This top celebrity got drunk and acted crazy, and everyone in the Chinese entertainment industry bur

Chapter 59 I'm not afraid of anyone now! "Wu Xin: The Monster Killer" is starting!! [Seeking monthly votes]

"We, Tencent, have partnered with Shanghai TV to create an outdoor reality show that rivals Running Man. The guest lineup has been basically finalized, and we've already entered the promotional phase. You've probably seen it; the show is called 'Extreme Challenge.' Now, the producers are considering adding a permanent MC spot specifically for you."

Extreme Challenge?

Lu Ming was taken aback and couldn't help but wonder who the guests on this variety show were.

As for the other polite words, he didn't even listen to them. If you're craving the fragrant saliva on Brother Ming, just say so. He even had the audacity to say that he had specially added a permanent seat for him. Only someone with a brain like Qian Bao would be flattered by such nonsense.

Seeing that Lü Ming had no reaction at all, Chu Sheng on the other end of the phone immediately revealed his trump card: "The first season has a total of 12 episodes, and it is expected to be recorded in two months. I can give you ten million in appearance fees!"

Good guy.

He was initially surprised that this CEO Chu was so decisive, not getting bogged down in the matter of his own music copyrights, and not even trying to help his allies. In just a few words, the matter was settled hastily. It turned out that the other party had dug a pit in advance, waiting for him to jump in.

They used Qiuqiu Music's business as a favor to get their own things done...

This person is not someone you should get too close to!

"Signing me as a permanent employee, is this Tencent's idea or Shanghai TV's idea?" Lu Ming's face turned cold.

He used to claim that he was the undisputed top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, but the next second he just asked for ten million, and he even asked for twelve episodes.

Dream on!

Chu Sheng was taken aback for a moment, then replied truthfully, "Both of us are investors. Inviting you to join was a decision made after mutual discussion."

"Oh, I never imagined that a prestigious television station like Shanghai's would be so poor that it needs funding to even produce a small variety show..." Lu Ming suddenly realized, and then said emphatically:

"Since you just helped me secure the online streaming rights for my single, Chu Sheng, I'll give you face. To reduce the production team's expenses, I'll waive the appearance fee. You can also bring your own investment into the production, and we'll calculate the total investment as a percentage of your total capital. We can draft a profit-sharing agreement. What do you think?"

Chu Sheng: "???"

How dare an artist who was blacklisted by his former company call him by the name of the current president of Tencent Video?
BIG daring!!!
Moreover, whether this nobody did it on purpose or his accent was genuine, because he spoke so quickly, he had the illusion that he had been insulted...

Mr. Chu, who was already displeased, also sensed the barbed tone in Lü Ming's words. Although Lü Ming was ostensibly criticizing Shanghai TV, he was actually speaking directly to him.

Realizing that the person on the other end of the phone wasn't an easy lamb, Chu Sheng toned down his usual tactics and explained:
"That's not the case. Both platforms are thriving, and joint investment is just a mutually beneficial business model. After all, if it becomes a hit, the program is bound to make a lot of money."

"Regarding the appearance fee, I can discuss with Shanghai TV to give you a certain increase. However, ten million per season is already a treatment only top-tier artists who have been consistently popular for years. Your co-stars include Hong Lei, who has won the Best Actor award, Huang Bo, who has won the Best Actor award, and Show Lo, a top star from Taiwan. So even if there is an increase, there are ways to do it, and we have to consider their feelings..."

The implication is that it can be added, but not by much.

Lu Ming shook his head: "No need, my schedule is a bit full recently. Even if the price is higher, I can't get away. Let's cooperate again when there is an opportunity in the future."

After saying that, Lu Ming hung up the phone before Chu Sheng could react.

Chu Sheng: "???"

Hearing the busy tone on the other end of the phone, the middle-aged man, who had been smiling gently, suddenly turned cold: "What other resources could he possibly have besides being a regular on Running Man with the shameless iQiyi, plus our music variety show?"

