Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Rising Cost of Firewood, Rice, Oil, and Salt
For readers, the conclusion of "Tennis Prince" didn't come as a sudden surprise. The fourth volume, released in April, already hinted at the impending end of the novel. Despite readers' heartfelt reluctance –
Everyone was in high spirits.
You're telling me the story is ending?
While it's common for bestselling novels to exceed two or three million characters, readers still felt a bit unprepared. This unease magnified the sense of attachment.
But reluctance is normal.
"Tennis Prince" is a tightly woven narrative without any unnecessary filler. Each volume is marked by escalating climaxes, and the final volume culminates in the exhilarating national competition, marking the pinnacle for the Seishun Gakuen tennis club members in the story.
The story avoids being overly literary.
Readers received a perfect ending.
Following Chu Kuang's first-place win in the tribe's literary competition, which sparked widespread discussion among short story enthusiasts, he once again fueled extensive discussions with "Tennis Prince" among fantasy literature enthusiasts, the two events occurring within a day of each other.
[]: "I finished the last volume in one go!"
[]: "Even though the ending was very satisfying, seeing the conclusion of 'Tennis Prince' still leaves me somewhat melancholic. Perhaps it's because the characters in the book have been with me for almost half a year; it feels like they're suddenly going to be far away from me."
[]: "The book I'm most reluctant to finish."
[]: "I borrowed the first few volumes from a classmate, but today, seeing the novel's conclusion, I also bought the volumes I had already read. I plan to treasure this novel on my bookshelf; who knows, I might come back to it in the future."
[]: "The pioneer of sports fiction!"
[]: "I never thought I would be so obsessed with a sports fiction novel. Even though I still don't know how to play tennis after finishing the novel, it doesn't diminish the novel's place in my heart."
[]: "..."
Reader comments filled the message boards of the Silver Blue Library, various novel forums, and even many people's social media updates.
This novel was a success.
It not only influenced readers but also impacted many authors. Before Chu Kuang released "Tennis Prince," sports fiction was a niche genre that garnered little attention. However, after the novel's release, the market saw a surge in sports fiction.
There were novels about basketball.
There were novels about soccer.
There were even novels about track and field.
The most popular among them was a book titled "Slam Dunk," authored by none other than the novelist He Mingxuan, who had initially been squeezed out of the spotlight by Chu Kuang. After reading Chu Kuang's novel, He Mingxuan found a suitable theme for himself. He even declared on his platform, "It was Chu Kuang who guided me onto the path of sports fiction. He is the pioneer of our niche genre!"
Sports fiction remained a niche genre.
But Chu Kuang proved that this genre wasn't completely without a market. Excellent novels, even those using sports as a backdrop, could still entice readers to open their wallets. This success led to subsequent achievements by imitators who regarded Chu Kuang as the flagbearer of sports fiction.
Within the industry.
Many people were discussing the conclusion of this novel. The sentiments among readers mirrored those of the editors at the Silver Blue Library; they found Lin Yuan to be a rather capricious newcomer, daring enough to conclude a bestselling book like "Tennis Prince" so decisively!
[]: "Isn't he enjoying popularity?"
[]: "To actually finish a million-word novel."
[]: "Silver Blue Library must be a bit confused. How can they have such a willful author? Instead of capitalizing on monthly millions in manuscript fees, he just concluded the book. If it were me, I would at least write until the library went bankrupt."
[]: "Isn't Chu Kuang writing short stories now?"
[]: "I followed Chu Kuang's short stories, and this person is truly terrifying. He effortlessly handles two completely different genres, making him the most powerful newcomer in recent years."
[]: "The next book might not be as good."
[]: "When Chu Kuang realizes that his new book's performance is far from 'Tennis Prince,' he might regret ending it so early. After all, sports fiction isn't a genre that easily becomes popular."
[]: "..."
Some lamented, some sighed, and some secretly rejoiced. Particularly, the competitors of the Silver Blue Library were extremely happy. For example, the chief editor of the Ding Sheng Publishing House, at this moment, was leisurely sipping a glass of wine.
"Poor Silver Blue Library."
Just the thought of it brought a joyful curve to his lips. Of course, this schadenfreude wasn't directed at Chu Kuang; he hadn't even met Chu Kuang, so where would any nameless resentment come from?
Let's not even talk about resentment.
The flourishing chief editor even contemplated poaching Chu Kuang. With years of experience in the industry, he possessed a keen sense of smell and naturally knew that Chu Kuang's novel-writing ability was beyond doubt. Even if he couldn't produce a bestseller like "Tennis Prince" in the future, his talent for short stories could undoubtedly earn the attention of any publishing house.
This was the kind of person Ding Sheng wanted!
And his good mood at the moment was purely because Silver Blue Library was the number one archenemy of Ding Sheng Publishing House. Now, under this formidable adversary's banner, a bestselling book has concluded. Surely, his old rival must be feeling quite gloomy, considering they lost a quite profitable work.
Bestsellers are a rare find.
Any work deemed a bestseller is the apple of the publishing house's eye. From the chief editor to the ordinary editors, everyone would handle it with the utmost care, fearing any misstep in the novel.
What kind of missteps?
For example, the plot is starting to crumble.
But what's even more dreadful than a crumbling plot is when the novel's storyline is flawless, and sales haven't experienced significant fluctuations, yet the author chooses to conclude the novel. This situation isn't uncommon because authors can grow weary after writing a book for too long.
In other words, the author becomes exhausted.
However, this situation generally occurs after the novel has reached two or three million characters. It's rare for a perfectly fine bestseller to be abandoned after just one million characters, as this is precisely when the author is making the most money.
"Comfortable."
The chief editor of Ding Sheng took a sip of his drink, feeling the warmth in his stomach. Meanwhile, Yang Feng had just contacted Chu Kuang and, with a hint of anxiety, asked,
"When will you start creating the next novel?"
"No rush."
Chu Kuang replied this way.
Instead of feeling disappointed by these words, Yang Feng was rather pleased. "No rush" meant that he would continue writing. Previously, he had been afraid that Chu Kuang would focus solely on short stories and cease the creation of mentally taxing long-term serializations.
His joy lasted only a moment.
Yang Feng couldn't help but become anxious again. Would Chu Kuang be able to write another bestseller of the caliber of "Tennis Prince"?
At the same time.
Lin Yuan was also considering what kind of novel would be suitable for customization with the system. "Tennis Prince" concluded too quickly, and the dog system, not being in charge, had no idea what the rising cost of firewood, rice, oil, and salt were!
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