", followed by A-company's "Please Marry Your Daughter to Me" and Xing-company's "The Thousand Layers of Routine to Flirt with Men"!"

"Our company's Hideo Sakamoto's "Don't Want to Leave the Bed" is currently ranked fourth, with a paid download gap of 5% from the third place..."

In front of him, five or six staff members were typing away on the keyboard, refreshing and reporting data in real time, and were responsible for coordinating and communicating with various publicity and promotion channels.

"Humph, these three companies are clearly trying to join forces to block us from the top three, just like they did the year before last. Unfortunately, I am no longer the same person I used to be." "Gentlemen, traffic is a war without the smoke of gunpowder... Next, all departments, listen to my orders..."

Kawanishi Chengfu adjusted the frame of his glasses with confidence, and the thick lenses reflected the flowing data on the screen.

"On the self-media side, increase the streaming efforts, release clips of Hideo Sakamoto's previous stage plays and TV dramas, and use this new song as BGM to awaken the audience's dormant memories."

"The self-media team received it!"

"Online public opinion activated high-level accounts lurking in major music forums, using the core idea that 'Sakamoto Hide's own lyrics, music, and singing are more valuable' to guide the topic trend."

"The Internet Public Opinion Group received it!"

"Also, contact the music critics as soon as possible and strive to get positive reviews for Sakamoto Shu!"

“The music review team received it!”

"In terms of data, when there is an increase in organic paid downloads, we should add an extra 10% of downloads, but we must be careful not to make it too obvious."

"Data group received!"

As he issued orders one by one, the entire conference room became lively and the sound of keyboard typing was deafening.

The serious and intense atmosphere, the thrilling battle situation, it seems as if this is not the largest entertainment company in District 11, but the command room of an interstellar battleship.

"Report, the accounts for boosting downloads are all ready, and data is starting to be imported in small amounts."

"Report, the self-media has already released the edited video simultaneously, but J-company's "PPAP" also released the ghost-like Sakamoto of that song before us, which took away a lot of the discussion heat."

"Report, over at the music forum, Company A's "Please Marry Your Daughter to Me" has officially announced a secondary creation solicitation activity with a large sum of money, and the response has been quite good."

However, rival entertainment companies also have their own promotional strategies, so it is not so easy for Bethesda to get what they want.

"What, bastard... No, as the commander, I must stay calm..."

Listening to the continuous feedback from his subordinates, veins on Hexi Chengfu's forehead bulged.

"At this point, I have no choice but to take a risky move. You forced me to do this... I asked you to collect dirt on the other singer before. How's the progress?"

He called his assistant and whispered.

"I have collected some, but they are all groundless and insignificant gossip."

"Never mind, something is better than nothing, be prepared to release it at any time..."

Yakuza comes from Company B, and he knows more than just being "upright".

"It is reported that some self-media have been privately spreading the rumor that 'Sakamoto Shu is suspected of having an underground relationship', which has already caused a certain impact in the girlfriend's fan circle!"

"What? These despicable guys! Quickly release the 'backstage CP footage' of him and some male actors to dispel the rumors! Also, no need to increase the data in small amounts, go all out to increase the downloads and sneakily take the top spot on the rankings first!"

Although Kawanishi Shigeo keeps changing his strategy, it is clear that competitors are well prepared for Bethesda's plan...

"Report, the download data of the top three is growing abnormally, it seems that the other party is also brushing the volume at the same time!"

"Report, music critic Tagore Hideki rejected our 'business order' and instead predicted that 'Thousands of Ways to Flirt' would win!"

"Damn it, these unscrupulous music critics, do the companies on the other side pay them more?!"

Amidst the continuous bad news, the situation of this "traffic war" began to develop in a direction that was not what Bethesda wanted.

(End of this chapter)