"You're really putting on an act because I'm giving you face?!"

"No, doesn't he understand his own situation? Why wouldn't he take the money that's practically handed to him? What's in it for him?"

After weighing the pros and cons, Chu Sheng dialed Lü Ming's number again, his voice authoritative despite his calm demeanor: "I can make the decision to increase your appearance fee to 1300 million. You know, Tencent has always been the one to call the shots in the Chinese entertainment industry!"

He spoke slowly, subtly conveying another layer of pressure.

"You should know that I have a bad temper, so please don't force me to scold you when I'm happiest!"

"What did you say?!" Chu Sheng's voice rose involuntarily.

After taking this position, he was always surrounded by flatterers. Even the top-tier actors in the Chinese entertainment industry had to be respectful in front of him, afraid of displeasing him. How dare this nobody talk to him like that?
"I'm telling you, don't push your luck!" Lü Ming sneered.

"You think I'm being unreasonable?" Chu Sheng stood up abruptly, his voice shrill: "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"You beast! Who do you think you are, the emperor? You acted all respectable before, and I thought I had met a good person. I didn't expect you to be a hypocrite who uses a tiger's skin as a banner. You keep talking about penguins. The president of a subsidiary dares to act so arrogantly. If you were in Ma Huateng's position, wouldn't you be eating three celebrities a day?"

"You flop!" Chu Sheng, who was living a life of luxury, immediately cursed angrily on the other end of the phone: "You dare to be so insolent? Do you believe I can blacklist you?! It's just a matter of me saying a word to kill you! Let me tell you, you're finished, your life is over. From now on, no one in the entire Chinese entertainment industry can save you!"

"You idiot, I'm not afraid of anyone now, why would I be afraid of you?!" Lu Ming's cold reply immediately made Chu Sheng on the other end of the phone turn red and break down on the spot.

Chu Sheng's mouth was as if it had been smeared with glycerin, and she angrily berated the phone, only to hear a busy signal coming from the other end of the line.

Furious and unable to vent his anger, Chu Sheng slammed his phone against the wall in front of him. With a loud bang, the phone shattered into pieces. As it broke, some parts bounced off the wall and hit him on the forehead. The sharp casing cut his skin on the spot, and blood gushed out!

The man reflexively clutched his forehead, gasped several times, and spat out a vicious curse: "Damn it, you flop!!"

"I must make him look like him!!"

The secretary pushed open the door and entered, and upon seeing this scene, she was immediately paralyzed with fear: "Call an ambulance!"

……

Opposite the phone.

Looking back on the whole incident, Lü Ming also felt that the so-called CEO lived up to his name, and what he did was quite beastly.

The Running Man show offered him 150 million per episode. Excluding the first episode, which had the most explosive program effect, the subsequent 11 episodes alone were offered a total of 1650 million before tax. As a competitor of iQiyi, and given that his current popularity has increased significantly compared to then, Tencent offered him the appearance fee of a top star.
Isn't this bullying an honest person?!
If this happened to a seasoned veteran in the Chinese entertainment industry, they might find it reasonable. But considering the various competitive factors between platforms and his commercial value, it is extremely unreasonable!
In an era where traffic is king, given his current level of attention, his appearance fee shouldn't double the standard rate for kiwifruit, but it should at least start with 2 to reflect his current market value.

Tencent is clearly taking advantage of its leading position in the industry to arbitrarily lower the prices of its artists, a practice that has become a long-standing problem.

After all, looking at the entire Chinese entertainment industry, even seasoned A-list celebrities become exceptionally docile in front of the CEO of Tencent. As for the reason? In today's booming internet industry, Tencent holds 40% of the resources in the entire Chinese entertainment industry. Faced with such a behemoth, no star dares to disobey.

If someone is disrespectful even once and causes the other party to retaliate, their career will truly be ruined from then on, and it's only a matter of time before they fall from grace.

Huayue's threat to blacklist a certain artist may not necessarily result in a complete ban, but if Tencent wants to blacklist someone, it can truly do so!

