Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 126 Reactions from All Sides (Complete, 3k views)

He knew his agent was telling the truth. He had already attracted a lot of criticism for delaying things, and now he was in this mess. If he continued to delay, the consequences would be unimaginable.

But... his meticulously planned business empire, his future plans... were all ruined! It's all that damn poster's fault! And Yoona too! And... Byun Baekhyun!

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, and slammed his fist on the armrest of the sofa with a dull thud.

Seeing his expression, the agent knew he was wavering, so he said nothing more and whispered:

"You... think it over carefully. I need to take care of some other things first." With that, he turned and left the lounge.

The lounge fell silent again. Li Shengji stared at the glaring trending topics on his phone, his face so dark it seemed to drip water. Then he scrolled to the trending topic he hated most.
Looking at the increasingly outrageous comments below, especially those that had started "shipping" couples, I felt a wave of nausea.

Finally, as if he had exhausted all his strength, his fingers trembling, he opened the tweet posting interface, deleted and revised it repeatedly, and finally, a statement brimming with endless frustration and compromise was published:
Hello everyone, this is Li Shengji. Regarding the numerous false rumors circulating online recently, I feel deeply frustrated and angry. I am not familiar with Byun Baekhyun at all, and we have absolutely no personal interaction beyond that.
All malicious speculations about the relationship are baseless fabrications that have seriously damaged my reputation. I reserve the right to pursue legal action. To prevent the rumors from escalating further, I will no longer respond to such absurd statements.

At the same time, in order to fulfill my civic duty, I have formally submitted my application and will soon enlist in the army to serve in the most arduous units and in the places where I am most needed.

Thank you all for your continued care and support. I will train hard in the military and return as a better person.

This statement immediately ignited a frenzy online, with netizens launching into a barrage of mockery.

See? He really is going to serve in the military!

I didn't believe it at first, but this is practically an accurate prophecy.

So Yoona is the most pitiful one, right? She was clearly dragged into this as a scapegoat.

Doesn't anyone care about our Baekhyun oppa? Those who love him are already heading to the military!

[This is the couple I just started shipping, and it's already ending like this? No way!]

Does anyone know why Byun Baekhyun hasn't spoken out?

Rumor has it that Byun Baekhyun has been sidelined by his company.

Just as the public opinion storm triggered by Lee Seung-gi's statement was intensifying, SM Entertainment's official account and Byun Baek-hyun's personal account followed suit with two statements.

SM Entertainment's statement was as official as ever:
Hello everyone, recently some one-sided information about our artist Lim Yoona has been circulating online. This information is obviously biased and misleading, and has seriously damaged the artist's reputation.

In response, our company will take all necessary legal measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of our artists.

Thank you all for your concern. Yoona is doing well and has fully immersed herself in her new work. Her starring variety show, "New Journey to the West," will be airing soon, so please look forward to it and give it your support.

Byun Baekhyun's statement was brief:
Hello everyone, this is Byun Baekhyun. The information circulating online recently about me is all false and malicious slander. I am not acquainted with Lee Seung-gi.

I urge everyone not to believe unfounded speculations. The innocent will be proven innocent, and justice will prevail. I will not respond to this matter further. I hope everyone can focus on my work. Thank you.

These statements, issued one after another, have once again sparked a frenzy of interpretations among netizens:
[Look at the posts from Lee Seung-ji and Byun Baek-hyun, released one after the other. Who would believe they're not related? Their chemistry is off the charts!]

Do you think Lee Seung-gi and Byun Baek-hyun might be secretly dating?

See? That one-sided information is clearly referring to Li Shengji!

Do you think these two companies will go to war?

[Impossible, there would definitely be some kind of exchange of benefits]

So, is the news about Seung-gi oppa and Baekhyun oppa really true?

[Upstairs, stop asking. The answer is: we loved each other.]

[Speaking of which, wasn't it said that Yoona was stealing resources?]

Don't believe it. Hasn't my Yoona been criticized enough? I only care about Yoona's performance in "New Journey to the West." If she really performed well, what's wrong with the PD choosing someone more outstanding?

In the apartment, Yoona refreshed her phone screen, and after seeing the announcements, she let out a long sigh of relief, her tense shoulders finally relaxing. She turned to Kang Cheol and asked:
"When did you create this hater account?"

Jiang Che chuckled: "That's when I filled in for Taeyeon..."

Before they could finish speaking, both of their phones simultaneously beeped with notification sounds; it was a group chat from Girls' Generation and Temporary Workers.

[Sunny: Haha! Jiang Che, you're really amazing!]

[Taeyeon: Kitten worship.jpg]

[Jiang Che: No problem, no problem, just basic stuff.] [Sunny: But Jiang Che, can I borrow your hater account to play around with?]

