Kapitel 28: Upstairs for a Meeting
Redakteur: Tennesh
Much of their top-notch equipment had a limited shelf life and their rental payments accounted for a good chunk of their 5-million-dollar budget, let alone other costly expenditures. Plus the project staff hadn't been paid yet.
It was a cliche, but artists had to eat too. Fang Zhao didn't want to mistreat his own people, so when he used up all his funding, he put the project on hold. They would continue whenever they received additional funding. The success of the first movement convinced Fang Zhao that Silver Wing wouldn't pass on such a promising project.
"Hiss—that's a loaded question." It finally dawned on Du Ang and company that the project was only budgeted for 5 million—and that was the result of Du's lobbying. It would have been even less had the original appropriation gone through.
Indeed, 5 million was too little considering the success of the project thus far. Fang Zhao and company had done an amazing job just launching Polar Light.
"Rest assured, I'll lobby the bosses for more funding. It will be more than last time. Plus you'll get decent bonuses," Du Ang said.
Even an idiot knew that Silver Wing finally had a proper virtual idol on its hands. How could it not back the hell out of it? Not to mention a second epic was in the works.
This kid was going to become rich. He might even be recruited by Flying Pegasus. That was a goal Ya Erlin had failed to achieve up to this point.
Having been dealt a reality check, Du Ang calmed down somewhat. "Speaking of which..."
Du Ang scanned the group, his gaze pausing briefly on Zu Wen and company. "Mum's the word. Try to run a tight ship."
Zu Wen struggled not to break into laughter. "Understood."
Outside observers all thought that Polar Light's epic debut was a secret bomb Silver Wing had held back for the end of the year. When a Silver Wing spokesman was asked about the project in a clip they just watched online, all he could do was maintain his composure and smile, projecting an aura of mystery. But the project team figured the spokesman's back was drenched in sweat.
What else could he do but smile and act coy? Say he didn't know about Polar Light? That would be the equivalent of slapping himself in the face.
If that was how he answered, Silver Wing would've become the biggest joke in the industry and even gone down in history as such.
Silver Wing couldn't afford to lose that much face.
After Du Ang and company left, Fang Zhao was thanked by Bei Zhi and Ji Polun. Fang Zhao had listed their names in the credits, which gave them exposure. It was an important boost for any singer or actor.
Bei Zhi probably didn't expect Fang Zhao to list him in the credits, considering he had only helped out on the 50th floor for three days during his break. All he did was haul equipment around for three days. Even though he was listed last, he was still excited. His agent had just told him the number of online searches for him would spike considerably. However you looked at it, that was a form of fame as well. He had an edge over other newcomers.
So excited. So excited.
"Hehe, hehehehe, hahahaha!"
Bei Zhi scampered about ecstatically in the newcomer dorm, behaving like a convulsing lamb.
His three roommates were jealous. What could they say? You can't control luck.
After he was thanked and congratulated by Bei Zhi and Ji Polun, Fang Zhao skimmed the comments on the song posted online, getting a sense of the overall response before moving on to the more respected media outlets. They were the opinion leaders on the matter.
The hosts of the popular webcast "Prairie Fire" had all forgotten about the "Yanzhou Derby" they had coined earlier. Now all the talk revolved around Silver Wing's underlying strategy and speculation about its next move. They were convinced that Silver Wing had been working on the virtual idol for some time and all previous rumors were simply a smokescreen.
To back up their speculation, "Prairie Fire" invited experts onto the show. Experts wouldn't lie, no?
Two guests appeared on the live webcast. The first was Prof. Bradley, a scholar from the history faculty at Yanzhou University who specialized in the Period of Destruction. The other was researcher Kou Da, who studied animal mutations during the Period of Destruction at the Yanzhou Academy of Science. Both were bona fide experts.
Both were genuine leaders in the field. What they said was authoritative. No one questioned the veracity of their research.
Bradley analyzed the authenticity of the "Divine Punishment" music video—the sequence of events and the location and scale of the meteor showers and subsequent earthquakes. His conclusion: the music video was spot on. Although the virtual idol was fiction, the historical backdrop was accurate. He couldn't find any flaws. The music video was better made than many movies about the Period of Destruction.
Professor Kou Da of the Yanzhou Academy of Science focused on the mutated animals that appeared in the music video. His conclusion: there were no inaccuracies. So many mutated animals appeared during the Period of Destruction, but the music video got all the minute details right. The production design was so exacting that he wanted to meet the expert consulted for the project.
