Lu Chen: The Mad Genius Of Creativity

Chapter 34: A Stunning Eight Million! The Scores Begin!

At the headquarters of Huayi Brothers, Wang Zhongjun was monitoring the live broadcast while making a phone call.

“Hello, President Wang!”

“Hello, President Li!”

On the other end of the line was Li Da, the CEO of Huanyu Film.

Wang Zhongjun chuckled, “President Li, I’ll get straight to the point. Regarding this bidding, I hope you could let me have the spot. What do you think?”

Li Da replied politely, “Of course, President Wang. I didn’t expect you to be so invested in this script!”

Wang Zhongjun laughed, “It’s decent, has potential. I’d appreciate it if you could let it go. Let’s work together more in the future.”

“Since you’ve said so, President Wang, I— Ah!”

Midway through his sentence, there was a sudden exclamation from Li Da on the other end of the line.

“My apologies, President Wang, but my team just raised the bid by another 100,000 without my approval!”

Hearing this, Wang Zhongjun quickly glanced at the live broadcast.

Sure enough, Huanyu Film had once again jumped to the top spot, pushing his company out of the competition.

Li Da kept apologizing over the phone.

“I’m really sorry, President Wang. My team can be so unreliable sometimes. But don’t worry! Once I secure the project, we’ll consider a collaboration!”

Before he could finish speaking, the line went dead.

Hung up!

“Hmph, does Wang Zhongjun think he can make others give up such a prime project with just a few words?”

Li Da scoffed as he tossed his phone onto the desk.

Meanwhile, in Huayi Brothers’ office, Wang Zhongjun’s face darkened.

“Zhonglei, find a way to get me the contact information for No. 48!”

“Understood, brother!”

Wang Zhonglei nodded, his face just as grim. “Do they really think they can compete with Huayi for a script? Do they even have the capability?”

…

At the same time, in the meeting rooms of Jiaxing, Aiqiyi, Youku, and Noon Sun, similar scenes unfolded.

“The priority now is to negotiate with Lu Chen. We must secure the Breaking Ice Action project!”

“Yes, boss!”

The sounds of determined voices echoed across various company offices.

…

Meanwhile, at the competition venue, the shrill sound of a bell marked the end of the three-hour creation phase.

“Attention, contestants! The competition has officially ended. Please stop working immediately and return to the broadcasting hall to await the results.

The results of this round will be announced in one hour. Until then, please remain in the area and feel free to take a break!”

The announcement from the host echoed in the studio.

“Phew, finally over!”

Lu Chen stretched, stepped out of the workspace, and took a deep breath of fresh air before quickly heading to the restroom.

Three hours without a single bathroom break had left him desperate.

As he took care of business, Lu Chen checked his emotional points balance.

—Eight million!

What the heck?

The last time he checked, it was only four million!

It had doubled!

This unexpected windfall left Lu Chen overjoyed. With so many points, he could now unlock so many things!

Lu Chen felt like a newly rich man reveling in his fortune.

“How many people must have watched my live stream?”

He couldn’t help but wonder. Eight million emotional points couldn’t have come from just 20,000 or 30,000 viewers.

Could it have been 40,000 or 50,000? Or even 60,000?

Unfortunately, contestants were required to turn in their phones during the competition. Otherwise, he could have checked the live stream stats right now.

Oh well, he’d review everything after the competition. Not only to analyze the situation but also to prepare for the next round. With some free time on his hands, Lu Chen began exploring the system shop to see what he could do or buy with his eight million points.

…

Half an hour later, Lu Chen returned to the broadcasting hall after finishing his business.

The hall was already buzzing with chatter.

“Wow, your story was so beautifully tragic. I think you’ll definitely advance!”

“Thanks.”

“Let’s exchange WeChat, Miss Luo Li.”

“Yeah, add us!”

“Sure…”

…

While the other contestants mingled and complimented each other, Lu Chen quietly found a seat and waited for the results. He hadn’t been sitting long when a chubby guy next to him leaned over.

“Hey, buddy, how’d yours go?”

“Not bad,” Lu Chen replied modestly.

But before they could continue, a guy with a flamboyant haircut overheard them and interjected.

“My story is definitely making the top three!”