Jiang Che's face was full of speechlessness as he replied, "I'll send you the account and password later, don't cause any trouble, okay?"

Sunny: Don't worry, don't worry, I'm not that kind of person!

Jiang Che didn't believe a word of it, but when he looked down at the constant stream of compliments in the group chat, he smiled and shook his head. He thought about it and realized that this matter seemed to need some kind of conclusion.
So he logged into the account 'Guardian of the Light' again.
It's time to perform the real tea ceremony.

He gathered his emotions, then his fingers flew across the keyboard, typing out a short, expressive essay:
[Title: Goodbye, my youth; goodbye, Byun Baekhyun.]

[Family, sisters. My hands are trembling and my heart is bleeding as I write this title. There was a time when I called myself 'Protect Hyun's Light,' and fought countless times for Baekhyun oppa, even breaking down several anti-fan clubs.]

I thought I would protect him until he reached the top. But today, I decided to leave, not because I believed that absurd and disgusting rumor. Believe me, I know better than anyone that it's false.

What I can't accept is when our thousands of fans, like madmen, rush to the front lines, demanding an explanation from Li Shengji's comment section, trying to clarify and refute rumors with every bystander, their keyboards practically sparking with fury.
The person we desperately wanted to protect chose to close the door to the comments section, casually telling us he would no longer respond. Li Shengji said he would no longer respond.
At least he packed his bags and went to serve in the military immediately! What does his lack of response mean? It means he's hiding like a coward!

Why don't you go serve in the military too, please? At least that way I can comfort myself with the thought that my oppa is a responsible man. I'm tired, sisters, you can choose to persevere.

But for me, this is the end. Perhaps, I'll consider coming back when he dares to do what Lee Seung-gi did and serve in the military to prove his responsibility. Goodbye—the light of protecting Hyun, officially unfollowing him.

This statement was like a bomb, causing a tsunami in Byun Baekhyun's fan club.

[Even the top fan has unfollowed?]

I cried. I don't want to admit it, but what the expert said seems to make some sense.

[Should I say this, but maybe Oppa should also serve in the military to prove himself?]

【Are you kidding me! Oppa is so young, how could he possibly go to serve in the military?】

But even the light that protects Ken is going to stop being a fan, and I suddenly feel so lost...

[Hang in there, sisters! This is exactly when Oppa needs us most!]

[I'm leaving, this is pointless, even the experts are disheartened.]

The fan club instantly split into several factions: some firmly believed that Oppa was being slandered and fought hard to clarify and maintain stability; others cried and wailed, unable to accept the departure of a major fan.
There was also a small group with a peculiar style who started seriously discussing "If Oppa really went to serve in the military, would he be in the same unit as Lee Seung-gi... In short, the whole place was chaotic and the atmosphere was severely damaged."

Jiang Che looked at the chaos he had created with satisfaction, logged out of his account, and tossed his phone onto the sofa.

"Done! I'm exhausted."

Leaving aside how EXO's managers are struggling to manage the out-of-control fan club and declining fan numbers, and how they are intensifying their efforts to control online comments.

Byun Baekhyun himself disregarded industry taboos and personally stepped in to appease the situation, contacting the guardian of his light and sending several private messages.

But all of this was irrelevant to Jiang Che, because time ticked away, and finally, the first episode of "New Journey to the West" was about to air.

On the evening of the day of the broadcast, Kang Cheol and Yoona prepared snacks and drinks early and filled the coffee table in the living room. When the doorbell rang, Kang Cheol went to open the door and found Taeyeon and Sunny fully armed.

When Taeyeon saw that it was Kang Cheol who opened the door, her eyes crinkled into a smile. She naturally opened her arms and rushed in, giving him a tight hug.

"Kang Cheol! Did you miss me?" Taeyeon's voice was filled with obvious laughter.

Jiang Che was taken aback by the sudden hug, then naturally returned the hug, and said with a grin:
"Think about it, a day apart feels like three autumns!"

Seeing this, Sunny pouted in disgust, squeezed past the two who were hugging, and muttered:

"Make way, don't block the door! Can you two be a little more considerate?" After saying that, he closed the door and walked straight into the living room.

Yoona watched this scene, her lips twitching slightly, but in the end she chose to ignore it.

After Kang Cheol and Taeyeon parted ways, they went to the living room together—Kang Cheol consciously sat cross-legged on the carpet, while the three big shots occupied the more comfortable sofa.

Taeyeon and Sunny squeezed together on the long sofa in the middle, while Yoona sat alone on the single sofa next to them.

On television, the opening music of "New Journey to the West" began, and the program officially started.

The scene begins with the members meeting for the first time and giving each other nicknames. Then, when the camera focuses on Jiang Che,
He casually dropped his classic opening line: "I think the adjectives 'handsome' and 'beautiful' were made just for me."

(End of this chapter)