The two hosts acted as if they had landed a major scoop, concluding, "Therefore, our suspicion is that Silver Wing was backed by a formidable team of consultants comprising the top names in the business. They stayed out of sight because they signed confidentiality agreements. You can tell that Silver Wing put considerable thought into the project. It must have been in the pipeline for some time."
On the 50th floor of Silver Wing Tower, Zu Wen and company shifted their gaze to Fang Zhao.
A formidable team of consultants?
Hehe.
Among outsiders, all eyes were on Silver Wing's next move. In fact, many Silver Wing staffers were wondering too. They were waiting for the company's top brass to respond. This was no ordinary debut. There was too much attention. The higher ups were also cautious. Didn't you notice the label's chief spokesman could only smile and remain silent?
Du Ang had decided to ask for more funding after conferring with Ya Erlin and Julian in his office. They had heard nothing from senior management so far. Du Ang wanted to use funding as an excuse to probe. But before he could make his move, he received a text message from his superior. He was so shocked he turned ghastly pale and nearly dropped his cup.
"What's up, Old Du?" Ya Erlin and Julian asked when they saw Du Ang react the same way a rat did when it ran into a cat.
"Manager Shi asked us to round up Fang Zhao for a meeting upstairs." Du Ang responded as he tightened his grip on his cup.
"You mean us three?" Julian pointed at herself.
"That's right. That's what Manager Shi said—us three and Fang Zhao. The four of us. Not one less."
"What floor?" Ya Erlin asked. The location of the meeting reflected the rank of the executive who called and led the meeting. The rule of thumb at Silver Wing was the higher the floor, the higher the rank. The meeting was most definitely about the virtual idol project and its epic song. If they found out where the meeting was being held, they could try to figure out the agenda through their connections.
Du Ang took a gulp and pointed upward. "Top floor," he said in a shaky voice.
Only one person could convene a meeting in the top-floor conference room—the big boss.
Kapitel 29: The Label Prizes Its Best Talent
Redakteur: Tennesh
No wonder none of the higher-ups had said anything. They were waiting for the big boss.
"You mean... Boss Du-Duan?" Ya Erlin's voice was even shakier. "Didn't she go to Huangzhou?"
"How would I know?" Du Ang didn't know what to do. They had expected the label not to handle the matter with kid gloves, but things had evolved beyond their expectations.
"Someone at Flying Pegasus must have complained to her," Ya Erlin voiced his speculation.
"Regardless of what went down, let's get ready. I'll get in touch with Fang Zhao. We'll head up to the top floor together."
On the 50th floor, Fang Zhao was monitoring the feedback to his release online. He was a bit surprised when he got word from Du Ang. He didn't expect the big boss to get involved.
He got up, sorted out his wrinkled outfit, and then told the others, "You guys take a break. I have to head upstairs for a meeting."
"Where's the meeting?" Zu Wen asked.
"The top-floor conference room."
"The top floor?" Zu Wen sprang from his seat. "Brother, a bit of advice. When you see the big boss, remember these five words: "no bullshit, tell the truth.'"
The head of Silver Wing was Duan Qianji, the granddaughter of founder and megastar Duan Yizhi. She was in her 70s. Word was that, when Duan Yizhi was still alive, a young Duan Qianji enjoyed an active on-screen career under the tutelage of her grandfather. When Duan Yizhi passed, Duan Qianji took over Silver Wing.
Fang Zhao recalled the research he had done before. There was a limited amount of information online and there were signs it had been doctored. As for the real Duan Qianji, Fang Zhao had never met her and knew little about her. He could only surmise from the reaction of Zu Wen, Du Ang, and company that the boss didn't have the best of tempers and wasn't the type of person who smiled all the time.
The elevator for rank-and-file employees couldn't reach the top floor. Fang Zhao followed Du Ang and company into a different elevator. The higher the elevator rose, the more nervous Du Ang and the two others became, Fang Zhao sensed.
Initially, Du Ang still managed to give Fang Zhao a few pointers, but eventually he turned silent. His whole body stiffened. It seemed as if the air pressure had dipped.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a 5-meter long hallway flanked by cold, metallic walls. Even the sunlight couldn't disperse the invisible chill.
After confirming their identities, an expressionless young man waved at them, signaling them to go ahead. Fang Zhao noticed that the man's gaze lingered on him for a few extra seconds.