He flicked his hair dramatically and added, “You should take the chance to add me on WeChat now. After this competition, I’m going to be famous. When people ask if you know the great screenwriter, you’ll feel proud!”

Lu Chen: “…”

What nonsense is this?

You and I don’t know each other, so why act so pretentious right off the bat?

And this act you’re putting on…

Have you been writing too many power fantasies, or just reading too many?

Without paying attention to the other person, Lu Chen closed his eyes and began resting, calmly waiting for time to pass.

Soon, the hour was up!

The doors of the studio opened once again. Host Xiao Sa and the four judges walked in.

Lu Chen immediately opened his eyes. Like everyone else, he stood up and applauded!

_____

Meanwhile, online.

The long-waiting audience also grew excited.

_____

“Apologies, everyone, for the wait!”

On stage, Xiao Sa spent two minutes saying a few pleasantries. Then he got to the point.

“Now, it’s time to announce the scores!

Both the online audience ratings and the judges’ scores have been tallied. We will announce the scores live, along with the rankings!

The top 32 contestants will automatically advance to the next round and participate in the knockout stage. For those who don’t advance, don’t be discouraged. Getting this far already makes you champions without a crown!

Now, we’ll start with contestant number one and go all the way to number 64. Please listen closely to your own score and others’—

It’s good to have a sense of comparison!

First up, contestant #1: Duan Mengkai.

Your online audience score is…

Please look at the big screen!].

On the large screen at the back of the stage, a set of numbers rolled out.

A glaring 5.6, clearly visible!

Below that, a line of text read—[Number of online participants: 2,356!].

As soon as the result was announced, Duan Mengkai turned ashen.

“Only 5.6?”

“There’s pretty much no hope for advancing, right?”

“Probably not!”

The contestants whispered among themselves.

Xiao Sa continued, “Now, let’s have the judges give their scores!”

Shu Ping: 6 points.

Yan Gelin: 6 points.

Liu Heping: 6 points.

Chen Sicheng: 6 points.

“Judges’ composite score: 6 points!

Therefore, contestant #1, Duan Mengkai’s final score is: 5.8 points!

_____

The online audience was full of enthusiasm—it was time for the ever-popular score announcements.

______

“Next up is contestant #2…”

Online score: 6.1.

Judges’ score: 6.

Final score: 6.05!].

“Next, contestant #3…”

“Contestant #4…”

All the way to contestant #10, the scores were consistently low. Only one contestant managed a final score above 7.

In fact, all of the top ten contestants scored below 7, except for that one.

Moreover, only two contestants had online voting participation exceeding 10,000. The chubby guy who had earlier asked Lu Chen about his score was contestant #9.

His final score was only 6.5. This left him despondent, his face pale.

Lu Chen comforted him, “It’s okay. Don’t worry, everyone’s scores are low. There’s still a good chance!”

“Thank you!”

Lu Chen’s words were like a ray of sunshine in winter, reigniting the chubby guy’s hope.

Unfortunately, Lu Chen’s encouragement turned out to be a jinx…

For contestants #11 to #20, scores suddenly shot up.

Most final scores were above 7, with the first high score of 7.5 appearing!

This caused a stir!

Then came contestants #21 to #30. The scores became sharply polarized. The lowest dropped below 5. The highest broke into the 8s, reaching 8.1!

And that contestant was #27, Su Luoli—the one that judge Chen Sicheng had praised earlier.

Lu Chen suddenly remembered her name—she was the one receiving compliments when they first entered the hall!

Her work had received unanimous praise from the judges. Chen Sicheng, in particular, seemed eager to collaborate with her, drawing envy from the other contestants!

Meanwhile, the contestant who scored below 5 was someone Lu Chen also recognized—the ‘emo-looking guy’ sitting next to him.

It was truly tragic, the kind of score you couldn’t bear to look at.

Only 524 people had participated in his online voting—the lowest so far.

Online score: 4.5 points.

Judges’ score: 5 points.

Final score: 4.75 points.

This was practically a ‘death sentence’.

Looking at the contestant’s face, as deflated as a frostbitten eggplant, Lu Chen couldn’t help but smirk. It seemed like bragging too much, especially before results were certain, was never a good idea.