However, Lü Ming didn't care; he was immune to similar remarks now.

Ultimately, in the past, a single word from someone could lead to a ban within the industry. This was partly due to interpersonal relationships and partly due to the scarcity of exposure channels. The entire Chinese entertainment industry was highly competitive, and artists were in a very passive position. Therefore, even the most influential celebrities had to be tamed and subservient in the face of capital.

But things are completely different in the internet age!
Don't even mention that Penguin Video is just a subsidiary of Tencent, and its influence is limited to the domestic entertainment industry. Even their parent company, Tencent Group, wouldn't dare say that it could completely blacklist a popular idol just by relying on its network of connections, without the star crossing any red lines.

After all, ByteDance next door isn't just sitting idly by. You might imagine a business tycoon who can control everything with a single word, but in reality, business battles are all talk and no action. Talented people can make their voices heard anywhere. If Lü Ming doesn't care about Huayue, why would he care about a film and television platform that's working so hard to discover high-quality works?
Resource blackouts do exist, but the two words that terrify the entire Chinese entertainment industry have absolutely no effect on him.

Restricting his variety show appearances? Right now, in the variety show arena, all platforms need their own traffic to compete with iQiyi (the parent company of iQiyi), not to rely on other platforms for revenue…

As for restricting his film and television resources?

Tencent can indeed do that. As the industry leader, Tencent invests in hundreds of web series and dozens of big-budget movies every year. These resources are enough to make celebrities in the Chinese entertainment industry fight tooth and nail to get in. If you offend Tencent's CEO, you will naturally lose all these resources.

This is also the biggest weakness of Chinese celebrities. After all, the investment in a web series can easily reach tens of millions of yuan. If it flops, at best, they will lose most of their investment, and at worst, they will lose everything!
Even the wealthiest celebrities wouldn't dare gamble their entire fortune on a film. After all, their capital allows for countless opportunities; if they lose in one area, they can gain in another, and the gains can always offset the losses, thus achieving a truly guaranteed profit. However, celebrities only have one chance to gamble their entire fortune, and no one is willing to risk their entire future on that tiny probability.

However, for Lü Ming, he never intended to act in other people's films. What his colleagues were most worried about was actually what he cared about the least. On the contrary, the thing that others dared not take the plunge into and were afraid to talk about was something he was eager to learn about!
He not only wants to finance the production himself, but if possible, he wouldn't even mind taking out a loan...

He was confident that he would become a breakout star, quickly accumulate initial capital, and then transform from an actor into a capitalist. At that point, he would be just like Sister Honey, sitting at the table on the big stage of the Chinese entertainment industry.

He looked down on the model of vying for roles everywhere and then honestly collecting the paycheck. If things were done that way, even if he earned 20 million after taxes every year, in this era where making a movie often requires a small goal, he would have to work hard for five years without eating or drinking to have a chance to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.

By then, won't the daylily be too late?
Only three minutes had passed.

His phone rang again.

"Hello, this is the manager of the marketing division of Tencent Music. Mr. Chu has already spoken with you. I'd like to confirm again that our price for buying out the network transmission rights is one million yuan." A gentle voice came from the other end of the phone. Lü Ming was somewhat surprised: "Yes, the price is fine, but there's something I need to clarify. Your Mr. Chu said he wanted to blacklist me, so it seems unlikely that this matter will proceed. Are you sure you still want to sign the contract?"

"You two broke up?" came a surprised voice from the other end of the phone.

Lu Ming remained silent, taking it as tacit agreement. However, to his surprise, the man seemed unconcerned: "He is him, and I am me. I was just helping to pass on a message. This does not affect our strategic friendship. Furthermore, if any more masterpieces are released in the future, please give priority to Tencent Music. We welcome cooperation on copyright sales at any time!"

Lü Ming was somewhat surprised.

So all that swagger he made on the phone turns out he's just a nobody at Tencent Music, with even a marketing manager looking down on him?