When they entered the conference room, the chitchat stopped and some 20-odd pairs of eyes shifted their way. Every single person at the table was a senior executive above manager grade. Lowly department heads like Du Ang normally had no business being there.
The discerning and probing gazes were suffocating. Du Ang and company smiled stiffly. It seemed as though they could hear the heavy beating of their own hearts.
Taking a cue from his direct boss, Du Ang and party walked to the four spots at the end of the table. They were the lowest ranked employees and were seated accordingly.
The conference table was an inverted V. The seat at the joint was reserved for the big boss. It was still empty. There was another empty seat by her chair. It was unclear who it was reserved for.
Fang Zhao wasn't that nervous. He was checking out the conference room and wondering how the big boss would react. If she wasn't happy with his work, he wasn't going to grovel. In the worst-case scenario, he could leave and take his entire team with him. There were plenty of other record companies who would happily hire them.
Less than a minute after they sat down, before other curious senior execs could question them, the doors to the conference room opened again. The buzz that had greeted the arrival of Fang Zhao and company disappeared. It became so quiet every breath could be heard. This wasn't a curious silence. It was driven by fear and pressure.
Fang Zhao saw a stern-faced woman walk in with huge strides. Because life expectancy had increased in the New Era, even though Duan Qianji was nearly 80, she looked like someone in her 40s from before the apocalypse. There were some wrinkles in the corners of her eyes, but she looked quite sharp. She projected the strong aura of someone in charge.
Duan Qianji was trailed by four underlings—two secretaries and two assistants. They didn't show much emotion but seemed more relaxed and less serious than their boss.
Another elderly man entered along with Duan Qianji. After she sat down at the head of the table, he took the seat next to her.
Fang Zhao scanned the old man and noticed he was wearing a lapel pin with a Pegasus logo. He was from Flying Pegasus.
"Which one of you is Fang Zhao?" Duan Qianji cut to the chase right after she sat down.
His head drooped, Du Ang tapped Fang Zhao beneath the table, signaling him to stand up. His other hand wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He took an imaginary deep breath. If she was going to question Fang Zhao first, did that mean she wasn't upset that they'd taken matters into their own hands?
"I am." Fang Zhao got up.
Zip.
Fang Zhao's seat left its original spot and shifted to the empty space in the middle of the conference table, toward the head of the table.
Duan Qianji observed Fang Zhao's response. If he were a newcomer attending his first meeting on the top floor, the slightest movement would affect him. But Fang Zhao was unfazed. He wasn't nervous. Instead, he eyed his moving chair curiously. The surrounding gazes didn't get to him one bit.
This was no ordinary newcomer. He was too calm for his age.
"You wrote 'Divine Punishment?'" Duan Qianji glared at Fang Zhao when she posed the question.
"Yes, I wrote it," Fang Zhao said without avoiding Du Qianji's gaze.
Sensing no sign of deception, Duan Qianji's expression relaxed somewhat. "How many more movements are you planning for your Period of Destruction series?"
"Three more."
Gasps emerged from around the table. It was the same reaction Du Ang had had when he heard the news. The old man from Flying Pegasus was about to speak, but Duan Qianji raised her hand to interrupt. His eyes flashed panic.
"Have you recorded the remaining movements?" Duan Qianji asked.
"No, I'm out of funding."
Another round of gasps.
Du Ang and company became even more sheepish.
You've got guts, kid, asking the big boss for more funding.
Duan Qianji paused for two seconds, a trace of a smile appearing on her face.
"Fifty million for the second movement and the music video. I want to see a final product before November."
"No problem."
Duan Qianji remembered something and asked, "Who was the eye model for the music video?"
"Me."
"And your team of consultants?"
"It was just me."
The others at the table glared at Fang Zhao like he was a monster. The manager in charge of film production rolled his eyes and shut his eyelids in contemplation.
This time, Duan Qianji paused a little longer. "From now on, you're the manager of the virtual projects department and the producer for the Polar Light project. You'll be in charge of staffing. As for the bonuses for your team, Zhu Zhen will be in touch after the meeting."
One of the assistants standing behind Duan Qianji stepped forward and smiled at Fang Zhao.
"The label prizes its best talent." It sounded like a consolatory remark. Noticing that Fang Zhao was still deep in thought, she asked, "Anything else?"
"One more thing."
"Go ahead."
"Can I bring a dog to work?"
"..."
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