“Don’t worry, buddy. Four years later, you’ll still be a brave warrior!”

Lu Chen, feeling a twinge of pity, offered some consolation.

Thankfully, despite the flamboyant bravado, the ‘emo-looking guy’ turned out to have decent character.

He forced back his tears and nodded to Lu Chen in gratitude. This made Lu Chen feel even more sympathetic.

_______

Then came contestants #31 to #40!

This group was a real explosion! Out of ten, only four fell below 7 points.

The remaining six scored no lower than 7.6—One even achieved an 8.6, breaking the record again!

This contestant also had over 50,000 participants in the online voting—The highest so far!

Her name? Chen Luze.

Another female contestant.

Her story’s tagline?

“My Dad is the Village Chief!”

It was a female-led narrative that garnered high praise from the judges for its originality.

“It’s no surprise she’s a strong contender for first place this round!”

The chubby guy and the emo contestant both placed high hopes on #40.

Lu Chen also offered enthusiastic applause. Though he didn’t know the exact details of her story, her unique concept was clearly superior to many others. Her high score was well-deserved.

______

Next came contestants #41 to #50!

“Your turn’s coming up, buddy!”

“Yeah, I hope you get a high score!”

Both the chubby guy and the emo contestant wished Lu Chen well.

“Thanks!”

The tension in the air was palpable, and even Lu Chen felt a bit nervous. Just then, host Xiao Sa made an unexpected announcement.

He raised the microphone and said,

“Apologies, everyone, but we have a special situation to address.

The results for contestant #48, Lu Chen, will not be announced yet. They’ll be revealed at the very end!

We will first announce the scores for the other nine contestants in this group. Thank you for your understanding.”

The crowd erupted into murmurs!

All the contestants exchanged bewildered looks.

“Who’s this #48? That’s quite a big deal!”

“They’re saving him for last, like some grand finale?”

In the chaos, the chubby guy and the emo contestant noticed the bright #48 on Lu Chen’s chest. They were dumbfounded. Especially the emo guy.

“Bro, turns out you’re the hidden big shot!”

Lu Chen was speechless.

“Dude, what did you write that’s so impressive the show decided to save you for a grand reveal?”

“Yeah, tell us! What makes your story so extraordinary?”

“Honestly, I just wrote… a story about anti-drug operations in the countryside.”

“Anti-drug operations in the countryside? What the—? You turned a rural theme into a story about drug busts!”

“Mind-blowing! I never imagined you could connect a village setting with anti-drug campaigns!”

Both the chubby guy and the emo contestant were completely stunned. They never expected someone to turn a rural theme into something so unique.

______

Meanwhile, the audience online was buzzing with excitement over the show’s decision.

______

Even the judges exchanged knowing smiles. If Lu Chen’s score was announced now, the show’s impact would diminish. Hence, the decision to save his score for the grand finale!

______

As the scores for contestants #41 to #50 were revealed, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch!

The lowest score was still an impressive 7.7.

The highest? Another 8.6, tying with #40!

It was shaping up to be a fierce battle for the top spot. Yet amidst all this, contestant #48 remained hidden, sparking the most intrigue of all. Everyone, from the audience to the contestants, eagerly awaited the moment when the mysterious #48 would be unveiled.

_____

After contestant #51 onward, the scores plummeted. The highest was only 7.4, while the lowest fell to 5.8. These contestants were effectively out of the running. Lu Chen exhaled deeply. It was clear now.

Aside from a few standout scores above 8, most hovered in the 7-point range. His advancement seemed secure.

_____

“Now, we will officially announce the results for contestant #48!”

With the scores of the first 63 contestants revealed, the long-anticipated moment finally arrived! All ears were pricked.

Every contestant’s face betrayed a mixture of curiosity, anticipation, indifference, or even disdain. Some believed the delay was nothing more than a gimmick by the production team.

“Before we announce the score, let’s first take a look at some data…”

Xiao Sa gestured dramatically towards the screen. A cascade of numbers, with an effect resembling a meteor crashing to earth, appeared on the display!

The chubby guy began counting aloud.

“Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands… wait, millions!”

“What is this?”

Every contestant’s mind was filled with question marks.