I'm just trying to ride the wave of popularity!

Chapter 174: A Surge of Popularity!

"Fuck!"

"Are the movie tickets really that cheap?!"

"It seems to be true!"

"Fuck!"

"The premiere is only 8 yuan? And if a child accompanies their parent, they get an extra yuan discount? Isn't this a sale?"

"real or fake!"

"Holy crap, the cheapest midnight screening at the Huaying International Cinema next door is 25 yuan, and the New Year's Eve premiere is even more expensive at 45 yuan!"

"..."

1 month 19 day.

With only two days left until Lunar New Year's Eve, the festive atmosphere is already growing stronger.

The cold wind on the street was biting, making people shiver.

Film critic Liu Jiasheng, who returned to his hometown, a small county in Zhejiang Province, used to stay in bed until noon, when the sun was high in the sky, before getting up.

This year, he finished the work assigned to him by his superiors early. Well, after writing "People in the Jianghu" for Tianyu Media and "New Year's Flavor" for the Spring Festival produced by Huasheng Brothers, he had nothing else to do.

But this year, for the first time ever, I got up at 7 a.m.

It's not that I suddenly became more diligent.

Instead, they were woken up by a knock on the door.

The knocking wasn't from anyone else, but from my uncle from my hometown, who came over with his noisy younger cousin.

My uncle had a son late in life, and since he had some money in his pocket, he usually spoiled his little cousin, who was just starting second grade...

The toys in my house are almost piled up like a mountain!
My younger cousin is usually quite well-behaved, but today he seems particularly unruly...

"Sheng, you have some connection with the Beijing film industry, don't you?"

"Yes!"

"This kid's driving me crazy, could you buy me a movie ticket?"

"Movie tickets?"

"Yeah! This kid made plans to go to the movies with his classmates on New Year's Eve, but everyone else managed to get tickets, and he couldn't. He came home and threw a huge tantrum, and I couldn't take it anymore... I went to the cinema yesterday, and you know what? The cinema in my small town, which is usually practically empty, was packed to the brim, like a vegetable market. It was so crowded and noisy, it gave me a headache. I finally got to the front of the line, only to be told they were out of tickets. All the tickets for the next seven days were gone, not a single one left... I was so fed up with all the commotion... so I came to you. Can you do me a favor?"

"what?"

Liu Jiasheng was completely dumbfounded when he heard this!
When I realized it was that despicable Zhou Yang who made the movie, I was completely stunned!
He still hasn't recovered from watching "Love Rollercoaster" last time; just thinking about the plot makes him want to vomit.

Yesterday, he heard the news that Zhou Yang was going to join the Spring Festival film competition, and that it was generating a lot of buzz, with the whole internet seemingly discussing it intensely.

But he didn't pay attention. After watching "Love Rollercoaster," he vowed never to watch any of Zhou Yang's movies again, no matter how good they were.

But he didn't look, he didn't try to understand, yet...

……

"This movie is really cool. Guan Yu's martial spirit is awesome, but I heard that Zhao Zilong's martial spirit fusion skill is even more powerful. I also heard that Guan Yu and Zhao Zilong will appear at the same time in this movie to fight that giant skeleton monster, the Ape King!"

"I've heard that Zhao Zilong's Dragon Gallant Silver Spear is incredibly powerful, and after fusing with his Martial Soul Skill, it undergoes three major upgrades and transformations..."

"..."

On the way to the movie theater, his younger cousin excitedly told him about all sorts of trailers for "The Spirit of Zhao Zilong." After watching his cousin's eyes light up and him excitedly making one awkward transformation gesture after another, Liu Jiasheng felt goosebumps.

When he arrived at the Xinde Cinema in his hometown, he was stunned!

The old cinema, [Shin Tak Cinema], which is usually deserted, has been renovated without anyone noticing...

But that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is that the entrance to the [Shin Tak Cinema] was surrounded by countless children and adults!

The children were shouting and screaming, some were crying their eyes out, while the adults looked helpless, repeatedly asking the ticket seller behind the counter...

Seeing the ticket seller's helpless expression, the mothers started grumbling and cursing.

"Why is it only your cinema that has it?!"

Why don't other cinemas have it?

"Isn't this monopolistic behavior on your part?"

"Oh, you guys are really something! You tricked us into coming here to buy a movie ticket with a 6-yuan ticket, but then you found out there were no tickets! What are you advertising if you don't have tickets?!"

"During the Spring Festival season, I'd rather you sell it for 20 yuan, 15 yuan, or even 6 yuan? Do you know that's fraud?"

"..."

Liu Jiasheng led his younger cousin into the cinema and asked the ticket seller for directions.

In the end, I gave a bitter smile!
Good guy!
I have to say, Zhou Yang, that bastard, really knows how to market. He sold movie tickets at outrageously low prices, but there were no tickets available!
Helpless, he subconsciously glanced at the large advertising screen next to him...

Looking at it this way!
He was completely stunned!

I even doubted at one point whether this movie was actually produced by Zhou Yang!
What did he see?
He saw in the trailer that the hero, dressed in a handsome Zhao Zilong armor, was swinging his silver spear, creating a lightning effect that shot out like a bolt of lightning in the air, tearing through the sky!

He saw a figure bathed in silver light on the dark battlefield, tearing through the darkness with a single shot, dazzling lightning radiating across the entire battlefield, cracking the earth, and devouring countless dark creatures with the electric light...