What's going on? !
Shortly after, the two became friends, and the other party sent a copy of the electronic contract from Fadada. After confirming that everything was correct, Lü Ming scanned his face on the contract to sign it.

Just half an hour later, I received a notification from my phone that my account had been credited to my account via SMS.

"Good heavens, including the advertising fees from Jiang Xiaobai, I made a full three million in one day. The speed at which I make money is truly outrageous." Lu Ming himself was shocked by his current money-making ability.

And not long after that.

Gangzi called, and when Lü Ming answered, he heard the man's enthusiastic voice on the other end of the line. This old man was very noticeable today. He had been asking him how he was doing before he went on stage, and he had sent him a congratulatory message after his performance. Lü Ming hadn't replied to any of these messages, but now that it was late at night, he had actually called to have a heart-to-heart talk.

There are ghosts!

"Just say what you want to say. You're making me feel pressured!" Lu Ming said, sounding a little sleepy.

Seeing that the time was ripe and he was tired of acting, Gangzi said frankly, "Has Tencent contacted you? You know, I wouldn't say I've treated you well, but I've never looked down on you. If they offer any tempting terms, just let me know. I'll say it once: whatever resources Tencent can provide, we'll always pay them a premium!"

“If that’s the case, you can rest assured. That Chu Sheng is an idiot…” Lu Ming helplessly told Gangzi the whole story.

He also didn't have the heart to add fuel to the fire.

Gangzi was overjoyed upon hearing this:
"That beast is too ignorant. With his attitude, he'll be forced to step down sooner or later. Don't worry, I can't promise you anything else, but as long as I'm in this position, you can have whichever variety show you want under Kiwi Fruit. You can record this. If I, Wang Gang, break my word, you can do whatever you want with me!"

"There's no need for recording, but since you put it that way, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Just tell me."

"I'm already preparing the cast for my self-invested web series 'Wu Xin: The Monster Killer.' I'd like to borrow a relatively professional director from you for a short time. We'll settle the fee according to market rates. After filming wraps up, it will be released on the Kiwi platform. What do you think?"

Gangzi: "???"

“Brother, I can agree to anything else, but if you’re talking about making a movie and wanting it to be released on Kiwi, what’s the difference between that and taking my life?” Gangzi’s tone even carried a hint of fear.

"You don't believe me?" Lu Ming retorted.

Gangzi: "Who would believe that? Ask Reba, she wouldn't believe it either!"

"Dilraba has already signed on; she'll be the female lead!"

"???" Gangzi exclaimed in surprise: "You recorded her murder and disposal of the body?"

"I'm not joking. She believes me, why don't you?" Lu Ming scoffed.

Gangzi didn't understand why Reba would jump into the fire, but since the matter had come to this point, he also opened up:

"Of course I believe you. You're a natural variety show star. Even if all the variety show personalities in the entire Chinese entertainment industry are eliminated, you'll always be a mainstay. And since you're now both talented and capable in music, and even Tencent Music is showing you favor despite our shared interests, wouldn't it be great if we created a few more original songs for you?"

Seeing that Lü Ming remained silent, he seemed to have made a major decision and solemnly promised:
"At worst, after the first season of Running Man ends, I'll help you get started on a project to hold a bigger and more prestigious 'Who is the Singer' competition. We'll set the entry threshold at the level of top-tier singers, and find a superstar to support us. I can even pull some insider tips to help you win the competition."

"If we focus on developing our variety shows and music businesses, they'll definitely thrive!"

"Those who sing well aren't as talented as you, those who are more talented aren't as handsome as you, and those who are more handsome... the reason you've survived until now is because this face has no rivals in the Chinese idol industry. With this god-like face, plus talent and strength, we've created a perfect circle, my future King Ming!"

Lü Ming admitted that Gangzi's statement was reasonable and well-founded, leaving him with no way to refute it.

