Chapter Fifty-Three: Live Streaming

No matter what, the price they had agreed upon in advance could not be changed now. In the end, Ding Qiang feigned confidence and tossed out a copyright price—seven million.

Liao Yuan neither affirmed nor denied, but asked, “Director Fu, could you share your creative vision?”

“Of course!” Fu Yuntao’s spirits lifted. “I’ve been studying the script for ‘The Ancient City of Jingjue’ for over ten rounds lately. The storyline will basically stick to the original, striving for a 100% faithful adaptation…”

As he spoke, he took out a blueprint of the script and handed it to Liao Yuan.

The blueprint charted all the plotlines, appearing somewhat chaotic, yet Liao Yuan, studying it closely, could still discern the story’s outline:

Hu Bayi, sent down to the countryside, arrives at Ganggang Camp on the Sino-Mongolian border, bringing with him the only book left at home—‘The Sixteen-Character Yin-Yang Feng Shui Secrets.’ In his leisure, he memorizes the contents thoroughly.

Later, he enlists in the military in XC, encounters an avalanche, and falls into a deep ravine. Hu Bayi uses his knowledge of ancient burial secrets to escape with his life.

After demobilization, Hu Bayi and his friend Wang Fatty join an archaeological expedition to XJ. The group braves countless dangers to reach the ruins of the ancient city of Jingjue in the Taklamakan Desert and enters the underground “Ghost Cave.”

The cave is filled with traps and mechanisms, seemingly under the control of a mysterious prophet…

The story remains the same; the real question is whether the filmmakers can fully recreate the horror, strangeness, and suspense woven into the tale.

Fu Yuntao elaborated, “This series will require extensive special effects. I intend to invite an international top-tier team for collaboration. As for casting, I’ll be extremely selective, and of course, Mr. Liao, you’re welcome to provide decisive input. As we discussed over the phone, you are more than welcome to supervise the creative process throughout filming. If all goes smoothly, I’ll begin shooting as soon as ‘101’ wraps up, and expect to finish within three months.”

Watching Fu Yuntao speak with such assurance, Liao Yuan suddenly recalled the script for ‘The Ancient City of Jingjue’ he had missed in his previous life.

Back then, he was a seasoned fan of online novels, and his initial rise to fame was tied to one such novel.

Thus, he had a keen interest in the two trending tomb-raiding projects, ‘The Grave Robber’s Diary’ and ‘Ghost Blows Out the Lamp.’

But the script for the former was snatched up by some young idols.

The latter was rejected because the lead’s image did not match the original author’s expectations, leaving Liao Yuan so frustrated he nearly coughed blood.

After all, he was a Golden Horse Award-winning actor, one of the top stars in the industry. If he leveraged his connections to seize the script for ‘Ghost Blows Out the Lamp,’ no one would dare object.

But he was proud by nature. Since the original author, Tianxia Bachang, said he didn’t fit the role, he would not force his way in.

Now, in this life, it was his own ‘Ghost Blows Out the Lamp’ that had come to light.

Were it not for his loss of interest in the entertainment industry, Liao Yuan would have been tempted to try playing Hu Bayi himself.

Because when he monetized ‘Ghost Blows Out the Lamp,’ his pen had unconsciously shaped Hu Bayi’s image after his own, so the script’s description of appearance and physique closely matched Liao Yuan.

“Mr. Liao? Mr. Liao?”

Ding Qiang noticed Liao Yuan was distracted and couldn’t help but prompt, “Are you satisfied with the price?”

“Seven million?” Liao Yuan returned to himself, thought a moment, and said, “The price is good, but…”

But?

Fu Yuntao’s heart skipped a beat. He gazed expectantly at Liao Yuan and smiled, “If you have any requests, please let us know. We can always discuss them.”

Liao Yuan looked at Fu Yuntao, recalling the ‘Memorial’ MV video from Youxun.com, then shook his head and said, “Forget it, seven million will do.”

With that, he carefully examined the contract.

Fu Yuntao breathed a sigh of relief, signed his name with a smile, and said, “Rest assured, Mr. Liao, your hard work will not go to waste.”

Liao Yuan responded with a nod, continuing to review the contract.

After a moment, something occurred to him and he looked up. “I have a request… Of course, if you refuse, it’s perfectly fine.”

Fu Yuntao quickly replied, “Not at all, please speak freely.”

Liao Yuan smiled, “Could you give my younger sister a role in the series?”

“Liao Meiqi?”

Fu Yuntao looked troubled. “I actually considered Shan Zhi, but in your script, Shirley Yang is an overseas Chinese, mature and poised, which doesn’t quite fit your sister’s image.”

Liao Yuan acknowledged, “The lead female is out of the question. My sister is a newcomer, her acting still needs development—she’s not ready for such responsibility. But I think the role of Swallow would suit her well. What do you think, Director Fu?”

“Swallow?” Fu Yuntao’s eyes brightened and he slapped the table in approval. “Excellent idea, Mr. Liao! Swallow is indeed perfect for Shan Zhi!”

Liao Yuan smiled slightly. “Thank you, Director Fu.”

The two parties then signed the contract. The copyright fee of seven million would be transferred from Fu Yuntao’s production company’s finance account to Liao Yuan, and per their agreement, the company would handle the withholding of manuscript taxes.

Once everything was settled, Fu Yuntao enthusiastically introduced the dishes and flavors at the farmhouse restaurant to Liao Yuan, smiling as he asked, “Aside from ‘Ghost Blows Out the Lamp,’ what else have you been working on lately, Mr. Liao? Any other novels in progress?”

“Not at the moment.” Liao Yuan shook his head. “Recently, I’ve been considering some ideas about livestreaming. Director Fu, tell me—if a streamer doesn’t show their face, doesn’t speak, and doesn’t interact, how can they rapidly increase their viewer count during a live broadcast?”

“Livestreaming?”

Fu Yuntao was surprised. “Is this just for fun, Mr. Liao? Or are you planning to seriously enter the field?”

As soon as he said this, Fu Yuntao chuckled. A renowned author wouldn’t seriously consider the livestreaming industry—surely it was just a whim.

“I actually know a bit about livestreaming. Popular entertainers occasionally do live broadcasts for advertisers, but rarely do it often.”

“This industry is much like the entertainment world—full of all sorts, with viewers of mixed quality. If you do it long-term, though the income might look impressive on paper, you’re bound to encounter some bitter, jealous people, with all kinds of vulgar insults.”

“So unless forced by circumstances, writers and entertainers rarely take up livestreaming. The most immersive part of livestreaming is interaction—the chance for viewers to feel involved. If you don’t show your face, don’t speak, don’t interact, I think it would greatly reduce viewers’ interest, unless the content is particularly novel, like haunted house adventures or wilderness survival.”

He remembered something and, while rummaging in his bag for a business card, continued, “Since you’re interested, Mr. Liao, it’s perfect—my sister has made a modest name for herself in this field. She’s always been energetic, gave up a good job at a Fortune 500 company, and prefers livestreaming, especially outdoor broadcasts—exposed to the elements, always claiming she yearns for freedom…”