He also saw Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade, wreathed in crimson flames, clashing with Zhao Zilong's silver spear, forming a spiraling storm of electric energy that hurtled straight towards the crimson maw of the abyssal beast in the darkness...

Following that, the presentation of the Martial Soul Fusion Skill was even more astonishing. Zhao Zilong, clad in Martial Soul Armor, was enveloped by a semi-transparent dragon-shaped phantom. As the Martial Soul awakened, the armor transformed layer by layer into a dazzling gold. Each shot caused ripples in the air, accompanied by flames, lightning, darkness, earth, and magma...

The special effects that stimulate the eyes are shocking and visually stunning!
……

He stared at the screen as if he'd seen a ghost!

This is a movie where a ticket costs less than ten yuan!
Although it's inferior to Hollywood movies and even to China's big-budget special effects!
But surprisingly, it wasn't some cheap, low-budget special effect; in fact, it looked incredibly exciting, and even he couldn't help but take a few more glances!

Damn it, is this a movie made by Zhou Yang and his bunch of scoundrels?

Grass!
He turned around and found his cousin staring in disbelief, waving excitedly!
He also saw the children around him watching the special effects, shouting excitedly. A trailer was played on repeat several times, but the children were completely engrossed, and the parents couldn't pull them away! It was truly amazing!
Is this a movie made by Zhou Yang, that stingy guy?
The following sentence came to Liu Jiasheng's mind.

Just then, the phone rang. He answered it; it was his fiancée calling.

"Could you use your connections to buy me a ticket?"

"What ticket?"

"Tickets for 'The Spirit of Zhao Zilong' were all sold out today during our team-building event at Zhou Yang's House. I was too slow; I couldn't get any tickets at all..."

"Another movie? Wait, this movie is for kids, why are you all getting involved..."

"Zhou Yang is facing his most desperate battle right now. We must support him! He's even lowered the ticket prices for the Spring Festival so that we can see the movie. I heard this movie had a very high budget, and Zhou Yang might lose money..."

"Wait, Zhou Yang doesn't need your support, so don't get involved!"

"I don't care, as the administrator and head of the support group for [Zhou Yang's Home], I have to do something... Please help me... Love you..."

"..."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Jiasheng was completely speechless!

Ever since the movie "Love Rollercoaster," his fiancée has been madly infatuated with Zhou Yang.

Not only did he buy Zhou Yang's clothes, shoes, and glasses, but he also surfed the [Zhou Yang's Home] website every day. During this time, his fiancée's behavior showed him the terrifying power of "fans"!
But now, if it's some brainless idol movie, then you can just let it go.

But this is a children's movie, it's for kids!

Why are you all getting involved?

Liu Jiasheng looked at his pleading younger cousin, then at his fiancée on the phone.

Ultimately, there was no other way...

I had no choice but to use all my connections to help find movie tickets!
but……

"What? Aren't you employees of [Xuan Shi Entertainment]? Why don't you have tickets either?"

"You've all broken up?"

"Oh? I'll write a movie review for you guys, could you get me a ticket? Just tell Mr. Zhou, two tickets will do..."

"Doesn't President Zhou have a ticket either?"

"What? You want me to buy tickets from scalpers? Are you kidding me?!"

"Am I fucking that kind of person?"

Liu Jiasheng hung up the phone, cursing under his breath.

But half an hour later...

He bought two tickets for 30 yuan from a music and video store in his hometown...

And they absolutely refuse to give it to me...

"We sell DVDs. If you buy two DVDs of 'Roller Coaster of Love' and 'Monkey King vs. Superman 2,' I'll give you my two personal tickets..."

"???"

Oh shit!

This isn't a scalper!

This is practically a bundled sale!

....................................

In 2004, Huaxia still had 30 cinema chains nationwide.

The total number of cinemas nationwide has increased to 1500 compared to 2003.

in……

The three major cinema chains in China—Huaying International, Fengyu International, and Tianxing Cinema—not only occupy one-third of the total number of cinemas in China, but they are also located in the most central locations in major cities. They can be described as having immense power and influence.

The remaining 27 cinemas, which together make up less than 1000 cinemas, are mostly located on the outskirts of second- and third-tier cities.

Meanwhile, the four bottom-ranked cinema chains of Huaxia Cinema Chain—Changkong Cinema Chain, Wanxin Cinema Chain, Xinde Cinema Chain, and Meixing Cinema Chain—together have a total of 100 cinemas nationwide.

[Changkong Cinema] has the most cinemas, with 35 cinemas. The others are [Wanxin] with only 20 cinemas, [Xinde] with 25 cinemas, and [Meixing] with 20 cinemas.

Before that...

Nobody cares about what these cinemas are like!
And after January 18th...

These four cinema chains suddenly appeared out of nowhere and came into everyone's view amidst a ticket-buying frenzy!

[Huaying International]

Dong Qichang kept a close eye on the consistently high popularity of "The Spirit of Zhao Zilong" on the internet...

He suddenly stood up!

He realized that this movie was going to be a hit!
Immediately afterwards, he hurriedly walked towards the chairman's office.

"Mr. Li!"

"We've got this movie!"

"Banning Zhou Yang is pointless now! Making money is the only real goal..."

I guarantee it with my integrity!

"Yes!"