For any artist, becoming a top star is the pinnacle of their life. If they also have some talent, they become a superstar. This title sounds incredibly prestigious and is indeed the pinnacle of life that countless A-list celebrities dream of.

The problem is that this path doesn't lead to capital.

True freedom is always about taking your own destiny into your own hands. He invests in making films and starting businesses to live for himself. Even though this path is several times more tiring than being a variety show personality and singer, he doesn't care about the fatigue. Doing things that give him a sense of accomplishment only fills him with passion.

He has a complete music library of the world in his head, and countless treasure troves of scripts waiting for him to discover while drinking...

Having finally traveled through time, if I can't present those well-known masterpieces from my previous life in this parallel world, what's the difference between that and wasting my life?
These are things that you definitely can't do alone.

He recruited and expanded his business, and sooner or later he would become the second entertainment giant in China, comparable in scale to Huayue. Just thinking about that scene made him feel excited.

"In short, making films is my dream!" Lü Ming said solemnly.

Gangzi didn't understand, but he respected: "Ming, if you do this, I won't consult anyone. I'll make the decision. Kiwi will give you an extra ten million in appearance fees. If you make a terrible movie that's not worth a penny, you'll lose everything. You've finally gained some public goodwill, but it will plummet again. I might as well be selfless and just buy out your rebellious dream!"

"For our sake, and for the sake of the audience, I beg you, please stop hurting anyone's eyes!"

"It's strange, but since last year, I don't know what's going on, the quality of dramas and films has plummeted. Audiences can't even afford to eat a decent meal a year, and if you keep provoking them like this, I'm worried the Chinese entertainment industry is doomed!"

“…” Lü Ming.

To be honest, this is the first time I've been so speechless since I transmigrated.

"Anyway, you'll see when I finish filming it. Criticize it all you want if it's bad! Also, since you're so loyal to your brother, Gangzi, I'll give you a hand too. The total investment for the finished film should be around 40 million. Right now, we're short 10 million. According to the rules of the underworld, I'll provide the work, you provide the money, and I'll give you 20% of the 10 million!"

Gangzi: "???"

He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed in disbelief: "Openly committing fraud?"

A 25% share of ten million?
He had no doubt that when the film was finally released, he would have invested ten million and only come out with ten thousand. By then, he would have lost all his money and been completely disgraced.

The platform funded the increase in Lu Ming's appearance fee, but if it were to invest in him, the money would have to come out of its own pocket. As the president of Kiwi, he is certainly wealthy, but he has never done anything like throwing money away.

However, Lü Ming then gave him a long and earnest pep talk.

Gangzi couldn't help but be a little suspicious of this unknown actor's confidence in giving up a promising future and insisting on making films.

Although he found it unbelievable, he was genuinely impressed by Lü Ming's confident assertions.

Regarding financing, he decided to read the script and then personally go to the set to witness it before making a decision. As for the director, Gangzi simply lent Lu Hao, the director of Running Man, to Lü Ming.

To be on the safe side, Gangzi did not reveal that Huka was the sugar daddy before signing the contract. Otherwise, once this kid's reputation was established, Lu Hao probably wouldn't have signed his name on the death warrant.

In the following days, as the recording of the second episode of Running Man began, the large amount of attention that Lü Ming had previously attracted on Tencent also switched to watch. Kiwi once again set a new record for attracting new users. According to rumors, the platform's revenue during the two days of Running Man's live stream even exceeded the total revenue of a typical quarter, making a fortune!

As a variety show director, Haozi's biggest dream is to break into the television industry, create a masterpiece that everyone praises, and make a name for himself. When he learned that his boss had promoted him so much, Haozi was extremely grateful.

During the filming of Running Man, the middle-aged man was all smiles. Even when he was pranked by an unknown actor, he just laughed it off and didn't care at all. When he was alone, he would laugh at the air.

After two days of recording, Haozi rushed to Gangzi's office to make arrangements. Before signing the contract, he also saw the script for "Wu Xin: The Monster Killer".

……

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(End of this chapter)